Excellent Debut Novel
587715
S.G. Redling's Flowertown gives us a smelly, ugly glimpse into the "brave new world" we could easily live in. Despite this ugliness is an excellent store tapping into our sense of adventure and search for truth and hope in the darkest of times. A huge chemical company causes a catastrophe which cuts off a a town and its residents from the world, having them survive (not live) in filth as captives of the chemical company, the Army, and their own programming in isolation. Ellie is someone who's seen it all there, and who has two emotions- Apathy (kept dominant by her need for mind-numbing substances) and Rage. Anger, as they say, is a gift, and it is that which eventually drives her toward the truth. There are shocking twists, gritty environments, fear, and also the nagging satire that deep down may make the reader uncomfortable because Flowertown could be established next week for all we know.

It's an impressive novel for a seasoned writer and exceptional for a debut. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to know they're not alone in questioning the current state of things, or who wants a good, engaging read.
4764255
I loved it!  This is a great debut novel!  Great characters, plot, and locations.  A fun, fast read!
1466953
As an avid reader, one of the great joys is reading a debut novel of an up and coming and competent author.  Bent Road by Lori Roy is worth the gamble of buying a book by someone you've never read before.  In fact, the language of the book is so polished I had difficulty believing that Bent Road was a debut novel at times.  However, not being a conspiracy freak, I'll take the word of the publisher that this is a first book.

The story is multi-leveled.  First, on the surface we're introduced to the Arthur Scott family in the process of fleeing Detroit and moving to his home in Kansas.  Arthur, his wife Celia, son Daniel and daughters Elaine and Evie are relocating we are told due to the deteriorating conditions in the great Michigan city.

Then, there are two disappearances.  First, there is Arthur's sister, Eve (not Evie), who disappeared and was murdered before he left home as a young man.  Then there is the second disappearance of the young girl, Julianne Robison.  She disappeared just after Arthur relocated this family near the family homestead.  Are these disappearances unrelated and merely coincidental?

There are other elements.  Daniel's coming of age story.  Ruth, Arthur's other sister and her story as an abused wife.  Evie, Arthur's youngest daughter, enjoys dressing in her murdered aunts clothes.  Elaine has a romance with Jonathan, a local boy.  There are so many facets to this story it's almost as though the author couldn't quite choose the type of story she wanted to write and therefore threw everything in.  Though the book doesn't suffer from this in my opinion, one wonders if Roy might have benefited by narrowing the scope a little. However, Bent Road is a terrific read regardless.  I don't review everything I read, but this novel kept me turning pages.

Trust me, in the end the secrets are revealed in a manner that is satisfying and worthy of a terrifically written novel.

I recommend.
4843530
John Paul McKinney's debut novel is a fantastic example of great story telling.  Smart, concise, and intriguing, McKinney keeps the reader engaged with his use of tension and fantastic dialogue.  The characters are well-rounded and connected with me immediately. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.
1643263
Sally Wiener Grotta's first novel has excellent writing, rich descriptive passages and intriguing characterization.  It captures a small Pennsylvania town dealing with and trying to rise above racial stereotyping in a moving portrait.  The reader comes to care for the characters deeply.  A fine debut!
2108590
Fantastic debut book for a new writer. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters and the way the story was woven together. Never a dull moment from beginning to end. I appreciated the opportunity to read this book prior to release.
1594667
Terrific debut novel aimed at mature high school students. Ms. Spears is a talented writer. The dialog rings true and is often humorous, the characters are believable and multi-faceted, the Cyrano de Bergerac plot is old but freshly served up.
One of those books that is hard to put down and you're sorry when it ends.
3935243
I enjoyed the storyline and plot and was intrigued throughout the book. I often found myself wondering how things would end for Charlie and Whiskey.  Biker stories are usually not my cup of tea, but I found myself drawn in from the very beginning.  I also enjoyed the connection between the biker family and the softball theme.

I thought that the "instalove" element was too quick for my tastes, especially given Charlie's past. There were also some instances of choppy wording and some dialogue that didn't seem to flow smoothly.

Overall, well done for a debut novel.  I can't wait to read more!
421827
The Record Prophet was captivating, an excellent debut novel. The story had an organic flow, showing the restraint and control of a craftsman. Patiently waiting for Seery's next work!
4331173
A Lady in the Smoke is one of those rare debut books that hits every right note.  Odden's writing is smooth and descriptive, bringing the reader into a world of smoke and light, people and machines in a perfect blend of mystery, romance, and family. Wonderful descriptions of daily life make the reader feel as if they are on the street, or in the train, with the characters.  A Lady in the Smoke brilliantly weaves together what start off seeming like very separate story threads.  Railway accidents, strange land acquisitions, the tragedies of friends, and family secrets come together in ways you wouldn't have expected.

All of Odden's characters are fully formed, three dimensional people with layered emotions, motives, and relationships.  Elizabeth Fraser is a strong and determined woman, just beginning to discover how to take control of her own life in spite of her family and society.  She becomes drawn into the railway conspiracy because of her compassionate nature and sense of justice- although ironically the only argument that gains her entry into the case is a purely financial one.  Even relatively minor characters like Anne and Phillip Reynolds are alive with emotions that wring your heart as you follow their struggles between doing what is right and what is comfortable.

Fans of C. S. Harris and Amanda Quick will applaud this talented new author as she joins the ranks of truly excellent historical mystery writers.  A Lady in the Smoke is an absolute must read, and hopefully only the first of many excellent books in debut author Karen Odden's future.
1615255
I was impressed with how drawn in i was by the debut novel of an author. I cant wait for the sequel!
1747117
The debut novel for V.R. Stone is a great one!  It has well-defined and engaging characters, along with plot twists. I loved the book and would love to read another by this author.
2041542
This is a very well-written book with interesting characters, an absorbing plot arc, and enough angst and drama to keep you turning the pages. It is especially impressive as a debut novel. I won't belabor the story line, as it is summarized nicely in Amazon's product description as well as one of the other reviews here. Suffice to say that the main character, Lewis Chopik, is easy to relate to, even in the face of some peculiar and occasionally wrenching family dynamics. I thought the author did a great job of capturing the distinct personalities that surround Lewis, so much so that I found myself being critical of their behaviors and attitudes. That's when I know that a writer has truly breathed life into his or her characters.

I have two mild criticisms, neither of which should discourage buying and reading this book. First, the storm metaphor, while employed effectively in this story, is still overused almost to the point of cliche. Second, I found quite a few typos and proofreading errors. They were distracting at times, as they interrupted the flow of my reading. Still, I've read far worse books that were edited and proofed perfectly, so don't let that deter you.
3642210
An incredible debut novel. Very well written. The characters come to life instantly and are nicely developed despite being a short novella. I literally could not put this book down and was easily read in one sitting. Highly recommended. You will not be disappointed.
3723885
Being perfectly honest, the first couple chapters of this novel aren't good.  Too wordy, overstuffed with genre cliches and beginner mistakes, I was not looking forward to reading on.  However, the early stumbles are just that and what emerges is a compelling and well written novel from a promising new author.  The story gradually picks up in pace and the characters, who start off somewhat mixed together under an authorial umbrella  develop distinct well realized personalities.  For a debut novel, the growth process from start to finish is significant and given the end result, I can't wait to read the next book in the series.
4174163
Sally Beauchamp has penned a fine first novel.  I enjoyed the story line and locations she crafted and I just loved some of the names she choose for her characters, Monk, Muckeye, Bush Cat  :-D  The interaction with her mother and sisters was realistic, and I felt she handled the emotional angst that Ellen had to go through in her first romantic involvement after her husband's death very well.  Sally also gives her readers a glimpse of the challenges faced by families who have children with autism and a hint of their fear for the future of their loved ones.  All in all a good read.  I look forward to the next book~
30576
This was an excellent debut novel by Satin Russell. The main characters were real and believable, and the descriptions of the small town had you feeling like you were one of the locals. I seriously wish I had a local cafe such as Olivia's to visit. She also did a nice job describing the bad guy, and giving us insight into his twisted thoughts. While it started out a bit slow, the pace picked up nicely and continued to keep me reading and wanting to find out what would happen next; there were a few areas that could have been cut down near the beginning because they had already been mentioned in other chapters (otherwise I would have given this book five stars). The cover art and overall quality of the book itself are excellent. I am definitely looking forward to reading more about the Harper sisters in her subsequent novels.