Brilliant new voice in literary fiction
588929
I read this book when it was first released, and was blown away by the command of its author.  Rare is the case when a novella this well-written and compelling is not already on the national radar--if you have stumbled this way, count your lucky stars for having just discovered one of the best new voices in literary fiction.  The author's insight into the human condition through the plight of its protagonist Afghanistan veteran is moving, thought-provoking, and thoroughly complex--just the kind of fare that perfectly engages its reader at the core.  Read this.  Google the author.  Find his other works.  Thank me later.
2325994
I've read Glenville Lovell's first two literary novels, both of which will tweak your senses and your mind, so with the publication of his third book, I can say that he's become one of my favorite new writers; thus, my pleasure in loving and recommending his stylish new noir, Too Beautiful to Die, without reservation.
Lovell is both craftsman and artist. The craftsman in him offers a plot-driven novel with incisive and often humorous dialogue and an intriguing and fully-developed character in Blades Overstreet. This ex-detective is simultaneously streetwise and vulnerable, full of wit, brooding, doused with ample levels of testosterone, yet blessed with tender thoughts of love and longing and sensuality, and not without a measure of kick-ass sarcasm tossed into his psychological mix. And, he has his demons, too. His meditations on family dynamics, intra-racial color bias, and racial politics are honest and pointed. The story moves along at a fast pace with compelling chapter endings (so much so that I found myself leaving only four hours for a night's sleep because I was busy turning pages). Blades Overstreet is a man that I'd like to meet again (and soon).
If you like stories of Everyman against Everything, you'll like Too Beautiful to Die. If you like stories in which setting, too, is a character, check out Lovell's Brooklyn in this book. For excerpts of all three novels (Fire in the Cane and Song of Night are the others) and more about the author, check out Lovell's web site at glenvillelovell.com.
1390639
"The Uninnocent," the wonderful new book of short fiction from Bradford Morrow, manages to be at once luminous and dark. Each story takes a brave look at the underside of characters who often narrate their own tales. I agree with the reviewers on this page who read these stories slowly. Because of the macabre, noir nature of the material, its narrative richness, its descriptive powers, and the multitude of surprise endings, these are stories to be savored rather than hurried through in one or two sittings. Also, as Morrow subtly foreshadows many of the twists and turns early on, a rereading yields its own rewards, perhaps revealing clues missed the first time around.

It's hard to single out the best pieces in such a uniformly fine collection, but my current favorites are "Gardener of Heart" and "The Enigma of Grover's Mill." In the first, the funeral of a beloved twin sister brings an archaeologist back to the home town he long ago abandoned. Though their paths forked outwardly, he learns, their deep love for one another inexorably binds them. "The Enigma of Grover's Mill" contains a lot of death, an alien invasion, radio hoaxes and (maybe) murder. Simultaneously, it's a coming-of-age tale filled with nostalgia, mourning, the wonders of adolescence and love.

Also powerful is "The Hoarder," a creepy story which reminded me of John Fowles' masterfully chilling novel "The Collector." In "Ellie's Idea" a woman decides to wipe her moral slate clean, purifying herself and hopefully winning back her husband, by apologizing to everyone for every bad act she believes she's committed. This one snuck up on and eventually enfolded me; the character for whom I felt empathy at the outset became the one from whose clutches I eventually wanted to escape. "Lush" intertwines romantic love and alcohol addiction so seductively it made me feel the narrator's addiction. Indeed, for the duration of the story I almost shared it.

All this gets to the heart of what I loved about "The Uninnocent." At a reading I attended, a fan asked Morrow how he managed to create an entire world in the space of a short story. After some thought, he ascribed it to the specificity of detail, which certainly fleshes out his works and gives them resonance. In addition, the specificity, the psychological depth, and the humanness of even the most monstrous of the characters pulled me into the stories and kept me there.
3725215
This book is a must read for those that like insightful literary fiction. From the opening moments of this collection, I knew this book of stories would be different. The prose is gripping and well written, allowing a reader to step into the scenes, almost as if watching on a television or movie screen.

The highlight of this collection for me is the lead story---Sandcastle. The story stayed with me long after I finished reading and nearly a year later, I keep re-reading the story, finding new layers and complexities each time. I say this book is worth the purchase on the basis of this story alone.

There is much more than the lead story in this collection. We see an impressive diversity of characters and stories, at times haunting, thought provoking and touching. Justin will take your mind to places that ordinary fiction dare not to go.

In closing, buy this book!!!
2889915
What a refreshing new voice!!  Wonderful debut book by this new author, I couldn't put it down but didn't want it to end.  The multiple points of view works in such a remarkable way, really provides insight into all the major characters.  I loved it early on, but once Abby referenced my all-time favorite book (Owen Meany) and used my all-time favorite word (phantasmagorical) she wins my loyalty forever.  I'm ready and waiting for the next novel.
2274456
I am admittedly not the most prolific reader of fantastic fiction, YA or otherwise, but I had it on very good authority that this book, which first-time novelist Jessica Cluess has described as "Jane Eyre Battles Cthulhu," would be something that would appeal to me.  So I picked it up and was swept up into a sleekly written, deeply felt, uncommonly compelling fantasy-adventure narrative, the first of a planned "Kingdom on Fire" trilogy.

Cluess's heroine is Henrietta Howel, a teacher at a grim Victorian school with an explosive secret:  Her body can burst into flames.  Marked as a "chosen one" figure, she is plucked from her low social position and brought to a secret training facility for the sorcerers bound to defend London against the Seven Ancients, a cadre of hideous primordial monsters loosed on the city by the machinations of a team of magicians with shadowy connections (magicians and sorcerers are NOT one and the same in the universe of this story).  As Howel struggles to master her sorcerous powers (which may not be exactly sorcerous to begin with), she also battles her conflicted feelings about her fellow students, including the would-be lothario Magnus and the officious, secretly tormented Lord Blackwood.  And then there's Rook, the "Unclean" survivor of a previous Ancient attack who's been her boon friend since childhood, but whose connection to the evil that almost destroyed him is becoming too powerful for comfort.

Stir in some intrigue amongst the sorcerer's elite instructors' class, a slum-dwelling magician with a truly shocking trick up its sleeve, and plenty of dazzling, so-vivid-you-can-smell-the-blood monster battles, and you've got something that could, in a lesser writer's hands, have collapsed under its sheer narrative weight.  It's to Cluess's credit that the story, stuffed with incident and character as it is, never gets away from her, and this is mainly due to her constant, laser-sharp insistence on making this a story about character above all.  Howel's frustratedly mixed feelings about her fellow sorcerer charges; her bone-deep devotion to the now possibly dangerous Rook; her intelligence and quietly anti-authoritarian stance...all of these characteristics make her a compelling heroine worth rooting for.  And the figures surrounding her, from Magnus to Lord Blackwood, from the steadfast lady's maid Lilly to the inscrutable visionary sorcerer-in-training Lambe, are drawn with sure, clean strokes, investing you in them and in Howel's relationships with them.

The prose itself is dense with detail but not drowning in it, crafting a whole sorcerous world that's still strongly rooted in the bitter class divisions that split Victorian-era England asunder.  Her monsters are truly hideous (particularly the most hideous and insinuating of them all, the aptly named R'hlem the Skinless Man), and the battles gratifying strong stuff for young adult literature.  Blood does spill, and not every character you love is necessarily safe in this danger-fraught world.  One revelation had me gasping out loud; another moment, an unexpected reunion, brought a genuine lump to my throat.

Like I said, I'm not a big fantasy reader.  But I always love a good story, and Jessica Cluess has written a great one.  The last line got my heart racing a little bit...just like I'll be racing to the bookstore as soon as Part Two of this trilogy hits the shelves.
1080889
I had been anticipating Louisa Treger's debut novel, The Lodger, for some time and it has not disappointed. I love the idea of a biographical novel, especially one that brings to life a somewhat overlooked yet incredibly talented woman. The Lodger tells the tale of Dorothy Richardson - literary pioneer, contemporary of Virginia Woolf and, intriguingly, one time lover of H.G. Wells. Interestingly, Treger focuses on a relatively short time period before Dorothy Richardson received literary notice - yet it is a brilliant move since this part can be called the character's literary and even emotional awakening.

Treger has a masterful way of subtly teasing out the internal thoughts and feelings of her characters using clear and beautiful language. The book has emotional and psychological depth, but happily, it is also extremely readable. Dorothy's ride through London's Regent's Park on a bicycle, her sense of unfolding freedom, and her deepening awareness of her own inner life - the mixture of the mundane with the insightful shines throughout The Lodger. I can't recommend this book enough - it is an exquisitely crafted jewel - and I can't wait for the author's next work.
3406189
What is The New Black? Its not only the name of the book, but also a genre in itself. New Black, or neo-noir, is ostensibly what noir literature has evolved into over many years and many stories. I say ostensibly because after Laird Barrons foreword and Richard Thomas introduction, the definition, if there can be one, remains nebulous. As Barron points out, neo-noir simply means dark fiction, and even within that niche, theres a hell of a lot of territory to cover. Youll find horror between these pages, but youll also find elements of many other genres, some of which may come as a surprise. Classification issues aside, The New Black is simply an extraordinary collection of fiction.

An aging boxer strives to assuage one type of pain with another in Craig Davidsons Rust and Bone, a hard-hitting story of crippling guilt and atonement in the ring.

Micaela Morissettes The Familiars straddles the line between magical realism and supernatural horror. An imaginary friend comes of age along with its companion, bringing to light the darkness lurking on the edges of childhood fancy.

Roy Keseys absurd yet emotive Instituto asks what perfection is, explores the possibility of attaining it at a price, and explores the relation between physical scars and the memories attached to them.

The unreliable narrator of Benjamin Percys Dial Tone struggles to make sense of his seemingly dull life, in a sort of reverse murder mystery that delves into the aimlessness and alienation of the digital age. An unorthodox haunting overshadows the proceedings.

With Its Against the Law to Feed the Ducks, Paul Tremblay brings an understated take on post-apocalyptic literature. This story, viewed through the eyes of a child, is all the more emotionally potent for the illusion of normalcy the family strives to maintain.

These are by no means highlights. Richard Thomas has drawn together an astonishing array of talent, and this is the rare collection in which every story is a highlight in its own way. Its stories adeptly bridge the divide between genre and literary, becoming a hybrid that any reader of fiction will appreciate. This is a book for fans of writers as diverse as Stephen King, Jos Saramago, Alice Munro, Gary Braunbeck, and Flannery OConnor. In many of the stories, characters internal lives are comprehensively revealed within the framework of heavily plot-driven narratives. Dark shadows loom and the occasional viscera glistens, while between the lines a far different tale unfolds.

Kafka said that A book must be the axe for the frozen sea within us. If thats the case, this book is more like a bonfire that begins with a spark and ends up burning its way into all corners of our minds. Wherever your taste in fiction lies, The New Black is a stunning and essential collection.
4485926
Simply brilliant. Tom Franklin has crafted a work of literary grace here that combines a compelling mystery of two childhood friends brought together in adulthood by terrible consequences and fate. Extraordinarily appealing to readers who enjoy the mastery of the written word or the thrill of the arresting mystery, Franklin has attained a level few fiction authors ever acheive with Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter.

Larry Ott and Silas 32 Jones, one white and the other black, grow up in lower east Mississippi, becoming friends as young boys in spite of every societal barrier preventing it. Developing a natural affinity, their relationship is nonetheless torn apart by the ever abhorrent racism that is sadly part of the culture of that area and of those times. Silas turns to baseball where he has University level talent while Larry remains at home, an introspective, reading type who has few friends.

One evening while Larry and Silas are both in high school, Larry is curiously asked by his neighbor, the attractive Cindy Walker, for a date at the local drive-in. One thing leads to another and Cindy is never seen again, leaving Larry as the obvious suspect. Never finding a body nor soliciting a confession, Larry is then forced to live a life of constant suspicion and turmoil. Inheriting a car repair shop from his father, he has no customers nor friends. Silas, meanwhile, returns from Ole Miss as town Constable, making it a point to ignore Larry, more from the way their friendship ended than anything to do with the Walker case.

Up to this point Franklin has wonderfully set the stage with careful and deeply rooted character development. Slipping between the past and contemporary events, he asserts Larry and Silass roles while shrewdly introducing support actors, all leading to the highlight of the story. Suddenly another young woman goes missing and the onus of guilt comes heavily upon Larry again. Silas, meanwhile, is somewhat circumspect and it is with this dramatic psychological mystery that the story then takes off. Old demons are uncovered and lost truths retributed in an amazingly wrought conclusion in which Franklin achieves satisfaction for all genres. I was particularly drawn to Franklins overall depiction of Larry Ott and his lifelong strugglelearning that much of it was auto-biographical, it is one that struck me deeply and has stayed with me in the days since Ive completed this work.

A serious and, at the same time fun work of fiction, Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter is simply a must read. Tom Franklin is masterful in all aspects of the novel and Id wager that readers will look to his other works for more of his intriguing writing skills. I know for sure that I will.
1340798
Well-written. A master of literary fiction.  Robert Galbreath weaves a story that is both colorful and interesting. The clues are subtle and well hidden. The characters are sympathetic and gripping. Cormoran Strike isn't your typical war hero. Robin Ellacott isn't your typical Executive Assistant.  Career of Evil is the type of page turner that leaves you begging for more in the story of Cormoran and Robin.
1954828
From bestselling author of American Wife is an exciting new novel that sweeps you away into a deeply philosophical trance. Hauntingly moving and profoundly poignant, the moving narrative encapsulates harsh realities of life with acute rawness and clarity. Here is a story full of rich detail, extraordinary depth and is an assured accomplishment by a fantastic writer. Curtis Sittenfeld has an uncanny knack for capturing characters so vividly, it is as though they almost reach out and touch you through the pages. This book brilliantly evokes small-town eighties adolescence, in a well-crafted yarn set within a striking backdrop. The mixture of comedic moments and sombre mood blends so beautifully together as to cause a tumult of emotions flowing through you, while your lost within the intricately detailed saga.

Sisterland is a reflective story that highlights the strength of family and bonds of friendship and love; so strong that they transcend time and distance. Amid the flamboyant and eclectic mix of childhood flashbacks and adult life in a modern world, identical twins Kate and Violet's story lingers upon the mind. This is a story that encourages openness and examines the complexity of human nature and relationships, as the writer bears her soul and rays of brilliance pour out. I was drawn into this novel, as Curtis really  `got under the skin' of her complicated, contradictory characters to capture the anxieties, challenges and compromises of life, love and parenthood. Many readers will easily be able to identify with the characters and meaningful narrative, and so take a lot of comfort and reassurance from this exquisite fictional work.

  Wise, intelligent and empathetic this is a literary masterwork of heart and a story that tackles a competitive genre with boldness. Fans of Kate Atkinson and Jojo Moyes will find Sisterland a realistically impressive work of confidence, originality and substance.

[...]
other books - The man of my dreams, Prep and American Wife

*I was delighted to have won a copy through a first-read giveaway on Goodreads*
1284893
Royce is one of the great new literary voices we need in this world, a viewpoint and flavor not yet appreciated by the wider masses waiting to find it. This is quality, folks, and it is a quality that needs real attention paid to it.

My favorite stories from this collection were "Rhythm" and "Doc Buzzard's Coffin", two tales that are widely different, but still contain an execution of talent that leaves the reader both awed and disturbed long after the story ends. The open ending to "Rhythm" is so charged with tension that it left me wanting to see what happened next. However, it is within "The Watered Soul" where Ms. Royce's superb skills shine through. The tone of the work, the interplay between the characters, enthralled me right to the end. Filled with culture, terror, and colorful characters that shout their southern, grotesque beauty from the moment they walk onto the page, Spook Lights speaks wonderfully to a special identity that is integral to the author--an identity that should be celebrated and devoured by readers who are looking for something truly fresh.
414656
A unique, refreshing, and sometimes jarring book with a brilliant new voice. What struck me first is how humor and anger are so inextricably intertwined from page one of this "couldn't put it down" novel. Sometimes you literally don't know "whether to laugh or cry". This makes it both compelling and entertaining.  This book is about a voyage on so many levels, much of it the kind of universal journey we are each taking in our own way; and yet, in this book, the trip is so engagingly culture-specific that you both empathize and learn some new perspective time and again.  Most of all, this delightful book is about the intractable, maddening, and sometimes hilarious nature of human nature.
3740100
"Cronix" is one of those rare things in science fiction, something new. A brilliant, discursive, thoughtful, and at times uproariously funny book. Hider, a long time war correspondent, has the detailed eye of a journalist as he shows us a foreign country where the ability to upload human minds into an electronic heaven has led to a mass exodus of the living from the Earth. Luis Oriente is a delightful and somewhat untrustworthy narrator who paints the picture of how this new world came to be, and how its original sin may bring it crashing down. While it begins as a dystopian novel its ambition frees it from that often cramped space and ends as a slightly disturbing love child of Arthur C. Clarke's "Childhood's End" and Hunter S. Thompson's "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas."

Highly recommended.
2870434
I usually don't read much popular fiction, but I was unable to put this book down very long before I wanted to read what happened in the next chapter.

Kate Colby is part of a growing set of smart young authors who publish independently.  In The Cogsmiths Daughter, which is the first installment of a series of novels called Desertera, one encounters a young woman named Aya Cogsmith who sets out to avenge her fathers death.

Aya lives in Desertera, a landscape that has been rendered barren by climate change.  A ship, which is reminiscent of a stranded Noahs Ark, forms the central abode of a socially stratified steampunk world. One finds a murderous king ruling over an assortment of subjects, who include prostitutes, nobles, and peasants. Masquerading as an opposite character is a standard way of life for some inhabitants of this labyrinthine society.  There are plenty of twists to keep one wanting to read more.

Beyond featuring a story of revenge, the book explores themes such as social inequality, sexual exploitation, sex positivity, love and hate, and self-reliant humanism (as opposed to reliance on supernatural entities).

This is the type of book that encourages me to study how an author develops his or her craft. I cannot wait to read the next installments.
4833991
Haley Rombauer aka Flash Jackson is a new kind of character in American literature. Both she and her story are about as far from ordinary as can be, but there is a surprisingly familiar archetypal resonance between the thinking reader and this story in which the unusual seems awfully familiar.  Kowalski has managed somehow to imbue Haley with an authentic voice, guided by old wisdom and new experiences, and -- somehow -- with an ear for the thoughts in a young woman's head, words that are rarely spoken anywhere.  If you go into this book expecting a light coming-of-age story, you may call yourself disappointed when you are overwhelmed by the Coming of Ages denouement.  I hope that early confused expectations among Kowalski's readers and critics do not doom this treasure of a novel to obscurity, as this is a voice in the wilderness that deserves to, almost has to, be heard -- and really should be talked about, too.  Highly recommended, especially to be read together by book clubs or by mothers and daughters.
979551
I'm normally drawn more to literary fiction, but Helen Wan's delightfully witty heroine had me hooked from the first pages. I gobbled the book in one sitting, canceling other plans to do so.  In the process I was alternately racing to find out what happens next and stopping to savor a particularly keen insight. Not only did I love the plot and the heroine, but I am thrilled by the possibilities of this book to provoke serious discussion about the subtle but still strong biases that pervade our institutions.  Thank you for this novel, Helen!