Blackwater is a town hovering near Kansas City; a place of farmers and granaries. It’s also one of those small towns with big problems. The opioid crisis is taking its toll, a little girl has been murdered, her father is missing, and another young man has seemingly died of a heart attack at age 36. There are two women tied to these events in Laura McHugh’s novel, The Wolf ... Read More...
July Reading Wrap-Up
July has turned out to be a schizo kind of month, both for my reading and for life. On the life side it began with all my energy focused on getting us out of Seattle, into an apartment, and getting Seattle house rented out—all by the end of the month. That all came to a stop and I’ll be in our house until October, but it’s left me discombobulated because Jed had to move now for ... Read More...
The Van Apfel Girls are Gone
I’ve recently learned something about my reading taste—which is kind of awesome after seven years of writing reviews. Here it is: I enjoy ambiguity but not in anything purported to have a mystery component. I can be even more specific. If young girls disappearing are the principle premise of the story, then I need to know, for better or worse, what happened to them. Don’t give ... Read More...
Searching for Sylvie Lee by Jean Kwok
All her life Amy has looked up to her older sister Sylvie. She is the opposite of how Amy sees herself—pretty, intelligent, with a handsome husband, and fabulous job. She glows with success while Amy feels like lead—an inert, grey blob who still lives with her parents and has yet to make up her mind about what to do with her life. Add to this that Sylvie lived with their ... Read More...
Like Lions by Brian Panowich
On Monday I reviewed Brian Panowich’s explosive debut novel, Bull Mountain. Today I’m back with the sequel, Like Lions. Although they could be read as standalones, I feel like Bull Mountain is so strong you should read it first. And, if you’re going to do that, this review has some spoilers so you may want to take a pass and come back later. Clayton Burroughs survived the ... Read More...
Miracle Creek by Angie Kim
The Yoo family—Pak, Young, and their daughter Mary, have pinned all their American hopes and all their money on their new business. It’s a hyperbaric chamber that is supposed to help cure or improve all kinds of medical issues. Angie Kim’s new novel, Miracle Creek, begins while a session is in progress. In the chamber are two children with severe autism, one parent, and Matt, a ... Read More...
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