Things are starting to turn around in Charlie Boykin’s life. The child of a single mother who works as a cocktail waitress, he’s been one of the only white boys at his school and in their Nashville neighborhood. Now, he’s gotten a needs-based scholarship to Yeatman, a prestigious, private high-school. Even better, he’s assigned an upper classman mentor who turns out to be the ... Read More...
Blacktop Wasteland by S.A. Cosby
Beauregard (“Bug”) is a man dedicated to his work. His work being cars and anything to do with them, especially muscle cars. This means when Blacktop Wasteland begins, he’s also a man torn. He’s gone legit and opened an auto repair shop, but a new competitor in the small town of Red Hill, Virginia is trying to put him out of business. Despite his promise to his wife Kia and his ... Read More...
When These Mountains Burn
There are few things I love more than an evocative writer. Someone who makes me feel what and where they’re writing about. Two that come to mind immediately: Pat Conroy in Prince of Tides, not only for the low country of South Carolina, but for New York when Tom goes there and Kent Haruf for Holt, Colorado, a small town that served as the setting for his Plainsong trilogy. I ... Read More...
A Good Neighborhood
I’ve enjoyed Therese Anne Fowler’s historical fiction for years, especially her novel Z, about Zelda Fitzgerald. So, I was interested to see what she would do with a novel about contemporary American life—a topic that provides more extravagant fodder every day as the social divisions in the country continue to expand. A Good Neighborhood hits at one of the bastions of the ... Read More...
Tomato Girl by Jayne Pupek
Ellie’s life has never been what you’d call normal. Her mother is unusually high strung, enough so that having people over to the house or going out as a family is not feasible. But her father is the best father in the world. He works in the general store nearby and 11-year-old Ellie goes by every day after school to help him. When her mother gets pregnant everyone is happy. ... 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...
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