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February 2024 MBR The General Fiction Shelf
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Midwest Book Review
Feb 21, 2024, 6:51:03 PMFeb 21
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The General Fiction Shelf
The Girl from the Red Rose Motel
Susan Beckham Zurenda
Mercer University Press
www.mupress.org
9780881469011, $27.00, HC, 291pp
https://www.amazon.com/Girl-Red-Rose-Motel/dp/0881469017
Synopsis: Impoverished high school junior Hazel Smalls and privileged senior Sterling Lovell would never ordinarily meet. But when both are punished with in-school suspension, Sterling finds himself drawn to the gorgeous, studious girl seated nearby, and an unlikely relationship begins.
Set in 2012 South Carolina, "The Girl from the Red Rose Motel" by Susan Beckham Zurenda interlaces the stories of Hazel, living with her homeless family in the rundown Red Rose Motel; Sterling, yearning to break free from his wealthy parents' expectations; and recently widowed Angela Wilmore, their stern but compassionate English teacher.
Hazel hides her homelessness from Sterling until he discovers her cleaning the motel's office when he goes with his slumlord father to unfreeze the motel's pipes one morning. With her secret revealed, their relationship deepens.
Angela (who has her own struggles in a budding romance with the divorced principal) offers Hazel the support her family can't provide. Navigating between privilege and poverty, vulnerability and strength, all three must confront what they need from themselves and each other as Hazel gains the courage to oppose boundaries and make a bold, life-changing decision at novel's end.
"The Girl from the Red Rose Motel" explores the complex bonds between adults and teenagers and the power of the families we both inherit and create. Inspired by the author's own experiences teaching in a South Carolina high school, her novel is also an unflinching, authentic look at the challenges faced by America's public school teachers and the struggles of the thousands of homeless children in motels who live, precariously and almost invisibly, amid the nation's most affluent communities.
Critique: Deftly crafted with an impressive eloquence, "The Girl from the Red Rose Motel" showcases author Susan Beckham Zurenda's genuine flair for the kind of narrative driven storytelling that makes for effective literary fiction. A novel that will linger in the mind and memory of the reader long after the book itself has been finished and set back upon the shelf, "The Girl from the Red Rose Motel" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, community and college/university library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted that "The Girl from the Red Rose Motel" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $20.00).
Editorial Note: Susan Beckham Zurenda (https://www.susanzurenda.com) taught English for thirty-three years to college and high school students. Her debut novel, BELLS FOR ELI, has received several awards including first place for Best First Book--Fiction in the 2021 Independent Publisher Book Awards. Zurenda has also published and won numerous awards for her short fiction.
The Couple in the Photo
Helen Cooper
G. P. Putnam's Sons
c/o Penguin Group
www.penguin.com
9780593544907, $18.00, PB, 368pp
https://www.amazon.com/Couple-Photo-Helen-Cooper/dp/0593544900
Synopsis: Lucy and her husband, Adam, have been best friends with another couple, Cora and Scott, for years. The four are practically family -- they vacation together, co-own a beach cottage, and their children are inseparable. So Lucy is devastated when, while looking at a colleague's photos of a trip to the Maldives, she spots a picture of Scott, apparently on vacation with another woman.
Then she learns that the woman in the photo has gone missing. Lucy can't help but fear that Scott was involved. But searching for answers might uncover secrets about Scott, Cora, and even her own husband that could destroy the picture-perfect lives they have built together. Or maybe she was never part of the picture at all. Is it possible everyone knows more than they are letting on? If so, what are the consequences of exposing the truth?
Critique: An impressively original, deftly crafted, riveting, and entertaining read from start to finish, "The Couple in the Photo" by Helen Cooper will prove to be a welcome and enduringly popular pick for community library suspense thriller collections and of special appeal to readers with an interest in Women's Friendship/Domestic Life fiction. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Couple in the Photo" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).
Editorial Note: Helen Cooper (https://www.helencooperwriter.com) is the author of The Other Guest and The Downstairs Neighbor. She is from Derby and has a MA in Creative Writing and a background in teaching English and Academic Writing. Her creative writing has been published in Mslexia and Writers' Forum; she was shortlisted in the Bath Short Story Prize in 2014, and came third in the Leicester Writes Short Story Prize 2018.
High on the Vine
Terri Martin
Modern History Press
https://www.modernhistorypress.com
9781615997862, $34.95, HC, 166pp
https://www.amazon.com/High-Vine-Featuring-Entrepreneurs-Cousins/dp/1615997865
Synopsis: Laced with laughter, the stories comprising "High on the Vine: Featuring Yooper Entrepreneurs, Tami & Evi Maki" by Terri Martin feature thrice-removed cousins, Tami & Evi Maki, who often contemplate how their lives would be vastly different, if only they did not bear the burden of marriage to Toivo and Eino.
Always shirking responsibility, the two spousal reprobates tend to work as little as humanly possible and gamble beyond their means. When Toivo and Eino do win a "pot" they pass along a share of the booty to their wives with an all-expense paid trip to someplace "exotic." But while this may bring a tropical paradise to mind, it turns out to be a survival wilderness weekend in the dead of winter in the middle of nowhere.
Tami & Evi punish their husbands with a hostile takeover of the boys' hunting camp. From there they explore many entrepreneurial adventures, including a "rustic" vacation rental, an Amish-run chicken ranch, and a winery operated by a group of misogynistic monks who turn out a product known as "Monk Juice."
While the bottom line for Tami and Evi is always murky, the various ventures they pursue are even murkier.
Critique: "High On The Vine" is a collection of humorous stories based on the adventures of Tami and Evi Maki (cousins thrice removed) that originally made their debut in UP Magazine and now presented to an appreciative readership. While also available for personal reading lists in a paperback edition (Gnarly Woods Publications, 9781735204321, $17.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.95), "High On The Vine" is a fun read from start to finish and will prove an immediate and enduringly popular pick for community library Contemporary Humor collections.
Editorial Note: Terri's first book, A Family Trait, which is a middle-grade novel, was first published in 1999 by Holiday House in New York and was republished by Modern History Press under the title Voodoo Shack in 2023. A second middle-grade children's book, The Home Wind, came out in 2021 and has been recognized as a UP Notable Book. After writing a monthly column for years for UP Magazine (Porcupine Press Publications), Martin anthologized her humorous stories into books: Church Lady Chronicles: Devilish Encounters (2020), High on the Vine: Featuring Yooper Entrepreneurs Tami & Evi Maki (2022), and her most recent collection, Roadkill Justice (2023). Terri's has a full-length novel, Moose Willow Mystery, which was published in 2022. Terri's books are available in print and eBook on Amazon and Barnes and Noble or through her website TerriLynnMartin.com
Meet the Benedettos
Katie Cotugno
Harper Perennial
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
www.harpercollins.com
9780063329003, $24.00, HC, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Meet-Benedettos-Novel-Katie-Cotugno/dp/006332900X
Synopsis: Every family is complicated, and the Benedettos are no exception. A few years after a reality TV show skyrocketed them to pop-culture fame, the five twentysomething sisters are living together in their parents' crumbling McMansion, nearly broke and teetering towards rock-bottom.
Lilly, the sensible second-eldest sister, is all too aware that her family is viewed as a spectacle, but she's focused on holding herself and her family together, and unlike her siblings she tends not to care what the world thinks.
The Benedettos' fortunes finally appear to be brightening when Charlie Bingley, the dashing star of Captain Fantastic, moves into their Los Angeles neighborhood with his friend Will Darcy in tow. It isn't long before Charlie falls for the warm and lovely eldest sister, June.
Lilly has no such luck: the arrogant and judgmental Will Darcy, a man plagued by his own private demons, seems ready to clash with her at every turn -- yet the two can't seem to stay away from each other.
And while the Benedettos' matriarch sets to work encouraging a potential match between Charlie and June, there are plenty of others in the community who are determined to steer these eligible young men away from a ridiculous family of reality show has-beens...
Critique: As a novelist, Katie Cotugno in "Meet the Benedettos" is able to create a big, boisterous and memorable cast of characters to life in story that blends romance with dysfunctional family life dynamics. Exceptionally well crafted, "Meet the Benedettos" is a fun read from start to finish and will prove a welcome pick for personal reading lists and community library collections. It should be noted that "Meet the Benedettos" is also readily available in a paperback edition (Harper Perennial, 9780063324145, $12.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).
Editorial Note: Katie Cotugno (https://katiecotugno.com) is the author of Birds of California and eight other novels for young adults. She is also the co-author (with Candace Bushnell) of "Rules for Being a Girl".
A Young Woman from the Provinces
Jo Ann Kiser
https://joannkiser.com
Atmosphere Press
www.atmospherepress.com
9798891320727, $27.99 Hardcover/$18.99 Paper/$9.99 ebook
https://www.amazon.com/Young-Woman-Provinces-Ann-Kiser/dp/B0CLZ58GZL
A Young Woman from the Provinces will appeal to readers of contemporary women's fiction who especially enjoy stories of maturity and friendships. It follows the experiences of Geneva, who moves from her home in backwoods Kentucky to the allure of New York City -- there to hone a career, friendships, and possible romance that lead her ever deeper into growth and change.
Jo Ann Kiser's poetic voice adds depth and metaphor to the atmosphere from its opening lines, which are captivatingly descriptive: "We had lived in the gray house on Sarvis Creek for a long time. A Golden Delicious tree grew in the backyard, a cherry tree at one side, and at the other end of the garden, near the toilet, a Red Delicious tree stood. To us savages on the back porch, spring meant nothing but itself. Suns ran across the sky. Blood scudded through our veins. Green buds festooned the trees. If the plowed earth in the garden was a somber brown, the rest of the world was composed of pastels."
As the senses of place change radically around Geneva's choices and living situations, readers follow her with this early influence in mind as she approaches big city living with the down-home sensibilities of her upbringing. As the family moves from place to place, Geneva assumes a flexibility of perception and purpose that do her well in adulthood, lending to her ability to navigate unfamiliar territory and people.
Jo Ann Kiser embeds her story with family influence and relationships. These follow Geneva for much of her efforts, adding contrast to the pivot points between childhood and adulthood. Excited by new work, surroundings, and opportunities, Geneva still is charged with better understanding her life's influences and trajectory even as she falls into and out of love, moving through different career opportunities and the myriad of people they introduce.
When her journeys carry her to foreign lands, Geneva reflects on her experiences and the growth opportunities they embrace: "In some sense now I was reimagining myself as an American, a traveler of the twentieth century, belonging to an era when humans had set foot on the moon, an individual belonging to no one place and yet to one place, the landscape of childhood, and, beyond that, to the landscape of the mind."
Libraries interested in contemporary literary novels that follow a young woman's journeys through different landscapes of family, friendships, and evolving choices will find A Young Woman from the Provinces a powerful narrative that ultimately considers the need to be loved and the movement from being a "hillbilly" to an active participant in a bigger life and world.
Glass Flower
David Procaccino
https://www.davidprocaccino.com
Atmosphere Press
www.atmospherepress.com
9781639889129, $22.99 PB, $9.99 Kindle, 394pp
https://www.amazon.com/Glass-Flower-David-Procaccino/dp/1639889124
It's 1972, and veteran psychiatrist Jim Malory has lost his mind. Or so his wife believes. "Vietnam has come for its due," and despite the fact that Jim is far from the battlefield, some struggles of the mind have never left. Circling around the wagon of his discontent and disassociation are his worried pregnant wife Maria and daughter Ruthie. Ruthie really needs her father to prevent her careen towards disaster - not a Vietnam survivor still struggling with and immersed in his own demons.
It should be noted that the opening experiential lines of Glass Flower can (and likely will) be triggering for war veterans. The vivid you-are-here recollections and scenes are extraordinary even to those who never went to war; much less those who endured its graphic, soul-destroying violence and horror.
This note aside, there is much more going on here than a war story alone; because Malory's spiraling mental struggle receives the opportunity for redemption in the arrival of two new patients who mirror his veteran angst and the challenges of being a father in a disintegrating relationship with a needy daughter.
Glass Flower is a stunning portrait in recovery, PTSD, past and present life connections, and the wavering barrier that separates patient from doctor. It reveals the mindsets of not only Jim, but Maria and others who swirl around him. Its greatest strength lies in its ability to delineate connections between past and present mindsets, perceptions, strategies, and insights: "So what happened?" This is how Nilso begins his interrogations, just the facts ma'am. When Jim started at the VA, he was obliged to attend training sessions in which the chief expounded on the art of the psychiatric interview. A neutral, dispassionate stance was best to snatch the truth from the patient, Nilso said. In certain cases, the interviewer should even avoid eye contact, placing one's sightline perpendicular to the subject's. The goal was to exude a calculated mildness with just the suggestion of force."
As psychological forces entwine and definitions of wellness and recovery shift, David Procaccino excels in crafting an atmospheric work about going away and coming back forever changed. It's a story that embraces elements of history, psychology, intrigue, and discovery in such a way that it comes highly recommended for libraries seeking different stories about healing, redemption, and family transitions. Book clubs, too, will find plenty of issues to consider and discuss. "One part of his life had ended, and another had begun."
Dry Spell
Avery Caswell
https://averycaswell.com
WayWord Books
https://www.waywordbooks.com
9781735962221, $TBA, HC, 280pp
https://averycaswell.com/book/dry-spell
Synopsis: What began as just another long stretch of hours in the parched and daredevil fall of 2006, when he was too young to leave home, but too old to stay home -- Nate Simmons said no. Bolstered by the thrill of defiance, he barrels down a path that forever changes two households.
Critique: A deftly crafted and original novel that will prove to be of immense appeal to readers with an interest in coming of age stories combined with a small town southern backdrop, "Dry Spell" by Avery Caswell showcases the author's genuine flair for the kind of narrative driven storytelling that raises her work to the status of great literature and an inherently fascinating read from start to finish. Simply stated, "Dry Spell" is especially and unreservedly recommended pick for personal reading lists, as well as community and college/university Contemporary American Literature collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Avery Caswell was born just north of Chicago, Illinois. From a young age she was always scribbling, filling stenographer notebooks with observations (like Harriet, the Spy) and drawing scenes from Camelot (Franco Nero!). She grew up in various small towns across the Midwest and lived briefly in upstate New York before making the Carolinas home. An interest in the blurred edges between religion and magic, and a love of history inspire much of her writing. Caswell attended Kent State and Purdue Universities, the University of Baltimore, and Iowa Writers' Workshop. She holds MFAs in theatre and creative writing.
The Greater Good
Frank J. Sapienza
Cortero Publishing
https://fireshippress.com/fiction
9781611794229, $21.99, PB, 262pp
https://www.amazon.com/Greater-Good-Dr-Frank-Sapienza/dp/1611794226
Synopsis: Dr. Jonathan Morrison saves his son's life with a kitchen knife, but finally realizes he has been in denial about the true cause of his son's worsening symptoms.
When he is contacted by Advanced Genomic Research, their promise of creating a revolutionary new treatment for his son seems too good to be true. And there is a catch.
He is faced with an impossible choice, abandon a possible cure for his son, or embrace an ethical compromise that will change him forever.
Critique: A deftly crafted novel arising from the fundamental question of what would a parent to, how far would a parent go, to have their child cured of a debilitating and ultimately lethal illness. "The Greater Good" by novelist and practicing dentist Frank J. Sapienza is a compelling, thought-provoking, and memorable read from start to finish. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community library Contemporary Fiction collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of anyone with an interest in medical suspense/thriller fiction that "The Greater Good" is also readily available from in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99) from Cortero Publishing.
Editorial Note: Frank J. Sapienza (https://www.franksapienza.com) is a practicing dentist since 1985. The youngest of five children, he began assisting in his father's dental office at the age of sixteen. He quickly developed in interest in technology in the healthcare setting, writing a dental practice management software package at the age of twenty. Later, he published a computer tutorial for dentists, Computers in the Dental Office: How to Evaluate, Select and Get the Most Out of Your System. Advances in technology, both in his practice and in the larger healthcare arena, continue to be his main professional passions.
The Aziola's Cry: A Novel of the Shelleys
Ezra Harker Shaw
History Through Fiction LLC
https://www.historythroughfiction.com
9798987319178, $19.95, HC, 372pp
https://www.amazon.com/Aziolas-Cry-Novel-Shelleys/dp/B0CQWMJGXC
Synopsis: In the year 1814, Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin, a gifted teenager born into a family of literary brilliance, falls deeply in love with the youthful rebel, Percy Bysshe Shelley. Defying societal conventions, they embark on a daring escapade, accompanied by Mary's step-sister Claire, leaving behind their respective families and Percy's wife and children. However, their journey proves to be far from an idyllic romance, for it is fraught with tumultuous challenges.
In their quest for freedom and expression, Mary and Percy immerse themselves in experimental notions of free love and join forces with the enigmatic and infamous Lord Byron. Amidst these thrilling encounters and adventures, the young lovers are confronted by heart-wrenching tragedies that test their resilience and resolve.
Driven to elude the strict laws of England, which threaten to separate them from their own children, Mary and Shelley embark on a nomadic existence, wandering through the captivating landscapes of Italy while constantly evading their haunting past. As their circumstances become increasingly dire, their shared passion for writing emerges as the sole lifeline that binds them together. Through their literary endeavors, they become each other's guiding force, ultimately crafting timeless masterpieces that will etch their names into the annals of literary history.
Critique: Although an inherently fascinating work of historical/biographical fiction, "The Aziola's Cry: A Novel of the Shelleys" by Ezra Harker Shaw is based on actual events and personalities. Showcasing the author's genuine flair as a novelist for the kind of eloquent narrative driven storytelling that creates truly memorable and deftly crafted literary experiences for the reader, "The Aziola's Cry: A Novel of the Shelleys" will linger in the mind and memory of the reader long after the book itself has been finished and set back upon the shelf. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community and college/university library Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Aziola's Cry: A Novel of the Shelleys" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9798987319185, $19.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Ezra Harker Shaw is a non-binary writer who loves all things Gothic. While earning a PhD, Shaw explored the collaborative writing of Percy Byssche Shelley and Mary Shelley, a project that led them to write "The Aziola's Cry". A celebrated performance poet, Shaw regularly hosts poetry nights in London and was nominated for the Outspoken Prize for Poetry. Shaw often conducts university lectures and conducts workshops with aspiring young writers. To further inspire and educate others, Shaw also hosts the Meliorist Writing podcast, where they provide valuable writing tips and engage in insightful interviews with fellow creatives.
Aftershock
Zhang Ling, author
Shelly Bryant, translator
Amazon Crossing
9781662509025, $28.99, HC, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/Aftershock-Novel-Zhang-Ling/dp/1662510373
Synopsis: In the summer of 1976, an earthquake swallows up the city of Tangshan, China. Among the hundreds of thousands of people scrambling for survival is a mother who makes an agonizing decision that irrevocably changes her life and the lives of her children. In that devastating split second, her seven-year-old daughter, Xiaodeng, is separated from her brother and the mother she loves and trusts. All Xiaodeng remembers of the fateful morning is betrayal.
Thirty years later, Xiaodeng is an acclaimed writer living in Canada with a caring husband and daughter. However, her newfound fame and success do little to cover the deep wounds that disrupt her life, time and again, and edge her toward a breaking point. Xiaodeng realizes the only path toward healing is to return to Tangshan, find her mother, and get closure.
Spanning three decades of the emotional and cultural aftershocks of disaster, Zhang Ling's intimate epic explores the damage of guilt, the healing pull of family, and the hope of one woman who, after so many years, still longs to be saved.
Critique: Original, impressively eloquent, inherently interesting, and a memorably riveting read from start to finish, "Aftershock" by Zhang Ling is a saga style novel that is ably translated into English for an American readership by Shelly Bryant. "Aftershock" will hold a particular interest for fans of deftly crafted family stories of personal loss and ultimate redemption and that are raised to the highest levels of literary fiction. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community and college/university library Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Aftershock" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9781662509025, $16.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).
Editorial Note: Zhang Ling (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhang_Ling_(author)) is the award-winning author of ten novels and numerous collections of novellas and short stories, including A Single Swallow, translated by Shelly Bryant; Where Waters Meet, her first novel written in English; Gold Mountain Blues; and Aftershock, which was adapted into China's first IMAX movie with unprecedented box office success. Born in China, she moved to Canada in 1986 and, in the mid-1990s, began to write and publish fiction in Chinese while working as a clinical audiologist. Since then, she has won the Chinese Media Literature Award for Author of the Year, the Grand Prize of Overseas Chinese Literary Award, and Chinese Times's Open Book Award.
Editorial Note: Shelly Bryant (https://paper-republic.org/pers/shelly-bryant) divides her year between Shanghai and Singapore, working as a teacher, writer, researcher, and translator. She is the author of two volumes of poetry, Cyborg Chimera and Under the Ash. Her third volume of poetry, Voices of the Elders, and her travel memoir The End of the Line are slated for release in 2012. Her current projects include writing an updated guide to the city of Shanghai for Urbanatomy and translating Sheng Keyi's novel Northern Girls for Penguin Books. Shelly's poetry has appeared in journals, magazines, and websites around the world, as well as in several art exhibitions, including dark 'til dawn, Things Disappear, and Studio White Exhibition 2011.
A River Divided
George Paxinos
Heads & Tales
9780646846651, $17.99, PB, 384pp
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CHJ2WTJ6
Synopsis: A River Divided follows Evelyn, a geneticist and amateur archeologist, who discovers a tomb while vacationing in Israel. Believing she has found the remains of Christ, she attempts to revive the DNA found preserved at the site so that she can clone Him. Though more a scientist than a zealot, she wants to do everything to bring Him back to the world. If her experiment were successful, the consequence could be the salvation of a dying Earth.
The result of her daring discovery is the birth of identical twins Christopher and Jose, who are raised apart and unaware of each other's existence - one in the affluent suburbs of Sydney and the other in the slums of Buenos Aires. As different artists would sculpt different statues from the same block of marble, different environments produce different characters out of the same DNA. The twins are destined to clash, adversaries in an almighty battle for the Amazon.
Urged by the flame of science, renowned neuroscientist George Paxinos has written his thrilling first novel that takes a neuropsychological approach to the question of nature versus nurture.
Critique: Eloquent, original, thought-provoking, exceptionally well written, and a compelling read from start to finish, "A River Divided" will be of special and particular interest to readers concerned about the nature of humanity and its impact on the environment. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community and college/university library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "A River Divided" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99).
Editorial Note: George Paxinos, AO, is a leading global neuroscientist who studied at Berkeley, McGill and Yale and is Professor of Medical Sciences at NeuRA and The University of New South Wales, Sydney. Past president of the Australian Neuroscience Society and the World Congress of Neuroscience, George has identified and named more brain areas than anyone in history. He's received awards from the Association of American Publishers and the British Medical Association. George is an environmental activist who's often been defeated by government. Twenty-one years in the making, A River Divided is his answer.
The Great Gimmelmans
Lee Matthew Goldberg
Level Best Books
https://www.levelbestbooks.us
9781685124212, $18.95, PB, 392pp
https://www.amazon.com/Great-Gimmelmans-Lee-Matthew-Goldberg/dp/1685124216
Synopsis: Middle child Aaron Gimmelman watches as his family goes from a mild-mannered reform Jewish clan to having over a million dollars of stolen money stuffed in their RV's cabinets while being pursued by the FBI and loan sharks. But it wasn't always like that. His father Barry made a killing as a stockbroker, his mother Judith loved her collection of expensive hats, his older sister Steph was obsessed with pop stars, and little sister Jenny loved her stuffed possum, Seymour.
After losing all their money in the Crash of 1987, the family starts stealing from convenience stores, but when they hit a bank, they realize the talent they possess. The money starts rolling in and brings the family closer together, whereas back at home, no one had any time for bonding due to their busy schedules. But Barry's desire for more, more, more will take its toll on the Gimmelmans, and Aaron is forced into an impossible choice: turn against his father, or let his family fall apart.
From Jersey, down to an Orthodox Jewish community in Florida where they hide out, and up to California, "The Great Gimmelmans" by novelist Lee Matthew Goldberg goes on a madcap ride through the 1980s. Filled with greed and love and the meaning of religion and tradition until the walls of the RV and the feds start closing in on the family.
Critique: An original and deftly penned novel of dark humor and family pathos, "The Great Gimmelmans" is an extraordinary read from start to finish. Compelling, memorable, and storytelling ast its literary best, "The Great Gimmelmans" is an unreservedly recommended pick for community and college/university library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Great Gimmelmans" is also currently available in a digital book format (Kindle, $0.99) from Amazon.com
Editorial Note: Lee Matthew Goldberg is the author of fourteen novels. He was nominated for an Anthony Award and the Prix du Polar. After graduating with an MFA from the New School, he's been published in multiple languages and his writing has also appeared as a contributor in CrimeReads, Pipeline Artists, LitHub, Electric Literature, The Los Angeles Review of Books, The Millions, Vol. 1 Brooklyn, LitReactor, Mystery Tribune, Monkeybicycle, Fiction Writers Review, Cagibi, Necessary Fiction, the anthology Dirty Boulevard, The Montreal Review, The Adirondack Review, The New Plains Review, Maudlin House and others. He is also the co-curator of The Guerrilla Lit Reading Series and lives in New York City.
Peruvian Gold
Adam Pearson
Dorrance Publishing Company
www.dorrancepublishing.com
9798890270184, $15.00, PB, 126pp
https://www.amazon.com/Peruvian-Gold-Adam-Pearson/dp/B0CMFXMW6X
Synopsis: While on vacation, the Pearson family gets much more excitement than they had planned when the three Pearson boys go on a journey for Peruvian gold in the Andes mountains in this good, old-fashioned adventure.
Critique: Although a work of fiction, "Peruvian Gold" by Adam Pearson is based on real people including the author's sons, his Peruvian wife, himself, and his father-in-law and brother-in-law. Exceptionally well written and a fun read from start to finish, "Peruvian Gold" is unreservedly recommended for community library Contemporary General Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Peruvian Gold" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99) as well.
Editorial Note: Adam Pearson is an entrepreneurial enthusiast and the proud owner of Fortunato Chocolate (https://fortunatochocolate.com). He loves to read and, later in life, has also discovered a love of writing. Pearson has been married for nineteen years and has three young sons. His other passions include traveling and being a foodie. He believes that hard work and adventure are essential for raising kids successfully.
EDITOR'S NOTE:
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The Midwest Book Review publishes the monthly book review magazines "California Bookwatch", "Internet Bookwatch", "Children's Bookwatch", "MBR Bookwatch", "Reviewer's Bookwatch", and "Small Press Bookwatch". All are available for free on the Midwest Book Review website at www (dot) midwestbookreview (dot) com
Anyone wanting to submit books for review consideration can send them to:
James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129
To submit reviews of any fiction or non-fiction books, email them to Frugalmuse (at) aol (dot) com (Be sure to include the book title, author, publisher, publisher address, publisher website/phone number, 13-digit ISBN number, and list price).
James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
The Girl from the Red Rose Motel
Susan Beckham Zurenda
Mercer University Press
www.mupress.org
9780881469011, $27.00, HC, 291pp
https://www.amazon.com/Girl-Red-Rose-Motel/dp/0881469017
Synopsis: Impoverished high school junior Hazel Smalls and privileged senior Sterling Lovell would never ordinarily meet. But when both are punished with in-school suspension, Sterling finds himself drawn to the gorgeous, studious girl seated nearby, and an unlikely relationship begins.
Set in 2012 South Carolina, "The Girl from the Red Rose Motel" by Susan Beckham Zurenda interlaces the stories of Hazel, living with her homeless family in the rundown Red Rose Motel; Sterling, yearning to break free from his wealthy parents' expectations; and recently widowed Angela Wilmore, their stern but compassionate English teacher.
Hazel hides her homelessness from Sterling until he discovers her cleaning the motel's office when he goes with his slumlord father to unfreeze the motel's pipes one morning. With her secret revealed, their relationship deepens.
Angela (who has her own struggles in a budding romance with the divorced principal) offers Hazel the support her family can't provide. Navigating between privilege and poverty, vulnerability and strength, all three must confront what they need from themselves and each other as Hazel gains the courage to oppose boundaries and make a bold, life-changing decision at novel's end.
"The Girl from the Red Rose Motel" explores the complex bonds between adults and teenagers and the power of the families we both inherit and create. Inspired by the author's own experiences teaching in a South Carolina high school, her novel is also an unflinching, authentic look at the challenges faced by America's public school teachers and the struggles of the thousands of homeless children in motels who live, precariously and almost invisibly, amid the nation's most affluent communities.
Critique: Deftly crafted with an impressive eloquence, "The Girl from the Red Rose Motel" showcases author Susan Beckham Zurenda's genuine flair for the kind of narrative driven storytelling that makes for effective literary fiction. A novel that will linger in the mind and memory of the reader long after the book itself has been finished and set back upon the shelf, "The Girl from the Red Rose Motel" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, community and college/university library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted that "The Girl from the Red Rose Motel" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $20.00).
Editorial Note: Susan Beckham Zurenda (https://www.susanzurenda.com) taught English for thirty-three years to college and high school students. Her debut novel, BELLS FOR ELI, has received several awards including first place for Best First Book--Fiction in the 2021 Independent Publisher Book Awards. Zurenda has also published and won numerous awards for her short fiction.
The Couple in the Photo
Helen Cooper
G. P. Putnam's Sons
c/o Penguin Group
www.penguin.com
9780593544907, $18.00, PB, 368pp
https://www.amazon.com/Couple-Photo-Helen-Cooper/dp/0593544900
Synopsis: Lucy and her husband, Adam, have been best friends with another couple, Cora and Scott, for years. The four are practically family -- they vacation together, co-own a beach cottage, and their children are inseparable. So Lucy is devastated when, while looking at a colleague's photos of a trip to the Maldives, she spots a picture of Scott, apparently on vacation with another woman.
Then she learns that the woman in the photo has gone missing. Lucy can't help but fear that Scott was involved. But searching for answers might uncover secrets about Scott, Cora, and even her own husband that could destroy the picture-perfect lives they have built together. Or maybe she was never part of the picture at all. Is it possible everyone knows more than they are letting on? If so, what are the consequences of exposing the truth?
Critique: An impressively original, deftly crafted, riveting, and entertaining read from start to finish, "The Couple in the Photo" by Helen Cooper will prove to be a welcome and enduringly popular pick for community library suspense thriller collections and of special appeal to readers with an interest in Women's Friendship/Domestic Life fiction. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Couple in the Photo" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).
Editorial Note: Helen Cooper (https://www.helencooperwriter.com) is the author of The Other Guest and The Downstairs Neighbor. She is from Derby and has a MA in Creative Writing and a background in teaching English and Academic Writing. Her creative writing has been published in Mslexia and Writers' Forum; she was shortlisted in the Bath Short Story Prize in 2014, and came third in the Leicester Writes Short Story Prize 2018.
High on the Vine
Terri Martin
Modern History Press
https://www.modernhistorypress.com
9781615997862, $34.95, HC, 166pp
https://www.amazon.com/High-Vine-Featuring-Entrepreneurs-Cousins/dp/1615997865
Synopsis: Laced with laughter, the stories comprising "High on the Vine: Featuring Yooper Entrepreneurs, Tami & Evi Maki" by Terri Martin feature thrice-removed cousins, Tami & Evi Maki, who often contemplate how their lives would be vastly different, if only they did not bear the burden of marriage to Toivo and Eino.
Always shirking responsibility, the two spousal reprobates tend to work as little as humanly possible and gamble beyond their means. When Toivo and Eino do win a "pot" they pass along a share of the booty to their wives with an all-expense paid trip to someplace "exotic." But while this may bring a tropical paradise to mind, it turns out to be a survival wilderness weekend in the dead of winter in the middle of nowhere.
Tami & Evi punish their husbands with a hostile takeover of the boys' hunting camp. From there they explore many entrepreneurial adventures, including a "rustic" vacation rental, an Amish-run chicken ranch, and a winery operated by a group of misogynistic monks who turn out a product known as "Monk Juice."
While the bottom line for Tami and Evi is always murky, the various ventures they pursue are even murkier.
Critique: "High On The Vine" is a collection of humorous stories based on the adventures of Tami and Evi Maki (cousins thrice removed) that originally made their debut in UP Magazine and now presented to an appreciative readership. While also available for personal reading lists in a paperback edition (Gnarly Woods Publications, 9781735204321, $17.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.95), "High On The Vine" is a fun read from start to finish and will prove an immediate and enduringly popular pick for community library Contemporary Humor collections.
Editorial Note: Terri's first book, A Family Trait, which is a middle-grade novel, was first published in 1999 by Holiday House in New York and was republished by Modern History Press under the title Voodoo Shack in 2023. A second middle-grade children's book, The Home Wind, came out in 2021 and has been recognized as a UP Notable Book. After writing a monthly column for years for UP Magazine (Porcupine Press Publications), Martin anthologized her humorous stories into books: Church Lady Chronicles: Devilish Encounters (2020), High on the Vine: Featuring Yooper Entrepreneurs Tami & Evi Maki (2022), and her most recent collection, Roadkill Justice (2023). Terri's has a full-length novel, Moose Willow Mystery, which was published in 2022. Terri's books are available in print and eBook on Amazon and Barnes and Noble or through her website TerriLynnMartin.com
Meet the Benedettos
Katie Cotugno
Harper Perennial
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
www.harpercollins.com
9780063329003, $24.00, HC, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Meet-Benedettos-Novel-Katie-Cotugno/dp/006332900X
Synopsis: Every family is complicated, and the Benedettos are no exception. A few years after a reality TV show skyrocketed them to pop-culture fame, the five twentysomething sisters are living together in their parents' crumbling McMansion, nearly broke and teetering towards rock-bottom.
Lilly, the sensible second-eldest sister, is all too aware that her family is viewed as a spectacle, but she's focused on holding herself and her family together, and unlike her siblings she tends not to care what the world thinks.
The Benedettos' fortunes finally appear to be brightening when Charlie Bingley, the dashing star of Captain Fantastic, moves into their Los Angeles neighborhood with his friend Will Darcy in tow. It isn't long before Charlie falls for the warm and lovely eldest sister, June.
Lilly has no such luck: the arrogant and judgmental Will Darcy, a man plagued by his own private demons, seems ready to clash with her at every turn -- yet the two can't seem to stay away from each other.
And while the Benedettos' matriarch sets to work encouraging a potential match between Charlie and June, there are plenty of others in the community who are determined to steer these eligible young men away from a ridiculous family of reality show has-beens...
Critique: As a novelist, Katie Cotugno in "Meet the Benedettos" is able to create a big, boisterous and memorable cast of characters to life in story that blends romance with dysfunctional family life dynamics. Exceptionally well crafted, "Meet the Benedettos" is a fun read from start to finish and will prove a welcome pick for personal reading lists and community library collections. It should be noted that "Meet the Benedettos" is also readily available in a paperback edition (Harper Perennial, 9780063324145, $12.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).
Editorial Note: Katie Cotugno (https://katiecotugno.com) is the author of Birds of California and eight other novels for young adults. She is also the co-author (with Candace Bushnell) of "Rules for Being a Girl".
A Young Woman from the Provinces
Jo Ann Kiser
https://joannkiser.com
Atmosphere Press
www.atmospherepress.com
9798891320727, $27.99 Hardcover/$18.99 Paper/$9.99 ebook
https://www.amazon.com/Young-Woman-Provinces-Ann-Kiser/dp/B0CLZ58GZL
A Young Woman from the Provinces will appeal to readers of contemporary women's fiction who especially enjoy stories of maturity and friendships. It follows the experiences of Geneva, who moves from her home in backwoods Kentucky to the allure of New York City -- there to hone a career, friendships, and possible romance that lead her ever deeper into growth and change.
Jo Ann Kiser's poetic voice adds depth and metaphor to the atmosphere from its opening lines, which are captivatingly descriptive: "We had lived in the gray house on Sarvis Creek for a long time. A Golden Delicious tree grew in the backyard, a cherry tree at one side, and at the other end of the garden, near the toilet, a Red Delicious tree stood. To us savages on the back porch, spring meant nothing but itself. Suns ran across the sky. Blood scudded through our veins. Green buds festooned the trees. If the plowed earth in the garden was a somber brown, the rest of the world was composed of pastels."
As the senses of place change radically around Geneva's choices and living situations, readers follow her with this early influence in mind as she approaches big city living with the down-home sensibilities of her upbringing. As the family moves from place to place, Geneva assumes a flexibility of perception and purpose that do her well in adulthood, lending to her ability to navigate unfamiliar territory and people.
Jo Ann Kiser embeds her story with family influence and relationships. These follow Geneva for much of her efforts, adding contrast to the pivot points between childhood and adulthood. Excited by new work, surroundings, and opportunities, Geneva still is charged with better understanding her life's influences and trajectory even as she falls into and out of love, moving through different career opportunities and the myriad of people they introduce.
When her journeys carry her to foreign lands, Geneva reflects on her experiences and the growth opportunities they embrace: "In some sense now I was reimagining myself as an American, a traveler of the twentieth century, belonging to an era when humans had set foot on the moon, an individual belonging to no one place and yet to one place, the landscape of childhood, and, beyond that, to the landscape of the mind."
Libraries interested in contemporary literary novels that follow a young woman's journeys through different landscapes of family, friendships, and evolving choices will find A Young Woman from the Provinces a powerful narrative that ultimately considers the need to be loved and the movement from being a "hillbilly" to an active participant in a bigger life and world.
Glass Flower
David Procaccino
https://www.davidprocaccino.com
Atmosphere Press
www.atmospherepress.com
9781639889129, $22.99 PB, $9.99 Kindle, 394pp
https://www.amazon.com/Glass-Flower-David-Procaccino/dp/1639889124
It's 1972, and veteran psychiatrist Jim Malory has lost his mind. Or so his wife believes. "Vietnam has come for its due," and despite the fact that Jim is far from the battlefield, some struggles of the mind have never left. Circling around the wagon of his discontent and disassociation are his worried pregnant wife Maria and daughter Ruthie. Ruthie really needs her father to prevent her careen towards disaster - not a Vietnam survivor still struggling with and immersed in his own demons.
It should be noted that the opening experiential lines of Glass Flower can (and likely will) be triggering for war veterans. The vivid you-are-here recollections and scenes are extraordinary even to those who never went to war; much less those who endured its graphic, soul-destroying violence and horror.
This note aside, there is much more going on here than a war story alone; because Malory's spiraling mental struggle receives the opportunity for redemption in the arrival of two new patients who mirror his veteran angst and the challenges of being a father in a disintegrating relationship with a needy daughter.
Glass Flower is a stunning portrait in recovery, PTSD, past and present life connections, and the wavering barrier that separates patient from doctor. It reveals the mindsets of not only Jim, but Maria and others who swirl around him. Its greatest strength lies in its ability to delineate connections between past and present mindsets, perceptions, strategies, and insights: "So what happened?" This is how Nilso begins his interrogations, just the facts ma'am. When Jim started at the VA, he was obliged to attend training sessions in which the chief expounded on the art of the psychiatric interview. A neutral, dispassionate stance was best to snatch the truth from the patient, Nilso said. In certain cases, the interviewer should even avoid eye contact, placing one's sightline perpendicular to the subject's. The goal was to exude a calculated mildness with just the suggestion of force."
As psychological forces entwine and definitions of wellness and recovery shift, David Procaccino excels in crafting an atmospheric work about going away and coming back forever changed. It's a story that embraces elements of history, psychology, intrigue, and discovery in such a way that it comes highly recommended for libraries seeking different stories about healing, redemption, and family transitions. Book clubs, too, will find plenty of issues to consider and discuss. "One part of his life had ended, and another had begun."
Dry Spell
Avery Caswell
https://averycaswell.com
WayWord Books
https://www.waywordbooks.com
9781735962221, $TBA, HC, 280pp
https://averycaswell.com/book/dry-spell
Synopsis: What began as just another long stretch of hours in the parched and daredevil fall of 2006, when he was too young to leave home, but too old to stay home -- Nate Simmons said no. Bolstered by the thrill of defiance, he barrels down a path that forever changes two households.
Critique: A deftly crafted and original novel that will prove to be of immense appeal to readers with an interest in coming of age stories combined with a small town southern backdrop, "Dry Spell" by Avery Caswell showcases the author's genuine flair for the kind of narrative driven storytelling that raises her work to the status of great literature and an inherently fascinating read from start to finish. Simply stated, "Dry Spell" is especially and unreservedly recommended pick for personal reading lists, as well as community and college/university Contemporary American Literature collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Avery Caswell was born just north of Chicago, Illinois. From a young age she was always scribbling, filling stenographer notebooks with observations (like Harriet, the Spy) and drawing scenes from Camelot (Franco Nero!). She grew up in various small towns across the Midwest and lived briefly in upstate New York before making the Carolinas home. An interest in the blurred edges between religion and magic, and a love of history inspire much of her writing. Caswell attended Kent State and Purdue Universities, the University of Baltimore, and Iowa Writers' Workshop. She holds MFAs in theatre and creative writing.
The Greater Good
Frank J. Sapienza
Cortero Publishing
https://fireshippress.com/fiction
9781611794229, $21.99, PB, 262pp
https://www.amazon.com/Greater-Good-Dr-Frank-Sapienza/dp/1611794226
Synopsis: Dr. Jonathan Morrison saves his son's life with a kitchen knife, but finally realizes he has been in denial about the true cause of his son's worsening symptoms.
When he is contacted by Advanced Genomic Research, their promise of creating a revolutionary new treatment for his son seems too good to be true. And there is a catch.
He is faced with an impossible choice, abandon a possible cure for his son, or embrace an ethical compromise that will change him forever.
Critique: A deftly crafted novel arising from the fundamental question of what would a parent to, how far would a parent go, to have their child cured of a debilitating and ultimately lethal illness. "The Greater Good" by novelist and practicing dentist Frank J. Sapienza is a compelling, thought-provoking, and memorable read from start to finish. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community library Contemporary Fiction collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of anyone with an interest in medical suspense/thriller fiction that "The Greater Good" is also readily available from in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99) from Cortero Publishing.
Editorial Note: Frank J. Sapienza (https://www.franksapienza.com) is a practicing dentist since 1985. The youngest of five children, he began assisting in his father's dental office at the age of sixteen. He quickly developed in interest in technology in the healthcare setting, writing a dental practice management software package at the age of twenty. Later, he published a computer tutorial for dentists, Computers in the Dental Office: How to Evaluate, Select and Get the Most Out of Your System. Advances in technology, both in his practice and in the larger healthcare arena, continue to be his main professional passions.
The Aziola's Cry: A Novel of the Shelleys
Ezra Harker Shaw
History Through Fiction LLC
https://www.historythroughfiction.com
9798987319178, $19.95, HC, 372pp
https://www.amazon.com/Aziolas-Cry-Novel-Shelleys/dp/B0CQWMJGXC
Synopsis: In the year 1814, Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin, a gifted teenager born into a family of literary brilliance, falls deeply in love with the youthful rebel, Percy Bysshe Shelley. Defying societal conventions, they embark on a daring escapade, accompanied by Mary's step-sister Claire, leaving behind their respective families and Percy's wife and children. However, their journey proves to be far from an idyllic romance, for it is fraught with tumultuous challenges.
In their quest for freedom and expression, Mary and Percy immerse themselves in experimental notions of free love and join forces with the enigmatic and infamous Lord Byron. Amidst these thrilling encounters and adventures, the young lovers are confronted by heart-wrenching tragedies that test their resilience and resolve.
Driven to elude the strict laws of England, which threaten to separate them from their own children, Mary and Shelley embark on a nomadic existence, wandering through the captivating landscapes of Italy while constantly evading their haunting past. As their circumstances become increasingly dire, their shared passion for writing emerges as the sole lifeline that binds them together. Through their literary endeavors, they become each other's guiding force, ultimately crafting timeless masterpieces that will etch their names into the annals of literary history.
Critique: Although an inherently fascinating work of historical/biographical fiction, "The Aziola's Cry: A Novel of the Shelleys" by Ezra Harker Shaw is based on actual events and personalities. Showcasing the author's genuine flair as a novelist for the kind of eloquent narrative driven storytelling that creates truly memorable and deftly crafted literary experiences for the reader, "The Aziola's Cry: A Novel of the Shelleys" will linger in the mind and memory of the reader long after the book itself has been finished and set back upon the shelf. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community and college/university library Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Aziola's Cry: A Novel of the Shelleys" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9798987319185, $19.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Ezra Harker Shaw is a non-binary writer who loves all things Gothic. While earning a PhD, Shaw explored the collaborative writing of Percy Byssche Shelley and Mary Shelley, a project that led them to write "The Aziola's Cry". A celebrated performance poet, Shaw regularly hosts poetry nights in London and was nominated for the Outspoken Prize for Poetry. Shaw often conducts university lectures and conducts workshops with aspiring young writers. To further inspire and educate others, Shaw also hosts the Meliorist Writing podcast, where they provide valuable writing tips and engage in insightful interviews with fellow creatives.
Aftershock
Zhang Ling, author
Shelly Bryant, translator
Amazon Crossing
9781662509025, $28.99, HC, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/Aftershock-Novel-Zhang-Ling/dp/1662510373
Synopsis: In the summer of 1976, an earthquake swallows up the city of Tangshan, China. Among the hundreds of thousands of people scrambling for survival is a mother who makes an agonizing decision that irrevocably changes her life and the lives of her children. In that devastating split second, her seven-year-old daughter, Xiaodeng, is separated from her brother and the mother she loves and trusts. All Xiaodeng remembers of the fateful morning is betrayal.
Thirty years later, Xiaodeng is an acclaimed writer living in Canada with a caring husband and daughter. However, her newfound fame and success do little to cover the deep wounds that disrupt her life, time and again, and edge her toward a breaking point. Xiaodeng realizes the only path toward healing is to return to Tangshan, find her mother, and get closure.
Spanning three decades of the emotional and cultural aftershocks of disaster, Zhang Ling's intimate epic explores the damage of guilt, the healing pull of family, and the hope of one woman who, after so many years, still longs to be saved.
Critique: Original, impressively eloquent, inherently interesting, and a memorably riveting read from start to finish, "Aftershock" by Zhang Ling is a saga style novel that is ably translated into English for an American readership by Shelly Bryant. "Aftershock" will hold a particular interest for fans of deftly crafted family stories of personal loss and ultimate redemption and that are raised to the highest levels of literary fiction. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community and college/university library Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Aftershock" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9781662509025, $16.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).
Editorial Note: Zhang Ling (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhang_Ling_(author)) is the award-winning author of ten novels and numerous collections of novellas and short stories, including A Single Swallow, translated by Shelly Bryant; Where Waters Meet, her first novel written in English; Gold Mountain Blues; and Aftershock, which was adapted into China's first IMAX movie with unprecedented box office success. Born in China, she moved to Canada in 1986 and, in the mid-1990s, began to write and publish fiction in Chinese while working as a clinical audiologist. Since then, she has won the Chinese Media Literature Award for Author of the Year, the Grand Prize of Overseas Chinese Literary Award, and Chinese Times's Open Book Award.
Editorial Note: Shelly Bryant (https://paper-republic.org/pers/shelly-bryant) divides her year between Shanghai and Singapore, working as a teacher, writer, researcher, and translator. She is the author of two volumes of poetry, Cyborg Chimera and Under the Ash. Her third volume of poetry, Voices of the Elders, and her travel memoir The End of the Line are slated for release in 2012. Her current projects include writing an updated guide to the city of Shanghai for Urbanatomy and translating Sheng Keyi's novel Northern Girls for Penguin Books. Shelly's poetry has appeared in journals, magazines, and websites around the world, as well as in several art exhibitions, including dark 'til dawn, Things Disappear, and Studio White Exhibition 2011.
A River Divided
George Paxinos
Heads & Tales
9780646846651, $17.99, PB, 384pp
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CHJ2WTJ6
Synopsis: A River Divided follows Evelyn, a geneticist and amateur archeologist, who discovers a tomb while vacationing in Israel. Believing she has found the remains of Christ, she attempts to revive the DNA found preserved at the site so that she can clone Him. Though more a scientist than a zealot, she wants to do everything to bring Him back to the world. If her experiment were successful, the consequence could be the salvation of a dying Earth.
The result of her daring discovery is the birth of identical twins Christopher and Jose, who are raised apart and unaware of each other's existence - one in the affluent suburbs of Sydney and the other in the slums of Buenos Aires. As different artists would sculpt different statues from the same block of marble, different environments produce different characters out of the same DNA. The twins are destined to clash, adversaries in an almighty battle for the Amazon.
Urged by the flame of science, renowned neuroscientist George Paxinos has written his thrilling first novel that takes a neuropsychological approach to the question of nature versus nurture.
Critique: Eloquent, original, thought-provoking, exceptionally well written, and a compelling read from start to finish, "A River Divided" will be of special and particular interest to readers concerned about the nature of humanity and its impact on the environment. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community and college/university library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "A River Divided" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99).
Editorial Note: George Paxinos, AO, is a leading global neuroscientist who studied at Berkeley, McGill and Yale and is Professor of Medical Sciences at NeuRA and The University of New South Wales, Sydney. Past president of the Australian Neuroscience Society and the World Congress of Neuroscience, George has identified and named more brain areas than anyone in history. He's received awards from the Association of American Publishers and the British Medical Association. George is an environmental activist who's often been defeated by government. Twenty-one years in the making, A River Divided is his answer.
The Great Gimmelmans
Lee Matthew Goldberg
Level Best Books
https://www.levelbestbooks.us
9781685124212, $18.95, PB, 392pp
https://www.amazon.com/Great-Gimmelmans-Lee-Matthew-Goldberg/dp/1685124216
Synopsis: Middle child Aaron Gimmelman watches as his family goes from a mild-mannered reform Jewish clan to having over a million dollars of stolen money stuffed in their RV's cabinets while being pursued by the FBI and loan sharks. But it wasn't always like that. His father Barry made a killing as a stockbroker, his mother Judith loved her collection of expensive hats, his older sister Steph was obsessed with pop stars, and little sister Jenny loved her stuffed possum, Seymour.
After losing all their money in the Crash of 1987, the family starts stealing from convenience stores, but when they hit a bank, they realize the talent they possess. The money starts rolling in and brings the family closer together, whereas back at home, no one had any time for bonding due to their busy schedules. But Barry's desire for more, more, more will take its toll on the Gimmelmans, and Aaron is forced into an impossible choice: turn against his father, or let his family fall apart.
From Jersey, down to an Orthodox Jewish community in Florida where they hide out, and up to California, "The Great Gimmelmans" by novelist Lee Matthew Goldberg goes on a madcap ride through the 1980s. Filled with greed and love and the meaning of religion and tradition until the walls of the RV and the feds start closing in on the family.
Critique: An original and deftly penned novel of dark humor and family pathos, "The Great Gimmelmans" is an extraordinary read from start to finish. Compelling, memorable, and storytelling ast its literary best, "The Great Gimmelmans" is an unreservedly recommended pick for community and college/university library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Great Gimmelmans" is also currently available in a digital book format (Kindle, $0.99) from Amazon.com
Editorial Note: Lee Matthew Goldberg is the author of fourteen novels. He was nominated for an Anthony Award and the Prix du Polar. After graduating with an MFA from the New School, he's been published in multiple languages and his writing has also appeared as a contributor in CrimeReads, Pipeline Artists, LitHub, Electric Literature, The Los Angeles Review of Books, The Millions, Vol. 1 Brooklyn, LitReactor, Mystery Tribune, Monkeybicycle, Fiction Writers Review, Cagibi, Necessary Fiction, the anthology Dirty Boulevard, The Montreal Review, The Adirondack Review, The New Plains Review, Maudlin House and others. He is also the co-curator of The Guerrilla Lit Reading Series and lives in New York City.
Peruvian Gold
Adam Pearson
Dorrance Publishing Company
www.dorrancepublishing.com
9798890270184, $15.00, PB, 126pp
https://www.amazon.com/Peruvian-Gold-Adam-Pearson/dp/B0CMFXMW6X
Synopsis: While on vacation, the Pearson family gets much more excitement than they had planned when the three Pearson boys go on a journey for Peruvian gold in the Andes mountains in this good, old-fashioned adventure.
Critique: Although a work of fiction, "Peruvian Gold" by Adam Pearson is based on real people including the author's sons, his Peruvian wife, himself, and his father-in-law and brother-in-law. Exceptionally well written and a fun read from start to finish, "Peruvian Gold" is unreservedly recommended for community library Contemporary General Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Peruvian Gold" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99) as well.
Editorial Note: Adam Pearson is an entrepreneurial enthusiast and the proud owner of Fortunato Chocolate (https://fortunatochocolate.com). He loves to read and, later in life, has also discovered a love of writing. Pearson has been married for nineteen years and has three young sons. His other passions include traveling and being a foodie. He believes that hard work and adventure are essential for raising kids successfully.
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Midwest Book Review
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