Reviewed by William Walsh I remember in graduate school how I admired Frank Paino’s ability to move people with his strength of words and deep painful angst on subjects that neither I nor most poets could write about. I felt his passion for history and the truth his narrators were conveying. Whether the narrator was […]
January Read of the Month: “Wrecked,” by Mary Anna Evans
January 5, 2021 by 1 Comment
Reviewed by Claire Hamner Matturro Writing a successful mystery series is a hard thing to do well. Not only must series authors continue to create intriguing and original plots time after time, but they must also keep the recurring characters fresh while rotating in new villains, alternate heroes, and supporting personalities. It also helps to […]
“The Good Luck Stone,” by Heather Bell Adams
December 29, 2020 by 1 Comment
To an outsider, ninety-year-old Audrey Thorpe’s life appears to resemble a fairytale nearing its end, the only conflict caused by her granddaughter Deanna, who thinks Audrey should no longer live alone. But the protagonist in Heather Bell Adams’s novel, The Good Luck Stone, (Haywire Books 2020) is burdened by a dark secret and crippling guilt […]
“Saving Tyler Hake,” by Meredith Sue Willis
December 17, 2020 by Leave a Comment
Reviewed by Donna Meredith Although the title might lead a potential reader to think this novella is mostly about one young man, it is not. Saving Tyler Hake, by Meredith Sue Willis, paints a vivid portrait of small town life: the complicated relationships of people who have known each other since childhood and newcomers trying […]
December Read of the Month: “The Revelators,” by Ace Atkins
December 3, 2020 by Leave a Comment
Reviewed by Claire Hamner Matturro Author Ace Atkins proved a long time back that he is a gifted storyteller and disciplined writer capable of building suspenseful plots and creating intriguing characters. He also knows how to write a sentence with punch and sizzle. The author of twenty-six books, including numerous best sellers and multiple-award winners, […]
“Far Beyond the Gates,” by Philip Lee Williams
November 25, 2020 by 1 Comment
Reviewed by Kathleen M. Rodgers Can a story save us? Do the stories we tell ourselves and others shape and define us? Can we ever break out of those stories to get to the truth, the truth behind secrets that have the capacity to both hurt and heal us when they’re finally revealed? In Far […]
“CRASH,” by Louis Gallo
November 19, 2020 by Leave a Comment
Reviewed by Aaron Lee Moore Louis Gallo’s latest collection of cerebral poetry, CRASH, lives up to its title as a thrilling, haunting, and emotionally undulating read. The cover of the book announces its overall theme well—an intriguing black and white photo capturing the pinnacle of a wave as it crashes upon shoreline rocks with the […]
“Rules for the Southern Rulebreaker,” by Katherine Snow Smith
November 12, 2020 by Leave a Comment
Reviewed by Rhonda J. Ray Reading Katherine Snow Smith’s Rules for the Southern Rulebreaker (She Writes Press, 2019) is like bumping into an old friend or meeting someone you hope will be a friend. I grew up reading The News & Observer, delivered every morning to my family home located a half hour from North […]