Reviewed by Cameron Williams When Palmer Cray is found guilty of vehicular manslaughter, he’s sentenced to fifteen years in Sweetwater State Correctional Facility. On his eighteenth birthday, his first day in the joint, Palmer is issued his “Sweetwater Blues,” the denim shirt and trousers that will be his uniform for the extent of his incarceration. […]
December Read of the Month: “Return to Tradd Street,” by Karen White
December 4, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Reviewed by Lynn Braxton When Charleston Realtor Melanie Middleton inherits an historic house from a benefactor she met only once, Charlestonians wonder what coercion she employed to gain the property, not realizing that Melanie has a pronounced dislike for old houses, branding the crumbling ruins as money pits. To make matters worse, and 55 Tradd […]
November Read of the Month: “The White Bird,” by William Bernhardt
November 4, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Reviewed by Amy Susan Wilson Entering William Bernhardt’s debut poetry collection, The White Bird, is entering into the heart of human community. Always rich, often humorous, and at times poignant, these poems, which are diverse in style, guide us through the maze of parenting, longing, loss, working, traveling, and, among other things, falling in and […]
October Read of the Month: “Memories of Holly Woode,” by Richard Wickliffe
October 7, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Reviewed by Anastasia Wickham “If at the end of our lives we’re nothing more than a collection of our memories, then I know John has had a very good life.” Richard Wickliffe’s 2013 novel is 265 pages of nostalgic summer enjoyment. Memories of Holly Woode is an easy read with short chapters rife with scenes […]
September Read of the Month: “The Holy Mark,” by Gregory Alexander
September 4, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Reviewed by Jessi Lewis The Holy Mark is the story of Joseph Broussard, or “Joe,” who later becomes Father Anthony Miggliore, a priest of the Catholic Church in New Orleans. Joe’s story involves distinct conflicts between Joe’s family and the Catholic community regarding sexual attraction, the Church’s public relations, and the hidden and overt lifestyle […]
August Read of the Month: “Hush Puppy,” by Lisa T. Cresswell
August 7, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Reviewed by Ana Reyes Corrine Lamb earns her nickname, “Hush Puppy,” in the opening pages of this young adult novel by giving away her lunch – a sack of hush puppies – to Jamie Armstrong, a poor boy who’s just moved to town. It’s a fitting introduction to her character, as later on, she will […]