Reviewed by Heather Newcomb Secrets of the Devil Vine is a homecoming narrative, but the home here is built on greed, secrets and abuse. The main character, Abigail Stewart—whose keen point of view drives the plot—returns home to coastal Alabama to seek answers to difficult questions from her childhood. Abby’s search takes readers on a […]
“Never Have I Ever,” by Joshilyn Jackson
December 18, 2019 by Leave a Comment
Reviewed by Claire Hamner Matturro With her debut novel some fourteen years ago, Joshilyn Jackson established herself as a phenomenal author. In that debut, gods in Alabama (Warner Books, 2005), pathos, suspense, and humor were well balanced in a story about a young woman gone north, only to return home to Alabama to confront the […]
Allen Mendenhall Interviews Colleen D. Scott, Author of “Everybody Needs a Bridge”
March 7, 2018 by Leave a Comment
AM: Thanks for doing this interview, Colleen. Your first novel is Everybody Needs a Bridge, which you describe as a “work of fiction inspired by actual events.” It follows the story of Erin, a young girl in Alabama who’s growing up roughly a generation after the Civil Rights Movement. You might call it a bildungsroman […]
September Read of the Month: “The Headmaster’s Darlings,” by Katherine Clark
September 5, 2017 by Leave a Comment
Reviewed by Ashley D. Black Most people who are raised in a small, Southern town would agree that preserving local traditions is of the utmost importance to its residents. At times, however, maintaining a town’s customs can prevent the populace from evolving with the rest of the country both politically and culturally. Those who challenge […]
“House of Memory,” by Carolyn Haines
June 28, 2017 by 1 Comment
Reviewed by Claire Hamner Matturro Something profoundly sinister is on the prowl in central Alabama. It’s the time of the Jazz Age, a spirited respite between national disasters, but what lurks and stalks young women will not be tamed by exuberant dancing or bathtub gin. Whether the evil is spectral or human—or both—is just one […]
Allen Mendenhall Interviews Amber D. Tran, Author of “Moon River”
June 14, 2017 by Leave a Comment
AM: So glad for the opportunity to talk to you about your debut novel, Moon River. Before we get into the book, I want to ask about your background. I noticed you’re a graduate of West Virginia University. I studied English for my master’s at WVU and graduated from law school at WVU. Did you […]