Category Archives: Literary Fiction

April 14, 2022 · 12:02 am

Review: Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez

Title: Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Contemporary, Historical (70s), Literary Fiction
Length: 367 pages
Book Rating: A+ & A Recommended Read

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

A searing and compassionate new novel about a young Black nurse’s shocking discovery and burning quest for justice in post-segregation Alabama, from the New York Times bestselling author of Wench.

Montgomery, Alabama, 1973. Fresh out of nursing school, Civil Townsend intends to make a difference, especially in her African American community. At the Montgomery Family Planning Clinic, she hopes to help women shape their destinies, to make their own choices for their lives and bodies.

But when her first week on the job takes her along a dusty country road to a worn-down one-room cabin, Civil is shocked to learn that her new patients, Erica and India, are children—just eleven and thirteen years old. Neither of the Williams sisters has even kissed a boy, but they are poor and Black, and for those handling the family’s welfare benefits, that’s reason enough to have the girls on birth control. As Civil grapples with her role, she takes India, Erica, and their family into her heart. Until one day she arrives at their door to learn the unthinkable has happened, and nothing will ever be the same for any of them.

Decades later, with her daughter grown and a long career in her wake, Dr. Civil Townsend is ready to retire, to find her peace, and to leave the past behind. But there are people and stories that refuse to be forgotten. That must not be forgotten.

Because history repeats what we don’t remember.

Inspired by true events and brimming with hope, Take My Hand is a stirring exploration of accountability and redemption.

Review:

Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez is a poignant literary novel that is loosely based on real life events.

In 2016, Dr. Civil Townsend travels back to her hometown in Montgomery, Alabama after learning someone dear to her has been diagnosed with cancer. During her drive, she reflects on the events that changed so many lives during her first job as a nurse in 1973. Although she is from a middle-class Black family, Civil decides to work for a birth control clinic that services poor women in the area. Her first patients are India and Erica Williams, whose living conditions shock Civil. The young girls live with their father Mace and grandmother Patricia in a ramshackle shack out in the country.  Although harboring doubts about giving birth control shots to girls of such young ages, Civil follows her boss’s orders. She is also moved by their plight and she successfully finds them a better place to live and assists Mace in finding employment. After a discussion with her childhood friend, Tyrell “Ty” Ralsey, Civil realizes she might be doing more harm than good by giving those shots. She then makes a decision that sets in motion events that define and haunt her throughout her life.

Civil does not realize how privileged she is until she meets the Williams family. Although aware poverty exists around her, her father has shielded her from witnessing it firsthand. Civil’s questions are not welcomed at the clinic and she quickly leans to keep her thoughts to herself. But after she learns the troubling information about the birth control shots, she and her friend Alicia take matters into their own hands. This sets off a chain of events that eventually exposes and alters common practices in federally funded birth control centers across the United States.

Take My Hand is an emotionally compelling novel that seamlessly moves back and forth in time. Civil is a compassionate young woman who firmly believes that women should be in charge of their reproductive health. India and Erica are wonderful young teenagers who quickly adapt to the changes in their lives. From the Williams’ filthy shack to government housing to the courtroom, the settings spring vividly to life. The storyline is incredibly moving and fully captures readers’ attention from beginning to end.  With impeccable research, Dolen Perkins-Valdez shines a bright light on a shameful period in American history.

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Filed under Berkley, Contemporary, Dolen Perkins Valdez, Historical, Historical (70s), Literary Fiction, Review, Take My Hand

March 2, 2020 · 11:57 pm

Review: Under the Rainbow by Celia Laskey

Title: Under the Rainbow by Celia Laskey
Publisher: Riverhead Books
Genre: Contemporary, LGBTQ, Literary Fiction
Length: 286 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

When a group of social activists arrive in a small town, the lives and beliefs of residents and outsiders alike are upended, in this wry, embracing novel.

Big Burr, Kansas, is the kind of place where everyone seems to know everyone, and everyone shares the same values-or keeps their opinions to themselves. But when a national nonprofit labels Big Burr “the most homophobic town in the US” and sends in a task force of queer volunteers as an experiment-they’ll live and work in the community for two years in an attempt to broaden hearts and minds-no one is truly prepared for what will ensue.

Furious at being uprooted from her life in Los Angeles and desperate to fit in at her new high school, Avery fears that it’s only a matter of time before her “gay crusader” mom outs her. Still grieving the death of her son, Linda welcomes the arrivals, who know mercifully little about her past. And for Christine, the newcomers are not only a threat to the comforting rhythms of Big Burr life, but a call to action. As tensions roil the town, cratering relationships and forcing closely guarded secrets into the light, everyone must consider what it really means to belong. Told with warmth and wit, Under the Rainbow is a poignant, hopeful articulation of our complicated humanity that reminds us we are more alike than we’d like to admit.

Review:

Celia Laskey’s debut Under the Rainbow  offers an intriguing peek into small town America and its relationship with the LGBTQ community.

Through a series of vignettes from different characters’ perspectives, each chapter offers a glimpse into the Acceptance Across America (AAA) workers and townspeople’s lives.  Avery is uprooted from Los Angeles to Big Burr, KS when her mom accepts a position with AAA. She is struggling to be true to herself while also trying to keep her family’s association with AAA under wraps. Linda is grieving a tragic loss and unexpectedly finds solace through volunteering with the AAA. Christine is a devout Christian who is adamantly opposed to the gay community and the AAA. David and his partner Miguel relocate to Big Burr and their life is quickly complicated by an older family member’s medical issues and lack of gay community. Zach is a teenager struggling to fly under the radar and attention of his classmates. Gabe is an avid hunter and family man who questions the life he has made for himself. Henry blames the AAA when he makes a shocking discovery about a loved one.  While each chapter is narrated by a specific character and their life in Big Burr, other characters sometimes overlap with the current narrator.  The final chapter in the novel offers a brief glimpse of how many of the characters have fared long after the AAA have moved on from Big Burr.

Under the Rainbow  is a fast-paced novel with an interesting cast of characters and distinctive plot. The characters are well-developed but some are more appealing and memorable than others. Some of the characters’ actions and opinions are a bit stereotyped while others are refreshingly unique. Celia Laskey’s debut is a thought-provoking novel that I thoroughly enjoyed.

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Filed under Celia Laskey, Contemporary, LGBTQ, Literary Fiction, Rated B, Review, Riverhead Books, Under the Rainbow

February 10, 2020 · 11:58 pm

Review: Eden Mine by S.M. Hulse

Title: Eden Mine by S.M. Hulse
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Genre: Contemporary, Literary Fiction
Length: 288 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

In Eden Mine, the award-winning author of Black River examines the aftershocks of an act of domestic terrorism rooted in a small Montana town on the brink of abandonment, as it tears apart a family, tests the faith of a pastor and the loyalty of a sister, and mines the deep rifts that come when the reach of the government clashes with individual freedom

Jo Faber is packing up the home she and her brother Samuel inherited. For generations, the Fabers have lived near Eden Mine, but Jo and Samuel will be the last. Their family home has been seized by the state through eminent domain.

At the moment she hears the news of the bombing on the radio, Jo knows nothing, but she also knows that something isn’t right. The arrival of their friend and unofficial guardian, Sheriff Hawkins, confirms her suspicions. Samuel said he was going to find work. But soon it’s clear that he’s not gone, but missing—last seen by a security camera near the district courthouse at Elk Fork. And a nine-year-old girl, the daughter of a pastor of a storefront church, is in critical condition.

This isn’t the first time Jo and Samuel have seen the ravages of violence visit their family. Last time, they lost their mother and Jo lost her ability to walk. Samuel took care of her, outfitted their barn with special rigging so she could keep riding their mule. But he was never the same, falling in with a separatist group, getting a tattoo he’d flaunt, then spending years hiding. She thought he had finished with all that. But now he’s missing, and she can’t talk to the one person she trusts.

A timely story of the anger and disaffection tearing apart many communities in this country, S.M. Hulse’s Eden Mine is also a beautiful novel of the West, of a deep love for the land, of faith in the face of evil, and of the terrible choices we make for the ones we love.

Review:

Eden Mine by S.M. Hulse is a poignant, contemplative novel that takes place in the aftermath of a courthouse bombing.

Twenty-two year old Josephine “Jo” Faber is no stranger to tragedy but she can always rely on her older brother Samuel to support and assist her. But her world is upended when family friend Sheriff Cody Hawkins comes searching for Samuel. With a creeping sense of dread, Jo continues to insist her brother is on his way to Wyoming to search for work. But when faced with irrefutable proof Samuel bombed the courthouse in Elk Fork, Jo grapples with her staunch loyalty and love for her deeply flawed brother.

In the aftermath of the bombing, Jo clings tightly to her daily routine. She is also aware her days on the family ranch are limited due to imminent domain. She reluctantly packs up the household as she continues to refuse to help Hawkins and FBI Agent Will Devin find Samuel. Jo reflects on her reluctance to challenge his extremist beliefs as she tries to accept the reality of Samuel’s actions. She also desperately tries to reconcile the caring, loving brother she knows and loves against the truth that he committed a terrorist act. Jo also forms an unlikely (and uneasy) friendship with Pastor Asa Truth whose young daughter Emily is critically injured in the bombing.

Asa’s deep-seated faith is shaken in the aftermath of the bombing. He too has experienced heartbreaking losses but with Emily’s life hanging in the balance, he is questioning his long held beliefs and faith.  While mostly calm and serene, Asa also experiences occasional flashes of rage as  he lashes out at Jo.

Short passages in the form of letters provide enlightening glimpses into Samuel’s mind. Seven years older than Jo, he has been deeply affected by his family’s losses. He is deeply committed to caring for Jo but he also nurtures a deep-seated antipathy for the US government.  Samuel remains in hiding as the manhunt continues. But with the date in which they must vacate the ranch quickly approaching, what will Samuel and Jo do next?

Eden Mine is a thought-provoking novel with an engrossing storyline and well-developed characters. Despite her age and isolated life, Jo is insightful, mature and quite wise. Asa is a gentle man who is flailing with his worry for Emily and his diminishing faith. Sheriff Hawkins bears the weight of guilt for past decisions. Samuel is a lost soul whose brief glimpses of self-awareness terrify him. The Montana setting springs vibrantly to life as Jo tries to paint her family ranch as her days in her home dwindle down. S.M. Hulse  slowly steers the novel to a harrowing, tense conclusion that is realistic and satisfying.

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Filed under Contemporary, Eden Mine, Farrar Straus and Giroux, Literary Fiction, Rated B, Review, S M Hulse

February 3, 2020 · 11:27 pm

Review: A Good Neighborhood by Therese Anne Fowler

Title: A Good Neighborhood by Therese Anne Fowler
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Genre: Contemporary, Literary Fiction
Length: 311 pages
Book Rating: A

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher

Summary:

In Oak Knoll, a verdant, tight-knit North Carolina neighborhood, professor of forestry and ecology Valerie Alston-Holt is raising her bright and talented biracial son, Xavier, who’s headed to college in the fall. All is well until the Whitmans—an apparently traditional family with new money and a secretly troubled teenaged daughter—raze the house and trees next door to build themselves a showplace.

With little in common except a property line, these two very different families quickly find themselves at odds: first, over an historic oak tree in Valerie’s yard, and soon after, the blossoming romance between their two teenagers.

A Good Neighborhood asks big questions about life in America today—what does it mean to be a good neighbor? How do we live alongside each other when we don’t see eye to eye?—as it explores the effects of class, race, and heartrending love in a story that’s as provocative as it is powerful.

Review:

A Good Neighborhood by Therese Anne Fowler is a captivating novel with a poignant, timely storyline.

University Professor Valerie Alston-Holt is a widowed mom to her eighteen year old biracial son Xavier. They live in a quiet, close-knit community but the arrival of the Whitman family next door irrevocably changes their lives and their neighborhood.

Valerie is well-liked and respected by her neighbors. She is quick to rally support when someone in their neighborhood needs help. Valerie is also an avid gardener who spends many quiet days working in her yard.  So she is less than enthused about the noise and upheaval during construction of the house next door. Valerie is not overly welcoming when her new neighbors finally move into the million dollar home. And when she realizes the newly built house has damaged her treasure  oak tree, Valerie is ready to go toe to toe with homeowner Brad Whitman.

Xavier is a polite young man who is hardworking.  A gifted musician, he is focused on the next step in his life: going to the San Francisco Conservatory of Music in a few short months.  That is until the Whitman’s move in next door. Xavier is immediately captivated by teenage Juniper who, much to his delight, returns his interest. Juniper’s family is strict, so the young couple are soon sneaking around to spend time together. With the careless optimism of youth, Juniper and Xavier are also making plans for their future.

Narrated by the neighborhood, heavy foreshadowing alerts the reader that trouble lies ahead.  A sense of foreboding hovers over the happier events that unfold alongside disturbing incidents. Valerie has a point to prove to Brad but she seriously underestimates his reaction.  His sense of entitlement is immense and he is quick to rationalize his unsavory  yearnings.  They are rushing head long into a tragic situation that culminates with a breathtaking tragedy.

With ominous overtones, A Good Neighborhood  is a riveting, multi-layered novel that is well-written and features a diverse cast of characters. The topical storyline is well-executed with Therese Anne Fowler exploring racism and elitism in a sensitive yet realistic manner.  I highly recommend this thought-provoking, heartbreaking novel that is an accurate reflection of present day America.

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Filed under A Good Neighborhood, Contemporary, Literary Fiction, Review, St Martin's Press, Therese Anne Fowler

January 6, 2020 · 11:57 pm

Review: Long Bright River by Liz Moore

Title: Long Bright River by Liz Moore
Publisher: Riverhead Books
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Literary Fiction
Length: 492 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

Two sisters travel the same streets, though their lives couldn’t be more different. Then one of them goes missing.

In a Philadelphia neighborhood rocked by the opioid crisis, two once-inseparable sisters find themselves at odds. One, Kacey, lives on the streets in the vise of addiction. The other, Mickey, walks those same blocks on her police beat. They don’t speak anymore, but Mickey never stops worrying about her sibling.

Then Kacey disappears, suddenly, at the same time that a mysterious string of murders begins in Mickey’s district, and Mickey becomes dangerously obsessed with finding the culprit–and her sister–before it’s too late.

Alternating its present-day mystery with the story of the sisters’ childhood and adolescence, Long Bright River is at once heart-pounding and heart-wrenching: a gripping suspense novel that is also a moving story of sisters, addiction, and the formidable ties that persist between place, family, and fate.

Review:

Long Bright River by Liz Moore is a poignant mystery with a topical storyline.

Police Officer Mickey Fitzpatrick is a single mom to four year old son Thomas. She  and her drug addicted sister Kacey were raised by their neglectful grandmother Gee after their mother died of a drug overdose and their father disappeared.  Mickey is estranged from Kacey but she does her best to look out for her as she patrols the Kensington community. Following a series of murders  of women in the neighborhood, Mickey is growing increasingly worried about Kasey, who has inexplicably dropped out of sight. With her partner of ten years Truman Dawes out on medical leave, Mickey becomes increasingly desperate to find Kasey. Making impulsive choices that jeopardize her career, will Mickey find her sister before it is too late?

Mickey has always been rather socially awkward and that has not changed over the course of her career as a police officer.  After moving out from Gee’s home years earlier, she keeps her distance from her grandmother and the rest of her extended family. Mickey is devoted to Thomas but their recent move has  upended their formerly comfortable life.  When no one can give her any information about Kacey’s whereabouts, Mickey takes matters into her own hands and she begins making one disastrous choice after another.  With the police no closer to finding the killer who is preying on vulnerable women, Mickey ignores her boss’s warnings to stay out the case.

With chapters weaving back and forth between the past and present,  Long Bright River is a heartbreaking mystery that explores family bonds and opioid addiction. Mickey is an extremely guarded and emotionally wounded woman who is willing to make tough choices in order to protect her loved ones. Kacey’s struggles with addiction are heartrending and her numerous attempts to get clean are realistically portrayed.  Liz Moore deftly written novel is a sensitive and timely novel that shines a much needed light on the opioid epidemic and the long-term emotional damage on family and friends.   A layered and multi-faceted mystery that will linger in readers’ minds long after the last page is turned.  Highly recommend.

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Filed under Contemporary, Literary Fiction, Liz Moore, Long Bright River, Mystery, Rated B+, Review, Riverhead Books

August 19, 2019 · 11:57 pm

Review: The Reckless Oath We Made by Bryn Greenwood

Title: The Reckless Oath We Made by Bryn Greenwood
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Genre: Contemporary, Literary Fiction, Romance
Length: 446 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

A provocative love story between a tough Kansas woman on a crooked path to redemption and the unlikeliest of champions, from the New York Times bestselling author of All the Ugly and Wonderful Things

Zee is nobody’s fairy tale princess. Almost six-foot, with a redhead’s temper and a shattered hip, she has a long list of worries: never-ending bills, her beautiful, gullible sister, her five-year-old nephew, her housebound mother, and her drug-dealing boss.

Zee may not be a princess, but Gentry is an actual knight, complete with sword, armor, and code of honor. Two years ago the voices he hears called him to be Zee’s champion. He’s barely spoken to her since, but he has kept watch, ready to come to her aid.

When an abduction tears Zee’s family apart, she turns to the last person she ever imagined–Gentry–and sets in motion a chain of events that will not only change both of their lives, but bind them to one another forever.

Review:

The Reckless Oath We Made by Bryn Greenwood is a dark and gritty novel with a tender, heartwarming romance.

Zhorzha “Zee” Trego is a tough as nails young woman who has lived a hard life. She is the unofficial head of her family as she financially supports her obese hoarder mother, Dot,  her older sister, LaReigne and her five year old nephew Marcus. Zee will do anything (and I do mean anything) to provide for and protect her family. Her world is turned upside down when LaReigne is kidnapped during a prison riot. Convinced her sister is being held against her will by the two prison escapees, Zee takes matters into her own hands in order to bring her sister home safe and sound.  With an unlikely protector by her side, Zee recklessly  sets out on a dangerous journey to save LaReigne, but will her plan succeed?

Zee is a survivor who will do anything to keep her family afloat. Her relationship with her mother is complex and mostly antagonistic.  She, LaReigne and Marcus moved in together after her sister’s divorce and she absolutely adores her nephew.  Zee is pragmatic about keeping a roof over their head and food on their table and she is willing to cross the line when it comes to her family.

While in physical therapy following a motorcycle accident, Zee caught the eye of Gentry Frank. Gentry is on the autism spectrum, speaks in Middle English and believes he is a knight. Proclaiming himself Zee’s protector, he keeps watch over her from a distance. In the aftermath of LaReigne’s kidnapping, Gentry steps in and offers Zee his assistance after she loses her job, apartment and car all at the same time. His interest in Zee is initially not romantic but as they spend time together, their odd relationship gradually turns into a touching romance.

Worried about her sister’s safety, Zee makes an impetuous decision to find LaReigne and bring her home. Although uneasy about bringing Gentry into what could be a dangerous situation, she reluctantly agrees to his request to accompany her. Will their plan to locate LaReigne succeed? Or is their quest doomed to end in failure?

The Reckless Oath We Made is a poignant and thought-provoking novel with an unusual storyline and endearing characters.  Zee is a surprisingly sympathetic character who has a big heart but is also deeply flawed. Gentry is an absolutely delightful young man with a generous and chivalrous spirit. Although initially a little slow moving, it does not take long to get caught up in this clever story.  Readers will be on the edge of the seats as Bryn Greenwood brings this marvelously unconventional novel to a realistic and uplifting conclusion.

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Filed under Bryn Greenwood, Contemporary, GP Putnams Sons, Literary Fiction, Rated B, Review, Romance, The Reckless Oath We Made