My review of Cape Cod Noir (Akashic Books) is now live at The Cult
Posted on July 27, 2011 Leave a Comment
I know, the first thought out of your head must be, Cape Cod? What the hell does Cape Cod have to do with noir? Well, quite a lot it turns out. When you have an elite upper class that is butting up against a beaten down working class, long time residents dealing with obnoxious tourists with a sense of entitlement, things are going to boil over. This collection, Cape Cod Noir from Akashic Books is edited by David L. Ulin who does an excellent job of wrangling a strong mix of authors, including one of my favorite authors going, Paul Tremblay. They’ve put out some 40+ versions on noir such as Chicago Noir, Baltimore Noir, New York Noir, etc. and each book brings you local authors or writers with a unique perspective on a city and its people. Read my full review up at The Cult.
My review of Zazen by Vanessa Veselka is now up at The Nervous Breakdown.
Posted on June 30, 2011 Leave a Comment
My review of Zazen by Vanessa Veselka (Red Lemonade) is now up at TNB. Great book, great new press. Funny, touching, sad, frightening, this book puts you through the emotional wringer. Well worth the ride.
My review of Drinking Closer to Home by Jessica Anya Blau is live at The Nervous Breakdown.
Posted on June 22, 2011 2 Comments
My review of Jessica Anya Blau’s hilarious, touching and heartbreaking novel, Drinking Closer to Home, is now live at The Nervous Breakdown. I wasn’t sure if I was going to like this book. It starts off with a ton of characters, and I kept thinking, oh man, this is going to be too soft, to sweet and nice, I hope it doesn’t turn into (dare I say it) CHICK LIT. Well, it’s far from that. This is a loving portrait of family, with all of its warts and dirty laundry. You know the old cliche, I laughed, I cried? True. The stories are so vivid, so real, that you feel like you are hearing a friend recount her childhood misadventures. And Jessica isn’t afraid to get dirty, cussing up a storm and giving us all of the cum-stained details. But in the end, it’s really the love that shines through, the way that we keep our family close, even when they screw up, and love them in spite of their mistakes. I really loved this book. Head over to TNB for all of the details.










