General Fiction
Plot/Idea: The author has crafted an engaging plot with much for readers to sink their teeth into. There's a bit of romance, mystery, and intrigue all melded together in this story, enough to please fans of each genre.
Prose: The prose here is a mixed bag. Descriptive passages are frequently evocative and lyrical, but the author also has a tendency to go overboard with detail. Additionally, character dialogue too often serves to deliver exposition rather than deepen character relationships.
Originality: Run for Chapel Hill offers a fresh blend of genres that will keep readers on their toes.
Character/Execution: Despite the sometimes ham-fisted dialogue, the author does a fine job with characterization, particularly Sam and Etta, who emerge as complicated individuals with scarring histories.
Her Side of the Story: A Psychically Channeled Untold Story of Catherine de Medici
by Dominique WrightRating: 7.25
Plot/idea: In Her Side of the Story, Wright weaves historical fiction with a past lives narrative that centers on Catherine de Medici. While the organization can become disorienting–particularly in terms of the melding of past and present–Wright blends well-researched history with effective fictional storytelling, keeping readers glued to the pages.
Prose: Wright's writing is smooth, polished, and at times full of wonder. However, the novel sometimes lacks a sense of urgency and nuance, glossing over potentially darker undertones that readers may expect in a historical, dramatic narrative such as that of Catherine de Medici.
Originality: It's always refreshing to approach historical fact through a fictional lens, and Wright's more modern take on the life of such a prominent and yet understated figure does not disappoint.
Character/Execution: The novel integrates a whole host of intriguing characters. As a result, however, at times the historical significance of Catherine de Medici is muted by other voices vying for attention.
Plot/Idea: Refuge centers around the arrival of 15-year-old Gloria on her uncle Jesse's doorstep seeking help navigating an unexpected pregnancy. VanPatten crafts a poignant story about a nontraditional family that is driven by strong character development.
Prose: VanPatten has a clear, even, and nicely propulsive writing style that swiftly establishes the setting, characters, and circumstances. Still, the prose can sometimes come across as on-the-nose and may benefit from moments of greater subtlety over exposition.
Originality: Refuge offers a compelling and timely portrayal of political and social divides, particularly concerning reproductive health.
Character/Execution: Characters form the backbone of Refuge. Readers will strongly empathize with Jesse, still reeling from the loss of his husband, while Gloria's plight is convincingly and sensitively conveyed.
Plot/Idea: Wreck and Return offers a fascinating look inside the life of a volunteer EMT. Griffin Ambrose and his coworkers see a lot while they are on the job: everything from funny to tragic to macabre. Despite the richness of the set-up and circumstances, the novel would benefit from additional plot development and a more pronounced through-line.
Prose: The novel's prose is effective in telling the story, without any particular stylistic flourishes. The author convincingly conveys the individual characters' opinions and perspectives, often espousing their short-sighted and bigoted ideology.
Originality: Wreck and Return has an interesting, novel concept, especially in terms of a main character who embarks on something new later in life. Griffin is flawed but not irredeemable, making him a highly relatable character readers will root for.
Character/Execution: Griffin Ambrose appropriately drives the story. Readers will feel deeply for him as he grapples with painful past mistakes and finds the courage to afford himself a second chance. Additional characters in the novel are somewhat uneven in their development; the world of the novel would be much richer if the cast of supporting characters had more dimension.
Plot/Idea: Anna's Shadow is a powerful historical romance novel that is simultaneously sentimental and inspiring. Set in Verona, the book centers on Sofia as she endeavours to help a star-crossed elderly gentleman in an intriguing and adventurous tale which spans several time periods.
Prose: McCarthy's text is sweeping and rich in romantic detail. Her vivid use of language brings her characters' personalities into focus as she neatly balances the different strands of the plot.
Originality: Although not startlingly original, the novel is assured and will undoubtedly appeal to devotees of stirring and enthralling love stories.
Character/Execution: McCarthy's well formed characters, such as Sofia Rossi and Luke Miller, are consistently compelling, their intimate individual stories forming a stirring and enticing backdrop for the plot to develop. The relationship between Luke and Uwe in particular will have readers gripped and awestruck from start to finish.
Plot/Idea: What Once Was Promised is a sprawling novel about a group of Italian immigrants to the U.S. who struggle to make a life for themselves and avoid the worst of the Italian mafia in Boston.
Prose: Trubiano's prose is polished and evocative as it details the central character's journey beginning with his departure from Italy to his life in America. The author capably establishes the historical era and conveys the complexities of the immigrant experience, though some passages are weighed down by longwinded description.
Originality: Trubiano writes convincingly about the rise of immigrant communities in Boston. Though the novel has familiar beats relating to universal challenges of finding one's footing in a new nation, the work's focus on the Italian mafia contributes intrigue and tension.
Character/Execution: What Once Was Promised has a wide cast of characters and establishes the main players effectively. While Trubiano creates a realistic picture of immigrant life in mid 20th century Boston, lengthy passages of exposition can sometimes result in a drier reading experience than the circumstances deserve.
Plot/Idea: Rekindled Love is a wistful novel that reflects on first love and how powerful memories color the present. The novel offers an intriguing setup as the author juxtaposes the protagonist's recollections with his children's underwater explorations.
Prose: The prose is clear and straightforward, if occasionally bland. The carefully detailed descriptions of Anders's everyday life lose their interest when accompanied with very little plot-propelling action.
Originality: Bjerregaard Jessen does an admirable job of blending the present day events with the protagonist's past, though the character development comes across as secondary to the novel's unique conceptual framework.
Character/Execution: While the focus on a man reflecting on a youthful love affair is potentially intriguing, the ordinariness of Anders's relationship with Cecilie weighs down this story. What's missing is a real spark of interest about their relationship.
Plot/Idea: The story of the conflict between the Long Fang Band, headed by Chebi, and the First Sons of Man, headed by Chamo, is compelling, with ample details of prehistoric conditions—both of the complexities of surviving and thriving as a group, the melding of cultures, and the perils of intergroup struggles for territory and dominance. The novel's climax is well-grounded in the characters' personal clashes against the larger story of early human development.
Prose: Long Fang Band's biggest challenge is in the amount of exposition required to illuminate its prehistoric world. From details on hunting patterns to cave dwellings to other minutiae of daily life, Root delivers interesting particulars to bring the setting to life, though the sheer volume of information impedes narrative flow at times. The story's descriptions are rich, and Root reaches a nice balance of penetrating and florid prose.
Originality: This is a timely view into primitive humanity, and, in light of recent discoveries of early Neanderthal/Homo Sapiens interaction, it provides a heart-driven perspective of our historical origins.
Character/Execution: The character development shines, with beautifully drawn portraits of complex relationships, both familial and tribal. Main characters, particularly Chebi, Una, Amo, and Chamo, become fully realized, characterized by dynamic emotions and intricate interplay.
Plot/Idea: A Good Day is a witty collection of 36 short stories dealing with topics ranging from the everyday to the more surreal. Guiasu's vignettes are sharp and convincing, with a fair amount of honest and thought-provoking personal observations.
Prose: Guiasu's text is confidently written and his everyday observations are rendered in a clear, concise, and often satirical manner. The short stories are simple, effective, easy to read, and benefit from a likable and engaging writing style.
Originality: A Good Day is a humorous collection of short stories largely focused on education and academic matters. Ideal for dipping in and out of on a whim, Guiasu's consistently witty and wry sense of humor is endearing and enjoyable.
Character/Execution: The variety of characters contained in this collection of short stories are vividly realized and relatable. Guiasu's charisma shines through in many of these tales, and his observations on life at educational establishments in particular is impressively realized.
Plot/Idea: She Seeks Herself interlaces strings of past lives together to explore meaning and purpose, starting with an enigmatic tale of The Goddess assuming the form of a spider as a method of self-discovery. The plot is imposing, multilayered, and sometimes unclear, but Pifer draws out deeper meaning that will provoke thought in readers.
Prose: Pifer's prose flows smoothly, heavy with rich descriptions that will help readers generate their own reflections on life, hope, and community.
Originality: The originality in Pifer's thoughtful book lies in its portrayal of an enmeshed web of lives—all interconnected through one soul—that illustrates humanity's varied, yet communal, experiences.
Character/Execution: Pifer offers a range of characters for readers to connect with, each with their own stark experiences—some of which may be challenging to read, such as the enslaved Abigail, who is forced to endure continuous assaults throughout her short story. The cast is extensive, but readers will have opportunities to empathize with each character—and relate to their experiences on a broad, human level.
Plot/Idea: Cummins adds a new twist to Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol in this lighthearted take on mental health in contemporary times. The plot takes off in multiple directions and veers firmly away from the original story, as main character Justin discovers he's died from a suicide attempt—and must embark on a journey of self-discovery to be able to truly live again.
Prose: The prose tends to be verbose at times, which distracts from the plot, but the descriptions are lively and the setting feels authentic.
Originality: Ex-Mas Song deviates from A Christmas Carol in many ways, as Cummins spins it to be a modern tale of addiction, trauma, and recovery.
Character/Execution: Justin experiences a fair amount of growth as he works through his suicide attempt and tries to move forward, and Cummins places a big emphasis on faith throughout his odyssey. Justin's on again, off again ex-wife Blair shows less development, transforming into more of a caricature as the novel progresses.
Plot/Idea: Homebound is an enjoyable suspense thriller with well devised central characters and a tense and gripping plot. Packed with relentless dramatic tension, Adkins's storyline is consistently intriguing and maintains the reader's interest throughout.
Prose: Adkins's text is assured and confidently written, building tension effortlessly with sharp and dynamic rhythmic sentences . The attention to detail is extremely convincing, brilliantly helping to augment the level of suspense and impending doom.
Originality: Homebound is a straightforward suspense thriller that is well presented and easy to read. Written with confidence and gusto, Adkins's text remains compelling even if the plot development is at times obvious.
Character/Execution: Written from the perspective of the two main protagonists, father and daughter combo Rob and Ann, the text benefits from exposing these two contrasting viewpoints. Adkins also writes a fine supporting cast of characters who add an element of depth and dynamism to the story.
Whispers in a Phone Booth: A Depression-Era Tale of Danger and Deception
by J. Daniel ReedRating: 7.00
Plot/Idea: Reed’s historical tale begins with a hurried escape from an alcoholic father for teenage sisters Martha and Helen, bound from their home in Poland to the call of freedom on Ellis Island. From there, Reed takes readers on a transformative journey through hardship, determination, and family secrets, centered on Helen’s son, Wally, and his life growing up as the child of immigrants in Chicago. Reed ties numerous stories into Wally’s arc, and the perspective jumps at times become dizzying.
Prose: The prose is efficient and educational, though Reed’s more formal style leads to stilted dialogue in several places.
Originality: Whispers in a Phone Booth delivers as much history as it does plot, gifting readers with a glimpse of 20th century life from the perspective of multiple nations and people—a choice that, though informative, detracts from the story’s excitement.
Character/Execution: Reed crafts his characters with obvious care and attention to detail, while connecting some to well-known historical figures; the preface identifies that a handful of characters are based off his own family members. Despite the large cast, main players are easy to track; Wally stands out as a multilayered, intense protagonist, and his relationship with his traumatized aunt Martha is compelling—and disturbing—to watch.
Plot/Idea: Fire on the Frontier is an immersive and layered work of historical fiction set in ancient Rome. With interwoven stories and multiple perspectives that draw from actual events, it can be challenging to keep track of all the narratives, but invested readers will be richly rewarded.
Prose: Kunkel's prose style is clear, anchoring readers in the time and circumstances with detailed descriptions and an effective balance of action and dialogue.
Originality: Fire on the Frontier captures the ancient era convincingly while maintaining forward momentum and careful plotting.
Character/Execution: While the multiple storylines can become unwieldy, Kunkel is a capable writer invested in the many characters, both male and female. Historical places and events are vibrantly portrayed and provided understandable context.
Plot/Idea: A Kind of Hush conveys the grief of a family’s tragic misfortune with great tenderness, but the forward momentum is blunted by a focus on day-to-day activities rather than forensic details pertinent to the novel's central mystery. When daughter Willa conveys a stunning revelation in a Wattpad story, the two prime suspects in the case quickly become red herrings, leaving readers with a sense of subtle disappointment over the time spent analyzing their involvement.
Prose: Neathery's prose is highly readable, with ample time for the relationships between the characters to be understood and developed over the course of the story. Long passages of extraneous exposition detract from the tension, and side plots—like the interlude when Kurtz spends time with the Jones family while in hiding—sometimes slow the action.
Originality: A Kind of Hush hosts a fascinating central mystery that will prove absorbing for readers. However, the work never seems to pin down its genre—missing details of the police investigation crucial to a mystery, while giving too much detail about people, places, and everyday activities which prevent a deeper emotional resonance one might expect in a family drama.
Character/Execution: Characters are well rounded, and Neathery allows them plenty of time to interact and develop emotionally, though not always with fruitful results. The dialogue, used as a conduit to dispense details, sometimes leans toward an overly formal tone.
Plot/Idea: Wildcat: An Appalachian Romance is a richly rendered novel set in the titular region of the United States. It is not entirely clear to what romance the subtitle refers—the romance of the town of Wildcat, or the romance between the main character and former girlfriend, Carolyn. There's a case to be made that the lovingly crafted portrait of a small town experiencing a communal renaissance is the real love affair.
Prose: There are moments when the prose style works beautifully and the simplicity is elegant (when describing the communal nature of meals at Hotel Wildcat, the woodcrafts at the mill, beekeeping, and mushrooms). At other times, the prose reaches too far to achieve lyricism. The overall effect of the storytelling makes the work feel like an immersive fairy tale.
Originality: Wildcat is infused with atmosphere and charm, if not always forward thrust or tension. As a portrayal of a town decimated by catastrophic job loss and now experiencing a revival through communal living, art, and handcrafted products, there is an undeniable freshness and vitality in the concept.
Character/Execution: The author has an appealing storytelling style that will leave an impression on readers. However, the characters, relationships, and motivations depicted both in the recollections and in the present never quite tip into full portraits.
