BEST OF THE MONTH
Small Town Sins by Ken Jaworowski
It was either this, or Lucinda Berry's The Perfect Child. Not only is it the best book of the month, but it might also be the best crime novel I've ever read. Ken juggles three separate plots which end up weaving together perfectly. I typically dislike plots with that framework, because in the vast majority of cases, there are one or two plotlines that just aren't as interesting as the others. Not the case here. It's a powerfully emotional book and I'm begging you to not ignore it because it isn't horror.
WORST OF THE MONTH
Hallowe'en Party by Agatha Christie
I was amped up to read this, then see the new adaptation, A Haunting in Venice, but I couldn't even finish it. There is something about her writing style that just isn't propulsive for me.
The rest:
Sunset and Sawdust by Joe Lansdale. I'd forgotten about this one for years. Finally got to it. Good, as expected. Grade: B
Skellig by David Almond. Award-winning children's/YA literature; thought I'd like it more. Grade: C
Ghost Summer: Stories by Tananarive Due. Unsurprisingly good collection from Due. Grade: B
Homecoming by Matthew Costello. Great serial killer/police procedural. Grade: B
Flesh Rehearsal by Brian Bowyer. Not bad, but I wasn't hooked. Grade: C
The Warrior Retreat by John Lynch. It gets very extreme, but I wasn't invested enough by the time the violence starts. Grade: C
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon. The narration was its strength. Grade: B
The Perfect Child by Lucinda Berry. Another hit from Berry. I liked Saving Noah a tad bit more, but this one is excellent. Grade: A
Reviews by Jason Cavallaro
jcavallaro42@gmail.com
Twitter: @pinheadspawn
Small Town Sins by Ken Jaworowski
It was either this, or Lucinda Berry's The Perfect Child. Not only is it the best book of the month, but it might also be the best crime novel I've ever read. Ken juggles three separate plots which end up weaving together perfectly. I typically dislike plots with that framework, because in the vast majority of cases, there are one or two plotlines that just aren't as interesting as the others. Not the case here. It's a powerfully emotional book and I'm begging you to not ignore it because it isn't horror.
WORST OF THE MONTHHallowe'en Party by Agatha Christie
I was amped up to read this, then see the new adaptation, A Haunting in Venice, but I couldn't even finish it. There is something about her writing style that just isn't propulsive for me.
The rest:
Sunset and Sawdust by Joe Lansdale. I'd forgotten about this one for years. Finally got to it. Good, as expected. Grade: B
Skellig by David Almond. Award-winning children's/YA literature; thought I'd like it more. Grade: C
Ghost Summer: Stories by Tananarive Due. Unsurprisingly good collection from Due. Grade: B
Homecoming by Matthew Costello. Great serial killer/police procedural. Grade: B
Flesh Rehearsal by Brian Bowyer. Not bad, but I wasn't hooked. Grade: C
The Warrior Retreat by John Lynch. It gets very extreme, but I wasn't invested enough by the time the violence starts. Grade: C
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon. The narration was its strength. Grade: B
The Perfect Child by Lucinda Berry. Another hit from Berry. I liked Saving Noah a tad bit more, but this one is excellent. Grade: A
Reviews by Jason Cavallaro
jcavallaro42@gmail.com
Twitter: @pinheadspawn
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