Originally published on Reedsy Discovery. Shoukry’s writing is candid and pleasant to read and follow. There is no attempt to complicate his thoughts and feelings or frame them in more academic language; he simply tells his story as it happened. I enjoyed how his account was interspersed with thought provoking chapters on Pain, Death and … Continue reading Review of It’s Not Just About Running: Reflections on Life and Change in Egypt, A.I. Shoukry
Originally published on Reedsy Discovery. Sophistries of Summer Days follows the life of young Cherrimina into adulthood. Set in the West Indies from the 1930s onward, Lofters captures life on a small, sunny isle; how sheltered the islanders’ lives are and how they change. Cherrimina’s life is altered first by Dove’s arrival and then again as … Continue reading Review of Sophistries of Summer Days, Jenny Lofters
Originally published on Reedsy Discovery. Framed by the death of Chairman Mao and the student protests in Tiananmen Square, Horko's novel tells the story of Melissa; a woman from the UK whose life is tied to the events in China due to her relationship with activist Jianguo and the birth of her son, Justin. Through … Continue reading Review of A Book of Changes, Krystyna Horko
Originally published on Reedsy Discovery. There is very little I can say without spoiling Green's humorous thriller, and it is difficult to review after reading the Acknowledgements section which extolled and indicted this novel in equal measure; as Green essentially thanked others for their patience whilst he wrote this bizarre tale. The book is exceptional … Continue reading Review of Breakfast at Cannibal Joe’s, Jay Spencer Green
Originally published on Reedsy Discovery. "Your body caught in a wave Turning you over in the thick brine" In archaeology, a tel (Hebrew for 'hill' or 'mound') is a mound formed by generations of people living in the same place for hundreds and thousands of years. Whilst, 'Aviv' is Hebrew for 'spring'. Thus, Karlan's three … Continue reading Review of Tel, S. Karlan
Originally published on Reedsy Discovery. Bloom’s debut collection is immediately reminiscent of Kaur and Lovelace as she combines pithy thoughts with extended pieces which demonstrate Bloom’s talent for creating raw and honest imagery. At times, this similarity let the collection down. My issue with the work of Kaur and Lovelace is how often the words … Continue reading Review of Signs of Life: Poems for Remembering, Meg Bloom
Originally published on Reedsy Discovery. 3a.m. Blues is the second poetry collection from Fulkerson - The Glenmore Sessions being a tremendous debut. The approach in 3a.m. Blues is very different to The Glenmore Sessions; divided into three sections - Denial & Bitterness, Acceptance & Forgiveness, and New Beginnings. Fulkerson's focus this time is on the linear journey through and out of … Continue reading Review of 3a.m. Blues, Joseph Fulkerson
Originally published on Reedsy Discovery. Hersh’s novel follows the beginning of Jacob Murtaugh’s life; from new born babe to young adult off to college. The events Jacob witnesses, perpetrates and survives are unsettling and it was often uncomfortable to read. Yet, there is an addictive quality to Hersh’s narrative. No matter how disconcerted I felt … Continue reading Review of Boy in the Hole, Akiva Hersh
Originally published on Reedsy Discovery. Guerin’s narrative switches between the past and the present as his protagonist, Walker, attempts to reconcile his memory of his summer job when he was nineteen, and how far his father was involved in the disappearance of a Mexican family. In the beginning, the pace immediately transports you to Walker’s … Continue reading Review of You Can See More From Up Here, Mark Guerin
Originally published on Reedsy Discovery. Parrish’s fourth novel Maggie’s Ruse follows the lives of identical twins, Maggie and Marta, and it is a well-written novel you are unlikely to put down. Both young women are living together, as they always have done, in New York, attempting to make something of themselves. Maggie is an artist and Marta … Continue reading Review of Maggie’s Ruse, Anne Leigh Parrish
