February 2024 MBR The General Fiction Shelf

The General Fiction Shelf

The Girl from the Red Rose Motel
Susan Beckham Zurenda
Mercer University Press
www.mupress.org
9780881469011, $27.00, HC, 291pp

https://www.amazon.com/Girl-Red-Rose-Motel/dp/0881469017

Synopsis: Impoverished high school junior Hazel Smalls and privileged senio=
r Sterling Lovell would never ordinarily meet. But when both are punished w=
ith in-school suspension, Sterling finds himself drawn to the gorgeous, stu=
dious girl seated nearby, and an unlikely relationship begins.

Set in 2012 South Carolina, "The Girl from the Red Rose Motel" by Susan Bec=
kham Zurenda interlaces the stories of Hazel, living with her homeless fami=
ly in the rundown Red Rose Motel; Sterling, yearning to break free from his=
 wealthy parents' expectations; and recently widowed Angela Wilmore, their =
stern but compassionate English teacher.

Hazel hides her homelessness from Sterling until he discovers her cleaning =
the motel's office when he goes with his slumlord father to unfreeze the mo=
tel's pipes one morning. With her secret revealed, their relationship deepe=
ns.

Angela (who has her own struggles in a budding romance with the divorced pr=
incipal) offers Hazel the support her family can't provide. Navigating betw=
een privilege and poverty, vulnerability and strength, all three must confr=
ont what they need from themselves and each other as Hazel gains the courag=
e to oppose boundaries and make a bold, life-changing decision at novel's e=
nd.

"The Girl from the Red Rose Motel" explores the complex bonds between adult=
s and teenagers and the power of the families we both inherit and create. I=
nspired by the author's own experiences teaching in a South Carolina high s=
chool, her novel is also an unflinching, authentic look at the challenges f=
aced by America's public school teachers and the struggles of the thousands=
 of homeless children in motels who live, precariously and almost invisibly=
, amid the nation's most affluent communities.

Critique: Deftly crafted with an impressive eloquence, "The Girl from the R=
ed Rose Motel" showcases author Susan Beckham Zurenda's genuine flair for t=
he kind of narrative driven storytelling that makes for effective literary =
fiction. A novel that will linger in the mind and memory of the reader long=
 after the book itself has been finished and set back upon the shelf, "The =
Girl from the Red Rose Motel" is especially and unreservedly recommended fo=
r personal, community and college/university library Contemporary Literary =
Fiction collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be=
 noted that "The Girl from the Red Rose Motel" is also available in a digit=
al book format (Kindle, $20.00).

Editorial Note: Susan Beckham Zurenda (https://www.susanzurenda.com) taught=
 English for thirty-three years to college and high school students. Her de=
but novel, BELLS FOR ELI, has received several awards including first place=
 for Best First Book--Fiction in the 2021 Independent Publisher Book Awards=
. Zurenda has also published and won numerous awards for her short fiction.

The Couple in the Photo
Helen Cooper
G. P. Putnam's Sons
c/o Penguin Group
www.penguin.com
9780593544907, $18.00, PB, 368pp

https://www.amazon.com/Couple-Photo-Helen-Cooper/dp/0593544900

Synopsis: Lucy and her husband, Adam, have been best friends with another c=
ouple, Cora and Scott, for years. The four are practically family -- they v=
acation together, co-own a beach cottage, and their children are inseparabl=
e. So Lucy is devastated when, while looking at a colleague's photos of a t=
rip to the Maldives, she spots a picture of Scott, apparently on vacation w=
ith another woman.

Then she learns that the woman in the photo has gone missing. Lucy can't he=
lp but fear that Scott was involved. But searching for answers might uncove=
r secrets about Scott, Cora, and even her own husband that could destroy th=
e picture-perfect lives they have built together. Or maybe she was never pa=
rt of the picture at all. Is it possible everyone knows more than they are =
letting on? If so, what are the consequences of exposing the truth?

Critique: An impressively original, deftly crafted, riveting, and entertain=
ing read from start to finish, "The Couple in the Photo" by Helen Cooper wi=
ll prove to be a welcome and enduringly popular pick for community library =
suspense thriller collections and of special appeal to readers with an inte=
rest in Women's Friendship/Domestic Life fiction. It should be noted for pe=
rsonal reading lists that "The Couple in the Photo" is also readily availab=
le in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).

Editorial Note: Helen Cooper (https://www.helencooperwriter.com) is the aut=
hor of The Other Guest and The Downstairs Neighbor. She is from Derby and h=
as a MA in Creative Writing and a background in teaching English and Academ=
ic Writing. Her creative writing has been published in Mslexia and Writers'=
 Forum; she was shortlisted in the Bath Short Story Prize in 2014, and came=
 third in the Leicester Writes Short Story Prize 2018.

High on the Vine
Terri Martin
Modern History Press
https://www.modernhistorypress.com
9781615997862, $34.95, HC, 166pp

https://www.amazon.com/High-Vine-Featuring-Entrepreneurs-Cousins/dp/1615997=
865

Synopsis: Laced with laughter, the stories comprising "High on the Vine: Fe=
aturing Yooper Entrepreneurs, Tami & Evi Maki" by Terri Martin feature thri=
ce-removed cousins, Tami & Evi Maki, who often contemplate how their lives =
would be vastly different, if only they did not bear the burden of marriage=
 to Toivo and Eino.

Always shirking responsibility, the two spousal reprobates tend to work as =
little as humanly possible and gamble beyond their means. When Toivo and Ei=
no do win a "pot" they pass along a share of the booty to their wives with =
an all-expense paid trip to someplace "exotic." But while this may bring a =
tropical paradise to mind, it turns out to be a survival wilderness weekend=
 in the dead of winter in the middle of nowhere.

Tami & Evi punish their husbands with a hostile takeover of the boys' hunti=
ng camp. From there they explore many entrepreneurial adventures, including=
 a "rustic" vacation rental, an Amish-run chicken ranch, and a winery opera=
ted by a group of misogynistic monks who turn out a product known as "Monk =
Juice."

While the bottom line for Tami and Evi is always murky, the various venture=
s they pursue are even murkier.

Critique: "High On The Vine" is a collection of humorous stories based on t=
he adventures of Tami and Evi Maki (cousins thrice removed) that originally=
 made their debut in UP Magazine and now presented to an appreciative reade=
rship. While also available for personal reading lists in a paperback editi=
on (Gnarly Woods Publications, 9781735204321, $17.95) and in a digital book=
 format (Kindle, $5.95), "High On The Vine" is a fun read from start to fin=
ish and will prove an immediate and enduringly popular pick for community l=
ibrary Contemporary Humor collections.

Editorial Note: Terri Martin (www.terrilynnmartin.com ) is currently a regu=
lar contributor to UP Magazine (Porcupine Press Publications) where she fin=
ds an outlet for her humorous writing. She published Church Lady Chronicles=
: Devilish Encounters in 2020, which is a collection of stories originally =
published in UP Magazine. Terri has a published two middle-grade children's=
 novels: A Family Trait (Holiday House, 1999) and The Home Wind (2021), whi=
ch received the 2022 U.P. Notable Book Award. Additionally, her feature art=
icles and short stories have been published in magazines and literary journ=
als, and she served as editor and layout for a literary newsletter blog. Te=
rri has a master's degree in English, with a creative writing emphasis. She=
 has taught college success courses, tutored English at the college level a=
nd served as an aide for college composition classes.

Meet the Benedettos
Katie Cotugno
Harper Perennial
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
www.harpercollins.com
9780063329003, $24.00, HC, 256pp

https://www.amazon.com/Meet-Benedettos-Novel-Katie-Cotugno/dp/006332900X

Synopsis: Every family is complicated, and the Benedettos are no exception.=
 A few years after a reality TV show skyrocketed them to pop-culture fame, =
the five twentysomething sisters are living together in their parents' crum=
bling McMansion, nearly broke and teetering towards rock-bottom.

Lilly, the sensible second-eldest sister, is all too aware that her family =
is viewed as a spectacle, but she's focused on holding herself and her fami=
ly together, and unlike her siblings she tends not to care what the world t=
hinks.

The Benedettos' fortunes finally appear to be brightening when Charlie Bing=
ley, the dashing star of Captain Fantastic, moves into their Los Angeles ne=
ighborhood with his friend Will Darcy in tow. It isn't long before Charlie =
falls for the warm and lovely eldest sister, June.

Lilly has no such luck: the arrogant and judgmental Will Darcy, a man plagu=
ed by his own private demons, seems ready to clash with her at every turn -=
- yet the two can't seem to stay away from each other.

And while the Benedettos' matriarch sets to work encouraging a potential ma=
tch between Charlie and June, there are plenty of others in the community w=
ho are determined to steer these eligible young men away from a ridiculous =
family of reality show has-beens...

Critique: As a novelist, Katie Cotugno in "Meet the Benedettos" is able to =
create a big, boisterous and memorable cast of characters to life in story =
that blends romance with dysfunctional family life dynamics. Exceptionally =
well crafted, "Meet the Benedettos" is a fun read from start to finish and =
will prove a welcome pick for personal reading lists and community library =
collections. It should be noted that "Meet the Benedettos" is also readily =
available in a paperback edition (Harper Perennial, 9780063324145, $12.99) =
and in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).

Editorial Note: Katie Cotugno (https://katiecotugno.com) is the author of B=
irds of California and eight other novels for young adults. She is also the=
 co-author (with Candace Bushnell) of "Rules for Being a Girl".

A Young Woman from the Provinces
Jo Ann Kiser
https://joannkiser.com
Atmosphere Press
www.atmospherepress.com
9798891320727, $27.99 Hardcover/$18.99 Paper/$9.99 ebook

https://www.amazon.com/Young-Woman-Provinces-Ann-Kiser/dp/B0CLZ58GZL

A Young Woman from the Provinces will appeal to readers of contemporary wom=
en's fiction who especially enjoy stories of maturity and friendships. It f=
ollows the experiences of Geneva, who moves from her home in backwoods Kent=
ucky to the allure of New York City -- there to hone a career, friendships,=
 and possible romance that lead her ever deeper into growth and change.

Jo Ann Kiser's poetic voice adds depth and metaphor to the atmosphere from =
its opening lines, which are captivatingly descriptive: "We had lived in th=
e gray house on Sarvis Creek for a long time. A Golden Delicious tree grew =
in the backyard, a cherry tree at one side, and at the other end of the gar=
den, near the toilet, a Red Delicious tree stood. To us savages on the back=
 porch, spring meant nothing but itself. Suns ran across the sky. Blood scu=
dded through our veins. Green buds festooned the trees. If the plowed earth=
 in the garden was a somber brown, the rest of the world was composed of pa=
stels."

As the senses of place change radically around Geneva's choices and living =
situations, readers follow her with this early influence in mind as she app=
roaches big city living with the down-home sensibilities of her upbringing.=
 As the family moves from place to place, Geneva assumes a flexibility of p=
erception and purpose that do her well in adulthood, lending to her ability=
 to navigate unfamiliar territory and people.

Jo Ann Kiser embeds her story with family influence and relationships. Thes=
e follow Geneva for much of her efforts, adding contrast to the pivot point=
s between childhood and adulthood. Excited by new work, surroundings, and o=
pportunities, Geneva still is charged with better understanding her life's =
influences and trajectory even as she falls into and out of love, moving th=
rough different career opportunities and the myriad of people they introduc=
e.

When her journeys carry her to foreign lands, Geneva reflects on her experi=
ences and the growth opportunities they embrace: "In some sense now I was r=
eimagining myself as an American, a traveler of the twentieth century, belo=
nging to an era when humans had set foot on the moon, an individual belongi=
ng to no one place and yet to one place, the landscape of childhood, and, b=
eyond that, to the landscape of the mind."

Libraries interested in contemporary literary novels that follow a young wo=
man's journeys through different landscapes of family, friendships, and evo=
lving choices will find A Young Woman from the Provinces a powerful narrati=
ve that ultimately considers the need to be loved and the movement from bei=
ng a "hillbilly" to an active participant in a bigger life and world.

Glass Flower
David Procaccino
https://www.davidprocaccino.com
Atmosphere Press
www.atmospherepress.com
9781639889129, $22.99 PB, $9.99 Kindle, 394pp

https://www.amazon.com/Glass-Flower-David-Procaccino/dp/1639889124

It's 1972, and veteran psychiatrist Jim Malory has lost his mind. Or so his=
 wife believes. "Vietnam has come for its due," and despite the fact that J=
im is far from the battlefield, some struggles of the mind have never left.=
 Circling around the wagon of his discontent and disassociation are his wor=
ried pregnant wife Maria and daughter Ruthie. Ruthie really needs her fathe=
r to prevent her careen towards disaster - not a Vietnam survivor still str=
uggling with and immersed in his own demons.

It should be noted that the opening experiential lines of Glass Flower can =
(and likely will) be triggering for war veterans. The vivid you-are-here re=
collections and scenes are extraordinary even to those who never went to wa=
r; much less those who endured its graphic, soul-destroying violence and ho=
rror.

This note aside, there is much more going on here than a war story alone; b=
ecause Malory's spiraling mental struggle receives the opportunity for rede=
mption in the arrival of two new patients who mirror his veteran angst and =
the challenges of being a father in a disintegrating relationship with a ne=
edy daughter.

Glass Flower is a stunning portrait in recovery, PTSD, past and present lif=
e connections, and the wavering barrier that separates patient from doctor.=
 It reveals the mindsets of not only Jim, but Maria and others who swirl ar=
ound him. Its greatest strength lies in its ability to delineate connection=
s between past and present mindsets, perceptions, strategies, and insights:=
 "So what happened?" This is how Nilso begins his interrogations, just the =
facts ma'am. When Jim started at the VA, he was obliged to attend training =
sessions in which the chief expounded on the art of the psychiatric intervi=
ew. A neutral, dispassionate stance was best to snatch the truth from the p=
atient, Nilso said. In certain cases, the interviewer should even avoid eye=
 contact, placing one's sightline perpendicular to the subject's. The goal =
was to exude a calculated mildness with just the suggestion of force."

As psychological forces entwine and definitions of wellness and recovery sh=
ift, David Procaccino excels in crafting an atmospheric work about going aw=
ay and coming back forever changed. It's a story that embraces elements of =
history, psychology, intrigue, and discovery in such a way that it comes hi=
ghly recommended for libraries seeking different stories about healing, red=
emption, and family transitions. Book clubs, too, will find plenty of issue=
s to consider and discuss. "One part of his life had ended, and another had=
 begun."

Dry Spell
Avery Caswell
https://averycaswell.com
WayWord Books
https://www.waywordbooks.com
9781735962221, $TBA, HC, 280pp

https://averycaswell.com/book/dry-spell

Synopsis: What began as just another long stretch of hours in the parched a=
nd daredevil fall of 2006, when he was too young to leave home, but too old=
 to stay home -- Nate Simmons said no. Bolstered by the thrill of defiance,=
 he barrels down a path that forever changes two households.

Critique: A deftly crafted and original novel that will prove to be of imme=
nse appeal to readers with an interest in coming of age stories combined wi=
th a small town southern backdrop, "Dry Spell" by Avery Caswell showcases t=
he author's genuine flair for the kind of narrative driven storytelling tha=
t raises her work to the status of great literature and an inherently fasci=
nating read from start to finish. Simply stated, "Dry Spell" is especially =
and unreservedly recommended pick for personal reading lists, as well as co=
mmunity and college/university Contemporary American Literature collections=
 and supplemental curriculum studies lists.

Editorial Note: Avery Caswell was born just north of Chicago, Illinois. Fro=
m a young age she was always scribbling, filling stenographer notebooks wit=
h observations (like Harriet, the Spy) and drawing scenes from Camelot (Fra=
nco Nero!). She grew up in various small towns across the Midwest and lived=
 briefly in upstate New York before making the Carolinas home. An interest =
in the blurred edges between religion and magic, and a love of history insp=
ire much of her writing. Caswell attended Kent State and Purdue Universitie=
s, the University of Baltimore, and Iowa Writers' Workshop. She holds MFAs =
in theatre and creative writing.

The Greater Good
Frank J. Sapienza
Cortero Publishing
https://fireshippress.com/fiction
9781611794229, $21.99, PB, 262pp

https://www.amazon.com/Greater-Good-Dr-Frank-Sapienza/dp/1611794226

Synopsis: Dr. Jonathan Morrison saves his son's life with a kitchen knife, =
but finally realizes he has been in denial about the true cause of his son'=
s worsening symptoms.

When he is contacted by Advanced Genomic Research, their promise of creatin=
g a revolutionary new treatment for his son seems too good to be true. And =
there is a catch.

He is faced with an impossible choice, abandon a possible cure for his son,=
 or embrace an ethical compromise that will change him forever.

Critique: A deftly crafted novel arising from the fundamental question of w=
hat would a parent to, how far would a parent go, to have their child cured=
 of a debilitating and ultimately lethal illness. "The Greater Good" by nov=
elist and practicing dentist Frank J. Sapienza is a compelling, thought-pro=
voking, and memorable read from start to finish. While especially and unres=
ervedly recommended for community library Contemporary Fiction collections,=
 it should be noted for the personal reading lists of anyone with an intere=
st in medical suspense/thriller fiction that "The Greater Good" is also rea=
dily available from in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99) from Cortero P=
ublishing.

Editorial Note: Frank J. Sapienza (https://www.franksapienza.com) is a prac=
ticing dentist since 1985. The youngest of five children, he began assistin=
g in his father's dental office at the age of sixteen. He quickly developed=
 in interest in technology in the healthcare setting, writing a dental prac=
tice management software package at the age of twenty. Later, he published =
a computer tutorial for dentists, Computers in the Dental Office: How to Ev=
aluate, Select and Get the Most Out of Your System. Advances in technology,=
 both in his practice and in the larger healthcare arena, continue to be hi=
s main professional passions.

The Aziola's Cry: A Novel of the Shelleys
Ezra Harker Shaw
History Through Fiction LLC
https://www.historythroughfiction.com
9798987319178, $19.95, HC, 372pp

https://www.amazon.com/Aziolas-Cry-Novel-Shelleys/dp/B0CQWMJGXC

Synopsis: In the year 1814, Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin, a gifted teenager b=
orn into a family of literary brilliance, falls deeply in love with the you=
thful rebel, Percy Bysshe Shelley. Defying societal conventions, they embar=
k on a daring escapade, accompanied by Mary's step-sister Claire, leaving b=
ehind their respective families and Percy's wife and children. However, the=
ir journey proves to be far from an idyllic romance, for it is fraught with=
 tumultuous challenges.

In their quest for freedom and expression, Mary and Percy immerse themselve=
s in experimental notions of free love and join forces with the enigmatic a=
nd infamous Lord Byron. Amidst these thrilling encounters and adventures, t=
he young lovers are confronted by heart-wrenching tragedies that test their=
 resilience and resolve.

Driven to elude the strict laws of England, which threaten to separate them=
 from their own children, Mary and Shelley embark on a nomadic existence, w=
andering through the captivating landscapes of Italy while constantly evadi=
ng their haunting past. As their circumstances become increasingly dire, th=
eir shared passion for writing emerges as the sole lifeline that binds them=
 together. Through their literary endeavors, they become each other's guidi=
ng force, ultimately crafting timeless masterpieces that will etch their na=
mes into the annals of literary history.

Critique: Although an inherently fascinating work of historical/biographica=
l fiction, "The Aziola's Cry: A Novel of the Shelleys" by Ezra Harker Shaw =
is based on actual events and personalities. Showcasing the author's genuin=
e flair as a novelist for the kind of eloquent narrative driven storytellin=
g that creates truly memorable and deftly crafted literary experiences for =
the reader, "The Aziola's Cry: A Novel of the Shelleys" will linger in the =
mind and memory of the reader long after the book itself has been finished =
and set back upon the shelf. While especially and unreservedly recommended =
for community and college/university library Literary Fiction collections, =
it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Aziola's Cry: A Nov=
el of the Shelleys" is also readily available in a paperback edition (97989=
87319185, $19.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

Editorial Note: Ezra Harker Shaw is a non-binary writer who loves all thing=
s Gothic. While earning a PhD, Shaw explored the collaborative writing of P=
ercy Byssche Shelley and Mary Shelley, a project that led them to write "Th=
e Aziola's Cry". A celebrated performance poet, Shaw regularly hosts poetry=
 nights in London and was nominated for the Outspoken Prize for Poetry. Sha=
w often conducts university lectures and conducts workshops with aspiring y=
oung writers. To further inspire and educate others, Shaw also hosts the Me=
liorist Writing podcast, where they provide valuable writing tips and engag=
e in insightful interviews with fellow creatives.

Aftershock
Zhang Ling, author
Shelly Bryant, translator
Amazon Crossing
9781662509025, $28.99, HC, 224pp

https://www.amazon.com/Aftershock-Novel-Zhang-Ling/dp/1662510373

Synopsis: In the summer of 1976, an earthquake swallows up the city of Tang=
shan, China. Among the hundreds of thousands of people scrambling for survi=
val is a mother who makes an agonizing decision that irrevocably changes he=
r life and the lives of her children. In that devastating split second, her=
 seven-year-old daughter, Xiaodeng, is separated from her brother and the m=
other she loves and trusts. All Xiaodeng remembers of the fateful morning i=
s betrayal.

Thirty years later, Xiaodeng is an acclaimed writer living in Canada with a=
 caring husband and daughter. However, her newfound fame and success do lit=
tle to cover the deep wounds that disrupt her life, time and again, and edg=
e her toward a breaking point. Xiaodeng realizes the only path toward heali=
ng is to return to Tangshan, find her mother, and get closure.

Spanning three decades of the emotional and cultural aftershocks of disaste=
r, Zhang Ling's intimate epic explores the damage of guilt, the healing pul=
l of family, and the hope of one woman who, after so many years, still long=
s to be saved.

Critique: Original, impressively eloquent, inherently interesting, and a me=
morably riveting read from start to finish, "Aftershock" by Zhang Ling is a=
 saga style novel that is ably translated into English for an American read=
ership by Shelly Bryant. "Aftershock" will hold a particular interest for f=
ans of deftly crafted family stories of personal loss and ultimate redempti=
on and that are raised to the highest levels of literary fiction. While esp=
ecially and unreservedly recommended for community and college/university l=
ibrary Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal readin=
g lists that "Aftershock" is also readily available in a paperback edition =
(9781662509025, $16.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).

Editorial Note: Zhang Ling (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhang_Ling_(autho=
r)) is the award-winning author of ten novels and numerous collections of n=
ovellas and short stories, including A Single Swallow, translated by Shelly=
 Bryant; Where Waters Meet, her first novel written in English; Gold Mounta=
in Blues; and Aftershock, which was adapted into China's first IMAX movie w=
ith unprecedented box office success. Born in China, she moved to Canada in=
 1986 and, in the mid-1990s, began to write and publish fiction in Chinese =
while working as a clinical audiologist. Since then, she has won the Chines=
e Media Literature Award for Author of the Year, the Grand Prize of Oversea=
s Chinese Literary Award, and Chinese Times's Open Book Award.

Editorial Note: Shelly Bryant (https://paper-republic.org/pers/shelly-bryan=
t) divides her year between Shanghai and Singapore, working as a teacher, w=
riter, researcher, and translator. She is the author of two volumes of poet=
ry, Cyborg Chimera and Under the Ash. Her third volume of poetry, Voices of=
 the Elders, and her travel memoir The End of the Line are slated for relea=
se in 2012. Her current projects include writing an updated guide to the ci=
ty of Shanghai for Urbanatomy and translating Sheng Keyi's novel Northern G=
irls for Penguin Books. Shelly's poetry has appeared in journals, magazines=
, and websites around the world, as well as in several art exhibitions, inc=
luding dark 'til dawn, Things Disappear, and Studio White Exhibition 2011.

A River Divided
George Paxinos
Heads & Tales
9780646846651, $17.99, PB, 384pp

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CHJ2WTJ6

Synopsis: A River Divided follows Evelyn, a geneticist and amateur archeolo=
gist, who discovers a tomb while vacationing in Israel. Believing she has f=
ound the remains of Christ, she attempts to revive the DNA found preserved =
at the site so that she can clone Him. Though more a scientist than a zealo=
t, she wants to do everything to bring Him back to the world. If her experi=
ment were successful, the consequence could be the salvation of a dying Ear=
th.

The result of her daring discovery is the birth of identical twins Christop=
her and Jose, who are raised apart and unaware of each other's existence - =
one in the affluent suburbs of Sydney and the other in the slums of Buenos =
Aires. As different artists would sculpt different statues from the same bl=
ock of marble, different environments produce different characters out of t=
he same DNA. The twins are destined to clash, adversaries in an almighty ba=
ttle for the Amazon.

Urged by the flame of science, renowned neuroscientist George Paxinos has w=
ritten his thrilling first novel that takes a neuropsychological approach t=
o the question of nature versus nurture.

Critique: Eloquent, original, thought-provoking, exceptionally well written=
, and a compelling read from start to finish, "A River Divided" will be of =
special and particular interest to readers concerned about the nature of hu=
manity and its impact on the environment. While especially and unreservedly=
 recommended for community and college/university library Contemporary Lite=
rary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists tha=
t "A River Divided" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.=
99).

Editorial Note: George Paxinos, AO, is a leading global neuroscientist who =
studied at Berkeley, McGill and Yale and is Professor of Medical Sciences a=
t NeuRA and The University of New South Wales, Sydney. Past president of th=
e Australian Neuroscience Society and the World Congress of Neuroscience, G=
eorge has identified and named more brain areas than anyone in history. He'=
s received awards from the Association of American Publishers and the Briti=
sh Medical Association. George is an environmental activist who's often bee=
n defeated by government. Twenty-one years in the making, A River Divided i=
s his answer.

The Great Gimmelmans
Lee Matthew Goldberg
Level Best Books
https://www.levelbestbooks.us
9781685124212, $18.95, PB, 392pp

https://www.amazon.com/Great-Gimmelmans-Lee-Matthew-Goldberg/dp/1685124216

Synopsis: Middle child Aaron Gimmelman watches as his family goes from a mi=
ld-mannered reform Jewish clan to having over a million dollars of stolen m=
oney stuffed in their RV's cabinets while being pursued by the FBI and loan=
 sharks. But it wasn't always like that. His father Barry made a killing as=
 a stockbroker, his mother Judith loved her collection of expensive hats, h=
is older sister Steph was obsessed with pop stars, and little sister Jenny =
loved her stuffed possum, Seymour.

After losing all their money in the Crash of 1987, the family starts steali=
ng from convenience stores, but when they hit a bank, they realize the tale=
nt they possess. The money starts rolling in and brings the family closer t=
ogether, whereas back at home, no one had any time for bonding due to their=
 busy schedules. But Barry's desire for more, more, more will take its toll=
 on the Gimmelmans, and Aaron is forced into an impossible choice: turn aga=
inst his father, or let his family fall apart.

From Jersey, down to an Orthodox Jewish community in Florida where they hid=
e out, and up to California, "The Great Gimmelmans" by novelist Lee Matthew=
 Goldberg goes on a madcap ride through the 1980s. Filled with greed and lo=
ve and the meaning of religion and tradition until the walls of the RV and =
the feds start closing in on the family.

Critique: An original and deftly penned novel of dark humor and family path=
os, "The Great Gimmelmans" is an extraordinary read from start to finish. C=
ompelling, memorable, and storytelling ast its literary best, "The Great Gi=
mmelmans" is an unreservedly recommended pick for community and college/uni=
versity library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections. It should be not=
ed for personal reading lists that "The Great Gimmelmans" is also currently=
 available in a digital book format (Kindle, $0.99) from Amazon.com

Editorial Note: Lee Matthew Goldberg is the author of fourteen novels. He w=
as nominated for an Anthony Award and the Prix du Polar. After graduating w=
ith an MFA from the New School, he's been published in multiple languages a=
nd his writing has also appeared as a contributor in CrimeReads, Pipeline A=
rtists, LitHub, Electric Literature, The Los Angeles Review of Books, The M=
illions, Vol. 1 Brooklyn, LitReactor, Mystery Tribune, Monkeybicycle, Ficti=
on Writers Review, Cagibi, Necessary Fiction, the anthology Dirty Boulevard=
, The Montreal Review, The Adirondack Review, The New Plains Review, Maudli=
n House and others. He is also the co-curator of The Guerrilla Lit Reading =
Series and lives in New York City.

Peruvian Gold
Adam Pearson
Dorrance Publishing Company
www.dorrancepublishing.com
9798890270184, $15.00, PB, 126pp

https://www.amazon.com/Peruvian-Gold-Adam-Pearson/dp/B0CMFXMW6X

Synopsis: While on vacation, the Pearson family gets much more excitement t=
han they had planned when the three Pearson boys go on a journey for Peruvi=
an gold in the Andes mountains in this good, old-fashioned adventure.

Critique: Although a work of fiction, "Peruvian Gold" by Adam Pearson is ba=
sed on real people including the author's sons, his Peruvian wife, himself,=
 and his father-in-law and brother-in-law. Exceptionally well written and a=
 fun read from start to finish, "Peruvian Gold" is unreservedly recommended=
 for community library Contemporary General Fiction collections. It should =
be noted for personal reading lists that "Peruvian Gold" is also readily av=
ailable in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99) as well.

Editorial Note: Adam Pearson is an entrepreneurial enthusiast and the proud=
 owner of Fortunato Chocolate (https://fortunatochocolate.com). He loves to=
 read and, later in life, has also discovered a love of writing. Pearson ha=
s been married for nineteen years and has three young sons. His other passi=
ons include traveling and being a foodie. He believes that hard work and ad=
venture are essential for raising kids successfully.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

The Midwest Book Review is an organization of volunteers committed to promo=
ting literacy, library usage, and small press publishing. We accept no fund=
s from authors or publishers. Full permission is given to post any of these=
 reviews on thematically appropriate websites, newsgroups, listserves, inte=
rnet discussion groups, organizational newsletters, or to interested indivi=
duals. Please give the Midwest Book Review a credit line when doing so.

The Midwest Book Review publishes the monthly book review magazines "Califo=
rnia Bookwatch", "Internet Bookwatch", "Children's Bookwatch", "MBR Bookwat=
ch", "Reviewer's Bookwatch", and "Small Press Bookwatch". All are available=
 for free on the Midwest Book Review website at www (dot) midwestbookreview=
 (dot) com

Anyone wanting to submit books for review consideration can send them to:

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129

To submit reviews of any fiction or non-fiction books, email them to Frugal=
muse (at) aol (dot) com (Be sure to include the book title, author, publish=
er, publisher address, publisher website/phone number, 13-digit ISBN number=
, and list price).

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review