Reviews from Publisher's Weekly
Nov. 5, 2007: There is a brand-new site www.writersarereaders.com where writers review books by other writers.
Oct, 29th interview with Charles Bock about his first novel, Beautiful Children:
"It took me ten good years to write, nine years with no agent... It kept growing and I kept evolving as a writer... The book's root's really lay in my parent's pawnshop, the things I saw as a child. I hope it can be eye-opening, but not in an exploitive way."
Oct. 29, 2007 review of Dark Roots by Cate Kennedy:
"Kennedy's prose walks the line between sparse and lush, and she trusts that her readers welcome well-articulated ideas balanced with reassuring doses of mystery."
Dec. 31, 2007 review of Ten Points by Bill Strickland:
"Alternating between present-day life and dispatches from his horrible childhood... Stickland juxtaposes these episodes with scenes of his own shortcomings... It's only through (bicycle racing) that he learns to tame the inner demons that threaten his new family.
"Strickland's lyrical prose and swift pacing lighten the material's weight, but it remains a necessarily brutal read that goes shades darker than most memoirs."
Dec. 31, 2007 review of What Becomes You by Aaron Raz Link and Hilda Raz:
"A blend of essay, memoir and intergenerational memoir... The result is oddly moving, more illuminating and memorable than a straightforward memoir could have been."
Oct. 29, 2007 review of Hope's Boy by Andrew Bridge:
"In this memoir of a decade spent in foster care, (the author) illuminates the horror of a system"
Criticized for being obsessive and imbalanced.
Oct. 29, 2007 review of Looking for JJ by Anne Cassidy:
GOOD: "The story unfolds in present time with flashbacks blended seamlessly into the narrative, neatly fueling the growing suspense. Then (the climax) is revealed, the moment is shocking in its simplicity."
BAD: "(The author) consistently demonstrates that the abuse inflicted upon (the protagonist) during her childhood has left her detached, incapable of experiencing a full range of emotions and doubting herself as deserving of happiness and love. While psychologically astute, this portrayal keeps readers at a distance."
GOOD: "It falls instead to the novel's structure, with its well-times revelations, and to a finely-tuned storyline, to keep the audience's interest."
Dec. 31, 2007 review of The Courage to Survive by Dennis J. Kucinich:
"(The author) is a natural writer; moreover, he wisely avoids any type of preaching, judging or politicking, allowing the story to speak for itself."
Dec. 31, 2007 review of Diagnosis of Love by Maggie Leffler:
"(The author) infuses Holly's spiritual search with liberal doese of humor, exquisite insight and rich detail about the U.K. medical profession."
Oct, 29th interview with Charles Bock about his first novel, Beautiful Children:
"It took me ten good years to write, nine years with no agent... It kept growing and I kept evolving as a writer... The book's root's really lay in my parent's pawnshop, the things I saw as a child. I hope it can be eye-opening, but not in an exploitive way."
Oct. 29, 2007 review of Dark Roots by Cate Kennedy:
"Kennedy's prose walks the line between sparse and lush, and she trusts that her readers welcome well-articulated ideas balanced with reassuring doses of mystery."
Dec. 31, 2007 review of Ten Points by Bill Strickland:
"Alternating between present-day life and dispatches from his horrible childhood... Stickland juxtaposes these episodes with scenes of his own shortcomings... It's only through (bicycle racing) that he learns to tame the inner demons that threaten his new family.
"Strickland's lyrical prose and swift pacing lighten the material's weight, but it remains a necessarily brutal read that goes shades darker than most memoirs."
Dec. 31, 2007 review of What Becomes You by Aaron Raz Link and Hilda Raz:
"A blend of essay, memoir and intergenerational memoir... The result is oddly moving, more illuminating and memorable than a straightforward memoir could have been."
Oct. 29, 2007 review of Hope's Boy by Andrew Bridge:
"In this memoir of a decade spent in foster care, (the author) illuminates the horror of a system"
Criticized for being obsessive and imbalanced.
Oct. 29, 2007 review of Looking for JJ by Anne Cassidy:
GOOD: "The story unfolds in present time with flashbacks blended seamlessly into the narrative, neatly fueling the growing suspense. Then (the climax) is revealed, the moment is shocking in its simplicity."
BAD: "(The author) consistently demonstrates that the abuse inflicted upon (the protagonist) during her childhood has left her detached, incapable of experiencing a full range of emotions and doubting herself as deserving of happiness and love. While psychologically astute, this portrayal keeps readers at a distance."
GOOD: "It falls instead to the novel's structure, with its well-times revelations, and to a finely-tuned storyline, to keep the audience's interest."
Dec. 31, 2007 review of The Courage to Survive by Dennis J. Kucinich:
"(The author) is a natural writer; moreover, he wisely avoids any type of preaching, judging or politicking, allowing the story to speak for itself."
Dec. 31, 2007 review of Diagnosis of Love by Maggie Leffler:
"(The author) infuses Holly's spiritual search with liberal doese of humor, exquisite insight and rich detail about the U.K. medical profession."
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