Sophomoric Philosophy: It’s a classic case of art versus commerce in Victor David Giron’s debut novel, which follows a first-generation Mexican-American accountant named Alex Lopez as he attempts to balance his artistic inclinations with the realities of life in contemporary Chicago. Should he follow his muse, or stay on the straight and narrow? Somewhat reminiscent of The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao but with a more explicit philosophical bent. Check out Lavinia Ludlow’s full take on this novel at Plumb.
Speaking Truths: A compelling first-person narrator akin to a latter-day Holden Caulfield makes Dayna Hester’s debut novel about the long-term psychological effects of child abduction an engaging and emotionally complex read. Landon Starker is a young trouble maker whose home life is anything but secure. Yet when he’s forcefully removed from his home, Starker is also forced to confront a memory he’s long kept repressed. Part character study, part page-turner. To read an excerpt, visit Atticus Books.
Love Fraud: At well over 600 pages, Donna Andersen’s Love Fraud is equal parts memoir and handbook. Throughout the book, Andersen touches on such topics as how sociopaths manipulate and deceive their victims as she recounts the tale of how her psychologically tortuous marriage to a sociopath led, eventually, to spiritual fulfillment. To read a short essay by Andersen on why she wrote Love Fraud, visit Colloquium.
–Posted by Marc Schuster
Small Press Reviews 