Katie Wernz

The author does an excellent job of developing her characters and expressing the difficulties of their lives, while providing the reader with authentic Trinidadian touches. An excellent book for fans of historical fiction and Caribbean tales, this will also be appreciated by those who enjoy following characters through large segments of their life, rather than just viewing a snapshot of time.

Devereaux-Nelson's novel is somewhat reminiscent of Nick Hornby's A Long Way Down, but much lighter and with very little depth or originality in her characters. The author missed the mark in her attempt to spin an interesting idea into an emotional and uplifting story, as the characters and dialog are rather unsatisfactory. For a reader in search of an easy, somewhat entertaining read, they may enjoy this book, but they would likely be just as happy reading anything else.

Covering topics similar to the themes found in the works of Binnie Kirshenbaum but to a milder degree, Lott, winner of Low Fidelity Press's Novella Award for Osin, explores love, loss, friendship, and second chances in a heartbreaking yet inspiring debut novel. The story line is enjoyable but tends to get sidetracked by asides and descriptions that may leave the reader impatient to get back to the plot. Still, lovers of photography, art, and poetry will enjoy Lott's effort as she goes into great detail on these aspects of her characters' lives.

Reminiscent of Marilynne Robinson's Gilead, Hesketh's debut explores family secrets and end-of-life reflections. The author's exceptional storytelling skills allow us not only to understand Albert's feelings, but to experience those emotions right along with him. Readers in search of a heartfelt, thought-provoking novel will find what they are looking for in this journey through the life of an unassuming apiarist who knows more about his reclusive neighbors than anyone could guess. [See Prepub Alert, 9/27/12.]

In this sometimes amusing, sometimes heartbreaking debut coming-of-age story, Calvin's initial self-absorption and self-pity will be off-putting to readers; however, as he struggles to make the hard decisions that will shape his present and future, they will soon root for him to make the right decisions to keep his family afloat. D'Agostino's style will appeal to Michael Chabon fans and readers who enjoy novels about dysfunctional but lovable families.