Reviewed by Nikolas Mavreas

A hopeful, moving novel based on a true event

Rebecca Wolf’s Alive and Beating is a novel inspired by an historic event, tangentially related to the author herself. In 1995, a suicide bomber attacked the bus her childhood friend Alisa was on during a trip in Israel, and Alisa’s organ donation caused a shift in Jewish reservations about the practice, leading thousands to become organ donors. Through separate but interconnected fictional portraits, Wolf presents a vivid collage of life and family dynamics in Jerusalem at the time, imagining the circumstances of the beneficiaries of Alisa’s donations before their operation.

Very much a character-driven work, it’s important to discuss the people who make this story pulse. Leah Weiss is 21 years old with kidney disease and in need of hemodialysis. She lives with her large family in the ultra-orthodox Jewish community of Ramat Eshkol, where it is taboo to be seen as sick, so her mother forces her to go all the way to Tel Aviv for her incognito treatment. The young woman is conflicted about wanting to leave her conservative community.

In contrast, Yael Glassman, the single mother of a little girl, lives in a secular neighborhood, receiving help from her supportive parents who are Holocaust survivors. She has cystic fibrosis, and her body has rejected her previous lung transplant. Self-pity, regrets, and resentment weigh on her.

Hoda Ibrahim is a Palestinian in East Jerusalem, the sole moneymaker of her family, working at a beauty salon next to the city’s border wall. Though her parents are traditional Muslims, her mother would bring Vogue magazine for her to go through when she was little. Hoda has been on the transplant waiting list for 8 months, her body breaking down due to polycystic kidney disease.

After the three women, the book moves to three men. David Sassoon is the son of Jewish immigrants from Iraq who moved to Israel after the Holocaust. He has been suffering from chronic liver disease for 12 years. Though his wife is supportive, David’s condition has corroded their relationship.

Father Severin McConnell is an Irishman in the Fransiscan Order, sent to Jerusalem as a watcher of the holy Christian sites. More importantly, he has been using his time entertaining the sick at the hospital. His diabetes has put him in need of a new pancreas. Alive and Beating is a book of disparate stories, of wide-ranging truths, of disease and health.

Lastly, we see Youssef and Yosef, two hospital roommates who suffer from severe heart conditions. The two boys have formed a strong friendship, and their having the same name, one in its Muslim and one in its Jewish form, is no symbolic accident. Their discussion is tinged with teenage life and tragedy, moving from liking boobs to who is deserving of the next available heart.

Alive and Beating adroitlygrapples with the role of faith and doubt in the face of disease. Poignant and effective, it deals with the discord between traditional communities and the acceptance of chronic illness.  

Perhaps most powerfully, the novel depicts the impact of disease on families and individuals with affecting realism. And yet hope abounds in this heartfelt book. It’s a nuanced discussion worthy of thoughtful attention.

Thank you for reading Nikolas Mavreas’s book review of Alive and Beating by Rebecca Wolf! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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Reviewed by Kathy L. Brown

Armed rebellion and societal visions clash in this deeply immersive dystopia.

The theme of this startlingly creative book is hidden in plain sight, right there in the title: “Alien Nation” —“alienation.” Here, author RaymondKingimmerses the reader in this utopia-gone-wrong cautionary tale, where an individual’s place in society stands against their responsibilities to themselves and others. 

As the book opens, the two main characters lead very different lives. Jason is a poor android, designed to serve. But he is isolated, awkward, and self-conscious. As we first meet him at his counselor’s office, he is undergoing an important rite of passage that will change his life. “This is the story of my life. If someone tells you that things get better with hard work, they’re either stupid or lying to you. Things don’t get better with hard work. The only thing that benefits from hard work is the system.”

Prince Marcus Kane is also ill-at-ease with his situation, chaffing under the expectations of his father, the king, as well as being hopelessly in love with an inappropriate girl. His opinion of his own social caste is cynical. After a Peace Day assassination attempt is thwarted, Marcus shares, “You could hear the dignitaries letting out a sigh of relief. It was both relief and excitement. These were monarchs, after all. Life has a tendency to get boring for people who have everything, though we learned to enjoy the suggestion of danger every now and then.” 

The young men’s paths cross in an unexpected and violent way, upending both their lives. This turnabout in circumstances finds Marcus scrabbling for survival and revenge, while Jason gains some measure of respect and responsibility. Or perhaps both young men are just being used by the manipulative power brokers around them. 

Alien Nation places great trust in the reader to explore and parse out the nuances of its imaginative and immersive world: A utopian (for some) theocracy, ripe for rebellion. Foregoing summary backstory not only empowers the reader to experience the world and draw conclusions, but also keeps us a bit disoriented and, perhaps, alienated. Intriguing little questions lurk around every corner, but we find the breadcrumbs when we need them.

The story is told in a first person point of view, switching between the two main characters. The voice for each young man is expressive and distinct. The wordsmithing is top notch: evocative and always hitting the right notes to enhance the scene. 

Claudia, a servant in the monarch’s house, is Marcus’s love interest. I would have appreciated a deeper look into her character and motivations though. She has an important role in motivating and guiding Marcus, but she is somewhat lacking in agency. Claudia’s perspective on Anthem’s truly messed up society could be illuminating.

Alien Nation raises themes common in young adult fiction: What comprises an individual’s identity? How does maturation into adulthood change the child-parent relationship? What will one’s life work and role in society be? Other themes are here as well: Do individuals have duties beyond their own self-interest? When does freedom become anarchy? All these issues are explored through people’s decisions and actions in a thoughtful and insightful way. I was put in mind of the science fiction stories of Kazuo Ishiguro (such as Klara and the Sun and Never Let Me Go.)

I highly recommend Alien Nation for lovers of secondary-world, character-driven science fiction. 

Thank you for reading Kathy L. Brown’s book review of Alien Nation by Raymond King! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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Reviewed by Tomi Alo

Torn between reason and desire, Sara’s choices lead to unexpected places.

Sara Demcott believes she’s found the perfect job—a part-time secretary position for Mr. Al Jackson that pays well and gives her the freedom to focus on her poetry. Despite her friends’ concerns, it doesn’t take long for Sara to accept this new offer, hoping that with time she will find something better to move on to.

However, Sara doesn’t anticipate how quickly her life can spiral out of control. As she grows closer to her boss and gets more involved in the Jackson-Baker Company’s wig-dye business, Sara finds herself entangled in a world of shady dealings and deception. The deeper she goes, the more she questions her morals, feelings, and identity. Will she be able to get out before it’s too late, or will she completely lose herself in the process? 

Nellie Hill’s Sunday Jenks is a captivating historical novel that leads readers into a tangled web of emotions. In this novel, Hill adeptly explores themes such as moral dilemma, self-deception, and identity. 

Hill showcases these themes effectively through our main character, Sara. She is a multifaceted and complex character who, from the very outset, is a woman at odds with herself. Her story is a sharp, evocative exploration that captures the tension between logic and desire. 

In the early stages of the novel, Sara’s contradictions and indecision are maddening to witness. It’s a constant push and pull where she is fully aware of the toxic nature of her relationship with Al, and yet remains entangled in it. This portrayal of Sara is intentionally challenging, as it forces the reader to witness firsthand how strong the allure and desire to be free from our own selves is. Whenever Sara gets to the point where she’s ready to let go, she gets sucked back in by the thrill, warmth, and freedom being with Al offers.

“One part wanted nothing more to do with Al; that part wanted to be back in San Francisco with her friends, writing, reading, taking hikes on the beautiful nearby trails, finding a different part-time job. The other part of her was unable to leave Al; that part liked the adventures with him and put up with frustration and boredom and misgivings about his business life while at the same time going along with it.”

Not only does Hill provide readers with characters who are intriguing and richly developed, she also presents her story in a fascinating and engaging way. Her writing style is concise, introspective, and unflinchingly direct. Despite the repeating cycle of Sara’s dilemma, the novel’s pacing is deliberate, with much of the tension building through internal monologues and Sara’s self-reflections.

“Her life had run away with her and now it was living her rather than the other way around. This business with Al had imprisoned her like an invisible cloak and whatever attempt she made toward release felt suffocating.”

Sunday Jenks is a novel that demands patience and empathy from its readers as it rewards them with a narrative as emotionally complex as it is introspective. The story stays with you, not because of its surprise twists or dramatic revelations, but because of its raw, honest portrayal of a woman who grapples with the intricacies of life and love.

Thank you for reading Tomi Alo’s book review of Sunday Jenks by Nellie Hill! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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Reviewed by Melissa Suggitt

Deadly assassins and cunning spies battle through a labyrinth of murder, betrayal, and high-stakes vengeance in Children of Sorrow.

In the shadowy alleys of the city of Moncragh, Dawson is a man haunted by his past. No matter how hard he tries, he can’t outrun it. Once a lethal assassin feared by many, Dawson yearns to leave that life behind. But when a tense encounter with his adopted father, Gaius, takes a deadly turn, everything begins to unravel. 

Gaius, the very man who put Dawson in this world of torture and bloodshed, is found murdered in a tavern, with all signs pointing to Dawson as the killer. Now, with his family and identity hanging by a thread, Dawson must make a perilous escape, dodging the Queen’s guards by plunging into the city’s dank sewers.

Reunited with his adoptive siblings, Ted and Marit—both deadly assassins and cunning spies—Dawson makes a vow to find their father’s killer and clear his own name. But the journey is anything but easy. 

Haunted by debilitating blackouts and gaps in his memory, Dawson is constantly one step behind his elusive enemy. As they unravel the dark secrets surrounding Gaius’s death, the siblings find themselves locked in a relentless battle, where only the fiercest will survive. All the while, they must confront their own demons from the dark underworld they share. 

The plot is driven by sharp, compelling dialogue. It doesn’t take long before you’re pulled into the thick of it, feeling like you’re right there with Marit, Ted, and Dawson as they exchange witty banter, even in the story’s darkest moments. Whether they’re sparring with words or meticulously investigating the bedroom of a working girl, the dialogue brings every scene to life. 

While the story is told from Dawson’s perspective, it’s Marit—his adoptive sister, spy, and assassin—who truly steals the show. Marit is a revelation: a strong female character to say the least. Her depth is truly striking. She navigates the world with a stone-cold exterior while offering glimpses of a fiery, sarcastic nature that feels like a protective shield. Marit injects fresh energy into every scene she graces.

The vivid settings—from the stench-filled sewers to the winding streets of Moncragh and the shadowy chambers within the castle walls—immerse readers in a world that feels as tangible as it is fantastical. In fact, those sewers provide some of the best scenes, brimming with exposition and sharp, witty repartee between Ted, Marit, and Dawson. The ever-shifting landscape of the city keeps the story dynamic, pulling you deeper into the adventure that Author Marc Keyner has masterfully crafted. I found myself completely immersed in the world of Moncragh and genuinely disappointed when I had to leave it.

Children of Sorrow delivers a pulse-pounding quest for vengeance that will leave readers breathless. Keyner weaves a rich tapestry of danger and deception, where death and dark secrets lurk around every corner. While the novel may be brief, it is a potent and delightful foray into the fantasy genre, delivering relentless action and unforgettable characters that will leave lovers of the genre satisfied.

Thank you for reading Melissa Suggitt’s book review of Children of Sorrow by Marc Keyner! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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Reviewed by Kathy L. Brown

An epic, high-stakes fantasy, ShadowBane delivers nuanced characters and gripping action.

In a feudal-Japan-like setting, ShadowBane, the first book of the Schism of Souls series, introduces demon-slaying twins Shura and Jin. Demons are a rampant menace, especially in the poor rural regions. And the squabbling kings of the land are more interested in gaining power and territory through politics and alliances than protecting their people. 

Jin and Shura carry the disgrace of their divine father’s poor decisions as well as their special demon-fighting abilities. They are the last of the Shikoken. The twins have witnessed firsthand how close the kingdoms are to being totally overrun by the demon overlord Sutoku Tenno and his army of human cultists and demons. 

But Shura and Jin can’t fight without army support, even with a trusty white tiger companion, Feng, and a foreigner from a distant, Britain-like place. Wallace is a soft-hearted teen, but an excellent archer. They must travel the countryside to hold the line against the demons while at the same time wheeling and dealing to gain much needed armed support. Massaging the egos of kings is never easy.

If that’s not problem enough, the twins are growing apart. Childhood trauma has linked them together as closely as the womb they once shared, but increasing conflicts fray their alliance. Early in the story, Jin’s life philosophy is simple, “The only reliable things in this world were the bonds of blood and good, hard steel.” What will become of someone like him if the bonds of blood are called into question? Yet Jin and Shura increasingly undermine and hurt each other as they disagree on everything from the best tactic to defeat the demon menace to whom, if anyone, their sibling should be dating.

Character development is top-notch in ShadowBane. All the story people are convincing and authentic both in their overt goals and their inner needs. The decisions and actions of Shura and Jin grow organically out of their backstory trauma and make total sense given what they each imagine their victory over the demons will provide them. 

Jin wants a quiet life with his lady love, free from the burden of supporting his sister’s goal: redeeming the family name from their father’s disgrace. He fights demons almost compulsively—it has become his self-image. But he finds a different version of himself in the eyes of his lover, Aiko, and he likes that version. He wants safety for the two of them, so that he can get to know himself better.

Shura wants to belong somewhere with someone special. And to be restored to her proper place in society. She sees a chance to fulfill all these needs with King Oda Ujikatsu. But is that deep need affecting her practical judgment regarding the fight against the demons? Jin thinks so, and his concerns become an ever-growing source of tension between the twins. 

Stakes are high, and the constant conflict yields real tension in the reader as they get to know the characters. We root for their successes, which are few and far between. 

The story is a complicated one. Much has transpired in the past to inform the current situation: according to ancient prophecy, in just one more year the demons will complete their victory. The narrative skillfully interweaves the forward momentum with just enough glimpses of backstory to make the situation’s stakes clear. 

The book moves back and forth between Shura and Jin’s perspectives. Thus, the reader is privy to the strong emotions they mask from each other. Resentments come out as increasingly cruel jibs and barbs. The story question becomes how will Jin and Shura, after growing so far apart, fight effectively as a team when they need to?

The worldbuilding is stellar—the story accounts for every small detail of the culture and environment to create an immersive and convincing experience. 

ShadowBane is an action-adventure fantasy about fighting demons as well as military operations in a time and as part of a culture very different from our own. For the more squeamish reader, be aware that graphic depictions of violence and death of people and animals are part of that story and the narrative includes some grisly torture. 

The story is a big one with many characters and locations. There are a wide variety of interesting species, too, each with its own skills and quirks. Readers who enjoy character-driven fantasy fiction, especially in a non-European-centric setting, will enjoy this first book in a promising series.

Thank you for reading Kathy L. Brown’s book review of ShadowBane by Cal Logan! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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Reviewed by Frankie Martinez

A cheery, immigrant businessman puts all his hopes into an atypical food truck in this clever, character-rich novel.

When a new vendor called “Bollywood Eggrolls” appears at the food truck park just outside the Broadnax County Courthouse, it attracts a lot of curiosity. Some question its cuisine—Asian fusion featuring Chinese eggrolls filled with Indian curry. Others wonder about the unfamiliar Bollywood stars painted on the side of the truck, among them Katrina Kaif of “Jab Tok Hai Jaan” fame. 

Its proprietor, the happy-go-lucky Arjun Chatterjee, doesn’t mind answering any inquiries from prospective customers. An immigrant from Delhi raised in Tucson, Arizona, Arjun narrowly avoided becoming the manager at his father’s Foot Locker by escaping to Virginia with his Amma’s curry recipe and a dream: “In his mind, he had always been leaving for some faraway place where he would shed the shackles of his birth and clothe himself anew in the threads of possibility. He would meet a beautiful girl and settle down in a shining Western city. He would succeed in business. It was intoxicating.” 

Optimism seems to be Arjun’s guiding principle for reaching his goals until he receives a strange, anonymous note from someone in the food truck park. While Arjun starts to question himself for what feels like the first time ever, he also wonders who of the food truck park’s own little network of dreamers could have sent him the message. 

With twists both humorous and heartbreaking, Deep Fried is a touching story about pursuing freedom in a world that wants to knock you down. Doyon provides multiple playful perspectives on this idea with an eclectic cast of characters: This includes Candy, a Bollywood Eggrolls regular and an unlucky-in-love office worker struggling to find peace in her personal life; Antwaan, an aspiring rapper building street cred by committing petty crimes in order to reject any privileges his parents’ wealth affords him; and Pidgey, the pigeon that hangs out with Arjun in the Bollywood Eggrolls truck and wonders on the whereabouts of the pigeons that came before him. 

While characters are satisfyingly connected by their desire for freedom as well as their differing ideas about it, the novel’s platitudes about American liberty may lean a bit too heavily on the American Constitution and Founding Fathers. Doyon manages to keep things fresh by rendering characters exquisitely—detailed backstories, alarming conflict, charming, and just-weird-enough dialogue—and breathing new life into some of the older ideas through the core of his characters. I especially liked Candy’s more wry take on the matter: “You thought America was a big melting pot of people and cultures and cuisines. And it is. But everybody wants to be a cowboy. They want to be cowboys because cowboys are free. Cowboys do whatever they like.” 

Deep Fried feels like modern-day folklore—lively, odd, and full of familiar, old-world proverbs that get you through the day.  

Thank you for reading Frankie Martinez’s book review of Deep Fried by Mark Doyon! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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Reviewed by Samantha Hui

Alluring. Devastating. Thrilling.

Can the hysterics of women really match the violence of men?

Nicolette Croft’s The Curse of Maiden Scars is an engaging and necessary novel examining the unfavorable regard for women in the 18th century. Following topics like prostitution, hysteria, and slavery, the story adeptly illustrates the past practices of conflating physical and mental ailments with moral failing. 

Through the eyes of a precocious, headstrong young woman, audiences will see how difficult the mere pursuit of safety and love can be, when the systems in place present some people as laboring bodies or objects. 

“I saw her in a new light. She no longer hid bitterness and malice. Instead, she was a petite bird protecting her delicate gifts, open only to those who would appreciate her beauty.”

As a sickly sixteen year-old orphan looking to earn her keep, Renna roams the streets of 18th century Yorkshire seeking out desperate men to introduce to the ladies at the brothel. When a couple of men take interest in Renna and pursue their ulterior motives, she is set on a series of traumatic assignments and travels. 

Having gained an education and been taught to read by an indecent priest, Renna is precocious yet deeply hopeful to one day find the love and success that girls like her are hardly ever granted. From Yorkshire to Harewood to Venice, Renna moves up the ranks from street rat to maid to courtesan. With each transition, the hope for a better life becomes tainted and strained. 

“I believe we all share a bond of survival. But not everyone understands that surviving frightening and often unclean events is a virtue. Rather, they see it as a fungus contaminating the ripe and healthy.”

The novel begins with Gothic themes of repression, the supernatural, and the grotesque. Renna catches a morbid glimpse of a crazed yet familiar young girl in the local asylum. She fears the asylum yet she’s drawn to learn more about this girl who shares similar looking scars to the ones that streak down Renna’s back. 

As Renna pursues love from deceptive men and dodges jealous harassment from cunning women through the story, she is also on a mission to learn about her family that exists in the past so that she can learn what future she has in store. 

“No one told me the origin of my scars. Knowing another might bear the same unforgettable disfigurement both sickened and comforted me.”

Each chapter begins with archetypes of the central figures that Renna encounters. For example, the Priest archetype’s light attribute is “serving spiritual commitments” while the shadow attribute is “being seduced by the spiritual role.” Father Thaddeus is a harmful priest who forces innocent women into asylums because he believes them to be filled with sin. He truly believes that outward scars are a result of inward vice; in his pursuit of virtue, he has become someone abusive and convinced of his own preconceptions. The characters through the book are rarely entirely good or entirely evil; oftentimes, we are not aware of their intentions. 

Renna is fiery and adaptive but ultimately naive. She is more educated than her peers due to being taught how to read, but her desire for knowledge and greatness create an angst within her that blinds her to people’s hidden intentions. Readers will sympathize with Renna for her hopeful youth and admire her for her persistence in a society that aims at tearing down women. 

“I’d never dreamed of a grand ancestry. Still, I longed to be the daughter of a respectable working-class couple who sewed their family together with Christmas traditions and family dinners.”

This powerful story links the past and future in multiple ways: The plot follows Renna as she searches for the truth of her family history while pursuing an unpromised future; the themes of the book regard a fictional yet historical view of the plight of women in the 18th century and reminds present day readers of what once was and what we can shape our futures to be. 

Thank you for reading Samantha Hui’s book review of The Curse of Maiden Scars by Nicolette Croft! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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Reviewed by Chelsey Tucker

The Titan Crown captivates with non-stop intergalactic warfare and shady politics.

 The Titan Crown introduces new kinds of fully imagined planets, beasts, and races. But three of those races are vying for major changes within the system’s power structure: the Kalicos, the Reduzen, and the Yatavra.

The Kalicos have been relocated to the Reduzen’s home planet by the Yatavra-System Lords. King Grandres Volaxi not only possesses extreme hatred and disgust against the Reduzen, especially Queen Fasjey, but also a distaste for his current position beneath the System Lords. He is committed to reclaiming the Titan Crown, a relic of the Kalicos, currently in the hands of a System Lord master.

After the relocation of the Kalicos was forced upon them, the Reduzens fall under the System Lords’ control. Queen Fasjey has beast warriors on her side as she continues to grow her influence through queens, traders, and warlords who support her. Her top military confidant General Jarkepe “embodying the Reduzen race’s humanoid and beastly characteristics, was the most formidable-looking Reduzen male. With wide, slightly swollen eyelids, dark purple pupils, and rough, tar-like black skin, Jarkepe epitomised Reduzen traits, including pronounced jaws and thick, muscular bodies.” The general claims that the Yatavra-System Lords favor the Kalicos, further threatening the elimination of the Reduzen people.

The council of Yatavra-System Lords is led by Supreme Lord Master Mocowas, who has ruled for thirty cycles. There are rumors of his declining health which has caused the other members of the council to begin speculating about his succession plan and perhaps making plans of their own. 

Deceit and discontent threaten all those who hold some type of power or authority. Genocide and military coups threaten everyone else. Those who are fed up with the betrayal and aggression turn to form a new group: the United Retaliation Force.

The Titan Crown is nothing short of immersive—thorough, richly detailed descriptions are in nearly every paragraph. At times, the amount of description can feel overwhelming with so many new names and places, but there is a handy glossary at the back which helps add a bit of mental mapping for the reader. The dialogue is a bit more sparse, making it occasionally difficult to connect with specific characters. This first book in the series does a lot of groundwork in setting us up, so deeper character development is expected to arrive with the books to follow.

The Titan Crown is a tantalizing first look into the Dark Conqueror Universe. Political turmoil and racial warfare run rampant in this rich universe. For many space opera fans and sci-fi military enthusiasts, this book will mark the beginning of a dark and immersive series. Come for the action, stay for the full & imaginative worldbuilding.

Thank you for reading Chelsey Tucker’s book review of The Titan Crown (Part 1) by Tshekedi Wallace! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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Reviewed by Joelene Pynnonen

An emotionally charged novel that explores the isolation, helplessness, and desperation that can happen inside a marriage

Iranian-born Darya is a student in a graduate program in the U.S.A. when she meets David. He’s gorgeous, charming, and, best of all, as interested in her as she is in him. After a giddy night spent in his company, she’s smitten and so, it seems, is he. Not having any family in the U.S., Darya is drawn not only to David but to the family life he promises.

As their lives become intertwined, Darya starts to see a side to David that she hadn’t expected. One that is cold, selfish, and cruel. The more time she spends with him, the more she realizes how incompatible they are. As the man who has become her husband begins to show his true colors, Darya struggles to navigate the new reality she finds herself in. 

The writing in Forever, Now is lushly descriptive. As David and Darya travel to places like Italy, Greece, and Hawaii, the settings come to life. The emotional turmoil Darya experiences as she navigates her often frosty relationship with David is also vividly rendered. The feelings of confusion, frustration, and anger radiate from these pages. So too does the helplessness Darya feels when faced with the situation she finds herself in.

Letters from David are sprinkled through the chapters, feeling particularly authentic. There isn’t much focus on the lives of either David or Darya outside of their relationship so it feels laser-pointed at one target to the exclusion of everything else. It makes the book a concise and emotive read, but, because we aren’t shown what kind of lives the characters have, it also makes their motivations a bit murky. For example, her financial situation is never touched on, while he seems to be quite wealthy, so money could play a part, but it remains unclear and unsaid why Darya stays so long.

We see in full technicolor detail how awfully David treats Darya. Their absolute incompatibility is highlighted in bold across the page. What never comes across is the initial feelings or the small moments that must have been there that made her stay. It’s as though every sweet, charming aspect of David has been scrubbed from the page and all that is left is the cruelty and neglect. It’s difficult to see how anyone would stay with someone so irredeemable. More than that, it’s difficult to have empathy for Darya as she consistently makes some pretty terrible decisions without explanations of why.

Forever, Now is a painfully accurate portrayal of the decline and dissolution of a marriage that was doomed from the beginning. Its succinct nature delivers an emotional punch, and the writing style is vivid and lovely.

Thank you for reading Joelene Pynnonen’s book review of Forever, Now by Haleh Shahrzad! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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Reviewed by Lisa Parker Hayreh

A sassy, hilarious, heartwarming, and provocative surprise

Henry Bradfield finds himself back in his hometown in Vermont with his extended family for a milestone birthday that he would prefer to ignore. He arrives to find his childhood mementos being offered in a garage sale, with his younger brother directing the sale. 

When some of Henry’s vintage comic books are sold to the son of his high school sweetheart, this touches off conflict as well as provocative questions about this past romantic relationship. Henry’s quarreling teenaged children, his wife, his parents, his alcoholic sister Margo, Margo’s boyfriend, and his nieces and nephews are all pulled into the drama that ensues. 

Henry discovers unanswered questions and lingering attraction to his former flame. Why exactly did their relationship end years ago? What might have developed between them had they continued their relationship? As Henry grapples with these questions, he is confronted with the discord and emotional distance in his marriage.

He must also face the animosity from his younger brother and navigate the old resentments between them. Like any parent, Henry must contend with the divergent agendas of his teenaged sons while wrestling with his myriad dilemmas. After Henry’s wife leaves the family reunion unexpectedly without farewell, Henry is forced to confront his issues more directly and choose his path forward.

Redemption, humor, and love shine through the tragic, the inept, and the mundane in this family’s relationships. Henry is a frustrated yet compassionate protagonist who has nonetheless become a halfhearted presence in his own life. 

All characters are incredibly well-developed and interact in refreshingly candid ways. Henry’s wife Denise is thoughtfully painted in complex layers, illuminating the difficulties in her marriage to Henry as well as her individual struggles. Erin, Henry’s high school sweetheart, is a strong presence in her own right, who has carved out a life after tragedy working as a single mom to raise her teenaged son. Henry’s brother highlights the thriving sibling rivalry between him and Henry. Margo serves as a faithful support for Henry throughout the novel, revealing her alcoholism and her own painful struggles along the way. Margo’s boyfriend is at turns ridiculous and endearing. Henry’s parents offer alternating exacerbation and soothing of the family angst throughout the action of the novel. Henry’s sons illustrate the emotional challenges of navigating adolescence while also giving us glimpses into the loving power of parental guidance.

As the novel progresses, Henry more actively forges his relationships and his path forward.  More vulnerability and kindness also emerge from Henry in the face of his increasing challenges. 

This delightful novel presents steady action balanced with vivid setting descriptions and snappy, engaging dialogue. The end result is a fresh take on adult existential struggles and extended family drama. A thoroughly enjoyable read, this fictional drama proves that a family reunion with a group of highly flawed people can still deliver happiness, love, redemption, and hope.

Thank you for reading Lisa Parker Hayreh’s book review of This Is Who We Are Now by James Bailey! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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