Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews

Author W. Royce Adams delivers a unique and intimately drawn reflection on a fictional life well-lived in As Time Goes By.

Recounting his “whale story without the whale,” the protagonist named Old, with wisdom to match his name, invites readers into his philosophy-forward memoir, laced with humor and potential answers to some of the biggest questions we face. From early childhood head injuries and illicit afternoons in barrooms with his grandfather to early missteps in romance, cliff jumping, and the looming clouds of war, it doesn’t take long for readers to forget that they aren’t reading an autobiography, propelled […]

Shades of Thorne Creek by Alan Havorka is a fascinating social novel following the fate of a small town population in the mid-1970s trying to survive in the midst of industrial decline, for a searing and emotive portrait. Havorka brings to life the provincial frustration against a period backdrop, teasing out the delicate personal relationships that define people and the paths they take, with sometimes tragic consequences.

Our unnamed narrator arrives in Emery, South Dakota, a perfectly normal if somewhat barren Great Plains town that has clearly seen better days, organized around a local grain elevator. Having noticed with a […]

A character-driven drama that spotlights the beauty of banality, and the shushed secrets that form the foundation of life, Hold Circulation by Syntell Smith is the third installment of his compelling Call Numbers series.

A story of redemption and personal revelation, bouncing around the stacks of a surprisingly drama-filled library, this novel peers into the pages of a dozen or so interconnected lives, revealing Janelle Smith’s plunge into parenthood, Gerry’s questionably criminal life choices, Angie’s late-night DJ dabbling, Heywood’s spiritual crises, and much more. Stretching far beyond the shelves of the 58th Street Branch, these are richly tangled tales from […]

A moving novel weaving together crime and romance, Godsmack Part I: The Mother Earth by Josie Peterson explores what it takes to heal from a traumatic past and still find the courage to love.

Yahn’s years in the corrupt corporate world are taking their toll – the dirty power dynamics, secret handshakes, and soulless money-grubbing are all gnawing at him. When one of his clients gets involved with a dangerous crime group, Yahn is forced to leave his job, as well as his boss and lover, Gregory, and move to the countryside.

With the help of his best friend George […]

Painting a gritty and visceral picture of life on the road, specifically the rugged west, author T.K. O’Neill crafts a haunted hero in his latest novel, Dive Bartender: Flowers in the Desert.

Frank is itching for a new chapter in Denver, but there aren’t enough mountains in Colorado to keep old habits and bad luck from catching up. Navigating a seedy minefield of manipulation, desperation, desire, and even hope, this wandering rogue of a protagonist finds himself in strange company, compelled to stay just a bit longer in decadence and pleasure, and delaying his California dreams one day at […]