Fiction. Fashion. Photos.

Fiction

As Bright As Heaven by Susan Meissner. Is Meissner pronounced MESS-ner or MICE-ner? Young family moves to Philadelphia in 1918 and lives through the Influenza Epidemic.

In The Fall They Come Back by Robert Bausch. I like the cover but it uses that white typeface that everyone else uses. Teacher discovers he really likes and wants to teach. Three students effect him and he gets too deeply involved.

The Body in the Casket by Katherine Hall Page. Isn't that where bodies are supposed to go? Caskets? Dang, Page has nominations for the Edgar, Mary Higgins Clark, and Macavity awards. That is impressive. She did receive the Malice Domestic Award for Lifetime Achievement.

Death by Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake by Sarah Graves. "First in a new series!" says the cover. Graves lives in Maine, according to Page's bio she lives there as well.

NonFiction

The Bag Boutique: 20 beautiful and bright bags to sew by Debbie von Grabler-Crozier. Lots of pretty pictures and directions. Wait, does that mean the directions are also pretty?

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More Critiques of Covers and Photos

Fiction

The Largess of the Sea Maiden by Denis Johnson. I like the cover art, it is very simple. Author photo is in black and white and looks like it is from 1984.

Beneath the Sugar Sky by Seanan McGuire. The cover art is not my style. The author photo is head and shoulder shot with nice color.

Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton. The cover photos is too pink for me. Author photo is black and white and printed on the inside pages. Printing on those inside end pages means the photo quality is never that good.

City of Endless Night by Preston and Child. Cover art is too blue for me. The photo of the two authors has them in black clothes against a black background. Their heads are floating.

Mood Indigo by Ed Ifkovic. The cover is nice. Not great, but nice. Author is a head and shoulder shot that looks like a standard business guy photo. Ifkovic is a neat name. The word seems like a mix between Polish and something like Xhosa.

Tarnished City by Vic James. Cover art has too much going on for me.  Author photo is a very nicely lit black and white. Best photo so far.

Atomic City Girls by Janet Beard. Cover art is nice. I like the images. Author photo is a teeny tiny color image on the back cover. Beard lives in Columbus, OH. They are supposed to have a nice library system.

How to Stop Time by Matt Haig. This is my favorite cover. Author photo is nicely done with good color.

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Patterson, again. Other big names

Patterson

The 6th Target by James Patterson Literary Industries Amalgamated and Maxine Paetro. I do not know how to pronounce Paetro. Let's see if we have any non-Patterson novels by her in the system... Looks like one or two. She's been collaborating with Patterson for a long time now.

Fiction 

An American Marriage by Tayari Jones. Newlyweds visit the husband's family and he is arrested and convicted for something he did not do. When his conviction is overturned after five years the wife has a lot of trouble adjusting.

A Death in Live Oak by James Grippando. I've never read a Grippando book. According to the author bio he has written 26 novels. That's a lot of novels. But, nothing compared to Joyce Carol Oates. Speaking of...

Beautiful Days by Joyce Carol Oates. I'm not sure if I ever read a Oates novel either. I started to read The Corn Maiden by Oates and was way too creeped out to continue the story. I suppose that speaks to Oates's skill.

Look For Me by Lisa Gardener. Man, Gardner has a wicked sharp looking author photo. She sells a lot books. Let me take a look at her bib and see what I've read... dang. I've not read any of her novels either. Maybe I should branch out. Right now I am reading a John McFetridge novel. It is the second novel in the Eddie Dougherty series set in 1970s Montreal and I really love the setting. It is freaking great.

Hillbilly Odditorium

Fiction

Hillbilly Rockstar by Lorelei James. James's romance novels do well. This is from the Blacktop Cowboys series. I don't know the difference in the series, I'm just writing what is on the cover.

NonFiction

The Odditorium: the tricksters, eccentrics, deviants and inventors whose obsessions changed the world by David Bramwell and Jo Keeling. I think these are the guys I heard on BBC radio. I often listen to 6 Music when at my desk.