Last year @tjoneswriter was kind enough to send a couple of his books, and I’m FINALLY getting to them!

First up is CRITERIUM, a novella about a teenage boy named Zach who is fighting the same addiction that killed his father when he stumbles across a strange bike that takes him on a terrifying ride into darkness.

I love the opening set up for this story because as soon as Zach gets on that bike and it won’t let him off, you know he’s in trouble. You know because the book starts with a screaming, burning, shocking death…involving the same bike. And so you read with a cold sinking feeling in your gut, hand gripping the pages and eyes unable to blink. I’ve never been so scared of a bike before.

This is absolutely one of those books you read in a single day or, time permitting, a single sitting. It hooks you immediately and doesn’t let up. The prose is quick and light, but full of deeper meaning. Lots of vivid imagery and details too. The tension ratchets up with every page, but there are also moments of raw emotion, grief, and honesty scattered throughout. It’s a coming of age book of sorts, and it touches on topics of addiction, abandonment, broken trust, and guilt (all done literally and through captivating metaphor).

This is not a happy book, but I had a blast reading it. It’s very earnest and I’m a big fan of our imperfect young protagonist. This is an excellent introduction to the author’s work, and I’m very excited to read more!!