S.A. Cosby has done it again!

Like Razorblade Tears, this tense, gritty Southern Gothic novel explores the racism and church-culture of the modern South. But, as with his previous novels, Cosby knows these are nuanced and hot-button subjects that need care when woven into a story, especially one that's a violence-soaked murder mystery. As far as I'm concerned, he's a master at doing this and just might be the best Southern noir author writing today.

Titus Crown is the first Black sheriff Charon, Virginia has ever had. A disgraced FBI agent who has regrets of his own, he's quickly immersed in a gruesome murder mystery. A lone Black student kills the town's beloved white teacher--and Titus's deputies kill the kid. The residents are enraged--both the white people who bristle at a Black sheriff and a Black minister fed up with the hatred aimed at his flock. The investigation widens to include the discovery of a serial killer, as the violence, hate, and perversion of faith simmering beneath the town come to light.

Cosby has once again reinvented the Southern Gothic novel for the modern age. Even amongst the violence, he expertly examines so many issues of today. Titus is the heart and soul beating beneath the horror. Unlike Randolph and Buddy Lee of Tears, he's a man of the law attempting to redeem himself, while blazing a new trail for his and his hometown's future. His love of his town--and the people in it--are what fuel all he does.

I loved this one. It's not an easy read--the evil that humans are capable of and how they often commit it in the name of God is a main theme--but it's absolutely an enthralling and necessary one. I got an early audio copy from @netgalley (so much thanks!). Adam Lazarre-White does an amazing job voicing Titus.

If you loved Cosby's previous books or the Southern Gothic genre in general, read this book. You won't regret it!

One of my fave movies is The Big Chill & this book reminded me of that. What really struck me was how real the characters & their distinct personalities are. The Jordans, Craig, Naomi & Marielle are as loving yet snarky & temperamental as real people. Rowley does a wonderful job presenting a multi-character story with strong, vivid characterizations. Their personalities jump off the page.

The story is lovely, too. A group of college friends meet up over the years for a "living funeral," so that they can learn what they mean to the others while they're still alive. This is prompted by the death of one of their group just as they're done school. The references to 80s/90s references & the notion that people, even when so close at college, don't stay super-close over the years (although they will drop everything to help you if you need it) really struck a cord with me. It's like that with my college friends.

The Jordans anchor the group as a couple that fall for each other in college & eventually marry. Their connection is palpable and really serves as the heart of the story. This book is a heartfelt, funny, charming read that explores love, tragedy, death, and friendship in all their ups and downs. It may me laugh, smile, and cry. It's a perfect summer read. It's also a nice incentive to encourage you to send old friends a text or give them a call. Life's short but friendships can bring so much to it. Even if time gets in the way, it's never too late to reconnect.

I read parts of this and listened to Rowley himself do a fab job narrating it. If you loved The Guncle, you will love this one as well.

Dystopian, sci-fi novels are not my go-to genre, but the premise of this twist-filled stunner immediately hooked me. The island of Prospera has been carefully curated so that's it's inhabited by artsy, cultured people living their best lives. Each has a monitor in their arm that tracks their physical and mental capabilities. When these decline, their number gets too low and they're "retired" and rebooted--their memories wiped and their essence put into a new, younger body to live another life. Next to Prospera is The Annex, land inhabited by the "working class" people who serve the Prosperians. Proctor Bennett is a Prospering ferryman, who's responsible for shepherding soon-to-be retired Prosperians to The Nursery, where their reboot begins. The trouble really begins when Proctor has to accompany his own father to the ferry AND his monitor numbers are dropping low really, really fast.

Once this story takes off, the action and twists are non-stop. Cronin's world-building has a lot of moving pieces, but it's impressive in its intricacy and cleverness. The characterization is rich, too. What I really loved about this novel was how Cronin spoke to the environmental and societal issues I see (and worry about!) through the story. How he imagines things will "work out," is compelling and rooted in some real-life ideas. Yet, like with life itself and the challenges and dangers we see today, there's that ever-resilient thread of hope and humanity weaving through.

If you're a sci-fi/dystopian fan--and especially if you're not!--give this one a go. It's a long one, so I read parts and listened to the terrific audiobook. But either way, it's an intriguing and inspiring tale of how humans might respond when natural forces inevitably react to our neglect.

Sometimes amidst the intense thrillers, catastrophe-laden historical fictions, and steamy romance novels, I need to mix in an intimate, emotional, family-driven story. If you're looking for one of these, Between Two Moons is a wonderful choice. I loved it.

It's 2014, and the month of Ramadan has started for the Muslim community in Brooklyn's Bay Ridge section of New York City. Amira, the sensitive sibling of the Emam family, is "between two moons." One moon is Lina, her vibrant yet careless twin sister who she accompanies on adventures, which put both girls at risk. The second moon is Sammi, the elusive older brother who's just been released from prison early and is as cryptic and misunderstood as ever. As Amira navigates this time before heading to college, we readers get an up-close look at not only this particular moment in Amira's life, but also the lives of Muslims as they navigate the post-9/11 world and the increased hate and persecution endured by Muslim-Americans.

While there are some "big" moments on this story, it's the quiet moments--love shown between the sisters, the moments of family time enjoyed by the Emam family, and Amira's struggle to balance out her yearning for connection with the realities of the world she lives in--that really stand out. Gawad's prose (for a debut!) is heartfelt, descriptive, and resonant. I love how she expertly captures this specific moment in time.

If you overdo it on beach reads and need a engrossing, emotional read, give this one a try. It's a gem.

I loved We are Not Like Them, the first collab between these two writers, so I was thrilled to get a copy of this one from NetGalley. While the first novel featured a more hot-button topic (a white cop shooting a Black man), this one was a bit more subtle. A Black woman named Cinnamon finds the white baby on a park bench. The white mother, Daisy, has a bad family life, so she purposely left the baby there for Cinnamon to find and raise. But once the baby gets ill and Cinnamon's story becomes public (Cinnamon was also abandoned as a baby), she has to fight to keep the child.

This novel uses this topic to explore many nuances of race and motherhood. I really liked the main character, Cinnamon, who's as fragile as you'd expect considering her childhood, but still strong-willed at the moments where it's needed and absolutely grew by the end of the book. I love how fully fleshed out and real she was. Letters written by Daisy also help give her character a complete personality. It's a credit to Pride and Piazza that they're able to create two distinct characters through two different POV literary devices.

If you enjoyed their first collab and like books that explore societal issues and motherhood through compelling narratives, definitely give this one a try. I really enjoyed it. Also, major props to Laywan Kwan for the gorgeous cover photo. Some people complain because authors get a "brand" that makes their covers all look similar, but I love the treatment used for Pride/Piazza books. And I'm really looking forward to their next collab!

I was immersed in this family saga, which focuses on a Vietnamese-American grandmother, mother, and daughter living in a crumbling mansion in Florida.

Daughter Ann Tran comes back to the Banyan house, after her mother lets her know that Minh, her grandmother, has passed away. Ann's already in an emotional tailspin, after discovering she's pregnant and her boyfriend had an affair. Once she's back, old-simmering tensions rise between Ann and her mother, Hoang. Their experiences are also occasionally commented on by the ghost of Minh, who's still hanging around the Banyan House.

Aside from one "big" event, this narrative is mostly the day-to-day life of these woman and flashbacks to the past, where arguments arose or plot points (one major one) were put in motion that affected things in present day. I love family stories like this--so specific and filled with few, but richly drawn characters. All three of these women are complex and their pasts and present interactions with each other (and a compelling family secret) are the sparks that keep the story and action moving. I also appreciated how micro-aggressions they face as Vietnamese-Americans are organically woven into an already dramatic narrative.

If you love stories about women, their complexities, and how love, family, and heritage propel their lives, this book is a great choice.