Jason Pettus's Blog, page 23

Book Review: "The Story of My Teeth," by Valeria Luiselli

The Story of My Teeth By Valeria Luiselli Coffee House Press Reviewed by Chris Schahfer Another feather in Valeria Luiselli's cap, and the second serialized novel I've read in 2015. It's interesting to note how this old form, which I once associated with Charles Dickens' works, is now becoming popular again. It makes sense, given the prevalence of the internet, but Luiselli took an unconventional mode in how she serialized this. Instead of the typical method of releasing chapters to magazine...

Book Review: "Jillian," by Halle Butler

Jillian By Halle Butler Curbside Splendor Reviewed by Chris Schahfer If you so happen to be a Chicago resident, and if you're the sort of Chicago resident who likes to go to readings - and if you're a big reader, you owe it to both yourself and the literary community to go to readings - try to catch Halle Butler. I saw her read from this book in October, which was how I found out about her in the first place, and her sarcasm and huge variety of voices brought a ton of energy to this book. Sh...

Book Review: "Giallo Fantastique," edited by Ross E. Lockhart

(CCLaP is dedicated to reviewing as many contemporary books as possible, including self-published volumes; click here to learn how to submit your own book for possible review, although be warned that it needs to have been published within the last 18 months to be considered. For the complete list of all books reviewed here, as well as the next books scheduled to be read, click here.) Giallo Fantastique Edited by Ross E. Lockhart Word Horde Reviewed by Jason Pettus Giallo Fantastique is the s...

Say hello to CCLaP's last book of the year, Gint Aras's "The Fugue!"

Wow, what an insane year it's been for CCLaP's publishing program -- ten new original books in twelve months, even while I was enrolled for half that time in a 14-hour-a-day "computer coding bootcamp." And here finally is our last book of 2015, also easily the biggest book we've ever published, Gint Aras's haunting Chicago immigrant family saga The Fugue. As always, the book's dust-jacket synopsis can sum up the story better than I can, so let me just paste it in below... After over a decade...

Book Review: "Although of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself: A Road Trip with David Foster Wallace," by David Lipsky

(CCLaP is dedicated to reviewing as many contemporary books as possible, including self-published volumes; click here to learn how to submit your own book for possible review, although be warned that it needs to have been published within the last 18 months to be considered. For the complete list of all books reviewed here, as well as the next books scheduled to be read, click here.) Although of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself: A Road Trip with David Foster Wallace By David Lipsky Broadw...

Book Review: "The Heart Goes Last," by Margaret Atwood

(CCLaP is dedicated to reviewing as many contemporary books as possible, including self-published volumes; click here to learn how to submit your own book for possible review, although be warned that it needs to have been published within the last 12 months to be considered. For the complete list of all books reviewed here, as well as the next books scheduled to be read, click here.) The Heart Goes Last By Margaret Atwood Random House Reviewed by Chris Schahfer Sometimes I wonder Margaret At...

Book Review: "The Way Inn" by Will Wiles

(CCLaP is dedicated to reviewing as many contemporary books as possible, including self-published volumes; click here to learn how to submit your own book for possible review, although be warned that it needs to have been published within the last 18 months to be considered. For the complete list of all books reviewed here, as well as the next books scheduled to be read, click here.) The Way Inn By Will Wiles Harper Perennial Reviewed by Jason Pettus Based on other online reviews I've seen,...

Book Review: "Thanksgiving for Werewolves" by ML Kennedy

(CCLaP is dedicated to reviewing as many contemporary books as possible, including self-published volumes; click here to learn how to submit your own book for possible review, although be warned that it needs to have been published within the last 18 months to be considered. For the complete list of all books reviewed here, as well as the next books scheduled to be read, click here.) Thanksgiving for Werewolves and Other Monstrous Tales By ML Kennedy Tiny Toe Press Reviewed by Jason Pettus I...

Book Review: "The Boy Who Granted Dreams" by Luca Di Fulvio

(CCLaP is dedicated to reviewing as many contemporary books as possible, including self-published volumes; click here to learn how to submit your own book for possible review, although be warned that it needs to have been published within the last 18 months to be considered. For the complete list of all books reviewed here, as well as the next books scheduled to be read, click here.) The Boy Who Granted Dreams By Luca Di Fulvio Bastei Entertainment Reviewed by Jason Pettus So what's the bigg...

Book Review: "The Children of Old Leech," edited by Ross E. Lockhart and Justin Steele

(CCLaP is dedicated to reviewing as many contemporary books as possible, including self-published volumes; click here to learn how to submit your own book for possible review, although be warned that it needs to have been published within the last 18 months to be considered. For the complete list of all books reviewed here, as well as the next books scheduled to be read, click here.) The Children of Old Leech: A Tribute to the Carnivorous Cosmos of Laird Barron Edited by Ross E. Lockhart and...