Buddy Read - All the Sinners Bleed

[Theresa]

This is a buddy read for Edgar nominee for Best Novel All the Sinners Bleed. It also has lots of Authors of Color tags and will no doubt fit Black History Month reading. Cosby is also a brilliant writer.

[Theresa]

OH, and if you are racing in Steeplechase, it's tagged Southern Fiction as well.

[Booknblues]

I'm hoping to get to it soon, have a couple or three to knock off first.

[Jen K]

Me too. I have it borrowed from the library but others are due sooner.

[NancyJ]

I have it on my library holds list - estimated wait 4 weeks (it’s always faster). It looks like I’ll get Razorblade Tears very soon. Does anyone recommend one book over the other?

[Booknblues]

NancyJ wrote: "I have it on my library holds list - estimated wait 4 weeks (it’s always faster). It looks like I’ll get Razorblade Tears very soon. Does anyone recommend one book over the other?"

All Sinners Bleed is his most recent, and nominated for the Edgar, so we are reading it.

Razorblade Tears is very good and moving.

For his books you must be prepared for fast action and a certain amount of blood, guts and violence.

They are good and exciting and yet give you something to think about.

[Theresa]

Can't say if one is better than the other as I don't think any of us have read All the Sinners Bleed yet.

I gave Razorblade Tears 5 stars, considered it one of my top reads of the year and perhaps even the decade. A client recommended it to me and we've said it needs to be made into a movie with Denzel Washington and Clint Eastwood.

It really does give you much to think about.

[Theresa]

My hold is about 3 weeks out - 2 people ahead of me (21 day loans) but this is also BrooklynPL so there are 52 copies, 79 holds and I am #61. If I don't get it by February 11, and it's still a couple weeks out, I'll buy the ebook.

[NancyJ]

“ …give you something to think about.”

Thanks. You know what I like. 🙂

[Theresa]

My hold on this just came in on Libby and it is in my Kindle App! I will be reading it next week!

[Hannah]

I own this and I was planning on reading it this month, so I’ll join in with the buddy read. I probably won’t be able to start until later on in the week or next weekend as I’m having to currently choose my next book by library due date and which ones I can’t renew.

[Olivermagnus]

I've read everything by S. A. Cosby and enjoyed them all. Razorblade Tears and All the Sinners Bleed were my favorites. I gave those, along with Blactop Wasteland, 5 Stars

His publishers recently released his very first book, My Darkest Prayer. I read and enjoyed it but could tell that it was an earlier effort. His writing has gotten tighter and more atmospheric. I still gave it a 4 because I would read anything he wrote.

If you are not a fan of gritty themes, violence, obscenity, and racial language by both black and white characters, you might not enjoy it as much as I did.

[Jen K]

I'm similar to Hannah in that I have two other books due to the library much sooner than this one. I hope to start within the next week but if I land on Southern, sooner!

I really liked Razorblade Tears so I think I will be fine with the gritty.

[Theresa]

I loved Razorblade Tears. It was a 5 star read, I recommend it all the time and I have his other published books on my TBR. It was a gutsy book to write and read. I put Cosby in the same category of male black authors who push the edge by writing about racism within the African-American community, not just directed at it: Paul Beatty, Marlon James, playwright Charles Fuller.

Thank you for sharing Lynda!

[Booknblues]

I've started and it starts with a bang!
The dialogue is witty. Here's an example:
“Down at the store last Friday, Linwood Lassiter asked one of the boys with the sticker on his truck why don’t they put a statue to … what’s that boy name? The one with them eggs?” Albert said.
“Benedict Arnold?” Titus replied."

[Booknblues]

I'm going to forewarn everyone that there are some big trigger warnings with this book.

School shooting
Child molest and murder.

Not sure if I will continue.

[Jen K]

Oh no :( I will still give it a try but those are tough ones. My current book has child molest too and it is hard to read. I get it is a real life thing but...

I only spun a 1 so I'm still not past Southern and not starting yet.

[Booknblues]

His writing is strong and it is a compelling story.

I'm not sure what I'm going to do. I feel like when I start watching a really scary movie and have to watch it to the end to make sure they get the bad guy.

[Booknblues]

I was too far in to stop and I'm glad it is finished. If anyone else decides to read it, I would be glad to discuss.

Review- https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Theresa]

I will be reading it this week. Got to finish Feminerdy book and my spelling book for BWF. Then it's this.

[Booknblues]

Theresa wrote: "I will be reading it this week. Got to finish Feminerdy book and my spelling book for BWF. Then it's this."

I'll be interested in what you think and how it compares with Razorblade Tears.

[Jen K]

Me too. I have 14 days left of my library loan but others to finish first.

[Theresa]

Please tell me I am not the only one to turn to Google because she did not catch the connection between traitor - eggs - and the answer? You, know, the dialogue during that breakfast chat between Dad and Son in first pages.

🤣🤣🤣

What popped up made me laugh out loud- I fell for it hook, line, and sinker:

(view spoiler)[The most important thing to know about eggs Benedict is that they have nothing to do with the famed traitor Benedict Arnold. (hide spoiler)]

[Booknblues]

Theresa wrote: "Please tell me I am not the only one to turn to Google because she did not catch the connection between traitor - eggs - and the answer? You, know, the dialogue during that breakfast chat between D..."

It did take me a second, but I'll bet you found out more about both Benedict Arnold and Eggs Benedict by googling.

I thought it did make a point about putting traitors up as statues in our parks, towns and cities.

[Theresa]

Booknblues wrote: "Theresa wrote: "Please tell me I am not the only one to turn to Google because she did not catch the connection between traitor - eggs - and the answer? You, know, the dialogue during that breakfas..."

I am already just shaking my head in awe - Shawn Cosby can WRITE! With just a few words ... funny but pointed ... the whole traitors,and monuments, and confederacy as you say.

Do you think that the server will know what I want if I were to order the traitor eggs next time I go to brunch? Probably not.

[Booknblues]

Theresa wrote: Do you think that the server will know what I want if I were to order the traitor eggs next time I go to brunch? Probably not...."

I would love to see that.

[Theresa]

I am at 50% mark and know I will keep reading though I can't sleep in tomorrow. It is really good, brilliant and brilliantly written, but definitely brutal at times. But so was Razorblade Tears.

Like Marlon James in A Brief History of Seven Killings, Cosby seems to be putting it all out there, swinging for the fences. I am curious to see if he sustains it.

For the record, I think I know the evil one hiding in plain sight. But I think this is more about Titus' journey than whodunit. Same as in Razorblade Tears.

It takes an exceptional writer to get me to read a serial killer book. Cosby is one.

Now back to reading. I have no doubt I will be reviewing this Sunday night.

[Booknblues]

Theresa wrote: "It takes an exceptional writer to get me to read a serial killer book. Cosby is one. ..."

Right, although I considered it I couldn't put it down. Titus is really an excellent character, along with his family and the whole town.

There are so many characters in this book, I will be interested to see if you have solved it, I didn't.

[Theresa]

I have Feminerdy Book Club in about 30 mintues but will no doubt finish this after that. I can't wait to pick it up again.

[Theresa]

Done. Exhausted - I need to read a romance after that. It was so good and so compelling.

I wasn't 100% correct on the evil in plain sight. I had part of it and my back-up idea was correct.

I think Jen K is the last in the group to read it. I don't mind waiting a few days to discuss more openly. It's gonna live with me for a while - Titus and the journey this took him on . What a great complex character. A true flawed hero.

[Jen K]

Done! It was so addictive!

[Theresa]

That is a great description!.

I have been thinking a lot about the idea of turning traitors into monuments, deifying traitors and all the different traitors and types of betrayals that are an underlying theme to the story. I thought his final act as he drove out of town was so symbolic and wonderful on so many levels.

[Booknblues]

Jen K wrote: "Done! It was so addictive!"

Exactly!

And Theresa, I absolutely loved the ending.

[Jen K]

Theresa, I love that you found that lens and it does fit perfectly. When Spearman was first killed, the grief in the community with everyone reiterating how he was such a pillar but then he was toppled down when the truth came to light. Also LOVE the ending as he drove out.

[Jen K]

I will be processing this on for a while. There is also the betrayal of faith that Titus felt and also the Last Wolf. This promise of an angel or God swooping down to save the innocent.

[Theresa]

Yes, there is a very definite theme of betrayal of religion and those leaders of religions -- Eli and that mystery child.

Betrayals of parent/child -- including Albert with Titus and Marquez.

And even his mom and her death was a betrayal -- btw I knew a woman with that disease - she was a manager on a building I represented in the 80s and 90s. One day she suddenly went out sick and never came back. I was in touch with her for a shortwhile after and learned about this absolutely horrible disease. It had suddenly escalated and she could no longer work. Eventually she cut off communication. But truly truly a horrific disease for all involved.

There is Titus' feelings of having betrayed -- his 2 girlfriends, his fellow FBI agents, his friend, that compound's family. He toppled the monument of himself he'd made.

Yes, this one will sit with us for a long time. Razorblade Tears still sits with me.

[Theresa]

This is one of my highlights from reading it:

...coordinated and extensive propaganda campaign to reframe traitors as patriots.

Talking about the locals and their parade at Fall Fest.

[Jen K]

Yes, excellent points! The mom disease seemed an odd distraction to me in the book. It sounded horrific. I got that a bit part of Titus was the guilt of not being able to save her from the pain but it was so specific and not exactly a necessary detail. I wonder if the author knows of someone as well to add it in?

The parade was awful and the statue. I felt really bad for Denver that he believed the myth so strongly to lead to the violence.

[Kim]

I’ve read all of SA Cosby’s books and recommend them. Some are better than others. That being said, Titus is a great character and I loved the ending. This is a book that stayed with me a while.

[Booknblues]

Kim wrote: "I’ve read all of SA Cosby’s books and recommend them. Some are better than others. That being said, Titus is a great character and I loved the ending. This is a book that stayed with me a while."

Titus is such a great character, that I want to know what he does in New Orleans.

I would love to have been there watching take down that monument.

[Theresa]

We all agree on Titus and the ending. Such perfection. Would love to meet him again.

I read Razorblade Tears last year after a client gave me a copy of it. It blew me away. I still have others of Cosby's to read, but I like stretching them out as books of this quality don't show up every day or even every years. Like knowing there's one waiting for me.