I will keep this short. The best new book I have read this past month was "All Aunt Hagar's Children" by Edward P. Jones. It is an exploration of the African American community of Washington D.C. through short stories. There is a great emotional impact in many of the tales. For someone who likes literary fiction about the real world it is an awesome experience.
Not quite as good but still excellent was "On Agate Hill" by Lee Smith. This story of an orphan girl in the ruined world of the post-Civil War south is a bit like "Gone with the Wind", except that to me it seems better researched. There is so much heartbreak in it that it is hard to read in places, and the later stages are not quite as amazingly good as the beginning. But bottom line it features a very memorable character who manages to live the life that she chooses, avoiding the fate of becoming a "ghost girl". It would be impossible to avoid caring about Molly Petree.
I hope that these 2 suggestions are useful to fans of fiction. If you think I am wrong about either of these books, please let me know, and why!.
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Also, please feel free to publish your book reviews to Gather Library or any of the other book groups. It helps people find your articles.
Okay, about the books: both are fiction, and both are written by authors who are much praised by critics. Edward P. Jones won the Pulitzer Prize for The Known World, a novel that explored the world of slavery in an imaginary pre-Civil War County in Virginia. Lee Smith is the author of The Last Girls, Oral History, Fair and Tender Ladies, and several other novels. She grew up in the Appalachian region of Virginia and that area has often been involved in her works.
Both these books are quite new, published only a few weeks ago.
Did you notice I asked about "adult" fiction? I read a lot of "Young Adult" fiction (YA) because I enjoy it. Others read it because it's age-appropriate. And, others reading your review might think, "Oh, Rudy would enjoy that!" but Rudy might be too young to appreciate it. Identify the book's audience as soon as possible.
Identifying Edward P. Jones clearly is helpful, too. His is a common name. I went to college with an Art Major named Edward P. Jones, and I have my doubts it's the same person. (Cool if it is him, though, eh?)
Identifying Lee Smith as a woman writer is helpful, too. And is her book YA or adult?
I hope you don't mind my gentle prods here. I catalog books for a living and I read a lot of reviews. I'm assuming that these books had a great impact on you, to motivate you to writing a review -- as such, I figured I'd mention some useful things to include.
I'd also say your first sentence is a mistake: don't "keep it short." Keep it clear and focused without giving away the plot altogether, but make the review long enough to help the book find its audience.