It is a bad sign when a book jacket is covered in glowing reviews from other authors, but not a single positive review from an actual unbiased book reviewer. I ignored that sign and read Shotgun Lovesongs based on a friend's recommendation. Despite the lack of real reviews, when I read in the author bio on the jacket that the author was a graduate of the Iowa Writer's Workshop, I thought, "Well, how bad can this be?" Pretty bad, it turns out. Full of cliches and characters lacking truth, in my opinion. I reached my limit in a scene halfway through the book when superstar musician Lee is pining for Beth, the wife of his best friend Henry, a salt-of-the-earth, no nonsense hard-working dairy farmer. Lee is agonized by picturing them together: "Her reading him the newspaper. Him painting her toenails." I almost threw the book across the room with disgust. There are too many talented writers out there to waste time on this kind of stuff. Coming from a rural area myself I really wanted to love this book, but somehow it just didn't feel genuine. I mean really, does someone have their friend remove a bullet from their leg with needle-nose pliers? Then again there has never been anyone here who became a celebrity millionaire, either. Maybe that's the problem - in a book with so many characters, Beth and Henry were the only ones who were actually believable.
Do You like book Canciones De Amor A Quemarropa (2014)?
A beautifully written book about love, trust, and a very small town. Satisfying and sweet!
—elizabeth
Beautiful! Read the book in one sitting. Wonderful writing and compelling characters.
—salander
