The Scarlet Liter by Merrick Green

The Scarlet Liter by Merrick Green

Veronica Mars - the TV series (Kindle Worlds Novella)

Publisher: Merrick Green (March 2018)

89 pages, eBook (provided by Author for review)

Book Rating: 5 Stars

Content Note: Includes Swearing, Violence, and Sexual Innuendo

Great Veronica Mars story involving a convenience store robbery. Fast-paced and witty, with all the familiar characters. Fans of the show will enjoy all the references to people and events from various episodes (all of which are nicely annotated by the author at the end of the story). But the story includes plenty of backstory to be very enjoyable for readers new to the Veronica Mars world as well. Reading it felt just like watching another episode of Veronica Mars! Entertaining short read!

The Parking Lot Attendant by Nafkote Tamirat

The Parking Lot Attendant by Nafkote Tamirat

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (March 2018)

225 pages, eBook (provided by Publisher for review)

Book Rating: 4 Stars

Content Note: Includes Swearing and Violence

This is a story about Ethiopian immigrants living in Boston, and centers around a teenage girl who befriends/becomes obsessed with a charismatic middle-aged man who works as a parking lot attendant. As her involvement with this man grows, she finds herself at the center of things that are much more dangerous and far-reaching than she could have ever imagined. This story had a rambling, poetic quality that I enjoyed, and the characters were all wonderfully complex. Much of the story focuses on the complexity of various relationships and how our view of a person may change over time. Riveting read! My only complaint would be the beginning and the ending. The beginning I found very confusing, but later determined it was meant to be disorienting, before the story starts to unravel making everything clearer. The ending I thought was abrupt and maddeningly vague—I prefer a bit more resolution I guess. Nevertheless, a very entertaining story!