Jordan Rosenfeld

This is a fast-moving read, and considering the heaviness of the themes of the subjects that come up, it's also deceptively light reading, which I think is what's thrown me off a bit and what keeps this from really being something that will stick with me. On one hand, if the author went into real depth on all of the more depressing subjects that come up here, the book would be impossibly depressing. On the other hand, I would have loved some more depth in a lot of spots rather than feeling show more like the author was cramming in as many twists and stake-raising moments as possible. In the end, I enjoyed the book, but what was most moving and memorable, and what was given the most depth, were the relationships in the book...and that's fine. I love character-driven work, so it's always characters that make or break a book for me, but I suppose with all of the action and all of the focus on decisions being made in relation to social justice topics, it felt like the actual eco element of the book was just a little light and fast--not at all what I expected, honestly, given the author's work as a journalist, which perhaps led me to have the wrong impression about how much depth talk of the environment would get. I also have to say that, for a book with so many twists and so much action, everything wrapped up a little too fast and easy--too neatly by half--and in some ways, it feels like that also doesn't quite do justice to the heavier conversations that the book brings up.

I'm glad to have discovered the press, and I did enjoy this, but I wish there'd been a bit more depth and that it had just been a bit longer, with more time spent on the eco element of the book rather than adding in more and more topics to be dealt with. I'm undecided on whether or not I'll pick up more of the author's work because this did read fast, but it felt more like women's fiction with lip-service to eco fiction and too many neatly tied bows on things that couldn't believably be wrapped up so easily. show less

This one is jagged, dark, and breathlessly human.

Fallout isn’t just a thriller—it’s a collision course between rage and restraint, between the ache of motherhood and the need to burn something down just to feel alive again. Justine and Zoe are two women standing on opposite sides of the same explosion—lonely, trapped, and furious in ways they barely understand themselves.

Justine’s obsession with eco-justice is sharp and believable, but it’s not the cause that drives her—it’s show more the craving for meaning when your identity feels swallowed whole by diapers and silence. Zoe, meanwhile, is living in a gilded cage, married to power she can’t stand but can’t quite leave. Their meeting is messy and tense and crackling with unspoken things.

This book asks: What happens when women stop swallowing their rage? The answer? Something dangerous. Something liberating.

The pacing is tight. The stakes are personal. The tension doesn't just build—it simmers under every word. But what stuck with me most was how honest it felt. About motherhood. About grief. About how easy it is to lose yourself in the pursuit of justice—or survival.

If you want something that hits hard and dares to ask uncomfortable questions, Fallout delivers. show less

“How to Write A Page Turner” is one of the best books on writing I have read, but a chore to read. It reminded me of my undergraduate days when I had to plod through textbooks because the information contained therein was beneficial. Every one of the 18 chapters in this brief 228 page book provides valuable tips and examples, but it took me over six weeks to read; I couldn’t force myself to read more than a chapter at a time.

Readers who enjoy instruction-oriented books or are broadly show more interested in writing as a topic will find “Page Turner” to be less onerous. Rosenfeld’s writing style is accessible, and she uses an impressive selection of examples to illustrate her points. Those who are not fans of instruction manuals or writing as a topic will nevertheless benefit greatly from the effort required to read “Page Turner.”

Rosenfeld’s thesis is that tension is an essential element of fiction that keeps readers engaged. Part one explains the elements of fiction that create tension. In part two she explains how to use the characters we create to create tension. Part three dissects the underlying story arc and suggests ways to create tension across the entire plot: the point of no return, rededication, dark night, and triumph. The final section is on the use of language and images (i.e., similes and metaphors).

Those who believe the ability to write a novel is beyond them will gain a clear understanding of how to approach the task. Rosenfeld’s removes the mystique from fiction writing and provides practical tips and specific instructions. Writers at all level of experience are likely to benefit from this book. show less

I can't call this book anything but amazing. The sub-stories, the characters...

Grace has scars. She felt horrendous pain for quite some time after the fire. Unable to bear human touch because of this pain and these scars, she lived a relatively quiet life in northern California, along with her mother, and worked closely caring for wounded animals especially in the wild. Her mother, a hoarder, needed some exceptional care, but I felt that Grace often wondered if she was just enabling her in show more that lifestyle.

At first, you aren’t sure about Marly’s relationship with Grace. After all these years, Marly turns out to be another needful soul, even if she didn’t realize it. She was bold, brassy, and seemed at first a little crazy. We find out later that it goes deeper than that. She knows things Grace has pushed to the back of her brain, trying to forget. Perhaps it was just denial of the truth.

I think what got me the most about this book was how close it was in many respects to many points in my own life. My scars, my pain, and my own understanding of other people’s psychological, rather than physical, suffering came through loud and clear with Jordan’s fabulous ability to strike such a deep, resonant tone in her work.

I had to edit this down to something readable, because a four-page review on a book that struck so deeply into my soul was TMI online. Jordan is the reason I started journaling again. show less