Karen Browne Anderson: Norwood,
Congratulations on your first release. I read "Sleepless ..." from cover to
cover yesterday. Swept up in the story, I found it difficult to put the book
down. Looking forward to the rest of the series.
Lorena
Sabbs: Finished the book today, it was a great read.
I have some new friends now, so I am anxious to see what will happen with them
next. Good job Norwood.
Theresa
Williams-Stoudamire: I finished it and thought it was
very well written and loved the story line. You did an excellent job and I can't
wait for the next one.
Kathleen Wills: "Finished
"Sleepless Nights" last week. It was a good read. I have to say I enjoyed it far
more than the last vacuous, formulaic, sell-out novel I read ("The Long Fall")
by Walter Mosley."
Dana Micheli - Writers In The Sky - Book
Review: 5 Stars « « « «
«
Amidst the Cherry Blossoms and historical
monuments of Washington D.C., a gritty drama is unfolding. Norwood Holland’s
novel Sleepless Nights took me on a journey of life in the underbelly of our
nation’s capital. Holland’s minimalist prose and authentic dialogue paints a
vivid picture of the dark side of the American dream. Throughout the book I was
struck by the irony that this story of loss, poverty and destruction was taking
place against the backdrop of a city famous for the freedom and prosperity it
symbolizes.
Sleepless Nights is the story of three young
men whose horrible crime threatens to unravel their friendship and change the
course of their lives—and the lives of those around them--forever. It seems like
Tyrone Jones, Gustavo “Gee” Garcia and Jean “Jinx” Legere have been friends
forever. More than friends, they are an urban family, bound together by
deprivation and a life lived on the streets. But lately, Gee is feeling the
pull of a different life, a better life. He is going to college and works at the
Farragut, an upscale D.C. eatery. But his pursuit of success is causing a
fissure in the once rock-solid bond he shares with Jinx and Tyrone.
Jinx is on the edge. Years of neglect by his
drug-addicted mother have left him hopeless and angry. He sees no way out of the
life or the neighborhood. I could feel the sadness and desperation in him as he
committed the crimes. I could feel the loneliness in him as well, even when he
was threatening his victims or manipulating Gee.
At the center of the story is the handsome
and well-to-do Drew Smith. As one of D.C.’s hottest criminal attorneys, Smith
has built his career on helping people outrun their demons. He, however, has a
few demons of his own, including an ex-girl friend he still loves and a son who
doesn’t know he exists. More than anything else, I found this story to be about
Drew’s chance at redemption.
From the streets and strip clubs of
inner-city D.C., to the packed courtroom of a homicide trial, Sleepless Nights
is a gripping, edge-of-your seat drama that will keep you glued to every page.
The only good part about reaching the end was when I learned that Sleepless
Nights is only the first installment in the Drew Smith series! I look forward
to seeing more of Drew Smith in (hopefully) the very near future. Amazon
Reviews
Beth Turpin Adkins: Norwood,
just finished reading my copy of Sleepless Nights. It was a great read and I
thoroughly enjoyed it! . Great job!" |
