Gods in Alabama by Joshilyn Jackson

Yes, I am on a Southern Fiction streak, but stick with me! Gods in Alabama is undoubtedly Southern Fiction, complete with dysfunctional families, the bizarre, murder, rape, and a hint of the gothic, like any good Southern novel should be! That being said, if you are not used to Southern Fiction, this may not be the book for you.
"There are gods in Alabama: Jack Daniel's, high  school quarterbacks, trucks, big tits, and also Jesus. I left one back there myself, back in Possett. I kicked it under the kudzu and I left it to the roaches..." (Jackson).
That quote is my favorite of the book and it just about sums it all up. Now, I suggest this book to anyone who is looking for a non-conventional read that can appreciate a good novel. It is undoubtedly rated R, so I would not recommend it to any Young Adult readers or students. I also don't think it is a novel for the guys - they just might not understand the implications behind it. However, a guy who appreciates Southern Lit would like this book. Women who appreciate or have experienced dysfunction will love this book.
To sum it all up : It is a Southern Fiction novel, heavy on dirty realism, with a slight hint of Southern gothic.
I give it a 4.5. I would give it a 5, if it had hooked me a little better in the beginning. I felt like it had a slow start to it, but glad I stuck with it!

Here is the authors website (I will be reading more of her novels).
http://joshilynjackson.com/

Enjoy!