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Reviews by Pamela W. (Piney Flats, TN)

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The Naming Song
The Naming Song
by Jedediah Berry
Tell, not Show Writing (7/22/2024)
As a language educator, I taught my students how to use Show, Not Tell writing. I'm 20 years out of the classroom so as I was reading this book, I struggled initially to figure out why I couldn't make connections with the characters. At first, I thought it might be the …more
The Flower Sisters
The Flower Sisters
by Michelle Collins Anderson
A good beach read (4/8/2024)
I enjoyed The Flower Sisters. Anderson does a good job of making the small town of Possum Flats come alive. Her characters are good people but flawed, as most of us are. She also provides hints in the first chapter to have the "surprise" not be an out-of-left-field surprise. …more
Last House Before the Mountain
Last House Before the Mountain
by Monika Helfer
Uniquely Written (3/14/2023)
I'm not a reader that needs a story to be told chronologically, but with this book I took a while to relax into the writing style. The jacket tells the reader that this book is based on Monika's own family history. When I think about the secrets this family held because of …more
Sisters of the Lost Nation
Sisters of the Lost Nation
by Nick Medina
Topical (11/20/2022)
In the last couple of years, we've been made more aware of missing Native women. This novel brings that issue to life. Other themes revolve around racial prejudice, gender identity, and acceptance of Native peoples in their own environment.

Initially, I struggled with the …more
River Sing Me Home
River Sing Me Home
by Eleanor Shearer
Another Slave Novel, but ... (9/9/2022)
River Sing Me Home is based on extensive research by Eleanor Shearer. The Caribbean setting may be outside the United States, but the stories are all too familiar. As Rachel searches for her "lost" grown children, the reader lives some freed slaves' experiences - revolt and …more
Natural History
Natural History: Stories
by Andrea Barrett
Quiet Read (8/24/2022)
I love short stories because they pack a punch into a short space. This book was different than many collections in that the stories connected through the character Henrietta. As a female scientist in a time when most women's goals were wife and mother, she was strong and …more
How to Find Your Way Home
How to Find Your Way Home
by Katy Regan
Emotionally Tough Read but Worth It (10/21/2021)
How many more books can I read about a dysfunctional family? At least one more. "How to Find Your Way Home" was worth my time and emotional investment. The characters are developed enough to recognize in real life. The structure isn't a simplistic linear narrative. The …more
Beasts of a Little Land
Beasts of a Little Land: A Novel
by Juhea Kim
History through Fiction (9/10/2021)
I learn history best through historical fiction, and I was particularly intrigued by this title because I know little about Korea. Yes, I've read several popular novels, but this author led me through the Japanese occupation of Korea to the independence movement and into …more
All the Water I've Seen Is Running
All the Water I've Seen Is Running: A Novel
by Elias Rodriques
Mixed Feelings (7/5/2021)
Both the main character, Daniel, and I - and perhaps the author - have mixed feelings.
Throughout most of the book, I kept wanting more from the author. Show me more than a narration of place. Show me the depth of your pain from your relationships with your father and Aubrey. …more
Ariadne
Ariadne
by Jennifer Saint
Not my Interest/Not the Writer's Fault (3/17/2021)
Jennifer Saint says she "wanted to write a Greek myth that brought women to the forefront," and she did that successfully. Perhaps I would have rated the book higher if I enjoyed Greek mythology. I plan to send the book to my granddaughter who loves the topic.
The Prophets
The Prophets
by Robert Jones Jr.
A Challenging but Worthy Read (10/17/2020)
I read a fair amount of African-American writers. I was delightfully surprised by this novel. When I first taught Beloved by Morrison to my juniors, I skimmed it for vocabulary level. I found it's not the level of vocabulary that's challenging; it's the ideas, structure, …more
The Stone Girl
The Stone Girl: A Novel
by Dirk Wittenborn
Action Packed (4/9/2020)
I've always been suspicious of men writing a book with strong female characters, but that's my issue. The female protagonists are strong but flawed; that makes them real. I kept wondering if they were men, would the book be as effective. No. At the end, Dirk Wittenborn …more
Welcome to the Pine Away Motel and Cabins
Welcome to the Pine Away Motel and Cabins
by Katarina Bivald
Slow Start But Heartwarming. (12/3/2019)
I love reading books that capture my interest immediately so I was a tad disappointed in this book. Many of my friends would have given up by page 50. Because I volunteered to review, I kept reading and was rewarded with quirky, charming characters in this small Eastern …more
Remembrance
Remembrance
by Rita Woods
Remembrance, Perfect for Me (10/19/2019)
If you prefer or need your fiction to be chronological, Remembrance is not for you. If you want your fiction to seem like "real life," Remembrance is not for you. I loved the strong yet flawed women with special talents. I felt the sense of place in each locale. The action …more
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    The Devil Finds Work
    by James Baldwin
    A book-length essay on racism in American films, by "the best essayist in this country" (The New York Times Book Review).
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