Karen Yvonne Hamilton, 2025 This is not your typical post-apocalyptic novel. Yes, it is set at the ending of the world as we know it. There is the run on the banks, the looting at the stores, and the hoarding of peanut butter. But these things are all background, none become major scenes. The main character... Continue Reading →
by Karen Yvonne Hamilton, August 25, 2025 All synopses from Goodreads. My ratings are 1-5 although you generally won’t find a 2 or a 1 in my ratings because I don’t finish those books. I'm pretty picky about my reading, so if the book made this list, it was a worthwhile (if only entertaining) read.... Continue Reading →
As picky about novels as I am, I am astonished to find that I did read TEN good books thus far this year! Since finishing graduate school, I tend to be a bit tired of writing reviews, but you'll find a few reviews that I wrote here. If you're looking for your next good read, I recommend these highly.
by Karen Yvonne Hamilton, 2025 Rarely do I find two books in a row that pull me in and challenge me. Wild Dark Shore is more than a mystery to solve, more than a romance, more than the average story. It has so many layers that McConaghy weaves magically into a story that leaves you... Continue Reading →
by Karen Yvonne Hamilton, 2025 You know how I frequently lament the formulaic drivel that is so often touted as “Bestseller” or “Best Novel of (insert year)”. Today I finished a book (in less than two days) that blows all those so-called bestsellers out of the water. This novel was rejected over 85 times by... Continue Reading →
Just finished reading Isaac’s Song by Daniel Black. It took me two days, a sure sign of a worthy novel. “Just assemble the pieces and let the story speak for itself. You don’t need a hero. Or a villain. Just a complete story.” Black did just that. The novel at its core is about identity and... Continue Reading →
The words mean something profound, but you will have to leave your insulated world of what passes for normalcy to reach their meaning. I encourage you to do so.
“It was, after all, her story and she needed to find her way into it even if she filled in the unknowns with creative details.”
I It's been many months since I found a book that engaged me so much that I didn't want to stop reading. The novel had conflicts that I did not see coming and a resolution that surprised me. As a literature major who has studied writing and literature for over 30 years, it is very... Continue Reading →
I recently joined a book club in my town and am surprised that I don't recognize any of the books on the list. So, new books for me in 2024, I suppose. I am determined to give the book club a try. My 2024 reading goals are to read widely: the classics, poetry, essays, indie... Continue Reading →
Other Rivers 