"Words are free, she used to say, and she appropriated them; they were all hers." That sentence from early in the novel, Eva Luna, by Isabel Allende captures the spirit of her protagonist. Eva Luna is a spinner of tales and the stories from growing up poor on the...
Wisdom From Kammbia Book Review 42: Face of an Angel by Denise Chavez
by MHill | Apr 18, 2020 | 2020 Book Reviews, Book Reviews, Marion's Favorite Books, Marion's Favorites, Marion's Reading Life Blog, Rereading Series, Wisdom From Kammbia Column
Rereading a novel can bring different expectations from when you first read it over twenty-five years ago. This is the case with Face of An Angel by Denise Chavez. Face of an Angel tells the story of Soveida Dosamantes, a waitress at El Farol Restaurant in the...
Wisdom from Kammbia Book Review 41: The Spectator Bird by Wallace Stegner
by MHill | Apr 4, 2020 | 2020 Book Reviews, Marion's Favorite Books, Marion's Favorite Duologies
As a reader, there are some books (and authors) you have been meaning to read. But other books (and authors) would come before it. Unfortunately, Wallace Stegner fell into this category for me. I've been meaning to read his...
Marion’s Favorites: 5 Uplifting Novels To Keep Your Mind Away from COVID-19
by MHill | Mar 18, 2020 | Marion's Favorite Books
Coronavirus AKA COVID-19 has taken over everybody's lives these days and created a global pandemic. However, I believe this is an opportunity to read some good books...uplifting books to keep our...
Wisdom From Kammbia Book Review 39: Black Fortunes by Shomari Wills
by MHill | Mar 5, 2020 | 2020 Book Reviews, Marion's Favorite Books, Wisdom From Kammbia Column
Black History Month has passed, and I had a plan to read three non-fiction books about black history during the month of February. I finished Maurice White's wonderful biography, My Life with Earth, Wind & Fire quickly and then I read Before The Mayflower...
Wisdom From Kammbia Book Review 37: My Life with Earth, Wind & Fire by Maurice White
by MHill | Feb 8, 2020 | 2020 Book Reviews, Marion's Favorite Books, Wisdom From Kammbia Column
I was challenged recently by a blog reader to read and review more nonfiction books. I have read fiction books for most of my reading life. There were numerous reasons why I have gravitated towards novels instead nonfiction. However, I chose not to state those reasons...
Marion’s 10 Favorite Reads of 2019
by MHill | Dec 28, 2019 | 2019 Book Reviews, Marion's Favorite Books, Wisdom From Kammbia Column
As we come to end of 2019, there will be a lot of lists for the best reads of the year. Well, I have compiled my favorite reads of the year. Here are ten books across all genres and a non-fiction selection. I believe in reading widely and have the readers credo,...
Wisdom From Kammbia Book Review 33: Jay-Z (Made In America) by Michael Eric Dyson
by MHill | Dec 27, 2019 | 2019 Book Reviews, Marion's Favorite Books, Wisdom From Kammbia Column
I love getting books as Christmas gifts especially from my 10-year-old daughter. This year's Christmas gift is Jay-Z (Made In America) by Michael Eric Dyson. I will confess upfront that Jay-Z is not my favorite rapper and I have not listened to a lot of his music. My...
Wisdom From Kammbia Book Review 32: A Time To Dance by Padma Venkatraman
by MHill | Dec 25, 2019 | 2019 Book Reviews, Marion's Favorite Books, Wisdom From Kammbia Column
One of the joys of reading is discovering a book (or author) you would have never come across in your normal reading experience. I will confess upfront that I'm not that much of a fan of YA novels. Reading about teenagers (or young adults) and their problems or issues...
Wisdom From Kammbia Book Review 31: Ascending by Meg Pechenick
by MHill | Dec 1, 2019 | 2019 Book Reviews, Marion's Favorite Books, Marion's Favorite Duologies, Wisdom From Kammbia Column
What if you were the only person on a spaceship with an alien race? You were the person groomed to speak an alien language and take part in an intercultural exchange between planets? You would want to do it in the first place? If you did, how you feel about it?...