I have always had a fascination with the intersection of art and faith, particularly from the perspective of American Christianity. Throughout most of my life as an adult (currently in my early fifties), and even prior to that, it seems like these two things have been...
Wisdom From Kammbia Book Review 137: The Hacienda by Isabel Canas
by MHill | Mar 15, 2024 | 2024 Book Reviews, Marion's Favorite Books, Marion's Reading Life Blog, Wisdom From Kammbia Column
Sometimes a novel will to come to your attention when you are just scrolling through Goodreads recommendations. I rarely take much notice to those recommendations, but when I saw The Hacienda by Isabel Canas, I immediately stop scrolling. I’m glad I did. The Hacienda...
Wisdom From Kammbia Book Review 136: A Red Death by Walter Mosley
by MHill | Feb 28, 2024 | 2024 Book Reviews, Black History Month, Book Reviews, Easy Rawlins Series/Walter Mosley, Marion's Favorite Books, Marion's Favorites, Marion's Reading Life Blog, Wisdom From Kammbia Column
When the IRS comes knocking at your door looking for back taxes, it will put you in an untenable position that provides no easy way out. Easy Rawlins finds himself in such a situation in the novel, A Red Death. A Red Death is the second novel in the Easy Rawlins...
Wisdom From Kammbia Story Review 23: Since You Went Away by Frankie Y. Bailey
by MHill | Feb 20, 2024 | Black History Month, Short Story Review, Wisdom of Kammbia Story Review
Anthologies provide a great opportunity to explore new genres of fiction that you wouldn't typically read. Also, I have integrated more short stories into my reading life in the last couple of years. Incorporating short stories into your reading life can provide a...
Wisdom From Kammbia Book Review 135: Suder by Percival Everett
by MHill | Feb 16, 2024 | 2024 Book Reviews, Black History Month, Book Reviews, Marion's Reading Life Blog, Percival Everett, Wisdom From Kammbia Column
Percival Everett has quickly joined my favorite author’s list, which includes Paul Auster, Octavia Butler, Jonathan Carroll, Charles de Lint, Guy Gavriel Kay, & Haruki Murakami. Having read multiple novels by these authors, I must say that Everett has ventured...
Wisdom From Kammbia Book Review 134: Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie
by MHill | Feb 5, 2024 | 2024 Book Reviews, Book Reviews, Marion's Reading Life Blog, Wisdom From Kammbia Column
Sometimes when you dive into a highly praised novel with certain expectations for the storyline, only to swiftly realize it takes an entirely different direction. This is the case with Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie. Spending the entire first month of 2024...
Wisdom From Kammbia Book Review 133: Skin of the Sea by Natasha Bowen
by MHill | Dec 26, 2023 | 2023 Book Reviews, Book Reviews, Marion's Reading Life Blog, Wisdom From Kammbia Column
"When I six years old, my favorite book was The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen. I remember reading that book over and over again, examining each illustration and convincing myself that it was all real. And even though I never saw myself in that story, I...
Marion’s Eight All-Time Favorite Short Stories (Part Two)
by MHill | Dec 20, 2023 | Marion's Favorite Books, Marion's Favorites, Marion's Reading Life Blog, Short Story Review, Wisdom From Kammbia Column
I recently posted part one of my all-time favorite short stories. Here is the second half of my list and represents the short fiction that has stayed with me as a reader. 5) Galapago by Kali Fajardo-Anstine: This story comes from the excellent short story...
Marion’s Eight All-Time Favorite Short Stories (Part One)
by MHill | Dec 15, 2023 | Marion's Favorites, Marion's Reading Life Blog, Short Story Review, Wisdom From Kammbia Column
Over the past couple of years, I have read more short stories. Short stories have added an extra dimension to my reading life and diversified my reading. I have become a bona fide short story reader and these eight stories are my all-time favorites. I've divided my...
Marion’s Sixteen All-Time Favorite Novels (Part Two)
by MHill | Nov 27, 2023 | Book Reviews, Marion's Favorite Books, Marion's Favorites, Marion's Reading Life Blog, Wisdom From Kammbia Column
The number 16 symbolizes trust, intuition, balance, and leaning into your own wisdom. In addition, it’s a number that isn’t commonly seen on all-time lists, but I thought it was the right choice for my list of favorite novels. I just posted part one of my all-time...