Combining the action of the finest suspense novels with the intense family drama of the best women’s fiction, Patricia Hudson’s historical novel Traces (University of Kentucky Press 2022) is a riveting read underpinned by twenty-five years of impeccable research. The novel was a finalist for the Weatherford Award (losing to Kingsolver’s Demon Copperhead) and has […]
“Answering Liberty’s Call” by Tracy Lawson
Uncovering the pivotal unsung roles women played in history is a trend that Tracy Lawson continues in Answering Liberty’s Call (Gray Lion Books 2022). In this captivating novel, Anna Stone, a young mother of three, sets out to carry medicine and warm clothing to her husband and brother garrisoned at Valley Forge. The result is […]
The Official Southern Literary Review 2023 Holiday Gift Guide
No gift is better than a good book, right? Each year Southern Literary Review’s editors let you in on some of their favorite books of the year. Donna’s Picks For readers who enjoy historical fiction: Yellow Wife by Sadeka Johnson (Enslaved woman living with prison master) Only Oona by Tamatha Cain (Charlie Chaplin’s wife) Sister […]
“Snakes of St. Augustine” by Ginger Pinholster
In her fascinating novel Snakes of St. Augustine, Ginger Pinholster takes a deep dive into two subjects many humans turn away from: snakes and people whose brains operate differently. As the novel opens, we meet fitness guru Serena Jacobs, who is reporting her mentally different brother Gethin’s disappearance to Police Officer Jeffries. Serena was only […]




