Tamatha Cain’s Only Oona (Orange Blossom Publishing, 2023) is not only a remarkable woman’s story; this outstanding historical novel shines as a glittering Who’s Who in the 1940s. With impeccable research, Cain brings Oona O’Neill Chaplin to life, stretching from her early years in the Bermuda countryside to teen years roaming the streets of Manhattan […]
“Chief Corn Tassel” by Mitzi Dorton
April 17, 2023 by Leave a Comment
With thorough research, Mitzi Dorton brings the inspiring story of Chief Corn Tassel to life. Much of Chief Corn Tassel (Finishing Line Press, 2022) is told through the Cherokee chief’s own words and recorded speeches. An impressive section of illustrations appends the book. Known as “the best statesman” and “the greatest orator of the late […]
“The Third Rainbow Girl: The Long Life of a Double Murder in Appalachia” by Emma Copley Eisenberg
April 4, 2023 by Leave a Comment
With elegant prose, Emma Copley Eisenberg pushes all the boundaries in her nonfiction book, The Third Rainbow Girl: The Long Life of a Double Murder in Appalachia (Hatchette, 2020). It is part true crime, but her lens focuses tighter on the people involved than the typical crime story. Eisenberg delivers the life stories of the […]
March Read of the Month: “Atomic Family” by Ciera Horton McElroy
March 1, 2023 by Leave a Comment
For a novel that begins by plunging right ahead to its grim ending—a little boy falling from a water tower—Atomic Family (Blair, 2023) still manages to build excruciating suspense by the time the story circles back to the fall. Why did the boy climb the tower? Will he survive the fall? Author Ciera Horton McElroy […]