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Black Sunshine
After two decades of shame that drove him into awhiskey bottle and left him a homeless, under-a-bridge drunk, WillGribbins has come home to face his past. He and his best friend werethe only two survivors of the 1980 explosion that killed 27 EasternKentucky miners in the Harlan #7 Coal Mine and shattered countless otherlives in the close-knit little community of Aintree Hollow. But the twoyoung men escaped the mine that day with more than just their lives. Eachcarried the burden of a terrible secret about another tragedy that occurredafter the explosion.When Will finally returns for the first time in 20 years for the memorialservice on the anniversary of the disaster, he doesn't know his action hasset in motion a chain of events that will threaten the lives of anothercrew of miners digging coal in a mile-deep hole under Black Mountain. As hereconnects with Aintree Hollow--with Granny Sparrow, whose grief hasimprisoned her, JoJo, who carries a terrible secret of her own and Jamey,a mentally handicapped boy who carves magical coal statutes--the suspense mounts.But Will doesn't see the danger. Or that the mystery of the boy holdsthe key to it all.When the fate of innocent miners is again placed in Will's hands, can hesummon the courage he lacked two decades ago? Is he man enough to savethem--even if it means he must do the thing he fears most?
349 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2011
51 people are currently reading
460 people want to read
About the author
Ninie Hammon
48 books240 followersI was born in Socorro, New Mexico, sometime shortly after the earth cooled off. It’s clear that from the outset my parents never intended for me to amount to anything. How could I? With a name like “Ninie?” Please.
Fame and fortune do not come to people named Ninie Bovell (My maiden name.) Gabriella Bovary? You could work with that. Even something as pedestrian as Madeline Bovell or Rebecca Bovell or (though you’d lose points here for lack of originality) Elizabeth Bovell. But Ninie? I never had a chance.
If I sound a mite hostile, bear in mind that in one decisive stroke my parents sentenced their precious newborn daughter to a lifetime of explanations that began my first day at Muleshoe Elementary School. (Yeah, Muleshoe. The hits just keep on coming.) After a painful week, I had a rap down that I still use today:
“No, it’s not Ninnie like skinny and penny. It’s Ninie—rhymes with tiny and shiny. 9e…get it? And no, it doesn’t mean anything, it isn’t short for anything, long for anything, or a substitute for anything. It just is. (Pause here for the inevitable ‘Why?’) You got me, pal, I couldn’t tell you.”
I grew up in Texas, got a BA in English and theatre from Texas Tech University and snagged a job as a newspaper reporter. Didn't know a thing about journalism, but my editor said if I could write he could teach me the rest of it and if I couldn't write the rest of it didn't matter. I hung in there for a 25-year career as a journalist. I wouldn’t have missed it for the world, but as soon as I figured out that making up the facts was a whole lot more fun than reporting them, I never looked back.
Now, I write suspense--every flavor except pistachio: psychological suspense, inspirational suspense, suspense thrillers, paranormal suspense, suspense mysteries.
In every book I write I try to keep this promise to Loyal Reader: I will tell you a story in a distinctive voice you'll always recognize, about people as ordinary as you are--people who have been slammed by something they didn’t sign on for, and now they must fight for their lives. Then smack in the middle of their everyday worlds, those people encounter the unexplainable--and it's always the game-changer."
Fame and fortune do not come to people named Ninie Bovell (My maiden name.) Gabriella Bovary? You could work with that. Even something as pedestrian as Madeline Bovell or Rebecca Bovell or (though you’d lose points here for lack of originality) Elizabeth Bovell. But Ninie? I never had a chance.
If I sound a mite hostile, bear in mind that in one decisive stroke my parents sentenced their precious newborn daughter to a lifetime of explanations that began my first day at Muleshoe Elementary School. (Yeah, Muleshoe. The hits just keep on coming.) After a painful week, I had a rap down that I still use today:
“No, it’s not Ninnie like skinny and penny. It’s Ninie—rhymes with tiny and shiny. 9e…get it? And no, it doesn’t mean anything, it isn’t short for anything, long for anything, or a substitute for anything. It just is. (Pause here for the inevitable ‘Why?’) You got me, pal, I couldn’t tell you.”
I grew up in Texas, got a BA in English and theatre from Texas Tech University and snagged a job as a newspaper reporter. Didn't know a thing about journalism, but my editor said if I could write he could teach me the rest of it and if I couldn't write the rest of it didn't matter. I hung in there for a 25-year career as a journalist. I wouldn’t have missed it for the world, but as soon as I figured out that making up the facts was a whole lot more fun than reporting them, I never looked back.
Now, I write suspense--every flavor except pistachio: psychological suspense, inspirational suspense, suspense thrillers, paranormal suspense, suspense mysteries.
In every book I write I try to keep this promise to Loyal Reader: I will tell you a story in a distinctive voice you'll always recognize, about people as ordinary as you are--people who have been slammed by something they didn’t sign on for, and now they must fight for their lives. Then smack in the middle of their everyday worlds, those people encounter the unexplainable--and it's always the game-changer."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
January 13, 2019
Like all books by this author, this was an outstanding book
January 16, 2018
This story takes us into the underground coal mines of Eastern, Kentucky. It also takes us into the heart of the hard realities of this trade. Further, the story plunges us into the tragedy of a mine explosion that killed 27 men, husbands, dads, brothers, uncles, grandfathers.
There are two survivors. Will Gribbins runs as far as he can from Aintree Hollow with a shame that finds him first in The Navy and then at the bottom of many empty whiskey bottles. Lloyd Jacobs stays in the community and spends the next 20 years trying to make up for his survivor’s guilt by being a real good guy. If you need a hand, Lloyd is there for you.
And it is 20 years later that Will decides to come back to Aintree Hollow to seek some sort of redemption for his tortured secret resulting from that deadly blast. He’s going to confess. He’s going to lay it all on the line. He’s going to take whatever punishment he deserves and he’s going to get the monkey off his back. Granny Sparrow welcomes Will back with open arms and love that spills out all over the place. Lloyd, however, is not in the least happy to see Will’s return. He has morbid secrets too.
Will’s decision to come out from under stalls out, however at every junction. Family complexities and second thoughts plague Will’s best intentions. Not only that, he’s about to get murdered.
Hammon’s depiction of the belly of the mines, the sound of the people, the portrait of truly, good, kind folks reveals a reverence for her subject and characters. Her masterful shocks in evolving plots keeps you reading in bed ’til morning. And her pivotal switchbacks never rely on stock solutions to complex problems.
I like the way Jamey Boy brings an element of sheer beauty and ultimate truth out of the blackness, the hardness, the dirtiness of coal. Things are not always as they seem. And there is Power beyond our ability to comprehend. This is where the story begins and ends.
There are two survivors. Will Gribbins runs as far as he can from Aintree Hollow with a shame that finds him first in The Navy and then at the bottom of many empty whiskey bottles. Lloyd Jacobs stays in the community and spends the next 20 years trying to make up for his survivor’s guilt by being a real good guy. If you need a hand, Lloyd is there for you.
And it is 20 years later that Will decides to come back to Aintree Hollow to seek some sort of redemption for his tortured secret resulting from that deadly blast. He’s going to confess. He’s going to lay it all on the line. He’s going to take whatever punishment he deserves and he’s going to get the monkey off his back. Granny Sparrow welcomes Will back with open arms and love that spills out all over the place. Lloyd, however, is not in the least happy to see Will’s return. He has morbid secrets too.
Will’s decision to come out from under stalls out, however at every junction. Family complexities and second thoughts plague Will’s best intentions. Not only that, he’s about to get murdered.
Hammon’s depiction of the belly of the mines, the sound of the people, the portrait of truly, good, kind folks reveals a reverence for her subject and characters. Her masterful shocks in evolving plots keeps you reading in bed ’til morning. And her pivotal switchbacks never rely on stock solutions to complex problems.
I like the way Jamey Boy brings an element of sheer beauty and ultimate truth out of the blackness, the hardness, the dirtiness of coal. Things are not always as they seem. And there is Power beyond our ability to comprehend. This is where the story begins and ends.
February 3, 2013
I don't know where this book will go, what genre it is (beyond "on my Kindle"). What I do know, something like 3 pages in, is that I'm likely to be up late reading. It is clear, that quickly, that Hammon has a way with character, description, events--she uses words very, very well.
Eastern Kentucky. The book opens with a mine disaster that leaves only 2 survivors. One stayed home & one left. Flash-forward 20 years. Will is coming home. Things are tense. There is more to the story of the past. And lots to learn about coal mining in Eastern Kentucky.
Even when Hammon does indulge in a bit of stereotyping (the Granny who seems to be too wise and strong and . . . for any living being, the person with "special sight"), she does it with a twist (not to be shared here--no spoilers). And her mountains are more than the romantic vision authors often give us. Nope, this rings as a true place with real people.
A most excellent read.
Eastern Kentucky. The book opens with a mine disaster that leaves only 2 survivors. One stayed home & one left. Flash-forward 20 years. Will is coming home. Things are tense. There is more to the story of the past. And lots to learn about coal mining in Eastern Kentucky.
Even when Hammon does indulge in a bit of stereotyping (the Granny who seems to be too wise and strong and . . . for any living being, the person with "special sight"), she does it with a twist (not to be shared here--no spoilers). And her mountains are more than the romantic vision authors often give us. Nope, this rings as a true place with real people.
A most excellent read.
November 17, 2019
It's hard for me to "categorize" this book. Mostly, it's a very strong work of fiction which depicts the difficult life of miners and their loved ones, as well as the strong sense of community that exists between them. There is also a strong element of fantasy that runs through the story.
No matter how you categorize the book, one thing is certain: this is an extremely well-written book with a strong storyline, strong characters, and a strong setting.
I was transported while reading this book. There were times when I could feel my heart start to race as the author, Ninie Hammon, described the underground world of a miner. It was impossible not to feel a strong sense of caring for a number of the characters: Will, who survived a mine explosion 20 years earlier and who tried to run away, both physically and through heavy drinking; Granny, the strong woman who lost her husband and son in the explosion and then raised her son's two children, Jamie and Jo-Jo. Jamie, (and his constant side-kick, a mine canary named ValVleen) who has a developmental disability and is a "seer". His artwork accurately tells stories of the past and the future. And Jo-Jo, a young woman who projects a tough exterior, but is suffering with the knowledge that she carries a genetic disease that will profoundly impact her future.
A very strong book, highly recommended.
No matter how you categorize the book, one thing is certain: this is an extremely well-written book with a strong storyline, strong characters, and a strong setting.
I was transported while reading this book. There were times when I could feel my heart start to race as the author, Ninie Hammon, described the underground world of a miner. It was impossible not to feel a strong sense of caring for a number of the characters: Will, who survived a mine explosion 20 years earlier and who tried to run away, both physically and through heavy drinking; Granny, the strong woman who lost her husband and son in the explosion and then raised her son's two children, Jamie and Jo-Jo. Jamie, (and his constant side-kick, a mine canary named ValVleen) who has a developmental disability and is a "seer". His artwork accurately tells stories of the past and the future. And Jo-Jo, a young woman who projects a tough exterior, but is suffering with the knowledge that she carries a genetic disease that will profoundly impact her future.
A very strong book, highly recommended.
December 26, 2020
Excellent book,was very involved with character's right from the start.
Will tortured his self for twenty yrs.for nothing.
When he finally came home,it still took a terrible event to see that he had went thru hell for nothing.
If you like books about miners,cave-ins and what the miner's families go thru,you will thoroughly enjoy this book.
The author is a winner as well, I plan to read many more of her books.Very glad I discovered this author.
Will tortured his self for twenty yrs.for nothing.
When he finally came home,it still took a terrible event to see that he had went thru hell for nothing.
If you like books about miners,cave-ins and what the miner's families go thru,you will thoroughly enjoy this book.
The author is a winner as well, I plan to read many more of her books.Very glad I discovered this author.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 20, 2018
Amazing
This was the best book I have read in a long time. It was a true reflection of the people of that region and the lives they lived. Being the daughter of a coal miner, although from a different state, this story went right to my heart. I would recommend it to anyone as well worth the time spent.
This was the best book I have read in a long time. It was a true reflection of the people of that region and the lives they lived. Being the daughter of a coal miner, although from a different state, this story went right to my heart. I would recommend it to anyone as well worth the time spent.
December 27, 2024
This is one of my all-time favorite reads! The depiction of Appalachian coal mining culture is quite accurate, the characters are endearing and the unexpected twists and turns make this a heartwarming and entertaining reading experience.
July 23, 2018
Wow!
Excellent, gripping, suspenseful! This novel really brings to life what coal miners must endure. Tugs at your heartstrings. So sad. Great read by Ninie, once again.
Excellent, gripping, suspenseful! This novel really brings to life what coal miners must endure. Tugs at your heartstrings. So sad. Great read by Ninie, once again.
July 18, 2025
20 years ago 27 men died in a Coal Mine explosion in a small Kentucky mining town.. Two men were dragged out of the rubble. Another wonderful book by Ninie Hammon.
February 21, 2017
How do I begin....
There are some stories you seem to know right away what is happening and others you feel confused and lost. This was neither of these. But it was like meeting a person for the first time and learning their story slowly. Not everyone opens up right away and tells you their story right away. Others you wish they didn't. I enjoyed the slow pace at first. I got to enjoy it with the wet rainy days we have had. I didn't feel that push or edge of tension. That slowly built. Not every story has to put you on edge right away I think and I am glad this one did not.
Will was certainly on a journey and at the end of one that had taken him a long time to make. This held true for several people and how the past had affected them and made them who they were at this point. But that could be said for all of us. Each of the characters had their own complexities, their own faces that they showed, public and private. Even then she still made them complex.
This is one of the aspects I love about Ninie's writing style. How she weaves not just the story line from the past to the present but also the past of the character to the present one and perhaps some of the answers of why perhaps they are where they are in life.
The story is not that complex yet the walk of each in some aspect is. I guess this is where is can or cannot depend on how you take in the book and where you are yourself in your life. It can make you think. Either way it is a great book and one I enjoyed greatly and would recommend to any of my friends.
There are some stories you seem to know right away what is happening and others you feel confused and lost. This was neither of these. But it was like meeting a person for the first time and learning their story slowly. Not everyone opens up right away and tells you their story right away. Others you wish they didn't. I enjoyed the slow pace at first. I got to enjoy it with the wet rainy days we have had. I didn't feel that push or edge of tension. That slowly built. Not every story has to put you on edge right away I think and I am glad this one did not.
Will was certainly on a journey and at the end of one that had taken him a long time to make. This held true for several people and how the past had affected them and made them who they were at this point. But that could be said for all of us. Each of the characters had their own complexities, their own faces that they showed, public and private. Even then she still made them complex.
This is one of the aspects I love about Ninie's writing style. How she weaves not just the story line from the past to the present but also the past of the character to the present one and perhaps some of the answers of why perhaps they are where they are in life.
The story is not that complex yet the walk of each in some aspect is. I guess this is where is can or cannot depend on how you take in the book and where you are yourself in your life. It can make you think. Either way it is a great book and one I enjoyed greatly and would recommend to any of my friends.
May 13, 2015
October 20, 1980 at precisely 12:18 PM, the town of Aintree Hollow was forever altered. Aintree Hollow is a mining town. Generations of men have worked the mines to fee their families. On that particular October day, 27 of them never came home. Black Mountain's mine, Harlan #7, was the site of an incredible explosion. Of the men there that day, only 2, Will & Lloyd, survived. Local matriarch, Ruby Sparrow, lost her husband, son, brother, & son-in-law all at once.
Lloyd & Will handle the situation opposite of each other. While Lloyd stays in Aintree & pours himself into his church, Will has fled the town & poured bottles into himself. Much speculation has surrounded the explosion over a twenty year span. Due to the dangerous nature of the mine, no recovery effort was attempted. Those miners lay buried under Black Mountain. With the twenty year anniversary approaching, a memorial service is planned. Although he hasn't stepped foot there in two decades, Will returns home.
Most of the town views the explosion as an unfortunate occurrence. Mines aren't the epitome of safety in the '80s. Deep down, Will knows that way more happened in that mine than anyone could imagine. Only he & Lloyd know what happened before, during, & after that mine blew. Wishing to make peace with his own mind, Will knows he needs to confess. What is the truth about Harlan #7?
Although 'Five Days in May' remains my favorite of Hammon's novels, this one pulls a close second. Each character is so deep & shrouded in mystery that readers will genuinely care about what happens with them. Ruby is an amazing heroine who doesn't simply read her Bible- she lives it. Will resonates with any reader who has either struggled with sobriety or was nearly eaten alive by guilt. A marvelous cast of supporting characters show what is so beautiful about small towns & why they've made America what it is today.
Nine Hammon has an excellent way of using these small town backdrops to weave intricate stories of love, redemption, & sacrifice. Her plots are original & thought provoking. 'Black Sunshine' is a perfect example. It's a 5 star novel.
Lloyd & Will handle the situation opposite of each other. While Lloyd stays in Aintree & pours himself into his church, Will has fled the town & poured bottles into himself. Much speculation has surrounded the explosion over a twenty year span. Due to the dangerous nature of the mine, no recovery effort was attempted. Those miners lay buried under Black Mountain. With the twenty year anniversary approaching, a memorial service is planned. Although he hasn't stepped foot there in two decades, Will returns home.
Most of the town views the explosion as an unfortunate occurrence. Mines aren't the epitome of safety in the '80s. Deep down, Will knows that way more happened in that mine than anyone could imagine. Only he & Lloyd know what happened before, during, & after that mine blew. Wishing to make peace with his own mind, Will knows he needs to confess. What is the truth about Harlan #7?
Although 'Five Days in May' remains my favorite of Hammon's novels, this one pulls a close second. Each character is so deep & shrouded in mystery that readers will genuinely care about what happens with them. Ruby is an amazing heroine who doesn't simply read her Bible- she lives it. Will resonates with any reader who has either struggled with sobriety or was nearly eaten alive by guilt. A marvelous cast of supporting characters show what is so beautiful about small towns & why they've made America what it is today.
Nine Hammon has an excellent way of using these small town backdrops to weave intricate stories of love, redemption, & sacrifice. Her plots are original & thought provoking. 'Black Sunshine' is a perfect example. It's a 5 star novel.
July 1, 2014
The psychological suspense is gripping in this drama about a coal mine disaster. By psychological suspense, I mean the tension of trying to figure out the mystery… before the mine explodes again.
Only two men escaped with their lives from the Eastern Kentucky mine when it exploded the first time in 1980. But something happened down there AFTER the explosion that day and keeping that secret has, in different ways, destroyed the lives of both survivors for twenty years.
One of the survivors comes home to Aintree Hollow for the 20th anniversary memorial service determined to confess what he did. And the other survivor is just as determined to keep him quiet--at any cost.
This is one of the best books I've read in years. The story is layered with deep thematic elements about the power of forgiveness. I can't recommend it too highly.
Only two men escaped with their lives from the Eastern Kentucky mine when it exploded the first time in 1980. But something happened down there AFTER the explosion that day and keeping that secret has, in different ways, destroyed the lives of both survivors for twenty years.
One of the survivors comes home to Aintree Hollow for the 20th anniversary memorial service determined to confess what he did. And the other survivor is just as determined to keep him quiet--at any cost.
This is one of the best books I've read in years. The story is layered with deep thematic elements about the power of forgiveness. I can't recommend it too highly.
July 2, 2014
Who would have guessed my heart would break over a story about coal miners?
Black Sunshine is contemporary fiction about a world as old as the mountains themselves; inspirational suspense that gives you insight into the lives of people you never knew existed. These "hillbillies" are not cardboard stereotypes but real, lovable, believable people who work in the coal mines in conditions no one dreams they endure.
The book centers around a coal mine explosion twenty years before and how it affected the lives of the survivors. But it is also a story about how forgiveness changes people's lives and how stored-up hatred destroys.
I enjoyed this book tremendously. (The psychic boy added a fascinating element of paranormal suspense, and I was certainly not expecting THAT.) Thrillers like this are why I read Ninie Hammon!
Black Sunshine is contemporary fiction about a world as old as the mountains themselves; inspirational suspense that gives you insight into the lives of people you never knew existed. These "hillbillies" are not cardboard stereotypes but real, lovable, believable people who work in the coal mines in conditions no one dreams they endure.
The book centers around a coal mine explosion twenty years before and how it affected the lives of the survivors. But it is also a story about how forgiveness changes people's lives and how stored-up hatred destroys.
I enjoyed this book tremendously. (The psychic boy added a fascinating element of paranormal suspense, and I was certainly not expecting THAT.) Thrillers like this are why I read Ninie Hammon!
July 1, 2015
In eastern Kentucky in 1980, 27 miners were trapped underground and died. But two walked out alive! This is the story.
Will Gibbins and his friend, Lloyd made it out. But Will and Lloyd share a horrible secret of what really happened that day. Will leaves his home and disappears for 20 years, but he is back for the 20th Anniversary of this tragedy and to finally tell the truth of what really happened in the mine on that day.
Will's family is gone but he has as much as son to Ruth Sparrow as he lived with them much of his live. Ruth lost a son and a husband in the mine explosion. Her grandson --Jammey can predict the past by carving sculptures out of coal.
I just love the heartwarming stories that Ninie Hammon writes and will continue to read any of her books. Her books remain with you long after you finished the last page.
Will Gibbins and his friend, Lloyd made it out. But Will and Lloyd share a horrible secret of what really happened that day. Will leaves his home and disappears for 20 years, but he is back for the 20th Anniversary of this tragedy and to finally tell the truth of what really happened in the mine on that day.
Will's family is gone but he has as much as son to Ruth Sparrow as he lived with them much of his live. Ruth lost a son and a husband in the mine explosion. Her grandson --Jammey can predict the past by carving sculptures out of coal.
I just love the heartwarming stories that Ninie Hammon writes and will continue to read any of her books. Her books remain with you long after you finished the last page.
November 16, 2014
Much surprised. I was born on Black Mountain, and come from a coal mining family. I was expecting the typical "lazy hillbilly" crap. But to my very pleasant surprise, NOT so! The characters are presented with dignity, human emotions and respect. The references to the area are accurate, except Corbin, Ky is closer to Harlan County than Somerset, Kentucky.
The references to the "dog hole" mines are accurate and the hard lives of the miners are presented well.
The story and the daily events in the characters lives are interesting and seem to be based on actual situations.
I would recommend this book as a definite read to anyone from the coal mining area and to all who would like a bit of insight into the lives of coal mining families.
The references to the "dog hole" mines are accurate and the hard lives of the miners are presented well.
The story and the daily events in the characters lives are interesting and seem to be based on actual situations.
I would recommend this book as a definite read to anyone from the coal mining area and to all who would like a bit of insight into the lives of coal mining families.
November 14, 2012
I read this book on recommendation of my father. He loved Ninie's ability to build strong characters that you truly relate, understand, and become emotionally involved with. What can I say about this book on a personal level... He was right! The characterization is amazing. I fell in love with the holler, with the characters, with their flaws and faults, and their heart. This book was incredibly suspenseful as well. It kept me turning the pages, unable to put it down. There is no higher accomplishment as a writer than to tell a story that is impossible to put down. Well done Ninie!
December 29, 2014
Retire for black sunshine
Another good book for this author. I gave it a four because I had trouble getting started in the 1st three chapters. Then the book came together and we were off running. Another book that I couldn't put down. This author is a great read. I have loved every book I have read by this author. The characters jump off the page and it just seems by the end of the book like you could recognize them on the streets and start a conversation...they are that real.
Another good book for this author. I gave it a four because I had trouble getting started in the 1st three chapters. Then the book came together and we were off running. Another book that I couldn't put down. This author is a great read. I have loved every book I have read by this author. The characters jump off the page and it just seems by the end of the book like you could recognize them on the streets and start a conversation...they are that real.
March 10, 2015
You understand
My people come from Johnson Co Kentucky. Every time I read one of Ninie's books I feeol like Im know my own people so much better.The books really make the people and their way of life so breathtakingly real. Thank you for helping me to understand who I am and where I came from
My people come from Johnson Co Kentucky. Every time I read one of Ninie's books I feeol like Im know my own people so much better.The books really make the people and their way of life so breathtakingly real. Thank you for helping me to understand who I am and where I came from
May 7, 2015
Another great book....
I always envy when someone has such a great talent whether it's painting or writing wonderful books...so far this is the second book I have read by this author and both books have deserved a five star rating because the storyline were so intense and nothing like each other....I am for sure going to read other books by her...
I always envy when someone has such a great talent whether it's painting or writing wonderful books...so far this is the second book I have read by this author and both books have deserved a five star rating because the storyline were so intense and nothing like each other....I am for sure going to read other books by her...
August 6, 2012
The story was very suspensful. The carrot was kept dangling in front of you throughout the entire book. Everytime I thought we were going down the straight path to the explanation, the road took another turn. A book you can't put down.
February 9, 2014
WOW !
I had read several of Ninie's books before but I didn't think I could get into one about coal miners. Wrong! this books has so many twists and turns it will make you dizzy. the characters are so real and well all I can say is read it to experience it.
I had read several of Ninie's books before but I didn't think I could get into one about coal miners. Wrong! this books has so many twists and turns it will make you dizzy. the characters are so real and well all I can say is read it to experience it.
September 17, 2015
I so thoroughly enjoy Ninie Hammon's use of language. She paints "word pictures". One particular one really struck my fancy. In referring to remembrances are "like snapshots in little plastic sleeves in the back pockets of your brain."
February 22, 2016
Wonderful read
I live in west Virginia and have past relatives who were coal miners. The subject matter of the book caught my interest. I enjoyed the book very very much. I especially enjoyed the dialog of Granny. I would recommend this highly.
I live in west Virginia and have past relatives who were coal miners. The subject matter of the book caught my interest. I enjoyed the book very very much. I especially enjoyed the dialog of Granny. I would recommend this highly.
October 26, 2014
Riviting, suspenseful. ...Wow! The characters are so real you feel like you know them! I would recommend this book to all my friends!
November 27, 2014
Started out slow but once it took off, it took
off. About miners, families, tragedies and a whole lot
more. Real good.
off. About miners, families, tragedies and a whole lot
more. Real good.
May 1, 2016
Great Book!! I think one of the things that make Ninie Hammon's book so great is that she writes about an area that she knows and researches (by word of mouth??) the topic.
August 8, 2016
I was hooked in a few pages. Kentucky coal mines, hillbillies (not derogatory), and the valleys of Kentucky all play a part in this tale of misdeeds and redemption.
July 4, 2016
Very good!
September 13, 2016
Wow
I so can't wait for more books by this author. When will the third book of knowing be out. She is one of the great writers. Keeps you wrapped up from the very first word!
I so can't wait for more books by this author. When will the third book of knowing be out. She is one of the great writers. Keeps you wrapped up from the very first word!
November 23, 2016
Another good story from Ninie Hammon that is worth reading. Another 5
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews