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Above the Fog: Appalachian Fiction
When her abusive father swears an oath on her thirteenth birthday that could destroy her family, Coreen Shell prays to a God she doubts even exists. The next day, a flood washes through their coal camp in southeastern Kentucky, sweeping away the life she's known. Now Coreen, her mother, and her crippled grandmother must climb the mountain to find refuge in a small, backwoods church. Coreen is about to learn that the sins and lies of our past can leave a legacy of pain and destruction for generations to come. "This is a great story, real and hard, lightened with some happy moments and giving people. I loved it. Because of some thematic elements, Above the Fog is for older teens and adults, not children. There is no cursing, and sordid details are not elaborated." ~ Amazon review General Content (G) (I): Contains little or no; sexual dialogue or situations, violence, or strong language. May also contain content of an inspirational/religious nature.
260 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 30, 2018
395 people are currently reading
238 people want to read
About the author
Karen Lynn Nolan
1 book18 followersKaren Lynn Nolan is an award-winning writer of Appalachian fiction, mystery/suspense, and memoir. Her years in the eastern Kentucky mountains instilled a love of storytelling, mystery, humor, stubbornness, and deep faith.
Karen's degree in music and theater drove her to leave her beloved mountains and move to New York City to study voice and acting and to perform. Her experiences ranged from serving as music director of Trinity Baptist Church to performing on-stage at Carnegie Hall.
Then life took her on more adventures through several eastern states until she settled in Atlanta and devoted herself to her first love, writing.
Karen's degree in music and theater drove her to leave her beloved mountains and move to New York City to study voice and acting and to perform. Her experiences ranged from serving as music director of Trinity Baptist Church to performing on-stage at Carnegie Hall.
Then life took her on more adventures through several eastern states until she settled in Atlanta and devoted herself to her first love, writing.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
October 19, 2018
I was privileged to read a proof of this novel sent to me directly from the author. I'd recommend especially for Young Adult Christian readers. That being said, anyone would enjoy this story and the journey that the characters make from a very sad life to a much happier one... even after a couple of tragedies.
June 19, 2024
While the writing was not complex, the story dealt with complex issues. Author did a fabulous job with making the underlying evil readable. I felt nauseous at times when I imagined myself as a character in the story. Vernon the Evil is one of the worst characters I’ve encountered. It was challenging for me to see Coreen as a 13 year old, she was way too easy going compared to the 13 year olds I know-lol! Christian references are a strong thread but not over the top.
February 27, 2019
Mountain memories
Karen Nolan has crafted a beautiful story about life in a mountain coal-mining area. The life is hard. For some, who have been terrorized by an evil man, harder than most. But throughout the story runs hope. And hope makes everything beautiful. Great novel, well worth reading.
Karen Nolan has crafted a beautiful story about life in a mountain coal-mining area. The life is hard. For some, who have been terrorized by an evil man, harder than most. But throughout the story runs hope. And hope makes everything beautiful. Great novel, well worth reading.
April 25, 2019
I loved it! I only gave her 4 stars so I'd have room to go higher for her next book. This is so well-written, it's more like a 3rd or 4th book, than a debut one. The story will hold your interest completely. Her descriptions are so true to life, and I loved the characters. I'll be reading more of Karen's books!
January 30, 2019
Well written!
March 4, 2022
This book was wonderful! Above the Fog is a very powerful and emotional read. I literally could not put it down. I have to admit, I'm not an avid reader but this one "grabbed me" from the very beginning and found me wanting more in the end. The devastation the characters had to endure was heartbreaking but the author leads us to the truth that there is always hope in the end. I especially enjoyed trying to solve the murder mystery and learning about the mountain culture which Karen Nolan brought out in her story. I could hear her "voice" all the way through the book and wondered if possibly, at times, she had spoken from her own experience and had lived amongst these very same characters. The twist and turns kept me wondering "who did it?" until the very end. You will love this book! I can't wait to read the sequel or any other book Ms. Nolan writes!
March 7, 2019
The first half of this book was really good, but then everything lined up just a little too simply and predictably.
March 9, 2019
We all wrestle with the effects of sins in our own lives, particularly sins of certain individuals in our family tree who embarrass and shock us, who have hurt us in ways we struggle to write about or talk about even with our best friend. Perhaps the poignant delivery of the message of this novel will help you gain courage to talk about your pain. After I read the acknowledgement pages and the dedication, I cried. I read the first two pages before I chose to purchase this book. I cried again. How could the author know? I knew I had to read more. Author Karen Lynn Nolan writes what we all must feel when facing the sorrow of lost innocence, and the devastation of broken dreams, the feeling of living under the fog of hidden secrets. The bruises a young girl might face from physical abuse, the emotional rage following a lifetime of unspoken memories and questions, or anxiety which haunts those who have suffered abuse, seldom see justice. We experience the author’s transparency and vulnerability. We are compelled to draw open the curtain into her story, to step into her world. Even in the dedication I sensed the soul of writing which exposes tenderness through heartbreaking tragedies which we all face on some level within our own lives. She writes, “On days when my life fell apart, fear overwhelmed me, and I thought I could never write again, you inspired me and urged me on. You took my hand when I was scared and wanted to give up. You loved me unconditionally and guided me through the dense fog, up the mist-covered mountains, and into the sunshine above. Because of you I know that above the fog, the sun still shines.” Printed on the cover of this remarkable poignant novel are the words, “Can Corina and her mother survive the sins and lies that linger after death?” I wanted to know thirteen year old Corina and her mom, Sarah. I met Corina’s grandmother who risked her life attempting to protect her daughter. I met the people who hurt them and the people who loved them. I adored the menagerie of characters who surrounded this family with genuine Christian compassion. And I experienced a tragedy of lost hope, regained through unexpected situations, as well as expected kindness and forgiveness in the church. One of the most important, powerful lines in the story, is written from the perspective of young Corina. “Funny how she hardly remembered her old life. Maybe her dreams had whispers of hope after all. And just maybe there’s a God, too.” Above the Fog. Let God whisper his hope through your story today, above the fog of life’s tragedies, and experience peace
October 21, 2024
Definitely not a 5 star read but had some good qualities.
“Can you really change who you are by how you live?”
“Why’s life got to be so hard? Why can’t I have the kind of life I read about in them books?”
“Sometimes I wish I could find a way to stop all the hurtin’. Maybe I could jump into the river and drown—or lay down on the train track and let the big engines squash me. Nobody’d miss me.”
“Hope is a promise that good things can happen, even when there’s bad stuff all around you.”
“Hard times ain’t easy to survive. Sometimes, though, they’s necessary to get where one needs to be.”
“The more time we spend thinking about the happy things in our lives or making happy things happen, then the more time we don’t spend thinking about all the not-so-happy stuff.”
“I reckon most people have something in their lives that cripples ’em. If they let it.”
“When life seemed to be going right, how come she couldn’t shake the feeling trouble still cast a shadow on them all?”
“Can you really change who you are by how you live?”
“Why’s life got to be so hard? Why can’t I have the kind of life I read about in them books?”
“Sometimes I wish I could find a way to stop all the hurtin’. Maybe I could jump into the river and drown—or lay down on the train track and let the big engines squash me. Nobody’d miss me.”
“Hope is a promise that good things can happen, even when there’s bad stuff all around you.”
“Hard times ain’t easy to survive. Sometimes, though, they’s necessary to get where one needs to be.”
“The more time we spend thinking about the happy things in our lives or making happy things happen, then the more time we don’t spend thinking about all the not-so-happy stuff.”
“I reckon most people have something in their lives that cripples ’em. If they let it.”
“When life seemed to be going right, how come she couldn’t shake the feeling trouble still cast a shadow on them all?”
March 27, 2019
Above the Fog, by Karen Lynn Nolan, is a must-read for anyone going through a tough time. At first, it seems there is no hope for coal miner family Sarah, Coreen, and Estelle, as they suffer loss after loss. They feel they can lose nothing else but their situation gets worse than the family’s darkest nightmare. But then they discover a secret box that reveals a long-hidden mystery. Will this discovery result in healing between Sarah and Coreen’s mother-daughter relationship? Along the way, they make friendships with godly people who help them to get their life back on track. Where is God in the midst of tragedy? Karen Lynn Nolan expertly answers this question as she navigates the reader to look above the fog of confusion to the ever-present God who walks through trials with us, bringing us to victory as we trust Him to make a diamond out of us when all we have to offer Him is coal dust.
September 8, 2019
Raw, emotional and heartwarming
I absolutely loved this book! My grandfather grew up in the Appalachians and many of his stories were similar. Doreen is such a brave girl and much wiser than her 13 years. Her mama, Sarah, battles the same demons and resents her own daughter who is a reminder of her horrid past. Through the grace of God, they survive some horrific storms, only to come out better people with a clearer understanding of who they are. I couldn’t put this book down, it was very well written, I related to every character in this book. My heart cried, felt their pain, and ultimately their happiness and clarity in life. Highly recommend this wonderful read!
I absolutely loved this book! My grandfather grew up in the Appalachians and many of his stories were similar. Doreen is such a brave girl and much wiser than her 13 years. Her mama, Sarah, battles the same demons and resents her own daughter who is a reminder of her horrid past. Through the grace of God, they survive some horrific storms, only to come out better people with a clearer understanding of who they are. I couldn’t put this book down, it was very well written, I related to every character in this book. My heart cried, felt their pain, and ultimately their happiness and clarity in life. Highly recommend this wonderful read!
February 15, 2022
Love this book
I was born in Harlan county moved to Loyal ky, when I was 12 , from a coal mining camp. So when I seen this one, I knew I had to read read it. I am so glad I did. Me Nolan wrote so good, I felt as I was there, I have fond memories of the years, I experienced a flood of two, some terrible deaths, but mostly good people. Please as you read, remember it is just a story, there is evil everywhere. Me Nolan is a great writer, describing the mountains, the people, as they are, good hard working, faithful, loving families. Enjoy. I have to read another of her works she is very good.
I was born in Harlan county moved to Loyal ky, when I was 12 , from a coal mining camp. So when I seen this one, I knew I had to read read it. I am so glad I did. Me Nolan wrote so good, I felt as I was there, I have fond memories of the years, I experienced a flood of two, some terrible deaths, but mostly good people. Please as you read, remember it is just a story, there is evil everywhere. Me Nolan is a great writer, describing the mountains, the people, as they are, good hard working, faithful, loving families. Enjoy. I have to read another of her works she is very good.
September 22, 2019
Oh so heartbreaking but so good! This is a powerful story of perseverance and new beginnings. A young girl and her mother escape a life of poverty when a flood comes through and destroys their home and belongings. They also escape the horrible abuse afflicted upon them by the husband/dad. A loving Christian community takes them under their wings and helps them rebuild physically, mentally and spiritually.
December 2, 2020
So Sad
I found this book to be extremely different from most I read. We never know the pain someone else is living or the hurts they insured through no fault of their own. This will truly make you stop and reconsider judging any person until you really know all the facts.
It is sad, funny sometimes and ends with you wondering how the lives of the characters turn out. Hope you enjoy it!
I found this book to be extremely different from most I read. We never know the pain someone else is living or the hurts they insured through no fault of their own. This will truly make you stop and reconsider judging any person until you really know all the facts.
It is sad, funny sometimes and ends with you wondering how the lives of the characters turn out. Hope you enjoy it!
March 12, 2021
Attitude (and death) in this novel determines whether the characters rise above or stay below the fog. Estelle, Sarah and Coreen are victims of Sarah’s abusive husband. Losing their homes in a devastating flood brings them the opportunity to rise above their poor and painful histories. A church takes them in and healing begins. But not all in the trio can get beyond her past. Letting go can save a person but can they let go?
September 11, 2021
EVIL HAS A NAME
Another mountain folk book, but Ms Karen created such an evil character... Vernon! Lots of action and messy mud .
3 generations of women live their nightmares in this story.
But with disaster comes help and aid.
And... inside plumbing with a toliet. The girls no longer fought with critters and spiders and odors!!
#Pick This Book
#ReadThisAuthor
* Vernon & vermin sound very much alike.
Another mountain folk book, but Ms Karen created such an evil character... Vernon! Lots of action and messy mud .
3 generations of women live their nightmares in this story.
But with disaster comes help and aid.
And... inside plumbing with a toliet. The girls no longer fought with critters and spiders and odors!!
#Pick This Book
#ReadThisAuthor
* Vernon & vermin sound very much alike.
February 4, 2019
Beyond the Fog is a triumph!
Beyond the Fog is a shining story of hope that shines in the darkest night of a 13-year-old’s soul. Karen Nolan has written a painfully brilliant story of lives torn by abuse can be made whole by the truth. I look forward to more from this amazing new author.
Beyond the Fog is a shining story of hope that shines in the darkest night of a 13-year-old’s soul. Karen Nolan has written a painfully brilliant story of lives torn by abuse can be made whole by the truth. I look forward to more from this amazing new author.
February 13, 2019
Above the Fog
A delightful coming of age book illustrating the dangers that may befall a young girl. Deals beautifully with poverty and when a crisis occurs with severe flooding. The goodness of people in a disaster finishing with some detective work. All in all the books seems to have a bit of everything, very enjoyable
A delightful coming of age book illustrating the dangers that may befall a young girl. Deals beautifully with poverty and when a crisis occurs with severe flooding. The goodness of people in a disaster finishing with some detective work. All in all the books seems to have a bit of everything, very enjoyable
June 5, 2019
What Could They Salvage?
Karen wrote as though she knew the mountain towns, the lives of .miners' and their families. I could almost smell the mud that covered their water logged homes. And feel the utter joy when colleen had her own room and a private bathroom. The sordid life with her evil father behind her, she had high hopes of a better life "above the fog."
Karen wrote as though she knew the mountain towns, the lives of .miners' and their families. I could almost smell the mud that covered their water logged homes. And feel the utter joy when colleen had her own room and a private bathroom. The sordid life with her evil father behind her, she had high hopes of a better life "above the fog."
November 15, 2019
This is my first Karen Lynn Nolan book and, hopefully, it won't be my last. I have always loved books set in Appalachia which share the real struggles of the hardscrabble existence of the people. Once I started this novel, I couldn't put it down and, I must admit, the ending was a total surprise.
You'll love this book, too!
You'll love this book, too!
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January 14, 2020If you haven't read Above the Fog by Karen Lynn Nolan, you need to put it on your reading list. Karen Nolan writes a beautiful book of courage and hope. In spite of the challenges that Coreen faces, she overcomes all of them with her ability to meet them with a smile and her faith. I love the way Karen Nolan writes and look forward to reading many more books by this author.
May 20, 2020
Great book
This book starts quickly and keeps you wanting to read. I am from the Appalachian region and I have seen what can happen. People from all walks of life can be evil, but when you add stupidity with it, it is personified. I like books with happy endings as I always root for the under dog
This book starts quickly and keeps you wanting to read. I am from the Appalachian region and I have seen what can happen. People from all walks of life can be evil, but when you add stupidity with it, it is personified. I like books with happy endings as I always root for the under dog
October 23, 2020
Courage and Love
This book was exceptional with everything you could image. Love, hate, betrayal, hope, and above all Love again. When people are so evil,it is inconceivable that they lived as long as they have and the people that are left behind that have to escape the evil brought upon them, but persevere against all odds. That is a truly excellent story.
This book was exceptional with everything you could image. Love, hate, betrayal, hope, and above all Love again. When people are so evil,it is inconceivable that they lived as long as they have and the people that are left behind that have to escape the evil brought upon them, but persevere against all odds. That is a truly excellent story.
January 7, 2021
Intriguing and Captivating
I was caught up
In this story from the first chapter. The first night I read until 2 am. Here it is 12:59 pm and I’m just finishing. Sometimes I became angry at Sarah and wanted to shake her. But as a survivor of spousal abuse, I could also understand his she became so hard.
I was caught up
In this story from the first chapter. The first night I read until 2 am. Here it is 12:59 pm and I’m just finishing. Sometimes I became angry at Sarah and wanted to shake her. But as a survivor of spousal abuse, I could also understand his she became so hard.
March 13, 2021
A very enjoyable story.
The author has written a very intriguing and heart warning story of life in a area of our country that has a great deal of hard and troubled times. This story is about one family that has the will and determination to overcome a great deal of pain and suffering.
The author has written a very intriguing and heart warning story of life in a area of our country that has a great deal of hard and troubled times. This story is about one family that has the will and determination to overcome a great deal of pain and suffering.
March 19, 2021
The lives of four people have been in misery for so long they may not find their way out.
People's lives are sure to have their share of tragedy and heartache. But for Sarah and Coreen there may be a light at the end of the tunnel. And maybe even a future instead of the endless past.
People's lives are sure to have their share of tragedy and heartache. But for Sarah and Coreen there may be a light at the end of the tunnel. And maybe even a future instead of the endless past.
April 18, 2022
an excellent book to read
I could not put this book down for anything. It was so surprising and intriguing and to imagine how people lived in the coal miners mountains and lived through a lot of trials and stipulation.I loved reading this book and can’t wait to find another similar to this one
I could not put this book down for anything. It was so surprising and intriguing and to imagine how people lived in the coal miners mountains and lived through a lot of trials and stipulation.I loved reading this book and can’t wait to find another similar to this one
September 9, 2022
Could not put it down!
I loved the simple story of the Appalachian hills. It was refreshing even though it had a bought of violence. It was a quick read and gave a good reality check of hardship to those living in the mountains as their ancestors did. It also held the mystery of how family can or will go to any length to protect their own.
I loved the simple story of the Appalachian hills. It was refreshing even though it had a bought of violence. It was a quick read and gave a good reality check of hardship to those living in the mountains as their ancestors did. It also held the mystery of how family can or will go to any length to protect their own.
January 25, 2019
Wow! I did not expect a heart-wrenching tale. Not my typical genre, but Karen Lynn Nolan paints a vivid picture of the life of a young girl growing up in a coal mining camp. I want more!
February 7, 2019
Another Good Read
This book is a page turner. It would be atn interest I believe for readers from teens to seniors. It is a clean read. I think it would be a good lesson for the reader.
This book is a page turner. It would be atn interest I believe for readers from teens to seniors. It is a clean read. I think it would be a good lesson for the reader.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews