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"Kimberly Brock has an amazing voice and a huge heart; The River Witch welcomes the reader to a haunted landscape, authentically Southern, where the tragedies of the past and the most fragile, gorgeous kind of love-soaked hope are equally alive. This is one debut that you absolutely should not miss."-Joshilyn Jackson, New York Times Bestselling Author of Gods in Alabama
"Kimberly Brock's The River Witch achieves what splendid writing ought to achieve-story and character that linger in the reader's consciousness. Such is the power of Roslyn Byrne, who retreats to Manny's Island, Georgia, in search of herself, only to discover her great need of others. Tender and intriguing, often dazzling in its prose, this is a mature work of fiction worthy of the celebration of praise."-Terry Kay, internationally known author of the classic novel, To Dance With The White Dog
"There is magic and wonder in The River Witch, but the real enchantment here is the strength of the characters Roslyn and Damascus. Their voices are the current that carries the reader along in this compelling tale of healing and discovery."- Sharyn McCrumb, New York Times Bestselling Author, The Ballad of Tom Dooley
"With lyrical prose, Kimberly Brock explores the hidden places of the heart. The River Witch is a magical and bewitching story that, like a river, winds its way through the soul. In the voices of her wounded characters, Brock takes us through both the breaking and the healing of a life." -Patti Callahan Henry, New York Times Bestselling Author of The Perfect Love Song
Kimberly Brock is a native Southerner, a former actor and special needs educator. Her work has appeared in anthologies and magazines. She lives with her husband and three children north of Atlanta, Georgia. The River Witch is her first novel. Visit her at KimberlyBrockBooks.com.
The River Witch--Thoroughly Enjoyable!
The River Witch is a love story. Not a love story in the conventional sense; but, it’s a story about the love of lost things, new things, things not known, and things learned. It’s a love story of life, living and, of a young girl and her family on an island off the coast of Georgia. It’s the story of a learned renewal of spirit when a dancer loses everything she has known and counted on in life. It’s a story you will want to read. . . .
Roslyn Byrne, after an accident, secludes herself on an island off the coast of Georgia to heal from not only her physical wounds, but her emotional ones as well. She will never dance again. She will never star in a famous dance company again. She will never be able to count on the one thing she knows best--ballet. Or will she?
Damascus is a ten-year-old who has lived more than a young life should have at her age. She runs wild most of the time on the island. Her father doesn’t know what to do with her since the loss of his wife; and he too, is trying to figure out for himself the whys and reasons that come with a deep, despairing grief. That leaves little time to be there for a young girl who reminds him so much of the thing he is grieving most.
The River Witch is a novel flavored with bits of voodoo, alligators that tell tales, and magical summer days that teach what it means to be alive and how to live and love again. Why not join them in their quest . . . ?
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.I wanted to like this book. I've read others like this and enjoyed them immensely. Something about this one just didn't work for me though. It took me a month to read it, when it shouldn't have taken more than a few days.
The writing was excellent - very evocative and descriptive - so the technique wasn't at fault. I just never connected with the characters, and I was bored. Great writing about a woman reconnecting with herself - just not written for me.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for the purposes of writing a review.
jlking
Posted August 3, 2012
Kimberly Brock's THE RIVER WITCH is a gentle Southern story with eclectic characters, in the tradition of Sue Monk Kidd and Beth Hoffman's SAVING CEECEE HONEYCUTT.
Roslyn, a former ballerina, retreats to a Georgia sea island to recover from career-ending tragedy, yet in the process of her summer away, finds the most healing through relationships with a variety of locals. Damascus, a 10-year-old girl, among others, lights up the narrative with her spunk and charm, involving Roslyn with a giant pumpkin, a magical river, and an alligator named Spook.
I received a review copy of THE RIVER WITCH as part of the SheReads blogger program.
A charmed story of finding life again after crushing events, as well as claiming hope despite loss. Beautifully written. Recommended for those who enjoy mystical, heartwarming Southern fiction.
A haunting novel filled with haunted characters, echoing to the lonesome cry of alligators and the longing of old songs, Kimberley Brock’s The River Witch is a slow beautiful read, perfect for a hot summers’ day.
Roslyn Byrne has lost a child and her career as a dancer. Her self-image lies broken and she runs away to hide on Georgia’s Mannys Island. Meanwhile Damascus has lost her mother and looks to her mostly absent father to give meaning to her life.
The music of the river flows beautifully through this novel, carrying ghosts and memories, secrets and dreams, and the promise of healing. The growth and pruning of vines is mirrored in reshaped dreams and hopes. The power and healing of dependence brings the promise of new life. And memories flower into something more than the past, bringing power to the future.
This story rocks the reader gently in a web of relationships. Beautifully formed, gorgeously told, haunting, revealing and empowering, it rolls towards a fine conclusion, lifting songs up to heaven and rooting its feet in the solid reality of earth. A lovely novel on so many different levels…
Disclosure: I received a free e-galley from the author and my only regret is it took me so long to get around to reading it.
With her grannies Sacred Heart songs, Roslyn Byrnes heads to Manny’s Island, Georgia for a reprieve from the world around her. Having recently suffered from a career ending car accident and a miscarriage, she just needs some time to herself. Once getting to the house, that’s the last thing she gets.
The home she rents is owned by the Trezevants family. Who bring their family problem/issues to her doorstep where she welcomes them in. With them, they bring a little family drama, dark history, hoodoo, and a ten year old little girl named Damascus who is looking for magic and a way to connect with her mother by growing pumpkins in Roslyn’s backyard.
The River Witch, is magical on so many levels. Kimberly Brock’s writing is simply beautiful; it felt almost lyrical as I read. The story itself is filled with a number of layers all dealing with what each character has lost and finding a way to heal.
I fell in love with Damascus. I hurt for her, I cheered for her and I cried for her. For me she really tied everything together. It was easy to see a little girl needing some way to connect with her mother—that desire, but what she really needed was to be filled by those around her. We do that as adults, I think. We get lost in our own grief and sadness. We forget there is life and beauty around us, we need to carry on with the love of those we’ve lost. By moving on, living and loving, we honor them. Because when we allow grief to steal our light, everyone loses—everyone is touched by the darkness.
I highly recommend The River Witch. You won’t want to put it down until you get to the end—and the end will have you reeling!
Beverly12
Posted June 13, 2012
THE RIVER WITCH by Kimberly Brock (Fiction)
Snap, I could feel THE RIVER WITCH pulling me into its pages. Oh, I am so glad too. The story is magical, and the characters are unforgettable. All books affect a reader to some extent, but after reading THE RIVER WITCH, I have decided to be in love with pumpkins. Fall will come to Central Texas, and I will have pumpkins on the front porch again, but I will place them a little more reverently---I will be remembering the beautiful lesson of Damascus and her pumpkins. <3
Beverly Snider
A beautiful summer read beckoning us all to really listen to the important people throughout our lives...including ourselves. Reacting too quickly, we end up spending our lifetimes replaying the past, trying to figure out what went wrong. We soon discover we didn't even hear the whole story the first time. All too often, we end up regretting the time we've wasted because we couldn't simply sit still and listen and maybe make better decisions the first time around.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.This is a strong debut by a fellow Bell Bridge Books author. Kim's writing is lyrical and captivating, and kept me turning page after page to learn its secrets. My only complaint is that I wanted more. The story she weaves is so complex and multilayered, the book could have been twice the length and would have held my interest.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.CoffeePlease
Posted April 29, 2012
I gave The River Witch 3 out of 5 stars. The River Witch is another book in which I was drawn into the story by the author. I did find myself rereading certain sections to see if I had skipped over important details of the story because I kind of felt that there was something missing. There were scenes in which I got teary eyed. It was definitely a touching story of growing and moving on, as well as connecting with the past. I was surprised with the ending ~~ as I think most will be!
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Posted October 5, 2012
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Posted October 27, 2012
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Posted June 4, 2012
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Overview
"Kimberly Brock has an amazing voice and a huge heart; The River Witch welcomes the reader to a haunted landscape, authentically Southern, where the tragedies of the past and the most fragile, gorgeous kind of love-soaked hope are equally alive. This is one debut that you absolutely should not miss."-Joshilyn ...