The Kitchen House

The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom

Rating: 4 Stars

I was recently introduced to NetGalley, a website that doles out digital copies of books for review. The first (and only, so far) book that I’ve received through them is Kathleen Grissom’s Glory Over Everything, the sequel to her 2010 debut The Kitchen House. Because The Kitchen House has been on my TBR pile for ages, I decided to read that first, before diving into my review copy of it’s sequel for NetGally, and am I ever glad I did!

Honestly, I don’t know why I waited so long to pick this one up! I honestly could not put it down. I picked it up around 2 o’clock this afternoon, and didn’t stop reading until I was finished. Grissom tackled a subject as difficult as slavery and all the effects it had on anyone involved, and managed to keep the story easy to read and follow. I was very impressed that she was able to write about the subject without sugar-coating, and I really feel that she stayed true to what I imagine living in that time and place were like. And even with the point of view changes, I never had a hard time keeping up with what was going on.

I also really loved Grissom’s writing. She kept me engaged with the characters, and on the edge of my seat waiting to see what would happen next. I honestly felt what they felt, making it so hard to put it down when I finished. This is one of those books that I feel will stay with me, long after I’ve put it back on the shelf.