You know those books that have such great characters that they crawl into your heart and settle there? The Exiles by Christina Baker Kline is one of them. Spanning years and distance and set against the backdrop of British colonization, it tells the stories of three women on the receiving end of that brutality.Evangeline, Hazel, and Mathinna are memorable for their stories, but they tug on your heartstrings even more so because they are based on real people. There’s Evangeline, a governess sentenced to prison after her pregnancy is discovered; Hazel, a young midwife also sentenced for a minor infraction; and Mathinna, an orphan ripped from her home as an experiment in “taming the natives” by the wife of the new … Keep Reading
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Recent Reviews
‘Midnight Library’ and the Power of Regrets
Do you ever think about where you’d be if you did that ONE thing differently? If you, say, changed your major to match your passions, rather than your expectations? Or if you’d taken that leap of faith and moved to that far off city where you knew no one? The possibilities for how your life could have unfolded are endless, and it's hard not to think about them, sometimes. That's the premise of The Midnight Library by Matt Haig and it's a good … Keep Reading
‘The First Day of Spring’ is a Powerful Debut Novel
When Chrissie was 8, she killed a little boy. Twenty years later, she’s a mom trying to do what’s best for her daughter. But how do you forgive yourself for something so awful? Or are some acts so terrible that there’s no coming back? Do the standards for redemption change if you killed someone as a child, rather than adult?Equal parts disturbing and heartbreaking, The First Day of Spring by Nancy Tucker is told through alternating points … Keep Reading
‘The Last Thing He Told Me’ Infuses Freshness Into the Familiar
Let me start off by saying I really enjoyed The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave. My last few books have been duds so I was nervous about continuing my “losing streak”, but this one hit the spot. On its face, the story is tried-and-true: girl meets boy, boy has secrets, girl seeks truth and surprises abound; but Dave infuses freshness into it by going in an unexpected direction. Her approach strikes a balance between the familiar and the … Keep Reading
From the Archives
Wrongful Conviction the Focus of ‘That Night’ (Book Review)
At 17, Toni Murphy was a surly and unruly teenager. She felt suffocated by her parents, had a boyfriend they didn't like, was bullied at school, and fought with her sister. For many, this sounds like a typical teenager, but for Murphy they were all evidence of her guilt. You see, at 17, Toni was sent to prison for murdering her sister along with her boyfriend, Ryan. The thing is, she didn't do it. Now 17 years later, Toni is out and trying to … Keep Reading
Mini Reviews: Madness and Identities
Welcome to April's mini-reviews! I chose the title "Madness and Identities" because all of the following fall into one or both of these categories. Blood Will Out, Not That Kind of Girl, and 10 Days in a Madhouse all focus on identity and imposters, while Cloud Atlas focuses on the madness of the world. Although, to be fair, all crossover quite a bit. Now, here are the books! Blood Will Out by Walter Kirn What would you do if you found out one … Keep Reading
Claire Fuller Shines Once Again in ‘Swimming Lessons’
A couple of years ago, I opted to read an upcoming debut by an author by the name of Claire Fuller. I didn't know anything about her but the book, Our Endless Numbered Days, intrigued me so I gave it a go. Not only did it end up being one of my favorite books of the year, but Fuller has since graciously donated her time to #30Authors. So when I learned that she had a new book coming out, I just knew I had to read it. Fuller's sophomore … Keep Reading