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
The Latest
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
Say Yes to Y by Marjorie Celona
Y by Marjorie Celona is another one of those books that was recommended to me by Rebecca at Love at First Book, who read it upon the recommendation of Jennifer at The Relentless Reader. I was looking forward to reading it until I read on the back of the book that fans of White Oleander would love it. You see, White Oleander is the only book I have put down after reading 1/3 of it in the past decade. Call me crazy, but I hated that book. I tried … Keep Reading
Invisible Influence, or How Society Tells You What to Do, by Jonah Berger
What if, in striving for individuality, we emulated those around us? What if our decisions aren't actually ours? What if science backed this up? It turns out, science does back this up and we may not be as unique as we think, which is what Jonah Berger argues in Invisible Influence. Using science, studies, surveys, and anecdotes, Berger shows us how our neighbors, peers, and society at large wield a powerful influence over our personal … Keep Reading
In the Quest for Happiness, Do We Forgo the Power of Meaning?
We live in a culture that is obsessed with happiness. I'm guilty of it, as I am sure you are. But what if happiness isn't what we think it is? What if happiness hides itself in heartache? What if happiness isn't enough? This last statement used to be a controversial, but in the recent past there has been a shift in the conversation from living a happy life to living a meaningful life. It is this quest for and importance of the meaning … Keep Reading