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
‘Caramel and Magnolias’ Captured Me
I won Caramel and Magnolias by Tess Thompson From Isi, one of my favorite book bloggers who lives across the globe. I had a feeling I would like it because I trust her judgment, and I'm happy to report that I was not disappointed. Told from the viewpoints of three different characters, Caramel and Magnolias is not the simple love story that I expected it to be based on the title. While the book does emphasize loss and renewed love, the driving … Keep Reading
‘The Enchanted’ Questions Guilt on Death Row (Book Review)
The Enchanted by Rene Denfeld is about a magical place where golden horses run underground and men with hammers roam the insides of the walls. Sometimes there is a glimpse of sunlight, but more often than not it's a place steeped in darkness. That's because The Enchanted takes place on death row in an ancient prison with crumbling floors and long spiraled hallways. Although the prison is ancient, the story takes place in present day and tells … Keep Reading
‘Bitter Orange’: A Delicious Slow-Burn of a Read
Shy and socially awkward, Frances was not one who made friends easily. For most of her life, she avoided social situations that would highlight her awkwardness and instead withdrew into her immediate surroundings. But when a job documenting the architecture of a rundown mansion came along, she took it. Remote and secluded, the mansion offered the exact type of living Frances was accustomed to and was seeking.Life, however, had other … Keep Reading