Kya Clark had every reason to believe the world was set against her. Left to fend for herself at the age of ten and forced to raise herself in a small, rundown shack in the marshes of coastal North Carolina, Kya lived life in the shadows. Despite her deep longing to step into the light, past experiences taught her that living on the fringe was safer. Yet, the basic human desire … [Read more...]
Sugar Run by Mesha Maren
Jodi is invisible. Okay, she’s not actually invisible, but she feels like she is. It’s a feeling that started in childhood, when her twin brothers came along and stole the spotlight. It persisted into adolescence, when she did everything she could to be seen, whether by family or strangers. It was, in fact, her desire to be seen that landed her in prison at age 17 for … [Read more...]
‘The Clockmaker’s Daughter’ Takes a Stylistic Leap, and…..
If there’s one word that comes to mind when I read a Kate Morton book, it’s cozy. It’s so easy to curl up and let her stories wrap around you and provide shelter from what’s going on in the world. They’re always so intricate, precariously balancing past and present until they collide in the most unexpected ways. The Clockmaker’s Daughter was no different, but this one took … [Read more...]
Denfeld’s ‘The Child Finder’ a Work of Subtle and Lyrical Beauty
Rene Denfeld, a #30Authors contributor whose novel The Enchanted, was an award-winning lyrical masterpiece, is back. This time, she explores what it means for a child to go missing, the stories they tell themselves to survive, and how the threads of despair can weave their way into everything we do in The Child Finder.At the age of 5, Madison Culver went missing. Three … [Read more...]
Feminism, Privilege, and Power Meet Head-On In ‘The Female Persuasion’
I've read two books by Meg Wolitzer - The Wife and The Interestings. One I loved, the other I was underwhelmed by. Her latest, The Female Persuasion, was the book that would tip the scales on how I feel about her books and wow, did she convert me into a fan.In addition to being a great story, The Female Persuasion had my mind doing mental flip flops on what it means to … [Read more...]