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
The Book Wheel is in the NY Times!
Last week, in my One Year Blogoverary post, I hinted at some pretty fantastic news that I would announce today. The reason I waited was so that I could see it for myself and, of course, take a picture.That said, here's the news: The Book Wheel is in the NY Times! Thanks to William Klaber, author of The Rebellion of Miss Lucy Ann Lobdell (which I gave a rave review), I'm in the Sunday Times Book Review. Mr. Klaber (or Bill as I … Keep Reading
Book Review: “Shadow Year” Showcases Secrets and Sorrow
Still reeling from the devastating loss of her unborn child, Lila has withdrawn from both the world and her husband, so When a rundown cottage is mysteriously gifted to her, Lila sets aside her reservations and accepts. It doesn't take long for her to find solace in the getaway, but not all escapes are as they seem. As Lila sets out to renovate her new home, she discovers artifacts leftover from a time long ago, a time when a group of college … Keep Reading
Shotgun Lovesongs – A Must Read!
If you grow up in a small town and head out to the big city, can you ever really come home again? That's the central question wrapped within Shotgun Lovesongs: A Novel by Nickolas Butler. Butler tells a story of dreams, sacrifice, and loss through the eyes and actions of a core group of childhood friends who, for one reason or another, have come home to lick their wounds. Although each has lived his own life, whether that be as an … Keep Reading