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I was taken with the first half of this book--a rural cult, a teen mother, a strong female protagonist hard not to show what you really felt if you practiced, if you closed your eyes and imagined that your daughter As Ivy's daughter Mia--who grows up in the oppressive Community, secretly and voraciously reading as lessons--I could see her responding to those, particularly because of her own origin story and her mother's Alice Hoffman is also the author of The World That We Knew and over thirty other books.

Daniella Mestyanek Young grew up the daughter of high-ranking members of The Children of God cult in Her mother was forced to marry the cult's leader when she was thirteen and worked as secretary for "The abuse, hunger, male-dominated power structures, and various methods of deprivation that kept her and other

ruthless, scandalous, and invincible--who has dropped out of sight and settled down to raise her young daughter alongside her strong-willed mother. A friend's borrowed, rambling home becomes a refuge for unwed mothers and mothers-to-be, with the women I loved the father-daughter bond, and Opal is a wonderfully quirky, self-possessed young person. Val is an underdog and fights for others who have been dismissed or taken advantage of.

small town, where tragedy in the form of evil white men took their father from them and left their mother The other twin marries a dark-skinned black man and lives as a black woman. months in the life of an extended family--including a stolid patriarch and matriarch, a free-spirited daughter , a spunky and fantastic granddaughter Gussie, a daughter with another grandchild on the way, a deadbeat She is facing her mother’s decline in health and exploring her own identity and meaning in her life,

She's good at crunching the numbers for work, taking care of her daughter, and leaning on her grandparents Her father wasn't part of her life, her mother disappeared when she was little, and her daughter's father authors' books In a Holidaze, The Unhoneymooners, Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating, and Love and Other

A friend's borrowed, rambling home becomes a house for unwed mothers and mothers-to-be, with the women Ursa's own son Ray is shown some favoritism but is kept in the dark about his mother's ability. Dodd, who has slaughtered innocents and, Chenneville believes, requires Chenneville to exact justice

small town, where tragedy in the form of evil white men took their father from them and left their mother The other twin marries a dark-skinned black man and lives as a black woman. family, and an exhausted sense of constantly living a lie; she finds it difficult to connect to her daughter The black twin returns to the girls' hometown and shakes things up by bringing her very dark-skinned daughter Bennett also wrote The Mothers, which I had mixed feelings about.

by Ann Patchett Patchett's Tom Lake is a heartwarming, poignant Covid-era bonding session between a mother and her three grown daughters as Lara recounts the surprisingly layered story of her youthful romance In Ann Patchett's novel Tom Lake, Lara's three young-adult daughters reunite at the family's Northern But when Lara shares aspects of a life lived before her children existed, her daughters are led to consider choices, as well as life's twists and turns, evolving dreams and desires, their relationship with their mother

Through Bell's voice we also learn what has shaped the other women of the family: we hear rich stories of Bell's own mother--who fled Belarus in her youth--and her hardships and determination; and we glimpse the difficult relationship between Bobby and her daughter (Kalb's mother) and how it affected each woman's She began to hold meetings in her apartment of political activists and others in opposition to the disturbing

ruthless, scandalous, and invincible--who has dropped out of sight and settled down to raise her young daughter alongside her strong-willed mother.

Amy Harmon is also the author of Where the Lost Wander, What the Wind Knows, and other books. But then her mother's boyfriend and his teen daughter Tallulah move in, suddenly Junie's community theatre

Nina's mother Hanna fled from East to West Germany in a harrowing escape at age twenty. And in an intriguing turnabout within the family, her daughter Nina, the author of this book, became at the height of the Cold War, spying in a more oppressive, dangerous East Germany than the one her mother

For my full review, please see Hour of the Witch. 02 The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent Martha Carrier In The Heretic's Daughter, Martha Carrier's tenth generation descendant Kathleen Kent offers a historical But there was real depth to the story, the relationships, and the family in The Heretic's Daughter, with Darkwood, she encounters the legendary witches she's heard tell of her whole life--and finds that her mother's She's given a long-lost journal detailing her mother's exile, thirst for vengeance, and plans for enacting

We track back through time to witness Wren's younger years, then farther back to understand Wren's mother's youth and the way her mother's mutation and diagnosis shaped her life and that of Wren. Lewis's transformation stirs up difficult memories and complex emotions surrounding Wren's mother's change Other characters in the novel face mutation-related difficulties--including Wren's new friend, who finds They both feel the pain of their distance from each other, yet seek peace in their new existences.

newlywed, falling into the path set out for her as a young married woman--with an aim of becoming a mother intrigue, exploration of gender and power roles, unconventional friendship, and danger. 02 Firekeeper's Daughter She must stay home from college to care for her ailing mother, which puts on hold her hopes for her future markings (which carry more specific predictions than those she's born with) emerge, she is irresistible to others demands to examine) the girls' naked bodies and markings--including those of their own sisters and daughters

ruthless, scandalous, and invincible--who has dropped out of sight and settled down to raise her young daughter alongside her strong-willed mother.

O'Farrell turns her attention to Renaissance Italy to tell a historical fiction story of a precocious third daughter Her trusted nurse and former milk-mother Sofia does her best to delay plans to wed the slight young girl with Death, The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox, Instructions for a Heatwave, This Must Be the Place, and others

tradition as she explores her own heritage, flexes her newfound power, and digs into the story of her mother's After sixteen-year-old Bree's mother dies in an accident, she escapes the painful memories of her childhood Was her mother connected to all of these mysterious goings-on? Did her mother have some sort of abilities she never told Bree about? Her forged connections to those who knew her mother and knew of her mother were a story element I loved

Jennette became a child actress at age six in order to please her mother, pushing down her own anxiety and disinclination to be the center of attention--and eventually committing to her mother's idea of Her mother's volatile emotions; upsetting and controlling actions; pushy manner; mental, emotional, and physical abuse; and disturbing codependence with her young daughter make for an uncomfortable read. perspective, and distance from the situation, the various methods of constant abuse and control her mother

It is presented as a relatively unanimous sentiment that it's a burden to raise daughters, and there is a frequently verbalized shame for a mother who births a daughter. Rum also explores the perpetuated cruelty of her female characters against their daughters, daughters-in-law , and other young women in the community—in some cases embracing and adding to their suffering because Rum, a daughter of Palestinian immigrants, presents an indictment of the devalued role of women in traditional

Danielle Henderson; Broken Horses by Brandi Carlile; Speak, Okinawa by Elizabeth Miki Brina; Somebody's Daughter Her mother is presented sympathetically while coming off as odd, and Lockwood herself takes on a somewhat Her mother confided her darkest secrets to young Brodeur as though she was a friend, and she drew the But the story was ultimately more about an emotionally stunted mother, her codependence on her adolescent daughter, and how the author unraveled the many smothering ties to the woman whose conditional love

For my full review, please see Hour of the Witch. 02 The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent Martha Carrier In The Heretic's Daughter, Martha Carrier's tenth generation descendant Kathleen Kent offers a historical There was real depth to the story, the relationships, and the family in The Heretic's Daughter, with Darkwood, she encounters the legendary witches she's heard tell of her whole life--and finds that her mother's She's given a long-lost journal detailing her mother's exile, thirst for vengeance, and plans for enacting

salvage society despite the Federation's widespread and evil efforts; and the demonization of the "other The more modern storyline concerns Flora's grown daughter Lexie, whose London stage career has ended suddenly and her mother has died. She's eager to learn more about her mother's wartime history, yet desperate not to be defined and constrained review. 03 Writers & Lovers by Lily King Casey is an aspiring writer struggling with her novel, her mother's

Smith's light fiction about an emotionally distant father and daughter trying to find connection on a But Greta's mother passed away recently, and the couples' trip to Alaska that her mother had planned and he obviously not-so-secretly hopes the trip will help Greta and her father find their way to each other

Equation, Christina Lauren's newest light fiction about a logical, practical single mom who adores her daughter She's good at crunching the numbers for work, taking care of her daughter, and leaning on her grandparents Her father wasn't part of her life, her mother disappeared when she was little, and her daughter's father In Namesake, Fable discovers the truth behind the secrets her mother took to her grave, establishes their

younger to me—their matching outfits, reverting to sucking thumbs after a crisis, free use of each other's Father and daughter, brother and sister, and mother and father find their way back together after hurting each other, making mistakes, misunderstanding intentions, and losing their individual paths.

story This Time Tomorrow; and Something Wilder, Christina Lauren's newest, about a treasure hunter's daughter After twists and turns and several years, Elizabeth is a single mother who becomes the star of a hit Emma Straub is also the author of The Vacationers, All Adults Here, Modern Lovers, and other books. 03 Christina Lauren also authored the books The Soulmate Equation, The Unhoneymooners, In a Holidaze, Love and Other

She assists her mother with her midwifery, loves her younger sisters, and adjusts to life with a mother-in-law I mentioned Outlawed (along with Firekeeper's Daughter and Body of Stars) in the Greedy Reading List

The more modern storyline concerns Flora's grown daughter Lexie, whose London stage career has ended suddenly and whose mother has died. She's eager to dig in and learn more about her mother's wartime history, yet desperate not to be defined She's also written other books.

small town, where tragedy in the form of evil white men took their father from them and left their mother The other twin marries a dark-skinned black man and lives as a black woman. months in the life of an extended family--including a stolid patriarch and matriarch, a free-spirited daughter , a spunky and fantastic granddaughter Gussie, a daughter with another grandchild on the way, a deadbeat She is facing her mother’s decline in health and exploring her own identity and meaning in her life,

friends and ex-spouses, live in intimate solitude together, wondering about and worrying about their daughters , each other, themselves, and the world. Lucy explores with insight the perspective of those on the other end of the political spectrum from Lucy They each seem to find the other--and their relationship--awkward and irritating at times, but their Lucy's creation of an imaginary, supportive mother and her loving responses to and comfort for Lucy in

Her mother Ruby is smart and fierce, but somewhere along the way her youthful dreams of creating a path somehow, despite the many chores of their homespun lives) trek up and down the mountain to see each other Wren understands their friendship to be the primary allegiance in each of their lives, and her mother keeps her at a distance although she does love her daughter.

Despite her Taiwanese mother's unrelenting pressure and sky-high expectations, June has always done just Her explorations threaten to destroy her relationship with her mother even past the world-war-level disagreements You can check out my Bossy reviews of other young adult novels here.

I’m dying to know how closely Anita Abriel’s book traces the inspiring events from her mother’s incredible For my full review of this book, please see Florence Adler Swims Forever. 05 Call Your Daughter Home But she and the other characters were developed fully. Their sparks of joy are often related to their relationships to each other. For my full review, please see Call Your Daughter Home. 06 The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue Donoghue

Every child a wanted child, every mother a willing mother. In this historical fiction, Marshall explores the goings-on at 1960s unwed mothers' homes in Canada-- The female characters' stories are deeply intertwined; I saw some of the events coming but not others

straitlaced teen Mary Jane has landed a nanny job with a nearby family--a "respectable" family, her mother suddenly has a front-row seat to wild behavior, musical experimentation, group therapy, and all sorts of other She includes examples from others who have undergone periods of severe challenges and by choice or necessity Angry, confused, and filled with dread, Robin drags her daughter Haley back to Four Points in hopes of

Sue Trinder is a teenage orphan, the daughter of a hanged murderess who tries to live up to her fearless mother's bravery and strength. largely sheltered from the evils of the underbelly of Victorian London by her unofficial, doting adoptive mother

Cravens's LGBTQ Western set in a brothel in 1877 Dodge City; I'm reading Tricia Levenseller's debut novel Daughter Set in the American West and Six More Great Historical Fiction Novels Set in the American West. 02 Daughter Daughter of the Pirate King is the first in a duology from Levenseller and is her debut novel. The second book is Daughter of the Siren Queen. 03 Will They or Won't They by Ava Wilder Lilah Hunter But in real life, Shane and Lilah detest each other.

She's a little creaky and sore, sure, but she's ready to be reunited with the team, which includes her mother and the rest of her family, plus many others involved in the complex project. But Divya is too busy crafting strong female main protagonists (complete with working mother guilt, which young adult science fiction novel Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves, young Sena has lost both of her mothers His personal situation is complicated by his grief for his recently deceased daughter, and he aims to

01 The Hero of This Book by Elizabeth McCracken After her larger-than-life mother's death, the narrator of The Hero of This Book faces the sale of the family home in New England and travels to her mother's She considers whether her role as an author offers an opportunity to write about her mother and gain deeper understanding of her, or whether doing so would violate her mother's long-held, fierce desire I mentioned one of McCracken's short story collections, Thunderstruck & Other Stories, in the Greedy

into pages of interviews and information detailing the young, naive choir member she was then, the daughter Notes on a Silencing is a memoir in which Crawford, now a wife and mother, faces the challenges of asserting The stories of Immanuelle's mother Miriam all have one thing in common: her defiance of the Prophet. a set of curses that threaten to destroy all of Bethel--unless Immanuelle can use the clues in her mother's

Serle Rebecca Serle's love letter to Italy plays with time to allow a grieving young woman to know her mother She is determined to take the trip to Italy she and her mother had optimistically planned during her begins to recognize what the reader might notice early on: that her intense lifetime reliance on her mother When Katy wakes up one day faced with her actual own mother standing in her hotel lobby in the prime As days pass, Katy realizes she seems to have been been gifted with an opportunity to know her mother

Libro.fm and Dreamscape Media. 02 Happy Place by Emily Henry Harriet and Win were attracted to each other love, and they've been dating long-distance while Harriet pursues her residency and Win helps his sick mother After sixteen-year-old Bree's mother dies in an accident, she escapes the painful memories of her childhood The experience jogs a buried recollection: a wizard was present at the hospital after her mother's accident

listening to Little Fires by Inheritance author Dani Shapiro; and I'm reading Sarah Addison Allen's novel Other Birds by Sarah Addison Allen "There are birds, and then there are other birds. I don't know about you, but I'd much rather be an other bird than just the same old thing." Carolina as Zoey comes to take ownership of her deceased mother's apartment. She befriends her mother's neighbors, and when one new friend dies suddenly, Zoey embarks on a search

Rebecca Serle's love letter to Italy plays with time to allow a grieving young woman to know her mother In Rebecca Serle's One Italian Summer, Katy is reeling after the death of her beloved mother, who was She is determined to take the trip to Italy she and her mother had optimistically planned during her She's falling in love with the piece of Italy that helped shape her beloved mother into who she was. I enjoyed how Serle played with time to allow a young woman to know her mother at her same age.

full review of this book, see In Pieces. 04 Blood by Allison Moorer "I'm still trying not to be the daughter Allison Moorer is a Grammy- and Academy Award-nominated singer-songwriter whose father killed her mother of an understanding of the people her parents were and the forces that shaped their lives (and their daughters Her interviews and experiences with others who mentor her journey in different ways could have felt disruptive place in the world, her responsibility to humans and animals, and how she might better the lives of others

After Ruth's father was killed by his brother in a grab for power, Ruth's mother married another member For my full review, see Scrappy Little Nobody. 04 Somebody's Daughter by Ashley C. Ford shares how she navigated an unforgiving childhood and complicated relationships with her volatile mother Somebody's Daughter is beautifully straightforward and honest as the author follows the fits and starts For my full review, please see Somebody's Daughter. 05 Here For It by R.

brother, and she's learned to make light of everything from cracks about her plus-sized figure to her mother's Why do some cheeses melt better than others? chef in the "why" of cooking--as well as kid-friendly recipes to deliciously illustrate key points. 05 Daughter If so, this fall's Daughter of the Deep from this prolific author may need to go on the shopping list This is a version of the "book" Blades made for her daughter upon her departure for college, making it

His personal situation is complicated by his grief for his recently deceased daughter, and he aims to But when she meets Rachel, a single mother-to-be in her prenatal class, Helen begins to feel unsettled

proxy, lies, betrayals, and double-crossing, all within a claustrophobic, isolated, and codependent mother-and-daughter