Review: "Kindred," by Octavia Butler

In 1976 Dana Franklin, a Black woman, finds herself transported to Antebellum, Maryland. When she arrives, there is a White child that is drowning. She has no idea how she got there or why she is there. When a rifle is drawn on her, she is transported back to her suburban home in Los Angeles. These time-traveling episodes happen five more times throughout the book. The White boy turns out to be Rufus Weylin, the son of a White slave owner. She quickly realizes that she is transported back every time Rufus is in danger. Dana also learns that she and Rufus have an ancestral connection and feels compelled to help him because the past affects her future. As you can imagine, an educated Black woman from 1976 traveling into the time of slavery creates complications.

Octavia's writing is compelling, engaging, and draws you into the narrative. The tone is haunting and sobering with Dana's heavy responsibility for Rufus and the slaves that she lives amongst during her time in the past. Kindred is a commentary about the relationship between slave owners and slaves and a metaphor of what slavery took away from future generations of Black people. 🕮🐛🐛🐛🐛

Review: "The Couple Next Door," by Shari Lapena

 

This novel starts off as a whodunnit mystery and halfway turns into a psychological thriller. Anne and Marco come home after a night of drinking with their next-door neighbors to find that their 6-month-old baby has gone missing. Just when you think you know the full story of how baby Cora has disappeared there are many twists to be unraveled. Characters are flawed and everyone but Anne is unlikable, so you are not sure who you can trust. The pacing of the story is intense making it a quick read. If you like a nail-biter with a fast-paced storyline then you might enjoy trying to unravel this suspenseful mystery. 📖🐛🐛🐛

Review: "The Lost Apothecary," by Sarah Penner

 

The Lost Apothecary, by Sarah Penner, is historical fiction sprinkled with fantasy. It is a non-linear, intensely paced novel with three narrators across two time periods. In 1719 London, Nella works as an apothecary, working in the shop once owned by her mother. After being betrayed by a lover, Nella's work leads her to help women poison the men in their lives that have done them wrong. Eliza is the 12-year-old housemaid who befriends Nella when her mistress sends her on an errand to the apothecary. In the present, Caroline finds herself alone in London on what is supposed to be a tenth wedding anniversary trip. On her first day there, she finds a blue vial with a bear etched on its surface. Nella and Eliza's story unfolds, in 1719, as Caroline puts together the story of the origins of the vial. You quickly see many parallels between the past and the present. At the center of the novel is a story about the bonds and friendships between women, men’s betrayals, and womanhood itself. The characters are introspective, each making brave decisions to give closure to all three narrators. At the end of the novel, Penner includes magic and apothecary recipes and some historical context on poisoning in 18th century London. I recommend this book to anyone who likes a story with lots of twists and turns and strong women characters. The storylines were so intriguing that I found it to be a quick read. 📖🐛🐛🐛🐛

Review: "Dominicana," by Angie Cruz

 

A beautiful novel about the sacrifices immigrants make to attain a better life for the family. Ana is 15 and lives in the countryside of the Dominican Republic. Her family marries her off to Juan, an older man who has immigrated to New York. This isn't the life that Ana had in mind, but she does it so that her family can someday follow her to America. Told in a lyrical style, with short chapters that move the plot along at a steady pace. Ana's story of finding her place as a young wife and a recent immigrant occurs in 1965 NYC with unrest in race relations, the Vietnam War, and the Dominican Republic civil war in the background. 📖🐛🐛🐛🐛