Weyward - Emilia Hart

Oh, look that cover - isn't it gorgeous? Even better is the story that awaits you in Emilia Hart's debut novel, Weyward.

Hart's book unfolds through the narrative of three women over the course of five centuries. In 1619, Altha is on trial for witchcraft. In 1942, Violet is virtually a prisoner in her family's manor house. And in 2019, Kate is on the run from her life in London.

What ties the three together is their family tree and Weyward Cottage. There's more of course, but not all of them are aware yet of their strengths, abilities or what came before. 

Hart tells her story in rotating points of view, often ending at a place I couldn't wait to return to. (Makes for lots of late night reading!) And as those time periods flip, you realize that the more things change, the more they stay the same. 'Nuff said. "The thought sparks fury in her. She's not sure if it's a new feeling, or if it was always there, smothered by fear. But now it burns bright in her blood."

Hart's descriptions of nature are beautiful and remind us to appreciate what grows and lives in a garden. And to take solace and peace from Mother Earth. "For I had begun to suspect that nature, to us, was as much a life force as the very air we breathed." 

Weyward is a brilliant, bewitching debut.  I can't wait to read what Hart writes next. See for yourself - read an excerpt of Weyward.

All My Rage - Sabaa Tahir

YA books are my not so secret vice. Over the years, the tenor of young adult fiction has grown. While I love a good fluffy teen tale, I appreciate that serious issues, societal change, relationships and so much more are now tackled and openly discussed in the pages of a book. As they should be. 

Sabaa Tahir's newest novel, All My Rage, is probably one of the best YA books I've ever read. Yes, it's that good. Tahir unfolds her story in past and present chapters, with the present taking precedence. The past is from Misbah - married in Pakistan in an arranged marriage. She and her husband Toufiq have a son named Salahuddin, emigrate to the US and open a motel. Noor is Salahuddin's best friend. They 'get' each other, can commiserate, hope and dream about what they want in life and how to get there. Until the fight. And.....Oh my gosh, so much comes both before and after the fight. 

Reader, there are many triggers in this book, but they are not there for shock value. Instead, they depict life and the many stumbling blocks, hurdles and ugliness that are part of our society. Can those triggers be overcome and overwhelmed by the actions, love, faith and strength of Noor and Salahuddin? Their path forward is definitely not straight. I found myself constantly surprised (and worried) by the direction Tahir took with her plotting. 

There are 'good' and 'bad' characters that you'll have no problem identifying. Indeed, I actually found myself talking (and shouting) to them out loud many times, with my emotions and thoughts running the gamut. Tears were also involved. Noor and Salahuddin are so very, very well drawn. But my heart belonged to Misbah. Everyone needs to have a Misbah in their life. And on a side note, Tahir's descriptions of food had my mouth watering! Noor escapes into her music and although I knew a number of the bands she likes, I discovered some new ones from her playlist.

I chose to listen to All My Rage. This is a tale to become immersed in, to be part of the story. The readers were Deepti Gupta, Kamran R. Khan and Kausar Mohammed. Absolutely fabulous performances from all three. The emotions of the book were easily captured by the three readers. (And yes, you're going to need to have a tissue close at hand.) Diction was clean, clear, well paced and easy to understand. I loved the lilting, almost musical tone for Misbah. I could listen to it all day.

Bottom line? This is a gut wrenchingly good book you need to listen to. Tahir's writing is fantastic. An easy five stars. See for yourself, listen to an excerpt of All My Rage.

Sabaa Tahir took inspiration for All My Rage in her own life and experiences. "#1 New York Times bestselling author of the An Ember in the Ashes series, which has been translated into over thirty-five languages. She grew up in California’s Mojave Desert at her family’s eighteen-room motel. There, she spent her time devouring fantasy novels, raiding her brother’s comic book stash, and playing guitar badly. She began writing An Ember in the Ashes while working nights as a newspaper editor. She likes thunderous indie rock, garish socks, and all things nerd."

The Damage - Caitlin Wahrer

The Damage is Caitlin Wahrer's debut novel - and I literally could not put it down. 

"An edgy, propulsive read about what a family pushed to the brink will do in the name of love and blood."

Tony is more like a father to his younger brother Nick. When Nick is sexually assaulted, Tony sees red. Tony's wife Julia is the voice of reason - she's a lawyer and believes justice will be served in the court system. Detective Rice is the cop on the case and he too believes Nick will have his day in court. 

Wahrer employs one of my all time favourite methods of storytelling - alternating past and present chapters. She takes us to 2015,  the time of the assault and investigation. Each of the main characters - Tony, Julie, Nick and Rice have a voice, allowing the reader to know what everyone is feeling, thinking, planning - and hiding. The time frame then flips to 2019. Rice and Julia are the focus of these newer posts. Rice is not well and wants to know.....what really happened back then? Does Julia know what answers Rice is looking for? 

There are so many layers to Wahrer's plot - the assault is tough to read about and will provoke many emotions for readers.  We see the impact through the four different perspectives and how this affects each member of the family. Wahrer's depiction of the aftermath rings true. She herself is a lawyer and "has worked on cases involving some of the broad issues she writes about in The Damage". Her portrayal of the assault is respectful and seems to have been well researched. Social commentary is also scattered throughout and speaks to preconceptions.

Those feelings, emotions, actions and reactions drive the second part of the plot, the one that will keep you wondering. What really happened? Wahrer ekes out references, clues and hints along the way to the final pages. And the twist that awaits you at the end of the book is a really good one!

The Damage is a powerful debut, combining suspense, family ties, mental health, trauma and more into one addicting read. I can't wait to see what Wahrer writes next. Read an excerpt of The Damage.

Who else loved The Damage? Stephen King says "The Damage pulled me in from the first page with smart narration, characters I cared about, a hold-your-breath plot, and a terrific final twist. Put this one high on your summer list.