Julie_B

Having previously read and loved its prequel, Blood Sisters, I was so excited to get my hands on the next installment in the life of Syd Walker, Bureau of Indian Affairs archaeologist. (I refuse to call it a sequel, as I hope Lillie will make it a series and not a duology.)

This time, Lillie whisks us from the plains of Oklahoma to Rhode Island, and the land of the Narragansett people, to tell a different, yet equally gripping and suspenseful tale. So well timed for its late Fall release, as the plot revolves around the “Founders Society” (think colonial lineage) and the local tribal community; yet it also makes for a great summer read - think the height of summer camp season - as Lillie's descriptive setting puts the reader directly into Syd’s POV.

Lillie’s atmospheric setting and tense narrative drew me into the story, but her emotional character development kept me turning the pages. I found myself not only concerned, but fully invested in the outcome of each character. I felt the thrum of the drums at the powwow, heard the shouts from the protest. Even more, I found myself digging deeper into the storyline, as Lillie blended fact and fiction seamlessly. I wanted, no, NEEDED to know more about the Great Swamp Massacre. “Sharing the past is important, but it should be led by the people who carry that history forward and are living it today.”

Bottomline: I found The Bone Thief incredibly entertaining AND enlightening and highly recommend this novel!

All thoughts and opinions are my own.

For the entire review, complete with my favorite quotes, please visit my substack
or follow me on Instagram @readingonthebrink

In honor of Indigenous People’s Day, I wanted to highlight and revisit one of my favorite summer reads, The Bone Thief. Having previously read and loved its prequel, Blood Sisters, I was so excited to learn I could get my hands on the next installment in the life of Syd Walker, Bureau of Indian Affairs archaeologist, as Lillie created a traveling ARC tour! (I refuse to call it a sequel, as I hope Lillie will make it a series and not a duology.) (See my review of Blood Sisters over on Goodreads.

This time, Lillie whisks us from the plains of Oklahoma to Rhode Island, and the land of the Narragansett people to tell a different, yet equally gripping and suspenseful tale. While I read this during the height of summer camp season, making it very easy to put myself into Syd’s POV, I also think it will be so well timed for a late Fall release, given the plot revolves around the “Founders Society” (think colonial lineage) and the local tribal community. Lillie’s atmospheric setting and tense narrative drew me into the story, but her emotional character development kept me turning the pages, as I found myself not only concerned, but fully invested in the outcome of each character. I felt the thrum of the drums at the powwow, heard the shouts from the protest. Even more, I found myself digging deeper into the storyline, as Lillie blended fact and fiction seamlessly. I wanted, no, needed to know more about the Great Swamp Massacre. “Sharing the past is important, but it should be led by the people who carry that history forward and are living it today.” Bottomline: I found The Bone Thief incredibly entertaining and enlightening, and I highly recommend this novel.

For the entire review, complete with my favorite quotes, please visit my substack
or follow me on Instagram @readingonthebrink !

OH! How this novel pulled at every heartstring I think I can/could/may/might/would feel! Go as a River is an emotional roller coaster ride with imagery so vivid, I was transported to every location with each descriptive sentence, feeling every heartbeat, and every heartache.

Taking place in rural Colorado between the 1940's and 1970's, this coming of age novel deals with both the depth of loss and of becoming, as well as the social, moral, and political issues of the American West (and westward expansion) at that time. Additionally, one of the reasons I fell for this book is because it also touches on a bit of our American history I hadn't known - the drowning of several Colorado towns buried under governmental river reservoir projects.

Read's novel not only challenges extreme loss and strength of self, but the ideology of self worth. "but in the known world, each step surely unfurls the next, and we must walk into that open space, mapless and without invitation. Right or wrong, my next step lay before me, and I tried my best to trust it." There are just too many favorite quotes from this debut novel of Shelley Read, so rich with feeling and perspective! After reading this particular quote, though, I felt it really sums up the book without giving away any true spoilers:
"the unforeseen ripple effects of an honest act do not make the choice less truthful".

I really do not want to give any spoilers away, as I was treated to an advanced copy from Net Galley, the author, and the publisher.