Thank you NetGalley and Sadeqa Johnson and Simon & Schuster Canada for the opportunity to read Yellow Wife
I hesitated to request this book given jt was historical, but having just finished it I have no regrets. This was a book I couldn't put down, even though there were some graphic hard to read parts. This is based on black history and how poorly blacks were treated during slavery times.
This is a story of Pheby and her mother who are slaves on a plantation and treated fairly well considering, until Pheby is beckoned to serve the Missus of the house, who has it in for Pheby. The Master takes ill, Pheby's mother passes and just like that Pheby is sold to be auctioned. Prior to this, a black slave that Pheby had her heart set on at the same plantation. escapes and she was hoping to meet back up with him when she turned 18 and had been promised to be freed. Now everything has changed. After long grueling days of walking and being chained to other slaves, they arrive what turns out to be the auction house where slaves are bid on daily. When it becomes Pheby's turn, to her astonishment, the owner decides to keep her. She becomes his mistress and she is torn between conforming to stay safe and trying to figure a way to freedom
This is a well written novel, I really didn't want to put it down. The characters were well introduced, well described and became real. There was a moment towards the end of the novel when I felt awful that in the midst of trying to help another human, the main character feels guilt at being a slave and feels even more guilty when she tries to help and things get worse for the people around her, no one ever should have to feel these things or be made to live in these conditions. This novel is based on historical events and opened my eyes to how unjustly people were treated back then
I would read more of Sadeqa Johnson's books

This book follows the life of Pheby, born into slavery in Virginia. It has kept me up at night thinking about it.

The writing is very graphic and descriptive. Even though most people are aware that most slaves were mistreated, reading about it when it is so explicitly described brings it alive. A few times I had to stop reading to sit back and process what I had just read.

Pheby is an exceptional character. Her mother instilled in her a sense of worth and a set of principles that helped her keep her dignity for a very long time. After she had a child, she was compelled to forsake some of her principles for the sake of her child. She made a deal with the Devil.

She was forced to witness beatings. I still shudder to think of these beatings. Officially they were meant as punishment but more as a show of power. I still have a very hard time understanding how it was possible that slaves were considered as chattel, as a possession. How is it possible that it was acceptable for one human being to own another?

The further I got in the book, the faster I wanted to read, hoping to get to a happy ending. It was a very difficult book to read and to process.

There are notes from the author at the end......these notes explain how her book was based on fact and real people. The notes detailed how she came across the story and all the research she did to create characters with real personalities, good and bad. I wish to extend a huge thank you to Sadeqa Johnson for the extensive research and work she put into The Yellow Wife.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an Advance Readers Copy of this book.

A book following Pheby, a slave born on a plantation where her mother, Ruth, is the healer and Mistress to the Master. She is always told by her mother that she was born a slave but in her mind she is free. Educated by the masters sister until she passes. Her mother had always told her she will be free when she turns 18 the master will give her freedom papers. Eventually through a series of events she is sold and taken to auction. Bought by the owner of the jail she slowly becomes his yellow wife. A real page turner, every time I set the book down I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Heart wrenching to read, impossible to think that this was how we treated people and how it still lingers today. A very good work of historical fiction. Written for Net Gallery

This is one of those books that will literally stay with you forever. It was absolutely heartbreaking, extremely graphic and made me feel sick to my stomach but I could not put it down. My heart was pounding throughout this entire book.

It is so hard to believe that this is a real part of our history. The brutal punishments that were inflicted on human beings just blows my mind. How was this endured? How could someone do these things? I can't even comprehend it. It was very hard to read but I believe it is important to know.

The characters and emotions in this book were extremely well written and I felt for them as if they were real people. The writing was excellent. The bravery that some of the women in this story showed is astounding. I can't imagine ever having that much courage.The choices that people had to make in order to protect themselves and their loved ones were incomprehensible to someone who has lived the life I have lived. These people were heros.

This book is inspired by a real family and a real jail in Virginia and it is set to be released in January 2021 and I could not recommend it enough!! This book is amazing!

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

My rating: 4.5/5

A big thank you to Sadeqa Johnson, Simon and & Schuster and Netgalley for the digital ARC of this book. 

Pheby Brown did not have a perfect life, but her mother had raised her with one promise, she would be a free woman on her eighteenth birthday. This promise would not come to pass. Her path takes a turn for the worse when she is sold to the Jailor who owns the Devil’s Half-Acre, a jail where people are beaten and sold to the highest bidder. Sacrifices have to be made, and Pheby will need to make hard choices to protect herself and the ones she loves most.

A mother’s love knows no bounds. Yellow Wife is not a feel-good book. This is a ‘rip out your heart and stomp it to pieces’ book. That being said, I highly recommend it. There were some parts that I really struggled to get through, and a few times I had to put the book down and just take a breath for a moment. This story will gut you, it will sink into your soul and stay there long after you are finished reading. Prepare to cry, and prepare to feel a lot of pain while you read this book.

Sadeqa Johnson does a phenomenal job with the story of Pheby Brown. Her character is strong and resilient, and it’s very easy to understand the actions she takes, no matter how heartbreaking they are. I found it extremely interesting that this story is based off of real people who had lived in Richmond, Virginia. I’m thankful to the author for providing a narrative to a piece of history that otherwise might not have been told, simply because it’s not as ‘big news’ as other historical events.

The story itself is very engaging, and Sadeqa Johnson really pulls readers into life on the Devil’s Half-acre. No punches are pulled, and we are given the good and the bad with equal detail, no matter how horrific. The emotions felt by Pheby Brown are portrayed so intensely you can’t help but feel them too. Her spirit is unbreakable, and the fierceness of her love and dedication to the ones she cares about is a wonderful thing to experience.

If you are a fan of historical fiction I recommend this book, and if you don’t have much experience with historical fiction I recommend you start here. Yellow Wife is not a happy story, but it is a piece of Southern US history that needs to be seen. This story will eviscerate you, but in a good way, I promise. Make sure to pre-order or watch for it's release on January 12th, 2021.

We follow Phoebe Brown through her life of hope, love and brutality. A mulatto, born a slave on a plantation in Virginia in the mid 1800’s. Her Mom was a mistress to the owner. He had promised Phoebe her freedom when she turned 18. But tragedy set in when he and her mom died in an accident.

The mistress of the house did not like Phoebe, in fact as she knew Phoebe was having sex with her husband she demanded sex from Phoebes lover. So after the master died she sold Phoebe, who ended up being bought by a brutal jail owner, a devil they called him.

The story involves brutal beatings, rape, murder, and more and can be hard to read at times, but the author manages to make the story so intriguing, you have to find out how Phoebe manages to survive.

Although fiction, I am sure much of it is authentic in the 1850’s. Slaves were used in whatever way the master desired.

An excellent historical fiction that we should read to keep in mind how we have treated blacks in the past and how we need to continue to strive to live as equals, and appreciated each other’s qualities.

I was provided a copy of this book from the Publisher through NetGalley - Thank you! This book will win some awards!!!. The writer takes you into the mind and life an enslaved but educated girl. You follow her through maturity when she becomes the “wife” of one of the cruelest slave traders in Richmond Virginia. The writer’s character development is fantastic!. You are on the edge of your seat flipping pages throughout the entire book. This is a wonderful Historical Fiction tale that I will recommend!

Historical novels are among my favourite books and this one did not disappoint. Although it began with the story of the usual horrid suffering and treatment of southern slaves, it morphed into a segment of slave life with which I was entirely unfamiliar.
The story of the life of the main character, Pheby Delores Brown, was engrossing. It felt like a true story, but isn't. Sedeqa Johnson wrote masterfully keeping the reader on the edge of their seat for the entire novel. I cried, was stunned and horrified anew at her treatment, yet rejoiced and celebrated her small successes.
I highly recommend this novel to anyone who wants to be enthralled and even educated by Johnson's compelling writing about a historical time of which we still have so much to learn and remember.

The Yellow Wife is historical fiction at its best.

It is so many things: a heart breaking, heart wrenching story and yet it is a tale of courage, survivorship and so much more.

Pheby Delores Brown has a foot in two worlds and belongs in neither. She is sold as a slave and is taken in as the mistress to a jail that houses slaves. He is a despicable man but he is the father of her children and she will do anything to protect them.

Its a gripping story that makes you shudder, cheer and cry with Pheby.

Please take time to read the author's notes at the end of the book which add even more to this sad but heart warming story.

Sadly it is our history.

Thanks to NetGalley, Simon and Schuster Canada, Simon and Schuster for allowing me the privilege of reading and reviewing this story that will stay with me for a long time.

I was completely engaged by this foray into an aspect of slavery I knew nothing about. I'd recommend this book to those who enjoyed Lawrence Hill's Book of Negroes (a.k.a. Someone Knows My Name in the U.S.) or Esi Edugyan's Washington Black. Excellent writing, and a story that will stay with me.

The Yellow Wife is probably one of my first historical fiction that I have read and I thoroughly enjoyed. I would forewarn that there are trigger warnings for sexual violence, rape and abuse. It was quite hard a read, but Johnson’s writing keeps you on the edge of your seat. Yellow Wife is a story about Pheby Delores Brown who grows up on a plantation with a promise of freedom when she turns 18 by her father, Jacob Bell, the plantation owner. However, with the turn of events she is sold to Jailer and becomes his house mistress. Pheby must find ways to outwit him and survive his cruelties, and save her beloved and her son..

Based on a Mary Lumpkin’s life, Johnson provides a purview into the life of a Yellow Wife whose role in the household is neither slave nor wife of the Master. It’s clear the research that Johnson undertook to illustrate the Mary Lumpkin’s life through Pheby.

Although a tough read to get through, I was captured by Johnson’s writing and her storytelling. I would definitely recommend this book to historical fiction buffs and those new to historical fiction.

This is a terrific read....so full of history and what was endured during this period of time.
Horrifying really.
The main character was strong, determined, and made sacrifices for the sake of herself and children.
Very well written, the story moves at a good pace.

With respect to the author, I felt that despite fully-realized and sympathetic characters and a rapid plot, it was a story that felt somewhat familiar. I really did enjoy reading this book as I also enjoyed "The Underground Railroad" by Colson Whitehead, "The House Girl" by Tara Conklin and "The Book of Negroes" by Laurence Hill.

This story captivates and horrifies you at the same time. Pheby Delores Brown was born and raised on a plantation in Virginia. She is the product of her mother's affair with the plantations master and protected due to her mother's position as a medicine woman. She is beloved by the master’s sister and raised to believe that at 18 she would be granted her freedom. She is educated and taught to play piano. But when tragedy strikes she learns that she was never truly going to be free.

What follows is a harrowing tale of struggle, fear, tragedy and loss as Pheby is sent to the infamous jail for slaves known as “The Devil’s Half-Acre”. The author has crafted a story that is captivating and horrifying at the same time yet, none the less, a realistic tale of what life was like for slaves on plantations in the southern states. Pheby is a heroine that you cheer for and also fear for the choices and sacrifices she makes.

For readers who were fans of "The Kitchen House" by Kathleen Grissom, you will thoroughly enjoy this book.

Release date- January 12, 2021. Pre Order available now.

Thanks to Simon & Shuster Canada and NetGalley for this ebook in exchange for this honest review.

Gripping yet horrifying! This historical fiction based on true historical figures was captivating. I simply could not put it down. It had me on tenterhooks at some points. For those who like Wench by Dole Perkins-Valdez this book is a must read. It does not disappoint.
*Thanks to Simon & Shuster Canada and NetGalley for this Ebook in exchange for my honest review

I devoured this novel in four days for several reasons. First off, the story gripped me from the beginning regarding Pheby Delores Brown (a mixed race daughter of the plantation owner) and her mother's relationship. Then suddenly, her mother dies and she is sent off to a jail at the age of eighteen, which has real life historical ties, The Devil's Half Acre, which was in Richmond, Va. Once she got sent away to the jail, I began to think that this must have some kind of historical context to it, it felt too detailed for me, which was an intriguing thing for me. Pheby then is taken interest by the Jailer, an overweight, brutal man who whips the prisoners and sells them at auction, despite her already being pregnant. She succumbs to a relationship with him, where she acts as mistress of the household.

The story is fast paced and I found myself turning chapter after chapter insisting I would just read one more. Afterwards, I found myself googling several people (reading the author's notes is a MUST) for there were several people within the novel itself who were based on real life people or characters who actually lived during this time period. Pheby is based off of Mary Lumpkin; her story alone is deeply fascinating. I highly recommend this novel for anyone interested in Southern History, slavery, Virginia history, etc.

Thank you NetGalley as well as Simon & Schuster for my copy and honest review.

A compelling historical novel that captures the reader’s attention from the first page! A story of slaves, love, love lost and determination for freedom. The only criticism I can offer is that the book’s conclusion was too quick after the long journey of Pheby’s story.

If you’ve read one plantation slave novel, this has nothing new to offer. Filled with caricatures you’ll recognize. An algorithm could have written this.

Following Pheby as she was taken from the Bell plantation on the day of her mother's funeral to a jail where she became the mistress of the house, to watching her struggle with her children and her position as she is finally reunited with the love of her life only to see him whipped and tortured within an inch of his life by none other than The Jailer, the father of 4 of her 5 children, Pheby Delores Henry is one of the strongest women I have encountered in literature.

This was such a compelling story that I admit was very hard to read. Hard because of the intense visuals and emotional response Johnson was able to invoke through her masterful prose. But so compelling that even with tears in my eyes and a stone in my gut as I read about Pheby's son being taken away, I felt her angst not knowing if he wold be returned to her or if The Jailer had sold him as a slave, and I felt her resolve to get him to freedom when she was finally able to hold him in her arms again.

This is a hard read, but a very worthwhile one.

"Yellow Wife" tells the story of Pheby Delores Brown, an enslaved woman who became the prized property and object of "affection" of a brutal slave trader in Richmond, Virginia, during the times close to the Civil War. While the two never married, she bore him several children and acted as the lady of the house, but the clear imbalance of power is evident in the book. Yellow refers to Pheby being a mulatto. This is a tough read, as Pheby's live does not become all roses and sunshine after being picked by her master; she has little freedom and has to spend her time preparing other slaves for sale, including young women intended for "entertainment". I was pleased that the story is realistic and does not try to idealize Pheby's life.

The characters are fictional, but the book is inspired by historical records of enslaved women who acted as "wives" of high profile slave traders, particularly, Mary Lumpkin; the author clearly did here research. Corinna Hinton, the enslaved concubine of Virginia slave trader Silas Omohundro, also makes an appearance in this book. Given the nature and place of business of these men, they were not able to marry respectable white women, so picked one of their slaves to act as a partner. Highly unlikely there was any consent given that one of the parties of the relationship legally owned the other.

Disclaimer: I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher for review via Netgalley. My opinions are my own.