Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's press for this ARC!

Finn and Zadie are on a quest to find their mother who disappeared 5 years earlier, leaving Finn in foster care and Zadie all on her own. Both of these young women have unique gifts: Zadie is psychic, and Finn relives the memories of others.

The story takes us on the journey with them to find their mother. While well-written, I found my attention wandering frequently througout the book. It has taken me a couple of weeks to finish. Some aspects of the reasoning for their mother's disappearance were somewhat confusing and I didn't understand how some of the "powers" worked. For example, in one scene, Finn is in one of her "echoes" and she is interacting as her mom with Zadie. If these are memories that she is living out, how can she interact with someone in present day? These types of situations made the book a little difficult to understand and a little tough to push through. Overall, 3 stars.

Ruth Emmie Lang's Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance is one of my top 10 books of all time, so my hopes were very high here. Perhaps too high. This one didn't have the emotional pull I was expecting, so it was a bit of a disappointment. Without the high expectations, I think this could be a real win for readers though.

Dear The Wilderwomen,
You were so enchanting and emotional. I absolutely loved Finn and Zadie, and felt for them every single step of their cross country journey. The depth of grief and loss and anger that they felt about losing their mom was so heartbreaking. I loved how you were touched with magic, the presence of sixes throughout your world was fascinating. I kept hoping that the girls would be able to find their mother, but as you dove deeper into Finn's echoes, I had to wonder if she was still there to be found. Each of the Wilder women were keeping their own secrets, which usually drives me crazy, but I completely understood why they couldn't lay themselves bare to each other. Usually with a story about secrets and lack of communication, I become frustrated with the characters, not understanding why they just can't tell each other what is going on with them, but you made it make complete sense to me. I am so glad that I picked you up.

I read Lang's first book earlier this year and absolutely ADORED it. When I heard she was publishing another book, it was very high on my priority list.

'The Wilderwomen,' did not disappoint! Similar to the first novel, the writing in this book was STUNNING. There was a lot of gorgeous imagery related to birds. There was adventure. I absolutely adore Ruth Emmie Lang and will read everything she writes.

Having enjoyed Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance I really looked forward to this one. The more modern setting and background at the start threw me, however I loved the magic realism. The dynamic between Zadie and Finn was drawn so beautifully, it appeared fragile at times and strong at others. This reminded me just a little of Practical Magic, which I adored too.

You ever have a book that wrecks you but you're totally ok with it? Yea, that's this book. Wow. Incredible. Following Zadie and Finn as they search for their mother was so amazing. I love the fact that they each have powers as well. What an amazing book! I feel so lucky that I got an ARC.

This story was an unconventional mix of family drama, mystery, and a touch of magic realism.

When Nora Wilder disappeared years ago, she left behind her two daughters, Zadie who is psychic and Finn who not only remembers her own memories but the echoes of memories others have left behind. Finn is overcome by an echo the day of her graduation party and she comes to the realization that the memory belongs to her mother. Finn then convinces Zadie to join her on a road trip to retrace Nora’s footsteps in the hopes of finding her and asking her why she left. But the more echoes Finn receives from her mother’s past, the harder it is for her to remain in the present. Zadie recognizes the changes in Finn, she saw them in their own mother years ago, but now she must decide what lengths she’s willing to go to find their Nora and time is of the essence.

I really enjoyed this story because it‘s so different from what I’ve been reading lately. I tend not to choose books that are based in fantasy or have characters with preternatural abilities, but I was really drawn to the uniqueness of this story, and I found myself wanting to find Nora just as much as her daughters. Both heart-wrenching and heartwarming, I think it was a great book and a nice change from what i normally read!

*Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing a copy of this book to review.*

I love a good family story, so I was easily drawn to The Wilderwomen by Ruth Emmie Lang. The novel follows sisters Finn and Zadie Wilder as they search for the mother who abandoned them at ages twelve and eighteen. Using Finn’s ability to track their mother through her memories and Zadie’s cryptic power of premonition, the sisters embark on an open-ended road trip.

The search becomes increasingly difficult as Finn’s gift turns dangerous. But there are magical moments along the way as they meet and connect with other “sixers.” These supporting characters - especially those with ties to the earth and the stars - provide mystical and hopeful moments.

The Wilderwomen starts as a story of abandonment, but it’s ultimately about connection, identity, and forgiveness. It’s about the freedom we can only allow ourselves when we feel safely tethered. It’s about making choices out of love, not need.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing this ARC.

I was drawn into this story of Zadie and Finn. Two half-sisters with “special” gifts reconnect to try to find their mother, Nora, who vanished from their home years ago.

First of all, I loved how the girls’ gifts were described. Zadie is a psychic, reluctantly, and her visions are not clear but more like invasive messages she must decipher. Finn can remember “echoes” of her memories and others’ memories as well. It’s an echo that Finn gets that convinces her that Nora is out there and wants to be found. So the two girls decide to hit the road to find their mother.

The story folds back and forth on itself - from before Nora left to the girls on their road trip, searching. This helps to give clues, breadcrumbs if you will, as to what forces are pulling on these unique women.


The plot is magical and a little haunting, but sprinklings of humor make this a truly curious story.

Thank you @stmartinspress for a gifted copy. And thank you @macmillan.audio for the complimentary audiobook.

This one was interesting but very slow. I haven’t read anything quite like it before, which I really appreciated but it took a while to get into. The sisters were both very unique with their different senses and I really appreciated the band of side characters that helped them to grow into themselves. The end felt a little rushed and seemed to have some loose ends, but I gave that a pass due to the unique plot. While I wouldn’t recommend this widely to everyone, I feel like this story will definitely appeal to folks who appreciate magical realism.

Thank you to the publisher and NG for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to the publisher, St Martin's Press, for providing me with an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review!

🌟🌟🌟🌟
📚 - Adult Fantasy / Magical Realism / Contemporary / Mystery
📖 - 338 pages

This book was a little out of my normal High Fantasy genre, but still had enough elements of the supernatural, that I felt compelled to keep reading. It was a an easy read that flips between the POVs of the missing mother, leading up to the time of her disappearance and the two daughters who search for her. It's a winding tale that actually ends up in my neck of the woods, which was an added bonus. While at times, the book dealt with pretty heavy emotions and feelings, it had an overall whimsy or lightheartedness? This isn't a gritty or presing mystery, to be sure. The main characters are on an adventure to find their mother 5 years after her disappearance. I did love that the ending was a happy one and that both Finn and Nora seem to be back to their old selves.

I really did adore this book. It's one of those reads that you can like picture as a movie in your head. I thought the whole "we're a mystery" explanation was a cop out but it also added to the magic.

A beautiful story with a little bit of everything, general fiction, mystery, and sci-fi. The entire story is so well written and has stayed with me since I began this book. The way that the author wrote the characters and the bond between women was phenomenal. I was a little nervous about this one since it's not my typically genre, but I'm so glad that I stepped outside of my comfort zone and experienced the magic of this book.

The Wilderwomen deserves a higher rating for the writing and the plot, but I couldn't give it a higher rating because I lost steam at about the halfway mark. The mystery surrounding Nora Wilder's disappearance and the elements of magical realism kept the story moving forward. I especially enjoyed the alternating chapters between events leading to Nora's disappearance and the present. It helped build suspense around what might have happened and why one sister was more reluctant than the other to find their mother. While I drawn to the story of sisters with special abilities searching for their mother, it soon turned into "Let's chase after Finn." With one sister often looking for the other, it was difficult to reestablish the bond Finn and Zadie might have once had. This was one aspect of the story I was hoping for but found lacking. Readers who enjoy books that focus on family and fans of mysteries that have elements of magical realism may enjoy the novel.

A story of sisterhood, family, missing mothers and how it shapes us as women, The Wilderwomen told a beautiful, albeit sometimes haunting, tale about these things.

I really enjoyed this book as a whole. From the settings to the overall plot of the story I was really sucked in. Zadie and Finn were interesting but their powers being kind of intertwined sometimes made it hard to focus on who was POV we were reading. I liked how each kind of asked what does a family make and how they aren't alone when they think they are the loneliest.

The ending left me needed a bit more explanation as to what Noras powers were because I still didn't understand. But that being said I did still really love the ending too. I'd recommend this to a lot of people.

This book tore me apart on so many levels. It was harsh but tender, sarcastic but sweet, full of love and loss. Equal parts diametrically opposed. A mother goes missing, sisters are torn apart, Zadie, the older was of majority when Nora disappeared and has had to navigate so many difficult situations, not the least of which is losing her sister Finn to a foster home. She is not a warm and fuzzy character, not immediately likable. Despite Finn being in a loving environment all she can think about is Nora. And Nora, well we are not sure what has become of her. Each of the three women have a special gift even if at times it seems to be an unbearable burden. Each of the women love the other and each other beyond measure and that is why it is inexplicable and so fundamentally wrong when Nora walks down the driveway and out of her daughters’ lives. We are left to wonder why and finding that answer becomes everything.

I can’t even imagine the fear of realizing that you are losing yourself, trying to hold on to the minute knowing there is something so important that you must not forget, hold on, hold on and then succumbing to the fog and mist swirling in your brain. Zadie and Finn each have specific, special powers which may be able to help them locate Nora. A very interesting road trip is going to lead them in conflicting directions physically, mentally and spiritually. Zadie is not sure she ever wants to see and be hurt by her mother again. All Finn can think about is finding her mother. All Zadie wants is to help and be with her sister. We are not given the opportunity of seeing or understanding what Nora wants or is thinking. As the sisters travel, looking for their mother, they are forced to revisit flawed misconceptions and face some long hidden damaging truths.

The story is described as magical realism - Zadie’s suppression of her psychic abilities in large part due to her guilt about the day Nora left and Finn’s embracing her “echoes” of the memories of strangers which may lead her back to her mother leaves the door open for the possibility that having a sixth sense might not be magical just very special.

I am so glad I was gifted a copy of this well written and thought provoking book. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a copy.

Title: The Wilderwomen
Author: Ruth Emmie Lang
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 4 out of 5

Five years ago, Nora Wilder disappeared. The older of her two daughters, Zadie, should have seen it coming, because she can literally see things coming. But not even her psychic abilities were able to prevent their mother from vanishing one morning.

Zadie’s estranged younger sister, Finn, can’t see into the future, but she has an uncannily good memory, so good that she remembers not only her own memories, but the echoes of memories other people have left behind. On the afternoon of her graduation party, Finn is seized by an “echo” more powerful than anything she’s experienced before: a woman singing a song she recognizes, a song about a bird…

When Finn wakes up alone in an aviary with no idea of how she got there, she realizes who the memory belongs to: Nora.

Now, it’s up to Finn to convince her sister that not only is their mom still out there, but that she wants to be found. Against Zadie’s better judgement, she and Finn hit the highway, using Finn’s echoes to retrace Nora’s footsteps and uncover the answer to the question that has been haunting them for years: Why did she leave?

But the more time Finn spends in their mother’s past, the harder it is for her to return to the present, to return to herself. As Zadie feels her sister start to slip away, she will have to decide what lengths she is willing to go to to find their mother, knowing that if she chooses wrong, she could lose them both for good.

At first, I wasn’t sure I was going to like Zadie too much. She tended towards being self-absorbed and oblivious to how she hurt other people’s feelings. She grew on me a bit as she started to become—slightly—more self-aware. Finn seemed so young to me: doing everything on a whim and a prayer and not bothering to think a single thing through before leaping into thin air. I really enjoyed the sisters’ relationship, and became invested in their search for their mother and finding out what happened to her.

Ruth Emmie Lang was born in Scotland but now lives in Ohio. The Wilderwomen is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.)

Enjoyable story of two sisters searching for their mom. Both sisters have extra abilities and suspect that their missing mother may have her own too. Nora walked out and drove away five years ago, abandoning her girls, Planning a visit with younger sister, Finn, changes from a beach graduation trip into a track down mom adventure. Hunting down Finn’s gifted echoes for clues. Their abilities enhance their journey and they meet many interesting people, learning more about themselves as they go.

What an imaginative and unusual story! Two grown daughters who were abandoned by their mother five years earlier, decide to go in search of her to find answers about the reason she left them.

Each daughter has an unusual psychic gift. Finn can remember the memories of other people and Zadie has premonitions that she has struggled to keep under control. Once the girls set off in search of their mother, the girls find that their gifts are useful on their journey.

What I liked about the book was the use of nature and imagery in the story. What I didn’t like was the slow pace and the seemingly redundant information interspersed throughout. A few questions were still left unanswered at the end, but overall I enjoyed the story and the characters were decent and interesting people.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read an advance copy. Im happy to give my honest review.

Five years ago, Zadie Wilder watched her mother Nora walk away one night out of hers and her sister, Finn’s, lives. Nora had been increasingly having trance-like states where she wandered off and stared up at the birds in the sky, losing all time and memory of these events. When she walked away that night, it was as if something unseen was leading her away.

Nora isn’t the only Wilder with strange abilities, though. Her two daughters have them as well. Zadie is psychic, though she resents the ability and suppresses it. Finn can sense other people’s memories during her own trance-like states called “echoes”.

It’s these abilities that Finn is banking on to help answer: What was happening with Nora and where did she go? Under the guise of going on a post-graduation beach vacation with Zadie, Finn tells her foster parents she’ll be back in a couple weeks. What follows is a cross-country fantastical adventure to track down their missing mother relying mainly on Finn’s echoes, which she seems to be getting more and more lost in by the day.

What I liked:

The writing. Ruth Emmie Lang does magical realism so well, which I love! She knows how to engage the reader in that sense of adventure and mystery which is just the fun escapism I need sometimes. It was like a vicarious vacation with Finn and Zadie to some great places!

The characters. The sisters are very different, but their love for each other showed and it was a nice balance of personalities. Along the way, they met so many fascinating and likeable characters, many of whom had special abilities of their own like hearing the music of the stars in the sky, communicating with trees, or being able to paint someone’s future. They added nice flavor to the story!

What I struggled a little with:

The plot. I didn’t dislike it, but I wasn’t crazy about it. The premise of a mom leaving her children for ANY reason is challenging. It set the stage for a decent road trip, but I don’t know how invested I felt in the girls finding Nora. It might have helped if we’d gotten to know her more.

The ending. After spending so much time on the journey with Finn and Zadie and enjoying so many of the characters they met along the way, the ending felt a bit anticlimactic and a little mundane by comparison. It also didn’t go far enough to explain why Nora left.

I loved Lang’s Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance which sits on my Favorites shelf. While I enjoyed this overall, I wasn’t drawn into this story quite as much. Nonetheless, I will always want to read everything she writes, and few authors can take me on the adventures she does!


★★★ ½ (rounded to 4)