The Wilderwomen is a long road trip, but this book is worth every mile...er, page.
I liked the large cast of characters, especially Joel and the Van Houten girls. Finn and Zadie...well. They are well-written characters, but I had a hard time connecting with their hunt for their mother. The author did a great job of tying together the main plots and side plots with the lovely locations. If you like the road trip part of the Britney Spears, Zoe Saldana, and Taryn Manning movie Crossroads and the sisterhood of Practical Magic, this book is for you.

When Nora Wilder disappeared her eldest daughter Zadie was not worried, her mother had been disappearing and losing time, but she always came back. But that was five years ago and not being able to keep custody of her little sister Finn, Zadie is all alone.
When Finn announces that with or without Zadies help she is going to find their mother, Zadie has no choice to go along with her sisters plan.
This sets in motion an adventure that will test their limits, and the closer the girls get to finding Nora, the further Finn slips away from her sister.

I’m usually not a fan of magical realism. But this had just enough magic that I didn’t know what to expect, and not too much that it took over the story.
This was a story of hope, resilience, and the power of family.

This is definitely a MUST READ for any and everyone! There are a few very talented writers who manage to take a story line and build it into something more. Ruth Emmie Lang has joined that list for me. I have not read her first book but I'm adding it to me TBR list. This book is a journey. It is traveled through the lives of 3 women.

Two sisters have reached a point in their lives when they must face who they are in order to become who they should be. Their mother started her journey five years ago, leaving the sisters to grow apart. Due to their circumstances, they have both changed and they cannot decide if that is for the better, yet. Each sister has a gift, one can see the future, one can feel the past, but they have never tried to develop their gifts until now. Their journey starts as a search for their mother but each step will take them further into their own life story.

This book had my attention from the first. Ms Lang wove a web that kept me reading "just a few more pages" and thinking about the story when I wasn't reading. It's hard to describe this feeling but other readers know what I'm saying. We are always hunting for books that give you this experience. Read this one.....it's a winner.

Wow do I feel warm and fuzzy after finishing that one. What a feel good book that didn't feel too cheesy or cheap. This was just the perfect amount of magical realism for me while also staying grounded in reality. I loved the authors debut and am SO happy that this one did not dissapoint as well!

Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for a gifted eARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.

The Wilderwomen is a story about two sisters reconnecting and going on a road trip to discover what happened to their mother who left suddenly 5 years ago. It’s a mix of magic, adventure, mystery and sister-bonding. I’ve never read Lang’s other book but plan to very soon!

The plot is a bit meandering at times but I enjoyed the writing style and didn’t mind if parts were slow-paced. The magic is subtle but a very present aspect of the story! You will need to ditch your logical brain and just go with the flow, I think appreciating the experience rather than the explanation behind it makes it a much more enjoyable read.

If you’re curious about this one, it’s definitely worth the read with beautiful writing, engaging characters and some magic ✨.

4.5/5

I didn't know what to expect from this book but in the end, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Reminded me a bit of an Alice Hoffman book with the magical realism throughout the book. It was a unique story that pulled me in from the start. Not having any sisters myself, I love reading books about sisters. These characters were magical, and the story was beautifully written. A wonderful book with a little magic, a little mystery, and the beauty of family love.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the review copy.

Two sisters search for their missing mother in Ruth Emmie Lang’s THE WILDERWOMEN. Whether their mother left from anger or just wandered off, her daughters have spent the intervening five years struggling to understand her departure as well as their own developing psychic abilities. They’ve also grown apart and a trip together, in search of their mother, may at least provide an opportunity to rebuild their relationship. Part trek, part magical realism, this tale holds enough mystery and love to capture and hold readers’ interests. I received my copy from the publisher through Netgalley.

Overall, a really neat idea. However, I had trouble connecting with the characters. I guess this just wasn't my type of book.

The Wilderwomen by Ruth Emmie Lang is mind blowing combination of magical realism meets mystery and women’s fiction!

THE WILDERWOMEN by Ruth Emmie Lang was an intriguing story following two sisters, Finn and Zadie, on a search to find their mother, who has been missing for years. These two sisters each possess a special gift, which helps them on their search. This book is for lovers of magical realism and family dramas.

Ruth Emmie Lang explores family relationships with a solid dose of magical realism in her new book, The Wilderwomen. It’s a sweet and engaging exploration of sisterhood and the complications inherent in mother-daughter connections.

Lang’s primary voices are two sisters. Zadie is a twenty-something young woman on the cusp of many changes. She’s trying to finish college, manage a boyfriend, and stay connected to her younger sister, Finn. Since their mother, Nora, disappeared five years ago, Finn has been in foster care with a loving and well-off family. She’s a new high school graduate with a bright future ahead of her. So, the sisters plan a beach getaway to celebrate.

But they also can’t leave the mystery of what happened to their mother behind. It haunts them every day. And for Finn, that haunting is in the form of external memories she feels as if they were her own. Standing in a particular place, for example, Finn often feels the memories of other people who’ve also stood there. And now she has memories that feel like Nora’s.

Zadie resists her uncommon abilities, psychic predictions that aren’t always clear. Yet, she can’t ignore what’s happening to Finn. So the beach trip becomes a wide-ranging adventure in search of Nora.

My conclusions
Lang develops both Zadie and Finn with care and kindness. They’re two lost young women searching for their mother’s anchoring presence. She explores the psychological effects of abandonment with gentle subtlety.

Zadie’s response to Nora’s flight is to develop more walls and keep others out. Because she’s the younger sibling, Finn relies on Zadie. On the other hand, she experiences positive parenting because of her loving foster family. I wish more foster families were this kind in real life.

The explanation for Nora’s disappearance is unfurled slowly. Lang slowly exposes small pieces of the answer, effectively increasing the suspense.

As the sisters travel, the people they meet are unique and offer them new vistas. Again, Lang delves into creative magical realism here. She walks the edge between wild ideas and somewhat likely possibilities. And the effect is delicious.

This is my first venture into the world of Ruth Emmie Lang’s writing. It won’t be my last.

Acknowledgments
Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and the author for a digital advanced reader’s copy in exchange for this honest review. The expected publication date for this book is November 15, 2022.

4.5⭐️ rounded up to 5!

I was approved for this eARC in May. I put it off time after time but finally picked it up today when I realized the release date is soon (lifelong procrastinator over here, please don't judge).

Well, I am so upset that I put it off as long as I did. I devoured it in a day! When I wasn't reading it, I was counting down the moments until I could pick it up again.

I was so enthralled by what was going on because it's a bit sci-fi/fantasy stuff that I don't read much of, but definitely will be in the future. There aren't witches, faeries, or anything along those lines. It's just a really unique plot that I absolutely loved! I found myself legitimately laughing at times because Zadie and Finn are so sarcastic. I could relate to both of them so well.

My only reason for taking off a half star was Zadie was annoying at times, but it was so minuscule to the big picture.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I think it's a beautiful love story about the relationships between sisters and the relationship between daughters and mothers.

Ruth Emmie Lang wrote a predictable tale of two young girls in search of meaning as they search for their lost mother who abandoned them. It had promise, but didn't always deliver or keep the reader wanting to finish the story.

This mystical, beautiful novel is for the lovers of family tales with beautiful emotional depth. It's a stunning tale of identity, of familial bonds, of spirituality and mysticism. If you want a beautiful, poignant story, "The Wilderwomen" is the book for you.

This book was a wonderfully character driven story with elements of fantasy and mystery. It kept me engaged, always trying to figure out what would happen next. This book kept me guessing until the very end! I loved that the story focused on in women that were uniquely independent but still connected and vulnerable. I would have liked a little more explanation regarding the “gifts” these women had, but overall I loved this story and the magical realism it embodies.

I loved Ruth Emmie Lang’s debut novel, Beasts Of Extraordinary Circumstance, so was thrilled when St Martin’s Press reached out with an ARC of her new book, The Wilderwomen. Lang stays true to what I loved about Beasts and upped her game.

The Wilderwomen is a genre bending story, combining elements of paranormal, mystery, and magical realism. This is a story of a family where women have a sixth sense, of a mother who was lost to her daughters and their search for her five years later.

Told between present day and flashbacks, sisters Zadie and Finn go on a journey to find out what really became of their mother, Nora. Ruth Emmie Lang is really in her element as Zadie and Finn travel from Texas through the Arizona desert. Each location is so unique, and it’s own character. The tension between the sisters is palpable, as is the desire to trust and rebuild a close relationship. I loved Zadie’s arc from carrying the burden of past knowledge, feeling helpless to help Finn, anger at Nora, that comes to a very satisfying resolution (spoiler free!). The blending of generational family mystery with a touch of paranormal/sixth sense was done seamlessly. This was a perfect fit for my reading year that has been stacked full of great women’s stories!

I recommend The Wilderwomen by Ruth Emmie Lang for lovers of of her previous book, Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstances, those that enjoy magical realism with a mystery, perfect for readers of Sarah Addison Allen’s Other Birds.

I have been waiting so long for a Ruth Emmie Lang book. When I told my husband that the author of Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstances had a book coming out, he said, “Have you ordered it yet?” Yes, I have. The Wilderwomen, or Wilder family, are pretty special. Nora, the mother, thinks she may be a bird. She is close to her two girls, Zadie and Finn in a way that single parents often are-there is a special relationship when you only have each other. And then, when Zadie was 18, Nora just walked out of the house and never returned.

Six years later and Zadie is packing her things, too. She is leaving her boyfriend because she cannot find a place she feels sad and comfortable. She is still trying to overcome the loss of her mother. And she is pregnant. And she is psychic. When her mother left, she lost everything. Her sister went into foster care and she floated along trying to find her way. She is angry and lost.

Finn is much more well-adjusted. At least on the surface. She doesn’t see her older sister much, but she has a loving foster family. Her grades are good. She is popular, She is athletic. She also has special abilities. Finn is not doing as well as everyone thinks, though.

When she graduates high school she and Zadie plan a week at the beach before Finn is off to college. Finn has other plans. Finn wants to use their gifts to find their mom. The two set off on a wandering adventure to follow Nora’s long ago footsteps. Along the way, they meet the kind of beautiful characters you would want to meet on such an adventure. Kind people and special people.

The Wilderwomen is a touching story about family and the ties that bind regardless of time or distance. I absolutely loved this story and these people. I feel pretty honored to have been part of their lives..

The Wilderwomen by Ruth Emmie Lang follows two sisters, Zadie and Finn, as they go on a quest to find their mother who disappeared years ago.

I enjoyed the relationship between the two sisters. To be honest, I think I was more invested in the relationship between the sisters than their quest to find their mother (and whether or not they actually would).

I thought that many of the plot points came about in a relatively convenient way, which kind of annoyed me. Zadie can see the future and Finn has these flashbacks of other people's memories, so between the two of them they were able to find clues as to where their mother went in every location they arrived at. Conveniently, the diner they ate at triggered a memory which helped them on their quest or Zadie can see the future so she was able to figure out some problem. It took a lot of tension out of situations that should have provided the book with tension.

The book was very well-written and had some beautiful passages, which I appreciated.

Overall, I thought this was an entertaining book that blended genres to provide a family drama and mystery with a sci-fi twist. I'd say a solid 3.5/5.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre : witchy family drama
I can’t believe I forgot I had this one on NetGalley!
Sisters. One a psychic. One who sees echoes of memories. Both searching for their mom who seemingly left them behind. Both hiding secrets of their own. A road trip to reconnect and find the woman who broke their hearts has some unexpected turns and challenges along the way.
I really enjoyed this one. I’m a sucker for witchy books, I just wish the witchy was embraced more in this one. All in all I enjoyed it, though!
Thanks so much, NetGalley!
Have you read this one yet? What did you think?

The following review was posted on my blog tomorrow, Sunday, November 13, 2 days before publication. It will be shared on Twitter and Instagram between today and the day of publication, and has already been posted on Goodreads. The blog post includes links to order the books and to its Goodreads page, so readers can add it to their to-be-read books.






“The birds are singing… I’m here to stay.”

Genre: Fantasy, Fiction
Actual Rating: 3.5 stars
Spicy Meter: N/A, it’s clean
Content Warning: It revolves around parental abandonment, but also includes car accident, pregnancy, and injury details.

“The Wilderwomen” follows, well, the Wilder women—Nora, and her daughters, Zadie and Finn. Well, it mostly follow Zadie and Finn, as Nora has been missing for the last 5 years. But Zadie and Finn aren’t your normal 23- and 17-year-olds, respectively—they’re somewhat magical. Zadie can see the future (of sorts), while Finn can relive other people’s memories, something they call “echoes”. So when, after being missing for so long, Finn can sense an echo from their mom, she convinces Zadie to go on a roadtrip, as she’s sure Nora wants to be found.

I feel like I could’ve enjoyed this book more at another point in my life. For instance, a year ago, I loved reading some nonsensical magical realism (I’ll blame it on me rewatching Jane The Virgin), but right now it just didn’t resonate with me.

Don’t get me wrong, “The Wilderwomen” is exceptionally well-written, and will keep you hooked, I just felt like I wasn’t fulfilled after reading this book.

Zadie and Finn are very likable characters, but I couldn’t care less about Nora, so I was just annoyed half the time. I liked the Sixes, the people who have a sixth sense, that they met in their roadtrip. I loved loved loved the writing. I just didn’t love the story as a whole.

I would recommend this book to readers looking for an escape, a magical read that’ll make you question if you’re the sane one or if magic is really real. If you’ve enjoyed other magical realism reads like “The House in the Cerulean Sea” by T.J. Klune or “The Midnight Library” by Matt Haig (which also has a character named Nora, lol), then you’ll love “The Wilderwomen”.

If you click here, you’ll be redirected to Goodreads, so you can add the book to your TBR list.

Or you could click here, and be redirected to Amazon, so you can order the book.

ARC provided by NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: November 15, 2022