Haunting but more for the familial relationships than the plot. I enjoyed the supernatural abilities as well.

This was a heartfelt read that in many ways reminded me of Sarah Addison Allen's books. It follows two sisters with magical powers who are searching for their mom.

It's fast-paced, not too heavy, has some lighthearted fun moments, and will just make you happy once you've finished.

The mystery kept me intrigued, but there was something else about the way the novel was written that really captured my attention. The different gifts presented throughout were just lovely. 'Talking to trees' sounds kind of quirky, but even that was sweet and youthful, yet loving and wistful, all at the same time. This story felt unique and was a change of pace from my normal go-to reads. I was left wanting slightly more from the ending, but was overall satisfied with how things wrapped up.

Follow the Wilder women-Finn and Zadie as they go on a quest to find their mom. No maps or clues to help them, just the power of their "gifts". Here's the thing about this book-I have never read ANYTHING like it. Although it ended up not being my type of book, I have to give credit where it's due. It was easy enough to follow along and once I got about 55% in, I was finally invested enough to want to see how it would play out. If I had to create words to describe this book, I'd have to say it's a "slow burn mystery".

This book was beautiful! The writing was stunning, the characters thoughtful and layered and complex, and the settings intriguing and aesthetic. I would say that I thought it could have been trimmed just a little bit—the pacing sometimes was too slow, things needed to start moving again—but overall I really enjoyed the story.

I adored Ruth Emmie Lang’s debut novel so I had high hopes for this sophomore release. Unfortunately, even though I sensed it was supposed to make me feel things, I was rather indifferent to it all. It was quirky like Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance, but the emotional component did not hit right for me. I never found myself especially eager to get back to this, either.

I know authors must feel enormous pressure to meet the expectations of the fans they’ve gained and this weighed heavily on my mind as I read The Wilderwomen. Ruth Emmie Lang hasn’t been cranking out books. There is a large gap between this one and Beasts. I know that time, heart and imagination were put into this work and I am sad that I can’t hold it up with the same high praise. I will loyally try anything Lang puts out next, knowing the magic I found within her first book still lives wildly inside of her.

I am immensely grateful to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for my digital review copy. All opinions are my own.

Gosh I love Lang’s knack for heartfelt magical realism with the perfect balance of lighthearted and tender. The Wilderwomen is adventurous with a touching exploration of love between mother and daughter(s).

A novel that chronicles lives caught in the mystic. It seems each Wilder woman has a gift or a curse depending on your definition. Nora, the mom disappears, and the echoes of her past compel her daughters to find her. It is an exercise in belief. We believe Finn can hear songs from her mothers past. Sadie has the gift of “sight”. Together they leave the known to face the unknown . It is a leap of faith in your ability to choose the true path your life should travel.

I was first introduced to Ruth Emmie Lang's writing in 2020 after reading her debut, Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance and was quickly moved by her writing style. The Wilderwomen was no exception.

I started this book extremely excited due to having this book on my want to read list since it was announced. I just loved Beasts so much and I couldn't wait to dive in to this story. This book starts out with an introduction to Zadie and Finn, sisters who are dealing with the traumatic event of their mom disappearing one night five years ago. While Zadie is indecisive on how she feels about the matter, Finn is 18 and graduating, and is more optimistic about what has happened to their mother. After using their gifts to see memories and to predict the future, they both decide to go in search of her.

The book starts out less as magical realism and more as contemporary fiction. As the reader, we were along for the adventure of wherever Zadie and Finn took us. Up until about the halfway point, the story was slow and descriptive. We got a lot of insight into the two sisters and the scenery that surrounded them as they traveled west. But around halfway, new characters are introduced (i.e. Joel, Myron, Rowan, Hazel and Juniper) and this is where the story really picked up for me. I loved the interactions with these characters and it was nice to see Zadie and Finn relax and connect with Myron's three girls. The book really picked up on the magical realism in the second half and I was pleasantly surprised by the ending. I had no clue how Lang was going to conclude the book, but the last chapter and the prologue were very heartwarming.

If you enjoy magical realism, love descriptive imagery about nature, have wanderlust and love a strong sisterly bond, this book is the perfect read.

4 stars

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC. I am posting my review to Goodreads immediately and plan to post on my personal Instagram and Facebook accounts closer to publication.

This book is a beautiful and near perfect example of what magical realism should be. The quiet style of Ruth Emmie Lang shines in this story about sisters, found family and discovering who you are, even when it might not be who you want to be. Zadie and Finn are lovable in their differences and they embody the tolerances we make for our siblings. The mystery of Nora pulls the plot forward, even as the simple moments of character development pull the reader into each scene. If you're looking for a road trip novel, a sister-connection novel, found family trope, or anything with a touch of mystery, read this book. Magical realism is quicky becoming my favorite fantasy sub-genre and books like this are the exact reason why. The sense of "anything can happen" is strong throughout, but with enough boundaries that things never get completely out of control. Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for my eARC to review.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc of this book in return for an honest review.

I loved this story so much! It was so well written and I could see everything played out in my mind. I hope there is another book to continue the story but if not, it ended well. It’s a beautiful story about finding family and comfort in choices made in the past. Some things cannot be forgotten but acceptance for the things that could not be controlled. I loved reading about this family and the adventure they took to find peace.

I find myself just a little bit disappointed with this one. I liked how the epilogue wrapped everything up nicely, but felt the overall story lacked a bit. The characters are likeable though so that made it easier for me to finish reading.

*Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley in exchange of an honest review *

Five years ago, Nora Wilder vanished into thin air.

Her daughters, Zadie and Finn, have tried to go on with their lives in the hopes that someday, their free-spirited mother will return. But year after year, their hope has dwindled. That is, until Finn--whose extraordinary gift is sensing "echoes" of other people's memories--catches wind of an echo of Nora and believes, for the first time in a long time, that Nora is out there. Wherever "there" is.

Ruth Emmie Lang has done it again, readers. For those (like me) who read and adored "Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance," know that "The Wilderwomen" is a completely different story, but with all the magical realism, hilarious quirkiness, and heartstring-pulling emotion that Lang has come to be known by.

The journey that this story takes you on is endearing, emotionally-charged, and a powerful, powerful story of sisterhood and womanhood. Lang's writing is beautifully-descriptive; in just a few chapters, I found myself totally immersed in Zadie and Finn's cross-country journey to find Nora. The characters they stumble upon along the way are special, carefully-crafted, and memorable--each and every one of them.

An uplifting, hopeful story of what it means to have a place in this ever-strange world, "The Wilderwomen" will leave a mark on you in the most wonderful of ways. Hoping this one finds its way onto the big screen someday.

I really wanted to love this one. It sounded so unique, but I just never could fully get pulled into it. This is a magical realism, women's fiction. A coming of age story about two sisters, Zadie and Finn, on a road trip to find their missing mother. Both of the girls have special abilities. Zadie can see into the future and Fun can hear echoes of other people's memories. They meet an interesting cast of characters along the journey. I was sometimes confused as to what exactly was going on, and the writing was very different from what I'm used to. I had a hard time connecting to this one.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.

📘The Wilderwomen📘🐦
by @ruthemmieauthor

I loved this author's first novel, so when I saw that she had another coming out in November I knew I had to read it.

Nora Wilder is missing - and after five years, her younger daughter is determined to find her. Freshly graduated from high school, Finn convinces her older sister Zadie to give up their planned beach trip to follow the psychic echoes of Nora's memories in order to look for her. All three Wilder women have psychic senses and along the way, Zadie and Finn find unlikely help in forgiving their mother and healing the rift in themselves. I really enjoyed all the road trip descriptions (from Texas to the PNW) and bird imagery. Another book for fans of magical realism and family drama.

(Thanks to @netgalley for my ARC copy)

The Wilderwomen by Ruth Emmie Lang is a unique book. Part realistic in that two sisters are searching for their mother so also a part of mystery. Then part mystical as they go about their journey. That would make it all fantasy but you have to keep up. While at times the story became confusing it was never boring.

Finn’s and Zadie’s special abilities or superpowers should help in the search for their mother. However, it is more complicated than that. A great reminder that “if only I could” might not be as great as we think it is in actuality.

The writing flows so that the reader is carried away with the sisters on their unusual trek. Both need to past to be resolved so that they can step boldly into their future. Secrets must be faced as for all who go on a self-discovery journey as well as lessons to be learned.

An ARC of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is thoroughly enjoyable. Even if it doesn't have a ton of substance to it. I liked it. It was definitely entertaining.

A pair of sisters with unusual abilities goes on a quest to find their mother who disappeared years ago. The people they meet along the way also have some unusual abilities. It's quirky and imaginative. And fun. Definitely fun.

If you enjoy magical realism and a magical sister quest, I would definitely recommend this.

The wilderwomen was a a phenomenal read. The characters Zadie and Finn were brought to life with all the fabulous details to create a bond with the characters. As a reader I was kept connected and engaged until the end. Must read!

The Wilderwomen was such a beautiful love story between 2 sisters who are not ordinary or normal by any standards. For me, this book was magical, intriguing, engaging, and very entertaining. My attention was held throughout the entire book, and I got lost in the story. All the twists and turns blended wonderfully. Highly recommend. Many thanks to NetGalley for this advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

This novel wasn't necessarily what I was expecting given the description. I guess I thought the supernatural/fantasy element would be more prominent, but this was more of a drama/coming of age story to me. That being said, I did really enjoy it and adored some of the characters.
3.5 rounded to 4.
Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for the advance copy to read and review.
All opinions are my own.