*This book was received as an Advanced Reader's Copy from NetGalley.

So I will say that The Wilderwomen is not my normal flavor of magical realism, but it still had compelling magic all the same. I found the book intriguing, bewildering (haha, see what I did there), irritating, beautiful, and hard to put down. I read it in a night actually and probably stayed up far later than I should have.

Sisters Zadie and Finn haven't spent a lot of time together since their mother disappeared. Mainly due to their circumstances and ages; with Zadie having been 18 at the time and Finn a minor. To celebrate Finn's graduation though, they've planned a trip together. A trip that is quickly derailed when Finn's gift leaves her compelled to go search for their mother instead. Zadie too is gifted, but as not eager to find her mother, still haunted by the day she disappeared.

Zadie and Finn were good main characters. I enjoyed their brand of magic and how they did (or didn't use it) and the emotions they elicited from the people around them (and the other gifts they discovered along the way). I do have a major issue with Finn's foster family and the way they treated Zadie though. Just good grief. It was upsetting. And Joel, while he was somewhat a comic relief, I honestly don't think he was really needed for the book. The two main characters stood on their own quite well.

When it comes to magical gifts, they ranged from the known (Zadie's abilities) to stuff a little more obscure (and I LOVED the obscure ideas, especially Ursula. Without giving too much away, the most beautifully described gifts involve nature and its interactions. And if the author writes a book about Ursula and her wife Nic, I will be all over that book.

While the story can feel alternately rushed and stilted at times, it still gives a great narrative on sisters overcoming differences, finding truth, and accepting themselves for what they are. While I will say I'm still unsettled by the ending (and can't really give the reason why for fear of spoilers), it's still a very interesting read and well worth taking the journey into.

Review by M. Reynard 2022

The two main characters in this book, sisters Zadie and Finn, both have special powers. Zadie can sense the future, and Finn can feel memories from the past. These abilities help them on their journey to find their mom, who suddenly walked out of their lives 5 years before. They know something had to be wrong, since she wouldn’t just leave them. Those 5 years kept the sisters separated in different homes, slowly losing their relationship.

The book follows their journey to find their mother, reconnect with each other, and learn to accept themselves.

This is the second book by Ruth Emmie Lang, author of Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance (which I feel never got enough attention that it deserved!). While I didn’t love it like I did her first book, I still thought it was an enjoyable read.

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗶𝗳:
* You like longer books
* You like books with magical realism
* You like slower paced books
* You like more character driven books
* You like books where characters find connection and growth

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲𝗱: I loved the abilities they had, and those they met along the way. I mean, hearing stars sounds like the coolest! I also enjoyed the sisters connection and Zadie’s growth.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻’𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗮𝘀 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵: I felt like it was a little too long and slow in some parts. I also felt like I didn’t quite get to know the sister Finn as much. We briefly heard of her history, but I felt like I never really got to know her. When we’d have her POV, it wasn’t her feelings as much but just her powers. I wish we got to know her thoughts more.

𝗠𝘆 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

𝗗𝗼 𝗜 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱? Yes!

This was a very different story, but in the best possible way.

Two sisters travel across the country searching for their mother after years apart. Add in some reading/feeling the memories of others and psychic abilities, Zadie and Finn work together through their shared painful past.

While the characters’ abilities are important to the plot, the sibling and mother relationship was not cheapened by the supernatural aspect. Really enjoyed it.

Steeped in magical realism, The WIlderwomen by Ruth Emmie Lang will transport you to another world. The narrative follows two gifted sisters as they search for their mother who disappeared years ago.

While maybe slow in parts, Lang is a prolific writer that will reel the reader back in through intriguing mystery and drama. The characters are so well developed that you feel like you know them.

Thank you to the author, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

A magical story of love’s ability to persevere through distance and difficulty, of forgiveness and the strength of family bonds, of two sisters’ journey to find their lost mother and along the way, find themselves.

4 stars
Reading this book was such a pleasant experience for me! I was a bit confused at the start, but I kept reading and I eventually started figuring things out. The plot was very interesting and had me hooked, and the pacing was just perfect, even though at some parts it was kind of slow. I felt like the ending was a little bit rushed, but I liked it anyways. The relationships between the characters was really precious, I loved the sisterly bond between Finn and Zadie. The ending was really touching, especially the epilogue. Overall, I really loved this book and can’t wait for it to come out so my friends can read it as well!

really loved Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance, so I was excited to read this book. I did enjoy it,

The Wilderwoman was an incredibly magical and an intriguing atmospheric novel. I enjoyed the characters and their magical abilities, and it was a quick read. I found the writing to be engaging and entertaining; I had an enjoyable time reading this and it held my attention the entire way through that I finished it within the day! I enjoyed every page and thought that the plot/story was very unique. Would recommend to anyone!

Mesmerizing and Captivating are the two words that come to mind when trying to describe this read . A story of two sisters pulled apart when their mother disappeared , coming together years later to find her , only these sisters are not ordinary , or normal by any standard , these girls have abilities to see the future and read the past. This story draws you in , I have a new appreciation for some magical elements that were introduced to me that I have not come across before.i have cried , laughed and felt what these sisters felt on their journey, I would recommend all readers to take step into this reality as well .

Two sisters, Zadie and Finn, go on a road trip to find their mother, and end up finding themselves. This novel — more magical realism than full fantasy — is strange and beautiful, including people with a variety of interesting abilities like hearing star song and talking to trees. Finn hears echos of other people’s memories. Zadie is a reluctant psychic, but that doesn’t stop the younger Finn from harassing Zadie into a game of psychic karaoke. Thematically, the armature often seems to involve trusting your gut or intuition. And when Zadie’s ex-boyfriend appears, it’s clear that romance won’t help Zadie find herself - no men needed, thank you very much. The book alternates between past and present from the perspectives of the two sisters and their lost mother, weaving together an unusual family drama along with unique world building.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

The Wilderwomen started off strong for me, with beautiful imagery and relatable characters. About halfway through, it was slow and the events seemed to drag out, leading to a somewhat anticlimactic ending. I felt like this was going to be at least a 4 star book in the beginning, but the excitement waned for me. Overall, it was a good read with an interesting story and characters that I enjoyed.

“How do you live in the present if your present is someone else’s past?”

This is the question that Zadie and Finn find themselves asking as they embark on a search for their mother, who disappeared without a trace five years ago.

The Wildwomen is a perfect blend of some slight sci-fi/paranormal themes (seeing the past, the future, and other types of sixth senses) with a beautifully written story about sisters reconnecting and finding out how to harness the gifts they were born with.

Ruth Emmie Lang has her own gift of descriptions and it truly felt like I was with Z and N on every step of their road trip. I could not put this book down once I started it and finished it in a sitting.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Publishing for the ARC of this. I can’t wait for it to be released this fall so I can recommend it to everyone.

I was provided the opportunity to read a pre-publication copy of The Wilder Women, one I asked to read because the description totally intrigued me. A novel regarding the relationship of two sisters who possess special gifts, ones inherited from a mother who disappeared five years ago and the search to find answers held me from the very first page. The twists and turns of the novel kept me enthralled to the point where I couldn’t wait to see what adventure the next page would take me to. By the epilogue, I felt I had been with them on their 2,000+ mile journey and was perfectly satisfied when the last page was read. Thank you, Ms. Lang, for a most excellent journey.

I am not at all sure what I think of this one. The writing is excellent, the premise is intriguing, but even though parts that were quite interesting, I wasn't satisfied.

I glanced at reviews when I finished, and almost everyone else loved it. Several reviewers found it fast-paced, when I found it slow--but I'm definitely in the minority.

NetGalley/St. Martin's Press
Fantasy? Nov. 15, 2022. Print length: 336 pages.

A road-trip, female-centered family drama with magical realism? Hit the spot. I can’t wait for this to come out so I can recommend it to folks.

Reminds me of something between Kitchens of the Great Midwest and [what I actually wanted from] Where the Crawdads Sing, but with magical realism. Also reminds me of my favorite book of 2020–Himself by Jess Kidd

THE WILDERWOMEN is a magical tale about two young women grieving the loss of their mother in very different ways. Zadie, the eldest, is angry. their mother left them without a word of explanation, so Zadie has had to raise herself (not very well) into adulthood. Finn misses her mother, even though a lovely foster family has cared for her these past five years. They love her so much that they want to adopt Finn. but Finn, who has a gift for being able to sense the memories of others, is sure her mother is still out there and wants to be found. when Finn experiences a strong memory she believes belongs to her mother, she convinces Zadie to go search for her. She wants Zadie to use her gift of premonition to help in the search, but Zadie hasn't used her gift since her mother left and doesn't intend to start now. But neither Zadie or Finn could predict the places they will go and the people they'll meet in their search for their mother or the way the experience will change them. Good, satisfying read.

This is the story of Zadie and Finn who are intent on putting their family back together. After their mother disappeared 8 yrs ago, Finn is sent to a loving foster family. 18 yr old Zadie, however, has been left to struggle through on her own. Zadie is hoping to reconnect with her sister, who drifted away from her, now that she has graduated from high school. Finn is focused on reconnecting as well, but not with Zadie. She is determined to find their mother. Both girls are special. Zadie can see the future and Finn can hear echos of others memories. Together they embark on a journey of hope and healing. This is a beautifully written story that was a delight to read. The magical realism is balanced with this story of each of these woman. My favorite part is the community that they find and the gift of personal acceptance.

Thank you Netgalley and St Martin’s Press for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this novel with elements of magical realism. I connected with the sisters and their search for their mother while at the same time grappling with their own gifts.

I loved Beasts, and this one was very well written as well. I believe I liked the storyline of Beasts better, but that doesn't mean that this novel wasn't great. She's a brilliant writer. Look forward to more by her.
The characters in this novel are what makes the story.

Wilder Women is phenomenal read! It’s mind blowing combination of magical realism meets mystery and women’s fiction!

Two sisters who slowly drift apart after their mother’s abandonment, decide to take a trip together for rebounding which turns into a search for their missing mother’s whereabouts and dig out more about secrets of their past.

Without following the past and finding out what their mother’s holding back, they can not fulfill their future dreams.

Their path crosses with Sixes : the people who have sixth sense reside in Constellation Camp the very same place sisters have camped alongside with their mother before she has vanished into thin air.

The older sister Zadie who recently breaks up with her boyfriend, keeps secrets from her sister including her mother’s disappearance and she’s expecting a child. Zadie is gifted: she has been seeing premonitions for years but now she blocks them after the guilt she started carrying for her mother’s abrupt leaving. Her 17 years old sister Finn who has been living with her foster parents is also gifted to hear echoes about people’s memories. She also keeps secrets from her sister not to hurt her feelings and before answering to foster parents who want to adopt her, she has to find her mother, facing with the truth she’s been keeping away.

The book is lyrically developed: sisters’ heartwarming story blended in beauty of nature, astrology splendidly. The story of their journey was pure magic keep growing on you!

Definitely a Must Read for me! I highly recommended it!

Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.