I really enjoyed the book and the audio. The characters, especially Carrie, were great to listen to. I read at 1. 5/1.75 speed. I listened to this as I read the book and the audio book helped the character feel more realistic as if I was listening to their story coming from them. Especially Carrie's pov.

Counting Backwards by Jacqueline Friedland is a great novel that centers around some topics such as: reproductive rights, immigrants, and strong women. These are all things that I am passionate about, so this book was of great interest to me. I enjoyed the dual timelines and well developed characters. One of the timelines was based on a true part of history and that is always compelling.

Synopsis:
New York, 2022. Jessa Gidney is trying to have it all—a high-powered legal career, a meaningful marriage, and hopefully, one day, a child. But when her professional ambitions come up short and Jessa finds herself at a turning point, she leans into her family's history of activism by taking on pro bono work at a nearby ICE detention center. There she meets Isobel Pérez—a young mother fighting to stay with her daughter—but as she gets to know Isobel, an unsettling revelation about Isobel's health leads Jessa to uncover a horrifying pattern of medical malpractice within the detention facility. One that shockingly has ties to her own family.

Virginia, 1927. Carrie Buck is an ordinary young woman in the center of an extraordinary legal battle at the forefront of the American eugenics conversation. From a poor family, she was only six years old when she first became a ward of the state. Uneducated and without any support, she spends her youth dreaming about a different future—one separate from her exploitative foster family—unknowing of the ripples her small, country life will have on an entire nation.

As Jessa works to assemble a case against the prison and the crimes she believes are being committed there, she discovers the landmark Supreme Court case involving Carrie Buck. Her connection to the case, however, is deeper and much more personal than she ever knew—sending her down new paths that will leave her forever changed and determined to fight for these women, no matter the cost.

Alternating between the past and present, and deftly tackling timely-yet-timeless issues such as reproductive rights, incarceration, and society's expectations of women and mothers, Counting Backwards is a compelling reminder that progress is rarely a straight line and always hard-won. A moving story of two remarkable women that you'll remember for years to come.

The narrators of the audiobook were Amanda Stribling and Carolyn Jania. They both did a fabulous job of portraying the two main characters, Jessa and Carrie Buck. Good narrators always elevate a book for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the advanced digital copy of the book.

(4.75 stars)
Counting Backwards was an excellent and gripping dual timeline book. Which is saying a lot since I didn’t really like the main female character, Jessa, at least not at first. She is a young NYC lawyer (31?) who is desperate to become pregnant. Although she had already gotten pregnant once and, unfortunately, miscarried, she somehow thinks that she and her husband have fertility problems, after trying again to get pregnant for only some months. That put me off right away. But throughout the book, her character grows and changes and I began to like and admire her by the end. On the other hand, I liked her husband, Vance, more at the beginning of the book but by the end, I could not stand him!

Jessa and Vance’s story alternates with a story from the 1920s, featuring Carrie Buck, who was one of many young women who were sterilized against their will, during that era’s obsession with eugenics. I don’t want to give away much, but do not miss the author’s note at the end of the book, for more information on this historic case, which went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The two stories intersect in some interesting ways. After being passed over for partner, Jessa is asked to take on a “pro bono” case of a woman in an ICE detention center in New Jersey who feels she has been wrongly detained. Jessa goes to the center and becomes involved with investigating medical wrongdoing against many of the women incarcerated there.

This book highlights the current issues surrounding women’s reproductive health and health care choices, and how classism, racism, and even xenophobia contribute to this issue. The discussions about eugenics highlight how the N*zis grabbed onto this concept. Jessa isn’t Jewish but her husband is, and is the descendent of Holocaust survivors, and this aspect becomes another sore subject between the two of them.

The audiobook was beautifully narrated by two different women narrators, Amanda Stribling and Carolyn Jania.

Thank you to HarperMuse and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this book and for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this, and I think it has a really powerful and timely message, but I found it a little too predictable and was often very frustrated by some of the characters. I was happy many of them showed growth by the end of the book, but it happened more slowly than I’d have liked!

t is deeply troubling to know that the events in this story are inspired by true cases of gross abuse and injustice fueled by corporate and governmental corruption. Friedland does a beautiful job bringing to life the minds and hearts of the women in this story; their struggles and fears are unimaginable. This story, its characters, and its relevance to trending political hot topics, make for a truly engrossing read.

This audiobook was incredible, and the narrators fit each character well. The story itself hit so deep, and I feel absolutely enraged for the loss of power that so many women have and continue to experience. History finds a way to repeat itself in the worst ways, and a lot of the commentary on forced sterilization cases and the nature of their development is so relevant against today’s faulty healthcare and justice systems. Overall an excellent book and one I'll be thinking about for a long time.

the book was amazing I loved it so much the story was amazing I loved everything about it however I don't not agree with the with the author's political choices on what's happening on Palestine . thank you .

Counting Backwards is a compelling and thought-provoking novel that masterfully weaves together dual timelines—following Jessa, a modern-day attorney in 2022 New York City, and Carrie, a woman navigating life in 1920s Virginia. As their stories unfold, a powerful and unexpected connection between them emerges, making for an engrossing and emotionally rich read.

What This Book Tackles
:✔ Reproductive Rights (not abortion)
✔ Infertility
✔ Immigration
✔ Women's Rights

One of the standout aspects of Counting Backwards is how it addresses these important and relevant topics with depth and nuance—without feeling like it's pushing a political agenda. The storytelling is immersive, the historical details are beautifully crafted, and the emotional weight of both women’s journeys keeps you turning the pages.

The audiobook narration deserves a special mention—the dual narration was done exceptionally well, bringing both Jessa and Carrie's stories to life in a way that deepened the emotional impact of the novel.

While the pacing slows in some areas, the payoff is worth it. The connection between Jessa and Carrie is revealed in such a satisfying way, making this novel a rewarding and insightful read.

A solid 4-star book that sparks conversation and reflection—I highly recommend it for readers who enjoy historical fiction with strong female leads and meaningful themes.

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher, and Harper Muse Audiobooks for provide advanced copies in exchange for my honest review!

Counting Backwards is a historical fiction novel based on the true events of the Buck vs. Bell case in Virginia allowing state-enforced sterilisation in 1927. Based upon awful Eugenics practices prior to WW2, the story of Carrie Buck is one of two timelines that alternate throughout the book.

I listened to the audiobook through @netgalley and the narration by both women was fantastic! I felt that they really fit with the two characters they were narrating and the dual timelines flicking between the past and the present helped suck me right in.

Jessa’s pov was my favourite mostly due to the complexity of her relationship with her partner Vance and her grandmother. I thought that she had a lot of depth and dimension to her - from the impact that losing her parents had on her as a child to her struggle to become a partner at her law firm. I was fully invested in Jessa’s pivot to pro-bono work at the ICE detention center and her determination to attain justice for the women she’s representing.

The other thing that really worked in this novel was the weaving of Jessa’s own fertility struggles and her intense desire to have a baby alongside the suppression of the reproductive rights of Carrie and the other women in this novel.

I definitely didn’t expect some of the twists and turns that were revealed throughout the novel. It took me a while to work out the connection between Jessa in present and Carrie in the past.

I could not believe that it was based on true events qnd that it wasn’t until the 1970s that the practice of involuntary sterilisation was stopped in Virginia.

Thank you @netgalley for the advanced reader copy of this incredible book! This was a incredible read and an very important story to share with the world.

4.25. Jessa is an attorney who is trying to prove herself within her firm and make partner. She stumbles upon some information regarding an immigration case that leads her to discovering multiple women have been sterilized without informed consent while in custody. She’s struggling with her own issues, she still feels drawn to these cases. There are multiple stories developing throughout this book as well as a dual timeline.

This book tore my heart out and made me want to punch a pillow. Jessa’s struggles were so relatable and I was rooting so hard for her and the justice she was trying to find for these women. I flew through this and it will stay with me for a long time!

The narrator did a fantastic job portraying the characters.

Thank you so much to GetRed PR and Jacqueline Friedman for providing this physical ARC. This is my honest review! This published on March 11th.

I can’t express how much I love this book! It’s been called a modern day Erin Brockovich & is mentioned in the book as well. I completely agree. It’s heartbreaking & addicting all at the same time.

The work Jessa does when she discovers what’s been going on & the complete horror that Carrie suffered is crushing.

Told between two time periods with eerily similar, tragic, & devastating incidents happening to women, I was wrapped in pain. These things should never have happened. It angers me that there are such inhumane humans that still think it’s okay to do what they want to other humans.

The narration of Amanda Stribling & Carolyn Jania is wonderful for these characters. .

Counting Backwards is the first book that I read from author Jacqueline Friedland. I’ll admit that the pomegranate cover drew me to the book, but the book’s premise kept me reading.

The book takes place in two timelines. The current timeline explores medical malpractice in an ICE facility. Jessa, fresh from being passed over for partner at her law firm, takes on this pro bono case to determine if the facility is purposefully sterilizing the detained women.

The second timeline takes place in the early 1900s Virginia during a time when eugenics was legal in the state. We learn about Carrie Buck (historically, the first woman who was involuntarily sterilized in Virginia) and her fight to overturn the Sterilization Act of 1924.

Friedland was able to paint a very clear picture of the reproductive injustices women faced throughout American history. While the current timeline had a bit of extra drama that I think was unnecessary to the story, both stories were very eye-opening. I would highly recommend the book to anyone who wants to learn more about these very dark times in our country.

“Counting Backwards” by Jacqueline Friedland
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🤓🤓🤓🤓

Finally out of my reading slump!! This book felt extremely timely and I wish it wasn’t. A thoughtful historical (and current events) fiction story about women, immigration, eugenics, and sterilization, this was what I wanted “Take My Hand” to be. Told in a dual timeline, the similarities between the two stories made it hard to believe there was 100 years between them. This book covers some very important topics and I hope a lot of people read this one!!!

Loved this book!! 4⭐
The fact that it was dealing with so many social issues without making it overwhelming is lowkey impressive! loved the dual pov/timeline too

In this book, we get to follow two female characters, Jessa and Carrie.
Jessa is a young woman with a seemingly perfect life but as we get to know her, this "perfect" life starts to crumble and we discover much more raw feelings. She is a lawyer and gets involved in an immigration case that will reveal itself as much more complicated and awful than it seemed.

Carrie is a girl who is living in the 20's at the moment of the story. She gets in a very complicated legal case putting her body in the hands of the government.

the audiobook definitely gave me vibes of catcher in the rye and to kill a mockingbird. loved both the narrators but I would've loved to see more of carrie's perspective though.

When a book entertains and educates me, it's a winner. In this dual timeline book surrounding the case of Carrie Buck (a very real person) I felt an array of emotions. I favored the past timeline more than Jessa's modern one---mostly because I was rooting for the divorce the whole time. Well researched and well written, this is one I think everyone should read.

Thank you for the gifted copy.

Although this book involves very heavy subject matter, it is intriguing and fast paced. The story goes back and forth between the experiences of a modern day corporate lawyer doing pro bono work and a young woman taken from her family as a child in the early 20th century.

I very much recommend this book. It is an insightful telling of many difficult experiences that we know have really happened to countless women in the United States. The telling is certainly a simplified version of the traumas forced sterilization has inflicted, but I hope it will make more folks aware of the reality of what happens to women when they lose their power and autonomy.

I listened to the audio version of this book and the narration was difficult to adapt to initially. In the beginning of the book, Carrie’s portions were especially difficult to understand. I don’t know if I just got used to the narrators styles, but it got much better and easier to understand. I’m so glad I pushed through, it was well worth it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse Audiobooks for providing this ALC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

#CountingBackwards #NetGalley

I don't always love fiction on audio, but I really enjoyed this one! The narration of the dual timelines was very distinct so it was easy to follow. The story itself was interesting and the author's note at the end really added to the book. I haven't read a story that discussed eugenics with this much depth. Great book.

I received a copy of this audiobook from NetGalley and Harper Muse, so thank you to them!

This book pulled at my heartstrings. We meet Jessa, a current-day lawyer dealing with infertility helping a detained immigrant. The other story line takes place in the early 1900s with Carrie Buck telling a horrifying experience based on a true story of eugenics in war-time America.

I love the way the two stories connect, the story of Jessa, her current issues & past, Isobel, and Carrie. The audiobook was well narrated and kept me paying attention, wanting to read more.

This is going to be a top 10 for me this year, and I think it’s a very important read especially with current day politics.

WOW WOW WOW.

This book packed a punch!! It's been awhile since a read made such a lasting impact on me.

The audiobook was absolutely perfect and both POVs were done so well. I couldn't finish it fast enough!!

I love finding books that make me think and teach me something that I knew little to none about. I was infuriated that these things actually happened and I felt a pit in my stomach as I kept listening. Truly awful. My hat is off to the author for tackling such a subject in such a well-organized and impactful way. I will think about this book for a long, long time and will definitely be recommending the audiobook to anyone who will listen!

Read if you're looking for:
- the ins and outs of pre-war eugenics in America
-inspired by true events
-themes of immigration and fertility
-motherhood
-emotional and infuriating

5 stars!!

Based on the 1927 case of Buck v Bell, Counting Backwards is a legal, historical fiction set in the 1920s and 2020s. It is narrated from the perspective of Carrie Buck, a girl deemed feeble-minded and the state's test case to forcefully sterilise women. Back in the current day, Jessa is an attorney at a top NY law firm who takes on an immigration case at the local ICE detention centre, discovering a major cover-up of medical negligence and malpractice whilst she grows ever more obsessed with conceiving a child of her own. Whilst the current-day narrative is fictional, this could very well be a true story based on the state of the US at the moment...

Counting Backwards is up there as one of my favourite novels of 2025 so far. The book explores themes of motherhood, family, religion and the lasting legacy of the eugenics movement and the Holocaust. The themes are dealt with excellently, and there is real humanity shown through the character development of Jessa and how it explores what it means to be a woman.

I thought the pacing was excellent and it was very hard to stop reading as each chapter was left on a small cliffhanger. I felt the ending was slightly rushed and would have loved Jessa to discover more of her own family history rather than being spoonfed conveniently by her Grandmother but this is my only criticism.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the audiobook.