feliciaclark's reviews
720 reviews

This story has two timelines. The first timeline takes place in 18th century London, following the story of Nella who runs a secret apothecary shop that caters to women purchasing poisons to use against oppressive men in their lives.

The second timeline is in present-day London, where a woman named Caroline has just spent her 10th wedding anniversary alone after discovering her husband was cheating. 

The stories run parallel to each other as readers slowly learn the truth of the apothecary murders, making for an interesting, mysterious—and sometimes tense—witchy story. I was on the edge of my seat a few times and it kept me guessing to the end.

At first, this book gave me of “Sophie’s World” by Jostein Gaarder vibes but with a focus on mental health philosophies. Love love loved it! 

Katrina Lavender Calm (obsessed with this character name) is anything BUT calm as she struggles through the chaos of her middle school years with severe anxiety. It all started when her mother disappeared a few years ago. 

What’s beautiful about this story is Katrina uses the tools she’s learned in therapy to help her heal and return to the present moment. Sometimes, though, it takes her dad or a friend to pull her out of a panic attack, which makes for beautiful scenes about family and friendship. 

After some foolish mistakes, Katrina must rise above her anxiety and forgive herself for the past. Katrina is wise beyond her years, thanks to therapy, putting in the hard work and trusting the process.

It ends on a cliff hanger, and I’m SO ready for book 2 to come out. 

Highly recommend this for all parents and their children, teachers and their students, and therapists and their teen patients who long to feel seen in their mental health battles!

Sometimes you just don’t know how you’ll digest a book written for middle schoolers when you’re in your mid-thirties, but I have to say this book was educational and intense!

This story takes place in Alabama in 1888. An Apache boy named Sky escapes a train on its way to an Indian Reservation he and his tribe were being forced onto. He becomes part of an African-American family of cotton farmers. When the town’s Knights of the Southern Order of Manhood (aka the KKK) threatens Sarah Jane’s family, they must decide whether they want to fight and keep their home or flee and start fresh. Together, they stand.

I was on the edge of my seat and crying during some of these intense scenes. A very important book for children to learn more about the Reconstruction era and compare it to today’s modern day racism. There are still so many scary parallels 136 years since this story takes place. Never stop educating your children! Oh, and stop banning/burning books. 

The gender inequality in this world is damning. Men are used as the default and women are labeled abnormal when collecting the data that is so important for making advances in science and society. 

This book does a great (and infuriating) job covering just how wide the gender gap is and why it makes the world a dangerous and sometimes deadly place for women to exist. 

Women working over 40 hours a week, not including unpaid labor, increase the risk of mental and physical health problems. As a whole, women earn less in their careers over a lifetime versus men due to the unpaid labor left out in many analyses.

Another eyeopening book for women. The more you know… 🌈⭐️ 

Britney doesn’t need more golden stars or critiques of her life; she needs and deserves peace, respect and a big ol’ hug.

Britney’s self-deprecation and apologies throughout this book are heartbreaking. She does not need to apologize for her mental health struggles. Her anger is completely justified after what the world (and her family) did to her. 

As a woman, this is an absolutely infuriating read. It makes me sick to my stomach this could have possibly happened to her—to anyone. 

“It’s funny how one split second can change a family’s dynamics forever.”

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 5.25

After years of trying to have children with no luck, Jack and Mabel move across the country to the wilderness in Alaska for a fresh start. Taking place in the 1920s, they must learn to live off the harsh and wild landscape with l sparse visits from their distant neighbors. One day, the couple decided to make a young girl out of snow. The next morning, it has disappeared. Later, a young, blonde child of the wilderness named Faina enters their lives. 

Is Faina real or just a figment of their imagination? Did they create a child spirit from the snow like in Mabel’s favorite childhood story or was Faina abandoned in the woods?

The beautiful nature writing, character depth, and sprinkles of magical realism in this story will stay with me for a long time. I absolutely loved it. ❄️ 

When a mother finds her son’s body wrapped in a colorful blanket on her doorstep, she obsesses with learning the truth of his death. 

This book was heartbreaking and painful to get through but a powerful story for the LGBTQ+ genre. Vivek is transgender and misunderstood in the community, including in their own family. Was it a stranger or close friend behind Vivek’s tragic end?

Anastasia Layne has a very strong voice that shines throughout the book with her lovable characters! Melody James and Axel Robins star in this young adult romance story. Melody has had a crush on her best friend Sapphire’s brother Axel for years. After one epic kiss gone bad, these two love birds must find a way to communicate and seek the closure they so desperately need.

I gotta know what happens to Axel’s sister Sapphire’s toxic relationship with Keith and Melody’s brother Miles’ resolution as the troubled character. Fingers crossed we get their stories next!

Life is short and precious. This is a story about Dor, the inventor of time who eventually becomes Father Time where he is banished to a cave for thousands of years and must listen to every person who complains about not having enough time. Dor can only escape his prison if he learns to appreciate time. 

This is the second book by Emily Nagoski about science and sex. Her first book “Come As You Are” focused on women’s sexuality and breaking stigmas through science and mindfulness. The second book “Come Together” covers how to have lasting sexual connections with long-term partners. From understanding each other’s emotional floor plans to the differences between desire and pleasure, Emily covers it all to help us build confidence we need in our healthy, committed relationships.

This one wasn’t as mind blowing as the first, but it will likely be relatable to all of us at some point in our partnerships.