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The Secret Book Society

October 3, 2025

secret book

It’s 1895 in England and women are kept firmly in their established roles as wives, mothers, and arbiters of society. Deviation from these roles or even a desire for something more could lead to a woman being institutionalized by her guardian “for her own safety”. A guardian was the male in her life be it father, husband, or brother. These female problems were often thought to ... Read More...

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Filed Under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tagged: book clubs, historical, reading, women

The Frozen River

July 29, 2025

frozen

Martha Ballard is a well-regarded wife, mother, and midwife in late 1700s Maine. When The Frozen River begins it’s the depths of winter and she’s been called to determine a cause of death for a man found frozen in the river. She declares it to be murder, but this is just the beginning of a mystery that will take the novel’s remaining three seasons to be resolved; seasons that ... Read More...

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Filed Under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tagged: 18th century, book clubs, historical, New England, vacation reading

Call Her Freedom

July 24, 2025

call her

A small village in the Himalayan foothills is the setting for Tara Dorabji’s debut novel, Call Her Freedom. Aisha’s mother is a midwife and teaches Aisha all about childbirth and herbal remedies when Aisha is not in school. An outstanding student it’s been her mother’s dream to see her go to university in the city.  But when her mother falls ill the only way to save their ... Read More...

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Filed Under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tagged: cultural, family saga, historical, India, war

What Kind of Paradise

July 22, 2025

paradise

Jane has lived her entire life in a 700 square foot cabin near Bozeman, Montana; her contact with the modern world significantly limited. Her father is stern, but loving, a Luddite zealot who raves against technology in any form and writes copious screeds that no one reads, except Jane. Until he realizes that, with her help, the new expanse of the internet is the perfect place ... Read More...

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Filed Under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tagged: 1990s, coming-of-age, historical

Georgia by Dawn Tripp

July 10, 2025

georgia

When I become interested in a subject, especially when it’s a woman, I turn to historical fiction. I’m not sure why—maybe diving right into nonfiction makes me feel like I’m back in school? At the very least my compromised ability to pay attention means fiction of any kind is the right starting point. Thankfully, I found Dawn Tripp’s novel Georgia—a wonderful introduction to ... Read More...

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Filed Under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tagged: art, book clubs, historical, women

Victorian Psycho

April 10, 2025

victorian

Apparently, this is Victorian era week at the blog. On Monday it was a novel about Oscar Wilde’s family. Today I’m going with a female serial killer. I’m not sure which is more disturbing, the novel, Victorian Psycho, or the fact that I read it in an afternoon and delighted in its gruesome darkness. Written in the style and format of Victorian times, much like Jane Eyre by ... Read More...

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Filed Under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tagged: historical, horror, literary

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