Ada has returned home to her horrible father. She has no where else to turn. This is where she has to go. When their reunion turns out worse than she expected and her life ends up in danger, she is saved by someone she has never met, Matilda. These two young girls end up depending on each other more than they ever expected.

When I first saw this book…I knew I had to read it. I mean…it is set is Mississippi! And oh boy…it did not disappoint.

Ada and Matilda are both poor and struggling in their own way. These two could not be more different and yet they are more alike than they think. They need each other due to various circumstances. (And you will have to read about these circumstances!) Just when you think they are about to come out of their lot in life…life kicks them back down.

This book is everything and then some. I could not stop reading. This story is intense, heart wrenching, poignant and captivating all rolled into one.

If you need a FANTASTIC book…THIS IS IT!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

2 young girls growing up in the 1920's in the woods of Mississippi. Part 1 is Ada's story, she is white and part 2 is Matiilda''s story and she is black. Lots of bad things go on, including murder. Descriptions and storyline seem very realistic of that time and place. I had to keep reading to find out what would happen to the girls! .Thanks to net Galley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for a honest review.

The Girls in the Stilt House by Kelly Mustian was a little slow and dark for me. It is definitely beautifully written, but I found myself skimming and getting a little lost in the story.
I do think I will be in the minority, but it just wasn’t my favorite.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book for an honest review.

Being a fan of "Where the Crawdads Sing", I was worried that this book would be too similar. Boy, was I wrong. It is a similar-ish story (set in the south, girls on their own) but the author has written a truly authentic tale of a similar vein. I highly recommend this book, it was wonderful to read even if the subject was difficult at times.

I received this ARC and it was given as "if you like Where the Crawdads Sing..." It did have similar vibes, but no book is like Crawdads. The book opens with Ada and Matilda deep in the woods with possibly a dead body. Part I is Ada's story and part II is Matilda's story. One girl is white and one is black in 1920s Mississippi. This is not my normal read. There are a lot of bad things that happen. Several murders. I really thought it would give me nightmares, but at the same time I had to know how it all would end. I had to know the girls would make it out alright.

So enjoyed The Girls in the Stilt House. Two young girls, one black and one white growing up in rural Mississippi are drawn together through the events of one night. The uniqueness of the setting pulled me in. The descriptions of the terrain created such strong visuals for me. Having never heard of the Trace I am definitely intrigued by it. The driving force of this emotional read were Ada and Matilda, but Gertie was my very favorite. Ada and Matilda - both have their own secrets and dreams and together a big secret to keep. So appreciated the way Kelly Mustain shared their back stories by slowly revealing their pasts. The truly evil characters Virgil and Frank unfortunately seemed to emerge from the pages and made me cringe. The author’s notes and questions and answers were an added bonus for me. Many many thanks to Kelly Mustain and NetGalley for affording me the opportunity to read an arc of The Girls in the Stilt House which was published yesterday, 4/6/21.

The Girls in the Stilt House is a tragic and beautiful book that is sure to be on everyone's reading list this spring/summer. I absolutely loved the story of survival, friendship, and found family. This story of racism is still so prevalent across the United States and hopefully will make other readers look both inward and at how we treat the people in our communities.

4/5 Stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for providing me with this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I found this book to be disturbing, which is evocative of 1920 Mississippi when you have young girls, race issues and murder. While compelling, my main reaction was disturbed.

If you like historical fictions, this book is for you.

Set in the Mississippi in the 1920’s, the story is about two teenage girls; Ada and Matilda. Ada who runs away with Jesse, returns back home to her alcoholic and abusive father. She is aware that life with her father who killed her mother will be hard. There is nobody in her life to help her until she meets Matilda, a young girl that saves her life.

Even though this book was a little slow-paced for me, I still enjoyed it. The author in detail described the life in Mississippi in the 1920’s, the hardship of living in the house on the stilt in the swamp, the dangerous world of bootleggers, and the survival of young women. I loved the strong bond between Ada and Matilda and their support for each other.

Thanks to @netgalley and @bookmarked for the copy of this book.

My blood boiled and I was raging at the moon. Not fair, so inhuman, this book evokes so many harsh and angry thoughts. The real tragedy is that so many women and men have had to endure the situations and experiences described in this book. Set in 1923 it would be a balm to be able to say with certainty “that was then, things are different now.” But are they?

As disturbing as the story is it is not without wisdom, deep reflection, and genuine caring between the women, who find themselves with nothing, nowhere to go and no one to care about them. Ada is simple, sweet and basically clueless about everything to do with the circumstances of being left behind by her first love. With no options she returns to the Trace, the swamp, “the utter end of a dismal world”. Mathilda, never experiencing anywhere but the forest and infamous swamp of Mississippi, has all the common sense and cunning that Ada is lacking but whether she can or will save them both is suspect from day to day. The story pits these child-women against the harsh realities of living in the deepest part of the South with few options but to wake up each day and find a way forward together or apart.


Kelly Mustian has written an emotion packed debut novel filled with wonderful descriptions of the Natchez Trace and the sharecroppers, trappers and bootleggers who inhabited it in the early part of the Twentieth Century. Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for a copy.

Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for an advanced copy of The Girls in the Stilt House by Kelly Mustian.

Set in 1920s Mississippi , the Natchez Trace is the main third character in this southern fiction about two women whose paths cross and they must depend on each other for their survival.

In the opening scene we meet Ada and Matilda as they are opening up a crypt and depositing a body and then we learn how and why they got there in individual stories from Ada a poor white girl who comes back home after running away to her abusive father and Matilda a sharecropper's daughter.

This is a story of courage, survival, friendship, prejudice and hope. The author does a wonderful job of describing life in 1920s Mississippi and the racial issues and life along the swamps.

I actually liked this as well as anything I have read in quite awhile. The characterization is splendid. I hop this novel gets the attention it deserves.

There's this type of book that almost romanticized the South. The Help, Where the Crawdads Sing.... They want to talk about difficult topics but still are somewhat full of fluff. It's like they are written specifically for book clubs full of white women who drink wine.

I'm not generally a huge fan of these types of book. They are well written and engaging, but I just always feel like there's a lack of....something. The Girls in the Stilt House is kind of like this. It's excellently written and a good story but I just felt like I was slogging through.

Thanks to netGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Setting is in the swamps of Mississippi
Time period is the 1920’s
Emotional journey about two young girls who end up together through a big secret.
Beautifully written...such a haunting and gripping story.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest opinion. All opinions expressed are my own.

First things first: I cannot believe this is the author’s firstly novel! My first instinct is to say this book is about loss because there is SO much of it, but it’s also about family, chosen family. I found myself wanting to rage about the actions of one of the main characters, but I know in the time period those actions were necessary no matter how much I hated them. The ending of this book played out perfectly. I don’t see any way it could have been better. I so look forward to reading more from this author!

I really wanted this book to be for me, but it just wasn't. What I read was pretty dark and heavy and I am not open to that as a reader right now. Thank you for letting me try.

Very reminiscent of Where the Crawdads Sing, but in a good way! The story follows Ada, the white daughter of a drunk fur trapper and Matilda, the black daughter of a sharecropper in Mississippi. While their paths converge for a while, both must find a way to survive individually. You find a way, is what you do.

Set in 1920's Mississippi along the Natchez trace, Mustain gives a moving account of life in the deep south. As you already know, experiences were a bit different between the white and black residents of the trace. Mustain weaves a truly intricate story and I could not put it down. Beautifully written and I am excited to see what she does next. Thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC for review.

A moody, atmospheric coming of age story about two struggling yet resilient teenage girls living with abuse and in poverty, who can’t depend on the people who should be protecting them and forge new paths forward. A descriptive and emotional journey.

It took me two starts to get in into this book, but I am so glad I gave it a second try. It truly is an awesome read. My reason for stopping the first time was I got utterly confused by the storyline. I thought one character had died and then he showed up again and too many characters were introduced at one time. But once I put the book down for a while, thought about it, went back and re-started, I paid more attention and was pulled into the story and it never let go.
Suggestion, pay attention to the character heading and the timeframe at the beginning of each chapter.
The writing is absolutely beautiful, this is one you want to read slow and savor the descriptions or scenes and pay attention to the happenings. I loved Ada and Matilda; they both have great stories to tell. The detailed descriptions were spot on. I could picture the Model T’s, the wagons, the ole mule, the swamp, Ada’s sewing, the hotel room, the deer stand, to many to mention. So well done!!!
I waited a day before I wrote this review and I can’t say how many times this story crossed my mind. For a 1920’s Southern swamp bootlegging murder pyro story, it has so much soul and heart. Much more than meets the eye. I will be watching Kelly Mustain for more of her stories.
I want to thank Sourcebooks Landmark along with NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read an ARC. Coming in with a high 5*****.

Set in Mississippi during the 1920’s, the opening scene where the two main characters bury a body interested me. I kept reading, but the story just fizzled from there and remained flat. I kept reading and hoping that my interest in the book would be recharged, but it wasn’t. I finished the book, but am indifferent about it. I can’t pinpoint any one thing specifically that led to my disinterest, but this book wasn’t for me.