The Wilderwomen cover and synopsis really drew me in! Who doesn’t love some magic and mystery this time of year? I also love family fiction and found myself really invested in Zadie and Finn. Both sisters are flawed, which is my favorite attribute in a character. It makes them real and relatable. The sisters have drifted apart since their mom has gone missing and I think so many people can relate to that.

I really enjoyed Lang’s writing. It was very engaging and made me feel like I was right alongside Zadie and Finn on their adventure to find their mom. There were things I didn’t see coming or expected which I also loved. I struggled a bit with the ending but it didn't ruin it for me.

3.75 stars

Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the early copy!

Five years ago, Nora Wilder made a heart-wrenching decision to part ways with her daughters. Zadie, her elder daughter, sensed that something was amiss with her mother but couldn't extract any answers. Despite Zadie's psychic talents, she remained in the dark regarding Nora's whereabouts and the circumstances that led her to leave.

On the other hand, Finn, the younger sister, experiences 'echoes' of memories from others when she visits certain locations. During her high school graduation celebration, she has an intense echo, awakening in the aviary of a zoo. It dawns on her that this memory belongs to her missing mother, and she interprets it as a subtle sign that Nora wishes to be located. Despite her foster parents' scepticism, Finn is resolute in her determination to find her mother.

Reluctantly, Zadie consents to accompany her sister on this quest, leading them to various places where Nora may have ventured. As Finn's echoes intensify, Zadie is confronted with the challenging task of rescuing her sister and making a pivotal decision regarding their mother's true intentions.

This poignant tale is imbued with elements of magical realism, offering readers a captivating blend of emotions and wonder. The narrative paints a vivid and evocative backdrop in each locale they visit, immersing readers in beautifully crafted settings. The plot is highly engaging, maintaining a gripping sense of suspense from start to finish.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for sending a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Wilderwomen by Ruth Emmie Lang is magical and deals with mother/daughter , sister/sister relationships which are all of my favorite themes. I love this author and she will now be one of my auto buy authors. This was a novel that kept me reading way into the night.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

I did want to like this book but it took too long to get into the plot. I did not finish this book but do not put it against the author. There are times when I think a book will be perfect for me, but it turns out not to be the case. That said, I always give authors another chance, so I'll look forward to her next work.

This was a super interesting story. Throughout the whole book, it keeps you wondering and gives information to start a theory, but not enough to fully develop it.

I do think this was a bit slow for me. I felt myself losing interest a few times when it was slowly building the story. The plotline is what kept me going, because it was so interesting and made me curious.

This was really well written. I like the style of writing that the author has, so that was a bonus for me.

Overall, I really enjoyed the story. It was emotional, dramatic, mysterious and magical. I just felt that it lost me a few too many times to give it a higher rating than a 3.5.

This is probably the most beautiful cover I have seen in years. Beautiful choice and I think it will fly off the shelves. I enjoyed this unique story of hope sprinkled with a little magic! The dual timelines are always a sell for me because they keep me invested wanting to go back and check in on the other timelines. This is a creative way to follow siblings on a journey and to get to know who they are together and apart and the importance of family.

4/5

This was a very sweet book that was ultimately about family. I loved the premise and the magical realism elements. The ending was a little lack luster though and felt rushed.

***2 Stars***

This one just didn’t grab me. I wanted it to and was hoping it would after reading the description, but I just couldn’t connect with Nora or Finn, even on a fascination level due to their special abilities, so it goes on the ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ shelf.

Thank you to Ruth Emmie Lang, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for this title. Unfortunately this was a DNF for me. It was slow to start and could not keep my interest. It was an intriguing concept and I hope that the two sisters meet at even ground to find out what happened to their mother.

4/5 stars

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishers, and Ruth Emmie Lang for allowing me to read and review this book.

I was unsure when I first started this book on whether I would enjoy it or not, however I was pleasantly surprised. There are many surprising aspects going into this book and a few twists. It's more of a literary fantasy type book than a mystery in my opinion, which is not a bad thing, but I was expecting a little more of a mystery aspect.

I would still highly recommend this book to people who like books set in this world with magical aspects added.

This was such an odd book. It's definitely not the type of book I usually read but I still enjoyed it. The main characters are Zadie and Finn who are sisters. Both have abilities that some people call sixth senses (because on this version of Earth, many people have those abilities). One of the sisters gets premonitions of things to come and the other gets echoes of things passed. It's a really interesting dynamic to have, especially with sisters since both are basically opposites.

The whole book is a journey since the girls' mom has disappeared a few years prior to the start of the novel. No one knows where she went or if she is even still alive. So instead of their planned vacation, Finn and Zadie decide to go looking for her and they meet all sorts of people on the way to who-knows-where. All they have for leads are Finn's echoes of their mother. I really like the fact that the book was focusing more on the journey than the destination and on the various people they met. It was a refreshing take on storytelling, especially with the switching back and forth between the times when their mother was still there and the times they were looking for her.

This is definitely a book I would recommend to people who are looking for a story about wanderings and sisterhood.

I did not love The Wilderwomen by Ruth Emmie Lang. I should have loved The Wilderwomen by Ruth Emmie Lang, as it's chock-full of story elements I love, but it just completely missed the mark.

The characters were bland and flat. The most positive feeling I had about any of them was ambivalence. The author clearly tried to make them quirky and memorable, but she tried way too hard and still didn't achieve that goal. The writing had moments of greatness mixed in with a whole lot of overwrought, try-hard cringe. It had a "hello fellow kids" vibe basically any time a teenager was speaking. Plus, I won't give anything away because there is something of a mystery going on here, but the ending was a huge let down.

The best description I can come up with for The Wilderwomen is that it's the concept of a manic pixie dream girl turned into a book; pretty and alluring and unique on the surface but ultimately cookie cutter and devoid of substance. I do not plan to read more from this author.

My thanks to St Martin’s press and NetGalley for an e-ARC of the Wilderwomen.

Five years ago, Nora Wilder walked out on her two daughters. Now, Finn is living with a foster family and Zadie has found herself alone and pregnant. The distance has grown between the sisters since their mother’s disappearance, and in an attempt to connect Zadie plans a vacation for them, but Finn determines to use this time to chase the breadcrumbs their mother left behind in hopes of finding her.

But these aren’t ordinary sisters. They have gifts, or abilities, to use along their way.

Ruth Emmie Lang writes magical realism in a very readable way, while keeping a poetic lyrical whimsy to her writing style. Readers who connect with sisterhood themes will enjoy this one.

This book leaves me with a lot of conflicted feelings. I wanted to read this because the premise really drew me in, but a lot of the story itself didn't add up. Parts of the story seemed really far fetched, even for its genre. The explanations never quite felt like enough or actually explained everything. Nothing seemed finished or completed or truly answered. I'm left feeling like I'm still in the middle of the book searching for answers. It all leaves you, or me at least, with a sense of confusion. I would've liked it all to be to summed up better and more answers.

I couldn't get into this one -- but I'll definitely pick it back up later. I ended up also getting a physical copy because I thought it sounded great!

A journey of two sisters to find their mom. I enjoyed some of their journey but a lot of it seemed too out there even for a fantasy/magic lover like myself. The ending was so out there and the explanation didn’t give me a sense of completion. I’m still confused why the mom really left and why she had dementia symptoms but then they suddenly disappeared. Just a lot confusing. Lol.

This was a book that I meant to write a review for in November of last year when it was published... but every time I tried to read it, I would end up reading the same few paragraphs and not feel the desire to read more. It was in my DNF pile until about a month ago, when I decided that because I got a free arc, I really needed to put a little more effort in finishing it.

Any book that takes extra effort to enjoy starts at a 3-star, and for me, this one never got past that mark. I liked the premise---> two sisters, one that has powers to remember things from the past and one that see parts of the future, are searching for their mother that disappeared 5 years previously. Because Zadie (older daughter) was legally an adult, she is left to take care of herself. Her sister Finn, however, is 12 and is put into foster care. The sisters grow apart until Finn's high school graduation when the two go on a road trip to find their lost mother.

There was so much of this that was bizarre, but that can be attributed to the genre: magical realism. I'm not a big fan of magical realism. If the premise sounds interesting, you like nature, you like road trips, and you like magical realism, then this book is more for you than it was for me.

I found the ending to not be satisfying. Just. What did I read?! I want to write spoilers because it's almost comical how weird it was... but at the same time, I know that me making a joke about it shows that I didn't appreciate the art behind the story.

There is a large audience of readers that enjoyed this book, evidenced by so many great reviews. I could see this being a good choice for book clubs or for people who prefer this genre. Thank you St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for an e-arc copy of this book.

The Wilderwomen by Ruth Emmie Lang is a mystery with a bit of a twist. Nora, mother to Finn and Zadie, disappears. Her daughters both have special powers where one can read people's memories and the other is psychic. They decide to try to use their powers to find their mother, and they end up with quite the adventure. I enjoyed this story because it was unique, but also I appreciated the family aspect here. Definitely recommend. Thanks to NetGalley for the free digital review copy. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this one and following the journey of Finn and Zadie trying to find their mom, Nora. I thought the pacing was not too rushed or too slow and the characterization kept me interested.

I loved the small bit of magical realism that each of the girls had a special gift. I wish more time had been spent at that little camp cause that was a cool concept. Some parts were a little hokey for me - like the tree bit, but overall I loved it. I will say I’m still unsure why Zadie couldn’t have just used here gift much earlier to figure out the ending but, whatever. At face value it was an enjoyable read!

I love magical realism, and close family relationships, so I thought this book would be something that I would love. However, I found the pace to be slow and I didn't find myself connecting to the characters. Lang's writing is beautiful, atmospheric, and a bit melancholy. I wish I were more drawn to this kind of writing, but unfortunately it is not for me.