January 27, 2023

I loved The Yellow Wife and was so excited to read her newest! I was not disappointed, The House of Eve is a wonderful bittersweet tale of two very strong African American women trying to make their lives better than their ancestors in the 1950's America. They long for an education and a chance in life to be someone.
Fifteen year old Ruby Pearsall is working as hard as she can to get the scholarship only offered to the two top students. Without it she will never be able to attend a University. No one in her family has an education and they are all counting on her. She wants to be an ophthalmologist and to escape from the circle of poverty. She was on the right track till she met Shimmy, the green eyed Jewish boy who makes her smile and who she is warned will bring her nothing but trouble.
Eleanor Quarles has plenty of ambition and is working three jobs just to pay for her college when she meets Dr. William Pride. A man well above her raisings as she's been told. William see's something in her that no one else does though and soon she can't imagine life without him.
About halfway through I was wondering how these two women come together? The final chapters wrapped it up in an ending that was so totally satisfying that you hope it was true! Now I want to know more about Ruby, Eleanor and Wilhelmina.
This is an author to watch!!! Such wonderful and real characters!

Thank you to Simon and Schuster and Netgalley for an e-arc of this book.

Historical fiction that takes place in the 1950's. We meet Ruby, a young girl struggling to get through school and be the first in her family to go to college. She was raised by her grandmother who is blind due to health issues with her eyes. Ruby wants to find a cure. Ruby is tossed about and mistreated by her own mom and finds herself living with her Aunt Marie. She meets and falls in love with a Jewish boy in the neighborhood and even though they knew it was against the social norms of the time, they did not care, putting them both in danger.

Next we get the perspective of Eleanor who is attending Howard College. Her family from Ohio has had to work and struggle to get her in to college and even now, Eleanor is needing to work two jobs to try and make payments for school. She meets and falls for a man who is studying to become a dr. He comes from a well off family in D.C. Eleanor does not meet the requirements set by his family yet, that does not stop the two of them from falling in love.

I liked the story line for both with people from different economic classes to find and fall for one another. The romance is sweet.

This book centers around race but it is so much more than that. The two story lines will intersect near the end and as we see there is much to learn about what it looked like for unwed, pregnant girls in the 1950's. Add on to that social and economic and racial differences and we see the difficulty many young women faced in this time in history.

Overall, this was well written. It kept me interested and turning pages. I learned more about a time in history I didn't know a lot about. There were at times some key phrases that I just didn't like, but when I put it in perspective it seemed fitting. Certain things that Ruby would say did not really sit well with me, but thinking of her situation at her particular age, it made a lot of sense. It really helped to see things through her eyes.

If you struggle with infertility/adoption/teen pregnancy this book may be difficult for you to read but it also may be just the thing you need.

This was such a great book! Yellow Wife is one of my favorite historical fiction novels, so naturally I was very excited to read The House of Eve, and it did not disappoint. Johnson pulls the reader in and holds on til her last word. I couldn't read this fast enough.

Ruby and Eleanor live very different lives, and yet they're paralleled in so many ways. I loved the dual narratives and how one perspective was first person and the other third. I loved how distinct each character was - their individual personalities jumped off the page. There was so much going on in each story, and yet I never once felt lost. Johnson writes with an easy-to-follow simplicity that I find refreshing.

The House of Eve really explores the nuances of motherhood, especially within Black families in the 1950s. This book deals with many heavy themes, but is told with care. These are important stories that need to be told, and I'm so glad Johnson told them.

While Yellow Wife remains my favorite by this author (it's a hard one to top), The House of Eve was a close second!

Definitely recommend!
4.5 rounded to 5 stars

Thank you kindly NetGalley and S&S for my gifted copy in exchange for my honest review. A full review with summary will be posted on my IG prior to pub day.

Wow! This book was absolutely amazing! It's only Jan 2023, but this might be my favorite all year! I could not put this book down. The House of Eve is a historical fiction set in late 1940's between D.C. and Philly. The story is told in alternating point of views of one young Black girl and a young Black woman attending Howard University. The subjects of classism, racism, colorism are all explored between the two main characters.

Their stories of growing up and making difficult decisions are similar, yet end quite differently. Their stories collide due to infertility and forced adoption.
The ending of this amazing story was the icing on the cake for me! Was unexpected, and yet perfect!

Can't wait for it's release so I have someone to talk about it with! LOL
Already ordered for my bookstore and can't wait to tell my customers about it!

Wow, a terrific, moving story of two very different, yet ultimately very similar girls. The book was incredibly written, moving, yet not over the top and emotional for no reason. I could feel the anguish of the characters and cared what happened to them - I didn't just want to get to the end. While the ending was perfect, I would selfishly would have loved for the book to be longer, or have a sequel in the future.

I loved the other work I read from this author (Yellow Wife), but I think this one was perhaps even better.

Firstly I wanna thank the author, publishers, and netgalley for this arc! I gave this 5 stars! It was so good! I love that the novel centers around a black woman in the 1950s that's forced to make choices that would change their lives forever. Ruby the pool girl feels so unloved and unwanted most of her life that it really touched me. She just wants to better herself so she won't have to live under her family's thumb. Eleanors parents sacrificed everything just to send her to college. I love that they both ended up pregnant, I'm a sucker for pregnancy Trope. But their lives take very different paths only for their paths to cross years later. This novel is meticulously researched and well wrote. I loved this brilliant novel about love, courage, secrets, and sacrifice. If you loved Yellowwife you won't want to miss The House of Eve. It's Johnson at her best. Great character development. Story was fast paced and I never lost interest. No plot holes. I loved that a character in this story is a descendant from Pheby in Yellow Wife!

The House of Eve by Sadeqa Johnson was a heartbreaking but beautiful story. Ruby Pearsall, 15 years old and determined to escape her underprivileged life in Philadelphia, is working hard in a high school program to get admitted to college and become a doctor. Eleanor Quarles is a college student at Howard University in Washington D.C., where she is quickly swept off her feet by a dashing medical student whose wealthy family is not eager to accept her humble background.

Their lives will intersect at a pivotal moment for both women. They are each faced with difficult decisions that they make with the best of intentions and must live with for the rest of their lives. I loved both narratives and both characters, who showed grace and courage as they overcame obstacles and stood up for themselves in world that didn't make it any easier. The writing was beautiful and made me want to read more by this author.

I will recommend this to readers who like historical about family issues.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley and Simon & Schuster. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Rating: 5/5 Stars
Publishing: February 7, 2023
Series: N/A
Pages: 384

After reading “Yellow Wife”, I knew requesting a copy of “The House of Eve” was not going to be a disappointment when reading. As a matter of fact, it was just as wonderful as the first book I’ve read by this author. Not only does this author put you in a time place where you just gravitate into the lives of the characters on page as will as them leaving a mark in your mind that is unforgettable. The story takes place in the 1950s and alternates between the lives of Ruby a high school sophomore in Philadelphia and Eleanor a sophomore at Howard University. Both black women aspire to make something of their lives during a time where racism is at a height inside and outside of their own race.

Ms. Johnson presents very likeable characters and weaves their stories, emotions, heartbreak and bittersweet journey beautifully on the pages. Such as well-written historical fiction that engages you to the very end. Looking forward to the audiobook version and highly recommend this wonderful and enjoyable book.

After reading The Yellow Wife, which I loved, I was eager to read this new novel by the same author. Not only does Sadeqa Johnson immerse you in the time period, she also creates characters who stick in your mind long after closing the book. Set in the 1950s, this book alternates between two women, one in Philadelphia and the other in Washington, D.C., who are both very determined. They each have goals to better their life through education, but are faced with challenges and difficult decisions. Each of the two storylines were interesting and I liked how they intertwined. A captivating and insightful work of historical fiction.

Ruby Pearsall is a 15 year old girl in 1950’s Philadelphia. An excellent student, Ruby was chosen to be part of the WE RISE program - to assist underprivileged students with post high school plans. Ruby dreams of becoming an Ophthalmologist so she can help her beloved grandma get her sight back. Her mother has kicked her out again, and she is staying with Aunt Marie who is a tough gal with a loving heart. Laser focused on studying Ruby is rarely sidetracked but when she meets Shimmy, the landlords white, Jewish son she experiences butterflies she never felt before. History repeats itself when Ruby, like her own mother becomes a pregnant teenager. Mortified, Shimmy’s mother arranges for Ruby to go to a home for unwed mothers in DC, promising her the WE RISE scholarship when she returns. In DC we meet Eleanor and William, both students at Howard University. Lovely, smart and hardworking, they meet in the library and quickly fall head over heels. But Eleanor is not good enough for William Pride’s snooty parents. Professionals and leaders of the Washington elite Black families, William’s mother does everything in her power to break the couple apart while Eleanor tries her best to fit in. Two young women find themselves desperately trying to succeed in a world that often seems determined to destroy them. Filled with poverty, adoption, abuse, and discrimination - it is clear that 70 years later we still battle these very same challenges. This powerful, heartbreaking story of motherhood will be with you long after the last page.

Sadeqa Johnson is becoming a major name in African American historical fiction. I loved The Yellow Wife and the House of Eve is equally good. It’s the late 1940s. Ruby is a high school sophomore in North Philadelphia. Eleanor is a sophomore at Howard University in Washington, D.C. Both women are ambitious and have big dreams but run into major obstacles. Eventually their stories intersect. Sadeqa Johnson does a great job of providing historical context for African American women during this time period. I found the descriptions of how the black families were divided into caste-like groups especially interesting. This was a great read and I highly recommend it. I thank NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC.

As I’m in the thick of raising littles, stories of motherhood continue to strike a chord with me. THE HOUSE OF EVE is a unique story of motherhood that follows two Black women in 1950s Philadelphia how their lives become forever intertwined with the birth of a baby.

Understated but powerful, Sadeqa Johnson's writing has an unputdownable quality to it. She draws you into the characters' lives in a way that you can’t help but feel deeply invested in their stories. Although set in the past, the themes of the story are incredibly timely. The role of social class within the Black community was fascinating and raised many questions about standards of beauty and the worth of a woman that still persist today.

The novel takes on heavy topics but they are handled with great care. Infertility and infant loss are a cornerstone of the story but readers aren’t left in the depths of despair. This heartbreaking but hopeful story is sure to be broadly adored by readers. Pick up THE HOUSE OF EVE if you are drawn to the sacrifices of motherhood and the fortitude of women throughout history.

RATING: 4.5/5 (rounded up to 5 stars)
PUB DATE: 2/7

Many thanks to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for an electronic ARC in exchange for an honest review. Review will be posted to www.kellyhook.readsbooks in advance of publication date

The story centers around racism that occurs in the Black community and social class. It follows Ruby and Florence, women from different backgrounds and tragedies and eventual triumphed of both.
I loved this book and everyone should read it !
I want to thank NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Thank you @netgalley for the ARC of The House of Eve.

Pub date: Feb 7, 2023

I couldn't put down this book. I wanted to keep reading and find out more about Ruby and Eleanor's story. Sadeqa Johnson is a masterful storyteller and immerses the reader into the world of her characters. If you haven't read the Yellow Wife by her, i strongly recommend it.

The book takes place in the 1950s and follows the lives of two young black girls. Ruby is on the path to being the first person in her family to attend college, but when she meets Shimmy and falls in love, her path becomes compromised. Eleanor is a student at Howard and falls in love with William who comes from a wealthy family. She has trouble fitting into his family and is devastated when building a family becomes complicated.

#bookstagram #bookreview #bookrecommendation #historicalfiction #netgalley #netgalleyreads #netgalleyrecommendation

A fabulously written historical fiction. I found both Ruby and Eleanor to be likable characters. Each story line was very engaging.

Historical fiction at it's very best! Sadeqa Johnson weaves a tale of love, horrific loss and redemption. This is beautifully written, emotionally honest and so bittersweet. Sadeqa Johnson brings to light times in history that I know little about and paints stories that cant help but touch the deepest places of my heart. Thank you to #NetGalley and #SimonandSchuster for this advanced copy. Published very soon on February 7th, 2023

5⭐

Excuse me while I try to pick up the pieces of my heart and put them back together again. While not as heartbreaking as Yellow Wife, House of Eve proved to be just as emotional and these characters will also be living in my head rent free. Sadeqa Johnson is truly a powerhouse writer in historic fiction and I will read everything she writes. And hopefully convince everyone else to do the same!

I loved following Eleanor and Ruby's stories throughout this novel. It was so interesting because they were both similar class and aspirations, but had such different circumstances. I loved watching them both fall in love and became so attached that the characters that their heartbreaks became mine. Sadeqa's writing also spoke at such a higher level where it was easy to see how the past mirrors the present in several scary ways.

I learned so much about pregnancy and stigma and forced adoption and family life and nuances of race from this book that were all so important! I truly savored this book while reading it and it won't be leaving me anytime soon. This book is a masterpiece and if you enjoy historic fiction, you need it when it comes out in February!

And for those who read Yellow Wife, there's a reference to it at the end that's perfection!

Two young Black women. Both in a similar predicament. One is Ruby, 15 and trying to be the first in her family to go to college. She wants to be an ophthalmologist to help people like her grandmother. Second is Eleanor, attending Howard University when she meets handsome William. While he quickly falls for her, his family believes he is too good for her. Both unwed and now pregnant, the world takes these two down two very different roads, yet brings them together in the most unexpected of ways.

Ok so @basicbsguide hates some of my favorite books, but for the most part, we tend to agree. So when she posted herself crying after finishing The House Of Eve, I had to request it! I never read Yellow Wife, but after finishing this one, I need to get it asap! This book had me in a trance from page one. I could not stop reading to find out what happened to both Ruby and Eleanor. My heart broke for the battles each faced, and I really wanted to slap some of the side characters that only made their lives harder (iykyk.) This book broke my heart, put it back together a little bit, broke it again, and tried to tape the super broken pieces together. I highly recommend this stunning read!

4+ stars rounded up

One of the reasons I love historical fiction is that sometimes non fiction accounts of elements of history are too tragic for me to bear. To experience narratives of little or unknown events through the eyes of fictional characters often humanizes the experience for me, especially when the author does justice to those affected. This is the case in Sadeqa Johnson’s latest novel The House of Eve.

Two young Black women living in two different cities in the 1950s share a drive for academic excellence and personal enrichment under very different circumstances. They each battle overwhelming challenges of racism, colorism, religious bias, economic disparity and insurmountable family dynamics. Filing in the framework of a very sad period of our history had this appreciative reader immersed in their worlds, in a way that only the best historical fiction authors can manage. Perhaps reading the summary of this novel in advance provided too many spoilers and left me wondering when things would happen, so I feel strongly that entering the world of this novel without preconceptions is the way to go. The Author’s Note is not-to-be-missed, and revealed her personal connection to the story which left me stunned. I am very much looking forward to discussing this fantastic story with readers after publication and will be promoting it on my social platforms with great praise.

For readers who enjoyed Saints for All Occasions by J. Courtney Sullivan, Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez and The Patron Saint of Liars by Ann Patchett.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Love, Courage and Sacrifice

What a wonderful book of love, courage and sacrifice. Two young women forced to make choices which would change their lives forever. Both girls were from low income homes and were trying to better themselves by attending college. Eleanor's parents had sacrificed and scraped to send her to college. Ruby was in a program to win a four year scholarship.

Eleanor meets William in College and they fall in love. He is studying to be a doctor, she to be a library archivist. When Eleanor falls pregnant William marries her against his parent's wishes. He is from a wealthy family and Eleanor did not fit their lifestyle and was not the girl they had picked out for him. They were married anyway.

Ruby meets Shimmy at the candy store. He is the son of their Jewish landlord. Black girls and Jewish boys are not allowed to be together, but Ruby and Shimmy fall in love. Shimmy's mother is horrified and Ruby is given the option to go to a home for unwed mothers and she will be ensured a full four year scholarship to collage. She must give the baby up for adoption.

These two girls are heartbroken, scared and they both feel so alone. Circumstances will intertwine their lives together in a very unique way.

This story was very good and I enjoyed reading it. The way the author tells the story and portrays the characters in a very realistic way. You can almost feel their pain and their feelings. I have very little knowledge of the homes for unwed mothers except what I have read in books, but they sound like very inhospitable places. I felt so sad for these girls. I also felt sad for Eleanor that she was treated so poorly by her mother in law.

I am glad I read the book and I would recommend it.

Thanks to Sadeqa Johnson for writing such a great story, to Simon and Schuster for publishing it and to NetGalley for providing me with a copy to read and review.