Told from a Chinese-American girl's perspective during the time of women's suffrage in the antebellum south, this story covers intersectionality, racism, sexism, feminism and a love interest that hints at miscegenation - all topics that are still very much relevant today.

Restrained magic, prophesies, friendship, angry ancestral spirits, betrayal, UNrestrained magic, Orisha gods…this was a great ride!

The premise of the book is truly interesting to me, and it is obvious that Laster did her research in order to write this book. But, while this story started out strong with an opening scene that's sure to get your heart rate up, as it gets into the world-building and story, it just doesn't really ever pick up again.

I really enjoyed this book! While the book dragged a bit at first and took a while to get going, a slow burn for sure, I enjoyed learning about the inner workings of BP and watching the women's relationship evolve.

Based on true events, Del Munro is struggling to put food on the table, so when a traveling evangelist comes to town and offers to take the girls to the beach, Del jumps at the chance. But the girls don't return, and Del is fuzzy on the details, and where did she get the money for that new chair?

The first book I read by this author was Beartown. I really disliked it. The second book I read by this author, and only because I had heard SO many good things about it, was A Man Called Ove. I LOVED it. And so I found myself in a 50/50 split, and I have never been so torn on an author. When several people recommended Anxious People to me, I had my reservations. A Man Called Ove had a certain magic that is extremely difficult to replicate, and I really didn't think Anxious People could be on the same level, but I read it anyway hoping to break that 50/50 split and definitively lean one way or the other on Backman as a writer. After reading this book, I'm still 50/50. Let me break that down.

To be honest, after reading the synopsis for this one, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I loved Before We Were Yours so much that I fully trusted Wingate.  Part coming of age, part adventure story, part crusade, this book doesn’t shy away from the shadowy bits of history we might want to sweep under the rug.