Welcome to Litsy!

What an excellent book—a huge shoutout to the power of women over misogyny early last century, mostly set in #Canada but a few important moments in #Boston. The main character was raised to be a midwife. When a male doctor comes to town, he insists the old ways are dangerous and his newfangled ways (including forceps) are safer. There is so much to unpack about this book a short review cannot do it justice. In general, it speaks to the power ⬇️

“when the reading of such literature is associated with idleness…a woman‘s thoughts and feelings cannot be other than impure and sensual…novel-reading causes, at the very least, fretting, nightmares and a bad complexion.”

That explains so much! 😂

#foodandlit #Canada @Catsandbooks

My #comfortreadathon for tonight @BookwormAHN

#foodandlit #Canada @Catsandbooks

Reading now for #foodandlit #Canada @Catsandbooks

My #bookspin and #doublespin for November.
The Birth House is from 2006
Fifty Day of Solitude is from 1994.
#192025 @Librarybelle @TheAromaofBooks

I really liked this feminist story - women have supported each other for centuries with their knowledge about women‘s bodies. We have come full circle to birth again at home. The history of Canada and the wider world was deftly woven in

Lovely story about women, their struggles and rights in Nova Scotia in the early 20th century. Love these characters.

1. Tagged. She isn‘t new, but she was new to me. I will be adding more of her to my TBR.
2. I Know This Much is True
3. A relaxing escape from reality.

Thanks for the tag @Cosmos_Moon
@Eggs #WondrousWednesday

It wasn‘t terrible. I adore Ami McKay, but this was nowhere near as wonderful as “The Witches of New York”. I think it was mostly that the characters fell very flat in comparison. Still, fantastic writing. I also enjoyed how McKay wrote about the reproductive rights of women in the early 20th century without sugar coating anything. Had to give it 3 Stars, though, since some parts were rather boring & I skimmed.

A lovely historical fiction set in rural Canada circa 1920. A tiny town in which women are used to relying on the local midwife and her (admittedly) slightly witchy ways are introduced to find themselves pressured in to modern but questionable birthing practices.

This book not takes place in #Canada, but it's also written by a Canadian author. Her other book Witches of New York is on my TBR and I've just added this one... it sounds like a really interesting book!

#AugustIsATrip @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

Dora is an apprentice to a midwife in Novia Scotia. Dora helps women through infertility, birth, and unfulfilling sex lives. When a new doctor starts advertising for painless child birth, Dora finds her self becoming an advocate for the women of her town and helping them fight for their rights and choice about their own bodies. This historical fiction is top three of my all time favorite books. Highly recommend.

I just received a package from @Babiesandbooks with this book and this beautiful bookmark from her Etsy shop. Thank you so much for hosting this awesome giveaway, I was thrilled to win! 😊💗

Btw, here is a link to her Etsy shop if anyone would like to look at her gorgeous bookmarks. https://www.etsy.com/shop/bookmarkloves

Tbt. Listening to one of my favorite audiobooks while putting some previously sold out bookmarks back on my Etsy account.

@Amabear #booksandshelfiesM18 finding a book that “defines me” was harder than I thought it would be. But I keep coming back to the Birth House. It‘s about early Midwifery in Atlantic Canada. It instilled in me a desire for a family, a love for those who work with new moms and a desire to see more of my incredible home country. Ami McKay delighted me with her story of Dora Rare and I feel a deep connection with her I don‘t feel in any other book

Very good!

For book club - so far so good.

I would have bailed on this one if I hadn't needed a book set in Nova Scotia. The characters were little more than mouth pieces, and the writing and plot was so-so. But in the end I did enjoy the little elements of historical authenticity, and it was a quick enough read. (Okay, maybe I skimmed a bit.)

They banned Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass? I'd have thought that'd be practically unconstitutional!

(I'm finding the story and writing so-so, but the historical details (and the ads!) are fascinating, sometimes hilarious sometimes upsetting.)

today's new read ! really excited to start this. has anyone else read this? what are the opinions?
#bookworm #currentread #canadian

THE book I most often recommend for book clubs. Loved the book and we had such a great discussion about it. Plus, cheap right now.

Not what i was expecting at all when i picked this up and i am so glad i did!!!!!

I live in rural Nova Scotia, so I'm including the whole province to pick a #localauthor. This book has been in my TBR forever, and I was so excited to find a copy at my local used bookstore. The owner said this is the one book she can't keep on the shelf. As soon as she gets one in, it's gone within a day or two. #aprilbookshowers #nslittens @RealLifeReading

This was a compelling read, and I love the setting of the story, 1918 Nova Scotia. I was always rooting for the main character, Dora, and am happy with the ending. Sometimes these types of books can be depressing, but it's amazing to see how far we as women have come in the last hundred years. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Highly recommended!

Lol ladies I guess we are in trouble then!! This is set in the early 1900s, it's amazing to see how different the thought process was back then. 😮😱😂

Starting this now, thanks to a fellow Litsy reader. I love books about midwifery, would love some more recommendations! #blameitonlitsy

Really excited to be starting this 'Litsy endorsed' jewel. (More excited than Timmy seems to be.... zzzzzz)

Creating is hard. Sharing The Thing is harder. The Purple Sponge nags for my attention everyday, but I don't write because my demon says to me: "You aren't good enough. No one cares but you."

But if my fear stops me, no one will ever care because I never tried.

These are the books I read in Nov. and Dec. without writing a review. I'm posting one thing on The Purple Sponge every day this week. I hope you'll join me at purplesponge.com ?

#headlesscovers #photoadaynov16 I went searching through my tbr stacks and found these examples of headless or nearly headless covers. Has anyone read these books? Which should I put on top of the pile?

"I ask myself, is it just a wild flight of imagination to conceive of a world without war … but someone must try … ”

No place I'd rather be!

The Birth House by Ami McKay deals with the maternal feminism of WW1 and post war period while also handling a (not so nuanced but very interesting) discussion on the options for giving birth available for women.
The novel also weaves in a love story of Dora Rare, the main protagonist. 4/5 stars