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Martha Ballard is an 18th Century midwife living in Hallowell, Maine. Lawhon has written a fictional account of a harrowing winter in the life of Mrs. Ballard, a real woman known to us through her diary and a Pulitzer winning biography. The novel is driven on its‘ arc through the account of a horrific rape and Martha‘s quest for justice for the female victim.

Exceptionally researched, and well written. The characters will be hard to forget.

#12booksof2024 January favorite
@Andrew65

Last week I forgot to post, so this week I‘m doing my #hyggehourreadathon a little early. I‘m tucked away in a corner of the cafe at a little local shopping area. I just had a yummy chicken and avocado sandwich, and I‘m nursing a raspberry mocha latte. There‘s Christmas music softly playing. And across the cafe a family is conversing in what I think is Italian. I just have one more gift to buy before I go home to wrap. But first, latte and book!

1. After Libby said it would be two more weeks, I got a notification that I could check out the tagged book.
2. The Crime Writers of Color podcast is back after a long hiatus.
3. I got together with a friend for dinner and a movie.
4. We enjoyed War of the Rohirrim!
5. I bought a new wet-dry floor cleaner.
#5joysfriday

Absolutely brilliant. I‘ll always love a story about a badass female heroine, but Martha Ballard is more than that and the author‘s love for her emanates from every page. It isn‘t an easy book to read, but seems necessary, especially considering the state of women‘s rights today. The fact that events in 1790 could parallel anything in 2024 - baffling. Anyway, read this, y‘all!

@AmyG have you read this?

This is a January selection for book club. #sundayfunday

For some reason the start of this book was slow for me. I knew I had to finish it and once you do ..😳😢 Loved the authors notes on the real life midwife Martha Ballard and the story she wrote based on her daily diaries in 1789. Women were always strong and continue to fight.

Excellent historical fiction inspired by the life of a very interesting woman—a great story made all that much more meaningful by the author‘s note at the end. The story is set in 1789 and is about a death with far reaching consequences for many of the residents in the town of Hallowell. When midwife Martha Ballard‘s determination it is in fact murder is disregarded, she sets out to find the truth. Great character, setting, mystery. Loved it.

A mystery that kept me on my toes to the very end .I enjoyed it

Mornings are just better when I can find a few minutes for coffee and a book. Started this one last night and I really like it so far.

This was my book club‘s pick for the month— a solid piece of historical fiction set in Maine just over a decade past the Revolutionary War. Based on the life of midwife Martha Ballard, Martha makes for a strong heroine in a time when respect for a woman is hard won and rare. She gets involved in a murder investigation while seeking justice for a friend, with flashes into her own past. Her husband‘s perfection, however, is the larger mystery! 🤣

OMG what a good story and I was pleasantly surprised to learn that‘s it‘s based on a real midwife!! 5 stars!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ one of the best reads of 2024. Historical fiction at its finest.

Can‘t wait to get into this!

There was so much buzz surrounding this title that I've been putting it off until now! Based on the life of the real colonial midwife, Martha Ballard, this historical fiction novel takes place in late 1700's Maine. When a body is fished from the icy river, Ballard is called upon for her medical expertise and journals exposing corruption and a sexual assault cover-up of its residents. Compelling read of feminism and women's health at the time.

I enjoyed this quite a lot. My current manager lives in the same town in Maine where this takes place. Otherwise this would not have been front and center on my radar. I think I liked it more than the author's previous books. Historical fiction + murder mystery. Already recommended it to my aunt.

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

#WeeklyFavorites

This week favorite must be The Frozen River, very well written and engaging historical fiction.
Looking back at September, I think Water is my favorite for the month.

I had to drop my mom off at the airport for 3:30 am, so I‘m getting some much needed reading and relaxation time before the rest of my family wakes up ❤️ These last few weeks, I‘ve had no time to myself so this is a blessing 🙏🏻

From the first page I was drawn into the lives of midwife Martha, her (perfect) family and the not so perfect community of Hallowell in which she lives and works. There is murder and rape, gossip and fraud. While the winter freezes the river, Martha seeks justice for women who have traditionally been the underdog in the community. She‘s such an admirable woman and I loved spending time with her.

Thanks for the tag @Read4life and @Eggs

#wonderouswednesday

1. Knowing that I am making a difference in the lives of my students
2. Spending time with my friends and family
3. Done

@Mommamanzi @Pageturner1 @KateReadsYA

I am in love with this book and while this is a historical fiction (which I love), sometimes the super historical ones don‘t hit for me… so not the case here! Based on the life of Martha Ballard, a midwife in the 1700‘s, this book grabbed me from the first page and didn‘t let go!!

Good historical fiction book based on a diary of a midwife in the 1700s. Lots of characters, emphasis on the secrets told to the midwife. Engaging.

A package of lovely surprises today💌📦💌 from @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks and @Read4life and @TieDyeDude ❣️I really wanted to read The Photo Album!! Thanks y‘all🙏🏻

#LitsyLove 🧡🧡

A low pick for me - it was about 100 pages too long. And I, for the life of me, had the HARDEST time remembering the “J” names! I literally made a list of them 😂 But a gripping story! (37)
⭐️: 3.5/5

Gripping! Literate Midwife (Martha) delivered babies and comforts a friend, a victim of rape in the late 1700‘s. I loved Martha & Ephram‘s relationship. A novel based on a true story.

Great audiobook! I listened strait through. Captivated!

I recommend the audiobook!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Have not read a book I enjoyed such much for a while until this one. An engrossing story and beautiful written. Also, my first e book. A good sign😍😍

This novel, inspired by the real diaries of midwife Martha Ballard, is such good reading. I couldn‘t put it down.

If you enjoy historical novels with rich stories and strong character development, you definitely want to experience The Frozen River. The audiobook format enriches the already incredible story and you feel as though you are along with Hope on her journey to Silver Lake......
Full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6535855813

It's been a good book year, so far. 😊 At this point, The Frozen River is my winner.

The second library stack of summer! 🩷☀️📚

Anyone else having troubles with Litsy? I had to delete the app and reinstall it because nothing was working. Now it‘s ok - thankfully!!!

May was a great reading month for me. I loved many of the books I read.
The Ornithologist's Field Guide to Love 5⭐️
The Unraveling 4⭐️
The Ministry of Time 5⭐️
Prinal Mirror 4⭐️
The Frozen River 5⭐️ --> #BookSpin
Just for the Summer 5⭐️
The Five Year Lie 4⭐️
Happy Medium 3⭐️
A Feather So Black 4⭐️

I had one bingo for #BookSpinBingo!

My weekend reads - The Frozen River (historical fiction mystery) and Set Boundaries, Find Peace (everyone should read this book!)

I‘ve been locked out of my Litsy account for the past year due to the Facebook login issues. Starting over…

#historicalfiction #backonlitsy #weekendreads

Wow. This was intense and emotional and immersive. I've read this author's other books and this is far and away her best. She clearly poured her heart and soul into this book.

I loved this one. It was more historical fiction than mystery, which I'm very OK with. It takes place in late 1700s Maine and our protagonist, Martha, is a midwife. It starts when Martha is asked to examine a body found in the river. A lot happens from there both in her family and in the community. I adore Martha. And I adore her marriage with Ephraim.

Starting this one now. I'm in the perfect mood for a historical mystery.

“This is what it means to age, I think. The days are long, but the years are short.”

#River
#StorySettings

I haven‘t been walking this week at all or done much of anything because I‘ve not felt that great. My inactivity did allow me to finish both Holly (print) and The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell (ebook). Today I‘m starting The Frozen River.

An impressive find in one of my neighborhood Little Free Libraries!

"Memory is a wicked thing that warps and twists. But paper and ink receive the truth without emotion, and they read it back without partiality. That, I believe, is why so few women are taught to read and write. God only knows what they would do with the power of pen and ink at their disposal."
Plenty of #secrets in the frozen river!#SpringSkies @Eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

The Frozen River is a solid 5 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 in my opinion. This book is not fantasy, but her style of writing is so magical that sometimes I forget it's historical fiction. I deeply admire the love and bond between Martha and Ephraim. The book is full of rich history and well crafted characters. There is so much I could say about it, but I think you just need to read it for yourself.

Arby‘s-style poutine and a new book on a cold afternoon makes for an ideal Saturday.

The pace of this was incredibly slow. But I love when a slow burn story reads with an underlying intensity that makes the time pass quickly. Recommended to those who appreciate historical fiction from the female perspective

Guess we have ghosts 🤷🏻‍♀️

This was our April 2024 bookclub selection. The story was of a midwife who lived and worked in the 1700s. Parts of the novel were action packed. It contained a murder and a mystery. Learning about the legal system in its infancy was enlightening. People (mostly men) got away with a lot back then. I particularly enjoyed the authors note at the end. I like hearing how she developed her story. I‘m glad that my bookclub recommended this book.

#WeeklyFavorites

The Frozen River was my favorite read from March 24 - 31.

This is my first book by Lawhon. However, if her writing is this stellar in all of her books it won‘t be my last.
This was so good! I loved the mix of historical fiction and mystery. Very well done.

This book was so good. It was so much better than I could have imagined. This was a mix of historical fiction and mystery and I loved it.