The Fallen : The Lost Girls of Ireland's Magdalene Laundries and a legacy of Silence

The Fallen: The Lost Girls of Ireland's Magdalene Laundries and a Legacy of Silence by Louise Brangon. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2026. 351 pages *****

A difficult as well as painful read at times. I have heard/read of the Irish Laundries briefly in other books. The Laundries in Ireland were run by nuns who told themselves that they were saving girls from their own impulses and outside influences. Some of the girls were not "ready" for the outside world. Some were characterized as "fallen" women who had babies outside of wedlock. Brangon has suggested that no babies were born there and unwanted girls were dropped off by their families. No visitors, no communication with the outside world, left to toil and pray. Given new names and a fresh start, not to be confused with incarceration and a lifetime of isolation (no friendly chatter here) with unbearable living conditions. Local residents and officials turned a blind eye to the injustice and having lived there was a "stigma" that could not be shaken. If a girl was fortunate enough to be released to her community or sent to work elsewhere, she had few life skills to sustain her. The ability to spend, save, or to even shop for herself was beyond her. A lucky few moved from their town and created a fictional background to fill in the gaps when asked about their families or past. Brangon follows a few women to give us a glimpse into their particular situations.  Carmel was assigned to the sewing room and created beautifully patterned lace and vestments. Reading their stories evoked feelings of anger, sadness, and incredulity. How could this happen and yet, being of Irish descent it explains a few things. My father and his brother were sent to an orphanage and industrial school when their mother died. My grandfather was out of work and unable to care for 6 boys during the Depression in Philadelphia.  It is disturbing to read that Ireland closed the last of its Magdalene Laundries in 1996!! The conditions and stories are a black mark on the history of Ireland and the Catholic Church, and it must be told, kudos to Louise Brangon. I highly recommend this book to everyone and a must read if you are of Irish descent.

Dr. Louise Brangan is an Irish academic who researches injustice and punishment. She is a 2023 BBC/AHRC New Generation Thinker, the playwright of The Ireland We Dreamed Of, and winner of the 2024 RSL Giles St Aubyn Award. She lives and works in Scotland. For more information, https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Fallen/Louise-Brangan/9781668079744

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Stitched

 Stitched by Eli McCann. Torrey House Press, 2026. 280 pages. September 2026 Publication. ***

From Amazon...

Betty Lou Dearden has been a member of the Ogden Quilters Association for more than twenty years when it is announced that the biggest quilting competition in the country is coming to Utah. With the clock ticking and a chance to finally beat their long-time rival quilting circle, the women welcome two young gay men to their group as they bicker their way to an award-worthy entry. With disarming humor and extraordinary heart, Eli McCann takes readers deep into the cozy but cutthroat world of competitive quilting and the sometimes-messy friendships that shape our lives.

I was really excited to get a copy to review. As a member of two Quilt Guilds, I couldn't wait for a light-hearted, funny read. There are many humorous moments, and I loved the addition of two gay men into their quilting group. However, in my limited experience, I felt that the cutthroat competition and nastiness was overdone. Perhaps our family members who must listen to our many fabric acquisition stories and complaints about fellow guild members may find the show preparation humorous. It could be my mood, some of the story seems stereotypical, sad, and did not adequately portray the friendships and caring in my quilt guilds. You'll have to read this one to decide for yourself. 

Eli McCann is a writer, podcaster, and lawyer. In his monthly humor column for The Salt Lake Tribune, he writes about growing up with (and leaving behind) the Mormon faith, coming out in adulthood, and parenting a toddler. He co-hosts Strangerville, a storytelling podcast and live show, and his work has been featured in The Washington Post, Newsweek, HuffPost, and the BBC. He lives with his husband and son in Salt Lake City, Utah. 

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The Things We Never Say

 

The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout. New York: Random House, 2026. 203 pages. *****

Fifty-seven years old Artie Dam is an eleventh-grade history teacher who connects with his students to educate them about the past and hope for the future. At the same time, he is questioning his life as a teacher, husband, father, and friend. His once idyllic life was changed forever by his son's car accident ten years earlier. During a particularly boring party, Artie asks the High School Principal, “Do you think there's any free will in this world?" Answers are as varied as the people responding and Artie soon realizes that people "never say anything real." All their conversations are on the surface and don't delve into their "real" situations or feelings. The decisions that are made affect every phase of life (be it political, a new principal, friend moving away, secrets uncovered, etc.) and Artie soon realizes that "I do not want to die, I just don't want to live." 

I absolutely loved this book, read it in 1.5 days and identified with Artie's self-reflection. Reviews are mixed based on Strout's introduction of the current political theatre and decisions made which will affect the future. Strout's strength is in her character development. Artie and his wife, Evie, are an ordinary couple who go to work and do the best that they can every day while questioning, "what's real?" Artie strives to bring out the best in his students and to help them see it in themselves. His first day activity is brilliant and enables him to get to know the students on a deeper level throughout the school year. When Artie acts out of character and is caught, he appreciates the kindness shown to him and vows to pay it forward. There are many sub stories for discussion and to be experienced; this book is one that I will be thinking about and recommending for a while. 

Elizabeth Strout is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Tell Me Everything;  Lucy by the Sea; Oh William!, which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize.

Strout is married to former Maine Attorney General James Tierney, lecturer in law at Harvard Law School and founding director of State AG, an educational resource on the office of state attorney general. She divides her time between New York City and Brunswick, Maine. Strout's daughter Zarina Shea is a playwright.

Her novels include:

Amy and Isabelle (1998) 

Abide with Me (2006) 

Olive Kitteridge (2008)

The Burgess Boys (2013) 

My Name Is Lucy Barton (2016)

Anything Is Possible (2017) 

Olive, Again (2019)

Oh William! (2021) 

Lucy by the Sea (2022)

Tell Me Everything (2024) 

The Things We Never Say (2026)

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Who We Used To Be

Who We Used To Be by Julia Amante. Wise Writer Publishing, 2026. **** Reading Group Discussion Guide, Questions for the Author.  

Rachel has prepared everything to be perfect to celebrate her 20th Wedding Anniversary with her husband, Jeremy. Unfortunately, he's not in the mood to dress up for the planned dinner party and doesn't understand why 20 years is a big deal. Jeremy surprises Rachel by expressing he's bored and wondering what life would have been like if they had never married? Rachel has the life she's always wanted, two great kids, a husband she loves, a beautiful home, and a fulfilling job. Jeremy wants a break from his present life and a year to explore what he really needs to feel alive. There is no other woman, he's not interested in pursuing a love interest, he wants to find the person he was before marriage. Rachel is willing to wait; she has the life she wants if only Jeremy would come home. 

Told in the alternating voices of Rachel and Jeremy, I really enjoyed the different voices and points of view. Life is never perfect; Jeremy and Rachel each have their own way of dealing with the separation. Amante paints a picture of some marriages where the couple love each other, however, the spark has died and life has become predictable and responsible. Amante suggests a realistic scenario when one partner asks for space and gets it. A quick read, great discussion book for couple's book clubs or with your girlfriends.

I received an Advanced Reader Copy to review. 

Julia Amante writes emotionally reflective stories centered on love, family, identity, reinvention, and the pursuit of meaningful lives. In 2020, she founded Wise Writer Publishing, an author services company dedicated to supporting writers and helping them build sustainable creative careers. For more info - https://juliaamante.com

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The Calamity Club

 

The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett. New York: Spiegel & Grau, 2026. 638 pages. *****

Not for the faint of heart, it's a hefty 638 pages and well worth it. It's been 17 years since her last novel, The Help was published and The Calamity Club has the same feel to it. It's 1933 in Oxford, Mississippi rich and poor are struggling with financial losses while trying to maintain societal expectations. Eleven-year-old Meg, abandoned by her mother on Christmas Eve, resides at the Lafayette County Orphan Asylum.  Unmarried Birdie is visiting her social-climbing sister to ask for financial help to keep their family home. Birdie helps at the Orphanage while working up the courage to ask for money, only to discover that her sister's situation isn't what it seems. Charlie is working hard to redefine herself and build a new life as a mother. Birdie and Charlie come together under unusual circumstances to earn as much money as they can to benefit their families. It's legal if everyone consents and no one finds out, right?  

I loved this story and didn't want it to end, expect it to be a block buster movie. You'll laugh, cry and cheer. Stockett can make absurd situations seem plausible. Championing the cause that with women working together, all things are possible. In reading other reviews, they are mixed both for the length of the novel and some of the family situations introduced. You will have to read it to decide for yourself, however, it's 5 stars for me! 

From her website - "Kathryn Stockett was born and raised in Jackson, Mississippi. After graduating from the University of Alabama, she moved to New York City, where she worked in magazine publishing and marketing for nine years. Her first novel, The Help, has sold over 15 million copies worldwide." For more info https://www.kathrynstockettauthor.com/.

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Dark Ugly Places

 

Dark Ugly Places by Ashley Mansour. California: Moniker Press, 2026. 349 pages. **** Publication September 15, 2026.

Thirty-four-year-old Nicola Holiday is recovering emotionally and financially from a hit-and-run accident. Her husband is killed and her daughter severely injured. Nicola tries to recreate the accident in her mind to identify the car and the driver. She has a darkness within her inherited from her father and personified as "Martha." When Martha appears, Nicola is aware, however she is unable to stop her. Martha ingratiates herself into the household of the suspected driver. Martha is out to revenge the accident and to make those responsible  pay. 

I received a copy to review. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this well-written psychological thriller. The suspected hit-and-run driver is so abusive that it's easy to cheer Martha on in enacting her revenge. I found it interesting that Emily, Nicola's fourteen-year-old daughter, realizes when her mother isn't herself. At times, I wasn't quite sure where the story was headed, however, Mansour wraps it up cohesively, she has a devious mind.  Character development and building suspense is her strength and you will be thinking about it long after you have read it.  

From Amazon

Ashley Mansour is a renowned book strategist, bestselling author, and the founder and CEO of LA Writing Coach and Brands Through Books.

With over a decade of experience across publishing, entertainment, and digital media, she has transformed from a struggling writer into a multiple bestselling author, a sought-after coach, and a successful business owner.

Her passion for storytelling and empowering others has led to the development of her proprietary book writing system, the TAP Method, which has helped hundreds of aspiring authors, thought leaders, and entrepreneurs transform their ideas into impactful bestselling books. For more info https://ashleymansour.com

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The Mountains We Call Home

 

The Mountains We Call Home: The Book Woman's Legacy by Kim Michele Richardson. Sourcebooks Landmark, 2026. 367 pages. ****

Companion novel to the Bookwoman of TroublesomeCreek series, Cussy May Lovett and her husband Jackson are unfairly incarcerated for miscegenation, she is Blue and Jackson isn't. Life in the Kentucky prison isn't kind to women; forced sterilization if a woman is deemed an imbecile, removing her fetus even though abortion is a crime and assigning the death penalty when she may have been defending herself and her children from a brute of a husband. Cussy continues her calling as a Bookwoman by selecting and suggesting books for the inmates. Discovering that the some of the women cannot read or write, Cussy convinces the Warden to allow her to read aloud to the inmates. An extension of that activity is  to hold classes to teach the alphabet and writing. Reading letters from home to the women provides a connection that they desperately need. 

I highly recommend reading the first two books before this one even though it can be read as a standalone. Richardson is a master storyteller, describing the people and culture of rural Kentucky. Educating the reader on the necessity of traveling with The Negro Motorist Green Book, '52 edition when motoring outside their rural town. Well-researched, do not skim the added material including the Images, A Note from the Author, Recipe, and a Reading Group Guide.  I was immersed in the superstitions, accepted cultural norms and the extreme measures taken to discriminate against women and anyone different than themselves. Richardson shows us the horrors and hope, love prevails. Excellent for Book Clubs and a suggested companion book to How To Read A Book by Monica Wood.

From her website... 

A native-born Kentuckian, Kim Michele Richardson is the New York Times, L.A. Times, USA Today bestselling author who has written six novels, a memoir and most recently, two children’s picture books. Her novel The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek is taught widely in high schools and college classrooms and has been adopted as a Common Read selection by states, cities, and colleges across the country and abroad, and was a Favorite Read by Dolly Parton in People’s Magazine. Kim Michele was inducted into the Kentucky Women’s Remembers Exhibit in 2025 by Gov. Andy Beshear for her contributions to Kentucky, and was awarded a Doctorate in Humanities from Eastern Kentucky University.She lives with her family in Kentucky and is the founder of Shy Rabbit, a writers residency, and a literacy initiative Courthouses Reading Across Kentucky & Beyond.  For more information, https://www.kimmichelerichardson.com 

Reviews

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek 

The Book Woman's Daughter

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