August Reads- The Birth House

In August, I read 9 books:

Hill of Dreams by Arthur Machen
Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Writing and Selling the YA Novel by K.L. Going
Double Feature by Owen King
Rumors by Anna Godbersen
The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski (reread)
The Birth House by Ami McKay
The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
Writing Blockbuster Plots by Martha Alderson

The honest truth is that my favorite read of the month was probably The Winner’s Curse. But since it’s a reread for me (I am rereading the first two books in the series before I read the final book), it feels like cheating to talk about it again.

A very close second was The Birth House. I wish I could remember how this book ended up on my TBR list, but I have no idea.

From the description on the book flap, I was expecting a nice, chick lit story about a midwife. Those elements were in the book, for sure. But those elements do not sum up the experience of reading this story.

This is really a story about the power of women and all the forms that power takes. There is wisdom, violence, sex, manipulation, love, honesty, and strength.

The men in the story have a difficult time dealing with the power of women. They see hysteria, witches, and evil.

It should surprise no one that the women win in the end.

And yet it will.

It does in the story. It does in real life. Everyday.

We continue to allow ourselves to be surprised when women are strong. Powerful. Fierce. When they stand up for themselves and what they believe.

When they do not bow to the wishes of the men around them.

I have wandered. That is the power of the story. There is a massive point tucked into this entertaining tale of one woman and her quest to help other women bring babies into the world in the way they know is best.

Read it. Enjoy it. Let it stew.