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River Sing Me Home
River Sing Me Home | Eleanor Shearer
Rare. Moving. Powerful. This beautiful, page-turning and redemptive story of a mothers gripping journey across the Caribbean to find her stolen children in the aftermath of slavery is a remarkable debut. Her search begins with an ending. The master of the Providence plantation in Barbados gathers his slaves and announces the king has decreed an end to slavery. As of the following day, the Emancipation Act of 1834 will come into effect. The cries of joy fall silent when he announces that they are no longer his slaves; they are now his apprentices. No one can leave. They must work for him for another six years. Freedom is just another name for the life they have always lived. So Rachel runs. Away from Providence, she begins a desperate search to find her childrenthe five who survived birth and were sold. Are any of them still alive? Rachel has to know. The grueling, dangerous journey takes her from Barbados then, by river, deep into the forest of British Guiana and finally across the sea to Trinidad. She is driven on by the certainty that a mother cannot be truly free without knowing what has become of her children, even if the answer is more than she can bear. These are the stories of Mary Grace, Micah, Thomas Augustus, Cherry Jane and Mercy. But above all this is the story of Rachel and the extraordinary lengths to which a mother will go to find her children...and her freedom.
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Gissy
River Sing Me Home | Eleanor Shearer
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#SpringSkies Day 11 #CvrW.ObscuredFace

Beautiful cover😍and I want to read it🤗

@Eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Love this cover! On my list! 1w
Eggs Sounds really good 👍🏼 1w
35 likes2 comments
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AbstractMonica
River Sing Me Home | Eleanor Shearer
Pickpick

Solid 3 stars. Such an interesting novel. About halfway and beyond it teetered from slow to rushed. Still enjoyed most of it.

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Lsmoore43
River Sing Me Home | Eleanor Shearer
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Stunning book...
It's so hard to believe this is a debut novel. It's stunning. It's beautiful. It's heartbreaking. Many times I broke down and cried while reading this story. But the author wrote a piece of poetry here. One that is both heartbreaking and sad. It's written with such feeling.

Full review: http://tinyurl.com/mspesd7p

@eleanorbshearer
@berkleypub
#botm

22 likes1 stack add
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Andrew65
River Sing Me Home | Eleanor Shearer
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Pickpick

Read this book for #Guyana for #ReadingTheAmericas2023 @Librarybelle @BarbaraBb

An excellent book that tells the story of Rachel that following being freed as a slave set about travelling across Barbados, Guyana and Trinidad to find her lost children with very different outcomes. This is based on many true events for freed slaves and feels like must reading. Great humanity came across in this book.

Andrew65 2nd book finished for #NovelNovember
17th book finished for November #Rushathon @DieAReader @Ghabi4Roses
5mo
DieAReader 🥳🥳🥳 5mo
Librarybelle On my to read list! 5mo
See All 6 Comments
BarbaraBB You‘re doing so good with the challenge! 5mo
Andrew65 @BarbaraBB Trying to play catch up before the end of the year! 🫣 5mo
Andrew65 @Librarybelle Also an option for Barbados and Trinidad. 5mo
75 likes2 stack adds6 comments
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Melkyl
River Sing Me Home | Eleanor Shearer
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Pickpick

I enjoyed this book about a mother searching for the children taken from her. Her need to find them was relatable and her bravery was inspiring. The author‘s writing was quite beautiful. Overall, I really enjoyed this debut novel. I will look forward to hearing more from this author.

22 likes1 stack add
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Yahui07
River Sing Me Home | Eleanor Shearer
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Pickpick

I basically like the Author notes more than the story itself.😅😅 no offense

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Cathyloves2read
River Sing Me Home | Eleanor Shearer
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Pickpick

I really enjoyed this book. This is the author‘s first novel. I love her writing style! The character development was great! I can‘t imagine having the strength that it must have taken for Rachel to take the steps that she did in order to find her children. I learned a lot about the history of slavery in the Caribbean. It was especially disturbing to realize that although slavery ended, many were still not free. Kudos to this author!!

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Jess861
River Sing Me Home | Eleanor Shearer
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Pickpick

An excellent debut! The story of a slave who treks across three countries to find all the children taken from her. The writing and settings are beautiful and you are transported to this time and place. You can't help but love the many characters you meet throughout the book. I simply cannot imagine having all your children ripped away from you and having to fight to find them again. Only knock was there are some parts that are a bit too lucky.

52 likes4 comments
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Donna1980
River Sing Me Home | Eleanor Shearer
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15th wedding anniversary book stack from the husband. He knows my love language that‘s for sure.
Bought today at the most beautiful book shop in Bath: Mr B‘s Emporium

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Jess861
River Sing Me Home | Eleanor Shearer
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Starting the tagged book with an iced coffee and a view of the water while the little guy is with his tutor. I've only just started and I can already tell that I'm going to enjoy this book. I believe this is her debut when it comes to writing books - so I'm excited that it's started off so well.

Now just to decide if I want to tag it to #Barbados #Guyana or #TrinidadAndTobago for #ReadingTheAmericas2023 @librarybelle @barbarabb

Aims42 I love when you begin a new book and you just know you‘re going to love it 🥰 I‘ve tried to explain that feeling to my husband and he thinks I‘m nuts 🤪 9mo
Jess861 @Aims42 I feel you! My husband isn't a reader so he just doesn't get it - but there's no better feeling! Nothing better than loving a book from start to finish. 9mo
Aims42 @Jess861 ☺️🥰😍 9mo
Librarybelle What a great recommendation! It‘s an awesome feeling for sure! 9mo
47 likes4 comments
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staci.reads
River Sing Me Home | Eleanor Shearer
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Pickpick

In an attempt to #readmyshelves, I pulled this old #BotM selection randomly off my shelf and finally got it read. It was fantastic! It was a slow starter for me - probably more about my mindset than the prose - but once I was hooked I poured through it in a day.

dabbe Can I live on your porch? 🙏🩵💙 9mo
staci.reads @dabbe you bet 😂 8mo
69 likes2 comments
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Singout
River Sing Me Home | Eleanor Shearer

#Bookspin
1. We Measure the Earth with our Bodies
2. Lesser known Monsters
3. Seeing Ghosts
4. Run Towards
5. Bad Girls
6. Dream States
7. Pedagogy of the Oppressed
8. How Much of these Hills
9. The Savage Detectives
10. The Sleeping Car Porter
11. Fresh Banana Leaves
12. A Small Place
13. Night Tiger
14. Rememberings
15. Nasty Brutish
16. Of Women and Salt
17. Beekeeper of Aleppo
18. Pure Colour
19. Wild Tongues Can‘t Be Tamed
20. Magdalena

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 10mo
8 likes1 comment
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Singout
River Sing Me Home | Eleanor Shearer
Pickpick

I learned a lot here about enslavement in the Caribbean: when slavery ended, people were still forced to be “apprentices.” The main character escapes, looking throughout Barbados, Guyana, and Trinidad for her six children and meeting various people, including an Indigenous boy isolated from his people. However, the writing is a bit wooden and there are too many extraordinary events.
#Booked2023 #2023
#ReadingTheAmericas2023 #Guyana

Librarybelle This is on my to read list! 10mo
Cinfhen Totally agree with your review!!!! 💯💯💯💯 10mo
15 likes2 comments
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Blaire
River Sing Me Home | Eleanor Shearer
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Read this one for one of my book clubs about a formerly enslaved woman in Barbados who travels across the Caribbean to find her children. I paired with a Bob Marley classic redemption song. #islandvibes #titlesandtunes

BarbaraBB Good pairing 🩵 12mo
Cinfhen Excellent pairing!!! I really enjoyed book and it‘s a perfect song choice🎵 ♥️ 12mo
46 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks
River Sing Me Home | Eleanor Shearer
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#Withmeormy
#TemptingTitles
#Botm

My lilies are coming along despite this crazy Mississippi weather!! 🥶🥵 🌧️ 🌞 there‘s not an emoji for pollen 😂

Eggs Oh I‘m so fond of lilies 💗💗 12mo
88 likes1 comment
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rebbyj
River Sing Me Home | Eleanor Shearer
Pickpick

Special story

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Blaire
River Sing Me Home | Eleanor Shearer
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Enjoyed diving into this book this morning. Quickly engrossed in Rachel‘s story.

Cathythoughts Looks good 👍🏻❤️stacking. 12mo
Blaire @Cathythoughts yes, I‘ve needed immediately immersive books lately and this one fits the bill 12mo
41 likes2 comments
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Cinfhen
River Sing Me Home | Eleanor Shearer
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Pickpick

A solid debut - when slavery is abolished in 1834 the Caribbean plantation owners institute a mandatory 6 year “apprenticeship” where the slaves MUST remain & work under the same harsh conditions. Rachel, a slave woman decides to put her faith in GD and escapes #Barbados to go & search for her 5 children who were taken from her. A moving & powerful story of a mother‘s love. Based on real events. #ReadingTheAmericas23 #Trinidad

Librarybelle So glad this is good! I got this from #BOTM and cannot wait to read it! 13mo
Cinfhen I think you‘ll really like it @Librarybelle 🫶🏼 13mo
Megabooks Wow! Sounds powerful! 13mo
See All 9 Comments
Megabooks Great review!! 13mo
Cinfhen It was a solid debut @Megabooks 💜 13mo
Lizpixie 🙌🎉 13mo
Blaire Reading this right now. She does a great job immersing you immediately into the story 12mo
Cinfhen Absolutely @Blaire 💜 12mo
88 likes2 stack adds9 comments
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JHSiess
River Sing Me Home | Eleanor Shearer
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📙February Wrap-Up 📙

𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐇𝐞 𝐊𝐞𝐩𝐭 𝐇𝐞r by 𝘑𝘰𝘴𝘩𝘶𝘢 𝘔𝘰𝘦𝘩𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
𝐑𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐌𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐦𝐞 by 𝘌𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘳 𝘚𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘳 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐆𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭 by 𝘏𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘗𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘪 𝘙𝘺𝘢𝘯 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐞 by 𝘚𝘵𝘦𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘈𝘮𝘪𝘥𝘰𝘯 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
𝐈𝐭'𝐬 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐔𝐬 by 𝘑.𝘛. 𝘌𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘯 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
𝐂𝐨𝐝𝐞 𝐍𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐒𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐞 by 𝘗𝘢𝘮 𝘑𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘧𝘧 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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TEArificbooks
River Sing Me Home | Eleanor Shearer
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Pickpick

An amazing debut. Would not be surprised if this gets put in the year finalists.

43 likes2 stack adds
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Violet97
River Sing Me Home | Eleanor Shearer
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Pickpick

Inspiring story with a bittersweet ending.

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nitalibrarian
River Sing Me Home | Eleanor Shearer
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Starting River Sing Me Home today.

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Cazxxx
River Sing Me Home | Eleanor Shearer
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Pickpick

This historical tale tells of Rachel who has been a slave in Barbados for years. Her children are taken away from her so she runs away and we follow her journey to reunite with them. Heartbreaking but hopeful this is beautiful and powerful with lots of tender moments and a story you won‘t forget
#netgalley

60 likes1 stack add
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marleed
River Sing Me Home | Eleanor Shearer
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Pickpick

This is a story both tragic and hopeful. Most books I‘ve read telling the horrors of slavery are set in the USA. This one is set in the Caribbean and I‘ve never read anything on this aspect of slavery.

80 likes9 stack adds
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jploves2read
River Sing Me Home | Eleanor Shearer
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Pickpick

I‘m not a big fan of historical fiction, partially because it usually holds a lot of trauma. Although this is certainly true of this book there was also a lot of hope. I loved the main character - her growth over the course of the book. Shearer writes Rachel‘s story with great emotional depth. It‘s a book that I might want to come back to (after I have recovered).

10 likes2 stack adds
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jlhammar
River Sing Me Home | Eleanor Shearer
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Mehso-so

Well, I seem to be in the minority here (so far anyhow), but this was disappointing. She‘s trying to tell an important story, but something about this did not work for me. I didn‘t really get on with the writing and the characters did not feel real. What should have been moving and powerful, given the subject matter, just left me cold. It is a quick and somewhat propulsive read though and I cared enough to finish. #BOTM

Tamra What an awesome cover through - too bad. 1y
78 likes1 comment
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NikkiKey94
River Sing Me Home | Eleanor Shearer
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Pickpick

I was surprised at how fast this book sucked me into the story. I try to read the GMA book club every month so I was super excited when I got this one so fast on Libby. I started it and I couldn‘t put it down. My heart broke for Rachel at times on her journey to find her children. This book was so good and I‘m so glad I read it!

14 likes1 stack add
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Endowarrior21
River Sing Me Home | Eleanor Shearer
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I got my BOTM books today I can't wait to read them especially the book I picked from this month's books.

CBee Take my Hand and Tomorrow x3 are both excellent 😊 1y
32 likes1 comment
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jlhammar
River Sing Me Home | Eleanor Shearer
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#BOTM delivery! Just one in my blue box this month. I was hoping we‘d have the new Rebecca Makkai, Jane Harper &/or Tiffany McDaniel to choose from. Oh well. Excited to try this debut. GMA chose this for their book club this month and I usually enjoy their picks. Plus, seemed like a good one for #BlackHistoryMonth.

Jess Me too! I really kept my fingers crossed for the Makkai. Oh well. I got the same book you did an am looking forward to it. Enjoy! 1y
71 likes1 comment
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Born.A.Reader
River Sing Me Home | Eleanor Shearer
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nitalibrarian
River Sing Me Home | Eleanor Shearer
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February #botm books are up! Here are my picks. I already read an ARC of Georgie, All Along, but couldn't resist getting a hardcover copy. I loved it so much.

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Mpcacher
River Sing Me Home | Eleanor Shearer
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Pickpick

This is a difficult subject, but so worthy of your time. The author has captured some of the experiences of the black people in the British ruled Caribbean as slavery came to an end in 1834 (spoiler...it didn't make that much of a difference). The drive of a mother to reunite with her stolen children and find freedom drives the plot and the author has created some wonderful characters. This is a debut novel and I look forward to more. 4.5 stars!

lynneamch Just watched her on the aftershow of Friends & Fiction. Fascinating! 1y
13 likes1 stack add1 comment
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PatriciaU
River Sing Me Home | Eleanor Shearer
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Pickpick

This stunning novel will take you on an emotional journey that you will not soon forget, especially if you are a parent. The experiences of mothers, fathers, children, siblings born into slavery & ripped away from each other are just too horrific to fully understand. While not an easy read, this is ultimately a story of joyous reunification driven by the incandescent love of a mother for her children.

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VanessaCW
River Sing Me Home | Eleanor Shearer
Pickpick

I enjoyed this moving story of love and hope set amidst the brutality and inhumanity of the time of the slave trade. The research gone into putting this tale together is excellent. It‘s well written and the descriptions of the various backdrops are very vivid. It‘s a gripping and enlightening read, a worthy debut. It‘s a story that needs to be told. A journey of education and illumination. #Pigeonhole

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VanessaCW
River Sing Me Home | Eleanor Shearer