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Winter of My Spring
Perfect for readers of The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Daré, a searing and timely novel of survival, resilience, and reclaiming identity in the face of unthinkable adversity.
Set in the Lower Shabeele region of Somalia, Winter of My Spring is a story of what happens to Rada and her friends Mika and Sara after they are kidnapped by Al-Shabaab and forced to become child brides. For months, the girls live in fear and endure the harshest of conditions among their extremist kidnappers—but after Rada and Mika see Sara die as a suicide bomber, they know they must escape.
After running away from their captors, Rada and Mika manage to return home, only to find themselves rejected by their community because they’ve “known a man’s bed” and are therefore, according to their customs, considered ruined and broken women.
Winter of My Spring explores what happens to kidnapped girls during their captivity and after they survive the violence and abuse of their abductors. Like the protagonist in Call Her Freedom, by Tara Dorabji, Rada and Mika are forced to navigate a world that denies them autonomy, yet they find resilience and hope in the process of healing and self-discovery.
Set in the Lower Shabeele region of Somalia, Winter of My Spring is a story of what happens to Rada and her friends Mika and Sara after they are kidnapped by Al-Shabaab and forced to become child brides. For months, the girls live in fear and endure the harshest of conditions among their extremist kidnappers—but after Rada and Mika see Sara die as a suicide bomber, they know they must escape.
After running away from their captors, Rada and Mika manage to return home, only to find themselves rejected by their community because they’ve “known a man’s bed” and are therefore, according to their customs, considered ruined and broken women.
Winter of My Spring explores what happens to kidnapped girls during their captivity and after they survive the violence and abuse of their abductors. Like the protagonist in Call Her Freedom, by Tara Dorabji, Rada and Mika are forced to navigate a world that denies them autonomy, yet they find resilience and hope in the process of healing and self-discovery.
296 pages, Paperback
First published March 31, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
March 21, 2026
Thanks to Booksparks for the gifted copy. All opinions below are my own.
Rada, Mika and Sara are innocent, sheltered young girls living in a small village in Somalia when they are kidnapped by an extremist group. Their captor believes he is saving them from their lives and bringing them closer to god. At 12 years old, Rada is forced to marry despite her every protest and hope that her father will save her. These girls go through terrible horrors at the hands of their captors, and each reacts differently. We see a mix of full-on resistance and hope contrasted with Stockholm Syndrome and acceptance. It's not a spoiler, as it's in the synopsis, but Rada makes it home. But then she experiences a whole new level of horror as the religious leaders of her community blame her and want her to "do the right thing" and live with her husband, her captor. Her parents fight the village and she discovers that this is not the first time this has happened in her family.
The way this story is told is so engaging. Within a few chapters I was so invested in Rada and her friends' fate. I wanted to judge with my western ideals and yet the author made it easy to understand the complexities of the culture and how these situations unfold. I agree with all of the comparisons to The Girl with the Louding Voice, like Adunni, Rada is a broken bird who rises like a Phoenix even as life deals her blow after blow. There is such hope in an entirely hopeless situation. Very powerful read that I'm sure will end up one of my favorites of the year.
Rada, Mika and Sara are innocent, sheltered young girls living in a small village in Somalia when they are kidnapped by an extremist group. Their captor believes he is saving them from their lives and bringing them closer to god. At 12 years old, Rada is forced to marry despite her every protest and hope that her father will save her. These girls go through terrible horrors at the hands of their captors, and each reacts differently. We see a mix of full-on resistance and hope contrasted with Stockholm Syndrome and acceptance. It's not a spoiler, as it's in the synopsis, but Rada makes it home. But then she experiences a whole new level of horror as the religious leaders of her community blame her and want her to "do the right thing" and live with her husband, her captor. Her parents fight the village and she discovers that this is not the first time this has happened in her family.
The way this story is told is so engaging. Within a few chapters I was so invested in Rada and her friends' fate. I wanted to judge with my western ideals and yet the author made it easy to understand the complexities of the culture and how these situations unfold. I agree with all of the comparisons to The Girl with the Louding Voice, like Adunni, Rada is a broken bird who rises like a Phoenix even as life deals her blow after blow. There is such hope in an entirely hopeless situation. Very powerful read that I'm sure will end up one of my favorites of the year.
April 5, 2026
This was such a tough read. Knowing this subject matter is based on real life current events is heartbreaking.
These girls were so violently and carelessly stolen from their families to be subjected to a lost cause. Patriarchy is so violent to women and girls.
This is one of those tough/sad but necessary reads.
These girls were so violently and carelessly stolen from their families to be subjected to a lost cause. Patriarchy is so violent to women and girls.
This is one of those tough/sad but necessary reads.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Winter of My Spring is a harrowing and necessary novel about survival, loss, and the long shadow violence casts even after escape. Set in Somalia’s Lower Shabeele region, Abdi Kusow tells the story of Rada and her friends with unflinching honesty, centering the lived reality of girls whose bodies and futures are claimed by forces far beyond their control.
The novel’s greatest strength lies in its focus on after. While the kidnapping and captivity are devastating, Kusow does not stop at survival alone. Rada and Mika’s return home—met not with comfort, but with rejection—exposes another form of cruelty: a society that punishes victims for what was done to them. The idea that girls are deemed “ruined” for having endured abuse is explored with painful clarity, underscoring how cultural shame can be as imprisoning as physical captivity.
Rada is a compelling protagonist, defined by defiance and inner resolve even when stripped of autonomy. Her resistance, contrasted with Sara’s tragic indoctrination, illustrates the complex psychological toll of extremist manipulation without flattening any of the girls into symbols. The presence of Shaban, who weaponizes religion to justify violence, is chilling precisely because he is portrayed through the fear and confusion of the children trapped under his authority.
Kusow writes with emotional urgency, capturing the terror, isolation, and hopelessness of the girls’ circumstances. While the prose at times could benefit from greater polish, the storytelling itself is deeply effective. The emotional weight of the narrative carries the reader through moments that are difficult but essential to witness, never losing sight of the humanity at the center of the story.
Ultimately, Winter of My Spring is a powerful examination of what it means to reclaim identity in a world determined to deny it. It is a novel about endurance—not just in escaping violence, but in surviving the aftermath of it. Timely, sobering, and compassionate, this book contributes meaningfully to conversations about gender, extremism, and the cost of survival when freedom comes without acceptance.
The novel’s greatest strength lies in its focus on after. While the kidnapping and captivity are devastating, Kusow does not stop at survival alone. Rada and Mika’s return home—met not with comfort, but with rejection—exposes another form of cruelty: a society that punishes victims for what was done to them. The idea that girls are deemed “ruined” for having endured abuse is explored with painful clarity, underscoring how cultural shame can be as imprisoning as physical captivity.
Rada is a compelling protagonist, defined by defiance and inner resolve even when stripped of autonomy. Her resistance, contrasted with Sara’s tragic indoctrination, illustrates the complex psychological toll of extremist manipulation without flattening any of the girls into symbols. The presence of Shaban, who weaponizes religion to justify violence, is chilling precisely because he is portrayed through the fear and confusion of the children trapped under his authority.
Kusow writes with emotional urgency, capturing the terror, isolation, and hopelessness of the girls’ circumstances. While the prose at times could benefit from greater polish, the storytelling itself is deeply effective. The emotional weight of the narrative carries the reader through moments that are difficult but essential to witness, never losing sight of the humanity at the center of the story.
Ultimately, Winter of My Spring is a powerful examination of what it means to reclaim identity in a world determined to deny it. It is a novel about endurance—not just in escaping violence, but in surviving the aftermath of it. Timely, sobering, and compassionate, this book contributes meaningfully to conversations about gender, extremism, and the cost of survival when freedom comes without acceptance.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 21, 2026
This is a brutal read but well worth it. Rada lives in a small coastal village in Somalia with her parents and her two younger brothers. She spends her days going to school, playing with her friends, and sitting on the roof to watch the waves. But then, one day after school, Rada and her two friends Mika and Sarah are kidnapped by strange men and brought to a remote compound. The girls are forced to marry men at the compound, all of whom are extremists, and be servants for the same men who abuse them. They try to escape a couple times and are thwarted, but when one of them meets an untimely end, the remaining girls decide to escape even if it kills them.
This book is unflinching about the violence and abuse the girls experience, which makes it hard to swallow at times. But it is beautifully written, and I was often moved by the girls trying to be there for each other and standing up for themselves when all seemed lost. I particularly appreciated the book's depiction of what happens after such unimaginable horror. We want to believe that once a person leaves a traumatic situation, they recover and everything is well. But for many people, especially women who have been sexually assaulted, victim-blaming is more prevalent than anything else. It is so sad how all Rada wants to do is go back to school and be a child again, but the principal says she is a woman now and belongs with her "husband." Not only has Rada been subjected to horrific sexual and physical violence, now she is shunned by the very community she fought to get back to - a community who wants her to be with the man who terrorized her. Her village's intolerance highlights how people can feel trapped by their trauma when there is no way to go forward. I was moved by Rada's family's commitment to helping her heal and fighting back against the ignorance and misogyny of the elders, and I loved the new life they all tried to create together.
The book also tackles how religion can be weaponized and pathologized to the point it's no longer recognizable, and that unjustified violence in the name of religion is still unjustified violence. Rada and her friends see things with a moral clarity that seems so simple and yet is obviously not to many people somehow - killing innocent people because innocent people have been killed is wrong and will not solve any of the issues that led to that violence. Rada is so sure that her beloved God would never condone what the men are doing, and it's a powerful reclamation of her beliefs. This is a beautiful, difficult book, and I highly recommend it.
Thank you to NetGalley and SparkPress for an advance reader's copy in exchange for an honest review!
This book is unflinching about the violence and abuse the girls experience, which makes it hard to swallow at times. But it is beautifully written, and I was often moved by the girls trying to be there for each other and standing up for themselves when all seemed lost. I particularly appreciated the book's depiction of what happens after such unimaginable horror. We want to believe that once a person leaves a traumatic situation, they recover and everything is well. But for many people, especially women who have been sexually assaulted, victim-blaming is more prevalent than anything else. It is so sad how all Rada wants to do is go back to school and be a child again, but the principal says she is a woman now and belongs with her "husband." Not only has Rada been subjected to horrific sexual and physical violence, now she is shunned by the very community she fought to get back to - a community who wants her to be with the man who terrorized her. Her village's intolerance highlights how people can feel trapped by their trauma when there is no way to go forward. I was moved by Rada's family's commitment to helping her heal and fighting back against the ignorance and misogyny of the elders, and I loved the new life they all tried to create together.
The book also tackles how religion can be weaponized and pathologized to the point it's no longer recognizable, and that unjustified violence in the name of religion is still unjustified violence. Rada and her friends see things with a moral clarity that seems so simple and yet is obviously not to many people somehow - killing innocent people because innocent people have been killed is wrong and will not solve any of the issues that led to that violence. Rada is so sure that her beloved God would never condone what the men are doing, and it's a powerful reclamation of her beliefs. This is a beautiful, difficult book, and I highly recommend it.
Thank you to NetGalley and SparkPress for an advance reader's copy in exchange for an honest review!
April 14, 2026
I can see why Winter of My Spring has been compared to The Girl with the Louding Voice, because they have similar themes about African girls (WOMS takes place in Somalia, TGWTLV in Nigeria), a young girl who wants to go to school as a main character, but they felt like very different books. I liked this one and found the story really compelling, I enjoyed Rada as the main character, abducted by a terrorist group with her friends Sara and Mika, but it felt a but flat and a bit literal at times. Despite the complex theme, the writing was at times a bit simple and I wondered if maybe this was aimed at younger readers. Nonetheless I learned a lot reading it and enjoyed the setting as well.
Free ARC sent by Netgalley.
Free ARC sent by Netgalley.
May 15, 2026
A difficult read, but a very important story to tell. Rada was a beautiful and strong girl to lead this book, her unflinching bravery was inspiring but also heartbreaking to read. The brutality and violence is unflinching and upsetting, making this tough to read. I really appreciate how Kusow reinforces the possibility of healing through love, family and religion. There is always a way back from the edge, and this was an emotional reminded of the strength we have as women. Incredibly powerful.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for kindly providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. #WinterOfMySpring #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for kindly providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. #WinterOfMySpring #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Winter of My Spring follows Rada and her friends Mika and Sara after they’re abducted by Al‑Shabaab in Somalia and forced into child marriage and extremist captivity. After enduring tragedy and harsh conditions, they make a daring escape, only to face rejection from their community, which deems them “ruined.” The novel explores their struggle to reclaim identity and hope in a world that refuses to see them as survivors.
Rada is a strong and powerful main character, compelling, courageous, and never backing down. But her journey is not just about personal strength; it’s also a story that shows the impact of trauma and the courage it takes to survive and fight back.
Kusow’s storytelling is vivid and unflinching, immersing readers in the harsh realities of violence while highlighting hope and survival. It educates and reminds us that situations like these are happening all over the world, offering a perspective that is both eye-opening and important.
Thank you booksparks for sending me a copy of this book!
Rada is a strong and powerful main character, compelling, courageous, and never backing down. But her journey is not just about personal strength; it’s also a story that shows the impact of trauma and the courage it takes to survive and fight back.
Kusow’s storytelling is vivid and unflinching, immersing readers in the harsh realities of violence while highlighting hope and survival. It educates and reminds us that situations like these are happening all over the world, offering a perspective that is both eye-opening and important.
Thank you booksparks for sending me a copy of this book!
May 13, 2026
“Women were always the collateral damage.”
A random Saturday in April, I was waiting for my table to be called when I walked into Octavia’s Bookshelf for the third time. While roaming through the shelves in such a welcoming space, the book I picked up was far from welcoming and yet I needed to read it. Needed to weep for a fictional story that bleeds women through physical blood, violence, and the forced transition from girlhood into “womanhood.”
In Winter of My Spring, we meet three children of Somalia who are friends with the main character, Rada, narrating the tragedy of their lives as they remain unaware of what lurks in the corners around them, yet are constantly informed on where to go and how to behave. “There are eyes watching and ears listening twice as much.” One day, while walking home from school without waiting for their teachers to guide them, Rada, Mika, and Sara are attacked, kidnapped, and driven hours away from their home where their past and present collide as the missing twins from their village are discovered. They too are now under the control of Shaban and his followers.
Shaban is the staple, the mouthpiece, and while he is setting children up to bomb villages and kill innocent people, the girls held hostage must work under the care of Nora. She is one of Shaban’s wives who is no longer welcomed back into her country, yet values Shaban so furiously that she blames girls for being married to and impregnated by him. Nora has no value in women uniting, nor does she offer sympathy, and yet self-pity often arrives with her because her parents did not nurture her as Rada’s parents did.
“To love a child is a duty. To like them, that’s a choice,” she said. “To like your children, you have to view them as other human beings, with flaws and shortcomings. And my parents couldn’t like me beyond their shattered plan.” Nora shook her head. “That’s why you and your friends see Shaban as a despicable man. Compared to my father, Shaban is a prince. Royalty of the highest order.”
To continue using the words “woman” or “women” would do this book a disservice because these are girls forced into womanhood at only twelve and thirteen years old. Their innocence was forcefully taken, as was their consent to marry, and now they are diminished to some because of it. This is not to be said about Sara, though. While she loves her friends, her home life was not a joy, so she grows to understand Shaban and his values to the point that she follows him blindly into her own death. In her words, “Dying is better than ending up like that.”
Rada and Mika are fighters. They blame themselves at times and hold onto hope that their fathers will retrieve them, but they are continuously raped, abused, and depleted, while still always looking for a way out. Rada holds onto religion and prayer to keep herself going, but is a return home truly the answer when you will no longer be welcomed by your community? The girls Rada encounters daily begin to share their own stories. Dala, who is also just a girl but became Shaban’s wife and the mother of his son, was not welcomed home after her escape because she had a child, and so her only option was to return to Shaban.
“A girl that’s known a man’s bed is a woman, never mind her age and how she got there.”
I cannot shy away from admitting that Rada and Mika’s return home brought me to tears. What is safety when your voyage home, your escape from rape, propaganda, and a dark hole, still ends with your village preferring you marry the man who kidnapped and raped you rather than seeing you as a thirteen-year-old child whose innocence was stolen? This notion that men dictate the female body has yet to cease, and women are still expected to walk with their heads held high while remaining of service to others before ever nurturing themselves.
277 pages of war, dismantlement, torture, rape, murder, heartbreak, and theft of innocence, and yet I would reread this book again with tears in my eyes.
A random Saturday in April, I was waiting for my table to be called when I walked into Octavia’s Bookshelf for the third time. While roaming through the shelves in such a welcoming space, the book I picked up was far from welcoming and yet I needed to read it. Needed to weep for a fictional story that bleeds women through physical blood, violence, and the forced transition from girlhood into “womanhood.”
In Winter of My Spring, we meet three children of Somalia who are friends with the main character, Rada, narrating the tragedy of their lives as they remain unaware of what lurks in the corners around them, yet are constantly informed on where to go and how to behave. “There are eyes watching and ears listening twice as much.” One day, while walking home from school without waiting for their teachers to guide them, Rada, Mika, and Sara are attacked, kidnapped, and driven hours away from their home where their past and present collide as the missing twins from their village are discovered. They too are now under the control of Shaban and his followers.
Shaban is the staple, the mouthpiece, and while he is setting children up to bomb villages and kill innocent people, the girls held hostage must work under the care of Nora. She is one of Shaban’s wives who is no longer welcomed back into her country, yet values Shaban so furiously that she blames girls for being married to and impregnated by him. Nora has no value in women uniting, nor does she offer sympathy, and yet self-pity often arrives with her because her parents did not nurture her as Rada’s parents did.
“To love a child is a duty. To like them, that’s a choice,” she said. “To like your children, you have to view them as other human beings, with flaws and shortcomings. And my parents couldn’t like me beyond their shattered plan.” Nora shook her head. “That’s why you and your friends see Shaban as a despicable man. Compared to my father, Shaban is a prince. Royalty of the highest order.”
To continue using the words “woman” or “women” would do this book a disservice because these are girls forced into womanhood at only twelve and thirteen years old. Their innocence was forcefully taken, as was their consent to marry, and now they are diminished to some because of it. This is not to be said about Sara, though. While she loves her friends, her home life was not a joy, so she grows to understand Shaban and his values to the point that she follows him blindly into her own death. In her words, “Dying is better than ending up like that.”
Rada and Mika are fighters. They blame themselves at times and hold onto hope that their fathers will retrieve them, but they are continuously raped, abused, and depleted, while still always looking for a way out. Rada holds onto religion and prayer to keep herself going, but is a return home truly the answer when you will no longer be welcomed by your community? The girls Rada encounters daily begin to share their own stories. Dala, who is also just a girl but became Shaban’s wife and the mother of his son, was not welcomed home after her escape because she had a child, and so her only option was to return to Shaban.
“A girl that’s known a man’s bed is a woman, never mind her age and how she got there.”
I cannot shy away from admitting that Rada and Mika’s return home brought me to tears. What is safety when your voyage home, your escape from rape, propaganda, and a dark hole, still ends with your village preferring you marry the man who kidnapped and raped you rather than seeing you as a thirteen-year-old child whose innocence was stolen? This notion that men dictate the female body has yet to cease, and women are still expected to walk with their heads held high while remaining of service to others before ever nurturing themselves.
277 pages of war, dismantlement, torture, rape, murder, heartbreak, and theft of innocence, and yet I would reread this book again with tears in my eyes.
April 27, 2026
Last month, Fartumo Kusow released her novel, Winter of My Spring. I was instantly interested in it for its setting in Somalia and focus on three girls struggling to survive being kidnapped by terrorists. Being prisoners is horrific, but what will life after escaping look like for Rada and her friends?
What I Liked:
- Showing both the horrors of being held prisoner, but also the painful aftermath. Winter of My Spring doesn’t shy away from showing the atrocities Rada, Mika, and Sara face while being held captive. They’re forced into marriages and violated each night, and they’re inundated with extremist messaging meant to brainwash them. But even after two of them escape, they aren’t welcomed back to Marka as survivors; many treat them like they did something wrong. They’re accused of “transgressions” and shunned, kicked out of school, effectively seeing their futures thrown away. It only gets worse from there, and it made me so angry and heartbroken for them.
- Closeness of family. Rada’s family is 100% supportive of her, and I appreciated that at least she and Mika are welcomed home and protected by their families, even if the greater village is much harsher in their judgment. Rada’s parents and extended family will do anything they can to keep her safe and give her a future.
- Looking at Islam through different perspectives. Rada and her family are deeply devout, and she loves reading the Qur’an for guidance and comfort. But the terrorist Shabaan twists the words to suit his own extremist perspective. Some are quickly indoctrinated into his warped thinking, but Mika and Rada keep strong minds and trust themselves.
- A desire for education. Winter of My Spring has been compared to The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Daré, a novel I loved. Like Adunni in that book, Rada is committed to learning, getting an education, and seeing what kind of career that will lead to. I admire her dedication and her parents’ full support in this, and I abhor those who would try to deny her these opportunities.
What Didn’t Work for Me:
- It is a heavy read. Winter of My Spring tackles difficult themes and unflinchingly shows the horrors Rada faces. It took me a bit longer to get through this book simply because I wasn’t always up for seeing Rada suffer so much. It’s also starkly written, making the bleakness hit that much more.
Final Thoughts
Winter of My Spring is a compelling story, at once heartbreaking but also one full of resilience. It’s not an easy read, but it does portray a dark and very real side of Somalia alongside familial connection, inner strength, and faith. I will look out for more books from Fartumo Kusow, as well as more stories from Somalia.
Special thanks to SparkPress and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book!
* Please read my full review on my blog, Amanda's Book Corner! *
What I Liked:
- Showing both the horrors of being held prisoner, but also the painful aftermath. Winter of My Spring doesn’t shy away from showing the atrocities Rada, Mika, and Sara face while being held captive. They’re forced into marriages and violated each night, and they’re inundated with extremist messaging meant to brainwash them. But even after two of them escape, they aren’t welcomed back to Marka as survivors; many treat them like they did something wrong. They’re accused of “transgressions” and shunned, kicked out of school, effectively seeing their futures thrown away. It only gets worse from there, and it made me so angry and heartbroken for them.
- Closeness of family. Rada’s family is 100% supportive of her, and I appreciated that at least she and Mika are welcomed home and protected by their families, even if the greater village is much harsher in their judgment. Rada’s parents and extended family will do anything they can to keep her safe and give her a future.
- Looking at Islam through different perspectives. Rada and her family are deeply devout, and she loves reading the Qur’an for guidance and comfort. But the terrorist Shabaan twists the words to suit his own extremist perspective. Some are quickly indoctrinated into his warped thinking, but Mika and Rada keep strong minds and trust themselves.
- A desire for education. Winter of My Spring has been compared to The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Daré, a novel I loved. Like Adunni in that book, Rada is committed to learning, getting an education, and seeing what kind of career that will lead to. I admire her dedication and her parents’ full support in this, and I abhor those who would try to deny her these opportunities.
What Didn’t Work for Me:
- It is a heavy read. Winter of My Spring tackles difficult themes and unflinchingly shows the horrors Rada faces. It took me a bit longer to get through this book simply because I wasn’t always up for seeing Rada suffer so much. It’s also starkly written, making the bleakness hit that much more.
Final Thoughts
Winter of My Spring is a compelling story, at once heartbreaking but also one full of resilience. It’s not an easy read, but it does portray a dark and very real side of Somalia alongside familial connection, inner strength, and faith. I will look out for more books from Fartumo Kusow, as well as more stories from Somalia.
Special thanks to SparkPress and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book!
* Please read my full review on my blog, Amanda's Book Corner! *
April 15, 2026
Thank you to @booksparks and @fartumokusow for a copy of this book.
This was such a heavy read, and somehow exactly the kind I keep gravitating toward. Stories like this don’t just sit on the surface, they pull at something deeper. I’m drawn to books that make me feel everything at once—sadness, anger, even a strange sense of satisfaction when justice or hope flickers through. This one did all of that, and more.
There were moments I had to pause, not because I wanted to, but because the weight of it all lingered a little too long. I even had to stop reading it at night when the story started finding its way into my dreams. That’s how deeply it seeps in.
What makes it hit harder is the truth of it. It doesn’t feel distant or fictional, it feels real, like it could still be unfolding somewhere, even now. The writing captures pain, helplessness, and those rare, fragile moments of hope with such honesty.
It’s not just a story about three girls and the horrors they endure. It’s about everything that comes after-the silence, the resistance, the rebuilding. The characters are written in a way that makes you feel conflicted. You understand them, feel angry at them, and yet find yourself holding space for their circumstances. It quietly reminds you that some people are shaped, even trapped, by the systems they exist in.
My heart ached for the girls. I felt rage at the way their lives were decided for them, and there were moments I genuinely wanted to reach into the pages and shake things apart. But alongside that anger, there was also so much strength. The solidarity between women, their resilience, their slow reclaiming of freedom,it stayed with me.
Rida’s father, in particular, felt like a soft place in a brutal world. His love reminded me of my own father, that quiet, protective kind of care that doesn’t need to announce itself. And the mother in the story.Strong, sharp, often misunderstood made me think about the kind of strength it takes to stand firm in a society that is quick to label you the villain for it.
If you’re okay with difficult themes like death, the loss of a child, sexual violence, suicide,give this one a try!
This was such a heavy read, and somehow exactly the kind I keep gravitating toward. Stories like this don’t just sit on the surface, they pull at something deeper. I’m drawn to books that make me feel everything at once—sadness, anger, even a strange sense of satisfaction when justice or hope flickers through. This one did all of that, and more.
There were moments I had to pause, not because I wanted to, but because the weight of it all lingered a little too long. I even had to stop reading it at night when the story started finding its way into my dreams. That’s how deeply it seeps in.
What makes it hit harder is the truth of it. It doesn’t feel distant or fictional, it feels real, like it could still be unfolding somewhere, even now. The writing captures pain, helplessness, and those rare, fragile moments of hope with such honesty.
It’s not just a story about three girls and the horrors they endure. It’s about everything that comes after-the silence, the resistance, the rebuilding. The characters are written in a way that makes you feel conflicted. You understand them, feel angry at them, and yet find yourself holding space for their circumstances. It quietly reminds you that some people are shaped, even trapped, by the systems they exist in.
My heart ached for the girls. I felt rage at the way their lives were decided for them, and there were moments I genuinely wanted to reach into the pages and shake things apart. But alongside that anger, there was also so much strength. The solidarity between women, their resilience, their slow reclaiming of freedom,it stayed with me.
Rida’s father, in particular, felt like a soft place in a brutal world. His love reminded me of my own father, that quiet, protective kind of care that doesn’t need to announce itself. And the mother in the story.Strong, sharp, often misunderstood made me think about the kind of strength it takes to stand firm in a society that is quick to label you the villain for it.
If you’re okay with difficult themes like death, the loss of a child, sexual violence, suicide,give this one a try!
April 1, 2026
This book is so timely, heartbreaking, and powerful! It will make you want to hold your daughters close, and yet embolden them to change the world.
Three friends, Rada, Mika, and Sara, young girls of twelve and thirteen, are kidnapped from their village by an extremist group and forced to become child brides.
Set in Somalia, this story felt so authentic in its portrayal of the dangers young women must navigate in this complex culture. Rada and her friends had dreams and hopes like any other young person. But once kidnapped, they faced horrors: abused, violated, and indoctrinated, used for this group's violent cause. (Note: nothing is overly graphic).
What was so heartbreaking was how Rada’s community treated her after her escape, as if she were ruined, because this evil man forced himself upon her. I was so thankful that Rada and Mika found a supportive network of women, women empowering women, so that they could find their way.
This story reminds us of how women around the world are still treated. Fartumo Kusow was born in Somalia and immigrated at the start of the Somalian Civil War. She hosts two podcasts that are dedicated to advocacy and empowering survivors of intimate partner violence. Her knowledge, heart, and dedication radiate through her narrative.
Thank you @booksparks and @fartumokusow for this gifted book.
#winterpopup #WinterOfMySpringReviewTour
Three friends, Rada, Mika, and Sara, young girls of twelve and thirteen, are kidnapped from their village by an extremist group and forced to become child brides.
Set in Somalia, this story felt so authentic in its portrayal of the dangers young women must navigate in this complex culture. Rada and her friends had dreams and hopes like any other young person. But once kidnapped, they faced horrors: abused, violated, and indoctrinated, used for this group's violent cause. (Note: nothing is overly graphic).
What was so heartbreaking was how Rada’s community treated her after her escape, as if she were ruined, because this evil man forced himself upon her. I was so thankful that Rada and Mika found a supportive network of women, women empowering women, so that they could find their way.
This story reminds us of how women around the world are still treated. Fartumo Kusow was born in Somalia and immigrated at the start of the Somalian Civil War. She hosts two podcasts that are dedicated to advocacy and empowering survivors of intimate partner violence. Her knowledge, heart, and dedication radiate through her narrative.
Thank you @booksparks and @fartumokusow for this gifted book.
#winterpopup #WinterOfMySpringReviewTour
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is a story about survival, girlhood under extreme pressure, and trauma. Set in Somalia, it follows 3 young girls whose lives are violently disrupted, forcing them to navigate fear, resilience, and impossible circumstances.
I strongly recommend going into this book blind. The blurb reveals far too much, in my opinion.
Winter of My Spring is fast-paced and plot-driven, with limited character exploration and emotions told in a more straightforward style. The strongest part is the second half, especially the final third, which is what ultimately made the book work for me.
Kusow does a great job of painting a vivid picture of a place, lives, and events that don’t often appear in mainstream commercial fiction. She captures the terror, hopelessness, and suffocating pressure of the characters’ surroundings.
It was listed on NetGalley as General Fiction (Adult), Literary Fiction, and Multicultural Interest, but the literary-fiction lover in me longed for more developed prose and deeper emotional and character work. That said, the author clearly knows how to tell a moving, impactful story.
I think this would resonate with readers who enjoy Jeanine Cummins or Jennifer Clement, especially if you’re looking to step into stories set in a different part of the world.
NetGalley ARC review. All opinions are my own.
I strongly recommend going into this book blind. The blurb reveals far too much, in my opinion.
Winter of My Spring is fast-paced and plot-driven, with limited character exploration and emotions told in a more straightforward style. The strongest part is the second half, especially the final third, which is what ultimately made the book work for me.
Kusow does a great job of painting a vivid picture of a place, lives, and events that don’t often appear in mainstream commercial fiction. She captures the terror, hopelessness, and suffocating pressure of the characters’ surroundings.
It was listed on NetGalley as General Fiction (Adult), Literary Fiction, and Multicultural Interest, but the literary-fiction lover in me longed for more developed prose and deeper emotional and character work. That said, the author clearly knows how to tell a moving, impactful story.
I think this would resonate with readers who enjoy Jeanine Cummins or Jennifer Clement, especially if you’re looking to step into stories set in a different part of the world.
NetGalley ARC review. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy
Thank you to BookSparks for my gifted finished copy.
This was a book unlike any I have read before; and at times it may be hard for certain readers to read through because it deals with kidnapping and everything that follows after that.
This novel tells the story of 3 young (emphasis on young) girls from Somalia - Rada, Sara and Mika. They are the best of friends until one day they are kidnapped by Al-Shabaab. Naturally they are all afraid of what will happen - as they are forced into marriages with older men and become child brides.
Mika and Rada are lucky to escape, but only after watching Sara fall in line with what the Al-Shabaab leader, Shaban, tells them. Sara begins to believe what he says and becomes a suicide bomber.
After Rada and Mika escape they believe life will go back to normal but unfortunately it does not. They are rejected by the same ones they believed were there for them, as now they are labeled "women" because they have "known a man's bed" (even though it was of no doing of their own).
I say this is a novel unlike one I have ever read before because it tells the story of not only what happens before and during a kidnapping, but life after. I liked that it took place in Somalia, just because it gives a different religious aspect to the story.
I gave this book a 4.3 out of 5 because it is a hard read but it is very beautifully written. It is not written graphically but it goes into detail about what is happening with the girls. It is written from Rada's POV, but I would have liked to have chapters from Mika and Sara's POVs as well (especially Sara's and what she was thinking).
Overall, I definitely recommend this book when it comes out. This should be on everyone's TBR but it would definitely be good as a bookclub read just so you will have someone to discuss this with (I wish I did lol).
Thank you again BookSparks and the publishers for my gifted finished copy!
This was a book unlike any I have read before; and at times it may be hard for certain readers to read through because it deals with kidnapping and everything that follows after that.
This novel tells the story of 3 young (emphasis on young) girls from Somalia - Rada, Sara and Mika. They are the best of friends until one day they are kidnapped by Al-Shabaab. Naturally they are all afraid of what will happen - as they are forced into marriages with older men and become child brides.
Mika and Rada are lucky to escape, but only after watching Sara fall in line with what the Al-Shabaab leader, Shaban, tells them. Sara begins to believe what he says and becomes a suicide bomber.
After Rada and Mika escape they believe life will go back to normal but unfortunately it does not. They are rejected by the same ones they believed were there for them, as now they are labeled "women" because they have "known a man's bed" (even though it was of no doing of their own).
I say this is a novel unlike one I have ever read before because it tells the story of not only what happens before and during a kidnapping, but life after. I liked that it took place in Somalia, just because it gives a different religious aspect to the story.
I gave this book a 4.3 out of 5 because it is a hard read but it is very beautifully written. It is not written graphically but it goes into detail about what is happening with the girls. It is written from Rada's POV, but I would have liked to have chapters from Mika and Sara's POVs as well (especially Sara's and what she was thinking).
Overall, I definitely recommend this book when it comes out. This should be on everyone's TBR but it would definitely be good as a bookclub read just so you will have someone to discuss this with (I wish I did lol).
Thank you again BookSparks and the publishers for my gifted finished copy!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Winter of My Spring is a harrowing fictional story about three young girls Rada, Mika, and Sara who have been kidnapped by Al-Shabaab extremists in Somalia. The girls experience very horrific things during their captivity. Two girls manage to escape, but when they return to their community, they are ostracized for the events that happened to them at the hands of the extremist group.
This book discussed a lot of topics that may be difficult to read (kidnapping, child marriage, sexual assault, suicide bombings), but the writing is straight to the point and flows easily. The cultural ideology, especially after the girls return back home, was eye opening and heartbreaking at times.
The book has a great ending of hope and resilience. Overall, this was a touching read that I would recommend. It was a fast paced plot driven book - I do wish we were able to get more emotional insight into the characters as sometimes I felt like some parts of the story felt surface level in comparison to the gravity of the situation.
Thank you to Book Sparks and the publisher for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for a review.
This book discussed a lot of topics that may be difficult to read (kidnapping, child marriage, sexual assault, suicide bombings), but the writing is straight to the point and flows easily. The cultural ideology, especially after the girls return back home, was eye opening and heartbreaking at times.
The book has a great ending of hope and resilience. Overall, this was a touching read that I would recommend. It was a fast paced plot driven book - I do wish we were able to get more emotional insight into the characters as sometimes I felt like some parts of the story felt surface level in comparison to the gravity of the situation.
Thank you to Book Sparks and the publisher for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for a review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was a really harrowing but important read. I thought the fact that it was written in the first person was really powerful, because you see Rada changing as the horrific things that happen to her affect her and force her to take on the role of a woman even though she is only thirteen. The consequences for these three girls are devastating and although the book ends on a hopeful note there is really no comfort to be found, only acceptance and a certain amount of healing.
I wouldn't call this YA despite the youth of the protagonists, so I think the general fiction label is accurate. This was a much grimmer book than I would usually read but I appreciated my time with it and although words like "enjoyed" and "glad" I read it don't feel appropriate, I feel it added to my understanding and was definitely worthwhile.
Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for the advance copy. All opinions are my own.
I wouldn't call this YA despite the youth of the protagonists, so I think the general fiction label is accurate. This was a much grimmer book than I would usually read but I appreciated my time with it and although words like "enjoyed" and "glad" I read it don't feel appropriate, I feel it added to my understanding and was definitely worthwhile.
Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for the advance copy. All opinions are my own.
March 15, 2026
cw: child kidnapping, rape, violence
thank you to @booksparks for the early review copy! out March 31st
this is a novel about child abduction in Somalia, about the human violation for the purpose of recruitment into organizations using religion as a means for inflicting violence and terror. it focuses not just on the kidnapping itself, but the harrowing realities of kidnapped young girls trying to reintegrate into their communities after escaping, communities that are ravaged by fear
unfortunately, the narration did not work for me as it’s not a style of writing i particularly enjoy. it is extremely plot driven, filled with back and forth dialogue, and very little character development. if you do enjoy fast paced, plot driven novels covering deeply important topics, i think you’ll enjoy this one
thank you to @booksparks for the early review copy! out March 31st
this is a novel about child abduction in Somalia, about the human violation for the purpose of recruitment into organizations using religion as a means for inflicting violence and terror. it focuses not just on the kidnapping itself, but the harrowing realities of kidnapped young girls trying to reintegrate into their communities after escaping, communities that are ravaged by fear
unfortunately, the narration did not work for me as it’s not a style of writing i particularly enjoy. it is extremely plot driven, filled with back and forth dialogue, and very little character development. if you do enjoy fast paced, plot driven novels covering deeply important topics, i think you’ll enjoy this one
April 3, 2026
Winter of My Spring was such a heavy but important read.
This story follows three young girls whose lives are completely turned upside down, and I felt the weight of everything they went through from beginning to end. Knowing they were just children made it even harder to read.
Set in Somalia, the book shows how they are forced to survive unimaginable conditions, but what stayed with me the most is that it doesn’t stop there. It also explores what happens after—when they return home and are met with rejection and judgment. That part was just as heartbreaking.
Rada’s voice stood out to me the most. Even in the darkest moments, she held on to her strength, and that really stayed with me.
I was sad the entire time reading this, but I couldn’t stop.
Not an easy read, but a meaningful one—and I would definitely recommend it.
This story follows three young girls whose lives are completely turned upside down, and I felt the weight of everything they went through from beginning to end. Knowing they were just children made it even harder to read.
Set in Somalia, the book shows how they are forced to survive unimaginable conditions, but what stayed with me the most is that it doesn’t stop there. It also explores what happens after—when they return home and are met with rejection and judgment. That part was just as heartbreaking.
Rada’s voice stood out to me the most. Even in the darkest moments, she held on to her strength, and that really stayed with me.
I was sad the entire time reading this, but I couldn’t stop.
Not an easy read, but a meaningful one—and I would definitely recommend it.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley for this early read! This book captivated me from the very beginning in telling a tale of young Somali girls being kidnapped and the trauma they experience throughout and after. It would be a great read for high school classrooms to get a more modern education on current events in the Horn of Africa. Kusow also did an amazing job at creating this juxtaposition between two different ways of viewing and practicing Islam. It’s so well written and eloquent that you really see a vast difference between the two. I would not suggest it for my middle school classroom just because of the scenes of rapes, physical abuse, and mass violence; however it was a great book and tells a story you don’t often see offered in print so I do think people should read it!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Winter of My Spring is a really well written first person narrative for the kidnapping, abuse, and ostracization of three young girls in Somalia. I really appreciated that Rada's narration felt like an authentic 13 year old. I tend to find that a lot of general fiction and literary fiction authors lean far too precocious when writing young protagonists.
I also really appreciated the exploration of the girls' ostracization and the feelings of betrayal and hopelessness. I think this was the strongest part of the book for me. The elation after their escape and then immediately the crushing anger after realizing that it isn't over at all.
Thank you to NetGalley and SparkPress for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I also really appreciated the exploration of the girls' ostracization and the feelings of betrayal and hopelessness. I think this was the strongest part of the book for me. The elation after their escape and then immediately the crushing anger after realizing that it isn't over at all.
Thank you to NetGalley and SparkPress for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Winter of my Spring by Fartumo Kusow is a heartbreaking story of three young girls in Somalia who are kidnapped outside their school. I went into this without reading much of the blurb and I think that made it a bit more engaging because the blurb gives a lot of the plot away. This book got me to cry real tears so I think thats great, and the plot moves quickly.
On the other hand, the prose had me double checking the category of this book. I assumed it was for younger readers, but it is being marketed as adult fiction. It is told from the first person perspective of a 13 year old girl, and I found the writing style to skew a bit simplistic.
On the other hand, the prose had me double checking the category of this book. I assumed it was for younger readers, but it is being marketed as adult fiction. It is told from the first person perspective of a 13 year old girl, and I found the writing style to skew a bit simplistic.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
WINTER OF MY SPRING is a tough read but an important read. Rada and her two best friends are Somalia teenagers (aged 12-13) who are just trying to be kids and fight their protective parents rules. Until one day the three girls are kidnapped and forced to become child brides. The unspeakable horrors these children go through are absolutely heartbreaking. And the horrors just continue to get worse. I was so sad and raging while I was reading.
What sets this book apart from similar stories is the focus on what comes next. The girls claw their way to safety only to be ostracized in their communities.
Read if you liked SOLD but don’t love the white author aspect.
What sets this book apart from similar stories is the focus on what comes next. The girls claw their way to safety only to be ostracized in their communities.
Read if you liked SOLD but don’t love the white author aspect.
March 31, 2026
4.5 stars
This is one of those books that will absolutely tear your heart out but that I’ll recommend to everyone. Friends Rada, Mika, and Sara are growing up on the coast of Somalia. Their days consist of complaining about their siblings, excelling at school, and helping at home. Then when all three are kidnapped in front of their school by Al-Shabaab extremists, their lives change forever. Deeply moving, this book is an exploration of identity, family, friendship, and faith.
This is one of those books that will absolutely tear your heart out but that I’ll recommend to everyone. Friends Rada, Mika, and Sara are growing up on the coast of Somalia. Their days consist of complaining about their siblings, excelling at school, and helping at home. Then when all three are kidnapped in front of their school by Al-Shabaab extremists, their lives change forever. Deeply moving, this book is an exploration of identity, family, friendship, and faith.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A fictional look at Somalia and the treatment of women and girls. An extremist group kidnaps three young girls, forcing them to become child brides and sex slaves. The author tells the brutal story of what the girls endured under their kidnappers. Two girls end up escaping and return to their families. They leave their village, unaccepted by other villagers, and turn their lives around for the better.
Thank you, author, publisher, and Netgalley for this ARC.
Thank you, author, publisher, and Netgalley for this ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Incredibly interesting book with some fantastic and to-the-point writing that amplifies the perspective of a young Somalian girl who faces horrifying situations after being kidnapped. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.
May 28, 2026
literally had me crying when i was reading it in the bar. being a girl is a tragedy sometimes but also reminded me the importance of what a community of strong women can do
grateful that this book is bringing me back to reading
grateful that this book is bringing me back to reading
March 19, 2026
Reminded me of Nigerian school girls #chibokgirls story. What i would have imagined happened to them.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Heartbreaking, breathtakingly beautiful and hopeful. This coming of age story is the kind of book that should/will win awards. Difficult to read some points because of Rada’s, the main character’s, youth but sigh. What a gorgeous telling. I applaud Fartumo for so carefully penning this tale of love, family, and the strength of women and Somali resilience.
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