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Our Sister's Keeper
Mississippi, 1927. The groanings are coming.
No town is perfect, but East Cobb comes close. It’s a wealthy all-Black Free Town—untouched by white oppression—where ambitious Thea Elliot and her husband plan to make good on their big dreams. Little do they know that the idyllic town teems with ghoulish, walking nightmares . . . that only the women can see.
Marah knows the groanings well. She is one of the carriers—women with the ability to pull traumatic memories from men. Populated by men entirely freed of their pain, East Cobb has flourished, even as the remnants of their memories haunt the town’s women. When an unexpected death drives Marah to discover more about her own power, Thea’s and Marah’s worlds collide. The sisters must confront the rotten core at the heart of East Cobb’s prosperity and choose what—and who—will survive the reckoning.
A gripping blend of historical fiction and Southern gothic psychological horror, Our Sister’s Keeper is a fierce exploration of Black sisterhood, rage, and resistance.
No town is perfect, but East Cobb comes close. It’s a wealthy all-Black Free Town—untouched by white oppression—where ambitious Thea Elliot and her husband plan to make good on their big dreams. Little do they know that the idyllic town teems with ghoulish, walking nightmares . . . that only the women can see.
Marah knows the groanings well. She is one of the carriers—women with the ability to pull traumatic memories from men. Populated by men entirely freed of their pain, East Cobb has flourished, even as the remnants of their memories haunt the town’s women. When an unexpected death drives Marah to discover more about her own power, Thea’s and Marah’s worlds collide. The sisters must confront the rotten core at the heart of East Cobb’s prosperity and choose what—and who—will survive the reckoning.
A gripping blend of historical fiction and Southern gothic psychological horror, Our Sister’s Keeper is a fierce exploration of Black sisterhood, rage, and resistance.
337 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 9, 2026
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July 7, 2026
Our Sister's Keeper by Jasmine Holmes is the second book I've read this year that gave me a book-induced existential crisis, making me stare into the abyss and contemplate humanity's contradictions and dualities: How are we as a species so capable of such unspeakable atrocities while also possessing such capacity for kindness and love. (The first book was The Reformatory by Tananarive Due.)
Set in 1927 Mississippi, in a Delta town with an all-Black population, the residents have found a way to ease their trauma and build lives marked by healing, peace and happiness, free from white oppression.
Sounds like a utopia of sorts, right?
I don't know about you, but when I think of utopias, I think of Brave New World and The Giver and we all know how weird shit got there, where everything was not as it seemed. As it turns out, it's even heavier here, as Thea and Kid, new residents to the neighbourhood, find out.
The trauma explored in this book encapsulates memories of slavery, racism, racial violence and abuse, grief, loss and generational trauma, to name a few. But in this town, only men are given the chance to lay those burdens down. For them to find peace, someone else has to absorb their pain instead. Big yikes.
That someone else is Black women.
Known as "carriers", their bodies become commodities, expected to “carry” men's suffering so that men can heal. It starts getting realllll chauvinistic and tradwifey (Stepford wifey even) and the key themes that stood out to me throughout were privilege and apathy.
I won't say much more about the actual plot because I personally think this is best experienced with as little prior knowledge as possible.
Anyway, Our Sister's Keeper is a very powerful reminder that Black women's experiences are shaped at the intersection of race and gender and that feminism only works if it is intersectional, otherwise it's selective.
But more than that, it’s also about the power of Black women, sisterhood & friendship, memory, rage, joy, resilience and resistance.
What becomes of these women in this story? You’ll have to read it to find out. All I can say, without spoilers, is that the ending absolutely steamrolled me in a direction I didn’t see coming, and I was left rattled to my core and possibly an emotional blubbering sack of meat and bones but also satisfied and healed. Do with that info what you will.
Highly highly highly recommend to Southern gothic psychological horror enthusiasts who appreciate historical fiction with speculative/utopian-dystopian themes.
My heartfelt thanks to Bindery Books and NetGalley for the ARC.
﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏
Southern Gothic psychological horror set in 1927, Mississippi + women who have the ability to pull traumatic memories from men.
Set in 1927 Mississippi, in a Delta town with an all-Black population, the residents have found a way to ease their trauma and build lives marked by healing, peace and happiness, free from white oppression.
Sounds like a utopia of sorts, right?
I don't know about you, but when I think of utopias, I think of Brave New World and The Giver and we all know how weird shit got there, where everything was not as it seemed. As it turns out, it's even heavier here, as Thea and Kid, new residents to the neighbourhood, find out.
The trauma explored in this book encapsulates memories of slavery, racism, racial violence and abuse, grief, loss and generational trauma, to name a few. But in this town, only men are given the chance to lay those burdens down. For them to find peace, someone else has to absorb their pain instead. Big yikes.
That someone else is Black women.
Known as "carriers", their bodies become commodities, expected to “carry” men's suffering so that men can heal. It starts getting realllll chauvinistic and tradwifey (Stepford wifey even) and the key themes that stood out to me throughout were privilege and apathy.
I won't say much more about the actual plot because I personally think this is best experienced with as little prior knowledge as possible.
Anyway, Our Sister's Keeper is a very powerful reminder that Black women's experiences are shaped at the intersection of race and gender and that feminism only works if it is intersectional, otherwise it's selective.
But more than that, it’s also about the power of Black women, sisterhood & friendship, memory, rage, joy, resilience and resistance.
What becomes of these women in this story? You’ll have to read it to find out. All I can say, without spoilers, is that the ending absolutely steamrolled me in a direction I didn’t see coming, and I was left rattled to my core and possibly an emotional blubbering sack of meat and bones but also satisfied and healed. Do with that info what you will.
Highly highly highly recommend to Southern gothic psychological horror enthusiasts who appreciate historical fiction with speculative/utopian-dystopian themes.
My heartfelt thanks to Bindery Books and NetGalley for the ARC.
﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏
Southern Gothic psychological horror set in 1927, Mississippi + women who have the ability to pull traumatic memories from men.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
⌗ ── 🍓🍋🟩🐈⬛ᝰ .ᐟ read.
the mix of southern horror/gothic and historical fiction was everything. it was intriguing and fascinating. however, some aspects felt rushed.
RTC
⌗ ── 🍋🟩🐈⬛ᝰ .ᐟ pre-read.
thanks to netgalley for the arc!
oh, gods, horror, historical fiction and gothic? SIGN ME UPPPPPPPP
the mix of southern horror/gothic and historical fiction was everything. it was intriguing and fascinating. however, some aspects felt rushed.
RTC
⌗ ── 🍋🟩🐈⬛ᝰ .ᐟ pre-read.
thanks to netgalley for the arc!
oh, gods, horror, historical fiction and gothic? SIGN ME UPPPPPPPP
June 29, 2026
4! FULL REVIEW TO FOLLOW.
1927, Missisippi
Story takes place in an all-Black town free from racial oppression but hides a disturbing secret. Some of the women in this town have gifts: supernatural abilities that remove traumatic memories from men. While the men get a reprieve from this ability, women are left with burden of these memories.
This is a mix of historical fiction, psychological horror with GREAT social commentary. I think this works better as a physical book vs the audiobook because it requires you to really pay attention & with the audiobook I kept losing focus a lot of times..the dramatization of voices was a little too much and going back and forth is easier achieved on paper.
The originality this book offers is one of its strengths. The author perfectly blends historical notes with gothic/Southern aesthetic which create a very eerie and tense setting, which was perfectly unsettling and hauntingly compelling.
Be aware, it does have disturbing content: graphic violence, lynching, domestic abuse
This book speaks volumes on the burden that women carry and should enter your TBR. Sometimes peace comes at a terrible cost.
Thanks to Aardvark BookClub for the rec!
1927, Missisippi
Story takes place in an all-Black town free from racial oppression but hides a disturbing secret. Some of the women in this town have gifts: supernatural abilities that remove traumatic memories from men. While the men get a reprieve from this ability, women are left with burden of these memories.
This is a mix of historical fiction, psychological horror with GREAT social commentary. I think this works better as a physical book vs the audiobook because it requires you to really pay attention & with the audiobook I kept losing focus a lot of times..the dramatization of voices was a little too much and going back and forth is easier achieved on paper.
The originality this book offers is one of its strengths. The author perfectly blends historical notes with gothic/Southern aesthetic which create a very eerie and tense setting, which was perfectly unsettling and hauntingly compelling.
Be aware, it does have disturbing content: graphic violence, lynching, domestic abuse
This book speaks volumes on the burden that women carry and should enter your TBR. Sometimes peace comes at a terrible cost.
Thanks to Aardvark BookClub for the rec!
October 23, 2025
WHOA. If I could give this book more than five stars, I would. WHAT A STORY with things I did not see coming! WOW. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this deep, emotion filled story. As a black woman, I will be thinking about this story for a long time. This has nestled itself into my soul - recognizing the strength that black women have had & continue to still, endure. Jasmine Holmes, THANK YOU for these characters and for this POV with this story.
June 17, 2026
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.
____________
This was very well-written; the injustices make you want to scream, the moments of happiness that the characters experience just to have them taken away make you feel for them, and the atmosphere of the deep south is palpable.
The message of Black women's suffering at the hands of everyone else, white men and women and even Black men, was portrayed so viscerally here. They are promised a safe place away from the 1920s persecution from white people, but they are still required to carry so much in service of the patriarchy. The ending bubbled over with so much catharsis that it was very emotional to read.
I'm usually good for getting plot twists pretty early on, but this one didn't come to me so easily and was still quite a revelation when it to it, because the POVs are very distinctive from each other. The POV switching could get a little confusing once more were added in, but they served the story well. The pacing felt slightly shaky at some points but the story felt tight and conclusive by the end.
____________
This was very well-written; the injustices make you want to scream, the moments of happiness that the characters experience just to have them taken away make you feel for them, and the atmosphere of the deep south is palpable.
The message of Black women's suffering at the hands of everyone else, white men and women and even Black men, was portrayed so viscerally here. They are promised a safe place away from the 1920s persecution from white people, but they are still required to carry so much in service of the patriarchy. The ending bubbled over with so much catharsis that it was very emotional to read.
I'm usually good for getting plot twists pretty early on, but this one didn't come to me so easily and was still quite a revelation when it to it, because the POVs are very distinctive from each other. The POV switching could get a little confusing once more were added in, but they served the story well. The pacing felt slightly shaky at some points but the story felt tight and conclusive by the end.
February 5, 2026
4.5*
this was ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLEEEE
this was ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLEEEE
June 18, 2026
4⭐️ set in the prosperous Black owned and run town of East Cobb Mississippi in 1927, newly married Thea and Canaan “Kid” Eliot relocate for a new start. Kid has taken a job as a high school teacher and Thea has journalism aspirations. Idyllic East Cobb seems too good to be true.
Thea begins to sense things are off with the townsfolk and she starts to hear and see a ghostly woman no one else seems to notice!
As Thea spirals, the other women of the town pretend all is well. But it is not!
The menfolk of the town go regularly to a compound run by Dr Grimm and Clotilde for “unburdening”.
The multiple women of the compound help the men of East Cobb ease their mental burdens to be productive members of the town. Marah is a very powerful “carrier” able to remove and bear the mental baggage of the men.
This story is told from two POV, Thea and Marah. We get different timelines, past and present of the two women as well as brief glimpses of some of the other girls.
I really enjoyed this and the town comes to life as well as all the townsfolk! There is a big twist revealed in the last part of the book that took me by surprise with a great ending! If you love Southern Gothic Horror don’t skip this one!
Thanks to NetGalley, Jasmine Holmes, and Bindery books for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.
Thea begins to sense things are off with the townsfolk and she starts to hear and see a ghostly woman no one else seems to notice!
As Thea spirals, the other women of the town pretend all is well. But it is not!
The menfolk of the town go regularly to a compound run by Dr Grimm and Clotilde for “unburdening”.
The multiple women of the compound help the men of East Cobb ease their mental burdens to be productive members of the town. Marah is a very powerful “carrier” able to remove and bear the mental baggage of the men.
This story is told from two POV, Thea and Marah. We get different timelines, past and present of the two women as well as brief glimpses of some of the other girls.
I really enjoyed this and the town comes to life as well as all the townsfolk! There is a big twist revealed in the last part of the book that took me by surprise with a great ending! If you love Southern Gothic Horror don’t skip this one!
Thanks to NetGalley, Jasmine Holmes, and Bindery books for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.
September 21, 2025
Read for work, yall are not ready for the twist in this!!!!
June 9, 2026
5 stars. WOW. What a debut. Our Sister’s Keeper was haunting, eerie, and so incredibly powerful. I loved the Southern Gothic feel mixed with historical fiction, and the way the small town of East Cobb seems almost perfect on the outside.. but underneath, something dark and terrifying is waiting. The “groanings” and the idea that only the women can see these nightmares gave the story such a chilling edge. What really stayed with me was the sisterhood, the trauma, and the heavy emotional weight these women were forced to carry. Thea and Marah’s stories pulled me in completely, and the deeper the book went, the more unsettling and thought-provoking it became. Powerful, emotional + unforgettable. Am still thinking about this days after finishing. Not to be missed!! Pub. 6/9/26
Thank you NetGalley and Bindery Books for the advance copy! All opinions are my own.
Thank you NetGalley and Bindery Books for the advance copy! All opinions are my own.
October 1, 2025
OMG OMG OMG. This was incredible. I devoured it in less than 24 hours. And a satisfying ending?! And the commentary on black women’s strength, communal trauma, the cost of having it all?! This one will stay with me for a while. Thank you to Bindery Books for the ARC!
July 4, 2026
TW/CW: Language, toxic family relationships, racism, sexism, misogyny, death of baby, stillbirths, gaslighting, toxic friendships, mental hysteria, depression, violent scenes
*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:
No town is perfect, but East Cobb comes close. It’s a wealthy all-Black Free Town—untouched by white oppression—where ambitious Thea Elliot and her husband plan to make good on their big dreams. Little do they know that the idyllic town teems with ghoulish, walking nightmares . . . that only the women can see.Marah knows the groanings well. She is one of the carriers—women with the ability to pull traumatic memories from men. Populated by men entirely freed of their pain, East Cobb has flourished, even as the remnants of their memories haunt the town’s women. When an unexpected death drives Marah to discover more about her own power, Thea’s and Marah’s worlds collide. The sisters must confront the rotten core at the heart of East Cobb’s prosperity and choose what—and who—will survive the reckoning.
Release Date: June 9th, 2026
Genre: Horror
Pages: 336
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
What I Liked:
1. Loved what the book was saying
2. Creepy parts
3. Thea & Kids relationship
What I Didn't Like:
1. Way too many characters
2. Choppy writing style
3. Ending was rushed and underwhelming
Overall Thoughts:
{{Disclaimer: I write my review as I read}}
I'm so confused about who everyone is what they are doing right from the first few pages but I think I understand it as they are taking the pain away from the men of war.
Omg I am so annoyed at Mr. Benson. Of course even in a town as progressive as East Cobb is there has to be sexism. Proving that no matter what people still have to keep other people down. No one can ever just be human and equal. The fact that he is laughing at Thea being a journalist is making me so mad. God forbid a woman be educated. She might start having her own thoughts and feelings on subjects and we wouldn't want that because who's going to clean the skid marks out of the men's underwear.
Betts is great and seriously made me laugh when she did the scarecrow pose talking about bran just running through her.
I am loving the way that kid is comforting Thea when it comes to defending her honor in town and making sure people respect her. I'm really hoping he keeps his word and doesn't slowly slip into the mindset of other men around him.
I honestly didn't expect a white man to be in this town but Dr Grimm is an old white man.
Dr Grimm mentions that he called Lucas to ask about what he had went to Mariah for and Lucas response that he does not remember. Is that the point of these women? They exist to keep the men forgetting their troubles so that the town goes well and there's no problems?
All of this at the sacrifice of women's lives. It's insane these women are still being enslaved only instead of having a white master they're being enslaved by Black men and a white doctor. Absolutely gross.
I'm shocked and grossed out.
How did Thea know Mr. Grimm was white? She hasn't met him nor has anyone talked to her about him till now.
Claudette acting like none of the girls are being held hostage because they don't have a moat or crocodiles around the house. I guess it's to give them the idea that they're free to go at any time but really they can't.
Ah no Thea swallowing a random pill the neighbor gave whom she just met. Thea is confusing to me. On the next page she mentions how she does not trust the woman next door whom she distrusted immediately - then why did you take a pill that she gave you?
My god how horrible that some man would dump his spit cup on Kid's head. I gasped that someone could that disgusting to another person.
My heart goes out to both Thea and Kid. She is worried about what kind of woman she will be treated in this town and Kid wants to be finally be treated like a man. This would be so hard to have to deal with.
I hate that this town is so male focused that Mildred is even telling Thea to not make faces when she's displeased because it might upset Kid and he doesn't need those stresses in his life. It's just so ridiculous that the men even go to women to wipe their memory clean about things and now when they're home with their wives they shouldn't even have to think anything that's unpleasant.
This whole time I'm reading this though it's like what is the amount of time required for them to dedicate to this. It seems like all the women die before they're ever able to leave. So therefore it doesn't feel like there really is a time when they get to leave it's just like their service is when they die. Betts even ask her when they'll be ready to leave and to this she says when I say you are. It's so open ended because it's all up to when she decides so she could just decide to never let them go.
Finally! Finally, The Other Women admit to seeing the ghost women screaming. Of course though the men don't see it. The men are in a Utopia so everything has to be perfect for them.
We also learned that Frankie had a hairdressing business and all the women would confide in her and tell her about the sounds and the women screaming that they saw. Frankie shared with her husband what was going on and of course this jerk would share with Lucas who would then run back to his wife and ask her about it. Mildred not wanting to leave but she has tonight ever seen any of it and I'm away Frankie was carted. I want a hand I understand where Mildred's coming from she's just trying to protect what she has as are the other women. I mean people and couples and marriages always share certain things with each other.
Chapters 25 and onward is so weird to then catch us up on everyone's back story.
Oh my. The special assignment that Marah has been put on is to relieve the guilt white men feel about murdering Black people. She has to tell this white man that a Black woman had it coming (getting killed - and her baby) because she was upset they hanged her husband so they hanged her too. I am absolutely disgusted but not surprised. They put all this faith in this dude and he was just using them like test subjects.
It drives me crazy because for as much as Kid is attentive he is being very obtuse to what's happening to Thea. She asked him if he had also received a shot upon coming into town and he said no, but he doesn't question it beyond that.
Thea is now being taken to Clotilde to become one of the women that helps men. Is Clotilde just doing all this controlling of the women because she is bitter that her man was killed and the other women aren't allowed to be happy or does she actually believe she is helping them?
Ohhhhhh I didn't see that coming at Thea was actually Marah.
That's all it took for Clotilde to loss it on Dr. Grimm was him going in her garden. Also she's terrible. This whole time she's known how to stop the women from dying but she kept it to herself so she'd always be the most important one.
Dr. Grimm finally admits that helping Black men to overcome their trauma was actually just a test and really it was for white people so that they will be able to have absolution from their guilt. Yeah, they were using this town as a whole experiment. I imagine they'll be no reason to have this town anymore and Dr. Grimm can close it up and get rid of everybody despite him saying Clotilde can still him the men.
I'm so annoyed at what an easy death Clotilde had. Yeah, she died from taking on the burdens but not really. She lived to her 80s and had control of everyone. That bothered me. I thought we would get a scene of the girls tearing her apart with the memories they all had and standing in a circle. Sigh. I suppose the girls wanted to choose peace over violence and that's why they decided to bury her because in the end they were all just victims of this white man and all white men. She was just doing what she had to do to get through life even if it meant helping in the murder and demise of many other Black women.
I can't believe how evil Mildred is - she personally picked Thea to be the woman to carry her husband's burden so it would slowly kill off Thea just because she hated her so much.
How did Mildred die who was right next to Thea but Thea got to shore?
Final Thoughts:
The whole time reading this book all I could think of was how great this would make of a miniseries. It is such a crossover between The Stepford Wives meets Nope that it's absolutely creepy. I loved everything about this book.
I was really enjoying this book until we got to the multitude of povs from different side characters that came out of nowhere and then randomly a time jump years back and forth that felt like it didn't belong and was added last minute. I had to keep reminding myself the Thea was actually Marah and I've been 5 years ago but now it's the present time. I don't know how to describe it but it was just very odd the way it was thrown in. Yes, I understand that the present days were of the women getting back their memories. It's just it all didn't feel cohesive to the story in that moment.
Once we were back in the present time and we knew who Marah was why were we still calling her that and not Thea?
Well, the ending was lackluster. It felt so rushed and the ending needed more than just a random giant flood. It was such a passive ending and felt as though no one
got their punishments.
IG | Blog
Thanks to Netgalley and Bindry Books for this advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:
No town is perfect, but East Cobb comes close. It’s a wealthy all-Black Free Town—untouched by white oppression—where ambitious Thea Elliot and her husband plan to make good on their big dreams. Little do they know that the idyllic town teems with ghoulish, walking nightmares . . . that only the women can see.Marah knows the groanings well. She is one of the carriers—women with the ability to pull traumatic memories from men. Populated by men entirely freed of their pain, East Cobb has flourished, even as the remnants of their memories haunt the town’s women. When an unexpected death drives Marah to discover more about her own power, Thea’s and Marah’s worlds collide. The sisters must confront the rotten core at the heart of East Cobb’s prosperity and choose what—and who—will survive the reckoning.
Release Date: June 9th, 2026
Genre: Horror
Pages: 336
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
What I Liked:
1. Loved what the book was saying
2. Creepy parts
3. Thea & Kids relationship
What I Didn't Like:
1. Way too many characters
2. Choppy writing style
3. Ending was rushed and underwhelming
Overall Thoughts:
{{Disclaimer: I write my review as I read}}
I'm so confused about who everyone is what they are doing right from the first few pages but I think I understand it as they are taking the pain away from the men of war.
Omg I am so annoyed at Mr. Benson. Of course even in a town as progressive as East Cobb is there has to be sexism. Proving that no matter what people still have to keep other people down. No one can ever just be human and equal. The fact that he is laughing at Thea being a journalist is making me so mad. God forbid a woman be educated. She might start having her own thoughts and feelings on subjects and we wouldn't want that because who's going to clean the skid marks out of the men's underwear.
Betts is great and seriously made me laugh when she did the scarecrow pose talking about bran just running through her.
I am loving the way that kid is comforting Thea when it comes to defending her honor in town and making sure people respect her. I'm really hoping he keeps his word and doesn't slowly slip into the mindset of other men around him.
I honestly didn't expect a white man to be in this town but Dr Grimm is an old white man.
Dr Grimm mentions that he called Lucas to ask about what he had went to Mariah for and Lucas response that he does not remember. Is that the point of these women? They exist to keep the men forgetting their troubles so that the town goes well and there's no problems?
"So he would diffuse his pain by giving a little bit to each of them until there was none left for him to carry for himself. Then Arthur would be free of the emotional burdens that kept Black men from achieving the same things as white men, and East Cove would grow as strong as the individual strength of each of her sons"
All of this at the sacrifice of women's lives. It's insane these women are still being enslaved only instead of having a white master they're being enslaved by Black men and a white doctor. Absolutely gross.
Dr. Grimm thought on that for a moment, lips pursed. Finally, he said, “The inspiration for my grandfather’s advancements in this area of study was a verse in the Bible: “Bear one another’s burdens.” He looked at Black men and saw them heavy-laden with all kinds of horrific memories and experiences and wondered if, by removing them, removing two hundred and fifty years of hardship from their makeup, they would thrive as much as white men did.
I'm shocked and grossed out.
How did Thea know Mr. Grimm was white? She hasn't met him nor has anyone talked to her about him till now.
Claudette acting like none of the girls are being held hostage because they don't have a moat or crocodiles around the house. I guess it's to give them the idea that they're free to go at any time but really they can't.
Ah no Thea swallowing a random pill the neighbor gave whom she just met. Thea is confusing to me. On the next page she mentions how she does not trust the woman next door whom she distrusted immediately - then why did you take a pill that she gave you?
My god how horrible that some man would dump his spit cup on Kid's head. I gasped that someone could that disgusting to another person.
My heart goes out to both Thea and Kid. She is worried about what kind of woman she will be treated in this town and Kid wants to be finally be treated like a man. This would be so hard to have to deal with.
I hate that this town is so male focused that Mildred is even telling Thea to not make faces when she's displeased because it might upset Kid and he doesn't need those stresses in his life. It's just so ridiculous that the men even go to women to wipe their memory clean about things and now when they're home with their wives they shouldn't even have to think anything that's unpleasant.
Clotilde says this is what I am trying to protect you girls from. This is why we take her medicine, why we practice our diet, why I have a strict schedule of how many clients you see in a day. When we take on these burdens we make a commitment to this town. It is a commitment we cannot break until we have served the amount of time required.
This whole time I'm reading this though it's like what is the amount of time required for them to dedicate to this. It seems like all the women die before they're ever able to leave. So therefore it doesn't feel like there really is a time when they get to leave it's just like their service is when they die. Betts even ask her when they'll be ready to leave and to this she says when I say you are. It's so open ended because it's all up to when she decides so she could just decide to never let them go.
Finally! Finally, The Other Women admit to seeing the ghost women screaming. Of course though the men don't see it. The men are in a Utopia so everything has to be perfect for them.
We also learned that Frankie had a hairdressing business and all the women would confide in her and tell her about the sounds and the women screaming that they saw. Frankie shared with her husband what was going on and of course this jerk would share with Lucas who would then run back to his wife and ask her about it. Mildred not wanting to leave but she has tonight ever seen any of it and I'm away Frankie was carted. I want a hand I understand where Mildred's coming from she's just trying to protect what she has as are the other women. I mean people and couples and marriages always share certain things with each other.
Chapters 25 and onward is so weird to then catch us up on everyone's back story.
Oh my. The special assignment that Marah has been put on is to relieve the guilt white men feel about murdering Black people. She has to tell this white man that a Black woman had it coming (getting killed - and her baby) because she was upset they hanged her husband so they hanged her too. I am absolutely disgusted but not surprised. They put all this faith in this dude and he was just using them like test subjects.
It drives me crazy because for as much as Kid is attentive he is being very obtuse to what's happening to Thea. She asked him if he had also received a shot upon coming into town and he said no, but he doesn't question it beyond that.
Thea is now being taken to Clotilde to become one of the women that helps men. Is Clotilde just doing all this controlling of the women because she is bitter that her man was killed and the other women aren't allowed to be happy or does she actually believe she is helping them?
Ohhhhhh I didn't see that coming at Thea was actually Marah.
That's all it took for Clotilde to loss it on Dr. Grimm was him going in her garden. Also she's terrible. This whole time she's known how to stop the women from dying but she kept it to herself so she'd always be the most important one.
Dr. Grimm finally admits that helping Black men to overcome their trauma was actually just a test and really it was for white people so that they will be able to have absolution from their guilt. Yeah, they were using this town as a whole experiment. I imagine they'll be no reason to have this town anymore and Dr. Grimm can close it up and get rid of everybody despite him saying Clotilde can still him the men.
I'm so annoyed at what an easy death Clotilde had. Yeah, she died from taking on the burdens but not really. She lived to her 80s and had control of everyone. That bothered me. I thought we would get a scene of the girls tearing her apart with the memories they all had and standing in a circle. Sigh. I suppose the girls wanted to choose peace over violence and that's why they decided to bury her because in the end they were all just victims of this white man and all white men. She was just doing what she had to do to get through life even if it meant helping in the murder and demise of many other Black women.
I can't believe how evil Mildred is - she personally picked Thea to be the woman to carry her husband's burden so it would slowly kill off Thea just because she hated her so much.
How did Mildred die who was right next to Thea but Thea got to shore?
Final Thoughts:
The whole time reading this book all I could think of was how great this would make of a miniseries. It is such a crossover between The Stepford Wives meets Nope that it's absolutely creepy. I loved everything about this book.
I was really enjoying this book until we got to the multitude of povs from different side characters that came out of nowhere and then randomly a time jump years back and forth that felt like it didn't belong and was added last minute. I had to keep reminding myself the Thea was actually Marah and I've been 5 years ago but now it's the present time. I don't know how to describe it but it was just very odd the way it was thrown in. Yes, I understand that the present days were of the women getting back their memories. It's just it all didn't feel cohesive to the story in that moment.
Once we were back in the present time and we knew who Marah was why were we still calling her that and not Thea?
Well, the ending was lackluster. It felt so rushed and the ending needed more than just a random giant flood. It was such a passive ending and felt as though no one
got their punishments.
IG | Blog
Thanks to Netgalley and Bindry Books for this advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
January 10, 2026
Firstly, since the book is set in 1927, Mississippi, I was expecting a little more of a historical vibe. This book felt more modern to me, especially in their dialogue.
I think the concept was great. The whole thing of women taking over the men’s grief was very original, and I was excited to read the story. But alas this seems to be a common theme in the last couple of years where books have a great plot or grab factor, but does not deliver once you start reading the book.
Also, the story was very slow, and it took a long time to get to the meat and potatoes of the plot. To the point that when I got to the interesting part of the story I was bored and didn’t really care. The characters were very underdeveloped and seemed very surface level.
The book cover was cool though. I just expected a lot more than what I was given.
I think the concept was great. The whole thing of women taking over the men’s grief was very original, and I was excited to read the story. But alas this seems to be a common theme in the last couple of years where books have a great plot or grab factor, but does not deliver once you start reading the book.
Also, the story was very slow, and it took a long time to get to the meat and potatoes of the plot. To the point that when I got to the interesting part of the story I was bored and didn’t really care. The characters were very underdeveloped and seemed very surface level.
The book cover was cool though. I just expected a lot more than what I was given.
June 10, 2026
What a story. I would say it’s a mix of Gothic fantasy and historical fiction, and it works so well.
Thea and Kid move to the town of East Cobb in Mississippi, an all-Black town, where Kid is supposed to take a job as a school principal. The year is 1927. Travelling from up North, they don't really know what to expect, but it definitely isn't what they actually find when they arrive. The town seems idyllic at first glance, but as they take a carriage from the train station, the first cracks appear—Thea notices that while there are no white men around to flaunt their privilege, the society is incredibly conservative. Her dreams of continuing her meaningful work as a journalist seem to be at risk here.
The idyll just keeps cracking further as we follow the story and discover who shoulders the heavy burdens, and how and why the town operates the way it does. We follow a group of girls whose sisterhood is truly to be admired amidst the hardships they go through. The trauma and the anger waiting to spill out build the tension beautifully towards the end of the book.
Overall, this requires a lot of focus. That isn't a bad thing, on the contrary. While we discover the stories of the girls and other prominent townspeople, this fantasy story incorporates real historical elements of what it was to be a Black person in the US at the beginning of the 20th century. Now, as an Eastern European, I won't pretend to fully understand, but literature like this really adds a new layer of depth to whatever facts you might already know from history lessons or your own research.
It's an original take on the topic and very well done. If you like a blend of fantasy and historical fiction, I highly recommend it.
Thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy.
Thea and Kid move to the town of East Cobb in Mississippi, an all-Black town, where Kid is supposed to take a job as a school principal. The year is 1927. Travelling from up North, they don't really know what to expect, but it definitely isn't what they actually find when they arrive. The town seems idyllic at first glance, but as they take a carriage from the train station, the first cracks appear—Thea notices that while there are no white men around to flaunt their privilege, the society is incredibly conservative. Her dreams of continuing her meaningful work as a journalist seem to be at risk here.
The idyll just keeps cracking further as we follow the story and discover who shoulders the heavy burdens, and how and why the town operates the way it does. We follow a group of girls whose sisterhood is truly to be admired amidst the hardships they go through. The trauma and the anger waiting to spill out build the tension beautifully towards the end of the book.
Overall, this requires a lot of focus. That isn't a bad thing, on the contrary. While we discover the stories of the girls and other prominent townspeople, this fantasy story incorporates real historical elements of what it was to be a Black person in the US at the beginning of the 20th century. Now, as an Eastern European, I won't pretend to fully understand, but literature like this really adds a new layer of depth to whatever facts you might already know from history lessons or your own research.
It's an original take on the topic and very well done. If you like a blend of fantasy and historical fiction, I highly recommend it.
Thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy.
November 15, 2025
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A Devastating Masterpiece That Demands to Be Read
Rating: 5/5 Stars
It has been a long time since I've read a piece of historical fiction that has moved me as profoundly as Our Sister's Keeper by Jasmine Holmes. This book is an experience, a reckoning, and a mirror held up to the intersectional oppression that Black women have endured throughout history. From the moment I started reading at midnight on November 13, 2025, I was consumed by the mystery, the horror, and the brilliance of Holmes' storytelling.
THE NARRATIVE STRUCTURE
Holmes employs a narrative technique that is nothing short of genius. What begins as seemingly two parallel stories—THEA Elliott, a journalist who moves to East Cobb with her husband Kid, and MARAH, a mysterious carrier with psychic abilities—converges in a twist that absolutely shattered me. Without spoiling, I'll say that the realization of how these narratives connect transformed my entire understanding of the novel. We think we're reading forward chronologically, but Holmes reveals we've been reading an origin story all along. The moment I realized my suspicions were correct about the connection between these characters, I wept.
THE SETTING AND HISTORICAL CONTEXT
Set in 1920s East Cobb, the novel takes place during the Great Migration era, but with a twist. East Cobb is presented as a Black utopia—a place where Black families can thrive separate but equal from the white settlement of West Cobb. The town was built on the promise that Black men, emasculated by slavery and ongoing racism, could finally exist as men, protect their families, and build prosperity without white interference.
But this paradise is built on blood and bones—specifically, on the plantation where Dr. Grimm's family once enslaved Black people. And the experiment that the benevolent white doctor claims will help Black people heal is actually something far more insidious. The parallels to the Tuskegee experiment are unmistakable and chilling.
THE CARRIERS AND THE BURDEN-BEARING SYSTEM
The most devastating aspect of this novel is the system of "carriers"—Black women with psychic abilities who physically absorb the trauma, pain, and memories of Black men so these men can function without the psychological weight of slavery, racism, and oppression. These women are called "reparations" for Black men. Let that sink in. Black women serving as reparations for Black men, while the white system that created the trauma watches, studies, and benefits.
Holmes brilliantly explores how these women become conduits, absorbing not just the burdens of Black men but eventually—in the most horrifying twist—the guilt and wickedness of white men who have harmed Black people. Then the men’s wives talk like the characters in Jordan Peele's Get Out—robotic, subdued, existing at the edge of themselves. They've learned to silence their own pain, to pretend they don't hear the "groanings" (the spirits and memories of those who suffered on this land), because to acknowledge what they experience is to be labeled hysterical and locked away.
THEMES THAT GUTTED ME
Black Women as Accessories: Throughout the novel, women are treated as accessories to men, as comfort systems. THEA's qualifications as a journalist are dismissed. Even her seemingly progressive husband Kid doesn't truly value her work, seeing it merely as something she can do while also managing the home and children. The women of East Cobb exist to perform excessive femininity, to cuddle the egos of broken men.
Memory and Forgetting: Memory is transient and weaponized in this book. The men need to forget their trauma to function. The carriers must remember to survive and resist. MARAH is haunted by a spirit friend who keeps telling her to "wake up"—to remember who she was before she became a carrier. The manipulation of memory is a form of control, and reclaiming memory becomes an act of resistance.
Sisterhood—Two Definitions: Holmes presents two kinds of sisterhood. For the wives and respectable women of East Cobb, sisterhood means keeping each other in line, enforcing the patriarchal system, maintaining the status quo. For the carriers, sisterhood means protection, solidarity, sharing the burden, being a shoulder to cry on. The difference is stark and meaningful.
The Experiment Within the Experiment: Just when you think you understand the horror—that Black women are being used to heal Black men—Holmes reveals the true depths of the exploitation. All of them—the carriers, the men, the entire community—are part of a grand experiment designed to benefit white people. The same people who caused the trauma are now providing the "solution" and using Black bodies as test tubes.
THE CHARACTERS
Every character in this book serves a purpose. There are no throwaway side characters. THEA is complex—educated, ambitious, yet slowly realizing her voice doesn't matter in this "paradise." Kid is portrayed as liberal and open-minded, yet he too falls into misogynistic patterns, unable to truly see his wife's work as valuable. Mildred, Vera, Gertrude—each woman represents different responses to patriarchal oppression. And MARAH—oh, MARAH—her story broke me.
When Canaan comes to the infirmary and recognizes her, when we learn that her husband signed away his wife's life to this prison! I felt a rage I cannot adequately express. The betrayal. The disposability of Black women's lives, even by those who claim to love them.
THE ENDING AND THE POWER OF ANGER
I won't spoil the ending, but I will say this: women's anger is what saves them. Black women's anger has power, and Holmes doesn't shy away from showing us that rage can be liberating. There's a quote about Gertrude that encapsulates so much: her last thought before death was that even dying "felt so much better than being so damn nice all the time, and what had all that niceness been for anyway?"
As a Black woman, as someone who has been belittled in classrooms, who has had students look down on me, who has been taken for granted and taken advantage of—this book gave me permission to be angry. To let that anger remind me that I can overcome.
COMPARISONS AND LITERARY MERIT
This book deserves to be discussed alongside Toni Morrison's Beloved, Octavia Butler's work, and contemporary Black horror. It has the atmospheric dread of Jordan Peele's films, the social commentary of Ryan Coogler's work, and the historical depth of the best literary fiction. Holmes has created something that feels both timely and timeless.
The writing is vivid and immersive. I could see, feel, and taste the world of East Cobb. The descriptions are lush without being overwrought. The dialogue rings true to the period while remaining accessible. The plot is intricately woven, with details that seem minor early on becoming crucial later.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Our Sister's Keeper is a five-star read that needs to win awards. This is the kind of book that stays with you, that changes how you think about history, about Black womanhood, about the ways oppression layers and compounds. It's a book about how separate but equal was always a lie, how utopias built on exploitation can never be paradise, and how Black women have always borne burdens that were never theirs to carry.
This is an Advanced Reader's Copy, and I'm so grateful to have read it early. When this book releases, please read it. Sit with it. Let it challenge you. Let it anger you. Let it move you to tears as it did me.
Jasmine Holmes has written something truly special. this is a book that is both a warning from history and a call to remember, resist, and refuse to be silent anymore.
Content warnings: Racism, slavery references, experimentation on Black bodies, psychological abuse, trauma, mentions of violence, loss of bodily autonomy
Rating: 5/5 Stars
It has been a long time since I've read a piece of historical fiction that has moved me as profoundly as Our Sister's Keeper by Jasmine Holmes. This book is an experience, a reckoning, and a mirror held up to the intersectional oppression that Black women have endured throughout history. From the moment I started reading at midnight on November 13, 2025, I was consumed by the mystery, the horror, and the brilliance of Holmes' storytelling.
THE NARRATIVE STRUCTURE
Holmes employs a narrative technique that is nothing short of genius. What begins as seemingly two parallel stories—THEA Elliott, a journalist who moves to East Cobb with her husband Kid, and MARAH, a mysterious carrier with psychic abilities—converges in a twist that absolutely shattered me. Without spoiling, I'll say that the realization of how these narratives connect transformed my entire understanding of the novel. We think we're reading forward chronologically, but Holmes reveals we've been reading an origin story all along. The moment I realized my suspicions were correct about the connection between these characters, I wept.
THE SETTING AND HISTORICAL CONTEXT
Set in 1920s East Cobb, the novel takes place during the Great Migration era, but with a twist. East Cobb is presented as a Black utopia—a place where Black families can thrive separate but equal from the white settlement of West Cobb. The town was built on the promise that Black men, emasculated by slavery and ongoing racism, could finally exist as men, protect their families, and build prosperity without white interference.
But this paradise is built on blood and bones—specifically, on the plantation where Dr. Grimm's family once enslaved Black people. And the experiment that the benevolent white doctor claims will help Black people heal is actually something far more insidious. The parallels to the Tuskegee experiment are unmistakable and chilling.
THE CARRIERS AND THE BURDEN-BEARING SYSTEM
The most devastating aspect of this novel is the system of "carriers"—Black women with psychic abilities who physically absorb the trauma, pain, and memories of Black men so these men can function without the psychological weight of slavery, racism, and oppression. These women are called "reparations" for Black men. Let that sink in. Black women serving as reparations for Black men, while the white system that created the trauma watches, studies, and benefits.
Holmes brilliantly explores how these women become conduits, absorbing not just the burdens of Black men but eventually—in the most horrifying twist—the guilt and wickedness of white men who have harmed Black people. Then the men’s wives talk like the characters in Jordan Peele's Get Out—robotic, subdued, existing at the edge of themselves. They've learned to silence their own pain, to pretend they don't hear the "groanings" (the spirits and memories of those who suffered on this land), because to acknowledge what they experience is to be labeled hysterical and locked away.
THEMES THAT GUTTED ME
Black Women as Accessories: Throughout the novel, women are treated as accessories to men, as comfort systems. THEA's qualifications as a journalist are dismissed. Even her seemingly progressive husband Kid doesn't truly value her work, seeing it merely as something she can do while also managing the home and children. The women of East Cobb exist to perform excessive femininity, to cuddle the egos of broken men.
Memory and Forgetting: Memory is transient and weaponized in this book. The men need to forget their trauma to function. The carriers must remember to survive and resist. MARAH is haunted by a spirit friend who keeps telling her to "wake up"—to remember who she was before she became a carrier. The manipulation of memory is a form of control, and reclaiming memory becomes an act of resistance.
Sisterhood—Two Definitions: Holmes presents two kinds of sisterhood. For the wives and respectable women of East Cobb, sisterhood means keeping each other in line, enforcing the patriarchal system, maintaining the status quo. For the carriers, sisterhood means protection, solidarity, sharing the burden, being a shoulder to cry on. The difference is stark and meaningful.
The Experiment Within the Experiment: Just when you think you understand the horror—that Black women are being used to heal Black men—Holmes reveals the true depths of the exploitation. All of them—the carriers, the men, the entire community—are part of a grand experiment designed to benefit white people. The same people who caused the trauma are now providing the "solution" and using Black bodies as test tubes.
THE CHARACTERS
Every character in this book serves a purpose. There are no throwaway side characters. THEA is complex—educated, ambitious, yet slowly realizing her voice doesn't matter in this "paradise." Kid is portrayed as liberal and open-minded, yet he too falls into misogynistic patterns, unable to truly see his wife's work as valuable. Mildred, Vera, Gertrude—each woman represents different responses to patriarchal oppression. And MARAH—oh, MARAH—her story broke me.
When Canaan comes to the infirmary and recognizes her, when we learn that her husband signed away his wife's life to this prison! I felt a rage I cannot adequately express. The betrayal. The disposability of Black women's lives, even by those who claim to love them.
THE ENDING AND THE POWER OF ANGER
I won't spoil the ending, but I will say this: women's anger is what saves them. Black women's anger has power, and Holmes doesn't shy away from showing us that rage can be liberating. There's a quote about Gertrude that encapsulates so much: her last thought before death was that even dying "felt so much better than being so damn nice all the time, and what had all that niceness been for anyway?"
As a Black woman, as someone who has been belittled in classrooms, who has had students look down on me, who has been taken for granted and taken advantage of—this book gave me permission to be angry. To let that anger remind me that I can overcome.
COMPARISONS AND LITERARY MERIT
This book deserves to be discussed alongside Toni Morrison's Beloved, Octavia Butler's work, and contemporary Black horror. It has the atmospheric dread of Jordan Peele's films, the social commentary of Ryan Coogler's work, and the historical depth of the best literary fiction. Holmes has created something that feels both timely and timeless.
The writing is vivid and immersive. I could see, feel, and taste the world of East Cobb. The descriptions are lush without being overwrought. The dialogue rings true to the period while remaining accessible. The plot is intricately woven, with details that seem minor early on becoming crucial later.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Our Sister's Keeper is a five-star read that needs to win awards. This is the kind of book that stays with you, that changes how you think about history, about Black womanhood, about the ways oppression layers and compounds. It's a book about how separate but equal was always a lie, how utopias built on exploitation can never be paradise, and how Black women have always borne burdens that were never theirs to carry.
This is an Advanced Reader's Copy, and I'm so grateful to have read it early. When this book releases, please read it. Sit with it. Let it challenge you. Let it anger you. Let it move you to tears as it did me.
Jasmine Holmes has written something truly special. this is a book that is both a warning from history and a call to remember, resist, and refuse to be silent anymore.
Content warnings: Racism, slavery references, experimentation on Black bodies, psychological abuse, trauma, mentions of violence, loss of bodily autonomy
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June 9, 2026dnf @54%
I was intrigued at the start but as I keep reading the book my interest in it didn’t stay. Could be for the fact that this book was kinda all over the place. I had such a difficult time following the story as it bounces back and forward from different individuals. I tried so many times to pick it pack up and it just wouldn’t work.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publiser for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
I was intrigued at the start but as I keep reading the book my interest in it didn’t stay. Could be for the fact that this book was kinda all over the place. I had such a difficult time following the story as it bounces back and forward from different individuals. I tried so many times to pick it pack up and it just wouldn’t work.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publiser for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
May 10, 2026
I am still thinking about this book. It is one of the best books I’ve read so far this year
December 29, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley, Bindery, and Mareas for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Our Sister's Keeper left me speechless. I haven't been able to stop thinking about it and yet I don't know how to explain how incredible this book is.
The storytelling is masterful, and I love how intertwined the mystery and the character development are. It keeps the pacing steady and creates a very immersive experience while reading.
On a sentence level I was so impressed with how much feeling, worldbuilding, and character exposition were able to fit in very few words. All it would take was one scene and I'd feel like I knew the history, tone, and personality of the characters and their relationships, almost like I'm being let in on an inside joke with an old friend.
This was my first dip into horror, so I didn't know what to expect or how much I would enjoy it. But it's not horror without a purpose, and I think that's what really got me invested. Everything in this book was in service of the story, in the best way possible.
If anything about the synopsis, or the beautiful cover, grabs your attention, I want you to follow that attention and get a copy. Read it for yourself, you won't be disappointed.
4.5/5, rounding up to 5
Our Sister's Keeper left me speechless. I haven't been able to stop thinking about it and yet I don't know how to explain how incredible this book is.
The storytelling is masterful, and I love how intertwined the mystery and the character development are. It keeps the pacing steady and creates a very immersive experience while reading.
On a sentence level I was so impressed with how much feeling, worldbuilding, and character exposition were able to fit in very few words. All it would take was one scene and I'd feel like I knew the history, tone, and personality of the characters and their relationships, almost like I'm being let in on an inside joke with an old friend.
This was my first dip into horror, so I didn't know what to expect or how much I would enjoy it. But it's not horror without a purpose, and I think that's what really got me invested. Everything in this book was in service of the story, in the best way possible.
If anything about the synopsis, or the beautiful cover, grabs your attention, I want you to follow that attention and get a copy. Read it for yourself, you won't be disappointed.
4.5/5, rounding up to 5
October 9, 2025
At first, this story moved at a slow burn, carefully laying the groundwork, but once the momentum built, the twist completely caught me off guard. I loved how this book forced me to think about the burdens our partners may carry and the weight, physical or emotional, that love sometimes asks us to bear. At its heart, it’s also a testament to the quiet, unshakable strength of women.
Though my feelings toward the women of the town never softened, Thea’s journey was a haunting ride. Her relentless need to press the others for honesty, instead of trusting her instincts, or her husband, made her path frustrating at times. Still, her journey kept me hooked, and I couldn’t look away from the unraveling truths.
With Mississippi, 1927 as its backdrop, Our Sister’s Keeper blends historical fiction and Southern gothic horror beautifully. It’s a superb, thought provoking read that lingers in your mind and leaves you reflecting on the heavy price of carrying another’s pain.
Thanks Netgalley and Bindery Books | Mareas for the ARC and opportunity to provide an honest review.
Though my feelings toward the women of the town never softened, Thea’s journey was a haunting ride. Her relentless need to press the others for honesty, instead of trusting her instincts, or her husband, made her path frustrating at times. Still, her journey kept me hooked, and I couldn’t look away from the unraveling truths.
With Mississippi, 1927 as its backdrop, Our Sister’s Keeper blends historical fiction and Southern gothic horror beautifully. It’s a superb, thought provoking read that lingers in your mind and leaves you reflecting on the heavy price of carrying another’s pain.
Thanks Netgalley and Bindery Books | Mareas for the ARC and opportunity to provide an honest review.
April 4, 2026
I devoured this book in a few sittings. I don’t even know where to begin. First of all, this was masterful. From the slow unveiling of horrific truths, to plot twists, some I saw coming and some I didn’t, to the atmosphere of the town and the 1920s, to the honoring of individual stories, to the female rage, to the intersectional feminism and anti-racism, to the body horror and psychological horror—-I can’t recommend this enough. Black women I think will find vindication and solidarity in the characters and their rage, though as a white woman I can only assume. But I can say that any woman will feel the rage for the misogyny in this book, and anyone who wants to spend more time understanding Black women’s rage, their burdens, not only for white folks but even for Black men, the way they’ve carried America’s history in a way no one else has, you’re gonna love this book. For what it can teach you and for the ways it will draw you in, mangle you, and spit you back out.
I’ve read only one of Holmes’ nonfiction and it was great, but the fiction writing chops this woman has are just as impressive. She knows her history, and she knows how to write the horror and the rage AND the honoring of individual stories. The book unfolded and peeked into complexities and nuances in the female experience, the Black female experience, in the post emancipation era, in the way Black folks have been used and manipulated by white folks…. Honestly, I can’t recommend it enough.
In summary, if you like dark, psychological horror, body horror, female rage, history, plot twists, and feeling SEEN by an author as a woman of any race, if you liked Ring Shout or the movie Sinners, you’ll love this book.
Thanks to Bindery books and Netgalley for the ARC.
I’ve read only one of Holmes’ nonfiction and it was great, but the fiction writing chops this woman has are just as impressive. She knows her history, and she knows how to write the horror and the rage AND the honoring of individual stories. The book unfolded and peeked into complexities and nuances in the female experience, the Black female experience, in the post emancipation era, in the way Black folks have been used and manipulated by white folks…. Honestly, I can’t recommend it enough.
In summary, if you like dark, psychological horror, body horror, female rage, history, plot twists, and feeling SEEN by an author as a woman of any race, if you liked Ring Shout or the movie Sinners, you’ll love this book.
Thanks to Bindery books and Netgalley for the ARC.
June 2, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this novel. All my thoughts and opinions are my own.
This is only my second 5-star read of the year (it’s June) and I don’t think there is any book more deserving at this moment. I was starting to think I was too picky.
I am truly in awe.
The cleverness of making Black women shoulder the burdens of everyone. Having to paste on a smile to keep up the illusions that everything is fine. Being punished for wanting more. The fact that our anger is power, not something to stifle like we are taught.
Oftentimes, I do not enjoy “unlikeable” characters. But for this book, that was not the case. I don’t see any of the women as villains. At the most, I think they were morally grey. I hurt for them all almost equally as much as I was upset at some of their actions.
This was excellent. And I see myself thinking about this one for a while.
This is only my second 5-star read of the year (it’s June) and I don’t think there is any book more deserving at this moment. I was starting to think I was too picky.
I am truly in awe.
The cleverness of making Black women shoulder the burdens of everyone. Having to paste on a smile to keep up the illusions that everything is fine. Being punished for wanting more. The fact that our anger is power, not something to stifle like we are taught.
Oftentimes, I do not enjoy “unlikeable” characters. But for this book, that was not the case. I don’t see any of the women as villains. At the most, I think they were morally grey. I hurt for them all almost equally as much as I was upset at some of their actions.
This was excellent. And I see myself thinking about this one for a while.
August 4, 2026
Utterly unputdownable.
This binge-worthy novel expertly blends historical fiction and thriller in a unique and compelling way. I have never read a story quite like this one.
Even though this novel involves multiple timelines and POV's, I was never confused or lost my place. It was well written and easy to follow. The themes in this novel were heavy and important. My mind was constantly engaged and searching for the next clue as to what was happening. I enjoyed how present I was for this story. It has a way of capturing the mind and emotion.
I would definitely read more by this author!!
Thank you to Bindery and NetGalley for the gifted copy
This binge-worthy novel expertly blends historical fiction and thriller in a unique and compelling way. I have never read a story quite like this one.
Even though this novel involves multiple timelines and POV's, I was never confused or lost my place. It was well written and easy to follow. The themes in this novel were heavy and important. My mind was constantly engaged and searching for the next clue as to what was happening. I enjoyed how present I was for this story. It has a way of capturing the mind and emotion.
I would definitely read more by this author!!
Thank you to Bindery and NetGalley for the gifted copy
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Intersectional feminist fantasy that's both tender and rage-filled, thrilling and heartbreaking. I didn't know books like this existed and now that I do, there's a whole new standard for the genre.
Our Sister's Keeper focuses on a thriving free black town in Mississippi with a haunting underbelly. East Cobb is every man's dream because every woman, but especially the designated carriers, carries the men's burdens for them.
Holmes nailed the best aspect of fantasy: using magic to give shape to reality. I loved the 1920s historical setting, the variety of heroes and villains, and the social commentary that never explained but was clear as day. The carriers' sisterhood and rage was palpable and relatable.
I truly hope we get more books like masterpiece and that Holmes has a long, awarded career. Cannot believe this is her debut!
Our Sister's Keeper focuses on a thriving free black town in Mississippi with a haunting underbelly. East Cobb is every man's dream because every woman, but especially the designated carriers, carries the men's burdens for them.
Holmes nailed the best aspect of fantasy: using magic to give shape to reality. I loved the 1920s historical setting, the variety of heroes and villains, and the social commentary that never explained but was clear as day. The carriers' sisterhood and rage was palpable and relatable.
I truly hope we get more books like masterpiece and that Holmes has a long, awarded career. Cannot believe this is her debut!
May 4, 2026
2.75 stars rounded up. I struggled to put my thoughts together for this review because I understand and see the importance of this story. This book is about Black women and the burdens they bear for those in their community. It’s thought provoking, horrific at times and also incredibly frustrating.
The horror in here was done very well. I loved the concept of the groanings and the ghosts of trauma coming to haunt people. It was a great way to portray the burdens that Black people have had to endure. The idea of an all Black town without white oppression was fascinating to me. While there is no oppression of Black people, there is still plenty of oppression for women it seems.
My biggest issue with this book is that I feel this is Christian fiction and not labeled or marketed accurately. If I had known this prior to reading, I would have avoided the book. Early on I was getting vibes based on the writing (words like faith, conviction, blessed, prayer, etc.) that this was leaning in the Christian direction. The premise was interesting enough that I decided to continue and see how it would all come together. Once the Bible was mentioned, my suspicions were confirmed. I didn’t put the book down because I was already committed to the story and I was hoping that the big picture would make it all worth it.
There are two main POVs in this book - Thea and Marah (Marah should have been another clue at the time but I didn’t realize that until much later). The chapters alternate between these POVs with a few others thrown in as the story progresses. The storytelling structure was confusing and felt disjointed at times. I would have to reorient myself when a POV would change and this would cause the story to lose momentum. It’s definitely a very slow buildup to a rather rushed conclusion. A lot of the sentences felt overly worded and repetitive as well.
The book is set in the 1920s so I do have to keep that in mind, but it was incredibly frustrating reading about a woman’s role and duty and what she owes to her man and family. Thea is labeled as a feminist in a negative way and is constantly looked down on by her neighbors for not yet having children. Thea is content in her life with her husband and career and wants to focus on both of those things before having children. There are several conversations throughout the book where it is made clear that the expectation is to become a mother and help expand the community. Thea should want to be a mother.
I tagged the entire review as containing spoilers but just in case **SPOILER WARNING FOR THE ENDING OF THE BOOK**
The women who have to bear the burdens of the men in town do it as a punishment. They are called carriers. They all wanted more in life than what they had and they weren’t content, so now it is their job to take on burdens so other people can live a happy life. Thea is given a choice to either be content in her life or join the carriers to take on burdens. Thea chooses contentment. Years go on and she has several stillbirths and she thinks she’s being punished for turning away and ignoring the Black women who are carrying the burdens.
Thea’s husband has her committed because his wife is no longer perfect and she now becomes a carrier. Fast forward two years and Thea and the rest of the carriers are ready to have their revenge. This is the part of the story I was waiting for! I love a good revenge plot line. Thea sees her former husband (who has been painted as nothing but supportive and perfect during the entire book) and in 2 years he’s already remarried with an expecting wife.
Thea gets her revenge on the town and her neighbors for their complicity with everything. At the very end, Thea is happy because guess what? She’s a mom! Being a mother truly does solve everything apparently.
I’ve seen reviews that say there is criticism of the patriarchy and misogyny, but I feel like there isn’t enough critique. There are several quotes throughout the entire book about being a mother creating a family and supporting your husband. There isn’t enough to contrast those statements. It honestly felt like I was reading a book with subliminal messaging about the purpose of a woman is to create new life. That is the highest achievement we can have and there is no greater honor in serving God.
Am I overreacting? I don’t think I am. I can see how people would love this book because of the burdens and ghosts and history of it all. There is far too much talk about motherhood and being the perfect wife and that feels very rooted in Christianity. After finishing the book, I looked up the author and they are very involved in religion. I think that people who have similar beliefs will thoroughly enjoy this book. I am not one of those people and it was hard for me to look past all of the coded language and messaging to see the larger picture. Again, if I had known this prior to reading the book, I would have respectfully skipped it. I understand I am the unpopular opinion with this book.
Some of the quotes from the book that I think weren’t critiqued enough as being harmful. Thea reacts and pushes back a lot but is further gaslighted and dismissed. What is the purpose of these quotes?
““Motherhood is truly the greatest gift and highest honor a woman can achieve!" She chuckled. "Aside from wife-hood, I suppose. Don't you agree?””
“"Every man wants a woman who can bear his children," she said. "This is a utopia. Your husband deserves every good thing he's ever dreamed of, And I'm sure that if you do try, you will fall pregnant in no time.””
“What use was a wife who couldn't give her husband a family?”
“"Beloved," she said, strangely kind. "You have been given a chance at a life that most Negro women could only ever dream of. You have a loving husband, a home of your own. You have security. You lack nothing. You have a baby coming. A child made from your love.””
“She wanted her little girl to see, to know how dangerous it was to want, and to learn to want anyway.”
“All will be well. You might not be able to give children to this town, but you can still serve its mission here with me and with your new sisters."
This is a quote that clued me in to reading Christian fiction:
“"That's why this town is so incredible," Vera said. "But it isn't perfect, of course. Nothing will be perfect until heaven. You know how the Bible says that creation is groaning for the return of Jesus?””
Example of sentence structure that was repetitive and overly wordy:
“[character] stood in the rain with her husband's government-issued rifle waving wildly in the crimson rain.”
Thank you Bindery Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
The horror in here was done very well. I loved the concept of the groanings and the ghosts of trauma coming to haunt people. It was a great way to portray the burdens that Black people have had to endure. The idea of an all Black town without white oppression was fascinating to me. While there is no oppression of Black people, there is still plenty of oppression for women it seems.
My biggest issue with this book is that I feel this is Christian fiction and not labeled or marketed accurately. If I had known this prior to reading, I would have avoided the book. Early on I was getting vibes based on the writing (words like faith, conviction, blessed, prayer, etc.) that this was leaning in the Christian direction. The premise was interesting enough that I decided to continue and see how it would all come together. Once the Bible was mentioned, my suspicions were confirmed. I didn’t put the book down because I was already committed to the story and I was hoping that the big picture would make it all worth it.
There are two main POVs in this book - Thea and Marah (Marah should have been another clue at the time but I didn’t realize that until much later). The chapters alternate between these POVs with a few others thrown in as the story progresses. The storytelling structure was confusing and felt disjointed at times. I would have to reorient myself when a POV would change and this would cause the story to lose momentum. It’s definitely a very slow buildup to a rather rushed conclusion. A lot of the sentences felt overly worded and repetitive as well.
The book is set in the 1920s so I do have to keep that in mind, but it was incredibly frustrating reading about a woman’s role and duty and what she owes to her man and family. Thea is labeled as a feminist in a negative way and is constantly looked down on by her neighbors for not yet having children. Thea is content in her life with her husband and career and wants to focus on both of those things before having children. There are several conversations throughout the book where it is made clear that the expectation is to become a mother and help expand the community. Thea should want to be a mother.
I tagged the entire review as containing spoilers but just in case **SPOILER WARNING FOR THE ENDING OF THE BOOK**
The women who have to bear the burdens of the men in town do it as a punishment. They are called carriers. They all wanted more in life than what they had and they weren’t content, so now it is their job to take on burdens so other people can live a happy life. Thea is given a choice to either be content in her life or join the carriers to take on burdens. Thea chooses contentment. Years go on and she has several stillbirths and she thinks she’s being punished for turning away and ignoring the Black women who are carrying the burdens.
Thea’s husband has her committed because his wife is no longer perfect and she now becomes a carrier. Fast forward two years and Thea and the rest of the carriers are ready to have their revenge. This is the part of the story I was waiting for! I love a good revenge plot line. Thea sees her former husband (who has been painted as nothing but supportive and perfect during the entire book) and in 2 years he’s already remarried with an expecting wife.
Thea gets her revenge on the town and her neighbors for their complicity with everything. At the very end, Thea is happy because guess what? She’s a mom! Being a mother truly does solve everything apparently.
I’ve seen reviews that say there is criticism of the patriarchy and misogyny, but I feel like there isn’t enough critique. There are several quotes throughout the entire book about being a mother creating a family and supporting your husband. There isn’t enough to contrast those statements. It honestly felt like I was reading a book with subliminal messaging about the purpose of a woman is to create new life. That is the highest achievement we can have and there is no greater honor in serving God.
Am I overreacting? I don’t think I am. I can see how people would love this book because of the burdens and ghosts and history of it all. There is far too much talk about motherhood and being the perfect wife and that feels very rooted in Christianity. After finishing the book, I looked up the author and they are very involved in religion. I think that people who have similar beliefs will thoroughly enjoy this book. I am not one of those people and it was hard for me to look past all of the coded language and messaging to see the larger picture. Again, if I had known this prior to reading the book, I would have respectfully skipped it. I understand I am the unpopular opinion with this book.
Some of the quotes from the book that I think weren’t critiqued enough as being harmful. Thea reacts and pushes back a lot but is further gaslighted and dismissed. What is the purpose of these quotes?
““Motherhood is truly the greatest gift and highest honor a woman can achieve!" She chuckled. "Aside from wife-hood, I suppose. Don't you agree?””
“"Every man wants a woman who can bear his children," she said. "This is a utopia. Your husband deserves every good thing he's ever dreamed of, And I'm sure that if you do try, you will fall pregnant in no time.””
“What use was a wife who couldn't give her husband a family?”
“"Beloved," she said, strangely kind. "You have been given a chance at a life that most Negro women could only ever dream of. You have a loving husband, a home of your own. You have security. You lack nothing. You have a baby coming. A child made from your love.””
“She wanted her little girl to see, to know how dangerous it was to want, and to learn to want anyway.”
“All will be well. You might not be able to give children to this town, but you can still serve its mission here with me and with your new sisters."
This is a quote that clued me in to reading Christian fiction:
“"That's why this town is so incredible," Vera said. "But it isn't perfect, of course. Nothing will be perfect until heaven. You know how the Bible says that creation is groaning for the return of Jesus?””
Example of sentence structure that was repetitive and overly wordy:
“[character] stood in the rain with her husband's government-issued rifle waving wildly in the crimson rain.”
Thank you Bindery Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 2, 2026
A strong fiction debut with a super bold vision, coated in horror and history. The tone of the horror elements reminded me of Rosemary’s Baby in some ways. Also, I read Parable of the Sower not that long ago, and there are some elements here that reminded me of it. The overarching themes are explored in a vivid combination of avenues: historical contexts (the legacy of slavery and racism in the United States), the unique/fantastical setting of East Cobb, supernatural occurrences and forces, the burdens forced upon Black women, misogyny. There’s a lot going on here, and all of it is crafted in a very compelling story. I did have moments while reading where I found some narratorial over-explaining and redundancy at a line-by-line level and some lulls in the pacing. There’s a large cast of characters too, and I think more time could have been spent expanding on some of their stories. Overall though, I thought this was a powerful read that took big swings.
I grabbed a physical copy of this at the bookstore, and I’ll be keeping it in my collection. Glad to see that Marines’ Bindery Books imprint Mareas fostered such an interesting title! Hoping to read her imprint’s other books in the near future.
I grabbed a physical copy of this at the bookstore, and I’ll be keeping it in my collection. Glad to see that Marines’ Bindery Books imprint Mareas fostered such an interesting title! Hoping to read her imprint’s other books in the near future.
July 4, 2026
Thank you to Libro.FM and Bindery Books for providing me with a gifted ALC copy of Our Sister’s Kepper. All opinions are my own.
Format: Audiobook (Libro.FM)
Narrator: Julienne Irons
Time: 8 hours 34 minutes
Our Sister’s Keeper was a tragic, rage inducing Southern Gothic read. The story combines an idyllic all-Black town in the 1920s that is hiding nightmare hauntings that are only visible to the women. This book gave me chill bumps not only from the horror descriptions but even more so because of the treatment of the women.
Holmes explores so many tough themes through the women who are considered carriers and can pull painful and traumatic memories from the men in town. It was heartbreaking to see what each of the characters went through and how they were exploited and abused by the people in the town of East Cobb.
𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐢𝐧 𝐄𝐦𝐨𝐣𝐢𝐬:
😡🩸💉🙎🏾♀️📰
𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥: 🚫
Our Sister’s Keeper is a definite must read if you love historical fiction mixed with gothic horror, where Black women must fight to escape being used for their gifts from a White doctor and other women in the town who are benefiting from their institutionalization.
Format: Audiobook (Libro.FM)
Narrator: Julienne Irons
Time: 8 hours 34 minutes
Our Sister’s Keeper was a tragic, rage inducing Southern Gothic read. The story combines an idyllic all-Black town in the 1920s that is hiding nightmare hauntings that are only visible to the women. This book gave me chill bumps not only from the horror descriptions but even more so because of the treatment of the women.
Holmes explores so many tough themes through the women who are considered carriers and can pull painful and traumatic memories from the men in town. It was heartbreaking to see what each of the characters went through and how they were exploited and abused by the people in the town of East Cobb.
𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐢𝐧 𝐄𝐦𝐨𝐣𝐢𝐬:
😡🩸💉🙎🏾♀️📰
𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥: 🚫
Our Sister’s Keeper is a definite must read if you love historical fiction mixed with gothic horror, where Black women must fight to escape being used for their gifts from a White doctor and other women in the town who are benefiting from their institutionalization.
August 4, 2026
This book was an ok read for 2.75
February 1, 2026
This was my first NetGalley ARC and first horror book and wow! The bar has been set high. Despite taking place in the 1920s, I couldn't help but draw parallels to the present day, especially as it relates to Black women's strength, generational trauma, and misogyny. As I finished the book, I was left pondering what healing from centuries of violence, oppression, and injustice looks like, especially when it is not at the expense of women or the oppressed carrying the burdens of society, and how do we leverage rage in current times in the face of so much injustice? Our Sister's Keeper is rich in history and masterful storytelling. Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy and thank you to Jasmine Holmes for writing this spectacular work of literature. I will absolutely be buying this book, supporting this author, and recommending this book to all.
August 2, 2026
3.5. Thank you Bindery Books Mareas for the ARC of this novel. I was really really excited for this but it took me months to read this. This book has a lot of really important themes and topics, but it took a lot for me to get invested in the story. I guess I thought there'd be more...of everything? Halfway through the ebook I switched to audio, which I think was a mistake because the audio made the writing feel very clunky. This was something I also noticed while reading the ebook. A really cool idea from an author with a lot of potential! I am excited to see what Holmes does next.
November 30, 2025
I am DNF'ing this book. I has a good storyline, but I had a difficult time following. It bounces back and forth between several individuals, and I couldn't understand the connection the author was trying to make. For me it was a very slow read. I got through about 53% of the book, before making the decision to DNF. If anyone else has read the book, please feel free to send me your comments, I would love to hear from you.
February 5, 2026
This book will have you bouncing all over the feelings wheel. It had me laughing and cheering and punched me right in the heartstrings.
“Thea is NEVER a burden to me.”
I think it’s incredibly rare to find a story that will truly make you wonder which side of things you would be on. Do you ignore what’s happening around you for the chance to live a privileged life, at the expense of others? Or do you look at the horrors and know that you might have to join them if you don’t comply.
“Thea is NEVER a burden to me.”
I think it’s incredibly rare to find a story that will truly make you wonder which side of things you would be on. Do you ignore what’s happening around you for the chance to live a privileged life, at the expense of others? Or do you look at the horrors and know that you might have to join them if you don’t comply.
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