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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.
1 pages, MP3 CD
First published June 9, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 302 reviews
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
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!
Currently Reading
June 22, 20261927, 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 and social commentary.
Thanks to Aardvark BookClub for the rec!
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 and social commentary.
Thanks to Aardvark BookClub for the rec!
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.
May 10, 2026
I am still thinking about this book. It is one of the best books I’ve read so far this year
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
June 9, 2026
Thank you to Bindery Books, Jasmine Holmes, and NetGalley for providing me an electronic ARC in exchange for an honest review.
#OurSistersKeeper #NetGalley #ePub #ARC #ARCReview #Horror #Thriller #SouthernGothic
💠RELEASE DATE: 9 Jun 26
💠TRIGGER WARNINGS:
Extreme racism, lynching/hanging, whipping, physical abuse, generational trauma, PTSD, war scenes, gun wounds, extreme sexism/misogyny, suicide, suffocation, disturbing imagery, dead bodies, drugging victims, manipulation, sanism, miscarriage, bodily harm
• With a core of deep-seeded trauma, rooted in both racism and misogyny, I knew it was going to be a heavy premise. And indeed it was. It was so dark. It was so tragic. There are many violent scenes that churned my stomach; one of the scenes that affected me most is a pointed visual with a magnolia tree within the first few chapters. I won't give too much away – I think it's better the less you know going in – so I won't share what that is. I will tell you though that the scene clawed itself into my brain and it will haunt me for an indeterminate amount of time.
• The novel parallels the resolute strength Black women have, expected to shoulder burdens that would quickly suffocate White women in one haggard breath. In my opinion, this novel not only acknowledges Black women's resilience, trauma, sisterhood, and pain, it justifies and gives power to their rage. It's both harrowing and empowering. The memories carried and buried, the tormented wails of the Groanings... The imagery was visceral. The suffering was tangible. Holmes' writing is lyrical prose that has the ability to burrow underneath the skin.
• I was not expecting to glimpse into the lives of every Carrier; we get a brief introduction on how each girl first ended up here. Even though the backstories are short, we get enough of an emotional visual to form a (disturbing) picture. It was done beautifully. I do wish we got to know a little about Delphine because her name was mentioned several times.
• I loved Marah; I love all of the young women who are/were Carriers. Thea, unfortunately – one of the FMCs – was a character I was not fond of. I may just leave it at that. I want to tread carefully and mindfully with criticism, because this is SO much more than a historical gothic horror story; it's an epitaph of sorts, a memoir of generational trauma.
• There were several antagonists in the novel and I despised them all. Whether their vile motivations were covertly insidious or laid out bare mattered not. Holmes did such a good job making those characters despicable. And, in the throes of insanity, she [Holmes] even managed to evoke a small thread of empathy within me for one the worst – something I neither expected nor desired. Now THAT is some damn good character development.
• There is what I perceive to be an Ultimate Twist. MY GOD. My flabbers were so gasted that my brain short-circuited and I could only utter the phrase, "no. fucking. way." for a straight minute. I was in such visible shock, expressing my distress so audibly, that my husband vocalized his concern for my well-being. Hands down the best twist I've experienced, to date.
💠MEMORABLE QUOTES:
Honestly, I'm not sure how to put all my feelings into words. This novel made me ponder and loathe and gasp and empathize. The minor faults paled in comparison to the merit.
💠RECOMMEND?:
Yes, without question
💠OVERALL RATING:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐️
(5 out of 5 stars)
#OurSistersKeeper #NetGalley #ePub #ARC #ARCReview #Horror #Thriller #SouthernGothic
💠RELEASE DATE: 9 Jun 26
💠TRIGGER WARNINGS:
Extreme racism, lynching/hanging, whipping, physical abuse, generational trauma, PTSD, war scenes, gun wounds, extreme sexism/misogyny, suicide, suffocation, disturbing imagery, dead bodies, drugging victims, manipulation, sanism, miscarriage, bodily harm
"We are our brother's keeper. We are our sister's keeper. The voice of thy sister's blood crieth unto me from the ground... And now thou art cursed from the earth."💠OVERALL THOUGHTS:
• With a core of deep-seeded trauma, rooted in both racism and misogyny, I knew it was going to be a heavy premise. And indeed it was. It was so dark. It was so tragic. There are many violent scenes that churned my stomach; one of the scenes that affected me most is a pointed visual with a magnolia tree within the first few chapters. I won't give too much away – I think it's better the less you know going in – so I won't share what that is. I will tell you though that the scene clawed itself into my brain and it will haunt me for an indeterminate amount of time.
• The novel parallels the resolute strength Black women have, expected to shoulder burdens that would quickly suffocate White women in one haggard breath. In my opinion, this novel not only acknowledges Black women's resilience, trauma, sisterhood, and pain, it justifies and gives power to their rage. It's both harrowing and empowering. The memories carried and buried, the tormented wails of the Groanings... The imagery was visceral. The suffering was tangible. Holmes' writing is lyrical prose that has the ability to burrow underneath the skin.
• I was not expecting to glimpse into the lives of every Carrier; we get a brief introduction on how each girl first ended up here. Even though the backstories are short, we get enough of an emotional visual to form a (disturbing) picture. It was done beautifully. I do wish we got to know a little about Delphine because her name was mentioned several times.
• I loved Marah; I love all of the young women who are/were Carriers. Thea, unfortunately – one of the FMCs – was a character I was not fond of. I may just leave it at that. I want to tread carefully and mindfully with criticism, because this is SO much more than a historical gothic horror story; it's an epitaph of sorts, a memoir of generational trauma.
• There were several antagonists in the novel and I despised them all. Whether their vile motivations were covertly insidious or laid out bare mattered not. Holmes did such a good job making those characters despicable. And, in the throes of insanity, she [Holmes] even managed to evoke a small thread of empathy within me for one the worst – something I neither expected nor desired. Now THAT is some damn good character development.
• There is what I perceive to be an Ultimate Twist. MY GOD. My flabbers were so gasted that my brain short-circuited and I could only utter the phrase, "no. fucking. way." for a straight minute. I was in such visible shock, expressing my distress so audibly, that my husband vocalized his concern for my well-being. Hands down the best twist I've experienced, to date.
💠MEMORABLE QUOTES:
But what was survival, exactly? Was it living on that razor-thin line between protecting her children and dying for them? Between standing with her husband in front of his assailants but not standing up to them? Between living with herself, silent and cowardly, or speaking up and cutting her life short, but being true?
She could not put words to what she pleaded for— not just freedom from the jacket that bound her or from the town that had turned its back on her, but from a world where both of those things could happen and be met with silence from an omnipresent God.💠REVIEW SUMMARY:
Honestly, I'm not sure how to put all my feelings into words. This novel made me ponder and loathe and gasp and empathize. The minor faults paled in comparison to the merit.
💠RECOMMEND?:
Yes, without question
💠OVERALL RATING:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐️
(5 out of 5 stars)
June 8, 2026
5/5/ Stars
Format: e-book ARC
Spoilers: No
Thank you to Bindery and NetGalley for the E-ARC of this book. In full disclosure, I am a Bindery Tastemaker, however I actually requested this book on NetGalley prior to becoming one, and I do not believe in pulling punches for any of my reviews.
This book was phenomenal, and has some of the elements that I love the most in horror. Sometimes, the most terrifying things are when reality gets about 25% more horrific with an injection of the supernatural.
This book explores some incredible themes, including generational trauma and the shared generational trauma of black Americans, especially during the time frame of the book, the burden of womanhood, and in particular the burden borne by black women. This book had me hooked from the start. The supernatural element of the story was so intriguing, and I love this concept of the women of this world using supernatural abilities to remove the burdens from the men, but in so doing curse the town they're living in. This definitely has some Stepford Wives/Handmaid's Tale vibes to it, and the general sense of unease is present from the start. To mix supernatural horror with the true horror black Americans faced was unsettling, and the dystopian utopia of the town only added to the ambience.
I personally loved the structure as well. I thought the stories, past and present, were well timed and weaved together well, and they slowly built tension throughout to an absolutely grand climax at the end. Buffalo Hunter Hunter was my favorite book in 2025, and one of the things I loved is how it showed the promise of horror - horror is not just cheap thrills, it can teach us and inform us about the horror of our reality and our past while adding some supernatural scares to the mix. Our Sister's Keeper does this just as well, and I am walking away from this book feeling very similar to BHH. It is unsettling, it is dark, and it is beautiful and everything I love about the horror genre.
This is definitely one I will be thinking and talking about for awhile, and I will absolutely be on the lookout for more from this author.
Format: e-book ARC
Spoilers: No
Thank you to Bindery and NetGalley for the E-ARC of this book. In full disclosure, I am a Bindery Tastemaker, however I actually requested this book on NetGalley prior to becoming one, and I do not believe in pulling punches for any of my reviews.
This book was phenomenal, and has some of the elements that I love the most in horror. Sometimes, the most terrifying things are when reality gets about 25% more horrific with an injection of the supernatural.
This book explores some incredible themes, including generational trauma and the shared generational trauma of black Americans, especially during the time frame of the book, the burden of womanhood, and in particular the burden borne by black women. This book had me hooked from the start. The supernatural element of the story was so intriguing, and I love this concept of the women of this world using supernatural abilities to remove the burdens from the men, but in so doing curse the town they're living in. This definitely has some Stepford Wives/Handmaid's Tale vibes to it, and the general sense of unease is present from the start. To mix supernatural horror with the true horror black Americans faced was unsettling, and the dystopian utopia of the town only added to the ambience.
I personally loved the structure as well. I thought the stories, past and present, were well timed and weaved together well, and they slowly built tension throughout to an absolutely grand climax at the end. Buffalo Hunter Hunter was my favorite book in 2025, and one of the things I loved is how it showed the promise of horror - horror is not just cheap thrills, it can teach us and inform us about the horror of our reality and our past while adding some supernatural scares to the mix. Our Sister's Keeper does this just as well, and I am walking away from this book feeling very similar to BHH. It is unsettling, it is dark, and it is beautiful and everything I love about the horror genre.
This is definitely one I will be thinking and talking about for awhile, and I will absolutely be on the lookout for more from this author.
May 15, 2026
I love love loved this book. I almost don’t want to talk about it too much because going into it blind was such a treat. These characters jumped off the page in such a beautiful way and they took us on this journey of black women’s suffering, the strength of sisterhood, and the overwhelming power of rage. The slow buildup and creeping dread of this book gave me so much anxiety. I had no idea what to expect. Easily my favorite book of 2026. Thank you NetGalley for the arc!
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.
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.
June 12, 2026
This was an absolutely incredible book. Start to finish, I couldn't put it down. Set in a small town in the 1920s in southern Mississippi, Kid and Thea move to an all Black town so that Kid can take up the position of principal at the local school. Thea being a well educated woman and successful journalist is immediately taken aback as comments continue to be thrown around about her becoming a housewife and mother and letting "those silly little notions about working go".
This story did a remarkable job with the horror elements and had a twist that I never saw coming. The plot also played around with the prevalence of christianity in the south, especially in the Black community and how some people would hide behind their "faith" to persecute others. While the religion in the book was not outright evil, neither was it an outright savior. There was so much to unpack while reading through this story.
I want to point out, I've seen a few reviews claim this book to be "christian fiction" and I am baffled at how anyone can read and comprehend this book and come to that conclusion.
I have a feeling this book will remain in my thoughts for quite some time. I will definitely be picking up more from this author.
This story did a remarkable job with the horror elements and had a twist that I never saw coming. The plot also played around with the prevalence of christianity in the south, especially in the Black community and how some people would hide behind their "faith" to persecute others. While the religion in the book was not outright evil, neither was it an outright savior. There was so much to unpack while reading through this story.
I want to point out, I've seen a few reviews claim this book to be "christian fiction" and I am baffled at how anyone can read and comprehend this book and come to that conclusion.
I have a feeling this book will remain in my thoughts for quite some time. I will definitely be picking up more from this author.
May 26, 2026
Wow. Just wow. This was a heavy and emotional one, but such an important novel. I did NOT see that reveal near the end coming, and my jaw was dropped. And it wasn’t until after I finished the last page and sat with the contents for a bit that I found myself shedding a few tears. What a powerful book!
June 10, 2026
This is a unique blend of historical fiction and Southern Gothic horror that was equal parts thought-provoking, horrifying, and frustrating.
There were a few places where the pacing felt off, but overall I found it a memorable and unsettling read. It's also one of those books that's difficult to talk about without giving too much away, so I'd highly recommend going in blind.
3.75 stars
There were a few places where the pacing felt off, but overall I found it a memorable and unsettling read. It's also one of those books that's difficult to talk about without giving too much away, so I'd highly recommend going in blind.
3.75 stars
Did Not Finish
June 14, 2026I've gotten to the 51% mark. Unfortunately I am just not invested in the story I am still confused on what is happening. Likely a case of good book, wrong person.
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