Family values hold strong despite loss and grief
What happens when you throw three family members together after a heartbreaking loss? Sharina Harris’s new women’s fiction novel, Judge’s Girls, explores the answer to that question. This October 27th release deals with heartbreak, family drama, and how each person grieves differently.
I really enjoyed this story about these different women who are actually more similar than it initially seems. I loved the alternating POVs and how we got to see three different women at three different stages in their lives cope with the loss of a man that was so important to them. I don’t think this novel would have worked if each of Judge’s girls didn’t get a point of view and Harris did a great job of shifting from a teen’s mind to a young adult’s mind to an adult’s mind. Some portions felt a bit rushed, but the chapters were broken up with days and times so that helped keep track of what was going on.
There are heavy topics like alcoholism, grief, and loss; however, this novel shows that no matter what hardships come your way, you can always find a way to move forward. There are also mentions of racism and racial bias, which was really insightful given that this novel focuses on a blended family with different ethnicities. But this book also shows how speaking your truth is imperative to living your life to the fullest and finding people that you can call family.
Overall, if you’re looking for a book that has humor, love, heartbreak, and family values, then this is definitely the book for you! I will definitely be keeping Sharina Harris on my radar and can't wait to see what other books she will write next!
*I received an ARC from Kensington Books via Bookish First in exchange for my honest opinion.
I really enjoyed this story about these different women who are actually more similar than it initially seems. I loved the alternating POVs and how we got to see three different women at three different stages in their lives cope with the loss of a man that was so important to them. I don’t think this novel would have worked if each of Judge’s girls didn’t get a point of view and Harris did a great job of shifting from a teen’s mind to a young adult’s mind to an adult’s mind. Some portions felt a bit rushed, but the chapters were broken up with days and times so that helped keep track of what was going on.
There are heavy topics like alcoholism, grief, and loss; however, this novel shows that no matter what hardships come your way, you can always find a way to move forward. There are also mentions of racism and racial bias, which was really insightful given that this novel focuses on a blended family with different ethnicities. But this book also shows how speaking your truth is imperative to living your life to the fullest and finding people that you can call family.
Overall, if you’re looking for a book that has humor, love, heartbreak, and family values, then this is definitely the book for you! I will definitely be keeping Sharina Harris on my radar and can't wait to see what other books she will write next!
*I received an ARC from Kensington Books via Bookish First in exchange for my honest opinion.