The Tortoise's Tale is one of the most profound books I have ever read, and one that will stay with me for the rest of my life. It follows the lives of various residents of a large estate through the eyes of a captivating giant tortoise. Coulter manages to cover serious topic after serious topic with grace and subtlety as everything is viewed through our tortoise's eyes. Through this story we see the absolute highs and devastating lows of humanity.

This book allows you to think for yourself, which is a wonderful departure from the overexplaining we are seeing in many modern novels. It demands your attention in the best way and is a testament to Coulter's ability to craft her story.

For possibly the first time ever, I have zero notes. I'm in love with this book and I beg everyone to please pick it up when it releases in November.

Thank you to Simon & Shuster and NetGalley for providing an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

A beautiful and majestic masterpiece about a tortoise who experiences everything you could possibly imagine within a span of 150 years.

I have sobbed way too much listening to this. @karigan thanks a lot for playing a part in DESTROYING ME BUT I LOVE YOU STILL! There aren't enough words to describe how much this book means to me. I literally updated My Taste because this book had to be in the selection. This is 6 stars. Chef's kiss to Kendra Coulter. This book was so fucking good. I am still crying.

There is something magical in the concept of time. The time to love; to learn; to grow; to change. To feel unabashed, unfiltered joy and excitement, to experience something so irrevocably grand and communal. To know loss and hurt in its undefinable way. To wish for more, to wish to change it, to wish to go back.

The Tortoise's Tale reminds us that time, our time, is simultaneously infinite and limited. That there can be magic in knowing all things end, and yet who we are and the choices we make live on.

I'm quite astounded with what Kendra Coulter is able to give us in such a story. There is a lot of heart in this fictional tortoise, in such a way, you can't help but love and adore and wish to meet her. Experiencing her journey, her many lifetimes wrapped in one, is something that sits with you. Makes you reflect on how connected we all are; that time can change so much or so little, but it's hard to see in the moment. That so much of our time is spent one eye on the future, another in the past, we forget how important living in our present connects both.

Magic, the tortoise, is such a delightful narrator, and Coulter's writing immediately encaptures her mind, her personality, her humor. There's not a single moment I didn't believe Magic wouldn't think that, or say that—no, of course, the tortoise likes jazz music, this is common sense—which helps the immersion into the story. Character development is so essential and Coulter brings Magic to life, in a way that the reader is experiencing everything through her, with her, it becomes so real and tangible that moments don't feel fictional. A reminder that there is truth in fiction. Even from a tortoise.

This is a century-told story, and in the many lives Magic journeys through, our expansive, generational cast of characters feel at home. They are as developed as we see through Magic, and that's part of the heart of the story—we don't always get to see the full story, yet the time we spend with them as Magic is heartfelt and intentional. Joyful and painful. Real.

The life of a tortoise is a long one. Something I deeply respect, am grateful to experience, and slightly glad not to have. All the more appreciative of the time I do.

many thanks to my friend @karigan for this recommendation 💖

The best way I can describe this book is it was the book equivalent of a "this is what an intersectional feminist looks like" t-shirt. It felt like it was trying too hard to show you that it is "woke" instead of letting the writing speak for itself. And ultimately that kind of showy in your face writing style felt flat to me.

there were some really excellent moments in this book that had me hooked. I loved the glimpses into Audre and Eva's relationship and the epilogue was actually my favorite part (if only that was more of the plot of the book?!) Unfortunately, it never felt like Williams could maintain that level of quality consistently throughout. And it seemed like we were trying too hard to write a book that fit the concept of "seven days in june" - so the pacing felt strange and there were some moments of emotional intensity that didn't feel earned.

I also did not like Shane as a love interest so that kind of ruined the romance for me. His "character development" did not make him any less of a selfish person (in my opinion) and I had some serious questions/doubts about the way that he was "redeeming" himself.

Seven Days In June is a complex story about love, accepting the past, and turning your life around for the better. By the time this book starts, our main characters have already hit their rock bottoms and have spent years redefining themselves. Not a usual starting point, but it was a fresh perspective for a book.

The main characters, Eva and Shane, are realistic enough. They are both incredibly toxic as teenagers and still hold some of that toxicity 15 years later when they reconnect. Their conflict feels real and I appreciate the fact that they were not perfect for the sake of a good story.

However, the character growth was awful. Both characters acted one way throughout the entire book until the last chapter when they decide they’re changed people. That’s not how growth works.

The third act conflict was so forced and resolved in a terrible manner. It felt rushed compared to the rest of the book. Not to mention the fact that the epilogue is not an epilogue at all - it’s just a final chapter.

I also feel it’s important to note that there are scenes that include graphic descriptions of both substance abuse and self harm with zero warning.

Ultimately, this book fell pretty flat for me. I was really enjoying it until the last quarter. It’s still worth the read in my opinion, but it’s not something I will be returning to.