Shellybanks follows the events of Pheasants Nest, and yes, you do need to read Pheasants Nest first. The entire plot of the first book is spelled out early in Shellybanks. Kate is taking some time to recover from her ordeal, when her aunt Dolores reaches out to ask for help. The book starts out recounting Kate's travels and trauma. Then we go back to Dolores' past for a good chunk of the book. This book is sold as a mystery/thriller, but it really is not. The mystery element doesn't get going until 2/3 of the way through. Even then, we know what happened, the characters are just trying to work it out. I guess this is supposed to be a character driven drama, but it just didn't pull it off. The emotions in this book don't ring true. They say out loud how they feel in clunky dialogue, instead of feeling them. It wasn't an unpleasant read, I had no problems getting through to the end, but it didn't wow me.

This is a beautiful and magical collection of stories. The stories are about women. A woman who can't leave and a woman who can't stay. A woman made of feathers and a woman made of flowers. Women alone, with men, and finding each other. Women trodden down and women fighting back. These stories have exquisite writing and stunning imagery. Some stories are set in our world, with a speculative element. Some are set in purely fantastic worlds. They are fairy tales, poems, and thought provoking short stories. I loved it.

Set over many decades of the 20th century, this is the story of South Korea through the eyes of two people. The writing is beautiful. But I found the middle a bit slow and the last third was a bit jumpy. I liked it but I didn't love it.

A fascinating read. Details the history of witch trials and executions, particularly in Scotland. A good mix of individual stories and broader themes. This book seems very relevant to today as the patriarchy grows in power. Literal witch trials don't seem too far off.