i read the familiars by stacey halls last year, picked up purely because of the cover and i loved it. but i genuinely think i enjoyed the foundling more so! 

both books have the common theme of motherhood with complex female characters at the forefront

i was completely gripped by this book, stacey manages to write in a way that is easy to consume and so tense. every time i had to put it down, i couldnt wait to pick up where i left off

i really enjoyed the way the story panned out, there was a point towards the end where i couldn't see a happy ending for all involved - of course, i was wrong 

the two perspectives really worked, and it helped to fully flesh out both alexandra's and bess' characters/back story 

the male characters in the familiars were all so hateable, but i liked the male characters in this book (with one main exception). doctor mead and lyle were just chef's kiss in my opinion!

thoroughly enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend! 

I'm a sucker for historical fiction and wanted something to read whilst enjoying the surprisingly nice weather outside. This book fitted that perfectly. 

I really loved the character of Bess, she might just be one of my favourite protagonists I've read in a while. Her relationship with Charlotte/Clara throughout the story was so tender and, at times, heartbreaking, and overall very well written. I also thought Alexandra was a well thought out character, although it took me a lot longer to like her (although I'm guessing that's supposed to be the case with her!). However, it was when she talks about grief, specifically pertaining to women's grief, towards the end (I can't remember the exact quote but I'll edit it in later), that I immediately liked her better. She's still very flawed but it definitely warmed me up to her a little. 

Speaking of that quote, it was absolutely gorgeous. You could feel Alexandra's anger at the injustice she and other women face radiating off the page. It's one of the quotes I wanted to scribble down immediately after writing it. 

I did think the ending perhaps wrapped things up a bit too quickly and neatly but I'm a sucker for a happy ending so I'm just glad everyone ended up okay.