The Weight of Blood by Laura McHugh

What is it about?

The Dane family's roots tangle deep in the Ozark Mountain town of Henbane, but that doesn't keep sixteen-year-old Lucy Dane from being treated like an outsider. Folks still whisper about her mother, a bewitching young stranger who inspired local myths when she vanished years ago. When one of Lucy's few friends, slow-minded Cheri, is found murdered, Lucy feels haunted by the two lost girls-the mother she never knew and the friend she couldn't protect. Everything changes when Lucy stumbles across Cheri's necklace in an abandoned trailer and finds herself drawn into a search for answers. What Lucy discovers makes it impossible to ignore the suspicion cast on her own kin. More alarming, she suspects Cheri's death could be linked to her mother's disappearance, and the connection between the two puts Lucy at risk of losing everything. In a place where the bonds of blood weigh heavy, Lucy must decide where her allegiances lie.

My Thoughts...

I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars.

I was pulled into this book right from the very first sentence. I loved the characters, especially Birdie and Lucy. They were very well developed and all had personalities all their own. For the most part, it is easy to find people in your real life that are somewhat like the characters in this book, especially if you live in a small town.

The author was able to create the feeling of a small isolated town- the suffocation along with deep need to take care of your own. The title fit the story nicely, in fact, I think this is the first time I read a book that the title described so perfectly. The entire story can be summed up with the title.

The story flowed along nicely, there was never a dull moment. I liked the topics covered in this book, but I can't talk about them without giving the entire story line away. Let's just say it is a topic that needs attention brought to it and I'm glad the author has done it.

Mothers Who Murder by Xanthe Mallett

What is it about?

All of these women are notorious, but are all of them deadly?Child murder: A social taboo and one of the most abhorrent acts most of us can imagine. Meet the women found guilty of murdering their own children. They represent some of the most hated women in Australia. The infamous list includes psychologically damaged, sometimes deranged, women on the edge. But, as we will see, accused doesn't always mean guilty. Among the cases covered is that of Kathleen Folbigg, accused and found guilty of killing four of her children, even with a lack of any forensic evidence proving her guilt; Rachel Pfitzner, who strangled her 2-year-old son and dumped his body in a duck pond; as well as Keli Lane, found guilty of child murder though no body has ever been found.Dr Mallett goes back to the beginning of each case; death's ground zero. That might be the accused's childhood, were they abused? Or was their motivation greed, or fear of losing a partner? Were they just simply evil? Or did the media paint them as such, against the evidence and leading to a travesty of justice.Each case will be re-opened, the alternative suspects assessed, the possible motives reviewed. Informed by her background as a forensic scientist, Xanthe offers insight into aspects of the cases that may not have been explored previously. Taking you on her journey through the facts, and reaching her own conclusion as to whether she believe the evidence points to the women's guilt.Hear their stories.

My Thoughts....

I gave this book 3 out of five stars.

This book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

I found the subject of this book fascinating. Each chapter covered a different criminal case involving the death of a child or children allegedly by the hand of their mother. The author discusses each case, presents facts, trail transcripts and medical reports. She provides alternate theories and lots of background information regarding the child and the parents. There is a lot of discussion around medical issues. I found the author to be very thorough in her writing. At times it was quite repetitive. However, it was very interesting despite being horribly sad.