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ieemee's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Themes:
Motherhood, Abandonment, love, found family, transformation
BIO:
In the small college town of Troy, Alabama, amidst the backdrop of 1967, Katia Daniels lives a life steeped in responsibility. At the Pike County Group Home for African American Boys, she pours her heart into nurturing the young lives under her care, harboring a longing for children of her own. Set in a society where due to race and gender she has less power & options.
Love this 💕:
💕 Perspective of a Group home carer
💕 Medical Representation
💕Discussions around womanhood & motherhood
💕disability rep in love interests
💕 Ending
I loved Has a happily ever after- Romance ending
Not my cuppa tea ☕️:
☕️ only negative perspective on birth parents
Ideal Reader:
✨Fans of stories with complex mother & child relationships
✨Fans of books that deal with complex themes
✨Fans of historical fiction from BIPOC perspectives
Thanks to NetGalley , Harper Collins & author Angela Jackson-Brown for an ARC Copy of this Books in exchange for a fair and honest review
Motherhood, Abandonment, love, found family, transformation
BIO:
In the small college town of Troy, Alabama, amidst the backdrop of 1967, Katia Daniels lives a life steeped in responsibility. At the Pike County Group Home for African American Boys, she pours her heart into nurturing the young lives under her care, harboring a longing for children of her own. Set in a society where due to race and gender she has less power & options.
Love this 💕:
💕 Perspective of a Group home carer
💕 Medical Representation
💕Discussions around womanhood & motherhood
💕disability rep in love interests
💕 Ending
Not my cuppa tea ☕️:
☕️ only negative perspective on birth parents
Ideal Reader:
✨Fans of stories with complex mother & child relationships
✨Fans of books that deal with complex themes
✨Fans of historical fiction from BIPOC perspectives
Thanks to NetGalley , Harper Collins & author Angela Jackson-Brown for an ARC Copy of this Books in exchange for a fair and honest review
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Kidnapping, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Drug use and Sexual assault
amandas_bookshelf's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Gun violence, Infertility, Racism, and Grief
Moderate: Death, Abandonment, and War
Minor: Child abuse, Pedophilia, and Rape
misscnelly's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Mental illness, Kidnapping, and War
literapy_nyc's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Angela Jackson-Brown's Untethered is a powerful historical fiction novel set in 1967 Alabama. Katia Daniels, a Black social worker, balances caregiving at a group home for Black boys with the weight of personal loss and unfulfilled dreams. The novel explores the emotional toll of being a protector while facing personal grief and societal challenges. Katia's fierce care for the boys she protects sometimes comes at a steep personal cost. Jackson-Brown's detailed research on child protective services and the Vietnam War brings depth to the story. Katia's grief over losing her father, a missing twin brother in Vietnam, and dreams of motherhood bring layers of emotion to the story. Her moments of comfort—romance novels and Nina Simone's music—offer glimpses of tenderness amid hardship. The relationship with her mother, marked by shared grief, is beautifully portrayed. I love how relationship-centered this novel is! The boys in Katia's care feel just as real and precious as Katia herself.
The author thoughtfully explores difficult themes like sexual abuse, addiction, gun violence, and death. Healing is shown as ongoing and complex, rather than neatly resolved.
I found myself rooting for Katia's happiness, even as it unfolded in unexpected ways. Untethered is a moving testament to the strength and emotional depth of Black women. It honors the complexities of caregiving in our families and communities. Jackson-Brown allows Katia to be vulnerable without making her a martyr. As a therapist, I appreciated how the novel captures emotional strength and personal growth through challenges beyond our control.
This compassionate, thoughtful read lingers long after the final page. Highly recommended for those who value stories of healing, strength, and love.
The author thoughtfully explores difficult themes like sexual abuse, addiction, gun violence, and death. Healing is shown as ongoing and complex, rather than neatly resolved.
I found myself rooting for Katia's happiness, even as it unfolded in unexpected ways. Untethered is a moving testament to the strength and emotional depth of Black women. It honors the complexities of caregiving in our families and communities. Jackson-Brown allows Katia to be vulnerable without making her a martyr. As a therapist, I appreciated how the novel captures emotional strength and personal growth through challenges beyond our control.
This compassionate, thoughtful read lingers long after the final page. Highly recommended for those who value stories of healing, strength, and love.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, and Death
blessedroyaltee's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infertility, Grief, and Abandonment
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Drug abuse, Death of parent, and War
Minor: Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Violence, Suicide attempt, and Pregnancy
This was a tough one. It was a great book, but it had me in tears and at some points I wasn’t sure I’d be able to finish but so glad I did.tianas_littalk's review
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Pedophilia, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
Minor: Miscarriage, Sexual assault, and Pregnancy
brin3543's review
emotional
sad
slow-paced
4.75
A heartbreaking story about family, love and self discovery set in Alabama during 1967 and the height of the Vietnam War.
Kate serves as the director at the Pike County Group Home for Negro Boys when she learns her twin brother are MIA. As she grapples with the uncertainty of her brother's safety, she also struggles to care for and protect the boys in her care, especially Chad and Pewee.
My heart broke often while reading this novel but I think this is a powerful and moving reminder of the power of love and community.
Trigger Warnings: racism, child abuse, death, grief and loss, PTSD
Thank you Harper Muse for the ARC
Kate serves as the director at the Pike County Group Home for Negro Boys when she learns her twin brother are MIA. As she grapples with the uncertainty of her brother's safety, she also struggles to care for and protect the boys in her care, especially Chad and Pewee.
My heart broke often while reading this novel but I think this is a powerful and moving reminder of the power of love and community.
Trigger Warnings: racism, child abuse, death, grief and loss, PTSD
Thank you Harper Muse for the ARC
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Racism
ki_thebookie's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Great read and very inspiring for those working in human services field
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Infertility, and Kidnapping