"A fully immersive, intricately crafted story inspired by the pages of history. In Pheby, Sadeqa Johnson has created a woman whose struggle to survive and to protect the ones she loves will have readers turning the pages as fast as their fingers can fly. Simply enthralling."–
Lisa Wingate, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author of Before We Were Yours and The Book of Lost Friends. "Seldom do I get to enjoy a novel so wholly engrossing, so exquisitely researched, so timely. Sadeqa Johnson has brought a fresh telling to a story we think we already know, making it beautifully relatable and human. Riveting and suspenseful, I highly recommend this novel."-
-Kathleen Grissom New York Times Bestselling author of Glory Over Everything and The Kitchen House "Johnson is unsparing in her depiction of the physical, psychological, and spiritual damages wrought by slavery and realistic in her portrayal of the heroism of Pheby and others in resisting it – they cannot change the world, but they do what they can, and sometimes that's extraordinary... [an] ultimately moving story anchored by a complex narrator." –
Kirkus, Starred Review "This well-researched and intensely moving [novel]...is perfect for fans of historical fiction with strong female characters such as
The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom and
Wench by Dolen Perkins-Valdez. Book clubs looking for #OwnVoices authors will be powerfully impressed by this story of a lesser-known aspect of the history of slavery in the American South." –
Library Journal,
Starred Review "A challenging read but beautifully told...
Yellow Wife doesn't pull any punches in telling its story about this painful period in American history. However, with a central character who is more than up to the task, this thought-provoking, well-paced tale brims with heart and intelligence."–
NPR "Johnson achieves a powerful, unflinching account of determination in the face of oppression."–
Publishers Weekly "[A]n absorbing story. A deeply researched and truly transfixing narrative told with heart, soul and skill – one that will no doubt grip the reader as much as it did the author."–
Toronto Star "As Americans continue to deal with issues of race today, "Yellow Wife" is the perfect book to help the country see, in part, how it got here."
–Christian Science Monitor
