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Caul Baby
Caul Baby: A Novel | Morgan Jerkins
7 posts | 8 read | 9 to read
New York Times bestselling author Morgan Jerkins makes her fiction debut with this electrifying novel, for fans of Ta-Nehisi Coates and Jacqueline Woodson, that brings to life one powerful and enigmatic family in a tale rife with secrets, betrayal, intrigue, and magic. Laila desperately wants to become a mother, but each of her previous pregnancies has ended in heartbreak. This time has to be different, so she turns to the Melancons, an old and powerful Harlem family known for their caul, a precious layer of skin that is the secret source of their healing power. When a deal for Laila to acquire a piece of caul falls through, she is heartbroken, but when the child is stillborn, she is overcome with grief and rage. What she doesnt know is that a baby will soon be delivered in her familyby her niece, Amara, an ambitious college studentand delivered to the Melancons to raise as one of their own. Hallow is special: shes born with a caul, and their matriarch, Maman, predicts the girl will restore the familys prosperity. Growing up, Hallow feels that something in her life is not right. Did Josephine, the woman she calls mother, really bring her into the world? Why does her cousin Helena get to go to school and roam the streets of New York freely while shes confined to the familys decrepit brownstone? As the Melancons thirst to maintain their status grows, Amara, now a successful lawyer running for district attorney, looks for a way to avenge her longstanding grudge against the family. When mother and daughter cross paths, Hallow will be forced to decide where she truly belongs. Engrossing, unique, and page-turning, Caul Baby illuminates the search for familial connection, the enduring power of tradition, and the dark corners of the human heart.
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Jen2
Caul Baby: A Novel | Morgan Jerkins
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Pickpick

Fabulous audiobook

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FelinesAndFelonies
Caul Baby: A Novel | Morgan Jerkins
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Pickpick

I'm not usually a fan of magical realism type books. But I really enjoyed & appreciated this one. A masterful job of imbedding the magical elements into the story without taking away from characters or their struggles. A woman who wants to become a mother desperately crosses paths with a powerful & wealthy family known for their magical cauls which are rumored to have protective qualities. A story of family, tradition, & community. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

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ManyWordsLater
Caul Baby: A Novel | Morgan Jerkins
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Current read.

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Addison_Reads
Caul Baby: A Novel | Morgan Jerkins
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Mehso-so

I had high hopes for this one, but it just didn't work for me. Morgan Jenkins had such a great idea and her writing on various aspects of motherhood was beautiful. My disappointment came from wanting more development of the characters and the meaning behind why the caul had special powers.

Still love this cover though. 💚

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britt_brooke
Caul Baby: A Novel | Morgan Jerkins
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Panpan

⭐️⭐️ Fascinating premise with lackluster execution. Needs heavy editing. There‘s far too much mundane dialogue and not enough depth. I wanted more of the “caul” magic and lore, more of the racial implications and motivations. Instead, every facet is utterly flat.

Beautiful cover, though! 😅 #coverlove

Tamra That is a great cover, agreed! Too bad the content didn‘t live up to it. 4y
Cinfhen That‘s a shame😔I will admit the premise didn‘t really grab me. So now I feel I can easily let this one go😆 4y
britt_brooke @Cinfhen I grabbed this after hearing about it on All the Books, but it‘s def not one I‘d normally gravitate toward. 3y
78 likes3 comments
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TracyReadsBooks
Caul Baby: A Novel | Morgan Jerkins
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Mehso-so

Spectacular cover, right?!? The story itself is interesting if not fully realized. A young woman who longs to be a mother seeks help from a powerful family in Harlem, a family known for its healing power. Their refusal to help sets off a chain of events with consequences for more than one generation. The strength of the story is its examination of motherhood, tradition, & community & its cast of strong female characters. Story itself is just ok.

Nute I didn‘t know that Morgan Jenkins is writing fiction now. This is the first time, right? 4y
TracyReadsBooks @Nute Yes, this is her fiction debut. There was a lot I liked about it. I would definitely read more by her. 4y
22 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Megabooks
Caul Baby: A Novel | Morgan Jerkins
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My library picked up these two recent releases (at least partly because of) my request, and I was the first to get both! Very excited to do some listening after I finish up the two I‘m reading now.

Tagged book: so excited to see what Morgan does with fiction because I have LOVED her nonfiction!!

I think I‘ll like Opal & Nev better as an audiobook since it‘s a full cast. Always something exciting going on at the library! 👍🏻🎧

Cinfhen So JELLY of your awesome library ❣️❣️❣️❣️❣️❣️enjoy👍🏽I bet Opal & Nev will be great on audio 4y
Flaneurette Since 2018 I have requested 50 titles and my amazing library has bought every single one! The nearest branch is an hour away so I get ebooks/audio. So grateful for Hennepin county library (Twin Cities Minnesota) they‘re the best! 4y
Megabooks @Cinfhen thanks! I‘m excited. It seems to have some fantastic narrators! 4y
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Megabooks @Flaneurette that‘s awesome!!! I‘m terrible about keeping track of what I request, but I know I‘ve gotten most of them. 4y
Cinfhen I just got a notification that your tagged book is available on #Scribd 💕awaiting your review 😊 4y
Megabooks I‘m in the middle of two audiobooks now, but after that I‘ll start these @Cinfhen (edited) 4y
104 likes1 stack add6 comments