I was invited to review this novel as I had read, enjoyed, and reviewed the Moon is Missing, so was looking forward to doing the same for this novel.

Call my Name is an epic novel following the lives of two friends Olivia and Cassandra. Yet this is not a rosy story of two friends facing the world. Call My Name takes in some hard-hitting challenges, and I am not going to lie there were times that I really do not know how Olivia tolerated Cassandra. For me Olivia must have been a saint as I do not think I could have forgiven her. In fact, sometimes for me Cassandra seemed to be so toxic I am not sure I could have been under her roof, never mind in the same room as her.

This makes Call my Name more enjoyable though – the characters are not saints. Olivia does find Cassandra hard to forgive, but somehow manages to move on from what I consider to be the damage she causes. And in this Olivia is a better person than me.

For me I would have liked to have heard more of the Olivia’s back story – her growing up in New Zealand, and both Olivia and Cassandra’s mother’s stories. They deserve a novel in themselves.

Apart from this Call My Name is an enjoyable read, and one that I devoured almost in one sitting.

Olivia is 13 when her mother dies of a drug overdose, leading to Olivia moving in with an old friend of her mom, Cathie Tulloch, Cathie’s husband, and Cathie’s kids Cassandra and David. Olivia will find in the Tulloch’s a family she couldn’t ever have imagined and a best friend sisterhood with Cassandra that lasts them through adulthood and many challenges.

When tragedy strikes, Olivia and Cassandra aren’t sure if they can ever repair their bond.

Through their life stories, we are also confronted with many true social issues and conflict - war, post traumatic stress syndrome, abortion, adoption, family dynamics…

I’m still reeling over how the very end played out! I don’t want to say more in case of spoilers…

Thank you to @netgalley for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.

#netgalley #netgallyreviewer #netgalleyreader #netgalleyarc #fiction #booklover #bookreviews #whatimreading #whatiread #bookish #bookstagram #bookworm #booknerd #bookaddict #bibliophile #bookgram #bookstagrammer #instabooks #bookreviewer #takealookitsinabook
#jenniogden #callmyname

Jenni Ogden's done it again -- given us a beautifully crafted novel filled with the complexities, mysteries and joys of human connection within a family and between sisters, lovers and friends. At the heart of the story are Olivia and Cassandra, thrown together when Olivia's mother dies and she's sent to live with a family she never knew but that warmly embraces her arrival. Opposites in character and action, the two women develop a sisterly bond that is challenged and strengthened over the decades by their differences, their heartaches and celebrations. Each faces the constraints on women's lives in the 1970s and '80s in unique ways, and provides a worthwhile lesson in how society's beliefs and norms affect each woman's life path. Filled with authenticity, compassion and grace, Call My Name will find its way deep into your heart and soul, and stay with you long after the last page has been turned.

Based in Australia (a place I have always wanted to travel to), this is a story that talks a lot about adoption, their foster families, friendships among other topics. I loved the whole Australian story and it hooked me from the very beginning. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my honest review.

A story that posed so many questions of my own feelings regarding the issues raised. Families, single parents, fostering, adoption, friendships, abortion, miscarriage, euthanasia, past experiences. It was a roller coaster of a ride through the emotions of the characters as well as my own. I was drawn into the story early on and hooked to the very end.. I highly recommend this book.

This beautifully written book almost reads like a feminist version of Forrest Gump-- in its sweeping review of reproductive rights and the injustices against women, children and families. The book is written in the first person from protagonist, Olivia, who leads a life full of one tragic event after another and surrounds herself with rich characters while she herself remains rather emotionally flat.

I wanted to love this book. The author paints a magnificent tableau of life in Australia and chronicles life from 1960-something to the end of the 20th Century. Each topic touched on in this book could be a novel all its own: from war crimes to rape, abortion to adoption, to grief and death, and complex issues like surrogacy.

And the many twists and turns got a little too much. For me. It pulled me out of the story to see that nothing ever went right for these people.

And then when the end included a segment hinting at human euthanasia and the right-to-die, I didn't know whether to consider this a kitchen sink novel where the author who keep throwing every issue she thought of into the mix OR whether it was an attempt to be brilliant and cover everything birth to death.

And I feel cheated that none of the characters mentioned in the novel ever include us learning about the protagonist's father.

This was one of the most bizarre novels I have read. And I have read Kurt Vonnegut.

Call My Name by Jenni Ogden was one rollercoaster of a ride. There was a lot of heartbreak with Olivia and Cassandra, and there were moments when I almost felt overwhelmed by it. I also at times felt frustrated with Olivia, but then in thinking about it, realized I would likely feel the same way that she did, although I wouldn't be proud of it! Jenni Ogden did a good job of setting the scene in Australia, a place I would love to go.

I liked the theme of family being something we can create rather than what we are born into.. this is very true!

There were some disturbing sections regarding the atrocities of war that weren't easy to read, but they are fairly brief.

Overall I enjoyed this read. There were a few moments when I was like "oh, c'mon!"- sort of the same way I felt reading a book like Angela's Ashes, when bad things just kept happening, but love and redemption can surely win!

Thank you to Netgalley and Sea Dragon Press for a galley edition of this book in exchange for an honest review!

A couple of summers ago I read and loved The Moon is Missing by Jenni Ogden so when I saw she had another book on NetGalley I jumped at the chance to read it. \this book was heartbreaking and joyful in equal measure, much like real life. It begs the question, what does it mean to be a mother? But it also asks what makes a family? The story asks many pertinent and timely questions about abortion, adoption/surrogacy, and mental health. There was a lot to take on in this book as it spans thirty years or more but as usual Jenni Ogden's writing is emotive and she tells this story beautifully.

As long as this story was I was swept away in its telling and managed to read it in a couple of sittings. I loved the location of Australia and felt like I had visited there. The descriptions of the beaches, the sand, and the flora & fauna were absolutely lovely. Being on Olivia's journey to find a family and a place to call home. This was such a joy to read for many reasons but what I liked most was the fact that it is simply a story about life and love including all the good, the bad, and messy in-between.

I would highly recommend this book to… anyone and everyone! This book will stay with you long after you've finished it, and in the most fabulous way!

This was such a good read and will definitely be one Ithink about for a long time. I couldn't put it down it was powerful and emotive.