Publisher: NAL
Released: June 2, 2015
Source: Review copy from publisher
Rating: ★★★★

A dazzling debut novel about taking chances, finding hope, and learning to stand up for your dreams…

Everyone in Wheeler, New Mexico, thinks Joanna leads the perfect life: the quiet, contented housewife of a dashing deputy sheriff, raising a beautiful young daughter, Laurel. But Joanna’s reality is nothing like her facade. Behind closed doors, she lives in constant fear of her husband. She’s been trapped for so long, escape seems impossible—until a stranger offers her the help she needs to flee…

On the run, Joanna and Laurel stumble upon the small town of Morro, a charming and magical village that seems to exist out of time and place. There a farmer and his wife offer her sanctuary, and soon, between the comfort of her new home and blossoming friendships, Joanna’s soul begins to heal, easing the wounds of a decade of abuse.

But her past—and her husband—aren’t so easy to escape. Unwilling to live in fear any longer, Joanna must summon a strength she never knew she had to fight back and forge a new life for her daughter and herself…

THE HUMMINGBIRD’S CAGE wasn’t an easy book to read – stories with gawd-awful abusive husbands never are – but at the same time it pulled me in and wouldn’t let go. For Joanna to have survived so long with this a-hole is amazing. Finally, a stranger comes along and offers to help her escape, and Joanna and her young daughter end up in an idyllic town called Morro.

I can’t say much about the plot without giving away spoilers, other than Morro was a curious place, and Joanna was drawn there for a reason. While the beginning of the book was suspenseful and gut-wrenching, the pace slowed down during her time in Morro. There was much for Joanna to take in and process, but it seemed her husband’s threatening presence was always close by. I thought that the ending was great, very dramatic, and also a bit sad – though in a bittersweet way.

I enjoyed Tamara Dietrich’s engaging writing style and complex characters. Joanna’s story is a haunting one, and one that I won’t soon forget.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.