September 2026

I had enjoyed THE BERRY PICKERS, so I was looking forward to THE BIRTHING TREE. Once again, Amanda Peters brings us to the Mi’kmaq community in Nova Scotia. 

Aliet Paul was born under a tree in a small Nova Scotia town, delivered by her grandmother, Kiju. Her mother died during childbirth, and her father remains unknown except to a select few. She was raised by Kiju, who, in addition to being a midwife, knew of the use of herbs to heal various ailments. One family that came each year had a boy named John, who was a friend to Aliet and then much more. She wrote him letters when he returned home, and there was a real bond between them. Reading about young love can be such fun as we remember waiting for the mail when life was a lot less immediate than it is today.

Aliet goes on to become a nurse and moves away from her small-town life. She is summoned home when her grandmother dies. Arriving back there, she sees that the town has changed a lot. The house has slipped into disrepair, and the indigenous culture and its ways are being abandoned. Aliet is at sixes and sevens trying to figure out where her life is now. Should she return to her job or remain where her roots are? The tree under which she was born is no longer seen as a special place, and the desire to note it as a sacred site is not something that is embraced. 

Again and again, Aliet questions who she is. The pieces then slide into place, and Aliet comes to see who she is and what she is meant to do. 

Note that there is one line that will tie this title to THE BERRY PICKERS. I was smiling when I saw it! And there is a beautiful indigenous custom that happens with the birth of a baby that I would love to see others embrace. 

THE BIRTHING TREE would be great for book groups to discuss, just as THE BERRY PICKERS was. I love it when a sophomore novel does not disappoint. In between these two books, Amanda released a short story collection, WAITING FOR THE LONG NIGHT MOON. I talked to Amanda, and we explored how she came to write this latest book, as well as her deep connection to trees, the land and her heritage. The interview will be up on Tuesday!