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The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls  By  cover art

The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls

By: Anissa Gray
Narrated by: January LaVoy, Adenrele Ojo, Bahni Turpin, Dominic Hoffman
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Publisher's summary

“If you enjoyed An American Marriage by Tayari Jones, read The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls...an absorbing commentary on love, family, and forgiveness.” (The Washington Post)

“A fast-paced, intriguing story...the novel’s real achievement is its uncommon perceptiveness on the origins and variations of addiction.” (The New York Times Book Review)

One of the most anticipated reads of 2019 from Vogue, Vanity Fair, Washington Post, Buzzfeed, Essence, Bustle, HelloGiggles, and Cosmo!

The Mothers meets An American Marriage” (HelloGiggles) in this dazzling debut novel about mothers and daughters, identity and family, and how the relationships that sustain you can also be the ones that consume you.

The Butler family has had their share of trials - as sisters Althea, Viola, and Lillian can attest - but nothing prepared them for the literal trial that will upend their lives. Althea, the eldest sister and substitute matriarch, is a force to be reckoned with, and her younger sisters have alternately appreciated and chafed at her strong will. They are as stunned as the rest of the small community when she and her husband, Proctor, are arrested, and in a heartbeat, the family goes from one of the most respected in town to utter disgrace. The worst part is, not even her sisters are sure exactly what happened.

As Althea awaits her fate, Lillian and Viola must come together in the house they grew up in to care for their sister’s teenage daughters. What unfolds is a stunning portrait of the heart and core of an American family in a story that is as pause-resisting as it is important.

Cast of Narrators:

January LaVoy as Viola

Adenrele Ojo as Althea

Bahni Turpin as Lillian

Dominic Hoffman as Proctor

©2019 Anissa Gray (P)2019 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

An Indie Next, Library Reads, Barnes & Noble Discover, and Marie Claire’s #ReadwithMC March Book Club Pick!

"The inequities of the justice system, the fortitude of women of color, and the bittersweet struggle to connect are rendered ravishly in this bighearted novel." (Oprah Magazine)

"Gray's nuanced, lyrical debut is a moving examination of the ties that bind and - nearly as often - bless." (People)

“[An] intimate family saga sure to appeal to fans of Tayari Jones and Celeste Ng.” (Entertainment Weekly)

What listeners say about The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls

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    4 out of 5 stars

Slow, but worth finishing

It was a little slow, but interesting enough that I wanted to finish the book.

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1 person found this helpful

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Great story, wonderful narration!

Ignore any nay sayers, this is a great story of how families can be broken but heal.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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review

The story was hard to understand from the beginning I almost stopped it. in the middle I was able to see it was about abuse passed from Parents and the cycle of abuse manifested in all of them in some form.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Great book!!!

I loved this book! I felt every emotion there is while listening.
And then January LaVoy AND Bahni Turpin narrating!!??? I was in heaven!

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  • Overall
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Haunting

Beautiful , haunting story of life and recovery. Surviving what has been done to us and finally breaking free and living.

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  • Overall
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Family consequences

What happens when the lives of those around you have to suffer through your life choices.

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Loved it!

Writing and narration were very good. Leaves you wanting more. I will look for more by this author. Excellent.

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Loved It!

The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls is an absorbing and compassionate account of a family deep in crisis. It's beautifully written, rich with emotional insight, and has characters so engaging and fully developed that they all but walk off the page. The narration is superb. I couldn't stop listening and didn't want it to end. This is one of the best books I've ever "read".

Highly recommend.

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Enjoyed the book

The story was realistic sad and happiness was a part of the lives of my sisters. Life is interesting.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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Struggled to get past Setup

The set up for the story took too long. This was a struggle to finish.

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