The Last Carolina Girl: A Novel

Put this book immediately on your to be read list! I found myself caring deeply for the main character, Leah, in this beautifully told story. Leah is an ordinary girl who faces extraordinary tragedy and pain in her short life, but somehow finds the courage to fight for the hope that she can find love and a home. You will feel all the feels as you read this book. You will root for her, cry for her, love her, cheer for her. Leah’s story will definitely stick with me for a very long time.

I couldn’t put down this brilliant piece of southern literature. Meagan Church’s storytelling breathed life into Leah Payne with atmospheric beauty. The rhythm of the rich interiority immediately connected me with the main character. My heart ached throughout her hardships with the brilliant way the author wove this story. The twists had me both surprised and anxious to finish to the very end. This is one of those books where I wish I could erase my memory of it only to experience the magic of it for the first time all over again.

This book is astonishingly beautiful. It sweeps you up with gorgeous descriptions and a main character you want to cherish and love. While the entire world seems to be beating her down. Leah has had pain in her life since her first breath was taken. Her mom passing away during childbirth. Her father is a gentle giant who works as a lumberjack. Their life is simple, but Leah knows love. During a horrific ice storm her father is torn away from her, leaving her on her own as an orphan at the tender age of 14. She knows she belongs in their tiny home. The state has other ideas for her. Sending her away into the unknow, Leah hopes another family will be waiting for her to bring her a bit of happiness. Instead, she is a helpmate, sleeping in a tiny room off the porch. The mother is hiding her own secrets and is determined to make Leah's life miserable. As Leah feels a storm churning, she has no idea what awaits her.

This book had me sobbing as I read about Leah and her sheer determination to make it back to her home and to the family, she calls her own. I wanted to take Leah in and take care of her. I am dismayed at how horrible a young child was treated because her parents were taken too soon. This book brings to light our dark history of eugenics, that touched so many young women. Meagan Church does an astounding job bringing this story to life, the descriptions, and details will touch your heart.

Master storyteller Meagan Church will blow you away with her highly impressive emotional, and compelling debut, THE LAST CAROLINA GIRL —a young girl caught in a tale of dark family secrets and Eugenics—forced to fight for survival, herself, her body, and her future. Southern fiction at its finest!

I loved this book!

At the heart of this novel is a shattering loss that irrevocably changes the lives of many young women. The author expertly unveils the truths and lies that drive this gripping, powerful tale of a dark part of our history.

Set in 1935 in Holden Beach, NC, we meet Leah Payne (age fourteen years old) who lives with her lumberjack father, Harley Payne—he calls her Mouse. She is a smart, vibrant, carefree teen who loves life. Her mom died when she was born, and she loves her dad, a wise man.

She loves living on the coastal shores of NC, surrounded by nature. They are happy in a little shack on Mr. Barna's property and she is dear friends with his son Jesse and their maid, Tulla.
home, her father, and her friends.

Then a tragedy, her dad is killed in a logging accident. Everything she knows is being taken away from her. She is sent to live with a foster family in Matthews, NC (Mecklenburg County, near Charlotte, NC). She thinks if she is good and works hard, they will like her and be better than living in a group home.

She is supposed to be a helpmate. However, the Griffin family treats her like their slave, especially Mrs. Griffin. She is not a part of this family in any way. She is mistreated by the woman, embarrassing her in front of everyone. She is a smart girl and this woman is very manipulative.

Mr. Griffin, the daughters, and the son Michael Henry, Eva Jane, and Mary Ann (so sweet) seem to be afraid of their mom. They are nice to Leah. The mom tries to be well-to-do and put on appearances in front of her friends and entertains, but there is something off about her. She is evil, full of hatred and jealousy.

No matter how hard Leah works cooking, cleaning, and serving her master's friends, nothing she does is good enough. She does not even allow her to attend school, so she is stuck in a small bedroom like a closet and treated like a slave.

Mrs. Griffin has a manipulative plan in mind. She goes behind her back with a local Dr. Moses, heading up the Eugenics and sterilization program for young women in North Carolina. Leah is distraught when she learns what happened to her without her knowledge or consent. Her letters are kept from her, and she cannot communicate with Jesse.

And then, the final family secret is revealed, which is a shocker. Will Leah escape this horrible family and return to the beach and the people she loves? How can anyone ever compensate for the damage to a vibrant young woman.? Forgiveness and forgetting are two different things.

WOW! A haunting tale of how the actions of government agencies ruined the innocent lives of women and their future. A searing and ultimately hopeful novel about the injustices and the importance of learning from history.

Transporting, heartfelt, and atmospheric.

Beautifully rendered, a powerful and unforgettable novel that will linger long after you finish reading. With well-developed characters, I enjoyed the conclusion of Holden Beach, 2006, brimming with hope after tragedy.

What a resilient, strong, and powerful young woman full of heart and love. A spellbinding coming-of-age tale of loss, hope, and perseverance. Leah will steal your heart with strength and courage, gripping you from page one to the end.

Susan Bennett, the audiobook narrator, is utterly captivating, delivering an award-winning performance. You will want to listen more than once. Highly recommend the audiobook!

One of my "TOP Books of 2023" and a contender for debut of the year!

I adore novels set in NC idyllic coastal and mountain areas—and some of the "best authors" reside in the famous Tarheel state. The author has quickly been added to my favorite author list. The writing is stunning, and I was utterly captivated by the lush descriptions and the author's lyrical prose. A heart-wrenching page-turner, I read in two sittings. I loved Leah/Jesse.

You will be outraged at the devastation of these young women. Thank you for giving these women a voice for often a forgotten untold part of our history.

Meticulously researched, it is heartbreaking the number of useless sterilizations completed - 7,000 in NC and in Mecklenburg county 485, which is 3 times of any other NC county. Very sad when a love of the sea is a reason to question one's sanity.

Inspired by the author's family history, an ideal book club pick. I thoroughly enjoyed the Conversation with the Author and the Reading Group Guide (included). A wealth of information is included.

THE LAST CAROLINA GIRL is perfect for fans of Diane Chamberlain's Necessary Lies, Dolen Perkins-Valdez's Take My Hand (two favorites), Kristy Woodson Harvey, Where the Crawdads Sing, and The Girls in the Stilt House.

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