June, 2018

"Beneath the Same Heaven" by Anne Marie Ruff         

When Kathryn is living overseas, she meets and falls in love with Rashid, a Pakistani Muslim man. They marry and move to the U.S. When Rashid's father is killed in a drone attack, his family urges him to uphold the family's honor and seek revenge. A few months later, there is an explosion on the freeway and the FBI is knocking on Kathryn's door.         

I thought this book offered a unique perspective. I've never seen another book written from the perspective of the wife of a terrorist. This book really makes you think about the reason behind terrorism - is it based on the cultural idea of revenge and obligation? I found both Kathryn and Rashid's points of view fascinating. Overall, well worth reading!

"A River of Stars" by Vanessa Hua         

When Scarlett's boss knocks her up and he finds out that the boy, he sends her from her home in China to a maternity home in California. With her in the home is Daisy, an American Born Chinese teenager, who desperately wants to find her boyfriend. When Scarlett finds out that boy is really a girl, she takes the first opportunity and flees from the home. Daisy hides away in the van, determined to escape also. The pair end up in San Francisco's China town, where they are forced to survive on their own.         

This was a quick read with interesting characters. The relationship between Scarlett and Daisy was extremely well done, and kept the story vibrant and exciting. Overall, well worth picking up.

"The Grandmother Paradox" by Wendy Nikel         

This is the second book in A Place in Time series. When Dr. Wells discovers that his rivals are trying to eliminate his employee's ancestors, he sends Chandler back in time to protect Juliette Argent. Juliette is working as the assistant to a traveling magician.         

Although I find this series interesting, this book was a bit lacking. Everything was resolved extremely quickly and pretty easily. There was very little tension in the book, which made it a bit lack luster. I will read more from this author, but this book was a bust.

"The Girl They Left Behind" by Roxanne Veletzos         

As they were fleeing from the Nazi's, a young couple leaves their 4 year old daughter on the steps of an apartment building. The child is sent to an orphanage, and then adopted by a wealthy couple who is unable to have children. As the war ends, Romania is taken over by the Soviet's and the wealthy family is now at the bottom of the economic and social ladder.         

I thought Natalia's story was interesting but I did not enjoy the writing style. The book had a large number of time transitions, that were handled poorly. Every once in a while a paragraph or two was completely confusing, which made me wonder if this is a translation. Overall, a bust.

"The Home for Unwanted Girls" by Joanna Goodman         

Maggie is constantly torn between her English father and French mother and in Quebec, the divide is huge. Maggie falls in love with a poor French boy and becomes pregnant at 15. Her parents force her to give up Elodie for adoption. The book alternates between Elodie's life in the orphanage, later turned into an asylum, and Maggie's life.         

This was an interesting story, particularly how the orphanage was turned into a mental asylum and the orphans were labeled mentally incompetent - purely for money. My biggest problem with this book was the time transitions. Some of the chapters had dates, most did not. Most of the time I was left guessing how much time had passed, which was pretty frustrating.

"The Tyre" by Dubois & Huntley         

Ranji and his wife Meena are untouchables, the poorest of the poor in India. Ranji makes a living gathering sticks and selling the wood. One day a tire falls off a truck. Ranji immediately takes the tire home, imagining selling the tire and making a fortune.         

This book was a bit slow. The story went over the same events with multiple characters, which caused everything to stagnant. The son's story seemed a bit more interesting to me, as he left home to work in a big city. I also wanted to know more about the daughter. Overall, this book was a bit unsatisfying.

"Vox" by Christina Dalcher         

Jean was once a respected scientist, focusing on neurological research that could reverse aphasia. Now, she is restricted to speaking 100 words a day, not allowed to work, and expected to be subservient to her husband. To make matters worse, her daughter, and all the women throughout America have also been silenced. When the president's brother suffers a brain injury, the government comes to her with a deal, continue her research, and her restrictions will be lifted until she finds a cure.         

This was a fascinating book. Jean was such a realistic character, I really felt her pain and struggles. It was really interesting to read how society ended up this way. I look forward to reading more from this author. Overall, highly recommended.