March 2.0

The Red Lotus by Chris Bohjalian
Having read eight of Bohjalian's previous books, I am obviously a fan. He is an eclectic writer, using historical fiction, mystery, and even dystopia in creative ways. His latest is another winner for me, combining medical disease that plays on topical fears, as well as a mystery involving a foreign country, some creepy bad guys, and...rats. Trust me on the rats. Alexis, a young doctor, is in Vietnam for a bike trip with her boyfriend, Austin. When Austin disappears, the breadcrumb path of secrets begin to appear in disconcerting and troublesome ways. Be patient, as the pieces are meticulously put together, but once the action begins to gel, you will not be able to put this book down. 


The Mountains Sing by Nguyen Phan Que Mai
I do love a multigenerational family saga, and this one does not disappoint. It follows a Vietnamese family from the 1920's, to the Vietnam of today: through the days of colonial rule by France, the rise of the communist party, the land reform that killed millions, the American War, and the reconciliation of the two Vietnams. I was so invested in the grandmother's story of her childhood and the challenges to survive with six children in her young adulthood; there were times I had to put the book down as my heart was breaking, but I could not set it aside for long as I was compelled to see how history would impact each member of this family. For lovers of Pachinko by Min Jin Lee, for readers who want to see history come alive, for people who are curious about Vietnam or are planning to travel there, for lovers of beautiful writing, for all people who see books as a window into our past and future, this book is for you. 

The Woman in the Mirror by Rebecca James
I would call this one a ‘throwback’ to my younger self, when I was obsessed with romantic, mysterious gothic novels that took place in the wilds of Cornwall. It has a dark and mysterious man who needs a governess, a naive and gullible young woman, a manipulative witch from the past, a smart career woman of today, a hot friendly neighbor, all mixed together to create a mystery that must be solved. Yep, all the pieces of yesteryear. It did the trick and made me turn pages, but I did have to stop myself from sighing over the melodrama yet... That’s the Point!

A Fatal Grace (#2) by Louise Penny

Yes, I have become what's called a Penny Pusher: a lover of the Louise Penny mystery books about a small village outside Montreal, its quirky residents, and a very intelligent detective, Inspector Gamache. If you like a good mystery, I highly recommend this series. In book two, a woman is literally electrified from a chair - yep, only in Texas can that normally happen, as Louise would say. But here it is a detestable woman named CC, and as Gamache tries to hunt down the killer, he discovers all kind of intriguing secrets and more compelling characters. If anything, I found Book 2 even better than Book 1.

The Bear by Andrew Krivak
This is what I would call an old throwback to tales of old, a story of a man and his daughter, the last survivors on Earth, as they wander through the natural world, trying to not only survive, but to be good to the Earth that sustains them. I listened to this short, four-hour tale and was not only intrigued, but have been rather haunted by it ever since. No idea what it would be like in page form, but the audio was quite unique and compelling.

Darling Rose Gold by Stephanie Wrobel
Mom has Munchausen by proxy, pretty much wrecks her daughter's childhood. Child, Rose Gold, lets mom live with her post-prison sentence to enact revenge. That about sums it up. I just could not connect with either character (which I guess is good?!), but I also found little engaging about either of them; both seemed quite one-dimensional and static to me. The writing style was more young-adult, which is fine if it is marketed that way. I am sure some people will love this family drama, but it just was not my style. Thanks to Goodreads for the free advance copy in exchange for an honest review.