Sparks Like Stars by Nadia Hashimi – 464 pages ARC from William Morrow and Netgalley for an honest review Book Blurb: Kabul, 1978: The daughter of a prominent family, Sitara Zamani lives a privileged life in Afghanistan’s thriving cosmopolitan capital. The 1970s are a...
The Pearl That Broke Its Shell by Nadia Hashimi – 450 pages Book Blurb: In Kabul, 2007, with a drug-addicted father and no brothers, Rahima and her sisters can only sporadically attend school, and can rarely leave the house. Their only hope lies in the ancient...
We Are Called To Rise by Laura McBride – 304 pages Book Blurb: An immigrant boy whose family is struggling to assimilate. A middle-aged housewife coping with an imploding marriage and a troubled son. A social worker at home in the darker corners of Las Vegas. A...
And The Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini – 404 pages Book Blurb: In this tale revolving around not just parents and children but brothers and sisters, cousins and caretakers, Hosseini explores the many ways in which families nurture, wound, betray, honor, and...
Every day I clean the Winchesters’ beautiful house top to bottom. I collect their daughter from school. And I cook a delicious meal for the whole family before heading up to eat alone in my tiny room on the top floor. I try to ignore how Nina makes a... read more
Review:The Museum of Failures by Thrity Umrigar is another excellent example of creating a novel with richly layered characters while comparing Indian and American lifestyles. In this story, Remy returns to Bombay, which he has dubbed the museum of failures, as he sees his native country through the lens of his American life. He’s there to meet his friend’s niece with the hopes of adopting her baby, as he and his wife are unable to conceive. This innocuous trip turns into a much more complex time as Remy is hit with roadblocks time and time again.It’s the story about Remy and his mother that really got to me. He lived a life of never measuring up and feeling quite unloved by her. Through their time together in Bombay, he learns critical information that allows him to see her in a more thoughtful and understanding way. This time away has brought what’s left of his shattered family back together.His trip extends much longer than anticipated and he realizes the value of being home. His American wife Kathy seemed too good to be true, but I did like their relationship, born of trust and equality. Remy’s life as a poet was buried away, but through his visit in India, he realizes the importance of doing work you love, not just working for a higher paycheck.Overall, this was a satisfying read and one that fans of Umrigar will appreciate. Her last book, Honor, along with The Space Between Us, are my two favorites of hers. I haven’t met an Umrigar book I didn’t enjoy!@thrity_umrigar @algonquinbooks 📘: Do you dress up for Halloween? If yes, what's your costume of choice? If not, what's a scary book you've read? ... See MoreSee Less