Plenty of Plot

Protagonist Astrid returns to the seaside getaway of her youth, even though she's vowed to stay away, since her little sister died there as a toddler. Her aging but admirable aunt has summoned Astrid to discuss a letter which will reveal information about the drowning accident so many years ago. The poor aunt, however, has met with some violence, and is in the hospital, unresponsive. Once Astrid sets herself up there to get her aunt squared away, suspicious things start happening, creating more questions than answers. Astrid starts to dig a little, to try and find out the exact circumstances of her sister's drowning accident, to determine if she was, in fact, responsible, and to uncover her parents', and the neighbors' pasts.

She Mended her Heart

Told in two times and places, stories intertwine as this captivating book progresses. Janani, born and raised in Madurai, India, is a skilled seamstress, and traditional woman, trying to be a "good" wife, daughter-in-law and mother. Unfortunately, being a model woman hinges on producing a son. This, in 1992, when you'd think science had cleared all of that ridiculousness up. Nila, a young woman finding her way in Sydney in 2019, has her own struggles, and also wants to make everyone happy around her. What if making everyone else happy means heartbreak for her? Both women reach a crisis of decision and a turning point which will change their lives forever. Sadness, systemic prejudice, happiness and joy all intermingle in this well-written tale.

Hurting and Hoping

I'm not a huge graphic book fan, but on the recommendation of a friend, picked this one up. Author Thien Pham tells, in his bouncy, cartoony way, of his family's journey from Vietnam to the United States, and their trials once they arrive. From the depths of horror to the lofty ingenuity of a family who always finds a way, his pages are packed with layers of nuance. It can be a quick read, or one you read over and over, seeing things in a different way with each view. Very thought-provoking.