To be read (TBR)
to•be•read /toō/bē/rēd/ (verb, future perfect)
1. A wishful listing of future books to be read
2. A current interest in future engagement
3. A play on the metaphoric "down the rabbit hole" - an allusion to Alice in Wonderland that connotes entering into the unknown, the chaotic and the sometimes deranged black hole of psychedelic experiences
On my last TBR list in September, I only got through 2 of the 6 books, mostly because I only had access to 2 of them. This time, since I am on winter break (3 weeks), I will only put the books that are in my hands on my TBR list and maybe I can finish one during break and five more before summer.
Set in modern Shanghai, a debut by a Chinese-American writer about a prodigal son whose unexpected return forces his newly wealthy family to confront painful secrets and unfulfilled promises.
After years of chasing the American dream, the Zhen family has moved back to China. Settling into a luxurious serviced apartment in Shanghai, Wei, Lina, and their daughter, Karen, join an elite community of Chinese-born, Western-educated professionals who have returned to a radically transformed city.
One morning, in the eighth tower of Lanson Suites, Lina discovers that a treasured ivory bracelet has gone missing. This incident sets off a wave of unease that ripples throughout the Zhen household. Wei, a marketing strategist, bows under the guilt of not having engaged in nobler work. Meanwhile, Lina, lonely in her new life of leisure, assumes the modern moniker taitai-a housewife who does no housework at all. She is haunted by the circumstances surrounding her arranged marriage to Wei and her lingering feelings for his brother, Qiang. Sunny, the family's housekeeper, is a keen but silent observer of these tensions. An unmarried woman trying to carve a place for herself in society, she understands the power of well-kept secrets. When Qiang reappears in Shanghai after decades on the run with a local gang, the family must finally come to terms with the past and its indelible mark on their futures.
From a silk-producing village in rural China, up the corporate ladder in suburban America, and back again to the post-Maoist nouveaux riches of modern Shanghai, What We Were Promised explores the question of what we owe to our country, our families, and ourselves. Review here
One morning, in the eighth tower of Lanson Suites, Lina discovers that a treasured ivory bracelet has gone missing. This incident sets off a wave of unease that ripples throughout the Zhen household. Wei, a marketing strategist, bows under the guilt of not having engaged in nobler work. Meanwhile, Lina, lonely in her new life of leisure, assumes the modern moniker taitai-a housewife who does no housework at all. She is haunted by the circumstances surrounding her arranged marriage to Wei and her lingering feelings for his brother, Qiang. Sunny, the family's housekeeper, is a keen but silent observer of these tensions. An unmarried woman trying to carve a place for herself in society, she understands the power of well-kept secrets. When Qiang reappears in Shanghai after decades on the run with a local gang, the family must finally come to terms with the past and its indelible mark on their futures.
From a silk-producing village in rural China, up the corporate ladder in suburban America, and back again to the post-Maoist nouveaux riches of modern Shanghai, What We Were Promised explores the question of what we owe to our country, our families, and ourselves. Review here
Warrior of the Wild Tricia Levenseller
How do you kill a god?
As her father's chosen heir, eighteen-year-old Rasmira has trained her whole life to become a warrior and lead her village. But when her coming-of-age trial is sabotaged and she fails the test, her father banishes her to the monster-filled wilderness with an impossible quest: To win back her honor, she must kill the oppressive god who claims tribute from the villages each year or die trying.
** I am super excited about this one - looks like a nice winter read. Finished 1/5/19
The Tattooist of Auschwitz Heather Morris
One day in July 1942, Lale, prisoner 32407, comforts a trembling young woman waiting in line to have the number 34902 tattooed onto her arm. Her name is Gita, and in that first encounter, Lale vows to somehow survive the camp and marry her.
A vivid, harrowing, and ultimately hopeful re-creation of Lale Sokolov's experiences as the man who tattooed the arms of thousands of prisoners with what would become one of the most potent symbols of the Holocaust, The Tattooist of Auschwitz is also a testament to the endurance of love and humanity under the darkest possible conditions. Review here
Enlightenment Reno Ursal
When Dorothy Dizon meets the mysterious Adrian Rosario and his alluring knowledge of Filipino history, her life takes an unchartered detour. Dorothy's family mysteries are connected to the forgotten history of the Philippines and Adrian must hide this truth to keep her safe from enemies of his beloved secret society.
Together, they experience a paranormal journey that brings them to the brink of a new enlightenment.
Tess thought that going away to college would mean she could finally be free from her shattered childhood. That she wouldn’t have to see Ian anymore, the step-brother who sexually abused her. That she could keep space between herself and her mother, who Tess told about the abuse and who didn’t believe her. That she could finally build a life that she felt safe in.
For a few years, that was true. But during winter break of her junior year, Tess’ mom invites Ian to spend the holidays with them, and all of the trauma and betrayal of her childhood is brought up again.
Tess just wants to make it through the next few weeks and to return home to her friends. If Tess has learned anything in her twenty-one years, it’s that life rarely turns out the way she wants.
Humorous, heartbreaking, and hopeful, The Space Within the Silence is a story about about finding the places where we feel loved and about one person’s determination to choose her own life.
Bre Woods is an author with too much to say and not enough minutes in the day to say it all. The Space Within the Silence is her first novel.
Finished 4/1/19 Review here.
Justyce McAllister is a good kid, an honor student, and always there to help a friend—but none of that matters to the police officer who just put him in handcuffs. Despite leaving his rough neighborhood behind, he can't escape the scorn of his former peers or the ridicule of his new classmates.
Justyce looks to the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for answers. But do they hold up anymore? He starts a journal to Dr. King to find out.
Then comes the day Justyce goes driving with his best friend, Manny, windows rolled down, music turned up—way up, sparking the fury of a white off-duty cop beside them. Words fly. Shots are fired. Justyce and Manny are caught in the crosshairs. In the media fallout, it's Justyce who is under attack.
Finished 3/4/19 review here.
I don't know if I am reading them in order, and truth be told Dear Martin is not on hand, however, on the loans list, I am #1 of 1 copy so I am hopeful. I also will probably need to return Tattooist and borrow it again because I only have 9 days left (8, 7. . .)
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