Sunday Salon: Book Reviews and New Reads

America for Beginners

I picked up America for Beginners by Leah Franqui from the library after seeing and liking the William Morrow Facebook Group promotion. I was not disappointed; in fact, I was delighted with the story of a Bengali widow from Bangladesh (complex situation here) who comes to America to take a guided tour but who in reality aims to find out about her son, disowned years before by his father. 

For me, there was pathos as well as laughter. I was in tears by Chapter 28 and laughed and cried in Chapter 29. This is a book that covers a lot of topics - immigrants from India and Bangladesh, culture differences, NYC versus LA, homophobia, mother-son relationships, relationships between diverse individuals, cross-country travels in the U.S.  I would recommend that everyone read this for an eye-opening experience.The book was a little slow-going in the beginning, but the story soon picked up and was well worth the wait. 

I also read an ebook:

Fromage a Trois

Fromage a Trois by Victoria Brownlee is a travel novel as well as a romance, with lots of information about the cheeses of France. In fact, the author says there are 356 different kinds in France, and her heroine makes a bet to try every one of them during the course of a year.

Ella lands up in Paris after she buys a one-way ticket to France after her heart is broken by her boyfriend, who flies off to other parts, leaving her at a loss. She gets a job in Paris, becomes friends with a cheese seller or fromager, and falls in love with a "real" Frenchman. I enjoyed learning more about Paris, its food culture, about some of the many different nationalities who live in that city, and of course, its cheeses.

This was an enjoyable and informative romance and story about travel escape.

New books on my desk:

The Cold Summer

The Cold Summer by Gianrico Carofiglio is from Bitter Lemon Press, published May 17, 2018
This is a novel about organized crime and gang wars and is set in Southern Italy in 1992.

The First Prehistoric Serial Killer

The First Prehistoric Serial Killer and Other Stories is by Teresa Solana, Spain's well-known crime writer. Publication is September 5, 2018 by Bitter Lemon Press.translated.

Every Wicked Man

Every Wicked Man by Steven James, September 4, 2018,  Berkley Books, features an FBI Special Agent in this thriller.

Idyll Hands

Idyll Hands by Stephanie Gayle is a police procedural set in a small Connecticut town. A police officer's sister had disappeared two decades ago and they are now determined to find out what happened and if that case is linked to a more recent discovery!

What books will you be reading this week?
Memes:  
The Sunday Post  hosted by The Caffeinated Bookreviewer,
It's Monday, What Are You Reading? by Book Date.
Mailbox Monday. Also, Stacking the Shelves by Tynga's Reviews