The Namesake

Book cover of 'The Namesake' by Jhumpa Lahiri, featuring a vibrant red background with the title in black and white text, and a landscape illustration at the bottom.
The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri

The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Print Length: 336 pages
Format: ebook
Publisher: Mariner Books Classics
Genre: Family Life Fiction, Immigrant , Domestic Fiction, Coming-of-age story

I started this year with a clear intention. I wanted to read more immigrant stories, specifically South Asian stories of settling in the USA. As an immigrant myself, I have spent a long time searching for stories that voice what I carry inside. The feelings I struggle to put into words. The experiences I live through quietly, sometimes without anyone around me truly understanding. So I started with the classic, The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri. And oh boy, I cried before I even finished the first chapter.

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The Wedding People

The Wedding People

The Wedding People: A Novel
by Alison Espach

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Print Length: 384 pages
Format: ebook
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
Genre: Family Life Fiction, Contemporary, Women’s Fiction

Have you ever heard of the term ‘existential crisis’? Many people experience phases in their lives when they deeply question their purpose for being on this planet. When they struggle to find an answer, it can lead to a dark and grim outlook, or it might even inspire them to explore new possibilities for living their lives.

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Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop

Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop

Welcome to Hyunam-Dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-Reum, Translated by Shanna Tan

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Print Length: 320 pages
Format: eBook
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Genre: Urban fiction, Korean fiction, fiction

Every action has equal and opposite reactions—consequences if you will. “Welcome to Hyunam-Dong Bookshop” is a collection of stories featuring mostly young adults who, through the organic flow of life, have walked into this bookshop and become an integral part of it in various ways. It beautifully illustrates how independent bookshops foster communication and create community gatherings that might not otherwise happen, thanks to the busy lifestyles many of us lead.

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