2022 Reading Challenge Crossover Books

CHALLENGES
Lifetime: Emilia, 29; Lucy, 21; Poppy, 80
Book Voyage: US & Italy

by Lori Nelson Spielman

Two hundred years ago, Filomena Fontana cursed her sister. Ever since then, every 2nd born sister in the Fontana family has been unable to find love.

Some of the women believe in the curse, and others are skeptical. When elderly Aunt Poppy invites Emilia and Lucy, two of the young second-born sisters, to return to Italy with her, promising that she has a plan to break the curse, they can't pass up the chance. As this trio of very different women travels through Italy, they’ll learn about their family history, uncover long-buried secrets, and form a bond that will help them each find exactly what they need.

The Book Girls Say… If you're looking for a book to get lost in, this is a charming read filled with vivid, atmospheric details! Although it’s a lighter read, it’s filled with many beautiful and insightful quotes about life and happiness that will have you reaching for a pen so that you can jot them down and return to them later.

The narrator's Italian accent makes the audiobook especially enjoyable.

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
96% Would Recommend to a Friend

CHALLENGES
Lifetime: Elizabeth, elderly; Morgan, teen
Decades: 1920s & 30s, Present

by Jean E. Pendziwol

Set on beautiful Lake Superior, this book explores a family's history and deep connection to a lighthouse. Elizabeth lives in a senior home and has a sharp mind, but has lost her sight. She fills the void with music and memories, which spring to life when her late father's journals are found in the ruins of an old shipwreck.

Morgan is a troubled teen assigned to community service at Elizabeth's home. With her help, Elizabeth reads through her father's journal, with each entry taking Morgan and Elizabeth back in time 70 years. He was the lighthouse keeper on isolated Porphyry Island. As the unlikely duo reads, they realize their fates are connected to the remote island and each other in unexpected ways.

The Book Girls Say… Don’t miss the author's notes at the end of the book! She explains more about the real lighthouse and Lake Superior. One reviewer notes that there is more swearing than she expected based on the cover, so keep that in mind if you're sensitive to language.

CHALLENGES
Lifetime: Alberto, an old man; Tino, 7 years old
Decades: 1930s and Present

by Diana Rosie

Alberto knows he is an old man now, but he doesn’t know how old. In fact, he doesn’t even know his birthday. He arrived at an orphanage during the Spanish civil war and remembers nothing about his childhood before that time.

Grandson Tino is surprised to learn that his grandfather has never had a birthday party, received presents, or blown out candles on a cake. But he wants this to change, so Alberto and Tino set out on an adventure to find Alberto’s birthday.

The hunt for his past takes them into the heart of Spain, transporting you back to the Spanish civil war as they work through details from Alberto’s difficult childhood.

CHALLENGES
Lifetime: Iris, elderly; Abby, a young mother
Decades: 1940s and Present

by Viola Shipman

After losing her husband in WWII and her daughter to illness, Iris walled herself off from the world. She’s spent many decades hiding behind the tall fence around her home. In place of human connection, Iris has surrounded herself with a family of flowers - propagating her daylilies and roses and tending to a garden that helps her keep alive the memories of those she loved.

In the early 2000s, Abby is a young mother whose husband has recently returned from military service in Iraq. When Abby’s family rents a cottage along Lake Michigan, next door to Iris’ property, the older woman can’t help but view the young family as a window to the life she once had.

As Iris and Abby are drawn together by their shared love of flowers, the friendship that blossoms between them is a testament to the healing power of both gardening and human connection.

The Book Girls Say… Through this book, we get to see Iris’ life both in the past and the present. Readers particularly enjoy the audio version of this heartwarming book because of the two different narrators who read for Iris and Abby. Keep the tissues nearby as you read because you’re sure to shed a few cathartic tears.

CHALLENGES
Lifetime: Vivian, 91; Molly, 18
Decades: 1929-1943, Present

by Christina Baker Kline

During the 80 years leading up to the Great Depression, so-called Orphan Trains transported children from cities on the East Coast to the farmlands of the Midwest. The fates of the children on board - whether they would end up with loving families or end up with a childhood of hard labor - was determined by pure luck.

Vivian - now 91 - was one of those children, and her childhood memories are tucked inside the trunks in her attic. Eighteen-year-old Molly is aging out of the foster care system and is assigned community service helping the elderly Vivian clean out her home. She will soon learn that the two have much more in common than she ever expected.

The Book Girls say… While some have criticized the book as seeming like a young adult novel, Melissa enjoyed the story and characters.

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐
100% Would Recommend to a Friend

CHALLENGES
Book Voyage: US, Caribbean Islands, London
Decades: 1960s - Present

by Charmain Wilkerson

This novel opens in present-day California shortly after Eleanor’s death. She has left behind a voice recording for her two adult children - Byron (in his 40s) and Benny (in her 30s). She’s also left them a traditional Caribbean black cake that she tells them to share “when the time is right.”

Her children, it turns out, only know a small part of their mom’s life story. Posthumously, Eleanor is finally ready to share her truth so that Byron and Benny can truly know and understand their family history.

As the story unfolds, everything that her children thought they knew about their lineage and themselves will be rocked to the core, and by the time they finally share the black cake, there will be another person joining them at the table.

The Book Girls Say… Although Eleanor has already died when this novel begins, through her voice recordings, this novel traces the story of her life and shows how the choices she made over the years impacted not only her future, but also those of everyone in her family.

Angela rated this book 5 stars and highly recommends the audiobook version because the accents really bring the story to life.

CHALLENGES
Book Voyage: India, UK, Guyana
Decades: WW2 - 1970s

by Sharon Maas

Spanning three continents and three decades from WW2 to the 1970s, this story follows three different characters in three locations.

Savitri is a servant girl in British-ruled India, Nat is the son of a small-town doctor in South India, and Saroj is growing up in the South American, British-ruled Guyana. Although the stories are far apart in both time and place, eventually, you'll discover how their lives are intertwined.

CHALLENGES
Book Voyage: Addis Abba, Ethiopia; Madras, India; Boston & New York City, USA; Italy; Sudan; Kenya
Decades: 1950s-2000s

by Abraham Verghese

Marion and Shiva Stone are twin brothers born of a secret union between a beautiful Indian nun and a brash British surgeon at a mission hospital in Ethiopia. Unfortunately, their mother dies in childbirth and their father disappears, leaving the brothers orphaned.

The twins are adopted by two other surgeons from the hospital and come of age in an Ethiopia on the brink of revolution, but it's love rather than politics that comes between them.

After finishing med school, Marion flees to America to intern at an overcrowded and underfunded hospital in NYC. Eventually, the past catches up with Marion. He must turn to the two men he trusts least - his father and his brother.

The Book Girls Say... This is an epic saga (nearly 600 pages of small font) and can feel slow at the start, but it's one worth investing time in! It received 5-star ratings across the board from Angela's in-person book club. A tip, though - keep your dictionary handy if you're a little rusty on your Latin or anatomy.

The author, Abraham Verghese, was born and raised in Ethiopia, where he attended medical school before completing his residency and fellowships in America. He is now a professor at the Stanford University School of Medicine. His medical expertise is apparent throughout the book. This makes this the perfect read for those who love hospital stories, but some readers may find the lengthy descriptions of surgical procedures a bit too drawn out.

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2
90% Would Recommend to a Friend

CHALLENGES
Book Voyage: Montana, the Pacific Northwest, Alaska, New Zealand, wartime London, and modern-day Los Angeles
Decades: 1914 - modern day

by Maggie Shipstead

Marian Graves was only an infant when she was rescued from a sinking ocean liner in 1914. She was raised along with her brother, James, in Montana, where they first encounter the miracle of flight when bi-planes pass through town.

By age 14, she has dropped out of school to pursue her love and entered into a dangerous partnership with a bootlegger. He subsidizes her planes and lessons, but at a great price. However, with his assistance, she's able to pursue her ultimate dream in the 1950s - circling the globe, including flying over the north and south poles.

In addition to Marian's story, you'll follow actress Hadley 100 years in the future as she plays the role of Marian in a movie. As Hadley digs deep into Marian's life, you'll see similarities in their self-determination despite their daily lives being so different.

The Books Girls Say... This is a long book at 600+ pages, and reviews are split on whether all those pages are necessary. We haven’t read it ourselves but noticed some mentions of child abuse, abortion, and explicit scenes, so keep that in mind if you prefer cleaner reads.

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2
100% Would Recommend to a Friend

CHALLENGES
Book Voyage: India and USA
Decades: 1970s - 2000s

by Thrity Umrigar

This is the story of a group of female friends who met at university in Bombay in the late 1970s. As students, all four of them challenged authority and fought for a better world. However, over the next 30 years, they drifted apart, and their lives took very different directions.

When Armaiti, who has since moved to America, becomes gravely ill, she requests to see her old friends together one last time. For Laleh, the reunion is a bittersweet reminder of unfulfilled dreams and unspoken guilt. For Kavita, it is an admission of forbidden passion. For Nishta, it is the promise of freedom from her fundamentalist husband.

The Book Girls Say... This book is told from six different perspectives and paints a vivid portrait of both past and modern-day India, contrasted against life in America.

CHALLENGES
Book Voyage: Ghana and US
Decades: spans 300 years

by Yaa Gyasi

This multi-generation epic follows the divergent paths of two half-sisters born in 18th century Ghana, and their descendants over 300 years. Effia marries a wealthy Englishman and lives in a castle, but she doesn’t know Esi is imprisoned in the dungeon below. Esi is sold in the slave trade and shipped to America, where she, her children, and her grandchildren are raised in slavery.

The book continues to follow each generation of both Effia and Esi all the way to the present day and includes a range of historical time periods, including the American Civil War and Jazz Age.

The Book Girls Say… Despite this long history, the book is only 305 pages, so not a traditional epic with extensive storylines for each generation. Instead, each chapter introduces a new character, and the book reads more like a short story. Some readers are disappointed that not every chapter/chapter has a full arc and conclusion.

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐
86% Would Recommend to a Friend

CHALLENGES
Book Voyage: France & Montana
Decades: 1930s, 1980s

by Janet Skeslien Charles

Based on a true story, this novel will transport you to two vastly different time periods and locations. In 1939 Paris, Odile works for the American Library. When Nazis arrive in Paris and threaten the library, Odile and her fellow brave librarians join the resistance.

Forty-three years later in Montana, teenager Lily becomes interested in her widowed neighbor. As they begin to form a bond, Lily tries to learn more about how her French neighbor ended up in Montana. They have no idea that a dark secret connects them.

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐
94% Would Recommend to a Friend

CHALLENGES
Decades: 1920s-1960s
Book Voyage: US and Europe

by Melanie Benjamin

This historical fiction novel traces the life of Anne Morrow, who was a shy college senior the first time she met Colonel Charles Lindbergh shortly after his famed 1927 solo flight across the Atlantic. Their wedding made headlines, but that was just the beginning. In the following years, Anne was the first woman in the US to become a licensed glider pilot and one of the first licensed radio operators. Still, despite her intelligence and accomplishments, she remained known as just the “aviator’s wife.”

Throughout the decades, the Lindberghs’ marriage took them to new highs and devastating lows, including the tragic kidnapping of their first son and Charles’ affairs. Through it all, the Lindberghs became fodder for the earliest paparazzi.

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2
100% Would Recommend to a Friend

CHALLENGES
Decades: 1970-1990s
Book Voyage: India and US

by Mira Jacob

We first meet the Eapen family in 1979 when Thomas visits his mother's home in India. She tries to convince him to stay in India with his young family, but Thomas, a surgeon, has already built a new life for himself in New Mexico. His wife, Kamala, however, would love to stay in India.

In 1998, Thomas' now grown daughter is a photographer living in Seattle. She learns from her mother that her dad is sitting on the porch talking to dead relatives, but she assumes her mom is exaggerating. When she returns home, the situation is much more complicated than her mother lets on. To help her father, they'll all have to come to terms with the family's painful past.

The Book Girls Say... Readers say this is a sad story, but it also has plenty of lighter moments that will put a smile on your face. It's a long book - over 50.0 pages - so choose this epic when you have plenty of time to cozy up and read.

CHALLENGES
Decades: 1930s-2000s
Book Voyage: China, Taiwan, US

by Melissa Fu

This novel follows three generations of a Chinese family searching for a place to call home. In 1938, Meilin is a young wife with a bright future in China. But when the Japanese army approaches, she is forced to flee with her 4-year-old son Renshu. With nothing but an illustrated scroll that depicts ancient fables, Meilin travels from rural China to Shanghai to Taiwan. These fables are interwoven into the novel.

Years later, Renshu settled in the US under the name Henry Dao. Despite his daughter Lily's desire to understand her heritage, he refuses to share any information about his childhood. He believes that the only way to keep his family safe is to shield them from their history.

The Book Girls Say... This multigenerational epic has been compared to Pachinko, which has been extremely popular with our readers, so we have a good feeling that you'll love Peach Blossom Spring.

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2
100% Would Recommend to a Friend

CHALLENGES
Deacdes: 1920s, 1940s, 1990s
Book Voyage: US & England

by Michael Cunningham

The Hours is a modern retelling of Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway that incorporates Woolf as one of three characters in an overlapping story.

As you read, you’ll travel between Woolf in 1920s London, a mother in 1940s suburban LA trying to fit in time to read Mrs. Dalloway, and Clarissa Vaughan in 1990s Manhattan. Each character struggles to reconcile hope and despair in this moving novel.

CHALLENGES
Decades: 1950s-1970s
Book Voyage: Washington DC and travels abroad

by Clint Hill

In this memoir, Clint Hill reflects on his seventeen years on the White House Secret Service detail under Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, and Ford. His memoir sheds light on the personalities of five of the most powerful men in the world and gives a unique insider perspective on many historical events of the 50s, 60s, and 70s.

The Book Girls Say… While much of this memoir is set in DC and in the president's home states, Hill also traveled abroad with each of the presidents, making this a good crossover option for the Book Voyage Challenge as well.

CHALLENGES
Lifetime of Reading: 90-Somethings
Book Voyage: USA
Decades: 2010s

by Tim Bauerschmidt and Ramie Liddle

This non-fiction book is part family memoir and part travelog. In 2015, at at the age of 90, Norma had recently lost her husband of nearly seven decades when she was diagnosed with uterine cancer. The medical advice included surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. But she had a different vision for her waning days. Rather than spending them in a hospital bed, Norma wants an adventure.

Toghether with her retired son, Tim, his wife, Ramie, and their Poodle named Ringo, Norma hits the road in a motor home, determined to see as much as possible. A once timid woman, Norma decides to say “yes” to living. State by state, she tries regional foods for the first time, goes whale watching and hot air ballooning, and mounts up for a horseback ride. With each passing mile (and thanks in part to a stop at a cannabis dispensary), Norma’s health improves, and she and her family form a tighter bond.

The Book Girls Say… Ramie created a Facebook page called “Driving Miss Norma” to document the family’s journey. As their following grew, strangers all around the country began recommending places to stop and things to do, which helped to guide their 32-state journey. This book is described as an uplifting, inspirational, and moving story!

CHALLENGES
Lifetime of Reading: 90-Somethings
Book Voyage: Alaska, USA
Decades: 2010s

by Kim Heacox

This adventure tale transports you to Southeast Alaska and into the life of 95-year-old Keb Wisting. He’s part Norwegian, part Tlingit native, and the last living canoe carver in his village. Grandson James is close to a career in the NBA when a logging accident ruins his prospects as a basketball player. So instead, a depressed James helps his grandpa finish his last canoe.

With the canoe finished, Keb, James, a few friends, and a crazy dog named Steve set off on the canoe journey of a lifetime. Paddling deep into wild Alaska, their story blends adventure, love, and reconciliation. You’ll also enjoy meeting the endearing small-town characters they encounter along the way.

CHALLENGES
Lifetime of Reading: 90-Somethings
Book Voyage: Western Canada

by Margaret Laurence

Ninety-year-old Hagar is quite curmudgeonly and not quiet about the fact that she’s never been happy and dislikes pretty much everyone she’s ever met.

After 17 years of living with her son and his wife, they suddenly announce that they will be downsizing and expect her to move into a nursing home. As you would expect, Hagar is not thrilled with this upcoming agreement.

The book is told from Hagar’s perspective as she tries to come to terms with aging, and also slips into memories of her first 90 years.

The Book Girls Say… Our Canadian readers may already be familiar with this classic, which was originally published in 1964 and became required reading in many schools.

CHALLENGES
Lifetime of Reading: 90-Somethings
Decades: 2010s

by SJ Bennett

The real Queen Elizabeth was 96 years old when she recently passed away. We knew her as the fiesty and sharp monarch who led the UK for seventy years, but in this fictionalized story of her life, she’s also an amateur detective.

Set in the summer of 2016, Her Majesty has a full schedule that includes meeting with the new prime minister and keeping an eye on the impacts of the upcoming presidential election in the States.

When a staff member is found dead inside Buckingham Palace, the Queen’s private secretary alerts her to a string of disturbing letters. In between her other responsibilities, Elizabeth must solve the mystery of a missing painting and uncover how it is connected to the death.

The Book Girls Say… This is the second cozy mystery in the Her Majesty the Queen Investigates series, but it reads as a standalone and is much more highly rated than the first book, so we recommend starting here.

CHALLENGES
Book Voyage: USA
Decades: 2010s

by Shanthi Sekaran

In this story, 18-year-old Solimar struggles to make it from Mexico to the USA, where her cousin has promised her a job and a place to stay in Berkley, California. Along the way, Solimar is beaten and abused, and when she finally arrives, she discovers that she's pregnant.

Because she's arrived in the US illegally, Solimar is placed in a detention facility awaiting deportation back to Mexico. Her cousin advises her to abort the baby, but Solimar refuses and gives birth to Ignacio.

We also meet Kavya, the daughter of Indian immigrants who moved to Berkley with her husband 18 years ago. Kavya desperately wants a baby but has been unable to conceive. She begins to consider adoption and becomes a foster parent to a little boy named Ignacio.

This is the story of two women - two mothers. Both of whom love the same child. Both of whom want to raise him.

CHALLENGES
Book Voyage: USA
Decades: 2010s

by Helen Thorpe

The Newcomers follows twenty-two immigrant teenagers throughout the 2015-2016 school year as they land at South High School in Denver, Colorado. Ranging in age from fourteen to nineteen, most of these students came directly from refugee camps in countries plagued by war, famine, or drought.

The book follows the student's English language education with their dedicated and creative teacher, Mr. Williams. As they get a grasp of the languages, their individual histories unfold and add faces, names, and stories to those seeking asylum.

CHALLENGES
Book Voyage: Canada
Decades: 2010s

by Ruth Ozeki

The main character, Ruth, is an author working on a remote Canadian island when she discovers artifacts believed to be from the 2011 tsunami in Japan. A journal and other items are enclosed in a Hello Kitty lunchbox. As Ruth looks through the items, she’s pulled into the past and her own future.

In Japan, 16-year-old Nao is lonely and can no longer take her classmate's bullying. But before ending her life, feels drawn to document the life of her grandmother, who has lived more than a century.

Ruth and Nao’s lives are woven together in this tale of humanity, history, and myth.

The Book Girls Say… This novel is autobiographical in part, with Ruth based on the author, but also combines magical realism to create a unique, award-winning novel.

CHALLENGES
Book Voyage: USA
Decades: 2010s

by Tommy Orange

This 2019 contemporary fiction follows 12 different characters from Native communities as they travel to California for the Big Oakland Powwow. Each has their own struggles, and through their stories, you'll gain tremendous insight into life as an urban Native American. From a 14-year-old traveling to perform a traditional dance for the first time to a newly sober woman trying to reconnect with her family, each story will eventually interconnect in unexpected ways.

CHALLENGES
Book Voyage: Chile
Lifetime of Reading: 80-Somethings
Decades: 2000s

by Isabel Allende

This book is told in the form of a letter written by 100-year-old Violseta as she reflects back on her life and the tragedies she overcame. Violeta was born in 1920, as the world was trying to recover from World War I, and just as the Spanish Flu began to take hold in South America. But that won’t be the only pandemic she encounters during her long life.

From the Great Depression to the fight for women’s rights and from drug cartels to lovers this fictional but raw book looks into all aspects of Violeta’s lifetime.

The Book Girls Say... This book spans one hundred years of Violet's life from 1920-2020, and as such, a small portion of the book is set during Violeta's eighties in the 2000s.

CHALLENGES
Lifetime of Reading: 80-Somethings
Decades: 2000s

by Wendell Berry

At the age of 80, Hannah is a twice-widowed mother of three. Living on a rural farm in the fictional town of Port William, Kentucky, Hannah recounts her love for the land and her community. In this short, 190-page novel that is set in 2002, Hannah remembers her two husbands, reflects on the ties that bind a community together, and observes the ways that those community connections are threatened by technology.

The Book Girls Say… Author Wendell Berry is a renowned poet, author, essayist, and farmer. The New York Times called Berry the “prophet of rural America.” He was just nine years younger than his narrator, Hannah, at the time of the publication.

CHALLENGES
Lifetime of Reading: 80-Somethings
Decades: 2000s

by Betty White

Regarded as a pioneer in television, seven-time Emmy winner Betty White enjoyed a Hollywood career lasting more than seven decades. She wrote numerous memoirs over the years, including If You Ask Me, which was published in 2011 when she was 89 years old. In this book, she shares stories of her life and career with an emphasis on life in her late seventies and throughout her eighties.

She tackles topics including friendship, romantic love, and aging, among many others - all in her signature upbeat style. She shares funny stories from her life in Hollywood, takes on rumors, chats about her beauty regimen ("I have no idea what color my hair is and I never intend to find out"), and reveals how a Facebook campaign finally persuaded her to host Saturday Night Live at the age of 88, despite her having declined the hosting job many times before.

The Book Girls Say… Betty White was born in 1922, so she was in her 80s for much of the 2000s decade, making this a good crossover pick for the Decades Challenge this month.

There's no way you can pass up listening to the delightful and hilarious Betty narrating her own memoir (the audiobook even won a Grammy for Best Spoken Word Album). The audiobook is a short 2 hours and 16 minutes, but the printed book also includes lots of photos, so you might want to pick up a copy to flip through the pages after you finish listening.

CHALLENGES
Lifetime of Reading: 80-Somethings
Decades: 2000s

by Dick Van Dyke

If you’ve seen the delightful videos of Dick Van Dyke singing and dancing in recent years, then you know that he’s never lost his zest for life!

In his memoir, published at the very end of his 80s, this Hollywood icon shares his secrets and tips for embracing old age with a positive attitude: “you don’t have to act your age” and “just keep moving!” The chapters are filled with his anecdotes on various aging themes, including dealing with the loss of friends and loved ones, falling in love again, dealing with changes while staying current, and living every day like there’s no tomorrow.

The Book Girls Say… Dick Van Dyke was born in 1925, so he was in his 80s for the second half of the 2000s decade, making this a good crossover pick for the Decades Challenge this month.

He brings his trademark glass-half-full optimism to this memoir. We always enjoy memoirs in audiobook form, and this one is no exception!

The audiobook version is currently included free with an Audible membership as of 9/14/2022.

CHALLENGES
Book Voyage: Bolivia
Decades: 2000s

by Laura Coleman

In 2007, when she was in her early twenties, Laura lacked direction and decided to quit her job to embark on a backpacking trip in Bolivia. She found herself at a wildlife sanctuary on the edge of the Amazon jungle. It was filled with over a hundred lost and hurt animals and an equally complex cast of employees and volunteers. Laura was assigned to work with a puma named Wayra.

Set against the backdrop of deforestation, the illegal pet trade, and forest fires, this memoir explores what happens when two creatures in need of rescue find one another.

Both the ebook and audiobook versions are available free with a Kindle Unlimited membership as of 9/16/2022.

CHALLENGES
Book Voyage: Paraguay
Decades: 2000s

by John Gimlette

If you love off-beat travelogues, this may be a great pick! The author traveled to Paraguay three times over a period of 18 years (in 1982, 1996, and again in 2000), and each time he focused on discovering the unique history and attractions of the country. From learning about the dictators that have dominated the land-landlocked country and the harboring of Nazis to an unexpected Mennonite village, you'll finish this book with endless new knowledge about Paraguay.

The Book Girls Say... John's first two trips to Paraguay are covered in the first 36 pages of the book, and the remainder focuses on his travels in 2000, making it a great crossover book for the Decades Challenge this month.

CHALLENGES
Book Voyage: Uruguay
Decades: 2000s

by Carolina De Robertis

In 1977, Uraguay was under a dictatorship and militarized government. Homosexuality was brutally punished. Cantoras is the intertwining story of five women - Romina, Flaca, Anita "La Venus," Paz, and Malena - who find respite in each other as they try to live as their authentic selves. They form a deep bond after finding a nearly uninhabited cape, Cabo Polonio, where they can have sanctuary from the harsh world.

The novel follows the women and examines the concept of family over 35 years as they find both struggle and triumph. Readers describe the book as both heartwarming and heartwrenching, with overwhelming mentions of it being an amazing and emotional read.

The Book Girls Say.... The timeline of this novel covers the 2000s, up through 2012, making it a good crossover option between the Book Voyage Challenge and the Decades Challenge this month.

HEADS UP: This Book contains scenes of conversion therapy (shock treatments), rape, & suicide.

CHALLENGES
Lifetime of Reading: 70-Somethings
Decades: 1990s

by Kent Haruf

Set in a fictional high plains town of Holt, Colorado, this novel centers around several different characters that span four generations in a tinysmall town.

A high school teacher is raising his two sons alone after their mother leaves. A pregnant teenage girl has been evicted by her mother. And two elderly bachelor brothers live together out in the country, continuing to work their family homestead.

The Book Girls Say... Although we haven't been able to determine the exact ages of Harold and Raymond McPheron (the two "elderly bachelor brothers"), it appears that they are likely in their 70s.

A decade ago, at the Denver Center Theater Company, Angela saw the premier of the very moving play that was developed from this novel, and she's wanted to read the book ever since.

This is the first book in a series of three. If you enjoy Plainsong, you may also want to read Eventide and Benediction.

CHALLENGES
Lifetime of Reading: 70-Somethings
Book Voyage: Nigeria

by Sarah Ladipo Manyika

This quirkily titled novella is a glimpse into the life of a cosmopolitan Nigerian woman living her later years in San Francisco. Morayo's independent, in good health, and loves road trips in her vintage Porshe. However, everything changes when she has a fall. Suddenly, she must rely on both friends and lucky encounters with strangers willing to help.

The character-driven novella moves between memories of her past world travels and her attempts at adapting to her present, and you’ll meet a host of interesting side characters along the way.

The Book Girls Say... It's not clear to us if this book includes any glimpses at Morayo's earlier life in Nigeria. But reviewers say that this short book does draw good comparisons between life in the US and in Nigeria. So while it's not a perfect crossover book, it's a worthy option if you need something quick this month.

CHALLENGES
Decades: 1990s
Book Voyage: South Africa

by Trevor Noah

Born a Crime is the true story of Daily Show host Trevor Noah’s childhood throughout the 1990s and into his early adulthood. His rise to success was unlikely based on his beginning.

Trevor was born in South Africa in 1984 to a white father and black mother. His parents could have been imprisoned for five years - or worse - for conceiving him. He spent his early years largely hidden from life outside because his mother feared (with good reason) that he could be removed from her custody because of apartheid segregation rules.

When the era of white rule officially ended in the early 90s, the family’s troubles evolved with the times. From attempted kidnappings and domestic violence to high school dating, you’ll find a mixture of relatable and shocking stories that keep you engaged with every page.

Book Girls Say... Melissa and Angela both listened to this memoir last year and highly recommend the audio format since Trevor Noah narrates it himself (espcially because you'll hear him speak many languages).

You'll laugh and cry at his poignant and honest stories all while getting an education on life in apartheid South Africa while also being entertained. It was a 5 star audiobook and one that everyone should listen to for a better understanding of what happened under apartheid rule and throughout the 90s.

Readers with kids may also want to check out the young reader adaptation of this memoir.

CHALLENGES
Decades: 1990s
Book Voyage: Madagascar

by Andrea Lee

Newlywed Shay, an American literature professor, is surprised when her husband, an Italian businessman, insists that they build a vacation villa in the island nation of Madagascar and she soon finds herself the lady of the house. As an African American, Shay feels caught between her privileged upbringing and education, and her connection to the continent of her ancestors. Despite the uncomfortableness that Shay feels being a “mistress” of a house with a Black staff, she finds a close friend and confidante in the head housekeeper, Bertine.

This novel reads more like a collection of short stories that span a twenty-year period, beginning in the late 1990s, although Shay's presence provides a consistent through-line and the vignettes follow a mostly linear timeline. Through its poetic prose, this book provides evocative descriptions of the Madagascar landscape and of the people who live there, while also exploring cultural collisions between the Indigenous population and the Europeans in this neo-colonial society.

Like her main character, the author also has a house in Madagascar where she spends part of each year. It is based on that personal experience that she has written this book. In an interview, Andrea Lee described her work as follows: "Like everything I ever write, this book is about cultural collisions, in this case extreme: how a very particular African/Asian country with an extraordinary culture is neo-colonized on the tracks of historical colonization–and how the Europeans and Americans who come to exploit Madagascar are themselves eventually invaded by the spirits of the place."

The Book Girls Say... Readers note that this book is a bit of a slower, more introspective read. You may want to keep your dictionary handy for this one, but it's also a relatively short novel and worth the effort.

CHALLENGES
Decades: 1990s
Book Voyage: Burundi

by Gaël Faye

Set in 1992, this short, semi-autobiographical, novel is the coming-of-age story of Gabriel, aka Gabby. He is a ten-year-old living in Burundi with a French father and a Rwandan mother. Life is comfortable in their expatriate neighborhood. They even have household help.

Then, genocide in neighboring Rwanda begins. His mother is forever changed after seeing the devastation firsthand while checking on her family. Soon, the violence spills into Burundi, and Gabby is confronted by cruelness he couldn't imagine in his earlier idyllic life.

The Book Girls Say... Like Gabriel, Gaël Frye is also the son of a French father and Rwandan mother, who escaped to France in the 1990s after the outbreak of civil war in Burundi.

The author is also a hip-hop artist, which leads to a poetic writing style.

CHALLENGES
Decades: 1990s
Book Voyage: Multiple African Countries

by Clemantine Wamariya

This memoir, told in alternating timelines, is an incredible tale of resilience.

Clemantine was only six years old in 1994, when, in a span of just 100 days, more than 800,000 people would be murdered in Rwanda and millions more displaced. Clemantine and her fifteen-year-old sister, Claire, were forced to run. Together they spent the next six years making their way through refugee camps in seven African countries in search of safety. Throughout the entire time, they did not know whether their parents were alive. They witnessed unimaginable cruelty, but they also found unexpected kindness.

Six years later, at age twelve, Clemantine and her sister were both granted asylum in the United States. But this chance to build a new life in Chicago was not an easy road. She spoke five languages, but English was not one of them, and she had almost no previous experience attending school.

CHALLENGES
Decades: 1990s
Book Voyage: Sierra Leone

by Ishmael Beah

Author Ismael Beah was born in Sierra Leone in 1980. In 1991, when he was just 11, a violent civil war began. By the time he was 13, his parents and two brothers were killed, leaving him to be forcefully recruited as one of the child soldiers many of us were devastated to see in news reports about the war.

Two years later, he was successfully rescued by UNICEF. In 1996, at only 16 years old, he spoke to the UN about the war and its impact on children. At 27, he released this memoir to share his journey with the world. Since the release and acclaim of his memoir, Ismael Beah has published two fiction titles and continues to advocate for children in conflict zones around the world.

CHALLENGES
Decades: 1990s
Book Voyage: Somalia

by Hawa Abdi

This is the moving memoir of Dr. Hawa Abdi, who has been called "the Mother Teresa of Somalia." When the Somali government collapsed in 1991, as famine struck and aid groups fled, Dr. Abdi turned her 1300 acres of farmland near war-torn Mogadishu into a camp for displaced people.

She was Somalia’s first female obstetrician, as well as a lawyer and humanitarian. She inspired her daughters to also become doctors. Together they kept 90,000 of their fellow citizens safe, healthy, and educated for over 20 years at the Dr. Hawa Abdi Hope Village - a community for displaced Somalis with a 400-bed hospital, primary and secondary schools, and an innovative community justice system.

In 2010, Dr. Abdi was kidnapped by radical insurgents, who also destroyed much of her hospital, simply because she was a woman. She, along with media pressure, convinced the rebels to let her go, and she demanded and received a written apology. Her worked garnered her a Nobel Peace Prize nomination in 2012. This memoir was published in 2013, and Dr. Abdi passed away in 2020.

CHALLENGES
Decades: 1990s
Book Voyage: Ghana

by Syesha Harruna Attah

This book follows three generations of women over 55 years (1950-2000s) and covers their lives before, during, and after the independence of Ghana. While history plays into each woman's life experiences, the book is also a coming-of-age tale full of true love and heartbreak.

Harmattan Rain starts with Lizzie, who makes the bold decision to run away, searching for her missing lover. Lizzie's first daughter, Akua Afriyie, has her own challenges when she becomes a single parent in an era of political unrest and coups. Lizzie's granddaughter, Sugri uses her intelligence to earn a spot at Columbia University in New York, so her section is not entirely set in Ghana, however still connected to her culture.

CHALLENGES
Decades: 1980s
Lifetime of Reading: 60-Somethings

by Amy Tan

This is the story of four mothers (some of whom are in their 60s) and their four adult daughters living in San Francisco in 1989. The mothers immigrated from China to San Francisco in 1949 and met weekly to play mahjong and tell stories of the lives they left behind.

Forty years later, their daughters - who have never heard the stories - think their mothers' advice is irrelevant to their modern American lives. But they'll discover how much of their mothers' pasts they have inherited.

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐
100% Would Recommend to a Friend

CHALLENGES
Book Voyage: Afghanistan
Decades: 1980s

by Enjeela Ahmadi-Miller

While titled a memoir, it's important to know going into this choice that it was ghost-written by an adult based on the memories of a child fleeing Afghanistan after the Soviet Invasion in the early 1980s. As political rest intensifies in the region, Enjeela's mother visits India for medical treatment. While she is gone, the rest of the family realizes that they need to flee their home and attempt to reconnect with the mother.

The family's wealth gives them more options than many, but they still had to endure a treacherous five-year journey, including walking the Hindu Kush section of the Himalayas, to find freedom again.

This book is included with Kindle Unlimited as of 7/13/2022.

CHALLENGES
Book Voyage: Australia
Lifetime of Reading: 50-Somethings

by Georgia Clark

Join two families - one a loud and messy, but loving Australian family; the other a sophisticated and buttoned-up American family - for an island adventure off the coast of Queensland, Australia.

The only thing the Kelly and the Lee families have in common is that their daughters are married. During a short "get to know you" trip, the two families wind up stranded together for six weeks because of a volcano eruption on a nearby island.

With only two island employees making up the rest of their party, everyone is forced to question what—or who—they really want.

The Book Girls Say... Island Time is a fun ensemble comedy told from multiple points of view, including those of the four parents (Ludmila is 57 and Jules is 60; their husbands are around the same age.) The parents provide interesting insights into the insecurities they are facing at their current stage of life (including some specific discussions of life over 50), and their hopes and dreams for their futures.

In addition to being a smart and steamy rom-com, this book also reads like a love letter to Australia! It's filled with vivid descriptions of the landscape and wildlife, and lots of fascinating information about the culture and history.

CHALLENGES
Decades: 1970s
Lifetime of Reading: 50-Somethings

by Ash Davidson

This novel, by debut author Ash Davidson, transports you back to 1977 in the Northern California logging town of Klamath.

Rich Gunderson comes from a long line of loggers. For generations, his family has made their living off the Redwood trees, but now his way of life is threatened as the National Park Service is expanding to protect tens of thousands of acres of trees. Additionally, environmentalists are protesting the logging operations on the remaining private lands, raising concerns about water contamination. To secure his family’s future, Rich secretly spends their savings on a grove of ancient Redwoods that he hopes to harvest.

Rich’s wife, Colleen, is an amateur midwife who hopes for a second child of her own. Instead, she has suffered a long string of miscarriages and has begun to see a disturbing number of birth defects and fetal deaths throughout her small community. She begins to suspect that the herbicides used by the logging company that employs her husband might be to blame.

The Book Girls Say... Angela picked this book up immediately after returning from a family vacation to the Redwoods, so she was instantly drawn to the story about the towns she had just visited. But it was the dual perspectives of this story that kept her hooked. We see the story unfold from the point of view of both 53-year-old Rich and Colleen, the wife more than 20 years his junior, and a few chapters from their eight-year-old son.

In a world where people often seem increasingly unwilling to listen to opposing viewpoints, the storytelling format of this environmental novel compassionately shines a light on all the shades of gray that exist for the families and communities caught in the middle.

This book is included with Kindle Unlimited as of 6/17/22.

CHALLENGES
Book Voyage: Australia
Decades: 1970s

by Robyn Davidson

In this travel memoir, Robyn Davidson, an Australian native, tells the story of her mostly-solo, perilous journey across 1,700 miles of Australia's Outback, from Alice Springs to the Indian Ocean. It was the late 1970s, and Robyn was just 25 years old when she set out.

Driven by a love of the Australian landscape, she braved sweltering heat, poisonous snakes, and every other challenge that crossed her path. Along the way, Robyn often went weeks without interacting with another human - it was just her, four camels, and her dog. She did have an Aboriginal guide for a few days of her trek, and received a commission from National Geographic, which allowed one of their photographers to accompany her for short stretches.

Heads Up: Some reviewers express concern with Robyn's use and treatment of the camels on her journey.

The eBook is currently available free on Hoopla.

CHALLENGES
Book Voyage: Vietnam
Lifetime of Reading: Spanning a Character's Lifetime
Decades: 1960s

by Nguyen Phan Que Mai

This emotional and beautifully written saga follows generations of a family impacted by war and political strife. The story is told from the point of view of two women. The first is Trần Diệu Lan who was born in the 1920s. As Communism rose in northern Vietnam, she was forced to flee her home with her six children and persevere through almost unbearable strife. Through her eyes, you see the Great Hunger and Land Reform eras (1930s to the mid-1960s) in Vietnam.

You'll also follow the story of her granddaughter, Hà Noi, who is coming of age in the 1970s during the Vietnam War as her parents and uncles head to fight. Her grandmother tells her stories of the family history as they hope for the men to return home safely.

While Western views of the Vietnam War are common, this book shares another view from the families trying to survive there, along with a history of what they had already been through in the decades before the war.

The Book Girls Say… Don't miss reading the author's note on Goodreads (no spoilers) to get a little extra insight to her story and country.

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
100% Would Recommend to a Friend

CHALLENGES
Book Voyage: Singapore
Lifetime of Reading: Spanning a Character's Lifetime
Decades: 1960s

by Suchen Christine Lim

Setting: SINGAPORE

Spanning the 1960s through the present day, this historical fiction tells the real story of the massive cleanup efforts of the Singapore River, which transformed the area, but at a cost.

Ping and Weng grew up on the river when it was full of boats and hawkers before the big cleanup. Their lives diverged when Ping traveled to America for college and Weng went to jail because of his role in a local protest.

Years later, Ping returns to a prosperous country. The boatmen and hawkers are gone, and modern skyscrapers have created a new skyline.

Will she share the secret that kept them apart for three decades when she reunited with Weng?

CHALLENGES
Book Voyage: Malaysia
Lifetime of Reading: Spanning a Character's Lifetime
Decades: 1960s

by Rani Manicka

In the 1920s, Lakshmi enjoyed a carefree childhood among the coconut and mango trees of Ceylon (which later became a part of Sri Lanka). But at the age of 14, she was sent across the ocean to Malaysia and forced into a marriage with a much older man. Lakshmi was promised a life of riches and luxury, but instead, they struggle to get by as Lakshmi gives birth to six children by the age of 19.

Throughout her life, Lakshmi endures incredible hardship and suffering, but draws upon her incredible strength to face each new challenge. This includes finding a way to keep her daughters safe during the Japanese occupation of WWII.

Rich with traditional folklore, Eastern magic, Indian celebrations, and Malaysian cuisine - this long novel spans 85 years and four generations as it tells one family’s saga. Although Lakshmi (the “Rice Mother”) is the main character of this story, each chapter is narrated by a different member of the family. This provides readers with different perspectives on various events, creating even greater depth and layering to the story, while maintaining a consistent plot from beginning to end.

The Book Girls Say… This book is recommended for fans of A Thousand Splendid Suns.

CHALLENGES
Book Voyage: Malaysia
Decades: 1960s

by Hanna Alkaf

This page-turning YA historical fiction is set during the 1969 race riots between the Chinese and Malays in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Melati is a typical teenager of the time - she loves music, especially The Beatles. She also has a mental illness, resulting in OCD behaviors. However, mental illness was not something discussed or treated in 1969 Malaysia.

On May 13th, 1969, Melati is separated from her mother when fighting breaks out on the street. A 24-hour curfew is enacted, and all communication lines are cut, so returning home seems impossible. When Melati meets an unlikely ally in the form of a Chinese boy named Vincent, she’s forced to overcome her own prejudices as they try to avoid the rampant violence all around them.

CHALLENGES
Lifetime of Reading: Spanning a Character's Lifetime
Decades Challenge: 1960s

by Cara Wall

It’s 1963 in Greenwich Village when Charles, Lily, James, and Nan meet.
Charles was destined to follow in the footsteps of his father - a history professor at Harvard - until a lecture about faith led him instead into ministry. James comes from a challenging Chicago family, with an alcoholic father and an anxious mother. Charles and James cross paths when they are both hired to lead the historic Third Presbyterian Church through turbulent times, and their personal differences make it challenging for them to work together.

Charles meets Lily, a fiercely intellectual woman who tells him that she’ll never believe in God. They don’t make any sense together, he can’t help falling in love. James is drawn to Nan, who grew up in a devout Mississippi family as the daughter of a minister and debutante. James is full of skepticism and Nan’s constant faith helps to guide him.

The Dearly Beloved follows these two couples through many years of love and friendship as well as jealousy and forgiveness. Together these couples face the many challenges of life from marriage and parenthood to death and grieving, and everything in between. The novel explores faith, motherhood, women’s liberation, friendship, and even autism. You’ll initially be fully immersed in the early 1960s - a time caught between conservatism and revolution - and as the story progresses, you’ll see the four main characters set against the backdrop of major changes in New York City.

The Book Girls Say… Some readers have asked whether this is specifically a religious book or whether you have to be religious to enjoy this book. Reviewers say that this book is more of a philosophical exploration of faith and that even non-religious readers will enjoy it.

CHALLENGES
Lifetime of Reading: Spanning a Character's Lifetime
Decades Challenge: 1960s

by Jennifer Weiner

Growing up in a picture-perfect house in Detroit in the 1950s, Jo and Bethie are Jewish sisters who each have a clearly defined role in their family. Jo is the bookish tomboy with a strong sense of fairness, and Bethie is the good girl who enjoys the power that comes from her beauty.

The sisters come of age in the 1960s against the backdrop of free love, Vietnam, Woodstock, and feminism. Good-girl Bethie becomes a wild child who is drawn to all things counterculture. Jo, on the other hand, follows the expected path and becomes a young wife living in Connecticut - no part of which is true to herself.

Through the decades, neither woman is leading the life she really wants. Jo sees the world-changing, but she’s a witness rather than a participant. Bethie endures many traumas and struggles with how the world sees her versus how she sees herself.

It will take many more years for both sisters to finally become their true selves, and even longer for them to find their way back to one another.

The Book Girls Say… Jo and Bethie are the author's own take on Little Woman's sisters, Jo and Beth, and the character of Jo is also based loosely on the author’s own mother.

As the title implies, this book has a little of everything. From the fashion and design trends of the times to the biggest topics in American society, including race, religion, politics, and more. This novel also examines much more personal issues like the loss of a parent, sexual orientation, and body image.

Because it covers so much ground, some readers will love becoming a part of Jo and Bethie’s world, while others may feel like the 460-page book gets too detailed and goes on a bit too long in parts. Also be aware that this book includes some scenes of molestation as well as consensual sex.

CHALLENGES
Lifetime of Reading: Spanning a Character's Lifetime
Decades Challenge: 1960s

by Robert Dugoni

Born with ocular albinism, Sam Hill's red eyes cause him problems throughout his childhood in the 1960s. From the moment that he enrolled at Our Lady of Mercy, he was labeled "Hell Boy" and bullied by not only his classmates, but also by the nun who is the principal of the elementary school. Eventually, Sam finds the friend he desperately needs in Ernie Cantwell, the only African American boy in his class, and eventually also in a fiercely individual girl named Mickie.

Decades later, Sam is a respected ophthalmologist still moving through life with Ernie and Mickie by his side, but his world is about to be upturned when he's unexpectedly reunited with the biggest school-yard bully from his past.

The Book Girls Say... This is one of our all-time favorite reads! The writing feels effortless, but the complex character development will pull you in and stick with you long past the last page. We highly recommend the audiobook which is narrated by the author himself!

Both the Kindle and audiobook versions of this book are available free with a Kindle Unlimited membership as of 5/18/22.

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2
100% Would Recommend to a Friend

CHALLENGES
Lifetime of Reading: Spanning a Character's Lifetime
Decades Challenge: 1960s

by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Late in her life, the mysterious and reclusive 1960s Hollywood starlet Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to talk about her time in show business. Everyone is shocked when she picks an unknown reporter, Monique, to log her personal history, but why?

Monique slowly unwraps Evelyn's life from the '50s to the present as she chronicles her past life and relationships. Along the way, Monique discovers things about her own background. As the book covers so much of Evelyn’s life, including seven husbands, it moves quickly and will keep you engaged and entertained for hours.

CHALLENGES
Lifetime of Reading: Spanning a Character's Lifetime
Decades Challenge: 1960s

by Charmain Wilkerson

This novel opens in present-day California shortly after Eleanor’s death. She has left behind a voice recording for her two adult children - Byron (in his 40s) and Benny (in her 30s). She’s also left them a traditional Caribbean black cake that she tells them to share “when the time is right.”

Her children, it turns out, only know a small part of their mom’s life story. Posthumously, Eleanor is finally ready to share her truth so that Byron and Benny can truly know and understand their family history.

The story begins when Eleanor was growing up in the Caribbean in the 1960s. As a young woman, she flees her island home under suspicion of murder and reinvents herself in London before ultimately moving to the US where she raised Byron and Benny. As the story unfolds, everything that her children thought they knew about their lineage and themselves will be rocked to the core, and by the time they finally share the black cake, there will be another person joining them at the table.

The Book Girls Say… Although Eleanor has already died when this novel begins, through her voice recordings, this novel traces the story of her life and shows how the choices she made over the years impacted not only her future, but also those of everyone in her family. Angela rated this book 5 stars and highly recommends the audiobook version because the accents really bring the story to life.

CHALLENGES
Lifetime of Reading: Spanning a Character's Lifetime
Decades Challenge: 1960s

by Edward Kelsey Moore

Three friends - dubbed "The Supremes" by pals - have been meeting at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat diner in Plainview, Indiana since their high school days in the tumultuous 1960s.

For more than four decades, they've been by each other's side through life's up and downs. But now, in their mid-50s, the group will change their greatest challenges yet. From infidelity to illness, the only thing that can count on is each other.

The Book Girls Say… This book has been described as The Help meets Fried Green Tomatoes with a dash of Steel Magnolias.

CHALLENGES
Lifetime of Reading: 40-something
Book Voyage: Tokyo, Japan

by Emily Itami

At the age of sixteen, Mizuki's father sent her to NYC for a year of study at an American high school. When she returns home, she finds it hard to accept the cultural constraints of life in her rural Japanese province and she begins to struggle in school.

Years later, Mizuki is a housewife and a mother of two living in a beautiful Tokyo high-rise apartment. It's everything she is supposed to want, but her husband works long hours and as she deals with the highs and lows of raising children alone, she finds herself wondering if she ever consciously chose this life. Although Mizuki's exact age is not specified, based on the timeline of the story it appears very likely that she is in her early forties.

One night, Mizuki meets Kiyoshi, a successful restauranteur. With him, she rediscovers freedom, friendship, and the neon, electric pulse of Tokyo that she has always loved. Soon she finds herself leading a double life and she'll be forced to choose one.

The Book Girls Say... Author Emily Itami grew up in Tokyo before moving to London, and she paints a vivid picture of modern life in Tokyo, filled with bright lights and noisy details. As one reviewer puts it, "Itami captures the magic of Tokyo and makes it part of the couple’s relationship, complete with cherry blossoms, tiny bars, and excellent food,"

Having been raised in Japan also allows Itami to carefully examine the line between insider and outsider in Japanese culture. At just over 200 pages, this is a very short book, but the writing style is direct, provocative, and darkly funny and readers say that the story is not missing anything for its length.

CHALLENGES
Lifetime of Reading: 40-something
Decades Challenge: 1950s

by Melanie Benjamin

This novel tells the story of two dynamic historical figures' scandalous and heart-wrenching friendship. Truman Capote is a playwright, actor, and author of Breakfast and Tiffany's, while Babe Paley (who turned 40 in 1955) is a New York City socialite and style icon named to the International Best-Dressed Hall of Fame.

This book is filled with gossip, scandal, and betrayal set in New York's high society's glamorous, perfumed, and smoky atmosphere.

CHALLENGES
Lifetime of Reading: 40-something
Decades Challenge: 1950s

by Louise Erdrich

In 1953, a new “emancipation” bill was being considered in the US Congress. However, the Chippewa Council knows that the bill isn’t about freedom; it’s a threat to their rights and land. Thomas is the 49-year-old night watchman at the jewel bearing plant near the reservation and serves as a Council member.

Valedictorian Patrice also works at the plant, using all her money to support her mother and brother. Her older sister, Vera, left the reservation to live in Minneapolis, but the family hasn’t heard from her in months. Eventually, she travels to Minnesota, trying to track down Vera.

The lives of Thomas and Patrice interact with many other memorable characters on and off the reservation as they encounter the best and worse of human nature.

The Book Girls Say… This novel is based on the real-life of the author’s grandfather and won the 2021 Pulitzer Prize for fiction.

CHALLENGES
Book Voyage: Japan & USA
Decades Challenge: 1950s

by Ana Johns

Japan, 1957. Naoko is a seventeen-year-old girl whose family has prearranged a marriage for her that will secure their family's status. But Naoko wants to marry for love, and she's fallen for an American sailor. When her family finds out that she is pregnant with the sailor's child, she is cast out in disgrace and forced to make an unimaginable choice.

In present-day America, Tori finds a letter that contains a shocking revelation. In her quest to learn the truth, she travels to a remote seaside village in Japan.

Drawing upon the experiences of the author's father, this historical fiction is is based on the true stories of a little-known era in Japanese and American history. Although this is a dual timeline novel, the historical story takes center stage.

The Book Girls Say... This book is described as a mesmerizing and emotional read that will captivate your heart and transport you back in time to post-war Japan.

CHALLENGES
Book Voyage: Hong Kong
Decades Challenge: 1950s

by Richard Mason

First published in 1957, The World of Suzie Wong was a contemporary novel at the time. Since the original release, it's inspired a film, ballet, and even a song.

You'll be transported back in time and dropped off in Wanchai, Hong Kong, where an ex-pat artist, Robert, lives in a hotel where all the other rooms are rented by the hour. When he meets Suzie, he befriends the feisty prostitute trying to make it in post-war Hong Kong.

The Book Girls Say... Many reviews wonder if the book came from the author's own journals as it feels like it was written by someone with a true love of the region and its people. However, keep in mind that the book was written in the 1950's and includes some culturally insensitive language.

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐
100% Would Recommend to a Friend

CHALLENGES
Book Voyage: South Korea
Decades Challenge: 1950s

by Lisa See

Korea's Jeju Island has a fascinating real-life history of female deep-sea free divers called Haenyeo, who collect seaweed, clams, and abalone. Inspired by this history, this novel tells the story of Mi-ja and Young-sook - two best friends who come from very different backgrounds despite both growing up on the island of Jeju. As soon as they are old enough, they take their place as "baby divers" in the village's all-female diving operation, which is led by Young-sook's mom. This is the beginning of a life of excitement and responsibility for the two friends, but also a life filled with danger.

The Island of Sea Women takes place over many decades, beginning in the 1930s, throughout WWII and the Korean War (1950-1953), and all the way up to the era of cell phones.

Over the years, the residents of Jeju are caught between warring empires, which often makes it difficult for Mi-ja and Young-soon to ignore their differences - especially when Mi-ja's father becomes a Japanese collaborator. As the years go on, forces beyond their control will drive their friendship to a breaking point.

The Book Girls Say... Before picking up this book, be aware that this is a very heavy read that includes some prolonged scenes of graphic violence. Despite being heart-wrenching, most readers find it to be a worthwhile story that is ultimately about strength and forgiveness.

If you are interested in a very different style of novel based on the Haenyeo (female divers) of Jeju, consider The Mermaid from Jeju. Set in the aftermath of World War II while Japan is withdrawing from the peninsula and during the American military occupation of the 1950s (including during the Korean War), this story follows Junja, who has followed in her family's footsteps to become a successful haenyeo and is allowed to take her first trip into the mountains to trade their harvest.

Unfortunately, when she returns home, she finds her mother dying after a treacherous dive. She'll be forced to learn to navigate the world without her mother, despite memories of her at every turn. Her loss is amplified by the tumultuous political situation throughout this enchanting story set leading up to the Korean War.

CHALLENGES
Book Voyage: Korea & Japan
Decades Challenge: 1950s

by Min Jin Lee

In the early 1900s, teenage Sunja meets a wealthy man near her seaside home in Korea and becomes pregnant, only to discover that the man is married. He attempts to buy her off, but she instead accepts another man's offer and follows him to Japan, where they are discriminated against both for being Korean and Christian.

Sunja's decision to leave her home, and reject her son's powerful father, sets the stage for this epic novel that follows four generations of a poor Korean immigrant family in 20th-century Japan. The historical events throughout the center, including the Korean War of the 1950s, play a role in shaping the fate of this family.

The Book Girls Say... This book is a bit slow to start and it can take some time to become familiar with all of the characters, but the investment pays off for most readers!

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐
92% Would Recommend to a Friend

CHALLENGES
Book Voyage: China, Taiwan, USA
Decades Challenge: 1950s

by Melissa Fu

This novel follows three generations of a Chinese family as they search for a place to call home. In China in 1938, Meilin is a young wife with a bright future. But when the Japanese army approaches, she is forced to flee with her 4-year-old son Renshu. With nothing but an illustrated scroll that depicts ancient fables, As Meilin travels from rural China to Shanghai to Taiwan, these fables are interwoven into the novel.

After settling in America, we see what it was like for Renshu - now using the name Henry Dao - to be Chinese in the US in the 1950s and 60s.

Years later, despite his daughter Lily's desire to understand her heritage, he refuses to share any information about his childhood. He believes that the only way to keep his family safe is to shield them from their history.

The Book Girls Say... While only about half of this book is set in Asia, readers say that they learned a great deal about China and Taiwan through the pages of this novel, which convinced us that we must add it to this list. This novel has been compared to epics like Pachinko and The Mountains Sing (set in Vietnam, from our Southern Asia list) - both of which have been extremely popular with our readers, so we have a good feeling that you'll love Peach Blossom Spring!

CHALLENGES
Decades Challenge: 1950s
Book Voyage: Set in Georgia, but the main character has just returned home from the Korean War and is dealing with the impacts of his time there

by Toni Morrison

Frank Money is an angry and self-loathing veteran of the Korean War who returns to a racist America with more than just the physical scars of the front lines. He barely recognizes his home or himself, but when he hears that his younger sister is in danger, his life has a new purpose.

Together, they return to their rural Georgia hometown. After spending years trying to escape, he learns what it means to come home.

The Book Girls Say... This book jams many atrocities and emotions into its short 147 pages, so be sure you're in the right mental space before tackling it.

While this book is not exactly a crossover book, since it's not set in Northern Asia, it still provides a related perspective in the aftermath of the Korean War.

CHALLENGES
Decades Challenge: 1950s
Book Voyage: Set in Washington State, but shows the treatment of Japenese-Americans in the US during this time period

by David Guterson

When a local fisherman is found suspiciously drowned, a Japanese American is charged with his murder. Haunted by the memories of the Japanese internment camps during WWII just a decade before, events during the trial make it clear that much more is at stake in this community than one man's guilt or innocence.

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 
100% Would Recommend to a Friend

While this book is not exactly a crossover book, since it's not set in Northern Asia, it does provide a very valuable perspective regarding the treatment of Japanese-Americans during this period of time.

CHALLENGES
Lifetime of Reading: 30-Somethings
Book Voyage: Islands

by Gabrielle Zevin

Alice Island bookstore owner A.J. Fikry (39-years-old) is having a terrible year. His wife has died, the store isn’t making enough sales, and his beloved book of Poe poems has been stolen. As a result, he’s cranky and pushing those around him away more than ever. Luckily he has a few people that look past his curmudgeonly attitude.

When his depression has reached the point that he no longer enjoy books. But, sometimes, life gives you second chances in unexpected ways. For A.J., it’s a small, but heavy, mysterious package that arrives at his shop. And as he begins to see the world around him in a new way, those around him can see him in a new way too.

CHALLENGES
Lifetime of Reading: 30-Somethings
Book Voyage: Islands

by Matthew Norman

Robbie is a 35-year-old math genius and well-known philanthropist who is also quite reclusive. When he gets a terminal diagnosis, he doesn’t want the world to know. As Robbie considers his remaining time on Earth, he begins planning how to change the lives of his three oldest friends - Blair, Cat, and Wade.

To share his news, he invites them to Fenwick Island, where he plans to fill them in on his plans for their lives. However, Robbie isn’t the only one of these high school friends with a secret. Can Robbie’s plans really help once he knows more about each situation?

The Book Girls Say… While the concept of his book and the main characters impending death sounds depressing, readers actually describe it as witty, touching, uplifting, and funny.

CHALLENGES
Book Voyage: Islands
Lifetime of Reading: 30-Somethings

by Josie Silver

London dating columnist Cleo hadn't planned to spend her 30th birthday alone, but her boss has insisted that she take a brief sabbatical to explore the concept of self-coupling (or dating oneself) as a way to re-energize herself and bring something fresh to her column. She's booked a luxury cabin on a remote Irish island.

Mac is also looking forward to some alone time. His marriage is falling apart - something he doesn't want to admit - so he leaves Boston behind with the plan to soul search on the same Irish island.

Due to a mix-up with the bookings, it turns out that both Cleo and Mac have booked the same cabin. The two are instantly at odds, but since the ferry only comes weekly, they are stuck with one another. As the week goes on, they find that they don't mind each other's company as much as they thought.

The Book Girls Say... We love Josie Silver's books and can't wait to read this newly released title. Some classify Silver as a rom-com writer, but consistent with our feelings about her other books, reviewers say that One Night On the Island is much more of a life story than a love story. The characters are described as genuine and flawed yet resilient. Be sure to grab the box of tissues before you curl up to read this book!

CHALLENGES
Book Voyage: Islands
Lifetime of Reading: 30-Somethings

by Trish Doller

Float Plan takes you to the sunny Caribbean with Anna as she sets off on the boat that she inherited after the loss of her fiancé. While Anna initially begins her adventure alone, she quickly realizes that she’s in over her head. She hires Keane, a 30-year-old professional sailor who is dealing with his own struggles as he faces a future that looks much different than what he had planned.

This book is both an enjoyable beach read, and ultimately an uplifting story about grief and second chances. Anna originally intends to follow the exact sailing route that she and her fiancé had planned to take together, but along the way, she discovers that she’ll have to chart her own course - both aboard the boat and in her life. Likewise, Keane is navigating rough waters both aboard Anna’s boat and as he struggles to put his life back on the course he had mapped out for himself.

The Book Girls Say... We both love a good beach read, but this book really took Angela by surprise because it has so much more depth than she expected. Both main characters are authentic, flawed, and well-developed.

Throughout the book, the author paints vivid descriptions of the islands visited with attention paid to what makes each island unique, rather than just generalizing the entire region as nothing more than a tourist playground.

We're looking forward to reading Trish Doller's new release, The Suite Spot. This book is about Anna's sister, Rachel, a single mom who takes a new job on an island in Lake Erie where she finds a fresh start and a little romance.

CHALLENGES
Book Voyage: Islands
Lifetime of Reading: 30-Somethings

by Jodi Picoult

Diana has her life all planned out - marriage, kids, and climbing the professional ladder in the art auction world. And it all starts with getting engaged to her surgical resident boyfriend, Finn. They are about to head out on a romantic getaway to the Galapagos for her 30th birthday, and she just knows he'll propose on the trip.

On the eve of their departure, a virus that previously seemed a world away has made its way to NYC and Finn's hospital needs everyone on-call. He doesn't want their nonrefundable trip to go to waste, so he convinces Diana to go without him.

After she arrives, the whole island is forced to quarantine and she finds herself stranded until the borders reopen. Isolated and alone, Diana begins to form a connection with a local family. Through the experience, she finds herself re-evaluating her priorities.

This is a thoroughly-researched novel that some say the book starts out a bit slowly, but soon you'll find it going in unexpected directions. Readers say the story contains surprises that you won't see coming!

The Book Girls Say... Many readers may not yet feel ready to relive the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, so despite the great reviews of this book, don't push yourself if it's not the right time.

If you'd like to visit the Galapagos but need a total escape read, we recommend picking up Shipped by Angie Hockman. Fans of The Hating Game and Unhoneymooners will enjoy this enemies-to-lovers rom-com that places two cruise line colleagues aboard a ship battling it out for their dream promotion in the marketing department. The vivid descriptions of the Galapagos will have you adding this destination to your travel bucket list! We'd give Shipped a PG rating, making it perfect for those looking for a rom-com without the steam.

CHALLENGES
Book Voyage: Islands
Lifetime of Reading: 30-Somethings

by Chanel Cleeton

Growing up in Miami, Marisol heard romantic stories of Cuba from her late grandmother, Elisa. The story alternates perspectives between Elisa in the 1950s and Marisol in present day.

In 1958, nineteen-year-old Elisa is the daughter of a sugar baron and a member of Cuba's high society. Her family's position largely shields her from the growing political unrest, at least until she embarks on a forbidden affair.

In 2017, 30-something Marisol arrives in Havana for the first time to fulfill her grandmother's dying wish of having her ashes spread in her birth country. Marisol tries to reconcile the contrast of Cuba's timeless beauty with its political climate, all while uncovering the story of her grandmother's past.

The Book Girls Say... If you've already enjoyed Chanel Cleeton's books set in Havana, be sure to check out her newly released novel, The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba, which follows the stories of three women set against the Spanish-American War and the Cuban fight for freedom from the Spanish.

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐
95% Would Recommend to a Friend

CHALLENGES
Decades Challenge: 1940s
Lifetime of Reading: 30-Somethings

by Maria Benedict

This novel opens in 1930s Austria, where Hedwig Kiesler's beauty saved her from the rising Nazi party and led her to marry an Austrian arms dealer. Always underestimated, she overhears the Third Reich's plans and understands more than anyone would have guessed.

After devising a plan to flee her husband's castle in disguise, she escapes. The book then jumps forward to her arrival in Hollywood, where she changes her name to Hedy Lamarr, signs with MGM, and becomes a major film star of the 1940s.

Beyond being a bombshell, Hedy was also a scientist whose groundbreaking invention revolutionized modern communication.

Heddy turned 30 years old in 1944, near the end of WWII.

CHALLENGES
Decades Challenge: 1940s
Lifetime of Reading: 30-Somethings

by Kate Quinn

Bletchley Park is a real English estate and was an elegant country home before becoming the secret location of WW2 codebreakers. The Rose Code imagines the life of three women from different backgrounds who all qualified for this challenging and vital task. While the three become friends, the war and secrecy required for their jobs prove too much to keep them close.

Seven years later, in 1947, the wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip is on everyone’s minds. But, when an encrypted letter is received, the former friends ( now in their 30s) must reunite to crack the code and figure out which former Bletchley Park worker is now a traitor.

The Book Girls Say… This book is long at 624 pages, but if you enjoyed The Alice Network or The Huntress, you know Kate Quinn’s books are worth the extra time.

CHALLENGES
Decades Challenge: 1940s
Lifetime of Reading: 30-Somethings

by Sarah Jio

Thirty-five-year-old June is overworked and overstressed. When she inherits her aunt’s Seattle bookstore, she intends to sell it. However, spending time in the shop reminds her of her childhood and a different way of life. However, the store is close to foreclosure. As she looks through documents, she’s surprised to find a 1946 letter between her aunt and Margaret Wise Brown, the author of Goodnight, Moon.

The letter is only the first link in what becomes a literary scavenger hunt, and you’ll spend much of the book in the 1940s, living through the letters between Margaret and June’s aunt, Ruby.

The Books Girls Say… Readers say this book is a wonderful mix of suspense and romance. Critics say the storyline can be a bit too convenient at times, while others feel it’s the perfect read when you need something light and enjoyable.

CHALLENGES
Decades Challenge: 1940s
Lifetime of Reading: 30-Somethings

by Kelly Rimmer

Inspired by the author's own family history, this novel is a tragic love story. Alina and Tomasz were best friends who planned to marry. But when their village falls to the Nazis, Alina doesn't know if Tomasz is alive or dead.

Decades later, 30-something Alice has is struggling to support her son, who was born with an autism spectrum disorder. When her grandmother is hospitalized, she begs Alice to return to Poland to see what become of those she loved. Alice travels to Poland and begins to uncover her grandmother's story.

The Book Girls Say... Melissa really enjoyed this unique look into WW2. It's not a light read, but it's still a great escape to look at what generations before us endured on a personal level. The split storyline between current times and the war is a nice reprieve from the harder 1940s scenes.

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
100% Would Recommend to a Friend

CHALLENGES
Decades Challenge: 1940s
Book Voyage: Islands

by Sarah Jio

Setting: BORA-BORA

In the summer of 1942, at the height of WWII, 21-year-old Anne joins the Army Nurse Corps and is sent to serve in the South Pacific on the island of Bora-Bora.

She has a fiance back home that was chosen for her from birth, and whose father has paid to ensure that he won't be drafted. After arriving in Bora-Bora, she finds herself drawn to a soldier named Westry. Together they spend many blissful hours under the thatched roof of an abandoned beach bungalow. But they are driven apart when they witness a crime and then Westry is redeployed to Europe.

Years later, back home in Seattle, Westry is never far from Anne's mind. When a letter arrives, she hopes that maybe they'll finally be reunited.

The Book Girls Say... This book is perfect for fans of WWII romance, and though it may be a bit predictable, readers say it's a joy to read.

CHALLENGES
Decades Challenge: 1940s
Book Voyage: Islands

by Beatriz Williams

WWII-era Nassau was a hotbed of spies, traitors, and the most infamous couple of the age, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. Five years after their love affair rocked the British monarchy, Lulu arrives in the Bahamas to investigate them for a New York society magazine. As she works her way into their social circle, Lulu uncovers evidence of an uglier reality.

Along the way, Lulu falls in love with a British scientist. When he suddenly goes missing, Lulu travels to London to search for him and winds up uncovering the family's complicated past stretching from the early 20th century to the first World War.

CHALLENGES
Decades Challenge: 1940s
Book Voyage: Islands

by Mary Ann Shaffer

It's 1946 and author Juliet Ashton is looking for the subject of her next book. She begins exchanging letters with a man she's never met - a native of the island of Guernsey. Through their letters, Juliet is drawn into the world of the man and his eccentric friends - from pig farmers to phrenologists.

As Juliet learns about their tastes in books, she also comes to understand the impact that German occupation had on their lives. In turn, each of the Guernsey islanders begins to impact Juliet's life.

The Book Girls Say... If you haven't read this yet, we think you'll fall in love with Juliet and the island of Guernsey. It's a quick read and written entirely in the form of letters.

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 1/2
100% Would Recommend to a Friend

CHALLENGES
Lifetime of Reading: 20-Somethings
Book Voyage: Bulgaria

by Elizabeth Kostova

This suspenseful novel will take you through different phases of Bulgarian history. Twenty-six year old American Alexandra travels to the beautiful city of Sofia, hoping the change of scenery will help her deal with the loss of her brother.

After arriving and helping an elderly couple into a taxi, she realizes that she still has one of their bags. When she discovers that the bag holds a box of ashes, she's determined to find the couple. Her search encompasses experiences that teach her about the history and culture of Bulgaria, which is a more dangerous investigation than she expected.

CHALLENGES
Lifetime of Reading: 20-Somethings
Book Voyage: Romania

by Roxanne Veletzos

In 1941, Romania was newly allied with the German army, and the Jewish population was in grave danger of persecution. One freezing night, a young Jewish girl's parents are forced to leave her behind, and she is found on the steps of an apartment building in Bucharest.

The girl is placed in an orphanage and eventually adopted by a wealthy couple that renames her Natalia. She comes of age in Romania under Soviet occupation, where life behind the Iron Curtain feels bleak and hopeless.

When Natalia is in her early twenties and working at a warehouse packing fruit, she is reunited with Victor, who she had a secret crush on in her younger years. He is now an important official in the Communist regime, and the two are fatefully drawn into a passionate affair despite the obstacles swirling around them and Victor's dark secrets.

When Natalia is suddenly offered a one-time chance at freedom, Victor is determined to help her escape, even if it means losing her. She must make an agonizing decision: remain in Bucharest with her beloved adoptive parents and the man she has come to love, or seize the chance to live life on her own terms.

The Book Girls Say... This historical fiction novel is perfect for fans of Lilac Girls and Sarah's Key.

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐
100% Would Recommend to a Friend

CHALLENGES
Lifetime of Reading: 20-Somethings
Book Voyage: Baltic Sea & East Prussia (now Lithuania, Poland, and Russia)

by Ruta Sepetys

When you think of maritime disasters, the Titanic is probably the first that comes to mind. But the deadliest disaster at sea occurred in 1945 when a Soviet submarine sunk the Wilhelm Gustloff, a German cruise liner, in the Baltic Sea.

As WWII drew to a close and the Red Army advanced on Germany, a massive evacuation effort began to ferry civilians, soldiers, and equipment to safety. The Wilhelm Gustloff, which had a capacity of 1,800, was packed with more than 10,500 passengers. More than 9,000 people lost their lives when the ship sank, including 5,000 infants and children.

This historical fiction YA novel, tells the stories of four passengers - 21-year-old Joana, who is fleeing her native country of Lithuania; Florian, an artist from East Prussia; 15-year-old Emilia from Poland, who is pregnant; and Alfred, a pompous German soldier.

When tragedy strikes, each of them - regardless of country, culture, or status - must fight for their survival.

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
97% Would Recommend to a Friend

CHALLENGES
Book Voyage: Hungary
Decades Challenge: 1930s

by Julie Orringer

In 1937, Andras, a young Hungarian-Jewish architecture student, departs Budapest. He is bound for Paris with a scholarship, one suitcase, a mysterious letter he promised to deliver. Soon he will find himself falling deeply in love with Klara - the letter's recipient. But Klara has doubts, and she isn't very open about her past.

As the Third Reich rises to power, Andres and Klara leave Paris and seek safety back home in Hungary. Eventually, Andras will discover a secret that will alter the course of his life and his family's history.

This book will take you from the grand opera houses of Budapest and Paris to the small Hungarian town of Konyár, and from the Carpathian Mountains to the Hungarian labor camps.

The Book Girls Say... If you're looking for a quick read, keep looking. This one comes in at more than 750 pages. But if you want a historical fiction novel that sheds light on lesser-known aspects of WWII and is filled with romance and beautifully developed characters, grab a cozy blanket and crack this one open.

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
100% Would Recommend to a Friend

CHALLENGES
Lifetime of Reading: 20-Somethings
Decade: 1930s

by Sara Gruen

Looking to escape his circumstances, 23-year-old Jacob Jankowski jumps onto a passing train and suddenly finds himself thrust into the world of a circus struggling to survive during the Great Depression. Because Jacob is just shy of his veterinary degree, he's put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie. He becomes enamored with Marlena - the 21-year-old star of the equestrian show. But Marlena is married to the circus's cruel animal trainer. Jacob also meets Rosie, an elephant that everyone had hoped would help save the circus, but who appears to be untrainable.

The Book Girls Say... There are a few books that you don't want to end because you're worried you won't find another book you enjoy as much, and this was one of those books. The writing transports you to the time and place - and it's a world you'll want to get lost in.

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐
90% Would Recommend to a Friend

CHALLENGES
Lifetime of Reading: 20-Somethings
Decade: 1930s

by Erik Larson

William Dodd, a professor from Chicago, is named America's ambassador to Germany at the rise of the Third Reich. His family joins him in Berlin, and his outgoing 24-year-old daughter, Martha, is immediately drawn in to the parties, pomp, and handsome young men of the Third Reich.

While Martha becomes enamored with the "New Germany," her father grows increasingly concerned by what he witnesses all around him as Adolf's true character and ambition become more clear. By the end of 1933, however, even Martha finds herself living in terror.

The Book Girls Say... We've read a lot of books about WWII, but many have left us questioning how the world did not recognize the darkening atmosphere in Germany for so long. This book shines a light on just that question from an eyewitness perspective. If you enjoy history and non-fiction, Erik Larson's books are a wonderful choice because of his detailed research, however, keep in mind that his writing style moves slowly and deliberately.

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐
71% Would Recommend to a Friend

CHALLENGES
Lifetime of Reading: 20 Somethings
Decade: 1930s

by Annie Barrows

Layla Beck is the twenty-four-year-old daughter of a US Senator and she's accustomed to running in a certain social circle. But in the summer of 1938, her father cuts off her allowance and insists that she get a job with the Federal Writers' Project, a New Deal jobs program.

Layla is assigned to cover the history of a remote West Virginia mill town, and while there she stays with the unconventional Romeyn family - who she comes to learn is a local dynasty with a complicated past.

The Romeyn's 12-year-old daughter is eager to uncover more about her family's past, and together she and Layla will bring to light long buried secrets about the family and the town.

The Book Girls Say... Annie Barrows is the co-author of the very popular The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, and The Truth According to Us is described as equally delightful and eccentric while being refreshingly unique.

CHALLENGES
Lifetime of Reading: 20-Somethings
Decade: 1930s

by Donna Everhart

Set against the backdrop of the Great Depression, this book transports readers to the turpentine camps and pine forests of the South. North Carolina earned it's nickname - the Tar Heel State - from the thick, sticky sap that labors extracted from the trees. It was hard and dangerous work, often in inhumane conditions.

When Rae's husband, Warren, is hurt and cannot do the job, Rae disguises herself as a man and heads to the Swallow Hill turpentine camp in Georgia. There she meets 28-year-old Del, who is on the run from the mistakes of his past, and Cornelia, the browbeaten wife of the camp's commissary owner. As the three form a stronger friendship, they begin to envision a path out of the camp and a better future.

The Book Girls Say... This book is described as Where the Crawdads Sing meets The Four Winds. The descriptive writing does a good job of setting the time and place, and the the story shows the determination and grit of the characters in the face of the hate and racism that abounds.

CHALLENGES
Lifetime of Reading: 20-Somethings
Decade: 1930s

by Genevieve Graham

Spanning from 1933 to 1939, and from the streets of Toronto to the shores of Hong Kong, this Canadian historical fiction novel tells the story of a little-known chapter of WWII history.

With the Depression crippling Toronto, 18-year-old Molly puts aside her journalism dreams to work any job she can to help her family get by. But, as the summer of 1933 stretches on, the terrible wave of hate and anti-Semitism sweeping the globe reaches Toronto in the form of "Swastika Clubs" and "No Jews Allowed" signs. On a fateful night in August, tensions reached a boiling point between the local Irish and Jewish communities. The resulting riot has devastating consequences for Molly's family and that of her best friend, Hannah.

Six years later, Molly is now in her mid-twenties and working as a reporter for the local paper. With the war on the horizon and many people she loves in danger, Molly is forced to confront what happened on that terrible night back in 1933.

The Book Girls Say... This book combines page-turning fiction with facets of WW2 history that most know little about!

CHALLENGES
Lifetime of Reading: 20-Somethings
Decade: 1930s

by Amor Towles

In post-Depression-era New York, a 25-year-old young women has a chance encounter with a handsome banker, and suddenly finds herself thrust into a yearlong journey into high society. You'll be drawn in by the characters and the sparkling depiction of New York's social strata. As one review put it, "If a novel could win an award for best cinematography, this would take home the gold."

CHALLENGES
Lifetime of Reading: 20-Somethings
Decade: 1930s

by Beatriz Williams

It's Memorial Day 1938 and 27-year-old New York socialite Lily Dane has returned with her family for another summer in the oceanfront community of Seaview, Rhode Island. But when Lily's former best friend shows up at the beach, newly married to Lily's former fiancé, the summer no longer looks to be as peaceful and relaxing as planned.

Amid gossip and an impending hurricane, buried emotions and unexpected truths bubble to the surface.

CHALLENGES
Lifetime of Reading: 20-Somethings
Decade: 1930s

by Isabel Allende

This novel begins during the Spanish Civil War. When Franco succeeds in overthrowing the government, thousands flee to the French border, including Roser, a pregnant young widow, and Victor, a 23-year-old army doctor and brother of Roser's deceased love. In order to improve their chances of survival, Roser and Victor must marry despite neither wishing to do so.

Together with thousands of other refugees, they board the SS Winnipeg bound for Chile, leaving behind a Europe erupting in WWII. While starting over on another continent, both hold onto hope that they'll be able to return to Spain one day. But as they witness the battle between freedom and repression across the globe, Roser and Victor discover that home is closer than they thought.

The Book Girls Say... Melissa recently watched an interview with author Isabel Allende, and found her utterly hilarious and charming. We both look forward to reading this one, and expect that if her writing is anything like her speaking, Allende's novel is sure to jump to the top of our favorites list.

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐
80% Would Recommend to a Friend

CHALLENGES
Lifetime of Reading: 20-Somethings
Decade: 1930s

by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb

Sister Clara and Maddie are very different and don't get along particularly well. But when their dying grandmother calls them to the family estate in East Hampton, New York and asks them to deliver three letters for her across Europe, they can't say no to her dying wish.

The sisters are tasked with traveling to Paris, Venice, and Vienna via the Queen Mary and the Orient Express. Adventurous budding journalist Maddie is excited to travel, but Clara would rather stay home to plan her wedding. But along the way, a shocking truth about their family brings the pair closer together.

In 1937, political tensions are rising and Europe feels increasingly volatile, so by the time the sisters have completed their final task, they are both happy to be headed home via the Hindenburg.

The Book Girls Say... The book does not say how old the sisters are, but there are numerous references to the sisters being having not gotten along "since their teenage years" - so we think it's safe to assume that they are 20-something during the story, making this a good crossover book for the Lifetime of Reading and Decades challenges this March.

Maddie and Clara's journey is inspired by famed reporter, Nellie Bly's trip around the world in 72 days (be sure to read the author's note at the end of the book to learn more about Bly).

CHALLENGES
Lifetime of Reading: 20-Somethings
Decade: 1930s

by Kristin Hannah

As the Dust Bowl drought gripped the Great Plains, millions were out of work, crops were failing, water was drying up, and farmers were fighting to keep their land. This is the story of Elsa Martinelli, who is forced to make an agonizing choice: fight for her land in Texas or move west, to California, in search of a better life. She, like so many of her neighbors, courageously faces the hardship and sacrifices that came to define an entire generation during the Great Depression as they fought for the American Dream.

The Book Girls Say... Elsa is 25 when this book first opens in 1921, although most of the book takes place between 1934-1936 when Elsa is in her late 30s.

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
96% Would Recommend to a Friend

CHALLENGES
Lifetime of Reading: Teen
Book Voyage: Wiltshire, England
Decades Challenge: 1920s

by Eva Ibbotson

This YA historical romance is perfect for fans of Downton Abbey and Upstairs, Downstairs. After the Russian Revolution turns her world upside down, Anna, a teenage Russian countess, has no choice but to flee to England with nothing. She is forced to hide her aristocratic background and takes a job as a servant.

Desperate to keep her past a secret, she is overwhelmed by her new duties but finds herself attracted to the handsome Earl of the house. He appears to be falling for her as well, but there's also the matter of his nasty fiance.

CHALLENGES
Lifetime of Reading Challenge: Teens
Book Voyage: Spain

by Ruta Sepetys

This young adult historical fiction focuses on life in post-war Spain under Franco's dictatorship. In 1957, the regime needed money and opened the country to Americans hoping for investment. Eighteen-year-old Daniel travels with his oil tycoon father from Houston to Madrid.

Daniel brings his camera, eager to explore the city beyond the image that Franco is projecting to the world. Along with Ana, the young hotel maid tasked with assisting his family, Daniel discovers and documents the atrocities happening in the fascist regime.

The Book Girls Say... This 2020 release is the latest book from the New York Times bestselling author of Salt to the Sea and Between Shades of Gray.

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
96% Would Recommend to a Friend

CHALLENGES
Lifetime of Reading Challenge: Teens
Book Voyage: Sweden

by Fredrik Blackman

In the tiny community of Beartown, deep in the Swedish forest, life revolves around hockey. It provides entertainment and the hope for a better future. When a shocking event occurs involving two teenagers, the people of Beartown quickly take sides. Who will stand up for the truth and put hockey above humanity?

While this story is told from many different perspectives, including teens and adults, it is the teenage characters who have the most at stake in this story.

The sequel to Beartown, Us Against You, is also a winner, and we are eagerly awaiting the third book in the trilogy, The Winners, which is expected to be published in English in September 2022.

The Book Girls Say... This was a 5-star read for both of us! Some will say you have to like hockey to like this book, but the book really isn't about hockey - it's about people. Fredrick Backman has a gift with words and melodic phrasing, along with a phenomenal insight into the motivations of the teenagers and adults alike. He writes characters that are so well-rounded that even when you don't agree with their decisions, you will still understand what they were thinking.

WARNING: This story includes one scene with sexual violence.

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
97% Would Recommend to a Friend

CHALLENGES
Lifetime of Reading Challenge: Teens
Book Voyage: Paris, France

by Jordyn Taylor

Alice's grandmother, Adalyn, just passed away, and she left the sixteen-year-old an apartment in Paris - one that's been locked up for more than seventy years and that no one in the family knew existed.

Now Alice is spending the summer in Paris, and with the help of Paul - a Parisian student - she's determined to find out why her grandma never mentioned the family that she left behind when she left France during WWII. The more she learns about the past, the more she realizes that her family is also hiding secrets in the present.

This dual-time line YA novel also transports us back to the Paris of the 1940s. It's a city that sixteen-year-old Adalyn hardly recognizes as the Occupation brings new terrors daily. When she meets a young leader of a resistance group, she sees an opportunity to fight back, but she soon finds herself having to make more and more compromises.

CHALLENGES
Lifetime of Reading Challenge: Teens
Book Voyage: Ireland

by Maeve Binchy

Life-long friends Benny and Eve grew up in the small Irish village of Knockglen during the 1950s. At the age of 17, they both head to university in Dublin, where their circle of friends expands to include beautiful Nan and handsome Jack. But heartbreak and betrayal result when their worlds of Knockglen and Dublin collide, and long-hidden lies emerge that will test the bonds of their friendship.

The Book Girls' Say... Angela read this book in high school and it still stands out in her mind as one of her all-time coming of age novels! It's a simple story of friendship that is heart-warming and beautifully told from the first page to the last. Her most vivid memory of this book is the warm feeling it left her with.

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
100% Would Recommend to a Friend

CHALLENGES
Lifetime of Reading Challenge: Teens
Book Voyage: Norway

by Josstein Gaarder

This Norwegian YA novel is a story within a story. Georg's father died when he was just four years old. Eleven years later, Georg is a teenager living in Norway when he receives a letter his father wrote to him before he died, and within the letter is a story.

It is the story of the orange girl, and it is a riddle from the past. In his youth, Georg's father encountered a captivating girl on a streetcar. She held a huge bag full of oranges, but a jolt on the train caused him to bump into her, sending her oranges flying. She hopped off the streetcar, leaving him holding the oranges, and now, from the grave, he is asking his son to search Oslo to solve the mystery of who she was and who she is.

CHALLENGES
Lifetime of Reading Challenge: Teens
Book Voyage: Italy

by Jenna Evans Welch

This YA novel is an excellent option if you're looking for a coming-of-age story with mystery, adventure, and a sweet romance that will transport you to an Italy filled with - you guessed it - love and gelato. The descriptions of Italy in this book will have you immediately planning your next vacation, but this story also brings much more depth than you might expect at first glance.

Lina's mother had one dying wish - that her daughter gets to know the father she's never met. Lina isn't thrilled to be spending the summer in Tuscany with this man she just learned about, but when she is given the journal that her mom kept when she lived in Italy, everything begins to change. As she follows her mother's footsteps she is able to process her grief while also discovering art, hidden bakeries, and even romance.

The Book Girls Say... If you enjoy this young adult novel about Italy, you might also want to check out Love & Luck (set in Ireland) and Love & Olives (set in Santorini, Greece). All three coming-of-age stories are worth the read!

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐
89% Would Recommend to a Friend

CHALLENGES
Lifetime of Reading Challenge: Teens
Book Voyage: Amsterdam (small portion of the book)

by John Green

Hazel has known her life would be cut short since she was first diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. She reluctantly attends "Cancer Kid Support Group" at the request of her mom, but what she finds there is the last thing she expected - first love.

Hazel and the charming Augustus Waters have many things in common, including their favorite author who they are determined to meet, even if they have to travel to Amsterdam to do it. 

The Book Girls Say... Although only a small portion of this book is set in Amsterdam, the descriptions are wonderful.

CHALLENGES
Lifetime of Reading: Teens
Decades Challenge: 1920s

by Jennifer Latham

This YA dual timeline read is a fictionalized account of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. Rowan is a present-day 17-year-old about to start her important summer internship when workers discover a skeleton on her property during the renovation of a building that began as slave quarters.

Her story alternates with William Tillman, a 17-year-old in 1921, whose misguided attempt to "protect" a girl he had a crush on triggers more death, destruction, and division than he could have predicted.

The Book Girls Say... For decades, the story of what happened in Tulsa in 1921 was buried. Despite living 20 minutes from the site, Melissa was never taught about it in school. So she was horrified 10 years ago when she learned about what was then referred to by a less accurate name, the Tulsa Race Riot. She asked around at that time(~2010), and few locals knew about it. So Melissa turned to books to learn more and highly recommends Hannibal B. Johnson's Black Wall Street if you'd like a well-researched non-fiction read.

Johnson's follow-up, Black Wall Street 100, covers what has happened since 1921.

Watch the sidewalk if you're ever in Tulsa near the ballpark downtown. You'll see location markers with the names of businesses and business owners who had their livelihood destroyed. The markers indicate who rebuilt and who never reopened and give a good sense of the impact to the formerly successful community members.

CHALLENGES
Lifetime of Reading: Teens
Decades Challenge: 1920s

by McKelle George

This YA fiction set on Long Island in the Roaring Twenties is a jazz age retelling of Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing. After getting kicked out of boarding school, 17-year-old Beatrice goes to her uncle's estate on Long Island, where her cousin runs a struggling speakeasy in the basement. Told from multiple points of view, this is the story of six teenagers whose lives intertwine during a summer of romantic misunderstandings and dangerous deals.

Described as "hilariously clever and utterly charming," this YA novel set in the 1920s is filled with quick and hilarious banter that will keep readers of all ages turning the pages.

CHALLENGES
Decades Challenge: 1920s
Book Voyage: London, England

by Sarah-Jane Stratford

After WWI, change is in the air. American-raised Maisie Musgrave is thrilled to land a job at London's upstart British Broadcasting Company. Still new, strange, and electrifying, the BBC's use of radio was captivating the nation. Maisie was seduced by the work. As she arranges broadcasts by the most famous writers, scientists, and politicians in Britain, she gains confidence in her career, but she also finds herself caught in a growing conflict between her two bosses who have very different visions of what radio should be.

When Maisie unearths a shocking conspiracy, she joins forces with one of her bosses - Hilda Matheson - to make sure their voices are heard both on and off the air despite the dangerous consequences of telling the truth for a living.

The Book Girls Say... The audio version of this book is currently included free with an Audible membership.

CHALLENGES
Decades Challenge: 1920s
Book Voyage: Paris, France; Pamplona, Spain

by Paula McLain

This work of historical fiction paints a vivid portrait of the 1920s and the love affair between Ernest Hemingway and his wife, Hadley. Hadley lived in Chicago and had all but given up on love when she met Hemingway, who would change her life forever.

Together, they set sail for Paris, where they became the golden couple living among such famed friends as Gertrude Stein, Ezra Pound, and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Unfortunately, the couple was not prepared for the hard-drinking and fast-living life of the Jazz Age in Paris. Eventually leading to challenges for each individual, and ultimately to a marriage in crisis.

The Book Girls Say... Angela read this book years ago and was captivated by the atmosphere of post-war Jazz Age Paris. Having previously only experienced Hemingway as required reading in college, The Paris Wife provided color and context to appreciate his writings in a new light.

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐
92% Would Recommend to a Friend

CHALLENGES
Book Voyage: England
Decades Challenge: 1920s

by Marie Benedict

On a frigid night in December of 1926, mystery writer Agatha Christie went missing for 11 days. A more extensive search was launched after investigators found her car, which only contained her fur coat, near a pond. The only clues were some tire tracks nearby. Both her husband and daughter were questioned but claimed not to know her whereabouts.

The questions about where she went and what she was doing have persisted for nearly a century. In this historical fiction novel, Benedict imagines what may have occurred in a story filled with twists fitting of a Christie mystery.

The Book Girls Say... While the average rating of this book from our readers was a little lower than we expected at 3 1/2 stars, 100% said they would recommend the book to a friend.

CHALLENGES
Book Voyage: England & France
Decades Challenge: 1920s

by Gemma Liviero

Four years after Rudy lost his eldest brother, a British soldier, to the battlefields of France, Rudy's family is still torn apart by grief and secrets in the aftermath of WWI.

When Mariette arrives, in 1922, claiming to be Edgar's widow, and the mother of his child, Rudy urges her to stay in hopes that she'll shed light on unanswered questions. But Mariette's revelations lead to more questions than answers, and suspicions threaten to further divide Rudy's family. Rudy sets out on a quest for the truth that takes him from England to France and beyond.

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2
100% Would Recommend to a Friend

CHALLENGES
Book Voyage: Italy
Decades Challenge: 1920s

by Rhys Bowen

In 2001, Caroline Grant was in the midst of her marriage falling apart when her beloved great-aunt Lettie passed away, leaving Caroline a sketchbook, three keys, and the request that her ashes be spread in Venice. Key by key, Caroline will learn the secrets that Lettie kept for more than 60 years - secrets of impossible love, loss, and courage.

In her younger years, Lettie traveled to Venice numerous times as an art teacher, providing a wealth of art history to her students and allowing her to visit the man she loves even though his future cannot include her.
As the story unfolds, this novel is filled with beautiful descriptions of Venice's narrow footpaths, canals, architecture, and food, both in the 1928-1944 timeline, as well as during the 21st century. Art plays an important role throughout this novel.

The Book Girls Say... Only a small portion of the historical timeline is set in the late 1920s (it then moves on to the 1930s and 1940s), but if you love art history, then this might be a good crossover option for this month's Book Voyage and Decades Challenge.

The Kindle version is currently free with Kindle Unlimited. If you prefer audiobooks, be aware that this one is exclusive to Audible.

CHALLENGES
Lifetime of Reading: Childhood
Decades Challenge: 1910s

by Betty Smith

This is a beloved American classic set in the 1910s that brilliantly describes a unique time and place and captures the universal experience of adolescence.

From her earliest days, Francie Nolan needed to be made of stern stuff. Growing up in the Williamsburg slums of Brooklyn, New York demanded fortitude, precocity, and strength of spirit - and Francie has each of these in spades. She is often scorned by neighbors for her family’s erratic and eccentric behavior, including her father's taste for alcohol and her Aunt Sissy’s habit of marrying serially without the formality of divorce. No one, least of all Francie, would say that the Nolans’ life lacked drama.

The Book Girls Say... This book takes place from 1900-1918. Francie is under age 12 for the first half of this classic novel, and then ages through her teen years in the second half of the book.

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐
93% Would Recommend to a Friend

CHALLENGES
Lifetime of Reading: Childhood
Decades Challenge: 1910s

by Ellen Marie Wiseman

As the US celebrates the end of the war in 1918, the Spanish flu brings a new threat to American cities. In Philadelphia, 13-year-old Pia, a German immigrant, is forced to venture out into the quarantined city in search of food for her and her younger brothers.

Amid anti-immigrant sentiment in her city and the grief of losing her baby to the Spanish flu, Bernice Groves formulates a plot to transform the city's orphans and immigrant children into "true Americans."
After collapsing on the street, Pia wakes up days later in a hospital, desperate to return to her brothers, but instead, she is taken to an orphan asylum.

The Book Girls Say... While Pia is a teen rather than a child, there are also younger children in this book, making it worthy of consideration if you're looking for a crossover book between the 1910s Decades Challenge prompt and childhood Lifetime of Reading prompt.

The Orphan Collector is currently available free with Kindle Unlimited.

CHALLENGES
Lifetime of Reading: Childhood
Decades Challenge: 1910s

By Frances Hodgson Burnett

The Secret Garden is often considered one of the best children's books of the twentieth century, but it appeals to both young and old alike. Mary lives in India with her uncaring parents when they are both killed in a cholera epidemic. She is sent to live with an uncle at his house in England, where she meets and helps her uncle's sickly son, Colin, recover his health.

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2
100% Would Recommend to a Friend

CHALLENGES
Decades Challenge: 1910s
Book Voyage: ANTARCTICA

by Alfred Lansing

This is one of the most highly-rated books about polar expeditions and is considered one of the greatest true-life adventure stories of the modern age.

In 1914, polar explorer Ernest Shackleton boarded the Endurance bound for Antarctica, where he would cross the uncharted continent on foot. Several months later, just a short distance from its final destination, the Endurance became locked in the ice and crushed between two ice flows.

Forced to abandon the ship and ultimately crossing the dangerous Drake Passage in an open boat, their arduous survival journey takes over a year with death-defying odds at every turn.

The Book Girls Say... This is a fast-paced non-fiction that will hold your attention. Many of our readers highly recommend the audiobook version because of the wonderful narrator.

Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
94% Would Recommend to a Friend

If you've already read and enjoyed Endurance, consider picking up South, which is Shackleton's memoir of the trip.

CHALLENGES
Decades Challenge: 1910s
Book Voyage: ANTARCTICA

by Beryl Bainbridge

This novel provides a fictionalized account of Captain Scott's doomed Antarctic expedition in 1912. The Captain and four members of his team - "The Birthday Boys" - each narrates sections of the story. These men despise professional expertise, and "their cocky optimism is both ghastly and dangerous."

As the book progresses, you'll also come to realize that these men may not be reliable reporters...

CHALLENGES
Decades Challenge: 1910s
Book Voyage: ANTARCTICA

by David Roberts

If you enjoy true survival stories in the vein of Unbroken, then this is the book for you!

In 1913, following a tragic accident, Australian Douglas Mawson found himself alone in the Antarctic 300 miles away from base and with only enough food supplies for ten days. Nevertheless, he endured a nearly two-month journey.

Through his survival against all odds, Mawson earns a place as one of the greatest polar explorers and polar expedition leaders.

The Book Girls Say... Readers say this one is a bit slow to start because it's gathered together from different diaries, but it's a page-turner once you get into it. It's also recommended that you might want to keep a map handy for reference while reading.