Hana is a teenager determined to escape her hand to mouth existence while living with her often absent mother in a small apartment in a Tokyo suburb. When not at school, she works in a local restaurant saving her earnings. But when one of her mother’s boyfriends steals her savings, she is devastated until she runs into her mother’s friend Kimiko whom she remembers from earlier, who befriended her. Hana moves to another part of Tokyo where Kimiko opens a bar. Although underage, Hana works hard and drinks hard to make a successful life with Kimiko. Hana befriends clients while working, pays the bills and saves the profits. Life is looking up with Kimiko and her living in a small apartment, but everything is about to change.
Continue reading “Mieko Kawakami’s—Sisters in yellow”Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s—Sister of my heart
Although Anju and Sunda are cousins, they grow up in the same Calcutta household. Sunda’s father is full of money-making schemes while Anju’s father supports them financially. The fathers set out on a journey to a ruby cave, but never return, leaving a house full of women to fend for themselves. Both cousins had dreams of attending college, but as money grows scarce their hopes become a pipe dream.
Continue reading “Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s—Sister of my heart”Book releases
Recently, I did a book release with three other British Columbian writers. We met up to delegate who would do what, then fretted about whether or not we’d be reading to ourselves!
Continue reading “Book releases”Mallee Stanley’s—Slow Poison
This is my eighth year at reviewing books I believe deserve a five out of five and I’ve come to that time again when I’m writing about my recently published book, “Slow Poison.”
Here’s the back cover blurb:
In 1960s Tanzania, Aliya is cherished by her grandfather yet overshadowed by a mother who never truly sees her. When political upheaval strips her family of almost everything and tragedy shatters the one bond that sustained her, Aliya is thrust into a life shaped by loss and silence.
A fleeting romance leads to a forced marriage, betrayal and devastating violence. Fleeing scandal, grief and danger, Aliya begins again in Vancouver, but whispers of her past follow and almost everything she has tried to bury refuses to stay hidden.
As buried love and guilt resurface, Aliya must confront the truth she has carried across continents— some pasts cannot be outrun only faced.
The ebook and paperback is available to Amazon.ca
I lived in Tanzania’s Dar es Salaam for several years and will be writing about my time there on my travel blog: https://malleestanley.wordpress.com





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