This week, we bring you two recommendations from our First Impressions readers. Kristin Harmel has once again delighted historical fiction fans with The Forest of Vanishing Stars. Set during World War II, the novel follows a heroic young woman as she helps Jews hide from the Nazis in an Eastern European forest.

The Temple House Vanishing by Rachel Donohue is a taut mystery set at an all-girls boarding school in Ireland that kept readers glued to the page.

We also have information about new books available for members to request below, along with the latest blog post and more.

Very best,

Davina

Each month we give away books to BookBrowse members who live in the U.S. to read and review. Members who choose to participate receive a free book about every 3-4 months. Here are their opinions on two recently released titles.

"Lovers of historical fiction with a mystical twist will enjoy this thought-provoking novel. I highly recommend The Forest of Vanishing Stars for book club discussion." - Ellie B.

Members! This month's First Impressions and Book Club books are available now. Request at bookbrowse.com/arc before end of Saturday, July 17.

If you're not currently a member and wish to become one, join and request a book for end of Saturday and you will receive it. If you are a past member, you can renew here.

Books are provided to members free of charge with the understanding that they'll do their best to either write a short review or take part in an online discussion forum, depending on whether the book is assigned for First Impressions or the Book Club.

Due to publisher restrictions, books are only available to US residents. Members who take part fairly regularly generally receive a book about every 3-4 months.

Jhumpa Lahiri wrote her novel Whereabouts in Italian, a language she learned in adulthood, and later translated it into English. Many authors have at some time made the decision to become exophonic (to write in a language other than one's native tongue), whether for personal, artistic, practical or political reasons.

The author who is possibly best known for doing this is Irish writer Samuel Beckett, who famously adopted French in order to write "sans style" (without style). While he eventually returned to English, some of his most famous works were originally composed in French, including the play En attendant Godot (Waiting for Godot) and the trilogy of novels beginning with Molloy...

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