This week in First Impressions, our readers give enthusiastic reviews of Melissa Fu's work of multi-generational historical fiction Peach Blossom Spring.

We also have an interview with Kalani Pickhart about her novel I Will Die in a Foreign Land, which is set during the 2013-2014 protests in Kyiv that triggered the sequence of events leading up to the present day.

In Editor's Choice, we explore Vladimir by Julia May Jonas, a novel that humorously depicts and dissects social politics in a contemporary campus setting.

We also invite you to browse our category of books spanning multiple decades of the 20th century, which is available for free to all this week.

Thanks for reading,

Davina Morgan-Witts

BookBrowse Publisher

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 one recently released title.

"This book follows a single Chinese family through decades, beginning with the occupation of China by the Japanese in 1938 and ending with the blossoming of a small peach orchard in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 2005. The underpinning of Peach Blossom Spring is a series of stories told by a Chinese mother to her young son—stories that are meant to instill values which will help him throughout his life no matter the difficulties confronting him. In this, her debut novel, Melissa Fu proves herself to be a gifted storyteller in her own right. This is a beautiful book, well worth reading. A great book for book clubs—lots of discussion material and lots of material for personal reflection." - Marcia C. (Jeffersonville, PA)

"The only thing that disappointed me about this book was that it ended. I wanted more time with Meilin, Henry, Rachel, and Lily. Great pick for those who love historical fiction, family/generational story arcs, and stories about the power of storytelling." - Jessamyn R. (Odenton, MD)

"I was engaged until the very last page (and now I want to plant peach trees!). An epic depiction of three lives, which includes instances of war, immigrant experience, parent/child bonds, activism, and more. The gorgeous cover is definitely just a prelude to what is inside." - Donna C. (Cary, NC)

Released in October 2021, I Will Die in a Foreign Land offers timely insight into the tensions that set the stage for Russia's February 2022 invasion Ukraine. BookBrowse had a chance to talk to debut novelist Kalani Pickhart about her research and writing process. Among other topics, she recommends books and other media for those interested in learning more about current events in Ukraine, the country's politics and culture, and its complex history with Russia.

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There are barbs about the zeitgeisty, near-constant use of the word "liminal," and the rise of creative nonfiction among students—is it due to narcissism or fear, the narrator wonders. These aren't cruel jokes, though—just recognizable observations if you've been near a college campus recently, lightly mocking but also sympathetic and even appreciative. Yes, sometimes the narrator comes off as a bitch, and her students clownish, but Vladimir is neither a skewering of campus political correctness nor a complete indictment of its protagonist. There is moral reckoning in these pages, sometimes intellectualized and sometimes based on something more primal, like guilt and pain... continued

Visit BookBrowse for more including our full review and beyond the book article, Don Quixote: The First Modern Novel.

All visitors to BookBrowse can browse by genre, but most of our 100+ themed categories are only for members.

In our 20th Century (Multiple Decades) category, historical fiction fans, lovers of multi-generational stories, and others interested in traveling through the relatively recent past can find books like Peach Blossom Spring that cover the last century across a wide span of time. For the next week, all visitors can browse this category for free.

Currently, we're discussing Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner and Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro, with more discussions opening soon.