This week, our First Impressions readers review Diana Abu-Jaber's latest novel Fencing with the King, which deftly blends family and cultural history.

In Editor's Choice, we look at Kalani Pickhart's first novel, I Will Die in a Foreign Land, a work incorporating Ukraine's recent past that is very relevant to current events. Meanwhile, our book club members are discussing another debut, Crying in H Mart, a memoir in which Michelle Zauner blends food and grief.

Plus, you can explore hundreds more books from first-time authors in our Debuts category, which is free to all visitors for the next 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.

A mesmerizing breakthrough novel of family myths and inheritances by the award-winning author of Crescent.

"I thoroughly enjoyed the book and found the story engaging from beginning to end. It would make a great book club choice as there is much to discuss. The author takes the reader on a trip to Jordan with American-born Amani and her Jordanian-born American father Gabe, immersing the reader in the culture and landscapes." - Cindy

"I didn't expect to get so caught up in an American poet's quest to find answers to old family mysteries and issues of identity and belonging in a tale set in 1990s Jordan, but I was hooked from beginning to end...The writing is skilled, intimate, and evocative, and book clubs will enjoy discussing the power of family ties, religion, materialistic versus transcendent goals, and more...immensely powerful." - Helia R. (Goodlettsville, TN)

"This is such an entertaining book! I enjoyed it from the first page. It has a great mix of historical fiction with details from the distant past combined with current events and political intrigue. Our lives do not start with us; the past, sometimes the ancient past, influences and even controls our fortunes. International events connect the Kingdom of Jordan with the United States and lightly explore living as a bridge between two very different cultures." - Paula B. (Albuquerque, NM)

Reviewed by Callum McLaughlin

Though I Will Die in a Foreign Land follows multiple perspectives across a span of several years, the majority of the novel is centered around the Euromaidan protests of 2013-2014 in Ukraine. Tension was sparked by the government's decision to abandon a proposed agreement with the European Union, choosing instead to form closer ties with Russia and the Putin administration. Kyiv's Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square) became the epicenter of the demonstrations, with thousands of Ukrainians gathering to call for the resignation of President Viktor Yanukovych. Legislation was quickly introduced to try and strip the public of their right to protest, with pro-Russian activists and riot police descending on the square. Violence soon erupted, resulting in well over 100 deaths. Kalani Pickhart chronicles all of this political intrigue, but chooses to place the focus firmly on her characters, ensuring the book never reads like a history lesson... continued

Visit BookBrowse for more including our full review and beyond the book article: Ukraine's Babushkas: The Women Who Refused to Leave Chernobyl.

From the indie rockstar of Japanese Breakfast fame, and author of the viral 2018 New Yorker essay that shares the title of this book, an unflinching, powerful memoir about growing up Korean American, losing her mother, and forging her own identity.

In this exquisite story of family, food, grief, and endurance, Michelle Zauner proves herself far more than a dazzling singer, songwriter, and guitarist.

"I loved that Zauner draws close to the one thing she and her mother shared... It makes sense that she would cling to the tastes of her mother's home and try to resurrect that connection through the one thing they both loved. The book made me so hungry and greatly increased my shopping list for my next trip to H Mart." - ScribblingScribe

"I found it to be a beautiful elegy to the author's mother. I also would recommend it as a gorgeously written example of foodoir — memoir that successfully employs food writing technique, engaging all the senses." - ABeman

"The entire emotional journey and her personal growth are quietly huge. So so much work and tears. What a shining investment in self." - crk

Members can read the full issue of The BookBrowse Review, our twice-monthly ezine featuring reviews, beyond the book articles, author interviews and more.

Membership is just $3.25/month with an annual subscription.

Could your book club use some uplifting books for a change? Many book groups make a point of choosing reading that will lead to serious discussions of important issues, but it's also important to foster the sense of joy and well-being that books can bring into our lives...

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

We're always on the lookout for strong books from emerging authors, such as I Will Die in a Foreign Land and Crying in H Mart (above), and you can check out more first-time releases in our Debuts category. For the next week, all visitors can browse this category for free to explore debut books from both new and established writers.

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