Four Treasures of the Sky by Jenny Tingjui Zhang

My Rating: 4.7

In the late 1800's, Daiyu is born in China but, at the age of 13 is kidnapped and smuggled to America. As anti-Chinese sentiment sweeps across the country in a wave of unimaginable violence, Daiyu must draw on each of the selves she has been—including the ones she most wants to leave behind—in order to finally claim her own name and story.

This was an uncomfortable read. Daiyu has to reinvent herself many times with so many horrific circumstances but, she survives and overcomes. The audio version was a bit difficult to get in to but once I got in to it, I think it helped me with the various accents.

Yellow Wife by Sadeqa Johnson

My Rating: 4.8

In the 1850's, Pheby is born on a plantation in Virginia and has led a relatively sheltered life. Shielded by her mother’s position as the estate’s medicine woman and cherished by the Master’s sister, she is set apart from the others on the plantation, belonging to neither world. The Master has promised freedom on her 18th birthday but, instead, she ends up sold into the infamous Devil's Half Acre, a jail in Richmond.

This was very loosely based off of the real story of Mary at the Lumpkin Jail. It was so vivid and graphic that it was an extremely uncomfortable read at time but, so worth it. Such a horrific period of history that we all need to know about.

The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

My Rating: 4.5

An 1850 novel that was considered a masterpiece for it's time. Set in 17th century Massachusetts, Hester has a daughter through an affair. She is condemned as a sinner by the town and forced to wear a scarlet letter A. As her daughter grows she feels the stigma put upon her mother. Her mother, tries to live within the community that will not have her while trying to repent for her sins.

This wasn't a great read but, in hindsight, it grew on me. I couldn't figure out how Hester had no resentment - towards the town or the man who fathered the child. Towards the end of the novel, you discover who the father is (although there were clues along the way) and you see reason she never said anything - she loved him.

The Warsaw Orphan by Kelly Rimmer

My Rating: 4.9

In 1942, young Elizbieta/Emelia befriends her neighbor Sara. Elzbieta makes a discovery that propels her into a dangerous world of deception and heroism. Inspired by the real-life heroine who saved thousands of Jewish children during WWII.

I love historical fiction and this was amazing. This covers a lot of time. I found it fascinating not only how Sara and Emelia could make trips to/from the ghetto and how, for Roman, the war continued after the Nazi's were gone. So incredibly sad the things that unfolded and yet so heroic the things that people did to survive and help others to survive.