Book Tour Stop — Made in Korea by Sarah Suk

Thanks to TBR & Beyond Tours for the opportunity to participate in their book tour for Made in Korea (click here for the full book tour schedule), an awesome debut YA contemporary novel from Sarah Suk, which was released this past Tuesday, May 18th! When I first read its description — “Frankly in Love meets Shark Tank” — I knew I would be absolutely hooked. I devoured this book in just a few short sittings and totally fell in love with Valerie and Wes, both as a couple and as individuals. While I loved getting to learn more about Korean culture such as K-Pop, K-Beauty, and haenyeo (female divers in Jeju), I mostly loved seeing how Valerie and Wes come to term with their own identities, passions, challenges, and more.

Full synopsis:

Frankly in Love meets Shark Tank in this feel-good romantic comedy about two entrepreneurial Korean American teens who butt heads—and maybe fall in love—while running competing Korean beauty businesses at their high school.

There’s nothing Valerie Kwon loves more than making a good sale. Together with her cousin Charlie, they run V&C K-BEAUTY, their school’s most successful student-run enterprise. With each sale, Valerie gets closer to taking her beloved and adventurous halmeoni to her dream city, Paris.

Enter the new kid in class, Wes Jung, who is determined to pursue music after graduation despite his parents’ major disapproval. When his classmates clamor to buy the K-pop branded beauty products his mom gave him to “make new friends,” he sees an opportunity—one that may be the key to help him pay for the music school tuition he knows his parents won’t cover…

What he doesn’t realize, though, is that he is now V&C K-BEAUTY’s biggest competitor.

Stakes are high as Valerie and Wes try to outsell each other, make the most money, and take the throne for the best business in school—all while trying to resist the undeniable spark that’s crackling between them. From hiring spies to all-or-nothing bets, the competition is much more than either of them bargained for.

But one thing is clear: only one Korean business can come out on top.

I always love stories that portray the Asian American experience as diverse, beautiful, and joyous, rather than as a monolith. For example, Wes wants to explore his passion for music, while Valerie is in love with running her K-Beauty business. Her cousin Charlie is a bit of a class clown who loves sports, while his crush Pauline has a passion for sea life. I loved how diverse their interests were. As a young person, and especially as a young Asian person, I used to really internalize a lot of stereotypes and racist thinking in terms of the model minority myth. For example, I’d often choose my activities or interests based on what I thought others viewed me as, versus what I was actually passionate about, which looking back, seems silly but was definitely a thing. This book was such a wonderful example of young Asian people really finding joy in their passions, whatever those things may be. And as an adult reading it, it brought me a lot of joy!

I also loved that while this book was a fun romance with an awesome enemies-to-lovers trope, juxtaposed with the two Korean businesses battling it out for the top spot, it also dealt with identity in really powerful ways. I loved reading the conversations between Wes and Valerie as they discuss their own identities as Koreans and dissect how their individual family experiences play into how they view themselves. I think it’s such a powerful, important discussion to have and as an adult who is just now coming to accept who I am and recognize my own unique identity as an Asian American woman, I wish I had read a conversation like this back in high school or middle school. I know it would’ve resonated deeply with me and maybe helped me learn to accept myself earlier. However, better late than never! This book handled these discussions with grace, compassion, and dignity, along with a dose of romance, friendship, humor, and love.

I give this wonderful debut a 4 out of 5, and I would recommend it to any fans of young adult or YA romance written by Own Voices writers.

Here are some quotes that really resonated with me that I wanted to share — I hope that if you decide to read this book, you find lots of joy with it as well!

“But Korean culture is more than just K-pop and K-dramas. Maybe there’s a way for you to connect with your heritage in other ways, especially if you feel like it’s important to you and you just don’t know how to bridge the gap.”

Made in Korea

“You can’t always be nice to get what you want. Sometimes you have to be ambitious and fight to prove that you’re worth what you think you are.” ….

“Yeah, that’s true, but sometimes you have to recognize that people are people and not just customers you do business with. There isn’t always a price tag or black-and-white answer for why people do what they do.”

Made in Korea

“There are just moments, you know, little things like strangers asking me where I’m from or why my English is so good or yelling ‘ni hao’ to me on the streets. Or going to the movie theater in the city I grew up in but not seeing anyone on the screen who looks like me.”

Made in Korea

“Was it worth it to give up on someone who saw something in me just to try to prove something to someone who didn’t?”

Made in Korea

“Yeah, but it never is just about one conversation, is it? It’s about being brave enough to start it, wise enough to choose the right words, and self-aware enough to know what’s going on inside your brain.”

Made in Korea

Purchase links:

• Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53141483-made-in-korea
• Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Made-Korea-Sarah-Suk/dp/1534474374/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Made+in+Korea+by+Sarah+Suk&qid=1615752839&sr=8-1
• Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/made-in-korea-sarah-suk/1137941907
• Book Depository: https://www.bookdepository.com/Made-Korea-Sarah-Suk/9781534474376?ref=grid-view&qid=1615752846689&sr=1-1
• Indigo: https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/made-in-korea/9781534474376-item.html?ikwid=Made+in+Korea+by+Sarah+Suk&ikwsec=Home&ikwidx=0#algoliaQueryId=7bde4a04f6ad4431d17461508ad58dd0 IndieBound: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781534474376

About the author:

Sarah Suk (pronounced like soup with a K) lives in Vancouver, Canada where she writes stories and admires mountains. When she’s not writing, you can find her hanging out by the water, taking film photos, or eating a bowl of bingsu. You can visit her on Twitter and Instagram @sarahaelisuk.

Sarah is represented by Linda Epstein at Emerald City Literary Agency.

Author links:

• Website: https://www.sarahsuk.com/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahaelisuk/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahaelisuk/
• Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19557168.Sarah_Suk

Giveaway (US/Canada Only):

One winner will receive a finished copy of Made in Korea. The giveaway will end on May 24^th. Click here to enter the giveaway.

Think Daisy Jones but better: A review of The Last Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Walton

Thanks for bearing with me, folx… I am beyond behind on reviews here. I’ve been overbooked (get it 😉 I’m all for a good pun!) with ARCs and just great backlog reads that I wanted to take time to do what I love most — read. Now that I’ve cleared up my schedule, I’m hoping to be more consistent with my blogging and catch up on writing reviews to highlight some really incredible books and authors.

As I’ve mentioned before, I love a debut! I think reading and reviewing them is an honor. And when it comes to debuts I’ve read in 2021, The Last Revival of Opal & Nev is definitely top of the list. Dawnie Walton is such a talent, and you better bet I’ll be reading whatever she decides to publish from here on out. Like, she could publish her grocery list, and I’d be all about it!

Quick synopsis: This story follows the infamous rock duo Opal and Nev, nobodies who rose to fame in NYC in the 70s. In 2016, journalist S. Sunny Shelton is curating a collection of interviews from and about them as they prepare for a reunion tour, but a new allegation threatens everything Opal, Nev, and now Sunny have worked for.

Now I’m as big of a Daisy Jones and the Six fan as about anyone else, so I was at first a bit hesitant — this book, while quite different, followed the same oral story format, which I thought may feel too similar to Daisy Jones. But I was definitely wrong — in my opinion, this book shines so much brighter than Daisy Jones. I loved that coupled with the interviews are editor’s notes from the point of view of Sunny. These notes help develop Sunny as equally a main character, next to the titular Opal and Nev, and allowed the present day to become a story of its own, parallelling and moving on from that of Opal and Nev back in the 70s.

Opal, however, was my favorite character. She was bold, imperfect, bright, and brave. I loved how she knows exactly who she is and never tries to be anything she isn’t. Most importantly, she unabashedly stands up for what she believes in.

I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but what made this book so incredible and truly a step above Daisy Jones is how it shows the effects that white supremacy — and taking a stand against it — has on women of color, and especially Black women. It’s a powerful testament, both sobering yet full of hope. Especially in the context of 2016, when Sunny is performing these interviews and publishing this book. This book took turns I couldn’t have anticipated, and it both sucked me into this fictional story and reminded me of the lengths we still need to go for racial equality in our real-life society.

Lost in translation: A review of The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner

Have you ever just wanted to love a book SO much, and no matter how much you try, it just doesn’t seem to work out? That’s how I felt about The Lost Apothecary, unfortunately. Billed by Book of the Month as a historical fantasy and touted by just about everyone else as the next big hit, I felt in my heart it was going to be one of my favorite reads of March, if not 2021! While there was still much to like about it, it fell ended up falling a bit flat for me.

Quick synopsis: In 18th century London, a mysterious apothecary named Nella sells her goods to a specific clientele — woman looking to escape oppressive lives at the men in their lives. When 12-year-old Eliza comes into her shop, an unspeakable accident will put everything Nella has worked for at risk. In modern-day London, Caroline goes on vacation alone to escape heartbreaking news about her marriage and discovers a token from the past that will force all three women’s lives to intersect.

There was much to like about this book — I enjoyed the three main characters, but especially Nella and Eliza. I thought Penner’s character development with them was excellent as was the plotline, so much so that I sort of dreaded when I’d start a chapter based in modern-day London! Not that I didn’t like Caroline, but I do have a fascination with that time period and found Nella’s mission (and Eliza’s role in it) to help women admirable. It felt timely, important, and transcendent of time, which is clear in how that same oppression from men catches up with Caroline in modern time as she deals with marriage issues.

Overall, however, I didn’t enjoy the writing style. I felt that it was a little too much telling versus showing, so I didn’t feel myself transported into this story the way I had hoped. There were also a couple of plot points that felt rushed (but I won’t mention because of spoilers). Additionally — and this was probably my biggest issue — I felt a sort of disconnect between how the past storyline and the present storyline were supported to relate. I think for me, I hoped for a much stronger connection to tie them all together. Individually, each story was good, but together, it felt too disparate and forced.

But most importantly, I really thought there’d be more fantasy involved since it was billed as a historical fantasy genre. Book of the Month has typically done a great job labeling their picks in my opinion, and based off past options that are in this genre, I was expecting more fantasy, such as Addie LaRue, The Library of Legends, Things in Jars, or Gods of Jade and Shadow. I didn’t think The Lost Apothecary had nearly as much fantasy — perhaps just a touch of magical realism, but even for me, it felt a bit of a stretch.

That said, there are so many awesome reviewers out there that have rained praises upon this book! So while this book didn’t live up to its hype for me, I still think that many will love it and connect greatly with its story. For those who like historical fiction, female-powered books, or stories with parallel storylines, this would probably be an awesome fit. But if you, like me, were thinking this was going to have a lot of fantasy elements, this may fall flat based off the genre description alone.

Gamergate revisited: Pub day review of We Are Watching Eliza Bright by A. E. Osworth

Happy pub day to We Are Watching Eliza Bright, A. E. Osworth’s debut novel — and this was one a WILD ride! A huge thank you to Novel Suspects and Grand Central Publishing for this gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review. I devoured this techno-thriller in just about two days and loved so much about it.

Quick synopsis: From the back cover — “Eliza Bright is living the dream as an elite game coder at Fancy Dog Games, the first woman to ascend that high in the ranks–and some people want to make sure she’s the last. To her friends, Eliza Bright is a brilliant, self-taught coder bravely calling out the misogyny that pervades her workplace and industry. To the men who see her very presence as a threat, Eliza Bright is a woman who needs to be destroyed to protect the game they love.”

Now, a quick disclaimer: I am not a gamer by any means, unless you want to count Animal Crossing and Pokemon on my Nintendo Switch. So for readers in my boat, I did find that there was a bit of a learning curve when it came to getting used to the different gaming terminology in the world of massive multiplayer online role playing games (MMORPGs). But once I got used to it, I tore through this “cat-and-mouse” thriller. So definitely don’t let that discourage you at all!

CW for the book: sexual assault, harassment, rape, misogyny, stalking

In their debut novel, Osworth has crafted what I consider to be a sharp, gritty, and suspenseful thriller that flows nearly seamlessly between Eliza’s real-life nightmare that she finds herself in after reporting the workplace harassment she faces to a tech journalist, and the virtual world full of the men who view her as a threat to be taken down. Those men take up 4chan, Reddit, and the dark places of the internet that I can only imagine. What I found most intriguing about this book however was the unreliability of the narration — told from the collective POV of the online community of men constantly watching Eliza and waiting to strike. As a woman, it was honestly terrifying to hear the prejudice and often deep hatred toward Eliza (and women in general). But as a reader, it was a hell of an experience, allowing me to really zoom in on Eliza’s life, almost as if I were her stalkers. Creepy to say the least, but such a unique read.

Additionally, I loved how the book moved in and out between the real world and the Fancy Dog MMORPG itself, which is based around the fictional Windy City full of superheroes and villains. Sections surrounding the game almost felt as if I was reading fantasy, but the fact that they only mirror what is happening in real life makes it much more unsettling, especially for those who consider their game worth fighting for to the farthest extent.

This book had several twists and turns that were entertaining on the surface, but also made way for excellent commentary on the misogyny that pervades the gaming industry. It seemed very similar to (and I think may have been inspired by) the real-life events of Gamergate several years back. We Are Watching Eliza Bright made for a shocking story that seemed so far from anything that could actually happen, until you think about Gamergate and realize it could. It was unsettling to read as a woman, but also really cool to watch Eliza and her friends rise to face what seems like an impossible challenge.

I’d recommend this read for those who like thrillers, suspense, social commentary, LGBTQ+ and diverse representation, feminist-powered reads, urban settings, or gaming.

What do you get when you mix one accidental murder with four Asian aunties? A review of Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto

First off, thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for a free eARC in exchange for an honest review. I really am not a romance reader by any means, but when I first heard of Dial A for Aunties, I just knew I had to pick it up! I was not only so excited for a chance to read a debut by Chinese-Indonesian author Jesse Q. Sutanto, but I was also so excited by its hilarious, outrageous description.

Quick synopsis: This story follows the misadventures of Meddy, a photographer who works with her mom and three aunts in their wedding service company. When she accidentally kills her date on a blind date gone wrong, the four aunties must figure out to help Meddy cover her tracks, all while working the biggest wedding of their careers at an upscale Californian hotel for a wildly rich family (think of the book/movie Crazy Rich Asians –that rich). Meanwhile, a run-in with Meddy’s old flame may put their chances at covering this crime at risk.

Part romance, and part contemporary fiction, this book had me quite literally laughing out loud! Meddy and her aunties had me cracking up, while also totally rooting for them despite an accidental murder. And while the story was often lighthearted and funny, it did touch on some more serious topics, such as Meddy’s mom and aunties’ immigration experience. The thing I probably connected with the most was Meddy’s identity struggles she faced growing up with her Chinese-Indonesian family who immigrated to the U.S., while she was raised there. While my family experience was definitely different than hers, I could empathize with her feelings of feeling on the outside at times when it comes to racial identity.

Additionally, I loved Meddy’s journey of self-discovery. She was such a relatable leading lady, and I definitely recognized a bit of myself in her as she tries to discover herself and do what makes her happiest, not just what makes her mom/aunties happy. But I so admired how she cares so deeply for her family, and they obviously feel the same about her — enough to cover up an accidental murder!

I thought the romance element to this book was so sweet (fans of steamy romances, beware — this one is definitely sweet, not steamy). It was a big part of the book, but not overwhelmingly so, as I think the themes of family and self acceptance were much more prominent. But the romance was a wonderful addition to this zany, wildly surprising adventure. It read like a rom-com and touched on coming into your own while recognizing the importance of family. And of course, it was so wonderful to see a lead who looks like me!

This book’s pub day is April 27th. I totally recommend giving this wonderful debut a read!

Small-town struggles: A review of The Northern Reach by W. S. Winslow

Another day, another debut! There’s nothing I love more than checking out a debut novel — I find it a huge honor to be able to read or review one because I can only imagine what they’re thinking and I like the idea of supporting those who may not be as well-known in the literature game. So I was super excited to have the chance to read this atmospheric novel set in a coastal small town in Maine by debut novelist W. S. Winslow. Thank you to Flatiron Books for the gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Quick synopsis: Over the course of the 20th century, the families of coastal Wellbridge, Maine, “intersect, interact, and intermarry, grappling with secrets and prejudices that span generations, opening new wounds and reckoning with old ghosts.”

While the stories weren’t all in sequential order or directly related to one another, they were certainly interconnected and revolved around the people that live in the town — their struggles, joys, passions, mistakes, and more. First and foremost, I loved the writing — it was beautiful and full of details, which really helped create a setting that felt real and tangible.

Additionally, it was interesting to read into the day to day struggles of these people. Some of the characters were pretty unlikeable, but Winslow wrote them in a way that still made me yearn to learn more about them. Thankfully, my favorite story (about Lilliane) was also one of the focal stories — again, she wasn’t perfect or always likeable, but her back story was intriguing and I could empathize with her strongly.

I also loved the magical realism elements. Personally, I think magical realism is one of the hardest things for a writer to do well, and not all stories that have themes of it do it well. Winslow’s writing lent itself well to magical realism due to how atmospheric and eerie it was, which seemed to fit this town so well. I worried it would feel too out of place, but Winslow managed it with just the right dose.

That said, I did struggle sometimes when it came to connecting with the characters, whose faults often overpowered their better qualities. However, in retrospect, I think it the characters fit in perfectly with the moody setting and represented just how important a place’s people are, especially in a small town such as Wellbridge. This is a part of the country I’m personally unfamiliar with and I did not grow up in a small town, so it was great to read a story that felt authentic to the experience of small-town coastal Mainers (keep in mind, the author is from Maine). There were several characters, like Lilliane, whose stories I really connected with and became invested in.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction or multigenerational stories. This book is available now from Flatiron Books!

A fun, smart whodunnit: A review of Watch Her by Edwin Hill

This was such a fun mystery! First off, I loved Hester Thursby — she is super smart and resourceful, which make her an awesome sleuth, but she’s also a librarian at Harvard who is masterful when it comes to tracking people down. How cool is that?!

Quick synopsis: After Hester and Detective Angela White are called to the home of an elite Boston family who fun a for-profit university, they become entangled in the family’s secrets as they search for the truth amidst lies, financial indiscretions, and missing students. And when one of those missing students winds up dead, the case takes on a new urgency for everyone involved.

While I haven’t read the first two installments in this series, I certainly plan on doing so. Hill crafted a mystery that definitely had me on my toes, but with a central cast of likeable characters. While I love thrillers, I do get weary of reading books where the central character(s) is unlikeable or unreliable. It was so refreshing to have a cast to really root for as they got to the bottom of the case.

Additionally, I loved the friendship between Hester and Detective Angela White. They have a great friendship, which was not only fun to read about but also provided an awesome way to watch them solve a case: through Angela’s official channel of being on the force, and Hester’s unofficial sleuthing through her skills as a librarian. I definitely recommend this to any mystery lovers who want a loveable heroine with a good brain and heart. I am very much looking forward to checking out the first two books in this series! Hopefully there’s more to come, as well, from Edwin Hill in this series.

Thank you to Books Forward and Kensington Books for the gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The kids are not alright: A review of The Push by Ashley Audrain

First off, I have to preface that while this book was unsettling throughout, the end was absolutely explosive. I was left with this total WTF moment — and trust me, it takes a LOT to do that nowadays — but in the best way. It’s hard to believe that this is Audrain’s debut novel because she writes with such force and emotion that I couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable while reading, which I think was exactly the point.

Quick synopsis: New mother Blythe wants to be the mother she never had — but when her first child Violet is born, Blythe is convinced that something isn’t right about her and fails to connect with her as most mothers do. No one, including her husband, seems to believe her worries about Violet. Several years later when her second child Sam is born, Blythe has that special connection she always dreamed about. But when unspeakable tragedy occurs, she is forced to face her worst fears about motherhood, Violet, and herself.

This psychological family drama/domestic suspense forced me to question every preconceived notion about motherhood. Blythe, the narrator, is far from reliable, which was further reinforced by the book’s second-person narrative, as we clearly are only shown her point of view. I was constantly questioning what was real and what was fake, especially around the book’s focal tragedy. For the rest of the book, I was wrestling with how much blame can Blythe’s husband, their daughter, or her family history have on the ensuing tragedies that the book is centered on? Or is it Blythe herself who is to blame?

This book did an amazing job showing that motherhood is far from perfect and battling the societal idea that motherhood is the highest ideal of womanhood. It also addressed the unbelievability of women — what will it take for Blythe, a woman and mother, to have her wildest fears and motherly instincts taken seriously? And the less others believe her, the more she even questions herself, a gaslighting tactic that I’d argue many women have experienced at some time or another. Additionally, it made me question the idea of what makes someone a good mother. And is being a “good mother” learned or inherited?

This book is far from cheery and certainly shows the ugliest sides of motherhood, from conception to birth to raising them into personhood. It was deeply unsettling but in a way that made me admire Audrain’s abilities as a writer — I still can’t believe this is her debut novel.

This book, however, does need to come with basically every trigger warning possible. It’s likely a difficult read for anyone with a heart, but it does hit on many issues that could be traumatic to readers. But for anyone looking for a deeply unsettling, though-provoking, and well-written read that will really challenge your typical view on motherhood, I recommend this fast-paced psychological thriller.

CW: childbirth, parent-child abuse, violence, death of a child, severe and postpartum depression… and I’m sure there’s still some I’m missing 

The Push is published by Pamela Dorman Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House.

A how-to guide for tough talks: A review of Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man by Emmanuel Acho

Let me first start off by saying this: Every. One. Needs. To. Read. This. Book. ASAP! While I have been trying to read more diverse writers from all backgrounds more in the past year of reading, I really didn’t start reading nonfiction again for fun until last summer. Last summer’s acts of police brutality and the strength of the Black Lives Matter movement that followed really showed me how much I personally had to learn, so I worked much harder to read Black voices, both in fiction and nonfiction. Out of the many books I’ve been fortunate to pick up in the past year by Black writers, this one has got to be one of the best.

Quick synopsis: “Emmanuel Acho believes the only way to cure our nation’s oldest disease–racism–starts with a profound, revolutionary idea: actually talking to one another. No, seriously. Until it gets uncomfortable…and then some.”

What I loved most about this book was Acho’s deeply conversational tone, full of heart, compassion, and empathy. Truly, no topic was off the table, ranging as far and as wide as allyship, interracial families, the n-word, implicit bias, and much, much more. As a reader, it brought a deep sense of comfort in feeling as if I was simply sitting with this guy, talking about race over a cup of coffee or something of the sort. While it was full of historical and cultural research along with Acho’s personal experiences, it never felt dry or academic, but truly felt like a conversation with a friend.

That feeling of comfort and friendship perfectly balanced out the other side of the book — namely, feeling “uncomfortable.” And yeah, there were loads of moments where I was incredibly, wildly uncomfortable. I mean, talking about the n-word, for example, isn’t easy! I’ve grown up knowing it’s a word I shouldn’t say, but I never really understood why Black people could call each other that. Acho answers that question and so many more in a way that educated and enlightened me, but didn’t make me feel bad or upset or hurt as a non-Black person. Rather, I felt like I better understood the experiences of my fellow human beings and how conversations like this could help me become a better ally, friend, and antiracist willing to fight the good fight.

Race isn’t a dirty word and it isn’t something that should be shied away from. Racism, however, stems deeply in the systems that make up our society, and I loved Acho’s perspective that on an individual basis, having these tough conversations — really getting comfortable with being uncomfortable — is a step in the right direction toward true allyship and fighting against racism.

I still have loads to learn and much room to grow when it comes to my own personal journey in becoming a better ally, but this book gave me some much-needed, actionable tools in my arsenal to help get me there. I would without a doubt recommend this book to anyone looking to start or continue their journey to learn more about race and what to do to help end systemic racism in our communities. This would make a great individual read or be perfect for a book club to discuss with friends, family members, or others in your community also seeking to learn, grow, and ultimately get comfortable being uncomfortable.

What makes a home a home? A review of Infinite Country by Patricia Engel

This book is so different than any book I’ve ever read! Infinite Country an amazing Own Voices book from writer Patricia Engel, who is the daughter of Columbian immigrants. The story centers around a Columbian family torn apart by their mixed immigration status, which gave me a really cool opportunity to learn a new perspective and read a powerful account of what it means to be undocumented in this country.

Quick synopsis: Seeped in Andean mythology, Infinite Country follows a Colombian family between continents, as parents Elena and Mauro fall in love as teens in Colombia, seek a home and expand their family in the U.S., watch their family being torn apart due to their mixed status, and ultimately seek refuge and home together again.

Although this book was less than 200 pages, it still managed to read like a 500+ page epic. While it was a quick read (not something typically associated with an epic), it was so full of detail, both in terms of character development and plot. Engel’s writing was lyrical and evocative, making me feel each emotion that the characters were experiencing and immersing me as a reader in settings both beautiful and brutal. Additionally, Engel’s writing managed to capture all five senses in each word she wrote in a way that didn’t feel overdone or flashy, but rather familial and pure, which fit the book’s themes of family and home so well.

I loved how she showed both the good and ugly sides of each country — as an American reader, it was an important reminder of how my home is far from perfect when it comes to the way it treats its immigrants, documented and undocumented. This story was full of ugly examples of xenophobia, racism, and other acts of violence or hatred toward the focal family. It really broke my heart seeing such terrible acts in a place that was literally founded by immigrants, reminding me of how many have endured and continue to endure this in order to achieve their American Dream.

And while it certainly didn’t shy away from some of the tragic things happening in Colombia (many of which drove Elena and Mauro to start their lives in the U.S. and risk being undocumented immigrants), this story was full of wonderful urban Bogota folklore and Andean myth, showing the truly beautiful sides of a country that I was unfamiliar with. I feel like in America, politicians and media often point to Colombia as an example of a “bad place,” citing examples of drug cartels and violence. But this Own Voices story totally transformed that narrative, showing what the experience of every day life is like for this Colombian family. If anything, it was a powerful reminder that our country has its fair share of meanness and pure ugliness in how it treats those that are different.

This book had the power to break my heart and heal it all up again, with tragedy and hope in a well-maintained balance. If you’re looking for a short, emotional, yet hopeful immigration story that is sure to show you a new perspective, then I definitely recommend this one for your TBR.

Content Warnings: xenophobia, sexual assault, racism, violence.

Publisher: Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster