The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives was a First Impressions book from BookBrowse. It is by a Nigerian author, Lola Shoneyin and about a family in Nigeria. A man, Baba Segi has four wives. Each wife is name Iya and then the name of their oldest child, Iya Segi, Iya Tope, Iya Femi and his newest wife Bolanle. She is not named for a child as she has not had a child yet. The story is about the family and its struggles. Each wife have a secret that is part of the story. The secrets come out in various chapters as you read the book. Each secret is hidden from Baba Segi while he nominally knows all as the father. With the addition of the newest wife, previous secrets are exposed. Each step taken by a wife has ramifications that cause a whole series of other secrets to be exposed. The ending has a kick, which always makes a novel more interesting.

Lola Shoneyin's debut novel is one of passion and secrecy, fear and love, strength and weakness. Each characteristic played out over time in equal amounts in all characters.

I found the parts about the Nigeria that were shown in the books to be fascinating and horrifying. The accepted treatment of women in another culture never fails to make me grateful for the culture I have been raised in.

A national icon, a literary spirit and a woman who knew how to be Chinese all describe Pearl S. Buck. Anchee Min has written a new book called Pearl of China, coming out in April, about Pearl’s early life in China. While the book is nominally about Willow Lee and her life long best friend Pearl S. Buck and their families, it is really a tribute to the mutual devotion of a people. Pearl's early life and her love for China and its people sing out from the pages in the midst the War with the Japanese and the Civil War. The main characters struggle to survive while finding the beauty in the language of poetry and writings of the Cultural Revolution.

This book was a miracle of words. Anchee Min is a gifted writer whose skills bring the reader along her journey. The readers are brought through the years, wars and changes in China. While the book may seem to focus on Pearl S Buck, to me the real heroine was that of Willow Lee and her undying dedication to Pearl S Buck.

I found this book to be both painful and poignant. Amy, the Rosenblatt's daughter dies suddenly leaving her life unfinished with a husband and three small children. "Mimi" and "Boppa" move in with their son-in-law and grandchildren to help them. Making Toast is a testament to the endurance of people, when they are faced with difficult times. The book is full of feelings. Love, grief, regret and hopelessness are all depicted along with the family moving on day by day. Despite the difficulties with the loss of Amy, daughter, wife and mother, to me it celebrates the kind nature of people.

This is a great read if you enjoy historical fiction from ancient times or if you have ever wondered about living in Rome.The main character, Selene was Cleopatra's daughter. MIchelle Moran used actual facts woven into the story seamlessly.

Cleopatra and Marc Anthony had children together. After Egypt was invaded two of those children, Selene and her twin brother Alexander were captured and brought back to Rome. The story revolves around the years 30-25 BC and is told from Selene's viewpoint.

Selene's life as a captive in a foreign court is fascinating.The story line was mixed with with facts and incredible details from research on that time period. The lives of the senators and the ruler Octavian was filled with intrigue and constantly changing loyalties. The plot and subplots and twists were one of the strong features of the book. The book read easily.

This was a remarkable story that dragged you into it almost from the beginning. It takes place in Pope County, Kentucky during the depression with all the tensions of poverty and racism during that time. For the main character, Olivia, life is not easy and she is trying to find answers. I found the story line was strong and the images even stronger. Carolyn Walls is a new author and her first book is poignant and haunting.

Once I started I had trouble putting the book down. I found myself firmly brought into the story and alternately worrying and cheering Olivia onward. This book won't be easily forgotten.