Fearful, Lauren Roberts

Fearful

Lauren Roberts

This is another novella from the Powerless series, and this one focuses on what happens in the last full novel, with Kitt and Mara, and also Lenny and Blair. We get a look into why Kitt made the choices he made and also a deeper look into Blair, painted as a villain and killer in the other books, but forced into a life she never wanted, information withheld from her causing her to make a choice she thought was correct, but haunts her now that she knows the truth. All this as witnessed by Mara, mysterious reaper of the underworld.

I thought it was written well, and we even get hints as to how Mara came about, although not fully disclosed in this little book. I look forward to finding out more about this little universe that Lauren Roberts is building. This series has been hard to put down, easy to consume and enjoy, and I always hope for another book in the series.

 

Free Food for Millionaires by Min Jin Lee

Free Food for Millionaires

Min Jin Lee

This is a glimpse into the life of Casey Han, a young Korean American woman living in New York. A twenty-something woman, she still lives at home with her parents and younger sister, even though she has just graduated from college. Her father is angry with her, I don't remember the exact reason but it has to do with her not living up to his career expectations, so instead of actually communicating with her, he punches her in the head and demands she leave their house, he wants nothing more to do with her. Beaten and bruised, she seeks solace with her boyfriend, showing up unexpectedly at his home to find him in a menage a trois with two women. Now, Casey does not know where to go or what to do. This is her story not just of how she got back up on her feet, how she learned through trial and error,  but it's a story exploring relationships, hers, and those of the people around her. All are broken in some way, and even the ones who would be villainized have a human side we don't often see in stories. 

I found the Christian background to the characters interesting. The author obviously must have grown up in a church culture with the way she wrote about the Bible, church, and other similar themes.

I also noticed that Casey is very gifted in business, she is going to business school and works for a banking firm, she's very promising in the industry and yet she hates it. Her real passion is in the art of hatmaking and fashion, but it's not something that one can make a living on. Ultimately, she must decide between what she does really well and hates, and what she is passionate about.