Year of the Runaways by Sunjeev Sahota, 2016 - Nominated for the Man Booker Prize, Year of the Runaways is the compelling, wrenching story of Avtar, Randeep & Tocha, who flee India like countless others for a better life in England. Narinder is a UK National, but feels compelled to return to India monthly as she struggles with her beliefs and living an independent life in a traditional family.
Powerful and ruthless, Years of the Runaways makes me realize how resilient humans can be & how powerful an opportunity, any opportunity, can be for people who have nothing.
One new English term I learned is lollipop lady, or a crossing guard who holds ups a stick with a circle on the top to halt vehicles.
The Year We Turned Forty by Liz Fenton & Lisa Steinke, 2016 - Claire, Jessie & Gabriela are best friends who realize that learning from your mistakes does not mean you'll make new ones. From being honest & not scared of family to telling the truth to really going for what you want until it consumes you, all three women make wrong decisions but end up where they are supposed to be.
- November 2016
