June 2010 Wrap Up

With June ending, here's a look at the books I read and reviewed this month. Click on the title to read my review:

1. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

2. Shanghai Girls by Lisa See

3. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley

4. Everything Lovely, Effortless, Safe by Jenny Hollowell

5. The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson

Absolutely Loved: Stieg Larsson books

Just Okay: none -- this was a strong month

What did you read in June?

Review -- Shanghai Girls by Lisa See

Shanghai Girls

by Lisa See

Random House, 2009

336 pages

*I borrowed this book from the library.

Summary: Two sisters, June and May, living in Shanghai are sold into marriage to settle their father's gambling debts. As war breaks out in the area, the girls struggle to make their way to America where their new husbands await them. Through Angel's Island and then the streets of Los Angeles, June and May each carve out their own lives in a country they try to make home.

Review: This is a fantastic book. The writing flows so well, the story is engrossing, and the characters are so wonderfully developed. The plot balances nicely between sections of war and tragedy and quiet moments between the sisters where their true personalities and destinies are revealed. My only disappointment was the ending, which for spoiler reasons I will not discuss here. Rating: ****1/2 out of 5.

Have you reviewed this book too? Leave a link to your review in the comments section!