Happy Friday! Last three books I read for the #StanAsianReadathon, #AsianReadathon, and #ARMYdathon! I had so much fun joining these readathons and I’m definitely joining again next year. I gave 5-star rating to three of the books I read and it says a lot. This readathons are just a reminder that there are so many incredible books written by Asian and BIPOC authors out there waiting for us to be read! So let’s read diverse books and make it a habit!

Confessions by Kanae Minato
Genre : Fiction, Mystery, Thriller
First Published on : August 5, 2008
My Rating : ★★★★★

It’s Yuko Moriguchi’s last day as a middle school teacher. She decides to resign after her four-year-old daughter dies on the school grounds. The death is ruled out as accident but during her last lecture, she reveals to her students that her daughter is murdered and the perpetrators are sitting inside the room.

This is going to be short because I am not really sure how to review this one. The beginning immediately drew me into the story and I could tell that I was in for a treat after reading the first chapter. I loved that the story is told in multiple perspectives and I thought it was very clever. Not knowing from whose perspective we will be getting next has added more excitement as well. Reading the same incident over and over again can be tiring at times but that’s not the case in this book. It just got me more intrigued. We learn about each of the characters‘ experiences and roles in the incident. We get some answers and revelations until we reach a very satisfying conclusion. This is definitely one of the best and unique revenge stories I’ve ever read. It is dark, disturbing, and utterly brilliant!

The Color of Our Sky by Amita Trasi
Genre : Historical Fiction, Adult Contemporary
Published on : April 18, 2017
My Rating : ★★★★☆

Mukta is destined to be a temple prostitute just like her mother. She is rescued by Tara’s father and starts living with them in Mumbai. Mukta and Tara start to bond and eventually become close friends. Until Mukta is kidnapped and Tara blames herself for what happened. After the incident, she and her father move to America. Eleven years later, Tara finds out after her father dies that Mukta is still alive and her father is still looking for her. She then travels back to India to continue the search.

The story moves back and forth written from Mukta’s and Tara’s perspectives. The timeline was a little confusing at first but eventually I got used to it. I thought the author’s writing is captivating and very impressive. Tara is an unlikable character but real nonetheless especially how she acted when she was still young. We all make mistakes but we learn from them and we do our best to make things right. I liked her character development in this book. Mukta has a kind heart and a beautiful soul. I preferred her chapters over Tara’s. Reading Mukta’s story was painful at times and it’s more heartbreaking knowing that there are real people out there who are still going through the same experience.

I liked that the author highlighted some of the most important issues we’re having until today. She also shows that some people are doing something about the said issues. Though I was left with some unanswered questions, I thought the ending was still perfect. This book is about courage, forgiveness, and unconditional love.

Ame & Yuki – Die Wolfskinder by Mamoru Hosoda
Genre : Fiction, Fantasy, Manga
Published on : December 17, 2015
My Rating : ★★★★☆

Hana, a university student, meets and falls in love with a young man in her class who happens to be a part wolf. She accepts him and they get married. They are blessed with two children who are also part wolf, Ame and Yuki. But a tragic incident leaves Hana raising their children alone. With the pressure of being a single mother and the danger of living in the city, Hana decides to move to the countryside where they can have a fresh start.

I watched the animated movie few years ago and I really loved it. I even cried. It was also my second time reading the manga edition and it still made my eyes teary. It’s a beautiful story about family, sacrifices, and acceptance. Its not only about Ame and Yuki, but also about Hana. Hana is not prepared to be a single mother at a young age but she does everything for her children without any complaints. She loves her family so much and will do everything for them. Ame and Yuki are different from each other but they both love their mother. It was also great to see how these characters grow throughout the story. I wished it was a little longer though. Overall, I still can see myself rereading (or rewatching the movie) this in the future.