THE MAD KYOTO SHOE SWAPPER: AND OTHER SHORT STORIES, by Rebecca Otowa, Tuttle Publishing/PGC

From the unique standpoint of an American woman who married into a Japanese family and has lived in Japan for more than thirty years, Rebecca Otowa weaves enchanting tales of her adopted home that portray the perspective of both the Japanese and the foreigner on the universal issues that face us all—love, work, marriage, death, … Continue reading THE MAD KYOTO SHOE SWAPPER: AND OTHER SHORT STORIES, by Rebecca Otowa, Tuttle Publishing/PGC

FLAME IN THE MIST, by Renee Ahdieh, G.P. Putman’s Sons/Penguin Random House

The only daughter of a prominent samurai, Mariko has always known she’d been raised for one purpose and one purpose only: to marry. Never mind her cunning, which rivals that of her twin brother, Kenshin, or her skills as an accomplished alchemist. Since Mariko was not born a boy, her fate was sealed the moment … Continue reading FLAME IN THE MIST, by Renee Ahdieh, G.P. Putman’s Sons/Penguin Random House