Paper Wife by Laila Ibrahim

Her sister is getting ready to go to America.  Her parents and a matchmaker have found her a husband that she will meet as they get married.  Mei Ling has accepted the fact that there is no choice in the matter.  They are in bad financial condition and they need less mouths to feed.  But she's very unhappy when her sister gets ill and they send Mei Ling in her place.  She doesn't want to go but she must...

Lake Union Publishing and Net Galley let me read this book for review (thank you).  It is being published today.

Mei Ling is a "paper" wife.  The man she is marrying has a small boy.  His wife has died.  He can use his wife's passport to get Mei Ling into America.  But she has to memorize all the details his wife had told the customs people.  They don't want Chinese especially, so if you fail to answer the questions the same, you are sent back. What Mei Ling finds is that there are several more "paper" people on board.  Even children.

The marriage ceremony goes well, they spend their honeymoon in Hong Kong, and then they are on their way.  The men are sent to one part of the ship and the women and children to another.  Mei Ling makes a few friends on the way.  One little girl takes care of their little boy and becomes part of the family.  When it's time for them to go through customs, Mei Ling must answer the questions right, be checked out out by a doctor and then wait to see if she's approved.  The facility she's in is more like a prison than anything.  She's also pregnant.  That makes the customs approval a little harder.

My grandparents immigrated from Czechoslovakia.  Grandma had a three year old girl with her and they questioned her a lot, too.  I think that's why these stories appeal to me.

Mei Ling learns things are different in the states and not everyone is a good person.  She's also afraid her husband might leave her over the baby since she's been told it's a girl.  She worries a lot, but all is not lost.

This historical read was very good and very authentic.  I'd highly recommend this one.

Yellow Crocus by Laila Ibrahim review + GIVEAWAY!

Mattie is a slave.  Since she had recently birthed her son, she was ordered to come up to big house and be a wet nurse for the new baby.  After all, a new white mother didn't want to breastfeed her own child.  That's what a wet nurse was for.

The author sent me a copy of this book to read for review (thank you).  You can buy a copy now on Amazon.

I was touched by this book.  It's not all pleasant but it's typical of the era it represents.  Southern folk have slaves and treat them as less than human.  Any slave that runs take a chance of death on the way or sale to an unkind master.  This story gives you an inside look at a family that has slaves and sees nothing wrong with it.

Mattie isn't very impressed by the white baby.  She even has brief thoughts of smothering it so she could go back to Samuel, her son.  It passes quickly.  It's not the baby's fault.  Elizabeth is given over to Mattie's care almost exclusively.  Her mother doesn't appear to be interested in the child and only tries to teach her to eat properly and make a nice public showing.  Mattie is the one who comforts her, sings to her, and protects her from the bad things of the world.

When Lisbeth (nickname) talks to her parents, they tell her the slaves would be lost without them.  They need the work, lodging and food they provide them.  They're not as smart as whites and know no better.  As Lisbeth grows, she learns that's not true.  The blacks don't read because they aren't taught.  Many of them resent working for her father and never getting a share of the crops.  Nobody's home is very nice.  She begins to wonder if her parents can see that...

I enjoyed the camaraderie between Mattie and Lisbeth.  It's real, it's love, and it gives Lisbeth the courage and strength to carry on.  When Lisbeth's brother is born, Mattie is sent back to slave quarters and Lisbeth gets a new maid.  As Lisbeth learns more about the slaves and the way they are exploited, she's not sure she likes slavery as a whole.  It's a good thing she learned to be strong, she's going to need that strength.

OK, you've read my review.  Are you intrigued?  Does it sound like something you would like to read?  You've got a chance to win a free book here.  The author graciously sent me an extra copy of this book for giveaway.  Send an email to info at bookfaerie.com with your name and address and leave a comment on this blog post to be entered.  I'll choose a winner in about a week.  Don't miss your chance to get a free copy of this book that touched my heart.