Between Two Worlds

Gold Medal, Contemporary Fiction, 2021 Global Book Awards (formerly New York City Book Awards) Finalist, 2021 SPR (Self Publishing Review) Book Awards Finalist, Multicultural Fiction, 2021 International Book Awards After two heartbreaking losses, Luna wants adventure. Something and somewhere very different from the affluent, sheltered home where she grew up. An adventure in which she can make some difference. Lucien, a worldly, well-traveled young architect, finds a stranger's journal at a café. He has qualms and pangs of guilt about reading it. But they don't stop him. His decision to go on reading changes his life. Months later, they meet at a bookstore. Fascinated by his stories and adventurous spirit, Luna goes to a rice-growing village in a country steeped in an ancient culture and a deadly history. What she finds there defies anything she could have imagined. Will she leave this world unscathed? An epistolary tale of courage, resilience, and the bonds that bring diverse people together.

The Unusual Sale of Rare Medieval Manuscripts, a Young Student Yearning to Belong, and the Shadowy Crimes that Fuel the World of Art Collecting. Clarissa Martinez has lived in seven countries, yet belongs to none. An Art Practice Major attending graduate school in Berkeley, Clarissa is desperate to rediscover her roots and connect with her Asian and Caucasian heritage, but she feels unmoored chasing a sense of belonging that continually eludes her. Innocent in life yet rich in artistry, Clarissa finds herself entangled in an intriguing mystery to uncover a set of stolen illuminated manuscripts. For her, these ancient manuscripts stir tender memories of bedtime stories her mother once read to her, igniting an enduring love for art. After reconnecting with Nathan, a fascinating doctor-cum-journalist she used to know, the pair are quickly plunged into a cross-continental hunt for the manuscripts' provenance that will take them into the dark underbelly of the art world. The breadcrumbs of their investigation point to an American soldier, a relic of World War II, who secretly hoarded the stolen artwork for half a century. But as Clarissa digs deeper, expecting answers, she encounters astonishing details that only lead to more questions. Will Clarissa and Nathan finally reveal the truth about these long-lost manuscripts? Will her search satisfy her quest for home she's spent her whole life longing for? Dig into the riveting historical details, page-turning suspense, and profound themes of identity and the desire to belong in this dual timeline mystery inspired by the real-life theft of medieval manuscript illuminations during World War II. Perfect for fans of Charlie Lovette, Geraldine Brooks and Umberto Eco.