The Shamers Daughter by Lene Kaaberbol
Dina has inherited her mother’s gift, or maybe it’s a curse. Whenever she looks someone in the eyes, she can see all the things they are ashamed of. She is what is known as a Shamer. No one wants to be near her. All she longs for is a friend, but soon power hungry men and brewing conflicts lead her far away from her own corner of the world.
Shark Drunk: The Art of Catching a Shark From a Tiny Rubber Dinghy in a Big Ocean by Morten A. Stroknes
Morten tells about how he sailed out on the sea with a good friend to catch a shark, but the book is as much about life, and friendship, and random knowledge as it is about catching a shark from a rubber dinghy.
Hotel Silence by Audur Ava Olafsdottir
A man whose mother is slipping into dementia and whose daughter turned out to be someone else than he thought, thinks buying a one way ticket to a war torn is the solution to all his problems. This was an amazing read about a man who tries to put his life back together.
The Unknown Face of War by Svetlana Alexievich
A interview book that gives the Russian women a voice. They tell about their suffering, courage, and experiences during the Second World War.
The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey
An old couple has moved far into the Alaskan wastelands. The snow and the cold plays a major role in their everyday life, and one day after a especially heavy snowfall they build a snow child. Soon they start seeing a young girl running around, and though everyone says they are crazy they might not be as crazy as first thought.
The Guest Cat by Takashi Hiraide
A sweet book about how a tiny cat can change a life.
The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu
If I remember correctly, a classic Japanese book from the 11th century. A romance novel that takes place at court and gives a feeling of how it was to love, live, and act in ancient Japan. It contains its fair share of poetic musings, too - although it is done more elegant than its medieval european counterparts.
Twenty Fragments of a Ravenous Youth by Xiaolou Guo
Twenty stories on how it is to be young in modern day China.
In the Sea There are Crocodiles: Based on the True Story of Enaiatollah Akbari by Fabio Geda
Einats mother sends him away so he can be safe from Taliban who roams near their home. Now he has to make a life in a world, he doesn’t know. He travels across borders, through countries, and over the sea. Never forgetting his family, and he does not blame them either. A stunning tale based on a true story.
52 Weeks of Reading - A recommendation