New springtime books include historical fiction from World War II and the American South, an egg-related crime mystery, contemporary and futuristic fiction and sci-fi, and compelling memoirs from both a Canadian-Chinese daughter of immigrants and a Ukrainian soldier. ‘Gifted and Talented,’ by Olivie Blake Their father’s sudden death leaves Meredith, Arthur and Eilidh Wren wondering who will inherit the family’s massive fortune and control the future of Wrenfare Magitech; the revolutionary company harnessed the channeling of unusual electromagnetic waves – some might call it magic – as a power source for modern technology. Prickly striver Meredith is qualified to take over as CEO: Her life’s work, backed by her father’s competitor, has resulted in the world’s first neuromancy transmitter that promises to keep users happy.
Arthur, failing upward as an unaccomplished U.S. congressman, is looking to make a change.
Eilidh, the favored child and current Wrenfare insider, is regularly underestimated by her siblings. As the self-involved but engaging trio compete for control, they also come to terms with their rivalries and the circumstances that encouraged their divisions. (Tor) ‘Restaurant Kid: A Memoir of Family and Belonging,’ by Rachel Phan When she was 3, Phan’s parents opened the May May Inn, a Chinese restaurant in suburban Ontario.
The venture was a measure of their success after fleeing Vietnam for snowy Canada a decade earlier, but to Phan, the rest.
