Not only do books help us escape our everyday lives, but enable us to see ourselves reflected in them.  Stories represent human experiences and showcase situations we are familiar with.  So when we read about characters we're familiar with or who may look and act the same way, it helps us understand how we fit in.

Reading Alex Sarkis's debut novel, "Something Blue" (Ultimo Press) did this for me.  

In it, I found characters who were familiar.  People I'd grown up around and people with whom I shared a similar heritage.  

A clever and entertaining book about going back to your cultural roots. 

I was thrilled to speak with Alex about her debut on the podcast a little while back.