Yukiko Tominaga's novel may be the most frank and unusual take on a widow's grief you've read. Kyoko's young husband dies in a freak accident and rather than move back home to Japan, she chooses to raise their young son alone in San Francisco. You'll come to love her Jewish mother-in-law Bubbe, a delightful break from the horrible MIL cliché. Kyoko is furious with Levi for dying but also fairly happy raising Alex alone. I love Kyoko's unfiltered frankness and emotional honesty.