READ IF YOU LIKE... � Pockets of lesser known WWII history � Multiple POVs � Heartbreaking family stories
I THOUGHT IT WAS... A[Copy provided by publisher]
READ IF YOU LIKE... � Pockets of lesser known WWII history � Multiple POVs � Heartbreaking family stories
I THOUGHT IT WAS... A gutwrenching, immersive historical fiction about Malaya (current day Malaysia) during WWII. In 1945, the Japanese take over the town of Bintang and Cecily Alcantara's family starts to unravel, starting with her son disappearing. As more tragedies unfold, Cecily thinks back with regret to ten years before, when she became a spy for the Japanese to overthrow the British.
This is a study in how devastating colonialism and imperialism can be. Cecily is a tragic character -- she rightfully chafes under the thumb of the British, exacerbated by her husband's constant aspiration to be as white as possible as he rises within the ranks of the government. But what she tries to help usher in, an Asia controlled by Asians, turns out to be an cover for just another power-hungry nation.
But I don't feel like Cecily is fully the victim in this story. She's part of the problem, and not just because she was a spy. She's partially unhinged, craving power and control in her own way. Her and her Japanese contact are a microcosm of the egos that caused such monumental destruction. The true victims, as ever, are the children, who suffer thanks to the selfish ruthlessness of the adults who created the world in which they live. And this is so blindingly clear as we hear the perspectives of each of Cecily's children....more
READ IF YOU LIKE... � Tender mother-daughter relationships � Not quite fitting in with those around you � New York City
I THOU[Copy provided by publisher]
READ IF YOU LIKE... � Tender mother-daughter relationships � Not quite fitting in with those around you � New York City
I THOUGHT IT WAS... A heartwarming novel that celebrates the complexities of life and New York City. Adina is a girl born in 1977. But she also has an extraterrestrial consciousness, sent to Earth to observe and determine if it would make a good new home for her civilization. And so, she diligently communicates via fax machine all that she learns, faxes that eventually capture the attention of thousands.
This feels like a novel for anyone who's felt different, who's been labeled "too sensitive," who's struggled to fit in or find their people. Adina is a beautiful character, whose observations are hilarious, simple, but also straightforward. She's honest about the things we try to hide, and because of this she is a better soul than most of us.
This is a novel that reads simply, but contains multitudes if you take the time to unpack it. Adina lives through a time when society changed rapidly as technology exploded, making many feel alien. But even as things go increasingly online, we're also set in NYC, a city ruled by its people with all their idiosyncrasies and passions. It's the perfect place for Adina to attempt to define what it means to be human....more
READ IF YOU LIKE... � Anime and superpowers � Finding your way after hitting rock bottom � Girls seeking justice
I THOUGHT IT [Copy provided by publisher]
READ IF YOU LIKE... � Anime and superpowers � Finding your way after hitting rock bottom � Girls seeking justice
I THOUGHT IT WAS... A short novel that sparkles with whimsy and magic, rooted in stark and serious realities. Facing immense credit card debt and no job, a 29-year-old woman is about to end it all when she's stopped by a mysterious girl who reveals to her that she is actually a magical girl, one with a power that could just save the whole world.
I thoroughly enjoyed this compact little story. True to its anime/manga-inspired roots, this novel leans into the trope of an ordinary person stumbling into a world of magic and being told they actually have incredible power. I liked it even more when this trope got turned on its head.
But perhaps what I liked the most was the way the story tied into serious, relatable issues that we in a non-magical world face. For one, climate change is the magical girls' final boss. But on a personal level, magical girls haven't always been saving lives with fabulous panache. They've faced loss, trauma, violence. They've been the weakest ones in the room. The power they wield is representative of the aspirational power all women should have to stand up for themselves....more
[Copy provided by TLC Book Tours and the publisher]
READ IF YOU LIKE... � Combat and action � Strong female protagonists � The Assassin's Creed franchise
I[Copy provided by TLC Book Tours and the publisher]
READ IF YOU LIKE... � Combat and action � Strong female protagonists � The Assassin's Creed franchise
I THOUGHT IT WAS... A decently entertaining jaunt through the backstory of one of the assassins from the video game series. After years spent being a fence, Roshan finally finds herself in prison. Just as she's about to give up on ever finding an escape, a mysterious stranger offers her a deal: He'll help free her if she steals something for him. Thus begins a job unlike any Roshan has ever undertaken.
I enjoyed getting a glimpse into the early life of Roshan, a character who trains you in the video game Assassin's Creed Mirage. In the game, she's already a master assassin, but she's far from it in this book. Her origin story was much more nuanced and layered than I expected it to be, and I like how it also tied into the mission she was on.
The mission itself is action-packed and paced well, full of side characters that are interesting, if short lived. My only critique would be of the writing. Details were sometimes presented in a disorganized manner, which broke me out of my immersion. The dialogue could also be a little unrealistic at times. But overall, this was a fun and fast addition to the lore of the franchise....more
READ IF YOU LIKE... � The world of art � Calling out microaggressions in prominently white spaces � Justice
I THOUGHT IT WAS..[Copy provided by publisher]
READ IF YOU LIKE... � The world of art � Calling out microaggressions in prominently white spaces � Justice
I THOUGHT IT WAS... A brilliant, smart, and vibrant novel that honors the creativity and artwork of people of color, women especially. Anita de Monte is an artist on the rise in 1985, fighting not to be overshadowed by her famous white husband, when her life and career are cut short. Raquel is an art history major at Brown in 1998, trying to find her way in an institution and field dominated by rich whiteness, when she's swept up in a passionate relationship with a hot-shot senior artist.
ANITA does for the art world what DISORIENTATION did for academia -- it confronts the racism, white privilege, sexism, and false allyship rampant in the field and ruthlessly calls it out through a dynamic and gripping story. It scrutinizes why white artists are lauded, studied, and taught to future generations while artists of color are often excluded from the conversation. It also examines how white men tend to blindly uphold other white men, conveniently and problematically excluding pieces of narrative that call character into question.
But you don't have to have a passion for the art world to enjoy this, because this novel is also about relationships, the ones that make you stronger and the ones that tear you down without you even realizing it. Gonzalez has written a reminder to all women to never invest energy in insecurity and never let a partner make you feel less-than. We've worked hard for the space we've claimed, so we're not going to believe when we're told we probably shouldn't sit at the table, however politely it's implied....more
READ IF YOU LIKE... � Chinese superstitions � Detective stories � Vengeance
I THOUGHT IT WAS... An interesting story that got a[Copy provided by publisher]
READ IF YOU LIKE... � Chinese superstitions � Detective stories � Vengeance
I THOUGHT IT WAS... An interesting story that got a little tedious to read over time. Snow is a fox who is on a quest for vengeance in her human form. Bao is an middle-aged private investigator sent to discover the identity of a dead young woman. He's also always had a strange connection to foxes. The more Bao investigates, the closer his path gets to the perilous one of Snow's.
Overall, this is a great novel. I liked the slow build, the mystery, the measured feeding of details that kept me trying to figure things out as I progressed. But I was puzzled by the repetitiveness of the book. There were sometimes recap paragraphs at the beginning of a chapter that were unnecessary, as we were just with that character a few pages before. Characters would rehash chunks of backstory that had already been told. And if I had to hear one more time about how foxes are too curious for their own good...
I guess what I'm trying to say is that this an entertaining novel with imperfect writing. If you're okay with that and want a wintery delve into some Chinese superstitions, this is the book for you....more
READ IF YOU LIKE... � Fable-like storytelling � Delving into Palestinian history � Young love
I THOUGHT IT WAS... A devastating[Copy provided by publisher]
READ IF YOU LIKE... � Fable-like storytelling � Delving into Palestinian history � Young love
I THOUGHT IT WAS... A devastating novel that recounts the 1948 Nakba from the viewpoint of Jaffa, what was once a bustling Palestinian city. Subhi, a young teenager, is in love and bursting with plans for his future marriage to the girl of his dreams. But the British's withdrawal from Palestine and increase in Zionist activity shatters Subhi's dreams and home.
The way Amiry tells this heartbreaking story is smart and effective. Reminding me of THE ALCHEMIST, the beginning of Subhi's story serves as a way for us to be immersed in the Palestine of old, one bustling and full of traditions, lush with orange groves. We see the vibrancy and personality of its people as Subhi goes on a grand tour, showing off an English suit that he's been able to acquire. A vestige of colonialism that's seemingly held in high esteem, the suit also becomes a symbol of all that Subhi loses when Zionist forces drive him from his home.
It's devastating to watch Subhi's young love fade further and further into the background as Palestinians are driven from their homes, arrested, and killed. While Amiry shows instances of uncommon kindness in the midst of crisis, what looms largest is the irrevocable damage that's been done to lives and families, the history and pain that their descendants carry with them to this day....more
READ IF YOU LIKE... � Existential crises � Feeling hopeless at the state of the world � Snappy, yet meandering conversations
I[Copy provided by publisher]
READ IF YOU LIKE... � Existential crises � Feeling hopeless at the state of the world � Snappy, yet meandering conversations
I THOUGHT IT WAS... A novel with an interesting premise that falls short in execution. After a shocking tragedy, Rio and Gibraltar throw themselves into creating a new, perfect community inside a mountain. We follow four different people, each trying to find purpose and happiness in their lives, who are drawn toward this mysterious and intriguing "utopian" society.
First of all, I assumed that the main focus of this book would be on this strange utopia underground. It's what first made me want to read this book. It's very much so not the focus. Instead, we spend most of our time following four lost souls who are making their way toward the utopia. While that isn't necessarily a bad thing, I felt a little misled by the marketing synopsis.
Unfortunately, this journey toward happiness and purpose that all the characters in this novel undergo fizzles out for most of them, leaving me struggling to find the pay out for spending so much time with them. Our lack of insight into the day-to-day of the utopian community also makes it feel doomed from the start, making it's unraveling anticlimactic.
Despite all this, I appreciate Bump trying to tackle the existential dread that many of us feel when we open our news feeds. With violence, wars, pollution, and sadness at every turn, it's all too easy to feel that society as we know it is doomed. But this novel shows us that the answer to this isn't to withdraw into an underground bunker. Rather, it's about finding strength and solace in the relationships you have with the people that you love....more
READ IF YOU LIKE... � Personal perspectives on mental illness � Exploring how we process grief � Japanese[Copy #gifted by @marinerbooks @bibliolifestyle]
READ IF YOU LIKE... � Personal perspectives on mental illness � Exploring how we process grief � Japanese folklore
I THOUGHT IT WAS... A touching and unique memoir recounting the author's experience with bipolar disorder and the passing of her father. Lin uses Japanese folklore and stories around yokai to frame pivotal moments in her life.
This was a fantastic read on multiple levels. I loved the juxtaposition of different yokai with Lin's personal events and emotions. It's evocative of how the author has to battle her inner demons -- mental illness, grief -- but also that, at times, she is the demon herself.
Perhaps even more brilliant is the way she comments on her own writing. In her research on yokai, she came across old texts purportedly capturing oral stories right from the community. But is it truly possible to trace a story -- whether it's a folktale or a life -- to its beginning?
Lin points out that one of the purposes of folktales is to establish a national cultural identity. I get the sense that she's using this book to codify some folktales of her own family, ensuring that something of her parents' and her ancestors' identity gets passed down to her daughter and the next generation....more
READ IF YOU LIKE... � Never forgetting the past � Wounded people learning to accept themselves � Folktales and the power of stories
I THOUGHT IT WAS... A wREAD IF YOU LIKE... � Never forgetting the past � Wounded people learning to accept themselves � Folktales and the power of stories
I THOUGHT IT WAS... A wonderfully unique novel with a powerful message. After years apart, the Yaga siblings are pulled together when they receive an inheritance passed down to them from their twice-great-grandmother: a house on chicken legs. But as they travel the country in Thistlefoot, they soon realize someone is hunting them and won't stop until the house is destroyed.
I wasn't sure about this novel at first. The author plops you into a world where buildings come to life, doesn't give any explanation for it, and demands you to just go with it. But I came to realize that it's beautiful conceit that's integral to the heart of this story.
Why do folktales exist? Sometimes, they're used to frighten young children or teach us a lesson. But sometimes, it's because real life is hard to bear. Humanity's history is full of atrocities viler than anything a wicked witch could conjure. So we tell tales to try and make sense of the insensible, to attempt to process trauma.
But there's power in remembering what really happened. In fact, it's crucial that we do. It's the only way we prevent atrocities from happening again. I see this book as a folktale wrapped in a folktale, the latter taking place in a version of our world where buildings can come to life. But this book also demands us to acknowledge the world we actually live in and never stop remembering the stories we perhaps would rather forget....more
[Copy #gifted by @harperperennial @bibliolifestyle]
READ IF YOU LIKE... � Fictional retellings of the lives of prominent women � Royal court politics
I TH[Copy #gifted by @harperperennial @bibliolifestyle]
READ IF YOU LIKE... � Fictional retellings of the lives of prominent women � Royal court politics
I THOUGHT IT WAS... A solidly engaging fictional account of the rise of Gruoch, queen of Scotland and the famous Lady Macbeth from the Shakespeare play. As a young girl, Gruoch's mystical grandmother hands her a prophecy proclaiming her future greatness. Ambitious and intelligent, Gruoch spends her life striving to make that prophecy come true by navigating the trickiness of court politics.
This novel follows the feminist retelling formula to a tee -- it features a smart and capable protagonist willing to do anything to make a name for herself, forced to overcome weak, undeserving men in power in order to achieve her goal. Fortunately, while the pattern is familiar, the story itself was interesting and well written enough to keep me reading. I loved the twists and turns, and I found myself eagerly looking forward to how Gruoch would find her way out of each dangerous situation thrust her way.
One thing to note: This novel does not cover any of the events that happen in the Shakespeare play. Rather, you could think of this book as a fictionalized version of Lady MacBeth's backstory before the events of the play take place....more
READ IF YOU LIKE... � Destigmatizing mental illness � The healing and therapeutic power of art
I THOUGHT IT WAS..[Copy gifted by Book Publicity Services]
READ IF YOU LIKE... � Destigmatizing mental illness � The healing and therapeutic power of art
I THOUGHT IT WAS... Like reading a primer to bipolar disorder, disguised as a novel. At age 17, Ahn experiences her first manic episode. Thus begins her challenging journey of treating her mental illness. But she isn't the only one struggling. Her Vietnamese parents also must confront the new reality of their daughter's life.
This was a novel that could have benefitted greatly from a little more finesse. There were things that could have used so much more depth, such as Ahn's relationship with her mother and the tie between Hawaii and Vietnam. I felt the alternating points of view added very little to the story. And I found the writing dry at times, almost reading like an informational guide to bipolar disorder.
To the author's credit, the portrayal of bipolar disorder and those suffering from mental illness felt very accurate. It's the part of the novel that's strongest and I like that Nguyen focused particularly on the taboo against mental illness within many Asian cultures. I also enjoyed the strong symbolism of water, how it's tied to life and the flow between generations of a family....more
READ IF YOU LIKE... � Uncovering family secrets � Mother-son relationships � Critically examining privilege
I THOUGHT IT WAS..[Copy provided by publisher]
READ IF YOU LIKE... � Uncovering family secrets � Mother-son relationships � Critically examining privilege
I THOUGHT IT WAS... An impactful story about family secrets and their consequences. After years away, Remy returns home to India to pursue a potential adoption opportunity. While there, his plan to surprise his mother goes sideways once he realizes she's been hospitalized. Being by her side, Remy has to confront their stilted relationship.
This was an interesting reading experience because I wasn't sure about the novel until I was about halfway through. The reason was the protagonist. At first, the more I got to know Remy, the more I disliked him. He was a perfect example of someone who believes himself a good and generous person while completely unaware of his privilege, with a bad tendency of throwing money at a situation to "fix" it.
But his character does develop by the end of the novel. At least, I can see him moving in the right direction. And the biggest contribution to that is the heartwrenching relationship with his mother, which deepens throughout the novel. Something that struck me was how his mother didn't want condolences or recognition of the challenges she faced. The only thing she sought was the love of her son, which is motherhood in its very essence....more
READ IF YOU LIKE... � Multi-generational stories � Trying to give the next generation a better life � Debating nature vs. nur[Copy provided by publisher]
READ IF YOU LIKE... � Multi-generational stories � Trying to give the next generation a better life � Debating nature vs. nurture
I THOUGHT IT WAS... A thoughtfully layered novel that leaves you with a lot to consider. Lily, a Chinese American young woman, falls in love with a white man from an immensely rich family and tries to create a life with him. Nick, Lily's son, tries to find and reconnect with a father he's never known. May, Lily's mother, reckons with a past that was ruptured by the Cultural Revolution.
My head spun a little bit upon finishing this. A lot gets explored in the book's last 50 pages and I had to take some time to think back through the previous 345 pages to connect the dots on some of its themes. I don't think all of them were conveyed evenly, which gives me the impression that Khong may have attempted a little too much. I'm also not sure the theme I found most prominent was the one that was intended. But the themes that come through strongly are masterfully unfurled throughout all three parts of this novel.
What is stronger: nature vs. nurture? Now, which would you choose if you knew that we had control over nature, that DNA was no longer just a dice roll? These can be hard questions to answer, even more so when they are posed to a parent trying to give their child the best life possible. But Khong throws an additional question into the mix -- if we did have the power to choose, what is the ideal we are choosing towards? Also not an easy question to answer, especially since fortune is often only skin deep....more
READ IF YOU LIKE... � Game of Thrones � Bucking gender norms � Severely broken people searching for feeling
I THOUGHT IT WAS... A strong political fantasy READ IF YOU LIKE... � Game of Thrones � Bucking gender norms � Severely broken people searching for feeling
I THOUGHT IT WAS... A strong political fantasy that brings the Radiant Emperor duology to a graceful conclusion. Zhu Yuanzhang has declared herself the Radiant King and has her eye set on her greatest desire: the throne. But the road there isn't easy. She's not the only one with a goal of reaching the capital and her opposition is just as ruthless in their pursuit.
Parker-Chan took what she built in SHE WHO BECAME THE SUN and revved it up for this fascinating conclusion. This sequel feels stronger than the first book for a couple reasons. First, the magical realism is slightly more fleshed out. Second, the plot is driven by political maneuvering instead of battlefield tactics, something that most people will probably find more engrossing with its twists, turns, schemes, and backstabbing.
What makes the maneuvering so engaging are the characters behind it. Parker-Chan has done a masterful job developing her characters and I love that all of them are, at their core, striving against the strictures society places upon them. This duology illustrates the emotional damage that can occur from the censure gender non-conforming individuals face. It also boldly asserts that they deserve recognition and acceptance....more
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