this was so gorgeously written and read more like poetry than prose, aka my favorite type of novel!! i love its depiction of the weaving, intersectingthis was so gorgeously written and read more like poetry than prose, aka my favorite type of novel!! i love its depiction of the weaving, intersecting stories of women across families and generations, definitely a unique and powerful debut. while i appreciate that the ending was open to interpretation and growth, though, i was just hoping for a little more closure on some storylines!!
this could have been a new favorite but unfortunately a few things fell flat. however i still really enjoyed it and will def write a longer review soothis could have been a new favorite but unfortunately a few things fell flat. however i still really enjoyed it and will def write a longer review soon!!!! (for real i promise)...more
i think this is the kind of book that needs to seep in, to stay with you for a little bit before you can finally begin to process it. so while i devoui think this is the kind of book that needs to seep in, to stay with you for a little bit before you can finally begin to process it. so while i devoured it in a single day, i think that i'll wait a little bit to share my thoughts. <3...more
reread 07/24 idk why i impulsively decided to reread this but it felt like a good airport book and a good way to ease myself back in reading on vacatioreread 07/24 idk why i impulsively decided to reread this but it felt like a good airport book and a good way to ease myself back in reading on vacation! i think i liked it more the second time around but its still hard to describe... i feel so disconnected to the story in a way, yet the characters still managed to evoke emotions in me ...more
the art in this was gorgeous, and i loved how the story was woven with a mix of fairy tales and flashbacks!! i was expecting it to emotionally impact the art in this was gorgeous, and i loved how the story was woven with a mix of fairy tales and flashbacks!! i was expecting it to emotionally impact me a bit more, but it was still a really lovely read.
Dating Makes Perfect is such an adorable book, and I finished it in just a few sittings because I couldn't put it down! This follows Winnie, a Thai AmDating Makes Perfect is such an adorable book, and I finished it in just a few sittings because I couldn't put it down! This follows Winnie, a Thai American teen who is forced to fake date her childhood-best-friend-turned-enemy, and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to have a fun time reading a fluffy contemporary about love, family, and friendship.
What I Liked:
� Winnie's relationship with her older twin sisters, Ari and Bunny, was so wholesome and sweet, and I absolutely adored their banter!
“Winnie,� Ari scolds. “Don’t you know that you’re our foundation? If you’re not happy, then we’re not happy.�
“If someone’s hurt you, then we need to kill him. I’ve sharpened my talons just for this occasion.� Bunny wiggles her perfectly manicured nails in the air.
� While I wasn't initially invested in the romance, I ended up really loving it towards the end. Also, this is probably the first novel I've read that includes my favorite trope ever (friends-to-enemies-to-lovers) and it was so well done!
I miss you, I think. I miss watching Frozen together for the millionth time. I miss how you would always give me the last Sour Patch Kid, even though I’d already had more than my share. I miss saving the red ones for you, even though I liked them, too.
� This was so bingeable and easy to get through, and like I mentioned above, I could not put it down. Plus, the humor was really funny and I smiled so many times while reading!!
� Thai rep is something that is so rare in books, so it was so amazing to see the Thai rep in this one, including Winnie's references to Thai culture in her narration, the Songkran festival, and all the food descriptions that had my mouth watering!
� I loved the main character, Winnie, and she was so easy to root for!
“Right,� Bunny says, her lips twitching. “Where was I? Oh yes. We love you because you’re you, Winnie. People like being around you. You make people smile and laugh. You have this uncanny ability to make others feel like the best version of themselves. That’s why people gravitate toward you. Our whole family, we all revolve around you. You’re the glue. The very core.�
What I Disliked:
� There's not really much for this section, because the only reason I took off 1 star was because this wasn't super impactful or *amazing*. (Which isn't a bad thing at all, especially because I was looking for a contemporary to enjoy without having to use my brain too much lmao, and it delivered!)
Final Rating: ★★★★� (4 stars)
� representation: thai-american mc, li and scs, bisexual thai american sc, indian american sc
I sped through this sequel in a single sitting just as I had read the first novella, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. So m
I sped through this sequel in a single sitting just as I had read the first novella, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. So many of the things that I loved about The Empress of Salt and Fortune, such as the gorgeous prose, hidden layers, and well-written characters were fully present—if not done even better—in this installment of the series. This sequel follows Chih again as they are captured by a band of hungry tigers while crossing a mountain, and must spin a story in the hope that the tigers will let them go.
The first thing I noticed upon starting was how happy I was to be reading from Chih’s perspective again; their personality was fleshed out so much more in this sequel and I really enjoyed reading about them. The dialogue between the tigers, Chih, and their guide Si-yu, was so fun and witty as well, and I found myself smiling a few times throughout the story. So while I really enjoyed the present tense of the storyline, I found myself also adoring the story that Chih—along with the tigers—told: the story of the achingly beautiful sapphic romance between the tiger Ho Thi Thao and the scholar Dieu.
“I am yours, and so I will be your light and your laughter. I am yours, so open your eyes to look at me, and open your mouth so that I may kiss it. I am yours, I am yours, and nevermore will I leave.�
In The Empress of Salt and Fortune, Chih was the one listening to Rabbit’s story, but in this sequel, Chih told the story with the tigers as they interjected during different parts to explain how their version of what happened was different. In this way, it was very intriguing to see the theme of how stories are reshaped and molded differently as they are passed on among different cultures throughout the years. And, of course, Nghi Vo’s gorgeous prose made it even better. Just like I said in my review of the first book, her prose adds such a perfectly magical fairy-tale like feeling to this series, which increased my enjoyment tenfold.
The only reason I didn’t rate this higher than 4 stars was, again, the length—I’m someone who tends to enjoy longer stories better because they have more of an impact on me. Nevertheless, I really enjoyed this series: make sure to read it for the amazing worldbuilding, powerful themes, and beautiful stories upon stories hidden in its folds.
★★★★� // 4 stars
� representation: nonbinary mc, wlw scs, all Asian cast and Asian-inspired setting
� trigger warnings: fire, poison, gore, murder, death
A powerful beginning to a new fantasy series, The Jasmine Throne showcases the complexity of empire and the monstrosity an
A powerful beginning to a new fantasy series, The Jasmine Throne showcases the complexity of empire and the monstrosity and power of women within it.
This adult fantasy book featuring morally grey sapphics set in an Indian-inspired world was one of my most anticipated 2021 releases; I fully expected to rate it five stars! And while a few aspects (sadly) disappointed me, I was still able to enjoy the book as a whole.
The Jasmine Throne begins with a prologue that sets the rest of the story into place, thrusting the reader into the Indian-inspired empire of Parijat. Soon, we meet the two main characters—Malini and Priya. Malini is a princess who refused to burn on the pyre—a ritual meant to purify and immortalize women in Parijat. Exiled by her own brother to an ancient temple, the Hirana, she stays there as a consequence, being forcibly weakened through doses of poison. Priya is a maidservant who harbors a dark past. She is a temple child from Ahiranya, the nation that was colonized by the empire of Parijat, and possesses powerful magic she must hide. Every day, she battles an internal desire to embrace the roots and culture that has been completely wiped out by Parijat.
So while the backstories of these two women couldn’t be more different, they both have the same core: a fear of being ‘monstrous� in a world where they are treated lesser, and a burning desire for power that drives them to break out of that. And once they meet in the Hirana, their fates intertwine to form a power that just might be enough to destroy the empire of Parijat.
These characters are crafted so well, and I love how they grow to embrace every part of themselves, even the ones that their society has deemed as monstrous. I also loved that, instead of just Malini and Priya, there are so many different perspectives the reader can experience. There is Bhumika who, just like Priya and Malini, is tired of the relentless misogyny in her world. But unlike Priya and Malini, her character demonstrates quiet power: how being powerful doesn’t always mean grand gestures, it can also be be cultivated through the smallest things. The perspective of Bhumika and a few other characters adds depth to the story and plot, allowing the reader to wholly understand.
Speaking of depth, the worldbuilding in The Jasmine Throne is so well done. Suri has created a world complete with different cultures, histories and magic, and knows how to expertly reveal it to the reader. Not everything is presented all at once; the details unfold in layers, so it’s easy to be learn more without being overwhelmed. And the best part of it is the author’s luscious prose, absolutely perfect for an adult fantasy novel like this one. Through Suri’s descriptive writing, I could feel myself in the Hirana, visualize the magic, and see myself on the streets with the characters.
The only two things that fell flat for me in The Jasmine Throne were the pacing and romance. I know that this is the first of a trilogy, but still—most of this book felt like a setup for the true plot. I found myself wishing there was more going on at many times in the story; the plot felt like it was dragging in the beginning and middle. And I typically don’t mind reading longer books, but because I didn’t enjoy how this one was more of a build-up, it took a quite while for me to finish The Jasmine Throne. I think my qualms with the romance also tie into my disappointment with the pacing, as I wish the romance had gotten more development rather than just being a build up. I absolutely love Priya and Malini as characters on their own, but I didn’t find myself rooting for their romance as much as I would have liked.
To conclude, if you enjoy well-crafted adult fantasies with feminist themes and are willing to overlook the slow pace, this is the book for you! I’m definitely excited for the next installment in this series to see where the author takes these morally grey sapphics next.
The Empress of Salt and Fortune is a powerful fantasy novella that slowly unfolds, leaving you breathless by the end.
The Empress of Salt and Fortune is a powerful fantasy novella that slowly unfolds, leaving you breathless by the end. It is narrated from the perspective of the nonbinary cleric Chih, who learns the story of the Empress In-Yo as told by her handmaiden, Rabbit. The thing that immediately hooked me when I started this novella was Nghi Vo’s simplistic yet powerful and immersing prose. The only way I can think of describing it is that it reads like a fairy tale, which is something I loved!!
Honestly, this entire novella is like a quiet fairy tale that is given to you in shards and pieces, causing you to eagerly follow along as you see more of the story unfold along with Chih. I finished it in one sitting and held my breath as details unraveled and spun together to weave the full picture. And throughout the story, I thought that the worldbuilding, characters and themes were fleshed out really well, which is remarkable for a novella so short.
“You will never remember the great if you do not remember the small.�
My only qualms were that I wish this was little longer, so that we could spend more time in the world and get to know the story of In-Yo more. However, I understand that this is a novella, not a full-length novel, and I think that the author purposefully left the ending this way to add to the magical fairy-tale-like feeling I got from this novella. Also, some parts truly confused me, but I think that’s more due to the fact that I was reading this late at night and finished it in a single setting, because The Empress of Salt and Fortune is the kind of story that you learn more from if you reread: I want to pick it up again it soon so I can enjoy the hidden themes and details in its pages even more.
“On a drunken evening, many years on, In-Yo would say that the war was won by silenced and nameless women, and it would be hard to argue with her.�
Overall, I would recommend this novella to anyone looking for a quiet, feminist fantasy that will envelop you in its story and leave you still thinking about it days afterwards. This is a very powerful debut, and I’m so glad that there is a sequel to this story, because the world Nghi Vo has crafted is one that you will not want to forget.
"Angry women raise daughters fierce enough to fight wolves."
★★★★� // 4 stars
� representation: nonbinary mc, wlw scs, all Asian cast and Asian-inspired setting
� trigger warnings: animal death, death of loved ones, forced sterilization, grief
this was so, so heartwarming to read, and i loved the themes of friendship!! julia abe's prose is also gorgeous, and i can't wait to read the sequel. this was so, so heartwarming to read, and i loved the themes of friendship!! julia abe's prose is also gorgeous, and i can't wait to read the sequel. <3
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