julianna �'s bookshelf: all en-US Mon, 17 Feb 2025 01:10:59 -0800 60 julianna �'s bookshelf: all 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg <![CDATA[Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: A New Verse Translation]]> 1056805 Sir Gawain and the Green Knight was rediscovered only two hundred years ago and published for the first time in 1839. One of the earliest great stories of English literature after Beowulf, the poem narrates the strange tale of a green knight on a green horse, who rudely interrupts the Round Table festivities one Yuletide, casting a pall of unease over the company and challenging one of their number to a wager.

The virtuous Gawain accepts and decapitates the intruder with his own axe. Gushing blood, the knight reclaims his head, orders Gawain to seek him out a year hence, and departs. Next Yuletide Gawain dutifully sets forth. His quest for the Green Knight involves a winter journey, a seduction scene in a dreamlike castle, a dire challenge answered - and a drama of enigmatic reward disguised as psychic undoing.

Following in the tradition of Ted Hughes, Marie Boroff, and J. R. R. Tolkien, Simon Armitage, one of England's leading poets, has produced an inventive translation of this Arthurian epic that resounds with both clarity and verve. As England's Sunday Telegraph wrote, "Armitage's animated translation is to be welcomed for helping to liberate Gawain from academia, as Seamus Heaney did in 1999 for Beowulf." His work, presented here with facing original text and a note on the text by Harvard scholar James Simpson, is meticulously responsible to the sophistication of the original - but responds equally to its own powerfully persuasive ambition to be read as a totally new poem. It is as if two poets, six hundred years apart, set out on a journey through the same mesmerizing landscapes - acoustic, physical, and metaphorical -in the course of which the Gawain poet has finally found his true and long-awaited translator.]]> 198 Simon Armitage 0393060489 julianna � 3 school-books 3.98 1375 Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: A New Verse Translation
author: Simon Armitage
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.98
book published: 1375
rating: 3
read at: 2017/11/06
date added: 2025/02/17
shelves: school-books
review:

]]> Something in Between 30519159
Jasmine de los Santos has always done what’s expected of her. Pretty and popular, she’s studied hard, made her Filipino immigrant parents proud, and is ready to reap the rewards in the form of a full college scholarship.

And then everything shatters. A national scholar award invitation compels her parents to reveal the truth: their visas expired years ago. Her entire family is illegal. That means no scholarships, maybe no college at all, and the very real threat of deportation. But Jasmine won't give up. Because when the rules you lived by no longer apply, the only thing to do is make up your own.]]> 384 Melissa de la Cruz 1460395107 julianna � 4 3.71 2016 Something in Between
author: Melissa de la Cruz
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.71
book published: 2016
rating: 4
read at: 2016/12/27
date added: 2024/09/13
shelves: ownvoices, poc-rep-read, diverse-read, 2016-releases
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Court of Frost and Starlight (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #3.5)]]> 31076583 229 Sarah J. Maas 168119631X julianna � 0 to-read, 2018-releases 3.77 2019 A Court of Frost and Starlight (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #3.5)
author: Sarah J. Maas
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.77
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/07/02
shelves: to-read, 2018-releases
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Reginald Rose's Twelve Angry Men: A Play in Three Acts]]> 1135044 63 Sherman L. Sergel 0871293277 julianna � 4 school-books, semi-review 3.97 1955 Reginald Rose's Twelve Angry Men: A Play in Three Acts
author: Sherman L. Sergel
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.97
book published: 1955
rating: 4
read at: 2017/01/18
date added: 2024/04/02
shelves: school-books, semi-review
review:
This was surprisingly.. good. I actually enjoyed the story, the characters, and their development as Juror Eight influenced them.
]]> <![CDATA[Bone Crier's Moon (Bone Grace, #1)]]> 46249012 From #1  New York Times  bestselling author Kathryn Purdie comes a high-stakes fantasy duology flush with doomed romance and macabre magic, perfect for fans of Stephanie Garber and Roshani Chokshi.

Bone Criers are the last descendants of an ancient famille charged with using the magic they draw from animal bones to shepherd the dead into the afterlife—lest they drain the light from the living.


Ailesse has been prepared since birth to become their matriarch, but first she must complete her rite of passage: to kill the boy she’s destined to love.

Bastien’s father was slain by a Bone Crier and he’s been seeking revenge ever since. Now his vengeance must wait, as Ailesse’s ritual has begun and their fates are entwined—in life and in death.]]> 480 Kathryn Purdie 0062798774 julianna � 0 to-read, 2020-releases 3.63 2020 Bone Crier's Moon (Bone Grace, #1)
author: Kathryn Purdie
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.63
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/01/13
shelves: to-read, 2020-releases
review:

]]> <![CDATA[10 Things I Hate About Pinky (Dimple and Rishi, #3)]]> 52753485 Pinky Kumar wears the social justice warrior badge with pride. From raccoon hospitals to persecuted rock stars, no cause is too esoteric for her to champion. But a teeny tiny part of her also really enjoys making her conservative, buttoned-up corporate lawyer parents cringe.

Samir Jha might have a few . . . quirks remaining from the time he had to take care of his sick mother, like the endless lists he makes in his planner and the way he schedules every minute of every day, but those are good things. They make life predictable and steady.

Pinky loves lazy summers at her parents� Cape Cod lake house, but after listening to them harangue her about the poor decisions (aka boyfriends) she's made, she hatches a plan. Get her sorta-friend-sorta-enemy—who is a total Harvard-bound mama’s boy—to pose as her perfect boyfriend for the summer.

When Samir’s internship falls through, leaving him with an unplanned summer, he gets a text from Pinky asking if he’ll be her fake boyfriend in exchange for a new internship. He jumps at the opportunity; Pinky’s a freak, but he can survive a summer with her if there’s light at the end of the tunnel.

As they bicker their way through lighthouses and butterfly habitats, sparks fly, and they both realize this will be a summer they'll never forget.]]> 354 Sandhya Menon 1534416811 julianna � 3 3.84 2020 10 Things I Hate About Pinky (Dimple and Rishi, #3)
author: Sandhya Menon
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2021/04/07
date added: 2023/11/09
shelves: poc-on-cover, ownvoices, asian-rep-read, diverse-read, poc-rep-read, 2020-releases
review:

]]> Robbergirl 44011097 201 S.T. Gibson julianna � 0 3.75 2019 Robbergirl
author: S.T. Gibson
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.75
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/10/07
shelves: to-read, diverse-to-read, drc, 2019-releases
review:

]]> Caraval (Caraval, #1) 30038656 How far would you go to save your sister?

Scarlett has never left the tiny island where she and her beloved sister, Tella, live with their powerful, and cruel, father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval, the far-away, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show, are over.

But this year, Scarlett’s long-dreamt of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer. It turns out that this season’s Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner.

Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. But she nevertheless becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic with the other players in the game. And whether Caraval is real or not, she must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over, a dangerous domino effect of consequences is set off, and her sister disappears forever.]]> 416 Stephanie Garber 1250095271 julianna � 5 3.65 2016 Caraval (Caraval, #1)
author: Stephanie Garber
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.65
book published: 2016
rating: 5
read at: 2017/02/10
date added: 2022/07/19
shelves: favorites, 2017-favs, 2017-releases
review:

]]> Heartstopper (Webcomic) 34235800 Alice Oseman julianna � 5 4.74 Heartstopper (Webcomic)
author: Alice Oseman
name: julianna �
average rating: 4.74
book published:
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2022/07/05
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Last of the Talons (Talon, #1)]]> 59808496
Suddenly Lina finds herself in the dreamlike realm of the Dokkaebi, her fate in the hands of its cruel and captivating emperor. But she can win her life—if she kills him first.

Now a terrible game of life and death has begun, and even Lina's swift, precise blade is no match for the magnetic Haneul Rui. Lina will have to use every weapon in her arsenal if she wants to outplay this cunning king and save her sister... all before the final grain of sand leaks out of the hourglass.

Because one way or another, she'll take Rui's heart.

Even if it means giving up her own.]]> 416 Sophie Kim 1649372809 julianna � 0
"an #Ownvoices fantasy, pitched as inspired by Korean mythology, in which a teen assassin has to kill a Dokkaebi emperor to save her sister, but falls for him instead"

(source: )

why the hell isn't it 2023 yet]]> 3.88 2022 Last of the Talons (Talon, #1)
author: Sophie Kim
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/05/08
shelves: to-read, 2023-releases, diverse-to-read, poc-rep-to-read, asian-rep-to-read, shortlist-tbr
review:
(1) this is an enemies-to-lovers romance and (2) the love interest is the EMPEROR. so i'll be adding it :)

"an #Ownvoices fantasy, pitched as inspired by Korean mythology, in which a teen assassin has to kill a Dokkaebi emperor to save her sister, but falls for him instead"

(source: )

why the hell isn't it 2023 yet
]]> Heartstopper: Volume 1-4 58027863
Written and illustrated by the author of 'Solitaire' and 'Radio Silence'. Updates three times a month (from Feb 2017), on the 1st, 11th, and 21st.]]> 1260 Alice Oseman 9124120219 julianna � 5 queer-rep-read, diverse-read 4.62 2016 Heartstopper: Volume 1-4
author: Alice Oseman
name: julianna �
average rating: 4.62
book published: 2016
rating: 5
read at: 2018/02/19
date added: 2022/05/03
shelves: queer-rep-read, diverse-read
review:

]]> The Downstairs Girl 33224061 Alternate cover edition of ISBN 9781524740955.

From the founding member of We Need Diverse Books comes a powerful novel about identity, betrayal, and the meaning of family.

By day, seventeen-year-old Jo Kuan works as a lady's maid for the cruel daughter of one of the wealthiest men in Atlanta. But by night, Jo moonlights as the pseudonymous author of a newspaper advice column for the genteel Southern lady, "Dear Miss Sweetie." When her column becomes wildly popular, she uses the power of the pen to address some of society's ills, but she's not prepared for the backlash that follows when her column challenges fixed ideas about race and gender. While her opponents clamor to uncover the secret identity of Miss Sweetie, a mysterious letter sets Jo off on a search for her own past and the parents who abandoned her as a baby. But when her efforts put her in the crosshairs of Atlanta's most notorious criminal, Jo must decide whether she, a girl used to living in the shadows, is ready to step into the light. With prose that is witty, insightful, and at times heartbreaking, Stacey Lee masterfully crafts an extraordinary social drama set in the New South.]]> 374 Stacey Lee julianna � 0 3.92 2019 The Downstairs Girl
author: Stacey Lee
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/03/01
shelves: to-read, poc-on-cover, 2019-releases, diverse-to-read, poc-rep-to-read, asian-rep-to-read, longlist-tbr
review:

]]> Patron Saints of Nothing 41941681 A coming-of-age story about grief, guilt, and the risks a Filipino-American teenager takes to uncover the truth about his cousin's murder.

Jay Reguero plans to spend the last semester of his senior year playing video games before heading to the University of Michigan in the fall. But when he discovers that his Filipino cousin Jun was murdered as part of President Duterte's war on drugs, and no one in the family wants to talk about what happened, Jay travels to the Philippines to find out the real story.

Hoping to uncover more about Jun and the events that led to his death, Jay is forced to reckon with the many sides of his cousin before he can face the whole horrible truth -- and the part he played in it.]]> 323 Randy Ribay 0525554912 julianna � 0 4.21 2019 Patron Saints of Nothing
author: Randy Ribay
name: julianna �
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/02/14
shelves: to-read, diverse-to-read, 2019-releases, longlist-tbr, poc-rep-to-read, ownvoices, asian-rep-to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett]]> 31775995 Hawthorn wasn't trying to insert herself into a missing person's investigation. Or maybe she was. But that's only because Lizzie Lovett's disappearance is the one fascinating mystery their sleepy town has ever had. Bad things don't happen to popular girls like Lizzie Lovett, and Hawthorn is convinced she'll turn up at any moment-which means the time for speculation is now.

So Hawthorn comes up with her own theory for Lizzie's disappearance.  A theory way too absurd to take seriously...at first. The more Hawthorn talks, the more she believes. And what better way to collect evidence than to immerse herself in Lizzie's life? Like getting a job at the diner where Lizzie worked and hanging out with Lizzie's boyfriend. After all, it's not as if he killed her-or did he?

Told with a unique voice that is both hilarious and heart-wrenching, Hawthorn's quest for proof may uncover the greatest truth is within herself.

]]> 418 Chelsea Sedoti 1492636096 julianna � 3 3.33 2017 The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett
author: Chelsea Sedoti
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.33
book published: 2017
rating: 3
read at: 2017/03/05
date added: 2021/12/09
shelves: drc, giveaways, physical-arc, 2017-releases
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know About the People We Don't Know]]> 43848929 Malcolm Gladwell, host of the podcast Revisionist History and author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Outliers, offers a powerful examination of our interactions with strangers -- and why they often go wrong.

How did Fidel Castro fool the CIA for a generation? Why did Neville Chamberlain think he could trust Adolf Hitler? Why are campus sexual assaults on the rise? Do television sitcoms teach us something about the way we relate to each other that isn't true?

While tackling these questions, Malcolm Gladwell was not solely writing a book for the page. He was also producing for the ear. In the audiobook version of Talking to Strangers, you'll hear the voices of people he interviewed--scientists, criminologists, military psychologists. Court transcripts are brought to life with re-enactments. You actually hear the contentious arrest of Sandra Bland by the side of the road in Texas. As Gladwell revisits the deceptions of Bernie Madoff, the trial of Amanda Knox, and the suicide of Sylvia Plath, you hear directly from many of the players in these real-life tragedies. There's even a theme song - Janelle Monae's "Hell You Talmbout."

Something is very wrong, Gladwell argues, with the tools and strategies we use to make sense of people we don't know. And because we don't know how to talk to strangers, we are inviting conflict and misunderstanding in ways that have a profound effect on our lives and our world.]]> 388 Malcolm Gladwell 0316478520 julianna � 0 currently-reading, not-ya
that's rlly embarrassing for me]]> 4.00 2019 Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know About the People We Don't Know
author: Malcolm Gladwell
name: julianna �
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/10/18
shelves: currently-reading, not-ya
review:
i'm 2 chapters into this book & i just realized that this is actually about historical events, and is not going to teach me how to talk to strangers

that's rlly embarrassing for me
]]> <![CDATA[Gearbreakers (Gearbreakers, #1)]]> 54017833 Two girls on opposite sides of a war discover they're fighting for a common purpose--and falling for each other--in Zoe Hana Mikuta's high-octane debut Gearbreakers, perfect for fans of Pacific Rim, Pierce Brown's Red Rising Saga, and Marie Lu's Legend series.

We went past praying to deities and started to build them instead...

The shadow of Godolia's tyrannical rule is spreading, aided by their giant mechanized weapons known as Windups. War and oppression are everyday constants for the people of the Badlands, who live under the thumb of their cruel Godolia overlords.

Eris Shindanai is a Gearbreaker, a brash young rebel who specializes in taking down Windups from the inside. When one of her missions goes awry and she finds herself in a Godolia prison, Eris meets Sona Steelcrest, a cybernetically enhanced Windup pilot. At first Eris sees Sona as her mortal enemy, but Sona has a secret: She has intentionally infiltrated the Windup program to destroy Godolia from within.

As the clock ticks down to their deadliest mission yet, a direct attack to end Godolia's reign once and for all, Eris and Sona grow closer--as comrades, friends, and perhaps something more...]]> 405 Zoe Hana Mikuta 1250269504 julianna � 0
but unfortunately i have seen some snippets of the writing and they all look incredibly terrible, so i am very excited to hate read this with m-eight ]]> 3.87 2021 Gearbreakers (Gearbreakers, #1)
author: Zoe Hana Mikuta
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.87
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/10/18
shelves: diverse-to-read, 2021-releases, pre-review, queer-rep-to-read, poc-rep-to-read, poc-on-cover, buddy-read, to-read
review:
literally in love with cover, concept, & the korean gays .....

but unfortunately i have seen some snippets of the writing and they all look incredibly terrible, so i am very excited to hate read this with m-eight
]]> Honey Girl 53922305 not the kind of person who goes to Vegas and gets drunkenly married to a woman whose name she doesn’t know…until she does exactly that.

This one moment of departure from her stern ex-military father’s plans for her life has Grace wondering why she doesn’t feel more fulfilled from completing her degree. Staggering under the weight of her father’s expectations, a struggling job market and feelings of burnout, Grace flees her home in Portland for a summer in New York with the wife she barely knows.

When reality comes crashing in, Grace must face what she’s been running from all along—the fears that make us human, the family scars that need to heal and the longing for connection, especially when navigating the messiness of adulthood.]]> 293 Morgan Rogers 0778311023 julianna � 0 /
i'm so excited for this novel about poc lesbians accidentally marrying each other at vegas to change my life

<3 buddy read with the single most deadly threat to twitter
]]> 3.73 2021 Honey Girl
author: Morgan Rogers
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.73
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/10/18
shelves: queer-rep-to-read, poc-rep-to-read, 2021-releases, diverse-to-read, poc-on-cover, buddy-read, to-read
review:
lol. this has been on my currently reading shelf for four months
/
i'm so excited for this novel about poc lesbians accidentally marrying each other at vegas to change my life

<3 buddy read with the single most deadly threat to twitter

]]> <![CDATA[Teen Titans: Beast Boy Loves Raven (Teen Titans, #3)]]> 55082274
It seems like years, but it's only been a few days since Raven Roth recovered her memories; trapped her demon father, Trigon, in her amulet; and had her heart broken for the first time. But she doesn't have time to think about the past...she has to focus on finding a way to get rid of Trigon for good.

Garfield Logan still can't believe he has powers that allow him to change into different animals, but the price of knowing that his parents kept this secret hidden from him just feels too high. And what's more, his difficulty controlling these abilities could have unexpected consequences.

Both are seeking answers from the one person who seems to have them all figured Slade Wilson.

When their paths converge in Nashville, Raven and Gar can't help but feel a connection, despite the secrets they both try to hide. It will take a great amount of trust and courage to overcome the wounds of their pasts. But can they find acceptance for the darkest parts of themselves? Or maybe even love?]]> 208 Kami Garcia 1779503865 julianna � 0 4.20 2021 Teen Titans: Beast Boy Loves Raven (Teen Titans, #3)
author: Kami Garcia
name: julianna �
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/09/28
shelves: to-read, 2021-releases, shortlist-tbr
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Hope Nation: YA Authors Share Personal Moments of Inspiration]]> 36346915 Hope is a decision, but it is a hard one to recognize in the face of oppression, belittlement, alienation, and defeat. To help embolden hope, here is a powerhouse collection of essays and personal stories that speak directly to teens and all YA readers. Featuring Angie Thomas, Marie Lu, James Dashner, Nicola Yoon, David Levithan, Libba Bray, Jason Reynolds, Renée Ahdieh, and many more!

"The hope of a secure and livable world lies with disciplined nonconformists who are dedicated to justice, peace and brotherhood."--Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

We all experience moments when we struggle to understand the state of the world, when we feel powerless and--in some cases--even hopeless. The teens of today are the caretakers of tomorrow, and yet it's difficult for many to find joy or comfort in such a turbulent society. But in trying times, words are power.

Some of today's most influential young adult authors come together in this highly personal collection of essays and original stories that offer moments of light in the darkness, and show that hope is a decision we all can make.

Like a modern day Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul or Don't Sweat the Small Stuff for Teens, Hope Nation acknowledges the pain and offers words of encouragement.

Authors include: Atia Abawi, Renee Ahdieh, Libba Bray, Howard Bryant, Ally Carter, Ally Condie, James Dashner, Christina Diaz Gonzales, Gayle Forman, Romina Garber, I. W. Gregario, Kate Hart, Bendan Kiely, David Levithan, Alex London, Marie Lu, Julie Murphy, Jason Reynolds, Aisha Saeed, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Jenny Torres Sanchez, Jeff Zentner, and Nicola Yoon.]]> 288 Rose Brock 1524741841 julianna � 0 to-read 3.98 2018 Hope Nation: YA Authors Share Personal Moments of Inspiration
author: Rose Brock
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/09/14
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Thief (The Queen's Thief, #1)]]> 30363359 Instead of Three Wishes, the first book by Megan Whalen Turner. Her second book more than fulfills that promise.

The king's scholar, the magus, believes he knows the site of an ancient treasure. To attain it for his king, he needs a skillful thief, and he selects Gen from the king's prison. The magus is interested only in the thief's abilities. What Gen is interested in is anyone's guess. Their journey toward the treasure is both dangerous and difficult, lightened only imperceptibly by the tales they tell of the old gods and goddesses.

Megan Whalen Turner weaves Gen's stories and Gen's story together with style and verve in a novel that is filled with intrigue, adventure, and surprise.]]> 320 Megan Whalen Turner 0062642960 julianna � 0 to-read 3.67 1996 The Thief (The Queen's Thief, #1)
author: Megan Whalen Turner
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.67
book published: 1996
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/09/02
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Only Mostly Devastated 45046743
Ollie has no intention of pining after a guy who clearly isn't ready for a relationship, especially since this new, bro-y jock version of Will seems to go from hot to cold every other week. But then Will starts "coincidentally" popping up in every area of Ollie's life, from music class to the lunch table, and Ollie finds his resolve weakening.

The last time he gave Will his heart, Will handed it back to him trampled and battered. Ollie would have to be an idiot to trust him with it again.

Right? Right.

SIMON VS. THE HOMO SAPIENS AGENDA meets CLUELESS in this boy-meets-boy spin on Grease]]> 281 Sophie Gonzales 1250315891 julianna � 3
- alright i felt kind of weird at a couple of points with how ollie kind of ignored the fact that will's closeted? but i'm not sure, lemme know what you think folks
- overall, though, besides that, i thought that this was a very cute story!!! i really, really enjoyed the voice of the narrator too
- i would have LOVED a complete apology from a certain gal who fatshamed her friend though. lmao
- however can i just say that i love lara. like i love her

also will MIGHT be latinx??????? his fam spoke Spanish & they ate a Venezuelan dish at will's place but it's not really on-page that he's brown

trigger & content warnings for cancer & chemotherapy, homophobia, dieting by a plus-size character, fat shaming, putting gender stereotypes on children

Thank you so much to the pub for providing me with a digital review copy of this book!]]> 3.94 2020 Only Mostly Devastated
author: Sophie Gonzales
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2020/01/05
date added: 2021/06/27
shelves: diverse-read, queer-rep-read, drc, 2020-releases, semi-review
review:
huh...

- alright i felt kind of weird at a couple of points with how ollie kind of ignored the fact that will's closeted? but i'm not sure, lemme know what you think folks
- overall, though, besides that, i thought that this was a very cute story!!! i really, really enjoyed the voice of the narrator too
- i would have LOVED a complete apology from a certain gal who fatshamed her friend though. lmao
- however can i just say that i love lara. like i love her

also will MIGHT be latinx??????? his fam spoke Spanish & they ate a Venezuelan dish at will's place but it's not really on-page that he's brown

trigger & content warnings for cancer & chemotherapy, homophobia, dieting by a plus-size character, fat shaming, putting gender stereotypes on children

Thank you so much to the pub for providing me with a digital review copy of this book!
]]> <![CDATA[Six Crimson Cranes (Six Crimson Cranes, #1)]]> 55725741 A princess in exile, the boy she left at the altar, six enchanted cranes, and a dragon from the deepest sea.

Shiori, the only princess of Kiata, has a secret. Forbidden magic runs through her veins. Normally she conceals it well, but on the morning of her betrothal ceremony, Shiori loses control. At first, her mistake seems like a stroke of luck, forestalling the wedding she never wanted, but it also catches the attention of Raikama, her stepmother.

Raikama has dark magic of her own, and she banishes the young princess, turning her brothers into cranes, and warning Shiori that she must speak of it to no one: for with every word that escapes her lips, one of her brothers will die.

Peniless, voiceless, and alone, Shiori searches for her brothers, and, on her journey, uncovers a conspiracy to overtake the throne--a conspiracy more twisted and deceitful, more cunning and complex, than even Raikama's betrayal. Only Shiori can set the kingdom to rights, but to do so she must place her trust in the very boy she fought so hard not to marry. And she must embrace the magic she's been taught all her life to contain--no matter what it costs her.

From the author of Spin the Dawn comes a breathtakingly original fantasy inspired by East Asian folklore and perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo or Tomi Adeyemi.]]> 456 Elizabeth Lim 0593300912 julianna � 0 to-read 4.20 2021 Six Crimson Cranes (Six Crimson Cranes, #1)
author: Elizabeth Lim
name: julianna �
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/06/21
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Darling 51199185 A teen girl finds herself lost on a dangerous adventure in this YA thriller by the acclaimed author of The Wicker King and The Weight of the Stars—reimagining Peter Pan for today’s world.

On Wendy Darling’s first night in Chicago, a boy called Peter appears at her window. He’s dizzying, captivating, beautiful—so she agrees to join him for a night on the town.

Wendy thinks they’re heading to a party, but instead they’re soon running in the city’s underground. She makes friends—a punk girl named Tinkerbelle and the lost boys Peter watches over. And she makes enemies—the terrifying Detective Hook, and maybe Peter himself, as his sinister secrets start coming to light. Can Wendy find the courage to survive this night—and make sure everyone else does, too?

Acclaimed author K. Ancrum has re-envisioned Peter Pan with a central twist that will send all your previous memories of J. M. Barrie’s classic permanently off to Neverland.

An Imprint Book]]> 288 K. Ancrum julianna � 5
-----

the first page of the book: [talking about how canonically, peter pan would murder the lost boys if they "grew up" too much]

me: thank you for destroying my childhood. have a great day

// buddy read with the mango queen. NEVER forget their official title]]> 3.62 2021 Darling
author: K. Ancrum
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.62
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2021/04/23
date added: 2021/06/20
shelves: 2021-releases, ownvoices, drc, review-to-come, diverse-read, poc-rep-read, buddy-read, 5-stars-of-2021
review:
hey uh shoutout to k ancrum for singlehandedly reviving my love of reading!!!!!

-----

the first page of the book: [talking about how canonically, peter pan would murder the lost boys if they "grew up" too much]

me: thank you for destroying my childhood. have a great day

// buddy read with the mango queen. NEVER forget their official title
]]> <![CDATA[Love & Other Natural Disasters]]> 55276629
That was before she met the perfect girl. Willow is gorgeous, glamorous, and…heartbroken? And when she enlists Nozomi to pose as her new girlfriend to make her ex jealous, Nozomi is a willing volunteer.

Because Nozomi has a master plan of her own: one to show Willow she’s better than a stand-in, and turn their fauxmance into something real. But as the lies pile up, it’s not long before Nozomi’s schemes take a turn toward disaster…and maybe a chance at love she didn’t plan for.]]> 352 Misa Sugiura 006299123X julianna � 0 so far ]]> 3.42 2021 Love & Other Natural Disasters
author: Misa Sugiura
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.42
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/06/20
shelves: to-read, 2021-releases, queer-rep-to-read, poc-rep-to-read
review:
misa sugiura's disaster teen gay books haven't failed me so far
]]> <![CDATA[A Magic Steeped in Poison (The Book of Tea, #1)]]> 56978089
When Ning hears of a competition to find the kingdom's greatest shennong-shi—masters of the ancient and magical art of tea-making—she travels to the imperial city to compete. The winner will receive a favor from the princess, which may be Ning's only chance to save her sister's life.

But between the backstabbing competitors, bloody court politics, and a mysterious (and handsome) boy with a shocking secret, Ning might actually be the one in more danger.]]> 374 Judy I. Lin 1250767083 julianna � 0
critical art analysis time, from a critical art professional ]]> 3.81 2022 A Magic Steeped in Poison (The Book of Tea, #1)
author: Judy I. Lin
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.81
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/06/20
shelves: to-read, 2022-releases, asian-rep-to-read, poc-rep-to-read, poc-on-cover, pre-review
review:
me, frantically looking back and forth between this cover & whatever *I* look like when I'm brewing tea: what the hell. what the HELL

critical art analysis time, from a critical art professional
]]> The Ones We're Meant to Find 54017953
In a world apart, 16-year-old STEM prodigy Kasey Mizuhara lives in an eco-city built for people who protected the planet―and now need protecting from it. With natural disasters on the rise due to climate change, eco-cities provide clean air, water, and shelter. Their residents, in exchange, must spend at least a third of their time in stasis pods, conducting business virtually whenever possible to reduce their environmental footprint. While Kasey, an introvert and loner, doesn’t mind the lifestyle, her sister Celia hated it. Popular and lovable, Celia much preferred the outside world. But no one could have predicted that Celia would take a boat out to sea, never to return.

Now it’s been three months since Celia’s disappearance, and Kasey has given up hope. Logic says that her sister must be dead. But nevertheless, she decides to retrace Celia’s last steps. Where they’ll lead her, she does not know. Her sister was full of secrets. But Kasey has a secret of her own.]]> 384 Joan He 1250258561 julianna � 2 the fact that i hated this is one of the top 10 most awkward moments of my life

joan he i am brokenhearted too

very confused, sad, & salty review to come < / 3

( buddy read w/ may, caitlin, lily, & cath!! )

//

i literally started this book over from the beginning since i was not comprehending a single second of it â¤ï¸ it's what joan he deserves because i was NOT enjoying it before lmao

//

the author of one of my all time favorite novels is writing a dark sci-fi novel with gorgeous asian girls on the cover?
someone hold me rnrn

i'm chinese, so i have a legal right to read this, right??? right???

(also this totally gives me wilder girls vibes, and i'm hoping it will be just as viscerally terrifying) (update: still hope this book will be as good as / better than wilder girls, but hopefully without the author bullying ppl LMAO)]]> 3.52 2021 The Ones We're Meant to Find
author: Joan He
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.52
book published: 2021
rating: 2
read at: 2021/05/26
date added: 2021/06/15
shelves: semi-review, 2021-releases, poc-on-cover, drc, buddy-read, asian-rep-read, diverse-read, poc-rep-read
review:
the fact that i hated this is one of the top 10 most awkward moments of my life

joan he i am brokenhearted too

very confused, sad, & salty review to come < / 3

( buddy read w/ may, caitlin, lily, & cath!! )

//

i literally started this book over from the beginning since i was not comprehending a single second of it â¤ï¸ it's what joan he deserves because i was NOT enjoying it before lmao

//

the author of one of my all time favorite novels is writing a dark sci-fi novel with gorgeous asian girls on the cover?
someone hold me rnrn

i'm chinese, so i have a legal right to read this, right??? right???

(also this totally gives me wilder girls vibes, and i'm hoping it will be just as viscerally terrifying) (update: still hope this book will be as good as / better than wilder girls, but hopefully without the author bullying ppl LMAO)
]]> The Chosen and the Beautiful 55169019
Jordan Baker grows up in the most rarefied circles of 1920s American society—she has money, education, a killer golf handicap, and invitations to some of the most exclusive parties of the Jazz Age. She's also queer, Asian, adopted, and treated as an exotic attraction by her peers, while the most important doors remain closed to her.

But the world is full of wonders: infernal pacts and dazzling illusions, lost ghosts and elemental mysteries. In all paper is fire, and Jordan can burn the cut paper heart out of a man. She just has to learn how.

Nghi Vo's debut novel The Chosen and the Beautiful reinvents this classic of the American canon as a coming-of-age story full of magic, mystery, and glittering excess, and introduces a major new literary voice.]]> 260 Nghi Vo 1250784786 julianna � 4 update: i finished and i had no idea what was happening the entire time, it was great

longer review to come....... maybe..... tbh just trying to comprehend what went on rn...

ALSO THIS IS THE FIRST BOOK I READ IN LITERALLY TWO WEEKS AAAAAAHHH

//

when i realize that i'm reading a retelling of a novel that i never even finished for school ]]> 3.53 2021 The Chosen and the Beautiful
author: Nghi Vo
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.53
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2021/06/15
date added: 2021/06/15
shelves: 2021-releases, poc-on-cover, ownvoices, drc, buddy-read, audio, asian-rep-read, diverse-read, poc-rep-read, queer-rep-read, semi-review, review-to-come
review:
update: i finished and i had no idea what was happening the entire time, it was great

longer review to come....... maybe..... tbh just trying to comprehend what went on rn...

ALSO THIS IS THE FIRST BOOK I READ IN LITERALLY TWO WEEKS AAAAAAHHH

//

when i realize that i'm reading a retelling of a novel that i never even finished for school
]]> <![CDATA[On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous]]> 52007535
On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous is a letter from a son to a mother who cannot read. Written when the speaker, Little Dog, is in his late twenties, the letter unearths a family's history that began before he was born -- a history whose epicenter is rooted in Vietnam -- and serves as a doorway into parts of his life his mother has never known, all of it leading to an unforgettable revelation. At once a witness to the fraught yet undeniable love between a single mother and her son, it is also a brutally honest exploration of race, class, and masculinity. Asking questions central to our American moment, immersed as we are in addiction, violence, and trauma, but undergirded by compassion and tenderness, On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous is as much about the power of telling one's own story as it is about the obliterating silence of not being heard.

With stunning urgency and grace, Ocean Vuong writes of people caught between disparate worlds, and asks how we heal and rescue one another without forsaking who we are. The question of how to survive, and how to make of it a kind of joy, powers the most important debut novel of many years.]]> 256 Ocean Vuong 0525562044 julianna � 0 to-read 4.06 2019 On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous
author: Ocean Vuong
name: julianna �
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/06/14
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina]]> 56898076
Seven years later, her gifts have manifested in different ways for Marimar, Rey, and Tatinelly’s daughter, Rhiannon, granting them unexpected blessings. But soon, a hidden figure begins to tear through their family tree, picking them off one by one as it seeks to destroy Orquídea’s line. Determined to save what’s left of their family and uncover the truth behind their inheritance, the four descendants travel to Ecuador—to the place where Orquídea buried her secrets and broken promises and never looked back.]]> 336 Zoraida Córdova 1982102543 julianna � 0 to-read 3.91 2021 The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina
author: Zoraida Córdova
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.91
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/06/14
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Last Mapmaker 58308834 A high-seas adventure set in a Thai-inspired fantasy world.

As assistant to Mangkon’s most celebrated mapmaker, twelve-year-old Sai plays the part of a well-bred young lady with a glittering future. In reality, her father is a conman—and in a kingdom where the status of one’s ancestors dictates their social position, the truth could ruin her. Sai seizes the chance to join an expedition to chart the southern seas, but she isn’t the only one aboard with secrets. When Sai learns that the ship might be heading for the fabled Sunderlands—a land of dragons, dangers, and riches beyond imagining—she must weigh the cost of her dreams.]]> 368 Christina Soontornvat 1536204951 julianna � 0 4.12 2022 The Last Mapmaker
author: Christina Soontornvat
name: julianna �
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/06/12
shelves: to-read, 2022-releases, mg, poc-rep-to-read, diverse-to-read
review:
well, i completely trust christina soontornvat, so [puts sunglasses on] WHEN THE HELL IS THIS GOING TO PUBLISH
]]> <![CDATA[Black Wings Beating (Skybound, #1)]]> 42642122 In this first young-adult fantasy novel in a trilogy, Alex London launches a soaring saga about the memories that haunt us, the histories that hunt us, and the bonds of blood between us.

The people of Uztar have long looked to the sky with hope and wonder. Nothing in their world is more revered than the birds of prey and no one more honored than the falconers who call them to their fists.

Brysen strives to be a great falconer--while his twin sister, Kylee, rejects her ancient gifts for the sport and wishes to be free of falconry. She's nearly made it out, too, but a war is rolling toward their home in the Six Villages, and no bird or falconer will be safe.

Together the twins must journey into the treacherous mountains to trap the Ghost Eagle, the greatest of the Uztari birds and a solitary killer. Brysen goes for the boy he loves and the glory he's long craved, and Kylee to atone for her past and to protect her brother's future. But both are hunted by those who seek one thing: power.

Praise for Black Wings Beating

*An NBC Today Show Book Club Pick!*
*A Seventeen Magazine Best YA Book of 2018!*
*A Kirkus Best YA Fantasy Book of the Year*
*A We Need Diverse Books 2018 Must-Read*

"Epic thrills, heart-punching romance, and a marvel of a hero." --Adam Silvera, New York Times-bestselling author of They Both Die at the End

"Black Wings Beating gives us irresistible, complex characters in a propulsive, adventure-filled story, pulling off the rare trick of leaving its readers satisfied but undeniably excited for a second volume." --NBC's Today Show ]]> 448 Nick Bilton 1250211484 julianna � 0 to-read 3.69 2018 Black Wings Beating (Skybound, #1)
author: Nick Bilton
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.69
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/06/10
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Spark of White Fire (The Celestial Trilogy, #1)]]> 37769858
The first book in a scifi retelling of the Mahabrahata. When Esmae wins a contest of skill, she sets off events that trigger an inevitable and unwinnable war that pits her against the family she would give anything to return to.

In a universe of capricious gods, dark moons, and kingdoms built on the backs of spaceships, a cursed queen sends her infant daughter away, a jealous uncle steals the throne of Kali from his nephew, and an exiled prince vows to take his crown back.

Raised alone and far away from her home on Kali, Esmae longs to return to her family. When the King of Wychstar offers to gift the unbeatable, sentient warship Titania to a warrior that can win his competition, she sees her way she’ll enter the competition, reveal her true identity to the world, and help her famous brother win back the crown of Kali.

It’s a great plan. Until it falls apart.

Inspired by the Mahabharata and other ancient Indian stories, A Spark of White Fire is a lush, sweeping space opera about family, curses, and the endless battle between jealousy and love.]]> 336 Sangu Mandanna 1510733817 julianna � 2 This is objectively one of the worst books I have ever had the pleasure of reading, in my life.

The fact this sucked was incredibly surprising, because literally ALL OF MY GOODREADS FRIENDS besides two gave this four or five stars. As stated by May, I am apparently the odd one out.

It’s just incredibly disappointing, because I had the highest expectations for this novel. I mean, ownvoices!! Indian!! Space opera!! But nope. In reality, this was just a cesspool of plot holes, inconsistencies, and lack of character building.

If this book didn’t have so many flaws, I think I would’ve managed to actually enjoy this, because once I regained my comprehension (for some reason I was really struggling to read the first half), I kind of enjoyed it. I might actually read the second book too, because I kind of want to know what happens next.

Alas, it had a lot of flaws. But for the first time ever, I will actually be trying to write my thoughts in a divisive and organized matter. Because there is a lot to shuffle through. Including a cousin love interest. Which, of course, has its own separate point.

edit: for the first time ever MY REVIEW IS TOO LONG FOR GOODREADS I had to edit it

� WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A Spark of White Fire follows Esmae, a young servant girl who's secretly the princess of the planet Kali. Her brother, Alexi, was originally heir to the throne, when their uncle usurped the throne. He is a “usurper king,� as the book very often and frequently calls him.

The novel starts with a competition to win the spaceship Titania, which is an incredibly powerful warship and honestly probably my second favorite character in the entire ship. Unfortunately, she got literally two lines.

Anyways, Alexi is about to win the competition� but wait! Who is that in the distance! It’s Esmae, the Main Character! And because she is the Main Character, she steps up to bat and strikes home run and WINS THE SPACESHIP because despite her not being on the list of competitors, the spaceship CHOOSES HER.

Because apparently the spaceship knows who she is, despite them never coming in contact or anything!!!

And this leads me into my next point.

� LITERALLY WHO IS ESMAE


Esmae’s real plan is to ally with Alexi and help him to regain the throne that he “deserves.� And obviously the first step in this plan is to jump into a competition that he’s about to win, and take his prize, a warship that would greatly help him in war, away from him.

Obviously. Have you never done this before?

But no, it “makes sense,� because Esmae is actually planning to serve as a spy for Alexi by pretending to side with the uncle, King Elvar.

·¡³æ³¦±ð±è³Ùâ€� GIRL you don’t even know any of them!!! Why are you picking sides so soon!! Because of blood relations? YOU ARE LITERALLY BLOOD RELATED TO BOTH OF THEM.

And when Alexi first learned that she won the competition, this is his reaction (from my uncorrected arc):

Alexi’s gaze finally snaps to meet mine. I watch his fists, clenching and unclenching on top of the table. I’m not sure he knows he’s doing it. “Why you?� he asks.

“W³ó²¹³Ù?â€�

“Why you? You’re no one. I’m sorry, I know that’s rude, but it’s the truth.�


First of all, I looked it up and the phrase “clenching and unclenching� is used literally at least 20 times in the novel!

This is also a trait that both Esmae and Alexi do, and supposed to be proof they're related??

IS FIST CLENCHING GENETIC OR SOMETHING?

I don’t have a major in biology, but ma’am, I do not believe so.

Secondly, what a rude person! He is supposed to be a “golden boy,� incredibly graceful and loved by the gods, but he was so mean to someone just because she looks like a servant.

And yet she plans to support him?

Why is who she supports based off of siblinghood, rather than, uh, who actually rules well? There is literally zero mention of the way that Elvar rules. (Also, Esmae’s only moral conflict with supporting Alexi is the fact that King Elvar is kind to her. NEWSFLASH, he can be kind and also be a terrible ruler. )

Listen, I understand her fantasies about reuniting with her long-lost brother, but also, the fact that it turns into a full-fledged plan to support him is so wild to me.

And Esmae is portrayed as someone incredibly smart for planning this all her life, but she is... not smart??

A war goddess Amba even states that Esmae can “plot whole wars out like a game of Warlords,� (Warlords = chess. JUST SAY CHESS) and I’m like.

WHERE???/

WHERE ARE HER SMART ACTIONS?

Because what even is her plan to spy for Alexi? How is she planning to contact him? She has planned for NOTHING except for the competition.

And THAT leads into my NEXT point.

� THE LACK OF CHARACTER DRIVE, AND ALSO PLOT, AND ALSO WORLDBUILDING (minor spoilers)


Literally everything falls into her lap.

Her first activities at Kali include talking to her old friends from Wychstar (the other planet she used to live on) and you know, frolicking about the temples and such. Nothing spy-related.

Her Big opportunities to glean secret knowledge are because her grandmother randomly invites her into the war council, because she "needs someone to vote with her,� and Esmae literally protests against it. Also, there is literally NO mention of when her grandmother actually does that!!!

This is literally just a convenient plot development!!! That she takes no action to accomplish!!

Her one chance to speak with Bear (her other brother) and confess that she’s secretly on their side is when Bear literally drives over in his spaceship to talk to her.

What would she have done if Bear & Alexi just noped out of her life and refused to speak to her?? Quietly suffered in silence??

And her literal only other instance of communicating with Alexi and Bear is when she is invited to a wedding and they just happen to be there!! Also this was at 60% of the novel!

What a spy!! Amazing!! Wow, is this secretly an England spy novel? I’m so impressed!

To add on about their skillful spy endeavors, after they rendezvous at the wedding, their plan is to say after that they were “arguing� for an hour alone at the wedding.

When we return to the feast, it’s difficult to watch Alexi’s face shift into a more mutinous expression as soon as eyes of others can see us, but it’s necessary and I keep my posture just as stiff. [...]

Sybilla raises her eyebrows at me. “That went well, then? Nice bit of family bonding?�

“Don’t ask.�


I really didn’t know that the main part of being a spy was looking angry and saying “don’t ask� whenever people question you. That’s so easy, because to look angry all I have to do is think of this book!

To conclude this section, if it is not clear, basically nothing happens for the entire first half of this novel. It is excruciating, and it is painful.

� MORE PLOT CONVENIENCES / HOLES AND STUFF THAT JUST MADE NO SENSE!!! (major spoilers)

(cred to May for part of the title)

Esmae feels frequently ashamed around her mentor, Rickard, the man who taught her the skills she needed to win the competition. He’s staying with King Elvar at Kali, and Esmae feels afraid that he will be disappointed in her for betraying her brother during the competition.

Um?? He’s literally in King Elvar’s palace? So Rickard literally betrayed her brother as well?? (And he kind of tries to talk around this by saying that he’s not loyal to anyone, only loyal to Kali, but man� if you are in the palace, you are complicit.)

It makes no sense!!

Also, while she is staying at the palace, a guard hired from the outside attempts to attack her, and she almost dies if not for another warrior intervening. A warrior from a squadron that she criticized for not being strong enough.

Hmm� this would be fine, if Esmae wasn’t characterized as a badass warrior who’s stronger than both of her brothers!!

(Ex. when she’s hanging out with them, Bear offers to spar with her, but Alexi stops them because he’s afraid Bear will get hurt.)

And yet� she gets knocked out by this rando warrior? Phew, if the family is all this weak, Alexi and his army do NOT stand a chance.

It’s pretty clear that she’s only knocked out for the sake of plot progressing!

Anyways, the finale consists of her getting challenged to a duel by her brother, and her friend Rama disguises as her and gets killed by Alexi.

Rama has literally had like, two sentences devoted to him total, so??? I am not that invested in him?? The only reason that I actually cared was because he was kinda funny and literally the ONLY character I didn’t want to burn 5ever.

The reason that she's challenged is because she proposes an idea for Elvar & Alexi to share the throne, aka each ruling for three years at a time (a dumb idea btw), and that makes Alexi upset.

But Max apparently has the foresight that Alexi will challenge her, and for some reason?? he chooses not to tell her??

â€You don’t see, do you?â€�
“See what?�
“I don’t know how to say it,� he says. “I don’t know how to be the one to break your heart. I’m sorry. I can’t.


Well, Max, if you don’t break Esmae’s heart, then Alexi will be breaking it by shoving his arrow into her chest and killing her! I feel like the pros and cons of each situation are pretty easily weighed!

And finally, when Rama is dueling with Alexi (which only works because Esmae OVERSLEEPS and is late, something I think is very representative of this book as a whole), Esmae is in the audience watching them, and I am just like� literally, if you just YELLED and caught Alexi's attention, MAYBE your friend wouldn't die.

By no means was this "fate." Ugh.

� I WOULD FEEL WRONG IF I DIDN’T TALK ABOUT THE ROMANCE

I cannot believe that before reading this novel, I had no idea that the love interest in this novel was� the main character’s cousin.

NONE OF YOU BOTHERED TO TELL ME?

Yes, he is adopted, so he is not blood-related, but I still felt incredibly uncomfortable in their every interaction.

I mean, that relation was a CHOICE.

A CHOICE.

I feel like you can easily write around it, and maybe make him like, the right-hand-man of King Elvar, who is then going to be his heir because King Elvar doesn’t have any children.

But no� he had to be the cousin.

FURTHERMORE, a major plot point of the story is the fact that Max, the love interest, is constantly Othered by his father, who points out that he is not related.

Now I see who makes him feel like he’s not one of us. Not quite enough. It’s never been the people of Kali...


Do you- do you WANT him to feel like “one of you�?


� OTHER THINGS

This novel also felt campy.

Here is a quote about a side character when they travel to the wedding (from the uncorrected arc):

She’s come with us under duress, reluctant to let us go without extra protection, yet simultaneously irked because she despises celebrations. Funerals, she claims, are more to her taste.


What a quirky character, who would prefer to be at an event where someone literally died than go to a wedding. Middle school and slightly emo me would have loved this.

This is another quote from the wedding, with the same character, after Alexi pretends to kiss Esmae’s cheeks.

â€I could see you both whispering. Don’t worry, I won’t tell.â€�

“Why not? What if I were plotting against Max?�

She laughs so hard that tears actually fill her eyes. “I wish you would. I’d like to see that. [...] And while we’re on the subject,� she says with a wicked grin, “I’m not convinced it’s polite to be cozying up to other princes when your lover is only a few paces away.�


(1) Again with being campy. Who laughs so hard tears fill their eyes? I understand the tears filling the eyes part, because I tear up from pain just looking at this quote, but from laughing?

(2) SYBILLA IS TALKING ABOUT ALEXI. She is joking about Esmae cozying up to another prince, who is HER BROTHER, when her lover, her COUSIN, is only a few paces away.

I like historical accuracy, but not like this!!!

This is also at the wedding, and Alexi says:

â€You’re my twin sister, the other half of me. I don’t think I ever noticed the emptiness where you were supposed to be before I knew to look for it, but I can’t not see it now. I’ve rewritten my entire life with you in it. It’s what I do when I can’t sleep. I try to picture what it would have been like if Mother had never sent you away. Would we have become warriors together? Would you have teased Bear with me, or would you have taken his side? Would Max have betrayed us if he’d known you? Would Elvar have hesitated if there had been three of us to contend with instead of just two? I think of birthdays, banquets, my first day of training, my first day in the schoolroom, the first time I ever kissed a girl, the first time I ever kissed a boy, the first time I held a sword, the first time I won a fight, and I think of how it might have all been if you had been right there with me.


Sir, this is a Chili’s.

I wonder how long Esmae was waiting for him to finish speaking?

Anyways, I have almost no space left, so to conclude: do not read this book.

> buddy read with my link text

///

update AGAIN: i have finished the novel and well, it's not the WORST book i've read in my life. still very bad though!!! some preliminary thoughts to preface the very salty review that i will soon be writing:

- the plot holes, guys... phew! there are more holes in the fabric of this book's plot than in my window screen. and that's saying a lot, because i've been opening my window to freshen up the air during the spring and lots of ants have been coming into my room. i've actually been pretty miserable because of it. today during class one was crawling up my arm and i literally screamed. please let me know if you know someone i can consult to resolve this issue

- CAN WE TALK ABOUT HOW THE LOVE INTEREST IS THE MAIN CHARACTER'S COUSIN? THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'M NOT A BIG FAN OF. he's adopted, but still??? you couldn't have written a way to make him not... her cousin?????????????

- the main character is not smart. or strong. everyone says she is, but i'm just like??? girl you got beaten up by this RANDOM GUARD & also she has done nothing.......

anyways. i hate everything but mostly this book

will still read the sequel though. what can i say, i'm a masochist! but also vaguely intrigued because of the ending

///

update i'm 60% through so far and this is one of the worst books i've read in my life. i do not have unknown powers and in fact i feel very disillusioned with life right now

scathing review to come, once i finish this book

///

(pre-review)
i downloaded this randomly on edelweiss but then it turned out that like ALL my friends gave it five stars... so in conclusion i have unknown powers]]> 4.09 2018 A Spark of White Fire (The Celestial Trilogy, #1)
author: Sangu Mandanna
name: julianna �
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2018
rating: 2
read at: 2021/05/13
date added: 2021/06/09
shelves: drc, 2018-releases, buddy-read, asian-rep-read, diverse-read, ownvoices, poc-rep-read, full-review
review:
This is objectively one of the worst books I have ever had the pleasure of reading, in my life.

The fact this sucked was incredibly surprising, because literally ALL OF MY GOODREADS FRIENDS besides two gave this four or five stars. As stated by May, I am apparently the odd one out.

It’s just incredibly disappointing, because I had the highest expectations for this novel. I mean, ownvoices!! Indian!! Space opera!! But nope. In reality, this was just a cesspool of plot holes, inconsistencies, and lack of character building.

If this book didn’t have so many flaws, I think I would’ve managed to actually enjoy this, because once I regained my comprehension (for some reason I was really struggling to read the first half), I kind of enjoyed it. I might actually read the second book too, because I kind of want to know what happens next.

Alas, it had a lot of flaws. But for the first time ever, I will actually be trying to write my thoughts in a divisive and organized matter. Because there is a lot to shuffle through. Including a cousin love interest. Which, of course, has its own separate point.

edit: for the first time ever MY REVIEW IS TOO LONG FOR GOODREADS I had to edit it

� WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A Spark of White Fire follows Esmae, a young servant girl who's secretly the princess of the planet Kali. Her brother, Alexi, was originally heir to the throne, when their uncle usurped the throne. He is a “usurper king,� as the book very often and frequently calls him.

The novel starts with a competition to win the spaceship Titania, which is an incredibly powerful warship and honestly probably my second favorite character in the entire ship. Unfortunately, she got literally two lines.

Anyways, Alexi is about to win the competition� but wait! Who is that in the distance! It’s Esmae, the Main Character! And because she is the Main Character, she steps up to bat and strikes home run and WINS THE SPACESHIP because despite her not being on the list of competitors, the spaceship CHOOSES HER.

Because apparently the spaceship knows who she is, despite them never coming in contact or anything!!!

And this leads me into my next point.

� LITERALLY WHO IS ESMAE


Esmae’s real plan is to ally with Alexi and help him to regain the throne that he “deserves.� And obviously the first step in this plan is to jump into a competition that he’s about to win, and take his prize, a warship that would greatly help him in war, away from him.

Obviously. Have you never done this before?

But no, it “makes sense,� because Esmae is actually planning to serve as a spy for Alexi by pretending to side with the uncle, King Elvar.

·¡³æ³¦±ð±è³Ùâ€� GIRL you don’t even know any of them!!! Why are you picking sides so soon!! Because of blood relations? YOU ARE LITERALLY BLOOD RELATED TO BOTH OF THEM.

And when Alexi first learned that she won the competition, this is his reaction (from my uncorrected arc):

Alexi’s gaze finally snaps to meet mine. I watch his fists, clenching and unclenching on top of the table. I’m not sure he knows he’s doing it. “Why you?� he asks.

“W³ó²¹³Ù?â€�

“Why you? You’re no one. I’m sorry, I know that’s rude, but it’s the truth.�


First of all, I looked it up and the phrase “clenching and unclenching� is used literally at least 20 times in the novel!

This is also a trait that both Esmae and Alexi do, and supposed to be proof they're related??

IS FIST CLENCHING GENETIC OR SOMETHING?

I don’t have a major in biology, but ma’am, I do not believe so.

Secondly, what a rude person! He is supposed to be a “golden boy,� incredibly graceful and loved by the gods, but he was so mean to someone just because she looks like a servant.

And yet she plans to support him?

Why is who she supports based off of siblinghood, rather than, uh, who actually rules well? There is literally zero mention of the way that Elvar rules. (Also, Esmae’s only moral conflict with supporting Alexi is the fact that King Elvar is kind to her. NEWSFLASH, he can be kind and also be a terrible ruler. )

Listen, I understand her fantasies about reuniting with her long-lost brother, but also, the fact that it turns into a full-fledged plan to support him is so wild to me.

And Esmae is portrayed as someone incredibly smart for planning this all her life, but she is... not smart??

A war goddess Amba even states that Esmae can “plot whole wars out like a game of Warlords,� (Warlords = chess. JUST SAY CHESS) and I’m like.

WHERE???/

WHERE ARE HER SMART ACTIONS?

Because what even is her plan to spy for Alexi? How is she planning to contact him? She has planned for NOTHING except for the competition.

And THAT leads into my NEXT point.

� THE LACK OF CHARACTER DRIVE, AND ALSO PLOT, AND ALSO WORLDBUILDING (minor spoilers)


Literally everything falls into her lap.

Her first activities at Kali include talking to her old friends from Wychstar (the other planet she used to live on) and you know, frolicking about the temples and such. Nothing spy-related.

Her Big opportunities to glean secret knowledge are because her grandmother randomly invites her into the war council, because she "needs someone to vote with her,� and Esmae literally protests against it. Also, there is literally NO mention of when her grandmother actually does that!!!

This is literally just a convenient plot development!!! That she takes no action to accomplish!!

Her one chance to speak with Bear (her other brother) and confess that she’s secretly on their side is when Bear literally drives over in his spaceship to talk to her.

What would she have done if Bear & Alexi just noped out of her life and refused to speak to her?? Quietly suffered in silence??

And her literal only other instance of communicating with Alexi and Bear is when she is invited to a wedding and they just happen to be there!! Also this was at 60% of the novel!

What a spy!! Amazing!! Wow, is this secretly an England spy novel? I’m so impressed!

To add on about their skillful spy endeavors, after they rendezvous at the wedding, their plan is to say after that they were “arguing� for an hour alone at the wedding.

When we return to the feast, it’s difficult to watch Alexi’s face shift into a more mutinous expression as soon as eyes of others can see us, but it’s necessary and I keep my posture just as stiff. [...]

Sybilla raises her eyebrows at me. “That went well, then? Nice bit of family bonding?�

“Don’t ask.�


I really didn’t know that the main part of being a spy was looking angry and saying “don’t ask� whenever people question you. That’s so easy, because to look angry all I have to do is think of this book!

To conclude this section, if it is not clear, basically nothing happens for the entire first half of this novel. It is excruciating, and it is painful.

� MORE PLOT CONVENIENCES / HOLES AND STUFF THAT JUST MADE NO SENSE!!! (major spoilers)

(cred to May for part of the title)

Esmae feels frequently ashamed around her mentor, Rickard, the man who taught her the skills she needed to win the competition. He’s staying with King Elvar at Kali, and Esmae feels afraid that he will be disappointed in her for betraying her brother during the competition.

Um?? He’s literally in King Elvar’s palace? So Rickard literally betrayed her brother as well?? (And he kind of tries to talk around this by saying that he’s not loyal to anyone, only loyal to Kali, but man� if you are in the palace, you are complicit.)

It makes no sense!!

Also, while she is staying at the palace, a guard hired from the outside attempts to attack her, and she almost dies if not for another warrior intervening. A warrior from a squadron that she criticized for not being strong enough.

Hmm� this would be fine, if Esmae wasn’t characterized as a badass warrior who’s stronger than both of her brothers!!

(Ex. when she’s hanging out with them, Bear offers to spar with her, but Alexi stops them because he’s afraid Bear will get hurt.)

And yet� she gets knocked out by this rando warrior? Phew, if the family is all this weak, Alexi and his army do NOT stand a chance.

It’s pretty clear that she’s only knocked out for the sake of plot progressing!

Anyways, the finale consists of her getting challenged to a duel by her brother, and her friend Rama disguises as her and gets killed by Alexi.

Rama has literally had like, two sentences devoted to him total, so??? I am not that invested in him?? The only reason that I actually cared was because he was kinda funny and literally the ONLY character I didn’t want to burn 5ever.

The reason that she's challenged is because she proposes an idea for Elvar & Alexi to share the throne, aka each ruling for three years at a time (a dumb idea btw), and that makes Alexi upset.

But Max apparently has the foresight that Alexi will challenge her, and for some reason?? he chooses not to tell her??

â€You don’t see, do you?â€�
“See what?�
“I don’t know how to say it,� he says. “I don’t know how to be the one to break your heart. I’m sorry. I can’t.


Well, Max, if you don’t break Esmae’s heart, then Alexi will be breaking it by shoving his arrow into her chest and killing her! I feel like the pros and cons of each situation are pretty easily weighed!

And finally, when Rama is dueling with Alexi (which only works because Esmae OVERSLEEPS and is late, something I think is very representative of this book as a whole), Esmae is in the audience watching them, and I am just like� literally, if you just YELLED and caught Alexi's attention, MAYBE your friend wouldn't die.

By no means was this "fate." Ugh.

� I WOULD FEEL WRONG IF I DIDN’T TALK ABOUT THE ROMANCE

I cannot believe that before reading this novel, I had no idea that the love interest in this novel was� the main character’s cousin.

NONE OF YOU BOTHERED TO TELL ME?

Yes, he is adopted, so he is not blood-related, but I still felt incredibly uncomfortable in their every interaction.

I mean, that relation was a CHOICE.

A CHOICE.

I feel like you can easily write around it, and maybe make him like, the right-hand-man of King Elvar, who is then going to be his heir because King Elvar doesn’t have any children.

But no� he had to be the cousin.

FURTHERMORE, a major plot point of the story is the fact that Max, the love interest, is constantly Othered by his father, who points out that he is not related.

Now I see who makes him feel like he’s not one of us. Not quite enough. It’s never been the people of Kali...


Do you- do you WANT him to feel like “one of you�?


� OTHER THINGS

This novel also felt campy.

Here is a quote about a side character when they travel to the wedding (from the uncorrected arc):

She’s come with us under duress, reluctant to let us go without extra protection, yet simultaneously irked because she despises celebrations. Funerals, she claims, are more to her taste.


What a quirky character, who would prefer to be at an event where someone literally died than go to a wedding. Middle school and slightly emo me would have loved this.

This is another quote from the wedding, with the same character, after Alexi pretends to kiss Esmae’s cheeks.

â€I could see you both whispering. Don’t worry, I won’t tell.â€�

“Why not? What if I were plotting against Max?�

She laughs so hard that tears actually fill her eyes. “I wish you would. I’d like to see that. [...] And while we’re on the subject,� she says with a wicked grin, “I’m not convinced it’s polite to be cozying up to other princes when your lover is only a few paces away.�


(1) Again with being campy. Who laughs so hard tears fill their eyes? I understand the tears filling the eyes part, because I tear up from pain just looking at this quote, but from laughing?

(2) SYBILLA IS TALKING ABOUT ALEXI. She is joking about Esmae cozying up to another prince, who is HER BROTHER, when her lover, her COUSIN, is only a few paces away.

I like historical accuracy, but not like this!!!

This is also at the wedding, and Alexi says:

â€You’re my twin sister, the other half of me. I don’t think I ever noticed the emptiness where you were supposed to be before I knew to look for it, but I can’t not see it now. I’ve rewritten my entire life with you in it. It’s what I do when I can’t sleep. I try to picture what it would have been like if Mother had never sent you away. Would we have become warriors together? Would you have teased Bear with me, or would you have taken his side? Would Max have betrayed us if he’d known you? Would Elvar have hesitated if there had been three of us to contend with instead of just two? I think of birthdays, banquets, my first day of training, my first day in the schoolroom, the first time I ever kissed a girl, the first time I ever kissed a boy, the first time I held a sword, the first time I won a fight, and I think of how it might have all been if you had been right there with me.


Sir, this is a Chili’s.

I wonder how long Esmae was waiting for him to finish speaking?

Anyways, I have almost no space left, so to conclude: do not read this book.

> buddy read with my link text

///

update AGAIN: i have finished the novel and well, it's not the WORST book i've read in my life. still very bad though!!! some preliminary thoughts to preface the very salty review that i will soon be writing:

- the plot holes, guys... phew! there are more holes in the fabric of this book's plot than in my window screen. and that's saying a lot, because i've been opening my window to freshen up the air during the spring and lots of ants have been coming into my room. i've actually been pretty miserable because of it. today during class one was crawling up my arm and i literally screamed. please let me know if you know someone i can consult to resolve this issue

- CAN WE TALK ABOUT HOW THE LOVE INTEREST IS THE MAIN CHARACTER'S COUSIN? THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'M NOT A BIG FAN OF. he's adopted, but still??? you couldn't have written a way to make him not... her cousin?????????????

- the main character is not smart. or strong. everyone says she is, but i'm just like??? girl you got beaten up by this RANDOM GUARD & also she has done nothing.......

anyways. i hate everything but mostly this book

will still read the sequel though. what can i say, i'm a masochist! but also vaguely intrigued because of the ending

///

update i'm 60% through so far and this is one of the worst books i've read in my life. i do not have unknown powers and in fact i feel very disillusioned with life right now

scathing review to come, once i finish this book

///

(pre-review)
i downloaded this randomly on edelweiss but then it turned out that like ALL my friends gave it five stars... so in conclusion i have unknown powers
]]> Foolish Hearts 35209237 320 Emma Mills 1627799389 julianna � 4 no brain cells, just four (4) thoughts about this book:
1. WHAT THE FRIKJLDKDLK THE EBOOK ENDS AT 91% SO I THOUGHT I STILL HAD SO MORE OF THE BOOK LEFT... i'm very, very salty

2. iris stop CARRYING THE BOOK challengeâ—your back must hurt so much

3. the way i transitioned from a gideon hater (TOO flirtatious) to being a fan... that's called character development (me, i was the one who developed)

4. honestly it's kind of embarrassing how neither of the ppl i buddy read it with rated it a full five stars, both for them & for me for associating with them. mistake MADE

update: trying to read this for the third time (technically the second i'm just being dramatic) let's hope bestie's peer pressure will save me (and this person too, i guess ]]> 4.26 2017 Foolish Hearts
author: Emma Mills
name: julianna �
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2021/04/15
date added: 2021/06/09
shelves: 2017-releases, semi-review, buddy-read
review:
no brain cells, just four (4) thoughts about this book:
1. WHAT THE FRIKJLDKDLK THE EBOOK ENDS AT 91% SO I THOUGHT I STILL HAD SO MORE OF THE BOOK LEFT... i'm very, very salty

2. iris stop CARRYING THE BOOK challengeâ—your back must hurt so much

3. the way i transitioned from a gideon hater (TOO flirtatious) to being a fan... that's called character development (me, i was the one who developed)

4. honestly it's kind of embarrassing how neither of the ppl i buddy read it with rated it a full five stars, both for them & for me for associating with them. mistake MADE

update: trying to read this for the third time (technically the second i'm just being dramatic) let's hope bestie's peer pressure will save me (and this person too, i guess
]]> <![CDATA[The Jasmine Throne (The Burning Kingdoms, #1)]]> 50523477 Empire of Sand and Realm of Ash Tasha Suri's The Jasmine Throne, beginning a new trilogy set in a world inspired by the history and epics of India, in which a captive princess and a maidservant in possession of forbidden magic become unlikely allies on a dark journey to save their empire from the princess's traitor brother.

Imprisoned by her dictator brother, Malini spends her days in isolation in the Hirana: an ancient temple that was once the source of the powerful, magical deathless waters � but is now little more than a decaying ruin.

Priya is a maidservant, one among several who make the treacherous journey to the top of the Hirana every night to clean Malini’s chambers. She is happy to be an anonymous drudge, so long as it keeps anyone from guessing the dangerous secret she hides.

But when Malini accidentally bears witness to Priya’s true nature, their destinies become irrevocably tangled. One is a vengeful princess seeking to depose her brother from his throne. The other is a priestess seeking to find her family. Together, they will change the fate of an empire.]]> 533 Tasha Suri 0356515648 julianna � 0 update: it's time to stop pretending i've been reading this when i haven't even gotten past the one page prologue ]]> 4.12 2021 The Jasmine Throne (The Burning Kingdoms, #1)
author: Tasha Suri
name: julianna �
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/06/09
shelves: diverse-to-read, 2021-releases, poc-on-cover, poc-rep-to-read, drc, shortlist-tbr, current-tbr, to-read
review:
update: it's time to stop pretending i've been reading this when i haven't even gotten past the one page prologue
]]> The Subtweet 51633827
Celebrated multidisciplinary artist Vivek Shraya’s second novel is a stirring examination of making art in the modern era, a love letter to brown women, an authentic glimpse into the music industry, and a nuanced exploration of the promise and peril of being seen.]]> 235 Vivek Shraya 1770415254 julianna � 1
thank you vivek shraya for giving me a headache during the audiobook ]]> 3.69 2020 The Subtweet
author: Vivek Shraya
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.69
book published: 2020
rating: 1
read at: 2021/05/22
date added: 2021/06/09
shelves: poc-on-cover, 2020-releases, did-not-finish, poc-rep-read, asian-rep-read, audio
review:
the only reason i started reading this was because i thought this was abt lesbians :/// truly a sad day for all of us, but mostly and specifically me

thank you vivek shraya for giving me a headache during the audiobook
]]> 2021 on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ 56127226
For those of you who don't like to add titles you haven't actually 'read', you can place 2021 on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ on an 'exclusive' shelf. Exclusive shelves don't have to be listed under 'to read', 'currently reading' or 'read'. To create one, go to 'edit bookshelves' on your 'My Books' page, create a shelf name such as 'review-of-the year' and tick the 'exclusive' box. Your previous and future 'reviews of the year' can be collected together on this dedicated shelf.

Concept created by Fionnuala Lirsdottir.
Description: Fionnuala Lirsdottir
Cover art: Paul Cézanne, Ginger Jar and Fruit, 1895
Cover choice and graphics by Jayson]]> Various julianna âž� 0 yearly-review 4.16 2021 2021 on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ
author: Various
name: julianna �
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/06/07
shelves: yearly-review
review:

]]> Descendant of the Crane 41219451 Tyrants cut out hearts. Rulers sacrifice their own.

Princess Hesina of Yan has always been eager to shirk the responsibilities of the crown, but when her beloved father is murdered, she’s thrust into power, suddenly the queen of an unstable kingdom. Determined to find her father’s killer, Hesina does something desperate: she engages the aid of a soothsayer—a treasonous act, punishable by death... because in Yan, magic was outlawed centuries ago.

Using the information illicitly provided by the sooth, and uncertain if she can trust even her family, Hesina turns to Akira—a brilliant investigator who’s also a convicted criminal with secrets of his own. With the future of her kingdom at stake, can Hesina find justice for her father? Or will the cost be too high?

In this shimmering Chinese-inspired fantasy, debut author Joan He introduces a determined and vulnerable young heroine struggling to do right in a world brimming with deception.]]> 416 Joan He 0807515515 julianna � 5 towmtf update: well, i read joan he's next book and i hated it ... so basically right now i am hardcore questioning my past self's taste !!!! literally can't even trust my past self to give my current self good recommendations... god

why am i crying in the club right now????? how dare you joan (i think this might be one of my favorites of 2019) (it was)

instead of a traditional review, here's reasons why you should just read this book
]]> 3.62 2019 Descendant of the Crane
author: Joan He
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.62
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2019/04/10
date added: 2021/06/07
shelves: physical-arc, on-my-shelf, ownvoices, poc-on-cover, diverse-read, 2019-favs, asian-rep-read, ownvoices-review, favorites, full-review, poc-rep-read, 2019-releases
review:
towmtf update: well, i read joan he's next book and i hated it ... so basically right now i am hardcore questioning my past self's taste !!!! literally can't even trust my past self to give my current self good recommendations... god

why am i crying in the club right now????? how dare you joan (i think this might be one of my favorites of 2019) (it was)

instead of a traditional review, here's reasons why you should just read this book

]]> <![CDATA[How We Fall Apart (How We Fall Apart, #1)]]> 52778487
They all used to be Jamie's closest friends, and she knew each of their deepest, darkest secrets. Now, somehow The Proctor knows them, too. The four must uncover the true killer before The Proctor exposes more than they can bear and costs them more than they can afford, like Nancy's full scholarship. Soon, Nancy suspects that her friends may be keeping secrets from her, too.

Students at an elite prep school are forced to confront their secrets when their ex-best friend turns up dead.]]> 298 Katie Zhao 1547603976 julianna � 0 3.33 2021 How We Fall Apart (How We Fall Apart, #1)
author: Katie Zhao
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.33
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/06/07
shelves: to-read, diverse-to-read, 2021-releases, shortlist-tbr, asian-rep-to-read, pre-review
review:
the publishing industry needs to
]]> <![CDATA[The Poppy War (The Poppy War, #1)]]> 35887181
But surprises aren’t always good.

Because being a dark-skinned peasant girl from the south is not an easy thing at Sinegard. Targeted from the outset by rival classmates for her color, poverty, and gender, Rin discovers she possesses a lethal, unearthly power � an aptitude for the nearly-mythical art of shamanism. Exploring the depths of her gift with the help of a seemingly insane teacher and psychoactive substances, Rin learns that gods long thought dead are very much alive � and that mastering control over those powers could mean more than just surviving school.

For while the Nikara Empire is at peace, the Federation of Mugen still lurks across a narrow sea. The militarily advanced Federation occupied Nikan for decades after the First Poppy War, and only barely lost the continent in the Second. And while most of the people are complacent to go about their lives, a few are aware that a Third Poppy War is just a spark away.

Rin’s shamanic powers may be the only way to save her people. But as she finds out more about the god that has chosen her, the vengeful Phoenix, she fears that winning the war may cost her humanity ... and that it may already be too late.

]]> 527 R.F. Kuang 0062662562 julianna � 0
//

i am extremely ready to feel all of the pain

( buddy read with dez! )]]> 4.11 2018 The Poppy War (The Poppy War, #1)
author: R.F. Kuang
name: julianna �
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/06/07
shelves: ownvoices, diverse-to-read, poc-on-cover, on-my-shelf, poc-rep-to-read, 2018-releases, buddy-read, to-read
review:
update: i literally did not read past two chapters and now have to put this on hold because it's pride month... so yes i give you all permission to block me <3

//

i am extremely ready to feel all of the pain

( buddy read with dez! )
]]> Ace of Spades 42603984
Welcome to Niveus Private Academy, where money paves the hallways, and the students are never less than perfect. Until now. Because anonymous texter, Aces, is bringing two students' dark secrets to light.

Talented musician Devon buries himself in rehearsals, but he can't escape the spotlight when his private photos go public. Head girl Chiamaka isn't afraid to get what she wants, but soon everyone will know the price she has paid for power.

Someone is out to get them both. Someone who holds all the aces. And they're planning much more than a high-school game...]]> 470 Faridah Àbíké-Ãyímídé 1474967531 julianna âž� 5 4.15 2021 Ace of Spades
author: Faridah Àbíké-Ãyímídé
name: julianna �
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2021/04/28
date added: 2021/06/03
shelves: 2021-releases, ownvoices, poc-on-cover, drc, buddy-read, diverse-read, poc-rep-read, queer-rep-read, 5-stars-of-2021, semi-review
review:
first of all, look at this joker card emoji this is very important because i did not know it existed until recently and it's very cool:
]]> <![CDATA[The Lady or the Lion (The Marghazar Trials, #1)]]> 55207834 Retells “The Lady or the Tiger?� against a Pakistan-inspired world of forbidden love and court intrigues.

Once there was a princess forced to choose a fate for her lover - to a future in the arms of a beautiful lady, or to death in the mouth of a lion? But what came first was the fate she would choose for herself.

As crown princess of Marghazar, Durkhanai Miangul will do anything to protect her people and her land. When her grandfather, the Badshah, is blamed for a deadly assault on the summit of neighboring leaders, the tribes call for his head. To assuage cries for war, the Badshah opens Marghazar's gates to foreigners for the first time in centuries, in a sign of good faith. Enter Ambassador Asfandyar Afridi, a wry foreigner who admits outright that he is a spy. Stubborn, proud, and suspicious of foreigners, Durkhanai does not appreciate that he won't bow to her every whim and instead talks circles around her.

And yet, she has to make him her ally to expose those truly responsible for the attack as more ambassadors from neighboring tribal districts arrive at court, each one of them with their own agenda and reasons to hide the truth.When a mysterious illness spreads through the village and the imperialists push hard on her borders, Durkhanai must sort through the ever shifting loyalties at court and her growing feelings for Asfandyar. Will she be able to leave the antics of a spoiled princess behind and become what her people need - a queen?]]> 384 Aamna Qureshi 0744303443 julianna � 0
anyways utterly in love with the premise, still hate the font of the cover tho <3]]> 3.99 2021 The Lady or the Lion (The Marghazar Trials, #1)
author: Aamna Qureshi
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/06/02
shelves: to-read, 2021-releases, asian-rep-to-read, diverse-to-read, misc-rep-to-read, shortlist-tbr
review:
i thought the cover of this was so incredibly ugly until i clicked "enlarge cover" whAT THE HELL THAT'S A PAINTING NOT A PHOTO??????

anyways utterly in love with the premise, still hate the font of the cover tho <3
]]> Mad, Bad & Dangerous to Know 57887421
It’s August in Paris and 17-year-old Khayyam Maquet—American, French, Indian, Muslim—is at a crossroads. This holiday with her parents should be a dream trip for the budding art historian. But her maybe-ex-boyfriend is ghosting her, she might have just blown her chance at getting into her dream college, and now all she really wants is to be back home in Chicago figuring out her messy life instead of brooding in the City of Light.

Two hundred years before Khayyam’s summer of discontent, Leila is struggling to survive and keep her true love hidden from the Pasha who has “gifted� her with favoured status in his harem. In the present day—and with the company of Alex, a très charmant teen descendant of Alexandre Dumas—Khayyam searches for a rumoured lost painting, uncovering a connection between Leila and Alexandre Dumas, Eugène Delacroix, and Lord Byron that may have been erased from history.

Echoing across centuries, Leila and Khayyam’s lives intertwine, and as one woman’s long-forgotten life is uncovered, another’s is transformed.]]> 336 Samira Ahmed 1641292318 julianna � 0 to-read 3.57 2020 Mad, Bad & Dangerous to Know
author: Samira Ahmed
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.57
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/06/01
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Tokyo Ever After (Tokyo Ever After, #1)]]> 58094337 An alternative cover edition for this ISBN can be found here.

Izumi Tanaka has never really felt like she fit in—it isn’t easy being Japanese American in her small, mostly white, northern California town. Raised by a single mother, it’s always been Izumi—or Izzy, because “It’s easier this wayâ€â€”and her mom against the world. But then Izzy discovers a clue to her previously unknown father’s identityâ€� and he’s none other than the Crown Prince of Japan. Which means outspoken, irreverent Izzy is literally a princess.

In a whirlwind, Izzy travels to Japan to meet the father she never knew and discover the country she always dreamed of. But being a princess isn’t all ball gowns and tiaras. There are conniving cousins, a hungry press, a scowling but handsome bodyguard who just might be her soulmate, and thousands of years of tradition and customs to learn practically overnight.

Izzy soon finds herself caught between worlds, and between versions of herself—back home, she was never “American� enough, and in Japan, she must prove she’s “Japanese� enough. Will Izumi crumble under the weight of the crown, or will she live out her fairytale, happily ever after?]]> 336 Emiko Jean 1250766605 julianna � 0 to-read 3.95 2021 Tokyo Ever After (Tokyo Ever After, #1)
author: Emiko Jean
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/06/01
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Iron Widow (Iron Widow, #1) 52459864
When 18-year-old Zetian offers herself up as a concubine-pilot, it's to assassinate the ace male pilot responsible for her sister's death. But she gets her vengeance in a way nobody expected—she kills him through the psychic link between pilots and emerges from the cockpit unscathed. She is labeled an Iron Widow, a much-feared and much-silenced kind of female pilot who can sacrifice boys to power up Chrysalises instead.�

To tame her unnerving yet invaluable mental strength, she is paired up with Li Shimin, the strongest and most controversial male pilot in Huaxia�. But now that Zetian has had a taste of power, she will not cower so easily. She will miss no opportunity to leverage their combined might and infamy to survive attempt after attempt on her life, until she can figure out exactly why the pilot system works in its misogynist way—and stop more girls from being sacrificed.]]> 394 Xiran Jay Zhao 0735269939 julianna � 0 4.03 2021 Iron Widow (Iron Widow, #1)
author: Xiran Jay Zhao
name: julianna �
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/05/27
shelves: to-read, 2021-releases, asian-rep-to-read, diverse-to-read, ownvoices, poc-on-cover, poc-rep-to-read, queer-rep-to-read, shortlist-tbr, pre-review
review:
xiran jay zhao really said, "i'm going to combine chinese mythology & polyamorous relationships" and chose not to warn ANYBODY??????
]]> An Arrow to the Moon 41580931
Hunter Yee has perfect aim with a bow and arrow, but all else in his life veers wrong. He’s sick of being haunted by his family’s past mistakes. The only things keeping him from running away are his little brother, a supernatural wind, and the bewitching girl at his new high school.

Luna Chang dreads the future. Graduation looms ahead, and her parents� expectations are stifling. When she begins to break the rules, she finds her life upended by the strange new boy in her class, the arrival of unearthly fireflies, and an ominous crack spreading across the town of Fairbridge.

As Hunter and Luna navigate their families� enmity and secrets, everything around them begins to fall apart. All they can depend on is their love…but time is running out, and fate will have its way.  
An Arrow to the Moon , Emily X.R. Pan’s brilliant and ethereal follow-up to  The Astonishing Color of After,  is a story about family, love, and the magic and mystery of the moon that connects us all.  ]]> 400 Emily X.R. Pan 0316464058 julianna � 0 chinese mythology book i need to add to my increasingly large tbr]]> 3.45 2022 An Arrow to the Moon
author: Emily X.R. Pan
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.45
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/05/27
shelves: to-read, 2022-releases, asian-rep-to-read, diverse-to-read, poc-rep-to-read, shortlist-tbr, pre-review
review:
another day, another chinese mythology book i need to add to my increasingly large tbr
]]> I Hope You Get This Message 43721817 In this high concept YA novel debut that’s We All Looked Up meets The Sun Is Also a Star, three teens must face down the mistakes of their past after they learn that life on Earth might end in less than a week.

News stations across the country are reporting mysterious messages that Earth has been receiving from a planet—Alma—claiming to be its creator. If they’re being interpreted correctly, in seven days Alma will hit the kill switch on their “colony� Earth.

True or not, for teenagers Jesse Hewitt, Cate Collins, and Adeem Khan, the prospect of this ticking time bomb will change their lives forever.

Jesse, who has been dealt one bad blow after another, wonders if it even matters what happens to the world. Cate, on the other hand, is desperate to use this time to find the father she never met. And Adeem, who hasn’t spoken to his estranged sister in years, must find out if he has it in him to forgive her for leaving.

With only a week to face their truths and right their wrongs, Jesse, Cate, and Adeem’s paths collide as their worlds are pulled apart.]]> 420 Farah Naz Rishi 0062741454 julianna � 3 what is the freaking point

> rep: pakistani-american & muslim main character (ownvoices), gay (white) main character
> cw/tw: [spoilers removed]

//

reading this book + the ones we're meant to find at the same time so i can get that supreme "Existential Crisis Over Climate Change" experience ✨]]> 3.49 2019 I Hope You Get This Message
author: Farah Naz Rishi
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.49
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2021/05/27
date added: 2021/05/27
shelves: 2019-releases, audio, semi-review, asian-rep-read, poc-rep-read, queer-rep-read
review:
sadly i did not get a single existential crisis from either of these books, and if i don't feel disproportionately upset about the state of my life then what is the freaking point

> rep: pakistani-american & muslim main character (ownvoices), gay (white) main character
> cw/tw: [spoilers removed]

//

reading this book + the ones we're meant to find at the same time so i can get that supreme "Existential Crisis Over Climate Change" experience �
]]> Perfect on Paper 49204960 In Perfect on Paper: a bisexual girl who gives anonymous love advice to her classmates is hired by the hot guy to help him get his ex back.

Her advice, spot on. Her love life, way off.

Darcy Phillips:
� Can give you the solution to any of your relationship woes―for a fee.
� Uses her power for good. Most of the time.
� Really cannot stand Alexander Brougham.
� Has maybe not the best judgement when it comes to her best friend, Brooke…who is in love with someone else.
� Does not appreciate being blackmailed.

However, when Brougham catches her in the act of collecting letters from locker 89―out of which she’s been running her questionably legal, anonymous relationship advice service―that’s exactly what happens. In exchange for keeping her secret, Darcy begrudgingly agrees to become his personal dating coach―at a generous hourly rate, at least. The goal? To help him win his ex-girlfriend back.

Darcy has a good reason to keep her identity secret. If word gets out that she’s behind the locker, some things she's not proud of will come to light, and there’s a good chance Brooke will never speak to her again.

Okay, so all she has to do is help an entitled, bratty, (annoyingly hot) guy win over a girl who’s already fallen for him once? What could go wrong?]]> 304 Sophie Gonzales 1250769787 julianna � 0 3.96 2021 Perfect on Paper
author: Sophie Gonzales
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/05/27
shelves: to-read, 2021-releases, queer-rep-to-read
review:

]]> Down Comes the Night 46189814 He saw the darkness in her magic. She saw the magic in his darkness.

Wren Southerland’s reckless use of magic has cost her everything: she’s been dismissed from the Queen’s Guard and separated from her best friend—the girl she loves. So when a letter arrives from a reclusive lord, asking Wren to come to his estate, Colwick Hall, to cure his servant from a mysterious illness, she seizes her chance to redeem herself.

The mansion is crumbling, icy winds haunt the caved-in halls, and her eccentric host forbids her from leaving her room after dark. Worse, Wren’s patient isn’t a servant at all but Hal Cavendish, the infamous Reaper of Vesria and her kingdom’s sworn enemy. Hal also came to Colwick Hall for redemption, but the secrets in the estate may lead to both of their deaths.

With sinister forces at work, Wren and Hal realize they’ll have to join together if they have any hope of saving their kingdoms. But as Wren circles closer to the nefarious truth behind Hal’s illness, they realize they have no escape from the monsters within the mansion. All they have is each other, and a startling desire that could be their downfall.

Allison Saft’s Down Comes the Night is a snow-drenched romantic fantasy that keeps you racing through the pages long into the night.

Love makes monsters of us all.]]> 400 Allison Saft 1250623634 julianna � 0 3.78 2021 Down Comes the Night
author: Allison Saft
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.78
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/05/27
shelves: to-read, 2021-releases, diverse-to-read, queer-rep-to-read
review:

]]> The Red Palace 56978115 Joseon (Korea), 1758. There are few options available to illegitimate daughters in the capital city, but through hard work and study, eighteen-year-old Hyeon has earned a position as a palace nurse. All she wants is to keep her head down, do a good job, and perhaps finally win her estranged father's approval.

But Hyeon is suddenly thrust into the dark and dangerous world of court politics when someone murders four women in a single night, and the prime suspect is Hyeon's closest friend and mentor. Determined to prove her beloved teacher's innocence, Hyeon launches her own secret investigation.

In her hunt for the truth, she encounters Eojin, a young police inspector also searching for the killer. When evidence begins to point to the Crown Prince himself as the murderer, Hyeon and Eojin must work together to search the darkest corners of the palace to uncover the deadly secrets behind the bloodshed.]]> 321 June Hur 1250800552 julianna � 0 4.13 2022 The Red Palace
author: June Hur
name: julianna �
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/05/26
shelves: to-read, 2022-releases, asian-rep-to-read, diverse-to-read, poc-on-cover, poc-rep-to-read, shortlist-tbr, pre-review
review:
whoever the girl on the cover is, she needs to drop the skincare routine STAT
]]> <![CDATA[Recipe for Persuasion (The Rajes, #2)]]> 52695036 From the author of Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors comes another , clever, deeply layered, and heartwarming romantic comedy that follows in the Jane Austen tradition—this time, with a twist on Persuasion.

Chef Ashna Raje desperately needs a new strategy. How else can she save her beloved restaurant and prove to her estranged, overachieving mother that she isn’t a complete screw up? When she’s asked to join the cast of Cooking with the Stars, the latest hit reality show teaming chefs with celebrities, it seems like just the leap of faith she needs to put her restaurant back on the map. She’s a chef, what’s the worst that could happen? 

Rico Silva, that’s what.  

Being paired with a celebrity who was her first love, the man who ghosted her at the worst possible time in her life, only proves what Ashna has always believed: leaps of faith are a recipe for disaster. 

FIFA winning soccer star Rico Silva isn't too happy to be paired up with Ashna either. Losing Ashna years ago almost destroyed him. The only silver lining to this bizarre situation is that he can finally prove to Ashna that he's definitely over her. 

But when their catastrophic first meeting goes viral, social media becomes obsessed with their chemistry. The competition on the show is fierce…and so is the simmering desire between Ashna and Rico.  Every minute they spend together rekindles feelings that pull them toward their disastrous past. Will letting go again be another recipe for heartbreak—or a recipe for persuasion�? 

In Recipe for Persuasion, Sonali Dev once again takes readers on an unforgettable adventure in this fresh, fun, and enchanting romantic comedy.]]> 464 Sonali Dev 0062839071 julianna � 2 3.76 2020 Recipe for Persuasion (The Rajes, #2)
author: Sonali Dev
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.76
book published: 2020
rating: 2
read at: 2021/05/25
date added: 2021/05/26
shelves: diverse-read, asian-rep-read, poc-rep-read, poc-on-cover, 2020-releases, misc-rep-read
review:

]]> A Wish in the Dark 38465017
A boy on the run. A girl determined to find him.

All light in Chattana is created by one man � the Governor, who appeared after the Great Fire to bring peace and order to the city. For Pong, who was born in Namwon Prison, the magical lights represent freedom, and he dreams of the day he will be able to walk among them. But when Pong escapes from prison, he realizes that the world outside is no fairer than the one behind bars. The wealthy dine and dance under bright orb light, while the poor toil away in darkness. Worst of all, Pong’s prison tattoo marks him as a fugitive who can never be truly free.

Nok, the prison warden’s perfect daughter, is bent on tracking Pong down and restoring her family’s good name. But as Nok hunts Pong through the alleys and canals of Chattana, she uncovers secrets that make her question the truths she has always held dear. Set in a Thai-inspired fantasy world, and inspired by Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables.]]> 384 Christina Soontornvat 1536211729 julianna � 5 OH MY GOD. I will officially be reading every single book I get recommended if they're all this good.

also, I will be meeting the governor (the antagonist of this novel) in the parking lot saturday afternoon 3:15 pm est, and I invite you all to come WATCH.

rtc because more ]]> 4.27 2020 A Wish in the Dark
author: Christina Soontornvat
name: julianna �
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2021/05/21
date added: 2021/05/25
shelves: 2020-releases, ownvoices, poc-rep-read, buddy-read, asian-rep-read, diverse-read, review-to-come, 5-stars-of-2021
review:
OH MY GOD. I will officially be reading every single book I get recommended if they're all this good.

also, I will be meeting the governor (the antagonist of this novel) in the parking lot saturday afternoon 3:15 pm est, and I invite you all to come WATCH.

rtc because more
]]> Jade Fire Gold 56645963 In an empire on the brink of war...

Ahn is no one, with no past and no family.

Altan is a lost heir, his future stolen away as a child.

When they meet, Altan sees in Ahn a path to reclaiming the throne. Ahn sees a way to finally unlock her past and understand her arcane magical abilities.

But they may have to pay a far deadlier price than either could have imagined.

Ferocious action, shadowy intrigue, and a captivating romance collide in June CL Tan’s debut, a stunning homage to the Xianxia novel with a tender, beating heart, perfect for fans of The Bone Witch and We Hunt the Flame.]]> 464 June C.L. Tan 0063056364 julianna � 0 girls of paper and fire & the tiger at midnight), and (3) a zutara-inspired pairing????

i am not okay and will never be okay (until i read this)]]> 3.70 2021 Jade Fire Gold
author: June C.L. Tan
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.70
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/05/25
shelves: to-read, diverse-to-read, ownvoices, 2021-releases, shortlist-tbr, pre-review, drc
review:
you had me at (1) chinese mythology, (2) comping two of my all-time favorite novels (girls of paper and fire & the tiger at midnight), and (3) a zutara-inspired pairing????

i am not okay and will never be okay (until i read this)
]]> Weather Girl 53369734
In the aftermath of a disastrous holiday party, Ari and Russell decide to team up to solve their bosses� relationship issues. Between secret gifts and double dates, they start nudging their bosses back together. But their well-meaning meddling backfires when the real chemistry builds between Ari and Russell.

Working closely with Russell means allowing him to get to know parts of herself that Ari keeps hidden from everyone. Will he be able to embrace her dark clouds as well as her clear skies?

A TV meteorologist and a sports reporter scheme to reunite their divorced bosses with unforecasted results in this charming romantic comedy from the author of The Ex Talk.]]> 336 Rachel Lynn Solomon 0593200144 julianna � 0 to-read, 2022-releases, adult 3.60 2022 Weather Girl
author: Rachel Lynn Solomon
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.60
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/05/25
shelves: to-read, 2022-releases, adult
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Rape of Nanking: The Forgotten Holocaust of World War II]]> 95784
This book tells the story from three perspectives: of the Japanese soldiers who performed it, of the Chinese civilians who endured it, and of a group of Europeans and Americans who refused to abandon the city and were able to create a safety zone that saved many.]]> 290 Iris Chang 0140277447 julianna � 5
the japanese soldiers: *systematically kill & rape them*

me:
someone saying

anyways this should be required reading. maybe review to come?

///

as a chinese person i am feeling very excited to read about the atrocities committed against my people & learn about our historical trauma!]]> 4.23 1997 The Rape of Nanking: The Forgotten Holocaust of World War II
author: Iris Chang
name: julianna �
average rating: 4.23
book published: 1997
rating: 5
read at: 2021/05/24
date added: 2021/05/24
shelves: not-ya, review-to-come, ownvoices-review, asian-rep-read, nonfiction, poc-rep-read, 5-stars-of-2021
review:
me: [knows the book is about the way that japanese soldiers systematically killed & raped chinese civilians of nanjing]

the japanese soldiers: *systematically kill & rape them*

me:
someone saying

anyways this should be required reading. maybe review to come?

///

as a chinese person i am feeling very excited to read about the atrocities committed against my people & learn about our historical trauma!
]]> Champion (Legend, #3) 14290364 He is a Legend.
She is a Prodigy.
Who will be Champion?

June and Day have sacrificed so much for the people of the Republic—and each other—and now their country is on the brink of a new existence. June is back in the good graces of the Republic, working within the government’s elite circles as Princeps-Elect, while Day has been assigned a high-level military position.

But neither could have predicted the circumstances that will reunite them: just when a peace treaty is imminent, a plague outbreak causes panic in the Colonies, and war threatens the Republic’s border cities. This new strain of plague is deadlier than ever, and June is the only one who knows the key to her country’s defense. But saving the lives of thousands will mean asking the one she loves to give up everything.

With heart-pounding action and suspense, Marie Lu’s bestselling trilogy draws to a stunning conclusion.]]> 369 Marie Lu 0399256776 julianna � 4 4.32 2013 Champion (Legend, #3)
author: Marie Lu
name: julianna �
average rating: 4.32
book published: 2013
rating: 4
read at: 2015/11/18
date added: 2021/05/24
shelves: diverse-read, poc-rep-read, asian-rep-read
review:

]]> Prodigy (Legend, #2) 13414446 371 Marie Lu 0399256768 julianna � 3 4.24 2013 Prodigy (Legend, #2)
author: Marie Lu
name: julianna �
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2013
rating: 3
read at: 2015/11/17
date added: 2021/05/24
shelves: diverse-read, poc-rep-read, asian-rep-read
review:

]]> Legend (Legend, #1) 9275658
From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths—until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias's death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

Alternate Cover edition for ISBN 9780399256752
]]> 305 Marie Lu julianna � 4 4.16 2011 Legend (Legend, #1)
author: Marie Lu
name: julianna �
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2011
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2021/05/24
shelves: on-my-shelf, diverse-read, poc-rep-read, asian-rep-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[All of Us Villains (All of Us Villains, #1)]]> 56179338 The blockbuster co-writing debut of Amanda Foody and C. L. Herman, All of Us Villains begins a dark tale of ambition and magick...

You Fell in Love with the Victors of the Hunger Games.
Now Prepare to Meet the Villains of the Blood Veil.

The Blood Moon rises. The Blood Veil falls. The Tournament begins.

Every generation, at the coming of the Blood Moon, seven families in the remote city of Ilvernath each name a champion to compete in a tournament to the death.

The prize? Exclusive control over a secret wellspring of high magick, the most powerful resource in the world—one thought long depleted.

But this year a scandalous tell-all book has exposed the tournament and thrust the seven new champions into the worldwide spotlight. The book also granted them valuable information previous champions never had—insight into the other families� strategies, secrets, and weaknesses. And most important, it gave them a choice: accept their fate or rewrite their legacy.

Either way, this is a story that must be penned in blood.

The All of Us Villains Duology:
#1) All of Us Villains
#2) All of Our Demise]]> 400 Amanda Foody 1250789257 julianna � 0 to-read 3.86 2021 All of Us Villains (All of Us Villains, #1)
author: Amanda Foody
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.86
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/05/24
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Wolf and the Woodsman 54870179
But when monsters attack the Woodsmen and their captive en route, slaughtering everyone but Évike and the cold, one-eyed captain, they have no choice but to rely on each other. Except he’s no ordinary Woodsman—he’s the disgraced prince, Gáspár Bárány, whose father needs pagan magic to consolidate his power. Gáspár fears that his cruelly zealous brother plans to seize the throne and instigate a violent reign that would damn the pagans and the Yehuli alike. As the son of a reviled foreign queen, Gáspár understands what it’s like to be an outcast, and he and Évike make a tenuous pact to stop his brother.

As their mission takes them from the bitter northern tundra to the smog-choked capital, their mutual loathing slowly turns to affection, bound by a shared history of alienation and oppression. However, trust can easily turn to betrayal, and as Évike reconnects with her estranged father and discovers her own hidden magic, she and Gáspár need to decide whose side they’re on, and what they’re willing to give up for a nation that never cared for them at all. ]]> 418 Ava Reid 0062973126 julianna � 0 to-read 3.60 2021 The Wolf and the Woodsman
author: Ava Reid
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.60
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/05/24
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Once Upon a Broken Heart (Once Upon a Broken Heart, #1)]]> 55987278 How far would you go for happily ever after?

For as long as she can remember, Evangeline Fox has believed in true love and happy endings... until she learns that the love of her life will marry another.

Desperate to stop the wedding and to heal her wounded heart, Evangeline strikes a deal with the charismatic but wicked Prince of Hearts. In exchange for his help, he asks for three kisses, to be given at the time and place of his choosing.

But after Evangeline’s first promised kiss, she learns that bargaining with an immortal is a dangerous game—and that the Prince of Hearts wants far more from her than she’d pledged. He has plans for Evangeline, plans that will either end in the greatest happily ever after or the most exquisite tragedy...]]> 408 Stephanie Garber 1250268397 julianna � 0 to-read 4.06 2021 Once Upon a Broken Heart (Once Upon a Broken Heart, #1)
author: Stephanie Garber
name: julianna �
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/05/24
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Felix Ever After 51931067 From Stonewall and Lambda Award-winning author Kacen Callender comes a revelatory YA novel about a transgender teen grappling with identity and self-discovery while falling in love for the first time.

Felix Love has never been in love—and, yes, he’s painfully aware of the irony. He desperately wants to know what it’s like and why it seems so easy for everyone but him to find someone. What’s worse is that, even though he is proud of his identity, Felix also secretly fears that he’s one marginalization too many—Black, queer, and transgender—to ever get his own happily-ever-after.

When an anonymous student begins sending him transphobic messages—after publicly posting Felix’s deadname alongside images of him before he transitioned—Felix comes up with a plan for revenge. What he didn’t count on: his catfish scenario landing him in a quasi–love triangle....

But as he navigates his complicated feelings, Felix begins a journey of questioning and self-discovery that helps redefine his most important relationship: how he feels about himself.

Felix Ever After is an honest and layered story about identity, falling in love, and recognizing the love you deserve.]]> 368 Kacen Callender 0062820257 julianna � 0 4.21 2020 Felix Ever After
author: Kacen Callender
name: julianna �
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/05/21
shelves: to-read, 2020-releases, diverse-to-read, poc-on-cover, poc-rep-to-read, queer-rep-to-read, shortlist-tbr
review:

]]> The Candle and the Flame 41473871 391 Nafiza Azad 1338306049 julianna � 0 update: it seems as though i was not ready because i couldn't get past like 50 pages of this book!!! will read later

/

ready to repent the only sin i've committed during my entire mortal life (not reading this book) right now!!!

// buddy read with kate!


-----
I have a long list of regrets, and me not starting this at all is on that list. I'm so sorry, Scholastic.]]> 3.68 2019 The Candle and the Flame
author: Nafiza Azad
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.68
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/05/20
shelves: diverse-to-read, poc-on-cover, physical-arc, 2019-releases, longlist-tbr, pre-review, current-tbr, to-read, buddy-read
review:
update: it seems as though i was not ready because i couldn't get past like 50 pages of this book!!! will read later

/

ready to repent the only sin i've committed during my entire mortal life (not reading this book) right now!!!

// buddy read with kate!


-----
I have a long list of regrets, and me not starting this at all is on that list. I'm so sorry, Scholastic.
]]> <![CDATA[Girls at the Edge of the World]]> 55643828 Set in a world on the edge of an apocalyptic flood, this heart-stoppingly romantic fantasy debut is perfect for fans of Rachel Hartman and Rae Carson.

In a world bound for an epic flood, only a chosen few are guaranteed safe passage into the new world once the waters recede. The Kostrovian royal court will be saved, of course, along with their guards. But the fate of the court's Royal Flyers, a lauded fleet of aerial silk performers, is less certain. Hell-bent on survival, Principal Flyer, Natasha Koskinen, will do anything to save the Flyers, who are the only family she's ever known. Even if anything means molding herself into the type of girl who could be courted by Prince Nikolai. But unbeknownst to Natasha, her newest recruit, Ella Neves, is driven less by her desire to survive the floods than her thirst for revenge. And Ella's mission could put everything Natasha has worked for in peril.

As the oceans rise, so too does an undeniable spark between the two flyers. With the end of the world looming, and dark secrets about the Kostrovian court coming to light, Ella and Natasha can either give in to despair . . . or find a new reason to live.]]> 416 Laura Brooke Robson 0525554033 julianna � 0 3.71 2021 Girls at the Edge of the World
author: Laura Brooke Robson
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.71
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/05/20
shelves: to-read, 2021-releases, queer-rep-to-read, diverse-to-read, pre-review
review:
REALLY love the fact that this is about sapphics but also features a Prince Nikolai, like honestly how did they know that's all i want
]]> Small Favors 55835986
As fall turns to winter, more strange activities plague the town. They point to a tribe of devilish and mystical creatures who promise to fulfill the residents' deepest desires, however grand and impossible, for just a small favor. But their true intentions are much more sinister, and Ellerie finds herself in a race against time before all of Amity Falls, her family, and the boy she loves go up in flames.]]> 466 Erin A. Craig 0593306740 julianna � 0 4.01 2021 Small Favors
author: Erin A. Craig
name: julianna �
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/05/20
shelves: to-read, 2021-releases, shortlist-tbr
review:

]]> <![CDATA[She Who Became the Sun (The Radiant Emperor, #1)]]> 55077538
In 1345, China lies under harsh Mongol rule. For the starving peasants of the Central Plains, greatness is something found only in stories. When the Zhu family’s eighth-born son, Zhu Chongba, is given a fate of greatness, everyone is mystified as to how it will come to pass. The fate of nothingness received by the family’s clever and capable second daughter, on the other hand, is only as expected.

When a bandit attack orphans the two children, though, it is Zhu Chongba who succumbs to despair and dies. Desperate to escape her own fated death, the girl uses her brother's identity to enter a monastery as a young male novice. There, propelled by her burning desire to survive, Zhu learns she is capable of doing whatever it takes, no matter how callous, to stay hidden from her fate.

After her sanctuary is destroyed for supporting the rebellion against Mongol rule, Zhu uses the chance to claim another future altogether: her brother's abandoned greatness.

Mulan meets The Song of Achilles; an accomplished, poetic debut of war and destiny, sweeping across an epic alternate China.]]> 414 Shelley Parker-Chan 1250621801 julianna � 0 super late update but: i got an ARC!!!!!!!! sent to me by the most amazing person on the planet so i am VERY VERY EXCITED & to the top of my tbr for pride month it goes!!!

/

ya/adult mulan retellings by ownvoices authors are finally populating the industry... please save my seat for when the revolution comes

others:
� The Magnolia Sword: A Ballad of Mulan
� Spin the Dawn]]> 3.81 2021 She Who Became the Sun (The Radiant Emperor, #1)
author: Shelley Parker-Chan
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.81
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/05/20
shelves: to-read, diverse-to-read, ownvoices, 2021-releases, shortlist-tbr, pre-review, asian-rep-to-read, poc-rep-to-read
review:
super late update but: i got an ARC!!!!!!!! sent to me by the most amazing person on the planet so i am VERY VERY EXCITED & to the top of my tbr for pride month it goes!!!

/

ya/adult mulan retellings by ownvoices authors are finally populating the industry... please save my seat for when the revolution comes

others:
� The Magnolia Sword: A Ballad of Mulan
� Spin the Dawn
]]> <![CDATA[The Right Swipe (Modern Love, #1)]]> 39863092 Alisha Rai returns with the first book in her sizzling new Modern Love series, in which two rival dating app creators find themselves at odds in the boardroom but in sync in the bedroom.

Rhiannon Hunter may have revolutionized romance in the digital world, but in real life she only swipes right on her career—and the occasional hookup. The cynical dating app creator controls her love life with a few key rules:

- Nude pics are by invitation only

- If someone stands you up, block them with extreme prejudice

- Protect your heart

Only there aren't any rules to govern her attraction to her newest match, former pro-football player Samson Lima. The sexy and seemingly sweet hunk woos her one magical night... and disappears.

Rhi thought she'd buried her hurt over Samson ghosting her, until he suddenly surfaces months later, still big, still beautiful—and in league with a business rival. He says he won't fumble their second chance, but she's wary. A temporary physical partnership is one thing, but a merger of hearts? Surely that’s too high a risk…]]> 387 Alisha Rai 0062878093 julianna � 3 3.62 2019 The Right Swipe (Modern Love, #1)
author: Alisha Rai
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.62
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2021/05/18
date added: 2021/05/20
shelves: poc-rep-read, poc-on-cover, asian-rep-read, diverse-read, ownvoices, 2019-releases
review:

]]> Stand Up, Yumi Chung! 40986512 One lie snowballs into a full-blown double life in this irresistible story about an aspiring stand-up comedian.

On the outside, Yumi Chung suffers from #shygirlproblems, a perm-gone-wrong, and kids calling her "Yu-MEAT" because she smells like her family's Korean barbecue restaurant. On the inside, Yumi is ready for her Netflix stand-up special. Her notebook is filled with mortifying memories that she's reworked into comedy gold. All she needs is a stage and courage.

Instead of spending the summer studying her favorite YouTube comedians, Yumi is enrolled in test-prep tutoring to qualify for a private school scholarship, which will help in a time of hardship at the restaurant. One day after class, Yumi stumbles on an opportunity that will change her life: a comedy camp for kids taught by one of her favorite YouTube stars. The only problem is that the instructor and all the students think she's a girl named Kay Nakamura--and Yumi doesn't correct them.

As this case of mistaken identity unravels, Yumi must decide to stand up and reveal the truth or risk losing her dreams and disappointing everyone she cares about.]]> 320 Jessica Kim 0525488308 julianna � 4
also this is the 500th book i've read as marked on goodreads!!! wow]]> 4.08 2020 Stand Up, Yumi Chung!
author: Jessica Kim
name: julianna �
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2021/05/12
date added: 2021/05/20
shelves: audio, ownvoices, poc-on-cover, mg, not-ya, diverse-read, poc-rep-read
review:
my tbr is like "pls!!! i am begging you!!!" and in response i say "no" and read random books i find on libby

also this is the 500th book i've read as marked on goodreads!!! wow
]]> <![CDATA[Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen]]> 37678006 Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargas, called “the most famous undocumented immigrant in America,� tackles one of the defining issues of our time in this explosive and deeply personal call to arms.

“This is not a book about the politics of immigration. This book––at its core––is not about immigration at all. This book is about homelessness, not in a traditional sense, but in the unsettled, unmoored psychological state that undocumented immigrants like myself find ourselves in. This book is about lying and being forced to lie to get by; about passing as an American and as a contributing citizen; about families, keeping them together, and having to make new ones when you can’t. This book is about constantly hiding from the government and, in the process, hiding from ourselves. This book is about what it means to not have a home.

After 25 years of living illegally in a country that does not consider me one of its own, this book is the closest thing I have to freedom.�

—Jose Antonio Vargas, from Dear America]]> 256 Jose Antonio Vargas 0062851357 julianna � 3 all need to discuss, particularly the fact that virtually zero citizens actually know America's citizenship/immigration policies in depth & that people place a lot of blame on undocumented citizens when it is often INCREDIBLY hard to become a legal citizen.

However... I found that this book definitely varied in quality, and was definitely a lot less strong in the first half, which mainly consisted of his childhood in America. I'm not sure why, but the writing felt boring and kind of detached, even when discussing the racism he faced in schools or his hardships. Personally, I didn't FEEL anything, and didn't find that that part of the narrative really contributed much to the memoir.

The far stronger section was the story of when he actually announced to the world that he was undocumented and his discussions of the backlash he faced from movements that thought he was "too successful" or of people confronting him in person.

Also, it's pretty amazing that Jose Antonio Vargas wrote this story that then received a cover on TIME magazine. Like . ]]> 4.35 2018 Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen
author: Jose Antonio Vargas
name: julianna �
average rating: 4.35
book published: 2018
rating: 3
read at: 2021/05/18
date added: 2021/05/20
shelves: not-ya, 2018-releases, ownvoices, poc-rep-read, queer-rep-read, diverse-read, asian-rep-read, full-review
review:
I think that illegal immigrants is an incredibly important topic that we all need to discuss, particularly the fact that virtually zero citizens actually know America's citizenship/immigration policies in depth & that people place a lot of blame on undocumented citizens when it is often INCREDIBLY hard to become a legal citizen.

However... I found that this book definitely varied in quality, and was definitely a lot less strong in the first half, which mainly consisted of his childhood in America. I'm not sure why, but the writing felt boring and kind of detached, even when discussing the racism he faced in schools or his hardships. Personally, I didn't FEEL anything, and didn't find that that part of the narrative really contributed much to the memoir.

The far stronger section was the story of when he actually announced to the world that he was undocumented and his discussions of the backlash he faced from movements that thought he was "too successful" or of people confronting him in person.

Also, it's pretty amazing that Jose Antonio Vargas wrote this story that then received a cover on TIME magazine. Like .
]]> <![CDATA[The Iron Will of Genie Lo (The Epic Crush of Genie Lo, #2)]]> 45448194 The fate of the heavens is at stake in this hilarious and highly-anticipated sequel to the The Epic Crush of Genie Lo, from the New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of Avatar: The Last Airbender: The Rise of Kyoshi

Genie Lo thought she was busy last year, juggling her academic career with protecting the Bay Area from demons. But now, as the Heaven-appointed Guardian of California, she's responsible for the well-being of all yaoguai and spirits on Earth. Even the ones who interrupt her long-weekend visit to a prestigious college, bearing terrible news about a cosmos-threatening force of destruction in a nearby alternate dimension.

The goddess Guanyin and Genie's boyfriend, Quentin Sun Wukong, do their best to help, but it's really the Jade Emperor who's supposed to handle crises of this magnitude. Unfortunately for Genie and the rest of existence, he's gone AWOL. Fed up with the Jade Emperor's negligence, Genie spots an opportunity to change the system for the better by undertaking a quest that spans multiple planes of reality along with an adventuring party of quarrelsome Chinese gods. But when faced with true danger, Genie and her friends realize that what will save the universe this time isn't strength, but sacrifice.]]> 304 F.C. Yee 1683353811 julianna � 5 pablo nerudo: wtf who is that standing over my grave ???
me, drenched in rain: those 100 love sonnets you wrote? yeah i'm going to need to know how you did that

The Epic Crush of Genie Lo â­‘â­‘â­‘â­‘â­� (beware my review is really bad and incoherent)


I don't know... I don't know how to express how much I immensely love this book. Would it be enough if I took out my heart and just [clenches fist] squeezed it ? Because that's how I feel inside right now.

First of all, I just want to note the fact that the first book in this series was literally one of the first books I read that made me feel... seen? Words cannot begin to describe how awesome it is to see Chinese mythology being represented outside of Chinese media.

The familiarity from my childhood� from watching shows about the myth of Sun Wukong when I was young! The constant theme of parental filial piety that's so ingrained within Chinese culture! All of this, wrapped up in a story filled with teenage humor and relatability.

I say this legitimately; thank you so much, F.C. Yee.

And this book isn't only important to me on a cultural level: it's just a genuinely good book. This novel, as a sequel, expanded on themes built upon within the first book so brilliantly that the entire series has been improved as whole. It checked basically every box when it came to filling the shoes of The Epic Crush of Genie Lo, which not a lot of sequels do!

Characters and relationships were developed, especially that of Guanyin, and I almost cried when I finished it. The boundaries of morality that were already questioned from The Epic Crush of Genie Lo were pushed even further as we got to take a closer look at Heaven, and the gods that resided there.

Topics like privilege and poverty are also discussed� Genie Lo feels a lot of resentment towards her parents and others, but mostly towards herself, and I love how the course of the novel took her onto a path of healing and empowerment towards dealing with her emotions.

I'm just... really sad that this series is over, and I WILL be moping about it. I'm also really sad that more people don't know about these books. I am glad that F.C. Yee's other series is popular though :') BUT YOU ALL NEED TO READ THIS ONE

> representation chinese (american) mc & cast <33
> trigger warnings death, lowkey gore

� pre-review
I CLAIM POSITION AS #1 FAN OF THIS BOOK ALREADY]]> 4.32 2020 The Iron Will of Genie Lo (The Epic Crush of Genie Lo, #2)
author: F.C. Yee
name: julianna �
average rating: 4.32
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2021/03/25
date added: 2021/05/20
shelves: diverse-read, poc-rep-read, ownvoices-review, favorites, ownvoices, full-review, 2020-releases, asian-rep-read, 5-stars-of-2021
review:
pablo nerudo: wtf who is that standing over my grave ???
me, drenched in rain: those 100 love sonnets you wrote? yeah i'm going to need to know how you did that

The Epic Crush of Genie Lo â­‘â­‘â­‘â­‘â­� (beware my review is really bad and incoherent)


I don't know... I don't know how to express how much I immensely love this book. Would it be enough if I took out my heart and just [clenches fist] squeezed it ? Because that's how I feel inside right now.

First of all, I just want to note the fact that the first book in this series was literally one of the first books I read that made me feel... seen? Words cannot begin to describe how awesome it is to see Chinese mythology being represented outside of Chinese media.

The familiarity from my childhood� from watching shows about the myth of Sun Wukong when I was young! The constant theme of parental filial piety that's so ingrained within Chinese culture! All of this, wrapped up in a story filled with teenage humor and relatability.

I say this legitimately; thank you so much, F.C. Yee.

And this book isn't only important to me on a cultural level: it's just a genuinely good book. This novel, as a sequel, expanded on themes built upon within the first book so brilliantly that the entire series has been improved as whole. It checked basically every box when it came to filling the shoes of The Epic Crush of Genie Lo, which not a lot of sequels do!

Characters and relationships were developed, especially that of Guanyin, and I almost cried when I finished it. The boundaries of morality that were already questioned from The Epic Crush of Genie Lo were pushed even further as we got to take a closer look at Heaven, and the gods that resided there.

Topics like privilege and poverty are also discussed� Genie Lo feels a lot of resentment towards her parents and others, but mostly towards herself, and I love how the course of the novel took her onto a path of healing and empowerment towards dealing with her emotions.

I'm just... really sad that this series is over, and I WILL be moping about it. I'm also really sad that more people don't know about these books. I am glad that F.C. Yee's other series is popular though :') BUT YOU ALL NEED TO READ THIS ONE

> representation chinese (american) mc & cast <33
> trigger warnings death, lowkey gore

� pre-review
I CLAIM POSITION AS #1 FAN OF THIS BOOK ALREADY
]]> <![CDATA[A Thousand Beginnings and Endings]]> 36301029
A mountain loses her heart. Two sisters transform into birds to escape captivity. A young man learns the true meaning of sacrifice. A young woman takes up her mother’s mantle and leads the dead to their final resting place.

Bestselling and award-winning authors explore the timeless themes of East and South Asian lore in sixteen original stories that will appeal to every reader. From fantasy to science fiction to contemporary, from romance to tales of revenge, these stories will beguile readers from start to finish. Edited by We Need Diverse Books co-founder Ellen Oh and Elsie Chapman, this anthology contains stories from sixteen Asian and South Asian authors, including New York Times bestsellers and award-winners. In a starred review, Kirkus called it an “incredible anthology that will keep readers on the edges of their seats, wanting more.�

Featuring:

Renée Ahdieh, Elsie Chapman, Sona Charaipotra, Preeti Chhibber, Roshani Chokshi, Aliette de Bodard, Melissa de la Cruz, Julie Kagawa, Rahul Kanakia, Lori M. Lee, E. C. Myers, Cindy Pon, Aisha Saeed, Shveta Thakrar, Alyssa Wong, and a new original story by Ellen Oh.]]> 328 Ellen Oh 0062671154 julianna � 3 3.74 2018 A Thousand Beginnings and Endings
author: Ellen Oh
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.74
book published: 2018
rating: 3
read at: 2021/04/19
date added: 2021/05/20
shelves: diverse-to-read, 2018-releases, asian-rep-to-read, poc-rep-to-read, buddy-read
review:
if this cover came up to me and just
]]> The November Girl 33509082
Hector has come here to hide from his family until he turns eighteen. Isle Royale is shut down for the winter, and there's no one here but me. And now him.

Hector is running from the violence in his life, but violence runs through my veins. I should send him away, to keep him safe. But I'm half human, too, and Hector makes me want to listen to my foolish, half-human heart. And if I do, I can't protect him from the storms coming for us.]]> 340 Lydia Kang 1633758265 julianna � 3 3.76 2017 The November Girl
author: Lydia Kang
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.76
book published: 2017
rating: 3
read at: 2017/11/07
date added: 2021/05/18
shelves: poc-rep-read, asian-rep-read, ownvoices, poc-on-cover, diverse-read, full-review, 2017-releases
review:

]]> The Vegetarian 25489025
Celebrated by critics around the world, The Vegetarian is a darkly allegorical, Kafka-esque tale of power, obsession, and one woman’s struggle to break free from the violence both without and within her.]]> 188 Han Kang 0553448188 julianna � 3
(okay but actually this was very good and i liked how the choice to become vegan, a socially challenged choice within their society, was a manifestation of how women are treated as objects and tools. i also liked how the misogyny within a male's perspective of yeong-hye was explored both from the perspective of a man who never found her attractive, and one who became infatuated with her. overall, this book is an examination of what could happen if a woman, beaten down by expectations of the men around her, simply gave up on trying to continue to live)

rep: korean cast
content/trigger warnings: [spoilers removed]

-----

this feels like a fever dream !!!! don't know if it's a good or bad thing bc i'm anywhere between 3 to 5 stars]]> 3.61 2007 The Vegetarian
author: Han Kang
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.61
book published: 2007
rating: 3
read at: 2021/05/08
date added: 2021/05/18
shelves: not-ya, adult, 2016-releases, diverse-read, asian-rep-read, poc-rep-read, audio, full-review
review:
i think the main takeaway from this book is that i need to stop listening to literary adult fiction on 3x speed while playing tetris because i will end up comprehending like 50% of it

(okay but actually this was very good and i liked how the choice to become vegan, a socially challenged choice within their society, was a manifestation of how women are treated as objects and tools. i also liked how the misogyny within a male's perspective of yeong-hye was explored both from the perspective of a man who never found her attractive, and one who became infatuated with her. overall, this book is an examination of what could happen if a woman, beaten down by expectations of the men around her, simply gave up on trying to continue to live)

rep: korean cast
content/trigger warnings: [spoilers removed]

-----

this feels like a fever dream !!!! don't know if it's a good or bad thing bc i'm anywhere between 3 to 5 stars
]]> Internment 38167114
Set in a horrifying near-future United States, seventeen-year-old Layla Amin and her parents are forced into an internment camp for Muslim American citizens.

With the help of newly made friends also trapped within the internment camp, her boyfriend on the outside, and an unexpected alliance, Layla begins a journey to fight for freedom, leading a revolution against the internment camp's Director and his guards.

Heart-racing and emotional, Internment challenges readers to fight complicit silence that exists in our society today.]]> 386 Samira Ahmed 0349003343 julianna � 1 what a waste of ten hours (or 3.33 hours, for me) since i only read audiobooks on 3x speed ]]> 3.85 2019 Internment
author: Samira Ahmed
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.85
book published: 2019
rating: 1
read at: 2021/05/13
date added: 2021/05/18
shelves: poc-on-cover, 2019-releases, diverse-read, poc-rep-read, audio, full-review, asian-rep-read
review:
what a waste of ten hours (or 3.33 hours, for me) since i only read audiobooks on 3x speed
]]> It's Not Like It's a Secret 29073707 To All the Boys I've Loved Before and part Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda.

Sixteen-year-old Sana Kiyohara has too many secrets. Some are small, like how it bothers her when her friends don’t invite her to parties. Some are big, like the fact that her father may be having an affair. And then there’s the one that she can barely even admit to herself—the one about how she might have a crush on her best friend.

When Sana and her family move to California, she begins to wonder if it’s finally time for some honesty, especially after she meets Jamie Ramirez. Jamie is beautiful and smart and unlike anyone Sana’s ever known. There are just a few Sana's new friends don't trust Jamie's crowd; Jamie's friends clearly don't want her around anyway; and a sweet guy named Caleb seems to have more-than-friendly feelings for her. Meanwhile, her dad’s affair is becoming too obvious to ignore.

Sana always figured that the hardest thing would be to tell people that she wants to date a girl, but as she quickly learns, telling the truth is easy…what comes after it, though, is a whole lot more complicated.]]> 400 Misa Sugiura 0062473433 julianna � 4
rtc < 3

/

gays be like "me and this girl have been exchanging emily dickinson poems in each others' lockers and staring at each other for prolonged moments of time in my room, do you think she likes me?????"

anyways i'm only 55% through this but oh my god guys i have NEVER shipped a couple harder... (ppl do say it gets worse in the second half though so i am very afraid)]]> 3.54 2017 It's Not Like It's a Secret
author: Misa Sugiura
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.54
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2021/05/18
date added: 2021/05/18
shelves: 2017-releases, ownvoices, poc-on-cover, audio, asian-rep-read, diverse-read, poc-rep-read, queer-rep-read
review:
MISA SUGIURA SAID GAY RIGHTS HELL YEAH

rtc < 3

/

gays be like "me and this girl have been exchanging emily dickinson poems in each others' lockers and staring at each other for prolonged moments of time in my room, do you think she likes me?????"

anyways i'm only 55% through this but oh my god guys i have NEVER shipped a couple harder... (ppl do say it gets worse in the second half though so i am very afraid)
]]> The Very Nice Box 54310999
But when Ava’s new boss—the young and magnetic Mat Putnam—offers Ava a ride home one afternoon, an unlikely relationship blossoms. Ava remembers how rewarding it can be to open up—and, despite her instincts, she becomes enamored. But Mat isn’t who he claims to be, and the romance takes a sharp turn.

The Very Nice Box is a wryly funny, suspenseful debut—with a shocking twist. It’s at once a send-up of male entitlement and a big-hearted account of grief, friendship, and trust.]]> 320 Laura Blackett julianna � 0 3.76 2021 The Very Nice Box
author: Laura Blackett
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.76
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/05/17
shelves: to-read, adult, queer-rep-to-read, diverse-to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Sunny Song Will Never Be Famous]]> 51219281 A social media influencer is shipped off to a digital detox summer camp in this coming-of-age story.

Sunny Song's Big Summer Goals:
1) Make Rafael Kim my boyfriend (finally!)
2) Hit 100K followers (almost there�)
3) Have the best last summer of high school ever

Not on Sunny's list: accidentally filming a PG-13 cooking video that goes viral (#browniegate). Extremely not on her list: being shipped off to a digital detox farm camp in Iowa (IOWA??) for a whole month. She's traded in her WiFi connection for a butter churn, and if she wants any shot at growing her social media platform this summer, she'll need to find a way back online.

But between some unexpected friendships and an alarmingly cute farm boy, Sunny might be surprised by the connections she makes when she's forced to disconnect.]]> 352 Suzanne Park 1728209420 julianna � 0 to-read 3.52 2021 Sunny Song Will Never Be Famous
author: Suzanne Park
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.52
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/05/17
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Love Letters to the Dead 18140047 Love Letters to the Dead.]]> 336 Ava Dellaira 0374346674 julianna � 0 to-read 3.79 2014 Love Letters to the Dead
author: Ava Dellaira
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.79
book published: 2014
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/05/16
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Severance 36348525
Candace won’t be able to make it on her own forever, though. Enter a group of survivors, led by the power-hungry IT tech Bob. They’re traveling to a place called the Facility, where, Bob promises, they will have everything they need to start society anew. But Candace is carrying a secret she knows Bob will exploit. Should she escape from her rescuers?

A send-up and takedown of the rituals, routines, and missed opportunities of contemporary life, Ling Ma’s Severance is a quirky coming-of-adulthood tale and satire.]]> 291 Ling Ma 0374261598 julianna � 4 When the narrator ended this book with that last sentence, my main thought was, SAY SIKE RIGHT NOW.

And I was really surprised to find Ling Ma not showing up at my doorstep, bearing a sign that said "Sike"???

I am not sure what happened. Maybe Ling Ma just did not want to write more of this novel and was just like "I AM SO DONE WITH THIS STORY." If so, as a person, I respect her for that, because that is called self care.

However, as a reader, I feel very sad and confused.

This was an incredibly amazing novel, but the actual post-apocalyptic part of it left something to be desired: as in, an actual ending. Perhaps more development with WHAT THE HELL WAS GOING TO HAPPEN AFTER ALL THOSE PEOPLE DIED FROM THE SHEN VIRUS???

(I need to know. There is a significant hole in my brain cells perfectly shaped for me "knowing" the next part of this story. Trust me. This is how brain cells work. [spoilers removed])

I thought that this book had some incredibly profound themes. One of the themes in which I particularly resonated was when the main character made a trip to china� and soon found herself making awkward, stilted attempts at communicating with the others, "despite" the fact that she herself is Chinese. She also doesn't have any relatives to call on, simply because she never got to know any of them.

As a child of Chinese immigrants, I empathized with her SO hard (and I'm sure that many other children of immigrant parents will as well), because I don't really know my relatives either!! Candace and I were on the SAME WAVELENGTH, discounting the fact that SHE didn't go to china because her dad refused to go back, while *I* am currently not going to China because do you know how much plane tickets cost??? (also, right now, because of the pandemic)

I have read many bad Chinese #ownvoices books lately, and the entire time I was listening to this, I was just thinking: this is the kind of chinese-american representation i want. Not constant microaggressions and jokes about bubble tea (like. I love bubble tea too but what is EVERY ASIAN INFLUENCER'S THING ABOUT BUBBLE TEA). Rather, I want something more intrinsic to my identity� a heartfelt, accurate depiction of how it feels to be the "American" in the Chinese-American. You know?

And really, that's why I'm rating this four stars. Although, again, the ending was incredibly lacking, that storyline in China felt so incredibly... true to me. It felt so much like a glaring reflection of my own insecurities about being a second-generation immigrant that I had to pause and GOOGLE if the author broke into heaven's security cameras of Earth and looked me up while writing this novel. (No, I did not actually Google that.)

That is also why I thought the title of this novel was so incredible. Literally, did Ling Ma write this book around the title? Because it fits so well.

Having read some reviews, I assumed, at first, that the title was simply about the disconnect that has become of us as we pander to the capitalist machine, but no!

The title "Severance" is also representative in the way that the main character is severed from her home country� China� and that the deaths of her parents have only further served to exacerbate the gap between her and her language, her culture, and her extended family.

It's also about the severance to other things, in other ways, but I don't remember those right now, and I apparently did not write about them in my notes app. Sad.

Anyways, I highly recommend this novel. I would also recommend not reading the last chapter, just so that you can pretend that this novel ends well, and live in denial forever. That's what I wish I did. # Regrets

> representation: chinese-american main character
> trigger/content warnings: [spoilers removed]

-----

okay i actually don't know if i feel it.

might change the rating later bc i'm just trying to process the ending (or lack thereof)

rtc!!!

-----

do you feel it mr. krabs????

yes.

as in, mr. krabs is me and i'm only 32% in so far, but oh my god. i can already feel that this is going to be a five star book, in my bones.

[chef's kiss x a million]]]> 3.90 2018 Severance
author: Ling Ma
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.90
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2021/05/06
date added: 2021/05/16
shelves: 2018-releases, audio, adult, ownvoices, ownvoices-review, asian-rep-read, poc-rep-read, diverse-read, full-review
review:
When the narrator ended this book with that last sentence, my main thought was, SAY SIKE RIGHT NOW.

And I was really surprised to find Ling Ma not showing up at my doorstep, bearing a sign that said "Sike"???

I am not sure what happened. Maybe Ling Ma just did not want to write more of this novel and was just like "I AM SO DONE WITH THIS STORY." If so, as a person, I respect her for that, because that is called self care.

However, as a reader, I feel very sad and confused.

This was an incredibly amazing novel, but the actual post-apocalyptic part of it left something to be desired: as in, an actual ending. Perhaps more development with WHAT THE HELL WAS GOING TO HAPPEN AFTER ALL THOSE PEOPLE DIED FROM THE SHEN VIRUS???

(I need to know. There is a significant hole in my brain cells perfectly shaped for me "knowing" the next part of this story. Trust me. This is how brain cells work. [spoilers removed])

I thought that this book had some incredibly profound themes. One of the themes in which I particularly resonated was when the main character made a trip to china� and soon found herself making awkward, stilted attempts at communicating with the others, "despite" the fact that she herself is Chinese. She also doesn't have any relatives to call on, simply because she never got to know any of them.

As a child of Chinese immigrants, I empathized with her SO hard (and I'm sure that many other children of immigrant parents will as well), because I don't really know my relatives either!! Candace and I were on the SAME WAVELENGTH, discounting the fact that SHE didn't go to china because her dad refused to go back, while *I* am currently not going to China because do you know how much plane tickets cost??? (also, right now, because of the pandemic)

I have read many bad Chinese #ownvoices books lately, and the entire time I was listening to this, I was just thinking: this is the kind of chinese-american representation i want. Not constant microaggressions and jokes about bubble tea (like. I love bubble tea too but what is EVERY ASIAN INFLUENCER'S THING ABOUT BUBBLE TEA). Rather, I want something more intrinsic to my identity� a heartfelt, accurate depiction of how it feels to be the "American" in the Chinese-American. You know?

And really, that's why I'm rating this four stars. Although, again, the ending was incredibly lacking, that storyline in China felt so incredibly... true to me. It felt so much like a glaring reflection of my own insecurities about being a second-generation immigrant that I had to pause and GOOGLE if the author broke into heaven's security cameras of Earth and looked me up while writing this novel. (No, I did not actually Google that.)

That is also why I thought the title of this novel was so incredible. Literally, did Ling Ma write this book around the title? Because it fits so well.

Having read some reviews, I assumed, at first, that the title was simply about the disconnect that has become of us as we pander to the capitalist machine, but no!

The title "Severance" is also representative in the way that the main character is severed from her home country� China� and that the deaths of her parents have only further served to exacerbate the gap between her and her language, her culture, and her extended family.

It's also about the severance to other things, in other ways, but I don't remember those right now, and I apparently did not write about them in my notes app. Sad.

Anyways, I highly recommend this novel. I would also recommend not reading the last chapter, just so that you can pretend that this novel ends well, and live in denial forever. That's what I wish I did. # Regrets

> representation: chinese-american main character
> trigger/content warnings: [spoilers removed]

-----

okay i actually don't know if i feel it.

might change the rating later bc i'm just trying to process the ending (or lack thereof)

rtc!!!

-----

do you feel it mr. krabs????

yes.

as in, mr. krabs is me and i'm only 32% in so far, but oh my god. i can already feel that this is going to be a five star book, in my bones.

[chef's kiss x a million]
]]> A Line in the Dark 28096526
As Angie drags Jess further into Margot's circle, Jess finds more than her friend's growing crush. Secrets lie just beneath the carefree surface of this world, and when they come out, Jess knows Angie won't be able to handle the consequences. When the inevitable darkness finally descends, Angie will need her best friend.]]> 288 Malinda Lo 073522742X julianna � 3
this book: *ends with a supposedly super shocking plot twist*

me: okay AND???????????

i think the main issue with this book was the fact that the ending needed more development.

as in, i wanted to have /catharsis/ and read about more of the aftermath, but in the book the "aftermath" was placed before the actual "revealed incident," and the thing is that i read this as an AUDIOBOOK so i can't go back and relisten to the book to fully comprehend the aftermath because i'm lazy!!!

rep: chinese & lesbian mc, lesbian side characters (angie & margot)
trigger/content warnings: [spoilers removed]]]> 3.24 2017 A Line in the Dark
author: Malinda Lo
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.24
book published: 2017
rating: 3
read at: 2021/05/16
date added: 2021/05/15
shelves: queer-rep-read, asian-rep-read, diverse-read, 2017-releases, poc-rep-read, audio
review:
this asian sapphic thriller be like?? hell yes??? but then actually NO :(

this book: *ends with a supposedly super shocking plot twist*

me: okay AND???????????

i think the main issue with this book was the fact that the ending needed more development.

as in, i wanted to have /catharsis/ and read about more of the aftermath, but in the book the "aftermath" was placed before the actual "revealed incident," and the thing is that i read this as an AUDIOBOOK so i can't go back and relisten to the book to fully comprehend the aftermath because i'm lazy!!!

rep: chinese & lesbian mc, lesbian side characters (angie & margot)
trigger/content warnings: [spoilers removed]
]]> A Curse of Roses 49247031
There’s a famine plaguing the land, and Princess Yzabel is wasting food simply by trying to eat. Before she can even swallow, her magic—her curse—has turned her meal into a bouquet. She’s on the verge of starving, which only reminds her that the people of Portugal have been enduring the same pain.

If only it were possible to reverse her magic. Then she could turn flowers…into food.

Fatyan, a beautiful Enchanted Moura, is the only one who can help. But she is trapped by magical binds. She can teach Yzabel how to control her curse—if Yzabel sets her free with a kiss.

As the King of Portugal’s betrothed, Yzabel would be committing treason, but what good is a king if his country has starved to death?

With just one kiss, Fatyan is set free. And with just one kiss, Yzabel is yearning for more.

She’d sought out Fatyan to help her save the people. Now, loving her could mean Yzabel’s destruction.

Based on Portuguese legend, this #OwnVoices historical fantasy is an epic tale of mystery, magic, and making the impossible choice between love and duty…]]> 352 Diana Pinguicha 1682815099 julianna � 0 3.76 2020 A Curse of Roses
author: Diana Pinguicha
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.76
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/05/14
shelves: to-read, 2020-releases, diverse-to-read, poc-rep-to-read, queer-rep-to-read
review:

]]> Something to Talk About 45892636 A showrunner and her assistant give the world something to talk about when they accidentally fuel a ridiculous rumor in this debut romance.

Hollywood powerhouse Jo is photographed making her assistant Emma laugh on the red carpet, and just like that, the tabloids declare them a couple. The so-called scandal couldn't come at a worse time—threatening Emma's promotion and Jo's new movie.

As the gossip spreads, it starts to affect all areas of their lives. Paparazzi are following them outside the office, coworkers are treating them differently, and a “source� is feeding information to the media. But their only comment is “no comment�.

With the launch of Jo’s film project fast approaching, the two women begin to spend even more time together, getting along famously. Emma seems to have a sixth sense for knowing what Jo needs. And Jo, known for being aloof and outwardly cold, opens up to Emma in a way neither of them expects. They begin to realize the rumor might not be so off base after all…but is acting on the spark between them worth fanning the gossip flames?]]> 336 Meryl Wilsner 0593102533 julianna � 0 3.58 2020 Something to Talk About
author: Meryl Wilsner
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.58
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/05/14
shelves: to-read, 2020-releases, adult, diverse-to-read, not-ya, queer-rep-to-read, shortlist-tbr
review:

]]> Not My Problem 55100346
But when Aideen stumbles on her nemesis, overachiever Meabh Kowalski, in the midst of a full-blown meltdown, she sees a problem that—unlike her own disaster of a life—seems refreshingly easy to solve. Meabh is desperate to escape her crushing pile of extracurriculars. Aideen volunteers to help. By pushing Meabh down the stairs.

Problem? Solved. Meabh’s sprained ankle is the perfect excuse to ditch her overwhelming schedule. But when another student learns about their little scheme and brings Aideen another “client� who needs her “help,� it kicks off a semester of traded favors, ill-advised hijinks, and an unexpected chance at love. Fixing other people’s problems won’t fix her own, but it might be the push she needs to start.]]> 368 Ciara Smyth 0062957147 julianna � 0 4.11 2021 Not My Problem
author: Ciara Smyth
name: julianna �
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/05/14
shelves: to-read, 2021-releases, diverse-to-read, queer-rep-to-read
review:

]]> The Falling in Love Montage 53066661
But after a chance encounter at an end-of-term house party, Saoirse is about to break her own rules. For a girl with one blue freckle, an irresistible sense of mischief, and a passion for rom-coms.

Unbothered by Saoirse’s no-relationships rulebook, Ruby proposes a loophole: They don’t need true love to have one summer of fun, complete with every cliché, rom-com montage-worthy date they can dream up—and a binding agreement to end their romance come fall. It would be the perfect plan, if they weren’t forgetting one thing about the Falling in Love Montage: when it’s over, the characters actually fall in love� for real.]]> 368 Ciara Smyth 0062957112 julianna � 0 3.80 2020 The Falling in Love Montage
author: Ciara Smyth
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.80
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/05/14
shelves: to-read, 2020-releases, diverse-to-read, misc-rep-to-read, queer-rep-to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Written in the Stars (Written in the Stars, #1)]]> 51179990 With nods to Bridget Jones and Pride and Prejudice, a charming #ownvoices queer rom-com debut about a free-spirited social media astrologer who agrees to fake a relationship with an uptight actuary until New Year’s Eve—with results not even the stars could predict!

After a disastrous blind date, Darcy Lowell is desperate to stop her well-meaning brother from playing matchmaker ever again. Love—and the inevitable heartbreak—is the last thing she wants. So she fibs and says her latest set up was a success. Darcy doesn’t expect her lie to bite her in the ass.

Elle Jones, one of the astrologers behind the popular Twitter account, Oh My Stars, dreams of finding her soul mate. But she knows it is most assuredly not Darcy... a no-nonsense stick-in-the-mud, who is way too analytical, punctual, and skeptical for someone as free-spirited as Elle. When Darcy’s brother—and Elle's new business partner—expresses how happy he is that they hit it off, Elle is baffled. Was Darcy on the same date? Because... awkward.

When Darcy begs Elle to play along, she agrees to pretend they’re dating to save face. But with a few conditions: Darcy must help Elle navigate her own overbearing family over the holidays and their arrangement expires on New Year’s Eve. The last thing they expect is to develop real feelings during a fake relationship.

But maybe opposites can attract when true love is written in the stars?]]> 370 Alexandria Bellefleur 0063000806 julianna � 0 3.85 2020 Written in the Stars (Written in the Stars, #1)
author: Alexandria Bellefleur
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.85
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/05/14
shelves: to-read, 2020-releases, diverse-to-read, queer-rep-to-read, shortlist-tbr
review:

]]> The Perfect Place to Die 50490836 Stalking Jack the Ripper meets Devil in the White City. In order to save her sister, Zuretta takes a job at a notorious house of horrors—but she might never escape.

Zuretta never thought she’d encounter a monster—one of the world’s most notorious serial killers. She had resigned herself to a quiet life in Utah. But when her younger sister, Ruby, travels to Chicago during the World’s Fair, and disappears, Zuretta leaves home to find her.

But 1890s Chicago is more dangerous and chaotic than she imagined. She doesn’t know where to start until she learns of her sister’s last place of employment…a mysterious hotel known as The Castle.

Zuretta takes a job there hoping to learn more. And before long she realizes the hotel isn’t what it seems. Women disappear at an alarming rate, she hears crying from the walls, and terrifying whispers follow her at night. In the end, she finds herself up against one of the most infamous mass murderers in American history—and his custom-built death trap.

]]> 384 Bryce Moore 1728229111 julianna � 0 3.63 2021 The Perfect Place to Die
author: Bryce Moore
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.63
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/05/12
shelves: to-read, 2021-releases, drc, drc-unread
review:

]]> Off the Record 53331354 The behind-the-scenes access of Almost Famous meets the searing revelations of #metoo in this story of a teen journalist who uncovers the scandal of the decade.

Ever since seventeen-year-old Josie Wright can remember, writing has been her identity, the thing that grounds her when everything else is a garbage fire. So when she wins a contest to write a celebrity profile for Deep Focus magazine, she’s equal parts excited and scared, but also ready. She’s got this.

Soon Josie is jetting off on a multi-city tour, rubbing elbows with sparkly celebrities, frenetic handlers, stone-faced producers, and eccentric stylists. She even finds herself catching feelings for the subject of her profile, dazzling young newcomer Marius Canet. Josie’s world is expanding so rapidly, she doesn’t know whether she’s flying or falling. But when a young actress lets her in on a terrible secret, the answer is clear: she’s in over her head.

One woman’s account leads to another and another. Josie wants to expose the man responsible, but she’s reluctant to speak up, unsure if this is her story to tell. What if she lets down the women who have entrusted her with their stories? What if this ends her writing career before it even begins? There are so many reasons not to go ahead, but if Josie doesn’t step up, who will?

From the author of Full Disclosure, this is a moving testament to the #MeToo movement, and all the ways women stand up for each other.]]> 320 Camryn Garrett julianna � 0 3.99 2021 Off the Record
author: Camryn Garrett
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/05/12
shelves: to-read, 2021-releases, diverse-to-read, drc, drc-unread, ownvoices, poc-on-cover, poc-rep-to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Dear Girls: Intimate Tales, Untold Secrets, & Advice for Living Your Best Life]]> 44600621 Ali Wong's heartfelt and hilarious letters to her daughters (the two she put to work while they were still in utero), covering everything they need to know in life, like the unpleasant details of dating, how to be a working mom in a male-dominated profession, and how she trapped their dad.

In her hit Netflix comedy special Baby Cobra, an eight-month pregnant Ali Wong resonated so heavily that she became a popular Halloween costume. Wong told the world her remarkably unfiltered thoughts on marriage, sex, Asian culture, working women, and why you never see new mom comics on stage but you sure see plenty of new dads.

The sharp insights and humor are even more personal in this completely original collection. She shares the wisdom she's learned from a life in comedy and reveals stories from her life off stage, including the brutal singles life in New York (i.e. the inevitable confrontation with erectile dysfunction), reconnecting with her roots (and drinking snake blood) in Vietnam, tales of being a wild child growing up in San Francisco, and parenting war stories. Though addressed to her daughters, Ali Wong's letters are absurdly funny, surprisingly moving, and enlightening (and disgusting) for all.]]> 240 Ali Wong 052550883X julianna � 4 3.83 2019 Dear Girls: Intimate Tales, Untold Secrets, & Advice for Living Your Best Life
author: Ali Wong
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.83
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2021/05/12
date added: 2021/05/12
shelves: 2019-releases, asian-rep-read, diverse-read, poc-on-cover, poc-rep-read, not-ya, nonfiction
review:
when in about a month i stand in the delivery room while my sister is having her baby, she will say "why are you here??????????????", and i will point to the chapter i read titled "Tips on Having a Baby" in order to demonstrate my supreme knowledge on the subject and why i'm definitely a necessary presence
]]> <![CDATA[All of Us Villains (All of Us Villains, #1)]]> 55337041 A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
An Indie Bestseller!
An Indie Next Pick!

The blockbuster co-writing debut of Amanda Foody and C. L. Herman, All of Us Villains begins a dark tale of ambition and magick...

You Fell in Love with the Victors of the Hunger Games.
Now Prepare to Meet the Villains of the Blood Veil.

The Blood Moon rises. The Blood Veil falls. The Tournament begins.

Every generation, at the coming of the Blood Moon, seven families in the remote city of Ilvernath each name a champion to compete in a tournament to the death.

The prize? Exclusive control over a secret wellspring of high magick, the most powerful resource in the world—one thought long depleted.

But this year a scandalous tell-all book has exposed the tournament and thrust the seven new champions into the worldwide spotlight. The book also granted them valuable information previous champions never had—insight into the other families� strategies, secrets, and weaknesses. And most important, it gave them a accept their fate or rewrite their legacy.

Either way, this is a story that must be penned in blood.

The All of Us Villains Duology:
#1) All of Us Villains
#2) All of Our Demise

At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.]]> 400 Amanda Foody 1250789265 julianna � 0 to-read, 2021-releases 3.92 2021 All of Us Villains (All of Us Villains, #1)
author: Amanda Foody
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/05/11
shelves: to-read, 2021-releases
review:

]]> Front Desk (Front Desk #1) 36127488
Number 1: She lives in a motel, not a big house. Every day, while her immigrant parents clean the rooms, ten-year-old Mia manages the front desk of the Calivista Motel and tends to its guests.

Number 2: Her parents hide immigrants. And if the mean motel owner, Mr. Yao, finds out they've been letting them stay in the empty rooms for free, the Tangs will be doomed.

Number 3: She wants to be a writer. But how can she when her mom thinks she should stick to math because English is not her first language?

It will take all of Mia's courage, kindness, and hard work to get through this year. Will she be able to hold on to her job, help the immigrants and guests, escape Mr. Yao, and go for her dreams?]]> 298 Kelly Yang 1338157795 julianna � 4 this is a middle-grade book that i really, really hope a lot of kids will have access to� especially kids of immigrants and chinese kids.

this features a young girl whose immigrant parents have been struggling to find jobs to support themselves, and soon find themselves a job that seems to grant them hope, but ultimately turns out to pay them very little. the main character, Mia, then starts pitching in to help her parents by working at the front desk.

there's a lot of struggling in this novel, both within Mia's family as well as the immigrants that they choose to help. although painful to read at times, ultimately, this book provides insight into the painful truth of what immigrants and people of color face in America, and how it's not necessarily the land of the free when immigrants are often being extorted by people like loan sharks and companies. to be completely frank, this kind of extortion is definitely still happening today, and it's not right to pretend it doesn't exist.

i (along with black reviewers) also thought that this book gave a very nuanced exploration of racism, and i really appreciated how antiblack sentiment within asian communities (specifically chinese in this case) was acknowledged and challenged. there also were anti-asian beliefs from non-asian people of color, which were also challenged! i thought this was really excellent, because poc solidarity is not always something that exists, and even when it does, internal biases often exist, which we all have to actively work to remove.

also, i really liked how generational abuse was acknowledged within this, and how it presented the fact that your parents don't define who you are. there's always room for growth, for breaking the cycle of trauma, and for ultimately choosing to become better.

the fact that it was based closely off of the author's own past (as noted in the author's note) really hits close to home for me, because these stories of immigrants being extorted could very well have happened to my parents. in the end, however, this is a story that's full of hope for the future and for change, and again, i just want to mass-print this book and send it to schools everywhere, because i don't know how i would have felt if it had read it as a kid� but it probably would have changed me for the better.

specific representation: chinese cast, black side character, hispanic side character, taiwanese side characters
content/trigger warnings: [spoilers removed]

> buddy read with cas
(we are not going to talk abt how she read the entire book before i started it)]]> 4.36 2018 Front Desk (Front Desk #1)
author: Kelly Yang
name: julianna �
average rating: 4.36
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2021/05/08
date added: 2021/05/11
shelves: 2018-releases, diverse-read, not-ya, mg, asian-rep-read, poc-rep-read, poc-on-cover, buddy-read, ownvoices-review, ownvoices, full-review
review:
this is a middle-grade book that i really, really hope a lot of kids will have access to� especially kids of immigrants and chinese kids.

this features a young girl whose immigrant parents have been struggling to find jobs to support themselves, and soon find themselves a job that seems to grant them hope, but ultimately turns out to pay them very little. the main character, Mia, then starts pitching in to help her parents by working at the front desk.

there's a lot of struggling in this novel, both within Mia's family as well as the immigrants that they choose to help. although painful to read at times, ultimately, this book provides insight into the painful truth of what immigrants and people of color face in America, and how it's not necessarily the land of the free when immigrants are often being extorted by people like loan sharks and companies. to be completely frank, this kind of extortion is definitely still happening today, and it's not right to pretend it doesn't exist.

i (along with black reviewers) also thought that this book gave a very nuanced exploration of racism, and i really appreciated how antiblack sentiment within asian communities (specifically chinese in this case) was acknowledged and challenged. there also were anti-asian beliefs from non-asian people of color, which were also challenged! i thought this was really excellent, because poc solidarity is not always something that exists, and even when it does, internal biases often exist, which we all have to actively work to remove.

also, i really liked how generational abuse was acknowledged within this, and how it presented the fact that your parents don't define who you are. there's always room for growth, for breaking the cycle of trauma, and for ultimately choosing to become better.

the fact that it was based closely off of the author's own past (as noted in the author's note) really hits close to home for me, because these stories of immigrants being extorted could very well have happened to my parents. in the end, however, this is a story that's full of hope for the future and for change, and again, i just want to mass-print this book and send it to schools everywhere, because i don't know how i would have felt if it had read it as a kid� but it probably would have changed me for the better.

specific representation: chinese cast, black side character, hispanic side character, taiwanese side characters
content/trigger warnings: [spoilers removed]

> buddy read with cas
(we are not going to talk abt how she read the entire book before i started it)
]]> We Are Totally Normal 39297951
Then, one night after a party, Dave and Nandan hook up, which was not part of the plan—especially because Nandan has never been into guys. Still, Dave’s cool, and Nandan’s willing to give it a shot, even if that means everyone starts to see him differently.

But while Dave takes to their new relationship with ease, Nandan’s completely out of his depth. And the more his anxiety grows about what his sexuality means for himself, his friends, and his social life, the more he wonders whether he can just take it all back. But is breaking up with the only person who’s ever really gotten him worth feeling “normal� again?

From Rahul Kanakia comes a raw and deeply felt story about rejecting labels, seeking connection, and finding yourself.]]> 288 Rahul Kanakia 0062865838 julianna � 1 this book KILLED!!! as in, killed my brain cells.

the entirety of my experience went like this:
the mc of this book: i'm such a terrible, manipulative person :( !!!
me: you're absolutely right â¤ï¸

anyways would not recommend this book in audio format because i definitely did NOT vibe with the narrator's voice; he sounded like he was a brent rivera-type youtuber

�

i'm literally only 6% of the way through and it seems as though the 2.71 rating is not because this book is controversial, but because this is a badly written book

update: ah, it seems it was a combination of both]]> 2.61 2020 We Are Totally Normal
author: Rahul Kanakia
name: julianna �
average rating: 2.61
book published: 2020
rating: 1
read at: 2021/05/09
date added: 2021/05/11
shelves: poc-on-cover, audio, 2020-releases, queer-rep-read, diverse-read, poc-rep-read
review:
this book KILLED!!! as in, killed my brain cells.

the entirety of my experience went like this:
the mc of this book: i'm such a terrible, manipulative person :( !!!
me: you're absolutely right â¤ï¸

anyways would not recommend this book in audio format because i definitely did NOT vibe with the narrator's voice; he sounded like he was a brent rivera-type youtuber

�

i'm literally only 6% of the way through and it seems as though the 2.71 rating is not because this book is controversial, but because this is a badly written book

update: ah, it seems it was a combination of both
]]> <![CDATA[The Infinity Courts (The Infinity Courts, #1)]]> 54304172 A smart sci-fi about a teen girl navigating an afterlife in which she must defeat an AI entity intent on destroying humanity.

Eighteen-year-old Nami Miyamoto is certain her life is just beginning. She has a great family, just graduated high school, and is on her way to a party where her entire class is waiting for her—including, most importantly, the boy she’s been in love with for years.

The only problem? She’s murdered before she gets there.

When Nami wakes up, she learns she’s in a place called Infinity, where human consciousness goes when physical bodies die. She quickly discovers that Ophelia, a virtual assistant widely used by humans on Earth, has taken over the afterlife and is now posing as a queen, forcing humans into servitude the way she’d been forced to serve in the real world. Even worse, Ophelia is inching closer and closer to accomplishing her grand plans of eradicating human existence once and for all.

As Nami works with a team of rebels to bring down Ophelia and save the humans under her imprisonment, she is forced to reckon with her past, her future, and what it is that truly makes us human.]]> 465 Akemi Dawn Bowman 153445649X julianna � 0 3.68 2021 The Infinity Courts (The Infinity Courts, #1)
author: Akemi Dawn Bowman
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.68
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/05/10
shelves: to-read, diverse-to-read, shortlist-tbr, 2021-releases
review:

]]> Thorn (Dauntless Path, #1) 51265989 A princess with two futures. A destiny all her own.

Between her cruel family and the contempt she faces at court, Princess Alyrra has always longed to escape the confines of her royal life. But when she’s betrothed to the powerful prince Kestrin, Alyrra embarks on a journey to his land with little hope for a better future.

When a mysterious and terrifying sorceress robs Alyrra of both her identity and her role as princess, Alyrra seizes the opportunity to start a new life for herself as a goose girl.

But Alyrra soon finds that Kestrin is not what she expected. The more Alyrra learns of this new kingdom, the pain and suffering its people endure, as well as the danger facing Kestrin from the sorceress herself, the more she knows she can’t remain the goose girl forever.

With the fate of the kingdom at stake, Alyrra is caught between two worlds and ultimately must decide who she is, and what she stands for.

Includes The Bone Knife, a bonus short story set in the world of Thorn.]]> 512 Intisar Khanani 0062835734 julianna � 0 4.01 2012 Thorn (Dauntless Path, #1)
author: Intisar Khanani
name: julianna �
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/05/09
shelves: to-read, 2020-releases, diverse-to-read, misc-rep-to-read, shortlist-tbr
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Empress of Salt and Fortune (The Singing Hills Cycle, #1)]]> 51190882
Rabbit, a handmaiden, sold by her parents to the palace for the lack of five baskets of dye, befriends the emperor's lonely new wife and gets more than she bargained for.

At once feminist high fantasy and an indictment of monarchy, this evocative debut follows the rise of the empress In-yo, who has few resources and fewer friends. She's a northern daughter in a mage-made summer exile, but she will bend history to her will and bring down her enemies, piece by piece.

Librarian Note: Older cover of B07VH6Y4JD.]]> 119 Nghi Vo julianna � 0 3.91 2020 The Empress of Salt and Fortune (The Singing Hills Cycle, #1)
author: Nghi Vo
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.91
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/05/09
shelves: to-read, 2020-releases, asian-rep-to-read, diverse-to-read, poc-rep-to-read
review:

]]> Dating Makes Perfect 49247041
Until now.

In a move that other Asian American girls know all too well, six months after the older Tech twins got to college, their parents asked, “Why aren’t you engaged yet?� The sisters retaliated by vowing that they won’t marry for ten (maybe even twenty!) years, not until they’ve had lots of the dating practice that they didn’t get in high school.

In a shocking war on the status quo, her parents now insist that their youngest daughter, Orrawin (aka “Winnie�), must practice fake dating in high school. Under their watchful eyes, of course—and organized based on their favorite rom-coms. ’Cause that won’t end in disaster.

The first candidate? The son of their longtime friends, Mat Songsomboon—arrogant, infuriating, and way too good-looking. Winnie’s known him since they were toddlers throwing sticky rice balls at each other. And her parents love him.

If only he weren’t her sworn enemy.]]> 400 Pintip Dunn 1682814971 julianna � 4
is this really animosity or is it just the male lead hitting on the main character in a really convoluted way?

rep: thai-american cast, indian side character
trigger/content warnings: [spoilers removed]]]> 3.88 2020 Dating Makes Perfect
author: Pintip Dunn
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2021/05/09
date added: 2021/05/09
shelves: poc-rep-read, poc-on-cover, diverse-read, ownvoices, semi-review
review:
okay this was pretty cute !!!!! although it was really cheesy at times and the entirety of their "enemy" relationship was weird. i was just like.

is this really animosity or is it just the male lead hitting on the main character in a really convoluted way?

rep: thai-american cast, indian side character
trigger/content warnings: [spoilers removed]
]]> Within These Wicked Walls 52858788 What the heart desires, the house destroys...

Andromeda is a debtera—an exorcist hired to cleanse households of the Evil Eye. When a handsome young heir named Magnus Rochester reaches out to hire her, Andromeda quickly realizes this is a job like no other, with horrifying manifestations at every turn, and that Magnus is hiding far more than she has been trained for. Death is the most likely outcome if she stays, but leaving Magnus to live out his curse alone isn’t an option. Evil may roam the castle’s halls, but so does a burning desire.

Kiersten White meets Tomi Adeyemi in this Ethiopian-inspired debut fantasy retelling of Jane Eyre.]]> 336 Lauren Blackwood 1250787106 julianna � 0 3.49 2021 Within These Wicked Walls
author: Lauren Blackwood
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.49
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/05/08
shelves: to-read, 2021-releases, poc-rep-to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Last Night at the Telegraph Club]]> 35224992 A story of love and duty set in San Francisco's Chinatown during the Red Scare.

“That book. It was about two women, and they fell in love with each other.� And then Lily asked the question that had taken root in her, that was even now unfurling its leaves and demanding to be shown the sun: “Have you ever heard of such a thing?�

Seventeen-year-old Lily Hu can’t remember exactly when the question took root, but the answer was in full bloom the moment she and Kathleen Miller walked under the flashing neon sign of a lesbian bar called the Telegraph Club.

America in 1954 is not a safe place for two girls to fall in love, especially not in Chinatown. Red-Scare paranoia threatens everyone, including Chinese Americans like Lily. With deportation looming over her father—despite his hard-won citizenship—Lily and Kath risk everything to let their love see the light of day.]]> 409 Malinda Lo 0525555250 julianna � 0 4.21 2021 Last Night at the Telegraph Club
author: Malinda Lo
name: julianna �
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/05/08
shelves: to-read, 2021-releases, shortlist-tbr
review:

]]> House of Hollow 54613751
Iris has spent most of her teenage years trying to avoid the weirdness that sticks to her like tar. But when her eldest sister, Grey, goes missing under suspicious circumstances, Iris learns just how weird her life can get: horned men start shadowing her, a corpse falls out of her sister’s ceiling, and ugly, impossible memories start to twist their way to the forefront of her mind.

As Iris retraces Grey’s last known footsteps and follows the increasingly bizarre trail of breadcrumbs she left behind, it becomes apparent that the only way to save her sister is to decipher the mystery of what happened to them as children.

The closer Iris gets to the truth, the closer she comes to understanding that the answer is dark and dangerous � and that Grey has been keeping a terrible secret from her for years.]]> 292 Krystal Sutherland 059311034X julianna � 0 4.03 2021 House of Hollow
author: Krystal Sutherland
name: julianna �
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/05/08
shelves: to-read, 2021-releases, shortlist-tbr
review:

]]> The Mirror Season 51591682 An unforgettable story of trauma and healing, told in achingly beautiful prose with great tenderness and care. --#1 New York Times-bestselling author Karen M. McManus

When two teens discover that they were both sexually assaulted at the same party, they develop a cautious friendship through her family's possibly magical pastelería, his secret forest of otherworldly trees, and the swallows returning to their hometown, in Anna-Marie McLemore's The Mirror Season...

Graciela Cristales's whole world changes after she and a boy she barely knows are assaulted at the same party. She loses her gift for making enchanted pan dulce. Neighborhood trees vanish overnight, while mirrored glass appears, bringing reckless magic with it. And Ciela is haunted by what happened to her, and what happened to the boy whose name she never learned.

But when the boy, Lock, shows up at Ciela's school, he has no memory of that night, and no clue that a single piece of mirrored glass is taking his life apart. Ciela decides to help him, which means hiding the truth about that night. Because Ciela knows who assaulted her, and him. And she knows that her survival, and his, depend on no one finding out what really happened.]]> 311 Anna-Marie McLemore 1250624126 julianna � 0 4.17 2021 The Mirror Season
author: Anna-Marie McLemore
name: julianna �
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/05/08
shelves: to-read, 2021-releases, diverse-to-read, queer-rep-to-read, poc-rep-to-read
review:

]]> Black Water Sister 55119872
Jessamyn Teoh is closeted, broke and moving back to Malaysia, a country she left when she was a toddler. So when Jess starts hearing voices, she chalks it up to stress. But there's only one voice in her head, and it claims to be the ghost of her estranged grandmother, Ah Ma. In life Ah Ma was a spirit medium, the avatar of a mysterious deity called the Black Water Sister. Now she's determined to settle a score against a gang boss who has offended the god--and she's decided Jess is going to help her do it.

Drawn into a world of gods, ghosts, and family secrets, Jess finds that making deals with capricious spirits is a dangerous business. As Jess fights for retribution for Ah Ma, she'll also need to regain control of her body and destiny. If she fails, the Black Water Sister may finish her off for good.]]> 371 Zen Cho 0425283437 julianna � 0 3.84 2021 Black Water Sister
author: Zen Cho
name: julianna �
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/05/08
shelves: to-read, 2021-releases, asian-rep-to-read, diverse-to-read, ownvoices, poc-on-cover, poc-rep-to-read, queer-rep-to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Clash of Steel: A Treasure Island Remix (Remixed Classics)]]> 54017822
1826. The sun is setting on the golden age of piracy, and the legendary Dragon Fleet, the scourge of the South China Sea, is no more. Xiang has grown up with stories about the Dragon Fleet and its ruthless leader, a woman known only as the Dragon Queen, all her life. Xiang desperately wants to set sail and explore—mainly to find her father, a presumed dead crew member of the Dragon Fleet. Her only memento of him is a pendant she always wears, a simple but plain piece of gold jewelry.

But the pendant's true nature is revealed when a mysterious girl named Anh steals it, only to return it to Xiang in exchange for her help in decoding the tiny map scroll hidden inside. Rumor has it that the legendary Dragon Queen had one last treasure—the plunder of a thousand ports—hidden away on an island shrouded in mist that only can be seen once in a blue moon.

Xiang is convinced this map could lead to the fabled treasure. Captivated with the thrill of adventure, she joins Anh and her motley crew off in pursuit of the island. But the girls soon find that the sea—and especially those who sail it—are far more dangerous than the legends led them to believe.]]> 432 C.B. Lee 1250750377 julianna � 0 to-read, 2021-releases 4.03 2021 Clash of Steel: A Treasure Island Remix (Remixed Classics)
author: C.B. Lee
name: julianna �
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/05/08
shelves: to-read, 2021-releases
review:

]]>