many thanks to trinity nguyen for providing me with this e-arc. i reached out to her in exchange for an honest reviews, this doesn't affect my rating
wmany thanks to trinity nguyen for providing me with this e-arc. i reached out to her in exchange for an honest reviews, this doesn't affect my rating
warning: more ramblings than review. read at your own risk lol
somehow this universe has decided that i would have to read a book that talks about motherly love right before i move out of my mom's place, but i have to say that i have cherished this book ever since its announcement till the last sentence. for many years i have yearned for a sapphic vietnamese rep that takes place in vietnam, and trinity nguyen's book has been a wonderful gift to my bisexual vietnamese heart, even more so when i learned that, at the heart of this book, resides one of my favorite things about vietnamese culture: streetfood, particularly the relationship of food and love in vietnamese culture.
at first, it took me a while to get into this book, because i wasn't used to have so many vietnamese references, ones that can only be written by those that know vietnamese culture so intimately. for a long time one of my complains with diasporia literature is that the writing and the using of vietnamese terms often seem "inauthentic" to the lack of accent. nguyen's writing portrayed vietnamese culture in an incredible way that makes my heart yearns for my homeland, because she used non-westernized names for "ethnic" cultural terms, and that i deeply appreciated.
the thing is, the book is not exceptional by any mean as a "romance", with the young writer's prose and the insta-love, but ultimately this book is a love letter to vietnam, to its culture, to parenthood, to youth and to the love that exists in this world. per se i didn't concentrate properly on the romance aspect of vivi's and lan's queer relationship (although i deeply appreciate the existence of the rep) i find myself loving the representation of every forms of love that exists in vietnamese society and its many nuances. for many times throughout the years i have found myself in conflict with my mother, being raised in the "west" and experienced another kind of love than the one i could observe around me. but growing up i recognized the ambivalence in which a person can love in different socio-cultural context, and for that i am wholeheartedly moved by the way trinity nguyen wrote about parenthood, biological and otherwise that is constantly present in vietnamese society. the last sentence of the book moved me to tears, because in the end it's all about the people we care about in life, no matter the kind of relation we have, and how we express our love towards them. for that, i am grateful that this book exists....more
Many thanks to Marysue Rucci Books, Simon Elements, and NetGalley for providing me with this e-ARC. This review is my opinion. Note: any quote cited iMany thanks to Marysue Rucci Books, Simon Elements, and NetGalley for providing me with this e-ARC. This review is my opinion. Note: any quote cited in this review is from the advanced reader version and may be subjected to change upon publication.
"But what made people like Jujube and her family prizes to be won, cattle to be slaughtered, daughters to be raped, animals to be starved? [...] Your enemy looking like you - recognizing yourself in your enemy - made it so much worse because it mirrored back to you all the darkness you held."
*4.5/5
Above anything, The Storm We Made is a riveting and painful portrait of a Malay family's life under Japanese occupation during the Second World War, but it is also the tale of endless suffering and violence between a mother and her children. Cecily Alcantara, mother of Jujube, Abel and Jazmin, has been helping a Japanese general to plan the "liberation" of her country a decade before the war. Charmed by Fuijwara and his ideology "Asia for Asians", Cecily's collaboration with the Japanese brought upon her country a brutal fate and her family near destruction. This is a tale of horrible suffering, but also of love, hope, and the desire to revolt, both against the occupation and against oneself.
Despite its fragmented storytelling, I was captured by the force of the book's humanity. Each character is equally detestable as they are pitiful. Cecily, the housewife trapped in the monotony of her condition, seeks to take back her life from the hand of the dominating male society. Jujube, strong-willed, proves to be as empathetic as she is cruel in face of adversity. Abel, the martyr, who drowns himself in sorrow to escape the pain. Jazmin, the youngest, the most innocent, who tries to be free. The orchestra of characters weaves an aching fresco of lives torn apart by one's own humanity.
I believe that a writer's force resides firmly in the way they write their character, especially in a genre like this, and Vanessa Chan didn't fail to deliver. Throughout the book, I find myself groaning exasperately at the characters' "stupid" decision, at the children's naivete and lack of survival instincts, but then I remember that a 7-year-old child wasn't supposed to bear the violence of the war, that Cecily, as terrible and naive of a person she was, remains a mother and a woman first of all. The impressive characterization of this book is what carried me through this read, and reminded me that many of us was fortunate enough to never know the violence of war.
Overall, I thoroughly recommend The Storm We Made for those who wants a strongly compelling book about how humanity persists in face of violence, or for those, who wants to learn about the horrifying Japanese Occupation of Southeast Asia during WW2, too often forgotten in our history books.
"Brother Luke had taught the boys at school that absolution came only from god. But where was god when Akiro broke him on the inside, where was god when Brother Luke sold little boys to save his own skin, where was god now when his options were to murder to await a fate worse than death?"
Update July 2024: I will be withdrawing my review of this book in solidarity with the St. Martin's Press boycott, please visit @readersforaccountabiliUpdate July 2024: I will be withdrawing my review of this book in solidarity with the St. Martin's Press boycott, please visit @readersforaccountability on Instagram for more information. My request of this ARC was made before the boycott, and in my haste, I forgot the withdrawal (many thanks to the commentor, "blank", for the reminder)....more
After having to suffer endlessly at the hands of this book, I finally dragged myself over the finish line to free myself of this dreadful read that coAfter having to suffer endlessly at the hands of this book, I finally dragged myself over the finish line to free myself of this dreadful read that cost me a pair of glasses, numerous braincells, and three weeks of my life that I will never get back. This review is a rant about my terrible experience with The Hurricane Wars and it might contain mild spoilers, so read at your own risks.
I will start this review by saying that I wasn't aware that this was a Reylo fanfic until the 70% mark (thanks Mai), and while I try to put aside any prejudice I may have about published fanfiction, this may explain for the numerous problems (and calamities) this book has.
Initially, I was captivated by the worldbuilding of the world, until I realized that the author was just dumping a bunch of information over and over again. The politics and powers of Nenevar were described numerous times in the book, from the beginning to the very end chapter the descriptions were the same, just in different words. Mind you, this book is 480 pages, it was incredibly laborous to read through the hundreds of descriptions of things over and over again. When put in perspective, the world in this book reads like a transition between the fanfiction and an original work: in fanfictions, the characters and events are portrayed in a world that is already set, by consequence almost no worldbuilding is necessary. It may explain for why the world created by Guanzon is so poorly done.
The same things can be said about the characters. Like in many published fanfictions, the characterization is very lackluster (which is comprehensible because in FFs characters are already built). I cannot tell you more about the FMC other than that she has auburn hair, graceful form, olive skin, and a stubborn face. The MMC is even worse: tall form, black hair, big hands, and nothing else. For fantasy, I don't necessary like books that are character-driven, but unfortunately I don't like those that are driven by characters that are flat as an A4 paper, either, lest it be for 480 pages.
My biggest problem with this book lays in the tropes it has. When I heard that this book contains the arranged marriage trope, I was very excited because I LOVE that trope, so imagine my appallment when I realized that this is a colonizer romance. Yikes. When I say that common sense doesn't exist in this book, I mean it. The FMC, despite agonizing about how the MMC's and his army colonize her people, kill her comrades, massacre innocent people, still feels attraction and sympathy towards him. Like, I don't know, maybe you should consider your friends who are killed/oppressed before screwing your colonizer. Moreover, in my opinion, this book borderline contains an apology of colonialism, because, no, being a colonizer isn't sexy (despite many internal POV saying how it's necessary), and no, coercing the FMC into a marriage for the sake of being spare from colonization isn't either. I don't know what it is with an increased popularity of colonizer romances, but please, no more.
Overall, this would be your jam if you like Reylo colonizer romance with no substance. Otherwise, save your braincells and your time.
Many thanks to HarperCollins UK and NetGalley for this e-ARC. This review is my honest opinion.
Visit me on Instagram: @loverssrequiem
Bottom-line:: I honestly thought that, if I stayed through 90% of this bullshit, I would deserve a long, intense, well-written sex scene, not a half-ass scene with more incomprehensible metaphors than actual sex....more
Many thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for providing me with this e-ARC in exchange of my honest review.
The thing about Elizabeth Lim's writiMany thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for providing me with this e-ARC in exchange of my honest review.
The thing about Elizabeth Lim's writing is that it's incredibly whimsical and immersive. I might now like her plot or her characters, but her world will always get me. This book is no difference: I love the setting of the world and of the story. The story's exposition got me invested in Channi's journey, who I really liked at the beginning. Everything down to the 30% mark was a five-star to me.
But as the story progresses, I must confess: I couldn't care less about Vanna and the "sisterly bond", which is the driving point of the plot. I was bored with the endless actions that felt very repeated at some point, and frustrated with Channi's decisions.
See, I think this is more of a "me-not-you" thing because I have been noticing recently that I empathize less and less with the protagonist of YA Fantasy. Maybe it's because of my age (lol) or my taste shifting towards "adult" fiction, but I am increasingly annoyed towards the "righteous hero mentality". I will not detail the events because of spoilers, but Channi "betrayed" people who have risked their lives helping her for the sake of her sister, who, I must say, did nothing to save Channi from the abuse and insults.
Nevertheless, this book got a 4-stars from me because of the last three chapters. It was beautifully heartwrenching, and it really got me to appreaciate the character of Raikama more (Six Crimson Cranes). Overall, if you like Lim's previous works, you would like this one too.
Bottom-line: I still think that Channi is a very well-constructed character: she's strong, stubborn, and brave while still being humane/soft in certain moments; it's just her actions that sometimes exaperate me (her every decision is based around her sister, who I dislike)....more
Many thanks to Del Rey and NetGalley for providing me with this e-ARC. This does not affect my opinion of the book.
What can I say about this book thatMany thanks to Del Rey and NetGalley for providing me with this e-ARC. This does not affect my opinion of the book.
What can I say about this book that haven't been said by previous reviewers? I don't know what it is in the air, but this trend of colonizer romances needs to stop. After The Hurricane Wars and this one, I am not sure I can handle another.
First of all, I want it to be clear that I have read the author's note which contains her background and her inspiration for this book. I have also made a point of visiting Chang's social media to look for the promotion of her book, and after reading this, it is clear to me, that the Anthony, the Roman Prince is indeed a love interest to the main character (I don't care if he is the LI or one part of the triangle). After all there is no way going around this if you really read the book :))
I have to say that, against my expectations, I start this book liking it. The writing was very good, and the worldbuilding solidly developed (although, why Rome lmao?) We were introduced to the characters very smoothly and we get to see the outline of their caracterization, despite them not being outstanding or original in any mean. Ngl, for a moment I thought this wouldn't be as bad as my friends' negative feedback.
The thing is, I cannot fanthom why the author, who justifies her background with her grandfather being the witness to the brutal Western occupation in China, can write about her main character, supposedly symbol of the oppressed people and their resistance, having sympathy and trust for the prince of the oppresive sovereign, like ?????? I really thought in the beginning, judging from Ruying's thoughts to resist, to not betray her people, that this would be different, but boy was I wrong. Say it with me: A COLONIZER WITH A TRAUMATIC PAST IS STILL A COLONIZER! A COLONIZER WHO TREATS YOU WITH KINDNESS BECAUSE HE USES YOU BUT STILL MASSACRES YOUR PEOPLE IS STILL A COLONIZER. It is utterly nonsense to have a character, supposedly a smart, independant, rational one, completely throws away their ideals because they were treated with kindness during six weeks despite living under occupation for more than a decade. Ruying was sold to us readers as someone who makes choices to save her loved ones and her country, but the way she acted with Anthony made her a traitor to her cause in every sense of the word. As another character has called her and despite the author's best intention to make her a hero or whatever, Ruying is a coward, and you cannot convinced me that the way she acted in this book aligns with the way she was "promoted" to the audience.
Other than that, the writing starts to annoy me far on into the book because of its endless metaphors, coupled with the idiocy that is the caracterization. Bottom line, if you want to read a book about a complex female character who soughts to fight off occupation, go read the Poppy War by R.F. Kuang instead :)
Many thanks to the author and the publisher, Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, for providing me with this e-ARC.
Actual rating: 3.5/5 (rounded up to fouMany thanks to the author and the publisher, Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, for providing me with this e-ARC.
Actual rating: 3.5/5 (rounded up to four because, after all, it was fun).
If you ask me what the superior romance trope is, I would say, without hesitation, that it is friends-to-lovers (even better if it's best-friends-to-lovers). However, I believe that this trope is rarely executed well (e.g., People We Meet on Vacation) because, after searching for many years for my cup of tea in both fiction and fanfiction, I have only found three. Sadly, this is not one of my all-time favorites, but it isn't without merit.
Let's start with the good: I love how the author created a tangible and healthy dynamic between our two characters. Good communication has become so rare in romance nowadays that I was actually impressed that Hazel and Alex communicated their vulnerabilities and feelings smoothly to each other. I am so sick of miscommunication done poorly as a third act conflict that I really appreciated their development from friendship to maybe-something-more to a romantic relationship. Additionally, I really like Hazel as a character and her growth. I always love a "vulnerable hero/heroine becoming more confident and caring for themselves" plotline, and I find that the author wrote it very well here. Again, I have to insist on how good the communication in this book is: Hazel, very hesitant about love after the heartbreaks, broke out of her shell to seek love in Alex by communicating with him and her loved ones. A lot of props from me for that aspect.
Unfortunately, this book didn't do so well in other aspects: Alex was flat AF, random character quirks that I didn't like, too much showing and not enough telling, cringy banter at times, and my biggest problem with this book (and with a lot of best-friends-to-lovers romance) is that the friendship wasn't developed enough. For example, I can say that my best friend knows me better than myself, but that's because we have known each other for 18 years. Obviously, I am not saying that the friendship needs to have spanned 18 years, but you can't expect me to believe that two adults are "best friends" and "know each other microscopically" when they have only known each other for two years, one of which was long-distance. I need to understand these people's deep connection and understanding of each other for me to root for them as best friends and as lovers. I need to see flashbacks, conversations, and development from a casual friendship to a profound one. Additionally, l-bombs were dropped way too quickly for my liking: the book starts when they meet, two pages later they were already best friends, three more pages and one of them is already crazy in love. I want to see the yearning, the desperation of loving someone you're afraid to lose and hurt, the hope but also the pain of having someone who sees through you, etc. That was what I expected getting into this book, but unfortunately, it didn't deliver.
I digress, so bottom line: Just Friends is a fun, feel-good romance if you're searching for a low-stress, agreeable, and overall quite delightful read. However, I wouldn't recommend it if you really want a profound friends-to-lovers arc, though....more
Many thanks to HarperCollins Children's Books and NetGalley for providing me an e-ARC in exchange of my honest review.
I think that this might be one oMany thanks to HarperCollins Children's Books and NetGalley for providing me an e-ARC in exchange of my honest review.
I think that this might be one of the "it's not you, it's me" case: this book will, without a doubt, bring comfort to many readers, but unfortunately, I have realized that YA contemporary is not a genre that I continue to enjoy.
The themes treated in this book mean a lot to me. Being Asian-American myself, I felt seen by the discussion of family heritage, traditional values, identity and labels. I also appreciate the discussion around being having both Chinese and Vietnamese heritage, as I don't see it represented often.
Nevertheless, the characters and the romance aren't particularly to my taste: I find the characters quite juvenile for their age, and the progression of the friendship/romance feels rushed. I must admit that I skimmed a lot of pages, because the secondhand embarassement was pretty strong half-way through the book.
My favorite characters are Rollo and the dog so kudos to them.
Find me on my Bookstagram: @shardsofdeadlove....more
Regards to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for providing me an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Honestly, this is a weird one because I intenseRegards to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for providing me an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Honestly, this is a weird one because I intensely dislike it, but at the same time, it inspires within me a deep sense of admiration because a rare beauty transposes within the prose.
We follow a double POV, one in the present and one in the past, and both evolve around a mysterious and beautiful woman named Indigo Maxwell-Casteñada. In the present, we follow the Bridegroom, a young historian who married Indigo, and vowed to never pry into her past. In parallel, we follow Indigo and her best friend when they were teenagers, all of this before the best friend's mysterious disappearance.
The Last Tale of the Flower Bride is pitched as a gothic fantasy, but for me, it is more like a thriller. The writing is incredibly atmospheric, and the prose breathtakingly gorgeous. The plot twist had me shocked (maybe I am just stupid, but I was left there, gaping). However, I find little substance in the story. I dislike every character intensely, and to be honest, each character feels like an archetype with no complexity. The chemistry between the Bridegroom and Indigo is non-existent. But for some reason, this book has a lot of charm, maybe because it reflects the author's ambitions and talents. Roshani Chokshi is an incredibly sensible author, and aI truly wish that she had done more work on her plot rather than betting everything on her flowery prose, because we all know that a fantasy needs a plot.
Overall, I wouldn't recommend it if you are in for a fantasy, or even a thriller for that matters, but if you want a taste of a breathtaking and langourous prose in a gothic setting, you should give this a try....more
Many regards to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for providing me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
Alexa, please play "Illitcit Affairs" by Many regards to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for providing me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
Alexa, please play "Illitcit Affairs" by Taylor Swift.
A Scatter of Light is a sapphic, coming-of-age story of Aria Tang West, half-Chinese half-White, set at the dawn of Obergefell v. Hodges. Aria, who was supposed to spend a summer with her friends in their villa, found herself being forced to spend her summer at her grandma's place in California. Here, she would embark on a quest of discovery and self-acceptance through a relationship with Joan West's gardener, Steph.
Like Last Night at the Telegraph Club, this is a book about accepting self's queerness. Set in a very special context, Malinda Lo brings the readers on the journey to discover the colorful queer culture of 2015 California, where our protagonist, new to the vibrancy and the dynamics of queerness, learned to accept her identity. I also really like Malinda Lo's social commentary, although sometimes I feel like it could be more implicit. Moreover, the characters, namely Aria, Joan, Steph, were thoroughly developed: they felt pretty much like real people.
As much as the good points go, I cannot give this book more than 3.5/5 because of THAT trope. Normally I wouldn't mind, because it would provide the angst, but in this case I didn't like it at all. Sure, maybe (view spoiler)[Lisa wasn't the best partner, but Aria's and Steph's apologetic cheating just itched me very badly. Like Steph could have broken up before idk. (hide spoiler)]. The other element I wish the author had better developed was the grief. The tragic event happened way too late in the book, as a consequence, Aria's mourning wasn't as thoroughly shown as it should be in my opinion. (view spoiler)[Joan was a constant string in Aria's development as a person and as an artist, I wish Aria's mourning and reflection on this death was longer than 5 pages. (hide spoiler)]. However, I think that the ending was highly tasteful for its openness, as it is not a love story with a happy ending.
Overall, I recommend this book if you are open to some unpopular tropes, but I don't think fans of Last Night at the Telegraph Club will necessarily like this one. Nevertheless, A Scatter of Light stands on its own as a meaningful coming-of-age story set in a period where queer culture became legitimized in American society, and how a new adult came to terms with her queerness in this particular context....more
With You Deserve Each Other being my favorite romance of the year, it's unfortunate to say that I absolutely hate this.
To be honest, I might have put With You Deserve Each Other being my favorite romance of the year, it's unfortunate to say that I absolutely hate this.
To be honest, I might have put too much faith in Sarah Hogle. I grew up detesting holiday-themed rom-coms so normally I would have avoided this but I wanted to try the new SH.
It's baffling to me that in the beginning of the book, every single character (except Hall who was quite literally the most absurb character I've read about but at least he is fun) was extremely insufferable and self-centered. However, in the end, all of them became saints (surprise surprise): the redemption is so goddamn ridiculous. The way SH wrote them in the beginning is partiularly convincing (and hateable) so I find it hard to believe that they became the best relatives in the world over the course one week. And to be honest, I didn't are about the romance; my mood was too sour to enjoy anything. It was a regrettable experience to say the least....more
Many thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for providing me with this e-ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.
The feeling of feeling blown away Many thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for providing me with this e-ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.
The feeling of feeling blown away by a book that I didn't have many expectations of is just so satisfying, and it's what I can say about this book.
Belladonna follows Signa Farrow, an orphan who is able to see Death since her parents' death. Expected to inherit her family's wealth when she turns 20, Signa has been living with multiple guardians, all solely interested in her wealth but every single one of them also met an untimely end. When she arrives at Thorn Grove, she discovered that the Hawthornes might be in grave danger, and decides to find out who wishes them harm.
This is an atmospheric gothic mystery fantasy that I thoroughly enjoyed for the most part. Signa was an overall satisfying character to follow, even though sometimes she was too reckless for her own good. I also love how she solved the mystery behind the murder of Lilian Hawthorne as I did not expect the plot twist (I was dead set on my theory that I audibly gasped when the twist came). Most of the elements are highly believable as the mystery was wrapped up fairly well. However, I was quite bored at the middle of the book because sometimes the story slogged a little bit.
My favorite part of this book was the relationship. First of all, I love how Signa and Blythe managed to become friends over the course of the story despite the disastrous first impression. Blythe was truly a queen and I am looking forwards to seeing her in the sequel. However, my favorite part of the book was the romance between Signa and Death. Yes, now my standards for men have come to a metaphysical dude wrapped around by shadows. At first, I thought Death was going to be like Luc from The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue but I love how Death was perfected respectful of Signa, and frankly, I adored their chemistry (remind me a lot of Kingdom of the Wicked). There were several scenes that made me screaming crying throwing up because of how sweet they are, and I am happy about that.
And the ending!! I know all too well the pain of being left off at a cliffhanger when the book is not even out yet! Needless to say that I would beg for an ARC of Foxglove because I need it right now!...more
Many thanks to Redhook Books and NetGalley for providing me with this e-ARC in exchange of my honest review.
Rating: 3.5/5
This book is the incarnation Many thanks to Redhook Books and NetGalley for providing me with this e-ARC in exchange of my honest review.
Rating: 3.5/5
This book is the incarnation of a lesbian-academic-who-happens-to-drink-blood's Pinterest board. This feels like a long woody table decorated with Queens of the Night, red wine from Bordeaux, and Maraschino cherries in whipped cream. This feels like a date with your secret lesbian lover at night in a haunted Austrian castle, where Chopin can be heard from the deep forest near by.
The thing is, S.T. Gibson's atmosphere cannot fail. An Education in Malice is a lush, darkly riveting tale by its setting and its caracter. It's a tale of an intense teacher-student obsession, the quest for grandeur, art, and above all, love. De Lafontaine and Camilla are such interesting characters, and the role Laura played in this whole dynamic is as compelling to read as it is delightful to devour. I find myself marvelling at Gibson's writing, because it thrusted me the world that she created throughout the whole experience. Although I was very sick during the week that I read this, every time I opened my Kindle I found myself captured by the prose on the screen. I don't think I would have liked this book very much had it been written by another.
The thing about these books that are more aesthetic than substance, is that sometimes I am left wanting more from the plot. I wish the murder affair had been more suspenseful (and it would definitely help had the murderer hadn't been revealed before). I also think that the ending was awfully conventional for such an audacious book. Finally, I felt like the relationship between our main girls were slightly rushed, I wish the yearning was more balanced because I felt like the hate-to-love transition was rather abrupt.
Overall, this was a very enjoyable read. I would recommend this less to people seeks a proper, suspenseful horror but more to those who seek a picturesque, terribly sexy and carnal read.
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"bloodstained love letter to ambitious girls, all-consuming desires, and the agonies and ecstasies of academia"
holy shit GIVE IT TO ME. NOW.
update june 22th 2023: the synopsis sounds like music to my ear ...more
Thank you W. W. Norton & Company and NetGalley for this e-ARC
I truly don't know how to express my thoughts about Saha
First of all, the worldbuilding iThank you W. W. Norton & Company and NetGalley for this e-ARC
I truly don't know how to express my thoughts about Saha
First of all, the worldbuilding is good, wish it was more atmpospheric but the tone is set. The commentary on capitalism is there.
But for most part this book has so much potential but the execution is not it. I feel like the author had a common thread to tie everything together, but the result is very underwhelming.
The thing is, the snippets of different characters are good, great even, but the way they are put together is very disconnected. Some characters overshadow the others but at the same time, many side characters have their back stories told in vivid details, but never shown again. Overall, very confusing....more
Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group Ballantine and NetGalley for providing me with this digital advanced copy in exchange for an honest revieMany thanks to Random House Publishing Group Ballantine and NetGalley for providing me with this digital advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own, honest thoughts about this book.
Fourteen years ago, a fire devastated the famous orchard on Saoirse Island, leaving behind the body of the young Lily Morgan. In the wake of the tragedy, August Salt, a close friend of Lily, was pinned as the main suspect, although he was never charged with the crime. Nevertheless, August and his mother left the island and swore to never get back, leaving behind his love and Lily's best friend, Emery Blackwood. Now, August goes back to Saoirse to bury his mother and opens old wounds on this isolated island.
I am always skeptical when a YA author ventures into the adult territory because it might be a source of tone problems, and unfortunately it was the case with this book. The main characters (August, Emery, Dutch) are in their mid-thirties, but their voice still sounds very young to me. Additionally, the voice of the side characters (who are slightly older) almost blends in, which renders the story very monotonic.
About the plot, I have realized that small-town mysteries like this are probably not for me (see The Lighthouse Witches). However, I still do think that the plot in this book is very predictable, and almost follows a narrative structure that is repeated over and over again in this genre.
On the positive side, the atmosphere of the book is great, excellent even. Adrienne Young's lush prose painted a serious, slightly eerie landscape of the island, which I highly appreciated. It's a shame that the rest appears very lukewarm to me.
Overall, it was not the best book I have ever read, nor is it the worst. If you are familiar with the small-town mystery structure, you probably shouldn't read this. If you are just in for the eerie vibe, I say go for it, it would probably be a fun time....more
Many regards to Random House Children's for providing me with an e-ARC via NetGalley in exchange of my honest review.
"A sword's purpose may be dete
Many regards to Random House Children's for providing me with an e-ARC via NetGalley in exchange of my honest review.
"A sword's purpose may be determined by its wielder, but take the weapon away entirely, and neither the merciful nor the cruel may draw blood with it.
This book brought me onto a roller-coaster of emotions with a great start, a mediocre medium, and an excellant ending. I rarely change my rating as quickly as this: at the 50% mark, I was convinced that this was going to be a 2-star-read, but the last action sequence blew my mind, and now we're here, with a 3.75/5 rounded down (because the ending left me a little disappointed).
The book started out smoothly: we were introduced to our main characters, Lan and Zen, who I quickly fell in love with. I love their dynamic, and how they balance each other. The slowburn is exquisite, and I loved seeing how they came to trust and to lean on each other.
However, the middle bit of this book was incredibly tedious as the actions were quite repetitive. I honestly didn't know that this book is 500-page-long (which is a lot for a first book of a YA Fantasy series), and I think that a big chunk of it could have been cut off or condensed. Nevertheless, I was really getting into the tension around the 75% mark. Amélie Wen Zhao knew how to build up tension for an explosive final battle and I can appreciate that. I was on my toes, reading as if my life depended on it.
Pacing problems aside, what really prevents me from loving this book was its lack of uniqueness. At this point, every mythology-inspired book starts to read the same, because the authors would take the original myths and dress it up as worldbuilding with little to no change. I think that's why I tend to enjoy Adult Fantasy more, because the YA Fantasy genre lack the freshness I crave. The same can be said for the characters and the events: a lot of them falls into archetypes or clichés that I have seen again and again. For example, I wish the ending was a little different, more intense perhaps, because I feel like I have read this before in other books.
Bottom-line: I didn't plan to read the sequel, but the last 80 pages changed my mind. I hope Amélie Wen Zhao has planned something explosive for the second book and the publisher has a gorgeous cover waiting for it *wink wink*.
Find me on my bookstagram @shardsofdeadlove...more
from the bottom of my heart, all i want to do right now is to drop to my knees and present some flowers to yulin kuang.
in reality, i lack the approprifrom the bottom of my heart, all i want to do right now is to drop to my knees and present some flowers to yulin kuang.
in reality, i lack the appropriate words to describe what this book has done to me. i have never identified myself as a romance lover because i have a hard time identifying my vision of love in popular romances. one exception to that is emily henry, which many assimilate to "chick-lit". maybe that's my genre of love stories after all, because at the end of the day, i find this genre of romances to be more emotionally sensible and humane and i think what we have here is a new reference title of the genre, and personally one of my new favorite books of all time.
"how to end a love story" follows helen zhang, a successful writer of a YA series and its TV adaptation, and grant shepard, a successful screenwriter of the project. the novel opened with the death of helen's sister, michelle, and how grant is involved in the tragedy. the main story started a decade later, where our two protagonists meet again in the writers' room.
this book has the wittiness of an emily henry novel, the emotional tenderness of olivie blake, and the delicious angst of a 100k-work-slowburn-hurt and comfort fanfic on ao3. somehow in barely 300 pages, yulin kuang's writing pushed me down a roller coaster of emotions, between the romantic part and the family issues part (get a girl that can do both!) i felt deeply seen in the helen's and grant's love through vulnerability and acceptance, but also helen's relation to her mother. of course, we have seen many representations of immigrant mother-daughter relationship, but i really like the direction of the book took in exploring helen's dilemma between honoring michelle's memories and living her life free of expectations.
this book is a tenderly vulnerable portrayal of love in many of its form. i think that yulin kuang writes with a lot of emotional intelligence: there is something very shocking about the beginning that i almost didn't continue. the situation makes me uncomfortable, because i feel (and identify) with the deep pain the characters went through. yulin, the screenwriter she is, makes readers feel emotion by mastering the "show not tell" through the whole novel: for example, i find myself screaming crying throwing up at the couch scene (iykyk) because it was so sexy but still very intimate. that scene reminds me a lot of the church scene in alone with you in the ether and the cathedral scuplture of rodin. there is always so much tenderness, intimacy, and respect in the love that exists. at many points, i find myself in awe with the way yulin kuang just seems to see straight into my heart because with the relationship of grant and helen, it just feels right, it makes sense that they are together and it makes sense that they feel a profound love for each other, and for this i salute yulin kuang. fews have done this as well as she has.
overall, "how to end a love story" firmly establishes itself as one of my favorite romances of all time, maybe even of all time i sit on it long enough. reading this i am not surprised that yulin kuang got a seven-figure deal in a six-bidder auction for her first three books because in my opinion she will become a new figure of the romance community. i am excited to see what she has to offer next and will be waiting the next book with utmost impatience (avon, if you heard me and want to send me an ARC ...more
This is a weird book to review since I don't exactly like it, but I can't help but laugh when I think about it either. The Book of Azrael is a debut NThis is a weird book to review since I don't exactly like it, but I can't help but laugh when I think about it either. The Book of Azrael is a debut NA romantic fantasy that has glowering reviews so apparently this is a "me" thing.
As for the genre, Amber Nicole handled both aspect wonderfully. The worldbuilding is well fleshed out without being too dumpy or difficult to follow, of which I find admiring considering the scale of her world. The conflict and the factions are clearly defined in their context, no overbearing history lecture was given, a thing many experienced fantasy authors still struggle with. Moreover, I really like the tension between Dianna and Liam, especially the banter at the beginning. Dianna is so snarky towards Liam and I absolutely love every second of it. Safe to say that their steamy scene had me all giggling like an idiot. And while we only got glimpses of it, I really appreciate the soulmate dynamic that Logan and Neverra got going on.
Another aspect I like more than the rest is the caracterization of Dianna. I appreciate how the author didn't try to diminish her rage and her power even when she started opening up to Liam as oppose to many, many other romance fantasy. In addition, as a warrior, Dianna made mistakes. Despite being a godlike creature, she needs training like any other. Amber Nicole did not make her an overpowering Mary Sue, and I like that very much.
For now this seems like I only have praise for this book, but perhaps the greatest flaw and also the downfall is the writing. This is Amber Nicole's first book and it shows. The writing is very weird, not exactly repetitive or clunky but overall feels very mediocre. Furthermore, there are also some stylistic choice that are very... questionable. Maybe it's just me, but I honestly can't take the name "Liam" seriously around names like Neverra, Alistair, or even Tobias and Logan. And I am also convinced that Amber Nicole never has siblings because um... those sisterly conversations are some of the cringiest I have read about (again, maybe it's just my dysfunctional household, but I had to physically stop reading the book after the Gabriella's and Dianna's conversations). These elements make the book really laughable for me.
Overall this could have been a very solid romantic fantasy but it is still very flawed since it is a debut. Nevertheless, I am looking forwards to read the sequel since that ending promises me a corruption arc and some dangerous raging.
I do have a question concerning the plot: If Dianna is one of the Four Kings, and they existed long before Liam's generation of gods, how was Dianna and her sister still true mortals dying in the desert because of the plague, which was caused by the fall of the gods?
All my regards to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me this e-ARC in exchange of my honest review ------------------------------------------------------ Pre-review
Except for the ending, I refuse to take this book seriously. RTC...more
Many regards to Poisoned Pen Press for providing me with this advanced copy via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
This book is a thrilling anMany regards to Poisoned Pen Press for providing me with this advanced copy via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
This book is a thrilling and accessible murder mystery, involving four strangers-to-friends, and a woman's mysterious scream, which takes place in the Boston Municipal Library. However, we soon discovered that this story is a book-in-progress by a bestselling mystery writer, Hannah Tigone. As a consequence, alongside the fictional murder mystery, we also follow Tigone's writing process throughout her correspondence with a mysterious beta reader, Leo.
From the beginning of the book, I was very hooked on the creativity of the dual narratives which the author executed fairly well (aka it is not confusing to understand or follow the two plots at once). Both of them were appealing to read, as the storytelling was thrilling and easy to follow. At one point I was completely absorbed in the pages. I love seeing the mystery playing out with every development and the characters' involvement in the story (for once, they seem like people you can cross in your daily life) because it was very fluid and natural. The other plotline is also very captivating to read about because while the main point is the mystery surrounding Leo, I was extremely interested in the way a beta-reader can effectively change an author's tone on a story, to the point where Leo became the one dictating what to write and what not to.
The point where this book disappointed me is the ending of both plotlines. For the murder mystery one, the bad guy was so obvious (at least for me) because at one point the author suddenly dumped a bunch of information about this one person that I immediately guessed who the murderer was. On the other hand, the plot about Hannah Tigone and her beta-reader was resolved in a very anti-climactic way as I feel like all the build-up and the tension were gone in a matter of seconds.
Overall, this book was a satisfying read although it wasn't the best mystery ever (I wish it was though because the potential was high). Despite the disappointment, I still enjoyed most of this book and I hope someone else will love this more than me. <3
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Original review: It was good when it lasted. RTC...more
Many thanks to HarpersCollins Children's Books and NetGalley for providing me with this e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Let's be honest here: Many thanks to HarpersCollins Children's Books and NetGalley for providing me with this e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Let's be honest here: this and The Box in the Woods are utterly unnecessary to the original trilogy, but hey, good for Maureen Johnson for getting the coins she deserves. At least this is entertaining.
Out of every mystery in this entire series so far, I like this one the most. Back in 1995, nine close friends spent a night playing hide-and-seek in an old English manor during a stormy night. The morning after, they discovered that two of them had been murdered brutally in the woodshed of the manor. It was ruled a burglary gone wrong, but one of them had seen something inexplainable that night.
It was a delight to return to the world I came to love so much. Nate was just as amazing as in the previous books. Janelle and Vi are so adorable together. Stevie was a little bit annoying at times, but I enjoy her wittiness. And David, I still hope that he had remained disappeared in Book 2.
The way Maureen Johnson solved the mystery is reasonable. While nothing too crazy happened unlike The Box in the Woods, it is perfectly logical while remaining unpredictable. Johnson was able to mix up the formula for each book, and I really appreciate that. I think the reason that I like this one so much more is because we got to see the accounts from the last during the event itself and it adds a lot of tension to the plot.
Overall, this was a very enjoyable read. Still not my favorite YA mystery ever but I hope that Johnson comes out with more because I can't have enough of this friend group.
I recommend this series to people who enjoy YA mysteries like A Good Girl's Guide to Murder but in an atmospheric setting and a wider cast of characters....more
lisa (fc hollywood's version)
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