Thank you Penguin Teen Canada and Netgalley for the eARC.
This graphic novel is adorable with tAngelica and the Bear Prince by Trung Le Nguyen
5 stars
Thank you Penguin Teen Canada and Netgalley for the eARC.
This graphic novel is adorable with the use of fairytale retellings. I love how the author addressed how he was aiming for something light and simple with a nod to the retelling East of the Sun, West of the Moon but I feel like this was so well done and would not change for anything.
Angelica, our main character, has been all go-go-go for the longest time. She does a bit of everything, never says no, and loves the busy moments in her life. One day, it just all comes crashing down on her as she feels very overwhelmed and she needs a break. Unexpectedly, she received a scholarship in her local theatre and found herself unexpectedly corresponding with the person wearing the Per the Bear costume. Will she be able to overcome this and find herself again?
“Things will always need doing. The dream is to find the thing you don’t mind doing whenever is comes up”
Angelica struggles with her current mindset of feeling overwhelmed as she went from being busy to managing one project. She tries to break down the issues by analyzing her feelings, and using logic to solve it. So much so that, it led to a huge argument between her and her best friend who just wanted her to lend a listening ear. She also struggles to reconnect with her mum as they both have similar mindsets when it comes to dealing with problems. It leads to the person behind Per the Bear to point out the why for her to realize this. I love how resilient her character is and how she strives to never give up!
I also love that the story also has great supporting characters with some of them holding their own personal side stories. We got to learn about Angelica’s best friend and her struggles with her current relationship, her parents and her mum’s struggles to connect with Angelica, the grief they went through when they lost her grandma, the history of the local theater and its founder, the grief it left behind when the founder passed and the fairytale of Per the Bear.
The artwork is phenomenal! The way the author handles serious topics like burnout, grief, filial piety, standing up for oneself and the struggles of being a teen is so great to see. It’s so great to see an assembly of diverse characters and how we are taken on this magical journey that is sweet, hopeful and adorable.
I would absolutely recommend it to everyone as it’s such a great read!...more
This YA book features Gemma Sun, who never knew about her ties to her Taiwanese roots as she was raised by her mum submerged in AmerReview: 4.75 stars
This YA book features Gemma Sun, who never knew about her ties to her Taiwanese roots as she was raised by her mum submerged in American culture. After high school graduation, she found out that her grandfather, whom she never knew, passed and left her a box of clues for a treasure hunt that she hoped would lead her to a family inheritance she could use for her college funds, having a poor upbringing. However, to resolve the clues left, she will have to go to Taiwan and will need the help of her school nemesis and ex, Xander, for help…
Okay, I ADORE this book. This was my first book by Gloria, and it did not disappoint. Gemma is such a relatable character. She grew up in America, never knowing anything about her Taiwanese roots, and never really had an interest in learning more about it, especially when all she wanted to do was be able to fund her college tuition. The unexpected gift that her grandfather, whom she never knew, left her was a shock, especially when she realized that her mum had lied to her about her family's past. She is determined to solve this puzzle and hopes that the inheritance will be able to offset her college tuition fees that she may not afford. I empathize with her. As a first-generation immigrant, you sometimes feel like you are outside looking in. I also love how the character blossomed from being a very closed-off character who assumes that she is the only person in the group not knowing Mandarin and her culture to realize that there are similar people who may have the same upbringing as hers if she opens herself up to people.
Her relationship with Xander is very complicated, bringing in some rivals-to-lovers and second-chance romance vibes. I found their interactions amusing to start with, and it was wonderful to see both of them realizing that there were misunderstandings in play, especially with their unexpected discovery of their complicated family past.
Through the food and the places they visited, I could picture the vividness of Taiwan. I love the unexpected twists that the author throws at me, keeping me guessing. It made this a fast and enjoyable read for me. This story is about Gemma’s self-discovery, love of her roots and culture, and many treasure hunt adventures. It's a great YA story about self-discovery of one's roots written so wonderfully with an ode to the Taiwanese culture.
Thank you. Netgalley and Penguin Young Readers Group/Viking for the eARC!...more
Told in a semi-biography style, this book shows a peek into the lives of Swee Lian and her Penang Peranakan-Chinese family. We follow Swee Lian from hTold in a semi-biography style, this book shows a peek into the lives of Swee Lian and her Penang Peranakan-Chinese family. We follow Swee Lian from her pre-birth days to childhood and, finally, late teens as she learns about her rich heritage through folklore, lessons and local superstitions with a dash of humour and tradition thrown in, such as no clipping toenails at night, and point to the moon might get your ears chopped off and the tale of the Pontianak ghost.
It is no surprise that reading this book brings a wave of homesickness about missing Malaysia. Having grown up with some of these superstitions and local tales myself and speaking to the author, this book was a homage to her family and heritage while she was overseas and missing Malaysia. I see some parts of my childhood in these stories and how much I missed Penang and its Hokkien dialect. Local weddings, funeral rites, festivals, and hungry ghost festival customs are also mentioned throughout the book. A touch of superstitions with mediums, talismans, fortune tellers and Guan Yin…a fact to note that my dad was a sickly child when he was a baby. My grandmother brought my dad to the temple, which resulted in him being a godchild to Guan Yin and was healed.
Some parts of the story have open endings at times, leading to the reader's interpretation and imagination. I also love the illustrations throughout the chapters, which make the book more fun and wholesome to read. There were some spooky moments, with possessions of her cousins, the hungry ghost festival, and Malaysian folklore. I also love the Malaysian slang, which makes the book so uniquely Malaysian. AND THE FOOD...*drools*
Let me also note that I rarely read autobiographies for a reason as I love my fiction books heavily. So, this might not have been something I picked up if it wasn’t for the book tour. (It's probably a good thing I neglected to read the synopsis…)
Overall, this read is oddly intriguing, and it would be recommended if you would like to know more about Malaysian culture. It is an ode to Malaysian culture and rich heritage in many ways.
Thank you to Kopi Soh, the author and Penguin SEA for a digital copy of the book for the book tour....more
The story is a peek into the lives of Nathan, Junie, his cousin and close friend Sachin, as they navigate their teen lives in schoolReview: 4.75 Stars
The story is a peek into the lives of Nathan, Junie, his cousin and close friend Sachin, as they navigate their teen lives in school. Classified as school nerds, they are usually not a part of the popular crowd and at times would be subjected to the persona non grata moments. Their lives expanded with the addition of Aida, a recent transfer student who adds some glamour into their lives. However, Nathan’s life is disrupted with the disappearance of his precious Siamese cat, Lapsang Souchong and when searching for his cat, stumbled upon a more intricate plot relating to illegal wildlife breeding.
I appreciate the author staying true to the multicultural aspects of the Malaysian landscape. References of the yummylicious Malaysian food, the historical tales of cats around the world and the references to a lot of worldly knowledge I was not aware of. I also love the author’s play on Malaysian mythologies like Cempaka Lane with some mystery thrown in.
While this book is noted to be a YA, the story has a way of pulling the reader in and would have enough elements to make it a good read for everyone. ...more
What an epic conclusion! It is poetic and well-written, featuring some Asian-inspired legends thrown in with a HEA and some extras to follow.
My bestiWhat an epic conclusion! It is poetic and well-written, featuring some Asian-inspired legends thrown in with a HEA and some extras to follow.
My bestie, who has been reading BL for years, highly recommended this series to me. The start of the series was slightly confusing as you get thrown into the world-building.
I have to salute the author for her research into Chinese and Buddhist mythology with folklore thrown in. The supernatural and fantasy parts were so well-written making this a great read! I adore both main leads due to their strong natures and sweet and serious moments - the romance was compelling! The side characters were also wonderfully done with some character growth thrown in.
Okkkkk, this story is just such a cute-sy and fluffy YA read.
All About You touches Jaslene who just had the best meet-cute moment with a boy 4 Stars!
Okkkkk, this story is just such a cute-sy and fluffy YA read.
All About You touches Jaslene who just had the best meet-cute moment with a boy at the bookstore. Being the hopeless romantic that she is, she is convinced the boy is the ONE. However, her Filipino family ships her with her mum’s best friend's son, Marlon who grew up alongside her and they do not get along! In order to break them of their “delusions”, she and Marlon hatched a plan to fake-date and stage a break up after to end the pairing idea once and for all. Of course, during the course of these, they slowly fall in love with one another…insert chaos (in a good way).
Honestly, Jaslene reminds me of me when I was in my teens. I was crazy about reading romance, especially regency romance. I adore her familial bond with her sister and her parents and her love for food! The fact that she also loves anime and books make her such a relatable character in every way. I just love how as much as she is a romantic at heart, she also has some insecurities and would need a little nudge along the way. Marlon is seriously the sweetest - the fact that he roots for Jaslene and cares about her interests like k-pop and books makes him an A+ boyfriend. Their interactions and banter are just adorable and I was smiling all the way when reading.
This story also touches on familial bonds seeing that Jaslene is close to her immediate family and interacts often with her extended family. It is a good representation of the Filipino culture. Also, the food described has my mouth watering and I’m definitely grabbing Filipino food on my next meal.
Thank you, Shaina for the lovely eARC and I look forward to your next books....more
I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed reading this book. It was also a fun buddy read with Lynne (wordsofmystery).
The story's premis4 Star
I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed reading this book. It was also a fun buddy read with Lynne (wordsofmystery).
The story's premise is told in Sunny's POV, a nine-tailed fox in hiding until she was found by Ethan, who she unexpectedly left 8 years ago for fear of getting too close to Ethan and his brother. Ethan needs Sunny’s help to locate his brother’s murderer, and this unexpectedly brings them to realize that something more is in play here, where Sunny has to embrace the past she was running and save the world from annihilation.
This reads more like a new adult compared to YA to me because of the steamy sex scenes found. I appreciate the author keeping the Korean elements of the story where the author didn’t English-fy it. My only wish is I didn’t even realized there was a glossary at the end and maybe footnotes would have been ideal here. The urban fantasy vibes mixed with Korean folklore made it a fun read and the author did a great job balancing both aspects.
This book is a solid, digestible read, as the world-building is slow to start due to Sunny having only minimal knowledge of the supernatural world and having to turn her back on her heritage many years ago. While I find her character prone to juvenile moments for a 132-year-old fox, I can understand it since she has been living as an 18 to 24-year-old and would retain that aspect of her character, having been hiding for years. I also struggled slightly with the insta-lust/love moments she and Ethan had. While I understand it eventually, I wish there was some build-up to it, especially since we did not get the historical moments of their interactions in the past. I also felt something was missing from Sunny’s character to make her a strong female character, especially with her interactions with Ethan.
The plot was intense, moving at a great pace with loads of action, assassinations, and secret discoveries. The first half of the book concentrates on Sunny and Ethan, and some longing and sweet moments are thrown in. I enjoyed the later half of the book when the cast of characters extended, touching on the found family trope where things got more interesting, which also added a nice element to make the book richer.
I am intrigued enough to look forward to book two and was told this will be a trilogy!
Thank you to Firefly Distribution for the gifted physical copy. I annotate the heck out of it. ...more
Given that I enjoyed reading Sue-Lynn’s previous books, it is no surprise that her adult fantasy standalone is on my anticipated release.
I adore thisGiven that I enjoyed reading Sue-Lynn’s previous books, it is no surprise that her adult fantasy standalone is on my anticipated release.
I adore this book. Let me tell you why! Firstly, unlike most fantasy books, it is a standalone, and it speaks to the author’s skill in writing a fantasy book in a standalone, given that the world-building can be immersive and take up almost 50% of the plot. A plus is that I have been horrible at committing to any book series lately. Secondly, the author’s writing has matured through the character development and plot.
The first 15% of the book sets the stage for both Liyen and the God of War to meet and provides a little bit of Liyen’s background as told in her POV. I find Liyen to be a complex character, given her flaws. She is very much mortal and frail at times but so stubborn, brash and reckless. She is also very much for sticking to her beliefs no matter how hard it gets, fighting for what is right and fair and her love for her people, especially when she faces discrimination on her mortality.
The way she met the God of War denotes her reckless moment, and the prejudice she felt against him makes her wary of trusting him, but she can’t help but be interested in him since something is tugging her towards him. Their interactions denote that there is more to the relationship than meets the eye. The God of War is mysterious and broody, but interestingly enough, he treats Liyen well. Their banter moments can be funny, tense, sweet, angsty and romantic throughout the story, and they are irresistibly drawn to one another.
There is a lyrical and poetic-ness to the world-building of this book. So much so, that you find yourself irresistible drawn into the world. This book is also set in the same world as Daughter of the Moon Goddess with a new assembly of characters, so the Xianxia elements were very present. The pacing of the plot is fascinating and moves relatively quickly. I find it less filler-y compared to her previous books, which I was heavily invested in reading because I NEED to know what happens! The twists the author threw into the book were sometimes unexpected, leading to an exciting read! I had moments where I swear I was SCREAMING at the book!
At the heart of it, Immortal is a book about self-acceptance, choices, and multiple facets of a story on every side. An enjoyable read for those who love Xianxia elements and C-drama vibes in the book. I’m also all for supporting a Malaysian writer.
Quotes:
|“Grief was awkward and frightening; some thought it was unwelcome to speak of the dead to those who loved them. But when I lost my grandfather, I didn’t want to stop talking about him. For those we loved, the greatest disservice was to forget them.”
|“Life is often a chain of small events with large consequences,”
|“Love is the greatest freedom in the world, but you have to be capable of yielding it, to grasp its true meaning.”
Big thank you to Netgalley and HarperVoyager for the eARC edition!...more
The story starts off with Ren, a travelling troupe performer where her adopted family was unexpectedly attacked by a demon of sorts Review: 4.75 Stars
The story starts off with Ren, a travelling troupe performer where her adopted family was unexpectedly attacked by a demon of sorts during a performance at a village they stopped by. Her “little uncle,” who attempted to shield her, ended up in critical condition, leading Ren to unleash her silver light power she had kept hidden for years in anger. Due to this, she sets out on a journey to find a cure. Along the way, she stumbled upon Sunho who was unconscious in a field and attempted to save him from his dire injuries and nurse him back to health. They developed an instant connection with one another…not knowing Sunho was tasked to find the girl with the silver power by turning her over to the army…who may be the lost Celestial Maiden princess and guardian of the Floating World.
This story gives me some Final Fantasy x Ghibli moments and is based on the Korean legend of the celestial maidens…I admit I struggled a little with the worldbuilding and would blame it for my lack of imagination - big thanks to Carthi (raconteur.recs) for letting me ping-pong my thoughts to help me visualize the world in which this story takes place. The concept of the existence of the Floating World and how it is powered by a mineral called Mithril with the existence of the “Underworld,” the city below the floating world, is such an interesting concept.
| ”I think we shine a little brighter. How could we not? All this darkness surrounds us, and yet we still carry on.I think the stars, when they look down on us, see that spark in our hearts. It’s our wills to live” |
I love Ren; she is everything I love in the FL - she has spunk, determination, is cheerful and optimistic, yet has a core of steel in her. This story is told in dual povs with some povs from side characteristics. Sunho, our ML, is a steadfast, cold and quiet person who has been mostly alone the past 2 years of his life…but with Ren’s influence, Sunho slowly opens up. What I love about this book is both characters start with separate stories and finally only intersect at 30% of the book. This gives a unique insight into the characters, allowing them to grow separately and finally come together. Ren and Sunho are flawed in their way, having had some past trauma that occasionally haunts them. This makes them very relatable characters. Their bond is one of understanding, and somehow, they get each other. It was very sweet to see how they always look out for each other and put each other first in different ways.
| “I won’t let you lose control and you…You won’t let me fall” |
The supporting characters were fantastic and added to the story. I have a soft side for Yurhee and Tag and their unrelenting support and zero judgement towards Sunho and Ren. It was a refreshing side to the cynical characters we see often. And Ren’s adopted family was so accepting of who she is and even gave her a home and raised her as one of their own.
That ending, though! Sometimes, I wonder why I love reading so many fantasy books with cliffhanger endings. Clearly, I am a glutton for punishment, seeing that I just went through two books with cliffhangers, and this is the third book.
Thank you, Raincoast, for the physical arc. It was truly a dream come true to receive a physical copy of this book! This book is slated to release on 29 April, with the final book of the duology releasing on 21 October 2025. I am thankful that Axie did not make us wait so long for Book 2~!...more
Ooookkk, let me tell you how excited I was when I heard that Ann Liang is working on a Adult Historical fantasy novel based on the retelling of Xishi,Ooookkk, let me tell you how excited I was when I heard that Ann Liang is working on a Adult Historical fantasy novel based on the retelling of Xishi, one of the four beauties in China. Having been a fan of her YA works, I know I was in for a wild ride.
A Song to Drown Rivers (ASDR) does not disappoint. The writing is poetic and lyrical akin to giving you the feeling of watching a heart wrenching c-drama with a strong revenge theme, mutual pining/longing, angsty moments, the blurred lines of good vs evil and all the tropes that would exist in an amazing c-drama series. It is for the beautiful writing that makes this such a great read. And that ending, though, talks about total c-drama vibes!
With her beauty, Xishi was recruited as a spy to become the king of Kingdom Wu’s concubine, the state her kingdom was warring with. She was trained by Fanli, her kingdom’s advisor whom she eventually fell for and he for her. With the skills she amassed, she eventually enamoured the king of Wu, Fuchai leading to the destruction of the Wu Kingdom.
I feel for Xishi, on one hand, she hates the Wu with a passion and wants revenge and on the other, she cannot help but start to empathize and grow to have some feelings for Fuchai, the King of Wu, the person who was meant to seduce. Fuchai’s kind and loving treatment towards Xishi towards the bitter end made this SO ANGSTY. Although, I do wish that Xishi and Fuchai’s relationship would have been explored more emotionally. I felt like some parts were rushed and some parts were too drawn out especially in terms of her warring emotions with Fuchai and her influence on the court politics side of things.
There is minimal world building needed in a book like this given most of the story plot happened in three plot lines: the village where Xishi was borned, the cottage which denotes her training grounds and the Wu palace grounds. I would also think at times the author assumed that the world is vividly on the readers’ mind.
Now for the not so good stuff and why I deducted 1 star, Xishi - as a character is a little lacking, I find her boring and predictable at times with her emotions glossed over. On the contrary, Fuchai as a character seems way more interesting! I want to know more about him, what drives him and what makes him the person he is. My other issue with this is the romance element between Xishi and Fanli, I felt so disconnected from it since it was very glossed over at the start and there was minimal mention of him throughout the book. So, the reaction at the end was interesting…
Thank you Raincoast Books and St Martin Press for the beautiful physical arc....more
I don't know what to make of this book. The cover is just so darn pretty, and the synopsis is intriguing....
This story is a beautiful Review: 3 stars
I don't know what to make of this book. The cover is just so darn pretty, and the synopsis is intriguing....
This story is a beautiful representation of Chinese folklore and homage to traditional Chinese music and poems -the nod to it is brilliant, and kudos to the author for all the research she has done as she weaves this into the story. The vivid descriptions of the lush world-building from the Duke's palace to the delish food descriptions are heaven.
However, because the focus is so much on worldbuilding, the character development suffers, and the plot is just chaos of confusion. After reading this book, I still can't tell what the whole purpose of this main character was —that's how confusing it was for me. The love plot was seriously a side development and there were a lot of instances where the plot dragged and had no focus. There were some moments where the pacing suffered, and there was so much information dumping...
If you are looking for a book with pure aesthetics like a beautiful cover, this will be for you. But if you are looking for an intense story, I highly recommend you look elsewhere. ...more
This book was an amazing, binge-worthy read for me. I buddy-read it with Ope and Deaa, and we binged it over a course of 3-4 days. WeReview: 4.5 Stars
This book was an amazing, binge-worthy read for me. I buddy-read it with Ope and Deaa, and we binged it over a course of 3-4 days. We would have finished it in 2 days if it wasn’t for real life and adulting.
To save her mother’s soul, Àn’yīng, our FL, is forced to enter the deadly immortal trials to compete for the immortality pill. During the trials, she met Yù’chén, our secretive ML and her rival….Their meet-cute was interesting, to say the least, for she almost killed him if it wasn’t for his fast reactions. Holy beep, their relationship is one of push-pull and intense. I lost count of the times she attempted to stab him or stab him for real! (hicsss) Àn’yīng is the stabby stab kind of heroine who is wary of trusting him. It is obvious that she is the weakest one in the trials, but that does not stop her from not becoming prey, and her determination to win the competition. Yù’chén is a secretive and sneaky type of hero, but with Àn’yīng, he cannot help but fall for her. THE ACTIONS he took and how he constantly looks out for her and saves her is ALOT! But of course, he isn’t without his secrets and one wonders why he is constantly setting himself up…
As the story progresses in the immortal realm, there are hints to the fragility of Àn’yīng’s world, which is in danger of being overrun by the Mó, leading to a hint of the overarching plot. The introduction of the other side characters adds to the dimension of the book.
My only minor nitpick is that I wish Àn'yīng could stand by herself more instead of constantly relying on others to save or get her through. It would be great to see her character grow in that regard as a warrior and well-versed in the practitioner arts.
What a riveting read with an epic cliffhanger and, thus, setting it up for the next book. Note that this book is a duology…so read at your own risk!
Many thanks to PenguinTeenCa and Delacorte Press for the egalley version and AK for gifting me a copy of the physical arc. ...more
Quote: “Stories are like a journey; the unprepared traveller will get lost in translation.”
Review: 3 Star
This is a raw, unapologetic story told througQuote: “Stories are like a journey; the unprepared traveller will get lost in translation.”
Review: 3 Star
This is a raw, unapologetic story told through the eyes of Nida, a Muslim teen poet who experiences the frisking the guards of a potential political candidacy and there were no consequences. Themes explored were Islamophobia, the dirtiness of Politics, the gift of expressing oneself, the art of poetry, culture and the strong sense of community.
While I am not American and cannot speak to how strong Islamophobia can be in America, it does exist but I did immigrate to North America in my teens and could speak to the unjustness of how immigrants are treated here at times.
This is also a great representation of the Muslim Pakistani community, the strong community support, the elders, the faith they have and the struggle they face as immigrants in a foreign land. So, I appreciate what the author has done to bring this book to life. The poetry was magical and the emotions wrought throughout the book were incomparable. I highlighted so many bits and pieces that speak to my heart.
Some cons: there were moments in the book where the plotlines felt flat, the character development was a bit lacking, the conversations and the usage of modern slang felt “forced”. I was very confused that there was magical realism present and felt that the book could do without it and push for better character development. Some parts were dragged out so much that the message it wanted to convey fell flat which led to a lack of wanting to continue reading at times because I was not invested in every scene!
Regardless of the 3 star rating, this is a great representation to the Muslim culture which readers will appreciate. ...more
“We mortals exist for but a season, and yet we love as though we are bound by eternity”
Ahh, June Hur did it again! This time bringing myReview: 4.5 ⭐️
“We mortals exist for but a season, and yet we love as though we are bound by eternity”
Ahh, June Hur did it again! This time bringing my wish of seeing more romance into her next book.
The pacing is slow for the first half given that the world building needed to occur and the characters to become more dimensional. I wasn’t a huge fan of Iseul, she is the prickly and stubborn type of heroine that you just want to shake her. Daehyun on the other hand, lacks abit of personality until we hit 50% the book and everything picks up! I could not put the book done since I was so eager to know what’s next and it was so intriguing to see everything come together in the end.
I admire Iseul’s resilience and Daehyun’s humility - both characters have courage in spades even after everything that happened to them. And gahhh, the slow burn and the little teases! The assembly of side characters like Yul, Woonsik and Crow are solid with intricacies of the world building thrown in.
As always with the author, there were some murder mystery present. While it is not the main theme of the plot, it’s still a key driver to use. Honestly, the author’s unique writing style is just wonderful to read.
You can tell soo much research went into this book and it shadows close events throughout Korean history. I learned so much…
Ps: Chapter 42 wrecked me in a good way - godd, this author knows how to throw punches…
Overall, I’m still partial to The Red Palace and can’t wait to see what the author curns out next.
Thank you -Raincoast Books for a copy of the ARC - was so excited when I received a copy!!!...more
Thank you, Blue Box Press and Kristen Ashley, for providing me with an eARC.
I was so hoping that Kristen would finally give Darius his story, and I sThank you, Blue Box Press and Kristen Ashley, for providing me with an eARC.
I was so hoping that Kristen would finally give Darius his story, and I screamed with glee when I saw this. It was so worth the wait and everything I could ever hope for.
Darius and Mila always knew they were IT for each other. Unfortunately, circumstances led Darius to a very dark path in life and Mila to an unexpected world.
I love how KA started us in the now but took us to the past to see how they fell hard for each other, the unexpected circumstances, and everything in between. All the history they shared - the agony, the angst and the unexpected. Just when I think I think they got over a hurdle, another one is thrown in, and holy crap, KA never disappoints with the unexpectedness.
I had some parts I swear I was tearing up as they went through the agony yet remained too devoted to each other. As with all KA books, this sucked me right in, and I devoured this in one sitting. I also like how this is the end of the "Rock Chicks era" and a prelude to the LA spin-off era! I would personally suggest reading this book after the Rock Chicks Series.
Darius and Mila's story is told in snippets throughout the series and it would be remiss not to read the series first. I am so happy to see that Darius finally got his HEA he very well deserves!...more
Thank you, @penguinteenca, and @netgalley for the eARC in exchange for a review. All thoughts are my own.
Review: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Quote: All endings areThank you, @penguinteenca, and @netgalley for the eARC in exchange for a review. All thoughts are my own.
Review: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Quote: All endings are found in beginnings
This book left such a mark on me, I can’t stop internally sobbing and I am still reeling from reading it. To say that I was not looking forward to this epic conclusion was an understatement.
Migod, it’s like watching a freaking Xianxia drama with all the angst, sweet love, internal turmoil, wrenched fate, magic, sacrifice, and strong familial bonds all thrown in. Ironically, I just came out of drama-land only to jump into this book - ahhhhh!!!
The story picks up where last left Zen and Lan in opposite goals. Lan is seeking the godslayer to destroy the four demon gods while Zen is seeking more power and an army to overthrow the colonizers that have invaded their land. As fate would have it, they keep meeting in unexpected circumstances with Zen coming into Lan’s aid every time. However, would they finally align in their goals when they realize they are on the same side of the coin?
If the first book is made of world building, character introduction and plot focused, this book is very heavily character driven, with a huge focus on Zen and Lan. Those moments when they meet…the angst, and the strong emotions and their growth! I can’t put the emotions into words given Amelie’s wonderful poetry writing. Their story is one of fate and destiny, one of yin and yang - it’s like the red thread of fate keeps bringing them together unexpectedly.
While the first book had some humorous moments, this book was completely focused on the love story of Zen and Lan and the emotions that it brings forth. Zen’s eternal love for Lan is so pure that it would leave me in tears every time I read it. I lost track of the amount of annotations I made throughout the book….
Since this book is very heavily character driven, my only small issue is that the plot took a small back seat especially with the character building of the colonizers. The world building is present but the colonists were only present in the start and end of the book. There was also an introduction to another character that did play a heavy part in the book and it felt very rushed in that aspect where they appeared, disappeared and reappeared in the very end. So, this part felt somewhat anticlimactic to me.
(view spoiler)[ AND THAT ENDING!! Talk about an ending almost similar to the drama, Til The End of The Moon. While I understand the nuances of it, that doesn’t mean I have to like it (hide spoiler)]
My only regret is not having a physical copy as I annotated this book so much that it’s full of my notes and reactions - I guess I’ll have to go back for a re-read when the book comes out on 2nd January 2024
Read this if you want: - Intricate world-building of a Chinese Dynasty - Xianxia: the mystical realms of the Chinese spiritual dimension - A nod to historical themes, particularly the foreign invasion or colonization of an empire - A play on mystical Chinese Gods of Direction, Fate and Destiny - Star crossed lovers (angst alert) - The haunting and elegant writing style...more
"And love is like... Your eyes can't stop following them, like a spotlight you can't control. Little details stick out, and you memori5 Star Read 100%
"And love is like... Your eyes can't stop following them, like a spotlight you can't control. Little details stick out, and you memorize them and place them in a scrapbook."
Duet Me Not makes me reminisce about my high school years in Malaysia where friendship, grades and being accepted was the norm to survive high school.
I love that this book was set in Malaysia and the author did not shy away from bringing the Malaysian culture into play such as the use of Bahasa Rojak or “manglish”, a mix of 3-5 different languages from Malay, English, Cantonese, Mandarin, Hakka, Tamil etc. This appeared in the chapter headings and when I saw it, it hit really close to home. I feel that people who do not understand the language might struggle at moments, but the author did try to show and tell to make it clear what it means.
Unlike Ashwin, I went to a public high school like June and will agree that June and Ashwin’s worlds are very different. International schools in Malaysia are generally considered rich and connected while everyday people would go to public schools. So, it is of no surprise that Ashwin and June are total opposites and absolutely did not get along especially after June pushes Ashwin into the pool when they first met. Their bickering and banter was so wholesome and I love how they realistically fall for each other.
I became closer to Ashwin in my high school days. Like him, my parents wanted me to stick to something familiar and not go out to the unknown. It was liberating to finally see Ashwin stay true to himself and spoke up to his parents about what he wanted to do instead of drifting. I can also see myself relating to June where she wanted to please her mum yet struggled to prove to her mum that she was ready - the filial piety moments of not talking back to your parents sure comes into play here.
There were many strong themes touched throughout this book such as the determination to succeed, hard work will get you to your goal, chronic disease (asthma), filial piety, friendship and sibling bonds. Some moments were so relatable that I may have teared up at some moments.
The book also features synchro swimming and it was gratifying to learn more about this unknown sport as June teaches Ashwin some moves and how much work athletes put in to strive and perfect their craft to be where they want to be.
PS: The author did post a bonus epilogue on her website. So, don’t forget to check it out as it wraps up their story in a wholesome way.
In short, if I were to recommend a book that very closely relates to Malaysian culture, Lillian Li’s Duet Me Not would be the first book I would recommend. ...more
Thank you to Netgalley and She Writes Press for the copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.
This book gave me SerendipitReview: 3.75 stars
Thank you to Netgalley and She Writes Press for the copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.
This book gave me Serendipity vibes where 2 strangers with completely different lives met by chance and offered each other companionship for 12 hours touring Manhattan together and parted due to circumstances. Little did they know, they were given a second change due to determination and fate to be together.
I do love the concept of the story and am a sucker for anything featuring a k-singer/actor. I do love those little twists the author did add to the novel. It makes the story itself entertaining. Although, I wasn't too big fan of the ending as it felted a little rushed.
This story is also more chicklit based where the each character is undergoing some personal journey in some way having baggage in their lives with romance feeling like an afterthought. While the premise of the story is good, I felt like some of the characters were sadly lacking and there was a lot of time jumps in between. Eric is portrayed as this nice, charming, kind man but other than that, it feels like he lacks substance as a character. I do enjoyed Bianca's character where she is portrayed as person who picks up the pieces of her life and became successful after going through some tough times. The fact that she had a group of friends that support her success was wonderful to see. I also enjoyed the diversity rep with Bianca as a Filipino-American and Eric a Korean.
If you love hallmark movies, insta-love, fairytales and k-drama, this book is a great read! ...more
Blaming Bookstagram for this one and the fact that it was giving me BL vibes. What an unexpected surprise. It's like opening a box andReview: 5 stars
Blaming Bookstagram for this one and the fact that it was giving me BL vibes. What an unexpected surprise. It's like opening a box and discovering a tea you really love. I would rate this a romance/fantasy. We follow Kadou, the shy, anxious prince who unexpectedly causes some political turmoil with serious consequences. Enter Evemer, his new bodyguard appointed by his sister, the queen to keep an eye on things and him. However, with political turmoil at the turn of every corner, how will Evemer and Kadou, two drastically different people, put aside their differences and handle them?
While romance is the core of the book; the world-building has some unexpected richness to it. It gives the feels for a slow burn, angst, and normalized queerness. Evemer reminds me so much of Lan Zhan from MTMX's MDZS that I cannot help but fangirl throughout half the book. There is just something about the stoic heroes who are grumps and so stoic to their beliefs until he falls *hard*. I also love to see that Kadou is a flawed prince who questions his every action due to his anxiety and avoidance of conflict. The author wrote vividly the moments of him clawing through his anxiety and panic attacks. And the fact that two completely different people who turned out to be not so different after all fall for each other and displayed such growth along the story - I have no words.
I did get somewhat confused by the use of binary gender pronouns "ce/cem." So, I don't think the author meant for that to happen, but it took me a while to translate that in my brain. I also found parts of the novel a little dragged out when it could have been shorter.
Could not recommend it enough as it ticked off all my boxes for a queer romance fantasy read. ...more
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