Simone and Her Books

books, reviews, and recommendations

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

recent posts

  • Rereading The Bone Shard Daughter by Andrea Stewart

    Rereading The Bone Shard Daughter by Andrea Stewart

    Typically, I don’t write another review for a book I’m rereading, but my rereading life has been amazing this year and really opening my eyes to a stories. So, I may write or rewrite a review here and there. And there’s no exception for The Bone Shard Daughter.

    Here’s more about The Bone Shard Daughter

    The emperor’s reign has lasted for decades, his mastery of bone shard magic powering the animal-like constructs that maintain law and order. But now his rule is failing, and revolution is sweeping across the Empire’s many islands.

    Lin is the emperor’s daughter and spends her days trapped in a palace of locked doors and dark secrets. When her father refuses to recognise her as heir to the throne, she vows to prove her worth by mastering the forbidden art of bone shard magic.

    Yet such power carries a great cost, and when the revolution reaches the gates of the palace, Lin must decide how far she is willing to go to claim her birthright – and save her people.

    Find it on Amazon | Find it on Bookshop.org

    My secondary thoughts

    On the second read through, this book is still a hit for me. If anything, I feel more for this book after reading it twice than I did the first time. I love it more! And now I’m more excited about book two, which definitely leaves its clues throughout book one.

    I know many people out there who fell in love with The Bone Shard Daughter and thinking back to my original feelings about the book, but I was middling. It was good and I knew I really loved it, but I wasn’t wowed by it the first time around. It kind of surprises me looking back because I truly fell in love with this story on the second time around. Weird?

    Maybe it’s because I’ve grown in the year or maybe now that I have a better understanding of the world I’m about to enter into that I can confidently read and enjoy it rather than gather the necessary bits and pieces I need to comprehend the story. I absolutely loved Lin and her characterization. I love Mephi and Thrana and what they mean to the entire world. I also love the world itself; the dark constructs and the usage of bone shards to move them.

    I also never noticed how much representation is in this story. Jovis being bi-racial is crucial to his character since you don’t know which side he’s truly on. However, I really wish there was more representation of both his cultures. I feel like we get a lot of the Imperial culture here, but not a lot about the other half.

    Also, I never realized how much this story is based on East Asian culture. From the statuary to the clothing, I couldn’t believe that I missed this glaringly obvious component of the story!

    There’s a lot to love about this book and this reread really just solidified my love for this book.

    However, the things that bugged me the first time I read this book still bugged me. Don’t get me wrong, I still loved this book, but I could have done without. Most of what I’m mad about are probably more just pet peeves for me than issues with the book. I truly did love this book and definitely will read the rest of the series.

  • The Bone Orchard by Sara A Mueller // Book Review

    The Bone Orchard by Sara A Mueller // Book Review

    A complex story that surprised me by the end, but I honestly wish there was more. Content warnings: sexual assault (off page), pedophilia (off page), self-harm/suicide, mental health, domestic abuse (on/off page), non-consensual sex (off page). Thanks Tor Books for a gifted copy of this book.

    Here’s more about The Bone Orchard

    Charm is a witch, and she is alone. The last of a line of conquered necromantic workers, now confined within the yard of regrown bone trees at Orchard House, and the secrets of their marrow.

    Charm is a prisoner, and a survivor. Charm tends the trees and their clattering fruit for the sake of her children, painstakingly grown and regrown with its fruit: Shame, Justice, Desire, Pride, and Pain.

    Charm is a whore, and a madam. The wealthy and powerful of Borenguard come to her house to buy time with the girls who aren’t real.

    Except on Tuesdays, which is when the Emperor himself lays claim to his mistress, Charm herself.

    now—Charm is also the only person who can keep an empire together, as the Emperor summons her to his deathbed, and charges her with choosing which of his awful, faithless sons will carry on the empire—by discovering which one is responsible for his own murder.

    If she does this last thing, she will finally have what has been denied her since the fall of Inshil—her freedom. But she will also be betraying the ghosts past and present that live on within her heart.

    Charm must choose. Her dead Emperor’s will or the whispers of her own ghosts. Justice for the empire or her own revenge.

    Find it on Amazon | Find it on Bookshop.org

    My thoughts

    The Bone Orchard definitely teetered between good and really good, but it felt short of great for me. For all intents and purposes, this was a good story. I loved the complexity of it, the multiple dynamics at play, the big reveals, and the world that the author created. There’s a lot going on and a lot to keep up with and you’re intrigued by it all, but the ending disappointed me and components of the story made it difficult for me to really enjoy it.

    The good parts: the bone orchard and Charm! Honestly, this was the most fascinating part of the whole story. I loved learning about the psychics of this world, the insanity they face as they grow older, the mindlocks, and how Charm was able to divvy up the worst parts of herself into clones. The clones themselves all had their faults, their inaccuracies, but their separate minds made me intrigued. I loved the dynamic between Charm and the Lady as well and finding out bits and pieces of her past and how she became a mistress at a brothel definitely kept me going. It would have been interesting to read more about why she decided to make these clones.

    I also loved this conversation of moral vs. immoral. Charm and Lady were always arguing with each other on what a woman “should” be. From owning the brothel to creating the split personalities, there was a lot of conversation around this and it was so interesting. Who holds the moral high ground between these two women? That’s something interesting to explore throughout the story.

    While I found the mystery behind the Emperor’s death to be interesting, this was also combined with a political storyline. And for the most part, I like political intrigue in my fantasy, but I wasn’t feeling it for this one. I felt like there was already too many things going on while we find the Emperor’s murderer and understanding the boneghosts and Charm’s past, so then having political upheaval, rebellious lower classes, and people trying to overthrow the government was a little heavy handed for one book. I think it also didn’t work because it felt like such a throwaway.

    The other thing I wasn’t a huge fan of was how clunky it felt. While the world was super interesting to dive into, a lot of what you figure out is through inference. Even when they revealed the big reveal, I was lost as to how they came to that conclusion. I think another part that really frustrated me were the conclusions these characters were coming to without telling the reader. I understand how bits and pieces can come together and the protagonist will have that “ah ha!” moment, but it’s not fun when the reader doesn’t come to the same conclusion at the same time. When you finally understand why the person who killed the Emperor did what they did, it makes complete sense. It’s just a tough time getting to that point.

    Overall, it was an intriguing story to start, but many of the components made it tougher to reach the end.

  • The City of Dusk by Tara Sim // Book Review

    The City of Dusk by Tara Sim // Book Review

    There is a lot to like about The City of Dusk. It’s an interesting world with interesting characters and a plot you want to follow throughout the story. But there are things about this book that I just couldn’t overlook and honestly took away from my reading experience. While I really liked this book, I wanted to love it. Thanks to Orbit Books for the gifted read.

    Here’s more about The City of Dusk

    The Four Realms—Life, Death, Light, and Darkness—all converge on the city of dusk. For each realm there is a god, and for each god there is an heir.

    But the gods have withdrawn their favor from the once vibrant and thriving city. And without it, all the realms are dying.

    Unwilling to stand by and watch the destruction, the four heirs—Risha, a necromancer struggling to keep the peace; Angelica, an elementalist with her eyes set on the throne; Taesia, a shadow-wielding rogue with rebellion in her heart; and Nik, a soldier who struggles to see the light— will sacrifice everything to save the city.

    But their defiance will cost them dearly.

    Find it on Amazon | Find it on Bookshop.org

    My thoughts

    So let’s talk about this book for a moment. It’s actually really good, but maybe my expectations were too high especially since this book is over 500 pages long, the start of an epic fantasy trilogy, and written by someone who isn’t their first rodeo. But as much as I thought this book was really good, I also wasn’t the biggest fan.

    I am of two minds when it comes to this book. On one hand, you have this incredible world. The idea of these gods existing and there’s this realm that’s been cut off from them and there’s conflict there and the heirs of these gods want to fix it. It felt straightforward and something that you can see filling the 500-page novel and more. Then you have these incredible compassionate characters who are supposed to hate each other, but you know that deep down they care. They’re also so seriously flawed dealing with some real issues while also facing the scrutiny of their very important part in the whole fabric of the universe.

    I loved getting to know these characters and I felt like there was more care put into them than into the plot. You see the kind of pressure they face and while this book is supposed to be for adults, it felt very young to read them going through their individual trials and also really relatable. But I felt like the care for these characters was a much bigger priority. I knew more about these characters and their flaws than I did about the world itself.

    The part that really confused me was the world building. On a surface level, you get it. It’s a world cut off from the rest of the realm. There’s gods that each of these four main characters represent and this part I loved. I loved that there’s this whole history with the gods and how they created human heirs who are blessed with their powers. They’re looking for a way to save their world since crops are dying and resources are becoming scarce. And you follow along as they figure that out. But then you get to the finer details and it all gets confusing. There were big reveals that came out of the blue. There were people trying magic for the first time who didn’t even know they had magic. There were conclusions people came to with very little evidence to support how they got there.

    There were also other humans in this world with power. They’re displaced refugees from these other realms and in those realms they have the same kind of magic that the heirs have and in some cases can wield them better than the heirs themselves. I think…

    It’s very clunky. I honestly felt like I was stuck in a maze in the dark at some points. Just when I think I figured it out, there’s some new piece that confused me further. There was also a bit of confusion over the realms. While most of the action takes place in this city called Nexus (or The City of Dusk? That wasn’t clarified either), there was an entire other world outside of that. I wanted more info about how that all worked because it felt super important to the story and there just wasn’t enough for me to fully grasp it.

    And there’s so much you want to love about this book. There were points where I thought that I would. I really wanted to love it, but there were just so much that took away from it.

    Overall, there’s a lot to love about this book and a bunch of flaws as well. I wonder if this is a case of first adult fantasy jitters. I have a feeling that the second and third books in this trilogy will be better than this one. There was so much I loved about this book, but the tiny things I wasn’t a fan of really put a damper on my reading experience. I liked it, but I wanted to love it and sadly, it didn’t deliver that for me.

  • Gallant by VE Schwab // Book Review

    Gallant by VE Schwab // Book Review

    Is it a YA? Is it a middle grade? Or is it for everyone? I’ve already heard so many stories on who this book is marketed to, but one thing I know for a fact is that it’s spooky, it’s good, and it’s very Schwab-ian.

    Here’s more about Gallant

    Everything casts a shadow. Even the world we live in. And as with every shadow, there is a place where it must touch. A seam, where the shadow meets its source.

    Olivia Prior has grown up in Merilance School for girls, and all she has of her past is her mother’s journal—which seems to unravel into madness. Then, a letter invites Olivia to come home—to Gallant. Yet when Olivia arrives, no one is expecting her. But Olivia is not about to leave the first place that feels like home, it doesn’t matter if her cousin Matthew is hostile or if she sees half-formed ghouls haunting the hallways.

    Olivia knows that Gallant is hiding secrets, and she is determined to uncover them. When she crosses a ruined wall at just the right moment, Olivia finds herself in a place that is Gallant—but not. The manor is crumbling, the ghouls are solid, and a mysterious figure rules over all. Now Olivia sees what has unraveled generations of her family, and where her father may have come from.

    Olivia has always wanted to belong somewhere, but will she take her place as a Prior, protecting our world against the Master of the House? Or will she take her place beside him?

    Find it on Amazon | Find it on Bookshop.org

    My thoughts

    The story starts off with young Olivia. She’s left at a Preparatory school that her mother leaves her when she was very young. All she has is a journal her mother kept with strange entries, inky illustrations, and a warning for Olivia never to go to Gallant.

    When the school receives a letter from a mysterious uncle having her return to Gallant, she’s immediately sent off only to find that she’s not wanted. But Olivia is determined to make this work especially since the two people who work at Gallant knew her mother. And as the days go by for Olivia, she finds out more and more about the house, her family, and what lies beyond the walls.

    Seriously, the spook factor in this book is prevalent right from the beginning. The atmospheric writing puts you right into the story. It also helps that Olivia can see ghosts and not friendly ghosts like Casper. These are “ghouls” with missing body parts, skin sloughing off, and bones bare. They also don’t seem like friendly ghosts given that most of them just stare at Olivia and Olivia can’t look at them directly without scaring them off. There’s even these illustrations throughout the story that I could swear were looking into my soul.

    From the start, I was scared. The atmosphere, the spooky ghosts, the haunted house, and the mysteries beyond the wall in their garden truly made me paranoid by the things in the corner of my eye. And knowing that it’s targeted towards young adult readers and even middle grade, well, that just makes me look like a giant baby. But if you’re a fan of horror or paranormal stories, then maybe you won’t be as spooked as I was.

    Olivia was my favorite character in this whole story. I loved following along with her as she finds out about her mother, her family lineage, and even see her drum up the courage to face something no child should ever face. She has this naivete about her that really brings out the youthfulness of this story. Maybe she’s what makes this story feel MG. But then you bring on these massively mature challenges: facing family she’s never met, entering a home she’s never seen, being unable to communicate with her cousin (she’s non-verbal), and her cousin hiding this big secret from her. All this and then ghosts, demons, a world that wants her dead. You can see how you want to reach into the book and help her out.

    The plot itself was also thick with mystery. As you read, it starts to unravel giving you pieces of the story and just enough to make you keep reading. I always love how closely VE Schwab keeps things to the chest that you don’t see the big reveals right away. They always keep you guessing, which is something I’ve always loved about their books.

    While I truly loved this book, I will say it wasn’t my favorite Schwab book. I’m still more partial to the Darker Shade of Magic series and Vicious, but I think this book has merits in its own way. You have a main character you want to root for. You have a plot that’s weird and keeps you reading. You have these twists and turns and big reveals that surprise you throughout the read. There’s a lot to go on!

    But if I could complain about anything, it was the ending. While the entire book felt lush with story and surprises, I was a bit disappointed with its end. It felt quick and quite simple. I hate using language like that because I know that writing an ending that satisfies the story and its readers isn’t easy, but this ending did feel just too easy for everyone. Bittersweet, but easy.

    Overall, it’s another good one from VE Schwab and if you’re a fan of their work, then you’ll enjoy this one in your repertoire.

  • Blood Scion by Deborah Falaye // Book Review

    Blood Scion by Deborah Falaye // Book Review

    I love when I’m reading a book and I know I’m near the end, but I’m still surprised when the ending comes. I found myself staring at the Acknowledgements pages asking “that’s it?! I NEED MORE!” That’s a good thing. It means that I really loved it. Thanks to Epic Reads and Booksparks for the gifted book.

    Here’s more about Blood Scion

    This is what they deserve. They wanted me to be a monster. I will be the worst monster they ever created.

    Fifteen-year-old Sloane can incinerate an enemy at will—she is a Scion, a descendant of the ancient Orisha gods.

    Under the Lucis’ brutal rule, her identity means her death if her powers are discovered. But when she is forcibly conscripted into the Lucis army on her fifteenth birthday, Sloane sees a new opportunity: to overcome the bloody challenges of Lucis training, and destroy them from within.

    Sloane rises through the ranks and gains strength but, in doing so, risks something greater: losing herself entirely, and becoming the very monster that she ahbors.

    Following one girl’s journey of magic, injustice, power, and revenge, this deeply felt and emotionally charged debut from Deborah Falaye, inspired by Yoruba-Nigerian mythology, is a magnetic combination of A Song of Wraiths and Ruin and Daughter of Smoke and Bone that will utterly thrill and capture readers.

    Find it on Amazon | Find it on Bookshop.org

    My thoughts

    This is the most adult YA book I’ve ever read and honestly, I love the book because of that. And while I picked this up because I wanted to read something more fun and fast, I’m actually enjoying the slower pace. The deeper world building and the character development really brings a sense that this is an epic story and not some flash in the pan that I get with many recent YA fantasy books. I was truly enamored from this story and will try my best not to gush entirely in this book.

    The story follows Sloane, a young person who at the age of 15 was recruited into the Lucis army. The only caveat; she’s a Scion with magical powers and Lucis has been systematically killing every single Scion they come across. But from the advice of her grandfather, she joins the army in hopes of finding out the truth behind her mother’s disappearance.

    While she’s there, she spends a month in the intensive training program, forced to kill or be killed despite not wanting to cause anyone harm. The brutality of this book was visceral. If you thought Sabaa Tahir is brutal in the Ember in the Ashes series, then you will be surprised by what Deborah Falaye is able to do.

    The first impression I had was this felt like The Hunger Games; young children forced into an army and defend people who you don’t even care about while they extort your resources and force your people to live in hiding, poverty, and/or be killed. It has a bit of that hopeless feeling to it and it gets even deeper as you read what Sloane endures in the army.

    I was so taken by the magic as well and learning how it works. I think the most fascinating part was reading that the gods of the past were connected to the Scion through their magic and how that manifests in the characters. It was so richly built and it’s always that X-factor that makes me more intrigued with the story.

    I also absolutely love the inclusion of so much reality into this story as well. For Sloane, being a Yoruba born with Scion powers meant hiding a lot of herself in order to avoid being killed. There’s the Lucis who came to Nagea only to take over, kill the natives, and claim power over a land that doesn’t belong to them. I don’t know about you, but that sounds extremely relevant and something that is blatantly obvious from the writing. I love how it’s so obvious throughout the story. You can understand Sloane’s frustration with it. You can see barefaced how contradictory it was and how it must feel for those who have to endure it.

    The second half of the book moved much faster than the first half for sure. But I loved the first half and the overall pacing of the book. It took its time to dive into the world and really presented a character with flaws and extremely relatable. I loved that nothing came easy for Sloane and the brutality she faces felt so obvious for the world that she lived in. It really brought the character to life and really made me root for her even harder. The ending was probably the most surprising component of the book as it all finally comes together. I honestly didn’t expect to read what I read. If I could find a flaw in any of this, it would be that some things were a bit repetitive and mentioned a few times. It didn’t bother me, but it was enough to be present in my mind.

    Overall, I’ll probably be hyping this book up for a while because it was so good. I can’t wait for the next one mostly because this one left you wanting a bit more. It’s a story unique on its own and while you can get caught up in how it reads like one story or another, I think that Deborah Falaye’s written something special here and I can’t wait to read the next one.

  • All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir // Book Review

    All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir // Book Review

    I just shared my thoughts with a friend and my review went basically like this:

    Now, I’m not usually the type to express my emotions through gifs, but I’m making an exception for this book. Thanks to Penguin Teen for a gifted copy of this book.

    Here’s more about All My Rage

    Lahore, Pakistan. Then.
    Misbah is a dreamer and storyteller, newly married to Toufiq in an arranged match. After their young life is shaken by tragedy, they come to the United States and open the Cloud’s Rest Inn Motel, hoping for a new start.

    Juniper, California. Now.
    Salahudin and Noor are more than best friends; they are family. Growing up as outcasts in the small desert town of Juniper, California, they understand each other the way no one else does. Until The Fight, which destroys their bond with the swift fury of a star exploding.

    Now, Sal scrambles to run the family motel as his mother Misbah’s health fails and his grieving father loses himself to alcoholism. Noor, meanwhile, walks a harrowing tightrope: working at her wrathful uncle’s liquor store while hiding the fact that she’s applying to college so she can escape him—and Juniper—forever.

    When Sal’s attempts to save the motel spiral out of control, he and Noor must ask themselves what friendship is worth—and what it takes to defeat the monsters in their pasts and the ones in their midst.

    From one of today’s most cherished and bestselling young adult authors comes a breathtaking novel of young love, old regrets, and forgiveness—one that’s both tragic and poignant in its tender ferocity.

    Find it on Amazon | Find it on Bookshop.org

    My thoughts

    I didn’t know what to expect when I started reading this book, but I didn’t expect what came from it. A story about two young people who are thrown into the mix of adulthood, parents who don’t act like parents, and that gnawing feeling that you have to do something because who else will? There’s so much to unpack in this story and it doesn’t read like your typical YA contemporary story. I honestly think Sabaa Tahir’s outdone herself with this one.

    Sal (short for Salahuddin) is a young guy who’s mother is really sick and his father drinks too much. They own the Cloud’s Rest Inn Motel, but with his mother’s illness and his father’s drinking there isn’t much of a hotel left. Noor is an immigrant from Pakistan living with her uncle. While things seem normal on the surface, Noor’s uncle doesn’t like her speaking in Urdu or Punjabi. He doesn’t like her going to the local mosque. He doesn’t want her to go to college.

    On top of all that, Noor told Sal how much she loved him and he didn’t say anything.

    The story is told in dual perspectives and dual timelines. The timelines are about Sal’s familiy and how they made their way to the US and the events leading up to the present day. I really loved the dual perspectives and the timeline for this book. You get this sense there’s a lot of secrets shrouded in their past and as you read the book, these secrets slowly reveal themselves. You get a better understanding of why things have turned out so wrong for both Noor and Sal.

    There’s a lot of complicated emotions happening in this book. Love, loss, hope, grief, pain, sadness, and happiness are all prevalent throughout the pages. Most of the time, I just wanted to reach into the book and hug both Sal and Noor and tell them it’s going to be alright. The book constantly pushes Noor and Sal into situations that require them to grow up much faster than they need to. It’s one of those stories where the adults in their lives have failed them and they feel obligated to take matters into their own hands.

    Of course, they’re young. They’re still in high school with a huge future ahead of them, so when you see the kinds of decisions they make you definitely feel a sense of regret for them. You want them to make “good” decisions, but then you remember that they’re just kids and they’re trying to do their best without much help from the adults in their lives. It will definitely complicate you and in good Sabaa Tahir fashion, you’ll never see the ending coming.

    Overall, this was such a great read filled with tons of heart, lots of emotion, and a real test of what Sabaa Tahir can do with a contemporary story. I loved reading every minute of it.

  • The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh // Book Review

    The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh // Book Review

    When I heard there was a new fantasy book coming out featuring an old Korean folktale and written by a Korean American, I knew I had to get my hands on it. What I ended up with is a sweeping tale that takes you to the Spirit Realm, faces your biggest destiny, and fall in love. This book is out later this month, but thanks to Fierce Reads for gifting me an ARC.

    Here’s more about The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea

    Deadly storms have ravaged Mina’s homeland for generations. Floods sweep away entire villages, while bloody wars are waged over the few remaining resources. Her people believe the Sea God, once their protector, now curses them with death and despair. In an attempt to appease him, each year a beautiful maiden is thrown into the sea to serve as the Sea God’s bride, in the hopes that one day the “true bride” will be chosen and end the suffering.

    Many believe that Shim Cheong, the most beautiful girl in the village—and the beloved of Mina’s older brother Joon—may be the legendary true bride. But on the night Cheong is to be sacrificed, Joon follows Cheong out to sea, even knowing that to interfere is a death sentence. To save her brother, Mina throws herself into the water in Cheong’s stead.

    Swept away to the Spirit Realm, a magical city of lesser gods and mythical beasts, Mina seeks out the Sea God, only to find him caught in an enchanted sleep. With the help of a mysterious young man named Shin—as well as a motley crew of demons, gods and spirits—Mina sets out to wake the Sea God and bring an end to the killer storms once and for all.

    But she doesn’t have much time: A human cannot live long in the land of the spirits. And there are those who would do anything to keep the Sea God from waking…

    Find it on Amazon | Find it on Bookshop.org

    My thoughts

    This book hits the ground running. I mean, the first scene takes place on a boat as Shim-Cheong is about to sacrifice herself to the Sea God for another year without terrible storms that destroy their crops and flood their farms. But Shim-Cheong doesn’t want to go and instead, Mina jumps into the sea sacrificing herself. From there, she’s off to a Spirit Realm where the Red String of Fate ties her to the Sea God as a potential bride. I have to be honest, there were some jaw dropping moments throughout the story. The twists and turns throughout the book were spectacular and really keep you engaged with wanting to find out more.

    The book is already compared to Spirited Away and that is so accurate. From the moment Mina is in the Spirit Realm, she only has a finite amount of time before she loses her soul and becomes a spirit of the world (related), then she meets a man who doesn’t remember why he’s the way he is (also feels related), and she helps him find out at the end (can we admit that they’re similar now?!). The swept-off feeling and entering a world of angry gods and vengeful goddesses with helpful spirits as well, it truly feels like you’re leaving the real world for another.

    I also loved the running theme throughout the book; the gods and goddesses working to help out the humans and the reciprocal nature of worshipping them. You see how the gods and goddesses are sort of slacking in their work and Mina correlating that to how the real world suffers. I loved that Axie Oh dives into these because the symbiotic relationship between humans and gods was so prevalent in Korean history. The theme returns often throughout the story and really examines this Spirit Realm from the third-party observer.

    I’ll be honest, there was a few things that irked me about the book. The book has a ton of potential. There were so many new things introduced in the story, there was romance, there was action, there were villains and dark plots. There was everything you wanted in an epic fantasy novel, but I just wanted the dial turned all the way up. These things were introduced, but not enough for me. I wanted to see the romance slowly play out between the characters, I wanted to clearly understand why the villains were the way they were. I wanted much more exposition and much more world building. The story doesn’t suffer from the lack of these things, but it would have launched the book into a favorite for the year for me.

    But overall, I definitely felt swept away by the story, immersed in the world of Spirits and hoping that Mina was able to find a way to save her village. You’ll need to hold on for the ride on this one!

  • Nine Asian History/Folklore Retellings for Lunar New Year

    Nine Asian History/Folklore Retellings for Lunar New Year

    Happy Lunar New Year! Lunar New Year is one of the biggest celebrations in much of East Asia (and parts of Southeast Asia). Over the last year, it feels like the publishing world has been putting out way more Asian-related folklore and historical retellings and I couldn’t be more excited to read them all. As a Korean American, much of my history and culture is what I’ve learned on my own, so I don’t know many of the folklore or deeper history of these countries. It’s so great to get a glimpse into those stories through fantasy fiction.

    I thought they would make for some great stories to read as we celebrate the start of the year of the tiger!

    A quick side note: I tried to research stories from all the Asian countries that celebrate Lunar New Year, but I wasn’t able to find books for every country. If you do know of one, please let me know and I’ll update this list.

    The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh

    While this book publishes a little later in February, it is definitely one you want on your TBR. It’s a feminist retelling of the Korean folktale, The Tale of Shim-Cheong. While the original story is about a young girl who throws herself into the sea to help her father regain his sight, this new tale features young Mina who sacrifices herself to protect her brother from heartbreak. From there, she enters the Spirit world filled with dragons, gods and goddesses, and while she continues to fight and save her village, she also might be falling in love with a soulless god.

    Find it on Amazon | Find it on Bookshop.org

    Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

    This is a historical retelling of the rise of the only female Empress of Chinese history, Empress Wu. Filled with science fiction themes, giant mechs, and really learning how to stomp out the patriarchy, Iron Widow will keep you entertained and raise an eyebrow or two by the time it’s done.

    Find it on Amazon | Find it on Bookshop.org

    Jade Fire Gold by June C Tan

    If you’re not aware of Xianxia novels, it’s a genre of Chinese fantasy books, movies, TV shows, you name it. The stories are all heavily influenced with Chinese mythology, Taoism, Buddhism, martial arts, medicine, and folk religion. Most of what I’ve consumed as Xianxia has been Chinese dramas, but it’s exciting to hear that there’s an American fantasy book that dives into this as well. I would highly recommend it if you’re a fan of historical dramas.

    Find it on Amazon | Find it on Bookshop.org

    She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan

    I will never not hype up this book. It’s an incredible gender-swapped retelling of the rise of Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang, the first Emperor of China. It’s brutal and dark (which are two of my favorite tropes) filled with major surprises, and a literary fiction kick to it. I absolutely loved this novel last year and highly recommend it if you’re a fan of military fatnasy.

    Find it on Amazon | Find it on Bookshop.org

    Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim

    While many of the books on this list use Mulan as a comparable story, Spin the Dawn is actually a retelling of Mulan with a seamstress kick to it. I haven’t read this one yet, but I have read other books by Elizabeth Lim. I can only imagine this is as good as the rest.

    Find it on Amazon | Find it on Bookshop.org

    Wicked Fox by Kat Cho

    While this isn’t a retelling, it uses elements of Korean folklore to create a contemporary story set in Seoul. Filled with nine-tailed foxes, goblins, and inspired by K-dramas, you’ll definitely enjoy this one if you’re a fan of shows like Tale of the Nine-Tailed or Goblin.

    Find it on Amazon | Find it on Bookshop.org

    Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan

    Different than a retelling, this story is inspired by the legend of the Chinese moon goddess, Chang’e. Instead of retelling the story, Sue Lynn Tan creates a new tale featuring her daughter, Xingyin. This one reads like you’re watching a Chinese fantasy drama filled with forbidden romances, fighting for your life, and really learning about yourself. It’s filled with big surprises and will definitely keep you guessing until the very end!

    Find it on Amazon | Find it on Bookshop.org

    The Magic Fish by Trung Le Ngyuen

    This graphic novel isn’t entirely a retelling, but it does share the Vietnamese folklore story of the same name. The Magic Fish is about a young person who’s coming to terms with who he is, understanding the divide between his family and himself, and despite there being such a gap between being Vietnamese and being American, they are united in their love. It also dives into some big themes of identity and belonging in a country that doesn’t speak your language and in a world that’s very new to everyone.

    Find it on Amazon | Find it on Bookshop.org

    The Poppy War by RF Kuang

    While this book isn’t based on any folklore, it is based on the second Sino-Japanese War, and the deaths of thousands during the beginning of the 20th century in China. There’s also the idea of Mao Zedong and what if he was a teenage girl? You may not think right away that this is based on history, but once you start searching around for some of the bigger elements to the story, then you can see how they correlate.

    Find it on Amazon | Find it on Bookshop.org

    Do you know any Asian folklore or historical retellings that should be on this list? Let me know!

  • The Keeper of Night by Kylie Lee Baker // Book Review

    The Keeper of Night by Kylie Lee Baker // Book Review

    You know, sometimes the descriptions of books can be super deceiving. I picked up a copy of The Keeper of Night out of my own curiosity and the funny part is that it became another favorite read of 2022. I needed to take my time reading this one because my mental health hasn’t been the greatest lately, but this book helped me escape my brain for a little while and that’s always a plus.

    Here’s more about The Keeper of Night

    Half British Reaper, half Japanese Shinigami, Ren Scarborough has been collecting souls in the London streets for centuries. Expected to obey the harsh hierarchy of the Reapers who despise her, Ren conceals her emotions and avoids her tormentors as best she can.

    When her failure to control her Shinigami abilities drives Ren out of London, she flees to Japan to seek the acceptance she’s never gotten from her fellow Reapers. Accompanied by her younger brother, the only being on earth to care for her, Ren enters the Japanese underworld to serve the Goddess of Death… only to learn that here, too, she must prove herself worthy. Determined to earn respect, Ren accepts an impossible task—find and eliminate three dangerous Yokai demons—and learns how far she’ll go to claim her place at Death’s side.

    Find it on Amazon | Find it on Bookshop.org

    My thoughts

    I was honestly surprised by how much I loved this book. I thought it was going to be your average YA fantasy novel with a Japanese twist, but the details of Japanese folklore/mythology, the usage of “reapers” and “shinigami” and the morality of taking someone’s life, it all came together to create an incredible story deeply rich with themes of morality, empathy, and understanding what is the “good” thing to do and what is the “right” thing to do.

    I love the complexity of the characters. Learning that Ren is half-English/half-Japanese and her struggle to fit into either world is something that I resonate deeply with. While I’m not biracial, I’ve had a different experience growing up in the US with a more American mother and a very Korean father. The experience left me straddled between two worlds that I haven’t yet found comfort in. And reading Ren’s story made me feel like I’m not the only person who is struggling with this. I can only imagine how that makes folks who do identify as biracial will feel.

    Neven is also an incredible character that while did get in the way of Ren’s plans every now and again, his morality and his strength to stand up for himself despite being a bit shy and nervous about being a reaper just felt so poignant next to Ren. I hope I’m describing this well, but I saw Neven as more than just that annoying brother that gets in the way of things. I saw him as Ren’s better half who always made sure to keep her in check.

    The other part that I truly loved about this book was the Japanese folklore. While their time in England was brief (and I’m actually wondering if we will ever go back to that part of the book), the world in Japan was filled with dark creatures, monsters, and demons that if you’re a fan of horror, you’ll actually really enjoy. I loved seeing the different mythologies play out in this book and the plot was very linear, so you can easily follow along with Ren as she completed her task to become a full-fledge shinigami.

    I think the most intriguing part of this whole story is how Ren manages her insecurities as a reaper and a shinigami, her internal struggle with being “evil,” her brother, Neven, who acts more like her morality, and the massive divide any person may feel when thrown into two cultures you’re not wholly a part of, but really want to be. Ren reminded me in more ways than one like Doctor Who. While she isn’t an alien from another planet, her sense of morality is really thrown off and it’s people like her brother that always need to remind her about empathy and seeing beyond the task at hand at the humanity of a person. It was interesting to see Ren battle these two sides of her morality and this is one of the biggest aspects I’m looking forward to reading more about in her next book.

    I will admit that I was very surprised by the ending, but after some reflection, I kind of see where the author is going as well. Some of the ending I definitely guessed, but the rest was just a shock to me. But thinking about it, I realize that Kylie Lee Baker is playing around with a bigger question of power and acceptance. I honestly can’t wait for the next book because I have this feeling it will reveal much more about Ren that we didn’t know before, see her down to her truest sense, and I wonder what will happen with her brother.

  • 3 Reasons for Rereading Books

    3 Reasons for Rereading Books

    Over the years, I’ve reread maybe three books? I’m not a huge rereader and not because I don’t want to be. I definitely want to get into the stories I’ve loved and cherished, but for some reason, I never make time for them.

    This year, I made it one of my goals to actually reread books. While most of my rereading this year will be series I’ve started and didn’t finish and plan on finishing this year finally. However, I also wanted to revisit some books I’ve loved and find the comfort so many other readers find when they reread their favorite books.

    And surprisingly, I love it. I’m only in my first reread of the year, Middlegame by Seanan McGuire, and it is everything I’ve wanted it to be. I was kind of scared because based on the poll I conducted on my Instagram account, many folks have reread books only to enjoy it less. LESS! I didn’t think I would be risking my love of a book by revisiting it and seeing if it’s just as I remember.

    Luckily, it’s just as I remember and I’ve learned a lot from my rereading process. Here’s what I’ve taken away:

    It’s faster to reread the book

    I somehow found that my reread of Middlegame has been much faster than the first time around. Perhaps it’s because the book is a bit more complicated and confusing that after realizing what happens at the end, then the process becomes a bit easier. But for some reason, I’m breezing through this book. Maybe it’s because I know what’s happening or the words are so comfortingly familiar that it’s like watching an old movie I loved or a TV show I put on in the background for entertainment.

    Either way, I find myself reading much faster through the book.

    I’m finding things I didn’t see before

    This is my favorite part of the rereading process now. I’m finding things I somehow missed in the first read through and just loving the discoveries I didn’t see before. It’s almost like the small details are brighter and more easy to find. For example, I find that Middlegame is way more feminist and inclusive than I remember it being. I resonate with the story a bit more because of that and it also opens my eyes to other possible things I might have missed. I honestly want to take a pen to my book, underline the quotes that I didn’t see before, and make notes in the margins just so that I can remember these discoveries.

    It’s so comforting

    I think the biggest lesson I learned from my reread is that this book is so comforting. The words feel like I’m speaking with an old friend, and I just want to sit around all day reading its pages and making me laugh. I didn’t realize the comfort aspect would be so big for me. I’m not usually the type of person to find comfort in a book, but I’m realizing now that it’s the comfort of the words and hearing them again that make it so sensational.

    What are some other ways you love rereading?