dearrivarie

speaking to jellyfish | the ocean would paint me blue by zoulfa katouh

noreply@blogger.com (Riv) — Sun, 07 Jun 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Zoulfa Katouh's sophomore novel The Ocean Would Paint Me Blue takes readers on a magical journey of healing where a seventeen-year-old girl uses a magical sketchbook to reconnect with her mother and her culture. Jihad has always been told that her family has gifts from Syria - from her mother's ability to speak with jellyfish, to her aunt who can sense the future, to her sister's uncanny affinity for order. Her gift came in the form of colors and she used to be able to see everything just a little brighter. After her mother's death plunged her world into shades of grey, a future at art school seemed impossible.

When she's enrolled at the elite Braxton Academy to finish her senior year, she begins to hope for a brighter future, where Braxton's prestige could help her achieve her dream of attending Opus School of Art. However, her religion and name quickly sets her apart and makes her target amongst the other students. When she finds a sketchbook in her mother's desk that was made from a tree in her mother's hometown in Syria, Jihad slowly begins to rediscover her voice and color through paintings that depict her mother's story of leaving her home behind to start a new life in a city that ultimately failed her.

published June 2nd, 2026 - 368 pages - e-arc on behalf of Toppling Stacks Tours
purchase on: bookshop* | barnes and nobles | amazon

I was fully prepared to be bawling because Zoulfa Katouh pretty much eviscerated me with her debut novel. The Ocean Would Paint Me Blue dives into themes of grief, religious intolerance, racism, and hate crimes against the Muslim community in New York City.

From the less than warm welcome she receives from Braxton Academy to her stilted relationship with her father and sister, Jihad's grief becomes part of you as the reader and you feel the heavy weight of her despair through the first half of the story. As she slowly finds healing through her art, it truly felt like the colors came back and the novel itself bloomed. I felt her pain the same way I felt her anger and frustration at being stereotyped for her name - the same way I felt her loss at being torn between being American and wanting so desperately to connect with a culture that feels so foreign.

Zoulfa Katouh manages to capture this balance of longing and anger that Jihad struggles with so perfectly. Her feelings felt justified and for every piece of injustice she experienced, my heart broke for her a little bit more. Seeing the rude remarks from her classmates followed by each betrayal from her closest friend revealed the unfortunate truth about America's white-centric societal values and its blatant Islamophobia. There were times I genuinely had to stop reading because I got so angry at the sheer audacity and privilege of the white upper class. The one bright light that helped Jihad cling to sanity came in the form of a golden-retriever boy named Jamie. I was initially kind of anxious about him but I shouldn't have doubted Zoulfa's character writing because he was truly such a green flag. I definitely appreciated that their friendship never made an attempt to overshadow Jihad's healing journey and instead he became a sense of safety and support for her to lean on as she reclaim her mother's stories.

To quote the editor's note at the beginning, this book truly "tore me apart and stitched me back to together." The Ocean Would Paint Me Blue left me seeing the world with just a little bit more color and a strange desire to go to an aquarium to speak with the jellyfish.

all images are from unsplash - all rights to the original photographers - luna park | red paint | pho | washington square park

Website | Instagram | Goodreads

a huge thank you to Topping Stacks Tours for providing me with an e-arc - all thoughts are 100% my own. please click on the tour banner to view the other stops!

reviving my reading hobby | asian readathon tbr

noreply@blogger.com (Riv) — Mon, 11 May 2026 12:30:00 +0000

If there's one thing that will revive my basically non-existent reader hobby, it's the yearly Asian readathon hosted by readwithcindy every May for AAPI month. I usually fail but last year, I actually stuck with my TBR and completed all the prompts so I'm feeling tentatively hopeful that I might be able to do the same this year (despite my reading being actually abysmal this year). Also, the prompts are inspired by K-pop Demon Hunters so how could I not at least make a TBR to motivate myself?

1. HOW IT'S DONE: Read a book written featuring a confident, skilled, or highly capable main character OR a book that teaches you something
I actually don't have a specific book picked for this prompt but I'm pretty sure that one of the books on my tbr is going to teach me something or have a capable main character.

2. GOLDEN: Read a book about a character chasing a dream OR a book that has gold on the cover
Katabasis by R.F. Kuang
A PhD student travels with her academic rival into hell to save their professor
The Poet Empress by Shen Tao
A girl becomes a palace concubine to save her family and finds herself in the middle of a fight for the throne
Author(s) Representation: Chinese

I would ideally love to read both but only one would actually count towards the readathon since both authors are Chinese.

3. SODA POP: Read a book that is light and fun OR a book with stylish, bold elements (cover design, story setting, fantasy magic, writing style, etc.)
The Vanishing Cherry Blossom Bookshop by Takuya Asakura
A bookstore that only appears during the cherry blossom season that offers solace and healing
Author Representation: Japanese

4. FREE: Read a book written by an Asian author where characters balance two different identities OR fighting a hidden/internal struggle
Behind Five Willows by June Hur
Korean-inspired homage to Jane Austen following a reader and writer secretly fighting against government book banning
Author Representation: Korean

5. YOUR IDOL vs. WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE: Read a book written by an Asian author that has dark themes OR a book about friendship or chosen family
Weavingshaw by Heba Al-Wasity
A gothic fantasy where a young women who can see the dead enters a contract with the Saint of Silence to save her brother's life
Author Representation: Iraqi

Salt Swept by Katalina Watts
A ragtag crew on a quest to find a hidden treasure in the middle of a raging whirlpool, but they need to find a boat and learn how to sail it first
Author Representation: Filipino

We are officially one week into the month and I've barely picked up anything but in the spirit of positive thinking, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this can hopefully revive my reading hobby or at least get some books off my physical tbr.

What are you planning to read for the Asian Readathon this year?

recommending books to my new comfort characters | the best thing

noreply@blogger.com (Riv) — Sat, 14 Feb 2026 14:30:00 +0000

In honor of Valentine's Day and February being the month of love, I figured it was only fitting to recommend some books to my new comfort show whose characters and romance literally had me beaming at my computer screen like an idiot.

After seeing so many edits for The Best Thing on Instagram, I finally caved and got an iQiYi subscription to binge the drama and it's quite possibly one of the most wholesome shows I've watched in a long time. As someone who struggles to stay committed to series of any format, I watched the entire 28 episode series in 2 weeks so it's safe to say that this was a 10/10 experience and I need to make it my entire personality.

For someone who loves a good romance, it was incredibly hard trying to narrow down my favorite romantic relationships and find a thread of similarity that I could stretch to match what He Suye and Shen Xifan had. Of course, we have to mention Suye's gentleness and patience towards Xifan that literally had me in a chokehold - the truest of green flags for sure. If you haven't read Immortal by Sue Lynn Tan and you only look at the synopsis, this recommendation feels like it's coming completely out of left field but I promise if you stick with the story, you'll understand the similarities between Suye and Zhangwei.

I really leaned on the themes of "if he wanted to he would" and "get you a man who yearns" because the other two recs embody that perfectly. Preston from A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid and Cyrus from Never Thought I'd End Up Here by Ann Liang are quite possibly two of my favorite male love interests that I've read about. Preston and Effy's relationship gave me the same gentle comforting vibes that Suye and Xifan's did, especially through the lens of the female character needing to heal and learning to love. On the other hand, Cyrus is just textbook Suye, the man literally waited years to confess his feelings to Leah and that's dedication that Suye would be proud of.

Trying to find books on my TBR that I hope will give me the same butterflies proved even harder. This process is incredibly non-scientific and just based on vibes, but I will report back (hopefully) to let you know if these titles fulfilled their duty. Behind Five Willows by June Hur is the author's newest release (for May 2026) after A Crane Among Wolves which I loved. Her characters have consistently just revealed the softest parts of a relationship that hit me in the feels and I really hope this one does too. While the time period and story line are far from a comfort rom-com, I do hope that Daehyun and Iseul become new comfort characters for me.

Did I also just swap an Ann Liang / Sue Lynn Tan book with another? Yes I did because they truly write the best characters and romances. I've had Never Ever After by Sue Lynn Tan on my tbr for months after it came out last year and am really trying to finish it before the end of February. As for I Could Give You the Moon by Ann Liang, I have no comments other than my sister went absolutely feral for Chanel and Ares and the fact that I have an e-arc from netgalley and I haven't read it yet is a crime against humanity she's 100% holding against me.

I would love to know if you've watched The Best Thing or if you've read any of the titles. I'm also realizing that I need some more cute, fluffy, feel-good stories with romances that restore my faith in love and leave me feeling healed so if you have any recommendations in both the drama/series and book department please let me know!

all bookshop.org links are affiliate links where, when used to purchase gives me a small commission to support my blog at no extra cost to you!

keeping it simple | reading goals for 2026

noreply@blogger.com (Riv) — Mon, 19 Jan 2026 14:00:00 +0000

The new calendar year brings lots of hopeful intention and despite the fact that we are halfway through the first month, I'm desperately clinging to that hope. I truly miss having bookish interactions and the excitement of reading in general so I'm hoping that 2026 is the year where I can gently reintroduce reading into my daily life.

read with intention
My original goal was simply - read more - but that seemed a bit too broad and stressful so we're rephrasing it to read with intention. Like everyone else, I have a never-ending tbr which feels more overwhelming than exciting most days. Instead of staring at the list without knowing where to start, I'm giving myself the goal to complete two books a month which averages out to a book every other week. This will hopefully give me the illusion of structure while allowing periods of break in between if I finish a book quickly.

get two book bingos
I found a list from the 52books challenge and created a bingo chart in my reading journal. I've been wanting to try a reading challenge of some sort and this one was the perfect combination of structure with the 52 prompts and personalization because I only picked 24. I don't think it'll necessarily be challenging to get two bingos through the year but I'm hoping it can be an option for a starting point if I ever fall into a slump and don't know what to pick up next.

use my reading journal consistently
Speaking of reading journals, I love journaling and really fell off of that habit in 2025. Both my reading and memory journals barely got any love and I could tell it was taking a toll of my mental health. I'm simplifying everything this year and taking it back to the basics. I want my reading journal to be my physical tracker and my go-to place when I finish a book instead of rushing to log it onto an app. I'm also trying to take a step away from Goodreads and am aiming to balance my digital tracking between Fable and Pagebound to see which one sticks better. Fable is more popular but I'm liking Pagebound's interface a bit more at the moment so we'll see - bottom line is, I want my physical journal to be the priority overall.

read at least 10 books on my physical tbr
I ended up making a spread in my reading journal of all the books I own physically that I haven't read yet and the number is quite staggering. I already have close to no shelf space so it's time to be really intentional with my physical shelves and either read the books I own or finally admit to myself that it's time to pass them on. I might do something like a random wheel generator to help start the process because just staring at the list makes it difficult to decide where to begin.

read 200/365 days
I originally saw this goal on Dylan Joseph's 2026 goals video and really like how he framed developing the habit of reading consistently. Instead of holding myself to a strict regimen of reading x amount of minutes every day, which I failed miserably at last year, I'm giving myself a more attainable goal. Sometimes I might not have the energy to read 15-30 minutes but if I pick up a book and read something, that checks off this goal and we'll tally all the days up at the end of the year to see if we hit the 200 day mark.

listen to five audiobooks
I listened to a grand total of one audiobook last year and not even in full. While I did dive a bit more into bookish podcasts, I do miss the anticipation of listening to a book on my daily commutes. I have a bunch of titles saved on Libby/Hoopla and want to challenge myself to actually pick up those titles - it also gives me an excuse to use my library's digital resources more.

Fingers crossed 2026 will be a better reading year for me - with all these goals in mind, my main focus is simply to fall back into my habit of reading or at least redefine what reading looks like for 2026-me in a way that keeps it a consistent part of my life.

What are your goals for 2026?

the price of secrets and the importance of honesty | all the way around the sun by xixi tian

noreply@blogger.com (Riv) — Fri, 03 Oct 2025 13:00:00 +0000

First-generation Asian American experience stories will always have my heart and this one was no different. Navigating life after the death of her older brother, Stella is terrified of going to college. With her family orbiting each other life ghosts in their grief, the family's move to sunny California feels like another attempt to separate themselves from the reality of their loss. In attempt to help her submit college applications, Stella's parents enlist the help of her childhood friend Alan to take her on a tour of the UC schools - the only issue, Stella hasn't spoken to Alan in years and the last time they saw each other left their friendship in pieces.

published September 30th, 2025 - 304 pages

That starting paragraph might be a bit too dramatic, especially that last line. In all seriousness, All the Way Around the Sun delivered on everything that I was looking for based on its synopsis. We get to explore so many of my favorite themes in young adult stories from childhood friendships, mending parental relationships, the strength of familial bonds, and of course, the Asian American experience.

With him, I always found some way to say yes.

This was initially pitched to me as being perfect for fans of Ann Liang's Never Thought I'd End Up Here and if you loved Leah and Cyrus, you're going to love Stella and Alan. They have the same childhood friends arc that ended in misunderstanding and are given a second chance at friendship in their high school years. With Stella and Alan, the memories of their childhood highlight their comfortable understanding of one another - something that even years apart couldn't erase. I loved how respectful Alan was despite all the misunderstandings, how he admitted his errors and how he sought to prove his steadfast dedication to Stella even if that meant giving her space.

They went to America so you could have the type of life you want. As long as you are working toward that life, you are not wasting their efforts.

Of course when talking about the college application process, you also have to discuss the cultural weight of parental expectations and this novel dealt with it so gently while still being incredibly realistic. We have Alan's father who is very much your traditional strict parent and then we have Stella's parents who do their best despite the bumps in the road. I always love these stories because it makes me want to hug my parents a little tighter and also reminisce about my own childhoods spent with my grandpa in Taiwan. The feeling of knowing where you came from and where you grew up as a child versus the concept of the American dream can feel so incompatible and stressful, but this was a gentle reminder to stay true to yourself and take one step at a time.

All the Way Around the Sun has officially joined my list of YA novels I wish I had read when I was a teen because it would have helped my past-self's inner turmoil so much. However, reading this as an adult is just as healing because at least these stories are now accessible for the next generation.

I received an e-ARC from Books Forward in exchange for an honest review - all thoughts are 100% my own!

Disclaimer: covers are affiliate links to Bookshop that, when used to purchase, gives me a small commission to support my blog at no extra cost to you!

review corner | the quiet unexpected kind of love

noreply@blogger.com (Riv) — Sat, 27 Sep 2025 16:00:00 +0000

Finally taking a minute to sit down and go through the last few books I finished in an attempt to get back into the rhythm of reviewing & sharing my thoughts on the internet. I feel like I've been having too much of a perfectionist mindset towards reviewing and my blog in general so trying something a little simpler to rekindle the spark.

published May 20th 2025 - 400 pages

Easily one of the internet's most anticipated releases of the year, The Knight and the Moth is the start to Rachel Gillig's newest The Stonewater Kingdom duology. The novel opens with a kingdom held in the grasps of religious fanaticism and the journey of a devout Diviner named Six who joins the quest of a newly crowned king determined to prove his worth. This has the classic tropes of enemies to lovers, a quest with magical objects, and Rachel Gillig's eerie gothic prose that brings readers into the misty moors of Traum.

Woven with rich thematic material, The Knight and the Moth introduces the fragile juxtaposition between control and oppression. Blind faith and loyalty are challenged when the diety-like Omens begin to fall. As Six starts to unravel what she thought was the foundation of her role in society, her exploration of identity and free will become a catalyst to revealing how far one is willing to go to obtain the worship of others. Being the first Rachel Gillig novel I actually finished (one day I'll go back to One Dark Window), this novel highlighted just how immersive her writing can be.

The story was full of concepts that checked off many of the internet's latest buzz words and that in part made the reading experience so much fun. It took the classic hero's quest for magical artifacts and incorporated religious elements that drove the plot forward. The repetitive nature of the quest was broken up by insightful commentary namely through my newest favorite character, a bat-like gargoyle who calls everyone Bartholomew. Truly, a good star on my rating is there because of him and he is also the sole reason I want to continue with the duology. As the characters underwent their first transformation arc, we are left with broken alliances and uncertain futures which sets the stage for more secrets and scheming to come.

published September 2nd, 2025 - 544 pages

A gentle romantic story will always be what my heart craves and Rebecca Ross's Wild Reverence checked all the boxes for me. As someone who enjoyed Divine Rivals but didn't quite get on the same hype train for Iris and Roman, this prequel officially sold me and I admit, I get it now. Wild Reverence takes readers back to the world of Cambria but this time through the eyes of the gods and goddesses themselves. If there's one thing Rebecca Ross can do, it's writing a love story that truly feels like it transcends all time and this delivered on all accounts.

Matilda and Vincent exist on opposite realms, one a goddess and the other a mortal - pretty much a classic tale of star-crossed lovers. Yet their initial connection through dreams creates a tether between their souls that brings them back together no matter how far they are apart. From childhood friends to unlikely allies to something more, their relationship grows so beautifully, highlighting a mature and thoughtful respect and genuine love between the two characters. Their contrasting societal roles help to usher along two different but intertwined plotlines that center around the never-ending schemes of the divine and the balance of action was so perfectly done.

This also managed to answer so many questions I had with Divine Rivals because we get to see the backstory to some important figures that shape the trajectory of the original duology. I liked how story itself was able to stand alone but we also get little easter eggs that OG readers can appreciate. We get to explore how fragile immortality can be - with the constant schemes and betrayals of the Skywards and Underlings, power is defined through one's ability to remain relevant. However, Matilda is viewed as a nobody at first with only six-points to her star but as the story progresses and her powers reveal themselves, we're faced with the bigger question of whether that prized immortality is worth it in the end.

I genuinely found myself thinking about the characters so much afterwards and dare I say, it makes me want to read Ruthless Vows even though I pretty adamantly told my sister I wasn't going to pick it up. To tide myself over, it might be time to check out Rebecca Ross's backlist instead.

If you've read these titles, I'd love to know what you thought!
Disclaimer: covers are affiliate links to Bookshop that, when used to purchase, gives me a small commission to support my blog at no extra cost to you!

a purpose and a dream | never thought I'd end up here by ann liang

noreply@blogger.com (Riv) — Tue, 03 Jun 2025 13:30:00 +0000

Ann Liang is synonymous in this household with adorable fluffy rom-coms that leave you smiling like an idiot while simultaneously bringing on the tears for perfectly putting into words the experience of being a child of immigrants. Never Thought I'd End Up Here offers a gentle reconciliation towards the experience of growing up between two different cultures and the journey it takes to discover one's unique cultural identity.

pages: 320 | source: netgalley, colored pages book tours
publication date: June 03, 2025
tags: young adult, contemporary, romance, asian-rep
rating: 7.5/10

B O O K S H O P * | G O O D R E A D S | S T O R Y G R A P H
links with an (*) are affiliate where, when used to purchase gives me a small commission to support my blog at no extra cost to you!

This may be a big moment because I think I found my favorite Ann Liang novel. Something about Never Thought I'd End Up Here just clicked - from the relatable experiences of defining one's identity through the Asian American lens to what has to be one of the sweetest romances I've ever read, I cannot sing enough praises for this book.

As someone who also got the chance to participate in a cultural-immersion camp, seeing Leah discover her Chinese heritage through a new lens and all the challenges she faced throughout resonated so much with me that seeing her overcome them felt like a personal victory. Leah had to essentially learn what it meant to be just her and the process of becoming so vulnerable is a scary one but for the first time in a while she is surrounded by so much love and zero judgement. And despite all the cringey teenage moments of embarrassment, her experiences in Shanghai finally give her the support system she's been missing to truly enjoy her life. Though credit where credit is due, I adore her mother and how she calls Leah Baobei - truly made me tear up every time.

Of course, we cannot talk about an Ann Liang rom-com without addressing the romance because this one was truly top-tier. Cyrus wins the #1 spot because he was truly the softest, most sweetest MMC ever and he deserves the biggest hug. I loved how we got to do a deep dive into two incredibly different Asian American experiences and see the shared fear of failure and disappointment that often underscores many children of immigrants' lives. It truly offers a different perspective and reinforces how you never know what's behind the mask of perfection that everyone projects.

I think this is the first time I've finished a YA novel in a long time where I just want to go back and reread the story because of how genuine it felt. To prevent any further gushing over these characters and because the more I think about it, the more I'll miss my family in Taiwan, here's a line that really just solidified the impact that this book left on me: The longer I stay in this country, the more words I collect. It happens naturally, as if they've been hidden in the corners of my mind this whole time, waiting for me to brush away the dust.

huge thanks to Colored Pages Book Tours, Ann Liang, and Scholastics Press for a chance to participate on this tour! be sure to check out all the amazing stops!

secrets are hidden in the towers | this monster of mine by shalini abeysekara

noreply@blogger.com (Riv) — Mon, 12 May 2025 13:16:00 +0000

This Monster of Mine is for all the readers who love a morally ambiguous cast of characters that actually tackle the injustices of society. A dark and bloody story (please check all the trigger warnings ahead of time) that tackles the question of what it means for justice to be delivered while adding a little sprinkle of revenge and an enemies to lovers subplot.

pages: 418 | source: own, physical/fairyloot
publication date: April 1st, 2025
tags: fantasy, adult,
rating: 6.1/10

B O O K S H O P * | G O O D R E A D S | S T O R Y G R A P H
links with an (*) are affiliate where, when used to purchase gives me a small commission to support my blog at no extra cost to you!

Sarai is a character with incredible drive and the definition of feminine rage. Four years ago, she was attacked and almost killed for reasons she can't remember and now she's back in the Southern City and assigned to work with one of the ruling Tetrachs (judge) as his Petitor (prosecutor). She's determined to find answers for her case that was dismissed and how it might be linked to all the Petitor deaths that followed. Throughout the story, she constantly proves her strength and resilience to get the bottom of things. Seeing her discover what it truly meant to fight injustice and how the moral "laws" of society will always unfortunately bend to the wills of those in power was a mixture of heart-breaking and encouraging, especially when seeing those parallels in today's society.

Pitched as a romantasy, the story does a solid job balancing out its complex fantasy world while allowing the romance to remain a prevalent component of the story. Tetrach Kadra, stated in the author's note as being inspired by Ben Barnes' Darkling, is quietly manipulative in a way that isn't malicious but allows him to remain a few steps ahead of Sarai. He allows her to come to her own conclusions - even if she sometimes jumps to anger and accusations first. I guess this could fit the hate-to-love trope as there is quite a bit of mental gymnastics on Sarai's part between "I hate him he's evil, I can't like him" and "wow he's actually human and has a heart."

Where this succeeded lay in the author's careful attention to character detail as Kadra's vicious punishments were the result of a corrupt justice system that allowed money to prevail over consequences and Sarai having to lean how to stay true to her moral compass while combatting the corruption around her. The cast of characters each had their own character motivations that supported the plot's political intrigue and the mystery behind all the Petitor deaths. I was genuinely so curious to uncover the answers with Sarai and with each reveal of political corruption, shocked to see how low some people will go.

I definitely feel like the author left so many insightful breadcrumbs scattered throughout that I missed this first time around so I'll have to go back and give this a reread sometime in the future. This does read like a standalone because the author manages to deliver a satisfying conclusion but I found out that there's supposed to be a sequel so that'll definitely be on my radar for next year. I think the world is absolutely fascinating with so much potential to be explored and I can't wait to see what the characters will do next.

overly ambitious | asian readathon tbr

noreply@blogger.com (Riv) — Sat, 10 May 2025 13:02:00 +0000

With my incredibly fast reading speed averaging two books a month (please note the sarcasm), I'm here to bring my overly ambitious May tbr for the annual Asian Readathon hosted by Read With Cindy. May is AAPI Heritage Month and every year I mentally prepare myself to participate...only to fail miserably, but it's a new year so we're trying again.

1. Read a book written by an Asian author that's a fantasy and/or best-seller
A Forgery of Fate by Elizabeth Lim
Beauty and the Beast inspired with a cursed dragon lord and girl who can paint the future
Author Representation: Chinese

2. Read a book written by an Asian author that's a retelling and/or features LGBT+ characters
Gifted and Talented by Olivie Blake
Successful businessman dies and leaves behind his mega-empire to one of his burnt out, gifted and talented child
Author Representation: Filipino

3. Read a book written by an Asian author that's emotional and/or features an older character
Meet Me At Blue Hour by Sarah Suk
Two childhood friends reconnect only to find that one of them erased their memories of the other
Author Representation: Korean

4. Read a book written by an Asian author that's international and/or underrated

5. Read a book written by an Asian author that's non-fiction and/or political
The Book Censor's Library by Buthanya Al-Eissa
A book censor finds himself becoming a reader, an incredibly dangerous and forbidden act
Author Representation: Kuwait

- extras -
The Nightblood Prince by Molly X. Chang (Chinese)
For She is Wrath by Emily Varga (Pakistani)
Eliza, from Scratch by Sophia Lee (Korean)

This is definitely one of the most ambitious tbrs I've set for myself in a while, especially since this post is going up almost halfway through the month and I have yet to complete a book (in my defense, I'm in the middle of three). If you are participating this year, please let me know what books are on your tbr and maybe, just maybe, I'll check back in at the end of the month and we'll be pleasantly surprised by my end result.

nine books that shaped my early 20s | listed

noreply@blogger.com (Riv) — Tue, 11 Mar 2025 13:56:00 +0000

Hi there! I originally had this planned for the very start of the year but now we're in March and it's still sitting in my drafts.... I was inspired to come up with this list after seeing Caz from Little Book Owl post a video titled 30 Books That Changed My Life and it got me thinking about some books that have stayed with me long after I finished reading them. Since my birthday was in January and Google now classifies my age as "late 20s," I figured it'd be interesting to see what titles helped to shape the first half of my 20s.

covers are affiliate links that, when used to purchase, gives me a small commission to support my blog at no extra cost to you!

the astonishing color of after by emily x.r. pan
I remember picking this up solely because the synopsis mentioned Taiwan and I hadn't read anything before that centered around Taiwanese culture. The story itself centers around grief and learning about the different layers of one's cultural identity which opened up a new understanding of my own Asian American heritage. I loved recognizing familiar places and foods as Leigh discovers Taiwan for the first time and just remembered finishing this book with a newfound love and nostalgia for my parents' homeland.

light from uncommon stars by ryka aoki
I constantly claim that this book made me fall back in love with classical music and years later, I still stand by that statement. Ryka Aoki manages to encompass themes of musical healing, queer identity, and hope into this beautifully written story and I remember finishing this and just needing to sit in silence to feel all the emotions it gave me. I adore the cast of characters with my whole heart and truly have a better love for classical music that I didn't have during my entire undergrad experience as a music major.
r e a d m y r e v i e w h e r e

babel by r.f. kuang
R.F. Kuang truly rewired my brain chemistry with Babel in a way that I wasn't expecting. The world and its magic is so incredibly complex and intriguing to the point where it sometimes reads like a textbook but in the best way possible. I loved even getting just a glimpse of R.F. Kuang's mind and her understanding of the nuances of language - not to mention that the characters and their experiences at the prestigious Oxford University highlighted the inequalities and additional pressures that minority students faced in academia.

covers are affiliate links that, when used to purchase, gives me a small commission to support my blog at no extra cost to you!

the poppy war by r.f. kuang
I had to put The Poppy War trilogy as well because it truly opened my eyes to the horrors of a history I hadn't learned about in school. In my history classes, we probably had a paragraph or two dedicated to anything not Eurocentric and reading about the events that inspired certain scenes absolutely broke me. The main character's arc as well was so intriguing to follow and really highlighted the heavy expectations of war alongside the degrading racial superiority as an effect of white imperialism.
r e a d m y r e v i e w h e r e

the winternight trilogy by katherine arden
If you ever dive into my blog archives and look at any recommendations list, you're bound to find some mention of The Winternight Trilogy. Picking up The Bear and the Nightingale from my local library was a completely random decision during my freshmen year winter break and one of the best decisions because it introduced me to the world of Russian folklore.
r e a d m y r e v i e w h e r e

the bone witch trilogy by rin chupeco
Another trilogy that I pretty much made my entire personality throughout college that I picked up on a whim at the library. Following Tea who finds out that she's a bone witch when accidentally resurrecting her brother, the trilogy is told through a dual-POV of past and present. I fell in love with the characters and their relationships with each other and remember really getting to connect with other readers over this trilogy which is what made it all the more memorable.
r e a d m y r e v i e w h e r e

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piranesi by susanna clarke
Piranesi is a book that just feels comforting to me - something about reading the main character's explorations through his journal entries feels so nostalgic. The writing style is the perfect blend of intriguing and whimsical that just kept me hooked from start to finish even if the first part just documented Piranesi roaming the halls. As the plot itself unfolds, the slower pace of everything just felt oddly comforting and left me feeling a sense of wonder.
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daughter of the moon goddess by sue lynn tan
Growing up, there was this Taiwanese puppet drama that I vividly remember watching with my cousins when visiting them over the summer. It's also a huge part of why I even understand the dialect and I remember being absolutely engrossed with the storyline. There were complex political schemes, a heartbreaking love story, and action scenes that left my jaw hanging. Daughter of the Moon Goddess captured all of that in book-form and I absolutely loved it. Reading this felt like awakening a part of my childhood and following Xingyin on her epic journey was so much fun.
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picture us in the light by kelly loy gilbert
I saved this one for last because of just hoe much this story broke me. Following a Chinese American high schooler who has to find the balance between his own passions and the expectations of his immigrant parents hit a lot closer than I anticipated. I remember just wanting to cry so many times while reading this because I felt so represented and quickly went on to read all of the author's books Kelly Loy Gilbert just captures the Asian American experience so well and it felt like each of her main characters held a piece of me that I didn't expect to see in a story - it felt like they were holding up a mirror to my heart.

And there you have it - only a few months late but nevertheless reminiscing about these books made me realize how much they've impacted my early 20s. Please let me know if you've read any of these titles and/or share a book that has changed your life or perspective for the better!

january is full of my favorite worlds | review corner

noreply@blogger.com (Riv) — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 01:01:00 +0000

Happy ~~February~~ March! The first month of 2025 has felt like it passed in a blur while simultaneously being the longest month to ever exist and all I'm desperately trying to do is stay afloat amidst all the chaos. I was originally planning to post this last month, but as always the February slump took me out and we're now onto month #3... On the bright side, I managed to read three incredible books to start the year that in retrospect, pretty much summarizes my entire reading taste: macabre fairytales, epic Asian-inspired fantasies, and magical worlds filled with nostalgia.

pages: 336 | source: own, e-book
publication date: October 29th, 2024
tags: young adult, gothic, horror, lgbtqia+
rating: 8.6/10

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I might be incredibly late to this realization but I just figured out that C.G. Drews is the same person as PaperFury which was a book blogger I followed back in high school. With that lightbulb moment, I was genuinely so excited to read Don't Let the Forest In because a story about tragic love, monstrous forests, and macabre stories coming to life sounds like the perfect combination to a top tier read - and let me just say, it absolutely did not disappoint.

The story opens following Andrew as he returns to Wickwood Academy for his senior year. Already anxious about what's to come, he finds his tight-knit community falling apart when his twin sister Dove and best friend Thomas seem to be at odds with each other. Worse, Thomas is acting completely different and disappearing into the woods at night only to appear in the morning covered in leaves and blood. After trying to figure out what is going on, Thomas finally reveals that the monsters of his drawings, inspired by Andrew's stories, are coming to life and coming for everything that he holds dear and this time they have their sights set on Andrew.

This book has the most gorgeously haunting writing and the atmosphere was just top tier stunning. I started reading this and legit could not stop myself from turning the page because I just had to know what was going to happen. There are also these beautifully grotesque drawings of Thomas' creatures that just add the extra touch of eerie. I loved Andrew and Thomas' relationship with each other as they each navigate their feelings in the midst of so much bloodshed. This book truly just planted its twisted roots deep into my heart and is staying there forever because I would honestly protect Thomas and Andrew with my entire life, they are so precious.

favorite line: I like how you are. There's an entire world of ink and magic stuffed into your head and, and I think it's beautiful. I just wish everything didn't hurt you so much.

pages: 465 | source: own, physical
publication date: January 07, 2025
tags: adult, romance, fantasy, asian
rating: 8.2/10

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When I tell you it's been a minute since a romance has left me absolutely breathless, Immortal quite possibly delivered everything I wanted it to be. Set in the same world as Sue Lynn Tan's Celestial Kingdoms duology, we follow Liyen as she ascends the throne after her grandfather's death and her journey to free her people from the centuries-old agreement with the immortals that puts Tianxia under the Golden Desert's control. What started as a trip tino the Immortal Realm to pledge her loyalty turns into a bigger political conflict when forgotten enemy forces start slipping through the cracks of their prison and secrets begin to unravel.

Immortal has everything I loved in Sue Lynn Tan's debut duology minus the love triangle which made it instantly better because that was hands down my least favorite part. It has also been such a long time since I've fallen in love with a fictional couple and rooted so hard for the male love interested. As the General of War, Zhangwei has sass and depth that made me instantly root for him. He also pulls out the "touch her and you'll die" line and actually backed it up with action. Seriously, the lines that he says to Liyen made me actually want to cry (case in point the quote below).

Characters aside, Sue Lynn Tan continues to write a vast and complex story whose plot feels like an entire C-drama. We get to explore more of the Immortal Realms as well as delve into the history of Tianxia's existence and purpose. There are so many twists that reveal how sometimes there is truth behind both sides of the story and a hero can be a villain (and vice versa) depending on who is telling the tale. Incredibly rich and beautiful in both plot and writing, Immortal truly ticked all the boxes for becoming an instant favorite and I'm so glad I loved it.

favorite line: Dawn would be dark without you. You make life more interesting.

pages: 372 | source: own, physical
publication date: January 14th, 2025
tags: adult, fantasy, fabulism, romance, asian, cozy
rating: 8.2/10

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If I'm to be completely honest, I've seen a lot of mixed reviews about this book and I 100% get the points presented. However, I am simply just obsessed with this book soley based on how it made me feel and how long I've been thinking about this book since finishing it. With a premise surrounding a pawn shop that allows you to sell your regrets, the story adopts a very Ghibli-esque way of unfolding its events. I feel like going into the story with the same child-like sense of wonder that I had when approaching a lot of Ghibli films as a child allowed me to not become as affected by some of the common pitfalls that other readers experienced.

That's an incredibly long way of saying that this story truly takes your on a journey and explores so many different places of a fantastical world entered by jumping through puddles that the pawn shop is only a focus for maybe the first 20-30 pages. It does feel like the author is trying to set up this complex and beautiful world and trying to evoke the feeling one would get when seeing the world from Spirited Away for the first time. There's a lot going on, some things are presented and never brought back, and it can feel incredibly overwhelming. At the same time, there are these two characters who just met and the instant connection is a little too...instant.

All the aside, something about the world itself just drew me in. From the village that worked to hang up the night sky to the practice of tattooing one's life story with magical ink, there was so much that I found simply fascinating and nostalgic. And while the characters themselves weren't my absolute favorite, I still enjoyed being part of their journey. The biggest hit was the climax of the story itself when all the secrets are revealed - it felt like I couldn't catch my breath and I was running alongside Hana and Keishin and my anxiety was through the roof.

Water Moon ultimately is a story whose entire vibe struck a chord of nostalgia within me and for that I was able to overlook some elements that normally would have stuck out to me. I do think it'll be a gamble for anyone going into the story but if you're in the mood to simply be swept away and not worry too much about the characters and just enjoy the world, this might be an unexpected surprise.

favorite line: And you are an ocean Hana...I drowned in you a long time ago and I did not even know it.

I absolutely was not anticipated this post to take me months to get through but I'm glad it's finally finished. I have been in a pretty bad reading slump since January but getting to think back and try to articulate my thoughts for these three reads is slowly reigniting that desire to read again. Here's to hoping that March and the rest of 2025 is a bit more consistent because lord knows we need a little bit of escapism recently with all the insanity that is happening in society.

Have you read any stand-out books yet in 2025 or read any of the titles mentioned here? Please let me know your thoughts!

a teahouse and heist to save the world | a tempest of tea by hafsah faizal

noreply@blogger.com (Riv) — Sat, 01 Mar 2025 13:30:00 +0000

Hello there! I'm pulling myself out of a month long reading slump with what was a highly anticipated read of last year that I just never got around to. I've been struggling a lot with committing to a book once I started and had initially picked up A Tempest of Tea when it first came out and I'm glad I finally got around to finishing it (even if it's now one year later).

pages: 338 | source: ebook, netgalley/tour
publication date: February 20th, 2024
tags: fantasy, young adult, historical, vampires
rating: 6.8/10

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A Tempest of Tea is set in a unique world that blends the supernatural with historical Victorian England vibes and explores themes of family and identity, as well as power and loyalty in such a fascinating way. While I haven't read the ever popular Six of Crows duology, I've read countless reviews that have compared the two heist crews together which definitely piqued my interest from the start.

The story is told through three POVs: Arthie, the no-nonsense leader of the crew, her brother Jin, and Lady Flick, the forger of their crew. I really enjoyed how we got to observe the makeshift crew interact with each other through the different perspectives and it's something that Hafsah Faizal really excels at. Her portrayal of the found family aspect dives deep into the past and one's upbringing shapes the relationships they form with the people around them and what starts as an alliance of survival starts to transform into something deeper. The themes of learning to trust and sacrifices are woven into each character's individual arc. As much as I enjoyed the characters and their relationships, the dialogue sometimes confused me because the characters spend so much time discussing and planning for the heist that I felt like I was just spinning around in their conversations. The build-up itself took a bit but when things got rolling towards the end, it definitely made the preparations worth it.

With such a unique world and a complex history, Faizal doesn't shy away from addressing socio-political issues of colonization and the imbalance of power. The story includes commentary on the systems of oppression in place by the Ettenian government as well as the vampire society. The characters also have so much history with how they were treated based on their backgrounds. It's definitely treated with a lot of respect and calls for resistance (however big or small) against systemic injustices that seek to exploit and create barriers between people. While the story itself took a while for me to fully become invested, the ending easily stole the show and makes me all the more excited to see how everything will play out in the sequel.

a little journal page with some of my favorite quotes :)

Website | Instagram | Goodreads

a huge thank you to TBR and Beyond Tours, Hafsah Faizal, and Macmillan for the digital copy and opportunity to read/review + participate on this tour! all thoughts shared are 100% my own

lost languages and first loves | first love language by stefany valentine

noreply@blogger.com (Riv) — Fri, 17 Jan 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Hello there! Welcome to my first review and post of the year - I originally had a few posts planned to go up before this one but the start of the new year and work got the best of me so we're starting off with this one!

pages: 304 | source: physical, gifted
publication date: January 14th, 2025
tags: young adult, coming-of-age, contemporary, romance, asian, lgbtqia+, adoptee
rating: 7.3/10

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First Love Language follows high school senior Catie as she has to move for the summer from San Diego to Salt Lake City after her mom loses her job and they have to move with her very Mormon aunt. This coming of age debut was incredibly sweet and offered a closer look into exploring themes of adoption, family, and one's cultural identity.

Catie wasn't expecting her summer to take the turn it did, especially when the opportunity to learn her first language arises through the form of an exchange of lessons between her and her new coworker Toby. While he will help her reconnect with her Taiwanese heritage and language, she'll give him dating lessons to help him score a date with his longtime crush - the only catch is that she's never dated anyone in her life. Armed with only her late father's annotated copy of The Five Love Languages, Catie has to come up with an entire curriculum to prove she's an expert on love, while learning more about a part of her past and identity she had always been left in the dark on.

Reading this book felt like a love letter to adoptees which is reflected in the author's note as well. Pulling on personal experiences, Stefany Valentine dives into what it means to be adopted and the emotional process of deciding how to find the answers to one's birth parents. Through Catie's perspective, we get to understand the joys that come from finding long lost relatives as well as the pain of discovering all the time lost as a result. Her story offers a gentle hug to readers who might be experiencing or have experienced the similar journeys all while offering a lighthearted element of first loves.

On that note, I did wish that we could have spent more time in the "love department" because I was initially intrigued by the use of The Five Love Languages. While Catie uses her father's copy to come up with dates for Toby, she begins to realize that love is so much more than what she initially thought. I loved their interactions together as they tried to keep things platonic and professional all while tiny seeds of romance are being planted. In some ways, Catie's lessons with Toby begin to help her come to terms with all she's discovering about her birth mother and family, allowing her to find love and support that she's always yearned for.

First Love Language is a lovely debut that offers readers to develop a deeper understanding of the adoptee experience while getting a glimpse into first love and lost identities and I would definitely love to see what the author comes out with next!

thank you to Colored Pages Book Tours, Viking Books, and Stefany Valentine for the opportunity to read/review/participate in this tour - All thoughts are 100% my own.
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the six days of bookmas | favorite reads of 2024

noreply@blogger.com (Riv) — Tue, 24 Dec 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Hello there! Welcome to the day six, the final day, of Bookmas! I'm a little in shock that I managed to keep up with the posting schedule and this was just a good reminder overall of how much fun blogging can be. Hopefully we'll be able to carry that energy into the new year and stay a little more consistent in 2025.

We're wrapping things up with a favorites list - I was browsing through and found that despite reading a lot of good books, only a handful really stuck out as favorites overall so I'm excited to share the list!

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the warm hand of ghosts by katherine arden

This should be a no brainer because I love Katherine Arden's work and Ghosts is no different. This one took longer to hit me in the feels and the story takes you on a journey through two different timelines and POVs as a brother and sister navigate WWII. Through their eyes, we see both the horrors of war but also where hope can be found and small moments where hope might turn into something more sinister. This truly left me feeling breathless after reading and I couldn't stop thinking about the characters after I had finished.

favorite line: We were born together, we died together. I cannot live without you.

the starless sea by erin morgenstern

This book is truly a love letter to storytelling. It's just full of beautiful prose and overlapping storylines that weave themselves together to create such a masterful tapestry that leaves you filled with so much wonder for the world. I read this all the way in the beginning of the year and still find myself thinking and theorizing about the different connections - this is definitely one of those stories that will stick with you for a long time and will present something new every time you reread it.

favorite line: Not all stories speak to all listeners, but all listeners can find a story that does, somewhere, sometime. In one form or another.

the bride of death by f.m. aden

I feel like I've spoken about this book so much but it truly was the most unexpected favorite that left an absolute chokehold on me while I was reading. If I haven't raved about this enough, the story follows Zerryn who finds herself in a competition to become the bride of Erlik Kahn. The story incorporates Turkish mythology into the classic fantasy trope of enemies to lovers with so much gentle yearning I could literally feel my heart crying.

favorite line: Can you imagine what it's like, when an immortal with no perception of care gains an impossible attachment?

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when among crows by veronica roth

Tor has been absolutely killing it with their short stories. Last year, I read The Salt Grows Heavy and it became one of my favorites and this year When Among Crows filled that hole in my heart for a macabre fairytale-esque story. Veronica Roth manages to pack so much magical politics and set up an entire society in the Chicago underworld to support our characters as they journey to find Baba Yaga. This also has a soft spot in my heart for the most gentlest of romances between two characters that just makes me want to give them a big hug.

favorite line: Eternity is long. Time enough for hearts to soften.

dragonfruit by makiia lucier

Makiia Lucier has officially solidified herself as one of my comfort YA authors because Dragonfruit has everything I love about YA fantasy. From dragons, a journey, and the sweetest relationship amongst all the characters, this was just a lot of fun to read. There is one particular scene that I'm still not over and feel slightly betrayed by but other than that, this felt like a warmest hug and I just adore it.

favorite line: To the adored child, send them on journeys.

lady macbeth by ava reid

If I read an Ava Reid book, it's pretty much guaranteed to make it on my favorites list. Ava Reid just has a way with storytelling that feels like stepping into a mystical world and this one is no different. I've always loved the play Macbeth and seeing the events unfold through Lady Roscille's eyes as she enters first as an innocent bride to Macbeth and then her journey of self-preservation as he ascends to power felt more empowering and enraging. We get to explore the imbalance of power between the two and how magic and madness weave together to bring about Macbeth's downfall. My only complaint is that this ended too quickly - Ava Reid can I please have a tiny extension, I simply need more time with these characters!!

favorite line: Perhaps it is not cleverness that seeps through the generations but cruelty. One cold creature weaning another.

At first, I was a little surprised to only have six titles that really stood out as favorites for me this year but these really sum up my reading taste and preferences pretty accurately. I do have a bunch of honorable mentions so maybe I'll try to whip up a list for those sometime in January because I did read a bunch of solid 3.5-4 star stories that I still want to spotlight.

I hope everyone has a healthy and happy holiday season! I had a lot of fun with Bookmas this year and will definitely try to continue this momentum of drafting/posting consistently into 2025. Let me know what your favorite reads of the year were, I'd love to know!

the six days of bookmas | anticipated 2025 releases

noreply@blogger.com (Riv) — Fri, 20 Dec 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Hello everyone! I can't believe we're on the second to last post for Bookmas - December has really flown by and I'm more than ready to curl up on my bed and just sleep throughout my winter break.

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immortal by sue lynn tan

I will pretty much read anything Sue Lynn Tan writes and after finding out that this set in the same world as her Celestial Kingdom duology, I know that this will be everything I ever wanted. Following a young ruler who has to make a bargain with the God of War in order to protect her kingdom - this promises all the political machinations and breathtaking storytelling that made me adore her debut novel.

i am not jessica chen by ann liang

I've mentioned this a few time and the reasoning remains the same - my sister is a diehard Ann Liang stan and has been telling me nonstop to read this book. Of course, if anything is inspired by The Picture of Dorian Gray, I'm going to be intrigued. Add in some elements of the Asian American academia experience and this one is for sure going to break me.

breath of the dragon by fonda lee

I feel a little embarrassed to admit that I've tried multiple times to start the Green Bone Saga but always get intimidated and never make it very far. When I heard that Fonda Lee had a YA duology coming out, I was instantly hooked. This includes a tournament that our main character hopes to enter in order to restore his family's honor but of course, as he progresses, finds out there are more secrets and the stakes are getting higher.

eliza, from scratch by sophia lee

I've been watching Sophia on YouTube for years and have always admired her ability to phrase her thoughts in reviews so see the actual cover and synopsis of this book feels so surreal and exciting. This combines the heartfelt experiences of falling in love and exploring one's culture through food which just promises to be the sweetest story ever.

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katabasis by r.f. kuang

I am literally so excited for this because anything R.F. Kuang writes I will absolutely read. This is inspired by Dante's Inferno and knowing I know that she is going to have such an interesting twist to the classic. The story follows a student who has to journey into the depths of hell in order to bring her esteemed professor back from the dead which is the perfect set up for a captivating story.

fable for the end of the world by ava reid

I am a self-proclaimed Ava Reid stan and anything she writes I'll read - even if I don't typically reach of dystopians as a genre. Set in a half-sunken town where a massive corporation controls all of society, we get to follow Inesa when she finds out her mother just sacrificed her into the Lamb's Gauntlet to pay off her debts. Now a part of this life or death competition, she has to evade a skilled assassin and hope to make it out of the games alive.

gifted and talented by olivie blake

So far, I've been pretty indifferent about most of Olivie Blake's novels that I've picked up but something about her synopses just sound so compelling. Gifted and Talented follows three incredibly talented siblings who are trying to find out who will be the heir to their father's massive technology empire. Each with skills of their own and secrets/insecurities to hide, the inheritance will solidify their future in society and if there's anything I love in a good story it's hidden motives and lots of scheming which I hope this one will have!

king of envy by ana huang

I don't have many comments other than I'm still hopeful that another Kings of Sin book will hit the same way King of Wrath did for me. Granted, I've only read the first 2 books in the series but we're still keeping our fingers crossed. I think this follows Vuk who has been such an interesting and elusive character so I'm definitely intrigued to see how his story will unfold.

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the listeners by maggie stiefvater

I had no idea Maggie Stiefater was coming out with an adult novel and one that's set in WWII is such a throwback for me since I used to love historical fiction novels set in that time period and haven't picked up one in a while. The Listeners is set in a luxury hotel that is now part of a ploy to invite the elite Axis diplomats to enjoy some relaxation before springing a trap. With different political machinations in place, the main character has to navigate her role as the general manager in order to get everyone through safely.

a forgery of fate by elizabeth lim

It's just industry standard at this point that Elizabeth Lim has the most gorgeous covers. Inspired by Beauty and the Beast, this follows a con artist who agrees to a marriage contract with a dragon lord in order to protect her family. With the unique ability to paint the future, she has to join her new husband at his palace under the sea and and assist him in infiltrating the Dragon King's inner circle and paint a future that could upend both the mortal and immortal realms.

anatomy of a betrayal by grace d. li

I really enjoyed Grace D. Li's debut novel Portrait of a Thief and her sophomore work is inspired by the persecution of Chinese American scientists while exploring the theme of being "American enough." Two graduate students find themselves on opposing sides when one is accused of spying for the Chinese government and the other one has to catch her in the act. This sounds so incredibly interesting and dives into a period that I haven't read too much about.

the nightblood prince by molly x. chang

I'm a little hesitant to add this to the list because I still have a lot of mixed feelings about Molly X. Chang's debut work. However, the plot just sounds like such a fun time. The synopsis includes a vampire army and the classic love triangle trope where the main character is torn between two powerful princes while juggling a prophecy that will name her Empress of All Empresses. So many important choices rest on her shoulders and how will she ever choose - just keeping my fingers crossed that it'll just be a silly goofy run read.

We're almost to the end of Bookmas and if anything, it's proved that if I really set a schedule, I could 100% follow through. I hope you've been enjoying the last few weeks of December as we get closer to the holidays - let me know what new releases in 2025 you're excited for and I'll see you back on Christmas Eve for the last day!

the six days of bookmas | winter reads on my tbr

noreply@blogger.com (Riv) — Tue, 17 Dec 2024 13:30:00 +0000

Hello there! Welcome to Day Four of Six Days of Bookmas - we're over half way at this point and I'm really proud of myself for staying on top of everything. This is technically going up a day late since I wanted to post it on a Tuesday in order to officially participate in the TTT book meme.

While I don't exactly have the best track record with making a seasonal tbr as demonstrated by my Fall TBR where I read a total of 4/10 books on that list, we're going to give this a shot and see if I can get at least 50% this time around by the end of winter.

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the stationery shop by marjan kamali
This is one of the books on my books to read in 2024 and while I've attempted to read this multiple times, I always get too emotionally overwhelmed and end up putting it down. One of these days, I'll be emotionally prepared to read this heartbreaking story and afterwards will probably cry about it online.

the witch and the tsar by olesya salnikova gilmore
I mentioned this in my Day One of Bookmas post as one of my December tbr picks. Something about a story set in Russia centering around the origin story of Baba Yaga sounds so incredibly interesting and I really hope I end up loving this - in all honesty, I think I'm just trying to find another book that'll give me the same vibes as The Bear and the Nightingale because I genuinely miss the experience of reading that book for the first time.

light from uncommon stars by ryka aoki
Another book on my list of books to read in 2024 but this time it's a reread - hands down one of my favorite books of all time, I've been itching to reread the story and just experience all the warm fuzzy feelings again. Not gonna lie, I'm a little nervous to reread it because I'm afraid I won't love it as much the second time but we're going to be positive because I know that the story itself is one that is incredibly precious and timeless.

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januaries by olivie blake
I've been really wanting to get into short story collections and since I really enjoy Olivie Blake's prose, I figured I could try her short stories. I find that her previous works that I've tried have always lost me towards the end with either pacing or plot development so maybe something a bit shorter will be the perfect balance. I've only read two so far, one that I enjoyed a lot and the other not so much. Hopefully the rest of this collection will hold some more gems.

blood over bright haven by m.l. wang
I'm in desperate need of a good solid traditional fantasy novel and I've heard nothing but praises for M.L. Wang over the years. I started this in the beginning of December and I swear I didn't even make it past the prologue before I got overwhelmed by all the emotions. Hoping to really dedicate some time to this over winter break and I have a pretty good feeling it'll be a new favorite.

immortal by sue lynn tan
Probably one of my most anticipated releases of 2025 (you'll see this in a future post for sure), I legit screamed when I got approved for the e-ARC on NetGalley. To be honest, I’m not even entirely sure what the story is about other than it’s a standalone and it follows a ruler in the midst of a war with the gods. It’s got one of the most gorgeous covers I’ve ever seen and if it’s anything like Daughter of the Moon Goddess, I know it’ll be both exhilarating and potentially heartbreaking at the same time.

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the last hour between worlds by melissa caruso
I’m putting this one on the list so I can at least 1/10 on this list read. This is the November 2024 pick for Illumicrate and I just started reading a few days ago. So far, it’s got an incredibly interesting world with multiple dimensions/realities and a New Year’s Eve dinner party that has just turned into a murderous game between powerful beings of alternate dimensions. I’m also really loving the fact that the main character is a mother and we get to see her experience of jumping back into action after the massive task of pregnancy and childbirth.

the courting of bristol keats by mary e. pearson
Small spoilers potentially, but I saw on Instagram that this is the pick for Fairyloot and I just got off the waitlist so I’m definitely stoked. I actually haven’t read anything by Mary E. Pearson, despite knowing of her books for many years and this one sounds right up my alley.

water moon by samantha sotto yambao
Another book box spoiler but I think this is the pick for January's Illumicrate. For 2025, I want to really make sure to read the books I receive in subscription boxes instead of letting them just collect dust on my shelves so I'm adding this to the list to remind myself. I know this is supposed to give off cozy fantasy vibes and takes place in a pawn shop where you can sell your regrets which honestly sounds like such a good read for the start of the year.

i am not jessica chen by ann liang
Last but certainly not least is one that I've heard nothing but amazing things about and it's inspired by The Picture of Dorian Gray which is one of my favorite classics. My sister finished this a few weeks back and said she'd never felt more seen in a book so I'm a little intimidated that I'm going to be absolutely wrecked by this story - but it's by Ann Liang so I know it'll be amazing anyway.

Hopefully I'll be able to come back at the end of winter and be able to report that I've read a majority of the books on this list. What books are you looking forward to reading this season - let me know and I'll see you for Day Five soon!

the six days of bookmas | rosie by rosé

noreply@blogger.com (Riv) — Thu, 12 Dec 2024 13:30:00 +0000

Hello there! I originally had a book review planned for today but when I tell you that my brain has been nothing but song lyrics since Rosé released her album - I literally had no choice but to pivot. It's also been a while since I've done a song to book recommendations lists and I definitely miss them so here are my top five favorite songs from the album with a book that matches.

Also a quick shout-out to APT for being stuck in my head for the past month, but I wanted to spotlight a few other songs on the album!

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number one girl - best yearning

so what's it gonna take for you to want me

When I first watched the MV, I enjoyed the song enough but it didn't stick until I was listening to it on the car half delirious after having to go to work after parent teacher conferences. The chorus has been permanently burned into my memory and the yearning absolutely kills me every time. In that same vein, I literally have quotes from The Bride of Death by F.M. Aden where every time I read it, my heart twists inside. The relationship that develops between Zerryn and Erlik literally is one of my favorites that I read this year.

two years - biggest book heartbreak

even had a funeral for you in my head

I love the lyrics in the chorus and the highlighted line immediately screams As Long As the Lemon Trees Grow. As one of my final reads of last year, it's stayed with me all of 2024 and I legit had a funeral for this book in my head and for my heart for the amount of trauma this gave me. However, it's also 110% worth the pain and truly one of the best books I've ever read.

toxic till the end - guilty pleasure book

you were plotting how to stay in my head

Low-key exposing myself here but I'm going to go with Not Another Love by Julie Soto. Despite being utterly horrified by the one particular scene that seems to be its selling point on social media, I surprisingly really enjoyed the characters and their shenanigans. Also, while I don't exactly think the relationship between Xander and Gwen is healthy - there's definitely an underlying current of obsession - something about their dynamic just stayed in my head long after I finished reading.

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drinks or coffee - best couple chemistry

we don't have to talk, I know that you want me
Half the time I don't know if I love the couples in this series because I genuinely love them or because my sister constantly mentions how top tier they are. Regardless, I can agree that the couples in Chloe Gong's Foul Lady Fortune duology are truly some of the best. I have a soft spot for all the couples just based off of their interactions and with all the craziness they have to deal with in the politically unstable world of 1930s Shanghai. They also have some of the best quotable lines between characters (Orion in particular) that is just chef's kiss.

gameboy - book that played with my feelings
if crying was fun, I'll be having the time of my life

An Echo in the City by K.X. Song literally had me on the edge of my seat feeling so many feelings from rage to joy to terror and more. Set during the Hong Kong protests and following two characters on opposing sides of a tense political landscape that's so close to home, I was holding my breath the entire time. This book just truly embodies that line because I definitely cried, but at the same time it was such an important story that I loved it.

This was genuinely so hard even if I had the time of life drafting and jamming out to the album. It's also definitely been a minute since I've been so excited about a post/idea. Let me know if you've listened to the album and what your favorite track is, I'd love to know!

the six days of bookmas | disappointed reads of 2024

noreply@blogger.com (Riv) — Sun, 08 Dec 2024 13:30:00 +0000

Hello there - happy day two of Bookmas 2024! Before jumping in, I just want to preface this list by saying that none of these books are bad in any way shape or form and were included as a disappointed read because it simply didn't quite meet what I was looking for within the story.

Some were just simply read at the wrong time while others just didn't explore the content or character arcs in a way that worked for me. Regardless, I think each title on this list has incredible merit that could easily make it another person's favorite story and that's the exciting part about reading!

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days of distraction by alexandra chang
I've had this book on my shelves for years before finally picking it up this year and it's a classic example of right book, wrong time. Had I read this novel when I picked it up, I think it would have been a lot more impactful. While I did appreciate exploring what it means to be Asian American through the character's internal monologues and musings, a lot of presented information wasn't new and therefore lacked the punch I was hoping it would deliver. Overall, still a really strong story and one that I think would be perfect for anyone looking to explore the definition of being Asian American and feeling stagnant in their 20s.

faebound by saara el-arifi
Looking back, it's been a hot minute since I've read a truly high fantasy-esque novel with elves and fae and political shenanigans which is what made this story ultimately disappointing to me. While I love good world-building, I've realized that deep down, I'm a pretty heavy character-driven reader and this is just an instance of the characters not working for me. I found their arcs to be a bit stagnant and the overall tone felt really juvenile for an adult-marketed story.

alone with you in the ether by olivie blake
Not gonna lie, I was a bit apprehensive going into this because I had heard a lot of mixed things about the story. I knew from the beginning that this centered around two messy individuals working through a whirlwind of a romance and went into it hoping that I’d end up enjoying the ride. While Olivie Blake’s prose was absolutely gorgeous, I definitely struggled to relate to the characters and ended up feeling a bit overwhelmed by their chaotic nature.

of jade and dragons by amber chen
I was pretty excited for Of Jade and Dragons because I love a good competition storyline and the synopsis reminded me of Spin the Dawn which is one of my favorite YA retellings. With Of Jade and Dragons, I think it just came down to age - the characters, while written to be 19+, were portrayed a lot younger which made it difficult to sympathize with them. This is 100% a me issue as I just went into the story as not the targeted audience but I do think this would be a fantastic read for someone actually in the YA age range.

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king of pride by ana huang
I'm a little heartbroken to be including this on the list - especially since I think King of Wrath made it into my top reads of 2023. There's a really good review from Diemmi Reads that pretty accurately sums up my feelings for this book and I was so disappointed because I genuinely thought this would be a favorite of the year. While I love the characters, the plot felt overly predictable and didn't deliver the same heartwrenching feelings I was hoping it would. Still keeping my fingers crossed for the rest of the series though!

she is a haunting by trang thanh tran
I recently posted my review for this book but to summarize it briefly - I've had this book on my shelves for actual years and after finally getting to the story felt incredibly mediocre. I was hoping to be shocked and outraged especially with the themes of a creepy house, possessed spirits, and the exploration of colonialism and imperialism on Vietnam. While the latter theme was really well explored, a lot of "horror" anticipation didn't land for me personally.

fathomfolk by eliza chan
I might be cheating a little by including this on the list because I soft-DNF'd this book and didn't actually finish reading. I was genuinely so excited about Fathomfolk because of its Atlantis-inspired setting and the cover just gives mystical/magical vibes. Unfortunately, I'm having trouble getting into the story and always stop around the 200 page mark - something about the pacing feels incredibly slow, like there should be something happening but we're still setting up. I'm still holding out some hope for this book though and hopefully will be able to push through that 200 page mark and maybe be pleasantly surprised.

Please let me know some of your disappointing reads for the year - I feel like mine weren't too bad, it was a lot of overhyped expectations but I would still recommend them overall. It's also getting super cold so I hope everyone stays warm and I'll be back for Day 3!

the six days of bookmas | books under the tree tag

noreply@blogger.com (Riv) — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Hello there! With a dismal 11 total posts for 2024, I'm trying to really force myself back into a routine of planning, writing, and here's the important part: actually posting my drafts so we're jumping into a mini series for the six days of bookmas. We'll see if I'm able to keep up but six posts in a month should be doable even if my overall track record for the year is capped at three posts. I also took a trip down memory lane and realized the last time I attempted this was back in 2018 so that lowkey blew my mind because time has actually lost all meaning if it's been 5+ years.

I thought we could kick things off with something nostalgic and I stumbled across the BOOKS UNDER THE TREE TAG on Zezee With Books' blog which seemed like the perfect way to start. The tag was originally created by Games and Tomes and it definitely brought a smile to my face answering the questions so I hope you'll answer along too!

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what book would you like to find under the tree this year?
I'm high-key obsessed with the new special edition of A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid with the library sprayed edges - the only reason I haven't gone out and purchased it myself is because I already own a copy that I've annotated in and don't exactly have the shelf space for duplicate copies. However, if it somehow ends up under the tree, I 100% wouldn't complain.

what is the best book you've ever received for christmas?
I don't normally receive books for Christmas, instead I'll often get gift cards that in turn will be used on books. A majority of my preordered books are purchased through said gift cards and one that I'm really excited to have gotten this year is A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang because the first printed edition is absolutely stunning with the sprayed edges and foiled hardback.

what book gives you all the christmas feels?
While I can't remember the last time I read a Christmas themed book, Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki came to mind - I read this in December a few years ago and one of the big themes explored was found family which honestly gave me so many warm and fuzzy feelings. The story itself isn't centered on Christmas but the relationships that develop amongst the characters just left me with so much love and joy that perfectly captures the Christmas feels.

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what book do you plan on reading to put you in the christmas spirit?
This book isn't Christmas themed exactly but it is set in Russia and tells the origin of Baba Yaga so I'm going to go with it. The Witch and the Tsar by Olesya Salnikova Gilmore has been on my radar since its release and I recently picked up a physical copy and have made it my goal to finish it before the end of year.

what book have you read this year that you would like to throw out with christmas tree after the holidays?
I currently have this listed on my PangoBooks for sale because after holding onto She is a Haunting by Trang Thanh Tran for years, finally reading the story felt a bit anti-climatic. While it wasn't horrible by any means, I just struggled to connect with the main character and the pacing inconsistencies made it difficult to feel the full impact of the story's overall message.

what is a book from this year that you would like to place under a friend's tree?
Currently sporting a grand total of 523 ratings on Goodreads, The Bride of Death by F.M. Aden was an unexpected surprise that I genuinely adored and easily one of my favorite reads of the year. I'm not sure who exactly I'd gift this to because part of me knows that the story itself is quite tropey but something about it just clicked and I would love to talk about it with a friend.

challenge! create a book stack of alternating red and green titles!

Please let me know what are some books you'd love to find under the Christmas tree this year and I'll see you back for Day 2 on December 8th!

haunted houses and political unravelings | review corner

noreply@blogger.com (Riv) — Wed, 20 Nov 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Hello there! This post has been sitting my drafts for over a month at this point and I finally got around to formatting everything - I did have some lofty plans for my original Fall TBR but the case of indecisive mood reading has struck once again and here are the only survivors. With only a month left of 2024, I'm not sure what I'll get to reading before the end of the year but fingers crossed it'll be something good.

pages: 352 | source: own, physical
publication date: February 29th, 2023
tags: young adult, horror, asian rep
rating: 5.1/10

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She Is a Haunting has been on my tbr for a few years and contains one of my favorite story elements - a creepy sentient house. There's nothing more unnerving and intriguing than a house with secrets and possibly a vengeful ghost. When Jade Nyugen arrives in Vietnam to spend five weeks with her estranged father, she starts to be convinced that something or someone is trying to warn her. When she begins to wake up paralyzed and sees a beautiful ghost bride who tells her to not eat anything, Jade decides to dive into the history of her father's latest house renovation project.

Concept-wise, She is a Haunting reminds me a lot of my favorite Silvia Moreno-Garcia novel Mexican Gothic. Shrouded in layers of colonialist history, Jade begins to discover the ties that her ancestors had with the house alongside the original white owners. In a desperate attempt to save her sister and escape, she teams up with Florence to prove the house's malicious plans for her family. Through Jade, we get to explore the effects of colonialism on Vietnam, from the mockery of traditional culture to the imposition of Western ideals.

Jade herself undergoes a lot of self-discovery as she grapples with her relationships especially with her father. There's the underlying question of what solidifies an individual's claim to land and the journey it takes to reclaim what was stolen. With such an amazing foundation, the pacing felt too rushed to full experience the weight of what the author was trying to convey. Towards the ending, the scenes began to blur together in a way that felt like an onslaught of revelations and secrets that felt more overwhelming than haunting which detracted from the overall impact.

Regardless, She is a Haunting poses important questions about the lasting impact of white colonialism and the lengths one will go to reclaim what has been stolen. It dives into estranged family ties and self-discovery and acceptance through Jade's experience in her family's homeland which reflects many Asian Americans' experiences

pages: 432 | source: own, physical
publication date: August 13th, 2024
tags: adult, fantasy, vampires, lgbtqia+ rep
rating: 7.5/10

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Mistress of Lies is probably the first novel I’ve read in years (maybe since high school?) that has vampires a central element to the plot. Following Shan Le Claire as the new head of the Le Claire household when whispers of unrest and rebellion begin brewing. When a string of murders begin to plague the city and panic levels start to spin out of control, Shan is tasked by the Eternal King to find out who is behind the killings.

K. M. Enright introduces readers to a complex political world that on the surface seems like a haven for those who are oppressed. However, as the characters begin their journey, more injustices are revealed towards not only the Unblooded citizens who toil away in factories but also the Blooded who don’t come from the original lineages. The appearance of Samuel, the last living member of the Eternal King’s family, opens an opportunity for Shan to begin her long awaited plans to overthrow the corrupted political system.

From the beginning, Mistress of Lies was fast-paced and intriguing. As different alliances are formed and broken, Shan helps Samuel navigate the different schemes and expectations placed upon his newfound lineage while simultaneously trying to put an end to the horrific M that continue happening around the city. Teaming up the Royal B, Isaac, who also happens to be Shan’s former L, adds another level of tension that tangles the characters together.

Set in a politically complex world while exploring themes of gender identity and social equality, Mistress of Lies sets the stage for an explosive high stakes world that'll keep readers anticipating the characters next move.

setting up my fall tbr | top ten tuesday

noreply@blogger.com (Riv) — Tue, 24 Sep 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Hello there! It has been too long since I've typed the words "top ten tuesday" into a search engine but in light of trying to tap back into my blogging roots I'm setting up a fall tbr for this week's prompt. Keep in mind that we're almost done with September and at the moment of draft this post, I have not actually finished anything so this is a tbr in the absolute loosest definition of a tbr.

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one for my enemy by olivie blake
A retelling of Romeo and Juliet set in Manhattan and involving rival witch families, I've had One for My Enemy on my shelves for years at this point. There's just something so atmospheric about Olivie Blake's writing that reminds me of the crisp fall air as well. I'm about 100 pages through with this one and so far I'm definitely invested.

mistress of lies by k. m. enright
To be honest, I don't know too much about this other than it involves a vampire king, blood magic, or a string of murders that the main character has to solve. I can't remember the last time I read a vampire novel so this one will feel like a throwback to the 2010s paranormal books I used to binge read.

a sorceress comes to call by t. kingfisher
T. Kingfisher has become synonymous with fall in my mind because her books always contain an atmosphere that feels slightly haunted. A Sorceress Comes to Call is a retelling of The Goose Girl which I'm not super familiar with but I love a good spin on a classic fairytale.

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bunny by mona awad
Another novel I've had on my shelves for years, Bunny has been this enigma for me because of how polarizing its reviews are. All I know about the premise is that it follows a girl who finds herself entangled with a group calling themselves the Bunnies and madness ensues.

house of hollow by krystal sutherland
I am a huge sucker for eerily unsettling faerie stories and this has been on the top of my tbr for a while but I keep putting it off to wait for the "right time." Following a group of sisters who disappeared as children and reappeared slightly magical as years later one of them disappears again.

juniper and thorn by ava reid
As an Ava Reid stan, I'm a little ashamed to admit that I haven't read Juniper and Thorn but again, I was just waiting for the fall to arrive. A gothic horror retelling of the Juniper Tree, I've heard that this delves into some darker topics as the main character discovers her identity beyond the traumas that life has inflicted upon her.

she is a haunting by trang thanh tran
I picked this up from a bookstore in Boston last year because if there's one bookish concept I'll always love, it'll be a creepy house. This follows a girl who returns to Vietnam to spend the summer with her estranged father and finds out that the house seems to come alive, warping and blending reality with the supernatural.

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us against the likes by marie voinson
If you've been part of the blogging world, Marie from Drizzle and Hurricane Books is a name that might sound familiar. Probably one of the first book bloggers I remember following, I'm so excited for her debut. The story centers around a young girl on a journey to discover her identity amongst her social media presence as a travel influencer and the impact that social media has on one's mental health when chasing after the internet's validation.

a song to drown rivers by ann liang
This book may just win one of the prettiest designs of 2024 and is quite possibly one of my most anticipated releases of the year. The only reason I haven't dived into the e-arc is because I'm scared...everyone I know who has already read this has spoken of emotional trauma you'll feel and my sister, who has finished her arc, cried twice. Needless to say, I'm a little intimidated but also excited to read something that'll wreck me.

one dark window by rachel gillig
I've had this duology on my tbr for a while now especially after hearing Leonie from The Book Leo talk about it in a wrap up. All I can remember of the synopsis is that if follows a girl who has a monster inside of her and the magic system is based off a deck of cards. The writing is also supposed to be incredibly atmospheric which will be perfect for this time of year.

I'm going to do my best to be present and accountable at least on this platform and start to build a routine that is sustainable in the long run. It honestly makes me a little sad to see that I've written less than 10 posts this entire year so hopefully I can remedy that and close off 2024 strong. Let me know what books you're planning on reading this fall!

mansions by the sea and a little witchery | review corner

noreply@blogger.com (Riv) — Wed, 04 Sep 2024 13:30:00 +0000

Hello there! Like many others, the minute September rolled around I was ready to dive into the eerie atmospheric books that I've been saving on my shelves all year. I was a bit impatient and started a few reads back in August but that just means I can start off the spooky season with two recommendations that I thoroughly enjoyed and think fit the upcoming chilling temperatures perfectly!

pages: 384 | source: arc/gifted from publisher
publication date: August 27th, 2024
genre: young adult,
rating: 7/10

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If there's one plot element that will always pique my interest, it's a creepy house that's tied with layers and layers of family secrets. For someone who is quite a scaredy-cat and has too much anxiety over fictional characters, The Lies of Alma Blackwell had me holding my breath and looking over my shoulder while I binged-read this into the night.

Set in a small coastal town with a tragic history and vengeful ghosts, we're introduced to Nev who is preparing to take over the role as the town's anchor with her grandmother's health quickly declining. The role, which should have passed to her mother before her disappearance, allows Nev to protect the town from the malicious spirits with a thirst for blood and revenge after their untimely demise generations ago. However, the appearance of a newcomer reveals a series of memories that leave Nev questioning everything she knows about her family's legacy and the woman who sacrificed so much to protect the town.

Amanda Glaze creates a perfectly haunting seaside town where the morbid death of a train full of innocents is turned into a tourist attraction. The real secret underlying the idealistic vacation stop is that the spirits are still around and they are still very angry. As Nev unravels the different layers of secrets surrounding her family's roles in the tragedy, she finds a different story centering around jealousy, greed, and a desperate sacrifice to protect one's love. I was incredibly hooked from the moment we're introduced to Nev and loved her budding relationship with Cal as they begin to dig into her family's history.

Truly atmospheric and suitable for the upcoming spooky season, The Lies of Alma Blackwell is the right amount of eerie that'll keep you second guessing if the wind blowing through the trees is real or the anguished cry of a wronged spirit.

huge thanks to Union Square & Co. Publishing for sending me a physical ARC to review - all thoughts shared are my own honest opinion!

favorite line: It ends with you. It all ends with you.

pages: 295 | source: physical/own
publication date: August 13th, 2024
genre: adult, historical, retelling
rating: 8/10

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Lady Macbeth was one of my most anticipated releases of the year and at this point, I will read absolutely anything that Ava Reid writes. A retelling of Shakespeare's Macbeth, we follow his rise to power as king and the eventual downfall through the eyes of his witch-cursed wife. This was everything I absolutely wanted it to be with its gorgeous writing that made me feel the brutal winds of Scotland in the middle of summer.

Macbeth is a staple in any high school English curriculum and one that I read and found myself incredibly captivated by. The original play depicts the slow descent into madness as political greed and corruption drives the Macbeths insane. In Ava Reid's rendition, Lady Macbeth is a girl sold by her father into marriage. Her desperation to survive leads her to scheme and connive her way around Macbeth's inner circle as she tries to keep herself alive. When she's introduced to the witches that proclaim Macbeth's right to the throne and her husband begins his rampage for power, there's only so much she can do before she's pulled under with him.

Instead of being the object of a man with her name erased in the original play, Ava Reid introduces Roscille and gives her a voice that humanizes a once secondary character who was nothing more than an impatient wife spurring her husband towards his downfall with her greed. Amidst the bleak and chilling scenery of Glamis, Roscille finds strength in her femininity and learns to use her unnatural beauty as a weapon against the oppressive hand of men.

favorite line: A witch needs no invitation, only a way of slipping through the lock.

discovering a father's secrets | of jade and dragons by amber chen

noreply@blogger.com (Riv) — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 21:34:00 +0000

In a silkpunk fantasy world where engineering guilds are created massive warships and an empire invasion lurks in the distance, Of Jade and Dragons is a YA debut that follows a young girl who disguises herself to join a competition in hopes of finding out the truth behind her father's murder.

pages: 466 | source: purchased/own
publication date: June 18th, 2024
genre: young adult, fantasy, steampunk, asian-inspired
rating: 6.1/10

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I've been highly anticipating Of Jade and Dragons ever since seeing the author's pitch on Twitter - I will take a Mulan-inspired fantasy story any day and one set against the backdrop of competition is a setup I've loved before (i.e. Spin the Dawn). Amber Chen creates an incredibly compelling world where the island nation of Antara finds itself on the brink of war as natural resource supplies dwindle and a larger more powerful Empire tests their borders. The hope of victory rests on the infamous Engineers Guild which has always been closed to female applicants.

Upon witnessing her father's murder by an intruder in his workshop, Aihui Ying decides to impersonate her younger brother and follow her father's footsteps to the capital to find some answers. Her journey is conveniently smoother than expected when running into one of the High Commander's sons, the fourth beile Yeyang. With his support, Ying finds herself as one of the applicants to the Guild's grueling trials for an apprenticeship, using this opportunity to further her own quest for revenge.

Despite such a strong premise that should have instantly hooked me, Of Jade and Dragons took me longer than expected to get through. The two main factors that I struggled with were the pacing and Ying herself. For a book that's over 450 pages, the plot meandered throughout the competition. We get glimpses of the stress other candidates experienced, but Ying seemed to flounder through her classes making it difficult to root for her. We were told of her struggles but her successes seemed like a mere stretch for her. It definitely took me a majority of the novel to warm up to her, hence why the plot seemed to drag.

The story does take an interesting twist once secrets about the guild and High Commander's ambitions are revealed. It's a classic tale of man's greed for power that seems to be the push Ying needs to become more proactive in her story which in turn allowed her character to grow and mature. The additional elements of "friendly" academic rivalry between Ying and her classmates, Yekan and Chang'an in particular, and the potential romance between Ying and Yeyang were placed more in the background but did add more depth to the story that kept me invested through it all.

While Of Jade and Dragons had a slower start for me, the ending leaves open questions of personal morality, the cost of war, and how forbidden love can survive amid political unrest. We haven't heard much about the sequel yet but I'm hoping the author will continue to expand this world and we'll get to see Ying's journey and character arc continue to flourish.

favorite line: Dreams and nightmares are but two sides of the same coin.

the steps to falling in love | the five stages of courting dalisay ramos by melissa de la cruz

noreply@blogger.com (Riv) — Tue, 09 Jul 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Hello there! Today's the release day for Melissa De La Cruz's new rom-com The Five Stages of Courting Dalisay Ramos! A heartfelt and adorable story following an American editor who falls in love with his new Filipino co-worker and discovers there's more to dating than just asking a girl out and he'll have to prove his worthiness by completing the infamous five stages of courting.

I received a physical arc from the publisher in exchange for an honest review - I was not financially compensated for this post and all thoughts are my own .

pages: 304 | source: arc/gifted from publisher
publication date: July 9th, 2024
genre: adult, romance
rating: 5.3/10

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links with an (*) are affiliate where, when used to purchase gives me a small commission to support my blog at no extra cost to you!

I received a physical arc from the publisher in exchange for an honest review - I was not financially compensated for this post and all thoughts are my own .

It's been a while since I've picked up a feel good rom-com and The Five Stages delivers it all from swoon-worthy displays of love to intimate conversations about exploring and understanding different generational and cultural traditions. Evan and Dalisay had an instant attraction catalyst to their relationship that quickly ends with Dalisay firmly turning Evan down. Not so easily deterred, Evan finds out that Dalisay wants to be woo'd through the traditional five stages: teasing of friends, gift exchanges, etc.

The premise itself is perfect for the summer time especially with all the grand gestures and different lengths that Evan goes in order to prove his dedication and devotion. As the five stages unfold, Evan and Dalisay's attraction easily blossoms into something more. My only gripe would be the pacing of the chemistry, for lack of a better way to describe it. The first 150 pages or so was focused on setting up the characters and their backgrounds which left me feeling a little disconnected from the romance that we as readers are meant to be rooting for. Everything felt surface-level which could be attributed to the characters themselves not knowing too much about each other and just going through the motions of the five stages.

As the characters began to become more developed on page to the reader and to each other, it was a lot easier to root for Dalisay and Evan. From navigating their newly confessed feelings to the challenges of reconciling cultural and generational differences, the latter half of the novel flowed a lot more smoothly. The Five Stages of Courting Dalisay Ramos offers a sweet glimpse of a beloved Filipino tradition that places a lot of value on properly expressing one's romantic intention. I appreciated the conversations surrounding interracial relationships, generational expectations, and exploring one's identity through love.

huge thanks to Union Square & Co. Publishing for sending me a physical ARC to review - all thoughts shared are my own honest opinion!

favorite line: Maps can tell you a lot, not just about the place charted, but the people who charted it.

death gods, murderous tyrants, and swords of bone | review corner

noreply@blogger.com (Riv) — Sun, 07 Jul 2024 22:00:00 +0000

Hello there! I've been dreadfully MIA this year and now that we're officially in summer mode, I'm finally attempting to kick myself back into shape. My reading has been quite sporadic but in the spirit of rekindling my love for books, blogging, and reviews, here are a handful of recent favorites that I've picked up over the past few months.

pages: 378 | source: netgalley/e-arc
publication date: March 1st, 2023
genre: adult, fantasy, romance
rating: 8.5/10

B O O K S H O P * | G O O D R E A D S | S T O R Y G R A P H
links with an (*) are affiliate where, when used to purchase gives me a small commission to support my blog at no extra cost to you!

I received a digital arc from the publisher on Netgalley - I was not compensated for this review and all thoughts are my own honest opinion.

Pitched for fans of Uprooted and The Bear and the Nightingale, F.M. Aden's venture into adult fantasy is full of fairytale magic and underworldly charm. Zerryn is a girl touched by Death and when her betrothed is possessed by a demon, she offers to go into its mansion to try and free him through exorcism. What she doesn't expect is to become part of a trial against three mythical monstresses for the hand of Erlik Kahn, the king of Death himself.

I genuinely cannot tell you what it is about The Bride of Death but it has quickly become my new hyper fixation because I cannot stop thinking about these characters and rereading my favorite passages. F.M. Aden introduces a world inspired by Turkish mythology that follows Zerryn's descent to the Underworld. We get this traditional character arc of the slightly strange girl who is shunned by the village but who has a heart of gold. As Zerryn battles through the trials of the Underworld, her moral compass is constantly challenged and she struggles to decide which path to take - save her people or save herself.

The slow burn between Zerryn and Erlik had me in an absolute chokehold. They balanced the dynamic of "I hate you but..." so well and their characters mirror each other's journey so well as Zerryn get a bit more monster in her and Erlik gains a bit of humanity himself. While certain tropes and cliches are still present in the plot itself, I was absolutely won over by the characters. This checked all the boxes for me and encapsulates all the gruesome and vicious vibes of a macabre fairytale that I adore.

favorite line: I am immortal Zerryn. Remember that when you decide. He will suffer the loss of you for a lifetime, but I will suffer your loss for many centuries to come.

pages: 368 | source: netgalley/e-arc
publication date: May 14th, 2023
genre: ya, historical fiction
rating: 7.6/10

B O O K S H O P * | G O O D R E A D S | S T O R Y G R A P H
links with an (*) are affiliate where, when used to purchase gives me a small commission to support my blog at no extra cost to you!

I received a digital arc from the publisher on Netgalley - I was not compensated for this review and all thoughts are my own honest opinion.

June Hur has answered the pleas of her readers and delivered quite possibly the sweetest most tender romance I've read all year but set against the bloodiest and most stressful plot. A Crane Among Wolves draws inspiration from the tyrannical rule of King Yeonsangun and the coup that would put an end to his bloodshed. We follow a girl named Iseul whose sister was taken by the king to join his palace concubines. While their relationship had been strained for the past few years, it doesn't stop Iseul from jumping head first into any lead she can to find a way to save her sister which leads to her stumbling on a serial killer case and a coup to overthrow the king.

One of my favorite things about June Hur's novels is the unbelievably chilling atmosphere that really sinks into your bones as your read. The amount of times I actually forgot to breathe because I was so tense with fear and anticipation for what would happen next had me surprised I didn't pass out while reading. As Isuel finds herself wrapped up in conspiracies, she begins to discover that the king's younger brother might become her greatest ally and I truly adored watching their relationship develop. Even though it still left me wanting more, June Hur managed to deliver all the feels, perfect confession lines, and heartbreaking moments that had me wanting to throw something across the room.

With so much of the focus being on the plot and developing romance, some of the side relationships didn't get as much page time. I adored the mentor-mentee relationship between Wonshik and Iseul as well as the friendship that blossoms between Iseul and Yul. It simply highlights the wonderful found family aspect that offers a bit of light and hope into such a bleak and terrible situation. The coup itself also reveals the impossible greed of men and the exploitation of women in the scramble for power which left my heart absolutely aching.

favorite line: You must dance the heavens. So go, daegam,. Go and move the heavens for her.

pages: 166 | source: e-book/own
publication date: May 14th, 2024
genre: adult, novella, mythology
rating: 8.5/10

B O O K S H O P * | G O O D R E A D S | S T O R Y G R A P H
links with an (*) are affiliate where, when used to purchase gives me a small commission to support my blog at no extra cost to you!

I've been anticipating this novella ever since Rachel from A Model Who's Read talked about this in a wrap-up. With the premise surrounding a Holy Order pulling swords of bone from their spine this truly did not disappoint. When Among Crows is a macabre tale shrouded in Polish folklore with a touch of otherworldly that both unsettles you deeply and draws you into the story. We're introduced to matriarchies of monsters from strzygas, to banshees, and zmoras that roam across the world feeding on anger, sorrow, and fear.

Our main character is on a mission to find Baba Yaga because he needs help destroying a member of the Order. In order to to do so, he enlists the help of a zmora cursed with horrific visions in exchange for the promise of a cure. For such a short novella, these characters grew on me so quickly. Veronica Roth manages to flesh out the intricacies of an underground world of mythological creatures that blend themselves into society and each character we meet is given a proper backstory that creates a sense of familiarity, making them easily likable. From the atmospheric prose to the quest itself, When Among Crows has earned the title of my unexpected favorite for the first half of the year.

favorite line: Sacrifice creates a debt, and there's nothing magic likes better than the great hollow of a debt.

I've truly let this review corner sit for far too long in the drafts but I'm excited to finally share my thoughts on these books. Please let me know what books you've been reading and loving so far!