Book Blog #407: The Dragon Republic by R.F. Kuang

 

Title: The Dragon Republic

Author: R.F. Kuang

# of Pages: 654 (ebook)

Genre: YA, Historical Fiction

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

Synopsis: In the aftermath of the Third Poppy War, shaman and warrior Rin is on the run: haunted by the atrocity she committed to end the war, addicted to opium, and hiding from the murderous commands of her vengeful god, the fiery Phoenix. Her only reason for living is to get revenge on the traitorous Empress who sold out Nikan to their enemies. With no other options, Rin joins forces with the powerful Dragon Warlord, who has a plan to conquer Nikan, unseat the Empress, and create a new Republic. Rin throws herself into his war. After all, making war is all she knows how to do. But the Empress is a more powerful foe than she appears, and the Dragon Warlord’s motivations are not as democratic as they seem. The more Rin learns, the more she fears her love for Nikan will drive her away from every ally and lead her to rely more and more on the Phoenix’s deadly power. Because there is nothing she won’t sacrifice for her country and her vengeance

Review: Slightly better than the first book, but not by much.

Major downside, this one is longer which means suffering longer through this story. If it takes me 300 pages to even get into the story, there's no way the book is getting 3+ stars.

My main gripes with this sequel continue to be with the character development and the plot.

Rin is still unlikable. Although her not having a clear motivation might actually be an intentional conflict in both books 1 and 2 and could justify poor big-picture decision making, her smaller-scale decision making sucks and is frustrating to read about. She's like when a movie's Rotten Tomato rating is a 6.0; not good but also not bad enough to love to hate.

I was happy to see some returning characters who I enjoyed reading about in book 1 (or at the very least enjoyed more than Rin). 

I was really happy to see Nezha again, but I really don't understand who him and Kitay are as people. Nezha used to be the cool enemies to friends (or lovers??) guy vs Kitay was the annoying goodie two shoes, Hermione-esque friend. But this seems to get thrown out the window by the end of this book; Nezha is a Rin-simp until he's not, Kitay a rule follower until he's not. What do you mean that Nezha will do anything for Rin and also publically defies his father in strategic meetings when in the end he betrays Rin by literally stabbing her in the back? This isn't so much as a surprising, well planned betrayal as a complete 180 for the character that doesn't make sense at all.

Although I wasn't a huge fan of Kitay in the first book (rule followers are boring), I enjoyed him way more once Rin and Kitay had their anchor bond. Kitay's characterization also is all over the place which means he turned into a non-rule following, logical man. Now that they're literally bonded, this is as close as I'm guessing the reader will get to Rin ACTUALLY developing a close relationship with someone (whether it be platonic or romantic).

However, I have major gripes with their characterization. For example, Rin is supposed to have close relationships with some of the people, but the only reason why the reader knows is because of explicit verbal declarations of love rather than Kuang writing in scenes that build characters' emotional connection.

A lot of supporting characters are clearly just plot devices, and it shows. My theory is that Kuang wrote in too many characters in book 1 and realized she had to do some culling of her own once they served their purpose.

Rin is too OP with her genocidal-level fire power? Just slap a seal on her powers so she can't use it for most of the start of the book and force the reader to experience normal warfare scenes! The Cike characters are now irrelevant because Kuang decided to develop the Rin x Nezha x Kitay trio? No problem; just break up Cike and don't mention them until Rin needs them, then kill them all off! Really I don't see why Ramsa's death had to be a SUICIDAL distraction. And will all this talk about how hard it is cull the Cike, Suni and Baji were sure captured and executed easily. They should have at least gone out "guns" blazing.

Although I continue to not know much about the historical events that this series is based off of, it's way too clear that Kuang has some goal in mind that she's trying to reach and/or a historical framework that she's trying to mold the story into.  

Rin (who's supposedly paralleling Mao Zedong) is unnecessarily unsympathetic toward the common man that she sees on the Dragon Warlord's campaign. Her declaration that the people are too stupid to govern themselves (even in the face of valid, logical counter arguments from people she trusts) felt forced just to fit her into the Mao Zedong mold.

If you enjoyed the first book then you should keep reading the second. I am not in that boat, and the first half was definitely 2 star material. The last 200 pages were actually somewhat entertaining despite the flaws, which might've actually put it into low 3 star territory if Kuang was better and tying this whole story together. 

Book Blog #406: Whistler by Ann Patchett

 

Title: Whistler

Author: Ann Patchett

# of Pages: 296 (ebook)

Genre: Adult, Contemporary

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Synopsis: When Daphne Fuller and her husband Jonathan visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art, they notice an older, white-haired gentleman following them. The man turns out to be Eddie Triplett, her former stepfather, who had been married to her mother for a little more than year when Daphne was nine. Now fifty-three, Daphne hasn’t seen Eddie for many years, not since the fateful event that changed the direction of both their lives. Meeting again, time falls away; while their relationship was brief, it had a profound impact on them both, and now that they are reunited, they have no intention of ever being separated again. Whistler is a story about two adults looking back over the choices they made, and the choices that were made for them. It’s a story about bravery, memory, the often small yet consequential moments that define our lives, and the endless stream of loss that in time comes for us all. Beautiful in its simplicity, it is ultimately about how love endures, and how the feeling of being known by one other person, even for a short period of time, can change everything.

Review: A short read but not a quick read.

"We should think about doing the things we want to do while we’re able to do them"

Whistler is unsurprisingly contemplative story focused on nuanced, familial relationships between 50+ yr old characters who are tied together by something greater than just blood. I did find myself feeling a bit emotional thinking about aging and lost time, but ultimately it's more of a slice of life of characters who spend a lot of reminiscing and not much else. While there was a lot of beauty in long lost relationships being rekinded, there's just not a lot that HAPPENS in this book, which made it less of a gripping read.

Although they're quite different (in format, character development), I do see why The Correspondent dropped in an Ann Patchett mention; the vibes are somewhat similar.  Another similarity with that book (and honestly many others) is that Patchett is definitely writing in the realm of what she knows (main character always dreamed of being a novelist, multiple characters work at major publishing houses, etc). 

I liked it, but nothing really stood out to me. I kept putting this book down and thought there could be more to the story. This is my first Ann Patchett book, so maybe this slow, slice of life style is common in her books, and it's just not my ideal read. I'd recommend it only if the premise already sounds interesting to you.

Book Blog #405: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab

 

Title: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

Author: V.E. Schwab

# of Pages: 442 (hardcover)

Genre: Adult, Fantasy, Contemporary

Rating: ★★★★☆

Synopsis: France, 1714: In a moment of desperation, a young woman makes a Faustian bargain to live forever—and is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets. Thus begins the extraordinary life of Addie LaRue, and a dazzling adventure that will play out across centuries and continents, across history and art, as a young woman learns how far she will go to leave her mark on the world. But everything changes when, after nearly 300 years, Addie stumbles across a young man in a hidden bookstore and he remembers her name.

Review: I went in expecting a fantasy romance and instead got a contemplative contemporary laced with magical realism. But the best part is I fell in love with this story more than I expected. 

This story was basically a big hypothetical scenario on what would life looked like if you had unlimited time (which most people wish they had more of) but no one remembered you (what many fear will happen in death). It makes me feel existential in the best way possible but also inspired; if Addie can still find beauty in being alive after 300 years then so can everyone else in our relatively short lives.

This book is pretty reads slowly in that there's a lot of nostalgic, vibes based writing that isn't directly related to the plot (the book would be 1/3 shorter if we cut out all the "fluff"). Although I wished the plot was a bit stronger, I actually liked the fluff in this case. The dialogue was simplistic, but the descriptions were so cinematic that captures not only the visual aspect but emotional as well. This is one of the few books I've read where the experience felt more like a movie in my mind.

Some parts actually reminded me of A Little Life, partially because both showcase the romantic aspects of NYC, but also because the story would jump between perspectives (but for this book, it's all in third person) and time. These latter two were actually downsides for me and almost made me want to give this book 3 stars (the chapters are short, so ever perspective change and/or time skip kept breaking my immersion).

I was really invested in learning more about Addie, the demon with whom she make a bargin, and the young man at the bookstore (no spoilers!) and how at least the former two are morally grey. I also really enjoyed reading about their relationships especially in the last 1/3 of the book. 

However, the magical realism aspect of this story is pretty weak; the story is best enjoyed if you DON'T think too much about the rules. The rules aren't even clear to Addie, which is fine, but even by the end it's pretty ambiguous to the reader and feels like there's conflicting examples on when the curse does/doesn't apply. 

Got a bit emotional at the end thinking about mortality. Would recommend for people who like feeling existential and are okay with sad reads.

Book Blog #404: The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook by Matt Dinniman

 

Title: The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook

Author: Matt Dinniman

# of Pages: 524 (ebook)

Genre: Adult, Adventure, Dystopia

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Synopsis: Welcome to the Gun Show! The top 10 list is populated. The sponsorship program is open. The difficulty is ramping up. The first three floors were nothing compared to what Carl and Donut now face. The Iron Tangle. An impossibly complicated subway system built out of the world's subterranean railway systems, all combined and then tied together into a knot. Up is down. Down is up. Close is far. The cars are filled with monsters, the railway stations are less than safe, and the exit is always just a few stops away. But there is hope. For the first time, the crawlers are all working together. The loot is better than ever. And the secret to unraveling it all may be hidden in the pages of a seemingly useless book. Welcome, crawlers. Welcome to the fourth floor of the dungeon.

Review: This might be my favorite DCC so far in the series. 

I saw this book was actually the lowest rated in the whole series on Goodreads, with many reviews citing the train concept as being a drag. Dinniman even puts a disclaimer at the beginning of the book saying that the train system is complicated and that it's a puzzle for Carl and co to figure out, not the reader. I will say that the train system didn't affect my interest in the book (and if you go in aiming to have a surface level understanding, it should be enough to follow the plot). However, if you need to have a warning that your book is hard to understand, it might be a sign that something should be done about it (maybe add more visuals or focus only on the most important parts of the complex system). 

Trains aside, what really stood out was how the plot showcased a lot of returning characters! This felt like a turning point in the series where there's enough character and world building and now the books can focus on interpersonal relationships, teamwork, etc, which is something I really love to read about. Even though there was less crass humor and Moredecai was MIA for large parts of the book, the amount of returning characters and their interactions still elevated the book enough to be engaging.

Would recommend this one if you're already invested in the series!

Book Blog #403: The Tenant by Frieda McFadden

 

Title: The Tenant

Author: Freida McFadden

# of Pages: 344 (paperback)

Genre: Adult, Thriller, Mystery

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Synopsis: Blake Porter is riding high, until he's not. Fired abruptly from his job as a VP of marketing and unable to make the mortgage payments on the new brownstone that he shares with his fiancee, he's desperate to make ends meet. Enter Whitney. Beautiful, charming, down-to-earth, and looking for a room to rent. She's exactly what Blake's looking for. Or is she? Because something isn't quite right. The neighbors start treating Blake differently. The smell of decay permeates his home, no matter how hard he scrubs. Strange noises jar him awake in the middle of the night. And soon Blake fears someone knows his darkest secrets... Danger lives right at home, and by the time Blake realizes it, it'll be far too late. The trap is already set.

Review: This was an EXTREMELY fast and easy read. 

This is my first McFadden book, and it's clear that she knows how to write for the masses. The writing style is quite simple and very plot-focused (definitely not some literary masterpiece). The story is told in from a couple point of views (for the most part in series) in first person present tense, so you are along for the ride with Blake in figuring out why his life is going so wrong so suddenly. Usually I strongly dislike first person POV switching, but since the different POVs weren't intertwined, this actually didn't bother me. 

I'm not a huge fan of thrillers (this was meant to be a daytime-only read for me), but I was glad to find this was scary in the sense that weird events happen in Blake's life that the reader doesn't find out how it happened until later. There's less explicit "thrilling" scenes compared to Verity (e.g. no freaky lady jump scaring the main character by staring at her), although the concept of strange events happening at home while a couple lives with a random new person is coincidentally very similar. It also reminded me a bit of the Black Mirror episode Bête Norie (but based in reality), so the story's premise is nothing super original. 

I was totally expecting to not be entertained by her books (since she's so popular with The Housemaid series, I was bracing myself for an overhyped read). However, I was pleasantly surprised that I incorrectly guessed the twist, and I couldn't put the book down (read in <1 day). 

Something I didn't like is how the characters wouldn't follow through with logical solutions (e.g. if you're bothered by loud noises and can't get them to stop, why not try wearing earplugs or doing something else within your control? If you're broke, why insist to talk to someone in person rather trying first to call them and save the drive out as a backup plan?). The story also relies on the miscommunication trope which is always frustrating. The very ending seemed rushed; didn't really need the epilogue. 

Overall a very light (but still somewhat thrilling) read; would recommend it to people who already like the mystery-thriller genre. 

Book Blog #402: The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

 

Title: The Love Hypothesis

Author: Ali Hazelwood

# of Pages: 383 (ebook)

Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Rating:★★★★☆

Synopsis: As a third-year Ph.D. candidate, Olive Smith doesn't believe in lasting romantic relationships--but her best friend does, and that's what got her into this situation. Convincing Anh that Olive is dating and well on her way to a happily ever after was always going to take more than hand-wavy Jedi mind tricks: Scientists require proof. So, like any self-respecting biologist, Olive panics and kisses the first man she sees. That man is none other than Adam Carlsen, a young hotshot professor--and well-known ass. Which is why Olive is positively floored when Stanford's reigning lab tyrant agrees to keep her charade a secret and be her fake boyfriend. But when a big science conference goes haywire, putting Olive's career on the Bunsen burner, Adam surprises her again with his unyielding support and even more unyielding...six-pack abs. Suddenly their little experiment feels dangerously close to combustion. And Olive discovers that the only thing more complicated than a hypothesis on love is putting her own heart under the microscope.

Review: This was WAY more enjoyable and fun than I expected.

The premise is nothing new; it follows the usual progression of any other friend to lovers romance, male savior fantasy. I was really in the mood to read something strongly focused on a love story, especially after reading a lot of books that had 0 romance (e.g. Dungeon Crawler Carl, The Poppy War). It checked all the boxes, plenty of yearning and sweet moments where the characters show how much they care about each other.

"This is a Hallmark movie. Or a poorly written young adult novel. That will not sell well."

What made this story standout is that its a metafiction. Hazelwood is self-aware of exactly what is serving the audience; a protagonist who is "a living, breathing, rom-com trope machine." I loved the commentary from the other characters on the ridiculousness of the premise and how exaggerated each trope plays out. 

But one trope I didn't enjoy was how prominent miscommunication is central in the conflict, especially at the end of the story. ESPECIALLY since this is not some high school romance; these are supposed to be more mature, intelligent adults in a relationship.

Hazelwood also does her signature "throw in a few tidbits of women empowerment in STEM". While the messaging is good, the execution feels random and non-cohesive with the main plot.

Overall, much much better Hazelwood's Deep End that I read earlier this year, despite both stories suffering from the bad communication trope. The characters were more likable, and it was more believable that the two main characters developed a relationship that isn't just based on lust.

Would recommend this to people who are interested in a fun, easy to read romance!

Book Blog #401: The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang

 

Title: The Poppy War

Author: R.F. Kuang

# of Pages: 530 (ebook)

Genre: YA, Historical Fiction, Fantasy

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

Synopsis: When Rin aced the Keju—the Empire-wide test to find the most talented youth to learn at the Academies—it was a shock to everyone: to the test officials, who couldn’t believe a war orphan from Rooster Province could pass without cheating; to Rin’s guardians, who believed they’d finally be able to marry her off and further their criminal enterprise; and to Rin herself, who realized she was finally free of the servitude and despair that had made up her daily existence. That she got into Sinegard—the most elite military school in Nikan—was even more surprising. But surprises aren’t always good. Because being a dark-skinned peasant girl from the south is not an easy thing at Sinegard. Targeted from the outset by rival classmates for her color, poverty, and gender, Rin discovers she possesses a lethal, unearthly power—an aptitude for the nearly-mythical art of shamanism. Exploring the depths of her gift with the help of a seemingly insane teacher and psychoactive substances, Rin learns that gods long thought dead are very much alive—and that mastering control over those powers could mean more than just surviving school. For while the Nikara Empire is at peace, the Federation of Mugen still lurks across a narrow sea. The militarily advanced Federation occupied Nikan for decades after the First Poppy War, and only barely lost the continent in the Second. And while most of the people are complacent to go about their lives, a few are aware that a Third Poppy War is just a spark away . . . Rin’s shamanic powers may be the only way to save her people. But as she finds out more about the god that has chosen her, the vengeful Phoenix, she fears that winning the war may cost her humanity . . . and that it may already be too late.

Review: I heard rave reviews both online and irl, but I don't understand the hype. I was ready for a dense adult high fantasy, but instead The Poppy War is an unserious YA historical fiction with magical/religious elements. 

Part 1 (aka the first 200 pages) was suffering through some shallow exposition that honestly felt like some blend of Harry Potter/Divergent/<insert your popular YA fantasy sci-fi book here>. The plot points during this part are very predictable (classic underdog heroine takes on seemingly impossible tasks! story).

Kuang introduces a lot of characters without diving deeper into their characters and their interpersonal relationships. Even the protagonist Rin is incredibly generic; a hormonal teenager who doesn't really know who she likes/loves/cares about and what motivates her since she's some random orphan who doesn't have commitments other than surviving. 

The pacing of the story picked up quite a bit in Part 2 and 3. There's significant war events that happen and plenty of gore-y descriptions that can keep the reader interesting, By this point I could appreciate some of the characters a bit more (surprisingly I really liked Nezha and Rin's relationship since it's more complex than just straight a enemies/friends/mentor/idol relationship that Rin has with other characters). 

Overall I wished there was more focus on interpersonal relationships and more unique world building than just relying/repackaging Chinese history. I didn't know too much about this part of history but I would have preferred a more original story that was loosely inspired by real Chinese culture; I kept wondering if I was missing something by mostly missing the references to real foods/events/countries. 

The story doesn't end in a cliff hanger per se, but there's a lot that unresolved. But when I finished the book I found that I didn't really care about what happened next. I won't be reading the other two books in a hurry.

Book Blog #400: The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

 

Title: The Nightingale

Author: Kristin Hannah

# of Pages: 593 (ebook)

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction, Romance

Rating: ★★★★☆

Synopsis: Despite their differences, sisters Vianne and Isabelle have always been close. Younger, bolder Isabelle lives in Paris while Vianne is content with life in the French countryside with her husband Antoine and their daughter. But when the Second World War strikes, Antoine is sent off to fight and Vianne finds herself isolated so Isabelle is sent by their father to help her. As the war progresses, the sisters' relationship and strength are tested. With life changing in unbelievably horrific ways, Vianne and Isabelle will find themselves facing frightening situations and responding in ways they never thought possible as bravery and resistance take different forms in each of their actions.

Review: A solid read! 

I’ve only read one other Kristin Hannah book so far (The Women), and compare to that one, The Nightingale has protagonists with more compelling life journeys. However, the storytelling execution was weaker. The story has two 3rd person POVs: Vianne and Isabelle who live in France during WWII. 

I didn’t know much about WWII from the French POV, so to hear about the suffering that even from those who weren’t specifically targeted by the Nazis was shocking.

The author has a knack for writing unlikable characters since I didn’t enjoy Vianne similarly to how I was frustrated with Frankie from The Women. Being forced to switch between Vianne’s and Isabelle’s perspectives broke the immersion and slowed the pace of the story because I kept wanting to read Isabelle’s perspective instead.

That being said, for the characters in general, I appreciate how not all of these characters are perfect. Despite their flaws, at least one character shows growth throughout the story that makes their personality flaws redeemable.

There’s also a mysterious first person perspective that takes place long after the war has ended. This narrative was unnecessarily interwoven with the third person narrative; it added nothing to the main story and could’ve been shortened into an epilogue. 

In typical soap opera (but maybe Kristin Hannah’s recurring  storytelling pattern), major events happen coincidentally timed to maximize shock value. It’s unrealistic in a way that’s sometimes cheesy, but I still enjoyed the plot despite this. 

Although I wasn’t as engaged in this story as I was for The Women (although maybe I’m just a sucker for romance), The Nightingale succeeds where The Women failed: Vianne’s and Isabelle’s stories are stories worth telling. 

Book Blog #399: Carl's Doomsday Scenario by Matt Dinniman

 

Title: Carl's Doomsday Scenario

Author: Matt Dinniman

# of Pages: 400 (ebook)

Genre: Adult, Science Fiction, Adventure

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Synopsis: The ratings and views are off the chart. The fans just can't get enough. The dungeon gets more dangerous each day. But in a grinder designed to chew up and spit out crawlers by the millions, Carl and Princess Donut need to work harder than ever just to survive. They call it the Over City. A sprawling, once-thriving metropolis devastated by a mysterious calamity. But these streets are far from abandoned. An undead circus trawls the ruins. Murdered prostitutes rain from the sky. An ancient spell is finally ready to reveal its dark purpose. Carl still has no pants. They call it Dungeon Crawler World. For Carl and Donut, it's anything but a game.

Review: Not as big of a fan of this one compared to the first one. The main focus is introducing quests to the dungeon. When they are working through each quest, the quests are unrelated to each other, so it felt like I was reading different stories. I would've liked it more if there was a greater focus on progressing some of the plot lines started in the first book. 

The first half had me interested, but my reading progressed slowed down with the last quest because I wasn't too interested in that storyline. 

Low 3 stars, but will consider reading the next book after taking a break. 

Book Blog #398: To Drown Among The Stars by L.K. Frost

 

Title: To Drown Among The Stars

Author: L.K. Frost

# of Pages:

Genre: Adult, Romance, Fantasy

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

Synopsis: In an unprecedented turn of events, Bastion emerges from his Trial of Knighthood a failure. Certain the gods have abandoned him, he travels down the coast on a leave of absence, looking for solitude. Instead, he walks into trouble in the wake of a series of pirate attacks on seaside villages, where he meets Ulla, a deaf dragon-kin healer with secrets of her own. Despite their initial, disastrous meeting, they’re drawn together by their mutual loneliness. Then, they discover the attacks aren’t random - they’re coordinated. The pirates are planning a large-scale attack on Moonwatch, the kingdom’s naval base, with the intent of stealing an ancient secret. Together, Bastion and Ulla race to Moonwatch only to learn the commander has been drawn away by the attacks. Unable to deny his duty or his very nature, Bastion takes command of their diminished forces in the face of a pirate fleet armed with a mysterious weapon. When Ulla is wounded, the world comes crashing down on Bastion and he must reveal his darkest secret to save her, even though it may mean losing her, after all.

Review: I received an ARC directly from the author. 

To Drown Among the Stars had a lot of potential (the premise sounded interesting to me!) but unfortunately it fell short of expectations.

Each scene in isolation is pretty decently written (immersively descriptive) but the transitions between them were abrupt or the catalyst in a change of action seemed random and unrealistic. Multiple times throughout the story, Bastion ends up wandering around for time to think or for some unexplained "leave of absence" that didn't feel nature with the flow of the greater story. 

The writing was too verbose on aspects that don't matter. Instead of spending a few sentences describing an empty pint rolling along the ship floor, those lines could've been spent doing more world building or moving the plot forward. I actually had to check if this was a sequel in a series because it read as if world building and character backstories were covered in a previous book.

The characters are not fully developed; they felt flat. The reader is told by other characters how they would characterize Bastion (a man of high moral character), but the story didn't show his personality. Am I supposed to view him as a young knight-to-be who's still building his confidence? or an experienced swordsman with authority? The characterization flipped flopped between the two personas without a it being clear on what type of person Bastion is supposed to be. 

The romance between the main characters came off more as infatuation rather than actual romance (there's a lot of focus on how Bastion feels when he's interacting with Ulla, and not as much about what he loves/cares about her as he spends more time with her). Despite being depicted as independent and capable, the female lead Ulla is just a narrative accessory for Bastion's journey rather than a fully autonomous character.

While I was excited to read this, I had a hard time staying engaged in the story and feeling invested in the characters. There's some major improvements that I'd want to see before I recommended this book to someone.

Book Blog #397: Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke

 Title: Yesteryear

Author: Caro Claire Burke

# of Pages: 391

Genre: Adult, Mystery, Thriller

Rating: ★★★ ☆ ☆

Synopsis: Natalie lives a traditional lifestyle. Her charming farmhouse is rustic, her husband a handsome cowboy, her six children each more delightful than the last. So what if there are nannies and producers behind the scenes, her kitchen hiding industrial-grade fridges and ovens, her husband the Republican equivalent of a Kennedy? What Natalie’s followers—all 8 million of them—don’t know won’t hurt them. And The Angry Women? The privileged, Ivy League, coastal elite haters who call her an antifeminist iconoclast? They’re sick with jealousy. Because Natalie isn’t simply living the good life, she’s living the ideal—and just so happens to be building an empire from it. Until one morning she wakes up in a life that isn’t hers. Her home, her husband, her children—they’re all familiar, but something’s off. Her kitchen is warmed by a sputtering fire rather than electricity, her children are dirty and strange, and her soft-handed husband is suddenly a competent farmer. Just yesterday Natalie was curating photos of homemade jam for her Instagram, and now she’s expected to haul firewood and handwash clothes until her fingers bleed. Has she become the unwitting star of a brutal reality show? Could it really be time travel? Is she being tested by God? By Satan? When Natalie suffers a brutal injury in the woods, she realizes two things: This is not her beautiful life, and she must escape by any means possible.

Review: Good but not great. Fresh but not extraordinary. 

This is the first book I’ve read about a tradwife influencer, so I liked how this story delved into how this type of person rises to fame. 

The narrative reminded me of Yellowface; Natalie, our tradwife narrator, is extremely unlikable and unreliable. I was quite disgusted with her narcissistic, judgmental attitude but thought the author did a great job at creating such a distinct, unhinged narrative. 

The story jumps between the Natalie’s rise to fame from her college days onward and her present day 1855 life. Most of the mystery is how she’s suddenly in this 1855 life, and the story of her past has to run in parallel to this to build up to the reveal. I wasn’t a huge fan of switching back in forth because some of the past segments were slower/boring, and I wanted to hear more about her trying to understand the 1855 lifestyle. 

The mystery reveal was a letdown for me; I wasn’t able to fully guess the ending, but it felt like a cop-out ending. The resolution felt rush and unrealistic logistically. 

I’d recommend this book if you’re interested in the topic (especially if you’re interested in the real life influencer account Ballerina Farms); it’s an easy and quick read. 

Book Blog #396: The Correspondent by Virginia Evans

 

Title: The Correspondent

Author: Virginia Evans

# of Pages: 280 (ebook)

Genre: Adult, Contemporary

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Synopsis: Sybil Van Antwerp has throughout her life used letters to make sense of the world and her place in it. Most mornings, around half past ten, Sybil sits down to write letters—to her brother, to her best friend, to the president of the university who will not allow her to audit a class she desperately wants to take, to Joan Didion and Larry McMurtry to tell them what she thinks of their latest books, and to one person to whom she writes often yet never sends the letter. Sybil expects her world to go on as it always has—a mother, grandmother, wife, divorcee, distinguished lawyer, she has lived a very full life. But when letters from someone in her past force her to examine one of the most painful periods of her life, she realizes that the letter she has been writing over the years needs to be read and that she cannot move forward until she finds it in her heart to offer forgiveness. Sybil Van Antwerp’s life of letters might be “a very small thing,” but she also might be one of the most memorable characters you will ever read.

Review: To Virginia Evans, I give her a quote from her own book:

"You do very well with inhabiting your narrators and telling the story as they would" 

The Correspondent is a collection of letters/emails between Sybil, a grandmother and retired lawyer and various people in her life ranging from her children to a customer service rep. Sybil's personality is quite apparent in her letters; she's your classic rambling, oversharing, judgmental elderly retiree. I was hating this book in the start because I don't usually like talking with these type of people in real life, but I realized that Evan's was actually very masterful at crafting Sybil's letters to portray this familiar archetype.

Despite Sybil's stubbornness, I liked that she is depicted as a fallible. Although she is still an old woman who tends to be stuck in her ways, this story still captures her character growth in her capacity to reflect, process trauma, and most of all admit fault and make amends.

I usually avoid this format (collection of letters) because it's ultimately my least favorite format (first person POV switching), made worse by not knowing who is writing the letter until you pick up on context clues (or skip to the end to see who's name signs off on it). While these arguments still hold true for this book, Evan's did a great job at taking advantage of taking advantage of the benefits of this format. Major revelations are delivered almost offhandedly, embedded in the natural flow of the letters, which makes them feel more surprising and real as the reader learns about them alongside the recipient. 

Slow paced and a peaceful read. While I appreciate Sybil's realistic depiction, I didn't particularly connect with her and her story emotionally (thus the three stars). I wouldn't recommend this book in a hurry if you don't think you can resonate with this type of person, especially since the story is about a woman who is extraordinary amongst those she knows but unextraordinary otherwise. 

Book Blog #395: Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy

 

Title: Wild Dark Shore

Author: Charlotte McConaghy

# of Pages: 300 (hardback)

Genre: Adult, Mystery, Contemporary

Rating: ★★★★☆

Synopsis: A family on a remote island. A mysterious woman washed ashore. A rising storm on the horizon. Dominic Salt and his three children are caretakers of Shearwater, a tiny island not far from Antarctica. Home to the world’s largest seed bank, Shearwater was once full of researchers, but with sea levels rising, the Salts are now its final inhabitants. Until, during the worst storm the island has ever seen, a woman mysteriously washes ashore. Isolation has taken its toll on the Salts, but as they nurse the woman, Rowan, back to strength, it begins to feel like she might just be what they need. Rowan, long accustomed to protecting herself, starts imagining a future where she could belong to someone again. But Rowan isn’t telling the whole truth about why she set out for Shearwater. And when she discovers sabotaged radios and a freshly dug grave, she realizes Dominic is keeping his own secrets. As the storms on Shearwater gather force, they all must decide if they can trust each other enough to protect the precious seeds in their care before it’s too late―and if they can finally put the tragedies of the past behind them to create something new, together.

Review: McConaghy has written yet another great book.

But most noticeably, there's a huge climate/nature/animal conservation and appreciation element to this book that seems to be now be a running theme for all her books. This book is actually paced very slowly, and there's a lot of descriptions of the animals on the island and seeds in the seed bank that don't necessarily drive the plot forward. It wasn't surprising to hear that McConaghy visited, researched, and based the setting off Macquarie Island, and reading this book knowing that this is ultimately an ode to that island explains why there's so much focus on this rather than the mystery it's pitched as.

However, surprisingly I actually liked the simultaneously despairing but hopeful slice of life story that allows the reader to get to know Rowan, Dominic, and his children. The whole book could have focused more on these people building relationships with each other (focus on themes of family/parent-child relationships, trauma, etc.) and I would have been happy (4+ stars). 

What did bother me was the first and third person POV switching. The rapid switching between 5 characters means short chapters, but this could have been told equally effectively in omniscient third person. 

Most of the mystery element is created by omission; the characters collectively know the full story but will trickle truth it to the reader. I don't remember much about Migrations after 4 years but IIRC, they similarly used this story telling strategy. Not a fan, and on the mystery aspect and POV switching (especially in the beginning before I became invested in the characters, I was almost going to rate this book 2-3 stars.

The way children were depicted in Migrations felt unrealistic to me, and I feel similarly about the 9 year old child (Orly) in this book, especially in the beginning. This improved a bit later on in the story, but the older children and adult character felt more authentic. 

In the end, this book lands somewhere between a high 3 stars and a low 4 stars. I couldn't put this book down and blazed through the latter half. I'd recommend this book, especially if you're interested in a slower paced, story with a focus on beauty and fragility of nature.  

Book Blog #394: Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman

 

Title: Dungeon Crawler Carl

Author: Matt Dinniman

# of Pages: 439 (ebook)

Genre: Adult, Science Fiction, Humor

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Synopsis: A man. His ex-girlfriend's cat. A sadistic game show unlike anything in the universe: a dungeon crawl where survival depends on killing your prey in the most entertaining way possible. In a flash, every human-erected construction on Earth—from Buckingham Palace to the tiniest of sheds—collapses in a heap, sinking into the ground. The buildings and all the people inside have all been atomized and transformed into the dungeon: an 18-level labyrinth filled with traps, monsters, and loot. A dungeon so enormous, it circles the entire globe. Only a few dare venture inside. But once you're in, you can't get out. And what's worse, each level has a time limit. You have but days to find a staircase to the next level down, or it's game over. In this game, it's not about your strength or your dexterity. It's about your followers, your views. Your clout. It's about building an audience and killing those goblins with style. You can't just survive here. You gotta survive big. You gotta fight with vigor, with excitement. You gotta make them stand up and cheer. And if you do have that "it" factor, you may just find yourself with a following. That's the only way to truly survive in this game—with the help of the loot boxes dropped upon you by the generous benefactors watching from across the galaxy. They call it Dungeon Crawler World. But for Carl, it's anything but a game.

Review: I went into this knowing I'm not the target audience (gamer bros, especially those into role playing games like DnD). I actually was more entertained than I thought. 

Dungeon Crawler Carl mostly focuses on power fantasy where Carl gets to perform amazing acts of heroism and selflessness despite the odds being stacked against him (think: saving the weak from monsters, standing up to bullies). Some of this was incredibly cheesy/cringey, but some people may appreciate the positivity.

The story unsurprisingly is of Carl's traversal through a multi-leveled dungeon with fantastical enemies, with all the level ups, achievements, boss battles you'd expect in a video game of the same genre. I'm not a gamer, but I was vaguely familiar with some of the concepts. This shouldn't be a major issue for readers who are unfamiliar; there's A LOT of explanations of the dungeon (world building) that is actually a bit of a slog to get through. I didn't get into the flow of the book until over halfway through (with more world building yet to come). 

This is mostly a sci-fi adventure HUMOROUS book. The humor is actually a large part of the writing style; the storytelling is very casual and crass. If crude humor isn't your thing, you'll like find the book to be juvenille and distasteful and not enjoy it very much. Think: foot fetish, sex jokes. 

Not really my style, so my 3 star rating is mostly a measure of how much I enjoyed the story. If Dinniman's goal was to write an absurd, darkly humorous and unserious dungeon crawler story, he's definitely achieving that (5 stars to that??). I'd consider reading more of this series mostly curious on how the characters will develop further, but I would definitely only recommend this book to people who are already interested in the premise. 

Book Blog #393: I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman

 

Title: I Who Have Never Known Men

Author: Jacqueline Harpman

# of Pages: 175 (ebook)

Genre: Adult, Science Fiction, Classics

Rating: ★★★★☆

Synopsis: Deep underground, thirty-nine women live imprisoned in a cage. Watched over by guards, the women have no memory of how they got there, no notion of time, and only a vague recollection of their lives before. As the burn of electric light merges day into night and numberless years pass, a young girl—the fortieth prisoner—sits alone and outcast in the corner. Soon she will show herself to be the key to the others' escape and survival in the strange world that awaits them above ground.

Review: "I Who Have Never Known Men" is more like "I Who Have Never Known Most Things Aside from Existing in a Cage."

A very readable piece of literature that is actually NOT easy to read because it makes the reader quite existential. This story considers the question of what you would do if you were one of the last people in the world and grew up with little to no knowledge on the rest of the world. What makes us human? What brings meaning to our lives?

It's contemplative in a slightly eerie and helpless way. However, because the protagonist is a young woman who doesn't understand a lot of the world around her, the story can drag and be a bit repetitive (which is why this is 4 stars rather than 5). While the premise is a science fiction dystopia, the focus is more on the existential questions than world building or solving the mystery of the womens' circumstances. 

Definitely not my usual read, but an interesting (and short!) piece of speculative literature that is worth the read if you have the time.

Book Blog #392: The Women by Kristin Hannah

 

Title: The Women

Author: Kristin Hannah

# of Pages: 471 (hardcover)

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction, Romance

Rating: ★★★★☆

Synopsis: Women can be heroes. When twenty-year-old nursing student Frances “Frankie” McGrath hears these words, it is a revelation. Raised in the sun-drenched, idyllic world of Southern California and sheltered by her conservative parents, she has always prided herself on doing the right thing. But in 1965, the world is changing, and she suddenly dares to imagine a different future for herself. When her brother ships out to serve in Vietnam, she joins the Army Nurse Corps and follows his path. As green and inexperienced as the men sent to Vietnam to fight, Frankie is overwhelmed by the chaos and destruction of war. Each day is a gamble of life and death, hope and betrayal; friendships run deep and can be shattered in an instant. In war, she meets―and becomes one of―the lucky, the brave, the broken, and the lost. But war is just the beginning for Frankie and her veteran friends. The real battle lies in coming home to a changed and divided America, to angry protesters, and to a country that wants to forget Vietnam.

Review: “Thank God for girlfriends. In this crazy, chaotic, divided world that was run by men, you could count on the women” 

A great read; somewhere between 4 and 5 stars (high 4, low 5). 

Kristin Hannah gets you to learn so much about the Vietnam War without making it feel like you're learning about the Vietnam War. Instead, the reader follows the life of the young protagonist Frankie who is a nurse in the Vietnam War. Unlike other war stories that focus on the harrowing experiences during the war, The Women spends a considerable amount of time focusing on what happens to the veterans, especially the women who served, after coming back from Vietnam. The reader learns that the struggles Vietnam War veterans went through can measure up in a different way to the horrors they experienced in during the war. 

For a book called The Women, I actually thought the book would be MORE focused on the women than it actually was. Yes, the reader will see women supporting women, but there's a surprisingly amount of that support through the lens of fixing the turmoil caused by romantic relationships with men. Frankie's loneliness that is seemingly not sated until she's with a man was not an aspect of the plot that I was expecting.

The start actually felt rushed, especially for how slow and repetitive latter parts of the book are during/after the war. However, I kept being drawn back to this book after I'd try to put it down, so I was engaged in Frankie's story despite her character growth and life trajectory not being clear.

Kristin Hannah does a great job at writing flawed characters. I found myself annoyed at Frankie's naivety and recklessness, but she felt more realistic because of those traits. I also actually strongly disliked qualities of most of the male characters, but in a morally grey way where some of their actions/feelings can be debated as being justifiable.

This is also not a classic underdog story; Frankie comes from a well-off military family in San Diego. Yes, she's a woman, but she definitely starts off privileged and entitled. This doesn't mean it's not a story worth telling; it's just perspective that I'm not used to reading about, and it made me feel uncomfortable (which is a good thing!).

The biggest complaint I have that some of the series of events were incredibly coincidental and unbelievable. Readers will be able to anticipate what will happen next and then find that it indeed does happen against all odds!

Overall, a well-written and engaging story with fallible characters. I would recommend this book!

Book Blog #391: On a Quiet Street by Seraphina Nova Glass

 

Title: On a Quiet Street

Author: Seraphina Nova Glass

# of Pages: 302 (ebook)

Genre: Adult, Mystery, Thriller

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Synopsis: Who wouldn’t want to live in Brighton Hills? This exclusive community on the Oregon coast is the perfect mix of luxury and natural beauty. Stunning houses nestle beneath mighty Douglas firs, and lush backyards roll down to the lakefront. It’s the kind of place where neighbors look out for one another. Sometimes a little too closely… Cora thinks her husband, Finn, is cheating—she just needs to catch him in the act. That’s where Paige comes in. Paige lost her son to a hit-and-run last year, and she’s drowning in the kind of grief that makes people do reckless things like spying on the locals, searching for proof that her son’s death was no accident…and agreeing to Cora’s plan to reveal what kind of man Finn really is. All the while, their reclusive new neighbor, Georgia, is acting more strangely every day. But what could such a lovely young mother possibly be hiding?

Review: Entertaining enough, but there's nothing mind blowing that On a Quiet Street is doing that hasn't already been done.

There's POV switching between not just two first person perspectives (Cora and Georgia) but ALSO a third person perspective (Paige). Cora's and Georgia's perspectives are also in present tense, so it feels like you're actually in their head. Considering that Georgia is a bit dull/naive, this can get frustrating sometimes. 

There's a slow start, and it quickly becomes obvious that most of these people are insufferable. However, it's a pretty quick and easy read that gets in the latter half of the book as the answer to the whodunnit becomes clearer. I wish the reveal incorporated more hints dropped along the way rather than relying on withholding information from the reader to shock them with it at the end of the story. 

The main message I got from this book is that women are stronger together, and some men can be really horrible. If this doesn't resonate with you, I wouldn't recommend this book. I also would only recommend this book if you're interested in a classic whodunnit rather than something revolutionary. This was a low-mid three star read for me.

Book Blog #390: Manacled by SenLinYu

 

Title: Manacled

Author: SenLinYu

# of Pages: 945 (ebook)

Genre: Adult, Fantasy, Romance

Rating: ★★★★☆

Synopsis: Harry Potter is dead. In the aftermath of the war, in order to strengthen the might of the magical world, Voldemort enacts a repopulation effort. Hermione Granger has an Order secret, lost but hidden in her mind, so she is sent as an enslaved surrogate to the High Reeve, to be bred and monitored until her mind can be cracked.

Review: This is the OG fanfic that SenLinYu later reworked and published as Alchemised late last year. Since I already read, loved, and reviewed Alchemised, I won't repeat those thoughts here since the overall plot is the same and instead do some compare/contrast. 

There's more sex scenes. I was surprised on how non-smutty Alchemised was based on my general impression of fanfics, but in the OG fanfic, there's a lot more (not too graphic) sex scenes, more aligned with what I initially expected.

Draco is sweeter than Kaine. There were moments where I was "kicking my feet and screaming" over Draco x Hermione moments vs Kaine x Helena moments. This might be related to my previous scenes; more sex is a result of having more loving moments between the two main characters. 

Manacled isn't as dark as Alchemised. I was impressed to learn that the world building SenLinYu did in Alchemised is actually gorier than the Harry Potter components incorporated in Manacled. This is most noticeable when comparing the "evil" side's fight strategies and torture methods.

Alchemised is still the best iteration of the story. Both would benefit from more editing (fluff in the beginning that could be slimmed down). In retrospect, you can tell the SenLinYu selected key moments from this fanfic and tried to fit them into the new world they built, but these moments flow more organically in the original fanfic.

- A key example of this is how Harry x Ron x Hermione is already a known tight knit trio, so moments referencing their friendship as a key plot point makes sense in Manacled but feels weaker in Alchemised when they're Luc x Soren x Helena. 

It was fun to be able to experience this story again with the original Harry Potter premise. I would recommend most people to just read Alchemised and to only consider reading Manacled in additon if you loved Alchemised and wanted to read some "deleted" (edited out) scenes.

Book Blog #389: Midnight Library by Matt Haig

 

Title: Midnight Library

Author: Matt Haig

# of Pages: 288 (ebook)

Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Fantasy

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

Synopsis: Between life and death there is a library. When Nora Seed finds herself in the Midnight Library, she has a chance to make things right. Up until now, her life has been full of misery and regret. She feels she has let everyone down, including herself. But things are about to change. The books in the Midnight Library enable Nora to live as if she had done things differently. With the help of an old friend, she can now undo every one of her regrets as she tries to work out her perfect life. But things aren't always what she imagined they'd be, and soon her choices place the library and herself in extreme danger. Before time runs out, she must answer the ultimate question: what is the best way to live?

Review: The Midnight Library's plot feels like something I've read/watched before. 

I kept thinking that there must have been an early 2000s feel-good movie that had a similar plot, but then I realized there's a ton of media out there that involves reflecting on your life choices (one being The Five People You Meet in Heaven). 

The point being: the premise of this book is hardly original, but I was hoping that Matt Haig would add some new to the concept. Unfortunately, I was disappointed; the ending and message for this type of "reflective" story is fairly predictable. 

Nora, the protagonist, felt like a mouth piece for the author to spout some Thoreau quotes and ramble some inspiration philosophy. The reader is supposed to be learning and growing with Nora, but then suddenly Nora is lecturing someone on something she barely just realized/learned! Her character growth didn't feel organic. 

That being said, some of the imagery was quite beautiful; it would probably be a better movie than a book. I was actually surprised it wasn't already a movie, but apparently it was just announced this month that it's being adapted into a movie. I suppose we are all on the same page after all. 

This was a 2 star to maybeeee low 3 star for me. It didn't make me feel anything (except scared in the middle, but this is likely because of my overactive imagination making some scenes more dramatic than they actually are, especially considering horror is NOT one of the book's genres), and I didn't gain anything from read this book.

It's not a BAD book, but I spent most of my time not enjoying reading it. Wouldn't recommend this book in a hurry unless the premise already sounds like it's up your alley.

Book Blog #388: Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green

 

Title: Everything is Tuberculosis

Author: John Green

# of Pages: 189 (hardback)

Genre: Non-fiction, History

Rating: ★★★★☆

Synopsis: Tuberculosis has been entwined with humanity for millennia. Once romanticized as a malady of poets, today tuberculosis is seen as a disease of poverty that walks the trails of injustice and inequity we blazed for it. In 2019, author John Green met Henry Reider, a young tuberculosis patient at Lakka Government Hospital in Sierra Leone. John became fast friends with Henry, a boy with spindly legs and a big, goofy smile. In the years since that first visit to Lakka, Green has become a vocal advocate for increased access to treatment and wider awareness of the healthcare inequities that allow this curable, preventable infectious disease to also be the deadliest, killing over a million people every year. In Everything Is Tuberculosis, John tells Henry’s story, woven through with the scientific and social histories of how tuberculosis has shaped our world—and how our choices will shape the future of tuberculosis.

Review: 

"It reminded me that when we know about suffering, when we are proximal to it, we are capable of extraordinary generosity. We can do and be so much for each other — but only when we see one another in our full humanity, not as statistics or problems, but as people who deserve to be alive in the world"

Yes, I read this book because it's by John Green. I didn't know much about the history nor the current prevalence/treatment efficacy of tuberculosis before reading this book, nor did I have a particular interest. 

I was honestly prepared for a book similar to the only other nonfiction book I've read of John Green's: This Star Won't Go Out: The Life and Words of Esther Grace Earl, in which Green highlights the muse of TFIOS who was (non-coincidentally) part of nerdfighteria (John and Hank's vlogbrothers fanclub). Since highlighting this particular teen's story was directly related to her already being a fan of John Green, it didn't surprise me that John also (dare I say narcissistically) included at least one mention of his books and highlighted a TB patient who was in fact a huge fan TFIOS.

That being said, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Henry, the tuberculosis patient who's story is interweaved with the history of tuberculosis, was not focused on for a similar reason but rather for the joy and positivity he brought others in the face of having drug-resistant TB. Our non-fiction "protagonist" (if there is to be one for this book) is an important case in the country Sierra Leone's progress in treating TB. 

John Green's voice is so clear in this book as he skips around between highlighting how our understanding on what causes TB has evolved, how it can be treated, why it's still a problem today, and stories of TB patients throughout history. It felt like I was reading a long-format vlogbrothers video; John Green did a great job at making the material digestible and interesting.

Readers actually can relate with John Green's perspective, who writes with the understanding that hearing statistics alone can make it difficult to truly understand why TB is still a modern day problem. He approaches the problem by showing multiple reasons why people in richer countries SHOULD care about this: compassion for other human beings (if everyone had access to good health care, no one should die of TB), fear an evolution of an untreatable TB (countries without adequate treatment and preventative methods perpetuate the spread of drug resistant forms of TB that can eventually lead to a GLOBAL issue), etc.

A relatively short read; I would recommend reading this book if you're a fan of John Green's writing style, even if you aren't particularly interested in learning more about TB.