Tag: YA Books

My Thoughts: Death in the Cards by Mia P. Manansala

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I have not read a mystery novel in a while, and I love Manansala’s other books, so I knew I wanted to read Death in the Cards. This is Manansala’s first Young Adult book, but not her first mystery. Danika Dizon, the main character, is a 17 year old tarot reader who wants to solve the mystery of one of her missing clients when she is approached by the missing client’s sister, Gaby.

Manansala excellently captures what it is like to be a high schooler who desperately wants to prove themselves to the people around them. Danika’s mother, a private investigator, does not want Danika involved in anything that could put her in danger. Danika wants to show that she could someday work as a private investigator like her mother. When I went to the launch party, Manansala described how she wanted to capture the feeling of being a teenager rather than trying to sound like a teenager. I appreciate this approach. Danika feels like such a real character: she practices Kali, reads tarot, and hopes to save enough money to restore a car. 

The side characters are equally interesting: Junior, Nicole, and Gaby were my favorites. I love that this book is very focused on friendships and family. This book also included commentary on how it feels to be surrounded by wealthy classmates. I found myself in an environment like that when I was a coxswain in high school, and it can be a challenging environment to navigate. I also liked the pacing of the mystery; I found myself trying to guess at every page what was going to happen next. It felt like I was with Danika as she tried to solve the mystery.

Death in the Cards, with its main character Danika who is a Filipino, queer woman, is a mystery book that I finished in two days because of its well-written characters and intrigue. I do think that my reading tastes have changed though, and I will say that I do not think Manasala’s writing style is 100% for me; however, this is still a book I recommend. It is so great to see more books where the characters happen to be Filipino; Manansala also discussed this at the launch party. I remember her saying something to the effect that these books are not to educate about Filipinos, and to pick up a nonfiction book instead. I really appreciated hearing this!

Have you read any mystery novels lately?

My Thoughts on Heir by Sabaa Tahir

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Heir by Sabaa Tahir.

Heir by Sabaa Tahir is the start of a sequel series to An Ember in the Ashes (AEITA) which came out in 2015. I did not read AEITA until my first year of high school, and I still cannot believe it took me that long to read it. The series ended in my junior year of high school, and I did not want to leave the world Tahir created. When I found out Heir was coming out, I felt like I was back in high school. 

Tahir has managed to capture the feeling of the original series, one of fighting for hope, justice, and a better future while leading with love: Quil, with his love for his country, and Sirsha, with her love for a community. I think multiple perspectives can be a lot sometimes in a first book, but Tahir made me want to read all of them. Aiz is a character who I did not understand at first, but by the end of Heir I found myself wanting to know what is next for her so much. 

Quil is amazing. He is 20 years old and is in line to lead the Empire. I love how he is very strong and fierce, but is also shyer than Elias. Quil may be my favorite male character that Tahir has written. Also, I love reading books with royals in relationships that are made complicated by the family around them. This is also the first time the male main character has almost been my favorite in a book, which almost never happens for me.

I loved Sirsha – she is my favorite character of Heir. She is different from Laia and Helene; she has a carefree attitude that she uses to hide the fact that she does care about the people around her and yearns for people who will stay by her side. I love that she is not afraid to ask for what she wants in any relationship she has. 

Aiz was such a surprising character; I did not expect to see her story to go where it did. I think this shows how Tahir is such an amazing writer as I felt many different emotions toward her, including disappointment. At the same time, the side characters captured my attention more than Aiz. I appreciate that Tahir is able to make me understand the characters even though I do not agree with them. 

I would read a thousand books set in the world of Ember. Tahir has written a fantasy novel that I believe will become one of the classics of our time. Heir is an adventurous novel that uses the tropes of soul mates and the “chosen one” in new ways.

My Thoughts: Three Recent Young Adult Books

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Unbecoming by Seema Yasmin

Unbecoming by Seema Yasmin is about Muslim teens, Noor and Laylah Khan, who are friends fighting for abortion and reproductive rights in a U.S. where abortion is completely banned and reproductive rights are nonexistent. They are writing a guide called the Texas Teen’s Guide to Getting a Safe Abortion.

Laylah Khan is pregnant, and she is keeping it a secret from her friend Noor. Noor notices that she has an urgency in writing the Guide. Meanwhile, Noor has a secret too – she thinks someone is complicit in financial embezzlement at her local mosque, but she does not want to hurt Laylah as she is close to the person Noor suspects.

My favorite part of Unbecoming is Laylah and Noor’s friendship. They are so close with each other. They are supportive of each other each step of the way. I also like how close they are with each other’s families. Seeing the intergenerational relationships, specifically between Nanima, Laylah, and Noor, was heartwarming to me. Overall, Unbecoming made me want to read Yasmin’s other books. I am excited to see what she writes in the future.

Please read reviews by Muslim readers for Unbecoming on the Muslim representation.

Wish You Weren’t Here by Erin Baldwin

I love books set in summer and especially at summer camps. I never attended one when I was younger. Juliette and Priya are enemies, but not what you would think.

I loved the humor and voice of Baldwin. It made her characters so lovely to read about, and I felt like I was friends right alongside them. Juliette constantly feels like she has the spotlight stolen from her. I sympathized with her. I like how her and Priya aren’t mean to each other. There isn’t a mean girl atmosphere, rather just a lack of understanding where Juliette and Priya are very much in their heads about each other. Baldwin builds a complex romance between them. I appreciated the healthy communication in the romance.

Also, I’m so happy to see Filipino representation! I loved the mentions of Juliette’s Filipino heritage. Overall, I highly recommend Wish You Weren’t Here if you are looking for a fun summer read with a heartwarming romance.

True Love and Other Impossible Odds by Christina Li

Having finished my first year of college recently, I knew I had to read Li’s book. It was incredible. Li captures the voice of what it’s like to be a college student perfectly.

Grace Tang, the main character, starts her first year of college after her mother died during her senior year of high school. She decides to go back home to her father every weekend. At the same time, she sees her roommates who are in seemingly perfect relationships and going to parties. In one class, Grace is assigned a group project where they come up with the idea to create an algorithm for love.

Julia, Grace’s coworker, seems indifferent to Grace, and sometimes even annoyed at the beginning. She thinks that Grace’s algorithm will not work. Despite Julia’s coldness, she and Grace find themselves getting closer to each other. I liked how Grace and Julia learn to communicate with each other and recognize what they need to work on rather than ignoring each other’s advice.

Li’s writing is captivating and feels so real. She understands how to write characters who are in the transition period between youth and adulthood. I highly recommend True Love and Other Impossible Odds!

Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them?

I’d Rather Burn Than Bloom by Shannon C.F. Rogers – My Thoughts

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I’d Rather Burn Than Bloom by Shannon C.F. Rogers is about Marisol Martin, a multiracial Filipino teenager, and her life after her mother’s death. Marisol is angry: angry at her mom, her former best friend, her dad for not understanding, and most significantly, herself. 

The way that Rogers writes about grief is so raw. Marisol wants to push away her emotions instead of voicing them – in the way that maybe by pushing those emotions away, she won’t need to accept that her mother is physically gone. She struggles with creating art in after. I related to Marisol’s deep desire to have complete control over her life, and her impulsive reactions when that won’t happen. Throughout I’d Rather Burn Than Bloom, Marisol’s anger causes her to isolate herself and pull back from building relationships with others because she doesn’t want things to change, especially with the biggest change in her family impacting all aspects of her life. In a way, I think Marisol’s anger is how she holds onto her mother, at least in part because Marisol describes herself as never having been best friends with her mom, so these fights, and this anger, remind her of a time when her mom was alive.

The plot of the story centers around Marisol’s personal relationships, and also with her relationship to herself. She questions if she is still Filipino even though her mother is gone. She questions if she is good enough, or if she should’ve tried harder to be a perfect daughter. All this combined made me feel like I was right in Marisol’s mind during this very stream-of-consciousness narrative.

Overall, I appreciate the message that it is ok to have regrets about the past. What is important is to know that there are people who are there for you and want to be there for you during grief. There isn’t one way to grieve, as Marisol, her brother, and father show. Roger’s debut is emotionally devastating while also maintaining hope and love throughout.

Book Information 

Title: I’d Rather Burn Than Bloom
Author: Shannon C.F. Rogers
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Publication Date: July 11, 2023 
Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary

Synopsis:

Packed with voice, this is a powerful coming-of-age YA novel about a Filipina-American teen who tries to figure out who she really is in the wake of her mother’s death.

Some girls call their mother their best friend. Marisol? She could never relate. She and her mom were forever locked in an argument with no beginning and no end.

But when her mother dies suddenly, Marisol is left with no one to fight against, haunted by all the things that she both said and didn’t say. And when Marisol sleeps with her best friend’s boyfriend—and then punches said best friend in the face—she’s left alone, with nothing but a burning anger.

And Marisol is determined to stay angry. After all, there’s a lot to be angry about. But as a new friendship begins to develop, Marisol reluctantly starts to open up to her, and to the possibility there’s something else on the other side of that anger—something more to who she is, and who she could be.

Book links:  
Goodreads
Storygraph
Blackwells
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Bookshop US
Other US retailers

Author Information

Shannon C.F. Rogers is a multiracial Filipino-American writer of young adult novels, short fiction, and plays. A former editor on Lunch Ticket, her work has appeared in Bodega Magazine and Newfound Journal as well as on stage with Tricklock Company and Lady Luck Productions. Shannon earned her B.A. in Creative Writing from the University of New Mexico and her MFA in Writing For Young People at Antioch University Los Angeles. She has served as an educator, after-school program director, and lost mitten finder at schools in Albuquerque, Chicago, and New York City. She is the author of I’d Rather Burn than Bloom. She lives in Brooklyn, NY.

Author Links: 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21941127.Shannon_C_F_Rogers
Website: https://www.shannoncfrogers.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shannon.cf.rogers
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/shannoncfrogers

Thank you to Colored Pages Blog Tours, Netgalley, and Fierce Reads for the advanced reader copy.

Review: While You Were Dreaming by Alisha Rai

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When I was approved on Netgalley for While You Were Dreaming by Alisha Rai, I was ecstatic. I’d read Alisha Rai’s contemporary adult romance series, and I enjoy when authors write in different categories. This is Alisha Rai’s contemporary YA debut.

While You Were Dreaming takes on a much different tone from her previous novels, while still maintaining a similarity to Alisha Rai’s style of writing. Sonia, the main character, is an Indian American teenage girl living with her sister Kareena in New York. Sonia is very into cosplay (she uses her mother’s machine to sew) and works at a sandwich shop. She also has a crush on James Cooper. . .who she ends up saving one day. However, Sonia must hide her identity because Kareena is not an American citizen.

Alisha Rai also writes about the negativities of the American immigration system from the perspective of a teen girl whose mother was arrested. I learned that legal aid is not provided to immigrants. Throughout this time, Kareena is working multiple jobs to support Sonia.

Thus begins a story of hiding identities (both willingly, and unwillingly, and physically and mentally). Let me tell you all, the amount I related to Sonia was A LOT. I am also a part of the Asian diaspora, and while I am not Indian American, I related to the fact that Sonia was figuring out her relationship with her heritage. This part of the book felt like my thoughts surrounding my Asian-ness were pulled right out of my mind.

Alisha Rai captures what it is like to feel like you don’t belong. She captures the beauty of sibling relationships and how they can help us through life even when we feel like we have no control over anything. While You Were Dreaming captures the very essence of the importance of holding onto hope and understanding that it is ok to need a support system – you don’t have to be a hero on your own. I greatly enjoyed Alisha Rai’s young adult debut and I highly recommend this captivating and reflective novel.

*I received a copy from Netgalley and Quill Tree Books. This did not impact my opinion on the book.

Review: Serendipity – A Cute Young Adult Romance Anthology

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*Review written in 2022

Serendipity was one of my most anticipated anthologies of 2022, and I’m so grateful I got to read it early because of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group and Netgalley. The stories of this Young Adult anthology based around romantic tropes filled me with joy.

What I love most is that a lot of the stories focused on friends to lovers stories OR the start of a relationship. The authors effectively wrote short stories that left me satisfied with the promise of new and changed relationships. I also like the fact that some of my expectations for the main characters in the stories turned out to be different. Each main character felt real to me: I enjoyed the diversity of their hobbies and goals: one character thought she wanted to get back at her ex, another character realizes that she may not know her “enemy” as well as she thought she did, and another character realized that love may take risks. A new relationship may start from running into someone else in a new country, or with a friend you’ve known for over 7 years.

While every story focused on a romantic relationship, the friendships and familial relationships were also great to see. Serendipity left me feeling hopeful. It’s heartwarming to read stories about people my age experiencing love for the first time, and to feel like you’re a part of a great love story. Serendipity takes joy in the simple moments, in the simplicity of noticing all of the details of a person, and being open to knowing the entirety of a person, beyond how they may appear to look to the rest of the world.

Books I’m Excited For: September – December 2022

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I cannot believe we are in the last four months of 2022!! There are a lot of amazing books coming out in the next couple of months. Most of the ones I’m excited for are by authors I already know. I also want to give a special mention to the Fairyloot editions of The Gilded Wolves trilogy by Roshani Chokshi because I’ve preordered them and they are so gorgeous!! I cannot wait for my copies to arrive.

Heart of the Sun Warrior by Sue Lynn Tan: I read Daughter of the Moon Goddess so fast, and I am so happy that the sequel is coming out this year!! These are two of my favorite high fantasy covers of all time.

Synopsis:

After winning her mother’s freedom from the Celestial Emperor, Xingyin thrives in the enchanting tranquility of her home. But her fragile peace is threatened by the discovery of a strange magic on the moon and the unsettling changes in the Celestial Kingdom as the emperor tightens his grip on power. While Xingyin is determined to keep clear of the rising danger, the discovery of a shocking truth spurs her into a perilous confrontation.

Forced to flee her home once more, Xingyin and her companions venture to unexplored lands of the Immortal Realm, encountering legendary creatures and shrewd monarchs, beloved friends and bitter adversaries. With alliances shifting quicker than the tides, Xingyin has to overcome past grudges and enmities to forge a new path forward, seeking aid where she never imagined she would. As an unspeakable terror sweeps across the realm, Xingyin must uncover the truth of her heart and claw her way through devastation–to rise against this evil before it destroys everything she holds dear, and the worlds she has grown to love… even if doing so demands the greatest price of all.

Foul Lady Fortune by Chloe Gong: I have already preordered two editions of this book. All I’ve seen are positive reviews, so I am super excited! I am re-reading Our Violent Ends (as of 8/20/2022) and still love the TVD duology.

Synopsis: It’s 1931 in Shanghai, and the stage is set for a new decade of intrigue.

Four years ago, Rosalind Lang was brought back from the brink of death, but the strange experiment that saved her also stopped her from sleeping and aging—and allows her to heal from any wound. In short, Rosalind cannot die. Now, desperate for redemption for her traitorous past, she uses her abilities as an assassin for her country.

Code name: Fortune.

But when the Japanese Imperial Army begins its invasion march, Rosalind’s mission pivots. A series of murders is causing unrest in Shanghai, and the Japanese are under suspicion. Rosalind’s new orders are to infiltrate foreign society and identify the culprits behind the terror plot before more of her people are killed.

To reduce suspicion, however, she must pose as the wife of another Nationalist spy, Orion Hong, and though Rosalind finds Orion’s cavalier attitude and playboy demeanor infuriating, she is willing to work with him for the greater good. But Orion has an agenda of his own, and Rosalind has secrets that she wants to keep buried. As they both attempt to unravel the conspiracy, the two spies soon find that there are deeper and more horrifying layers to this mystery than they ever imagined. 

Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn: ahhhh I am so happy this one is coming out so soon!! The Fairyloot editions are so pretty. I am so ready to see Bree again. This is one of the best YA retellings I’ve ever read.

Synopsis: The shadows have risen, and the line is law.

All Bree wanted was to uncover the truth behind her mother’s death. So she infiltrated the Legendborn Order, a secret society descended from King Arthur’s knights—only to discover her own ancestral power. Now, Bree has become someone new:

A Medium. A Bloodcrafter. A Scion.

But the ancient war between demons and the Order is rising to a deadly peak. And Nick, the Legendborn boy Bree fell in love with, has been kidnapped.

Bree wants to fight, but the Regents who rule the Order won’t let her. To them, she is an unknown girl with unheard-of power, and as the living anchor for the spell that preserves the Legendborn cycle, she must be protected.

When the Regents reveal they will do whatever it takes to hide the war, Bree and her friends must go on the run to rescue Nick themselves. But enemies are everywhere, Bree’s powers are unpredictable and dangerous, and she can’t escape her growing attraction to Selwyn, the mage sworn to protect Nick until death.

If Bree has any hope of saving herself and the people she loves, she must learn to control her powers from the ancestors who wielded them first—without losing herself in the process.

Everyone Hates Kelsie Miller by Meredith Ireland: I am so happy to see books by and centering adoptees in stories that aren’t just about their adoption. Meredith Ireland’s The Jasmine Project was one of my favorite books of 2021, so I’m excited for her second book! The main character of this book is also an Asian adoptee, like me : )

Synopsis: There’s no one Kelsie Miller hates more than Eric Mulvaney Ortiz—the homecoming king, captain of the football team, and academic archrival in her hyper-competitive prep school. But after Kelsie’s best friend, Briana, moves across the country and stops speaking to her, she’ll do anything, even talk to Eric, to find out why.

After they run into each other—literally—at the last high school party of the summer, Eric admits he’s been ghosted by his girlfriend, Jessica. Kelsie tells him she’s had zero contact from Briana since she left their upstate New York town.

Suddenly, a plan is formed: they’ll go on a road trip to the University of Pennsylvania the following week when both Briana and Jessica will be on campus. Together, they’ll do whatever it takes to win back their exes.

What could go wrong?

Used to succeeding in everything, Kelsie and Eric assume they’ll naturally figure out the details on the drive down. What they don’t expect is that the person they actually need may be the one sitting next to them. 

Strike the Zither by Joan He: Joan He is one of my favorite authors! I read DOTC when it came out in 2019, and now I am a part of the street team for her books. All of her covers should be framed!

Synopsis: The year is 414 of the Xin Dynasty, and chaos abounds. A puppet empress is on the throne. The realm has fractured into three factions and three warlordesses hoping to claim the continent for themselves.

But Zephyr knows it’s no contest.

Orphaned at a young age, Zephyr took control of her fate by becoming the best strategist of the land and serving under Xin Ren, a warlordess whose loyalty to the empress is double-edged—while Ren’s honor draws Zephyr to her cause, it also jeopardizes their survival in a war where one must betray or be betrayed. When Zephyr is forced to infiltrate an enemy camp to keep Ren’s followers from being slaughtered, she encounters the enigmatic Crow, an opposing strategist who is finally her match. But there are more enemies than one—and not all of them are human.

What books are you looking forward to that are coming out in September-December?

Books by Asian Authors I’m Excited For: 2021 – 2022

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There are a variety of books out there by Asian authors. Some of them are inspired by mythology and some take place in history.This post will include spoilers for Where Dreams Descend, These Violent Delights, Girls of Paper and Fire, Girls of Storm and Shadow, and The Bronzed Beasts. Also, I started writing this in 2021, and by now, I’ve read a lot of these, so there will definitely be a part two coming to this post soon.

When Night Breaks by Janella Angeles – oh no I’m stuck in a mirror with a mysterious guy, magicians messing things up, a LI who would go to the ends of the world for their loved ones, my past is covered by a mysterious fog

Our Violent Ends by Chloe Gong – a continuation of Juliette and Roma’s tale, I want to control my destiny but I’m afraid my path has already been set out for me, oh no, there’s a spy in our midst, trying to find answers but I’m too distracted by love. . .or hate

XOXO by Axie Oh: falling in love, taking risks and uprooting my life. This book is gorgeous and on the hardcover, the cover is printed right on the book under the dust jacket. I also highly recommend Axie Oh’s The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea!!

How We Fall Apart by Katie Zhao – Katie Zhao’s books are a must read if your’re a fan of academia themed novels. Jaime, Nancy’s former friend, is found dead. What follows is a stunning and twisting mystery. (Also, I recently received an ARC of The Lies We Tell from Bloomsbury, and I read it in a day. Only three more months until it comes out!!)

Brown Boy Nowhere by Sheeryl Lim – I started reading this one and never finished it!! Sheeryl Lim is a Filipino American author, and the main character of this book is also Filipino American.

The Jasmine Project by Meredith Ireland – centers Jasmine, who is Korean and adopted, self love is important!, cooking and excellent food, figuring out what you want to do after high school, the inspiration that can come from a Bachelor podcast, close-knit family

The Bronzed Beasts by Roshani Chokshi – If I could choose any series to re-read again, it would be this one. The ending of The Silvered Serpents. . .I am not over it. Also, this is the first fantasy book series I’ve read with a Filipino main character!

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao – I’m willing to do whatever it takes to get what I want, taking down a misogynistic system, who is in control of my destiny, fully developed side characters, I’d read 10 books about Zetian, what just happened re: that ending!

The Keeper of Night by Kylie Lee Baker – I got this one back in February and still have to read it! Ren Scarborough is a British Reaper and Japanese Shinigami. This book hooked me from the very first chapter.

Jade Fire Gold by Julie CL Tan – dual perspectives, these magic powers frighten me and excite me at the same time, a hidden past, we’re meant to be enemies, but I don’t think we are, palace life isn’t what I thought it would be

Girls of Fate and Fury by Natasha Ngan – I can’t believe I haven’t read this one yet! This is the finale to the Girls of Paper and Fire trilogy. At the end of Girls of Storm and Shadow, Lei and Wren were separated – that cliffhanger!

Dauntless by Elisa A. Bonnin – A Filipino inspired fantasy novel? By a Filipino author? Absolutely yes!! I have an e-ARC of this one I still need to get to.

Babel by R.F. Kuang – One of my most anticipated book so fthe year!!

Traduttore, traditore: An act of translation is always an act of betrayal.

1828. Robin Swift, orphaned by cholera in Canton, is brought to London by the mysterious Professor Lovell. There, he trains for years in Latin, Ancient Greek, and Chinese, all in preparation for the day he’ll enroll in Oxford University’s prestigious Royal Institute of Translation — also known as Babel.

Babel is the world’s center of translation and, more importantly, of silver-working: the art of manifesting the meaning lost in translation through enchanted silver bars, to magical effect. Silver-working has made the British Empire unparalleled in power, and Babel’s research in foreign languages serves the Empire’s quest to colonize everything it encounters.

Oxford, the city of dreaming spires, is a fairytale for Robin; a utopia dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge. But knowledge serves power, and for Robin, a Chinese boy raised in Britain, serving Babel inevitably means betraying his motherland. As his studies progress Robin finds himself caught between Babel and the shadowy Hermes Society, an organization dedicated to sabotaging the silver-working that supports imperial expansion. When Britain pursues an unjust war with China over silver and opium, Robin must decide: Can powerful institutions be changed from within, or does revolution always require violence? What is he willing to sacrifice to bring Babel down?

Babel — a thematic response to The Secret History and a tonal response to Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell — grapples with student revolutions, colonial resistance, and the use of translation as a tool of empire.

Violet Made of Thorns by Gina Chen – I am so in love with this cover, and I cannot wait for this fantasy novel with a morally grey protagonist!

Violet is a prophet and a liar, influencing the royal court with her cleverly phrased—and not always true—divinations. Honesty is for suckers, like the oh-so-not charming Prince Cyrus, who plans to strip Violet of her official role once he’s crowned at the end of the summer—unless Violet does something about it.

But when the king asks her to falsely prophesy Cyrus’s love story for an upcoming ball, Violet awakens a dreaded curse, one that will end in either damnation or salvation for the kingdom—all depending on the prince’s choice of future bride. Violet faces her own choice: Seize an opportunity to gain control of her own destiny, no matter the cost, or give in to the ill-fated attraction that’s growing between her and Cyrus.

A Magic Steeped in Poison by Judy I. Lin – I’ve heard a lot of great things about this one:

I used to look at my hands with pride. Now all I can think is, “These are the hands that buried my mother.”

For Ning, the only thing worse than losing her mother is knowing that it’s her own fault. She was the one who unknowingly brewed the poison tea that killed her—the poison tea that now threatens to also take her sister, Shu.

When Ning hears of a competition to find the kingdom’s greatest shennong-shi—masters of the ancient and magical art of tea-making—she travels to the imperial city to compete. The winner will receive a favor from the princess, which may be Ning’s only chance to save her sister’s life.

An Arrow to the Moon by Emily X.R. Pan – I read The Astonishing Color of After around the time it came out, and I remember really enjoying the writing style:

Hunter Yee has perfect aim with a bow and arrow, but all else in his life veers wrong. He’s sick of being haunted by his family’s past mistakes. The only things keeping him from running away are his little brother, a supernatural wind, and the bewitching girl at his new high school.

Luna Chang dreads the future. Graduation looms ahead, and her parents’ expectations are stifling. When she begins to break the rules, she finds her life upended by the strange new boy in her class, the arrival of unearthly fireflies, and an ominous crack spreading across the town of Fairbridge.

As Hunter and Luna navigate their families’ enmity and secrets, everything around them begins to fall apart. All they can depend on is their love… but time is running out, and fate will have its way.

Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan – This is definitely one of my favorite fantasy novels of the year. It felt like stepping into an enchanted forest, only to realize that the world inside wants to steal you forever – and this world will allow you to create your own destiny.

The Ivory Key by Akshaya Raman – four perspectives, racing to find an artifact, will there be betrayal?, who killed my mom?, what does it mean to be a leader?, why aren’t others questioning our leaders?

Once Upon A K-Prom by Kat Cho – I love seeing authors branch out into different genres! This is a contemporary romance novel centering around prom – I definitely want to get to this one soon because my prom is next weekend!

The Love Match by Priyanka Taslim – the cover for this one is coming out next week! This is a contemporary romance novel about Zahra Khan, a Bangladeshi American teenanger.

Zahra Khan is basically Bangladeshi royalty, but being a princess doesn’t pay the bills in Paterson, New Jersey. While Zahra’s plans for financial security this summer involve working long hours at Chai Ho and saving up for college writing courses, Amma is convinced that all Zahra needs is a “good match,” Jane Austen style.

Enter Harun Emon, who’s wealthy, devastatingly handsome, and…aloof. As soon as Zahra meets him, she knows it’s a bad match. It’s nothing like the connection she has with Nayim Aktar, the new dishwasher at the tea shop, who just gets Zahra in a way no one has before. So, when Zahra finds out that Harun is just as uninterested in this match as she is, they decide to slowly sabotage their parents’ plans. And for once in Zahra’s life, she can have her rossomalai and eat it too: “dating” Harun and keeping Amma happy while catching real feelings for Nayim.

But life—and boys—can be more complicated than Zahra realizes. With her feelings all mixed up, Zahra realizes sometimes being a good Bengali kid can be a royal pain.

Drizzle, Dreams, and Lovestruck Things by Maya Prasad – I’ve been following this one for a while. This book is about four sisters and their relationship with each other, as well as their father’s business, The Songbird Inn.

Portrait of a Thief by Grace D. Li – I’ve seen this one all over social media, so I want to get to it soon. This book is about a group of Chinese Americans who’s goal is to return art stolen by colonizers to the rightful owners.

Sophie Go’s Lonely Hearts Club by Roselle Lim – A new heartfelt novel about the power of loneliness and the strength of love that overcomes it by critically acclaimed author Roselle Lim.

Newly minted professional matchmaker Sophie Go has returned to Toronto, her hometown, after spending three years in Shanghai. Her job is made quite difficult, however, when she is revealed as a fraud—she never actually graduated from matchmaking school. In a competitive market like Toronto, no one wants to take a chance on an inexperienced and unaccredited matchmaker, and soon Sophie becomes an outcast.

In dire search of clients, Sophie stumbles upon a secret club within her condo complex: the Old Ducks, seven septuagenarian Chinese bachelors who never found love. Somehow, she convinces them to hire her, but her matchmaking skills are put to the test as she learns the depths of loneliness, heartbreak, and love by attempting to make the hardest matches of her life.

Only a Monster by Vanessa Len – I flew through this book in one day. I feel like I haven’t read many time travel themed novels in a while, and I greatly enjoyed Joan’s story. This book is unke any novel I’ve read this year.

The Red Palace by June Hur – I read an e-ARC of this one at the end of 2021, and so far, it’s my favorite of June Hur’s novels. Currently, it’s on my TBR to re-read. If you’re looking for a historical novel, I highly recommend June Hur’s – I love her historical notes at the end.

The Holiday Switch by Tif Marcelo – Review

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The Holiday Switch by Tif Marcelo.

I can’t believe Christmas has already passed. In some ways, I like the anticipation before Christmas more than the day itself. It’s exciting seeing all of the different holiday decorations around the city, making chocolate mousse pie, and spending time away from school.

Therefore, The Holiday Switch is an excellent Young Adult romance centered around Christmastime in Holly, New York. It felt refreshing to me because I don’t read many holiday themed romances. In The Holiday Switch, Lila Santos, high school senior, is working at the Bookworm Inn, and trying to figure out how she can earn more money to go to her number one college, Syracuse University. Lila’s winter break plans are changed when she’s assigned to train Teddy Rivera, her boss’ nephew.

Lila Santos is a relatable main character. Like me, she loves reading, has a book blog, and is Filipino American. I’m so grateful that I’ve been able to read more books by Filipino American authors centered around Filipino Americans. Beyond these traits, though, Lila and I both desire for control over our lives where there are so many changes occuring. Applying for college and moving beyond the place we’ve lived all our lives requires help, sometimes from unexpected people.

Enter Teddy. Lila sees Teddy as an unfriendly coworker at first, as he is assigned the hours Lila was hoping for to raise more money for her college fund. This isn’t exactly the enemies to lovers trope because both Lila and Teddy want to see the Bookworm Inn succeed, but they have different ways of trying to draw people to the Bookworm Inn. Lila’s had an organized system for her library section of the Bookworm Inn, for a few years, while Teddy is a newcomer who has a fresh perspective on how Lila’s library should be organized.

This isn’t a spoiler because it’s on the back cover: Lila and Teddy end up accidentally switching phones. Here’s an area where I was a bit skeptical: sometimes when phones get switched, characters lie to each other and try to solve the other’s problems without asking. This is not the case for The Holiday Switch – I love the fact that Lila and Teddy communicate what their problems are. They know that they have different ways of organizing things, but in the end, they both respect and try to understand the other’s opinions.

I also like that the other people in the town are fleshed out. There’s an emphasis on community in The Holiday Switch, which is nice, as the romance and the plot nicely entwine. Ms. Velasco, Teddy’s aunt, runs the Inn, Carmela Ferreira (Lila’s best friend), is an artist who aspires to go to RISD, Pratt, or VCUarts. The town itself is like a character in the book: its fame comes because of the book turned movie “Holiday by the Lake” (which ends up playing a large role later on).

What I love most about holiday romances is that they’re all about love. Yes, The Holiday Switch is a romance novel, but there’s also signficant friend and family relationships. Lila learns more about the relationship with herself, and learns to recognize that moving out of one’s comfort zone may be easier with the support of family and friends. The Holiday Switch asks us to reconsider our first impressions of people, and to think about how love can be unexpected. This is a calming and bright read for Christmas, and I can’t wait to re-read it.

*Note: I thought all of the holiday puns were very amusing!!

Do you like reading books centered around holidays? Do you have any recommendations for holiday-themed books?

Book Reviews ft. A Fairytale Retelling, A YA Romance, and A New Nonfiction Favorite

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I’m the lead editor for my school’s student led newspaper this year, and this month, I wrote three book reviews for the newspaper! It’s exciting because my reviews were part of our first issue this school year. I hope you all are inspired to read these books, as they’re some of my favorites I’ve read this year.

Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron – Cinderella is Dead is an adventurous fairy tale with a f/f relationship at the center by Kalynn Bayron, who takes the original elements of Cindrella and turns them into a new world where the story of Cinderella is a part of history. The main character, Sophia, wants to marry her best friend, Erin, but has to attend a ball where she’ll be forced into marriage. This ball is meant to pay homage to the tale of Cindrella, but is instead a lie meant to conceal the true story of Cindrella. While escaping the ball, and her seemingly inevitable unwanted marriage, Sophia meets Constance, Cinderella’s last living descendant. Sophia finds herself embroiled in a mission to upend the patriarchal structure of her world. Overall, I loved this feminist take on the Cinderella story. 

The Jasmine Project by Meredith Ireland – As an adoptee, The Jasmine Project stands out to me because it’s by an Asian adoptee and is about an Asian adoptee living her everyday life. Jasmine, the main character, finds her carefully planned summer upended when she finds out that her boyfriend, Paul, is cheating on her. Jasmine has no idea what she’s going to do for the rest of her summer before she starts college – until she meets three guys. Unbeknownst to Jasmine, her meddlesome family is trying to help her by setting her up with three guys to show Jasmine that she should be with someone who truly appreciates her. Throughout the book, Jasmine’s journey to love proves that love cannot be planned. The Jasmine Project is for fans of YA rom-coms and stories about self love, familial love, and all types of love.

Amazons, Abolitionists, and Activists by Mikki Kendall, illustrated by A. D’Amico – Everyone should read this book because the movement for women’s rights impacts everyone. Women’s advocacy has existed for as long as human civilization, so I appreciate the fact that Amazons, Abolitionists, and Activists is about the intersectionality of the women’s rights movement. For example, Fatima bint Muhammad Al-Fihriya Al-Qurashiya “a Muslim woman, founded a mosque and library that become the University of Al Quaraouiyine. . .the world’s oldest continually operating educational institution” (Kendall and A. D’Amico 22). Kendall’s motivating writing and D’Amico’s captivating illustrations bring the stories of women to life and illuminate the fact that the women’s rights movement is ongoing.

If you’ve read these books, what did you think of them?