I’m Still Here!

Just in case anyone every stumbles across my blog again, I am still alive and well in South Korea! I have adjusted to my daily life, despite the continued frustration of Covid processes, protocols, and ever-changing conditions. I have also been writing a little and reading a lot, but I’ve been in a dry place of inspiration for a while now (since before I left the States). Even the will to blog or write a few lines has mostly been gone. But offline, I’ve been painting and drawing again, as well as reading, and I just read a fantastic book that made me want to write a review (so look for that next!). Honestly, as far as writing is concerned, I still have so many stories bottled up, and plenty to revise and revisit if I ever decide to take the time to chase after publishing again. But the writer’s block has been real. While I’m making no promises of return to myself (or on this blog), I am going to write a few reviews (I hope), which I will also post on Goodreads.
Until next time, I hope anyone who finds this is doing well!

-R

My Last Two Weeks In Books (featuring the return of THORN!!)

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We’re all having me parties these days

Well, social distancing continues (please stay safe and stay home, everyone!!), and I have (easily) managed to read more books in one week than I read in the first two months of 2020. Reading is my favorite refuge from the chaos and confusion outside and on the news, and while I don’t have the mental energy or inclination to review everything I read, here is a summary version featuring reaction gifs and random ramblings <3

Image Credit: Indiebound.com

First off – I read and reviewed The Silence of Bones by June Hur. You can read my review here, and read more about Ms. Hur (she seems like such a sweet, genuine person, so please support!!) here. My review gives my in-depth thoughts and feelings about this title, but most importantly, I loved it and can’t wait for more from her!

This book is a definite bullseye – 10 out of 10
Image Credit: Indiebound.com

My next favorite pick of the week was also YA, as I’ve been striking out in the adult novels lately. Honestly, Not Even Bones is actually more of a New Adult title, as the characters skew older, and the plot concerns illegal trafficking of body parts and non-human creatures, as well as a fair amount of violent content (content/trigger warning here). Not Even Bones is the first in the Market of Monsters series by Rebecca Schaeffer. I decided to read this after discovering the webtoon (read here), which I loved instantly. Not Even Bones tells the story of teenage Nita, who disects bodies of “unnaturals” (i.e., nonhumans/monsters with special abilities) for her mother (who was a cross between Dexter, Van Helsing, Black Widow, and an old-fashioned serial killer). Nita rationalizes this by the fact that the bodies her mother brings back are always dead and generally dangerous, and Nita has had nothing to do with their demise. And her mother is . . . intimidating, to say the least. While dissecting to her Disney playlist, Nita dreams of going to college and becoming a famous scientist.  After Nita decides to defy her mother by helping the first living body her mother brings home, things naturally, don’t go as planned. I’ll avoid spoilers, but I loved the complex morality of the story, Kovit (the Thai antagonist (or is he?) who eats pain), Nita’s sociopathic consistency, and the book’s fresh take on monsters and monster legends. If you like Dexter, SherlockVan Helsing, Tokyo GhoulRot & Ruin, or Attack on Titan, I’m pretty sure you will also enjoy this book. (Also – if you join Scribd.com with a free month of membership right now, you can read the ebook for free!) I am currently reading the sequel, Only Ashes Remain, and it continues to be strong so far.

I feel like half the characters in this book were telling themselves this at intervals 
Image Credit: booksbyintisar.com
Image Credit: booksbyintisar.com

Next up is a book that I first discovered in 2015, which has been on quite the journey in the past few years. Thorn, by Intisar Khanani, first caught my eye on Goodreads due to the gorgeous cover art. When I found it was an indie retelling of The Goose Girl fairytale, I bought a copy and fell in love with Khanani’s prose, worldbuilding, characters, and gift for beautiful storytelling. You can read that review here. Anyhow, I was thrilled for Intisar when I heard that Thorn had been picked up by HarperTeen in 2017, and I have been patiently waiting for it to be re-released in an updated and revised version. I preordered the e-book as soon as it was available, and I finally was able to re-discover the story back on March 24th, its release date (order here!).

Now, my original (and ONLY) critique of Thorn was this: “It was too short! I would have loved to read more about this world and its people, and I want to know more about the mentioned Fair Folk. There were so many elements hinted at in the story that, while not bearing on the plot, intrigued me.” (Copied from my original review). Imagine my delight when the re-release of Thorn expanded on the world, characters, and side plots! Roles of certain characters are also expanded (but I don’t want to spoil it for anyone, so I won’t tell you!!) In other words, the re-release of Thorn  was a solid five out of five stars for me. If you haven’t read it, Thorn is the story of Alyrra, a princess who is abused and underestimated by her family, but finds comfort and friendship in spending time with the servants and ordinary folk in her kingdom. When she is betrothed to a foreign prince and sent away, things go terribly wrong, and eventually Alyrra must choose between doing what she wants and doing the right thing. If you like fantasy, folklore, strong heroines, good plots, beautiful writing, or adventure stories, then you should read Thorn ASAP.

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Need it fast? Get the ebook 🙂

Finally, I read a bunch of novels I had sitting around, but none of them were good enough to mention here. I’m trying to sort through my books and stuff and keep only what I really need, just in case. As a side note, two of the books were mysteries, and one was a thriller, and they all had the same problem: fizzling out in the third act. When you read a mystery or thriller (or horror), there is the crucial build up to the big reveal, the face-off with the killer, or the moment the main character realizes something huge that changes the whole story. And then it should quickly unravel and tie up whatever ends it needs to, while leaving an element of lingering unease. At least, this is my opinion. This is a huge problem in both books and movies I have seen lately – when a story promises an epic climax but delivers a mediocre peak that flattens to a  little dead line of a resolution.

Disappointed Harry Potter GIF - Find & Share on GIPHYGhost stories and murder mysteries are some of the worst offenders. You find out what/who the ghost is, and why it is haunting/causing havoc, or you find out that the murderer has been fooling you all along and is someone you thought you could trust, but in either case, their is a risky plan in motion to trap the murderer (or defeat the ghost), and the reader is flipping pages as fast as possible, almost afraid to read the words . . . But then, it all easily unties- the ghost turns out to be your best friend and lets you go without a fight, or the murderer trips on a rock and goes unconscious and then the rest of the police force closes in and cleans it up while the detective watches. Disappointing, right? Now, I’m sure there are authors out there who could make this work somehow. But that’s not the majority of us. Most of us need more weight to our novel’s climax, higher stakes, and to put the reader in a little more agony. But I’m not getting that. It has been a long time since I read a thriller with a really good third act, and if anyone can think of one, let me know!

Well, that was it for me – but I want to know if you read anything interesting in the past two weeks? How are you spending your social distancing time? Let me know in the comments. In the meantime, stay home if you can, stay safe, and remember to be kind.

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5 Ways I am Using My Time While Social Distancing

5 Ways I’m Keeping Busy Right Now

Social Distancing has been trending for a month on social media, and has caused everything from moderate panic to job loss to downright insanity (has anyone figured out why everyone thought massive amounts of toilet paper should be hoarded??)

Covid-19 isn’t dysentery, folks. But all that goes to say, we are living in strange times. I know a lot of people are quite reasonably afraid – whether of getting sick, or their relatives getting sick, or the ramifications of losing their job for weeks or indefinitely, etc., etc – and this is the same all over the world. I myself will be without income until who knows when, and the outbreaks might stop me from getting the job I really wanted (teaching English in Korea!) for some time yet, as I mentioned in my previous blog post. I can’t wait tables from home, and I’m looking into teaching ESL on line. So I am also uncertain. However, I do have one advantage in this situation: I’m an introvert.

Image result for introverts unite separately meme
Sourced from https://louderminds.com/introverts-unite-separately/

Since my brain has been over-stimulated by social interaction for the past 6 months and counting (10-13 hr shifts waiting tables combined with school), I have found that my creative energy is low most days – until the last four days where I have been mostly in my house with just my sister for company. My brain reawakened, and now I have 1000+ projects all wanting my attention. I suspect many introverts currently feel the same. But how about my extroverts out there? Make sure you facetime people, text your friends, and let people know if you are having a hard time being alone!!

SO, how am I using my time? Anyone who has ever read my blog knows that I like lists, so here are my top 5 recommendations for how to use your time in relative isolation:

Be (stay!) Active

Whether it is walking around the block twice a day, or doing morning yoga, or even doing a virtual fitness class , you will feel better if you are active. Doctors back this up, therapists back this up, and I myself have found, personally, that keeping up with my fitness routine does wonders for my mental health. And hey – what if you could come out of this time looking AND feeling better? YouTube is my go-to for workout routines and inspiration, and I usually switch up my daily routine between cardio, strength-building, and calisthenics.

So for the “virtual fitness class,” I’ve been facetiming my younger sister (who still lives with my parents but frequently works out with me), and setting up a YouTube playlist that we both access from our respective TVs, and then we do the routines together but separately in real time. It’s more fun, and keeps us both motivated. If you have offline friends who are also missing weekly Zumba, yoga, or gym meetup, etc., then you should definitely consider doing this so you can still work out “together.”

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-x0Xl4bh4rGZ5sxFcGx7ceVH6-M4bd7y
A Link to My Current Workout Playlist – I usually workout for 45 minutes to 65 minutes a day with Sunday as a rest day, and alternate yoga days with cardio + yoga

My favorite and most used YouTube Fitness channels are Blogilates (pictured above), Yoga With Adriene, Leilah Isaac (Bellydance/Dance Fitness), Kpop Fitness (Puts fitness videos to kpop), Cardio Party Mashup (Cardio set to music), Emi Wong (General routines), Mark Kramer Pastrana (Dance Fitness/Zumba), and Chris Heria (Calisthenics and strength-building). Let me know if you have any recs in the comments! (Or if you try any of these out)

Get Creative – Pull out those projects

Working on something I love is not only therapeutic, I love to see things accomplished. Even if you aren’t “creative,” now is the time to work on a project that interests you. Organizing the garage? Building a shelf? Coloring a page in that adult coloring book you received as a gift three birthdays ago? Especially if you have kids, getting out some paper and colored pencils or watercolors is a great way to flex your creative muscles. Use some plain white cardstock and draw pictures or decorate your letters to make cards to send to friends and family also self-isolating. Bloggers and pinterest boards have literally thousands of ideas for all skill levels and attention spans.You might discover a new passion or hobby – who knows?

I love words and typography art, and I used to draw all the time. I combined that with my love of textile and clothing design, and I have been using a plain pair of cream-colored jeans as a canvas for the type of collage/word-art stuff I used to do in high-school. Not only is it fun, it’s nostalgic and something I haven’t had much time for in the past few years. I put on my crafting playlist (see the end of this post), and just start where I feel like it.

Lyrics/Quotes Credits: Icarus by Bastille (from “Bad Blood”) , Interlude: Shadow by BTS (From Map of the Soul: 7) – Icarus drawing by me

So maybe this feels too overwhelming? There is a ton of art and literature already out there for us to enjoy, which brings me to my third way of spending time:

Read, read, read

Scribd.com just made their library of ebooks and audiobooks free for thirty days if you sign up at the website (I just did!). Even if you don’t want to sit down and read, consider listening to an audiobook while you’re cleaning or coloring or doing dishes.

Of course, with libraries shut down, it might be harder to find physical books you want to read – but I guarantee you or someone you know has books sitting around waiting to be read “someday.” Just pick one up and start reading. Many libraries also have ebook libraries that members can access, so check out your local libraries’ websites. And hey – ebooks are cheaper than regular books, so why not purchase a book or two if you have a little money you can spend? My go-to is fantasy, as that is the genre I tend to find the most books I enjoy in.

If you like fantasy, fairytale retellings, or paranormal – check out W.R. Gingell’s collection of varied and fun ebooks here. Her ebook titles are under $5 and she is a talented author that will appeal to fans of Jessica Day George, Diana Wynne Jones, and Gail Carson Levine. Alternatively – you should read Wicked Fox by Kat Cho – it’s like a Korean drama YA style that vividly modernizes the Gumiho (tailed-fox) set in Seoul, with a lot of heart and angst and adventure. It also made me hungry (the descriptions of Korean food, lol).

Not a fan of the romance and “happy” endings? R.F Kuang‘s The Poppy War and The Dragon Republic are epic dark fantasy – fantastically written and imagined. But be advised that they contain graphic violence, adult themes and language, and characters that will 100% make you frustrated.

Alternatively, if you want to read but have trouble sitting still and focusing (like me), try Webtoons or comics. I love Webtoons (a little too much – I am subscribed to 30+ series and have stayed up till 2am reading them too many times). It’s a great time to find independent artists, authors, and illustrators to support with your time and/or money. Webtoons.com is available in many languages, and is accessible from any computer, phone, or tablet. Some series I love include Save Me (Drama), Rot & Ruin – The Webtoon (an adaptation of Jonathan Mayberry’s YA series that I LOVE*), Eleceed (Superhero-type individuals and CATS), and Not Even Bones (another YA adaptation that makes me want to read the book 100% more not). There is something for everyone.

Write. Or Start Writing

Whether it is a letter to a friend, a journal of your thoughts and emotions, or that novel you have been sitting on, there has never been a better time to write. I am setting aside time every day to either blog or work on one of my novels-in-progress/editing. Getting words on paper does wonders for my mental health, and I have many friends who also feel that putting a pen to paper (or typing) helps them think better. So if you’re feeling things because of everything going on – write about it, even if it’s just for you to read back on in ten years. If you have a cool hobby, now is a good time to write or blog about it for people who are bored and need something to read (see above).

If you are already a writer (like yours truly), now is a good time to edit, edit, edit! Considering a professional editor, or querying agents, or even looking into self-publishing are things that can all be done in times of social isolation. I am currently looking into self-publishing (so much work, yikes!), and juggling WIPs, so I have a lot of things to do for the next few weeks. I’m grateful for the time to devote to something I love, and I’m trying to think about that instead of what the loss of income means for me.

And you know what – sometimes it is too much to create, or read, or write, or even clean. In those times, video games and streaming services are there. But why not make a party of it – leading to my final way of spending social isolation:

Netflix Party! (Or Disney +, Hulu, Vudu, etc.)

Want to watch a show or movie with friends, but you can’t go sit with them irl? Well, there is a Chrome extension called Netflix party that will let you watch and comment in real time with your friends if they are also using it. Alternatively, watch the same show and use Facebook Messenger chats, WhatsApp, Kakao Talk, Google Hangouts, or any similar method to discuss the show/movie with your friends while watching. You can do this with books too – and have a virtual bookclub. And if you are the person who keeps a running commentary during a movie (this annoys a lot of people, I know), then here is a quiet way of doing just that – but quietly. And no one in your own house will (probably) get mad at you for having your phone screen on while watching. Make it more fun by cooking snacks and sharing photos in the chat. I could write a whole other post on recommendations, but I’ll just my current top 3, and please let me know if you have watched them, or if you have any recommendations!

  • If you like The Walking Dead, Grimm, Supernatural, Return of the King, Train to Busan, Game of Thrones, Underworld, or A Quiet Place, watch Kingdom (Netflix). Kingdom is a historical thriller set in Joseon Dynasty Korea involving both political intrigue and zombies. I could write a post about why it is one of the best shows ever (and maybe I will), but if you like any/all of the above titles, and want to see phenomenal cinematography, costumes, special effects, and writing along with your usual zombie horror, then Kingdom is what you’ve been waiting for. (Note: This show deserves the MA rating – it is frequently violent and disturbing due to the subject matter, and neither the zombies nor the corrupt government officials spare innocents)
The internet is (rightfully) obsessed with the numerous fantastic Joseon Dynasty hats
  • If you like westerns, The Lone Ranger, The Seven Samurai, Firefly, Battlestar Galactica, or Star Wars Rebels, watch The Mandalorian (Disney +). Everyone has seen baby Yoda from this show, but you have to actually watch it to understand how painfully adorable the small alien and his guardian (adoptive father) are together. You too would risk everything for baby Yoda after two episodes. Cuteness aside, the writing and directing are solid, with a western, lone gunman feel that is refreshing and fun to watch. It’s more about character and story than many shows on tv, and also pretty family friendly, hanging out in the PG/PG-13 range. My only complaint is that we all have to wait for a second season now . . .
This man’s mask has more varied expressions than many actors I won’t name . . .
  • If you like Beauty and the Beast (any version), Jane Eyre, Labyrinth, Pride and Prejudice, Goblin (Korean Drama), redemption arcs, The Sixth Sense, Once Upon a Time, Grimm, and costume dramas, watch Hotel Del Luna (Viki.com). With gorgeous costumes, soundtrack, (and actors), and a lot of ghosts, this unusual Beauty and the Beast + Count of Monte Cristo + Sixth Sense-esque drama is thoroughly captivating. While the story starts off slow, the interesting characters, individual ghost stories, and the well-handled themes of redemption and forgiveness made this show really stand out. Also, IU (singer and actress) as the lead antagonist/female lead Jang Man-wol, an immortal (?) and mysterious owner of a hotel for ghosts lost between life and the afterlife, is fantastic. Man-wol is the type of character that is generally male, and the role-reversal (a sensitive, morally upstanding, and brave male lead) makes this show even more fun. Hangs out at solidly TV-14 – with some violence, adult subject matter including suicide and murder, some frightening images, and minor innuendo.
More fantastic hats – joined by fantastic dresses

As a side note – if you haven’t watched Stranger Things (Netflix) yet, I highly recommend it. It’s as good as people say, and a really fun concept. And there are 3 seasons (with a 4th on the way). It’s short and smart and well-written, and deserves the praise.

So there you have it – some advice from an introvert and how I’ll be spending my time during social-distancing. Let me know if you have recs, ideas, or just if you want to Talk 🙂 See you soon!
Eclectic? Naturally. And I update frequently

*If anything, the Rot & Ruin Webtoon reminded me that my torch for Tom Imura will never go out.

A Tentative Return to the Blog with Books I’m Looking Forward to Reading: Featuring Asian & Asian-American Authors

A return to the blog featuring 10 books I really want to read and 1 I already read but haven’t reviewed yet . . .

Well, here I am again, after far too many things have happened to recap!

I don’t even know where to start . . .

While I may have been radio silence on the blog, I have been studying, working, reading, some writing, and being just as crazy busy as usual. However, I did manage to find time to read some books (reviews to come), do art (might write about that later), and frantically skim Twitter periodically to see what books were coming out/what people were up to. Anyhow, I sacrificed blogging for the last few months, and many other things I enjoy, to dedicate time to studying and work, and came out with my best semester (grade-wise) yet, so I guess it was worth it? *Cue nervous laughter* And then I took a summer class, which just finished, and I’ve been working 4 or so days a week. Finally, I’m currently enrolled in a TEFL (teaching English as a Foreign Language) class because I can’t seem to stop studying for less than a week . . .

All this to say, while I’m still pretty busy, I have had a lot more time to read. I basically just binge-read over the Sunday and Monday of Memorial Day weekend, and I’m hoping to get back to blogging and reading over the rest of the summer. And reviewing the pile of books I read recently . . .*

But while I’ve been drowning in the academic world, a lot of books have come out/been announced or otherwise crossed my radar, so here are 11 books that I am really looking forward to getting my hands on!

Wicked Fox by Kat Cho

It even looks like a Kdrama. My heart is happy.

I don’t really read cute books all that often, but this is set in Seoul and I miss Seoul every day. Besides, with Korean folklore and Kdrama vibes, how could I NOT want to read this book ASAP?! Based on the synopsis, we have a gumiho (Korean nine-tailed fox) named Miyoung who hunts the streets of Seoul for evil men to devour their energy, human boy Jihoon getting attacked by a goblin, a star-crossed romance, “murderous forces lurking in the background,” and a feud. And the cover is lovely. As for the author, I follow Kat Cho on Twitter and she is so relatable and funny. Kat Cho is a Korean-American author who loves to read (obviously), and finds a lot of her inspiration for her stories in Kdramas (yes!), as per her website. If you can’t tell, I want to be friends, but I’ll settle for reading Wicked Fox as soon as I can.

Empress of Flames by Mimi Yu

No picture for the sequel because this just came out this year!

I read The Girl King (the previous book) in one sitting, which is a compliment to the Asian-inspired setting and the writing. However, the story itself is pretty generic. I won’t summarize The Girl King here, as I intend to review it, but the genre is YA fantasy and the story centers around sisters Lu and Min and their relationship to themselves and their power(s)/abilities, and a fight for the throne of their kingdom that is (naturally) bigger than they dreamed. As I said, I intend to write a more comprehensive review, but I believed the writing and setting (loaded with references to and inspiration to Asian mythology, culture, and history) to have enough promise to read the sequel. I hope that Empress of Flames takes the interesting points from the ending and strays farther from the mold, and I am intrigued to see where the two sisters end up.

The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi

This cover is gorgeous though!

I’ve heard a lot of mixed reviews about this book (a lot of people seemed to find it confusing), but I want to read it for myself! The Gilded Wolves is set in 1889 Paris, involves magic and magical artifacts, and HEISTS (which if you have read any of my reviews, you probably know I love heist stories) – so it’s been a must-read for me since I first heard about it. Also, there are the Six of Crows comparisons, and the fact that it is historical fantasy . . . Anyhow, it sounds like a fun summer read, so I’m hoping to get my hands on a copy before I have to go back to class!

The Gift of Rain by Tan Twan Eng

Historical fiction set in 1939 Penang, Malaysia, The Gift of Rain is the story of two young men and their relationship during the Japanese occupation of Malaysia (Malaya). I confess that I have only the basic knowledge of Malaysia and its history (something I would like to change!), and the fact that this novel was written by a Malaysian author is a big interest point for me. Anyhow, reviewers constantly mention the beauty, humanity, and touching qualities of this novel, and it sounds right up my alley. This is definitely another must-read and I’m going to see if I can snag a copy from the library ASAP.

The Dragon Republic by R. F. Kuang

These. Covers. Are. Amazing.

First, a disclaimer: I managed to get an ARC of this, so I’ve already read it. So no spoilers! Also, I’m not going to write anything much about it because I intend to write a !Spoiler Free! review of it ASAP. But for anyone who doesn’t know, this is the sequel to The Poppy War, which is a dark, brutal, scorching but so well-written war/fantasy novel inspired by Chinese history. If you haven’t read it, you can read my mini review here. But if you have, all I will say is that The Dragon Republic picks up with Rin and goes places I didn’t expect, but in a way that 100% lives up to The Poppy War, and leaves me eager for a sequel.

The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo

Another lovely cover

The Night Tiger is also set in Malaysia (Malaya), but this time it’s the 1930s and the story is about a Chinese dance hall girl and a house boy and a severed finger (according to the synopsis), combining mystery, Malaysian and Chinese folklore, and history. I spent a lot of time last semester researching the life of Chinese women, and dance hall girls in particular, which brought this book onto my radar. Again, I really hope I can get this before I go back to school.

Rebel Seoul by Axie Oh

I follow Axie Oh on Twitter and she seems smart and funny, and is yet another author I wish was my best friend. *cries to classical music for a moment* But besides that, the synopsis sounds really cool. Rebel Seoul takes place in a post-war “Neo Seoul” and follows ex-gang member Lee Jaewon, a pilot aiming for military glory and success. However, he finds out about a supersoldier project (obviously shady), and gets close to a test subject, and then it apparently all goes to pieces. Rebel Seoul also promises giant robots (a la Pacific Rim), rebellions, moral conflict, and it’s set in a sort of dystopian Seoul. While I didn’t really like Pacific Rim all that much, I liked the idea, so I’m excited to see if this book lives up to my expectations 🙂

The Silence of Bones by June Hur

Okay, this book isn’t coming out until 2020 (it’s tragic), but I want to read it so badly there is no way I could leave it off the list. Korean-Canadian author June Hur is yet another awesome writer I follow on Twitter, and The Silence of Bones is her debut novel about a young woman investigating a murder in 19th century Joseon (Korea). Sixteen and indentured to the police bureau, Seol is tasked with helping an inspector investigate the suspicious death of a noblewoman, but things change when the inspector himself becomes the suspect. Honestly, I would read anything about Joseon Dynasty era Korea (I’m the person who watches dusty history documentaries on YouTube), but a thriller/mystery with a female lead? I am in 100%. I just wish it came out sooner!

The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee

Continuing the parade of beautiful covers

Historical fiction starring a teenage lady’s maid who moonlights as a journalist sounds like a good read, doesn’t it? The Downstairs Girl comes out this August, and I am really excited to read it. Set in 1890s Atlanta, The Downstairs Girl is Jo Kuan, a Chinese American girl who secretly writes the “Dear Miss Sweetie” advice column for “genteel Southern Ladies.” This book sounds like a great read, and I am looking forward to checking it out as soon as it hits shelves.

The Three-Body Problem (Remembrance of Earth’s Past #1) by Liu Cixin

Have to dust off my physics knowledge, I guess

This book isn’t new, and Liu Cixin is a wildly popular sci-fi author in China, but it is only recently that Liu’s works have been translated into English. According to the synopsis, the novel begins in 1967, during the Cultural Revolution, with physics professor Ye Zhetai being killed in front of his daughter Wenjie after he refuses to denounce the theory of relativity. Soon after, his daughter is basically blackmailed into working at a defense facility looking for extra-terrestrial intelligence. According to the Publisher’s Weekly Review, The Three-Body Problem does a good job of integrating complex ideas/scientific topics with character development and action. I’ve always wanted to read Liu, and my interest in this particular novel was further piqued due to recently studying Modern China and the Cultural Revolution in some depth. Anyhow, I always want to like sci-fi more than I do, so we will see how I feel once I get a copy. Here’s to hoping!

Mirror Sword and Shadow Prince (Tales of the Magatama #2) by Noriko Ogiwara

The covers just shout classic fantasy

I read the first Tales of the Magatama novel (Dragon Sword and Wind Child) during reading recess (when we’re supposed to be studying for exams, lol) and fell in love with the world and plot (it’s an 80’s Japanese fantasy novel that follows a rogue water maiden torn between choosing between the Dark and Light – which is not straightforward like it sounds – and is full of plot twists and subversive takes on hero fantasy standards). I am *optimistically* planning on reviewing that book in another post, so I will keep going to the sequel, which I haven’t read yet. While Dragon Sword (the first one) wasn’t perfect, it was beautiful and lyrically written, and translated from Japanese by Cathy Hirano, who also translated the Moribito series (which I love) and Marie Kondo’s books. Naturally, she also translated Mirror Sword and Shadow Prince, and I recently placed it on inter-library loan so I could finally read it. Set thousands of years after Dragon Sword, Mirror Sword and Shadow Prince is steeped in mythology and folklore (like the first on), and follows a young boy on his own hero’s adventure. Sure, it sounds like typical hero fantasy, but I like hero fantasy. And I especially love hero fantasy situated from the typical European/European-inspired setting, so I’m pretty excited to read this.

SO – there we go. Have you read any of these books or authors? Do you have any Asian or Asian-American authors I should read? I’d love the recommendations! LMK in the comments 🙂

I just wanna know, know, know . . .

A Brief November Review (Through the Fog of Jetlag) – with Helpful Gifs

If you have ever had the misfortune to spend over 15 hours in a plane, or over 24 hours travelling, then you probably understand the extreme exhaustion I am currently feeling.

Staying awake is a struggle whenever staying asleep is not a struggle . . .

Basically, I am alternately feeling like I am going to die if I don’t sleep, or like I need to do five-hundred jumping jacks and run around the house (generally at 3 :00 AM or so) – which is just the normal cycle of the human body readjusting after travelling across about half of the world’s timezones.

Jetlag aside, I am safely back in the US of A, and I fully realize I went AWOL around the end of November. Since I have a lot of material to catch up on, including my last (almost) two months of adventures in Korea, and I am (as mentioned), exhausted, I am just writing this short update to clarify that: 1. I am still here, and 2. Plan on blogging more regularly again now that school is over for a few weeks.

First, if anyone tried to visit my blog in the last two weeks, you might have gotten a blank page. Sorry about that – it had security update issues that I couldn’t fix while working from my Korean ip address, and I’ve just managed to sort everything out. But yeah, I didn’t disappear for good this time.

Another cuter but accurate representation of me right now

Second, I fully plan to not only writing a few more posts about my Korean adventures, but I have a fun music tag (evil laugh) courtesy of Sara Letourneau that I’ve been really looking forward to, but some planned book reviews (I read A LOT on the planes), and even some writing updates! SO – while I am not currently lucid or motivated, I do have a lot planned once my brain becomes less scrambled. So stay tuned.

Accurate

Thirdly, here are a few notes/highlights from November and December that I may or may not expand on in the above-mentioned post ideas:

  1. I survived finals and had two extra weeks to explore Korea
  2. Exploring included visiting a book alley, the reality-show famous Lotte World (more on that later), the restaurant BTS (방탄소년단) frequented in their trainee days (the food was delicious, and I took pictures in front of the autographed door, which was unbelievably cool, and a HARRY POTTER CAFE, among others, so you know I’ll have to write about that!
  3. I also went to two Korean musical productions and they blew me away with both the talent/quality and the production values (more on this later)
  4. The musicals were Elisabeth and Jekyll & Hyde, and starred two of my beloved, crazy-talented singing heroes Park Hyung-sik (박형식), and Hong Kwang-ho (홍광호), respectively, which knocked two things off my bucket list.
  5. I over-indulged in watching the fantastic end-of-the-year Korean awards shows that always air in December (their staging is crazy) – see the video below for an example.
  6. I saw three movies: Ocean’s 8 (better than the critics said – solid 7 of 10), Solo: A Star Wars Story (Star Wars overkill, but also better than expected – respectable 6 of 10 stars), and Swing Kids (Korean tap dancing/anti-war film with great characters and dance scenes but really sad- 9 out of 10 stars)
  7. I FINALLY finished reading The Lies of Locke Lamora, among several other books, and I had lots of feelings – review to come.
FYI, this MMA performance was a 2018 highlight

Fourth, I plan on posting at least one coherent post before the new year, as a pre-New Year’s Resolution, and then just relaxing and catching up on some other blogs. Which brings me to the terrible truth that 2019 is in a few days and I am not ready. Not that 2018 was a poster year (though it had many moments! Especially in Korea), but I am just not ready for the year to change over yet. I just adjusted to it being Christmas time, and Christmas is already over!!

Exactly

And speaking of Christmas – who received some amazing books, or found some time to relax and read? I am looking for a few recommendations to check out in the next week. Since I returned so late (Christmas Eve), I am not planning to go back to work for at least another week (because I am basically useless at the moment, lol), so I will have some time to read in the next few days. I also hope to have some time to write. So, if anyone has a great book (especially a quick read) for me, please tell me in the comments.

Regardless, I hope those of you who celebrate had a lovely, restful time with family and/or friends, and I hope you are both more lucid and prepared for 2019 than I am, and I thank you for always reading and sticking with me, despite my erratic postings and tendency to randomness and rambles. Have a good week, and if I don’t follow through on my attempt to post before January 1st, HAPPY NEW YEAR!

The Fellowship of the Ring Book TAG

First off, all credits and second breakfasts go to Nandini Bharadwaj @ Unputdownable Books, who both invented this super creative tag and gave full permission for readers to use it <3 Thanks Nandini!

Second, I finished most of this post back at the end of September – but then I got caught in a vortex of project and internship doom – which further spiraled into midterms of despair since I had only a few hours to study for each one (based on the way the calendar shook down). TT

The good News that my last one was tonight. The bad news? I feel terrible about it (and the one this morning that had everything on the test that the teacher said was *not* on the Test.

But none of that has to do with LOTR (well, except the part where I feel like Frodo crawling up Mount Doom – where is Sam when you need him!!?)

The point is, Nandini made this tag. This tag is awesome. Nandini is also awesome for making it free to use. So please go check out her blog and the original post.

BUT I DIGRESS AS USUAL:

Seeing that LOTR might be my favorite series of all time (at least top 3), I knew I had to participate, even though I haven’t been strictly book blogging or doing tags for awhile. The Power of LOTR, people. ANYHOW – I don’t know if I have any of my former followers, or any – other than the 6 people I know are reading my posts (you know who you are!) – and none of them have complained about me basically writing about being in Korea every/every other post. So instead of writing about spending CHUSEOK in Daegu (which I will do soon – hopefully before the end of October), I decided to  do the tag.

There was a point in there somewhere . . .

Ah, yes – The Fellowship of the Ring Book Tag

So – without further ado (just let me grab my pocket handkerchief . . .):

  1. Gandalf: A Book that Taught You Something

“I wish it need not have happened in my time,” said Frodo.”So do I,” said Gandalf, “and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.” – The Fellowship of the Ring, by J.R.R. Tolkien

Books have taught me so much – and they’re what I always come back to when I need wisdom or encouragement. This actually might be the hardest one for me on this tag! I’m going to go way back and pick one of the books that formed me as a reader and writer (that isn’t LOTR, lol):

The Two Princesses of Bamarre by Gail Carson Levine is a book I first read about 16 years ago (and I’ve briefly mentioned it on the blog before). I can vividly remember when I bought it: I was a preteen, on a trip to the lake to stay in a rental house up north with my family and Grandparents (who had come up from Arkansas especially for this). At the time, hormones and changes were plaguing me, and all I ever wanted to do was hide away and read. I found The Two Princesses of Bamarre in an independent bookstore (hardcover, expensive), and fell in love with the cover. My grandma bought it for me (we were all allowed one book each), and I raced up to the loft as soon as we got home to devour it. So what did it teach me?: I was a preteen girl who read a lot of hero fantasy – starring male characters who were usually older than me. Two Princesses was about a young princess (near my age!) named Addie, who was scared of everything. She depends on her brave older sister Meryl for everything, until Meryl catches an “incurable” disease, and Addie must find her own courage if she wants to save her sister. As a kid who frequently suffered from crippling awkwardness and self-doubt, this book really touched a nerve in me, and I reread it for years. And since I have a lot of sisters, Addie’s love and self-sacrifice for her sister also moved me. Girls are heroes, and they don’t have to be heroic in the same ways. Sometimes loving someone enough to do the right thing is the bravest thing to do. And sometimes being heroic doesn’t look bold or glamorous, or even get noticed <3

2. Frodo: A book that left a mark on you

Another hard one!

‘Alas! there are some wounds that cannot be wholly cured,’ said Gandalf.

‘I fear it may be so with mine,’ said Frodo. ‘There is no real going back. Though I may come to the Shire, it will not seem the same; for I shall not be the same. I am wounded with knife, sting, and tooth, and a long burden. Where shall I find rest?’

Gandalf did not answer.”
The Return of the King, J.R.R. Tolkien

I think I probably mentioned The Guest, by Korean novelist Hwang Sok-yong, somewhere on this blog. But it is the first book I think of when I think of a scar or mark left by a book. The Guest is narrated by a pastor who goes to visit his family home in North Korea after the Korean War. The book weaves past, present, reality, and thoughts into an interested narrative form that is sometimes difficult to read. Even more difficult are the brutal descriptions of death and chaos caused by all parties during and before the war, and the

wounds it left on the Korean people and their land. This was not an easy book to read, and I don’t think it was meant to be. It made me think, and it challenged my perceptions of military intervention, faith, and international

politics. Haunting and beautiful, but horrifying – The Guest is a book I find myself thinking about a lot, and I don’t think I could ever forget it.

“People hated and killed each other back then. Now even those who survived are dying, leaving this world one by one. Unless we find a way to forgive one another, none of us will ever be able to see each other again. (2007: 88)”
― Hwang Sok-yong, The Guest

3. Legolas: A book you finished in one sitting

“He was tall as a young tree, lithe, immensely strong, able swiftly to draw a great war-bow and shoot down a Nazgûl, endowed with the tremendous vitality of Elvish bodies, so hard and resistant to hurt that he went only in light shoes over rock or through snow, the most tireless of all the Fellowship.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Book of Lost Tales, Part Two

Most recently, I read the indie-published e-book Tsumiko and the Enslaved Fox (Amaranthine Saga Book 1) by an author known as FORTHRIGHT. This was an easy-reading fantasy romance based in Japanese folklore, with a different heroine in the Jane Eyre meets Hinata Hyūga (Naruto) combination that is Tsumiko. The story is set in an intricately woven world where powerful shape-shifting immortals (Amaranthine) have reemerged in the world after having been oppressed by humans (called reavers). Tsumiko, the heroine, is a young woman who lives is what is (presumably) a convent school, and she is very skeptical when a man shows up and tries to give her an inheritance from a mysterious relative she didn’t know about. Tsumiko is happy with her life, but something in the letter, and the way it calls her to care for this unknown relative’s estate, awakens her nurturing instinct, and she decides to go see the place for her estate. Of course, the greatest

And it’s pretty

treasure of the estate is a dramatic and beautiful Amaranthine, Argent, who has been enslaved to the family for decades, and a cast of interesting and lovable characters that become the family Tsumiko always wanted. I had mixed feelings about this book, tbh. I loved the world, and the Black Butler meets Naruto meets Inyuyasha meets Japanese folklore aspects. The world building and many of the concepts were really cool (if sometimes uncomfortable, lol). But in the end, it’s the fact that it was such a romance novel that lost me – I just wasn’t interested in Argent and Tsumiko’s relationship, which was so destined and obvious. Since that was a big part of the book, I felt detached, but obviously, I still read it in one sitting! I would definitely recommend this book to those who love romance with a dash of fantasy though ;P

4. Gimli: A book that features an unlikely friendship

I love, love, love, unlikely friendships.

“Speak, or I will put a dint in your hat that even a wizard will find hard to deal with!”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Two Towers

And while there are so many of these to choose from (and a lot of the choices I’ve already put down have them), I am going to use the classic and trope-defining unlikely friendship in Don QuixoteIf you haven’t ever

made it through this hefty book, I don’t blame you, but it is worth the time investment. The Don is out of touch with reality, determined to be a knight-errant and live in his world of fictions regardless of what goes on around him. His squire, Sancho Panza, is illiterate and knows little of the world, but he has surprising wisdom that grows throughout the duration of the story. Sancho sticks to the Don through many bizarre and humorous episodes, even when everyone else laughs at the aging “knight” and his delusions, and their discussions on their adventures provide many of the best parts of this novel.

Add this to the witty, even self-aware aspects of the story, and you have a brilliant novel with one of the most fantastic pair of unlikely friends to ever exist.

5. Merry: A book that pleasantly surprised you

“Thank you!” said Merry. “But it is a greater honour to dangle at your tail, Gandalf. For one thing, in that position one has a chance of putting a question a second time. Are we riding far tonight?”
Gandalf laughed. “A most unquenchable hobbit! All wizards should have a hobbit or two in their care—to teach them the meaning of the world, and to correct them.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Two Towers

Style over substance? Maybe – what style <3

This goes to a series, rather than a book: Bride of the Water God by Yun Mi-Kyung. And they’re manhwa, or Korean graphic novels 🙂 Like a lot of people, I picked this up because of the drama, and while I wasn’t too impressed with the first volume (manga/manhwa first volumes are always iffy), I kept reading. The art is lush and beautiful, and the story starts to develop unique nuances around the second volume. I can’t say I was particularly attached to the characters, but they were all interesting and I loved all the nods to mythology and folklore. Basically, since this is a romance (albeit kind of a dark one), I expected to not like it at all, and I really just ended up enjoying the ride. And. The. Art. Those backgrounds are amazing. I was completely immersed in the world. By the end, I didn’t even care what was going on – I just wanted to remain in the gorgeous, mythical world created by the art!

6. Pippin: A book that made you laugh

“Fool of a Took!” he growled. “This is a serious journey, not a hobbit walking-party. Throw yourself in next time, and then you will be no further nuisance.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring

I love books that make me laugh. Most recently, Between Jobs, by W.R. Gingell, had me giggling at the cheeky narrator, witty lines or repartee (or just the welcome existence of a mopey Korean vampire). Normally, the idea of a book about a 17-year old girl living as the “pet” of two fae and a vampire would set off red flags, but since this was a novel by my Tasmanian Twitter friend W.R. Gingell (we tend to discuss learning Korean and Kpop, lol), I trusted that the tricky sounding subject would be well handled. “Pet,” a mysterious (and maybe unreliable) orphan who manages to be relatable yet full of secrets, is squatting her house until she is old enough (and has enough money from her very relatable and terrible part-time job at a cafe) to buy it, when a grisly murder upsets her life and brings three “psychos” into her house. The “psychos” (that’s what she calls them), two fae and a vampire, drag her into a mystery that she may or may not be already involved with. Pet is a delightful narrator, and I frequently found myself empathizing with her. Her wisecracks and jabs at the uber-powerful “psychos” were hilarious, and the only bad moment was reaching the final page! As a side note, having a Korean vampire was inspired – as there are plenty of fun ones in Korean shows/manhwa, etc, but I have yet to see one anywhere else. And JinYeong refuses to speak in English, which was also fun (not that Pet understands him, but I did, lol). At any rate, this book was completely good fun from beginning to end, and the sequel was also delightful (if too short!).

7. Boromir: A book/series that you think ended too soon

Boromir! I cried. Where is thy horn? Whither goest thou? O Boromir! But he was gone. The boat turned into the stream and passed glimmering on into the night. Dreamlike it was, and yet no dream, for there was no waking.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Two Towers

Doesn’t every good book end too soon? I think this one will have to go to Incarceron though. This book was rather faddish among a certain set for a time, but I never met anyone else who had read Sapphique, and many of my online acquaintances didn’t really like it. However, these lyrical, Alice in Wonderland books with quirky characters and stories and prisons-that-aren’t-prisons that will drag you into a very unique world. The sense of wonder they gave me was beautiful, and I only wish there had been a third one to wrap up all the questions and loose ends!! I think that’s why, ten years later (I feel old), they are still the first books I think of when I see this prompt (and hey, like Boromir, I think they’re underrated).

Be right back . . . TT . . . *sobbing*

8. Sam: A book with memorable side characters that stole the show

“How would this do: and they all settled down and lived together happily ever after?’
‘It will do well, if it ever comes to that,’ said Frodo.
‘Ah!’ said Sam. ‘And where will they live? That’s what I often wonder.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring

I’m a side character girl, and for me, the ultimate case of this was with the Harry Potter Series. The triad of Harry, Ron, and Hermione were never as interesting or compelling to me as the multiple colorful side characters who were always stealing their thunder. This is actually one of the aspects of J.K. Rowling’s writing that reminds me of Dickens – I always like the side characters a lot more than the main characters. It’s not that I don’t like the main characters (I was a lot like Hermione as a kid, tbh), it’s that I just don’t connect. For example, in HP, my favorite characters were hands down Fred and George, followed by Lupin, Molly Weasley, the Marauders (hey, none of us care if they were just in the books through retrospect!!), Luna, Professor McGonagall, and Snape (not a surprise). While a book about Fred and George might not have carried the same gravity, it would have been a lot more fun. The scene in Order of the Phoenix where they turn being expelled into “quitting school” is still one of my favorite moments in kids’ literature. So satisfying.

9. Aragorn: A good book with a bad/average cover

“Thus came Aragorn son of Arathorn, Elessar, Isildur’s heir, out of the Paths of the Dead, borne upon a wind from the sea to the kingdom of Gondor.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King

Nothing beats the 80’s editions of LOTR for bad covers. And I’m not using LOTR for this tag (would sort of defeat the purpose!) –

The 60’s called – they want their style back

but I have to put one of the covers up just because.

Seriously. So bad. If we were just talking covers, I never would have picked it up.

The book I did pick – The Iron Ring by Lloyd Alexander, is also pretty bad.

I grew up reading Lloyd Alexander, and I enjoyed everything he wrote – but considering when they were written (60’s-90’s), most of the covers were awful. The Iron Ring is an adventure-packed story inspired by Indian mythology. It’s old-fashioned fantasy, where you’re immersed

in the world and all kinds of random characters pop up to aid or hinder the hero. In other words, a book I would love. The cover does nothing for it.

Anyhow, The Iron Ring begins with Prince Tamar losing a game of chance in a dream, and wakes up with a pesky iron ring on his finger. That’s when the adventure begins, and Alexander fused the Indian setting with a life and vibrancy that made me want to go to India straightaway. Sadly, the cover does not do the same 😛

10. Gollum: A book that had great potential but disappointed you in the end

“Yes, perhaps, yes’ said Gollum. ‘Sméagol always helps, if they asks – if they asks nicely.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Two Towers

Stalking Jack the Ripper, by Kerri Maniscalco was definitely one of these for me. It was pretty fun until the last third, and that’s when the disappointment came in.  I want to avoid spoilers here – but the way the ending unraveled was very predictable. In addition, the heroine, Audrey Rose, seemed like a girl from the 2000’s transplanted to a different time period. I was all for her being able to dissect cadavers in pursuit of science and knowledge, but her thoughts and attitudes were more 2018 than 1800’s, and it jarred me out of the period of the story.**

The romance was believable, and the premise was very interesting. I liked Audrey Rose, and I loved how well the first few chapters set the mood. It just didn’t deliver on the thrills and chills that every good Jack the Ripper yarn promises.

Okay – so some old books, some new books, and some indie authors. Not too shabby 🙂 Have you read any of these (I mean, other than Harry Potter, because I think its one of the most widely read books in the world). If so, what did you think? Also, I’m not tagging anyone since I wasn’t officially tagged, but please check out Nandini’s blog and join the tag if you like there 🙂 Cheers!

**I term this the Zootopia effect. A perfectly good piece of fun entertainment is nearly ruined by flag waving and hitting you over the head with its (super obvious) message. Even if it’s a message I believe in, I really don’t like having to be reminded every minute.  That’s called preachy.

 

Mini Book Reviews (and The Handong Adventure Begins)

All too soon, it was time for me to bid Seoul goodbye *sob* (or 안녕히 계세요!) I left my hostel early in the morning, hopped on a bus (well, as much as you can hop while dragging heavy bags), and then camped out in Seoul Station for an hour until my train was ready to leave.

Seoul Station is a large and busy but well-organized place, and everything is clearly marked, making it easy to navigate whether you can read Korean or not. Reading and understanding Korean too just makes things faster! While I waited, I had some gimbap and read some of The Lies of Locke Lamora, which I have finally picked back up again after several years. However, I was frequently distracted by 1. adorable babies, and 2. the multitude of languages and people. Either way, the time passed pretty quickly, and I had no trouble finding my train and boarding on time.

Gimbap (김밥) is a seaweed roll with rice and various cooked or pickled fillings. It looks like sushi, but it tastes different!

The KTX, or Korea’s high-speed train system, is a thing of beauty (and I thought the subway was good!).  One way from Seoul to Pohang cost about $48 US, and took 2 and a half hours. The trains have ample storage space for luggage, comfy seats, built-in charging ports and WiFi, and far more leg room than a plane has. Also, you could see some of the Korean countryside flashing past from the train, which was nice. The ride was so smooth that I could read, even though I tend to get motion sick.

Reading has been something that I have had to cut back on ever since I went back to school. Other than textbooks, I am usually too tired or busy to try something fictional. However, I knew with all the travel time I was taking that I would have a perfect opportunity for some reading. Before I left the States, I also crammed in some reading – so here are a few mini reviews for you book lovers (with gifs, because I still love them):

Everland by Wendy Spinale

Pretty, isn’t it?

A post-apocalyptic/steampunk Young Adult retelling of Peter Pan set in a destroyed London, Everland was a quick read at just over 300 pages. While the setting, concept, and idea were fantastic, most of the book just felt flat to me. Told alternately in Gwen (Wendy) and Hook’s first-person perspectives was an interesting decision, and I think that third-person might have been a better way to tell the story, since most details (what is Everland, what is the virus, etc) aren’t even added until later. Gwen’s POV makes her seem like a bland, moody, moderately relatable teenage girl, but her interactions with her siblings gave her more personality. Hook was boring, and I honestly found his parts unnecessary. The characters were very stereotypical teenagers, with all sorts of mood shifts and sudden hostility, but the story and concept were fascinating enough to finish the book. I loved the darker setting, worldbuilding, real peril, and the virus concept, and all of the gadgets were great. However, I couldn’t become invested in the characters or sympathize with them.

How I felt at the end.

Final verdict: 5 out of 10 stars – A+ setting, C everything else

The Harvest Man, by Alex Grecian

Number 4 in the Scotland Yard’s Murder Squad series, The Harvest Man was still easy to follow though I hadn’t read any of the rest of the series. Inspector Walter Day, a new father with a happy marriage, but put on a desk job after his encounter with Jack the Ripper (see the previous novel), and his friend Nevil Hammersmith, who has been released from the Yard for reckless endangerment of his life, are both scarred and physically damaged from their Jack the Ripper case. Hammersmith continues to investigate on his own, while Day tries to pretend that both a desk job and himself are fine and what he wants. However, a gruesome string of murders gets them both involved, and leads into what was a pretty decent thriller. The titular Harvest Man is a psychologically damaged man who is always “looking” for his family. He mutilates his victims in hopes to see his lost parents. An interesting narrative device was showing the murders from the Harvest Man’s perspective. Though he is never excused or exonerated for the terrible acts of violence he commits, you do understand his elements of humanity and his motivations. That makes him far more chilling than many antagonists of similar novels. In addition, both of the main characters are developed and empathetic, with flaws and struggles that felt real. My biggest complaint is that it wasn’t quite “thrilling” until the last third, and then there was a sort of cliffhanger. However, it was a solid story with good characters and well-written, if rather gruesome. I also felt that some of the setting/elements/character behaviors seemed too modern for Victorian England, but it didn’t detract from the story.

He might read murder mysteries?

Final verdict: 7.5 out of 10 stars. B+ characters, A+ story, B plot

The Iron Traitor by Julie Kagawa

I admit it – I have read every one of these books (Iron Fey series and The Call of the Forgotten spin offs). I have always picked them up when I’m having a rough day and can’t focus, as they’re easy reads. And I always keep them cover down since, well . . . the covers are all dreadful.

Same.

Ew.

Pros: a dazzling world of the Fae that is just as dark, alien, and scary as it should be. I love all the fantastic creatures, real peril, and how Julie Kagawa depicts the Fae themselves. Her worldbuilding and descriptions are excellent, and I think that is why I keep reading, even if I tire of the romance-driven narratives and teen drama.

Cons: ^^Teen drama and angst isn’t my thing – but this is a YA book, so it’s a con and not a flaw. It’s just something you have to accept if you read Young Adult. The biggest problem for me were the four lead characters. Ethan is sympathetic but over the top, in my opinion. His attempts to be “bad and dangerous” to distance himself from people seem more melodramatic than real, but I did find him the best of all four. Kenzie, who has (SPOILER FOR FIRST BOOK) – cancer – seemed two-dimensional and more concerned about asserting her ability to think as an independent woman than considering how her illness might affect her and the people she loves. Plausible, but she wasn’t well-developed enough to truly know.  Kierran drove me crazy though. A little Attack of the Clones Anakin meets Byronic hero who believes himself to be smarter and more well-equipped than every other character, he has zero common sense and I found it hard to sympathize with they way he basically put everyone at risk and made stupid decisions every two seconds to “save” his dying girlfriend, Annwyl, against her will. Annwyl was the least developed of the cast, and though she had zero personality, she was a lot smarter than Kierran. Their romantic relationship was written on the page but never believable or evident otherwise.

Summary: If you like romance-driven books with really cool worlds and worldbuilding, but you don’t care if the characters are good or not, then you might like this book just fine. It’s just not my cup of tea, and I probably won’t read any more of the spinoffs. I miss Ash and Puck (my favorite part of the previous series), and tbh, if they hadn’t shown up for the final third, I probably wouldn’t have finished this one.

Bonus gif

 

Final verdict: 5 out of 10 stars. A+ world, C- characters, C plot, B+ descriptive writing

Different Class by Joanne Harris

Love this cover

A thriller by the author of Chocolat, this book had a very promising beginning and slowly dried up into a very lackluster ending. Told mainly from the perspective of Roy Straitley, an “old-guard” English Grammar school master who feels that the times are leaving him, discipline, the classics, and common sense behind in the education system,  Different Class is a twisting story that had me confused until about half way through. Unfortunately, that was where the story derailed a bit as well, and lost the creeping eerie mood. There was one major plot twist that got me for a while (the nature of the villain), but I found the story got less believable as it went on. It’s hard to say why without spoiling the story, but I feel like the author’s own beliefs/agenda got in the way of her spinning a better tale. The ending was not satisfying, as the suspense was gone, and ultimately, I expected better and wanted more. As a side note, I found the fact that in the 2005 parts (the book travels about in time quite a bit), that the gay student is basically targeted by the school administration and not the students,  to be a bit far-fetched, but I sympathized with Roy’s worries and aggravation with the changing system and its aggressive political correctness being prioritized over quality of learning and instruction. Sigh. I really thought I was going to read a book that would linger and give me the chills, and that probably made me dislike it more.

Valid question.

Final verdict: 6 out of 10 stars. B+ setting and premise, A+ plot twist, B delivery, C ending.

Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton

Arguably one of the most important South African novels, this has been on my to-read list forever. I obtained it at a book exchange (so much fun!), and read the majority of it while sitting in the Qingdao airport. I always find classics hard to review, and Cry, the Beloved Country is no exception. The story is about aging, rural Zulu pastor Stephen Kumalo who goes to the city in search of his son and his sister in the city of Johannesburg after hearing that the latter is sick. Set before Apartheid, the story frankly describes the racial tension, the injustice toward the black Africans to whom the country belongs. Paton was himself white, but his work at a reformatory seems to have given him a perspective different from many during his time (1948 was when it was published). Cry, the Beloved Country could serve as a summary of the story as well as the title, since Paton beautifully depicts a land full of the cries of injustice, want, poverty, and spiritual emptiness, but also love, faith, and family ties. The style is old-fashioned, and dashes (-) in front of the dialogue instead of quotation marks threw me at first. However, I was quickly drawn in by the lyrical writing and Stephen Kumalo’s plight. Every character in this book was deeply human, believable, and a complicated mixture of good and bad. I don’t know that I’ll ever read it again, but I am glad I read it and would highly recommend it to anyone, as it is just as relevant today as it was in 1948.

One of the major themes of this book

Final verdict: 10 out of 10. A compelling, if sad and sometimes difficult book that deals with important themes and real humans, not heroes.

So now that I’ve proved I read something . . .

The train ride wasn’t long enough to finish The Lies of Locke Lamora (which is over 600 pages), and I was definitely distracted by announcements in Korean and the scenery. I finally did make it to Pohang though, and after figuring out which bus to take, I finally found my hostel. That was harder than navigating Seoul, tbh. Pohang is beautiful, with all kinds of boats, beaches, and you can see mountains (or foothills, not sure) if you look the right direction.

Anyhow, I wanted to see a bit of Pohang before I went to Handong (my school), so I stayed in a hostel for one night and explored a bit. If you ever find yourself in Pohang, SK – I highly recommend staying at Youngildae Guesthouse. It is close to everything and very reasonably priced. More importantly, you host is the kindest woman ever – she went out of her way to help me out, and took pity on me and my heavy bags. I actually couldn’t believe it, but she gave me a ride to school in the morning because that was her definition of proper hospitality. I only stayed there one night, which is a shame, but I wanted to shout out this wonderful lady and her kindness.

My trip would have been a lot more onerous if I hadn’t gotten a ride (or a taxi, but taxis cost money) – but as it was, I arrived safe and sound at Handong Global University (HGU) right on time for Orientation – and that is another blog post!

Whew! Another long post! Thank you for reading to the end 🙂 Have you ever read any of the books/authors above? What are some books you’ve enjoyed or read recently? Have you ever eaten Gimbap?

 

 

Top Ten Tuesday: Top 10 Books That Really Weren’t My Thing (But I liked them anyway) – With gifs and reasons and stuff

Image Source: The Broke and the Bookish

Top Ten Tuesday is a really fun topic (again) this week* – since it highlights books from genres or on topics that we don’t normally read, but that we really liked.

As a bookseller, it’s part of my job to read a diverse selection, so I have read plenty of books that I wouldn’t pick up because I simply wanted to. Here are 10 of the books I liked more than I thought I would!
As always, TTT is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, and you can find out how to participate in the link-up right here. (Disclaimer: All images belong to respective copyright holders and are not being used for any financial gain)
And here we go . . .

Top 10 Books That I Liked (Even Though They Weren’t My Usual Reads)

1. The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin

Why it isn’t me: I don’t usually go for cute and cuddly NYT bestsellers.


*Sniffles* Pushing Daisies!
How it changed my mind: While it was most definitely cute and cuddly, and bestselling, The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry was sweet not sappy, and a love letter to books and bookstores. How could I not approve? The author really captured the charm of indie bookstores, reading, and the quirky people you meet in the bookish world.

2. The Iron Fey Series (And The Immortal Rules) by Julie Kagawa

Why they aren’t me: Two words- paranormal romance. And they were billed to me as “swoony,” which always earns an eyeroll (internally, of course, one must be polite).

My eyeliner is never this flawless, but this is how I’ll react . . .
How they changed my mind: While there was zero swooning, I did find the characters charming** enough to read every one of the Iron Fey books (and I even made it through the slight love triangle unscathed).
Anyhow, these books are like those giant cupcakes — you buy one and one becomes five and . . .  anyhow, I actually really enjoyed them. But I sort of felt like I had a sugar hangover after the fact. The characters are fun, the worlds are lovely (I especially love her take on the Fey), and Julie Kagawa is a good storytellerImmortal Rules was one of the more interesting vampire books I’ve come across, and I loved Kagawa’s take on a post-apocalyptic setting.

3. The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

Why it isn’t me: It’s an adult contemporary romance/comedic novel. I don’t usually enjoy romantic comedies, and they only ask for an hour of my time. A book is much more demanding.

How it changed my mind: It was actually hilarious. The characters were quirky and fun, and I loved Don Tillman. He's autistic, brilliant, and so socially awkward that I was immediately charmed. Rosie was fun, but Don's narration won this novel for me.

4. The Benny Imura Series and The Joe Ledger Series by Jonathan Maberry

Why they aren’t me: I am not into zombies. Period. And the Joe Ledger series are an adult zombie series, which really isn’t my thing . . .

Before Rot & Ruin
How they changed my mind: TOM.*** While there are a lot of zombies in both series, they also include: strong characters, brother bonds that will make you cry in a hole, great action, swords, authentic and relatable teenage drama, adorable characters, plotlines, humor, philosophy, and really complicated but terrifying villains. And did I mention Tom Imura? No? Small oversight. And as for the Joe Ledger books - they're like a Clint Eastwood movie with zombies and humor. A little rough,**** but I liked them way more than I thought I would (I haven't read them all yet, but they're still going strong)
After

Why it isn’t me: I read some of Faulkner’s short stories for school and was driven mad by his stylistic decisions (run-on sentences, strange punctuation, etc). Despite my love of classic lit, we didn’t click.

Trying to capture that eerie, empty feel with a gif here
How it changed my mind: I saw how short it was, and picked it up on vacation. And I was completely won over by the eerie darkness, the strange style, the drama, the depiction of the South, the story, and the narrators. Faulkner went from my never-read-again list, to my read-everything-eventually list. Just because of this book.

6. The Smell of Other People’s Houses by Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock

So pretty

Why it isn’t me: I tend to avoid coming-of-age novels as a genre, especially when they sound like they’re just about teenagers doing teenage things (no, I never liked them when I was a teenager).

Couldn’t resist, mate
How it changed my mind: First, there was the evocative title. Second, I met a few people at Winter Institute who completely convinced me to read it with their love for this book. And then the author read an excerpt, and I loved her prose. The story is much more layered and complicated than what I expected, the characters are lovable and seem like real people, and the peek into 60's-70's Alaska was absolutely fascinating. If you like contemporary-ish YA at all, you should definitely give this book a shot.
Just look at this cover . . .

Why it isn’t me: While I love manga, I’m not much into the shoujo/school stuff/romance. I prefer shonen, hands down.

And Hiro – that kid with unlimited adult sass
How it changed my mind: Blogger Victoria Grace (Stori Tori) convinced me to watch the anime first, and I was hooked. I swear I've never been so invested in school clubs or random everyday life before. I had to read the manga because the anime doesn't have the entire story! And there are three very important things I haven't mentioned:
1. Everyone and everything is so darn cute!
2. The Chinese Zodiac have human forms, and they revert to animals when hugged by the opposite sex. It's weird and random and provides tons of hilarity.
3. The characters have surprising layers, and/or really dark sides.

8. Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

Why it isn’t me: See #2. Guys – this is so “not me” that I was almost too embarrassed to put it up (and I am not knocking anyone who likes these books, I promise). Paranormal romance, love triangles, ridiculously unrealistic characters, weird taxidermied-looking dudes on the covers, I could go on for days here – but they’re not my normal thing, obviously.

Taxidermy . . .
How it changed my mind: This was just a fun book. I stopped thinking and just giggled at the dialogue and got lost in the indulgent steampunk world and fun. Quirky, cute characters and plenty of action helped too.
Got to love that title though

Why it isn’t me: This is the sort of book I’d never even notice. Confessionals, anecdotes, personal mother-daughter stuff, chick-lit, etc.

Batman, are you trying to make us all feel bad?
How it changed my mind: I got this ARC from a box at work when I was desperately seeking a beachy read for a review program. The review was due in two days, and I needed something quick and easy. What I didn't expect was how much I enjoyed it! The stories were pretty relatable, and funnier than I thought they would be. As I have a close relationship with my mother, I found the mother-daughter stuff endearing and fun. It was easy to read, but only just fluffy enough. Sweet and sincere, I could honestly recommend it as a "beach read" to readers and non-readers alike.

10. Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens

Why it isn’t me: I was fully persuaded that I didn’t like Dickens. (Too early of an exposure – which was my own fault!). Long, overrated, boring, and melodramatic – that’s what I thought. And Little Dorrit is basically moose-sized.

How it changed my mind: I watched the Masterpiece Theater (love MT!) version and was hooked, so I decided to give the book a chance. I liked it even better. It was hilarious - with a such a heady level of satire I was completely surprised, and the characters were brilliant. The Circumlocution Office still figures into my conversations. Anyhow, Little Dorrit rekindled my love for Victorian novels, and sparked a new one with Dickens' works in particular. Many years later, I'm still a loyal fangirl <3

So, what was the last book you read that was out of your comfort zone or not something you’d normally read? Why did you like it? Have you read any of these books?

Footnotes:
*Last week was 10 Songs that Should Be Books - which was a fabulous idea!
**Ash is my spirit animal (okay, one of my many spirit animals)
***Tom Imura = <3<3<3<3<3
****The Joe Ledger covers are gross. Who wants to look at this?