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