May 2020. This month has always felt so unattainable because my feeble brain could not quite comprehend the idea of actually graduating from college and being adult. Alas, the time has finally come and the world could not be scarier. If you haven't gotten the chance to educate yourself on the current state of society, I suggest checking out this W E B S I T E for ways to show your support and humanity for the Black Lives Matter movement. It's time to reassess how we as a world have lost the basic definition of humanity and now more than ever we need to reestablish community.
the book of longings by sue monk kidd - 3.5 stars
the story of Jesus from his feminist wife's POV
I wasn't really sure what to expect going into this novel but to say I was intrigued is a huge understatement. The story explores so much about early Palestinian and Jewish culture that I greatly appreciated the historical setting as well as the gender dynamics through the perspective of the silenced voices of women. It's both empowering and heartbreaking and continues to intrigue me even after I've finished reading.
the redpoint crux by morgan shamy - 2.5 stars
dying ballerinas and the mysterious guy living under the theater
This story had so many factors that I was excited about - references to Phantom of the Opera, a mysterious illness, unsolved murders, etc. Unfortunately, I found the story to be predictable as the author employed many familiar character tropes. The writing itself seemed to target a younger audience which is no fault to the author but as a result, I think this would be better suited for 12-15 year olds.
T O U R S T O P (link to update 06/05)
yes no maybe so by becky albertalli & aisha saeed - 3.5 stars
championing and giving voice to the youth in politics
I read this with the SoShelf Distancing Book Club and it was so much fun. While nothing particularly stood out to me within the story itself, I enjoyed discussing several chapters at a time on a weekly basis. I did appreciate how the main characters demonstrated so much initiative to use their voices despite being under voting age - there's definitely something to be learned from their passion.
the court of miracles by kester grant - 3.5 stars
the black cat of the thieves takes on the tiger lord
Growing up, Les Misérables was one of the staple musicals my family would listen to and so I willingly fell into the world of the Court of Miracles. I appreciated the original spin on a story I am so familiar with as well as the author's ability to keep me invested. Let's be honest, I was and forever will be an Eponine-stan so I could be a bit biased but I had a lot of fun with how morally ambiguous the new cast of characters were.
my summer of love and misfortune by lindsay wong - 2 stars
frustration and eye rolls - one of the most unlikable characters ever
I've vented quite a bit in my review but to summarize my points - this novel is incredibly character-driven, a factor that isn't a fault on its own, but when the character is as unlikable and irritating as Iris Wang...some problems are posed. I really wished I could have enjoyed this novel but unfortunately was unable to due to the characterization.
when stars burn bright by amber r duell - 3.5 stars
a beautiful voice and the twisted vaudeville world
A sweet and simple story that reads like a modern fairytale - I was drawn into its Thumbelina inspired story and the world of vaudeville. One of my favorite aspects is definitely the lovely portrayal of friendships between the two main characters: Nik and Lina. This is definitely one of those books that you read and finish with a full heart.
loveboat, taipei by abigail hing wen - 3.5 stars
teenagers take on Taipei and incite lots of drama and self-discovery
I do have a review for this as well so to keep my thoughts brief, I was pleasantly surprised with my final impressions of this story. I wasn't a fan of the petty drama, but it didn't end up ruining the story like I was afraid of - we get some better Asian/American cultural reconciliation portrayal which I wasn't able to find in a previous read.
steel crow saga by paul krueger - 4.5 stars
a dissertation could not unpack how many great themes this has
I was incredibly intimidated going into this book because of all the praise I've heard for it on Twitter (especially from Shealea @ Shut Up Shealea). Well, almost 6 hours of straight reading later, I can confirm that it IS AS GOOD as everyone's been saying. This has one of the most immersive worlds with amazingly dynamic characters that I've read about this year and despite just finishing it, I already want to pick it up for a reread.
an update: with the recent allegations against Paul Kreuger, I will be rescinding my support for the author. Harassment and assault are never condoned and I will always support the victims.
I will also be participating in the #MakeYourMythtaker readathon and posted a fun tbr video - you can check it out H E R E if you're interested!
I don't think I've read so many books in a single month since I started college - fitting that I would do it as college comes to a close. I do wish I could have read more for the AsianReadathon and am a bit ashamed of my ratio of Asian to Non-Asian authors that I read this month. However, in the spirit of improvement, I have so many new recommendations from the countless amazing posts I've found and I want to continue incorporating AAPI authors into my future tbrs.
To close things off, I found this article through Twitter on the importance of re-reducating ourselves in this time of glaring injustice and corruption of power.
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| How to Support Black People Right Now by Charlotte Williams |
4 Comments
Great wrap up! I've never heard about The Book of Longing but it sounds really intriguing. I was excited for Summer of Love and Misfortunes but then I read the reviews and decided not to read it :/
ReplyDeleteTasya // The Literary Huntress
The Book of Longing is definitely I wouldn't have picked up but I'm glad I did! Yeah...I'm still so sad that it didn't live up to my expectations :(
DeleteLovely wrap-up and all the congratulations on graduating college! It is such a strange time in life, both to graduate at all and with everything happening lately.
ReplyDeleteI'm happy you liked loveboat, taipei overall despite the drama, I found it to be a fun read <3
I hope you'll have a lovely June, take care of yourself <3
Ahh I'm so sad I didn't see this reply earlier T_T thank you for your kind words, it's been a crazy semester but I still can't believe it's over. I hope your June has been well <3
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