ambershelf's Reviews (1.3k)

Cassie Quinn's brother Billy is accused of assaulting his ex-girlfriend. As the Quinns use their wealth to help exonerate him, each family member must decide how far they'll go to save Billy. WWWBAB is written from Cassie's perspective, and Medoff did an excellent job channeling an ignorant and spoiled brat's voice, if that's her intention. I had to google if this book is a parody because the narration is unbelievably naive. While it could be philosophically interesting to ponder if statutory rape takes away a GIRL’S agency in the 1600s, it’s 2022 and I’m baffled why anyone would die on this hill.

Fuyuko Irie is a single woman in her mid-thirties. She works from home as a freelance copy editor and has little contact with the outside world other than her editor, an outgoing woman with a very different demeanor. One day staring at her reflection, Fuyuko realizes her lack of enthusiasm in life and finally decides to make a change. As her past resurfaces, Fuyuko's behavior slips further away from her intended path while she comes to terms with her past and present relationships.

All the Lovers in the Night is a thought-provoking story about loneliness and connections through the eyes of Fuyuko, an emotionally detached narrator. Hence, the novel assumes a distant voice that never lets the readers get close to Fuyoko. I especially appreciate the themes about the burden of career women who do not crave a "traditional path" of having a partner or children. Kawakami brilliantly juxtaposes Fuyuko & her editor vs their female colleagues to drive home the conflicts between the two vastly different career goals.

All the Lovers in the Night is a marvellous read that will have the readers ruminating about intimacy, loneliness, and our connections to those around us.

Shizuka Satomi's deal with the devil is straightforward: deliver souls from seven violin prodigies in exchange for their success. So far, she has produced six. When Katrina Nguyen, a young transgender runaway, practices the violin in public, Shizuka is confident she has found her seventh candidate. To entice Katrina, Shizuka must give everything she has to teach her new student the art of performing. There is no time for meet-cutes, especially with the charming mom who owns the donut shop. But maybe, just maybe, there is still hope to break the curse.

Light from Uncommon Stars is a fantasy unlike anything I've read before, and it's impossible to write a summary without giving too much away. Despite the horrific abuse and discrimination depicted, Aoki writes a sweet and hopeful story that sheds light on kindness and acceptance. In this, Light from Uncommon Stars reminds me of Becky Chamber's comfort sci-fi. Aoki's depiction of Asian American food is also lustrously done; it makes my mouth water. Her way of describing music, especially juxtapositioning Katrina's experience while she's playing, is beautifully written.

Unfortunately, many plots are going on in Light from Uncommon Stars, and each suffers from underdevelopment. After reading the book, I still don't quite understand how the deal with the devil works and just devil physiology in general. It might not be a problem for everyone, but I find well-established rules/patterns in fantasy a critical plot. Regardless, Light from Uncommon Stars is a beautiful novel that weaves the lives of three vastly different women and their quest to find hope when all seems lost.