ambershelf's reviews
1295 reviews

The Many Daughters of Afong Moy explores the transgenerational trauma inherited through epigenetics. Jamie Ford weaves a beautiful tale that spans 250 years following seven women — the first Chinese woman to set foot on American soil, Afong Moy, and her descendants. Through captivating storytelling that is at times tragic, Ford reimagines the definition of inheritance and examines if we can pass down that which is more than grief, something stronger, like courage, strength, and love.

As someone who wrote half her dissertation on epigenetics, I was instantly intrigued by the premise when I saw it on BOTM. The Many Daughters of Afong Moy is divided into three acts. The first introduces the different women, not in chronological order, the second follows their snippets of life and their suffering, and the final act focuses on Dorothy from 2045 trying a new experimental epigenetics treatment to mitigate inherited trauma in order to give her daughter a better life.

The Many Daughters of Afong Moy is by no means a light read, especially the heavy topics of abuse and racism, and I had to take little breaks to get through the second act. The epigenetics treatment doesn't really make sense either and perhaps is better interpreted as magical realism than sci-fi. Regardless, the idea of epigenetics is refreshing in a genre mainly focused on AI or genetic editing. With seven POVs, Ford manages to infuse each character with a unique voice. The Many Daughters of Afong Moy is a spellbinding epic told through generations that examines transcendent love and what we are willing to sacrifice for a brighter future.

As a mercenary living under many aliases in the near future America, Will Bear lives off the grid with no stable home, no friends or families, and no long-term commitments. He spends most of his days on the road with his dog Flip doing odd jobs for shady businesses. Until one day, a young woman named Cammie called one of his many burner phones claiming to be his biological daughter. Half certain she's AI, Will must now find Cammie's whereabouts to discover the hidden truth that involves his employer, enemies, long-lost friends, and potential family in a world where no one can be trusted.

Sleepwalk is a character-driven and slow-paced novel. Especially for sci-fi, I find that most character-driven books tend to have pretty generic plots and characters. Sleepwalk, however, is a pleasant surprise. The book is told from Will's perspective and jumps back and forth between his memories and current events. I love how complex Dan Chaon made Will. At times Will is this seemingly unhinged henchman, and at times, Will shows his compassion even towards his targets. I didn't expect to connect so much to a 50-year-old assassin, but I actually did!

Due to the title, I was initially worried that the ending would be someone waking up from a dream. But thankfully, that didn't happen (phew!). Plus, the pitbull Flip is such a precious dog. I wish there were chapters of his POV as well (even though that totally wouldn't work for the story). Can we all agree pets in fiction are the best part?

Jess Davis is a struggling statistician, a mom, and very single. When she hears about GeneticAlly, a matchmaking company that can find your soulmate through DNA testing, Jess is curious about the numbers but doubtful she'll find someone. Things change when she gets an unheard-of 98% match with GeneticAlly's founder, Dr. River Peña. While apprehensive about the results, Jess gets an offer impossible to turn down, fake dating with a payment. Already scrambling to make ends meet, Jess reluctantly accepts the proposition while learning more about the science behind a soulmate and the scientist behind the algorithm.

The Soulmate Equation is a cute romance with a sci-fi spin. The science is easy to understand, so that shouldn't dissuade anyone from reading it if romcoms are your jam. I enjoyed the book, the friendship between Jess and Fizz, the familial love in the Davis family, and Jess' character development in coping with her mom's abandonment. On the other hand, River is an underdeveloped character whose personality is just "being a scientist". Even his sisters are more interesting! Because of this, the chemistry between Jess and River is inorganic, and frankly, it feels like they're still fake dating towards the end. For avid romance readers, The Soulmate Equation could be a refreshing read. But for someone who doesn't read many love stories (me), this is a solid three stars.

Existing between life and death, The Midnight Library contains endless books that can bring the readers to parallel universes of their choosing. What would you do if you had the chance to undo your regrets and live any life you want? With this decision, Nora Seed must determine what a fulfilling and successful life she wants. From becoming an Olympic swimmer, a glaciologist, and a world-famous rock star, the options are infinite. Ultimately, Nora has to face all her past decisions and regrets in order to truly live.

The Midnight Library is such a polarizing read. I've seen reviews ranging from "the best science fiction" to "boring and repetitive" to "inappropriate portrayal of suicide and mental health". I personally enjoyed reading it because I'm a total sucker for parallel universes (even though I still can't spell parallel without autocorrect lol). The writing is effortless to read, and I like the melancholy tone about regrets, life, relationships, and humanity. The life lessons can sometimes be a tad cheesy, but overall The Midnight Library is a fantastic read about confronting remorse and finding the strength to go on.

Rogues is a collection of Patrick Radden Keefe's most celebrated articles from The New Yorker investigating why people behave poorly. The reports include the forgery of 100K+ vintage wines, insider trading on an Alzheimer's medication in development, a whistleblower exposing HSBC's money laundering scheme, and a mass shooter at an academic institute and her troubled past. Each article aims to confront our definition of good vs bad people and instead encourages the readers to consider flawed human beings standing up to criminals with their best efforts.

After Empire of Pain, Patrick Radden Keefe has become my favorite investigative journalist because of his writing and courage to expose hidden truths. In Rogues, while each article is shorter, the reporting is still highly detailed, and the portrayal of those involved is mesmerizing. Some stories are more interesting to me than others, and I find the last article on Anthony Bourdain a little bit out of place, especially in a book about "grifters, killers, rebels, and crooks". Nonetheless, Rogues is an entertaining and elaborate book for anyone interested in true crime.

Arthur Dent is having the worst day of his life. His house is being demolished for a new road, and the Earth is being destroyed for a galactic freeway. Seconds before he evaporates with the rest of humanity, his friend Ford Prefect transmits them to a spaceship. It turns out Ford is working on a revised edition of The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy but has been stranded on Earth for the last fifteen years. Together, Arthur and Ford embark on their journey through space while running into unlikely fellow travellers and learning about the universe's great mysteries.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is unlike any sci-fi I've read. It's written with dry humor of observations on humanity and aliens, making me chuckle and want to keep reading. There are also a lot of quirky quotes from the guidebook Ford is working on that attempt to explain specific space creatures/cultures but actually raise more questions than answers. I find that many sci-fi novels aim to inspire readers to think more about the cross sections of technology and humanity. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is nothing like that. It's really just a fun read with peculiar characters and even weirder plots that I fully enjoyed!

The Memory Librarian is a collection of short stories based on Janelle Monáe's previous album Dirty Computer and co-written with other collaborators. Set in the future dystopia, all those viewed as "other", gay, queer, transgender, people of color, etc., are sent for a memory wipe. The protagonists must find a way to protect their loved ones while holding on to their identities. The Memory Librarian follows five different stories across vast settings, with characters ranging in age, sexuality, and background. The book brilliantly explores the meaning of humanity, love, community, and hope in an era when all is lost.

I don't usually read short stories and was a bit apprehensive going into the book. But The Memory Librarian is a pleasant surprise; the plot and character developments are incredibly well-balanced. My favorite stories are the first and last ones. But honestly, all five are exceptionally well-written, fascinating to read and examine different social issues. If you're looking to try uncommon genres, sci-fi or short stories, The Memory Librarian is a great place to start!

When Sam Masur and Sadie Green reunite in their junior year of college after six years, they don't know what lies ahead. The legendary collaboration will go on to launch a blockbuster video game, Ichigo, and many more. Their friendship goes through ups and downs as people come and go in their lives. But one thing is for sure, despite what happens, Sam and Sadie will always find a way to forgive each other, at least that's what they promised one another after their first reunion. As success brings fame and joy, loss and deceit follow along. Ultimately, Sam and Sadie's friendship isn't unlike playing a video game; you either weather the storms or die and restart the game.

T&T&T is a beautiful love story of a friendship spanning thirty years. It is not a romance, but the relationship between Sam and Sadie feels romantic, even though they are never lovers in the story. I was wary of an almost 400-page book about a friendship initially, and thought for sure I'd get bored. But surprisingly, Gabrielle Zevin writes with such mastery in implementing different styles and narratives I couldn't put the book down AT ALL. T&T&T also incorporates enlightening ideas, such as how artists view cultural appropriation and the importance of bringing politics into art. Even for someone who doesn't play video games, there is something everyone can reflect upon while reading; possibly my favorite read of the year that manages to exceed the hype.

I always thought great novels aren't ones with perfect characters but those with layers that show the complexities of being human. While reading T&T&T, I can totally see myself in both Sam and Sadies characters, warts and all. And more importantly, this book encourages me to be kinder and more empathetic through the lenses of the two protagonists. I will definitely be thinking about Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, well, tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow.