ambershelf's reviews
1295 reviews

In this hilarious and heartfelt memoir, Simu Liu recounts his rise to become Marvel's first Asian superhero Shang-Chi. Simu describes his carefree childhood in China under the care of his grandparents, his strained relationship with his parents after immigrating to Canada, and living at the poverty line as a struggling actor without formal training. We Were Dreamers is relatable to first-generation Asian immigrants with its portrayal of rampant racism, everlasting self-doubt, and parental pressure. But apart from that, Simu also offers valuable advice on navigating expectations and finding your dreams.

I always thought Simu had an easy rise to the top before listening to this memoir, probably because I associated the trajectory of his acting career with his former employment at Deloitte. But We Were Dreamers detailed his faults and hardships honestly. I love this book so much that I couldn't stop listening to it, and you don't have to be a Marvel fan to enjoy it!

Escaping her family and a past she wants no part in, Rosemary Harper joined the crew of Wayfarer, a patched-up ship that explores the galaxy by taking complex jobs to make wormholes. As Rosemary grows to know her diverse crewmates, she begins to think of Wayfarer as her new home. On a journey to a rarely-explored territory, the crews must learn to lean on each other amongst all the chaos, for space travel is not for the close-minded.

ANGRY PLANET is the first in the Wayfarers series, and I am in awe of Chambers' worldbuilding. Expansive, diverse, and written with compassion, ANGRY PLANET is a rare gem in the sci-fi genre that doesn't just focus on space travel or technology but also integrates wisdom from other cultures and animals. Compared to the sci-fi "classics" that try to be diverse but are unfortunately replete with sexist, racist, and white savior undertones (cough cough DUNE), ANGRY PLANET is a breath of fresh air that challenges what I think about societal "norms."

Chambers' introspections on relationships, motherhood, and genders, blend perfectly into the non-human cultures, whereas each character is written with compassion, empathy, and care. I relished every moment of reading ANGRY PLANET and can't wait to finish the Wayfarer series! If you're looking to branch into sci-fi this year, please consider the Wayfarer series, one that is unlike traditional straight-white-male-written novels and reflects on humanity's limits and potential.

In this critical collection of essays, Kendall examines social issues often overlooked by modern feminist movements. Expanding upon the topics that primarily affect middle-class white women in mainstream feminism, like having more women CEOs, HOOD FEMINISM delves into why basic needs should be front-and-center for every feminist.

Frankly, prior to reading HOOD FEMINISM, I didn't consider some of the topics covered in the book as feminist issues. And wow, was I wrong. Kendall analyzes basic needs from the focal point of marginalized communities and leverages statistics to show why sexual violence, food insecurity, eating disorders, education, housing, and more, are all intertwined with racial injustice and gender hierarchies.

I listened to HOOD FEMINISM on audiobook and would love to revisit this one with a physical copy so I can annotate (something I rarely do!). I've included some notes below for those interested in a deeper dive or discussions, but HOOD FEMINISM should be required reading for everyone.

On the issue of poverty and hunger, Kendall analyzes why current policies established by mostly white politicians fail to protect those in need. While donation through local food banks can affect small communities, it fails to change policies in a widespread and long-lasting way. Current guidelines focus on treating the "symptoms" of food insecurity by establishing a soda tax without considering how poverty, such as access to healthy and affordable food, having a safe environment to play in the neighborhood, and nutritional education, are the underlying causes of rising obesity rates in America.

On sexual violence against women of color, Kendall examines the misconception that "bad things don't happen to good girls." For outsiders, there is no presumption of innocence for young Black girls, while those within the Black community often perpetuate victim blaming. Furthermore, white women contribute to the hypersexualization of women of color under the disguise of empowerment through cultural appropriation, such as sexy Pocahontas and Black face. Kendall concludes that the feminist movement should shift our anti-rape efforts from teaching people how not to become a victim to teaching people how not to become a predator in the first place.

On confronting the patriarchy when it comes from people you love and respect, Kendall observes that within her community, the urge to see Black men succeed sometimes means Black women need to sacrifice themselves. Subsequently, Black and Latinx girls are expected to perform emotional and social labor at the expense of their own girlhoods. Leila Mottley explores this theme in NIGHTCRAWLING beautifully and makes a fantastic companion read.

On using respectability politics to measure someone's "qualifications" to ask for feminist rights, Kendall points out that society expects women of color to deliver their concerns with a respectable tone that is calm, with accents that white Americans are comfortable with, and devoid of any negative emotions. "Approval from white supremacy shouldn't be something any community seeks." Kendall encourages marginalized women to be less concerned about appearance and more concerned about solutions.

On beauty standards, Kendall reflects on her painful childhood of having to straighten her hair to conform to white beauty standards. While women of color risk employment opportunities if they don't fit into the narrow box of white supremacy, white women benefit from non-white beauty standards with spray tans and appropriated hairstyles without engaging in the harm of these beauty standards.

TWO TREES is a beautifully written memoir that explores the environmental history of Taiwan through the lens of Lee's family history. As an environmental historian who lost touch with her family in China, Lee uses this personal loss to examine Taiwan's complex and tumultuous history.

Throughout the book, Lee weaves together the history of Taiwan's colonization, from the Dutch to the present day, with the political restlessness and martial law rule that has marked the island's history. She also touches on the book bans and censorship prevalent during the authoritarian era and the modern history of Taiwan, including the devastating 228 massacre and the 921 earthquake.

One of the standout features of TWO TREES is Lee's gorgeous writing about the scenery of Taiwan and her references to Taiwanese literature and modern authors. The descriptions of the natural world are evocative and transport the reader to the island, and the inclusion of cultural and literary elements adds depth and context to the story.

However, I wanted to know more about Lee's family and their experiences during this turbulent time in Taiwan's history. While the reflections on her family are moving, I wish their stories were the focal point, particularly how the political and social movements have affected her family.

TWO TREES is a book lustrously written that offers a unique perspective on Taiwan's environmental and cultural history. Its exploration of the island's complex past is educational and emotionally resonant, and the beautiful descriptions of the natural world make it a pleasure to read.

SURVIVE YOU consists of eight interconnected stories surrounding a Jamaican immigrant family living in Miami. Each chapter switches between the family member's perspectives but primarily focuses on Trelawny, the youngest son. Escoffery explores what it means to be American as the family navigates poverty, racism, dysfunctional family dynamics, and struggles to find belonging.

I resonated with some chapters and characters but couldn't connect to the others. In particular, I loved Trelawny's story in In Flux, where he experiences racism and colorism in school, and his lack of a "clear" racial identity continues to follow him throughout life. He isn't dark enough to be considered Black, not light enough to be white-passing, and he can't hang out with the Latinx kids because he doesn't speak Spanish. On top of that, Jamaican kids don't consider Trelawny one of them due to his disconnection from Jamaican culture. Such is the story of first-generation immigrants, straddling two cultures but belonging to none. My heart aches for Trelawny as he struggles to find a place in his family, career, and relationships throughout adulthood.

A powerful debut, SURVIVE YOU is a brilliant examination of how immigrants survive under white supremacy and capitalism.

MANTICORE is an impressive collection of short stories about the relationships between humans and animals. From her experience interacting with animals, Kolluri paints an inventive picture of the dependence between humans and animals, the needs and reasons of animals to talk to humans, how our environment is perceived through their eyes, and the inner lives of animals.

From a donkey smuggled from Egypt pretending to be a zebra in a zoo to the manticore's insatiable hunger, the vultures' duty to watch over the dead, and an unlikely friendship between a fox and a polar bear, each story is a thought-provoking exploration of how animals have more humanity than we often give them credit for.

My favorite story is "May God Forever Bless the Rhino Keepers," in which a hound dog guards rhinos in a conservatory in Kenya. The story perfectly captures the excitement and loyalty of a dog; it is a testament to the deep bond between humans and animals and how humans don't deserve dogs

At 25, Maddie struggles to navigate adult life when all her friends seem to have everything figured out. Her mother spends most of her time in Ghana; her brother is pursuing a music career and is barely present, while Maddie is the primary caretaker for her father, who suffers from Parkinson's. When her mom finally returns to London, Maddie leaps to start "living" finally. She moves into an apartment with roommates, says yes to smoking and drinking, and starts online dating. But when tragedy strikes, Maddie is forced to face her unconventional family, her loneliness, and her messy love life.

Labeled as a coming-of-age story, I didn't expect to ugly-cry while reading this book, and I loved every moment of it. MAAME encompasses the messiness of the mid-20s perfectly with Maddie, a self-deprecating and introverted protagonist. Her struggles with loneliness, friendship, dating, sex, and starting a career are all topics I related to profoundly and wished I'd known when I was younger. I especially appreciated the discussions on sex in MAAME and how George paints a realistic picture of what young women face in modern-day dating, particularly the microaggressions young women of color could encounter when dating white men.

One of the most poignant aspects of MAAME is the relationship between Maddie and her father; both are reserved and tend to bottle their emotions inside. As a result, they lost valuable time communicating with each other. It's a heartbreaking reminder of how we can sometimes let our relationships suffer due to our own struggles. It's a rite of passage for every child to realize that their parents aren't perfect, and MAAME does an excellent job of capturing this moment of realization for Maddie.

There's so much to love in MAAME, and this will likely be my top read of the year. This beautifully written and emotional coming-of-age story will resonate with readers of all ages and make you lol & sob at the same time. For those in their 20s, it's a valuable book to know that they're not alone; for readers who have passed this stage (like me ✌️), MAAME made me realize how far I've come and could go.

Mackenzie has been having bad dreams of her family trip by the lake before her older sister’s untimely death. When she wakes up to find a severed crow’s head in her hands, she panics. As Mackenzie’s real world collides with her nightmares—a murder of crow stalks her everywhere in the city, she wakes up throwing up lake water and receives threatening texts—Mackenzie must return home to Alberta and unearth the mystery buried beneath the land.

BAD CREE is the first horror I read this year and could be the last, given how scary it is