ambershelf's reviews
1295 reviews

This book is an original and resonating review of inheritance, its historical context, social implications, the development of genetics, and recent scientific advancement in epigenetics. As a scientist in the field, I enjoy the broad topics discussed in the book, ranging from Gregor Mendel's research on heredity to Jennifer Doudna's breakthrough in CRISPR. She Has Her Mother's Laugh is an excellent source for those looking to learn more about genetics and its applications.

In this extensive memoir, Maud Newton searches for the history of her Southern family through genealogy, personal letters, and census data. The journey also introduces her to genetics and the negative impacts of intergenerational trauma on one's DNA. I am fascinated by her family history but bored by her genetics research summaries, although it might be that I'm already familiar with these scientific subjects.

As head of security at the Paradox Hotel, January Cole has several problems. The ultra-wealthy guests arriving for their time travelling tours are stuck in the hotel due to an unexpected storm, and there seems to be a corpse only January can see in room 526. Furthermore, a couple of trillionaires are visiting the hotel because the US government has decided to privatize time travel. January is certain the timing and the trouble seemingly brewing inside the Paradox Hotel aren't just a coincidence. Now, she must do everything possible to catch an invisible killer as January's past, present, and future collide.

The Paradox Hotel is an exciting read, almost like when sci-fi meets mystery/thriller, except the science isn't clearly explained, the mysteries are manifold to the extent of confusion, and the thriller fails to convey the urgency. I was disoriented with the different puzzles, and tracking what issues needed to be solved was difficult while reading. The character development chapters also make the flow somewhat choppy and aren't that interesting to read. I wish Rob Hart could have just focused on January solving the mysteries and making The Paradox Hotel much faster-paced.

While working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, Tova Sullivan becomes acquainted with the giant Pacific octopus Marcellus. This unusual friendship soon blossoms into something remarkable and could help Tova find closure to the mysterious disappearance of her son over three decades ago. As a geriatric octopus, Marcellus must use every trick up his sleeves to unearth the truth for Tova. On the other hand, Tova has to find the courage to confront the past and step out of her comfort zone to embrace what lies ahead.

Remarkably Bright Creatures is a moving novel about an unlikely friendship between two species written from different perspectives. I particularly enjoy Marcellus' narration, which is full of wit and humor of human observations through his confinement in the aquarium. The book moves a bit slow in the beginning but picks up the pace after the 40% mark, and the plot completely surprised me in the best way possible. I find myself entranced with the relationships between Tova and Marcellus and the secondary characters. Remarkably Bright Creatures is an exquisite read with heart-warming stories that warm my heart!

As an agent of the Gene Protection Agency, Logan Ramsay doesn’t feel anything different after a raid-gone-wrong at first. Before long, he realizes his genome is altered; Logan is reading faster, focusing better, sleeping lesser, and becoming a more "upgraded" version of himself. Using his newly-formed abilities, Logan is the only one who can save humanity from everything, impending war and the doomed future.

Blake Crouch examines humanity's limits and potential with this mesmerizing sci-fi thriller. Upgrade explores the intriguing dystopia where genetic engineering is illegal, government surveillance is ubiquitous, and climate change has led to widespread poverty and food insecurity. I enjoyed the lightning-paced plot and how the book illuminates what it means to be human through brilliant story-telling. Especially as a scientist trained in this area, books about genetics are one of my favorite types of sci-fi. I don't quite agree with the science itself, but that's me being a bit of a science snob lol. More importantly, I wish the ending were different. But in any case, Upgrade is an unputdownable read for those interested in molecular biology!

When Jamie Gray quit his PhD to work in a start-up, he did not expect to be laid off during a global pandemic. While working as a courier to make ends meet, he runs into an old acquaintance Tom. Tom works in an “animal rights organization” and happens to need a last-minute grunt on their next field visit. As it turns out, the “animals” aren’t quite what Jamie was imagining and are Godzilla-like creatures from an alternate dimension called Kaijus. As a member of the Kaiju Preservation Society, Jamie must now do what he can to help the team understand everything about Kaijus and, most importantly, preserve these enigmatic creatures from ill-intended humans.

The Kaiju Preservation Society is such a fun read! Science fiction with world-building can often be a miss for me, especially if it’s more fantasy-like rather than based on hard science (see: Dune lol). But I am pleasantly surprised by the more narrow scope and how John Scalzi just focuses on detailing the biology surrounding Kaijus. The plots are a tad predictable, but I still couldn’t put the book down! The Kaiju Preservation Society is an excellent book for those looking for light-hearted science fiction with hopefully-not-too-complicated science plots. I’d also love to watch a movie adaptation of this one!

Elizabeth Zott is enthusiastic and devoted to chemistry research, even though her colleagues treat her like a secretary. As the only woman scientist at Hastings Research Institute in the early 1960s, convincing supervisors to support her research has become Elizabeth's daily fight. After falling in love with the brilliant Nobel-prize hopeful Calvin Evans and unexpectedly becoming a single mother, Elizabeth struggles to make ends meet. Reluctantly, she applies her scientific knowledge to a cooking show and suddenly becomes America's most beloved TV star.

Lessons in Chemistry is a humorous yet insightful novel that sheds light on the misogyny women face everywhere in the workplace, regardless of one's role. But it is also a heartwarming story about love, friendships, motherhood, and the best part, having a dog. It took me a while to fall in love with Elizabeth's character; I'm still not sure if I like having a protagonist who behaves like they're on the spectrum as a way to showcase their "scientific enthusiasm." If I met Elizabeth in real life, I'd probably think she's pretending to be a scientist from how she talks. The overly complicated monologues feel a bit forced at times. Regardless, Lessons in Chemistry is a delightful read with an unusual protagonist that will have you laughing and crying with Elizabeth.

Sea of Tranquility follows multiple characters through space and time, from an exiled teenager exploring Canada in 1912, a moon colony-native writer on an Earth book tour, to a detective investigating anomalies in the North American wilderness. With beautiful prose and brilliant writing, Emily St. John Mandel explores the meaning of humanity that transcends barriers, be it time, space, or a global pandemic.

I'm usually apprehensive of stories that cross multiple timelines, but Sea of Tranquility is a pleasant surprise with its fast-paced plot and intricately connected characters. Unfortunately, the final reveal behind the mystery is quite predictable, especially for those who frequently read the genre. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the story so much that I couldn't put down the book. For those looking for a light-hearted yet riveting science fiction, Sea of Tranquility will be a fantastic book to pick up.

In this collection of 5 essays written as letters to her father, Azar Nafisi explores the importance of reading and writing as a form of resistance. Drawing on her experience living in the Islamic Republic of Iran and as an immigrant in the United States, Azar underscores the importance of humanizing one's oppressor and transforming the anger into fuel to continue fighting for justice everywhere.

Read Dangerously is a highly political book that examines present issues of racial injustice, political polarization, the rise of totalitarianism, and the pandemic, and likely won't be everyone's cup of tea. Nonetheless, Azar Nafisi beautifully analyzes the power of literature by Toni Morrison, James Baldwin, Margaret Atwood, Zora Hurston, and more.

Girls Can Kiss Now is a brilliant and humorous collection of personal essays on growing up with the internet, exploring one's queerness, living in LA, and how pop culture intersects with all these faucets. Jill Gutowitz offers sharp observations and witty comments on the impacts of movies and TV series that lack lesbian representation or, even worse, propagate the harmful stereotypes of gender norms.

I've read a couple of pop culture criticism pieces, and the topics in Girls Can Kiss Now are incredibly relatable because of my familiarity with pop culture after the 2000s. It's also illuminating to learn about misogynism in entertainment masquerading as cultural norms and the harmful effects on one's gender identity and sexuality from, dare I say, the queer eye. The recurring references to Lindsay Lohan, Britney Spears, and Taylor Swift are fascinating to read. Especially for Swifties, Girls Can Kiss Now offers an exciting point of view for those not familiar with queer Twitter. I recommend this book to those interested in learning more about the intersection between pop culture and gender studies.