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ambershelf's Reviews (1.3k)
25% romance + 25% friendship + 50% physics
If anyone can explain the science behind quantum physics and time loops in the plot I’ll appreciate you forever thanks
If anyone can explain the science behind quantum physics and time loops in the plot I’ll appreciate you forever thanks
gifted by the publisher
Adina Giorna was born the moment when Voyager 1 launched into space. A precocious child who possesses knowledge of a faraway planet, Adina contacts her extraterrestrial relatives via a fax machine. But as she spends more time on Earth, Adina finds herself pulled between her various identities. Is there a chance she's not alone?
BEAUTYLAND is a coming-of-age tale that explores alienation in a quiet & reflective manner that doesn't read YA at all. The readers experience her loneliness, friendships, grief, loss, and aging through Adina's quirky and singular voice. The narrative voice took me a bit to get into, especially on audiobook, but once I got used to the writing, I cared for Adina deeply.
While there are heartbreaking moments, I also appreciate the humorous observations of humans through Adina's eyes. The supporting characters also take on unique voices and trajectories of their own, and I was utterly impressed with the depth of character development Bertino achieves.
BEAUTYLAND excavates the feelings of loneliness and alienation with an ingenious setting. It's a book that left me with a deep sense of loss of time yet a profound sense of appreciation for life simultaneously.
BEAUTYLAND is perfect for book clubs where one will benefit greatly from pondering the ambiguous ending and intimate discussions on life & loss. A special shout out to @bitterpurl for humoring my absurd ideas
Adina Giorna was born the moment when Voyager 1 launched into space. A precocious child who possesses knowledge of a faraway planet, Adina contacts her extraterrestrial relatives via a fax machine. But as she spends more time on Earth, Adina finds herself pulled between her various identities. Is there a chance she's not alone?
BEAUTYLAND is a coming-of-age tale that explores alienation in a quiet & reflective manner that doesn't read YA at all. The readers experience her loneliness, friendships, grief, loss, and aging through Adina's quirky and singular voice. The narrative voice took me a bit to get into, especially on audiobook, but once I got used to the writing, I cared for Adina deeply.
While there are heartbreaking moments, I also appreciate the humorous observations of humans through Adina's eyes. The supporting characters also take on unique voices and trajectories of their own, and I was utterly impressed with the depth of character development Bertino achieves.
BEAUTYLAND excavates the feelings of loneliness and alienation with an ingenious setting. It's a book that left me with a deep sense of loss of time yet a profound sense of appreciation for life simultaneously.
BEAUTYLAND is perfect for book clubs where one will benefit greatly from pondering the ambiguous ending and intimate discussions on life & loss. A special shout out to @bitterpurl for humoring my absurd ideas
When teenagers Laura, Daniel, and Mo return from the dead in their high school classroom, almost a year after disappearing from their hometown, they are assigned seemingly impossible tasks to stay alive. What follows suit is a whirlwind of events filled with magic, music, sisterhood, love, and a vengeful goddess.
BOOK OF LOVE is a book I didn't know I needed but immensely enjoyed. The synopsis gives it a YA vibe due to the protagonists, but Link's craft in developing deeply human characters with wit and humor made it a compelling story that even adults & non-YA readers will appreciate. Blending a lit fic writing style with light fantasy world-building, BOOK OF LOVE is the perfect read at a time when I needed a reminder of the joy of getting lost in a good story.
It's impossible to sum up the messages BOOK OF LOVE explores, and the takeaways will largely depend on individual readers. It's a book about everything and nothing
BOOK OF LOVE is a book I didn't know I needed but immensely enjoyed. The synopsis gives it a YA vibe due to the protagonists, but Link's craft in developing deeply human characters with wit and humor made it a compelling story that even adults & non-YA readers will appreciate. Blending a lit fic writing style with light fantasy world-building, BOOK OF LOVE is the perfect read at a time when I needed a reminder of the joy of getting lost in a good story.
It's impossible to sum up the messages BOOK OF LOVE explores, and the takeaways will largely depend on individual readers. It's a book about everything and nothing
thank you to the publisher & netgalley for the gifted ARC/ALC
Manchuria, 1908. A young woman is found dead in the snow with rumors of foxes involved. Bao, a detective intrigued by tales of foxes since childhood, is hired to sniff out the truth. Meanwhile, a prestigious family with a burdened past welcomes a mysterious woman, Snow, into their household as their luck seems to change. How will Snow & Bao's lives intersect?
I read FOX WIFE on audio, narrated by the author herself, and loved the immersive experience, atmospheric writing, and the multilayered mystery. FOX WIFE is inspired by Chinese folklore of foxes and their magical abilities, along with the historical figure Bao Gong (包公 aka Justice Bao 包青天), who served as a politician in the Song Dynasty.
FOX WIFE has everything I love about fantastic Asian literature that doesn't cater to the Western/white gaze—Chinese/Japanese characters, local folklore, not centered on trauma, Chinese-Japanese history & political nuance, and citing Chinese books! Shakepeare quotes are so out of style now; can we please get more Pu Songling (jk jk). Most importantly, FOX WIFE is fun to read!
I'm in awe of how unique FOX WIFE is, and while it's my first read by Choo, it definitely won't be my last! For lovers of historical mystery looking to get lost in a snowy country with magical foxes, don't miss out on THE FOX WIFE!
Manchuria, 1908. A young woman is found dead in the snow with rumors of foxes involved. Bao, a detective intrigued by tales of foxes since childhood, is hired to sniff out the truth. Meanwhile, a prestigious family with a burdened past welcomes a mysterious woman, Snow, into their household as their luck seems to change. How will Snow & Bao's lives intersect?
I read FOX WIFE on audio, narrated by the author herself, and loved the immersive experience, atmospheric writing, and the multilayered mystery. FOX WIFE is inspired by Chinese folklore of foxes and their magical abilities, along with the historical figure Bao Gong (包公 aka Justice Bao 包青天), who served as a politician in the Song Dynasty.
FOX WIFE has everything I love about fantastic Asian literature that doesn't cater to the Western/white gaze—Chinese/Japanese characters, local folklore, not centered on trauma, Chinese-Japanese history & political nuance, and citing Chinese books! Shakepeare quotes are so out of style now; can we please get more Pu Songling (jk jk). Most importantly, FOX WIFE is fun to read!
I'm in awe of how unique FOX WIFE is, and while it's my first read by Choo, it definitely won't be my last! For lovers of historical mystery looking to get lost in a snowy country with magical foxes, don't miss out on THE FOX WIFE!
gifted by the publisher
Like every other girl in her class, 12-year-old Justine is fascinated by her charismatic new teacher and wants badly to become the favorite. However, when petty theft rocks the seemingly peaceful life at school, Justine finds herself at a crossroads: who should she trust?
With foreshadowing and eerie vibes, PET is a compelling psychological thriller that examines relationships between women/girls. From naive yet fragile female friendships to admiration that veers on the obsessive, Chidgey depicts the complexities of the inner psyches of girlhood.
Even though the plot is relatively straightforward, PET excels in its profound portrayal of the multiple layers of childhood psychology while weaving in themes of racism, misogyny, and the oppression of Catholic schools. It's a page-turner with a shocking ending.
Like every other girl in her class, 12-year-old Justine is fascinated by her charismatic new teacher and wants badly to become the favorite. However, when petty theft rocks the seemingly peaceful life at school, Justine finds herself at a crossroads: who should she trust?
With foreshadowing and eerie vibes, PET is a compelling psychological thriller that examines relationships between women/girls. From naive yet fragile female friendships to admiration that veers on the obsessive, Chidgey depicts the complexities of the inner psyches of girlhood.
Even though the plot is relatively straightforward, PET excels in its profound portrayal of the multiple layers of childhood psychology while weaving in themes of racism, misogyny, and the oppression of Catholic schools. It's a page-turner with a shocking ending.
After Bea's shocking death 9 years ago, it's the first time Luna is reuniting with her teenage friends in a remote estate. But as a snowstorm closes in, their friendships are tested by accidents, injuries, hidden secrets, and startling revelations.
EIGHT is a slow-burning locked-room mystery thriller with a large cast. The first half of the book is dedicated to character-building, while the last 1/3 is where most of the actions happen. I appreciate the unique lens of the "unreliable narrator" through Luna's eyes, and the exploration between Luna and Bea's "friendship" is profoundly fascinating. I wish these two elements were given more attention, and I wasn't as interested in the other characters' backstories.
I also find the pacing of EIGHT to be suboptimal, where the ending is at once overly dramatic, extremely chaotic, and too neatly tied up, almost like it was written by another person
EIGHT is a slow-burning locked-room mystery thriller with a large cast. The first half of the book is dedicated to character-building, while the last 1/3 is where most of the actions happen. I appreciate the unique lens of the "unreliable narrator" through Luna's eyes, and the exploration between Luna and Bea's "friendship" is profoundly fascinating. I wish these two elements were given more attention, and I wasn't as interested in the other characters' backstories.
I also find the pacing of EIGHT to be suboptimal, where the ending is at once overly dramatic, extremely chaotic, and too neatly tied up, almost like it was written by another person
Dnf @ 33%
1. More about her journalism career than “belonging”/“unbelonging”
2. The reporting reads like wiki summaries of Middle East politics
3. The writing is very matter-of-fact and I couldn’t feel her “passion”—why does she want to be a journalist? Why report the Middle East? How does her Syrian background affect her career? Maybe these questions will be answered later but I ran out of patience
1. More about her journalism career than “belonging”/“unbelonging”
2. The reporting reads like wiki summaries of Middle East politics
3. The writing is very matter-of-fact and I couldn’t feel her “passion”—why does she want to be a journalist? Why report the Middle East? How does her Syrian background affect her career? Maybe these questions will be answered later but I ran out of patience
Read in Mandarin
A phenomenal story and one of the first books about “Taiwanese consciousness”. What does it mean to live in Taiwan? A region twice colonized (by the Dutch and Japan); a country that is not a country; the orphan of Asia.
A phenomenal story and one of the first books about “Taiwanese consciousness”. What does it mean to live in Taiwan? A region twice colonized (by the Dutch and Japan); a country that is not a country; the orphan of Asia.
