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Originally posted to I Should Read That
Jade City has been on my radar for ages -- I’ve owned a copy for at least a year, but never got around to it. In an attempt to actually read the diverse fantasy that I keep buying, I decided to give it a try and wow. This is another book to add to the ‘why didn’t I read this sooner?’ shelf. An antidote to the medieval Eurpoean settings and stories that dominate modern fantasy, Jade City is a rich and wild ride about power, politics, and family.
If you try to pinpoint what makes Jade City feel so unique in modern fantasy publishing, the first thing you’ll think of is probably the setting. The book takes place on an Asian-inspired island nation called Kekon, with the majority of the action taking place in the capital city of Janloon. Janloon is truly one of the characters in Jade City. You get such a fantastic sense of the city’s layout, neighborhoods, food, culture, traditions, and politics. Lee brings Janloon to life in a way so rarely seen in books -- the sights, sounds, and smells of the city are so easily conjured in the mind of the reader. In addition, citizens of Kekon have access to things like guns, cars and motorcycles, radios, televisions, films, and comic books, giving Jade City a distinctly mid-20th century flavour. With the addition of the gangs and the ruling families, the book evokes a 1950’s atmosphere, which I absolutely loved.
The magic system in this book is phenomenal because it feels so incredibly grounded in reality. It would have been easy enough to show us that jade grants the Kekonese people powers and is therefore coveted, but Lee dives into the economics and politics of jade, from its sourcing and distribution to the foreign desire for jade and the powers it grants, as well as the way that jade has impacted and shaped Kekonese society. She also gives the Green Bones their own honour code and system of behaviour, resulting in an astonishingly realistic magic system. The power of jade and the Green Bones feels so incredibly real -- to the point that at times I felt I was reading a not-so-distant history of a foreign land.
This book is all about family and what we do to protect those we love, so of course the characters are a huge part of Jade City’s appeal. The POV shifts effortlessly between Kaul Lan, Hilo, and Shae, the generation charged with the leadership of the No Peak Clan. Each of them has their own interests, beliefs, and motivations and are all fully fleshed-out characters. We also get some additional point of view chapters, such as from Andan, who has been adopted by the Kaul family and is training to be a Green Bone warrior. I loved reading about every POV character in the book, but I do have an overall favourite. I don’t know if this will be unpopular or not, but Hilo was easily my favourite character in Jade City. I love the way his character is explored and grows, as well as seeing the differences between the way his family and clan perceive him versus his actual thoughts and motivations. He’s such an wonderfully complex character and I’d love to see more like him pop up.
To boil this review down into one sentence, sweep aside everything else in your TBR pile and start reading Jade City now. I’ve been reading fantasy for nearly my entire life and this is among the best of the genre. I am counting down the days until I read Jade War!
CW: substance abuse and violence
Jade City has been on my radar for ages -- I’ve owned a copy for at least a year, but never got around to it. In an attempt to actually read the diverse fantasy that I keep buying, I decided to give it a try and wow. This is another book to add to the ‘why didn’t I read this sooner?’ shelf. An antidote to the medieval Eurpoean settings and stories that dominate modern fantasy, Jade City is a rich and wild ride about power, politics, and family.
If you try to pinpoint what makes Jade City feel so unique in modern fantasy publishing, the first thing you’ll think of is probably the setting. The book takes place on an Asian-inspired island nation called Kekon, with the majority of the action taking place in the capital city of Janloon. Janloon is truly one of the characters in Jade City. You get such a fantastic sense of the city’s layout, neighborhoods, food, culture, traditions, and politics. Lee brings Janloon to life in a way so rarely seen in books -- the sights, sounds, and smells of the city are so easily conjured in the mind of the reader. In addition, citizens of Kekon have access to things like guns, cars and motorcycles, radios, televisions, films, and comic books, giving Jade City a distinctly mid-20th century flavour. With the addition of the gangs and the ruling families, the book evokes a 1950’s atmosphere, which I absolutely loved.
The magic system in this book is phenomenal because it feels so incredibly grounded in reality. It would have been easy enough to show us that jade grants the Kekonese people powers and is therefore coveted, but Lee dives into the economics and politics of jade, from its sourcing and distribution to the foreign desire for jade and the powers it grants, as well as the way that jade has impacted and shaped Kekonese society. She also gives the Green Bones their own honour code and system of behaviour, resulting in an astonishingly realistic magic system. The power of jade and the Green Bones feels so incredibly real -- to the point that at times I felt I was reading a not-so-distant history of a foreign land.
This book is all about family and what we do to protect those we love, so of course the characters are a huge part of Jade City’s appeal. The POV shifts effortlessly between Kaul Lan, Hilo, and Shae, the generation charged with the leadership of the No Peak Clan. Each of them has their own interests, beliefs, and motivations and are all fully fleshed-out characters. We also get some additional point of view chapters, such as from Andan, who has been adopted by the Kaul family and is training to be a Green Bone warrior. I loved reading about every POV character in the book, but I do have an overall favourite. I don’t know if this will be unpopular or not, but Hilo was easily my favourite character in Jade City. I love the way his character is explored and grows, as well as seeing the differences between the way his family and clan perceive him versus his actual thoughts and motivations. He’s such an wonderfully complex character and I’d love to see more like him pop up.
To boil this review down into one sentence, sweep aside everything else in your TBR pile and start reading Jade City now. I’ve been reading fantasy for nearly my entire life and this is among the best of the genre. I am counting down the days until I read Jade War!
CW: substance abuse and violence
Originally posted to I Should Read That
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This review is spoiler-free.
Magic for Liars is a book that seemed like it captured all of my interests — it’s set at a magic school in my home state of California and features a murder mystery that our non-magical private investigator must solve. Although I liked Magic for Liars well enough, it didn’t quite meet my high expectations.
I think my primary issue with this book is it felt just the slightest bit underwhelming in almost every sense. To start with, the setting wasn’t quite as interesting as I had hoped. I was especially excited about the fact that the book is set in my beloved California, however it didn’t have any of that California flavour I had hoped for — this book could have really been set anywhere. I liked the fact that the school was set up like any regular high school, but I was hoping for a little bit more in terms of world building. Maybe I’ve been spoiled by Harry Potter and other contemporary fantasy books, but I was really hoping to learn more about the school itself, how magic actually worked (rather than a ‘it’s too complicated to really explain’ dismissal), and what students go on to do after they graduate. Why do regular people like you and me not know about magic? What impact does magic have on the world? For me, there were so many more questions than answers, resulting in a very lackluster setting and world.
The mystery at the heart of Magic for Liars was fine, but again I wanted just that little bit more. Gailey did a great job of building up tension and dropping clues, however the resolution fell flat — I found myself thinking ‘that’s it?’. Of everything that felt lackluster in this book, this is the one thing that I feel could have been intentional — although I can’t explain why because of spoilers — but if that is the case then I don’t think the mystery was executed as effectively as it could have been.
Ivy is a fine character — she’s a great take on the archetypal tired, antisocial alcoholic detective. Her bitterness and denial over her lack of magical ability was so visceral and I really felt those emotions. I have to say that I was expecting a little more from her relationship with her sister Tabitha. I really love the push and pull of strained sibling relationships in fiction and felt a little let down by how hands-off they both were in their relationship. Like everything else in this book, it go so close to achieving something really interesting and great but ultimately fell flat. There was a missed opportunity here for some great sibling dynamics.
Overall, I liked Magic for Liars well enough — it’s a fun spin on the magic school trope — however I wasn’t blown away by this book. I think it had the potential to be really fantastic and just didn’t quite hit the mark. It’s a short book and I feel that another 50-70 pages would have gone a long way to adding more dimension, tension, and excitement to the plot.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This review is spoiler-free.
Magic for Liars is a book that seemed like it captured all of my interests — it’s set at a magic school in my home state of California and features a murder mystery that our non-magical private investigator must solve. Although I liked Magic for Liars well enough, it didn’t quite meet my high expectations.
I think my primary issue with this book is it felt just the slightest bit underwhelming in almost every sense. To start with, the setting wasn’t quite as interesting as I had hoped. I was especially excited about the fact that the book is set in my beloved California, however it didn’t have any of that California flavour I had hoped for — this book could have really been set anywhere. I liked the fact that the school was set up like any regular high school, but I was hoping for a little bit more in terms of world building. Maybe I’ve been spoiled by Harry Potter and other contemporary fantasy books, but I was really hoping to learn more about the school itself, how magic actually worked (rather than a ‘it’s too complicated to really explain’ dismissal), and what students go on to do after they graduate. Why do regular people like you and me not know about magic? What impact does magic have on the world? For me, there were so many more questions than answers, resulting in a very lackluster setting and world.
The mystery at the heart of Magic for Liars was fine, but again I wanted just that little bit more. Gailey did a great job of building up tension and dropping clues, however the resolution fell flat — I found myself thinking ‘that’s it?’. Of everything that felt lackluster in this book, this is the one thing that I feel could have been intentional — although I can’t explain why because of spoilers — but if that is the case then I don’t think the mystery was executed as effectively as it could have been.
Ivy is a fine character — she’s a great take on the archetypal tired, antisocial alcoholic detective. Her bitterness and denial over her lack of magical ability was so visceral and I really felt those emotions. I have to say that I was expecting a little more from her relationship with her sister Tabitha. I really love the push and pull of strained sibling relationships in fiction and felt a little let down by how hands-off they both were in their relationship. Like everything else in this book, it go so close to achieving something really interesting and great but ultimately fell flat. There was a missed opportunity here for some great sibling dynamics.
Overall, I liked Magic for Liars well enough — it’s a fun spin on the magic school trope — however I wasn’t blown away by this book. I think it had the potential to be really fantastic and just didn’t quite hit the mark. It’s a short book and I feel that another 50-70 pages would have gone a long way to adding more dimension, tension, and excitement to the plot.
Originally posted to I Should Read That
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This review is spoiler-free.
I had been hearing a lot about Gumiho, titled Wicked Fox in the US, and was curious to see what all the hype was about. While I expected to like this book, I ended up absolutely loving it! To me, it is the perfect example of how YA romance should be written.
There is so much to love about Gumiho, and one of the first things that springs to mind is the setting. I love that this book takes place in modern-day Seoul. I sometimes find that modern fantasy books could really be set anywhere — the setting just feels like a place for the characters to interact rather than an important part of the story– but Cho gives such a brilliant sense of the city and its neighborhoods. I can’t imagine the book being set anywhere else. When you add creatures of Korean folklore like gumiho and dokkaebi to the story, I found that the setting came to life beautifully.
While this book is a fantastic modern-set fantasy, it has more of a focus on the romance between Miyoung and Jihoon. However I found that it worked so incredibly well because their chemistry was fantastic and they were a believable couple. The relationship between the pair is playful, yet mature, and I totally fell for them. I love relationships that evolve from a reluctant partnership, to friendship, and ultimately to romance — Gumiho gives the reader exactly that. Because much of the focus of the book is on their relationship, we get to see it develop and grow in such an organic way. This is easily one of the best YA romances I have read.
Gumiho is the perfect summery fantasy read for your beach bag! A fast-paced and fun book with a whole lot of heart, I’d highly recommend this book for readers of YA fantasy, fans of folklore and diverse reads, as well as those who love Korean dramas.
CW: Parental neglect
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This review is spoiler-free.
I had been hearing a lot about Gumiho, titled Wicked Fox in the US, and was curious to see what all the hype was about. While I expected to like this book, I ended up absolutely loving it! To me, it is the perfect example of how YA romance should be written.
There is so much to love about Gumiho, and one of the first things that springs to mind is the setting. I love that this book takes place in modern-day Seoul. I sometimes find that modern fantasy books could really be set anywhere — the setting just feels like a place for the characters to interact rather than an important part of the story– but Cho gives such a brilliant sense of the city and its neighborhoods. I can’t imagine the book being set anywhere else. When you add creatures of Korean folklore like gumiho and dokkaebi to the story, I found that the setting came to life beautifully.
While this book is a fantastic modern-set fantasy, it has more of a focus on the romance between Miyoung and Jihoon. However I found that it worked so incredibly well because their chemistry was fantastic and they were a believable couple. The relationship between the pair is playful, yet mature, and I totally fell for them. I love relationships that evolve from a reluctant partnership, to friendship, and ultimately to romance — Gumiho gives the reader exactly that. Because much of the focus of the book is on their relationship, we get to see it develop and grow in such an organic way. This is easily one of the best YA romances I have read.
Gumiho is the perfect summery fantasy read for your beach bag! A fast-paced and fun book with a whole lot of heart, I’d highly recommend this book for readers of YA fantasy, fans of folklore and diverse reads, as well as those who love Korean dramas.
CW: Parental neglect
What rollicking good fun! Really enjoyed this one -- the audio narrator was fantastic. FUll RTC, 4.5 out of 5 stars
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Originally posted to I Should Read That
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This is a spoiler-free review.
I absolutely loved Spellbook of the Lost and Found when I read it back in 2017. Ever since then, I’ve been a big fan of Doyle’s fantastic, dream-like writing. All the Bad Apples was a hugely anticipated book for me, and I’m so pleased to say that I loved it even more than I could have hoped.
What I love about Doyle’s writing is the way she uses her atmospheric, beautiful, and dreamy style to wrap larger themes into her stories. Spellbook deals with the assault of one of the friends at the party. All the Bad Apples deals with the treatment of Ireland’s women throughout history. Each section of the family tree explores a different period of time and a different trauma that women suffered. From wealthy landowners taking advantage of their tenants, to wise women providing abortions amid whispers of witchcraft, through the more modern mother and baby homes and the anti-abortion laws that put the lives of women in serious danger, Doyle does not shy away from the most shocking and appalling parts of history that many of us would rather forget ever happened. Although this is not a book for the faint of heart (see content warnings below), it is a fiercely feminist book that harnesses female rage.
Deena is such a fantastic character and a great conduit for this story. I feel that with the way the story is told, Deena could have been a very flat character that is only meant to move the story of her family’s history along. However, she was a well fleshed-out character that had so much agency and power. One of the best parts of the story for me was watching her become comfortable with her sexuality after she accidentally comes out to her sister and religious father at the beginning of the book. The Deena from the beginning of the book is quite different from the Deena at the end of the book.
All the Bad Apples is a scream of rage and feminine fury that so perfectly encompasses the feelings of anger and frustration that so many women are feeling right now. Haunted by the ghosts of Ireland’s past, All the Bad Apples is a book that will linger in your mind long after you turn the last page.
CW: incestuous rape of a minor (off-page), abortion, homophobia, abuse, forced pregnancy
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This is a spoiler-free review.
I absolutely loved Spellbook of the Lost and Found when I read it back in 2017. Ever since then, I’ve been a big fan of Doyle’s fantastic, dream-like writing. All the Bad Apples was a hugely anticipated book for me, and I’m so pleased to say that I loved it even more than I could have hoped.
What I love about Doyle’s writing is the way she uses her atmospheric, beautiful, and dreamy style to wrap larger themes into her stories. Spellbook deals with the assault of one of the friends at the party. All the Bad Apples deals with the treatment of Ireland’s women throughout history. Each section of the family tree explores a different period of time and a different trauma that women suffered. From wealthy landowners taking advantage of their tenants, to wise women providing abortions amid whispers of witchcraft, through the more modern mother and baby homes and the anti-abortion laws that put the lives of women in serious danger, Doyle does not shy away from the most shocking and appalling parts of history that many of us would rather forget ever happened. Although this is not a book for the faint of heart (see content warnings below), it is a fiercely feminist book that harnesses female rage.
Deena is such a fantastic character and a great conduit for this story. I feel that with the way the story is told, Deena could have been a very flat character that is only meant to move the story of her family’s history along. However, she was a well fleshed-out character that had so much agency and power. One of the best parts of the story for me was watching her become comfortable with her sexuality after she accidentally comes out to her sister and religious father at the beginning of the book. The Deena from the beginning of the book is quite different from the Deena at the end of the book.
All the Bad Apples is a scream of rage and feminine fury that so perfectly encompasses the feelings of anger and frustration that so many women are feeling right now. Haunted by the ghosts of Ireland’s past, All the Bad Apples is a book that will linger in your mind long after you turn the last page.
CW: incestuous rape of a minor (off-page), abortion, homophobia, abuse, forced pregnancy
I was sent a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
This one just wasn't my cup of tea! DNF at 176 pages.
It's a contemporary YA novel that's pretty evenly split between romance and thriller. The romance rubbed me the wrong way and the thriller bits weren't keeping me interested. I think this will work much better for contemporary YA readers.
CW: Animal death by hunting, drug abuse, suicide
This one just wasn't my cup of tea! DNF at 176 pages.
It's a contemporary YA novel that's pretty evenly split between romance and thriller. The romance rubbed me the wrong way and the thriller bits weren't keeping me interested. I think this will work much better for contemporary YA readers.
CW: Animal death by hunting, drug abuse, suicide
Originally published at I Should Read That
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This is a spoiler-free review for The Dragon Republic, but will contain major spoilers for The Poppy War.
I’m very vocal about the fact that The Poppy War was my favourite book of 2018, so I was naturally extremely excited to dive into The Dragon Republic as soon as I could, but I was a little nervous. The second book in a trilogy is a difficult one to pull off, as it deals with the exciting aftermath of the first book and must set up the conclusion of the series. In addition, an author’s second book, especially following a splashy debut like The Poppy War, is a notoriously difficult one to write. Despite all of this, I am so pleased to say that The Dragon Republic is a fantastic sequel to an amazing debut novel.
One of the most outstanding aspects of The Poppy War was the way that Kuang used real events and atrocities from history to influence her story — at times it felt like I wasn’t reading fiction, because in a way I really wasn’t. The Dragon Republic does something similar, however it draws deep inspiration from colonialism. Much of the book deals with war and the aftermath of the war, of course, however a new layer is added as interfering missionaries from a distant land begin meddling in the politics of Nikan. As horrifically uncomfortable as it was, especially with the racist language and values depicted, I found this aspect of the book incredibly effective in opening up the world and making The Dragon Republic feel different from its predecessor.
There are many characters in this book, both old and new, that I’m dying to talk about but don’t want to spoil the fun for you guys. I will, however, say that Rin remains one of my favourite characters ever. Despite the fact that she committed actual genocide at the end of The Poppy War, I still find myself rooting for her. Much of this book deals with her trying to live with the fact that she has done such a horrible thing and her attempts to escape the memories of Altan that continue to haunt her after his death. She shows so much incredible character growth over the course of this book and it’s just so well done.
The Dragon Republic is a sequel that effortlessly follows in the footsteps of its hugely successful predecessor. Similar enough that fans of The Poppy War will love it, yet different enough that The Dragon Republic is firmly its own book, I cannot recommend it more highly.
CW: many of the warnings for the first book apply, but there is an on-page rape scene in this book. Because the author is our queen, she has publicized that this happens in the last three pages of chapter 28.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This is a spoiler-free review for The Dragon Republic, but will contain major spoilers for The Poppy War.
I’m very vocal about the fact that The Poppy War was my favourite book of 2018, so I was naturally extremely excited to dive into The Dragon Republic as soon as I could, but I was a little nervous. The second book in a trilogy is a difficult one to pull off, as it deals with the exciting aftermath of the first book and must set up the conclusion of the series. In addition, an author’s second book, especially following a splashy debut like The Poppy War, is a notoriously difficult one to write. Despite all of this, I am so pleased to say that The Dragon Republic is a fantastic sequel to an amazing debut novel.
One of the most outstanding aspects of The Poppy War was the way that Kuang used real events and atrocities from history to influence her story — at times it felt like I wasn’t reading fiction, because in a way I really wasn’t. The Dragon Republic does something similar, however it draws deep inspiration from colonialism. Much of the book deals with war and the aftermath of the war, of course, however a new layer is added as interfering missionaries from a distant land begin meddling in the politics of Nikan. As horrifically uncomfortable as it was, especially with the racist language and values depicted, I found this aspect of the book incredibly effective in opening up the world and making The Dragon Republic feel different from its predecessor.
There are many characters in this book, both old and new, that I’m dying to talk about but don’t want to spoil the fun for you guys. I will, however, say that Rin remains one of my favourite characters ever. Despite the fact that she committed actual genocide at the end of The Poppy War, I still find myself rooting for her. Much of this book deals with her trying to live with the fact that she has done such a horrible thing and her attempts to escape the memories of Altan that continue to haunt her after his death. She shows so much incredible character growth over the course of this book and it’s just so well done.
The Dragon Republic is a sequel that effortlessly follows in the footsteps of its hugely successful predecessor. Similar enough that fans of The Poppy War will love it, yet different enough that The Dragon Republic is firmly its own book, I cannot recommend it more highly.
CW: many of the warnings for the first book apply, but there is an on-page rape scene in this book. Because the author is our queen, she has publicized that this happens in the last three pages of chapter 28.
Originally posted to I Should Read That
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This is a spoiler-free review.
You all know how passionately I love Becky Chambers’ books -- she’s one of my favourite authors and consistently puts out incredible stories. When her next release was announced, I was initially a little disappointed that To Be Taught, If Fortunate wasn’t going to be a continuation of her Wayfarers books. However I completely trust Becky to give me the gorgeous, quiet stories I crave. My faith in Becky Chambers remains -- To Be Taught, If Fortunate is the beautiful, gentle tale of human exploration that I never knew I needed.
To me, Becky Chambers’s books have always represented what humankind could be if we stopped being awful and had more consideration for each other and the universe around us. To Be Taught, If Fortunate is the best example of this, particularly with the idea of somaforming -- the way in which astronauts adapt their bodies to their environments rather than terraform a planet to adapt to them. This is the most beautifully human idea in science fictional space travel I’ve read. I absolutely love anything that deals with space exploration, hence my passionate love of Star Trek, but To Be Taught, If Fortunate blows all other works out of the water with its displays of unselfish compassion.
This novella is a little like a combination of A Closed and Common Orbit's plot-y structure and her slice of life masterpiece Record of a Spaceborn Few. However, To Be Taught, If Fortunate is unlike her other books, which are probably best known for their deep character insights. You don’t get to know the characters in To Be Taught, If Fortunate as well as you do in her full length novels. However, I didn’t mind this as the story drew out enough of the characters traits, particularly Ariadne, to make them compelling and interesting. I particularly enjoyed the subtleties that Chambers includes to help draw a picture of the way they live and interact, as well as how their mission so perfectly suits them.
To Be Taught, If Fortunate is like a warm hug. It’s a shorter story than we are used to from Chambers, however it features the heart and humanity that I’ve come to associate with her work. I couldn’t recommend this book more highly to fans of her Wayfarers series, as well as newcomers to her work that love science fiction that deals with space travel and exploration.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This is a spoiler-free review.
You all know how passionately I love Becky Chambers’ books -- she’s one of my favourite authors and consistently puts out incredible stories. When her next release was announced, I was initially a little disappointed that To Be Taught, If Fortunate wasn’t going to be a continuation of her Wayfarers books. However I completely trust Becky to give me the gorgeous, quiet stories I crave. My faith in Becky Chambers remains -- To Be Taught, If Fortunate is the beautiful, gentle tale of human exploration that I never knew I needed.
To me, Becky Chambers’s books have always represented what humankind could be if we stopped being awful and had more consideration for each other and the universe around us. To Be Taught, If Fortunate is the best example of this, particularly with the idea of somaforming -- the way in which astronauts adapt their bodies to their environments rather than terraform a planet to adapt to them. This is the most beautifully human idea in science fictional space travel I’ve read. I absolutely love anything that deals with space exploration, hence my passionate love of Star Trek, but To Be Taught, If Fortunate blows all other works out of the water with its displays of unselfish compassion.
This novella is a little like a combination of A Closed and Common Orbit's plot-y structure and her slice of life masterpiece Record of a Spaceborn Few. However, To Be Taught, If Fortunate is unlike her other books, which are probably best known for their deep character insights. You don’t get to know the characters in To Be Taught, If Fortunate as well as you do in her full length novels. However, I didn’t mind this as the story drew out enough of the characters traits, particularly Ariadne, to make them compelling and interesting. I particularly enjoyed the subtleties that Chambers includes to help draw a picture of the way they live and interact, as well as how their mission so perfectly suits them.
To Be Taught, If Fortunate is like a warm hug. It’s a shorter story than we are used to from Chambers, however it features the heart and humanity that I’ve come to associate with her work. I couldn’t recommend this book more highly to fans of her Wayfarers series, as well as newcomers to her work that love science fiction that deals with space travel and exploration.