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READING HAAAAUL! Sorry I haven't been around recently. I've been in a reading burnout phase but I still read books on the down low. Here is a splurge of reviews of books I read recently that I definitely recommend~! MORE REVIEWS TO COME!
Tiger Honor by Yoon Ha Lee
Rating: 3.5/5
KOREAN MYTHOLOGY IN SPACE! How exciting is that!! I had really high hopes for this book as a big fan of the Percy Jackson series and it did not disappoint. One thing I wished we got more of was the mythology aspect. It seemed like the main thing was that some humans have animal spirits and can transform into animals but I wanted MORE. I think I was missing some context as it has been a while since I have read the first book to understand the world building and some characters so I suggest readers so back and get a refresher before diving into this book. Sebin struggles with the honor of his family and his dream of being a space cadet. Which will he choose? I loved his character arc and feel that it was explored very well. Sebin goes through many dilemmas and his choices are very admirable. LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT BOOK!
The Two Wrong Halves of Ruby Taylor by Amanda Panitch
Rating: 4.5/5
HONESTLY, one of my most favorite middle grade books. It strongly explores how adults don't always handle things the correct way and how it could affect their children and how they process it. I was caught off unexpectedly by the mythology aspect of the book and how STRONG Ruby is. This is a great coming of age book that teaches kids to be individuals and stand up for each other. I hope it can open good conversations between children and their parents about their identity.
Lockdown on London Lane by Beth Reekles
Rating: 4/5
This is such a relatable book about the mundane moments in the pandemic. It follows five flats as they deal with a lock in and and a cute love story of being quarantined together after you JUST started dating. Every tenant is at a different point in their lives for example one is planning a whole WEDDING stuck inside. It was very enjoyable watching everything intertwine and unravel. I look forward to the new surge of pandemic books. This is a great example of one and I hope they are all as good.
Gold Mountain by Betty G. Yee
Rating: 4/5
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. There are so many layers in it. After Ling's brother passes away from influenza, she disguises herself as him as she was always raised like a boy. She takes his contract to work in the railroads in America to make money for her family to free her Baba from jail. Ling's one goal is to make money. But as she makes friends along the way her situation becomes complicated. There are layers of racism and injustices in hard labor work that affects Ling's morale. She has a bit of a villain, selfish arc part way through which I appreciated because it made her reflect a lot on her values and made me root for her more. There is so much history in this story that I was not aware of and was so interested to learn more.
Something I wished we got more of was her struggle adapting to the hard labor. She had an existential crisis realizing that she is a woman who has never done hard labor or rough work before compared to her peers. Then when she gets to work, other than some aches she seems to magically fit in.
Audrey by Sean-Paul Thomas
Rating: 4/5
It's hard to put into words how I feel about this book because of the many layers.
First I would like the mention the writing and how amazing it is. It is so easy to read this book and get loss in the worldbuilding and movie tangents. I could tell from the writing style that I was going to love this book in the first couple of pages and I was right. Sean-Paul Thomas makes it so EASY to fall in love with Joe and root for his success and reunion with his daughter. Joe is such a well developed character and I really enjoyed diving into his feelings and motivations behind what he does. His passion for writing is very admirable even as he learns about how hard it is to produce work in the real world. Audrey is a girl on fire. She talks like a heiress but has a dark past. Seeing their complicated romance blossom was a joy. They supported each other in a unique way but in the end it was what they both needed for their true aspirations.
Serenity Poems
Rating: 4.5/5
This is definitely one of my favorite poetry books about love. This is on par with Rupi Kaur in my opinion. Simple yet moving and emotional poems that remind you of first love, feeling secure, hope, and much more. The book is split into three sections. You don't have to read it in order, maybe choose the one that calls to you the most first: acceptance, hope, and tranquility. I want to buy this book to keep it in my collection. Every word just felt so /right/ and the perfect capture of love. I can't get enough of this book!
Thank you Netgalley for these books!!
Warm regards,
Diana Banana
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