Dust Child - Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai (Blog Tour & Review)

Date of Reading: 2/5/2023

Author: Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai

Publisher: One World

Publication Date: April 20, 2023

Rating: 5/5

About the book:

During the Việt Nam War, tens of thousands of children were born into relationships between American soldiers and Việtnamese women. Tragic circumstances separated most of these Amerasian children from their parents.

Many have not found each other again…

In 1969, two sisters from rural Việt Nam leave their parents' home to find work in Sài Gòn. Caught up in the war that is blazing through their country they, like many other young Việtnamese women, are employed as hostesses in a bar frequented by American GIs. Soon they are forced to accept that their own survival, and that of their family back home, might mean compromising the values they have always held dear. As the fighting moves closer to the city, the elder sister, Trang, begins a romance with a young American helicopter pilot.

Decades later, two men wander the streets and marketplaces of modern Sài Gòn. Phong is a ‘Dust Child’ – the son of a Black American soldier and a Vietnamese woman, abandoned by his mother and ostracized all his life – and is looking for his parents and through them a way out of Việt Nam. Meanwhile war veteran Dan returns with his wife Linda, hoping to ease the PTSD that has plagued him for decades. Neither of them can escape the shadow of decisions made during a time of desperation.

With the same compassion and insight that has made The Mountains Sing a favourite of readers across the world, Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai brings to life the interwoven stories of these four unforgettable characters and asks what it takes to move forward.

Review:

        After reading 'The Mountains Sing', picking this book was a no-brainer. Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai is a masterful writer when it comes to recapturing the images of a war-torn Vietnam and its people. Based on the interviews she conducted as part of her PhD, 'Dust Child' surpasses expectations, evoking both pain and hope in equal measure.

        Narrated in multiple POV, the story follows three lives. One is in the past during the war. Two sisters, Trang and Quynh, leave for Sai Gon anticipating a brighter future for their family and ends up working as bar girls. Back in 2016, Dan, a war veteran returns with his wife Linda to confront his past. Meanwhile, Phong, the son of a Black American soldier and a Vietnamese woman, struggles to escape the discrimination he faces in Vietnam and make it to America. All the stories are connected . . . not in the way you imagine it to be.

        As the narrative moves back and forth from 1969 to 2016, we come face to face with the realities of war. Trang, Quynh and Dan commit mistakes but it is hard to judge them when we see the devastating impact of war on their lives. We all lose something in a war. 'Dust Child' is a reminder as well as a desire that no country should be subjected to such a disaster. It's a book that will stay with you long after you've turned the final page.

Meet the author:

NGUYỄN PHAN QUẾ MAI is an award-winning Vietnamese poet and novelist. Born in the Red Delta of Northern Việt Nam, she grew up in the Mekong Delta, Southern Việt Nam. She is awriter  and translator who has published eight books of poetry, short stories and non-fiction in Vietnamese. Her debut novel and first book in English, The Mountains Sing, is an international bestseller, runner-up for the 2021 Dayton Literary Peace Prize, and winner of the 2021 PEN Oakland/ Josephine Miles Literary Award, the 2020 Lannan Literary Award Fellowship, and others, and has been translated into fifteen languages. She has a PhD in Creative Writing from Lancaster University, and her writing has appeared in various publications including the New York Times.

Quế Mai was named by Forbes Vietnam as one of the twenty most inspiring women of 2021. Dust Child is inspired by her many years working as a volunteer helping family members unite, and reflects the real-life experiences of Amerasians and

their family members.

Elizabeth Finch: Julian Barnes (Blog Tour & Review)

Date of Reading: 10/04/2023

Author: Julian Barnes

Publisher: Vintage 

Publication Date: February 23, 2023

Rating: 3/5

(This review is part of the blog tour organised by Random Things Tours)

About the book:

From the Booker Award-winning writer, a swift narrative that turns on the death of a vivid and particular woman, and becomes the occasion for a man's deeper examination of love, friendship and the mysteries of biography.

"I'll remember Elizabeth Finch when most other characters I've met this year have faded." -- John Self, The Times (UK)

This novel of unrequited platonic love takes aim at the singular character of the exacting Elizabeth Finch. When Neil, adrift in his 30s, takes her adult education class on Culture and Civilization, he becomes deeply fascinated by this private, withholding yet commanding woman. While other personal relationships and even his children drift from his grasp, Neil hangs tight to Finch and her unorthodox application of history and philosophy to the practical matters of daily living. As much as he wants to figure her out intellectually, he want to please her. Both are impossible.

In Neil's story, readers are treated to everything they cherish in Barnes: his eye for the unconventional forms love can take, a compelling swerve into nonfiction (this time through Neil's obsessive study of Julian the Apostate, following the trail of crumbs Elizabeth Finch has left for him), and the forcefully moving undercurrent of history and biography as both nourishment and guide in our daily lives. Finch is a character who challenges the reader as much as her students to think for themselves, and leaves us searching for a way to deal with one of her simplest of ideas: "Some things are up to us, and some things are not up to us."

Review:

        I have read 'The Sense of an Ending' before and it is what pulled me into his latest novel. The story of a teacher . . . I wouldn't want to miss that one. There are not many that appreciate and consider this field worthy to create a story. After all, a teacher's life is not as exciting as a doctor's or lawyer's even though we have our battles to fight. So I cherish every story out there about us.

        Elizabeth Finch is everything that I imagined and much more. She is an enigma and remains so even to our narrator till the end. A role model to be aspired to, but a hard one to achieve. The first part gives you a peep into her classes and along with her students, we too begin to ponder. The second part is rather dry with all the details on Julian the Apostate. It looked more like the author using Elizabeth Finch as a tool to shove onto the readers his critique of Christianity. In the last part, we are back to the main plot, again trying to unravel the life of our eponymous teacher.

        It is not everyone's cup of tea, that is sure. And you won't find any surprising twists like in 'The Sense of an Ending' here. But if you are in the mood to read fiction that is more like non-fiction, then you are in the right place.

Meet the author:

Julian Barnes is the author of thirteen novels, including The Sense of an Ending, which won the 2011 Man Booker Prize for Fiction, and Sunday Times bestsellers The Noise of Time and The Only Story. He has also written three books of short stories, four collections of essays and three books of non-fiction, including the Sunday Times number one bestseller Levels of Life and Nothing To Be Frightened Of, which won the 2021 Yasnaya Polyana Prize in Russia. In 2017 he was awarded the Légion d'honneur.

The Books of Jacob - Olga Tokarczuk (Blog Tour & Review)

Author: Olga Tokarczuk

Translator: Jennifer Croft

Publisher: Riverhead Books

Publication Date: February 1, 2022

Rating: 3/5

(This review is part of the Wingate Prize blog tour organised by Random Things Tours)

About the book:

The Nobel Prize-winner's richest, most sweeping and most ambitious novel yet follows the comet-like rise and fall of a mysterious, messianic religious leader as he blazes his way across eighteenth-century Europe.

In the mid-eighteenth century, as new ideas -- and new unrest -- begin to sweep the Continent, a young Jew of mysterious origins arrives in a village in Poland. Before long, he has changed not only his name but his persona; visited by what seem to be ecstatic experiences, Jacob Frank casts a charismatic spell that attracts an increasingly fervent following.

In the decade to come, Frank will traverse the Hapsburg and Ottoman empires with throngs of disciples in his thrall as he reinvents himself again and again, converts to Islam and then Catholicism, is pilloried as a heretic and revered as the Messiah, and wreaks havoc on the conventional order, Jewish and Christian alike, with scandalous rumours of his sect's secret rituals and the spread of his increasingly iconoclastic beliefs.

The story of Frank -- a real historical figure around whom mystery and controversy swirl to this day -- is the perfect canvas for the genius and unparalleled reach of Olga Tokarczuk. Narrated through the perspectives of his contemporaries -- those who revere him, those who revile him, the friend who betrays him, the lone woman who sees him for what he is -- The Books of Jacob captures a world on the cusp of precipitous change, searching for certainty and longing for transcendence.

Review:

        After reading more than a dozen pages, I had the strange inkling I am out of my depth here. It was not the length, that didn't daunt me. I am used to devouring thick volumes of historical fiction and this looked like another adventure. But Olga Tokarczuk had other ideas. There is no wonder this is a favourite pick for the award committees. If literary criticism asks us to be active readers questioning the hegemony, then this novel makes sure that we go through the promise.

        The author always keeps us from getting immersed in the story. The moment we get attached to one character's viewpoint, another is introduced and the string is broken. Clearly, this is not a comfort read rather it takes up a large chunk of your brain and energy. The first hundred pages don't even make a mention of Jacob. Pace is restored once his story comes alive through other characters associated with his life.

        It is definitely a strange story, one we would have written off as the idiosyncracies of a creative brain, if not for its historical basis. Jacob Frank succeeds in creating ripples among Jews and Christians alike with his proclamation as Messiah, rejection of the Talmud and licentious rituals. Not a pleasant story and the author's use of magic realism just adds to the strangeness of it. 

        The novel in the end makes us wonder about history. Are we really learning lessons from it or does it only sow the seeds of discord?

Meet the author:

Olga Tokarczuk is one of Poland's most celebrated and beloved authors, a winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature and the Man Booker International Prize, as well as her country's highest literary honor, the Nike. She is the author of eight novels and two short story collections, and has been translated into more than thirty languages.

Total Creative Control - Joanna Chambers & Sally Malcolm (#Review)

Date of Reading: 3/3/2023

Authors: Joanna Chambers & Sally Malcolm

Publication Year: 2021

Rating: 5/5

About the book:

Sunshine PA, meet Grumpy Boss... When fanfic writer Aaron Page landed a temp job with the creator of hit TV show, Leeches, it was only meant to last a week. Three years later, Aaron's still there...

It could be because he loves the creative challenge. It could be because he's a huge Leeches fanboy. It's definitely not because of Lewis Hunter, his extremely demanding, staggeringly rude...and breathtakingly gorgeous boss.

Is it?

Lewis Hunter grew up the hard way and fought for everything he's got. His priority is the show, and personal relationships come a distant second. Besides, who needs romance when you have a steady stream of hot men hopping in and out of your bed?

His only meaningful relationship is with Aaron, his chief confidante and indispensable assistant. And no matter how appealing he finds Aaron's cute boy-next-door charms, Lewis would never risk their professional partnership just to scratch an itch.

But when Lewis finds himself trapped at a hilariously awful corporate retreat, Aaron is his only friend and ally. As the professional lines between them begin to blur, their simmering attraction starts to sizzle

... And they're both about to get burned.

Review:

        As an ardent fan of 'Enlightenment' series, I am all too familiar with the style of Joanna Chambers. Still, I was skeptical of her shift from the regency era to the contemporary and that too as a collaboration. No wonder it was on my TBR for so long. It is a recent review I chanced upon on one of my Facebook groups (gushing about how amazing it is) that propelled me to finally give it a chance. So this review is my paying it forward. Dear reader, do not make the same mistake I did by nearly skipping over this wonderful story.

        Good slow-burn romances with the right amount of angst are always hard to come by. That is exactly why this felt like unearthing a treasure. Lewis and Aaron, boss and PA, could be cliche characters, but under the deft hands of Chambers and Malcolm, they have gained a new sheen. Their banter makes you pine for more and the couple's chemistry is just off the charts. The setting that revolves around the hit TV show 'Leeches' merges so perfectly with the storyline that I am left with no more words of praise.

        If you have a penchant for mm romances, indulge yourself a little bit. This hilarious story will leave you wanting more.

Meet the authors:

Joanna Chambers has a day job and family but manages to find time to write by not cleaning the house or watching television. She is shockingly ill-informed about popular culture. You can find her on Twitter being distracted, on Instagram being confused, and – most happily – in her FB group, Joanna’s Chamber, talking about reading and random stuff with her reader pals.

Sally Malcolm was bitten by the m/m romance bug in 2016 and hasn’t looked back. It’s fair to say she’s obsessed with the genre. She has four contemporary m/m romances out, set in the fictional Long Island seaside town of New Milton. She's also the author of eight Stargate novels and novellas, including the hit "Apocalypse" trilogy. She has penned four Stargate audio dramas for Big Finish Productions, including Stargate SG-1: "An Eye for an Eye" starring Michael Shanks, Claudia Black, and Cliff Simon. Sally lives in South West London.

Song of Silver, Flame Like Night - Amélie Wen Zhao (Review)

Date of Reading: 1/2/2023

Author: Amélie Wen Zhao

Publisher: Harper Collins UK

Publication Date: February 2, 2023

Source: NetGalley

Rating: 4/5

About the book:

In a fallen kingdom, one girl carries the key to discovering the secrets of her nation’s past—and unleashing the demons that sleep at its heart. An epic fantasy series inspired by the mythology and folklore of ancient China.

Once, Lan had a different name. Now she goes by the one the Elantian colonizers gave her when they invaded her kingdom, killed her mother, and outlawed her people’s magic. She spends her nights as a songgirl in Haak’gong, a city transformed by the conquerors, and her days scavenging for what she can find of the past. Anything to understand the strange mark burned into her arm by her mother in her last act before she died.

The mark is mysterious—an untranslatable Hin character—and no one but Lan can see it. Until the night a boy appears at her teahouse and saves her life.

Zen is a practitioner—one of the fabled magicians of the Last Kingdom. Their magic was rumoured to have been drawn from the demons they communed with. Magic believed to be long lost. Now it must be hidden from the Elantians at all costs.

When Zen comes across Lan, he recognizes what she is: a practitioner with a powerful ability hidden in the mark on her arm. He’s never seen anything like it—but he knows that if there are answers, they lie deep in the pine forests and misty mountains of the Last Kingdom, with an order of practitioning masters planning to overthrow the Elantian regime.

Both Lan and Zen have secrets buried deep within—secrets they must hide from others, and secrets that they themselves have yet to discover. Fate has connected them, but their destiny remains unwritten. Both hold the power to liberate their land. And both hold the power to destroy the world.

Review:

        As a hardcore wuxia/xianxia fan, it was no surprise I was drawn to this story. Demons, qi-based magic and colonialism -- it has everything to keep you enthralled from the very beginning. The presence of Elantian colonisers will definitely give you some "Poppy War" vibes, but the similarity ends there. The grim dark milieu slowly changes as the plot moves onto the territories still untouched by Elantians and the mystery of an ancient force beckons us.

        Lan's life itself is the greatest mystery. A song girl with a seal on her arm that is only visible to her. The first book in this series is all about her quest to know her past, understand who she is and find her destiny. In Zen she finds an ally, a friend and a lover who can guide her to the world of practitioners.  With secrets unfolding one after another, we cannot find a dull moment in the story. 

        If I have to point out some drawbacks, then the first one will be the romance between Lan and Zen. That sizzling chemistry we imagine . . . that is not really there. Hopefully, the sequel will remedy that to some extent. The Demon Gods were another dilemma. I know the plotline supports Len's point of view, but it is hard to resist Zen's reasoning. Shouldn't the Demons be used against the Elantians? Why should their people suffer under foreign rule when they can be liberated by a power that may or may not cause disaster? Well, I guess the second instalment of the series has a lot to answer for. Can't wait to read it.

Meet the author:

Amélie Wen Zhao（赵雯）was born in Paris and grew up in Beijing, where she spent her days reenacting tales of legendary heroes, ancient kingdoms and lost magic at her grandmother’s courtyard house. She attended college in the United States and now resides in New York City, working as a finance professional by day and a fantasy author by night. In her spare time, she loves to travel with her family in China, where she’s determined to walk the rivers and lakes of old just like the practitioners in her novels do.

Heart of the Sun Warrior - Sue Lynn Tan (Review)

Date of Reading: 6/11/2022

Author: Sue Lynn Tan

Publisher: Harper Voyager

Publication Date: November 10, 2022

Source: NetGalley

Rating: 4.5/5

About the book:

After her perilous quest to free her mother, Xingyin thrives once more in the tranquility of her home. But her fragile peace is threatened by the discovery of a strange magic on the moon and the unsettling changes in the Celestial Kingdom as the emperor tightens his grip on power. While Xingyin is determined to keep clear of the rising danger, the discovery of a shocking truth spurs her into a treacherous confrontation.

Forced to flee her home once more, Xingyin and her companions venture to unexplored lands of the Immortal Realm, encountering legendary creatures and shrewd monarchs, beloved friends and bitter adversaries. With alliances shifting quicker than the tides, Xingyin has to overcome past grudges and enmities to forge a new path forward, seeking aid where she never imagined she would. As an unspeakable terror sweeps across the realm, Xingyin must uncover the truth of her heart and claw her way through devastation--to rise against this evil before it destroys everything she holds dear, and the worlds she has grown to love... even if doing so demands the greatest price of all.

The stunning sequel to Daughter of the Moon Goddess delves deeper into beloved Chinese mythology, concluding the epic story of Xingyin--the daughter of Chang'e and the mortal archer, Houyi--as she battles a grave new threat to the realm, in this powerful tale of love, sacrifice, and hope.

Review:

        I would be lying if I don't admit this to be one of the most anticipated reads this year. The culmination of a wait that started last December when I finished reading the 'Daughter of the Moon Goddess'. There were no cliffhangers, for which I was grateful (isn't that one of the cruellest things that an author can do to the readers?), but the threat from the celestial emperor still looms.

        The success of the first novel is often hard to replicate, but Sue Lynn Tan has surpassed expectations here. The love triangle has matured, something that didn't really leave much of an impression on me in the last book. Wenzhi made a grand comeback, stabilising his position gradually with readers, taking us unawares. 

        I am not really fond of this usual trope found in c dramas, especially if the second suitor presents a much more sympathetic side, endearing to the viewers. Don't we have our examples in 'Ashes of Love' and 'Boys over Flowers'? Predictably Wenzhi aroused some painful memories and soon my pity turned to anger. Why is he so foolish? Can't he see that this is a losing battle? Why should fate/author toy with him so? By the time the story neared its climax, I was on the verge of losing it. It all seemed so convenient, like Bertha Mason in 'Jane Eyre'. How foolish it all was! Or so I thought.

        A wonderful ending to a captivating duology, we can rightfully say. Fickle as I am, I never expected the author to make such a bold choice, hiding a surprise towards the end. What more can I say? It was worth the wait.

Meet the author:

Sue Lynn Tan is the author of Daughter of the Moon Goddess, a romantic fantasy inspired by the beloved legend of Chang'e, the Chinese moon goddess. Born in Malaysia, Sue Lynn studied in London and France, before moving to Hong Kong with her family.

Her love for stories began with a gift from her father, her first compilation of fairytales from around the world. After devouring every fable she could find in the library, she discovered fantasy books – spending much of her childhood lost in magical worlds.

Sue Lynn can be reached on Instagram or Twitter @SuelynnTan, or on her website www.suelynntan.com.

Reforged - Seth Haddon (Review)

Date of Reading: 19/09/2022

Author: Seth Haddon

Publisher: Blind Eye Books

Publication Date: October 4, 2022

Source: BookSirens

Rating: 4.5/5

About the book:

Since time immemorial the warriors of the Paladin Order have harnessed arcane powers to protect their rulers. For Balen, who has given up his chance at love and fought his way to the top of the Paladin Order, there can be no greater honour than to serve his king. But when assassins annihilate the royal family, Balen suddenly finds himself sworn to serve the very man he abandoned.

Now with their nation threatened by enemies both within and outside the kingdom, Balen must fight hidden traitors and unnatural assassins, while also contending with the biting wit and dangerous charm of young King Zavrius. To save themselves and their nation they will have to put aside their past and reforge that trust they lost so long ago.

Review:

        If it is not for the preview available in GoodReads, I would have passed over this book, all thanks to that cover which gives off a different vibe. Let me clarify it for you then. It is not a spicy heated love story as implied (apart from two scenes towards the end), but a very slow romance with ample political intrigue in the mix. It was like reading The Captive Prince series again, all in one book. The story might be different, but the teasing, eluding king won't fail to remind you of a certain prince.

        Balen and King Zavrius were sweethearts once, but he gave up his love for the prince for his career as a Paladin. Fate had other plans though. Zavrius's siblings are killed making him the last of the royal line and therefore the new king Balen is sworn to protect. With their old chemistry still intact, this has proven to be a much more laborious task. Oh, Zavrius sure makes him pay for ditching him . . . and the angst was worth waiting for.

        The battle scenes are another factor that I enjoyed. Haddon has a way of pulling us to the fights and the twists that come one after the other keep you always at the edge. Mallet and Lance, our sidekicks/brothers provide the necessary comic relief. If I could only have another story featuring these brothers! Lance, you sure are awesome!

        All in all an action-packed, swoon-worthy romance with hilarious moments that will give you an irresistible time. Highly recommended!

Meet the author:

Seth Haddon is a queer Australian writer of fantasy. He is a video game designer and producer, has a degree in Ancient History, and previously worked with cats. He lives in Sydney with his partner and their two furry children. Some of his previous adventures include exploring Pompeii with a famous archaeologist and being chased through a train station by a nun.

Take a Chance on Greece - Emily Kerr (Review)

Date of Reading: 18/7/2022

Author: Emily Kerr

Publisher: One More Chapter

Publication Date: July 22, 2022

Source: NetGalley

Rating: 3/4

About the book:

When Lydia wakes up after a wild night out in Kefalonia with a tattoo saying ‘Awesome Andreas’, she’s mortified. She doesn’t remember meeting anyone called Andreas. And after all, she’s an accountant with a five-year plan. She’s definitely not a party girl.

The sensible thing to do would be to research how to get the tattoo removed and move on with her safe and steady life. But she’s had enough of being predictable.

Instead, Lydia decides to track down the mysterious Andreas, but the path to true love is never simple. As she goes from one disastrous date to another, she starts to lose hope in ever finding him. Perhaps Lydia is looking in the wrong places, and the right man for her is just next door, if only she’d take a chance on him . . .

Review:

        Emily Kerr is talented in turning even mundane stories into something remarkable and swoon-worthy. This is not one of her best, but still, a light-hearted and pleasurable read. The entire story revolves around her search for Awesome Andreas, the guy she has decided on as the love of her life. It is easy to guess who that is from the beginning and even the twist towards the end came out only as a mild surprise. So if you are attracted to this story because of the mystery element, I would say forget it. But if it is the word 'Greece' that drew you in, then you made the right pick.

        Lydia is no party girl and on the off chance she gets drunk, she looks absolutely sober to others. That resulted in her waking up after a drunken night in Kefalonia with a tattoo on her back. It is a name but not that of her boyfriend's. The tattoo triggers her brain into action opening her eyes to what has gone unnoticed previously. Her boyfriend is a control freak; as her boss, he exploits her abilities but he is tight-fisted when it comes to payment. She breaks off her relationship and travels back to Kefalonia in search of her Andreas.

        Joining a hotel as a maid, she starts her search for Andreas resulting in many hilarious dates. Each of these locations gives us a peak into this beautiful Greek island which will not fail to awaken your travel-crazed mind. Lydia's search may not have produced the desired result, but each of her failed dates bring her closer to understanding who she is.

Meet the author:

Emily Kerr is the author of feel-good romantic comedies.

She has been scribbling stories on bits of paper ever since she could write. She studied Classics at the University of Oxford, then did an MA in Broadcast Journalism. She works as a television journalist based in Yorkshire and loves the interesting variety of people she meets on a daily basis.

In her spare time, she can generally be found with her nose in a book or typing away at her laptop, though she also ventures into the great outdoors to take part in various running-based activities. She loves travelling, and Greece, in particular, has a special place in her heart.

Emily is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association. Her debut romantic comedy Who Does He Think He Is? was named runner-up in the Festival of Romance New Talent Award and the Joan Hessayon award.

Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor - Xiran Jay Zhao (Blog Tour & Review)

Date of Reading: 13/7/2022

Author: Xiran Jay Zhao

Publisher: Rock the Boat

Publication Date: July 7, 2022

Rating: 4/5

(This review is part of the blog tour organised by Random Things Tours)

About the book:

A middle-grade contemporary fantasy that follows a young boy as he journeys across China to seal the underworld shut and save the mortal realm.

Zachary Ying never had many opportunities to learn about his Chinese heritage. His single mom was busy enough making sure they got by, and his schools never taught anything except Western history and myths. So Zack is woefully unprepared when he discovers he was born to host the spirit of the First Emperor of China for a vital mission: sealing the leaking portal to the Chinese underworld before the upcoming Ghost Month blows it wide open.

The mission takes an immediate wrong turn when the First Emperor botches his attempt to possess Zack’s body and binds to Zack’s AR gaming headset instead, leading to a battle where Zack’s mom’s soul gets taken by demons. Now, with one of history’s most infamous tyrants yapping in his headset, Zack must journey across China to heist magical artifacts and defeat figures from history and myth, all while learning to wield the emperor’s incredible water dragon powers.

And if Zack can’t finish the mission in time, the spirits of the underworld will flood into the mortal realm, and he could lose his mom forever.

Review:

        I am so invested in Chinese web novels these days, and so it goes without saying that this story captivated me. Who wouldn't? It is a Chinese version of Percy Jackson after all. And don't make me start on that gorgeous cover page. I was hooked from the start. This is one of the rare moments when I regret not getting a physical ARC. These stunning colours invite you to make a place for them on your shelf.

        As you might have guessed, the story keeps in line with the fantasy traditions set by Percy Jackson and Harry Potter series. A trio of twelve-year-olds (two boys, one girl) travels across China to complete their mission of sealing the leaking portal that connects the mortal world and the spirit world. One couldn't but compare this with Percy Jackson series. The similarities are astounding beginning with Zach's powers which involve water. But the story doesn't feel that solid as there are no prophecies to make sense of or mysteries to uncover. No, what makes this a spectacular read is its engagement with the immigrant condition.

        Zach is a Hui Chinese immigrant whose dad was killed for voicing against the Chinese government. Leaving the country in pursuit of an American dream like many others doesn't produce the intended results. They are left struggling in a country which is reluctant to accept them however accommodating its policies are. We find Zach leaving his lunch unopened for fear of alienating his newly acquired friends but in spite of these sacrifices he remains another Asian kid to his classmates.

        This unwanted quest comes as an eye-opener not only for him but also for the readers. We do get a lot of history lessons in between and it is never boring. Representation of Chinee minorities is another fact that endears this story to me. Zack is Hui Chinese, Muslim and also queer. Melissa Wu is a Miao who intends to project her ethnicity by becoming a fashion idol. With these newfound friends, Zach is finally at home.

        Simon and Melissa make excellent sidekicks and their emperors are absolutely awesome, especially Wu Zetian. I am already intrigued by the snippets of her life story to add the TV series to the watch list. Then there is Qin Shi Huang. He might be a tyrant according to history books, but the author has created such a wonderful character out of it, we cannot help but love him to the core. He is definitely my favourite. 

        Well, this series is far from being over. The ending has left me heartbroken yet hopeful about the fate of the Dragon Emperor. Eagerly awaiting the sequel . . .

Meet the author:

Xiran Jay Zhao is the #1 bestselling author of the Iron Widow duology. A first-gen Hui Chinese immigrant from small-town China to Vancouver, Canada, they were raised by the internet and made the inexplicable decision to leave their biochem degree in the dust to write books and make educational content instead. You can find them @XiranJayZhao on Twitter for memes, Instagram for cosplays and fancy outfits, TikTok for fun short videos, and YouTube for long videos about Chinese history and culture. Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor is their first middle grade novel.

The Poppy War - R. F. Kuang (Review)

Date of Reading: 23/6/2022

Author: R. F. Kuang

Publisher: Harper Voyager

Publication Date: May 1, 2018

Rating: 4/5

About the book:

A brilliantly imaginative talent makes her exciting debut with this epic historical military fantasy, inspired by the bloody history of China’s twentieth century and filled with treachery and magic, in the tradition of Ken Liu’s Grace of Kings and N.K. Jemisin’s Inheritance Trilogy.

When Rin aced the Keju—the Empire-wide test to find the most talented youth to learn at the Academies—it was a shock to everyone: to the test officials, who couldn’t believe a war orphan from Rooster Province could pass without cheating; to Rin’s guardians, who believed they’d finally be able to marry her off and further their criminal enterprise; and to Rin herself, who realized she was finally free of the servitude and despair that had made up her daily existence. That she got into Sinegard—the most elite military school in Nikan—was even more surprising.

But surprises aren’t always good.

Because being a dark-skinned peasant girl from the south is not an easy thing at Sinegard. Targeted from the outset by rival classmates for her color, poverty, and gender, Rin discovers she possesses a lethal, unearthly power—an aptitude for the nearly-mythical art of shamanism. Exploring the depths of her gift with the help of a seemingly insane teacher and psychoactive substances, Rin learns that gods long thought dead are very much alive—and that mastering control over those powers could mean more than just surviving school.

For a while the Nikara Empire is at peace, the Federation of Mugen still lurks across a narrow sea. The militarily advanced Federation occupied Nikan for decades after the First Poppy War, and only barely lost the continent in the Second. And while most of the people are complacent to go about their lives, a few are aware that a Third Poppy War is just a spark away . . .

Rin’s shamanic powers may be the only way to save her people. But as she finds out more about the god that has chosen her, the vengeful Phoenix, she fears that winning the war may cost her humanity . . . and that it may already be too late.

Review:

        Well, it took me a rather long time; not only to finish reading this grim dark fantasy but also to decide whether I should open it or not. This is not a pleasant story as so many reviewers have already warned. You can read it as mere fantasy but considering the map presented at the beginning with its uncanny similarity to China and its neighbouring nations, that is going to be a bit stretching.

        Book 1 of the Poppy War trilogy is based on the second Sino-Japanese war and it is just the beginning. As I am nearing the end of the last book, I can say this with assurance . . . the worst is yet to come. The first half of the story focuses on Fang Runin's aka Rin's entry into Sinegard, the humiliations she faces as a dark-skinned southerner and her survival.

        War comes knocking soon enough awakening us from the dream of a happy-go-lucky fantasy. The sudden transition was a lot to take in and destroyed my reading pace. Hence the four stars. Unlike Jiang in the first half, there are no likeable characters. I didn't warm up to Altan like so many others and the same goes for the Cike team. I never quite understood Rin's infatuation with Altan (ok, maybe I get the appeal). Still, I was looking forward to Nezha and Kitay. Huh, there my premonitions prevailed.

        The first book in the series might be the one nominated for several awards, but I prefer the sequels. And I am sure many share this view as can be seen from the reduced ratings of the other two books. So if you are slightly disappointed, then my advice is not to give up. This is just the tip of the iceberg.

Meet the author:

Rebecca F. Kuang is a Marshall Scholar, Chinese-English translator, and the Hugo, Nebula, Locus, and World Fantasy Award nominated author of the Poppy War trilogy and the forthcoming Babel. Her work has won the Crawford Award and the Compton Crook Award for Best First Novel. She has an MPhil in Chinese Studies from Cambridge and an MSc in Contemporary Chinese Studies from Oxford; she is now pursuing a PhD in East Asian Languages and Literatures at Yale, where she studies diaspora, contemporary Chinese literature, and Asian American literature.

Out of the Lion's Maw - Witold Makowiecki and Tom Pinch (Review)

Date of Reading: 25/5/2022

Author: Witold Makowiecki

Translator: Tom Pinch

Publisher: Mondrala Press

Source: NetGalley

Rating: 4.5/5

About the book:

A European bestseller, un-put-down-able since 1946, now for the first time in English.

An elderly Zoroastrian priest and his teenage apprentice, a dark plot to foment a civil war. Can the two thwart it?

570 BC. The Old Mountain Lion, the predatory king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, has destroyed empires, razed cities, and driven whole nations into slavery. Now, he sews discord in the Mediterranean to soften up another victim for a surprise attack. It is up to the two unlikely heroes to try to foil the plot, and persuade kings, priests, bureaucrats, and generals to change their course. They race against the clock across the Mediterranean, pursued by spies, assassins, and eventually the whole state apparatus of eternal Egypt.

A classic tale of high adventure, full of white-knuckle twists and turns, cliffhangers and last-minute escapes, engaging characters, and sparkling humour. Continuously in print across Eastern Europe since 1946, it has been compared to The Treasure Island and The Three Musketeers.

Review:

       This was a moment of self realisation. For one, I never thought my knowledge of ancient civilisations was. . . ah . . . poor. I waded through different Mediterranean nations along with our protagonists with no idea of their present identities. When it comes to the Gods, the footnotes helped a lot. And here I am, awfully glad that I chanced upon this wonderful Polish work because of a random search in NetGalley recommendations.

        Since the blurb above doesn't give much on the story, let me enlighten you. Nehurabhed is a Medean high priest and envoy of the King and he is being held captive in Carthage. He escapes with the help of a Greek sailor, Kalias. Before fleeing Carthage they both save a boy who was sold to slavery. Melicles was captured by the pirates and had tried to escape from his plight many times. Finally Gods had answered his prayers. Nehurabhed finds in him an ally and helper and so the adventures of the duo begin.

        The combination of a wise, old man and a young, naive boy makes this story really a marvel. Nehurabhed's strange ways of finding solutions to each crisis make for many humorous and surprising twists while sixteen-year-old Melicles has a penchant for helping others. The journey opens new worlds to him and we, the readers, share his wonder and joy.

        There is no doubt that this is a timeless classic for both young and the old. Thanks to Tom Pinch we finally have an English translation. Highly recommended!

Meet the author:

Witold Makowiecki (born 1903 in Warsaw, Poland, died 1946 in Radomsk, Łódź province, south-central Poland) is a Polish agricultural engineer and writer, author of popular books for children and young adults, some of which are on the required reading list for Polish elementary schools today. Agricultural engineer by training, he had to abandon his profession for health reasons. Under German occupation during world war II, he took up writing for the young. He is the author of two popular adventure novels set in ancient Mediterranean world, written with his children in mind: Przygody Meliklesa Greka (The Adventures of Melicles the Greek) and Diossos. His books, written in the swashbuckling style, have helped to propagate familiarity with classical Greek civilization. Each book is a stand-alone volume, but the two are bound together by the appearance of the characters of Melicles the Milesian and Kalias the Syracusan. Due to their superior literary quality, both books have remained in print since their original publication in 1946.

Elizabeth of York: The Last White Rose - Alison Weir (Blog Tour & Review)

Date of Reading: 21/05/2022

Author: Alison Weir

Publisher: Headline Review

Publication Date: May 12, 2022

Source: NetGalley

Rating: 5/5

(This review is part of the blog tour organised by Random Things Tours)

About the book:

AN ENGLISH PRINCESS, BORN INTO A WAR BETWEEN TWO FAMILIES.

The eldest daughter of the royal House of York, Elizabeth dreams of a crown to call her own. But when her beloved father, King Edward, dies suddenly, her destiny is rewritten.

Her family's enemies close in. Two young princes are murdered in the Tower. Then her uncle seizes power - and vows to make Elizabeth his queen.

But another claimant seeks the throne, the upstart son of the rival royal House of Lancaster. Marriage to this Henry Tudor would unite the white rose of York and the red of Lancaster - and change everything.

A great new age awaits. Now Elizabeth must choose her allies - and husband - wisely, and fight for her right to rule.

Review

        Before reading this book, I had never given much thought to this Yorkist Queen who united the houses of York and Lancaster. Considering her husband's temperament and her meek nature, I can see why historians didn't spare much time with her. The drama unfolded by her dear son is enough to fill the pages on Tudors, so a pious and charitable queen who always sees the good in others has been put backstage. 

        If the white rose of York represents purity, then Elizabeth embodies it. Not one to question the authority or the established traditions, she was taught to accept her destiny from childhood itself. Not much of a heroine figure, if you ask me. Her subservient nature and abhorrence of confrontations cost her the opportunity to share the power with her husband, Henry VII. On the other hand, her taking a step back in everything resulted in a peaceful marriage. 

        As you can see she is not a model woman for the present age. When you think back to the influential role her contemporary Queen Isabella played in Spain, she surely is a pitiable character. She never had much voice, not even when it comes to the lives of her own mother and sisters. Weir has captured quite vividly how the shifting power balance affects the lives of women. They are mere pawns in political transactions, denied even the freedom of a common woman to marry for love or continue in a marriage that they have come to love.

        Elizabeth's life may not be legendary, but she survived one of the most turbulent times England had undergone. What this novel offers is a captivating and unique picture of the Tudor era that is laying its foundations.

Meet the author:

Alison Weir is the bestselling female historian in the United Kingdom and has sold over 3 million books worldwide She has published twenty history books. Alison is also the author of twelve historical novels, including the highly acclaimed Six Tudor Queens series all of which were Sunday Times bestsellers. The complete short story collection, In the Shadow of Queens, accompanies this series. Alison is a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and an honorary life patron of Historic Royal Palaces.

A Magic Steeped in Poison - Judy I. Lin (Blog Tour & Review)

Date of Reading: 2/5/2022

Author: Judy I. Lin

Publisher: Feiwel and Friends

Publication Date: March 29, 2022

Source: NetGalley

Rating: 3.5/5

(This review is part of the blog tour organised by Colored Pages Tours)

About the book:

I used to look at my hands with pride. Now all I can think is, "These are the hands that buried my mother."

For Ning, the only thing worse than losing her mother is knowing that it's her own fault. She was the one who unknowingly brewed the poison tea that killed her—the poison tea that now threatens to also take her sister, Shu.

When Ning hears of a competition to find the kingdom's greatest shennong-shi—masters of the ancient and magical art of tea-making—she travels to the imperial city to compete. The winner will receive a favour from the princess, which may be Ning's only chance to save her sister's life.

But between the backstabbing competitors, bloody court politics, and a mysterious (and handsome) boy with a shocking secret, Ning might actually be the one in more danger.

Review:

        I have been waiting to read this book for a long time. For one, even though this is part of a duology (I hate cliffhangers, by the way), the sequel is only months away from being released. And it is all about the art of tea making and the magic brewed with it. That is something I cannot say no to. Glad to say that the story doesn't disappoint.

        Ning is on a mission to save her sister from the brink of death. Her mother has already succumbed to the poison found in the tea leaves provided by the imperial coffers. Her only chance lies in winning the competition organised by the princess. Am I the only one here getting the 'Hunger Games' and 'Goblet of Fire' vibes? Well, don't expect something that nerve-racking; except for the last part, the story follows an even pace as soothing as the morning tea.

         That brings us to the most interesting part: the magic of the shennong-shi, masters adept in the art of tea-making. In a palace riddled with mysteries where every step could lead to danger, the competition adds another layer to the political intrigue. Not everything or everyone is what they seem. As Ning progresses through each round we are introduced bit by bit to the beauty of this art and when the shennong-tu's hands wield the tea, all the chaos seems to recede.

        The story explores the power of female relationships and thus all the major characters are women, except for Kang - the adopted son of the banished prince. His background is still shrouded in mystery, that is something to wait for in the sequel. Their sudden progress from friends to lovers might have taken me by surprise, still, I am rooting for this duo.

        A beautiful story that will ensnare you from the very beginning. Drinking tea will never be the same anymore.

Favourite quotes:

"Grief has a taste, bitter and lingering, but so soft it sometimes disguises itself as sweetness"

"The nice thing about getting old is you realize everything circles back on itself"

"Human hands make mistakes, Ning, but they are the hands the gods gave us. We use them to make amends, to do good things"

"We all have people we care about, those we would give our lives for. It puts us in danger, or makes us dangerous"

"There is a difference between living the suffering and reading about it"

Meet the author:

Judy Lin was born in Taiwan and moved to Canada when she was eight years old. She grew up with her nose in a book and loved to escape to imaginary worlds. She now divides her time between working as an occupational therapist and creating imaginary worlds of her own. She lives on the Canadian prairies with her husband and daughter.