I loved Kristen Loesch's first novel, The Last Russian Doll, so I was excited to read her newest book. The Hong Kong Widow is out today, and it is a stunning work of horror. Set between three timelines, it follows Mei from her difficult childhood, to series of sรฉances gone wrong in her 20s, to... Continue Reading →
The Phantom of the Opera meets Chinese mythology? This premise made me excited for Demon Song by Kelsea Yu. This novella is set in Beijing, where Megan and her mom have just escaped an abusive man. They end up working and living in the Huihuang Opera Theater, and soon, Megan spends her free time learning... Continue Reading →
Since reading A Dash of Salt and Pepper a few years ago, I've been wanting to read more from Kosoko Jackson. My second foray into his work is The Macabre, his debut fantasy/horror novel for adults. Lewis is a struggling artist who suddenly gets tasked with entering magical paintings to put a stop to their... Continue Reading →
In the past few years, Sue Lynn Tan has been known for her popular YA duology, the Celestial Kingdom. (There's also a short story collection that's part of it.) Now, the author marks her adult debut with Immortal. It's set in the same world as the Celestial Kingdom books, but completely stands on its own.... Continue Reading →
I didn't know what to expect going into A Song to Drown Rivers, the adult debut from Ann Liang. It's a retelling of the legend of Xishi, one of the famous Four Beauties of Ancient China, though I was not familiar with that legend. This book has also been labeled as fantasy, though I would... Continue Reading →
As a lifelong cat lover and cat owner, I'm always drawn to books about felines. As soon as I saw We'll Prescribe You a Cat by Syou Ishida, I had to read it. Already a bestseller in Japan and now available in English for the first time, this book takes the idea of cats as... Continue Reading →
One of my most anticipated books this year has been Daughters of Shandong by Eve J. Chung. Set primarily during the Chinese Civil War, it follows a mother and her three daughters as they escape persecution by the Communists in northern China and their long migration to Taiwan. From the (lack of) value placed on... Continue Reading →
Several months ago, before the cover had even been unveiled, I was intrigued about The Emperor and the Endless Palace by Justinian Huang. Spanning three disparate timelines, spotlighting gay Chinese men, and infusing it all with a theme of rebirth and fate, this is a fantasy debut I knew could not be missed. Special thanks... Continue Reading →
Between her first two novels, Iโve become a big fan of Yangsze Choo. Now sheโs back with her third novel, The Fox Wife, and I was thrilled to get an early read of it. Like her previous two books, this one combines historical fiction, fantasy, and mystery together, along with Asian settings and mythologies. This... Continue Reading →
Early last year, I enjoyed Hiro Arikawa's novel, The Travelling Cat Chronicles, about a snarky cat whose loving owner is trying to find a new home for him. It was a beautiful and heartrending book, so I was excited to learn about the authorโs new collection of short stories, The Goodbye Cat. Two of the... Continue Reading →
A debut romance I could hardly wait for this year was Wanderlust by Elle Everhart. When two virtual strangers win a trip around the world, they're stuck in close quarters and butt heads a lot... before slowly developing deeper feelings. But one of them is keeping secrets that could prevent a romance from fully blooming... Continue Reading →
For the past two years, I've been itching to read She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan. Finally, I decided to listen to the audiobook version a few weeks ago, partially in honor of AAPI Month. Set in 1345, it fictionalizes the rise of Emperor Zhu Chongba and the start of the Ming Dynasty.... Continue Reading →
In late 2020, I read Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford. It was part of a book club I was in, and all of us loved the novel. So I was excited to learn of his newest novel, The Many Daughters of Afong Moy, and even more thrilled when I was approved... Continue Reading →
I'm always looking for books by Peruvian authors and set in Peru. My husband is originally from Lima, and I lived with him there for about one year. Peru's most famous author is Mario Vargas Llosa, a Nobel Prize winner with decades of beloved novels to his name. For my first foray into his work,... Continue Reading →
For my 2022 Reading Challenge, my theme for January is books in translation. The first audiobook I chose for that challenge is The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa, originally written in Japanese. The English translation for it arrived in the U.S. in October 2018, though I picked it up more recently. As a lifelong... Continue Reading →
Last spring I found out a new novella that was coming, Nothing But Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw. The horrifying cover and description both captured my attention, and I pre-ordered the ebook, excited for October to arrive. Today, while everyone is celebrating Halloween, felt like the perfect time to read the whole story. Nothing But... Continue Reading →
One of my most anticipated books of 2020 was Love in Color: Mythical Tales from Around the World, Retold by Bolu Babalola. Although it did come out in the U.K. last year, here in the U.S. we had to wait a bit longer, but my excitement never waned. So I was thrilled when Book of... Continue Reading →
I've devoted the past couple of weeks to reading Asian fantasies. Following Song of the Crimson Flower and The Night Tiger, my trilogy ends with The Library of Legends by Janie Chang. Published earlier this year, I discovered it when it was announced as a Book of the Month selection in April. Its magical description... Continue Reading →
Following Crazy Rich Asians and China Rich Girlfriend, Kevin Kwan's hilarious trilogy comes to an end with Rich People Problems. As someone who's never been remotely rich, this title is the funniest of the three. Yet surprisingly, Rich People Problems ended up being the most serious of the three books... and it actually benefitted from... Continue Reading →
Earlier this month, I finished reading Kevin Kwan's debut novel, Crazy Rich Asians, and I loved it. So I immediately dove into the second book of the trilogy, China Rich Girlfriend. Up front I can tell you, it captures all of the humor, wit, and fun of the fist book. And while it largely features... Continue Reading →
I've been eyeing Kevin Kwan's Crazy Rich Asians for several months. Book addict that I am, I go to book stores pretty regularly, and Crazy Rich Asians has been featured on Barnes & Nobles' display shelves at least all of this year so far. A few weeks ago, I finally decided I couldn't wait any... Continue Reading →
One year ago, Min Jin Lee released her sweeping novel, Pachinko, which quickly became a bestseller and earned accolades. It captured my interest, and I finally picked up the book a few weeks ago. After finishing the final chapters today, I can say it fully lived up to the hype. Pachinko is a beautiful epic,... Continue Reading →
At the store recently I came across The Guest Cat by Takashi Hiraide, translated from Japanese. I love cats and am going to adopt one soon, so I was excited to read this book about a cat who comes into the lives of a couple in Tokyo.ย This married couple has no cat of their... Continue Reading →
Amanda's Book Corner 