Sahi

This was an interesting read and even better narrated audiobook. I frankly don't know why I picked it up but there were definitely some insights. Though if I'll be able to implement them in whatever little writing I do is still a question. But hopefully I'll be able to come back to it if I find the need.

I've never read a John Green book before nor watched his YouTube videos. This wasn't even on my radar and even when it won the GR award, I didn't think that I would pick it up. But I have this habit of needing to listen to an audiobook every night while trying to sleep, so I'm always looking for whichever is available in my library. And when I found this one without a waitlist, I thought why not.

And this wasn't at all what I expected. I know the blurb says it's like an essay collection but because he narrates it himself, it felt like he was having a conversation with us, talking to us about all the random topics and tidbits he could think of, while also giving some unexpectedly profound thoughts on them. I can't even pick the ones I thought were best because they were all so mixed up but enjoyable and funny but also insightful at the same time. I probably did like the chapters about dinosaurs, the Internet, the notes app, and even the plague (thought that was equally heartbreaking). And his whole idea of rating these random things was definitely amazing. I don't know if I would have liked the book as much if I had read it because I feel the narration brings it to life.

And in this third year of the pandemic, this felt like the perfect book for our circumstances. In these times when we sometimes feel lost and don't know what to do or can't concentrate on anything, you can pick any chapter in this book at random and listen to it to just maybe take your mind off of things.

This book has been on my radar for a while because many of the bloggers I follow have loved it and the sequel and I couldn't help but read all the gushing reviews. I just was intimidated a bit by its size and didn't plan on reading until I found the book on sale. And now that I've added it to my series I wanna read in 2022 list, I thought now is a better time than any to start. And I can totally why it's everyone's favorite.

I remember listening to the prologue of this book many months ago but never continuing with it. But even after all this time, I still remember exactly what happened, which is a wonder considering my bad memory. That should tell you the kind of impactful writing you'll find in these pages. The author is very good at creating imagery with his words, making the setting feel alive as well as the action sequences seem very vivid. The pacing is also pretty quick - this big chonk of a book takes place within the span of just a few days. The magic system here isn't described in detail but I liked knowing about the different kinds and the use of magical artifacts was super fun to read about. What I did find a bit difficult though was getting to understand the mythology and lore of this world - we got this information in chunks of exposition which was easier to digest initially, but when we get introduced to too many gods and their creations, I kinda lost track of it all. I'm hoping I'll read the sequel soon, so maybe I'll find it not too hard if I encounter all these myriad characters in it. I'm also glad I listened to the audio while reading the book because it helped me understand the world a little easily, but the narrator was pretty cool.

Annev is a young deacon and an acolyte at the Academy who wants to become a Master Avatar and marry the girl he loves. He is extremely resourceful, a quick thinking tactician who can get himself out of most situations, but also with enough kindness in his heart. But he also has his secrets to hide, a heritage he knows nothing about and a prophecy that's coming for him - if only he can choose between what he always thought he wanted and what is destined. There were ofcourse moments where I wanted to shake him for being naive and maybe even too driven by his hormones; but he is ultimately a teenager and I could sympathize with his desire to be able to have everything that he wanted, even if some of them were at cross purposes. However, I couldn't help but admire his bravery and tenacity, and his will to protect even those who would condemn him due to unfair prejudices.

The best relationship of the book is definitely between Annev and Sodar and I loved how this almost father-son dynamic was depicted. Sodar is also hiding secrets but his love and care for Annev is obvious and he just wants to protect the boy. Annev on the other hand respects and loves Sodar, and wants to learn a lot from him, but like any teenager hates being treated like a child or told to do something against his wishes. Their bickering and banter was very heartening to read and definitely their scenes together were some of my favorites.

Most of the other characters had lesser presence but were definitely quite memorable. Headmaster Tosan came across as someone who would do anything for the sake of power and I was surprised that Annev could mostly see through that facade, even if no one else could. Myjun, the headmaster's daughter and his love interest seemed a well trained but naive young woman who was deeply entrenched in her father's teachings and in her own infallibility. Annev's fellow acolytes Therin, Titus, Fyn and Kenton each have very different personalities and ambitions and it was fascinating to see his dynamic evolve with each of them. I'm personally looking forward to seeing more of them in the next book.

I can't say I'm surprised at how the book ended - I feel like that was the only way forward. It was a great buildup throughout the novel which culminated in some brilliant action sequences and a heartbreaking climax. Overall, this was quite an interesting epic fantasy with a coming of age theme, nice found family and many unexpected friendships, very complicated characters and even more complex world building full of numerous gods and their creatures and prophecies. I might look like a good vs evil story on first glance but I feel much more simmering beneath the surface and I can't wait to explore it all in the sequel.

I should start doing a better job of keeping track of where I'm getting my recommendations from. Because I didn't even know that this memoir existed until a couple of weeks ago when I saw it on someone's best books or best nonfiction books of 2021 list and immediately decided to add it to my tbr. And this turned out to be such a hilarious experience.

So, first things first, I've never watched the Harold and Kumar series. I was just out of high school in India when the first movie came out and I had grown up in a conservative sheltered household, so I was as much of a prude as you expect me to be. I think I watched my first American Pie movie a couple of years later when I was in college but quickly realized it wasn't my kind of humor. So during those times, while I knew Kal Penn existed and had a vague idea that he was desi American comedy actor, I didn't know anything beyond that. After my move to the US many years later, I did enjoy watching him in The Namesake and House but I had never actually given any deep thought into representation or how hard it must have been for him to do what he did in Hollywood. So this memoir was a nice way for me to get to know him better and I loved every minute of it.

Kal is a comic, so it shows in every sentence of his book. Right from when he is describing his first encounter with the n-word in elementary school to the recent cancellation of his co-created television show Sunnyside, his flair for comedy and hyperbole comes through with self deprecating humor and many jabs at the people around him. I think it is only his humor though which kept me from getting too angered at seeing all the different stereotypical racist comments and micro aggressions he had to face while trying to pursue an acting career as a brown man in Hollywood. I wondered how he was able to remain optimistic and keep an open mind amid that kind of a hostile environment but I guess he had no other choice if he wanted to pursue his dreams. Many of the incidents he relays seem a little funny on hindsight but also showcase how entrenched racism and misogyny is at a systemic level in Hollywood and may only be changing a little in recent times due to the hard work and activism of many marginalized artists who worked to make it better.

It was also interesting to see that his decision to work in the government wasn't something that came out of the blue but due to his values and upbringing and something that he had always wanted to do. While all his Hollywood anecdotes were fun to read, I really enjoyed reading about how he came to work for the Obama campaign and then the White House. He seemed very earnest when talking about his work as a surrogate, the young people he met and talked to about their issues and all the policy work that he was able to be a part of after joining the White House. I was deeply moved by these chapters and could relate to them on some level as well because I've always had ideas about doing something in public service but was never encouraged and also it didn't seem like something I could do due to my very laidback and socially awkward introverted personality. So it just felt very heartening to see someone who looked like me do the things he felt were right and find fulfillment in them.

In conclusion, this was the most fun I had while reading a memoir because even when he is talking about difficult issues, he never lets the humorous tone go. And his audiobook narration is spectacular because it is told in his dramatic showmanship style and I didn't wanna stop listening even for a little while. This was a nice glimpse into the life of an artist who must have been a little ray of hope for young Asian Americans wanting to pursue the Hollywood dream when there was hardly any brown person on screen, and definitely a source of inspiration for those who want to balance both their artistic and activist sides.

DNF at about 14%.

I really wanted to like this book. But the suicide ideation in the first chapter itself put me off immediately. It's too much of a trigger for me to feel comfortable. I still continued reading but couldn't get into the story anymore. But I have to say that whatever I did read, I found the writing to be very beautiful and I'm sure others who love urban fantasy can appreciate this one better than me.

Probably more of a 3.5 but I'm not in the mood tor round it up.

I'm very impulsive when it comes to books and can't always stop myself from going on a netgalley requesting spree. But that's how I ended up with this book which is a mix of genres, most of which I don't read often and probably can't appreciate even if written well.

First things first, I didn't even realize this was a retelling of The Brothers Karamazov but I can't comment on that part because I have no clue about the source material. Other than that, this book is a mix of litfic, thriller and family drama. The writing was engaging enough because I really didn't put it down much once I started. But it was also pretty slow paced for most of the book and I had many moments of frustration - both at what wasn't happening and the characters' actions. I do have to commend the author for capturing a dysfunctional Asian American household with such clarity - the disparity between expectations of the parents and the ideas of the children, navigating the otherness of living in a majority white American small town, the bullying, the fetishizing, the identity crisis, cheating, greed, mental health issues, abandonment - the author touches on many aspects as the story goes by and most of it felt authentic, not just surface level. But that's where I think whatever I liked about the book ended. There was quite a bit of emphasis on the sexual capabilities and desires of the men of the Chao family and whether it was the writing, or just my gradual understanding of my own asexuality, I felt very uncomfortable reading those parts of the story.

I also just couldn't like the characters. I agree that characters don't have to be likeable for a reader to enjoy a book, but maybe I'm not that objective of a reader. Firstly, the patriarch of the Chao family, Leo is a greedy cheater of a husband and an abusive father and I hated him a lot. His wife Winnie is a typical Asian wife and mom who dedicates her life to her husband, children and their work, despite all the issues - I sympathized with her predicament but it also reminded me too much of real life which I wasn't ready for. Their three sons Dagou, Ming and James are products of their upbringing and environment, not always sure of what is it they want and how to move forward with their lives outside of their father's sphere of influence. Brenda was someone I was apprehensive about but I loved her character arc. Katherine was very loyal and maybe too clingy and I didn't understand her need to be close to Dagou and the family. There were quite a few other side characters who were small but noticeable presences and I found them all together to be a fascinating and diverse community.

Overall, I think this was an engaging, if slow paced read that you might like if you are in the right mood for it. The mystery doesn't start until more than halfway through though, so if you are looking for an out and out thriller, this isn't it. But I liked how the author kept us from guessing the true culprit until she revealed it herself and it was quite a revelation. However, it was a decent family drama which shows the unexpected dark side of immigrant family dynamics and if that's your jam, so pick this up. But despite it all, this book just wasn't for me. Maybe I should reaffirm my commitment to not reading contemporaries so that I don't judge them unfairly due to my personal hang ups.

It's more of a 3.5.

I remember seeing this cover around many times last year but never felt like reading it but my dear blogger friend Misty really liked the book, so I finally decided to give it a try this year.

The one refrain I've heard is the constant comparisons to Ready Player One but that doesn't matter to me because I have neither read the book nor watched the movie. I think because I'm not a gamer at all, a book with gaming and VR as it's important components didn't feel like it was for me. And this book starts off with an in-game sequence. But I think the author did a good job making the book accessible for non gamers like me with enough explanations - some might call it infodumping but I don't find it to be too bad. The pacing also is pretty fast and there weren't many moments where I felt bored. I also thought the idea of a future in which two corporations bought all the states and everything is rationed for the people was interesting. I thought the line about implants being distributed for free but water being charged heavily for was very memorable. The author tries to incorporate elements like anti-capitalism and rebellion and the importance of working together in the face of oppression and I thought it felt organic to the story if not deeply explored.

Our main character Mal is brave and kind and very much disposed to helping people who are in trouble, even if she doesn't have much better herself. Her partner in crime and best friend Jessa may not seem like she is the same but she is ever loyal and supportive, even in dangerous situations. The story is exclusively told through Mal's POV though and while she is a lovely person at heart, she did annoy me a little but I can't actually articulate why. Things also happened very conveniently for her when she needed them but I guess I can't begrudge her that. But I will not deny that I absolutely love the fact that she is aroace and it's well integrated into her personality without ever spelling it out. The super soldiers /celebrities also form a major backdrop in the story even if their physical presence is less. I loved the kind of bond that Mal was able to create with a couple of them in a short amount of time and the lengths she was ready to go through for their sake. There are a few other side characters too who made impressions but they had very little page time.

To conclude, this was an engaging and interesting story about a dystopian corporate oligarchy and how people survive in this world where even basic necessities like food and water are rationed and in the control of two companies. You have some fun characters, an anti capitalist message and I love seeing an aroace character as well as great platonic relationships represented. While it's quite a bit of an open ending for a standalone novel, I think it worked for the kind of setup this book has.

Surely a 4.5 but I'm rounding up.

I can't remember when exactly this book came onto my radar but it was a tweet about a review, and I was immediately fascinated by this story as soon as I finished reading it. The cover of the book also hadn't been revealed then and I just had this fascinating premise and a glowing review but I was sure that I had to read this book and I knew that I would love it. I kept checking for the book on netgalley periodically and I'm so glad I was approved because I didn't wanna miss this one.

As much as I always say that it's hard to write reviews for books I really love, I somehow manage it decently. But today I find myself without words to describe this book. So pardon me if I'm not articulate enough. The writing in this book was very accessible (I don't know why I thought it wouldn't be) and I found it very easy to feel engrossed in the story and not notice how much time passed. The writing also has a detached quality to it because the narrator is remembering these events while writing a book in her old age, decades after the events took place - and this detached style made it less anxious for me to handle the very high and dangerous stakes of the story. The pacing was mostly very fast, with things happening quickly and decisively, not always giving us enough time to process them. There is also a tone of sadness, regret, melancholy and some amount of sarcasm throughout because that's how the narrator is feeling while reflecting back on the happenings of her past, and I thought this was an interesting choice for the author to make - I definitely feel I enjoyed this style of storytelling and it probably wouldn't have been as effective if told in the present. There is some action but primarily this is an investigative novel, with lots of trying to find out the truth and culprits, detangling empire wide conspiracies, peppered with much philosophizing about the importance of common law and Justice. The world building isn't extensive but we get enough information about the history of the empire and it's hierarchy, as well as the various gods and it's main religion - it's just enough that we feel like it's a lived world where things are changing constantly, but we also realize that there's much more we don't know and will find out soon.

As many of my fellow reviewers have pointed out already, the premise makes it look like the story is being told through Justice Konrad Vonvalt's POV but what we get is his story being told by his young clerk and protégé Helena. She is a resourceful young lady who has suffered a lot in her childhood and should technically be thrilled to be on her way to become an Imperial Magistrate herself in the future. And while she is grateful for everything Konrad has done for her, she is still unsure about the path she wants to take in life; however, she definitely enjoys the investigative process and isn't squeamish about many things but loathes violence. I also felt like I couldn't always get a handle on her character, except that she is smart and brave and will survive almost anything the cruel world throws at her. But she does have an air of innocence about her at the beginning which gets shattered violently towards the end and I'm curious to see how that will change her.

Konrad on the other hand is an impeccable Justice of the empire who believes in his work and the certainty of the law. He can be stubborn and dismissive when others tell him things he doesn't want to hear, but isn't a bad person - just someone used to his way of life and clinging to a view of the empire and it's hierarchy that may be on the wane. And he does cut a Sherlockian figure with his adamant sense of finishing his investigations despite any dangers that might be chasing him - but Helena with her narration manages to create a more fuller perspective of his personality - a flawed man who is set in his ways, maybe has a high opinion of himself, is relentless in his methods even if it's hurting his companions, coming across as unfeeling and unsympathetic to their plight, but ultimately a loyal and maybe even compassionate man. But the changes we get to see in him as the story progresses are fascinating in real time and if the ominous words Helena uses to describe him towards the end are an indication, it's only going downhill from there.

While there are many small characters here and each have significant impacts on the story, there were only a few whom I really liked. Dubine is a brute of a person but an efficient taskman to Konrad and despite his gruff demeanor, someone who cares about Helena. Sir Radomir was another character who I thought would be more antagonistic but turned out to be a brave and upright person with a keen sense of right and wrong. Claver may have been present in person for very few pages but this religious fanatic with excessively growing power and connections is an enigmatic figure who is always in the back of our main characters' minds and I can't wait to see what more havoc he will wreak.

In a nutshell, this book was everything I expected it would be. It has its share of brutality and gore but it's not an action packed novel - this debut is a highly engrossing investigative fantasy novel featuring enigmatic characters, with enough depth to let us think on about the good and bad of imperialism in this story and the affects of religious fanaticism, as well as the importance of enforcing the law equally and dispassionately, while also questioning if law and morality can always go hand in hand. And if you are a Sherlock Holmes fan like myself and love the fantasy genre, this one is right up your alley. I'm just glad that it ended in a way which deeply satisfied me and while I'm very excited for the sequel, I'm feeling more composed about the long wait.

Definitely a 4.5 but I'm rounding up.

As a Telugu speaking person, it's sad that I hardly know anything about my language's literature and publishing scene and don't remember reading more than one novel in Telugu in my entire life (I'm not counting many of the spiritual and epics I've read in this list). So this book has been on my radar for quite a while because a Ramayana or Mahabharata retelling is just my kind of thing, and seeing that it's translated from Telugu made me more excited for it. And despite very short in length, I think this book filled the piece I felt was missing from another Ramayana retelling told from Sita's POV - The Forest of Enchantments.

I totally didn't expect the way this collection of interconnected stories unfolded. While this is indeed about the liberation of Sita, how she finally understood the importance of liberating herself from her dependence on her love for Rama and her marital and motherhood vows, what I didn't expect was that this also about giving voices to those women in the epic who are marginalized or forgotten and didn't get any closure to the abuses they were put through. Through the extended stories of Surpanakha, Ahalya, Renuka and Urmila, the author creates this group of women who have endured harsh adversities and come out of them with inner peace and fulfillment in themselves, and this sisterhood forms the strength that Sita derives from when she finds herself at various turning points in her life. It is thought provoking and really opened my mind - I almost felt like if I had examined Ramayana from this perspective before, maybe I would have liked the epic more, but I've never been a fan of it without being able to articulate why. Now I feel like I know what I needed from it.

I've hardly ever read translated fiction of any Indian languages, so I don't know if I want to comment on the quality of it. But I did find it enjoyable and profound and apt for the story. I immensely enjoyed the interview with the author at the end and as someone who knows nothing about feminist politics in Andhra or Telangana, it was wonderful to know that the author has been fighting for equality and inclusion both as an artist and activist for decades now and I found her to be so fascinating. I can only hope I will get to read more of her works - who knows maybe this time I'll read a Telugu book of hers.

I had heard quite a bit about this in my blogging circle because everyone seemed to enjoy it but I also realized that most of them were hardcore sci-fi readers, so I thought this one wouldn't be for me. But I couldn't resist buying it when it was on sale and also requested the arc for its sequel. So I started reading this on the cusp of the new year because I wanted to try something different, and it definitely was a great way to welcome 2022.

I always try and do those things on the first day of the year which I think I'll want to do more of in the rest of the year (it's just a silly sentiment I've heard since my childhood). So I technically shouldn't have read this pretty dark sci-fi at this time, but I didn't bother to read the blurb, so didn't even realize what I was getting into. The writing is beautiful in its own way, giving just enough details for everything so that we can fill the rest of it with our imaginations. It's not overly descriptive but there were some scenes (beginning right in the first chapter) which just evoked all kinds of horrific feelings and while I was scared, there was no way I could put it down. It's also a hard sci-fi book with multiverses and myriad of alien species and lots of advanced technology, and it did take me some time to understand it (and probably didn't for a lot of it too), but I was also too engrossed that I almost finished it in a single sitting. The pacing can feel relaxed at times but it's always followed by terror inducing fast paced action and chase sequences and I had a great time envisioning it all in my head.

I also can't deny that it was the themes that the author explores which held my deepest attention all throughout. We see what grief and loss can do to a person, and how not processing this trauma can morph into being reckless and hurtful (both towards oneself and others). The author also shows us how trauma can suddenly force a person to grow up (both literally and metaphorically) even if their mind isn't ready to face the realities of being an adult. The author also creates a world which felt pretty queernormative and I loved the exploration of gender fluidity while also discussing the good and bad reasons for wanting body augmentation. The found family aspects of the story are also very strong and it was a source of hope amidst a very grim story.

Caiden (or Winn) is a young 14 year old who loses everything in the span of a few hours and is suddenly thrust into a multiverse he doesn't understand and a reality he didn't know he was a part of. But what he does know is that he wants revenge upon those who are responsible for his loss and is single minded in his goal towards achieving that. While there were many moments where I wanted to force some sense into him, he was also very easy to sympathize with. He is a very good, sweet and compassionate person by nature but finds these qualities of his as not useful in a brutal world, and especially in his path for vengeance. And the suffering he endures for the sake of his goal just made me distraught and I wanted to give him a hug and protect him from this world.

Each of the members of the found family he encounters are unique - sweet and nurturing and prickly and mysterious - but they all care in their own ways and I loved watching each of their individual as well as group dynamics. His childhood friend/sister Leta has a small physical presence in the book but is always at the back of his head and plays a major part as his invisible conscience and wisdom. Threi is an intriguing antagonist whose motives you understand at times, even believe he might not be too bad, but at other times I just wanted to strangle him. I have a feeling we have more to see of his bad side. I don't wanna go into spoilery details of the other antagonists and alien species but just know that every single one of them is compelling and extremely well written.

Ultimately, this is a surprise addition to my read pile and I have to give all the credit to the engaging writing and immersive world that the author has created. While hard sci-fi fans will find all the intriguing sciency details they love in these pages, readers like me will love the brilliant characterizations and relationship dynamics, along with its very strong themes of grief, revenge, humanity and found family. So whatever kind of SFF reader you are, do give this one a try. And now that I have the sequel, I'm excited to get to it soon.

Another unexpected addition to my read pile and I have to say that this was a nice way to end the year. As a self confessed introvert who hates socializing but can fake being a loud and talkative person when very necessary, I found this pretty relatable. I liked the science behind the personality and behavioral types even if I didn't always understand it. And I know I'm not a bad person for wanting to be alone and cherishing my solitude many times but sometimes it's nice to see someone else say that. I did particularly find something to ponder about when the author was talking about introvert-extrovert couples and how to behave with introvert and shy children, so maybe I will come back to the author's advise in these matters if and when I need them in the future. Overall a good book but may not be for everyone. The audiobook was also narrated quite well.

More of a 3.5.

I picked this up on a whim because I'm not in the mood to read any of my tbr books in this week before the New Year and this seemed like a short and nice one.

First things first, the artwork in this book is gorgeous. It's bright and colorful and vibrant and I loved each and every one of them. I love the idea of each story having representative art to accompany it. As for the myths and legends, the stories are concise and do the job of introducing us to these myriad of tales from around the world, many of which we may have never heard of, and I really enjoyed getting to know them. But that's what they felt like - introductions. None of the stories go over a page, so we might feel like we are only getting some basic knowledge of the tale. And I have to say, seeing both the Mahabharata and Ramayana be summarized in a page made me feel very amused.

Overall, this is a good one to start with so that you can explore the folktales and mythological stories which interest you in depth by yourself. But if you like collecting beautiful books, then this book filled with stunning art deserves a place on your shelf.

I'm not one for poetry, so I didn't even know about this post Fatimah and just discovered the book while randomly browsing. But I was totally blown away by how much I loved it. Fatimah touches on many themes like loss of parents and home and culture, dysphoria, patriarchy, 9/11 and the aftermath of that as experienced by an American Muslim and many more, and each and every poem was very moving and hard hitting. But the ones that immediately touched my heart were the ones about the India-Pakistan partition : about the absolute devastation of what happened, the generational trauma it caused, and that hatred it gave birth to which lives on until today. Me and the author might be on the opposite sides of the partition line but the feelings and sentiments described in these poems felt very personal and I'm sure anyone from the two countries would feel the same. I'm deeply impressed by this collection and I definitely hope anyone who wants to checkout more South Asian works picks this up.

I've been waiting a while to get to this book and it lived up to all my expectations. I also listened to the audiobook and the full cast made this an excellent experience. It is informative, thought provoking and even difficult to read at times but definitely one that's worth a read. I also feel this is a great companion to last year's release Four Hundred Souls which was equally compelling in its telling of Black history.

I guess it's the end of the year, so I feel tired and not enough words are coming out of me to write this review. But just know that I feel this is a good addition to any tbr, and will probably be particularly helpful to those who are just beginning to know American history.

More of a 3.5.

I think I saw this book being reviewed by one of the booktubers or bloggers I follow and immediately decided to try it out. I've been an immigrant for almost a decade but I'm not fond of cooking, and as such love looking for places I can find delicious Indian food in America. So, I found the premise of this book very fascinating.

And I have to agree, these seven women the author talks about are phenomenal. Some of them were probably the right people at the right time to introduce and popularize their country's cuisine to the American audience, but others battled hardships in life and prejudices in the minds of people to establish themselves and their cooking. They are very inspirational as well as aspirational, and it saddened me that I knew of none of them except Julia Child before picking up this book. I was especially in awe of Najmieh Batmanglij who used her cooking as a way to reach the Iranian diaspora, and especially those in exile like her, never shying away from making political points through her cooking and trying to keep the Iranian spirit from before the revolution alive.

However, I did feel like we got to know these women on a very surface level. I can understand now that the author didn't have many sources to refer to for a couple of them, but maybe we could have gotten to know more about the others, particularly Julie and Najmieh to whom the author did have access to. I guess I just have to read the autobiographies some of these amazing taste makers have written though it seems that most of them are out of print. But it's important to remember and the many others who have carved a place for themselves in the culinary world despite not being white and privileged and not being the darlings of the establishment.

This almost felt like stepping into a new world because I don't remember much from Dragon Pearl. But that theme of young characters put in perilous situations having to make important decisions persists in this story as well and Sebin has the difficult task of choosing between their family and what they believe to be right. The seamless blending of Korean mythology with sci-fi elements and lots of adventure makes for a very entertaining read and I'm sure younger readers will appreciate it even more than me. And the normalization of various gender identities is such a lovely and organic part of this series. I hope many more authors continue to explore this diversity.

Sisters of the Vast Black was a fascinating introduction to this new world and group of Sisters and I knew I would be continuing to read the series. And this second installment turned to be equally compelling if a bit different.

The sisters are now struggling a bit, feeling unmoored after the events at the end of the first book and trying to find a new purpose for their group independent of the Church. They may not all agree with each other, and Mother Lucia is especially tormented because her faith has been shaken, but they all still want to help people and heal themselves and others as much as they can. But the world has other plans for them and they are quickly pulled into a brewing rebellion against Central Governance and a possible beginning of a cult. On the other side, Gemma is excited to be with her new crew but she is finding it hard to create a new life for herself independent of the order and her faith. She and Vauca do end up in a troublesome situation towards the end and I was both amazed and sad about the way their issues were resolved.

This was such an interesting, tense and gripping follow up to the first novella. With it's seamless blending of themes of war, religion, sisterhood and how sometimes it's difficult to live up to the basic tenets of humanity because the world doesn't let us - this is a very engaging series and I'm very excited to explore more of this world in the upcoming books and hoping there will be many more of them.

This whole trilogy has been a bit weird for me. I had heard so many good things about it from some of my favorite authors, so I couldn't resist buying all the audiobooks. And I can't say that I didn't enjoy them, but they also aren't my favorites. It's just that I found them compelling enough to continue.

I didn't remember much of what happened towards the end of Ancillary Sword, and I never checkout the blurb for this finale, so didn't at all realize that the proceedings would still remain in Athoek station this time as well. While a significant part of the book was about being ready in case of any attack on the station or on Breq, I felt that this book was mainly about the characters and their relationships. We get to see Seivarden in her most vulnerable moments, while also getting to maybe understand her snobby privileged behavior. Tisarwat is still struggling to separate her own thoughts with that of Anaander Mianaai but is making progress and is generally a great asset in troubling situations despite being pretty high strung. We have significant appearances from all the previous side characters and it's fun watching them again. And Breq is just trying to take one step at a time.

It's mostly still a slice of life kinda story but with the characters' lives in some kind of danger. But there are no elaborate battles or shrewd strategizing here - it's just a group of people (and non humans) trying hard to do the right thing and save as many innocents as possible. There's also quite an understated theme about what what it means to be human, the feelings of ships and AIs and if they all should respect each other's agency and coexist peacefully. I was quite surprised to see how the author used these themes to kinda resolve the story towards the end because I didn't see it coming. But I'm also not used to open ended trilogies, so this felt a bit unsatisfactory. However, on thinking a bit more, I think it's the perfect climax for this trilogy but I wouldn't mind knowing what happens to these characters in the future.

I've been waiting to read this since a while but I couldn't find the audiobook in my library, so I couldn't. But I finally got it and had to finish it immediately.

This was as fun as expected. There were still a couple of times I had to remind myself that these characters are kids, so if they do some things or react in a way that I find irrational, it's normal for them and I can't judge them for it. Other than that hiccup, it was mostly a very entertaining ride. The adventure never lets up, we also have a few trails this time, lots more banter, an unexpected new sister character whose addition I absolutely adored, and a few twists which were quite cool. The major one towards the end was something I did guess early on because I know the Mahabharata too well and it seemed pretty obvious to me, and the author also did a good job of foreshadowing. This time, she also gives us glimpses into the tales of Shikhandi, Uttanka, Chhaya and also Kubera and the land of Lanka. It always excites me when I read stories I know told in a new manner and this time was no different.

Overall, I had a good time reading this installment and especially enjoyed my favorite narrator Sneha Mathan's audiobook performance. And I'm excited to finally get to the end of this series next year.

More of a 3.5.

I haven't read any Kate Elliot books before but I definitely have heard of some of them, especially the science fiction. But it's no surprise that I decided to try a fantasy novella first.

I'm not 100% sure what to make of this little story. It has a lot going on - the ruling Liberationists who want to keep all the mages in control through intense propaganda and brainwashing, Monarchists who are in rebellion trying to protect their people and form an army, indentured mages who are forced to serve with no choices of their own and who can never be sure which side might actually be good for them - along with a little action and quite a bit of history and lore. And for the most part, it was written well, is very fast paced, has interesting characters whose motivations you can't be sure of but you want to like them, and quite an unexpected ending. So, while I quite enjoyed it, it almost felt like setup for a bigger story or a prequel for a new series; hence, I feel a little dissatisfied. But I'm definitely intrigued by the author's writing and would probably checkout her previous release, Unconquerable Sun.

I've only been following the author's interviews and social media for a couple of years now but he has always impressed me with his wit as well as knowledge. So when I saw this book on netgalley, I had to get the advance copy immediately. And I'm so glad I did.

As an outsider who has only lived in America for about a decade, anything I know about it's constitution, politics or law is recently learnt, mostly through books or TV. But I have to say, I've never read anything law related that is so accessible to common public like this book before. Elie uses his usual humor and candidness to elaborate not just how each of the amendments in the constitution should be interpreted and what their original intents might have been, he also elucidates the various ways in which conservatives and white supremacists and racists have misinterpreted and misused the same amendments and laws to get what they want, discriminate who they want to without fear, cement racism and police brutality against Black people as the norm of the land, and continue to dilute the effectiveness of any constructive law left right now with the help of their conservative majority on the Supreme Court. He is absolutely right when he says that any law even when passed in good faith can and will be misused because a significant population of the country have been made to believe that they can only survive if they can discriminate against all marginalized groups with impunity and enforce their fake morality on everybody.

The book does present a bleak picture. Despite whatever progress has been made over the decades, its seems obvious these days that things are not going in the right direction anymore. And that helplessness and anger does reflect in the author's writing. He doesn't mince his words when he questions even the moral standing of a constitution written by a “collection of slavers and colonizers”. And he understands that they were great men of their times, but it doesn't mean that we cling to an eighteenth century racist, sexist and bigoted originalist reading of the document. He clearly believes that an honest interpretation of the constitution and its rightful enforcement can still bring about a progressive change to the country, but whether that is a possibility or a pipe dream is something we all have to wait to see.

In the meantime, if you know someone who uses some magical words from the constitution to justify their bigoted and discriminatory beliefs, do use the points made in this book to question them right back and challenge their worldview.

CW: plague, medical experimentation, near drowning, burning, assault and whipping.

I have been seeing early review for this book for a while now and even though they were pretty gushing ones, I never felt like I wanted to read it. For whatever reason, I wasn't a huge fan of the cover either. But recently, I happened to see vaguely a couple more lovely reviews and decided that maybe I should give it a try. I'm so so glad that I didn't miss out on it because of my cover vanity.

This is in the description, so it's not a spoiler but I never actually thought I would read a book, albeit a fantasy, featuring a plague just when it feels like the omicron variant of the coronavirus is gonna wreak havoc soon. But I dared myself and picked this book up and it was a wonderful decision. Yes, this book is dark with gory descriptions of the plague and it's aftermath, the devastation it leaves behind, the legacy it leaves behind for those alive. The author doesn't shy away from describing it all in intricate detail - the landscape and the corpses and the stench and the castles and hospitals full of dying and helpless people - it is not an easy read but it is also not gratuitous, it's just the truth. Amidst this backdrop, we also have an assassination attempt, the digging through the past and following of clues to uncover the culprit, and twists and turns which just left me on the edge of my seat, unable to put the book down at all.

While it feels like the whole book is dark and tense and mysterious - and it is - that's not what one feels upon completion of it. Because in its heart, this is a story about hope and resilience in times of adversity, and the power of family and friendship. There is genuine love and joy to be found in these pages and I'm actually surprised and in awe of the author's skill in writing such a hopeful book with a very opposing bleak backdrop.

I can probably count on my fingers that number of YA fantasies I've read with a young man as the main protagonist, so that was a nice change here. And Cas is a brilliant one to follow along. He suffers greatly in prison, walks out alive almost like a miracle, sees the past and present devastation caused by the plague with gruesome clarity - but all he wants is to go home. He is not the same scrawny young boy he was at fifteen when he left on a routine mission, but the love he has for his brother and everyone present in Palmeran keep is immense and it is equally reciprocated. He needs time to recover but when a mysterious assassin keeps trying to kill off the Queen's retinue, he can't help but follow the trail of clues and unmask the truth. He is persistent, dutiful and compassionate in everything he does and it was so easy to appreciate him for everything.

He is ably supported by a young historian Lena who also happens to be the King's half sister. She is determined to follow the legacy of her historian grandfather and finish his account which was cut short. She is also very understanding of Cas's circumstances, both the after effects of his imprisonment and his new found weird powers. She is lovely and cheerful, and maybe just the right person to befriend Cas in this new life, where he is still figuring out what he needs. Their friendship is another highlight of the book and I adored that any progression of their relationship was very natural and never forced, at a pace that felt true to Cas's character arc.

Ventillus, Cas's brother is a solid presence and his love for his sibling whom he thought dead was palpable in his every word and action. He may still think his little brother needs to be coddled and protected but it is still out of love. But he is also someone who has been devastated due to too much death - both war and plague - and only wishes for peace and prosperity for his remaining loved ones. Queen Jehan is kind of the central character around whom the mystery revolves but we don't truly get to know her well. But she is a good mother and an even better Queen, who doesn't consider some tasks beneath her just because of her status. King Rayan also seemed like a reasonable ruler who values the good people around and treasures his relationships. There were also quite a few others who had minor but very heartfelt and impactful presence in the story and I'm glad we got to meet them all.

In the end, I just want to say that don't let the premise of the book scare you away. The book may seem bloody and bleak but it has some wonderful characters, especially Cas whom I really want to be best friends with, and a tale which is full of hope - hope that when we all work together full of love and compassion for each other, we will be able to overcome adversities. And I think it can't be denied that in these trying times, it's our bonds of friendship and family that have lent us strength to survive and hopefully continue to do so as we all navigate our pandemic stricken world.

I've been listening to bits and pieces of this book for a long time. It's a great resource and definitely a must read for anyone wanting to know more about the history of racism and slavery till the civil rights movements and present day issues, from a different perspective.

It might have felt a little repetitive for me because I had already read and loved the YA remixed version of this book, but it's still a spectacular and eye opening read. Highly recommend. Hoping to dive into The 1619 project as soon as I get my library copy.

And do checkout my review for Stamped if you want to read in more detail what I felt about this book.

Since the first time I saw the announcement of this book and later it's stunning covers, I not only knew that I would read it, I had a very strong feeling that it would become a favorite. And I can now happily confirm that I was right. This is indeed an unforgettable favorite of mine from now.

While I love my YA and adult epic fantasies, mythological retellings as a subgenre will always have a special place in my heart because myths and legends are what I grew up on and how I developed my interest in reading. I also remember reading up on the story of Houyi and Chang'e after finishing another retelling, Burning Roses - so I was immediately intrigued by the premise of this novel. And the author doesn't disappoint here. She has a flair for beautiful descriptions and even myself, who is not a fan of overly descriptive stuff, was immediately enchanted by the stunning palaces, serene pavilions, the delicious foods and delicate flowers. The author creates the perfect atmosphere for the Celestial Kingdom and I found myself lost in it. The writing is lyrical and poetic when it has to be, but also heart wrenching and emotional and violent when necessary. The pacing throughout the book varies, but matches the tone of the part being narrated, with everything culminating in an intense showdown.

And this gorgeous prose is perfectly complemented by wonderful characters. Xingyin starts off as a happy but naive girl content with her isolated existence until her idyllic life is shattered by some age old truths about her mother. But the arc that the author creates for her is just spectacular. She is devoted to her mother and determined to secure her freedom, and this gives her the conviction to pursue any opportunity available to come closer to her goal. She is also clever, resourceful, honorable and a very genuine person, easily making friends and impressing many others with her candidness. She doesn't shy away from dangerous assignments, is fearful for her survival but not a coward to give up, and also too loving to punish the ones who betray her trust. I'm just completely in love with her.

Liwei is in someways the typical YA hero I expect in this kind of stories - born in a position of extreme privilege but not seduced by it's power, a kind hearted person who can't make himself to become the kind of ruthless ruler his parents expect him to become, one who values friendship borne out of the bonds of his status. But this doesn't make him any less lovable - the reason why we encounter many guys like this in fiction is because we like them, we want to believe that compassion will triumph over brutality.

The friendship between Xingyan and Liwei is easy like a soft breeze, both finding something in each other, gladly enjoying their companionship while also furthering their education and training. And of course their developing romance across distinctly opposing classes is so full of deep yearning and angst that there were moments I wanted to just cry.

There are also many important side characters, some a bit fleeting and others with more important moments but nonetheless they are all memorable. The Celestial Emperor and his cunningness, the Empress and her unbridled rage, the open hearted Shuxiao who is a great friend to Xingyan, the very popular and powerful warrior Wenzhi, and the dependable General Jianyun - the author creates a plethora of distinct characters with their own backstories and motivations and it's a joy to get to know them all.

In the end, this was everything I could ask for in a YA fantasy novel - a coming of age story, a strong female protagonist who suffers but perseveres, male protagonist(s) who will charm you with their earnestness and passion, love full of yearning as well as tenderness, some excellent action sequences as well as emotionally powerful moments, maybe some magnificent creatures - and all of this with the backdrop of a daughter's devotion towards her mother. It's a beautifully written story and now I will have sky high profile expectations for its sequel.

Probably more of a 4.5 but I'm rounding up.

I knew this book had great reviews. But I never had it on my tbr because I don't gravitate towards Greek mythology retellings as I do towards the Indian ones. But when the audiobook of this was on sale, I couldn't resist buying. But it still took me a while to get to it and I'm genuinely upset that it took me this long. This is not a book that deserves languishing on any bookshelf unread.

I have read a couple Trojan War retellings before and like many of my blogger friends, I have a special place in my heart for The Song of Achilles with it's beautiful prose and even more beautiful love story. But this retelling gave me something that TSoA didn't have, something which I looked for in The Silence of the Girls but missed slightly, but finally found it here - and that is defiance. The author has decided to bring the stories of women whose lives have been affected by the war to light and that she does in truly defiant glory. This is not a chronological story and the sheer number of POVs would probably have ruined any other book, but the author masterfully crafts her words so that we never feel overwhelmed. Yes, there are so many women who affected and were affected by the war - Trojan, Greek, goddesses from Olympus and nymphs from the sea - to weave together a narrative that does justice to them all is ambitious and I'm glad the author succeeds so well at it. The prose is not necessarily beautiful, I think it tended to be more blunt but I felt it perfectly encapsulated the feelings of most of these women - they had lost too much and had no time for niceties.

And I absolutely loved getting to know these women. The story starts with Calliope who is kind of like the narrator of this book, questioning why a women who lives through the horrors of war is any less heroic than any man who fought in it. Aren't they the ones who suffer the most, even after the war has taken the lives of the men. We meet the Trojan women awaiting their fates - Hecabe, the queen of Priam who still conducts herself like her former self, never losing her fire or her sharp tongue; Polyxena, her daughter who is calm and composed and brave until the end; Andromache, Hector's wife who is soft spoken even in her grief and devastation; and Cassandra, another daughter of Hecabe, whose prophecies fall on silent ears but her grief at knowing everything and being completely helpless tugged at my heartstrings. What actually surprised me was that we don't get to see Helen much, despite the war being for her, but I guess it was an interesting choice by the author, because ultimately the other women lost so much more.

I think I actually didn't know the origins for why the war had to come to pass, so I was fascinated by the POVs of Gaia and Themis and Eris and the three goddesses with their golden apple. There was also the utter tragedy of Laodamia who is shattered by her husband's death and Oenone who is steadfast in her convictions even when faced with immense betrayal. These were two women I had never ever heard of before, so it was good to know their tales as well. We even got to read Clytemnestra's POV which I really liked because I never knew how she felt about her daughter's sacrifice and what she did after the war.

But the strongest presence I felt had to be Penelope. The author tells her story through letters written to Odysseus and I think the audiobook was particularly good at depicting her rising anger and frustration at her husband who was taking his own sweet time returning to his homeland. While we do get to know his exploits through the ten years after the end of the war, I think it was Penelope who had my heart for holding on and waiting for her husband - whether it was due to love or frustration or devotion or just duty - she was strong for herself and her son when she was inundated with suitors, and I kept wishing that she gets everything she wants.

In the end, this was a surprisingly excellent read and I think the author did a great job as the narrator of the audiobook, using all her broadcasting experience to bring the varied emotions of her characters to life. If you are looking for a Trojan war retelling which is not about the war but the women who are usually forgotten in the epic narratives of battles, writing that is blunt and unapologetic but also full of deep empathy for it's characters, and a style of storytelling that is unique and fascinating and behaves as if timeline constraints do not exist, then this is the perfect book for you.