Pondering the Prose: 2018

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Saturday, December 22, 2018

Stacking The Shelves #144 & Sunday Post #108

I am combining two great blog hops: Stacking The Shelves (a Saturday feature by Team Tynga's Reviews), and Sunday Post (a Sunday feature by the Caffeinated Book Reviewer). Both of these features give people a chance to post about what books they received and also an opportunity to catch a glimpse of what others are excited about. I really enjoy seeing everyone's version of these features! All book covers are linked to Goodreads, if you want to check them out. If you enjoy my blog, please consider following me via Bloglovin, Networked Blogs, GFC, or by email subscription. If you leave a comment and tell me you are a new follower, I will follow you back!

On The Blog:

Tuesday: ARC Review: My Almost Flawless Tokyo Dream Life by Rachel Cohn

In Real Life:
This week has been so hectic I can hardly see straight!!! Working, baking, and those last-minute gifts have made me exhausted. Usually, we get this week off from school, but for some reason our school break doesn't start until next week.
All I need to do now is wrap presents, and baking lost of desserts, and I'll be all set for the holidays.

New Books:

Public Library:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13541056-queen-of-air-and-darkness

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38232379-kingdom-of-the-blind

Bought:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35794239-hey-kiddo?ac=1&from_search=true

For Review:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35715518-crown-of-feathers?ac=1&from_search=true

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40879757-the-editor?from_search=true

I finally have some time to read in the next two weeks! This is my idea of an ideal vacation. Have a wonderful holiday season.

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Tuesday, December 18, 2018

ARC Review: My Almost Flawless Tokyo Dream Life by Rachel Cohn

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38491757-my-almost-flawless-tokyo-dream-life?ac=1&from_search=true

Please Note: I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This did not influence the opinions of my review in any way.

Synopsis (From Goodreads):
In the Land of the Rising Sun, where high culture meets high kitsch, and fashion and technology are at the forefront of the First World's future, the foreign-born teen elite attend ICS-the International Collegiate School of Tokyo. Their accents are fluid. Their homes are ridiculously posh. Their sports games often involve a (private) plane trip to another country. They miss school because of jet lag and visa issues. When they get in trouble, they seek diplomatic immunity.

Enter foster-kid-out-of-water Elle Zoellner, who, on her sixteenth birthday discovers that her long-lost father, Kenji Takahari, is actually a Japanese hotel mogul and wants her to come live with him. Um, yes, please! Elle jets off first class from Washington D.C. to Tokyo, which seems like a dream come true. Until she meets her enigmatic father, her way-too-fab aunt, and her hyper-critical grandmother, who seems to wish Elle didn't exist. In an effort to please her new family, Elle falls in with the Ex-Brats, a troupe of uber-cool international kids who spend money like it's air. But when she starts to crush on a boy named Ryuu, who's frozen out by the Brats and despised by her new family, her already tenuous living situation just might implode.

My Almost Flawless Tokyo Dream Life is about learning what it is to be a family, and finding the inner strength to be yourself, even in the most extreme circumstances.

Review:
When I saw this book on NetGalley, I immediately wanted to read it. I am attracted to books set in Japan because I lived there for over three years! It was one of the most profound experiences of my life. While My Almost Flawless Tokyo Dream Life was pretty fluffy, it did capture the wonder of Japanese culture.

What I Liked:

Setting:
Having lived in Japan, I loved all the small details of life in Tokyo. From the seemingly strange customs (don't rest chopsticks directly in a bowl of rice), to the vending machines that sell beer, all the many rich differences are shown. The author must have spent time in Japan to get all these elements correct. It was very authentic.

Characters:
I enjoyed the main character, Elle. She was smart and resilient. It was fun to see Japan through her eyes, especially since she was not used to such luxury. I also liked that she was very empathetic towards her mom, who had an opioid addiction. She did a good job of separating the person from the illness. I don't know if most teens could see the situation in such a mature light. But I loved Elle for this.

Elle's father, Kenji, is also complex. While it took a while for Elle (and the reader) to know him, I liked that he wasn't a stereotype of a Japanese businessman.

Story:
If you can get past the ridiculous premise of becoming instantly wealthy, the story is quite fun. I enjoy fish out of water stories. I have traveled all over Europe (as a student). But I remember that first day in Japan I feeling like I was in another universe! This book accurately presents how overwhelming it can be to live in Japan.

I also liked the story line of Elle attending a new, elite school. It is jarring to suddenly have access to a world-class education. She also meets several new students at her school. All of them are obsessed with their grades and feel lots of pressure to be perfect. This focus on performance is a huge issue in Japan, even at international schools.

What I Didn't Like:

Premise:
Even though it would be fun to find out that you have a secret relative who is a billionaire and wants to radically upgrade your life, I found the premise to be too fantastic. It gave the impression that money solves everything. Yes, the author shows that money also creates problems of entitlement. But, I think the overall message was that people who don't have money are miserable, and those who have it are leading almost flawless lives.

Offensive Stereotypes:
I also was offended by the stereotype presented regarding foster care. Children in foster care are there because of extreme family circumstances. The people who open their homes to these children are to be commended, not vilified. As you can guess, I know people who are foster parents, and I know them to be kind, and loving people. I know there are situations where there are abusive foster homes. But they are the exception. I am really sad that the author went for the easy characterization of foster care.

Ending:
The ending was very abrupt. Many of the story lines were wrapped up a little too neatly and quickly, which I found to be extremely unrealistic.

Rating:

Release Date: December 18th, 2018

Author: Rachel Cohn

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Genre: YA Fiction

Page Length: 352 Pages

Source: NetGalley

Format: E-Book

Recommendation: This fish out of water story was a fun, quick read, but don't expect any deep reflections on wealth or privilege.

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Labels: ARC review , book review , Japan , My Almost Flawless Tokyo Dream Life , netgalley , Rachel Cohn , Tokyo , YA fiction | 0 comments

Saturday, December 8, 2018

Stacking The Shelves #143 & Sunday Post # 107

I am combining two great blog hops: Stacking The Shelves (a Saturday feature by Team Tynga's Reviews), and Sunday Post (a Sunday feature by the Caffeinated Book Reviewer). Both of these features give people a chance to post about what books they received and also an opportunity to catch a glimpse of what others are excited about. I really enjoy seeing everyone's version of these features! All book covers are linked to Goodreads, if you want to check them out. If you enjoy my blog, please consider following me via Bloglovin, Networked Blogs, GFC, or by email subscription. If you leave a comment and tell me you are a new follower, I will follow you back!

On The Blog:

No reviews posted this week. But I am gearing up to post several reviews in January, so I am busy reading and analyzing about seven books!

In Real Life:

This week flew by! I've been busy doing my online shopping for Christmas, and making several trips to Oakland to buy books at my favorite bookstore, A Great Good Place for Books. Okay, several of the books were for me...

On Friday evening my daughter and I attended a beautiful holiday choral concert with the Pacific Boychoir Academy. of Oakland, California. So many talented signers and a wonderful Brass group provided accompanying music. This concert really got me in the holiday spirit.

New Books:

Bought:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22609453-crazy-love-you

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30312855-the-last-magician?ac=1&from_search=true

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9986977-fragile?ac=1&from_search=true

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31453592-the-dark-calling?ac=1&from_search=true

Public Library:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11408650-the-unbecoming-of-mara-dyer

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15768409-the-retribution-of-mara-dyer

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13643567-the-evolution-of-mara-dyer

For Review:

Penguin Audio / Listening Library:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39402961-stronger-faster-and-more-beautiful

I heard about this book from an Instagram post of Amie Kaufman, who sang it's praises. This is a series of short stories that are truly riviting! I am really enjoying this audio book.

via GIPHY

That's it for this week. I am looking forward to losing myself in books when the holidays get too crazy! Is that also your escape? What books are you reading to relax this week?

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Labels: blog hop , Book haul , stacking the shelves , Sunday Post | 2 comments

Saturday, December 1, 2018

Stacking The Shelves #142 & Sunday Post #106

I am combining two great blog hops: Stacking The Shelves (a Saturday feature by Team Tynga's Reviews), and Sunday Post (a Sunday feature by the Caffeinated Book Reviewer). Both of these features give people a chance to post about what books they received and also an opportunity to catch a glimpse of what others are excited about. I really enjoy seeing everyone's version of these features! All book covers are linked to Goodreads, if you want to check them out. If you enjoy my blog, please consider following me via Bloglovin, Networked Blogs, GFC, or by email subscription. If you leave a comment and tell me you are a new follower, I will follow you back!

On The Blog:

Monday: Book Review: From Twinkle, With Love by Sandya Menon

In Real Life:

It was great to be back with the students at school, and it made the week fly by! On Wednesday, I went to my book club at the amazing little bookstore, A Great Good Place for Books, in Oakland, California. I love Indie bookstores, and this place has such a warm, welcoming vibe. They were even mentioned on Good Morning America on their story about Small Business Saturday!

My daughter has been in the thick of college applications. Friday was a big deadline and it has been hectic. My sole job was moral support. But it is hard to see my kid stressed out.

New Books:

Purchased:

So many sales on Cyber-Monday! I couldn't resist!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25372801-all-the-birds-in-the-sky?ac=1&from_search=true

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10429045-shatter-me?ac=1&from_search=true

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36698152-society-of-wishes?ac=1&from_search=true

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25169886-the-banished-of-muirwood?ac=1&from_search=true

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34728667-children-of-blood-and-bone?ac=1&from_search=true

For Review:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41150486-montauk?ac=1&from_search=true

Thank you, St. Martin's Press!

That's it for this week. If you are preparing for holiday celebrations, good luck! I will be jumping in to shopping this weekend.

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Labels: blog hop , Book haul , stacking the shelves , Sunday Post | 6 comments

Monday, November 26, 2018

Book Review: From Twinkle, With Love by Sandya Menon

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36373464-from-twinkle-with-love

Synopsis (From Goodreads):
Aspiring filmmaker and wallflower Twinkle Mehra has stories she wants to tell and universes she wants to explore, if only the world would listen. So when fellow film geek Sahil Roy approaches her to direct a movie for the upcoming Summer Festival, Twinkle is all over it. The chance to publicly showcase her voice as a director? Dream come true. The fact that it gets her closer to her longtime crush, Neil Roy—a.k.a. Sahil’s twin brother? Dream come true x 2.

When mystery man “N” begins emailing her, Twinkle is sure it’s Neil, finally ready to begin their happily-ever-after. The only slightly inconvenient problem is that, in the course of movie-making, she’s fallen madly in love with the irresistibly adorkable Sahil.

Twinkle soon realizes that resistance is futile: The romance she’s got is not the one she’s scripted. But will it be enough?

Told through the letters Twinkle writes to her favorite female filmmakers, From Twinkle, with Love navigates big truths about friendship, family, and the unexpected places love can find you.

Review:
Author Sandya Menon came to my attention when I read When Dimple Met Rishi. It was such a fun teen rom-com that incorporated a sweet romance, fun friendships, and a glimpse of Indian-American culture. Her newest novel, From Twinkle, With Love, has many of the same elements. I loved those. But, there were some major issues that made this book hard to enjoy.

What I Liked:

Narrative Style:
I really enjoyed that all of Twinkle's chapters were journal entries addressed to actual female directors. Of course I know who Sofia Coppola and Jane Campion are. But the author also mentions several other directors such as Ava DuVarney, and Valerie Faris, who I am not familiar with. Now I really want to watch a lot of movies by all these directors!

I also liked that all of Sahil's chapters were text messages to his friends. This was a fun way to show Sahil's personality, and his friendships.

Depiction of Male Friendships:
It is a rare thing to see such strong male friendships portrayed in a YA book. In YA books, male friendships consist mostly of guys saying to each other, "Bro..." or guys goading each other to score with girls. So it was refreshing to see Sahil and his friends texting each other and having actual conversations about their problems and feelings.

Romance:
The romance between Twinkle and Sahil is very sweet. I love that Sahil pursues Twinkle, his crush since middle school! It is his idea for her to direct a movie, and he selflessly offers himself as her producer to enable him to spend more time with Twinkle. Smart guy!

The obstacle for this couple is Twinkle's fantasy that Neil, Sahil's twin brother, perhaps also likes her. Even though Sahil is perfect for her (he totally gets who she is and adores her for it), Twinkle can't push aside this idea that popular Neil will offer her the chance to also be part of the In crowd.

Audio Book Performances:
I really enjoyed the performances of both Soneela Nankani, as Twinkle, and Vikas Adam, as Sahil. Not only do they both do a lovely job with the main characters, but they also must bring to life all of the other characters. Nankani's portrayal of her grandmother, Daadi, is so filled with grace and wisdom. Adam's changes his voice subtly to embody not just Sahil, but his friends, Aaron and Skid. I really enjoyed the character of Skid!

What I Was Mixed About:

Family Relationships:
Twinkle lives in a multi-generational household consisting of her parents and her grandmother. All of her interactions with her Daadi (grandmother) are really endearing. Daadi is quirky, but wise, and accepts Twinkle for who she is.

Her relationship with her mother is more complicated. Twinkle feels her mother doesn't care about her. But her mother is depressed since the death of her own mother in India. This causes her mother to be distant and uninvolved with Twinkle's life. While the author acknowledges this, she still has Twinkle being less than understanding of it.

This could have been a very substantial part of the story, but perhaps the author felt it didn't fit with the light, rom-com vibe she was going for. But the impact of parental depression on their children is an important topic that either should have been more fully developed, or dropped entirely from the book.

What I Didn't Like:

Twinkle:
It is hard to enjoy a book when the main character is so hard to like. I found Twinkle to be incredibly shallow. She begins the book with a crush on Neil, Sahil's brother. She seems to be under the illusion that being his girlfriend will elevate her social status and make her former friend, Mattie, like her again. While I understand that Twinkle is devastated that Mattie has left her behind, Twinkle's obsession with social cliques is foolish. Do teens really get so worked up over which group they hang out with? Why is Twinkle so bent on leaving her own group of friends behind? This is the main story line, and it causes Twinkle to do many unpleasant things throughout the novel. Although many of her mistakes are resolved by the ending, I still didn't like her selfishness.

Rating:

Release Date: May 22nd, 2018

Genre: YA Rom-Com

Author: Sandya Menon

Audio Publisher: Simon & Shuster Audio

Narrators: Soneela Nankani and
Vikas Adam

Audio Length: 9 hours, 37 minutes

Print Publisher: Simon Pulse

Page Length: 330 pages

Source: Public Library

Format: Audio Book

Recommendation: If you are looking for a fun YA romance, and don't mind a really annoying lead character, this book is for you. If you want to see a better example of the author's work, read When Dimple Met Rishi.

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Labels: Audio Book , Audio Book Review , book review , Female Directors , From Twinkle With Love , Indian American culture , Inida , Sandya Menon , When Dimple Met Rishi , ya romance | 0 comments

Saturday, November 24, 2018

Stacking The Shelves #141 & Sunday Post #105

I am combining two great blog hops: Stacking The Shelves (a Saturday feature by Team Tynga's Reviews), and Sunday Post (a Sunday feature by the Caffeinated Book Reviewer). Both of these features give people a chance to post about what books they received and also an opportunity to catch a glimpse of what others are excited about. I really enjoy seeing everyone's version of these features! All book covers are linked to Goodreads, if you want to check them out. If you enjoy my blog, please consider following me via Bloglovin, Networked Blogs, GFC, or by email subscription. If you leave a comment and tell me you are a new follower, I will follow you back!

On The Blog:
I've been taking a break from blogging, lately. With travel, and getting ready for Thanksgiving, there has been no time to blog.

Also, I just haven't had much to say! I really want to put out posts that are meaningful, and I am starting to second-guess my writing skills (thanks NaNoWriMo). I have started writing again, but it is slow going.

In Real Life:
While I have had the week off, it has been super busy. With my daughter getting ready to apply to college, we set off on a road trip to Southern California to check out both UCLA and USC. Both schools have wonderful art programs and the tours gave us plenty to think about.

We got home just in time for me to rush through Thanksgiving dinner preparations. But I think the actual dinner was a success.

New Books:

These are the books I acquired over the last three weeks.

Public Library:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40389527-the-woman-in-the-window?ac=1&from_search=true

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36373464-from-twinkle-with-love?ac=1&from_search=true

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12000020-aristotle-and-dante-discover-the-secrets-of-the-universe?ac=1&from_search=true

Purchased:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33916024-sourdough?ac=1&from_search=true

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32620332-the-seven-husbands-of-evelyn-hugo?ac=1&from_search=true

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39306049-mississippi-vegan?ac=1&from_search=true

Books for Review:

NetGalley:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36621586-the-winter-of-the-witch?ac=1&from_search=true

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36146624-you-d-be-mine?ac=1&from_search=true

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33952377-brief-chronicle-of-another-stupid-heartbreak?ac=1&from_search=true

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35707080-bloodleaf?ac=1&from_search=true

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35105833-the-girl-king?ac=1&from_search=true

That's it for this week. I hope you had an amazing Thanksgiving (or regular week, if you are outside the United States).

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Labels: blog hop , Book haul , stacking the shelves , Sunday Post | 8 comments

Tuesday, November 13, 2018

Book Review: The Heart Forger by Rin Chupeco

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33918881-the-heart-forger

Synopsis (From GoodReads):

In The Bone Witch, Tea mastered resurrection―now she's after revenge...

No one knows death like Tea. A bone witch who can resurrect the dead, she has the power to take life...and return it. And she is done with her self-imposed exile. Her heart is set on vengeance, and she now possesses all she needs to command the mighty daeva. With the help of these terrifying beasts, she can finally enact revenge against the royals who wronged her―and took the life of her one true love.

But there are those who plot against her, those who would use Tea's dark power for their own nefarious ends. Because you can't kill someone who can never die...

War is brewing among the kingdoms, and when dark magic is at play, no one is safe.

Review:
When I read The Bone Witch, by Rin Chupeco, about a year ago, I was struck by how flawed the main character was. Tea is a Dark Asha, which means she can raise the dead. She is also prone to go insane if she tries to use too much magic. There's that old saying, "Absolute power corrupts, absolutely." In The Heart Forger, As her magic becomes increasingly powerful, Tea walks a thin line between helping her friends and going fully dark. While I thoroughly enjoyed this book, there were some things I wasn't fond of.

What I Liked:

Setting:
The world of The Heart Forger is lush with magic, enchanted objects, various kingdoms, and people with different supernatural professions.

The Asha are women who are a combination of entertainers (like Japan's Geisha) and magicians. While they mostly entertain men in tea houses, they also are healers. As a Dark Asha, The main character, Tea, is called to destroy monsters.

Deathseekers are men who can do magic. They are mostly soldiers who use their magic to protect a kingdom.

A Heartforger is an artisan who creates heartsglass. These vessels hold a person's essence. I could go on to explain how this all works, but I won't. Discovering all the intricate parts of this world is one of the joys of this series.

Characters:
The main character, Tea, is very complex. While one can cheer her on, the reader also must contend with the fact that she walks on the edge of evil. Her decisions are often risky and affect all the other characters. Sometimes I caught myself being angry with her for being selfish. But she is also manipulated by those in power. I did root for her as I wanted her to break free from being used.

I loved the complicated relationship between Tea and her brother, Fox. Fox is technically her familiar, as Tea has raised him from the dead. But she doesn't control him. They can read some of each other's thoughts, which can be awkward when Fox is secretly romancing a princess, or when Tea is thinking about a man she likes. But Fox also acts as her conscience.

I also enjoyed the diversity of genders and sexuality among the characters. There is Likh, a transgender character who was born a boy but wishes to become an Asha. Other Asha, such as Zoya and Shadi, are lovers. And there are male gay characters, too. These characters all strive to live their authentic life, free from the expectations of society.

Story:
The story is full of intrigue among the Asha, the Faceless (dark magicians who have gone bad), and several kingdoms. There are plots that are decades in the making, as well as newer rivalries and forbidden romances. These were complicated storylines to follow, but the payoff at then end was worth it.

What I Didn't Like:

This book was extremely confusing!!! This occurred in two ways: lack of exposition, and the narrative structure of the book itself.

Exposition:
The Bone Witch came out in March 2017. Given the complicated array of characters and plots, could we PLEASE have some kind of recap? There is no way I can remember who everyone is and how they are related to each other. It took me a long time into reading before I felt confident that I knew who everyone was. As frustrating as this was, the confusion was ultimately worthwhile. But I was often worried that I had missed important information.

Narrative Style:
As with the first book, the narrative alternates between Tea (The Bone Witch), and an unnamed Bard who is following Tea in order to chronicle what is happening. This has good and bad points. One the one hand, I like that the action could be seen from another point of view (and one that is more objective than the main character).

However, due to this there is a lot of jumping around between parts of the story, and timelines. Incidents are sometimes repeated from the two viewpoints. This makes me unsure about when things are happening.

Lack of Resolution:
Although I was satisfied with the ending of the book, one of the main plot points was unresolved. Throughout the book, hints are given that one of the characters is dead, and that Tea has resurrected them. Yet at the end, I still didn't know if this person was dead or alive! Considering this plot point is given so much attention in the book, it is unfair to keep dangling this question in front of the reader.

Rating:

Release Date: March 20th, 2018

Author: Rin Chupeco

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Genre: YA Fantasy

Page Length: 528 Pages

Source: Public Library

Format: E-Book

Recommendation: I loved the intrigue and complicated plot. But to truly enjoy this book, you need to read The Bone Witch just before reading The Heart Forger.

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Labels: Asha , book review , Rin Chupeco , The Bone Witch , The Heart Forger , YA fantasy | 0 comments

Saturday, November 3, 2018

Stacking The Shelves #140 & Sunday Post #104

I am combining two great blog hops: Stacking The Shelves (a Saturday feature by Team Tynga's Reviews), and Sunday Post (a Sunday feature by the Caffeinated Book Reviewer). Both of these features give people a chance to post about what books they received and also an opportunity to catch a glimpse of what others are excited about. I really enjoy seeing everyone's version of these features! All book covers are linked to Goodreads, if you want to check them out. If you enjoy my blog, please consider following me via Bloglovin, Networked Blogs, GFC, or by email subscription. If you leave a comment and tell me you are a new follower, I will follow you back!

On The Blog:

Monday: Book Review: Two Dark Reigns by Kendare Blake

In Real Life:

With Halloween this week, I have barely had time to prepare for NaNoWriMo. I think I will still participate, but I am not going to worry about rigid timelines.

Although my children are too old to go trick-or-treating, we did carve pumpkins and decorated the house. We even made caramel apples.

The day after, we set up a memorial for our relatives who have passed away. In Spanish, this is called an ofrenda. If you've seen the movie, Coco, then you may understand. While I have a Mexican heritage, we didn't do this growing up. I do have strong memories of my grandma with a small alter in her bedroom that contained prayer candles, religious cards, and rosaries.