Like the Comet

April was a weird month. One day it was the first week of April and the next, we’re sliding into May.

Hopefully, the one freak snowstorm we got was the last blip of surprise winter weather we’ll see this spring.

In other news, I got a new couch at the beginning of April and it has completely transformed my space. It’s also a PRIME spot to cozy up with a book - which I clearly took advantage of by reading nine books this month. :)

So let’s get to it!

*All summaries are taken or paraphrased from Goodreads.

CRAZY RICH ASIANS by Kevin Kwan

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: When Rachel Chu agrees to spend the summer in Singapore with her boyfriend, Nicholas Young, she envisions a humble family home, long drives to explore the island, and quality time with the man she might marry one day. What she doesn’t know is that Nick’s family home happens to look like a palace, that she’ll ride in more private planes than cars, and that with one of Asia’s most eligible bachelors on her arm, Rachel might as well have a target on her back.

Crazy Rich Asians is an insider’s look at Asian JetSet; a perfect depiction of the clash between old money and new money; between Overseas Chinese and Mainland Chinese; and a fabulous novel about what it means to be young, in love, and gloriously, crazily rich.

My Thoughts: I saw the Crazy Rich Asians movie in 2018 and remember walking out of the theater thoroughly satisfied, but I also must admit that it has been a few years since I’ve seen it and honestly can only recall bits and pieces of it. So, though I saw the movie before reading the book, it didn’t skew my opinion. This book was a WILD ride across the board. For starters, I truly enjoyed learning more about the Singapore and Chinese lifestyles, values, traditions, and more via all of the cultural references the author includes throughout the chapters. It was interesting to see how, although most families living in Singapore originated in China, there are specific differences that separate the countries. For example the language dialects - Hokkien, Mandarian, and Cantonese. As for the actual story, I thought it was incredible how many characters were included in this narrative, and each of the main characters had a distinct personality that added to the experience. I did feel like this also made the book a little difficult to put down and pick up because if it was a secondary character’s POV all of a sudden, I had to keep going back to the family tree diagram provided in the front of the book to remember who this specific person was and how he or she contributed to the overall story. Similarly, the author made it easy for me to develop closer relationships with the main characters, but everyone else I was kind of indifferent towards - except Peik Lin, Rachel Chu’s best friend. She’s the best lol. Overall, this was a great book and I highly recommend it if you’re looking for something with a lot of layers to it.

RIOT BABY by Tochi Onyebuchi

Rating: 3.8/5 stars

Summary: Ella and Kev are brother and sister, both gifted with extraordinary power. Their childhoods are defined and destroyed by structural racism and brutality. Their futures might alter the world. When Kev is incarcerated for the crime of being a young Black man in America, Ella - through visits both mundane and supernatural - tries to show him the way to a revolution that could burn it all down.

My Thoughts: This was a really thought provoking novella depicting not only the structural racism in America but also the detrimental effects on people’s lives who experience police brutality. The book primarily follows Kev who was born during the 1992 Los Angeles riots after the police officers who savagely beat Rodney King were acquitted. Starting from his childhood through his adult years - which are primarily spent in prison - Kev’s story takes place in the present to show that his life and the way it panned out was basically planned before he was even born. Alongside Kev’s story, we get glimpses from his older sister, Ella’s, perspective as she learns to control her supernatural powers in the past and future. Their sibling bond is really strong which was an endearing part of this otherwise heart squeezing narrative. I liked that this was a true blend of sci-fi and fantasy portrayed in everything from Ella’s powers to government drones surveying cities in the future, and how powerfully the author illustrated his message about police brutality. Overall, this book packs a powerful punch in just 176 pages if you’re looking for a quick, meaningful read.

CHILDREN OF BLOOD AND BONE by Tomi Adeyemi

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Zelie Adebola remembers when the soil of Orisha hummed with magic. Burners ignited flames, Riders beckoned waves, and Zelie’s Reaper mother summoned forth souls. But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, maji were killed, leaving Zelie without a mother and her people without hope.

Now Zelie has one chance to bring back magic and strike against the monarchy. With the help of a rogue princess, Zelie must outwit and outrun the crown price, who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good.

Danger lurks in Orisha, where snow leoponaires prowl and vengeful spirits wait in the waters. Yet the greatest danger may be Zelie herself as she struggles to control her powers and her growing feelings for an enemy.

My Thoughts: This was definitely a Bookstagram-influenced borrow from the library, and thankfully, it didn’t fall short of its hype! Children of Blood and Bone takes you on a v eventful trek to save magic from a tyrant king whose life mission is to rid the world of magic forever. In an early twist, the person who ignites the journey to save magic is the princess. The world building was phenomenal in this action-packed African folklore-inspired fantasy and really helped with the imagery. The main characters - Zelie, Amari, Tzain, and Inan - were rich in their own personalities and complemented each other so well - even during the character development. My only critique is that it was a pretty predictable storyline that’s accompanied by its enemies to lovers trope. It wasn’t hard to see which characters were going to develop a flame as well as how the book was going to pan out. There was a twist at the end that I didn’t see coming, but it was unclear if it was meant to be a cliffhanger or not. This was a great read if you’re looking for some adventure!

THE ASTONISHING COLOR OF AFTER by Emily X.R. Pan

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Leigh Chen Sanders is absolutely certain about one thing: when her mother died by suicide, she turned into a bird. When she travels to Taiwan to meet her maternal grandparents for the first time, she is determined to find her mother, the bird. In her search, she winds up chasing after ghosts, uncovering family secrets, and forging a new relationship with her grandparents. And as she grieves, she must try to reconcile the fact that on the same day she kissed her best friend and longtime secret crush, Axel, her mother was taking her own life.

Alternating between real and magic, present and past, friendship and romance, hope and despair, The Astonishing Color of After is a novel about finding oneself through family history, art, grief, and love.

My Thoughts: This was a beautiful book that will grab your heart, squeeze all the feels out of it and then put it back full again. At first, it kind of reminded me of I’ll Give You the Sun in the way the author uses art (in this case, a variety of colors) to help express the main character, Leigh’s, emotions. After her mom commits suicide though, the use of colors to express her emotions becomes a little lost because she falls into a dark place. What I really appreciated about this book is how the author virtually makes you take Leigh’s hand as she works through her grieving process, and comes to terms with her various internal battles that she could’ve done something to prevent this tragic event. Even as Leigh is learning more about her mother’s life in Taiwan by spending time with her grandmother, you can feel her slowly becoming more at-peace that her mother was sick long before they knew something was wrong. There was also something very satisfying about Leigh also processing her feelings for her best friend, Axel. It was almost like an anchor of familiarity and warmth while she experienced this cold, grieving time. Aside from the book’s narrative, it was also interesting to learn more about the Taiwanese culture through her experiences visiting all of her mother’s favorite places. Overall, I thought this was a really touching book, but please be conscious of the following trigger warnings before reading it: suicide, depression, loss of a loved one, grief, abandonment, racial slurs, and mention of electroconvulsive therapy.

SHADOW AND BONE by Leigh Bardugo

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee, Alina Starkov, who has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life - a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling. Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha and the secrets of her heart.

My Thoughts: This has been on my list of books to read for a while, but it was promoted to being a priority read this month because Netflix released their Shadow and Bone series on April 23rd and I wanted to read at least the first book before watching the show lol. As this is the first in the Shadow and Bone trilogy, I think the author did a solid job with fantasy world-building. It was seamlessly intertwined with the actual storyline and it didn’t overshadow the character development - which some fantasy novels tend to do. It was interesting watching Alina go through a mild identity crisis once her power is discovered because she’s never felt like she belonged anywhere. Even as a child, she was an orphan, so she never truly had a home. With the discovery of her power and her launch to stardom essentially, she begins to drink in that she finally has a place in the world as the Sun Summoner of the Grisha. Of course, this naivety also ends up being her character flaw, but she’s trying her best and that’s all that matters, right? Also really liked The Darkling’s character in this book because he’s basically the most powerful Grisha and one of a kind at that, but there’s still so much we don’t know about him and I’m dying to learn more. The only character I couldn’t decide if I liked or not was Alina’s childhood friend, Mal. He’s hot then cold, yes then no - Katy Perry. By the end of this book, I was definitely excited to see what else this trilogy has to offer! Highly recommended if you’re looking for an adventurous escape from reality for a bit.

SIX OF CROWS by Leigh Bardugo

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price - and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams, but he can’t pull it off alone - a convict with a thirst for revenge, a sharpshooter who can’t walk away from a wager, a runaway with a privileged past, a spy known as the Wraith, a Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums, and a thief with a gift for unlikely escapes. Kaz’s crew is the only thing that might stand between the world of destruction - if they don’t kill each other first.

My Thoughts: Okay, so I read Six of Crows because I heard some characters from this book will appear in the Shadow and Bone Netflix show since the series kind of overlap a little bit. I went into this book not knowing anything about it, and was pleasantly surprised. For starters, the storyline was an absolute delight because it’s definitely different from almost all of the other fantasy books I’ve read recently. I’m also a big fan of scrappy gang/mafia narratives - like Peaky Blinders - so, I was about it. The heist that this misfit gang is offered seems absolutely absurd, so of course they accept the challenge. The dynamics in this gang of misfits meld them perfectly together and each person’s strength is an asset to the success of this virtually impossible operation. What I really appreciated about this book was that the author allowed you to get to know each character more intimately, which enhanced my experience from everyone’s POV, and made me love them on an individual level. I do recommend reading at least the first book in the Shadow and Bone trilogy though before jumping into Six of Crows because although the author kind of gives a summary of the Grisha Verse world in this book, she provides much more world-building and details about everything in Shadow and Bone. This book absolutely charmed my heart in a way I cannot explain and I cannot wait to dive into the next one!

SIEGE AND STORM by Leigh Bardugo

Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary: Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land, all while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. But she can’t outrun her past or destiny for long.

The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darklings’ game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her - or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm.

My Thoughts: In an attempt to read the entire Shadow and Bone trilogy before starting the Netflix series, I binge read this book in one day. Which I think may have caused me to be more critical of it because my nose was in this book for like 6 hours straight lol. The pace of the book started off pretty strong with the Darkling abducting Alina and Mal from Ketterdam to hunt a mythical sea serpent. However, that quicker pace only lasted through like the first 40% of the book and then it just felt kind of slow until the last 100 pages or so. As the second book in the trilogy though, Siege and Storm was clearly a bridging book, so it was more focused on weaving key details into the plot to set us up for the third book than it was on creating exciting, action-packed scenes. I found the main character, Alina, to be a little annoying because she was being so reckless with some of her decisions. That’s pretty common to include in a character’s development when they’re young and “just discovering their true power,” and clearly, the author wanted you to feel Alina’s imposter syndrome while she found her voice as a leader. However, it was no less irritating when you want to be rooting for her, but she keeps making dumb choices. To top that off, her childhood friend/love interest, Mal, was also going through some shaky character development too, so it was just a shit show in some parts. On a positive character-related note, I really enjoyed all of the new people that were introduced in this book such as the Grisha pirate twins, Tolya and Taran, and the rogue prince/privateer, Nikolai. They added just enough spice and dynamic to the book, so that the characters you’ve been with since the beginning didn’t get stale. The plot twist related to the Morozova (the OG Grisha) amplifiers wasn’t necessarily predictable, but where the trilogy is headed after the discovery of these amplifiers was v clear - even if the characters didn’t announce it right away. Obviously, if you’re reading the Shadow and Bone trilogy, then I still encourage you to read this book, but it was definitely more low-key than the first.

RUIN AND RISING by Leigh Bardugo

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: The Darkling rules Ravka from his shadow throne, and now the nation’s fate rests with a broken Sun Summoner, a disgraced tracker, and the shattered remnants of a once-great magical army. A weakened Alina must submit to the protection of the Apprat and zealots who worship her as a Saint, but her plans lie elsewhere, with the hunt for the elusive firebird and the hope that an outlaw prince still survives.

Alina will have to forge new alliances and put aside old rivalries as she and Mal race to find the last of Morozova’s amplifiers. But as she begins to unravel the Darkling’s secrets, she reveals a past that will forever alter her understanding of the bond they share and the power she wields. The firebird is the one thing that stands between Ravka and destruction - and claiming it could cost Alina the very future she’s fighting for.

My Thoughts: Yay for this series ending on a stronger note than I was expecting after its very underwhelming second book! Like the broken record that I am, I binge read this book the day after reading Siege and Storm because, why not? Ruin and Rising came in hot serving up some well-deserved, constructive character developments across the board, as well as some plot thickeners that would make chili hard to stir. Seriously though, it was very refreshing to see Mal take accountability for his actions and become the dependable character we’ve all had the expectations for him to be. His specific storyline took a turn that I did NOT see coming, so that was an exciting piece of the puzzle to find. My fave boy, Nikolai, returned right when he was needed and also experienced a change of events that were quite unexpected. Alina, Miss Sun Summoner, stopped being annoying and started making moves towards being the game changer/world saver Ravka needed her to be. The Darkling stayed conniving, became a little more ruthless, but still had those “I’m just looking for someone to understand me” vibes. My favorite thing about this book though was it had the perfect mix of action-packed events and slower, emotion-provoking scenes - it kept the reading pace steady and refreshing. The author also made sure to tie up all of the loose ends of details we were missing, and they fit perfectly, although very unexpectedly, into this book - I will say though, they basically reveal these plot points pretty early in the TV adaption, so if you watch that first before reading these books, those details will probs be anti-climactic lol. Overall, I was satisfied and fulfilled with how this book ended the series!

PACHINKO by Min Jin Lee

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: In the early 1900s, teenaged Sunja, the adored daughter of a crippled fisherman, falls for a wealthy stranger at the seashore near her home in Korea. He promises her the world, but when she discovers she’s pregnant - and that her lover is married - she refuses to be bought. Instead, she accepts a marriage offer from a gentle, sickly minister passing through on his way to Japan. But her decision to abandon her home, and to reject her son’s powerful father, sets off a dramatic saga that will echo down through generations.

My Thoughts: I honestly have never dubbed myself as a fan of historical fiction, but it’s books like Pachinko that are making me think otherwise. This was a beautiful multigenerational story following a Korean family throughout the 20th century. I have to admit, I wasn’t well-informed about the relationship between Korea and Japan going into the book, so I learned a lot from this. This wasn’t a feel-good story, it was blunt and unapologetic as it illustrated the real, and sometimes harsh, human experience as a Korean living in Japan. I absolutely loved the women of the family, Sunja, Yangjin, and Kyunghee. They were so strong, stubborn, resilient, and dedicated to their families. It was really satisfying to me that they go from being the traditional home-keepers to being the main breadwinners for a large period of time when the men of the family each experience some hard times. There were a few heart breaking events that stick with them for years and end up changing the family dynamics. With the multiple layers of each generation, this book definitely demands a decent amount of your attention - especially in the second half where the pace speeds up. In my opinion, this could have been a little bit shorter, but overall, I really enjoyed reading Pachinko.

That’s it for April!

2021 Book Count: 29/55

YOUR TURN! In the comments below, let me know if you liked the Netflix series of Shadow and Bone compared to the books. What are you planning to read for May?