Top Ten AAPI I Love

Here are a few books written by AAPI authors that I would recommend if you're looking for a few more to round out the month!

 As always, click on the picture of the book to read more about it on Goodreads. 

 

1. Daughter Of The Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan

 

 

2. Tokyo Ever After by Emiko Jean

3. Once Upon A K-Prom by Kat Cho

4. The Singles Table by Sara Desai

 

5. Nina The Starry Bride by Rikachi

 

 

6. XOXO by Axie Oh

 

 

7. Barely Functional Adult by Meichi Ng

 

 

8. Hana Kimi by Hisaya Nakajo

9. A Taste For Love by Jennifer Yen

10. Shortcake Cake by Suu Morishita

ARC Audiobook Review: The Bodyguard ~ Katherine Center

 

Image from Goodreads. Click on the image to learn more about this book.

Format I Used: Audiobook ARC
Pages: 320
Running Time: 9h:40m
My Rating: 5 gazillion stars
Publication Date: July 19, 2022

 

Is this book on your radar at all? If not, it 100% SHOULD be.

I don't think I need to warn you, but just in case you're new to my reviews: I love spoilers and I love to ramble. So PLEAAASE read on with caution if you haven't read this book yet and plan on it.

You know what? I need to start carrying around a bag full of stars so I can just go around throwing them when I read a book that I like.

Because this book?

Deserved all the stars.

All. The. Stars.

This is, I think, the third book in a row that I've just absolutely adored, and it's a good feeling. But also, I'm going to cry the second a book doesn't make me feel this happy.

I love love loved this book.

I was so excited when I got notified that my audio ARC request had been approved. But at the same time I was nervous, because this book was so hyped in my head and online, and I was afraid it wouldn't live up to that and disappoint me. But my worries were unfounded, because it was AMAZING.

I was constantly updating on Goodreads and was kind of sad that I didn't have the ebook or physical book handy to put sticky notes and highlights in. I updated my reading on Goodreads every 1-10 percent, so I can't wait to get my hands on a physical copy and add all my sticky notes and pencil underlines.

I adored the back and forth between Hannah and Jack. I was literally always smiling or laughing like an idiot. Jack's family was amazing, especially his parents!

I couldn't stand Robbie. Euch, blech. He was such a toxic person and I couldn't stand him. I didn't really like Glen either because it felt like he was just as toxic but in a different way?

The whole stalker aspect was interesting. There was so much left in the book after they got the stalker taken care of, I knew something else was going to happen. And it did. But not exactly the way I thought it was going to. I was convinced that the original stalker was going to show back up and that was going to throw things into a frenzy, but I was NOT expecting there to be a second stalker.

That whole situation felt a little anticlimactic, but I'm super glad it ended so well. I liked how they took a scary situation and were able to turn it around for EVERYONE. I think Hanna and I both had the light bulb moment at the same time when things were going down.

This book gets bonus points for the fact that there WAS NO MISCOMMUNICATION THAT HAPPENED. There wasn't a big fight because they were keeping secrets from each other/they assumed something bad about the other person. And I loved that so much.

This is also what I would consider a gentle read. So if you're looking for something that's super steamy, don't get your hopes up with this one. It's chick lit with a small side of romance. And it was so good.

I will be purchasing a physical copy of this book to add to my shelves (and so I can add sticky notes and whatnot to it) but I'll also probably buy a Kindle version of this book too!

There are so many thoughts in my head about this book still, but I think this is where I'll stop for now. Who knows, maybe I'll do a re-read and write a review for the second time reading it.

Thank you so so much to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for allowing me to listen to an audio ARC. My whole year has been made.

Did It Make Me Cry? In fact, it did. Close to the end when Jack was telling him about the dream that he has about his brother but it was slightly different this time.

 

Review: Book Lovers ~ Emily Henry

 

 

 

Format I Used: Combination Audiobook/Ebook/
Pages: 398
Running Time: 11h:23m
My Rating: 5 stars
Publication Date: May 3, 2022

 

 

 This was a buddy read for an online feature that my coworkers and I do. And although the decision to read this was unanimous, I was NERVOUS.

This book has been so hyped EVERYWHERE for so long, and usually when that happens it disappoints me in a big kind of way. Add in the fact that I've felt very MEH about Emily Henry's last two adult books...

 

But guys.

 

YOU GUYSSSSS. 

It was good.

So good.

So. So. SOOOO Good.

I haven't liked a contemporary novel like this in such a long time. 

 

So prepare yourselves because random spoilers abound.

I thought that it was interesting that both Nora and Charlie thought of themselves as the villain of the story who didn't get/deserve happy endings. And the only reason that was a thing is because of outside factors that they couldn't control that kept getting thrown at them.

 

I don't know what this means: "It would be a meet-cute if not for the fact that they’ve met many times and it’s never been cute" The only time they met that wasn't what I consider to be cute was the very very first time they ever met. Literally every single time they interacted after that was so freaking cute and I was smiling like an idiot the whole damn time. Their banter back and forth was *chefs kiss* and  I was so obsessed with it. 

 

 There was one plot twist that I didn't see coming. In fact,  believed that it was going in a complete opposite direction (because the author did a great job leading us to believe that it was going that way.

I A D O R E D  the relationship between Nora and Charlie. Besides the fact that their interactions were my favorite thing in the whole wide world. They were so good for each other. I'm tearing up just thinking about it. Also, it gets BONUS points because there was no big miscommunication between the two that caused them to have this great big fight and break up and be miserable because of it, until they decide to make up.

They had a mutual break up. They were sad and the situation sucked, but you know what? They didn't try to guilt the other about the decisions that were being made. Charlie suggested that Nora be offered the job that he was vacating, and Nora didn't get all mad that he didn't tell her about it right away.

I'm sure there are a lot of other things that I am forgetting because my brain is on overload right now, but this book deserves all the stars and then some.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARC Review: The Twice-Scorned Lady Of Shadow ~ Annette Marie

Format I Used: Digital ARC
Pages: 272
My Rating: 5 Stars
Publication Date: May 6, 2022

Not so sure how much sense this review is going to make because my brain still feels like it exploded. There's so much I want to say, but I don't even know if I have the proper words to use to describe it all.

There was a lot that happened in this book. A LOT. And I'm super obsessed with literally everything about it. We got to learn even more about Zak and (I want to write Tori even though I KNOW that's not right lol) SABER'S history and what really happened. They finally got past all the senseless blaming for things that were out of their control and worked out the majority of the miscommunication issues that were causing them to hate each other.

This one was even grittier than the others (which were already pretty gritty) but it works, because it fits the characters SO well.

Saber finally got an official introduction to The Crow & Hammer, and I was wishing there was a bit more from that aspect, but I'm hoping that there will be more interaction in the next book.

The ending. THE ENDING!

While I'm not exactly surprised at what happened at the ending (because I've been very suspicious of Lallakai from the very beginning when TORI was expressing her concern about how sus Lallakai was... But I wasn't expecting that specific kind of betrayal. I think my brain exploded. 

I'm also real concerned that something bad is going to happen to Rikr... and if that does happen I will cry oceans and oceans of tears, because I've grown rather fond of The Winter King. I'm just... so worried right now, especially with the way things have been going. Although Annette Marie hasn't hurt me too terribly in any of her previous books, so maybe that's a good sign? 

I guess I'll have to wait until September to see...

Yikes.

Thank you so much to Annette Marie and Dark Owl Fantasy for allowing me to read an ARC

Did It Make Me Cry? No, but I came reeeeally close a time or two.

Review: The Noh Family ~ Grace K. Shim

 

 

Image from Goodreads. Click on the image to learn more about this book.


Format I Used: Audiobook
Pages: 384
Running Time: 10h:4m
My Rating: 3.5 stars
Publication Date: May 3, 2022
 

Okay okay okay, this played out exactly like a K-Drama in my head. And that was obviously done on purpose and the whole point of the book, and I kind of adored that aspect of it.

I loved the whole premise of this book and how it was giving me Cinderella and The Four Knights Vibes (ish. vibes ISH) even though it was really nothing at all like that. I loved all the mentions and references that I actually understood!

One thing I didn't understand was just how naive Chloe was... or I guess, it was the fact that she was just so eager and willing to trust people she didn't know. AT ALL. Over her mother. Yes there were things that her mother did that could have been handled better, but to trust complete strangers... yikes. Also there were so so so many red flags. I would have been suspicious of what was going on from the start, especially because things were way too fabulous... I was ESPECIALLY suspicious of halmeoni. It's the matriarch/patriarch of the family that you almost always have to watch  out for.

It ended so abruptly, and I don't feel like anything was resolved. It left me feeling more lost than ever. I'm hoping that means that there's going to be a second book that gives us more resolutions.

It sounds like I disliked this book doesn't it? That's not the case, but some things just stood out more to me so that's what I decided to talk about.

Review: A Magic Steeped In Poison ~ Judy I. Lin

 

Click on this image to learn more about this book on Goodreads
 
 
Format I Used: Combination Audiobook/Ebook/Physical Book
Pages: 384
Running Time: 11h:11m
My Rating: 3 stars
Publication Date: March 29, 2022

 

So this felt like a very molasses kind of read for me. I never quite felt the urgency of the situation, no matter what was going on. That's not necessarily a bad thing. It's the same way I describe The Raven Boys series.

I was oh so very intrigued with the whole concept of this book, because it revolves around tea! and magic! Love that!

This story was, to me at least, reminiscent of Spin The Dawn meets Daughter of the Moon Goddess. (And I loved BOTH of those books)

This wasn't a romance story and while usually I would be crying on the floor (because I love a good romance) I understand that not EVERYTHING has to be romance... And you know what? I was okay with it. There was a very very slight hint of romance, and maybe there will be more in the next book.

I enjoyed that family and friendship was such a strong theme in this story and how the main character was able to stay true to herself throughout.

The book ended on kind of an abrupt cliffhanger so I'm curious to see what's going to happen next!

 

Review: Rose Petal Graves ~ Olivia Wildenstein

Image from Goodreads. Click on the image to learn more about this book.


Format I Used: Audiobook
Pages: 393
Running Time: 9h:3m
My Rating: 3 stars
Publication Date: March 29, 2017

It honestly took me a bit to get into this one. And there was a lot going on so I felt like I was a step or two behind everything basically the whole way through. But it was still interesting! I was never quite sure who I could trust, which I think was the point. I didn't realize this was a 5 book series (although from looking at it, it seems as if some of the books branch off and follow different characters, which is nice... Well, maybe it's nice. I guess I'll find out as I continue on with the series

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for gifting me an audio book to listen to