Tag: Contemporary

Book Review: You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty

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Title: You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty

Author: Akwaeke Emezi

Genre: Romance, Contemporary

Pages: 288 pages; 10 hours (audiobook)

Level of difficulty: 3/5 Dictionaries

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Brief Introduction:

It has been five year since the accident that killed the love of Feyi Adekola life’s, and she is re-learning what it means to be alive. However, what about giving love a second chance?

Review:

I went into this book without reading the synopsis; it was a great decision! I recommend you do the same!

Akwaeke Emezi has this unique ability to write books that make you (or maybe just me) deeply uncomfortable yet enjoy greatly. The story plot was chaotic and a little stressful, yet engaging and unpredictable. I was hooked even though I was worried about what would happen next. The book questions the assumptions around true love and age differences in relationships. I can’t entirely say that I found the relationship between the main characters endearing/heart warmly; however, the book made me root for them.

TW: Death, Trauma, Blood

Book Review: Wish You Were Here

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Title: Wish You Were Here

Author: Jodi Picoult

Genre: Contemporary, Romance

Pages: 310 pages; 12 hours (audiobook)

Level of difficulty: 3/5 Dictionaries

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Brief Introduction:

What has supposed to be a romantic getaway to the Galápagos for Diana and her boyfriend Finn – days before her 30th birthday does not go as planned. Finn, a surgical resident, must stay back in New York because it’s all hand on deck after the Covid-19 outbreak. However, he encourages and reassures Diana to go by herself since it would be a shame for all of their nonrefundable trip to go to waste. Unfortunately, Diana’s luggage is lost on her way to the Galápagos, the Wi-Fi is nearly nonexistent on the Island, and the hotel they’d booked is shut down due to the pandemic. In fact, the whole Island is now under quarantine, and she is stranded until the borders reopen.

Review:

In the book’s first part, I was a little disappointed by how the female lead ended up on the Island. I felt it was a little too convenient as a plot. However, by the book’s second part, that thought was knocked right out of me. Jodi Picoult is brilliant at engaging a reader and challenging all situations. At that point, I was reminded again why she is (one of my) favourite writer(s).

The themes in the novel about the pandemic were handled well and fully stretched despite being a relatively short book set in a complex time (and written at the earlier stages of the pandemic).

Book Review: Portrait of a Thief

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Title: Portrait of a Thief

Author: Grace D. Li

Genre: Contemporary, Thriller, Mystery

Pages: 384 pages; 11 hours (audiobook)

Level of difficulty: 3/5 Dictionaries

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Brief Introduction:

A cultural heist, an examination of Chinese American identity, and a necessary cri­tique of the lingering effects of colonialism.

Review:

I’m giving this book a four-star for the literary, emotional and critical commentary rather than the actual heists. They were very faulty, quite convenient plans – definitely full of holes. Thus how they managed to execute them as novices was a suspension in disbelief.

The book is a feel-good about a possible situation where one can earn a tremendous amount of money to remove the burden of responsibilities and obligations while doing something meaningful and morally sound.

A running theme in the novel is the pressure of being an immigrant, more specifically, a second-generation Chinese in America trying to perform to the expectations of parents who believe in the American dream.

The critical commentary on imperialism (from both parties), colonialism, violence, and power were well woven into the story.

Book Review: Ugly Love

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Title: Ugly Love

Author: Colleen Hoover

Genre: Romance, Contemporary

Pages: 324 pages; 9 hours (audiobook)

Level of difficulty: 3/5 Dictionaries

Rating: 2/5 Stars

Brief Introduction:

Tate and Miles agree to a low-stakes relationship because of their personal circumstance. However, things take a turn for the unexpected…or did it?

Review:

This book should come with the warning “when someone tells who they are, you better believe them”. I know it’s fiction, but it paints the picture that one can get into a relationship by disregarding boundaries…and believing the idea that one can “change” a man…

The trauma that the male lead went through, while very saddening, felt artificial. It was like the incident was put there for the shock factor…to explain his aloofness yet excuse his behaviour towards the female lead. This was the case because there was little to no elaboration of why the incident had happened and the immediate effects of that incident (I’m being general here to prevent spoilers).

I did enjoy the shifting point of view, especially how Tate’s pov was in the present and Miles’ was always in the past. It emphasised that he was stuck in the past. Furthermore, Miles’ pov is read in the present only after the resolution between the lead characters. This was a nice touch in the book.

Book Review: Ayesha at Last

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Title: Ayesha at Last

Author: Uzma Jalaluddin

Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Retellings

Pages: 349

Level of difficulty: 3/5 Dictionaries

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Brief Introduction:

Ayesha might be a little lonely, but the one thing she doesn’t want is an arranged marriage. And then she meets Khalid…As for Khalid, he’s happy the way he is; and was set on leaving his love life in the hands of his mother until he met Ayesha.

Review:

This book is a Muslim romance comedy. There was good character development, real tension between the two lead characters and a beautifully written and smartly executed resolution. There was suspense, surprise, and shenanigans. The plot was engaging, the issues addressed in the book were given great justice, and the humour was appropriate. In addition, it is a retelling of Pride and Prejudice! It was so good that I read it in one sitting. I highly recommend it!

Book Reviews: May 2022 Reads*

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by Asian Authors

*(3 stars or more)

Book Review: Such a Fun Age

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Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid

Title: Such a Fun Age

Author: Kiley Reid

Genre: Fiction, Contemporary, Adult Fiction

Pages: 301 pages

Level of difficulty: 3/5 Dictionaries

My Rating: 5/5 Stars

Brief Introduction:

Emira is a twenty-five-year-old who isn’t sure of what she wants to do in life, nor is she fond that she is depending on babysitting to pay her bills. Nevertheless, she loves spending time with Briar, the four-year white girl she babysits. Unfortunately, an emergency babysitting session one night in a nearby grocery store leads to questioning by a security guard and a kidnapping accusation. This incident leads to a chain of events that has Emira questioning what used to be.

Favourite Quote:

N/A

Review:

Such a Fun Age is a beautiful work that accurately portrays how racism creeps into the everyday lives of Black women in the United States in direct, indirect and unknowing manners. It also touches on themes such as purpose and belonging. It is a short yet gripping read. I highly recommend it!

Book Review: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

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Title: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid

Genre: Historical Fiction, Contemporary, Romance

Pages: 389

Level of difficulty: 3/5 Dictionaries

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Brief Introduction:

Evelyn Hugo is a big-time Hollywood actress who has not been in the spotlight for a long time. However, now that she is older, she is about to do a tell-all (especially about her 7 marriages) alongside an auction of 7 of her most famous gowns for charity. However, she has chosen an unknown journalist Monique Grant to do the interview.

Favourite Quote:

“When you’re given an opportunity to change your life, be ready to do whatever it takes to make it happen. The world doesn’t give things, you take things.”

Pg. 41

Review:

Why this journalist? Why did she get married 7 times? Did she love all her husbands? These are all the burning questions that push readers to pick up the book. The author explains the dynamics between Hugo and her husband: why she felt compelled to get married and how the marriages came to their end. Yet, at the same time, while we are learning all of these and trying to understand the complex individual that Hugo is, the author ignites our curiosity about why Monique Grant is the reporter for the interview. Furthermore, there were many exciting twists and turns in the book (even though I guessed most of them).