About: Disorientation is a gripping campus novel that uses satire to confront bias and complicity in academic spaces.
(more…)Book Review: Disorientation by Elaine Hsieh Chou
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One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London
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Series: Standalone
Release Date: July 7, 2020
<strong>Synopsis</strong>
Bea Schumacher is a devastatingly stylish plus-size fashion blogger who has amazing friends, a devoted family, legions of Insta followers–and a massively broken heart. Like the rest of America, Bea indulges in her weekly obsession: the hit reality show Main Squeeze. The fantasy dates! The kiss-off rejections! The surprising amount of guys named Chad! But Bea is sick and tired of the lack of body diversity on the show. Since when is being a size zero a prerequisite for getting engaged on television?
Just when Bea has sworn off dating altogether, she gets an intriguing call: Main Squeeze wants her to be its next star, surrounded by men vying for her affections. Bea agrees, on one condition–under no circumstances will she actually fall in love. She’s in this to supercharge her career, subvert harmful anti-fat beauty standards, inspire women across America, and get a free hot air balloon ride. That’s it.
But when the cameras start rolling, Bea realizes things are more complicated than she anticipated. She’s in a whirlwind of sumptuous couture, Internet culture wars, sexy suitors, and an opportunity (or two, or five) to find messy, real-life love in the midst of a made-for-TV fairy tale.
<strong>Ending</strong>
HEA
<strong>Representation</strong>
• Fat Heroine
• Lesbian supporting character
• Fat supporting characters
• Asian-American Jewish supporting character
• Black supporting character
• Gender expansive side character
• Asexual and romantic supporting character
• Lesbian supporting character
• Fat supporting characters
• Asian-American Jewish supporting character
• Black supporting character
• Gender expansive side character
• Asexual and romantic supporting character
<strong>Possible Triggers</strong>
• Emotional abuse, including fatphobic hate speech
• Threat of r@pe (comments on social media posts)
• Death threats (comments on social media posts)
• Threat of r@pe (comments on social media posts)
• Death threats (comments on social media posts)
<strong>Safety Rating:</strong> Safe with Exception
• Does have cheating
– Heroine sleeps with her best friend and long-time unrequited crush while he’s engaged
– While there was no discussion about monogamy, the Heroine assumed each of the men she was dating on the show was monogamous. One of the men, however, had been sleeping with people throughout the show.
• No OW drama
• Does have OM drama (she is dating 25 men at once (to start), so jealous does arise.
• Does have the Hero and Heroine pushing away
• Does have a separation between the Hero and Heroine
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.
– Heroine sleeps with her best friend and long-time unrequited crush while he’s engaged
– While there was no discussion about monogamy, the Heroine assumed each of the men she was dating on the show was monogamous. One of the men, however, had been sleeping with people throughout the show.
• No OW drama
• Does have OM drama (she is dating 25 men at once (to start), so jealous does arise.
• Does have the Hero and Heroine pushing away
• Does have a separation between the Hero and Heroine
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.
Format: Kindle
Rating: 4/5 stars
(more…)Rent a Boyfriend by Gloria Chao
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Series: Standalone
Release Date: November 10, 2020
<strong>Synopsis</strong>
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before meets The Farewell in this incisive romantic comedy about a college student who hires a fake boyfriend to appease her traditional Taiwanese parents, to disastrous results, from the acclaimed author of American Panda.
Chloe Wang is nervous to introduce her parents to her boyfriend, because the truth is, she hasn’t met him yet either. She hired him from Rent for Your ’Rents, a company specializing in providing fake boyfriends trained to impress even the most traditional Asian parents.
Drew Chan’s passion is art, but after his parents cut him off for dropping out of college to pursue his dreams, he became a Rent for Your ’Rents employee to keep a roof over his head. Luckily, learning protocols like “Type C parents prefer quiet, kind, zero-PDA gestures” comes naturally to him.
When Chloe rents Drew, the mission is simple: convince her parents fake Drew is worthy of their approval so they’ll stop pressuring her to accept a proposal from Hongbo, the wealthiest (and slimiest) young bachelor in their tight-knit Asian American community.
But when Chloe starts to fall for the real Drew—who, unlike his fake persona, is definitely not ’rent-worthy—her carefully curated life begins to unravel. Can she figure out what she wants before she loses everything?
<strong>Ending</strong>
HFN
<strong>Representation</strong>
• Taiwanese-American Heroine
• Taiwanese-American Hero
• Taiwanese-American Supporting Characters
• Taiwanese-American Hero
• Taiwanese-American Supporting Characters
<strong>Possible Triggers:</strong> Yes
• Parental abandonment (Hero was kicked out of his house ~18-years-old)
• Really difficult relationship with parents
• Strong themes of sexism
• Brief mentions of homophobia and racism
• Cancer
• Really difficult relationship with parents
• Strong themes of sexism
• Brief mentions of homophobia and racism
• Cancer
<strong>Safety Rating:</strong> Safe
• No cheating
• No OW drama
– But, the Hero does continue his fake boyfriend job, which the Heroine knows about.
• Does have OM drama
– Heroine’s parents are trying to set her up with the extremely sexist only son of their elitist friends
• Does have the Heroine pushing the Hero away
• Does have a separation between the Hero and Heroine
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.
• No OW drama
– But, the Hero does continue his fake boyfriend job, which the Heroine knows about.
• Does have OM drama
– Heroine’s parents are trying to set her up with the extremely sexist only son of their elitist friends
• Does have the Heroine pushing the Hero away
• Does have a separation between the Hero and Heroine
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.
Format: Kindle
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
(more…)When He’s An Alpha by Suzanne Wright
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Series: Olympus Pride*
Release Date: March 2, 2021
<strong>Synopsis</strong>
The golden rule of shallow flings is not to get attached, right? Well, Havana Ramos broke it. Big time. There’s just something about Tate Devereaux that pulls at her. Assertive, compelling, and self-assured, the Alpha cat shifter pushes every one of her best buttons. Like really, really hard. Having overheard an enlightening conversation, she knows he won’t give her more than a fling—something, to be fair, he’d told her well in advance. If she doesn’t want her heart to get bruised, it’s time to end what little they have. It’s not like he’ll care or anything. Except … it turns out that he does.
Newly-appointed Alpha Tate Devereaux is never bothered when women walk away. He can’t exactly blame them, given his distrustful cat’s habit of withdrawing from relationships. But when lone shifter Havana ends their fling, everything within Tate rebels against it—including his cat. Even as she and Tate work together to crush the threat looming over her, Havana holds him at arms’ length. But if she thinks she can end their fling with no real explanation and that he’ll just tip his hat and walk away, she’s forgotten one very important thing—there’s nothing easy about shaking off an Alpha.
<strong>Ending</strong>
HEA
<strong>Representation</strong>
• Heroine of colour
• Asian supporting character
• Bisexual side character
• Asian supporting character
• Bisexual side character
<strong>Possible Triggers:</strong> Yes
• Gun violence
• Human trafficking
• Reference to r@pe
• Blood and violence
• Murder of parents
• Torture
• Human trafficking
• Reference to r@pe
• Blood and violence
• Murder of parents
• Torture
<strong>Safety Rating:</strong> Safe with Exceptions
• No cheating
• Does have OM and OW drama
– Ex-friends-with-benefits of Heroine tries to win the Heroine back
– Ex-almost-imprinted-mate of Hero tries to win Hero back
• Does have the Hero and Heroine pushing away
– Hero doesn’t want a serious relationship so they break up for a bit
• No separation
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.
• Does have OM and OW drama
– Ex-friends-with-benefits of Heroine tries to win the Heroine back
– Ex-almost-imprinted-mate of Hero tries to win Hero back
• Does have the Hero and Heroine pushing away
– Hero doesn’t want a serious relationship so they break up for a bit
• No separation
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.
Format: Kindle Unlimited
Rating: 4/5 stars
*Each novel in the series is Standalone
(more…)Book Haul: Nine New Books for December
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My December Book Haul includes both my hardcopy and ebook purchases made since the start of December. The haul totals 9 books (including ebooks). This haul has a mix-mash of books ranging from medical memoirs to feminist nonfiction and romantic comedies.
(more…)Heartbreaking and Moving: Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano
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Series: Standalone
Release Date: January 6, 2020
<strong>Synopsis</strong>
One summer morning, twelve-year-old Edward Adler, his beloved older brother, his parents, and 183 other passengers board a flight in Newark headed for Los Angeles. Among them is a Wall Street wunderkind, a young woman coming to terms with an unexpected pregnancy, an injured vet returning from Afghanistan, a septuagenarian business tycoon, and a free-spirited woman running away from her controlling husband. And then, tragically, the plane crashes. Edward is the sole survivor.
Edward’s story captures the attention of the nation, but he struggles to find a place for himself in a world without his family. He continues to feel that a piece of him has been left in the sky, forever tied to the plane and all of his fellow passengers. But then he makes an unexpected discovery–one that will lead him to the answers of some of life’s most profound questions: When you’ve lost everything, how do find yourself? How do you discover your purpose? What does it mean not just to survive, but to truly live?
Dear Edward is at once a transcendent coming-of-age story, a multidimensional portrait of an unforgettable cast of characters, and a breathtaking illustration of all the ways a broken heart learns to love again.
<strong>Ending</strong>
HFN
<strong>Representation</strong>
• Black Gay supporting character
• Latina supporting character and side character
• Asian side character
• Latina supporting character and side character
• Asian side character
<strong>Possible Triggers:</strong> Yes
• Frequent Harry Potter references; J.K. Rowling is transphobic
• MC dealing with the death of his whole family and being the sole survivor of a plane crash (when he’s a child)
• Discusses miscarriages
• Supporting character has cancer
• MC dealing with the death of his whole family and being the sole survivor of a plane crash (when he’s a child)
• Discusses miscarriages
• Supporting character has cancer
<strong>Mature Themes</strong>
• PTSD
• Grief of losing family
– Also, the grief of not being able to have kids
• Non-descriptive sex
• References to abortion
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.
• Grief of losing family
– Also, the grief of not being able to have kids
• Non-descriptive sex
• References to abortion
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.
Format: Hardcover
Rating: 5/5 stars
Trigger Warning: This book has frequent HP references. For other triggers, please read the ‘Possible Triggers’ tab above for details. (more…)Engrossing and Bittersweet: Miracle Creek by Angie Kim
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Series: Standalone
Release Date: April 16, 2019
<strong>Synopsis</strong>
How far will you go to protect your family? Will you keep their secrets? Ignore their lies?
In a small town in Virginia, a group of people know each other because they’re part of a special treatment center, a hyperbaric chamber that may cure a range of conditions from infertility to autism. But then the chamber explodes, two people die, and it’s clear the explosion wasn’t an accident.
A showdown unfolds as the story moves across characters who are all maybe keeping secrets, hiding betrayals. Was it the careless mother of a patient? Was it the owners, hoping to cash in on a big insurance payment and send their daughter to college? Could it have been a protester, trying to prove the treatment isn’t safe?
<strong>Ending</strong>
Sad but HFN (as happy as it could’ve ended)
<strong>Representation</strong>
• Korean main characters
• Korean side characters
• POC side characters
• Autistic side-characters
• Side-character with cerebral palsy
• Korean side characters
• POC side characters
• Autistic side-characters
• Side-character with cerebral palsy
<strong>Possible Triggers:</strong> Yes
• Violent and descriptive death of an 8-year-old boy and adult women (they were burned alive)
• Sexual assault
• Child abuse
• Suicide
• Discusses fears of what happens to special-needs children when their parents can no longer take care of them
• Sexual assault
• Child abuse
• Suicide
• Discusses fears of what happens to special-needs children when their parents can no longer take care of them
<strong>Mature Themes</strong>
• Underage drinking and smoking
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.
Format: Paperback
Rating: 4.25/5 stars
Trigger Warning: This review discusses topics that can be triggering for some. Please read the ‘Possible Triggers’ tab above for details. (more…)14 New Books: My October Book Haul
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My October Book Haul includes both my hardcopy and ebook purchases I’ve made since my September book haul (click here to see). The haul totals to 14 books (including ebooks), and every book, except for two, is a book I’ve wanted to read for months! Despite October being a month dedicated to spooky reads, I’ve never been much of a mystery/thriller fan. However, I’m broadening my typical reading genres by including a mystery in this haul!
(more…)Riveting Yet Demoralizing: If I Had Your Face by Frances Cha
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Series: Standalone
Release Date: April 21, 2020
<strong>Synopsis:</strong>
A riveting debut novel set in contemporary Seoul, Korea, about four young women making their way in a world defined by impossibly high standards of beauty, secret room salons catering to wealthy men, strict social hierarchies, and K-pop fan mania.
“Even as a girl, I knew the only chance I had was to change my face… even before a fortune-teller told me so.”
Kyuri is a heartbreakingly beautiful woman with a hard-won job at a “room salon,” an exclusive bar where she entertains businessmen while they drink. Though she prides herself on her cold, clear-eyed approach to life, an impulsive mistake with a client may come to threaten her livelihood.
Her roommate, Miho, is a talented artist who grew up in an orphanage but won a scholarship to study art in New York. Returning to Korea after college, she finds herself in a precarious relationship with the super-wealthy heir to one of Korea’s biggest companies.
Down the hall in their apartment building lives Ara, a hairstylist for whom two preoccupations sustain her: an obsession with a boy-band pop star and a best friend who is saving up for the extreme plastic surgery that is commonplace.
And Wonna, one floor below, is a newlywed trying to get pregnant with a child that she and her husband have no idea how they can afford to raise and educate in the cutthroat economy.
Together, their stories tell a gripping tale that’s seemingly unfamiliar, yet unmistakably universal in the way that their tentative friendships may have to be their saving grace.
<strong>Ending:</strong>
Surprisingly hopeful
<strong>Representation</strong>
• South Korean main and supporting characters
<strong>Possible Triggers:</strong> Yes
• Parental abandonment
• Physical assault (on-page and off-page, one instance resulting in one main character, Ara becoming mute)
• Emotional abuse
• Discussion of abortion
• Discussion of miscarriage
• Cheating
• Discussion of suicide and suicidal ideation
• Discussion of murder and suicide of sex workers
• Physical assault (on-page and off-page, one instance resulting in one main character, Ara becoming mute)
• Emotional abuse
• Discussion of abortion
• Discussion of miscarriage
• Cheating
• Discussion of suicide and suicidal ideation
• Discussion of murder and suicide of sex workers
Title
Miho’s relationship with her boyfriend: Not Safe
• Does have cheating
• No OM
• Does have OW
— He cheats on her with a sex worker (a friend of Miho’s roommate) and is engaged to a woman from a family of similar economic wealth to him
• Does have Miho pushing Hanbin away
• No separation
• Does have cheating
• No OM
• Does have OW
— He cheats on her with a sex worker (a friend of Miho’s roommate) and is engaged to a woman from a family of similar economic wealth to him
• Does have Miho pushing Hanbin away
• No separation
Wonna’s relationship with her husband: Safe with Exception
• No cheating
• No OW/OM drama
• Does have Wonna pushing her husband away
• Does have a separation between Wonna and her husband (a permanent one, I think)
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.
Format: Hardcover
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
(more…)Heartfelt and Nostalgic: Today Tonight Tomorrow by Rachel Lynn Solomon
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Series: Standalone
Release Date: July 14, 2020
<strong>Synopsis</strong>
The Hating Game meets Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist by way of Morgan Matson in this unforgettable romantic comedy about two rival overachievers whose relationship completely transforms over the course of twenty-four hours.
Today, she hates him.
It’s the last day of senior year. Rowan Roth and Neil McNair have been bitter rivals for all of high school, clashing on test scores, student council elections, and even gym class pull-up contests. While Rowan, who secretly wants to write romance novels, is anxious about the future, she’d love to beat her infuriating nemesis one last time.
Tonight, she puts up with him.
When Neil is named valedictorian, Rowan has only one chance at victory: Howl, a senior class game that takes them all over Seattle, a farewell tour of the city she loves. But after learning a group of seniors is out to get them, she and Neil reluctantly decide to team up until they’re the last players left—and then they’ll destroy each other.
As Rowan spends more time with Neil, she realizes he’s much more than the awkward linguistics nerd she’s sparred with for the past four years. And, perhaps, this boy she claims to despise might actually be the boy of her dreams.
Tomorrow…maybe she’s already fallen for him.
<strong>Ending</strong>
HFN
<strong>Representation</strong>
• Latina biracial main character
• Lesbian supporting character
• Bisexual supporting character
• FF side romance
• Lesbian supporting character
• Bisexual supporting character
• FF side romance
<strong>Possible Triggers:</strong> Yes
• Anti-Semitism
<strong>Safety Rating:</strong> Safe
• No cheating
• No OW drama
• Does have OM drama
— The Heroine has conversations with an ex to get closure. It stirs up past regret.
• Does have the Hero and Heroine pushing each other away
• No separation
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.
• No OW drama
• Does have OM drama
— The Heroine has conversations with an ex to get closure. It stirs up past regret.
• Does have the Hero and Heroine pushing each other away
• No separation
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.
Format:
Rating: 5/5 stars
(more…)
