Yellowface by R.F. Kuang Review

 

* This review is spoiler-free *

2.75/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Black and grey morality

➮ Book about books

➮ Unreliable narrator

Synopsis

Authors June Hayward and Athena Liu were supposed to be twin rising stars, but Athena’s a literary darling, and June didn’t get a paperback release. When June witnesses Athena’s death, she acts on impulse and she steals Athena’s experimental novel about the contributions of Chinese laborers to the British and French war efforts during WWI. So what if June edits Athena’s novel and sends it to her agent as her own? So what if she lets her new publisher rebrand her as Juniper Song including an ambiguously ethnic author photo? Doesn’t this story deserve to be told, whoever the teller is? June can’t get away from Athena’s shadow, but evidence threatens to bring June’s (stolen) success down around her. 

Best Quote From the Book

“Reading lets us live in someone else’s shoes. Literature builds bridges; it makes our world larger, not smaller."

LGBTQ+ Representation

2/5 🌈

Athena is referred to as vaguely queer. I want to iterate that this is a completely valid identity and does not take away from the LGBTQ+ community so no negativity is needed. I would've loved to see this aspect of her character come into play more throughout the story. 

My Thoughts

This book is the cornerstone of the unreliable narrator trope. June is incredibly delusional and cannot be trusted. As the story progresses, she goes further and further off the deep end. It got to the point I could hardly stand to finish the book. June is just so insufferable the important message of the book just falls by the wayside as I was blinded by my distaste for her character. I acknowledge that June is not supposed to be likable, but rarely do I feel prickly about and character and June hit that mark. 

This book takes a powerful stance in terms of the state of the literary world and the inherent racism within it. I admire Kuang's strength it took to express such a bold viewpoint. That said, it did feel like Kuang made this book overly personal. It morphed into a misguided perspective on racism in the form of self-insert fanfiction. A lot of the criticism of Kuang's other works is thrown into the narrative of this one. 

I went into this book as blindly as I could given this book's popularity. In a way, I wish I hadn't. This book would've had more value to me if while reading it I was taking it as more of a literary commentary instead of a narrative. My perspective while reading definitely negatively impacted my rating of the book because my ratings are based almost purely on my enjoyment while reading. 

Overall, if this book lost its last portion where June becomes insane in her delusions to the point of neuroticism, this story would be a lot easier to get through and still get the message. I highly respect this book for its commentary aspects, especially in terms of what would slide in the publishing industry as it stands today. I recommend reading it for those involved in the publishing industry or highly interested in it. If that is not you, the annoyance you will feel while reading is not worth the hype.

Book Lovers by Emily Henry Review

 

* This review is spoiler-free *

4.75/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Enemies to lovers

➮ Coworkers to lovers

➮ Small-town romance

Synopsis

Nora has spent her whole life surrounded by books. She works as a literary agent who struggles with a sharky reputation. When book editor Charlie Lastra knocks her down a few pegs, she will do whatever it takes to prove him wrong. Seems like fate is keeping them together.

Best Quote From the Book

“ That’s life. You’re always making decisions, taking paths that lead you away from the rest before you can see where they end. Maybe that’s why we as a species love stories so much. All those chances for do-overs, opportunities to live the lives we’ll never have."

My Thoughts

Same amazing banter as always. In addition, the progression in the story is quite natural, which seems to be a staple of Emily Henry's writing. I always like how while there are plenty of tropes yet they feel like a realistic situation. People aren't overly fluffy or getting themselves into situations that would literally never happen. It feels like a situation that could really happen. It is a nice addition to the romance genre. You also get to spend a large portion of the book actually seeing a functional couple progressing through life instead of waiting the entire book hoping people end up together. 

This book adds a twist to a small-town romance. Instead of the farmer boy or mayor's daughter sort of vibe, they are both working adults with successful careers that were in New York. 

My favorite part of this book by far is the focus on the sisterly bond. Unlike most romance books, the bond between Nora and her sister Libby helps carry the story just as much as the dynamic between Nora and Charlie. It's refreshing to see a story that isn't weighed down by romance fluff or too much focus on only two characters. I love seeing Libby and Nora interact and care for each other. 

Can I just take a moment to talk about how excellent of a partner Charlie is. Everything he does for Nora and the way he treats her is just so sweet and attentive. I think he might be my favorite book boyfriend of the year. 

Overall this book is fantastic and I highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in the literary world, like romance, or is looking for a more realistic story. I will never cease to be amazed by Emily Henry's ability to create an engaging but plausible story. 

As a note, there is some spice in this book but it isn't too long. 

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig Review

 

* This review is spoiler-free *

3.5/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Multiple timelines

➮ String theory

➮ Book about books

Synopsis

The Midnight Library is a place between life and death. In this place, you have the chance to try out different lives that you could've had if you had made different choices in life. Nora finds herself in this library. Nora then gets to experiment with who she could've been. 

Best Quote From the Book

“ If you aim to be something you are not, you will always fail. Aim to be you. Aim to look and act and think like you. Aim to be the truest version of you. Embrace that you-ness. Endorse it. Love it. Work hard at it. And don't give a second thought when people mock it or ridicule it. Most gossip is envy in disguise."

LGBTQ+ Representation

2/5 🌈

I was very surprised to find that there was any LGBTQ+ representation in this book at all. Nora's brother is gay. In the story, Nora ends up encouraging him to be out and proud. She also helps set him up with a guy he would be happy with. Overall I appreciate the acceptance but she still has some initial surprise about finding out about her brother. I can say as an LGBTQ+ person if someone comes out to me, I may still be a bit initially surprised but of course, end up accepting them fully. It felt very real yet not overly focused on. 

My Thoughts

This book gives so much to think about yet I don't actually have all that much to say. I can admit it feels like I am back in my philosophy classes again just trying to wrap my head around all this book has done. In the end, it teaches a very valuable life lesson about appreciating the life you currently have and making the most of it. With the power to be anyone you could've been, it would be highly tempting to go for fortune, success, infamy, or a simple life. It then becomes a difficult decision about what you actually want and living a life with minimal regrets. No matter where you end up, you will probably have regrets. The challenge then becomes to decide how much regret and what ifs can you tolerate and what can you do to minimize them. 

Other than not being the biggest fan of fantasy in general, I did find the book to be confusing at times. First of all, there were so many different lives Nora endured it all started to blend together. That said, I have a feeling this was a purposeful choice by Matt Haig. The reader gets confused and muddied along with Nora's desire to keep exploring the library. That said, I still had a lot of trouble identifying the roles of people in the various lives compared to who Nora knew them as in her original life. So by about the halfway point of the book, I was just sort of letting the words wash over me with minimal comprehension. 

Overall I enjoyed the questions and contemplation this book elicits more than the actual experience of reading the book. I feel much more appreciative of the life I have and what I can do to make the most of it. I highly recommend this book if you have someone you can discuss it with. I think it would be highly beneficial to jot down your thoughts about this book as you read it to see how your thinking and perspective shift. 

Also, this book is written by an autistic author, so it is an amazing story to support!

Much Ado About You by Samantha Young Review

 

* This review is spoiler-free *

4.5/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Strangers to lovers

➮ Banter

➮ International romance

➮ Nearly instalove

Synopsis

Evangeline decides to take a trip to get away from her chaotic life in Chicago. She finds herself in a small English village temporarily in charge of a small bookshop called Much Ado About Books. While working there she meets the charismatic farmer Roane and they quickly develop flirty banter. As Evangeline adjusts to a major life shift she finds herself falling more in love with life there as she gets to know the people of the town.  

Best Quote From the Book

“Such benign little words - 'what if.' But at some point in life, those two words become the scariest two words in the English language."

My Thoughts

Like other books from Samantha Young, the romance and banter elements of this book are top-tier! Young excels at creating characters that play excellently off of each other and feel very natural. Unlike many love stories, the quick attraction between Evangeline and Roane makes sense and doesn't feel forced. I appreciate that while the story is about them, there are other noteworthy characters that play a role in Evangeline's development. 

I will always be a sucker for a book that really brings you into the world of the characters as if you are living it along with them without providing too much detail that it becomes cluttered. Her writing style is witty yet comfortable which makes the story even more enjoyable. 

Do keep in mind that there are some brief spicy scenes in this book. They were not overbearing and did not feel like a fanservice plotline. The romance and other relationships in the book are much more the focus. 

Overall, I can say that this book confidently pushed Samantha Young into my list of favorite authors. Nobody does banter and realistic relationships like she does. I can highly recommend her books for fans of romance. 

I Didn't Do It by Jaime Lynn Hendricks Review

 

* This review is spoiler-free *

4/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Thriller

➮ General fiction

➮ Book about books

➮ Multiple povs

➮ Suspense

Synopsis

This book is set at a thriller writer convention, Murderpalooza. At this convention, thriller writers come together for book signings. panels, and a final award ceremony at the end of the convention. On the first day of the convention, Kristin Bailey, one of the famous authors at the convention, is reported dead. This story follows the various perspectives of people who all have the motive to be her killer. Each of these people is being threatened by an anonymous Twitter account determined to make them all spill their secrets. An unlikely quartet is formed in the process.

Best Quote From the Book

“This is what we do for a living. We take something horrible happening to someone normal and create a dense backstory rife with mystery. As readers, we pick apart every breadcrumb left by the author; and nine times out of ten, we figure out the ending."

My Thoughts

A murder at a thriller author convention, there truly cannot be a more perfect setting. With so many tantalizing suspects, there are many backstories to uncover. Getting to see the perspectives of each of these suspects provides a lot to chew on as a reader. All of the characters have their dirty laundry at risk of becoming part of the limelight. Four different forms of desperation and deception keep the story engaging.

I am personally always a fan of books where writers become the subject of the story. There are often a lot of interesting perspectives on the writing process and insights about how being an author is more than just typing out a story and helping choose a good-looking cover. Going in-depth on the perspectives and lives of four very different authors who all have connections to thriller writing and Kristin provided that behind-the-scenes look I appreciate.

I listened to the audiobook of this story which I think was both a benefit and a deficit. In audiobook format, there is a nice flowing narrative and the ability to hear the emotions of the characters as they happen. The problem is that not all of the characters had separate narrators. At the beginning that made it quite challenging to differentiate between the characters and who had what connection to Kristin. With so many moving parts to keep track of, different voices for all of the main four would've helped a lot in my initial understanding. It was to the point I almost felt the need to take notes to be able to keep up with who was who. 

The other thing that kept this from being rated higher was that all of the twists were isolated to the last 10% of the book. Generally, as a reader, I like to at least have a few twists throughout the story to help keep me on my toes. Instead, Hendricks keeps most of the story a flowing narrative where we find out more but none of it is much of a shock. At the last part of the book, it is like a Scooby Doo all-is-revealed ending. Suddenly many twists come to light, some making more sense than others. 

Overall, I would recommend this book to those who are fans of thrillers and like to see a bit of the behind-the-scenes of being an author. Just maybe keep a notepad by your side when you read or listen to help you not get confused like I did.