Book Review: Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

Title: Yellowface

Author: R.F. Kuang

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Fiction, Contemporary, Literary Fiction

Pages: 319

Publisher: William Morrow

Year Published: 2023

Format: Audiobook

"Authors Juniper Hayward and Athena Liu were supposed to be twin rising stars. But Athena is a literary darling while June is a nobody. Who wants stories about basic white girls? June thinks. So when June witnesses Athena's death in a freak accident, she acts on impulse, stealing Athena's just-finished masterpiece, an experimental novel about the unsung contributions of Chinese laborers during World War I.

So what if June edits Athena's novel and sends it to her agent as her own work? So what if she lets her new publisher rebrand her as Juniper Song- complete with an ambiguously ethnic author photo? The piece of history deserve to be told, whoever the teller. That is what June believes, and The New York Times bestseller list agrees. 

But June cannot escape Athena's shadow, and emerging evidence threatens her stolen success. As she races to protect her secret she discovers exactly how far she will go to keep what she thinks she deserves."

My Rating: 4/5

This is an important read. Being knowledgeable about where our stories come from, and thinking about how different perspectives come into play. This book brings up a lot of conversation pieces for readers, writers, and other people who engage with literature. The only aspect I didn't like was our main character. I know the purpose was that she is unlikable, but it was to the point where I sometimes didn't want to pick up the book because I knew that June was going to be a rough character to read from. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: After I Do by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Title: After I Do

Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Adult, Fiction

Pages: 352

Publisher: Washington Square Press

Year Published: 2014

Format: Audiobook

"When Lauren and Ryan's marriage reaches the breaking point, they come up with an unconventional plan. They decide to take a year off in the hopes of finding a way to fall in love again. One year apart, and only one rule: they cannot contact each other. Aside from that, anything goes.

Lauren embarks on a journey of self-discovery, quickly finding that her friends and family have their own ideas about the meaning of marriage. These influences, as well as her own healing process and the challenges of living apart from Ryan, begin to change Lauren's ideas about monogamy and marriage. She starts to question: When you can have romance without loyalty and commitment without marriage, when love and lust are no longer tied together, what do you value? What are you willing to fight for?"

My Rating: 4/5

This wasn't what I would necessarily expect from the author based on the last book that I read, but this story is an important one to read if you're married. The ideas behind it make total sense, the characters are relatable and the side characters are so unique and loveable that I felt like I knew each one of them individually. If you are looking for a character-driven, finding who you are adult fiction romance may I just suggest this one. It's a fast read, even though the subject matter isn't all happy-go-lucky. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner

Title: The Lost Apothecary

Author: Sarah Penner

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Adult

Pages: 301

Publisher: Park Row 

Year Published: 2021

Format: Audiobook (Own Paperback)

"A female apothecary secretly dispenses poisons to liberate women from the men who have wronged them - setting three lives across centuries on a dangerous collision course.

Rule #1: The poison must never be used to harm another woman.
Rule #2: The names of the murderer and her victim must be recorded in the apothecary’s register.

One cold February evening in 1791, at the back of a dark London alley in a hidden apothecary shop, Nella awaits her newest customer. Once a respected healer, Nella now uses her knowledge for a darker purpose - selling well-disguised poisons to desperate women who would kill to be free of the men in their lives. But when her new patron turns out to be a precocious twelve-year-old named Eliza Fanning, an unexpected friendship sets in motion a string of events that jeopardizes Nella’s world and threatens to expose the many women whose names are written in her register.

In present-day London, aspiring historian Caroline Parcewell spends her tenth wedding anniversary alone, reeling from the discovery of her husband’s infidelity. When she finds an old apothecary vial near the river Thames, she can’t resist investigating, only to realize she’s found a link to the unsolved “apothecary murders” that haunted London over two centuries ago. As she deepens her search, Caroline’s life collides with Nella’s and Eliza’s in a stunning twist of fate - and not everyone will survive."

My Rating: 5/5

I absolutely loved this debut. While listening to the audiobook I was fully enamoured, and I found myself doing more things around the house so I had a reason to listen to this audiobook rather than read something physically (I know I'm not the only one...). The plot, the perspectives, the setting and the overall ability to tell the story were so magical in their own way. I loved the author's character choices, and I loved the audiobook narrator's use of inflexion throughout the story. I would strongly recommend and I will be reading anything else the author puts out. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: The Winners by Fredrik Backman

Title: The Winners

Author: Fredrik Backman

Series/Standalone: Beartown Series (Book #3)

Genre: Literary Fiction, Contemporary, Adult

Pages: 671

Publisher: Atria Books

Year Published: 2022

Format: Audiobook

"Two years have passed since the events that no one wants to think about. Everyone has tried to move on, but there's something about this place that prevents it. The residents continue to grapple with life's big questions: What is a family? What is a community? And what, if anything, are we willing to sacrifice in order to protect them?

As the locals of Beartown struggle to overcome the past, great change is on the horizon. Someone is coming home after a long time away. Someone will be laid to rest. Someone will fall in love, someone will try to fix their marriage, and someone will do anything to save their children. Someone will submit to hate, someone will fight, and someone will grab a gun and walk towards the ice rink.

So what are the residents of Beartown willing to sacrifice for their home?"

My Rating: 5/5

I can't recommend the audiobooks enough for this series.  The way the author's story lends itself so well to audio narration is fantastic and the characters seem to jump off the page or the earbuds....? You get it. I have felt so deeply throughout this series. The pain, joy, fear and overall strength that the main characters in this series exhibit. The setting lends itself perfectly to the story and I would highly recommend anyone interested in picking up the books.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny