Monthly Archives: July 2019

[Blog Tour] Review for Jade War by Fonda Lee

Review

Hello! Today’s post is for the Jade War blog tour hosted by Shealea at Caffeine Book Tours. I’m excited to be a part of this tour since I’ve read and enjoyed all of Fonda Lee’s previous works. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the time to review Jade City before this, but rest assured that I savored it immensely. (I did previously interview Fonda Lee about Jade City and her YA scifi book Exo here if you want to read that.) If you haven’t read Jade City yet, you might want to wait to read it first before reading this review because there are some inevitable spoilers for book 1. That said, this review is spoiler-free as far as Jade War itself is concerned.

Before we get to the review, here’s the basic info about the book:

Jade War

Title: Jade War
Author: Fonda Lee
Publisher: Orbit Books
Publication date: 23 July 2019
Genres: Adult, Fantasy

Synopsis:

In Jade War, the sequel to the World Fantasy Award-winning novel Jade City, the Kaul siblings battle rival clans for honor and control over an Asia-inspired fantasy metropolis. 

On the island of Kekon, the Kaul family is locked in a violent feud for control of the capital city and the supply of magical jade that endows trained Green Bone warriors with supernatural powers they alone have possessed for hundreds of years. 

Beyond Kekon’s borders, war is brewing. Powerful foreign governments and mercenary criminal kingpins alike turn their eyes on the island nation. Jade, Kekon’s most prized resource, could make them rich – or give them the edge they’d need to topple their rivals. 

Faced with threats on all sides, the Kaul family is forced to form new and dangerous alliances, confront enemies in the darkest streets and the tallest office towers, and put honor aside in order to do whatever it takes to ensure their own survival – and that of all the Green Bones of Kekon. 

Jade War is the second book of the Green Bone Saga, an epic trilogy about family, honor, and those who live and die by the ancient laws of blood and jade.

Review:

I read this shortly after finishing Jade City, so everything from book 1 was fresh in my mind and I was super hyped. Sequels, especially the second in a trilogy, are hard to nail because they need to live up to–if not exceed–the first book while also building toward the next/final book. Jade War definitely exceeded my expectations.

As you probably know, Jade City was a character-driven book, so character development was crucial to the success of Jade War. Jade War absolutely delivered on that front. It was amazing to see how Hilo and Shae grew into their roles as Pillar and Weatherman, respectively, as well as how Anden found a place for himself outside of the traditional Green Bone mold. I was also happy to follow Wen’s arc since it had been foreshadowed that she would play a bigger part in the No Peak Clan’s activities for a while. All of the characters were tested in how they dealt with increasingly difficult situations and decisions. That leads me to my next topic.

The geographical scope of Jade War is bigger than that of Jade City, and the worldbuilding is expanded upon. The Green Bones have to deal with more than just inter-clan conflict, they also have to handle threats and opportunities from outside forces on multiple fronts. I was especially thrilled to see a diasporic Kekonese community portrayed in Jade War, and I think the intricacies of those diasporic experiences were done well. We mostly view them through the eyes of Anden, who is studying abroad in Espenia and hosted by a Keko-Espenian family. Although he feels it is not the same as Kekon, he comes to respect and immerse himself in this community.

Jade War is an extremely complex story with many different characters with varied agendas, but Lee juggles these aspects so well. From geopolitical machinations to international trade to black market dealings to interpersonal conflicts, all of these pieces inform one another and fit together so well that I’m impressed and frankly, envious.

Last but not least, I have to say that this book contains some of the best action scenes that I’ve ever read. I was on the edge of my seat for so many of them because I was internally freaking out over what might happen next. I have rarely been so stressed out by a fictional scene, but these were so well-written my stomach was churning with anxiety and I could physically feel my body warming up from the emotional impact. If you’re reading Jade War, you’re in for a rollercoaster ride beyond compare.

So much happens in Jade War and yet there is foreshadowing for still more to come. I think I might die waiting for the final installment of this trilogy.

Content/Trigger Warnings: violence, dismemberment, drug use, murder, homophobia

About the Author:

Author photo (Fonda Lee)Fonda Lee writes science fiction and fantasy for adults and teens. She is the author of the Green Bone Saga, beginning with Jade City (Orbit), which won the 2018 World Fantasy Award for Best Novel, was nominated for the Nebula Award and the Locus Award, and was named a Best Book of 2017 by NPR, Barnes & Noble, Syfy Wire, and others. The second book in the Green Bone Saga, Jade War, releases in the summer of 2019. Fonda’s young adult science fiction novels Zeroboxer (Flux), Exo and Cross Fire (Scholastic), have garnered numerous accolades including being named Junior Library Guild Selection, Andre Norton Award finalist, Oregon Book Award finalist, Oregon Spirit Book Award winner, and YALSA Top Ten Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers. In 2018, Fonda gained the distinction of winning the Aurora Award, Canada’s national science fiction and fantasy award, twice in the same year for Best Novel and Best Young Adult Novel.

Fonda wrote her first novel, about a dragon on a quest for a magic pendant, in fifth grade during the long bus ride to and from school each day. Many years later, she cast her high school classmates as characters in her second novel, a pulpy superhero saga co-written with a friend by passing a graphing calculator back and forth during biology class. Fortunately, both of these experiments are lost to the world forever.

Fonda is a former corporate strategist who has worked for or advised a number of Fortune 500 companies. She holds black belts in karate and kung fu, goes mad for smart action movies (think The Matrix, Inception, and Minority Report) and is an Eggs Benedict enthusiast. Born and raised in Calgary, Canada, she currently resides in Portland, Oregon.

Author links:

Author website — https://fondalee.com/about-fonda-lee/
Goodreads — http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7705004.Fonda_Lee
Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/fonda.lee.94
Twitter — http://www.twitter.com/FondaJLee
Tumblr — http://fondalee.tumblr.com/ 

Book links:

Amazon — https://amzn.to/2LIhqRg
Book Depository — https://www.bookdepository.com/Jade-War/9780356510538
Goodreads — https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41716919-jade-war

Don’t miss out on the other stops on the blog tour:

Tour Schedule (Jade War)

Review for Caster by Elsie Chapman

Review, , ,

Caster

Disclaimer: I received an advance reader copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. My review is based on an uncorrected proof, which may be different from the finalized version that releases on September 3rd, 2019.

Synopsis:

If the magic doesn’t kill her, the truth just might.

Aza Wu knows that real magic is dangerous and illegal. After all, casting killed her sister, Shire. As with all magic, everything comes at a price. For Aza, it feels like everything in her life has some kind of cost attached to it. Her sister had been casting for money to pay off Saint Willow, the gang leader that oversees her sector of Lotusland. If you want to operate a business there, you have to pay your tribute. And now with Shire dead, Aza must step in to save the legacy of Wu Teas, the teahouse that has been in her family for centuries.

When Aza comes across a secret invitation, she decides she doesn’t have much else to lose. She quickly realizes that she’s entered herself into an underground casting tournament, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. Real magic, real consequences. As she competes, Aza fights for her life against some very strong and devious competitors.

When the facts about Shire’s death don’t add up, the police start to investigate. When the tributes to Saint Willow aren’t paid, the gang comes to collect. When Aza is caught sneaking around with fresh casting wounds, her parents are alarmed. As Aza’s dangerous web of lies continues to grow, she is caught between trying to find a way out and trapping herself permanently.

My Review:

I’m writing this review barely an hour after finishing, and my first thoughts after finishing were, “I need to go lie down.” I mean that in the best sense, by the way.

Honestly, whoever said urban fantasy is dead needs to take a seat and maybe read one by an author of color, which, in this case, means Caster. I read the entire book in a single sitting because the story grabbed me from the beginning and didn’t let go. It was incredibly fast paced and suspenseful, and I couldn’t put it down. There were many twists and developments that surprised me, and that ending really had me speechless as well as clamoring for more.

Although I was worried at the very beginning because I was dumped straight into an unfamiliar world with a lot of information hitting me, I quickly found my bearings and didn’t feel weighed down by the worldbuilding. According to the author, the story is set in a city based on Vancouver, and I was able to pick up on some of the clues to that in the way geographical elements were named as well as the presence of a substantial ethnically Chinese population. The way the author characterized the city was atmospheric and haunting, like the looming shadow of a very possible future brought about by climate change.

The magic system in this book was very distinctive and easy to follow. As the synopsis states, there’s a price to magic, both on an individual level as well as an environmental level. Using and overusing magic can take an incredible permanent–and even fatal–physical toll on the user as well as the earth itself, giving the magic-using characters’ actions a tangible sense of weight and consequence. The way magic and its aftereffects were described engaged of the senses, so I didn’t have any trouble imagining it in my head.

If I had to pitch this book using comp titles, I’d call it Warcross meets The Hunger Games. The heroine, Aza Wu, enters a high-stakes competition out of desperation to help her family and ends up in over her head. I was on the edge of my seat dreading the obstacles that would be thrown at her next and wondering how the hell she was going to survive them. Like both of the comp titles, Caster features special arenas for the competitions, but generated by magic rather than being real (Hunger Games style) or virtual reality (Warcross). It would be super cool if this book were made into a movie (*stares at entertainment companies*).

Aza, the protagonist, made for a fascinating character because of her willingness to take immense risks. I sometimes think maybe I’m a bit too impulsive for my own good, but watching Aza try to bluff and lie and gamble every step of the way, I wanted to scream because all of my danger alerts were going off. However, she isn’t just bold, she’s also smart and resourceful and mentally tough, so I never once considered giving up on her as a character.

Although the book isn’t primarily about Aza’s Chineseness, her cultural background still played a part in her story and her characterization in various ways. Her family owns a once-prestigious traditional tea shop that’s been passed down through generations and across continents, and her pride in this legacy is a contributing factor to the stakes of the book because she wants to keep alive the languishing business. In addition, while Aza isn’t perfectly obedient to her parents, she’s still very loyal to and considerate of them and how her actions might affect them and does everything she can to protect them, even if it’s to her own detriment. And among the main antagonists in the story is a Chinese gang with a deeply intertwined, albeit parasitic, relationship with the Chinese community of the city. Although the setting is fictional, it definitely draws on real histories and present realities where coethnics in diaspora both help and prey on one another.

Among the main themes of the book are revenge and power and whether they’re worth the cost. The experiences and decisions of different characters and the lasting effects engage with this question from different angles and made me think about what I’d do if I were in their position. So aside from being entertaining, this book is also a thought-provoking read regarding ethics on an individual and societal level.

In conclusion, if you’re looking for a dark, thrilling read with a strong heroine and vivid setting, Caster is a book to check out.

Content/trigger warnings: blood, violence, death/murder

[Blog Tour] Review for Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim + Giveaway

Giveaway, Review, ,

Hi, everyone! I’m super thrilled to be one of the first stops on the blog tour for Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim, hosted by Shealea at Caffeine Book Tours. This book was one of my most anticipated releases of 2019 and I’m glad I got a chance to read an advance copy.

Spin the Dawn
Title: Spin the Dawn
Author: Elizabeth Lim
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication date: 09 July 2019
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy
Synopsis:

Project Runway meets Mulan in this sweeping YA fantasy about a young girl who poses as a boy to compete for the role of imperial tailor and embarks on an impossible journey to sew three magic dresses, from the sun, the moon, and the stars.
Maia Tamarin dreams of becoming the greatest tailor in the land, but as a girl, the best she can hope for is to marry well. When a royal messenger summons her ailing father, once a tailor of renown, to court, Maia poses as a boy and takes his place. She knows her life is forfeit if her secret is discovered, but she’ll take that risk to achieve her dream and save her family from ruin. There’s just one catch: Maia is one of twelve tailors vying for the job.
Backstabbing and lies run rampant as the tailors compete in challenges to prove their artistry and skill. Maia’s task is further complicated when she draws the attention of the court magician, Edan, whose piercing eyes seem to see straight through her disguise.
And nothing could have prepared her for the final challenge: to sew three magic gowns for the emperor’s reluctant bride-to-be, from the laughter of the sun, the tears of the moon, and the blood of stars. With this impossible task before her, she embarks on a journey to the far reaches of the kingdom, seeking the sun, the moon, and the stars, and finding more than she ever could have imagined.
Steeped in Chinese culture, sizzling with forbidden romance, and shimmering with magic, this young adult fantasy is pitch-perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas or Renée Ahdieh.

Review:

I’m happy to report that Spin the Dawn lived up to my expectations. It was a gorgeous read from start to finish, filled with with evocative language that painted pictures in the imagination. My favorites were probably the descriptions of the clothes Maia created and the food she ate. Even though food wasn’t the main focus of the story, it still made an impression and contributed to the worldbuilding.

Overall, the worldbuilding was immersive and familiar due to its Chinese inspirations. The symbolism, the clothing, and yes, the food were all recognizable to me, and it was extremely satisfying to see those things normalized because they’re so often othered and treated as exotic decorations in fantasy.

The protagonist, Maia, was someone I couldn’t help but root for. She holds her family close to her heart and wants more than anything for them to be happy. (I’m a sucker for stories that center family ties.) At the same time, she has her own ambitions and dreams as a tailor, and as a fellow creator, I could relate to those sentiments.

If you love the classic quest fantasy, then you’ll probably enjoy this book, as Maia undertakes a journey to collect three magical items, each entailing a trial of some sort. Her physical journey is also an emotional and mental one, contributing not only to her greater goal but also to her growth as a character.

The romance in this book took some time to develop, which wasn’t a bad thing at all, in my opinion. I enjoyed the banter between Maia and Edan and their awkward but sweet steps toward greater intimacy. Something about their dynamic kind of reminded me of Sophie and Howl from Howl’s Moving Castle, but that could be because of something about Edan that’s a spoiler that I can’t talk about in detail. (Ha.)

The ending of this book was a surprise/twist for me and quite an interesting development that left me hungering for more, and now I can’t (but will have to) wait for the sequel, Unravel the Dusk.

About the Author:
Elizabeth Lim author photo

Elizabeth Lim grew up on a hearty staple of fairy tales, myths, and songs. Her passion for storytelling began around age 10, when she started writing fanfics for Sailor Moon, Sweet Valley, and Star Wars, and posted them online to discover, “Wow, people actually read my stuff. And that’s kinda cool!” But after one of her teachers told her she had “too much voice” in her essays, Elizabeth took a break from creative writing to focus on not flunking English.
Over the years, Elizabeth became a film and video game composer, and even went so far as to get a doctorate in music composition. But she always missed writing, and turned to penning stories when she needed a breather from grad school. One day, she decided to write and finish a novel — for kicks, at first, then things became serious — and she hasn’t looked back since.
Elizabeth loves classic film scores, books with a good romance, food (she currently has a soft spot for arepas and Ethiopian food), the color turquoise, overcast skies, English muffins, cycling, and baking. She lives in New York City with her husband.
Author Links:
Author website (and newsletter): https://www.elizabethlim.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6926374.Elizabeth_Lim
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elimpix/
Facebook: http://facebook.com/elizabethlimbooks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LizLim

Book Links:
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2VDCPwp
Book Depository: https://www.bookdepository.com/Spin-the-Dawn/9780525646990
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36683928-spin-the-dawn

Don’t miss the remaining stops on the blog tour:

Tour Schedule (Spin the Dawn)

At the end of the tour, there will be a Twitter chat about Spin the Dawn. Feel free to join in on the discussion.

Twitter Chat Invite (Spin the Dawn)

Last, but not least, you can enter the giveaway for one of three (3) finished copies of Spin the Dawn using the link below:

Scope: Open to international.

Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/950d261633/