Books

Book Review, Books

Natalie Tans’ Book of Luck & Fortune Review

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Natalie Tan’s Book of Luck & Fortune by Roselle Lim

At the news of her mother’s death, Natalie Tan returns home. The two women hadn’t spoken since Natalie left in anger seven years ago, when her mother refused to support her chosen career as a chef. Natalie is shocked to discover the vibrant neighborhood of San Francisco’s Chinatown that she remembers from her childhood is fading, with businesses failing and families moving out. She’s even more surprised to learn she has inherited her grandmother’s restaurant.

The neighborhood seer reads the restaurant’s fortune in the leaves: Natalie must cook three recipes from her grandmother’s cookbook to aid her struggling neighbors before the restaurant will succeed. Unfortunately, Natalie has no desire to help them try to turn things around–she resents the local shopkeepers for leaving her alone to take care of her agoraphobic mother when she was growing up. But with the support of a surprising new friend and a budding romance, Natalie starts to realize that maybe her neighbors really have been there for her all along.

Rating: MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px

First review of the year, even though I read this last year (this is so weird to write), and breaking away from the usual puzzle background because Vixy was being a good model.

Natalie has been working on learning new foods and growing her repertoire of food and has been chasing her dream away from home as she didn’t see eye to eye with her mum. And as such she also didn’t see eye to eye with her neighbours.

However, after her mother dies, she returns and decides that maybe she’ll open the restaurant she inherited and fulfill her dream. And as she does this, she also starts seeing her neighbours differently, tries to help them and cooks lots of delicious food.

The main thing was that this book made me SO hungry! Do not read while hungry or with any hint of hunger because you’ll be craving the food so bad. I kept drooling over the recipes, loving the simple and interesting magic in the “dishes” and just that hint at a slight bend between magic and reality as we see it.

The writing flowed, I felt for Natalie and her neighbours and I just wanted them all to be happy and succeed. And to make food. So bad. It was interesting to see her mother’s agoraphobia define her childhood and then to slowly find out why it got so bad and why her mother was so against Natalie’s dreams.

Another thing that I found interesting is how sometimes we think we know what is best for someone else and what the fix is, but it isn’t always what is best and meddling has consequences. Natalie has a good heart even if it is a bit broken, patched and mended, and she has a fear of commitment so it was interesting to see her grow through the story and find that confidence in herself, and to learn more about her family history, her grandmother and the neighbourhood in general.

Worth the read, keep snacks available while reading. I ended up being lucky that I was reading at a Thai restaurant while waiting for my food, so my cravings were relatively quickly satisfied but at other times, it was tricky not to want to immediately get delicious food.

Books, Subscription Boxes

Through the Enchanted Forest Owlcrate Unboxing

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Returning slowly from the hiatus that being ill caused (no energy to write or schedule or anything), with November’s Owlcrate. It was definitely a whimsical type of box, so starting from the book on the bottom left and going clockwise:

  • Winterwood by Shea Ernshaw. I LOVE this version of the cover, it gives me a much more wintery feel than the original.
  • The “star” of the box, a blanket licensed by Holly Black. I like the artwork and colours. I just wish the blankets in book boxes were a bit bigger (but it isn’t a specifically Owlcrate, any box that does).
  • A moth pin, also gorgeous.
  • A Reading Planner. Gosh I find this stunning and each year it is better but I am TERRIBLE at any kind of tracking/planning (I am a mood reader and very much a “this book is kinda coming out soon let’s read the proof”) for anything. Can’t keep a journal, can’t do even daily or weekly planners, they just don’t stick and I feel so sad about that because this is stunning and the best.
  • A wooden ornament. This is going on my Christmas tree. It is pretty, elegant and just nice.
  • Gorgeous stickers. I need more stickers that are cute and matching the theme in my life.
  • Metallic bookmark. Wasn’t terribly impressed with the design but like the metallic part of it.
  • Theme card. It is so pretty.
  • And quote print thing. As you all should know, I am not generally a “print” anything, and quotes are nice but I am not fussed unless it is something that was special to me and I doubt that’d go for everyone.

All in all it matches the theme, had gorgeous items and a wonderful cover. No complaints here.

Books, Subscription Boxes

Lost and Found Fox & Wit box

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I really wanted the book in this box, so it was a great excuse to give it a try. It comes from the US, so I got hit by customs. The actual tax wasn’t bad but the fee was many times the actual tax, so not pleased (but it is not their fault). So starting from the bottom left theme card and going clockwise:

  • Theme card. This shows you the theme for the next month and MOST of the card actually talks about the next month. There’s a TINY part of it that actually says what the items are (and mine only said 2 out of them all). Fox & Wit insisted this was how they do it, but it is extremely confusing and panic inducing, and I have no clue about the mug, or much about the book or anything. This part I rate badly. I have tried over 30 different book boxes, none do this weird thing.
  • One of the things I did like is you can choose certain items to be “personalised” or at least, specific, for example, my zodiac is Cancer so I got a Cancer necklace instead of just random which I think is brilliant! Kudos on that part.
  • A pin, which I love the idea of, the execution is not too good (I’ve made pins, I made this mistake too, I get it) because the text is too small and not enough spacing to show well. Easy fix but sadly quality control didn’t fix it first.
  • The actual book, awesome, comes with a bookplate and author letter. Really pleased, and it came wrapped individually and all good.
  • A mug for “Air France” with constellations. Theme card said NOTHING about it, so no clue about fandom, or why or anything. It’s cool but I am just left with a lot of questions.
  • A set of bookmarks, one per Zodiac sign.For some random reason the Cancer one fell out as I was leafing through it, so it feels like fate. They’re cute.

All in all, I see potential in the box and good things, but that theme card really needs some hard work on how it is presented and delivered. And definitely need more data if tyou’re making the effort already to include one. Customs is another sad part, but that’s not fully their fault. All in all, good if you’re in the US and don’t mind confusion and not knowing what half of the stuff you’ve got is. I may still get some if the book is one I don’t have and no one else is doing and I have extra money but otherwise not for me.

Books, Subscription Boxes

In Search of Doors Illumicrate Unboxing

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This is a punch of blue! Definitely matches the theme, so let’s unbox it as it had a naked hardcover. Starting on the bottom right corner and going clockwise:

  • Theme booklet.
  • Night Circus Ticket keyring, I love the concept, but it is freaking heavy so I won’t be using it, which is very sad. It weights so much I don’t really want that on my keys or anything. Sad, so very sad because it is gorgeous!
  • Magnetic coin, as you know by now, I don’t really care about them and to me they’re pretty much useless and meh.
  • Narnia wardrobe wooden pin, this is very cute and I like it.
  • The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern. I haven’t read it yet, I am curious as I enjoyed the Night Circus.
  • I had a sword bookmark, matching the book but apparently there were three different designs. (Downside is how flimsy it is).
  • The Naked book, it is pretty but it’s just that, nothing special for me.
  • Key necklace, inspired by the Archived.
  • My favourite item, a booksleeve with a Hogwarts theme, the sleeve is sturdy and beautiful.
  • Book ceramic pot. I am still unsure what to do with them. If I was good at plants, I’d fill them with cute plants but I mostly kill them so they’re wasting space at home. Sad. But gorgeous.

So I wasn’t particularly impressed with this box. There aren’t many “doors” in the things included. As much as Harry Potter is nice, I have a lot of booksleeves in tones of pink/purple of Hogwarts in some way or another (why is it so popular in those tones?!) so I am a bit tired of that particular item, not that I dislike booksleeves. Be original, there’s a LOT of fandoms to choose from other than Harry Potter.

I liked the key and sword matching the book but I won’t use either (“golden” anything jewelry is a potential not good for me so I tend to avoid and not wear) and the pot is just space taken. So I have a pin, a book and a book sleeve and it feels not very worth the price if that is all I keep. It is sad, because I have loved Illumicrate since the very first box I had from them back when they sent Nevernight hardcover and had no themes and always had a proof in the box (I LOVED discovering new books with those proofs and really really miss them) and a lot more unique items and less worry about “collections of things that won’t be used”.

So veredict, I liked the box, miss the old Illumicrate boxes and don’t feel very much a good value for money with this particular box. Let’s see what December brings!

Book Review, Books

Gideon the Ninth Review

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Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

Brought up by unfriendly, ossifying nuns, ancient retainers, and countless skeletons, Gideon is ready to abandon a life of servitude and an afterlife as a reanimated corpse. She packs up her sword, her shoes, and her dirty magazines, and prepares to launch her daring escape. But her childhood nemesis won’t set her free without a service.

Harrowhark Nonagesimus, Reverend Daughter of the Ninth House and bone witch extraordinaire, has been summoned into action. The Emperor has invited the heirs to each of his loyal Houses to a deadly trial of wits and skill. If Harrowhark succeeds she will become an immortal, all-powerful servant of the Resurrection, but no necromancer can ascend without their cavalier. Without Gideon’s sword, Harrow will fail, and the Ninth House will die.

Of course, some things are better left dead.

Rating: MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px

There’s been a lot of rave for this book, but I am not sure I will fully rave about it. I enjoyed it a lot and it kept me hooked and reading it, but the way it had been pitched and talked about meant I was expecting something else.

If you’re looking for lesbian necromancer in space, you won’t really find that here. This is NOT a space opera, there’s very little “space” part in it, which was what made me unhappy the most. I was expecting some crazy space opera with necromancers and most of the space talk is them moving from their planet to another, which takes a few pages and that is it. There aren’t really any more space themed things going on beyond the fact that tehy are on a planet (I mean, in most stories you read, the characters are in a planet or something of the kind).

We get most of the story from Gideon’s point of view, so if you don’t like much her prickly/snarky want to be a hero and not super focused but rather emotional way of being, you won’t like the way this is narrated (which seems to be one of the main issues I see others found not great). I liked the snark and sarcasm and prickliness of her and her interactions and shenanigans made me like her a bit or at least be fond of her antics.

The story is mostly about them trying to solve a big puzzle in an abandoned building to become the best necromancer for the emperor. But it isn’t easy and it comes at a cost, plus being a necromancer doesn’t mean you are immune to death (one wishes, right?). I enjoyed the way necromancy is divided by houses and abilities, where each house has a focus on how they use necromancy and what they use it for. I also liked the whole mystery how are we going to solve this, do we try to work on our own or team up? thing.

There’s a lot of competition and lots of backstabbing (figurative and literal) and a lot of fighting and crazy stints and I enjoyed this a lot. One of the downsides is that there are a lot of characters and at times I couldn’t really remember which house they belong to, who they had come in with and what abilities they had. Nor could I fully remember they had or hadn’t achieved to a certain point in the story because we get a lot fo the story from Gideon’s point so we miss a lot or only what she cares about (which is fine, but can make the story confusing and I only really cared for a few characters rather than the whole set).

All in all, it was a crazy fun necromancy read. Just don’t expect the whole crazy space part because it wasn’t that.

Books, Subscription Boxes

Dangers of the Deep Book Box Club Unboxing

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A well themed box with a book I wanted to read (it is so gorgeous!), so let’s go unboxing, starting on the theme card and going clockwise:

  • Theme Card, definitely matches book and thene.
  • Whale notebook, I like notebooks and the artwork is gorgeous
  • Socks, mermaid socks! I am a happy human and they’re cute.
  • Two publisher’s frebies
  • Clubhouse invite for a chat with the author
  • Octopus pin, this is very detailed and cute.
  • Another promo item
  • Dangers of the Deep Shampoo Bar. This caused a great conversation about them at work and I raved on how good they are, so I am looking forward to using it and think it is great we get alternative care items beyond lip balms and creams and scrubs. Love it!
  • A sturdy coaster, this is a really good one!
  • Deeplight by Frances Hardinge. It is a super gorgeous book and I can’t wait to read.
  • A signed map, since Waterstones had the exclusive rights to signed books so we get a signature on the map. A good way to get away with a signature, clever and crafty!

All in all, a box very well themed that gives an ocean and deep sea vibe and I can’t wait to start reading the book today with our reading group.

Book Review, Books

The Okay Witch Review

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The Okay Witch by Emma Steinkellner

Magic is harder than it looks.

Thirteen-year-old Moth Hush loves all things witchy. But she’s about to discover that witches aren’t just the stuff of movies, books, and spooky stories. When some eighth-grade bullies try to ruin her Halloween, something really strange happens. It turns out that Founder’s Bluff, Massachusetts, has a centuries-old history of witch drama. And, surprise: Moth’s family is at the center of it all! When Moth’s new powers show up, things get totally out-of-control. She meets a talking cat, falls into an enchanted diary, and unlocks a hidden witch world. Secrets surface from generations past as Moth unravels the complicated legacy at the heart of her town, her family, and herself.

Rating: MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px

This book that I sadly haven’t seen anyone raving about is a hidden gem. It’s a graphic novel with cute artwork, and lots of coming into your magic, plus small town vibes and school shenanigans!

Moth loves everything that is magical and witchy, but that means she’s a little out of the main circle in school. However as she makes a new friend because she is friendly, she accidentally comes into magic powers. And boy, they are interesting and scary and also, magic is hard!

Not to spoil anythign but Moth lives in a small town that was really against witches, there is a talking cat, and there is a school play, Moth’s friend trying to impress his father (mysterious character that the father is), and then Moth’s own mother is keeping some really interesting secrets of her own.

But none of that will stop Moth from trying to learn how to do magic and use it better than by accident! She is one determined girl and this is a fun read full of joy, adventure, crazy stuff and bucketfuls of magic and history.

Highly recommended if you like empowering books about preteens/teens coming of age and finding powers, if you like magic, and friendship and family. It’s a really lovely book.

Book Review, Books

Shadow Review

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Shadow by Lucy Christopher and Anastasia Suvorova

In our old house, Ma told me there was nothing to be scared of. No monsters hiding behind doors, or in wardrobes, or under beds. She said there were no dark places at all. But, in the new house, under my new bed, that’s where I found Shadow.

Rating: MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px

I like having a stack of illustrated books to go through when I am not feeling well enough or in the mood for a big read. That isn’t to say they aren’t as wrothy, but rather, this type of books are very powerful in a small number of pages, and Shadow is one of those. [This review contains “spoilers”]

Shadow takes us on a journey into depression and “shadows”. How grief and fear can stop the world and sometimes put the ones we love into the shadows and push them away. The little girl has a good life and then they move to a new place and Ma isn’t the same so she finds a new friend to play with, Shadow.

The book is quite powerful, the artwork is very fitting in a limited palette that hints at darkness and more, but it is a good book, with lots of detail in the artwork and the wording. Good for children who would read a fun story about an imaginary friend and a daughter and mother, or for older ones who know grief, anxiety and depression.

Book Review, Books

Black Canary Ignite Review

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Black Canary: Ignite by Meg Cabot and Cara McGee

Thirteen-year-old Dinah Lance knows exactly what she wants, who she is, and where she’s going. First, she’ll win the battle of the bands with her two best friends, then she’ll join the Gotham City Junior Police Academy so she can solve crimes just like her dad. Who knows, her rock star group of friends may even save the world, but first they’ll need to agree on a band name.

When a mysterious figure keeps getting in the way of Dinah’s goals and threatens her friends and family, she’ll learn more about herself, her mother’s secret past, and navigating the various power chords of life.

Rating: MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px

This was an impulse buy because the superhero name sounded familiar but I couldn’t remember much and it looked cute.

We meet Dinah as she is singing for a band rehearsal, she and her two friends know they want to win and are ready to rock the world! However there is this weirdo mysterious person who keeps appearing at ood moments and that seems very interested in Dinah.

Things progress quite fast in the story but it was easy to read, didn’t feel like I was missing much even if there was a lot of dumping of mum’s past (wish it had been done a bit better). The artwork felt very fitting to the story and like it captured Dinah and her family and Gotham’s feel well, there wasn’t a mismatch between art and story and it didn’t feel like one was carrying the other but rather complimenting each other nicely and to me that is always a really nice ting and sometimes missing in other graphic novels.

I enjoyed this graphic novel, had fun, wanted to know more about Dinah after the story ended (would read another one of them) and felt satisfied with it, which is a good thing and kinda what I want of this type of book. It only doesn’t get 5 stars because it didn’t blow me away. But definitely enjoyable and fun to read.

Books, Subscription Boxes

Dawn of a New World Owlcrate Unboxing

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A very late unbpxing of October’s Owlcrate (I did open it a while ago, but forgot to post about it, woops). It had two books and an item that as soon as I saw it and others too it was a comment of “it is perfect for me/you”. So let’s unbox, starting from the top left and going clockwise:

  • Crier’s War by Nina Varela. Androids and humans in an interesting world, so excited to read it!
  • An Illuminae book tin, each side has a quote from one of the books. It is dark and intriguing and a bit cryptic and I like it.
  • I Hope You Get This Message by Farah Naz Bishi, the world is ending and I am not sure about this book but intrigued!
  • A Warcross inspired sticker, it is very holographic and I like it.
  • Magnetic bookmarks, probably the item I was the least excited about since I like the arts but do not particularly like the item.
  • Theme card.
  • The pin of the month, wasn’t my favourite but its kinda retro and cute.
  • Finally, the item I loved the most, a moon necklace with circuitry. It is inspired by the Lunar Chronicles which I haven’t read and not bothered but absolutely fell in love with the charm and necklace. It is amazing.