The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang

The Poppy War (The Poppy War #1) by R.F. Kuang with Emily Woo Zeller (Narrator), 19 hrs (544 pages)

"When Rin aced the Keju—the Empire-wide test to find the most talented youth to learn at the Academies—it was a shock to everyone: to the test officials, who couldn’t believe a war orphan from Rooster Province could pass without cheating; to Rin’s guardians, who believed they’d finally be able to marry her off and further their criminal enterprise; and to Rin herself, who realized she was finally free of the servitude and despair that had made up her daily existence. That she got into Sinegard—the most elite military school in Nikan—was even more surprising. But surprises aren’t always good.

Because being a dark-skinned peasant girl from the south is not an easy thing at Sinegard. Targeted from the outset by rival classmates for her color, poverty, and gender, Rin discovers she possesses a lethal, unearthly power—an aptitude for the nearly-mythical art of shamanism. Exploring the depths of her gift with the help of a seemingly insane teacher and psychoactive substances, Rin learns that gods long thought dead are very much alive—and that mastering control over those powers could mean more than just surviving school. 

For while the Nikara Empire is at peace, the Federation of Mugen still lurks across a narrow sea. The militarily advanced Federation occupied Nikan for decades after the First Poppy War, and only barely lost the continent in the Second. And while most of the people are complacent to go about their lives, a few are aware that a Third Poppy War is just a spark away . . .

Rin’s shamanic powers may be the only way to save her people. But as she finds out more about the god that has chosen her, the vengeful Phoenix, she fears that winning the war may cost her humanity . . . and that it may already be too late." -Provided by publisher

This is a very popular series that sounded like it was right up my alley so I gave it a try. I have also read Kuang before and enjoyed her writing style. This was just not for me. Kuang is well-known for writing beautifully, but her main characters are very unlikeable. This is no exception. In the past with Kuang, despite unlikeable characters, the story kept going to the next chapter, but there was a lot of this story that just put me off. I am definitely in the minority with this opinion though, as this book is very beloved and highly rated. I wouldn't discourage anyone from reading it; it just wasn't for me. Check content warnings on this book before reading. 

 

All the Lonely People by Mike Gayle

All the Lonely People by Mike Gayle, 359 p.

"Life is waiting to happen to Hubert Bird. But first he has to open his front door and let it in. 

In weekly phone calls to his daughter in Australia, widower Hubert Bird paints a picture of the perfect retirement, packed with fun, friendship and fulfilment. But Hubert Bird is lying. The truth is day after day drags by without him seeing a single soul.

Until, that is, he receives some good news - good news that in one way turns out to be the worst news ever, news that will force him out again, into a world he has long since turned his back on. Now Hubert faces a seemingly impossible task: to make his real life resemble his fake life before the truth comes out. Along the way Hubert stumbles across a second chance at love, renews a cherished friendship and finds himself roped into an audacious community scheme that seeks to end loneliness once and for all . . .

Life is certainly beginning to happen to Hubert Bird. But with the originof his earlier isolation always lurking in the shadows will he ever get to live the life he's pretended to have for so long? From bestselling author Mike Gayle, All the Lonely People is by turns a funny and moving meditation on love, race, old age and friendship that will not only charm and uplift, but also remind you of the power of ordinary people to make an extraordinary difference."--Goodreads blurb

I loved this book as was it was very reminiscent of one of my all-time favorite books, A Man Called Ove. Hubert is old, cranky, but yet so loveable. Following him through his life is a wonderful way to spend time, as long as you're okay with feeling every emotion you have!

Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn

Bloodmarked (Legendborn #2) by Tracy Deonn, 576 p.

"The shadows have risen, and the line is law. All Bree wanted was to uncover the truth behind her mother’s death. So she infiltrated the Legendborn Order, a secret society descended from King Arthur’s knights—only to discover her own ancestral power. Now, Bree has become someone new: A Medium. A Bloodcrafter. A Scion. But the ancient war between demons and the Order is rising to a deadly peak. And Nick, the Legendborn boy Bree fell in love with, has been kidnapped.

Bree wants to fight, but the Regents who rule the Order won’t let her. To them, she is an unknown girl with unheard-of power, and as the living anchor for the spell that preserves the Legendborn cycle, she must be protected. When the Regents reveal they will do whatever it takes to hide the war, Bree and her friends must go on the run to rescue Nick themselves. But enemies are everywhere, Bree’s powers are unpredictable and dangerous, and she can’t escape her growing attraction to Selwyn, the mage sworn to protect Nick until death. If Bree has any hope of saving herself and the people she loves, she must learn to control her powers from the ancestors who wielded them first—without losing herself in the process." --Goodreads blurb

The sophomore release of this series, while maybe not quite as good as the first, was a great story that kept me engaged and needing to know what was going to happen next. The love triangle was a much larger part of the storyline in this one, and for me that part wasn't as interesting. I was mainly wanting to know how Bree would handle her newfound position and power. I believe this is going to be a trilogy and I'm anxious to get to the third book, but I'm also just glad I found this author and will be looking forward to future releases from her. 

 

Legendborn by Tracy Deonn

Legendborn (Legendborn #1) by Tracy Deonn, 501 p.

"After her mother dies in an accident, sixteen-year-old Bree Matthews wants nothing to do with her family memories or childhood home. A residential program for bright high schoolers at UNC–Chapel Hill seems like the perfect escape—until Bree witnesses a magical attack her very first night on campus.

A flying demon feeding on human energies. A secret society of so called “Legendborn” students that hunt the creatures down. And a mysterious teenage mage who calls himself a “Merlin” and who attempts—and fails—to wipe Bree’s memory of everything she saw.

The mage’s failure unlocks Bree’s own unique magic and a buried memory with a hidden connection: the night her mother died, another Merlin was at the hospital. Now that Bree knows there’s more to her mother’s death than what’s on the police report, she’ll do whatever it takes to find out the truth, even if that means infiltrating the Legendborn as one of their initiates.

She recruits Nick, a self-exiled Legendborn with his own grudge against the group, and their reluctant partnership pulls them deeper into the society’s secrets—and closer to each other. But when the Legendborn reveal themselves as the descendants of King Arthur’s knights and explain that a magical war is coming, Bree has to decide how far she’ll go for the truth and whether she should use her magic to take the society down—or join the fight." --Goodreads blurb

I picked this up in anticipation of the second book being released and hearing such good things about the first in the series. I was not disappointed. I feel like good, well-written fantasy set in current times is much harder to find than a full fictional world, but Deonn did this well. I was drawn in very quicky and my attention was kept and was even at the edge of my seat many times. So glad I don't have to wait for the second book! 

 

The Book of Form and Emptiness by Ruth Ozeki

 

The Book of Form and Emptiness by Ruth Ozeki, 548 p.

"After the tragic death of his beloved musician father, fourteen-year-old Benny Oh begins to hear voices. The voices belong to the things in his house--a sneaker, a broken Christmas ornament, a piece of wilted lettuce. Although Benny doesn't understand what these things are saying, he can sense their emotional tone; some are pleasant, a gentle hum or coo, but others are snide, angry and full of pain. When his mother, Annabelle, develops a hoarding problem, the voices grow more clamorous.

At first, Benny tries to ignore them, but soon the voices follow him outside the house, onto the street and at school, driving him at last to seek refuge in the silence of a large public library, where objects are well-behaved and know to speak in whispers. There, Benny discovers a strange new world, where "things happen." He falls in love with a mesmerizing street artist with a smug pet ferret, who uses the library as her performance space. He meets a homeless philosopher-poet, who encourages him to ask important questions and find his own voice amongst the many.

And he meets his very own Book--a talking thing--who narrates Benny's life and teaches him to listen to the things that truly matter.

With its blend of sympathetic characters, riveting plot, and vibrant engagement with everything from jazz, to climate change, to our attachment to material possessions, The Book of Form and Emptiness is classic Ruth Ozeki--bold, wise, poignant, playful, humane and heartbreaking."--Goodreads blurb 

This was a strange book, but not in a bad way. Some of the characters were so unlikeable, while also being so loveable (Benny's Mom?!), and other characters were so poignant and heartbreaking. The depths of mental health are often not written about in fiction, and this was very well-done. 

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang, 323 p.

"Stella Lane thinks math is the only thing that unites the universe. She comes up with algorithms to predict customer purchases—a job that has given her more money than she knows what to do with, and way less experience in the dating department than the average thirty-year-old.

It doesn't help that Stella has Asperger's and French kissing reminds her of a shark getting its teeth cleaned by pilot fish. Her conclusion: she needs lots of practice—with a professional. Which is why she hires escort Michael Phan. The Vietnamese and Swedish stunner can't afford to turn down Stella's offer, and agrees to help her check off all the boxes on her lesson plan—from foreplay to more-than-missionary position...

Before long, Stella not only learns to appreciate his kisses, but to crave all the other things he's making her feel. Soon, their no-nonsense partnership starts making a strange kind of sense. And the pattern that emerges will convince Stella that love is the best kind of logic..." --Goodreads blurb

This is the latest in the contemporary romance genre that I've recently started to enjoy. It was a very quick read, and while not as good as others in the genre I've read this summer, it was great to have a story with an autistic MC. Learning about the way her brain worked and watching her confidence grow was a great escape. I appreciated that the inevitable miscommunication that leads to the breakup in every contemporary romance didn't last that long in this story. 
 

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin, 416 p.

"On a bitter-cold day, in the December of his junior year at Harvard, Sam Masur exits a subway car and sees, amid the hordes of people waiting on the platform, Sadie Green. He calls her name. For a moment, she pretends she hasn't heard him, but then, she turns, and a game begins: a legendary collaboration that will launch them to stardom. These friends, intimates since childhood, borrow money, beg favors, and, before even graduating college, they have created their first blockbuster, Ichigo. Overnight, the world is theirs. Not even twenty-five years old, Sam and Sadie are brilliant, successful, and rich, but these qualities won't protect them from their own creative ambitions or the betrayals of their hearts.

Spanning thirty years, from Cambridge, Massachusetts, to Venice Beach, California, and lands in between and far beyond, Gabrielle Zevin's Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is a dazzling and intricately imagined novel that examines the multifarious nature of identity, disability, failure, the redemptive possibilities in play, and above all, our need to connect: to be loved and to love. Yes, it is a love story, but it is not one you have read before." --Goodreads blurb

I've read and enjoyed Zevin before, so I thought I'd give this new release a try. It was a beautifully written story of friendship, maturing, and the complexities of love, both romantic and platonic. I needed this good book after being disappointed in my last several books. 

A Sky Beyond the Storm by Sabaa Tahir

A Sky Beyond the Storm by Sabaa Tahir, 516 p.

"Picking up just a few months after A Reaper at the Gates left off...

The long-imprisoned jinn are on the attack, wreaking bloody havoc in villages and cities alike. But for the Nightbringer, vengeance on his human foes is just the beginning.

At his side, Commandant Keris Veturia declares herself Empress, and calls for the heads of any and all who defy her rule. At the top of the list? The Blood Shrike and her remaining family.

Laia of Serra, now allied with the Blood Shrike, struggles to recover from the loss of the two people most important to her. Determined to stop the approaching apocalypse, she throws herself into the destruction of the Nightbringer. In the process, she awakens an ancient power that could lead her to victory--or to an unimaginable doom.

And deep in the Waiting Place, the Soul Catcher seeks only to forget the life--and love--he left behind. Yet doing so means ignoring the trail of murder left by the Nightbringer and his jinn. To uphold his oath and protect the human world from the supernatural, the Soul Catcher must look beyond the borders of his own land. He must take on a mission that could save--or destroy--all that he knows. "--Goodreads blurb

This was a decent close of the story. Again, I thought there was a lot of plot leaps that could have used a bit more development. I wasn't a fan of the twist on the love triangle in this series, but this series was worth the read. 
 

A Reaper at the Gates by Sabaa Tahir

A Reaper at the Gates by Sabaa Tahir, 458 p.

"Helene Aquilla, the Blood Shrike, is desperate to protect her sister's life and the lives of everyone in the Empire. Yet danger lurks on all sides. Emperor Marcus, haunted by his past, grows increasingly unstable and violent, while Keris Veturia, the ruthless Commandant, capitalizes on the Emperor's volatility to grow her own power—regardless of the carnage she leaves in her path.

Far to the east, Laia of Serra knows that the fate of the world lies not in the machinations of the Martial court, but in stopping the Nightbringer. During the hunt to bring him down, Laia faces unexpected threats from those she hoped would help her, and is drawn into a battle she never thought she'd have to fight.

And in the land between the living and the dead, Elias Veturius has given up his freedom to serve as Soul Catcher. However, in doing so, he has vowed himself to an ancient power that demands his complete surrender—even if that means abandoning the woman he loves."--Goodreads blurb

This one suffered from the sophomore slump a bit, but it was still a good story. It wasn't the writing, necessarily, that made me not enjoy it as much as the first, but the decisions of the characters. I thought the plot took leaps without enough development. I liked having Helene have her own voice in this story and am looking forward to finishing out the series. 

A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir

A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir, 452 p.

"Elias and Laia are running for their lives. After the events of the Fourth Trial, Martial soldiers hunt the two fugitives as they flee the city of Serra and undertake a perilous journey through the heart of the Empire.

Laia is determined to break into Kauf—the Empire’s most secure and dangerous prison—to save her brother, who is the key to the Scholars’ survival. And Elias is determined to help Laia succeed, even if it means giving up his last chance at freedom.

But dark forces, human and otherworldly, work against Laia and Elias. The pair must fight every step of the way to outsmart their enemies: the bloodthirsty Emperor Marcus, the merciless Commandant, the sadistic Warden of Kauf, and, most heartbreaking of all, Helene—Elias’s former friend and the Empire’s newest Blood Shrike.

Bound to Marcus’s will, Helene faces a torturous mission of her own—one that might destroy her: find the traitor Elias Veturius and the Scholar slave who helped him escape…and kill them both."--Goodreads blurb 

This was a re-read for me so I could finish the series. There was good world-building, story development, and character development in this first installment of the series. It left me wanting to pick up the second one to get more of the story. 
 

Pachinko by Lee Min-jin

Pachinko by Lee Min-jin, 496 p.

"n the early 1900s, teenaged Sunja, the adored daughter of a crippled fisherman, falls for a wealthy stranger at the seashore near her home in Korea. He promises her the world, but when she discovers she is pregnant — and that her lover is married — she refuses to be bought. Instead, she accepts an offer of marriage from a gentle, sickly minister passing through on his way to Japan. But her decision to abandon her home, and to reject her son's powerful father, sets off a dramatic saga that will echo down through the generations.

Richly told and profoundly moving, Pachinko is a story of love, sacrifice, ambition, and loyalty. From bustling street markets to the halls of Japan's finest universities to the pachinko parlors of the criminal underworld, Lee's complex and passionate characters — strong, stubborn women, devoted sisters and sons, fathers shaken by moral crisis — survive and thrive against the indifferent arc of history.--Goodreads blurb

What a fantastic family saga spanning years. It was wonderful and often profound to hear histories from a different culture, yet still feel so connected, because all families share so many common things. I didn't know this was recently made into a television show until I was almost finished with it, but will be glad to watch this wonderful story play out on the screen, not just in my mind. 
 

Machinehood by S.B. Divya

Machinehood by S.B. Divya, 404 p.

"Welga Ramirez, executive bodyguard and ex-special forces, is about to retire early when her client is killed in front of her. It’s 2095 and people don’t usually die from violence. Humanity is entirely dependent on pills that not only help them stay alive, but allow them to compete with artificial intelligence in an increasingly competitive gig economy. Daily doses protect against designer diseases, flow enhances focus, zips and buffs enhance physical strength and speed, and juvers speed the healing process.

All that changes when Welga’s client is killed by The Machinehood, a new and mysterious terrorist group that has simultaneously attacked several major pill funders. The Machinehood operatives seem to be part human, part machine, something the world has never seen. They issue an ultimatum: stop all pill production in one week.

Global panic ensues as pill production slows and many become ill. Thousands destroy their bots in fear of a strong AI takeover. But the US government believes the Machinehood is a cover for an old enemy. One that Welga is uniquely qualified to fight. Welga, determined to take down the Machinehood, is pulled back into intelligence work by the government that betrayed her. But who are the Machinehood and what do they really want? A thought-provoking novel that asks: if we won’t see machines as human, will we instead see humans as machines?"--Goodreads blurb

This was a great sci-fi ride with intrigue and mystery and who is good/who is evil story. I really liked a lot of the characters in this book and intrigued by the world. Are AI sentient beings that should have rights, or are they more like animals to be protected? In this book, the rich stay rich and have the most, and the rest try to get by, even if it means going to great lengths to get the people you love some help. Great story. 
 

A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark

A Master of Djinn (Dead Djinn Universe) by P. Djèlí Clark, 396 p.

Cairo, 1912: Though Fatma el-Sha’arawi is the youngest woman working for the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities, she’s certainly not a rookie, especially after preventing the destruction of the universe last summer.

So when someone murders a secret brotherhood dedicated to one of the most famous men in history, al-Jahiz, Agent Fatma is called onto the case. Al-Jahiz transformed the world 50 years ago when he opened up the veil between the magical and mundane realms, before vanishing into the unknown. This murderer claims to be al-Jahiz, returned to condemn the modern age for its social oppressions. His dangerous magical abilities instigate unrest in the streets of Cairo that threaten to spill over onto the global stage.

Alongside her Ministry colleagues and her clever girlfriend Siti, Agent Fatma must unravel the mystery behind this imposter to restore peace to the city - or face the possibility he could be exactly who he seems...."--Goodreads blurb 

Arabic women police investigators in a magical world of djinn, ghouls, and other unpleasant creatures? Yes, please! I really loved the main character, Fatma's, sense of gender-bending fashion. Her relationship and the twists and turns within it with her new (and forced upon) partner, Siti was a great storyline. The big reveal was a little bit of a "whomp whomp" for me, because I had it figured out already, but overall, this was a great read. I hope the author continues on within this world and maybe even with these characters. 

Jade City by Fonda Lee

Jade City (The Green Bone Saga #1) by Fonda Lee, 560 p.

CW: General violence, gang scenarios

"The Kaul family is one of two crime syndicates that control the island of Kekon. It's the only place in the world that produces rare magical jade, which grants those with the right training and heritage superhuman abilities.

The Green Bone clans of honorable jade-wearing warriors once protected the island from foreign invasion--but nowadays, in a bustling post-war metropolis full of fast cars and foreign money, Green Bone families like the Kauls are primarily involved in commerce, construction, and the everyday upkeep of the districts under their protection.

When the simmering tension between the Kauls and their greatest rivals erupts into open violence in the streets, the outcome of this clan war will determine the fate of all Green Bones and the future of Kekon itself."--Goodreads blurb 

This is the first time reading Lee for me, and the writing was pretty good. It was a dialogue-heavy story, which appeals to me, but all-in-all, I didn't love this book. The characters weren't very likeable, and the lifestyle of the main characters was just out of my comfort zone. This is a series and for now, I won't be moving on the the next one, though I will keep it on my TBR. This won the World Fantasy Award for Best Novel 2018.

This Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi

This Woven Kingdom (This Woven Kingdom #1) by Tahereh Mafi, 512 p.
 

"To all the world, Alizeh is a disposable servant, not the long-lost heir to an ancient Jinn kingdom forced to hide in plain sight.

The crown prince, Kamran, has heard the prophecies foretelling the death of his king. But he could never have imagined that the servant girl with the strange eyes, the girl he can’t put out of his mind, would one day soon uproot his kingdom—and the world. Clashing empires, forbidden romance, and a long-forgotten queen destined to save her people—bestselling author Tahereh Mafi’s first in an epic, romantic trilogy inspired by Persian mythology." -- Goodreads blurb

This is my first Mafi book and I will be delving into her books. What a fantastic writer. This book had a real Daevebad trilogy feel, and not just because of the djinn through line, but the captivating writing style, excitement, and emotion. There was some humor in it as well. I am excited to have found a new series I'm excited about, but even more a new author.

Red, White, & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

Red, White, & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston, 421 p.

"First Son Alex Claremont-Diaz is the closest thing to a prince this side of the Atlantic. With his intrepid sister and the Veep’s genius granddaughter, they’re the White House Trio, a beautiful millennial marketing strategy for his mother, President Ellen Claremont. International socialite duties do have downsides—namely, when photos of a confrontation with his longtime nemesis Prince Henry at a royal wedding leak to the tabloids and threaten American/British relations. The plan for damage control: staging a fake friendship between the First Son and the Prince.

As President Claremont kicks off her reelection bid, Alex finds himself hurtling into a secret relationship with Henry that could derail the campaign and upend two nations. What is worth the sacrifice? How do you do all the good you can do? And, most importantly, how will history remember you?" -- Goodreads blurb

After just coming off of a heavy epic fantasy, I thought I'd pick up a fun read, though this is out of my usual wheelhouse. I read a McQuiston book last year, though, and loved it, and thought I'd try this one out. It DID NOT disappoint. This book was just a good time, plain and simple. It has all that good romance has, enemies-to-lovers, humor, real relationship building, great side characters, and emotion. I will read everything McQuiston writes. 
 

Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch

Rivers of London (Rivers of London #1) by Ben Aaronovitch, 392 p.

"Probationary Constable Peter Grant dreams of being a detective in London’s Metropolitan Police. Too bad his superior plans to assign him to the Case Progression Unit, where the biggest threat he’ll face is a paper cut. But Peter’s prospects change in the aftermath of a puzzling murder, when he gains exclusive information from an eyewitness who happens to be a ghost. Peter’s ability to speak with the lingering dead brings him to the attention of Detective Chief Inspector Thomas Nightingale, who investigates crimes involving magic and other manifestations of the uncanny. Now, as a wave of brutal and bizarre murders engulfs the city, Peter is plunged into a world where gods and goddesses mingle with mortals and a long-dead evil is making a comeback on a rising tide of magic."--Goodreads blurb

I wasn't a fan of this book. I liked the premise of the story but a lot about this author's writing made me wince, not least of which was how he wrote his women characters. The acceptance of life-altering information from characters was so unbelievable and the character development and world-building just wasn't there for me. I've heard a lot of people really like this series, but I won't be moving forward with it.

 

Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki

Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki, 372 p.
 

"Shizuka Satomi made a deal with the devil: to escape damnation, she must entice seven other violin prodigies to trade their souls for success. She has already delivered six.

When Katrina Nguyen, a young transgender runaway, catches Shizuka's ear with her wild talent, Shizuka can almost feel the curse lifting. She's found her final candidate.

But in a donut shop off a bustling highway in the San Gabriel Valley, Shizuka meets Lan Tran, retired starship captain, interstellar refugee, and mother of four. Shizuka doesn't have time for crushes or coffee dates, what with her very soul on the line, but Lan's kind smile and eyes like stars might just redefine a soul's worth. And maybe something as small as a warm donut is powerful enough to break a curse as vast as the California coastline.

As the lives of these three women become entangled by chance and fate, a story of magic, identity, curses, and hope begins, and a family worth crossing the universe for is found." --Goodreads blurb

This is the second "diamond in the rough" I've found this month. I really liked Aoki's writing style and this story is definitely the first book I've ever read that was both fantasy and science fiction genres together. What a cool concept, but not just that, the storyline was very original. Great character development, storyline, and emotion. Loved this book.