I received a free e-copy of this book in exchange for my open and honest review. I find it difficult to write about fantasy novels because often, many of the same tropes are used – the oppressive king/dictator, the band of spunky rebels, forbidden magic, etc. And because many of these tropes are used often, … Continue reading
I wrote this review back before the Ghost in the Shell movie released. I am not sure why I did not publish this review back then because I was very involved in the conversations about whitewashing in Hollywood as it pertains to APIDA people in the industry. I want to be clear that this is … Continue reading
Folks who know me a bit know that my family was interned in the 1940s during WWII. This is a piece of family history that stays with me and I constantly reflect on its impact on my family and on me. I often talk about it in terms of my personal culture and in terms … Continue reading
I received a free e-copy of this book in exchange for an open and honest review. I read and reviewed a collection of short stories by Indrajit Garai around a year ago and really enjoyed the collection holistically. The theme of sacrifice ran through each story and poses the reader with the question: what would … Continue reading
I was really excited when I picked up this translation because it was a look into some of the historical accounts of my ethnic ancestry. To be honest, this is a very interesting position I find myself in because I am an United States citizen and have zero ties to the country of Japan. However, … Continue reading
First reaction, I kid you not: What just happen?! Muir Woods or Bust by Ian Woollen has to be one of the most unique books I read this year and I can honestly say I am still trying to process what happened and the themes that came from the story. The book follows a middle-aged therapist, … Continue reading
It’s that time of year again! Time to look back on the calendar year and reflect on all the books I read over the course of the year. 2017 was a pretty good year of reading for me. I managed to shatter my original goal of 70 books, by reading over 100 books, totaling over … Continue reading
Temporary People by Deepak Unnikrishnan is a collection of hauntingly beautiful, violent, raw short stories interwoven into a masterpiece of fiction exploring themes of human value, immigration, culture, love, hate, hardship, evil, family, citizenship, and more. This collection of stories is so complex and nuanced that it deserves more than one read to fully grasp … Continue reading
TW: death, oppression and violence based on sexual orientation Can one angry boy save the world? I have not read a more accurate tagline in a very long time. Heathens by Jonah Bergan follows Holden, an extremely angry teenager in the aftermath of the fall of civilization as we know it. This is a ‘young … Continue reading
With every issue big and small, there tends to be an extreme polarization within a community. Especially in the United States, where we seem to thrive on polarization! Just take a look at our political system with its ‘Us vs. Them’ and ‘You’re with Us or Against Us’ mentality. There is no room for anything … Continue reading
