Fiction Review – Page 3 – …on the B.L.

A River of Stars by Vanessa Hua

April 30, 2019April 27, 2019 RaeAnna

Worth A Read Yes
Length 304
Quick Review A Chinese woman arrives in the U.S. to give birth to her baby, but due to circumstance stays to make her way in the face of adversity in Vanessa Hua’s A River of Stars.

Reading A River of Stars by Vanessa Hua by the pool. | Dress

Reading books about immigration is important right now. It’s easy to talk about immigrants as a group or an other, but when you’re faced with stories of struggle, despair, children, and the humanity of it all, it’s hard to think of keep them separate from ourselves. The political climate in the U.S. is very …interested in immigration right now. We need these stories. Even though, A River of Stars by Vanessa Hua is a novel, it is very much grounded in reality for millions of men, women, and children living in fear and unknowns here in the U.S. and around the world.

Scarlett is a 37 year old Chinese woman who arrives in the United States to give birth to her bosses baby. She stays at a home for pregnant Chinese women, but it feels more like a prison filled with gossipy, rich ladies. Scarlett runs away with Daisy, a well-off, pregnant, teenage. They end up in San Francisco’s China Town scraping by, giving birth, and figuring it out, while the clock on their tourist visas keeps ticking away. They make friends and learn to lean on one another for help and companionship.

There are four fundamental characters in A River of Stars: Scarlett, Daisy, Boss Yeung, and Mama Fang. Chapters randomly alternate perspective allowing each of these characters to tell their side of the story. It humanizes each of them, and shows their motivations, misunderstandings, feelings, and more. If the story had followed just Scarlett, it would have been vastly different. The immigrant story is not one sided but multifaceted and complicated. Everyone is searching for something, and at the core it is a search for identity and belonging. Hua also makes use of transliterations instead of using just English. The Chinese infusion is a lovely addition to the story because immigration stories usually include a language hurdle. Motherhood is an essential element to this story. Without it, the narrative kind of falls apart. Emigration is often heavily influenced by existing children or future children. Parents want the best for their kids. It’s a fairly fundamental emotion.

Vanessa Hua does a great job of creating an interesting story that is both fun to read and right on the nose for the political climate in her debut novel A River of Stars. It’s perfect for the upcoming summer months.

Memorable Quotes
“Daisy didn’t realize that you might share the same bed, but dream different dreams.”
“She didn’t yet realize aunties specialize in contradictory advice.”

Buy on Amazon | Buy on Book Depository
Shop the Post
[show_shopthepost_widget id=”3562182″]

Title: A River of Stars
Author: Vanessa Hua
Publisher: Ballantine Books (Random House)
Copyright: 2018
ISBN: 9780399178788

Books, Fiction

Fierce Fairytales by Nikita Gill

April 5, 2019 RaeAnna

Read Yes
Length 176
Quick Review Nikita Gill transforms traditional fairy tales into beautiful pieces of poetry in Fierce Fairytales extending beyond the stories we are familiar with. Reading this was supremely satisfying.

Petal_Crusade-62 — Reading *Fierce Fairytales* by Nikita Gill

This is one of those tiny books that pack a powerful punch. Fierce Fairytales by Nikita Gill is an intense 176 pages of poetry. She uses traditional stories to talk about issues affecting today’s world. It is a seriously feminist undertaking, but she advocates for men and women within the pages.

The stories are retellings. Although, I wouldn’t call it a traditional retelling. Some provide background, others new perspective, and some are epilogues. The women in the stories are strong without need of being saved. They are powerful yet underestimated. The women manipulate men the only way they can – the way women did for centuries – by allowing them to believe the women are in need of saving all the while gaining more power and confidence in themselves.

Gill uses fairytales to discuss abuse of many kinds because abuse is extremely present within them to begin with, but since we grew up with them as normal, we view them as acceptable behavior. Some of the abuse Gill touches on in Fierce Fairytales is gaslighting, rape, domestic violence, abandonment, and more. There is also a lot of focus on racism; how people of color feel they and their struggle has been forgotten by the world and society.

Petal_Crusade-56 — *Fierce Fairytales* by Nikita Gill

The book is a book of poems, but some of the poems are written in prose form. Even her prose has a beautiful cadence to it. Her syntax, language, and rhythm pulls you in deeper as you read. The poems are often paired with illustrations, which pull the reader into the story even more. The combination is stunning. It is reminiscent of Rupi Kaur’s poetry in the sun and her flowers (read my review: here).

One of my favorite things about Fierce Fairytales is the complexity of it. Gill forces the point that nothing is simple, black-and-white, cut-and-dry. Life and abuse are complicated issues. People have reasons and motivating factors behind their actions. Abuse leads to abuse is a running theme through the book. In one story, Gill explains Cinderella. In the following story, Gill takes on the perspective of the evil stepmother. This juxtaposition reveals the complexities of life; showing people are not born evil.

Fierce Fairytales is a piece of literature, which will stick with me for quite a long time.

Buy on Amazon | Buy on Book Depository
Shop the Post
[show_shopthepost_widget id=”3527952″]

Memorable Quotes
“Princes fail all the time.”
“First and foremost, girls are survivors.”
“A clever woman is more lethal | than a freshly crafted wand,”
“anxiety makes more heroes than history would care to repeat.”

Title: Fierce Fairytales; Poems & Stories to Stir Your Soul
Author: Nikita Gill
Publisher: Hachette Books
Copyright: 2018
ISBN: 9780316420747

Books, Fiction

American Spy by Lauren Wilkinson

March 9, 2019 RaeAnna

Reading American Spy on a cruise. | Cute and comfy one-piece swimsuit.

Worth A Read Meh
Length 304
Quick Review I wouldn’t read American Spy for the mystery, but I would read it for the nuance, depth of understanding, and style. Lauren Wilkinson makes an impression in her debut novel.

Lauren Wilkinson sets her novel, American Spy, against the backdrop of the spread of communism during the Cold War. Wilkinson writes a beautiful novel about the ferocity of a mother’s love.

Marie Mitchell is a former FBI operative of Caribbean descent. When her home is broken into late one night, her past compromises the safety of her children. Marie writes about her journey to the FBI and operations with the CIA to explain to her past and decisions to her two young sons. A love story unfolds as Marie, the American Spy, is pulled by country, love, duty, and relationships.

I really enjoyed reading American Spy, but I would not come for the mystery. It is absolutely predictable and not terribly interesting. Then again, I never have any difficulty predicting love stories or mystery plots. What is interesting is Wilkinson’s ability to weave a story and her ability to delve into the complexities of human nature, feeling, and personal history. She also utilizes French words and sayings to add authenticity to Marie’s Caribbean heritage. Wilkinson doesn’t over simplify the French but makes it accessible to non-francophiles.

American Spy has a really interesting organization. Time is not linear, nor is there any specific organization. It reads the way the diary of a distraught person would. A bit jumpy. Talking about the past, the present, important people, events, and minor tangents. It’s a brilliant way of transporting the reader into Marie’s mental state. The majority of the time, Marie is telling a story but often utilizes “you” referencing her two sons.

Wilkinson explores the complexities of human nature and racial charges. American Spy is charged with the difficulties of being a professional woman and a professional black woman in the white, good-ole boy club. Wilkinson demonstrates so many prevalent issues throughout her novel without ever seeming preachy or condescending.

I enjoyed reading American Spy; it is definitely a great vacation read.

Memorable Quotes
“My parents had nothing but their children in common.”
“I think that conclusion was drawn too neatly – people are too complex for such simple arithmetic – but I understand the purpose it serves.”
““I don’t like to say what I’ve read. That’s how you disclose the most about yourself. I never make notes in a book or underline passages either. That’s even more revealing.””
“But for you, for black American boys, the middle class can’t help guarantee your safety.”

Buy on Amazon | Buy on Book Depository
Shop the Post
[show_shopthepost_widget id=”3503945″]

Title: American Spy
Author: Lauren Wilkinson
Publisher: Random House
Copyright: 2019
ISBN: 9780812998955

Books, Fiction

Homeward Hound by Rita Mae Brown

February 16, 2019 RaeAnna

Should I Read Meh
Length 336
Quick Review Traditions refuse to change in Homeward Hound even when a snow storm threatens the Christmas hunt. Everyone makes it home safe except one.

Homeward Hound by Rita Mae Brown is comprised of elements, which should make me like it. Unfortunately, they are just that. Elements failing to come together to create a memorable book. What I thought would be a huge cast of dynamic characters was a bland smoothie.

The basic gist: A whole bunch of characters are gathering in the Virginia countryside for the traditional run days before Christmas. The run is steeped in 400 years of tradition and hierarchy. The hierarchy is further bolstered by the social structure of the area they all live. Toss in a pipeline and a wealthy gentleman, who goes missing.

Brown begins Homeward Hound with a list of characters including the humans and the animals. Each character was accompanied by their traits and role within the group. I like the concept when there are so many characters involved because the story doesn’t have to explain it in the story. Unfortunately, the story still felt the need to, so it was basically a waste of time reading those pages. Brown has one family and their “African American”ness was emphasized. Instead of feeling inclusive, it felt racist for needing to point out this otherness in rural Virginia. I got it, they’re black in a sea of white folk in a literal blizzard.

Having a pipeline and a missing person were the main driving forces behind the plot in Homeward Hound, but neither did a great job of making me want to read more.

My favorite part of the entire novel was the way Brown decided to deal with dialogue. The animals had conversations among themselves in the midst of human interactions. The human dialogue was noted in the traditional way with quotes. When the animals spoke, their conversations were italicized, so the reader would know an animal was speaking instead of a two legged character.

I do really like the cover art and the concept of Homeward Hound. The elements just did not come together in a cohesive and compelling enough way to make me enjoy reading the book. I like the cover more than the content.

Buy on Amazon | Buy on Book Depository

Memorable Quotes
“nonagenarian”
“Because those people on the hunt field measured up to sartorial tradition close to four hundred years in practice.”

Title: Homeward Hound
Author: Rita Mae Brown
Publisher: Ballantine Books (Penguin Random House)
Copyright: 2018
ISBN: 9780399178375

Books, Fiction

The Adults by Caroline Hulse

January 18, 2019 RaeAnna

Worth a Read Meh
Length 368
Quick Review The holidays can be full of drama but nothing compared to the drama of The Adults. A novel about exes coming together for a child with a bit of an oopsies.

So I fell behind with my reading over the holidays, so this is the second to the last book before my holiday reading list is done. The Adults by Caroline Hulse is kind of a holiday nightmare come to life. It is vastly different from the other Christmas-themed novels I read all last month. It was breath of fresh air. I’m not sure if I totally love it, but it definitely made an impression and had me turning the pages.

The Adults starts off with a 999 (911 equivalent) call about an accident on Christmas Eve. The story jumps to a little bit before Christmas. Alex and Matt are together. Matt is the father of Scarlett a little girl whose mother is Claire. Scarlett has an imaginary purple bunny named Posey. Claire is with Patrick – he has his own minor family drama in the background. Other than divorced Claire and Matt, they don’t really know each other very well. They all want to spend Christmas with Scarlett, so they decide to go to Happy Forest, a resort, for Christmas as blended family. Also someone gets shot with a bow and arrow.

The only characters I like are Scarlett and Claire. Alex is judgy and a pain in the ass. Patrick is super judgy and thinks he is better than everyone else. Matt is irresponsible. They all have an honesty issue. None of them seem to be trying to enjoy the time very much. It’s kind of a strange family dynamic, but they all harp on it instead of working on getting along. In a world where divorce is common, I think families celebrating holidays together should become common as well. So in one vain, I like it. But I don’t like how the people are portrayed. They’re irritating. Claire is my favorite. She’s fun and responsible and truly means well. Scarlett is a little kid; you can’t blame her for anything she does because it is all beyond reasonable. It’s title The Adults, but they don’t really act like adults.

I don’t know if I love how the book was narrated, but it was an interesting take. It may be a little confusing at first. The book is told from three perspectives: Alex, Patrick, and Scarlett. It doesn’t follow a pattern of perspectives shifting every chapter; sometimes, it does, but sometimes, the same character will narrate for several chapters in a row. The book is also split up by days. So every new day there is a new section with a little excerpt from the Happy Forest brochure. Throughout, there are also interviews with various characters by the police giving a little more information about the bow and arrow incident.

As far as a Christmas book, I think The Adults is fun. The holidays can be chock full of weird family relationships and dynamics, so it’s fun to dive into another family’s drama. Like the vast majority of Christmas books, this does have a happy ending. I was pleased with it.

Buy on Amazon || Buy on Book Depository

Shop the Post
[show_shopthepost_widget id=”3444749″]

Memorable Quotes
“All men want to be dads, really, Ruby had once said to her. None of them would want to be a mum. But everyone wants to be a dad. It’s parenthood, but semi-skimmed and pasteurized.”

Title: The Adults
Author: Caroline Hulse
Publisher: Random House
Copyright: 2018
ISBN: 9780525511748

Books, Fiction

Christmas at Little Beach Street Bakery by Jenny Colgan

December 10, 2018December 13, 2018 RaeAnna

Reading Christmas at Little Beach Street Bakery with Beau in my favorite pajamas.

Read Yes
Length 320
Quick Review Christmas at Little Beach Street Bakery is the last book in Jenny Colgan’s trilogy. It’s a giggle worthy story about love and morality.

Christmas at Little Beach Street Bakery by Jenny Colgan is an adorable book. I don’t think you can read this without smiling a little bit. It’s the right combination of sweet, funny, and sassy.

Polly is the owner and baker behind the bakery in Mount Polbearne, a teeny island in Cornwall. She has a hunky, American fiancé named Huckle. A puffin named Neil decided to stick around. They all live in a very, very cold lighthouse. It’s Christmastime and everyone is bustling about dealing with family and friend drama.

I don’t want to give too much away because Christmas at Little Street Bakery is adorable. Jenny Colgan has a way of making a sweet story not Hallmark ridiculous. She is funny and smart in her usage of language. There’s a certain amount of conversational tone in her writing, which draws in the reader. It’s very enjoyable reading her writing; it’s not overdone nor underdone. I like that she includes a few recipes at the end of the book.

It’s a great read for Christmas.

Buy on Amazon | Buy on Book Depository

Shop the Post
[show_shopthepost_widget id=”3402730″]

Memorable Quotes
“Then he’d accidentally fallen madly in love with this strawberry-blond whirlwind of baking powder and capability”
“It sounds a thousand years ago, but it wasn’t really.”

Title: Christmas at Little Beach Street Bakery
Author: Jenny Colgan
Publisher: William Morrow (HarperCollins Publishers)
Copyright: 2017
ISBN: 9780062662996