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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
ARC copy provided in exchange for an honest review. This in no way changes my rating or review.
4 positively BEAUTIFUL stars.
This book was everything I didn’t know I needed, all wrapped up in a gorgeous coming of age story (about people at the age of 20-30, because not all of us figure out our life purpose at 18 years old). A novel about the wonders, mistakes and beauty of life, love and loss, all in Shanghai. Love and Other Moods was intense, realistic, stunningly-written and a little bit heartbreaking. Crystal Z. Lee did a wonderful job of bringing the wonder of Shanghai to her readers, managing to make Shanghai as easy to imagine as the town you’ve grown up in your whole life. Through the stunning description and flowing lyrical language used, Lee managed to turn Shanghai into a city that, yes, has it’s problems, but is also an extraordinary world power and brilliant place in which one can discover who they are, what they want to do with their lives and how to love.
“Why Shanghai?
…It’s because we believe in certain ideas about this city – that it has the potential to be invincible, that it could be ours.”
(The author explaining why she chose Shanghai as the basis for her novel.)
The characters in Love and Other Moods may not have been perfect. They made mistakes, they hurt others and themselves, they broke hearts and remade them again. And, for these reasons, they were, so, so human. These characters were some of the most believable, most realistic characters that I’ve ever read about, and I loved it. They weren’t necessarily good people, it’s true. But they tried. They tried to fix their mistakes and make themselves as good as they could be, and I really loved that. And they always tried to help those they loved, and stick with their family, which was really touching to see.
“Home is our mental as much as it is a physical space. It’s where we choose to root our existence, where we decide to build our bliss, our lives, ourselves.
… Some people made anywhere feel like home.”
(Naomi talking about what ‘home’ is for her.)
I also really loved the overall message of the story, about home and finding where you belong, and I loved the idea of having homes all over the world. And oh god, the food descriptions?? PLEASE HELP, my stomach has never rumbled so much because of a book! The descriptions were killing me, and I guess that proves just how well Lee was writing.
Thank you so much to Favourite Pages and the author for the free (physical – eee, so pretty!) copy in exchange for an honest review :)).
4 positively BEAUTIFUL stars.
This book was everything I didn’t know I needed, all wrapped up in a gorgeous coming of age story (about people at the age of 20-30, because not all of us figure out our life purpose at 18 years old). A novel about the wonders, mistakes and beauty of life, love and loss, all in Shanghai. Love and Other Moods was intense, realistic, stunningly-written and a little bit heartbreaking. Crystal Z. Lee did a wonderful job of bringing the wonder of Shanghai to her readers, managing to make Shanghai as easy to imagine as the town you’ve grown up in your whole life. Through the stunning description and flowing lyrical language used, Lee managed to turn Shanghai into a city that, yes, has it’s problems, but is also an extraordinary world power and brilliant place in which one can discover who they are, what they want to do with their lives and how to love.
“Why Shanghai?
…It’s because we believe in certain ideas about this city – that it has the potential to be invincible, that it could be ours.”
(The author explaining why she chose Shanghai as the basis for her novel.)
The characters in Love and Other Moods may not have been perfect. They made mistakes, they hurt others and themselves, they broke hearts and remade them again. And, for these reasons, they were, so, so human. These characters were some of the most believable, most realistic characters that I’ve ever read about, and I loved it. They weren’t necessarily good people, it’s true. But they tried. They tried to fix their mistakes and make themselves as good as they could be, and I really loved that. And they always tried to help those they loved, and stick with their family, which was really touching to see.
“Home is our mental as much as it is a physical space. It’s where we choose to root our existence, where we decide to build our bliss, our lives, ourselves.
… Some people made anywhere feel like home.”
(Naomi talking about what ‘home’ is for her.)
I also really loved the overall message of the story, about home and finding where you belong, and I loved the idea of having homes all over the world. And oh god, the food descriptions?? PLEASE HELP, my stomach has never rumbled so much because of a book! The descriptions were killing me, and I guess that proves just how well Lee was writing.
Thank you so much to Favourite Pages and the author for the free (physical – eee, so pretty!) copy in exchange for an honest review :)).
I'm so happy to read 'Love and Other Moods'! I enjoy a coming of age story set in an exciting city like Shanghai. This book was very engaging, and I was so absorbed in Naomi's story. Naomi is going through a major life reset, and she ventures through Shanghai with an eclectic circle of friends!
I also loved reading about Shanghai's history throughout the book. Crystal Z. Lee's writing style will definitely draw you into Naomi's world!
Thank you so much to Feather and Dove Tours and Crystal Z. Lee for the gifted copy!
I also loved reading about Shanghai's history throughout the book. Crystal Z. Lee's writing style will definitely draw you into Naomi's world!
Thank you so much to Feather and Dove Tours and Crystal Z. Lee for the gifted copy!
This is a coming of age story set in contemporary China. It follows seven people, 3 relationships and multiple generations as they navigate life, love, heartbreak and love.
There are so many angles I could take this review especially because I loved the story so much but I want to focus on how self-aware and reflective the author was. Sure in the book it plays out as Naomi who uproots her life to move to Shanghai to get married and start a new life only for her to find him cheating on her. Refusing to return home in shame, she decides to build a new life in Shanghai with the aid of her socialite friend Joss who has just gotten married. Joss is being pressured by Tay's (husband) parents to have a child. Then we have Jinsung and Zhangjie who are the older couple, they are finding it hard to adapt to the constantly changing city.
Loved the discussion on the China One-child policy and how that affected gender demographics. Also, the trauma women faced from having abortions of female foetuses. I loved the way culture and customs are highlighted, especially that of people in mainland China and places like Hong Kong.
Overall its a great book on relationships, identity, self-discovery and communication.
Trigger warnings: Sexual assault, infertility, abortions, war, sexual slavery and miscarriages.
Thanks to Colored Pages Blog Tours for making this book available to me.
There are so many angles I could take this review especially because I loved the story so much but I want to focus on how self-aware and reflective the author was. Sure in the book it plays out as Naomi who uproots her life to move to Shanghai to get married and start a new life only for her to find him cheating on her. Refusing to return home in shame, she decides to build a new life in Shanghai with the aid of her socialite friend Joss who has just gotten married. Joss is being pressured by Tay's (husband) parents to have a child. Then we have Jinsung and Zhangjie who are the older couple, they are finding it hard to adapt to the constantly changing city.
Loved the discussion on the China One-child policy and how that affected gender demographics. Also, the trauma women faced from having abortions of female foetuses. I loved the way culture and customs are highlighted, especially that of people in mainland China and places like Hong Kong.
Overall its a great book on relationships, identity, self-discovery and communication.
Trigger warnings: Sexual assault, infertility, abortions, war, sexual slavery and miscarriages.
Thanks to Colored Pages Blog Tours for making this book available to me.
Love and Other Moods is Crystal Z. Lee's remarkable debut novel on love, individuality, generations, and durability.
Here we develop the narrative of a growing third culture girl, Naomi Kita-Fan, as she navigates the twists/turns of foreign Shanghai after being dumped, having no career, and no boyfriend.
I came into this book assuming it was just an ordinary rom-com. But no! It exceeded my expectations. It went way beyond that. Lee discussed many complicated issues in this book, including (but not limited to) racism, cultural tensions, sexual assault, etc. I'm glad that there's a light shed on these topics, especially in the times we live in right now.
I also loved Naomi's character. I think sometimes certain people base your current status/job in your life on happiness. Naomi certainly didn't remain in the situation she was stuck in, but she did have to go through a lot of pain and struggle. The same goes for her friend, Joss Kong. As much of a socialite she was, Joss had to protect a big secret.
The only problem I had reading this book was having a ton of information stacked on top of each other. And as much as it doesn't overly effect me, I do wish there was an easier way to find out what was what instead of skipping over the subject or giving short descriptions. Nevertheless, it's not a very big problem. Plus, I still want to support Lee's debut as much as possible!
All in all, I highly recommend it. Packed full of relationships, strength, and overcoming societal norms, Love and Other Moods is a book you don't want to miss ~
Here we develop the narrative of a growing third culture girl, Naomi Kita-Fan, as she navigates the twists/turns of foreign Shanghai after being dumped, having no career, and no boyfriend.
I came into this book assuming it was just an ordinary rom-com. But no! It exceeded my expectations. It went way beyond that. Lee discussed many complicated issues in this book, including (but not limited to) racism, cultural tensions, sexual assault, etc. I'm glad that there's a light shed on these topics, especially in the times we live in right now.
I also loved Naomi's character. I think sometimes certain people base your current status/job in your life on happiness. Naomi certainly didn't remain in the situation she was stuck in, but she did have to go through a lot of pain and struggle. The same goes for her friend, Joss Kong. As much of a socialite she was, Joss had to protect a big secret.
The only problem I had reading this book was having a ton of information stacked on top of each other. And as much as it doesn't overly effect me, I do wish there was an easier way to find out what was what instead of skipping over the subject or giving short descriptions. Nevertheless, it's not a very big problem. Plus, I still want to support Lee's debut as much as possible!
All in all, I highly recommend it. Packed full of relationships, strength, and overcoming societal norms, Love and Other Moods is a book you don't want to miss ~
What does it feel like having to live in different countries and you don't know where you exactly belongs to ?
Well, Crystal Z Lee has addressed this question smoothly through her book. "Love And Other Moods" transported me into China and I had a good time there. This book outstands the other books I've read that are set in China because the author has given life to her words in an enchanting way.
THINGS I LOVED
Naomi Kita-Fan, a Taiwanese-Japanese American finds herself in Shanghai, China after following her long-term boyfriend, Seth Ray there for a job only to have the relationship blow up soon after. Now, with no job and no home in a foreign country, Naomi feels a need to make things work in the enigmatic city. Naomi finds an amazing job planning events for prestigious brands and is placed at the 2010 World Expo. While returning from a work trip, Naomi meets Dante Ouyang, a Chinese man who grew up in England and is returning home from America. Dante and Naomi hit it off, but work obligations, their past and family keep getting in the way.
Love and Other Moods is a contemporary romance that also explores cultural dynamics, family relationships and finding a place of your own. Naomi's character was easy to relate to, even though our lives were very different; she is an adult trying to carve out her place in the world when the ideas of parents and the world are trying to hold you back. I also enjoyed the descriptions of Shanghai, the energy, the mix of old and new, the food, the architecture and lifestyle all came to life through Naomi and her friends in the city. I loved reading about all the different areas of the Expo and what could be found there. Naomi and Dante's relationship was very realistic with plenty of ups and downs. Through their romance, I was able to see the impacts of their different cultural backgrounds. I was painfully unaware of the cultural differences and opinions held between some of the Chinese, Japanese and Taiwanese people and the effect it has on society as well as the next generation. Overall, a worldly contemporary romance with amazing characters and diverse points of view.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
Love and Other Moods is a contemporary romance that also explores cultural dynamics, family relationships and finding a place of your own. Naomi's character was easy to relate to, even though our lives were very different; she is an adult trying to carve out her place in the world when the ideas of parents and the world are trying to hold you back. I also enjoyed the descriptions of Shanghai, the energy, the mix of old and new, the food, the architecture and lifestyle all came to life through Naomi and her friends in the city. I loved reading about all the different areas of the Expo and what could be found there. Naomi and Dante's relationship was very realistic with plenty of ups and downs. Through their romance, I was able to see the impacts of their different cultural backgrounds. I was painfully unaware of the cultural differences and opinions held between some of the Chinese, Japanese and Taiwanese people and the effect it has on society as well as the next generation. Overall, a worldly contemporary romance with amazing characters and diverse points of view.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
i was super excited for this one — even more so after seeing that the director of one of my favorite films (already tomorrow in hong kong) had blurbed it. from the get go, i got some crazy rich asians but with regular people + some already tomorrow in hong kong vibes & loved how shanghai was described. as another third-culture kid, i really related to naomi's struggle, and really enjoyed reading about her struggles/journey into figuring out who she really is.
there were also some things that i just didn't love — the adoption storyline at the end didn't sit right with me. i also didn't think it was necessary to translate every single chinese phrase in the following sentence — among some other more minor things.
content warnings: racism, abuse, absent parent, death of a parent, plane crash, adoption, grief, infidelity
there were also some things that i just didn't love — the adoption storyline at the end didn't sit right with me. i also didn't think it was necessary to translate every single chinese phrase in the following sentence — among some other more minor things.
content warnings: racism, abuse, absent parent, death of a parent, plane crash, adoption, grief, infidelity
This is one of those books that took me a bit longer to read but that I ended up appreciating a lot after I finished reading it. Mind, I still read this book in a few days but I had to read it in parts instead of being able to fly through it in one sitting and that’s totally fine because I really enjoyed the read. I absolutely loved seeing the characters grow throughout the novel and was super invested in all the storylines. Also, I loved the history and culture present in this book, although I sometimes found it hard to read about the patriarchy that is still very much present in China. While reading, I got transported to Shanghai because of all the vivid descriptions. Lastly, the writing was absolutely beautiful, which led me to mark a lot of quotes and favourite passages.
Trigger warnings: Rape, abuse, death of a parent, infidelity, infertility
Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy and thanks to Favourite Pages Book Club for letting me take part in the blog tour for this book. This did in no way affect the honesty of my review.
Trigger warnings: Rape, abuse, death of a parent, infidelity, infertility
Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy and thanks to Favourite Pages Book Club for letting me take part in the blog tour for this book. This did in no way affect the honesty of my review.
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes