megtristao's reviews
1097 reviews

The Leftover Woman by Jean Kwok

emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

Sadly, this one did not live up to expectations. I was really looking forward to this book, but I think it would have been stronger if it weren't framed as a thriller. I found the "thriller" aspects to be too predictable and distracted from what could have been a stronger novel about mother/daughter relationships, power and privilege. (And also, I thought those themes were described too explicitly toward the end of the book. Readers should be able to get there on their own.) But I recognize those are problems with what *I* wanted out of the book, so maybe you will feel differently!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for a free advance copy of this book. 

The Kamogawa Food Detectives by Hisashi Kashiwai

emotional lighthearted reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

Cute, heartwarming book featuring a restaurant in Kyoto with a "detective service" to help people find and re-create long-lost dishes they loved in the past. Comparisons to Before the Coffee Gets Cold are apt, though I found Before to be better written. Overall, a fast read that would be great for a little armchair travel to Japan - but don't read this hungry! ;)

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free advance copy of this book.

Family Lore by Elizabeth Acevedo

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Dead Dead Girls by Nekesa Afia

I really wanted to love this one - a Black lesbian amateur sleuth investigating a serial killer in 1920s Harlem? cool! - but it fell flat for me. Hopefully it works better for you! 

A Lie Someone Told You About Yourself by Peter Ho Davies

challenging emotional reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

This was a beautifully written book. However, I would love to read an abortion narrative that isn't centered around shame and regret. I understand the couple in this story terminated for medical reasons, and everyone can (and does) feel their own emotions about abortion, but I think the prevailing narrative that abortion is shameful and regretful isn't helping our national temperature about this issue. That being said, Davies is telling *one* story here, and he's allowed to do that, and he does it very well. The main character (a man) jokes/mentions several times about whether or not a man should be telling this story at all, which is another thing to consider. Also worth mentioning: This book is just as much (or even more so) about parenthood as it is about abortion. All this said, I really loved the following line toward the middle of the book:

"It's not really regret, you know. It's grief."

Overdue: Reckoning with the Public Library by Amanda Oliver

challenging informative

I struggled with this book. I don't disagree with what Amanda Oliver writes here--there are many issues with public libraries, and if you've never worked in a public library (or especially if you're thinking about going to library school), you would probably learn a lot from this book. However, many of the systemic problems in libraries (IMHO) come from being a field of predominantly white women (with mostly white men in leadership roles), so I don't know that I needed to read this book from a white woman. It would be great if publishers would share stories from those who are less represented in the library field who might offer a different perspective. Also, I don't remember finding out until chapter 8 or so that Oliver only worked at a public library for *9 months*. I'm not saying her experience isn't true or valid, but again, I just question the decision to elevate this voice for all public librarians. I have heard other urban public librarians say this book made them feel seen and that they appreciated it, so I can't necessarily recommend or not recommend this book. I just know I found it to be a bit cringey at times. 

The Old Drift by Namwali Serpell
Did not finish book. Stopped at 15%.

 DNF @ 15 percent. I love a multigenerational saga, but so far I've only been reading about Italian and English colonizers (and I know they are likely written to be infuriating on purpose, but gosh are they infuriating), and I wanted to read about a Zambian family. I kept thinking, "Just a little more and we'll get there," but this is a long book and I think it's time to move on to something that will (hopefully) engage me more. 

I Came All This Way to Meet You: Writing Myself Home by Jami Attenberg

adventurous emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.25

Memphis by Tara M. Stringfellow

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

Recitatif by Toni Morrison

An excellent story. Morrison packs so much into her novels, and it was equally impressive to see how much she addressed in this short story. I will note that I would recommend reading the intro (by Zadie Smith) *after* reading the short story, if you're very spoiler-averse like me. I typically read intros of classics after the books because they give so much away, and reading the intro after this story was like having a mini-book club to review what I had just read. The story is so short, you could even read it again once you've had Smith's great insights.

Thanks to Libro.fm for a free audiobook copy of this book.