Tag: 5 stars

Book Review | The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo

Posted March 19, 2024 by Haze in Book Reviews / 8 Comments

The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo

Some people think foxes are similar to ghosts because we go around collecting qi, or life force, but nothing could be further than the truth. We are living creatures, just like you, only usually better looking . . .

Manchuria, 1908.

A young woman is found frozen in the snow. Her death is clouded by rumors of foxes involved, which are believed to lure people by transforming themselves into beautiful women and men. Bao, a detective with a reputation for sniffing out the truth, is hired to uncover the dead woman’s identity. Since childhood, Bao has been intrigued by the fox gods, yet they’ve remained tantalizingly out of reach. Until, perhaps, now.

Meanwhile, a family that owns a famous Chinese medicine shop can cure ailments, but not the curse that afflicts them―their eldest sons die before their twenty-fourth birthdays. Now the only grandson of the family is twenty-three. When a mysterious woman enters their household, their luck seems to change. Or does it? Is their new servant a simple young woman from the north or a fox spirit bent on her own revenge?

New York Times bestselling author Yangsze Choo brilliantly explores a world of mortals and spirits, humans and beasts, and their dazzling intersection. The Fox Wife is a stunning novel about a winter full of mysterious deaths, a mother seeking revenge, and old folktales that may very well be true.

For the Reading Challenge(s):
2024 52 Book Club Reading Challenge (Prompt #20: A revenge story)
2024 Diversity Reading Challenge
2024 Library Love Challenge

The Reason

I first read The Ghost Bride by the author years ago, and I was hooked. I loved The Night Tiger as well, and when I found out this book was coming out, of course I had to read it.

The Quotes

“For all stories have an ending as well as a beginning. But a beginning is where you choose to plant your foot, and the ending is only the edge of one’s own knowledge.”

“I exist as either a small canid with thick fur, pointed ears, and neat black feet, or a young woman. Neither are safe forms in a world run by men.”

“Dusk is the most dangerous time, according to Bao’s nanny; the blurred gap between day and night when creatures who resemble humans appear. They exist on the very edge of society, at the tipping point of madness where dreams and nightmares come true.”

The Characters

Snow, the titular fox wife. Bao, the human lie detector. And various other characters. Interestingly, I just realized that I’m not able to give a run-down of many of the characters without going into spoiler territory, so we’ll just keep this brief.

My Thoughts

As a story, I think I might love this one even more than I loved The Ghost Bride, and I loved The Ghost Bride a lot. What I loved about The Ghost Bride was that it made me feel such a connection to the life and times of my own family experiences. It was set in Malaysia in the early 1900’s and showed a lot of our traditional Chinese customs. I also loved the story itself. But here, with The Fox Wife, it feels more whimsical and magical, and I’m just completely transported to a different time and place. I feel like I also love Snow as a character more; she’s such a interesting paradox, and with such human flaws.

For my notes and reactions on the book – with SPOILERS – check out Notes & Reactions | The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo. This post has SPOILERS and assumes you have already finished the book. It is password-protected to prevent accidental spoiling. Password is “SPOILME0003”. Proceed at your own risk.

My Feels

I loved this story so much! I love that it was so mysterious. Even as we got new clues and kept guessing at it, we never really get confirmation for anything until much later. I love the characters and how vibrant they are. To be clear, there aren’t very many good people here, but even the bad people were just great as characters! I love the storytelling, the unfolding of the story. I love both Snow’s POV and Bao’s POV, and I love how Bao’s perspective was able to give us more insight into Snow. I love the relationships and the connections made in this story, I love the portrayal of those relationships, it fills my heart!

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars. A new favorite!

Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?

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Book Review | The Storyteller by Dave Grohl

Posted February 26, 2024 by Haze in Book Reviews / 2 Comments

The Storyteller by Dave Grohl

So, I’ve written a book.

Having entertained the idea for years, and even offered a few questionable opportunities (“It’s a piece of cake! Just do 4 hours of interviews, find someone else to write it, put your face on the cover, and voila!”) I have decided to write these stories just as I have always done, in my own hand. The joy that I have felt from chronicling these tales is not unlike listening back to a song that I’ve recorded and can’t wait to share with the world, or reading a primitive journal entry from a stained notebook, or even hearing my voice bounce between the Kiss posters on my wall as a child.

This certainly doesn’t mean that I’m quitting my day job, but it does give me a place to shed a little light on what it’s like to be a kid from Springfield, Virginia, walking through life while living out the crazy dreams I had as young musician. From hitting the road with Scream at 18 years old, to my time in Nirvana and the Foo Fighters, jamming with Iggy Pop or playing at the Academy Awards or dancing with AC/DC and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, drumming for Tom Petty or meeting Sir Paul McCartney at Royal Albert Hall, bedtime stories with Joan Jett or a chance meeting with Little Richard, to flying halfway around the world for one epic night with my daughters…the list goes on. I look forward to focusing the lens through which I see these memories a little sharper for you with much excitement.

For the Reading Challenge(s):
2024 Nonfiction Reader Challenge
2024 Audiobook Challenge
2024 Library Love Challenge

The Reason

I’m a fan of Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighters, and I’ve been wanting to read this for a while. I don’t read a lot of memoirs and biographies in general so it takes me a while to pick them up, but one of my reading goals this year is to read more nonfiction, and the audiobook became available to me at just the right time.

The Quotes

“Life is just too damn short to let someone else’s opinion steer the wheel.”

“But with friends, you design your own relationship, which in turn designs your grief, which can be felt even deeper when they are gone. Those can be roots that are much harder to pull.”

“I love my children as I was loved as a child, and I pray that they will do the same when their time comes. Some cycles are meant to be broken. Some are meant to be reinforced.”

“Courage is a defining factor in the life of any artist. The courage to bare your innermost feelings, to reveal your true voice, or to stand in front of an audience and lay it out there for the world to see. The emotional vulnerability that is often necessary to summon a great song can also work against you when sharing your song for the world to hear. This is the paralyzing conflict of any sensitive artist. A feeling I’ve experienced with every lyric I’ve sung to someone other than myself. Will they like it? Am I good enough? It is the courage to be yourself that bridges those opposing emotions, and when it does, magic can happen.”

The Narrator

Dave Grohl himself. I loved it. I loved listening to the book directly from his voice, to hear him tell me his stories about his life and his musical journey. It was perfect!

My Thoughts

Dave Grohl isn’t just an amazing musician, he is an amazing writer and storyteller. I’ve been a casual fan of his and of Foo Fighters, but while I liked his music and what little I know of his public persona, there is a lot I never knew about him and I’m glad he decided to tell his story in this book. The stories he tells in this book made me laugh, made me cry, filled me with awe and amazement, inspired me, and made me a bigger fan.

My Feels

What I love most about this book are the stories Dave Grohl tells about his connection to the people in his life. His relationships with people who are important to him; his mother, his family, his friends, and band mates. The way he connects with his fans, and other celebrities whom he is a fan of. He is such a down-to-earth person, even with all that fame and stardom from a relatively young age. Listening to him narrate the book, you feel like you are having a conversation with a close friend, and he is a person whom I’d truly love to be close friends with.

My Rating

5/5 stars. I loved listening to the book so much and I was sad when it was over. I almost wanted to start over just to hear it all over again. I’ve told my husband (who’s also a fan of Dave Grohl) little anecdotes while I was reading so he has put a hold on the book as well. Who knows? I might reread when he does!

Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?

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Book Review | Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree

Posted February 14, 2024 by Haze in Book Reviews / 5 Comments

Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree

After a lifetime of bounties and bloodshed, Viv is hanging up her sword for the last time.

The battle-weary orc aims to start fresh, opening the first ever coffee shop in the city of Thune. But old and new rivals stand in the way of success — not to mention the fact that no one has the faintest idea what coffee actually is.

If Viv wants to put the blade behind her and make her plans a reality, she won’t be able to go it alone.

But the true rewards of the uncharted path are the travelers you meet along the way. And whether drawn together by ancient magic, flaky pastry, or a freshly brewed cup, they may become partners, family, and something deeper than she ever could have dreamed.

For the Reading Challenge(s):
2024 52 Book Club Reading Challenge (Prompt #12: Title starting with the letter “L”)
2024 Diversity Reading Challenge
2024 Library Love Challenge

The Reason

Everyone keeps saying how great it is! I do sometimes get apprehensive about a book that might potentially be overhyped because I don’t want to end up disappointed, but I felt certain that I would like this one somehow.

The Quotes

“Things don’t have to stay as what they started out as.”

“His eyes widened. “Well, shit. Milky bean water. I’ll be damned.” He took another, longer sip and burned his tongue.”

“I was just thinking that you don’t have to forget who you were … because that’s what brought you here.”

“You’ve found a very peaceful place here. A special place. You’ve planted something, and now its blossoming. Very nice. A good spot to rest. My thanks to you for letting an old-timer shade under the branches of what you’ve grown.”

The Characters

Viv is the main character in this book, but every single character in this book is what makes the book! It’s the perfect ensemble cast; there are the core important characters to Viv, and to her cafe, and there are the supporting characters who are just so vibrant and unique in each of their own ways. Every single one of them were brought so vividly to life. I love them all!

My Thoughts

I loved the story from beginning to end! For a high fantasy novel that focuses on building a cafe business rather than embarking on a perilous quest to kill dragons, it’s surprisingly engrossing! I guess it makes sense, whether you’re killing dragons or serving coffee, the interesting parts of a story is in how you solve the problems, and with Legends & Lattes, it was wonderful watching Viv and her friends navigate the issues surrounding the running of a cafe.

My Feels

I don’t even know where to begin to talk about my feels. First of all, we all know I love found family stories. And I loved it here too, so much! It was so heartwarming to see how Viv made friends, the kind of person she was, the kind of people she drew to herself – because of the person she was. I loved how some enemies became friends. I loved how she protected her friends and her friends protected her. I loved the development of all the friendships she made since moving to Thune, not even a few months in a new place. I loved everything about it, and my only wish is that there was more!

I know there’s another book out, a prequel, and you can bet I’m going to read it too, but seriously, there needs to be a whole bunch of books in this series. I need more of them!

My Rating

5/5 stars. I love it, and it’s going into my Favorite Books of All Time Hall of Fame!

Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?

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Book Review | The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

Posted January 26, 2024 by Haze in Book Reviews / 7 Comments

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

This beloved story -first published more than fifty years ago- introduces readers to Milo and his adventures in the Lands Beyond.

For Milo, everything’s a bore. When a tollbooth mysteriously appears in his room, he drives through only because he’s got nothing better to do. But on the other side, things seem different. Milo visits the Island of Conclusions (you get there by jumping), learns about time from a ticking watchdog named Tock, and even embarks on a quest to rescue Rhyme and Reason! Somewhere along the way, Milo realizes something astonishing. Life is far from dull. In fact, it’s exciting beyond his wildest dreams. . . .

For the Reading Challenge(s):
2024 52 Book Club Reading Challenge (Prompt #32: Time frame spans a week or less)
The Classics Club Challenge
2024 Audiobook Challenge
2024 Library Love Challenge

The Reason

I’ve had this book on my physical bookshelf for a couple of years, but if you want the real reasons, it’s because…

  1. Deb Nance @ Readerbuzz says, “Put The Phantom Tollbooth at the top of your list!”
  2. Lydia says, “The Phantom Tollbooth was excellent.”
  3. Sarah @ Exploring All Genres says, “The Phantom Tollbooth is one of my favorite books from when I was younger. I still have a well-loved copy on my shelf.”
  4. Nicole @ NewBookCatsReads says, “I read the Phantom Tollbooth when I was fifth grade! What a fascinating read!”
  5. Nicole @ BookWyrm Knits says, “The Phantom Tollbooth is one of my all-time favorite books.”
  6. Felice says, “The Phantom Tollbooth was one of my favorite books I read as a kid! I hope whenever you get to it, you enjoy it!”
  7. Cindy @ Cindy’s Book Corner says, “I HIGHLY recommend listening to The Phantom Tollbooth on audio. It was fantastic. My husband read the book and didn’t see why me and my kids thought it was so good…until he listened to it as well. He didn’t catch some of the humor. It’s also not a genre I would normally pick and only listened to it because of my kids. I have lost count how many times we have listened to it on road trips.”
  8. Sarah @ All The Book Blog Names Are Taken says, “I absolutely love The Phantom Tollbooth. It’s so clever and a lot of fun.”

So I listened! Thank you all for the enthusiasm for this wonderful book! There were so many endorsements, and I hope I didn’t miss anyone, but it definitely put The Phantom Tollbooth at the top of my list. I listened to it on audiobook because of Cindy’s endorsement, but I also flipped through my physical copy while listening, so I could look at the illustrations as I go.

The Quotes

“So many things are possible just as long as you don’t know they’re impossible.”

“Expect everything, I always say, and the unexpected never happens.”

“The most important reason for going from one place to another is to see what’s in between, and they took great pleasure in doing just that.”

“You must never feel badly about making mistakes … as long as you take the trouble to learn from them. For you often learn more by being wrong for the right reasons than you do by being right for the wrong reasons.”

The Narrator(s)

Rainn Wilson, and a special appearance from Walter Wilson (his son) as the voice of .58! I loved it. Rainn Wilson is a wonderful narrator and I loved that Walter Wilson made an appearance too. It was just perfect the whole way through.

The Characters

There are so many interesting characters in this book with such distinctive personalities. I loved them all! Milo is the main character, however, and we see things through his perspective.

My Thoughts

I cannot believe this is the first time I’ve ever read this book! Where has it been my whole life? I don’t know how I would’ve felt as a child reading this, but as an adult, it was just delightful and it brings me back to innocent days of childlike wonder and imagination. There was a lot of simple wisdom in this book, and it reminds me that we are never too old for magic.

My Feels

It makes me feel young again! It makes me feel like nothing is impossible, and that the world is filled with infinite possibilities. It makes me feel like I am one of those infinite possibilities. I love it!

My Rating

5/5 stars. Is this book the secret to the fountain of youth?

Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?

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