Lunar New Year Love Story by Gene Luen Yang with LeUyen Pham (Illustrator)

Read on the first day of the Lunar New Year for the Reading Glasses Challenge: Read a holiday book. The graphic novel is a YA love story with paranormal elements which were a bit spookier than I’d prefer. The book had some great art especially for all the lion dance scenes and the story had some complicated emotions about growing up.

Setting: Bay Area, California USA.

Read on iPad. Feb 9-11, 2024.

Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree

This was a really good follow up to Legends & Lattes. I think I liked it even more. There were delightful side characters and I was engaged with the mystery and action in this one. Also, it took place in a bookshop which I really liked. Listened to about 15% on audiobook because Baldree is a great narrator. I did score a copy from my library so I finished it in print in quick succession. I would not mind another trip into Viv’s world.

Setting: High Fantasy.

Feb 10-12, 2024.

The Provincial Lady in America by E.M. Delafield (The Provincial Lady #3)

Read by Georgina Sutton. This concludes my journey through the E.M. Delafield provincial lady, at least for now. This was a nice conclusion. I found it fascinating to listen to a travel diary from the early 1930s of places I’ve been to like Toronto, Niagara Falls, New York, and Boston. As usual done in Delafield’s breezy yet relatable style. It does remind one that boorish people exists through all ages.

Setting: America and briefly Canada.

1.0x. Feb 10-15, 2024.

Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times by Katherine May

Read by Rebecca Lee. I had the hardcover from a Little Library in my neighbourhood. I debated about reading it in text but the nature and subject of the book was better for listening to. I listen to a lot of audiobooks when I wake up on the weekdays. There were some interesting moments and reflections about winter, cold, and how humanity and cultures cope or don’t cope with it. There were some other stories in the book that did not mesh as well. For example, the story about her friend’s financial problems and her singing. In any case, it was an alright listen.

Setting: England.

1.5x. Feb 12-15, 2024.

My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

Read by Adepero Oduye. This was a short literary crime novel. It’s more of a character and family dynamic book than a typical thriller. It was sad, tense, and full of unlikable characters. The narrator and lead was sympathetic but by the end of it, the reader questions how much humanity she has left really for the sake of family. I enjoyed the character work and Oduye’s narration really developed the characters. The narration and Korre’s dialogue is in her American accent and she affected a Nigerian accent one for everyone else. This oddly worked to differentiate the protagonist from her surroundings. I think it’s a good book since it’s short yet packs a lot of character work. It was a bit frustrating with the ending and how unlikable most of the characters were. This i often the case with literary thrillers like this and Yellowface.

Setting: Lagos, Nigeria.

1.5x. Feb 15-16, 2024.