Author: jeanne188

CANTOSTARS EPISODE 7                         Sunday, August 25, 2024

1. 故園花茶 (Live)              3:43
   Hins Cheung
   Hins Cheung X HKCO Concert (Live)
   Emperor Entertainment Group
   2021
   
   

BREAK

2. The Entire Universe                       4:17
Yun Duo
Cloud
Shanghai Xurun Music Co., Ltd
2011

3. 聽傲江湖                           4:02
Aaron Kwok
Never Ending Love
Music Nation Company Limited
2010

4. 新預言書 (Concert 2021) [Live]            3:50
C AllStar
C AllStar集合吧! 演唱會2021 (Live)
Media Asia Music Limited
2021

BREAK                

5. Still in Happiness (Live)                              4:28
Hebe Tien
If Only H**e Tien (Live)
HIM International Music Inc
2016

6. Colors (Remastered 2018)                       3:59
Hikaru Utada
Ultra Blue (Remastered 2018)
Virgin Music, Universal Music LLC
2018

7. Akeboshi                             4:27
LiSA
Lander
Sony Music Labels Inc
2022

BREAK                

8. 願                                           3:36
Charmaine Fong
Lost n Found
Strawberry Fields
2021

9. 溫馨提示                           3:47
Ella Koon
Wannabe
Warner Music Hong Kong Ltd
2013

10. Rascal                 4:50
Penny Tai
Unexpected
Earth Entertainment
2013

BREAK        

11. 杞人憂天                           3:14
Chang Kuan
常寬精選
Beijing Shunyin Culture Media Co., Ltd
2008

12. Not Mine                             4:15
Melyssa Lee
Treasures
Mels Musical Journey Records
2024

BREAK                

13. 美麗新世界                     3:30
Wu Bai & China Blue
伍佰電影歌曲典藏
Magic Stone Music Co., Ltd.
2000

CANTOSTARS EPISODE 6         Sunday, August 18, 2024

1. Because of Love             3:37
   Eason Chan & Faye Wong
   Stranger Under My Skin
   Cinepoly Records Co. Ltd.
   2011

2. Romance           4:41
Jolin Tsai
Ugly Beauty
Eternal Music Production Company Ltd
2018

3. 對不起，我愛你 (無線電視劇) 今生無悔     3:48
Leon Lai
Leon 2 in One
East Asia Record Production Company Limited
2023

4. Neon Lights (Remastered)        4:25
Tsai Chin
The Essential Collection
Dieng Jung Records Co. Ltd
2009

5. 忘盡心中情     3:26
Johnny Ip
Denon Mastersonic – 葉振棠
EMI (HK) Ltd.
1998

6. 斷點                     4:28
Hins Cheung
My Way
Universal Music Ltd
2002

7. 在路上                4:14
Richie Jen
在路上
Media Asia Music Limited
2023

8. 等待     4:08
Sally Yeh
秋去秋來
Warner Music Hong Kong Ltd.
1990

9. Best Friend        5:19
A-Lin
LINK
Focus Music Co., Ltd.
2022

10. El Joven y El Mar             3:44
G.E.M.
Revelación
G Nation Limited
2023

11. Sector 1              3:03
Ateez
The World Ep. 1: Movement
KQ Entertainment
2022

12. BOSS                   4:03
Mirror
BOSS – Single
Music Nation Records Company Limited
2021

13. 舞孃 (Live)        3:12
Grasshopper
草蜢Be Three演唱會
Media Asia Music Limited
2015

CANTOSTARS Episode 5           Sunday, August 11, 2024

1. 華麗舞台           3:09
   Grasshopper
   Music Walker
   Media Asia Music Ltd
   2016

2. Moonlight Letter             4:16
S.H.E.
Fm S.H.E.
HIM Music International Inc
2008

3. Benkai Debussy              3:16
Sheena Ringo
Shouso Strip – Winning Strip
EMI Records, Universal Music LLC
2000

4. Tank!                     3:30
Seatbelts
Cowboy Bebop (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Sunrise Music
1998

5. No Way Out      4:00
Shigeru Umebayashi
House of Flying Daggers (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (feat. Kathleen Battle)
Sony BMG Music Entertainment
2004

6. Lithium Flower 3:23
Scott Matthew
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex O.S.T.
Victor Entertainment, Inc
2004

7. Through The Dark           3:45
Joanna Borromeo
Through The Dark
Self-Released
2010

8. Kisapmata         4:29
SallieMae
Kisapmata – Single
Bakla Naman
2024

9. Conversation                    3:28
A-Lin
LINK
Focus Music Co., Ltd
2022

10. 浮沙                                     4:23
Charmaine Fong
Lost n Found
Strawberry Fields Ltd
2021

11.  Hip Hop Tonight (feat. 吳建豪)              3:27
CoCo Lee
CoCo Lee 1994-2008 Best Collection
Sony BMG Music Entertainment (Holland) B.V
2008

12. 愛人不疑 (國) 4:14
Ella Koon
Wannabe
Warner Music Hong Kong Ltd
2013

13.  Miss You Miss You        4:07
Ivyan
Promise
Sony Music Entertainment China Holdings Limited
2017

CANTOSTARS EPISODE 4         Sunday, August 4, 2024

1. 初戀的地方     3:36
   Faye Wong
   菲蘼蘼之音
   Cinepoly Records Co. Ltd
   1995

2. 片斷                     4:24
Leslie Cheung
風繼續吹
Capital Artists Limited
1983

3. 流浪花                5:02
David Lui
全呂方精選 Greatest Hits
Warner Music Hong Kong Ltd
2015

4. Smoke Gets In the Eyes (Remastered)               3:34
Tsai Chin
The Essential Collection (Remastered)
Dieng Jung Records Co., Ltd.
2009

5. Promise              3:36
Ivyan
Promise
Sony Music Entertainment China Holdings Limited
2017

6. 不思議的夢     4:46
Leon Lai
傳奇 – Perhaps…
Universal Music Ltd.
2005

7. 天光 4:04
Liu Yu Ning
电视剧《重紫》原声大碟
2023

8. Gogobebe          3:16
MAMAMOO
White Wind
RBW(RBW, Inc) under license to Kakao M Corp.
2019

9. Oh My Gosh      3:32
Purple Kiss
MemeM
RBW Inc, under license to Kakao Entertainment
2022

10. Bad Lady 3:23
Rainie Yang
Like A Star
Tree & Skyline Entertainment Co., Ltd.
2020

11. 真情人 4:04
CoCo Lee
CoCo Lee 1994-2008 Best Collection
Sony BMG Music Entertainment (Holland)B.V
2008

12. Solitude 3:57
Sandee Chan
Martial God Cardea
Le Musique Ltd Co
2017

13. 陪著你走 3:41
Sandy Lam
陪著我走 in search of lost time
Universal Music Ltd
2016

Friday Reads
August 16, 2024

Starting new:

Midnight Robber by Nalo Hopkinson

It is Carnival time on the Caribbean-colonized planet of Toussaint. Midnight robbers cause delay to the revelers with weapons and spellbinding words. Nalo Hopkinson will be releasing a new book on Aug 20 called Blackheart Man.

New to collection:

Memory Piece by Lisa Ko

Three female friends in the 1990s in New York City. Over the decades they go on their career and life journeys, and their goals and dreams change as the times change, and their friendships change as well.

Library pick:

Here in Berlin by Cristina Garcia

A snapshot of contemporary past and how the wars still have it’s touch on the city. A visitor travels through the city with her camera, capturing the images of the present day.

Continuing from last week:

I’m Not Done With You Yet by Jesse Q. Sutanto

Jane wants to escape her life in L.A. which is a mess as she struggles with her marriage and finances. As a writer she is surprised one day to see her old friend at the top of the best-seller list. The friend Thalia had disappeared and she returns with a message left for her on a website.

YA Fantasy:

Kindling by Traci Chee

The Kindling are warriors who weld magic on the battlefield. Now that the war is almost over, the seven fighters have to consider their futures even as they are caught in the present fight.

Monday Reading Update
August 12, 2024

Thoughts on The Blackwater Lightship by Colm Tόibín

In the busy modern lives people have with jobs, marriage, children and mortgage, it is interesting that family members will gather for important moments such as a wedding or a funeral.

The times spent together can be a moment of tension because of unsaid wants, needs, and dissatisfactions.

For children, growing up can mean growing apart from the family unit, as they seek their own lives away from what they already know. The impulse for a young person to seek independence is encouraged and rewarded in the Western society, but what about the work that needs to be done for society to remain cohesive and thriving, such as education, healthcare, social supports for those with cancer or HIV/AIDs?

Government has a role to play, as well as family, social and community groups. These social institutions can have flaws which can influence the care and attention individuals can have as part of the system. A society can adapt to changes and needs by having the resources to support the needs of individuals, which is not evenly distributed throughout the world. The tension is felt even in more affluent countries because of the unequal distribution of resources.

Societies grow and adapt with new technology, such as medical research, cellphones, the building of roads and hospitals. In order to have these amenities, modern societies also take part in a globally interconnected world that allows for the trade of goods and services.

The author Colm Toibin discusses these ideas in a less direct and less analytical than I have. He is more concerned about the human and individual story of an average Irish family, and only touches subtly on the social and economic conditions that impact the family at a time of illness, and end-of-life care.

Reading for the Week

I just happen to have put three books on my reading list set in similar locations.

With The Blackwater Lightship now done, I have The Lying Game by Ruth Ware and I’m Not Done With You Yet by Jesse Q. Sutanto.

Thinking about this now, I think for a change of pace, I have decided to focus on Lore by Alexandra Bracken and Kindling by Traci Chee.

Friday Reads
August 9, 2024

Starting again:

Lore by Alexandra Bracken

An act of rebellion leads to 9 Greek gods sent to roam earth as mortals. They are hunted by descendants of ancient bloodlines. Lore is from one of the bloodlines.

New to collection:

I’m Not Done With You Yet by Jesse Q. Sutanto

A struggling writer is dissatisfied with her midlist sales. She wants more than being just barely able to cover her mortgage. Someone from her student days at Oxford leaves a message.

E-book pick:

The Knockout by Sajni Patel

Kareena Thakkar has gained an invitation to the US Muay Thai Open which could lead to a spot on the Olympic team. At 17 she takes the chance even if it means disapproval from the Indian community.

Library pick:

Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville

A work of political observation and philosophy from a French aristocrat about his time in America in in the mid-19th century. Often referred to in school textbooks on democracy.

Continuing from last week

The Lying Game by Ruth Ware

Four friends travel to Salten in the UK countryside where they stayed at a boarding school as teenagers. They are older and have responsibilities, but the text message from one leads to the women to stop what they are doing and gather again.

Monday Reading Update
Aug 5, 2024

With a long weekend around these parts, I found I had more time to read than I had thought. Summer has been busy, so I enjoy the quiet moments.

I was able to read The Red Palace by June Hur in a couple of days. With a Chinese period drama still fresh in my mind from the last month, I found the YA mystery book set in 1700s Korea to have similar plot points to what I have watched. I also find my reading over the summer to take days or weeks to finish a book. The fact that I was able to speed through this book over the weekend means I finally found the perfect book to read, even when I already expect certain things to take place.

I also made progress with reading The Blackwater Lightship by Colm Toibin. He is a celebrated Irish writer whose work has been adapted into movies. I saw the adaptation of Brooklyn at a film festival years ago, but still remember a few scenes from the movie. I did purchase Long Island knowing the book is a sequel to Brooklyn, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to read Brooklyn the novel. I borrowed The Blackwater Lightship weeks ago and finally got around to reading it this past weekend. I made to almost the halfway point, and find it to be a realistic portrayal of a family in the 1990s.

I have added to my collection, I’m Not Done With You Yet by Jesse Q. Sutanto and Kairos by Jenny Erpenbeck.

Friday Reads
Aug 2, 2024

Started earlier in the year:

The Red Palace by June Hur

It is 1758 in Joseon Korea. Hyeon is 17 years old and is a nurse in the palace. When four women are murdered, Hyeon is determined to find the killer.

Library selection:

The Blackwater Lightship by Colm Tóibín

Published in 1999, the story follows three generations of an estranged family reuniting to mourn an unexpected death in an old house in Ireland.

Re-read:

There There by Tommy Orange

A short story collection that tells the stories of individuals that are are travelling to a Pow-Wow at Oakland, California

Nonfiction selection:

A Thousand Farewells: A Reporter’s Journey From Refugee Camp to the Arab Spring by Nahlah Ayed

Canadian journalist Nahlah Ayed currently has a best-selling nonfiction title, The War We Won Apart. A Thousand Farewells was her previous book.

Mystery:

The Lying Game by Ruth Ware

After receiving a text message from an old friend, Isa travels to Salten,the location of her old boarding school with her baby daughter. Secrets from the past get uncovered.

It will soon be August. It is my birthday month. I have tried to go for more summery reads, but I feel like more thrillers, mystery, and heart-felt literary fiction.

I might be busy with other activities, but I do want to make progress on my reading. Here is the list I will pick from, and I might throw in other books depending on my interest.

Here’s to one more month before the Fall Semester starts again as well as the new publishing season.

1. The Lying Game by Ruth Ware
2. Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell
3. Spaceman of Bohemia by Jaroslav Kalfar
4. The Autograph Man by Zadie Smith
5. The Red Palace by June Hur
6. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
7. Bride by Ali Hazelwood
8. Huntress by Kate Quinn
9. Fierce Kingdom by Gin Phillips
10. The Lost Century by Larissa Lai

CANTOSTARS EPISODE 3      Sunday, July 28, 2024

1. Diamond Heart             3:39
   F.I.R.
   Diamond Heart
   HIM International Music Inc
   2021

2. He’s a Space Deris from the Doomsday Prophecy                                5:14
Sandee Chan
Martial God Cardea
Le Musique Ltd. Co
2017

3. Snow in June                   4:21
Eason Chan
Stranger Under My Skin
Cinepoly Records Co. Ltd.
2011

4. 六神合體
C AllStar
C AllStar 集合吧! 演唱會 2021 Live
Media Asia Music Ltd

5. Hedgehog         3:23
Ginger Beef
Ginger Beef
Chinese Firedrill Records
2023

6. 序曲～將我送給你        4:34
(zeoi kuk zoeng ngo sung kap nei)
Anita Mui
似火探戈
Capital Artists Limited
2005

7. In the City (Live)            3:32
Hacken Lee
李克勤慶祝成立30週年演唱會
(lei hak kan hing zuk sing lap 30 zau nin yin coeng wui)
Emperor Entertainment Group
2017

8. 藍色牆微雨 (演奏版)
(laam sik coeng meiyu yin zau baan)
Hins Cheung
Hins Cheung X HKCO Concert (Live)
Emperor Entertainment Group
2021

9. One Last Kiss
Hikaru Utada
Science Fiction
Sony Music Labels Inc./Universal Music
2024

10. Womxnly           3:11
Jolin Tsai
Ugly Beauty
Eternal Music Production Company Ltd
2008

11. Kizuna No Kiseki
Man With A Mission & milet
Kizuna No Kiseki/Koi Kogare – EP
Sony Music Labels
2023

12. 約翰藍儂 (yolk hon lam nong)
Mayday
神的孩子都在跳舞 (san dik haai zi dou zoi tiu mou)
Rock Records
2004

13. Me & You
G.E.M.
Revelaciόn
G Nation Limited licensed to Warner Music China
2023

CANTOSTARS EPISODE 2 ON CJSW 90.9 FM www.cjsw.com
Sunday, July 21, 2024

1. Singing in the Rain      3:48
   Rainie Yang 楊丞琳
   Like A Star
   Tree & Skyline Entertainment Co., Ltd.
   2020

BREAK

2. 你好嗎      5:31
Charmaine Fong 方皓玟 Fong Ho-man
Lost n Found
Strawberry Fields Ltd
2021

3. The Blue Lagoon          3:10
Foonyap
Palimpsest
2016
Self-Released

4. Hidden Love   4:27
Hebe Tien 田馥甄
If Only H**e Tien (Live)
HIM International
2016

BREAK

5. I Just Want To Sing      3:17
Jacky Cheung Hok-yau
Wake Up Dreaming
What’s Music International Incorporated
2014

6. Propaganda    3:21
LiSA
Gerenge – EP
2019
Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc.

7. Sing It Out        3:52
Penny Tai  戴佩妮 Dai Peini
Unexpected
Earth Entertainment
2013

BREAK

8. Coastal Road Exit        4:21
S.H.E.
Fm S.H.E.
HIM Music International Inc.
2008

9. Drink It Up (feat. pH-1)             3:16
YUQ1
YUQ1
CUBE Entertainment Inc
2024

10. Pet Meds           4:51
Kamikaze Nurse
Stimuloso
Mint Records
2022

BREAK

11. Let’s Dance     3:09
Tiger Huang 黃小琥 Wong Xiaohu
Be Alive
Warner Music Taiwan Ltd
2021

12. 至少還有我     3:38
Ekin Cheng Yee Kin 鄭伊健
偏愛你
BMG Music Taiwan, In(P) 1997 BMG Hong Kong Ltd.
1997

BREAK

13. Vacation Sisters                     3:38
A-Lin 
LINK
Focus Music Co. Ltd
2022

CANTOSTARS EPISODE 1 ON CJSW 90.9 FM www.cjsw.com

Sunday, July 14, 2024

I host a 1 hour radio program. Here is the playlist for the first episode.

1.  Mirror                 3:28

 一秒間

One and All

Music Nation Records Company Limited

2020

2. Sandy Lam        4:10

 三更夜半

 都市角覺第一輯

Warner Music Hong Kong Ltd.

1988

3. Alan Tam 譚詠麟    3:54

 愛情陷阱

 經典情歌集 Vol 1 Classic Love Song Collection 1

UMG Recordings, Ltd

2021

4. Anita Mui            5:10

妖女

 妖女

Capital Artists Limited

1986

BREAK

5. Hins Cheung     4:14
 Do What You Want

The Next 20 Hins Live in Hong Kong

Emperor Entertainment Group

 2023

6. Hikaru Utada    4:58

This Is Love

Ultra Blue

Universal Music, Virgin Music

2006

7. Jolin Tsai & Stanley Huang

Nice Guy            3:20

Dancing Diva

Taiga Limited

2006

BREAK

8. Sally Yeh             5:19

甜言密語/願死也為倩 teem yim mut yue / yuan sei ye wai qing

Sally Is Intimately Yours Concert

Media Asia Music Limited

2012

9. Jay Chou             4:04

Greatest Works of Art

Greatest Works of Art

JVR Music International Ltd

2022

10. Ella Koon            4:14

你都不懂

Wannabe

Warner Music Hong Kong Ltd

2013

BREAK

11. Penny Tai            2:50

A Lazy Fellow

Unexpected

Earth Entertainment

2013

Friday Reads
July 26, 2024

These are the books I would like to focus on this weekend:

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

About the legacy of Western civilization with evidence of statues, buildings, and literature from the view of a figure from Classical Greek mythology. More of a philosophical essay than a narrative.

Legendborn by Tracy Deonn

A young black woman gets drawn into a secret society that traces back to King Arthur and the Roundtable

The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christi Lefteri

The impact of civil war on the lives of Syrians with focus on the beekeeper, the city of Aleppo, its ability to survive after political conflict.

These are the books I want to start:

Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver A story that draws from English nursery rhymes to tell the story of a serial killer romance.

Exhalation by Ted Chiang

A collection of speculative short stories that explore concepts in physics.

Monday Reading Update

July 22, 2024

I have taken it easy in terms of reading this week. I am reading two fantasy novels at the moment, The Magicians by Lev Grossman, and the YA Fantasy, Legendborn by Tracy Deonn. I seem to be taking my time reading them.

I found myself reading in a hotel lobby Sunday morning. I read to around the 130-page mark of Legendborn. Reading slowly and taking pauses to check my phone, I felt I was reading the action sequences in slow-motion.

I finished one book this week, Taft by Ann Patchett about small-town life in Tennessee. John Nickel is a former jazz musician, and currently a manager for a bar. One day, Fay and Carl, show up at the bar looking for a place to stay. Something has happened to their father, so they are looking for another parent figure to help them out of their situation. The book also has to do with race as Nickel is black.

Now on to more reads for the week.

1. Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
2. Butcher & Black Bird by Brynne Weaver
3. Exhalation by Ted Chiang
4. The Magicians by Lev Grossman
5. Legendborn by Tracy Deonn

Monday Reading Update
July 15, 2024

I finished reading a book. This is exciting for me because for the longest time I did not think I would read anything by Sarah J. Maas. I missed out on a lot of popular YA titles when they were being released. I read a lot of fantasy while in high school, but I drifted away from that in college, so I have been trying to get back into the genre with newer releases. Throne of Glass is obviously a YA title and I read it at a perfect time in my life even when it’s been 10 years that it’s been in print. This book is enough for me to go back to older YA titles and start reading them. I have a few on hand, so I can scatter them throughout my reading going forward.

Reading this Week:

1. Taft by Ann Patchett
2. Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
3. The Big Short by Michael Lewis
4. The Book of M by Peng Shepherd
5. The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

Monday Reading Update
July 8, 2024

Books Recently Completed:

King of Cuba by Cristina Garcia

Shoeless Joe by W.P. Kinsella

Hellgoing by Lynn Coady

The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley

Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino

Books to Complete:

Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

Books to Start this Week:

Legendborn by Tracy Deonn

The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri

Prairie Edge by Conor Kerr

The summer is proving to be a so so sort of time. It could be better, but I could also be a lot worst. The weight of the world demands attention, decision-making, and action. Sometimes when spending the time day by day, just paying attention to immediate needs and surroundings, it is hard to look at the bigger picture. I need to make dinner for myself. I need to shop for ingredients. I need to make sure the chores in the house are done. I need to take care of myself and the people around me. What about someone down the street or in another part of the world. There is a reason for nation-states, for governments to look after their own citizens, but what if that isn’t enough? What are the answers to the difficult challenges that countries face having to do with jobs, resources, and economy, alongside cultural, social, and religious differences? I don’t have answers. All I can say is to maintain dialogue as best as possible.

TBR For Month Seven:

1. Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
2. The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri
3. Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver
4. Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson
5. Kindling by Traci Chee
6. The City of Dusk by Tara Sim
7. Long Island by Colm Toibin
8. Prairie Edge by Conor Kerr
9. The Magicians by Lev Grossman
10. The Birth of Venus by Sarah Dunant

Monday Reads Update
June 24, 2024

Over the weekend, I read half of Shoeless Joe by W.P. Kinsella. Published in 1982, it is about a man named Kinsella who goes to Iowa for college, and decides to stay after graduation. He marries Annie, they live on a farm with their young daughter Karin, and he decides to build part of a baseball stadium out in a field.

The book was the basis for the movie, Field of Dreams starring Kevin Costner.

I have also started Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas, the first in a multi-volume fantasy series that follows the adventures of an assassin, Celaena.

For my Monday Read, I will dive back into the speculative short story collection, the Paper Menagerie by Ken Liu.

June is here. It is already halfway through the year. It seems like it has been only a blink of an eye. I feel like I should be reading more not less even when it is the summer months and there is plenty to do for leisure.

I have put together a list of reading possibilities. There are ten titles. I am pretty sure I won’t get to all of them, but part of the fun is to read as much as possible books by authors I have not read before, and authors that are more familiar.

Cheers for the summer sun! And Happy Reading!

1. The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley
2. Just For The Summer by Abby Jimenez
3. Verity by Colleen Hoover
4. Hunting by Stars by Cherie Dimaline
5. The Girl With All The Gifts by M.R. Carey
6. How to Pronounce Knife by Souvankham Thammavongsa
7. Telegraph Avenue by Michael Chabon
8. The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christi Lefteri
9. Shoeless Joe by W.P. Kinsella
10. Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas

REVIEW

Tokyo Ever After
by Emiko Jean

Izumi finds out she has a long-lost father, and he is a prince in the Japanese imperial court. Through email exchanges, word gets back to Japan, and the prince invites Izumi to Japan to get to know him and the family she did not know before.

At age 18, this is a chance for Izumi to gain independence from her mother and learn about a culture and language she struggles to understand after growing up in a smalltown in the US.

This is a fun adventure to Tokyo through Izumi’s eyes. She also meets a bodyguard who catches her fancy.

The book is a YA novel and the first in a two-book series that has a gentle tone to it despite the stress of being part of a royal family.

It is unrealistic in how quickly the main character gets swept up into the life of upper society, so the book is more popcorn than a substantial meal.

The Return of Ellie Black, her debut adult mystery title was released last week.

Published on Tuesday, May 14, 2024

REVIEW

A Magic Steeped in Poison
By Judy I. Lin

Ning leaves her family home behind to try her luck in a competition for tea masters at the palace. She is in search for answers for the death of her mother who died of poisoning and for a sister who managed to survive. While at the capital, she finds herself part of the power struggle at the palace and with her fellow competitors who are looking for an edge in the competition.

Along the way, there is ample room for breath to admire the décor, food, and rich surroundings. Ning feels keenly the difference between her own frugal life versus the wealth of the royalty in charge.

There is a sense of friendship and potential for romance, while also the need to remain on guard for a hint of ambition with accompanying calculation and betrayal.

This is a YA fantasy novel with somewhat high stakes tempered with the innocence of a young protagonist. The volume feels like a tepid step into the pool of East Asian-themed fantasy, which is welcoming to young readers looking for an easy entry into the genre.

The book sets the stage for the second volume in the duology, A Venom Dark and Sweet.

Judy I. Lin is a Taiwanese Canadian author who lives on the Prairies.

Published on Friday, May 10, 2024

Thursday Reading Update
May 9, 2024

It is almost time for lunch, and I have put together a reading list I would like to tackle for the day. If you are interested in reviews of the books I read, keep checking back and eventually I will get to it.

Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit
by Nadine Sander-Green

Millicent is a newspaper reporter who has newly arrived in Whitehorse. She is 24 and at a new job and her boss is skeptical whether she will stay long enough in the Yukon to really get to know and be part of the community. She gets into a relationship with a man who lives in a bus which turns out to be toxic and it is her adjusting to a new place.

Tokyo Ever After
by Emiko Jean

Izumi is Japanese American living in a small town in California. She was raised by her single mother and there are no other Japanese families in her small town. Then she learns she has a father, and he is part of the royal family in Japan. That also makes Izzy a princess. She travels to Japan to learn more about her cultural background and family she did not know before.

The Bird King
by G. Willow Wilson

Fatima is a concubine in the royal court of the sultan of Granada. It is 1491. Her friend Hassan is the palace mapmaker. He can make maps of places he has never seen and shape reality with his pen and paper. The second novel by the author, the book is a historical fantasy set during the reign of the last sultan in the Iberian Peninsula, with the Spanish Inquisition threatening the kingdom.