ambershelf's reviews
1295 reviews

Laid off from yet another job, Maggie Banks is grateful for her best friend Rochelle, who is going on maternity leave and lets Maggie takes over the duties of running Cobblestone Books. Partly owned by a literary society, the bookstore is under strict guidance to only sell "classics"; anything written this century is forbidden. But after a series of mishaps and Cobblestone starts losing money, Maggie decides to get creative to keep the bookstore afloat. She must juggle between selling forbidden books, running underground book clubs, and dodging the literary society.

At its core, BANNED BOOKSHOP asks the readers to examine their biases towards books. What makes a book a "classic"? Why do romance books get sidelined in literary societies despite their sales? How are assigned readings in schools determined, and why are they so dull? As someone who tries to read outside of my comfort zone (except for horror because I'm a wuss

Set in 19th century Mexico, Carlota Moreau grew up in the distant Yucatán peninsula with her father, a doctor devoted to pushing the boundaries of medicine funded by an influential patron with the help of an assistant, Montgomery Laughton. Their lives in the luxuriant estate are peaceful until the abrupt arrival of a charming yet careless young man, who happens to be the son of Doctor Moreau's funder. Trouble brews on the horizon for the Moreaus as Carlota explores womanhood and discovers hidden secrets from the men around her.

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau is an intriguing historical fiction based on The Island of Doctor Moreau, initially published in 1896. While there are science fiction aspects because of Moreau's work, it's not the book's focus. Instead, Silvia Moreno-Gracia focuses on the two main characters, Carlota and Montgomery, and the chapters alternate between their POVs. The Daughter of Doctor Moreau is exceptionally well written, but the pacing is awkward. It moves incredibly slow in the first half and almost too fast for character development towards the end. I also kept waiting for more spice, but the story never quite reached that point. Overall, The Daughter of Doctor Moreau is a solid read, especially for those interested in the intersection of historical fiction and sci-fi.

Ava Wong was appalled when her former college roommate Winnie Fang reached out after two decades for a business proposal. But in reviewing her crumbling life, her strained marriage, unused law degree, and her spoiled toddler, Ava reevaluates. As the two women grow their counterfeit business, Ava must come out of her comfort zone while protecting herself from the shady business associates. Counterfeit is a humorous and fast-paced novel written mainly from Ava's perspective, and the writing is easy to absorb. I enjoyed reading it even though the plot is a bit predictable. A short and unputdownable read!

Lola questions her engagement to Boots if he's "the one" when she bumps into her ex-boyfriend. She runs into a second ex the next day. And the third. When Lola confides in her best friend, she is swept into an organization founded by her former boss for social experiments, promising to help confront her past relationships to get closure. Cult Classic is a witty novel with dark observations of the dating world and suspense in a stealth totally-not-a-cult startup. It is fantastically written where character monologues and plot development blend seamlessly. The first 30% is a bit slow, but once the story picks up pace, I couldn't put the book down at all. Cult Classic is a genre-bending read, and I'd love to read more from Sloane Crosley!

In this powerful historical fiction, Marie Benedict sheds light on Rosalind Franklin's tenacity and brilliance that led her to discover the structure of DNA with X-ray crystallography. While Rosalind's scientific rigor is admirable, I was hoping as historical fiction, Her Hidden Genius would expand on Rosalind's personal life. Unfortunately, the book starts in the middle of Rosalind's career without much context on her early childhood and primarily focuses on her research. The several references to her life and philosophy, including not wanting a family for fear of impeding her career, are somewhat repetitive throughout the book. Overall, I expected more insights and reimaginations from Her Hidden Genius instead of a 300-page Wikipedia page.

Nora Stephens is a career-driven, independent, hard-working, and successful literary agent who can't see herself living anywhere else but New York City. Hoping a small-town romance can transform Nora, her sister Libby plans a spontaneous vacation. Unfortunately, Nora keeps bumping into Charlie Lastra, an editor she met in New York who left a not-so-stellar first impression. Or second. Or third. When Nora and Charlie are forced to work together on multiple projects, their bantering turns into something more.
I don't usually read romance novels and was a bit skeptical in the beginning. However, Book Lovers is so much more than just the typical enemies-turn-lovers story; it's also about the love for your family, career, and ultimately for yourself. I really connected with Nora's character development on being okay with losing control, learning to be present instead of having to fix everything, and feeling comfortable taking risks. Book Lovers is such an excellent read that I might check out Emily Henry's other work!

Siren Queen is a historical fiction based on old Hollywood in the 1930s, where the rich and powerful studio owners are monsters. Actual blood-sucking, teeth-bearing, flesh-eating, shape-shifting, magic-casting monsters. Regardless, Luli Wei is ready to give whatever it takes to become a star. Nghi Vo's brilliant writing sheds light on pre-code Hollywood, where gender, race, and sexuality are policed in the movie industry. Unfortunately, I'm not the biggest fan of her world-building or the lack thereof, with no explanations for the laws of magic. I also didn't particularly enjoy the pacing of Siren Queen, with nothing much happening in the first half. Overall, this book isn't my cup of tea but could be a decent read for those who enjoy fantasy.

Five Chinese American undergrads plan out five heists to reclaim stolen art from China displayed in various museums across the Western world. If they succeed, they earn fifty million dollars and a chance to right the wrong of colonialism; failing is not an option. Portrait of a Thief is like smashing two separate books into one, a heist thriller and a coming-of-age journey as Asian Americans. The resulting book makes it challenging to read, with dialogues cut off by internal reflection and monologues that fail to gain the momentum of a thriller. This book could have been either contemporary literature examining Chinese American identity and family expectations as a first-generation immigrant from a more realistic "group project" or a fast-paced thriller planned by older characters with the agency to pull off heists. Just not both.