lastblossom's reviews
212 reviews

tl;dr
A fast-paced plot painted on a world canvas that feels a little too vast for the scope of the book. Lots of food descriptions.

Thoughts
Have you ever read a book and thought "This should have been a video game?" Because that thought sat in the back of my head the whole way through. The plot is fast-paced with a structure of narration (cutscenes), hunting for ingredients (map exploration), and then the culinary battle (boss fight). There're also dating sim elements, and plenty of one-on-one campfire chats with supporting cast that slowly reveal everyone's personal motives. Heck, there are even tidbits of world lore on the "loading screens" between chapters. And speaking of world lore, there's a lot of fun stuff to mine in here. The author's bio talks about growing up in a diverse Asian neighborhood, and that's evident in the variety of food and names presented here (shout out to the calamansi mention). The competition is as brutal as promised, with Squid Game-esque levels of punishment for losers, and there are plenty of layers of backstory for all of the characters with a much larger world just beyond the doors of the competition. And that's where a video game structure might really have come in handy. There's too much to fit into one book, but plenty for a game with multiple playthroughs. On this route, Cai can date Bo. On this route, she skips romance entirely to learn more about Kama. On this route, she absolutely obliterates the competition early on. Heck, can we add that rival kid from the first chapter as DLC?

My point is that the world is so vast that I felt really locked in to the choices that actually appeared on the page. Love triangles aren't my thing, for example. (I accept the fault is with the reader here.) Especially the kind where the two options get increasingly hostile with each other, and then the MC. Spending most of the time on the romance took away the potential of the competition plot for me, but I'm sure it'd be the selling point for other readers. There are just so many enticing ideas and plot hooks dangling in front of me, and the book only had time to chase down one of them. Alas!

The food content is mixed for me. I cook a lot, and I cook Asian food a lot. Make no mistake, I'm very mid. That being said, I expected more cooking here. This book is overflowing with sumptuous descriptions of food and eating, but the actual cooking techniques and moments are surprisingly sparse. The first round gave us some insight into Cai's ingredient choices, but after that, there's very little. Cai's supposedly a genius cook, but we never get any look into that genius. I cheered when (mild spoiler alert) the final theme ingredient was eggs, because eggs are used to make noodles, and we'd spent the entire book hearing that she's a master of noodle-making. I couldn't wait for her to show off kneading the dough, the stretching, the twisting, the flourish with her knife as she cut noodles with precision. Everyone else would finally see her at her best and most brilliant. But instead she made omurice? Right after she admits in the narrative how much she misses making noodles for an audience? Anyway, this last point in particular doesn't seem to bother anyone else, so I'm gonna put a mark in the curmudgeon column for me.

Overall, this book didn't land with me, but if you told me it was being converted into a video game, I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

Thanks to NetGalley and Sweet July Books for an advance copy. All thoughts in this review are my own!

tl;dr
Another twisty mystery set in an ever-evolving kaiju world. Builds on the first book with more world-building, more mystery, and some sneaky reveals.

Thoughts
Great news, everybody! This book is very good. If you've already read the first one, you probably guessed it would be. (And if you haven't read the first one, I heartily recommend it.) Nearly everything that made the first book amazing is back: A tightly plotted mystery, more plantcore world building, Ana's wild genius, and Din's relatable narration. (I say nearly everything because sadly Kepheus Strovi is not present, leaving both Din and this reader bereft.) In my previous review, I did note some concerns that the story would begin to drift away from solving murders towards more of the leviathan stuff. Interestingly enough, while plenty more big plot pieces are revealed, I didn't feel like the mystery aspect was lost at all. We've got locked rooms, impossible thefts, government secrets, and political shenanigans aplenty. It's a fairly seamless genre blending, and I now have my fingers crossed that we'll have plenty more to come.

Thanks to NetGalley and Del Rey for an advance copy. All thoughts in this review are my own!

tl;dr
Reluctant partners pulling a heist while backstabbing each other make for some high drama stakes. Big cliffhanger promises more to come.

Thoughts
A quick peek at my recent reading shows I've been in the mood for adversarial relationships lately. Rivals? Absolutely! Enemies? Let's go! Thankfully, this book serves up a heaping helping of conflict in the leads Zaria and Kane, so it hit my mood perfectly. You've probably heard this setup before: Boy is a criminal who needs specialized skills to steal something important. Girl is a specialist down on luck and in need of money. They'd be a perfect match if they didn't hate each other so much. But in a town as rough as this, who can afford to love? Certainly not these two! And this is where the story takes a turn from the expected. While there are definitely hints of slow burn romance, don't expect this to be about them falling in love. Rather, it's a story about two desperate people trying to extract as much use as they can out of the other while the clock ticks down. It's messy, and ugly, and very human. Our leads aren't necessarily likable, but you can't help but want to see what happens next. (Also, two extremely likable supporting cast members really help keep the leads from getting too frustrating.)

This books is ostensibly historical fiction, based on The Crystal Palace, but with alchemy in the forefront (and the author's own admission), historical accuracy is minimal at best. I would recommend approaching it as the fantasy that it is. Also, this books ends on a cliffhanger, and dang if it didn't make everything leading up to it feel even more satisfying. I look forward to the next installment.

Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for the advance copy. All thoughts in this review are my own!

tl;dr
A super cute grumpy/sunshine high school rom com with a relatable lead and a fun supporting cast. Weirdly, the part about masks and a secret club somehow feels superfluous.

Thoughts
I'm incredibly split on this book. I showed up expecting the thread about book-lovers donning masks and seeking out a secret club to be my favorite part. It's literally the point of the book, right? But not only was it not my favorite part, I don't think I liked it at all? But let's rewind and start with what DID wind up being my favorite part. Evie and Gabriel are very cute together. We get a touch of grumpy/sunshine dynamic with a heavy dose of "got off on the wrong foot" energy, and it was very sweet seeing them slowly open up to each other. The little sparks of joy Evie gets when she makes Gabriel smile were exceptionally cute, and the progression of their relationship felt very natural. Plenty of blushing, hand-holding, and some sweet kisses tie up the daytime arc as a very cute rom com. Other highlights of the daytime events include Evie's outgoing friend group (and a bonus rom com happening off screen with one of them), and a family where problems eventually get solved via open communication. Hooray for open communication!

But as much as I enjoyed the characters and their interpersonal interactions, I simply could not get into the plot. The promise of Evie using a mask to be "more herself" seems only half-fulfilled, as she doesn't really behave any differently as Fantasma. I'm not asking her to be an axe murderer in her downtime, but I had expected her to be a little more exploratory under the cover of anonymity. Maybe go back to all that piano she liked, but wasn't allowed to do? The closest we come is that she shows fanart to more people, but she was drawing fanart in front of Gabriel already, so even that doesn't feel like a huge leap.

Angelo is likewise very similar to his daytime self. I imagine his identity isn't supposed to be a huge secret for the reader, but I definitely expected there to be a starker contrast between the two of them in-world. An art-lover who doesn't care what other people think of him, encourages Evie to think more about herself, and makes clever jokes? I'm shocked Evie didn't pick up on it by night three even though by her admission, they have the same physical build.

But I think what threw me the most was the club itself.

I expected a modest underground library or LARPers in a gym. Instead, we get something the scale and cost of a certain wizarding world, packed with a night market, a bar, an art gallery, monthly balls, LARP battles, and a fully recreated forest. It's an all-year convention, but at a significantly higher budget, run entirely by volunteers. How is this place functioning at all? Apparently the author funded the purchase of the building, but how is it still running? And surely the city of Venice can't be happy about this extremely large daily event where alcohol is being served. I would have believed it more if it turned out they found a literal portal to an elven realm. If I sound like a curmudgeon with all my gripes about where the money comes from and food service permits, I get it. It's supposed to be about the magic and connection and community that books bring us. I'm not supposed to overthink it. But it's the scale that really got to me. We've moved past the fan community into something that's starting to feel a little more commercial. It's big and grand and the focus winds up on being on how great the place is rather than the connections made with the other attendees.  The "belonging" that Evie was hoping for feels superficial at best.

The daytime story is sweet and cute and a great high school romance packed with blushes, crushes, and learning to be more true to one's self. Fans of Becky Dean will almost assuredly love the ride. I just didn't find the nighttime arc to land nearly as well.

Thanks to NetGalley and Delacorte Romance for an advance copy. All thoughts in this review are my own!

tl;dr
Second chance romance and a treasure hunt in a will propel a story about coming-of-age and finding one's identity in the diaspora.

Thoughts
I've seen people compare this to The Inheritance Games, and there's definitely a series of puzzles left in a will that may lead to a grand inheritance, along with a complicated family history and a mother/daughter pair making it on their own. But the core of this story is about growing up in the diaspora, coming-of-age, and finding one's place in the world. I think most readers will find something to relate to - that awkward sense of not fitting in, or not being understood is universal. But there will be some readers who immediately click in to the alienation of not knowing the language or the food or the inside jokes from the culture you're from. It's a frank look at living between worlds, and probably my favorite part of the story. The contrast between Gemma's longing to be more connected to the past versus her grandfather's look toward the the future is well-balanced, and I found their stories to be bittersweet. The puzzles were fun, especially the ones that mix languages and math, and the treasure hunt aspect is nicely plotted. For me, the weakest part of the book was the romance, but I've never been a second chance romance enjoyer, I really dislike miscommunication tropes, and love triangles have never done it for me. Yeah, I'm gonna assume that I'm the problem here. Be aware if your romance tastes run in the same direction as mine that you're in for a rough time. But the good news is if you like that stuff, you may have found your next read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Viking Books for Young Readers for an advance copy. All thoughts in this review are my own!

tl;dr
Although billed tongue-in-cheek as "the holiday episode," still retains the same tight plotting and fun meta commentary of the rest of the series.

Thoughts
Even though this is a Christmas book, you should probably grab it before December if you want to read it "as intended." In theory it should be read one chapter a day, like an advent calendar. In practice? Yeah... I finished this a lot quicker. It's a much shorter installment than the prior two books in the series, clocking in at 175 pages. Our self-aware author Ernest explains to the readers that this is because it's a Christmas special, and like every Christmas special, it's should be fast-paced, and easy to skip. That being said, if you're a fan of the series, don't skip this!

Like the rest of the series, it's a tightly-plotted fair play mystery with plenty of drama and some really fun twists. There's also a brand new character introduced who I really hope will be a regular in the series, because he's terrible and hilarious. At this point in time, you know if this series is for you (unless this is your first encounter with Ernest Cunningham, in which case I heartily recommend starting at the beginning). This book features the usual meta commentary, self-effacing humor, and dry macabre sensibilities of the previous books, with the writing now honed even sharper than before.

Thanks to NetGalley and Mariner Books for an advance copy. All thoughts in this review are my own!

tl;dr
The literary equivalent of a good cup of coffee: A warm, comforting piece that goes by quickly with no complications.

Thoughts
This book is cozy AF. A magical coffee shop shows up once every full moon, revealing itself to weary adults who feel lost in life. Also, cats do horoscope readings. If that sounds like your cup of tea (or coffee, as it were), you can probably stop reading this review and just go read the book. If you're scanning the reviews wondering "Sure that's a premise, but what is this book ABOUT?" I am here to tell you that the premise is it. Full Moon Coffee Shop is a series of vignettes from various POVs that follow the same outline. An adult is struggling with their life. They find a coffee shop. A horoscope reading happens, and they decide to make changes in their life. Move on to the next adult. It's extremely charming and low stakes, without too many complications or plot twists. There is a narrow thread that stitches everyone's stories together, so we don't fully abandon characters after their chapter is over, but overall the book feels like it's designed to be a comfort read without any extra complications. There's a bittersweet nostalgia at play; you can practically hear the piano soundtrack set against a beautifully moonlit scene as characters consider the decisions that brought them to where they are. The prose dedicates space to enticing descriptions of food and magic. Seemingly mundane moments of human connection are the pillars of the story in a way that I found genuinely touching. The translation feels very straightforward, especially in the horoscope portions.

Overall, recommended for fans of astrology, magical cozy vibes, or anyone who has called themselves "literally Kiki" from Kiki's Delivery Service.

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for a review copy. All thoughts in this review are my own!

tl;dr
A fast-paced con story set in Victorian times with a great twist on the usual formula. Main character lags behind everyone else in terms of character development.

Thoughts
Quinn le Blanc is the "Queen," a title reserved for the most talented con woman in London. The position of queen is typically supported by an entire household of fellow con artists, but times have been tough lately, and the once-thriving crew is down to Quinn and one final servant faithful to the house itself. Deep in debt and running out of time, Quinn needs a score - a BIG one - to fix everything. She sets her sights on the Kendals, the richest family in town, with a very eligible bachelor who is finally on the market. But the spate of bad luck that's plagued her might not be more intentional than she thinks.

And this is where things get rough for me. First off, I actually really love this wrinkle. A third party lurking in the shadows to add extra complications for an unwitting MC is a great addition to the expected con/heist plot, and I found said third party to be the most interesting part of the whole story. And that's my frustration. I wanted to care about Quinn more, but I just couldn't. Her history and motivations don't get much attention, leaving us to simply accept that she's here because the story demands it. I would have liked to see her wrapping up a con at the start just to prove her skills so we can see the chasm between her normal con and how badly this one goes. It would make the twists hit harder when things start falling apart. More flashbacks about her own training as she ascended to Queen would have also been really great for fleshing out who she is. As it is, Quinn is the character with the least development. She's so good at hiding her feelings from the other characters, but it's sad that she also manages to keep them from the reader. The author's notes suggest there might be a spinoff of this book based on the con woman training school that Quinn attended, but it kind of felt like this was the spinoff book about the school's most famous graduate, and the school would be the setting of a full series. And to be honest, I would absolutely read that series. There's a lot of world building here to mine, and the snippets we got about training up the next generation of con artists were very fun.

The rest of the cast come in much stronger. The Kendals are a proper messy rich family full of issues, and the other players all have their own complicated motivations. The plot moves quickly, with multiple POVs If you like your cons with a side of soapy drama, this will definitely land for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Graydon House for an advance copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.

tl;dr
The art carries with beautifully illustrated characters and a rather lightweight plot.

Thoughts
For a book about a supermodel, the art definitely rises to the occasion. As expected, Aran is beautiful and sexy at every turn, but the other characters are also gorgeous, all rendered with clean, detailed lines and tones. The character designs are exceptionally appealing, with both leads leaning hard on androgyny. A handful of sexy scenes and moments of undress are appropriately salacious, but don't expect full spice on this one.

The plot itself is barely there: instant attraction paired with a series of coincidences push Nagi and Aran's lives together, allowing the reader to jump from one sexy scene to the next with very little friction. This is probably also where readers will find themselves split. Aran can be fairly possessive at times. He also moves in with Nagi without bothering to ask for permission. There's already enough discussion about these tropes that I don't need to weigh in on whether this is trashy guilty pleasure, or just trashy. You already know how you feel about this. There are a handful of discussions about gender expectations in society that might lead to more of a deconstruction of the tropes, but for now the story plays it straight.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha for a review copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.

Puzzle companies often use the same template to cut out the shapes of their puzzle pieces. Thus, there exist hundreds of puzzles that feature unique images, but are solved exactly the same way. Many puzzle fans take advantage of this, swapping out pieces between puzzles to create fun and interesting new looks that mesh together multiple images.

This book is a lot like that.

All the genre pieces snap together to form a whole. But if you take a step back, it's a little hard to see a consistent picture. You can see areas where the rest of the picture could be. There could be more history about the ghost and Pen's supposed connection to it. There could be more snappy back and forth between Pen and Neil before the make-outs begin. There could be a lot more digging into their shared history and struggles as authors. Heck, I'd even love to see more excerpts from their respective books. But there just isn't enough room for all of it, because we only have so many pieces to work with.

A review copy was provided by NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for a review copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.