The Kamogawa Food Detectives by Hisashi Kashiwai (audiobook)

 Pages: 201 

 Narrator: Hanako Footman 

 Publisher: Mantle 

 Released: 5th of October 2023 

The Kamogawa Food Detectives, translated from Japanese by Jesse Kirkwood, is the first book in the bestselling, mouth-watering Japanese sleuthing series for fans of Before the Coffee Gets Cold.

What’s the one dish you’d do anything to taste just one more time?

Down a quiet backstreet in Kyoto exists a very special restaurant. Run by Koishi Kamogawa and her father Nagare, the Kamogawa Diner treats its customers to wonderfully extravagant meals. But that's not the main reason to stop by . . .

The father-daughter duo have started advertising their services as 'food detectives'. Through ingenious investigations, they are capable of recreating a dish from their customers' pasts – dishes that may well hold the keys to forgotten memories and future happiness.

From the widower looking for a specific noodle dish that his wife used to cook, to a first love's beef stew, the restaurant of lost recipes provides a link to the past – and a way to a more contented future.

A bestseller in Japan, The Kamogawa Food Detectives is a celebration of good company and the power of a delicious meal.

What I Have to Say 

This book was exactly what I wanted. Cosy Japanese fiction (featuring a cat) with heart-warming stories about food. It was short story format and I think was possibly serialised in a magazine judging from the style of it, so it was a little repetitive in places, but that didn't take away from it at all. 

There is a lot of delicious sounding food in this book so it's definitely not one to read when hungry! It had me drooling over descriptions of food that I wouldn't actually eat, it was so nicely described. The food detective part was interesting and well done, so it really felt like reading an actual detective story at times! 

The main theme of this story though is family. It shows the tight family of the father and daughter doing the detectiving and also highlights family in some of the customer's story. 

I took away from this book, warmth and cheerfulness and it was an absolute joy to listen to. 

 5 stars 

My thanks go to Netgalley and Mantle for providing me with this gifted copy for review. 

Threads That Bind by Kika Hatzopoulou

Pages: 352

Publisher: Penguin Books 

Released: 6th of July 2023 

In a world where the children of the gods inherit their powers, a descendant of the Greek Fates must solve a series of impossible murders to save her sisters, her soulmate, and her city.

Descendants of the Fates are always born in threes: one to weave, one to draw, and one to cut the threads that connect people to the things they love and to life itself. The Ora sisters are no exception. Io, the youngest, uses her Fate-born abilities as a private investigator in the half-sunken city of Alante.

But her latest job leads her to a horrific discovery: somebody is abducting women, maiming their life-threads, and setting the resulting wraiths loose in the city to kill. To find the culprit, she must work alongside Edei Rhuna, the right hand of the infamous Mob Queen—and the boy with whom she shares a rare fate-thread linking them as soul mates before they’ve even met.

But the investigation turns personal when Io's estranged oldest sister turns up on the arm of her best suspect. Amid unveiled secrets from her past and her growing feelings for Edei, Io must follow clues through the city’s darkest corners and unearth a conspiracy that involves some of the city’s most powerful players—before destruction comes to her own doorstep.

What I Have to Say 

This is honestly one of the most interesting interpretations of Greek mythology I've ever seen. I was interested from when I first heard about it because the author herself is Greek and I'm pleased to say it didn't disappoint! The world she created was so fascinating and so fun to read. 

I was especially interested in the fact that this was showing a different side to Greek mythology. I've not seen much fantasy that has been written about the children of the Fates before. I loved the creativity that went into how Io and her sisters viewed the threads. With that and the other powers that people had, it was just a really interesting world to explore. 

I liked the characters and the plot was really tense. It was one of those books that has a lot of cliff hangers on the ends of chapters though, so be warned! You won't want to stop reading! 

4 stars 

My thanks goes to Netgalley and Penguin for providing me with this gifted copy for review. 

Daughter of the Siren Queen by Tricia Levenseller

Pages: 352

Publisher: Pushkin's Children's Books 

Released: 14th of November 2022 

Alosa's mission is finally complete. Not only has she recovered all three pieces of the map to a legendary hidden treasure, but the pirates who originally took her captive are now prisoners on her ship. Still unfairly attractive and unexpectedly loyal, first mate Riden is a constant distraction, but now he's under her orders. And she takes great comfort in knowing that the villainous Vordan will soon be facing her father's justice.

When Vordan exposes a secret her father has kept for years, Alosa and her crew find themselves in a deadly race with the feared Pirate King. Despite the danger, Alosa knows they will recover the treasure first . . . after all, she is the daughter of the Siren Queen.

What I Have to Say 

I've really enjoyed reading this duology. I really liked Daughter of the Pirate King because it introduced me to a character I really liked. Alosa is strong, ruthless and has the intrigue of having her Siren side as well as her pirate side. I'm pleased to say that she was just as brilliant in the second book as the first. 

I really liked Alosa's duel nature. The fact that she struggles with her siren nature while still finding it useful in certain situation. I think struggling with aspects of ourselves is something we can all relate to. I was glad to see that this was built upon in this book and that part of her story was that she faced that head on. 

One thing I would have liked to be different was that I felt like there was no build up to her disillusionment with her father. He was an abusive bastard, but she carried on being happy to follow his orders until one singular thing changed and I would have liked a build up of things instead. 

4 stars 

My thanks go to Netgalley and Pushkin's Children's Books for providing me with this gifted copy for review. 

Spirits Abroad by Zen Cho

Pages: 347 

Publisher: Tor 

Released: 17th August 2023 

Taking us from the mundane to the magical, this award-winning collection will entertain and delight.

Drawing inspiration from Asian myth and folklore, Zen Cho guides the reader through enchanted realms inhabited by dragons, vampires and incorrigible grandmothers. These nineteen sparkling stories are full of joy, humour and tenderness.

We’ll meet an elderly ex-member of parliament, who recalls her youthful romance with an orang bunian. This was forbidden. Not because her lover was an invisible jungle spirit, but because she was Muslim and he was not. Then a teenage vampire struggles to balance homework, bossy aunties, first love . . . and eating people. A mischievous matriarch returns from the dead to disrupt her own funeral rites, pitting granddaughter against granddaughter. An earth spirit becomes entangled in protracted negotiations with an annoying landlord. And Chang E, the Chinese moon goddess, spins off into outer space – the ultimate metaphor for diaspora.

Enjoy this journey into magical new worlds of the imagination.

What I Have to Say 

This was a really strong selection of short stories. Comparing it to A Spoonful of Malaysian Magic which I reviewed earlier in the year, I think they're both really strong, really interesting anthologies of Malaysian fantasy. I feel like Spoonful was easier to relax into and just read. Spirits Abroad, I found I had to look up more though. It was nice because I learnt more Malay and Hokkien words, so I think it really depends what you're in the mood for. 

I enjoyed many stories from this book, but some of my particular favourites were Rising Lion - The Lion Bows, Prudence and the Dragon, The Perserverance of Angela's Past Life, Monkey King, Faerie Queen, Liyana and Four Generations of Chang E. 

I really liked the ones that had British culture as well as Malaysian because I think it highlights the dual nationality of the author really well and gives a nice mix to the two cultures. It gave me a familiar touchstone and let me see my own culture entwined with that of Malaysia. 

4 stars 

My thanks goes to Netgalley and Tor for providing me with this gifted copy for review. 

Sisters of Sword and Shadow by Laura Bates

Pages: 400

Publisher: Simon and Schuster Children's UK 

Released: 9th of November 2023 

What if the Knights of the Round Table had been women?

This afternoon Cass's older sister will be married. Soon she will be too. Gone will be days of running through fields and feeling the earth between her toes. So when a beautiful leather-clad woman rides up and offers to take her away, Cass doesn't hesitate to join her.

Cass is introduced to the Sisterhood of Silk Knights - a group of women training to fight and working to right the wrongs of men. Cass is drawn into a world of ancient feuds, glorious battles, and deadly intrigue, where soon discovers she holds a power that could change the destiny of her sisterhood.

'An interesting thing happens, when a man is defeated in combat by a woman.'

'He tells nobody.'

What I Have to Say 

I enjoyed this a lot, but I felt at times that it could have been stronger on the plot. It felt more character focused with Cass going through her training as a squire. At the end, it was easy to see where it led up to, but while reading I was left wondering where it was going sometimes. 

I really liked the characters. Cass was possibly not the strongest, but some of the older knights had more defined characteristics and it was fun seeing them interact, especially with the world around them. I loved how they used stereotypically feminine traits almost as a weapon to use against the men that would threaten them. 

The ending intrigued me and I can't wait to see what happens with that, but I do wish it could have come a bit earlier in the book, if I'm honest. 

4 stars 

My thanks goes to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for providing me with this gifted copy for review. 

 

A Curse of Salt by Sarah Street

Pages: 340 

Publisher: Hodder Children's Books 

Released: 25th of May 2023 

A heartless king trapped by a curse

A brave sister searching for answers

And a love so strong it will drown the raging sea ...

THIS FAIRYTALE IS CURSED

Prepare for stormy seas and swoony romance in this addictive retelling of Beauty and the Beast set on board a cursed ship where love blooms in the darkest of hearts ...

A heartless beast

A sister's sacrifice

And a love so strong it will drown the raging sea ...

THIS FAIRYTALE IS CURSED

In a kingdom that fears the sea, Ria Lucroy longs to be brave.

Bodies are washing ashore and everyone knows who's to blame. Legends of the Heartless King shroud the continent in fear; they call him a pirate, a monster, a god. When his mercenaries raid her father's merchant ship, Ria's family is faced with a horrifying demand. They will spare his life, in exchange for one of his daughters.

Determined to save her sisters, Ria launches herself into the world of pirates. Face-to-face with the Heartless King, she finds he is far more than the stories told. He is a man, with a human name and blood-stained hands, bound to the seas by a centuries-old curse. As their chemistry blooms into something more, Ria finds herself caught in an ancient web of secrets.

Battling creatures of the deep alongside those that reign its surface, Ria discovers how to love a heartless man and that some curses aren't so easy to break.

What I Have to Say 

What could be better than a version of beauty and the beast set on a pirate ship, I really loved this book. I have read so many retellings of beauty and the beast, but they always manage to surprise me. And this one is completely unlike any I've ever read.  The addition of pirates to this fairy tale just made it perfect for me. 

Ria is a wonderful character. I really liked her loyalty, her daring and her pluck. She was everything I love in a YA main character. Pairing her with the Heartless King and fitting her into the rest of the crew, made for just the perfect cast of characters. I loved every single one of them and it really felt like they fit together as a good crew. 

The prose in this book was beautiful, making it a joy to read as well as being just a damned good story. 

I want more adventures from this crew and this ship!! 

5 stars 

My thanks goes to Hodder and Netgalley for providing me with this gifted copy for review. 

A Bright Heart by Kate Chenli (audiobook)

Pages: 344

Publisher: Dreamscape Lore 

Released: 14th of November 2023 

What if you could avenge your own murder? A brilliant young woman gets a second chance at life in this debut YA tale of vengeance, court intrigue, and romance, inspired by classic Chinese tropes.

 

Mingshin outsmarted three princes to help the man she loved become king. But she doesn’t see Ren’s betrayal coming, not until she’s lying in a pool of her own blood on the palace steps.

 

As she’s dying, Mingshin makes a desperate plea to the gods to turn back time and give her a chance to make things right.

 

Mingshin wakes up two years earlier, her prayer granted, and swears two things: Ren will never become king, and she will never fall in love again.

 

But the timeline in this life has changed: a dignitary gifted with dark magic is threatening her kingdom’s peace, and Ren’s thirst for power runs deeper than Mingshin could have imagined. 

 

She finds herself allying with Jieh, another contender for the throne. Mingshin knows better than anyone not to give her heart to a prince. But in the viper’s nest of the royal court, she and Jieh prove a phenomenal team. Can Mingshin avert the catastrophe of her past by once again learning to trust…and maybe even love? 

 

What I Have to Say 

This is political intrigue done right! 

I really enjoyed listening to this book. I think they did a really great job with the audio and it was also just a really fun book. Some books that are filled with political drama like this can get a bit boring, but this wasn't at all. I was really rooting for all of Mingshin's plans. 

I think the thing that I most liked was Mingshin's character. She was smart. Like really smart. Right from the start she was working to outmanoeuvre her enemies even when she was lying in the snow about to be killed by her betrothed.

If there was one thing I'd change about this book though, I would have made the time travel a bigger thing in the plot. I felt it was really underutilised. By going back in time Mingshin should have had more prior knowledge of events but while there was a tiny bit of that at the start, I felt the author had her early actions changing too much stuff so that she couldn't predict it a lot of the time. 

I really did love this book and this narrator though. I'll be interested in reading more in the series. 

 

4 stars 

My thanks goes to Netgalley and Dreamscape Lore for providing me with this gifted copy for review. 

Mermaids Never Drown ed. Zoriad Córdova and Natalie C. Parker

Pages: 320

Publisher: Titan Books 

Released: 26th of September 2023 

14 Young Adult short stories from bestselling and award-winning authors make a splash in Mermaids Never Drown - the second collection in the Untold Legends series edited by Zoraida Córdova and Natalie C. Parker - exploring mermaids like we've never seen them before!

A Vietnamese mermaid caught between two worlds. A siren who falls for Poseidon's son. A boy secretly pining for the merboy who saved him years ago. A storm that brings humans and mermaids together. Generations of family secrets and pain.

Find all these stories and more in this gripping new collection that will reel you in from the very first page! Welcome to an ocean of hurt, fear, confusion, rage, hope, humor, discovery, and love in its many forms.

Edited by Zoraida Córdova and Natalie C. Parker, Mermaids Never Drown features beloved authors like Darcie Little Badger, Kalynn Bayron, Preeti Chhibber, Rebecca Coffindaffer, Julie C. Dao, Maggie Tokuda-Hall, Adriana Herrera, June Hur, Katherine Locke, Kerri Maniscalco, Julie Murphy, Gretchen Schreiber, and Julian Winters.

What I Have to Say 

This was a really strong short story anthology. It had many different types of stories and many different styles of writing, all featuring mermaids, sirens or the cultural equivalent! I had a great time reading it and really enjoyed some of the stories. There weren't any stories I absolutely hated in this one, which is always a good sign! 

 Some of my particular favourites were The First and Last Kiss by Julie Murphy, The Merrow by Zoraida Córdova and Natalie C. Parker and Jinju's Pearls by June Hur, but there were many other good ones that really stood out for me! 

I liked sirens a lot, so it made me really happy to see Sirens feature so much in this book. I was glad that they really went into the dark sides of myths as well as having some lighter stories. 

If there's a mermaid obsessed reader in your life, this would be the perfect book for them! 

4 stars 

My thanks goes to Netgalley and Titan Books for providing me with this gifted copy for review. 

How to Find a Missing Girl by Victoria Wlosok

Pages: 320

Publisher: Hodder's Children's Books 

Released: 21st of September 2023 

A year ago, beloved cheerleader Stella Blackthorn vanished without a trace. Devastated, her younger sister, Iris, launched her own investigation, but all she managed to do was scare off the police's only lead and earn a stern once she turns eighteen, more meddling means prison-level consequences.

Then, a year later, the unthinkable happens. Iris's ex-girlfriend, Heather, goes missing, too-just after dropping the polarizing last episode of her true crime podcast all about Iris's sister. This time, nothing will stop Iris and her amateur sleuthing agency from solving these disappearances.

But with a suspicious detective watching her every move, an enemy-turned-friend-turned-maybe-more to contend with, and only thirty days until she turns eighteen, it's a race against the clock for Iris to solve the most dangerous case of her life.

What I Have to Say 

I really enjoyed this. Iris had a good voice and there was a good cast of characters to back her up. My favourite was her former best friend who just had such a distinct personality as the plucky journalist who just wanted to be friends with Iris again. 

The Sapphic edge on this was naturally what I was most interested in. Having all the detective agency characters be Sapphic in some way (the main character is pan, one is a lesbian and the other I think is a non-binary lesbian though I might be wrong about her orientation) was a good idea. It really gave this an edge up on the other mystery books I've read. 

Though with teen detectives, you often have to suspend reality on what they would actually get away with and what they wouldn't, I thought the teen angle was done well here. Iris doesn't have years of experience to fall back on. She's just a kid, trying to do what she can. I really liked that authenticity in our plucky young heroine. 

If you like detective stories and sapphic characters, give this one a try! 

4 stars 

My thanks goes to Netgalley and Hodder for providing me with this copy for review. 

Adia Kelbara and the Circle of Shamans by Isi Hendrix

Pages: 356 

Publisher: Usborne 

Released: 28th of September 2023 

Life in the Swamplands is tough for twelve-year-old orphan Adia. Her aunt and uncle believe she is an ogbanje, a demon-possessed child thought to bring misfortune. And when Adia manifests mysterious powers, accidentally destroying her village, she starts to think they might be right.

Adia flees to the faraway Academy of Shamans, hoping someone at the school can figure out what is wrong with her and fix it. But she doesn't expect to stumble across a bunch of squabbling deities with a secret...

Joining forces with a snarky Goddess, a 500 year old warrior girl and a status-obsessed soldier boy, Adia goes on a mission through hidden realms to save her kingdom. But if she is to succeed, she must learn to wield her mysterious powers and figure out who she really is.

Discover an action-packed new series from a brilliantly exciting debut author, perfect for fans of SCHOOL FOR GOOD AND EVIL and NEVERMOOR.

What I Have to Say 

A great book for younger readers! Adventure, action, girls with magic and fighting skills, this book even has a cute cat. I think this series has a lot of potential to be something great. I loved the mystery and the prophecies, the use of loopholes in magic to fight against evil. It was really clever. 

I think these are characters that I could grow to love as much as some of the characters from my childhood. Though there is one character who I really disliked, the others I liked a lot. I really believe that they can capture the hearts and minds of today's children. 

It's great to see an afrofantasy as a children's book that's filled with Nigerian culture and Igbo traditions. I can't wait to see more from this author in the future. 

4 stars 

My thanks go to Usborne for providing me with this gifted copy for review. 

 

 

If Tomorrow Doesn't Come by Jen St. Jude

 Pages: 368

 Publisher: Penguin 

 Released: 11th of May 2023 

We Are Okaymeets They Both Die at the End in this YA debut about queer first love and mental health at the end of the world-and the importance of saving yourself, no matter what tomorrow may hold.

Avery Byrne has secrets. She's queer; she's in love with her best friend, Cass; and she's suffering from undiagnosed clinical depression. But on the morning Avery plans to jump into the river near her college campus, the world discovers there are only nine days left to live: an asteroid is headed for Earth, and no one can stop it.

Trying to spare her family and Cass additional pain, Avery does her best to make it through just nine more days. As time runs out and secrets slowly come to light, Avery would do anything to save the ones she loves. But most importantly, she learns to save herself. Speak her truth. Seek the support she needs. Find hope again in the tomorrows she has left.

If Tomorrow Doesn't Come is a celebration of queer love, a gripping speculative narrative, and an urgent, conversation-starting book about depression, mental health, and shame.

TW: Attempted Suicide 

What I Have to Say 

I really enjoyed this book, but the trigger warnings were not up to scratch. I was really glad I'm not triggered by suicide anymore because the opening which shows her about to commit suicide was definitely more than the "discussions of suicide" that the trigger warning implied. I would really recommended that anyone who is currently suicidal or is still in a fragile state skips the entire first chapter. 

The story was beautiful though. I was worried it would be too much of showing her how to live again, but it was a lot more subtle than that. The romance between Cass and Avery was so sweet and tragic and I wanted to read it forever. 

I loved the flashbacks as well. It was nice seeing the story of Cass and Avery build up and grow. 

This was a very sad book and had a lot of comments on society and religion, but I really enjoyed reading it. It was the kind of sad that makes an impact on you and you remember for a very long time. 

4 stars 

My thanks goes to Netgalley and Penguin for providing me with this gifted copy for review. 

A Spoonful of Malaysian Magic ed. Anna Tan

Pages: 306 

Publisher: Teaspoon Publishing 

Released: 23rd of November 2023 

A burong descends from Tansang Kenyalang in the midst of a dire catastrophe. A shapeshifter frees Kedah from the dreaded Raja Bersiong only to uncover a darker secret. A woman learns to channel her family’s food magic. A young huntress of supernatural creatures charts her own path of love.

This anthology of short stories offers fresh takes on Malaysian folklore and fairy tales, adds enchantment to the ordinary, and bursts with new, wonderful flavours. Stir a little spoonful of magic into your tea, whether you’re from these shores or from far away.

What I Have to Say 

I really enjoyed this short story collection. I think there were only two stories that I disliked in the whole collection! Unfortunately one of them was the very first story in the book, so it was a little hard to get into at first, but once I was past that one, it was great. 

I loved the diversity in the stories. Malaysia is such an interesting country in that it has people from so many different cultures who make their home there. It gave such a variety to the stories that you don't see in cultures that aren't so diverse. 

My favourite story in the book was probably Remembering How to Cook by Sharmilla Ganesan, but I also loved Rosetta and the Fairy-in-Training a lot and Rivers and Lakes and Visitor in the Night # as well. Like I said though, this was a really strong set of stories so many were noteworthy! 

This is truly a great way to explore Malaysian culture. 

4 stars 

My thanks goes to Netgalley and Teaspoon Publishing for providing me with this gifted copy for review. 

Didn't See That Coming by Jesse Q Sutanto

 Pages: 320 

Publisher: Electric Monkey 

Released:  7th of December 2023 

Seventeen-year-old Kiki Siregar is a fabulous gamer girl with confidence to boot. She can’t help but be totally herself… except when she’s online.

Her secret? She plays anonymously as a guy to avoid harassment from other male players. Even her online best friend―a cinnamon roll of a teen boy who plays under the username Sourdawg―doesn’t know her true identity. Which is fine, because Kiki doesn’t know his real name either, and it’s not like they’re ever going to cross paths IRL.

Until she transfers to an elite private school for her senior year and discovers that Sourdawg goes there, too.

But who is he? How will he react when he finds out Kiki’s secret? And what happens when Kiki realizes she’s falling for her online BFF?

What I Have to Say 

Okay first off I want to say I think this is a really great book. It had great characters, a strong plot and a good message of feminism and standing up to bullies. The only reason I'm rating it so low is because it hit really really close to home with me and I found that I didn't enjoy it as much as I wanted to. 

The main bulk of this book is about school trauma and misogyny. It showed a very real situation in a school that had a really toxic environment. It really sheds light on the situation that exists in many Asian schools, where standing out or making waves is punished harshly. I really respect the author for taking a stance on this. 

The friendships in this book were my favourite part. Not only the main friendship between Kiki and Sourdawg, but the female friendships she has before the novel. It really shows a feeling of girls banding together and sticking up for one another. 

I'm really sad that I couldn't enjoy this book because of my own trauma, but I want to emphasise that this is a really good book that everyone should read. 

3.5 stars 

My thanks goes to Electric Monkey and Netgalley for providing me with this gifted copy for review.