Help, I’ve Fallen and I Can’t Get Up: A Review of Jade City

Hello again, traveler! 💚 (Green heart this time around, for the Green Bone Saga!) Guess who’s now at university? Me! It feels like just yesterday that I graduated from high school!

Today, we’ll be discussing one of my favorite reads of the summer: Fonda Lee’s phenomenal adult fantasy debut, Jade City. It’s a recipient of the World Fantasy Award and Aurora Award, as well as a finalist for the Nebula, Locus, Audie, Sunburst, and Seiun Awards. Quite well-deserving, if you ask me.

Are you ready for this?

SYNOPSIS:

The Kaul family is one of two crime syndicates that control the island of Kekon. It’s the only place in the world that produces rare magical jade, which grants those with the right training and heritage superhuman abilities.

The Green Bone clans of honorable jade-wearing warriors once protected the island from foreign invasion — but nowadays, in a bustling post-war metropolis full of fast cars and foreign money, Green Bone families like the Kauls are primarily involved in commerce, construction, and the everyday upkeep of the districts under their protection.

When the simmering tension between the Kauls and their greatest rivals erupts into open violence in the streets, the outcome of this clan war will determine the fate of all Green Bones and the future of Kekon itself.


Add on Goodreads | Add on Storygraph


Rep:

  • Asian author
  • Asian-coded world and characters
  • Gay main character

Content Warnings:

  • Addiction (allegory)
  • Body horror
  • Death
  • Drug use
  • Gun violence
  • Overdose
  • Self-harm (mentioned)
  • Sexual abuse of minor
  • Sexual content
  • Suicide (mentioned)
  • Violence (graphic)

tl;dr: Do I recommend this book?


MY RATING: ★★★★★


Help. This book was so good that I disintegrated on the spot. 

Continue reading “Help, I’ve Fallen and I Can’t Get Up: A Review of Jade City”

Twenty-thousand Years of This, Seven More to Go: Mid-Year Book Freak Out Tag 2021

Hello, dear traveler! It has been quite a while since my last post. My unexpected semi-hiatus from Twitter, Instagram, and WordPress gave me a good breather, but I missed the joyous chaos of book blogging.

Since we have last met, much has changed:

  • I wrote my second full-length novel.
    • I finished the first extremely rough draft in just a few weeks, and I started sending out queries for the project recently. Exciting and scary times!
  • I decided upon the college I’ll be attending in the fall.
    • See you soon, UC Berkeley!
  • I watched a lot of television.
    • My current fave recent shows and movies: Vincenzo, Way of the House Husband, Demon Slayer, Nevertheless, Bo Burnham: Inside, In the Heights, and The Problem With Apu
  • I graduated from high school!
Be sure to watch my YouTube vlog about my graduation experience!

Plus, the blog has been a bit rebranded! For one thing, I changed up the fonts. The header image for my homepage is also different, and I’ve updated my About page. Be sure to tour around and check everything out!

And of course, I’ve read a few books. 😏

Perhaps the middle of the year has passed us. According to my Google research, July 2 was the midpoint of the year. Regardless, I am glad that our paths have intertwined again.

Welcome to Sophie and Their Stories‘ first ever Mid Year Book Freak Out! 💞 The tag originated from Chami at Read Like Wildfire, and I’m excited to be diving into it.

Let’s catch up with each other, shall we?

Continue reading “Twenty-thousand Years of This, Seven More to Go: Mid-Year Book Freak Out Tag 2021”