vaniavela's reviews
410 reviews

Cathy Park Hong blends memoir, cultural criticism, and history to expose the truth of racialized consciousness in America. 

The writing is beautifully written and insightful, exploring important themes such as friendships, mental health, and racial identity. The essays were deeply personal and I could feel her emotions through the paper. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and although I could not relate to her experiences, I loved the narrative, rich with history and ideas.

tw: racism, rape/sexual assault, , family neglect/abuse, alcoholism, drug use, suicide mention, trauma.

What price are you willing to pay to have what you long for?

Deep in Providence is a story about loss, family relationships and friendships. Each of the main characters is well written, with complex personalities and distinct voices, allowing us to know their thoughts and feelings. There is pain and love in each of them, deeply feeling their emotions. 

The themes developed here [such as sexuality, religion, immigration, family relationships, drug use and unexpected pregnancy] are written in an engaging and compelling way.

This book is gripping and emotional, showing the impact of grief and what we are capable of for those we love. If you are looking for a book full of magic, multicultural representation, a diverse set of characters, grief, and powerful friendships, Deep in Providence is for you. 

Rep: Black-Filipina sapphic MC, Latina MC, Black MC and Black, Latine and Filipine SCs.

CWs: Death, grief,anxiety, abortion, blood, sexual content, addiction, child neglect, abandonment, drug use/abuse, forced institutionalization, sexual assault, religious bigotry, medical content, sexism, misogyny, outing, car accident (off-page).

Eliza Bright was living a dream as an elite video game programmer at Fancy Dog Games when her private life suddenly became public. 

Told in a " we" narrative, this book places us readers as the toxic society. We are the judges of Eliza Bright, her actions and her persona.
We become the perpetuator of the harassment she receives, the very one that forces her to take matters into her own hands.

We are watching Eliza Bright analyze sexism, sexual harassment in the workplace, death threats, and living as a woman in a society that blames us.

I must say I felt uncomfortable reading this, acting as the perpetrator of these horrendous acts (thanks to the "we" perspective). Also, being a book about video games, the terms included were a bit difficult for me to follow being a total stranger to the subject. I tried my best, but failed in most cases. 

Overall, I think it is a well-written book with an interesting premise. 

tw: sexual harassment, death & rape threats, stalking, animal abuse, suicide, doxxing, homophobia, transphobia.

Alina is the epitome of the anti-hero. She is ruthless and destroys everything she steps on. We have seen her suffer, longing for her success and happiness and yet deep down we know she is completely lost.

Teren has shown more layers to her character. In a world that pushes you to believe in an idea, guilt can make you think unimaginable things. The only difference is who does actually act on those thoughts.

Magiano, what have they done to you? I craved his presence, I needed more of his story and his ambitions. Every time he appeared on the page, I found myself smiling for this clever, devious thief. Even after all, his happiness is all I wanted and after this ending I feel he will never get what he wanted. 

Raffaele, dear, you deserved so much more happiness than that. I wanted you to find love with Enzo, the chemistry between the two of you was exceptional. I could breathe in all the love, care and attention you had for each other, even though you were not a (canon) couple. 

Enzo, I needed more from you. I wished you wouldn't leave my side, but as always, I'm just lying to myself. Maybe in another life, you will get what you deserve, but for now, we all must accept what was done.

Violetta, my sweet angel, tell the story. Your soul, so pure but corrupted by suffering, deserved so much more than what you received. I will never forget your beautiful heart and your wholesome love for your sister. 

To the rest of you, I rest today with the heartbreaking news that I will never hear from you again. Lucent, I hope you finally had the romance you had longed for. Sergio, your initiative was there, I sensed it through the pages. It wasn't you, it was time that didn't let you have the girl you wanted so much. 

Marie Lu, you destroy me more and more. You kill your readers every time you write. I can't get this bittersweet taste out of my mouth, what have you done my wonderful author?

So many deaths in this trilogy I can't stop thinking, were they really necessary?  

This trilogy has been a wild ride. When I read the last chapter and closed this book, I understood the meaning of the title. My heart was broken and recovered so many times during this book that it is beyond repair. 

The Young Elites, this is not the last time we will see each other.  

Adelina Amouteru's heart has suffered at the hands of both her family and friends, leading her down the bitter path of revenge.

These characters have overstepped their boundaries. They are dark, multi-layered characters who don't mind destroying everything that stands in their way of success. 

Magiano is endearing, mischievous and surprising. His ability reminds me a lot of Lila from "The Umbrella Academy" and I love that. He is such a wonderful character that even though he has a dark side, we find light and joy underneath.  

Raffaele has become my second favorite character after Magiano. I can't help it. He is cunning, devious yet innocent and with a golden heart. His beauty and skill have been both a blessing and a curse, affecting his life since he was just a child. 

Teren Soloton, I never thought I could hate anyone in this trilogy the way I hate you. He believes the Elites are abominations, and his mission is to wipe them from the earth. He is convinced that God has sent him to protect people from these creatures, which is very interesting, since he is one of them.

Adelina is a true villain. She is ruthless, powerful and not afraid to kill for her own gain. The good girl inside her has died with many betrayals and her need for power. All the pain she endured changed the way she thinks and feels, but now she has become the same one she swore to destroy. 

I love this series for its complex characters, masterfully written worlds and surprising twists. This was amazing and unexpected. I have never been more in love with Marie Lu than I am now. 

Now for some comments I said while reading this book:

Adelina Amouterou is a malfetto, marked in more ways than one.

I loved the concept of The Young Elites and the different powers and abilities each Elite has. I can't believe Marie Lu always writes such amazing stories. I am so in love with her mind. 

One of my favorite aspects is that the "special" characters, the ones with powers, are not treated like heroes or royalty. They are cursed and cruelly killed. Even if you're just marked, with no sign of powers, you can end up dead in the worst possible way. 

These characters yearn for more. Whether it's love, power or revenge, they all need something. I love complex characters, they constantly make me hesitate between loving them or hating their existence. This time, Marie Lue has achieved both.

The diversity is this book has been well written, finding not only different skin colors, but sexualities and disabilities. 

The Young Elites has exceeded my expectations, giving the perfect start to a trilogy.

TW: ableism, abuse (during a sexual encounter, off page), blood, body horror, child abuse, confinement, death, death of a parent, domestic abuse, emotional abuse, (minor) gore, self harm, suicidal thoughts, torture, violence, disease, bigotry, imprisonment, physical abuse, ableism, eye removal due to illness, ableist slurs, child selling, mention of stoning, mention of fire, mention of putting people the stake, child abandonment, bigotry, mass death, mention of death of parent, stabbing, soldiers brutality, mobs, murder, cheating, manipulation, vomiting.

Before the coffee gets cold, don't forget to come back to the present.

Before the coffee gets cold, by Toshikazu Kawaguchi, features four interwoven stories set in the retro coffee shop "Funiculi Funicula" in Japan. Known to be the subject of urban legend, this is the "coffee shop that takes you back in time."

I found the rules of time travel interesting as they were woven into the concept of the coffee shop:

#1. The only people you can meet are those who have visited the coffee shop.
#2. There is nothing you can do in the past that will change the present.
#3. It is only possible to time travel when you are sitting in a certain seat in the café
#4. As long as you are in the past, you must stay in the seat and never move from it.
#5. You must return to the present before the coffee gets cold.

This book only has 4 stories, but I found them interesting in their own way. In order of preference I will rank them like this:

The Sisters

Hirai had her future written by her parents, taking over the family inn. Being a free spirit, she left home, moving to Tokyo and buying a snack bar near Funiculi Funicula. For this reason, her younger sister Kumi had to manage the inn, frequently going to Tokyo to see her, but being avoided at all costs. Unfortunately, Kumi has died in a car accident after her last attempt to see Hirai, and the latter goes back in time to talk to her sister, regretting what happened.

Husband and Wife

Kohtake and her husband Fusagi are a long-term married couple who regularly frequent Funiculi Funicula. A few years ago, Fusagi was diagnosed with Alzheimer's and now does not recognize his wife. Concerned about this, Fusagi has written a letter asking Kohtake that if he ever forgets who she is, she should stay with him as his wife, not as his nurse. He now carries it with him knowing that someday his wife would visit him from the future.

Mother and Child

Kei, a waitress at Funiculi Funicula, is married to the cafe's owner, Nagare. Now Kei is pregnant, and the doctor says it is unlikely that both she and the baby can survive. However, Kei decides to go ahead with the pregnancy. Thinking of time travel in the cafe, Kei decides to try to travel to the future, in an attempt to meet her child.

The Lovers

Fumiko and her longtime boyfriend, Goro, meet at Funiculi Funicula. Fumiko thinks Goro is going to propose to her, instead he tells her that he has accepted a job in New York and has to leave immediately. Fumiko refuses to listen to Goro's explanation and tells him to leave. A few days later she regrets her reaction, going back in time to tell Goro that she does not want him to leave.

I liked the concept of the ghost who always sat reading in the time travel seat. I felt nostalgic reading her story.

That said, I think I found this book to be a compilation of selfless women, willing to put a man above all else. Each of the main characters are women, traveling back in time to fix problems they didn't cause or because they feel guilty for the actions of others.

In short, it was an enjoyable book to read, but when analyzed it is somewhat sexist.

CW: death of a loved one, terminal illness, chronic illness, and complications with pregnancy. 

A beautifully written memoir about a brilliant young surgeon's journey through ambition and dedication to exploitation and burnout. 

Reading Dr. Kadota's story made me feel so much anger at so many people. For being a woman of color in this industry, she suffered from racism to harassment, being called emotional. 

This is an incredible read. I have enormous respect for anyone working in the medical industry, and this book reaffirms how much we have to thank the medical staff for. The lack of empathy and support that exists for them is tragic. 

This memoir is thoughtful and moving, showing us that Dr. Kadota's resilience, dedication and effort is truly admirable. 

I highly recommend this book about a brilliant young doctor and the challenges she faces.

TW: mental health, racism, misogyny, bullying, sexual harrassment, family violence, sexual assault and suicide themes.