Category Archives: Fantasy

Review: American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Graphic Novel or Adaptation, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , ,
American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang

American Born Chinese
Gene Luen Yang
First Second
Published September 5, 2006

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About American Born Chinese

All Jin Wang wants is to fit in. When his family moves to a new neighborhood, he suddenly finds that he’s the only Chinese American student at his school. Jocks and bullies pick on him constantly, and he has hardly any friends. Then, to make matters worse, he falls in love with an all-American girl…

Born to rule over all the monkeys in the world, the story of the Monkey King is one of the oldest and greatest Chinese fables. Adored by his subjects, master of the arts of kung-fu, he is the most powerful monkey on earth. But the Monkey King doesn’t want to be a monkey. He wants to be hailed as a god…

Chin-Kee is the ultimate negative Chinese stereotype, and he’s ruining his cousin Danny’s life. Danny’s a popular kid at school, but every year Chin-Kee comes to visit, and every year Danny has to transfer to a new school to escape the shame. This year, though, things quickly go from bad to worse…

These three apparently unrelated tales come together with an unexpected twist, in a modern fable that is hilarious, poignant and action-packed. American Born Chinese is an amazing rise, all the way up to the astonishing climax–and confirms what a growing number of readers already know: Gene Yang is a major talent.

My Review

This book has been on my reading list for a long time. I haven’t seen the show on Disney, but the preview already looks a lot different in the way it incorporates the storylines from the book. Someone with knowledge about and familiarity with Chinese folklore and culture will have more insight into several elements of this book than I do.

I’m not very familiar with the myths about the Monkey King, so I don’t have other information to compare with the stories from this book. I enjoyed the fables and their larger-than-life feel. There’s a great balance of emotions explored in that thread of the story, from jealousy to sadness to humor.

The second thread of the story follows Jin through school as he tries to form friendships and fit in with his classmates. His first friend is a bully who treats Jin terribly. It’s unclear whether Jin puts up with the treatment because he is just grateful not to be alone or whether he is oblivious. Some of his observations make him seem oblivious, but the clues in the illustrations and some of the dialogue let readers know this is not a real friendship. Later, Jin meets Wei, and the boys develop a close friendship.

The third thread in the book is the hardest to read. This one follows Danny as his cousin Chin-Kee, an overtly stereotyped character, follows him to school. Danny feels embarrassed by his cousin’s behavior and the other students’ reaction to him. What these chapters do so well, though, is highlight Jin’s fears about how he’s perceived by others and his fear about being stereotyped himself in these negative ways.

It’s uncomfortable to read, but the discomfort is the point. One of the things that I thought was brilliant about those scenes is that they read as though they’re some sort of sitcom. As I read the first scene, that’s what I thought it was supposed to be. Whenever Chin-Kee does or says something that aligns with a stereotype, laughter lines the bottom of the panel. It highlighted how people try to use humor to justify harmful statements and stereotypes and how that laughter falls flat and fools no one.

The three unrelated threads connect together at the end, and I am definitely among those whose minds were blown by the connections. It made so much sense and spun the earlier scenes of the story more completely. I’m very glad I read the book.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Jin Wang is Chinese American. His friend Wei Chan is Taiwanese. Chin-Kee represents harmful stereotypes perpetrated against Chinese people. In one scene, a boy uses a racist stereotype about Jewish people in a “game.”

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
One of the three threads of the story tells fables of the Monkey King.

Violent Content
The Monkey King fights enemies. White high school students use racist insults against Jin and Wei.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. All opinions are my own.

Review: Rise of the Shadowfire by Jaimal Yogis and Vivian Truong

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Middle Grade 8-12, ,

Rise of the Shadowfire (City of Dragons #2)
Jaimal Yogis
Illustrated by Vivian Truong
Graphix
Published October 17, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Rise of the Shadowfire (City of Dragons #2)

Grace and friends return for a new adventure in this second installment of the bestselling City of Dragons series!

Ever since the battle in Hong Kong, Grace and her friends have been trying to find a way to get to Paris. When Nate suddenly appears and whisks Grace away to the Dragon King’s lair, she learns that Daijiang and his underlings are searching for an ancient relic that will let them subjugate the dragons, and Grace needs to find it first!

With Grace’s burgeoning Hùnxuè powers, the team must get to Paris and stop Daijiang’s plan. But their new ally, Dr. Kim, may not be all she appears, and Daijiang has formidable allies of his a strangely familiar accomplice and a terrifying, powerful dragon that could threaten all of Paris.

My Review

Grace’s adventure continues in the second book in the City of Dragons series, picking up soon after the first book ends. The fast-paced race to save Nate the dragon and stop Daijiang’s plan is punctuated by goofy moments between Grace and her friends. They struggle over whom to trust, especially adults since they were badly betrayed in the past. Grace and her dragon, Nate, share some tender moments, too.

This was a fun read. The story begins in Hong Kong, but the characters travel to Paris during the story, so it was fun seeing scenes in both places. I thought there was a good balance between the serious and silly elements of the story. The bright colors of the panels add to the overall upbeat storytelling. I especially loved the illustrations showing tender moments between Grace and Nate. Those were so sweet.

I can’t find anything definitive on when the third book in the series will be released. There’s a two-year gap between the release of book one and book two in the series, so I would guess that the third one could come out in the fall of 2025.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Grace is Chinese American and biracial. Her mom is white, and her dad is Chinese American. Her friend Ramesh is Indian, and her friend James is Black and Australian.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
References to spiritual forces and an immortal enemy. Dragons exist in the story and have magical abilities.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Bad guys chase Grace and her friends, threatening to harm them. Something explodes. A shadowy dragon-like figure attacks Grace’s friends. A dragon uses magic to fight others.

Drug Content
References to research using dragon blood.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Review: 49 Days by Agnes Lee

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , ,

49 Days
Agnes Lee
Levine Quierido
Published March 5, 2024

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About 49 Days

Day 1

Gotta get up. Gotta keep moving. This map – it says I have to cross over here. Wait, what’s that…?

And so begins a graphic novel story unlike any 49 Days. In Buddhist tradition, a person must travel for forty-nine days after they die, before they can fully cross over. Here in this book, readers travel with one Korean American girl, Kit, on her journey, while also spending time with her family and friends left behind.

Agnes Lee has captivated readers across the world for years with her illustrations for the New York Times Metropolitan Diary. Her debut graphic novel is an unforgettable story of death, grief, love, and how we keep moving forward.

My Review

One of the things I love about this book is how immersive it is. Kit wakes up on a beach and swears, so I knew things were not good. It took several pages for me to feel like I found my feet in the story, but I think that was the author’s intent. It emphasizes that Kit is in a new space, figuring things out on her own. As her experience triggers memories from her life, we see those memories play out in short scenes. We see her family light incense and pray as they grieve their loss. When the story shifts from those prayer scenes back to Kit on her journey, it seems the prayers have fortified her and helped move her forward on her journey.

The panels and scenes are often understated in muted grayscale with tan colors. The characters’ emotions also often seem understated. It’s clear Kit’s family misses her, but they seem somber at first. As the story progresses, they experience moments of intense grief that create powerful moments. I think I cried like three times reading this book.

Another wonderful thing about the book is the way that food connects the characters. As a girl raised in a big Italian family, this resonated with me so much. I love that making food together was a connection between Kit and her mom, and that it becomes a vehicle through which her family celebrates their love for her even after she has passed.

The author includes a note after the story concludes explaining her intent and her decision to keep Buddhist practices vague in the text to respect the different ways people practice faith. She names the rituals and practices represented in the book, too.

I actually heard about this book because I read a wild review by someone who I think didn’t get the book at all. It made me curious enough to track down a copy, and I’m really glad I did.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Kit and her family are Korean American.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
One F-bomb and a small number of other expletives.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Kit dies before the story begins, and the story follows her 49-day journey between life and rebirth, called bardo, as part of the Buddhist faith. Her family lights incense and prays, following funeral rites called cheondojae.

Violent Content
References to death, though we do not see how Kit died. In her 49-day journey, she has several moments where she resets following what would have been a fatal choice.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Review: Don’t Let the Forest In by C. G. Drews

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Young Adult/Teen 12-18

Don’t Let the Forest In
C. G. Drews
Feiwel & Friends
Published October 29, 2024

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Don’t Let the Forest In

Once upon a time, Andrew had cut out his heart and given it to this boy, and he was very sure Thomas had no idea that Andrew would do anything for him.

Protect him. Lie for him. Kill for him.

High school senior Andrew Perrault finds refuge in the twisted fairytales that he writes for the only person who can ground him to reality—Thomas Rye, the boy with perpetually ink-stained hands and hair like autumn leaves. And with his twin sister, Dove, inexplicably keeping him at a cold distance upon their return to Wickwood Academy, Andrew finds himself leaning on his friend even more.

But something strange is going on with Thomas. His abusive parents have mysteriously vanished, and he arrives at school with blood on his sleeve. Thomas won’t say a word about it, and shuts down whenever Andrew tries to ask him questions. Stranger still, Thomas is haunted by something, and he seems to have lost interest in his artwork—whimsically macabre sketches of the monsters from Andrew’s wicked stories.

Desperate to figure out what’s wrong with his friend, Andrew follows Thomas into the off-limits forest one night and catches him fighting a nightmarish monster—Thomas’s drawings have come to life and are killing anyone close to him. To make sure no one else dies, the boys battle the monsters every night. But as their obsession with each other grows stronger, so do the monsters, and Andrew begins to fear that the only way to stop the creatures might be to destroy their creator…

My Review

I got so completely lost in this book. I couldn’t stop reading it. The story has this dark, creepy vibe that curls around two boys who are outcasts for different reasons. Thomas’s anger keeps other people at a distance the same way that Andrew’s shyness does, but they share a close bond with each other.

As the story progresses, Andrew changes. At the beginning, he feels powerless to steer even his own existence. But as the monsters get scarier and the forest gets (literally) under his skin, he begins to take action in his own way. I loved that arc in which he finds his voice and claims ownership of his life.

The desperation in the quest to stop the monsters had me leaping from one chapter to the next. I needed to know who was going to win: the forest with its monsters, or the prince and his poet.

I’ve read The Boy Who Steals Houses by C. G. Drews before, and I really enjoyed that one. This book takes Drews’ storytelling to a whole new level, though. The tension in the horror elements. The characters you just want to rescue right off the page. The secrets and twisty plotlines. I love it all. Sign me up for all their future projects, please and thanks.

All that to say– if you’re looking for a dark, forest-y Halloween story, grab a copy of this one immediately.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Andrew is asexual. Other characters identify as LGBTQIA+ as well.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
A couple of F-bombs and infrequent use of swearing.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between two boys.

Spiritual Content
Monsters appear and attack people. A seed sprouts inside someone’s body, and plants begin to grow inside them.

Violent Content
Body horror. Graphic descriptions of blood/gore. Descriptions of an eating disorder. Homophobic bullying. References to Andrew punching through a mirror.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Review: The Wild Huntress by Emily Lloyd-Jones

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , ,

The Wild Huntress
Emily Lloyd-Jones
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Published October 8, 2024

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Wild Huntress

Dive into a lush, standalone fantasy, set in the same world as The Drowned Woods and The Bone Houses, about a deadly competition—perfect for fans of Holly Black and Erin A. Craig.

Every five years, two kingdoms take part in a Wild Hunt. Joining is a bloody risk and even the most qualified hunters can suffer the deadliest fates. Still, hundreds gamble their lives to participate—all vying for the Hunt’s life-changing prize: a magical wish granted by the Otherking.

BRANWEN possesses a gift no other human has: the ability to see and slay monsters. She’s desperate to cure her mother’s sickness, and the Wild Hunt is her only option.

GWYDION is the least impressive of his magically-talented family, but with his ability to control plants and his sleight of hand, he’ll do whatever it takes to keep his cruel older brother from becoming a tyrant.

PRYDERI is prince-born and monster-raised. Deep down, the royal crown doesn’t interest him—all he wants is to know is where he belongs.

If they band together against the monstrous creatures within the woods, they have a chance to win. But, then again, nothing is guaranteed when all is fair in love and the Hunt.

My Review

Well, this is one of those stories where my favorite character definitely got the short straw. That was hard.

However.

This is the first book by Emily Lloyd-Jones that I’ve read. I used to own at least one of her other books, but I haven’t gotten to it yet. I think it came in an OwlCrate box several years ago. Anyway. The writing and the lush, dangerous forest with its otherworldly creatures drew me into the story. There are monsters and other dangers. There’s a cat who is not a cat– my second-favorite character!

As I read, I knew I was heavily invested in the story. When I had about 100 pages left, I hoped it was a duology because I really didn’t want to be coming to the end of the story and the really imaginative world. As I got closer to the end, I dreaded learning it was going to be a duology because I didn’t want to have to wait a year or more to find out what happens to the characters who make it to the last page. (It’s a standalone, so no worries there.)

Even though my favorite character met with disaster, I wasn’t unhappy to follow the rest of the cast to the end of the book. It definitely takes you on an emotional ride. It’s one of those books that draws you close and quietly slips a knife between your ribs. It was really great, though? I feel like I’ll be thinking of those one for a long time, and may even have to go back and reread it.

If you liked The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert or Deep is the Fen by Lili Wilkinson, definitely check out The Wild Huntress.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Branwen has visible scars and an eye that can see magic and would make her a target or outcast depending on who discovers this. Pryderi survived kidnapping and abuse.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild swearing used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
Some characters have magical ability. Some monsters have supernatural abilities. Characters participate in the Wild Hunt, which has magical rules and is governed by two kings, one human and one immortal/magical.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Graphic descriptions of monster attacks against people and animals. Attacks between humans.

Drug Content
Branwen spots enchanted food and drink while at a feast and avoids consuming any of it. She and her allies share a bottle of mead.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Review: Castle Swimmer: Volume 1 by Wendy Martin

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Graphic Novel or Adaptation, Middle Grade 8-12, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , ,

Castle Swimmer: Volume 1
Wendy Martin
Ten Speed Graphic
Published October 22, 2024

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Castle Swimmer: Volume 1

In the gorgeous first installment of the hit Webtoon series Castle Swimmer, two young mermen reject their destinies and embark on an epic adventure full of romance and danger, featuring exclusive bonus material.

From the moment Kappa tumbles into existence on the ocean floor, his life’s purpose is already decided for him: He is the Beacon, a light to all sea creatures, and destined to fulfill their many prophesies. In high demand and under immense pressure, Kappa quickly realizes that fame and glory are small compensation for a life of predetermined self-sacrifice.

Unable to resist the call of destiny due to a magical yellow cord that appears from his chest and pulls him inexorably to any sea creatures he swims by, Kappa ultimately finds himself drawn to the Shark kingdom, where he is immediately imprisoned. The Sharks’ prophecy states that the curse maiming their people will only be lifted once their prince, Siren, kills the Beacon. But when Prince Siren decides to defy fate and help Kappa escape, Kappa realizes that there might be more to life than fulfilling endless prophecies, leading to a raucous adventure as big and unpredictable as the ocean itself—and a romance that nobody could have predicted.

Episodes 1-19 of Webtoon’s Castle Swimmer Season 1 is collected in this stunning graphic novel, which also includes a never-before-seen bonus chapter featuring Kappa and Siren.

My Review

I love the illustrations in this beautiful undersea story. One character has a glowing force inside him that leads him to people he’s supposed to help. The panels really capture that illuminated look of the glowing force. The different underwater kingdoms include merpeople based on different sea creatures, such as sharks or crustaceans, which I thought was clever. I’ve never seen that done before.

The characters’ expressions can be a bit exaggerated and cartoonish. I enjoyed the anime feel of some of their reactions to things. The story follows both Kappa, the beam, and Siren, the prince who must kill him if he’s to fulfill a prophecy and break the curse on his people. It shows their loneliness and the growing bond between them, which really drew me into the story.

The backmatter contains a couple of short stories about Kappa and Siren, too. They’re so sweet. I will definitely be on the lookout for more of this series. It’s perfect for anyone interested in a high-stakes, sweet fantasy story under the sea.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 10 to 14.

Representation
Two boys appear romantically interested in one another.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Two boys appear to be romantically interested in one another.

Spiritual Content
A god who lives at the surface of the ocean sends a creation called the Beam to fulfill the prophecies of mer people living under the sea. One group was cursed after they attacked another god. They believe breaking the curse involves a blood sacrifice.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Brief scary ocean monster imagery. Brief battle scenes showing cartoon violence.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.