CW: emotional abuse by parents The first thing you need to know about Sophie Go’s Lonely Hearts Club is that it will make you hungry. Sophie is a matchmaker in Toronto, and she loves food even more than romance. Sophie and her clients eat their way across the city, evocatively describing curry buns, guava candies, duck egg congee, nasi goreng, fruity pavlovas, and Krispy Kreme donuts. The second thing you should know is that while … Continue reading Sophie Go’s Lonely Hearts Club by Roselle Lim →
Natalie Tan’s Book of Luck and Fortune is what I’d describe as women’s fiction with magical realism. It also has pages upon pages of yummy food descriptions. While the writing is evocative and every foodie’s dream, the weak romantic subplot, haphazard emotional resolution, and frequent repetition of phrases diminished a majority of the shine of the atmosphere and writing. Natalie Tan returns to her childhood home in San Diego’s Chinatown following the death of her … Continue reading Natalie Tan’s Book of Luck and Fortune by Roselle Lim →
Welcome back to Whatcha Reading! This is our second and last one of February 2024. How are you ending the month? Shana: I’m reading Three Holidays and a Wedding by Uzma Jalaluddin and Marissa Stapley. It’s a Ramadan-Christmas-Hanukkah romcom set in a Canadian small town. I really love that it takes place in 2000, because there’s lots of cultural easter eggs to enjoy. Lara: I just finished The Martian by Andy Weir and it was … Continue reading Whatcha Reading? February 2024, Part Two →
Two people destined to be together, but to never see each other again, fight against the greatest odds in this powerful and moving fantasy novel by critically acclaimed author Roselle Lim. Exes Ward Dunbar and Camille Buhay thought they would never see each other again. They had broken up to pursue their dream jobs on opposite sides of the country—her to New York City, and him to Los Angeles. But years later, they unexpectedly reconnect … Continue reading Night for Day →
At Midnight, edited by Dahlia Adler, is a creative, inclusive mix of fairy tale reimaginings from a diverse YA perspective. Some of the stories are funny, some horrifying, but all are inventive and subversive. Different people will of course have different favorites, but my favorite story was “In the Forests of the Night.” In this retelling of “Fitcher’s Bird,” author Gita Trelease creates a bloody, vengeful, feminist and anti-colonialist version of the fairytale set in … Continue reading At Midnight edited by Dahlia Adler →
Fairy tales have been spun for thousands of years and remain among our most treasured stories. Weaving fresh tales with unexpected reimaginings, At Midnight brings together a diverse group of acclaimed YA writers to breathe new life into a storied tradition. Fifteen celebrated authors reclaim classic fairy tales for a new generation: Dahlia Adler, “Rumplestiltskin” Tracy Deonn, “The Nightingale” H.E. Edgmon, “Snow White” Hafsah Faizal, “Little Red Riding Hood” Stacey Lee, “The Little Matchstick Girl” … Continue reading At Midnight →
A new heartfelt novel about the power of loneliness and the strength of love that overcomes it by critically acclaimed author Roselle Lim. Newly minted professional matchmaker Sophie Go has returned to Toronto, her hometown, after spending three years in Shanghai. Her job is made quite difficult, however, when she is revealed as a fraud—she never actually graduated from matchmaking school. In a competitive market like Toronto, no one wants to take a chance on … Continue reading Sophie Go’s Lonely Hearts Club →
Lush and visual, chock-full of delicious recipes, Roselle Lim’s magical debut novel is about food, heritage, and finding family in the most unexpected places. At the news of her mother’s death, Natalie Tan returns home. The two women hadn’t spoken since Natalie left in anger seven years ago, when her mother refused to support her chosen career as a chef. Natalie is shocked to discover the vibrant neighborhood of San Francisco’s Chinatown that she remembers … Continue reading Natalie Tan’s Book of Luck and Fortune →
It’s March! In New England, it’s been very cold and very windy. Not a fan. However, I’m also not the biggest fan of spring given my terribly allergies. But after March comes April, and you know what that means. The SBTB April Fool’s Day surprise! We’re working on something great. We hope you’ll love it as much as we do! … I am obsessed with this “fairy tale” village in the Bay Area. Does anyone … Continue reading Links: Animal Interviews, Romance Merch, & More →
