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josiemi's reviews
70 reviews
Taste: My Life Through Food by Stanley Tucci
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
3.0
This is a fast read overall and I loved the incorporation of recipes. Each chapter felt a bit stand alone, opposed to chapters that flow together. I thought some chapters were stronger than others and I particularly enjoyed the middle section of the book when Tucci shares more of his experiences with food in tandem with filmmaking.
Beautiful Country by Qian Julie Wang
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
3.75
Wang’s recollection of her childhood is incredibly visceral and I felt the short episodic chapters served the story well. I would have liked to have learned more about her childhood into teenage years and found the ending of the book a tad rushed and a bit unsatisfactory. Overall, I really enjoyed the memoir and especially the use of Chinese and English.
Urban Foraging: Find, Gather, and Eat 50 Wild Plants In Your Neighborhood by Lisa M. Rose
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
4.75
On Gold Mountain: The One-Hundred-Year Odyssey of My Chinese-American Family by Lisa See
challenging
informative
slow-paced
4.5
This book is slow, but so worth it. On a personal level, it’s so inspiring for me to read about Chinese American history as person of Chinese descent. I loved how See tackles what it means to be American; what it means to be Chinese; and what does family mean?
Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book was not at all what I expected, but I loved it. The most prevalent question that comes to mind after reading this book is, “what is it to Love and be loved?”
Mrs. Wickham by Sarah Page
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
The exploration of Lydia Bennet’s character is truly refreshing and I love that the dialogue lends itself to contemporary ears, it blends the essence of Austen’s cadence extremely well.
Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
5.0
As an Asian American artist who struggles with their identity, “Crying in Hmart,” is extremely potent. Finding pieces of culture to cling to and giving ourselves the space to grieve can be really difficult. I see myself in Zauner’s story… my present, past, and future. It’s content like this that gives me hope that there is space for all of our stories and shared empathy for our wins, losses, and grief.