Guilt and Ginataan by Mia Manansala

December 8, 2024

Guilt and Ginataan by Mia Manansala

It's time for the annual corn festival in Shady Palms, Illinois, and the owners of the Brew-ha Cafe are gearing up for the opening weekend. Known for the second biggest corn maze in the state, the festival draws crowds from all over the Midwest. After their booth sells out early, Lila, Adena and Elena decide to have a contest to see who can finish the corn maze first, but the fun comes to an abrupt end when they discover a body near the center of the maze.

A new mystery featuring the residents of Shady Palms. The aunties and Lola Flor don't appear in this story as much as in previous stories in the series, although there are still recipes at the end. Lila and Jae's sweet relationship continues to grow. Recommended for fans of cozy mysteries, especially those featuring food.

An example of ginataan, a sweet or savory Filipino dish cooked in coconut milk

Yellowface by R. F. Kuang

July 10, 2024

Yellowface by R. F. Kuang

June Hayward and Athena Liu have known each other for almost a decade, since they met as freshmen at Yale, but you wouldn't call them friends. Their lives have take dramatically different directions: Athena is an amazingly successful author with several bestsellers and a new one in the works, while June's single book was published by an independent press and barely sold a few thousand copies, and she struggles to pay the bills by ghostwriting college essays and tutoring lackluster students. When Athena dies in front of June, June makes a split second decision to steal Athena's latest manuscript and pass it off as her own work.

This book has gotten a ton of hype. A plot about plagiarism isn't new or original, and yes, the publishing world can be vicious, and writers can be jealous and sneaky. But there is more going on here than jealousy and intellectual theft, including racism, social media attacks, and the argument about who is entitles to tell a story, i.e., do you have to be of Asian descent to write about Asian history? I found most of the characters to be really unlikeable. The story reminded me a lot of Ladder to the Sky by John Boyne, which I really enjoyed and recommend to readers interested in writers and the publishing industry, rather than this one. Did not like the cover.

Vera Wong"s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto

December 12, 2023

Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto

Vera Wong is a lady of a certain age who owns a failing tea shop in San Francisco's Chinatown. She adheres to a strict daily regimen of rising early and opening the shop, even though she has only one regular customer. This leaves her plenty of time to follow (read: stalk) her only son online. But one morning when she comes downstairs to open the tearoom, Vera finds a dead body on the tearoom floor.

Heartwarming cozy mystery. Vera is a nosy older woman who had advice for everyone, whether they want it or not. She's correct that 20 somethings tend to be self-focused and dramatic - I base that statement on the 20 somethings in my own family. Very enjoyable.

San Francisco's Chinatown

Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner

May 21, 2022

Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner

Following the death of her mother from cancer, Michelle Zauner found herself crying in the most unexpected places, like H Mart, the Asian mega-supermarket. Despite resenting her mother's expectations, Zauner writes about growing up Korean-American in Eugene, Oregon, where she was one of the few Asian Americans in the community. Her family bonded through food, and some of the best parts are where she talks about visiting her grandmother in Seoul and cooking and eating wonderful meals with her mother.

Maybe because I like the previous memoir that I read so much (Olive, Mabel and Me by Andrew Cotter), I was disappointed in this one. I picked it up because of all the positive reviews, and I know a lot of people loved it but I didn't care for the writing or how the story was told. I also don't really know who Michelle Zauner is - I know, that makes me some kind of dinosaur, but I don't follow influencers or indie pop types on line. Actually, I don't follow anyone and have very little social media presence.

We have H Mart here in the Chicago area, and it's actually a pretty cool store. Lots of fresh fish, beautiful vegetables, and for some reason, a French pastry shop inside the store. The only problem I have is that it sometimes smells very strongly of fish, at least the one in Niles does, near where I live.

In case they don't have H Mart where you live

Me, when it comes to social media

Homicide and Halo-halo by Mia Manansala

March 14, 2022

Homicide and Halo-halo by Mia Manansala

Lila Macapagal continues to live in her hometown of Shady Palms a hundred miles from Chicago. Since solving the mystery of who killed her old boyfriend, she has been just drifting along, still working as a waitress at her aunt's restaurant, unable to push herself to open her new cafe with her BFF. When the town council decides to resurrect the teen beauty pageant, Lila is drafted as a judge since she won the pageant many years before. When another judge is murdered, Lila's cousin Bernadette looks like the most likely suspect. Although the two cousins have a rocky relationship, they join forces to find the real killer and clear Bernadette's name.

This is the author's second mystery and she wrote it during the pandemic and admits that it's not as light-hearted as the first one. I still found it to be enjoyable. I worked with Mia's mom at the Chicago Public Library for many years and they are a lovely family. We are all so proud of Mia!

Halo-halo is a Filipino dessert made with fruits like coconut, banana, and jackfruit, fruity gelatin, ube (which is purple yam, although I've seen recipes that omitted the ube and substituted mangoes instead) and shaved ice. Traditionally, you're supposed to mix it together before eating it so you get a taste of everything in a single bite.

A dish of halo-halo

Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng

September 22, 2022

Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng

Bird Gardner is a mixed-race child - his mother, the poet Margaret Miu, is a PAO, a person of Asian origin. Three years earlier,. she vanished one day, and her disappearance devastated the family. Bird's father gave up his position as a linguistics professor and now shelves books at the university library, while he and Bird live in one of the dormitories. One day, Bird receives a communication that could only have come from his mother. He sets out to find her and ask her why she left them.

Set in the near future in a dystopian. post-crisis world where Asians are viewed with hatred and suspicion for causing everything afflicting the U.S., this is an old story retold that could easily happen again. There are themes of racism/racial purity (think Nazism), cultural homogeneity. fear and suspicion. But there is also bravery, especially among a group of librarians who are determined to continue making information accessible (as we have always done). It will keep you thinking long after you finish reading it. Really great cover art. Highly recommended.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC.

The Book of Form and Emptiness by Ruth Ozeki

December 22, 2021

The Book of Form and Emptiness by Ruth Ozeki

Following the death of his father, Benny Oh begins to hear voices. Not just any voices - he hears items like a shoe, vegetables, furniture, and Christmas decorations speaking to him. His depressed mother develops hoarding tendencies, which doesn't help Benny's situation. He finds solace in the quiet of a large public library, where the books speak to him but in an orderly fashion, and he meets a variety of street people who also take refuge there. 

Although I liked the story and it held my attention, it's very difficult to categorize or describe. The narrator is a book that tells Benny's story. As a librarian at a public library for 30 years, I recognized many of the characters that Benny encounters at his public library. Libraries are safe havens for many people who otherwise don't fit in or have nowhere else to go. Books and libraries can save us by finding a way out of our own heads - I have always known this. It's also about how we fill our emptiness. Some people fill their emptiness with alcohol or drugs or excitement; others lean toward books, art, and objects.

I really like the author's previous book, A Tale for the Time Being. Ozeki tends to write in an experimental style. While this isn't for everyone, readers of literary fiction will find a lot to think about.

Clark and Division by Naomi Hirahara

August 30, 2022

Clark and Division by Naomi Hirahara

American-born Aki and her sister Rose are Nissei, the children of Japanese immigrants. Aki's father runs a successful produce business in a Los Angeles suburb. Aki has always lived in California, until the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor. The family soon finds themselves in Manzanar concentration camp out in the middle of nowhere.

When the government offers relocation to cities in the center of the country, the family jumps at the chance to move to Chicago, where there is work and housing available. Aki's older sister Rose works for the camp administration and is allowed to go on ahead of the rest of the family. But shortly before the rest of the family arrive in Chicago, Rose is killed in a subway accident. Her death is ruled a suicide by the coroner. Aki is certain that her sister would never have killed herself and is determined to find out what caused her death.

Chicago 1944

This is Hirahara's first historical novel and it's not as good as her mystery series. It is a fascinating look at life for Japanese Americans during World War II. Lots of descriptions about Chicago, although there is a little too much about traveling around the city. Some of the more interesting characters (like a drag queen Aki meets at the hair salon) are unfortunately not explored and in fact, have nothing to do with the plot. Not the author's best effort.

Manzanar Camp

Arsenic and Adobo by Mia Manansala

June 5, 2021

Arsenic and Adobo by Mia Manansala

After a bad break-up, Lila moves back to the small town outside Chicago where she grew up. She works at her Aunt Rosie's not-very-successful Filipino restaurant while trying to avoid her multiple aunties' matchmaking attempts. When a local food critic (and one of Lila's former boyfriends) keels over dead after tasting food at the restaurant, Lila become the prime suspect in his murder due to her relationship to the dead guy and because she works at the restaurant. She soon realizes that she is the ONLY suspect the cops are looking at, so it's up to Lila and her friends to do their own investigation to clear her name.

Light, fun cozy mystery, the first book in a new series. I worked with Mia's mother at the library for many years, and they must be so proud!

Chicken Adobo, a popular Filipino dish - every cook has their own version

Complicit by Winnie M. Li

August 11, 2022

Complicit by Winnie M. Li

Sarah Lai has adored movies since she was a child. When the opportunity to work for a fledgling production company comes her way, she jumps at the chance. Chafing at doing grunt work, Sarah longs for a chance to be more involved in the film company. She gets her break when a script from a new director needs tweaking. She edits and improves the script, then is promoted to Associate Producer to work on the director's second film - in Hollywood. As an Asian American, Sarah feels like an outsider in the industry and works hard to prove that she deserves to be there. But she is unprepared for the drugs, alcohol and party lifestyle that pervade the Los Angeles film industry.

Winnie M. Li gives us a story pulled from current headlines. While you may feel that you know the story, unless you work in the industry, you don't know about the sordid underside of movie making. Li's main character Sarah is right in the thick of everything and gives a great picture of the "glamorous" film industry. Wonderful writing, will keep you turning the pages.

The red carpet, the ultimate goal of any filmmaker

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC.

Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu

February 3, 2020

Today is National Golden Retriever Day!  Go hug a golden (or any dog)!

My Luke

Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu

Willis Wu works as an extra in a TV police drama called Black and White, as Generic Asian Man.  Even in his personal life, he sees himself as Generic Asian Man.  His career goal is to become Kung Fu Guy, which he considers to be the pinnacle for an Asian actor.  He lives in the SRO (single room occupancy) housing above the Golden Palace Chinese restaurant along with other Asian Americans who are bit players for the TV show, since many of the scenes are filmed at the restaurant.  Willis works in the restaurant when he needs to (such as the times when his character “dies” and he can’t work on the show for 45 days).  Inside his head, Willis lives in an interior Chinatown:  although he is American-born and educated, he can’t seem to find his place in the world, except against a Chinatown backdrop, and he sees himself and the Asian Americans around him as stereotypes that America has cast for them (such as Old Asian Man or Restaurant Hostess).

The plot blends the storyline of a television drama with Willis’ life, written in a script-like format with a Courier font that mimics an old-fashioned typewriter, and eventually the two storylines get tangled into a single jumble.  The narrative style forces the reader to look at stereotypes both “on” and “off” screen and consider the stereotypes in our own lives and how we see others.  Should appeal to readers who enjoy Dave Eggers or Paul Beatty.

(When we were kids, there was a TV program for a few seasons called Kung Fu – I think the whole Carradine family acted in the show.  The main character was a half-Chinese monk being played by a white guy.  My brothers didn’t care much about the story line but really got into the martial arts fighting.  My youngest brother convinced my mother to buy him a kimono style robe, and he would leap out of his bedroom wearing it, give a kung fu yell, and kick-box his way down the hall.  Just a fond memory, grasshopper.)