Book Reviews with Ann and Albert

Thank you again to everyone who came to Ann's author event for her Eyes of Awakening saga! This will be her last major event for the saga until she finishes Book 3. For those of you who weren't able to attend, we hope you enjoy this recording. We apologize that the sound quality isn't the best, but you'll still be able to listen to a lot of fascinating facts and behind-the-scenes material revolving around Eyes of Awakening. This recording will also act as Part 2 of our Tree of Eyes episode. Enjoy! And if you want to know even more about the saga, make sure to check out Ann's website: https://www.ann-yihyang-kim.com/

In celebration of the one year anniversary of Ann's debut novel, Eye in the Blue Box, we are discussing the sequel, Tree of Eyes, today! In this spoiler-ridden episode, we reveal more behind-the-scenes secrets of Ann's Eyes of Awakening saga, including alternate scenes that didn't make the final cut. (Ann had originally planned on melting one of the characters in a vat of acid! You'll need to listen to find out which character.) We also discuss THAT chapter which reveals a certain character's painful past. This chapter has consistently proven to be among readers' favorite chapters in the entire saga, and Ann dives deep into what, exactly, it took for her to write such an emotional story. We hope you join us on what has proven to be one of our most personally meaningful episodes to date. Especially if you have struggled with trauma and/or abuse, we hope this episode will give you some comfort and encouragement!

(P.S. If you haven't listened to our two episodes on Eye in the Blue Box, you can do so on Apple Podcasts.)

Welcome to Episode 6! Today, we discuss a translated work by the Korean Japanese author, Miri Yu. Tokyo Ueno Station's advanced and, at times, abstract prose in combination with its heavy source material mean that this novel may not be for the faint of heart. However, the literary brilliance and heartfelt messages behind this work far outshine some of its more difficult aspects, ensuring a fulfilling, though tragic, journey that we highly recommend to all. Join us as we follow a mysterious and angry spirit through ... Tokyo Ueno Station.

Make sure to follow us on Instagram! @annyihyangkim

*Please note that episodes 1 through 4 can be found only on Apple Podcasts: https://www.ann-yihyang-kim.com/podcast/*

Today, on episode 5, Albert and I (Ann) delve into the latest installment of The Hunger Games series, Sunrise on the Reaping. Like the previous installment, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Sunrise on the Reaping commits itself to diving into the dark psychological depths of the human mind, but this time, from the perspective of the one and only, Haymitch Abernathy. Join us as we discuss how this book expertly explores everything from the inextinguishable fire that only friendship can stoke to the tragedy of trauma. 

*Please note that episodes 1 through 4 can be found only on Apple Podcasts: https://www.ann-yihyang-kim.com/podcast/*

Welcome to the second (and final) part of our episode on Ann's debut novel, Eye in the Blue Box! Join us as we delve deeper into the intricate world of the Flowering, discover more behind the scenes information, and, of course, listen to Albert's perspective on the book. Ann also ends with a heartfelt message regarding why she wrote the book to begin with.

And in case you missed Part 1 of the episode: did you know a really bad blind date contributed to the creation of James, the protagonist? Make sure you listen to Part 1 if you haven't already!

Eye in the Blue Box is a fast-paced dark fantasy filled to the brim with eerie monsters and blood-splattering battles. Readers searching for strong character development and intricate world-building will enjoy this book. 

Ann published her first book, Eye in the Blue Box! Hooray! In today's episode, Albert picks Ann's brain about the details and inspiration behind her debut novel, and Ann, in turn, asks Albert about his experience as her reader (and editor!). We are very excited to share the inner workings of Ann's novel as it's been around a decade in the making. Eye in the Blue Box is a fast-paced dark fantasy filled to the brim with eerie monsters and blood-splattering battles. Readers searching for strong character development and intricate world-building will enjoy this book. 

We're releasing this episode in 2 parts as we were unexpectedly interrupted in between! 

Albert and I love films as much as we love books, so we thought we'd do a special episode today: a movie review! The Boy and the Heron is Hayao Miyazaki's latest film. As Albert confesses, he fell asleep during his first watch, and I don't think he's the only one. The lack of exposition means that many probably walked away from this rather abstract movie confused. We're here to break it down for you, and hopefully, help you recognize this movie for the work of genius that it is! 

Welcome to our second episode! Today we discuss the historical fiction novel, Deep as the Sky, Red as the Sea. We couldn’t put down this gritty, dark, and moving work of literature that explores the life of Shek Yeung, who’s considered by some historians to be one of the most successful pirates to have ever lived. Join us as we travel back to 1800s Asia and explore what it might have been like to be a woman who is both a slave and a conquerer of tragic circumstances. 

For our first ever episode, we discuss Nobel Prize-winning, Japanese British author's The Remains of the Day. Join us as we discuss Ishiguro's mastery of subtlety, the psychological layers of the protagonists, if we think this is a book you should read, and much more.