I Read a Book Once

I diverge from my usual episode format to present a brand new sort of series. Once a month or every other month I will be posting episodes NOT about a specific book but rather book tropes or writing topics or rants. My first episode in this new series is on bad writing tropes. I read so much by amateur writers and have noticed similar patterns and tropes that I can't stand. I go through a list of some of the worst offenders. 

It's time to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month with Mia P. Manansala's debut novel Arsenic and Adobo. When Lila came home to help out in her aunt's Filipino restaurant she wasn't expecting her ex-boyfriend to die while eating their food or to become the number one suspect. I go on a really long tangent about how to pronounce the name Lila, express my new found love of cozy mystery novels, and talk about Lila's characterization.

Closing off the Brown Sisters series by Talia Hibbert is youngest (and flightiest) sister Eve's story in Act Your Age, Eve Brown. After being cut off by her parents, Eve runs away and crashes (literally) into Jacob Wayne's life becoming the chef at his B&B and maybe something more. I gush over my love of this book and the series as a whole, explain why this book was the most fun to read, and praise the representation in this romance novel.

The past and the present collide in Sarah Penner's historical fantasy(?) The Lost Apothecary. In the past Nella's killer apothecary is under more stress than ever, and in the present Caroline's marriage is falling apart but unravelling the apothecary murders could provide her with a new direction. I talk about the negative effect of bookstagram's influence on me, explain why this book was everything I wanted Outlawed to be, and complain about completely trivial things at the end of the podcast.

I return to the world of Affinites, runaway princesses, and con men with Amelie Wen Zhao's Red Tigress, which is the second book in the trilogy. This book follows Ana and Ramson as they travel to Bregon to get help for Ana's cause. I rant about the absolute trash arc that is Ramson's characterization in this book, explain the reading slump this series ended up putting me in, and hate on the way this book ended.

Blood Heir by Amelie Wen Zhao is a YA fantasy novel set in a world where some people have magic (Affinites) and some don't. The story follows an exiled princess and a con man as they both seek revenge. However, this book almost wasn't published following the controversy surrounding it. I break down the controversy and explain my view, talk about my changing opinion on this book after my reread, and discuss the character development of Ana and Ramson.

It's time for my very first mystery on the podcast: The Guest List by Lucy Foley. In this book, you wouldn't want to be on the exclusive guest list for famous couple Jules and Will's wedding, especially not with so many shady characters attending. I explain the issue that I have with most mystery novels, question if the weird sexual undertones were needed, and discuss what I was able to figure out and what I wasn't before the big reveal.

I finally return with a romance (and a slightly too long plot summary) after giving you all a break from them! In Sara Desai's The Dating Plan enemies to lovers meets the fake engaged trope as Daisy and Liam try to fool both of their families for very different reasons. I discuss my love for Daisy's fun and crazy Indian family, reveal my slight disappointment over the ending, and question Daisy's underwear choices.

To celebrate Black History Month I picked up You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson after hearing all of the hype about it. It follows Liz as she attempts to win prom queen and the scholarship that goes along with it, so she can afford her dream college. I rave over how real the high school feels, compare this book to some of my favorite and least favorite YA novels, and talk about popularity and the friendships in this book.

Alice Reeds YA Thriller duology finishes off we Fractures and Miles and Fiona entering the belly of the beast (aka Briola). They are made to question their own identities and everything they've ever known as they try to escape. I gloat over my correct prediction from last episode, list the rest of my unanswered questions, and make my own inferences and connections between what happened in the two books.