Hi bookworms and casual listeners! This is part 2 of my Bridgerton review - which, in actuality, is less of a review, and more of a full-blown character deep dive and defense of Penelope Featherington, one of my all-time favorites from the show. When I found out that there was a vocal majority of fans who really did not like her, especially when I myself love her to bits, I had the most insistent urge to sit down and write a full-blown essay explaining why exactly I believe she deserves better. So, I did, and here is the result! Spoiler warning: this episode contains almost all of the spoilers around Penelope, so don't listen to this episode if you haven't already watched both seasons of Bridgerton. And if you do take a listen - I hope you enjoy my (perhaps excessively) passionate treatise on the wonderful and complex character of Penelope. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://theminhibookworm.wordpress.com/2023/01/29/bridgerton-in-defense-of-penelope-featherington-flawed-characters-and-women-who-put-themselves-first/

Hi bookworms and casual listeners, and happy belated Lunar New Year! In the spirit of the new year, I have finally returned from my year-long hiatus, and this episode is part 1 of my review of Bridgerton - the hit Netflix series that took the world by storm last year, and which I finally sat down to watch. Bridgerton is an escapist historical romance drama that is enthralling and totally swoon-worthy, and it was the perfect show to get engrossed in during my extended Lunar New Year break. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://theminhibookworm.wordpress.com/2023/01/29/bridgerton-the-netflix-series/

Hi bookworms and casual listeners! This week I’m reviewing The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo - an incredible novella that combines high fantasy, Asian cultures and lore, and feminism through the enthralling tale of Empress In-yo and her retribution. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://theminhibookworm.wordpress.com/2021/08/22/the-empress-of-salt-and-fortune-nghi-vo/

Hi bookworms and casual listeners! This week I’m back with another romance novel, but one that is pretty atypical of the genre. Strange Weather In Tokyo by Hiromi Kawakami is a calm, soothing romance that beautifully elevates the ordinary and highlights the need to savor every moment in life and in relationships, no matter how small and seemingly insignificant. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://theminhibookworm.wordpress.com/2021/08/15/strange-weather-in-tokyo-hiromi-kawakami/

Hi bookworms and casual listeners! This week I’m bringing you guys my review of One for My Enemy by Olivie Blake - a modern, magical retelling of Romeo and Juliet that delivers all of the drama of the original play while adding new layers of nuance and emotions to the characters that I absolutely loved ❤️‍🔥 This episode is also available as a blog post: https://theminhibookworm.wordpress.com/2021/08/08/one-for-my-enemy-olivie-blake/

Hi bookworms and casual listeners! After last week’s mild disappointment from The Midnight Library, I am super excited to come back with The House in the Cerulean Sea - a novel by T.J. Klune that made me laugh and cry and laugh some more 💖 It is a dazzling portrayal of family in the most unexpected places and the beauty of kindness and differences, and is easily the best book I’ve read this year! This episode is also available as a blog post: https://theminhibookworm.wordpress.com/2021/08/01/the-house-in-the-cerulean-sea-t-j-klune/

Hi bookworms and casual listeners! I’m playing catch up again with this episode on The Midnight Library by Matt Haig - a book that had tremendous hype at the beginning of the year, but didn’t completely meet my high expectations. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://theminhibookworm.wordpress.com/2021/07/25/the-midnight-library-matt-haig/

Hi bookworms and casual listeners! So sorry for the 2-week hiatus - things were getting a bit chaotic but I’m back now, and I’m returning with a wonderful romance novel titled Second First Impressions by Sally Thorne, the author of the hit novel and upcoming movie adaptation, The Hating Game. Hope you enjoy my review of this sweet and uplifting romance! 💖 This episode is also available as a blog post: https://theminhibookworm.wordpress.com/2021/07/18/second-first-impressions-sally-thorne/

Hi bookworms and casual listeners! This week I am ridiculously hyped to be reviewing Black Widow - Scarlett Johansson’s Marvel movie that we have all been waiting for since summer of last year! To give a quick one sentence summary of my feelings: I absolutely loved it, and am recommending it to everyone 🥰 Tune in to this episode of The Minhi Bookworm podcast for a more cohesive breakdown of my thoughts about Black Widow. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://theminhibookworm.wordpress.com/2021/07/11/black-widow-marvel-studios/