juji reads!

I read for fun and try to fit it into my busy schedule. This is where I talk about all my thoughts. —she/they—

[jujireads]

Master Post

Books I’ve Read in 2022 (continually updated, links to goodreads)

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jujireviews, goodreads, tbr, currently reading, dnf

[jujireads]

hiatus for a little :/

I’ll be offline for some time because I need some time for myself and for uni :/ I’ll be back asap!!

[jujireads]

Camp Zero Review

5/5

Oh. My. GOD. I absolutely adored this book. This is definitely one of my favorites of all time. The concept is incredibly interesting. I've read books about speculative climate change futures, but none were as unique and interesting as this one. It felt so different, but also real - I fully believed that this future was a possible thing. Our main character is also incredibly interesting and I really loved the diverse conversations she had within the story: getting into the career she had, her life with her mother who was an immigrant, how the world changed right in front of her eyes. It was so truthful and felt so raw and honest with this overarching mystery and circumstance going on. There was also some side plots that I thought were incredibly interesting and well done in integrating them well. I cannot stop talking to my friends about this book and I HIGHLY recommend it to EVERYONE. Just read it, please. Thank you so much NetGalley for the ARC. I can't wait to buy a physical copy.

[jujireads]

The Foxglove King Review

Rating: 3.5/5

This book is so easy to read. While the plot wasn’t my favorite - just simply wasn’t that engaged, it wasn’t my cup of tea - I can recognize an objectively well-written book when I read it. The story was intriguing and the concept wasn’t something I had ever heard of before. It was truly one of the most unique ideas for a story that I have ever read. At first, I didn’t find myself enjoying the main character for some reason - I don’t even have a reason for this, but I felt like the choice of opening scene wasn’t necessarily the most exciting for me and felt like an odd choice. However, as I read on, I realized that it did have some really interesting suggestions into who she was and how she would grow and develop as a person. 

I definitely recommend this book to any readers who are looking for something unlike anything else they have read. 

Thank you for the ARC!

[jujireads]

Dragonfall by L. R. Lam

2.5/5

This book is an ARC I received in exchange for an honest review. 

I wanted to like this book so badly. I really did. The concept was fantastic and I loved the queer representation. But it ultimately was lackluster in its execution.

There were first some aspects that were simply not my taste, that mainly being the use of 2nd person in one particular narrative. It felt entirely unnecessary and was a very odd choice. That one narrative was written as though the character was writing a letter to the other, but yet the other wasn’t doing it back, making it so disjointed. The writing style felt lackluster to me and made it hard to relate to the happenings. I also was kind of put off by the seeming pandemic that they discuss having happened - I’m still quite uncomfortable with pandemics and my readings. 

I also, genuinely, disliked one of the characters (Everen). I know there was a certain level of that being intentional (I think…), but I just found there were very little redeeming qualities. I liked Arcady, but their character wasn’t very complex either. Yes, they had wants and needs, but they didn’t seem to have a very clear streamlined goal that we felt we were successfully moving towards. 

I do think that some would enjoy this book, especially if they are okay with some of the things I mentioned above, so I won’t say it’s plain bad, I just think it's down to taste.

[jujireads]

OH MY GOD I JUST GOT LISA SEE’S NEXT BOOK AS AN ARC HOLY SHIT

[wonderstruck]

If you see this you’re legally obligated to reblog and tag with the book you’re currently reading

[jujireads]

Dragonfall by L. R. Lam (an ARC, comes out in April!)

[jujireads]

my first ARC ^.^

I am so close to finishing my first ARC and I’m really excited! It’s good too. I’ll write a full review tomorrow probably. 

[jujireads]

lol I actually already finished and reviewed it whoops it was too good to let sit hehe

[jujireads]

Where Echoes Die

3.75/5 I received this book as an ARC. This book will release in June 2023.

TL;DR: An emotional, mysterious novel that deals with familial connections and trauma with queer representation. Definitely think will be great in audiobook format - easily digestible in writing style and with a fast-paced, atmospheric plot.

   Wow. This book is very emotional, but not in a "I want to make you cry" kind of way, but in a way that makes you think. This book follows two sisters who travel to a mysterious town in Arizona to hopefully find answers about their late mother who had an unhealthy obsession with said town. That's the basic gist of it, but it is truly complicated - no cars, no cemeteries, but most importantly, no memories. This book battles with what it means to remember, and what we are willing to sacrifice for temporary happiness or perceived happiness. I started this book thinking that there would be a clear bad or good side for characters, but even the characters that I doubted in terms of being "good" had their reasons, which I am a huge fan of. Now, for the cons, even though I really enjoyed this book. For probably about 75% of the book, I felt as though our main character, Beck, lacked a strong character background or development. She felt like a means to an end and only existed to take the story in a certain direction. It wasn't until that last quarter that I really started to feel I understood who Beck was as a person. While this may be intentional, sometimes I felt confused by her function: is she detail oriented? is she like her mother or not? It wasn't until the end that I felt I truly connected with her. Minorly, I felt this as well with the way Riley and Beck talked about their mother. Often, they use of the mother's real name - Ellery - within personal internal dialogue felt disconnected. We are introduced to Ellery as Ellery, not as "mom" or "mother". For a while, I assumed this suggested a separation from their mother and that they didn't have a huge connection with her. Of course, it is much more complicated than that, but it definitely led me in a certain way mentally. Ultimately, I really enjoyed this book and really appreciated this read. I was very sick the week I read this and it was fast paced and interesting in a way that entertained me through sitting at home. Thank you for providing me with this ARC!

[jujireads]

my first ARC ^.^

I am so close to finishing my first ARC and I’m really excited! It’s good too. I’ll write a full review tomorrow probably. 

[jujireads]

I’m planning to do this is 2023 💕

[princessofbookaholics]

reblog and put in the tags the last 5 star read you had!

[jujireads]

new booklr accounts :D

I’m looking for some more booklr (bookblr? spelling?) accounts to follow to interact with :D It’s hard to tell how active people are so hopefully some people will want to join in conversation with this!

[jujireads]

Daughter of the Moon Goddess Review

Daughter of the Moon Goddess is the debut novel of author Sue Lynn Tan, and the first book of the duology. It follows main character Xingyin on her quest to free her mother, Chang’e the Moon Goddess, from her imprisonment and exile. Xingyin finds herself among those at the Celestial Kingdom’s court and growing into who she is, all secretly on a quest to free her beloved mother. 

Daughter of the Moon Goddess is one of the most epic tales I have read in a long time. It is based on Chinese mythology, which comes through beautifully with Tan’s skillful writing. As someone who is familiar with some of these tales, she used them to her benefit and allowed them to support her writing and not hinder it, which is such a skill. 

I often find myself feeling underwhelmed by stories that are written like fables or tales as there is often a lacking emotional element to it that I can’t seem to find within the writing. This book is NOT that - it is written with such strength and beauty that I felt myself so emotionally invested in the characters. 

The story was NEVER boring, and I did not expect ANY of the plot twists - it was truly a roller coaster ride. I found myself trying to speed through it because I loved it, but also felt the need to slow down because I was getting overwhelmed. I still finished it in only a few days. 

There isn’t much I can say past this, as I don’t want to spoil anything - just read it! And take your time with the elegant writing, even if you want to speed through it. 

[jujireads]

i just finished daughter of the moon goddess

and IM NOT OKAY

I’ll write an official review, but holy crap, that was good. 

I don’t remember the last time I felt so engaged in a book. This truly tore me apart. All the twists? didn’t predict a single one. 

[jujireads]

currently reading update

Red Rising by Pierce Brown - 55% 

This book is KILLING ME. SLOWLY. It’s a piece of art. I will say - I struggle to connect with any and all characters, but I don’t know yet if that is intentional or maybe not. It may be the writing style? But I still feel a lot of emotions. I am taking it super slow though, cause it is mentally exhausting. 

Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan - 35%

I have a feeling this is going to be an all-time favorite. It is so well written. It’s lyrical, but not so much so that you want to pull your hair out. The story is fast paced and the main character is so enjoyable to follow. I’m SO curious how the rest will go, as I just started part two. 

[jujireads]

Books I’ve Read in 2022

continually updated, goodreads reviews are linked. reminder that my goodreads reviews range from serious to meme-y bs. 

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder (A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, #1) by 

The People in the Trees by Hanya Yanagihara

V for Vendetta by Alan Moore, David Lloyd

Graceling (Graceling Realm #1) by Kristin Cashore

The Empress of Salt and Fortune (The Singing Hills Cycle #1) by Nghi Vo

Clementine Book One by Tillie Walden

The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water by Zen Cho

Wilder Girls by Rory Power

The Cabinet by Kim Unsu, Translated by Lin Halbert

What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher

From Below by Darcy Coates

The Bear and the Nightingale (The Winternight Trilogy #1) by Katherine Arden

Illuminae (The Illuminae Files #1) by Amie Kaufman, Jay Kristoff

Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea by Barbara Demick

Gideon Falls Vol. 1: The Black Barn by Jeff Lemire, Andrea Sorrentino, Dave Stewart

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

The Down Days by Ilze Hugo

Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk, Translated by Antonia Lloyd-Jones

Mysterious Affair at Styles (Hercule Poirot #1) by Agatha Christie

The Round House by Louise Erdrich

The Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston 

Diving into the Wreck by Adrienne Rich

Ash by Malinda Lo