Tag: 2018

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan

by Leelynn @ Sometimes Leelynn Reads ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

When New Yorker Rachel Chu agrees to spend the summer in Singapore with her boyfriend, Nicholas Young, she envisions a humble family home and quality time with the man she hopes to marry. But Nick has failed to give his girlfriend a few key details. One, that his childhood home looks like a palace; two, that he grew up riding in more private planes than cars; and three, that he just happens to be the country’s most eligible bachelor. 
 
On Nick’s arm, Rachel may as well have a target on her back the second she steps off the plane, and soon, her relaxed vacation turns into an obstacle course of old money, new money, nosy relatives, and scheming social climbers.

Book Overview:

Author: Kevin Kwan | Series: Crazy Rich Asians | Format: Audiobook | Narrated by: Lynn Chen | Length: 13 hours, 53 mins | Publish Date: May 20, 2014 | Genre: Contemporary | Rated: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ | Recommend: HECK YES



“Remember, every treasure comes with a price.” 


I normally don’t read adult books, let alone adult contemporary books, but since I know the movie is coming out this year and I heard such good things about this book, I knew I had to at least try it.

I definitely was not disappointed.

One of the reasons why I wanted to read this book as well was because there aren’t many books about Asian families that I’ve come across. I read The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan, after watching the movie with my mom countless times. You could say that the premise can be deemed similar in that it’s about Chinese families, but that’s pretty much where the similarities end. In this case, this book is about the life and times of the crazy rich Asian families in Singapore, and what happens when a lowly commoner falls in love with one of their prodigal sons.

Rachel Chu was invited by her boyfriend, Nicholas Young, to spend an entire summer in Singapore with his family. She’s down for the trip but has no idea what she’s getting into. It’s not her fault though since Nick never thought to tell her that he’s actually from a hella rich family, and is pretty much Asian royalty because of it. So you can imagine her surprise when she finds that Singapore is filled with rich and snooty girls thinking that Rachel is only after Nick for his money, and resorting to their mean girl tactics to get her to disappear forever.

“Just because some people actually work for their money doesn’t mean they are beneath you.” 


See, Rachel doesn’t come from an affluent family, although her mother has become a successful real estate agent in her own right. She met her boyfriend Nick at NYU, where they are both undergraduate professors – her in economics and him in history – and the rest is history. They’ve been dating for two years now, and Nick has met Rachel’s mother and uncle in San Francisco. You would think that it would have been time for Rachel to meet Nick’s family already right?

Well…

So of course, chaos ensues. It’s so interesting to know just how far these rich Chinese women will go to find out Rachel’s background, and how far they will go to get Nick to break up with her. They don’t let just anyone in, and with Rachel being pretty much a nobody, there’s no way that they are going to accept her just like that. The vindictiveness of these “crazy rich Asians” added just enough drama to this book that made me continue it, but I think it was the behavior of the rich boys that made me laugh out loud even more.

There were aspects of the book, like Rachel’s mom worrying about what Nick’s parents would think about her not behaving like a proper Chinese daughter that made me think about my own family. We may only be part Chinese, but Rachel’s mom really reminded me of my own and I had to appreciate my mom every single time Rachel’s mom was in the picture. I love it when books do that. They usually get a special part in my heart for years to come.

I honestly can’t wait to see how this book translates onto the big screen. I looked up the cast, and I agree with everyone they chose! It’s almost perfect, and I really hope they do this book justice.

Author Spotlight
Courtesy of Goodreads

Born: in Singapore, Singapore
Genre: Fiction, Chick Lit, Contemporary
Goodreads Member Since: March 2013

Kevin Kwan is the author of “Crazy Rich Asians,” the international bestseller now being adapted as a major motion picture. The sequel, “China Rich Girlfriend,” will be released on June 16, 2015. Born and raised in Singapore, Kwan has called Manhattan home for the past two decades but still craves pineapple tarts and a decent plate of Hokkien mee. 
A Murder in Time by Julie McElwain

A Murder in Time by Julie McElwain

by Leelynn @ Sometimes Leelynn Reads ♥ 1 Comment

Beautiful and brilliant, Kendra Donovan is a rising star at the FBI. Yet her path to professional success hits a speed bump during a disastrous raid where half her team is murdered, a mole in the FBI is uncovered and she herself is severely wounded. As soon as she recovers, she goes rogue and travels to England to assassinate the man responsible for the deaths of her teammates.

While fleeing from an unexpected assassin herself, Kendra escapes into a stairwell that promises sanctuary but when she stumbles out again, she is in the same place – Aldrich Castle – but in a different time: 1815, to be exact.

Mistaken for a lady’s maid hired to help with weekend guests, Kendra is forced to quickly adapt to the time period until she can figure out how she got there; and, more importantly, how to get back home. However, after the body of a girl is found on the extensive grounds of the county estate, she starts to feel there’s some purpose to her bizarre circumstances. Stripped of her twenty-first century tools, Kendra must use her wits alone in order to unmask a cunning madman.

Book Overview:

Author: Julie McElwain | Series: Kendra Donovan | Format: Audiobook | Narrated by: Lucy Rayner | Length: 18 hours, 39 mins | Publish Date: April 11, 2016 | Genre: Mystery / Time-Travel / Historical Fiction | Literary Awards: Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Science Fiction (2016) | Rated: ★ ★ ★ ★ | Recommend: Yes


“Whoever had said that appearances were deceiving was only partially right; they could also be deadly.” 


So I definitely wouldn’t have chosen this book on my own, but I am very glad that I did end up reading it, thanks to a buddy read on Goodreads. Thanks Jennifer for choosing this book!

This was a time travel murder-mystery book. Since I did end up reading a time travel book sometime last year that I absolutely didn’t like, I was worried about this one. That goes to show that I shouldn’t judge a genre by its cover. I really loved the murder mystery aspect of this book, and throughout the entire book, I just wanted to know who the heck the killer was and whether or not Kendra Donovan was going to figure it out.

I was a little confused about the beginning though, thinking that the book spent too much time in the present time, but by the time Kendra was sent away to the past, I understood why it went that way. To give a better background, Kendra Donovan was considered a child prodigy, going to college at only 14 years old and being the youngest person to be accepted into the FBI. It doesn’t hurt that she’s the product of some crazy experiments that dealt with super smart scientists combining their DNA to create even super smarter children – deemed “Frankenbabies”. Everything seems to be going well for Kendra until an FBI mission goes terribly wrong and she almost dies at the hand of a traitor.

After dealing with months of rehabilitation – she did almost die after all – she decides that she’s going to take justice into her own hands and finish the mission that she never got to complete on the night she almost died. Everything seems to be going well too, poetic justice and all that, when the plan goes awry and she somehow finds herself… in the past. Kendra must not have watched many time travel movies because it took her an entire day to realize that she was not going crazy and that she was not the victim of some elaborate prank. No, she was really sent to Aldrich Castle in 1819 England, and she had no idea how she was going to go back.

If that wasn’t enough, now she had to figure out how to catch a serial killer in a time where the term wasn’t even in existence.

That should be fun for an FBI agent, right?

Kendra definitely has her work cut out for her, and without any of the technology she could rely on in the present, she’s going to have to prove that her Frankenbaby brain of hers can solve a mystery on her own before any more murders take place.

I really enjoyed the pace of this book, and while the ending was something that I was a little upset with, for the most part, I liked what happened. I’m interested to find out what happens next, and I’m excited that the final book is coming out later on this year. Maybe I can find out how Kendra’s time travel journey ends. Hopefully on a good note?

Author Spotlight
Courtesy of Goodreads

Born: The United States

Julie McElwain began her journalistic career at California Apparel News, a weekly Los Angeles based trade newspaper. She has freelanced for numerous publications from professional photographers magazines to those following the fashion industry. Currently, Julie is West Coast Editor for Soaps In Depth, a national soap opera magazine covering the No. 1 daytime drama, The Young and the Restless. Julie lives in Long Beach, CA.
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

by Leelynn @ Sometimes Leelynn Reads ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Sparks are igniting.
Flames are spreading.
And the Capitol wants revenge.

Against all odds, Katniss has won the Hunger Games. She and fellow District 12 tribute Peeta Mellark are miraculously still alive. Katniss should be relieved, happy even. After all, she has returned to her family and her longtime friend, Gale. Yet nothing is the way Katniss wishes it to be. Gale holds her at an icy distance. Peeta has turned his back on her completely. And there are whispers of a rebellion against the Capitol – a rebellion that Katniss and Peeta may have helped create.

Much to her shock, Katniss has fueled an unrest she’s afraid she cannot stop. And what scares her even more is that she’s not entirely convinced she should try. As time draws near for Katniss and Peeta to visit the districts on the Capitol’s cruel Victory Tour, the stakes are higher than ever. If they can’t prove, without a shadow of a doubt, that they are lost in their love for each other, the consequences will be horrifying.

In Catching Fire, the second novel in the Hunger Games trilogy, Suzanne Collins continues the story of Katniss Everdeen, testing her more than ever before…and surprising readers at every turn.

 Book Overview:

 Author: Suzanne Collins | Series: The Hunger Games | Format: Audiobook | Narrated by: Carolyn McCormick | Length: 11 hours, 37 mins | Publish Date: September 1, 2009 | Genre: YA Dystopia | Literary Awards: Golden Duck Award for Hal Clement Award for Young Adult (2010), Soaring Eagle Book Award (2011), Children’s Choice Book Award for Teen Choice Book of the Year (2010), Indies Choice Book Award for Young Adult (2010), Teen Read Award Nominee for Best Read (2010), DABWAHA Romance Tournament for Best Young Adult (2010), Goodreads Choice Award for Favorite Book and Young Adult Series (2009), Premio El Templo de las Mil Puertas Nominee for Mejor novela extranjera perteneciente a saga (2010) | Rated: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ | Recommend: HECK YES

“You know, you could live a thousand lifetimes and not deserve him.” 



 Holy sequel, Batman!

 I think the worst things about sequels is that you never know if it’s going to live up to your expectations. If the first book to a series is absolutely amazing, and then the sequel just totally bombs it, then you’re left feeling completely disappointed and wondering why you even took the time to invest in the series in the first place. That’s the thing about sequels though, how will you know if it’s better or worse than the first unless you read it?

 What a Catch 22!

 In this case, the sequel turned out to be even better than the first one, and I couldn’t get enough of it.

 Katniss and Peeta have survived the Hunger Games in an unprecedented win – instead of both dying like they planned, Seneca Crane stops them and declares them both the Victors of the 74th Hunger Games. In the entire history of the Hunger Games, there has never been more than one winner. They emphasize that in all of their broadcasting: “There can be only ONE Victor”. So to think that there are now two winners, and they are both from lowly District 12, is completely unheard of.

 The citizens of the Capitol are eating it up, so happy to hear that the star-crossed lovers of District 12 will be able to live “happily ever after” and not have to ever worry about the Games again.

 That is until this year’s Quarter Quell announcement. This year, President Snow – who is absolutely infuriated by the rebellious acts of the districts that are taking place after this win – tells the world that this year’s Tributes will come from previous Victors only. Not even the Victors are safe, and the world is pissed.

“It must be very fragile, if a handful of berries can bring it down.”


 Now Katniss and Peeta, and the rest of the Victor-Tributes have to fight each other once again, and in this case, they are all friends with one another. How can they be forced to get into the arena a second time, after being promised by the Capitol that once they win, that’s it? The Victors are angry, the world is angry, and that’s when the Districts start to fight back.

 This book was so much more action-packed than the first, knowing that at any time, Katniss could find herself under the control of President Snow, and something bad could happen to her family. He had eyes everywhere; nobody is safe. Nothing is sacred. She’s the Mockingjay after all, even if she never wanted to be. So what is the world going to do, when their symbol of hope is put in danger once again?

 You’ll just have to read it to find out.