B Reviews / Book Reviewsfamily relationships / Historical fiction / Historical-China / Ming dynasty / novella / POC / scholarNo Comments
In the late summer of 1630, 23-year old Li Bing writes the provincial level imperial examinations, the first step towards entering the Chinese civil service. He is tormented by a dream of 18 cranes, and as he awaits his exam results he seeks out insights from those around him to ... more >
A- Reviews / Book Reviews / Recommended Reads19th century / class differences / England / Historical / Italy / Oxford / Regency / Satire / scholar9 Comments
Thomas Adam, junior Fellow of St. Columb’s College at Oxford University, is one of countless English travellers crossing the channel to explore the reopened Continent after the Napoleonic wars. With Boney imprisoned, there is no time like the present to experience French wine and the Italian countryside — at least, ... more >
B Reviews / B+ Reviews / Book ReviewsAngel / Guild Hunter series / paranormal romance / POC author / scholar / Vampire23 Comments
Trigger warnings: cannibalism, ableist language Dear Ms. Singh, Archangel’s Enigma, the eighth novel in your Guild Hunter series, surprised me. I went into the book with low expectations because I hadn’t connected with its hero, the mystery-shrouded Naasir, in the earlier books he appeared in. In those earlier books, Naasir’s ... more >
A- Reviews / Book Reviews / Need A Rec! / Recommended Readsclass-difference / Historical-China / POC / POC author / prostitute / Recommended Read / scholar16 Comments
Dear Ms. Lin, Although I had purchased most of your novels, I hadn’t picked one out of my TBR pile to read since your debut, Butterfly Swords. Clearly, it was a mistake to wait so long to try one of your books again, because your most recent novel, The Lotus ... more >
A- Reviews / B- Reviews / Book Reviewsacross the tracks / courtesan / Historical-China / Lotus Palace series / multicultural / mystery / POC / POC author / scholar / Tang Dynasty / unusual setting15 Comments
It is a time of celebration in the Pingkang li, where imperial scholars and bureaucrats mingle with beautiful courtesans. At the center is the Lotus Palace, home of the most exquisite courtesans in China… Maidservant Yue-ying is not one of those beauties. Street-smart and practical, she’s content to live ... more >
B Reviews / Book ReviewsHarlequin Undone / Historical-China / POC / POC author / scholar / Tang Dynasty18 Comments
“Tang Dynasty China, 823 A.D. Musician Jia needs a valuable book of poems by a famous courtesan to buy her freedom…and she believes Luo Cheng has taken it. Her attempt to steal the book from him fails, but the tall and powerful scholar unexpectedly offers to help her quest! But ... more >