EunaBi Reads

Iron Widow Book Review Rating:  ★  ★  ☆  ☆  ☆  (2.25 out of 5) Dominating the most recent poll by 60%, Iron Widow seemed very interesting when I picked it out from the library shelf. Based on the synopsis and its beautiful cover art, I was excited to begin reading. I also recognized the book due to its prominence on social media because the author, Xiran Jay Zhao, is a commentator on YouTube. They went viral for their in depth cultural analysis of Mulan. Set in a sci-fi world inspired by Chinese historical figures, mechas fighting aliens, narrated by a powerful female lead, the book sounded like it was right up my alley. However, the it was poorly executed and I decided to not finish the book.  When first opening the book, you are thrown into the story with little to no context on the current situation between humans and aliens, besides the fact that there is an ongoing war. Although this may seem like an important aspect of the plot, there is a l...

Hi everyone! It's been awhile since I have posted a survey for your feedback on the next book review. But now that it is summer break and I have adjusted to the workload of high school, I will post on a consistent schedule going forward. Thank you :) Here is the survey: https://forms.gle/eBMEni4gu5irsKe77   If you would like to read more content like this, follow me!

  The Last Bloodcarver Book Review Rating:  ★  ★  ★  ★   ☆ (4.25 out of 5) When searching the shelves of a library for a book to read, I gravitate towards books with captivating covers and titles that make me want to know more. With beautiful cover art and an ominous title,  The Last Bloodcarver by Vanessa Le immediately captured my interest. The book is an immersive and magical story inspired by Vietnamese culture. Coincidentally, the plot is very similar to my last book review of Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi, taking place in a time where magic is believed to be an extinct craft and those who show signs of harnessing the power face persecution.  The book follows a murder mystery weaving in elements like magic, with descriptive writing and complex characters, making it an engaging read. Nhika, the main protagonist, is a heartsooth and her magic stems from her Yarongese heritage. I really enjoyed reading about Nhika because her charac...

Children of Blood and Bone Book Review  Rating:  ★  ★  ★  ★   ☆ (4 out of 5) This book was on my TBR list for the longest time. At first, I found it difficult to keep up with the book because of the length and the lore behind the story. However, once I was truly able to sit down and began to read the book, I was hooked! The book, inspired by West African mythology, takes place in the fictional land of Orisha. It features the perspectives of three characters, Inan, Zelie, and Amari. Although each character’s narratives are pretty distinctive, I thought that Amari’s chapters were often repetitive and unnecessary to the plot because she never really helped fight and mainly stuck by Zelie’s side.  I think this book would appeal to many young adult readers because there is a lot of action and many intense scenes, with the pacing of the book being relatively fast. There is also the enemies to lovers trope for people who enjoy reading that kind of romance. Ho...

A Thousand Steps Into the Night Book Review  Rating:  ★  ★  ★  ☆  ☆ (3.75 out of 5) Thank you to everyone who responded to February’s book review survey. A Thousand Steps Into the Night by Traci Chee won majority vote.  After reading The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh (last month’s book) I was very impressed with the fantasy-adventure-esque genre. So, while I was browsing in the bookstore, a Japanese-inspired adventure into the world of spirits and demons immediately piqued my interest. The overall plot of this book had so much potential, and it seemed like a Studio Ghibli story. I thought Traci Chee did an excellent job at world-building, with clear and vivid descriptions of mythical beasts and spirits. While Miuko was the protagonist, my favorite character was Geiki. I enjoyed reading about his mischievous behavior rooted in him being a thieving bird spirit. However, the reason why the book is not five stars is because of the execution. The...

Hi everyone! Thank you for all your feedback from last month’s survey. Due to the positive response I got, I will be keeping this feature on the blog. Thank you :)   Here is the survey: https://forms.gle/XQhKAyjHypeBVi8t7 If you would like to read more content like this, follow me!

  The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea Book Review Rating: 4.75/5 Thank you to everyone who voted for December’s book! The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh won the majority vote.  Alongside Six Crimson Cranes and The Red Palace, this book has been one of my favorite reads. It is beautifully written, and as I read it, I became fully immersed in the descriptive and vibrant spirit world. My favorite character was Mina as she was a strong, driven, and intelligent female lead while being kind and compassionate. Romance is a significant part of this story and discusses the topic of fated lovers. The romance between Shin and Mina is pretty predictable as it follows the enemy-to-lovers trope, but their chemistry is adorable. I also loved the side characters, especially Dai, Mask, Namgi, and Kirin, and their lore was very interesting.  The novel is based on Korean folklore, specifically the story of Shim Cheong, 심청. While the story incorporates some of the ideas from the Kore...