Korean-American Fiction for 2023 ThePoptimist 2024-01-14 | It's been one hell of a year for Korean-American fiction and even I have barely managed to scratch the surface of this veritable cornucopia of reads. Time to add some books to your TBR! MENTIONED:The Querent - bit.ly/47zYHNSThe Apology - amzn.to/47z8BzsForget Me Not - amzn.to/4aWfjSYImposter Syndrome and Other Confessions of Alejandra Kim - amzn.to/3Uc3C4XRe Jane - amzn.to/48WyDxTThe Do-Over - amzn.to/3HbmkSkThe All-American - amzn.to/3HaFWpRFortune - amzn.to/41PW49GSea Change - amzn.to/47vSqTJWhat We Kept To Ourselves - amzn.to/3Hb3DOLThe Last Story of Mina Lee - amzn.to/48JQlogYour Love Is Not Good - amzn.to/3S96fmmThe Liberators - amzn.to/4aQ6Gt1The Magical Language of Others - amzn.to/3HgVCruDeep Roots - amzn.to/3NY3zWaFlux - amzn.to/4aN0EJRExcavations - amzn.to/47ueOMUThe Hive and the Honey - amzn.to/3SblICxSnow Hunters - amzn.to/4b9u0T5Run Me To Earth - amzn.to/47EXLIeSkull Water - amzn.to/3HaCCeaWaiting For Mr. Kim - amzn.to/3NWtQECThe Sense of Wonder - amzn.to/3vuM4GVDisappear Doppelgänger Disappear - amzn.to/48OV08f8 Lives of a Century-Old Trickster - amzn.to/48iIKgpHappiness Falls - amzn.to/3vub1CdMiracle Creek - amzn.to/3RWmhyIHurt You - amzn.to/3Hj0lJjY/N - amzn.to/3vuM4GVThrowback - amzn.to/48tfe7SCamp Zero - amzn.to/48wiizRSame Bed, Different Dreams - amzn.to/47CjdheUpcountry - amzn.to/3TOT8IoELSEWHERE:Goodreads: goo.gl/vlGtSdInstagram: instagram.com/daejinDiscord: discord.gg/Q7v2SHN#KoreanAmericanReads
Favourite Korean-American Fiction Read of 2023: (and some family history) ThePoptimist 2024-02-25 | In what was a bumper crop of Korean-American fiction in 2023, one stood out above the others even if my first pass at it was less than stellar. Ed Park's Same Bed Different Dreams is a spiraling mosaic of interconnected snippets that asks "What is History?" (Leading to some Buffalo in the 80's nostalgia and some wild family history besides)MENTIONED:Korean American Fiction 2023 - youtu.be/GLVSvZgzzhISame Bed Different Dreams - amzn.to/42RGUB7The Festival of Literary Diversity (FOLD) - bit.ly/4bNeWutELSEWHERE:Goodreads: goo.gl/vlGtSdInstagram: instagram.com/daejinDiscord: discord.gg/Q7v2SHN#SameBedDifferentDreams
North Woods: Total 5-Star Read ThePoptimist 2024-02-11 | Turns out I'm just late to the party. Still, starting 2024 out strong with a solid 5 star read. MENTIONED:North Woods - amzn.to/3wcUSRUBeing Mortal - amzn.to/42CsdlsWhen Breath Becomes Air - amzn.to/3SVhEqc@InkandPaperBlog My Top 10 Books of 2023 - bit.ly/42ybuzK@RickMacDonnell North Woods: Best Book of 2023? - bit.ly/3ulIYEXELSEWHERE:Goodreads: goo.gl/vlGtSdInstagram: instagram.com/daejinDiscord: discord.gg/Q7v2SHN#NorthWoods
Rental Person Who Does Nothing: I Have Thoughts ThePoptimist 2024-02-04 | Not exactly a stunner of a novel but c'mon - January isn't exactly the strongest month for new releases and this proves an interesting vibe that speaks to our current changing relationship to the grind. MENTIONED:Rental Person Who Does Nothing - amzn.to/3SinpNaLegends & Lattes - amzn.to/49j8RE2ELSEWHERE:Goodreads: goo.gl/vlGtSdInstagram: instagram.com/daejinDiscord: discord.gg/Q7v2SHN
Doppelganger: Getting the vibes right, but the facts wrong ThePoptimist 2024-01-21 | Doppelgänger was prompted by Naomi Klein's repeated experience of being mistaken for Naomi Wolf. Hardly warrants an entire book, but Klein uses this experience as a springboard to examine the doubling that occurs in politics and society, and how the right wing conspiracy machine gets the vibes right even as it gets the facts wrong. MENTIONED:Doppelganger - amzn.to/3U3jSFaRabbit Hole - https://nyti.ms/48Z3SYRWellness - amzn.to/492PnmSELSEWHERE:Goodreads: goo.gl/vlGtSdInstagram: instagram.com/daejinDiscord: discord.gg/Q7v2SHN#Doppelganger
Leave the World Behind: The Perfect Covid Novel ThePoptimist 2024-01-06 | This thing is all vibes.Both prescient and a perfect vehicle to reflect on how we collectively dealt with a global catastrophe. Despite being written prior to the Covid pandemic, Rumaan Alam's Leave the World Behind is the perfect encapsulation of that fraught time. Don't believe the one-star haters, the Netflix adaptation is pretty darn good too. MENTIONED:Leave the World Behind - amzn.to/3H9HmANSlow Horses - amzn.to/48KFbPOJustin at Ghost Reader - youtube.com/@ghostreader9766Justin's Nature Photography - instagram.com/justo_naturephotographyBritt at the Second Shelf - youtube.com/@BrittaBohlerTheSecondShelfELSEWHERE:Goodreads: goo.gl/vlGtSdInstagram: instagram.com/daejinDiscord: discord.gg/Q7v2SHN#LeavetheWorldBehind
Children of Time: A new favorite sci-fi read! ThePoptimist 2023-10-01 | Children of Time is the first book of a trilogy from Adrian Tchaikovsky that won the Arthur C. Clarke award for Science Fiction in 2016. And, more importantly, joins the pantheon of all-time favourite sci-fi reads for me. The centuries fly by, but brace yourself for a millennia of spider content. A fantastic stand-alone read that I just devoured. MENTIONED:Children of Time - amzn.to/3LEl9O4Children of Ruin - amzn.to/46a33LPTerrence McKenna's The Archaic Revival - amzn.to/3PCd11BTerrence McKenna's Food of the Gods - amzn.to/3RHwNeBChildren of Memory - amzn.to/45elg9XELSEWHERE:Goodreads: goo.gl/vlGtSdInstagram: instagram.com/daejinDiscord: discord.gg/Q7v2SHN
Assholes: A Theory ThePoptimist 2023-09-04 | Taking a break from front-list literary fiction and easing into a bit of modern day philosophy to explore the pervasive and powerful influence of the asshole in today's world. Aaron James examination of the asshole feels scarily prescient even a decade ago. Assholes abound!MENTIONED:Assholes: A Theory - amzn.to/3P2eaiESurfing with Sartre - amzn.to/3EpYctHAsshole Admits To Being Asshole In Supreme Asshole Move - bit.ly/3d8LkLTAssholes: A Theory of Donald Trump - amzn.to/3Po3eNAThe Scent of Time - amzn.to/45ZkluTThe Culture Industry - amzn.to/3Podm95Assholes: A Documentary - bit.ly/3La3VrgChildren of Ruin - amzn.to/3R2kwkNChildren of Time - amzn.to/3qR7bRLDeath's End - amzn.to/3qScH6GELSEWHERE:Goodreads: goo.gl/vlGtSdInstagram: instagram.com/daejinDiscord: discord.gg/Q7v2SHN
Going Zero: A Perfect Summer Thriller ThePoptimist 2023-08-05 | Break out of the summer reading slump, step away from the stuffy prize winners, and indulge in a fantastic, page-turning, summer thriller. Anthony McCarten has got some writerly chops and delivers a fun romp - that doesn't warrant too much reflection. It's just a fun read.MENTIONED:Going Zero - amzn.to/3Kq1ssDWriter Evan Ratliff Tried to Vanish: Here's What Happened - bit.ly/3s4rfQAGone Forever: What Does It Take to Really Disappear? - bit.ly/45b9HAwBirnam Wood: A Novel - amzn.to/3s4PGgJRebecca - amzn.to/3OllSnLELSEWHERE:Goodreads: goo.gl/vlGtSdInstagram: instagram.com/daejinDiscord: discord.gg/Q7v2SHN#GoingZero
Mid-Year Book Freakout Tag 2023 ThePoptimist 2023-07-09 | It's a cornucopia of books despite it actually being a "mid" year so far at the mid-year mark (see what I did there?) So while I haven't read as much as a normally do, I've still got thoughts on the books I did get to - and lots of optimism for the books I'm going to get to in the second half of the year. MENTIONED:Demon Copperhead - amzn.to/46DmT2NThe Three-Body Problem - amzn.to/44bVPpIThe Dark Forest - amzn.to/3JPnwMXRazorblade Tears - amzn.to/3JLVHVKAll the Sinners Bleed - amzn.to/46RI41kSea Change - amzn.to/43gRfVNThe Apology - amzn.to/44xI3xuHappiness Falls - amzn.to/44Fv2SJMiracle Creek - amzn.to/3NIbm9NMiracle Creek Video Review - youtu.be/WvyOeIsKUS4What We Kept to Ourselves - amzn.to/3rjvpnqThe Last Story of Mina Lee - amzn.to/3D7eJSESame Bed, Different Dreams - amzn.to/3roEFa4What if This Were Enough - amzn.to/44gPWroForeverland - amzn.to/3XLbNVeOur Missing Hearts - amzn.to/44ipXjcThe Power of the Powerless - amzn.to/3PW61hEThe Luminaries - amzn.to/44zjhx4Birnam Wood - amzn.to/3PRuwN5Pod - amzn.to/3pE0EJkPod: Unhinged Video Review - youtu.be/3GKplQzzQaYStraight Man - amzn.to/46IklAkPizza Girl - amzn.to/46CqxKdFlux - amzn.to/3O55fObRebecca - amzn.to/3XHdxiiELSEWHERE:Goodreads: goo.gl/vlGtSdInstagram: instagram.com/daejinDiscord: discord.gg/Q7v2SHN#midyearbookfreakouttag
Pod by Laline Paull ...is alot ThePoptimist 2023-06-05 | I'm not here to yuck anyone's yum, but my body was not ready for this Bailey's Women's Prize for Fiction shortlisted explicit ocean story. Flipper this ain't.MENTIONED:Pod - amzn.to/3IWyv6OWomen's Prize for Fiction 2023 - bit.ly/45MBKHKGlory: A Novel - amzn.to/3oHwPHAELSEWHERE:Goodreads: goo.gl/vlGtSdInstagram: instagram.com/daejinDiscord: discord.gg/Q7v2SHN#pod
Yellowface: Literary thriller with some deep bookish internet lore ThePoptimist 2023-05-19 | Talking about the book expressly made for the bookishly online who's forever thirsty for tea, R.F. Kuang follows up her TikTok fav Babel with the publishing thriller Yellowface to talk smack about the world of writing and maybe even offer up a peek at what it's like to be a bestselling novelist. MENTIONED:Yellowface - amzn.to/3MI3VQEDisorientation Review - youtu.be/vmI4tLFtrAIControversy around American Dirt - bit.ly/43a4EzALauren Hough on Goodreads - bit.ly/41RqxmeELSEWHERE:Goodreads: goo.gl/vlGtSdInstagram: instagram.com/daejinDiscord: discord.gg/Q7v2SHN#Yellowface
Big Swiss is THE Goblin Mode Novel ThePoptimist 2023-04-08 | Jen Beagin's Big Swiss is the messy, hot, lesbian, up-market literary novel that's destined for the small screen. Referred to as a letter from Penthouse Forum set in Hudson about trauma ...and all the trigger warnings. MENTIONED:Big Swiss - amzn.to/3MrzFK4Nicole Coenen - instagram.com/nicole_coenenELSEWHERE:Goodreads: goo.gl/vlGtSdInstagram: instagram.com/daejinDiscord: discord.gg/Q7v2SHN#BigSwiss
Station Eternity review via Shorts because I appreciate the chaotic energy ThePoptimist 2023-03-05 | ...
Our Missing Hearts and The Power of the Powerless ThePoptimist 2023-02-27 | After a string of so-so reads, Our Missing Hearts comes in hot with an absolute banger of a modern day fairy tale set 10 seconds in the future. But the real treasure was the 1978 essay recommended in the author's note at the end. MENTIONED:Our Missing Hearts- amzn.to/3J0bboYTAAF STAATUS Index 2022 - taaf.org/staatus-index-2022Anthem - amzn.to/3m9AdcCThe Power of the Powerless - amzn.to/3kz2TeyELSEWHERE:Goodreads: goo.gl/vlGtSdInstagram: instagram.com/daejinDiscord: discord.gg/Q7v2SHN#OurMissingHearts
Favourite Read of 2023 - Already! ThePoptimist 2023-01-08 | With the start of a new year I resolve not to get hung up on insignificant details and obsess over trivial technicalities like the fact that I finished this at the tail end of 2022 - but, significantly, AFTER I shot my favourites of 2022. It's a heavy handsell but a hella debut warranting a hearty endorsement. MENTIONED:How High We Go In the Dark - amzn.to/3QnbYm6Cloud Cuckoo Land - amzn.to/3GtX8FQThe Overstory - amzn.to/3CB727tGreenwood - amzn.to/3ir5lCLCloud Atlas - amzn.to/3vOuOcwELSEWHERE:Goodreads: goo.gl/vlGtSdInstagram: instagram.com/daejinDiscord: discord.gg/Q7v2SHN#HowHighWeGoInTheDark
Favourite Reads of 2022: Super Normie Edition ThePoptimist 2022-12-28 | Let's just pretend I haven't been gone for the last quarter of 2022 and instead allow me to weigh in with the books I'm telling you to read - because faced with the overwhelming volume of choice afforded by bookish social media, people need to be firmly pointed in the right direction and told what to read. Sadly unwilling to be even more effective by refusing to resort to tears or a TikTok dance. MENTIONED:Lessons in Chemistry - amzn.to/3PXvoh4Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow - amzn.to/3WOrjOFThe Shining Girls - amzn.to/3jEKdcgRazorblade Tears - amzn.to/3jz1wvEELSEWHERE:Goodreads: goo.gl/vlGtSdInstagram: instagram.com/daejinDiscord: discord.gg/Q7v2SHN#favoriteReads2022
Visiting Amsterdam, Haarlem, Frankfurt and Marburg 2022 ThePoptimist 2022-08-28 | Our daughter is spending a semester abroad in seriously beautiful Marburg Germany and so the family thought we'd spend a week together and see her off proper. That meant a week in Amsterdam with a quick jump to Frankfurt Germany and a short train ride to Marburg. Beautiful weather, superior public transport and sunny afternoons filled with ambling walks and afternoon cocktails. Another week? We would have gladly stayed another month if we could.
Disorientation: When Fact is Stranger Than Fiction ThePoptimist 2022-07-24 | In this crazy mixed-up world getting satire right is hard, if not downright impossible. Elaine Hsieh Chou's debut novel Disorientation still manages to thread that needle and prompted a ton of reading to dig up the real world sources of some of the wilder plot points discussed in the novel. Worth it.Trying out a new setup which means some blown out lighting, wonky focus glitches, and some iffy sound capture that required a bit of effort in post. In the meantime send me your recommendations for Amsterdam, Haarlem, Delft and Frankfurt! (Less museums and galleries)MENTIONED:The Trees- amzn.to/3PvtTFPHell of a Book - amzn.to/3BaNWoLInterior Chinatown - amzn.to/3PHP7AeThe Sellout - amzn.to/3S20zILDisorientation - amzn.to/3J4I2r7ELSEWHERE:Goodreads: goo.gl/vlGtSdTwitter: twitter.com/daejin_v2Instagram: instagram.com/daejinDiscord: discord.gg/Q7v2SHN#Disorientation
The 2022 Mid Year Book Freakout Tag ThePoptimist 2022-06-06 | You know the drill — getting it in early because I needed a nice tag video to get something going again. It's been so long but the reading has been good at least! (Also just realizing that The Book of Form and Emptiness is the prime example of chickens coming home to roost - with dire consequences) MENTIONED:Invisible Women - amzn.to/3tlhjjxThe Book of Form and Emptiness - amzn.to/3mj7QWgWhen We Fell Apart - amzn.to/3GR2M4PMercury Pictures Presents - bit.ly/3MgEBxPAnthony Marra Newsletter - bit.ly/324dIrYLove in the Big City - amzn.to/3aJeSRxJade City - amzn.to/3Moe2H1Sea of Tranquility - amzn.to/3xk5qwzThe One from the Other - amzn.to/3anXnpDSeek You - amzn.to/3xlzmbNThe Trees - amzn.to/3GVHC5iUzumaki - amzn.to/3mgi6OQThe Booktube Prize - bit.ly/2UIL5OcELSEWHERE:Goodreads: goo.gl/vlGtSdTwitter: twitter.com/daejin_v2Instagram: instagram.com/daejinDiscord: discord.gg/Q7v2SHN#midyearbookfreakouttag
Sea of Tranquility: Tattoos, Literary Universes and the End-of-the-World. ThePoptimist 2022-04-17 | Emily St. John Mandel is back with her latest Sea of Tranquility that continues within a larger literary universe established back in The Glass Hotel and introduces the notion of time travel. It also lets her riff on a theme she's grown more than a little versed in ...post-apocalyptic literature. MENTIONED:Sea of Tranquility - amzn.to/3Mcgh0hCloud Cuckoo Land - amzn.to/3uO16o6The Shining Girls - amzn.to/3M9iOICThis is How You Lose the Time War - amzn.to/3MeNQ1YThe Time Traveler's Wife - bit.ly/324dIrYVersion Control - amzn.to/3uNiPMAThe Glass Hotel - amzn.to/3KQTEhPStation Eleven - amzn.to/3Eo1UU7ELSEWHERE:Goodreads: goo.gl/vlGtSdTwitter: twitter.com/daejin_v2Instagram: instagram.com/daejinDiscord: discord.gg/Q7v2SHN#SeaofTranquility
Spiral Into Horror With UZUMAKI!! ThePoptimist 2022-02-27 | In which I'm the last person in the world to realize the absolute magnitude of manga and dip my toes in those vast waters with Junji Ito's "spiral into horror" Uzumaki.MENTIONED:Uzumaki - amzn.to/3plxhZ2Venus in the Blind Spot - amzn.to/3K5ly93Deserter - amzn.to/3hmrJclSpider-man: Life Story - amzn.to/3BZZdqnMy Father's Notebook - amzn.to/3Kh6nK3The Hunger Angel - amzn.to/35zxH6TMalibu Rising - amzn.to/35ep4ijInvisible Women - amzn.to/3HkTAEdELSEWHERE:Goodreads: goo.gl/vlGtSdTwitter: twitter.com/daejin_v2Instagram: instagram.com/daejinDiscord: discord.gg/Q7v2SHN#uzumaki
The Killing Floor vs Reacher: Lee Childs iconic Jack Reacher ThePoptimist 2022-02-13 | The Amazon Prime series was an absolute hoot to watch as a comfort food actioner which prompted picking up the debut novel from author Lee Childs on which the series was based. It's an introductory dive into the world of the 6.5", 250lb former military police officer with hands like dinner plates. MENTIONED:Adaptation Nation - bit.ly/3rO7U3QThe Killing Floor - amzn.to/3LtYrGtELSEWHERE:Goodreads: goo.gl/vlGtSdTwitter: twitter.com/daejin_v2Instagram: instagram.com/daejinDiscord: discord.gg/Q7v2SHN#JackReacher
You Suck at Productivity: Reading Four Thousand Weeks ThePoptimist 2022-01-23 | It's Time Management for Mortals - which means that given our short time here on earth, hope is a curse and imagining a future when you've gotten it all done dooms you to failure. And that's actually a good thing. Oliver Burkeman insists we think a little different when it comes to time management. MENTIONED:Four Thousand Weeks - amzn.to/3IvRRgpThe Imperfectionist - bit.ly/3IpGu9IELSEWHERE:Goodreads: goo.gl/vlGtSdTwitter: twitter.com/daejin_v2Instagram: instagram.com/daejinDiscord: discord.gg/Q7v2SHN#FourThousandWeeks
Skinship is the Most Korean-American Book Ive Ever Read ThePoptimist 2022-01-09 | All killer, no filler. This debut collection of 8 short stories from Yoon Choi just completely blew my mind and knocked my socks off. Easily my favourite read of 2021, a wonderful way to cap off a great year of reading, and kick off a hopeful year of booktubing for 2022. Skinship is a solid buy. MENTIONED:Skinship - amzn.to/3GbfOJfThe Best American Short Stories 2018 - amzn.to/3JX0QISThe Inugami Curse- amzn.to/3FbEQXpELSEWHERE:Goodreads: goo.gl/vlGtSdTwitter: twitter.com/daejin_v2Instagram: instagram.com/daejinDiscord: discord.gg/Q7v2SHN#Skinship
The Booktube Postscript Tag for 2021 ThePoptimist 2022-01-01 | It's the 2021 Postscript Tag. What can I say, it's been a year. MENTIONED:Cloud Cuckoo Land - amzn.to/3eGOypLCrosshairs - amzn.to/3qDAgMcShuggie Bain - amzn.to/3zihFZSLemon - amzn.to/3eGPbzDAnd Then There Were None - amzn.to/3sPvLB8White Woman's Instagram - youtu.be/xHotXbGZiFYNo One is Talking About This - amzn.to/3zdq9leSkinship - amzn.to/3FLK9xPLove After Love - amzn.to/3pIN70kThree-Body Problem - amzn.to/3sPku3qELSEWHERE:Goodreads: goo.gl/vlGtSdTwitter: twitter.com/daejin_v2Instagram: instagram.com/daejinDiscord: discord.gg/Q7v2SHN#PostscriptTag
Cloud Cuckoo Land is a total clutch-worthy read. ThePoptimist 2021-11-07 | After the 5-star success of All The Light We Cannot See I was justifiably nervous about picking up Anthony Doerr's follow-up, the strangely named, confusingly plotted, absolute chonker of a unit Cloud Cuckoo Land. What I got was a clutch-worthy machine that captures attention. TL:DR - Loved it! MENTIONED:Cloud Cuckoo Land - amzn.to/3ESSqz7All The Light We Cannot See - amzn.to/3o2GiEZThe Giller Shortlist - bit.ly/3o7LKGpO Beautiful: A Novel - amzn.to/307rooLThe Loneliest Americans - amzn.to/3mTMYGaLemon: A Novel - amzn.to/3kfDLpFBeasts of a Little Land - amzn.to/31svsQPELSEWHERE:Goodreads: goo.gl/vlGtSdTwitter: twitter.com/daejin_v2Instagram: instagram.com/daejinDiscord: discord.gg/Q7v2SHN#CloudCuckooLand
The Books & Life Tag (super rambly edition) ThePoptimist 2021-10-24 | Tagged by Becs at @getbookish - youtu.be/YHCv3yiFwRwOriginal Tag by @saintdonoghue youtu.be/8AI_wnQfIXoI'm tagging: Jena @Bibliofilth Rick @RickMacDonnell Doris @alldbooks9165 THE BOOKS AND LIFE TAG:1. On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being a normal person and 10 being the late Harold Bloom, how much are books and reading a part of your life?2. Where does your personal library stand right now in relation to the rest of your life? Do you have more books now than you ever have? Fewer? How has your library changed?3. Take a mental step back and ask yourself: what is the most likely first bookish impression a newcomer would have in your home?4. How often (if ever, gulp) do you clean or re-organize your books?5. On average, how many books do you acquire in a given week?6. What song is your current ear-worm?7. What percentage of your self-control do you retain in a well-stocked bookshop?8. Do you ever feel the need to take a break from books? If so, what form does it take?9. When you meet a new person, how long does it take you to bring up books?10. Have you given any thought/made any provisions for your personal library after you croak?11. Are you known among your friends & loved ones for your weird and probably unhealthy relationship with booksELSEWHERE:Goodreads: goo.gl/vlGtSdTwitter: twitter.com/daejin_v2Instagram: instagram.com/daejinDiscord: discord.gg/Q7v2SHN#BooksandLifeTag
Horror Reads: The Final Girl Support Group ThePoptimist 2021-10-11 | Grady Hendrix' The Final Girl Support Group is a non-stop horror thriller that is a modern day reckoning of 80's slasher movies decades on where the final girls try and make some sense of their lives while someone seems intent, once again, on ending them. Already snatched up for a tv adaptation this thing is built for the screen. MENTIONED:Men, Women, and Chain Saws: Gender in the Modern Horror Film - amzn.to/306VFnmThe Final Girl Support Group - amzn.to/3oRfitXELSEWHERE:Goodreads: goo.gl/vlGtSdTwitter: twitter.com/daejin_v2Instagram: instagram.com/daejinDiscord: discord.gg/Q7v2SHN#TheFinalGirlSupportGroup
They Said This Would Be Fun: Race, Campus Life, and Growing Up ThePoptimist 2021-09-26 | In the midst of the so-called Red Zone of campus sexual violence and the recent events at Western University - Eternity Martis' fantastic debut memoir offers some additional context. MENTIONED:Drugging at Medway-Sydenham Hall - bit.ly/3zK0cIGThey Said This Would Be Fun - amzn.to/3AJjBe9ELSEWHERE:Goodreads: goo.gl/vlGtSdTwitter: twitter.com/daejin_v2Instagram: instagram.com/daejinDiscord: discord.gg/Q7v2SHN#TheySaidThisWouldBeFun
Bad Blood: Elizabeth Holmes & Theranos - the story continues as the trial begins ThePoptimist 2021-09-13 | John Carryrou's Bad Blood is a gripping real-world thriller about Theranos, but the story doesn't end with the book and things have gotten even crazier in the ensuing years. MENTIONED:Bad Blood - amzn.to/3tQiy9HWSJ coverage of Theranos - on.wsj.com/2YThnuBBoies Firm Loses Attorneys - https://cnb.cx/3AfIXQETheranos' Greatest Invention was Elizabeth Holmes- bit.ly/2XcbHuMWe Charity Scandals - bit.ly/3E8l2oxELSEWHERE:Goodreads: goo.gl/vlGtSdTwitter: twitter.com/daejin_v2Instagram: instagram.com/daejinDiscord: discord.gg/Q7v2SHN#ElizabethHolmes
Literary Adaptations We Need to See! ThePoptimist 2021-09-06 | It's peak Must-Read-TV out there and bookish properties are being snatched up left and right! Some literary recommendations ripe for the silver screen and a quick peek at what's coming down the pipe! MENTIONED:The Rise of Must Read TV - bit.ly/3zQiKb2Saga - amzn.to/3DV2wQ6Y: The Last Man - amzn.to/3hakZhZPaper Girls - amzn.to/3h6RQo3Justice League International Omnibus - amzn.to/3BGRJqQCompany Town - amzn.to/2Yr89W1The Plotters - amzn.to/3tr8VhhLexicon - amzn.to/3tjg1V2ELSEWHERE:Goodreads: goo.gl/vlGtSdTwitter: twitter.com/daejin_v2Instagram: instagram.com/daejinDiscord: discord.gg/Q7v2SHN#LiteraryAdaptations
The Midnight Library: Am I A Sucker If I Like This? ThePoptimist 2021-08-22 | Apologies - I am out of practice! New rig, new workflow, and a long break makes it feel like I'm learning how to do this all over again. Matt Haig's latest book (not to mention his entire literary output) has me conflicted.MENTIONED:The Midnight Library - amzn.to/2W8rgUkNotes on a Nervous Planet - amzn.to/381AWlEReasons to Stay Alive - amzn.to/3gqyI3RAmerican Shoppers Are A Nightmare - bit.ly/3kfxpG7ELSEWHERE:Goodreads: goo.gl/vlGtSdTwitter: twitter.com/daejin_v2Instagram: instagram.com/daejinDiscord: discord.gg/Q7v2SHN#TheMidnightLibrary
The Mid Year Book Freakout Tag 2021 ThePoptimist 2021-07-04 | We're halfway through the year and the annual tradition continues! Here's hoping the second half of 2021 proves just as good reading wise as the first! THE QUESTIONS:1. Best book you’ve read so far 2. Best sequel you've read so far 3. New release you haven't read yet, but want to4. Most anticipated release for the second half of the year5. Biggest disappointment6. Biggest surprise7. Favourite new author8. Newest fictional crush9. Newest favourite character10. Book that made you cry11. Book that made you happy12. Most beautiful book you've bought so far this year (or received)13. What books do you need to read by the end of the year?MENTIONED:Love After Love - amzn.to/3AqKCmHThe Three-Body Problem - amzn.to/3yjFlLRCultish - amzn.to/3yi8xD2Cloud Cuckoo Land - amzn.to/3AsiEHaNo One Is Talking About This - amzn.to/3hdNEmMMemes of No One is Talking About This - bit.ly/3xiaRtwShuggie Bain - amzn.to/3dIk1rHWriters & Lovers - amzn.to/3qKEO2THench - amzn.to/3jE9EJ0The Song of Achilles - amzn.to/3heOorNThe Midnight Bargain - amzn.to/3qLmqarWorld of Wonders - amzn.to/3xhbdkgFumi Nakamura - bit.ly/3ApS6X0The Night Watchman - amzn.to/3jE9YaGELSEWHERE:Goodreads: goo.gl/vlGtSdTwitter: twitter.com/daejin_v2Instagram: instagram.com/daejinDiscord: discord.gg/Q7v2SHN#MidYearBookFreakoutTag
Korean Food, Kimchi and... Crying in H Mart ThePoptimist 2021-06-20 | It's hard to be objective about Michelle Zauner's Crying in H Mart as it so mirrors so many aspects of my life growing up second gen. Loved the read - and if you're on the fence you can read some her work online that shows what a talent she truly is. MENTIONED:Crying in H Mart - amzn.to/35EDqFsThe New Yorker: Crying in H Mart - bit.ly/3qfd4mJMaangchi - youtube.com/user/MaangchiCook Korean - amzn.to/3vFVKZjMichelle Zauner in Harpers Bazaar - bit.ly/3xDf3UKELSEWHERE:Goodreads: goo.gl/vlGtSdTwitter: twitter.com/daejin_v2Instagram: instagram.com/daejinDiscord: discord.gg/Q7v2SHN#CryinginHMart
Curse You Booktube Prize! ThePoptimist 2021-06-06 | Once again I submit myself to the anxiety inducing dread that is the annual Booktube Prize to show my support for this fantastic event that's grown to include non-fiction and now hundreds of judges. This year my cohort breaks my Anti-TBR promise to myself. I guess it was inevitable at least one of the books would manage to seep through the cracks. MENTIONED:2021 Booktube Prize - bit.ly/2UIL5OcReal Life - amzn.to/34PAaqqThe Pull of the Stars - amzn.to/3ih5uX0The Glass Hotel - amzn.to/3ppA7uZPiranesi - amzn.to/2TNY9nBWriters & Lovers - amzn.to/3fUGxPqShuggie Bain - amzn.to/3ih5M02ELSEWHERE:Goodreads: goo.gl/vlGtSdTwitter: twitter.com/daejin_v2Instagram: instagram.com/daejinDiscord: discord.gg/Q7v2SHN#BooktubePrize
Theyre coming for your Seuss, Cancel Culture and Diversity in Literary Endeavours ThePoptimist 2021-05-03 | Ignore the fuzz on my top because I can't. The Discord got me thinking about Simon and Schuster's response to the Mike Pence book deal, how it feels like we're seeing more of this, and how diversity in the literary world is making demands for change. All this meandering leads to my excitement over the currently running Festival of Literary Diversity 2021. Use offer code pop10 to save on two weeks of killer bookish content. MENTIONED:Ron Charles at The Washington Post - https://wapo.st/3nGvtYmThe FOLD Festival - bit.ly/324e1TERing Shout - amzn.to/3gVCUJXYou Are Eating an Orange. You Are Naked - amzn.to/3tdm77QSaga Boy - amzn.to/3tcvtAHGutter Child - amzn.to/2PHjcXcELSEWHERE:Goodreads: goo.gl/vlGtSdTwitter: twitter.com/daejin_v2Instagram: instagram.com/daejinDiscord: discord.gg/Q7v2SHN#Fold2021
Has Malcolm Gladwell Been Red Pilled? ThePoptimist 2021-04-25 | The office bookclub chose this backlist book from local author Malcolm Gladwell for this month's read and I gotta tell you it was an absolute dumpster fire of a mess. I am clearly missing the plot on this otherwise favourably reviewed bestseller. MENTIONED:Talking to Strangers - amzn.to/3gEbyIfELSEWHERE:Goodreads: goo.gl/vlGtSdTwitter: twitter.com/daejin_v2Instagram: instagram.com/daejinDiscord: discord.gg/Q7v2SHN
The #StopAsianHate Korean Reading List ThePoptimist 2021-04-11 | Forget prescriptive #StopAsianHate reading lists - 5 great reads, meant to be enjoyed, that just happen to be authored by Koreans. MENTIONED:The Many Lives of Steven Yeun - https://nyti.ms/3uIDyhDThe Future Belongs to Steven Yeun - bit.ly/3wL3XxdYoun Yuh-jung Comes to America - bit.ly/3wIgMIJBlack Authors Are Not Your Medicine - bit.ly/3d8LkLTWhat Is an Anti-Racist Reading List For? - bit.ly/324dIrYMinor Feelings - amzn.to/3tdW3dmPizza Girl - amzn.to/3mEzcW2The Disaster Tourist - amzn.to/3dWNSf1Seconds - amzn.to/2PY7veKRun Me To Earth - amzn.to/3d906SXDance Dance Revolution - amzn.to/2QjL1EMThe Fold Festival - bit.ly/324e1TEELSEWHERE:Goodreads: goo.gl/vlGtSdTwitter: twitter.com/daejin_v2Instagram: instagram.com/daejinDiscord: discord.gg/Q7v2SHN#StopAsianHate
Crying on BookTok: What real bookish influence looks like ThePoptimist 2021-03-28 | BookTok is the new kid on the block and she's moving heavy weight - BookTube needs to step up their game and answer this shot across our bow with #booktubemademebuyit and Rachel Khong's Goodbye Vitamin. MENTIONED:How Crying on TikTok Sells Books - https://nyti.ms/2PBZQlUThe Most Popular Books on BookTok - bit.ly/2PCKQEeThe Song of Achilles - amzn.to/3w4VCUFHow BookTok Gets Into Your Brain - bit.ly/3rvom5xLGBTQ+ BookTok Accounts - bit.ly/3sydFQOThe Exorcism of Ducks, Newburyport - youtu.be/0Rj7jNuAdFYJess Owens - bit.ly/3tU6va2Goodbye Vitamin - amzn.to/3swU7fQELSEWHERE:Goodreads: goo.gl/vlGtSdTwitter: twitter.com/daejin_v2Instagram: instagram.com/daejinDiscord: discord.gg/Q7v2SHN#BooktubeMadeMeBuyIt
Reading the CBC Canada Reads 2021 Books! ThePoptimist 2021-03-07 | It's time for CBC's Canada Reads and once again the book selection committee has outdone itself with a wonderfully diverse set of books across genres that continues to be surprisingly, consistently good. Some great books that I wouldn't normally pick up and another book poised to be my absolute favourite of the year! Let's talk about this year's books. MENTIONED:CBC Canada Reads 2021 - http://bit.ly/37FXAOOTwo Trees Make a Forest - amzn.to/3ce2OoaJonny Appleseed - amzn.to/3egFSY6The Midnight Bargain - amzn.to/2OwIy98Hench - amzn.to/3v2wwoXButter Honey Pig Bread - amzn.to/2OeaG13ELSEWHERE:Goodreads: goo.gl/vlGtSdTwitter: twitter.com/daejin_v2Instagram: instagram.com/daejinDiscord: discord.gg/Q7v2SHN#Canadareads2021
Im Done ThePoptimist 2021-02-21 | We're closing in on a full year that's been just brutal in an insidious, mounting way and while there's a light at the end of the tunnel it still feels like it's an incredible ways away. No books just talk. MENTIONED:The Pandemic Has Erased Entire Categories of Friendship - http://bit.ly/3dxBfZzELSEWHERE:Goodreads: goo.gl/vlGtSdTwitter: twitter.com/daejin_v2Instagram: instagram.com/daejinDiscord: discord.gg/Q7v2SHN
Clyde Fans: A Picture Novel ThePoptimist 2021-02-03 | Giller longlisted Clyde Fans was 20 years in the making for Canadian Seth (just Seth) and is an ode to small towns, mid century capitalism and the wistful nostalgia that comes with middle age (and the dangers therein)Also tell me if you've succumbed to the lure of Tik-Tok MENTIONED:Clyde Fans - amzn.to/3az80T8Homeland Elegies - amzn.to/3rfUMkHELSEWHERE:Goodreads: goo.gl/vlGtSdTwitter: twitter.com/daejin_v2Instagram: instagram.com/daejinDiscord: discord.gg/Q7v2SHN#ClydeFans
Enter the Aardvark: Quaint Political Schadenfreude ThePoptimist 2021-01-17 | It's been a dispiriting start to the year ...but at least my reading has been great! Kicking off the year with this diversionary read. MENTIONED:Enter the Aardvark - amzn.to/3ixxmV3ELSEWHERE:Goodreads: goo.gl/vlGtSdTwitter: twitter.com/daejin_v2Instagram: instagram.com/daejinDiscord: discord.gg/Q7v2SHN#EntertheAardvark
Top 10 Favorite Reads of 2020: Dumpster Fire Edition ThePoptimist 2021-01-11 | I'm back with my yee-haw haircut and my list of best reads of 2020. Making the most of an anxious and fraught year of reading, these are a few of the books that saved me and stuck with me. MENTIONED:This is How You Lose the Time War - amzn.to/3bnUUtTNoopiming - amzn.to/3sc6eitDune - amzn.to/3bqAArDDucks, Newburyport - amzn.to/2LbQo7aRun Me To Earth - amzn.to/35sJ7H0Such a Fun Age - amzn.to/38ujk2OThe Biggest Bluff - amzn.to/3nuZjgLHow To Pronounce Knife - amzn.to/3s87C61Fleishman Is in Trouble - amzn.to/2K3iK2PButter Honey Pig Bread - amzn.to/39nHQBUELSEWHERE:Goodreads: goo.gl/vlGtSdTwitter: twitter.com/daejin_v2Instagram: instagram.com/daejinDiscord: discord.gg/Q7v2SHN#BestBooks2020
December Holiday Reading and Cheers to 2021! ThePoptimist 2021-01-03 | Welcome all to 2021! Closing out the year in reading with a couple of holiday reads that seemed to inform each other, specifically Alexandra Chang's Days of Distraction which was the gooey center of this literary s'more. It's a lightly fictionalized autobiography that feels like such a me book right now examining Asian-Americaness, Millennial tech work and biracial relationships. MENTIONED:Can't Even - amzn.to/3ocZvlZCulture Study Newsletter -http://bit.ly/2X51ZHtPizza Girl - amzn.to/3rR2u5NDays of Distraction - amzn.to/3nbff83Goodreads: goo.gl/vlGtSdTwitter: twitter.com/daejin_v2Instagram: instagram.com/daejinDiscord: discord.gg/Q7v2SHN
Happy Holidays with the BenQ e-Reading Desk Lamp ThePoptimist 2020-12-22 | The BenQ eReading lamp is a flicker-free, glare reducing, sleek AF lamp that 's just as comfortable on your desk as it is on the bedside table. Extra-wide, evenly distributed light reduces eye strain and provides adjustable lighting for whatever you're doing.Thanks to BenQ for Bringing Enjoyment N Quality to life as well as sending me this sweet desk lamp - that I, no lie, love. Otherwise - wishing you all the happiest of holidays! Stay safe!BenQ Website: http://bit.ly/2WDVqeuAmazon Link: amzn.to/37E7VgmELSEWHERE:Goodreads: goo.gl/vlGtSdTwitter: twitter.com/daejin_v2Instagram: instagram.com/daejinDiscord: discord.gg/Q7v2SHN#benqlighting #benqwit #benq
The Anti-TBR Tag ThePoptimist 2020-11-29 | MENTIONED:Nicole & Her Books ANTI-TBR Tag - bit.ly/2VjmPScQUESTIONS:1. A popular book EVERYONE loves that you have no interest in reading? 2. A classic book (or author) you don’t have an interest in reading?3. An author whose books you have no interest in reading? 3.2 A problematic author whose books you have no interest in reading? 4. An author you have read a couple of books from & have decided their books are not for you? 5. A genre you have no interest in OR a genre you tried to get into & couldn’t? 6. A book you have bought but will never read?7. A series you have no interest in reading OR a series you started & have DNF’d? 8. A new release you have no interest in reading? I TAG:Ghost Reader - http://bit.ly/2PdZ1vpJohn-Allen Pascoe - bit.ly/3loljJ7All D Books - bit.ly/36jvMkRELSEWHERE:Goodreads: goo.gl/vlGtSdTwitter: twitter.com/daejin_v2Instagram: instagram.com/daejinDiscord: discord.gg/Q7v2SHN#AntiTBRTag
ThePoptimist... Just Chatting About Books Im Reading ThePoptimist 2020-11-22 | I just needed to shake off the cobwebs and sit in front of the camera for a bit. It's just that late fall/early winter blues merging with Lockdown 2 - Electric Avenue (Infection Rates are Higher)MENTIONED:Beowulf - amzn.to/3pSRIejWilding - amzn.to/2IXrTJpTerra Nullius - amzn.to/2UTrt9iThe World That We Knew - amzn.to/338GPLJDune - amzn.to/3kWpPytELSEWHERE:Goodreads: goo.gl/vlGtSdTwitter: twitter.com/daejin_v2Instagram: instagram.com/daejinDiscord: discord.gg/Q7v2SHN#booktube
