justinkhchen's reviews
571 reviews

A holiday tie-in that (just barely) gets the job done, in comparison to The Pumpkin Spice Café. The Christmas Tree Farm doesn't quite capture the same effortless appeal. Call me cynical, but this entry feels like a rushed effort in order to have a Christmas themed book out during the same calendar year when the series went viral: the romance is overly manufactured without an organic flow (relying on too many cliches), and its two romantic leads feel half-baked (watered-down, low stake backstories) — on the whole the novel feel like it doesn't really have a reason to exist, other than becoming a potential bookish gift option for the season.

BUT, I can't deny its small town vibe still hits, and some of its comedic scenes still carry charm, just don't expect the romance to be memorable or emotionally involving. I did hear some good things about Book 2, so might circle back and check that one out in the future. 

Emotionally hollow, The Other Side of Night was a 5-star read that came out of nowhere for me, so I was very excited diving into Adam Hamdy's new title. I think expectation kind of tainted my experience with Deadbeat, as this new novel's intent and tone are vastly different from The Other Side of Night — more of a gritty, ultra-masculine action thriller, rather than the genre-bending, nuanced mystery that was The Other Side of Night.

For me, the most immediate comparison is Razorblade Tears by S.A. Cosby, with both stories spotlighting a father figure as its protagonist, and the reader following him through action-packed ordeals in the name of his children. Unfortunately, Deadbeat never manages to engage me emotionally with its anti-hero, so as the set pieces get more grandiose and ridiculous, I feel disconnected and can't fully sympathize the character's decisions at each critical junction. There are also some nitpicks I have with the overall storytelling: the overuse of the word 'deadbeat' as punchline (at least once in every chapter), and an predictable twist that arrives far too late to be effective.

While action thriller is not really a sub-genre I gravitate towards, it has worked for me in the past (such as the aforementioned Razorblade Tears), but Deadbeat just doesn't quite click: the writing style tries too hard to be urban and grungy (though the dash of the supernatural is a nice touch), the plot meandering and its drawn-out delivery really kills the twist (too many hints beforehand), and the protagonist too impersonal to form an attachment (a lot of telling not showing). I'm all for author diversifying their output, but the drastic difference between The Other Side of Night and Deadbeat makes me cautious to whether I should pick up Adam Hamdy's next title.

**This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated!**

The original version has to be better than this, ever since I was made aware of Lisa Kleypas completely re-writing her 1998 novel Someone to Watch Over Me, I was eager to check out the updated version, and see if it would read any differently to someone who has not read the original, but is relatively familiar with Kleypas' work. Sadly this overhaul feels like a compromise to appease controversies, at the same time completely losing its creative edge.

As someone who appreciates a densely-laid plot, I thoroughly enjoyed Someone to Watch Over Me's overall story progression, from its ominous opening, journey to discovering the Heroine's identity (with a neat little plot twist), to how the secondary characters contribute throughout the story, all felt well-considered and moved at an easily consumable pace. I'm assuming in term of story beats, nothing is drastically altered from the 1998 version.

Unfortunately, the romance fell flat, particularly when it came to the Hero. From what I've seen online, the Hero had underwent the most modification, removing his shadier motivation, as well as his alpha-male aggression. But the replacement is a hero who fell head over heels for no reason (he basically confessed his love to a half-dead corpse), and overly cautious to the Heroine's every move / emotion, coming across like an instructional manual on consent rather than an individual with actual personality.

Without knowing the reasoning behind Lisa Kleypas' decision in a full-on rewrite (rather than an author's note acknowledging the different time/culture this work resided in), Someone to Watch Over Me feels like a passive aggressive response to making her work 'correct' and marketable (you don't like alpha hero? I'll make him a Ken doll then). Which to me seems like a net loss—I would not have continuing reading Lisa Kleypas if this was my entry point (it's not very good), and it would've been time better spent on creating new material, rather than shoe-horning in elements that were not there in the first place. 

Creepy image galore, Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak is a comparable novel to Strange Pictures, where a collection of drawings becoming an integral part of the narrative. Strange Pictures goes one steps further with observation and deduction, uncovering hidden meanings through manipulation — if Rekulak's story is a horror/thriller, Uketsu's novel is more of a horror/detective fiction. This process of 'decoding' is my favorite aspect of the reading experience, especially with the accompanied illustration/info-graphic breaking down the solution.

The plot is much more interwoven than I initially anticipated (I thought it was a collection of short stories), so definitely keep the cast in check as even the seemingly irrelevant side characters become a critical point of view later on.

While I enjoy the brain teasers, as well as the intricacy of its plot line, my biggest gripe with Strange Pictures is the writing/translation, coming across very rudimentary and stilted. Especially with a story containing darker subject matters (such as domestic abuse), they lose a lot of their intended impact, because the reader is being 'told' of things, rather than having the event described in a visceral way, or acted out by emotive, compelling characters — a little bit like reading a plot breakdown rather than the actual novel.

From a creativity stand point, Strange Pictures is worthy of checking out for its well-executed gimmick, and the surprisingly complex plot. I just wish the writing is a little bit more layered and colorful to propel it as a solid favorite.

**This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated!**

A provocative story with lasting impact, there's an elegance in the dread of The Memory Police, and the contrast really works as we follow characters (trying to) go through their everyday mundanes, while the inevitable doom is looming above their head. The 'story-within-story' element is a clever addition, furthering the novel's overall theme and tragic tone. The Giver by Lois Lowry is one of my all time favorites, and The Memory Police gives me a very similar post-reading sensation: sad and poetic, perfectly ambiguous (there are multiple ways one can read into/interpret various details), and will be something I revisit from time to time

An introspective Murakami for the fans, while melancholy has always been a signature element in Haruki Murakami's stories, its dominance in The City and Its Uncertain Walls is unlike anything I've read from him thus far; while it's nothing suffocating or oppressive, it lacks the levity and outright 'weirdness' of his more popular titles.

The whole thing can also be interpreted as a meta retrospective of the author's body of work, considering it is partially based off the same short story that has already been 'remade' once as Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World, as well as appearances of some of his iconic themes (romantic yearning during youth / middle age), and elements (literature, music, spaghetti, etc.). The magical realism flavor is still present, but takes a backseat with the story's more muted tone and quiet pacing.

I wouldn't recommend newcomers starting with this as their first foray into Haruki Murakami's universe, as the self-referential aspect will be difficult to grasp / appreciate, its leisurely pacing can be testing even for experienced readers (the story can easily be told under 350 pages), and the overall structure a little fragmented and under-told. But for vibes, I sink into The City and Its Uncertain Walls like a cozy, familiar sweater, and I'm left feeling bittersweet as this can easily be interpreted as a career closure of sorts.

**This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated!**

This one works for me, in the past few months I've been trying out titles from the recent wave of translated Japanese cozy literature, and What You Are Looking for is in the Library is so far the one resonating with me the most. Unlike the previous novels I've tried in this sub-genre, the characters in Michiko Aoyama's story are dimensionally rendered and relatable, rather than cookie-cutter and cartoonish. The positivity message is also delivered with more subtlety and creativity, so instead of feeling like I'm being spoon-fed cloyingly sweet optimism, I'm actually compelled to evaluate whether I'm currently living my life to its fullest.

There are a few technical nitpicks: the English translation is pretty clunky (I notice this has also been translated into Mandarin, the other language I'm fluent in, so would be curious to compare!), and with Japanese literature being a crucial plot device, some of the nuance/relevance might be nontransferable between cultures (reference that meant to bring upon a sense of nostalgia is lost on me).

Still, overall I really enjoyed What You Are Looking for is in the Library, with its ratio of magical realism, uplifting message, and cozy detail more closely resembles what I'm looking for in story like this. 

An entry level domestic thriller — this is essentially Lisa Jewell-lite; there's nothing blatantly wrong with Someone in the Attic, other than being very middle-of-the-road; I couldn't recall anything particularly unique about it, from plot, character, to its overall presentation — all the usual tricks are here. The reveal was a letdown (though I did enjoy a moment of bait-and-switch in the middle), with its explanation not quite convincing me worthy of the whole convoluted operation. Plus, the novel has one of the most long-winded epilogue I've ever read in recent years (covering every single character), it actually cracked me up. 

A Tim Burton + Edward Gorey horror fest goodness, Victorian Psycho delivers exactly what's advertised by its title, a visceral, darkly humorous 'nanny gone mad' gothic narrative that is unshackled with its morality and violence. Would caution readers who are sensitive towards who the violence is inflicted upon (such as children), but overall I thoroughly enjoyed its unapologetic vulgarity, hallucinatory writing, and the blo0d-soaked rampage. Not much in term of depth, but as a novella it is a perfect sensory indulgence!

**This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated!**

A 'don't overthink it' adrenaline rush, Look in the Mirror is overall extremely readable and addictive, but doesn't have much substance to propel it as a new favorite thriller. The book's synopsis and marketing does a great job disguising the actual plot (which doesn't reveal itself until about the halfway point), so I would recommend steer away from reviews as some will likely inadvertently spoil it by comparing to movie/book with similar elements.

Overall I feel the same about Look in the Mirror to Catherine Steadman's previous title The Family Game, in that she always hooks you right in with a great setup, but the narrative tends to lose grip on logic and plausibility as the plot goes on. A decent popcorn thriller, but look elsewhere if you want something more grounded and nuanced.