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Empress of All Seasons
Empress of All Seasons | Emiko Jean
35 posts | 20 read | 44 to read
One girl must compete to become the next empress while keeping her monstrous identity a secret in this Ancient Japan-inspired standalone fantasy.
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asterese
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Bestie passed on her book organizer to me, and it made the perfect home for my small collection of Asian-inspired fantasy books. 😃🐲

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asterese
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Pickpick

"To believe something gives it weight and meaning. It taunts the gods and goddesses to turn it true.”

Still reeling from this book. ? I read the whole thing in one sitting, and what a ride that was. It wasn't the best, but it was certainly worth the long wait to find a copy of it. ?

⭐: 4

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asterese
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I impulse-bought a book last Sunday while reading Tokyo Ever After, and it arrived today! 🙌🏻

Been wanting to read this since it came out in 2018 but it's been difficult to find a copy here. Was really fortunate to have found a secondhand hardcover edition online. 🌸

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SaunteringVaguelyDownwards
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Pickpick

A lyrical stand-alone fantasy based on Japanese mythology. I thought the rift between the yokai and the humans was believable; the only thing I didn't like was how quickly Taro changed his feelings about the yokai, given how deep-rooted his shame at creating the collars used to imprison them was. I will certainly be looking into Jean's other work.

#PopSugar Reading Challenge 2020: a book set in Japan, host of the (intended) 2020 Olympics

Just_reading Reading this now and loving it, too! 3y
6 likes1 comment
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emmaturi
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Pickpick

My was my Illumicrate read for April. I enjoyed it very much. Set in Japan, Mari will participate in a competition and the winner will marry the prince and become Empress. All the women just have to survive the palace's seasonal rooms. #bookcover

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emmaturi
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This was my Illumnicrate box for March! The book is gorgeous with blue sprained edges. Plus it sounds interesting! #book

Liberlove How is the book so far? I‘m thinking of adding it to my reading list 😁 4y
emmaturi I haven't started it yet. But the storyline sounds good! @Liberlove 4y
31 likes2 comments
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kammartinez
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Mehso-so

Full review here: https://wp.me/p21txV-GV

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ of 5 ⭐️s

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kammartinez
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Julsmarshall Amen! 4y
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kammartinez
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Just_reading I loved this quote! 3y
5 likes1 comment
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review
BookishRedhead
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Pickpick

Really enjoyed this!
Loved the little snippets about the God's and Goddesses.
Kick ass female!

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AriThomas
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I've got a pupper, a drink and a book...my day is made

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AriThomas
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#CatsofLitsy my baby Smudge and her spot laying on top of my books 😂

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Liberty
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Today was the perfect day, and I‘m so happy, I could give the sun a hickey! I picked up a bunch of things at Oblong Books in Rhinebeck, NY, squeezed some of my favorite people, had a delicious lunch, and sang at the top of my lungs in the car on my 9 & 1/2 hour trip. (If you live near the Mass Pike or the Taconic and thought you heard a cat being strangled, that was me, sorry.) 😝📚❤️

cobwebmoth That sounds like an awesome day.☺ 5y
riversong153 Looks like some great titles! I 💜 my sister Rosa. 5y
139 likes2 comments
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AriThomas
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1. Tagged-among others
2. Crosstalk by Connie Willis
3. Only Human by Sylvain Neuvel, Rebel Seoul by Ellen Oh, Bloodleaf by Crystal Smith

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monalyisha
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Mehso-so

I read this for my IRL book club. Think: “The Selection” (by Kiera Cass) but set in Japan & way more fantastical.

I enjoyed learning about Japanese folklore & the host of mythological creatures. The writing, however, was less than perfect (overblown metaphors, repetition). The romance portion suffered two, twin blows dealt by insta-love & a love triangle. The end felt rushed.

More details (with spoilers) in comments.👇🏻

monalyisha I hate that Taro falls for Mari based on a snarky conversation they share before she realizes his true, princely identity. He‘s taken with her because she doesn‘t know who he is, which feels novel. I hate this trope. It‘s like how Edward liked Bella because hers was the only mind he couldn‘t read. Call me crazy, but I think it‘s stupid to romanticize a “love” based on ignorance & mystery. It deepens (over 3 days 🙄) but is never substantial. (edited) 5y
monalyisha ALSO, why was it so easy for yokkai to infiltrate the competition & why did none of the advisors predict that it might be a distinct possibility? You‘d think they would‘ve done a better job preparing for such a thing. The only reason nobody planned for it was because it would‘ve presented plot difficulties. TOO EASY. 5y
monalyisha I don‘t know that the events of the story totally match the closing line: “We love our brothers. But not every happily ever after includes a man.” Was it really a happy ending? There‘s so much death & destruction. So many tarnished souls. Mothers, sisters, lovers, all dead. Communities destroyed. And the rebuild was so FAST that it‘s not satisfying. 5y
monalyisha There‘s also a complicated interlude with gods & goddesses. The sun goddess is raped. She goes to her brother (the god of war) to ask for his help in punishing her abuser. The brother blames her for being too pretty, instead. Later, the brother asks for her help saving a tree that he‘s planted, which is withering in the shade. She tells him it‘s his fault for planting it wrong. GOTCHA (& fuck him, honestly). But the blameless tree still dies? (edited) 5y
monalyisha This was not a well-written review, either. 😅 But I wanted to get all of my thoughts down (in detail) before I inevitably forgot them all. I guess the writing style matches the author‘s? IT WAS TOTALLY ON PURPOSE THAT MY REVIEW IS QUICK & DIRTY. 5y
69 likes2 stack adds5 comments
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monalyisha
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I get it, I get it. It‘s a Disney reference. Once would have been enough! Please stop saying it now.

Sometimes, I get grumpy (maybe unfairly) when I don‘t get to choose what I‘m reading. #bookclubproblems

Clare-Dragonfly I was amused by the bit you photographed! But if it‘s just hammering in the same point, that would get tiring. 5y
monalyisha @Clare-Dragonfly It‘s the second time with the exact same wording. The first time I (silently) acknowledged that it was kind-of cute. It‘s also not the first instance of repetition, in general. There are some things I like about the story but...at least at this point, they‘re outweighed. 😔 5y
79 likes2 comments
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monalyisha
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I‘m told this reads quickly. Crossing my fingers that‘s true.🤞🏻So far, I‘m not impressed with the writing at all.

I mean, “sprinkled sugar on A BLACK MAT” was really the best the author could come up with? 🤦‍♀️ I‘m not familiar with Japanese cuisine but there‘s *gotta be* something dark & edible that sugar is actually, intentionally sprinkled on. Right?

Erinreadsthebooks Ughhh 😒😞 5y
pocketmermaid Even “spilled” instead of “sprinkled” would make that a stronger sentence. Poor writing like that does stop me in my tracks, making me wonder what the heck the author was thinking! 5y
70 likes3 comments
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monalyisha
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I started my next book club book (tagged) instead of giving into temptation & picking up the 4th book in The Wayward Children series (which is impatiently awaiting me on my nightstand). I‘m being responsible! Try to reign in your awe. 😉

sprainedbrain 😂 You go! 5y
72 likes1 comment
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DuckOfDoom
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Panpan

I wanted to like the book, but:
- instalove
- love triangle
- plot twist could be seen from chapter 2
- the book reads a if the author had planned a sequel, but the publishers did not pay for one. The ending was rushed.
Also: it is Japan inspired, but I fail to understand why every foreign mythological word has to written in cursive. For this world, the word is normal and it just destroyed the flow. But that's my personal pet peeve, I guess...

monalyisha YUP 5y
55 likes1 comment
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Chasingmermaids
Pickpick

This book kept surprising me. You think it‘s about a forbidden love but in reality it‘s about self acceptance and self love. Mari is a great character that you root for.

monalyisha I‘ve been feeling grumpy about other aspects of the book but you‘re right. This is a positive message & was done well! 5y
Chasingmermaids I get that. I was too but then I thought about this book for a bit only for it hit me the positives about it. 5y
5 likes2 comments
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DefyingGravityBooks
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Tentative TBR for biannual bibliothon. #readathon #biannualbibliothon #winterbibib

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AJTimberlake
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What better way to prepare for a readathon than to watch Gilmore Girls. Check out My TBR: coupleofreviews.com/2019/01/11/biannual-bibliothon-tbr/

Naj Some great reads on your tbr! Good luck and happy reading 😊 5y
70 likes1 comment
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Lucy_Anywhere
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Today's quote comes from an Asian-inspired YA fantasy that doesn't quite live up to its potential. But it's fiercely feminist which is always awesome.

#feminist #fantasy #youngadult

5 likes1 stack add
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Tanzy13
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In a palace of illusions, nothing is what it seems.

Torn between duty and love, loyalty and betrayal, vengeance and forgiveness, the choices of Mari, Taro, and Akira will decide the fate of Honoku in this beautifully written, edge-of-your-seat fantasy.

56 likes4 stack adds