Peasreads: The Rainshadow Orphans by Naomi Ishiguro

 

The Rainshadow Orphans
The Rainshadow Series, Book One
by Naomi Ishiguro

This book is everything the description below promises. From dragons to bubble tea. The world Naomi Ishiguro has created is indeed magical and Studio Ghibli like. The characters are well written. The story is good. It flows well. For all of those elements, I would give this book a solid 5 stars. The thing is, it took me a long time to read this book because it was almost too wordy. The book could have been shorter and still a wonderful read. I don't know how to explain it. All in all I enjoyed the book. I want to know what happens next. I just hope it isn't a trilogy that could have been a duology. 

Description

Featuring stenciled edges and original art for the front and back endpapers.

The first novel in a dazzling fantasy trilogy inspired by Japanese folklore and Studio Ghibli films like Spirited Away, set within a mythical archipelago brimming with dragons and Sun Spirits, high-tech hackers and bubble tea.

Life is hard for the inhabitants of Rainshadow City, a place where poverty and corruption are rife and where they are terrorized by an underground criminal organization known as the Lucky Crows.

Toshiko, Jun and Mei Kawakami are a family, bonded through loyalty if not blood, who live outside the increasingly corrupt law and who are seeking revenge for the murder of their beloved “aunt” Reiko by the Lucky Crows. Haru is the son of the Emperor, destined to one day rule over the Archipelago and uphold his mother’s ignoble legacy, but he is more interested in making friends with the magical Sun Spirits it seems only he can see. Theo, forced to leave his homeland, is a reluctant foot-soldier for the Lucky Crows. He doesn’t want to be a gangster, but as an illegal immigrant to the city, his choices are severely limited.

When Toshiko steals a dragon pearl from the leader of the Crows, it sets them all on a thrilling path which will determine the future of Rainshadow City. Tightly set across two days and peopled with unforgettable characters, The Rainshadow Orphans blends the anime fantasy of works like Pokémon and Studio Ghibli and the anime science fiction of revolutionary cyberpunk like Akira to explore what it means to stand up to corruption and take charge of destiny.

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Thank you, NetGalley and Saga Press | S&S/Saga Press, for this galley. I was under no obligation to leave a review. All opinions are my own. 

Peasreads- 108 Asian Cookies Not-Too-Sweet Treats from a Third-Culture Kitchen by Kat Lieu

 

It's hard to review a cookbook. This one is beautiful. The photos are beautiful, the food looks yummy. I reviewed a digital copy. So I don't know what the print copy looks like. Some of recipes are very unique. However some of them are just regular cookie recipes with a few ingredients that were changed to make a cookie "Asian" like the salt to miso or soy sauce, and added some MSG to some.

I liked the section on traditional cookies the best. So nostalgic.

All the photos were beautiful.

One note of warning, this book doesn't do well on the kindle app on your phone.

I will be attempting to bake some ube cookies this weekend.

Description

From the IACP award winner and bestselling cookbook author comes a first-of-its-kind collection of irresistible cookie recipes inspired by Asian flavors and techniques to excite home bakers.

Growing up as a Canadian-born Vietnamese Chinese American, Kat Lieu sought comfort in the flavors of her youth like taro and black sesame. But she struggled to find a home for herself as a third-culture baker in American bakeries, online, or in cookbooks. In the auspiciously titled 108 Asian Cookies Lieu honors the varied and rich tapestry of Asian cultures and ingredients that inspired these recipes. And along with members from Subtle Asian Baking, the online baking group she founded, are a diverse array of original and member-submitted drool-worthy recipes for cookies and bakes incorporating ingredients from the diaspora including gochujang, ube, miso, fish sauce, sambal, tahini, matcha, and MSG stirred into each batter and dough.

 

Bakers will learn how to whip up both classics and entirely new desserts such as:

 

Spicy chai cookies

Amaretti cookies with pandan and pistachios

Taiwanese snowflake crisps

Milk and cashew burfi

Salted egg yolk corn flake haystacks

Mochi brownies

Matcha and wasabi drop cookies

And even instant ramen and pho cookies!

 

At many Asian tables, “not too sweet” is the highest compliment one can give—so whether these recipes are comfortingly familiar or new discoveries, 108 Asian Cookies will be sure to delight even the most discerning “not too sweet” kitchens for years to come.

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I received this egalley from NetGalley, Little, Brown and Company | VoraciousI was under no obligation to give a review. All opinions are my own. 

Peasreads: The Dragon Wakes with Thunder

What an amazing conclusion to this duology!

Rounding up to 4 stars. I loved the first installment and the character development. This second installment was good but I started to dislike some of the characters. I found it hard to forgive them for past actions. I understand that no one is perfect, but there are deal breakers. Still the story was good. There was a lot to keep me interested. I loved how this duology ended. It was sad though to lose a character I liked 😭

I can't wait to have my hardcopy in hand to complete my collection. 

From the publisher

The war may be over, but Hai Meilin is still paying a heavy toll. In spite of securing victory for the kingdom of Anlai, she is imprisoned upon her return. Her crime? Wielding a sword as a woman.

In the palace, Meilin is an outcast and a social pariah. But beyond the imperial walls, the legend of the woman warrior has taken on a life of its own. To the east, a new rebel leader needs Meilin to helm his people’s revolution. In the south, a former enemy prince, now a prisoner of war, seeks Meilin’s aid in restoring balance to the Three Kingdoms. And back home in Anlai, Liu Sky, Meilin’s commander and first love, requires Meilin by his side in his bid for the throne.

Pulled in all directions by those who seek to use her for their own ends, Meilin vows that this time, she will not be so quick to trust. Yet there is one she cannot help but listen to—for he dwells within her.

Beyond any human machinations, the sea dragon Qinglong has his own plans for the spirit realm. During the last war, Meilin wielded his power to cheat death and attain victory for Anlai; now the dragon has come to collect his dues. Meilin’s mother warned her long ago: The spirits demand blood. And Qinglong is ravenous

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I received this egalley from NetGalley and Penguin Random House I was under no obligation to give a review. All opinions are  my own. 

Peasreads: Celestial Banquet Roselle Lim

 Celestial Banquet: Fast-paced, drool worthy fantasy adventure with excellent world-building. Great concept. A cooking competition for the three major gods by mortals. The grand prize is a peach of immortality for each team member. Not winning could cost you your life. Cai is the main character, she is a poor orphan who wants to fulfill her father's dream of competing in the Celestial Banquet. She is a smart, skilled, hard worker. There is a love triangle in this book, but it's so secondary and unnecessary. The only part of the book that wasn't well written, it was too much too fast. One star off for that. (Sorry). Bo is Cai's best friend from childhood. I never thought he resembled a love interest. He's such an amazing and supportive friend. Soen is a rich noble who sponsors the team in the Celestial Banquet. He is kind and honorable. All of these characters had enough to them and their story that to add the romance needed more pages and build. I'm glad Cai chose well in the end, though.

My other beef is that this book wasn't long enough. I finished it within a 24 hour period. It is 384 fast paced pages that I wanted more of. I don't know if it will end up being a series but the author did leave room for that to happen, which would be awesome. I loved Roselle Lim's food and setting descriptions. She did such a great job. She also described the people and creatures so well. I could picture everything in my mind.

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I received this egalley from NetGalley and Zando Projects I was under no obligation to give a review. All opinions are  my own.  

Peasreads: The God and the Gwisin by Sophie Kim

Magical. Just as good as and maybe even a smidge better than the first book The God and the Gumiho. Seokga is ever the moody, trickster who has searched for Hani's reincarnate. When he finds her she not only doesn't remember him but she is almost the opposite of Hani. Watching Seokga fall in love with  Yoo Kisa for who she is was such a treat.  Sophie Kim is quickly becoming a must read author for me.

Description:

In this swoony sequel to The God and the Gumiho, a trickster god must work with his reincarnated lost love to solve his brother’s murder on board a luxury underworld cruise ship.

Seokga the No-Longer-Fallen is working on himself. Reinstated as a god, the trickster now attends much-needed therapy, even as he desperately searches for his lost love, Hani. But when the red thread of fate tangled around his finger—signaling Hani’s reincarnation—leads Seokga to a luxury cruise down the river of the dead, the woman he finds waiting for him isn’t Hani . . . she’s Yoo Kisa, and she has no memory of him.

Yoo Kisa is exhausted with her afterlife. While she’d hoped the underworld would be peaceful, whoever she was in a past life racked up quite the karmic debt, and now she must pay it, working thanklessly aboard the SRC Flatliner. Even worse, the red thread wrapped around her pinky followed her into the underworld . . . and although her fated partner has found her, he seems to find her lacking.

When the heavenly emperor is murdered aboard the ship, Seokga and Kisa must solve the crime before the cruise ends. As the mystery draws them closer, the god and the gwisin will have to decide what they truly mean to each other. But there’s something bigger at play aboard the SRC Flatliner, something that holds the key to Kisa and Seokga’s fated connection—and the fate of the mortal and heavenly realms.

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I received this book from NetGalley for this review. I was under no obligation to give a positive review. All opinions are  my own. 

Peasreads: Pride and Preston Lin by Christine Hwong Dudley

 

Pride and Preston Lin by Christine Hwong Dudley is available on

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from Amazon and other book retailers.

Description:

Lissie is the middle of three sisters, orphaned and taken in by their aunt and uncle. Both she and her older sister, Jenny, work in the family restaurant while pursuing their education and career dreams. When Lissie accidentally serves a dish containing shellfish paste to an allergic customer, she runs afoul of the wealthy Lin family. Their golden boy, Preston, star swimmer and Stanford Ph.D. student, is as handsome as he is self-righteous. Lissie hates him and everything he stands for, but circumstances keep bringing them together. Can she overcome her pride and her initial misgivings about Preston Lin and his condescending mother? Will love prevail, and will these enemies turn into lovers?

Pride and Preston Lin by popular Regency romance writer Christina Hwang Dudley is a hilarious and earnest contemporary riff on Jane Austen’s classic work. And readers will undoubtedly root for Lissie Cheng, a sassy new Elizabeth Bennet for our times, to find lasting love and happiness.

My thoughts:

First of all, I am a Pride and Prejudice fan but you do NOT need to be to enjoy this book. It is set in modern times. There are nods to Chinese American culture both good and cringe that were all relatable to me being a first-generation Asian American. There is also the world of competitive swim culture that author Dudley seems knowledgeable about. I don't know anything about competitive swim. I didn't feel "left out" or confused because the descriptions (of both worlds) seamlessly flowed with the storyline. I appreciated the world she built.

All the characters in this book fit their personality, from genial to condescending. Charles Bing is a classic lovely Charles Bingley. I liked him a lot and he fit the kind caring character arc. He isn't a pushover and doesn't let people sway him easily. He is smart, kind, and reasonable. Lissie is smart, clever, bold, and witty. She just wants her family to be okay. Preston Lin was infuriating at first but once we truly got to know him it was easy to see why Lissie started falling for him. Dudley brings each character to life in a way that makes you either root for them or dislike them and rightly so! Despite being a riff on Pride and Prejudice this is a fresh take that is quirky and fun. I truly enjoyed this read.

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I received this book from Netgalley, Third State Books, and Christina Hwang Dudley. I was under no obligation to post a review. All opinions are my own. 

PeasReads: Sound the Gong Joan He

From the publisher:

The epic conclusion to the Kingdom of Three duology

All her life, Zephyr has tried to rise above her humble origins as a no-name orphan. Now she is a god in a warrior’s body, and never has she felt more powerless. Her lordess Xin Ren holds the Westlands, but her position is tenuous. In the north, the empress remains under Miasma’s thumb. In the south, the alliance with Cicada is in pieces.

Fate also seems to have a different winner in mind for the three kingdoms, but Zephyr has no intentions of respecting it. She will pay any price to see Ren succeed―and she will make her enemies pay, especially one dark-haired, dark-eyed Crow. What she’ll do when she finds out the truth―that he worked for the South all along…

Only the heavens know. 

REVIEW:

I was so glad I was able to this book right after Strike the Zither. The story picks up where it left off in the first book. Zephyr continues her quest to make Ren the victor and bring unity to the three kingdoms. Though she has new struggles and speed bumps, she knows that she wants to help Ren win this war. There are so many opticals and a huge twist at the end. This book is very much like the first read if you like Asian retellings, strategy, mind games, twists, and turns,  this one is for you.

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I received this book from NetGalley for this review. I was under no obligation to give a positive review. All opinions are on my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Peasreads: Strike The Zither by Joan He

From the publisher:

Book 1 in the Kingdom of Three duology, a reimagining of the Chinese classic

三国演义 helmed by a lady Zhuge Liang 

he year is 414 of the Xin Dynasty, and chaos abounds. A puppet empress is on the throne, and three warlordesses each hope to claim the continent for themselves.

Only Zephyr knows it’s no contest.

Orphaned at a young age, Zephyr took control of her fate by becoming the best strategist of the land and serving under Xin Ren, a warlordess whose loyalty to the empress is double-edged—while Ren’s honor draws Zephyr to her cause, it also jeopardizes their survival in a war where one must betray or be betrayed. When Zephyr is forced to infiltrate an enemy camp to keep Ren’s followers from being slaughtered, she encounters the enigmatic Crow, an opposing strategist who is finally her match. But there are more enemies than one—and not all of them are human.

My review

To say I devoured this series in a few days is not an exaggeration. Strike the Zither is a classic Chinese tragedy with so many twists and turns. I haven't read the original Three Kingdoms. I still loved the mystery, mind games, strategy, and how each character handles war and loss. This is a great book for those who like Asian retellings, strategy, war, rivals to lovers to enemies fans.

#NetGalley 

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I received this book from NetGalley for this review. I was under no obligation to give a positive review. All opinions are on my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Ramen noodles

These ramen noodles are simple to make, I use a Philips Pasta Maker. I just dump the ingredients in and press some buttons. You can make this by hand also, but I don't have a pasta roller or cutter so I don't.

Serve these noodles with your favorite broth or as a cold noodle dish.

Jeaow For Sour Fruits

This is one of my favorite snacks. It's sweet, spicy, and salty, the mangoes and fruits are tart. My mouth waters everytime I think about it. It makes me crave baby mangoes and sour fruits. My cousins when I used to visit them loved this. Julie used to make this sauce for us and we would go pick fruits like crab apples and other fruits around the neighborhood to snack on. So much fun.

Coconut Cherry Pandan Cupcakes

These cupcakes are made with this Pandan Sponge cake batter here. My favorite cake. For the frosting, I made it as written but added coconut cream, a drop of red food coloring and almond extract along with the coconut extract. The pipette is a shot of cherry juice. SO yummy.

Nice and fluffy inside.

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Glazed Pork Belly

What can I say about this pork? It has a similar profile to Khai Palow and it is so flavorful and good. It is great in Coconut Pandan Rolls, Hawaiian Sweet Rolls, or dinner rolls, also great for Spring Rolls. You can slice it and put it in Ramen bowls. It is so good.  You don't have to use pork belly, this glaze can be used on tofu also. It's one of the best things I've made during sheltering in place. So very good.

Khao Piek Sen (Bánh Canh Noodles)

I am so happy with this recipe. I saw it shared on a Facebook page for noodle making. I changed the weights and ratios a bit to our liking. The original recipe calls for a total of 5 kneading cycles. and two longer rest preiods, and often I just don't have time for that. It doesn't matter I'm thankful she posted the recipe. Traditionally these noodles don't have potato starch or Xanthan Gum. I find that both give this noodle great texture.  The noodles are chewy and hold their shape well. I used weights for everything in this recipe, even the water is by weight/grams. I find it is more accurate.

Ajitsuke Tamago Ramen Eggs

 Ajitsuke Tamago Ramen Eggs.  We like these with Ramen bowls, on chilled noodle salads, with sticky rice, as a snack. They are very easy to make. I like the eggs soft boiled, my middle child likes the eggs medium set.  So, cook the eggs to your liking.

Play with the spices you add to the marinade as well. Try five spice, make them spicy, leave out all the spices. Also adjust the water to your liking. Less water, the eggs will be more salty. Time spent in the marinade will also determine how salty the eggs are.

It is not necessary to move the eggs around in the marinade as long as they are covered.  If you don't mind white spots on the eggs from where they are touching the sides of your container and each other just put them in the marinade and put them in the fridge. If the white spots will bother you, move the eggs around so they are evenly colored.

I make the eggs in the Instant Pot because it gives me consistent results. It doesn't matter how you cook your eggs, as long as they are cooled and peeled.

Tiffins- Animal Kingdom

Tiffins is a table service restaurant on property at Disney World's Animal Kingdom. We had lunch there during our visit and it was one of our favorite meals.

Tiffins are the stackable lunch containers you see on top of the restaurant's sign in the photo above. I've posted some school lunches packed in these stackable metal containers here on my blog also. In some parts of India Tiffin can also refer to a light snack or midday meal. The name is fitting since the restaurant serves dishes that are inspired by travel throughout Europe, Africa, Asia, and the America's all of which was themes found throughout the Animal Kingdom.  It's a beautiful restaurant and I am so glad we didn't overlook it.

Kakigori at the Kabuki Cafe- Epcot

Kakigori, a Japanese shaved ice was on my top three to you have as far as snacks this trip. For one you can get sweetened condensed milk on top, two you can get sweetened condensed milk on top. It's also Florida, it's hot.

Chili Oil (Jeaw Mak Phet) and Shallot Oil

I love using Chili Oil and Shallot Oil as condiments. They are often seen in many Asian restaurants. They are used for Dim Sum, Congee, in Noodle bowls such as Ramen, Khao Piek Sen, Pho, etc. Just about anything you want to add spice or garlic/shallot flavor to. They are also used in cooking, for stir fry and soup bases. In Laos this would be called Jeaw Mak Phet.

As with a lot of cooking there are no set measurements for these oils.  Play with the flavor combinations to come up with your favorite. In Chinese Chili Oil there is often bay leaf, star anise, sesame seeds sometimes cinnamon. I know the local Ramen place near me adds Sichuan peppercorn which I love and add to mine.  

Khanom Dok Bua- Lotus Flower Cookies

 

This lotus flower cookie is called Khanom Dok Bua or Khanom Dok Jok. It's a crispy cookie that is deep fried, not baked. They are like Italian Rosettes. They are light and crispy. Not overly sweet, sesame seeds give them a great flavor, so does Pandan extract. The sesame seeds are what is more commonly used. I made these ones green and pink, Pandan and almond for our Christmas Cookie boxes in 2017. Which isn't really traditional, the almond flavoring that is.

Nam Vahn Sakoo- Tapioca Pudding with Taro Root

Nam Vahn Sakoo- Tapioca pudding with Taro root.

Nam Vahn Sakoo is a tapioca pudding in coconut milk with tender pieces of taro in it. I've seen it in Lao, Thai, Vietnamese and Chinese cuisine. Nam Vahn Sakoo or Nam Van Sakoo is the Lao pronunciation. Generally this dessert is served warm with toppings like sesame seeds, crushed peanuts, or coconut flakes. I prefer it with no toppings, and will even eat it out of the fridge cold. This isn't an overly sweet dessert but you can add more sugar if you prefer it sweeter.

Vegetarian Red Curry

I love red curry, it's probably my favorite Thai curry. This is a Whole30 compliant dish, it could be used as a side with fat built in from the coconut milk. If not on a Whole30 round I like to add medium firm tofu to this. I usually pan fry the tofu first to get it crispy, then make the curry and stir it in after. This is an easy dish to make. If you're going to be pressed for time you can even prepare all the vegetables the day before. This can be made Vegan if you use a vegan curry paste and leave out the fish sauce, subbing for salt.

I have two store bought red curry paste brands that I have used. Both are Whole30 compliant, only one is vegan. That brand is Thai Kitchen brand. The other brand of paste I use is Mae Ploy brand. Which is very yummy but it has shrimp in it. I like both brands, the Mae Ploy does have more umami flavor to it.