• ARCs,  Book Reviews,  Fiction

    DISORIENTATION by Elaine Hsieh Chou | ARC Review

    Cover of Disorientation (Elaine Hsieh Chou)

    DISORIENTATION by Elaine Hsieh Chou

    Click on the cover for my review on Goodreads.


    Disorientation follows a 29-year-old Taiwanese American PhD student Ingrid Yang (cishet) as she works on her dissertation on Xiao-Wen Chou, a fictional “Asian American” icon. Ingrid starts out as someone who is ignorant on the subject of racism and other social justice issues, which is the realm of her nemesis and fellow graduate student Vivian Vo (sapphic, Vietnamese American). Throughout her research, Ingrid finds substantial dirt on Xiao-Wen Chou, and it becomes the start of her journey of unlearning as well as sets off catastrophic events in Barnes University.

  • Book Reviews,  Nonfiction

    A Thousand Mornings by Mary Oliver

    Cover of A Thousand Mornings (Mary Oliver)

    A Thousand Mornings by Mary Oliver


    I feel guilty for rating it 2 stars. While the thoughts and observance of nature are quite impressive, I have zero connection with Mary’s words. There are still a few lines here and there that I really liked, and I am happy that I had decided to pick up this book to read. However, while the praises for both this book and the poet are high, it is definitely not something that truly calls to me.