Category: Diversity - Alyce Caswell - Author

Alyce Caswell - Author

Train Wreck Central

5/6/2023

Yellowface by Rebecca F. Kuang

June Hayward has spent years watching Athena Liu become publishing's brightest star. Now it's finally June's turn to shine. Never mind that she stole the manuscript from Athena's apartment after her so-called friend choked to death on pancakes. Never mind that June has to use a racially ambiguous name for marketing purposes. She's definitely earned all of this success, hasn't she?

I ripped through this book at a breakneck pace, thanks to the fascinating subject matter (i.e. the publishing world) and Kuang's masterful writing. June is the most amazing train wreck of a character and I couldn't - didn't want to! - look away. Never have I met such an unreliable and fantastically awful narrator. June is like a much darker version of myself, if I'd taken a hundred wrong turns lol. Unfortunately, Yellowface suffers from recurring heavy-handedness and a lacklustre finale... but gosh it was fun while it lasted.

A Mess of Prequel Proportions

11/4/2023

Cataclysm (Star Wars: The High Republic)
by Lydia Kang

Sorry, folks. This got kind of long.

The Battle of Jedha has halted the peace treaty between Eiram and E'ronoh. Fighting could re-erupt at any moment, the rulers' heirs now being wed and doing all they can to keep their planets in concert. To complicate matters, The Path of the Open Hand are clearly up to something. It's time to take the fight to them - many Jedi are dispatched to Dalna. Not all of them will return.

Well, I'm glad I finished the Jedha-based audiobook the day before I started reading this. But my opinion remains unchanged: this project suffers greatly when major plot points are farmed out to media that AREN'T the main adult novels. Multimedia projects have multiple types of audiences. It seems the High Republic folks didn't understand that when planning this out. Sure, use the other mediums to explore events and characters in a different way - but your main thrust has to remain in one consistent medium (i.e. the adult novels - Phase One actually managed to do this, for the most part). Phase Two's adult novels feel...strangely like an afterthought.

Right. I better review the book itself! So I liked Axel's journey and how he missed various moments of redemption (which is more realistic in a sentient being). I loved Xiri and Phan-tu, long may they reign (when it's time!) - they're frankly adorable and I would take a blaster bolt for them. But it's hard to be invested in the Jedi characters because if they find out about the Leveller, they're either going to die - or will decide to keep it a secret for ~reasons~. Phase Two's placement in the timeline has destroyed any potential for tension in its stories.

Also, it's difficult to figure out the logic of injuries in this novel. Fatal wounds seemed to either be shrugged off or completely kill a character, depending on what was needed for the plot. Kind of annoying, actually.

In summary: this book contains likeable characters and an underwhelming storyline, a problem mostly generated by the flaws of the High Republic project itself.

Reality TV Bites

28/2/2023

Here for the Right Reasons (Marry Me, Juliet #1)
by Jodi McAlister

Cece is in desperate need of money, which is definitely NOT the right reason to be on the reality dating show Marry Me, Juliet. But she only lasts one episode before being eliminated. Game over - right? Nope! The pandemic has stranded her on location. The show's Romeo, Dylan, offers to help Cece out with some extra screen time. Cece accepts: a decision that definitely won't come back to bite her. Ha!

AHHHHHHhhhh ommmgggg squeeeeee. Right, that's dealt with. I think I remember how to do words now. I discovered this series via an ARC of the sequel, which I loved (bi rep wooo!) and I thought I might like this one too. Didn't expect to love it just as much! Cece bulldozed her way into my heart and I was desperate for her to have her HEA. She and Dylan were such an amazing couple too. This book was amazing and I need more.

I just have one question. Lily Fireball book - when?

A Match Made in Sydney

27/2/2023

The Matchmaker by Saman Shad

Saima is a matchmaker with a string of successes - and a lot of debt. She has no choice but to take on new clients, even though she's already met their son and she absolutely cannot stand him. The dislike is mutual. Kal doesn't appreciate Saima's opinion on his life and his choices, but she wears him down and he agrees to go on some dates. But his perfect date might actually be his matchmaker!

Great setup, great start, great chemistry - I was so keen. And I have such a weakness for stories that use Sydney as a setting! I spent most of this book thinking it would make a fun movie on Stan, but towards the end I got quite fed up with Kal. Also... I don't like MCs who hook up with another character 81% of the way through the book. Somewhat spoiled the fun for me.

Simply Wonderful

6/2/2023

Can I Steal You for a Second? (Marry Me Juliet #2)
by Jodi McAlister

I received this ARC from Simon & Schuster Australia (via NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review.

Mandie is a longtime watcher of reality show Marry Me, Juliet, but she would never have applied to be on it - before she got dumped by her toxic girlfriend, that is. She's not even sure she has the courage to go through with it. But then she meets Dylan, another romantic hopeful - who should be her competition, not her new obsession! After all, they're on the show for a chance at love - with a man.

How can you not love that premise? Two contestants on a Bachelor-style show falling in love (which has actually happened IRL!)? Sign me the heck up! To say I enjoyed this would be a vast understatement. There was plenty of delicious drama to be had, so much heart-twisting angst, and a strangers-to-friends-to-lovers tale that had me up past my bedtime.

But the best part? Representation. Oh my gosh. YES.

I don't usually see myself in romcoms. I will devour ALL the sapphic romances, but I'm always keenly aware that bisexual women like myself are generally not going to be the heroines. Unicorns are more visible than us lol. So imagine my delight to discover that both heroines were bi!

And pandemic fiction is my biggest weakness atm, so I ate up that aspect of the story. xD

Oh No Never Again

13/8/2022

Vows of Empire (The Bloodright Trilogy #3)
by Emily Skrutskie

Separated, the heirs of opposing blood lines, Gal and Ettian would rather this whole galactic war thing went away so they could be together without A) weakening someone or B) killing several someones. But what they want won't be possible...without a heck of a lot of manoeuvring and a buttload of shenanigans.

...oh dear. Vows of Empire never stood a chance with me. I really hate these kinds of "hehehe we're unfolding a big damn plot that we've kept hidden from the reader/viewer" storylines. I find them sloppy and boring. This was no exception to the rule. Where was the momentum of the previous two books? Where was the delicious pining? We didn't get a real ending...just a cop out. I wish I'd never bothered with this trilogy in the first place.

Short but Sweet & Sexy

8/8/2022

His Lord's Soldier (Great War #4)
by Renée Dahlia

James has pined away for his best friend, Rafe, for years and knows there is a very low chance of Rafe having the same inclinations as he does. But when Rafe returns from the Great War broken in more ways than one, James wants to take care of him...even if he can't have more.

Well, it's easy to see why this is a Ruby finalist! A lovely novella full of heat and heart - and an excellent addition to the series. I admittedly have a weakness for the grumpy one/sunshine one dynamic, but even discounting that this is really well done.

Anticlimax

7/8/2022

Her Lady's Fortune (Great War #3)
by Renée Dahlia

Women of means, Priya and Rosalie, had a passionate fling before the Great War and then certain misunderstandings stopped them pursuing anything further. But now, six years later, they must work together for a charitable purpose and their past might complicate matters - or they may realise that there are significantly fewer barriers between them than there were.

Well, that started with a bang. Heh. The prologue was exquisite and gave me great expectations - which weren't quite met. I didn't really feel that there was much of a barrier between Priya and Rosalie...and an antagonist was introduced but hardly used. Not as good as the other two F/F romances in the series, but still a pleasant read.

The Average Game

30/7/2022

Second First Impressions by Sally Thorne

Ruthie lives a very quiet, tidy life in Providence, a place where rich old people come die - er, retire. Two of the eccentric residents, the Parlonis, require another young man to torment/run their errands and so one must be found. But the latest offering is Teddy, son of the owner of Providence and the guy who just made one heck of a bad first impression of Ruthie...

I have to say, Thorne really knows how to pace a romcom! And she has populated her pages with some very interesting characters. However, I didn't really see Ruthie and Teddy being together at all (perhaps it's because I never lost my dislike of Teddy) and many things weren't addressed or were too quickly dealt with (eg. Teddy's sister). An okay, if not particularly memorable, book.

The Troublesome Middle Child

2/7/2022

Fevered Star (Between Earth and Sky #2)
by Rebecca Roanhorse

Convergence has come and gone - and so has the Crow God, leaving behind Serapio, an empty vessel. Serapio is surrounded by new worshippers and new enemies, including the Sun God's vessel who survived via betrayal. He is divided from Xiala, who has found herself caught up in what might be the beginnings of a war. Meanwhile, Tova remains darkened by a black sun.

The fascinating characters and world building from Black Sun are still present here, but as happens with all fantasy trilogies, book 2 was always destined for Middle Book Syndrome. Characters are moved about and separated for the sake of being separated - not unusual when MBS has struck - which bogged things down a bit for me. Looking forward to the conclusion, which I hope will deliver.