Metrodora

There was no escaping this bright red cover which seemed to be on display at every book store I found myself in last year, and even Target had copies in stock (Target seems to always have an interesting selection of books in the stores- from NYT bestsellers to self-help books to Christian/Religious type books). I was drawn to the book (the copy I bought had noodles being held up by 2 pairs of chopsticks forming the letter "H" in part due to its popularity and good praises, but also because an H Mart was built a few blocks away from where I live and I had definitely enjoyed easier access to Korean & other asian groceries. The food court in the store was another bonus.  Spoilers ahead if you haven't read the book! BLUF: 5/5 although some aspects of the book may not resonate for some readers.  To be honest, reading the book was painful at times- I recognized my emotional pain at dealing with death and grief in my own life coming out in full swing when the author talked a...

I saw a popular podcaster recommend Wild Game: My Mother, Her Lover, and Me  by Adrienne Brodeur and the premise seemed interesting enough.  Without spoilers, it's about the author's relationship with her mother, who was privy to her mother's affair with a friend of the family.  Now- some spoilers will be necessary in my review of the book.  (If you want the BLUF- Overall, a good read but not a must-read. 3/5.) Essentially, this is a story about a young girl in which her identity becomes wrapped up in trying to please her mother and keep the affair ongoing. The author even came up with a plan to help her mother, Malabar, & the other man, Ben, when someone attempted to blackmail her mother. The whole time I was reading the story, I kept thinking how much the name Malabar sounded like a Disney villain. This isn't meant to be an insult towards the actual person- just that the name sounds like it belongs to someone powerful, but also dangerous.  The author, "Ren...