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Alternating between the protagonist's doe-eyed life-learning in past college years at a rural Evangelical college, and the cold and calculating present in New York where she is set to marry into a very rich, old-money family, The Social Climber presents a first-person story that slowly fills in the gaps of how those two worlds coincide. The timing is perfectly paced, with each bit of progression requiring an adjustment of how to view the story presented.

The contrast between those two timelines creates a fascinating and unique structure where the same character comes across both incredibly sympathetic and wildly unlikeable almost Patrick Bateman-like persona, with the difference merely being the passage of time. The artificial nature of the present makes what she even wants its own little mystery.

The social dynamics and character expositions take place inside explorations of religious extremism, high society, and how women and girls exist within them. The many angles avoid being overwhelming as they flow naturally from the narrative.

The Social Climber is the kind of book that makes you feel like you need to reevaluate how you judge books. It is original, beautifully executed and wildly engaging. The sheer volume of potential discussion would make this an excellent book club book, but don't worry about finding one in order to read it, or you'll be missing out.

The second of the Noodle Shop Mysteries series, Dim Sum of All Fears effectively takes what worked in the first entry and runs with it. More gossip, more intrigue, more questions about whether the protagonist is even actually helping.

Should you be interested in the series, I would recommend starting with the first book. The value is in the characters and social dynamics, and those are best introduced in Death By Dumpling.

There's nothing revolutionary about the book, but it delivers what it promises. Not too heavy, not too silly, plenty of sauce. It's unclear how the series continues from here -- there are only so many murders you can have at a single plaza -- but I look forward to finding out.

They say don't judge a book by its cover, but I am absolutely reading this book because its title is Dim Sum of All Fears

At its face, Find The Good is a kind of surface-level self-help book. Something to tell you how to live your life in a way that will make it better. That genre of product - quick easy solutions for complicated problems - tend to be vapid at best and dangerous at worst.

Here, I cannot say the intent of the author, but I don't feel like viewing the list of lessons provided as chapter titles are really what need to be taken away. The stories within these pages aren't simply a means to an end; they are accounts of deeply human experiences within small communities. They express the meaning of all the things we do, big and small, and the impact that has on those around us. Almost like a high quality textual people watching. People reading, if you will.

Presented from the perspective of the author, an obituary writer and grandma, it does read like stories from grandma. That has its pros and cons, but it feels fitting in this particular context.

Feel The Good isn't going to instill profound lessons, but it is a collection of touching slices of life, and I think that's enough.

Death By Dumpling is everything you expect, and maybe a little more. The first in the Noodle Shop Mysteries series, Death By Dumpling is a murder mystery that tows the line between the seriousness of a capital offense without taking itself too seriously.

Like balancing flavours in delicious Asian cuisine, there's enough subterfuge and drama to go with messy interpersonal affairs and fun twists without feeling like turning the page is an emotional burden.

The central character isn't the first-person protagonist, but rather, the community she is in. Death By Dumpling creates a little insular world that makes all the secrets under the surface come to life in a way that just wouldn't land without it. Everyone is a distinct personality, even for those whose appearances are limited.

There's nothing revolutionary about the approach, but if you call up the Noodle Shop for a serving of interpersonal intrigue that is about the complexities of humans, community, and culture, then Death By Dumpling delivers.

Seven Devils introduced the futuristic queer rebellion against a mind-controlling Empire, and Seven Mercies is a necessary sequel. The original didn't really reach any conclusions or stand entirely on its own.

Seven Mercies really finds its feet. The writing is smoothed out compared to the original, even if still slightly stilted. Small tweaks in balance, such as adding a tinge more comedic relief, does a great job of smoothing over the rough edges. Characters, fully established, have room to have the big important moving moments that the original lacked.

The delicate balance of an epic space opera is taking soaring through the stars and grounding it in the essential facts of being human. More than anything, that is what the story gets right. While the characters may also have incredible superhuman abilities, they are still portrayed as complex, imperfect people with complicated motivations and sloppy attempts at doing their best.

It is necessary to look at Seven Devils and Seven Mercies as a single novel. Neither stands on its own, so there is a 900ish page investment to appreciate what is on offer, but that offer is a good one.