June 2024 reads...

Below are the books that I read in June and my review for each. 

I'm trying to do the Fold Reading Challenge to diversify my reading. In June, it suggested to read a book by a Cree author. And I did! In June, I'll be looking to read a book translated by an independent Canadian press.

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SNOWGLOBE by Soyoung Park
​Translated by Joungmin Lee Comfort

Dystopian YA is a genre I love to read, so when I saw this book featured by another author in my social media feed, I was instantly intrigued and I added it to my wish list. Snowglobe is an intriguing story about a society where some live under the dome in what seems like a perfect life to those who live in the frigid cold outside of it. Those outside of the dome work in power plants to provide electricity for their community and within the dome. And those in the dome are either television stars with their entire life filmed, or the directors creating the shows for those living outside of the dome. But, nothing is as it seems. And Chobahm learns this when she is asked to take the place of a beloved television star, as her doppelganger. While part one of the story takes the time to show the comparison between the two worlds, and Chobahm's new life as Goh Haeri, it's in parts two and three that the majority of the twists and excitement happen. After reading the epilogue, part of the plot is wrapped up, but the overall story story continues with a couple extra chapters, teasing for the next book that is set to release in 2025. I really enjoyed Snowglobe and definitely plan to read the next in the duology when it releases! This story illustrates what life could be like in the future due to climate change, and also what your life would be like if you were always being filmed. Highly recommend!

BAD CREE by Jessica Johns

Wow! I didn't quite know what to expect before reading this book, but I have seen so many recommendations for Bad Cree. This is a story about family, love, loss, grief, growing up, the effects of colonization, nehiyaw culture, dreams, nightmares, spirits, crows, and standing up to face it all. Bad Cree is an intriguing book where the tension builds and builds until the main character, Mackenzie must confront the monster and work to heal her own pain. But she won't do it alone. I really enjoyed this story and look forward to more from Jessica Johns!

ROAD TO RUIN by Hana Lee
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While written in multiple points of view, Road to Ruin is the story of Jin, a magebike courier with special talents, who travels through the wasteland to deliver letters between a talentless prince, and a shield-caster princess who is treated like property and about to be sold off simply to bear children with special talents. But nothing is ever easy in any of Jin's trips across the wasteland. She has pteropters attacking her from above, storms chasing her across the desolate land, and raiders wanting to take her bike and her life. Her mission changes with a desperate plea from the princess where they encounter lost civilizations, bounty hunters, and so much more as Jin races to reunite the prince and princess. There's stolen kisses, a true love triangle, even if the feelings are unwanted, failing kingdoms, people returning from the dead, familial expectations, a belief system meant to exclude, and cruelty performed with the best of intentions. I was very uncertain how this story would end with some characters being swept into performing for one system of oppression into another. And I'm still not sure if the ending left me satisfied. Yet, I believe the MC, Jin, stayed true to who she was all along.