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Book Review: The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling by Wai Chim

May 4, 2020

The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling by Wai Chim

Pages: 392
Publish date: August 5th 2019
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
ISBN: 9781760631581
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU – QBD

Anna Chiu has her hands pretty full looking after her brother and sister and helping out at her dad’s restaurant, all while her mum stays in bed. Dad’s new delivery boy, Rory, is a welcome distraction and even though she knows that things aren’t right at home, she’s starting to feel like she could just be a normal teen.

But when Mum finally gets out of bed, things go from bad to worse. And as Mum’s condition worsens, Anna and her family question everything they understand about themselves and each other.

A nourishing tale about the crevices of culture, mental wellness and family, and the surprising power of a good dumpling.

The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling:

I’ve been wanting to pick up a Wai Chim book for some time now. Not only is she a lovely human being, but she writes about things that matter, that not many other people do. And I love that. When I first read the synopsis of The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling I nearly jumped out of my seat. This book was for me. And let me tell you it’s just as amazing as it sounds. And of course, this was one of my picks for the CBCA Clayton’s Night.

Anna Chiu has a lot going on in her life. She is looking after her younger brother and sister, helping in her dad’s restaurant and trying to make it through school. While this all happens, her mother hasn’t moved from her bed. Anna simply doesn’t know what to do. And then she meets Rory, the new driver for her dad’s restaurant and as they begin to get closer, Anna finds something that truly makes her happy. But when her mum finally gets out of bed, things go from bad to worse.

Yuxiang Zhang

I thought that Anna was the perfect protagonist for The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling. From the very first page, I was able to feel everything that she felt. I was able to connect with her and that only grew as the novel went on. Anna goes through a lot throughout the novel and most of it is hard to read at times. But I loved that she was able to show weakness. It made her character feel very much real. I also loved that she wanted to help her father, that she felt that is where she needed it to be.

Wai Chim explores Anna’s characters just so well. Her character arc is amazing and the reader gets to see Anna go on a journey throughout the novel. And they want to go on this journey with her. I admired that Anna second-guessed herself and everything that was happening around her. She didn’t let it just slide by.

Rory oh my sweet Rory. I just want to give him the biggest heart imaginable. He caught my eye as soon as he came into the novel. Rory stands on his own but he also didn’t take over the novel either. Rory is this full character that adds something more to Anna’s life and that was amazing. But Rory’s life isn’t easy and I loved that this was explored. I adored that he pushed Anna to do new things and see things from different perspectives. While also honouring everything about Anna and the way she lives.

The romance in The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling was amazing. I loved it. Anna and Rory are adorable and they melted my heart. I loved how much they respected one another and took the time to understand why others live the lives they do. While Anna and Rory to have different dynamics they were able to find solace in one another and find this happy medium. One of the main reasons why I loved the romance in the novel was that it didn’t overpower the book, but also it was there and so beautiful.

Priscilla Du Preez

The notion of mental health is a major theme throughout The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling by Wai Chim. It is explored in many different ways and through different characters. I think that is one of the main reasons why I loved this book so much. It showed that mental illness isn’t just this one thing. It comes in many different shapes, forms and be experienced by anyone. Anna’s family goes through a lot through the book, especially with her mother. Her mental health is very unstable and this leads to many ups and downs. This puts a lot of pressure on Anna, as she tries to keep her family afloat.

The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling explores the dark side of mental illness through the novel and sometimes that was hard to read. The struggles that Anna’s mum goes through and how it affects the whole family was devastated and how Anna tried to manage it all. Especially regarding the relationship between mental illness and culture. But I also loved that this was looked at it. On the other side, we have Rory, who not only has his mental health to deal with, but also mangers to help Anna understand her mothers. I loved this and it made me admired Rory even more,

I adored the writing style of Wai Chim so much. It’s captivating and powerful. The reader goes on this journey with all the characters, through many ups and downs. Most of the time it isn’t easy but Wai Chim writes it in a way that captures everything about it. I think this is one of the best books I’ve read regarding mental illness and everything that comes with it. Especially when it’s one of the parents that do suffer. I also think that Wai Chim writes all types of relationships exceptionally well. From family dynamics to romance. It was all done so fantastic.

Charles Postiaux

The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling truly captures what it’s like trying to live with mental illness. And while it explores the very dark times of living with a mental illness, it also shows that there is light in the darkness. There are ways to heal, but it’s not easy, it’s not instant. And sometimes it only takes a few small steps to get the ball rolling.

The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling by Wai Chim is an empowering novel that explores family, mental health and trying to find your own feet. While there is darkness in this novel and sometimes you feel like there is no hope. There is also warmth. It has one of the cutest romances ever. Anna and Rory were adorable together. They made my heart scream it was so beautiful.

Have you read The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling by Wai Chim? What did you think of it? Are you planning on reading it? What are other #LoveOzYA’s that you have loved this year? Let’s Chat!

When You Read All Month | April Wrap Up

Apr 30, 2020

After a slower reading month for me in March, things really picked up for me in April and I’m so glad. Most of the month I read a range of romance with a little MG thrown in there. And I think that is what I needed. Reading romance is a great outlet for me and I don’t normally have to think too much when reading them – which is fantastic.

Anyway, here are all the 35 books that I read in April. Like always these are in no order.

Steadfast (True North #2) by Sarina Bowen: I felt like a reread of this one from the series. I’m not even sure why. It is one of my favourites though. This one is an emotional read, but I still really enjoy it a lot. I just love Jude so much.

The One You Can’t Forget (The Ones Who Got Away #2) by Roni Loren: I’m slowly making my way through this series and I’m loving it. But it’s hard to read. I normally love binge reading series – which you will see today. But I just can’t do it with this one. It deals with such a hard topic and each book is emotional as hell. But, also so good.

Irresistible (Cloverleigh Farms #1) by Melanie Harlow: I really felt like a good romance with a single parent and this one popped up in my searches. And I’m really glad that it did. I liked this one a whole lot. It was such a fun read and I loved seeing all the character fall in love with one another. I loved the relationship between the two protagonist and his kids – it melted me.

Undeniable (Cloverleigh Farms #2) by Melanie Harlow: Yes I kept on reading this series. It’s all on Kindle Unlimited, so it was so easy. I adored this one so much. It features a second chance romance, as well as love to hate. Come on! It was such a fun read. And the romance was adorable.

Storm (Storm MC #1) by Nina Levine: Another romance subgenre I’ve been really into lately is MC romances. And this one came up as a recommendation. And the second book in the series was a single parent. It was a bad decision. This one was bad. Really bad. I’ve read a lot of MC romances now and this one has to one of the worst.

Insatiable (Cloverleigh Farms #3) by Melanie Harlow: This one is a friends to lovers romances and this one is hella adorable. Not my favourite in the series, but I still really enjoyed it. Noah and Meg just fit really well and I loved getting to see them find out things about one another.

Unbreakable (Cloverleigh Farms #4) by Melanie Harlow: This one is the last in the series that is out so far and like the others, I enjoyed it a lot. This one melted me so much. It’s a single parent romance that was done well. It explored the ups and downs of divorce and everything that follows. As well as looking into starting a new family. It was so good!

Fierce (Storm MC #2) by Nina Levine: I don’t know why I continued. I really don’t. Maybe I wanted to see if it got any better. But it didn’t. Not at all.

Wind Dragons MC #1-3 by Chantal Fernando: I wanted to read a good MC romance, so I picked up one I’d read before and dug into a few in the series. Some of the things that happen in these are ridiculous. But I love it. That is what I feel an MC romance is. I think my favourite of these 3 has to be Dragon’s Liar.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians 1-5 by Rick Riordan: I’ve been wanting to do a re-read of this series for some time now. And my siblings were watching the movies and I couldn’t help and start the series again. And I’m so glad that I did. Seriously it’s just fantastic. And if you haven’t read it. Please do. It was such a great time being back in this world. And truly reminded me why I love it so much.

Luna and the Lie by Mariana Zapata: I’ve wanted to pick up a Mariana Zapata for some time now. And after watching a couple of videos from PeaceLoveBooksxo. I thought I would give this one a go. Overall I did enjoy this one, however, I thought it was way too long. I felt at times that things did drag on and I was just waiting and waiting for things to happen. I do want to try more from her though.

Shameless (Texas Nights #1) by Lex Martin: This is another author that I’ve seen pop up a lot with romance bloggers and I felt that this one was my kind of thing. And I’m so happy that I picked it up! The romance was adorable. It melted my heart so much. I loved seeing both Brady and Katherine trying to figure everything out. I loved seeing Brady with the baby. It was adorable. I don’t know if I will continue with the series yet. But I enjoyed this one.

Becker Brothers #1-4 by Kandi Steiner: I didn’t know too much about this series before I started. But they were such a good time. I loved the overall mystery surrounding the family and that was threaded through all of the books. The romances were all fantastic and I just had a good time.

Knights Rebels MC #1-3 by River Savage: I again feel into the MC romance. While this wasn’t as bad as some I’d already read this one. It wasn’t the best. However, I still enjoyed each one that I read and will continue reading the series as each book comes out.

The Fallen Men #1-4 by Giana Darling: This is another author that has been on my radar for some time now. But again didn’t really know where to start. But since I was in the mood for MC romances, I thought it was a perfect time. And I love this series. It’s not for the faint-hearted, but it was such good fun. And it did rip me apart, a little. I can’t wait to read more.

Hades Hangmen #1-5 by Tillie Cole: This isn’t a series that I would recommend to everyone. It’s hard to read most of the time and there is a lot of questionable things that happen throughout the novel. But I found that all intriguing. It’s a MC romance for sure. If you love your MC romance and are okay reading things that are really tough and not great – then go for this one. If not – stay away.

And that is everything that I read this April! It was a strong reading month for me, with a lot of romance reads. I think next month will be very similar as well, cause it’s what I’m in the mood for. What did you read this April, anything the same? Let’s Chat!

Books I Wish I Had Read As A Child

Apr 28, 2020

This week I’m sharing the books that I wished I read as a child Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and Bookish and is hosted by The Artsy Reader Girl.

I have always been a big reader, even as a kid. But it wasn’t like it is now. There wasn’t really a way to see what books were coming out, what people were reading and what to read next. It was more going to a bookstore or the library and picking something up. And because of that, I did miss out on a lot of children and middle-grade books that were popular or they did come out. So today I thought I would share some of the books that I wished I had read as a child. I did break this one up into two categories, the first is the books that were published when I was younger and then the other current books that I could have read when I was a child.

Books That Were Already Published When I Was A Child

Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan: I just did a re-read of this series and I just love it so much. But I so wished I read it when I was younger. I read it when I was about 15 and well it was totally enjoyable. I would have devoured the series when I was younger. I’m not even sure why I didn’t. Greek mythology is something that I have always loved and I think it just slipped past me.

A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket: This is another series that I’m not sure how I missed it. It would have been close to what I was reading at the time. I think it’s a great series for those wanting to not only challenge themselves a little more but also a great intro to long series. My sister is reading this series at the moment and I would have loved to read it at her age.

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson: I wasn’t a massive contemporary fan when I was younger, but I think this would have been the perfect book for me to read. It’s that mix of being contemporary but having those fantastical elements to them. I know I would have loved it as a child. Plus this movie killed me. I am not over it, and I don’t think I ever will be.

Holes by Louis Sachar: Now I love/d the Holes movie. It was that perfect mix of being strange and good at the same time. But I wasn’t like I was now and I didn’t always know that there are a lot of movies that come from books. Again I think I would found this a very interesting read.

The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis: Another one where I’m not certain why I didn’t read it when I was a child. This would have been my jam. It would have been the perfect series for me. I loved the movies, I loved the TV series – Even though it terrified me.

Current Books I Wish Were Around When I Was A Child

The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani: My younger sister loves this series. Like loves. When she first started she loved it so much that she got her whole class reading it. And I think this series would have been perfect for me as a child. It’s right up what I read and I see how much kids love it these days. I will get to reading it soon though. One of the things that I already like about this series is that the kids grow up.

Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger: This is one that I sell at work all the time! Kids love it. And I think I would have as well. It’s magical middle grade and it seems absolutely fantastic. I think I still might pick this series up one day.

The Land of Stories by Chris Colfer: Another magical middle grade, yes, please! I think you can tell by this post today, how much I loved fantasy as a kid. It’s what I read pretty exclusively for some time. This one sounds like a brilliant adventure and I’ve always got kids coming in looking for it at work. That is always a good sign for me.

Smile by Raina Telgemeier: Or anything by Raina Telgemeier. I’ve had a quick look through these and they seem amazing! I think this book would just make me happy. I wasn’t a massive graphic novel reader when I was younger, but I just don’t think there was anything that really caught my eye and I this would have for sure.

And that is it for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday! Whare are the books that you wish you had read as a child? Do we share any that’s the same? Let’s Chat!