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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!

Book Review: This is How We Change the Ending by Vikki Wakefield

Apr 18, 2020

This is How We Change the Ending by Vikki Wakefield

Pages: 297
Publish date: September 3rd 2019
Publisher: Text Publishing
ISBN: 9781922268136
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU – QBD

I have questions I’ve never asked. Worries I’ve never shared. Thoughts that circle and collide and die screaming because they never make it outside my head. Stuff like that, if you let it go—it’s a survival risk.

Sixteen-year-old Nate McKee is doing his best to be invisible. He’s worried about a lot of things—how his dad treats Nance and his twin half-brothers; the hydro crop in his bedroom; his reckless friend, Merrick.

Nate hangs out at the local youth centre and fills his notebooks with things he can’t say. But when some of his pages are stolen, and his words are graffitied at the centre, Nate realises he has allies. He might be able to make a difference, change his life, and claim his future. Or can he?

This is How We Change the Ending:

I don’t even know where to begin when talking about This is How We Change the Ending by Vikki Wakefield. I spoke about it briefly when I talked about my favourite #LoveOzYA of 2019 for the CBCA Clayton’s Night. But I wanted to give this beautiful, powerful and heartbreaking book a full review. This is How We Change the Ending was longlisted for the Stella Prize this year, as well as being shortlisted in the Older Readers category for the CBCA.

This is How We Change the Ending follows sixteen-year-old Nate McKee as he tries to hide from most of the world. He has a lot of fo things going on in his life, and he is trying to juggle everything that id thrown at him. One of his main concerns is how his father treats Nance and his two half brothers. o get away from it all, Nate escapes the local youth centre. There he fills his notebook with this he can’t say aloud. When his worlds start appearing graffitied around the centre he realises that he may not be alone.

Warren Wong

Nate was surprisingly an easy protagonist to get along with. From the get-go, the reader can see that Nate has been through a lot already, and it isn’t going to get easier for me. At times all I wanted to do was just hug him. Vikki Wakefield does a brilliant job at writing a character that is honest and real. Nate felt that a human is exactly what I want from my characters, especially in a contemporary novel. At times Nates’ thoughts and are very erratic, and that added more to his character. The reader can connect with a lot of his thoughts and feelings, which added another layer to his character. I also loved Nate’s growth throughout This is How We Change the Ending. It was seriously amazing and turned Nate from a character in a book to this person that lived and breathed.

Friendship is a major theme throughout This is How We Change the Ending and it explores the good, the bad and the ugly of it. For most of the book focuses on his friendship with Merrick. It was a very strange friendship with many ups and downs, and that played a lot of Nate’s mind. Nate doesn’t have anything permeate, but he though this friendship with Merrick was. However, as the novel goes, things start to change, and that plays a lot of Nate’s mental state. While this meant that I was frustrated a lot of the time with the way that Merrick was acting, I understood it all. At the start, I thought that their friendship was amazing, and I enjoyed seeing a male friendship like this. But people grow, and things change, and so do friendships.

There isn’t a massive amount of things happening in This How We Change the Ending. However, it delves into a lot of issues that occur not only in Australia but around the world as well. The plot was just there is drive the story along, not to be the catalyst or a major point of the novel. Vikki Wakefield was able to manger this especially well. She was able to create enough tension and buildup that the reader is more focused on Nate and what is going on in his life. There is a lot of issues that Wakefield also explores throughout the novel.

Calum MacAulay

One of those is looking into the low socioeconomic communities of Australia. It’s not often we see these types of characters represented, and that is sad. I’ve always been an advocate for diversity in all shapes, and forms and I think that Wakefield has explored it especially well here. The reader can see the struggles that not only some parents go through, but the children as well. Nate struggles with a lot of things through This is How We Change the Ending, but his living situation is something that isn’t a good thing in his life. His father – I can’t even begin to explain or think about. He is a horrible man, and Nate struggles with what is right and what he should do by this family.

In saying this I loved his relationship with his siblings. He might have thought that they were little shits at times, but the reader can see that he loves them.

Mental health is another major them of This is How We Change the Ending. Nate struggles with a lot of things throughout the novel, and while he doesn’t understand what is going on, it is clear to the reader. We can see his anxieties through the course of the novel. I think that Vikki Wakefield was able to capture these feelings so well and while it wasn’t explicitly put on the page what was happening, the reader knows and understands.

I found the writing style of Vikki Wakefield in This is How We Change the Ending very erratic at times. But that fits the novel. It tied everything together. It gave this other dimension to Nate and lent itself to the story. There were times where there were so many things going on in Nate’s head, and the reader is easily able to see that solely through the writing style. At times that did make things tense, but Vikkie Wakefield did it in a way that was no confusion when reading.

Markus Spiske

Overall, This is How We Change the Ending by Vikki Wakefield is a powerful read that explores the low socioeconomic communities in Australia. And how it impacts daily lives, especially teens trying to make their way through school. This book made me feel so many things from anger to hope. From sadness to being proud. This poignant coming of age story that captures the lives of those that struggle day by day. This is the perfect example of how amazing #LoveOzYA is and why more people should be reading it. And why more should be published. If there is one book that you pick up because of me, please let it be this one.

Have you read This is How We Change the Ending by Vikki Wakefield? What did you think of it? Are you planning on reading it? Let’s Chat!

#LoveOzYA Books I Loved From 2019 | CBCA Clayton’s Night

Mar 20, 2020

This week I was supposed to speaking at the CBCA Clayton’s Night, where I along with other guest judges were going to talk about our favourite Australian books from the 2019 year. Sadly, due to Covid-19, this event was understandably canceled. However, I still want to share the books that I was going to talk about on the night in the older readers category.

So today, I’m sharing those books with you the books I was going to speak about at the CBCA Victoria event. Over the past few months, I’ve read more and more #LoveOZYA, and it has just made me so happy. I always go out of my way to read as much as I can. But I really tried to read even more over the past couple of months. One of the things that did come from reading all these books was the fact that I love Aussie Young Adult. There is something about it that just makes me so happy while reading. The talent we have here in Australia is phenomenal, and I really wished more people will pick up some #LoveOzYA. Anyway here are the six books that turned out to my favourite #LoveOzYA of 2019.

What I Like About Me by Jenna Guillaume: A fantastic debut novel that explores coming of age in a time where looking ‘perfect’ is in everything that we do. It explores that being yourself is so much more important than looking a certain way that appeases everyone in life. What I Like About Me follows Maisie Martin, whose last thought this summer was entering a beauty pageant. And that isn’t the last outlier this summer. Her best friend is going out with the guy she has always had a crush on; her dad is behaving strangely. Plus, her older sister is back. Throw in unexpected feelings for a guy she has always disliked. Well, it’s going to be an interesting summer.

Maisie goes through many ups and downs throughout the novel, but they all make her who she at the end. It’s a fluffball of a book that is both adorable and so timely. If you are looking for a new book about body positivity and coming of age, then this one is for you. It had to make my CBCA list. You can check my full review now.

It Sounded Better in My Head by Nina Kenwood: Nina Kenwood writes an honest, heartwarming coming of age novel. It Sounded Better In My Head follows Natalie as she tries to navigate life after high school and what’s it like to be an adult. After Natalie’s parents announce that they are planning on divorcing. Her two best friends get together, and everything that Natalie understands is falling apart. Throw in an unexpected romance that leaves Natalie trying to figure out what to do with her life.

This novel truly captures all those feelings of leaving high school and the anxieties of what to do with life as an ‘adult.’ It explores family breakdowns, friendships out of high school, and pure romance that everyone needs to read. While doing all this, It Sounded Better In My Head is also fun, charming and will leave the reader with a smile on their face. You can read my full review here.

The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling by Wai Chim: An empowering novel that explores family, mental health and trying to find your own feet. 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. But when her mum finally gets out of bed, things go from bad to worse. This novel 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 it’s not forever.

And 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 every. Anna and Rory were absolutely adorable together. They made my heart scream it was so beautiful.

This is How We Change the Ending by Vikki Wakefield: A powerful read that explores the low socioeconomic communities in Australia and how it impacts daily lives, especially teens trying to make their way through school. This novel follows Sixteen-year-old Nate McKee as he tries to hide from most of the world. And he is worried about a lot of things, especially the way that his dad treats Nance and his half-brothers. To get away from it all, Nate escapes the local youth center. There he fills his notebook with this he can’t say aloud. I want to say that I loved this book, but it’s also hard to say because of everything that it explores. And while This is How We Change the Ending is hard to read at times it is also such a powerful read.

This book made me feel so many things from anger to hope. From sadness to being proud. This poignant coming of age story that captures the lives of those that struggle day by day. That tries to make the best of what they have. There was no doubt that this was making my CBCA list.

How It Feels to Float by Helena Fox: Is an honest, heartbreaking and beautiful novel that explores grief, mental illness and the struggles that everyday life brings. How It Feels to Float follows Biz as her life around her unfolds. After an incident on the beach, her friendship group falls apart. And that includes the one person that Biz needed her in life. Her stability is now gone. And everything becomes too much. Biz just wants to float away. But there is some light in the darkness, her twin siblings, her mum, and Jasper, the new boy. Helena Fox provides a harrowing but also hopeful novel that will take the reader on a heartbreaking journey.

How It Feels to Float is about the ups and downs of friendships, living with mental illness, and how sometimes we just need that shoulder to lean on. It’s an honest novel that doesn’t shy away from the things that might hurt us. It’s a candid representation of mental illness and grief that will leave the reader feeling heartbroken yet so hopeful.

Making Friends with Alice Dyson by Poppy Nwosu: You know those books that just put a smile on your face, this is one of those. This is a beautiful, adorable, and honest novel that explores the highs and lows of the last year of high school. This novel follows Alice Dyson in her last year of high school. Her plan? Focus on her future! Head down, do her homework, and nothing is going to stop her. Expect maybe a dance-off with troublemaker and delinquent Teddy Taualai. Alice is thrown into the spotlight when rumours start flying around. Teddy is a flirt, and Alice is a shy bean, and while at first, they seem like total opposites. As the novel goes on, they are able to connect with one another.

Making Friends with Alice Dyson is a sweet story that looks at friendships, the most adorable romance, and the strength of opening up. Everything about this book is tender and sweet but also packs a punch. This is a fantastic debut that is brilliant and soft, and I finished it with a massive smile.

The notables for 2020 CBCA awards have been announced, and it’s really exciting seeing a great range of books on there. The shortlist for the CBCA will also be announced at noon on March 31. Definitely keep your eye out for that.

While you are here, a few weeks ago, my Beta Reading services became live! I’m so excited to have started this new adventure. So if you are looking for someone to beta read your current work in progress, you can check out more information.

Thank you so much for checking this post out. I would like to thank everyone at the CBCA Vic Branch and those responsible for the CBCA Clayton’s Night. While we couldn’t have the night, I still got to share all my love for these Aussie YA authors. I would also like to say in these hard times, please support your local bookstores. We booksellers are doing everything in our power to support #LoveOzYA. Especially those coming out the past couple weeks and months to follow.