Jennifer J. Chow's Blog, page 12
April 28, 2021
April 23, 2021
Foodie Friday: Matcha Ice Cream
Matcha ice cream: green tea ice cream
I know it’s not summertime, but ice cream can be eaten any time, right? Since I enjoy tea, I like to get matcha ice cream once in a while. It’s got this nice earthy flavor that counterbalances the sweetness of the dessert. When the creaminess is done just right, it really does remind me of properly blended matcha tea.
Do you have a favorite ice cream flavor, or do you like to mix it up?
April 12, 2021
Book Review: Blacktop Wasteland
5 stars
Genre: Crime fiction/thriller
An amazing joyride of a book. I loved the way Cosby builds up the main character of Bug. The descriptions interwoven in the book are both gritty and poetic.
Cosby is able to really shine a light on the intertangled nuances found across various relationships—with family, friends, and enemies. I’m especially in awe of how he depicts the father and son relationships in this book.
A gripping race of a book that also offers a complex portrait of one man’s attempt to balance passion, crime, and family.
Find more of my book ratings and reviews here.
April 10, 2021
My Very First Webinar
I’m on the Writers Who Kill blog today talking about a speaking engagement I did all by lonesome.
Check out my journey from when I first made a bold step and onward:
https://writerswhokill.blogspot.com/2021/04/on-my-own-by-jennifer-j-chow.html
April 2, 2021
Foodie Friday: Taro Cake
Taro cake: a savory cake akin to radish cake
One of my go-to dishes at dim sum places is the radish cake. This is a rectangular cake that’s pan-fried. The taro cake is the like the cousin to it–except made with the taro vegetable.
Since I haven’t been able to dine in recently, I got a frozen package of taro cakes. They actually fried up pretty well (although they didn’t have such a vibrant purple color when I made them).
Overall, a nice treat to have when wanting to dim sum at home. It’s got the requisite chewiness and the earthiness of the taro flavor.
March 24, 2021
March 16, 2021
Book Review: The Tiger Mom’s Tale
The Tiger Mom’s Tale (July 6, 2021)
5 stars
Genre: Contemporary women’s fiction/family/Asian American
This book was soooo good. I loved the complexity with which Lyn Liao Butler draws the world where Lexa lives. All the characters are very intriguing. I admire how artfully the backstory and present timelines are woven together.
I also really appreciate the difficult questions that Lexa reflects on and how they haunt her. This novel is very accurate in how it depicts reality, along with our fractured past and our current choices.
The story constantly propelled me forward as I tried to figure out secrets from the past and tagged along on Lexa’s journey. As an added bonus, I’m grateful for all the elements of culture and identity found within this book.
A must-read, moving journey of growth and character, imbued with warmth and authenticity.
Find more of my book ratings and reviews here.
March 13, 2021
My Audiobook Journey
I’m on the Writers Who Kill blog today talking about my experience with creating audiobooks. This includes my experience with a royalty share system, a pay for production model, and a venture with a new distributor.
March 5, 2021
Foodie Friday: Boba Cake
Boba cake: vanilla cake roll with embedded boba
I did a double-take when I first saw this cake. Could boba actually be placed inside a baked dessert (and survive)?
This was a really great vanilla cake that had cream inside it flavored with a hint of milk tea. The tapioca balls inside were also quite tender, although not as springy as those in a boba drink.
I would give this a thumbs-up as a unique dessert, but for the most part, I still prefer drinking pearl milk tea.
February 22, 2021
Book Review: How to Fail at Flirting
5 stars
Genre: Contemporary romance
This is a novel layered with both romance and the deeper theme of partner violence. Williams does an excellent job of developing the chemistry between the protagonists while exploring Naya’s troubled past and internal turmoil. I really appreciated that domestic violence is addressed in the novel.
This is definitely a steamy book (hotter than I usually read), and I enjoyed the lighter intimate connection between the characters, like their corny jokes. Williams also does an excellent job of ratcheting the stakes in terms of Naya’s job situation and Jake’s own back history.
I loved the side characters, particularly Naya’s best friends. Also, I really liked how Naya matured and grew over the story. The playing out of Naya and Jake’s relationship seemed very realistic, and I liked the authenticity of the ups and downs between them.
A book that doubly delivers: a gratifying love story as well as a dive into an important topic.
Find more of my book ratings and reviews here.
