Jennifer J. Chow's Blog, page 28
March 2, 2018
Foodie Friday: Green Tea, Red Bean, Coconut Bread
Green Tea, Red Bean, Coconut Bread: three flavors in one bread!
I couldn’t pass up on this new offering at Ranch 99. The bread has the same thickness of Taiwan toast. The flavors are distributed right down the middle (coconut on one side, green tea on the other). The bread has my favorite ingredients, so I shouldn’t complain too much…but I do wish it had more earthy green tea flavor.
P.S. Don’t you just love the colors?
February 21, 2018
STEM anthology
Hi, guys! Guess what? I’m part of an amazing anthology coming soon to you. I love encouraging girls to delight in their intelligence.
Fun fact: My short story gives a nod to Chinese mythology.
More details below:
Today, I’m revealing the cover and story line-up for
BRAVE NEW GIRLS: TALES OF HEROINES WHO HACK, coming July 2018!
This YA sci-fi anthology (edited by sci-fi authors Paige Daniels and Mary Fan) features stories about girls in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math)… Girls who hack not just computers, but whatever puzzles come their way, using their smarts to save the day. It’s got sci-fi mysteries, cyberpunk, space adventures, and more! Proceeds from sales of the anthology will be donated to the Society of Women Engineers scholarship fund.
And without further ado, here’s the cover!
Stories in the anthology (in alphabetical order by title):
The Alchemist’s Daughter by Selenia PazThe Altered Avatar by Mary FanAttack on Aegis by Paige DanielsBecoming a World Builder by Valerie Hunter
Data Recovery by Nicholas Jennings
Discord on Harmonia by M.L.D. Curelas
The Experiment Called Life by Halli Gomez
False Messiahs by Josh Pritchett
Impossible Odds by A.A. Jankiewicz
In Cyberia, Avatar Controls You by Jeremy Rodden
In the Shadow of Zyrcon by Joanna Schnurman
Inmate C87 by Kay Dominguez
Life Hack by Aaron Rosenberg
Login by Jennifer Lee Rossman
Moon Girl by Jennifer Chow
My Other Tree House Is a Rocket Ship by Russ Colchamiro
The Power of Five by Jenifer Purcell Rosenberg
Pyramid Scheme by Jamie Krakover
Sea-Stars and Sand Dollars by Lyssa Chiavari
Second Sun by Jorge Rustrian
ShockWired by Tash McAdam
Sword & Shield by Jelani Akin Parham
Twisted Brick by M.J. Moores
ADD IT ON GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38621003-brave-new-girls
SIGN UP FOR THE RELEASE DAY MAILING LIST: http://eepurl.com/bgBmvD
VISIT THE BRAVE NEW GIRLS WEBSITE: http://bravenewgirls.weebly.com/Brave New Girls: Stories of Tales of Heroines Who Hack is the third volume of the Brave New Girls anthology series. The first two, Brave New Girls: Tales of Girls and Gadgets (2015) and Brave New Girls: Stories of Girls Who Science and Scheme (2017) have so far raised thousands of dollars for the Society of Women Engineers Scholarship fund. Find them on Amazon.
ABOUT THE EDITORS
Paige Daniels is the pen name of Tina Closser. By day she works as an Electrical Engineer and Mom mushing her kids from gymnastics and violin practice. After the kids go to bed, she rocks out with her headphones turned to eleven and cranks out books. She is an uber science geek. If she wasn’t married to the most terrific guy in the world, she would be a groupie for Adam Baldwin. Her books include Non-Compliance: The Sector, Non-Compliance: The Transition, and Non-Compliance: Equilibrium.
Mary Fan is a hopeless dreamer, whose mind insists on spinning tales of “what if.” As a music major in college, she told those stories through compositions. Now, she tells them through books—a habit she began as soon as she could pick up a pencil. And what stories she has! Currently, she has three series in progress and likes to think that she has even more in her bag. Her books include Starswept, the Jane Colt trilogy, the Firedragon novellas, and the Fated Stars novellas.
February 14, 2018
February 5, 2018
#BookReview: Cinder
“You have an unusual magnetic personality.”
5 stars
Pros:
A new kind of fairy tale retelling
Smart and spunky protagonist
Introduction of new races and interweaving of other fairy tale characters
Cons:
Changes the fairy tale quite a bit, especially the ball
It’s been a long time since I’ve invested in a series, but The Lunar Chronicles is an excellent group of books to read. I’ve seen Cinder around but didn’t get to it on my TBR list because of the time investment to finish the whole storyline.
I was hooked from the first line of Cinder. Cinderella as a mechanic cyborg? Yes, please! I love how she takes charge of her life and has the smarts to fix things.
Cinder differs from its traditional fairy tale origin in the depiction of family members. I particularly liked the sweet change to Cinder’s protection and friendship of her little stepsister Peony. One hiccup in the story arc is the ball; it’s definitely different than the usual Cinderella, including the not-so-stellar gown and the upsetting interactions with the prince.
However, there is still a magical thread of romance woven into the book. And I love how Meyer introduces a new race called the Lunars (note the title of the series).
A fascinating book that opens up new worlds and technology while bringing spark to classic fairy tales.
Find more of my book ratings and reviews here.
February 2, 2018
Foodie Friday: Peach Green Tea
Well, since I’m a frequent visitor to the hospital now, I’ve made a nesting spot in the local Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. My latest taste from their menu includes…
Peach green tea: green tea with fruity sweetness
Typically, I prefer my tea plain. However, Tea Leaf offers a number of combinations. I decided to try the peach flavor. I did like the look of the peach cubes in the tea bag (see above)!
It was nice to have a change where there’s a subtle sweetness and flavor of fruit to contrast against the bitter green tea. Though it won’t be a regular choice for me, it’s a great for a change of pace.
Fun fact: The tea is grown in the mountains of Sri Lanka!
January 22, 2018
#BookReview: Every Soul a Star
“You will live a long, prosperous life.”
5 stars
Pros:
Science made interesting
Different perspectives
True teen voices
Cons:
May be too sweet for some
I really enjoyed Every Soul a Star. Since I recently saw the solar eclipse, I had to check out this read. I love how Mass incorporated scientific facts in this book.
Every Soul is a slow, thoughtful read. Some people might find fault with that (see my con above), but I found it refreshing. The voices here are true teens without the dramatic sweep of some newer and grittier YA.
There is a sprinkle of romantic interest, but for the most part, this book is about finding deep friendship. It’s also about challenging our own thoughts about ourselves. In this way, I think it’s very authentic to the adolescent reader since there is a lot of changing life circumstances and adaptation that must be made.
A touching and educational read.
Find more of my book ratings and reviews here.
January 19, 2018
Foodie Friday: Iced Matcha
Iced matcha: Frosty green tea drink
Time to refresh with an iced matcha! As you all know, I love green tea. Having a frosty cup of bitter matcha with the sweetness of milk is a great treat.
What’s your favorite drink?
January 11, 2018
MIA
Photo by Alessio Lin on Unsplash
Sorry, I’ve been MIA for a while. I just wanted to let you readers know that I’ve been dealing with family health issues. Due to this, I’ll be blogging less frequently. I’m still aiming to do a weekly post from here on out, but it may not be on a consistent day.
Thanks for understanding!
December 20, 2017
December 11, 2017
#BookReview: Warcross
“Never do anything halfway.”
5 stars
Pros:
Fascinating technology
Mysterious antagonist
Smart and independent Asian main character
Intriguing love interest
Cons:
Easily guessed the antagonist
I absolutely loved Warcross. I’m a big fangirl of Marie Lu ever since she exploded on the scene with the Legend series. Yes, there are some single titles within her two series (Legend; Young Elites) that I don’t enjoy as much. Overall, though, I love her unique ideas and the way she populates her world with characters you want to care about.
In Warcross, there’s an exciting, independent main character named Emika Chen. Thank you, Lu, for nods to all sorts of diversity within your book! Emika is a strong girl, though she does have her flaws based on her personality and upbringing. Since she’s fiercely independent, she also tends to push others away, resulting in a very realistic character.
I also really enjoyed the technology. The idea of a game that’s powered by virtual reality and feeds off your body’s energy is cool. Lu also does a great job of describing the futuristic modern world and the fantastical settings held within the game.
It was great to see the immediate romantic tension between Emika and her love interest. (Although truth be told, it was a little too quick for the romance to spring up.) I also found it easy to guess the antagonist, but despite that knowledge, I loved the building up of conflict between them as the book headed toward the end.
Can’t wait for the sequel!
Find more of my book ratings and reviews here.
