Book Review: "Karaoke Queen" by Dominic Lim

This book was so sweet and fun. I could totally see an adaptation of this into a movie or television show—it’s part Kinky Boots,” part RuPaul’s Drag Race, and even a bit of Pose. But that’s not to say the book was derivative or a copycat in any way.

“For me, drag is heightened reality. It’s not about lying, it’s about revealing the truth in a different way. My truth. I see that now.”

Rex used to be a popular drag performer and karaoke host, until he locked that part of him away. But when he discovers his old college boyfriend Aaron is now managing a gay club and karaoke bar, it awakens the desire to perform again—not to mention his desire for Aaron.

The Pink Unicorn is a part of Oakland’s gay culture, but it’s never gotten back on its feet post-COVID. When Rex learns that the bar is struggling, he offers to host karaoke in his drag persona, Regina Moon Dee. But while Aaron is no longer the closeted guy Rex dated in college, drag makes him uncomfortable—so Rex can’t let Aaron know that he and Regina are one and the same.

Paolo, the bar’s karaoke jockey, immediately takes a shine to Rex, and recognizes his alter ego right away. He can’t understand why Rex would want to date Aaron if he won’t accept Rex for who he is. But Paolo is all too willing to help continue the ride that Rex and Regina are two separate people. As you might imagine, hijinks and drama ensue.

I really enjoyed Dominic Lim’s debut, All the Right Notes, and this book had the same amount of heart. Sure, there is lots of bending the truth and hiding things, but it’s all for the right reasons. Rex and Paolo are such winning characters, and their friends and family are so appealing too. You’ll definitely want to break into song after reading this!

Book Review: "Adam & Evie's Matchmaking Tour" by Nora Nguyen

My travel bucket list is really quite long, and I hope to actually get to some of the places I’ve read about. Interestingly enough, I hadn’t ever thought about visiting Vietnam. Until I read this book.

As if losing her beloved Aunt Hao wasn’t bad enough, Evie’s life is completely falling apart. She’s been secretly dating the chair of the English department—and her boss—at the college where she teaches. And then she discovers his secret plan to fire her. Needless to say, that relationship is toast.

Now she’s at loose ends. But her aunt has left Evie her fantastic San Francisco row house, where Evie spent a great deal of time as she was growing up. Of course, there’s a catch: Evie must travel to Vietnam and participate in a matchmaking tour. She doesn’t have to fall in love, she just has to try.

Adam is in charge of marketing his sister’s matchmaking tour business. There’s a great deal of competition among companies like this in Vietnam, so Adam puts everything into his work. But given that he can’t land a successful relationship of his own, his sister dares him to join the company’s maiden tour, and he agrees.

From their very first encounter, Adam and Evie dislike each other. Adam is too stiff for Evie; Evie is too flaky for Adam. Yet every time they turn around, they run into each other again and their irritation—not to mention their chemistry—grows. Have they fallen into an enemies to lovers situation of their own?

This book was fun and romantic, and the storytelling really made me feel as if I were seeing the sights myself. That isn’t a surprise, considering Nora Nguyen is the pen name for Thao Thai, who wrote Banyan Moon. Was this predictable? Sure. But it definitely gave me the feels!!

Book Review: "Grave Talk" by Nick Spalding

Since her husband Joe died suddenly six months ago, Alice isn’t having an easy time coping. She still reaches for him in bed every morning, and talks to him quite a bit. She wonders if the loss will ever get easier to bear.

On Joe’s birthday, she decides to visit his grave by herself for the first time, but it’s far too much for her emotionally, and she briefly falls apart. When she pulls herself together, she’s stunned to see a man dressed like Kermit the Frog standing by the grave next to Joe’s.

Ben is mourning the death of his older brother Harry. Harry was quite the prankster, and in his will he stipulated that once a year Ben must visit his grave and stand there for three minutes. And Ben must wear an embarrassing costume that Harry picked out for each year.

The intensity of grief that both feel creates the spark of a friendship. The time they spend talking to one another feels cathartic, because both know what this grief feels like. They make a promise to meet at the gravesites the following year on the same date.

Each year, they both arrive at the cemetery. Alice usually laughs when she sees what costume Ben is wearing. And as they talk and share the emotional crises and challenges each has faced through the year, both begin challenging one another to make a change here or there, in the hopes the changes will help. Does grief get easier over time? Can you move on to a new phase without forgetting the person you’ve lost?

I loved the concept here, but felt it fell short in execution. Both Alice and Ben are understandably miserable, but it often seemed as if they were willing to remain in this state forever rather than confront the issues and people that were holding them back. While there certainly are emotional moments, I found myself more frustrated than sad.

The book will publish 11/1.

Book Review: "Be Ready When the Luck Happens" by Ina Garten

The Barefoot Contessa’s memoir is finally here. How great is that?

Years ago I went to culinary school and worked as a personal chef and caterer for a while. One of the people whose recipes I loved and often adapted was Ina Garten. It’s amazing how an incredibly wealthy woman with an amazing house in the Hamptons who hobnobs with celebrities seems as down to earth as she does.

Amazingly, this culinary icon got her professional start writing nuclear energy papers for the Ford and Carter administrations. But she was bored and didn’t feel like her work had an impact, so heeding her husband’s advice to do what you love, they bought a small gourmet shop, The Barefoot Contessa, in the Hamptons. Never mind the fact that she had no experience in the food business!

It was so easy for me to get caught up in this memoir, as if Ina was telling me her life story over dinner. She touches on her unhappy childhood and her desire to do things that weren’t traditionally appropriate for young women. She found her independent streak early and it’s never abandoned her.

As much as I loved her stories about her finding her footing in the food business and her stepping into the spotlight, the most entertaining parts of the book are when she recounts meeting her husband Jeffrey while she was still in high school. Their love story is often satirized but theirs is a sweet relationship.

I enjoyed this book so much. To me, it came across exactly as she does on television—full of joy and gratitude at the good fortune she has found. Such a delight.