#death by dumpling

[readtilyoudie]

You know in the movies where someone says “You can’t fire me, I quit!” … maybe don’t do that in real life. Unless you don’t mind working as a server in your parents’ Chinese restaurant for the rest of your life.

Death by Dumpling (A Noodle Shop Mystery, #1) by Vivien Chien

[cattatonically]

Death by Dumpling - Vivien Chien (A Noodle Shop Mystery, book 1)

Synopsis

Welcome to the Ho-Lee Noodle House, where the Chinese food is to die for. . .

The last place Lana Lee thought she would ever end up is back at her family’s restaurant. But after a brutal break-up and a dramatic workplace walk-out, she figures that a return to the Cleveland area to help wait tables is her best option for putting her life back together. Even if that means having to put up with her mother, who is dead-set on finding her a husband.

Lana’s love life soon becomes yesterday’s news once the restaurant’s property manager, Mr. Feng, turns up dead―after a delivery of shrimp dumplings from Ho-Lee. But how could this have happened when everyone on staff knew about Mr. Feng’s severe, life-threatening shellfish allergy? Now, with the whole restaurant under suspicion for murder and the local media in a feeding frenzy―to say nothing of the gorgeous police detective who keeps turning up for take-out―it’s up to Lana to find out who is behind Feng’s killer order. . . before her own number is up.

My Thoughts

I was completely riveted by this book from the very first paragraph on. The tone and voice of the book just spoke to me. I found myself immediately invested in Lana and her life and her family’s noodle shop. And then the mystery began.

It doesn’t take Lana very long to dive right in. Her friend – and colleague – is in trouble, and she’s determined to get ahead of it, and prove him innocent. Even if that means crossing paths with the excruciatingly good looking, and incredibly surly, lead detective on the case.

The deeper Lana dives, the more secrets of the plaza where she grew up she uncovers. With every new bit of information she uncovers, it isn’t long before her lists of suspects shrinks. And the possibilities are pretty heartbreaking for the entire plaza.

This book hooked me with its incredible characters, and then kept me with the mystery, and Lana’s less-than-subtle sleuthing skills. I loved watching her work out the puzzle with her best friend Megan, even if it meant annoying the very, very handsome detective. And Detective Adam Trudeau definitely has his hands full with Lana Lee.

Death by Dumpling is a great start to what I think is going to be a very, very fun series! I can’t wait to keep reading!

[zishuge]

+ bonus:

The Spirealm 致命游戏 (2024) | Ep. 33

[unreesonable]

More people need to see this incredible fanvid 💖

[bizarrelittlemew]

Mutiny, hah! ...really?

[youngchronicpain]

Just started a book that is a work of historical fiction for fun (I picked one that was an available audiobook through my library at random) and in the first chapter disabled babies are referred to as "human rejects." Oof oof oof oof.

[fwol-jintu]

Made something stupid after remembering Eksval (my commandant oc) is still human and therefore cant live forever with the Gray Ravens lol

Item context:

He'll eventually die, he's still just a human. Eventually, some time later, the Gray Raven's won't have him as their commandant anymore.

He doesn't know if they think about it, he prefers they don't. He doesn't like them worrying about the inevitable, especially if its about him.

Of course, the Gray Ravens had never thought about it. Life without their commandant, someone they've bonded so closely with.

Its been a while. Tides and fights are getting desperate and busy enough to distract them from forming such thoughts.

During his rare amounts of spare time, bit by bit, he made a little toy. 3 gray ravens on a raised platform. When you touch their heads, they bob, and then go back up.

It also served as a camera of sorts, to record moments and preserve them.

It was a simple device, really. Eksval had also decided to color the gray ravens' eyes to match the Gray Raven members' main colors.

He goes to the debriefing room and attaches it on a shelf, making sure no one will steal it. He taps the head of the one with blue eyes, and as expected, it bowed.

Smiling in satisfaction that it was working properly, he leaves the room and goes off to tend to his business.

The ravens' eyes glowed in the dark. For now, there was nothing to record.

But one day, those records will be the only thing left of the commandant, a reminder of his existence to the Gray Ravens.

Item description:

A recording device made by a certain commandant. On a small, raised platform, stood three gray ravens. The ravens seems to represent the members of the Gray Ravens, though it was only evident due to the eye colors.

There was not a fourth raven though, signifying that the certain commandant who made it did not last. Or atleast, not permanently.

Engraved on the raised platform were the words "Gray Raven", as if it wasn't obvious enough that it belonged to them.

SLIGHTLY modified (as in i changed the numbers) song cuz i suddenly thought about it while making this (no eksval does not die it was all just a nightmare totally haha):

4 birds on a wire— (the gray ravens stood next to each other, contented and happy)

3 tried to fly, away, and the other— (missions took place, battles were inevitable. Due to this, the contructs had to leave and fight)

watches them close from that wire.. (the commandant watched over them, making sure nothing went wrong. It was his job to make sure they come back together.)

He says he wants to as well- (the commandant eventually joins their mission on the surface, even if it was dangerous. He tells them to not worry and that he'll be fine by their side,)

But he is a liar. (but it's not like he was the most honest man either.)

I'll believe it all— (even if the Gray Ravens were skeptical, especially Lee, they still choose to believe their commandant on his words)

There's nothing I won't understand (afterall, why would their commandant need to lie? Surely theres a reason for everything. The Gray Ravens trust their commandant.)

I'll believe it all (they trust his judgement, they believe in him.)

I won't let go of your hand (they wont let go of him, and he won't let go of them too. He'll continue guiding them, the sweet ducklings he has raised)

4 birds on a wire... (and once more, they were back together)

3 say 'come on', and the 4th said 'im tired..' (they had a mission coming up. They waited for their commandant but he didn't appear. Celia informs them that due to complications, the commandant couldn't go with them.)

The sky's overcast, (The sky hasn't been blue, not for a while now. Though they do wonder why it was cloudy, it was a little rare for it to be cloudy.)

And im sorry. (Celia couldn't tell them. No one could tell them what happened. They're so sorry.)

-

-

-

4 birds of a feather, say that they're always gonna stay together (it was a promise made. An empty one that Eksval felt sorry for.)

But one's never going to let go of that wire. (he was only human. As much as he was a great commandant, he was only human. He will always just be human.)

He says that he will, (promises are made, promises are broken. Eksval was never the most honest man afterall.)

But he's just a liar. (and yet, it still hurt when he broke that promise.)

("Tell me, was it such a crime to love you?")

[diddlesanddoodles]

"What was he doing out there all alone?"

"I should have been there."

"Why didn't he ask me to go with him?"

[quickboot]

This post is just about a silly dream I had. Noodles and Dumpling are both fine, but mention of pet loss below the cut.

I dreamed that Noodles got ahold of some kind of plant and was eating it. I took it away until I identified it as safe, then let her have it. By that point, Dumpling had also run up to beg for some of the plant, so I broke off a piece for him. Muffin was there, too. I knew she was a ghost, but I was happy she came to visit, and being a ghost didn't stop her from begging for some of the food, too. Everybody got a treat.

[fanficmemes]

Yeah I think the universe must really love me bc I have driven over not one but two downed powers lines during a big storm and I didn’t die

[wisdomfish]

"The shiny wrappers of sin have death and destruction packaged inside."

Erik Raymond

[readtilyoudie]

“A man with many secrets will have many enemies. Enemies will always find you, even when you think you are free.”

“Did Mr. Feng have a lot of secrets?” If that were true, then it could be a number of people. People we hadn’t even considered yet.

Mr. Zhang chuckled. “When you look at the ocean, do you see what is underneath?”

Death by Dumpling (A Noodle Shop Mystery, #1) by Vivien Chien

[queendumpling]

like do not get me wrong zoro will always be best top favorite for me but. gestures vaguely. trafalgar law,

[evqnescene]

want some fucking pot roast.

[roachymochi]

There is also suite a lot of strange parallels between Godwyn and the Albinaurics. The facture that he seem to be legless is obvious, but his status as the progenitor of the Golden lineage is suite reminiscent of the mysterious mother of silver and all Albinaurics (see Latenna's questline).

Rennala, oddly, fit this status too, As she cannot use her legs and five birth to many children, who can't use there legs eather, and Albinaurics seems to make up the entirety of Liurna's native population.

A third interesting detail is the similarity between the legless Albinaurics and half broken Radagon. Both have a sort of dark shadowy smoke taking the shape of the body parts they lost.

Finally, Godwyn's corpse has, I think, a silver and a golden bracelet on each arm. The half-man half-snake/fish body is also a common symbolisme to represent dual nature in alchemy, And his emblem, the ecclipse, associate the Sun of the golden order and the Full Moon, frequently associated with silver and magic, which fits the Prince of Death motif of using both Faith and Int.

I still don't know what this means but I definitely think a conspiracy is afoot.

Elden Ring's demigods all have incredibly varied and iconic design so it makes me insane that Godwyn design is just Radagon with golden hair. From the only picture of him alive in the opening he even have similar clothing and his arms are the same position as Marika iconic pose. I can't write a proper theory about it but i think there is something to be found.

[22roses22]

I made dumplings but I did not plan ahead. At all. And now I have a good problem which is like 150 homemade chicken veggie dumplings except I still have filling left over and I think I will be eating these dumplings for the rest of my life