#descendantofthecrane

[sleepy-bookworm]

What should I read in October ? . From the left ➡️ right: THE SEA OF MONSTERS by Rick Riordan, THE WICKED KING by Holly Black, THE BEAST IS AN ANIMAL by Peternelle van Arsdale, THE COLD IS IN HER BONES by Peternelle van Arsdale, CROOKED KINGDOM by Leigh Bardugo, WICKED SAINTS by Emily A. Duncan, DESCENDANT OF THE CRANE by Joan He, ENPRESS OF SEASONS by Emiko Jean, ECHO NORTH by Joanna Ruth Meyer, WARRIOR OF THE WILD by Tricia Levenseller, MASK OF SHADOWS by Linsey Miller, THE CERULEAN by Amy Ewing. . #books #hardcoverbooks #paperbackbooks #theseaofmonsters #thewickedking #thebeastisananimal #thecoldisinherbones #crookedkingdom #wickedsaints #descendantofthecrane #empressoftheseasons #echonorth #warriorofthewild #maskofshadows #thecerulean #bookphotography #bookstagram #bookstagramcanada #autumnbookstagram https://www.instagram.com/p/B3Dinhsg6Vg/?igshid=1lfkks38gwjqk

[ventureswithbooks]

“What is truth? Scholars seek it. Poets write it. Good Kings pay gold to hear it. But in trying times, truth is the first thing we betray.” - Descendant of the Crane . . 🌟QOTD: Do you have a TBR for June? . . Happy Tuesday friends!! I normally don’t make TBRs because I’m a mood reader but with all the books I got at BookExpo I made a semi TBR for this month. And this book is most definitely on it!! In addition to owning a *few* copies I also managed to grab it when it was on sale for Kindle!! I go back and forth between preferring to read on my kindle and reading physical books and right now I’m on a big kindle kick so this is absolutely perfect!! Other books on my TBR this month are: Rage, The Merciful Crow and Fireborne!! I cannot wait to dive into all these amazing books!! Oh and how absolutely gorgeous are these character cards?!? I just love them so much!!! Hope everyone has a fabulous day!! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #flatlaystyle #booknerd #instareads #bookaesthetic #ventureswithbooks #booklife #booksofinstagram #bookworm #yafiction #yabooks #bookishfeatures #bookstagramer #flowerlove #descendantofthecrane #swag https://www.instagram.com/p/ByTeT1tgMix/?igshid=7l7j2fsos2yp

[decoratingreader]

💭What recent #bookmail have you gotten? . These are the most recent #youngadultbooks I’ve received in the mail! I’m super excited for all of them. I’ve read #Finale already and am OBSESSED with it. The other 3 are definitely high on my #tbr ☺️ . . . #goodreads #stackofbooks #bookstack #hygge #cosy #cosyhome #cozy #cozyvibes #bookster #bookaesthetic #stephaniegarber #wehunttheflame #hafsahfaizal #nocturna #mayamotayne #descendantofthecrane #joanhe #greyaesthetic #rusticdecor #flowers https://www.instagram.com/p/BxScdbPhNg0/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=v92y5ghw5rir

[natreviewsbooks]

Dreary days are perfect for stories of mysterious death, intrigue, and drama. I cannot stress enough how good of a story Descendant of the Crane is. @joanhewrites has written an amazing story and I'm super excited were less than a month away from seeing it out in the real world! Don't let it slip past your fingers! #bookstagram #bookish #feature #march #bookboost #bookpost #ilovebooks #ilovereading #bookcommunity #descendantofthecrane #ya #lit #booksbooksbooks #bookshelf #love #friday #rainy #day #march #2019 #reading #goals https://www.instagram.com/natreviewsbooks/p/BuwtjuXnLCq/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=qt5jdpcpm9ix

[kiarazuri]

LOOK AT HOW BEAUTIFUL 😭 I’m so excited! #descendantofthecrane #books https://www.instagram.com/p/BwZbh1Hhe2u/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=111pv4tnbnwx6

[hopelessandinlove]

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A post shared by @findmeinabookshop on Jun 26, 2019 at 5:27am PDT

[paper-blots]

this was my february book haul & yeah this photo is SUPER late, but I already took this picture and there is no wasting in THIS house. also, I mainly just want to show some of the amazing books I was able to get aaaah!! (And I totally want to acknowledge the privilege that I have from being someone based in the United States, I’m so grateful to be able to even get all of these 💜) . the books shown, from left to right, are: Priory of the Orange Tree (I received this from a giveaway, tysm to @athomeintheclouds); We Set the Dark on Fire (I received this also from a giveaway, tysm to @lylawritesbooks ); Descendant of the Crane (aaaah!! from the publisher); To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before movie-tie-in-edition (purchased from The Strand); and the Project Nemesis trilogy (thank you to Penguin!!) . TATBILB was already one of my favorites & always will be!! I’ve also read the Nemesis trilogy and I really enjoyed it & totally recommend to people who like science fiction-mystery-esque novels!! And I read Descendant of the Crane and guys... it’s already one of my favorites of 2019. God, I love it so much. The two unread books are We Set the Dark on Fire & Priory of the Orange Tree, both of which I’m SO excited to start and also SCARED. . #bookstagram #bookhaul #februarybookhaul #februarybookhaul2019 #prioryoftheorangetree #wesetthedarkonfire #descendantofthecrane #toalltheboysivelovedbefore #nemesis #bookaddicts #bookworm https://www.instagram.com/p/BwsEZ04nGeu/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=pr6ur0otuvpj

[pufflekittehreads]

July 2021 'Never Enough' Illumicrate Unboxing.

July 2021 ‘Never Enough’ Illumicrate Unboxing.

This box surprised me because my shipping email didn’t come through ahead of my box arriving. It was a surprise of the good kind, and made up for a long day I was having otherwise. Our July theme is Never Enough! This theme is dedicated to those characters who always want more. More power, more answers, more victories, more adventure. And they will do whatever it takes to achieve their goal.A…

[pamdacadabra]

#happymonday Omg I can believe September is here! This year is going by so fast! Anyways I feel like September is full of new releases I want and tomorrow Darkdawn is coming out which is so crazy to me 🤪 #qotd what kind of movies do you enjoy? I just watched Murder Mystery on Netflix and it was really good! I laughed 😂 - - - - - - - - - - - - #strangethedreamer #lainitaylor #museofnightmares #thebookthief #hownottodiealone #descendantofthecrane #redscrollsofmagic #cassandraclare #book #books #bookstagram #booklover #bookworm #booklovers #bookstagram #booksofinstagram #bookphotography #bookquotes #booknerds #bookstagrammer #bookstagramfeature #bookishfeatures #yabooks #bookcover https://www.instagram.com/p/B17wzePAPY4/?igshid=v29l8fvph0qs

[acosmosofstardust]

Got my first Book of the Month YA box yesterday after caving in to all the booktube promotion and discounts. I ended up choosing one of their previous books because it's been callong my name for months to pick up and I'm so glad I did. °°° Descendant of the Crane is a story with a lot of rich influence from traditional Han Chinese culture and it was refreshing to read. I'll hopefully be sharing more of my thoughts soon in a review on my blog so stay tuned for that! °°° Your turn: favorite book cover of 2019 - this one comes close for me! °°° #bookstagram #ya #fantasy #asianrepresentation #joanhe #descendantofthecrane #bookofthemonth #bookcoverdesign https://www.instagram.com/p/B1HBhVbAOfs/?igshid=1dtp7559vtt8s

[yardenkepha53]

“What is Truth? Scholars seek it. Poets write it. Good kings pay gold to hear it. But in trying times, truth is the first thing we betray.” One of Eleven, Joan He

Book review time! YAAAAAY!

So I recently finished Descendant of the Crane by Joan He.  It’s been a hot minute since I’ve delved into YA fiction, but He does not disappoint. This is the first Asian fantasy novel I’ve ever read, with it being an interesting break from more mainstream Tolkein-esque themes.  

There are familiar elements present throughout the story: 

-The sudden and unexplained death of an emperor/father figure

-A search for the truth regarding his death with a shocking revelation

-His daughter being thrust into power all of a sudden

-Fear and persecution of those with magical abilities

-Impending war with a less civilized neighboring nation

-A love interest with a mysterious past that haunts him

There are undoubtedly several others, but these are the ones that come to my mind readily.  And you know what? I don’t even mind the presence of these because He delivers them in an enjoyable and entertaining way.  

The main character, Hesina struggles not only with the death of her father, but also the sudden thrust into politics and the imperial court.  She has to come to terms with lifelong struggles with her own family, and on multiple occasions makes mistakes that sometimes cost her dearly.  

One thing that stood out was He’s exploration of cultural revolutions and the long term consequences of radial changes to social and political orders.  Rather than set her story during a period of rebellion, she instead opens with the empire hundreds of years after the Relic Emperors and Sooths had been overthrown.  Did their rule of absolute power and oppression need to end? Absolutely.  But He shows how the cycle of violence was never truly abolished, but rather transferred,  As Hesina stumbles and learns through her own mistakes, she comes to realize that and faces uncomfortable truths about her father and the rule of her ancestors.  

And that right there is, to me at least, the overarching theme of the book: Truth.  Pure truth.  Ugly truth.  Comforting and uncomfortable truth. Truth that must be sought above all else, even when it hurts, even when it shatters our perceptions of those we love.

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NOW, having said all this, there are some things I did NOT particularly enjoy.  

In fact, most of my complaints revolve around the death of Hesina’s sister Lilian.  This was undoubtedly a sad moment for Hesina, but if I were being honest it just didn’t deliver quite the punch I think the author was attempting to convey.  Since He obvious set up the book for a sequel (at the very least), then I personally believe it would have been better to have had her die in the second book.  In doing so, He would have had more time to develop her character and its significance to Hesina, thus lending her death more of an impact.  

In, The Winter of the Witch by Katherine Arden, I bawled my eyes out when Solovey died in the beginning of the novel. Arden had spent two previous books building up the relationship between him and Vasya, so it rang true when reading about her despair at his murder. Because He didn’t have as much to work with, Lilian’s death didn’t evoke nearly as much emotion.  In fact, it veered dangerously close to the trope of Disposable Woman . 

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Despite some issues I had with how He handled the death of Lilian, I really enjoyed this wonderful novel. For now it absolutely has a place on my bookshelf, and I will be happy to pick up the sequel when it comes out. 

[akzfineart]

I meant to post this so long ago but look at the incredible swag I received for preordering DESCENDANT OF THE CRANE by @joanhewrites 😍😍 I was also lucky enough to get a rose gold bookmark, which is sooo pretty! I’m so excited to read this. #descendantofthecrane #joanhe #books #bookstagram #yafantasy #fantasy #albertwhitman #diversebooks #diversereads #ownvoices #coverlust #bookswag #bookmarks #booknerd #reading #magic #debut #bookmail #pretty #rosegold #preorderswag #artwork https://www.instagram.com/p/ByQt_vtAsm-/?igshid=zhtcit9kzes3

[decoratingreader]

💛APRIL ILLUMICRATE UNBOXING💛 👑Theme: YOUR MAJESTY . I’m super late on my unboxing photo but...better late than never 🤗 This box is nothing short of magnificent! I love all the items and the book was high on my buy list!!! . 👑Items: •Moth & Mirth Mug by @rosiethorns88 •Once Upon A Time Book Tin by @moledrocraftco •Crown of Power Candle by @flickerinkuk •Iron Throne Phone Ring by @fableandblack •Three Dark Crowns Travel Posters by @pinapali •DESCENDANT OF THE CRANE by Joan He •Collectible Magnetic Coin by @monolimeart . May theme is ‘The Final Frontier’ and it will be including AURORA RISING and I’m sooooooo ecstatic about it!!! . Make sure to use CRYSTAL5 when you subscribe to @illumicrate for 3/6 months 💛 . 💭If you could have any item in this box, what would you choose? . . . #illumicrate #illumicrateapr2019 #unboxing #bookbox #subscriptionbox #hyggehome #hobbies #reading #descendantofthecrane #joanhe #booksaremyfriends #readingmakesmehappy #ilovemybooks #beautifulbookcovers #booklover #bookpage #booksofinstagram #igreads #mybookfeatures #themagicofbookstagram #thebookstagram #bookstagrammers #hygge #readersofinsta #lovetoread #bookaesthetic #ofquietmoments #booknookstagram #lifestyle https://www.instagram.com/p/BxxpI5andi3/?igshid=fusk2miikhcx

[mysnarkyself]

Todays prompt for the #illumicrateapr2019 challenge is Descendant of the Crans + character cards ~ There is also a readalong for this book on goodreads hosted by @Illumicrate I am not part-taking in the challenge because I am already abfew chapters ahead. And I really like the cover of the book ~ ~ #illumicrate #unboxing #descendantofthecrane #joanhe #photochallenge #instabooks #bookphotochallenge #instablogger #bookpic #booknerd https://www.instagram.com/mysnarkyself/p/Bxc6u4Woi6r/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=fn0s5gd2z1ys

[kiarazuri]

This is by far the prettiest #bookswag I’ve ever received 😍 #DescendantoftheCrane #DescendantoftheCraneSwag #DescendantoftheCranebyJoanHe #HappyBirthdayToMe https://www.instagram.com/p/Bt6k5gBBOlt/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=bjs3b0w4btj2

[talesofanavidreader]

My first @illumicrate box! I already was a subscriber to the pin club, but this is my first official box. I am so happy with it ~ especially the Throne of Glass book tin! The cover and character cards for Descendant or the Crane are stunning! I can’t wait to see what Illumicrate does next!! ⁣ ⁣ 𝐃𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐛𝐨𝐱𝐞𝐬? 𝗪𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞? ⁣ ⁣ #illumicrate #throneofglass #descendantofthecrane #bookbox #booksubscriptionbox #unboxing #talesofanavidreader #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagramfeature #booksofinstagram #bookishfeature #bookishfeatures #readingstyles #mybookfeatures #bookblog #bookreviewer #booknerd #booklover #bookworm #ireadya https://www.instagram.com/p/BxH9g25Hn8u/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=raylejql4aal