Book Reviews with Ann and Albert

Episode 5: Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins (2025)

Today, on episode 5, Albert and I (Ann) delve into the latest installment of The Hunger Games series, Sunrise on the Reaping. Like the previous installment, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Sunrise on the Reaping commits itself to diving into the dark psychological depths of the human mind, but this time, from the perspective of the one and only, Haymitch Abernathy. Join us as we discuss how this book expertly explores everything from the inextinguishable fire that only friendship can stoke to the tragedy of trauma.    *Please note that episodes 1 through 4 can be found only on Apple Podcasts: https://www.ann-yihyang-kim.com/podcast/*

Episode 4 (Part 2): Eye in the Blue Box by Ann Yihyang Kim (2025)

Welcome to the second (and final) part of our episode on Ann's debut novel, Eye in the Blue Box! Join us as we delve deeper into the intricate world of the Flowering, discover more behind the scenes information, and, of course, listen to Albert's perspective on the book. Ann also ends with a heartfelt message regarding why she wrote the book to begin with. And in case you missed Part 1 of the episode: did you know a really bad blind date contributed to the creation of James, the protagonist? Make sure you listen to Part 1 if you haven't already! Eye in the Blue Box is a fast-paced dark fantasy filled to the brim with eerie monsters and blood-splattering battles. Readers searching for strong character development and intricate world-building will enjoy this book.

Episode 4 (Part 1): Eye in the Blue Box by Ann Yihyang Kim (2025)

Ann published her first book, Eye in the Blue Box! Hooray! In today's episode, Albert picks Ann's brain about the details and inspiration behind her debut novel, and Ann, in turn, asks Albert about his experience as her reader (and editor!). We are very excited to share the inner workings of Ann's novel as it's been around a decade in the making. Eye in the Blue Box is a fast-paced dark fantasy filled to the brim with eerie monsters and blood-splattering battles. Readers searching for strong character development and intricate world-building will enjoy this book.  We're releasing this episode in 2 parts as we were unexpectedly interrupted in between!

Episode 3 (Movie): The Boy and the Heron by Hayao Miyazaki (2023)

Albert and I love films as much as we love books, so we thought we'd do a special episode today: a movie review! The Boy and the Heron is Hayao Miyazaki's latest film. As Albert confesses, he fell asleep during his first watch, and I don't think he's the only one. The lack of exposition means that many probably walked away from this rather abstract movie confused. We're here to break it down for you, and hopefully, help you recognize this movie for the work of genius that it is!

Episode 2: Deep as the Sky, Red as the Sea by Rita Chang-Eppig (2023)

Welcome to our second episode! Today we discuss the historical fiction novel, Deep as the Sky, Red as the Sea. We couldn’t put down this gritty, dark, and moving work of literature that explores the life of Shek Yeung, who’s considered by some historians to be one of the most successful pirates to have ever lived. Join us as we travel back to 1800s Asia and explore what it might have been like to be a woman who is both a slave and a conquerer of tragic circumstances.