2025 Fold Challenge

Here are my reviews for the Fold Challenge 2025

January 2025

This was one of my #tackleyourtbr books that has been sitting on my shelf too long! It also doubled as my January @the_fold Challenge book, because the prompt was a A Romance by an Asian-Canadian author. I had read 2 out of the 4 recommendations, Ayesha at Last by @uzmajalaluddin and Love, Lies and Cherry Pie by @jackielaubooks, (both of which I would definitely recommend!) so I decided to read my first Lily Chu book.

Things I loved:

It is set in Toronto, explores the problems with health care and assisted living for the elderly and/or Canadians with Dementia or Alzheimers, romance was the subplot, and not at the forefront of the story, a realistic look at mental health.

Things I thought were just ok:

The pacing was pretty slow, I didn't really feel like there was a big moment; things just kind of fizzled out, the grumpy sunshine trope, the trade places/two people look like twins storyline just wasn't as entertaining as I'd hoped it would be.

Overall it got a 3.5 ⭐️ rating from me. I think I will check out other books from this author and if you're looking for a lighthearted, gentle paced read by an Asian-Canadian author this might be a great choice!

Thanks to @trishtalksbooks for setting up the January TBR challenge, I'm glad I finally checked this one off my list!

February 2025

I started this one about a month ago, and was sad to have to put it down for a while (April 5th to May 6th), but once I picked it back up, I devoured it! The Island of Forgetting by @jasminefrancessealy is a multigenerational story about life in Barbados. Each of the main characters, members of the same family, must come to terms with both their family history and the despair that comes when you must accept that you can no longer follow your dreams. The author shows the cyclical way poverty, teen pregnancy and the effects of colonialism tie together and repeat themselves generation after generation. She also gives readers an understanding of what it is like to be part of this cycle and the prospect of being the one who finally breaks the cycle, while also showing the weight of the pressure on your shoulders from the generations before you, and the devastating loss that comes when the dream is shattered. There was really never a dull moment in this story, and the successive narration helped keep the story going at a quick pace all the way through. I would definitely recommend this book and am really glad I read it! Thanks to @the_fold for recommending this one as part of the February challenge: A Literary Fiction by a Caribbean Canadian Author!

March 2025

March's @the_fold's challenge prompt is: A Memoir by a Transgender Author and I'm Afraid of Men. by Vivek Shraya was actually the recommended book, or the book this month's challenge was based on. I was able to find a copy of an audiobook through my public library and was shocked at how short it was (less than 2 hours), yet once I got started listening, I found it incredible how much could be packed in to such a short book.

I'm Afraid of Men. is divided into two main sections titled "you" and "me". "You" is a bit longer and focuses on all of the people who have harmed Shraya over time. In this powerful section, Shraya speaks directly to the people who uttered homophobic slurs, who threatened aggression, who watched, stood by, or even laughed. The second section, "Me" is a self-reflection on the author's own acts, words or even thoughts that contribute to the stereotypes and gender roles, as well as general reflection on the harms experienced by women, transgender and queer people because of gender stereotypes and body image. The author gave me a lot to think about because there are things we could all do to make the world a more inclusive and safe place for all people.

I think this is a great option for anyone who wants to know more about the experiences of people who are transgender or any part of the LGBTQ+ community. Its length makes it a feasible request (or recommendation) for people to read, especially as an audiobook, as it is shorter than most feature films. Most importantly, this book gives a very clear viewpoint and perspective which is invaluable for readers or listeners because it gives them the chance to really see what life is like when you are in constant fear of safety and worried about what signals you are sending to those around you simply by existing (clothing, voice, actions or even the way you walk). So if you haven't read this one, I would definitely recommend it!

April - Poetry by a South Asian Canadian

I'm not a huge poetry fan, so I decided for this month to read another genre from a South Asian Canadian author and went with Detective Aunty by Uzma Jalaluddin

Detective Aunty is a fun, cozy mystery with just the right amount of suspense to keep you on your toes! Kausar, a recently widowed mother and grandmother, gets the call that she needs to come stay with her daughter in the Golden Crescent, Scarborough neighbourhood in Toronto. Her daughter has been accused of and may soon be arrested for murder and she needs her mother to come watch her 15 and 10 year old daughters. Kausar is reluctant to head back to the city but is willing to do whatever it takes to support her daughter and granddaughters, including perhaps solving the case? Kausar is well known for her sleuthing abilities and as she integrates herself into the community, she is surprised to see how willing people are to talk to a sweet "old" Aunty. The murder investigation quickly reveals itself to be much more complicated than the police have been making it seem, but Kausar has plans and she will do what it takes to help clear her daughter's name!

As with all of Jalaluddin's books, this one tackles discrimination and racism, has a bit of love and romance, focuses on great characters and has a well-paced plot that keeps you wanting to read more. I love that it is set in Toronto, features a variety of diverse characters, and represents South Asian culture in a way that is interesting and enjoyable for readers of any background. Community is a huge feature in this book, and so Jalaluddin's skill in creating memorable characters and building strong relationships between them is so important for this story. I'm not a huge mystery reader, but I loved this book and also loved that unlike some of her other books, romance wasn't the main storyline. This is an excellent women's fiction, great for adult readers of any age! If you haven't read any of her books yet, definitely check this one out. Detective Aunty is out now!

Thanks to @netgalley and the publisher, @harpercollinsca for giving me the chance to read and review this fabulous book!

May 2025

Today I'm here to share a memoir that has been on my TBR for a very long time, and which I devoured over the weekend. From the Ashes by Canadian Indigenous author Jesse Thistle explores his experiences of neglect, abuse and trauma being moved from one parent to another to foster care before ending up living with his siblings and grandparents in Brampton, Ontario. Under the care of his grandparents, he was able to conquer a lot of the challenges he faced, but trouble and trauma from the past always lingered near him and once he started to fall off the path he was on and into the traps of crime and addiction, he found himself homeless and in a variety of very difficult situations. Over the course of his memoir, Thistle explores his roots as a road allowance Métis, comes to terms with his father's disappearance and history of crime and addictions, and gives readers an indepth look at what life is like for addicts, Indigenous people, people who are homeless, the Canadian justice system and a number of other identities and experiences Thistle is able to share with his readers.

This book reminded me why I love memoirs, especially Canadian memoirs. It was almost impossible for me to put down. I kept rooting for Jesse each time something seemed to go a little bit better, but then feeling for him when things fell apart again. I completely understand why @the_fold chose this book as part of their celebration of a decade of change and am very glad they recommended it for May's challenge: A Book by a Brampton author, as I would have had no idea this book would fit that prompt. The cover definitely represents the prairie skies of Thistle's childhood in Saskatchewan! I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who hasn't yet read it!

June - Dystopian Indigenous

I'm not much of a dystopian reader, but reading books by Indigenous authors is definitely something I do on a fairly regular basis. For this category I decided to read a memoir instead, Indian in the Cabinet by Jody Wilson-Raybould. This one has been on my TBR shelf for quite a while and I am glad I finally got to it! I really appreciated the content and discussion around the differences between Indigenous governments and partisan politics in Canada. I enjoyed some of the day-to-day and behind-the-scenes stories of life as an MP/Cabinet Minister.

From a more critical lens: I feel like the writing could have been much better organized and laid out. It felt like there was a lot of foreshadowing while also taking for granted that readers would either know what was going on from media coverage or strong knowledge of politics or would be comfortable waiting until the second half of the book to understand the events briefly touched on from page 1. In some ways there was way too much detail and in others not nearly enough. At times the narration made it feel like the author didn't really want to write this book, which felt kind of uncomfortable.

If you have a vague idea of what happened and why she was removed from cabinet, I'd definitely recommend this book, similarly, if you are interested in the differences between Indigenous and Canadian government, it is one I think is worth checking out. I did learn a lot and am glad I read it, but wish the flow and narration had been a bit more smoothed out in the editing process.

July - Graphic Novel Marginalized Author

I did not read this book this July, I actually read in last December, but it is one that I am so glad to revisit here

Little Moons is a YA graphic novel about 13 year old Reanna who lives on a Rez with her family. Like so many Indigenous women, girls and 2-spirit people, Reanna's older sister Chelsea goes missing. The family must come to terms with this loss in their own ways, and something that Reanna finds solace in, is connecting with her Ojibwe culture and traditions. MMIWG2S is not an easy topic to discuss, but it is one that young people need to be aware of, and I think that the balance between preserving Indigenous cultures and traditions, and learning about this tragic but common problem is so well done.

I recently heard from a teacher-librarian who lives and works in my province, that their choice to purchase this book for a K-8 school library was questioned because its "messaging is a bit off". I asked what becomes of flagged books and found out that in some cases they are destroyed. Now, I'm not sure what you picture when you think of a banned book, but being removed from the shelves (or never making it on them) and being destroyed is definitely what I think of...

The Messaging that was flagged: the mother smoking, a white person's bias about Indigenous people getting things for free, and a comment 'what you lack in the trunk, you make up for in the headlights" (referring to butt and boobs).

I go into a much more indepth exploration of this book on my blog, but the short version: this book absolutely should not be banned. Marked as YA and made available to the intended age group of 12-18? Yes, absolutely. Used as a class read aloud/shared reading experience (potentially with the use of a free teacher guide provided by the publisher)? Yes, great idea. Removed and destroyed? No absolutely not, this book should not be banned, removed or destroyed. It should be purchased and handed to young adult readers.

https://teachreadinspire.wixsite.com/website/post/banned-and-challenged-book-reviews

August - Fantasy by a Queer Author

I was going to give another T.J. Klune book a try but time ran out and I almost gave up on this category around December 30th when I hadn't read anything for it yet! So, I took off the pressure of a fantasy because as you may know, fantasy is not my favourite genre. I went through my Netgalley backlist and discovered This Way Out by Tufayel Ahmed, and I'm so glad I did! I loved this book so much!

The story starts when Amar sends a message to his family group chat saying that he is gay and getting married. Of course, for a muslim Bangladeshi family, this is a huge curve ball. The story continues with many ups and downs as Amar begins to reconsider several aspects of his life, including his religion, family, culture and even his spouse. Some of the themes that I really loved throughout this book include: misconceptions and positive discussion around therapy and mental health, unconscious bias, microaggressions, interracial couples, LGBTQ+ Muslims, family expectations, self-discovery and surrounding yourself with people who build you up.

I connected quite quickly with Amar, even though as people, we couldn't be more different, the author just did such a great job creating the character that I couldn't help but feel for him and want to see him face the challenges and have a happy ending. While this was in some ways a love story/rom com it had so much depth and covered so many interesting and difficult topics. To me, this book really represents what the FOLD challenge is all about; reading something by an author who has a very different life and perspective from me so that I can learn more about diverse people and their perspectives.

This was definitely a new favourite book and I can't wait to check out the other book this author has written! I would totally recommend it!!

September - Non- Fiction by a Black Canadian Author

Move Over, Viola by @daintonc Christopher Dainton

Christopher tells his mother's story as she battled Bell Canada due to gender and race based employment discrimination. I learned a fair amount about racism and discrimination in Canada's past. I knew about Viola Desmond's story (referenced in the title) but knew that there were of course many other examples and stories of this stain on Canada's history. I also think that when you consider Bell today, you might consider Bell Let's Talk day (or your 💩 customer service experiences lol) and in the book Christopher also points out the more recent diversity programming/hiring the company is quick to point out, when there is actually quite a murky history that needs to be explored.

The book is divided into three sections. I really enjoyed the first part of the story when Christopher was the narrator. There was so many interesting and relevant parts of history that were included and it was written with a really good pace.

The second and third parts were a bit different. The middle section was narrated by his mother. I understand wanting to give her a voice in telling her own story but it felt a bit awkward at times and was not super clear that the narration switched at first. The ending was a little unusual as well but I wont get into that with spoilers!

I think this is a really important story to tell and I am glad I was able to read it. Check out my link in Bio to read the other reviews I have written for the awards so far!

Bonus: I forgot I read Viola for this one and also read Never Tell a Black Girl How To Black Girl - it was a great book too!

October - Horror

The Hunger We Pass Down

Jen Sookfong Lee

I was a bit apprehensive about this book, particularly because it is in the horror genre, and I did end up finding it a little too scary for me and ended up having to stop mid way because I was scared. *Cue the clip of Joey and Rachel keeping the horror books in the freezer lol*  I think Horror fans or anyone who is not as big of a chicken as I am, would do fine with this book. And even though it was a little outside my comfort zone and I wasn't able to finish it, I'm glad I gave it a chance, especially because it was thanks to FOLD that I read another of Lee's books which I loved and wouldn't have otherwise picked up!

Blending supernatural horror with a powerful multigenerational family narrative, THE HUNGER WE PASS DOWN by Jen Sookfong Lee follows a lineage of women haunted by a curse inherited from mother to daughter, one that traces back to sexual violence during WWII in Hong Kong. The novel’s eerie atmosphere delivers several truly scary moments! Both creepy and emotionally heavy, this book meets readers who enjoy horror and diverse themes right where they are at. The concept of inherited trauma is really interesting and was a new idea for me to explore while reading this one.

November - Non-Fiction by a Disabled Author

I read In Pursuit of 'Normal' by Martha Siede, a woman with Cerebral Paulsy who goes in for hip surgery and ends up being placed into a coma, and having significant damage and challenges afterwards. I liked the idea of this book, but for whatever reason I couldn't fully get into it. I think that the writing was not easy for me to connect with and I found the story was lacking the transitions and background info that would make the story easier to dive into and connect with. I know that there are many more memoirs by disabled authors in my future so I am sure I will have the chance to make up for this one in 2026!

December - Funny Fiction by an Author from a Marginalized Community

Sunshine Nails by Mai Nguyen

This one was on my 2025 TBR list and I am so glad I prioritized it and was able to read it before the end of the year! It reminded me a lot of Pick a Colour by Souvankham Thammavongsa, but where that book was a little more dark and focused on a single character, this one was funny and was told through multiple characters' perspectives.

Sunshine Nails follows several family members, most of whom work in the family business, a nail salon in Toronto. When a new and trendy nail salon franchise opens up across the street, causing direct competition for the small salon, the family must face a series of unusual challenges and potential solutions to prevent the business from going under. I loved the Vietnamese culture throughout the story as well as the many different perspectives including a recent immigrant (cousin), first generation Canadians and their immigrant parents trying to maintain their culture while also assimilating into the dominant culture. Microaggressions and unconscious bias were a huge thread throughout the story, including interactions between white customers and the family, between the workers at the two nail salons and even in the adult son, Dustin's workplace.

I loved this book and cannot wait to read Nguyen's second book, coming out this year!

And that's a wrap on this year's FOLD challenge. I snuck a few of these books in last minute at the end of December and am glad I managed to finish the challenge, in my own way. I look forward to doing this again in 2026! Thanks for checking out this post, I hope it gives you some new ideas to diversify your reading!