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!

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!