[Review] The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee

The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee

Rating: 4.5 stars

Format: ARC

Published: August 13th 2019

Goodreads Synopsis:

By day, seventeen-year-old Jo Kuan works as a lady's maid for the cruel daughter of one of the wealthiest men in Atlanta. But by night, Jo moonlights as the pseudonymous author of a newspaper advice column for the genteel Southern lady, "Dear Miss Sweetie." When her column becomes wildly popular, she uses the power of the pen to address some of society's ills, but she's not prepared for the backlash that follows when her column challenges fixed ideas about race and gender.
While her opponents clamor to uncover the secret identity of Miss Sweetie, a mysterious letter sets Jo off on a search for her own past and the parents who abandoned her as a baby. But when her efforts put her in the crosshairs of Atlanta's most notorious criminal, Jo must decide whether she, a girl used to living in the shadows, is ready to step into the light.

After being fired from her job as a hat milliner, Jo finds a position as a maid at the Payne household. Because of laws against Chinese (and other POC) being citizens, Jo and her adopted father Old Gin have to hide in the basement of Nathan Bell and his family, without them knowing. After years of being oppressed and being told she's too much of a 'saucepot', Jo starts moonlighting as the agony aunt for the Bell newspaper, The Constitution, going by the pseudonym Miss Sweetie. But when Miss Sweetie starts speaking about the racial and gender injustices that run throughout Atlanta, enemies start popping up.

[Review] Under a Painted Sky by Stacey Lee

Under a Painted Sky by Stacey Lee

Format: Paperback

Rating: 4.5 stars

Published: March 17th 2015

Goodreads Synopsis:

Missouri, 1849: Samantha dreams of moving back to New York to be a professional musician—not an easy thing if you’re a girl, and harder still if you’re Chinese. But a tragic accident dashes any hopes of fulfilling her dream, and instead, leaves her fearing for her life. With the help of a runaway slave named Annamae, Samantha flees town for the unknown frontier. But life on the Oregon Trail is unsafe for two girls, so they disguise themselves as Sammy and Andy, two boys headed for the California gold rush. Sammy and Andy forge a powerful bond as they each search for a link to their past, and struggle to avoid any unwanted attention. But when they cross paths with a band of cowboys, the light-hearted troupe turn out to be unexpected allies. With the law closing in on them and new setbacks coming each day, the girls quickly learn that there are not many places to hide on the open trail.
This beautifully written debut is an exciting adventure and heart-wrenching survival tale. But above all else, it’s a story about perseverance and trust that will restore your faith in the power of friendship.YA Westerns usually fall under the same premise. Girl lives normal life, something changes girl's life forever, girl must disguise self as a boy in order to either seek revenge or make it big out West. To me, it's an overused concept that can get tiresome after so many times unless it is well done.

Under a Painted Sky was  one of those well done Westerns. Our heroine Samantha has just lost her father and must head westward to stake her claims. But, given the times and the fact that she is both Asian and a girl, she must disguise herself as Sammy, and journeys west with her new friend Annamae, who in turn becomes Andy. They join up with a trio of cowboys - Cay and his cousin West, and their friend Peety. 

This was a very heartwarming book, and what I loved about it was how Sammy's relationships with others changed over the course of the novel for the better. Of course, there is her father, who, despite dying early in the story, remained a constant presence for her, one of strength and courage. She is initially wary of Annamae, but soon enough, she can't imagine parting ways with her, and it is this sisterhood that really took me. Their banter was playful and displays their strong bond over the course of several long weeks. 

[Review] SST Review - Outrun the Moon by Stacey Lee

Hey guys! I'll be reviewing this book as part of Nori's SST. So, I received this book in exchange for an honest review, which doesn't impact my review in any way.

Outrun the Moon by Stacey Lee

Version: ARC Paperback

Rating: 5 stars

Goodreads Synopsis:
San Francisco, 1906: Fifteen-year-old Mercy Wong is determined to break from the poverty in Chinatown, and an education at St. Clare’s School for Girls is her best hope. Although St. Clare’s is off-limits to all but the wealthiest white girls, Mercy gains admittance through a mix of cunning and a little bribery, only to discover that getting in was the easiest part. Not to be undone by a bunch of spoiled heiresses, Mercy stands strong—until disaster strikes.
On April 18, a historic earthquake rocks San Francisco, destroying Mercy’s home and school. With martial law in effect, she is forced to wait with her classmates for their families in a temporary park encampment. Though fires might rage, and the city may be in shambles, Mercy can’t sit by while they wait for the army to bring help—she still has the “bossy” cheeks that mark her as someone who gets things done. But what can one teenage girl do to heal so many suffering in her broken city?

I remember reading the Magic Treehouse series as a kid, one of which took place in 1906, San Francisco, during the great earthquake. Many years later, I am reading about this earthquake, but from a totally different (and more accurate!) perspective.

Mercy Wong is a Chinese-American teen growing up in San Francisco's Chinatown. The first few chapters are an eye-opening experience to the racism of the time, with Mercy conniving her way into St. Clare's School for Girls, to show that she is just like any other girl, so she can succeed and help her family.