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Diamond Head
Diamond Head | Cecily Wong
29 posts | 13 read | 42 to read
A jewel of a saga.Rebecca Wells, author of Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya SisterhoodFrank Leong, a prominent shipping industrialist and head of the celebrated Leong family, brings his loved ones from China to Hawaii at the turn of the twentieth century, when the Japanese invade. But something ancient follows the Leongs to the islands, haunting themthe parable of the red string of fate. According to Chinese legend, the red string binds one to her intended beloved, but also punishes for mistakes in love, twisting any misstep into a destructive knot that passes down through generations.When its patriarch is murdered on Oahu, the Leong family is thrown into a downward spiral. Left to rebuild in his shadow, the surviving members attempt a new, ordinary life, vowing to bury their gilded pastuntil a letter arrives two decades later, carrying a confession that shatters the family even further.Now the Leongs survival rests with young Theresa, Franks only grandchild. Eighteen and pregnant, Theresa holds the answers to her familys mysteries and must decide what stories to tell, with whom to side, and which knots will endure.Told through the eyes of the Leongs secret-keeping daughters and wives, Diamond Head is a breathtakingly powerful multigenerational tale.Diamond Head is an intricate meditation on what is in our control and what is fateand on whether children must bear the costs of their parents mistakes.Celeste Ng, author of Everything I Never Told YouWongs debut novel will hook readers from the first page and not let go until the final tragic secret is revealed.Library Journal
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DebinHawaii
Diamond Head | Cecily Wong
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#MarchMadness #DiamondInTheRough

Since it is a volcanic tuff cone I think Diamond Head on the island of Oahu qualifies as a “diamond in the rough.” Landmark & good hike, it got its English name from 19th century British sailors who thought the calcite crystals on the adjacent beach were diamonds.

I enjoyed the tagged book that shares its name a sweeping saga of a Chinese family who moves to Oahu that covers multiple generations from 1914-1964.

Eggs Excellent choice ❣️🤗👏🏻❣️ 5y
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valeriegeary
Diamond Head | Cecily Wong
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We flew to Oahu on Thursday! We're here for a week and so far we've been swimming in a waterfall, went snorkeling with turtles, bouldered on the beach, drank Mai Tais, ate poke bowls and shaved ice. So much more in store for this week but I am also trying to get some reading in whenever I can! 🌴📚🐢🐬

JennyM Have a fabulous time! Sounds wonderful 5y
Cinfhen Sounds fabulous 🏝🥥🍹🌞Enjoy 5y
erzascarletbookgasm How wonderful! Enjoy! 5y
valeriegeary @JennyM @Cinfhen @erzascarletbookgasm thank you! So far, so good! We snorkeled with turtles yesterday! 🐢 5y
53 likes4 comments
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FeministBookClub
Diamond Head | Cecily Wong
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Did you love this week‘s podcast interview with Cecily Wong? Then enter to win her gorgeous debut novel DIAMOND HEAD. We'll even throw in some of our favorite FBC goodies! Head to bit.ly/FBCgiveaway46 to enter.⁠

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FeministBookClub
Diamond Head | Cecily Wong
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Almost done with my second book of the #reversereadathon! #readathon

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whimsy
Diamond Head | Cecily Wong
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Mehso-so

If you're looking for the tried and tested Asian family saga with strong matriarchs, sweeping history and heart-rendering drama...this one is not.

That should be fine but, I don't know what it tried to prove either? The red string symbolism was slapped around the narrative. I think the book set out to be ambitious, the usage of multiple 1st persons didn't work in that it fragmented the story and the characters were half-baked, uncompelling.

whimsy But glad to finish another book after like, 2 months x_x. I think one last Asian Am book and I'm moving on to another theme. 6y
JanuarieTimewalker13 Try Kiana Davenport, I love her books! 6y
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JanuarieTimewalker13 Sorry, don‘t know how to put them next to each other 6y
JanuarieTimewalker13 More Hawai‘ian and Hapa Haole than Asian, from what I recall, but still excellent reads. So many cultures are interwoven in Hawai‘i. (edited) 6y
whimsy @JanuarieTimewalker13 hey thanks! I'll check it out :D 6y
JanuarieTimewalker13 You‘re welcome🤙🏽 6y
7 likes8 comments
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TheKidUpstairs
Diamond Head | Cecily Wong
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A recent purchase that is just crying out to be a #bookface!

#AprilBookishMadness @maich

ofbooksandme 😂 7y
britt_brooke Perfect!! 7y
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rachelk That‘s the best one ever! 7y
RohitSawant Nice! 7y
ReadingVampire Wow!!! So impressed! 7y
Kalalalatja Well done! 👏👏 7y
intothehallofbooks That‘s so cool! 7y
monkeygirlsmama Suits you perfectly! LoL 7y
thereadingowlvina Well done! 👍👍👍 7y
Billypar Seamless! 7y
Zelma Perfection! 7y
KarenUK 🙌🙌🙌 7y
erzascarletbookgasm 👏 very nicely done 7y
DrexEdit Very well done! 👍👍👍👍 7y
xicanti It took me a moment to realize that wasn't your actual chin! 7y
maich Great picture😍 7y
120 likes17 comments
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TheKidUpstairs
Diamond Head | Cecily Wong
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The book table at my local Dollar Tree is my kryptonite.

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alisonrose
Diamond Head | Cecily Wong
Pickpick

Beautifully told, drew me in more & more. The time period jumps were done well, I never felt lost nor wished to stay in one setting. The story of how a family copes from one generation to the next w/mistakes & choices of their ancestors, about duty to family vs. oneself. Loved the scenery too, made me think often of being in Hawaii (23 years ago now, good lord!) Do wish there was a family tree tho, hard to keep some relationships straight. 4/5 ⭐️

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alisonrose
Diamond Head | Cecily Wong
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Maybe this book plus my memories of a very-long-ago trip to Hawaii will distract me from the cold rainy gloomy AF weather 🌧 #nowreading

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BellaBookNook
Diamond Head | Cecily Wong
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I‘m sitting in Barnes and Noble with my boys and I‘m looking at these two books - Citizens Creek has been on my TBR for years and I never heard of Diamond Head but intrigued. Really not trying to buy books right now but look at the price! It‘s like they are begging me to take them home. #bookbuyingissues

JazzFeathers How did it end? 😆 7y
BellaBookNook @JazzFeathers On my bookshelf!!!!😂 I‘m weak! 7y
JazzFeathers @BellaBookNook l had no doubt 😈😁 7y
19 likes3 comments
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DebinHawaii
Diamond Head | Cecily Wong
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#LyricalApril Since it's #AlohaFriday🌴🍍it seemed appropriate to go with Diamond Head for today's #Diamonds prompt. A book I enjoyed when I reviewed it & a national landmark, defining feature, good hike, & tourist attraction on Oahu that I live about 7 miles from. It got its English name from 19th century British sailors who thought the calcite crystals on the adjacent beach 'shine bright like a diamond' & mistook them for precious stones. 🌺💍🌴

DebinHawaii The painting is from an artist named John Ward, the scenic shot is from The Best of Oahu website & the book & poke are from my blog post review: http://kahakaikitchen.blogspot.com/2015/05/the-book-tour-stops-here-review-of_6.... 8y
LitLogophile That's awesome! I have a very fond memory of hiking here with my dad 😊 8y
BethFishReads I have that photo. But mine's on a slide. Yep, I worked in HI in the years before digital cameras. In the years before the Internet. Basically in the dark ages 8y
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DebinHawaii @lostlogophile It's a great hike--such pretty views of the island. 🌴 @BethFishReads I know those days! I got lazy as none of my digital photos of Diamond Head are on my iPhone. It was faster to google it. 😆👍 8y
BethFishReads I don't blame you 8y
Cortg We hiked Diamond Head on a family vacation a few years ago. We loved it! 8y
Bookchipmunk 🌺🌴🌴🌴❤️ 8y
Cinfhen Such a good choice ♦️♦️♦️♦️♦️gorgeous photo....I look forward to your posts daily!!! 8y
Cinfhen Book sounds good too😊 8y
DebinHawaii @Cinfhen Aww thanks! 💜 It's been fun to do--great idea & playlist. Tomorrow will be late because I'm in an all day writing workshop. I haven't figured out how to interpret the prompt yet so likely it will happen after I get home. 😆 8y
DebinHawaii @Cortg It is a fun hike isn't it?! 🌴🌺 8y
DebinHawaii @Bookchipmunk 👍😀🌴 8y
Melkyl It's beautiful there! I hiked it last summer. After a miscommunication with my husband, I ended up hiking it in my cheap Target sandals. That was a terrible idea, but I still enjoyed it. 8y
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DebinHawaii
Diamond Head | Cecily Wong
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#FunFridayPhoto It's been a long day and an even longer week so this is a quick, tired grab of some covers with flowers on them. 🌺🌸🌻

BethFishReads A long hard week for me too 8y
DebinHawaii @BethFishReads I hope we both get some down time this weekend! 👍 8y
BethFishReads I won't 🙁 -- pushing straight thru with work till about Thursday. Then I'll take it easy for a week. 8y
79 likes3 comments
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Booktrovert
Diamond Head | Cecily Wong
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Mehso-so

Up and down read for me. Story has so much potential, and there were moments of wonderful writing, though there was much to like and appreciate it was too inconsistent. Loved the settings! And I loved Hong. Pacing and ending were awkward.

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BooksForEmpathy
Diamond Head | Cecily Wong
Pickpick

In a special interview by Celeste Ng featured at the end of the book, Cecily Wong talks about how the first author/book she really loved as an adult was Jhumpa Lahiri's Interpreter of Maladies; she said she was "quietly blown away." I had the same experience with this novel - the sweeping story of three generations of women living on Oahu and the ever-present questions around fate and destiny quietly blew me away. I wait eagerly for her next book!

Megabooks I'm excited to read this one! 8y
LitHousewife I enjoyed this one, too. 8y
MrBook Interesting... 8y
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BooksForEmpathy
Diamond Head | Cecily Wong
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Boyfriend snapped this of me as we wait in line for ramen. So many lines in SF for food and it's worth it. Because reading 📚⏳.

MrBook Wow! Waiting for ramen? Must be really good ramen, lol. 8y
BooksForEmpathy @MrBook Haha - we have lines all the time here... But with it comes some outstanding food! It's a bit like Disneyland sometimes though... This is our favorite ramen in the city, take a look 😍🍜: http://mensho.tokyo/ 8y
MrBook Mmmm 😋 8y
68 likes3 comments
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BooksForEmpathy
Diamond Head | Cecily Wong
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At 17, my great-grandmother arrived on Oahu from a small town in S. Korea as a picture bride. She raised her family there, and my own grandmother always remembered the island; its music and warm breezes. Even though this book spans generations from China to the shores of Oahu, in reading Diamond Head I feel so close to the women in my own family; I admire their strength to live somewhere new & face the darkness lurking in such a beautiful place.

BookBabe Awesome! 🙌🏻🌺🌴 I adore Hawaii! 💕 8y
ramyasbookshelf You have such a fascinating family history! 8y
[DELETED] 2232195534 Lovely! Thanks for sharing with us!! 8y
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Megabooks I need to read this! Have you read this book about picture brides in Hawaii? I really enjoyed it! 8y
BooksForEmpathy @Ebooksandcooks Whoa!! The description literally sounds like my great grandmother's experience! Korean & picture brides & struggle/resilience. It's going high up on my TBR. Thank you! 8y
Megabooks You're welcome! The group of women in that story are very resilient. I've never "met" a person related to a picture bride. It must be interesting to have that experience passed down. I know it was an extremely hard life for many women. 8y
BooksForEmpathy @Ebooksandcooks Oh yes, it was. She came to Hawaii expecting her husband to be the person he said he was. She had received one small photograph of "him." He was far from it. Much older, and a cruel alcoholic from the stories I heard. 8y
Megabooks @BooksForEmpathy You will definitely enjoy Honolulu. Such a terrible experience for so many women. 😓 8y
MrBook Yes, @BookBabe 's favorite locale 😊! 8y
BooksForEmpathy @MrBook @BookBabe Ah, what's not to love about it! 🐬🌺🌴☀️. 8y
MrBook Indubitably 😎👍🏻👌🏻 8y
67 likes7 stack adds11 comments
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DebinHawaii
Diamond Head | Cecily Wong
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Pickpick

On sale e-book for $1.99--I enjoyed this book when I reviewed it last year. Historical fiction about a Chinese family, starting in China & immigrating to Oahu. I love to read books set in Hawaii, especially during the WWII years & this one covers it (& the decades between 1914-1964) well. Paired it w/ a local dish of Ahi poke. My full review/recipe is here: http://kahakaikitchen.blogspot.com/2015/05/the-book-tour-stops-here-review-of_6.... 🌴

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sandra888
Diamond Head | Cecily Wong
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Pickpick

oh the tears! a beautiful, tangled, heartache of a story, of several stories bound together, that ultimately speaks of hope and humanity and love.

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sandra888
Diamond Head | Cecily Wong
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looking forward to this. 🤓

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LitHousewife
Diamond Head | Cecily Wong
Pickpick

Despite the girls having a sleepover (which is never a good idea), I was able to finish this in between all of the drama. The ending was very good. Ah, the impact of lies and unsaid truths...

28 likes2 stack adds
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LitHousewife
Diamond Head | Cecily Wong
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I'd hoped to be reading more in my own bed tonight, but Mother Nature had other plans. Instead I'll make the most of my unexpected night alone by reading in a hotel room instead. Here's hoping I'll find a rental car in the morning. Otherwise my rescheduled flight is at 6:30 pm tomorrow.

Megabooks Oh dear! That stinks. 9y
bermudaonion Good luck! 9y
LitHousewife @Ebooksandcooks @bermudaonion Thank you! I should be home early this afternoon. All's well that ends well. 😝 9y
20 likes3 comments
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LitHousewife
Diamond Head | Cecily Wong
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"My mom spent and saved her words like gold..." I really like this description. Thank God for this book. It's keeping me good company on my misadventures travel in home today.

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LitHousewife
Diamond Head | Cecily Wong
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My historical fiction month had begun! First up, Diamond Head.

jennifersmeth Loved this one! 9y
LitHousewife I'm excited to read it knowing how much you enjoyed it. Three hours in a plane and a four hour layover should get me a good way through. 9y
denise ahhhh, I really want this book! 9y
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jennifersmeth My book club really liked it too! Only thing I wanted was a family tree to keep everyone straight. But that doesn't take away from the story. 9y
LitHousewife @jennifersmeth I agree with that. It took a while to get all of the women straight in my mind. I am still very much enjoying it. 9y
jennifersmeth Yes! Happy you are liking it! 9y
BethsBookBlog Is it about Hawaii? 9y
21 likes4 stack adds7 comments
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bermudaonion
Diamond Head | Cecily Wong
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Adding this new paperback to our neighborhood Little Free Library.

Landagail I wish I lived in your neighborhood I so want to read this! 9y
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HarperPerennial
Diamond Head | Cecily Wong
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Paperbacks headed your way this month!

hwheaties Pretty ladies all in a row. Or some fancy geometric arrangement. 9y
28 likes3 stack adds1 comment