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j0s1eg's Reviews (25)
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
"Before the Coffee Gets Cold" by Toshikazu Kawaguchi offers a unique premise with its time-traveling café, but the plinky-plonky storytelling style reads somewhat like a children's storybook, although that might be due to the nuances of Japanese-English translation. While the emotional relationships build up nicely, the overall impact felt more like a fairy tale, making it less compelling for me personally. A fine read, but not one I'd highly recommend. I read it in a few sittings.
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Reading this book felt like indulging in a dessert—sweet, light, and easy to consume.
The book follows a couple, Daphne and ... I want to say Dominic? I literally just finished reading this novel and I've already forgotten the name of the main characters. Anyway, Daphne and Dominic marry very young and decide to open up their relationship as they approach 30. Naturally this has some very funny consequences and both of them learn a lot about themselves.
It’s a light-hearted read with some pleasant moments, though it didn’t leave a lasting impact on me. The main characters were perfectly fine, though not particularly memorable, and I can imagine others might find them more engaging. Some parts of the plot leaned into the unbelievable—like the sudden rise to internet fame, which I always find quite amusing in novels—but it didn’t detract too much from the overall enjoyment.
That said, I found the book lacking in depth. The characterisation felt a bit bland, the plot predictable, and while the writing was competent, it didn’t stand out as particularly remarkable or challenging. It’s an enjoyable read if you’re looking for something light and uncomplicated, but it didn’t leave me feeling inspired or changed.
If you’re in the mood for something easy-going and don’t mind a predictable story, this might be a great pick for you.
The book follows a couple, Daphne and ... I want to say Dominic? I literally just finished reading this novel and I've already forgotten the name of the main characters. Anyway, Daphne and Dominic marry very young and decide to open up their relationship as they approach 30. Naturally this has some very funny consequences and both of them learn a lot about themselves.
It’s a light-hearted read with some pleasant moments, though it didn’t leave a lasting impact on me. The main characters were perfectly fine, though not particularly memorable, and I can imagine others might find them more engaging. Some parts of the plot leaned into the unbelievable—like the sudden rise to internet fame, which I always find quite amusing in novels—but it didn’t detract too much from the overall enjoyment.
That said, I found the book lacking in depth. The characterisation felt a bit bland, the plot predictable, and while the writing was competent, it didn’t stand out as particularly remarkable or challenging. It’s an enjoyable read if you’re looking for something light and uncomplicated, but it didn’t leave me feeling inspired or changed.
If you’re in the mood for something easy-going and don’t mind a predictable story, this might be a great pick for you.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This collection of short stories is silly, sad, brilliant. Saunders' writing is like a trust fall - you're not sure what's going on at first, but by the end, it all clicks in a way that feels deliberate and satisfying.
His absurd style never feels frivolous; the moments of levity make the emotional points hit harder. The characters and scenes stick with you long after they're gone. It reminds me a bit of Joseph Heller's Catch-22, but where I couldn't finish that, I raced through this (Tenth of December is amazing too, so I'm maybe just a Saunders fan, idk)
Weird in a great way - thought-provoking, funny, unexpectedly moving. Liked it!
His absurd style never feels frivolous; the moments of levity make the emotional points hit harder. The characters and scenes stick with you long after they're gone. It reminds me a bit of Joseph Heller's Catch-22, but where I couldn't finish that, I raced through this (Tenth of December is amazing too, so I'm maybe just a Saunders fan, idk)
Weird in a great way - thought-provoking, funny, unexpectedly moving. Liked it!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Death, Sexual content
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Calleja's writing style is frenetic and fast-paced, bouncing from reference to reference. Calleja writes loosely on the topic of goblinhood: a state of being which is tricksy, unashamed, introverted, self-serving. It feels right for the period of history in which we find ourselves. We learn about the author through tiny chinks in the armour; information she lets sneak through until by the end of the book we have a deeper understanding. I've never read anything like this before. It feels all at once very personal and at the same time surface-level. I really enjoyed it.
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Really interesting, challenging book with strong feminist themes. A kind of darkly funny and magic look at motherhood and the roles women are squeezed into. The last chapter kind of a-little-too-neatly summarises the key themes of the book but it was still a strong start to the year.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence