kbrsuperstar's reviews
931 reviews

Tombs: Junji Ito Story Collection by Junji Ito

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

5.0

(reads one story)
“Wow that was fucked up”
(reads another one)
“Wow that was fucked up”
(repeat)

Showa 1939-1944: A History of Japan by Shigeru Mizuki, Zack Davisson

dark funny informative lighthearted sad slow-paced

4.0

I realized as I was checking the little boxes that somehow this managed to be dark and lighthearted and funny and sad and it all felt cohesive. I liked this so much more than I expected (although man all the naval battles really started to blur together after a while) and I can’t wait to read the next one.

Yokohama Station SF, Vol. 2 by Yuba Isukari

mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No

3.75

I liked this but this volume shifted perspective halfway through it and I had a hard time following

Carrie by Stephen King

dark slow-paced

• Loveable characters? No

3.75

Seven Little Sons of the Dragon: A Collection of Seven Stories by Ryoko Kui

adventurous funny lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

This was really fun, my only regret is that I wish it was longer

The Chinese Takeout Cookbook: Quick and Easy Dishes to Prepare at Home by Diana Kuan

5.0

This was everything a specialty cookbook should be!!!

• An intro with enough info about the author so you know their experience BUT the whole book isn't about them
• A detailed glossary of ingredients including where to find them AND acceptable substitutes if you can't 
• Photo showing the difference between minced, grated, julienned, and sliced!
• Kitchen equipment you'll need
• Color photos for every recipe 
• Menu recommendations
• A list of resources for where to buy specialty items/ingredients 

I would give this book 5 stars just based on this but besides all that, the recipes are well-explained and straightforward. There's everything here you could possibly need know to make American-style Chinese food at home. Even if you didn't make anything, it's still packed with interesting info about Chinese cuisine - the story about the La Choy dragon muppet was my favorite!

Kowloon Generic Romance, Vol. 6 by Jun Mayuzuki

dark emotional mysterious slow-paced

4.0

The Embroidered Closet: Modern Hand-stitching for Upgrading and Upcycling Your Wardrobe by Alexandra Stratkotter

inspiring

3.0

I held onto this for a while because I couldn't really decide if I liked it or not? It was really nice to look at but none of the designs really appealed to me other than one or two. I also assumed there would be a little more emphasis on upcycling - specifically using embroidery for repair or to cover repairs - but there wasn't much more than a brief mention.

Kowloon Generic Romance, Vol. 5 (Volume 5) by Jun Mayuzuki, Amanda Haley

mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

STOP ADDING MORE MYSTERIES INSTEAD OF EXPLAINING THE ONES ALREADY THERE GODDDDDD 😭

The Complete Chinese Takeout Cookbook: Over 200 Takeout Favorites to Make at Home by Kwoklyn Wan

2.75

Really wanted to like this one and I just didn't. For starters, this is a UK-centric Chinese cookbook so if you're looking for Chinese-American standards, you're out of luck. The "store cupboard essentials" list of ingredients is so brief that it's nearly useless - and then there are multiple ingredients that are not described in any way. For instance: one recipe calls for chilli bean sauce which I'm assuming is different from the fermented chilli bean paste used in other recipes but seeing as neither one is explained, who knows. Most recipes serve 2 but some serve 4.... why not make them all consistent? Finally (and I admit this is extremely petty) my dude, you're a 48yo grown ass adult man, in the year of 2022, putting the words "nom nom nom" into a book and no one stopped you? Seriously?