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literaryjunarin's reviews
455 reviews
The Last Final Girl by Stephen Graham Jones
Did not finish book. Stopped at 0%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 0%.
couldnt get used to the movie style narration
Heaven by Mieko Kawakami
3.5
“But I wasn’t crying because I was sad. I guess I was crying because we had nowhere else to go, no choice but to go on living in this world. Crying because we had no other world to choose, and crying at everything before us, everything around us.”
I don't particularly appreciate reading about bullying but here I am. This little story is about a 14-year-old boy and his classmate Kojima who are both the target of violent bullies. And when I say violent, it is violent with blood and all the like. It was a difficult read.
The conflicting ideas of the characters were interesting. Kojima believes that all the pain and suffering she's going through has meaning. She continues to behave in a way that draws scorn and bullying because she believes that she will be rewarded in the end, while the narrator is just passive through all that. He doesn't fight back or report them to teachers and just quietly cleans himself up after getting beaten. He contemplates why people bully the weak but can't find the answer. I think the nihilistic views of the bully are not believable though. He doesn't sound fourteen. Don't people their age bully because they think it's cool and do it because they can?
While I loved reading a study of human nature, there's not much to dig into here. It was not as profound as I thought it would be.
And I must say because I can't ignore it, what's with the graphic description of snot and sweat?
I don't particularly appreciate reading about bullying but here I am. This little story is about a 14-year-old boy and his classmate Kojima who are both the target of violent bullies. And when I say violent, it is violent with blood and all the like. It was a difficult read.
The conflicting ideas of the characters were interesting. Kojima believes that all the pain and suffering she's going through has meaning. She continues to behave in a way that draws scorn and bullying because she believes that she will be rewarded in the end, while the narrator is just passive through all that. He doesn't fight back or report them to teachers and just quietly cleans himself up after getting beaten. He contemplates why people bully the weak but can't find the answer. I think the nihilistic views of the bully are not believable though. He doesn't sound fourteen. Don't people their age bully because they think it's cool and do it because they can?
While I loved reading a study of human nature, there's not much to dig into here. It was not as profound as I thought it would be.
And I must say because I can't ignore it, what's with the graphic description of snot and sweat?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Sexual harassment
A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas
4.0
A cute novella with Christmas vibes. An opening for Nesta's story which I want to read but I also don't want to read about Nesta lmao
Where Darkness Blooms by Andrea Hannah
3.0
I must say, the title is very fitting to the plot. A small, isolated town that seems overrun by sunflowers has a dark secret: the land feeds on women's blood. That's not a spoiler by the way. It was mentioned in the prologue. Because of that, there's no mystery on what exactly is the enemy, and why many women have gone missing through the years. The story focuses on how the 4 girls investigate their mother's disappearance.
While this failed to become a new favourite, I am a reader who reads for the vibes. I loved the chronic windstorms, the endless sunflowers, the disturbing deaths, the wind carrying whispers and warnings, and the angsty teenagers. It was very immersive.
There are a lot of plot holes though. The ending is also not believable enough.
While this failed to become a new favourite, I am a reader who reads for the vibes. I loved the chronic windstorms, the endless sunflowers, the disturbing deaths, the wind carrying whispers and warnings, and the angsty teenagers. It was very immersive.
There are a lot of plot holes though. The ending is also not believable enough.
What You Are Looking For is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama
4.0
“There are so many things to do, but I won’t make the excuse that I have no time anymore. Instead, I will think about what I can do with the time I have. One day is going to become tomorrow.”
This book is a hug for people who feel stuck, for those who are ashamed of their job, those who have no time to open their dream shop because of work, career-driven women who are held back by motherhood, ambitious adults but can't land a job, and for those who feel directionless after retirement.
I haven't read feel-good stories for a long time, and it felt nice to be reminded that we can look at difficult situations through a different lens. And that maybe, that one person we're annoyed at every day might be a big help to us one day.
I finished this book with a bigger heart.
This book is a hug for people who feel stuck, for those who are ashamed of their job, those who have no time to open their dream shop because of work, career-driven women who are held back by motherhood, ambitious adults but can't land a job, and for those who feel directionless after retirement.
I haven't read feel-good stories for a long time, and it felt nice to be reminded that we can look at difficult situations through a different lens. And that maybe, that one person we're annoyed at every day might be a big help to us one day.
I finished this book with a bigger heart.
Dracula by Bram Stoker
dark
3.0
I did not enjoy that the story was told in epistolary format. It took away all the suspense. Loved the spooky vibes though.
Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
3.0
I got so bored I didn't want to pick it up. But after 2 months, (sigh) now I'm finally done.
I loved the movie and found that it's different from the book. Surprisingly, I think the movie is better. It's weird how I know the plot, but while reading the book, it feels like I don't know the plot. It was hard to imagine the castle. I can't picture how it moves by the book's narration.
Howl and Sophie's bickering was fun though.
I loved the movie and found that it's different from the book. Surprisingly, I think the movie is better. It's weird how I know the plot, but while reading the book, it feels like I don't know the plot. It was hard to imagine the castle. I can't picture how it moves by the book's narration.
Howl and Sophie's bickering was fun though.
A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
5.0
My favorite installment of the series so far. I cried on all the chapters during the war.