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museaway's reviews
23 reviews
The Imperial Uncle by Da Feng Gua Guo
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I love this author. I love what she does with her characters. I love that I don't know precisely what she's about to pull. I love that I'm guessing about characters' feelings the entire time.
I read this after I'd read Peach Blossom Debt, so I was familiar with DFGG's style and sunk into it easily. I think I read this in two days. Like with PBD, I imagine there's more to digest on reread, so it's in the pile.
Plot: The older cousin of the emperor (given uncle as an honorary title) weathers constant gossip about his relationships and greed for power. What he really wants is a calm relationship, but what's a palace novel without palace drama?
Like PBD, this one has the appearance of a love triangle. I never root for the right person but got my wish in this one as well!!
If you're looking for a tidy, devoted romance, this isn't it. But if you like your humans messy, you might like it.
I read this after I'd read Peach Blossom Debt, so I was familiar with DFGG's style and sunk into it easily. I think I read this in two days. Like with PBD, I imagine there's more to digest on reread, so it's in the pile.
Plot: The older cousin of the emperor (given uncle as an honorary title) weathers constant gossip about his relationships and greed for power. What he really wants is a calm relationship, but what's a palace novel without palace drama?
Like PBD, this one has the appearance of a love triangle. I never root for the right person but got my wish in this one as well!!
If you're looking for a tidy, devoted romance, this isn't it. But if you like your humans messy, you might like it.
Content Warnings
Switching in the extras!
The Disabled Tyrant's Beloved Pet Fish: Canji Baojun De Zhangxin Yu Chong (Novel) Vol. 4 by Xue Shan Fei Hu
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Giving this five stars because I tore through the series in a weekend. It is not as complex as a series like Thousand Autumns, but it still has a good amount of plotty royal court drama.
A modern day man dies and is transported into the body of a soup fish, which is rescued by a 20-something-year-old prince who is unable to speak and thought to have a cold, rather emotionless personality. He quickly bonds with this fish, and through its friendship, and his love for the human he will eventually meet, rises to greatness.
Also, they fall super duper in love and it's super cute.
A modern day man dies and is transported into the body of a soup fish, which is rescued by a 20-something-year-old prince who is unable to speak and thought to have a cold, rather emotionless personality. He quickly bonds with this fish, and through its friendship, and his love for the human he will eventually meet, rises to greatness.
Also, they fall super duper in love and it's super cute.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Pregnancy
MPREG! Both as a fish and as a human. Birth is not detailed but the pregnancy is pretty firmly on page in the last book.
ALSO: The love interest's disability is that he has been unable to speak since birth. This will later be revealed as a result of poisoning and cured when he is in his early twenties. Before that, the prince is also concerned about passing this condition down to his children. I did not find that he was infantilized by the narrative, but he was frustrated with his inability to speak and described it as painful.
The Wishful Egg by Da Feng Gua Guo
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is the follow-up to Peach Blossom Debt, which I read in the original Chinese (with GTranslate) because it was unlocked on jjwxc. Largely focuses on Bihua Lingjun and his romance with a phoenix god, but Hengwen and Song Yao have cameos! The story seems deceptively straightforward until we get close to the end, when we get a wallop of a backstory, and then the rest of it falls into context. I'm devastated Peach Flower House closed because I would have begged to work on this translation just to own it.
Content Warnings
Minor: Abandonment
There is a temporary breakup which stung to read.
Thousand Autumns: Qian Qiu (Novel) Vol. 1 by Meng Xi Shi
5.0
Laughed out loud multiple times. Pretty sure whatever is wrong with me, Yan Wushi will heal it.
Features "LOL what if other people thought we were dating, but I ignore you in private?" which is a refreshing spin on the trope.
Features "LOL what if other people thought we were dating, but I ignore you in private?" which is a refreshing spin on the trope.
Peach Blossom Debt by Da Feng Gua Guo
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
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
5.0
Read this right past the start of my work day, so this earns five stars.
Clever, subtle, concise. A single-volume danmei that packs an emotional punch. Not necessarily what it seems on first read. I thought I'd walk out heatbroken; for once, my ship sailed.
Touches on love and what it looks like in action vs. like/want. Also touches a lot on fate and redirecting it.
ETA: Has stuck in my head for half a year. Have ficced it. Was totally confused about the endgame ship the first time around; on re-read, it's so obvious, I'm tripping over it, but the way it's written was so clever, in my opinion, that I dismissed it as banter. Has one of the best indirect confession speeches I've ever read; I cry every time I re-read it.
March 2025 reread: Cried through this a second time. So many details soared over my head the first time through, most notably the jealousy and the first sex scene described as a dream. It's soooo romantic on reread when you realize it's essentially established relationship. I've also read Ruyi Dan now & am happy to say they are living happily on their island.
Clever, subtle, concise. A single-volume danmei that packs an emotional punch. Not necessarily what it seems on first read. I thought I'd walk out heatbroken; for once, my ship sailed.
Touches on love and what it looks like in action vs. like/want. Also touches a lot on fate and redirecting it.
ETA: Has stuck in my head for half a year. Have ficced it. Was totally confused about the endgame ship the first time around; on re-read, it's so obvious, I'm tripping over it, but the way it's written was so clever, in my opinion, that I dismissed it as banter. Has one of the best indirect confession speeches I've ever read; I cry every time I re-read it.
March 2025 reread: Cried through this a second time. So many details soared over my head the first time through, most notably the jealousy and the first sex scene described as a dream. It's soooo romantic on reread when you realize it's essentially established relationship. I've also read Ruyi Dan now & am happy to say they are living happily on their island.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide attempt, Injury/Injury detail
Tianshu is repeatedly suicidal. It's not graphic but it might be upsetting.
The de-aging trope is in play and Song Yao kisses a teenage character. He gets really mad at himself immediately after he's done it.
The Guest by B.A. Paris
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Fun audiobook selection while I was working! Kept my attention most of the time and was nice and twisty.
Did not anticipate the epilogue's twist:Unreliable narrator was the murderer! Very Murder of Roger Ackroyd-esque.
Did not anticipate the epilogue's twist:
Send Them a Farewell Gift for the Lost Time by Cocomi
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
A refreshing find on Hoopla and easily one of the best manga I've read recently. The emotions leapt off of the page! A hairdresser has left his emotionally distant novelist boyfriend, but they continue to hook up in the aftermath of the breakup due to lingering feelings. Will they get back together??
It's a BL manga, of course they will. And it's super satisfying.
Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
I've seen several film adaptations of this story but had never read it, so I fully expected a negative reaction from Poirot at the end of the book. But the book doesn't end like that at all! The crime is solved, and that is that. No moralizing. It feels more in character for him, although I can understand why later films added this element. The resolution is shocking and makes for a good debate.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
The victim is repeatedly stabbed to death. The scene isn't on page. If it would upset you to read a book where the murderer gets away with it, skip this one.
The Secret Talker by Geling Yan
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Giving this a five since I devoured it in about 24 hours. Stalking isn't a topic I typically read, but like the main character, I was intrigued by the standoffish person cloaked by email.
I did figure out who it was early on, although it was so simple, I figured I was wrong. I did not anticipate the second twist concerning the young woman's identity, which did understandably complicate things and made the secrecy a little more understandable. In reality, it's a ridiculous setup, but it was fun to watch unfold.
Structurally, I liked the way Hongmei would include a story about her childhood mid-scene as a summation of an email she had just sent. Sometimes in-scene flashbacks can be clunky but this novel had a quick pace and never stalled.
I didn't particularly like the main character but she was interesting, and while I would never have made the choices she did, it was fun to slip into someone else's head and see what would happen.
My favorite character was actually the best friend, Nini, who went from being a gold digger to a war protester. She had the best character development of the book and provided some necessary comic relief.
For someone looking for a thriller that will keep them guessing, this is not it. This is about people desperate to communicate and doing so through unconventional means.
I did figure out who it was early on, although it was so simple, I figured I was wrong. I did not anticipate the second twist concerning the young woman's identity, which did understandably complicate things and made the secrecy a little more understandable. In reality, it's a ridiculous setup, but it was fun to watch unfold.
Structurally, I liked the way Hongmei would include a story about her childhood mid-scene as a summation of an email she had just sent. Sometimes in-scene flashbacks can be clunky but this novel had a quick pace and never stalled.
I didn't particularly like the main character but she was interesting, and while I would never have made the choices she did, it was fun to slip into someone else's head and see what would happen.
My favorite character was actually the best friend, Nini, who went from being a gold digger to a war protester. She had the best character development of the book and provided some necessary comic relief.
For someone looking for a thriller that will keep them guessing, this is not it. This is about people desperate to communicate and doing so through unconventional means.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Stalking
Moderate: Child death, Infidelity, War
There are descriptions of the main character's life in China and the village she grew up, which include descriptions of child death and references to young teenage girls being seduced by a visitor.
Hongmei's stalker had also been accused of (tw: rape) raping his daughter, although it is revealed that this was ultimately the work of a bad psychiatrist and untrue. For this reason, the book contains references to incest.
The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yōko Ogawa
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
I love this author and this book did not disappoint. I cried through the final pages. A lovely look at the way relationships impact us.