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183 reviews
The Hurricane Wars by Thea Guanzon
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
I was excited to get my hands on The Hurricane Wars because this book felt like it checked all the boxes for me as a fantasy girlie. Cool magic? High stakes? Enemies to lovers? Set in a fantasy version of the Philippines??? Yes please. And yes, I treated myself to a signed copy during a massive sale because that’s just what you do.
When I started reading The Hurricane Wars I was torn between taking my time savoring the story or going down a reading rabbit hole and letting the book consume me. To be honest, I read this book twice in eleven days, so I guess you could say I let the book devour me. Twice.
Clearly, I enjoyed this book a lot.
The first part of the book drops you right into the action. Talasyn is fighting in a war where the odds are against her. There is so much going on, and you feel right away how high the stakes are. Somehow she ends up facing Alaric, the crown prince of the enemy nation. She’s known about the crown prince, but meeting on the battlefield and fighting each other one-on-one is something she never expected would happen. Alaric could have ended her right then and there, but for some reason, he doesn’t.
In the second part of the book, the pace calms down, allowing you to take in the rich world that Guanzon has written. Talasyn is engaged in a different type of battle this time. Without spoiling anything, Talasyn learns a lot about herself in the second part. She is thrust into an unexpected situation, and she manages to land on her feet and hold her own. Of course, this is also the part of the book where the romance slowly comes in.
My god the romance. The reason I absolutely love slow burn enemies to lovers is the tension. There is just something so juicy about reading two characters who are continuously feeling (and fighting) the pull of attraction. The back and forth, giving in a little before pulling back again, the banter, then slowly getting to know each other better and seeing the other person in a different light, then thinking “wtf??? I can’t like this person!!” Like yeah, they are one hot mess. But as a spectator, I am loving every second of it.
Another thing I loved about the book is how it is set in a fantasy version of the Philippines. And, as a Filipino, it felt so wonderful to have this bit of representation in fantasy. The world felt familiar, as did the names, titles, animals, food, and even references to mythology. I swear anytime I caught a reference to Filipino culture, I do that Leonardo DiCaprio pointing meme. It was also refreshing to see a version of the Philippines that is considered a global power and a hub of technological innovation. A nation untouched by war and colonization, free to grow and flourish and reach its full potential.
Another theme that is present throughout the book is this deep desire for belonging and connection. Finding a place you call home. People you call home. Talasyn has lived a hard and lonely life, and that affected how she views relationships. When you’ve lived your life thinking that you’re better off alone, it can be difficult to open up and allow others into your life, even when you are desperate for an end to the loneliness.
The Hurricane Wars is also filled with strong women. Women who are respected, women who lead, women with rich lives who can do anything. No one questions their right to be in the room where everything goes down. They are respected as the competent individuals that they are, and we love to see that.
Special shout-out to some of my favorite characters! Queen Urduja is a force to be reckoned with. She is the matriarch keeping your family going. She is strict and has a shrewd mind, but she does what is best for her queendom. I also love Sevraim?? I can clearly picture his humor and personality while reading and I want more of him. I agree with Talasyn’s assessment that Sevraim and Khaede would hit it off. I also love his chemistry with Alaric, bringing him back down to earth and making him feel less intimidating.
In the next books, I hope that we get to see more of the world. I’m interested to see what Kesath and the rest of The Dominion looks like. Give me more of the culture and the people. I want to get to know the other characters too. And pleaaase I also want more of Sevraim! 😂
When I started reading The Hurricane Wars I was torn between taking my time savoring the story or going down a reading rabbit hole and letting the book consume me. To be honest, I read this book twice in eleven days, so I guess you could say I let the book devour me. Twice.
Clearly, I enjoyed this book a lot.
The first part of the book drops you right into the action. Talasyn is fighting in a war where the odds are against her. There is so much going on, and you feel right away how high the stakes are. Somehow she ends up facing Alaric, the crown prince of the enemy nation. She’s known about the crown prince, but meeting on the battlefield and fighting each other one-on-one is something she never expected would happen. Alaric could have ended her right then and there, but for some reason, he doesn’t.
In the second part of the book, the pace calms down, allowing you to take in the rich world that Guanzon has written. Talasyn is engaged in a different type of battle this time. Without spoiling anything, Talasyn learns a lot about herself in the second part. She is thrust into an unexpected situation, and she manages to land on her feet and hold her own. Of course, this is also the part of the book where the romance slowly comes in.
My god the romance. The reason I absolutely love slow burn enemies to lovers is the tension. There is just something so juicy about reading two characters who are continuously feeling (and fighting) the pull of attraction. The back and forth, giving in a little before pulling back again, the banter, then slowly getting to know each other better and seeing the other person in a different light, then thinking “wtf??? I can’t like this person!!” Like yeah, they are one hot mess. But as a spectator, I am loving every second of it.
Another thing I loved about the book is how it is set in a fantasy version of the Philippines. And, as a Filipino, it felt so wonderful to have this bit of representation in fantasy. The world felt familiar, as did the names, titles, animals, food, and even references to mythology. I swear anytime I caught a reference to Filipino culture, I do that Leonardo DiCaprio pointing meme. It was also refreshing to see a version of the Philippines that is considered a global power and a hub of technological innovation. A nation untouched by war and colonization, free to grow and flourish and reach its full potential.
Another theme that is present throughout the book is this deep desire for belonging and connection. Finding a place you call home. People you call home. Talasyn has lived a hard and lonely life, and that affected how she views relationships. When you’ve lived your life thinking that you’re better off alone, it can be difficult to open up and allow others into your life, even when you are desperate for an end to the loneliness.
The Hurricane Wars is also filled with strong women. Women who are respected, women who lead, women with rich lives who can do anything. No one questions their right to be in the room where everything goes down. They are respected as the competent individuals that they are, and we love to see that.
Special shout-out to some of my favorite characters! Queen Urduja is a force to be reckoned with. She is the matriarch keeping your family going. She is strict and has a shrewd mind, but she does what is best for her queendom. I also love Sevraim?? I can clearly picture his humor and personality while reading and I want more of him. I agree with Talasyn’s assessment that Sevraim and Khaede would hit it off. I also love his chemistry with Alaric, bringing him back down to earth and making him feel less intimidating.
In the next books, I hope that we get to see more of the world. I’m interested to see what Kesath and the rest of The Dominion looks like. Give me more of the culture and the people. I want to get to know the other characters too. And pleaaase I also want more of Sevraim! 😂
The Iliac Crest by Cristina Rivera Garza
challenging
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
5.0
The Iliac Crest is a book as fluid and as mesmerizing as the ocean. It is full of depth and mystery that I feel so inadequate as I try to talk about this book. The first time I read it, the beauty of the language washed over me, but I felt lost in it. The second time I read the book, a few months later, I felt like I dove deeper. And while I didn’t find all the answers I wanted, I did end up with a renewed awe and appreciation for this book.
One story night, our unnamed narrator’s evening is interrupted by a knock on the door. A strange woman comes in, soaking wet, and she insists she must stay in his house. She says she is Amparo Davila. For some ever-shifting reason, the narrator lets the woman enter. Soon afterward, another woman, a former lover comes along, the visitor our narrator was actually waiting for. He calls her The Betrayed. The entry of these two women sparks a series of changes and consequences for our narrator. They claim to know his secret: that he is in fact a woman.
What follows next is the narrator’s attempts to prove himself, to hold true to his identity, and to assure himself of his masculinity. But when the strange woman tells him of a stolen manuscript, his routines and very fixed life is thrown into mystery, ambiguity, and doubt as he hunts down the manuscript in an attempt to understand the strange woman and her words.
Another thing that stood out to me while reading is all the references to the ocean. Of its magnetic beauty. Its vastness. How it serves as an anchor to reality, to time and place. And how it can also allow you to be more open to the impossible. How the ocean can make you feel safe in the face of uncertainty. It also makes me think that even though the ocean is ever-moving and ever-changing, it is still the same ocean.
The Iliac Crest is difficult to talk about because the story itself is full of ambiguity and duality. There is a lot of juxtaposition between femininity and masculinity, reality and lies, truth and belief, past and present, existence and disappearance, life and death. And through it all, words and language play a key role. After all, without language, how can we describe ourselves and our experiences? How can we let future generations know of our existence? How can we help them frame their experience?
The Iliac Crest is a beautiful and difficult book to read. The language is lyrical and highly imaginative, but the story and the characters are not easy to grasp. It is quiet and atmospheric, and it draws you in with mystery and language. Despite feeling lost and confused while reading, I am so glad I read this book. This is one of those books that you have to give all your attention to, that you have to read with an open and inquisitive mind. A big brain book, if you will. I have read the Iliac Crest twice in 2023, and I think that this book is something I will reread for the rest of my life.
One story night, our unnamed narrator’s evening is interrupted by a knock on the door. A strange woman comes in, soaking wet, and she insists she must stay in his house. She says she is Amparo Davila. For some ever-shifting reason, the narrator lets the woman enter. Soon afterward, another woman, a former lover comes along, the visitor our narrator was actually waiting for. He calls her The Betrayed. The entry of these two women sparks a series of changes and consequences for our narrator. They claim to know his secret: that he is in fact a woman.
What follows next is the narrator’s attempts to prove himself, to hold true to his identity, and to assure himself of his masculinity. But when the strange woman tells him of a stolen manuscript, his routines and very fixed life is thrown into mystery, ambiguity, and doubt as he hunts down the manuscript in an attempt to understand the strange woman and her words.
Another thing that stood out to me while reading is all the references to the ocean. Of its magnetic beauty. Its vastness. How it serves as an anchor to reality, to time and place. And how it can also allow you to be more open to the impossible. How the ocean can make you feel safe in the face of uncertainty. It also makes me think that even though the ocean is ever-moving and ever-changing, it is still the same ocean.
The Iliac Crest is difficult to talk about because the story itself is full of ambiguity and duality. There is a lot of juxtaposition between femininity and masculinity, reality and lies, truth and belief, past and present, existence and disappearance, life and death. And through it all, words and language play a key role. After all, without language, how can we describe ourselves and our experiences? How can we let future generations know of our existence? How can we help them frame their experience?
The Iliac Crest is a beautiful and difficult book to read. The language is lyrical and highly imaginative, but the story and the characters are not easy to grasp. It is quiet and atmospheric, and it draws you in with mystery and language. Despite feeling lost and confused while reading, I am so glad I read this book. This is one of those books that you have to give all your attention to, that you have to read with an open and inquisitive mind. A big brain book, if you will. I have read the Iliac Crest twice in 2023, and I think that this book is something I will reread for the rest of my life.
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
5.0
You never know which books will take you on an unexpected adventure.
This is what happened to Daniel Sempere when he chose “The Shadow of the Wind” by Julian Carax as the one book from The Cemetery of Lost Books that he will safeguard for the rest of his life. He read this book at ten years old. And it changed his life.
Daniel sought to find out everything he could about the author and to read all of his works. However, a shroud of mystery envelopes the elusive author. No one really knows anything about Julian Carax, and copies of his books are rare treasures. To make things even more mysterious, someone has been stealing and burning every Julian Carax book they can find.
Gripped by the intrigue and shadows surrounding the author and his book, and Daniel’s dedication–or obsession–leads him on a journey seemingly orchestrated by Julain Carax himself.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This is a book about a fictional book, both bearing the title “The Shadow of the Wind.” I feel like this book found me and called out to me like it did to Daniel. I was killing time and stumbled upon a secondhand bookstore by chance. Like Daniel, I took my time looking through all the shelves to find one book to take home with me. I bought The Shadow of the Wind on a whim and I am so grateful I did.
This book got me out of a reading slump. You know how we say we want to be transported into the world of the books we are reading? That’s what happens to Daniel here. It’s got mystery, suspense, romance, and beautiful writing. I was surprised with each reveal, and amazed at how Carlos Ruiz Zafon was able to create such a touching tapestry of characters and events.
Read The Shadow of the Wind if you’re in the mood for suspense, thrilling reveals, and deep friendships.
This is what happened to Daniel Sempere when he chose “The Shadow of the Wind” by Julian Carax as the one book from The Cemetery of Lost Books that he will safeguard for the rest of his life. He read this book at ten years old. And it changed his life.
Daniel sought to find out everything he could about the author and to read all of his works. However, a shroud of mystery envelopes the elusive author. No one really knows anything about Julian Carax, and copies of his books are rare treasures. To make things even more mysterious, someone has been stealing and burning every Julian Carax book they can find.
Gripped by the intrigue and shadows surrounding the author and his book, and Daniel’s dedication–or obsession–leads him on a journey seemingly orchestrated by Julain Carax himself.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This is a book about a fictional book, both bearing the title “The Shadow of the Wind.” I feel like this book found me and called out to me like it did to Daniel. I was killing time and stumbled upon a secondhand bookstore by chance. Like Daniel, I took my time looking through all the shelves to find one book to take home with me. I bought The Shadow of the Wind on a whim and I am so grateful I did.
This book got me out of a reading slump. You know how we say we want to be transported into the world of the books we are reading? That’s what happens to Daniel here. It’s got mystery, suspense, romance, and beautiful writing. I was surprised with each reveal, and amazed at how Carlos Ruiz Zafon was able to create such a touching tapestry of characters and events.
Read The Shadow of the Wind if you’re in the mood for suspense, thrilling reveals, and deep friendships.
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
dark
funny
slow-paced
4.0
Northanger Abbey is so unserious, and I love that.
Jane Austen’s protagonist here is seventeen-year-old Catherine Morland. And of course, because she is seventeen, she is at that magical age where she becomes the main character, the heroine, the main girl in every YA dystopian series–but in this case, Catherine would very much prefer to be the heroine of a gothic tale. She would love nothing more than to explore an old castle by candlelight, discover secret passageways, unearth forgotten artifacts of a mysterious nature, and perhaps even find herself in the middle of a long-unsolved crime.
When her neighbors Mr. and Mrs. Allen invite her to go to Bath with them, she embarks on her first adventure. Leaving home for the first time, she sees this as the beginning of her heroine’s journey. As an avid reader of gothic novels, Catherine Morland has developed a vivid imagination, which sometimes leads to disappointment when the real world fails to live up to her expectations.
I enjoyed reading Northanger Abbey, I even laughed out loud a few times. Catherine is a teenager and it shows!! She’s just a girl who wants to go on a gothic adventure. Honestly, I think she would have loved true crime podcasts and tv.
Anyway, here are some random thoughts I had while reading Northanger Abbey:
✨ I love how Catherine thinks and behaves in a straightforward way. She doesn’t understand why people would constantly say one thing but mean or do the opposite. But this also gets her in tricky situations because she is totally oblivious to the roundabout language and behaviors of courtship.
✨ Isabella Thorpe is that annoying friend who makes everything about her. She thinks she’s nice, but she’s really not. Her brother John Thorpe is a walking red flag disguised as a nice guy™. I also feel like he would be the type of iPhone user who will shit on you for using an Android.
✨ Okay so Catherine goes to Bath for the first time, and she is invited by new acquaintances/friends, the Tilneys, to come with them to Northanger Abbey. Mr and Mrs Allen, her chaperones, meet the Tilneys a few times and say sure, you can go with them, as long as your parents permit it. And she writes a letter home about it, and her parents say “Sure, you can go. I’m sure Mr and Mrs Allen can be trusted about the character of these people who we’ve never met. Spend a few weeks in the home of these strangers, it’s cool with us.” People with strict parents could never.
✨ The ending felt too abrupt??? After everything that happened, the ending is like “P.S. this is how the story ends. Bye!” Also, we don’t get to Northanger Abbey until volume two of the novel.
Jane Austen’s protagonist here is seventeen-year-old Catherine Morland. And of course, because she is seventeen, she is at that magical age where she becomes the main character, the heroine, the main girl in every YA dystopian series–but in this case, Catherine would very much prefer to be the heroine of a gothic tale. She would love nothing more than to explore an old castle by candlelight, discover secret passageways, unearth forgotten artifacts of a mysterious nature, and perhaps even find herself in the middle of a long-unsolved crime.
When her neighbors Mr. and Mrs. Allen invite her to go to Bath with them, she embarks on her first adventure. Leaving home for the first time, she sees this as the beginning of her heroine’s journey. As an avid reader of gothic novels, Catherine Morland has developed a vivid imagination, which sometimes leads to disappointment when the real world fails to live up to her expectations.
I enjoyed reading Northanger Abbey, I even laughed out loud a few times. Catherine is a teenager and it shows!! She’s just a girl who wants to go on a gothic adventure. Honestly, I think she would have loved true crime podcasts and tv.
Anyway, here are some random thoughts I had while reading Northanger Abbey:
✨ I love how Catherine thinks and behaves in a straightforward way. She doesn’t understand why people would constantly say one thing but mean or do the opposite. But this also gets her in tricky situations because she is totally oblivious to the roundabout language and behaviors of courtship.
✨ Isabella Thorpe is that annoying friend who makes everything about her. She thinks she’s nice, but she’s really not. Her brother John Thorpe is a walking red flag disguised as a nice guy™. I also feel like he would be the type of iPhone user who will shit on you for using an Android.
✨ Okay so Catherine goes to Bath for the first time, and she is invited by new acquaintances/friends, the Tilneys, to come with them to Northanger Abbey. Mr and Mrs Allen, her chaperones, meet the Tilneys a few times and say sure, you can go with them, as long as your parents permit it. And she writes a letter home about it, and her parents say “Sure, you can go. I’m sure Mr and Mrs Allen can be trusted about the character of these people who we’ve never met. Spend a few weeks in the home of these strangers, it’s cool with us.” People with strict parents could never.
✨ The ending felt too abrupt??? After everything that happened, the ending is like “P.S. this is how the story ends. Bye!” Also, we don’t get to Northanger Abbey until volume two of the novel.
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Many people consider The Catcher in the Rye as a red flag book. I’ve never read it before, so naturally, I got myself a copy and started reading.
“If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you’ll probably want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don’t feel like going into it, if you want to know the truth.”
This is the first line of the book. And I was immediately hooked. Right away Holden says that he will tell you a story, but it’s not the kind of story you’re expecting. It’s from a very specific day in his life that becomes a major turning point in his life. On this day, Holden is expelled from school again, and he doesn’t want to tell his parents about it just yet. He’ll be coming home for the holidays anyway, so instead of going home early, he spends the day in New York City.
Holden Caulfield is a teenager. And an angry teenager at that. But underneath all that anger and false bravado is pain, grief, frustration, and a feeling of not truly belonging in the world he finds himself in. He seems to be the typical troubled kid who is a disciplinary nightmare.
And yet. There is something buried under all that tough exterior that is worth knowing and nurturing.
A privileged kid, he attends (and has been expelled from) exclusive boarding schools filled with other privileged kids. He is aware of all the social niceties and unspoken codes of conduct he has to perform, but he hates it. And he hates all the “phony people” doing all these phony things. Holden has some pretty interesting takes though, and I agreed with a lot of them.
But I do have to say that Holden comes across as phony a lot of the time as well. He is prone to saying one thing and then backtracking in the next couple of lines. Or he will say or do one thing, but actually mean or want the opposite. This constant back and forth is something I noticed throughout the book, and while it amused me, it also annoyed me.
But maybe this constant shifting is Holden’s way of reading the room and finding the best response or behavior that will allow him to fit in and conform to everyone else’s expectations.
Loneliness may also play into his behavior. I imagine forming strong and deep friendships is difficult when he is expelled from school multiple times. Having to suddenly leave school, and then start over again at a new one made him a master at forming acquaintances. We see him meet some of them over the course of the book, but I don’t recall reading about anyone Holden considered an actual friend. Feeling like a misfit in school as well as in his family certainly takes a toll on him.
One thing I love about Holden though, is how much he loves his siblings. Sure he may hate the fact that his older brother works as a writer in Hollywood because Holden thinks it’s beneath his skills, but he obviously adores his brother. Holden’s relationship with his younger sister Phoebe was so precious. Holden tries to be a good influence on his sister. Phoebe idolizes Holden despite his flaws, and she would do anything for him. Their conversations towards the end of the book were some of my favorite parts of the reading experience. And then there is Holden’s love and grief for his younger brother Allie, who died of leukemia. He carries around Allie’s old baseball mitt filled with poetry he wrote on it. Aside from Phoebe, Allie is the only other person he has a deep relationship with. He is still grieving over his death, and at one point in the book, Holden says that it would have been better if he had died instead of Allie. With the problem child gone, his parents won’t have to deal with his shortcomings. Aside from brotherly love, this shows me how much of an outsider he feels within his family.
After reading the book, I now have a soft spot for Holden. Is this my red flag? Maybe. I mean there were times in the book when I did not like Holden’s words and actions. But this desire to give him one more chance stayed with me. He is the type of kid who needs a nurturing and stimulating environment, filled with supportive people who can help him grow and thrive. He is the noisy kid in class who teachers would place beside the top student in the hope that they can get some good influence. And I’m sure that given the right support, Holden will come into his own and shine.
I enjoyed The Catcher in the Rye (oooooh controversial 😂). But the reading experience wasn’t always fun. I couldn’t read the book for long stretches of time because Holden was exhausting to be around, and even though he’s just a book character, my introverted self could not handle his energy for very long. But he is a character that will most likely remember for a long time. Read it if you haven’t already!!
“If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you’ll probably want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don’t feel like going into it, if you want to know the truth.”
This is the first line of the book. And I was immediately hooked. Right away Holden says that he will tell you a story, but it’s not the kind of story you’re expecting. It’s from a very specific day in his life that becomes a major turning point in his life. On this day, Holden is expelled from school again, and he doesn’t want to tell his parents about it just yet. He’ll be coming home for the holidays anyway, so instead of going home early, he spends the day in New York City.
Holden Caulfield is a teenager. And an angry teenager at that. But underneath all that anger and false bravado is pain, grief, frustration, and a feeling of not truly belonging in the world he finds himself in. He seems to be the typical troubled kid who is a disciplinary nightmare.
And yet. There is something buried under all that tough exterior that is worth knowing and nurturing.
A privileged kid, he attends (and has been expelled from) exclusive boarding schools filled with other privileged kids. He is aware of all the social niceties and unspoken codes of conduct he has to perform, but he hates it. And he hates all the “phony people” doing all these phony things. Holden has some pretty interesting takes though, and I agreed with a lot of them.
But I do have to say that Holden comes across as phony a lot of the time as well. He is prone to saying one thing and then backtracking in the next couple of lines. Or he will say or do one thing, but actually mean or want the opposite. This constant back and forth is something I noticed throughout the book, and while it amused me, it also annoyed me.
But maybe this constant shifting is Holden’s way of reading the room and finding the best response or behavior that will allow him to fit in and conform to everyone else’s expectations.
Loneliness may also play into his behavior. I imagine forming strong and deep friendships is difficult when he is expelled from school multiple times. Having to suddenly leave school, and then start over again at a new one made him a master at forming acquaintances. We see him meet some of them over the course of the book, but I don’t recall reading about anyone Holden considered an actual friend. Feeling like a misfit in school as well as in his family certainly takes a toll on him.
One thing I love about Holden though, is how much he loves his siblings. Sure he may hate the fact that his older brother works as a writer in Hollywood because Holden thinks it’s beneath his skills, but he obviously adores his brother. Holden’s relationship with his younger sister Phoebe was so precious. Holden tries to be a good influence on his sister. Phoebe idolizes Holden despite his flaws, and she would do anything for him. Their conversations towards the end of the book were some of my favorite parts of the reading experience. And then there is Holden’s love and grief for his younger brother Allie, who died of leukemia. He carries around Allie’s old baseball mitt filled with poetry he wrote on it. Aside from Phoebe, Allie is the only other person he has a deep relationship with. He is still grieving over his death, and at one point in the book, Holden says that it would have been better if he had died instead of Allie. With the problem child gone, his parents won’t have to deal with his shortcomings. Aside from brotherly love, this shows me how much of an outsider he feels within his family.
After reading the book, I now have a soft spot for Holden. Is this my red flag? Maybe. I mean there were times in the book when I did not like Holden’s words and actions. But this desire to give him one more chance stayed with me. He is the type of kid who needs a nurturing and stimulating environment, filled with supportive people who can help him grow and thrive. He is the noisy kid in class who teachers would place beside the top student in the hope that they can get some good influence. And I’m sure that given the right support, Holden will come into his own and shine.
I enjoyed The Catcher in the Rye (oooooh controversial 😂). But the reading experience wasn’t always fun. I couldn’t read the book for long stretches of time because Holden was exhausting to be around, and even though he’s just a book character, my introverted self could not handle his energy for very long. But he is a character that will most likely remember for a long time. Read it if you haven’t already!!
The Sword of Kaigen by M.L. Wang
adventurous
challenging
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The Sword of Kaigen is an adult fantasy that had me bawling my eyes out at two in the morning. I couldn’t put it down and it absolutely crushed me. Then I got up the next day and continued reading.
The setting in this story is heavily inspired by Japanese and other East Asian cultures, so if you are looking for an epic high fantasy with an Asian flare, then this book will be a perfect choice. It also features elemental magic with the main characters in the story being able to control water and ice. People from other nations have the ability to control fire and wind. If you’re an A:TLA fan, then I think you’d enjoy this book as well.
The action scenes were also really good. In most other fantasy books I read, I tend to skim over the fights because I can’t really follow what’s going on. But here, I clung to every word. I could understand (and even see in my mind’s eye) the moves these characters were doing even though I know nothing about fighting or martial arts.
As much as this book is action-packed, it also has a lot of emotional depth. We follow 14-year-old Matsuda Mamoru, the son of a powerful clan who is expected to train and become a formidable warrior to protect the empire and continue the Matsuda legacy. We also follow the perspective of his mother, Matsuda Misaki, a woman who has left her fighting days behind in order to be a respectable wife and perform the duties expected of a noblewoman. Mother and son both face pressures that lead them to question their place in the world.
All the characters are well-written and they feel so real. Each person is shaped by their experience, their upbringing, and their environment, and you as a reader can clearly see how those factors shaped the people you meet in the books. The way each character develops and changes throughout the book is also done incredibly well and in a very believable and satisfying way.
The Sword of Kaigen is one of the most moving fantasy books I have read in a long time.
Everything about this book felt so well-thought-out. From the Asian-inspired world, to the characters and their relationships, to the magic system. This fictional world feels so rich and so real with all the vivid details and the different cultures present in the story.
It has all the action you come to expect in an epic fantasy, but the story also gives you a lot of moments to connect with the characters on a deeper and much more emotional level.
I also love that we get to read from the perspective of Misaki, a mother. She is such a badass woman. She is flawed, but she is doing her best. And she possesses both internal and external strength that allows her to serve and protect the people she loves.
The setting in this story is heavily inspired by Japanese and other East Asian cultures, so if you are looking for an epic high fantasy with an Asian flare, then this book will be a perfect choice. It also features elemental magic with the main characters in the story being able to control water and ice. People from other nations have the ability to control fire and wind. If you’re an A:TLA fan, then I think you’d enjoy this book as well.
The action scenes were also really good. In most other fantasy books I read, I tend to skim over the fights because I can’t really follow what’s going on. But here, I clung to every word. I could understand (and even see in my mind’s eye) the moves these characters were doing even though I know nothing about fighting or martial arts.
As much as this book is action-packed, it also has a lot of emotional depth. We follow 14-year-old Matsuda Mamoru, the son of a powerful clan who is expected to train and become a formidable warrior to protect the empire and continue the Matsuda legacy. We also follow the perspective of his mother, Matsuda Misaki, a woman who has left her fighting days behind in order to be a respectable wife and perform the duties expected of a noblewoman. Mother and son both face pressures that lead them to question their place in the world.
All the characters are well-written and they feel so real. Each person is shaped by their experience, their upbringing, and their environment, and you as a reader can clearly see how those factors shaped the people you meet in the books. The way each character develops and changes throughout the book is also done incredibly well and in a very believable and satisfying way.
The Sword of Kaigen is one of the most moving fantasy books I have read in a long time.
Everything about this book felt so well-thought-out. From the Asian-inspired world, to the characters and their relationships, to the magic system. This fictional world feels so rich and so real with all the vivid details and the different cultures present in the story.
It has all the action you come to expect in an epic fantasy, but the story also gives you a lot of moments to connect with the characters on a deeper and much more emotional level.
I also love that we get to read from the perspective of Misaki, a mother. She is such a badass woman. She is flawed, but she is doing her best. And she possesses both internal and external strength that allows her to serve and protect the people she loves.
Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Reading Winnie the Pooh for the first time as an adult was truly a special experience. It gave me the cozy atmosphere and silly lightheartedness that I didn't realize I was missing. Reconnecting with this part of my childhood was so comforting and exactly what my soul needed. I swear I was smiling every time I read a new story.
Maybe it's the nostalgia talking.
Or maybe it's me choosing to embrace the joy this book brings. Whatever it may be, this lovely book is now one of my most precious possessions.
Also the illustrations are so charming 🥹
A.A. Milne wrote the Pooh stories for his son Christopher Robin. And isn't it wonderful to think about how many other childhoods he has touched with these stories?
Now if someone were to ask me what book felt like a warm hug, I finally have an answer. I'd tell them it's this one. ✨
Maybe it's the nostalgia talking.
Or maybe it's me choosing to embrace the joy this book brings. Whatever it may be, this lovely book is now one of my most precious possessions.
Also the illustrations are so charming 🥹
A.A. Milne wrote the Pooh stories for his son Christopher Robin. And isn't it wonderful to think about how many other childhoods he has touched with these stories?
Now if someone were to ask me what book felt like a warm hug, I finally have an answer. I'd tell them it's this one. ✨