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wordsandnocturnes's reviews
441 reviews
Pups on the Run! by Marissa Pruett, Hannah Beene Hurdle
3.0
This book has a very simple story. It is also adorable. The art is simple, not lavish on details but not lacking at all. The simple illustrations suit the story, conveying emotion through rich colours and the expressions of the dogs as well as the loneliness of the wild. Young readers may be captivated by the wild idea of getting lost at night with no idea where to go and what to do. They may rejoice in Hazel and Kaya's journey back home. A nice book for a cosy bedtime story.
Something Wonderful by Matt Ritter
4.0
An informative look at the life cycle of fig trees and the role other animals and insects play in maintaining this cycle. The information is presented in a simple way that is easy to understand, which is perhaps the best way to learn new things.
The book is visually appealing. Its illustrations by Nayl Gonzalez are detailed, the colours are lush, and the font matches the overall tone set by the art and the content. That sneaky tree frog that turns up in every page is a fun bit that would probably be great at attracting the attention of young readers (though older readers might enjoy it all the same).
A book to pick up when you're in for learning something new (and if you want to gaze at the great illustrations).
The book is visually appealing. Its illustrations by Nayl Gonzalez are detailed, the colours are lush, and the font matches the overall tone set by the art and the content. That sneaky tree frog that turns up in every page is a fun bit that would probably be great at attracting the attention of young readers (though older readers might enjoy it all the same).
A book to pick up when you're in for learning something new (and if you want to gaze at the great illustrations).
Japanese Cooking Recipes by Fumiyo Kawakami
4.0
A frightening aspect when it comes to recipes or instruction manuals is when you have no idea what it all means. The instructions given are overly complicated or incomprehensible. However, in JAPANESE COOKING RECIPES, the instructions are clear and easy to follow. If you want to try your hand out at making Japanese recipes, then this book's a perfect way for you to start learning basic recipes.The book is well illustrated with clear photos and is bilingual, with instructions and descriptions both in English and Japanese. Overall, a neat book with fun recipes to try out when you have the time or want to try out something new.
By the Book: Writers on Literature and the Literary Life from The New York Times Book Review by Scott Turow, Pamela Paul
4.0
I picked this book to read for a few reasons. For one, the cover was lovely, but the true reason was some part of me hoped to glean secrets of the writer's craft from the reading choices of well-known writers. In a way it did, in a way it didn't. It didn't in the way that it didn't offer me knowledge and tips on writing as easily as I hoped it would be. Instead, I found a load of new reading recommendations that range from many genres, and that itself made this book a well worthy read.
Shadow of the Hunter by Su Tong
4.0
Every small matter in this book slowly builds up into events that are complex and most frighteningly, very realistic. Superstition is weaved seamlessly into everyday beliefs, thoughts and actions as well as consequences, but that doesn’t make it any less real. Sometimes the truth and the lies are mixed in the story, the truth of what happened and the lies the characters tell themselves. The storytelling is complex, the narrative passing between the three characters, but with the other two characters still very much present even if they aren’t physically there.
The book begins with Baorun’s grandfather losing his soul, and I’d like to think that it ends with him getting his soul back, but anyway the story starts and ends with Grandfather, which is a nice but sad point. Grandfather is unwanted and shunted aside in the beginning and yet he still persists to the end of the story and is the only one who at least knows what he wants. He is the catalyst of the story, setting the plot running in its tracks. To tell the truth, he is easily one of the nicest characters in the story as he doesn’t mean anyone harm and is actually a peace-loving chap (although he wouldn’t say no to excitement now and then).
The author, Su Tong’s bio at the end of the book says that his work explores the darker side of human nature which definitely exists and of which the author succeeded in bringing out in this book. The human nature, as this book portrays, is definitely complicated, dark, harsh and cruel with bits of calmness interspersed in between. There is no specific good or bad, which we should be familiar with by now, but this story brings it out by alternating between being delicate and being blunt, a tricky mix but one which feels rewarding to behold.
I enjoyed this book, but it was a book laden with a fair amount of misery and can be intense so you’d probably want to calm down with a nice warm cup of tea and listen to some soothing music to smooth it over.
Received from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to Netgalley, Alain Charles Asia Publishing, and Su Tong for the ARC.
From Words & Nocturnes
The book begins with Baorun’s grandfather losing his soul, and I’d like to think that it ends with him getting his soul back, but anyway the story starts and ends with Grandfather, which is a nice but sad point. Grandfather is unwanted and shunted aside in the beginning and yet he still persists to the end of the story and is the only one who at least knows what he wants. He is the catalyst of the story, setting the plot running in its tracks. To tell the truth, he is easily one of the nicest characters in the story as he doesn’t mean anyone harm and is actually a peace-loving chap (although he wouldn’t say no to excitement now and then).
The author, Su Tong’s bio at the end of the book says that his work explores the darker side of human nature which definitely exists and of which the author succeeded in bringing out in this book. The human nature, as this book portrays, is definitely complicated, dark, harsh and cruel with bits of calmness interspersed in between. There is no specific good or bad, which we should be familiar with by now, but this story brings it out by alternating between being delicate and being blunt, a tricky mix but one which feels rewarding to behold.
I enjoyed this book, but it was a book laden with a fair amount of misery and can be intense so you’d probably want to calm down with a nice warm cup of tea and listen to some soothing music to smooth it over.
Received from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to Netgalley, Alain Charles Asia Publishing, and Su Tong for the ARC.
From Words & Nocturnes