Reviews

The Secret Garden of Yanagi Inn by Amber Logan

lorimichelekelley's review

1.0

This story had so much potential, but all of the, "I scrambled," "I sneaked" (while all alone on an island), "I yelped," made me think I was reading about some weird creature rather than a person. The first 60% of the book adds nothing to the story and when it did finally pick up, it was too late for me. The MC was soooo boring! She kept having to tell herself to "Breathe, Mari," or "Slow down, Mari." And she was immature. As soon as the Buddhist nun said she had a male friend, Mari kept making stupid jokes about the guy being her 'boyfriend." Again, the story could have been SO good! But as it is, I felt like I wasted all of my bus-commute-reading-time.

purplebeanbooks's review

dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective slow-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

3.75

dersedragon's review

emotional lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

kbrujv's review

3.5

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rec0030's review against another edition

emotional hopeful mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death

lindsusmarinsus's review

slow-paced

2.0

kblum15's review

lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

xormdsxo's review

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

This book reminded me of a bad Japanese version of Mexican Gothic. I think Mari is a childish adult who is frankly kind of pathetic. I depise how often the author used the half-assed s-stutter. The ending was entirely anticlimactic, and it never explained the lack of men? I was half expecting the girls to all be sisters or Honda to be an old nanny or something. The whole book was just bad, and the story was unoriginal. 

jessicaaee's review

emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

4.0

empyrealowl's review

emotional hopeful informative mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.75