jshawreads's reviews
454 reviews
Before Your Memory Fades by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
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? Yes
5.0
10 Things That Never Happened by Alexis Hall
emotional
funny
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
4.0
Thank you to Pride Book Tours for providing me with an Advanced Reader Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Sam Becker can't stand his boss, the grumpy Jonathan Forest, affectionately nicknamed "His Royal Dickishness". So when an incident with a plexiglass shower door landing on Sam's head during a disciplinary trip down to London, a simple comment makes everyone think Sam has amnesia and cannot remember anything... As Jonathan steps up to help look after Sam, and Sam tries to use his faked amnesia to get Jonathan to see his employees as human and valuable, maybe both will learn a little something about themselves, and each other...
Coming from the author of the fantastic Boyfriend Material, I expected good things, and I got them! Sam is a really fun character and has a great POV, filled with Northern "isms" which, as an extremely broad Northerner, was just lovely to read. The developing friendship and affection between the two is heartwarming, and has you really cheering for both guys and, at the same time, being totally frustrated with them too. The writing is genuinely hilarious, and the cast of side characters felt fleshed out and real. A great read, highly recommended.
Sam Becker can't stand his boss, the grumpy Jonathan Forest, affectionately nicknamed "His Royal Dickishness". So when an incident with a plexiglass shower door landing on Sam's head during a disciplinary trip down to London, a simple comment makes everyone think Sam has amnesia and cannot remember anything... As Jonathan steps up to help look after Sam, and Sam tries to use his faked amnesia to get Jonathan to see his employees as human and valuable, maybe both will learn a little something about themselves, and each other...
Coming from the author of the fantastic Boyfriend Material, I expected good things, and I got them! Sam is a really fun character and has a great POV, filled with Northern "isms" which, as an extremely broad Northerner, was just lovely to read. The developing friendship and affection between the two is heartwarming, and has you really cheering for both guys and, at the same time, being totally frustrated with them too. The writing is genuinely hilarious, and the cast of side characters felt fleshed out and real. A great read, highly recommended.
Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Takako has never really found joy in reading or books, but when a revelation about her boyfriend sends her life into a spiral, moving into the rooms above her Uncle's second-hand bookshop provides a room and stability. As she learns more about the customers, her family, and herself, Takako discovers the beauty of a good book and the power to stand on her own feet again.
Days at the Morisaki Bookshop is a mocha in a large mug, with a ginger biscuit, whilst wrapped in a blanket, with slippers on. All the cosiness of an autumn hug, the quiet beauty of Before the Coffee Gets Cold, but with just a little less devastation and rawness. Reading this will transport you into this sleepy bookshop, with its musty smell of knowledge and its colourful array of customers. I really enjoyed this, and I will definitely be looking out for more from this series.
Days at the Morisaki Bookshop is a mocha in a large mug, with a ginger biscuit, whilst wrapped in a blanket, with slippers on. All the cosiness of an autumn hug, the quiet beauty of Before the Coffee Gets Cold, but with just a little less devastation and rawness. Reading this will transport you into this sleepy bookshop, with its musty smell of knowledge and its colourful array of customers. I really enjoyed this, and I will definitely be looking out for more from this series.
Killing Me Softly by Guy Hale
dark
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Assassination Classroom, Vol. 13: Time For A Little Career Counseling by Yūsei Matsui
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Assassination Classroom, Vol. 12: Time For The Grim Reaper by Yūsei Matsui
adventurous
challenging
funny
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Making Money in Shibuya by Amanda Parsons
challenging
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Thank you to Netgalley for a free electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Kai is an artist struggling to make ends meet with freelance graffiti work and a service job in a ramen shop to pay his way through university. In a desperate attempt to stay afloat, he makes an account on an escort site, explicitly stating, "No sex." When a mysterious client hires him, paying him above and beyond what he dreamed, Kai juggles keeping it a secret, his studies, and his employers sometimes rude approach, as the two draw ever closer.
Making Money In Shibuya has a really good idea, but unfortunately, it really felt as though the idea had not fully formed. I always look at self-published titles with a less critical eye, as not having editors and external checking can make a huge impact. There were plot points in this book that just didn’t seem to go anywhere, avenues that weren't explored, character development really was minimal, and even character backstory could be explained in two lines. There were also a number of grammatical and punctuation errors and instances of incorrect word use, sometimes with homophones, which made me think of when an Alexa or Siri tries to understand my broad Northern lilt. My final criticism is that this did not feel like it was set in Shibuya... If not for a random mention of 104 and Hachikō it could easily be set in the USA, the language and slang used by characters, and even a use of the phrase "threw the driver a hundred", when a hundred Yen is less than one GBP, just made it feel like the author loves the idea of Japan/Shibuya, but hasn't been.
I hate to really rag on this book. I did enjoy it, I promise! Kai was a sympathetic and lovable main character, and I loved his friendships with Mondo and Yuki especially. The bones of the story were interesting, a punk protagonist and graffiti artist was an interesting concept, and the spice was truly wasabi, I just think with a little editing and external influence this could have been really good. A good quick read to pass a few hours.
Kai is an artist struggling to make ends meet with freelance graffiti work and a service job in a ramen shop to pay his way through university. In a desperate attempt to stay afloat, he makes an account on an escort site, explicitly stating, "No sex." When a mysterious client hires him, paying him above and beyond what he dreamed, Kai juggles keeping it a secret, his studies, and his employers sometimes rude approach, as the two draw ever closer.
Making Money In Shibuya has a really good idea, but unfortunately, it really felt as though the idea had not fully formed. I always look at self-published titles with a less critical eye, as not having editors and external checking can make a huge impact. There were plot points in this book that just didn’t seem to go anywhere, avenues that weren't explored, character development really was minimal, and even character backstory could be explained in two lines. There were also a number of grammatical and punctuation errors and instances of incorrect word use, sometimes with homophones, which made me think of when an Alexa or Siri tries to understand my broad Northern lilt. My final criticism is that this did not feel like it was set in Shibuya... If not for a random mention of 104 and Hachikō it could easily be set in the USA, the language and slang used by characters, and even a use of the phrase "threw the driver a hundred", when a hundred Yen is less than one GBP, just made it feel like the author loves the idea of Japan/Shibuya, but hasn't been.
I hate to really rag on this book. I did enjoy it, I promise! Kai was a sympathetic and lovable main character, and I loved his friendships with Mondo and Yuki especially. The bones of the story were interesting, a punk protagonist and graffiti artist was an interesting concept, and the spice was truly wasabi, I just think with a little editing and external influence this could have been really good. A good quick read to pass a few hours.
Assassination Classroom, Vol. 11: Time For Sports Day by Yūsei Matsui
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The Undetectables by Courtney Smyth
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
medium-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
4.0
Thank you to Netgalley, the author Courtney Smyth, and Titan Books for my electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Mallory, Cornelia, and Diana are witches. Witches with a passion for criminology. And when an Occult murder, breaking an ancient treat of Do No Harm shocks their town, together with Theodore, the ghost of the victim in their first, only, and unsolved case, the Undetectables band together to solve a mystery that threatens all of Occulture, and the fabric of existence.
Queer, spooky, murder mystery? Count me the flip in! A fantastic portrayal of a queer, disabled protagonist, magic and lore, grusome murder and unbreakable bonds of love and friendship abound in this absolute delight of a book. It's a fantastic read for spooky season, and I sincerely hope we see more from The Undetectables in more books!
Mallory, Cornelia, and Diana are witches. Witches with a passion for criminology. And when an Occult murder, breaking an ancient treat of Do No Harm shocks their town, together with Theodore, the ghost of the victim in their first, only, and unsolved case, the Undetectables band together to solve a mystery that threatens all of Occulture, and the fabric of existence.
Queer, spooky, murder mystery? Count me the flip in! A fantastic portrayal of a queer, disabled protagonist, magic and lore, grusome murder and unbreakable bonds of love and friendship abound in this absolute delight of a book. It's a fantastic read for spooky season, and I sincerely hope we see more from The Undetectables in more books!
Of Knights and Books and Falling In Love by Rita A. Rubin
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
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
4.0
Thank you to Pride Book Tours for including me in the Of Knights and Books and Falling in Love ebook tour, and providing me with a free electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Starting as the main story ends, Of Knights and Books and Falling in Love follows Jayce, the memory-wiped, tortured, servant of the Dark Lord, as he gains his freedom from the Dark Lord's control with the help of the captured knight Alexius. Forced to face the memories of the atrocities of war that he committed as a mind controlled servant, Jayce looks to build a new life and make reparations, which would be easier if his rescuer wasn't just so damn charming...
Low-stakes, slice of life romance, mixed with charming and endearing characters (I'm looking at you, Maple!), make for a light read with some heavy themes, a lovely mix for a cosy fantasy read. The world building is quick but efficient, and I felt I knew everything I needed to know right away about this world and its history. Mix all this in with bookshops, cats, and a splash of romance, and you have this book, a lovely read, and one which I hope will be expanded upon with more books!
Starting as the main story ends, Of Knights and Books and Falling in Love follows Jayce, the memory-wiped, tortured, servant of the Dark Lord, as he gains his freedom from the Dark Lord's control with the help of the captured knight Alexius. Forced to face the memories of the atrocities of war that he committed as a mind controlled servant, Jayce looks to build a new life and make reparations, which would be easier if his rescuer wasn't just so damn charming...
Low-stakes, slice of life romance, mixed with charming and endearing characters (I'm looking at you, Maple!), make for a light read with some heavy themes, a lovely mix for a cosy fantasy read. The world building is quick but efficient, and I felt I knew everything I needed to know right away about this world and its history. Mix all this in with bookshops, cats, and a splash of romance, and you have this book, a lovely read, and one which I hope will be expanded upon with more books!