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urfriendash's reviews
153 reviews
The Restaurant of Lost Recipes by Hisashi Kashiwai
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Group Puntam for giving me this advance review copy in exchange for a honest review!
The Kamogawa Diner is not any ordinary restaurant; the owners Nagare and Koishi are food detectives, who help people rediscover precious and lost recipes. Each chapter of this book revolves around a new character longing to taste a forgotten dish from their past.
I thought this book was cozy and sweet but very simple. Every chapter follows the same repetitive pattern; someone seeks out the diner, Nagare serves them a delightful meal, Koishi learns about the dish the customer is looking for, and then Nagare serves them said dish. While this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it is quite similar every time and not very interesting. The customers did always have a unique story that usually intrigued me though.
Nagare and Koishi however were a bit bland. I wished to learn more about their lives or how they go about the investigating (note: this is a sequel, and I haven’t read the first one so their lives may be talked about in the original). I also didn’t like Koishi very much, she seemed very judgmental towards her clients, which rubbed me the wrong way.
One thing I really liked about this book was the food descriptions. While Kashiwai doesn’t really detail much about character/location appearances, he makes up for it in the amazing descriptions on the food Nagare serves. His writing made me crave the food mentioned in the book. I’ve never been to Japan, so I haven’t tried much of the food mentioned, but reading about the mouthwatering flavors made me want to book a ticket to try all the dishes in Japan.
Cute and quick paced, but not my favorite!
The Kamogawa Diner is not any ordinary restaurant; the owners Nagare and Koishi are food detectives, who help people rediscover precious and lost recipes. Each chapter of this book revolves around a new character longing to taste a forgotten dish from their past.
I thought this book was cozy and sweet but very simple. Every chapter follows the same repetitive pattern; someone seeks out the diner, Nagare serves them a delightful meal, Koishi learns about the dish the customer is looking for, and then Nagare serves them said dish. While this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it is quite similar every time and not very interesting. The customers did always have a unique story that usually intrigued me though.
Nagare and Koishi however were a bit bland. I wished to learn more about their lives or how they go about the investigating (note: this is a sequel, and I haven’t read the first one so their lives may be talked about in the original). I also didn’t like Koishi very much, she seemed very judgmental towards her clients, which rubbed me the wrong way.
One thing I really liked about this book was the food descriptions. While Kashiwai doesn’t really detail much about character/location appearances, he makes up for it in the amazing descriptions on the food Nagare serves. His writing made me crave the food mentioned in the book. I’ve never been to Japan, so I haven’t tried much of the food mentioned, but reading about the mouthwatering flavors made me want to book a ticket to try all the dishes in Japan.
Cute and quick paced, but not my favorite!
The Lantern of Lost Memories by Sanaka Hiiragi
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
A lovely tale on the sacredness of life: The Lantern of Lost Memories
Thank you Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for giving me this advance review copy in exchange for a honest review!
The Lantern of Lost Memories is a charming tale that touches on how life is as sacred as it is and why memories are so special, whether they are of a big moment like reaching a long awaited goal or simply showing kindness to a stranger.
Hirasaka works at a special photo studio that is in between life and death. He helps the deceased choose a photo from each year of their life to look back on before departing to wherever it is they seem to go. The book tells the story of three characters and their most beloved memory.
This was such a quick and bittersweet read! I completely devoured it in a day. The themes of the book are very important and with Hiiragi’s simplistic and endearing writing style, you can actually enjoy the story without getting a headache thinking about the heavy topics in the book.
Hiiragi really made me stop and just appreciate life and how amazing it is to be able to do the things we can, mundane or extraordinary. I highly recommend reading this!
Thank you Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for giving me this advance review copy in exchange for a honest review!
The Lantern of Lost Memories is a charming tale that touches on how life is as sacred as it is and why memories are so special, whether they are of a big moment like reaching a long awaited goal or simply showing kindness to a stranger.
Hirasaka works at a special photo studio that is in between life and death. He helps the deceased choose a photo from each year of their life to look back on before departing to wherever it is they seem to go. The book tells the story of three characters and their most beloved memory.
This was such a quick and bittersweet read! I completely devoured it in a day. The themes of the book are very important and with Hiiragi’s simplistic and endearing writing style, you can actually enjoy the story without getting a headache thinking about the heavy topics in the book.
Hiiragi really made me stop and just appreciate life and how amazing it is to be able to do the things we can, mundane or extraordinary. I highly recommend reading this!
Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
The Half of It by Madison Beer
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
3.25
Orbiting Jupiter by Gary D. Schmidt
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
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
3.5
in my gut, i saw the ending coming. didnt make it any less bitter when it happened though.
really pretty and enjoyable writing.
really pretty and enjoyable writing.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Grief, Car accident, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Seoul Before Sunrise by Samir Dahmani
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Thank you Netgalley and Humanoids Inc for a copy of Seoul Before Sunrise in exchange for a honest review!
Seoul Before Sunrise follows a young girl, Seong-ji, who has recently started college, but is stuck in the past, thinking about her past friendship with Ji-won.
This was a sad and simple short story centered around loneliness and loss of friendships. The artwork wa absolutely gorgeous and unlike any other graphic novel or manga I’ve ever read!
The plot and narration didn’t really stuck out to me though, and I think the story could have been elaborated on more. I didn’t love the ending; I definitely wanted to see more of Seong-ji ‘cause she was just a really nice girl.
Cute, lovely short story about queer heartbreak and discovery, and loss.
Seoul Before Sunrise follows a young girl, Seong-ji, who has recently started college, but is stuck in the past, thinking about her past friendship with Ji-won.
This was a sad and simple short story centered around loneliness and loss of friendships. The artwork wa absolutely gorgeous and unlike any other graphic novel or manga I’ve ever read!
The plot and narration didn’t really stuck out to me though, and I think the story could have been elaborated on more. I didn’t love the ending; I definitely wanted to see more of Seong-ji ‘cause she was just a really nice girl.
Cute, lovely short story about queer heartbreak and discovery, and loss.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying and Homophobia
Go Ask Alice by Beatrice Sparks
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
overall a really underwhelming conclusion to the series. i found all the major plot points boring, and most of the dialogue just felt kinda meh. i know the series has always been a bit cringy but it felt less tolerable in this one. i found some of it unrealistic too.
Content Warnings
Minor: Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Two Sides to Every Murder by Danielle Valentine
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for a copy of Two Sides to Every Murder by Danielle Valentine in exchange for a honest review!
Olivia’s sister, Andie, has decided to clean up the cabins at Camp Lost Lake, an infamous forest where Lori Knight murdered three people seventeen years ago. She gathers up a team of high schoolers to help, including Olivia. Reagan, the daughter of Lori Knight, also shows up; she is certain her mother didn’t commit those crimes, and she’s here to prove it. This fateful and dangerous night will reveal secrets long forgotten, and the truth about what happened seventeen years ago.
This book was pretty alright; the plot twists weren’t very shocking, and it seemed a bit stereotypical. The romance also felt really displaced. Some things didn’t feel realistic either. It was a basic, simple, classic summer camp murder mystery. Not necessarily a bad thing, it just wasn’t the greatest thriller I’ve read.
This is probably one of the most fast-paced thrillers I have ever read. The majority of the book takes place during one day, and there was almost no filler, which was very enjoyable after my last read was almost all filler.
The story was a tad stereotypical; you can probably guess the book's tropes after reading the synopsis. No cell service, a creepy forest with no way out, etc. These tropes aren’t bad but go in expecting to have seen/read something similar to this story.
I also felt the romance could have been more appropriate; it wasn’t needed in my opinion. I don’t think anyone would focus on making out while trying to survive a crazy murderer or try to get together with someone, nonetheless a total, complete, stranger!
Plot twists weren’t very surprising; I didn’t predict most of the twists, but they didn’t exactly ‘wow’ me like you’d want a murder mystery to do. The twists didn’t even seem very realistic to me either. [SPOILERS]- I find it hard to believe Officer Knight would simply kill her brother and an innocent teenager just because she was mad her nephew was having kids, and her brother wouldn’t be able to take care of their mom. I also don’t think Andie would accidentally murder Matthew and wait seventeen years to clear Lori’s name. In reality, all the plot twists don’t seem like they’d happen in real life, but these two especially stood out. The ending was also pretty weird; Matthew somehow survives that fall, and he just lives in the woods for seventeen years, killing innocent people who wander in the forest. I want an explanation, cause why would he do that? Why wouldn’t he want to see his family? Andie just standing there waiting to get murdered was odd to. Like, run girl!
Oh, and the POVS were VERY confusing at first. The first 30% I couldn't tell who was who; I think my Kindle kept mixing the chapters. Reagan and Olivia are both just teen girls so it was hard to differentiate at first.
Oh, and the POVS were VERY confusing at first. The first 30% I couldn't tell who was who; I think my Kindle kept mixing the chapters. Reagan and Olivia are both just teen girls so it was hard to differentiate at first.
I’d recommend this to someone who likes very fast-paced books with classic murder mystery tropes and doesn’t care much about a huge shocking twist.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Death, Violence, Blood, Medical content, and Murder
Minor: Animal death, Miscarriage, and Pregnancy