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sandeeisreading's reviews
790 reviews
The Wrong Bride by Catharina Maura
emotional
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
4.75
i devoured this book in a day. that should be saying something.
full review to follow.
full review to follow.
7th Time Loop: The Villainess Enjoys a Carefree Life Married to Her Worst Enemy! (Manga) Vol. 4 by Touko Amekawa
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
5.0
This volume gave me so much butterflies. I swear to god, I’m so excited to get to the new volume. Rishe and Arnold’s relationship is developing perfectly. She’s getting to know more about him and how different he is to who she thought he was based on what she knew about him from her previous lives. I think Arnold is unintentionally falling in love with her too which is so cute. The way he stared at Prince Kyle during that one scene will never not be hilarious. He was jealous, but I guess he wasn’t sure that was what he was feeling at the time. I love this couple so much. I just wish we don’t get some stupid miscommunication trope along the way because I would really hate that.
Solo Leveling, Vol. 2 by Chugong
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Life and death. This is a theme used a second time in this volume. As Jin-woo was once again faced with the probability of death, he was given a task. It was a task he was not sure if he could do at first, but ended up being able to do it with ease. The brings the question though, whether the system asked him to do it or not, I feel like Jin-woo would have done it anyways. When you get pushed too far to a corner, you have to choice but to shove.
The stronger Jin-woo gets, the more complicated the decisions he had to make. Even though I pretty much know what’s gonna happen next since I watched the anime, I’m still pretty excited to read the next one.
The stronger Jin-woo gets, the more complicated the decisions he had to make. Even though I pretty much know what’s gonna happen next since I watched the anime, I’m still pretty excited to read the next one.
Solo Leveling, Vol. 1 by Chugong
adventurous
dark
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
it's no brainer that i'm gonna end up giving this 5 stars. i've already watched the entire first season of the anime and fell in love. the artwork is divine. i prefer the manwha art style compared to the anime - just a personal preference. so many questions i'm very curious to know the answers to. got me hooked from start to finish. already reading the second one.
Ron Kamonohashi: Deranged Detective, Vol. 7 by Akira Amano
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
i really wish they figure out who was really behind the bloody field trip. we all know the m family is involved. i want them to pay for their crimes. ron deserves more. he deserves to be able to go back to doing what he loves doing. anways, i love how he's connecting to people now. him throwing issiki a birthday party was really sweet. but of course, the party wouldn't be complete without him adding brown sugar syrup in everything.
Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
slow-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
4.25
𝙱𝚞𝚝, 𝙸 𝚍𝚘𝚗’𝚝 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠, 𝚖𝚊𝚢𝚋𝚎 𝚒𝚝 𝚝𝚊𝚔𝚎𝚜 𝚊 𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚏𝚒𝚐𝚞𝚛𝚎 𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞’𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚕𝚢 𝚜𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚏𝚘𝚛. 𝙼𝚊𝚢𝚋𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚜𝚙𝚎𝚗𝚍 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚠𝚑𝚘𝚕𝚎 𝚕𝚒𝚏𝚎 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚏𝚒𝚐𝚞𝚛𝚎 𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚊 𝚜𝚖𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚒𝚝.
Heartwarming, cozy, and relatable. I don’t think there is really much more to say about this book other than that.
𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗗𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗸𝗶 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽:
1. Easy to read.
2. It’s short.
3. Takako’s growth.
4. Rekindling someone’s love for reading. We always love reading about those.
5. Takako’s relationship with her uncle and her aunt.
6. The friendships and the interactions Takako had with the people in town.
7. A lot of good quotes.
8. Relatable. I was able to relate to a lot of Takako’s struggles.
Days at the Morisaki Bookshop heavily relies on its characters rather than its plot. If you’re the type of reader who prefers plot driven books, this might not be for you. There were no overly dramatic climax or conflict that’ll overwhelm you with emotions. It did made me sob a little bit towards the end but that was that. I personally think books like these are a breath of fresh air. One of the reasons why I’m so drawn to Japanese translated literature lately is because of how easily digestible they are. This book was no different. I’d highly recommend reading this if you’re looking for a heartwarming book that feels like a warm embrace.
Heartwarming, cozy, and relatable. I don’t think there is really much more to say about this book other than that.
𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗗𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗸𝗶 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽:
1. Easy to read.
2. It’s short.
3. Takako’s growth.
4. Rekindling someone’s love for reading. We always love reading about those.
5. Takako’s relationship with her uncle and her aunt.
6. The friendships and the interactions Takako had with the people in town.
7. A lot of good quotes.
8. Relatable. I was able to relate to a lot of Takako’s struggles.
Days at the Morisaki Bookshop heavily relies on its characters rather than its plot. If you’re the type of reader who prefers plot driven books, this might not be for you. There were no overly dramatic climax or conflict that’ll overwhelm you with emotions. It did made me sob a little bit towards the end but that was that. I personally think books like these are a breath of fresh air. One of the reasons why I’m so drawn to Japanese translated literature lately is because of how easily digestible they are. This book was no different. I’d highly recommend reading this if you’re looking for a heartwarming book that feels like a warm embrace.
7th Time Loop: The Villainess Enjoys a Carefree Life Married to Her Worst Enemy! (Manga) Vol. 2 by Touko Amekawa, Hinoki Kino
adventurous
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
i am going through this manga faster than i thought i would be. one thing that stood out for me the most was how likeable the main character is. she is fierce and strong willed. she is not the type to cry on a corner because of how hard everything has been going for her. she thinks of a way to figure out how she can improve her life in each time loop. i love her so much! the romance, oh god, it's so cute and adorable. i can't wait for it to go further and see how things turn out for them. i'm reading the third volume asap.
7th Time Loop: The Villainess Enjoys a Carefree Life Married to Her Worst Enemy! (Manga) Vol. 1 by Touko Amekawa, Hinoki Kino
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
To be honest, this not my fave genre. I was so surprised when I ended up completely falling in love with this series which I think could be attributed to how great of a character Rishe is. She is such a lovable character. She’s smart, confident, and warm towards everyone. She is not the type of character who moans about how bad her situation is and sulk around. She instead goes out of her way to try and do the best she can with whatever situation was given to her and learn from them.
Arnold is the brooding male protagonist type. He’s the type that keeps a lot of things to himself so he doesn’t burden the people around him. At this point in the manga, I’m still not privy as to why he did what he did in the past (this was five years after Rishe gets sent back for her 6th life that eventually ended her life). I have a feeling his cruelty and brutality from Rishe’s previous life had something to do with his family and some loss.
I would like to briefly talk about how cute Rishe and Arnold is. They are adorable.
I’m very curious to know how this story ends. I want to know why Rishe got thrown into a loop and what she could do to stop it. I’m pretty sure she’s going to play an integral role it making sure Arnold does not turn into the brutal tyrant from her past.
Revenge by Yōko Ogawa
If I could summarize this book in just one word, I would choose the word eerie.
Revenge is a collection of short interconnected stories that might not seem related at first, but as you read through each chapters, you’ll get called back to think on the events that happened the chapter before. The way it was narrated was very detached yet very personal at the same time. Each and every chapter has this sinister, otherworldly atmosphere that will make you second guess whether what you’re reading is actually happening in the present, the past, or if it’s really even happening at all.
Each story in this book is narrated by a different character. You don’t get to know who they are, but as you read through each chapters, you'll get either a background on who this person is, or you find out what happened to them after their chapter is over. Turns out, I really love this type of narrative style. Was it confusing at times? Yes, but I think that was intentional. It gave the reader this feeling of fear and unease by being unsure or completely not knowing.
One recurring theme among most of the stories that I observed is that of obsession. Each stories highlight a form of obsession which either directly or indirectly affects the narrator that then adds another layer of unease for the readers. This book didn’t have a lot of horrifying scenarios in my opinion, but there were plenty of times where the character’s macabre thoughts were far more disturbing than the actual occurrences within the book. While Revenge is not the epitome of horror, I believe it was able to achieve what it intended to do - freak me the fuck out.
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
“The desires of the human heart know no reason or rules.”
If I could summarize this book in just one word, I would choose the word eerie.
Revenge is a collection of short interconnected stories that might not seem related at first, but as you read through each chapters, you’ll get called back to think on the events that happened the chapter before. The way it was narrated was very detached yet very personal at the same time. Each and every chapter has this sinister, otherworldly atmosphere that will make you second guess whether what you’re reading is actually happening in the present, the past, or if it’s really even happening at all.
Each story in this book is narrated by a different character. You don’t get to know who they are, but as you read through each chapters, you'll get either a background on who this person is, or you find out what happened to them after their chapter is over. Turns out, I really love this type of narrative style. Was it confusing at times? Yes, but I think that was intentional. It gave the reader this feeling of fear and unease by being unsure or completely not knowing.
One recurring theme among most of the stories that I observed is that of obsession. Each stories highlight a form of obsession which either directly or indirectly affects the narrator that then adds another layer of unease for the readers. This book didn’t have a lot of horrifying scenarios in my opinion, but there were plenty of times where the character’s macabre thoughts were far more disturbing than the actual occurrences within the book. While Revenge is not the epitome of horror, I believe it was able to achieve what it intended to do - freak me the fuck out.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Gore, Violence, Death, Addiction, and Blood