2022: End of the Year Wrap Up

It's been a good five months since I posted my last wrap up post on the blog. Goodness, how is it already the end of 2022?! I'm sure its not just me, but the end of the year always feels like this: in disbelief of another closure and nostalgic for the year that has gone …

Book Review: Never Have I Ever by Isabel Yap

Stories are easy, and they give life order, a piece of driftwood to cling to in the storm of grief. Publication Date: February 23, 2021Publisher: Small Beer PressLength: 318 pagesGenre: Short Stories | Horror | Fantasy Rating: 4.5 / 5 Goodreads | Amazon Synopsis Spells and stories, urban legends and immigrant tales: the magic in …

Apr – Jun | Second Quarterly Wrap Up Post

We've officially made it past the first half of the year! My, how time flies by. So far, it's been quite a productive three months for me. In my 2021 end of the year wrap up post, I mentioned some of my reading and blogging goals as well as some of my reading realizations. You …

ARC Review: Real Sugar is Hard to Find by Sim Kern

Incredible - how much you can come to love a place in a few years, and how much there can be left to learn about it. Publication Date: August 1, 2022Publisher: Android PressLength: 188 pagesGenre: Science Fiction | Climate Fiction Rating: 5 / 5 Goodreads | AmazonDisclaimer: I received an Advance Review Copy of the …

Film Review: Minari (2020)

"Getting hurt is all part of growing up." Director: Lee Isaac ChungLength: 115 minsGenre: Drama Language: Korean | English Review contains spoilers. The Blurb A Korean American family moves to an Arkansas farm in search of its own American dream. Amidst the challenges of this new life in the strange and rugged Ozarks, they discover …

Blog Tour Review: Odder Still by D.N. Bryn

Maybe some situations aren't right or wrong, but a mess of everything in between. Publication Date: June 14, 2022Publisher: The Kraken CollectiveLength: 392 pagesGenre: Science Fiction | Fantasy | RomanceRating: 4 / 5 Goodreads | Amazon | Author's WebsiteDisclaimer: I received an ARC of the book from the author in exchange for an honest review.Content …

Book Review: A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

This was what you did for people you loved: you gave them their freedom. Publication Date: March 10, 2015Publisher: DoubledayLength: 814 pagesGenre: Contemporary | Literary FictionRating: 4 / 5 Goodreads | AmazonReview contains spoilers.Trigger Warning: Book contains extreme and disturbing content such as drug addiction, violence, toxic relationship, suicide, self-mutilation, rape, sexual and child abuse. …

Film Review: The Coward (1965)

"You have to have all kinds of experiences in life. Otherwise, how can you write about them?" Director: Satyajit RayLength: 70 minsGenre: Drama | RomanceLanguage: Hindi | Bengali Review contains minor spoilers. The Blurb When the vehicle of Amitabha Roy, a scriptwriter from Calcutta, breaks down in a small town, he is offered a place …

Manga Review: Solanin by Inio Asano

"I think for me, maybe it's good enough to just live." Author: Inio AsanoVolumes: 2Genre: Slice of Life | Coming of AgeRating: 5/5 Review contains major spoilers. The Blurb Meiko Inoue is a recent college grad working as an office lady in a job she hates. Her boyfriend Naruo is permanently crashing at her apartment …

Jan – Mar | First Quarterly Wrap Up Post

And just like that, the first quarter of 2022 has ended. In my end of the year wrap up post, I mentioned some of my reading and blogging goals as well as some of my reading realizations. So far, I do believe I have been able to stick to what I mostly planned and it …

ARC Review: The Girl Who Wasn’t Chosen by A.Y. Johlin

The things you dream of, sometimes they're not as good as you think. Publication Date: January 29, 2022Publisher: Self-publishedLength: 235 pagesGenre: Fantasy | Middle GradeRating: 3 / 5 Goodreads | Amazon | Author's WebsiteDisclaimer: I received an Advance Review Copy of the book from the author in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis Leda Roubis …

Japanese Film Festival Online 2022 Wrap Up

On days like these, I can't help but think: Thank God for the internet! I've discovered uncountable great books thanks to it. And I've come across many wonderful films and film recommendations through the scrolling of my thumbs. And that's exactly how I came to learn of this film festival which ran from February 14-28. …

Book Review: Normal People by Sally Rooney

Their feelings were suppressed so carefully in everyday life, forced into smaller and smaller spaces... Publication Date: April 16, 2019Publisher: Hogarth PressLength: 273 pagesGenre: Contemporary | Literary FictionRating: 4 / 5 Goodreads | Amazon Synopsis At school Connell and Marianne pretend not to know each other. He’s popular and well-adjusted, star of the school soccer …

Manga Review: Memories of Emanon by Shinji Kajio

"Some things won't go away just because you pretend to forget all about it." Author: Shinji Kajio Artist: Kenji TsurutaVolumes: 4Genre: Science Fiction | Fantasy Review contains minor spoilers.Disclaimer: This review includes all four volumes of the Emanon series. The Blurb Based on the award-winning novel by Shinji Kajio, Memories of Emanon tells the story …

Book Review: The Ever Cruel Kingdom by Rin Chupeco

It is easy to believe we could have done better after hindsight. Let us do what we can now. Publication Date: November 10, 2020Publisher: HarperTeenLength: 480 pagesGenre: Fantasy | Young AdultRating: 3.5 / 5 Goodreads | Amazon Synopsis After a treacherous journey and a life-shattering meeting with a twin neither knew they had, Haidee and …

2021: End of the Year Wrap Up + Blogging and Reading Goals

What a ride 2021 has been! In less than two days, we enter a new year full of possibilities and opportunities, and of course, another year of books and blogging. For my last post of the year, I talk about my top five reads, what my reading year has been like, and also mention some …