annoyingtiger888's Reviews (344)

I have... questions lol Why is Honda-san a skeleton? Why is no one surprised that Honda-san is a skeleton? Why do all the employees wear masks? Is this normal in this world? I need answers, Author-san! T_T)/

Now, this book starts strong with a foreign "hunk" that is travelling the country trying to find one manga for his daughter. What is this manga? Well, let's just say it involves tentacles and is not safe for work lmao

In the words of Handa-san herself, "Ohhh boy! Tentacles!"

For the record, words appearing like <this> are meant to be English and (this) are thoughts.

"<It... it's special yaoi book.>" "<What's a yaoi book!?>" (I dug my own grave...)

Oh, to be a fly on the wall during that conversation. I would literally keel over with laughter oh my god. How do you explain to a normie parent what yaoi is? Especially hardcore tentacle yaoi? Like, girl, what the fuck is happening right now.

(They cross rivers and mountains. They leap through space-time. Walls like national borders and language aren't about to stop them.)

I wonder if this carries any weight, though. When I was younger, I was part of this BL forum called Aarinfantasy and things got pretty wild there sometimes. I've seen tumblr conversations between yaoi fans, they can get nasty. And not in the NSFW way, just vicious and cruel. They are insanely protective over their ships...

But, do manga stores actually get crazy yaoi fans coming from all over the world? 🤔 It's interesting to think about. I'm kind of glad I grew out of my yaoi phase. I mean, I still enjoy the occasional BL if the story is good and the characters are cute, but I'm not hardcore, thank Satan.

"Please remove the shrink-wrap."

This also raises questions. Is all manga in Japan shrink-wrapped? I remember back when I was ordering BL manga online, it always came that way but that makes sense, doesn't it? You don't want a young kid accidentally opening it and seeing, uh... bad things. Does Japan do this for all their manga, though? It's not like that here in America, though I wish it was.

"Got any manga recommendations!?" (There it is! That's the one!)

Girl, you work in a bookstore that focuses on manga, what do you mean?? 😂 Just recommend whatever is popular at the time.

(What's "lost in manga"? This refers to the people who want to read some manga, but without a specific title in mind... they head into a bookstore, and once they're in there... they end up even more lost about what to read.)

I feel... very called out right now lmao There's too many to choose from, Honda-san! And it's a big decision! It's not my fault that it took me 3 fucking hours to choose one manga, okay... OTL

(Why did they make an A5-sized bonus for B6-sized books!?)

RIGHT? I will never understand this! Why would you make an insert bigger than the damn book. Are you trying to make us angry? Because it's working.

Also, is it common for Japanese manga shops to add inserts? Because if so, what the fuck America? Why are you not giving us extra goodies?? Imagine if manga came with character cards like kpop albums do! I would be buying so many just to get my favorite characters haha I would happily sell my soul for the money to do so.

I think Plague Mask-san might just be my favorite character. There's just something... interesting? Funny? About a character who can go from Satan's right hand to innocent angel within .2 seconds lmao Plus, the plague mask is fucking cool as shit. 

~Books: Love them! People: Terrible with them.~

See, I would love to work in a bookstore, especially if I got to work in the back like unpacking boxes or something. Just being around all those new books, inhaling their calming scent, sounds so cool. And then you add all the customers, many of whom are fucking insane... I would die. Honda-san, I respect you so much.

"Remember, it's a muscle!!"

HONDA-SAN IS A FUCKING SKELETON, SHE HAS NO MUSCLES YOU DONUT WHAT DO YOU MEAN 😂😂

(Are smiles supposed to be... this agonizing...?)

Girl, same. I don't smile often, especially around other people and yes, it is very agonizing. Feels strange and uncomfortable.

"<So I noticed... almost all Japanese manga has only two colors... Black... and white. Why? Are you familiar with European and American comics!? They're all colorful!! I've always wondered why Japanese comics are black and white.>"

The Brazilian guy out here asking the questions we're all wondering, damn. I always assumed it was just because it's cheaper? Like, these companies make a shit ton of money, sure, but they also make a shit ton of books and colored ink ain't cheap.

I would kill to have colorful manga, to see my favorite characters and scenes in all its colorful glory, but I get it. I feel like... the quality of the manga would go down if they started coloring it. I wonder if there's another reason, though, and if it really is money or not.

"Why do you think so negatively!?" "Because! If you always think 'this customer could be scary' in the back of your mind, you'll be more careful. And when they turn out not to be scary, then you get to think, 'Seriously, thank you!!'"

This has always been my motto lol My mom says I'm negative and pessimistic, but life is easier that way. If you expect the bare minimum, you won't be disappointed as you would be if you had high hopes. And if things are higher than your expectations, then you feel good! Plus, like Honda-san said, you approach situations more carefully which can save you a whole lotta trouble.

I've wanted to read this for a while and something told me I would love it. I mean, it's a fucking skeleton selling manga, what's not to love?? The characters are all unique and interesting, the customers are fucking psycho paths that put the workers through hell and create funny scenarios, and the plot is the perfect slice of life read.

Plus, it's funny as fuck. I did not expect this book to be as funny as it was and I ended up laughing harder than I should have, especially since I was sitting outside. People probably thought I was crazy T_T)

This book is *chef's kiss*👨🏻‍🍳🫴🏻 Perfection.

I don't know what happened. I remember the first book being so good and I was excited to get my hands on book 2, but I couldn't even finish it. This book is a woke woman's wet dream...

Within the first 28% of the book, we have:

- Mentions of fat phobia, which does not exist. No one is afraid of fat people and this is coming from a fat bitch who has been fat her whole life. Fat is a choice, it's something you can change. When someone makes fun of you for being fat, they are not fatphobic, they're just a bully. If someone makes fun of your nose, are they nosephobic?? No. Stop making excuses to make yourself feel better about something you can change but refuse to. If you want to be fat and you're happy, more power to you, but stop trying to push this dumb narrative that people who don't like being fat are fatphobic. Grow up.

- Women are amazing: Women do no wrong, they're all so beautiful and wonderful and should be uplifted even when they are terrible people because women are a gift from god and way better than men.

- The stereotypical sex-crazed perverted caricature male character: because all men are evil, dirty horrible perverts that shouldn't be left alone with children. Mind you, I know there are bad men out there just like there are bad women, but the way this character was written is just bad. It doesn't feel like a genuine, real character, it feels like the author being mad at men and wanting to take a dig at them.

- Skin color is all that matters: How many times can you fit POC in one chapter? We get it, their most important quality is the color of their skin, you know, that thing they were born with and can't change. Who cares if they are kind, hardworking, good people. No no, we only see their skin color and must lift them up because we all know POCs are too weak to stand on their own. No, you gotta help that black woman because she's too weak to make it on her own. How do people not find this insulting? How do people focus this hard on race? They are so much more than their skin color but that's all people focus on. It's sad.

- The incompetent detective: Because everyone knows a detective will turn to a group of gossiping women to help him solve a crime because the cops are incompetent. They're so bad at their job, so desperate, that they will actively seek out civilians, putting them in danger, because he can't handle the job himself. And if he was truly worried about her mental health like she kept pushing he is? He wouldn't do that. But again, man bad, man dumb, man useless without a woman.

- The token lesbian: Because no book is complete without forcing a lesbian character. Don't get me wrong, I've read a lot of books featuring lesbians and gays and they were well written. The characters felt real and focused on their personality, not their sexuality. This one, though? It doesn't feel like a genuine representation, it feels like inserting a lesbian character for the sake of having a lesbian character. There's no depth, no feeling. Just a wet blanket that happens to like girls.

Speaking of the characters, they are all terrible. They're either stereotypical or complete wet blankets. There's no in-between. I know the author wrote this from a dark place and, honestly? It shows. It felt like I was listening to her diary or her therapy logs instead of reading a cozy mystery. Instead of venting into a book, I think she should have gone to therapy and gotten genuine help because this book ain't it.

I hope she's doing better now but I'm done with this series. If I wanted to be preached at like this, I'd go on X 😂

As a fan who has been playing World of Warcraft since before 2017, I adore Azeroth and the people who live there. I'm a die hard Alliance gal but I've also dabbled with the Horde because I love the trolls. With that said, the death of our king hit me so fucking hard. I cried when I first experienced it in game, cursing Blizzard for what they've done (because they also took my beloved Vol'jin) and I cried again 3-fucking-percent into this book.

"We defeated the burning legion and now we honor those who sacrificed all. We honor them not by dying, but by living. By healing our wounds and helping others heal. By laughing and feeling the sun on our faces. By holding our loved ones close and letting them know every hour, every minute of every day that they matter. [...] 

"Places in our hearts will forever remain empty, but if you would serve one king who grieves with you today, if you would honor another king who died for you, then I urge you - live. For our lives, our joy, our world. These are the gifts of the fallen and we must cherish them. For the Alliance!"

I did not consent to you shoving your hand into my chest and turning my heart like a feckin' lever, Miss Golden!

Still, I was hooked from the first sentence to the last. It made me yearn for the game once more (though I don't have the money to pay for it.) I do, however, have a few of the older books that I have not yet read, a decision I regret more after this book.

Despite being an Alliance gal, I don't hate the Horde. I hate a few individuals (cough Sylvanas cough) within the Horde, but not the Horde as a whole. I always loved those few missions where Alliance and Horde got to spend time together, working with each other instead of against each other. They always made me so happy.

When I was still playing, I dreamed that, one day, those walls would come down. I dreamed that all races would be free to choose who they supported (an Alliance troll? Fuck yes!) I doubt it will happen because the story, and much of the fan base is driven by the conflict, by the hatred for the other side. I get it. But...

"Someone once told me that hope is what you have when all other things have failed you."

So, I'll hope for that future.

Also, this may be obvious but I fucking HATE Sylvanas. I don't care what happened to her, that's no fucking excuse. There have been a lot of characters over the years, mostly female, that I could not stand. But this bitch? I loathe her with every fiber of my being. She is a selfish, callous, arrogant, cruel hag that destroys everything she touches. She even kills her own goddamn Forsaken when it suits her! Our king died because of her and don't think for one fucking second I believe she has an ounce of guilt for her decision.

"A curse upon vol'jin and his loa. I should have stayed in the shadows." Yes you should have! You don't deserve to run the Horde! I loved Vol'jin my entire heart and soul, but decision to make her Warchief??? The Horde deserves better! She is not fit to lead anyone and I'm really fucking annoyed that no one has killed this bitch yet.

"You must live for all of them since they cannot."

While most of the book is serious and heart wrenching, there were a few funny, lighthearted moments. For example:

"I knew cats were quiet, but you wolves are almost as stealthy."
"We know how to move to suit the task."
"So I am discovering. Repeatedly." 

I adore the relationship between Anduin and Genn ❤️ They make my heart feel full. Plus, I fear what might have become of our little lion without Genn's guidance over the years.

"I will never, ever stop hoping for peace. I have seen too much good in too many people to paint them all as evil and worthy of slaughter. And I will also never stop believing that people can change. But I realize now, that I've been like a farmer expecting to harvest crops from a poisoned field. It's simply not possible. People can change, but some people will never, never desire to do so. Sylvanas Windrunner is one of those."

After living such a hard life, Anduin had to grow up fast and mature quickly. That's a fact. Even as a child, he didn't know much peace. He grew up to be a great man, though, and he will be a great king. A king that I would be happy to follow, just as I did his father before him.

And, finally, he's realizing that that bitch is beyond saving. She's beyond help, beyond forming an alliance with. She has got to go! She is a rot that's destroying the Horde from the inside out and, soon, that rot will spread to the Alliance.

Rest in peace, Will 🕊️ Thank you for your loyalty to the Wrynn family and to Anduin.

Rest in peace, Varian Wrynn 🕊️ You were a hero to your people and the best damn king Stormwind ever had. 

Rest in peace, Vol'jin 🕊️ While I don't approve of your choice to give the Horde to Sylvanas (I think you doomed them, really) you were still an amazing leader and the best damn troll Azeroth has ever or will ever see.

There were so many amazing quotes in this book, some I regret not writing down, but I feel like I got the most important ones. This author did a fantastic job and so did the narrator. Just top tier 👌🙂‍↕️

Donald Bain does it again, delivering a perfectly in character, interesting MSW novel 💙 It took me a while to get through this one simply because I struggle with physical books these days. I just find it hard to concentrate, even when it's a book I love, like this one!

The culprit threw me for a loop. I was so sure I knew who the killer was but I was floored during the reveal lol at least I was close! Jess might make a sleuth out of me, yet.

"Not a bad idea. How can I follow up on what you just said?"
"Call the CIA. They'll be glad to show you around, maybe even demonstrate how they can kill somebody and make it look like a heart attack."
"You're being facetious, Seth."
"Ayuh, that I am."

Listen, as a writer myself, I have googled some... Very suspicious shit that I'm sure has landed me on more than a few watchlists - hi, Mr. FBI, I hope you enjoy this review c:

For a moment, my dumbass stopped to consider this. If you're researching a plot, isn't it good to go straight to the source? CAN a writer just call up the FBI like that? Will they assist you? I really want to know but I'm too much of a coward to try it out myself. It's a fun thought, though.

"The claim was that this young artist was killed in order to boost the prices of his artwork."
"Good Lord, George. Someone would actually do that?"
"Nothing surprises me anymore, Jess. Not in this world. [...]"
"Amazing, what people will do for money."

Jess is so sweet, I swear to God. Like, despite all of the death and murder and betrayal this woman has seen, she's still shocked by just how fucked up this world can be. Bless her heart 🥺 

I don't think she's naive. I think she just prefers to see the good in humanity, small as it may be, rather than thinking the worst of people - like me.

"I'd like your help."
"That's not a problem. But I don't think I have much help to give."
"Too modest, Mrs. Fletcher. Let me cite two things. One, you have a reputation as a remarkably astute detective. And two -"
"Chief Cramer, I might write about solving crimes, but I'm a rank amateur when it comes to actually doing it."

This is one of the many reasons I adore Jessica. She is humble and kind to the police. She knows her place and she doesn't try to shove the cops out of the way thinking she can do a better job.

I've read a lot of cozy mysteries, and the amount of female characters who hate and insult the cops, who are arrogant and think they can do the cops job better... So many characters who are insufferable and rude to the cops for just doing their job. It's bullshit.

You won't find that with Jess, at least not in these older books. I'm worried about her changing in the newer books, which I've already seen happen :/ And I am not happy about it, mind you.

"I almost forgot. A friend told me your sketch is now being offered for three thousand."

I laughed far too hard at this lmao Every few chapters, the price goes up! It would have been really fucking funny if this became a running gag in the book to see just how high the price could go!

"By the way, do you have a first name?"
"Afraid I do."

I won't spoil it, but if I had his name, I wouldn't offer it freely, either. Why are parents like this? Name your kid normal shit, ffs 😂 

(The only thing I couldn't buy, of course, was artistic talent. But I wasn't about to be deterred by that. I would do my best.)

🥺  She's a gem! That's how I feel about my writing. I may have been writing for more than half my life, but I don't think I'm very good. I write what I want, I write what makes me happy. I want people to read and enjoy my stuff, of course, but I write for myself first and foremost. I do my best and try not to stress too much over it.

This is just one of the many reasons this woman is my hero. It's also one of the reasons I respect Donald Bain so much, because he truly understands the heart and soul of this character. He doesn't try to change her, he keeps her genuine and true.

The more I listen to the legacy of the Sackett family, the more inspired I feel to write my own lol I will say, I expected it to be more... cowboy-wild-west-esque, but it was still a good story. I like seeing how this family is growing and evolving. Plus, it feels like a bit of a history lesson, too, because I admit, I don't know much about what things were like back then.

I don't read many books about it, either, so experiencing it through the legacy of the Sackett family is pretty fun.

Ghost Station was an interesting listen for me. I was interested in the premise and most of the characters didn't get on my nerves (looking at you, Kate, you bitch >.>)

On the other hand, I didn't fully understand everything that was happening lol it's the main reason I avoid sci-fi stuff because my brain just struggles to comprehend what's happening, to visualize futuristic tech and shit. 

So, while I'm not fully on board with what happened to them, it was still an interesting story. It gave me similar Alien Isolation vibes which I liked and it had a pretty decent ending.

Before we begin, this book is about rape. While it doesn't describe the act as it happens, it is mentioned multiple times, as is the trauma and flashbacks. I'll also be talking about that in my review.

This book started out pretty good and it had a lot of potential, but it only went downhill. This book broke down like the damn train they were riding on and I have some shit to say about it.

First, can we have a moment of silence for our boy, Beefy? Because his parents had to hate him for naming him that.

Next, the ridiculous romance. She was already dreaming about going away with this man whom she knows nothing about, including whether or not he's married or dating. Yes, there's history but, at that moment, she didn't remember that history.

And they kept mentioning that weird sexual kink for one of the side characters?? Like, who fucking cares that he's turned on by knowledge. We don't need to know and we do not want to know about some side character and what gets him going.

I hate the main character. Her fucking child is in the ER, having seizures, might die, her grandchild isn't breathing properly, was born premature, there's a fucking murderer on the lose, yet this dumb ass chick still finds time to think about the "attractive" man and the "sexual tension" she feels JUST BY WALKING PAST HIM.

"Belladonna, yes. I remember reading it was used in the Renaissance and before to dilate pupils and make women look as if they're aroused." (Roz couldn't help wondering if her pupils were also dilated.)

(Besides, it was Christmas Eve and her daughter could be dying.)

THEN MAYBE FOCUS ON THAT AND NOT HOW HORNY YOU ARE FOR THIS MAN YOU SCREWED ONCE.

"Sorry, I couldn't stop myself. At least I'm not mansplaining."

I'm sorry, but I refuse to respect or take anyone seriously that unironically uses "mansplaining."

Oh great, now the EX COP is hiding evidence so the murderer can get away.

(Roz wondered if letting this young person go free was the wise thing to do, then she thought of the rapists who went free every day.)

Two wrongs don't make a right, bitch. Just because one person gets away, doesn't make it okay for another to get away!

If someone is SO FAR GONE that they are willing to take someone's life, and not even in the moment, PLAN and SCHEME to take someone's life, they should not be free in society. Just like the rapist shouldn't be either. It really sucks what happened to her and I'm sorry she was raped. No one deserves that. (Redacted) was a total fucking dick who should have been locked up for what he's done. But no one has the right to take another person's life unless it's in a life or death, self-defense situation.

A cop, of all people, should know that. Thank god she's not a cop anymore because she's probably done more bad than good if this is how she acts. She's making an EMOTIONAL decision based on her own trauma. She helped hide evidence and let a fucking murderer go free. Just because someone was the victim of something terrible does not give them a free pass to do whatever the fuck they want without consequence.

Do you know that roughly 30-40% of male sex offenders have reported being sexually abused as children? If your logic is to be applied, all of those SOs should go free because they have the victim pass. Absolute idiocy.

"Most people who are abused do not go on to be abusers. That's a myth."

Calling it a myth does not help your argument. While it's true that MOST victims are able to break the cycle, it's called the cycle of violence for a reason. It may not be the majority, but a lot of people - especially those who do not get help and do not have a support system - go on to continue that cycle. Why do you think there's abusive parents who were abused by their parents? Or domestic assaulters who witnessed domestic assault as kids? Or rapists who were raped as children?

So yes, not EVERY victim goes on to continue that cycle of violence, but to sit there and call it a myth? That's dangerous bullshit. And the fact that the abused, in this scenario, went on to commit the crime of MURDER, seems pretty fucking close to being in that cycle.

Now, rape is a serious fucking issue that some people don't take seriously. It doesn't happen as often as it used to and people do get jailed for that shit. That's not to say people don't slip through the cracks, especially if they are rich and famous. That would be a lie to say so.

This book didn't feel... how do I explain this properly. It felt like a really poor way to treat a serious situation. It felt more like a lecture on how rape is bad, men always get away with rape and men are bad more than bringing light to the seriousness of rape.

I felt bad hearing what happened to these women, true, but these women also suck. I hated their personalities and how they handled themselves. They annoyed me to no end. The book also had a bunch of woke buzzwords thrown in which didn't help at all.

This book had the potential to be great, to bring light to rape victims and how the rapist isn't always held accountable for their actions. It could have been an emotionally charged story that tugged at your heartstrings and made you side with the victims. But it wasn't. 

This book wants you to feel sorry for women who are terrible, annoying and make terrible choices - like fucking murder and letting a murderer go free. This was written back in 2022, I think, and with all the shit that's added to this book... it feels like it was written because these buzzwords and characters tropes and "all men bad" was popular back then. Hell, it's still popular today to some extent. 

It just doesn't feel genuine at all. I know it's fiction, but it doesn't feel real, either. It feels like it panders to a crowd instead of trying to tell a real, heartfelt story about victims of rape. And that's a sad fucking thing to think about.

This was such a good listen. Well written, interesting characters and a great narrator. I can't think of a single thing that I didn't like about this book.

(He could Plead. He could apologize. He could ask for mercy. He could try to explain. But then he squared his shoulders and came to a decision. He had known the consequences of being caught and he had chosen to take the risk. He had no right now to plead for forgiveness.)

Someone explain how this teenager is more mature, more adult than like 90% of actual adults lol He's the kind of character you can get behind, the kind that you can't help but love and always root for.

"Take one more step and I'll put an arrow through you."
"Good idea! Aim for the left calf, it's a very painful wound."

Excuse me, sir, you are his TEACHER, you're supposed to dissuade this kind of behavior 😂 Then again, those bullying brats deserve it after what they've done!

I have to say, I ADORE Halt. He's such a good character and, in my head, I kind of picture him similar to Aragorn, at least with the hair. I can safely say I've added a new husband to my fictional harem.

Book was alright, but I didn't like any of the characters. The dialogue felt like it was trying way too hard to be quirky and funny only to come off as super cringe. Like, no normal person thinks:

(He also smelled like sexy, musky man.)

This is not a smutty romance book. That's the kind of cringe line you'd read in one of those. 

The audio for the audiobook also wasn't consistent, often changing volume. It made me think that the narrator forgot to do a line or messed it up so she recorded it later and added it as an after thought without caring if it levels were correct.

Not a terrible book, but not a great one, either.

A very cute story with likeable characters and good narration. The obsession with soup was a little bit weird, though lol

"Stories are light. Light is precious in a world so dark."