songmingi's Reviews (199)

M.L Wang has succeeded in delivering a fantasy novel that is unique and complex but so engaging.  

I have so many thoughts about this book that are hard to summarise in just one review, but I want to try my best.

Firstly the magic system was so interesting and nothing like I read about before. It's really cool to see mathematics and coding incorporated into a magic system. Like with any fantasy book there is a bit of a learning curve in understanding it but it's nothing too complicated. In fact, if you are a frequent fantasy reader its sure to be a welcome challenge. 

The world building is equally detailed and well thought out, however there are less terms to look up in comparison to the sword of kaigen. Nonetheless the writing was descriptive and moving. The pace is incredibly fast with the first chapter in itself being as shocking as a cold water plunge. However I think things are developed appropriately and nothing felt rushed.

Secondly I quite enjoyed seeing Sciona's character, yes she is kind of insufferable at times, but she shows actual growth and changes so much through the course of the book. I think shes a strong example of how someone can be a minority in society but still have privileges and inadvertently contribute to the oppression of others. While Sciona ends up choosing honesty and becoming a disruptive symbol of change, it was interesting reading her journey in getting there. Similarly I also enjoyed Thomil's character, I admired his valiant efforts to keep his culture and history alive through himself and carra. Thomil was always aware of where he truly stood and I'm glad he never comprised his beliefs or identity to be closer to Sciona. 

Finally I really enjoyed how this book discusses systematic oppression and especially the role of religion in justifying oppression. Every chapter opening with verse from the universe's religious texts was a nice touch. I think religion is often an element overlooked when it comes to colonialism and oppression so I'm glad to have seen it here.

Overall blood over bright haven was an unforgettable read 

Thank you to Netgalley and Kondansha Comics for the ARC of this comic in exchange for an honest review.

Home Office Romance, tells the adorable tale of how Nokoru a shy software developer and Izumi a playful archaeology grad student fell in love during the COVID-19 pandemic, told my Nokoru himself. 

I enjoyed the author's art style, it was cutesy but detailed, showcasing the artist's capabilities. 

While the plot is slightly simplistic in its concept, the story is really sweet and fun to read. Nokoru and Izumi are both nice characters to read about, although I wish we could've seen Izumi's perspective, too. I think it would improve the book if we got both sides of their stories.

All in all it's a great lighthearted read guaranteed to make you smile.  

In honesty I liked this book, the writing is atmospheric and vibrant, the central concept was one of the most unique I ever read and there was good character development. However, my reading experience was soured a bit by two albeit subtle mentions of Israel, in this time and age I refuse to entertain even subtle references to the genocidal zionist state of Israel. It is given legitimacy by continuing to mention in literature where the purpose is not to discuss its violent nature. Therefore what was a well-written and unique book has an entire star knocked off its rating by me. 

This book had a classic eerie vibe to it. I enjoyed the story concept immensely, the spooky town, the strangeness of the Blackwood sisters and the eerie mystery surrounding their house all came together to create almost a perpetual sense of dread. This was my first Shirley Jackson book so I was unfamiliar with her prose until now but I quite liked it. 

The plot progression was good, I really couldn't predict anything, other than cousin Charles was going to be a piece of shit but I suppose that's to do with the author's great sense ability to create foreshadowing. The main twist didn't surprise me either but again I believe it's due to the way the author dropped hints and foreshadowed it, more than it being predictable. I will say after the main events of the book I thought the ending was going to be quite different. I was a little bit disappointed in how mellow it was, hence my rating isn't that high. 

In terms of characters, they were incredibly peculiar but in the case of this book, it's what you would want. I think Merricat being the central character is the most well-fleshed out but Constance and Uncle Julian were intriguing too. Merricat is kind of a masterclass in spooky little girls, all her little rituals were fun to read about. Some of them were quite wholesome to me. I wish we got a better understanding of the villagers I wanted to understand their hatred so bad! 

I think this is a book I would appreciate more if I re-visited it after I some more research and perhaps reading more of Shirley Jackson's works. I'm certain there is some nuances I missed out on in my first read. 

All in all, this is a fun spooky little book. 

Mexican Gothic is a book I heard a lot about before I picked it up to participate in booktwt book club this month. It being in the running at all, annoyed many people who were not impressed by it at all. I myself trusting the opinion of many of these people did not vote for it. 

However, my desire to participate trumped my fears of Mexican Gothic being an abysmal read so I picked it up. My verdict...well while  personally I don't find it to be completely terrible it has many flaws which prevent it from being anything more than just okay. 

Firstly, the premise of a loved one no longer themselves reaching out for help, claiming to be poisoned in a centuries old house with shady past definitely sounds intriguing. However the pacing is one of the first key issues I had with this book. It took five chapters for me to really feel any sort of interest with story, and there after it felt like things were just happening with no real impact. It takes up to 70% for any real horror to occur and for the pace to pick up. The writing while quite descriptive had a sort of sleepy element to it. It's a lot of telling and not showing. Something I saw other reviews say that I agree with, is that this book would lend itself to a good movie adaptation but in writing a lot of the interesting elements just fall flat. I did enjoying reading that last 30% but it really feels like lost potential. The horror elements while not being revolutionary were kind of cool to me and I enjoyed reading about them, again i just wish they were incorporated and developed better. The Mexican cultural elements were lovely to see but they weren't particularly well incorporated. It was very surface level. 

Secondly, persknally a big reason why this book falls a bit flat is the character writing. Noemi and the other characters are incredibly one dimensional. As with the plot points we are told over and over that shes a party girl, she changes her mind constantly, that she is strong willed, but other than the last trait as a reader you never really get to see her showcase any of these traits. If you asked me to describe Noemi I could tell you facts about her but I couldn' t describe her personality at all. The other characters are written even worse, they exist for the progression of the plot and nothing more. Sometimes it just made no sense to me the way noemi would react to things happening. There is some tenderness and affection between Francis and Noemi but even that is written in a very simplistic way. I really didn't feel any sort of connection to any of the characters, and other than being repulsed by the villains I had no strong opinions or feelings towards them. This is the books main weakness, if I don't understand the characters and I don't particularly care about them why would I care about what happens to them.   

I think overall Mexican Gothic is a book that is just painfully average. Painfully because it had the potential to be something great. Its slow pacing and lackluster character writing take away from the unique and interesting elements. I think it could be a good introductory gothic horror novel for some readers but personally for me it was just alright.

Shred Sisters provides an intimate look into the lives of Amy and Olivia Shred, through the words of Amy as she watches her family grapple with Olivia's struggle with mental illness. It portrays mental illness and the impact it has on a family dynamic bluntly and honestly.  

The writing was engaging. I found myself rooting for Amy throughout and felt a connection to her. The other characters were also well written, especially the main family, whose impacts on each other were evident through the writing. A point I especially enjoyed was watching Amy's image of Olivia grow and change as she matured and went through different stages of life. I think its a testament to true sisterhood, that there was always an element of care and love between them no matter what was happening.  

Also, if this book has convinced me of anything, it is that there is no one way to take care of yourself mentally. Medication and Therapy are not the be-all and end-all. However, with the correct support and care for oneself, it is possible to heal and for things to get better. 

A really compelling read overall. 

The sword of kaigen was a highly anticipated read for me and it definitely delivered on my expectations. 

It's one that stood out to me due to its unique and detailed world building. While like with any fantasy book it takes time to adjust to the terminology I think overall its worth the time invested. I loved the magic system which reminded me a lot of the series "avatar the last airbender" and as a lover of swords I adored that swordsmanship was also an important element of shirojima where the main plot occurs. 

The second point and what made me love this book the most was the character writing. It's so refreshing to see a character as strong as misaki realize her strength and confront the misogynistic nature of the traditional society she lives in. Throughout the book she realises how her connections and bonds help make her who she is and shes able to grow and look at things from a new perspective multiole times throughout the book. Her working through her relationship with Takeru really touched my heart.

I found myself really emotional throughout reading the book, perhaps it's just me but the writing was so vivid and engaging I found it so easy to connect with it. 

Despite being a prequel to a now discontinued series I think it works well as a standalone. I believe it serves as a great introduction to M.L Wang. I'm definitely interested in reading her future works

storygraph was certain this was the perfect book for me based on my user profile...happy to report it was completely right. 

I really enjoyed this retelling of medusa's myth. It was a truly refreshing take on a common myth, one full of empathy not only for medusa but a range of the characters. The writing was excellent and captivating, each character had their own unique voice. I found myself re-evaluating each character and re-examining how theyve been judged before. What makes someone a monster? Is perseus really brave if at every step he had help from the gods ? Why was Athene like that!? How could she be so cruel ? This and many more questions crossed my mind as I read, I was truly engaged. I think this retelling stands out because it paints an entire picture of each of the characters involved in the myth, even minor players, which leads to a deeper understand and richer storyline overall. 

A really wonderful read, I will take storygraph suggestions a little more seriously now. 

I have really mixed feelings about this book. The idea is so interesting, I enjoyed the way it included illustrations of artefacts and the writing style was compelling. However something about the plot turns me off and I just didnt enjoy how the story progressed. I think it's an interesting read, one that definitely makes you reflect but maybe just not for me