en-US Mon, 14 Apr 2025 10:13:24 -0700 60 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg 222532908 The highly anticipated sequel to Sosuke Natsukawa's The Cat Who Saved Books � an uplifting tale from Japan about a talking cat, a book-loving girl and the power of books to make a difference in the world.

Nanami sees nothing wrong with a library and cat combination. But a talking cat is a whole other story.

Thirteen-year-old Nanami Kosaki loves reading. The local library is a home from home and books have become her best friends. When Nanami notices books disappearing from the library shelves, she’s particularly curious about a suspicious man in a grey suit whose furtive behaviour doesn’t feel right. Should she follow him to see what he’s up to?

When a talking tabby cat called Tiger appears to warn her about how dangerous that would be, together they’re brave enough to follow the frightening trail to find out where all the books have gone. Will Nanami and Tiger overcome the challenges of the adventure ahead?

Warm, wonderful and wise, The Cat Who Saved the Library is also a powerful lesson never to underestimate the value of great literature, and a reminder always to think for ourselves, no matter what our charismatic leaders might say.]]> 233 SĹŤsuke Natsukawa 1035050641 Kath 4 3.96 2024
author: SĹŤsuke Natsukawa
name: Kath
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/31
date added: 2025/04/14
shelves: yarc-2025, x-magical-realism, x-japanese-lit, x-fiction, x-diverse-reads, x-ya-contemporary, v-cat-pov, galley-physical, c-japan, b-paperback, 2025-releases, 2025-reads, books-i-own
review:
Thirteen-year old Nanami loves reading and the local library is like her second home. One day she notices an unusual amount of books missing on the shelves and finds a mysterious man in a grey suit. Her instincts tell her to follow the man and she does but Tiger, a talking tabby cat, appears with a warning. Having her mind set, all Tiger can do is guide and protect Nanami throughout the journey. The tone in this one is quite different from the first book (The Cat Who Saved Books) but it was still an adventurous read. I admired Nanami's determination. Her love and passion for written literature is precious. This was a cozy, hopeful and thought-provoking read. A reminder of how powerful books can be.
]]> 59487462 An insidious darkness threatens to devastate a rural New England village when occult forces are conjured and when bigotry is left unrestrained.

After a recent string of disappearances in a small Connecticut town, a grieving widower with a grim secret is drawn into a dangerous ritual of dark magic by a powerful and mysterious older gentleman named Heart Crowley. Meanwhile, a member of local law enforcement tasked with uncovering the culprit responsible for the bizarre disappearances soon begins to learn of a current of unbridled hatred simmering beneath the guise of the town’s idyllic community—a hatred that will eventually burst and forever change the lives of those who once found peace in the quiet town of Henley’s Edge.

From the Bram Stoker Award®-nominated author of the viral sensation, Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke, Everything the Darkness Eats is a haunting supernatural thriller from a new and exciting voice in genre fiction.]]> 202 Eric LaRocca Kath 3 3.21 2023
author: Eric LaRocca
name: Kath
average rating: 3.21
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2025/03/29
date added: 2025/04/13
shelves: 2025-reads, b-ebooks, v-halloween, x-fiction, x-horror, x-magical-realism, x-short-reads
review:
This was my first Eric Larocca read and I was not sure what to expect. His books are on my tbr for a long time now mainly because of the sinister covers. This book has dark magic, gore, and bigotry. It also has a bad plot. I felt lost and confused most of the time. I initially gave it a 3-star rating but now that I was able to processed my thoughts, I'm changing it to a 2-star read. I still want to give his other books a try so wish me luck. Please be aware of the trigger warnings before reading this book. 2/5
]]> 218689177
Two writers compete for the chance to tell the larger-than-life story of a woman with more than a couple of plot twists up her sleeve in this dazzling and sweeping new novel from Emily Henry.

Alice Scott is an eternal optimist still dreaming of her big writing break. Hayden Anderson is a Pulitzer-prize winning human thundercloud. And they’re both on balmy Little Crescent Island for the same reason: To write the biography of a woman no one has seen in years—or at least to meet with the octogenarian who claims to be the Margaret Ives. Tragic heiress, former tabloid princess, and daughter of one of the most storied (and scandalous) families of the 20th Century.

When Margaret invites them both for a one-month trial period, after which she’ll choose the person who’ll tell her story, there are three things keeping Alice’s head in the game.

One: Alice genuinely likes people, which means people usually like Alice—and she has a whole month to win the legendary woman over.

Two: She’s ready for this job and the chance to impress her perennially unimpressed family with a Serious Publication.

Three: Hayden Anderson, who should have no reason to be concerned about losing this book, is glowering at her in a shaken-to-the core way that suggests he sees her as competition.

But the problem is, Margaret is only giving each of them pieces of her story. Pieces they can’t swap to put together because of an ironclad NDA and an inconvenient yearning pulsing between them every time they’re in the same room.

And it’s becoming abundantly clear that their story—just like the tale Margaret’s spinning—could be a mystery, tragedy, or love ballad…depending on who’s telling it.]]> Emily Henry Kath 3 2025-releases
Review to come. Thanks to LibroFM for the alc.]]> 4.12 2025
author: Emily Henry
name: Kath
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2025
rating: 3
read at: 2025/04/09
date added: 2025/04/10
shelves: 2025-releases
review:
This reminded me of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and I'm not the only one who thinks that.

Review to come. Thanks to LibroFM for the alc.
]]> 52671464 Two lives. Two loves. One impossible choice. From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Reese's Book Club Pick One Day in December. . .

"I read The Two Lives of Lydia Bird in a single sitting. What a beautiful, emotional gift Josie Silver has given us."--Jodi Picoult

Written with Josie Silver's trademark warmth and wit, The Two Lives of Lydia Bird is a powerful and thrilling love story about the what-ifs that arise at life's crossroads, and what happens when one woman is given a miraculous chance to answer them.

Lydia and Freddie. Freddie and Lydia. They'd been together for more than a decade and Lydia thought their love was indestructible. But she was wrong. On Lydia's twenty-eighth birthday, Freddie died in a car accident.

So now it's just Lydia, and all she wants is to hide indoors and sob until her eyes fall out. But Lydia knows that Freddie would want her to try to live fully, happily, even without him. So, enlisting the help of his best friend, Jonah, and her sister, Elle, she takes her first tentative steps into the world, open to life--and perhaps even love--again.

But then something inexplicable happens that gives her another chance at her old life with Freddie. A life where none of the tragic events of the past few months have happened.

Lydia is pulled again and again through the doorway to her past, living two lives, impossibly, at once. But there's an emotional toll to returning to a world where Freddie, alive, still owns her heart. Because there's someone in her new life, her real life, who wants her to stay.]]> 512 Josie Silver 0593212401 Kath 0 3.86 2020
author: Josie Silver
name: Kath
average rating: 3.86
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/10
shelves: books-i-own, b-paperback, 2020-haul, currently-reading
review:

]]> 215805924 Vera Wong is back and as meddling as ever in this follow-up to the hit Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers.�

Ever since a man was found dead in Vera's teahouse, life has been good. For Vera that is. She’s surrounded by loved ones, her shop is bustling, and best of all, her son, Tilly, has a girlfriend! All thanks to Vera, because Tilly's girlfriend is none other than Officer SelenaĚýGray. The very same Officer Gray that she had harassed while investigating the teahouse murder. Still, Vera wishes more dead bodies would pop up in her shop, but one mustn't be ungrateful, even if one is slightly...bored.

Then Vera comes across a distressed young woman who is obviously in need of her kindly guidance. The young woman is looking for a missing friend. Fortunately, while cat-sitting at Tilly and Selena's, Vera finds a treasure Selena's briefcase.ĚýInside is a file about the death of an enigmatic influencer—who also happens to be the friend that the young woman was looking for.

Online, Xander had it a parade of private jets, fabulous parties with socialites, and a burgeoning career as a social media influencer. The only problem is, after his body is fished out of Mission Bay, the police can't seem to actually identify him. Who is Xander Lin? Nobody knows. Every contact is a dead end. Everybody claims not to know him, not even his parents.

Vera is determined to solve Xander's murder. After all, doing so would surely be a big favor to Selena, andĚýthere is nothing she wouldn't do for her future daughter-in-law.]]> 325 Jesse Q. Sutanto 0593546253 Kath 5 4.28 2025
author: Jesse Q. Sutanto
name: Kath
average rating: 4.28
book published: 2025
rating: 5
read at: 2025/03/30
date added: 2025/04/10
shelves: 2025-releases, all-time-favorites, 2025-reads, b-paperback, c-usa, galley-ebook, favoritemc, v-foundfamily, v-food, x-adult-contempo, x-diverse-reads, x-fiction, x-thriller-suspense, x-mystery, yarc-2025
review:
Please adopt me too, Auntie Vera!
]]> 219134676 From World Fantasy Award-winning author Tasha Suri comes The Isle in the Silver Sea, a heart-shattering romantasy of sapphic longing, medieval folklore and a love that spans the centuries.

In a Britain fuelled by stories, the knight and the witch are fated to fall in love and doom each other over and over, the same tale retold over hundreds of lifetimes.

Simran is a witch of the woods. Vina is a knight of the Queen's court. When the two women begin to fall for each other, how can they surrender to their desires, when to give in is to destroy each other?

As they seek a way to break the cycle, a mysterious assassin begins targeting tales like theirs. To survive, the two will need to write a story stronger than the one that fate has given to them.

But what tale is stronger than The Knight and the Witch?]]> 384 Tasha Suri 0356524418 Kath 0 to-read, 2025-releases 4.75 2025
author: Tasha Suri
name: Kath
average rating: 4.75
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/23
shelves: to-read, 2025-releases
review:

]]> 224103430 The new novel from the bestselling author of If We Were Villains and Graveyard Shift—a vivid and immersive tale of one woman’s reckless mission to make sense of the events that shattered her childhood, and made her who she is

Summer, 1989: ten-year-old Suzanne is drawn like a magnet to her father’s forbidden world of electric guitars and tricked-out cars. When her mother remarries, she jumps at the chance to tag along on the concert tour that just might be Gil and the Kills� wild ride to glory. But fame has sharper fangs than anybody realized, and as the band blazes up the charts, internal power struggles set Gil and his group on a collision course destined for a bloody reckoning—one shrouded in mystery and lore for decades to come.

The only witness to a desperate act of violence, Suzanne spends the next twenty-nine years trying to disappear. She trades the music and mayhem of her youth for the quiet of the suburbs and the company of her mild-mannered husband Rob. But when her father’s sudden death resurrects the troubled past she tried so hard to bury, she leaves it all behind and hits the road in search of answers. Hitching her fate and Gil’s beloved car to two vagabonds who call an old Airstream trailer home, she finds everything she thought she’d lost desire, adventure, and the woman she once wanted to be. But Rob refuses to let her go. Determined to bring her back where she belongs, he chases her across the country—and drives her to a desperation all her own.

Drenched in knock-down drag-out rock and roll, Hot Wax is a raucous, breakneck ride to hell and back—where getting lost might be the only way to find yourself and save your soul.]]> 400 M.L. Rio 1668070022 Kath 0 to-read, 2025-releases 4.13 2025
author: M.L. Rio
name: Kath
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/23
shelves: to-read, 2025-releases
review:

]]> 210223811 Two graduate students must set aside their rivalry and journey to Hell to save their professor’s soul, perhaps at the cost of their own.

Alice Law has only ever had one goal: to become one of the brightest minds in the field of Magick. She has sacrificed everything to make that a reality—her pride, her health, her love life, and most definitely her sanity. All to work with Professor Jacob Grimes at Cambridge, the greatest magician in the world—that is, until he dies in a magical accident that could possibly be her fault.

Grimes is now in Hell, and she’s going in after him. Because his recommendation could hold her very future in his now incorporeal hands, and even death is not going to stop the pursuit of her dreams. Nor will the fact that her rival, Peter Murdoch, has come to the same conclusion.]]> 400 R.F. Kuang Kath 0 to-read 4.04 2025
author: R.F. Kuang
name: Kath
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/23
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 222376753 Hunger makes monsters in this dark new tale in Nghi Vo's Hugo Award-winning Singing Hills Cycle.

Wandering Cleric Chih of Singing Hills and their hoopoe companion Almost Brilliant come to the river town of Baolin chasing stories of a legendary famine. Amid tales of dishes served to royalty and desserts made of dust, they discover the secrets of what happens when hunger stalks the land and what the powerful will do to hide their crimes.

Trapped in the mansion of a sinister magistrate, Chih and Almost Brilliant must learn what happened in Baolin when the famine came to call, and they must do so quickly... because the things in the shadows are only growing hungrier.

The Singing Hills Cycle has been shortlisted for the Lambda Literary Award, the Locus Award, and the Ignyte Award, and has won the Crawford Award and the Hugo Award.

The novellas are standalone stories linked by the Cleric Chih, and may be read in any order.]]> 96 Nghi Vo 1250386403 Kath 0 to-read 0.0 2025
author: Nghi Vo
name: Kath
average rating: 0.0
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/23
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 204745259 For fans of The Travelling Cat Chronicles, The Cat Who Saved Books and She and Her Cat, discover the Japanese bestseller that celebrates the healing power of cats.

A cat a day keeps the doctor away ...

On the top floor of an old building at the end of a cobbled alley in Kyoto lies the Kokoro Clinic for the Soul. Only a select few - those who feel genuine emotional turmoil - can find it.

The mysterious centre offers a unique treatment for its troubled patients: it prescribes cats as medication.

Get ready to fall in love:
- Bee, an eight-year-old female, mixed breed helps a young man deal with the anxiety of a corporate sales job he despises;
- Margot, muscly like a lightweight boxer, helps Koga a family man and callcentre worker with severe insomnia;
- Koyuki, an exquisite white cat brings closure to Megumi a young mother whose own parents forced her to abandon an adored rescue kitten;
- Tank and Tangerine bring peace to a high-flying handbag designer Tomoko, as she learns to let go of her perfectionism and be kinder to herself;
- Mimita, the Scottish Fold kitten helps a broken-hearted young Geisha to stop blaming herself for the cat she lost years ago;

Follow how each cat brings joy, hope and self-discovery to the human who is lucky enough to have them in this utterly charming, vibrant celebration of the healing power of cats.

Containing five exquisite cat line-drawings, discover the inspirational story that has become an international sensation.]]> 256 Syou Ishida 1529936721 Kath 4 4.02 2023
author: Syou Ishida
name: Kath
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/11
date added: 2025/03/12
shelves: made-me-cry, 2025-reads, b-ebooks, c-japan, v-cat-pov, x-adult-contempo, x-diverse-reads, x-fantasy, x-magical-realism, x-japanese-lit, x-paranormal, yarc-2025
review:

]]> 204312595
Dinosaurs and portals, and a girl who can find both in the latest book in the Hugo and Nebula Award-Winning series.

Antsy is the latest student to pass through the doors at Eleanor West's School for Wayward Children.

When her fellow students realize that Antsy's talent for finding absolutely anything may extend to doors, she's forced to flee in the company of a small group of friends, looking for a way back to the Shop Where the Lost Things Go to be sure that Vineta and Hudson are keeping their promise.

Along the way, temptations are dangled, decisions are reinforced, and a departure to a world populated by dinosaurs brings untold dangers and one or two other surprises!

A story that reminds us that finding what you want doesn't always mean finding what you need.]]> 5 Seanan McGuire 1250848628 Kath 4 4.06 2024
author: Seanan McGuire
name: Kath
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2024/02/06
date added: 2025/03/11
shelves: 2024-reads, 2024-releases, 2024-audiobook, favoritemc, v-foundfamily, v-mental-health, x-diverse-reads, x-fiction, x-fantasy, x-lgbtqia, x-paranormal, x-magical-realism, x-novella, x-ya-fantasy
review:
This is the 9th book in the Wayward Children series and it continues Antsy's story. She finds Eleanor's school and meets the other characters. Everyone was amazing but Sumi was definitely my favorite in this book. The ending was bittersweet. I wished there's more dinosaurs but overall this was an entertaining read. Can't wait for the next one.
]]> 222261542 The Kokoro Clinic for the Soul reopens in this delightful follow-up to the award-winning, bestselling Japanese novel We'll Prescribe You a Cat.

It’s time to revisit the Kokoro Clinic for the Soul.

Though it’s a mysteriously located clinic with an uncertain address, it can always be found by those who need it. And the clinic has proven time after time that a prescribed cat has the power to heal the emotional wounds of its patients.

This charming sequel introduces a new lovable cast of healing cats, from Kotetsu, a four-month-old Bengal who unleashes his boundless energy by demolishing bed linen and curtains, to tenacious and curious Shasha, who doesn’t let her small size stop her from anything, and the most lovable, lazy Ms. Michiko, who is as soft and comforting as mochi.

As characters from one chapter appear as side characters in the next, we follow a young woman who cannot help pushing away the man who loves her; a recently widowed grandfather whose grandson refuses to leave his room; the family of a young woman who struggle to understand each other, and an anxious man who works at a cat shelter seeking to show how the most difficult cats can be the most rewarding.

This moving, magical novel of interconnected tales proves the strength of the unfathomable bond between cats and people.]]> Syou Ishida 1529936748 Kath 0 to-read 4.14 2023
author: Syou Ishida
name: Kath
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/10
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 64408736 304 Dustin Thao 1250762073 Kath 4 4.08 2024
author: Dustin Thao
name: Kath
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2025/03/09
shelves: made-me-cry, 2025-reads, 2025-releases, b-ebooks, v-mental-health, v-sibling-love, x-fiction, x-lgbtqia, x-ya-contemporary, yarc-2025
review:
Beautiful writing! I didn’t bawl my eyes out as much as I did while reading You’ve Reached Sam but this book is emotional nonetheless. I wanted to learn more about Haru since his name is on the title. The ending was heartbreaking but hopeful at the same time. I picked this up without reading the synopsis and I recommend you to do the same.
]]> 28807242 Alternate cover edition of ISBN 9780099759911

Toni Morrison's debut novel immerses us in the tragic, torn lives of a poor black family � Pauline, Cholly, Sam and Pecola � in post-Depression 1940s Ohio. Unlovely and unloved, Pecola prays each night for blue eyes like those of her privileged white schoolfellows. At once intimate and expansive, unsparing in its truth-telling, The Bluest Eye shows how the past savagely defines the present.]]> 212 Toni Morrison Kath 4 4.11 1970
author: Toni Morrison
name: Kath
average rating: 4.11
book published: 1970
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/28
date added: 2025/03/09
shelves: books-i-own, 2025-reads, b-paperback, v-mental-health, x-adult-contempo, x-diverse-reads, x-fiction
review:
It’s my very first Morrison and I’m amazed by her writing! The fact that this is her debut! It’s astounding. I liked the multiple points-of-view and character backgrounds. I’m still thinking about Pecola, Claudia, and Frieda. This was very difficult to read but definitely a must-read!
]]> 199224272
It only makes sense that when Tala Tales Games—local developer of their favourite real-time strategy game Mitolohiya—offers college scholarships to a select few, the two of them should go for it, right? Nat certainly thinks so—there’s nothing better than spending the rest of his life with Lena doing something they both love.

But just when Nat’s game plan is coming along nicely, in pops a new challenger—Rafael Antonio, the world-renowned Filipino voice actor for the hero Apolaki in Mitolohiya. Now, star-struck Lena spends all her time bonding with her online idol, and Nat starts to feel more and more like a boring Non-Playable Character with zero chance against the Big Final Boss.

With the scholarship program underway and his future hanging in the balance, Nat embarks on an epic quest to compete with the celebrity in a real-world PvP match he’s not ready for. But in the midst of life’s frustrating glitches, epic wipeouts, and disastrous rage-quitting, is winning over his best friend the right strategy after all before it’s Game Over?]]> 190 Catherine Dellosa 9815144006 Kath 4 4.17
author: Catherine Dellosa
name: Kath
average rating: 4.17
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/20
date added: 2025/03/08
shelves: books-i-own, filipino-authors, b-paperback, c-philippines, x-diverse-reads, x-fiction, yarc-2025, x-ya-contemporary, 2025-reads, x-romance
review:
Loved the complex characters! If you love playing games, then you will definitely appreciate the gameplay walkthroughs. I wish Mitolohiya (an RTS game inspired by StarCraft featuring FIlipino myths) exists in real life! It sounds so cool and I can definitely see myself playing it.
]]> 213186396 Fall in love with the brand new spring romance set in Dream Harbor, from the bestselling author of The Pumpkin Spice Café.

As a renowned chef, single-dad Archer never planned on moving to a small town, let alone running a pancake restaurant. But Dream Harbor needs a new chef, and Archer needs a community to help raise his daughter, Olive.

Iris has never managed to hold down a job for more than a few months. So when Mayor Kelly suggests Archer is looking for a nanny, and Iris might be available, she shudders at the thought. But in need of money she reluctantly agrees.

As Archer and Iris get used to their new roles, is it possible that they might have more in common than they first thought, or is Olive just determined to play match-maker�

Tropes:

� single dad
� forced proximity
� slow burn
� found family
� one bed]]> 361 Laurie Gilmore 0008713340 Kath 4 3.92 2025
author: Laurie Gilmore
name: Kath
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2025
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/17
date added: 2025/03/08
shelves: 2025-audiobooks, 2025-reads, 2025-releases, librofm, v-foundfamily, v-small-town-vibe, x-adult-contempo, x-fiction, x-romance
review:
We’re back in Dream Harbor. This is the 4th book in the series. I enjoyed the romance tropes (slow-burn, grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity) in this one. It was wonderful to see the regulars as well. An adorable quick read that made me crave for pancakes.
]]> 212476837 A woman inherits a pawnshop where you can sell your regrets, and then embarks on a magical journey when a charming young physicist wanders into the shop, in this dreamlike and enchanting fantasy novel.

On a backstreet in Tokyo lies a pawnshop, but not everyone can find it. Most will see a cozy ramen restaurant. And only the chosen ones—those who are lost—will find a place to pawn their life choices and deepest regrets.

Hana Ishikawa wakes on her first morning as the pawnshop’s new owner to find it ransacked, the shop’s most precious acquisition stolen, and her father missing. And then into the shop stumbles a charming stranger, quite unlike its other customers, for he offers help instead of seeking it.

Together, they must journey through a mystical world to find Hana’s father and the stolen choice—by way of rain puddles, rides on paper cranes, the bridge between midnight and morning, and a night market in the clouds.

But as they get closer to the truth, Hana must reveal a secret of her own—and risk making a choice that she will never be able to take back.]]> 15 Samantha Sotto Yambao Kath 3 3.66 2025
author: Samantha Sotto Yambao
name: Kath
average rating: 3.66
book published: 2025
rating: 3
read at: 2025/02/10
date added: 2025/03/08
shelves: 2025-releases, filipino-authors, 2025-audiobooks, 2025-reads, librofm, x-diverse-reads, x-fantasy, x-fiction, x-magical-realism, x-romance, yarc-2025
review:
A hidden pawnshop where you can pawn your life choices and deepest regrets in exchange of happiness. I enjoyed the vibes and the magical realism. But I found the world-building a bit lacking. I was not a fan of the romance too. I kind of wish it’s a first book in a series.
]]> 223854632 A simmering psychological thriller about a dead teacher at an elite boarding school, the students who had every reason to want her gone, and the tangled web of rivalry and romance concealing the truth—from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of All the Bright Places.

At an elite boarding school, 8 students are selected for an exclusive program, but only one will walk away with a lifechanging opportunity to realize their creative dreams.Ěý

Effy is piecing together a story about the tragic betrayal that led to her mother's death. Arlo hopes to publish a novel—but he's also trying to start a new chapter with Effy after he broke her heart and ghosted 3 years earlier. Everyone has a compelling reason to be there—they all want a big break—but only the most ambitious will prevail as the students are eliminated one by one.

Their mentor is the one and only Meredith Graffam, an enigmatic writer, director and actress, whose unorthodox teaching methods push them past the breaking point. Under Graffam's tutelage, the students reveal their darkest secrets, take unthinkable risks, and slowly start to turn on one another. But Graffam never expected they would turn on her . . .

"A standout dark academia thriller.� � E. Lockhart, #1 New York Times bestselling author of We Were Liars and Genuine Fraud ]]> 400 Jennifer Niven 1524713023 Kath 0 to-read 4.25
author: Jennifer Niven
name: Kath
average rating: 4.25
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/06
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 59722123
Ang DAWWANG (salita ng mga Naneng para sa “ilog�) ay bersiyon sa Filipino ng komiks na ito na nilathala bilang LET THE RIVER FLOW FREE (Ingles) at LASST DEN FLUSS FLIESSEN (Aleman) sa ilalim ng proyektong Movements and Moments: Feminist Generations ng Goethe Institut-Indonesien.]]> 48 Gantala Press Kath 4 4.70
author: Gantala Press
name: Kath
average rating: 4.70
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/02
date added: 2025/03/02
shelves: filipino-authors, 2025-reads, b-ebooks, c-philippines, x-diverse-reads, x-nonfiction, yarc-2025
review:

]]> 34232048
(Please This book is a traditional work of manga, and reads back to front and right to left.)]]> 352 Gengoroh Tagame 1101871520 Kath 4 2019-reads, b-ebooks 4.46 2015
author: Gengoroh Tagame
name: Kath
average rating: 4.46
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2019/05/11
date added: 2025/03/01
shelves: 2019-reads, b-ebooks
review:

]]> 209192695 From the bestselling author of Norwegian Wood and Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World comes a love story, a quest, an ode to books and to the libraries that house them, and a parable for our peculiar times.

We begin with a nameless young couple: a boy and a girl, teenagers in love. One day, she disappears . . . and her absence haunts him for the rest of his life.

Thus begins a search for this lost love that takes the man into middle age and on a journey between the real world and an other world—a mysterious, perhaps imaginary, walled town where unicorns roam, where a Gatekeeper determines who can enter and who must remain behind, and where shadows become untethered from their selves. Listening to his own dreams and premonitions, the man leaves his life in Tokyo behind and ventures to a small mountain town, where he becomes the head librarian, only to learn the mysterious circumstances surrounding the gentleman who had the job before him. As the seasons pass and the man grows more uncertain about the porous boundaries between these two worlds, he meets a strange young boy who helps him to see what he’s been missing all along.

The City and Its Uncertain Walls is a singular and towering achievement by one of modern literature’s most important writers.]]> 449 Haruki Murakami 0593801970 Kath 0 3.72 2023
author: Haruki Murakami
name: Kath
average rating: 3.72
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/26
shelves: 2024-releases, currently-reading
review:

]]> 211098735
Two writers with a complicated history end up working on the same TV show... Can they write themselves a new ending? A sexy and emotional enemies-to-lovers romance guaranteed to pull on your heartstrings and give you a book hangover from brilliant new voice Yulin Kuang

Helen Zhang hasn’t seen Grant Shepard once in the thirteen years since the tragic accident that bound their lives together forever.

Now a bestselling author, Helen pours everything into her career. She’s even scored a coveted spot in the writers� room of the TV adaptation of her popular young adult novels, and if she can hide her imposter syndrome and overcome her writer’s block, surely the rest of her life will fall into place too. LA is the fresh start she needs. After all, no one knows her there. Except�

Grant has done everything in his power to move on from the past, including building a life across the country. And while the panic attacks have never quite gone away, he’s well liked around town as a screenwriter. He knows he shouldn’t have taken the job on Helen’s show, but it will open doors to developing his own projects that he just can’t pass up.

Grant’s exactly as Helen remembers him—charming, funny, popular, and lovable in ways that she’s never been. And Helen’s exactly as Grant remembers too—brilliant, beautiful, closed off. But working together is messy, and electrifying, and Helen’s parents, who have never forgiven Grant, have no idea he’s in the picture at all.

When secrets come to light, they must reckon with the fact that theirs was never meant to be any kind of love story. And yet� the key to making peace with their past—and themselves—might just lie in holding on to each other in the present.]]> Yulin Kuang Kath 0 to-read, dnf 3.49 2024
author: Yulin Kuang
name: Kath
average rating: 3.49
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/26
shelves: to-read, dnf
review:

]]> 91274427 For fans of The Midnight Library and Before the Coffee Gets Cold, this charming Japanese novel shows how the perfect book recommendation can change a reader's life.

What are you looking for?

This is the famous question routinely asked by Tokyo’s most enigmatic librarian, Sayuri Komachi. Like most librarians, Komachi has read every book lining her shelves—but she also has the unique ability to read the souls of her library guests. For anyone who walks through her door, Komachi can sense exactly what they’re looking for in life and provide just the book recommendation they never knew they needed to help them find it.

Each visitor comes to her library from a different juncture in their careers and dreams, from the restless sales attendant who feels stuck at her job to the struggling working mother who longs to be a magazineĚýeditor. The conversation that they have with Sayuri Komachi—and the surprise book she lends each of them—will have life-altering consequences.

With heartwarming charm and wisdom, What You Are Looking For Is in the Library is a paean to the magic of libraries, friendship and community, perfect for anyone who has ever found themselves at an impasse in their life and in need of a little inspiration.]]> 304 Michiko Aoyama 1335005625 Kath 4 4.07 2020
author: Michiko Aoyama
name: Kath
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/31
date added: 2025/02/26
shelves: 2024-haul, 2025-reads, b-hardcover, c-japan, x-diverse-reads, x-adult-contempo, x-fiction, x-japanese-lit, yarc-2025, x-anthology, x-translated
review:
A very comforting read! Would love to get to know more about the librarian. Also, shoutout to all the amazing librarians out there!
]]> 198902277 Alternate cover edition of ISBN 9781250899576.

A propulsive and uncommonly wise novel about one unexpected wedding guest and the surprising people who help her start anew.

It’s a beautiful day in Newport, Rhode Island, when Phoebe Stone arrives at the grand Cornwall Inn wearing a green dress and gold heels, not a bag in sight, alone. She's immediately mistaken by everyone in the lobby for one of the wedding people, but she’s actually the only guest at the Cornwall who isn’t here for the big event. Phoebe is here because she’s dreamed of coming for years—she hoped to shuck oysters and take sunset sails with her husband, only now she’s here without him, at rock bottom, and determined to have one last decadent splurge on herself. Meanwhile, the bride has accounted for every detail and every possible disaster the weekend might yield except for, well, Phoebe and Phoebe's plan—which makes it that much more surprising when the two women can’t stop confiding in each other.

In turns absurdly funny and devastatingly tender, Alison Espach’s The Wedding People is ultimately an incredibly nuanced and resonant look at the winding paths we can take to places we never imagined—and the chance encounters it sometimes takes to reroute us.]]> 384 Alison Espach Kath 4 4.11 2024
author: Alison Espach
name: Kath
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/12
date added: 2025/02/26
shelves: 2025-reads, favoritemc, librofm, v-at-the-beach, v-mental-health, x-adult-contempo, x-fiction
review:
Surprisingly good. Loved the characters and the witty dialogues.
]]> 33376821
Until, that is, Tokue comes into his life. An elderly woman with disfigured hands and a troubled past, she makes the best sweet bean paste Sentaro has ever tasted. The unlikeliest of friendships blossoms, but it will take all of their resolve � and plenty of pancakes � to protect themselves when Tokue's dark secret comes to light.]]> 216 Durian Sukegawa 1786071959 Kath 4 4.07 2013
author: Durian Sukegawa
name: Kath
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2013
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/05
date added: 2025/02/26
shelves: 2025-reads, v-food, v-foundfamily, x-adult-contempo, x-diverse-reads, x-fiction, x-japanese-lit, yarc-2025
review:
Bittersweet but hopeful. Made me crave for dorayaki!
]]> 199700434 When a teenager vanishes from her Adirondack summer camp, two worlds collide.

Early morning, August 1975: a camp counselor discovers an empty bunk. Its occupant, Barbara Van Laar, has gone missing. Barbara isn’t just any thirteen-year-old: she’s the daughter of the family that owns the summer camp and employs most of the region’s residents. And this isn’t the first time a Van Laar child has disappeared. Barbara’s older brother similarly vanished fourteen years ago, never to be found.

As a panicked search begins, a thrilling drama unfolds. Chasing down the layered secrets of the Van Laar family and the blue-collar community working in its shadow, Moore’s multi-threaded story invites readers into a rich and gripping dynasty of secrets and second chances.

Liz Moore’s most ambitious and wide-reaching novel yet, The God of the Woods is a story of inheritance and second chances, the tensions between a family and a community, and a history that will not let any of them go.]]> 478 Liz Moore 0593418913 Kath 0 to-read 4.09 2024
author: Liz Moore
name: Kath
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/24
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 177185879
Equal parts fantastical—a pair of talking dolls help twins escape a stifling home, a heart boils on the stove as part of an elaborate cure for melancholy, a fox demon contemplates avenging her sister's death—and true to life—a mother and daughter try to heal their rift when the daughter falls unexpectedly pregnant, a woman reexamines her father's legacy after his death—the stories in this collection are hopeful and heartbreaking, full of danger and full of joy.

Chung is a master at capturing emotion, and her characters—human and otherwise—will claw their way into your heart and make themselves at home.]]> 240 Gina Chung 0593469364 Kath 0 to-read 4.15 2024
author: Gina Chung
name: Kath
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/24
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 201033505
A woman welcomes a parasite into her body.

A teenager longs for perfect skin.

A scientist tends to fragile alien flora.

A young man takes the night into his own hands.

Unsettling, revelatory, and laced with her signature dark humor, Eliza Clark’s debut short story collection plumbs the depths of that most basic human feeling: hunger.]]> 240 Eliza Clark 0063393263 Kath 0 to-read 3.80 2024
author: Eliza Clark
name: Kath
average rating: 3.80
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/24
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 219445683 A haunting coming-of-age tale following the daughter of Vietnamese immigrants, Ronny Nyugen, as she grapples with the weight of generational trauma while navigating the violent power of teenage girlhood, for fans of Jennifer’s Body and Little Fires Everywhere.

It's the summer before high school, and Ronny Nguyen finds herself too young for work, too old for cartoons. Her days are spent in a small backyard, dozing off to trashy magazines on a plastic lawn chair. In stark contrast stands her brother Tommy, the pride and joy of their immigrant parents: a popular honor student destined to be the first in the family to attend college. The thought of Tommy leaving for college fills Ronny with dread, as she contemplates the quiet house she will be left alone in with her parents, Me and Ba.

Their parents rarely speak of their past in Vietnam, except through the lens of food. The family's meals are a tapestry of cultural memory: thick spring rolls with slim and salty nem chua, and steaming bowls of pho tái with thin, delicate slices of blood-red beef. In the aftermath of the war, Me and Ba taught Ronny and Tommy that meat was a dangerous luxury, a symbol of survival that should never be taken for granted.

But when tragedy strikes, Ronny's world is upended. Her sense of self and her understanding of her family are shattered. A few nights later, at her first high school party, a boy crosses the line, and Ronny is overtaken by a force larger than herself. This newfound power comes with an insatiable hunger for raw meat, a craving that is both a saving grace and a potential destroyer.

What Hunger is a visceral, emotional journey through the bursts and pitfalls of female rage. Ronny’s Vietnamese lineage and her mother’s emotional memory play a crucial role in this tender ode to generational trauma and mother-daughter bonding.]]> 288 Catherine Dang 0349125775 Kath 0 to-read 4.01
author: Catherine Dang
name: Kath
average rating: 4.01
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/24
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 203579211
During a grocery run to her local shopping center, Shell Pine sees a �HELP NEEDED� sign in a flower shop window. She’s just left her fiancé, lost her job, and moved home to her parents� house. She has to make a change and bring some good into her life, so she goes inside and takes a chance. Shell realizes right away that flowers are just the good thing she's been looking for, as is Neve, the beautiful florist who wrote the sign asking for help. The thing is, Neve needs help more than Shell could possibly imagine.

An orchid growing out of sight in the heart of the mall is watching them closely. His name is Baby, and the beautiful florist belongs to him. He’s young, he’s hungry, and he’ll do just about anything to make sure he can keep growing big and strong. Nothing he eats � nobody he eats � can satisfy him, except the thing he most desires. Neve. He adores her and wants to consume her, and will stop at nothing to eat the one he loves.

This is a story about possession, and monstrosity, and working retail. It is about hunger and desire, and other terrible things that grow.]]> 288 Sarah Maria Griffin 1250910692 Kath 0 to-read 3.82 2025
author: Sarah Maria Griffin
name: Kath
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/24
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 203579085 From the award-winning author of Our Wives Under the Sea, a speculative reimagining of King Lear, centering three sisters navigating queer love and loss in a drowning world

It’s been raining for a long time now, so long that the land has reshaped itself and arcane rituals and religions are creeping back into practice. Sisters Isla, Irene, and Agnes have not spoken in some time when their father dies. An architect as cruel as he was revered, his death offers an opportunity for the sisters to come together in a new way. In the grand glass house they grew up in, their father’s most famous creation, the sisters sort through the secrets and memories he left behind, until their fragile bond is shattered by a revelation in his will.

More estranged than ever, the sisters� lives spin out of control: Irene’s relationship is straining at the seams; Isla’s ex-wife keeps calling; and cynical Agnes is falling in love for the first time. But something even more sinister might be unfolding, something related to their mother’s long-ago disappearance and the strangers who have always seemed unusually interested in the sisters� lives. Soon, it becomes clear that the sisters have been chosen for a very particular purpose, one with shattering implications for their family and their imperiled world.]]> 291 Julia Armfield 125034431X Kath 0 to-read 3.58 2024
author: Julia Armfield
name: Kath
average rating: 3.58
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/24
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 223707918 A new story, a new love, an impossible divide. The much-awaited companion to the New York Times bestselling You’ve Reached Sam will break your heart open.

I’ve missed you every day since you left. But I’m sure you already knew that. It’s time to let you go now. I’ll miss you all the time, Sam.

It’s been a year since his best friend, Sam, died. Even though Oliver knows he won’t get a response, he can’t stop texting Sam’s number, especially as the anniversary of his death approaches.

Then one day he accidentally hits the call button, and someone picks up.

The voice on the other end isn’t Sam. Sam’s number was reassigned and a stranger has been receiving Oliver’s private and vulnerable messages for months. But Ben, a college student in Seattle, won’t remain a stranger for long. Oliver knows he should stop communicating now that he knows the truth—but he can’t get Ben out of his head.]]> 320 Dustin Thao 0593858476 Kath 0 to-read 4.71 2025
author: Dustin Thao
name: Kath
average rating: 4.71
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/20
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 45422567
After years together, the arrival of longed-for daughter Millie sealed everything in place. They’re a happy little family of three.

So what if Simon drinks a bit too much sometimes—Daisy’s used to it. She knows he’s just letting off steam. Until one night at a party things spiral horribly out of control. And their happy little family of three will never be the same again.

In Lies, Lies, Lies , #1 Sunday Times bestselling author Adele Parks explores the darkest corners of a relationship in free fall in a mesmerizing tale of marriage and secrets.

Don't miss One Last Secret from #1 Sunday Times bestselling author Adele Parks!

Looking for more? Check out these other thrilling reads from Adele
I Invited Her In
Just My Luck
Women Last Seen]]> 384 Adele Parks 0778360881 Kath 2 3.58 2019
author: Adele Parks
name: Kath
average rating: 3.58
book published: 2019
rating: 2
read at: 2025/01/26
date added: 2025/02/02
shelves: 2025-reads, 2019-releases, b-ebooks, x-fiction, x-mystery, x-thriller-suspense
review:
I was actually enjoying the first few chapters up until the "incident". It got a little slow, repetitive, and the main characters were annoying. I thought the reveal was a bit ridiculous. Plus, the animal cruelty was very unnecessary.
]]> 53825991
“There will be many books written about the year 2020: historical, analytic, political and comprehensive accounts. This is not any of those—the year isn’t half-way done. What I’ve tried to do is organize some of the feelings and thoughts that events, so far, have provoked in me, in those scraps of time the year itself has allowed. These are above all personal essays: small by definition, short by necessity.�

Crafted with the sharp intelligence, wit and style that have won Zadie Smith millions of fans, and suffused with a profound intimacy and tenderness in response to these unprecedented times, Intimations is a vital work of art, a gesture of connection and an act of love—an essential book in extraordinary times.]]> 97 Zadie Smith 059329761X Kath 3 3.99 2020
author: Zadie Smith
name: Kath
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2025/01/25
date added: 2025/02/02
shelves: books-i-own, 2025-reads, b-paperback, c-usa, x-nonfiction
review:
My very first Zadie Smith! The essays are personal but very insightful nonetheless.
]]> 209203198
But these things happen only when Emily is alone, so are they happening at all? She is still medically fragile. Her post-sepsis condition can cause hallucinatory side effects, which means she cannot fully trust her senses. Freddie does not notice anything odd and is happy with their chance at a fresh start. She, however, starts to believe the house is haunted by someone who had been murdered in it even though she can find no evidence of a wrongful death. As bizarre events pile up and her marriage starts to crumble, Emily becomes obsessed with discovering the truth about Larkin Lodge. But just as the house has secrets so do Emily and her husband.]]> Sarah Pinborough Kath 0 to-read, 2025-releases 4.26 2025
author: Sarah Pinborough
name: Kath
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/25
shelves: to-read, 2025-releases
review:

]]> 199793438 Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Amerie’sĚýdazzling,Ěýsatirical adult debut tells the story ofĚýa Black man who walks into the light…to find himself in Los Angeles, where he becomes an instant celebrity for being the first visible and verifiable ghost.Ěý

John’s House provides all he needs. Surrounded by a vast, beautiful ocean under a void of sky, the House is John’s haven. He is alone, but never lonely; he is here now, but neither remembers nor longs for a before. In his House, John is safe and untroubled.

But then a terrible shadow creature breaks in—and it wants him out. Pushed from the House, John falls into the light�

And finds himself in modern-day Los Angeles, the first person to ever come back from the other side. Though he has no memory of his past life, or even how he died, everyone wants to know more about the Black man who has returned from the dead—is he the second coming? A hoax? Or something beyond explanation? Soon he has brand deals, TV interviews, and politicians aiming to use him for their agendas, yet all John wants is to go home.

But going home will require, most unfortunately, help. In search of a way back, John grudgingly joins forces with a mystic holding dubious qualifications, a hard-edged publicist bent on making him famous, and an aspiring actress who is unsettlingly familiar. With this ragtag band of allies, John begins a journey to find his House on the ocean—but getting there will prove more complicated than he imagined, for it will require not only trusting in someone other than himself, but will mean uncovering painful truths about who John was in life and, perhaps most difficult, who he must become.

A gorgeous, tender story of hope, sacrifice, and what it means to be human,ĚýThis Is Not a Ghost Story introduces an astonishing new voice in literary fiction.]]> 304 Amerie 0358653088 Kath 0 to-read, 2025-releases 3.95
author: Amerie
name: Kath
average rating: 3.95
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/25
shelves: to-read, 2025-releases
review:

]]> 223478303
When We Love You, Bunny opens, Sam has just published her first novel to critical acclaim. But at a New England stop on her book tour, her one-time frenemies, furious at the way they’ve been portrayed, kidnap her. Now a captive audience, it’s her (and our) turn to hear the Bunnies� side of the story. One by one, they take turns holding the axe, and recount the birth throes of their unholy alliance, their discovery of their unusual creative powers—and the phantasmagoric adventure of conjuring their first creation. With a bound and gagged Sam, we embark on a wickedly intoxicating journey into the heart of dark academia: a fairy tale slasher that explores the wonder and horror of creation itself. Not to mention the transformative powers of love and friendship, Bunny.

Frankenstein by way of Heathers, We Love You, Bunny is both a prequel and a sequel, and an unabashedly wild and totally complete stand-alone novel. Open your hearts, Bunny, to another dazzlingly original and darkly hilarious romp in the Bunny-verse from the queen of the fever-dream, Mona Awad.]]> Mona Awad Kath 0 to-read, 2025-releases 4.57 2025
author: Mona Awad
name: Kath
average rating: 4.57
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/25
shelves: to-read, 2025-releases
review:

]]> 221301948 A merchant’s daughter who yearns for adventure gets more than she bargained for when she falls for a broodingly handsome stranger in this saucy romantasy.

As the daughter of an ambitious merchant, Guinevere’s path has been marry into a noble house, raise her family’s station, and live quietly as a lordling’s obedient wife. But Guinevere longs for a life unbounded by expectations, for freedom and passion and adventure.

Those distant dreams become a sudden reality when her caravan is beset by bandits, leaving her guards slain and Guinevere stranded alone on the dangerous Amber Road. Her only chance of survival is to travel alongside Oskar, the aloof half-orc who saved her during the attack.

Oskar may be terse, but beneath his cold exterior is a man who is brave and thoughtful � and unlike anyone Guinevere has ever met. And while Guinevere may be sheltered, she brings out a softness in Oskar that he has never dared to feel before. As the flames of their passion grow, they realize that soon they’ll need to choose between their expected destinations and their blossoming romance.

Written by Sunday Times bestselling author Thea Guanzon, Tusk Love brings the most romantic story in Critical Role to life.]]> Thea Guanzon 180495523X Kath 0 4.17 2025
author: Thea Guanzon
name: Kath
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/25
shelves: to-read, filipino-authors, 2025-releases
review:

]]> 218218717 In this laugh-out-loud murder mystery, three women dating the same man band together to get revenge, but when they discover his body, they'll need to solve his murder before they go down for it.

The body in the closet was going to be a problem. Kathryn Hu knew it. Yes, Tucker Jones was a cheating scumbag, and yes, she’d agreed to meet Olivia and Elle—Tucker’s other girlfriends—to exact revenge for all he’d put them throughâ€� But then they found him. Dead.ĚýĚý

Do they look guilty? Yes.

Do they feel guilty for having wished him dead just hours before? Maybe a little.

But—solid motive and a crime scene covered in their DNA aside—they’re innocent. They swear.

To clear their names, Kat, Olivia, and Elle team up to find the real killer. But as they go undercover and lie to everyone, including the hot detective working the case, they realize that every person in their ex's life had a reason to want him dead. Will they uncover the truth before they go down for a murder they didn't commit?

Filled with humor and shenanigans,ĚýThe Ex-Girlfriend Murder ClubĚýis a romp of an adventure by award-winning author Gloria Chao, perfect for fans ofĚýDial A for Aunties,ĚýFinlay Donovan Is Killing ItĚý˛ą˛Ô»ĺĚýJohn Tucker Must Die.]]> 318 Gloria Chao 0369761294 Kath 0 to-read, 2025-releases 4.07 2025
author: Gloria Chao
name: Kath
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/25
shelves: to-read, 2025-releases
review:

]]> 221756771 The Town of Perpetual Autumn is your next cozy autumn read.

When burnt-out, big-city dentist Sal inherits a cozy woodland estate upon the untimely death of her longtime childhood friend Claire, she catapults herself on a journey to the small town of St. Stephenshire to find out why.

In the new and unsettling pace, she finds comfort in a motley mix of newfound family, a mysteriously dashing town benefactor, and her cats. Together, they uncover the mystery behind Claire's untimely demise.

Can Sal find the answers she is searching for, or will she discover something about herself that she’s buried too long?

The Town of Perpetual Autumn explores what it means to live a purposeful life through the eyes of Sal, the typical fast-paced Millennial always looking for the next big thing to achieve.
]]> 298 Beatrice Pobre 6214870281 Kath 4
I admired Sal’s courage. Moving to a new town and starting a new life while grieving the death of her best friend. It was a roller coaster ride and I was rooting for her. I was glad she got what she deserved. Also, I’ve finally found someone who doesn’t like pumpkin spice latte. My favorite was definitely the friendship between Sal and Claire. It was precious and sweet. We got to know more about Claire through flashbacks. She’s loyal and her love for Sal was unconditional. The secondary characters were great too. I was not really a fan of the romance mainly because I didn’t feel the chemistry between Sal and the love interest. I was also more invested in Sal’s life and journey. I’m pretty sure most of us (especially millenials) can relate to her struggles and achievements. I know I did.

This book is very atmospheric. I loved the cosiness and warmth I felt while reading it. It just shows how talented the author is. I appreciated how she handled some heavy topics in this book as well. There were some slow parts but overall, I thought this was a satisfying and heartwarming read. This book is about friendship, found family, and finding your true self.

Disclaimer: Thanks to PRH and the author for providing a free digital review copy via NetGalley. This did not affect my overall opinion of the book.]]> 3.94
author: Beatrice Pobre
name: Kath
average rating: 3.94
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/31
date added: 2025/01/25
shelves: filipino-authors, 2024-reads, 2024-haul, c-usa, galley-ebook, from-publisher, v-foundfamily, v-mental-health, v-small-town-vibe, x-adult-contempo, x-diverse-reads, x-fiction, x-romance, yarc-2024
review:
Sal quits her job as an oral surgeon after she finds out about her childhood best friend Claire’s sudden death and that she inherits her properties including a house in a small town called St. Stephenshire. We then follow her journey as she unravels the truth about Claire’s death and rediscovering herself at the same time.

I admired Sal’s courage. Moving to a new town and starting a new life while grieving the death of her best friend. It was a roller coaster ride and I was rooting for her. I was glad she got what she deserved. Also, I’ve finally found someone who doesn’t like pumpkin spice latte. My favorite was definitely the friendship between Sal and Claire. It was precious and sweet. We got to know more about Claire through flashbacks. She’s loyal and her love for Sal was unconditional. The secondary characters were great too. I was not really a fan of the romance mainly because I didn’t feel the chemistry between Sal and the love interest. I was also more invested in Sal’s life and journey. I’m pretty sure most of us (especially millenials) can relate to her struggles and achievements. I know I did.

This book is very atmospheric. I loved the cosiness and warmth I felt while reading it. It just shows how talented the author is. I appreciated how she handled some heavy topics in this book as well. There were some slow parts but overall, I thought this was a satisfying and heartwarming read. This book is about friendship, found family, and finding your true self.

Disclaimer: Thanks to PRH and the author for providing a free digital review copy via NetGalley. This did not affect my overall opinion of the book.
]]> 60051110 A priest cannot marry. A priest cannot abandon his flock. A priest cannot forsake his God.

I've always been good at following rules.
Until she came.
My name is Tyler Anselm Bell. I'm twenty-nine years old. Six months ago, I broke my vow of celibacy on the altar of my own church, and God help me, I would do it again.
I am a priest and this is my confession.


***Priest is a standalone, full-length novel with an HEA. For mature audiences only.***]]> Sierra Simone Kath 3 3.25 2015
author: Sierra Simone
name: Kath
average rating: 3.25
book published: 2015
rating: 3
read at: 2024/12/30
date added: 2025/01/03
shelves: 2024-audiobook, 2024-reads, c-usa, x-adult-contempo, x-fiction, x-romance
review:

]]> 223050650 Molly the Maid has a whole new mystery to solve in this heartwarming novella from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Maid and The Mystery Guest.

Molly Gray has always loved the holidays. When Molly was a child, her gran went to great lengths to make the season merry and bright, full of cherished traditions. The first few Christmases without Gran were hard on Molly, but this year, her beloved boyfriend and fellow festive spirit, Juan Manuel, is intent on making the season Molly’s mofinst joyful yet.

But when a Secret Santa gift exchange at the Regency Grand Hotel raises questions about who Molly can and cannot trust, she dives headfirst into solving her most consequential—and personal—mystery yet. Molly has a bad feeling about things, and she starts to wonder: has she yet again mistaken a frog for a prince?

A heartwarming, magical story about the true spirit of the season, The Mistletoe Mystery reminds us that love is the greatest mystery of all.]]> Nita Prose 0008708606 Kath 4 3.13 2024
author: Nita Prose
name: Kath
average rating: 3.13
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/16
date added: 2025/01/03
shelves: 2024-reads, 2024-releases, 2024-audiobook, v-foundfamily, v-mental-health, v-christmas, x-adult-contempo, x-fiction, x-romance
review:
It's pretty obvious where the story is going but it was still a sweet read. I'm very happy for Molly! This is wonderful addition to the trilogy.
]]> 196241667 From the author of the Sunday Times bestseller and viral TikTok phenomenon, The Pumpkin Spice Café, comes a brand new spicy romance set in Dream Harbor!

When a secret message turns up hidden in a book in the Cinnamon Bun Bookstore, Hazel can't understand it. As more secret codes appear between the pages, she decides to follow the trail of clues� she just need someone to help her out.

Gorgeous and outgoing fisherman, Noah, is always up for an adventure. And a scavenger hunt sounds like a lot of fun. Even better that the cute bookseller he's been crushing on for months is the one who wants his help!

Hazel didn’t go looking for romance, but as the treasure hunt leads her and Noah around Dream Harbor, their undeniable chemistry might be just as hot as the fresh-out-of-the-oven cinnamon buns the bookstore sells�

The Cinnamon Bun Book Store is a cozy romantic mystery with a HEA guaranteed!

Tropes:
� opposites attract
� small town
� forced proximity
� he falls first]]> 384 Laurie Gilmore Kath 5 3.67 2024
author: Laurie Gilmore
name: Kath
average rating: 3.67
book published: 2024
rating: 5
read at: 2024/10/31
date added: 2025/01/02
shelves: 2024-audiobook, 2024-reads, v-foundfamily, v-christmas, v-small-town-vibe, x-adult-contempo, x-fiction, x-romance
review:

]]> 206318178 From the author of the viral TikTok sensation, The Pumpkin Spice Café, comes the only spicy grumpy x sunshine Christmas romcom you need this year!

Kira North hates Christmas. Which is unfortunate since she just bought a Christmas tree farm in a town that’s too cute for its own good.

Bennett Ellis is on vacation in Dream Harbor taking a break from his life in California. And most importantly, taking a break from his latest run of disastrous dates.

After a run in with Kira in her fields, Ben has no intention of offering to help the grumpy owner set up her tree farm, despite the fact she’s clearly got no idea what she’s doing.

Kira knows she should stop being so stubborn, but her farm is not all cute and cozy like people always show on social media, it’s borderline dangerous with no heating, and she’d rather no one saw it.

But somehow fate finds Ben at Kira’s farm once more, and as Kira watches him swing an ax at the first tree, she finds herself appreciating his strength and questionning why she refused help in the first place..

The Christmas Tree Farm is a spicy romantic mystery for fans of Gilmore Girls with a HEA guaranteed!

Tropes:

� grumpy x sunshine
� small town
� forced proximity
� one bed]]> 369 Laurie Gilmore 0008610738 Kath 5 3.66 2024
author: Laurie Gilmore
name: Kath
average rating: 3.66
book published: 2024
rating: 5
read at: 2024/12/10
date added: 2025/01/02
shelves: 2024-audiobook, 2024-reads, v-small-town-vibe, x-adult-contempo, x-fiction, x-romance
review:

]]> 195703882 Crying in H-Mart meets My Sister, the Serial Killer in this feminist psychological horror about the making of a female serial killer from a Korean-American perspective.

Ji-won’s life tumbles into disarray in the wake of her appa’s extramarital affair and subsequent departure. Her mother, distraught. Her younger sister, hurt and confused. Her college freshman grades, failing. Her dreams, horrifying� yet enticing.

In them, Ji-won walks through bloody rooms full of eyes. Succulent blue eyes. Salivatingly blue eyes. Eyes the same shape and shade as George’s, who is Umma’s obnoxious new boyfriend. George has already overstayed his welcome in her family’s claustrophobic apartment. He brags about his puffed-up consulting job, ogles Asian waitresses while dining out, and acts condescending toward Ji-won and her sister as if he deserves all of Umma’s fawning adoration. No, George doesn’t deserve anything from her family. Ji-won will make sure of that.

For no matter how many victims accumulate around her campus or how many people she must deceive and manipulate, Ji-won’s hunger and her rage deserve to be sated.

A brilliantly inventive, subversive novel about a young woman unraveling, Monika Kim’s The Eyes Are the Best Part is a story of a family falling apart and trying to find their way back to each other, marking a bold new voice in horror that will leave readers mesmerized and craving more.]]> 278 Monika Kim 1645661237 Kath 4 3.81 2024
author: Monika Kim
name: Kath
average rating: 3.81
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2024/10/30
date added: 2025/01/02
shelves: 2024-releases, 2024-reads, b-ebooks, favoritemc, v-halloween, v-mental-health, v-sibling-love, x-diverse-reads, x-fiction, x-horror, x-thriller-suspense, yarc-2024
review:

]]> 61374793
Now trapped inside Jessica’s body, with access to Jessica’s most private journals and secrets, Jenna soon discovers that being the top student at the elite, highly competitive Havenwood Private Academy isn’t quite what she imagined. Worse, as everyone—including her own parents—start having trouble remembering who Jenna Chen is, or if she ever even existed, Jenna must decide if playing the role of the perfect daughter and student is worth losing her true self forever.]]> 320 Ann Liang 133552312X Kath 0 to-read, 2025-releases 4.08 2025
author: Ann Liang
name: Kath
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/29
shelves: to-read, 2025-releases
review:

]]> 220161576 In this razor-sharp, diabolical debut thriller, a young woman steps into her deceased twin’s influencer life, only to discover dark secrets hidden behind her social media façade.

Julie Chan has nothing. Her twin sister has everything. Except a pulse.

Julie Chan, a supermarket cashier with nothing to lose, finds herself thrust into the glamorous yet perilous world of her late twin sister, Chloe VanHuusen, a popular influencer. Separated at a young age, the identical twins were polar opposites and rarely spoke, except for one viral video that Chloe initiated (Finding My Long-Lost Twin And Buying Her A House #EMOTIONAL). When Julie discovers Chloe’s lifeless body under mysterious circumstances, she seizes the chance to live the life she’s always envied.

Transforming into Chloe is easier than expected. Julie effortlessly adopts Chloe’s luxurious influencer life, complete with designer clothes, a meticulous skincare routine, and millions of adoring followers. However, Julie soon realizes that Chloe’s seemingly picture-perfect life was anything but.

Haunted by Chloe’s untimely death and struggling to fit into the privileged influencer circle, Julie faces mounting challenges during a weeklong island retreat with Chloe’s exclusive group of influencer friends. As events spiral out of control, Julie uncovers the sinister forces that may have led to her sister’s demise and realizes she might be the next target.]]> 320 Liann Zhang 1668067897 Kath 0 to-read, 2025-releases 3.81 2025
author: Liann Zhang
name: Kath
average rating: 3.81
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/29
shelves: to-read, 2025-releases
review:

]]> 220817728 From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Daisy Jones & The Six comes an epic new novel set against the backdrop of the 1980s Space Shuttle program about the extraordinary lengths we go to live and love beyond our limits.

Joan Goodwin has been obsessed with the stars for as long as she can remember. Thoughtful and reserved, Joan is content with her life as a professor of physics and astronomy at Rice University and as aunt to her precocious niece, Frances. That is, until she comes across an advertisement seeking the first women scientists to join NASA’s Space Shuttle program. Suddenly, Joan burns to be one of the few people to go to space.

Selected from a pool of thousands of applicants in the summer of 1980, Joan begins training at Houston’s Johnson Space Center, alongside an exceptional group of fellow candidates: Top Gun pilot Hank Redmond and scientist John Griffin, who are kind and easy-going even when the stakes are highest; mission specialist Lydia Danes, who has worked too hard to play nice; warm-hearted Donna Fitzgerald, who is navigating her own secrets; and Vanessa Ford, the magnetic and mysterious aeronautical engineer, who can fix any engine and fly any plane.

As the new astronauts become unlikely friends and prepare for their first flights, Joan finds a passion and a love she never imagined. In this new light, Joan begins to question everything she thinks she knows about her place in the observable universe.

Then, in December of 1984, on mission STS-LR9, everything changes in an instant.

Fast-paced, thrilling, and emotional, Atmosphere is Taylor Jenkins Reid at her best: transporting readers to iconic times and places, with complex protagonists, telling a passionate and soaring story about the transformative power of love, this time among the stars.]]> 352 Taylor Jenkins Reid 0593158717 Kath 0 to-read, 2025-releases 4.45 2025
author: Taylor Jenkins Reid
name: Kath
average rating: 4.45
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/29
shelves: to-read, 2025-releases
review:

]]> 219848315 Ocean Vuong returns with a big-hearted novel about chosen family, unexpected friendship, and the stories we tell ourselves in order to survive

One late summer evening in the post-industrial town of East Gladness, Connecticut, nineteen-year-old Hai stands on the edge of a bridge in pelting rain, ready to jump, when he hears someone shout across the river. The voice belongs to Grazina, an elderly widow succumbing to dementia, who convinces him to take another path. Bereft and out of options, he quickly becomes her caretaker. Over the course of the year, the unlikely pair develops a life-altering bond, one built on empathy, spiritual reckoning, and heartbreak, with the power to alter Hai’s relationship to himself, his family, and a community at the brink.

Following the cycles of history, memory, and time, The Emperor of Gladness shows the profound ways in which love, labor, and loneliness form the bedrock of American life. At its heart is a brave epic about what it means to exist on the fringes of society and to reckon with the wounds that haunt our collective soul. Hallmarks of Vuong’s writing � formal innovation, syntactic dexterity, and the ability to twin grit with grace through tenderness � are on full display in this story of loss, hope, and how far we would go to possess one of life’s most fleeting mercies: a second chance.]]> 416 Ocean Vuong 059383187X Kath 0 to-read, 2025-releases 4.34 2025
author: Ocean Vuong
name: Kath
average rating: 4.34
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/29
shelves: to-read, 2025-releases
review:

]]> 217163697 #1ĚýNew York TimesĚýbestselling author Fredrik Backman returns with an unforgettably funny, deeply moving tale of four teenagers whose friendship creates a bond so powerful that it changes a stranger’s life twenty-five years later.

Most people don’t even notice them—three tiny figures sitting at the end of a long pier in the corner of one of the most famous paintings in the world. Most people think it’s just a depiction of the sea. But Louisa, an artist herself, knows otherwise and she is determined to find out the story of these three enigmatic figures.

Twenty-five years earlier, in a distant town, a group of teenagers find refuge from their difficult home lives by spending their days laughing and telling stories out on a pier. There’s Joar, who never backs down from a fight; quiet and bookish Ted who is mourning his father; Ali, the daughter of a man who never stays in one place for long; and finally, there’s the artist, a boy who hoards sleeping pills and shuns attention, but who possesses an extraordinary gift that might be his ticket to a better life. These four lost souls find in each other a reason to get up each morning, a reason to dream.

Out of that summer emerges a transcendent work of art, a painting that will unexpectedly be put into eighteen-year-old Louisa’s care. As she struggles to decide what to do with this bequest, she embarks on a surprise-filled cross-country journey to learn the story of how the painting came to be. The closer she gets to the painting’s birthplace, the more she feels compelled to unleash her own artistic spirit, but happy endings don’t always take the form we expect in this fresh testament to the transformative power of friendship and art.]]> 448 Fredrik Backman 1982112824 Kath 0 to-read, 2025-releases 4.58 2025
author: Fredrik Backman
name: Kath
average rating: 4.58
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/29
shelves: to-read, 2025-releases
review:

]]> 210906882 From Eric LaRocca—Bram Stoker Award–nominated and Splatterpunk Award–winning author of Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke—c´Çłľ±đ˛ő At Dark, I Become Loathsome, a grim yet gentle, horrifying yet hopeful, intense tale of death, trauma, and love.

“If you’re reading this, you’ve likely thought that the world would be a better place without you.�

A single line of text, glowing in the darkness of the internet. Written by Ashley Lutin, who has often thought the same—and worse—in the years since his wife died and his young son disappeared. But the peace of the grave is not for him—it’s for those he can help. Ashley has constructed a peculiar ritual for those whose desire to die is at war with their yearning to live a better life.

Struggling to overcome his own endless grief, one night Ashley finds connection with Jinx—a potential candidate for Ashley’s next ritual—who spins a tale both revolting and fascinating. Thus begins a relationship that traps the two men in an ever-tightening spiral of painful revelations, where long-hidden secrets are dragged, kicking and screaming, into the light.

Only through pain can we find healing. Only through death can we find new life.]]> 178 Eric LaRocca Kath 0 to-read, 2025-releases 3.33 2025
author: Eric LaRocca
name: Kath
average rating: 3.33
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/29
shelves: to-read, 2025-releases
review:

]]> 220341391 John Green, the #1 bestselling author of The Anthropocene Reviewed and a passionate advocate for global healthcare reform, tells a deeply human story illuminating the fight against the world’s deadliest disease.

Tuberculosis has been entwined with humanity for millennia. Once romanticized as a malady of poets, today tuberculosis is a disease of poverty that walks the trails of injustice and inequity we blazed for it.

In 2019, John Green met Henry, a young tuberculosis patient at Lakka Government Hospital in Sierra Leone while traveling with Partners in Health. John became fast friends with Henry, a boy with spindly legs and a big, goofy smile. In the years since that first visit to Lakka, Green has become a vocal and dynamic advocate for increased access to treatment and wider awareness of the healthcare inequities that allow this curable, treatable infectious disease to also be the deadliest, killing 1.5 million people every year.

In Everything is Tuberculosis, John tells Henry’s story, woven through with the scientific and social histories of how tuberculosis has shaped our world and how our choices will shape the future of tuberculosis.]]> 208 John Green 0525426051 Kath 0 to-read, 2025-releases 4.58 2025
author: John Green
name: Kath
average rating: 4.58
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/29
shelves: to-read, 2025-releases
review:

]]> 211003894
Now, Noon is stuck navigating the submerged town with her mom, who believes their dead family has reincarnated as sea creatures. Alone with the pain of what happened that night at the cove, Noon buries the truth: she is not the right shape.

When Mercy’s predatory leader demands Noon and her mom capture the creature drowning residents, she reluctantly finds an ally in his deadly hunter of a daughter and friends old and new. As the next storm approaches, Noon must confront the past and decide if it’s time to answer the monster itching at her skin.]]> 272 Trang Thanh Tran 1547611111 Kath 0 to-read, 2025-releases 3.61 2025
author: Trang Thanh Tran
name: Kath
average rating: 3.61
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/29
shelves: to-read, 2025-releases
review:

]]> 221115923 A retired serial killer’s quiet life is upended by an unexpected visitor. To protect her secret, there’s only one option left—what’s another murder? From bestselling author Samantha Downing.

Lottie Jones thought her crimes were behind her.

Decades earlier, she changed her identity and tucked herself away in a small town. Her most exciting nights are the weekly bingo games at the local church and gossiping with her friends.Ěý

When investigative journalist Plum Dixon shows up on her doorstep asking questions about Lottie’s past and specifically her involvement with numerous unsolved cases, well, Lottie just can’t have that.

But getting away with murder is hard enough when you’re young. And when Lottie receives another annoying knock on the door, she realizes this crime might just be the death of her…]]> 400 Samantha Downing 0593101030 Kath 0 to-read, 2025-releases 4.45 2025
author: Samantha Downing
name: Kath
average rating: 4.45
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/29
shelves: to-read, 2025-releases
review:

]]> 214993573 �Without mud, the lotus could not survive.�

Born with a congenital muscle disorder, Shaka Isawa has severe spine curvature and uses an electric wheelchair and ventilator. Within the limits of her care home, her life is lived she studies, she tweets indignantly, she posts outrageous stories on an erotica website. One day, a new male carer reveals he has read it all � the sex, the provocation, the dirt. Her response? An indecent proposal�

Written by the first disabled author to win Japan’s most prestigious literary award and acclaimed instantly as one of the most important Japanese novels of the 21st century, Hunchback is an extraordinary, thrilling glimpse into the desire and darkness of a woman placed at humanity’s edge.]]> 112 Saou Ichikawa 1405967137 Kath 0 to-read, 2025-releases 3.48 2023
author: Saou Ichikawa
name: Kath
average rating: 3.48
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/29
shelves: to-read, 2025-releases
review:

]]> 215805795 Two strangers find themselves stranded at sea together in this epic new love story by bestselling author Beth O’Leary.

What if you were lost at sea…with your one-night stand?

Zeke and Lexi thought it would just be a night of fun. They had no intentions of seeing each other again. Zeke is only in town for the weekend to buy back his late father’s houseboat. Lexi has no time for dating when she needs to help take care of her best friend's daughter.

Going back home with a stranger seems like a perfect escape from their problems. But a miscommunication in the dark, foggy night means no one tied the houseboat to the dock. The next morning, Zeke and Lexi realize all they can see is miles and miles of water.

With just a few provisions on the idle boat, Zeke and Lexi must figure out how to get back home. But aside from their survival, they’re facing another challenge. Because when you’re stuck together for days on end, it gives you a lot of time to get to know someone—and to fall in love with them.]]> 384 Beth O'Leary 0593640144 Kath 0 to-read, 2025-releases 3.65 2025
author: Beth O'Leary
name: Kath
average rating: 3.65
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/29
shelves: to-read, 2025-releases
review:

]]> 214859358 Discover the Korean runaway prizewinning bestseller for fans of LONELY CASTLE IN THE MIRROR and KLARA AND THE SUN

'A stunning story of love, care and sacrifice' BORA CHUNG, author of CURSED BUNNY
_____________

Let's all learn how to slow down ...
2035: In the shadow of a race course, a young woman finds a robot on a scrap heap, contemplating the sky. Intrigued, she takes him under her care. Together, they decide to rescue the race horse named Today who is heading for the knackers' yard after a lifetime of overwork. To make Today happy again, they hatch a special plan to let her run another race.

But it will be no ordinary event- they will train her to run the slowest time of her life.

In the heat of the race, Coli feels Today running too fast. She is in pain and will soon injure herself.

To save his beloved horse, Coli will commit one final act of bravery ...

Radiant, urgent, deeply moving, A Thousand Blues is a hymn to our earth and to our humanity, giving powerful voice to those left behind in a fast forward-moving world of toxic productivity and competition. Brimming with heart and hope and rage, it shows with vivid empathy and warmth how friendship, community and sacrifice will set us free.
__________

'A stunningly crafted novel, evoking a myriad emotions' Kim Bo-young

�A dazzling, warm novel that shows us how to move forward as a society without leaving anyone or anything behind' Choi Jin-young, author of To the Warm Horizon

�A breath of fresh air in the sci-fi genre�

�Feels like a feather softly descending and tickling my heart'

�A sci-fi novel full of human warmth'
]]> 305 Cheon Seon-ran 1529938031 Kath 0 to-read, 2025-releases 3.95 2020
author: Cheon Seon-ran
name: Kath
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/29
shelves: to-read, 2025-releases
review:

]]> 217453576 From the author of Natural Beauty, set in the fiercely competitive art world, a novel about an obsessive friendship upended by a cutting-edge technology purported to enhance empathy and connection

Enka meets Mathilde in art school. Mathilde is a dizzyingly talented yet tortured artist whose star is on the rise—and Enka, struggling to make art that feels original, is immediately drawn to her. The two strike up an intense bond that soon turns codependent. But when Mathilde’s fame reaches new heights, Enka becomes desperate to keep her best friend close—no matter the cost.
Ěý
Enka quickly falls in love with and marries a billionaire whose family’s company is funding an unconventional technology purported to heighten empathy, which could allow someone else to inhabit Mathilde’s mind and absorb the trauma from her brain. Soon, the boundaries between Mathilde and Enka begin to blur even further, setting in motion a disturbing series of events that forever changes their lives.

Blisteringly smart, thought-provoking, and shocking, Immaculate Conception deftly navigates big questions of art, technology, authorship, and what makes us human. Ling Ling Huang offers us a portrait of close friendship—achingly tender and twisted—that captures the tenuous line between love and possession that will haunt you long after you turn the final page.]]> 304 Ling Ling Huang 0593850432 Kath 0 to-read, 2025-releases 4.22 2025
author: Ling Ling Huang
name: Kath
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/29
shelves: to-read, 2025-releases
review:

]]> 216989442
But when Amane and her husband hear about Eden, an experimental town where residents are selected at random to be artificially inseminated en masse (including men who are fitted with artificial wombs), the family unit does not exist and children are raised collectively and anonymously, they decide to try living there. But can this bold experiment build the brave new world Amane desires, or will it push her to breaking point?]]> 240 Sayaka Murata 1803511176 Kath 0 to-read, 2025-releases 3.60 2015
author: Sayaka Murata
name: Kath
average rating: 3.60
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/29
shelves: to-read, 2025-releases
review:

]]> 213570821 From the bestselling author of In My Dreams I Hold a Knife and Midnight is the Darkest Hour comes a chilling, compulsive story of five amateur sleuths, whose hunt for an elusive killer catapults them into danger as the world watches.

It's the most famous crime in modern history. But only she knows the true story.

After the unexpected death of her father, college student Jane Sharp longs for a distraction from her grief. She becomes obsessed with true crime, befriending armchair detectives who teach her how to hunt killers from afar. In this morbid internet underground, Jane finds friendship, purpose, and even glory...

So when news of the shocking deaths of three college girls in Delphine, Idaho takes the world by storm, and sleuths everywhere race to solve the crimes, Jane and her friends are determined to beat them. But the case turns out to be stranger than anyone expected. Details don't add up, the police are cagey, and there seems to be more media hype and internet theorizing than actual evidence. When Jane and her sleuths take a step closer, they find that every answer only begs more questions. Something's not adding up, and they begin to suspect their killer may be smarter and more prolific than any they've faced before. Placing themselves in the center of the story starts to feel more and more like walking into a trap...

Told one year after the astounding events that concluded the case and left the world reeling, when Jane has finally decided to break her silence about what really happened, she tells the true story of the Delphine Massacres. And what she has to confess will shock even the most seasoned true crime fans...


]]> 480 Ashley Winstead 1728270006 Kath 0 to-read, 2025-releases 3.69 2025
author: Ashley Winstead
name: Kath
average rating: 3.69
book published: 2025
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/12/29
shelves: to-read, 2025-releases
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]]> 214565614 A chilling historical horror novel set in the American west in 1912 following a Lutheran priest who transcribes the life of a vampire who haunts the fields of the Blackfeet reservation looking for justice.

A diary, written in 1912 by a Lutheran pastor is discovered within a wall. What it unveils is a slow massacre, a chain of events that go back to 217 Blackfeet dead in the snow. Told in transcribed interviews by a Blackfeet named Good Stab, who shares the narrative of his peculiar life over a series of confessional visits. This is an American Indian revenge story written by one of the new masters of horror, Stephen Graham Jones.]]> 448 Stephen Graham Jones 1668075083 Kath 0 to-read, 2025-releases 4.23 2025
author: Stephen Graham Jones
name: Kath
average rating: 4.23
book published: 2025
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/12/29
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review:

]]> 212342605 HungerstoneĚýis a thrillingly seductive sapphic romance for fans of S.T. Gibson’sĚýA Dowry of BloodĚýand Emilia Hart’sĚýWeyward.

For what do you hunger, Lenore?

Lenore is the wife of steel magnate Henry, but ten years into their marriage, the relationship has soured and no child has arrived to fill the distance growing between them. Henry's ambitions take them out of London and to the imposing Nethershaw manor in the countryside, where Henry aims to host a hunt with society’s finest. Lenore keeps a terrible secret from the last time her husband hunted, and though they never speak of it, it haunts their marriage to this day.

The preparations for the event take a turn when a carriage accident near their remote home brings the mysterious Carmilla into Lenore's life. Carmilla who is weak and pale during the day but vibrant at night; Carmilla who stirs up a hunger deep within Lenore. Soon girls from local villages begin to fall sick before being consumed by a bloody hunger.

Torn between regaining her husband's affection and Carmilla's ever-growing presence, Lenore begins to unravel her past and in doing so, uncovers a darkness in her household that will place her at terrible risk . . .

Set against the violent wilderness of the moors and the uncontrolled appetite of the industrial revolution,ĚýHungerstoneĚýis a compulsive feminist reworking ofĚýCarmilla, the book that inspiredĚýDracula: a captivating story of appetite and desire.]]> 336 Kat Dunn 1638932166 Kath 0 to-read, 2025-releases 4.02 2025
author: Kat Dunn
name: Kath
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2025
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/12/29
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]]> 216248716 Subversive and unexpectedly heartwarming, Sky Daddy hijacks the classic love story, exploring desire, fate, and the longing to be accepted for who we truly are.

Linda is doing her best to lead a life that would appear normal to the casual observer. Weekdays, she earns $20 an hour moderating comments for a video-sharing platform, then rides the bus home to the windowless garage she rents on the outskirts of San Francisco. But on the last Friday of each month, she indulges in her true passion: taking BART to SFO for a round-trip flight to a regional hub. The destination is irrelevant because each trip means a new date with a handsome stranger—a stranger whose intelligent windscreens, sleek fuselages, and powerful engines make Linda feel a way that no human ever could.

Linda knows that she can’t tell anyone she’s sexually obsessed with planes—nor can she reveal her belief her destiny is to “marry� one of her suitors by dying in a plane crash, thereby uniting her with her soulmate plane for eternity. But when an opportunity arises to hasten her dream of eternal partnership, and the carefully balanced elements of her life begin to spin out of control, she must choose between maintaining the trappings of normalcy and launching herself headlong toward the love she’s always dreamed of.]]> 368 Kate Folk 0593231503 Kath 0 to-read, 2025-releases 4.25 2025
author: Kate Folk
name: Kath
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2025
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/12/29
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]]> 212994452 'A modern-day Mrs. Caliban, BLOB is a book that looks at identity and desire in profoundly interesting ways'
Kevin Wilson, author of Nothing to See Here

A hilarious and moving debut novel about a young woman who decides to turn a sentient blob into her perfect boyfriend...

The daughter of a Taiwanese father and white mother, Vi Liu has never quite fit into her Midwestern college town. Now at twenty-three, after getting dumped and dropping out of college, Vi works as a front desk attendant at a hotel where she refills cucumber water samovars and fends off overtures of friendship from her bubbly blond coworker, Rachel. But when Vi decides to accompany Rachel to a local drag show, her life changes forever. In the alley outside the bar, next to a trash can, is a blob with beady black eyes. Unable to leave it behind, Vi picks up the creature and, in a moment of drunken desperation, takes it home with her.

As her pet blob becomes sentient, Vi realizes it obeys her commands and she decides to mold the blob into her ideal partner. She feeds it sugary cereal and a stream of pop culture, and soon the creature transforms into a movie-star handsome white man. But as Vi's desire to be loved unconditionally threatens to spiral out of control, she is forced to confront her lonely childhood, the ex-boyfriend who has unfriended her, and the racial marginalization that has defined her relationships. Ultimately, Vi embarks on a journey of self-discovery and learns that it's impossible to control those you love.

Blending the familiar with the fantastical, BLOB tells a witty, heartfelt story of what it means to be human.

'An inventive, utterly unique debut'
Kimberly King Parsons, author of Black Light]]> 256 Maggie Su 0063358646 Kath 0 to-read, 2025-releases 3.39 2025
author: Maggie Su
name: Kath
average rating: 3.39
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/29
shelves: to-read, 2025-releases
review:

]]> 207611566 There’s power in a book�

They call them wayward girls. Loose girls. Girls who grew up too fast. And they’re sent to the Wellwood Home in St. Augustine, Florida, where unwed mothers are hidden by their families to have their babies in secret, give them up for adoption, and most important of all, to forget any of it ever happened.

Fifteen-year-old Fern arrives at the home in the sweltering summer of 1970, pregnant, terrified and alone. Under the watchful eye of the stern Miss Wellwood, she meets a dozen other girls in the same predicament. There’s Rose, a hippie who insists she’s going to find a way to keep her baby and escape to a commune. And Zinnia, a budding musician who knows she’s going to go home and marry her baby’s father. And Holly, a wisp of a girl, barely fourteen, mute and pregnant by no-one-knows-who.

Everything the girls eat, every moment of their waking day, and everything they’re allowed to talk about is strictly controlled by adults who claim they know what’s best for them. Then Fern meets a librarian who gives her an occult book about witchcraft, and power is in the hands of the girls for the first time in their lives. But power can destroy as easily as it creates, and it’s never given freely. There’s always a price to be paid…and it’s usually paid in blood.

In Witchcraft for Wayward Girls, the author of How to Sell a Haunted House and The Final Girl Support Group delivers another searing, completely original novel and further cements his status as a “horror master� (NPR).]]> 482 Grady Hendrix 0593548981 Kath 0 to-read, 2025-releases 4.00 2025
author: Grady Hendrix
name: Kath
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/29
shelves: to-read, 2025-releases
review:

]]> 57185878 Giant turtles, impossible ships, and tidal rivers ridden by a Drowned girl in search of a family in the latest in the bestselling Hugo and Nebula Award-Winning Wayward Children series from Seanan McGuire.

Nadya had three mothers: the one who bore her, the country that poisoned her, and the one who adopted her.

Nadya never considered herself less than whole, not until her adoptive parents fitted her with a prosthetic arm against her will, seeking to replace the one she'd been missing from birth.

It was cumbersome; it was uncomfortable; it was wrong.

It wasn't her.

Frustrated and unable to express why, Nadya began to wander, until the day she fell through a door into Belyyreka, the Land Beneath the Lake--and found herself in a world of water, filled with child-eating amphibians, majestic giant turtles, and impossible ships that sailed as happily beneath the surface as on top. In Belyyreka, she found herself understood for who she was: a Drowned Girl, who had made her way to her real home, accepted by the river and its people.

But even in Belyyreka, there are dangers, and trials, and Nadya would soon find herself fighting to keep hold of everything she had come to treasure.]]> 160 Seanan McGuire Kath 0 to-read, 2025-releases 4.03 2025
author: Seanan McGuire
name: Kath
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/29
shelves: to-read, 2025-releases
review:

]]> 216458750 When a daring art heist takes place at the Regency Grand, Molly’s life is threatened. The question is who’s out to get her, and why? Long-buried secrets will be revealed in this intriguing and heartwarming novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Maid and The Mystery Guest

A wedding. A heist. A secret.

Molly Gray’s life is about to change in ways she could never have imagined. As the esteemed Head Maid and recently promoted Special Events Manager of the Regency Grand Hotel, good things are just around the corner, including her marriage to her beloved fiancĂ©, Juan Manuel, only two months away.Ěý

But Molly’s entire existence is upended when a film crew descends upon the hotel to shoot the hit reality TV show Hidden Treasures, starring popular art appraisers Brown and Beagle. On a whim, Molly brings in a shoebox containing a few of her gran’s old things for appraisal, and much to everyone's surprise, one item turns out to be a rare and priceless treasure. Instantly, Molly is both a multi-millionaire and a media sensation—the world’s rags-to-riches darling—until the priceless piece vanishes from the hotel in the boldest, brashest antiquities heist in recent memory.

The key to the mystery lies in the past, in a long-forgotten diary written by Molly’s gran. For the first time ever, Molly learns about Gran’s true-to-life fairytale, a young girl to the manor born, the only child of a wealthy magnate. But when Gran falls head over heels in love with a young man her parents deem below her station, her life is thrown into turmoil. As fate would have it, the greatest love of Gran’s life is someone Molly knows quite well�.

Together with her friends, Molly combs the past and the present to catch the thief before looming threats against her become real.

A spirited heist caper and an epic love story, The Maid’s Secret is a spellbinding whodunnit that will capture and warm your heart.]]> 326 Nita Prose 0735250561 Kath 0 to-read 3.98 2025
author: Nita Prose
name: Kath
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/16
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 42041520 From the author of the international bestseller Our House, a new novel of twisty domestic suspense asks, "Could you hate your neighbor enough to plot to kill him?"

Lowland Way is the suburban dream. The houses are beautiful, the neighbors get along, and the kids play together on weekends.

But when Darren and Jodie move into the house on the corner, they donĘĽt follow the rules. They blast music at all hours, begin an unsightly renovation, and run a used-car business from their yard. It doesn't take long for an all-out war to start brewing.

Then, early one Saturday, a horrific death shocks the street. As police search for witnesses, accusations start flying--and everyone has something to hide.]]> 368 Louise Candlish 0451489144 Kath 3 3.26 2019
author: Louise Candlish
name: Kath
average rating: 3.26
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2019/10/26
date added: 2024/11/16
shelves: 2019-haul, books-i-own, b-hardcover, 2019-audiobook, c-uk, from-publisher, x-fiction, 2019-reads
review:

]]> 214200668 Prepare for the action-packed, ruthless, and romantic new fantasy from the #1 New York Times bestselling and National Book Award winning author Sabaa Tahir about love, legacy, and vengeance.

An orphan.
An outcast.
A prince.
And a killer who will bring an empire to its knees.

Growing up in the Kegari slums, Aiz has seen her share of suffering. An old tragedy fuels her need for vengeance, but it is love of her people that propels her. Until one hot-headed mistake lands her in an inescapable prison, where the embers of her wrath ignite.

Banished from her tribe for an unforgiveable crime, Sirsha is a down-on-her-luck tracker who speaks to the earth, air, and water to trace her marks. Destitute, she agrees to hunt down a killer who has murdered children across the Empire. All she has to do is carry out the job and get paid. But then, she falls for a charismatic and inconvenient fugitive who keeps getting in her way.

Quil is the crown prince of the Empire, nephew of a famed and venerated empress, but he’s loathe to pick up the mantle when his aunt steps down. As the son of the most hated emperor in the history of his people, he, better than anyone, understands that power corrupts. When a vicious new enemy threatens the survival of the Empire, Quil must ask himself if he can rise above his tragic lineage and be the heir his people need.

Beloved storyteller Sabaa Tahir masterfully interweaves the lives of three young people as they grapple with the burdens of power, the treachery of love and the devastating consequences of unchecked greed. Get ready for a dark and breathless journey that will captivate readers and that may cost these young people their lives―and their hearts. Literally.]]> Sabaa Tahir 0593867602 Kath 4 4.10 2024
author: Sabaa Tahir
name: Kath
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2024/10/25
date added: 2024/10/28
shelves: 2024-releases, b-ebooks, librofm, x-diverse-reads, x-fiction, x-fantasy, yarc-2024, 2024-reads, 2024-audiobook, favoritemc, galley-ebook
review:

]]> 215544827
Meet the notorious Ativan Gang, a group of scammers in Manila who befriends solo tourists, then drugs and robs them. Twenty-five-year-old Carmen Maranan is their newest member, a college dropout desperate to see her mother, Nicole, now living with her new family in Vietnam’s old capital, Hue City. When Carmen flees Manila for Hue, she meets Hai, a receptionist, tout, and part-time pimp. Ambitious and driven, Hai’s goal is to be rich and run his own hotel, a dream that feels closer when he crosses paths with Marina, a wealthy Singaporean yearning for a new life—and love.

Told from the points of view of Carmen, Hai and Marina, Hue City brings you deep into the soul of Southeast Asia—from the faded, enigmatic streets of Vietnam’s former capital, to the fraught, gritty drags of Manila and the gleaming, cosmopolitan environs of Singapore—as it tells their intertwined journey towards the treacherous and sometimes heart-breaking path of starting over.]]> 372 Claire Betita de Guzman 9815144278 Kath 0 to-read 4.04 2024
author: Claire Betita de Guzman
name: Kath
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/10/24
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 182095845 272 Amy Lin 195850632X Kath 4 4.24 2024
author: Amy Lin
name: Kath
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2024/03/20
date added: 2024/10/21
shelves: 2024-releases, made-me-cry, 2024-reads, 2024-audiobook, librofm, x-memoir, x-nonfiction, yarc-2024
review:
A memoir about Amy's grief after the unexpected death of her husband. She recounts their love story and the aftermath of his death. I cried. A lot. It's written in poetic vignette style and it's beautiful. Three words to describe this memoir: intimate, raw, poignant.
]]> 20560137 This is a previously-published edition of ISBN 9781595148032.

Laia is a slave.Ěý

Elias is a soldier.Ěý

Neither is free.

Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear.

It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire’s impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They’ve seen what happens to those who do.

But when Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy.

There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined—and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.]]> 446 Sabaa Tahir Kath 4 4.28 2015
author: Sabaa Tahir
name: Kath
average rating: 4.28
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2024/06/22
date added: 2024/10/21
shelves: buddy-read, b-hardcover, 2018-favorites, 2018-reads
review:

]]> 35970045 Alternate cover edition of ISBN 9781101998878

Elias and Laia are running for their lives. After the events of the Fourth Trial, Martial soldiers hunt the two fugitives as they flee the city of Serra and undertake a perilous journey through the heart of the Empire.

Laia is determined to break into Kauf—the Empire’s most secure and dangerous prison—to save her brother, who is the key to the Scholars� survival. And Elias is determined to help Laia succeed, even if it means giving up his last chance at freedom.

But dark forces, human and otherworldly, work against Laia and Elias. The pair must fight every step of the way to outsmart their enemies: the bloodthirsty Emperor Marcus, the merciless Commandant, the sadistic Warden of Kauf, and, most heartbreaking of all, Helene—Elias’s former friend and the Empire’s newest Blood Shrike.

Bound to Marcus’s will, Helene faces a torturous mission of her own—one that might destroy her: find the traitor Elias Veturius and the Scholar slave who helped him escape…and kill them both.]]> 452 Sabaa Tahir Kath 4 4.29 2016
author: Sabaa Tahir
name: Kath
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2016
rating: 4
read at: 2024/06/28
date added: 2024/10/21
shelves: books-i-own, b-hardcover, 2018-favorites, 2018-reads
review:

]]> 30809786 Beyond the Martial Empire and within it, the threat of war looms ever larger.

Helene Aquilla, the Blood Shrike, is desperate to protect her sister's life and the lives of everyone in the Empire. Yet danger lurks on all sides. Emperor Marcus, haunted by his past, grows increasingly unstable and violent, while Keris Veturia, the ruthless Commandant, capitalizes on the Emperor's volatility to grow her own power—regardless of the carnage she leaves in her path.

Far to the east, Laia of Serra knows that the fate of the world lies not in the machinations of the Martial court, but in stopping the Nightbringer. During the hunt to bring him down, Laia faces unexpected threats from those she hoped would help her, and is drawn into a battle she never thought she'd have to fight.

And in the land between the living and the dead, Elias Veturius has given up his freedom to serve as Soul Catcher. However, in doing so, he has vowed himself to an ancient power that demands his complete surrender—even if that means abandoning the woman he loves.]]> 458 Sabaa Tahir 0448494507 Kath 4 4.15 2018
author: Sabaa Tahir
name: Kath
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2024/07/11
date added: 2024/10/21
shelves: books-i-own, b-hardcover, 2018-haul, 2018-reads, 2018-favorites, x-ya-fantasy
review:
So intense! Full of actions and revelations!!!
]]> 31520883 Prepare for the jaw-dropping finale of Sabaa Tahir's beloved New York Times bestselling An Ember in the Ashes fantasy series, and discover: Who will survive the storm?

Picking up just a few months after A Reaper at the Gates left off...

The long-imprisoned jinn are on the attack, wreaking bloody havoc in villages and cities alike. But for the Nightbringer, vengeance on his human foes is just the beginning.

At his side, Commandant Keris Veturia declares herself Empress, and calls for the heads of any and all who defy her rule. At the top of the list? The Blood Shrike and her remaining family.

Laia of Serra, now allied with the Blood Shrike, struggles to recover from the loss of the two people most important to her. Determined to stop the approaching apocalypse, she throws herself into the destruction of the Nightbringer. In the process, she awakens an ancient power that could lead her to victory--or to an unimaginable doom.

And deep in the Waiting Place, the Soul Catcher seeks only to forget the life--and love--he left behind. Yet doing so means ignoring the trail of murder left by the Nightbringer and his jinn. To uphold his oath and protect the human world from the supernatural, the Soul Catcher must look beyond the borders of his own land. He must take on a mission that could save--or destroy--all that he knows.]]> 516 Sabaa Tahir 000828881X Kath 4 4.29 2020
author: Sabaa Tahir
name: Kath
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2024/08/09
date added: 2024/10/21
shelves: 2020-releases, books-i-own, 2020-haul, b-hardcover, 2020-reads, made-me-cry, 2020-favorites, x-fiction, x-fantasy, x-ya-fantasy, yarc2020
review:
I still can't believe that it's over.
]]> 214331246 When you’ve been set up to lose everything you love, what is there left to fight for?

As the day dawns on the fiftieth annual Hunger Games, fear grips the districts of Panem. This year, in honor of the Quarter Quell, twice as many tributes will be taken from their homes.

Back in District 12, Haymitch Abernathy is trying not to think too hard about his chances. All he cares about is making it through the day and being with the girl he loves.

When Haymitch’s name is called, he can feel all his dreams break. He’s torn from his family and his love, shuttled to the Capitol with the three other District 12 tributes: a young friend who’s nearly a sister to him, a compulsive oddsmaker, and the most stuck-up girl in town. As the Games begin, Haymitch understands he’s been set up to fail. But there’s something in him that wants to fight . . . and have that fight reverberate far beyond the deadly arena.]]> 387 Suzanne Collins 1546171460 Kath 0 to-read, 2025-releases 4.62 2025
author: Suzanne Collins
name: Kath
average rating: 4.62
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/10/19
shelves: to-read, 2025-releases
review:

]]> 215020997 ALL first edition copies will be signed by the author! Signed copies available while supplies last.

From V. E. Schwab, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue: a new genre-defying novel about immortality and hunger.

This is a story about hunger.
1532. Santo Domingo de la Calzada.
A young girl grows up wild and wily—her beauty is only outmatched by her dreams of escape. But María knows she can only ever be a prize, or a pawn, in the games played by men. When an alluring stranger offers an alternate path, María makes a desperate choice. She vows to have no regrets.

This is a story about love.
1827. London.
A young woman lives an idyllic but cloistered life on her family’s estate, until a moment of forbidden intimacy sees her shipped off to London. Charlotte’s tender heart and seemingly impossible wishes are swept away by an invitation from a beautiful widow—but the price of freedom is higher than she could have imagined.

This is a story about rage.
2019. Boston.
College was supposed to be her chance to be someone new. That’s why Alice moved halfway across the world, leaving her old life behind. But after an out-of-character one-night stand leaves her questioning her past, her present, and her future, Alice throws herself into the hunt for answers . . . and revenge.

This is a story about life�
how it ends, and how it starts.

USA Today, 15 Most Anticipated of 2025
BookBub, Most Anticipated of 2025 (and Reader’s Pick)
Readers Digest, 20 Most Anticipated Books This Year
Paste Magazine, Most Anticipated Fantasy Books of 2025
BookRiot, Most Anticipated Books of 2025
Men's Health, 25 Best & Most Anticipated Books of 2025
The Nerd Daily, SFF to Devour in 2025
Ĺ·±¦ÓéŔÖ, Readers' Most Anticipated Books of 2025]]> 560 Victoria E. Schwab 1035064642 Kath 0 to-read, 2025-releases 4.39 2025
author: Victoria E. Schwab
name: Kath
average rating: 4.39
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/10/19
shelves: to-read, 2025-releases
review:

]]> 75413021 Seek Ye Whore and Other Stories forms a panoramic view of the Filipino experience—sometimes humorous and touching, oftentimes dark and forbidding.]]> 160 Yvette Tan 9712737497 Kath 4 4.11
author: Yvette Tan
name: Kath
average rating: 4.11
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2024/08/22
date added: 2024/10/18
shelves: books-i-own, all-time-favorites, 2024-haul, 2024-reads, b-paperback, c-philippines, v-halloween, v-mental-health, v-small-town-vibe, x-diverse-reads, x-fiction, x-anthology, x-horror, x-fantasy, x-magical-realism, x-mystery, x-paranormal, x-retelling, x-thriller-suspense, yarc-2024
review:

]]> 63876565
As a young femme in 1990s Manila, Geena Rocero heard, � Bakla, bakla! ,� a taunt aimed at her feminine sway, whenever she left the tiny universe of her eskinita . Eventually, she found her place in trans pageants, the Philippines� informal national sport. When her competitors mocked her as a “horse Barbie� due to her statuesque physique, tumbling hair, long neck, and dark skin, she leaned into the epithet. By seventeen, she was the Philippines� highest-earning trans pageant queen.

A year later, Geena moved to the United States where she could change her name and gender marker on her documents. But legal recognition didn’t mean safety. In order to survive, Geena went stealth and hid her trans identity, gaining one type of freedom at the expense of another. For a while, it worked. She became an in-demand model. But as her star rose, her sense of self eroded. She craved acceptance as her authentic self yet had to remain vigilant in order to protect her dream career. The high-stakes double life finally forced Geena to decide herself if she wanted to reclaim the power of Horse Barbie once and for radiant, head held high, and unabashedly herself.

A dazzling testimony from an icon who sits at the center of transgender history and activism, Horse Barbie is a celebratory and universal story of survival, love, and pure joy.]]> 320 Geena Rocero 0593445880 Kath 4 4.19 2023
author: Geena Rocero
name: Kath
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2024/08/27
date added: 2024/10/18
shelves: filipino-authors, books-i-own, 2024-haul, 2024-reads, b-paperback, c-philippines, c-usa, v-mental-health, x-diverse-reads, x-nonfiction, yarc-2024
review:

]]> 200998630 Before the Coffee Gets Cold series translated from Japanese, the mysterious café where customers arrive hoping to travel back in time welcomes four new guests:

- The father who could not allow his daughter to get married
- A woman who couldn't give Valentine's Day chocolates to her loved one
- A boy who wants to show his smile to his divorced parents
- A wife holding a child with no name . . .

They must follow the café's strict rules, however, and come back to the present before their coffee goes cold. Another moving and heartwarming tale from Toshikazu Kawaguchi, in Before We Forget Kindness our new visitors wish to go back into their past to move on their present, finding closure and comfort so they can embark on a beautiful future.]]> 224 Toshikazu Kawaguchi 1035046245 Kath 4 3.92 2023
author: Toshikazu Kawaguchi
name: Kath
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2024/10/07
date added: 2024/10/18
shelves: books-i-own, made-me-cry, 2024-haul, 2024-reads, 2024-releases, b-paperback, c-japan, x-adult-contempo, x-diverse-reads, x-fiction, x-fantasy, x-japanese-lit, x-magical-realism, x-translated, yarc-2024
review:

]]> 199261152 A professor of literature finds herself caught up in a work of fiction� literally.

Eileen Merriweather loves to get lost in a good happily-ever-after. The fictional kind, anyway. Because at least imaginary men don’t leave you at the altar. She feels safe in a book. At home. Which might be why she’s so set on going to her annual book club retreat this year—she needs good friends, cheap wine, and grand romantic gestures—no matter what.

But when her car unexpectedly breaks down on the way, she finds herself stranded in a quaint town that feels like it’s right out of a novel�

Because it is.

This place can’t be real, and yet� she’s here, in Eloraton, the town of her favorite romance series, where the candy store’s honey taffy is always sweet, the local bar’s burgers are always a little burnt, and rain always comes in the afternoon. It feels like home. It’s perfect—and perfectly frozen, trapped in the late author’s last unfinished story.

Elsy is sure that’s why she must be here: to help bring the town to its storybook ending.

Except there is a character in Eloraton that she can’t place—a grumpy bookstore owner with mint-green eyes, an irritatingly sexy mouth and impeccable taste in novels. And he does not want her finishing this book.

Which is a problem because Elsy is beginning to think the town’s happily-ever-after might just be intertwined with her own.]]> 368 Ashley Poston 0593640977 Kath 3 3.62 2024
author: Ashley Poston
name: Kath
average rating: 3.62
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at: 2024/10/13
date added: 2024/10/18
shelves: 2024-releases, books-i-own, 2024-haul, 2024-reads, b-paperback, v-foundfamily, v-small-town-vibe, x-adult-contempo, x-romance
review:

]]> 210450042 Listening length: 9 hours, 52 minutes

The Turn of the Key meets Parasite in this eerily haunting debut and Reddit hit—soon to be a Netflix original movie starring Blake Lively—about two homeowners whose lives are turned upside down when the house’s previous residents unexpectedly visit.

As a young, queer couple who flip houses, Charlie and Eve can’t believe the killer deal they’ve just gotten on an old house in a picturesque neighborhood. As they’re working in the house one day, there’s a knock on the door. A man stands there with his family, claiming to have lived there years before and asking if it would be alright if he showed his kids around. People pleaser to a fault, Eve lets them in.

As soon as the family enters their home, strange and inexplicable things start happening, including their toddler going missing and a ghostly presence materializing in the basement. Even more weird, the family can’t seem to take the hint that their visit should be over. And when Charlie suddenly vanishes, Eve slowly loses her grip on reality. Something is terribly wrong with the house and with the visiting family—or is Eve just imagining things?]]> 10 Marcus Kliewer 1797181289 Kath 5 3.59 2024
author: Marcus Kliewer
name: Kath
average rating: 3.59
book published: 2024
rating: 5
read at: 2024/10/17
date added: 2024/10/18
shelves: all-time-favorites, 2024-audiobook, 2024-releases, 2024-reads, v-halloween, v-mental-health, x-fiction, x-horror, x-mystery, x-paranormal
review:

]]> 139391940 A spicy small-town romance and TikTok phenomenon, perfect for fans of Hannah Grace and Stephanie Archer.

When Jeanie's aunt gifts her the beloved Pumpkin Spice Café in the small town of Dream Harbor, Jeanie jumps at the chance for a fresh start away from her very dull desk job.

Logan is a local farmer who avoids Dream Harbor's gossip at all costs. But Jeanie's arrival disrupts Logan's routine and he wants nothing to do with the irritatingly upbeat new girl, except that he finds himself inexplicably drawn to her.

Will Jeanie's happy-go-lucky attitude win over the grumpy-but-gorgeous Logan, or has this city girl found the one person in town who won't fall for her charm, or her pumpkin spice lattes�

The Pumpkin Spice Café is a cozy romantic mystery for fans of Gilmore Girls, with a grumpy x sunshine dynamic, a small-town setting and a HEA guaranteed!

Tropes:

� grumpy x sunshine
� small town
� found family
� spicy]]> 373 Laurie Gilmore 0008610665 Kath 4 3.36 2023
author: Laurie Gilmore
name: Kath
average rating: 3.36
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2024/09/21
date added: 2024/10/01
shelves: 2024-audiobook, 2024-reads, b-ebooks, librofm, v-foundfamily, v-halloween, v-small-town-vibe, x-adult-contempo, x-fiction, x-romance
review:

]]> 214553771
---

"Death blinked into existence when Uncle Drew left. It’s never going to leave me now, and I’m never going to let it."

When eighteen-year-old Kali applies for a part-time job at Tea for Two to spend every waking hour with the ghost of her recently deceased, Cheeto-loving, carefree Uncle Drew, she doesn’t expect Luca—the hot but aloof owner behind the counter—to offer her the job. She also doesn't expect to find him irresistibly cute.

But she can’t afford to have Luca’s college-boy charm distract her when the landlord decides to demolish Tea for Two. Losing Uncle Drew’s haunt might just erase him from her life completely. And she can’t lose him—not again.

Amid Uncle Drew facing his own demons, messy LEGO bricks, Kali’s best friends going to separate colleges, and her counting down the final days until her uncle slips from her fingers forever, can Kali truly learn what it means to move on, find love, and let go?]]> 288 Catherine Dellosa 9815127799 Kath 4
It’s my very first Dellosa read and I am amazed by her beautiful writing. It’s raw and poignant. Kali’s relationship with her Uncle is so precious and it was heartbreaking to read her loss and grief. She blames herself for what happened. She is having a hard time letting go and it affects everyone around her. She is lucky to have supportive and loving friends. The romance between Kali and Luca was a bit rushed but I liked that they put themselves first before starting something between them. The Summer of Letting Go is about acceptance and new beginnings. It’s also a reminder that grief hits and looks different for each of us. A coming-of-age story that will definitely resonates with most of us.]]> 3.96
author: Catherine Dellosa
name: Kath
average rating: 3.96
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2024/09/29
date added: 2024/10/01
shelves: books-i-own, filipino-authors, made-me-cry, 2024-haul, 2024-reads, 2024-releases, b-paperback, c-philippines, from-publisher, galley-physical, v-mental-health, v-summer, x-diverse-reads, x-fiction, x-romance, x-ya-contemporary, yarc-2024
review:
Instead of planning for college, Kali applies for a part-time job at a tea shop called Tea for Two to continue spending time with her favorite Uncle Drew, who recently passed away. She gets the job and also the attention of the shop owner, Luca. She then finds out that the landlord is planning to demolish the building where the tea shop is. Kali will do anything to save the shop and to not lose her Uncle again.

It’s my very first Dellosa read and I am amazed by her beautiful writing. It’s raw and poignant. Kali’s relationship with her Uncle is so precious and it was heartbreaking to read her loss and grief. She blames herself for what happened. She is having a hard time letting go and it affects everyone around her. She is lucky to have supportive and loving friends. The romance between Kali and Luca was a bit rushed but I liked that they put themselves first before starting something between them. The Summer of Letting Go is about acceptance and new beginnings. It’s also a reminder that grief hits and looks different for each of us. A coming-of-age story that will definitely resonates with most of us.
]]> 208497080 Emily Henry's Beach Read meets Jen DeLuca's Well Met in this slow-burn romcom between two strangers - one grumpy, one sunshine - who must play nice with one another to avoid a workplace catastrophe.

When her sister is away for a business trip, 23-year-old Ellie Maharani agrees to look after her nieces and discovers on the first day of school that her sister’s PTA leadership is under attack. Ellie might not know much about PTA, but nobody steals her sister’s presidency from under her nose. She volunteers to sit in as an acting chairperson, unaware that the job comes with a condescending yet attractive PTA co-captain who criticizes everything she does, including her choice of donut.

The last thing Dion Saputra needs is more work outside his ER job, but refusing his old school’s request would incite a PTA war. With a prominent musical gala on the way, any mistakes, however small, would reflect badly on Dion’s uncle, the Principal. Dion would do anything for the man who has raised him since his father died, even if it means playing nice to the clueless co-captain who thinks cheese donuts are better than Mochaccino.

Between meetings and rehearsals, stolen kisses and an orchestrated PTA coup, they begin to realize that maybe, just maybe, they don't despise each other's guts?

Swoon-worthy, endearing, and full of heart, this is a story about finding yourself, sticking up for your family, and falling in love with cheese donuts.]]> 288 Melly Sutjitro 981520498X Kath 4
Ellie and Dion are both very relatable characters. Both loyal, loving, and quirky. I wasn’t sure about Dion at first but I ended up liking him and his character. I enjoyed the banter and the chemistry between the two. This book is also about family. The unconditional love they have for their families are admirable. One of the things I appreciate about this book is the author’s effort on raising awareness about endometriosis. This was a charming and a heartwarming read. It has slow-burn romance, PTA drama, heartbreaking scenes, and of course, a lot of food!]]> 4.12
author: Melly Sutjitro
name: Kath
average rating: 4.12
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2024/09/16
date added: 2024/10/01
shelves: books-i-own, 2024-releases, 2024-reads, 2024-haul, b-paperback, c-indonesia, favoritemc, v-food, x-adult-contempo, x-fiction, x-diverse-reads, x-romance, yarc-2024
review:
Ellie is looking after her nieces while her sister is away which sounds pretty easy until she finds herself co-chairing PTA with Dion, the school principal’s nephew. She doesn’t have any idea what she’s getting into but she will do everything to defend her sister’s position. Even if it means dealing with Dion and his strong opinions.

Ellie and Dion are both very relatable characters. Both loyal, loving, and quirky. I wasn’t sure about Dion at first but I ended up liking him and his character. I enjoyed the banter and the chemistry between the two. This book is also about family. The unconditional love they have for their families are admirable. One of the things I appreciate about this book is the author’s effort on raising awareness about endometriosis. This was a charming and a heartwarming read. It has slow-burn romance, PTA drama, heartbreaking scenes, and of course, a lot of food!
]]> 35042084 A stand-alone fantasy tale from Seanan McGuire's Alex-award winning Wayward Children series, which began in the Alex, Hugo, Nebula, and Locus Award-winning, World Fantasy Award finalist, Tiptree Honor List Every Heart a Doorway

Beneath the Sugar Sky, the third book in McGuire's Wayward Children series, returns to Eleanor West's Home for Wayward Children in a standalone contemporary fantasy for fans of all ages. At this magical boarding school, children who have experienced fantasy adventures are reintroduced to the "real" world.

When Rini lands with a literal splash in the pond behind Eleanor West's Home for Wayward Children, the last thing she expects to find is that her mother, Sumi, died years before Rini was even conceived. But Rini can’t let Reality get in the way of her quest � not when she has an entire world to save! (Much more common than one would suppose.)

If she can't find a way to restore her mother, Rini will have more than a world to she will never have been born in the first place. And in a world without magic, she doesn’t have long before Reality notices her existence and washes her away. Good thing the student body is well-acquainted with quests...

A tale of friendship, baking, and derring-do.

May contain nuts.

At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.]]> 174 Seanan McGuire 0765393573 Kath 4
]]> 4.04 2018
author: Seanan McGuire
name: Kath
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2023/01/31
date added: 2024/09/27
shelves: 2023-reads, 2023-favorites, b-ebooks, x-diverse-reads, x-fiction, x-fantasy, x-lgbtqia, x-magical-realism, x-paranormal, x-ya-fantasy
review:
This is the third installment in the Wayward Children series. We see familiar faces and some new ones. Our beloved characters go on an adventure and travel through magical worlds like Underworld and Confection. I don’t want to give spoilers or more details about this book so I recommend you to pick up this series if you get the chance. If you have read the first two books then i’m pretty sure you’ll also enjoy this one. The author continues to amaze me with her beautiful and eloquent writing and storytelling.


]]> 51474929 Tor.com's science fiction and fantasy flash fiction collection originally published in 2017 inspired by the now-iconic statement, now available in Kindle format.

She was warned. She was given an explanation. Nevertheless, she persisted.

Three short lines, fired over social media in response to questions of why Senator Elizabeth Warren was silenced on the floor of the United States Senate, for daring to read aloud the words of Coretta Scott King. As this message was transmitted across the globe, it has become a galvanizing cry for people of all genders in recognition of the struggles that women have faced throughout history.

Three short lines, which read as if they are the opening passage to an epic and ageless tale.

We have assembled this flash fiction collection featuring several of the best writers in SF/F today, including Seanan McGuire, Charlie Jane Anders, Maria Dahvana Headley, Jo Walton, Amal El-Mohtar, Catherynne M. Valente, Brooke Bolander, Alyssa Wong, Kameron Hurley, Nisi Shawl and Carrie Vaughn. Together these authors share unique visions of women inventing, playing, loving, surviving, and � of course � dreaming of themselves beyond their circumstances.

At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.]]> 47 Diana M. Pho 125078168X Kath 3 She was warned. She was given an explanation. Nevertheless, she persisted."

All the stories started with these powerful lines and I loved how the authors use and play with them through their stories. It's very imaginative and creative! This was my very first flash fiction experience and it was fun. Though there were times that I wasn't entirely sure what was happening but it's probably me not used to reading sci-fi. Not all of the stories stood out for me but here are my most favorite stories:
Our Faces, Radiant Sisters, Our Faces Full of Light! by Kameron Hurley - This story perfectly set the tone for the entire story collection. I wish this was a novel because it really sounds interesting!
Persephone by Seanan McGuire - This made me want to read her books!
Astronaut by Maria Dahvana Headley - I loved the twist on the story! Plus my ignorant a$$ didn't know about this historical event so thanks to this.
The Jump Rope Rhyme by Jo Walton - This is the only poem in the collection and I thought it was powerful.

If you're interested on reading this book, you can download it for free.

Merged review:

"She was warned. She was given an explanation. Nevertheless, she persisted."

All the stories started with these powerful lines and I loved how the authors use and play with them through their stories. It's very imaginative and creative! This was my very first flash fiction experience and it was fun. Though there were times that I wasn't entirely sure what was happening but it's probably me not used to reading sci-fi. Not all of the stories stood out for me but here are my most favorite stories:
Our Faces, Radiant Sisters, Our Faces Full of Light! by Kameron Hurley - This story perfectly set the tone for the entire story collection. I wish this was a novel because it really sounds interesting!
Persephone by Seanan McGuire - This made me want to read her books!
Astronaut by Maria Dahvana Headley - I loved the twist on the story! Plus my ignorant a$$ didn't know about this historical event so thanks to this.
The Jump Rope Rhyme by Jo Walton - This is the only poem in the collection and I thought it was powerful.

If you're interested on reading this book, you can download it for free.]]> 3.65 2020
author: Diana M. Pho
name: Kath
average rating: 3.65
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2020/07/02
date added: 2024/09/27
shelves: 2020-reads, x-scifi, x-fiction, x-fantasy, x-anthology, b-ebooks
review:
"She was warned. She was given an explanation. Nevertheless, she persisted."

All the stories started with these powerful lines and I loved how the authors use and play with them through their stories. It's very imaginative and creative! This was my very first flash fiction experience and it was fun. Though there were times that I wasn't entirely sure what was happening but it's probably me not used to reading sci-fi. Not all of the stories stood out for me but here are my most favorite stories:
Our Faces, Radiant Sisters, Our Faces Full of Light! by Kameron Hurley - This story perfectly set the tone for the entire story collection. I wish this was a novel because it really sounds interesting!
Persephone by Seanan McGuire - This made me want to read her books!
Astronaut by Maria Dahvana Headley - I loved the twist on the story! Plus my ignorant a$$ didn't know about this historical event so thanks to this.
The Jump Rope Rhyme by Jo Walton - This is the only poem in the collection and I thought it was powerful.

If you're interested on reading this book, you can download it for free.

Merged review:

"She was warned. She was given an explanation. Nevertheless, she persisted."

All the stories started with these powerful lines and I loved how the authors use and play with them through their stories. It's very imaginative and creative! This was my very first flash fiction experience and it was fun. Though there were times that I wasn't entirely sure what was happening but it's probably me not used to reading sci-fi. Not all of the stories stood out for me but here are my most favorite stories:
Our Faces, Radiant Sisters, Our Faces Full of Light! by Kameron Hurley - This story perfectly set the tone for the entire story collection. I wish this was a novel because it really sounds interesting!
Persephone by Seanan McGuire - This made me want to read her books!
Astronaut by Maria Dahvana Headley - I loved the twist on the story! Plus my ignorant a$$ didn't know about this historical event so thanks to this.
The Jump Rope Rhyme by Jo Walton - This is the only poem in the collection and I thought it was powerful.

If you're interested on reading this book, you can download it for free.
]]> 12371144 An addictively page-turning romance for fans of Before I Fall andĚýThe Fault in Our Stars Brie is the “biggest, cheesiest, sappiest romanticâ€� who believes that everyone will find their perfect someone. So when Jacob, the love of Brie's life, tells her he doesn't love her anymore, the news breaks her heart--literally.ĚýBut now that she's D&G (dead and gone), Brie revisits the living world to discover that her family has begun to unravel and her best friend has been keeping an intimate secret about her boyfriend. Somehow, Brie must handle all of this while navigating through the five steps of grief with the help of Patrick, her mysterious bomber-jacketed guide to the afterlife. But how is she supposed to face the Ever After with a broken heart and no one to call her own? "The debut is a fast, twisty, highly dramatic read about the turbulent nature of love."--Romantic Times "Rothenberg exploes what happens in the afterlife when you aren't quite done with your life."--San Francisco Chronicle "The funniest, sweetest, most heartfelt, sigh-worthy and oh-so-romantic story I've ever read. You'll love it!"--Cynthia Leitich Smith,ĚýNew York Times bestselling author ofĚýEternal and Blessed]]> 266 Jess Rothenberg 1101559721 Kath 5 b-ebooks, 2014-favorites
The author created a realistic and likeable characters in this book. Brie for example, is adorable, strong, sarcastic and selfish (at times). Her love to her family and friends is also undeniable. She made some unfavorable decisions during her journey through the five stages of grief which I think is understandable since well, she’s a teenager and a (dead) human. The good thing is she grew as a person (or spirit) during and after the stages. I like her love for the 80’s music which is very rare for teenagers nowadays. (80’s kid here by the way). Then there’s Patrick, an appealing, sweet and mysterious guy who became Brie’s guide in the afterlife and partner in crime during her “revenge� plan. And mind you, “love at first sight� didn’t happen between the two of them, not even “love triangle�. The revelation of his past is unexpected but it made sense through out the story. My favorite character in this book is actually not a person but an adorable basset hound named Hamloaf. He’s so cute and smart.

The chapter titles are clever and also the way how the story was divided into five parts made me fall in love with this book. The author knows exactly what her reader wants not to mention the unpredictable plot twists. A combination of paranormal, contemporary and fantasy, this book will make you think of what is waiting for us after death. What does it look like and how does it feel like. How painful and heartbreaking it would be seeing your family and friends continuing their lives without you. But thankfully, this book is not only about death, afterlife and goodbyes. It’s also about acceptance and moving on, living and loving the life you have while you still have the chance. Life can be full of lies, betrayals and revelations but how you handle and accept these things can make your life easier and more happier. Life is far too short to be sad and miserable.

This is a great book and I’ll recommend this not only to young readers who’s heart got broken but also to those people who’s having a hard time moving on. This one is a good book for you.

more on ]]> 3.72 2012
author: Jess Rothenberg
name: Kath
average rating: 3.72
book published: 2012
rating: 5
read at: 2014/09/11
date added: 2024/09/27
shelves: b-ebooks, 2014-favorites
review:
This is about a girl named Brie who died after her heart got literally broken by her boyfriend, Jacob. To be more precise, she had a heart failure (acute congestive cardiomyopathy in medical world) and died. She ends up in a pizza parlor called “Little Slice of Heaven� where she met a guy in his leather jacket and 80’s style named Patrick. The book will take you to Brie’s afterlife experiences while going through the five stages of grief before she can finally rest in peace.

The author created a realistic and likeable characters in this book. Brie for example, is adorable, strong, sarcastic and selfish (at times). Her love to her family and friends is also undeniable. She made some unfavorable decisions during her journey through the five stages of grief which I think is understandable since well, she’s a teenager and a (dead) human. The good thing is she grew as a person (or spirit) during and after the stages. I like her love for the 80’s music which is very rare for teenagers nowadays. (80’s kid here by the way). Then there’s Patrick, an appealing, sweet and mysterious guy who became Brie’s guide in the afterlife and partner in crime during her “revenge� plan. And mind you, “love at first sight� didn’t happen between the two of them, not even “love triangle�. The revelation of his past is unexpected but it made sense through out the story. My favorite character in this book is actually not a person but an adorable basset hound named Hamloaf. He’s so cute and smart.

The chapter titles are clever and also the way how the story was divided into five parts made me fall in love with this book. The author knows exactly what her reader wants not to mention the unpredictable plot twists. A combination of paranormal, contemporary and fantasy, this book will make you think of what is waiting for us after death. What does it look like and how does it feel like. How painful and heartbreaking it would be seeing your family and friends continuing their lives without you. But thankfully, this book is not only about death, afterlife and goodbyes. It’s also about acceptance and moving on, living and loving the life you have while you still have the chance. Life can be full of lies, betrayals and revelations but how you handle and accept these things can make your life easier and more happier. Life is far too short to be sad and miserable.

This is a great book and I’ll recommend this not only to young readers who’s heart got broken but also to those people who’s having a hard time moving on. This one is a good book for you.

more on
]]> 62987113
In Song of the Mango and Other New Myths, Vida Cruz-Borja brings stories woven from elements of classical myths and folklore from the Philippines and other parts of the world, as well as from visions of the modern and of the future. In words richly reimagined and reinvented, these "new myths" explore hidden depths from flawed characters who strive to search for a just and equal world, whether that may be in the realm of ordinary humans or the terrain of magical creatures.]]> 345 Vida Cruz 6214482281 Kath 0 to-read, filipino-authors 4.03
author: Vida Cruz
name: Kath
average rating: 4.03
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/27
shelves: to-read, filipino-authors
review:

]]> 33224718 Cinderella goes to the con in this fandom-fueled twist on the classic fairy tale.

Part romance, part love letter to nerd culture, and all totally adorbs, Geekerella is a fairy tale for anyone who believes in the magic of fandom. Geek girl Elle Wittimer lives and breathes Starfield, the classic sci-fi series she grew up watching with her late father. So when she sees a cosplay contest for a new Starfield movie, she has to enter. The prize? An invitation to the ExcelsiCon Cosplay Ball, and a meet-and-greet with the actor slated to play Federation Prince Carmindor in the reboot. With savings from her gig at the Magic Pumpkin food truck (and her dad’s old costume), Elle’s determined to win…unless her stepsisters get there first.

Teen actor Darien Freeman used to live for cons—before he was famous. Now they’re nothing but autographs and awkward meet-and-greets. Playing Carmindor is all he’s ever wanted, but the Starfield fandom has written him off as just another dumb heartthrob. As ExcelsiCon draws near, Darien feels more and more like a fake—until he meets a girl who shows him otherwise.]]> 337 Ashley Poston 1594749507 Kath 5 “We’re all geeks here!� I love everything about this book. The modern geeky Cinderella retelling, the humors, fandoms, and the characters including Frank the dog. There were so many relatable things in this book. I laughed, got so upset and shed some tears while reading. So much feels! There were no dull moments and the writing style is superb. This is definitely one of my favorite Cinderella retellings. It’s a very fast and adorable read with unforgettable characters.]]> 3.86 2017
author: Ashley Poston
name: Kath
average rating: 3.86
book published: 2017
rating: 5
read at: 2017/06/09
date added: 2024/09/26
shelves: 2017-reads, all-time-favorites, c-usa, 2017-favorites, galley-ebook, made-me-cry, netgalley, x-fiction, x-lgbtqia, x-retelling, x-ya-contemporary
review:
“We’re all geeks here!� I love everything about this book. The modern geeky Cinderella retelling, the humors, fandoms, and the characters including Frank the dog. There were so many relatable things in this book. I laughed, got so upset and shed some tears while reading. So much feels! There were no dull moments and the writing style is superb. This is definitely one of my favorite Cinderella retellings. It’s a very fast and adorable read with unforgettable characters.
]]> 50969209 Shannon Price's A Thousand Fires is a breakout contemporary debut―think The Outsiders meets The Iliad―that's perfect for fans of Courtney Summers and Veronica Roth.

10 Years. 3 Gangs. 1 Girl’s Epic Quest�

An extraordinary debut set in an alternate San Francisco and inspired by The Iliad�

Valerie Simons knows the gangs are dangerous—her little brother was shot and killed by the Boars two years ago.

Still, nothing will sway Valerie from wanting to join the elite and beautiful Herons and find her brother’s killer. It doesn’t hurt that her best friend Matthew is slated to become a Heron leader—and she’d follow him to the ends of the earth.

Then Valerie is recruited by the mysterious Stags when their volatile, provocative, and beyond charismatic leader Jax promises to help her get revenge. Torn between old love and new loyalty, Valerie races to finish the mission that got her into the gangs.

But no one truly wins the Wars.]]> 304 Shannon Price 125030198X Kath 2 tw: depression, PTSD, self harm, suicidal ideation

Valerie's younger brother was killed by the Boars two years ago and she is determined to avenge his death. Joining the Herons, the rival gang of the Boars, is part of her plan but she finds herself taken by a mysterious gang called the Stags. Jax, their leader, promises to help her get her revenge leaving her no choice but to stay in the gang and leave her family and friends behind.

The books started really strong but it went downhill so fast. It's upsetting because I really wanted to love this book. I personally liked Valerie's character except when she's around Jax. The other members of the Stags were interesting as well but we didn't get enough of their backstories. I didn't really care about the romance. Aside from Jax is a total creep, the romance felt flat and unnecessary in my opinion. I thought the foundation of the gangs were not that strong. I was under the impression that since they're teenagers, there would be so much angst and edginess. I didn't get any of these from this book. The plot was a bit predictable and the ending felt rushed and unresolved. I did like how gentrification and privilege were discussed in this book. Overall, I was disappointed that I ended up not loving this book as much as I had hoped. I'm still willing to give her next book a try though.

-----
This was disappointing for me and I feel sad because the MC (and the author) is half-Filipino. Full review to come.]]> 3.72 2019
author: Shannon Price
name: Kath
average rating: 3.72
book published: 2019
rating: 2
read at: 2019/10/28
date added: 2024/09/24
shelves: 2019-releases, galley-ebook, netgalley, 2019-reads, c-usa, x-ya-contemporary, disappointed-read
review:
tw: depression, PTSD, self harm, suicidal ideation

Valerie's younger brother was killed by the Boars two years ago and she is determined to avenge his death. Joining the Herons, the rival gang of the Boars, is part of her plan but she finds herself taken by a mysterious gang called the Stags. Jax, their leader, promises to help her get her revenge leaving her no choice but to stay in the gang and leave her family and friends behind.

The books started really strong but it went downhill so fast. It's upsetting because I really wanted to love this book. I personally liked Valerie's character except when she's around Jax. The other members of the Stags were interesting as well but we didn't get enough of their backstories. I didn't really care about the romance. Aside from Jax is a total creep, the romance felt flat and unnecessary in my opinion. I thought the foundation of the gangs were not that strong. I was under the impression that since they're teenagers, there would be so much angst and edginess. I didn't get any of these from this book. The plot was a bit predictable and the ending felt rushed and unresolved. I did like how gentrification and privilege were discussed in this book. Overall, I was disappointed that I ended up not loving this book as much as I had hoped. I'm still willing to give her next book a try though.

-----
This was disappointing for me and I feel sad because the MC (and the author) is half-Filipino. Full review to come.
]]> 53808128
But America in 1954 is not a safe place for two girls to fall in love, especially not in Chinatown. Red-Scare paranoia threatens everyone, including Chinese Americans like Lily. With deportation looming over her father—despite his hard-won citizenship—Lily and Kath risk everything to let their love see the light of day.]]> 404 Malinda Lo 0525555269 Kath 4 TW: racism, homophobia, miscarriage
Disclaimer: Huge thanks to PRH International and NetGalley for my free e-arc. This did not affect my overall opinion of the book.

I'm often skeptical when it comes to young adult historical fiction. But then I read that this is about a 17-year old queer Asian-American, which is not very common in historical fiction genre, and I just knew I had to read it.

Lily knows that she's different. She is just trying to ignore it because she has to be a "good Chinese girl" for her family and her community. But that changes when she finds out about the Telegraph Club and starts meeting people who are the same like her.

First of all, let's take a moment to sppreciate how stunning the cover of this book is! It's just perfect. I really loved Lily's character. Following her story as she discovers and explores more about herself were both powerful and heartbreaking to read. I wished we get to know more about Kath, who is, by the way, queer and also has the same name as me. Their romance felt very intimate and real. I genuinely wished them both happiness in life!

Aside from Lily's POV, some chapters are told from her parents' and auntie's perspectives. We get to see their own stories as Chinese immigrants in the U.S. during the time. This book is set in 1950's San Francisco and the author did an incredible job making the setting as a character itself. Her description of Chinatown, the Telegraph Club, and other places in San Francisco is very rich and vibrant. She is undeniably an amazing writer. I highly advice you not to skip the author's note at the end. It's very well-researched. You can definitely see how much effort and love the author has put into the story.

This is a beautiful story of self-discovery, staying true to yourself, and doing things that will make you happy. It's also about first love, found family, taking risks, and following your dreams.

]]> 4.23 2021
author: Malinda Lo
name: Kath
average rating: 4.23
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2021/03/08
date added: 2024/09/24
shelves: 2021-releases, made-me-cry, 2021-reads, c-usa, 2021-favorites, galley-ebook, netgalley, from-publisher, x-diverse-reads, x-fiction, x-historical-fiction, x-lgbtqia, yarc-2021
review:
TW: racism, homophobia, miscarriage
Disclaimer: Huge thanks to PRH International and NetGalley for my free e-arc. This did not affect my overall opinion of the book.

I'm often skeptical when it comes to young adult historical fiction. But then I read that this is about a 17-year old queer Asian-American, which is not very common in historical fiction genre, and I just knew I had to read it.

Lily knows that she's different. She is just trying to ignore it because she has to be a "good Chinese girl" for her family and her community. But that changes when she finds out about the Telegraph Club and starts meeting people who are the same like her.

First of all, let's take a moment to sppreciate how stunning the cover of this book is! It's just perfect. I really loved Lily's character. Following her story as she discovers and explores more about herself were both powerful and heartbreaking to read. I wished we get to know more about Kath, who is, by the way, queer and also has the same name as me. Their romance felt very intimate and real. I genuinely wished them both happiness in life!

Aside from Lily's POV, some chapters are told from her parents' and auntie's perspectives. We get to see their own stories as Chinese immigrants in the U.S. during the time. This book is set in 1950's San Francisco and the author did an incredible job making the setting as a character itself. Her description of Chinatown, the Telegraph Club, and other places in San Francisco is very rich and vibrant. She is undeniably an amazing writer. I highly advice you not to skip the author's note at the end. It's very well-researched. You can definitely see how much effort and love the author has put into the story.

This is a beautiful story of self-discovery, staying true to yourself, and doing things that will make you happy. It's also about first love, found family, taking risks, and following your dreams.


]]> 9123100 South of the Border, West of the Sun is the beguiling story of a past rekindled, and one of Haruki Murakami’s most touching novels.Hajime has arrived at middle age with a loving family and an enviable career, yet he feels incomplete. When a childhood friend, now a beautiful woman, shows up with a secret from which she is unable to escape, the fault lines of doubt in Hajime’s quotidian existence begin to give way. Rich, mysterious, and quietly dazzling, in South of the Border, West of the Sun the simple arc of one man’s life becomes the exquisite literary terrain of Murakami’s remarkable genius.]]> 213 Haruki Murakami 0307762742 Kath 4 4.02 1992
author: Haruki Murakami
name: Kath
average rating: 4.02
book published: 1992
rating: 4
read at: 2013/08/19
date added: 2024/09/23
shelves: b-ebooks, 2013-favorites, c-japan
review:
"Lots of different ways to live. And lots of different ways to die. But in the end� all that remains is a desert."
]]> 60044990 Japan's internationally celebrated master storyteller returns with five stories of women on their way to healing that vividly portrays the blissful moments and everyday sorrows that surround us in everyday life.

First published in Japan in 2003 and never-before-published in the United States, Dead-End Memories collects the stories of five women who, following sudden and painful events, quietly discover their ways back to recovery.

Among the women we meet in Dead-End Memories is a woman betrayed by her fiancé who finds a perfect refuge in an apartment above her uncle's bar while seeking the real meaning of happiness. In "House of Ghosts", a daughter of a yōshoku restaurant owner encounters the ghosts of a sweet elderly couple who haven't yet realized that they have been dead for years. In "Tomo-chan's Happiness", an office worker who is a victim of sexual assault finally catches sight of the hope of romance.

Yoshimoto's gentle, effortless prose reminds us that one true miracle can be as simple as having someone to share a meal with and that happiness is always within us if only we take a moment to pause and reflect. Discover this collection of what Yoshimoto herself calls the "most precious work of my writing career".]]> 235 Banana Yoshimoto 1640093702 Kath 0 to-read 4.20 2003
author: Banana Yoshimoto
name: Kath
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2003
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/21
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 218692969
Napakaraming gustong gawin ni Gerald sa buhay: magbasa, magmake-up, magsulat ng nobela, magfilm ng mga video contents para sa social media, at marami pang iba.

Minsan tuloy wala na siyang nagagawa dahil nao-overwhelm na siya sa dami ng gusto niyang gawin.

Sa ngayon, nagkukulang ang kanyang tulog dahil pinagsasabay niya ang pagtatrabaho at pagiging Tiktok content creator.

Mapapanood ang mga videos niya tungkol sa pagbabasa sa @geraldthebookworm, at @geraldtriesmakeup naman kung gusto mong sundan ang journey niya-sa pag-i-explore kung paano maglagay ng kolorete sa mukha.]]> Gerald Gruezo Kath 0 4.58
author: Gerald Gruezo
name: Kath
average rating: 4.58
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/12
shelves: to-read, filipino-authors, 2024-releases, 2024-reads
review:

]]> 13643567 “Can we become other than what we are?�

Mara Dyer once believed she could run from her past.
She can’t.

She used to think her problems were all in her head.
They aren’t.

She couldn’t imagine that after everything she’s been through, the boy she loves would still be keeping secrets.
She’s wrong.

In this gripping sequel to The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, the truth evolves and choices prove deadly.

What will become of Mara Dyer next?]]> 545 Michelle Hodkin 1442421819 Kath 4 books-i-own, 2013-favorites 4.20 2012
author: Michelle Hodkin
name: Kath
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2012
rating: 4
read at: 2013/07/17
date added: 2024/09/11
shelves: books-i-own, 2013-favorites
review:

]]> 50394270 A HEART-RENDING TALE OF TWO GIRLS GROWING UP IN WAR-TORN BAGHDAD

Baghdad, 1991. The Gulf War is raging. Two girls, hiding in an air raid shelter, tell stories to keep the fear and the darkness at bay, and a deep friendship is born. But as the bombs continue to fall and friends begin to flee the country, the girls must face the fact that their lives will never be the same again.

This poignant debut novel reveals just what it's like to grow up in a city that is slowly disappearing in front of your eyes, and how in the toughest times, children can build up the greatest resilience.]]> 247 Shahad Al Rawi 1786073234 Kath 4
I really enjoyed reading this book and if I have my own copy, i'm pretty sure that it'll be filled with annotations, underlines, and highlights. There were so many beautiful lines! There were some slow-paced scenes but I though the writing was still captivating. I also enjoyed the addition of metaphors and magical element. I like that this book is written in the first person pov of the young protagonist. It's pure, innocent and honest. No pretentions. This is actually one of the reasons why I love reading middle grade novels. We see through our young narrator how their neighborhood continue their everyday lives despite of the war that is happening which slowly destroying (both physically and mentally) their community). The author focuses more on the devastating effects and innocent victims of the war instead of the act of violence and war itself. This book actually made me cry mostly because of Uncle Shawkat and Biryad the dog. This was such a thought-provoking and heartbreaking coming-of-age novel.

This book was first published in Arabic in 2016 and was translated to English by Luke Leafgren in 2018.]]> 3.80 2016
author: Shahad Al Rawi
name: Kath
average rating: 3.80
book published: 2016
rating: 4
read at: 2019/10/21
date added: 2024/09/11
shelves: 2019-reads, 2019-audiobook, made-me-cry, x-translated, x-fiction, x-historical-fiction, x-middle-grade, buddy-read
review:
This book takes place in 1991 Baghdad during the Gulf War. It follows the story of two young girls in an air raid shelter who eventually become best of friends. Together they dream of a perfect world as well as witness how the ongoing war affects their neighborhood and their own lives.

I really enjoyed reading this book and if I have my own copy, i'm pretty sure that it'll be filled with annotations, underlines, and highlights. There were so many beautiful lines! There were some slow-paced scenes but I though the writing was still captivating. I also enjoyed the addition of metaphors and magical element. I like that this book is written in the first person pov of the young protagonist. It's pure, innocent and honest. No pretentions. This is actually one of the reasons why I love reading middle grade novels. We see through our young narrator how their neighborhood continue their everyday lives despite of the war that is happening which slowly destroying (both physically and mentally) their community). The author focuses more on the devastating effects and innocent victims of the war instead of the act of violence and war itself. This book actually made me cry mostly because of Uncle Shawkat and Biryad the dog. This was such a thought-provoking and heartbreaking coming-of-age novel.

This book was first published in Arabic in 2016 and was translated to English by Luke Leafgren in 2018.
]]> 205124935
"The rational and the impossible thrive together in the tales that Sigrid Gayangos weaves in Laut: Stories, a book that is as important for its setting and philosophy as for its exquisite writing. Laut buoys us into the interstices of city and seaside to witness the interactions and migrations of land lovers and sea dwellers alike. With masterful restraint that few storytellers her age possess, Gayangos documents encounters with magic that can neither be calculated nor tamed, with forces that exist gloriously in the physicality of water, but also always just outside the limits of human knowledge. There is no greater gift to the reader than these startling glimpses into a life-giving world we too often take for granted."
—Anna Felicia Sanchez, Pics or It Didn’t Happen and Actual Stories

"Sigrid Marianne Gayangos’s debut collection of speculative fiction showcases the interplay of imagination and political consciousness—and in that fertile space, Laut: Stories offers both delight and provocation, delivered with a confident hand. With this book, Gayangos steps up to lead the charge for the next generation of writers."
—Dean Francis Alfar, Salamanca

"This first collection of thirteen stories by Sigrid Gayangos brings us back to the primal waters of the imagination. In the Malayo-Polynesian language of seafarers, laut is the name for the ocean on whose currents they rode to reach thousands of islands scattered in the Southern Pacific Ocean, some of them so small, and from time to time disappearing with the flow of the tides. In the thrall of stories inhabited by humans and more-than-humans, we echo Sigrid Gayangos’s praise of the seas and the oceans “for rolling relentlessly around the world, for reminding us of our smallness, for showing us how things are connected, for instilling a deep sense of wonder, for the air we breathe, for food, for the singing of the waves, for literally and figuratively everything. May we be better stewards of this water planet.�
To read each of these stories with care is to joyfully say yes!
—Marjorie Evasco, Skin of Water]]> 170 Sigrid Marianne Gayangos 9715429971 Kath 0 to-read 4.06
author: Sigrid Marianne Gayangos
name: Kath
average rating: 4.06
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/31
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 199295788 In this charming and emotionally resonant follow up to the internationally bestselling Days at the Morisaki Bookshop, Satoshi Yagisawa paints a poignant and thoughtful portrait of life, love, and how much books and bookstores mean to the people who love them.

Set again in the beloved Japanese bookshop and nearby coffee shop in the Jimbocho neighborhood of Toyko, More Days at the Morisaki Bookshop deepens the relationship between Takako, her uncle Satoru , and the people in their lives. A new cast of heartwarming regulars have appeared in the shop, including an old man who wears the same ragged mouse-colored sweater and another who collects books solely for the official stamps with the author’s personal seal.

Satoshi Yagisawa illuminates the everyday relationships between people that are forged and grown through a shared love of books. As time passes, Satoru, with Takako’s help, must choose whether to keep the bookshop open or shutter its doors forever. Making the decision will take uncle and niece on an emotional journey back to their family’s roots and remind them again what a bookstore can mean to an individual, a neighborhood, and a whole culture.]]> 176 Satoshi Yagisawa 0063278715 Kath 4 3.90 2011
author: Satoshi Yagisawa
name: Kath
average rating: 3.90
book published: 2011
rating: 4
read at: 2024/08/11
date added: 2024/08/30
shelves: books-i-own, made-me-cry, 2024-haul, 2024-reads, 2024-releases, b-paperback, c-japan, v-foundfamily, v-small-town-vibe, x-diverse-reads, x-adult-contempo, x-fiction, x-japanese-lit, x-romance, x-translated, yarc-2024
review:
It was great to be back at the Morisaki Bookshop! We have the same characters but this time we were able get to know them more. The previous book focused on Takako’s journey finding herself while the second book is more about the bookshop and how it connects the lives of the people around it. Japanese books and authors were mentioned just like in the first book. I added some of the titles on my tbr list. I was not expecting to get emotional while reading this book. Despite of the heavy themes, this is still a cozy and a comforting read.
]]>