en-US Sun, 27 Apr 2025 20:11:28 -0700 60 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg Friend1421199162 Sun, 27 Apr 2025 20:11:28 -0700 ReadStatus9350255107 Fri, 25 Apr 2025 04:21:51 -0700 /review/show/7517359947 Yunalesca wants to read Lessons in Chemistry: A Novel by Bonnie Garmus
]]> ReadStatus9350254277 Fri, 25 Apr 2025 04:21:27 -0700 /review/show/7517359360 Yunalesca wants to read Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping [On a Dead Man] by Jesse Q. Sutanto
]]> Review4844193054 Thu, 24 Apr 2025 22:52:01 -0700 /review/show/4844193054 Yunalesca gave 5 stars to Cleopatra and Frankenstein (Hardcover) by Coco Mellors
]]> ReadStatus9349755610 Thu, 24 Apr 2025 22:51:54 -0700 /review/show/7517007478 Yunalesca wants to read Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors
]]> ReadStatus9349754948 Thu, 24 Apr 2025 22:51:30 -0700 /review/show/4844193054 Yunalesca finished reading Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors
]]> ReadStatus9327475890 Sat, 19 Apr 2025 11:34:22 -0700 /review/show/4844193054 Yunalesca started reading Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors
]]> Review7464174745 Thu, 17 Apr 2025 12:10:08 -0700 /review/show/7464174745 Yunalesca gave 3 stars to Water Moon (Hardcover) by Samantha Sotto Yambao
This was a highly anticipated read for me, as people said it’s something akin to Before the Coffee Gets Cold, but written by a Filipino author. I thought, “Finally, a healing, cozy read set in the Philippines! I can’t wait to see how it’s executed and saan dito yung story!�� ��

To my huge disappointment, the setting turned out to be in Japan. 😞

If you’re a Filipino who’s familiar with and sensitive to Japanese culture, this might be more frustrating for you. The removal of honorifics less than an hour after meeting, the insta-love, the use of “otou-san�� instead of simply saying “father,�� and the oddly placed references to “ikigai�� and “isekai”�� sigh. :(

I also thought the imaginary friend, Ramesh, could have been Filipino (you know, just for a bit of representation?) but nope, still not. He’s Indonesian.

Story-wise, the plot, concept, and world were all very promising. But the insta-love, stilted dialogue, the missed potential had this been set in the Philippines, and the missteps in depicting Japanese culture dulled the entire experience for me. I couldn’t connect with the characters, and the “I’ll sacrifice my life for you�� right off the bat, after barely knowing each other, just didn’t feel believable.

I’m really sad because I wanted to love this and support Filipino authors. I know this story will resonate with others, and they’ll find beauty in it in their own way. ]]> Review6080105728 Thu, 10 Apr 2025 11:48:18 -0700 /review/show/6080105728 Yunalesca gave 4 stars to The Thursday Murder Club (Thursday Murder Club, #1) by Richard Osman
4.5 ⭐️ ]]> ReadStatus9273469565 Sat, 05 Apr 2025 07:10:55 -0700 /review/show/7464176393 Yunalesca wants to read The Correspondent by Virginia Evans
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