Y’all Read This?

Sweet Bean Paste by Durian Sukegawa My rating: 4 of 5 stars This quiet, gentle story about unlikely connections left a big impression on me. The writing has a meditative quality to it, that draws you in. I especially appreciated the exploration of Hansen's disease. I knew very little about it, and I found the history of it to be informative and interesting. It was masterfully woven into the narrative! My only real complaint, which isn't really a complaint at all, is the ending. I would have liked a little more resolution after becoming so invested in these characters struggles! Still, it's a lovely, thoughtful read that I'm glad I picked up! View all my reviews

So. This started out promising. I enjoyed the imagery and the overall concept. It's an interesting way to retell a classic fairy tale. But, if I'm honest, I can't really tell you what happened. I was constantly confused, and I could rarely tell who was talking, even with the narrator giving us different voices. It's beautifully written, but the only thought I consistently had throughout was, "Should I finish this?" Lines That Lingered "A robber who steals a knife and cuts himself cannot cry out against the woman who kept it sharp." Overall Rating:  ★★☆☆☆ Enjoyment:  ★★☆☆☆ Ease of Reading:  ★★☆☆☆

Book Vibe:  I’m too tired for this plotline Characters:  Rachel Price, Caleb Sanford, Jake Compton, Ilmari "Mars" Kinnunen Big sigh. This book. Let me preface this with a disclaimer. I like the “reverse harem” / “why choose?” trope. I don’t care about the order of operations: who’s with who first, how they get there, or what creative furniture is involved. I also love stupid, cheesy dialogue and over-the-top lines that make me laugh, even when they’re nowhere near smart or groundbreaking. That is  not  the problem here. The problem? Is it the sketchy doctor/patient power dynamic? No. The wet-noodle FMC? Also no. It’s that this thing is nearly 800 pages long when it maybe,  maybe , had enough story for 300. The conflict is paper-thin, and the insta-love kills any tension before it starts. If you’re going to have a woman and three men end up together, you need an actual climb to get there. We can’t all just yell  "Yay! Let’s do it!"  like horny cheerlead...

Book Vibe:  Feral raccoon in a trash can This prequel was... silly. I can usually roll with instalove, but this might have been too much even for me. It was giving "Feral Raccoon in a Trash Can" vibes. Our MMC's fixation on her sternum tattoo... sir, please calm down. If we're going for chaotic obsession, I need something actually chaotic, not just a long weekend (was it just a single night? I might have blacked out in the middle) in your hotel room. It's short, fast, and clearly only meant to set up the main book, but if this is the appetizer, I'm worried about the main course. Lines That Lingered:   "I bet she’s got more kinks than a garden hose." Overall Rating:  ★★☆☆☆ Enjoyment:  ★★☆☆☆ Ease of Reading:  ★★★☆☆