afi_whatafireads's reviews
586 reviews

Fuck me sideways ishiguro.

Chapters in volume : Ch 1- Ch4.5

A great opening for me. I loved how Itsuomi has that RIZZ :')
In some ways, on the surface, he might look like he would play your heart, but in some other ways, I kind of get that he is being genuine with his actions.

I also liked how the mangaka revel on the expression of the sign language itself. It felt intimate and beautiful, and the perspective of Yuki's world, making the panel one that felt whole.

Definitely a great start. I've been meaning to catch this manga for a long time, but I do love that I get to read it now when I feel that I would appreciate it more.

3.75🌟

Dazai did it again, and I think, anything written by him is something that I will like.

The thing about his books, as desolate and helpless we would feel after reading it, there is always the mere fact that at the end of the day, he had tried to live as a human - or the version of a human that he understands and deems worthy.

The beggar student was published a few years before his death but was written a few years after his first attempt of suicide, in which he enrolled in a university and later quit, and to me, nothing in his books are a coincidence, especially the books written in the dawn of his suicide. Whilst we see a more humorous side of Dazai in this book, the feeling that it gave me was the same as when reading No Longer Human. It is despondent. It is bleak. It felt that he was grasping for things that he wish to gain but ended up not being able to achieve it.

Books by these authors will be more understandable when you understand the story behind its writing. The chronology of his death, the state of mind that he wrote, of the mockery of an author in the book who happens to carry the same name as him.

4.5🌟

I aspire to be as nonchalant and as confident as this woman when im 54 :')

And me choosing to listen Ernaux's sordid affairs on a Friday morning on my way to work after a week not going into the office really sets off the mood of the day (haha)

But the thing with Ernaux's books, with even a book about an affair 30 years with a man younger, her observations through the stages of life and in self-discovery is one that I always find myself going back to her books. Ernaux's writing always gave me that sense of validation (that I didn't even know I needed).

The question of morality in a world of dominance, gender and power dynamics.

As slim as this book is, Ernaux wrote through the lens of a woman who holds power. In the age of dominance of a man who is only starting to live his life in his 20s, in which challenges the social norms of power dynamics in a relationship used to people at the time. She gave an air of nonchalance but its also how with this particular relationship, she gained back a sense of herself that was lost.

I have come to a conclusion that whatever that Ernaux writes, she will always succeed in reeling me in her stories. Its in the small details of what she feels at the time, present, and what she reminiscene of the past that makes up a story that will hook you in to the very end.

4.25🌟

The world of Akutagawa is always fun to go back in again, and I'm glad that I made this my first read of 2025. Its definitely sets a precedence to my other reads of the year, and I'm definitely looking forward to it.

Akutagawa is a master of its craft and Kappa is written through the lens of Patient 23, a psychiatric patient that fell down into a hole and went into the world of Kappa, where the monsters from Japanese folklores are living as similar to humans. The absurdity that is written on the surface with the subtle but very loud criticism on the society made this book such a pleasant one to read.

A gem on its own I definitely love it!
Wrote my full unfiltred thoughts on my substack. The rabbit hole that I feel into made me almost spiral at best, but goes to show- Akutagawa is an authors of his own league.

Read my Full Unfiltered Thoughts of Kappa on my Substack here :)

BURGESS.

JUST.
BURGESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS.
I am on my KNEES for this man good lord :')

Mother Bailey is back with a full swing, and I kid you not, this one was such a treat.

We get:
✅ Divorced , single, grumpy dad (who's only a sunshine to the people he loves)
✅ A ray of sunshine female character that is sassy, smart and also a fighter
✅ THE TENSION. OMFG THE ANGST.
✅ LEWSER MEN WHO IS HEAD OVER HEELS FOR THIS WOMAN
✅ AGE-GAP

Yes, that checks ALL of my boxes. And what's not to love with this one :')
I actually really liked how realistically well the friendship between Tallulah and Burgess went. They didn't just went dive in straight ahead, but instead, they sort-of became friends/employer-employee and then becoming a pair.

And good lord did Burgess checked in every list that I want in a man. Man knows his boundaries, is a family man and my gosh ... again... the ANGST :') I can't. It was a treat reading this.

One thing that made me a bit icked was the second half of the book. It got me to a point that I wanted to scream to both of them cause how..... sudden everything was. I would've preferred if the conflict was more about the daughter dynamics because that would've made a more probable conflict for a second chance per say.

But other than that? Burgess and Wells. And I get to see Wells and Josephine from Book 1 get married so that's a plus. AND I CAN'T WAIT FOR SIG'S BOOK TOO!!!

Bailey should keep on writing like this cause its sooooo fun. Besides the conflict part, I'm giving this book a 4🌟 for my man Burgess alone <3 Man's gone up to Top 5 of my romance character books list.

Thank you to Times Reads for this copy! I really appreciate it :)

This was a big, big book. And after two years, we finally had gotten the sequel, after the novella that came out last year. Shadowstitch was the sequel that was okay, but it was more on, I kind of wished this could end up as a duology instead.

This book started right off where it left from the first book. The aftermath from what had happened with Anna's aunt from the first book, to Effi returning with Attis and how Anna will need to pick up the pieces again. I would say, for the overall of Cari Thomas writing, I actually liked the way she slowly build up the world, the foundations in Anna's magic and how she is coming in terms to using them and the way it is affecting what was going on in their world now. Since its in an urban magical setting, we are brought back to the school and how they blend again with the people without the magic.

My favourite character in this book will always be Rowan. Her antiques and the way she livens up the book and Anna especially makes it bearable, to say the least. I honestly don't really care about Attis at this point. The Effie-Attis-Anna thing for me, just feels so unnecessary, I kind of wished there is another character that Anna can make as a love interest, because I'm just icked with Effie.
And, altho its a big big book, I kind of flew through the pages. Thomas's writing is one that is easy to read, and her magic system is not a 'in your face' thing, but more on lets build the world seamlessly.

I enjoy some parts more than not, but I do feel there's a major chunk of this book that can be cut off. It got really draggy at times, but I do enjoy the magic system (blood magic is always fun). Love seeing Anna's growth from her being sheltered to her embracing her powers. But even after all that, I still would read the third book (the cliffhanger....).

So, don't get intimidated by the length of this book. I feel like, it was worth waiting for the sequel, but again, just wished they could've combined it into a duology instead. Would still recommend this book if you're a beginner to fantasy and would like to delve into something not too heavy but still makes up an experience a fantasy book can provide.

3.75 stars for this one!

Thank you to Times Reads and the publisher for this copy! I truly appreciate it :)

It took me awhile to process my feelings for Funny Story. Still thinking how it will rank from the rest of the books that I've read from Emily Henry, but what I can tell you is this, Funny Story can come of as a bit slow than the rest of her books, but, for those who are in their late 20's and into their early 30's, this book will definitely have more resonance.

Like all of Henry's books, you will love it, or just hate it. And there is a certain pattern that you will come to realize, especially when you've read all of her books. Funny Story to me, was more of a self-revelation for both of the main characters, and gosh do I feel for Daphne and Miles. Having uprooted your life for someone and just having it vanish for the sake of a 'what if' hits harder. (Peter and Petra can really just go sht themselves) And as much as I want to criticize Daphne, I honestly can't. Funny Story is for the ones that have always been waiting for something to happen in their life, but when it did, they run away, solely because they don't believe they deserve that kind of love for them, and they ended up settling down with what "is comfortable" and not because they like someone. Its for those who wants to feel belonged, somewhere or in someone. But the sense of belonging can't be find in a person, but it comes from the acceptance of your past and the possibility in starting a life fresh with someone. Funny Story is that. Its a hit of reality that can seem way too real (it might come off as draggy), but to me, it feels, whole.

Miles on the other hand. Good lord... Henry can really write the men in her books because Miles? I love him to pieces. I love the way he was tender to Daphne. I loved how their relationship didn't just turn around to be something at first, but instead, they built a solid friendship before going into a serious relationship. I loved how they build up moments for themselves, with the community, building a sort of family around them before delving into something more. And I liked that we get to see parts of Miles trying to overcome the trauma from his parents as well.

Overall, Funny Story will be that book that I might not pick up again, but the story will always remain in my heart. From all of her books, I will rank this 3rd after Book Lovers and Happy Place. Also, this book solidifies that my love for her works too. Its like Ali Hazelwood too, yall can throw anything to me and will still eat up their works.

4.25 stars for this gem

Thank you to Times Reads for this copy!

So..... I picked this book up in a whim, thinking.. maybe.... I would really like it.
Don't get me wrong, this book has all the funsies that I usually will go to.
✅ Plus-size female rep.
✅ Appropriate age gap.
✅ Small town-ish romance.

But, what turned me off for most of the part of the book , was maybe, the way it was written overall. This was my first ever Melanie Harlow (honestly, I might've picked up one book of hers before but I really can't remember), so I came in this book with a bit of high expectations, but ended up not really feeling it at the end.

Lets get to what I actually liked about this book.
1) The Communication.
Well, the communication part of this book was top notch. I was seated. I loved how they really let out and talk about whats their do's and don't and what works for them. Refreshing to say the least and I liked that both of them indulged in what they liked.

2) The Family
I liked the relationships of the fmc siblings. Its very wholesome in a sense that they will always be there for each other which I really liked.

BUT, the two things that pulled me in the book was what made me a bit icked in a sense.

I've always loved female plus size reps in a book, but this one, for me, was not it. At first, I liked her overall confidence, but somewhat, it gets REPETITIVE. To a point that its just preachy. I don't really know how to say it, but the way it was written? Was not really meant for a plus size rep gurlie (and I'm saying this as a plus size myself).

And the depth of the characters? I really don't expect much tbh, but it felt the WHY they couldn't be together for me could've really been settled easily if yall just sit down and talk. Also, they're exes for a reason. I don't know. Yeah its a tad weird but again, the son was even married ?????? Like.....?????? Yeah. I was frustrated to say the least.

Romance part was okay to say the least. If yall need a scale, its a 3/5🌶 for me. But even that was a tad lacking. I really can't pinpoint what exactly but that was what I felt reading it.

So, this book was just okay for me. I expected more, but it didn't really work out at the end.

2.75🌟

Randomly picked this one up (cause it was recommended after I finished Garron's Park) and I got to say, whilst the overall idea was actually good, the execution part of the book was lacking. (but since this was a debut, kudos to the author but would have loved it if some things were done better).

The first half of the book was actually not bad. It was how the friendship started, the way Silas and Cade hit it off from being enemies of sort and ended up becoming friends. If I were to say, the parts that I liked were how the author wrote about their vulnerabilities, their family situations and how they were handling it in their own way.

But then, the second half happened and everything just went downhill after that. Everything was just RUSHED . There was no build up to their friendship into becoming more, and honestly, it almost felt like stereotyping despite the book having made almost all of the other characters around the mains to be free to be themselves with no toxicity in any way.

And the conflict? Good lord that was messy. I don't know, it just felt like there was little-to-no build up? And everything just happened???? and well I was pissed. I did finish it because I wanted to know how it will end (and the premise of the second book sounded really really good), but lowkey I was just left disappointed.

Will actually still read the second book cause I really liked Ford, but I hope that the build up would be better :')