afi_whatafireads's reviews
589 reviews

screaming THROWING UP

I finally got the strength to actually start the Shibuya Incident 😩

And I kid you not, I don't know why I do this to myself its basically torture at this point.

Volume 10
- Evening Festival Part 1 - Part 3
- Shibuya Incident Part 1 - Part 6

I actually read the Evening Festical ARC last year and just couldn't bring myself to finish the Shibuya Incident and holy gawd I think I'll scream and throw up after reading the Shibuya Incident because I'm so scared for my babies its insane.

Gojo gets basically all the highlights in here (cause we know what's about to happen yeesh) and I swear, the amount of things that the man has to carry is insane I wanna go in the manga and hug him. Akutami - ISTG you're literally a sadist and this whole fandom is a masochist at this point.

Going back into JJK ... I forgot how much I love the characters and this manga for real. Volume 11 will break me I know - I'm super scared to even read it gosh.

So, gonna continue reading it cause well... thrive off the pain i guess :')

4.5🌟

MY BABIES ARE BLOODY EVERYTHING I FREAKING LOVE THEM <3

Wow.
FUHHHHHH.
That was.... something else. God Damn.

Mind you that I finished this book in one seating. I had tried to pick it up last year - decided I wasn't in the right headspace for it - and then tried again this year, and wow did I just breeze through this book. Unlike the rest of the books in the series, this was the most different, taking that the POV is not from Kosuke Kindaichi himself but from the POV of the main MC, which I feel suits the premise and the whole vibe of the book. It truly made me sit on the edge, TURNING THE PAGES AND WANTING TO KNOW MORE . The adrenaline rush that I felt after finishing this is actually insane.

I do want everyone that reads this to get their own experience - and with books like this its best to go in blind - here are some things from the book that might intrigue you to read it :-

1) Adventure-like story , with a very deep history intact and a treasure hunt at core :p
2) Heinous killings that makes you go .... HUH?
3) The main MC's POV that makes you want to shake him up but also take pity for his fate.

Consistent to his Writing Style , Yokomizo Sensei had written the story in the same tone as like the rest in the series, but this time around, he gave the POV from the main 'victim' and how the events unfold from the perspectives of the people around him. Honestly, I just felt sorry for Tatsuya and how he had learnt about things. The pacing of the book might be slow at first, and you'll just be wondering what on earth is going on, but I liked that it really took pace during the second half of the book where everything slowly begun to unravel.

Again, with books like this, I won't talk too much about how it goes because I don't want to spoil it, but Yokomizo Sensei has also laminated to be one of the classical authors that I like. Kindaichi still plays a huge role in this book - and gosh I freaking love this man with my heart - but I also love that the author shone light and took the storytelling in a different perspective and gave it somewhat a different vibe from the rest of the series that has been translated. This series has not yet to disappoint me and I will definitely recommend it to everyone to read it.

The Village of 8 Graves really showed how love is the centre of our happiness but can also be our best demise. Tragic, heinous and smart, filled with the thrill of adventures of the old tales ; its a book that I will recommend to everyone to read. Its simple in a way that makes it easy for beginners, but its also enjoyable for those who has delved long into the crime thriller scene.

A solid 4.5🌟 for this gem!

Thank you to @definitelybooks for this copy! I truly appreciate it.

The first line of this book will always haunt me forever.

A spectacular and such a heartbreaking read on the lives of refugee immigrants - that focuses heavily during the Vietnamese War. Told in excerpts of different timelines - and sort of a journal, recounting moments of importance of three young siblings who escaped Vietnam during the Vietnam War and their journey of survival. A story that transcends history, of the guilt and hopes of finding new dreams, of love and desperation to stay alive and mostly of the lives of people affected in the wars that has past, in which it became a person's future.

Honestly, if I were to unpack every single thing in this book, it will take the joy out of reading Pin's proses and beautiful writing. There is a nuance in the story that makes it quite remarkable, being that this book is a debut work from the author. Whilst there are certain things in the technicalities of the book such as the transition and the jumping of one chapter to another that sometime can be quite confusing and made you go back to certain pages, this is a stunning debut work that deserved all the applause in the world. From the author highlighting on a very recent war that had just ended, to the harsh realities of the refugee immigration and how it had affected their lives till they were older, and how transgenerational trauma passes down from one generation to another. The effects on how war can really make or break a person is just relentless - and Pin had brought to life the sorrow and pain by telling the story of Ahn and her three siblings.

I feel that the author had made the story related to the concept of Wandering Soul to a point that its just painful and heartbreaking. Its just very smart of her to incorporate that not only the term Wandering Soul is a war tactic used by the US during the Vietnam War, its also a representation of the characters and the POV of Dao, in which showed Pin's ability to bring out each emotion in writing. The fact that you're reading the POV of Anh till the end made it seemed like we're reading through a child's journey and desperation to survive in the harsh world. I cried for the siblings, mourned with them and opened my eyes to a world that has been tainted by politics and war that only broken the people but not those in power. Reading through stories of the hardships of lives reflected from real people makes it so much harder as the events really did happen in our world. War only takes so much and its up to us to open our hearts and make a change.

The topic of transgenerational trauma was subtly introduced but had made the story very prominent. It showed that wars affects generations to come, even if the survivor had tried their hardest to break the chain. Pin managed to tore my heart in half through Anh's stories and the implications of the traumas that had scarred her family forever. I wanted to give each and every character here a big hug and it made my heart filled with so much warmth for the love that Anh received, as at the end of the day, its not her fault that they tried their best to survive.

This is a story that I will remember for a very long time. Paired with the beautiful writing and the importance of having voices from these stories amplified, this is a book that I will definitely recommend to everyone reading it. An impactful read that will last in your heart for a very long time.

Personal Ratings : 4.5🌟

Biggest thank you to Times Reads for this copy!

A witty and insightful tale that comes close in our society and community - where the stories stems from the lives of real people and shines light to the working class that has been in the shadows , working hard for their families ; a story where truths are prevailed , friendships are made and mostly, the voices of the oppressed are heard through the story.

What's The Story About ?
Imagine finding the friend that you know accused of a murder that she never did.

The story takes point from the POV of three Filipino women - who worked as helpers in Singapore. All three of them , Angel, Donita and Cora has their own circumstances and each families that they worked with are also significantly different - tho interconnected with one another. When a high profile murder happened and the accused is of the Filipino helper in the home which happened to be the three women's friends, various things came to light. The story of corruption, fight for power, injustice of migrant workers and mostly giving voice to things that reflected heavily in our society.

Thoughts

Honestly, this book took me by surprise. I was somehow enamoured by the story and the lives of the three women and their employer families. Its literally like watching an episode of Desperate Housewives but make it The Maid version. Not only the Voice of the story is witty, it also contained a lot of reflections and criticism to the government - both Singapore and Philippines, to bringing the voice of reason for the migrant workers especially in countries like Singapore. The author had shone light to various topics such as abusive employers, labor rights, the broken system for the migrant workers , police corruption, the drug war in the Philippines and social prejudice system that , me as an Asian in the neighbouring country, can see it happening in my country as well.

I love the Characters in the story and how each of the 3 women brought with them the reflections of the various behaviours and prejudices of employers in the community. It was definitely an eye-opening moment reading the POV of the helpers in our community. The fact that the author had done a thorough research in the topic had made the story felt personal and close. I liked Donita's feistiness and how she had fought her abusive employer. Angel had an epiphany at her employers whilst Cora found another person to call home.

Its honestly sad reading some of the prejudices that the society has inflicted on the migrant workers, especially in their fairness in having education, good pay and abused - both physically and mentally - by their employers. Its a thin line where The Help is an extension of your family and self , in which its impossible to separate two and two together. I liked that the author had shown how some employees can be super harsh and cruel and some treats the help with respect like fellow human beings and family. I feel that there are two sides of the story that can be seen here, and mostly showed how insensitive and condescending a person can be, especially when money and status comes in play. I also liked how close to reality the story is - and the fact that the author wrote this book loosely from real events that had happened in Singapore. The constant fight for the correct system for migrant workers are still ongoing and it definitely makes a very eye opening read.

Overall, this book will definitely take you by surprise. The fact that the author is from Singapore herself and that she moved to Philippines makes the setting to be lively and definitely realistic. What I can learn from the story is to always be kind to every single person and that the voices of these workers matters as much as everyone else in the country. I myself learnt a lot from this book and made me realized the privilege I have. Definitely will be a good book for a book club discussion and I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.

4🌟 for this gem!

Biggest thank you to Times Reads for this copy!

Intense and just.
Heartbreaking.
My heart is in very severe pain. It aches.

Edited Review: 24/4/2023

I guess it took me quite a while to put my coherent thoughts on this beautiful novel. I picked this book during one of those days - where I didn't want to think much but just feel - and this book gave me all of it. Its a quiet yet heart-wrenching read that on the surface seemed to be a story that revolves around a girl who is eccentric and found solace with the flowers that she found, but its more than that. Its a story of the repression of women and their voices in society , its the story of the abuses, loud and quiet that has been inflicted to women and its a story of a woman who is more than what she grants herself for . With the beautiful prose by Kyung-Sook Shin, translated by the ever lovely Anton Hur - this book is a reticent work that makes the voice of the characters seemed loud and interlaced with the language of flowers in producing one of the best books I've read for awhile.

For Violets is seemed to be an ordinary flower, almost be looking like a wallflower - is always there but never really looked closely to - its the depiction of women in society in the POV of San, her life and the friendship that she built with Namae and the flowers that she worked in a flower shop. Some Major Disclaimers , I feel that with all books, there is a time for it - and I highly suggest picking this book up when you totally be immersed in the story - as the proses can be tight and suffocating even if the book seemed like a short read.

I honestly want to hug San so bad, to a point that it made me ache so much for her whilst reading the story. She is one of the characters that I've come across that will never leave my head for the most pitiful. The title Violets and the cover made so much sense when the story came to an end. Its showing how women had been so oppressed with their voices that they were forced to choose violence - even by inflicting it on themselves - to leave a mark to the world.

Whilst Kyung Sook Shin has one of the best written proses I've read in Korean Literature that will make you want to hurl things at somebody whilst feeling very calm (weird feeling I know), I feel that this book showed how Exquisite and Breathtaking her writing is. I loved how she incorporated flowers and the environment in general in this book. It almost felt like I was there, watching San's life in an old movie theatre, where you'll be transported into a place that felt almost ethereal. Shin had conveyed each and every feeling of the character - interwoven beautifully into a story of a woman in search of herself and mostly of her life's meaning. Not many authors can take you on that journey and I have to thank the translator for doing such a good job in conveying each proses with precision. You can feel how much the translator is invested in this book, and I am thankful that I get to read more exceptional works from both the author and the translator himself.

There was a line in the Author's notes that had gotten me really teary :-

And indeed, the author had did just that with the story. The tone is mellow, and tranquil but it holds a significance amount of hurricane, expressed through the emotions of the characters and the repression of woman and the minority has to face throughout their whole lives. It showed how a mundane woman can never raise her voice unless amplified through a story like this, talked about and discussed and perhaps lead to a better change in this world.

I hope someday, that no matter who, your voice will be amplified as well. Seek help when you need. My thoughts can never do justice to how this book had made me felt, but I hope for once, you could be seen through this story.

Personal Ratings: 4.5🌟

Thank you to @definitelybooks for this copy :)

Firstly, I read this via the audiobook on Scribd and I kid you not, this is amongst the top audiobooks I've read this year - and it really made the story felt alive, and I loved every single second that I listened to it. So please, I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE TO EVERYONE TO LISTEN TO THE AUDIOBOOK CAUSE BLOODY HELL ITS AMAZING

Sorry for the caps - the emphasization showed how much I loved my experience reading this book. It got me screaming out loud, laughing my heart out and made me gasped so many times. The book somewhat felt like the telling of a tale from a close friend - except that its in the form of a killing alien who was thrown on Earth and somewhat sharing "the deeds" that they had done with someone else. Its both painful to hear but also, VERY VERY ENTERTAINING

Before I go on and on about how amazing the audiobook is - here's some of my thoughts for the book:-

1) Its NOT a book for everyone. I feel that you'll either love or hate the book with no in between of the feelings for each of them. One of the main themes is on sexuality and the state of loneliness (so to readers under 18, please read this with caution ). I felt quite taken with how the author brought forward the topics through the lenses of a monster who needed the warmth that is given from sexual intercourse before killing its prey. It seemed fitting that IT (I don't want to say its name to let yall know yourself) can actually just go into their houses and not do the deed. The need for warmth in how it equates to the state of loneliness is what I found interesting with this book and caught me wanting to know more of its character. Is it weird that I felt a sense of friendship with the alien? Weird - but it also shows the strength in the author's writing in being able to bring out so much emotions all in one single narrator. Its both interesting and intriguing and its one of the winning points of the book.

2) Whilst the story looks to be straightforward, it holds so much more message hidden, and its only available to see to those who wishes to acknowledge it. The author had used a lot of metaphors in his writing and I will have to thank the translator for being able to catch the nuance of the author as well. The narration in which the alien is somewhat talking us to us - the readers - made this a very immersive read. It will catch you and hold you captive until you see through it to the very end , and I'm glad that I stumbled upon this book through Scribd (not sponsored , just loving this app)

3) The concept of 'home' is one of the main themes of the book as well. I felt sorry for the alien as it came to Earth not on its own accord, and using every means for its survival. To the alien, Earth is not home, but there is no place for it to come back home too. It somehow reflected the society that we live in and how the concept of home is often foreign to others more than we care to know. Its both heartbreaking and also showed how loneliness can make humans do things out of their norm.

Now let me convince you to read WITH the audiobook because it literally altered my brain chemistry :')

I KID YOU NOT, I had actually check with both the ebook and audiobook whilst reading the book and I have to say, the audiobook really upped my ratings for this book. It was such an IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE . The narrator had done such a good job in portraying the different character , and it felt like I could actually SEE EACH AND EVERY EXPRESSION . Kudos to the narrator for really embodying the character. I just love it.

A grotesque and yet, such a dark-witty tale of an alien who needed more than just sexual gratification and satisfying its hunger. Its of how every being who knew the feelings of love and to be loved and the state of loneliness in which that you will grasp at anything to keep yourself occupied of the void inside. Its a state where its so engraved in today's society that there is no means to look to one night stands just to feel something to fill up the hollowness. Its a story of the voice who is screaming to be acknowledged by the world, a feeling that is hollow and the fear of being outed to the world by the systemic hardships of the social system.

4.25 for the story but upped to 4.75 because of the audiobook experience

Another story that changed my brain trajectory.

In a world filled with glam and glitz - comes the darkness behind the fame and wealth, hidden through fake smiles and different scars.

Sebuah cerita yang aku kira agak senang untuk dibaca. Mungkin target audiensnya adalah kepada remaja 20an ke bawah yang akan suka dengan genre buku ini. Tentang cinta, dunia yang nampak seperti bahagia tetapi tidak semestinya dan tentang kepercayaan dua individu untuk meneruskan kata hati mereka sendiri.

This is definitely not a book that I will pick up on my own, but in some ways, it was a good buffer read, especially when it reminded me so much of the K-Dramas that I used to watch. It brought me back to the year 2010, where Boys Over Flowers came out, and me thrashing on Geum Jam Di and Gu Jun Pyo cause lord both of them are equally annoying - and I LOATHED Geum Jam Di so much back then - and the feeling is pretty much the same when I read this book cause lord I can't stand the female mc :')

The Plot of the book is pretty straightforward. Its of Danielle who was sent to KL to study at an elite college by her mother's old friend after her mother passed away. There, she was sent to live with Hunter, the mysterious son of Uncle D who loathed her the soon she stepped into his home. Of a story where two worlds collide, love and mostly showing that humans, no matter their status are just humans at the end.

For a debut novel, it wasn't a bad read, but it didn't entirely WOW'ed me either. Considering that its the author's first book, I am looking forward to more of her books. I'd definitely just enjoyed this book as something that really made me reminisce the time where female leads can be so bloody annoying (very pick-me girl vibes) and the male mc is giving tsundere vibes. It was kinda cute but mostly, I was actually hoping for something more? The writing for me was a bit abrupt at some parts, and I do feel that most of the characters are pretty unlikable except for my boy Noah ; hence why I felt it was kind of a shame as everything seemed to end with a good note without a really proper transition to each part. But again, since its a debut novel, I feel that it will get better as it goes, and the fact that his book ACTUALLY HAS A SECOND BOOK - so yeah, I will def read Elitis 2 just to know what the heck is actually going on with Danielle's life :')

For me, most of the problems in the book were pretty much unresolved ; but in a way I kind of get it as the author is building up for the second book. Pacing-wise was okay but again - there are parts that felt too abrupt. The Romance was pretty okay. If you're a fan of K-Dramas, you'll just go LOLOL at certain parts cause, really, its GIVING the energy. Hunter reminds me of Lee Jae Wook in Extraordinary You - with the anger issue and the secrets and the daddy issues (LOL) - sorry bb i still love you - .


Overall, this was a light read that made me smile, lol'ed at parts, and mostly just had fun with it. A good buffer read as I'm in between two heavy books and it did its part. Apart from the transition to some parts, I would say, with its target audience, its a book that I feel a lot will enjoy. At the end of the day, some of the topics that the author had brought forward had showed how much our actions can affect the person's life journey and that not everything that we see on the surface are actually the truth - especially if we're judging a person's character . No matter how much privilege each person gets - at the end of the day its YOUR PERSONALITY that matters. Being rich is a given, but if you're pretty broke WITH a shitty personality , boo that's definitely on you. At the end, as humans we can learn to be thankful with what we have and look through people to more than just the shields that they wear outside. You might never know what you can stumble into.

Definitely can't wait for Part 2 of the book (cause I'm curious). And again - shoutout to Noah in this book cause he's definitely my favourite character in here haha.

Personal Ratings : 3.5🌟

I was promised a cozy fantasy, that kept my heart warm - and it definitely delivered.

I would say that the book needed the right headspace to go into it. If you're in NOT in the mood for something light, you'll find the story bland and boring. But, if you're like me, when my current mood when I picked up the book was needing something warm and not much thinking needed , this book will suit you perfectly. Not the usual storyline we'll find in a fantasy, but it gave what was expected.

The storyline is pretty simple - of a mercenary orc - Viv - who went into retirement early to find something else to fill her life with. She decided to settle down in a new town, and set up her own coffee shop. Of found families, the love for coffee and good food and just a reminder for us that it's okay to settle down to something that makes you happy.

I feel that one of the winning points of this book is that, I literally FELT Viv's solace in finally doing what she loves. The author had managed to transport us, as readers, to a place filled with warmth and hard work. The writing for me is pretty straightforward, and will definitely be something good for beginners too if you don't feel like reading a fantasy book that is heavy with plot and politics. I kind of liked the story of building a coffee shop in a place where coffee is pretty much non-existent, and the friends that she had found through the process are definitely something just heartwarming to read. It literally felt like I was in the Cafe , with maybe Amity on my side, eating Thimblet's with a cup of hot coffee.

I also liked that we get somewhat a slice-of-life with the main characters being strong female characters who chose to settle down. It made us believe there is a good in this world, and that the best place to start being good is by giving yourself a chance; and it leaves a smile on my face after finishing it.

Not a story for everyone, but perfect if you're in the mood for something that will warm your heart. Its perfect for a sweater-weather or winter weather, where you're tucked in bed with a book that can warm you up. Imagine that bliss.

4.5🌟 for this gem

Biggest thank you to @definitelybooks for this copy! I love it :)