Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 by Cho Nam-Joo

Translation:Jamie Chang This is a book that has been making its rounds for quite a while, and when I saw it on the library shelf, I was tempted and gave in.It is a slim volume, and I thought I would be able to read it in a single sitting (even while I knew that it…

Freckles by Cecelia Ahern

There were many reasons this book did not work for me. I have read the author many times in the past few years and usually enjoy her books. There was one surprise, though, I decided to stick with it all the way through to give it justice, and I think it had a very good…

Lonely Castle in the Mirror by Mizuki Tsujimura

My interest in writing reviews is waning again, mostly because I do not actually sit in front of the computer. Once I start typing, the clickety-clack of the keyboard I have gives me the push to want to write something unique and entertaining (Is this just me? or do you feel annoyed by the noise?).…

The Wolf in the Woods by Dan Brotzel

I really enjoyed a short story book by the author. There was something different about the presentation and the characters within the chapters, and that had me curious about this book.I should have looked at the blurb a little more cautiously because it does warn the readers about the content of the narrative. It is…

The Lights of Sugarberry Cove by Heather Webber

I can only start this review with what my understanding of Magical Realism in fiction. It is not the industry definition (something I could look up but choose not to do at this stage). It is when the idea of magic or 'otherworldliness is effortlessly woven into our contemporary world. This seems to be something…

Faces in the Crowd by Feng Jicai , Translated by Olivia Milburn

I have had this book on my virtual shelf a while and was happy to finally get to it. I did not expect to enjoy it as much as I did! The author has a very simplistic style, and like the drawings that precede each short story, we are given caricatures of different people in…

Is He My Son: A trafficked Chinese child, discovered and lost again by Lin Chang Translated by Bruce Humes

I almost did not finish this book. I am glad I did, though, because the ending made the read worth the effort. Not all translated books work for me, this one was definitely impaired by the narrative style, and I cannot really say if it was the cause of the original writer or not.This is…

The Book Club by Roisin Meaney

Still available to request on NetGalley The generic name and cover on this book do not do it justice. Or maybe in a strange way they do. One might go in expecting something good but not see the hit coming. If I haven't been clear with my opening, I loved the book.I started reading this…