Sayaka Murata - Life Ceremony

Sayaka Murata - Life Ceremony 

4 ⭐

Genre:  Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Japanese Literature, Asian Literature, Translated Fiction, East Asian Literature, Short Stories, Horror, Mystery 

Translated by: Ginny Tapley Takemori 

Original Title: 生命式 [Seimeishiki]  

Original Language: Japanese 

Pages: 266

Format: Kindle (Digital) 

Publisher: Granta Books 

Date Published: 1st October 2019

 

Book Blurb: 

From the author of international bestseller Convenience Store Woman comes a collection of short fiction: weird, out of this world and like nothing you’ve read before.

An engaged couple falls out over the husband’s dislike of clothes and objects made from human materials; a young girl finds herself deeply enamoured with the curtain in her childhood bedroom; people honour their dead by eating them and then procreating. Published in English for the first time, this exclusive edition also includes the story that first brought Sayaka Murata international acclaim: ‘A Clean Marriage’, which tells the story of a happily asexual couple who must submit to some radical medical procedures if they are to conceive a longed-for child.

Mixing taboo-breaking body horror with feminist revenge fables, old ladies who love each other and young women finding empathy and transformation in unlikely places, Life Ceremony is a wild ride to the outer edges of one of the most original minds in contemporary fiction.

My Review: 

OMG! This book was something else! In both, good and very grossly disturbing ways. The good is that this book is different to anything else I have ever read before. The grossly disturbing is that each story makes you feel like you are in a horror version of the Black Mirror episode. However, the writing is amazing, just as amazing as it was in Convenience Store Woman. I enjoyed the different parts of all twelve stories and learned so much, as each of them had a different hidden message in it.

Throughout 12 stories Murata explores our societal norms and traditions in a very creative way. Most of the stories ask ‘’what if..?’’ and makes you question whether the norms and traditions we have now wouldn’t be weird for others that come before us or will come after us. I felt that each story makes the reader question what societal norms are and who creates them. It also makes people question what is considered normal and what is not.

Overall: I really recommend this book, but be aware that is not a light-hearted read. There are so many gruesome, disgusting, and weird parts in every story, yet you also take something important and informative from each of the stories too. If you like horror and if you like Black Mirror, then you will definitely enjoy Life Ceremony! 

About the Author:

Sayaka Murata (in Japanese, 村田 沙耶香) is one of the most exciting up-and-coming writers in Japan today. She herself still works part time in a convenience store, which gave her the inspiration to write Convenience Store Woman (Konbini Ningen). She debuted in 2003 with Junyu (Breastfeeding), which won the Gunzo Prize for new writers. In 2009 she won the Noma Prize for New Writers with Gin iro no uta (Silver Song), and in 2013 the Mishima Yukio Prize for Shiro-oro no machi no, sono hone no taion no (Of Bones, of Body Heat, of Whitening City). Convenience Store Woman won the 2016 Akutagawa Award. Murata has two short stories published in English (both translated by Ginny Tapley Takemori): "Lover on the Breeze" (Ruptured Fiction(s) of the Earthquake, Waseda Bungaku, 2011) and "A Clean Marriage" (Granta 127: Japan, 2014). 

https://twitter.com/sayakamurata

Toshikazu Kawaguchi - Before We Say Goodbye (Before the Coffee Gets Cold #4)

 

Toshikazu Kawaguchi - Before We Say Goodbye (Before the Coffee Gets Cold #4)

4⭐

Genre: Fiction, Mystical Realism, Asian Literature, East Asian Literature, Japanese Literature, Short Stories, Book Series, Translated Books, Fantasy, Paranormal

Original Title: さよならも言えないうちに

Original Language: Japanese 

Translated by: Geoffrey Trousselot 

Pages: 192

Format: Paperback Proof

Publisher: Picador 

Date Published: 14th September 2023

Huge thank you to Picador for sending me a copy of this book to read and review.

Book Blurb: 

The regulars at Café Funiculi Funicula are well acquainted with the whimsical ability it grants them to take a trip into the past—as well as the strict rules involved, including that each traveller must return to the present in the time it takes for their coffee to get cold. In Toshikazu Kawaguchi’s previous novels, patrons have been reunited with old flames, made amends with estranged family and visited loved ones. Now readers will once again be introduced to a new set of visitors.

The Husband with Something Important Left to Say

The Woman Who Couldn’t Bid Her Dog Farewell

The Woman Who Couldn’t Answer a Proposal

The Daughter Who Drove Her Father Away

In Last Chance to Say Goodbye, which is translated from Japanese by Geoffrey Trousselot and features signature heartwarming characters and wistful storytelling, Kawaguchi once again invites the reader to ask themselves: What would you change if you could travel back in time?

My Review: 

I adored Before the Coffee Gets Cold Series, as well as I love Japanese literature, and this book is no exception. It was so amazing to come back to the Funiculi Funicula café and reunite with the café’s owners, and its regulars, yet at the same time immerse myself in new stories about people who chose to travel back in time for various reasons.

In this book, there are four more stories of people who decided they want to travel back in time. We met a husband who wanted to tell something very important to his wife who is in a coma. We also met a woman who wanted to say goodbye to her dog but didn’t have a chance before. There was also a story about a girl who couldn’t say yes to her boyfriend’s proposal until it was too late and we learn about a daughter who regretted pushing her father away and wants to set wrongs to rights.

I didn’t think all the stories were as strong as in the first three books, but I particularly enjoyed the one about the girl wanting to meet her father and say what she actually felt before she pushed him away. It was such a great story that linked to a significant event from a recent Japanese history and was perfectly intertwined with the main point of the café – to say what you want to say but didn’t have a chance before it is too late.

Overall: I really enjoyed being back with the characters that I grew to love over the last three books and the stories themselves were unique, different to one another and very heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. I just wish there were more than four stories in each of the books as I love the style of writing, the mystical realism and how well the main characters are developed throughout this book. Truly recommend! 

About the Author:

Toshikazu Kawaguchi (in Japanese: 川口 俊 和) was born in Osaka, Japan, in 1971. He formerly produced, directed, and wrote for the theatrical group Sonic Snail. As a playwright, his works include COUPLE, Sunset Song, and Family Time. The novel Before the Coffee Gets Cold is adapted from an 1110 Productions play by Kawaguchi, which won the 10th Suginami Drama Festival grand prize. Before the Coffee Gets Cold is his debut as an author. It has become an international bestseller and has been adapted for the screen in Japan.

https://www.panmacmillan.com/authors/toshikazu-kawaguchi/28093

Tunde Ososanya - Lagos, Life and Sexual Distraction

Tunde Ososanya - Lagos, Life and Sexual Distraction 

4⭐

Genre: Fiction, Short Stories, African Literature, Literary Fiction 

Pages: 148 

Format: Paperback Proof 

Publisher:  Envelope Books 

Date Published: 6th April 2023

Huge thank you to Evenlope Books for sending me this book to read and review.

 

Book Blurb: 

Lagos, Life and Sexual Distraction is a collection of 12 short stories, mostly focused on the distinct character of life in Lagos—the commercial capital of Nigeria. “The book tell you wetin average Lagosian dey go through sake of survival and why people who’ve lived in Lagos are able to withstand the harsh realities they experience in other parts of the world.” In writing this book, the author says he has tried to teleport the reader to Lagos, to experience what an average Nigerian in the south of the country does to keep his or her dreams, hopes and aspirations alive. He also shows the tensions that exist between the generations, between the sexes and between different social classes and ethnicities. The book shows why every Lagosian is expected to live by the popular local saying, “Shine Your Eyes”, wey mean say you gazz dey vigilant. At the same time, two stories are dedicated to the very different plight of people living in northern Nigeria. Northern Nigerians are mostly Hausa and Muslim; those in the south are mostly Christian and Yoruba or Igbo. Lagos is a land of opportunity and Lagosians are one of the most successful people in the world by virtue of their perseverance. As the author says (in Pidgin), “I dey live and work for Lagos and I love am—as I hope say you go see.

My Review: 

Such an interesting book that features a variety of different stories that depict life in Lagos from different perspectives and people. It features ordinary Nigerians, rich, poor, happy, and sad…and explores their day-to-day life in the vibrant and colourful city.  I loved the exploration of all the different lives, characters, and paths. Some of them bright, some ugly, some shocking and some very mundane. This book has it all.

Although I didn’t enjoy all of the twelve stories on the same level, all of them were fascinating in their own unique way. The writing was so beautiful and colourful that I felt connected to all of the different characters, and felt that I was living all of those stories together with the characters. At times I wished some of the stories were longer, so I could learn more about the individuals in those stories.

I don’t usually enjoy short stories, but this book was an exception. It is the only short stories book that I thoroughly enjoyed and didn’t want to end. I wanted more stories and more of the different feelings that this book allowed me to feel.

Overall: Beautifully written twelve stories about daily life in Lagos, featuring all different kinds of people. If you want to feel a variety of emotions and learn more about this vibrant culture, city and its people, then this book is definitely for you. 

About the Author

Tunde Ososanya (born 1990) is a Broadcast Journalist living in Nigeria. A graduate of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, he currently works at the BBC’s West Africa bureau in Lagos and specialises in reporting in Pidgin English. He began his career as a television presenter with the Nigerian Television Authority in 2016, going on to become a Senior Editor with Legit.ng. He has also been a Contributing Writer for Opera News. He is a fellow of the African Academy for Open Source Investigations (AAOSI). This is his second book. His first book, Later Tonight, came out in 2016.

https://www.envelopebooks.co.uk/lagos-love-and-sexual-distraction

Holly Black - How the King of Elfhame Learned How To Hate Stories

Holly Black - How the King of Elfhame Learned How To Hate Stories (The Folk Of The Air #3.5)

4⭐

Genre: Fantasy, YA, Fiction, Short Stories 

Pages: 156

Format: Kindle 

Publisher:  Hot Key Books 

Date Published: 24th November 2020

 

Book Blurb: 

An irresistible return to the captivating world of Elfhame.

Once upon a time, there was a boy with a wicked tongue.

Before he was a cruel prince or a wicked king, he was a faerie child with a heart of stone. Revealing a deeper look into the dramatic life of Elfhame’s enigmatic high king, Cardan, his tale includes delicious details of life before The Cruel Prince, an adventure beyond The Queen of Nothing, and familiar moments from The Folk of the Air trilogy, told wholly from Cardan’s perspective.

This new instalment in the Folk of the Air series is a return to the heart-racing romance, danger, humour, and drama that enchanted readers everywhere. Each chapter is paired with lavish and luminous full-colour art, making this the perfect collector’s item to be enjoyed by both new audiences and the old.

My Review: 

This is a collection of short stories involving Cardan. Each story is from a different time in Cardan’s life, from meeting Nicasia to meeting Jude to moving to Balekin’s care, etc. It's mainly a collection of stories set before The Cruel Prince, so we get a bit more information on Cardans personality and upbringing. Also, each story is from Cardan’s perspective, so we as readers get more of a glimpse into his Fae mind, as well as how he started to think more and more of Jude and how finally she took over his mind and feelings.

I loved that each short story was somewhat related to the other and for me the whole book reads more like a novella, rather than a collection of short stories. I just wished there were more of the stories, especially post The Cruel Prince timeline and maybe even covering events of The Wicked King and The Queen of Nothing. To be fair, I just want The Folk of the Air Series but just from Cardan’s POV.

I adored the illustrations! I mean it didn’t give them the justice that I read this book on Kindle but I can imagine how even more gorgeous they all would look on paper.

Overall: A beautiful novella-length book, with gorgeous illustrations and short stories about Cardan. I loved reading them and just wish there were more of them, but then again, I can’t ever get enough of Elfhame and Faes. This book fits beautifully with the rest of The Folk of The Air series. Also, if you love Cardan as much as I do, you will definitely love this book! 

About the Author:

Holly Black is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of over thirty fantasy novels for kids and teens. She has been a finalist for an Eisner Award and the Lodestar Award, and the recipient of the Mythopoeic Award, a Nebula, and a Newbery Honor. Her books have been translated into 32 languages worldwide and adapted for film. She currently lives in New England with her husband and son in a house with a secret library.

https://blackholly.com/

Ali Hazelwood - Below Zero

 

Ali Hazelwood - Below Zero  

4⭐

Genre: Contemporary Romance,Romance, Fiction,STEM,Academia, Novella

Pages: 139

Format: Paperback 

Publisher: Sphere

Date Published: 3rd January 2023

Book Blurb: 

It will take the frosty terrain of the Arctic to show these rival scientists that their chemistry burns hot.

Mara, Sadie, and Hannah are friends first, scientists always. Though their fields of study might take them to different corners of the world, they can all agree on this universal truth: when it comes to love and science, opposites attract and rivals make you burn…

Hannah’s got a bad feeling about this. Not only has the NASA aerospace engineer found herself injured and stranded at a remote Arctic research station—but the one person willing to undertake the hazardous rescue mission is her longtime rival.

Ian has been many things to Hannah: the villain who tried to veto her expedition and ruin her career, the man who stars in her most deliciously lurid dreams…but he’s never played the hero. So why is he risking everything to be here? And why does his presence seem just as dangerous to her heart as the coming snowstorm?

My Review: 

I have to say that Below Zero was my favourite STEMinist novella by Ali Hazelwood. I really loved both Hannah and Ian, but especially Hannah, as she is so authentic and nerdy, yet true to herself. I just really wished this novella was longer, as I needed more of Ian and Hannah.

The novella follows Hannah who is a NASA aerospace engineer currently working in a very cold and remote part of Norway in a research station, conducting her ground-breaking research. Unfortunately, she gets herself injured and is unable to get back to safety, however, the person she least expects comes and rescues her. That person is no other than her long-time rival and arch nemesis Ian. However, being stranded in the cold and brutal wilderness, Hannah thinks about the past and Ian, especially the reasons why their rivalry started in the first place. Are being below zero will make Hannah’s heart colder or being faced with a life-threatening challenge will make her heart finally melt for Ian?

I loved how many character development Hazelwood put in this short story. It was amazing to see Hannah grow as a character between her memories and being stuck in a remote part of Norway. She is so likeable, authentic and cool. Loved her so much! It was really interesting to see the instant connection and the shared interests between them both, which is why their attraction and romance were so believable.

Overall: Fluffy, cute and brilliantly written novella. I loved the flashback scenes and how each added to the story, as well as covered all the blanks and helped to piece the story altogether. It just worked so well.  I actually wish this was a full-length book as I need more of Hannah and Ian since they are amazingly developed and interesting characters. 

About the Author:

Ali Hazelwood is the pseudonym for an Italian neuroscientist and writer of romance novels. Her main characters are women in a variety of different STEM fields and in academia. Her debut novel, The Love Hypothesis, was a New York Times best seller. In 2022 she has published three novellas: Under One Roof, Stuck with You, and Below Zero. Her second novel Love on the Brain was published on August 23, 2022.

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21098177.Ali_Hazelwood

Ali Hazelwood - Stuck With You

Ali Hazelwood - Stuck With You   

3.5⭐

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Romance, Fiction, STEM, Academia, Novella

Pages: 127

Format: Paperback 

Publisher: Sphere 

Date Published: 3rd January 2023 

Book Blurb: 

Nothing like a little rivalry between scientists to take love to the next level.

Mara, Sadie, and Hannah are friends first, scientists always. Though their fields of study might take them to different corners of the world, they can all agree on this universal truth: when it comes to love and science, opposites attract and rivals make you burn…

Logically, Sadie knows that civil engineers are supposed to build bridges. However, as a woman of STEM she also understands that variables can change, and when you are stuck for hours in a tiny New York elevator with the man who broke your heart, you earn the right to burn that brawny, blond bridge to the ground. Erik can apologize all he wants, but to quote her rebel leader—she’d just as soon kiss a Wookiee.

Not even the most sophisticated of Sadie’s superstitious rituals could have predicted such a disastrous reunion. But while she refuses to acknowledge the siren call of Erik’s steely forearms or the way his voice softens when he offers her his sweater, Sadie can’t help but wonder if there might be more layers to her cold-hearted nemesis than meet the eye. Maybe, possibly, even burned bridges can still be crossed….

My Review: 

Stuck With You was definitely my least favourite of Ali Hazelwood's novellas. Firstly, there was no chemistry between Erik and Sadie nowhere in this story. Secondly, the instant love just seemed super unrealistic, especially the way they met. Very disappointing, especially as I heard so many good things about this one on Bookstagram.

This novella follows Sadie who is a civil engineer for a small company and who is very superstitious. Due to this superstition of hers, she meets a gorgeous Erik and she straight away is smitten by him. Erik seems to like her too. 24 hours and one spicy fling later, Sadie suddenly hates Erik. Why might you ask? Well…all of the details are revealed when both of them get stuck in an elevator and have to face each other once and for all…

I think if this wasn’t a novella but a full-length book, I think I would have liked it more. In this format, I didn’t get the whole instant love and then instant hate idea. Also, the story itself felt a bit unrealistic to me. Also, Erik’s character was very underdeveloped and oh don’t get me started on them talking about football. That just ruined the story for me. I liked Sadie but there wasn’t much of her true character or personality there, and at times she just felt a tad childish. I really felt that the trope took the front and the characters with their personalities took the back seat in this novella.

However, unlike in Under One Roof, at least the smutty scene here kept me interested, since the story and characters didn’t. Also, I was glad it wasn’t a long story, as I couldn’t face more of Erik and more of their silly miscommunication/ hate, which was sorted within an hour whilst stuck in the elevator…

Overall: Very disappointing story, with very underdeveloped characters and a miscommunication trope, which had so much potential but felt very short. I think this would have worked in a longer story but not in a novella format. 

About the Author:

Ali Hazelwood is the pseudonym for an Italian neuroscientist and writer of romance novels. Her main characters are women in a variety of different STEM fields and in academia. Her debut novel, The Love Hypothesis, was a New York Times best seller. In 2022 she has published three novellas: Under One Roof, Stuck with You, and Below Zero. Her second novel Love on the Brain was published on August 23, 2022.

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21098177.Ali_Hazelwood

Ali Hazelwood - Under One Roof

 

Ali Hazelwood - Under One Roof    

4⭐

Genre: Contemporary Romance,Romance, Fiction,STEM,Academia, Novella

Pages: 112

Format: Paperback

Publisher: Sphere 

Date Published: 3rd January 2023

Book Blurb: 

A scientist should never cohabitate with her annoyingly hot nemesis – it leads to combustion.

Mara, Sadie, and Hannah are friends first, scientists always. Though their fields of study might take them to different corners of the world, they can all agree on this universal truth: when it comes to love and science, opposites attract and rivals make you burn….

As an environmental engineer, Mara knows all about the delicate nature of ecosystems. They require balance. And leaving the thermostat alone. And not stealing someone else’s food. And other rules Liam, her detestable big-oil lawyer of a roommate, knows nothing about. Okay, sure, technically she’s the interloper. Liam was already entrenched in his aunt’s house like some glowering grumpy giant when Mara moved in, with his big muscles and kissable mouth just sitting there on the couch tempting respectable scientists to the dark side…but Helena was her mentor and Mara’s not about to move out and give up her inheritance without a fight.

The problem is, living with someone means getting to know them. And the more Mara finds out about Liam, the harder it is to loathe him…and the easier it is to love him.

My Review: 

Although it doesn’t compare to how amazing were The Love Hypothesis and Love On the Brain, it was still a very cute, fun and feel-good novella. Excellent pallet cleanser in between heavier books.

The novella follows an environmental engineer Mara, who after graduation moves to DC to start her graduate position. However, she has a big problem, and that problem is living with Liam, who she hates from the minute their meet each other. Why is she cohabiting with him? Well, her PhD mentor left half of her house to Mara and half to her nephew Liam. Mara also can’t afford to leave…Plus she loves the place…Well, apart from Liam. However, as much as she hates him, she also starts getting to know him and that might turn her whole world upside down….

I liked the fact that it wasn’t instant love between Liam and Mara, and there was a bit of a slow burn (as much of a slow burn as you can have in a novella). However, I think the issue with novellas is that you can’t get to know the characters that in-depth, which for me affects how much I like and care about the story. I need to be invested in the characters to enjoy actually reading the story. As far as the novella’s length both Liam and Mara were very likeable characters, even though I wished I got to know them better. Also, I felt that there were so many things that both characters talked about that could have been explored in more depth and would have added to the plot of the story. This is especially if the smutty scene, which in my opinion was just awkward and unnecessary, was removed.

Overall: Likeable characters, feel-good story with hints of enemies to lovers and proximity tropes. Definitely a great pallet cleanser. I wished it was a bit longer and gave more actual romance between the two characters, not just a few scenes and a smutty chapter, especially after a quite slow start. Still, however, an enjoyable read if you want something easy and quick to read.

 

About the Author:

Ali Hazelwood is the pseudonym for an Italian neuroscientist and writer of romance novels. Her main characters are women in a variety of different STEM fields and in academia. Her debut novel, The Love Hypothesis, was a New York Times best seller. In 2022 she has published three novellas: Under One Roof, Stuck with You, and Below Zero. Her second novel Love on the Brain was published on August 23, 2022.

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21098177.Ali_Hazelwood

Toshikazu Kawaguchi - Before Your Memory Fades (Before the Coffee Gets Cold #3)

Toshikazu Kawaguchi - Before Your Memory Fades (Before the Coffee Gets Cold #3)

5⭐

Genre: Fiction, Mystical Realism, Asian Literature, East Asian Literature, Japanese Literature, Short Stories, Book Series, Translated Books, Fantasy, Paranormal

Original Title: 思い出が消えないうちに

Original Language: Japanese 

Translated by: Geoffrey Trousselot 

Pages: 224

Format: Hardback

Publisher: Picador 

Date Published: 30th August 2022

Huge thank you to Picador for sending me a copy of this book to read and review.

Book Blurb: 

The third novel in the international bestselling Before the Coffee Gets Cold series, follows four new customers in a cafe where customers can travel back in time.

In northern Japan, overlooking the spectacular view Hakodate Port has to offer, Cafe Donna Donna has been serving carefully brewed coffee for more than one hundred years. But this coffee shop offers its customers a unique experience: the chance to travel back in time.

From the author of Before the Coffee Gets Cold and Tales from the Cafe comes another story of four new customers, each of whom is hoping to take advantage of the cafe's time-travelling offer. Among some familiar faces from Toshikazu Kawaguchi’s previous novels, readers will also be introduced to:

A daughter who couldn’t say ‘You’re an idiot.’
A comedian who couldn’t ask ‘Are you happy?’
A younger sister who couldn’t say ‘Sorry.’
A young man who couldn’t say ‘I like you.’

With his signature heart-warming characters and immersive storytelling, in Before Your Memory Fades, Toshikazu Kawaguchi once again invites the reader to ask themselves: what would you change if you could travel back in time?

My Review: 

OMG! The third book of the Before the Coffee Gets Cold series is even better than the last two. This usually doesn’t happen in the world of book series for me. However, I take that as an amazing thing. I love this series. It has everything that I love, it is set in Japan, it has mystical realism, it talks and discusses important subjects and the writing with translation are just superb.

This third instalment is slightly different from the first two, because the scene moves to rural northern Japan, to a Hakodate port by the hillside of the Mount. Hakodate. Nagare and Kazu, owners of the café in Tokyo are asked by the owner of Hakodate’s café to look after it, whilst she is away. Nagare and Kazu agree thus we meet a completely different group of customers who want to travel to the past or the future in this café. This café in Hakodate also has the same magical chair that can help you time travel. The rules are also the same.

In this book, we meet a daughter who wants to travel to see her dead parents and tell them how much she hates them. We also meet a successful comedian who wants to share his success with his wife who passed away and who he misses dearly. Additionally, we get to know a local boy who wants to travel into the past upon realizing that the girl who was by his side from a young age is the one for him, as well as, we get to read the story of two sisters, one of them passed away and the other is consumed with grief and need to hear from her deceased sister that it is alright to be happy.

I liked how much this book interlinked with the first two, as this made the move to another location so much more natural. I also really liked the change in scenery, as I think changing the location of the café made the stories of the customers fresher.

I felt that this book was concentrating more on grief, loss, and losing loved ones in comparison to the two previous books. I honestly, really liked this, as it explored different characters and how they all deal with loss and grief in their separate ways. It makes the book realistic and relatable. The only thing I hoped that this book would do, which it sadly didn’t explore, was the origin story of the ghost that sits in the time travel chair in this café in Hakodate.

The ending of this book was so heart-wrenching and I honestly shed a tear or two, as it was that beautiful and sad at the same time. It made me think about life and loss, whilst also remembering and cherishing all the good memories and moment that comes my way.

Overall: Another perfect read for windy autumn weather, whilst enjoying a frothy cup of coffee under a fluffy blanket. Such a lovely book, which has so much food for thought and so many lessons about life, loss, and grief. Loved it and hope that there will be more instalments of this series in the future as I will be keeping my eyes peeled for that. 

About the Author:

Toshikazu Kawaguchi (in Japanese: 川口 俊 和) was born in Osaka, Japan, in 1971. He formerly produced, directed, and wrote for the theatrical group Sonic Snail. As a playwright, his works include COUPLE, Sunset Song, and Family Time. The novel Before the Coffee Gets Cold is adapted from an 1110 Productions play by Kawaguchi, which won the 10th Suginami Drama Festival grand prize. Before the Coffee Gets Cold is his debut as an author. It has become an international bestseller and has been adapted for the screen in Japan.

https://www.panmacmillan.com/authors/toshikazu-kawaguchi/28093

Toshikazu Kawaguchi - Before the Coffee Gets Cold: Tales from the Cafe (Before the Coffee Gets Cold #2)

Toshikazu Kawaguchi - Before the Coffee Gets Cold: Tales from the Cafe (Before the Coffee Gets Cold #2)

5⭐

Genre: Fiction, Mystical Realism, Asian Literature, East Asian Literature, Japanese Literature, Short Stories, Book Series, Translated Books, Fantasy, Paranormal

Original Title: この嘘がばれないうちに

Original Language: Japanese 

Translated by: Geoffrey Trousselot 

Pages: 192

Format: Paperback 

Publisher: Picador 

Date Published: 17th September 2020

Book Blurb: 

In a small back alley in Tokyo, there is a café which has been serving carefully brewed coffee for more than one hundred years. But this coffee shop offers its customers a unique experience: the chance to travel back in time...

From the author of Before the Coffee Gets Cold comes a story of four new customers each of whom is hoping to take advantage of Cafe Funiculi Funicula's time-travelling offer.

Among some faces that will be familiar to readers of Kawaguchi's previous novel, we will be introduced to:

The man who goes back to see his best friend who died 22 years ago
The son who was unable to attend his own mother’s funeral
The man who travelled to see the girl who he could not marry
The old detective who never gave his wife that gift...

This beautiful, simple tale tells the story of people who must face up to their past, in order to move on with their lives. Kawaguchi once again invites the reader to ask themselves: what would you change if you could travel back in time? 

My Review: 

I loved the first book but this second installment was even better. All four stories were heart-warming and heart-wrenching at the same time, as well as, covering so much depth when it comes to grief, loss, love, relationships, happiness, and illness. Each of the characters were so well explored and their stories are also so relatable.

The second installment of Before Coffee Gets Cold presents readers with four new customers in the café that want to time travel to the past or the future. In the first story, we meet a man who wants to visit his best friend and tell him about his daughter. The second story follows a boy who didn’t have a chance to go to his mother’s funeral but wants to see her one last time. The third story presents us with a soon-to-be husband who is also terminally ill and visits his fiancé in the future in the hope to see her happy without him. The fourth story follows a detective who is now retired and wants to travel to the past to give his wife one last gift for her last birthday that he sadly missed.

Loved that we get to learn more about Kazu, one of the café’s waitresses, as well as a backstory of the ghost that occupies the time-traveling chair. For me, Kazu’s backstory was a highlight of this second book. Also, Miki's character was just so adorable. She added so many good emotions and happiness to the café and customers, as well as changed the café’s mood from very mysterious as in the first book to very welcoming and homely, which was a very interesting change. I believe that these background stories about the café’s staff and the café itself just add so much atmosphere to the story and keep all the stories so well interconnected.

Overall: It is another heart-warming and heart-wrenching installment of Before the Coffee Gets Cold. I love mythical realism in Japanese literature and this series executed this so well. Mystical realism mixed with everyday characters and stories makes this book a perfect blend for the perfect autumn read. I loved it so much and recommend it to everyone that loves short stories, Japanese literature, and mystical realism. 

About the Author:

Toshikazu Kawaguchi (in Japanese: 川口 俊 和) was born in Osaka, Japan, in 1971. He formerly produced, directed and wrote for the theatrical group Sonic Snail. As a playwright, his works include COUPLE, Sunset Song, and Family Time. The novel Before the Coffee Gets Cold is adapted from an 1110 Productions play by Kawaguchi, which won the 10th Suginami Drama Festival grand prize. Before the Coffee Gets Cold is his debut as an author. It has become an international bestseller and has been adapted for the screen in Japan.

https://www.panmacmillan.com/authors/toshikazu-kawaguchi/28093

Toshikazu Kawaguchi - Before the Coffee Gets Cold (Before the Coffee Gets Cold #1)

Toshikazu Kawaguchi - Before the Coffee Gets Cold #1

4.5⭐

Genre: Fiction, Mystical Realism, Asian Literature, East Asian Literature, Japanese Literature, Short Stories, Book Series, Translated Books, Fantasy, Paranormal

Original Title: コーヒーが冷めないうちに

Original Language: Japanese

Translated by: Geoffrey Trousselot 

Pages: 213

Format: Paperback 

Publisher: Picador 

Date Published: 19th September 2019 

Book Blurb: 

What would you change if you could go back in time?

In a small back alley in Tokyo, there is a café which has been serving carefully brewed coffee for more than one hundred years. But this coffee shop offers its customers a unique experience: the chance to travel back in time.

In Before the Coffee Gets Cold, we meet four visitors, each of whom is hoping to make use of the café’s time-travelling offer, in order to: confront the man who left them, and receive a letter from their husband whose memory has been taken by early onset Alzheimer's, to see their sister one last time, and to meet the daughter they never got the chance to know.

But the journey into the past does not come without risks: customers must sit in a particular seat, they cannot leave the café, and finally, they must return to the present before the coffee gets cold . . .

Toshikazu Kawaguchi’s beautiful, the moving story explores the age-old question: what would you change if you could travel back in time? More importantly, who would you want to meet, maybe for one last time?

My Review: 

I have recently kindly been sent the third instalment of this series, Before Your Memory Fades, by Picador and decided to re-read the first two, to fully immerse myself into the plots and characters. I love mystical and magical realism and Japanese literature has plenty of that. Before the Coffee Gets Cold is not an exception. It brilliantly links mystical and magical realism with the important topics about life, loss, grief, forgiveness, second chances, and happiness. In only 200 pages this book has so much to give and so much food for thought about all of those topics. I loved it with all my heart.

The book follows four different stories all set in a small cafe in Tokyo. This cafe is not ordinary, it offers its customers a chance to travel in time, to the past and the future. However, there are strict rules that each customer needs to follow if they want to travel in time. They need to sit in a certain seat, they can’t change the future or the past and they can only travel to see people who previously visited this cafe. Oh…and they need to come back from the time travel before their coffee gets cold.

In this first instalment, we meet a girl who wants to travel back in time to tell her boyfriend not to leave her for work abroad opportunity. We also meet a wife that travels into the past to talk to her husband who is slowly losing his memory to Alzheimer’s. The third story is about a sister who wants to visit her younger sister who passed away one last time to make amends. The fourth story is about a mother who wants to travel into the future to visit her daughter, who she might never meet otherwise.

I loved that each of the stories has a lesson behind it and very gently discusses all the subjects of life, death, loss, grief, etc. Each story is very touching and features characters that as a reader you can easily relate to. One rule of the cafe is that you cannot change the past or the future no matter what, but although you can't change what happened or what might happen, travelling to the past or the future for these characters most of the time offers something better. Some characters got closure, some wanted forgiveness and some wanted to get permission to be happy from their loved ones. So, even though the past or the future didn’t change for those characters, seeing and speaking to a person they wanted to visit one last time, changed something within them, allowing each of them to move on in their way.

I also loved the atmospheric setting of the cafe and the fact that all of the stories and characters are somehow interconnected, which just shows that life is not as simple as we think it is. Stories also give a glimpse into the cafe's past and its owners, which just adds so much to the overall atmosphere and mysticism of this cafe.

Overall: It is a very unique book and has all the things that I love about Japanese literature.  Each of the stories in this book taught me something different and each of them allowed me to look at life, grief, loss, love and relationships in a different way. Heart-warming book that should be on everyone’s bookshelf and definitely a perfect read for long autumn nights. 

About the Author:

Toshikazu Kawaguchi (in Japanese: 川口 俊 和) was born in Osaka, Japan, in 1971. He formerly produced, directed and wrote for the theatrical group Sonic Snail. As a playwright, his works include COUPLE, Sunset Song, and Family Time. The novel Before the Coffee Gets Cold is adapted from an 1110 Productions play by Kawaguchi, which won the 10th Suginami Drama Festival grand prize. Before the Coffee Gets Cold is his debut as an author. It has become an international bestseller and has been adapted for the screen in Japan.

https://www.panmacmillan.com/authors/toshikazu-kawaguchi/28093

Deesha Philyaw - The Secret Lives of Church Ladies

Deesha Philyaw - The Secret Lives of Church Ladies

4⭐

Genre: Short Stories, Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Feminism, Race, Religion

Pages: 179

Format:  eARC on NetGalley 

Publisher: Pushkin Press

Published: 5th May 2022 (UK)

 

Big thank you to Pushkin Press for having me on the blog tour and NetGalley / Pushkin Press for the eARC.

 Book Blurb: 

The Secret Lives of Church Ladies explores the raw and tender places where black women and girls dare to follow their desires and pursue a momentary reprieve from being good. The nine stories in this collection feature four generations of characters grappling with who they want to be in the world, caught as they are between the church's double standards and their own needs and passions. With their secret longings, new love, and forbidden affairs, these church ladies are as seductive as they want to be, as vulnerable as they need to be, as unfaithful and unrepentant as they care to be, and as free as they deserve to be.

My Review: 

What a book! Perfect for when you want to take a break from your usual reads and definitely perfect to help you get out of a reading slump.

The book features nine short stories that follow different characters, although the centre stage is given to black women and girls in Southern America. All these Church Ladies, spanning over four generations, are all trying to figure out their place in the world, their desires, their passion and their needs, whilst also having a strong belief in God and his teachings.

I loved that the author explored the lives of different women, especially their inner thoughts, reasoning and passions, but also didn’t shy to show their outer characters, how vulnerable, strong, distinct, loving, caring and colourful all those women are. These stories also look at how these ladies react to pressures, standards and rules set by society and the church, and how all of that changed their lives in ways they might not even imagine.

It was such an easy and refreshing read.  I managed to devour this book in a few hours. Although, it is a book that I would love to go back and reread the separate stories, whilst giving more time to concentrate and get to know each of the heroines better in their respective stories. It is a book that is worth a place on your shelf and that you will come back to read over and over again, as each story has so much to give.

I also loved the writing style, words in this book just flows and there are no wasted words and no long-winded descriptions that would take you off the topic, everything is said for a reason and everything that has been said in these stories matter, either to the character or their story.

My favourite stories are ‘The Peach Cobbler’, ‘Dear Sister’ and ‘Instructions for Married Christian Husbands’, as they are all so powerful but at the same time made me have a rollercoaster of emotions, including laughs, tears and heartaches.

Overall: One of the best short story books I have ever read. Definitely worth reading and having on your shelf. I know that I will be re-reading it soon, especially to have a break from longer books that I am reading to give me that energy and get me out of the reading slump. 

This review was firstly published on NetGalley:  

                                      https://www.netgalley.co.uk/book/239051/review/959200

About the Author: 

Deesha Philyaw is the co-author of Co-Parenting 101: Helping Your Kids Thrive in Two Households After Divorce, written in collaboration with her ex-husband. Her work has been listed as Notable in The Best American Essays series, and her writing on race, parenting, gender, and culture has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, McSweeney’s, The Rumpus, Brevity, dead housekeeping, Apogee Journal, Catapult, Cheat River Review, TueNight, ESPN’s The Undefeated and The Baltimore Review; Essence, Ebony, and Bitch magazines; and various anthologies. Deesha is a Fellow at the Kimbilio Center for African American Fiction and a past Pushcart Prize nominee for essay writing in Full Grown People.

https://www.deeshaphilyaw.com/