~ Books I read ~
What's it about: making sweet bean paste, cherry blossoms, leprosy (Hansen's disease), friendship
I enjoyed this though it's a little depressing and characters aren't exactly winning at life or anything. Tokue (main character) is like a mystical figure because she thinks differently than other people and I like her idea - you don't have to be useful to society to live, you just do. This ended kind abruptly as we don't know what Sentaro's (main character) future. I did expect a certain character's end but kind of didn't want it to happen. This is not a happy story and yet this is recommended as cozy book which I think it's a kind of true but we really need to redefine cozy because cozy always somehow comes with sorrow - this book certainly does but I still liked it.
What's it about: cats, women, cat owners, short stories
The stories are connected by characters - all about cats and their owners though more about the cats than owners and many in the point of view of cats. I thought these stories are depressing but sort of cozy. It's sometimes hard to tell who's viewpoint we're reading from (cat or woman) since they are in the first person although the last few stories are in third person - it's like the cats and these women are the same except the cats are happier and lives better than their owners. There are men here but they all seemed controlling or weak. And there was a dog who somehow is the leader of the cats which is odd and he talked like some wise, old man who had all the memories of humanity and is sort of the cats' advisor. I didn't hate these stories but I didn't like them all that much. But it did end with a happy ending. And it was short, it's a quick read.
What's it about: society, murder, theater, balls
This was not as a good as the first book. Somehow I was bothered by the word 'told' - she told him, he told her, Beatrice told Drake - I mean, why couldn't the author used 'said'? I like that Beatrice (the main character) is an unconventional woman and is trying to be a detective but there was a scene where she fought off men which doesn't seem believable but she's the main character so they won't kill her. I don't know if I'll read the other books if they get released as it looked like this is a continuing series and I kind of dislike that it leans toward more romance than mystery.
What's it about: monsters, myths, greek gods, sucky magic school, one girl's life who happened to a descendent of Medusa
I have read book 1 and enjoyed it but this second book was okay, not as good as the first. So many depressing events and then a sort of happy ending and that's it. I was hoping for some new things but this is just like book 1 except longer suffering with another of the same ending where everything just returned to normal.
I said this is a 'sucky magic school' because the teachers teach lies about the greek gods and favor boys. Why did they even allow girls into the school if they are going to force the girls to believe males are better than females? The teachers are afraid of the gods even though they are gods themselves so they don't go against anyone and only helped the children under disguise.
I just find it's strange there isn't one adult who is outright against the gods or at least, a figure the children can look up to. So this is a children's book and they are ones who steer the story along but I think there should be an adult figure who is the voice of reason, who can side with the children, who can existed because all the adults are assholes or weaklings. Why do the children have to do everything themselves or how can this world exist if the adults are the sub-species? I don't know, it's just something that bothered me. I'm quitting the series anyway, I just can't stand more of the children's suffering only for them to sort of win in the end and then return to normal and do it all over again. This book 2 is no different from book 1.
What's it about: murder, amateur detective
I didn't read book 1 or even book 3 but it seemed you don't have to, at least, I don't think I miss anything by not reading book 1 and 3. I enjoyed these two books very much. Book 2 have Tremaine (the main character, amateur detective) meeting a potential suspect by himself which I always hated for main characters to do especially when the suspect is a large man capable of killing someone with his bare hands. I would have read the rest of the series but sadly, they are not available at my library. Both books have back covers which is surprising for an ebook but nice.
What's it about: murder, mysteries, short stories
The first story (Death wears a beauty mask) was really good and the rest were just okay.
~ Book I unfinished ~
What's it about: bookshop, coffee, depressing people talking about random things that supposedly give some sort of wisdom, book discussions of mostly non-fiction books, some social media posts
Quit at: 54%
This is basically about people who are depressed and working in a bookshop that may or may not close in a few months and customers who came and went do some odd things.
Supposedly these characters are quirky because are they are unconventional where none of them worked 9-5 jobs. One woman just comes into the bookshop and knit/crochet and occasionally drink coffee, a teen having to hang out at the bookshop and read books as a promise to his mother but ends up just watching the woman (mentioned above), the coffee maker at the bookshop spends a lot of time having chats with the coffee beans provider and during his off hours, watching movies alone and hopes never to get a long-term job because that is what society expects of him - are these quirky? I find none of these characters quirky, just depressing people trying to get through the days. Everything is so slowing moving and I suppose that is where the cozy parts come in.
And the book discussion (there were a few) are just so dull. One chapter (titled How we view work) is devoted to a book discussion about work (because the book they read was about work) and everyone gave their opinions and it was like reading a report about work. It's like if you're not interested in what was being discuss, you're pretty much going to be bored and I was.
First there were these two viewpoints and then suddenly there came other viewpoints which confused me - I seemed to have forgotten who they are. Why couldn't they just stick to the first few people's view? I now think when readers said they are bored, it's because they couldn't find a character or a plot or something to care about - this is that type of book to me - I just couldn't find a character or any one thing I care enough to continue.
On my kobo, the book title has "The heart-warming Korean sensation" under the title and I didn't find anything heart-warming. So yes, there were these discussions between the characters that might be heart-warming but it's like every day conversations. I could have finished this but I just couldn't muster the will after I pause reading.
~ Movie I watched ~
What's it about: an extraterrestrial battles other extraterrestrials from destroying earth and taking over earth or destroying the entire race and taking over earth
I watched this free with ads on youtube and the screen width was squeezed which I just don't understand - why are they squeezing or stretching the screen to fit a certain screen size and this was released in 2023.
I guess Ultraman is like Iron Man without the wisecracks or womanizing. This was quite good though the subtitles moved so fast that you really have to be a quick reader and some of the text are white on white so you couldn't read but that's minor. Lots of awkward angles, like the camera looking up from the floor up people's legs - why did the director choose to film that way? It didn't bothered me, I just find it odd.
This movie really shows how weak humans can be but also how smart and loyal they can be. But without Ultraman, everyone's doomed, even when he failed, he gave humans chances. I enjoyed this movie a lot and mostly because no one tries to be heroes, they just do what they can.
Have you read any good books or watch any good shows or movies lately?
No comments:
Post a Comment
"To practice any art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow. So do it."
- Kurt Vonnegut