Review: Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto

Title: Kitchen
Author: Banana Yoshimoto
Publication date: March 1994 (first published January 1988)
Publisher: Washington Square Press
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From Goodreads:
'Two stories, "Kitchen" and "Moonlight Shadow," told through the eyes of a pair of contemporary young Japanese women, deal with the themes of mothers, love, transsexuality, kitchens, and tragedy.

There are some books that you pick up and know that you’re going to love them. You don’t even read the summary on the book jacket or care what the book is about – you set your eyes on them and you know you need to read it. I was lucky enough to experience it with The Hunger Games, Just One Day, Poison Study, and now with Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto.

Kitchen consists of three stories: “Kitchen”, “Full Moon” (or “Kitchen”: part two), and “Moonlight Shadow”. The story of “Kitchen” deals with a girl’s loneliness after her grandmother’s death. Being left alone in the world, she finds solace in the form of kitchen and later, in the company of Tanabe family. I love the interactions between Mikage, the heroine, with the Tanabes. The Tanabes pick up Mikage as if she were a lost puppy, and they heal her heart like they water the plants in their apartment.

I loved the Tanabes’ sofa as much as I loved their kitchen. I came to crave sleeping on it. Listening to the quiet breathing of the plants, sensing the night view through the curtains, I slept like a baby. There wasn’t anything more I wanted. I was happy.

“Moonlight Shadow” is a story about a lover left alone after her boyfriend’s death. Her grief is so overwhelming she is almost drown in her sea of sadness. Satsuki, the main character, is coping by jogging in every dawn, while her boyfriend’s brother, Hiiragi, is coping of the loss of both her brother and her girlfriend by wearing his girlfriend’s uniform to school. The sadness is so profound in the story I almost felt I were the one experiencing it.

I love how Banana Yoshimoto-sensei seamlessly weaves tales of love, death, loss, and loneliness in her works but still manages to include threads of hope in the stories. I didn’t know it was possible to feel so attached to a character in 40 pages or so. I cared for them like they were my longtime friends, and I wished for their happiness in every page I flipped. Kitchen is so intimate, so beautiful. It was genuine sadness when the story was coming to end – why can’t it go longer? Like a real parting with friends, I don’t want to let them go yet. I even read the Afterword!

The gradual recovery of the characters is not rushed at all. It reminds me of plants, growing steadily with much love from sun and water. The writing might be deceptively simple, but it will touch your heart nonetheless. I guess there’s none of my words that can do justice in conveying the beauty of Kitchen. It’s the kind of book that you have to read yourself to find out. If you just immerse yourself in their world – you would understand why so many readers, including me, fall head over heels in love with Kitchen.

”With a cold”—she spoke evenly, lowering her eyes a little—“now is the hardest time. Maybe even harder than dying. But this is probably as bad as it can get. You might come to fear the next time you get a cold; it will be as bad as this, but if you just hold steady, it won’t be. For the rest of your life. That’s how it works. You could take the negative view and live in fear: Will it happen again? But it won’t hurt so much if you just accept it as a part of life.”

5 cups of tea!

I wish I could rewind the experience reading this over and over.

Review: Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge

Title: Cruel Beauty
Author: Rosamund Hodge
Publication date: January 28th, 2014
Publisher: Balzer+Bray
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From Goodreads:
Based on the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, Cruel Beauty is a dazzling love story about our deepest desires and their power to change our destiny.

Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth, she has been in training to kill him.

With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she's ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people.

But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle-a shifting maze of magical rooms-enthralls her.

As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex's secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? With time running out, Nyx must decide what is more important: the future of her kingdom, or the man she was never supposed to love.

I was raised to marry a monster.

Nyx Triskelion lives in a world under the dome. Her country, Arcadia, is torn apart from the rest of the world, and the people can no longer see the real sky. It has been nine hundred years, and the people are still captivated in the dome. They are ruled by the Gentle Lord, the demon prince whose demons infest every shadow. The Gentle Lord is a cruel being who loves striking bargain to those foolish enough to bargain with him, and today, Nyx will be married to him.

Seventeen years ago, Nyx’s father struck a bargain with the demon prince, and in return, he has to marry his daughter to the Gentle Lord when she reaches the age of seventeen. Now his daughter Nyx, prepared with her knowledge about Hermetic magic and a blade from her twin sister Astraia, is ready to do anything it takes to kill the gentle lord and save Arcadia. But the task turns out to be more complicated than she thinks as she spends more days with the Gentle Lord and learns the truth that the demon prince might be prisoned too with them inside the dome…

Cruel Beauty captivates me right from the beginning. It is a wonderful debut that will resonate well to fans of dark fairytales. Though I went into the book expecting a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, I got glimpses of Blue Beard and Rumpelstiltskin tale as well. Thankfully the Blue Beard elements were not as horrifying as I thought or I would have run away in fear. Nyx is a character I will remember dearly. She is not your usual impossibly kind and ready-to-sacrifice-anything-just-ask type of heroine. On the opposite, she is feisty, impatient, and at times too wrapped up in her own problem to care for others. But aren’t we all sometimes? She has poison in her heart and she’s aware of it. Nyx is a dark and flawed character that is just right for the story. The Gentle Lord or simply called Ignifex is a character I warmed up almost instantly. It is just so cute that he falls asleep on the floor besides Nyx while he is waiting for her to wake up. What can I say, really. I’m weak against those playful and dangerous fictional guys. *cough* Adrian Ivashkov *cough*

I think the ending suits the nature of the story, but I think it can be tweaked a bit. I felt like I was furiously trying to grasp the characters I’ve fallen in love with when I reached the ending. Since I don’t see many people complained about the ending, I might be the odd one on this.

All in all, Cruel Beauty is a wonderful read and I was very happy when I picked up this gem. The book reminds me of Juliet Marillier’s Sevenwater’s works with the striking characters, lush setting, and easy-to-follow writing. The banter between Nyx and Ignifex also adds a nice touch to the story. I can hardly wait to read more books from this author. Rosamund Hodge is certainly an author I will put into my to-watch list!

I smashed my fist into his face.

The blow was hard enough that he fell over backward. … As he sat back up, I dropped to my knees. There was only one thing to do. I started to undo the top button of my dress, then simply ripped it open.

“I’m sorry,” I said, staring at the floor. “I just, my father made me promise to bring a knife, and—and—” I stuttered, acutely aware that I was half-naked in front of him. “I’m your wife! I burn for your touch! I thirst for your love!” I didn’t know where the terrible words were coming from, but I couldn’t stop them. “I’ll do anything, I’ll—”

I realized he was laughing.

4 cups of tea!
Wonderful characters and stunning storyline. Love it!

Review: Divergent by Veronica Roth

Come on. What are you afraid of?

It’s incredible, the moment when you’re halfway through a book and realize that you’re going to fall in love with it. It is the kind of book that makes you breathless when you’re reading it and in the end, all you want to do is just to hug the book and congratulate the author. I have the pleasure to tell you that Divergent is one of these books.

I came to Divergent with super high expectation and I’m really glad that I was not even slightly disappointed. The pacing! The worldbuilding! The characters! The well-written plots! Divergent is practically dripping with awesomeness.

Tris is a character I absolutely adore. She’s strong, smart, and brave beyond words. She’s amazing. I was so protective over Tris, and it enraged me that people around her underestimates her just because she couldn’t kick or throw punches well. You can’t judge a person simply by their brute strength.

The chasm reminds us that there is a fine line between bravery and idiocy.

Oh, I want a bracelet with these words engraved! Never had I read a quote that speaks my mind most cleverly. There is such fragile, thin line that separates courage and simply suicide act. Divergent makes me think about the description of bravery and strength. In the end, I conclude that a strong person is someone who can control their strength, and uses it to protect innocent people around them. Someone who knows border between fearlessness and arrogance.

Divergent is harsh. There are so many moments when Tris and Four have to show the ruthless side of them. I like it that both characters are not perfect and their flaws make them even more real. If Divergent is ever turned into a movie, I’m wondering what the rating would be. There are too many contents that won’t be suitable for younger teenager. For example, the whole Dauntless initiation. I can see that Dauntless initiation has good aim but the implementation is horrible. There is great possibility of death in the initiation and in one way, it’s like the forest law when the weak one is eliminated from the picture because they can’t survive the fight and the killing.

I think what Veronica Ross did in this book is very brave. She makes me questioned many things after reading this book. Virtue, selflessness, bravery… everything seems blurry and gray suddenly. I keep feeling that there is such a thin line between brutality and what you have to do. Everyone has their own reasons for their doing. Each person protects on what they believe most, and I just wish that some people in this book can see things from different perspectives.

Divergent is an amazing read and I’m completely in love with the world in this book. This book is highly recommended, especially to fans of Dystopian genre. I think I might get myself three copies of this book: one to reread over and over, one for display in my bookshelf, and the last to lend to my friends so I can spread the wonderfulness of Divergent.

As we walk toward the Pit, I repeat the line Will quoted to myself so I don’t forget it.

I believe in ordinary acts of bravery, in the courage that drives one person to stand up for another. 

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I rate this book:

Five cups of tea. Genius. Beautiful, haunting, and lively characters. Reading this is an overwhelming experience. Must read at least once in a lifetime!

Review: Welcome, Caller, This is Chloe by Shelley Coriell

4.5 stars

 

Need a friend? Call Chloe. How about a laugh? Enter Chloe with joke book in hand.

Chloe was the queen of her universe. She has family that adores her, crazy grandma that is always up for Brad Pitt movies day, and two best friends that have been her friend for such a long time. Then everything crashes. Her older brother leaves her for college, her mother and grandma are in third world war, and Chloe’s best friends dump her because they consider her fail as a friend. In addition, there is a new school counselor who wants Chloe to change her topic on Junior Independent Study Project (JISP). JISP is a project when a junior is required to contribute something useful to community. It is all about passion and Chloe is determined to have topic concerning about her number one passion: shoes. However, there is a twist of event and suddenly, she is required to help promoting her school radio station for her JISP project.

Chloe knows nothing about radio, but she knows about promotion. At first, she wanted to help the dying radio station because of her duty as promo manager, but as time progresses by, Chloe finds herself having a new home in the radio station. She becomes friends with people whom her old best friend called ‘outsiders’. Chloe also learns that in radio, sometimes it is very crucial to shut up and just listen.

Welcome, Caller, This is Chloe is a very brilliant debut and I love every minute reading this book. With her cheerful attitude and happy-go-lucky motto, you can’t help but liking Chloe. She is bubbly and she does talk too much, but along the story, her character is greatly improved and she becomes more mature. Chloe’s grandmother is suffering from Parkinson disease and Chloe had hard time struggling to accept that this time she is the one who takes care of her grandma, but I really like the way she handles the family problem. Chloe is a strong a character and one I wouldn’t mind being friends with.

Another thing I like about this book is Duncan, the fix-all guy who is responsible for technical stuff in the radio station. Duncan works in two places and he hardly has time to sleep or do his homework. Duncan didn’t have much fun in his life so I really like it that the coming of Chloe to his life has brightened his days. Duncan definitely needs more fun in his life and Chloe always successfully makes him crack a smile or laugh at her lines.

This book is definitely a keeper. Chloe is different from most main characters. She’s confident and she knows how to make the best of her talents. One thing I like most about Chloe is she tries to befriend with everyone. She has moments of imperfection when she’s so full of herself, but she is not afraid to evaluate herself and always tries to make up for her faults.

I think this book can do even better with more details. There should be a passage about other workers in the radio station. I want to find out about the fate of Haley’s baby or whether Clementine has some private stuff going on in her life too. Some characters, like Chloe’s older brothers, are only mentioned in the book. It would be much better if they show up or even a phone call would be perfect.

In overall, I really like the book. This book deserves an addition of half star because I really like Chloe’s character. Her problems are real and I can completely relate to her. Her former best friend Brie did many horrible things to her despite their long time friendship, and I can understand how hurtful and confused Chloe must be. What makes Chloe admirable is her power to always stay positive. This is such a brilliant debut and I can wait to read more amazing book from Shelley Coriell!

Because when you cared about people, you handed them a little piece of your heart, and with those hands, they had the power to cause pain.

 

 

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 I rate this book: 

 

 Four cups of tea. Amazing! Love the book, it’s simply awesome. I love the tea flavor!  A strong recommendation.

Review: Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard

 I don’t give out 5 stars lightly.

Wanderlove deserves every bit and pieces of the five stars. I love, love the book. Enchanting, this book will make you smile when you’ve finished the last line. Sometimes, there’s just a book you can identify yourself easily, like the moment when you’re reading and you’re thinking: Gosh, this is so me. Story of my life.

It all begins with a question and follows up with a crazy idea. Are you a Global Vagabond? Bria, dumped by his ex-boyfriend and lost her purpose in life, decided that she will prove her friends that she can travel alone in a foreign country. She signed up to be a Global Vagabond. Her destination: Central America! Exotic places, beautiful Mayan ruin, and cool strangers! Who cares about things like ex-boyfriend, art school, or clueless parents!

It’s her first day in Guatemala City and it seems like things have gone wrong already. Her traveler companions are way older than her, and they don’t seem to take interest in Guatemala’s scenery. Her camera is stolen in the Guatemala market. And, worst of all, she doesn’t feel any different than when she was in California. But everything starts to change… when she meets Rowan, the experienced backpacker. Their short encounter leads to three weeks backpacking, where they learn about dependence and honesty… and most importantly, moving on from their haunting past.

Bria is a wonderful character, and I like her very much. She’s smart and she can be cynical sometimes, but it’s really easy to connect to her character. She doesn’t want to lose and she jumps to conclusion quickly, but throughout the book, her character is greatly improved. You can tell that this traveling makes her more mature. I also love Rowan. He’s really cute, especially when he feels guilty to Bria. All you want to do is just holding his hands and get on the hammock with him. Yeah, there really is a hammock in this book where you can see stars blinking at you! That’s easily one of my favorite parts in this book.

The story flows smoothly, and it seems so real. You can’t question the plot in this book. There are beautiful drawings created by the author herself in this book, and it’s much easier to imagine characters in Wanderlove. Like a teenager, I squeaked and gasped in delight whenever Bria and Rowan is doing gestures that imply more than their platonic relationship.

This book makes me want to grab my backpack and catch a plane to Central America. I’m not exactly a backpacker girl, in truth I’m too fond of shower and hand sanitizer. But this book makes me want to drink licuado in a café in Guatemala, try diving, or attend a Lobsterfest in an exotic island.

Definitely a recommendation for anyone who is suffering from wanderlust, I hope that this book can be your temporary cure! This book is also for anyone who loves reading amazing book with enchanting and beautiful story: you really should check out this book!
 
Maybe I’m doing the same thing right now, this very minute—just escaping by plane, chicken bus, and boat instead of by car. Maybe I’ve been a Wanderlove wannabe all along, without ever knowing it existed.

I rate this book: 

Five cups of tea! Genius. Beautiful, haunting, and lively characters. Reading this is an overwhelming experience. Must read at least once in a lifetime!

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