Xiaoyan

Enjoyed this one a lot! Can't say there are a lot of horror novels that got me actually scared, but this one definitely creeped me out. Love the format and the way there are enough hints provided along the way to allow the reader to piece things together on their own. 

This book was written just for me so it goes without saying that it has caused irreparable damages to my life and psyche. The moment I finished the drama and movie, I know I have became a changed person, and reading the book only confirms it.

This book is definitely not for everyone; you either love it or hate it, and I personally really, really love it. Some people may not get Them but I DO. Author-sama you are so #real and so #right. Your brain is so big and I need to delve into whatever you’re cooking next. I genuinely had a lot of fun reading this. The 8 hours i spent to finish this volume passed by like it was nothing. I love every second I’d spent on this. Especially when the characters are Going Through It.

I LOVE obsessive guys who love their partners a little too much, who worship their partner and regard them as their god, who will do anything for their partner, who is a little creepy and freaky about their partner. Hira is EVERYTHING I have always liked from a character and more. I love the fact that his obsession is his most defining character trait YET it is also his flaw. I love how his reverence towards Kiyoi is the main conflict in their relationship! The author did really well in showing how Hira’s reverence affects both Hira and Kiyoi, how it brings them together, and how it divides them.

The whole “my partner is my god” trope is my favourite and I love the way the author portrays how excessive reverence & devotion can still bring issues to a relationship. I support Hira in his endeavour but there are many things still that he has to learn and understand. To put someone in a pedestal and a throne is to leave them alone, but you can place them as your god and still let them have you as a lover. It has been #Done. Your predecessors have successfully done it before. I really love the spaces being given to allow the characters & relationship to grow. Can’t wait to read the next volume to see how the author will explore it ❤️

It’s honestly hilarious how different their POVs are. Hira is being all “my god, my universe, my king” through it all while Kiyoi is just having a rather typical coming of age romantic woes. Hira is going all “I would let Kiyoi do anything to me, I can’t live without Kiyoi, I’m not worthy of Kiyoi, Kiyoi is my god” etc etc while Kiyoi is just “i gave my number to the guy I like and he hasn’t called me???????? Does he like me or does he like his friend better????????? Why won’t my situationship fuck me??????????” It’s so crazy but so funny 😭😭😭😭

And okay. Let’s be real here: Hira /is/ creepy. He is creepy and freaky and a little crazy, that’s why we love him! That’s why /Kiyoi/ loves him. It’s what makes him such a loveable and compelling character. And Kiyoi is also a little crazy!!!! When Koyama called them both crazy, I was feeling vindicated because THEY REALLY ARE. I love their joint #Freak4Freak-ism and I support it.

Also #IStandWithMyProblematicWife and so does Hira. He definitely also stands with his problematic wife. Something about Kiyoi really makes it hard for you to look away. And this is not just because Hira spent a lot of his narration going Kiyoi Kiyoi, reading Kiyoi’s POV makes me so endeared to him. He is like a cat to me. And he is such a high-maintenance guy but at the same time he wants such simple things. He is so dear to me!!!!!!

All in all, I have a lot of fun reading this. It came to me at the most perfect time considering the state of my actual real life, lol. It brings and fills me with uncomplicated fun and tender moments of two lonely people that are so different from each other finding and fighting for each other.

Have to admit that it does take me a while to get into it. But by the middle of the book, I do find myself really enjoying the story. Though I do wish there were more focus on the relationship between Charlie and Jasper—they have a very fun and interesting dynamics, and their banters are always hilarious. 

ALSO: additional bonus point for getting the voice actor of my beautiful wife Kaveh to narrate the audiobook. Definitely enhanced my experience listening to it. #ilovemywife

Another wonderful book by Janice Hallett. As always, she crafted a brilliant mysteries full of many different pieces that come together wonderfully at the end, quirky characters, and hints and foreshadowing in between the lines.

Similar to her other books, I am completely hooked from the start. It was hard to put this down, I keep wanting to find out more and more what had happened and what will happen.

Also love the pacing of the book; considering this was handed as a pitch for a Netflix docuseries, I feel that the pace totally fit what typical true crime docuseries would be like. Love that touch!.

Though personally what I find missing in this book is the connection towards the characters. In her previous books, her characters always feel “close” - people we may not know well but enough to say hi to whenever we see them. To read their correspondences thus feel more intimate and invasive. These characters feel more distant - and while they are fun and quirky and alive, it's harder to particularly connect to them.

While the ending definitely “makes sense” in a way - it's not really... my favourite. With the tension keep rising and rising throughout the book, I had expected it to “explode” during a climate. Though the reveal doss explain all the different mysteries throughout the book... the climax to feel more underwhelming. Had just expected more bodies, I suppose. 

Still! Another brilliantly well-written book that I enjoyed a lot. Can't wait to re-read it at another day to enjoy the what I had missed in my first read.

Not sure what’s more horrifying to me, a twenty-something reading this: her spiralling or the knowledge that the housing market will only get worse 🥳✌️ Had a great time reading this tho!