kitay was pure. he was the best person she had ever known. kitay shouldn’t know how it felt to call a god of vengeance. kitay was the last thing in the world that was still fundamentally kind and good, and she’d die before she corrupted that.

for @henwilsons, the other half of my soul.

— the drowning faith, r.f. kuang (2020)

“I'd wondered why you chose me instead of Sun Meng, since I'm so much uglier than he was, but now I know the truth: it's because I have breasts. You took one look and knew I was the man for you.” “Now you're laughing about it. You lose a body part, and all of a sudden you're so eager to show off what extras you have?”

She Who Became The Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan

favourite characters: lady bhumika

“trade is dwindling,” he retorted immediately. “the merchants beyond our borders are frightened of us.” of you, he did not say. of the power in you. but she heard it. oh, she heard it.

Inside her there was only the perfect, blank brightness of belief and desire.

“Some say the heavens dictate the rise and fall of empires. Clearly, those peasants have never met me.”

—STRIKE THE ZITHER, Joan He

i have become something wonderful, she thought. i have become something terrible.

Insta: @ littlepiscesdreaming

Strangely Comforting Books — East Asian Edition

Stories from South Korean and Japanese literature have a strange sense of calmness and comfort. It's like being in the eye of a storm, completely detached from the rest of the world blowing into pieces. 

I recently finished reading two books, 'Kitchen' by Banana Yoshimoto (Japanese) and 'Diary of a Murderer and Other Stories' by Kim Young-Ha (South Korean).

'Kitchen' deals with heartbreak and death and it comforts the reader by saying that life will go on, regardless of circumstances. 

'Diary of Murderer and other stories' is a nuanced book that deals with a murderer slowly sinking into dementia, a kidnapped child reuniting with family after a long time, and the struggles of being an artist. 

They are short books, and I definitely think more people should read them. 

Here's the link if you are considering buying: 

Kitchen: https://amzn.to/3qmvOlo Diary of a Murderer: https://amzn.to/3d1q25q

[Disclaimer: I am a participant in the Amazon Associates Programme, designed to provide me a means of earning fees by linking to Amazon. In other words, I earn a small commission when a user chooses to purchase products through the links above, with no additional cost to the said user.]

ARC Review: This Place Is Still Beautiful by Xixi Tian

Rating: 3★ of 5

Release date: June 7, 2022

A story of two estranged sisters who are brought together after a hate crime is committed in their home. Upon reading the premise, I expected something powerful and moving. In my case, it wasn’t much of those.

Told in alternating POVs of the two sisters, Margaret and Annalie, through them we see two sides of a coin. It is Margaret who experiences prejudice more than Annalie does, even if they are of course, both half-Chinese. To be frank, I didn’t like the way this was handled but I’d rather not say more since this isn’t an experience I share. Aside from that, I didn’t expect this to be quite heavy on romance. On Annalie’s part, it progressed much too quickly for me and her interactions with Thom made me feel so unsettled I wanted to shake Annalie by the shoulders. Margaret on the other hand, was more confrontational and hot-headed but considering her recounted experiences I understood her want to be heard even if her sister and mother would not agree with her ways. I found everyone’s characterization quite shallow. There would be mentions here and there of their experiences, insecurities, hobbies, and a lot more but the light shed on them was surface level. I felt like there was so much to unpack, there was just no chance given. Family dynamics were also written in a way that wasn’t very believable for me.

Plot-wise, this was also a bit of a let down. Almost everything was resolved quickly, especially the hate crime mystery. The writing wasn’t exemplary either, but not bad. I don’t know how to explain but I just expected more from this?

Despite those though, this book still had its moments. I liked the ending and the conversations between Annalie and Margaret, and that of Margaret and her mother. Nevertheless, I still think this would still be enjoyed by many.

A review copy was granted in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc!

@fantasysociety​ game 03 | favourite dynamic | adelina and violetta amouteru

you are powerful, mi adelinetta, but you have all the charisma of burnt potato pudding. i like burnt potato pudding. it’s smoky.

@fantasysociety game 04 | colors

“they’re not the strongest force in the world,” rin said. she felt the god’s presence in the back of her mind—eager, delighted, and at last perfectly aligned with her intentions. together, spoke the phoenix, we will burn down this world. she slammed her fist against the table. “i am.”

It was all perfect: everything he needed, dished up on a plate. It was perfect because his fate was inescapable, and it would happen no matter what he thought or felt or did.

— The Radiant Emperor by Shelley Parker-Chan

favourite books: the jasmine throne by tasha suri

imprisoned by her dictator brother, malini spends her days in isolation in the hirana: an ancient temple that was once the source of the powerful, magical deathless waters — but is now little more than a decaying ruin. priya is a maidservant, one among several who make the treacherous journey to the top of the hirana every night to clean malini’s chambers. she is happy to be an anonymous drudge, so long as it keeps anyone from guessing the dangerous secret she hides. but when malini accidentally bears witness to priya’s true nature, their destinies become irrevocably tangled. one is a vengeful princess seeking to depose her brother from his throne. the other is a priestess seeking to find her family. together, they will change the fate of an empire.

@storyseekers event 18: 2021 debut — she who became the sun by shelley parker-chan

"when all we have are these brief spans between our nonexistences, why not make the most of the life you're living now? the price is worth it."

@novelsnet​ event 11: anticipated releases — portrait of a thief by grace d. li

“history is told by the conquerors“