Japanese Literature Challenge 19

Japanese Literature Challenge 19
hosted by Dolce Bellezza (details)
January 1 to March 31, 2026

The Amberglow Candy Store
by Hiyoko Kurisu
translated by Matt Treyvaud
Fantasy, Magic, Cozy, Candy, Japan | Published: 2025 | my rating: 5

Little Shrew
by Akiko Miyakoshi
Children's, Animal, Friendship, illustrated | Published: 2024

Hotel Iris
by Yoko Ogawa
translated by Stephen Snyder
Psychological, Erotic, Japan | Published: 1996 (first)

Nobu: a memoir
by Nobuyuki Matsuhisa
Memoir, Restauranteur, Japan | Published: 2017

Japanese Readathon

Japanese Readathon
hosted by @jplitreadathon
reading the group picks
check out their details for more
~*~
FEBRUARY:

Sweet Bean Paste
by Durian Sukegawa
translated by Alison Watts
Contemporary, Japan | Published: 2017 (for 2013) | Goodreads

APRIL:

The Old Capital
by Yasunari Kawabata
translated by J. Martin Holman and Vanja Lantz
Classic, Historical, Japan | Published: 2006 (first 1962) | Goodreads | my rating: 5
being a foundling, interesting concept
JUNE:

The Sound of Waves
by Yukio Mishima
Literary, Classic, Japan | Published: 1956 | Goodreads | my rating: 5

JULY:

Spring Snow
by Yukio Mishima
translated by Michael Gallagher
Literary, Historical, Japan | Goodreads

AUGUST:

Automatic Eve
by Rokurō Inui
translated by Matt Treyvaud
SciFi, Steampunk, Japan | Published: 2019 | Goodreads

OCTOBER:

Revenge
by Yoko Ogawa
translated by Stephen Snyder
Short Stories, Horror, Japan | Published: 2013 (first 1998) | Goodreads
DECEMBER:

The Great Passage
by Shion Miura
translated by Juliet Winters Carpenter
Literary, Writing, Japan | Published: 2017 (first 2011) | Goodreads

Lovely Books and Things - 10.24.21

Lovely Books and Things
My Weekly Books and Films Update

Linking up with:
Sunday Post (details)
Mailbox Monday (details)

~*~

HAPPY THINGS:

1. Gold VIP animal masks from Squid Game
2. Holiday Fruitcake from Frog Hollow Farm (here) - always on the lookout for yummy fruitcake
3. Autumn leaves

~*~
Bought:

The Chalk Circle
(Commissaire Adamsberg #1)
by Fred Vargas
translated by Siân Reynolds
Mystery, Crime, France | Goodreads

Diary of a Provincial Lady
by E.M. Delafield
Classics, Historical, Humor, England | Published: 1982 (first 1930) | Goodreads
Library: audiobook

Revenge
by Yoko Ogawa
translated by Stephen Snyder
Short Stories, Horror, Japan | Published: 2013 (first 1998) | Goodreads
~*~
Virtual Author event: hosted by Murder By The Book
See archive of this (here)

Family Plot
by Megan Collins
Thriller, Mystery | Published: 2021 | Goodreads
Virtual Author event: hosted by bookreporter
See archive of this (here)

Maid
Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother's Will to Survive
by Stephanie Land
Memoir, Poverty | Published: 2019 | Goodreads
~*~
AND watched: Netflix

Maid (2021)
Creator: Molly Smith Metzler
Based on book: Stephanie Land
Stars: Margaret Qualley, Nick Robinson, Rylea Nevaeh Whittet
Drama | imdb | my rating: tba -so far, so good
After fleeing an abusive relationship, a young mother finds a job cleaning houses as she fights to provide for her child and build them a better future.

Squid Game (2021)
Director/Writer: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Park Hae-soo, Jung Hoyeon
Action, Drama, Mystery, South Korea | imdb | my rating: 5
Hundreds of cash-strapped players accept a strange invitation to compete in children's games. Inside, a tempting prize awaits with deadly high stakes. A survival game that has a whopping 45.6 billion-won prize at stake.

~*~
* comment and TELL me what you have acquired for your shelves recently

Thanks for stopping by :-)

Lovely Books and Things - 1.31.21

Lovely Books and Things
My Weekly Books and Films Update

Linking up with:
Sunday Post (details)
Mailbox Monday (details)

~*~

HAPPY THINGS:

1. Catching up with videos by booktubers: Savidge Reads, cari can read, monica kim, Books with Chloe
2. Finding a missing puzzle piece in an unexpected place. Whew!
3. Browsing independent bookstores - Green Apple Books on Clement

~*~

Library: audiobook

The Memory Police
by Yoko Ogawa
translated by Stephen Snyder
Dystopia, Japanese-Japan | Published: 2019 | Goodreads

The Best of Me
by David Sedaris
Essays, Memoir, Humor | Published: 2020 | Goodreads

The Viscount Who Loved Me
(Bridgertons #2)
by Julia Quinn
Romance, Regency | Published: 2000 | Goodreads
listening to the English version, but showing off this cute cover

~*~ AND watched: DVD

Birds of Prey (2020)
And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn
Director: Cathy Yan
Writer: Christina Hodson
Harley character created by: Paul Dini, Bruce Timm
Stars: Margot Robbie, Rosie Perez, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jurnee Smollett, Ella Jay Basco
Action, Adventure, Comedy | imdb | my rating: 5
After splitting with the Joker, Harley Quinn joins superheroes Black Canary, Huntress and Renee Montoya to save a young girl from an evil crime lord.

GIRL power rockin' it.

Never Rarely Sometimes Always (2020)
Director/Writer: Eliza Hittman:
Stars: Sidney Flanigan, Talia Ryder
Drama | imdb | my rating: 5
A pair of teenage girls in rural Pennsylvania travel to New York City to seek out medical help after an unintended pregnancy.

SOME harsh realities.

Phantom Lady (1944)
Director: Robert Siodmak
Screenplay: Bernard C. Schoenfeld
Based on book by: William Irish (pseud.), Cornell Woolrich
Stars: Franchot Tone, Ella Raines, Alan Curtis
Crime, Drama, Film-Noir | imdb | my rating: 5
A devoted secretary risks her life to try to find the elusive woman who may prove her boss didn't murder his selfish wife.

COURAGEOUS lady doings for love.

~*~
* comment and TELL me what you have acquired for your shelves recently

Thanks for stopping by :-)

Japanese Literature Challenge 14

Japanese Literature Challenge 14
hosted by Dolce Bellezza
January 1 to March 31, 2021
(details)

Before the Coffee Gets Cold
by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
translated by Geoffrey Trousselot
Fantasy, Time Travel, Japan, (audio) | Published: 2019 (first 2015) | Goodreads | my rating: 5
importance of the present

Breasts and Eggs
by Mieko Kawakami,
translated by Sam Bett, David Boyd
Literary, Feminism, Japan | Goodreads | my rating: 5
female body, children and meaning of life

The Memory Police
by Yoko Ogawa
translated by Stephen Snyder
Literature, Dystopia, Japan, (audio) | Published: 2019 | Goodreads | my rating: 5
long-term illness, death and dying

The Perfect World of Miwako Sumida
by Clarissa Goenawan
Literary, Japan, LGBTQ, Magical Realism | Published: 2020 | Goodreads | my rating: 5
zines, popularity, truths, untruths

Sailor Moon
volume one
by Naoko Takeuchi
Graphic Novel, YA, Japan | Published: 2003 (first 1992) | Goodreads | my rating: 4
leadership, team work, flicker of romance

Man Booker International Prize Reading Challenge 2020

Man Booker International Prize
Reading Challenge
official site
Long list announced: February 27, 2020
Short list announced: April 2, 2020
Winner announced: August 26, 2020

~*~
Setting up this self-challenge for some arm-chair traveling.

~*~
W I N N E R: tba

~*~
Books on the short list:

The Enlightenment of the Greengage Tree
by Shokoofeh Azar
translated by Anonymous
Historical, Magical Realism, 70's, Farsi-Iran | Goodreads

The Adventures of China Iron
by Gabriela Cabezón Cámara
translated by Iona Macintyre and Fiona Mackintosh
Feminism, LGBTQ, Spanish-Argentina | Goodreads

Tyll
by Daniel Kehlmann
translated by Ross Benjamin
Historical, Germany-German | Goodreads

Hurricane Season
by Fernanda Melchor
translated by Sophie Hughes
Literary, Spanish-Mexico | Goodreads

The Memory Police
by Yoko Ogawa
translated by Stephen Snyder
Dystopia, Japanese-Japan | Goodreads

The Discomfort of Evening
by Marieke Lucas Rijneveld
translated by Michele Hutchison
Contemporary, Dutch-Netherlands | Goodreads