Welcome to Litsy!

A restrained horror novel that unfolds with eerie calm, only to erupt into visceral terror in its final act.

True to Japanese horror, Audition delays its descent until the end, where emotional repression gives way to torment and psychological collapse, where trauma festers beneath social decorum and violence erupts from emotional neglect. The horror here isn‘t supernatural; it‘s human, intimate, and inevitable.

This is a story about a postman that is dying and makes a deal with the devil to make one thing disappear from the world in order to live one extra day. I like the devil aspect and feel connected with the author‘s style of imagination. There was only one part about time that got a bit redundant, but the rest I enjoyed immensely.

Heaven, by Mieko Kawakami (2009, transl. 2021)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Premise: Two bullied Japanese teenagers form a tenuous friendship.

Review: This was a very hard read. The descriptions of the bullying the two main characters experience are vivid and intense, and increase in severity as the book goes on. ⬇️

Ooh! Look what else appeared! And can you spot another Rae addition? (The Safekeep was already there haha)

Ogawa writes beautifully and sometimes even dream-like. But I do prefer her newer books to her older ones. I knew that this one wasn't going to my favorite. As a person with dyscalculia I just let the characters go on about maths and how to solve this and that. I would have loved to learn more about the professor's condition and how he deals with it.

I shall never look at spirals the same ever again. My youngest has long been a huge fan of Junji Ito, so I‘ve been meaning to read something of his for a while. When I asked Max which I should try, he didn‘t hesitate to recommend Uzumaki. And holy crap, am I glad he did! This was one weird and wild ride! I honestly think it‘s a masterpiece of body horror. Creepy with continually building tension. Seriously loved this one. #bookblanket

Such a sweet start to a romance. She has to deal with an inferior complex stemming from her abusive family. He does not like the fake attention he receives from females.

I tried manga tonight because my Chaya reads it. I was pleased. My only whine is that I couldn't manipulate the font/page from my Kindle so I could read it. Which has nothing to do with the author's work or the illustrations.

A light Pick. The chapters are short and follow the same format, so this is a good book to pick up and put down. If you are looking for fast-paced plot, look elsewhere. I liked this for what it was and what I am able to read at the moment. The food descriptions were great too. Not going to actively seek out the other books, but they are good to have in mind if I need them.

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Today‘s haiku is inspired by the bowl of tonkatsu ramen that I ate for a late lunch. Not only delicious, but like all good soups, good for the soul.🥣💛🍜

Tonkatsu comfort
Pork, egg, noodles bathe in broth
Ramen soothes my soul

This was a breath of fresh air after my last few books. I read it quickly as I was happy to be in Ayako & Kyo‘s world in Onomichi. It was perfectly paced with characters that had enough depth and I liked the relationship between Kyo & his grandmother. Right book, right time.