pickHisataro has mysteriously fallen into time loops—which always last 8 days—throughout his life, the most recent occasion on the day his grandfather is murdered. This gives him the chance to prevent the crime before it even happens but when the smallest action seemingly changes the timeline each time, how is he supposed to figure out the culprit and stop them in time. Story requires some suspension of disbelief but I was entertained.
#ChunksterChallenge2025 @Amiable
I read several #BitsyChunkster but the two I enjoyed the most were The Lincoln Highway (Towles) and The Valley of Horses (Auel).
#ChunksterPetite Zorro (Allende)
#Chunkster The Priory of the Orange Tree (Shannon)
#ColossalChunkster Shogun
so-soSeventeen is a solid, methodical read. Using the 1985 JAL crash as a backdrop, it focuses more on newsroom politics and strained family dynamics than the accident itself. It captures the grit of journalism and the friction between work and home life well, though the pacing feels sluggish. It‘s a decent procedural and character study, even if it lacks some narrative punch.
Where I work my way through The Setting Sun by Osamu Dazai translated by Juliet Winters Carpenter https://www.suzs-space.com/the-setting-sun-by-osamu-dazai-translated-by-juliet-w...
so-soThis book has a lot to say about women, weight, food, appetite, and guilt. I‘m not going to pretend I understood every nuance — my insight into Japanese culture, especially around womanhood, is limited — but when I translate the themes into a Western context, I can see what the author is getting at.
Thanks for doing this @TheEllieMo !
January‘s pick is a Japanese fabulist tale of a mysterious restaurant where the customers can have a final meal with a lost loved one. A beautiful examination of grief and closure, with delicious recipes!
#12BooksOf2025
pickI have come to really love Japanese cozies and this is such a good one. I plan to continue this series. A food detective is such an interesting profession and one I would not have thought there was a need for. Each client has such a personal and complicated link to the dish they want recreated. The Kamogawa father and daughter team are so great together and the cat, Drowsy, is a running gag. This book will leave you with a warm glow. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Gotta Love Jólabókaflóð ? thank you @PatriciaU - made Christmas Eve extra cozy ?
Thank you @MaleficentBookDragon for another fun swap
On the first day of Christmas my favorite book of January is A Tale for the Time Being!
This was my first by her so I hope there‘s more Ozeki in 2026 for me!
Honorable mention for January goes to The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store.
Thanks for asking @TheEllieMo !
#12booksof2025
