Good Morning,
It’s the start of another week. It’s Monday! What are you Reading is hosted by Kathryn from Book Date, this is a weekly event to share what we’ve read in the past week and what we hope to read, plus whatever else comes to mind.
Things are still crazy around here and my brother is still in the hospital, but I kinda miss posting on here. In the last two months I have decided on a few changes I am going to make, but more on that in a later post.
Recent Books
Lonely Castle In The Mirror by Mizuki Tsujimura | Fantasy, Fiction, Magical Realism, Japanese Literature |
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A Studio Ghibli-esque work of Japanese translation “that lays bare the anxieties and desperation—and the small triumphs—of adolescence” (Locus), for fans of Mieko Kawakami’s Heaven.
Seven students find unusual common ground in this warm, puzzle-like Japanese bestseller laced with gentle fantasy and compassionate insight.
Bullied to the point of dropping out of school, Kokoro’s days blur together as she hides in her bedroom, unable to face her family or friends. As she spirals into despair, her mirror begins to shine; with a touch, Kokoro is pulled from her lonely life into a resplendent, bizarre fairytale castle guarded by a strange girl in a wolf mask. Six other students have been brought to the castle, and soon this marvelous refuge becomes their playground.
The castle has a hidden room that can grant a single wish, but there are rules to be followed, and breaking them will have dire consequences. As Kokoro and her new acquaintances spend more time in their new sanctuary, they begin to unlock the castle’s secrets and, tentatively, each other’s.
Lonely Castle in the Mirror is a mesmerizing, heart-warming novel about the unexpected rewards of embracing human connection.
Mao, Vol. 11 by Rumiko Takahashi | Mao #11 | Manga, Fantasy | Add to Goodreads
Exorcise your destiny in an era-spanning supernatural adventure from manga legend Rumiko Takahashi!
When Nanoka is transported back in time to a supernatural early 20th century, she gets recruited by aloof exorcist Mao. What thread of fate connects them? Together, they seek answers…and kick some demon butt along the way!
A cursed sword is claimed and reforged for Nanoka, but the blade is stolen before she can wield it. Who does the original weapon belong to, and why do they want it back so badly? Battles ensue, and this time it’s Mao’s turn to sacrifice himself to save Nanoka… Meanwhile, Soma gets a new motivation to do Hakubi’s bidding. And then Nanoka is taken hostage!
The King’s Beast, Vol. 10 by Rei Tōma | The King’s Beast #10 | Manga, Romance, Fantasy | Add to Goodreads
Ajin boys who show signs of special abilities are conscripted to serve in the imperial palace as beast-servants—status symbols and shields for their royal masters, to be kept or discarded on a whim. When they were children, Rangetsu’s twin brother Sogetsu was ripped from her arms and sent to the palace to attend Prince Tenyou as a beast-servant, where he quickly fell victim to bloody dynastic intrigues. Now in a world that promises only bitterness, Rangetsu’s one hope at avenging her brother is to disguise herself as a man and find a way into the palace!
Sogetsu may have been released from the emperor’s cruelty, but he’s not yet completely free of his ordeal. In order to survive the experiments he suffered through, Sogetsu’s mind splintered into many personalities…and only one of them made it out of the inner palace. Now he is racked with guilt over being the wrong Sogetsu, and the agony of feeling unworthy of being rescued is pushing him into unexpected action!
Currently Reading
Kitsune: A Little Mermaid Retelling by Nicolette Andrews | Tales of Akatsuki #1 | Fantasy, Retelling, Romance | Add to Goodreads
Rescuing him was a mistake. Falling in love was unthinkable. Because to save her own life, she has to destroy his.
Rin is an immortal kitsune, or at least she was until a witch’s curse turned her human. To regain her yokai powers and avoid being turned into a fox, she must make the lord’s son fall in love with her before the next full moon. Her kind has been seducing humans for centuries, and it should be easy, as long as he doesn’t find out she’s a kitsune… except that the curse also took her voice.
Hikaru is betrothed to the daughter of a rival lord, and he will fulfill his duty, protecting his clan from others and from the yokai. But when he’s saved by a mysterious red-haired woman, he can’t forget her, try as he might. Then she turns up at his door… Only it can’t be his savior, because this woman has ebony hair, but there’s something inexplicably bewitching about her. Yet his father’s treaty depends on his marriage to another, and even an innocent dalliance could ruin everything.
Falling in love is dangerous for them both. Not only are they from different worlds, but their time together can only end in heartache. Hikaru’s marriage means security for his clan, and Rin must destroy it or be turned into a fox. And truly loving Hikaru means revealing she’s one of the hated yokai and an immortal. Will they risk it all for love? Or will their two worlds rip them apart for good?
Fans of fairy tale retellings, anime, and manga love Kitsune: A Little Mermaid Retelling, an old tale retold from a fresh perspective.
Going Dark by Melissa de la Cruz | Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller | Add to Goodreads
In this ripped-from-the-headlines Gone Girl meets A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder , #1 New York Times bestselling author Melissa de la Cruz weaves a white-knuckle YA thriller about a beautiful young influencer who vanishes after going on vacation with her boyfriend.
#WhereisAmeliaAshley
The Influencer
Amelia Ashley shares everything with her followers – her favorite hole-in-the-wall restaurants, her best fashion tips, and her European trip-of-a-lifetime with her hot boyfriend.
The Boyfriend
Josh has no choice but to return home without Amelia after she abandons him in Rome. He has no clue where she went or how her blood got in his suitcase. Why won’t anyone believe him?
The Hacker
To Harper Delgado, Amelia Ashley is just another missing white girl whipping up a media frenzy. But with each digital knot she untangles about the influencer, Harper who is Amelia Ashley?
The Other Girl
Two years ago, another girl went missing, one who never made headlines or had a trending hashtag.
The Truth
Amelia’s disappearance has captured the world’s attention. What comes next? Watch this space…
Told through a mixture of social media posts, diary entries, and firsthand accounts, Going Dark is a gripping, suspenseful thriller about all the missing girls who fall off the radar, perfect for true crime fans and readers of One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus.
What are you hoping to get to read this week?
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Sophril Reads 
Lonely Castle in the Mirror has such an interesting cover. I hope your brother is well soon 🙂
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Thank you ❤️
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