Category Archives: Book Reviews

Bungo Stray Dogs

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Bungo Stray Dogs, created by Kafka Asagiri and brought to life by the illustrations of Sango Harukawa, presents a bewitching narrative set against the backdrop of Yokohama. This anime film was released in March 2018. A third season aired between April and June 2019. A fourth season aired between January and March 2023. A fifth season aired from July to September 2023.

The story orbits around the Armed Detective Agency, a cadre of remarkable individuals endowed with extraordinary powers to unravel endless mysteries. At the forefront of it all is Atsushi Nakajima, leading the agency through a maze of mysteries and challenges, bravely facing each enigma and obstacle head-on.

The series contains elements of mystery, action, the supernatural, and even some humor interwoven seamlessly in a world where select individuals possess extraordinary abilities, known as “Gifted.”

As the tale unfolds, readers find themselves irresistibly drawn into a captivating world where every unexpected turn feels like a personal invitation to unravel the secrets alongside these characters. Choosing your favorite character is inevitable, like picking your favorite ice cream flavor. And let’s face it, there’s always that one character who’s not quite your cup of tea—a bit like that quirky neighbor you pretend to be busy when they knock on your door. Of course, my favorite characters are not my friends, so we fought over that sometimes. But it’s all in good fun.

The vivid streets of Yokohama pulse with life, mirroring the complexities of the individuals who roam its pathways. With each chapter, anticipation builds, urging readers to join the characters on their journey of discovery and adventure, where surprises lurk around every corner, just waiting to be uncovered.

A unique element of Bungo Stray Dogs is its incorporation of real-life literary figures as characters, such as Osamu Dazai and Ryunosuke Akutagawa, making the series stand out more. Harukawa’s artwork in the manga is gorgeous and a great inspiration for me as a student of anime art. The series excels in creating a storyline that keeps readers engaged, with each arc getting better each time. Whether you’re a mystery, action, or literature fan, Bungo Stray Dogs is a thrilling manga series full of surprises.

Just like many of my fellow anime lovers, I was utterly hooked on this series. Every Wednesday after school couldn’t come fast enough because that’s when my friends and I would huddle together to watch the latest episodes. It wasn’t just a show; it was our thing, our particular time to bond over something we all loved. We laughed, gasped, and shared in the excitement of each new plot twist. Those moments were some of the highlights of my week.

If you are new to anime and manga, the adventure begins in Bungo Stray Dogs. This series isn’t just another story; it’s like finding a treasure chest with mysteries waiting to be unraveled. When you think you’ve cracked the case, another one just as mysterious awaits you and beckons you deeper into its spellbinding narrative.

The great news is that Bungo Stray Dogs is available at the Mission Viejo Library. So grab your siblings, friends, or anyone who shares a love for anime and dive into the world of Bungo Stray Dogs. Trust me, it’s an experience you won’t regret. You’ll be satisfied whether you’re turning the book’s pages or watching the series.

Happy Anime!
Bella H.

Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom – A short overview

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Tuesdays with Morrie is a moving non-fiction book about Mitch Albom’s favorite professor, Morrie Schwartz giving Mitch a “final class” on lessons in life. It is a book about how to navigate love, work, community, and family about how to forgive and lastly, it talks about the fear of aging and death.

In Morrie’s deteriorating health, he and Mitch met every Tuesday and talked about everything from the world, to feeling sorry for yourself, and from marriage to modern culture. One big topic that was personally moving was their talk about regrets. One of life’s biggest regrets tends to be not living life to its fullest. Morrie advised Mitch not to chase after money like Mitch had been doing, and instead, to focus on his life, and family, and to have an impact on his community and live for a meaningful purpose to not regret his life when his time eventually came.

Another piece of advice given to avoid regret was to forgive. Talking about his personal experience with his friend, Morrie advises Mitch not to make the same mistake as he did and to not focus on his pride or vanity and then regret his chance to forgive. Before anything, however, he talks about how you should forgive, understand, and be truthful to yourself. They even talk about how in modern culture, people run after money and forget to find their own opinions, and desires, forever running after society’s perception of them.

Finally, although sometimes hard to face, death is an inevitable truth that was talked about unflinchingly in this book, and as Morrie said, “Death ends a life, not a relationship.” “Truth is, once you learn how to die, you learn how to live.” This book completely changed my perspective on life and death. Many don’t really believe – quite understandably – the inevitability of their death until it’s too late, and to really live, Morrie says, you must accept the fact and ask yourself that if today was your last day, are you really doing everything you want?

Overall, I found this book to be really meaningful and life-changing. It gave me new standards to live by, and I would recommend it to everyone interested because it includes many lessons that I think could fit all ages.

Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.

Aru Shah and the Song of Death

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In the mythological fiction novel Aru Shah and the Song of Death, we learn about Hindu mythology, alongside action pact scenes that are fun to read. This book is also a great sequel to the previous book; Aru Shah and the End of Time.

By reading this book, one will learn much about Hindu mythology. For those who are not familiar, the series is all about a girl named Aru Shah who goes on missions to save the world, and she meets Hindu legends along the way. A couple examples of these legends are Lord Hanuman, the rishi Valmiki, and asura, who are like demons in Hindu mythology.

This book is filled to the brim with action. There are many combat and exciting scenes in it. Fighting is a major theme in this novel, since the Pandavas: Aru and her sister’s souls, were great fighters during their respective time. All in all, if you are looking for an action book, this is a great option!

Lastly, I just wanted to point out that this book is a great sequel to the previous book in the series: Aru Shah and the End of Time. This is because of the numerous familiar characters reintroduced to the novel. Some examples are Mini, Boo, and Lord Hanuman. There were also some new characters introduced, such as Aiden, the rishi Valmiki, and Brine. To sum it up, this is a very good series in general, and I would highly recommend it.

In conclusion, Aru Shah and the Song of Death is a great novel because it teaches the reader about Hindu mythology, has a lot of action, and is also a great sequel to Aru Shah and the End of Time.

Aru Shah and the Song of Death by Roshani Chokshi is available to checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.

Book Review – The Dark Forest by Liu Cixin

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A few months ago, I read The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin, and I found it a particularly impressive and riveting work of science fiction. So, I decided to read the second book in the series, which definitely met my expectations on a Liu Cixin work.

This book is the sequel to the Three Body Problem, so to understand the context and setting of this novel, one must have read the previous book. This book is situated under a pretext like the Three Body Problem, but this time focuses on humanity’s survival in the face of the Trisolarian invasion. This book mainly focuses on the efforts of the UN to find a way for humanity to survive, most notably through the Wallface project, granting several individuals great power. This was to counter the “Sophons” the Trisolarians used, a particle that disrupts advancements in physics, while at the same time communicating with Trisolaris via quantum entanglement, which is a theory in physics detailing a phenomenon where two subatomic particles can communicate with each other despite being separated by billions of lightyears of space.

This book was significantly interesting to me, as it is one of the more notable works in the hard science fiction genre of novels. “hard science fiction” defines any science fiction novel that puts an emphasis on scientific logic and realism. The Dark Forest, along with the rest of the Three-Body series, includes both of these things. More interestingly, the Dark Forest is based on a real scientific hypothesis, the “dark forest hypothesis”, which states that the universe contains intelligent alien life, but no advanced civilization would reveal themselves out of the fear of being attacked.

Overall, this was a great sequel to The Three-Body Problem, and I had a great time reading it. I would recommend this book and the corresponding series to anyone who is interested in physics, or anybody looking to read a science-fiction novel with a realistic depiction of scientific concepts.

The Dark Forest by Cixin Liu is available to download for free from Libby.

Misery, by Stephen King

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With Halloween just around the corner, it would be a waste not to introduce one of the best thriller novels I’ve ever read. As many know, Stephen King is one of America’s most influential and creative authors to date when it comes to creating mystery, terror, and suspense. His book Misery is no stranger to this trend.

One of my favorite elements of Misery is its point of view. The story is told by the main character Paul Sheldon, a famous author. Since the main character and narrator of the novel is the author himself, it allows for his point of view to be very dynamic and descriptive, without foreshadowing, which increases the anticipation felt throughout the book.

I also love Paul’s point of view because it is told not only with his thoughts and dialogue but also with his dreams and visions of the novels he writes within the book.

The best part of the book by far though, which makes it eerily appropriate for the season is the antagonist of the book: Anne Wilkes. Anne is Paul’s biggest fan. She changes from being in complete aue of him to having complete control over him.

Anne, like any menace, is terrifying and conniving, but unlike many villains I’ve read about, she’s also naive. King’s writing almost makes you feel sympathetic for her at times. The flexibility of her character allows for a number of shocking plot twists you’ll never anticipate.

Overall, Misery is one of the perfect books to read in preparation for the spooky season, as it will chill you to the bone with suspense and vivid, grisly imagery.

Misery by Stephen King is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library.

Crying in H Mart: How Food Connects Us

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This summer, I had to choose a memoir to read for my AP Lang course. My friend and I chose Crying in H Mart so we could read and discuss the book together. Crying in H Mart has become one of my new favorite books.

When Michelle Zauner finds out her mother has been diagnosed with cancer, she puts her life in Philadelphia on hold to be with her mother. Told plainly and honestly, Zauner describes growing up Korean American, her strained relationship with her mother, and dealing with grief. At the center of it all is her and her mother’s shared love of food.

Reading this memoir was deeply thought-provoking as an Asian American. In the United States, when you can’t go back to your home country, food is the easiest way to connect to your culture. After all, what is the one thing all humans have to do? Eat. Our cultural recipes connect us to our ancestors and allow us to preserve the past. After Zauner’s mother’s death, she cooks Korean dish after Korean dish. All her life, she has never felt Korean enough. Cooking is how she reconnects to her heritage and her memories with her mother. Michelle Zauner provoked me to think about how food fits into my life and how it connects me to my heritage, especially when I feel torn between so many cultures. I know I’m not alone in the sentiment that I don’t feel Asian enough for other Asians and I don’t feel American enough for other Americans.

I am of Pakistani, Burmese, and Indian heritage. I have never visited these countries but when I eat my grandma’s shrimp biryani, or I slurp the broth of the Kaukswe my mom learned how to make from her dad, I feel as if I am home. Food is what ties my family together. We were all born in different countries: Burma, Pakistan, India, and America, but when we all sit down at the dinner table, we are all tied together by the same string. Food.

Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.

Spark of the Everflame Series: Book Reviews (NO SPOILERS)!

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To start off, this book is a romantasy, which is short for romantic fantasy. And I really think this is one of the best fantasy books out there for a couple reasons (I’m going to try and not spoil anything)…

  1. First of all the cover though!!! I’m in love!! If you do start binge reading the whole series (like I did), you’ll realize the progression of the girl on the front cover change overtime to what she symbolizes in each book.
  2. Honestly, I loved all parts of this book. For those of you who are dragon girlies, I think you’ll love it too (Yes, there are gryverns involved!!!). It’s a slow burn and currently there are three books out, but the fourth book is coming out this year! It gives a Throne of Glass, but also kind of Hunger Games kind of vibe (trials and politics are more book two though).
  3. So for the gist of the setting: It is a mortal world colonized by the gods. The cruel offspring of the gods called the Descended rules over the mortals. Diem Bellator, our main FMC lives in the slums of the human villages as a healer.
  4. I won’t spoil anything, but a quick summary of the story is that pretty much a mortal rebellion is brewing and although the mortals are still undermined, they are gaining the attraction of the Descended. But I promise there are a lot of plot twists and way more found family kind of energy/trope, which I love sooo much!
  5. Even though our main female character (Diem) is the center of attention, the side character development is amazing! They didn’t develop too many side characters, a good six to seven, but they were developed really well and you were able to connect with each one! The author also really tried to incorporate diversity into the characters as well which I really loved. There are some brooding characters here and there (our MMC especially), but there were ones that were quirky and funny too that really hit the mark! Some people don’t like Diem because they think she’s too stubborn, but that is my favorite trait about her! Yes, there are some parts where the reader obviously knows what’s going on, but she just refuses to accept it. But don’t worry, she’ll figure it out, I promise!
  6. Also, I really think this is my favorite MMC of all time! In some of the romantasy books I read, the MMC was too over-protective, but in this book, he really gave her space and gave her time to figure out what she wanted to do with what was put on her at the moment. It is also a slow-burn romance and also a sort of enemies to lovers, but the hate was mostly one sided (mostly from Diem haha).
  7. In my honest opinion, the third book is the best one because it really goes into all of the trials they have to go through (the romance also starts to develop more heavily here). Book 1 was mostly world-building and book 2 was mostly court politics.

Lastly, I just wanted to end with a quick quote from one reader who read this!

Happy reading everyone!!

Louisiana’s Way Home by Kate DiCamillo

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Louisiana’s Way Home, by Kate DiCamillo, is a novel written from the perspective of a twelve-year-old girl named Louisiana Elefante. At the beginning of the story, Louisiana is abruptly awakened in the middle of the night by her grandmother. Granny says, “The day of reckoning has arrived. The hour is close at hand. We must leave immediately.” Louisiana does not think this is a big deal, because Granny had said things like that before. However, this time is different. Louisiana soon realizes that they are moving from their home in Florida and embarking on a journey to Georgia. This time, Granny intends to leave Florida for good.

As Louisiana faces the uncertainty of her new circumstances, her mind is filled with a mix of hope and fear. This book captures the emotions of a girl trying to make sense of her life in the midst of chaos. She struggles with feelings of loneliness after she is separated from her best friends. She meets many strange and sometimes funny characters in her travels, but she yearns to find her way home. This book deals with themes of resilience, friendship, and identity, as Louisiana learns to navigate her changing world and uncovers secrets about her family.

This is a touching and emotional book. I was impressed by the inner strength that Louisiana develops as the story progresses. Her raw feelings are wonderfully described by the author, and she becomes a very sympathetic character. The story is highly realistic and it brings Louisiana’s world to life. This book also teaches powerful lessons about love and forgiveness. I found the ending to be bittersweet, reflecting the harshness of Louisiana’s feelings but also her personal growth. As she comes to terms with her past and recognizes the potential of her future, it becomes clear that she has come a long way. I definitely appreciate this book overall and would recommend it to readers of all ages, and especially to young readers.

Louisiana’s Way Home by Kate DiCamillo is available to checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.

Crying in H-Mart by Michelle Zauner

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I don’t usually read nonfiction. I’m more of a fantasy, love-story, novel, kind of person. But starting this year, my first assignment was to read a memoir. Any memoir of our choosing, so long it was about overcoming adversity. At first, I struggled to find a memoir that really interested me, but somewhere in the back of my mind, this one came to mind. I must have seen or heard about this memoir somewhere because once I found it, I immediately purchased it. 

Crying in H-Mart by Michelle Zauner is a memoir in which Zauner must deal with the grief of losing her mother from cancer and learn to come to terms with her own identity. Zauner recalls her memories of when she was younger, how she had once looked up to and thought so highly of her mother to when she grew and began to resent her instead. Zauner lists disagreements she had with her mother and her own personal battles she faced throughout high school. However, it is only when she is through college and away from her family does she get the call that her mother has cancer. As she watches her mother fade, Zauner worries that losing her could also cause her to lose much more. 

This memoir really made me think about my own life. I had never really once thought about what would happen when my parents are gone. It’s not a fun topic to think about and definitely harder to talk about. But hearing Zauner’s personal story, it seemed to connect to my life in a way. I am a musician myself and of Asian descent. However, what I really connected to were the family dynamics. Specifically the connection Zauner had with her mom. I’ve had my fair share of disagreements with my mom, many talks and exchanged opinions. But I’m always–still am–looking for her approval, her advice, and her support. My mom is the one I go to and have true heart-to-heart conversations and without her, I might lose myself–just as Zauner nearly did. In losing her mother, Zauner had a hard time finding her identity–in both her culture and path. Without the advice and ties to her mother, Zauner felt lost in what to do until she could find her again through other means. I’m scared to lose my mom; whenever I need to go to someone, the first person that comes to mind is usually my mom. So without her, I may feel just as lost, but perhaps with this perspective, I can find ways to accept the loss and carry on when it inevitably arrives.

I also connected to the familial ties. I usually see my dad’s side of the family since they live here in the United States. My mom’s side lives in the Philippines–like Zauner’s mom’s side lives in Korea. I don’t see them much and when I do, it’s way harder for me to warm up to them. But in reading Zauner’s experience, it is important to connect to those you can to help cope and grieve. And that while I may not see my mom’s side of the family much, they will come to my aid just as I would for them. 

Crying in H-Mart opened up my perspective, showed what my future could look like, and helped me raise my appreciation for my family, friends and the ones I care about. While we take each other for granted at times, this memoir has helped me remember that nothing is forever and they will leave someday. The only thing we can do is spend time with them, love them, and keep them in our hearts and memories. Crying in H-Mart is a fantastic true story on Michelle Zauner’s struggles and overcoming them. It is one that I found myself relating to and one I will highly recommend to everyone.

-Nicole R.

Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner is available to checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.

Resistance By: Jennifer A. Nielsen

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Resistance portrays Chaya Lindner, a Jewish teenager who lives in Nazi-occupied Poland during World War 2. When her younger sister is taken to a death camp and her brother mysteriously disappears Chaya is left all alone with her parents. To survive Chaya’s parents send her into the countryside all alone with no resources. Chaya goes to the house of old friends who live outside the ghetto system, they then recruit her to be a courier who smuggles food in and people out of the ghettos.

Chaya, inspired to do more, joins a resistance cell that raids Nazi supplies. After a few missions, something goes horribly wrong and many of her friends and colleagues are arrested or killed. Unsure where to go, Chaya enlists Esther, a cell member. They begin their journey to the Warsaw Ghetto for an even larger uprising than ever before.

I really like this book and have periodically reread it many times. I find the characters inspiring and thought the storyline kept me hooked and intrigued the entire read. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, more specifically World War 2. Also, anyone who enjoys books with deep friendships and very emotional and heartfelt moments.

Resistance by Jennifer Nielsen is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library.