Fish Swimming in Dappled Sunlight By Riku Onda Setting & details: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Authenticity of Japanese characters & dialogue: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Translation quality: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Entertainment value: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐My recommendation: A masterful “unreliable narrator” mystery in which … Continue Reading Book Review & Giveaway JUL-AUG 2022
The Breakaway Japanese Kitchen By Eric Gower Quality of recipes: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Japanese flavor: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Ease of preparation: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐My recommendation: This cookbook is a great favorite of mine, because the flavors are Japanese-inspired … Continue Reading Book Review & Giveaway MAY-JUN 2022
All I Asking For Is My Body By Milton Murayama Setting & details: ⭐⭐⭐⭐Authenticity of Japanese characters & dialogue: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Translation quality: N/AEntertainment value: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐My recommendation: Told by a Japanese-American boy … Continue Reading Book Review & Giveaway MAR-APR 2022
The Tattoo Murder Case By Akimitsu Takagi Setting & details: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Authenticity of Japanese characters & dialogue: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Translation quality: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Entertainment value: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐My recommendation: A real page-turner of a police procedural that … Continue Reading Book Review & Giveaway JAN-FEB 2022
All She Was Worth By Miyuki Miyabe Setting & details: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Authenticity of Japanese characters & dialogue: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Translation quality: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Entertainment value: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐My recommendation: A gripping mystery with a satisfying solution, set … Continue Reading Book Review & Giveaway NOV-DEC 2021
Pachinko By Min Jin Lee Setting & details: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Authenticity of Japanese characters & dialogue: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Translation quality: N/AEntertainment value: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐My recommendation: This multi-generation story about what it’s like to be a … Continue Reading Book Review & Giveaway SEP-OCT 2021
The Pillow Book: The Diary of a Courtesan in Tenth Century Japan By Sei Shōnagon Setting & details: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Authenticity of Japanese characters & dialogue: N/ATranslation quality: N/AEntertainment value: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐My recommendation: … Continue Reading Book Review & Giveaway JUL-AUG 2021
Klara and the Sun By Kazuo Ishiguro Setting & details: ⭐⭐⭐⭐Authenticity of Japanese characters & dialogue: N/ATranslation quality: N/AEntertainment value: ⭐⭐My recommendation: I did not love this book, but every … Continue Reading Book Review & Giveaway MAY-JUN 2021
The Aosawa Murders By Riku Onda Setting & details: ⭐⭐⭐⭐Authenticity of Japanese characters & dialogue: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Translation quality: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Entertainment value: ⭐⭐⭐⭐My recommendation: This book is one of those rare Japanese mysteries … Continue Reading Book Review & Giveaway MAR-APR 2021
Tokyo Vice By Jake Adelstein Setting & details: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Authenticity of Japanese characters & dialogue: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Translation quality: N/AEntertainment value: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐My recommendation: Investigative reporter Jake Adelstein covered the yakuza beat for a … Continue Reading Book Review & Giveaway FEBRUARY 2021
OUT By Natsuo Kirino Setting & details: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Authenticity of Japanese characters & dialogue: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Translation quality: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Entertainment value: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐My recommendation: A fabulous thriller that skillfully conveys just how cold and ingenious … Continue Reading Book Review & Giveaway JANUARY 2021
December 6 By Martin Cruz Smith Setting & details: ⭐⭐⭐⭐Authenticity of Japanese characters & dialogue: ⭐⭐⭐⭐Translation quality: N/AEntertainment value: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐My recommendation: This is a fascinating snapshot of life in Japan … Continue Reading Book Review & Giveaway DECEMBER 2020
Idoru By William Gibson Setting & details: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Authenticity of Japanese characters & dialogue: ⭐⭐⭐⭐Translation quality: N/AEntertainment value: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐My recommendation: This book imagines a Japan that’s mesmerizing in its projections of … Continue Reading Book Review & Giveaway NOVEMBER 2020
The Last Tea Bowl Thief By Jonelle Patrick Okay, obviously it would be weird for me to review my own book, so instead I’m going to point you over to … Continue Reading Book Review SPECIAL EDITION
The Tale of Murasaki By Liza Dalby Setting & details: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Authenticity of Japanese characters & dialogue: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Translation quality: N/AEntertainment value: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐My recommendation: If you love historical novels, this beautifully imagined … Continue Reading Book Review & Giveaway OCTOBER 2020
It Was You By Jonelle Patrick Click on the photo for a link to your free digital copy of It Was You All Japanagram subscribers can download a free digital … Continue Reading Book Giveaway SEPTEMBER 2020