Rai Reads

𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰: Tsubaki Stationery Shop by Ito Ogawa | Translator: Cat Anderson

This book took me straight back to the cozy seaside town of Kamakura. It’s such a gentle, quiet story that feels perfect for a slow day when you just want to settle into a book and let the story unfold.

Hatoko returns to Kamakura after years away to take over her late grandmother’s stationery shop, along with the family tradition of being a professional letter writer. I really enjoyed learning about the Japanese etiquette and thoughtfulness that goes into writing different kinds of letters—from love letters to condolences and farewells. There’s something so beautiful about how much meaning can be conveyed through something as simple as putting words on paper.

I also loved the little community that forms around Hatoko and the found-family feeling among the characters. It’s less about a big plot and more about the people she meets and the small stories they bring into her life.

And of course, I loved the Kamakura setting. The book mentions real places around the town, which made me want to visit them myself. I’d definitely love to check some of them out on my next trip. 🌊📮

Thank you so much Dutton Books for the gifted copy💖💖



꧁──────✿༻༺✿──────꧂

🗝️
asian reads | japanese literature | translated books | book recommendation | book reviews | translated japanese books

A little witch, a magical delivery service, and a talking cat. 🧹🐈‍⬛✨

📖 Kiki’s Delivery Service | Kiki and the New Magic

If you grew up loving Hayao Miyazaki’s Kiki’s Delivery Service, this is your chance to discover the story that inspired the beloved film. This new translation follows thirteen-year-old Kiki as she leaves home to spend a year in a new town and begin her training as a witch.

With Jiji by her side, Kiki settles into the seaside town of Koriko, where she learns that becoming a witch isn’t just about magic—it’s about finding your place, making friends, and discovering the magic in everyday life. 💖

I love how this blends whimsical fantasy with such an ordinary, comforting coming-of-age story.

Have you watched the Ghibli movie?

Before Studio Ghibli’s Kaguya, there was the original tale. 🎋🌙

The Tale of Princess Kaguya, also known as The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, is one of Japan’s oldest surviving literary works. It tells the story of a tiny otherworldly girl found inside a bamboo stalk whose beauty eventually draws the attention of powerful men—even emperors.

It’s a beautiful blend of folklore, romance, and mythology, but there’s something deeper beneath it: Kaguya’s quiet resistance to a world that believes it has the right to possess her.

I absolutely love that this edition includes every chapter in both Japanese and English. It makes the reading experience even more special. 🤍

Thank you Tuttle Publishing for sending this to me! 🫶🏻

Have you read the original Kaguya story?
What’s your favorite folktale from your culture?

𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰: The Cannibal by I.V. Ophelia

Took me long to finally post this but here we are, few days from release day.

If you’ve been following me for a while, you already know how obsessed I am with The Poisoner series. I don’t think I’ve ever shut up about Silas Forbes and so finally reaching the end of the series was such a bittersweet experience. I wasn’t ready to say goodbye.

The Cannibal picks up right where The Arachnid left off, with Alina finally waking up. I won’t spoil anything, but seeing her struggle to piece everything together felt surreal, almost like a fever dream. The emotional aftermath was heartbreaking.

And then there’s Silas… my beloved delulu vipera.🥹 Every book somehow makes me love him even more. The yearning, the devotion, the possessiveness~ this man loves Alina with every part of himself, and there are moments in this book that completely wrecked me. Also, you already know I’m weak for “my wife" microtrope. It gets me every single time.

We get 4 POVs here.That said, I will always be greedy for more Silas chapters. 😂 Luka had such a great arc here, and now I’m desperately hoping he gets his own book because I may or may not be shipping him with Sidney.

I also appreciated that this stayed true to the romance established from the very beginning. There’s no love triangle or why choose situation, so if that’s something you’re worried about, you don’t have to be.

The ending was everything I wanted and somehow still broke my heart. There were scenes that played out like a movie in my head, I loved how the series wrapped everything up. I laughed, I giggled, I cried… and then I just sat there wondering what I was supposed to do now that it’s over.

Thank you Simon Maverick Books and Sohi for sending me a physical arc, I love you guys so much. You will get my firstborn for sure🤣 and to I.V. Ophelia of course, I had so much fun in your street team🖤

[Check trigger warnings before reading unless you're like me🤣]

🗓️Pub Date: Sept 1st

𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰: The Girl Hidden Under the Floor by Diana Lee

This was such an emotional read. Set in Korea in 1945, the story follows thirteen-year-old Jangmi as she grows up under Japanese occupation, living with the constant fear of losing her family, being taken, or simply not knowing what tomorrow will bring. For four years, her mother hides her beneath the floorboards, terrified that the Japanese soldiers will find her and take her away.

I grew up hearing stories during the Japanese occupation from my grandparents, about the oppression, cruelty, and abuse our own people endured under the Japanese regime. The fear of losing your home, fathers and sons being forcibly sent away to war, families being torn apart, and people doing whatever they could simply to survive.

This story made me feel for the characters, especially for Jangmi, Taeha, Jongsun, and everyone whose lives were forever changed by the war. The stories of girls like Okja, who were kidnapped and forced into Japanese comfort stations were devastating. Knowing that these experiences weren’t simply fictional but were rooted in the realities that so many women endured made those parts even harder to read.

And what stayed with me most was that liberation didn’t mean the pain suddenly ended. The war may have been over, but Jangmi still had to live with everything she had lost, the grief she carried, and the expectations placed upon her. The trauma didn’t simply disappear because the fighting had stopped.

This book made me feel everything: devastation, anger, frustration, and heartbreak. Jangmi and Taeha’s tender, tragic friendship and love made me especially emotional. Their story reminded me that the people caught in war are not just names in history books. They are children, families, friends, and people who had dreams and futures that were taken from them.

And perhaps the most heartbreaking part is knowing that Jangmi’s story was not an isolated experience. So many people suffered similar fates, and so many stories like hers were lived and carried long after the war ended.

It’s a painful story but an important one and I really appreciated experiencing this part of history through Jangmi’s eyes.

If you enjoy historical fiction like Pachinko, I highly, highly recommend this one.

[Available to order in Amazon for those asking.]

Daughter of a Thousand Faces by Velinxi ✨

Shen Yuhua is the disgrace of her clan. She inherited none of her immortal father’s powers, has been rejected by more than twenty suitors, and her mother was executed for treason. With only her bumbling servant Swallowtail by her side, Yuhua seems destined for a life of shame and obscurity.

That all changes when she encounters Chu Tian, the fearsome Demon with a Thousand Faces—and accidentally frees him from the abyss where her father imprisoned him decades ago. Now she’s forced to become his disciple. Can Yuhua finally awaken powers worthy of the Shen name, or will her new teacher become her greatest downfall?

If you’re a fan of xianxia, Chinese mythology, demons, immortals, and gorgeous fantasy art, this one needs to be on your radar. 🐉✨ I’m especially obsessed with the artwork, it’s absolutely stunning and really brings that Chinese mythology-inspired world to life.

Thank you Inklore Books for the advance copy! 🫶🏻


🗓️Pub Dat: Aug 25, 2026

Happy International Cat Day! 💖 I’ve put together some of my favorite cat-filled reads for anyone who loves a little feline energy with their books.

From cozy and heartwarming stories to magical adventures, these are perfect for your next comfort-read mood. 🐾