Dear Distance — Nostalgia in Every Page

 

Dear Distance by Luis Joaquin M. Katigbak
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The last time I immersed myself in Filipino literature was back in university with Desaparesidos by Lualhati Bautista. Now, returning to my roots through this book feels like a breath of fresh air. The setting instantly pulled me in, I could vividly picture the old Manila streets, soaked in nostalgia.

Dear Distance is a collection of short stories that quietly hit you, it is about loss, memory, and that tender ache of growing up. Katigbak writes with this quiet kind of magic, his stories feel small but full of life, soaked in longing, loss, and that gentle ache of remembering. The Manila setting made it all feel familiar, almost like walking through my own memories. 

My favorites were “Robot Boy and Hepa,” where a man on the edge of despair is visited by his childhood self, and “Passengers,” a bittersweet story about a boy and a girl whose brief connection lingers like those people you meet once but never forget.

Strange Houses — Left me curious but confused

Strange Houses by Uketsu
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

As an architect, this book hit differently. It honestly turned me into a detective, trying to piece together all the bizarre floor plans. The intro alone had me hooked, and the dialogue-driven format made it feel like I was part of the investigation.

The way Uketsu weaponized architecture was clever. Dead spaces, rooms that make zero sense, layouts that scream... ‘who tf would actually design this?’ It even had my undiagnosed adhd mind wondering: what if I designed my own prototype murder house, but better? You know, exclusively for killer clients, complete with customization options so they can tweak it to their… tastes. lol just purely hypothetical 👀

Not gonna lie, I kind of lost interest reading the ending. It felt rushed and open-ended, leaving you hanging and a little clueless, basically handing the job over to your imagination. That can be intriguing, sure, but also frustrating if you’re the type who prefers neat closure.

Almost Transparent Blue — Interesting idea, but nah

Almost Transparent Blue by Ryū Murakami
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Sadly, I DNF'd it. On the surface, it’s a raw, unsettling look at youth, alienation, and self-destruction, but for me, it was more uncomfortable than compelling. The constant detachment and bleakness might have been the point, but it also made it hard for me to stay invested.

I can see how the book is making a statement about how emptiness and disconnection can either consume or define you, but I didn’t feel like I needed to sit through the entire novel to understand that. For me, the constant shock value and dark tone ended up overshadowing any deeper meaning, making the experience feel more tiring than thought‑provoking.

In the end, it wasn’t the book for me, too unsettling to enjoy, yet too monotonous to push through.

The Housemaid — Not your typical drama

The Housemaid by Freida McFadden
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I picked up The Housemaid because I’ve seen it everywhere and I wanted to know what all the hype was about. I’ll admit, I was hooked right from the start. Freida McFadden writes in such a bingeable way—short chapters, quick pacing, and just enough mystery that you keep saying, “Okay, just one more chapter,” until you realize you’ve almost finished the whole thing. While the story leans heavily on familiar thriller tropes, which can make some twists predictable if you’re a seasoned reader. Character development also takes a backseat to suspense, leaving certain decisions feeling convenient rather than organic, but overall it’s a simple, entertaining read worth picking up.

No Exit — Trapped in thought (literally)

No Exit by Taylor Adams
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was one of those thrillers that had me flipping pages fast. The setup is simple but intense: a snowstorm, a group of strangers, and a situation that quickly turns dangerous. From there, it becomes a game of tension, trust, and survival.

I liked how the book captured that claustrophobic, edge-of-your-seat atmosphere. The pacing is quick and very cinematic, almost as if you are watching a movie unfold, with each chapter ending in a way that makes you want to keep going.

While it’s a solid and entertaining read, it didn’t really stick with me. I feel like I’ll forget most of the details soon, but I could easily see this story working really well on screen. For me, it’s more of a thrilling ride than a memorable story.

Verity — Not perfect, but a page‑turner

Verity by Colleen Hoover
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I hate to admit it, but despite all the mixed (and often negative) feedback about Colleen Hoover, I still gave this book a try and honestly, I kinda liked it. Verity is intense, twisted, and full of psychological tension. It follows Lowen, a struggling writer who stumbles upon a manuscript that changes everything she thought she knew about the famous author Verity Crawford and her family. From there, the story spirals into obsession, secrets, and blurred truths.

Also, surprised me how much of a page-turner it was. As a visual person, I also appreciated the cover — it feels like it really connects to the plot and vibe of the story. Sure, the book leans into drama and shock value, but that’s also what makes it so entertaining. It’s not “literary” in the traditional sense, but it knows exactly what kind of story it wants to be: dark, fast-paced, and unsettling.

Book Review #16 | Heart of a Dog — Weird, wild, and worth it

Heart of a Dog by Mikhail Bulgakov
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Just finished Heart of a Dog by Mikhail Bulgakov, and wow! What a ride. It’s a satirical novella about a stray dog who gets turned into a man through a bizarre experiment. Equal parts darkly funny and unsettling, it’s full of sharp social commentary on identity, human nature, and society. I especially loved Bulgakov’s dark humor, it made the book entertaining while still giving me something to think about. Short, clever, and definitely worth reading.

The Bell Jar — A look inside a fragile mind

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Done reading The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath, and honestly, it left me with a lot to think about. I really loved her metaphor about the fig tree.

"I saw my life branching out before me like the green fig tree in the story. From the tip of every branch, like a fat purple fig, a wonderful future beckoned and winked. ... I wanted each and every one of them, but choosing one meant losing all the rest, and, as I sat there, unable to decide, the figs began to wrinkle and go black, and, one by one, they plopped to the ground at my feet."

It’s such a powerful way to explain choices, possibilities, and the fear of missing out. At the same time, I found myself struggling with her thought process. Esther gives off a kind of “mean girl” energy at times, but I also can’t help pitying her because she’s clearly suffering mentally. It’s heartbreaking to realize how deeply her pain affected her life, and learning that Plath ended her own life in such a brutal way makes the book even heavier to process.

Overall, The Bell Jar is intense and raw. It’s poetic but unsettling, and it really makes you reflect on mental health, identity, and the pressures women face.

The Pearl — More than just a Pearl

The Pearl by John Steinbeck
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A short but powerful novella about greed, poverty, and ambition. It follows the story of Kino, a poor pearl diver whose life changes when he discovers something extraordinary. Steinbeck uses this story as a rich allegory to explore human desire, the cost of ambition, and the fragility of human values.

His simple yet vivid prose makes the novella both easy to read and deeply meaningful. The ending was shocking and haunting, a real reminder that dreams can come with unexpected costs.

Sharp Objects — Not what I expected

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I went into this with really high expectations because the author wrote Gone Girl (which I loved, and the movie was great too). Sadly, Sharp Objects isn't... It had a slow build-up that made me think it was going somewhere, but in the end it just disappointed me. The pacing dragged, the “twists” were predictable, and I honestly just wanted to get it over with or not finish at all.

What really pushed me away was how irresponsibly this was written. There’s a point where the narrator basically says if very young girls put themselves in risky situations (yes, these undeveloped frontal lobe kids), it’s ‘their fault’. Add to that the disturbing depiction of 13-year-olds drinking, using drug$, and getting r@p3d by six men.. That’s not edgy, it’s gross.. And don’t even get me started on the main character, a 30-year-old, from being reserved to banging a teenager boy, and doing drug$ with her 13-year-old sister?? What a character development. Are you okay, Gillian? Realistically, ages, actions, morals, none of it lines up. I could rant forever, but I’m not wasting another second on this disaster; I’ve suffered enough already.

I originally rated this 2 stars, but the more I thought about it the more frustrated I got, so I dropped it to 1. Maybe it’s because I expected the same level of brilliance as Gone Girl, but this felt flat, disturbing for the wrong reasons, and not worth the time I put into it. Honestly, I wish I had just DNF’d.

White Nights — A Bittersweet Tale of Yearning

White Nights by Fyodor Dostoevsky
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

White Nights totally zoned me out in the best way. Dostoevsky is way too good for making this bittersweet little masterpiece about yearning, hope, and unrequited love. There’s a poetic cruelty in Dostoevsky’s storytelling. He invites you to dwell in hope and fantasy, only to remind you of life’s impermanence. Sure, some will slap labels like ‘nice guy syndrome’ or ‘incel’ on it, but that misses the point. This isn’t a dating manual... it’s an exploration of the universal human condition: the hunger for connection and the art of letting go. For those who get it… congratulations, you’re officially emotionally evolved.

Notes from the Underground — A Dark Dive into the Human Psyche

Notes from the Underground by Fyodor Dostoevsky
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is my first time reading Fyodor Dostoevsky, and now I’m curious to explore more of his work. Notes from Underground is intense, raw, and deeply human. Half of it feels like a deep philosophical rant, the other half like a personal confession, all from a narrator who’s bitter, self-aware, and full of contradictions.

The Underground Man challenges the idea that humans are purely logical, saying we actually crave freedom, even if it means choosing to suffer. Not gonna lie, this was a bit hard for me to grasp at first 😅, but it’s totally worth it. By the end, it made me want to read more of Dostoevsky’s work.

And TBH, I found myself relating to him more than I expected... his overthinking, self-awareness, wanting connection but also craving solitude, and questioning life’s meaning felt so human.

The Silent Patient — A Psychological Thriller That Hooks You

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was the book that pulled me out of a reading slump and I think it’s because psychological thrillers are my comfort genre. From the very beginning, the story hooked me with its eerie atmosphere and sense of mystery. What I liked most was how the tension slowly builds, keeping you second-guessing everyone’s motives without ever feeling dragged out.

It’s one of those books that makes you want to keep turning pages just to piece together the truth. If you’re into dark, psychological stories that play with your mind, this is definitely worth picking up.

The Stranger — Life, Meaning, and the Absurd

The Stranger by Albert Camus
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

There’s something striking about The Stranger, its brevity and depth working hand in hand. Meursault doesn’t live his life like most of us expect people to. Detached, observant, and indifferent, he moves through life without illusions. The story isn’t just about what he does; it’s about how little meaning he assigns to life and how society reacts to that.

Camus writes plainly, almost sparingly, yet every sentence carries weight. The book lingers not because of a dramatic plot, but because of the questions it leaves behind. For me, it wasn’t just a read, it was an experience that made me question existence itself.

The Prophet — Timeless Words on Life and Love

The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was actually recommended to me by a Lebanese friend, and I think it was such a good pick. It is different from my usual reads, but I found it refreshing and deeply meaningful. It’s a collection of poetic essays that reflect on life, love, freedom, work, and death, all delivered through the voice of a prophet preparing to leave a city he’s lived in for years.

What I liked most is how timeless it feels. Gibran’s words are simple yet poetic, almost like wisdom that could apply to any generation. It’s not just a book, this feels more like a spiritual guide, offering reflections that you can return to again and again. For me, it was a beautiful change of pace and a reminder that sometimes stepping into a different genre can be surprisingly rewarding.

The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea — A Haunting Tale of Youth and Obsession

The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea by Yukio Mishima
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was my first Japanese literature read, and I don’t regret picking it up. Mishima’s writing is both poetic and haunting. He really captures beauty and darkness in equal measure. The chilling exploration of freedom, love, and the clash between ideals and reality.

What struck me most was how the novel builds an almost quiet tension, only to leave you unsettled by where it leads. It’s not a comforting book, it’s thought-provoking, disturbing at times, and definitely lingers long after you close it.

The Alchemist — A Timeless Tale of Self-Discovery

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book felt like a journey. It follows Santiago, a shepherd chasing a dream of treasure, but really it’s about self-discovery. I loved how it blends a simple adventure with deep life lessons about following your dreams and listening to your heart. That said, sometimes it felt a bit too simplistic and overly philosophical, like it was spoon-feeding its lessons. Still, it’s an easy read with a timeless message and a gentle reminder that the journey matters just as much as the destination.

We — When Freedom Meets Control

We by Yevgeny Zamyatin
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

My first dive into the dystopian world of literature, and We by Yevgeny Zamyatin really made an impression. It’s set in a future where individuality is erased, people live under strict control, and life is all about order. The story follows D-503, an engineer whose life changes after meeting someone who challenges everything he knows.

What really stayed with me were the big ideas — individuality vs. control, freedom vs. conformity. Zamyatin’s style feels like reading someone’s private journal, and it definitely made me curious to explore more dystopian stories.