Caitlin's Bookcase

 Hello, Rats! Look at me keeping up with writing! This month's SECOND post is for Butter by Asako Yuzuki and what an exciting post to finally be writing! I picked up and put down Butter so many times, it's insane. Not because I wasn't enjoying it, but rather that I found the pace so incredibly slow at first. As I know this will put people off, I beg you to keep reading what else I have to say, because this was most certainly a five star read! Whilst, yes, I did find the first 15-20% a crawl, Butter had such incredible depth to each and every character, place, memory and taste, that it fully made up for it and I whizzed through it after that first fifth. Yuzuki's writing was so detailed, I could almost taste each recipe myself, felt butter melting in my mouth and my body being warmed from the inside.  If only the book itself was as wholesome as that. This title follows Rika, a journalist, who is assigned to investigate Manako Kajii, a serial killer who lured wealthy men ...

 Hello, rats! It's been over a year since my last post here, but I've decided it's time for me to stop neglecting it now and lock in. For an update about myself, I'm now officially out of education, working full time at the bookshop and loving life more than ever, surrounded by bookish jobs! Despite all of this happiness however, finding the time to relax with a good book just hasn't been the easiest but I'm determined to restart this blog and therefore get back to reading what I want again. So what have I read since leaving college? Honestly nowhere near as much as I thought I would have. HOWEVER everything I have read has been top tier, jaw clenching, breathtakingly good. Choosing just one title to write about this evening was actually quite a task in itself, but one book stood out in particular.  The Lamb by Lucy Rose 'Margot and Mama have lived by the forest since Margot can remeber. When Margot is not at school, they spend quiet days together in their c...

Hello, rats! Today, I need to relieve some deep sorrow and tell you all about the detrimental impact that Dustin Thao's [author of You've Reached Sam] latest novel When Haru Was Here has had on me. 'After the death of his best friend, Eric Ly creates imaginary scenarios in his head to deal with his grief. Until one of them becomes real when a boy he met last summer in Japan finds his way back into his life. When he least expects it, Haru Tanaka walks into the coffee shop and sits down next to him. The only thing is, nobody else can see him. In a magical turn of events, Eric suddenly has someone to connect with, making him feel less alone in the world. But as they spend more and more time together, he begins to question what is real. When he starts losing control of the very thing that is holding him together, Eric must finally confront his reality. Even if it means losing Haru forever.' After loving You've Reached Sam, I knew this book would be one for me to sob ove...

Hello rats, I’m back serving more Sarah Waters, due to the simple fact that I believe her existence to be God’s gift to the universe. This review is for her debut, ever-popular book Tipping The Velvet and let me tell you now: I went in with high expectations and was not at all disappointed. Once again, I was utterly blown away by this piece of actual artwork. Waters’ god-like ability to make words evoke such feelings should be studied, because I think it goes beyond the realms of human capabilities.  Tipping The Velvet follows the story of Nancy King, a young woman who falls in love with Kitty Butler, a male impersonator. The two move to London to pursue both a secret relationship and Kitty's act, before Nan is made to join too. The novel takes us along with Nancy, as she moves through life in London, exploring social norms and finding herself in various ways. This book made me scream and many tears were shed (also, a huge thanks to my best rat, Romilly, who listened to the voice r...

Hello, rats! Recently, I read the hilarious novel 'Big Swiss' by Jen Beagin. I'd like to first make you aware that I'm not at all a comedy fan, but that this book had me cackling over the most morbid things, due to Greta just being so real. 'Big Swiss' follows Greta, a woman who has left everything behind to go and live in a decaying barn, with a stranger as a housemate. She also lands as a job as an unqualified transcriber for an unqualified sex coach. Throughout the book, there are segments of these transcrips, joined with Greta's snarky comments about each session and interaction. Everything is going well for Greta, especially when she falls in love with the voice and attidude of a client that she has titled 'Big Swiss'. Of course, Greta never gets to see these clients, but regularly recognises them by their voices, as she goes about her day-to-day life. That is until her dog, Piñon, is attacked at the dog park, and she recognises his saviour as t...

"You have become me. This is how we are human. We learn from one another." ----- Sebastian James Murphy is twenty years, six months and two days old. He loves swimming,  fried eggs and Billy Ocean. Sebastian is autistic. And lonely.  Veronica wants her son Sebastian to be happy... she wants the world to accept him for who he is. She is also thinking about paying a professional to give him what he desperately wants. Violetta is a high-class escort, who steps out into the night thinking only of money. Of her nursing degree. paying for her dad's care. Getting through the dark. When these three lives collide- intertwine in unexpected ways- everything changes. For everyone. A topical and moving drama about a mother's love for her son, about getting it wrong when we think we know what's best, about the lengths we go to care for family- to survive- This Is How We Are Human is a searching, rich and thought-provoking novel with an emotional core that will warm and break yo...