This is basically what starting up the Japanese version of Dies Irae(it’s a visual novel that reaaally likes using uncommon Kanji And vocab) felt like when I first did it
Maybe I should give it another try sometime 
…in the distant future
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I’m currently reading the second book of the ビブリア古書堂の事件手帖 series and came across a massive breach in the 4th wall :p.
When talking about the events of the first book, the protagonist says
そのことをまともに語ると、一冊の本になってしまいそうだ。
Well, you’re right about that.
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Cheeky. 
Reminds me of the anime version of 斉木楠雄のΨ難.
While working on a school project, they get into what they think are the weirdest / most messed up Japanese folk stories. Two of them have a go, but when it cuts to the third kid saying he has one too, the voice over cuts in:
「窪谷須君の話は原作漫画でお楽しみください」
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Finished the first chapter of ひぐらしのなく頃に
only 7 more to go 
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Only 200 hours to go! 
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Just finished ビブリア古書堂の事件手帖 2, and it was a very nice read!
Very relaxing compared to other things I’ve been reading recently too.
It’s also nice to have protagonists closer to my age (even though they are still quite younger) instead of teenagers.
In terms of content, I was sucker-punched by the part on “a clockwork orange”.
Spoiler for the first chapter of ビブリア古書堂の事件手帖 2
For once, the mystery revolved around a book I have read already! Yay, I have a shot at guessing the thing, I thought naively.
Turns out the twist comes from the fact that, when that book got published in the US, publishers didn’t like the end and changed it!! The author reluctantly agreed to that due to external pressures. When the movie adaptation by Stanley Kubrick, which is obviously based on that version, became a hit, translations abroad basically only used the US version.
Apparently, recent translations in Japan are now based on the complete version. The fact that one character ignored the existence of that true ending meant that they couldn’t have read a new edition as they pretend they did. I also missed it, since the version I read was also incomplete
Anyway, I also love the way the interactions between the two main characters are evolving. First book, she said she doesn’t trust him (but they somehow get back on friendlier terms in the epilogue); second book, she says that she doesn’t want to ever get married (which implies no relationship either), then in the epilogue she basically accepts to go on a date. Well, one step back and two forward? Still, I wonder where this will go.
Finally, this series is officially characterized as a light novel, but I felt the quality was much higher than other light novels I have read. I will definitely keep reading this series.
I’m also thinking to recommend it to the intermediate book club, but at the same time, I’m not planning to re-read the first volume Still, recommended to anyone out there reading this. 
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Took me from February 19 until September 6th to play cases 1-3 (admittedly, while skipping a lot of days of reading 
).
Case 4 took me 19 days. Gee, it’s almost like knowing some grammar and actually reading 5-7 days a week gets you progress or something. Who knew?
Last case! And then I can finally say I read blundered my way through a native Japanese reading endeavour, even if it was with a shameful amount of holes where I had no real clue what was being said. You know, 多読 - getting exposure and just ploughing through. That’s what I’m telling myself, at least. 
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I just finished reading ここにないもの.
It’s a philosophy book written as a discussion between two characters, Epsilon and Mu.
Interestingly, it’s aimed at maybe middle schoolers. It has no furigana, but doesn’t use complicated words nor kanji beyond the ones learned in primary education. If you are level 30+ on WK, you can read everything but one single word in this book. (At least I couldn’t read it; I should have looked it up)
The illustrations are extremely cute as well.
Don’t let that fool you, though, that book will make you think hard. Or maybe I’m just to dumb to handle philosophy.
In any case, despite being simple (in terms of writing) and very short, it took me 10 days to read through it. It’s not really a book you can rush through.
With all that being said, I would definitely recommend that book at the beginner book club level. If you care about this kind of topics. No matter how cute, it’s fairly dry otherwise. (So, not for the actual book club)
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Finished one book this past month and dropped the other. I really need to get back on track if I want to make my year goal.
Also, since it’s going to be the start of October tomorrow, does anyone have any recommendations for scary books? I plan on reading Kiki’s Delivery Service #2 because y’know the whole witch thing and all, though I doubt it will be a scary book. OR will it?
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Don’t know if that qualifies as “scary” in the way that you have in mind, but from some website I got a recommendation for Kirino Natsuo (桐野 夏生) who writes mystery detective stories. Her book OUT won Japan’s Grand Prix for Crime Fiction (be warned that it contains 800 pages in total, though):
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Well, it’s the end of the month, and I’m really happy with how this month turned out to be in terms of reading.
Well, when it comes to raw numbers at least. It was more light novel than literature. But hey, I had a good time at least
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I picked up my game for the first time in…months…
Only to start a neverending cooking scene about thwarting the well-meaning mother who CAN’T COOK. 
Whyyyyyyyyyyyy
I need to start reading 12 Kingdoms again. Surely the record here lies. (It would be funny if I caught up on my reading again while standing in line at Disneyland.)
Btw, after a long and tense interim period, my family and I have moved into a new house in SoCal. So…unpacking. Yeesh.
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Yay! I hope someone gave you your complimentary sunglasses and flip flops which are to be used 24/7, any season, rain or shine. Also, have fun in traffic!
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#SigAlert 
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Reader’s conundrum: Do you read a series you really like all at once, and then get sad when it’s over? Or do you take breaks reading other things to savor it?
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Yes.
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So what you’re saying is, just re-read the series over and over again? Got it. 
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Haha, yep. It is the classic, read, reread, and rereread. Each time, feel the same heartbreak and happiness when you reach the end. Sometimes, spread it out slowly over a few months, sometimes read it all in a few days. Each time, cry a bit but don’t tell anyone.
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My approach is to spend way too much time worrying about this exact problem, then read all at once. So, same total amount of time as if I took my time, without the savoring. 
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So like what you’re doing with 放浪息子?
How far are you into 聲の形 by the way? I’m a few chapters into volume 5, but I’ve slowed down recently.
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