Happy belated birthday! I hope you had a lovely time. 
So weird, but funnily enough yesterday was my husband’s birthday. And mine is in 2 days! I guess we should really break out the cake.
So next chapter - It’s 19 pages so let’s meet 2/28? @Burnannator - how are you feeling about that speed? Have you been able to keep up okay with your school work?
Awww thank you! I forgot Wanikani knows my B-Day I hope ya’ll both have a good time in yours!
This semester has been by far not my most stressful but my a lot it has been my most busiest! I don’t commute or work at school anymore, it afforded me time to actually BEARLY read thankfully. I hope you have time too in your life!
As for the date it’s fine! We stragglers almost got this!
Hi all - How did this chapter go?
I really enjoyed it myself. I liked the conversation between the watchmaker and the mayor. “Oh if I go in a police car, then maybe I’ll make it…” Ha! And I enjoyed the little news years traditions in each town. It really makes me want to live in a small Japanese village, with festivals and ancient traditions and even maybe pinkie promises!
Hey sorry I’m straggling on the straggle here. I finished all but the last couple paragraphs before falling asleep Sunday night but I had a crazy busy week that is kind of just dragging into this one, so this is my first opportunity to check in.
I really enjoyed this chapter, too. Like you, @eainge, I really like the mayor and clockmaster’s convo, and although I think it is a tad strange when books switch perspective only once (who knows, maybe it will happen again before the end?), I really liked moving away from Kiki for a moment and I think it added a lot to the narrative in setting the scene and was really fun to see those two interact.
I’m not sure how much of an expression or idiom it might be, or whether it is just how she wrote this one sentence, but I loved
二三五八段もの階段をのぼって
That’s totally how you run up stairs in a manic hurry… only stepping on the second, third, fifth, and eighth…
And another number related moment of joy for me in reading this chapter was
それからまゆを八の字にまげ、ちょっとべそをかいたような顔でキキをみつめました。
Again, idk if that’s a usual expression but it’s such great kanji imagery for a surprised/skeptical/exasperated look.
I’d be up for reading to the end before our next check-in because I’m pretty sure I’ll read it to the end anyway, but if we still want to split up these two chapters, I’m fine with that, too. Wdyt?
This is an example of a beautiful Japanese sentences that would just be completely untranslatable. I wouldn’t know how to say this in English to convey the correct level of silliness. I checked the English version I have and it just skipped over that part.
I’m good with reading to the end! We could meet on March 22 to discuss?
Doesn’t that rather describe the staircase he climbed? That is has even 2358 steps? 
Hello! I’m sorry I’m late to this forum I completely forgot with the amount of homework I got! But yes March 22nd is perfect! 2 days after I’m officially done with school!
Back to studying, but it’ll be nice to abosutely relax without school on my mind when finishing this semester.
Oh, awesome, you made it!!! I was wondering when you’d poke in. How’s the book going for you?
I’m Surprised it switched perspective, that caught off guard because one of biggest hurdles was tryung to figure out from who’s perspective when I began reading? Weird problem I know.
Anyways, yeah I loved the scenery and what not, It’s getting easier to picture things in my head.
Hi all - FYI I changed my nickname here to kusuri! But I’m still the same person (mostly). I wanted to align my usernames across WK and discord for some of the reading groups.
Yeah, for some reason when I saw your username before something felt off?? I guess I know why now lolol.
So how was the chapter? It’s so cool how we only got a few chapters to go! Reading in peace with no class is just swell!
Hi Burnnanator!
I finished the book! ^_^/ We talked about just reading to the end of the book (hence the long gap between meetings). How far along are you? How’d you like the chapter you finished?
Great! I was finished the book today too since I noticed the long gap! Overall, I loved the book and all the themes of failing and getting back up again.
. The story stayed light and progressed through some of the ups and downs that Kiki had. I loved how in the end it wasn’t a perfect protagonist in which everything was just fine in the end. The end made me have the feels since it also made me think of my hometown one which I’m like to not be in next year
Overall this sort of mini book clubs are marvelous. I finally finished my first Japanese book! It was a struggle but I’m glad you and everyone else pushed me along! If there is any book you have an itch to read you want to read in group again, I’d love too!
Awesome! Congrats on finishing the book!
I really enjoyed it, I think it was a perfect first Japanese book for me. The story was fun and whimsical. But mostly I’m just so relieved to be done finally. It feels like a real victory for my Japanese language journey.
For now, I’m taking a break from books, because I want to give my brain a rest. I’m currently reading a couple of mangas, including the 天気の子 manga, which I think you both would like. I’m also going to study Kiki the movie, since I’ve never seen it before. Maybe in a month or so I’ll be ready for another book?
The 天気の子 book looks like a good option if you want to check it out. I’m in no rush to read it, but it seems fun. I’m open to other books as well. I also enjoyed these mini book clubs, it really helped me finish.
Just so y’all know, this book has recently been nominated in the Intermediate Book Club 
We will have our next poll in early May, I guess - reading the next pick should start June 19th.
hurriedly leaves the stage
Thanks Nicole. I actually nominated it. And good to know when the next pick would be, that’s helpful.
I didn’t check but I had a feeling of some sort
So now the others know as well.
Idk if it will win though, that Honda-san manga is pretty good competition!
I’m pretty sure it will win eventually. Even Your Name won in the end 
No, seriously. I get the impression that it’s quite similar to Your Name which might be a plus for those who want more of the same but a minus for those who want something else for a change. Also, there is quite some fluctuation in the readership so the polls are always a surprise for me. Fingers crossed! 