Phoenix Fire Press

An Indie Publisher from Miami

Tag: currently reading

Dracula

July 14, 2020 /

After reading Opium and Absinthe by Lydia Kang (which I highly recommend) I had to pull Bram Stoker’s Dracula back off the shelf. Ms. Kang opened each chapter with a quote from it and I just couldn’t resist revisiting the story.
It’s been so long since I read it that I honestly don’t even remember if I finished it the first time. It reads like a brand new story and I couldn’t be happier.
I forgot how much I love Van Helsing. With all the movies and shows, I had forgotten the written him. It honestly feels like catching up with an old friend. Also, Mina is just wonderful.
On the off chance you’ve never read the book, please do! There’s so much crammed into its pages that just cannot be translated to a visual medium. It is definitely worth the time spent.

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Opium and Absinthe

July 2, 2020 /

I’m a bit late posting as I’ve just about finished the story but what can I say? I was hooked from the first few pages on Opium and Absinthe by Lydia Kang.


It’s a compelling and touching tale in its own right, with a heroine I couldn’t help but love. It’s full of mystery, with hints of horror of the late Victorian kind, and supporting characters that draw you into their very well painted world.
Bonus: It’s also full of references to Bram Stoker’s Dracula. I had to pull it off my shelf and bump it up to next on my to-be-read list. Have I read it before? Yes. Is that going to stop me from reading it now? Nope.

*Edited on July 3, 2020*
Finished it last night. I highly recommend you check it out! Actually, read them both if you haven’t already. You won’t regret it.

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A Man

June 3, 2020 /

I’m currently reading A Man by Keiichiro Hirano. It is written with such heart and depth that I’m finding it difficult to tear myself away and get anything else done. The mystery is as surprising as it is intriguing, but the window into the characters’ psyches provides a beautiful, painful view. My favorite line so far, “Death, she felt certain, was the only thing you could never exchange with anyone.” Loving it!

*Edited on July 3, 2020*
I finished reading this about a week ago and forgot to give my final thoughts.
I loved it.
It was deep and mysterious and somehow very sad. My ebook copy is full of highlights because the writing is that good. The perspective is unique.
I honestly don’t think I’ve ever read another book remotely like this one. Hirano balances the profoundly psychological aspects of the work with such touching humanity and intimacy in the lives of the characters that it felt, at times, as if he was writing everyone’s story.
I highly recommend this book for anyone with an interest in the meaning of identity, grief and loss, relationships, and Japanese culture.

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