iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

litficandromance.bsky.social @litficandromance.bsky.social · 28/08/2025

If you know of a more charismatic and hilarious writer than Natalia Ginzburg let me know cause I don’t think they exist. Just read my first play by her and it doesn’t get more iconic than this. LOVE HER. English title is I married you for fun.

020

litficandromance.bsky.social @litficandromance.bsky.social · 24/08/2025

Listened to my first play ever (yes, the famous one where the term gaslighting stems from) because I saw a TikTok about it (why else?), and it was amazing! Somehow it never occurred to me that I could listen to plays and it would be fun! Anyway, gaslight by Patrick Hamilton was iconic!

030

litficandromance.bsky.social @litficandromance.bsky.social · 23/08/2025

Every time I saw the cover of Hot Milk by Deborah Levy I dismissed it as yet another basic sad girl book. I couldn’t have been more wrong. This hit SO hard I’m unwell. Not only is it 100% what I look for in literature (surreal, hypnotic), it also talks about themes that are hyper personal to me.

130

litficandromance.bsky.social @litficandromance.bsky.social · 20/08/2025

I quite liked One Boat by Jonathan Buckley! It’s very much my type of book, and while I found the writing clunky in parts, there were stretches (the more philosophical ones) that flowed beautifully and got me thinking a lot (I still much prefer East-Asian lit though) Ah, Justice for Petros’ poem!

010

litficandromance.bsky.social @litficandromance.bsky.social · 18/08/2025

Finished On the calculation of volume & We’ll prescribe you a cat for WIT month. I didn’t like either. Well, I really disliked On the calculation (I have very high standards for quiet books), We’ll prescribe you… had interesting aspects (concept & magical realism), but I’m burnt out on short stories

030

litficandromance.bsky.social @litficandromance.bsky.social · 17/08/2025

Reservoir B*ches didn’t impress me too much tbh. I don’t love collections made of so many very short stories, they all blur into one thing for me. They all had the same tone of voice? The writing was too modern & did we need mentions of FB and IG in every single story? Not for me 😅

010

litficandromance.bsky.social @litficandromance.bsky.social · 16/08/2025

Ólafsdóttir got me out of my reading slump with yet another masterpiece, and how could she have not? I am THE target audience for her philosophy-only books. This one freaked me out though.

020

litficandromance.bsky.social @litficandromance.bsky.social · 13/08/2025

My 5th read for Women In Translation month was The Hole by Hye-Young Pyun, a very well-written and introspective Korean “thriller”. Not a new favorite, but immersive and worth the read.

020

litficandromance.bsky.social @litficandromance.bsky.social · 12/08/2025

I didn’t like this work by De Céspedes, even though it had great potential and started off amazingly. Forbidden Notebook was one my by best books of 2024, so it’s disappointing. But there’s nothing I hate more than a plot twist and a cinematic ending. I’m craving plotless, deeply emotional books 🥺

020

litficandromance.bsky.social @litficandromance.bsky.social · 10/08/2025

Finished my 3rd read for WIT month. Family Lexicon is my least favorite Ginzburg to date. I’m glad I gave it a second chance and the audio was a better format, but I would not recommend to start your Ginzburg journey from here. I appreciated the intent, but didn’t love the execution.

120

litficandromance.bsky.social @litficandromance.bsky.social · 08/08/2025

Finished my first book by Jeffrey Eugenides, I thought the writing was exquisite. Loved every second of this audio, it was so immersive. Next up: Family Lexicon by Ginzburg (giving it a second chance via audio as I didn’t love it when I read it physically but refuse to dislike a book by her 😅)

110

litficandromance.bsky.social @litficandromance.bsky.social · 07/08/2025

Finished my 2nd read for women in translation month, and I agree with the Akutagawa prize committee that Tokyo Sympathy Tower by Rie Qudan is “practically flawless”. 150 pages of philosophy, architecture and linguistics is my definition of perfection.

260

litficandromance.bsky.social @litficandromance.bsky.social · 04/08/2025

This is how I decided to start my Women in Translation month readathon, and it was awesome! 🥹 Up next: Tokyo Sympathy Tower by Rie Qudan!

030

litficandromance.bsky.social @litficandromance.bsky.social · 03/08/2025

Just finished Universality by Natasha Brown, 5/5 for me! It’s not an easy read (the reading experience itself felt quite exhausting), but as someone who usually dislikes contemporary non-translated lit, I was happy to find something refreshing, unique, clever and brainy. Worth every second!

141

litficandromance.bsky.social @litficandromance.bsky.social · 30/07/2025

“There is such a thing as a lightness of thoughtfulness, just as we all know that there is a lightness of frivolity. In fact, thoughtful lightness can make frivolity seem dull and heavy”, that’s what I always say (in less intellectual words 😝). 6 memos for the next millennium by Calvino was great!

130

Reposted by @litficandromance.bsky.social

The Booker Prizes @thebookerprizes.com · 29/07/2025

Presenting the #BookerPrize2025 longlist. Find out more about the books and authors that make up this year's Booker Dozen: thebookerprizes.com/bp2025

13524

litficandromance.bsky.social @litficandromance.bsky.social · 29/07/2025

This took me almost a month to finish, but I’m glad I read it! It was unlike anything I’ve read before. Some parts were really absorbing, others felt exhausting. Will try something else by the author in the future!

020

litficandromance.bsky.social @litficandromance.bsky.social · 22/07/2025

Current read & obsession! Didn’t know this was about linguistics 👀

010

litficandromance.bsky.social @litficandromance.bsky.social · 21/07/2025

As an Italian expat in Berlin since 2015, I had no intention of reading Perfection by Latronico. I have very little interest for expat lives and cliched Berlin stories, plus Italian contemporary lit tend to be really mid IMO. But Berlin people kept asking me to read it, so I caved. It was fine!

110

litficandromance.bsky.social @litficandromance.bsky.social · 17/07/2025

Set an alarm at 6 am to finish Anna Karenina before work today! As someone who has been disappointed by most classics, this was a surprisingly incredible read. It wasn’t the plot-driven, drama-filled book I expected, it was more character/philosophy-driven than I thought (that’s why I loved it)!

010

litficandromance.bsky.social @litficandromance.bsky.social · 11/07/2025

Yes I’m biased when it comes to this series, but haters are also biased as they are just not familiar with Japanese lit IMO. Yes it has technical flaws, but it doesn’t matter. It’s beautiful. It’s creative. It’s endearing. It’s CHARMING and lovely and so Japanese. It has my heart. 💗 #booksky

030

litficandromance.bsky.social @litficandromance.bsky.social · 10/07/2025

What a beautiful queer, body-positive romance! From Brazil! And translated into many languages! It made me cry and was also hilarious. Wonderful, it reminded me of how much I love romance books. Vitor Martins is great! ♥️ #booksky

050

litficandromance.bsky.social @litficandromance.bsky.social · 02/07/2025

Started Goodnight Punpun by Inio Asano, v1 was interesting and def unlike anything I’ve read so far, but I’m not invested yet. Does it get drastically better? #Booksky

030

litficandromance.bsky.social @litficandromance.bsky.social · 01/07/2025

The Little Virtues by my love Natalia Ginzburg was a masterpiece, as per usual. She made me laugh and cry and I felt every sentence in my heart. My favorites: he & I, Winter in Abruzzo. The essays on England may offend some people though lol She sure doesn’t hold back with her opinions! #booksky

260

litficandromance.bsky.social @litficandromance.bsky.social · 27/06/2025

Ops I picked up another classic super randomly and loved it with all my heart? I still find most classic lit too melodramatic for my taste, but clearly there are exceptions! #booksky

030

litficandromance.bsky.social @litficandromance.bsky.social · 21/06/2025

My TikTok FYP told me to read Death in Venice by Thomas Mann (I got 3 videos in a row on it), and I couldn’t be more surprised that I LOVED it! I’m extremely critical of classics (I tend to find them too melodramatic for my taste), but this was exactly my type of prose! Quiet, immersive! #booksky

020

litficandromance.bsky.social @litficandromance.bsky.social · 19/06/2025

Yet another PHENOMENAL Japanese book: The Night of Baba Yaga by Akira Otani. Not your usual cliche thriller, but a cinematic/action-packed story that is also deep, moving, romantic, feminist, introspective! And it’s also queer! A PERFECT book! #Booksky

271

litficandromance.bsky.social @litficandromance.bsky.social · 13/06/2025

Finished Blue Flag by KAITO and while the art is gorgeous, I’m not too happy with the ending, which was both super rushed and disappointing when it comes to Masumi… 😅 #Booksky

040

litficandromance.bsky.social @litficandromance.bsky.social · 13/06/2025

Started crying all my tears last night, cried all morning finishing the last 50 pages, SCREAMED at the ending. That’s what Sang Young Park does to me, that’s what romance does to me. As good as Love In The Big City, if not better. What a privilege to be able to read his work in translation #Booksky

020

litficandromance.bsky.social @litficandromance.bsky.social · 07/06/2025

I know it’s June but I just finished A Jingle Bell Mingle by Sierra Simone & Julie Murphy for my Pride readathon! This series is so creative, well-written, smart, fun, emotional, sex-positive, body-positive, hot, and all characters are queer! It also includes 2 summer novellas btw! #booksky

040

litficandromance.bsky.social @litficandromance.bsky.social · 05/06/2025

Finally finished a book I LOVED: who killed my father by Édouard Louis. I just love his straightforward but emotional prose, his themes and how political the books are. Where can I find more authors like him? #booksky

092

litficandromance.bsky.social @litficandromance.bsky.social · 24/05/2025

Rental person who does nothing by Shoji Morimoto was another hit! It’s the real story of Shoji who, tired of regular jobs, sets up a “do nothing” business — people can rent him out & he will join them… and do nothing. He didn’t write the book himself, of course. He does nothing! #booksky

010

litficandromance.bsky.social @litficandromance.bsky.social · 21/05/2025

We had to remove this post by Hanna Bervoets has one of the lowest goodreads avg ratings (2.92), yet I thought it was PHENOMENAL. Not just a weird-girl book relying on shock value, but a very well-written blend of literary fiction & horror. Thought-provoking, engaging, eerie, smart! #booksky

270

litficandromance.bsky.social @litficandromance.bsky.social · 21/05/2025

Finished The Stranger by Camus and my unpopular opinion is that part 1 was much stronger than part 2? I could have read part 1 for a million more pages. I honestly didn’t find the book that groundbreaking overall, even though a couple of moments and scenes moved me. #Booksky

2100

litficandromance.bsky.social @litficandromance.bsky.social · 17/05/2025

Asa: the girl who turned into a pair of chopsticks by Natsuko Imamura is a collection of 3 STUNNING, surreal & deeply moving stories. I’m blown away by the author’s creativity. It’s about people who feel left out by society but manage to find community in a way or another! WONDERFUL 💗 #booksky

150

litficandromance.bsky.social @litficandromance.bsky.social · 15/05/2025

The Decagon House Murders by Yukito Ayatsuji — I recommend this classic Japanese thriller to fans of the genre. I can’t find it in me to take the thriller genre very seriously (the way people look down on romance novels, I look down on thrillers), but I appreciated how original this was. #booksky

020

litficandromance.bsky.social @litficandromance.bsky.social · 13/05/2025

Life for sale by Yukio Mishima: I devoured this in 2 days, adored this psychedelic, absurd, “trashy” & nihilistic story. It mixes an insane plot with moments of introspection on the meaninglessness of life, and yet the attachment to it and fear of death. I was fascinated by the writing! #booksky

050

litficandromance.bsky.social @litficandromance.bsky.social · 09/05/2025

If you read one book from the International Booker list, let it be Small Boat (Naufrage) by Vincent Delecroix. I can’t even begin to describe how outstanding this was. Flawless. Unforgettable. This is literature to me. #booksky

080

litficandromance.bsky.social @litficandromance.bsky.social · 06/05/2025

A Shining by Jon Fosse is a novella that I wasn’t loving but slowly grew on me. A depressed man starts driving aimlessly and gets stuck in a forest. The writing is pure stream of consciousness and very repetitive, but also hypnotic. Didn’t fully love the journey, but the ending was poweful! #booksky

040

litficandromance.bsky.social @litficandromance.bsky.social · 03/05/2025

I picked up Kafka’s Metamorphosis last night on a whim as palate cleanser from the hyper-slow books I’m reading, and I fell in love? It had all the elements I look for: ENDEARING main character, mundanity, charismatic writing, dry humor & surrealism! The definition of my type of book! #booksky

1181

litficandromance.bsky.social @litficandromance.bsky.social · 02/05/2025

I’m addicted to Italian modern classics and this month I picked one from Sicily: A simple story by Leonardo Sciascia. A very short literary crime novella about corruption, super clever and wonderfully written (as usual)! #booksky

0100

litficandromance.bsky.social @litficandromance.bsky.social · 28/04/2025

Are we surprised that I absolutely loved Hunchback by Saou Ichikawa? The first 60% was really thought-provoking and exceeded my expectations, then it got slightly predictable for a second, only to completely surprise me with a unique and surreal ending! #booksky

060

litficandromance.bsky.social @litficandromance.bsky.social · 24/04/2025

I DNFed the bee sting by Paul Murray at 93% 😅 I just had zero interest in how this story was gonna end. I can’t say I see the point of reading family sagas, it’s all about the drama and there’s very little depth? Not worth the 26 hours of audiobook for me. #booksky

040

litficandromance.bsky.social @litficandromance.bsky.social · 21/04/2025

Finished Spiral by Bal Khabra, I liked it! Collide was better, but this was also completely plotless, hot, and a bit ridiculous, just like Collide. Honestly I really like Bal Khabra’s style! #booksky

070

litficandromance.bsky.social @litficandromance.bsky.social · 09/04/2025

I’m in my Italian classics era and just finished Cosima by Grazia Deledda (who won the Nobel for literature in 1926). This was the Sardinian equivalent to Cesare Pavese (♥️): no plot, just vibes & long descriptions of Sardinian landscapes and life in a rural small town. Loved the audio! #Booksky

040

litficandromance.bsky.social @litficandromance.bsky.social · 07/04/2025

Guys… I’m not liking Almond by Won-pyung Sohn 😭 Am I the only one? #Booksky

130

litficandromance.bsky.social @litficandromance.bsky.social · 06/04/2025

The Bookshop Woman by Nanako Hanada: another bestseller in Japan that was recently translated… only for Western readers not to like it 😅 I adored it and found it so deeply moving. It hit so hard for me. 💗 It’s another book about books, and much more. I found it quietly devastating. #Booksky

0131

litficandromance.bsky.social @litficandromance.bsky.social · 05/04/2025

I neglected all my responsibilities in the past 3 days to binge Calvino’s If on a winter’s night a traveller, and it blew me away. Good luck finding a book I’ll like more than this one! It’s the most brilliant love letter to readers, and it has my favorite type of ending! #booksky

1110

litficandromance.bsky.social @litficandromance.bsky.social · 02/04/2025

A Woman’s Battles and Transformation by Édouard Louis: Strong contender for best book of 2025 for me. It made me feel SO MUCH. Absolutely wonderful, I basically inhaled it. ♥️♥️♥️ #Booksky

270

litficandromance.bsky.social @litficandromance.bsky.social · 30/03/2025

I picked up Perfect Blue by Yoshikazu Takeuchi on a whim yesterday and finished it already. I loved it! I would call it a literary horror (it’s so well written!). It’s about an Idol growing up and changing her image, and her hyper-obsessed fan not taking it well 😅 #booksky

160