Right, so I’ve had it. I am this close to organising a full-on protest in front of the nearest bookshop, holding a sign that says “BOOKS, NOT BENTLEYS.” Because honestly, why on this glorious Earth do I need to go bankrupt just to read? I’m not trying to buy a yacht. I’m trying to finish a bloody fantasy novel without needing a side hustle.

Here’s how it goes: I go to the bookshop once, maybe twice a month. I walk in with pure intentions just popping in for one book to reward myself for finishing the last one like the educated queen I am. Next thing I know, I’m juggling seven books in my arms like a circus act, whispering sweet nothings to each one because they all deserve to come home with me.

But plot twist: I check the price tag and get hit with a heart attack. Three decent books = 150 DOLLARS. I’m sorry, are they handwritten by Shakespeare himself? Do they come with a free glass of wine and a therapist? My budget for the day was 100 dollars and I was hoping to get five five-star reads. But apparently, my dreams are now laughing at me from the clearance bin.

Dear bookshops: Please lower your prices. Reading is the healthiest, most wholesome hobby any teenager or emotionally “stable” adult (me) could have. It’s either this or join a cult. And if books keep being priced like luxury handbags, how on Earth is your average student or part-time worker supposed to afford them? Should they sell a kidney? Get a sugar daddy? Rob a bank?

You want to get young people into reading? Here’s a revolutionary idea: make books affordable. Yes, I know. Radical.

And now, let’s take a moment to roast something else: Japan’s second-hand book scene for English readers.

Japan, I adore you. I do. But why is it easier to find a vending machine selling hot corn soup than it is to find second-hand English books? You’ve got second-hand bookstores galore… but only for Japanese books. The rest of foreigners are just out here, alone, broke, and rereading Twilight out of desperation.

Also, while I’ve got you here, book recs, anyone?

I’m coming to the end of my ACOTAR (A Court of Thorns and All The Feels) journey, and I need a new emotional support fantasy series to obsess over. Do I go straight into Throne of Glass? Or is there something even better? I want sass, magic, morally grey/white characters, and at least one person who’s so powerful it’s slightly ridiculous. Think Game of Thrones but with better plot and less trauma.

Leave your recommendations before I spiral into a reread loop.

Loads of luv, and happy monday from Japan

Hannah