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Paper Gods #2
Rain
American Katie Green has decided to stay in Japan. She's started to build a life in the city of Shizuoka, and she can't imagine leaving behind her friends, her aunt and especially Tomohiro, the guy she's fallen in love with. But her return is not as simple as she thought. She's flunking out of Japanese school and committing cultural faux pas wherever she goes. Tomohiro is also struggling—as a Kami, his connection to the ancient gods of Japan and his power to bring drawings to life have begun to spiral out of control.
When Tomo decides to stop drawing, the ink finds other ways to seep into his life—blackouts, threatening messages and the appearance of unexplained sketches. Unsure how to help Tomo, Katie turns to an unexpected source for help—Jun, her former friend and a Kami with an agenda of his own. But is Jun really the ally he claims to be? In order to save themselves, Katie and Tomohiro must unravel the truth about Tomo's dark ancestry, as well as Katie's, and confront one of the darkest gods in Japanese legend.
When Tomo decides to stop drawing, the ink finds other ways to seep into his life—blackouts, threatening messages and the appearance of unexplained sketches. Unsure how to help Tomo, Katie turns to an unexpected source for help—Jun, her former friend and a Kami with an agenda of his own. But is Jun really the ally he claims to be? In order to save themselves, Katie and Tomohiro must unravel the truth about Tomo's dark ancestry, as well as Katie's, and confront one of the darkest gods in Japanese legend.
300 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2014
59 people are currently reading
3732 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 320 reviews
June 21, 2014
SO MUCH HAPPENED. Oh my gosh. And a certain character really surprised me. I especially liked all the sexy times with Tomo.
The middle felt like it was dragging on a bit which is why I took off a star. But other than that (and a few other minor things), looooved this book.
Need the next book NOW.
The middle felt like it was dragging on a bit which is why I took off a star. But other than that (and a few other minor things), looooved this book.
Need the next book NOW.
July 5, 2014
To see full review click here
I give too many second chances.
If you read my review of Ink you’ll know that I wasn’t overly impressed by this series. But I decided to give it a second chance for two reasons:
1)Japan: Let’s face it. If a book is halfway readable and if it takes place in Japan I’m going to read it.
2) Non-Western Mythology: Again. If it’s halfway readable, I’m going to read it.
However, those two things alone aren’t enough to make a good book. As Ink and Rain is proof of.
I really was hoping for more.
There was lots of potential with the Paper Gods series even if Ink was basically Twilight set in Japan.
And I will say that there was some (being the optimal word) improvement with Rain. Not enough to make it a better book than Ink, but enough where I wouldn’t say this was a complete bomb.
What did Rain have to offer that Ink didn’t have:
1) Consequences: There are actually some consequences to Katie, Tomo, and Jun’s stupidity. Some. And there’s also consequences for Katie being completely illiterate in Japanese school. That was something right?
Well, almost. Of course, these consequences would ultimately be jacked up. But hey….it was an attempt at consequences.
2) The plot deviates a bit more from romance: A little bit, mind you. We still have to deal with some stupid YA love melodrama which I’ll get to in a minute. But Sun did try to flesh out the romance aspect a bit more.
3)The characters are a little bit more developed: Well, sort of. At least I know more about Tomo and Jun besides their different hair colors.
Now for the bad:
You know I feel bad about this.
People were asking me why I was giving this book a chance since I didn’t like its predecessor that much. But I told them I saw the potential.
And now I’m kicking myself.
While I tried to write down the improvements I saw with Rain, it really was hard for me to say it was that much of improvement.
In a lot of ways, Rain was a reminiscent to New Moon as Ink was to Twilight.
I’m not joking in this book we had:
1) Relationship Trouble
2)Break Ups
3) Love Triangles
4) And Mopey Main Characters.
Yeah, sounds like New Moon to me too.
I give too many second chances.
If you read my review of Ink you’ll know that I wasn’t overly impressed by this series. But I decided to give it a second chance for two reasons:
1)Japan: Let’s face it. If a book is halfway readable and if it takes place in Japan I’m going to read it.
2) Non-Western Mythology: Again. If it’s halfway readable, I’m going to read it.
However, those two things alone aren’t enough to make a good book. As Ink and Rain is proof of.
I really was hoping for more.
There was lots of potential with the Paper Gods series even if Ink was basically Twilight set in Japan.
And I will say that there was some (being the optimal word) improvement with Rain. Not enough to make it a better book than Ink, but enough where I wouldn’t say this was a complete bomb.
What did Rain have to offer that Ink didn’t have:
1) Consequences: There are actually some consequences to Katie, Tomo, and Jun’s stupidity. Some. And there’s also consequences for Katie being completely illiterate in Japanese school. That was something right?
Well, almost. Of course, these consequences would ultimately be jacked up. But hey….it was an attempt at consequences.
2) The plot deviates a bit more from romance: A little bit, mind you. We still have to deal with some stupid YA love melodrama which I’ll get to in a minute. But Sun did try to flesh out the romance aspect a bit more.
3)The characters are a little bit more developed: Well, sort of. At least I know more about Tomo and Jun besides their different hair colors.
Now for the bad:
You know I feel bad about this.
People were asking me why I was giving this book a chance since I didn’t like its predecessor that much. But I told them I saw the potential.
And now I’m kicking myself.
While I tried to write down the improvements I saw with Rain, it really was hard for me to say it was that much of improvement.
In a lot of ways, Rain was a reminiscent to New Moon as Ink was to Twilight.
I’m not joking in this book we had:
1) Relationship Trouble
2)Break Ups
3) Love Triangles
4) And Mopey Main Characters.
Yeah, sounds like New Moon to me too.
September 12, 2017
No bad but.... I really just loved Ink! Hehe...
Anyways, this was a fine continuation, but it kinda gave me Jace with his damn heavenly fire vibes.
If you have not read The Mortal Instruments, then why?! What are you doing with your life?! Get it, read it, be happy! Is that so much to ask?
Nah, but for real, Rain, just had a bunch of "The Drama"--dun dUn DUN!--when it came to Katie and Tomo:/
I'm gonna gif this shit up!
Tomo: Don't come any closer! I'm a danger to you!
Katie: Noooooo!
Jun:
Me:
The magic is explored a bit more, and I still just find this whole story very creative and a compelling read:)
Anyways, this was a fine continuation, but it kinda gave me Jace with his damn heavenly fire vibes.
If you have not read The Mortal Instruments, then why?! What are you doing with your life?! Get it, read it, be happy! Is that so much to ask?
Nah, but for real, Rain, just had a bunch of "The Drama"--dun dUn DUN!--when it came to Katie and Tomo:/
I'm gonna gif this shit up!
Tomo: Don't come any closer! I'm a danger to you!
Katie: Noooooo!
Jun:
Me:
The magic is explored a bit more, and I still just find this whole story very creative and a compelling read:)
Want to read
July 15, 2013I CAN'T WAIT FOR THIS BOOK OMFG.
July 11, 2014
2/26/14
Dang they have the cover! :D It's nice, but I don't know if it's as good as the first one. Still I love that it will stand out from the other books in my collection. Plus the watercolor aspect is very cool and refreshing. :)
Can't wait! I hope it's as good as the first! Excited to learn more about the Kami and that group of them. :D
Dang they have the cover! :D It's nice, but I don't know if it's as good as the first one. Still I love that it will stand out from the other books in my collection. Plus the watercolor aspect is very cool and refreshing. :)
Can't wait! I hope it's as good as the first! Excited to learn more about the Kami and that group of them. :D
Want to read
July 26, 2014OMG I CAN'T WAIT!!!AHHHHHHHHH!!
August 26, 2014
This review appears on Happy Indulgence. Check it out for more reviews!
A wonderful Japanese setting coupled with a rich exploration of Japanese mythology about Kami, Rain was an excellent sequel of Ink. I love how the Paper Gods series brings the rich and vibrant Japanese culture to life. It interchanges the language into the dialogue which is never difficult to pick up, talks about wearing traditional yukata, having bento boxes for lunch and living in traditional guest rooms with tatami mats. Japan is one of my favourite places, and the culture and traditions felt authentic.
Rain focuses more centrally on the Kami mythology, with Katie and Tomohiro struggling to understand the effects of the ink which seems to be spiraling out of control. Tomo’s loose grip on his powers bring about some pretty epic scenes, where a whole festival explodes in a rain of ink and he keeps on succumbing to the dark side during kendo. The two have a tumultuous relationship, as they try and work through their issues with his powers which only seem to get worse with Katie around. I was swept up in the beautiful mythology and the paintings sprinkled throughout the paperback, as Katie explores the origins of the Kami and her own past.
Compared to the first book, Katie was a lot less annoying and more mature, as she is focused on helping Tomohiro overcome his dangerous Ink powers as a Kami, and finding out about her own powers. I liked how she shared her struggles of being a foreigner in Japan, such as the difficulty of picking up the language, learning kanji, and of needing to ‘read between the lines’ when it came to emotions. These cultural differences could only be pinpointed by someone who had experienced the culture first hand, and the author having been in Katie’s situation captured it in a candid way. She still continues her stalker tendencies though by turning up to Jun’s school now on then to find out more about the Kami.
The romance leaves a lot to be desired, as it succumbs to cliche elements throughout the novel. There’s a love triangle with Jun, the bad boy and enemy to her boyfriend which she sneaks around with and keeps a secret, and the interfering jealous girl. Katie and Tomo also decide they need to stay away from each other so their powers don’t hurt each other, even though their feelings are strong. Both Jun and Tomo have their own complex stories, which made them interesting love interests. I couldn’t see or feel why they would be attracted to Katie though, and the novel doesn’t really show us this.
I enjoyed the friendship angle here with Katie building authentic relationships with her friends Tanaka and Yuki, who helped her with her study struggles and stood by her.
Rain was an improvement over Ink as it explored the mythological aspects of Kami and had some pretty epic scenes with drawings coming to life. While the relationship aspect of the book felt contrived, this series captures the beauty and the authenticity of living in Japan, which I really enjoyed. A great cultural YA novel covering the beautiful culture of Japan, coupled with rich, beautiful Japanese mythology.
I received a review copy from Harlequin Australia in exchange for an honest review.
A wonderful Japanese setting coupled with a rich exploration of Japanese mythology about Kami, Rain was an excellent sequel of Ink. I love how the Paper Gods series brings the rich and vibrant Japanese culture to life. It interchanges the language into the dialogue which is never difficult to pick up, talks about wearing traditional yukata, having bento boxes for lunch and living in traditional guest rooms with tatami mats. Japan is one of my favourite places, and the culture and traditions felt authentic.
Rain focuses more centrally on the Kami mythology, with Katie and Tomohiro struggling to understand the effects of the ink which seems to be spiraling out of control. Tomo’s loose grip on his powers bring about some pretty epic scenes, where a whole festival explodes in a rain of ink and he keeps on succumbing to the dark side during kendo. The two have a tumultuous relationship, as they try and work through their issues with his powers which only seem to get worse with Katie around. I was swept up in the beautiful mythology and the paintings sprinkled throughout the paperback, as Katie explores the origins of the Kami and her own past.
Compared to the first book, Katie was a lot less annoying and more mature, as she is focused on helping Tomohiro overcome his dangerous Ink powers as a Kami, and finding out about her own powers. I liked how she shared her struggles of being a foreigner in Japan, such as the difficulty of picking up the language, learning kanji, and of needing to ‘read between the lines’ when it came to emotions. These cultural differences could only be pinpointed by someone who had experienced the culture first hand, and the author having been in Katie’s situation captured it in a candid way. She still continues her stalker tendencies though by turning up to Jun’s school now on then to find out more about the Kami.
The romance leaves a lot to be desired, as it succumbs to cliche elements throughout the novel. There’s a love triangle with Jun, the bad boy and enemy to her boyfriend which she sneaks around with and keeps a secret, and the interfering jealous girl. Katie and Tomo also decide they need to stay away from each other so their powers don’t hurt each other, even though their feelings are strong. Both Jun and Tomo have their own complex stories, which made them interesting love interests. I couldn’t see or feel why they would be attracted to Katie though, and the novel doesn’t really show us this.
I enjoyed the friendship angle here with Katie building authentic relationships with her friends Tanaka and Yuki, who helped her with her study struggles and stood by her.
Rain was an improvement over Ink as it explored the mythological aspects of Kami and had some pretty epic scenes with drawings coming to life. While the relationship aspect of the book felt contrived, this series captures the beauty and the authenticity of living in Japan, which I really enjoyed. A great cultural YA novel covering the beautiful culture of Japan, coupled with rich, beautiful Japanese mythology.
I received a review copy from Harlequin Australia in exchange for an honest review.
June 27, 2014
I received this book for free from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
THE SHORT
Rain was a wonderful sequel which continued to keep the beauty and rich Japanese culture, mythology and setting alive. The characters continued to develop and surprise, leaving you conflicted about who you thought you could trust. This book had a nice, calm pace with some intense moments leading up to the conclusion - though the section around the middle did drag slightly. I think this was a great sequel which some surprises towards the end which will definitely lead to an intense third book!
THE LONG
The main thing which I love about this series is how strong and present the Japanese elements are in this book. Although I have not read many books set in countries outside of the U.S.A. or England (excluding fantasy worlds), for the ones I do come across, I find that the setting and cultural differences are somewhat lacking. Amanda Sun certainly has no problems here and highlights the beauty of Japan so wonderfully. Furthermore, Katie's struggles with adjusting to the culture and abiding by the expected social behaviours were very realistic.
That being said, some of her other mistakes and decisions began to get a bit irritating. She isn't as forthcoming with Tomo about some of the things she did as she probably should have been. This kind of correlates to the love triangle that isn't really a love triangle... things never progress far enough, but outside sources kind of make it into some form of a pentagon... but not quite. It's a weird situation.
There was so much mystery surrounding some of the characters - you could never really pinpoint whether they were helping Katie or working against here. There were plenty of surprises along the way, and my opinions of a few of the characters have drastically changed! I'm really intrigued to see how the characters continue to progress, and I can't wait to see what happens in the next book!
THE SHORT
Rain was a wonderful sequel which continued to keep the beauty and rich Japanese culture, mythology and setting alive. The characters continued to develop and surprise, leaving you conflicted about who you thought you could trust. This book had a nice, calm pace with some intense moments leading up to the conclusion - though the section around the middle did drag slightly. I think this was a great sequel which some surprises towards the end which will definitely lead to an intense third book!
THE LONG
The main thing which I love about this series is how strong and present the Japanese elements are in this book. Although I have not read many books set in countries outside of the U.S.A. or England (excluding fantasy worlds), for the ones I do come across, I find that the setting and cultural differences are somewhat lacking. Amanda Sun certainly has no problems here and highlights the beauty of Japan so wonderfully. Furthermore, Katie's struggles with adjusting to the culture and abiding by the expected social behaviours were very realistic.
That being said, some of her other mistakes and decisions began to get a bit irritating. She isn't as forthcoming with Tomo about some of the things she did as she probably should have been. This kind of correlates to the love triangle that isn't really a love triangle... things never progress far enough, but outside sources kind of make it into some form of a pentagon... but not quite. It's a weird situation.
There was so much mystery surrounding some of the characters - you could never really pinpoint whether they were helping Katie or working against here. There were plenty of surprises along the way, and my opinions of a few of the characters have drastically changed! I'm really intrigued to see how the characters continue to progress, and I can't wait to see what happens in the next book!
July 4, 2014
I loved Shadow (novella) and Ink (book 1) and this one I loved just as much. I'm not sure if it is the Japanese theme that I find fascinating or if it is the way Amanda Sun portrays the characters and the country along with the myths of the Kami... Maybe it is the whole package!!!
Katie Green is American and lives with her aunt in Japan following the death of her mother. Tomo is the gorgeous guy with the hellish secret that Katie has discovered along the way. In Rain, Katie and Tomo fight to remain together but with the information Katie gets from Jun, the guy who controls his own secret, Katie and Tomo feel there is no safety with Katie staying with Tomo...
As events unfurl, discoveries are made, things change...
A beautifully written book/series with a definite magic to the Japanese world, a world I am looking forward to returning to in book 3.
Amazing!!
Katie Green is American and lives with her aunt in Japan following the death of her mother. Tomo is the gorgeous guy with the hellish secret that Katie has discovered along the way. In Rain, Katie and Tomo fight to remain together but with the information Katie gets from Jun, the guy who controls his own secret, Katie and Tomo feel there is no safety with Katie staying with Tomo...
As events unfurl, discoveries are made, things change...
A beautifully written book/series with a definite magic to the Japanese world, a world I am looking forward to returning to in book 3.
Amazing!!
July 14, 2014
Ink was not the book I desperately wanted it to be. And I know a lot of people who were just as disappointed in it as I was. And while I swore off the sequel at the time, part of me always knew I’d come back for the sequel. Because the sequel could be better, and that’s what I was banking on.
And for one brief second, just the briefest, I thought this book was going to shine. Katie was a little more likable, Tomohiro wasn’t such a douche, and Jun was poised to be the villain turned hero who ends up saving them all. That last part is my favorite thing ever to read. I love villains who become heroes, reluctantly or not. This is probably why Warner from the Shatter Me series, is my favorite baddie gone good I love those badboys doing good things.
But this book falls apart about a hundred pages in.
At around a hundred pages petty teenage bullshit starts to creep in, and this book becomes more about a love triangle and secrets, than anything else. The backstory seems randomly tossed in, as if the author felt obligated, and it’s endless page after a page of jealousy and the teenage maturity levels and really shitty character growth.
And no fucking redemption for Jun. The greatly angers me.
Is it so much to ask for, that as a reader, I get a decent Japanese mythology book? This year has already proven I can’t get a decent Korean mythology book. Maybe asking for decent is just asking too much. I’m not sure. But Rain is worse than Ink because Ink was pretty bad the whole way through. Rain shows decent potential long enough to trick its reader into becoming invested. That feels worse.
And for one brief second, just the briefest, I thought this book was going to shine. Katie was a little more likable, Tomohiro wasn’t such a douche, and Jun was poised to be the villain turned hero who ends up saving them all. That last part is my favorite thing ever to read. I love villains who become heroes, reluctantly or not. This is probably why Warner from the Shatter Me series, is my favorite baddie gone good I love those badboys doing good things.
But this book falls apart about a hundred pages in.
At around a hundred pages petty teenage bullshit starts to creep in, and this book becomes more about a love triangle and secrets, than anything else. The backstory seems randomly tossed in, as if the author felt obligated, and it’s endless page after a page of jealousy and the teenage maturity levels and really shitty character growth.
And no fucking redemption for Jun. The greatly angers me.
Is it so much to ask for, that as a reader, I get a decent Japanese mythology book? This year has already proven I can’t get a decent Korean mythology book. Maybe asking for decent is just asking too much. I’m not sure. But Rain is worse than Ink because Ink was pretty bad the whole way through. Rain shows decent potential long enough to trick its reader into becoming invested. That feels worse.
June 18, 2014
This book was MUCH better than the first one. There were still a lot of things that made me roll my eyes (see all of my status updates) but THANK YOU FOR NOT USING GAIJIN!!!! Finally. It was only used 2-3 times in this book and it was used in the proper way. Finally. The whole name thing bothered me because it's really not a thing for foreigners. In my seven years in Japan I have never had any issues with names.
Also, Ishikawa getting shot and then it being basically no big deal outside of the small group involved in the book is just unrealistic. Guns are illegal in Japan and if a random high school kid ended up in the hospital from a gun shot that would be HUGE. The lack of media frenzy around that was just weird. The lack of ANY frenzy was weird. I mean, earlier this month here in Japan a stupid pop star got attacked with a saw and that's ALL anyone could talk about for WEEKS. I once heard a news story about a weirdo shooting girls with mayonnaise. A gunshot wound would big A BIG DEAL.
Katie was much better in this. Still can't believe that she lost her mom a year ago and is just so okay with it. She was less stupid and less stalker-ish, but there were a few times when I just wanted to tell her to SHUT UP OMG. Shiori was super annoying but made some good points that highlighted some issues that I think are important to talk about. Jun was too melodramatic and his drama was so annoying. I feel bad for Ikeda and loved Tomo (dream sigh) as always.
Overall I felt like this was a lot more story and a lot less of Sun trying to prove that she has some authority over teaching us Japanese culture. The first book felt like LOOK AT ALL THIS STUFF I KNOW ABOUT JAPAN and this one had a LOT less of that.
Annnnnd finally, as with the first book, I don't believe Katie's Japanese ability AT ALL. There is no way that she's as fluent (speaking wise) as she is. There's no way she's running around able to understand everyone, saying everything correctly, no problem, and then turning around and having so much trouble with reading and writing and then turning around and whipping out text messages and reading others no problem. Also, they're all supposed to be speaking Japanese, but again there's a bunch of Japanese words written in romanji thrown in and it just makes no sense. A lot of the words were also defined and explained in text this time (despite having a functioning glossary in this eArc, unlike the first one). I really wish that all of those random romanji were left out. It MIGHT make it a bit more believable (or at least make me think less about what language they're speaking) that they're speaking Japanese all of the time.
ANYWAY. If you liked the first book, then you'll like this. And sorry not sorry for being so nit-picky, but I feel that if we're going to go the whole #weneeddiversebooks route then the books with all the diversity in them should at least be accurate.
Also, Ishikawa getting shot and then it being basically no big deal outside of the small group involved in the book is just unrealistic. Guns are illegal in Japan and if a random high school kid ended up in the hospital from a gun shot that would be HUGE. The lack of media frenzy around that was just weird. The lack of ANY frenzy was weird. I mean, earlier this month here in Japan a stupid pop star got attacked with a saw and that's ALL anyone could talk about for WEEKS. I once heard a news story about a weirdo shooting girls with mayonnaise. A gunshot wound would big A BIG DEAL.
Katie was much better in this. Still can't believe that she lost her mom a year ago and is just so okay with it. She was less stupid and less stalker-ish, but there were a few times when I just wanted to tell her to SHUT UP OMG. Shiori was super annoying but made some good points that highlighted some issues that I think are important to talk about. Jun was too melodramatic and his drama was so annoying. I feel bad for Ikeda and loved Tomo (dream sigh) as always.
Overall I felt like this was a lot more story and a lot less of Sun trying to prove that she has some authority over teaching us Japanese culture. The first book felt like LOOK AT ALL THIS STUFF I KNOW ABOUT JAPAN and this one had a LOT less of that.
Annnnnd finally, as with the first book, I don't believe Katie's Japanese ability AT ALL. There is no way that she's as fluent (speaking wise) as she is. There's no way she's running around able to understand everyone, saying everything correctly, no problem, and then turning around and having so much trouble with reading and writing and then turning around and whipping out text messages and reading others no problem. Also, they're all supposed to be speaking Japanese, but again there's a bunch of Japanese words written in romanji thrown in and it just makes no sense. A lot of the words were also defined and explained in text this time (despite having a functioning glossary in this eArc, unlike the first one). I really wish that all of those random romanji were left out. It MIGHT make it a bit more believable (or at least make me think less about what language they're speaking) that they're speaking Japanese all of the time.
ANYWAY. If you liked the first book, then you'll like this. And sorry not sorry for being so nit-picky, but I feel that if we're going to go the whole #weneeddiversebooks route then the books with all the diversity in them should at least be accurate.
September 17, 2013
I can't wait to know what's going to happened next!
April 19, 2017
I enjoyed this one a lot better the the first. The Japanese explanations felt more seamless, and more plot stuff happened through the entire novel, instead of just at the end.
It lost an entire star simply because of the number of times, a character touched their hair, someone else's hair or a character's hair was pointed out. I nearly started tabbing the pages these references appeared on, because I was so curious exactly how many times it happened.
It lost an entire star simply because of the number of times, a character touched their hair, someone else's hair or a character's hair was pointed out. I nearly started tabbing the pages these references appeared on, because I was so curious exactly how many times it happened.
February 18, 2023
Oh, this was such a great read, loved all the developments, and I can't wait to read the final book!
March 30, 2023
You can also find this review at http://girlinthewoodsreviews.blogspot...
Detailed Review: I have that urge to re-read this book again. And I just finished reading it a few hours ago.
Have you ever had a book that made a huge impact on you and you can's stop thinking about it? Rain was one of these books.
The characters themselves, the culture, the story, the setting. Everything begs to be re-lived again. And it was so hard to move on from Rain.
Maybe it was the characters, the romance between Tomo and Katie. I couldn't help but shiver most of the time when Tomo and Katie were together. And there was just that one time when I felt my heart break into two when they were almost torn from each other.
Katie is one of the best heroines out there, living out of her comfort zone, and not backing down even when she's scared. She has a fighting spirit. And that's what kept her alive throughout the book. Not only does she have Tomo and his powers to worry about, she has to worry about being sent to international school as her vocabulary didn't meet expectations. But still, she worked hard and did everything she could to solve the problems.
Rain had the best character development, especially for Jun and Shiori. In this book, you see Jun's true colours when he loses control of his powers and reveals who he truly is. Shiori showed a huge change of character. We get to know her more in Rain as she starts making more appearances in the book. There's more to her soft and delicate appearance than she lets on.
Maybe it was the rich culture that pulled me in. I love Japan. I've been there twice and I loved it there. Japan is everything from fun to amazing to heaven. Reading Ink right before jumping into Rain only immersed me deeper into Japan's rich tradition and mythology. This book may even be one of the factors that make me love Japan even more. Besides, you get to learn Japanese while reading Rain. Kendo also makes my heart pound and blood heat because even when it doesn't seem like it, it plays a huge part in this book.
Maybe it was the story itself. It was made of so many layers. The top layer covered many more layers underneath, mostly secrets. Secrets about Jun's past and his true identity. Secrets about Tomo's loss of control over his powers. Secrets about Katie's ink. And you wouldn't want to miss a single thing about them.
But overall, I loved Rain as much as I loved Ink. It's definitely a great read if you want to read books in a different setting and culture. We read diverse books, right?
If you missed my review on Ink, go here: http://girlinthewoodsreviews.blogspot...
For our interview with the author, go here: http://girlinthewoodsreviews.blogspot...
Brief Review: Amanda Sun, you are an amazing writer and storyteller. You have left a huge impact on me with your words and I can't begin to express my love for you for writing Rain. I can't tell you how often I think of Japan now after reading your book. Well-developed characters, complex storyline, a beautiful country with a rich culture is what makes this book as good as it was. I couldn't have asked for a better sequel to such an awesome book. It has made my list of best books of 2014!
Final Rating: 5/5 'Totally Amazing!'
Detailed Review: I have that urge to re-read this book again. And I just finished reading it a few hours ago.
Have you ever had a book that made a huge impact on you and you can's stop thinking about it? Rain was one of these books.
The characters themselves, the culture, the story, the setting. Everything begs to be re-lived again. And it was so hard to move on from Rain.
Maybe it was the characters, the romance between Tomo and Katie. I couldn't help but shiver most of the time when Tomo and Katie were together. And there was just that one time when I felt my heart break into two when they were almost torn from each other.
Katie is one of the best heroines out there, living out of her comfort zone, and not backing down even when she's scared. She has a fighting spirit. And that's what kept her alive throughout the book. Not only does she have Tomo and his powers to worry about, she has to worry about being sent to international school as her vocabulary didn't meet expectations. But still, she worked hard and did everything she could to solve the problems.
Rain had the best character development, especially for Jun and Shiori. In this book, you see Jun's true colours when he loses control of his powers and reveals who he truly is. Shiori showed a huge change of character. We get to know her more in Rain as she starts making more appearances in the book. There's more to her soft and delicate appearance than she lets on.
Maybe it was the rich culture that pulled me in. I love Japan. I've been there twice and I loved it there. Japan is everything from fun to amazing to heaven. Reading Ink right before jumping into Rain only immersed me deeper into Japan's rich tradition and mythology. This book may even be one of the factors that make me love Japan even more. Besides, you get to learn Japanese while reading Rain. Kendo also makes my heart pound and blood heat because even when it doesn't seem like it, it plays a huge part in this book.
Maybe it was the story itself. It was made of so many layers. The top layer covered many more layers underneath, mostly secrets. Secrets about Jun's past and his true identity. Secrets about Tomo's loss of control over his powers. Secrets about Katie's ink. And you wouldn't want to miss a single thing about them.
But overall, I loved Rain as much as I loved Ink. It's definitely a great read if you want to read books in a different setting and culture. We read diverse books, right?
If you missed my review on Ink, go here: http://girlinthewoodsreviews.blogspot...
For our interview with the author, go here: http://girlinthewoodsreviews.blogspot...
Brief Review: Amanda Sun, you are an amazing writer and storyteller. You have left a huge impact on me with your words and I can't begin to express my love for you for writing Rain. I can't tell you how often I think of Japan now after reading your book. Well-developed characters, complex storyline, a beautiful country with a rich culture is what makes this book as good as it was. I couldn't have asked for a better sequel to such an awesome book. It has made my list of best books of 2014!
Final Rating: 5/5 'Totally Amazing!'
April 21, 2014
**STARRED REVIEW**
gawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwd.
^ i spelled it like that because frankly if i wrote goooooooooooooood it would look like go for a really long time and that's mentally confusing. not sure if gawd is better.
anyways! wow. amanda effing sun is trying to murder me. i have no effing idea how i survived the wait for RAIN (hint: i didn't. i had to get an ARC or else i would've died. thank you first reads thank youuuuuuu!!!) but RAIN makes the wait for the third book f****** IMPOSSIBLE. GOD(S). THIS BOOK. THIS BOOK. I CANNOT ACCURATELY DESCRIBE MY FEELINGS.
I love this book so much i wanna eat it and let it settle in my stomach and then do some weird book dance or something idk i just gahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
^that was really weird. but anyways. onto what i liked about the book: (SPOILERS FOR INK BELOW, BUT NOT FOR RAIN)
-I had thought the ending of INK was a bit anticlimactic, but oooohhhh boy am i glad she stayed.
-TOMO TOMO TOMO TOMO TOMOHIRO COME HERE YOU
-^ i swear i'm not that shallow. Tomo undergoes a lot of growth in this novel and we get to see him depending on Katie and realizing that he isn't alone. And that is just a phenomenal shift.
-Katie has to figure out her priorities and must struggle through lies and facades to protect herself and those she love, and that means she gets in some pretty deep trouble with some people you reeeallly don't wanna mess with.
-What Tomo says to Shiori about the thing. When you get there. Ahhhh yes. I was just like OH TOMO YOU GO TOMO YOU TELL HER. YES TOMO
-We find out some INSANE history and hypotheses in this book and it is FABULOUS. I cannot overstate how happy I am about Japanese (and accurately described.... *cough* "City of a thousand dolls" and my billion hatred seeds for it) culture and mythology being so thoroughly described in a YA book where the market is saturated by white gurlz. Nothing wrong with Caucasians, just.... DIVERSITY MAN. Now we just need someone to do that for the Chinese... like I know there are some out there but most of them take place in the US... hmm... I should get on that.
Annnnd I could go on and on. But the thing is, I loved how I could smell the cherry blossoms and hear the furin and see the ink flow and feel the earth rumble and live with the characters as they despair and evolve and realize that they aren't alone.
I love it. I love it all. And now someone PLEASE for gods' sakes give me the third book as soon as Amanda Sun is done writing it and stuff.
gawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwd.
^ i spelled it like that because frankly if i wrote goooooooooooooood it would look like go for a really long time and that's mentally confusing. not sure if gawd is better.
anyways! wow. amanda effing sun is trying to murder me. i have no effing idea how i survived the wait for RAIN (hint: i didn't. i had to get an ARC or else i would've died. thank you first reads thank youuuuuuu!!!) but RAIN makes the wait for the third book f****** IMPOSSIBLE. GOD(S). THIS BOOK. THIS BOOK. I CANNOT ACCURATELY DESCRIBE MY FEELINGS.
I love this book so much i wanna eat it and let it settle in my stomach and then do some weird book dance or something idk i just gahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
^that was really weird. but anyways. onto what i liked about the book: (SPOILERS FOR INK BELOW, BUT NOT FOR RAIN)
-I had thought the ending of INK was a bit anticlimactic, but oooohhhh boy am i glad she stayed.
-TOMO TOMO TOMO TOMO TOMOHIRO COME HERE YOU
-^ i swear i'm not that shallow. Tomo undergoes a lot of growth in this novel and we get to see him depending on Katie and realizing that he isn't alone. And that is just a phenomenal shift.
-Katie has to figure out her priorities and must struggle through lies and facades to protect herself and those she love, and that means she gets in some pretty deep trouble with some people you reeeallly don't wanna mess with.
-What Tomo says to Shiori about the thing. When you get there. Ahhhh yes. I was just like OH TOMO YOU GO TOMO YOU TELL HER. YES TOMO
-We find out some INSANE history and hypotheses in this book and it is FABULOUS. I cannot overstate how happy I am about Japanese (and accurately described.... *cough* "City of a thousand dolls" and my billion hatred seeds for it) culture and mythology being so thoroughly described in a YA book where the market is saturated by white gurlz. Nothing wrong with Caucasians, just.... DIVERSITY MAN. Now we just need someone to do that for the Chinese... like I know there are some out there but most of them take place in the US... hmm... I should get on that.
Annnnd I could go on and on. But the thing is, I loved how I could smell the cherry blossoms and hear the furin and see the ink flow and feel the earth rumble and live with the characters as they despair and evolve and realize that they aren't alone.
I love it. I love it all. And now someone PLEASE for gods' sakes give me the third book as soon as Amanda Sun is done writing it and stuff.
January 27, 2015
3.5 stars. So much of this series I love. The Japanese culture. The ink mythology. The drawings in the text. Watching Katie struggle to navigate a society that is foreign to hers. A diverse relationship with a Japanese boy. Even the way these two tried to work together despite the odds against them. Although Tomo started the series as a typical mysterious bad boy, I've loved watching his growth even while he fights something much bigger than himself that he doesn't understand.
However the elements I didn't like brought the story down big time. I had trouble connecting with Katie's decisions in this book, and I haven't forgiven her for some of the things she does. This book tries to reintroduce a love triangle with Jun and it was about the most irritating thing ever. It never progresses that far but it's also nowhere near as innocent as Katie keeps claiming. Take some responsibly, girl! There's also some other side characters trying to enact some sort of love pentagon, which made the whole situation worse. Thankfully, Tomo stands strong through it all, but he was way too forgiving of Katie in my opinion.
Thankfully, by the end of the book the relationship drama has been settled (for now. I don't trust that it won't resurge again). However I don want to reiterate that this isn't ever a real love triangle. It's always Katie and Tomo as the main pair, but will annoying obstacles thrown in. Mostly Katie's fault.
As for the mythology, which should be the main event but couldn't stand up to the love situation, we get both exciting and devastating revelations, and I'm eager to see how this all resolves at the end of the final book. (If I can convince myself to read it, after verifying no more triangles).
Love Triangle Factor: In reality, Mild. In emotional aggravation, at least a Medium*
Cliffhanger Scale: Low/Medium. Stops in a settled moment, good breaking point. But includes some revelations that tease their next steps.
*If you are less militant about triangles than I am, you may weight this part of the book far less on the emotional annoyance scale.
See my full review HERE on my blog: Love is not a triangle
However the elements I didn't like brought the story down big time. I had trouble connecting with Katie's decisions in this book, and I haven't forgiven her for some of the things she does. This book tries to reintroduce a love triangle with Jun and it was about the most irritating thing ever. It never progresses that far but it's also nowhere near as innocent as Katie keeps claiming. Take some responsibly, girl! There's also some other side characters trying to enact some sort of love pentagon, which made the whole situation worse. Thankfully, Tomo stands strong through it all, but he was way too forgiving of Katie in my opinion.
Thankfully, by the end of the book the relationship drama has been settled (for now. I don't trust that it won't resurge again). However I don want to reiterate that this isn't ever a real love triangle. It's always Katie and Tomo as the main pair, but will annoying obstacles thrown in. Mostly Katie's fault.
As for the mythology, which should be the main event but couldn't stand up to the love situation, we get both exciting and devastating revelations, and I'm eager to see how this all resolves at the end of the final book. (If I can convince myself to read it, after verifying no more triangles).
Love Triangle Factor: In reality, Mild. In emotional aggravation, at least a Medium*
Cliffhanger Scale: Low/Medium. Stops in a settled moment, good breaking point. But includes some revelations that tease their next steps.
*If you are less militant about triangles than I am, you may weight this part of the book far less on the emotional annoyance scale.
See my full review HERE on my blog: Love is not a triangle
June 22, 2014
**I received this book from NetGalley/Harlequin Teen in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.**
*Genre* Young Adult Paranormal
*Rating* 3.0
*My Thoughts*
Rain, the sequel to Ink, picks up approximately 2 weeks after "gaijin" Katie Greene decided against traveling to Canada where her grandparents live, to remain in Japan with her Aunt Diane, and to be with Yuu Tomohiro, a Kami descendant who is able to make ink come alive on paper, and who Katie has a major crush on.
Katie has a whole lot on her plate this time out. She's not exactly wowing her teachers at her school because she can't get the kanji correct, she continues to use the wrong pronunciations, and the possibility of Katie transferring to an International school is definitely on the horizon. Katie also finds herself the target of blackmail, and jealously, as well as hatred because of who she is with. Thankfully, she does have two really good friends in Yuki & Tanaka who seem intent on teaching the ignorant gaijin about their ways before she falls flat on her face.
**PLEASE FIND THE REST OF MY REVIEW @ GIZMOS REVIEWS** LINK TO BE POSTED SHORTLY.
*Received for review 06/05/2014 via Netgalley* Expected publication: June 24th 2014 by Harlequin Teen
*Genre* Young Adult Paranormal
*Rating* 3.0
*My Thoughts*
Rain, the sequel to Ink, picks up approximately 2 weeks after "gaijin" Katie Greene decided against traveling to Canada where her grandparents live, to remain in Japan with her Aunt Diane, and to be with Yuu Tomohiro, a Kami descendant who is able to make ink come alive on paper, and who Katie has a major crush on.
Katie has a whole lot on her plate this time out. She's not exactly wowing her teachers at her school because she can't get the kanji correct, she continues to use the wrong pronunciations, and the possibility of Katie transferring to an International school is definitely on the horizon. Katie also finds herself the target of blackmail, and jealously, as well as hatred because of who she is with. Thankfully, she does have two really good friends in Yuki & Tanaka who seem intent on teaching the ignorant gaijin about their ways before she falls flat on her face.
**PLEASE FIND THE REST OF MY REVIEW @ GIZMOS REVIEWS** LINK TO BE POSTED SHORTLY.
*Received for review 06/05/2014 via Netgalley* Expected publication: June 24th 2014 by Harlequin Teen
June 30, 2014
Amanda Sun’s Ink charmed me with its unique paranormal aspects, its lush Japanese setting, and the manga references sprinkled all around. Not without faults, I nonetheless really enjoyed it and have been waiting excitedly for Rain. I hoped to see an increase in the strongest aspect of Sun’s writing and a decrease in the weaker elements. Sadly, while still enjoyable, I don’t think Rain is stronger than Ink. The increase in the romantic drama aspects and a good deal of last minute infodumping made Rain very much a stereotypical second book.
Read the full review at A Reader of Fictions.
Read the full review at A Reader of Fictions.
September 10, 2013
I just can't wait! :D
July 24, 2016
I like the setting and the plot the best!
May 11, 2019
Nothing really happened, which is disappointing since the first book was one of my favorites from 2018!
November 16, 2017
Rain is a very emotional book. I love this series, and I'm looking forward to reading the third book. I felt like I was really there while I was reading. It always felt like the situations in the book were actually effecting me. It even made me cry a couple times.
This book would probably interest a lot of younger readers because the characters in the book are in high school. It talks a lot about things teenagers go through, and talks a lot about their emotions.
I loved the book very much.
This book would probably interest a lot of younger readers because the characters in the book are in high school. It talks a lot about things teenagers go through, and talks a lot about their emotions.
I loved the book very much.
May 17, 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed this. Also I loved Tomo.
August 5, 2014
Rain by Amanda Sun is the second book in the Paper Gods series and continues the story of Katie as she figures out how to live in Japan and deal with some rather strange mystical powers that have cropped up. If you haven’t read Ink, the first novel, there will be some spoilers below, though nothing too major. I can’t help but adore the magic system based on ink drawings and the view of Japan from an outsider’s perspective as Katie tries quite hard to learn how to fit in. Though I’m not very familiar with Japan’s culture and language, I thought that Rain successfully conveyed various cultural differences from the US and integrated Japanese phrases without leaving an American reader in the dust.
Note: I received Rain through Netgalley for an honest review. Some things may have changed in the final version.
Rain by Amanda Sun (Paper Gods #2)
Published by Harlequin Teen on June 24th, 2014
Genres: Fantasy, YA
Length: 304 pages
How I got my copy: NetGalley
American Katie Green has decided to stay in Japan. She's started to build a life in the city of Shizuoka, and she can't imagine leaving behind her friends, her aunt and especially Tomohiro, the guy she's fallen in love with. But her return is not as simple as she thought. She's flunking out of Japanese school and committing cultural faux pas wherever she goes. Tomohiro is also struggling—as a Kami, his connection to the ancient gods of Japan and his power to bring drawings to life have begun to spiral out of control.
When Tomo decides to stop drawing, the ink finds other ways to seep into his life—blackouts, threatening messages and the appearance of unexplained sketches. Unsure how to help Tomo, Katie turns to an unexpected source for help—Jun, her former friend and a Kami with an agenda of his own. But is Jun really the ally he claims to be? In order to save themselves, Katie and Tomohiro must unravel the truth about Tomo's dark ancestry, as well as Katie's, and confront one of the darkest gods in Japanese legend.
Strengths:
Rain extends our knowledge of the Kami world marvelously and I adored getting both more information about the myths about the kami as well as details of how the magic system works in the present day. Katie’s place in this magic system was a bit fuzzy in Ink and it was great to see that clarified and developed in Rain.
Katie and Tomo are a pretty adorable couple and now that they are both clear about their devotion to each other, they share plenty of sweet moments in Rain. It is of course not all inked butterflies and rainbows, however, and it was interesting to see how their relationship developed with the added strain of Tomo’s powers growing less controlled.
One of my favorite things about Ink were the interior illustrations and Rain continues with this added content. The chapter headers are beautiful along with illustrations based on events in the story.
I read a physical copy of Ink, so I don’t know if this is new or not, but my eARC of Rain very helpfully linked new Japanese words to the glossary in the back so that I could easily check the meaning without losing my place. Most of the time there were translations in the text as well, but it was nice to be able to quickly be sure of what the phrase means.
Weaknesses:
Katie is rather unfortunately good at causing drama. While I did generally understand her motivations, I really wanted to give her a reminder bracelet along the lines of “What would a non-dramatic person do?” >.>
Rain manages to skirt around a true love triangle, but there is definitely a relationship triangle between Jun, Tomo and Katie that really didn’t seem necessary.
While mostly Rain has translations for Japanese words in the text or glossary, there were still occasions when a word showed up again and wasn’t linked or explained. I unfortunately cannot remember all of the words that are defined, so this meant I struggled when words showed up again chapters later.
Summary:
Rain is a delightfully fun fantasy for fans of anime and Japanese myths. While the relationship drama sometimes felt like a soap opera, I still darn enjoyed this one. I’d say if you’ve read Ink, you have a pretty good idea of whether Katie’s brand of silliness is fun or annoying to you ;-). I am really excited for the third book, though, since the kami world is getting pretty crazy by the end of Rain!
Note: I received Rain through Netgalley for an honest review. Some things may have changed in the final version.
Rain by Amanda Sun (Paper Gods #2)
Published by Harlequin Teen on June 24th, 2014
Genres: Fantasy, YA
Length: 304 pages
How I got my copy: NetGalley
American Katie Green has decided to stay in Japan. She's started to build a life in the city of Shizuoka, and she can't imagine leaving behind her friends, her aunt and especially Tomohiro, the guy she's fallen in love with. But her return is not as simple as she thought. She's flunking out of Japanese school and committing cultural faux pas wherever she goes. Tomohiro is also struggling—as a Kami, his connection to the ancient gods of Japan and his power to bring drawings to life have begun to spiral out of control.
When Tomo decides to stop drawing, the ink finds other ways to seep into his life—blackouts, threatening messages and the appearance of unexplained sketches. Unsure how to help Tomo, Katie turns to an unexpected source for help—Jun, her former friend and a Kami with an agenda of his own. But is Jun really the ally he claims to be? In order to save themselves, Katie and Tomohiro must unravel the truth about Tomo's dark ancestry, as well as Katie's, and confront one of the darkest gods in Japanese legend.
Strengths:
Rain extends our knowledge of the Kami world marvelously and I adored getting both more information about the myths about the kami as well as details of how the magic system works in the present day. Katie’s place in this magic system was a bit fuzzy in Ink and it was great to see that clarified and developed in Rain.
Katie and Tomo are a pretty adorable couple and now that they are both clear about their devotion to each other, they share plenty of sweet moments in Rain. It is of course not all inked butterflies and rainbows, however, and it was interesting to see how their relationship developed with the added strain of Tomo’s powers growing less controlled.
One of my favorite things about Ink were the interior illustrations and Rain continues with this added content. The chapter headers are beautiful along with illustrations based on events in the story.
I read a physical copy of Ink, so I don’t know if this is new or not, but my eARC of Rain very helpfully linked new Japanese words to the glossary in the back so that I could easily check the meaning without losing my place. Most of the time there were translations in the text as well, but it was nice to be able to quickly be sure of what the phrase means.
Weaknesses:
Katie is rather unfortunately good at causing drama. While I did generally understand her motivations, I really wanted to give her a reminder bracelet along the lines of “What would a non-dramatic person do?” >.>
Rain manages to skirt around a true love triangle, but there is definitely a relationship triangle between Jun, Tomo and Katie that really didn’t seem necessary.
While mostly Rain has translations for Japanese words in the text or glossary, there were still occasions when a word showed up again and wasn’t linked or explained. I unfortunately cannot remember all of the words that are defined, so this meant I struggled when words showed up again chapters later.
Summary:
Rain is a delightfully fun fantasy for fans of anime and Japanese myths. While the relationship drama sometimes felt like a soap opera, I still darn enjoyed this one. I’d say if you’ve read Ink, you have a pretty good idea of whether Katie’s brand of silliness is fun or annoying to you ;-). I am really excited for the third book, though, since the kami world is getting pretty crazy by the end of Rain!
July 9, 2014
Rain Review on K-Books
"If you're going to violate me, I'd appreciate if you wait till I'm naked."
Oh My Gods... This book is absolutely phenomenal!
I have been dying to get my hands on Rain, the second book in the Paper Gods Series, by Amanda Sun since the moment that I finished Ink. I remember back before Ink was released and I was offered an ARC of it and I turned it down thinking it wasn't really my thing. Then after reading glowing reviews of it from friends and other bloggers picked it up after the release... and then kicking myself for not accepting and reading it sooner. It was just so unique and different and good. After finishing I just needed Rain so bad. To find out what would happen to my favourite characters and so I could vicariously visit Japan again. Rain was everything that I wanted and more. It surpassed all of my, already super high, expectations and just utterly blew me away.
Katie has decided to stay in Japan and help Tomohiro fight against the Ink. But as Tomo starts to lose control more and more Katie discovers that her staying just might be making it worse. Discovering a shocking secret about herself that changes everything, trying to help Tomo and trying to stay away from the awful gang who want Tomohiro's power things just got a whole lot more complicated for Katie. She cares about Tomo and he her, but can they fight through the ink to be together or is the ink destined to tear them apart?
Rain was utterly phenomenal. Once again Amanda Sun took my breathe away, not only with her phenomenal magical story, but with the magic of writing about Japan. It really makes me feel like I am there and like I really want to go visit this beautiful place. Amanda's writing is so phenomenal and once again it reminds me of how shocked I was that Ink was her debut because she really is that good. She has a talent and skill that makes you think she has been writing for years and years. She really sucks you in at the start of the book and never once lets your attention go until you have demolished the whole book in one sitting. I adore her writing and story-telling and Amanda Sun is fast becoming a favourite and auto-buy author for me. I don't need to know anything about the book if Amanda Sun's name is on it I am reading it.
Once again I fell in love with the characters of this series. Katie is an amazing protagonist and I adore her. She really goes through a journey of self-discovery in this one and you really experience every shock, surprise and emotion along with her on the journey. Tomohiro... I just love him. He is sweet, romantic and protective. Everything you could possibly want in a book boyfriend. I loved him.
One character surprise I had while reading Rain was I really started to dislike... and then hate... a character I really didn't think I would dislike. Tomo's best friend Shoiri... well she turned out to be an utter bitch in this book and I just wanted to dive in the book and slap her. I really hope that she is in book 3 as little as possible or that she redeems herself in some way.
Rain was the perfect follow up to Ink. Gladly it didn't suffer from "middle-book syndrome". It was in no way a stepping-stone or a unsatisfying build up to the third book. It was amazing. It was packed full of drama, romance, action and intrigue. I couldn't put the book down and when I found myself having to do something else all I was thinking of is when I could pick the book back up and read more. It was excellent and everything that I love in a book. If you haven't read this series yet I highly suggest that you pick this one up. It really is a gem. A unique, and different book that will not only take your breath away with the story but will take you on the trip of a lifetime to Japan.
Utterly phenomenal!
"I love Katie. And if that means I have to suffer to keep her safe then that's what I'll do. If it means I have to stand aside so someone else can take care of her because I can't... I will stand aside. That's what love is."
"If you're going to violate me, I'd appreciate if you wait till I'm naked."
Oh My Gods... This book is absolutely phenomenal!
I have been dying to get my hands on Rain, the second book in the Paper Gods Series, by Amanda Sun since the moment that I finished Ink. I remember back before Ink was released and I was offered an ARC of it and I turned it down thinking it wasn't really my thing. Then after reading glowing reviews of it from friends and other bloggers picked it up after the release... and then kicking myself for not accepting and reading it sooner. It was just so unique and different and good. After finishing I just needed Rain so bad. To find out what would happen to my favourite characters and so I could vicariously visit Japan again. Rain was everything that I wanted and more. It surpassed all of my, already super high, expectations and just utterly blew me away.
Katie has decided to stay in Japan and help Tomohiro fight against the Ink. But as Tomo starts to lose control more and more Katie discovers that her staying just might be making it worse. Discovering a shocking secret about herself that changes everything, trying to help Tomo and trying to stay away from the awful gang who want Tomohiro's power things just got a whole lot more complicated for Katie. She cares about Tomo and he her, but can they fight through the ink to be together or is the ink destined to tear them apart?
Rain was utterly phenomenal. Once again Amanda Sun took my breathe away, not only with her phenomenal magical story, but with the magic of writing about Japan. It really makes me feel like I am there and like I really want to go visit this beautiful place. Amanda's writing is so phenomenal and once again it reminds me of how shocked I was that Ink was her debut because she really is that good. She has a talent and skill that makes you think she has been writing for years and years. She really sucks you in at the start of the book and never once lets your attention go until you have demolished the whole book in one sitting. I adore her writing and story-telling and Amanda Sun is fast becoming a favourite and auto-buy author for me. I don't need to know anything about the book if Amanda Sun's name is on it I am reading it.
Once again I fell in love with the characters of this series. Katie is an amazing protagonist and I adore her. She really goes through a journey of self-discovery in this one and you really experience every shock, surprise and emotion along with her on the journey. Tomohiro... I just love him. He is sweet, romantic and protective. Everything you could possibly want in a book boyfriend. I loved him.
One character surprise I had while reading Rain was I really started to dislike... and then hate... a character I really didn't think I would dislike. Tomo's best friend Shoiri... well she turned out to be an utter bitch in this book and I just wanted to dive in the book and slap her. I really hope that she is in book 3 as little as possible or that she redeems herself in some way.
Rain was the perfect follow up to Ink. Gladly it didn't suffer from "middle-book syndrome". It was in no way a stepping-stone or a unsatisfying build up to the third book. It was amazing. It was packed full of drama, romance, action and intrigue. I couldn't put the book down and when I found myself having to do something else all I was thinking of is when I could pick the book back up and read more. It was excellent and everything that I love in a book. If you haven't read this series yet I highly suggest that you pick this one up. It really is a gem. A unique, and different book that will not only take your breath away with the story but will take you on the trip of a lifetime to Japan.
Utterly phenomenal!
"I love Katie. And if that means I have to suffer to keep her safe then that's what I'll do. If it means I have to stand aside so someone else can take care of her because I can't... I will stand aside. That's what love is."
June 11, 2014
American Katie Green has decided to stay in Japan. She's started to build a life in the city of Shizuoka, and she can't imagine leaving behind her friends, her aunt and especially Tomohiro, the guy she's fallen in love with. But her return is not as simple as she thought. She's flunking out of Japanese school and committing cultural faux pas wherever she goes. Tomohiro is also struggling—as a Kami, his connection to the ancient gods of Japan and his power to bring drawings to life have begun to spiral out of control.
When Tomo decides to stop drawing, the ink finds other ways to seep into his life—blackouts, threatening messages and the appearance of unexplained sketches. Unsure how to help Tomo, Katie turns to an unexpected source for help—Jun, her former friend and a Kami with an agenda of his own. But is Jun really the ally he claims to be? In order to save themselves, Katie and Tomohiro must unravel the truth about Tomo's dark ancestry, as well as Katie's, and confront one of the darkest gods in Japanese legend.
Rain continues from where Ink left off - Katie decided to stay back and see how life in Japan will go. Moreover, she wants to unravel the mystery of the ink that is somehow drawn to her. Staying back also means being with Tomohiro and for most part of the book they are blissfully together. But Tomo's kami heritage keeps getting between them, almost to the point where the ink starts to attack and get rid of her. Katie wants to find out why the ink is doing this and turns to her best source - Jun, who himself is out to woo Katie. Honestly, there is a bit of soap opera like drama between the three of them and two additional people which tries to undermine the fact that the kami in Tomo is taking over him.
The main plotline, of course is the fact that Tomo feels pretty hopeless about his status as a kami - an existence which is plagued with nightmares, and horrible things popping out to kill you. He feels like he should protect Katie from himself, as the ink seems to react to her more. Quitting sketching doesn't have an effect and he doesn't want to stay away from her. Both are trying to make it work but the ink is rebelling. I actually liked Tomo's development in this book. In Ink, he was more of the obnoxious jerk who, though with good intentions, is mean to Katie. In this book, he is sweet, understanding and sensitive to her - and moreover, shows his vulnerable side. Yuki says the boys have a pride thing but not once does he feel annoyed that Katie has to help him out, a fact I admired because if he would have gone all - I don't need no help - damn, dude, you would end up on my hate list. He even doesn't misunderstand the Jun situation and get upset with her (I almost expected that angst) but instead acknowledges her right to choose whom she wants to be with. The despair he feels when he learns his heritage, though - I feel Sun did a really good job of depicting his feelings even in second person. It was raw and heart-breaking, and this was only through Katie's eyes.
The writing, well, it is as beautiful as the previous one - dipping into Japanese culture, keeping the feel of the setting alive with lush descriptions. The characters are rendered wonderfully, each one having his or her own agendas and wants. In this book, the conflict (did not see that coming!) which was revealed towards the end gave for a nice climax after building up through the book. The ups and downs of their relationship, and the ties to the history and kami are blended wonderfully. It was a good sequel and I can't wait to see how the things get resolved in the final book.
Received an ARC from Harlequin Teen through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
When Tomo decides to stop drawing, the ink finds other ways to seep into his life—blackouts, threatening messages and the appearance of unexplained sketches. Unsure how to help Tomo, Katie turns to an unexpected source for help—Jun, her former friend and a Kami with an agenda of his own. But is Jun really the ally he claims to be? In order to save themselves, Katie and Tomohiro must unravel the truth about Tomo's dark ancestry, as well as Katie's, and confront one of the darkest gods in Japanese legend.
Rain continues from where Ink left off - Katie decided to stay back and see how life in Japan will go. Moreover, she wants to unravel the mystery of the ink that is somehow drawn to her. Staying back also means being with Tomohiro and for most part of the book they are blissfully together. But Tomo's kami heritage keeps getting between them, almost to the point where the ink starts to attack and get rid of her. Katie wants to find out why the ink is doing this and turns to her best source - Jun, who himself is out to woo Katie. Honestly, there is a bit of soap opera like drama between the three of them and two additional people which tries to undermine the fact that the kami in Tomo is taking over him.
The main plotline, of course is the fact that Tomo feels pretty hopeless about his status as a kami - an existence which is plagued with nightmares, and horrible things popping out to kill you. He feels like he should protect Katie from himself, as the ink seems to react to her more. Quitting sketching doesn't have an effect and he doesn't want to stay away from her. Both are trying to make it work but the ink is rebelling. I actually liked Tomo's development in this book. In Ink, he was more of the obnoxious jerk who, though with good intentions, is mean to Katie. In this book, he is sweet, understanding and sensitive to her - and moreover, shows his vulnerable side. Yuki says the boys have a pride thing but not once does he feel annoyed that Katie has to help him out, a fact I admired because if he would have gone all - I don't need no help - damn, dude, you would end up on my hate list. He even doesn't misunderstand the Jun situation and get upset with her (I almost expected that angst) but instead acknowledges her right to choose whom she wants to be with. The despair he feels when he learns his heritage, though - I feel Sun did a really good job of depicting his feelings even in second person. It was raw and heart-breaking, and this was only through Katie's eyes.
The writing, well, it is as beautiful as the previous one - dipping into Japanese culture, keeping the feel of the setting alive with lush descriptions. The characters are rendered wonderfully, each one having his or her own agendas and wants. In this book, the conflict (did not see that coming!) which was revealed towards the end gave for a nice climax after building up through the book. The ups and downs of their relationship, and the ties to the history and kami are blended wonderfully. It was a good sequel and I can't wait to see how the things get resolved in the final book.
Received an ARC from Harlequin Teen through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
October 7, 2015
When the first book in a series is a 5-star read, there’s always the fear that the sequel won’t live up to the same expectations. I’m happy to say I loved Rain even more than Ink! Our two main characters, Katie and Tomohiro are finding new conflicts to solve almost everyday, and at that more types (which will be explained below). This novel definitely represents the title: it’s raining ink!
As I mentioned, Katie and Tomohiro have a lot of problems to solve – both on a large and small scale. There’s the main one – trying to find a way to control the ink in Tomo while avoiding the Kami, all with dangerous agendas of their own. However, there’s also the relationship of Katie and Tomohiro. The two are officially dating, but it’s not exactly peaches-and-cream. I find situations like this incredibly intriguing because of the decisions the characters choose to make. Depending on who you ask, the point of a novel is to have a protagonist in an undesirable situation. Every one of their actions will have a ripple effect and it’s up to that character to decide if that effect will be positive or negative. Basically, when the going gets tough how does that character overcome it.
I love Sun’s writing! There’s something about it that appears visually beautiful to me, even graceful. Sun always makes a point to immerse the reader in Japanese culture and language. The opening chapter of this book has Katie and Yuki, a friend from school, getting ready for the Abekawa Hanabi festival and it was wonderful to imagine the beautiful yukata (summer kimono) Katie was wearing and all the activities going on. I’ve always wanted to travel to Japan so these are the kind of things I yearn to read.
Sun also includes Japanese phrases which both introduces the reader to the language but also helps the reader remember for the majority of the novel, the characters are speaking Japanese. Now that we’re on the subject, although Katie’s Japanese is improving there are still some challenges ahead. Since she’s decided to stay in Japan indefinitely her teachers are harder on her about improving her kanji (Japanese writing) which even native speakers can find difficult to read. As well, the language barrier between Tomohiro and Katie remains. Something as simple as “ow, ouch” Katie finds difficult to translate from English, which really puts things in perspective.
I feel the plot has grown immensely from Ink, and we see more of the mythology – which is a huge plus in my book because I live for fantasy! It seemed like there was some new twist revealed on almost every other chapter. Additionally, the characters are traveling more in order to resolve some of their problems. Not only are we reading about other parts of Shizuoka, but we’re visiting shrines and even Mount Fuji. Sun is showing different parts of Japan while still adhering to the plot.
For delving deeper into the fantastical elements of The Paper Gods world and having the protagonists face greater obstacles, I give this book five stars. There are some epic fight scenes that have me speculating just how much more outstanding the finale of this series will be. I’m impatiently awaiting for the chance to read Storm (book #3). I strongly recommend this series to anyone wanting to read powerful writing and diverse characters.
As I mentioned, Katie and Tomohiro have a lot of problems to solve – both on a large and small scale. There’s the main one – trying to find a way to control the ink in Tomo while avoiding the Kami, all with dangerous agendas of their own. However, there’s also the relationship of Katie and Tomohiro. The two are officially dating, but it’s not exactly peaches-and-cream. I find situations like this incredibly intriguing because of the decisions the characters choose to make. Depending on who you ask, the point of a novel is to have a protagonist in an undesirable situation. Every one of their actions will have a ripple effect and it’s up to that character to decide if that effect will be positive or negative. Basically, when the going gets tough how does that character overcome it.
I love Sun’s writing! There’s something about it that appears visually beautiful to me, even graceful. Sun always makes a point to immerse the reader in Japanese culture and language. The opening chapter of this book has Katie and Yuki, a friend from school, getting ready for the Abekawa Hanabi festival and it was wonderful to imagine the beautiful yukata (summer kimono) Katie was wearing and all the activities going on. I’ve always wanted to travel to Japan so these are the kind of things I yearn to read.
Sun also includes Japanese phrases which both introduces the reader to the language but also helps the reader remember for the majority of the novel, the characters are speaking Japanese. Now that we’re on the subject, although Katie’s Japanese is improving there are still some challenges ahead. Since she’s decided to stay in Japan indefinitely her teachers are harder on her about improving her kanji (Japanese writing) which even native speakers can find difficult to read. As well, the language barrier between Tomohiro and Katie remains. Something as simple as “ow, ouch” Katie finds difficult to translate from English, which really puts things in perspective.
I feel the plot has grown immensely from Ink, and we see more of the mythology – which is a huge plus in my book because I live for fantasy! It seemed like there was some new twist revealed on almost every other chapter. Additionally, the characters are traveling more in order to resolve some of their problems. Not only are we reading about other parts of Shizuoka, but we’re visiting shrines and even Mount Fuji. Sun is showing different parts of Japan while still adhering to the plot.
For delving deeper into the fantastical elements of The Paper Gods world and having the protagonists face greater obstacles, I give this book five stars. There are some epic fight scenes that have me speculating just how much more outstanding the finale of this series will be. I’m impatiently awaiting for the chance to read Storm (book #3). I strongly recommend this series to anyone wanting to read powerful writing and diverse characters.
October 9, 2014
I read INK last year, and was very happy to see the beautiful cover didn't mask poor writing. So when RAIN showed up at Netgalley, I requested it immediately. RAIN has a pretty cover too, and also has interior illustrations that just make me want to break out the inkstones and brushes (not that I can actually draw with a brush, but I can try). If you liked INK, you'll like RAIN, for the same reasons. RAIN has more of a slow burn, as we realize the consequences of Katie's decision at the end of the first book, but the stakes are higher.
All of the interesting tidbits about Japanese culture are there: the food, the festivals, the clothing, the crowds. We learn more about the mythology driving Tomo to draw, and why some not so savory types want to control him. I really felt for Katie when her school's principal told her she needed to learn her kanji, and soon, because she was falling behind since her reading comprehension was poor. I couldn't imagine trying to learn anything in a different language outside of an actual language class. The school is also involved in a horrible manifestation of the ink, and it was easy to visualize that due to the author's writing skills.
The romance is back, too, with sweet moments between Katie and Tomo, and bittersweet interactions between other characters. They all seem to have real relationships, without delving into cliches (though there is somewhat of a love triangle, so beware if that's not your thing). Sometimes those relationships can be harsh, however, though that's perfectly realistic.
The only reason this doesn't get five stars is the ending. While full of action, some of the ways the characters acted (I guess it's part of the twist) threw me off. I liked the way the author incorporated Japanese mythology (that's where the ink comes from, after all), but there was a little "I'm being bad because I can be" that seemed off-kilter.
RAIN doesn't end on quite so much of a surprise as INK, but with our characters resolved to take on the ancient gods and goddesses themselves to make things right. I will certainly be looking for the next book in the series.
Received as a free digital ARC via Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
All of the interesting tidbits about Japanese culture are there: the food, the festivals, the clothing, the crowds. We learn more about the mythology driving Tomo to draw, and why some not so savory types want to control him. I really felt for Katie when her school's principal told her she needed to learn her kanji, and soon, because she was falling behind since her reading comprehension was poor. I couldn't imagine trying to learn anything in a different language outside of an actual language class. The school is also involved in a horrible manifestation of the ink, and it was easy to visualize that due to the author's writing skills.
The romance is back, too, with sweet moments between Katie and Tomo, and bittersweet interactions between other characters. They all seem to have real relationships, without delving into cliches (though there is somewhat of a love triangle, so beware if that's not your thing). Sometimes those relationships can be harsh, however, though that's perfectly realistic.
The only reason this doesn't get five stars is the ending. While full of action, some of the ways the characters acted (I guess it's part of the twist) threw me off. I liked the way the author incorporated Japanese mythology (that's where the ink comes from, after all), but there was a little "I'm being bad because I can be" that seemed off-kilter.
RAIN doesn't end on quite so much of a surprise as INK, but with our characters resolved to take on the ancient gods and goddesses themselves to make things right. I will certainly be looking for the next book in the series.
Received as a free digital ARC via Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
December 20, 2014
This review of Rain originally appears on Laura Plus Books.
*Minor spoilers for Ink in this review.*
Rain is the second in the Paper Gods series. I read and enjoyed the first book, Ink when it first came out last year. To be completely honest with you, I picked up the series because the covers are just so gorgeous. I mean, just look at it! But then I found out about the concept and I was hooked. The main character is American Katie who moves to Japan where she meets not one, but 2 extremely sexy boys. Of course, they both have their magical secrets and in this book we find out how their secrets intertwine. Shit goes down!
My absolute favourite part about this book is how fast it went. I felt like there was always something exciting happening whether it involve the magical ink or their love lives. Now, as you probably expected, there is a love triangle involved in the story. I personally felt like it added a lot to the story and there wouldn’t be much without it. However, the execution didn’t work for me. The characters and their emotions could have been portrayed more thoroughly. I could let all this go though because I felt like the characters had an excuse to fall in love because of the magic involved.
Also, this book is set in Japan. It was literally so beautiful! Amanda Sun’s writing has some kind of edge that makes the world ten times better in my head. Or that could just be me… But I’m going to believe that it was the writing. The were also pictures! YAY! The water colour images brought the whole story to life. Not to mention that they were just gorgeous as well.
The one thing that really pissed me off was that it was all so predictable. I could probably figure out how the book would end within the first few chapters of the book. I love the whole idea of the story a lot but I don’t think I actually love the story. I’m hoping that the next book will blow me away because it has so much potential.
I do still recommend this book though! If you love Japan, magic or love then this book is for you. Ink comes to life and so does the story. Huge thank you to Harlequin Teen for sending me this ARC/review copy!
*Minor spoilers for Ink in this review.*
Rain is the second in the Paper Gods series. I read and enjoyed the first book, Ink when it first came out last year. To be completely honest with you, I picked up the series because the covers are just so gorgeous. I mean, just look at it! But then I found out about the concept and I was hooked. The main character is American Katie who moves to Japan where she meets not one, but 2 extremely sexy boys. Of course, they both have their magical secrets and in this book we find out how their secrets intertwine. Shit goes down!
My absolute favourite part about this book is how fast it went. I felt like there was always something exciting happening whether it involve the magical ink or their love lives. Now, as you probably expected, there is a love triangle involved in the story. I personally felt like it added a lot to the story and there wouldn’t be much without it. However, the execution didn’t work for me. The characters and their emotions could have been portrayed more thoroughly. I could let all this go though because I felt like the characters had an excuse to fall in love because of the magic involved.
Also, this book is set in Japan. It was literally so beautiful! Amanda Sun’s writing has some kind of edge that makes the world ten times better in my head. Or that could just be me… But I’m going to believe that it was the writing. The were also pictures! YAY! The water colour images brought the whole story to life. Not to mention that they were just gorgeous as well.
The one thing that really pissed me off was that it was all so predictable. I could probably figure out how the book would end within the first few chapters of the book. I love the whole idea of the story a lot but I don’t think I actually love the story. I’m hoping that the next book will blow me away because it has so much potential.
I do still recommend this book though! If you love Japan, magic or love then this book is for you. Ink comes to life and so does the story. Huge thank you to Harlequin Teen for sending me this ARC/review copy!
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