I'll need to reread this to really Get It but God do I love unhinged women

I have loved every book I’ve read from fascinating author, Uketsu. This story is no different. I read Strange Pictures, Strange Houses and have now finished Strange Buildings (which I recommend reading Strange Houses before Strange Buildings but mainly for character purposes, there’s no plot spoilers if you read this one first).

I enjoyed each case file in this mystery surrounding murders, affairs, and suspicious house or building floor plans. And I really did enjoy the way the story unfolded following our ‘author’ character and his various friends and confidants. I do wish the ending was a bit more shocking, but I did find that the twists surprised me in the end. I think because there were more case files in this book versus his other ones, I was expecting more crossover, but I was still happily content with the ending.

Creepy, thrilling, and so fast paced that it was difficult to put down, I would highly recommend this book (and Uketsu’s other novels) to anyone who likes to put pieces together and uncover hidden and messed up truths about families who lie, cheat, and kill to get what they want.

This is such a rare book because it manages to talk about death in a way that feels so incredibly thoughtful, curious, and surprisingly comforting. Caitlin Doughty travels around the world exploring how different cultures care for and honour their dead and every single chapter offers a fascinating glimpse into how varied and personal death rituals can be.

What I loved most is how the book gently challenges the way many Western cultures treat death as something hidden away or rushed through. Instead of presenting other traditions as strange or shocking, Doughty approaches them with real respect and curiosity, which makes the whole experience feel eye-opening rather than sensational. Her writing balances thoughtful reflection with a bit of dark humour, making a heavy topic feel very approachable and also informative.

By the end, the biggest takeaway is that there’s no single 'right' way to handle death. Whether it’s a traditional funeral, a natural burial, or something completely different, what matters is choosing something that feels meaningful to you and the people you love. It's made me think a lot about what I would even want for myself and dare I say, that felt quite liberating.

I feel like maybe, maybe I would care more if I wasn't in the I-don't-care Pit but I'm calling it quits at 50%. It's sweet and funny in an almost cozy, satirical fantasy romance way but the worldbuilding is vague and the plot slow and meandering. Damien and Amma are cute, but it's nothing fresh and I can't bring myself to care enough to keep going. It's grumpy/sunshine, he's an evil half-demon mage who's really not great at being evil but trying, and she's naive and overly positive and quite child-like and sees the good in everyone; it's fine, it's a beloved bunch of tropes, but like, we know.

I tried spoiling myself some of the ending and even some stuff from further in the trilogy, to try and spark some curiosity, but no. It'll work for plenty of people looking for a comforting I-know-exactly-where-this-is-going book to turn their brain off and enjoy.