BookBlognet

2009-03-08T16:59:00.000-07:00

Title: Mimus

Author: Lilli Thal (translated by John Brownjohn)

Genre: Fantasy, medieval history

Rating: A

Blurb: Who is the fool and who is the fooled?

Prince Florin and his father, King Philip, attend a banquet in the court of their former enemy, expecting peace at last for their war-torn kingdom. What greets them is a devastating betrayal. The king is humiliated and imprisoned, but Florin's fate is far stranger.

Forced to live in a stable, at the mercy of Mimus, the wily court jester, Florin is close to despair...until he uncovers clues to a secret plot. There may be hope, but can he entrust his life to the whim of a manipulative fool?

An intense medieval adventure story, highly acclaimed for its almost unbearable suspense.

Opinion: If I'm reading fantasy, I'm the one that goes more for dragons and magic and swashbuckling adventures. I have little to no interest in books labeled 'fantasy' but having not a hint of magic in them. That was what I'd thought when I randomly plucked this book off the shelf.

Having nothing else to read, I settled down to try this novel.

It's only when I really start to get into the novel then I realize that I really am enjoying it, magic or not. The characters started to become more and more alive - I felt as if I was there with Prince Florin himself, sharing his shame and his humiliation and his despair at his seemingly hopeless predicament. I winced when he was forced to perform jester tricks (he was, after all, apprenticed against his will to Mimus, the court jester, and was given the pet name of Little Mimus) in front of the people who betrayed his kingdom. I read about how he was forced to conform to his new role, unwilling as he was, and the way his quick, sharp mind sought for ways of escape. I read about how he thought his end was inevitable - until he found a shred of hope.

Prince Florin - or little Mimus, during his time as a jester apprentice - is a very lively character indeed. I was enthralled by him even before the book was finished. I hate the thought of confinement and the stifling of freedom, which was why I sympathized with Florin throughout his captivity. I cheered for him when the rescue mission went off smoothly and he was able to go home.

I was particularly intrigued with his relationship with Mimus, the court jester. At first read, I disliked the jester - he spoke of flippant things in a quick, loose tongue, and was highly irritating and annoying. As the novel progresses, however, I saw little sides to him that seemed to flash past - the way he was comforting Florin when the boy was having a particularly bad nightmare (making up an excuse for it afterwards, of course, complaining that the boy was being too noisy during the nightmare and that was the only reason why Mimus was stroking his brow anyway), his quickness to speak up to aid Florin when the boy bumbled in his act before the king, the way he helped Florin save his father...

By the end of the novel, I couldn't help but like Mimus as much as I did Florin. I found the old fool affectionate when he chose to be, and he did, after all, take care of Florin. The character interaction in the novel is excellent, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. :) I even found myself rereading it!

Count to Ten

2008-11-02T19:10:00.001-08:00

Title: Count to Ten

Author: Karen Rose

Genre: Crime, thriller, mystery

Rating: A

Blurb: Abandoned to the foster-care system, two young brothers end up in an unimaginable hell. When one dies, the other vows revenge on those responsible.

A fire investigator

Chicago Fire Department veteran Reed Solliday is sickened. An autopsy has revealed that a young girl found in the wreckage of an explosion was raped and murdered before fire ripped through the house. Solliday must now join forces with the police if they are to find the killer...

A detective

Determined to bury herself in work after her partner is shot, Mia Mitchell is immediately confronted by her most challenging case - an arsonist who has escalated from fire to rape and murder.

What will happen when their lives collide?

Count to ten and watch their worlds explode.

Opinion: A really excellent read, and only the tiniest bit hampered by the predictable romance line of the novel (the two characters always get together in the end *sigh*). Still, the thrill bit was every bit as absorbing and I was up late into the night trying) and failing - through no fault of the novel) to finish the book. The morning after, I grabbed the book as soon as humanely possible, continued reading, and was spooked for the rest of the day, having been heightened to a new feeling of paranoia. ;)

Character development was OK in the novel - I liked the way they interacted although really, don't you think the tough-female-cop-with-a-bad-past has been overused? Still, I'm the typical gal who enjoys such stories. D:

The murderer/arsonist cuts a swath of dead bodies through the novel, and sometimes you can't help but go, "No, don't kill him/her!" but the wish never comes true. Well, almost never. You can't help but feel sorry for the people he kills because for me, death is a very personal issue (although I have no problem writing the deaths of my own characters D:). Karen Rose is my new author addiction and I highly recommend that you hunt down this book and have a read.

~rage-chan

Quicksand

2008-09-08T16:47:00.000-07:00

Title: Quicksand

Author: Iris Johansen

Genre: Mystery, thriller

Rating: A-

Blurb: "Do you still miss your little Bonnie?"

This one sentence, spoken by a madman in an anonymous phone call, is all it takes to drag Eve Duncan right back to that horrifying day when her only daughter vanished without a trace. Since that day, her life has become an obsession to find Bonnie's remains and put the pain of her death at rest. However, one man wants nothing more than to prevent that from happening. He is every woman's waking nightmare: a brilliant, ruthless killer whose hunting ground stretches from coast to coast. But taunting Eve Duncan might be his first and last mistake...

For Eve is armed with more than just her talent as a forensic sculptor and her fierce protective nature. She brings with her former Navy SEAL Joe Quinn, an Atlanta detective who will do whatever it takes to bring Eve some kind of peace, even if he has to lie to her to do it.

Eve's only salvation may be through the mysterious skills of another woman whose chilling talent leaves her as tormented as Eve - and as driven to bring this monster to justice. But when lives are in danger, every step could be a trap, and every inch of solid ground seems to be shifting under their feet. And this killer wants nothing more than to lure Eve further and further into his swamp of madness...

Opinion: Quicksand is the latest in the Eve Duncan series, and sequel to Stalemate which was featured earlier. :) I really enjoy Iris Johansen novels because she writes very simply, but one thing which I find rather disappointing is that the plots are recurring. I can easily predict the ending of the novels and the way the plot will progress, and that's saying something for someone as dense as I am.

That said, she's not all dull and boredom. There is a slight twist of anticipation throughout the novel that keeps you reading and reading. The characters are well-developed, although Eve's anguish is beginning to grate away at me because, well, I keep expecting a fantastic discovery about her daughter and when I get to the end of the book, I feel all flat and disappointed because no, the leads were all false and therefore they are back to square one.

~rage-chan

Heartstopper

2008-09-04T15:38:00.000-07:00

Title: Heartstopper

Author: Joy Fielding

Genre: Thriller

Rating: A-

Blurb: Welcome to Torrance, Florida. Population: 4160. As Sheriff John Weber would attest, the deadliest predators to date in his tiny hamlet were the alligators lurking in the nearby swamps. But that was before someone abducted and murdered a runaway teenage girl...and before the disappearance of popular and pretty Liana Martin. The pattern is chilling to Sandy Crosbie, the town's new high school teacher. With a marriage on the rocks, thanks to her husband's online affairs, and a beautiful teenage daughter to protect, Sandy wishes she'd never come to the seemingly quiet town with shocking depths of scandal, sex and brutality roiling beneath its surface. And as Sheriff Weber digs up more questions than answers in a dead-end investigation, one truth emerges: the prettiest ones are being targeted, the heartstoppers. And this killer intends to give them their due...

Opinion: Well, there wasn't much to keep me reading, I admit. It just barely grazed the edge of my interest with its blurb, and being bored, naturally I picked it up and started reading.

Still, it was half-way decent with a pretty solid plot, no real 'evidence' of savagery like other authors regarding how she described the murders, not much sadism, but interesting enough nonetheless to keep me reading until the end. I would've given this a B if not for the brilliant twist in the end. I gues maybe the author had dropped some pretty broad clues especially near the end of the novel, but being the dense person that I am, I suspected near about everyone except the killer. XD

Fielding also touches on issues like physical appearances ("Boobs, baubles, and bloated, boinking, blond bimbos." anyone? XD) and how shallow some people are, and that in reality, looks and appearances count for a lot, especially if you're a high school student. Because I still have my English essay to work on, I will not attempt to highlight the 'major issues' of the novel. XDD

I think this warrants a read, especially if you enjoy thriller/crime sort of stories. ~rage-chan

A Voice in the Distance

2008-08-30T01:55:00.000-07:00

Title: A Voice in the Distance

Author: Tabitha Suzuma

Genre: Psychology, slice-of-life

Rating: A-

Summary:In his final year at the Royal College of Music, star pianist Flynn Laukonen has the world at his feet. He has moved in with his girlfriend Jennah and is already getting concert bookings for what promises to be a glittering career. Yet he knows he is skating on thin ice - only two small pills a day keep him from plunging back into the whirlpool of manic depression that once threatened to destroy him. Unexpectedly his friends seem to be getting annoyed with him for no apparent reason, he needs less and less sleep, he is filled with unbridled energy. Events begin to spiral out of control and Flynn suddenly finds himself in hospital, heavily sedated, carnage left behind him. The medication isn't working any more, the dose needs to be increased, and depression strikes again, this time with horrific consequences. His freedom is snatched away and the medicine's side-effects threaten to jeopardize his chances in one of the biggest piano competitions of his life. It seems like he has to make a choice between the medication and his career. But in all this he has forgotten the one person he would give his life for, and Flynn suddenly finds himself facing the biggest sacrifice of all. Told in alternating chapters from both Flynn and Jennah's points of view, this is the breathtaking, poignant sequel to A Note of Madness. - Tabitha Suzuma's website

Opinion: I would've given it an A if not for the fact that the novel was written in two POVs this time - alternating between Flynn's POV and Jennah, his girlfriend's, POV. I already have a bit of dislike towards novels written using 'I' or in first POV - and seeing the sequel written back and forth made me frown. Sure, it gave depth to Jennah who was always 'Flynn's girlfriend' but since I thought that the novel was fine with just Flynn narrating it, I didn't appreciate that. :)

Still, that's not to say that it isn't an excellent book. It's a good sequel to 'A Note of Madness' and still a pleasure to read. I bawled my eyes out with this one - something I didn't do with the first book - especially at the ending (which I shall not reveal now XD). It touched me deeply and I can fully sympathize with Flynn - that's how real a character he is. He'll stay with you, hopefully. I can never see the word Flynn now and not think of Flynn Laukonen the piano genius who suffers from bipolar.

I love him. ^_^

A Note of Madness

2008-08-24T01:44:00.000-07:00

Title: A note of madness

Author: Tabitha Suzuma

Genre: Psychology, slice-of-life

Rating: A

Summary: Life as a student is good for Flynn. As one of the top pianists at the Royal College of Music, he is put forward for a big concert, the opportunity of a lifetime. But beneath the surface, things are changing. On a good day he feels full of energy and life, but on a bad day being alive is worse than being dead. Sometimes he wants to compose and practise all night, at other times he can't even get out of bed. His flatmate Harry tries to understand but is increasingly confused by Flynn's erratic mood swings. His friend Jennah tries to help, but Flynn finds it difficult to be around her - she evokes in him feelings that he can't accept. With the pressure of the forthcoming concert and the growing concern of his family and friends, emotions come to a head. Sometimes things have to get worse before they can get better. - Tabitha Suzuma's website

Opinion: Excellent. Something you -have- to read in one sitting, because it's that captivating. Flynn - the protagonist - is a very real person, and will turn out to be someone you will want to hug and cheer him up. You see, Flynn has bipolar disease - one minute, he's high and full of energy, and another, he's down in the slumps and thinks that life isn't worth living. The emotional edge to this novel is simply sizzling, and you'll be drawn into Flynn's up-and-down world in no time.

Even though I usually focus on novels with magical/fantasy themes, something drew me to this novel, and I now confess that it was the fact about him being a pianist. XD Not an entirely good reason for picking up a book, but I haven't regretted it in the least.

One drawback for me is that the novel is, in my opinion, too short. -.-' Still, that's not exactly a bad thing because some authors, if they draw out the plot too long, turns an excellent idea into something terrible.

Please read this. I'm begging you. *A* I simply loved it. You should at least give this a try.

Little Queen

2008-07-06T23:02:00.000-07:00

Title: Little Queen

Author: Yeon-Joo Kim

Genre: Manhwa, fantasy, magic

Summary: June is a candidate in the running for the selection of becoming the Queen of Light, the most revered position in the land. The Queen of Light’s duty is to keep the King of Darkness at bay as well and reign over the kingdom.

June has a rival, however. Lucia is widely considered by many to be the perfect candidate for the position – cool, poised and calm, Lucia is the epitome of grace and elegance while June is wild, brash and rough when compared to her. It seems clear that Lucia, and not June, is much more suitable for the position.

But as with every heroine in manga/manhwa titles, the protagonist must triumph over the enemies, so to speak. June appears to be a master at acting (even if she isn’t much good at anything else) and is able to charm her way through the judging panel, at least, and puts herself in the lead for the position of Queen of Light. Why she wants the position when all she can do in economics is to blow things up, but murky reasons lie deep beneath her scary exterior. June is determined – that much can be said for her – and for reasons of her own, she is dead set on protecting her childhood friend, Sejuru, who is said to be, in reality, a demon. And when June wants something, June will get it, no matter the means.

This manhwa is also a little of a love triangle as June finds Lucia liking Sejuru, but the problem is: Sejuru follows no other than June…for the time being, at least.

The manhwa sports plenty of action as well as demons crash into the Academy in the second volume, and if you enjoy pretty boys + action + a reasonably good plot, then try Little Queen. June, Sejuru and Lucia are characters not to be missed…not if you want June’s boot in your face. ^^

Opinion: Well, haven’t I said enough in the summary? Shojo manhwa with lovely characters. Is it just me, or are all manhwa so prettily drawn? Most of the ones I’ve read, anyway. It’s not as diverse as manga where I can find a million and one different styles of drawing. Korean manhwa seems to adhere to a basic rule of drawing – and I’m not complaining much yet because it’s really quite pretty and pleasing to the eyes.

I find Sejuru to be the typical ‘pretty boy’ although I would prefer it if he did away with that headband thing that he wears…he would look much nicer without it, methinks.

All characters have that bit of angst within them, and Sejuru is no different. By the end of the volumes, you might want to squeal and huggle him a little. ^_^

Oh dear, this isn’t supposed to be entirely about Sejuru. Pretty boy-ness has taken over me~!

I think that Little Queen’s plot is confusing in the first volume (it abruptly jumps back in time without much of a warning) but then it evens out and gets better in the next three volumes. You might be confused a little at some points, but generally you’ll understand everything perfectly. June is a refreshing character who does things her way and manages to bulldoze through everything and everyone except Sejuru, who seems to obey her every whim. It’s rather heartening to see these two stick through everything together (although Lucia does get jealous!).

Yuki, another character who is on the judging board for the Queen of Light, is determined to prevent June from holding the revered position. He instead chooses Lucia as the ideal candidate, but as the judging board is made up of many other people other than him, will he succeed…?

(It helps that Yuki’s a sweet ass too, doesn’t it? All cute and lovely boys. Priests who smoke. Hmm.) ~rage-chan

Rating: 4 out of 5 for the whole series, and 3.5 out of 5 for the first volume.

A Dog's Life

2008-06-24T20:38:00.000-07:00

Title: A Dog's Life

Author: GreyLiliy

Genre: Fanfiction, Humour, General

Summary: Sanzo has kicked the bucket, but that just won't do! A certain Merciful Goddess has given Sanzo a second chance at life, but what's the catch? ~quoted verbatim

Opinion: Well, well, the ever venerable Genjyo Sanzo has been turned into a dog! Although he really should be grateful to the Merciful Goddess for giving him a second chance at life, don't you think? ^_^

The basic gist of it is this: Sanzo was killed while fighting youkais. The Merciful Goddess decided to be, well, merciful, and grant Sanzo a second shot at life. The catch is this: he's getting turned into a dog, unable to speak and unequipped with his ever-familiar gun and fan, and he has a limited time in which he has to get Goku, Hakkai and Gojyo to recognize him as 'Sanzo' even when he looks and behaves like an ordinary dog.

This fanfiction is extremely hilarious and a different twist on all Saiyuki fiction out there. It spans only sixteen chapters and is quirky and different, having been written mostly from doggie!Sanzo's point of view.

You can also read how Sanzo's death affects the other members of the Saiyuki team. GreyLiliy does a fine job indeed weaving everything together to make it reasonably plausible for the reader. There's only a minimal amount of angst in this fic (and you know how much I love angst) but the good plot and interestingly written characters get you hooked anyway. Over time of reading this fic, you will find doggy!Sanzo to be extremely adorable indeed, such is the cleverly written characters.

There is a bare amount of swearing interspersed within the fic, so watch out for that as well. ~rage-chan

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Have an interesting fanfic for us to read? Drop a link or comment and we'll read it if it's within our anime-watching sphere. ^_^ Thank you!

Love Is For Humans, Not For Things

2008-06-22T16:00:00.000-07:00

Title: Love Is For Humans, Not For Things

Author: Aeternus-Spes

Genre: Fanfiction (Samurai Deeper Kyo), Angst, Romance, mild Shounen-ai

Summary: 'YukimuraxSasuke. Major angst fic... 'As the last of Sasuke's consciousness fades, he manages to whisper, “What would you want with a useless failed experiment like me, Yukimura? Love is something given to other humans. Not things…” '

Aeternus-Spes spins a sad and torturous tale around Sasuke and Yukimura as the former, blinded and wounded in a fight, thinks of himself as nothing more but a tool for Yukimura to manipulate.

Does Yukimura have a different opinion, though?

Opinion: This is one of the fanfiction where the writer has immense potential and vast imagination, but it is sadly hampered by a poor grasp of English. Remember reading fanfiction where you wished that the author would improve the English, but you hung on reading because it kept you hooked? Well, this is one of them. Despite that, the fanfiction is thrilling, grasping, and overall, sad.

With Sasuke as the main character, you can be sure to expect a lot of self-inflicted torture and angst, seeing as Sasuke is the type to have to do everything until it is perfect. He blames himself for not protecting Yukimura; in short, he blames himself for almost everything. Typical of many plots, he wishes to get stronger in order to better protect Yukimura.

However, his dreams are foiled as, in a fight against Tokugawa soldiers, he is rendered blind and close to death. Thinking of himself as useless baggage for Yukimura, he leaves with Akira and Hotaru, training with Akira every day in order to get accustomed to fighting blind. Later in the story, Sasuke begins to regain his sight, although the author leaves the story a little open-ended in case he/she gets another plot bunny.

If you think Sarutobi Sasuke is the awesomest, cute little ninja in Samurai Deeper Kyo, and you whole-heartedly support him with Yukimura, why don't you go and read this? However, steer clear if you absolutely dislike angst/torture...because this fic has lots of them. Sasuke-related, of course. (Did I mention he got all his fingers broken?)

This fic is written in the present tense. It might read a bit weirdly at first, but as you get on, the fic flows more smoothly than expected. Overall, it is a really good read if you're into SasukexYukimura angst.

Rating: 4 out of 5. Expect some really jerky grammar.

Loveless volume 1

2008-06-20T18:43:00.000-07:00

Title: Loveless volume 1

Author: Kouga Yun

Genre: Shounen ai, slight fantasy

Summary: While most manga artists choose to depict girls or females as having cat ears and tails, Kouga Yun draws ears and tails to show a sign of 'immaturity' or as a way of showing that one is not yet an adult (ie. one has not has sex before. -.-''). When one becomes an 'adult', he or she loses their ears and tail. This is a very interesting and a rather new concept on the old method of using cat ears and tail to emphasize sexiness.

The story starts off with Aoyagi Ritsuka, the main character of Loveless. His older brother has recently died in an 'accident' – burnt to death while sitting in Ritsuka's very own seat in school. Seimei was a very polite and clever person – or so everyone else says during the funeral. What had really happened to cause his death? Was it an accident?

Or was it murder?

Ritsuka first starts unraveling the mysteries when he meets Soubi, who claims to be Seimei's Fighter unit. As explained in the manga, Fighter units fight and protect their Sacrifies – in Soubi's case, he is the Fighter, and Seimei was the Sacrifice. However, Ritsuka soon finds Seimei's last will – he hints at a murder conspiracy and tells Ritsuka (via the will) that Soubi, who once 'belonged' to Seimei, would now be passed on to his little brother, Ritsuka.

Opinion: I know, my summary sucked. I bet I got you all confused, didn't I? ^_^'' I'm not very good at explaining (which is why whenever someone asks me, “What's that book about?” I just shove the blurb under their noses. XD).

Yes, Loveless is a shounen ai themed manga, and although it might not be as explicit as Gravitation, I still believe this is much much better than Gravitation is. The art is neat and messy at the same time – it looks slightly messy, but it's a coordinated mess, if you get what I mean!

Ritsuka is adorable with his flattened ears and tail that sticks out. Apparently, there is some issue within Ritsuka – he has little to no memories of himself beyond the two years he has with Seimei (hence making Seimei a very important person in his life) and is slightly obsessed with taking pictures in order to retain those 'precious memories' that he has.

Another character that appears frequently in the manga include his friend, Yuiko. Yuiko is tall for her age, and likes Ritsuka very much, despite her once telling a would-be boyfriend that she would never date someone shorter than her. ^^ (Ritsuka is shorter than her!) Yuiko had a habit of referring to herself in third point of view, until Ritsuka made it a condition that she had to refer to herself as 'I' if she really wanted to be Ritsuka's friend.

Loveless also has an element of fantasy that includes spell battles. This is where the Fighter/Sacrifice pairs come in. They initiate and fight a battle using words. The more complex and well-strung words the sentences are, the more effective the spells. This is a very unique sort of battle indeed, and extremely interesting. See? You need more intellect than brawn to fight properly in Loveless!

Sacrifices take the damage for the team while the Fighter tries his or her best to protect their Sacrifices while using word spells to restrain the other team's Sacrifice. For every damage the Sacrifices receives, he or she is dealt a 'restrain' (read, in other words, kinky bondage! ^^) and once the Sacrifice is fully bound, the battle is lost. A team can only consist of two people who share the same 'name' (ie in the beginning of the manga, you will be meeting teams named Breathless, Sleepless and Fearless). Seimei Aoyagi and Soubi's 'name' was Beloved, but after Seimei died, Soubi joined Ritsuka (whose 'name' is, apparently, Loveless, the complete opposite). It is unheard of for a Fighter whose Sacrifice has died to join up with another Sacrifice. Their two 'names' clash with each other, thus effectively halving their power, but since Soubi seems to have almost unlimited power, they win most of their battles. =) ~rage-chan

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Ptolemy's Gate

2008-06-18T16:30:00.000-07:00

Title: Ptolemy's Gate

Author: Jonathan Stroud

Genre: Children's novels, fantasy, magic

Blurb: Two thousand years have passed since Bartimaeus was at the height of his powers - invincible in battle and befriended by the great magician Ptolemy.

Now, trapped on Earth and treated with disdain by his master, Nathaniel, Bartimaeus finds his energies are fading fast. With Nathaniel preoccupied by the problem of a failing empire, and more rigid and insensitive than ever, the long-suffering djinni's patience is finally at an end.

Meanwhile, undercover in London, the fugitive Kitty Jones has been stealthily completing her research on magic and demons. She has a plan that she hopes will break the endless cycle of conflict between djinn and humans - but first she must uncover the secrets of Bartimaeus's past.

This extraordinary conclusion to the Bartimaeus Trilogy moves across the centuries and into unknown worlds. With disaster threatening everyone in London, the destinies of Bartimaeus, Nathaniel and Kitty are entwined for a final time. Together, they must defeat treacherous magicians, uncover a chilling conspiracy and face the most dangerous threat in the history of magic.

Worst of all, they must contend with each other...

Opinion: Ptolemy's Gate is the third and final book in the series Bartimaeus Trilogy. Although quite some time had passed since I'd read the second book and the third book, I still managed to enjoy the story completely. The Bartimaeus Trilogy is unique in the way that the author puts little notes at the bottom of the pages if he feels the need to note something. For some, this might prove to be intensely annoying, because although you don't want to be distracted by random little notes slightly irrelevant to the story, but being a true reader, your eyes can't help but to skim them.

Usually, I would have hated these notes. But oddly enough, I found them quite interesting and mildly humourous. Stroud writes with deft cleverness and light wit, and although the book is in first POV (I dislike first POVs) I enjoyed it tremendously.

The ending saddened me a little, though, with character death....

XDD No more spoilers! Go and read, and make sure you grab the first two copies too - The Amulet of Samarkand (book one) and The Golem's Eye (book two).

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

The Surgeon

2008-06-15T18:30:00.000-07:00

Title: The Surgeon

Author: Tess Gerritsen

Genre: Thriller, crime

Summary: (Blurb) It is a hot sultry summer in downtown Boston, and homicide detective Thomas Moore is called back from holiday to be told there's a serial killer at large. This isn't just any serial killer. This is a predator who targets lone women, breaks into their apartments in the early hours of the morning, and commits bizarre ritualistic acts of torture on his victims before finishing them off. The killer's surgical skills lead police to suspect he is a physician working alongside unsuspecting doctors and nurses at the Pilgrim Medical Center; a physician who, instead of saving lives, takes them in the most terrifying of ways.

As soon as Moore and his partner, Detective Jane Rizzoli, begin their investigation, they make a startling discovery. Closely linked to these Boston killings is Catherine Cordell, a beautiful surgeon with a mysterious past. Two years ago in another city she was the subject of a horrifying rape and attempted murder, but shot her aggressor dead.

Now she is being targeted by this new killer, who seems to know all about her past, her work at the Medical Center, what car she drives, and, crucially, where she lives. The man she believes she killed now seems to be stalking her once again, only this time he knows exactly where to find her, and nowhere – whether it is the ER, the squad room, the city morgue or even her apartment – is safe...

(Doesn't the summary sound much more neater and organized than mine??)

Opinion: This is honestly much more riveting and interesting than standard novels from writers like Iris Johansen and Julie Garwood (although I enjoy all authors as well). This novel has an element of darkness and evil that Johansen and Garwood somehow failed to implement. Ah well.

When I was reading about the killer slashing the women's throats and things, I could distinctly feel my own throat aching, that was how descriptive it was. I kept shuddering at the feel of blade scraping against bones, and I tell you, my imagination was in overdrive. It isn't a thrill-and romance sort of novel, but more thrill-and-murder kind, which is awesome for reading on a rainy and stormy day. ^_^

It's so brilliantly written that I absolutely crave for more!

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Pretear volume 1

2008-06-12T18:23:00.001-07:00

Title: Pretear volume 1

Author: Kaori Naruse

Genre: Slight romance, fantasy, shojo

Summary: Himeno has always thought that she was an ordinary high school girl. Her mother passed away quite some time before, and Himeno and her father were never the rich family.

Until all of a sudden, her father remarries to a rich lady, and Himeno finds herself steeped in wealth and money, along with a stepmother and her two stepsisters.

One unexpected day, a boy accosts Himeno and leads her to an entirely new place, where she is surrounded by an almost illegally sexy group of guys and told that she is, most assuredly, the Pretear, and that she is their last hope to stop the Princess of Disaster who is hellbent on corrupting the world with darkness and, possibly, red snow. XD The Pretear is their leader and the guys are her Leafe Knights, each of whom control a certain ability (ie wind, snow, water etc) and are in charge of destroying the Princess of Disaster's dark seeds.

The Pretear is in charge of protecting the Leafe, the source of all life, and only the Pretear can create more Leafe. To protect the Leafe from the darkness, she has to merge with one of her knights, and thus borrow the knight's power to use in battle.

Opinion: Pretear is shojo through and through – a girl surrounded by pretty boys, changes her outfit with every different knight she merges with, with glittery art? Definitely shojo, and pinkishly so.

However, any shojo fan will like this, I think, although it doesn't appeal to me as much. I mean, Himeno changes her outfit every time she merges with someone different, and with seven different knights, she has eight outfits – including the one she's wearing. It's a classic story of girl being surrounded by hot guys, perhaps conveniently orphaned as well (some anime characters have their mothers dead, for some reason) with a rag-to-riches plot.

Himeno also annoys me sometimes (to admit it...) so it's not entirely the first book I would pick up from a pile of manga. Still, if you like classic plots (classic is cliched) do find some time to read Pretear.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

D.Gray Man volume 1

2008-06-05T20:46:00.000-07:00

Title: D.Gray Man volume 1

Author: Hoshino Katsura

Genre: Fantasy, exorcism

Summary: D.Gray Man is set in a fictional 19^th century England where the Black Exorcists exist and roam the earth to find Innocence, a mysterious substance that is used to create weapons for the exorcists to destroy Akuma (demons) created by the Millenium Earl, the ultimate bad guy of the manga.

Allen Walker is the 15-year-old protagonist and apparently, he is a parasite exorcist, one of the rarer types who can change their bodies into weapons instead of relying on items such as swords. Allen's left hand is the weapon which, initially, could change into a huge claw (which looks rather out of proportionate most of the time XD) but later evolves into more sophisticated weapons including a light sword and a cannon of sorts. (I swear, this all sounds very Gary-Stuish but I still like him anyway!)

In this volume, we see Allen meeting the Black Order for the first time – he is sorely tested by the gatekeeper who declares him as an Akuma because of the cursed pentacle on his left eye (you shall find out about the curse in due time ;) ) and fearing an attack, the head of the exorcists sends out Kanda Yuu to destroy the 'Akuma' (who is actually poor Allen!).

Kanda is the typical Japanese samurai – he totes around a katana which he calls Mugen (if memory serves me) and is, incidentally, Japanese. He is an inch away from skewering Allen in the head when the head of the Order finally finds a letter of recommendation from one of their top generals regarding Allen Walker.

(And so, Allen was spared death. Phew!)

Kanda and Allen gets off on rocky terms, and Allen ends up with Kanda's nickname for him – bean sprout, or moyashi.

Opinion: The first volume isn't too bad overall. The art can be slightly...awkward (for lack of a better word) in some parts, but generally, it is excellently drawn. The plot is also well contrived with some exciting little bits thrown in. However (this is getting beyond volume 1) I feel that the characters turn into Gary Stus or Mary Stus (people who are too glorified for my liking). The exorcists seem to be almost undefeatable – as per usual shounen mangas, Allen loses his left arm (and therefore his Innocence weapon), but he miraculously manages to restore his left arm and not only that, he obtains a more powerful weapon.

Which is quite incredulous.

But I still say D.Gray Man is a manga worth reading (and an anime worth watching) if you enjoy shounen titles. Allen's experiences with his master (the general who recommended that he join the Black Order) is absolutely hilarious. Do not miss his account of how he learnt to cheat at cards! ^_^ ~rage-chan

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Links:

Anime News Network

Wikipedia's page on D.Gray Man

Want to buy? Try Amazon's D.Gray Man manga!

Black Cat volume 1

2008-06-04T17:35:00.000-07:00

Title: Black Cat volume 1

Author: Kentaro Yabuki

Genre: Adventure

Summary: Train Heartnet and his partner, Sven, are Sweepers who bring criminals to the law (and collect the bounty on their head while they're at it). Early in the manga, they meet Eve, a girl who has has nanomachines injected into her bloodstream to enhance her fighting capabilities, and a master thief Rinslet (or should I say mistress thief..?).

However, all good manga have antagonists in them, and in Black Cat, it comes in the form of Creed and his Apostles. Creed's dream is to destroy the Chronos Numbers, an organization that Train himself once belonged to before becoming a 'stray cat', but to do that, he wishes to recruit Train to their side, as Train is an exceptional gunsman and has unearthly accurate shots.

The Chronos Numbers are, of course, absolutely against this. The top of the Numbers are originally twelve in number, but a special exception was made for Train Heartnet, who obtained the number thirteen and, along with it, a legend of bloodshed and death as he was dubbed the 'Black Cat' who brings bad luck to whoever who crosses his path.

Opinion: Black Cat has been very well drawn and illustrated and the plot has few holes as far as I can see. I absolutely love the art, and prefer the manga over the anime. Train's goofy attitude is classic and he adds a comic side to an otherwise serious plot. The side characters, Eve and Sven, each have their own classic 'dark' past, and they set off Train very nicely.

(There are some Numbers I like very much, one being the master of disguise, but I won't go into much detail here right now...)

Black Cat, despite being a shounen manga, doesn't have very many bloody and/or gory scenes. Sure, there's the usual splattering of blood and injuries, but the mangaka doesn't go out of his way to illustrate how a bloody, hacked off head would look like. =) Which is good, because even though I can stomach such images, I dislike them. I mean, I wouldn't like to be staring into an eyeball or something, 2D or not.

I feel that Black Cat is very nicely balanced, and spanning only 20 volumes, if you feel that you can afford to buy them, then I would recommend Black Cat very highly. ^_^ Enjoy reading! ~rage-chan

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Ouran High School Host Club volume 1

2008-05-30T20:11:00.000-07:00

Title: Ouran High School Host Club volume 1

Author: Hatori Bisco

Genre: Romantic comedy, drama

Summary: Haruhi Fujioka is a female student who lands a scholarship to a prestigious rich school named Ouran High School. However, a few days before she is due to attend the school, a naughty neighbourhood kid sticks chewing gum in her hair. Being the ever practical person she is (her mother passed away at an early age and her father isn't very helpful seeing as he crossdresses), she hacks off her hair and sticks on thick glasses because she's lost her contacts.

Dressed as thus, Haruhi Fujioka was (understandably) mistaken for a male.

She stumbles upon the school's host club in the 3rd music room, and while trying to escape from the undeniably eccentric host club president, Tamaki Suoh, she breaks a valuable vase worth 8 million yen.

(Did you remember that I said that Ouran was a rich school? And that Haruhi had gotten a scholarship? Can you put the two together?)

Haruhi, being unable to repay the debt of the vase straight away, is assigned to being the club's 'dog', doing menial chores and tasks until she is able to pay off the debt in full. The host club, being unaware of her gender, assigns her to be a host after discovering that she had 'potential'.

Tamaki Suoh - the president of the host club and self-proclaimed 'King'. Tamaki is the son of the school's chairman but he generally acts...foolishly. ^^' In a good way, I suppose.

Kyouya Otori - vice-president of the host club and is nicknamed the 'Shadow King' because he is more of the quiet, sadistic type.

Hikaru and Kaoru Hitachiin - the famous twin brothers in the host club. No one can tell them apart...except, predictably, Haruhi, the protagonist. They invoke an element of incest in the host club's attraction package, by the way. ^_^

Mitsukuni Haninozuka - is called either 'Hunny' or 'Honey'. He is the typical lolita shota character and dotes on sweets, cakes and his bunny, Usa-chan. Despite his miniature size and cuteness, he is lethal in karate (which looks...odd. At times.)

Takashi Morinozuka - Honey's constant companion. Apparently, his family has vowed to serve Honey's family throughout the generations. The stolid, silent type.

Opinion: Ouran High School Host Club is insanely hilarious with some 'manga-ish' moments - things that can never happen in real life, but is a good fun read nevertheless. Haruhi as a guy is very convincing, despite his/her large eyes. ^_^ I personally like Kyouya myself, because I love his devillish moments as he manipulates and uses the host club to his benefits. Tamaki is especially prone to trickery as he's the gullible type. He takes a shine to Haruhi on her first day of becoming a host club member, and even when the plot reveals that she is actually female. He affectionately takes on the role of Haruhi's 'father' (and appoints Kyouya as the 'mother') but Haruhi generally ignores him on such occasions.

OHSHC is a roller-coaster manga with plenty of ups and downs and little twists in them. As you read more and more into OHSHC, you'll find plenty of other supporting characters who have their own charm and wit. OHSHC can be rather random at times (see Haruhi's crossdressing father! A very convincing female!) and serious at other times, but I guarantee you will love this manga...provided you are a girl, after all. I can't see males getting into this. ^^' It's a host club after all! ~rage-chan

Rating: 4.5 out of 5. I took half a mark off for the art, which can be rather forced at times, but as you get used to it, it's all right. Go and read!

Possible links:
Wikipedia's OHSHC
AnimeNewsNetwork's OHSHC
AnimeNfo's OHSHC

Gravitation volume 1

2008-05-27T22:30:00.000-07:00

Title: Gravitation volume 1

Author: Maki Murakami

Genre: Comedy, shounen-ai (boy love)

Summary: Gravitation is a boy love manga following Shuichi Shindou and his music band Bad Luck which he formed with Hiroshi Nakano, his best friend. One day he meets Eiri Yuki, a famous romance writer, who critisizes his work. However, this is not the first time they're going to meet...a full-blown relationship between Yuki and Shindou soon forms, but the thing is, they're both males!

Gravitation naturally focuses a lot on music and the band as well as Shindou aspires to be a famous singer.

Opinion: I have been poked for liking Gravitation. Seriously. And it's not because it has boy love themes in it. It's just because they claim that Gravitation sucks.

Well...it doesn't suck all that bad (or is this my shounen-ai fangirl side coming in?) but I have to admit that Shindou can be so annoying sometimes. He's constantly whining, crying, needs assurances, and does the stupidest things to get Yuki to notice him. He's even dressed up in a girl's school uniform and bunny costume and things...the things he will do to catch Yuki is unbelievable.

Some of the manga is absolutely...*has no words to describe*. You simply can't describe it as 'good' or 'crap'. It's just...slightly unbelievable.

...

Ax that. It's COMPLETELY unbelievable, some of the things Murakami has written. It's so out of whack that it's not funny. However, if you're into shounen-ai, I'd say take a quick peek at this. There are not many fantastic shounen-ai manga out there, so you'd better grab Gravitation while you can.

The romance keeps you hooked. ^^ It works for me, even though I'd love to smack Shindou sometimes.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

2008-05-15T16:39:00.001-07:00

Title: Fantasy Trap

Author: Prince-in-Disguise

Genre: Action, Adventure, Suspense

Status: In-progress - four chapters up at time of post

Summary: Athrun and his friends test drive a virtual reality arcade game, but something goes wrong and the seemingly harmless game soon turns deadly when they become trapped inside it! Post GSD. Main cast: Athrun, Lacus and Kira. Shinn and Meyrin also feature. ~quoted verbatim

Opinion: Prince-in-Disguise writes reasonably long chapters and it's none of the fluffy sort of writing. Her chapters are the long, serious kinds, although she does try to inject humour. Athrun, Kira and Lacus start playing a virtual reality game in the arcade, but halfway through, the game turns menacing and locks them in the cyber world. I enjoyed this tremendously (seeing as I'm starving for virtual reality game fics now) and I really recommend this to Gundam Seed/Destiny fans. ^^

I also think it's fitting for Lacus to be a mage. I mean, look at her - she's the very countenance of a mage. And if you want to read about Athrun getting wings....*grin* ~rage-chan

Rating: 4 out of 5

2008-05-15T16:30:00.000-07:00

Title: Jealous

Author: awin-chan

Genre: Humor, General

Status: Complete, oneshot.

Summary: Fuji is jealous. Hints at fujiryo. ~quoted verbatim

Opinion: 'Jealous' is a very funny and, as usual, rather cracky fic by awin-chan. Fuji is, apparently, jealous of a certain 'someone' whom Ryoma pays more attention to. Read this quick oneshot to find out just hilarious it is. ^_^ There's a twist in the end, though now that I've told you this it won't be as much fun, ne?
--
Very cute and enjoyable - and yet so true (or at the very least, believable!) And yes, jealousy IS a very very potentially humourous thing. This one-shot is quick, short, and to the point, but does not fail to deliver quality reading (or quality writing, whichever you prefer.)
~Vio-chan

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

2008-05-08T18:45:00.000-07:00

Title: iD_entity volume 1

Author: Hee-Joon Sun and Youn-Kyung Kim

Genre: Action, fantasy, cyber game

Summary: The series centers around the main character Jang-Gun and his friends along with their virtual reality avatars in the computer game world called "Lost Saga". When Jang-Gun logs on as a different character, he "Creates" an AI with a personality from the hacked disk he found when renewing his appearance for his once a year renewal process. Yureka is a flutter-brained, but advanced, AI with powerful stats and a real-life doppleganger. It is his turn to see just how deep his immersion in the virtual world goes. (quoted from Wikipedia)

Opinion: I've always had a fascination with real life characters being sucked into a cyber game and having to fight or think their way out (fighting would be much more preferable for some action). Jang-Gun (known as Roto in the game) is an immensely comic character who, predictably for a main character, is a formidable foe in the game. His character is classed as a sorceror (he likes flames, for some reason) but is sub-classed as a warrior. His two friends, Kwan-Su and Woon-Suk (known as Boromid and Ah-Dol respectively in the game) are backups to Roto's skill in the "Lost Saga", and are capable fighters themselves. Along the way, they team up with Yureka, an Artificial Intelligence. Yureka is shrouded in mystery and speculation. Where did she come from? Did Roto (or Jang-Gun) really create her? What is her role in the manwha?

Overall, iD_entity is extremely intruiging so scoot over to your nearest bookstore (or to someone who has these books) and try to get ahold of them for a nice read. Fantasy is a very easy and popular genre, and these books won't disappoint. Or at least, they didn't disappoint me. ^_^ ~rage-chan

Rating: 4 out of 5.

2008-05-07T20:18:00.000-07:00

Title: Kitchen Princess volume 1

Author: Natsumi Ando and Miyuki Kobayashi

Genre: slice-of-life, cooking, shojo

Summary: The story follows Najika Kazami, an orphan and an excellent chef from Hokkaido, and her arrival at Seika Academy, an elevator school.Not only does she plan to become a great chef like her deceased parents, but she also sets out to find her "Flan Prince", a boy that saved her from falling into a river and gave her a cup of flan with a silver spoon with the school's emblem on it. She promised him she would make the best treat ever. However, as soon as she is placed into Class A, she has to deal with the constant insults of Akane Kishida and her group. Things become better, however, when she befriends Sora and Daichi Kitazawa, the school's most popular brothers, and possible candidates for the status of her "Flan Prince". (quoted from Wikipedia)

Opinion: Kitchen Princes is predictably shojo with a female main character, two flanking cute guys, and a jealous female rival. Still, with a cooking/food element in it, Kitchen Princess is fun and simple to read. Included at the back of the manga books as 'extras' are the recipes that Najika uses to make the yummy food throughout the volumes, so never fear - if you like the look of something in the manga, you can use the recipe to make it yourself!

I think Kitchen Princess is worth a read if you have enjoyed other shojo manga such as Fruits Basket, Ouran High School Host Club and Absolute Boyfriend. Kitchen Princess gets a thumbs-up for nicely drawn art (and the cute bishounens) but gets slightly marked down because, well, shojo plot is so predictable, wouldn't you say? Although my vote might have been biased because I love eating...XD ~rage-chan

The art really reminds me of Mermaid Melody. Cute. And the food looks absolutely delish. XD

The plot, as Rage said before, is very simple. Najika practically solves all her problems using her amazing skill in cooking. But other than revolving around food, the story would also tackle on things such as acceptance, discrimination, being true to yourself, following your dreams, putting your talents to good use and judging a person based on first impressions.

Because of it's simplicity, 'Kitchen Princess' is a relaxing and interesting story to read. But it also makes one hungry. XD ~Gelly

Rating: 4 out of 5

2008-05-06T18:35:00.000-07:00

Title: Atobe's Opinion of Mary Sues

Author: awin-chan

Rating: K - for kids (or also known as general reading - anyone can read!)

Category: Prince of Tennis fanfiction

Genre: Humor, Parody

Summary: A follow up to The Seigaku Regulars Hate Mary Sues. You don't have to read the previous one though to read this. Oneshot. ~quoted verbatim

Opinion: awin-chan writes extremely good cracky Prince of Tennis fanfiction, so if you're in desperate need of a crazy laugh with the PoT boys, her fics are the way to go. The Seigaku Regulars Hate Mary Sues has already been previously covered by us, so to find it, do click on the label awin-chan or visit her Fanfiction.net account to see a list of all her stories, reviewed or not. Atobe in this fic is extremely In Character, is hilarious, and will give you a laugh unless you're a rock. ~rage-chan

Awin-chan writes hilarious one-shots. Atobe's version of why he hates Mary Sues is just amusing and gives a pretty nice opinion of why Mary Sues aren't particularly supported by writers. ~Gelly

Another one of those egoistic yet just adorable speeches by the great Ore-sama. This one had me cracking up in stitches. And the beauty of it is that you don't need to be a fan of PoT or even to have watched the anime/manga to appreciate and enjoy the humour. It provides one minute of pure crack. Simple, and indescribable genius.
Vio-chan rate = 4.5! (Or if you're a real humour fan, 5 out of 5! )

2008-05-05T18:13:00.000-07:00

Title: The Purple Emperor

Author: Herbie Brennan

Genre: Fantasy

Blurb: When Prygus Malvae's father arrives at the Purple Palace his appearance causes more than a little shock. After all, he was supposed to be dead. Add to that the fact that the recently deceased Purple Emperor is now an ally of the Faeries of the Night and it is clear that all is not what it should be in the Faerie Realm. Madness is unleashed. Faeries of the Night are in charge, an insane woman is now Queen, the old order is seriously under threat, and Prygus and Holly Blue have to get to the bottom of all this chaos. When Henry arrives from the human realm to help, little can he imagine the diabolical world he is about to enter, nor that he will have to do so much to try and put everything right.

Opinion: The Purple Emperor is the second book in this series (not sure if there is a third) and the first is Faerie Wars. Faerie Wars really caught my attention when I first read it, but when I finally got my hands on the second volume, I could only say it didn't quite live up to the reputation of the first book. I'm not even sure myself what was missing from the second book. Maybe it was just me being out of focus because I had manga coming in all the time demanding for my attention and I kept putting off The Purple Emperor. But then again, if the plot was all that exciting, do you think I would have left it behind to read manga first?

...Or am I just too obsessed with manga?

But overall, I think it's not too bad a read. At least it didn't make me doze off. I'd recommend getting both books at one go and reading them together so the first volume stays fresh in your mind. I got The Purple Emperor quite a long time after I'd read the first, and although I'm quite sure I'd remembered everything from the first book, it might still be better to read both books in one sitting. Have fun reading! ~rage-chan

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

2008-05-03T20:11:00.000-07:00

Title: Blaze of Glory

Author: Michael Pryor

Genre: Fantasy, politics

Blurb: Aubrey Fitzwilliam is the son of a prominent ex-prime minister. He's also brilliant at magic, but he's stuck at boarding school. At least he has his best friend, George, there to back him up. George would follow Aubrey anywhere - and with Aubrey's talent for thinking up daring schemes that will get them both into trouble, that's no easy thing to do.

At a weekend shooting party at Prince Albert's country estate, the boys find themselves in a hotbed of political intrigue. They discover a golem, a magical creature built to perform one task: to kill Prince Albert. Aubrey and George are hailed as heroes for foiling the attempt on the prince's' life - but who sent the golem, and why? Aubrey is far too curious to let the authorities handle this one, and he and George start investigating ...

Opinion: I picked this one up randomly and I liked it straight away. For one thing, the first line is extremely eye-catching: "Aubrey Fitzwilliam hated being dead. it made things much harder than they needed to be." Of course, being insanely curious the way I am, I had to keep on reading. If Aubrey was dead, why is he still telling the story? Is he even the protagonist?

That was a very clever opening line. As I read on, I find out the secret of Aubrey's apparent 'death', and over time, I came to like the guy. He's got guts and a brain, and Aubrey doesn't sound too bad a name either. Magic and political conflicts are woven into this novel and makes it one very exciting read. Reading this will keep you on your toes and hopefully, you'll come to love this book as I did. Magic is in a completely different world here, and more than just swishing a wand and saying a magic word.

Having the word 'investigating' in the blurb also makes it a mystery of sorts, and I absolutely love enthralling mysteries. This is something you should read if you haven't already.

Rating: 5 out of 5!

2008-05-01T16:55:00.000-07:00

Title: The Ruins of Gorlan (The first volume in the Ranger's Apprentice series.)

Author: John Flanagan

Genre: Fantasy

Summary: Will is a 15-year-old orphan who lives in Castle Redmont. Will is small and slight for his age, and although he longs to be chosen as an apprentice to a knight, he is turned down. His friend, Horace, however, is accepted because of his sturdy and tall frame. Disappointed, Will is on the verge of giving up his dreams completely until he finds out that he has been chosen to be Halt's apprentice, one of the mysterious and feared Rangers who roam Araluen. Will knows that the Rangers inspire fears in the people, and is not too thrilled by this opportunity. However, he accepts the apprenticeship.

Being a Ranger's apprentice is not as easy as he had hoped, however...

Opinion: I was hooked the minute a friend recommended this to me. Ranger's Apprentice is a simple read and very fascinating, and Flanagan injects dry humour every now and then. If you enjoy fantasy with a simple twist, Ranger's Apprentice is the way to go. It's not full of mind-numbing plot twists either, just exciting little skirmishes and the little bits of conflicts that make this novel such an enjoyable quick read. This is only the first book in the series, however. For more information, why not head to the Ranger's Apprentice official website?

Recommended for younger readers around 10-12 years old. Might make a nice present for that bookworm of your little brother who loves knights and battles! ~rage-chan

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

2008-05-01T16:43:00.000-07:00

Title: President Dad

Author: Rhim Ju-Yeon

Genre: Comedy, Drama

Summary: Ami Won is a seemingly normal high school girl whose life is turned completely on its head after her father won the presidential election to become one of the youngest president of South Korea. To ensure Ami's safety as she is now the daughter of a very prestigious man, her aunt hires a bodyguard for her. Fahrenheit is a very unusual bodyguard indeed as he has the ability to change his appearance and voice (seemingly without disguises) at will. In order to better protect Ami, he disguises himself as a teenaged girl and joins Ami's school.

But there's not just Fahrenheit. A 16-year-old boy comes on the scene, and apparently, he's a veteran when it comes to fights and wars. Moo-Hyun is also one of Ami's classmates, and he becomes entangled in the web that is Ami Won and Fahrenheit.

Opinion: Although President Dad's art is clean and uncluttered, the plot is slightly confusing and rather disorienting, to say the least. I find the many chibi and 'unreal' scenes in the manga slightly annoying when a really sombre mood would have been best. Some bits of the plot don't quite make sense either, but overall, the art is really lovely and quite sophisticated.

(I especially like Moo-Hyun.)

^_^ President Dad spans only 7 volumes long, so think about finding a place where you can borrow and read it. It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but hey, you never know until you try, right?

Please leave a comment if you've already read this and let us know your thoughts! Feel free to recommend something we should read and talk about if you have a really good novel/manga that you feel is underloved. ~rage-chan.

Rating: 3 out of 5

2008-04-30T20:35:00.000-07:00

Title: Cafe Kichijouji

Authors: Yuki Miyamoto and Kyoko Negishi

Genre: Comedy, Supernatural

Summary: Follow the lives of 5 men and their jobs at the local cafe as they attempt to run the cafe normally and stay clear from the spooky chef, Minagawa Hifumi. Ichinomiya Jun is the youngest of them, and is usually impervious to Minagawa's many voodoo curses and spells. Okubo Maki, on the other hand, is absolutely terrified of Minagawa's spells, and so is Kurihara Taro. Tokumi Shota might or might not be afraid of Minagawa...if you bribe him with food, he might just be able to do anything for you!

Cafe Kichijouji is more of a standalone than a series, and there are only three manga volumes.

Opinion: Cafe Kichijouji is the most hilarious standalone manga I've ever read. I would definitely recommend this to people who don't want to spend loads of money on enormous volumes of manga which make no sense if you don't read previous volumes. The characters are fresh, lively, and the art crisp and not cluttered. There is tons of fun mixed into this manga, and is a must read especially if you enjoy humour and a bit of craziness.

Minagawa is my favourite character, by the way. ^_^ He has awesome voodoo skills and it's usually quite a laugh to see him manipulating his colleagues at the cafe. He has a black cat following him around named Sukekiyo, and the chapter about Minagawa, Taro, Sukekiyo and a little girl is such a laugh I chuckled every time I thought of it.

Go read for yourself! Buy, borrow or (bleep this word out?) it and read it today! If you want a good laugh, this is something you must not miss. ~rage-chan

Rating: 5 out of 5!

2008-04-26T17:16:00.000-07:00

Title: Stalemate

Author: Iris Johansen

Genre: Thriller

Summary: Eve Duncan receives a request from Luis Montalvo to work on a reconstruction job, but she turns it down - twice.

And Montalvo is not a man who can take 'no' for an answer.

Eve Duncan finds herself surrounded by dangerous men and traps that plot to ensnare and kill her. Taking Montalvo's offer would mean leaving her lover, Joe Quinn, and walking straight into a potential crossfire between Montalvo and his rival, Diaz. However, it could also mean that she could gain valuable information on what she had been searching for all these years - to find out where her daughter Bonnie was buried when she was kidnapped and murdered so many years ago.

Opinion: For avid fans of Iris Johansen novels, this is definitely a novel you should pick up and read. If you've read some of her Eve Duncan forensics thriller novels before, you might notice a rather repetitive plot or storyline. Still, the simplicity of the whole novel draws me to it. I am a very simple reader, therefore, I head for books that are easy to read. (I have been drawn and quartered for my taste in books before.) Novels that have too intricate plots or too confusing betrayals tend to confuse me. So if you see a recommendation by rage-chan, you can be pretty sure the book can be easily understood. ^^

That said, I like how Iris Johansen chooses not to describe in full-blown detail the chemistry romance between Eve and Joe, her lover. Whenever it gets to the naughtier bits, she skips it and leaves it to the reader's imagination, which is fine by me. Hard-core people who want to read through sex in every detail, though, should look for a romance novel, not a thriller, and unfortunately I don't cover romance. As a thriller, this novel fits it comfortably, with a very slight twist in the end.

Enjoy! ~rage-chan

Rating: 4 out of 5.

2008-04-24T04:40:00.000-07:00

Title: The Weeping Tree

Author: indigoskai

Rating: M - Mature content, for those who don't know.

Category: Fanfiction; JE boys; KAT-TUN

Genre: adult, angst, AU futurefic, drama, romance, smut

Summary: Takao Ara is an infamous writer/director. She's come to conclusion that she'll exit the industry with a last draw; to put her final and most acclaimed novel into the motion works. The only problem is finding the right leading characters. In comes Akame. A bit unsure and nervous about what they've gotten themselves into but finding their new challenge quite fascinating as well. Together, they embark on a journey with Takao into the heart of her story. ~ quoted verbatim.

Warning: Mature Content

Status: Complete, with epilogue found in the same site.

Opinion: Do not be deceived by the rating. Just because it's rated M doesn't mean that the story is all about smut. Indigoskai has managed to create a highly believable plot involving two real characters, Akanishi Jin and Kamenashi Kazuya, vocals for the Japanese idol group, KAT-TUN. Though the story needs to be polished with regards to grammar and spelling, the story still manages to enthrall and capture the readers' interests with it's serious and intriguing plot full of twists and endearing romance scenes. It also tackles about topics in society such as its perception about homosexual relationships and difficulties faced by celebrities. The author has a fine writing style that wonderfully depicts scenes and gives out beautiful descriptions of the places and actions. A recommended read for Akakame fans. ~ Gelly

2008-04-21T22:50:00.000-07:00

Title: Neck and Neck

Author: Lee Sun-Hee

Rating: T (for older teens)

Opinion: Neck and Neck was drawn by a Korean artist (do they call them manhwa? Is that the art or the artist?). It spans only eight manga volumes but I think it's a pretty nice addition to a bookshelf if you enjoy manga, especially those with a shojo theme. 'Neck and Neck' has nicely drawn characters (and drool-able boys) and a suitably interesting plot. The little chibis drawn at irregular intervals are a nice touch as well.

The main character is a girl named Dabin Choi, who is the daughter of Korea's most important figure in black market. (In other words, a criminal.) Dabin's childhood friends are Eugene and Shihu, and it turns out that both of them like her, but Dabin only likes Eugene. Add in an antagonist (Black Rose) and Black Rose's twin (Lily) and a tough guy who actually likes Lily, and you get a wonderfully shojo but enjoyable manga nevertheless.

Overall, I would say that if you're looking for a worthwhile investment in manga, yet don't have much money to splash on thirty-odd volumes, try 'Neck and Neck'. ~rage-chan

Rating: 4 out of 5.

2008-04-06T23:49:00.000-07:00

Title: Death Note

Author: Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata

Rating: T (for older teens)

Opinion: Death Note is a manga full of twists and devious plots, as I'm sure most of you who have heard of it know. The author throws in so many turns and unexpected happenings that I've probably tripped more than once and fallen straight on my face (not literally, of course). I haven't read all volumes of the manga yet, which is why I didn't specify which volume of Death Note. I think Death Note is truly enjoyable if you love plots and schemes, which this manga has. There is little or minimal fighting scenes, so hard core 'fighting' people might have to look elsewhere to get their fill of battles. If the psychological level is what you enjoy, then why not check out 'Monster' by Naoki Urasawa as well?

Overall, I think Death Note would be a nice read, but don't pick it up if you don't want to see two (or more) insanely clever people trying to outwit each other. ~rage-chan

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

2008-04-03T16:23:00.000-07:00

Title: The Seigaku Regulars Hate Mary Sues

Author: awinchan

Rating: K

Category: Anime; Prince of Tennis

Genre: Humor/General

Summary: Ryoma rants about Mary Sues. Oneshot. ~quoted verbatim

Opinion: Perhaps it's not quite right to say that Ryoma rants about Mary Sues. After all, Ryoma was being forced to read from a script while Fuji-sempai - oops, almost gave the plot away there. *wicked grin* A very short oneshot, but quite funny in a different way, I suppose. Not really suitable for those who love Mary Sues, though. For information on who/what is a Mary Sue and to see whether you have a Mary Sue in the making, click for the Universal Mary-Sue Litmus Test. I do not endorse or own the quiz and information in any way. It's just a useful link. ~rage-chan

Rating: 4 out of 5.

2008-03-25T18:41:00.000-07:00

Title: Tenipuri Phone Messages

Author: yukuro

Rating: T

Category: Anime; Prince of Tennis

Genre: Humor

Summary: The Regulars of the boys' tennis club decided to get cell phones to keep in contact with each other. With cell phones, come personal recordings and messages... Fuji likes his recording, and to see Tezuka suffer. ~ quoted verbatim

Opinion: yukuro has done a very good job in writing this multi-chapter. It's refreshing, not too hard on the eyes (which means text isn't bunched up) and lively. The phone messages are quite original and very humorous. Fuji's phone message seems to be a crowd pleaser...*grin* Links are above; don't forget to check it out! ~rage-chan

I agree with rage-chan. Each chapter was absolutely humorous. And the last chapter (A sort of conclusion for all those voice messages) was just lovely. The whole story wasn't random, and the plot was simple yet... great. XD You might need to be familiar with the schools tackled in the anime, though, because Yukuro's fic utilizes each school that Seigaku battled with. A very nice read. *nods* ~Gelly

2008-03-24T16:47:00.000-07:00

Title: Fond of Dramatics

Author: awin-chan

Rating: K+

Category: Anime; Prince of Tennis

Genre: General/Humor

Summary: Oneshot. Tezuka had always knew that Fuji was fond of dramatics, though he hadn't thought that Yukimura was the same. YukiFuji. ~ quoted verbatim

Opinion: Warning beforehand: make sure you're not drinking or eating anything while reading this oneshot. Slightly cracky, but absolutely hilarious and good for a quick laugh if you're not in the mood to read ultra-long multichapters. Smiling Pair: Yukimura x Syusuke. ~rage-chan

This is just one of awin-chan's lovely works. Just don't listen to her when she says that her works are garbage, coz it's obviously not true... And this drabble/one-shot is proof of her talent. ^_^ Slightly cracky, and one of my favorite fics with a make-fun-of-Tezuka theme. XD ~Gelly-chan

Smiling isn't exactly my cup of tea, but awin-chan has pulled it off well. Not saying that the plot was exactly... fascinating. But it was original, and cute. Her portrayal of Tezuka in the story is interesting, and its definitely worth 2 minutes of your time to read. (It's 222 words!! Surely you can spare the time?) ~ Vio-chan

Rating: 5 out of 5.

2008-03-22T03:39:00.000-07:00

Title: Love Me Hate Me

Author: mesmerizedbyceruleaneyes

Rating: T

Category: Anime; Prince of Tennis

Genre: Romance/Friendship

Summary: He's my complete opposite. He loves sweets. I'm allergic. He's sporty. I'm arty. He's popular. I'm not. MaruiXOC, OC's POV. disclaimer on my profile. i am guilty of torturing this OC... ~ quoted verbatim

Opinion: I never thought I would actually find an OC which I could genuinely like and not consider a Mary Sue, but surprisingly enough, Kitari-chan (the OC) is likeable enough. Kitari's father owns a sweet shop and unsurprisingly enough, the one person in PoT who loves sweets to no end is Bunta Marui. He frequents Kitari's father's shop, and is a regular customer. The only problem is: his fangirls are now obsessively jealous and targets Kitari-chan. The plot may be cliche and slightly overused, but mesmerizedbyceruleaneyes makes it lovely even despite that. ~rage-chan

2008-03-22T03:24:00.000-07:00

Title: Prawns

Author: ZaKai

Rating: T

Category: Anime; FullMetal Alchemist

Genre: Humor

Summary: Ed finds more than he bargains for when he looks in Mustang's desk drawer. [RoyEd, Oneshot, Humor] ~ quoted verbatim

Opinion: ZaKai-san writes very nice FullMetal Alchemist ficlets, and this one is no exception. Edward finds himself quite puzzled when he finds something mysterious in Roy Mustang's drawer, but very soon the mystery is unravelled... A very good read indeed - worth heading over to Fanfiction.net to have a quick read! Fans of FullMetal Alchemist: You Will Not Regret This! ~rage-chan

Introductions

2008-03-22T01:11:00.000-07:00

BookBlognet is currently undergoing major revamp-ness - not that it can actually be seen, though. I have added two more lovely people who will hopefully co-write and keep BookBlognet alive and flourishing. I pay my respects to both of them.

That said, BookBlognet will still focus mainly on books, novels, and fanfiction. There's just more people to write about them, so you get your proper dose of stories. Let us introduce ourselves.

Name: reckless-rage, but also known as rage-chan, without a capital 'R', if you please.

Age: Do you really want to know?

Enjoys: Reading, writing, listening to music, watching anime, doodling, receiving letters, flooding forums and playing the piano. All very ordinary interests indeed.

Extras: I have a fanfiction account under the same name, so feel free to look me up (reckless-rage). Home addresses are off limits, so don't even think about it. That said, I do hope you enjoy your visit and do drop a comment where is appropriate. Thank you.

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Okay, that was the pinchable rage-chan. Now me. XD

Name: Gelly. Japanese honorifics may be added, though I am not Japanese, mind you.

Age: Well, I'm not sure if you care or not, but I'm the oldest in our little group.

Enjoys: First on my list would be reading, which probably explains why me and my friends are here in the first place. XD My reading preferences range from novels to short stories, to mangas, to fanfiction.

I also enjoy anything related to anime. Which spreads out to why I'm also interested in my other hobbies. They practically spawned from my love of anime.

I also like surfing the net, drawing, flooding the PoT forum where we (rage and Vio) met, eating chocolates and sweets, singing, sleeping-in, and staying up late.

Other tid-bits about me: I also have a FanFiction account, where I go by the penname 'The Night Owl is Addicted'. I usually live up to my name. *smiles* Comments are loved! And please, do enjoy your visit here, and I hope that you find our blog... interesting and comment-worthy. XD Much love to y'all!

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Name: Vio-chan!

Age: 15 this year

Enjoys: Playing my violin for leisure. Competitve scrabble. Psychology and Greek Mythology. Dissecting Shakespeare and debate points. Public speaking. Reading novels. Writing fanfiction, both yaoi and het. BAKING!!! And gardening (smell my lemon thyme, anyone?).

Extras: My fanfic account is under the name Violetglow, I think it's worth a visit to see some of my one-shots. Do ignore the sucky multi-chaptered ones though...

I love eating and eating, I'm 170cm, and freakishly eccentric. That said, I believe in my taste when it comes to books and fanfiction, so do take my reviews seriously!