Manga Mondays #123 - Skip Beat! vol. 24 by Yoshiki Nakamura

Manga Mondays Meme!

I've been doing Manga Mondays every week since I started my blog 2 years ago. It's always been a personal feature, but now I'm going to try turning it into a meme. There are quite a few people who do Manga Mondays. I don't claim by any means that I owned or created the idea of Manga Mondays - it's an obvious choice given the alliteration. I think a meme would be a good way for everyone to publicize their own Manga Mondays and get a little more publicity.

The linky will be below my review.

Skip Beat! vol. 24 by Yoshiki Nakamura

Summary

Kyoko Mogami followed her true love Sho to Tokyo to support him while he made it big as an idol. But he's casting her out now that he's famous! Kyoko won't suffer in silence--she's going to get her sweet revenge by beating Sho in show biz!

Valentine’s Day is on its way, but Kyoko won’t be able to celebrate love and friendship the normal way. She’s getting blackmailed into giving chocolate to guys she hates, she has her ongoing revenge to oblige, and to top it all off, it’s Ren’s birthday! How can Kyoko give him a meaningful present when she’s slinging meaningless chocolate left and right?(courtesy of the back cover and Goodreads)

Review

*Warning: Potential spoilers. My manga reviews tend to be more of a summary than a review. I find it hard to review manga in the same way I do regular books.

I am computer-less for the next week. My hard drive decided to take an undeserved vacation, so it is on its way to Salt Lake City where it will get a brand new hard drive. I'll pick it up when I fly to Utah this weekend (going to the Libba Bray event!!!!). I'll still be able to update the blog through my husband's computer at night but my comments will probably be limited. Boo. :-(

Valentine's Day is such a different holiday in Japan. The girls are supposed to give guys in their life (boyfriends, friends, work colleagues) chocolates. The guys don't reciprocate until March - White Day - when it's their turn to give the girls treats.

Follow and Feature Friday #117

Welcome to the Feature & Follow

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Gain new followers and make new friends with the Book Blogger Feature & Follow! If this is your first time here, welcome! You are about to make some new friends and gain new followers -- but you have to know -- the point of this hop is to follow other bloggers also. I follow you, you follow me.

The Feature & Follow is hosted by TWO hosts, Parajunkee of Parajunkee's View and Alison of Alison Can Read. Each host will have their own Feature Blog and this way it'll allow us to show off more new blogs!

How does this work? First you leave your name here on this post, (using the linky tools -- keep scrolling!) then you create a post on your own blog that links back to this post (easiest way is to just grab the code under the #FF picture and put it in your post) and then you visit as many blogs as you can and tell them "hi" in their comments (on the post that has the #FF image). You follow them, they follow you. Win. Win. Just make sure to follow back if someone follows you!

What sets this Hop apart from others, is our Feature. Each week we will showcase a Featured Blogger, from all different genres and areas. Who is our Feature today? Find out below. Just remember it is required, if you participate, to follow our Features and you must follow the hosts (Parajunkee & Alison Can Read) as a courtesy. How do you follow someone? Well, if you have a preference, state it in your #FF post. A lot of blogs are transitioning to Wordpress in which they do not have the luxury of GFC, so an RSS subscription is appreciated or if you choose an email subscription. If you don't have GFC please state in your post how you would like to be followed.

Until I Die by Amy Plum

Until I Die (Revenants #2) by Amy Plum
Release Date: May 8th 2012
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Source: Library

Summary

Kate and Vincent have overcome the odds and at last they are together in Paris, the city of lights and love.

As their romance deepens there’s one question they can’t ignore: How are they supposed to be together if Vincent can’t resist sacrificing himself to save others? Although Vincent promises that he’ll do whatever it takes to lead a normal life with Kate, will that mean letting innocent people die? When a new and surprising enemy reveals itself, Kate realizes that even more may be at stake—and that Vincent’s immortality is in jeopardy.

In Die for Me, Amy Plum created a captivating paranormal mythology with immortal revenants and a lush Paris setting. Until I Die is poised to thrill readers with more heart-pounding suspense, spellbinding romance, and a cliff-hanger ending that will leave them desperate for the third and final novel in the series.(courtesy of Goodreads)

Review

Amy Plum stole my heart away with Die For Me. A unique paranormal creature, fabulous romance, adorable side characters, and a Parisian setting. What could better? I was thrilled to pick up the second edition in the Revenant series, Until I Die. Like many second books, most of Until I Die is the eye of the storm, a brief lull between gale force winds.

Blog Tour Playlist: Ashen Winter by Mike Mullins

Ashen Winter by Mike Mullin
Release Date: October 16, 2012
Publisher: Tanglewood Press

Summary

It’s been over six months since the eruption of the Yellowstone supervolcano. Alex and Darla have been staying with Alex’s relatives, trying to cope with the new reality of the primitive world so vividly portrayed in Ashfall, the first book in this series. It’s also been six months of waiting for Alex’s parents to return from Iowa. Alex and Darla decide they can wait no longer and must retrace their journey into Iowa to find and bring back Alex’s parents to the tenuous safety of Illinois. But the landscape they cross is even more perilous than before, with life-and-death battles for food and power between the remaining communities. When the unthinkable happens, Alex must find new reserves of strength and determination to survive.(courtesy of Goodreads)

*First off, I apologize to Mike and Savvy for the tardiness of my tour post. It should have been up on Saturday, but it completely slipped my mind. I'm very sorry for the delay.

I have the honor to present a playlist for Alex, the protagonist of the Ashfall series.

Alex starts out the series as typical teenage boy. He spends a lot of time playing video and computer games. His life has been pretty comfortable. All that changes when the volcano hits. He becomes a font of determination - a survivor. I chose some heavier rock music for Alex's playlist. Partly because they're groups that many teenage boys like, reflecting Alex's previous normal life. But also because I find that tough, even a little angry songs are perfect for times that I need to focus my mind on a difficult path. Alex's new life is scary and dangerous. These songs reflect that difficulty, but also give him energy to go on:

Burn It Down by Linkin Park

Animal I Have Become by Three Days Grace

End of Me by Apocalyptica

Bangarang by Skrillex

Tongue Tied by Grouplove

Any other ideas for songs Alex might like?

Banned Books Change Lives!

In honor of banned books week, I am re-posting a guest post that I wrote 2 years ago on Steph Su Reads' blog about the effect a banned book had on me as a child.

Any discussion about banned books always brings a particular book to my mind. I fell in love with Judy Blume's Fudge series in fourth grade. Naturally, when I finished those, I moved on to her other books. In fourth and fifth grade, I read Forever; Tiger Eyes; Just As Long As We're Together; Blubber; Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret; and Deenie. Most of these books faded from my mind quickly after I read them (even the salacious Forever), but Deenie stayed with me.

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Delirium by Lauren Oliver
Release Date: February 1, 2011
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: Library

Summary

Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love -- the deliria -- blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the government demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.

But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.(courtesy of Goodreads)

Review

Lauren Oliver is one of the best young adult authors of our age. She has a way with expressing emotion in prose that makes her stories heartbreaking and beautiful. So it was with great anticipation that I picked up Delirium, because if anyone can make me like dystopias, Lauren can. But, alas...

Manga Mondays #122: Skip Beat! vol. 23 by Yoshiki Nakamura

Manga Mondays Meme!

I've been doing Manga Mondays every week since I started my blog 2 years ago. It's always been a personal feature, but now I'm going to try turning it into a meme. There are quite a few people who do Manga Mondays. I don't claim by any means that I owned or created the idea of Manga Mondays - it's an obvious choice given the alliteration. I think a meme would be a good way for everyone to publicize their own Manga Mondays and get a little more publicity.

The linky will be below my review.

Skip Beat! vol. 23 by Yoshiki Nakamura

Summary

Kyoko Mogami followed her true love Sho to Tokyo to support him while he made it big as an idol. But he's casting her out now that he's famous! Kyoko won't suffer in silence--she's going to get her sweet revenge by beating Sho in show biz!

Chiori's rage threatens the whole production when she lashes out and hurts Kyoko. Kyoko is used to overcoming obstacles, and she uses her injury as an excuse to push Chiori into exploring her acting. But Chiori has a traumatic past. Will focusing on the dark side of her character bring it all rushing back?(courtesy of the back cover and Goodreads)

Review

*Warning: Potential spoilers. My manga reviews tend to be more of a summary than a review. I find it hard to review manga in the same way I do regular books.

At the end of the last volume, Chiori pushed Kyoko down a flight of stairs in a jealous rage. When Kyoko lands, Chiori panics. Her primary concern was not whether Kyoko was hurt but whether Kyoko would tell the director. Gotta love Chiori's selfishness. Such a good example of the poor side of human nature.