MV: I Don't Want To Forget You-Claire Kuo

Title: I Don't Want To Forget You
Chinese Title: 我不想忘記你 (Wo Bu Xiang Wang Ji Ni)
Artist: Claire Kuo (郭静)
Language: Mandarin Chinese
TTS: None

Wdebo's Notes: I absolutely adore this song. I've first heard this song a while back and just could not get it out of my head, and I finally rediscovered it a few months ago. So beautiful.

Listen and Love!



Wdebo :)

Review: Girl In The Arena By: Lise Haines

"I could talk with young people, young women in particular, about how we once lived in a time of blood. Blood and money and lots of publicity" (P.324).

Title: Girl in the Arena
Author: Lise Haines
HARDBACK
Amount of Pages: 324
Release Date: October 13, 2009
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Geared Towards: Teens/Dystopian Readers
From: Library

Summary (From B.O.B): During the week, Lyn lives in a big house in Cambridge and hangs out with friends in Harvard Square. But over the weekend, she cheers her father on as he gears up for neo-gladiator competition-a high-profile televised blood sport that rivals the NFL. Lyn's father is the top player in the league, and the paparazzi that have always swarmed him have started to dog Lyn's every move. All this fame comes with another price-Lyn's family lives with the constant presence of violence, uncertainty and a strict cultural code set by the Gladiator Sports Association.
When a skilled young fighter slays Lyn's father, the GSA imposes an unthinkable sentence-Lyn must marry her father's murderer. Though her mother has made a career out of marrying into Glad culture, Lyn is prepared to do whatever it takes to claim her independence. Even if it means going into the arena herself.

Wdebo's Review: Growing up, I always found Gladiators to be these disturbingly curious creatures. The whole idea of slaughtering a bunch of people and animals and also having people actually watching that as entertainment is just so strange to me. (I regard bullfighting in that light also, but that's a story for another time....) Therefore, when I saw Girl in the Arena I was immedietely intrigued. Having anything to do with gladiators is something I've never seen in YA. The story, though enjoyable at times, had many flaws.

The first thing that should be pointed out is the formating of the writing. Mainly, instead of quotation marks to offset the dialogue Haines uses hyphens instead. This made the writing difficult to read at parts, even though I did get used to it after a while, it could still get confusing if I just glazed over a sentence. The structuring of the writing was also awkward in certain places. When I quickly read some paragraphs some things just did not seem to make sense, and it caused me to have to go back and slowly re-read sentences.

I was also unsatisfied with the prologue. The reasons just did not make sense to me. I appreciated the "backstory", I just wished the beginning was better...I'm not sure what to say...articulated? Beefed up? Changed to a more "exciting" reason? I really don't know exactly what I'm expecting from it, it just did not work for me.

I also felt that there would be a lot of heart-pounding action in this story, but there was none. There seemed to be some kind of clear film between me and the emotional aspect of the novel, no matter what situation Lyn was thrown in, I just could not feel any nerves for her. I did not have any of those heart-pounding-on-the-edge-of-my-seat experiences. It was as if I was watching a slide of pictures zoom by without any thought about it.

Even though I did list a lot of cons to this book, there were positive aspects also. For example, I really liked the character of Lyn. Though she was conflicted towards the middle of the story, I regarded that as very natural behavior, but she stuck to her beliefs and was very independent. She relyed on herself which is a very good quality.

The storyline itself was very enjoyable and interesting, even if the writing was not superb. The dystopian aspect of it was quite frigtening. It was basically the mirror image of our current society with neo-gladiators thrown into the mix. The addition of pop culture such as YouTube and movies was a nice garnish and helped create an interesting satire on our current society about the consumerism aspect of our lives.

Cafe Cover Chat: I really like this cover. This cover was one of the reasons I wanted to pick up this novel. It just seems so intense and the pose itself just seems so magnetic. (A-)

All in all, though Girl in the Arena was not the best executed novel, there were parts that were enjoyable . If you are looking for a novel on the level of an author like Suzanne Collins (Since GITA is quite similar to The Hunger Games) do skip this one, but otherwise pick this book up for an fun and exciting little read.

Grade: B--

Wdebo :)

Random Entertainment Clips (29): Vocaloids

I recently got crazily addicted to Vocaloids this term, so here are a few favorites....

World Is Mine- This is one of Miku's most famous songs, so many Vocaloids and Nico Nico singers have covered it. Even though I like Miku's version, I love Len's version more or maybe that might just be because Len is one of my favorites.



Immitation Black- I love this song. Hehe. Even though I like the Nico Nico version better just becuase it's smoother, but this is just lovely. This was one of the first vocaloid songs I've ever heard. (I first listened to this before my Vocaloid addiction, so sometime last year)



The Last Revolver- I really like Gumi. Her voice seems to be one of the more realistic ones in Vocaloid standards. This is such a sad song. For some reason, it gives me Agent J memories. The tune, however, just seems so...happy...for such a distressing topic.



A Restless Night's Song (Hot Cocoa)- This song is basically my life in three minutes. I am the world's worst procrastinator. I totally had this song on repeat when I was scrambling to finish my journals for Lit class.



Wdebo :)

Wishlist Wednesday (2)

It's been a while since I've done a post like this...enjoy!

Chain Reaction-As a giant Simone Elkeles fan who is absolutely amored with Perfect Chemistry, it really is no surprise that this book is on the top of my "Wanna Read" list.

Clean-I really enjoyed Beautiful and really want to read Clean.

V For Vendetta-Loved Watchmen and I've wanted to read this one for so long.

Jessica Rules The Dark Side-I stayed up so late to finish Jessica's Guide To Dating On The Dark Side, I was obsessed with it for a while...I want the obsession to *hopefully* continue :3

What's On Your Wishlist?

Wdebo :)

Update: What I'm Watching/Reading Now!

[Note: Click on the picture to be directed to each works' MyAnimeList or Amazon or Goodreads page]

F i n i s h e d:

Watching:

No.6 (11 Episodes)-Started out amazing, but then the episodes started to get kind of boring and pointless. But the opening and ending were totally lovely. [Full review coming sometime this week or next week!]

Nyanpire (12 Episodes)-The cat vampire anime that went by very fast. It was cute but nothing too amazing.

Reading:

Forbidden-Review coming next Monday!

I n - P r o g r e s s:

Watching:

Freaks & Geeks-Can't believe I JUST started watching this show. It's just so awesome. Sad it was cancelled :/

Ao No Exorcist-GAHH it's so great right now. I love Rin and Yuki. Except I love the first opening so much more than the second opening (But it's still pretty good)

Reading:

Yankee-Kun To Megane-Chan-I've been reading this since Summer. Even though this manga is completed in Japan, it's still being scanlated into English so it's taking forever for me to finish it. I am absolutely in love with this manga.

Falling For Hamlet-Been reading this forever, but I just cannot find any motivation to finish it.

Acid Town: Like "YKTMC" I've been reading this since Summer but this manga is currently in progress so I'm dying wondering what will happen next, I am so addicted to this story. *Love*

Wdebo :)

Shut Out By: Kody Keplinger

Title: Shut Out
Author: Kody Keplinger
HARDBACK
Amount of Pages: 288
Release Date: Septermber 5, 2011
Publisher: Poppy
Geared Towards: Older Teens
From: Publisher (Review)

"'It's the one thing they could never say no to. The one thing they beg and plead and cajole for. Up until now, I didn't realize we could use it to our advantage. But last night, I realized that it's our best shot.' I paused, took a breath. 'We go on...a sex strike!'" (P. 38).

Summary (From Front Flap): Most high school sports teams have rivalries with other schools. At Hamilton High, it's a civil war: the football team versus the soccer team. And for her part, Lissa is sick of it. Her quarterback boyfriend, Randy, is always ditching her to go pick a fight or haze a freshman. And on three seperate occasions Randy's car has been egged while he and Lissa were inside, making out. She is done competing iwth a bunch of sweaty boys for her own boyfriend's attention.

Lissa decides to end the rivalry once and for all: She and the other players' girlfriends go on a hookup strike. The boys won't get any action from them until the football and soccer teams make peace. What they don't count on is a new sort of rivalry: an impossible girls-against-boys showdown that hinges on who will cave to their libidos first. And Lissa never sees her own sexual tension with the leader of the boys, Cash Sterling, coming. In this hillarious and romantic reimagining of Aristophanes' Lysistrata, the battle of boys against girls is on.

Wdebo's Review: As a giant fan of Kody Keplinger's debut novel, The Duff, I could not wait to begin Shut Out. Though this was definitely an enjoyable read, it did not reach the level that The Duff had and, in turn, had disapointed me in that way.

The writing was very well done. It was a wonderful read from the very beginning and posessed a well thought out stroyline. Each event happened at the perfect time. It had a nice amount of romance and comedy and a smart mouthed protagonist. However, there just felt like there was something lacking to it that just made it not as impressive as The Duff.

It was one of those books that, though enjoyable, was easy to set down and pick up later. I did not have a giant longing to read it at all hours of the day, but the good thing about this book is that it is easy to get into again when you just pick it up from the middle. However, there was a section in the middle that was very slow, as if there was two distinct sections to the book and no perfected connection between the two. I also wished that there would be more of a battle between the boys and the girls as it is made to seem in the summary. It just felt like more of a girl beating down guys fight then an actual straight up battle of the sexes.

Lissa was a pretty good character, I liked her a lot in the beginning of the book but then she because very whinny and annoying towards the end of the book. However, I did really like the character of Cash.

Cafe Cover Chat: The cover is pretty good and shows the strength and fighting spirit of the girls. (B)

All in all, a pretty good read when one just looks at it by itself, however, if it is compared to Keplinger's debut novel, it falls short of it.

Grade: B

Wdebo :)

Black Butler (Anime + Manga) + Merry Christmas!

MERRY CHRISTMAS Y'ALL :) Hopefully you all get to spend a wonderful day with your families =] And I also wanna say "Happy Birthday" to my mom =] Happy birthday mommy!!~

And as my Christmas present to you, a "little" Black Butler review for all of you. Enjoy~

Kuroshitsuji (Black Butler)

The reason I got into this series was only because I saw how attractive Sebastian was, but once I started the anime and just saw how wonderfully gorgeous the gothic artwork was and found out just how much I enjoyed the storyline, I was instantly addicted and could not stop watching!

Season One:

Title: Kuroshitsuji

Also Known As: Black Butler

Japanese Title: 黒執事

Amount of Episodes: 24 [Watched: 24]

Status: Completed

Tags: Shonen, Supernatural, Dark Comedy, Fanservice
For: Teens (13 +)

In Victorian-era London, the head of the Phantomhive corporation is no ordinary man, in fact he cannot even be considered a man, for he is only a boy of twelve years. This boy's name is Ciel Phantomhive. Ciel is no ordinary boy either, he acts as the Queen's "gaurd dog" and rules his own manor with the help of his four clumsy, airheaded servents and one omnipotent butler, Sebastian. But Sebastian is no mere mortal, in fact he is a demon employed by Ciel who made a pact with him. His soul in exchange for being saved and getting revenge on those who disgraced him and his family name.

Grade: A-

Season 2:

Title: Kuroshitsuji II
Also Known As : Black Butler II
Japanese: 黒執事II
Amount of Episodes: 12 [Watched: 12]
Status: Completed
For: Older Teens (16+)

A year after Black Butler ends, Black Butler II begins and a new butler and master appear. Alois Trancy at first glance appears to be a cheerful, sweet looking fourteen year old boy but at closer inspecition, one can see he is anything but that. Alois is a sadistic, angry, cross dressing little teeange boy, flanked by a servent named Hannah, servent triplets and a stoic demon butler named Claude Faustus, making the Trancy family, one to be feared. Behind Alois' evil demenor though is a dark past, one directing his actions and also his newest wish, that of obtaining the head of the Phantomhive household, Ciel.

Grade: C+

Wdebo's Review: I had no idea what to think when I started this anime, I had never watched anything like this before, I had never read anything by this author before, I barely knew the plot and the only reason I was looking into it was, as stated above, the art, mainly the character of Sebastian. But I was instantly drawn into it. The world, the art, the story, everything was just so intoxicating. I was so addicted to it and just could not stop watching until the very last episode.

However, there were a few fumbles in the plot in the middle of Season one. The story also gets progressively stranger and darker as the episodes continue. (This is something I have to warn my friends about when I show them this series...and make them start from episode one).

I do have to add though that there is a ton of fanservice in season one and about 5000 times more in season two. For season one, it was mainly for the fangirls. Because the author, Yana Toboso, is also a yaoi artist. I also read somewhere that Black Butler was supposed to be a yaoi manga, but I am probably wrong about that. Anywho, there are a bunch of shonen-ai and shota undertones in this story, most likely to keep the fangirls placated. Season two, however, not only includes fanservice for the girls but also for the guys (think abnormally large boobs and clothes being ripped off as though they were made out of paper).

I loved the characters from Season one. There was something about every character that I just feel in love with, even the side characters like Pluto, Drocell, Undertaker, etc. I really enjoyed the relationship between Ciel and Sebastian. There are a lot of fan pairings of Ciel and Sebby and I am totally conflicted as to whether I like them together romantically or just as master and butler.

Season two deserves its own review section. I was completely satisfied with the ending of Season one, so just having a season two there was strange. The only thing I really loved about season two was the introduction of Alois, he was just the most messed up yet awesome character ever. I wasn't sure whether I would like him at all in the beginning, I had crazy conflicted feelings towards him, but at the end, I was in love. Apart from that and also just the whole revisitation of all of the previous characters, this season was absolutely disappointing and just not necessary. However, I guess if you look at it from the view of someone who has never watched season one, it can be considered a pretty decent anime.

I also have to add that I am in love with the very first ending song: "I'm Alive" By: Becca, mostly because Becca's voice reminds me of Hayley Williams' voice =]



Watch Black Butler (Season 1) HERE
Watch Black Butler (Season 2) HERE

The Manga

Title: Kuroshitsuji

Also Known As: Black Butler; Dark Butler
Japanese Title: 黒執事

Author: Toboso, Yana

Status: Ongoing

Current Amount of Volumes: 12 (+ 7 Extra Chapters)

Geared Towards: Teens

Wdebo Notes: The main premise of the manga version is the same as the anime version. However, after the (I can't quite remember, but I think) Prince Soma and Agni storyline, the story goes in a completely different direction. There are many characters that appear in the manga version that are completely absent in the anime version or are very very similar to a character found in the anime series. (IE Drocell and Joker).

Personally, I love the manga series more. However, the anime series has Pluto, so it makes it is difficult to choose which one is the best. Haha. But no, the manga series, has much more action stuffed in it than the anime version. It just seems to have so much more details added in, both art-wise and also story-wise. The art is just so beautiful. I could stare at it all day, or more specifically, I could stare at Sebas-chan all day. I also enjoyed how many of the characters in the anime who only appeared to be side characters are given much larger roles in the manga and so much more depth and background information.

[Note: I have currently finished all of the chapters that have been scanlated already and might I add that I am crazily addicted to this manga and I wish that there was a new chapter everyday. *Sigh* ]

All in all, a darkly delicous story that I am sure will cause me to develop some kind of strange butler fetish later in life. Not that I mind.

Grade: A

Wdebo :)

Grow A Pear-Ke$ha

Title: Grow A Pear
Artist: Ke$ha
Language: English
TTS: None

Wdebo's Review: I am about as far from a Ke$ha fan as one can be, but for some reason I could not stop listening to this song. However, that might have just been because I first heard it on a Toradora! AMV (Posted below) and since I love Toradora and that AMV this song just got dragged into the mix and got stuck in my head. Whatever. It's an addicting song and I did *Confession time* have it on repeat while I was studying for finals. Haha, I'm so lame (Cries)

Listen and Enjoy!



Toradora! AMV



Wdebo :)

How Many of the 100 Most Popular YA Books Have You Read?

I abosultely love quizes like these because I am a(n awesome) dork who loves to keep track of her reads. =] So when I saw The Book Girl Reviews had this quiz on her blog I knew I had to try it!

The key:
[ x ] - Books I've Read
[ - ] - Books in my To Be Read Pile

Start!
[ - ] 1. Alex Finn – Beastly
[ - ]2. Alice Sebold – The Lovely Bones
[ - ]3. Ally Carter – Callagher Girls
[ - ] 4. Ally Condie – Matched
5. Alyson Noel – The Immortals (book one only)
6. Anastasia Hopcus – Shadow Hills
7. Angie Sage – Septimus Heap (book one only)
[ X ] 8. Ann Brashares – The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
[ X ]9. Anna Godbersen – Luxe
10. Anthony Horowitz – Alex Rider
[ - ] 11. Aprilynne Pike – Wings
[ - ] 12. Becca Fitzpatrick – Hush, Hush
13. Silence Brandon Mull – Fablehaven
[ - ]14. Brian Selznick – The Invention of Hugo Cabret
[ - ] 15. Cassandra Clare – The Mortal Instruments (ALL)
16. Carrie Jones – Need (ALL)
[ - ] 17. Carrie Ryan – The Forest of Hands and Teeth
[ - ] 18. Christopher Paolini
19. Cinda Williams Chima – The Heir Chronicles
20. Colleen Houck – Tigers Saga
21. Cornelia Funke – Inkheart
[ - ]22. Ellen Hopkins – Impulse
[ x ] 23. Eoin Colfer – Artemis Fowl
24. Faraaz Kazi – Truly, Madly, Deeply
25. Frank Beddor – The Looking Glass Wars
26. Gabrielle Zevin – Elsewhere
[ X ]27. Gail Carson Levine – Fairest
[ X ] 28. Holly Black – Tithe
[ X ] 29. J.K. Rowling – Harry Potter
[ - ] 30. James Dashner – The Maze Runner
31. James Patterson – Maximum Ride
[ X ] 32. Jay Asher – Thirteen Reasons Why
[ X ] 33. Jeanne DuPrau – Books of Ember
34. Jeff Kinney – Diary of a Wimpy Kid
[ X ]35. John Boyne – The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
[ X ] 36. John Green – An Abundance of Katherines
[ X ] 37. John Green – Looking for Alaska
[ X ] 38. John Green – Paper Towns
39. Jonathan Stroud – Bartimaeus
[ - ] 40. Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl – Beautiful Creatures
[ - ] 41. Kelley Armstrong – Darkest Powers
[ - ] 42. Kristin Cashore – Graceling
[ - ] 43. Lauren Kate – Fallen
[ X ] 44. Lemony Snicket - Series of Unfortunate Events
[ X ] 45. Libba Bray – Gemma Doyle
[ - ] 46. Lisa McMann – Dream Catcher
47. Louise Rennison – Confessions of Georgia Nicolson
48. M.T. Anderson – Feed
[ - ] 49. Maggie Stiefvater – Shiver
[ X ]50. Margaret Peterson Haddix – Shadow Children
51. Maria V. Snyder – Study
[ X ] 52. Markus Zusak - The Book Thief
[ X ]53. Markus Zusak – I am the Messenger
[ - ]54. Mark Haddon – The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time
55. Mary Ting – Crossroads
[ X ] 56. Maureen Johnson – 13 Little Blue Envelopes
[ X ] 57. Meg Cabot – All-American Girl
[ X ] 58. Meg Cabot – The Mediator
[ X ] 59. Meg Cabot – The Princess Diaries
[ X ]60. Meg Rosoff – How I live now
61. Megan McCafferty – Jessica Darling
62. Megan Whalen Turner – The Queen’s Thief
[ X ]63. Melina Marchetta – On the Jellicoe Road
64. Melissa de la Cruz – Blue Bloods
[ X ] 65. Melissa Marr – Wicked Lovely
[ - ] 66. Michael Grant – Gone
[ X ]67. Nancy Farmer – The House of the Scorpion
68. Neal Shusterman – Unwind
[ X ]69. Neil Gaiman – Coraline
[ - ]70. Neil Gaiman – Stardust
[ X ]71. Neil Gaiman – The Graveyard Book
72. P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast – House of Night
[ - ]73. Philip Pullman – His Dark Materials
74. Rachel Caine – The Morganville Vampires
[ X ] 75. Rachel Cohn & David Levithan – Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist
[ X ]76. Richelle Mead – Vampire Academy
77. Rick Riordan – Percy Jackson and the Olympians
78. Rom LcO’Feer – Somewhere carnal over 40 winks
79. S.L. Naeole – Grace
80. Sabrina Bryan & Julia DeVillers – Princess of Gossip
[ X ] 81. Sarah Dessen – Along for the Ride
[ - ] 82. Sarah Dessen – Lock and Key
[ - ] 83. Sarah Dessen – The Truth about Forever
[ X ]84. Sara Shepard – Pretty Little Liars
[ - ]85. Scott Westerfeld - Leviathan
[ x ] 86. Scott Westerfeld - Uglies
87. Shannon Hale – Books of a Thousand Days
[ X ]88. Shannon Hale – Princess Academy
89. Shannon Hale – The Books of Bayern
90. Sherman Alexie & Ellen Forney – The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
[ X ] 91. Simone Elkeles – Perfect Chemistry
[ X ] 92. Stephanie Meyer – The Host (Read half then dropped it)
[ X ] 93. Stephanie Meyer – Twilight Saga
94. Sue Monk Kidd – The Secret Life of Bees
95. Susan Beth Pfeffer – Last Survivors
[ X ] 96. Suzanne Collins – Hunger Games
97. Suzanne Collins – Underland Chronicles
98. Terry Pratchett – Tiffany Aching
[ X ]99. Tonya Hurley – Ghost Girl
[ X ] 100. Wendelin Van Draanen – Flipped

I've read 39 of the 100, and 25 are in my TBR pile! So, all together that's 64 of the 100 accounted for!

Not as good as I had hoped but yeah, really need to get cracking on that TBR pile :3

Now it's your turn! Copy and paste the above quiz and see how well you did! Link back in the comments :D

Wdebo :)

Instructions For a Broken Heart By: Kim Culbertson

Title: Instructions For a Broken Heart
Author: Kim Culbertson
PAPERBACK
Amount of Pages: 291
Release Date: May 1, 2011
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Geared Towards: Teens
From: Gift From Friend

"Jessa's eyes fastened themselves to that red dress mostly because she couldn't bring herself to keep looking directly at them. Like the sun. Or a blinding light from an alien spaceship. More like that" (P. 4).

Summary (From B.O.B): When Jessa catches her boyfriend, Sean, making out with Natalie "the Boob Job" Stone three days before their drama club's departure to Italy, she completely freaks.

Stuck with a front-row of Sean and Natalie making out against the backdrop of a country that oozes romance, Jessa promises to follow all of the outrageous instructions in her best friend's care package and open her heart to new experiences.

Enter cute Italian boy stage left.

Jessa had prepared to play the role of humiliated ex-girlfriend, but with Cariassa directing her life from afar, it's finally time to take a shot at being a star.

Wdebo's Review: Instructions For a Broken Heart was a part of my birthday book pile so I thought that I should read it because it had been sitting there for so long, just collecting dust. While reading this book I found it to be average, nothing particulary amazing, but not something that I hated too much.

I felt that I should have been feeling myself being transported into Italy and empathizing with Jessa while reading this book, but I just could not. Even though, growing up, one of the main places I always wanted to visit was Italy, I still could not thoroughly enjoy the extensive descriptions of the scenary around her and to feel exactly what she was feeling. But I guess that is one of the main problems that I found with the book. The descriptions were just too "extensive" almost to an extent of being...pretentious.

I had read a positive review of this book that had stated one of the mian reasons for reading this book to being its beautiful writing. But there is a fine line between beautiful writing and over flowery and over the top descriptors. When I read books, I definitely enjoy straight-forward narration as opposed to the whole beating-around-the-bush kind of writing. I also disliked how the story seemed to stuff romance randomly into the conclusion. It would have ended so much better if they showed Jessa "surving" the trip just by relying on herself.

I liked the progressve addition of characters into the storyline, however, the characters themselves did not impress me too much. With the character of Dylan Thomas I found him to be a decent character, but I was just not the biggest fan of how he was presented through the writing. I did not mind that the charcter was named after the poet, instead, I actually appreciated it, it feels like a great way to introduce teens to culture apart from just pop culture. The thing that annoyed me though was the repitition of his name. If Culbertson had written Dylan over and over again, I would have been fine with it, but instead she would continually refer to "Dylan Thomas." Which got annoying after a while.

The protagonist, Jessa, is a different story. I found Jessa to be a very selfish, whinny and annoying character. I get that this all came about because she was cheated on, but that doesn't give her the right to act like a total bitch throughout the entire trip. At least she did have growth throughout the story, but I still could not find her very likeable. On the other hand, I really liked Tyler, he just seemed like such a sweet guy.

Cafe Cover Chat: The cover has a sweet side to it and also has a romantic undertone to it with the blurred out background of Italy. It's cute. (B)

All in all, though not the most perfect, memorable book, it still posesses a few good qualities that makes it a readable story sure to fill up a few open hours.

Grade: C+

Wdebo :)

New Stalking Options :)

Hiya everyone!

I just wanna make a short post to tell you guys I am now a part of two new sites...

1) Networked Blogs so please follow :3

2) CustomReads as a recommender, so be sure to follow there too so hopefully you can get some good recommendations from me =]

Other places you can find me....

Twitter

Shelfari

Goodreads

Random Buzzers

PulseIt

My Anime List

Hopefully I will see you around. I'll be waiting =]

Wdebo :)

Waiting On Wednesday (10)

WOW is brought to you by Jill at Breaking the Spine :)

Today's book is...

Dead Is a Battlefield By: Marlene Perez
Summary (From Goodreads): Jessica Walsh is starting her freshman year at Nightshade High and trying to forget about the tragic events surrounding her brother’s graduation. She wants to have a normal high school experience. But that’s easier said than done in Nightshade.

When a new boy shows up at school, the girls are infected with a case of seriously creepy crushes. But when their obsession turns to violence, Jessica and her friends start to wonder if there’s more going on than just a little friendly rivalry. Are the smitten girls turning into love zombies?

And Jessica has other worries—like her crush on Dominic Gray, the cute but moody new singer for Side Effects May Vary, and the mysterious tattoo that appeared on her arm one day and lets her know whenever there is trouble brewing. Jessica learns she's a Virago, a woman warrior chosen to fight evil whenever it threatens her hometown. But does a lowly freshman really have what it takes to keep Nightshade safe?

Why I Want To Read: It sounds cute and I've been craving zombie books for a while especially since all I've been able to read in Honors College are books like The Odyssey and The Aeneid. Yeah, I'd rather read cheesy YA zombie books any day. And might I add that I love the cover. Such a captivating shade of green right there :)

Release Date: March 2012

So, what are you waiting for?

Wdebo :)

Oh. My. Gods. By Tera Lynn Childs

Title: Oh. My. Gods.
Author: Tera Lynn Childs
PAPERBACK
Amount of Pages: 264
Release Date: May 1, 2008
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
Geared Towards: Teens/ Fantasy readers
From: Library

"But even if I'm not a believer in 'alternative realitites,' as Nola calls them, I'm willing to keep an open mind. Sure, I'll believe they're real. Just as soon as I see one" (P. 33).

Summary (From B.O.B): All Phoebe Castro has to do is keep her grades up and have another stellar cross-country season and her dream of attending USC with her friends on a track scholarship is a reality. So it's a complete shock when her mom announces that she's marrying a near-stranger and moving them to Greece.

Before Phoebe knows it, she's stuck on a secret island in the Aegean and attending the superexclusive Academy, where her new stepfather is the headmaster and the kids are anything but your average students-they're descendants of the Greek gods, superpowers included. If regular high school wasn't bad enough, this is mortal misery.

Phoebe's only chance of reclaiming her old life lies in securing that scholarship. But managing that may be an ungodly challenge, considering she's got a sabotaging stepsister from Hades and a gorgeous guy-what a god!-in her way...

Wdebo's Review: After seeing so many good reviews of this novel I decided to give it a try. Though this was definitely an enjoyable read, filled with enough magic, teenage angst, fluff, humor and, of course, romance, to make any teenager swoon with happiness, it is actually a very cliche book with a "Greek God" kick added to it. But that is preferable at times, no?

The plot is quite cute, the love between the two main characters was..nice, but, as stated above, it definitely walked along the totally predictable side of things. What annoyed me though was how all of the problems were resolved so suddenly and quickly. There was no time to absorb apologies or for denials, etc. The behavior of all of the characters just seemed so unnatural, it all seemed to be boxed up in a happy, fluffy world of perfect-endings. I also hoped that the story wouldn't have started so sudden, I think it should have given a bit more of her background in her previous life before being whisked away to Greece. Though I do have to admit I want to read the sequel, Goddess Boot Camp, just because I am interested in what happens later.

Phoebe and I had a love-hate relationship going on. On one hand, I liked her because she spoke her mind and had snappy combacks. But, on the other hand, I found her to be weak and annoying at times. I did, however, really like Nicole and Troy, the friends she met in the academy, they were kind and always there for her. But I wasn't the biggest fan of her friends from SoCal, they seemed kind of meh. Finally, Griffin was just blegh, I didn't like him in the begining, I didn't like him at the end, which is surprising because I usually fall in love with characters like him just like that. *Snaps fingers together to show quickness* Disappointing...

Cafe Cover Chat: I like the color scheme and picture even if it feels like one of those cheesy middle school covers. (B-)

All in all, an entertaining read that will fill up a few open hours.

Grade: B-

Wdebo :)

CONTEST: The Discovery of Jeanne Baret

Title: The Discovery of Jeanne Baret
Author: Glynis Ridley
Summary (From Amazon): The year was 1765. Eminent botanist Philibert Commerson had just been appointed to a grand new expedition: the first French circumnavigation of the world. As the ships’ official naturalist, Commerson would seek out resources—medicines, spices, timber, food—that could give the French an edge in the ever-accelerating race for empire.

Jeanne Baret, Commerson’s young mistress and collaborator, was desperate not to be left behind. She disguised herself as a teenage boy and signed on as his assistant. The journey made the twenty-six-year-old, known to her shipmates as “Jean” rather than “Jeanne,” the first woman to ever sail around the globe. Yet so little is known about this extraordinary woman, whose accomplishments were considered to be subversive, even impossible for someone of her sex and class.

When the ships made landfall and the secret lovers disembarked to explore, Baret carried heavy wooden field presses and bulky optical instruments over beaches and hills, impressing observers on the ships’ decks with her obvious strength and stamina. Less obvious were the strips of linen wound tight around her upper body and the months she had spent perfecting her masculine disguise in the streets and marketplaces of Paris.

Expedition commander Louis-Antoine de Bougainville recorded in his journal that curious Tahitian natives exposed Baret as a woman, eighteen months into the voyage. But the true story, it turns out, is more complicated.

In The Discovery of Jeanne Baret, Glynis Ridley unravels the conflicting accounts recorded by Baret’s crewmates to piece together the real story: how Baret’s identity was in fact widely suspected within just a couple of weeks of embarking, and the painful consequences of those suspicions; the newly discovered notebook, written in Baret’s own hand, that proves her scientific acumen; and the thousands of specimens she collected, most famously the showy vine bougainvillea.

Ridley also richly explores Baret’s awkward, sometimes dangerous interactions with the men on the ship, including Baret’s lover, the obsessive and sometimes prickly naturalist; a fashion-plate prince who, with his elaborate wigs and velvet garments, was often mistaken for a woman himself; the sour ship’s surgeon, who despised Baret and Commerson; even a Tahitian islander who joined the expedition and asked Baret to show him how to behave like a Frenchman.

But the central character of this true story is Jeanne Baret herself, a working-class woman whose scientific contributions were quietly dismissed and written out of history—until now. Anchored in impeccable original research and bursting with unforgettable characters and exotic settings, The Discovery of Jeanne Baret offers this forgotten heroine a chance to bloom at long last.

~~~

To join fill out form HERE!

Contest open in US only

Deadline: January 1, 2012

Wdebo :)

Seven Days (Manga)

WARNING: This manga is shonen-ai (Guy X Guy) [But please don't let that be the reason that stops you from reading this manga]

Title: Seven Days

Story By: Tachibana Venio

Art By: Takarai Rihito
PAPERBACK
Amount of Volumes In This Series: 2
Amount Read: 2
Geared Towards: Teens

"[It's Monday], the day he'll definitely say 'yes'. And at the end of the week, he'll tell his partner exactly this: 'I couldn't fall in love with you. Let's break up.'"

Summary: Seryou Touji is a popular first-year student who is known to date anyone who confesses to him first at the beginning of the week and break up with them right after seven days. As a whimful joke, third-year student Shino Yuzuru decides to test if the term "anyone" can include, well, "anyone", more specifically, if it can pertain to him.

Wdebo's Review: (Sorry for the lame summary, haha...but one really doesn't need to know a lot about this story before reading it) Seven Days is definitely a favorite manga of mine. I read it this summer and reread it on the plane a week ago. I found it enjoyable, even the second time around. There is something about this story that is just so captivating, I'm not quite sure what it is.

The plot itself is pretty cliche, I mean from the first few pages it is pretty easy to guess where this story is headed. (Into la-la fluff land, obviously) However, I could not stop myself from being drowned into the story. I loved the chemistry between Seryou and Shino. The only thing that I wasn't 100% satisfied with was how quickly their relationship came about, I thought there would be at least some more confusion and hesitation but maybe that is just how Seryou's personality is. Apart from that, there was something so pure and sweet about the relationship between the two, the tender inching closer towards one another feel that seems to only be present in shonen-ai.

At some parts, the artwork feels, light almost unfinished in a sense but I am still in love with it. There is a beauty and grace to all of the characters, especially Seryou and Shino. They both had this lovely flowyness to them but still had masculine qualities.

I really liked the characters themselves. I loved the contrast between the sweet Seryou and the (In a way) harsh Shino, except I felt Shino's personality changed a little too quickly. I liked the side characters but I wished they could show up in the story more, especially Koike-Chan. I rarely see girls in shonen-ais that I actually like, so Koike was an enjoyable character.

All in all, a wonderful manga that is sure to keep you glued to the pages until the last pannel.

Grade: A-

Wdebo :)

P.S. I absolutely adore this mmv...enjoy!

Read it HERE
Download it HERE

Did you enjoy Seven Days? Check out these titles!

Bokura Ni Matsuwaru etc.

Watashitachi No Shiawase Na Jikan

Doukyuusei

Alright-Shiloh

Title: Alright
Artist:Shiloh
Language: English
TTS: None

Wdebo's Notes: I love this song. It is just so happy, actually I just like songs like this, the whole let's-look-at-the-world-from-an-optomistic-point-of-view music. However, the irony of how Shiloh's life has fallen into the gutter is wafting over the song (which gives it a sad tone to me) but it is still a great song. It is a shame she didn't become more famous. Shiloh has a great voice and presents great messages in her songs.



Wdebo :)

P.S. I'm back! Well for a few weeks only though.....(I only brought three books with me *Cries* but I do however have a lot of read mangas/watched animes so I'll review those instead :3 )