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 :)