manga: Apocalypse no Toride

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162053Title: Apocalypse no Toride
( Fort of Apocalypse ; Fortress of the Apocalypse )
Authors: Kuraishi Yuu (story), Inabe Kazu (art)

Genres: Action, Mystery, Horror, Sci-Fi, Shounen, Psychological

Synopsis: What can you do when you get mistaken for murder? Nothing. You go to prison. Lucky you, your inmates are some of the biggest cutthroats in the prison. Seriously you are lucky. Especially when zombies attack.

Type: Manga
Volumes: 10; Chapters: 49
Published on Sep 3, 2011 to Aug 4, 2015
Serialisation: Shounen Rival

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MY RATING:

Rating:  7 out of 10
Status: Read from 23 to 25 June 2016

‘Apocalypse no Toride’ was a quick read and contained a whole lot of feels, story, character development and, of course, horror. The characters are kickass and the MC is surely not one of those pacifistic cowards we see in cliche animes and mangas. We get to see their backstories and they all have their own morals that they follow by. I can’t hate any of the characters, which is a real surprise for me since I’m very picky and judgemental. The ‘zombie’ plot is very detailed and thought through, and we get to learn a lot about the virus itself. The zombies aren’t the overly used stereotype we see in most films; slow and stupid. Instead, there are many different types and characteristics, which I find refreshing. I also liked how the main goal of the characters wasn’t to meet their family and friends and save them or what not but to survive and live. Annihilate the monsters or it will be the end of humanity.

I’ve rated it a 7 out of ten (good) and I would recommend this to anyone who’s willing to give it a go, or who enjoys horror, dystopian settings and action.

book: The Bet

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Title: The Bet
Authors: Kimberly Joy Villanueva

Genres: Romance, Young Adult, Contemporary, Chick Lit

Synopsis: Drake Swift has never lost a bet with his best friend – until now. His punishment? Make a girl in school fall for him and then break up with her just as she’s fallen for him. But who would be oblivious enough to fall for that? Her.

Enter Sophia Taylor – quiet, brainy, and unassuming – the perfect pawn for their game. And for Drake, that’s all it is – a game. But is it? Drake finds that Sophia is quite more than he bargained for. Perhaps he has her figured out all wrong. The real question is, will Drake win the bet, or will Sophia win him over instead?

Digital (Wattpad), 276 pages
Published on October 17th, 2013

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MY RATING:

Rating:  1 out of 10
Status: Completed on 23 April 2015 to 10 December 2015

I don’t even remember why I continued reading this fiction, but I suppose I wanted to write a review badly. I don’t expect much since it I read it from wattpad, where most stories are written by amateurs.
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The plot idea was decent, but the way it was executed was poor. The story was very cliche, and there were many grammatical errors (i.e. “‘Peach looks good on you’. Ironically, I was wearing a peach blouse today”). Many parts/chapters were unnecessary, and the author over-exaggerated them.
The characters were very dull and there was little character development. I could not connect with any of the characters and it was difficult to sympathise with how they were feeling.

The novel overall was a bore and I honestly feel as if I had lost a few brain cells reading this. I don’t see how this could’ve been published?? (I may or may not have been biassed since I extremely dislike clichés).

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book: Ten Thousand Skies Above You

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Title: Ten Thousand Skies Above You
Author: Claudia Gray

Genres: Young Adult, Sci-fi, Romance, Fantasy, Time Travel, Fiction, Dystopia, Adventure, Contemporary

Synopsis: Ever since she used the Firebird, her parents’ invention, to cross through to alternate dimensions, Marguerite has caught the attention of enemies who will do anything to force her into helping them dominate the multiverse—even hurt the people she loves. She resists until her boyfriend, Paul, is attacked, and his consciousness is scattered across multiple dimensions.

The hunt for each splinter of Paul’s soul sends Marguerite racing through a war-torn San Francisco, the criminal underworld of New York City, and a glittering Paris where another Marguerite hides a shocking secret. Each dimension brings Marguerite one step closer to rescuing Paul. But with every trial she faces, she begins to question the one constant she’s found between the worlds: their love for each other.

The second book in the Firebird trilogy, Ten Thousand Skies Above You features Claudia Gray’s lush, romantic language and smart, exciting action, and will have readers clamouring for the next book.

(source 1/2)

Paperback, 424 pages
Published on November 3rd, 2015 by Harperteen

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MY RATING:

Rating:  7 out of 10
Status: Read from 8 to 18 January 2016

While I was reading the novel, I kept on thinking and feeling that the sequel was inferior to the first book of the series. Indeed, had I enjoyed Marguerite’s journey, but the last few pages ruined it for me. It was like Claudia Gray wanted to drag on the story to have more for a third novel. It was an uneasy read for me, but I guess there’s no other choice than to wait for her next book. Goddammit, Gray.

 

manga: Seven Days

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130103Title: Seven Days
Synonyms: Seven Days – Monday to Thursday, Seven Days – Friday to Sunday
Authors: Takahai Rihito (art) ; Tachibana Venio (story)

Genres: Romance; Shounen-ai; Slice of Life; School

Synopsis: Third-year high school student, Shino Yuzuru, is a boy with a beautiful face and an undesirable personality; he is laid back, impolite, and blunt. Soon after he goes out with someone, they dump him once his true personality starts to surface.

His junior in the archery club, Seryou Touji, is a well-known ladies’ man. A rumor about him circulates in school, stating that Seryou will agree to go out with the first person to ask him out on Monday, before promptly dumping that person on Sunday. Despite the school knowing this, Seryou remains popular with girls because for the seven days he dates them, Seryou will make his partner feel absolutely special.

Hearing the rumor, Shino becomes curious about Seryou. One Monday morning, he greets Seryou outside of the school’s entrance and jokingly asks him out. However, Seryou takes him seriously, and so begins Shino’s seven days with him.


Type: Manga
Volumes: 2 ; Chapters: 13
Published in Sep 1, 2007 to Jun 1, 2009
Serialisation: Craft

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MY RATING:

Rating:  7 out of 10
Status: Completed on January 20, 2016

A mixture of fluff with reality to it. A shounen-ai manga portraying “pure love”, with the two main characters falling for each other because of their personalities, not appearance.

I really enjoyed reading this.Throughout the 13 chapters, the fluff, romance and comedy were infused perfectly! There was also a kinda sob story near the end, which was needed for more relationship and character development. The art was also very nice and body proportions were 👌.

I would definitely recommend this short manga to those who enjoy shounen-ai and romance!

manga: Solanin

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Title: Solanin
Author: Asano Inio (story and art)

Genres: Drama; Slice of Life; Seinen

Synopsis: After graduating from college, Meiko went straight to work as an office lady, but she can’t help feeling there should be something more to life. Determined to find a worthier goal, she quits work, but can she actually make her nebulous dreams come true- and how will her sudden decision affect her relationship with her boyfriend Taneda?


Type: Manga
Volumes: 2 ; Chapters: 28
Published on Dec 5, 2005 to May 2, 2006
Serialisation: Young Sunday (Weekly)

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MY RATING:

Rating: 7 out of 10
Status: Completed on January 20, 2016

Asano Inio captures the struggles and reality of adults in their early twenties perfectly. A story about romance, work, social life and childhood dreams, I believe most people can relate to this manga in some aspect.

 

 

book: The Simple Gift

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19542190Title:  The Simple Gift
Author: Steven Herrick

Genres: Young Adult; Poetry; Romance; Contemporary; Fiction; Australia; Realistic Fiction; Teen

Synopsis: My hand in his stops trembling, for a moment.
Written in verse, The Simple Gift is about a sixteen-year-old boy named Billy who escapes the violence of his father’s home for a life of no fixed
address. In the town of Bendarat, he meets a homeless man, named Old Bill and Caitlin, a seventeen-year-old girl from a privileged background.

Each carries their own personal baggage and find themselves united by their search for meaning in an increasingly soulless world. Over early mornings, long walks and cheap coffee they discover, no matter how big
or small, it’s the simple gifts in life that really make a difference.

Paperback, 188 pages
Published January 2nd 2014 UQP (first published January 4th 2000)

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MY RATING:

Rating: 8 out of 10
Status: Read and completed on January 7 2016

I’m not a big fan of poetry, but this book is a great read. I was able to take a break from novels, and instead of wordy explanations, there were simple descriptions. I could understand and feel the emotions behind each word, and I cried. I cried and I cried because everything was just so damn touching. The tone was very depressing and the whole story was sad. I loved how there were none of the judging attitudes we have in society today. Even though it was simple and wonderful, the book did not stay and linger in my thoughts. I couldn’t say “I loved it and I can’t forget about it”. It didn’t have much impact on me and there were a few flaws too, hence the 4 stars. It was not exactly memorable, but I would definitely recommend this book.

book: Tomorrow, When The War Began

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718651Title:  Tomorrow, When The War Began
Series: Tomorrow (#1)
Author: John Marsden

Genres: Young Adult; Fiction; Dystopia; Adventure; Science Fiction; Post-Apocalyptic; Survival; Teen; Romance; War

Synopsis: When Ellie and her friends return from a camping trip in the Australian bush, they find things hideously wrong — their families are gone. Gradually they begin to comprehend that their country has been invaded and everyone in their town has been taken prisoner. As the reality of the situation hits them, they must make a decision — run and hide, give themselves up and be with their families, or fight back.

Paperback, 304 pages
Published June 1st 2006 by Scholastic (first published 1993)

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MY RATING:

Rating: 10 out of 10
Status: Read from November 17 to December 13, 2015

I read a few pages on November 17, and took a 4 week break before resuming the book.

I was recommended this book by one of the teachers from my (new) school. I was a part of the book club, and a library copy was given to us members for the holidays to read. I’ve read one of John Marsden’s work before (Letters from the Inside), so I expected a bit from him. I was not disappointed!

The book starts off slow, and the characters are quite plain. But as the story progresses, you can really see the depth and character development. I felt as if the romance was a bit rushed, but i suppose it is expected since the emotion itself is uncontrollable. Their fears and thoughts are genuine, and the way they react and act are realistic and relatable. I felt more and more intrigued and sucked into their situations as I turned over each page. I really love Homer’s considerate side that no-one’s really seen. And I like how “captain” Ellie isn’t all that strong. She’s just an ordinary girl. Just Ellie. She’s not like those OP main characters or anything. She’s brave and bossy, but that’s what makes it her and more realistic. Each of the teens develop a bit of a more mature side, but their childishness remains. Some are more mature, some are more childish.

I really enjoyed reading this novel, and I’m hoping to get the whole series soon! John Marsden is really a marvellous author, and I definitely recommend this book to all ages.