Books, Books, and More Books

So I went to the library to pick up my books, and I realized that I have until May 21st to read 26 novels. That's only about 4 weeks. Sure I could renew them, but just the prospect makes me picture this leaning tower of books with me standing at the bottom looking up. It's kinda daunting, but at the same time, I'm excited to have so many books to entertain me.

I started my next book, Home by Marilynne Robinson, today. I'm not sure how this one's gonna go. It seems OK so far, but I'm only 5 or 6 pages in. So who knows.

I think that tonight I'm going to watch Anastasia. It's one of my favorite animated movies, and the music is phenomonal. I always find it funny when people think it's a Disney movie...it's not, by the way.

One Novel Down

So I finished Grace: A Novel, and wow. It was...not amazing, but really, really good. I nearly cried at the end, and I very rarely cry when I read, even at the saddest books. But although it was good, I thought it was a bit predictable. I guessed what was happening within the first 40 or so pages. But still, four and a half stars.

So there's this commercial that has a song that goes, "I think that possibly maybe I'm falling for you..." It's really pretty, and I quite love the song, Falling in Love at a Coffee Shop by Landon Pigg. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQO7IUrqXqY I think I have a thing for commercial songs...

Adventures in Library-dom

I love my library. Before college, I used to stop in once a week and pick up the books I had on hold. I usually go through 2 -3 novels a week, so the people at the library all knew me by name. They'd see me walk through the door, roll their eyes slightly, then head back and grab my basket full of books and CDs.



Now that I'm back from school for the summer, I put a lot of things on hold - 41 to be exact, and 18 of them came in today. 18 novels. I'm going to be very busy for the next few days.



So I just wanted to put this on here because it made me laugh. This is the 4/24/09 comic from Cyanide and Happiness. http://www.explosm.net/

Current Books and Movies

I'm currently reading Grace: A Novel by Richard Paul Evans. It's pretty good so far. I'm not usually a fan of male narrators, especially 14 year old ones, but this one is probably better for it. It's about a boy who helps a girl escape her abusive home (that's what the inside cover says, anyway).


The Barnes and Noble that I frequent has a used books section complete with used manga. Of course, every time I try to turn in my manga, they aren't accepting it. It's quite annoying, considering I've had a bag stuffed with manga sitting in my room for the last 11 months.


My favorite movie right now is The Wedding Date starring Debra Messing and Dermot Mulroney. The book it's based off of, Asking for Trouble by Elizabeth Young, is also really good, although the movie didn't recreate the book so much as it took the main idea and turned it into something completely new, and honestly, I like the movie better. I really love this movie and think that everyone should see it. Yes, that means you.

Manga Monthly Review: B.O.D.Y., The Wallflower, and Chibi Vampire

So I actually had to search for manga to do this with, and because of that some of the manga I'm reviewing is stuff I read online as opposed to actual volumes. I know a lot of people frequent One Manga, but I prefer Manga Fox. http://www.mangafox.com/

B.O.D.Y. Chapter 6 - 12

I own the first volume of this, but I couldn't wait (or afford) to buy the second, so I read the chapters online.

I'm just gonna say it: Fuji is my idea of the perfect guy. Seriously. He's cute and wears glasses, but he's really good looking underneath them (I have a thing for guys who wear glasses). He's also stubborn, selfish, and not afraid to let Ryouko know how he feels about her. In other words, he's like a real person, and I love him for it.


I really think that the things that happen in this manga are a bit far fetched, even for shoujo. I mean, come on, the manager getting stabbed? Really?

The Wallflower (Yamatonadeshiko Shichihenge) Vol. 17

Ah, the wallflower. It's easily the weirdest series I've ever read, but I still love it.


I WANT SUNAKO AND KYOHEI TO GET TOGETHER ALREADY! It's been 17 volumes, and 18 and 19 are already out. I'll get on reading them and hopefully I won't be disappointed...


I know that the volumes are weird, but this one seemed really weird.

Chibi Vampire Vol. 4-6

So I really wish that I had picked a book that didn't end with a cliffhanger. Ugh...This isn't even one of my favorites and I was nearly screaming, "WHAT HAPPENS!"

I liked her grandmother - she had really cool hair, except that I wish it was that length all the way around. I hated what she did, though. It's like, oh sure, come on in and ruin everything, go ahead. But I did really like the way she described her husband, and how in love they were. Of course, him dying was sad.

Manga Monthly Review: Fruits Basket and Vampire Knight

As an avid manga reader (and it's pronounced mAHn-gah, not mEHn-gah. I would know I take Japanese), I have decided to dedicate my first actual review to the growing book genre. Unfortunately, my current financial situation (or lack thereof) restricts the number of manga I can buy, so I'll only be doing a monthly review. So here's the review for the month of April. (Spoiler Alert)

Fruits Basket Vol. 22

Let me just start out by saying that Fruits Basket is one of my favorite manga series of all time. So anyway...

Ah, the Sohma curse. Broken at last. But honestly, I didn't like the way it was done. Where was the tension? Where was the drama? I know Natsuki Takaya tried, what with everyone crying when they were "let go," but I felt as if it went by way too quickly.

On a less negative note, I really loved the part in which Kyo hugged Tohru and he didn't change. It was really cute. As was Yuki hugging Machi. I did think it was a bit much that he kissed her, though. They're cute together, but that's moving it a bit fast.

I thought it was perfect that Hana befriended Akito, and then calls her Aa-chan. Adorable. But I wish the relationship between Akito and Shigure had been further developed. I really like them as a couple, but it looked to me like Shigure left Akito, and I wish that would have been clarified. I am really glad that Arisa and Kureno got together, but it made me think of something: Momiji wasn't in this volume at all. Where was he, when he should have been hugging his sister? Will he be reunited with his mother? What happens?

Obviously, Natsuki Takaya has a lot to cover in volume 23. Hopefully she will. I give it four stars.

Vampire Knight Vol. 6

Vampire Knight is another series I'm in love with. It of course doesn't hurt to have so many attractive male characters. With Zero, Kaname, and of all the other boys in the night class, it's like Ouran High School Host Club meets Twilight, minus the werewolves and Tamaki's blind stupidity. Anyway...

Yuki is probably the most oblivious character I have ever seen. Come on, who has to wonder why a childhood friend nearly kissed her? It's kinda obvious: he likes you. Honestly, I really wish he had kissed her. I love the Yuki/Zero pairing.

I really like Kaname. I like the gentlemanly things he does and the things he says, but I don't like him with Yuki. I didn't like that he asked her to become a vampire. He didn't have to - Yuki would have done it anyway - but the fact that he did really bothers me. I don't know if I like the character Kaname is turning into.

Zero is so noble in this book. Like, Edward Cullen noble. It's kinda annoying. I wish that male characters would stop assuming that girls are merely helpless little beings who cannot possibly survive without the help of a big, strong man. But I digress...I did, however really like the way he kinda slid up to Yuki to bite her neck, but the fact that he failed to kiss her again is very disappointing.

I want to see what happens with Senri and his dad. That should be interesting. Four stars.

This has been the Manga Monthly. Tune in next month when I review...more manga.

The Paper Doll's Books

Hello and welcome. This is basically going to be a mass of book reviews, book-related topics, and random personal stuff. Everything here is my opinion, and if you feel differently about something, that's your right, but please don't bother me with it. Thanks.