Book Haul & Blog Weekly #83

Book Haul & Blog Weekly is a weekly feature here at Katie's Corner inspired by Stacking Shelves by Tynga's Reviews and The Sunday Post by Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

Book Haul:

Purchased/Freebies:

NetGalley/Edelweiss:

Author Request/Tour:

For CoffeeTalk Writers Blog Review:

Gifted:

Blog Weekly:



Manga Review: Faster Than a Kiss by Meca Takana

Waiting on Wednesday #79 Almost Midnight  

Manga Review: A Tackle on My Life by Mi-Ri Hwang  

Manga Review: A Tackle on My Life by Mi-Ri Hwang

Title: A Tackle on My Life

Original Title: 

Author: Mi-Ri Hwang

Artist: Mi-Ri Hwang

Year of Release: 2008

Genres: Action, Comedy, Romance, School Life, Shoujo

Status: Completed

Chapters (Translated in English): 57

Volumes & Chapters: 

13 Volumes in Total

Mangafox – Goodreads

Summary

Han Ga-Ram will even outwit the swindler gangs. Everything is solved when she transforms back into her unpopular highschool girl moments... Who would suspect a geek with glasses? There is only MONEY on her mind.. day and night. On the other hand, her other twin Yu Ga-Ram exists unknown to both of them. Unlike her, her sister has to bear the bullying acts of her step sister. The story unfolds when the twins try to escape their fate...

My Thoughts

Review covers 57 chapters 

Hello everyone and welcome back to Katie’s Corner! I’m continuing with featuring Mi-Ri Hwang’s works. And if you are interested you can find all of the ones I reviewed on my blog. And more are on the way. However, it’s been harder and harder to read the works as the characters are too much alike and the plots are confusing as hell. Though, it’s a first time we get a relatively normal ending. Mostly all the works end without really ending. I’ll keep this review small, as even now as I’m writing this review, (and do take notice that I started writing it right after I finished it) I am having this one thought circulating in my mind: “What was the whole idea of this story?” yes, it’s that time when I finish reading and have no idea what I read or why I even finished reading the story altogether.

I know I might be harsh, but for me this story had absolutely no meaning. There were many issues, which I would have loved to read more about, especially the whole master issue. It lacked development. I mean it, there’s a total sadist in the story and some punk overcomes him? Come on, that’s too unrealistic! Another issue was the beginning of the story; until Vol. 4 or 5 I was so confused I didn’t get that there were two girls as the lead. It’s too confusing! Oh, and the issue of Yu Ka Ram’s death was so unresolved that I still thought that she was alive in the middle of the story. As always the family issue does appear in this story but somehow none of the issues were developed completely. But that’s my opinion.

Oh, and don’t forget that there’s a lot of fighting and bullying, which is already annoying me. 90% of the works that I read by this author has excess bullying, and the adults acting like total rags. The way the teacher acts is just idiotic and absolutely unfair. But with all those negative thoughts, one that really made me read this story to the end was actually romance. That was developed I could even say overdeveloped. I guess I really wanted to know whom she would end up with, that’s why I kept reading. I did have a laugh when she became a pirate. But if you want to find out more you’ll need to read the story yourself. I’m not disclosing a lot of spoilers here! Enjoy it to its fullest and don’t forget to share your thoughts below. Stay tuned for more reviews as well as promos. Don’t miss you next favourite book or manga!  Happy reading!

XOXO

Katie

Rating

Waiting on Wednesday #79 Almost Midnight

Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine It’s a chance to showcase upcoming releases we are interested in or drooling over.

Almost Midnight by C.C. Hunter

Shadow Falls After Dark #3.5

2 February 2016

Goodreads

Novella Collection

Nestled deep in the woods, Shadow Falls is a secret camp where teens with supernatural powers learn to harness their abilities and live in the normal world.

Independent and strong-willed Della Tsang did not believe in vampires...until she became one. Chase Tallman is the newest member of Shadow Falls, but what made him into the sexy, mysterious vampire he is today? And what led him to Della Tsang? And for Miranda Kane, magic has always been something she's struggled with, but when an opportunity to test her powers takes her to Paris, she'll have to prove that she's a witch to be reckoned with and belongs at Shadow Falls.

Fans won't want to miss these four remarkable stories of love, magic and friendship.

What are you waiting for?

Manga Review: Faster Than a Kiss by Meca Takana

Title: Faster Than A Kiss

Original Title: KisuYorimo Hayaku

Author: Meca Tanaka

Artist: Meca Tanaka

Year of Release: 2007

Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance, School Life, Shoujo

Status: Completed

Chapters (Translated in English): 57

Volumes & Chapters: 

12 Volumes in total

Mangafox – Goodreads

Summary

After losing their parents, Fumino and her brother hop from one relative to another. Getting tired of constantly moving, she finally decides to quit school and work to support her brother on her own. As they sat on a park bench, her teacher appears in front of her and agrees to her demand of marrying and supporting both her and her brother!! Is he serious or just playing around...!?

My Thoughts

Review covers 57 chapters 

I’ve read this story 2 times, and to say the truth the second time it wasn’t holding my interest. I mean, the first time I finished the story in a day or so, but the second time I have been putting it aside every 2 or 3 chapters. I finally made myself sit down and finish it this morning. I finally understood why I was so frustrated with the story. It was a shoujo in every essence of it. Okay, maybe not in every as the romance between a teacher and a student, but in how the relationship progressed it was way too shoujo. The first time I read the story I just wanted to know faster how it ended, but the second time, I just wanted to remember some details, and as some other as kissing issue was coming to it annoyed me a lot.

The story progresses fast in the time lapses. It covers about 3.5 years. That’s quite a lot for 57 chapters. However, the relationship doesn’t progress that fast. It does progress fast in some aspects but in others it is taking snail steps. The emotional growth of the relationship between Kazuma and Fumino is very fast and interesting, however, their physical one is really slow. I am not counting small assaults; I’m taking about a real, normal kiss here. I’m seriously astonished with Kazuma for having such great self-control. He was living with a girl who he loves for three years, and plus they’re married!

I guess for me the story lacked he hotness. I liked the concept a lot. I loved the situations; it just lacked that small physical contract. But that’s for me. Overall, this story is fantastic as a comedy and slice of life and of course shoujo genre representative. The characters are well developed. You see them in different situations and you fall in love with them. No matter what you love the characters and their banter. At the end no matter how frustrated you were you still love the story and imagine what will happen next. I hope you’ll find some time to read this sweet story! You’ll have lots of fun. Enjoy it to its fullest and don’t forget to share your thoughts below! Stay tuned for more reviews as well as promos. Don’t miss your next favourite book or manga! Happy reading!

XOXO

Katie

P.S.

I have just found an extra chapter, which was released some years after the final chapter, and trust me your mind will be blown. I had no idea that the author would put such a bold scenes after how mild the whole story was.

Rating

Book Haul & Blog Weekly #82

Book Haul & Blog Weekly is a weekly feature here at Katie's Corner inspired by Stacking Shelves by Tynga's Reviews and The Sunday Post by Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

Book Haul:

Purchased/Freebies:

Honey Hunt by Miki Aihara Vol 1-6

Mangafox – Goodreads

NetGalley/Edelweiss:

N/A

Author Request/Tour:

N/A

For CoffeeTalk Writers Blog Review:

N/A

Gifted:

N/A

Blog Weekly:

Manga Review: Crimson Hero by Mitsuba Takanashi
4 Leaves

Book Review: Aberrant by Ruth Silver (Aberrant #1)
4 Leaves

Waiting on Wednesday #78 Kurt Vonnegut

Manga Review: Honey Hunt by Miki Aihara 
4 Leaves

Book Review: Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare (The Infernal Devices # 1)
5 Leaves

Mini Manga Review: Rocking Heaven by Mayu Sakai
4 Leaves


Hi, guys and welcome back to Katie’s Corner!

Sorry for being out of it the last couple of weeks, but i am back with some vigor in me, and i will keep the blog up to date from now on. 

To my faithful readers, I have postponed that big announcement that had to go live last September, however, do not miss it in this month's recap feature!

XOXO

Katie

Mini Manga Review: Rocking Heaven by Mayu Sakai

Title: Rocking Heaven

Original Title: Rockin' Heaven

Author: Mayu Sakai

Artist: Mayu Sakai

Year of Release: 2005

Genres: Drama, Harem, Romance, School Life, Shoujo

Status: Completed

Chapters (Translated in English): 32

Volumes & Chapters: 

8 Volumes in total

Mangafox – Goodreads

Summary

Sawa applies to Heaven’s Wing Academy, thinking she would look cute in the uniform. But she never expected the academy to be a previously all-boys’ school! And the head honcho of the school, the class president himself—Ran—doesn’t seem to like her one bit and takes no pains to hide it. At first, adjusting to life at the academy is tough. Sawa is bullied and teased, and the boys in the class even throw her new shoes in the water. While attempting to retrieve her shoes, she falls into the water and is unexpectedly saved by Ran, who up until this point has made her life hell. The newfound gentleness in Ran intrigues her—and she finds herself falling for him. What will her days be like for the rest of her school life?


*Includes the following side stories called:

- Endless March in vol. 1
Yayoi, a student studying piano, can't get along with her teacher, Terawaki. But as they continue the lessons, both of them will overcome their obstacles.

- Home, Sweet Home in vol. 4
A short story about Sawa's parents and how they got together.

- Brown Garden Eki in vol. 6
A young girl named Kuro lives at the Brown Garden station. She has always lived in the station, collecting stories from travelers and then telling them to others. But why does she remain at the station?

My Thoughts

Review covers 32 chapters 

Hi guys and welcome back to Katie’s Corner! Mini manga review is again with you as today is second Saturday. And I have a sweet romance story for you. Okay it’s not all that sweet, but it’s a romantic comedy.

To say the truth, just now as I’m writing this review I came upon one terrific thought. Even though I enjoy a lot of mangas with fights and that kind of stuff majority, okay, 99.9% of mangas I cover either in full or mini section are romance. Something is totally wrong with my brain.

But let’s forget about that now! Why should you read this story? It’s fun and it’s interesting. It may be your average, but the feelings that it brings out are real! You may perceive Sawa as an idiot. Okay, she is an idiot. Who in their right mind chooses the school based on the uniform? Only idiots, but nevertheless she is a cute idiot.

Are you ready for fun, romance and some action? Did you have a sucky day? Then this is your manga. Enjoy it to its fullest and don’t forget to share your thoughts below! Stay tuned for more! Happy reading!

XOXO

Katie

Rating

Book Review: Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare (The Infernal Devices # 1)

Summary (from Goodreads)

Title: Clockwork Angel

Author: Cassandra Clare

Publication date: 31th September 2010

Publisher: Simon & Shuster, Margaret, K. McElderry Books

Goodreads - Amazon - Barnes & Noble

Summary:

In a time when Shadowhunters are barely winning the fight against the forces of darkness, one battle will change the course of history forever. Welcome to the Infernal Devices trilogy, a stunning and dangerous prequel to the New York Times bestselling Mortal Instruments series.

The year is 1878. Tessa Gray descends into London’s dark supernatural underworld in search of her missing brother. She soon discovers that her only allies are the demon-slaying Shadowhunters—including Will and Jem, the mysterious boys she is attracted to. Soon they find themselves up against the Pandemonium Club, a secret organization of vampires, demons, warlocks, and humans. Equipped with a magical army of unstoppable clockwork creatures, the Club is out to rule the British Empire, and only Tessa and her allies can stop them....

Personal Thoughts:

To say the truth, the plan for this week was a bit different. Well, I had no plan, as it is the week after my final. I shouldn’t have had anything scheduled for today, but as you have guessed from my 2 weeks silence in the book review section, even the scheduled titled ddin’t go live. Mostly it was due to my lack of time to look after my blog. Even the manga corner sufferend as I had to update the reviews only last Saturday. But enough talk about that and let me get to today’s book.

I believe many of you know know it, and may even be be wondering why I am revewing it after so much time, as it was on top of my lost when I was publishing the blog. Well, I didn’t want to write the review based on my memory from 5 month (I reread the book I March 2013,, as the final book was coming out and the blog was published in August 2013), I wanted my feelings to be fresh, unstained (as much as possible) by the next books. It is a real challenge to not keep reading Infernal Devices once you start reading them. I do not know why but on the night before my final I opened this book, stayed up all night, I do hope I wrote my exam okay. However, that’s how this book is. If you are new to it, well here’s some tips how to read it. As it is a prequel to Mortal instruments you can start it even before srarting the main series, however, the way I read it was a buit different and I believe it is the right way to read it, but the choice is yours. Read the first 5 books o Mortal Instruments, then 3 books of Infernal Devices, and only afterwards the 6^th book. That’s how I read it, but you can read it however you seem fit.

And now back to thoughts. I have read this book 3 times and even up till now I believe that Infernal Devices is the best series by Cassandra Clare, I’m not saying I don’t like Mortal Instruments. No, I do, but with Infernal Devices it’s totally different feelings and emotions. I guess the Victorian London also does a lot in the suspense and character development. Are you ready to go on a journey with the Shadowhunters from London Institute? Follow a young girl – Theresa Gray on her journey from New York to London to follow her brother. Immerse yourself in the secrets that her powers are going to bring and get to know those who are the ancestors of out favourite characters, or are they truly/ but do not forget that the darkness is always lurking nearby and it is going to be truly hard to fight the enemy – “The Magister” but first of all Tessa, Will and Jem need to find out his/her identity.

Met the characters that has already grown on us, such as Magnus Bane and Lady Belcourt. And don’t forget that all characters are holding some deadly secrets that may ruin not only the relationships but other people too. Enjoy the beginning of a fantastic Love Triangle, and shout at some characters for their stupidity. I won’t be disclosing the names, you’ll know as soon as you start reading. They’re easy to spot. But trust me all the characters are fantastic in their own way. Everyone has the good and  the bad side and you’ll see the humanity at its rawest in every character, be it human or something else.

Get ready for a fascinating ride through friendship, love, betrayal and sorrow and deadly secrets! Enjoy it t its fullest and don’t forget to share your thoughts below. Stay tuned for more reviews as well as promos! I’ll be reviewing the two following books very soon. Don’t miss your next favouirte book or manga! Happy reading!

XOXO

Katie

Rating:

Characters   5/5

Writing         5/5

Cover            5/5

Plot                4/5

Manga Review: Honey Hunt by Miki Aihara

Title: Honey Hunt

Original Title: Honey Hunt

Author: Miki Aihara

Artist: Miki Aihara

Year of Release: 2006

Genres: Drama, Romance, Shoujo, Slice of Life

Status: Hiatus / Ongoing

Chapters (Translated in English): 30

Volumes & Chapters: 

6 volumes, Currently on hiatus

Mangafox – Goodreads

Summary

Life's not easy when you're living in the shadow of your famous parents. Can shy Yura, the daughter of an award-winning composer and a world-renowned actress, find the courage to step out on her own now that her super-celebrity parents are getting divorced?

My Thoughts

Review covers 30 chapters 

And as always I’m cursing myself for not checking the status of the manga before I started reading it. Well, truth be told, I did check it and thought it was completed, but it appears that the author just dropped the project and here I was having so much fun reading it, especially it was getting somewhere very interesting.

This story is nothing special. However, it held my interest through out the story and I never once wanted to put it down. So haters hate it, but I really enjoyed it and was pissed a lot because apparently the author dropped the project and there have not been any news if she is going to continue it. As I have already mentioned the plot is not all that unique, it’s a crossover of Skip Beat! and Allegro Agitato. However, the only similarities that I have found was that like in Skip beat the story is about acting and it has that small similarity in mother and daughter relationship like in Allegro Agitato. But its not all that escalated. Okay, enough with the whole compassion. I liked the tory a lot. It was fun. Even though I am not a bug fan of harems, I’m series it’s always driving me crazy how the girl gets all that attention while she was a total wallflower for the past years. Doesn’t that piss you off too? But here I was having lots of fun just reading how the guys were coming to terms actually liking Yura. I still have a hard time coping with the choice that Yura made. But then again she fell in love with a wrong guy. And it’s really a pity as the story ends on a cliffhanger and I am so pining for her to end up with Haruka. They would make an awesome couple.

The issue that I want to focus attention today is Yura’s mother. You despise the woman right from the beginning. The way she treats her daughter is awful. And I don’t know if you will think of her differently, but I certainly felt pity towards her when her story is told. She was too vain and even though I do not like how she treats Yura, I still understand her some parts she wanted to be the center of everyone’s attention; her husband’s especially. But the was more in love with his daughter then her, but then again it was understandable. He did marry her only because she was pregnant. She never achieved the love of her husband, but taking it out on Yura was a bit too much.

I guess I confused you too much, but hopefully I did intrigue you so you will read the story and understand what I’m talking about. I’ll go read the story and understand what I’m talking about. I’ll go and whail I the hopes of getting some news from the author. I really want to know how it all ends. It’s not fun just imagining. Enjoy it to its fullest and don’t forget to share your thoughts below. Especially tell me whom you are rooting for! Stay tuned for more reviews as well as promos. Don’t miss your next favourite book or manga! Happy reading!

XOXO

Katie

Rating

Waiting on Wednesday #78 Kurt Vonnegut

Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine It’s a chance to showcase upcoming releases we are interested in or drooling over.

Bluebeard, Hocus Pocus, Timequake by Kurt Vonnegut

Library of America #273

19 January 2016

Goodreads

The definitive edition of Kurt Vonnegut’s fiction concludes with three brilliantly satirical novels of the 1980s and ’90s collected in one volume for the first time. Here are the final three novels of the visionary master who defined a generation.Bluebeard (1987) is the colorful history of a phenomenally gifted realist painter who, in the 1950s, betrayed his artistic vision for commercial success. now, at seventy-one, he writes his memoirs and plots his revenge on the worldly forces that conspired to corrupt his talent. In Hocus Pocus (1990), a freewheeling prison memoir by a Vietnam vet and disgraced academic, Vonnegut brings his indelible voice to a range of still-burning issues—free speech, racism, environmental calamity, deindustrialization, and globalization. Timequake (1997), the author’s last completed novel, is part science fiction yarn (starring perennial protagonist Kilgore trout), part diary of the mid-1990s (starring the author himself). the result is a perfect fusion of Vonnegut’s two signature genres, the satirical fantasy and the personal essay, and a literary magician’s fond farewell to his readers and his craft. Rounded out with a selection of short nonfiction pieces intimately related to these three works, this volume presents the final word from the artist who the San Francisco Chronicle, reviewing Timequake, called an “old warrior who will not accept the dehumanizing of politics, the blunting of conscience, and the glibness of the late-twentieth-century Western world.”

What are you waiting for?

Book Review: Aberrant by Ruth Silver (Aberrant #1)

Summary (from Goodreads)

Title: Aberrant 

Author: Ruth Silver

Publication Date: 16 April 2013

Publisher: LazyDay Publishing

Goodreads – Amazon – Barnes & Noble

Summary:

In the future Dystopian society of Cabal, the government instills equality for all and offers its citizens the perfect system. There is food, shelter and jobs for everyone. The one requirement is to follow the rules without question, including the government's match in marriage and "The Day of the Chosen", a lottery that randomly selects families to conceive children as natural means hasn't existed in generations. Following her eighteenth birthday, Olivia Parker accepts her requirement to marry her childhood best friend, Joshua Warren, and is eager to start her work assignment and new life when it all comes abruptly to an end as she's arrested and thrown in prison. The only crime committed, her existence. Olivia is unlike the rest of the world born not from "The Day of the Chosen." The truth haunts the government and puts her life in grave danger as one simple fact would destroy the perfect system. 

With Joshua's help, Olivia breaks free of prison and is forced on the run. Together they set out to find the promised rebel town in search of a new home and new life together. Their situation seems less than promising as they reach the town of Haven. New rules and customs must be adhered to in order to stay. Leaving would mean most certain death in the large expanse of the Gravelands. Time is running out as the government mounts an attack to destroy Olivia and bury her secret with her. Thrown into a world unlike their own, they must quickly adapt to survive.

My Thoughts:

Hello everyone and welcome back to Katie’s Corner!  Today I’m starting to cover a dystopian series by Ruth Silver. To say the truth I got the first book via NetGallet a really long time ago. At that time I was really into the whole dystopian, post-apocalyptic world. I do not know what happened, but I didn’t start it right away, and it was by pure luck that I came across it on my phone and started reading it. How so? I wanted to do something, my ipad was out of charge, I somehow forgot my headphones at home, I was out of Wi-Fi zone and as I have no games in my phone my refuge is the kindle app. And while I was scrolling through the downloaded library there was only Aberrant that I haven’t read. So I just started it. I didn’t remember what it was about, so it was something like a mystery for me.

In the very beginning with the whole arranged marriages it reminded me of a book that I dropped – Matched. I actually need to finish it. The book drew me in and held my interest. Even though I started reading it on my phone, before I switched back to the tablet I have read 1/3 of it. I always enjoy reading about dystopian worlds and the new systems. And I’m always intrigued as to how the characters take it that their system is not the best out there. The idea of a vaccine that made women unable to conceive was intriguing and I was really looking forward to see how Olivia and Josh are going to explore that zone in their relationship. But that’s for the future, I hope we will get at least some glimpses.

Overall, the first book is a fantastic beginning to the series. I was really astonished by how much we saw and how much more there’s left to be seen. I was purely disgusted with Haven’s ideology, or I should say their approach to Olivia’s and Josh’s relationship. The whole: “You can choose everyone except him” made me question their brains. I mean, if it was me, I would have approached it a bit differently, with less force and more outcome. But you need to find out what is happening in the book by yourself.

Another thing that made me question everything is when Olivia and Josh meet chancellor Collins. But if I disclose that too, it won’t be fun to read anymore. So I’ll withheld the juicy parts so grab your copy now and have a fascinating ride with the greatly built characters. Enjoy it to its fullest and don’t forget to share your thoughts below! Stay tuned for more reviews as well as promo. Don’t miss your next favouirte book or manga! Happy reading!

XOXO

Katie

My Rating: