Summary: from Good Reads He loves her blood, but
does he love her?! Despite the constant danger Misao finds herself in,
she's determined to stay by Kyo's side no matter what happens. But a
chance meeting with one of Kyo's best friends shows her just how hard a
human-demon relationship can be. Tadanobu, heir to the Kitsune clan, gave
up everything to be with his human girlfriend. But now he is being
forced to take on the clan leadership and abandon his love--and it's all
Kyo's fault! Feelings:
I enjoyed this volume. Masao finds someone else that can see demons, and she is human. She is also dating Kyo's best friend, who Kyo may have to kill now that he is the head of his clan. Misao doesn't want this to happen as she knows it will hurt Kyo. I mostly enjoy this series because the art is fun and the story is light.
Genre: Science Fiction Series: No Pages: 371 Copyright:2015 Publisher:Alfred A. Knopf Buy: Amazon Summary: from Good Reads In the American Southwest,
Nevada, Arizona, and California skirmish for dwindling shares of the Colorado
River. Into the fray steps Angel Velasquez, detective, leg-breaker, assassin
and spy. A Las Vegas water knife, Angel "cuts" water for his boss, Catherine
Case, ensuring that her lush, luxurious arcology developments can bloom in the
desert, so the rich can stay wet, while the poor get nothing but dust. When
rumors of a game-changing water source surface in drought-ravaged Phoenix,
Angel is sent to investigate. There, he encounters Lucy Monroe, a hardened
journalist with no love for Vegas and every reason to hate Angel, and Maria
Villarosa, a young Texas refugee who survives by her wits and street smarts in
a city that despises everything that she represents. With bodies piling up,
bullets flying, and Phoenix teetering on collapse, it seems like California is
making a power play to monopolize the life-giving flow of a river. For Angel,
Lucy, and Maria time is running out and their only hope for survival rests in
each other’s hands. But when water is more valuable than gold, alliances shift
like sand, and the only thing for certain is that someone will have to bleed if
anyone hopes to drink.
Feelings:
Are you thirsty? Get a glass of water or maybe a gallon or two, and take a
glimpse into a possible future.
This was an amazing book. I think it will probably be the best book I read all
year. I finished reading this in January 2016, so I've got 11 months before I
find another book I love as much. At times, The Water Knife was a
bit scary because the world created was close to the reality of our possible
future. Water is more valuable than gold in the American Southwest and the
large cities are fighting to control the Colorado River. Does this sound
familiar? Maybe just a little bit. Other books I've read by Paolo Bacigalupi
had a similar dystopian environmental catastrophe feel to them. This one felt
like a reality that could easily be created and had less of the fantasy elements
than his previous novels.
I did not have expectations for this book when I picked it out. I was browsing
the library's new books and realized I had just a few minutes before I needed
to be somewhere, so I grabbed the first book that had a science fiction sticker
on the spine. Not really your typical way of picking a book but a success in
this case. I may be implementing this technique again in the future based on
the results this time. That being said, I knew nothing about the book when I
picked it up. When I read the inside flap, I wasn't sure because it sounded a
little like a thriller and I don't normally read them. However, the topic of
water shortages in the future intrigued me enough that I decided to give it a
try. I'm very glad I did.
Reading the first chapter I wasn't sure if I was going to enjoy the book or
not. Angel is not an easy character to connect with. Self-righteous and
dangerous seem like apt descriptions of him. The story switches points of view
between three characters and through Lucy and Maria I was able to engage with
the story at the beginning. By the end of the novel my opinions of the
characters had changed and Angel, while not an Angel, had become a character I
felt much more connected with. Much of the story follows Angel and Lucy. Lucy, a
journalist documenting the fall of Phoenix, has realized she is tired of
hiding what she sees happening in the city and risks her life to report on what
is really happening. They end up together when they realize they may need each
other to survive in the city. I tend to like books with strong characters and
this book had strong characters.
After the first three chapters I did not want to put the book down. While I am
glad I do not live in the world created in this novel, I loved reading about it.
The book included violence (dystopian society that is falling apart) but I did
not feel like it became the story. That being said, while
I absolutely think this book is amazing, I know that for those that
do not want to read about violence this will not be the book for them.
I highly recommend this book. Did I say that I think it will be the
best book I read all year? I think I did. I did not want The Water Knife to
end, and while the ending was satisfying, I would be happy to spend a
little more time with these characters. I know I'm not going to think about a
glass of water as just a glass of water for a while. You should read
it!
Genre: Shoujo Series: Volume 14 Pages: 200 Copyright: 2008 Publisher: VIZ Media LLC Buy:Amazon
Summary: from Good Reads Kyoko Mogami followed
her true love Sho to Tokyo to support him while he made it big as an
idol. But he's casting her out now that he's famous! Kyoko won't suffer
in silence--she's going to get her sweet revenge by beating Sho in show
biz!
Vie Ghoul is the new band burning up the charts by stealing
Sho's moves, and Kyoko's hopping mad on his behalf. Kyoko's
confrontation with Sho about his lack of action doesn't go as well as
she hoped--Sho gets violent, and the front man for Vie Ghoul gets a good
look at Kyoko's demons. And both men seem a little more interested in
Kyoko than Ren would like... Feelings:
Kyoko meets Vie Ghoul a new musical band for the first time. They give her a hard time, and she is frustrated because they seem to be copying Sho.
Things get a bit more interesting in this volume as the love story starts. Sho, who has been absent from the story, is back, and as one would expect that has mixed results.
Summary: from Good Reads A major new novel from
one of science fiction's most powerful voices, AURORA tells the
incredible story of our first voyage beyond the solar system. Brilliantly imagined and beautifully told, it is the work of a writer at the height of his powers. Our voyage from Earth began generations ago.
Now, we approach our new home.
AURORA. Feelings:
The story starts as an interstellar spaceship nears it's destination. Freya has growing up on the ship, and she has never seen a planet or stood on land. Her whole life has been spent on the ship much like those of the past six generations. However, soon they will reach their destination. Aurora is a moon that is much like earth, and the first generation on the ship hoped that their descendants would be able to build a new human settlement on the moon.
As the ship is traveling the last leg of the journey to Aurora we get to know Freya. Devi, Freya's mother, has instructed the ship's AI system to make a narrative account of the journey, and after struggling to do so the ship follows one individual on the ship. Through Freya we see current events on the ship that started it's trip 170 years ago.
I wanted to like this book much more than I ended up liking it. Parts of it were really good, but I found parts a bit slow, and I would get bogged down. I didn't like that aspect of the book. I did like the story. I liked the arc of the story and the growth of characters. However, I did not find the ending to be satisfying in the way I wanted. I don't want to discourage someone from reading the book because overall it was good. I just had some questions about the end and the logistics of it. Not all that big, I came up with a few explanations; however, I would have preferred that one of them be given in the story. I almost felt like it would have been more satisfying to me if the last chapter/section had not been included. I'm not sure but I think I would have been happier.
I think this book is worth a look if you like science fiction. Know that it can be slow at times, and while the ending is satisfying there is one problem that I think should have been addressed but wasn't. That is why I'm not highly recommending this book.
Genre: Shoujo Series: Volume 13 Pages: 208 Copyright: 2008 Publisher: VIZ Media LLC Buy:Amazon
Summary: from Good Reads Kyoko Mogami followed
her true love Sho to Tokyo to support him while he made it big as an
idol. But he's casting her out now that he's famous! Kyoko won't suffer
in silence--she's going to get her sweet revenge by beating Sho in show
biz!
Ren's acting test is about to begin, with his
entire future hanging in the balance, and he's managed to make his
leading lady Itsumi mad at him. Rather than confront him directly,
Itsumi decides to hit him where it hurts. Will she sabotage his test, or
will Ren be able to get it together and use his legendary acting
ability to lead her through the scene? Feelings:
The president of LME gives Ren an acting test to make sure he can portray the emotions of love that are required by the character. Kyoko didn't know about the test and is upset.
Ren is able to pass the test and Kyoko, watching him, realizes that maybe Ren doesn't hate her as much as she originally thought. Kyoko is confused by this and she is worried that like Ren's other costars she has fallen in love with him. After Sho, she is unwilling to let that happen. Although, she is still very kind to Ren.
A volume full of surprises and fun. The mangaka keeps saying how hard it is for her to draw Ren but he is one of my favorite characters. He is surprising where other characters aren't. I'm looking forward to learning his back story.
Narrators: Susan Lyons, Anna Bentink, Steven Crossley, Alex Tregear, Andrew Wincott, and Owen Lindsy Genre: Fiction Series: Me Before You #1 Copyright: 2013 Publisher: Penguin Audio Rating: 4 out of 5 Buy:Amazon
Summary: from Good Reads Lou Clark knows lots of
things. She knows how many footsteps there are between the bus stop and
home. She knows she likes working in The Buttered Bun tea shop and she
knows she might not love her boyfriend Patrick.
What Lou doesn't know is she's about to lose her job or that knowing what's coming is what keeps her sane.
Will
Traynor knows his motorcycle accident took away his desire to live. He
knows everything feels very small and rather joyless now and he knows
exactly how he's going to put a stop to that.
What Will doesn't
know is that Lou is about to burst into his world in a riot of colour.
And neither of them knows they're going to change the other for all
time. Feelings:
A few years ago, I saw this book was one of the books selected for the best fiction on the Good Reads Readers Choice Awards. At the time, I thought it looked interesting and put it on my list of books to read. Now, a few years later, I've listened to it. There were multiple points of view in the novel, and each point of view had its own narrator. I liked this but could see how the different voices could be confusing when you were used to the voice created by another narrator for the same character.
The story was touching, but not to sad. I wanted to listen to this audiobook even when I wasn't in my car. This was not always a good thing, but it tells you how much I enjoyed the story.
Will, a quadrapaligic, needs a caregiver, according to his mother, to help with his moral and Lou takes the job. At first she feels that it is rather pointless for her to be there and then she and Will begin talking.
I was pleasantly surprised by this novel. It wasn't your typical romance but there was romance in a sweet gentle way. I recommend either the audiobook or the novel to those that enjoy fiction set in the present time.
They have recently turned the book into a movie, which I have not seen yet. The trailer makes it look interesting but I'm not sure if it would be as good as the book. If you have seen the movie, let me know what you think. I'm not sure if I should go.
Genre: Shoujo Series: Volume 12 Pages: 200 Copyright: 2006 Publisher: VIZ Media LLC Buy: Amazon Summary: from Good Reads Kyoko's determination to
help Ren continues as she lends a friendly ear--in her chicken suit.
Ren opens up and confides in Chicken Bo, but is Kyoko really ready to
deal with his lovelorn confession? To make matters worse, Ren's been
given an ultimatum by the LME president, and if he can't act right by
the end of the week, he's out on his ear! Feelings:
Ren asks Kyoko to come and practice the scene he is struggling with. She agrees but is startled when Ren wants to improv. Through and accident where he protects Kyoko from falling he figures out how he can play his character.
This volume brings with Ren realizing something that has been a long time in coming. It will be interesting to see if he carries through or not. Also, it will be interesting to see how Kyoko reacts.
Genre: Fantasy Series: The Fitz and the Fool Trilogy # 1 Pages: 688 Copyright: 2014 Publisher: Del Rey Buy: Amazon
Summary: from Good Reads Tom Badgerlock has been
living peaceably in the manor house at Withywoods with his beloved wife
Molly these many years, the estate a reward to his family for loyal
service to the crown.
But behind the facade of respectable
middle-age lies a turbulent and violent past. For Tom Badgerlock is
actually FitzChivalry Farseer, bastard scion of the Farseer line,
convicted user of Beast-magic, and assassin. A man who has risked much
for his king and lost more…
On a shelf in his den sits a triptych
carved in memory stone of a man, a wolf and a fool. Once, these three
were inseparable friends: Fitz, Nighteyes and the Fool. But one is long
dead, and one long-missing.
Then one Winterfest night a messenger
arrives to seek out Fitz, but mysteriously disappears, leaving nothing
but a blood-trail. What was the message? Who was the sender? And what
has happened to the messenger?
Suddenly Fitz's violent old life erupts into the peace of his new world, and nothing and no one is safe. Feelings:
FitzChivalry farseer lives as Tom Badgerlock with his wife Molly. He is happy to be free of the politics of court. However, when a messenger disappears at his house at a Winter's Eve party and his wife faints, he sees the first glimpse of what is to come years in the future.
I really enjoyed the novel. Robin Hobb has, again, created characters and a world that is believable and fun to explore. I realized after reading this book that maybe I should have started with the Assassin's Apprentice, but I was able to follow and enjoy the story without having read previous novels from the same world.
Fitz was an assassin in a past life, but now he is doing his best to be a loving husband. He watches his wife Molly grow old as he stays young and she becomes disillusioned, believing that she is pregnant. When Bee is born, a very small girl after two years of Molly saying she is pregnant, I felt it was believable. I think the reason this was not hard to digest was the fact that Fitz, the narrator, is very sorry that he didn't believe his wife before.
This is fantasy at its best, and I enjoyed it immensely. I recommend this book to those that enjoy fantasy. I am looking forward to the next in the series. I also think I'll go back and check out the beginnings or the world.
Genre: Shoujo Series: Volume 11 Pages: 200 Copyright: 2008 Publisher: VIZ Media LLC Buy: Amazon Summary: from Good Reads There's trouble on the Tsukimori set,
and surprisingly it's not Kyoko's fault. Ren is having difficulty
acting the part of a love-struck suitor since he's never really been in
love before. Stressed by his sudden acting impotence, Ren goes MIA.
Kyoko is determined to help her friend, and joins forces with Ren's
manager. But as Ren sees the two of them getting close, he realizes he
might know more about serious emotion than he thought! Feelings:
Kyoko has figured out how she is going to play her character in the drama. Ren who hasn't had a single retake suddenly isn't able to play his role. The president of LME predicted this would happen.
I like how Kyoko finds a way to help Ren through Bo, her role as a chicken.
