Tuesday, February 20, 2024

DNF Review: I Was the Heroine, and in the Sequel, Even Though I’m a Mob, All of My Stats Are Maxed Out & Salted Fish Plant Department, But Lord of Another World [Infrastructure]

Title: I Was the Heroine, and in the Sequel, Even Though I’m a Mob, All of My Stats Are Maxed Out
Author: 琴子 & 藤丸 豆ノ介
Chapters: 81 chapters 
Publication: 2022
Summary from Novel Updates:

Summoned as a saintess heroine to the world of an Otome game, Nina saved the world with her capture targets and returned to her original world with a grand ending to her friendship.

Two years later, Nina came to the sequel world.

“All the stats are at MAX? Eh, what is this color… How scary.”

This time, she was supposed to be a mob with no role, but somehow, she had inherited her previous saintess stats. The hearts, which represented the level of favorability, were all full, but for some reason, in the case of the prince, they were completely black.

At any rate, there seemed to be a different heroine this time around, and the script might go wrong if I were to be there.

With this in mind, Nina changed her appearance and decided to use her cheat-level magic to live a leisurely, slow life in the countryside.

However, the previous capture targets who inadvertently met again chased after Nina, ignoring the sequel heroine. Rather, even the heroine became attached to Nina.

“Hey, why did you betray me?”

“I won’t let you go again.”

Above all, Prince Alvin’s appearance was strange.

Far from a leisurely slow life, Nina found herself caught up in the game world and the bug that took her life last time.

MY REVIEW: 

I made it to chapter 35 before deciding to quit reading it. The book was just kind of boring. Everything from Nina's POV is so naive and lackadaisical. Because she's already OP from the get go, there's no tension or rush to do anything. Even making money was super simple for her. Her obliviousness of the opposite sex was interesting at first but annoying after a while, even with her love interest's blatant feelings.  


Title: Salted Fish Plant Department, But Lord of Another World [Infrastructure]
Author: 时空篱
Chapters: 150 chapters + 14 extras
Publication: 2022
Summary from jjwxc

Zhuang Jiu died on the eve of victory.

When she opened her eyes again, she was back before the end of the world, and there was an extra book in her mind. Only then did she realize that she was just an important tool in the book, and she was mainly responsible for giving her credit to the hero and heroine.

Zhuang Jiu: ...What kind of unparalleled scapegoat is she!

After a new life, she got tired of fighting and killing, so she ran into the mountains with the supplies she had stocked up, deciding to stay there in peace and contentment until the end of the apocalypse.

As a result, the apocalypse began, and Zhuangjiu, who was quietly waiting for the appearance of violent powers in her previous life, and then used it as a safety wall to isolate zombies, discovered that she had acquired plant-based powers.

Silently looking at a group of strangely growing and squeaking plants that appeared in the ground, Zhuangjiu thought hesitantly: This... can also be used as a safety wall, right?

—In the year 5X23, the apocalypse has come. Half the planet fell in an instant, and zombies are rampant everywhere.

All animals and plants have evolved, and humans have developed special powers, but they are still unable to resist the invasion of zombies. As a last resort, humans have established major safety zones in an attempt to unite and jointly resist the zombies.

However, there are still intrigues in the safe zone, food, water, and supplies are constantly being consumed, and the territory is gradually being eroded by zombies. Everyone lives in endless panic.

Just when everyone was in panic, a giant base was suddenly discovered deep in a certain mountain range. All the people living there were people who had been expelled. However, it was technologically advanced and rich in materials, comparable to the alliance before the end of the world. developed.

No, it's even more powerful than the Alliance.

All the security zone leaders who were trying to covet the base, after several threats and force deterrence still failed, and suffered a lot of blows, finally understood the fact that it was impossible for them to occupy Zhuangjiu's base!

What to do?

The people in charge looked at each other.

Hurry up and surrender, become the lord's subordinate safe zone, and maybe even be able to hold him in your arms and enjoy the food and drink!

—In the fifth year of the end of the world, half of the safe zone has become a subsidiary safe zone for the winery.

The winery suddenly had a lot more workload, and the pressure doubled instantly. After working for two days in a row, she finally couldn't stand it any more. She broke into the heavily secured laboratory of the base, grabbed the man's collar and roared: "Hurry up! When will the antidote be developed? I can't hold it anymore!"

Gan Jinxing Pointing to the supercomputer next to him: "Then you have to ask it. When will it finish running and when will mankind be saved?"

MY REVIEW: 

Normally, I don't mind an OP lead if everything else is good. However, this book was pretty boring after the initial hoarding spree. Once sbe gained her powers and started working on her base, she was already too OP that there was no tension or excitement about this phase that I quickly grew disinterested in her development. 

Then, the random mystery suddenly introduced made everything seem too contrived to give Zhuang Jiu the perfect ending later, so I was even more turned off and decided to quit after reading 38 chapters.

Thursday, February 15, 2024

Books I Want to Read This Month

Not sure how much time I'll have to read this month in between being busy with work and moving (I haven't even packed all of my books yet!), but we shall see!

  1. Solo Leveling vol. 1 by Dubu & Chugong
  2. Solo Leveling vol. 2 by Dubu & Chugong
  3. Solo Leveling vol. 3 by Dubu & Chugong
  4. Solo Leveling vol. 4 by Dubu & Chugong
  5. Wotakoi Love Is Hard for Otaku vol. 1 by Fujita
  6. Wotakoi Love Is Hard for Otaku vol. 2 by Fujita
  7. Graceling the Graphic Novel by Kristin Cashore & Gareth Hinds
  8. All of Us Villains by Amanda Foody & Christine Lynn Herman
  9. The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang
  10. Scum Villain's Self-Saving System vol. 1 Mo Xiang Tong Xiu
  11. Scum Villain's Self-Saving System vol. 2 Mo Xiang Tong Xiu
  12. Bailin and Li Yun by Jayessart
  13. Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? Familia Chronicle Novel vol. 1 by Fujino Omori
  14. I Name Him Me by Ma Yan, translated by Stephen Nashef
  15. Home Body by Rupi Kaur

Monday, February 12, 2024

January in Retrospect

Sorry I've been MIA for the past few weeks. Alec and I started house hunting again last month, looked at houses for one weekend, put in two offers, and got accepted for our second pick house. Since then, we've been busy getting everything in order, planning, packing, setting up utilities and everything just to close last Thursday. 

The upcoming weeks are also super busy with the movers coming this Thursday and Friday for Alec's stuff while we need to figure out when to move my stuff as well. Then, unpacking and reorganizing and cleaning again

Posts will most likely be sporadic until things settle down! We'll see how much time I have for reading or watching anything and compare it to January. Look how well I did last month!

I read: 

  • The Supporting Male Character Just Wants to Be a Tool Man by 林盎司
  • The Meaning of You Season 1 by Tilda Kim, Yeyoung, & Lee Sorock
  • The Meaning of You Season 2 by Tilda Kim, Yeyoung, & Lee Sorock
  • After I Flopped on My Crush by 松子茶
  • My Boyfriend Discovered My Zhihu Response by 杳杳一言
  • After Transmigrating Into a Villain Cannon Fodder Male Zerg by 牧粮人
  • I Can Still Salvage It by 松子茶
  • After Marrying the Evil God by 浮白曲
  • BL Fans LOVE My Brother?! by Mimu Oyamada
  • How to Feed a Little Jiaojiao in the Last Days by 君水益
  • Showing Affection with the Villain in the Abuse by Grapefruit 99


I watched: 

  • Strong Girl Nam-Soon (2023)
  • The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023)
  • I'm in Love with the Villainess (2023)