Monday, January 30, 2023

Webnovel Review: The Throne of Thorns of the Doomsday Women by 花貂九

Title: The Throne of Thorns of the Doomsday Women
Author: 花貂九
Chapters: 110 chapters 
Publication: 2014
Summary from jjwxc:

Team battle drama Shuangwen~~ Feminist text, 1V1, absolute mutual loyalty and trust.


The apocalypse is coming, viruses are rampant, and zombies are rampant.

The social order collapsed and morality fell. The weak have become vassals of the strong, and the status of women has regressed overnight.

However, as long as they are not afraid of pain and blood, as long as they awaken their own will, women will sit on their thrones.


Many CPs ~ petite, outer and inner, violent heroine x loyal, forbearing, fighting maniac. If you don't open your mouth, the goddess opens up. The woman is crazy x ruthless and domineering.

4 STARS - I REALLY LIKED IT

MY REVIEW: 

This book highly focuses on feminism and trying to create an equal world for women in an apocalypse. While there is an overarching plot of trying to end the apocalypse, the main focus is on the many different ways women's rights have disappeared since the apocalypse started and how centuries of teaching women to be soft and forbear has made their situation even worse after the apocalypse broke out.

I really liked the logic and science used to explain abilities and how they can evolve. I think this book had the most diverse and multifaceted abilities used compared to all of the other apocalypse books I've read. Instead of focusing on just water, fire, metal, lightning, and mental powers, the book focuses more on special abilities and dives more into spiritual/mental powers. 

There's also a lot of great characters! I appreciate that this wasn't another rebirth novel where the protagonist comes back with revenge in mind. Homegirl just loves being in control, so she would never bow down to men's rule where women would basically become second class citizens, so she eventually saves a bunch of women and starts her own base. 

I liked the male lead because he immediately knows his strength is to be the fighter and not the leader, so there was no power plays over leadership or infighting. Even when people tried to instigate, it didn't phase him lol.

Mu Lin's best friend is also hilarious. I love her duality. She's the school goddess and usually acts like it. However, once you get to know her, she reveals her crazy thought processes. In actuality, she's super smart but too lazy to think. 

I also loved how all of the women supported each other. There's no jealousy or sense of inferiority. Even though different characters have their own ambitions, when faced with the decision between who would be better to lead the group through these difficulties, they always put the group first before their personal gains. 

Highly recommend this book if you're in the mood for a zombie apocalypse novel that isn't about rebirth or revenge and more about pulling women up in the face of thousands of years of conditioning. 

Tuesday, January 24, 2023

Weekly Haul 155

Went to 2nd & Charles the other weekend and bought some manga!

Spy x Family vol. 6, 8 by Tatsuya Endo

Thursday, January 19, 2023

New Anime and Movies This Winter That I'm Excited For!

There's a lot of anime coming out this winter that I'm looking forward to watching! I'm so excited for the second season of BOFURI! It's been ages since I watched the first season! I read Tomo-chan is a Girl! last year (I think) and really enjoyed it, so I'm excited to watch how it pans out in anime lol.

There's not so many movies I'm excited to watch though. But that's fine since I haven't really been in the movie mood anyway lol.

Anime:

  • BOFURI: I Don't Want to Get Hurt, so I'll Max Out My Defense. Season 2
  • Tomo-chan Is a Girl!
  • Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? IV Part 2
  • The Ice Guy and His Cool Female Colleague
  • Farming Life in Another World
  • Onimai: I'm Now Your Sister!
  • Endo and Kobayashi Live! The Latest on Tsundere Villainess Lieselotte
  • Ningen Fushin: Adventurers Who Don't Believe in Humanity Will Save the World
  • Chillin' in My 30s after Getting Fired from the Demon King's Army
  • Sugar Apple Fairy Tale


Movies:

  • Alice, Darling (Jan 20)
  • Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey (Feb 15)
  • Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (Feb 17)
  • A Good Person (Mar 24)

Monday, January 16, 2023

2023 Reading Challenges

I joined a few reading challenges last year and forgot about them after a few months lol. However, it was nice going back in December and filling everything in and seeing my progress throughout the year, so I'm doing it again! :D

Beat the Backlist Reading Challenge

Do you have books on your to-read list that already released? Do you struggle to get to those backlist books with all the new releases each year? Do you enjoy relaxed reading challenges you can do at your own pace? Then it’s time to beat your backlist!

Started in 2017, the Beat the Backlist Reading Challenge is designed to help you tackle all the books you keep meaning to read and still haven’t with flexible enough guidelines to work for all kinds of readers.

THE RULES ARE SIMPLE:

  1. The book must be published in the previous year or earlier (for the 2023 challenge, anything published in 2022 or earlier counts).
  2. You have to start and finish the book in 2023.
  3. And that’s it!

The challenge runs from January 1, 2023 to December 31, 2023

Any format, any genre. Re-reads count, you don’t have to own the book, and you can join at any time. Whether BTB is your primary reading challenge, or one you’re pairing with others, it’s suited for readers of all kinds and designed to impose as few restrictions on your reading as possible.



2023 Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge

This challenge will run from January 1st, 2023 until December 31st, 2023.

You can join anytime. You do not have to post a review of the book. Books can come from any genre

Children’s Books and Novellas are acceptable but they need to be over 50 Pages. 

Crossovers to other challenges are allowed and encouraged!

It’s an alphabet challenge!!! The challenge is to read one book that has a title starting with every letter of the alphabet.

You can drop the A’s and The’s from the book titles as shown below:

The First Main Word Needs To Be The Letter You Are Counting 

Except for that pesky Q, X, AND Z titles then the word that starts with the challenge letter can be anywhere in the title.

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

Q

R

S

T

U

V

W

X

Y

Z

Friday, January 13, 2023

Mini Reviews: Show Off Your Wealth on a Live Show and Become Popular, I Am the Mother of a Prodigy, My Weibo Hot Search for the Future

Title: Show Off Your Wealth on a Live Show and Become Popular
Author: There is a River Without Thirst 
Chapters: 71 chapters 
Publication: N/A
Summary from Wattpad:

Li Huan wore a book and became the control group of the heroine's cousin in the live show. The heroine stepped on her to set up a rich and powerful person to become popular on the Internet, robbed her husband, married into a wealthy family and raised children. The woman lived a happy life, but she lived as a black and white photo on the wall. 

When Li Huan came, it happened to be the first episode of the show. The system said: "One year countdown to life. Friendly reminder: You can only survive by spending money." 

The spoon dug a little and applied it to the face. On the other side of the shot, with the same face cream, Li Huan pulled out a lump with her index finger and carelessly-wiped her feet. 

In the jewelry store, the hostess is trying on a diamond bracelet: "This chain is only 500,000 yuan, I want it." Li Huan, who is opposite, bought four gold bricks: "Buy it home and put it on the table." 

Netizens thought there was an outbreak It's just like showing off your wealth, but~ After the show aired for a period of time, he contributed money and efforts to help desperate girls treat their sick mothers, photographed the emperor's jade seal and presented it to the National Museum, found teachers for the children who dropped out of school, built classrooms and dormitories, A huge reward is offered to find evidence of the scumbag killing his wife... 

Because of the alternative money, Li Huan seems to be living in the hot search, and it is completely popular! The audience shouted on the Internet: Huanhuan is the only person who shows off his wealth so much that I am convinced! Give your knees! 

Later, when the guests discussed their love life, the original heroine pointed to the three-generation male protagonist of the Gu family, and shyly announced to everyone: "This is my boyfriend." Someone turned and asked Li Huan, "I heard that many people like you, You should also have a boyfriend, right?" 

3.5 STARS - I LIKED IT

MY REVIEW: 

I stayed up until 5am last night and only got 2.5 hours of sleep before going to work. That just shows how addicting this was. 

I loved Li Huan's faceslaps and revenge against the original heroine, but I also loved how she handled everything else in between. Li Huan's not a love-brained protagonist -- she's actually pretty dense in that area. Instead, she tried to do everything that she couldn't do in her last life now that she had the money and power to help others. A very cool protagonist, and the romance and the backstory was interesting!


Title: I Am the Mother of a Prodigy
Author:  锦橙 
Chapters: 112chapters + 3 extras
Publication: 2020
Summary from jjwxc:

An Xiang is the most useless pureblood. She is slow-thinking and dumb, and vampires call her a fool behind their backs.

One day, the fool was poisoned and woke up and changed places. The system told her that she was the mother of the male protagonist in the novel "The Son of God". She was going to take the ball away after a one-night stand and raise the future male protagonist. By the age of five, completing the task will awaken the highest abilities of the purebloods.

So An Xiang entered the wrong room overnight and successfully dribbled the ball.

She was diligent and conscientious, and she managed to raise her children to grow up, but the system said: [I'm sorry, the host, you have made the wrong person. mission failed. Good luck, I'm leaving. ]

An Xiang: "...?"

**

An Zimo spoke five languages ​​at the age of three, went straight to junior high school at the age of six, graduated from college at the age of thirteen, and died at the age of fourteen. Take revenge on this despicable woman.

But one day, he inexplicably acquired the ability to read minds.

When he knocked over the food she made on purpose—

[Son must blame my food for not being delicious. ]

When he fills the walls with crayons -

[My son will be a master of abstraction in the future! ] ]

"...Huh?" Don't be a fool!

Until evening came, An Zimo heard a faint voice from the side——

[Son is so fragrant, I really want to eat. ]

Suck slip.

The sound of saliva.

An Zimo: "!!!!" I just thought you were a ruthless and bad woman, but now you actually want to eat your son! !

It was only later that An Zimo found out that he gave birth to the wrong child and admitted the wrong mother...

**

#One mistaken person, another child gave birth to the wrong child#

#Genius son pretty mommy, my father has no sense of existence.# 

#Mother abuse is cool for a while, chasing mom Crematorium#

4 STARS - I REALLY LIKED IT

MY REVIEW: 

It was kind of hard to read the first half of the book just because how painful it was to read about two broken, abused people trying to live together. One committed suicide to escape his abusing mom and one was poisoned by her family after growing up abused and tortured by them. One doesn't believe in his mom anymore and one doesn't have any reason to live anymore other than to raise her cute son after the system lied to her and abandoned her. 

It was pretty hard to read sometimes just because of how hurt and sad you feel for them. There is a turning point eventually, but I'll warn you now: It's still pretty sad. The bright side is that this book has a happy ending lol. The extras were also cute. 


Title: My Weibo Hot Search for the Future
Author: 猫安叶
Chapters: 74 chapters + 6 extras
Publication: 2021
Summary from jjwxc:

Pei Yan wears to become the richest man The daughter, who has been in the entertainment industry for half a year, has been in constant negative news, and the netizens ridiculed her for getting her out of the entertainment industry.

At this time, she was participating in a love variety show in the ancient town, and suddenly found that she could swipe future Weibo hot searches.

"The stock market of Su's Pharmaceuticals has skyrocketed!" "The younger brother of the capital's upstart Mr. Shen has gone missing, and he has been seeking clues with a lot of money!" "Variety show retreats!" 

Pei Yan: Alright, I'll get out of here. That night, Pei Yan neatly packed her suitcase, got on the private jet of the richest man in front of everyone, and walked away. Netizen: Pei Yan is acting weird! A day later, the entire program team posted a blog to thank Pei Yan for his high safety awareness, which was hotly discussed on the Internet. Pei Yan relied on Weibo to predict the future and became rich. 

A year later, the painting style of Pei Yan's Weibo has changed, and celebrities and celebrities from all walks of life have followed and commented: "Yanbao, which team will win the World Cup final tomorrow?" "Yanbao, what is the next wave of financial turmoil?" "Yanbao, please ask if my new fan's idol will roll over?" 

Netizens exclaimed: Really fragrant! Love love love! 

Pei Yan has always known that he has a fiancé of the upstart in Beijing, but he has no sense of existence. One day, Pei Yan accidentally swiped a hot search on Weibo in the future. A handsome man in a suit and leather shoes hugged the woman in his arms softly and his eyes were tender and doting. Most of the man Zhang Junyan revealed that it was her fiancé. 

Pei Yan: Break off the engagement!

Two days later, Pei Yan was hugged by Shen Hanchuan and kept kissing her slender waist, threatening in a low voice, "Marry or not?"

Pei Yan: "..."

Oh, it turns out that the hot search is her.

4 STARS - I REALLY LIKED IT

MY REVIEW: 

This was so funny! I love straightforward and playful protagonists like Pei Yan! No one takes her seriously in the beginning because her playfulness gets mistaken for arrogance (and she does act arrogant at times lol), but then she keeps proving them wrong, which was fun to read. 

I also love how blunt she is about how much she loves to make money that even her fiance knew how to keep her happy lol. 

The fiance was pretty funny, too. As a standard male lead, I didn't expect him to go along with her demands so easily, but he does, and he learns his lessons quickly so that she won't complain about him afterwards lol. 

It was cute watching them slowly get along with each other, and his daily check-ins were hilarious lol.

Tuesday, January 10, 2023

Weekly Haul 154

Here are all of the books I received for Christmas!


Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: The Illustrated Edition by J.K. Rowling & Mr. Jim Kay
The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
Mikoto and the Reaver Village by Forthright
Fumiko and the Finicky Nestmate by Forthright

Saturday, January 7, 2023

Books I Want to Read This Month

I managed to read two books off of this list last month! Let's start off this year strong by reading at least two more books this month!

  1. Lore by Alexandra Bracken
  2. All of Us Villains by Amanda Foody & Christine Lynn Herman
  3. Nimona by Noelle Stevenson
  4. Graceling the Graphic Novel by Kristin Cashore & Gareth Hinds
  5. Scum Villain's Self-Saving System vol. 1 Mo Xiang Tong Xiu
  6. Scum Villain's Self-Saving System vol. 2 Mo Xiang Tong Xiu
  7. The Reaper and the Waiting by Jayessart
  8. Bailin and Li Yun by Jayessart
  9. Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? Familia Chronicle Novel vol. 1 by Fujino Omori
  10. Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? Familia Chronicle Novel vol. 2 by Fujino Omori 
  11. Graceling the Graphic Novel by Kristin Cashore & Gareth Hinds
  12. Women Writers: Collected Works and Poems 
  13. The Anatomy of Being by Shinji Moon
  14. Home Body by Rupi Kaur
  15. The Sun Will Rise & So Will We by Jennae Cecelia

Wednesday, January 4, 2023

December in Retrospect

I've read a lot of books this month trying to complete my Goodreads Reading Challenge. Too bad it doesn't have a lot of the MTL webnovels I've read, or else I would have easily completed this challenge halfway through the year lol.

I read: 

  • Online Dating Girlfriend Turn Into Brother! by 折杉
  • Cannon Fodder is Always Lucky E by 陌陌不语茶
  • Hatsukoi Maze vol. 1 by Yuzuki Komugi
  • Hatsukoi Maze vol. 2 by Yuzuki Komugi
  • Hatsukoi Maze vol. 3 by Yuzuki Komugi
  • Hatsukoi Maze vol. 4 by Yuzuki Komugi
  • Hatsukoi Maze vol. 5 by Yuzuki Komugi
  • Everyone Knows I’m a Good Person by 糖尾帅
  • Post-Apocalyptic Vegetable Garden Sub-Game by 西大秦
  • After the White Moonlight Came Back, the Stand-in Fell Into Unemployment Crisis by 项绿瓜
  • Another World Sunshine Farm by 西大秦
  • After I Possessed the Tmall Genie of the School Adonis by 林盎司
  • My Groom Ran Away by 喝口雪碧


I watched: 

  • Arifureta: From Commonplace to World's Strongest Season 2 (2022)
  • Romantic Killer (2022)
  • I'm the Villainess, So I'm Taming the Final Boss (2022)
  • Me Time (2022)
  • Chainsaw Man (2022)

Tuesday, January 3, 2023

HAPPY 14TH ANNIVERSARY!

Can't believe it's been 14 years since I started this blog. I definitely went through a lot of phases these past years lol. Here's to more years together and a happy new year! :D