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Thursday, July 27, 2023

Webtoon Review: The Golden-Haired Summoner Season 1-3 by Glby & domac

Title: The Golden-Haired Summoner Season 1-3
Author: Glby & domac
Chapters: 108 chapters
Publication: 2019
Summary from Mangaupdates:

Following the trauma of a studying-induced death, Jinny is reborn into a fantastical realm filled with magic, orcs, and talking spirits. As Geenie Crowell, the daughter of a noble and a bona fide genius, everyone has big plans for her, including her new parents, teachers, and even the king! Not too keen on all these high expectations that might end badly for her again, Geenie thinks up the perfect way out from slaving over a hot magic wand: if she becomes a summoner, she'll be able to summon a spirit and have them do all the work! But Geenie will soon learn that there’s more to it all than just adorable spirit companions and collecting mana. Being a summoner comes with great responsibility–and dangerous consequences as well. Based on the hit novel.

4 STARS - I REALLY LIKED IT

MY REVIEW: 

I loved how Geenie was so unapologetically herself. She knows she's selfish, conniving, greedy, and a total facecon lol. She also has no empathy, which causes hilarious situations all of the time! If she's not your cup of tea... idk, stop reading instead of complaining?

There's not much romance either, so don't go into this with high hopes for that either. It's a super slow burn if any because Geenie isn't interested in getting into relationships or being tied down by marriage. This is her second chance to live; she's going to do whatever she wants!

I actually wonder if she's aromantic because she totally gives off that vibe even knowing that people like her. Instead, all of her love and affection (and sass) is given to her spirits lol. I especially love her bickering relationship with Rai and her endless love for the cute Undine!

It's a shame that the webtoon artist has dropped the series after the third season. Turns out they decided to end the series because the webnovel was now over 600 chapters long. I heard from some commenters that a new artist is taking over the series, but am not sure when that will start being released. The art was great, but I'll be glad to not see the occasional yaoi hands anymore lol.

Monday, July 24, 2023

JUNE: A Quiet Month

June was unexpectedly uneventful. The month flew by quietly as we spent our days doing our usual daily routines, so I feel like there’s not much to talk about this month.

If anything, there was a burst of houses on sale because of summer vacation, so Alec and I spent our weekends looking at homes. We put in an offer on one home, but they chose someone else. Apparently, they had around 10 offers! 

The housing business is ridiculous right now! Now that it’s near the end of July, the house listings have also slowed down, so I’m not sure if/when we’re ever going to find a home lol.

But yeah, the usual stuff happened this month. We went to the farmer’s market in town and realized that I’m a regular at this one stall because I always buy their sea salt chocolate chip cookies lol. Luna was super cute as always, even when she’s cranky because her teeth are coming in. The parents and Brian came to visit and left a lot of food as usual. Alec came up to visit to save time while house hunting. I spent a weekend at Alec’s place.

Mom and dad were hanging out with friends in Florida, so we spent Father’s Day chilling at home because that’s what Kyle wanted. We even put Luna in her Spider Gwen outfit for Kyle and then changed her into Brian’s tiger outfit for a video call with dad lol.

But yeah, even though not much happened this month, my phone gallery is full of pics of the moon lol.

Wednesday, July 19, 2023

Mini Reviews: Be the Heroine in a Wealthy Pet Article, All the Stars Look Forward to My Ascension [Interstellar], After a Flash Marriage With the Disabled Tyrant

Title: Be the Heroine in a Wealthy Pet Article
Author: 林绵绵
Chapters: 90chapters + 6 extras
Publication: 2019
Summary from jjwxc:

Jiang Moli has a little secret, as long as she gets other people's favor points, she will become more and more beautiful.

For the beauty of the prosperous age, she conscientiously seeks the favor of people from all walks of life from the rich and powerful, from noble wives and daughters to servants and aunts at home, all of which are her goals.

In the end, the little sister who was holding the script of rebirth revenge abused scumbags regarded her as her only best friend, and after the poor little rich man became a ruthless boss that the outside world feared, he proposed to her.

3 STARS - I LIKED IT

MY REVIEW: 

I completely MTL'ed this book, and it was pretty confusing in the beginning. That definitely didn't help when you're trying to understand the characters as they're being introduced lol. 

The relationship was nice and funny as they reunited, but I think I would have enjoyed this a lot more if it was properly translated.


Title: All the Stars Look Forward to My Ascension [Interstellar]
Author: 装盘烤鱼
Chapters: 103 chapters + 5 extras
Publication: 2021
Summary from jjwxc:

As an interstellar female major general, Ren Tingxiao, a peerless straight daughter, died protecting the empire. When she opened her eyes, she found that she had become a coquettish bitch/good female supporting role in an interstellar novel. The female supporting role continued to fight to the death, competing for the favor of the emperor and the heroine, and was finally killed by the heroine. When the war broke out again, she became an abandoned child, was taken away by the enemy and died of humiliation. 

Ren Tingxiao: The old man on the subway looks at his face on his phone. 

She originally wanted to make a quick decision, finish what should be solved, and continue to do her own thing after finishing the plot. But she found out, why does this emperor, who is called iron-blooded and unintentional in the original text, look so much like Ling Zhuo, who was once the most beautiful man in the universe and also her best friend Ling Zhuo? 

She quickly flipped through the original text, and found that the hero Ling Zhuo had Bai Yueguang, who died young ten years ago, and he never forgot it. This Bai Yueguang's name is Ren Tingxiao. 

Ren Tingxiao: ... Good brother, you are so loyal. 

According to the plot, Ren Tingxiao met her brother and best friend. In this scene, she was supposed to be a stalker and must become the only concubine in Ling Zhuo's empty harem. 

Ling Zhuo looked at her, a violent wave of memories arose in the depths of his pupils. "She's my empress." 

Ren Tingxiao: ... 

You've made a brother out of nowhere! 

The war broke out, and Ren Tingxiao returned to the battlefield. The moment she held the joystick, she ruled the world like an emperor. This is her brother's country, how can you wait for her to be presumptuous! 

Later, when she stood on the top of the interstellar world, all the four corners of the universe surrendered. When all races mention that powerful country in the distant Milky Way, the first thing that comes to mind is that bold figure. She is not restricted by her identity, not trapped by race, but is crazily revered by all living beings, making the evil species of the universe kneel down. 

Ling Zhuo, who was already her husband, held the crown, walked past all the soldiers and civilians, and knelt devoutly on one knee in front of Ren Tingxiao. "I have paved the way for you ten years ago, and now I can finally give it back to you." Behind him, thousands of subjects saluted together, looking at her with eager admiration, expecting her to take over the crown. 

Ren Tingxiao: ...help. 

The heroine is the strongest, super strong, and invincible! Has heartthrob tendencies. Everything serves the heroine Qiang He Shuang.

4 STARS - I REALLY LIKED IT

MY REVIEW: 

There was a lot of faceslapping in the beginning, which I liked. I also liked the flipped gender roles. Ren Tingxiao was a self-assured charismatic leader while Ling Zhuo was her hopelessly smitten (and suffering) support throughout their time together.


Title: After a Flash Marriage With the Disabled Tyrant
Author: 惗肆
Chapters: 94 chapters + 17 extras
Publication: 2021
Summary from Novel Updates:

Shi Yunnan was sent out of the country by his parents since he was young, and lived like an unloved child, but he still played around wantonly and relied on his appearance to make trouble~

As a result, he was deceived by his elders into returning home and was informed that he was about to marry the young master of the Luo family.

“What kind of feudalistic ideology is this? It’s outrageous!”

Shi Yunnan packed his luggage that night, planning to escape the next day, but when he fell asleep, he dreamed of a terrible scenario——

He dreamed that his life was just a supporting character in a book. Because he didn’t get along with the protagonist who transmigrated into the book, he eventually ended up in a situation of being forsaken by everyone.

All tragedies began with this willful escape from marriage.

After waking up, Shi Yunnan hadn’t had the time to let everything sink in when he was blocked at the door of his own house——

“Second young master Shi thinks that our Luo family is not worthy of you?”

The man in front of him had a heavenly face, his temperament was abstinent and outstanding. His whole body was wrapped in luxurious outfits. Even those long legs, which relied on wheelchairs, wildly shook second young master Shi’s aesthetic point.

Sigh, I’m a good boy who listens to his parents and matchmakers!

Shi Yunnan pretended to be reserved for three seconds, then nodded like a chicken pecking on rice, “Worthy, of course, you’re worthy! Is the wedding banquet ready? Husband~”

The man stared at his smiling face and answered subtly, “Let’s do it this evening.”

3.5 STARS - I LIKED IT

MY REVIEW: 

I really liked Shi Yunnan's wholesome relationship with his brother and his found family. Instead of the usual being competitive and jealous of your sibling, especially in wealthy families, you have brothers who support and care for each other. Little Goldfish was super cute and lovable, too!

Shi Yunnan's playfulness and Luo Lingsheng's endless doting was also pretty fun. The misunderstandings between them weren't too unrealistic and just to get the plot going.

There's a lot of faceslapping, which was great, but it did get tiring since it happened so often. Like, Shi Yunnan would run into a fight almost anytime he went out somewhere, which seemed overdone and unnecessary. 

Friday, July 14, 2023

Weekly Haul 161

There was a SEVEN SEAS sale at RightStuf the other week, so I caught up on my danmei series! One even came with a cute little notebook!

Heaven Official's Blessing Novel vol. 6 

Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation Manhua vol. 1-2

Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation Special Edition Novel vol. 5


Tuesday, July 11, 2023

Mini Reviews: The Villainess Won’t Let the Main Leads Break Up!; Pro-Mom Fan Transmigrates into Villainess; The Landlady and The Amnesiac

Title: The Villainess Won’t Let the Main Leads Break Up!
Author: 漆瞳
Chapters: 78 chapters + 3 extras
Publication: 2020
Summary from Novel Updates:

Shen Wanqing has transmigrated into a xuanhuan-angst novel! In the novel, the male and female lead’s love story is full of misunderstandings, leading to heartbreak and hurt. In the end, one is dead, and one is wounded.

Shen Wanqing looks at the evil villainess she has transmigrated into, “I understand, my mission must be to break apart the male and female lead, and then win the male lead’s heart, right?”

The system: “No, your mission is to turn this novel into a cute love story.”

Shen Wanqing, “…”

Thus, the evil villainess Shen Wanqing starts working hard for the love of the main leads. But….

‘Alert! The male lead forgot that the female lead doesn’t eat spicy food, he put pepper into the fried pork dish again!’

‘Alert! The villain who has an unrequited love for the female lead has appeared next to her again!’

‘Alert! The cannon fodder side female character has drugged the male lead!’

And just like this, in order to prevent the protagonists from breaking up, Shen Wanqing carefully worked hard on the frontlines. Until one day, the villain who had an unrequited love for the female lead came to find her.

This villain who was rumoured to be violent and bloodthirsty, faintly smiled at her, “Young lady, being a meddler will only lead to death.”

Shen Wanqing was about to open her mouth when the system rang again in her mind, ‘Warning! The main leads are about to break up again!’

She was silent for a while, and then said, “…what about this, can you let me go stop a fight first?”

The villain, “…”

Later on, someone asked Shen Wanqing how she managed to tame the evil monster villain.

Shen Wanqing, “I don’t know, he came running to me first.”

The villain, “?”

5 STARS - I LOVED IT

MY REVIEW: 

This has some of my favorite tropes: shameless protagonists and bickering couple. Together, this makes a hilarious novel as Shen Wanqing tries her best to follow her system mission with the villain tagging along and seeing through her BS lmao.


Title: Pro-Mom Fan Transmigrates into Villainess
Author: 栖风念
Chapters: 68 chapters + 16 extras
Publication: N/A
Summary from Novel Updates:

Qi Anan transmigrated into a super popular male abuse novel.

In the novel, the male lead Jiang Lu was a powerful and miserable beauty. Because of his birth, he suffered from all kinds of scorn, and his exquisite and beautiful appearance became a label of shame. During the dark years when he was rejected by thousands of people because of his disabled legs, only the female lead gave him a little care.

Fans of the novel agreed that sadomasochism came from the work of the female lead, but for the oddball mother fan Qi Anan, her son and daughter, she loved them all, and she strongly believed if there was someone to blame, it would be the poisonous and evil villainess!

And Qi Anan transmigrated… and became the villainess in the novel.

The end of the villainess was terrible. When she was young, she couldn’t be loved by the male lead, and she retaliated against the male lead with paranoia, ruining the male lead’s life by herself. In the end, the male lead developed into a nouveau riche in the business world and paid back twice the humiliation he had suffered.

As a qualified mother CP fan, Qi Anan, of course, chose to tear people up: Baby cub! Mom won’t let you be abused here! Just concentrate on falling in love for me! Be a bit sweeter!

She relied on her status as the daughter of a wealthy family. “Mother” Qi Anan was quite competent, implementing the pampering route to the end, and raising the cubs gently and purely, super considerately, and definitely the best in the world!

She was looking forward to it, and her daughter finally appeared.

Qi Anan took the camera, secretly hid in the corner, and shipped her CP: It’s coming, it’s coming! Lock them up! Hurry up! Press her against the wall and kiss! Mom will record the most beautiful moment for you!

However, Jiang Lu looked like a different person. He looked at the female lead indifferently, his eyes were dark, and his expression was gloomy: “I’ve told you, back off.” “Compared to her, you’re unworthy.”

Jiang Lu walked alone in the boundless darkness, never thinking that there would be a bright day in his life.

One day, various scenes of the tragic end of his beloved girl’s previous life appeared in his mind.

He found out with chills all over his body that the murderer who caused her tragic death… turned out to be himself?

4 STARS - I REALLY LIKED IT

MY REVIEW: 

This was so good that I stayed up until 4:30 AM reading it! If you liked Devil's Warmth or Rebirth Plan to Save Leader where the FL is the light that helps save the down and out ML, then you'll like this one. However, instead of being reborn like the other novels, Qi Anan transmigrated into a book, and therefore has a different spin on the novel, especially because she's a huge mother fan of the original ML and FL. This caused a lot of hilarious misunderstandings lol.


Title: The Landlady and The Amnesiac
Author: 林绵绵
Chapters: 112 chapters 
Publication: 2018
Summary from Novel Updates:

When it came to her fate, Luo Bei was the rare one in a million fated to be wealthy and high-ranking.

Luo Bei didn’t believe it at first, until one day she unexpectedly discovered:

The pitiful person next door who suffered under his biological mother’s abuse would become an overbearing CEO with power and influence.

The ill-fated pregnant lady downstairs was the cool CEO’s wife who ran away with his unborn child.

The sallow and emaciated youth living in the basement was a superstar film emperor.

Most importantly, the amnesiac guy working in construction who Grandma picked up was actually an overbearing CEO.

Lastly, she realized she herself seemed to be…

5 STARS - I LOVED IT

MY REVIEW: 

I loved how mature everyone was in this novel. It was very realistic and didn't include any unnecessary dogblood drama all in the name of love. No dumb love triangles; just people wishing for the best for the couple. And people having the self-awareness of prioritizing escaping poverty before trying to find love because they don't want to drag down their future partners. I really appreciated how practical everyone was. Finding love was never a priority when you didn't know when you would have your next meal.

Thursday, July 6, 2023

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

Not many movies coming out this summer that I'm excited for. Maybe that'll give me time to catch up on all of the Winter and Spring movies I haven't watched! On the other hand, there's so many anime I'm excited to watch, especially JJK season 2!

Anime:

  • Jujutsu Kaisen 2nd Season
  • My Happy Marriage
  • Liar Liar
  • Jitsu wa Ore, Saikyou deshita?
  • The Girl I Like Forgot Her Glasses
  • Reborn as a Vending Machine, Now I Wander the Dungeon
  • My Unique Skill Makes Me OP Even at Level 1
  • The Most Heretical Last Boss Queen: From Villainess to Savior
  • Delicious in Dungeon
  • Aiyou de Mishi
  • That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime the Movie: Scarlet Bond


Movies:

  • Joy Ride (July 7)
  • Blue Beetle (Aug 18)
  • Back on the Strip (Aug 18)

Monday, July 3, 2023

Books I Want to Read This Month

This is the sixth month in a row where I haven't read anything on this list... Oops! That's this whole year! I'll work on doing better lol.

  1. The Villainess Stans the Heroes: Playing the Antagonist to Support Her Faves! vol. 1 by Yamori Mitikusa & Kaoru Harugano
  2. Wotakoi Love Is Hard for Otaku vol. 1 by Fujita
  3. Wotakoi Love Is Hard for Otaku vol. 2 by Fujita
  4. So You've Been Publicly Shame by Jon Ronson
  5. I Want to Die But I Want to Eat Tteokpokki by Baek Se-hee
  6. Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation vol. 1 by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu
  7. Scum Villain's Self-Saving System vol. 1 Mo Xiang Tong Xiu
  8. Scum Villain's Self-Saving System vol. 2 Mo Xiang Tong Xiu
  9. Bailin and Li Yun by Jayessart
  10. Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? Familia Chronicle Novel vol. 1 by Fujino Omori
  11. Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? Familia Chronicle Novel vol. 2 by Fujino Omori 
  12. I Name Him Me by Ma Yan, translated by Stephen Nashef
  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

Saturday, July 1, 2023

June in Retrospect

The month started off a little rough because I was in a reading slump, but we ended June off pretty strong! Shelle and I also became addicted to Indian Matchmaking. We're going to start season three soon! Also, stop whatever you're doing and go watch My Love Story with Yamada-kun at Lv999 ASAP! It's so good!

I read: 

  • Dressed as a Villain's Hamster by 涮脑花儿
  • Little Fairy on Heart by 井时浠
  • Coffee Prince and Sleeping Beauty by Meyto
  • My Boyfriend is Always Changing by 涮脑花儿
  • Delicate Female Supporting Role A and Tyrant Male Protagonist O by 松花酿
  • Me no Tsukedokoro ga Deep desho by AKIO Chinami
  • Reborn as the Villain President’s Cat & Dog by 林盎司
  • Dressed as a Stand-in for the White Moonlight by 曳萝
  • How a Good Boss Comforts His Staff by Irihi Maro
  • Be My Wife Instead! by 张大吉
  • I Like Your Pheromones by Yǐnlù Xīng
  • Saving the Tragic Adonis by 东方黄瓜
  • Give Me a Kiss by Yǐnlù Xīng
  • The Three Big Guys Are All My Bamboo Horses by 一芝苍


I watched: 

  • Indian Matchmaking Season 1 (2020)
  • Indian Matchmaking Season 2 (2022)
  • My Love Story with Yamada-kun at Lv999 (2023)
  • Summoned to Another World for a Second Time (2023)