Weekly Haul 163

One of my pre-orders arrived, and I think the last of my Right Stuf purchases came!

Cheeky Brat vol. 7 by Mitsubachi Miyuki

Spy x Family vol. 7, 9 by Tatsuya Endo

Books I Want to Read This Month

I've been in a bit of a reading slump for the past few weeks. Maybe picking up a physical book will help me get over it? I hope so! I just found out that Cheeky Brat was finished last year, so I can finally get back into reading the series! I think I stopped trying to catch up 2 years ago lol.

1. Cheeky Brat vol. 1 by Mitsubachi Miyuki
2. Cheeky Brat vol. 2 by Mitsubachi Miyuki
3. Cheeky Brat vol. 3 by Mitsubachi Miyuki
4. Wotakoi Love Is Hard for Otaku vol. 1 by Fujita
5. Wotakoi Love Is Hard for Otaku vol. 2 by Fujita
6. So You've Been Publicly Shame by Jon Ronson
7. I Want to Die But I Want to Eat Tteokpokki by Baek Se-hee
8. Scum Villain's Self-Saving System vol. 1 Mo Xiang Tong Xiu
9. Scum Villain's Self-Saving System vol. 2 Mo Xiang Tong Xiu
10. Bailin and Li Yun by Jayessart
11. Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? Familia Chronicle Novel vol. 1 by Fujino Omori
12. Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? Familia Chronicle Novel vol. 2 by Fujino Omori 
13. I Name Him Me by Ma Yan, translated by Stephen Nashef
14. The Anatomy of Being by Shinji Moon
15. Home Body by Rupi Kaur

August in Retrospect

So I took an unexpected hiatus. A lot was going on in August, especially with the house search, and then our agent basically breaking up with us and my parents offering to help out before that fell through. So I wasn't really in the mood to post for a while. 

Then, I got used to not posting for the past couple of weeks lol. Luckily, I had a couple of drafts almost ready, so I'll be posting them sporadically for a while until I get back into the grove of things. I think I lost a lot of motivation trying to update the blog, so the posts and format might change as I try to figure out what I want to do here.

Anyway, enjoy this post that should have been released last month!

Even though my sis and I finished watching season 1 of Hospital Playlist when it first came out during the pandemic, it took us two years to finally watch the second season. I can't believe it took us so long. This was such a good season! I'm so sad that it's the final season!

I read: 

• Bai Yueguang is Always Robbed by Force [Quick Travel] by Xi Meng
• 60's Little Fat Cub by 不见临安
• Full-Level Players in the Apocalyptic Infrastructure by N/A
• A Non-Aloof President is Not a Good Male Lead by N/A
• A Powerful and Miserable Female Partner Gets Rich with Salted Fish by Hemerocallis Demon Flower
• Stepmother Sees The Bullet Screen by N/A
• Dressed as a Cannon Fodder in the Bloody Text of a Wealthy Dog by Golden Hair
• Bai Yueguang is Breaking Up Again by Little Fan of Midsummer 

I watched:

• Hidden Strike (2023)
• Kingdom (2019)
• Hospital Playlist Season 2 (2021)

Weekly Haul 162

More manhwa I bought during Right Stuf's birthday sale. Mikey's been trying to convince me to read this series for months, since it's his favorite series. I figured I'd finally bite the bullet and buy the volumes already available!

Solo Leveling vol. 1-6 by Dubu & Chugong

Mini Reviews: Marry the Male Partner's Big Brother, The Zombies Are Coming But I’m Laying Down At Home, Dangerous Convenience Store Season One

Title: Marry the Male Partner's Big Brother
Author: 林绵绵
Chapters: 98 chapters + 7 extras
Publication: 2019
Summary from jjwxc:

Also known as: "I'm Waiting to Die in a Rich Family"

The money-loving Sang Yao crossed over and became the fiancée of the male supporting role in the novel. In the end, the hero sent her to a mental hospital.

People close to her persuaded her to break off the engagement, but she smiled and shook her head to refuse.

The outside world said that Sang Yao was a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle. Only she knew that the male supporting role would not be able to jump around for long, and later died to save the heroine. At that time, as his wife, wouldn't she be able to inherit his property?

Her only dream is to hang out in a wealthy family and wait to die~

Until one day, her fiancé's big brother blocked her at the door after being drunk, and said in a low voice: "What he can give you, I can give, but he can't give it to you." I can give yours too, so, do you want to consider me?"

Sang Yao:? ? ?

2.5 STARS - IT WAS OKAY

MY REVIEW: 

The romance and pacing was pretty slow. Most likely that was to show the ML's forbearance and restraint, which is understandable. He was trying to do the right thing. I felt like the male partner needed a more satisfying ending. He was a total scumbag who didn't care about anyone other than his feelings, and he needed a better ending than just quietly disappearing at the end.

Title: The Zombies Are Coming But I’m Laying Down At Home
Author: 孤独的兔子舞
Chapters: 115 chapters + 3 extras
Publication: 2022
Summary from Novel Updates:

While reading a novel, Fu Erdie thought more than once that if she arrived in an apocalyptic world, she could only wait for death.

The cars could not be driven, roads could not be recognized, they could not even cook food.

There was also physical strength involved…there was no need for her to encounter a zombie because with just a sudden drop of temperature, she could get a cold and fever and die from it.

As a useless person of the new century, she sincerely hoped that the whole world would be prosperous and free of disease and calamity. At the same time, she could just draw at home and earn living expenses while muddling through.

As a result, God played a joke on her.

After a shower of rain, the world changed. There were zombies and dead plants everywhere.

She looked down from a window on the 10th floor and saw the crowd panicking. The cars rammed and blocked the road, and the small noodle shop she often went to was now stained with blood… Everything pulled back Fu Erdie from her fantasy.

The world had truly changed.

Fu Erdie decided to go out to find her relatives, and she would bet on whether she would become a zombie or an alien. She gathered her courage and opened the door, then stepped back and closed it. The zombie neighbors in the corridor were horrible! It is impossible to fight zombies, you can only wait to die in a wretched manner. And any chance, there was a lot of stored food at home that she could eat for a month.

But her ending was probably one of the two choices she had in her mind, to die now or die in a month. And she chose to lay down and continue her everyday normal life. She would just wait to meet the upcoming water and electricity cuts.

On the first day, everything was the same. The next day, everything was the same. The next day after, everything was still the same. The next…

A month later, it was time to pay the utility bill. The internet got disconnected and she did not pay the bill. The rest of the building was pitch black.

But her room was still bright.

The flush toilet could be used as usual. The natural gas could be used for her luxurious bathing. The small kumquats, small peppers, and shallots planted and grown on the balcony even thrived at a rate that did not conform to the laws of nature.

Fu Erdie suddenly found out that she had not mutated, but her own house had mutated?!

4 STARS - I REALLY LIKED IT

MY REVIEW: 

I think this was a more realistic portrayal of how an ordinary person would handle surviving in a sudden zombie apocalypse. The beginning was pretty dark and bleak as Fu Erdie came to terms with her situation and her helplessness. However, she eventually grew and became the kindergarten director (lol), and the mood and overall pace of the story became less dark and more humorous as her plants continued to grow. Overall, a great zombie apocalypse novel, especially if you like plants vs zombies lol.

Title: Dangerous Convenience Store Season One
Author: 945
Chapters: 26 chapters + 2 side stories
Publication: 2020
Summary from Manta: 

My sexy neighborhood gangster.

Lovesick college student Uijun works part-time at a convenience store in a sketchy, dangerous neighborhood, when one day the sexy, dangerous Geonu makes his grand entrance! But after drunkenly pouring his heart out to him, will Uijun get more than he bargained for?

5 STARS - I LOVED IT

MY REVIEW: 

Gotta love the crybaby sunshine bottom x stoic and intimidating top combo! Loved their chibi expressions! They're so funny together! And the smut... WOW. 

Also, consent is sexy.

Books I Want to Read This Month

It only took half a year, but I finally read ONE book off of this list last month! Lol I'm going to keep the momentum up and read at least one more physical book this month!

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. Wotakoi Love Is Hard for Otaku vol. 1 by Fujita
5. Wotakoi Love Is Hard for Otaku vol. 2 by Fujita
6. So You've Been Publicly Shame by Jon Ronson
7. I Want to Die But I Want to Eat Tteokpokki by Baek Se-hee
8. Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation vol. 1 by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu
9. Scum Villain's Self-Saving System vol. 1 Mo Xiang Tong XiuBailin 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

July in Retrospect

I think I read and watched a sufficient amount of variety this month lol.

I read: 

• Doomsday Heroine Doesn't Want to Die by 稚日葵
• Zombies are My Mother's Fans by 仙桃玉米
• The Chronicle Control Group Chooses to be Bad [90s] by 禾度
• Raising Adorable Pets in a Parallel World by 旷鸟
• I Was Spoiled by the Black Boss by 星辰粒粒 
• The Real Daughter Returns with Millions of Subordinates by 帘舒
• The Full-Level Boss is Also Forced to Open Today by 百城辞
• After Leaving the Wealthy Family, Returning to the Village to Support the Fire by Hengkong
• Please Let Me Go by 百城辞
• After I Became a Spare Tire, I Was Targeted by the Villain and the Male Protagonist at the Same Time by Yi Ye
• The Villainess Stans the Heroes: Playing the Antagonist to Support Her Faves! vol. 1 by Yamori Mitikusa & Kaoru Harugano
• You Can't Do This to Me by I Don't Know

I watched: 

• Brahmastra Part One: Shiva (2022)
• I Got a Cheat Skill in Another World and Became Unrivaled in The Real World, Too (2023)
• Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)
• Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke's Mansion (2023)
• Indian Matchmaking Season 3 (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.