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Welcome to Room 304! Here you'll find all sorts of books. Books I own, books I've read, books I have owned for four years but have not read, etc. Occasionally I will blog about said books but not often.

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February, 2011

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #1

February 28, 2011@ 9:08 PM ♣ Comments (3)

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme that is hosted by Shelia at Book Journey. This meme includes what books we have read the past week, and books that we plan to read this week.

I’ve read a lot of manga this week, but it’s still not as much as I usually do. At least I got a few non-manga books down. I’m actually pretty proud of that! Last week was a good week for reading.

Books Read

• Troublemaker (Book 1) by Alex Evanovich
• Hot Gimmick (Volume 1) by Miki Aihara
• Dengeki Daisy (Volume 1) by Motomi Kyousuke
• Broken Angels (Volume 1) by Setsuri Tsuzuki
• Homunculus (Volume 2) by Hideo Yamamoto
• Macbeth by William Shakespeare
• The Third Child by Marge Piercy
• The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Books Reading

Books To Read

Upcoming: The Legends of Lake on the Mountain

@ 7:27 PM ♣ Comments (0)

Title: The Legends of Lake on the Mountain (An Early Adventures of John A. Macdonald)
Author: Roderick Benns
Publisher: Fire Side Publishing House (2011)

When a grizzled old man shoves a decades old treasure map into thirteen-year-old John A. Macdonald’s hands, he’s certain this will be the best summer ever. But that was before a hump-backed lake serpent is seen at twilight by the people of Stone Mills in the mysterious Lake on the Mountain. As people flee in panic, John knows his family might be next unless he can figure out what dwells in the lake in time. But does he have what it takes to confront something he can’t see clearly? Or will the serpent in the darkness win?

Today I finally got the books I won from Firstreads in the mail! It only took ten days to ship it, so I’m extremely delighted about the fast delivery. The book was in great shape as well, not to mention that there was minimal packaging (I’m a stickler for less packaging). I feel grateful to even hold the book in my hands right now, so I can’t wait to begin reading it. Be expected to see a review in a week or two, tops!

Book Blogger Hop #1

@ 12:07 AM ♣ Comments (2)

Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Crazy For Books. This is the first time I’m joining in with the massive book blogging party. I’ve seen it around before so I’m excited to finally participate!

Question: Do you ever wish you would have named your blog something different?

I’m fairly new to the blogging realm. Nine days old to be exact! With that in mind, I have no regrets about my site name whatsoever (so far anyway). “Room 304″ is a name that I was interested in when I first heard it. Even though the name originally comes from a series of poems by my favourite musician, Kyo, I see it as my little fantasy room filled with stacks and stacks of books. Once I get my own house, I’ll dedicate a room to books and call it Room 304.

Review: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

February 27, 2011@ 11:13 PM ♣ Comments (0)

WARNING: Spoiler alert!

Twenty-four are forced to enter. Only the winner survives.

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. Each year, the districts are forced by the Capitol to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the Hunger Games, a brutal and terrifying fight to the death – televised for all of Panem to see.

Survival is second nature for sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who struggles to feed her mother and younger sister by secretly hunting and gathering beyond the fences of District 12. When Katniss steps in to take the place of her sister in the Hunger Games, she knows it may be her death sentence. If she is to survive, she must weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

I thought that it would be about time that I finally picked up this series. There’s been a lot of hype around it, and I always felt like I was missing out on something. So, I finally went to the library and read it.

This book didn’t go beyond my expectations, but I liked it more than I thought I would. When I first heard about the book, I never expected it to be a love story. I was surprised when I read the back cover and quickly dismissed it. It turned out to be a rather cute love story at that. Most of all, I was impressed with how much action was in the book. I expected more, but it was enough that the romance aspect of the book didn’t stand out like a sore thumb.

Katniss is definitely a nice spunky character but I’ll have to say that out of all characters, Peeta and Rue definitely won me over. His unrequited love story was adorable. Her simple adorable nature was too much to overlook. They really made the book for me.

I had only had one problem with the book, and it’s mostly what cost the book points. Fate really favoured Peeta and Katniss, but fate was extremely predictable. Everything I predicted as the book went on, came true. I sniffed out the ending from a mile away. It took out a lot of the suspense and anticipation. Still a great book overall.

Review: The Third Child by Marge Piercy

February 25, 2011@ 3:56 PM ♣ Comments (0)

In the prominent political family of the Dickinsons, ambition comes first, and Melissa, the third child, has always felt she came last. Going away to college at Wesleyan offers a chance at love and a life free from her brilliant mother’s constant scrutiny.

Blake, a child of mixed race and apparently unknown parentage, has been reared by lawyers whose defense of death row cases has brought them toe-to-toe with Melissa’s father, the former governor of Pennsylvania, who is now a U.S. senator.

When Melissa meets Blake at college, their passion is immediate. Yet Blake is keeping a dangerous secret from Melissa, one that could destroy them–and their families. Dealing with themes of love, honesty, identity, and the consequences of ambition, this thoughtful, beautifully written story is a remarkable and provocative page-turner.

Melissa Dickinson is a girl with low self-esteem, which probably developed being neglected for years from her politically ambitious parents, Rosemary and Richard. When she finally enters college, she finds freedom, and a love affair that will turn her world upside down. Of all the people she falls in love with, Melissa falls for Blake Ackerman. But, nothing is at it seems. Blake’s adoptive parents are lawyers who have clashed many times with her father. At first, Melissa thinks nothing of the coincidence, but in the end, it was a foolish and grave thing to overlook.

This whole book was like a car crash. Messy, bloody, and horrible, yet I could not tear my eyes away from it. Everything was extremely predictable, and obvious. It follows the theme of Romeo and Juliet. That being said, we know right off the bat what’s going to happen in the end. Even if I wasn’t told that it was based off Romeo and Juliet, I would have guessed the ending anyway. I knew from the very beginning.

Melissa is so naive that it hurts. She has such a simple mind, that’s ultimately boring and annoying. She becomes completely dependent on Blake. Her motivation and drive is lost when he is not there. I found it extremely pathetic. There was one line the book that made me want to throw it across the room. “Blake makes me feel pretty.” Obviously, she has some issues that she needs to iron out.

Her male counterpart, Blake, was extremely easy to figure out. Throughout the whole book, Melissa constantly whined about how she did not understand him. His intentions were pretty clear from the first lines that left his mouth. If there’s any other character that annoys me more than Melissa, it’s Blake. It only makes sense since they do have one thing in common, and it’s that their too deep into their obsessions.

As the book goes on, they dig even deeper. Their motives became even clearer. Each of my predictions slowly began to come true every page I turned. The ending was climatic enough, but it left me disappointed. I’m glad to say that I don’t have to read this book ever again.

Review: Homunuclus (Volume 2) by Yamamoto Hideo

February 24, 2011@ 9:11 PM ♣ Comments (0)

WARNING: Spoiler alert!

In this volume of Homunculus, 34 year old Susumu Nakoshi continues the strange experiment with the bizarre medical student, Manabu Ito. Nakoshi begins to see strange creatures in his left eye and is terrified by what he sees. Ito tries his best to continue his research, but Nakoshi is more curious than ever about this new found power. Nakoshi encounters the yakuza boss once again, and confronts the monster that he sees. But now, Nakoshi and Ito have established that the so called monsters that he sees are homunculi. The simplest form of human beings. Nakoshi seems to influence the homunculi, and through an intensive interrogation, he erases it from the man.

Homunculus is still the ever so powerful and surreal series. The drawings are rather unsettling but are so organic that I can’t help be drawn towards it. Every single scene of the book is captivating and somewhat emotionally disturbing. So far, the homunculus that Nakoshi is seeing reflects burdens in our hearts, or our minds. He expels his first homunculus in this volume. It was extremely emotional, that tears sprang into my eyes. The concept of these burdens in our hearts appeals to me, and only makes me wonder what I would look like in the eyes of Nakoshi.

Challenges: Goodreads 2011, Off the Shelf, and 1st in a Series

February 21, 2011@ 10:58 AM ♣ Comments (0)

The goal of this challenge is to encourage readers to actually read what they buy. I have quite a few books I’ve bought from the past two years, but haven’t started to read! I also have countless e-books sitting on my computer that have not been touched. It’s bad, I know. So in 2011, I’m determined to read them all!

Challenge Level: Making A Dint – Choose 30 books to read

1. Godchild (Volume 5) by Kaori Yuki
2. Godchild (Volume 6) by Kaori Yuki
3. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
4. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
5. The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins
6. Life Mask by Emma Donoghue
7. McNally’s Gamble by Lawrence Sanders
8. The Pact by Jodi Picoult
9. Chicken Soup for the Soul: Christian Teen Talk
10. Born O’Hurley by Nora Roberts
11. Fierce People by Dirk Wittenborn
12. Cease to Blush by Billie Livingston
13. Johnny Kellock Died Today by Hadley Dyer
14. Firefly Summer by Maeve Binchy
15. Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson
16. Maid Marion by Elsa Watson
17. The Red Passport by Katherine Shonk
18. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
19. 1984 by George Orwell
20. The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare
21. Othello by William Shakespeare
22. The Quiet Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
23. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
24. How To Disappear Completely by David Bowick
25. The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
26. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
27. A Dangerous Man by Charlie Huston
28. The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo
29. The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas
30. Les Miseribles by Victor Hugo

Read the first book in a series. Sign up over here. This seems like an easy enough challenge. This may be seen as taking the easy way, but I have over 20+ manga series I want to start reading. I hope I’ll finish this!

Series Fanatic: Read 20 books that are the first in any series.

1. Homunculus by Yamamoto Hideo
2. Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
3. Hot Gimmick (Volume 1) by Miki Aihara
4. Honey Hunt (Volume 1) by Miki Aihara
5. Broken Angels (Volume 1) by Setsuri Tsuzuki
6. Goong (Volume 1) by So Park Hee
7. The Name of a Flower (Volume 1) by Iqura Sugimoto
8. Bride of the Water God (Volume 1) by Mi-Kyung Yun
9. Variente (Volume 1) bg Iqura Sugimoto
10. Pluto (Volume 1) by Naoki Urasawa
11. Sasameke (Volume 1) by Ryuji Gostubo
12. Nodame Cantible (Volume 1) by Tomoko Ninomiya
13. Dengeki Daisy (Volume 1) by Motomi Kyousuke
14. Istiwaribito (Volume 1) by Yuuki Iinuma
15. Dolls (Volume 1) by Saki Ohto
16. Kyo Kara MAOH! (Volume 1) by Temari Matsumoto
17. Threads of Time (Volume1) by Mi Young Noh
18. Voices of Love (Volume 1) by Kanae Hazuki
19. Suppli (Volume 1) by Mari Okazi
20. Ceres: Clestial Legend (Volume 1) by Yuu Watase

Review: Homunculus (Volume 1) by Yamamoto Hideo

@ 9:55 AM ♣ Comments (0)

Homunculus revolves around a homeless man. He lives in his car, between the park filled with others who share his fate, and the bustling city that he once was a part of. He comes across the idea of trepanation, and what he’s about to find is possibly the most disturbing thing unknown to man.

Trepanation is a hole in the skull produced surgically. Trepanation is the oldest surgical practice and is still practiced in some African tribes. It’s also practiced in Homunculus, a seinen manga that will keep your eyes glued to the series and to the phantasmic.

I mostly read this on a whim. Spectrum Nexus was promoting it on their banner, and I decided to check it out. The summary intrigued me, and the concept was unheard of.

Right away, the first thing I noticed was the art. It was extremely unnerving to look at but had a very down to earth and unique. I’m a sucker for different ways of drawing other than the usual shojo and shonen stereotypes so it was a nice refresher.

The whole concept of homunculi is something that I never thought about. The state of being the simplest human being. There’s reoccurring themes of the fetus, and the typical homunculus. The author did a wonderful job with incorporating everything into the story. The imagery and symbols worked amazingly well with each other.

As for the characters, not too much is know about them yet. They all have an uncanny air to them. There’s many secrets that are yet to be revealed about them as the series will go on.

So far, the only thing I can complain about is the fact that all 254 pages of this volume went by too quickly for me to notice!

Books read in January

February 19, 2011@ 1:53 AM ♣ Comments (0)

Be expected to read reviews of these books soon.

1. Nana (Volumes 1-21) by Ai Yazawa
2. Dear Friends by Ayu
3. The Diamond of Drury Lane by Julia Golding
4. Solanin by Inio Asano
5. Slow Hands by Leslie Kelly
6. Stroke of Midnight by Julie Kistler
7. Fragile Eternity by Melissa Marr
8. Alichino (Volume 2-3) by Kouyu Shurei
9. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
10. Salem Falls by Jodi Picoult
11. Comic (Volume 1) by SiHyun Ha
12. Otomen (Volume 1) by Aya Kanno
13. Card Captor Sakura: Master of the Clow (Volumes 1-2) by CLAMP
14. Cirque Du Freak (Volumes 1-6) by Darren Shan
15. Fairy Cube (Volume 2-3) by Kaori Yuki
16. Genshiken (Volume 1) by Kio Shimoku
17. IS (Volumes 1-8) by Rokuhana Chiyo
18. Gaba Kawa by Rie Takada
19. House Rules by Jodi Picoult
20. Can’t Help Gettin’ Hurt by Mika Sadahiro
21. Doubt by Nishimura Shuuko
22. Mirai no Kiouku by Kunieda Saika
23. Kaze no Yukue by Kunieda Saika
24. Sensitive Phonograph by Sakura Ashika
25. Tonari no Kimi no Nukumari wo by Ootsuki Miu
26. Sweet Bitter Candy by Asou Mitsukai
27. Doisaibou Seibutsu by Yumeka Sumomo
28. Boyfriend (Volumes 1-3) by Yamada Daisy
29. Hand Which by Tsuta Suzuki
30. Bus Hashiru by Yumeka Sumomo
31. Sakyuu Rasenron & Baku by Yumeka Sumomo
32. Nemunoki no Geshukusou by Yumeka Sumomo
33. Charisma Doll by Erika Kurahashi
34. Mushishi (Volumes 1-7) by Yuki Urushibara
35. Kazekaze no Hito by Yumeka Sumomo
36. Soul to Seoul (Volumes 1-5) by Kim Jea Eun
37. Blank Slate (Volume 2) by Aya Kanno
38. Bambi and Her Pink Gun (Volume 1) by Atsushi Kaneko
39. Musashi #9 (Volumes 1-3) by Miyuki Takahashi
40. Ikigami (Volume 1) by Motoro Mase
41. Koi Kaze (Volumes 1-5) by Motoi Yoshida
42. The Sword of Shibito (Volume 1) by Hideyuki Kikuchi
43. Madara (Volume 1) by Eiji Ostuka
44. Ooku: The Inner Chambers (Volumes 1-2) by Fumi Yoshinaga
45. Darkside Blues by Hideyuki Kikuchi
46. Bi no Isu by Reibun Ike
47. Dark Hunters (Volumes 1-3) by Sherrilyn Kenyon
48. Yume ni Tobu Tori by Naono Bohra
49. Denkou Sekka Boys (Volume 1) by Tohjoh Asami
50. Fukujuu no Gakuen by Kabutoumaru Chouka
51. You Are Mine by Kaori

The Book Blog

February 18, 2011@ 6:49 AM ♣ Comments (0)

I’ve always been a big reader. Ever since I could… well, read words, I’ve been reading. Recently, for the past 8 or so months, I’ve been reading more again. The only thing that’s different is that I’ve been keeping track of what I’m reading. I discovered Goodreads, an amazing site that lists all the books I’ve read. From the moment I signed up, I’ve been using it religiously. I wanted to take it a step further and make a reading journal. And thus, “Room 304″ was born.

As a side project, I’m also trying to make a copy of the book list on paper. How you might ask? I’ll reveal that in another post, for another time.

So what will this log actually contain? Mostly my reviews of books and/or posts on the progress of books I’m reading. Actually, my reviews won’t really be “reviews”. They’re mostly comments for myself about what I liked, and didn’t like about the books I read. If they were full-fledge reviews, I don’t think it would be very comprehensible. It’s more for my own benefit more than anything.

Back on topic! Here you are, shiny new book blog. I hope to put you to good use.