January, 2012

At the Library #1

January 30, 2012@ 7:00 PM ♣ Comments (1)

Technically this is the second trip to the library this year but this is the first post about it.

Right after I finished my chemistry diploma exam on Thursday, my dad drove me to the library. I felt at home, how sad, haha. Usually I go upstairs to the teen section, but oh ho, not this time! I went straight to the adult comics section. I’m quite the rebel, I know. I mostly check to see if they have the last volume of Mushishi by Yuki Urushibara. They never do, but gah, I can’t help myself.

After that check, I go straight to see if there any books I haven’t read in the P and M section to get my fix of Jodi Picoult and Haruki Murakami. Then I quickly scan the bookshelves to see if there’s anything that’s on my to-read list. After that, I head up to the teens section. I scan the shelves again and then carefully inspect the comic book shelves. I’ve pretty much read all the comics I want to read in the section but you never know.

Here’s my library list for that day. I’m trying to lessen my loads as not to make it so intimidating to get through. And so I can minimalize the amount of books I return unread. I hate doing that…

  • Moon Boy (Volumes 1-3) by Lee Young-You
    I’ve read a some of this series and has been curious ever since then. I saw most of the volumes on the shelves but told myself to only get the first three instead of the first seven.
  • Cirque du Freak (Volume 7) by Darren Shan and Takahiro Arai
    Although it’s not a series I’m extremely devoted to, it throws in some variety into my reading.
  • Perfect Match by Jodi Picoult
    I’m on a quest to read every single Jodi Picoult book there is.
  • Poster Boy by Dede Crane
    The summary intrigued me, as I’m always a sucker for books that deal with illnesses and the such.
  • The Truth About Delilah Blue by Tish Cohen
    This has been on my to-read list for a while. I first saw it on display at Wal-Mart. I’ve taken it out before but it was returned untouched.
  • Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami
    Another book I took out but returned it unfinished. I did start it but alas, I ran out of renewals on it. I’m a new reader of Murakami’s and have only read one of his works but I thoroughly enjoyed it and have heard great reviews for this book.

Meme Monday: This is Long…

January 22, 2012@ 9:35 AM ♣ Comments (0)

Meme Monday is a weekly meme that features any kind of book meme there is (excluding any other weekly memes). I don’t expect this to catch on as it’s mostly for my own amusement. Nevertheless, read and enjoy!

This meme was found on Book Memes and Quizzes but is originally (?) from akikotree. Since this is so long, I’m not going to bother formatting things and I’m going to put this under an excerpt.

1. Favourite childhood book? I honestly don’t remember. Probably the Amazing Days of Abby Hayes series or the Magic Tree House series.

2. What are you reading right now? As of now, I’m reading The Red Passport by Katherine Shonk and Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

3. What books do you have on request at the library? None, actually. I rarely do because I can’t go dashing towards the library every time I have a hold.

4. Bad book habit? Worrying about how to hold open a paperback without bending the cover. And not using bookmarks!

5. What do you currently have checked out at the library? A Sweet Disorder by Jacqueline Kolosov, Songs of the Humpback Whale by Jodi Picoult, Instructions for a Broken Heart by Kim Culbertson, and Maison Ikkoku by Rumiko Takahashi.

6. Do you have an e-reader? No. I use my iPod to read e-books sometimes but that doesn’t really count, does it?

7. Do you prefer to read one book at a time, or several at once? I prefer to read one book at a time. Does it actually happen? Rarely.

8. Have your reading habits changed since starting a blog? Yes. I have actually gotten worse!

9. Least favourite book you read this year (so far?) Nephilim (Volume 1) by Ryu Kum-Chel. Keep in mind that we’re only three days into the year (at least, at the time I wrote this we were).

10. Favourite book you’ve read this year? EICHI. *sobs*

11. How often do you read out of your comfort zone? Not very often but I do try to. Although, if I do, I usually I end up hating the book.

12. What is your reading comfort zone? Angst, angst, angst, angst, angst, angst, angst… Mystery, romance… Angst, angst, angst, angst…

13. Can you read on the bus? Yes but I haven’t been able to do it lately because I take the bus with my friends.

14. Favourite place to read? I’ve actually never thought about this before! In my room I guess.

15. What is your policy on book lending? Never. No exceptions.

16. Do you ever dog-ear books? I used to but now it’s like, why would I even dare do that?

17. Do you ever write in the margins of your books? No way!

18. Not even with text books? Nope. I use post it notes.

19. What is your favourite language to read in? English of course!

20. What makes you love a book? Angst, angst, angst, angst… But in all seriousness, anything that is able to make me feel some sort of overwhelming emotion is a book I will love forever.

21. What will inspire you to recommend a book? If its still on my mind well after I read the book.

22. Favourite genre? Romance, fantasy, and mystery.

23. Genre you rarely read (but wish you did?) Horror. I never gathered enough courage to pick up the Goosebumps series as a kid.

24. Favourite biography? I don’t think I’ve read any that stand out in my mind…

25. Have you ever read a self-help book? Kind of? Does Chicken Soup count?

26. Favourite cookbook? I’ve never read one.

27. Most inspirational book you’ve read this year (fiction or non-fiction)? IS (aiesu). Hands down. 

28. Favourite reading snack? Popcorn. Chips. Too bad it doesn’t happen often.

29. Name a case in which hype ruined your reading experience. Twilight. Fruit Basket(s?). Death Note. Naruto. Pretty much anything that 13 year olds are into.

30. How often do you agree with critics about a book? Quite often.

31. How do you feel about giving bad/negative reviews? Usually, not bad at all. If there’s something wrong with it or something I don’t like, I’ll say it. The only time I feel bad is if I’m familiar with the author’s other works and have enjoyed them (*cough JodiPicoult cough*).

32. If you could read in a foreign language, which language would you chose? Japanese. That would make things soooo much easier.

33. Most intimidating book you’ve ever read? Pretty much any classics. Sometimes they make me feel like I’m stupid for not understanding context or weird words. Other times I feel like I should appreciate the classics it more than I do so I don’t read them so I can’t think bad about it.

34. Most intimidating book you’re too nervous to begin? Wuthering Heights. Not because of length (it’s not that long at all) but I’m scared I just won’t like it.

35. Favourite Poet? Maya Angelou. Or Dr Seuss. :P

36. How many books do you usually have checked out of the library at any given time? Less than ten, greater than two.

37. How often have you returned books to the library unread? At least every year. Mostly during the summer.

38. Favourite fictional character? Yano Motoharu. I don’t know.

39. Favourite fictional villain? Doctor Cuddles?

40. Books I’m most likely to bring on vacation? Jodi Picoult. Because I know I will actually read it.

41. The longest I’ve gone without reading. A year at the most.

42. Name a book that you could/would not finish. Gamer Girl. It was just… Such a disgrace to girls who love manga everywhere.

43. What distracts you easily when you’re reading? The main distractor from everything: the Internet.

44. Favourite film adaptation of a novel? Harry Potter! Of Mice and Men! Charlotte’s Web (animated version, of course)! OH. And Harriet the Spy!

45. Most disappointing film adaptation? My Sister’s Keeper. And possibly maybe 

46. The most money I’ve ever spent in the bookstore at one time? $40? Sad, I know. I’m completely frugal.

47. How often do you skim a book before reading it? Every time.

48. What would cause you to stop reading a book half-way through? A book that doesn’t seem like it was proofread.

49. Do you like to keep your books organized? Yes. But it rarely happens.

50. Do you prefer to keep books or give them away once you’ve read them? Keep unless I really don’t like it.

51. Are there any books you’ve been avoiding? Wuthering Heights, Jane Eyre, The Moonstone, and Japanese Fairy Tales. I’ve been “reading” Japanese Fairy Tales since January 11, 2011. Yeah.

52. Name a book that made you angry. Eichi. Bokura Ga Ita. Paradise Kiss. Nana. Interesting how these are all manga.

53. A book you didn’t expect to like but did? InuYasha. :(

54. A book that you expected to like but didn’t? Instructions for a Broken Heart.

55. Favourite guilt-free, pleasure reading? Manga. They’re quick and pretty and just oh do satisfying. To everyone who think mangas aren’t books or are “cheating” my book count, please go away (just kidding).

Meme Monday: 10 Ifs

January 9, 2012@ 12:35 AM ♣ Comments (0)

Meme Monday is a weekly meme that features any kind of book meme there is (excluding any other weekly memes). I don’t expect this to catch on as it’s mostly for my own amusement. Nevertheless, read and enjoy!

This is meme is brought to you by a Livejournal community, Book Memes and Quizzes (how appropriately named).

If you could spend the day with any fictional female character, who would it be and what would you do?
Good question. I actually stopped and thought about this for a while. Funny, about a dozen males popped into my head but no females. I think I’d love to spend the day with Cedar B. Hartley from the book The Slightly True Story of Cedar B. Hartley by Martine Murray. We’d spend all day talking and doing gymnastics and causing shenanigans everywhere.

If you could spend the day with any fictional male character, who would it be and what would you do?
Oh, Yano Motoharu from the manga series Bokura Ga Ita by Yuuki Obata. What would we do? Scream fest over why Yano is an ass. Go on a no strings attached “date” to a theme park. Ugh, I’m such a cheese ball.

If you could spend the day with any fictional fantastic character, what would it be, and what would you do?
What is a fictional fantastic character??? Urm. I’m not much of a fantasy reader. Probably… Sailor Saturn from Sailor Moon (it was a book series before it was a TV show, okay?). We’d go frolicking in the flowers and watch a river and talk about our secrets.

If you could spend the day with anyone from a work of non-fiction, who would it be and what would you do? (Person can be dead or alive.)
Non-fiction! Ack! My pick has to be Aya Kito, who’s diary (One Litre of Tears) was published. I’d talk to her about how strong she is and how inspiring and I’d listen to all of her troubles and we’d cry together.

If you could spend the day in any fictional setting, where would it be and what would you do?
I’m very tempted to say Hogwarts right now but I’m going with the country Amestris from the manga series Full Metal Alchemist. I’d mostly go sight seeing and check out the city/town where the main characters were born.

If you could spend the day in any non-fiction setting, where would it be and what would you do? (this allows for answers such as “London at the time of Sherlock Holmes”, etc.)
Ack. I don’t know. I guess I’d love to go to London around the time where God Child takes place. Oh, the fashion, the language, and the culture in general is absolutely charming! I’d be buying every piece of clothing I can get.

If you could join the “cast”, as it were, of any novel, which novel would you pick, who would you be, and how would you affect the story?
I’d be Yano’s love rival in Bokura Ga Ita. I don’t even know. I’d probably want to be in the manga series Akuma to Love Song by Miyoshi Tomori. I’d be that one person who stays behind when the class ditches Maria and her friends, because I can’t stand bullying. I’m basically a clone of one of Maria’s friends do we could be close and develop a new friendship?

If you could inspire any poet to write about you, who would you like that poet to be and what sort of things would you like him/her to say?
The first thing that popped into my head was, Shel Silverstein. I’d want him to write a cute little tale. Something subtly tragic but with a happy ending.

If you could have any portion of your life turned into a work of fiction or a non-fiction, what part of your life would you choose and why?
My grade ten year. I just… So much drama. It was too weird and was almost unreal.

If you were writing your memoirs, what would you call them?
Not telling. :P Because I just might write them one day.

The Wonderful Things You Find at the Library

January 7, 2012@ 3:27 PM ♣ Comments (0)

Yesterday I went to the library to take out a couple of books (why else would I go there?). Usually I browse the CD section for the kicks of it and check out the international section. There, I found a beautiful gem.

DUM SPIRO SPERO

Okay, I’m a big fan of Japanese rock music. One of my favourite bands EVER, is DIR EN GREY. They’re a somewhat metal nu band with a decent following in North America. They just finished their North American tour actually. Sadly, they didn’t come anywhere near where I live but that’s beside the point. While browsing the CDs at my local library, I found DIR EN GREY’S latest album, DUM SPIRO SPERO (meaning, “While I breathe, I hope”). I’ve been meaning to buy the CD for quite a while but as they’re Japanese, it’s not cheap (have you seen the shipping costs?). I refuse to download it because this band is one of the few that deserves my money. Finding this CD at the library was a pleasant surprise because most international CDs are folk songs. Now I can listen to the album while feeling slightly less guilty than if I were to download it.

Oh, I also got some books while I was there: The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult, Sing You Home also by Jodi Picoult, Room by Emma Donoghue, and Children of the Sea (Volume 4) by Daisuke Igarashi. I’ve been meaning to read Room, The Tenth Circle, and Children of the Sea for quite a while. I’ve just heard of Sing You Home and I’m such a Jodi Picoult fan that I couldn’t resist.

books

Since Children of the Sea is a manga (although quite thick than most manga), I finished it yesterday in no time flat. It’s a wonderful series and I’ve posted about it once before (here). It’s definitely a series worth checking out, even if you’ve never read manga before. Next, I’m reading Room. I have no idea what I’m in for but I’m excited.

Follow Friday #7

January 6, 2012@ 10:30 AM ♣ Comments (7)

Follow Friday is a weekly book meme hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read. In this meme, us bloggers are asked a question to which we respond to by posting on our blogs. Other bloggers can see our answers, comment, and follow!

This week’s question is: Go count the number of unread books sitting on your shelf. How many?

Including my e-books, there are currently 32 unread books. 26 not counting e-books. My brother and I share a bookshelf so most of those books that are unread are his. I do want to read his books though. The rest of them are books like Great Expectations, Anne of Green Gables, The Time Machine, etc. I’ve had those books since I was in elementary school. I always procrastinate on the classics, I don’t know why!


Live Blogging: Eichi (Vol 6) by Machiko Sakurai

January 2, 2012@ 12:00 AM ♣ Comments (0)

Warning: Contains spoilers!

I’m live blogging the last two chapters of Eichi as I have just noticed it was finally finished being scanlated. Live blogging is blogging as you read a book (or witness an event or watch a TV show etc). This will contain major spoilers and is mostly for my own fangirling benefit.

For some reason, my throat caught and now in desperately holding back my tears. What a wonderful New Years present! I’m dreadfully serious. Oh goodness this series is almost over in two chapters. I can’t even contain my excitement and disappointment.

Right now Itsuki is walking into Tomo’s room and she’s crying and her face is in so much agony. My heart seriously cannot take this.

Okay, to be honest, I peeked at the ending a couple of months ago (but I don’t remember it, thankfully). I read this series last year and oh goodness, the cliffhanger was too much to bear that I just had to download the raw scans. It did nothing because I can’t read Japanese. Herpy derp. Back to the manga.

Even though Kobayashi has a smile on her face, it’s fake. She misses him. ASDFGHJKL. JUST LOVE EACH OTHER ALREADY.

Taichi: Perhaps I should go to Florida too.

NO. TAICHI NO. YOU CAN’T. YOU ARE DESTINED TO BE WITH KOBAYSHI. MY HEART WILL BREAK.

Darn. Taichi caught Kobayashi kissing Kazuma. Even though Kazuma force it on her. Ahhhhh why?!

Taichi: KOBAYASHI! I… I want to be with you!

VICTORY! OH MY TEARS. OH MY HEART. OH THIS MANGA. FINALLY! I HAVE BEEN WAITING OVER A YEAR FOR THIS MOMENT. 

Taichi: How about changing your last name to Yamazaki?

My grin on my face cannot be compared to anything on this Earth right now.

And… That’s it? Sadly, I want more. I love this series. It was a wild ride. I look forward to rereading it again in the future. Until then, goodbye Eichi!

Grand Reopening & Reading Goals

January 1, 2012@ 5:48 PM ♣ Comments (0)

It’s the first day of the New Year! A new year of reading! I’m quite excited to get started. Well, Room 304 is officially open. I’m concentrating more on the recording books part of the site than the blogging part. I find the blogging a bit too monotonous. I’ll blog when I feel like it, yeah? And not every time I read a book.

Right now I’m looking for challenges to do. I think my max will be five, excluding the Goodreads challenge. I think I only finished two challenges last year so hopefully that will change.

Here’s my to-do list for 2012:

  • Get all the books into the database.
  • Finish 450 books (Goodreads challenge).
  • Complete at least 50% of my reading challenges.
  • Read at least 100 novels (NOT manga).