Showcase Sunday / The Sunday Post / Stacking the Shelves XIII

This week's haul...

Bought:

Devils and Realist 1

Dorothy Must Die

Doubt 2

Tsubasa 23

Borrowed:

Demon Love Spell

Vampire Kisses 1

Vampire Kisses 2

Vampire Kisses 3

Flashback Friday XI

I haven't done one of these in ages...mostly because I just haven't had time to finish reading anything at all lately. Three more weeks, including Finals, and then FREETIME!!! xD

I also meant to get out another manga review...three weeks ago? But anyway, I'm a bit behind in that. Chances are it'll be more like next month, whatever I decide to review. *nods affirmatively*

Missed some other posts I meant to do this week as well, mainly the Top Ten Tuesday and the Top 5 Wednesday prompts. Life's just been really stressful and emotionally draining lately...

Anywho. Here's what I finished this week...

Manga:

22. Doubt Volume 1
★★★★★

Showcase Sunday / The Sunday Post / Stacking the Shelves XII

I hope everyone has a lovely Easter holiday. I didn't get an "Easter" Break since my Spring Break was several weeks ago...so I've been trying to focus on hw this weekend, and I haven't had much free time for reading. Don't have any plans for today, except more hw, and probably visiting my granddad who is currently in the hospital (and my grandma and mom, who are with him now). We hope he can go home here soon...

Anyway. This week's haul...

Bought:

Read these volumes before, but have been slowly purchasing the series. 

All ready own volumes 1, 2, 11 & 12.

Yotsuba&! 3

Yotsuba&! 4

Yotsuba&! 5

Borrowed:

This one looks super creepy and awesome...
(actually started it, super thick, but ohmygosh, so macabre and creepy but I love it! xD)

Doubt 1

Top 5 Wednesday VII

April 16th - Top Siblings

(not in any strict order)

5.

The Baudelaires 
The Series of Unfortunate Events

I never finished this series but I loved reading about these three.

4.

The Pevensies

The Chronicles of Narnia

This series is what originally got me back into reading in middle school. And I personally loved the portrayals, especially Edmund's, in the newer movie adaptions.

3.

Percy and Tyson
Percy Jackson and the Olympians

They were just...fun. And I really liked how they portrayed Tyson in the movie, even if it wasn't really the same as the books' portrayals...

2.

Prosper & Bo
The Thief Lord

It's been ages since I read this, but Prosper was always looking out for his little brother. The story centers around them running away just so they can stay together.

1.
The Weasleys
The Harry Potter series

'nough said.

Top Ten Tuesday X

April 15: Top Ten Bookish Things (That Aren't Books) That I'd Like To Own 

(new bookshelves, bookends, cool bookmark, a bookish shirt, etc. You can add things you DO own if you want).

1o.

Book Scented Candle
Because......

9.

Eiffel Tower Book Box
Because you can never have too many trinkets decorating the bookshelves...

8.

Some Cute Bookends
I've never actually had a pair that I've really liked...

7.

Mini Reading Light
For those late nights or long, dark car rides...

6.
New Reading Lamp
I've always needed a better one, one that's just bright enough for reading without straining my eyes from being too blindingly bright, or being large enough for the kitties not to be able to knock over... *sighs*

5.

New bookbag

Because you can never have too many of those... My oldest one is this dirty looking jean bag, and the other is lovely and fun but tooooo big!

4.

New bookmarks

Can't have enough of these, and most of mine are currently really worn out or boring...

3.

New bookcase

I'm starting to double shelve things...yeah...I need a new one...or two...

1.-2.

Kindle Paperwhite & Case

Just because I think it would be nice to have for vacations or long trips instead of having to cart around several books in my purse...

Showcase Sunday / The Sunday Post / Stacking the Shelves XI

So here's the haul. I got one book from the library in that I had to return a few weeks ago without being able to read. Maybe I'll get to it this time... And I got one freebie, from a Goodreads giveaway. Apparently, though, it's an Arc, and it's paperback, and I just don't have time for it so I probably won't get to review like I like to... And what do you know? No manga this week. :P

Won:

Borrowed:

Top 5 Wednesday VI

April 9th - Top Book Quotes

Well, I just love quotes, so this one was nearly impossible. I just picked a few of the ones I particularly liked, but it was very hard narrowing it down. I like quotes from books, poems, or about books, so it's slightly mixed...

5.

"Do I dare disturb the universe." 
~ The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, T.S. Elliot

4.

"Never trust anyone who has not brought a book with him."
~ Horseradish, Lemony Snicket

3.

"When you have eliminated all which is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."

~ The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes, Arthur Conan Doyle

2.

"I hope your bacon burns."
~ Calcifer, Howl's Moving Castle, Diana Wynne Jones

1.
"I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul."
~ Invitus, William Ernest Henley

Top Ten Tuesday IX

April 8: Top Ten Most Unique Books I've Read 

(maybe the MC was really different, maybe it was the way it was written, a very unique spin on a genre or topic, etc.)

(not in any strict order)

10.

Cinder

9.

The Night Circus

8.
Leviathan

7.

Flora Segunda

6.

Sorcery and Cecilia

5.
Beautiful Creatures

4.
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

3.

Howl's Moving Castle

2.
Eyes Like Stars

1.

The Raven Boys

Showcase Sunday / The Sunday Post / Stacking the Shelves X

Need I say anything at all? :P

Borrowed:

Currently Reading: Manga Edition IV

And here's the manga...

Currently Reading:

Bloody Cross: 1

Plan to Read:

Bleach: 57

Gate 7: 3

The Mad Hatter's Late Night Tea Party: 1

Naruto: 63

Tegami Bachi: 13

Plan to Finish/Restart:

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

Pandemonium

Pandora Hearts: 15

Currently Reading IV

Bleh, last month was a complete failure in regards to novel reading. And my plan hasn't been altered much at all. I've just got too much else going on... Better luck this month. Only, somehow, that seems highly unlikely, since Finals will be just around the corner before I know it.... But this summer looks more promising! :D Anyway...

Currently Reading:

The Dream Thieves

Hearts at Stake

Plan to Read:

Defy

Plan to Finish/Restart:

The Iron King

Behemoth

Flashback Friday X

Well, I finished at least one book this week... *sighs*

Manga:

21. Gate 7 Volume 2
★★★★☆

Review: Crimson Shell

I've read Jun Mochizuki's Pandora Hearts series (currently rereading Volume 14 and am unsure which volume I read up to in online updates), so this is how I found out about Crimson Shell. It isn't exactly what I thought it would be, but regardlessly, I wasn't disappointed. Hers is one of my top favorite series, and my second taste of manga (the first being Kuroshitsuji, or Black Butler).

Summary:

If you like Pandora Hearts, then you'll love Crimson-Shell, Jun Mochizuki-sensei's debut! Rescued from the darkness by Xeno, a mysterious swordsman, Claudia the Rose Witch is the foundation of the Crimson-Shell, a special division of the Red Rose-an organization aiming to capture the results of one mad scientist's experiments, the deadly Black Roses. But when Xeno's loyalties are called into question, will Claudia be strong enough to believe in her dearest friend? And what is the color of the rose blooming in Xeno's heart-a deep, passionate crimson...or a traitorous jet-black? (taken from Goodreads)

Crimson Shell was originally published as a one-shot in GFantasy by Square Enix in 2005, Yen Press publishing it in book format afterwards (Crimson Shell). It is considered a Shounen manga (another variational spelling of Shōnen).

Our lovely cast of characters includes (left to right) Claudia, Xeno, Wilhelm, Shion, & Victoria, along with other minor characters...

You can see a lot of similarities between the character designs of this and her Pandora Hearts series, and even in her approach on plot twists, but I did find it very interesting. The art was beautiful, and it reminded me of some of the earlier volumes of Pandora Hearts. Everything's so much more crisp.

The story focuses on Claudia, and the Red Rose organization, and how she is their key in battling the Black Roses and their victims. The story progresses, explaining what Claudia is and what the Black Roses are and how all these elements fit together to create the story. There is betrayal and scheming, friendship, a bit of romance, lots of fighting, and maybe a few tears along the way.

It began, much like Mochizuki's other works, with some confusing dialogue that introduces the story but that you don't really understand much until later...and then it just jumps right into the plot, action and all. Since this is a one-shot, that is understandable  Some details feel a bit rushed because this, sudden, unexpected plot twists, while others seems a bit more drawn out. Everything has to happen in one volume, so some stuff is quite a surprise, while others are a bit predictable. I'm not saying this negative, though. I really enjoyed this volume, because I love her art style, and I love her characters, and her stories are always very engaging. I would definitely recommend checking this one out if you are considering reading her Pandora Hearts series.

One minor thing that I must point out is that she creates these very interesting characters, but sometimes they just appear younger than they actually are. And the main character, Claudia, I assume is one of these characters...and just sometimes, they act in ways that irritate me because you would think they shouldn't be so...snooty. But maybe that's just me. :P

★★★★☆

Overall, I liked Les the best...

Tell me if you check it out. Enjoy! :)


Next week's review: 
Bloody Cross

Top 5 Wednesday V

April 2nd - Top Genres

(in no particular order)

So these are my top 5 favorite genres. I've always enjoyed fantasy books, and it hasn't been until much more recently (like over the past year or so) that I've gotten into other genres as well. And I truly believe I'll always be a fan of YA and manga. :P

5.

Fantasy

(probably one of the first genres I got really into as a younger reader)

4.

Paranormal 

(didn't start reading this until just a few years ago, but I love it)

3.

Steampunk 

(haven't read much, but what I have, I've enjoyed)

2.

Young Adult 

(in general, though I don't like a lot of the more contemporary stuff)

1.

Graphic Novels 

(though mostly in a more stricter sense, manga)

Top Ten Tuesday VIII

April 1: Top Ten "Gateway" Books/Authors 

In My Reading Journey 

(so your list could be a mix of a books that got you into reading, an author that got you into reading a genre you never thought you'd read, a book that brought you BACK into read)

(not strictly in any particular order)

10.

Diane Wynne Jones

9.
Lisa Mantchev

8.

L.J. Smith

7.

Maggie Stiefvater

6.

Kate DiCamillo

5.

Rick Riordan

4.

Eon Colfer

3.

Cornelia Funke

2.

C.S. Lewis

1.

J.K. Rowling