Christmas Book Review- The Nightmare Before Christmas

Title: TheNightmare Before Christmas

 Author: Tim Burton, Jun Asuga

Published: August2005 by Disney  

Length: 176 pages

Warnings: Clean.8+

Source: ForbiddenPlanet

Other info: Basedof film. There’s a tonne of other stuff around too.

Summary : JackSkellington's got the blues. He's sick and tired of his hometown holiday,Halloween, and is longing for something new. But when his soul searching leadsto his good-intentioned kidnapping of Santa, things start getting pretty hairy!

 Review: A longtime ago, longer now than it seems, in a place that perhaps you've seen in yourdreams, the King of Halloween Town is bored, gets lost in his own forest, andfinds an even stranger town than his own. Before he knows it, Jack's got histown working hard to give Sandy Claws the day off this year. Only rag-dollSally is objecting, and no-one listens. Plans are made-make gifts, build therain gear(reindeer) and whatever happens, keep the Oogie Boogie Man out of it!

This is a manga adaptation of one of my favourite films.Halloween and Christmas together = awesome. There's not much space for you togo wrong here.

Give you a review of the story? Well, why not. It's reallycute, combines two great holidays and has a nice clear message that you shouldfollow your heart and that evil does not win.

The character designs are the same, and we still get closeto Jack and Sally and Zero the dog. Yes, one of my favourite characters is thedog. I wish we'd gotten to see a bit more of Oogie Boogie and the Trick orTreaters though.

The art lacks a little something. I say this because when Ithink of The Nightmare Before Christmas, I think of the slightly whimsical artfrom Burton. The art in this, provided by Jun Asuga/Kodansha seemed a littlebit too clean, but was a very good imitation of Burton's style, with the styleof the eyes and  the scenery and so on.

As with almost any adaptation, you're going to lose a fewthings in the crossover. The songs have all been dramatically condensed, ashave the less important parts to the story. The good thing is that it retainsthe signature lines, such as the opening, the cry of "snakes eyes"and other familiar things, all while, more importantly, still making sense.

Overall:  Strength 3 tea to a must-read for fans of theseries.

Links: | Goodreads| 

P.S. That's my last post before Christmas. Then you'll have next week full of my look at 2011. Happy Christmas everyone!!

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Book Review- Chibi Vampire Airmail by Yuna Kagesaki

Title: Chibi Vampire Airmail

 Author: Yuna Kagesaki

Series:  Chibi Vampire side

Published:  2010 by Tokyopop

Length: 180 pages plus lots of bonus material

Warnings: (tokyopop’s view)Older Teen. (My view) Vampires, occult, cannibalism

Source: Tokyopop’s “Get rid of everything” stall at Expo

Other info: Chibi Vampire/Karin is a semi-popular manga/anime that you may have heard of. I reviewed some other related things earlier.

Summary : A collection of touching manga stories that follows the con;tinuing adventure of our favourite vampire, in these sweet tales and scary legends, discover what happned to Karin and her friends all while getting aglimpse of some mysterious vampires from the Marker family that were never befor9e seen in the main series. Also included are special bonus manga strips detailing Yuna Kagesaki’s trip to Seattle’s Sakura-con.

Review: I really enjoy this series, and before I’d heard of this Airmail book, without really understanding what it was/what the point was/what would be in it/many other things that you tend to find out before reading it. So when I saw it on sale, I just thought “get that! Why not?”. And so I did.

The first two stories I weren’t expecting at all, because I’d thought it would be entirely featuring Karin and her motley crew. It wasn’t a bad thing, and who knows? These characters might have featured at some point in the manga. I read volumes 1-4, and then 11. So I didn’t get the best idea. Anyway, story one features Marimo and Takuma, the second of which unexplicably regresses to baby-personality (explained by end) and their friendship. The next story features a fortune  teller who is asked to look for a missing girl by her boyfriend, and her shocking discovery by the end of it. Both of these stories are interesting, sweet with characters I feel somewhat attached to by the end of their 40 page stint of fame.

The second two feature the Markers, one being the tale of Friedrich Marker and his friendship with an otherwise solitary nun built on shared love of manga, and the other chronicling Maki and Kikuchi’s romance, and a little of Kenta and Karin too. Both were incredibly cute and gave a good sight to the world of Chibi Vampire. The family tree that was included was very helpful, and also reveals that Karin and Kenta had a child, something I wasn’t really expecting.

All the plots included were woven well, which is saying something considereing they each take less than fifty pages. Especially with Friedrich and Ren, the family resemblance was distinct, which I think says a little more about the art, and with Friedrich and Rosary and the fact their relationship goes back further than she knows, it adds a little something.  

Overall:  Strength  3 tea to a lovely collection of sidestories.

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Book Review- The Gathering Storm by Robin Bridges

Title: The Gathering Storm

 Author: Robin Bridges

Series:  The Katerina Trilogy #1

To be published:  January 10 2012 by Delacorte Press

Length: 400 pages

Warnings: a little violence, romance

Source: Netgalley

Other info: This is Robin Bridge’s debut novel.

Summary : Debutante Katerina Alexandrovna, Duchess of Oldenburg, tries to hide a dark secret: she can raise the dead. No one knows. Not her family. Not the girls at her finishing school. Not the tsar or anyone in her aristocratic circle. Katerina considers her talent a curse, not a gift. But when she uses her special skill to protect a member of the Imperial Family, she finds herself caught in a web of intrigue.
 An evil presence is growing within Europe's royal bloodlines—and those aligned with the darkness threaten to topple the tsar. Suddenly Katerina's strength as a necromancer attracts attention from unwelcome sources . . . including two young men—George Alexandrovich, the tsar's standoffish middle son, who needs Katerina's help to safeguard Russia, even if he's repelled by her secret, and the dashing Prince Danilo, heir to the throne of Montenegro, to whom Katerina feels inexplicably drawn.
 The time has come for Katerina to embrace her power, but which side will she choose—and to whom will she give her heart?

Review: This is set in 1880s Russia, and centres around Katerina, a young necromancer. As well as the dead being brought back to life, this Russia also contains many different types of vampires, faeries, witches and many paranormal creatures connected somehow to Russian folkore. And with all the mystery going on at court, various things happen and Katerina is the only one who can really do anything about it.

I don’t normally read things involving Russia, mainly because there’s not that many YA books set in Russia. Or maybe they are, and I’ve not heard of them. But anyway, this was a new culture for me. The way the faerie and vampire and other paranormal races were woven into the Nobility was very interesting, and done in a way that I love.d. Really, the actual nobility were the creatures. Fun. 

Katerina is a great lead character, she’s strong, not afraid to voice her opinions and dreams of being a doctor, something almost unheard of for women in those days. I don’t think the other characters were quite as well done, possibly excepting her mother, who was strong and interesting in her own way. The romance, while not being particularly amazing, didn’t detract from enjoying the book either, and was just there.  The biggest drawback in this is the names. All very similar, as per Russian tradition, but hard to remember and distinguish.

The mystery and the part of the plot that was interesting didn’t really pick up until later on in the novel. Until then, it was fairly repetitive. And then when it did all pick up, I was hooked until the end.

I loved the rich mythology and the whole variety of things used. It was very interesting to read about the set up of the nobility, and also the set up of the Faerie and Vampire courts and so and so.

We're kept guessing throughout the second half, partly due to the stuff that's happening and the ways it could go, and partly because of the way things are easily mixed up (at least for me).

Overall:  Strength 4 tea to a very original book with a strong heroine that I want to see more of.

Links: Goodreads |

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Book Review- Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

Title: Between Shades of Gray

 Author: Ruta Sepetys

Series:  N/A

Published:  22 March 2011 by Philomel

Length: 344

Warnings: violence, war, 

Source: Library

Other info: Between Shades of Grey has been longlisted for the Carnegie Medal 2012.

Summary :Lina is just like any other fifteen-year-old Lithuanian girl in 1941. She paints, she draws, she gets crushes on boys. Until one night when Soviet officers barge into her home, tearing her family from the comfortable life they've known. Separated from her father, forced onto a crowded and dirty train car, Lina, her mother, and her young brother slowly make their way north, crossing the Arctic Circle, to a work camp in the coldest reaches of Siberia. Here they are forced, under Stalin's orders, to dig for beets and fight for their lives under the cruelest of conditions.
Lina finds solace in her art, meticulously - and at great risk - documenting events by drawing, hoping these messages will make their way to her father's prison camp to let him know they are still alive. It is a long and harrowing journey, spanning years and covering 6,500 miles, but it is through incredible strength, love, and hope that Lina ultimately survives.

Review: Lina is a Lithuanian girl living happily. And then Soviet guards force Lina and her family out, onto a cattle car, and north to a labour camp in Siberia. She’s separated from her father, and the only thing she can do to keep herself from going mad is to draw. Even though it carries a great risk, she draws, hoping her father can come, find her, and piece together a trail from recognising a scribble signature. Until then, all Lina has to do is stay alive.

I don’t normally read books like this. Depressing and true to life. But it’s on the Carnegie Longlist and my school librarian and her daughter loved it and so I thought I should read it too.

I’m really glad I did pick it up. From the first page I got right inside Lina’s head, feeling her pain, misery and joy at various parts in the novel.

The characters are all very well fleshed out, and we’re given backstory and context to all of them. We don’t learn their stories all in one block, but we learn little parts every so often at relevant parts of the story. Almost all of them are likeable, and we get a good sense of all of them, understanding their circumstances and the way they reacted to everything very well. Lina is  a strong, yet believably breakable, girl despite everything that is thrown at her, and it’s lovely seeing her develop in the face of everything that’s thrown at her.

I was shocked at the way they were treated, in the same way I’d be shocked if I read about this stuff in the news. I think it’s because this is dealing the side of World War II that we don’t normally hear about. Most books you pick up that  focus on WWII are on Hitler, and the Holocaust. This is the only one that I’ve noticed that deal with Stalin and the Baltic nations. You learn a lot reading this book.

I liked the little bit of romance woven into it. I don’t normally like falling  hardly in love with someone you’ve only known  for a little while, but I just felt so bad for Lina that it was the only thing that was going somewhat ok in her life.

Something’s always happening to Lina and her family. The story moves on fairly quickly, and I just kept turning the pages.

Overall:  strength 5 tea to a really powerful look at the side of World War Two that we don’t ever see

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Book Review- Fitzwilliam Darcy, Rock Star by Heather Lynn Rigaud

Title: Fitzwilliam Darcy, Rock Star

 Author: Heather Lynn Rigaud

Series:  N/A

Published:  2011 by Sourcebooks

Length:424 pages

Warnings: Profanity, drugs, many graphic sex scenes 16+

Source: Library

Summary : Darcy is as hot as he is talented. Fast music, powerful beats, and wild reputations, on and off stage, have made virtuso guitarist Fitzwilliam Darcy’s band into Rock’s newest bad boys. But they’ve lost their latest opening act, and their red-hot summer tour is on the fast track to disaster. Now Darcy and bandmates Charles Bingley and Richard Fitzwilliam are about to meet their match.   But she’s about to rock his world. Enter Liz Bennet, fiercely independent star of girl band Long Borne Suffering. Elizabeth, her sister Jane and friend Charlotte Lucas have talent to spare and jump at the opening band spot. Elizabeth is sure that she’s seen the worst the music industry has to offer/ But as the days and nights heat up, it becomes clear that everyone is in for a summer to remember.

Review: It’s a modern re-do of Pride and Prejudice. Having not enjoyed the original by Jane Austen and quite enjoyed Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith, it was interesting to see how it would be taken here. Shove the semi-well-known characters out of English Aristocracy and into the modern day rock world and it could be amazing. But it didn’t turn out how it could have done.

The romance, like in the original, was terrible.  How Darcy went from being arrogant and unlikeable to the hottest thing on earth in Elizabeth’s eyes, I will never know. Jane and  Charles’ and Charlotte’s and Richard’s relationships went too fast for my liking with little background.

The sex scenes weren't done very well, and either shouldn't have been done at all or someone mis-tagged it as Young Adult. This book is not Young Adult. However, it doesn't venture into Erotica either, as the sex scenes were boring blow-by-blow accounts that gave me mental images that I really didn't need. My views on including sex in a book, you either do it well and market it as erotica, or if you're going for YA, don't include the sex at all. This did neither. I know we were warned by the tagline, but by the fact it said on Goodreads it was YA and I trust Goodreads and it didn't say erotica and... Oh well.   And the general frequency of them... *reaches for mental bleach  knowing it will never be strong enough*

It had a promising start. It introduced Slurry, the boy band with Darcy and Richard and Charles, by way of a transcript of a video, and I got a good idea of the set up and the  circumstances surrounding it. And it was going quite well for a little while. It fell apart at the first sex scene, about 80 pages in. Too quick for any romance to develop.

The characters all seemed quite flat to me, and I didn't care for any of them really. Darcy was rude and arrogant, and the way that Jane was messed around by Charles was really horrible. Apart from Alex, a fairly minor character. He was quite nice.

As I said, the concept was very good and quite fitting if you thought about it. The plot picked up towards the end with a little story about someone being in trouble with the police and of course there's the whole thing with George Wickham underneath it. The bands, Slurry and Long Borne Suffering, were both well imagined and somewhat interesting. 

Overall:  Strength 2 tea to something that could have worked but didn’t.

Links: Goodreads |

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Book Review- Ward against Death by Melanie Card

Title: Ward against Death

 Author: Melanie Card

Series:  Chronicles of a Reluctant Necromancer #1

Published:  August 2011 by Entangled Publishing

Length: 306 pages

Warnings: kissing, fantasy violence, 13+

Source: Library

Summary : Twenty-year-old Ward de’Ath expected this to be a simple job—bring a nobleman’s daughter back from the dead for fifteen minutes, let her family say good-bye, and launch his fledgling career as a necromancer. Goddess knows he can’t be a surgeon—the Quayestri already branded him a criminal for trying—so bringing people back from the dead it is.
 But when Ward wakes the beautiful Celia Carlyle, he gets more than he bargained for. Insistent that she’s been murdered, Celia begs Ward to keep her alive and help her find justice. By the time she drags him out her bedroom window and into the sewers, Ward can’t bring himself to break his damned physician’s Oath and desert her.
 However, nothing is as it seems—including Celia. One second, she’s treating Ward like sewage, the next she’s kissing him. And for a nobleman’s daughter, she sure has a lot of enemies. If he could just convince his heart to give up on the infuriating beauty, he might get out of this alive…

Review: Edward “Ward” de’Ath (I love the name so much) is trying to start his career as a necromancer. This fails when his relatively easy task goes wrong and the dead girl (who he’s just risen) is dragging him out to the sewers, demanding they find justice for her murder. Celia (the girl) is insistant she's been murdered, and they go on an adventure through sewers and towns and all sorts. One thing's certain for Ward-something that should be simple, won't be, and something that should not be deadly, will be.

The fantasy setting of The Chronicles of a Reluctant Necromancer is amazing. It's easy to imagine, and get the feel of the place as everything from the layout of the sewers to the social hierarchy to the religion of the place is described. The only downside to this historical/fantastical new world is the fact that some names of things are long and hard to remember.

Ward and Celia are two strong characters. I think Ward developed most thoughout the novel, from being an unexperienced necromance semi-experienced necromancer who is a lot more confident than when we first find him.

The side characters were nice additions to the story too, but I never really cared about them throughout. They gave a good idea of possible characters to appear in later books though.

The romance was done nicely. It was interesting that Ward obviously felt for Celia in a romantic way, but (unlike most teenagers in YA fiction of today) also managed to remember that his love interest is dead.

I loved the plot. Completely original and very fun, it was paced well and had a few subplots not focussing on Celia, which was nice. I wasn't expecting the narration to be in the third person, but it flowed well with the occasional parts  that made me really laugh out loud.

Overall:  Strength  4 tea to a fun adventure/mystery with a great setting.

Links:  Goodreads | Author website | 

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Japanese YA Week review- Kamikaze Girls by Novela Takemoto

Title: Kamikaze Girls

 Author: Novala Takemoto

Series:  Kamikaze Girls #1

Published:   English, 2006 by Viz Media

Length: 208 pages

Source: Library

Other info: There is apparently a sequel, which isn’t out in English, and also a manga, which is. Kamikaze Girls has also been made into a film rated 12 which is popular with people like me.

Summary : Life in the boondocks of rural Ibaraki prefecture is anything but glamorous, and so Momoko, a Lolita, daydreams about the Rococo period, Versailles, and dresses in the finest and frilliest of 18^th century haute couture from an expensive Tokyo speciality store. Her dreams of an idyllic existence are rudely interrupted by the appearance of Ichiko/Ichigo, a tough talking Yanki motorcycle chick on a worn  out moped. Together, this unlikely duo strikes out to find a legendary embroiderer, pachinko parlours, chic boutiques, and epic bike punk battles. This is more than a quirky coming of age tale, its a new way of life.

Review: Before we go any further, you all need to understand a little terminology. In this book, "lolita" is a style of fashion in which the wearer dresses in frills and dresses inspired by France, the 18th century and everything that is cute. A "yanki" is harder to explain, but its garish fashion, sloppy and the general opposite of Lolita. For more information, go here for lolita and here for yanki. And the Tokyo Specialty Store mentioned in the summary really exists. Look up Baby the Stars Shine Bright and you will find a real shop. Actually, don’t. The clothes are 1)expensive, 2)impractical and 3)only somewhat pretty.

Momoko is a Lolita obsessed with Baby the Stars Shine Bright and embroidery and Ichiko(born Ichigo, changed name because a tough yanki girl shouldn't have a name meaning strawberry) is a Yanki obsessed with her highly customised scooter and her girl biker gang. Through various chains of events that stem from Momoko's birth, they meet. They have adventures, they fall in love (Ichigo only, with the guy who'll be getting married to the ex-leader of the gang and her idol) they gamble(underage) at pachinko places and win a lot of money(Momoko only-Ichigo, despite being self-proclaimed "pro", never gets anything out the machines). Through various events, Momoko and Ichigo develop a lasting friendship, despite the fact they have completely different fashion and logic.

The entire thing is told from Momoko's point of view, which gives us a good insight into her character. As for Ichigo, you can get a good enough idea of her character as a)She talks enough and b)Momoko is repeatedly making remarks as to her opinion on Ichigo's outlandish fashion and attitude.

Both of the girls have very strong characters fixed in their beliefs as yankis and lolitas. They also undergo serious character development, with Momoko deciding on how she's going to live her life without *spoiler, so can't tell. It's not that she'll live without Lolita though* and deciding she may just be a little more outgoing, and Ichigo getting enough courage to leave the gang(which isn't easy, considering the ways these gangs make you "draw the line") and ride on her own.

You get a lot of insight to Lolita and Yanki lives, and rural Japan in general. Some things were new, such as pachinko, but it was easy to guess what was happening (it helped that I saw the film before too).

The ending is great. I'd love to tell you what exactly happened, but that would spoil it for you. It's kind of tied into what's been happening throughout, but it's so unpredictable and is generally great.

I love the tight friendship that eventually forms between Ichigo and Momoko. The fact they are completely different in all respects just makes it better and proves that you don't have to be alike to form a great friendship.

The film of this book is also really good(Do you want a separate film review, despite the fact this is a book blog? You decide...) and I enjoyed the manga spin off. I really want to get hold of the sequel(there is one. Novala Takemoto said so in the afterword), but I think that depends on Shojo Beat translating and publishing that, as I can't read Japanese.

Overall:  Strength 5 tea to a great book of laughs, friendship, frills.

Links:Goodreads |  

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Japanese YA Week review- Vampire Hunter D by Hideyuki Kikuchi

Title: Vampire Hunter D

 Author: Hideyuki Kikuchi . Illustrated by Yoshitaka Amano

Series:  Vampire Hunter D

Published:  2005 by Dark Horse Publishing

Length: 268 pages

Warnings: Profanity, moderate sex content, vampires, violence, 16+

Source: Library

Other info: This has spawned an anime, manga, animated films, live action film, and video games.

Summary : It is the year 12,090 AD. The world has ended, ravaged in a firestorm of man's wars and madness. But from the wreckage a few humans manage to survive. A few humans...and something else. Doris Lang knew what her fate was when the vampire lord Count Magnus Lee bit her. An agonizing transformation into one of the undead, to be stalked by her fellow villagers or cursed to become the bride of the unholy creature and face an eternity of torment, driven by the thirst for human blood. There was only one chance, and as she watched him ride in from the distance she knew there was hope. Salvation...from a vampire named D.

Review: Some of you may have heard of Vampire Hunter D, some of you might not. It's post-apocalyptic, set 10,000 years in the future and a few humans are still alive. And there's some other things out there that aren't exactly human and aren't exactly alive either.

Vampire lord Count Magnus Lee has bitten Doris Lang, cursing her to transform into a vampire, be fought by her neighbours or marry this vampire. Not a bright outlook. But Vampire Hunter D is able to save her. Add in Rin-Ginsei, rogue who I can't really figure out the point of,  and you generally get the plot...

Some time ago, everyone seemed to have read or seen VHD, apart from me. So I got the library to buy it. I then got put off it at the content in the first chapter. Which looking back on it wasn't too bad, but to a young and somewhat innocent twelve year old was quite bad. So now I'm older, I went back to it to have another go.

 The set up is good, with a clear idea of where it can go if Doris doesn't get the help.

Doris was a fairly strong female main, able to stand up for herself and handy with a whip,  but does rely on D for help. As I said, I didn't see the point of Rin-Ginsei other than as a character to oppose D, but oh well.

The vampires in this are traditional ones, with   laws and ceremony surrounding wives, and biting and other things like that.

The writing was third person and seemed distanced from me through most of it. However, the action scenes were incredibly well written.

Overall:  Strength 3 tea to a book that I can understand why it spawned a huge franchise, but it just doesn't do it for me.

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Japanese YA Week review- Chibi Vampire Novel 1 by Tohru Kai

Title: Chibi Vampire Novel 1
Author: Created by Yuna Kagesaki, written by Tohru Kai
Series: Chibi Vampire The Novel #1
Published: 2007 by Tokyopop
Length: 214 pages
Warnings: violence, attempted rape
Source: Library
Other info: Chibi Vampire is a fairly popular series that started as a manga and branched out into anime and novels.
Summary : Karin Maaka can bite a throat like a proper vampire, but where others of her kind need hot red blood, she has too much of it! Every month, she's compelled to inject blood into her victims the way a snake injects venom. And her handsome classmate Kenta Usui makes her feel like she's is going to spurt blood like a geyser. Talk about embarrassing! When Karin's latest victim turns out to be as rich as he is good looking, it causes hilarious chaos at her school. Will she ever live in peace?The much talked-about manga is now a supernatural-love-comedy-mystery novel starring our favorite clumsy blood injector, Karin!
Review: One day, Karin is out in the park when she feels e need to inject her blood into a passer by(because otherwise it'll all come out of her as one giant nosebleed). And so she does. In the next few weeks, the girls from her school start being kidnapped. And at the same time, rich senior Youichiro comes along, and everyone starts fawning over him. And it's up to Karin and Kenta to find out what's going on.
This is a light novel to accompany the Chibi Vampire manga series by Yuna Kagasaki. It helps if you have you've read the manga or seen the anime, as there are no character intros so you may be a bit lost at the start. The whole book is short and sweet, introducing and writing out Youichiro. On top of this, there are kidnappings, mystery and a bit of romance, so something for everyone.
Youichiro throughout seemed a little boring. I didn't get very attached to him and in the brief love triangle, I was rooting for Kenta throughout.
The writing meant that this novel was really easy to skim without missing anything. With that and the length of the book, this is easily a one-sit read.
The characters from the manga were kept in character, with Kenta and Karin continuing their awkward almost-romance, and Anju and the rest of the Maaka/Marker family staying the same as ever.
The new characters, we got a good idea of their backgrounds and motives. The twists and turns and the sub-plot with Youichiro and his staff was very interesting and while I didn't mind that he was written out by the end, I think their characters developed a fair bit.
Overall: Strength 3 tea to a must for fans of the Chibi Vampire/Karin franchise. Anyone else should read this if they want a quick, lighthearted vampire novel.

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Japanese YA Week review- Audition by Ryu Murakami

Title: Audition

 Author: Ryu Murakami

Series:  N/A

Published:  Japanese, 1997. English, Jan 2009 by Bloomsbury

Length: 207 pages

Warnings: Profanity, violence, graphic gore, animal cruelty, sex 17+

Source: library

Other info: Ryu Murakami writes other psychological thrillers such as In the Miso Soup. Audition was made into a film.

Summary : Documentary-maker Aoyama hasn’t dated anyone in the seven years since the death of his beloved wife, Ryoko. Now, even his teenage son Shige has suggested he think about remarrying. So when his best friend Yoshikawa comes up with a plan to hold fake film auditions so that Aoyama can choose a new bride, he decides to go along with the idea. Of the thousands that apply, Aoyama only has eyes for Yamasaki Asami, a young, beautiful, delicate and talented ballerina with a turbulent past. But there is more to her than Aoyama, blinded by his infatuation, can see, and by the time he discovers the terrifying truth it may be too late.

Review: Seven years ago, Aoyama's wife died and since then, he's not dated anyone. But then his son and friend and many more people think he should re-marry, and Yoshikawa's plan is to hold an audition, asking just for those that are Aoyama's type of woman, for a film that they'll purposely not find funding for. So while the film won't get made, Aoyama's love life will be. Ballerina Yamasaki Asami is the one that catches his eye, and he falls hard and fast. 

It's  all rather slow and draggng on, with the main disturbing bit coming right at the last 20 pages. And when I say  disturbing, I mean it. Animal cruelty and human cruelty both feature. Unless it was changed drastically, how the film rated a 15 from the British film ratings board (the only reason I read this book was because I needed to read some Japanese book and the 15 meant that I’d probably be ok with it) I don't know. And that last bit was written so well, so powerfully, that it was just...right...exactly why have we been given this extreme amount of blood, gore etc? While I love blood in my books and films, there are some times where it goes a bit too far. Audition is one of those books that takes it too far.

We understand the motives behind it. Very well. In her earlier life, Yamasaki was abused. Now she's grown up, she still doesn't trust men. And so when she takes something Aoyama says the wrong way, she decides he must be punished. Hence the ending.

As for the rest of the book, it’s generally slow. Kind of good, fairly slow, not amazing, but bearable.

We get a lot of back story to Aoyama and Yamasaki. Yamasaki's delivered through an essay and Aoyama's delivered as a chapter near the beginning.

The idea of having an audition to find a wife is interesting, a good idea that I really can't see happening realistically.

It was interesting to see Aoyama fall harder and harder in love with Yamasaki, while we could tell that she obviously wasn't good for him. It says something rather negative about love I suppose...

Overall:  Strength 3 tea to an interesting book that wasn't really my kind of thing.

Links: Goodreads 

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Title: Audition

 Author: Ryu Murakami

Series:  N/A

Published:  Japanese, 1997. English, Jan 2009 by Bloomsbury

Length: 207 pages

Warnings: Profanity, violence, graphic gore, animal cruelty, sex 17+

Source: library

Other info: Ryu Murakami writes other psychological thrillers such as In the Miso Soup. Audition was made into a film.

Summary : Documentary-maker Aoyama hasn’t dated anyone in the seven years since the death of his beloved wife, Ryoko. Now, even his teenage son Shige has suggested he think about remarrying. So when his best friend Yoshikawa comes up with a plan to hold fake film auditions so that Aoyama can choose a new bride, he decides to go along with the idea. Of the thousands that apply, Aoyama only has eyes for Yamasaki Asami, a young, beautiful, delicate and talented ballerina with a turbulent past. But there is more to her than Aoyama, blinded by his infatuation, can see, and by the time he discovers the terrifying truth it may be too late.

Review: Seven years ago, Aoyama's wife died and since then, he's not dated anyone. But then his son and friend and many more people think he should re-marry, and Yoshikawa's plan is to hold an audition, asking just for those that are Aoyama's type of woman, for a film that they'll purposely not find funding for. So while the film won't get made, Aoyama's love life will be. Ballerina Yamasaki Asami is the one that catches his eye, and he falls hard and fast. 

It's  all rather slow and draggng on, with the main disturbing bit coming right at the last 20 pages. And when I say  disturbing, I mean it. Animal cruelty and human cruelty both feature. Unless it was changed drastically, how the film rated a 15 from the British film ratings board (the only reason I read this book was because I needed to read some Japanese book and the 15 meant that I’d probably be ok with it) I don't know. And that last bit was written so well, so powerfully, that it was just...right...exactly why have we been given this extreme amount of blood, gore etc? While I love blood in my books and films, there are some times where it goes a bit too far. Audition is one of those books that takes it too far.

We understand the motives behind it. Very well. In her earlier life, Yamasaki was abused. Now she's grown up, she still doesn't trust men. And so when she takes something Aoyama says the wrong way, she decides he must be punished. Hence the ending.

As for the rest of the book, it’s generally slow. Kind of good, fairly slow, not amazing, but bearable.

We get a lot of back story to Aoyama and Yamasaki. Yamasaki's delivered through an essay and Aoyama's delivered as a chapter near the beginning.

The idea of having an audition to find a wife is interesting, a good idea that I really can't see happening realistically.

It was interesting to see Aoyama fall harder and harder in love with Yamasaki, while we could tell that she obviously wasn't good for him. It says something rather negative about love I suppose...

Overall:  Strength 3 tea to an interesting book that wasn't really my kind of thing.

Links: Goodreads 

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Japanese YA Week review- Chain Mail Addicted To You by Hiroshi Ishizaki

Title: Chain Mail Addicted To You

 Author: Hiroshi Ishizaki

Series:  N/A

Published:  January 2007 by Tokyopop

Length: 213 pages

Warnings: mild violence, 13+

Source: Library

Other info:

Summary : Four disillusioned Tokyo teenagers who have never met are suddenly drawn together by a mysterious chain mail message sent to their cell phones. In the tradition of classical Japanese tanka poetry, each teen takes on a role in the intriguing and absorbing narrative: the schoolgirl stalked by an older boy; her mysterious stalker; the schoolgirl's boyfriend; and the female detective. Written from each character's point of view, Chain Mail carries the reader on a suspenseful adventure juxtaposing teenage angst against a colorful Tokyo backdrop in an unforgettable tale that blurs the boundaries between reality and fantasy.

Review: Sawako, Yukari, Mai and Mayumi are four teenagers fed up with life.  And one day they get an email to their phones inviting them to write a story. Each takes on one charcter and writes a little from their character’s point of view, and then the next person carries on the narrative. Each takes one of the four characters to narrate in this way, a schoolgirl, her boyfriend/tutor, her stalker and a detective. Together they write the story, but there is also a little more than that. They start writing having never met eachother, but then start wanting to meet up. They go on an unforgettable journey, of a kind, set in Tokyo and blurring the lines between reality and their fantasy world.

I only picked this up because it was one of the few young adult novels that came up when I asked my library database for something “translated from original Japanese”. So I reserved this, and I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it looked good from the blurb.

It was much more interesting than I thought it would be. It started really quickly with Sawako receiving and passing on the chain mail within the first twenty pages. We got really close to Sawako, Mayumi and Mai, both in the fantasy and real lives.

I loved watching Sawako, Mayumi and Mai develop. Their characters, their maturity, their intelligence. They are all amazingly put together characters. The characters and the story they made up were just as realistic and well imagined as their real lives.

Hiroshi Ishizaki has a brilliant writing style. Five of them to be exact. One to narrate real life, and four more for each part of the story that was put together by the girls, as it was a voice varying with each girl.

It’s perfectly paced, with a nice balance between the girls and the story. Throughout I just wanted to read on and on and on. It finished on a perfect note, with closure, and a little room for letting your imagination wander.  

Overall:  Strength 5 tea to a really richly woven story.

Links: | Goodreads | Author goodreads| 

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Japanese YA Week review- L Change the World by M

Title: L Change the World

 Author: M

Series:  Death Note Light Novel

Published:  October 2009 by Viz

Length:174 pages

Warnings: gun and knife violence

Source: Library

Other info: Death Note was created by Tsugami Ohba and Takeshi Obata. There are 12 volumes of manga reviewed here, another light novel reviewed here, and three films. And a lot more merchandise and a crazy fanbase and such... 

Summary : an alternative continuity in the DEATH NOTE setting, ace detective L's name has been placed in a Death Note. He has twenty-three days to bring a terrorist group to justice, or they will use a deadly new virus to change the world...by killing off most of humanity. In an alternative continuity in the DEATH NOTE setting, ace detective L's name has been placed in a Death Note. He has twenty-three days to bring a terrorist group to justice, or they will use a deadly new virus to change the world...by killing off most of humanity.

Review: Death Note fans, listen up-this isn’t following the manga or anime canon at all. To understand why L’s last days are spent like this, you need to watch the live acton films, Death Note and The Last Name. If you’ve watched L Change the World, also remember this isn’t an exact novelisation of the film as Boy (revealed to be Near, the albino one with a lot of toys) does not feature in the book, and certain parts have been changed a lot.

This book follows L, the world’s top detective, during his last 23 days. During that time he picks up Maki, a ten year old girl whose father was shot down by Blue Ship, bioterrorists looking to unleash a virus on the world that could very easily wipe out everyone. L’s last mission is to keep the virus contained and to pruducde an antidote and stop Blue Ship from getting hold of the recipe for the antidote.

As a Death Note enthusiast, I had to read this book. I read it straight after I watched the film though, so I spent half of the time I was reading it comparing it to the film. I shall try and keep this review to the book though.

L was kept in character for this, with his intelligence at his normal high levels and his love for sweets as prevalent as ever. Maki was a great character biring an excellent child’s innocent point of view in and complimenting L throughout.

The character introductions for the Blue Ship bioterrorists were terrible. As an example, Hatsune’s name was dropped in the middle of a paragraph and we just had to go with it. It would have been nice to have alittle more backtstory to the new characters.

The mystery levls were almost as high as those in the canon manga. L’s bluffing and schemes, as well as Blue Ship’s, were intriguing to watch develop and play out.

Overall:  Strength 4 tea to another addition to the well-loved Death Note franchise

Links:  Goodreads | Death Note US  website | 

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Book Review- Pyxis, The Discovery by K C Neal

Title: Pyxis-The Discovery

 Author: K. C. Neal

Series:  Pyxis #1

Published: Ebook Oct/Nov 2011, Print Dec 2012  

Length: 216 pages

Warnings: Sex references, suggestive situations, 14+

Source: Author in exchange for review

Other info: This is the first book in the series. Book two, The Peril, will come in Spring 2012.

Summary : Corinne lives an average teenage life working at her dad’s cafe, hanging out with her best friend, and trying to forget a falling-out with her almost-boyfriend Mason. Things take a strange turn when she uses her late grandmother’s food dyes for a bake sale, and her customers suddenly find her irresistibly alluring. Then she discovers she and Mason are haunted by the same dreams of a dark force that consumes everything in its path. Pursued by shadowy figures and a crazy woman with secrets from the past, Corinne must find out who her grandmother really was. In her quest to unravel her family’s history, she learns she is destined to protect this world--and the dark world of her dreams. She races to find the answers she seeks before her nightmares break free. 

Review: some time ago, there was a thing on K.C.Neal’s website saying book bloggers could reserve an e-ARC. I read the vague summary, and requested one not knowing at all what I’d actually get. It could have been anything. It was  an original concept with the cakes being the thing that starts a discovery, which then quickly escalates into something  really awesome.

After realising tipping liquid from strange bottles into cakes that will be given to strangers is not the best thing to do, as the customers start acting really weirdly, Corinne and her friend Ang and nearly-boyfriend Mason investigating. They come across a list with their names on it, with mysterious initials and many more unexplained things. Corinne and her friends must learn about their new status quickly...

The characters were all well developed. Corinne was very relatable, as were her problems of being a teen girl in general, with the added fact that she’s received a letter pre-written (if that makes sense) by her grandmother telling her what to do. How much I love Grandma Doris and her opening to the explain all letter... “if you’re reading it [the letter], I must be dead. What a pity!” The other characters were all fleshed out just as well, and I can see some of them coming into play majorly as we go through the series (I’m looking here at Harriet and Sophie...)

The romantic side actually added quite a lot to the book, something that doesn’t always happen with books. Mason and Corinne’s   relationship was open for exploration, and towards the end when they are bound together magically in a way, you could tell there was another slight layer to this.

The pacing was a little slower at the start, but it quickly picked up. Some bits were a little predictable, but  there are some bits that really kept me thinking about what happened/what will happen.  The book ends at an annoyingly convenient part- convenient because here was a logical place to end it, but annoying because it had just turned a huge corner in terms of plot development and I wanted to read on!

Overall:  Strength 5 tea to an amazing book that I can’t wait for the sequels to. I want to carry on with Corinne’s story and I also want to see if my suspicions are correct...

Links: | Goodreads | Author website | 

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