Awake by Susan Beneville, Brian Hess (Illustrator) - Comic Volume 1

Comic Book Synopsis

Twelve year-old Regn has the power to wake and heal planets. But, on her first mission, she lands on Gremon where she discovers an angry planet tearing itself apart, an irresponsible big brother, and a greedy baron who stokes the chaos for his own benefit. Her power may not be enough when she comes face-to-face with the planet’s consciousness. Awake

My Opinion

5/5 stars.

Fans of the Italian comic W.i.t.c.h. will love to read this comic. It has magic. It has people who maintain of the balance in the universe.

The art was amazing.

The story was interesting.

It is a comic for all ages.

I was engaged in the story the whole time. I read issue one through four in one day. So, it is a fun and quick read.

If you like magic, multiple worlds/planets, and adventure, this is definitely your cup of tea.

 

This is my sole opinion. ^_^

 

And, if you are interested in finding other comics to read, you can click the following links Sun Dragon's Song 1 and Sun Dragon's Song 2

 

 

Genre: Children Fiction, Fantasy, Magic, Middle grade, Sequential Art
Language: none to mild
Sexual content: none to mild (flirting)
Violence: moderate
Drugs/Alcohol: none to mild 

Gemina Amie Kaufman, Jay Kristoff, Marie Lu (Illustrator) - Spoiler Free Book Review

Illuminae #2

Book synopsis - May contain Spoilers

Moving to a space station at the edge of the galaxy was always going to be the death of Hanna’s social life. Nobody said it might actually get her killed. The sci-fi saga that began with the breakout bestseller Illuminae continues on board the Jump Station Heimdall, where two new characters will confront the next wave of the BeiTech assault. Hanna is the station captain’s pampered daughter; Nik the reluctant member of a notorious crime family. But while the pair are struggling with the realities of life aboard the galaxy's most boring space station, little do they know that Kady Grant and the Hypatia are headed right toward Heimdall, carrying news of the Kerenza invasion. When an elite BeiTech strike team invades the station, Hanna and Nik are thrown together to defend their home. But alien predators are picking off the station residents one by one, and a malfunction in the station's wormhole means the space-time continuum might be ripped in two before dinner. Soon Hanna and Nik aren’t just fighting for their own survival; the fate of everyone on the Hypatia—and possibly the known universe—is in their hands. But relax. They've totally got this. They hope. Once again told through a compelling dossier of emails, IMs, classified files, transcripts, and schematics, Gemina raises the stakes of the Illuminae Files, hurling readers into an enthralling new story that will leave them breathless. Gemina

My opinion

4.85/5

If the first book was crazy, then, this one was super crazy. Dr. Who style. This book had the craziest mix of all.
Ninja - checked
Mafia - checked
Drug dealer with a conscious - checked
Spies - checked
Terrorists - checked
Hackers - checked
Space - checked
Predators - checked
Sh*t is about to go down - checked
It was intense. The twist it had. Man, Was I shocked? Yes. Was it good? Oh, yeah! Go read it! Just DO IT!
In Gemina, we get to know our characters better than in Illuminae. Also, there is more descriptive writing than pictures/conversations/lists (physical book). The audiobook is still amazing with a huge cast. Although, compared to Illuminae, not all the sound effects from the physical book were present in the audiobook. It is not a big deal, so I would not worry about it.
I will recommend reading the book while listening to the audiobook because it is an amazing experience.
I got to see characters from Illuminae. Yay! Especially a certain... being. Wink-Wink. I know I am weird like that, but I cannot help it. When a character is complex, I root for it.
I cannot wait for the third and final instalment of this trilogy. The end was explosive!
No spoilers!
Go read it!

This is my sole opinion. ^_^

Feel free to check out my Illuminae review!

Genre: YA, Science Fiction, Romance
Language:  none because censured, mild innuendoes
Sexual content: mild
Violence: heavy
Drugs/Alcohol: moderate (especially drugs)

*More mature themes than in an usual YA

A Court of Wings and Ruin (A Court of Thorns and Roses #3) by Sarah J. Maas - Cover Reveal

Hello-Hello! We finally have the cover for A Court of Wings and Ruin  by Sarah J. Maas! Aaah! I am so excited!!!

 

Are you ready?

 

Are

You

 Ready?

Drum Roll, Please...

 

TA-DAH!

 

Isn't it gorgeous?

 

 



Black Moon by Romina Russell - Where all your questions get answered

Zodiac #3

At least, most of them...

Book synopsis

May contain spoilers

Book 3 in the breathtaking sci-fi space saga inspired by astrology that will stun fans of the Illuminae Files and Starbound series.
One final secret stands between Rho and the enemy. But will the devastating truth be enough to destroy her first? Rho, the courageous visionary from House Cancer, lost nearly everything when she exposed and fought against the Marad, a mysterious terrorist group bent on destroying balance in the Zodiac Galaxy. Now, the Marad has disappeared without a trace, and an uneasy peace has been declared. But Rho is suspicious. She believes the Master is still out there in some other form. And looming over all are the eerie visions of her mother, who died many years ago, but is now appearing to Rho in the stars. When news of a stylish new political party supported by her best friend, Nishi, sends Rho on another journey across the galaxy, she uses it as an opportunity to hunt the hidden master and seek out information about her mother. And what she uncovers sheds light on the truth–but casts darkness upon the entire Zodiac world. Black Moon (Zodiac #3)

 

My opinion

4.5/5 stars.

Awesome world building! The images pictured by the author are amazing! This book has it all. Character development. Big reveals. Or should I say HUGE! :)) Ok. Ok. I am gonna stop the jokes. We finally get some answers regarding the Zodiac's origin. Now we finally know what happened with the thirteenth house. The big bad villain if finally revealed. And I am glad that some of my brain-storming theories were right.

Unfortunately, we have some deaths and betrayals. Good part is that we also have some alive and coming back to life characters too. Hint-Hint! There are twists and turns in this book... Man! I literary throw my iPad aside screaming "What!?!"
That ending thou! Clap-Clap!
How could you, Romina? How could you?!! Now I have to wait... let me see... until August. Well, it is better than December.
I love that the author brings into question a lot of the ethical problems we go through in real life. And the characters' response to them reflect the ones you, me, your friend, or a person X will give. It makes you think. You learn to see from a different perspective. The author does not present only the good option. She also offers the bad one. And... It feel more realistic that way. Opinions were not forced on me. That, dear reader, is what I love in a book.

SPOILERS Section 

- I want to say that the ending is impossible to be true because we still have narration post facto. Sooo... You who read this book get what I mean. I am glad to see our character struggling to accept their heritage, who they really are, and what they want. I am talking about Rho, Mathias,  Hysan, Rho's brother, Nishi. I wished there was more of Hysan in this book.

The master is revealed! And, why he/she has to be from my people? :))

The Zodiac gets more united!

We have a great prophecy about the Zodiac!

We get to see Aquarius, Scorpion, and Pisces! Even though I loved reading about it, the book spends too much time on Aquarius than I expected. I thought there is going to be more action on Pisces considering the pandemic issue. -

End of SPOILERS

One last note, this is a slow-ish paced book. Make sure you are in a mood for it.

This is my sole opinion. ^_^

Also, feel free to check out my other two reviews on book one and two, Zodiac and Wandering Star.

Genres: YA, Science Fiction, Fantasy
Language: mild
Sexual content: mild to moderate (kissing and the notion that two characters have sex)
Violence: moderate
Drugs/Alcohol: mild 

 

 

A Christmas Kiss (Kissed by the Bay #5) by Susan Hatler Book Review

Book synopsis

Harper Avery is a jaded divorce attorney who loves helping her clients move on to better things. After all, they’ve struggled enough being in an unhappy marriage. When one client’s soon-to-be ex-husband suddenly says he wants a second chance with his wife, Harper’s dubious, certain that her client is just going to get hurt again. Despite his career as a divorce attorney, Gabriel Hart still believes that love can work miracles. Sure, there are no guarantees, but he totally supports his client’s efforts to reconcile with his wife—even if it means Gabriel has to go head-to-head with Harper to keep her from ruining the couple’s chances. With the holidays approaching, husband and wife set out to see if they can work through their issues, while Harper decides to spend the long Christmas weekend at her friend’s cabin in Lake Tahoe. Only when she gets there, someone is already occupying her last-minute rental—Gabriel Hart. Both refuse to give up their holiday retreat. Will their adversarial working relationship make for a stressful weekend? Or will the magic of Christmas sprinkle them with a love that can beat the odds?   A Christmas Kiss

 

My opinion

2.5/5 stars rounded to 3.

This is a short love story. It is full of Christmas references. The author creates a perfect Christmas for our protagonists. Everything is perfect. Except the characters... I was not able to connect whit either of them. This is sad because the author had so much material to use. I was not able to feel the sparks from the writing. The protagonists are supposed to be complex... But... By the end, I was asking myself "Why did these characters fall in love in the first place?" The romance seemed forced. 

Also, what bothered me was the characters' inability to separate personal life from work.

All in all, the story was cute and cuddly. I had high expectations and I felt disappointed. The book had potential. It needs a revision. I love descriptions and this book was lacking in them in the emotional department.

It is a good romantic story for winter/Christmas time. If you feel like this is your cup of tea, go for it!

 

This is my sole opinion. ^_^

 

I would like to say thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Novella, Holiday
Language: none to mild
Sexual content: mild
Violence: none
Drugs/Alcohol: mild

 

UNICEF and UN - Make a difference

Hello-Hello! This is another quick post. I just want to talk about United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). I want to spread the word. UNICEF is an important world wide organization. Why? You ask. Well, it is important because it defends the rights of children. From the womb to adulthood (18 years old). Yes, children matter. They are our future. They need to have opportunities, education and a good environment to flourish.

I was a child once. Believe it or not, I've seen both the good and the bad. Having opportunities and a wonderful mother made a huge difference in my life.

Now, I am UNICEF-USA volunteer and I want to make a change.

For more information regarding UNICEF and their programs, you can go on their website by clicking the following link UNICEF. 

Also, I want to make people more aware of the United Nations (UN) 17 goals for 2030 for a better world. UN - link for more information.

On September 25th 2015, countries adopted a set of goals to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all as part of a new sustainable development agenda. Each goal has specific targets to be achieved over the next 15 years.

For the goals to be reached, everyone needs to do their part: governments, the private sector, civil society and people like you.

Do you want to get involved? You can start by telling everyone about them.

Here is a list of what you can do from the comfort of your home List of Action.

LET'S DO THIS!

 

Korean Drama Top Favorites

Favorites so far

Hello-Hello! It is late at night... Alright! Alright! It is almost 10:30 pm (1/20/2017 when I started writing this post). Not that late. But moving on... I feel like doing a different kind of post.

For a couple of years I've been a fan of K-dramas. Some of them are cool and some of them are cheese.

Thus, I decided to list a couple of my favorite k-dramas. They are funny and action packed with impeccable acting.

If I convince you to watch them by any chance, DramaFever is a good place to start. You can even download it as an app on your devices.

Shall we strat?

We shall shall... ^_^

These are in no particular order.

Number 1

Goblin the Lonely and Great God

Kim Shin (Gong Yoo) is an immortal goblin and protector of souls. He lives with an amnesiac grim reaper (Lee Dong-Wook) who is in charge of taking deceased souls. Kim Shin is able to see people's future and is considered the Protector of Souls while the grim reaper sees the dead off into the afterlife. One day, the goblin meets a girl, Ji Eun-Tak (Kim Go-Eun), who can see ghosts and is destined to be his bride. The goblin's wife is also destined to bring the goblin's life to an end. Things get more complicated when both the goblin and the grim reaper fall in love.

This k-drama is so funny and good. The chemistry between the actors is great.

Especially between Gong Yoo and Lee Dong-Wook.

This drama is freaking hilarious. I laughed all the time. It is that good. The special effects are cool. The soundtrack is great. The storyline is interesting without a scary big bad wolf. It deserves to be watched.

Number 2

The K2

Kim Je-Ha is a former mercenary soldier for the PMC Blackstone.

 Now, he is a fugitive and returns to South Korea where is offered to work as a bodyguard by Choi Yoo-Jin, the owner of JSS Security Company and wife of the presidential candidate, Jang Se-Joon. He accepts in exchange to get revenge on his enemy.  In the meantime, Je-ha gets assigned to guard Go Anna, the hidden daughter of Jang Se-Joon, whose life is always threatened by Yoo-Jin, her stepmother. Anna, who has been reclused and lonely all her life, starts relying on Je-Ha, who shows concern for her and protects her at all costs. They slowly fall in love with each other. Je-Ha is torn between having to work with his ally, Yoo-Jin, and protecting his new-found love, Anna.

Revenge vs. Love

This k-drama is heavy on politics, action, revenge, psychology and strategy. It is dark and somewhat cliché. But, Oh boy! It is worth it. The action scenes are awesome!!!

Number 3

Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo

Oh, boy! This one it has it all. History, time travel, war, politics, lies, tortured characters, love, betrayal, fight for power. It is bloody, messy, and epic. The acting is great. The cinematography is great too. It is based on the Chinese novel Bu Bu Jing Xin by Tong Hua.

Go Ha-Jin (Lee Ji-Eun), a 25-year-old 21st century woman, is transported back in time to Goryeo Dynasty during a total solar eclipse. She wakes up in the year 941, in the body of Hae Soo and there, she encounters the many royal princes of the ruling Wang family. She initially falls in love with the gentle and warm 8th Prince Wang Wook (Kang Ha-Neul), and later Wang So (Lee Joon-Gi), the fearsome 4th Prince who hides his face behind a mask and is given the derogatory label "wolf dog". Meanwhile, rivalry and politics ensue among the princes, in a fight for the throne, as Hae Soo finds herself unwittingly caught between it all.

It differently deserves a second season.

Number 4

My Love from Another Star

Hmmm. Put in a blender an obnoxious and funny actress with a serious alien with superpowers and you get this k-drama. It is funny and dangerous with drama from the show biz world. It is a must watch. The characters have a great chemistry together.

 Do Min-Joon (Kim Soo-Hyun) is an alien that landed on Earth in the year 1609, during the Joseon Dynasty. By mingling in humans' businesses, he gets stuck on Earth for centuries. Now, in present day South Korea, Do Min-Joon works as a college professor. With only three months left before his long-awaited departure back to space, he meets Cheon Song-Yi (Jun Ji-Hyun), a famous Hallyu actress who suddenly becomes his next-door neighbor. Slowly, he finds himself entangled in Song-Yi's crazy and unpredictable situations, and finds out that she looks like the young girl he fell in love with in the Joseon era. Min-Joon tries to keep himself away from Song-Yi as he needs to leave the planet, but often finds himself failing to do so.

Number 5

Faith

This one is similar to Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo. Time travel, a warrior, a surgeon from the future, politics, intrigue, magic, love and war.

The queen of Goryeo is fatally injured. The king orders royal bodyguard Choi Young to pass through a mystical portal ("heaven's gate") and find the "heaven's doctor". Choi Young travels to the future and brings back Yoo Eun-Soo, a modern-day doctor from Seoul. Eun-Soo gets trapped in the past. Problems arise as others become fascinated with her as the "Heaven's doctor" and she becomes a pawn in the political power plays.

An awesome fantasy-time-travel drama!

Honorable Mentions

Uncontrollably Fond

This is a cry worthy one. Sweet. Romantic. And Tragic. This is a well done cliché story. Lots and lots of tragedies and secrets and intrigue.

Shin Joon-Young (Kim Woo-Bin) and No-Eul (Bae Suzy) were a couple who were separated during their teenage years due to an ill-fated relationship, but later meet each other in adulthood. Shin Joon-young is now a top actor-singer while No-Eul is a documentary producer. No-Eul had a tough childhood. Her father died in a hit-and-run forcing No-Eul to quit school and make a living for her and her brother. Shin Joon-Young, on the other hand, had his life planned out for him until something unfortunate happens.

Let's Fight Ghosts / Hey Ghosts, Let's Fight

Funny. Scary. And Action. Good story arc. Awesome CGI effects! It is scary. You have been warned!

 Park Bong-Pal (Ok Taec-Yeon) has grown up with ability to see ghosts and uses this ability to work as an exorcist, banishing ghosts. Called to a haunted school, he encounters Kim Hyun-ji (Kim So-Hyun) a feisty middle high-school student who, because of a traffic accident, became a wandering spirit the day before her college entrance exams. The two accidentally kiss and Hyun-ji discovers that Bong-Pal holds the secret as to why she is a spirit. In order to be freed from endlessly wandering the earth as a ghost and to ascend to the next life, Hyun-Ji convinces Bong-Pal to allow her to live with him and the two become ghost fighting partners.