Book Review: The Queen's Army

The Queen's Army

Author: Marissa Meyer
Publisher:  Tor
Publish Date: November 20, 2012
Series: Lunar Chronicles # 1.5
Book Rating 4/5
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Publisher's Description 

It is time. The boy must leave his family to serve in the Queen's army. To be chosen is an honor. To decline is impossible. The boy is modified. He is trained for several years, and learns to fight to the death. He proves to the Queen—and to himself—that he is capable of evil. He is just the kind of soldier the Queen wants: the alpha of his pack.

Free read here

Book Received: Read online

Why I Picked it up: This is a story about Wolf or as we ill know him Z. This is about how a boy was turned into a monster, to serve his Queen. The story starts many years before Cinder, yet the placement of this story in the series is just after Cinder. In this story Wolf is taken from his family and thrust into a world that makes competitive fighting look easy. 

Why I finished it: This book makes you want to read the next one and quick. The worldbuilding  well we get to see Luna and Lunar society up close and personal. It gives light to the nuances in Scarlet. 

If you want to know more about Lunar History go here. 

Who I would give it to: Everyone

Book Review: Freak of Nature

Freak of Nature

Author: Julia Crane
Publisher:  Valknut Press
Publish Date: January 9, 2013
Book Rating 5/5
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Publisher's Description 

Donate Body to Science. Check.

When seventeen-year-old Kaitlyn checked the box, she never suspected she’d have her life–and her body–stolen from her. She awakens one day in a secret laboratory to discover that her body is now half-robot and is forced to hide her own secret: that she still has human emotions and a human mind. If the scientists who made her find out, they’ll erase what remains of who she was.

Kaitlyn finds an unlikely ally in Lucas, a handsome, brilliant scientist who can’t get over the guilt he feels knowing she was once a vibrant, beautiful young woman. He never expected a science project to affect him the way she does. As he tries to help her rediscover her past, he finds himself falling for the brave girl struggling to find her place and acceptance between the human and computer worlds.

*For mature teens due to some sexual content.

Book received:  Bought

Why I Picked it up: I read a sample of this book and then bought it.  I read this whole book in one sitting  at time wondering how far off are we from achieving this level of technology. THe story is about a girl trying to remain a human girl. It provokes the questions: What make use human? And dose some one have the right to change us? How would we react to it? 

Why I finished it: The world was my own and place i knew. It was not too far off and I felt for Kaitlyn. I wanted to know how she would overcome everything set in front of her and could she still remain human. 

Who I would give it to: anyone who like robots, cyborgs and the Lunar Chronicles   

Anime Review: Last Exile Fam, The Silver Wing

• Director: Koichi Chigira

Actor: Ai Kayano
Actor: Aki Toyosaki
Actor: Aoi Yuki
Actor: Carrie Savage
Actor: Jad Saxton 

Release Date DVD: August 3, 1996
Artist: CLAMP

Series  Rating 3/5

Completed 

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Publisher's Description 

Taking place two years after the events of Last Exile, Last Exile: Fam, The Silver Wing is set on Earth, the original home world of the colonists of Prester. The new story focuses on Fam Fan Fan and Giselle Collette, two vespa vanship pilots who work as Sky Pirates, capturing and selling battleships for a living.

Fam and Giselle get into an adventure when they and the Sky Pirates rescue Liliana il Grazioso Merlo Turan and her younger sister, Millia Il Velch Cutrettola Turan, Princesses of the Turan Kingdom, from the clutches of the mighty Ades Federation. The Federation, led by Empress Sārā Augusta and Premier Luscinia Hāfez, is on an all out war against nations who descended from immigrants who came back to Earth by Exile ships. As Ades being the only nation to stay on Earth when it was in a state of chaos and ruin, Luscinia believes that the Exile immigrants have no right to return to Earth since their ancestors abandoned Earth when it was in chaos only to return when Earth was viable to live on again and force the original inhabitants of Earth off their lands to form their own nations. To return these lands to their original inhabitants, Luscinia leads the Ades Federation to conquer the immigrant nations and destroy their armies, with Turan being one of them.

After Luscinia kidnaps Liliana, who has the ability to control an Exile, Luscinia summons an Exile to destroy Iglasia, the capital of Turan, killing its soldiers and the King of Turan, leading to the surrender of Turan to Ades. With everything she cared for lost, Millia is given refuge by the Sky Pirates, where Fam promises to help Millia regain her kingdom.

Series Received : Own

Why I Picked it up:I want to s see what happened after Last Exile. 

Why I finished it: There is a new cast and it is just a wonderfully don as the first one. 

Who I would give it to: Steampunk lover. 

Anime Review: Last Exile

Director: Eric P. Sherman

Actor: Michelle Ruff
Actor: Kari Wahlgren 

Release Date DVD: April 7, 2003 
Studio: Funimation Prod

Series  Rating 4/5

Completed 

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Publisher's Description 

It's the dawn of the Golden Age of Aviation on planet Prester, and retro-futuristic sky vehicles known as vanships dominate the horizon. Claus Valca - a flyboy born with the right stuff - and his fiery navigator Lavie are fearless racers obsessed with becoming the first sky couriers to cross the Grand Stream in a vanship. But when the high-flying duo encounters a mysterious girl named Alvis, they are thrust into the middle of an endless battle betwenn Anatoray and Disith - two countries systematically destroying each other according to the code of chivalric warfare. Lives will be lost and legacies determined as Claus and Lavie attempt to bring peace to their world by solving the riddle of its chaotic core.

Series Received :Christmas gift

Why I Picked it up: I was given this as a gift.

Why I finished it: Every character is memorable form the two children to the mechanics on the Silvana. The story draws you in. I had all the disc but hte last one and we went out and bought it that night to finish it. Each character come across as more than the sum of their parts. It is beautifully drawn and wonderfully made.  

Who I would give it to: Anyone who wants Steam punk anime. 

Anime Review: X/1999

Director: Eric P. Sherman

Actor: Crispin Freeman
Actor: Steve Cannon

Release Date DVD: August 3, 1996
Artist: CLAMP

Series  Rating 5/5

Completed 

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Publisher's Description 

Kamui Shiro is a young man who was born with the power to decide the fate of the Earth itself--a destiny he can barely bring himself to believe. But as other players in the prophecy begin to gather around him--the "Seven Seals," with the power to protect the Earth, and the "Seven Harbingers," who are fated to destroy it--he has no choice but to come to terms with his fate.

Series Received : Own

Why I Picked it up: I wanted to watch ans see how close the anime was to the manga. 

Why I finished it: It brought the story to life. It was also less on confusing to see than to read. It had great music and movement

Who I would give it to: Someone wants to see the end of the world. 

Manga Review: 1/2 Prince

Author:  Yu Wo

Publisher:  Ming Significant Cultural  & Tong Li Comics 2004  

Publish Date:   August 9, 2009October 4, 2004 -August 15, 2005 

Book Rating 4/5

On going in US

 Goodreads / Ten Manga/ Prince Revolution

Publisher's Description 
The story takes place in the year 2100 A.D. where humans have developed highly realistic virtual reality games. The protagonist, 19 year-old female college student Feng Lan, is challenged by her twin brother Feng Yang Ming to play the newest popular virtual reality game - Second Life - without using the advantages of being a female character in the game. She decides to play as a male character and prove her skills as a swordsman. In the game, she makes many friends and her adventures begin

Manga Review 4/5

Book Recevied : online

Why I Picked it up: The idea of this one just drew me in. In playing online games I found the premise fun. 

Why I finished it: The story get deep quick. The main arc goes form light to and silly to heavy. It runs the gambit of emotion. 

Who I would give it to: This is for the gamer's

Manga Review: X/1999

Author:  Clamp

Publisher:  Viz

Publish Date: May 1992

Completed 


Manga Rating 5/5

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Publisher's Description 

Kamui Shiro is a young man who was born with the power to decide the fate of the Earth itself--a destiny he can barely bring himself to believe. But as other players in the prophecy begin to gather around him--the "Seven Seals," with the power to protect the Earth, and the "Seven Harbingers," who are fated to destroy it--he has no choice but to come to terms with his fate.

Book Review

Book Recevied : Bought

Why I Picked it up:I picked this up because it was one of the first few mangas that could be bough tin the US. The artwork was lovely and the story was rich 

Why I finished it: I the story is amazing and hreatbreaking. The art depicts the emotions of the charaters and allows you to love them 

Who I would give it to: Anyone.