| ANIME - Noragami & Noragami Aragoto |

SYNOPSIS: A story about Hiyori, a human, who can interact with gods and spirits from a parallel world.

RATING: 7.8/10

I like this anime. I love how the story was able to use gods and goddesses of Japanese Mythology. The main issue that I had was that the progression of the story was quite slow. There were many parts that I think weren't that interesting, especially in the first season. The second season was much better, but still, they could have incorporated more exciting parts in the anime. Still, I was entertained by the hilarious moments that the characters had. I loved the relationship that developed between the characters, especially between Hiyori, Yato, and Yukine. I wish that there would be a third season, especially since the second season ended in somewhat of cliffhanger.

Also, I liked the animation. The fighting scenes were impressive. The thing I love most was the eyes, especially when they are glowing. It was so beautiful to see.

 

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WARNING: SPOILERS!

RANDOM THOUGHTS AND REACTIONS

• My favorite character is Daikoku. He was such a kind character, which is kind of in contrast with his appearance. He acted as the father of the group. It was funny, especially when he tries to disown Yato, and yet he always prepared a room for him. Also, I love his relationship with Kofuku. 
• I love the relationship that formed between Hiyori, Yukine, Daikoku, Kofuku, and Yato. They feel like family. They support each other a lot.
• I feel bad for Hiyori because Yato didn't do much about her situation with the half-life as a phantom. It kept her with them, so I shouldn't be bothered that much, but still, I worry about her suddenly collapsing on a rode somewhere because of this.
• The first season pissed me off about Yukine. He was such an asshole there, and I felt bad for Yato. He didn't deserve the pain he had to endure for Yukine. I'm glad that Hiyori was there to realize what happened, and that Daikoku was such a reliable person. I'm also glad that Yukine repented about what he did and was able to bloom into a decent person.
• Information I did not need or want: Gods don't have to poop!
• I found Bishamon very awesome. I love that she took care of many regalias and that her regalias are part of her armor and weapons. The only thing I dislike is that she kept on harboring hatred for Yato. It's not like he killed her clan because he just wanted to. Kazuma should have told her the full story earlier. I love that they were able to make peace. She even tried to help him escape Izanami's clutches.  
• I dislike that Bishamon disowned Kazuma at some point. I get that she's traumatized by what Yato did, but she still should've listened to him. I'm glad that they were able to make up in the end, and they were able to make the clan stronger than what it used to be.
• Rabou's arc wasn't that interesting. I don't get his obsession with Yato. I feel like he was just there because he was manipulated by Nora, which he probably was. We got to see Yato's beautiful glowing eyes, though, so there's that.
• I love Hiyori and Yato together. I don't know how that would work since she's a human, and he is a god. Still, they were lovely together. I love their care and support for one another.
• The baby in season two episode one creeped me out a lot. How much longing could he have to have summoned a phantom? Also, he looked ugly as hell. 
• I hate Kugaha. He was such an asshole to Bishamon and his fellow regalia. He treated them like trash, and he even killed some of them. He doesn't have any redeeming qualities, and his motive was pure selfishness. I'm glad that Bishamon released him as her regalia. He deserved to be abandoned. I also love that Yato was able to cut off his hand.
• I'm surprised that Hiyori managed to survive real life, given that she mostly spent her time with Yato and the others.
• I felt sad during that part where Nora forced Yato to work for his father again. He was starting to be confident about himself, and she had to go drag him again to do bad things.
• I wish we could see more interactions with the other gods. 
• FUNNY MOMENTS:
• Every time Yato was insulted for being poor and having sweaty hands.
• Yato introduced Kofuku as his girlfriend, and everyone was shocked, except Daikoku, who was angry. It was funny that she seemed more like a sugar-mommy than a girlfriend.
• When Yato said that Daikoku likes kids and Hiyori hid Yukine from him.
• Yato accidentally pushed Yusuke Urasawa off the rooftop and the fall that lasted for a long time. Plus, finding out that he was dating Kofuku, and that's why he is suffering since Kofuku is the god of poverty.
• Everyone getting shocked about Yukine's power development under Yato. 
• Yukine tricked Yato into leaving him alone by distracting him with food.
• FEELS AND FUCK-YEAH MOMENTS:
• Kofuku threatened Bishamon so that she won't mess with Yato.
• Hiyori remembered Yukine and Yato on her own. My heart hurt for Yato and Yukine during this part. They wanted to keep Hiyori with them, but they didn't how to do that.
• I liked the friendship that developed between Yukine and Suzuha. I felt bad for Yukine when he found out that Suzuha had died. 
• Kofuku tried to bet on Bishamon so that she would have the worst luck and lose against Yato. I love her support for Yato.
• I love how loyal Yukine became towards Yato. I love that he became an Imperial Regalia because he protected Yato against Bishamon at the cost of his life.
• Hiyori made a mini-shrine for Yato. I love his reaction. It touched my heart so much because you could see how happy he was because he finally got his lifelong dream.
• Ebisu's death. It broke my heart to see him die, especially since he realized how much he wanted to live. I was so sad for Yato because he knew how much Ebisu just wanted to help humans even though his way is unconventional. I love the bond that they had, even though they were only together for such a short time. He was able to help Yato open his eyes about what he truly wants.
• Yato freed Nora as his regalia. I love this moment. I love how he finally realized his self-worth and that he doesn't need Nora as his back-up. I love that he now wants to be a god of fortune, and he just wants to help others.
• THINGS I WONDER ABOUT:
• Why is Yato so strong despite having no shrine in the beginning?
• Who is Yato's father, and why is he Hiyori's classmate?
• What is Yukine's past?
• Why is Nora so strong?

SEASON 1 - What Happened?

• Yato, a god without a shrine was introduced. He takes on different requests from humans for 5-yen to have money to buy a shrine. His current regalia, Tomone, left him, and she was replaced by Yukine.
• Hiyori, a human girl, got into an accident when she tried to save Yato. Because of the accident, her soul randomly slips out of her body and into the world of phantoms or spirits. She asked Yato to help her become normal again.
• Yato went to Kofuku to ask for money. She was introduced to Hiyori and Yukine. 
• Bishamon found Yato. She wanted to kill him because he killed many of her Regalia. Hiyori went to Kofuku to ask her to help Yato. She intervened and created a storm. Yato was able to escape Bishamon's wrath. 
• Bishamon went to Kofuku to find Yato. Kofuku warned her against harming Yato. Kazuma told Hiyori that Yato is an enemy and the savior of Bishamon.
• Yukine had a hard time with being dead and caused different sins. Every time he sinned, Yato became inflicted with injuries. Yato suffered in silence and almost died. Yukine underwent an ablution to cure Yato of the blight. Mayu, Kazuma, and Daikoku were the ones that performed it.
• Rabou, an old god of calamity, decided to pick a fight with Yato. He wanted to kill him or to be killed by him. They used to be partners in killing people back in the old days. He used Nora as his Regalia. 
• Nora decided to remove Hiyori's memory of Yato and Yukine because she doesn't like her. She told Yato that she would return Hiyori's memory if he fought Rabou. Hiyori remembered Yato on her own after he saved her life. Yato was able to kill Rabou.

SEASON 2 - What Happened?

• Bishamon kept having nightmares about when Yato killed her Regalias. 
• Yukine befriends one of Bishamon's regalia, Suzuha. Suzuha was killed by Kugaha, another one of Bishamon's regalia.
• Kazuma noticed that Bishamon has a blight. He had everyone examined to find out who caused it. They found no mark on anyone. Kugaha told Bishamon that Kazuma helped with Yukine's ablution. Yukine asked Bishamon what happened to Suzuha and Kazuma was exiled as her regalia.
• Aiha and Kugaha attacked Yato, Kazuma, and Hiyori. Kugaha kidnapped Kazuma and Hiyori. Yato went to Bishamon to rescue them. Yato and Bishamon fought. Yukine protected Yato at the cost of being destroyed. He was upgraded into an Imperial Regalia for his loyalty. 
• The medicine that hid Bishamon's blight lost its effect and everyone was able to see that she was very infected by it. She kept on using her Regalia's to attack Yato because she thought he was there to eliminate her clan again. Kugaha used phantoms to kill his fellow regalias. 
• Aiha confessed and she told Kuraha about Kugaha's plans. Kuraha freed Hiyori and Kazuma. Kazuma ran to Bishamon and got hit by her attack. He confessed that he was the one who asked Yato to kill his fellow regalias in the past to cure Bishamon. 
• Kugaha wanted to kill Bishamon because he wanted her to be reborn. He wanted to become her guide because he thought that the current Bishamon was weak. Yato defeated one of his phantoms and cut off his hand. Bishamon released him as her regalia and she defeated the phantom that killed most of her regalias. Aiha underwent an ablution. Kazuma was restored as Bishamon's guiding voice.
• The Gods called a Colloquy to investigate the attack wherein the Masked Phantoms were used. 
• Ebisu offered Yato money to buy Yukine. 
• Hiyori created a miniature version of a shrine for Yato. Takamagahara, the dwelling place of the gods, officially recognized that shrine as his shrine so he was now allowed to live in Takamagahara and attend colloquies. Kazuma trained Yukine.
• Nora attacked Yato and took him back to his father. He had to kill people during several jobs and was ashamed of himself. Hiyori almost forgot him, but he was always at the back of her mind. She went to an amusement park with her friends and was kissed by one of their classmates.
• Heaven deemed that Ebisu is the conjurer that used the masked phantoms. They locked all the gods in heaven to make sure that they would not interrupt Ebisu's capture.
• Nora told Yato that he needed to rescue Ebisu from the underworld to be free. Ebisu wanted to get the Locution Brushes to perfect his conjuring. Every time he tried to conjure a phantom, his body got attacked with blights. Yato helped Ebisu escape Izanami's clutches. 
• Bishamon and Kofuku rushed to Ebisu to protect him from heaven. Hiyori and Yukine went with them. Ebisu was able to escape from the underworld, but Yato got stuck. Bishamon went to the underworld to help him escape. Hiyori used a 'Soul Call' taught by Ebisu to call Bishamon and Yato back. They had a hard time with calling Yato because Yato is not his real name. It was Yaboku. 
• They tried to protect Ebisu from heaven but they still killed him. Yato was angry because he knew that Ebisu was not the conjurer, but his father. His father used Ebisu to escape the clutches of the gods. 
• Yato released Nora as his regalia. 
• Yato wishes to be a god of fortune that helps people and not kill them.
• It was revealed that Yato's father is the guy that kissed Hiyori.

| ANIME - Bofuri: I Don't Want to Get Hurt, so I'll Max Out My Defense |

SYNOPSIS: A story about a girl who started playing an online game and focused on maxing out her defense stats because she doesn't want to get hurt.

RATING: 8.8/10

I had so much fun watching this anime. There wasn't any real story. It just focused on Maple and her friend's adventure in the game world. Their adventure was very entertaining. It made me laugh a lot. You would always wonder how Maple could top her current overpowered-ness. There are times when I got stressed out of what is currently happening because it was quite absurd, but it was still hilarious. Also, it was funny to see the developers get stressed out because of Maple. 

Also, I liked the animation. The sceneries in the game were lovely, and the skills and powers of the different characters were amazing. 

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SOME SPOILERS AHEAD

FAVORITES, REACTIONS AND RANDOM THOUGHTS:

• The reactions of the different players at the end of each episode were funny. I just wished that it moved a little slower.
• I love the community of players that was shown in the game. They're very supportive of each other, unlike the players in real life. 
• I wish that there was an actual game like the one in the anime. It seemed fun. It's funny that there's no like upper bound to the skills you can acquire. Also, I want to try eating the foods in the game.
• Being a computer science major, it's funny to me whenever the developers get stressed out because of Maple's weird combination of skills. She is a glitch that most developers would cry over. It's funny that they added some boundaries to the skill that she gained.
• I love Maple and Sally's friendship. They are supportive of each other. Sally was supposed to be the veteran player, but she's just having fun playing with Maple. 
• I love Syrup! He's a wonderful addition to the team, and it was funny how Maple put an amazing skill combination on him. I bet the developers never expected that. 
• The combination of Maple, May, and Yui was perfect. Although, I dislike May and Yui on their own because pure strength build is a liability since they can't properly defend themselves. At least with the defense build, it will take a long time to kill you.
• There are moments where even I can't handle the level of the absurdness of the skills that Maple acquired. As if the angel-skill wasn't enough, she had to go get a mecha and predator-ish skill. That predator skill is the definition of overpowered, and she can duplicate them using Sally's skill? How unfair is that? I felt bad for the other players, but it was fun. 
• I love the scene where Maple defeated the giant squid monster in the sea by poisoning the whole ocean. Like who thinks that way? Only Maple I assume.
• I can't handle the parts where Maple eats her enemies to defeat them. She eats them raw! Again, who thinks like that? Only Maple I assume.
• It was funny to see that Syrup had faster agility than Maple.
• It's funny that Maple thinks she's just playing the game normally. There is nothing normal about anything that she did throughout the game. 
• I love the fights that Maple had with the different guilds. Even though she only had trouble because she was supposed to be hiding her OP-skills, it was entertaining. The other guilds had their chance to shine and try to defeat. Too bad she still had OP-skills. 
• I don't know what would happen in a future scenario because Maple's current arsenal is already very powerful. What more could they add? Even her guildmates are getting shocked at the appendages she keeps on getting.

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SUMMARY OF EVENTS

1. Maple started playing an online game. She focused on increasing her defense because she didn't want to get hurt. She defeated a boss that gave her powerful equipment. 
2. Maple joined a battle royal event. She used her shield and poison attacks to defeat a large number of enemies and ended up getting third place.
3. Maple's friend in real life, Sally, decided to play the game too. They explored the game together, and Sally also managed to defeat a powerful boss and got herself powerful equipment. They also managed to defeat the floor level boss.
4. Maple and Sally joined a treasure hunt event. They met a new player, Kasumi, along the way, and together they searched for medals.  They managed to defeat another powerful boss, Silver Wing, much the admin's dismay. They also found companion eggs.
5. Maple and Sally made a guild and invited Kasumi, Kanade, Kuromu, and Iz. They also invited Yui and May, players who focused on their strength.
6. Maple managed to get an angel, monster, and mecha skill.
7. The Maple Tree guild joined the guild competition. They managed to defeat the two powerful guilds. They destroyed most of the guilds to end the guild competition and ended up in the top 10.

| ANIME - Konohana Kitan |

SYNOPSIS: A story about a fox girl who started working at Konohanatei and her interactions with the people there.

RATING: 7.5/10

I enjoyed watching this even though there wasn't much story in it. It was more of a feel-good anime.  It was interesting to see the characters develop as they interact with the different people that went to Konohanatei. They learned some lessons about life. Most of the relationships were quite adorable. I like that there are episodes that had different parts and characters, but they would interconnect by the end. The twists were wonderful to see.

Also, I loved the animation. All of the characters were so cute. The sceneries looked so beautiful, especially the flowers. 

SOME SPOILERS AHEAD

CHARACTERS:

• YUZU: I love her. She was quite a klutz and an airhead at times, but her development was very lovely. Her carefree nature was very charming. She could see the good in most situations and she's honest to a fault.
• SATSUKI: I love her. She was quite strict in the beginning, but you could see that she cares for other people. She learned how to show herself more through the people she interacted with.
• KIRI: I like her. Her witty manipulation and teasing of her co-workers were funny. Also, she was savage as fuck.
• SAKURA: She was so cute, but she's the one I liked the least. There wasn't any backstory with her. It was like she was just there to be cute.
• OKAMI: It was funny to see Okami's real appearance. Everyone (except Kiri) was shocked to see her human-ish form. It's particularly funny because she claims it was just because of make-up. 

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RELATIONSHIPS: 

• SATSUKI AND YUZU: Their relationship was so pure. I shipped them together, but I'm still happy even if they are just friends. I love that Satsuki began to loosen up and enjoy life more because of Yuzu. 
• SATSUKI AND HIIRAGI: Their relationship was interesting, but I wish that they were more honest with each other so that they had a better relationship. They didn't know that each one envies another.
• NATSUME AND REN: They were quite adorable together, and I wish that they would tell each other how they feel. Natsume's care for Ren was very touching to see. It's funny to see Ren get jealous.
• SAKURA AND KIRI: They were adorable together. They are like mother-daughter. 

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FAVORITES, REACTIONS AND RANDOM THOUGHTS:

• I love the episode where Okami and Natsume defended Ren from the guy who harassed her. I mean, she beat the guy up herself, but it was lovely to see the support she got. 
• I love the episode where Ren and Natsume went to the festival. It was adorable to see that Natsume always noticed Ren during the festival. She was observant and even carried Ren when she was in pain. It was lovely to see that they got to see the fireworks during that year.
• My favorite episode is episode 8. First of all, we got to see Yuzu mad. Second, Kiri was savage as fuck. Lastly, the interconnection between the characters that were introduced here was so beautiful.
• The episode with the turtle was so funny! I love that Natsume and Kiri kept threatening to cook him. He was kind of an idiot so I'm glad he ran away.
• I love that the last episode implied that Yuzu was the reason why Konohanatei was created. She wandered into the past and introduced the thought of creating an inn for creatures to relax in. 
• It was sad that Okiku never got to be played with, but you can't blame the family because she did look scary. It was funny to see Ren's make-over of her. It didn't look anything like her. I'm happy that she found a place to belong to in the end. I love her bond with Urinosuke.
• I don't know why Sakura kept chasing Okiku with scissors! It was funny, but I felt bad for Okiku. She was so scared of Sakura.
• I love that Yuzu helped the ghost realize her worth. She was able to move on to the afterlife happy. It also made me happy when she returned the favor and helped Yuzu get back home.
• I'm still curious as to where Urinosuke came from. He was so cute. I love seeing him take the nightmares that some of them had. 
• I still can't get over the fact that Aoi is a boy. He looked so like a girl, but Natsume's a girl, so there's that.
• I wish that more gods appeared and shared their stories.
• I'm still confused as to where Konohanatei is. Is it in the afterlife? Somewhere in limbo? I'm confused because there are different creatures there are sometimes that are also humans. How did they get there?

| MOST AWAITED BOOKS OF 2020 |

I cannot believe I didn't make a most awaited books list last year! What the hell was I doing with my life back then???

1. Come Tumbling Down by Seanan McGuire (January 7, 2020)
2. Yes No Maybe So by Becky Albertalli and Aisha Seed (February 4, 2020)
3. Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare (March 3, 2020)
4. Aru Shah and the Tree of Wishes by Roshani Chokshi (April 7, 2020)
5. The Betrothed by Kiera Cass (May 5, 2020)
6. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins (May 19, 2020)
7. The Lost Book of the White by Cassandra Clare (September 1, 2020)
8. Bridge of Souls by Victoria Schwab (September 1, 2020)
9. The Tower of Nero by Rick Riordan (September 29, 2020)
10. The Invisible Life of Addie La Rue by V.E. Schwab (October 6, 2020)

| K-DRAMAS I WATCHED IN 2019 |

I'm impressed with the amount of K-Dramas I watched. I managed to finish 15 K-Dramas. I hope I get to finish more in 2020! <3

This list is ranked by my most favorite to least liked.

1. Signal (9.5/10)
• I don't usually like K-Dramas with little or no romance at all, but this one I enjoyed a lot. The plot was quite intriguing to see unfold - there were many twists and turns. 
2. Her Private Life (9.5/10)
• I love this K-Drama a lot. It was such a refreshing and entertaining K-Drama to watch. The story was quite straightforward. There were shocking twists, but you wouldn't felt stressed by it. 
• I love the relationship that blossomed between Deok-Mi and Ryan. It was very entertaining and fun to watch. They were quite adorable together. 
• I love the friendship between Sun-Joo, Eun-Ki, and Deok-Mi. They were like siblings, and it was quite fun to watch. 
• I love the character development that happened for Cindy. She was annoying in the beginning, but I grew to love her by the end. 
• I love all the side stories that this showed. The side characters were very entertaining to watch. 
• I have a huge crush on Kim Jae-Wook.
3. What's Wrong with Secretary Kim (9/10)
• I enjoyed watching this K-Drama a lot. There wasn't much of a plot, but finding out about the past between Mi-so and Young-Joon intrigued me a lot. I like the twists and turns that the story went to. I love the relationship that blossomed between them. They were very adorable to watch, even though there were times that they were quite cringe-y.  
4. Angel's Last Mission (9/10)
• I loved this K-Drama a lot. The story was very intriguing to see. I didn't expect most of the things to happen, and many were quite heartbreaking. This is probably the only K-Drama that made me cry in the first episode. 
• So many terrible things happened to Yeon-seo, so you wouldn't blame her for being skeptical about life. I'm glad that Dan came into her life. He was a literal guardian angel to her. I love the way their relationship developed. She found someone who wouldn't back down from an argument with her, and who would protect her from the evil people around her. They were very precious together. It was heartbreaking to find out about the past they shared. 
• Kang-woo was kind of an annoying character in the beginning. He seemed quite creepy, to be honest, and I'm glad that he changed course. He just became someone who Yeon-Seo can rely on. 
• I hated what happened to Hu. He was so supportive of Dan, and it broke my heart so much when he vanished. 
5. Fated to Love You (8.8/10)
• I enjoyed watching the romance that developed in this K-Drama, but it was heartbreaking watching them struggle to cope with their situation. You can see how much they loved each other, but many things cannot be solved by love. They had many misunderstandings that could have been solved if they just talked to each other, but we know that that's not how K-Drama works. I cried a lot while watching this. 
• I felt bad for Lee Gun a lot because he loved Mi-young a lot, but he doesn't want to burden her anymore. 
• I'm glad that Mi-young had Daniel during her rough times, but I felt bad for him because we know from the start that she wouldn't choose him even if things didn't work out with Lee Gun. It would be unfair to him because deep down Mi-young knows, who she truly loves. 
6. Kill Me, Heal Me (8.8/10)
• I enjoyed watching this K-Drama. It was an emotional rollercoaster ride. There were many down moments, but there were several fun ones. I loved how the story unfolded, and I honestly didn't see the main twist happening. My god, it was heartbreaking. It was fun to watch a K-Drama where the first and the second lead was technically the same person. 
• I love the chemistry between all three of the main characters. 
• Ri-on was such a precious character. I'm glad that Ri-jin had him. 
• I love the relationship between Cha and Ri-jin. They were so adorable together, and the way that Ri-jin handled, and confronted his different personalities were heartbreaking. 
• Ji-Sung is such an amazing actor. He was able to portray several different characters with different personalities, and I'm very proud of him.  
7. My Girl (8.3/10)
• I enjoyed watching this K-Drama. It put me in a roller-coaster of emotion. It was very funny in the beginning, but halfway it broke my heart a lot. Gong-chan and Yoo-rin were adorable together, and I wished there were more scenes of them enjoying their relationship - the approved one.
8. Strangers from Hell (8/10)
• I found this K-Drama quite entertaining. Some of the episodes felt slow, but they were always creepy. I didn't see the ending coming, so I was happy with it. 
• Each of the actors was amazing in their respective roles. They each had their level of disturbingness. Some made me more uncomfortable than others. 
• Lee Dong-Wok was amazing in his role. I was shocked by how creepy he was in his role. 
9. When the Camellia Blooms (8/10)
• I enjoyed watching this K-Drama, but I felt confused when I was watching it because I couldn't tell if it was supposed to be a suspense thriller or a romantic comedy. It felt weird that it was both. I like the mysterious atmosphere it had in the beginning, but somewhere down the road, it became kind of cheerful. Still, it was entertaining to watch. I just wished that it had a lesser number of episodes because the ending of the serial killer felt kind of disappointing. 
• I like the romance that bloomed between Dong-Baek, and Yong-Sik. They were very adorable together, but there were times that they reached the cringe level. 
• Jong-Ryeol's side story was quite annoying, to be honest. I get that he just wants to redeem himself, but he honestly doesn't seem to care that he's just disrupting Dong-Baek's life, and his son's. He seems selfish. 
• I found Kyu-Tae, and Ja-Young's relationship adorable. I'm glad that they got back together again. 
• Hyang-Mi's story was very heartbreaking. I kind of disliked her in the beginning, but as we find out more about her I couldn't help, but get sad for her. 
• I love the bond that the residents of Ongsan had. I was happy when they finally accepted Dong-Baek into their fold and tried to protect her, however, they can.
10. The Last Empress (7.8/10)
• I honestly cannot believe that I finished watching a 26-episode K-Drama. The story was full of twists and turns, which was quite entertaining. Some twists were absurd, but it was a fun addition to the story. The ending could have been better, though. 
• I enjoyed seeing Sunny's character develop from such a weak person to someone who tried to fight the oppression happening inside their household. It was something new for me, especially since Jang Na Ra's character is usually on the weaker side. 
• Shin Sung-Rok's performance as the feeble-minded emperor was amazing. He was able to show a sadistic side, but you will still feel pity for him because you know how he grew up, especially once he realized how much he wronged Sunny. 
• Yoo-ra's character was impressive. She was like a cockroach who just wouldn't die. I disliked her in the first half of the K-Drama, but she redeemed herself in the end once we find out what she went through, and she tried to help Sunny. 
• Shin Eun-Kyung was amazing as the evil Empress. I hated her so much. She was such an unredeemable character. 
• I loved the Grand Empress Dowager. It broke my heart so much when she died, especially after seeing Sunny's reaction to her death. I still find the reason for her death stupid, though. 
• I liked the relationship that blossomed between Sunny and Wang-sik, but in my heart, I knew that I still wanted Sunny to end up with Lee Hyuk.
• I hated what happened with Wang-Sik. It was so stupid. They could have made a better ending for his character. 
11. My Absolute Boyfriend (7.5/10)
• I loved the manga of Absolute Boyfriend, so I was excited about this. I wasn't expecting anything, so I wasn't disappointed. I mostly enjoyed what they did to the story. There were parts that I think were better than the manga, especially how the characters met and were involved with each other. The only thing that made me mad was the addition of Diana. She was just an annoying character who I wanted to slap. She didn't deserve to be redeemed. Also, I prefer the second lead to the first lead. 
12. Hotel Del Luna (7.5/10)
• I was intrigued by the story of this K-Drama. I disliked that it had slow pacing in the beginning. It took many episodes before Man-wol's past was shown properly. I enjoyed watching it, but I felt like something was lacking. I prefer that Man-wol ended up with Chung-myung instead of Chan-sung because I dislike Yeo Jin-goo as the lead character. Still, I enjoyed watching the bond that the different employees of Hotel Del Luna had. My heart broke at the end, but it somewhat felt anticlimactic.  
13. When Time Stops (6/10)
• The story was very intriguing. It had a lot of potentials, but the execution was poor. The first few episodes felt slow, then the main conflict just suddenly appeared, and then you were suddenly bombarded with different information about the past.
• The romance was cute, but the development of their relationship felt rushed. 
• The bond between the residents of the apartment complex was adorable. 
14. W: Two Worlds (5/10)
• I was quite intrigued by the plot, but I didn't like the direction it went. There were too many twists and turns that turned the story into something crazy. 
• The lead characters were adorable together, but there were moments where I felt like their relationship was forced. 
• I didn't agree with Yeon-Joo's life choices, and she still makes me angry. 
15. Touch Your Heart (3/10)
• I thought I would enjoy this a lot because the main couple is Lee Dong-Wook and Yoo In-Na, boy I was wrong. There was no actual plot, and most of the side characters and romances lacked chemistry. This should have ended way before episode sixteen. 

| ANIMES I WATCHED IN 2019 |

I managed to finish 10 animes this year, though I did start more than that. I don't know if I will be able to complete all my unfinished anime next year, but I sure hope so.

1. Kuzu no Honkai (7/10)
• This anime was not my cup of tea. It showed a darker side of romance, and it was a bit hard to swallow. However, I appreciate what it was trying to show. Also, the animation was pleasing to the eyes.
2. Mob Psycho 100 (8/10)
• I enjoyed watching this anime. It was quite fun. Seeing Mob's epic power get unleashed was very entertaining to watch. I like seeing Mob try to develop relationships with others. 
3. Usagi Drop (8/10)
• This was such an adorable story about a father-daughter bond. I love seeing their relationship grow each episode. It was simple and refreshing to watch. Just do not try to find out what happens in the manga.
4. Barakamon (10/10)
• I loved watching this. Seeing Handa develop bonds with the children of the village was so fun to watch. He was able to connect to others the way he wasn't able to before. He learned to appreciate life and the simple things that make each day happy. 
5. Mob Psycho 100 II (7.8/10)
• I enjoyed the first season better. It had a more fast-paced story. However, I liked seeing Mob's character development in here. He was able to realize more the bonds he had developed and to not be afraid of himself. He was able to somewhat gain more controls of his powers.
6. That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime (8.25/10)
• I honestly enjoyed watching this anime. It had a slow world-building, but seeing Rimuru develop bonds with other people and discover how strong he is, was quite fun. I can't wait for future seasons where we can see more of the stronger enemies. 
7. Handa-Kun (5/10)
• LEAST FAVORITE ANIME
• This was such a disappointment. I enjoyed Barakamon a lot, so I hated that watching Handa-Kun made me feel a little stupid. Most of the interactions of Handa's fans club were annoying. There were no character developments, only foolish moments. 
8. Persona 5 (6/10)
• I love the Persona stories so I was disappointed by this. Most of the story was confusing and uninteresting. I did not care for any of the characters at all. I don't remember much of what happened throughout the series. I would probably appreciate it better if I had played the game.
9. Kimetsu no Yaiba (10/10)
• MOST FAVORITE ANIME
• I honestly loved watching this anime. I like the story and the development of each character. I love the brother-sister bond that the anime has shown. Although the anime had slower pacing than what I would have liked, it showed great build-up for the story.
• I love watching the fight scenes between the different demons and demon slayers. The effects were very beautiful to see. 
• I enjoyed watching this so much that I read the manga afterward. I'm updated with the events of the manga, and I can't wait for it to be turned into an anime (I wonder how long will that take).
10. Dan Machi Season 2 (7.5/10)
• I got somewhat annoyed with what the second season gave because nothing much happened. Most of the events felt more like a filler than an actual part of the story. Don't get me wrong, it's still fun, but if you had been waiting for a sequel to the adventures, you'll get disappointed.

| BOOKS I READ IN 2019 |

I almost didn't finish my Goodreads reading challenge this year, but I'm glad I was able to! It was a difficult year, and I was always not in the mood to read books, so finishing 15 was a lot for me. Almost half of the fifteen books were re-reads, but it still counts for me.

I read 4,296 pages across 14 books (I don't know why the last one was not counted on Goodreads' statistics)

SHORTEST BOOK: Homecoming by Richelle Mead (24 pages)
LONGEST BOOK: Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead (594 pages)
AVERAGE LENGTH OF BOOKS: 306 pages
MY AVERAGE RATING FOR 2019: 4.5/5

NOTE: Titles with the color blue means that they have individual reviews.

1. The Red Scrolls of Magic by Cassandra Clare (4/5)
• It was nice seeing more of Malec and all of the other characters we know and love from the Shadowhunters series. However, the main story was a bit lacking. It didn't feel as original as her other stories, and some of the events were kind of predictable.
2. Best I've Ever Had by Abbi Glines (3.5/5)
• It was better than the other books in the Sea Breeze and Rosemary Beach crossover. I enjoyed reading it, but the story felt a little rushed. Also, the way the main couple got together felt a little off for me because the foundation of their relationship is purely physical. 
3. Verity by Colleen Hoover (5/5)
• This is my favorite book of the year. I enjoyed reading it a lot. It's full of mystery and twists and turns. It kept me on the edge of my seat, and I sacrificed sleep to finish it. 
4. In An Absent Dream by Seanan McGuire (4.5/5)
• The Goblin Market was such an intriguing world to read about. Lundy was such a complicated, and heartbreaking character to read from. This had similar vibes to the first book, Every Heart a Doorway which made me enjoy it a lot.
5. The Lost World by Cassandra Clare (4/5)
• It was very interesting to know what happened to Ty and Livvy after the events of Queen of Air and Darkness. I'm a bit scared of Livvy and what she can do, but I'm interested to see what would happen next given their current circumstance. 
6. Forever Fallen by Cassandra Clare (4.5/5)
• Reading about the Jace from Thule broke my heart. He went through such a hard time, but it still doesn't excuse what he will do in the future. I'm interested to see how his appearance outside Thule would affect the main characters. 
7. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead (4/5)
8. Frostbite by Richelle Mead (5/5)
9. Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead (5/5)
10. Blood Promise by Richelle Mead (5/5)
11. Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead (5/5)
12. Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead (5/5)
13. Homecoming by Richelle Mead (4/5)
• For the review about the whole Vampire Academy series, just refer here.
• I loved re-reading about Rose and Lissa's adventures. They could have been more honest with each other and relied on each other better, but I still love their bond. 
• I love the version of the vampires that Richelle Mead has created in this book. They were quite interesting to read about, especially since they have elemental powers. I just wish that their powers could have been used more.
• Rose was such a strong and independent character. Although she can be a bitch at times, you will still love her loyalty and love for others. I loved seeing her romance with Dimitri develop. 
• Adrian is hands-down one of my favorite characters of all time. He was such a precious character, even though he had vices, you can still see how caring he was under neat all his crap. I want to re-read Bloodlines just to see more of him.
14. The Tyrant's Tomb by Rick Riordan (4/5)
• I enjoyed reading this because it had a lot of adventures. It panned out much simpler than what I liked, but it was still a fun read. However, it lacked the emotional impact the previous had, and I did not care for the main villain that much.
15. Regretting You by Colleen Hoover (4/5)
• I liked the mother-daughter bond that this book showed. I was a bit annoyed that their relationship went through such a rough patch only because Morgan wasn't that honest with Clara. I'm sure it was for the story, but it made me want to rip my hair off. I enjoyed reading about their respective relationships. 

FAVORITE BOOK THIS YEAR: Verity by Colleen Hoover