| MOVIES - JULY |

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN:
DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES (8)

What am I to you?
You are my treasure.

SYNOPSIS: An undead Spanish sea captain and his crew is hunting Jack Sparrow. Meanwhile, Jack and his crew are searching for the trident of Poseidon.

RATING: 9/10

NON-SPOILERY REVIEW: 
I don't know why this movie has low ratings (or low income?). It was amazing. I think I love this more than the previous pirates film. It was fun, adventurous, and exciting. I laughed a lot throughout the film and there were pretty touching scenes too. The cinematography and effects were pretty beautiful too. It was fun seeing the original casts back and the additional ones were pretty interesting too. The plot was simple but the necessity of it was touching. The introduction of Captain Salazar was pretty terrifying because hey, another undead enemy!

• I still can't believe that Barbossa died. I love that dude and I hate seeing him die just after he told Carina the truth. His death wasn't also really necessary at that point because Captain Salazar wasn't hurting Carina or about to kill her or anything. I was brokenhearted for Carina because she just found out about her father after she's been searching for so long and then he had to die! WTF DISNEY.
• I loved seeing Keira and Orlando back together. I really shipped Will and Elizabeth back in the first three movies and I loved seeing them back together.
• Hahaha Jack's reactions when talking about Elizabeth and seeing Will and Elizabeth back together again was hilarious.
• The horologist scene is still my favorite scene. Plus, the scene where Jack told Barbossa that Carina is a horologist. Barbossa's reaction was perfect.
• I am devastated that Pintel and Ragetti were not part of the cast. It would have been better with them there especially since Barbossa has a high position now. I kept imagining that the scene where the two pirates informed Barbossa that Salazar was attacking his ships would have been better if they were the ones that said it. 
• I love the scene where Jack was being forced to marry the sister of some pirate and Catarina and Henry tricked him into saying 'I do'. That was hilarious. 
• I kept wanting Will to appear whenever Henry was in trouble.  
• I was amazed to find out the real purpose of the compass and the fact that Jack was one of the last pirates at some point. 
• Omg that end credit scene. Davy Jones is backkkkk??? Can't wait for the next installment. 

THE MUMMY 2017 (11)

Welcome to a new world of gods and monsters.

SYNOPSIS: An imprisoned ancient Egyptian princess was freed and decided to continue the mission she was trying to do before she was caught. 

RATING:  5.8/10

NON-SPOILERY REVIEW: 
It was a pretty decent film. However, it wasn't impressive at all. I found the pacing quite slow and I was bored at some points. I felt that Tom Cruise was wrong for the role. They shouldn't have made the title like that because you won't be able to disassociate it with the version starring Brendan Fraser. It wasn't really all about a Mummy, unlike the previous series. It was pretty deceiving. The plot felt like they weren't sure if they wanted it to be about mummies or to connect it to the Dark Universe. Also, as a starter to the Dark Universe, it felt pretty weak. I hope they make future movies of the Dark Universe better.

• I found it quite hilarious that Jake Johnson is there and Tom Cruise is named Nick while Jack Johnson's name in New Girl is Nick.
• My favorite scene is when Nick and Jenny were talking heart to heart and then Nick admitted to her that he thought there was another parachute. That was pretty hilarious.
• I felt that they didn't utilize the role of Ahmanet well. 
• I felt disappointed that Russell Crowe was cast as Dr. Jekyll because I really don't like him as an actor.

PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL

This is the day you will always remember as the day you almost caught Captain Jack Sparrow!

SYNOPSIS: Blacksmith Will Turner goes on a quest with Captain Jack Sparrow to rescue his love, Elizabeth Swan, from the a group of undead pirates. 

RATING:  8.5/10

NON-SPOILERY REVIEW: 
This is a rewatch. I managed to appreciate it more this time around. I really forgot many details about the film series and I loved discovering them all again. It was fast paced and enjoyable to watch. I love seeing the characters and the story unfold. Johnny Depp really portrays Jack Sparrow in an amazing way. This is an amazing start to the Pirates of the Carribean series.

• I really love Geoffrey Rush as Captain Barbossa. I love his character so I enjoyed this movie very much. I love his bickering with Jack.
• I love how Elizabeth proudly tells them that her last name is Turner. I love her together with Will.
• The gag using Sea Turtles is pretty funny especially since it reaches up to the third movie. 

PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST

I got a jar of dirt, I got a jar of dirt, and guess what's inside it!

SYNOPSIS: Jack Sparrow goes to search for the heart of Davy Jones while Will Turner searches for him in order to save Elizabeth.  

RATING:  8/10

NON-SPOILERY REVIEW: 
This is another rewatch. This one had a slow pace and I didn't love it as much as the first one but it was still amazing. This is a build up for the third movie and so not much happened. Still, I love the adventure that they all went to. Jack's lines towards Davy Jones were hilarious. There were so many betrayal and manipulation that occurred all throughout the movie that made it so interesting.

• I was surprised to see that Will and Elizabeth was supposed to be getting married in the beginning before Beckett ruined everything. I really forgot that happened.
• I love the fact that Jack kept trying to hide the rum from Elizabeth because of what she did in the first movie.
• I love the fact that Bill Nighy is the voice for Davy Jones.
• The scene where Elizabeth was trying to make Norrington, Jack, and Will stop their fighting was hilarious. She tried many silly ways to make them stop only for them to ignore her.
• This is the least one I liked in the first three movies probably because Barbossa only appeared in the ending. I love that Barbossa was resurrected by Tia Dalma. He was an amazing character and knowing that he'll be part of the third movie made things better.

PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEAN: AT WORLD'S END

Dying is the day worth living for.

SYNOPSIS:  Barbossa, Will, and Elizabeth prepare to find Jack and fight with the East India Trading Company who plans to end piracy. 

RATING: 10/10

NON-SPOILERY REVIEW: 
I really love this movie even though it was quite long. The story and the how it unfolded was amazing to see. Each of the characters had their own goals that they want to achieve and some of them did. It was amazing to see the team up and the betrayals that happened all throughout the movie. Knowing more about the pirates was an amazing addition to the movie (since we get to see the Pirate Lords). This is an amazing conclusion to the story of Will, Jack, and Elizabeth.

• The introduction scene was heartbreaking. Even children and women were executed for crimes related to piracy. I love the song that they sing - 'Hoist the Colours'.
• The crab scenes with Jack in Davy Jones's Locker was hilarious.
• It was heartbreaking when Elizabeth found out that her father was dead. She desperately wanted him to come back with them and I just felt really sad for her.
• The love story between Tia Dalma (Calypso) and Davy Jones was heartbreaking. There was so much betrayal between the two of them but they still loved each other. I felt sad especially when Calypso found out that it was Davy Jones who told the First Brethren Court how to bind her.
• It was terrible to see that the Kraken had been killed even though it was a terrible creature who killed many people under Davy Jones's orders.
• It was also heartbreaking when Norrington redeemed himself by freeing Elizabeth from the Flying Dutchman. He sacrificed himself to save her and her crew.
• I really found Keira Knightley amazing as Elizabeth. You could feel how much she wanted to fight for the pirates as their Pirate King even if she was not really a pirate. Her speech during the fight was awesome and courageous. 
• Captain Teague is amazing and so is the fact that the dog who holds the keys is still alive.
• I love that Elizabeth and Will still gets married. I love the fact that they held their wedding during the fight and it was Barbossa who married them.
• Beckett losing is one of the best scenes ever. He was such a shitty character and he deserved what happened to him. 

THE BOSS BABY

Blackbirds singing in the dead of night, take these broken wings and learn to fly, all your life, you were only waiting for this moment to arrive.

SYNOPSIS: A baby was sent from Baby Corp to a family in order to find and stop the plot of Puppy Co.  

RATING:  8/10

NON-SPOILERY REVIEW: 
I found this movie adorable. I kept laughing and smiling all throughout the movie because the babies were so cute. The plot wasn't really much but it was so entertaining. There were also pretty touching scenes and the bond that developed between some of the characters was precious. It's a great movie for kids and families to watch.

• We thought at first that it would be all about Tim not handling having a baby brother but the plot took in a weird but entertaining turn. It was funny watching Tim try to expose to his parents that the babies can talk and they have been plotting about Puppy Co.
• The Boss Baby was so cute when he was transforming to a normal baby state. 
• I love the bond that developed between Tim and the Boss Baby. Even though they bickered a lot, they developed a strong bond while they were uncovering Puppy Co's plans. I love the fact that they used 'Leslie' and 'Lindsey' as nicknames for each other while growing up.
• I love the ending where Tim's newly born daughter acted like the Boss Baby and is even wearing a suit.

SPELLBOUND

SYNOPSIS: A woman who can see ghosts gets caught up in a romance with her boss who is a magician. 

RATING:  8/10

NON-SPOILERY REVIEW: 
I really love this movie. Lee Min-ki and Son Ye-jin were amazing as the lead characters. It was entertaining and hilarious to watch. The ghosts were really creepy to see. I love how Yeo-ri was able to break free of her shell and explore the world better. I love Jo-goo's support towards her and their friendship in the beginning. I love her friends and the Jo-goo. The only thing that kind of ruined it was the climax. Things kind of escalated fast.

• I love how fragile Jo-goo's clothes are. Yeo-ri kept ripping them all up when she was drunk which was hilarious.
• It's weird that the ghost stuck around at the end even after Yeo-ri returned her necklace back to her.
• I love Yeo-ri's friends. Even though there was a danger to seeing Yeo-ri, it didn't stop them from seeing her after her breakdown. They even pushed her to go see Jo-goo because that's what she really wanted. 
• I was amazed how brave Jo-goo was. Many ghosts appeared to him but he didn't leave. He stuck by Yeo-ri and supported her. 
• I love Yeo-ri. Even though she's scared, she tried to be brave enough to stay by herself in order to stop the people from her life from getting harmed. I love that she got her freedom and happiness in the end.

| ANIME - Overlord |

SYNOPSIS: A player gets stuck inside a game.

RATING: 8.8/10

NUMBER OF EPISODES: 13

STATUS: Season 2 Announced.

NON-SPOILERY REVIEW: 

Not really a unique concept for animes but I found this one really awesome. The art and the characters were amazing. I found each of the characters from Nazerick amazing and I want to know more about what they can do. I love that they are all very powerful and it felt like I was watching One Punch Man because they can easily defeat enemies. This season was just full of world building and Ainz's exploring the new world they have entered but it was awesome. I'm glad that a season 2 has been announced and I can't wait for it!

• I love how powerful Ainz is. He's so amazing to watch and I love that he helped the citizens of Carnage Village. I love that what he wanted is knowledge about the world they are in.
• I loved how Ainz punished Clementine for what he did to his groupmates. For making Ninya suffer so much. He humiliated Clementine and defeated her without using his magic.
• I love Nabe even though she insults humans a lot. She was really powerful and I was really happy when I was watching her fight Khajiit. He really believed that she couldn't defeat him but she did.
• Albedo looks really awesome but I was kind of sad that Ainz changed her settings to 'in love' with him. I felt that it was a downgrade to Albedo's character. Her reactions to Ainz sometimes made me uncomfortable.
• I'm really curious about Demiurge. I don't know why I kind of feel like he's going to betray Ainz at some point. I have a bad feeling ever since he gave the guardians the ring to teleport throughout Nazarick.
• HAHAH the battle with Nigun was hilarious. Ainz easily defeated the angels they have called upon.
• I love the fact that Takehito Koyasu voiced Nigun and Mamoru Miyano voiced Pandora's Actor.
• I found the 'Wise King of the Forest' really adorable. He's so cute and fluffy.
• I want to know who put Shalltear under mind control. I loved watching her fight with Ainz though. It was a badass battle.

| Because of Lila by Abbi Glines |

I knew what heartbreak felt like. It was never easy. It destroyed you. Pulling yourself together afterward took strength.

PAGES: 195 (Ebook)

SYNOPSIS: Lila Kate Carter decided to go in an adventure. She goes to Sea Breeze where she meets Eli Hardy. 

RATING: 2.8/5

NON-SPOILERY REVIEW: 
First of all, I love Abbi Glines. I have read most of her books and loved it except for the recent ones. I really thought that this book was going to be better than Like a Memory. It started really well. I was enjoying it. However, it still ended up sucking. It's a good thing that I wasn't expecting much because I really disliked 'Like a Memory'. It was still a short read and Abbi Glines' writing is still beautiful but the story was a disappointment. This was nothing compared to her previous works. I didn't love the lead male and female characters. They made stupid choices that got annoying at some point. I expected more from Grant and Harlow's daughter. Eli deserved more. Plus, the twist just annoyed me. Although, I love the fact though that the previous characters were mentioned and shown here more. Rush, Grant, Harlow, Della, Kiro, Nan, Mase, Reese, and Woods made an appearance which was fun because I missed them. That redeemed the book a little for me.

• I didn't hate Lila but I was really disappointed by her decisions. Sure, she loved Cruz but she became sort of a martyr for him. She was desperate enough for him that she begged him for a fling. I wanted her to have more of a self-esteem because she came from Harlow who is perfect. She was a miracle baby and I hated what Abbi did to her.
• I disliked Cruz. I don't know why he became that way because Woods and Della were great characters. I hate how many times he hurt Lila by 'letting her go' since he thought that he didn't deserve her. I mean dude, why not go ask her or something? Especially during the part where Lila found out about Kelsey. He didn't even explain himself and waited for Lila to talk to him. He didn't fight for her during that part and I just hate him. I didn't find any redeeming qualities for him and I hate that he was the one that ended up together with Lila even if he's the one that she loves.
• Eli Hardy is a precious human. At first, I got really annoyed at Eli because I was sad that he was thinking mean thoughts towards Bliss (I loved their friendship before) but you could really understand why. Bliss ignored his feelings or continued to remain ignorant of his feelings and even asked him to be the best man at her wedding. That was very heartbreaking for Eli. I was glad that Lila helped Eli move on and Eli got to move on from Bliss. I was heartbroken that he didn't end up together with Lila. They were cute together and I love how protective and supportive he is towards her. He was even willing to wait and accepted the fact that Lila loved Cruz. Please Abbi just give him someone!
• Grant is a precious father and I love it when he and Harlow were mentioned. It was heartbreaking though when Lila recalled back to her and Harlow reading the letters Harlow wrote for her in case she died and Grant couldn't take it. I just. I can't. Harlow and Grant's story was perfect.
• I love the fact that it was Blaire who taught Lila how to shoot again. Badass aunt rocks.
• I hate how Cruz thought that Lila was breakable. He's an idiot.
• I like the adventure part only because of they visited places (even if it was just two places). I liked seeing Abbi Glines write about a place because it sounded beautiful.
• I love the fact that the Manning Family is now closer. Nan, Mase, and Harlow gets to hangout together with their father. I hate the fact that Emily died in this book. I felt really bad for Kiro because he loved Emily so much. It was fun to know that they made a movie for Emily and Kiro in the book because Kiro wanted everyone to know how amazing Emily was.
• I love the fact that Della's children are afraid of her. They are not afraid of getting shouted at by Woods but they were cautious of their mother. I love how Woods calms Della down on stressful situations. They were adorable together.
• I really hate how misleading the synopsis was. It would have been better if that was really the case. I really liked Eli and Lila together. They were cute. I didn't expect that Cruz would be added to the love story.
• I really want to know what Woods and Della used as bet.
• The twist felt really Fifty Shades-ish but I liked Ana and Christian together. This time around I hated Cruz and Lila. Cruz didn't redeem himself for me and Lila was so weak. At least in Fifty Shades, I felt how much Christian loved Ana and Ana was not that weak.
• I loved some of the lines where the previous titles were used as quotes material like Take a Chance (which wade me happy because that was Grant and Harlow's story) and Twisted Perfection.
• I was shocked when I found out that Larissa had a daughter. I thought at some point that her daughter was Cruz's son for some reason because Cruz admitted that he went to some parts of those area before. I was scared to be honest. I wanted to read more about Larissa though because she's adorable even if her parents really sucked.

FAVORITE QUOTES: 

"Oh, yes. My mother is feminine, beautiful, and a complete badass."

"I don't want to just be the beginning of your adventure Lila. I want to be the end."

Everything seemed brighter when you woke up to the smell of bacon. 

Because Della, I'm afraid we will be dealing with more legal issues when you see Kelsey. The videos will be discussed and I don't trust you not to attack the woman."

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| #T5W - Series That Got Better |

Top 5 Wednesday is group that was created by Lainey and is currently hosted by Samantha. A topic is posted every month wherein if you want to, you can post about your top 5 picks for said topics.

The topic for July 26th is "Series that Got Better" which talks about series that are worth pushing through the first (or first few) books to get the good stuff!

OTHER JULY TOPICS

There were many series that I wanted to put here but I decided to go for the series that I haven't mentioned a lot in my T5W posts.

     

1. WINGS BY APRILYNNE PIKE

SUMMARY: Laurel discovers that she has a wings-like thing growing out of her back.

The pacing of the book wasn't that fast but it was an interesting read. I don't like reading fae books but I liked this. This was the first fae series that I managed to finish. The characters were fun to read about and the love triangle here was lovely. I had a hard time choosing who to root for.

     

2. FALLEN BY LAUREN KATE

SUMMARY: Lucinda Price meets a guy in her reform school who she has a strong connection with and who she thinks she has met before.

The first two books of this series were kind of slow but I really liked it. I love how Fallen Angels were integrated throughout the story. The last two books were really interesting to read about because it tells about the backstory/history of the characters. Their origin and that's why I felt that it got better. I loved how the story unfolded.

     

3. BLOODLINES BY RICHELLE MEAD

SUMMARY: A spin-off of the Vampire Academy series. It follows Sydney Sage, an alchemist, and her mission to protect a royal Moroi.

The first few books of this series were quite slow paced. However, the next ones were great. Seeing the Moroi and Strigoi world of vampires again was interesting. Knowing what happened to the other characters of the original series made me really happy. Plus, the other minor characters from VA were given more focus and Adrian Ivashkov is one of the lead characters!

     

4. STARCROSSED BY JOSEPHINE ANGELINI

SUMMARY: A modern retelling of Helen of Troy/Trojan War.

Each book of this series was wonderful. Greek Mythology related stories are always a fun read to me and this did not disappoint. The characters were fun and heartbreaking to read about especially if you know about the Trojan War.

     

5. VAMPIRE KISSES BY ELLEN SCHREIBER

SUMMARY: A vampire crazed goth girl's wish comes true.

This series has nine books and I managed to finish them all. It was only a short read but very cute. The characters were fun to read about and the relationship between the lead couple was very adorable. There's not much story here but it was very entertaining for me.

| #T5W - Books That Aren't Set In/Inspired By The Western World |

Top 5 Wednesday is group that was created by Lainey and is currently hosted by Samantha. A topic is posted every month wherein if you want to, you can post about your top 5 picks for said topics.

The topic for July 19th is "Books That Aren't Set In/Inspired by the Western World" which includes books that are set or inspired by places outside the Western World (outside of North America and Western Europe).

OTHER JULY TOPICS

I had a hard time choosing books for this topic. I think I just managed to find exactly five books that match it. For fun, I decided to add another list - a list of my favorite Mangas since they are not set in the Western World. 

LIST OF BOOKS

     

1. STRANGE THE DREAMER BY LAINI TAYLOR

SUMMARY: Lazlo is an orphan and a junior librarian. He has been obsessed with the Lost City of Weep all throughout his life and his dream is to go find it.

The setting and the world created by Laini Taylor in this series is unique and I really can't tell what place inspired it. She has a way of creating strange but beautiful places. It has been described wonderfully in the book and been a joy to read about. Especially Lazlo's version of it. The history she made about the lives of the people there are very interesting but very heartbreaking to read about.

     

2. SPHINX'S PRINCESS BY ESTHER FRIESNER

SUMMARY: SET IN EGYPT; It tells about the fictional story of the Egyptian princess Nefertiti.

The book is set in Ancient Egypt. Nefertiti was arrange to marry Prince Thutmose, the heir of the Pharaoh. It was interesting to learn about the politics in Egypt during that time. Nefertiti was an interesting character to read about. She was fierce, smart, and compassionate. I love the romance in this book and the way it developed.

     

3. THE WRATH AND THE DAWN BY RENEE AHDIEH

SUMMARY: SET IN MIDDLE EAST; It is a retelling of the A Thousand and One Nights.

This is a very interesting book to read about. It was written beautifully and the backstory was heartbreaking. The development of the romance between the characters were very lovely to read about. I loved Jalal and Despina. I haven't read the sequel yet but I plan to in the near future.

     

4. SOUNDLESS BY RICHELLE MEAD

SUMMARY: SET IN ANCIENT CHINA; In a village where people can't hear and has a difficult terrain, starvation occurs because the food supplies they are getting from other places started to lessen. Fei decides to leave her village and get help from other places.

This is a very short read. I liked the adventure that Fei and Li Wei had in order to help their village. I don't know why people did not like this because it had an interesting story.

     

5. DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE BY LAINI TAYLOR

SUMMARY: SET IN CZECH REPUBLIC AND THE FICTIONAL WORLD OF ERETZ; A 17-year-old student from Prague becomes entangled with the war between Seraphims and Chimaeras in the world fo Eretz.

Another Laini Taylor book. The way Laini described Prague was really beautiful and it made me want to go there. Eretz was also beautiful. It had a variation of type of characters and I wanted to know more about it. The story this book had was deep and very interesting.

LIST OF MANGAS

     

1. FUSHIGI YUGI GENBU KAIDEN BY YUU WATASE

SUMMARY: Takiko Okuda is transported to the Country of Hokkan after she opened the Universe of the Four Gods. There she became the Priestess of Genbu who had adventures along with the Seven Warriors of Genbu.

This is a prequel to Fushigi Yugi. I like this more than the original story. It has more depth and the story had more challenges. Takiko didn't make stupid decisions like Miaka and her bond with her warriors was much more wonderful and heartbreaking to read about.

     

2. OURAN HIGH SCHOOL HOST CLUB BY BISCO HATORI

SUMMARY: Haruhi Fujioka is forced to join the Host Club after she breaks an experience vase they had.

I really had a lot of fun reading this manga. It was fun to read. The bond that developed between the members of the Host Club was very heart warming to read about. The development of the romances were aso wonderful to read about. Seeing them grow throughout the manga will make you really happy.

     

3. BRIDE OF THE WATER GOD BY YUN MI-KYUNG

SUMMARY: Soah was chosen to be sacrificed to the Water God after a devastating drought. Rather than dying, she gets transported to the realm of the Water God.

I decided to read this after learning that TvN will make an adaptation out of it (apparently it is a retelling not an adaptation). It was very beautiful to read about. The drawing of the characters were really fabulous. The politics that the realm of gods had were really complicated. The love that Soah and Habaek had for each other was very heartwarming and heartbreaking to read about.

     

4. HANA TO AKUMA BY HISAMU OTO

SUMMARY: A demon adopted an abandoned baby and for fourteen years he had lived with her.

To be honest, if you think hard about the story of this manga it gets a little creepy. However, since it was beautifully written, you will love it. The development between Hana and Vivi were adorable and lovely to read about. Hana is such a precious child and it was wonderful to see Vivi with her. Other characters that were introduced added more fun to the manga like Felten and Eleanor. The ending is very heartbreaking though.

     

5. ABSOLUTE BOYFRIEND BY YUU WATASE

SUMMARY: Thinking it was just a joke, Riiko Izawa creates and orders her 'perfect lover' from a website called Kronos Heaven.

This is a fun manga that has a rather absurd story. It was fun and heartbreaking to read about. The development between the characters were really enjoyable.

| ANIME - Durarara!! |

'Because the world isn't as terrible as you think.'

RATING: 6.3/10
NUMBER OF EPISODES: 25 (First Seasons Only)

SYNOPSIS: It shows how the lives of various characters are connected to an event.

NON-SPOILERY REVIEW:

I really don't think this anime has a legit plot. There were so many subplots mentioned and woven together to make a story which was rather confusing to be honest. There were some episodes that were really boring especially since the anime had a slow pacing. It was interesting enough but it wasn't really that exciting. I managed to watch all the episodes though I probably won't continue the next seasons. I tried but it kind of bored me and now my copy is gone because my HDD is broken so I'm really not motivated to continue it. The main thing that kept me watching was Celty. I was really curious to know more about what happened to her and how she would get what she wanted. Plus, the voice actors for Shinra is the one who dubbed Koro-Sensei while Kida is voiced by Mamoru Miyano!

SPOILERY REVIEW

• I loved watching Celty and Shinra's relationship develop. Shinra was a cutiepie around Celty. I was really happy when they finally got together. They were adorable together. 
• I love that the only thing that frightened Celty are the traffic enforcers. Because of her unsafe vehicle, they chased her around. I mean really, if you see something like Celty would you follow it all day to capture it and put it to prison for violating traffic rules? It was ridiculous.
• The subplot with the incest sister and the creepy and scary brother was very weird. I really didn't like that he ended up with the girl he tried to beat up and only liked her after she had a surgery that made her look like Celty's head. They should have been put to prison for what they did.
• I loved Shizuo. He was a fun character. Even though he gets angry a lot, his friendship was genuine to people. I love his honest conversations with Celty and how much he loves his brother. I love that he and Izaya always end up fighting and destroying half of the city. 
• Anri being the true owner of Saika was one of the scenes I liked in this anime. It was amazing and fierce.
• Saki and Masaomi's relationship was heartbreaking. It was true that Masaomi kind of abandoned Saki in her time of need but I'm that they worked things out.
• I hate the misunderstanding between Anri, Masaomi, and Mikado. If they were only honest with each other the third main subplot wouldn't be necessary. Masaomi would not have needed to come back to the Yellow Scarves.
• There were three main subplots but I thought that the first and last one seemed unncessary. I really did not feel much for it and found it bothersome. The second one with the Saika was pretty interesting and gruesome to watch.

| #T5W - Children's Book |

Top 5 Wednesday is group that was created by Lainey and is currently hosted by Samantha. A topic is posted every month wherein if you want to, you can post about your top 5 picks for said topics.

The topic for July 12th is "Children's Book" which may include Middle Grade books and/or childhood favorites or more recent reads.

OTHER JULY TOPICS 

I loved reading even when I was a child. I don't remember much of the titles though because they were mostly fairy tales and other simple short stories with good morals in the end. For this t5w, I'm going to be listing a 5 books I read when I was young and 5 middle grade books.

BOOKS I READ WHEN I WAS YOUNG

1. NIDO FAIRY TALE STORIES: This is a collection of short stories from all around the world. I still have my copy of these. They're all really short but very wonderful to read. Since they are from around the world, you get to see various cultures of different countries. Plus, since they were made for children, they are meant to give meaningful values and lessons.

2. GARFIELD: If you don't know Garfield, it's about a fat orange cat who loves to eat. I haven't read many Garfield books but I remember that I loved what I read. Garfield is an adorable cat who is fun to read about. Though sometimes he is mean, especially to Odie. 

3. ARCHIE: I wasn't able to read many Archie comics but I remember that I was really fond of them. I remember rereading the copies I had a lot of times (I think I only had 5 of them) when I was younger. It's about the lives of various characters living in the fictional town of Riverdale. It was a fun read. I really loved Jughead a lot in the comics because he ate a lot. Plus, there is a tv series called Riverdale which is based (or at least the town name and the characters) from the Archie comics. It was an interesting tv series to watch and I can't wait for the second season.

4. GREEK MYTHOLOGY: I have read various Greek Mythology books when I was young. I found the Gods and Goddesses very interesting along with the heroes. It was reading about the stories of the heroes and how the gods and goddesses helped or ruined their lives. I loved how intricate the relationships are between the different gods, goddesses, and heroes.

5. MANGA: Majority of my younger days were spent reading manga. There are various manga that I read and loved. Some of these are Fushigi Yugi Genbu Kaiden, Hana to Akuma, Naruto, Ichigo 100%, Absolute Boyfriend, Ayashi no Ceres, and other titles. Each manga had their own special characters that made me love them. I loved how much effort was put into creating the art and story of the manga. They were generally fun and interesting to read about.

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MIDDLE GRADE BOOKS

1. A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS: I haven't finished reading all of the books. I have enjoyed what I read. Even though the lives of the Baudelaire's are very tragic, it was very interesting to read about. The darkness and mystery behind why they had to endure that fate was interesting to now about. I like the adaptations too (the movie with Jim Carrey and the series with Neil Patrick Harris).

2. THE MAGISTERIUM SERIES: I haven't continued the third book yet. I like this series. It was a short read but it was interesting. The characters were funny enough along with the lines. Although it will remind you of Harry Potter, I think it wasn't really the same. It had the same elements but with their own different adventures. 


3. RICK RIORDAN BOOKS (THE KANE CHRONICLES, MAGNUS CHASE, PERCY JACKSON): Of course, I can't not mention Rick Riordan's books. All of the books he's written are mostly Middle Grade and all of them are very fun and interesting to read. The characters are hilarious and the story are very interesting. If you love mythologies, be sure to read this.


4. THE 39 CLUES: I started this but I haven't finished all because it has so many books. It's a short but interesting read. The main characters travel all around the world to search for clues and interact with other characters. Their adventure was really wonderful to read about. I think it also used a lot of various historical objects or people.


5. GODDESS GIRLS: I really like this because it's based on the characters from Greek Mythology. I think it had a wonderful concept of introducing gods and goddesses in a fun way. 

| Monsters of Verity by Victoria Schwab |

#1: THIS SAVAGE SONG

"It doesn't matter if you're monster or human. Living hurts."

PAGES: 297 (Ebook)

SYNOPSIS: It follows a world where an act of violence breeds monsters. One character is a human wants to be ruthless for her father like a monster while another character is a monster that wants to be human.

RATING: 5/5

NON-SPOILERY REVIEW

I really like this book. I found the concept where monsters are created through violent acts quite unique and interesting to read about. The three type of monsters: Corsai, Malchai, Sunai's origins were interesting to find out more about. I like the fact that in order to feed, the Sunai's needed to use music. I guess it literally means music speaks to the soul. I also liked Victoria Schwab's writing. It's beautiful to read even though the story wasn't really beautiful. It's full of tragedies and wars that cause human lives. I didn't necessarily love the main characters however they were interesting enough. A monster who wanted to be human and a human who wanted to be a monster. Their journey together as they try to survive was enjoyable to read. They had fun interactions and their support to each other was great to read. The villains in this book were not really what I expected and it was refreshing to read. Callum Hark was truly a terrible human being.

• It was heartbreaking to find out Sunai's were created through really violent acts that killed many people. Finding out that they can only kill sinners was kind of a balance for the evil deed that created them.
• Ilsa was the character I liked most. I was really heartbroken when I thought she was killed by Sloan. Her origins were really terrible and I feel bad for her. I'm glad that she survived though.
• I was really heartbroken during the twist. The fact where Kate killed a man to protect herself. It was shocking that the murder counted because it was kind of self defense.
• Sloan isn't a really great name for a character - they end up becoming the villain and getting killed or punished. Damn he's so annoying. And terrible. He killed Kate's mother. It's a sad thing that her father believed Sloan over her.
• I was shocked to see that along with Sloan, Leo was also part of the plan to start the war. I thought Leo was mean but I didn't think he would be that terrible. It's kind of sad that he had to die but I guess there's something wrong with him in the head so he had to go.
• Callum was a terrible father. There was really something wrong with his head.
• OMG that ending. A malchai spawned off what Kate did and took the name of her mother. God cliffhangeeers. It's still long before the next book and now I'm sad (This review was made long before the sequel came out).

FAVORITE QUOTES:

"To the strange, and the mad, and the monstrous." 

"Why would you even want to be human? We're fragile. We die."
"You also live. You don't spend every day wondering why you exist, but don't feel real, why you look human, but can't be. You don't do everything you can to be a good person only to have it constantly thrown in your face that you're not a person at all.

"He could be the monster if it kept others human." 

#2: OUR DARK DUET

It wasn't easy. The world was complicated. Life was hard. And so often, living hurt.

So make it worth the pain.

PAGES: 391 (Ebook)
SYNOPSIS: The story continues with August and Kate being in different places but due to a circumstance, they are forced back together to fight another monster.
RATING: 4/5

NON-SPOILERY REVIEW
I loved this book from the beginning up until before the climax. It was fast paced and the things that were happening were entertaining (even if it kind of lacked action). It was a fun read and I flew through it so fast. However, when I got near the end I got disappointed. Many things were left unanswered. Some things happened so fast in the end. There was so much build up that was released too fast. I wasn't able to absorb and appreciate the things that happened before another thing happened. I was really disappointed because it was longer than the first book and could have had so much more. I think it was left to be interpreted in a way that a spin-off could be made but heart cannot still accept what happened in the end. 

The characters were more lovely and precious here. Kate was a badass female character that amazed me. She didn't stay put a lot and went to the action to join the others. August was such a precious monster. He was adorable and you can see how much conflicted he is about his role. There were also additional characters such as Soro and Alice who were interesting to read about. I wish we could have seen more about Soro.

Overall, I would still suggest this duology to others (I think it is a duology?). It was a short and exciting read. The story and build up of the world was interesting to read. Plus, Victoria Schwab's writing was still beautiful.

• I loved seeing Kate in Prosperity. I love her relationship with Riley. I love that Riley cared about her which is something that she needs at that moment. He was worried about her and he's gay! I love that. He just a friend who cared about Riley. I hate that she suddenly left without saying goodbye to the team.
• I feel that the potential for Alice's character was underdeveloped. She was just there to annoy the main characters and be an obstacle to them.
• There are so many unanswered question about the chaos eating monster. Where the fuck did that shit come from? Why doesn't it form a physical body permanently? Are there more out there? I am still confused on how they were able to defeat it.
• I love the development of the relationship between Soro and Kate even if it was subtle. Soro hated her a lot at first but started to grow on her later on. Even handing back her weapon because she'll join the fight. I think he realized that there is more to humans than he thinks.
• It was sad that August reaped everyone with a tainted soul. It was heartbreaking especially for the lady who's husband's soul was reaped. He regretted it and he deserved a chance. Unlike the lady who killed her husband (?) but poor kid for losing her mother.
• It was pretty ironic that the FTF cannot harm humans because their souls would be tainted and August would have to reap them. 
• It was pretty hilarious and sad to see that when August kissed Kate he almost sucked her soul out. I love that he cared a lot about Kate and didn't want her back their because Verity sucked. I love the development of their relationship. It was hinted that they do like each other but they didn't really develop into a couple because of life.
• I love the badass scene where Kate told the council what she thought and stabbed the table they are using then walked out.
• I felt sad when Rez died. Even though she was just a minor character, she was really brave.
• It was weird that Kate could see through the eyes of the monster. How was she able to do that? How was she even able to fight its control?
• It was shocking to find out the origin of Sloan. It made sense as to why he's really resilient.
• I loved seeing Henry and Emily. They were cute together. It was funny when she wanted to beat him up for being taken by Sloan but was really happy that they were able to get him back.
• One of the scenes that broke my heart was Kate's death. It broke my heart because I knew how devastated August would be and because Kate fought so hard for her freedom from the chaos eater. She endured so much pain and loneliness only to end up that way. It also broke my heart because she broke her promise to return to Riley and the Wardens. They are still probably waiting for her to come back. I really think that her death was unnecessary except to break our hearts.

Kate drove the spike up into the Alice's heart.

And Alice drove her hand into Kate's chest.

• Another scene that broke my heart is Ilsa's death. I thought everything was fine after she defeated the chaos eater (which I still don't get how) but she broke apart. She still died even after she endured Sloan slitting her throat. I thought she would be safe now because she almost died before. I hate that she still died.

Ilsa looked up at August, and he saw the sadness in his sister's eyes right before she broke apart and shattered on the floor. 

FAVORITE QUOTES:

'Hell is empty. All the devils are here.' 

'Permission to enter?' Kate spread her arms along the back of the couch. "Password?" "I brought pizza." 

"Monsters," he said slowly, "all want the same thing: to feed. They are united by that common goal, while you are all divided by your morals and your pride. What do I think? I think that if you cannot come together, you cannot win." 

'I can't protect this world and care about it.' Kate met his gaze. "That's the only way to do it. "He folded forward. "I can't." "Why not?" "Because it hurts too much." He shuddered. "Every day, every loss, it hurts." "I know it hurts," she said. "So make it worth the pain." "How?" "By not letting go," she said softly. "By holding on, to anger, or hope, or whatever it is that keeps you fighting."You, he thought. 

'Do you ever wonder why music brings a soul to surface? What makes beauty work as well as pain?' 

"You cannot win unless you're willing to fight." Kate slammed her fist on the table, and heard the sound of metal burying itself in wood.

Soro's gray eyes hardened. "You would risk these lives, and yours, for a sinner." "No," said August, "I would risk them for a friend." 

"I'm here," she said. "We're here. You're an absolute fool, and I'm going to kill you after we save you, but we're here." 

People were messy. They were defined not only by what they'd done, but by what they would have done, under different circumstances, molded as much by their regrets as their actions, choices they stood by and those they wished they could undo. Of course, there was no going back - time only moved forward - but people could change. For worse. And for better. It wasn't easy. The world was complicated. Life was hard. And so often, living hurt.So make it worth the pain.