Challenge: 50 Books discussion
Finish Line 2011
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Cornerofmadness's 50 books for the new decade
2. Fairy Tail 10 by Hiro Mashima3. March Story, Vol. 1 by Hyung Min Kim & Kyung il Yang
both were enjoyable manga
4. The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu5.Vassalord Volume 4 by Nanae Chrono
6. Soul Eater, Vol. 1 by Atsushi Ohkubo
Half a dozen books in and I'm still in Japan. Tale of Genji is considered the first modern novel and if you like literature of historical importance you might enjoy it
7. City of Dragons by Kelli Stanley8. Black Butler Vol. 3 by Yana Toboso
Black Butler is a fun manga. City of Dragons was seriously one of the worst mysteries I've read in ages. Full reviews at the hyperlinks
9. Soul Eater, Vol. 210 Soul Eater, Vol. 3
Both by Atsushi Ohkubo, turning out to be a very enjoyable series
11. Night of the Living Trekkies Kevin Anderson and Sam Stall12.Soul Eater, Vol. 4 - Atsushi Ohkubo
books 4 manga 8
Trekkies is a delightful mash up of Star Trek conventions and zombies, My little Trekker heart adored all the in jokes.
13. I Am Not A Serial Killer by Dan Wells14. D.Gray-man, Vol. 19 by Katsura Hoshino
books 5 manga 9
Honestly I'm a dissenter here. I found I am Not a Serial Killer to be derivative and just so very flat.
I've been enjoying D Gray-man for years. full reviews at the hyperlinks
15. Your Neighborhood Gives Me the Creeps: True Tales of an Accidental Ghost Hunter by Adam Selzernot a bad non-fiction book on ghost tours and ghost hunting
books 6 manga 9
16.The Attenbury Emeralds by Jill Paton Walsh17. Master Your Metabolism: The 3 Diet Secrets to Naturally Balancing Your Hormones for a Hot and Healthy Body! by Jillian Michaels
Emeralds is Lord Peter Whimsey reborn story and it is rather slow. I'm not sure how i feel about modern writers going back to add to classic series
Jillian's book is well researched. now if only it didn't have her overbearing attitude throughout
20. Luka and the Fire of Life by Salman Rushdie21. Fairy Tail 12 by Hiro Mashima
Fairy Tail is still good, I guess you'd call Rushdie's book a YA urban fantasy. it was a bit odd, took a while to get into but it was cute overall. full reviews at the hyperlinks
books 9 manga 12
22. Ghost Hunt, Volume 11 by Shiho Inada23. The Poisoner's Handbook: Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in Jazz Age New York by Deborah Blum
Ghost Hunt #11 is the end of one of the best episodic horror mangas I've ever read. I'm sad to see it go
Poisoner's handbook is the epitome of well written and engrossing non-fiction. loved it. full reviews at the hyperlinks
24. I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lorestandard YA sci-fi fare. I have no idea why there is so much hoopla about this. it was only so-so.
halfway there (books 12, manga 13)25. Heresy by S J Parris
historical mystery based on the real life of Giordano Bruno. I loved it. Full review at the hyperlink
26. Ghostgirl by Tonya Hurley27. Welcome to Lovecraft by Joe Hill & Gabriel Rodriguez
Ghostgirl did nothing for me (I can read most YA's but there are a few that make me feel too old for them. This is one of those and Charlotte is not inspiring)
Welcome to Lovecraft is the first in a graphic novel series by Joe Hill and very good
books - 14, manga -1428. A Red Herring Without Mustard
The third in the Flavia de Luce series. I have to love a 12 year old girl who'se a chemistry geek. I really enjoy this series
Books: 14 Manga : 1729. Pandora Hearts 3 (3) by Jun Mochizuki
30. Silver Diamond 03 by shiho suguira
31Afterschool Charisma, Vol. 1 by Kumiko Suekane
Pandora and Afterschool are fairly entertaining manga
32. Heat Wave by Richard Castle33. The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan
Heat Waves is fun mindless Castle professional fanfic and this Percy Jackson was not quite up to par with the first two but still pretty good. full reviews at the hyperlinks as always
Books: 16 Manga : 17
34. Zombie-loan: v. 9 by peach pitThis time we get the history of Shito and of Yomi and both are nicely twisted.
Books: 16 Manga : 18
35. Dogs, Volume 5 by Shirow MiwaBooks: 16 Manga : 19
this is one of the few dystopic manga I like. full review at the hyperlink
36. The Crowfield Curse by Pat Walsh37. Afterschool Charisma, Vol. 2 Kumiko Suekane
38. Grand Guignol Orchestra, Vol. 1 by Kaori Yuki
Books: 17 Manga : 21
The YA book, The Crowfield Curse, was surprisingly good and the two manga are very interesting. full reviews at the hyperlinks
39.Escape from the Land of Snows: The Young Dalai Lama's Harrowing Flight to Freedom and the Making of a Spiritual Hero by Stephan TaltyBooks: 18 Manga : 21
This was an interesting look at the Dalai Lama's forced flight from Tibet
40. A Most Contagious Game by Catherine Aird41. Raiders, Vol. 4 by Jin Jun Park
Books: 19 Manga : 22
The Aird book is a vintage mystery from the year I was born and it wasn't bad though the main character is a bit misogynistic.
The manga is convoluted and has an odd religious background to it that might offend some (as in the blood of Christ being able to bestow Christ-like powers)
42. Incarceron by Catherine Fisher43. Natsume's Book of Friends, Volume 2 by Yuki Midorikawa
Books: 20 Manga : 23
I truly enjoyed Incarceron. It's a good YA sort of steampunkish fantasy. The book of friends is also good episodic supernatural manga
44. Grand Guignol Orchestra Vol. 2 by Kaori YukiIt's an interesting Gothic manga. full review at the hyperlinl
Books: 20, Manga : 24
45. Soul Eater, Vol. 5 by Atsushi OhkuboThis volume is where the plot finally really comes together and made me invest in this series. I'm still not fond of the art. Full review at the hyperlink
Books: 20, Manga : 25
46. Indulgence in Death by J D RobbThis is book 31, I believe in the series and it's a luke warm entry at best. See full review by clicking on the book.
Books: 21, Manga : 25
47. Ouran High School Host Club, Volume 15 by Bisco HatoriAnother enjoyable entry into this rom-com manga
Books : 21, Manga: 26
48. A Lesson in Secrets by Jacqueline Winspearanother entry into the Maisie Dobbs series and I really enjoyed it. Click on the book for my full review
Books : 22, Manga: 26
49. The Bone Yard by Jefferson BassAnother in the series penned in part by Dr. Bill Bass, famous forensic anthropologist. This one was okay but not great. Click on the book for full review.
books - 23, manga - 26
50. The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer by Siddhartha Mukherjee51. ZOMBIE-LOAN 10 by peach-pit
Emperor is a very dense book on the history of cancer and its treatment. It's good but it's also huge.
Zombie Loan - this manga is taking a very creepy turn into left field
books -24 manga -27
52. Qwaser of Stigmata, The Volume 2by Hiroyuki YoshinoFor those who see manga as graphic novels as something for kids, do heed the parental advisory on this one. It's highly sexualized with BDSM and Shota and Lolicon elements
It has a very interesting storyline but all the nudity just takes away from rather than adds to it IMO. Full review can be found by clicking on the book
Books - 24, manga -28
55. Ghost in the Mirror: Real Cases of Spirit Encounters by Leslie Rule56. Ghosts: True Tales of Eerie Encounters by Robert C Belyk
both are haunting case studies.I particularly liked Belyk's because he provided references where at least the historical data couldbe researched
Books 26 Manga - 30
53. Black Butler Vol. 5 by Yana Toboso54Hero Tales, Vol. 4 by chin=zhou and Arakawa
two very good manga
57. Fullmetal Alchemist, Volume 24 by Hiromu Arakawa58. The Fullmetal Alchemist Archive: The Complete Guide by Kazuhisa Fujie & Walt Wyman
FMA 24 is outstanding. The archive guidebook less so
Books 27 Manga 31
59. The Vast Spread of the Seas by Fuyumi OnoThis is book three in the series and the weakest so far but overall, it's a good fantasy story (and manages to be in the fantasy genre without being 1000 pages long)
It's a story of Kirins, Kings and betrayal
Books 28 Manga 31
60. The Dead Path by Stephen M. Irwin61. Changeless by Gail Carriger
Dead Path has some beautiful language but after a while it really slowed this horror story down.
Changless is the second in the Parasol Protectorate and I liked it way less than the first
books 30 - manga - 31
65. Where Shadows Dance by C S Harris66. Locke & Key: Head Games, Volume 2 by Joe Hill & Gabriel Rodriguez
loved the harris book, excellent historical mystery
hill's graphic novel is pretty good too check out the links for full reviews
67. Leviathan by Scott WesterfeldIt's sort of steampunk vs genetically engineered critters in an alt WWI timeline. I enjoyed it though I'm not sure why reviewers think adults can't read/enjoy something with 13 y.o. protagonists.
68. Double the Odd: In Odd We Trust & Odd is on Our Side by Dean Koontz & Queenie Chan69.BLEACH 33: The Bad Joke by Tite Kubo
Double the Odd is a two-in-one graphic novel based off Dean Koontz's Odd Thomas series and was pretty enjoyable
Bleach is Bleach, fight manga, not thrilling but it's a 15 min read at the library. Full reviews at the hyperlinks
Books: 33 Manga : 36
70. Becoming Batman: The Possibility of a Superhero by E. Paul Zehra fun non-fiction look at the physiology of what it would take to become a super hero. Full review at the hyperlink
Books: 34 Manga: 36
71. Silent Mercy by Linda Fairsteinthe 13th book in the series, it's a good mystery but a little formulaic. The end was too over the top for me
books: 35 Manga: 36
72The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by rebecca SklootIt's a fascinating book about the birth of cell culture, medical ethics and the prejudices of 1950's America among many other things. excellent book, full review at the hyperlink
books: 36 Manga: 36
73. Last Seen Alive by Carlene Thompson74. You Might Be a Zombie and Other Bad News Shocking but Utterly True Facts by the editors of cracked.com
books: 38 Manga: 36
You might be a Zombie is just like cracked.com, hysterical. Last seen Alive is a pretty good psychically helped mystery, full reviews at the hyperlinks
75. Black Butler Vol. 6 by Yana Toboso76. The Umbrella Academy, Vol. 1: Apocalypse Suite by Gerard Way
books: 38 Manga: 38
Black Butler was a really fun manga this time out, set in a circus
The Umbrella Academy is by My Chemical Romance's Gerard Way, the story was okay. loathed the art
77. The Teaberry Strangler by Laura Childsthis entry into the series was very mediocre. Ugh. FUll review at the hyperlink
books: 39 Manga: 38
78. Fairy Tail, Vol. 13 by Hiro Mashima79. ZOMBIE‐LOAN 11 by Peach-Pit
two entertaining manga. full review at hyperlinks
Challenge: 50 Books
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1. Sea of Wind by Fuyumi Ono
it's the second in a long series of novels. It was pretty good but occasionally slow. full write up at the hyperlink