Be a Hero!

Because I am forgetful/lazy and don't always post links to the meme/the grand list, I'll put them all in this header post.

( alg's book meme )

( Anime Meme )

BookMeme
Day 27 - If a book contains ______, you will always read it (and a book or books that contain it)!

Steampunk/Fantasy outside of the Western Europe mold/Awesome Lady Leads

Feel free to rec based on this stuff.

As for recs~

Steampunk & Awesome Lady Leads: Larklight Trilogy/Arcadia Snips and the Steamwork Consortium. I've gabbed lots about them in past meme posts.

Fantasy Outside Disney-Europe Model: The only one I can remember is The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin. To be honest this entire book is a big step away from the standard fantasy fare as its a big deconstruction of the 'what happens when a small time person suddenly becomes an heir to the big empire's throne' along with introspective stuff like the difference between gods and humans and the lady protag's mommy issues. IDK, I like it but I can see why others wouldn't so just putting it out there for those who may be interested.

No wait, there's The Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon which is basically fun/cheesy Wuxia.

And those two books also have awesome lady leads.

Anime Meme
Day 18 - Something moe



For real, Pokemon Gijinka, human cyndaquil edition. I really like cyndaquil. @_@

Life
Finished Howl's Moving Castle. The ending was pretty cute and cheesy. Though NGL, I do like in the movie how the protag and witch became friends. But the romance makes more sense in the book so~

Rereading through Girl Genius. It is amazing how well written and drawn this comic is. I've reread it several times and keeping finding new little hints and stuff on the pages or in the panels. I really should buy some volumes.

Also, apparently Squenix is launching an online site to read manga. This interests me greatly as I can finish Full Metal Alchemist/start on Soul Eater and not have stacks of books just sitting around.

BookMeme
Day 24 - Best quote from a novel
Already did this in Day 9.

Day 25 - Any five books from your "to be read" stack

• The entirety of the Sally Lockhart series
• Chris Wooding’s Broken Sky series
• The Magical Misadventures of Prunella Bogthistle by Deva Fagan
• Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin
• The Siege of Macindaw by John Flanagan

Anime Meme

Day 15 - Post a cute Neko-girl
Day 16 - Post a kigurumi cosplay of your favorite anime character
Don't care for either. Weeaboo heresy I know.

Day 17 - Favorite tsundere

Altessa (the one with the subtle tiara) from Fushigiboshi no Futagohime. Aside from her tsundereness (aimed at pretty much anyone besides her family); she's also a loving sister, perfectionist, determinator and a bit of a cuckoocloudlander (but she tries to suppress her power level). She grows up a lot over the course of the show without completely becoming a different person. Its a natural growth that's really fun to watch. She has many crowning moments of awesome after the halfway point of the show, but my favorite is the Best Artist Princess episode.

Reading the Moving Castle book. Its all right though some parts are very 'gurl, what are you doing?'. Like I'm at the part where Sophie is fighting the Wales girl over a guitar (wut). Logically I get the point/purpose of this part, but emotionally I feel very 'wat'. But I will admit to getting a kick out of the 'You are blahblahdescription' for the computer game. Cutting edge once upon a time. ^_~

As for Drowtales, moar Vaelia! :D She is my favorite out of the 'main team' charas.

BookMeme
Day 20 - Favorite kiss
Can't really remember. All my favorite romance is unrequited/super duper chaste/ends before it goes anywhere/or lots of stuff off screen/assumed. Or just plain not canon.

Day 21 - Favorite romantic/sexual relationship (including asexual romantic relationships)
I liked Fablehaven's Gavin and Kendra. Gavin's like a lost puppy with badass dragon controlling skills while Kendra is a nerd coming into her own. Its cute kid's stuff with a tragic end. ( book 4 spoilers ) Sad yet adorable at the same end.

IDK. Does unrequited/super duper short count? Cause Viktor Krum's thing for Hermoine in the Harry Potter series was probably the closest thing to a relationship that I cared for in the series. (At least canonwise~)

Lyra's parents in the His Dark Materials series also have a pretty complicatedly awesome relationship.

For a couple that actually gets together is Eugene/his wife. Though its kinda complicated. And because I never finished the Tears of Artamon series it could very well have a bad end (no clue).

Y do I have a soft spot for messed up relationships?

Oh, oh wait! There's Jack and Myrtle, a mostly upbeat (though troubled at times) relationship that ends well (if only for the fact we only see a few years of it). Essentially its a cheesey teenage romance between an uptight British lady teen girl and a rough space pirate. Probably one of the more realistic (and hilarious) depictions of teen romance I've seen in awhile. While they both seem to care for each other, personal differences and immaturity are big obstacles. Typical opposites attract with a bit of slap, slap, kiss. Well they do get together so its not prolonged and obnoxious. Yet the 'lol teen romance' vibe the narrative has makes it much easier to swallow than ~zomg the one tru teen romance~ that a lot of books have. Which is probably why I hate 9/10 romantic subplots, or like the tragic ones.

Day 22 - Favorite non-sexual relationship (including asexual romantic relationships)
Ranger's Apprentice series - Will and Halt, Will and Horace. The first is an entertaining grumpy and harsh trainer with stubborn kid. The latter is Horace being a former bully but eventually risking his life for Will. Friendship = risking death, trufax.

Fablehaven - Kendra and Seth's sibling relationship is pretty neat to read. Its interesting how it grows according the the development of each character.

In Philip Pullman's Ruby in the Smokestack, I really liked the relationships between the main cast. Its kind of the only reason I finished the book since the mystery was a bit odd to me.

Silver Phoenix - Li Rong and Ai Ling. Well Li Rong is pretty awesome, but Ai Ling's straight man part does help make him funnier. Actually Li Rong's relationship with his bro is pretty spiffy too.

Its weird, logically I know I've read a bunch of adult books but I can't for the life of me remember any of them. I always pick the bland ones I guess.

Title: Soulless
Series: The Parasol Protectorate (First in the series)
Author: Gail Carriger
Genres: Steampunk, Urban Fantasy, Vampires & Werewolves, Romance
Pages: 384 for paperback

The protagonist, Alexia Tarabotti, is a fuddy-duddy spinster more educated and assertive than she should be. She is also a soulless, a being that 'shorts out' paranormal powers. Combined with a desire to get in on the action, she is a constant problem to Conall Maccon. Essentially he runs the government branch that manages the paranormal along with the local werewolf pack. When Alexia is attacked by an random vampire, she plunges headlong into a mystery that threatens the delicate balance of paranormal and normal.

NGL, aside from the steampunk these aren't really my genres. That said, I really had fun with this book and will check out the sequels. The biggest seller to me is the tongue-in-cheek narrative. You get a solid (if slightly predictable) story, distinctive and fun characters, interesting mixture of mythos and world-buildinging, along with many chuckles. Its not deep, but its quality fun.

( Likes, dislikes, meh. Light on spoilers. )

BookMeme
Day 18 - Favorite beginning scene in a book

To avoid another Arcadia Snips reference (which begins with a lady scientist one upping her cohorts with a pig-shaped dirigible, when pigs fly indeed) is the beginning to...

One of the funniest vampire slayings I've read. Which means a lot as I generally am not a fan of the vampire/werewolf mythos.

Anime Meme
Day 8 - Most epic scene ever

*insert gratuitous Gurren Lagann reference here*

To this day I hear the song that goes with this in my head.

( Gunbuster/Top wo nerae spoilers )

Day 9 - Saddest anime scene
( FMA, old school - does this count as a spoiler anymore? )( Shikabanehime death spoiler )
This kissing in Birdy the Mighty Season 2 (too lazy to get a pic). Basically its where you know everything is going to hell. (Actually even the kiss scene in season one is kind of sad. Never kiss in this anime!)

BookMeme
Day 15 - Your "comfort" book
Day 16 - Favorite poem or collection of poetry
Day 17 - Favorite story or collection of stories (short stories, novellas, novelettes, etc.)

Skipping these since I don't really do this. Yes I am a pleb. Don't care.

Days 15-17 - A book I should've mentioned because its awesome but I forgot because I am a dunce

Catheryne Valente's The Orphan's Tales series. Its a winding story filled with stories that all interconnect. Painted is a very complex, living world with a variety of characters that seem as if they belong from some fairytale. The writing is pretty too. What you get is a fantasy story that stretches across our world's myths/legends while adding a bit of its own to the mix. Highly recommended if you like retold fairytales, or modern stories (though not a modern setting) with a fairytale vibe.

Anime Meme
Day 6 - Most annoying anime character

Soul Eater's BlackStar

I know he's supposed to be a parody. And I admit, he has his moments with Mifune or Tsubaki. However during the comedy bits I hate this guy. I even hate his voice.

Day 7 - Favorite anime couple

( Princess Tutu spoilers )

Hilarious, especially if you're into JRPGs (like I am). Though its making the second episode drag in comparison. I know it gets better, but I want moar comedy. /missing the point of the show



Knights, there are three of them.

( The great meeting between Fumiaki and Kawashima. )

This show is amazing.