Epic Asian Drama Parody. LOL

Try watching this parody....I couldn't stop laughing. I'll die. The 2nd hero, apparently 'he' is a girl. But lol, she managed to pull out as a 'hot guy' O_o

Kimi Ni Todoke.

Schweet. That is what in my mind after watching a few episodes of Kimi Ni Todoke (Reaching You). Fully recommended for shoujo manga and anime lovers. :D

Summary (as taken from wikipedia)

Sawako Kuronuma, is called Sadako by her classmates for her resemblance to the character from The Ring, has always been feared and misunderstood because of her appearance. There are rumors that Sawako can see ghosts and curse people. But when her idol, popular boy Kazehaya, begins talking with her, everything changes. She finds herself in a new world, trying to make friends and talking to different people and she can't thank Kazehaya enough for giving her these opportunities. Slowly, but surely, a sweet love is blossoming between the two as they will overtake any circumstance or clear obstacles in their way.

Ryo by Ueda Rinko (Spoilers ahead)

Read at your own risk. Spoilers ahead.

I wish i can scream like a banshee right now.
It is because, I HAVE WASTED MY TWO DAYS READING A MANGA CALLED 'RYO', JUST FOR A CRAPPY ENDING WHICH NEARLY EVERYONE DIES IN IT (except one guy named Kaizon), and i was like WHAT THE HELL???!!!!

Huhh.. I wish you guys could understand my feelings. I know, some would say I am totally over-reacting and stuff, because it is just a manga, a comic and why would you make such a fuss about it..yada yada yada..NO!!! IT IS NOT JUST A MANGA! For those who does not read comic books, you wouldn't understand how a comic, a good storyline and happy ending can affect one's behavior and to tell you what, we are psychologically affected by it too!!! ( And I am severely affected by the crappy ending!)

Okay, okay. The manga is called Ryo, by Ueda Rinko.. I love how she manipulates the ancient Japanese history and fits it in a love story. The fact that the two main lead Ryo/Yoshitsune and Benkei, as in the history, they are not a couple but they had a Master-vassal relationship going on between them. Ryo/Yoshitsune in the manga is a girl whereby the historical Yoshitsune is actually a guy! Bzztt... but that's okay with me, who cares what happened in the past?

The story started out well when Ryo was dragged to the past by Benkei after she learned that she is Yoshitsune of Genji and she is needed to defeat the Heishi/Taira clan. She was raised as a boy until she was 15 years old so that Koremori of Taira (one hell pitiful character) wont have a chance to marry her and take the reign of feudal Japan.

But this Koremori guy, was determined to have Ryo/Yoshistsune as a wife even though it was said that Yoshitsune is a guy and lots of thing happened... and why I said this Koremori guy is pitiful? I dunno... this dude was like in the writhing pain, he was in love with Ryo/Yoshitsune for so long, he always believed that Yoshitsune is a girl (and it turned out she is).. He was in love with a ficlke and wishy-washy girl so in the end he died killing himself after he saved the girl in the battle (Yoshitsune rejected his love and this Koremori guy wanted Yoshitsune to kill him 2 years later because he's not able to bear with the fact that Yoshitsune did not love him, which then Yoshitsune was not able to execute Koremori...and he ended up killing himself). Tsk tsk tsk.

To sum up the ending.

Benkei - Died while they were on the run, killed when Yoshitsune's brother (the bro has gone crazy after his wife dies and wanted Yoshitsune to be his) arrow cut tru his throat.

Ryo/Yoshitsune - Died when she saved the true Ryo from the future ( true Ryo supposed to be dead from a car crash)

Aoi - A guy from the future, he tagged along with Ryo/Yoshitsune to the past. He was killed by Yoshitsune's brother.

Koremori - Suicide.

The Brother - Killed by Yoshitsune.

Blue Eyed Devil by Lisa Klepas

Wow.

That's what in my mind after reading Blue Eyed Devil by Lisa Kleypas. In my previous post, I have mentioned that I kinda skipped this one, as this one is the second installment of Travises Saga. Well, thought about it and why not give this novel a try, though? And it turned out this is one of the best contemporary romance novels that I have ever laid my hands on.

Blue Eyed Devil is the story of Hardy Cates, the villain guy from the first book, Sugar Daddy and Haven Marie Travis, the only daughter of Churchill Travis. And as usual, the story is written from heroine's point of view where the plot starts off at Travis Mansion, celebrating Cage and Liberty's wedding (from Sugar Daddy). The characters are introduced neatly, both old and new, one by one as we get to know the relationship between Haven and Nick, her fiance and of course, our hero, the goddamn sexy Hardy Cates.

And why was I wow-ing this novel? Yeah, this book is also about how a woman, married and alone, deals with domestic, emotional and verbal abuse from her husband, not to mention that she has to deal with the narcissistic authority at her workplace, as well. I would like to say that actually, this novel touches the critical point of narcissism, where the person who has this type of personality disorder tends to think he or she is normal and does what is right, but actually the act itself is beyond norm and cruel. They are not aware of what 'normal' really is. And reading the novel, it was like I am in Haven's shoes, experiencing her suffering, and stuff.

One flaw that I could point out is the romance between Hardy and Haven, is kinda fast-paced and it can be longer, though. I mean, realistically, Haven or any women out there should take a little while to heal and stuff after they had gone through such a pain-in-the-ass experience.

Emm. Other than that, I will rate this novel as 4.5 stars. And seriously, definitely, a keeper. :)

Smooth Talking Stranger by Lisa Kleypas

Another contemporary romance novel from Lisa Kleypas, my favorite historical romance novel author ( alongside Julia Quinn, Judith Mcnaught, etc etc) and a third installment of Travises Saga.

Smooth Talking Stranger is a story about yet another Churchill Travis's son, Jack Travis. Jack Travis is the only soft-hearted family member in the Travises and as usual, one of the mega-millionaire in Houston, Texas and one of the family's uncomplicated playboy (oh yeah..). The story is told in Ella Varner's point of view, (Ella Varner is the heroine, here here)..

The plot started with an introduction of Ella Varner's perfect life, her boyfriend Dane, her job as a columnist until one day, Ella is disturbed with her mother's phone call, the flight and the new-born baby of her beautiful sister, Tara Varner. Dane comforts her to go to her mom, Candy Varner to help out and see what she can do about it, but its not easy for her as Candy is her living hell and the source of every single problem of her in the past.

She helps to babysit the new born baby, Luke and it leads to a meeting with Jack Travis, one of the candidates of Luke's father. Jack protests that he did not sleep with Tara, but Ella keeps pushing him to do the DNA test which eventually, he agrees to do it but there is something that Jack really wants from Ella....

I read this novel for 2 days, because I don't want the story to end! Ya, stuff like this happens when I read Lisa Kelypas's novels, and because I have read almost all of her novels, I couldn't bear with the fact that I won't be able to read her new story in a short while... sobs.

By the way, I'm going to quick review the novel (even though I kinda skipped Blue Eyed Devil, the second installment). The characters are well-depicted, and I love how Ms. Kleypas portrays Jack in the novel. The heroine, is quite okay, she's a tough one (yeah, I know I screamed those words in my mind,' WHY THE HELL YOU KEEP PUSHING JACK AWAY EVEN THOUGH HE'S NICE TO YOU!!!'). Ah, forgot to mention, Luke, the baby. Even though he could not talk at all, but every time he's in the scene, I smiled because he acts so cute and I don't think of him as a nuisance for both Ella and Jack, at all. And cameo of familiar characters from previous novels, too ( kinda as a follow up from previous stories).

The plot? hm.. okay, though. Won't tell you much because I can't spoil it for you, you have to spoil it yourself. :P But overall, I will give this book 4/5 stars. Not the best contemporary ever because I have read a better one than this, but you can consider Smooth Talking Stranger as a keeper. :D