[NOVEL] All Hail Chaos by Sarah Rees Brennan

The reading of this book took me much longer in the first half. And the second half became more upbeat.

Time of Iron. Book 2

Rae is a fantasy reader who's been transported to her favourite fictional world of swords and sorcery, castles and monsters. Playing the villainess, she thought she could change the narrative, but this version of the plot is far much more deadly than the one she knew.

I really need to shout it into the VOID before reviewing it because THERE ARE TOO MANY DESCRIPTIONS!!! SIMILES, THEY'RE DISTRACTING!! (I'll explain later what descriptions I mean, of course I don't mean all lol)

So it's my time to pour out my thoughts on this novels. I felt like I was reading through a veil. As if I was standing at a distance and someone tried to shout the contents to me and I asked back "What?". Like Alice who got lost in the Wonderland and had a lengthy conversation with a Temu version of cartepillar who was trying to be witty and say things, but they came out a bit crumbled, sometimes good, sometimes cringe. Like a dig I just had at author for including too many similes, I am so sorry, but it is true.

So where do I even begin?

I suppose there is a need to say something positive about the things I liked.

The Rae's memories were the most impactful to me, even if I knew the circumstances of the author including her own experience in there. maybe this is why it was really hitting hard. She is no heroine so far, but no villainess either. In the end I had a feeling that Rae, despite her convictions, still felt like a small person played by fate.

I didn't get enough of Key, since he became the Emperor, but I still like his character, he is the bringer of chaos, the one unhinged and who actually follows the path of evil, instead of claiming to be a villainess, but doing nothing truly deserving a name... shit, I tried to start with positive, but I started to compare.

I also found myself liking Cobra more (not for his ability to name his horse Google Maps.. like really, that part is cringe af), because he is the one who knows at least something and tries to apply it in their shitty situation. With some degree of success or failure.

And I liked the ending (editing me, who is finished). I hoped I will like it and I did. It made many things reconstructed, it also poured some light along the feeling of me looking back at the content and appreciating it more. Sudden twists is what we love at the very end and some really unexpected thing to happen as the very last line.

The biggest problem of how fun the last 20% were is that, for many this part decides if the book is good or not. But if the ending is really exciting they overlook everything that was not really good before that. And I admit the last 20% were fun to me, but I also couldn't overlook how hard for me the beginning felt. maybe it's a me problem, who knows.

But when it comes to things I want to discuss.

Firs of all, the execution.

A lot of crucial information to me got lost in flowery similes and this is why I wanted to shout and let it all out.

For example, the book too many times describes Key from head to toe almost. Not really, but it actually excruciatingly repeats the same things about his pale skin, his scar on his neck, his black hair, his red glimmer in the eyes and his knife-sharp gauntlets. And this information reiterates at an interval, sometimes from a different angle but the meaning is similar. Why do we need this? I may have not the best memory, but I know all these things.

Do you know what is the most important part of this description to me. Scar, but only when Rae see it or thinks of it as part of her guilt trip. And the fact that she betrayed him. Gauntlets, because they're the deadlist part of him. And the fact that she is not aware she knows the person anymore.

Other parts of his wardrobe like coat and coloring along with the name of his sword and the full name of the jewel on the handle is repeated over and over again. And of course all the associations with darkness, abyss, smoke etc. take a lot of space. I don't mention here all the cringe phrases thrown in. Like that's another story I don't understand. It's inevitable the person who comes from a different world would like to use words from their original world, but deliver them in a forced way is a whole different story.

But when I was reading it I thought to myself - why add so much stuff when the main points are only few. And they don't need such a hardcore reintroduction.

We need to know the gauntlets are enchanted and sharp, but Key doesn't really use them, but this is all Rae feared a lot. So many reiterations how he touched her with them, but no pain comes, of course it's dangerous, but there is a pattern Rae does not wish to see. As in first book she is too stuck in her own vision of things. It also had a negative impacet on me, because this reiteration became somewhat of a 'boy cried wolf' story, repeated too many times before the story showed - this guy himself is unpredictable and dangerous. I don't mention how many characters called him that and did not trust him. Maybe I should have listened to them and they had a point, this becomes clear in the later part. But in Rae's case he almost lulled me to believe he won't do anything and he actually didn't do much. Only became someone she barely recognized.

This is why I say I felt like reading through a veil. It felt as if author went on a tangent before conveying the most important part.

Do I think those parts should have been left out? For part of it I would say yes. 

The most parts I'm talking about were mostly about Rae and the palace. When it came to other characters like Cobra / Marius or Emer / Lia, then things were a bit clearer. Although Marius had a lot going on, while Lia and the maid Emer had too little about them, as they rarely even appeared (though they still managed to instill that you can't really trust Lia at all).

Another part for me was the problem of plot not really moving anywhere for a good chunk of the story, while the main points at the beginning were

• King died, but Emperor returned with his undead. Rae becomes his bride.
• "Goddess" tells Rae she is not the final bae. This is why Rae remembers to re-introduce Queen's Trials where Key can choose some heroine-type girl as his future queen, so the story would follow the story.
• A lot of ministers died that night. Ice raiders are at their walls (that's another problem of mine). They mulled over the question of trials too, as if it's not the right time. No one talked anything particularly meaningful. I'll be honest, I have no idea how this world lives, how the people live, what they believe or want or don't want. In the end their ideas were expressed much later, but still I have no idea how this world functions (though does it matter))).
• Marius and Cobra escaped and travelled towards Valerius family home. Gay vibes.
• Emer and Lia escaped through the secret passage and lived in Lia's acquanitance's house. They had little screen time.

Because of never-ending similes (the word 'like' was used several hundred times and the number of similes is.. a lot) I really got distructed when I need to concentrate on important things. And they were something like plot self-fixing, but is not without changes (not a new idea, but a good one to play around with). This meant for Rae that some events are inevitable, but the cast can be changed. Or someone can play someone's role instead. And she may become part of the casted away. As she believed. 

The first half of the story really dragged to me, especially those Queen's Trials. Imagine my face when I saw them saying thare are only TWO trials. Yes! I was going crazy at that point. They had been mentioning those trials for so long, but we see only few girls in total (of course described as there was more, they have no presence at all) and the first round passed soon, Rae did nothng but release a beast to become Emperor's steed (trial was not about it) and became a winner. Then they had to drink a potion of truth I'd call it, and it was second and FINAL trial. You got to be kidding me. At least first had some bite to it, after all girls risked their lives above the abyss, but the second did not mention anyone telling Key anything so we could listen except first girl which served solely to demonstrate to readers ho the potion works. And they dragged their feet when all they had to do was just waste two days on them. The discussion went on because Tagar is at their doorstep. But do you think those ice raiders were ever shown? I'll disappoint you. We never see them except some representative characters who appeared once and briefly. And we don't see them again before the end. Otherwiese they always said ice-raiders are behind walls.. so what? We don't see them or their plans or anything. I think they tried to do something once and it all happened in the background.

Only from the 50% of the book things started to move at least somewhere.

I looked back and realized that not much happened in the first half actually and I don't know if it's a good sign.

It would have been such a disappointment if the plot didn't start to get better.

I liked the revelations, because I was muddle-headed at the beginning many came as a surprise to me, because I didn't even think about many things (well, many things weren't discussed as well.. I'm not sure anymore I'll be honest).

Good thing very ast part is pretty exciting, it overshadowed the rest of it for me too. Even a lot of previous parts made more sense.

And you know what happened? Less similes, yeah. Mosre concise description too. How happy I was.

So yeah, waiting for the next book to come. With very telling title "Kill Your Darlings".

RATE: 3,5/5.

[SHORT REVIEWS] #31

Well, time for another short reviews. Though I don't know how to rename this section since it started resemble short reviews + what I want to read / watch. But I do update previous posts when I feel like it or remember something.

BOOKS

CHN

Status update from previous short reviews, some web novels I still wait to be completed:

- 权臣穿进豪门养子文学 by 二月竹. (BL) The story about powerful minister transmigrating to a modern world. Very melodramatic plot, which I like. Previously I described the plot in other short reviews, but shortly MC becomes an "illegitimate" son, but actually it's not true, his own father changed his identity because he secretly took back the child of his lover as his own and made everyone hate MC in this family, so they won't see anything strange. This MC was not only a powerful minister but helped unpopular prince reach the throne, had many misunderstandings about Emperor he chose tbh. Emperor transmigrated with him too (he also has a melodramatic backstory, because of his outburst he was institutionalized). Also this is the author of Backtracking and Infernal, I love their style tbh with this cat playing with mice type of story, a story of revenge for sure, since MC will avenge the original body. It is still on-going and I can't wait to read it in full.

- 漂亮替身玩转豪门修罗场 by 惗肆. (BL) A story about a bleck-bellied MC who navigates the world of wealthy. I read this author and consistently follow their works, usually I adore their more melodramatic plots and can't wait for this one. MC is really playful and has a lot of tricks. ML of this story is the only person who noticed hs true face, but does not obstruct. Also the main story is over and author arranges to write extras.

- 豪门前妻（重生）by 橘子舟 (Tangerine Boat). (BL) I was surprised to see this author writing something. But honestly their story is nothing new from their previous works, really such an old-school vibe. A bit whiney but talented MC who is reborn (really doesn't matter if he's reborn or not). And a domineering ML who pampers his wife. Some very cliche but shallow long misunderstanding, but also has a lot of questionable parts. At the moment of me typing it the story is fully available and also completely free on JJ. I completed this one. But it's not something I Would recommend to avid BL readers. Oh, forgot to mention, Tangerine Boat loves mpreg, so this one has it too. 

[BL] 穿为换亲寡夫郎后 by 且拂 *JJ

(mtl: Transmigrated into a widowed man of exchanged marriage)

Status: Ongoing

Progress: 16

It is freshly released story about a medical student (Chinese medicine) Li Fenglan who transmigrates into a book, where he has a reborn cousin who steals his husband. The original book is about a person who is an only child of a former Crown Prince, living incognito in seclusion in a small village. He was supposed to marry OG Li Fenglan because he found him pretty and also easy to manipulate. It's a basic story of a person who achieves success, but also has a lot of romantic followers before becoming the Emperor. Li Baocheng is reborn and remembers how his cousin (Li Fenglan) achieved success and became Empress (oh, forgot to mention, supposedly this is a novel with men who are like ger, can have children and fertility is indicated by red birthmarks, but there is no emphasis on this aspect so far, so I tend to forget it even exists), so when Li Baocheng was reborn he thought he struck gold and it was not too late to exchange husbands. Li Fenglan who had the plot knew much more and it didn't matter to him to lose this unfaithful and trashy husband, but what we know at the beginning is that one husband is destined to become an Emperor, while the other is destined to die (which of course is not completely true when it comes to the story that follows). Fenglan didn't find it a bad thing, he actually welcomed it instead, he didn't have to have a relationship with an unknown man. But to survive he has to navigate the ancient world. To help him further he bound Medical System.

Fenglan is a pretty smart person I must say, he analizes a lot of what is happening with the plot and the changes surrounding him. Like the Ji family, family of his husband, did not appear much in the story and he had no idea what happened to them, but he still wanted to help them survive. He deducted on their escape that Ji family most likely met with an accident even back in the village (the second child was pushed and almost hit his head, which Fenglan prevented), he also deducted from Baocheng's reaction that he was surprised to see the second child alive and conscious. Another secret comes from the jade pendant and ring. Fenglan realized that his mother-in-law must have a connection to a minister and her heirlooms were either stolen or taken on her way. I just like when characters can deduct things from reactions and events, although many may not be cunning, but he is observant and uses the plot knowledge and what he witnesses to his advantage.

The plot starts from the famine and escape, along the way Fenglan reveals more and more secrets, which promises lot of fun.

[BG] 绑定神豪系统后我成了豪门真千金 by 墨洙洙 *Qidian

(mtl: After binding the Rich system, she became a true rich heiress)

Status: Completed

Progress: DNF

Well, this is really such a shallow and unsatisfying story. Basic idea is of FMC Yun Zijing binding a rich system. All she needs to do is - spend money and get rewarded with unimaginable riches. Although it feels like a great dream come true, but such stories have one particular downside. This one followed the same path too. The main problem is when FMC herself doesn't have any substance ad then gets something for nothing it just ends there. Although the story tries to placate and say that this never marred her character, but I do not agree and she sometimes flaunts - oh, money not a problem - well, of course, since you never felt what really means to get it through your own efforts. She sometimes acts really weirdly, treating money as dirt, not knowing where these money came from, not really caring if one day they will run out etc. It took her some time to finally do something good with it too.

The other really shallow part is being favored by people. It's very easy to pinpoint the MMC of this story, just follow the person who "never treated well or paid attention to women before but with Yun Zijing he is different". Such pathetic reasoning. Although she gets skills and not only property and stuff like that, but she herself does nothing substantial to say - wow. She goes around and everyone marvels how she throws money around as if it's nothing big, her management skills are zero. Within very short time she gets people who do things for her (because system provides it). And I didn't want to read more, because it got really boring really quick and looking at the number of chapters this story has - 776 - it provides nothing.

Oh, and also the story of her being a true heiress, it's such a cliche and brainless plot that you may die from cringe.

Update: Recently, I found novel that also has a "rich system" in it, but it's written in a much better way, so this type of story can work if author cares to do so. I'm currently enjoying it and will make a separate post whenever I'm done, but let me introduce you to 豪门认亲？可我已经是千亿富婆了, in this story FMC Xu Youyou binds a system, which does allow her to scavange and bargain, but get some awesome rewards. I like the fact that system does not provide things out of nowhere. For example she took a lottery ticket first from a trash can okay. Her rewards are good but not super excessive in comparison to this novel I described above. FMC herself does not act as if she's some shit, even if she was reborn and this is the reason for her system binding. You can see that she still learns along the way.

[BG] 黑月光泄露心声后，所有人都慌了 by 以介景福 *Qidian

(mtl: After hearing true thoughts of a dark moonlight everyone panicked)

Status: Completed

Progress: Completed

Lu Sijian transmigrates into a book and binds villain supporting system, her task is to get as many negative points as possible, so she can return and get a money reward. But she had no idea that everyone from the main cast could hear her thoughts.

Lu Sijian transmigrated into a body of a person who recently woke up from a coma, while she was unware of what was going on, Mu Liangyue or the protagonist of this word has been harassed for years as she tried to do things, since Sijian was her benefactor. Later everyone around Sijian will see her true face and switch sides.

It could have been better if the story did not start to involve some really brainless plots, so the system comes from higher realm and Liangyue was chosen as protag for her kindness, as if she was somehing light and spotless. But things were pretty basic, Liangyue just brainwashed herself and tried to pay back for any good that came her way, she did so many things in return that it would make anyone look bad, as if return of gratitude became a sin for those who helped her. How can you treat her so harshly, she did so much for you to pay gratitude. Similar case waited for Sijian, even if she said that Liangyue did not need to do anything, it did not stop Liangyue and she did many presumptious things basically making Sijian look worse and worse.

Others who were won over by Liangyue dedication slowly realized what was going on.

Bt even if the main cast could hear her thoughts not everyone thought of her as innocent, on the contrary. I think this part could have been interesting, but the story really is nothing to rave over.

Even after finishing I ad to read synopsis to remind myself what happened in this story, this is how forgettable and disappointing it is with some priests from above who assigned Liangyue as protagonist, when actually Sijian was the original one. It actually is connected to the luck of this world they collect through this method. Honestly.. pointless.

Just MEH.

[BG] 协议结婚后，我上恋爱综艺爆火了 *Qidian

(mtl: After contractual marriage I became a sensation on a dating show)

Status: Completed

Progress: 43

Pretty okay story so far.

Pei Shi returned to Pei family for a while and already entered a contract marriage. Everyone thinks they're a plastic couple and they're not far from the truth. Getting into trouble the couple ends up on a dating show where everyone finds out who the real Pei Shi is and what is the truth of their relationship.

Pei Shi got into a huge accident, after which she binds an animal close to her husband every month. She can act wantonly howere she wants. What she doesn't know is that her husband can hear her thoughts.

So yeah #sweet romance, dating variety show, hearing thoughts.

Actually I didn't read much, but so far it's not bad at all. You know when you can clock melodramatic trashy plots right away, the same goes for authors that want to write relatively normal stories, so this is the exmple of one.

US

What's A Little Blackmail Between Friends by Lynn Morrison

Found on one of the searches, really was attracted by that title ahaha

These are more for the TBR list instead of having any thoughts about it at the moment.

Another Victorian period mystery. Love mysteries~ Always on a watch out for new books, will see how this one goes if it's any good or not.

The Romance Revival by Christina Lauren

I remember I read one of their books, so want to see another one. The last was a pretty okay book to me. Also I love these lush flowers on the cover.

It has some interesting idea of a lover revival? What? Will see. This is a July release.

Darkest at Dusk by Eve Silver

First in the series of Revenant Roses.

Is it too obvious I was attracted by the cover? It promises romance, gothic, horror and paranormal. I'm in.

ANIMATION

Only 2 episodes left for Witch hat atelier to be completed, so I can watch it in bulk, meanwhile I'm happy to see season 2 of Seihantai na kimi to boku coming so soon. Yay. 

Nothing else from the anime season summer 2026 catching my attention. Either all posters look the same tbh or it's just not it. Also I set too many goals to watch.

But I do want to finally see Kubo and the two strings. 

MOVIES

The Batman (2022)

Really had this on my list since forever ahaha I wrote a separate post for it.

But shortly, it was a good watch. I expected to be super disappointed and my expectations were on the floor. Instead I got hooked by the atmosphere and how it was shot. I got to say, most of it is thanks to camera work and director's vision, otherwiese it wouldn't have worked the same. So I won't lie, I indeed enjoyed it. Ref. review.

Mr. K (2024)

I watched it on 16th, I actually put it back again and again because when I searched for it I saw that ratings are quite low. So I decided to watch in spite of it and actually I agree with the low ratings. I assumed there would be more, but who knew this would end in such a bizarre way.

Mr K is an Illusionist who registers at a hotel where he plans to have a performance, but later he gets lost in corridors and can't find the exit. The hotel with one entrance and no exit concept.

Artistic and bizarre.

Inhabitat by other people who never left the hotel actually, before Mr K finds the hotel slowly shrinking and tries to warn others.

At first people agree, then they seat and wait for him to do all the job and then they get angry for creating the problem.

Before he finds this fleshy tunnel in his own room.

I actually thought the way hotel transformed looked cool, but the rest of it, like the story, were quite basic, but the fleshy an** at the very end just made me laugh. I'm sorry, but what else does it look like, even the very last part where he pushes the unknown creature in its' sphere out, it all looked... very specific.

[SHORT REVIEWS] #30

I feel like I've been lucky, few of these are on-going, so it's more like first impressions (but I crave to read more). I wish they'll end up as good as the beginning.

I actually took a new hobby of updating old "short reviews" posts where I add the progress, especially if things changed.

BOOKS

CHN

[BG] 穿书后反派将我视若珍宝 by 今妤希 *JJ

(mtl: After transmigrating into a book, the villain treated me like a treasure)

Status: Completed

Year: 2025 

Summary: Lin Zhiyu travels to a book, but she read only spoilers and does not know much of the plot, she thinks she got the protagonist with her, but Shen Yanli happens to be the villain of the story.

Abandoning the idea of helping the protagonist Zhiyu starts to help the villain become the final winner.

I honestly simplified the contents of the summary and also of course did not write or copy the official summary which looks commercialized.

This story is quite compelling and is quite emotional from the very beginning. It does nothing spectacular in terms of prose (though what would I know, I read the mtl :) ), but it hit me in the heart while reading. It's very concise and does not dwell much, so I consider it fast-paced enough. Like the initial misunderstanding, the realization that this plot isn't simple, realizing she married a villain, abandoning the protagonist and vowing to fight with Shen Yanli happens in first 10+ chapters.

What I mean by not simple plot is that you realize pretty soon that this is not first, but a second timeline. In the first timeline I assume Zhiyu misunderstood the villain and still married him, but later tried to strike a deal with the protag (who is a scumbag, big douch I tell you) and confessed to her knowledge, was used, she also was used against Shen Yanli who fell for her and this is why in that timeline she died and the villain lost. Now she returned to the very beginning. At first she had no memory, maybe doesn't realize her dreams are her memories, but it punches in the gut the way it is described. She was too far into this deal to separate herself and the protag can easily dirty his hands with kidnapping or murder. The protag actually had his entrance into the story and already acted disgustingly. Even then FMC was like - I want to talk to him. At which point I honestly was on the edge, I was hoping author would not go that way and author did not disappoint. First of all, she had those dreams and was overfilled with emotions towards Shen Yanli, so most likely this will be love from the very beginning. Second of all, protag created an incident thus basically putting Zhiyu on the opposite side.

Zhiyu actually confessed to everything about the plot to Yanli, but he answered that he does not believe in fate. Yet both joined hands and plan to deal with protag together.

[BG] 白月光和替身联手整顿虐文[娱乐圈] by 雪龄 *JJ

(mtl: White moonlight and her stand-in team up to clean up the messy angsty romance novel)

Status: On-going (also gets stuck with updates, so beware)

Summary: An Suiqing found out that she is a white moonlight in a tragic romance novel.

An Suiqing: Who? Me?

She is now bound to a system that forces her to follow the script. She was pretty fine by herself, she moved abroad, she had a company, but because of this system her luck crashed into negative and to restore everything she has to follow the script. 

But it doesn't mean she can't completely deviate, right?

With time everyone waited how she and the girl will fight each other for a man, but as a result the two became besties and Bai Qianqian would not allow anyone to badmouth her friend Qingqing.

IF YOU HATE FORCED PLOTS I KNOW GIRL I HATE THEM TOO BUT!!! HeAR Me OUT!!

Things change rather quickly, it won't take long before things start to change and the bond starts to form in first chapters between the two.

I also was so disappointed when I saw the fact that the system intervened into Qingqing's life. MY LIVER ACHED! It was so infuriating!! But then things changed rapidly and I sighed with relief, since I hate forced plots and following the plot the most, on paper it's not funny at all.

The situation is as follows. An Suiqing indeed dated the man in question, but she moved on and moved out. Later QianQian and her ex came together, so now everyone is clammoring that she is a mistress who came to destroy a good marriage. The secret to their relationship is that both of the girls sat at the same desk in school, so they know each other.

With the involvement of Qingqing she kinda follows the prompts, but she also does things outside of that and it changes the plot instantly.

The female friendship, we're waiting for it!!

So far I have no idea if there will be romance for any of them, because it may be as well as veiled lily or no CP, but again authors choose romance genre, even it may not end up this way.

(god, this author chose these elaborate colors, but I heard it reminds people of some product, brand? anyway)

[BL] 权臣穿进豪门养子文学 by 二月竹 *JJ

(mtl: Powerful minister transmigrates and becomes anadopted son of a wealthy family)

note: usually on-going novels get their titles changed during publishing time, so this may not end up being the final title, just saying.

Status: On-going (very fresh at the time of me posting this)

Summary: Why the latest novels I pick up have longer and longer titles. I think only the romance section has a lot of short, normal sounding titles.

Anyway THIS IS MESSY, I tell you, this is DRAMAtic circumstances. My favorite author knows how to do things ahahaha

So the MC is called Xiao Lanyue (hope I didn't butcher his name), he was a powerful minister in ancient times, but because he was crippled in an accident he drank poison. His accident was man-made and his place was given to one of his brothers, but he himself asked to be a teacher to unloved prince - Lu Ao (ML).

Both eventually rose to prominence with him teaching and strategizing, so MC is very intelligent and beautiful (I wish the emphasis on his beauty will be toned down tbh).

He knew Lu Ao was gay, but he was oblivious that the person he loved was himself.

Lanyue transmigrates and here is the MESSY situation he's in.

His father is gay and he and his ex-boyfriend both entered marriages for obvious reasons (basically to swindle kids). Almost at the same time their wives had children. His ex was dying and asked to take care of his son. Here comes the disgusting idea to his head, he changes the children (though it shouldn't have happened so easily, they were birthed at different time, like months apart?) he takes the child of his ex home, later he takes his own son home and reveals as if his son is his illegitimate son, so the entire family will hate him, but will love the child of his ex. While he himself pretends to shower Lanyue with fake affection just to make matters worse. No one doubted anything. No one even knows that this disgusting piece of shit covets the child of his ex. And this is how Lanyue died, he was drowned by his own father because that witnessed him jacking off to Anfeng (the ex's kid).

On top of that, his eldest brother knew the truth but because he fell for Anfeng he continued to conceal it.

Their mother always thought he was a mistress' child, so she actually poisoned him for years.

Anfeng always acted hurt, though he was emotionally hurt for real thinking his dad didn't love him. Not realizing what hides behind the scenes.

I WANT TO KNOW HOW IT ENDS. This is horrible, but it's exciting at the same time.

Lanyue is very assertive and strategic, he is very meticulous about his actions and words, so I want to see him as he slowly gets revenge for the young man who was wronged for all these years. I root for him. No one should be spared lol.

On the other hand Lu Ao has transmigrated too.

Esciting, right? I think so too.

[BG] 我都要死了，打你怎么了！ by 千萌 *JJ

(*mtl: I'm going to die, so what if I hit you?!)

Status: On-going

note: it is a free novel and it is on-going (I know the status changed to complete, but there is no indication it was abandoned and the story is far from over), but I must warn anyone, at the moment of me typing this the novel had no updates for quite some time and who knows if it'll ever be finished.

Summary: Qi Qingzhu endured it all, but what she got was a diagnosis, she has little time left to live and her endurance was all for nothing. Her biased mother, her hypocritical father, her crazed brother and hypocritical adopted daughter. She wants to see it burn. She doesn't care to keep up with this facade.

The situation in this family is really messy~ Philandering father brought back the illegitimate daughter with his "true love" who died. This daughter has no idea she's a biological child, she is always preoccupied this is why she wants to secure her future and seduce her brother she thinks is non-biological one. Mother knows that this daughter is the illegitimate daughter, but she always fawns over her because her life depends on her philandering husband. Brother is of course in love with adopted daughter, but he doesn't know and has no idea why both parents are so protective of this daughter. Thing is, both siblings will go south when it comes to compare them and illegitimate daughter. FMC knows the secret, she wanted to keep the two together, since she knew it was immoral, but now.. she actually condones it, wants to see them dig deeper into this mess.

A lot of time is also spent on Qingzhu's best friend, who changed and became love-obsessed woman, but I honestly liked this part since the portrayal of their relationship was good. Although Qingzhu said she won't let it bother her anymore, but she still had some human feelings for this relationship and gave few chances to her friend before giving up, since she always was there for her when she was beaten up by her bf, yet she still returned to him.

The ML of this story is the step-brother of FMC's best friend. They knew each other since they were little, had a separation time when both cared for school but now they got closer again. To FMC his home is a safe haven, since her own home is a mess and she doesn't want to deal with them. She told no one that she is terminally ill, since she doesn't want to be surrounded by their hypocritical care.

As for her fiance. Basically she was sold off to this family, she was chosen among others as a good wife candidate. Both she and her fiance had an agreement that even if it's a business marriage they will live their own life. Actually, their agreement is quite steady, since they don't care about each other. Well of course the guy starts to care later, but it's a different story. basically they wanted to drag it on and choose time when to separate. FMC wanted to go abroad, but now those plans are meaningless.

Although the plot and relationships sound so melodramatic there is actually enough care for caracter development and relationships.

[BL] 科研大佬魂穿假二代 by 词酒 *JJ

(mtl: Top researcher's soul transmigrates into a fake second-generation rich kid)

Status: Completed

I knew I started this one, I can also tell I never finished. I was checking bookmarks and saw that several don't have a mark on them if I added them to short reviews or posted reviews on NU. But I also did not remember a single thing about it before I read first few chapters.

To me this book is rather boring. I'm not against tech texts, it's just random to me. But the biggest question mark to me is actually the insta-love situation between two protagonists, not to mention they don't really have a basis for such strong feelings but they went from 0 to a 100.

So Zhou Cheng was tossed out from his family, because the real master demanded he leaves. Zhou Cheng changed his core at this moment and didn't care for these parents unlike the original. So he is tech savvy and can do what he wants. He goes to school and also slowly integrates into this world, while commenting how backword it is and which path to choose, since he wants to help every field to grow seeds of science (commendable tbh). While he lives in a rented apartment the landlady is a friend of his adoptive mother, he befriends or more like tutors her son - Cheng Yuan (ML). I don't understand medicine but Cheng Yuan has to stop doing sports due to the condition of his bones and instead will take exam like everyone else. During tutoring actually nothing happens much. But then MC notices ML (both are in high school mind btw, but he is older if we talk about years he lived) who is not so subtle. It felt more physical. And later when they wanted to come out to Yuan's mom, she separated them and here we have a shortest separation ever, since Yuan had a fight with his mom and she later came to her senses knowing how her son loves Zhou Cheng. But honestly it felt like this love came out of nowhere.

And considering that the plot with all the random tech moments is not exciting at all I had to put it down right at the same moment where I left last time. This part made me remember why I ever dnf'd it.

US

 

These are future releases, I wanted to add some contemporary romance for the summer, since I'd like to try other authors instead of popular ones. I must admit I am pretty indifferent towards omse of the popular authors, I might have tried a book or two, but I think I said it once, I prefer my romance to be romancing, I understand people try to include depth, but all that stuff about trauma does not help, because in several cases it's not the partner who helps to overcome everything, it's just there to be part of the story, just a tool. Like you're asking yourself - why is this in the romance category again?

ANIMATION

Skip to Loafer / スキップとローファー

I added this one to Tongari, which is the only anime I planned to watch this season, I'll try if it's good, I wanted to try another school romance, which I don't like and usually when I watch any of them I close it even before finishing the 1st episode. Illogical to hear me describe it like that, I am aware ahaha. But this one had good vibes. I felt for the FMC, such a nervous wreck. me too sis, me too.

UPDATE:

I didn't want to make a separate post about this one. I watched Incredibles 2 and the desire to rant was unbearable. It was such a waste of one and a half hour of my life.

Predictable to the point of insanity, cringe-fest and snooze-fest. IT HAS 7,5 on Imdb?!!! WHAT? Are you serious?

I never planned to watch it, but then I saw a snippet on YT where their youngest was basically fighting raccoon. I was like - are you serious? is this supposed to be funny? The kid beats the shit out of raccoon.

As for the story itself it's incredible that they basically repeated Avengers where superheroes are now not in favor (well, yeah, look at all the destruction just for the sake of catching one superbillain). And we have a person who offers to salvage the situation (actually the best character of this movie). While some hypnotic villain appears and the hypnosis is done through the screens which is a tech stuff and then appears the sister of this man who offered to help and you ask yourself - well, let me think, who is the bad guy here? Isn't that so painfully obvious? It's so obvious that it hurts.

You can predict events, even dialogues they would have, this is the level of predictability.

I don't want just fun, superheroes are not fun anymore, because it's all the same shit over and over again. I want some surprise at least.

The even added all that cringe about the brewing conflict in the family where the Mr Incredible or the cringe aging dad is staying home. Should be funny to you, not to me. Since they made him greet his teeth when he should be happy for his wife. They made him a prick. I didn't mind his wife being the center of attention, but just do the thing, don't let her agree to words as if she lived in the shadow of her husband and all that stuff about men. You lost the cool points to me.

Disney likes the conveniences too, since both parents were tricked into hypnosis then it is time for kids to shine, but honestly that was a bundle of mess that while babysitting their brother who has so many superpowers, but who never was truly utilized in this movie except to marvel about the kid's abilities and beat the shit out of raccoon, they conveniently made it.

And all is good, everyone is happy and has to say all that final cringe stuff.

All secondary characters are nothing more just cliche cutouts.

The family itself had a conflict brewing in the background which was resolved by itself. Everyone loves everyone and everyone is happy.

Cringe.

Also why their kid was always naked? Never wears anything outside of pampers.

[SHORT REVIEWS] #28

Let's roll with a new one, what I found, what I read, what I watched during this period and what I'd like to read/watch in the future. As per usual let's start from books.

BOOKS

CHN

[BG] 重生后被五个大佬团宠 by 七夕是大头喵 *JJ

(mtl: Reborn and pampered by five powerful figures)

Status: Completed

#ch: 90+1

Year: 2020

Progress: DNF

Summary: Qiu Man loved Jiang Jun her whole life and only after death she realized that she was just a supporting role in his life, she wasted her love, almost being subservient to him, but the male lead is destined for the male lead. She was reborn and now didn't want to follow the same path. She is the daughter of her family, why she should act like that because of a man?

I dnf'd it basically because I kinda got bored of it. It's the same old story, though this one has a bit more melodrama involved. Instead of being clean and sharp Qiu Man still shows a bit of melancholy towards the wasted years and feelings, like she hasn't lost them comepletely. Her family also is in some strange melodramatic situation, but I'm not mad at some parts. For example, she lived with her grandparents since her mother's death, there is no big secret, but she forgot everything of that day, including that her mother protected her. But because she lived away a lot of rumors were floating around and they said she caused the accident and this is why her entire family doesn't love her. Her father worked a lot but it's the obvious pattern of a man forgetting to take care of his children and especially his daughter, since she believed those rumors as well. Her reputation was worst for some reason, FMC had no idea it's all caused by her new stepmother. I don't know it's the type of FMC who realized something is not right too late in her previous life and this stepmother (who was originally helped by her biol. mom) caused their family a lot of financial distress. When they dealt with her I thought that the way they didn't make it plain was actually interesting, since this woman could not be brought down just for the sake of it, she could have gone mad and do something extreme, so instead they parted ways in a more decent way instead of usual - let's bankrupt or arrest someone right now. Although it wasn't bad, but I didn't feel for it eventually and kinda felt it was slow and had no good story. The male lead of FMC is connected to her ex, the usual plot where a guy is in love with a girl, but she has no idea.

But feel free to read it.

[BG] 系统迟到三年，阴湿反派是你老公 by 啃一块酱大骨 *Qidian

(mtl: The system is three years late and I'm already married to the villain)

Status: Ongoing

#ch: -

Year: 2026

Progress: 1-22

Summary: Light-hearted story of Yu Qingqing who transmigrated into the story, but the system disappeared for three years and she had no idea who is the main female characters who are main male leads, everything was confusing, so she associated with several figures that might be male leads, but their relationships were a bit extreme, so she switched to other guy next.

Eventually she got married thanks to arranged marriage and her husband became Pei Wenshen. Mr Pei is also a peculiar person, he doesn't show his sharp edge, he likes Qingqing so he doesn't want to scare her with his behavior, this is why he acts very gentlemanly and has a taste of a green tea. A pitiful little flowe Wenshen and Qingqing with her kind heart actually believed that how can her good husband be the villain of the story? The system is insane.

The system indeed returns only three years later and starts releasing tasks like "be in approximate closeness to the villain, at least 10 meters, mode: hell mode", while Qingqing waits for a car which will take her home to Wenshen.

What I liked is that it has that trashy feel that I like. Also a notable part that surprised me is how no one tells Qingqing that she cheated or called her named for previous relationships. Because one of her exes is named Pei Yu, related to Wenshen, although he says some dumb stuff, but when he finds she really married his uncle he didn't jump around calling her names that she belongs only to him yada-yada.

If I'm not wrong I've read one book from this author, something about good pregnancy, a pretty sweet novel that has having kids as main goal, but actually isn't bad and was pretty sweet. This is why when I first read few chapters of this one I thought - well, I can read smth like this. 

[BG] 满级大佬拿了祸水剧本 by 琪琪家的鹿 *Qidian

(mtl: Max-level boss got a "femme fatale" script)

Status: Completed

#ch: 

Year: 2020 

Progress: 1-95

Summary: Well, this was garbage. Sorry.

Jiang Si binds the system to travel the world, she activated the story mode, thus she basically needs to say certain things or do certain things to get a pass.

For some reason even ML and FL of the stories start falling for her. This story also has a male lead, but FMC simply ruins the experience for us. It's cool that she is so motivated, but she doesn't allow anything to hinder her progress, love included. You may love her to death, but she won't ever appreciate it. SO for few arcs it was like this, the male lead loved her, but she only thought about her mission and I completely forgot why it mattered to her.

Oh wait, I remembered, she is a phoenix and in her own world she became a demon when her body and blood were used by people who knew it's like a tonic for cultivation, later she blackened. She had only one person to care for and probably he's the one who followed, but honestly.. It's so-so. FMC is groundlessly attracting everyone around her, plots are plain, nothing new or interesting, plus the FMC is unlikable.

[BG] 和塑料竹马闪婚了 by 北途川*JJ

(mtl: I had a whirlwind marriage with my plastic childhood sweetheart)

Status: Completed

#ch: 62+18

Year: 2023

Progress: not much~

Summary: Liang Simin was always against Ji Yang, from the very first meeting till these days they always argue, fight or give each other snarky comments when they meet. But lately there were rumors that both Liang and Ji family might unite through a marriage, but most of the people do not consider that they union will be between Simin or Yang.

But when these two tried to make each other miserable they found that their situation became more complicated and it bcame even harder to explain why they do things as they do when their own families start to believe there is something going on between them.

"Alright! Who doesnt marry is a dog!"

I can say that the writing style and overall impression I get are refreshing. I get the feeling like - oh, this author with their own writing style that doesn't resemble copy-pasted stories all over the place.

The characters are lively, the relationship is fiery, so I will happily continue reading this one, I liked the beginning.

Update: I've read like a third of the main story, it's actually quite nice. Maybe because I had opened some other works that had "weak, wimid, frail" type of FMC that I was happy Liang Simin in this story is quite fiery. The bickering is there. But at some point I thought it gets a bit repetitive. Anyway they progress. I also managed to spoil myself the ending and I must say I was a bit surprised, though I shouldn't have been. It has a bit of a TV drama edge to it.

[BL] 豪门前妻（重生） by 橘子舟*JJ

(mtl: Ex-wife of a wealthy family)

Status: Ongoing

#ch: -

Year: 2026

Progress: 1-20

Summary: You will not believe who returned :'D I bet you have no idea who Tangerine Boat is. I reviewed her works several times on this blog dating few years ago. She had a series of novels that had a childbirth in BL works, she kinda likes it I believe. But she had not posted any new work for a very long time and started thinking they retired from writing, but who knew they will be back with another one.

And it's again trashy, ridiculous and melodramatic, so old-fashioned it should reek like an old closet, but here we are.

So the plot follows rebirth of Xu Yin, he lived his past life pretty miserably because he was entangled with his fiance, who claimed to have had amnesia and because during the amnesia period he fell in love with another man he also brought the man home. So Xu Yin had no truly solid place in this family. Not to mention that his own family is no less ridiculous, he was sent away because his family adopted some random kid from mother's friend who dies, but because master said that Xu Yin will suppress him they sent their own kid away. No matter how Xu Yin tried to fit in later on was inevitable. Before rebirth he came to terms of losing love in life and became indifferent to it all. But then he was reborn. He had no feelings for his so-called fiance, or his own biological parents or brothers. They can all go to hell.

The only thing that connects him to the Xiao family (family of his fiance) is his relationship to Xiao Sheng, the current acting head of the Xiao family and the protection of the Grandpa Xiao he needs so much while he is surrpounded by vile people.

Update: this feels like such an old-school drama ahaha

Update 2: author.. how can you write this type of ML in this day and age? what does the "forcing" mean? You can't be serious. Although the plot is so melodrama, but honestly the ML with his advances towards MC will give you the ick. Nobody knows that these two were married for a short period of time, later they divorced (still no info and I'm 30 chapters in) and the ML still crawls into the bed of his ex-partner from now and then. MC partially resist but gives in, this sounds so bad. NOOOOO~

Update 3: I can't, this is so bad. The MC is a whiney person who can't communicate shit, he has so many questions, but acts as if he asks them the ML will jump on him or his ego will suffer. Honestly, he's such a delicate flower, isn't he supposed to be better with the fact that he's a reborn person! I even forgot about this fact, since it doesn't matter really.

Then we have ML, the oblivious to rumors living in a vacuum ML who allwos others to think he's in love with a totally random dude. Okay, they're connected, since he helped this person out, but he stays oblivious as if he doesn't see the new advances or allows others to talk, while he himself cares for MC. This creates the misunderstanding I hate in books. It's so dumb. And this situation drags on and on, it's been 50 chapters and they don't change. So annoying.

US

(published)

(future releases)

 

I always add a little, since I haven't finished many books I put on my personal tbr; But when it comes to "wants" I really want to get to the new Rachel Gillig book, The Book Witch intrigued me as a concept, after all travelling to books is mainly what I read so much about anyway, I want a western take, will it bring something new.

All Hail Chaos is a book I've been waiting since last year when I first came across Long Live Evil, book not for everyone, but honestly I loved it how chaotic it was.

Harvest Season will continue on Tourist Season and it's a dark romance I enjoyed, again not for everyone.

Heir of Prophecy was a random find tbh, but it intrigued me as well. I actually have a huge list of bookmarks from Goodreads and the number already reached 200, it's the pending list of things that I edit from time to time, some things stay as I still want to read them, some go. I don't really like that it's so long.

MANHWA

For Your Murder

Ongoing manhwa about an elementary school teacher who tries to navigate her life when the parents of a school bully promise to ruin her life, she meets a lawyer who accepts to solve her case, but things go weird from then on. 

I liked the dark tone of it. Will see where it goes.

Update: This is.. actually amazing, it's a drama and I think a thriller type of story, absolutely crazy when it comes to story so far, but this is what makes it interesting to follow even if the man on the cover, Inseop, is a perpetrator and a crazy dude, but being just a viewer of a manhwa the story keeps you on your toes.

The Male Leads were stolen by the Extra

Korean take of how the extra replaces the female lead. Some don't like FMC here, I didn't really care, it's an okay read, though on-going too.

In spirit it's close to many other stories where someone has the power to influence important characters of the story for their own goal or vanity or any other reason you may think or find. But set in a romantasy world where FMC does not dwell why the main characters turned away from her when she woke up after three months of coma.

Update: This is quite interesting, but again close to the stories of this type.

TV

HOW DARE YOU!? / 成何体统

SIMPLY THE BEST 10/10

I watched only 9 episodes, but I'm in!! I'm so invested in this story. the chemistry between the two main leads is off the charts. The visual part looks gorgeous, the scenery, the atmosphere, the looks. It's just top. And the story, oof, love it. Especially the humorous parts. But the serious parts are touching too.

One of few times I'm thankful for YT recommendations, because otherwise I'd have no idea this show existed.

Update: I'm on episode 20 and I must say it does not disappoint, I was honestly afraid either my enthusiasm will fade or something in the drama will happen that will put me off, but actually I'm continuing with great interest. I honestly love the character of Xiahou Dan the most, he's the most interesting (though also most flashed out too).

Update: I finished watching it and it was amazing, I feel sad that the experience is over, I liked it more than I anticipated. The review is up.

ANIME

Tongari Boushi no Atelier / Witch Hat Atelier

The only anime I'm watching this season, IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL!! It's on a movie level of detail. And the story is truly amazing. I'm happy they invested so much hard work in it, it's truly worth it. It bceame my weekly safe haven and I enjoy it so-so much.

Actually I progressed a bit with Jujutsu Kaisen S3 and also suddenly watched almost an entire season of Fugou Keiji Balance: Unlimited, which is a pretty ridiculous story when it comes to beginning, but it soon takes a sharp dramatic turn. It's very easy to watch type of show.