Top 10 Books of 2013

1. Looking for Alaska: This book I loved because it was a great coming of age story with the main character Pudge going to boarding school and for the first time being part of a close friend group which he had quite a few good times with but it's also a story that becomes much darker and deeper in it's second half. There's also the character Alaska who is pretty complicated, interesting and frustrating she has a lot of problems but she doesn't think anyone else is allowed to be upset because their problems are trivial compared to hers according to her but she can also be quite fun and she seems pretty smart. Then there's the second half of the book that deals with loss and how in the end you can't fully know a person or what happened in their last moments and that sometimes in life not all your questions can be answered and you just have to on with your life. This book was both funny and sad, was well written and had great characters.
2. The Fault in Our Stars: This book was much better than I thought it would be because I thought it was going to just be depressing all the way through but it wasn't. This book had a dark sense of humor which is my favorite kind and it really did suit the characters teenagers with cancer would totally make those kind of jokes. I also loved the relationship between Hazel and Augustus they were just such wonderful characters and they fit together just perfectly in the end. The story did take a depressing turn in the end which I was okay with even though I sobbed for quite a while.
3. Tilt: This is an Ellen Hopkins book which means I loved the way it was written in beautiful but easy to understand poetry. I wasn't a huge fan of Hardly or Mikayla because they both seemed to make obvious horrible life choices repeatedly but I did feel for them and their stories were interesting. Shane story on the other hand was one that I just loved, I loved his relationship with Alex which I never expected to be a sweet romantic one, I loved his relationship with his mother who he both feels like he needs her but also that he can't go to her because she already has too much to deal with, and I love that his storyline came to be about how he couldn't get past how pointless death is and he actually has a crisis of faith. I really love this book mainly for Shane's storyline that I'm probably not explaining it's brilliance very well since I haven't read it in months.
4. It's Kind of a Funny Story: This book is one about a high school boy who got himself into when of the best schools around and just feels like he isn't smart enough to be there and he is just ends being overwhelmed by all the work which leads him to becoming depressed. One night he decides to kill himself but instead checks himself into the psych ward in the hospital and starts his recovery process. I just really loved the book I really cared for and understood the main character and I always enjoy anything dealing with mental health.
5. Cinder: This is wonderful retelling of Cinderella in a futuristic China which has terrific world building and a great plot that makes you want to know more about everything that happens in this world. The characters are also great especially Cinder and Prince Kai who also develop a friendship hopeful romance later on in the series, through out the book that is a lot more realistic than I would expect out of a book based on Cinderella. This is a terrific book and there's not a single reason I can think of to not read this book.
6. Forever: I loved the last book of The Wolves of Mercy Falls series although not as much as I loved Linger but I'm oddly obsessed with that book so that's not really a surprise. I felt like it was a good conclusion to Sam and Grace's story with Grace making peace with her parents and Sam learning and accepting a lot about Beck, also there together at last which is what they have been trying to have since the beginning. I think that Cole and Isabel's storylines were less resolved but they both seem to be going in a positive direction with Cole wanting to actually survive and caring for other people and Isabel accepting her brother's death and confronting her feelings about most things a bit better. The relationship between Cole and Isabel is still complicated and undefined but there definitely closer now. I loved this book and the series as a whole especially Linger, but what I love most is the characters.
7. Only the Good Spy Young: This was the most exciting book in the series so far with lots of logical twist and turns I never saw coming. I also continue to love the characters and their relationships with each other.
8. Perfect Scoundrels: I loved this book because there was a lot of background information on Hale that was given that I had always been interested in. I also really loved Kat and Hale's relationship with them being from different worlds being the conflict in their relationship which was much more interesting to read about than some random love triangle that I half expected to see in this book but luckily that never happened.
9. Hide and Seek: This book was one that was exciting and full of plot twists that I've come to expect and enjoy through out this series.
10. The Magician's Nephew: This story about the beginning of Narnia was sweet and very fun and interesting read for me.

Anime Review: Chihayafuru 2: I Do Not Know Where This Love Will Take Me(2.19)

           Chihayafuru 2: I Do Not Know Where This Love Will Take Me(2.19)Review

This episode starts off where the last one ends with Taichi sending his opponent a multi-syllable card in order for him attack the card later on because of Tsutomu's data. It becomes clear soon after that Taichi is deliberately taking a long time to send cards in order to give himself time rememorize where all the cards are and his opponent ends up getting a fault which is something he almost never does. Taichi gets to the point in his match where he and his opponent are tied.

The match between Chihaya and Rion ended up taking a turn that almost all the people watching didn't expect with Chihaya leading Rion by five cards. It's noted that by this point of the game that neither girl is using any kind of strategy and it's now only a game of hearing and reflexes which the girls seem to be evenly match in but one is of course slightly better. Chihaya ends up winning her match but it was so exhausting that she ended up falling asleep before she even claimed her win for Mizusawa.

The matches that Taichi and Nishida are playing have both come down to luck of the draw which is something it seems like they expected would happen since they synchronized their cards which Fujiski's coach refuses to think this move could be anything other then chance but the player Taichi's playing recognizes it as them knowing how to play as a team. Taichi becomes increasingly worried that the card on his side won't be read since it never is in this kind of situation so he does plan to go on the attack especially since his opponent's card is one that is similar to a dead card but he ends noticing that his opponent is too good at defending his card for this to work. Taichi ends up doubting that all the time he's put into the game will ever really mean anything since he always ends up loosing in situations that are based off luck but he keeps himself from giving up and asks god to have his card be read just this once. In the end Mizusawa wins and Chihaya had woken up just in time to see the final card be read and then there's an emotional celebration with the whole team hugging.

I loved this episode I felt that the matches where very intense and I felt super emotional from just watching the team win which was just great to watch. Please tell me your thoughts on this episode.

Anime Review: Chihayafur 2: My Fear is That You Will Forget(2.18)

                         Chihayafur 2: My Fear is That You Will Forget(2.18)Review

This episode starts off where the last one ends with the karuta team becoming more focused on winning. Taichi starts to think about how even though his opponent is good he's not as good as Arata which actually does help to motivate him and when he notices that he is down by five cards he remembers how when he was young that Dr. Harada would start off with a five card handicap which what Taichi is determined to overcome here. Tsutomu wants to overcome his earlier analysis that he can't win against his opponent but sadly he looses soon after he this thought. Tsukuba feels that his opponent isn't taking him seriously which might not be true since he said after their match that Tsukuba was good even though he lost.

Chihaya is able to keep getting cards from Rion and the people watching the match are starting to wonder if Rion can win the match because she lacks the experience in tournaments and Chihaya has just as good of game sense as she does. Shinobu through the match wishes she hasn't come because she remembers how karuta for her as always just been about improving herself and she doesn't like seeing the companionship that being part of a team brings the other players. Arata listens to the match from outside since he is forbidden from watching the match but his thought reveal that he does have a great respect for playing with a team even though he himself doesn't.

Taichi was able to stabilize his game but was still down by five cards near the end of the episode he's able to take one of his opponent's cards and he says that there will be three wins for Mizusawa right after members of the audience where thinking that they'd be lucky to get one win.

Overall I love this episode which dealt with trying one's best to make a come back and how sometimes it happens and sometimes it's too late. I also liked seeing how Arata and Shinobu had different thoughts about the team matches. Please tell me your thoughts on this episode.

Anime Review: Chihayafuru 2: Gust of Wind(2.17)

                                        Chihayafuru 2: Gust of Wind(2.17)Review

In this episode the karuta team starts the final match against Fujisaki and they're all off to a bad start with them all observing how different and good their opponents are. Chihaya while playing against Rion notices that Rion has ridiculously good game sense in that she's able to go for nearly every card even the  two-syllable ones right away. Chihaya tries to figure out how this could be and she looks over to Kana and remembers her telling her about the certified reader who is the one reading for this match and how every card has it's own color. Chihaya clears her mind and starts remembering the cards as colors and is able take cards from Rion who is quite surprised by Chihaya's speed and while Chihaya thinks she can't relay on this for long since she doesn't have many cards she sees in color she can use it build momentum.

There is more information about how Fujisaki is a karuta power house school and how their coach makes sure that everyone develops good stamina with how they are put through hours of physical activity in order to build it. It's also noted that Rion is very good at karuta because of her hearing but she has never won any tournaments because she only likes to play with certified readers such as her grandmother who is the reader for this match and when she dislikes the reader she tends to stop trying during the match.

Chihaya is injured by Rion when she blocks a card during the match but Chihaya plays it off like it's nothing but soon realizes that it's much worse than she originally thought it was but decides that it's best that she should do her best and continue to play. Rion ends up noticing that she injured Chihaya and is unable to focus and Chihaya is able to take four cards in a row from her. Towards the end the rest the karuta team notices that Chihaya is injured but still determined to win her match which causes the rest of them to become more determined to win their matches as well.

Shinobu also goes to watch the match and really was quite bored by the matches until she recognized Chihaya and remember how she had taken cards from her last year then she paid more attention to the match. I overall loved this match and how it showed the determination to win even when the odds are stacked against you. Please tell me your thoughts on this episode.

Book Review: Wolves of Mercy Falls: Forever

                                        Wolves of Mercy Falls: Forever Review

The final book of the Wolves of Mercy Falls series starts a few months after Linger ends with Grace being a wolf, Sam having trouble coping with Grace being gone, Cole trying to find a cure for the wolf toxin by using himself to experiment on and Isabel learning that her father was able to get a hunting party approved to kill the wolves. Much like the last book of the series I still find Grace's storyline to be the least interesting and considering that she was a wolf and unable to form complex thoughts for about the first half of the book that doesn't come as much of a surprise to me. I enjoy that Grace was finally able to confront her parents about their horrible parenting style and that they were able to make some sort of peace because that was something that needed to be done since the first book of the series. Grace's friend Olivia dying at the start of the book upset because I've always wished we saw more of her but I do like that Grace's friend Rachel was able to be in the know about the wolves.

Cole using himself to experiment on when trying to find a cure for the wolves is something that I love because he's still being self-destructive but he's doing it for a reason in that he's trying to save the wolves but doesn't seem all that concern that he could very well die in the process. Cole also somewhat gains closer from his old life with being able to call one of his old band mates to tell him he's alive but he isn't coming back. I liked how this book pointed out that Cole is getting better than he was in the last book but he still has a lot of issues to work through but he's getting there which is what I think is most important. I love that Cole continues to try and destroy Sam's perfect image of Beck because he knows that the version he got is a whole lot different than the one Sam has and he figures that Beck can give them some answers to their current problem. I love that Cole was able to figure out what needed to be done and that in the end he admits to himself that he had  complete faith that the plan was going to work and that he has started to care for the people around him more than he ever thought he could.

For Sam's character the thing I enjoyed the most through out this book was him learning that Beck really wasn't his savior from what happened with the wolves when he was little but actually the one that put his attack into motion. I really enjoy Sam's conflicting feelings regarding Beck because on the one hand Beck raised him and cared for him for years and Sam loved that Beck but on the other hand Beck attacked him when he was little and this led him to become a wolf which he always hated and also for his parents to try to kill him and the years of trauma that follow that he still hasn't fully recovered from and he sort of hates that Beck. In the end although Sam's feelings about Beck are complicated he still does love him although I think it's worth noting that last book Sam thought about his parents fondly as well so this isn't much of a surprise. I also enjoyed the conflict with Sam needing to become a wolf again to save the pack even though he hates being a wolf but I think that him becoming a wolf again was a one time think which if that's the case I'm okay with that if not this series had a really sad ending.

Isabel's storyline I believe had her finally fully coming to terms with her brothers death and the part she played in it. I also liked how Isabel's relationship with Cole developed past the whole a way to self destruct but one where their where real feelings and understanding for each other, their relationship isn't exactly healthy yet but it's getting there.

I overall loved this series it had great characters who will stick with me for a long time to come and there were great relationships as well. I found the mythology interesting since this series is actually a sci-fi rather than a fantasy like most people assume it is and I thought the plot was good but this series is honestly mostly character driven which is why a love it so much. Please tell me your thoughts on this book or the series as a whole.

Anime review: Chihayafuru 2: Wait for the Emperor's Return(2.16)

                         Chihayafuru 2: Wait for the Emperor's Return(2.16)Review

This episode is basically a recap of the first half of season 2 with a few omake segments mixed in that are humorous but there are not very many of them. I think this episode did a pretty good job of reminding the audience of the first half of the season but since I tend to be able to remember those type things on my own it was something I didn't need. Although I did enjoy the omake segment when Nishida mentions how no one in the karuta club is seeing anyone because they spend so much time playing karuta, I found that rather funny but other than that there wasn't really anything new in this episode.

This episode was really just a recap but still enjoyable so instead of telling me your thoughts on this episode how about you tell me your thoughts on this season or series as a whole.

Top 4 New to Me Authors 2013

1. John Green: This year I read The Fault in Our Stars and Looking for Alaska and I found both books to be great reads. Both books were able to be both heartbreaking and hilarious and were filled with memorable characters. I loved how the humor throughout The Fault in Our Stars was fairly morbid and I like that this book surprised me because it had humor in it and romance rather than just the sadness I was expecting. I loved Looking for Alaska probably even more than I loved The Fault in Our Stars, it was a coming of age story that was very entertaining and then it became a story about accepting death and how there's always going to be some questions that can't be answered and you have to accept that. Anyways both books were well written and I will read more of his books in the future.
2. Marissa Meyer: I read her book Cinder this year and that book had a very unique retelling of Cinderella and had characters and a story that were far more developed than anything that I would have expected out of a story that was based off of this fairytale. The world building in this book is also very brilliant and the whole species of lunars are very interesting and detailed even though not much is known about them.
3. Ned Vizzini: I read his book It's Kind of a Funny Story which was a book about a high school boy who becomes overwhelmed and depressed by his highly competitive new school when he feels his grades aren't good enough and it also shows the beginning of his recovery. I loved this book it was an interesting story and despite it's subject matter it was actually rather humorous at points. I also learned this year that Ned Vizzini co-wrote the Teen Wolf episodes Venomous and Restraint which I enjoyed both of those episodes as well even though neither are my favorite of even season two both were good and I found it cool that he wrote a few episodes for one of my favorite tv shows. I plan to read more of his books in the future.
4. C.S. Lewis: I started to read The Chronicles of Narnia series this year and I really do enjoy the books and how they were written especially since I just love the way older children's books are written.

Top 10 Books I want for Christmas 2013

1. Scarlet: I loved the first book in The Lunar Chronicles series and I can't wait to read the next book because I would love to continue the story and I hear this book his a retelling of Little Red Riding Hood and since they did such a great job with the first book I can't wait to see what they did with this fairytale.
2. Out of Sight, Out of Mind: I've loved the first four books in the Gallagher Girls series and I'm sure I'll love this one as well and I hear that this book is one of the best in the series so I'm looking forward to reading it as soon as I can.
3. The Raven Boys: This book sounds pretty interesting and since I loved Maggie Stiefvater's Wolves of Mercy Falls series I would love to start another series by her.
4. Demonglass: I loved the first book of the Hex Hall series and with all the twists that were revealed towards the end of the first book the second book is bound to be even better.
5. Triangles: I love Ellen Hopkins books and I believe that this book is also a companion to Tilt which was one of my favorite Ellen Hopkins books.
6. Crank: As I mentioned above I love Ellen Hopkins books and this is the one that she's most famous for but it is also one of the few books of hers I haven't read yet.
7. Cross My Heart, Hope to Die: I've loved the first four books of The Lying Games series and I would really love to read more of it since I always go through these books pretty quickly.
8. Splintered: This book sounds like an interesting retelling of Alice in Wonderland which is one of my favorite books and I always seem to like retellings of it.
9. An Abundance of Katherines: I've read two John Green books this year which I loved so I think it would be good for me to read a third.
10. Also Known As: I've read good reviews about this book and it sounds like it might be kind of similar to the Gallagher Girls series.

Anime Review: Chihayafuru 2: No Matter Where I Stand(2.15)

                                    Chihayafuru 2: No Matter Where I Stand(2.15)Review

This episode deals with the team preparing for their final match which is going to be played against Fujisaki which is a school that is known for being a karuta powerhouse. It's revealed at the beginning of this episode that Kana had jammed her finger in one of the earlier matches and was hiding it in order to keep playing.

Fujisaki coach is known for being very scary and also always switches out one of the third year players in the final match in order so a younger one can play which is always very distressing for whatever third is forced to sit out. Tsutomu from his data was able to accurately predict the order in which Fujisaki will use for their team in final. Taichi wants to play against Fujisaki's captain because he reminds him of Arata and believes that if he's able to beat him he may be able to final make it to class A someday soon.

The reader for the final match is a certified reader which makes Kana even more upset that she can't play in the final match. Arata hears that Chihaya and Taichi made it to the finals and while he really wants to be their to cheer them on he feels that he can't because he needs to accept his punishment but he is able to convince Shinobu to watch the final match.

I really liked this episode with how much it made me anticipate the match because it dealt very slowly with all the before stuff leading up to the match which means that the match itself is bound to be really intense and exciting as well. I'm a bit upset that the next episode according to Wikipedia is a recap but I'm really looking forward to watching the match. Please tell me your thoughts on this episode.

Anime Review: Chihayafuru 2: People Would Always Ask if I Was Pinning for Someone(2.14)

  Chihayafuru 2: People Would Always Ask if I Was Pinning for Someone(2.14)Review

This episode finishes off the semi-final match which had became an extremely close match for every member of the team. Towards the beginning of the episode Nishida looses his match which he feels bad about since this is the second time he has done this during an important match. Soon after though Kana wins her match which takes a bit of pressure off the other members of the team.

Since the match between Mizusawa and Akashi becoming so close and interesting which most of the audience wasn't expecting they had pretty much ignored the other match which wasn't close at all Fujisaki 4 to 1. Taichi ends pulling ahead in his match by using his memorization skills because he knew when a dead card was being read when his opponent didn't. Taichi ends up winning his match when Chihaya's special card is read but Chihaya didn't get this card which throws her off her game a bit. In the end Chihaya's match was very close but she ended up loosing.

The match between Tsutomu and his opponent becomes the deciding match and it comes down to luck of the draw. Tsutomu ends winning his watch by going for the one with the in it because he believed that it was more likely to be drawn in this situation. The other members of the team note how this belief is a superstition that karuta players start to develop over time.

Chihaya is very frustrated by her loss because she can't pinpoint what it is that caused her to loose her match but she ends up figuring out that before the final she has to relax if she's going to have a chance at winning. Tsukuba offers to play in the final match because he has seen how tried Kana was but Kana tries to say she's fine before admitting that she's not.

I loved this episode it was very exciting matches that were played. Please tell me your thoughts about this episode.

Anime Review: Chihayafuru 2: In my Dreams, I Creep Closer to You(2.13)

                   Chihayafuru 2: In my Dreams, I Creep Closer to You(2.13)Review

This episode starts off where the last episode ends with it looking like Chihaya is finally finding her momentum in the match but this turns out not to be the case which leads to the rest of the team vowing in their heads that they'll win their matches. Tsutomu who wasn't doing so well in his match starts to improve once he remembers some of Sumire's notes which helps him know what cards that his opponent would be most unnerved about loosing.

Chihaya continues to struggle in her match when she can't remember what momentum feels like and even when she does what she can to unnerve Megumu she sees that none of the usual strategies to unnerve an opponent seems to work on her since she's calm all through out the match. Chihaya is finally able to find her momentum by having her hand go under Megumu's and the move had so much accuracy and speed that it shocks Megumu as well as quite few audience members. Soon after that move Chihaya is able to take a card from Megumu that she was protecting.

Megumu notices with the way that Chihaya takes cards that she is someone who wants to queen which is something that Megumu herself doesn't care about but Megumu does care about fulfilling the members of her team's happiness and since they all want her to be queen she must beat Chihaya. Around this same time Chihaya realizes that with the way that Megumu plays that she is a lot like herself before she started to work on conquering her weaknesses which is something that a lot of people have noticed how Chihaya has improved while watching this match.

I really loved this episode and how it dealt with how different people are motivated by different things and how just because you want to win for reason other than your own accomplishment doesn't mean that your drive to win is any less. I also enjoyed how this episode also show how working on your weakness is something that can drastically improve one's outcome when competing against strong opponent. Please tell me your thoughts on this episode.

TV Review: Revenge: Exodus(3.10)

                                                        Revenge: Exodus(3.10)Review

• I liked how at the start of the episode that Emily was taking her own blood so that she could spill it before she shoots the gun in order to frame Victoria for her murder.
• I'm glad that Conrad figured out that Lydia was originally planning to reveal the David Clarke conspiracy because I just think it's for the best when everyone knows about everyone else evil plans expect for Emily's of course.
• I liked how Emily used Conrad in order to get him to use Patrick to make sure that Victoria will come to her and Daniel's wedding.
• I'm actually surprised by how happy I was about Patrick's return I mean always did like him but I don't remember like him as much as I did in this episode.
• I like that Victoria was wary of Conrad allowing Patrick to come back and I liked that Patrick was just planning on not questioning a good thing because that's bond to lead somewhere bad. Although I don't think Conrad has any ulterior motives at the moment at least.
• I liked how Emily went over how the plan was suppose to go and that they showed us what the plan was suppose to look like because we all knew that it wasn't going to go off without a hitch. I also liked that part of the plan involved Victoria turning on Conrad at some point in order to save herself.
• I liked Jack and Emily's goodbye scene it had a lot of heart to it. I liked how Emily told Jack that she was with Amanda when she died and that Amanda was her friend and she really didn't treat her very well, I just love anytime Emily talks about how much she cared for Amanda. I also liked how Jack told Emily that her telling him now only makes things harder for him and that she pretty ruined his life.
• I liked how it was mentioned that Nolan actually texted Patrick 40 times since he left which actually doesn't surprise me all that much since it was pretty clear that Nolan fell for him pretty hard and he regretted not saying goodbye. I also liked how Nolan told Patrick that he didn't have to choose between him and Victoria because he could spend the day with her and the night with him.
• I liked how Lydia used the photo in order to blackmail Emily to give her the beach house and how while this was a win for Lydia it also wasn't a loss for Emily.
• I liked that Emily told Charlotte that she loved her before the wedding because she knew she wasn't really going to able to give her a proper goodbye.
• I really hated the scene where Emily and Aiden were making out before the wedding because I just thought they were being stupid because someone could have walked in at any moment.
• I liked how Victoria made a snarkery comment about Conrad hooking up with Lydia the night before as they walked into the wedding.
• I liked how when the press asked Victoria how she felt about the new addition to the family that she talked about how glad she was that Patrick was here and I love that Patrick whispered to her that they were talking about Emily and it was clear that Victoria couldn't care less about that.
• I liked how when they were walking down the aisle that Nolan told Emily that only she could make vengeance look so good.
• I liked that during Emily's vows they showed past images from the show about what they really meant to her.
• I liked that Emily and Nolan shared a dance which is where they said their goodbyes and I love that Nolan kissed her on the cheek and I love that he looked so sad when he left because he knew he wasn't going to see her again.
• I felt pretty bad for Daniel throughout the episode because he was heartbroken about Sarah and felt so bad for hurting her again and he knew that nothing he could do will make things right.
• I liked how when through out the day when Victoria was talking about how evil Emily was that Patrick basically told her to play nice and wait for Emily reveal her true colors and not to seem to smug about it.
• I liked how talking to Margaux is what proved to Conrad that Lydia wasn't against at least at the moment. I like that Conrad told Lydia that he wanted to share his life with her and have her be his wife once he was sure of her feeling for him.
• I felt pretty bad for Sarah in this episode having to see all the coverage about Emily and Daniel's wedding and being heartbroken and beating herself up for being stupid enough to think that things could have worked between her and Daniel when she knew he was engaged.
• I like that Emily left Amanda's necklace for Jack and that Jack thought that Emily should have although he wasn't able to get it for her.
• I like that Nolan lured Patrick to his place by sending him a text about how he knew about him cutting Conrad's breaks and I liked that Nolan told Patrick right away that he isn't blackmailing him because he's known for weeks and hasn't said anything and he understands protecting the people you love and he thinks that something they share in common. I think I ship these two again.
• I liked that Patrick has expressed regret in his role in father Paul's death and how he's against doing anything like that again.
• I like how Lydia decided to show Victoria the picture of Emily at the new year's party.
• I don't understand why Aiden didn't just lock Victoria and Lydia in the room.
• I found it really sad that Sarah tried to kill herself over what happened with Daniel and well I felt bad for Daniel as well because he must be just beating himself up over that.
• I liked how Victoria confronted Emily about how she's clearly faking her pregnancy and has been using her son to get to the rest of her family for years now and I like that Emily didn't really disagree with her.
• I think that Victoria throwing her bracelet in the ocean will make take away any real proof that Victoria shot Emily.
• I felt really bad for Daniel when he found out that Emily had been lying to him for two years and considering what he just found out about Sarah and that he's been drinking all night I understand why he shot Emily because as much as I love Emily she really has done a ton of awful things to Daniel who wasn't part of the people who destroyed her father.
• I'm pretty worried about Emily since she got shot but I'm glad that we know that she'll survive but there's going to be some major fall out that I'm looking forward to seeing how it plays out in the second half of the season.

Please tell me your thoughts on this episode.

Anime Review: Chihayafuru 2: The Only Sign of Summer(2.12)

                                    Chihayafuru 2: The Only Sign of Summer(2.12)Review

This episode begins the team semifinal match against Akashi who's team doesn't see the karuta team as much of a challenge. Chihaya is playing against the team's ace Megumu who was in last year's queen's match and is known for having great speed as well as a lot of fans. When the match starts off Chihaya does her best to focus on accuracy rather than speed but she starts to get a bit discourage after Megumu is able to take card after card from her.

It is told through other characters that Megumu has always had a talent for karuta but never really took it seriously but after getting all the way to the queen's match the previous year all of her friends started to want to do everything that they could to support her. After loosing the queen's match last year Megumu said she wasn't upset by the lost and that led all of her friends helping Megumu to improve at karuta in order for her to get good enough and passionate enough that a loss like that would upset her.

After awhile Chihaya starts to remember how the cards in the bottom right corner are the ones that players tend to favor and so she goes for that one when it is read and she almost gets it. Chihaya eventually ends up getting her first card of the match from Megumu just as the rain stops and the sun comes out. The sun coming out leads Kana to referencing one of the poems which just so happens to be the next card that is read and Chihaya as well as the rest of the team were all able to take that card.

I overall really enjoyed this episode with how it gave the backstory of Megumu and showed how she improved over time. Please tell me your thoughts on this episode.

TV Review: Revenge: Surrender(3.09)

                                                 Revenge: Surrender(3.09)Review

• I loved how Lydia made her presence known to Victoria by flinging Victoria's clothes off her balcony. I also liked that it was revealed that Victoria chose to save Lydia when she had the chance to at the end of season 1.
• I liked how Emily purposely antagonized Lydia because she wanted her to push her in front of Daniel and Victoria because she wanted Daniel to tell Victoria about her fake pregnancy so she could tell the press without Daniel suspecting her.
• I liked that Daniel was so conflicted about Emily and Sara because he wanted to do the right thing and he does love Emily but he's just realized that he's more in love with Sarah.
• I liked that Charlotte after seeing how much her scheming had hurt Daniel and Sarah realizes that she and Victoria should just let Daniel make his own decisions because in the end scheming only got people hurt.
• I liked how when Emily was wondering why Lydia would return to the Hamptons that Nolan said something about how what every pretty blonde that comes to the Hamptons want revenge.
• I liked how Emily prepares the bracelet that Victoria will wear to the wedding to be covered in gun shot residue.
• I liked how when Lydia invited Conrad to her hotel room that even though Lydia was clearly just trying to incriminate him that Conrad just kept telling her how much he missed her and how he still loved her, I actually really like the relationship between these two and I've always kind of have.
• I liked that Margaux kicks Lydia out of her hotel room once she finds out that Lydia revealed her return to the Graysons because she can no longer trust Lydia. I liked that Lydia was able to convince Conrad to let her stay at Grayson Manor.
• I liked how Nolan convinced Jack that way for him to keep Margaux from trying to dig up Conrad's dirty secrets was for Jack to tell her how much he lost in his journey for the truth. I also liked that this idea did work to convince Margaux to stop digging for now.
• I found the scene where Daniel and Sarah gave up their chance at future together to be completely heartbreaking especially since they were both being such good people about it and knowing that Emily is just using Daniel while he's giving up his chance for true happiness.
• While I hate Aiden and obviously think that Emily could do much better than him I'm glad that Emily was happy about being engaged to Aiden but I'll never enjoy watching their relationship but I'm glad that this was the thing that Aiden was hiding from Emily this time since it wasn't harmful to her plans.
• I liked that Nolan made new identity for Emily and gave her his last name so that he could still visit her in the future without raising suspiciousness. I also loved how Emily said that Nolan has a heart bigger than his brain.
• I liked that Nolan was happy that Emily was engaged to someone that knew the really her and I just liked their phone conversation in general especially when Nolan said he'll have to find a new hobby now.
• I'm worried about Lydia finding the photo that proves that Emily was at new year's eve in 2002 and I'm worried about who's she's going to show it to.
• I'm not really worried about Victoria saying that she won't be at the wedding because we all know that she'll show up for one reason or another.

Please tell me your thoughts on this episode.

TV Review: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Repsairs(1.09)

                                                  
                                         Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Repairs(1.09)Review

• In this episode the team encounter a girl named Hannah who S.H.I.E.L.D. believes might have telekinesis powers but is actually being haunted by a man that had a crush on her who is trapped between two worlds.
• I was really surprised and confused that Ward and May hooked up but that wasn't something that seemed to be very important.
• I liked how Skye through out the episode wanted to talk to Hannah be a friend to her because she could tell that she was a good person who had just gone through a lot of emotional trauma.
• I liked how Fitz and Simmons decided that they should prank Skye since they never got to prank anyone since they graduated early and Skye's never even went to the academy.
• I felt bad for Hannah who thought that she was being punished by god but I liked the conversation she has with Skye where Skye tells her that if she were to believe in god she'd go with god is love rather than the revengeful god.
• I liked how in this episode we got three different stories of what happened that gave May the nickname the cavalry and how in the end only May really knows what happened that day.
• I liked how Coulson described what May was liked before the mission she got the nickname the cavalry and how that day he says the person that she lost was herself.
• I liked how this episode shows that May does whatever she has to in order to complete the mission but she also does what she has to protect her team.
• I like that May told Tobias to let go of the girl and that he has to always deal with the horrible things he has done and he won't be forgiven but I also find this sad since May believes these things about herself as well.
• I liked how Coulson told Skye that he thinks she will someday be really good at bringing in people with powers because she always sees the good in people.

Please tell me your thoughts about this episode.

TV Review: Grimm: PTZD(3.02)

                                                      Grimm: PTZD(3.02)Review

• I'm glad that Nick finally got cured of his zombie like state in this episode although I'm sad that he tried to attack his friends before that.
• I liked how everyone agreed once they found out that Nick killed someone in his zombie like state that since he wasn't himself at the time and didn't even remember that time they all thought it was best to protect him.
• I liked that Juliette was super concerned about Nick even after he woke up and that she kept making sure that he got his rest and I liked that Nick kept trying to kiss her then.
• I like that Renard had successfully killed his brother and I found it sort of creepy that his mom called and thanked him for doing that.
• I like that Nick wanted to turn himself in after he found out that he killed someone but I'm glad that Renard was able to convince him not to.
• I continue to find Adalind's quest to become a hexanbiest again very creepy with all the strange and gross things she has to do.

Please tell your thoughts on this episode.

TV Review: Reign: A Chill in the Air(1.05)

                                             Reign: A Chill in the Air(1.05)Review

• I found it frightening and interesting that pagans are now luring people into the woods in order to offer them up as blood sacrifices.
• I liked how Mary and Francis declared themselves only each other at the beginning of the episode and I liked the whole cute scene of if I was just a girl and you were just a boy.
• I liked that when Bash was flirting with Mary he admitted that he does in fact flirt with everyone.
• I liked how Mary said that she's easy to please as long as no one tries to kill her or take her country.
• I liked how annoyed Greer was with the nobleman that had shown interested in her who only seems to be able to talk about pepper no matter what topic she brings up. I also liked that Greer was distracted by the kitchen boy while taking to the nobleman.
• I liked how when the Kitchen boy saw that Greer split on her dress that he came after her to offer to try to remove it and well flirt with her. I also loved that he was able to see her without her dress on when she gave her dress to him, I found the scene very cute and I just love them together.
• I liked how Bash told Mary who Olivia was to Francis after she asked but didn't really give away much about their relationship even though Bash clearly feels something for Mary.
• I like how Francis very much wanted to keep his relationship with Olivia in the past but felt responsible for her because it's because of their past relations that Olivia was unable to be wed.
• I liked how Mary was willing to give Olivia a chance despite her past with Francis and actually was friendly to her and invited her to sit with her and her friends when everyone else was looking down on Olivia.
• I liked how when Bash saw that  the man that was offered up as sacrifice was still breathing that he cut him down even though he knew that it would upset the pagans because he felt like it was worth angering them to safe a man's life.
• I disliked how mean Olivia was to Mary after Mary was the only one that showed her kindness with how Olivia basically said she was going to steal Francis's affection from Mary.
• I like how Mary told Francis about what Olivia had said and that Francis was honest with Mary about their past relationship and that he easily agreed with Mary's idea to send Olivia away.
• I disliked how Olivia was offering herself up to Francis repeatedly after Francis keeps telling her that he likes Mary now and I disliked that she kissed him but I'm glad he stopped even though it was clear that he still has some feelings for her and that he didn't make her his mistress.
• I felt bad for Greer with having to deal with her family putting so much pressure on her to marry someone who is titled and knowing that she would be a disappointment to them if she was to marry someone like the kitchen boy. I also felt bad for the kitchen boy who Greer pretty much told him she was ashamed of him.
• I found it interesting how similar Queen Catherine's marriage situation is supposedly to what is happening between Mary and Francis in this episode.
• I was a bit upset that Mary found out about Kenna's relationship with the king from Catherine but I liked that Mary tried to get Kenna to end that relationship because she believes there's no way for that to end well for Kenna.
• I understood why Mary was so mad at Francis for letting Olivia stay and I love that she told him to respect goes both ways. I also could understand why Francis was mad at Mary for not trusting him that his relationship with Olivia is in the past but sadly this fight just ends up putting further strain on their relationship.
• I liked that Mary got drunk with Bash and complained to him about how unfair it is that Francis can do whatever he wants with whoever he wants and I love that Bash told her if he had her he wouldn't want anyone else.
• I really enjoyed the kisses between Mary and Bash but I also kind of liked that Mary regretted it right away because I'm glad that she's loyal to her feelings for Francis.
• I liked that Francis wanted to make up with Mary after their fight but I'm sad that he saw her and Bash kissing but didn't see her say it was a mistake and choose to have some sort of relationship with Olivia again.
• I like that after talks of regrets that Greer goes and finds the kitchen boy and kisses him and tells him that she doesn't want to regret not having been with him before she's married.
• I'm glad that Mary was having Aylee pretend to be a thief in order to make the Queen believe she had the power to make her spy on Mary for her but Mary is actually tricking the Queen.
• I think it's rather cruel the Queen is using Olivia to break up Mary and Francis but it does make me feel bad for Olivia. I'm also glad that Mary already suspects that the Queen is behind Olivia's return.
• I find it interesting and creepy that Bash was told that he has to choose someone to be sacrificed or someone will be chose for him because he interrupted a blood sacrifice.

Please tell me your thoughts on this episode.

TV Review: Reign: Hearts and Minds(1.04)

                                           Reign: Hearts and Minds(1.04)Review

• I liked how it showed that deals between royals take a long time to become final because of not wanting to appear weak or loose allies. I also liked that Mary didn't want to beg in order to end her engagement with Francis because she was unsure that she really wanted that.
• I liked how when Lola went to check on Bash that he said that looking at her makes him feel better and I found it interesting that Lola has nursed to of her brothers to their deaths so she no longer fears death only being alone.
• I like that Mary wanted to tell Francis that she didn't want to go but I also like that Francis told her not to tell him that because it doesn't make him feel any better.
• I find it interesting that Mary was only able to get out of her engagement by signing her name to the words of a prostitute who was the only one that could prove that Simon an English diplomat was the one responsible for Frances men getting ambushed and Bash getting injured.
• I liked that Mary told her ladies in waiting that they didn't have to come with her because she felt bad about them having to move again and I love that they told her that they will go wherever she goes.
• I liked that as time went on it become clearer and clearer that Tomas wasn't who he seemed to be and that he was actually quite cruel and had the most to gain from ambushing Frances men.
• I like that Francis felt that there was something not right with Tomas and he kept asking around about it because he felt that it was his responsibility to look out for Mary even if she isn't his fiancés anymore.
• I liked how Francis told Mary that he use to believe that they where lucky because they got to spend time together before they married.
• I find it funny that because of portrait half of Europe believes that Francis is sickly and a dwarf.
• I found the kiss between Mary and Francis at their picnic to be really passionate and really hot.
• I found that it must have been terrifying to Mary when Tomas told her that he will be putting a lot of rules on her life and will punish her each time she does something to displease him by beating his servant.
• I found it very admirable but also very sad that Mary felt like she had to marry Tomas because it was what was best for Scotland and as a Queen it's her duty to put her personal feelings aside for the well being of her country.
• I liked how it was clear that Francis was pretty worried about Bash recovering through out the episode.
• I really hated that Tomas called Mary his property but I liked that Francis clearly didn't agree with that line of thought and wanted to fight him over that statement and was only stopped by Bash who agreed with what Francis had said earlier about Tomas being a monster.
• I liked that Clarissa gave Simon's seal to Mary in order to show her that Tomas was the spy not Simon.
• I don't understand how Kenna has developed deep enough feelings for the king already to want to become his mistress.
• I like that Greer gave the kitchen boy a costume so that he could go to the costume party and I love that those two kiss again. I really enjoy these two as a couple and I wish I knew kitchen boy's name.
• I like Mary, Francis and Bash work together to find and convince witnesses to prove Tomas is the spy and that Simon is innocent.
• I like that Francis and Bash where able to save Tomas's servant in time.
• I like that Bash tells Francis after he kills Tomas that it's a good thing that his hands are shaking because killing is suppose to be hard.
• I like that Kenna was able to use her relationship with the king in order to make sure that Simon isn't executed until after Mary, Francis and Bash come back with proof that Simon is innocent.
• I liked how Simon thanked Mary for saving his life and Mary basically told him that she hopes it wasn't a mistake to save his life.
• I liked how Mary became in charge of negotiations with Scotland and Frances and she was able to get everything that Scotland needed through the negotiations.
• I liked how Francis told Mary that he wanted to be with her no matter what is the best political idea for France.
• I liked that Mary thanked Clarissa for her help and I found Clarissa to look quite freaky hiding under Mary's bed.

Please tell me your thoughts on this episode.