March reading list

Okay, it's pretty late this month, but here's what I read in March: 

Manga/Graphic Novels
Death Note 4
Saiyuki Reload 3
Rebound 1
Whistle! 10
Zatch Bell! 1-4
Gorgeous Carat 1
I luv Hallowe'en 2
xxxHolic 2 (reread)
Black Cat 1
Cromartie High School 5
Ouran High School 5
Ultra Maniac 5
Pretty Maniacs 3
Fushigi Yugi Genbu Kaiden 3
Othello 5-6
Seimaden 1-2
Land of the Blindfolded 7
Happy Hustle High 2-4
Anne Freaks 1
Here is Greenwood 9
Descendants of Darkness 10
W Juliet 9
Never Give Up 1
Gravitation (novel)
Chikyu Misaki 1
Boogiepop and others (novel)
Wallflower 7
Beck 1-3
Fruits Basket 13
Bleach 12
Yellow 3
Shout Out Loud 1
Our Kingdom 2
Only the Ring Finger Knows: the Lonely Ring Finger (novel)
Sweet Revolution
R.O.D. 1
Kare Kano 19
Eyeshield 21 7
Yubisaki Milk Tea 1
Sugar Sugar Rune 2
Sentinel 1-2
 

Books
The Old Wine Shades – Martha Grimes
Must Love Dogs – Claire Cook (reread)
Uglies – Scott Westerfeld
Fast Women – Jennifer Crusie (reread)
Mystic and Rider – Sharon Shinn (reread)
Party Princess – Meg Cabot
The Wind Up Bird Chronicle – Haruki Murakami
Independent Woman – Candace Camp
 

Movies
Doom – uh.  This could have been a lot better.  And I was only expecting some cool shooting and funny one liners.  Nope.  Most of the movie was too dark to actually tell what they were shooting at, and it was hard to tell what was going on a lot of the time.  Also, what the hell kind of Marine drops his clip reloading his weapon while sitting down??  First movie with the Rock that I've been disappointed in.
xxxHOLiC – A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Tsubasa Chronicle the Movie: The Princess of the Land of the Birdcage
Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle (guest appearance by Ryan Reynolds!)
Just Friends (starring Ryan Reynolds!  I laughed hysterically through this whole movie.)
King Kong (again)

Not a lot of commentary this month, but I had a few notes:

I reread both Must Love Dogs and Mystic and Rider this month.  Two very different rereads!  The Must Love Dogs I picked up at the library.  I had a "Hey! It's that movie" moment and decided to borrow it.  Then I got about 10 pages in and realized I'd read it before.  I had no idea how it ended though – I completely forgot everything that happened in this book.  When I finished it I knew why - it's kinda boring.  Apparently it's also supposed to be funny, but I guess it's not a kind of humour I can appreciate.

In complete contrast, I was looking at the new Sharon Shinn book, The Thirteenth House and was blanking on what had happened in Mystic and Rider so decided to buy the paperback and reread it before getting the sequel.  (I'll usually forget a lot of the details from a previous book in a series, but it comes back to me as I read the sequel.  Then when I'm done I'll go back and reread the earlier books.  Don't ask me why – it's what I do.)  One page in and the whole book came flooding back to me.  I decided to reread it anyway since I really enjoyed it the first time.  Second time was just as good, and now I own it!  I have to wait for The Thirteenth House now though.  The library doesn't have it yet and the bookstore sold out.

I also watched the first season of a British series called Black Books.  Funny, funny series!  I played the first few episodes at the store and was giggling as I was checking out customers since I could still hear the tv.  Then they'd walk over to see what I was laughing at and start laughing too…  It's about a really grumpy, drunken man who runs a bookstore.  He hates his customers, he hates selling books and he hates running the bookstore.  It's ideally a place where he can sit and read and drink all day.  He hires an assistant named Manny who's a little more enthusiastic about things than Bernard is, but he's also pretty clueless and clumsy.  Not a match made in heaven.  :)  There's one absolutely priceless scene where Bernard discovers that Manny gets a sharp pain from his mobile phone ringing.  So he asks for the number… and keeps calling, and calling… He's so gleeful as he sits in the back and hits redial over and over.  heh.  I think I actually hurt myself laughing at that part.

Rebound is the sequel to Harlem Beat (which I didn't know when I started it).  This is important to know as Rebound starts where the first series ends, and there's not a lot of explanation or background for the characters – you kind of have to try to pick it up as you go along.  It's not bad for a sports manga, I just have no affinity for the characters yet.  I'm getting this from the library, and they only have the first three books so far (there are fifteen released, eighteen in the series) and they don't have Harlem Beat at all.  Guess I'll have to check for it at the store.  :(

I started Initial D and Beck this month as well – I like the story in both series but absolutely cannot stand the art.  Beck has a chance of growing on me if it improves even a little, but I think Initial D is just too old.  The characters all look the same and like they're in comas or something.

I think the best manga of the month was Sweet Revolution, Fruits Basket, Bleach and Ouran High School Host Club.

… and Zatch Bell, and Wallflower and Our Kingdom and Here is Greenwood…

Straight from Japan!

My super awesome friend who is in Japan right now sent me some lovely lovely Ouran merchandise.  I squeaked when I got home and saw the package on the table.  (I have your package almost ready to go, Amy!  I just have a couple more things to add… again… but I'm bringing it with me to mail tomorrow!)  Soooo, I scanned it for all to enjoy with me and envy.

This is the two sides of a change purse.  Recognize the pictures?  They're the scans of the Ouran Corps Host Rangers from volume 5 .  Hee!

This is an iron-on patch.  Discreet and classy enough that I could wear it anywhere!

  

I got a pin of Hikaru and Kaoru to go with the Haruhi and Tamaki pins I got for Christmas.  I'm still too afraid of losing them to wear them, though….

 

Volume 6 of the manga!!  And yes, Kyoya looks like he's featured in this volume enough to warrant the cover. 

    

I've also scanned in a cute picture from the dust jacket of Haruhi and the Hitachiin twins.

There was an ad for the anime I wanted to post, but I couldn't get a good scan of it.  :(

Thanks Amy!!