Everything I Read in the Last Quarter of 2021 -- Wrap-Up

Happy End of 2021 🎉

I've admittedly had an extreme rollercoaster ride of a time these past few of months, and I binge read quite a lot (of manga) to cope with everything. It's quite funny how (for me at least) in the worst of times reading becomes my biggest crutch to fall back on when the world as I know feels like it is crumbling at its edges. Very grateful for all the genuine feelings that books were able to bring to me when I felt like I had to put on a performance and recreate some semblance of normalcy for what felt like months.

I'm honestly really grateful that I am quite easily entertained, because I had a lot of very great reads these past few months.

Books Mentioned

• Dark Rise by C.S. Pacat
• Demon Slayer (Vol. 8 - 23) by Gotouge Koyoharu
• Spy x Family by Endo Tatsuya
• Yona of the Dawn (Vol. 1 - 36) by Kusanagi Mizuho
• Mist (薄雾) by Wei Feng Ji Xu (微风几许)
• Golden Stage (黄金台) by Cang Wu Bin Bai (苍梧宾白)
• Blue Period (Vol. 1 - 11) by Yamaguchi Tsubasa
• Our Violent Ends by Chloe Gong
• It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover

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Genre: Historical Fantasy

Trigger/Content Warnings: death, loss of loved ones, captivity, torture

Dark Rise by C.S. Pacat

Summary

The ancient world of magic is no more. Its heroes are dead, its halls are ruins, and its great battles between Light and Dark are forgotten. Only the Stewards remember, and they keep their centuries-long vigil, sworn to protect humanity if the Dark King ever returns.

Sixteen-year-old dock boy Will is on the run, pursued by the men who killed his mother. When an old servant tells him of his destiny to fight beside the Stewards, Will is ushered into a world of magic, where he must train to play a vital role in the oncoming battle against the Dark.

As London is threatened by the Dark King’s return, the reborn heroes and villains of a long-forgotten war begin to draw battle lines. But as the young descendants of Light and Dark step into their destined roles, old allegiances, old enmities and old flames are awakened. Will must stand with the last heroes of the Light to prevent the fate that destroyed their world from returning to destroy his own.

Rating: ★★★★ (4/5)

I read the Captive Prince Series a couple years ago, and I was astounded by how well C.S. Pacat adapts her writing to fit the atmosphere of the story and how intricately thought out all the political machinations were. So when she announced Dark Rise, it was immediately one of my most anticipated books of the year.

The problem with highly anticipated books is that they can very easily let me down, but I'm happy to say that this one did not.

I was a little skeptical at first, since the first 30% of the book was pretty standard YA fantasy. And though it wasn't boring, it wasn't terribly interesting either. However, the book really started picking up after that, and suddenly I found myself unable to put the book down. 

The characters were lovely, especially Will, Violet, Cyprian, and James. I loved James. I very much agree with this one reviewer on goodreads who said that James is what Pacat does best, because when James showed up and started becoming a big part of the story, I was hooked. He's just such an interesting and complex character and I couldn't help but be drawn towards him. 

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Dark Rise and I will be (im)patiently waiting for the next installment!

(Also the very last line of this book is so good. My favorite ending of all the books I've read this year.)

Genre: Shonen, Historical Fantasy

Trigger/Content Warnings: death, violence, loss of loved ones, gore, torture, domestic abuse

Demon Slayer (Vol. 8 - 23) by Gotouge Koyoharu

Summary

In Taisho-era Japan, Tanjiro Kamado is a kindhearted boy who makes a living selling charcoal. But his peaceful life is shattered when a demon slaughters his entire family. His little sister Nezuko is the only survivor, but she has been transformed into a demon herself! Tanjiro sets out on a dangerous journey to find a way to return his sister to normal and destroy the demon who ruined his life.

Rating: ★★★★+(0.25) (4.25/5)

I've been quite out of the loop when it comes to the more recent popular Shounen Jump manga, but I have finally gotten to finishing one of their more acclaimed series—Demon Slayer.

I started off watching the anime, and I was quite underwhelmed at first. When Demon Slayer first came out, it seemed to have brought in a whole new generation of anime watchers, so I had extremely high expectations for it. So when I watched it and it seemed to be just another typical shounen plot structure, I was quite disappointed. 

However, the characters had grown on me a bit and I thought I'd continue the series to see if I'd be hooked eventually, and turns out I got pretty invested pretty quick. I feel like something that threw me off in the beginning was how exaggerated and caricature-like the main trio was at first, but they eventually grew on me (I exclude Nezuko because I didn't feel this about her). Tanjiro is a main character you just can't help but root for, and even though I wasn't his biggest fan in the beginning, the further I read into the story the more I adored him. But the characters that really made it for me were Shinazugawa Genya and Tokito Muichiro, because the story really picked up for me when they showed up. 

I really loved the way Gotouge portrayed the various relationships throughout the story. It took a while for me to be fully convinced of the main group's friendship, but in the end I ended up very much adoring them. However, the relationships that really got me in the end were the various family relationships shown throughout the story, and I admittedly shed a few tears because of them.

Overall, Demon Slayer is a very fun and heart-wrenching read, and I now very much understand why it has had such a grip over the anime community since its anime debut in 2019. I highly, highly recommend everyone to give it a read, because the manga-only arcs (as of Nov. 2021) are very much worth giving it a chance. I am very excited for the second season of the anime, and for the Red Light District Arc to commence!

Genre: Shonen

Trigger/Content Warnings: violence

Spy x Family (Vol. 1 - 8) by Endo Tatsuya

Summary

In order to complete his current mission, Loid Forger is tasked with building a family in record time. However, little does he know that the daughter he adopted from the orphanage can read minds, nor does he know that the woman he's married for the sake of appearances is using him as a cover for her night job as an assassin. 

Rating: ★★★★+(0.75) (4.75/5)

I very, very much adored this story. Spy x Family is such a light and comforting read full of fun antics as well as lovely family scenes. 

I love the Forger family, and I love their bond with each other. I also love how funny each of them are individually, and how they're fighting so hard to keep their individual secrets when, honestly, the other members of the family are completely clueless and very unsuspecting of each other. I really loved Anya, her ability to read minds made every scene with her so hilarious. And the way she tries to secretly help her parents out in dangerous missions without them knowing was just so sweet and so funny.

Overall, this is just such a fun, heartwarming read. I loved the characters and I loved their relationships with each other and I especially loved how warm and loving and genuine this "fake family" was, despite their relationships being formed out of circumstance and convenience. 

Genre: Romance, Historical Fantasy

Trigger/Content Warnings: death, violence, loss of loved ones

Yona of the Dawn (Vol. 1 - 36) by Kusanagi Mizuho

Summary

Princess Yona lives a life of luxury and ease, completely sheltered from the problems of the seemingly peaceful Kingdom of Kouka; however, the sudden murder of the king and betrayal of her beloved cousin Soo-won places Yona's life in mortal peril. Forced to escape only with Son Hak, who is both her childhood friend and bodyguard, the naïve princess soon discovers that Kouka is not the idyllic place she envisioned it to be. Poverty, strife, and corruption run rampant, making reclaiming the throne nothing more than a wishful fantasy given the kingdom's current state.

Akatsuki no Yona (Yona of the Dawn) follows Princess Yona on a coming-of-age adventure as she faces the harsh realities of her kingdom. With only a mysterious legend to guide her, Yona must discover a way to restore Kouka to its former glory while being pursued relentlessly by the forces of the new King of Kouka.

Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5)

To my very own surprise, I really really enjoyed this manga. I honestly should not have been so surprised—it is a very acclaimed series—but this was initially marketed to me as a romance-centric reverse-harem, and I am not a huge fan of those. But I was pleasantly surprised to see that it is far from what I had expected it to be. 

I loved how multi-dimensional each character was. I was so convinced that I would hate certain characters and I'd be against their every move, but even the characters that were set up to be villains had their own very reasonable motivations and you end up really hating to love them. I also really loved the development of our protagonist Yona. She is such a well-written character, and I love how the choices she makes and the emotions she feels are all very realistic. The training she goes through and the development of her physical prowess was also well-paced and didn't feel unnatural.

I also really adored the dynamic of the main group. I love a well-developed found family and this was exactly that. The dragons were such great characters and while their love and protectiveness over Yona was a given, I love how that same care extended to each other as well. Some of the parts that really moved me were the scenes where they were looking out for each other, and also the scenes where Hak showed the same amount of love and care for the dragons. I feel like the dragons and Hak are often portrayed as such strong entities that are toeing the border of OP, so when the author puts in scenes of them caring for each other it adds a whole other level of tenderness and I just really love the group's dynamic. I also really adore Yoon and the lengths that everyone will go to just to protect him as well as the lengths that Yoon, the only one in the group who can't fight, will go to just to protect everyone else who is clearly physically stronger than he is. It is just an immaculate found family dynamic and I could go on forever about it.

And, of course, what is a Yona of the Dawn review/pitch without the mention of our main pairing Hak & Yona? I wish I had more creative words to describe the extent of how much I love them, but I absolutely adore them. I thought the development of their relationship was just adorable; I love their princess & bodyguard relationship with the added layer of them being childhood friends who previously suffered a period of unrequited love. Hak's love and protectiveness over Yona was always something that I loved, but as the story progressed and I saw how much he trusted her ability and her choices even as he feared for her life, I fell for their relationship even more. I loved the added level of wholehearted trust they have in each other, and I am deeply moved by their respect for each other.

Overall, I could go on about this story for ages because it is genuinely so good. Not only is there a lovely romance and beautifully developed friendships, the politics of this fantasy world is fascinating and the nuances that layer each and every character make the story that much more lovable. This series definitely deserves all the praise it gets, and I highly recommend this for everyone who loves a good fantasy and romance read.

Genre: Science Fiction

Trigger/Content Warnings: death, violence, loss of loved ones, homophobia, gore, substance dependence, sexual content

Mist (薄雾） by Wei Feng Ji Xu (微风几许)

Summary

Hyperthymesia. Those with this condition can remember every detail of their lives from something as significant as the world’s turning point to something as small and as insignificant as a minor fleeting thought. They cannot forget and their thirst for knowledge allows them to be considered a genius in some senses.

Legend has it that Ji Yushi was this kind of genius.

As soon as the news that he was going to support Tianqiong’s seventh squad broke out, it sent everyone buzzing.

Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5)

So many reviews for this story warn readers that they will have to use all of their braincells for this story, and I have to admit that they weren't wrong. Mist is set in a time where humans have figured out the mechanics of time travel and have even set up their own department of time travel (Tianqiong) tasked with the responsibility to uphold the balance and integrity of time and space. But it is soon clear that such a task is quite daunting when faced with the vastness of the universe and the probable existence of multiple parallel universes, eras, and timelines.

And, of course, our protagonist Ji Yushi is the perfect person for dissecting these interweaving timelines since he has hyperthymesia, the ability to recall moments in one's life with extraordinary accuracy. 

This webnovel had the most mind-blowing sci-fi machinations I've read to date. The way the author played around with the concept of time and the consequences of tampering with it was absolutely fascinating--every single time I thought I had pinpointed a discrepancy with the system, the author hit us with a whole other list of problems that arose from time travel. 

I really love stories that play with the concept of time, but this is the first time I've read a story that had such a scientific approach to the physics of time. I was quite surprised to see concepts that I have personally studied in classes (Einstein's Theory of Relativity, Double-Slit Experiment, Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle) being used to reason the concept time travel in this universe. I did think that some arcs were really confusing, though, and some of them took longer than others to understand. Some of them I'm actually not too sure if I fully understand. 

In terms of the story, I felt like there was never a dip in enjoyment and I was hooked from the moment they noticed a discrepancy in time. The missions they went on always felt extremely high-stakes, and I was always on the edge of my seat during every chapter. And whenever there was some "downtime" in the story, there was some development in the romance that was budding between our main character and our male lead, Song Qinglan. I really like Ji Yushi and Song Qinglan's relationship and the level of trust they have for each other. Their relationship isn't a standout though when I think back on the different stories I've read, but their romance was very cute and very humorous and I feel like the misunderstandings that happened in this story were hilarious and not at all frustrating. But there were some things in the story that I personally thought did not add to the story at all, such as the frequent mention of Song Qinglan and squad's homophobia in the beginning.

Overall, I have the highest of praise for Mist. It personally wouldn't be the first I recommend to a first time danmei reader, since it is definitely one of those stories that takes a while for you to wrap your head around, but I very much recommend this story to anyone who has a love for time travel books and high-stakes adventures. 

Genre: Historical Fiction

Trigger/Content Warnings: death, violence, substance use, war, loss of loved ones, implied sexual content, suicide, self-harm

Golden Stage (黄金台) by Cang Wu Bin Bai (苍梧宾白)

Summary

The notorious imperial court lackey and the meritorious military general were well-known for their mutual dislike, a pair of arch-enemies set in stone. Who could have foreseen the unexpected change in the winds of heaven: the general injured on the battlefield, both legs disabled, and even forced by the emperor to marry his nemesis.  

With one marriage edict, two people with mutual hostility are forced to marry and live under the same roof. Yet after these long days together, they come to the realization that this fellow is not truly devoid of any saving grace/unattainable and high out of reach.

Rating: ★★★★+(0.5) (4.5/5)

As the MXTX English edition release date gets closer and closer, I have gotten back into the rabbit hole that is reading cnovels. I chose Golden Stage on a whim, but I'm really glad I did because it was quite refreshing to read such a romantic book. 

The novel starts off pretty political, and I thought it would stay politics heavy throughout, but the politics-heavy parts of this novel are very easy to digest, and the author interweaves the romance with the story very, very well. I really loved the reasoning for their arranged marriage; it was extremely logical, which I found refreshing and surprising since this is in a historical setting.

I really loved the development of the romance in this story. I feel like it was marketed as enemies-to-lovers arranged marriage, and that description is not wrong, but at the same time they are so much more. From the very beginning you can really tell that there is tenderness there despite the harsh words, and I loved watching their bickering go from sharp with the intent to cut, to something soft and teasing and loving. 

Overall, I really loved Fu Shen and Yan Xiaohan and their mutual love and respect and devotion for each other. This novel honestly had me questioning my morals, because sometimes the things they do for each other are objectively not okay, however... 

Golden Stage is a novel full of political intrigue with one of the most lovely romances I've ever read, and I highly recommend everyone give it a try!

Genre: Seinen

Trigger/Content Warnings: drinking, suicidal ideation, nudity

Blue Period (Vol. 1 - 11) by Yamaguchi Tsubasa

Summary

Second-year high school student Yatora Yaguchi is a delinquent with excellent grades, but is unmotivated to find his true calling in life. Yatora spends his days working hard to maintain his academic standing while hanging out with his equally unambitious friends. However, beneath his carefree demeanor, Yatora does not enjoy either activity and wishes he could find something more fulfilling.

While mulling over his predicament, Yatora finds himself staring at a vibrant landscape of Shibuya. Unable to express how he feels about the unusually breathtaking sight, he picks up a paintbrush, hoping his thoughts will be conveyed on canvas. After receiving praise for his work, the joy he feels sends him on a journey to enter the extremely competitive Tokyo University of the Arts—a school that only accepts one in every 200 applicants.

Facing talented peers, a lack of understanding of the fine arts, and struggles to obtain his parents’ approval, Yatora is confronted by much adversity. In the hopes of securing one of the five prestigious spots in his program of choice, Yatora must show that his inexperience does not define him.

Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5)

Once upon a time I was a young high schooler who dreamed of going to art school. I'm a STEM major now, but I still dream about art school sometimes. 

There are so many things that I absolutely adore about Blue Period, many of them a little difficult to put into words. There's a huge level of relatability watching Yatora fall in love with something that society may deem impractical in the long run. All of Yatora's thoughts and fears when it comes to approaching art are also wildly relatable, even if you aren't an artist—the feeling of not belonging in a space when you first step into it, the feeling of inferiority when you see other people who are masters of your chosen craft.

I really loved each and every one of the characters in the series. Yuka and their story was really moving, and I love their relationship with Yatora. I also really loved how they described their view of gender and sexuality, and how society expects everyone to put a ton of labels on themselves like fitting people into boxes when some things just aren't meant be compartmentalized like that. I hope Yuka comes back a lot more in the future chapters, I have missed them so much. I also really love Yotasuke a lot. He is such an adorable character and I really loved the development he went through in the recent chapters. I really loved how his development was extremely nuanced—you get a sense that he is extremely flawed, but also understand that some of the things he is criticized for the most are not flaws, per se, but things that people expect from him that add more and more pressure that drove him further up the edge. I also really loved how Yotasuke's character further perpetuates the idea of harmful compartmentalizations, just as Yuka's character did, but in a whole other aspect.  

I only spoke of a few out of a wide cast of characters that I believe are all very well developed and very relatable in different ways. The author also does a really good job at creating these extremely complex relationships between the characters, namely Yatora and Yuka's relationship as well as Yatora and Yotasuke's relationship. 

Overall, Blue Period is a manga that has quickly grown very close to my heart, and it is one of the most touching and emotional and real stories I've read in a while. 

Genre: Young Adult, Historical Fantasy

Trigger/Content Warnings: graphic depictions of violence, gore, mentions of suicide, loss of loved ones

Our Violent Ends by Chloe Gong

Summary 

The year is 1927, and Shanghai teeters on the edge of revolution.

After sacrificing her relationship with Roma to protect him from the blood feud, Juliette has been a girl on the warpath. One wrong move, and her cousin will step in to usurp her place as the Scarlet Gang’s heir.

Then a new monstrous danger emerges in the city, and though secrets keep them apart, Juliette must secure Roma’s cooperation if they are to end this threat once and for all. Shanghai is already at a boiling point: The Nationalists are marching in, whispers of civil war brew louder every day, and gangster rule faces complete annihilation. Roma and Juliette must put aside their differences to combat monsters and politics, but they aren’t prepared for the biggest threat of all: protecting their hearts from each other.

Rating: ★★★★+(0.25) (4.25/5)

I don't usually keep up with new releases, but this was definitely one of my most anticipated releases for this year, and it definitely did not disappoint.

I grew to love Roma a lot more in this story. He felt a lot more multi-dimensional in this sequel and I also felt like he played a bigger role in this story than the last one. The two groups felt a lot more like a unit in this story than the last. I also really felt a lot more for Roma and Juliette in this sequel than in the first book, which I really loved. There were many scenes that had my heart both soaring and breaking at the same time, and I really felt the depth of their love for each other in this sequel.

The plot itself was very riveting, and this book was very hard to put down. IT was full of action, mystery, suspense, betrayal, and more. And each time some uncertainty would emerge, I would be extremely reluctant to put the book down and pause for the day. 

I did wish that I could have felt more for Benedikt and Marshall. Maybe due to the way things ended in the first book I expected too much from them when, really, they aren't the focus of this story. I also found a couple of moments that I had been anticipating since the first book a little anticlimactic, but that could have been a result of extremely high expectations. 

I also wish that there had been more of the political aspect earlier in the series, since I felt like a lot of the politics were only vaguely hinted at in the first book, so the focus on politics and the progression of the politics felt a little out of left field with how fast-paced the developments were. I also wish we could have seen more of Kathleen's affiliation with the side she chooses as well as Rosalind's affiliations, since I wanted more of an explanation for their decisions.

Overall, Our Violent Ends was a very satisfying conclusion to the duology, and I highly recommend everyone who is into a high-stakes, friends-to-enemies-to-lovers stories that are rich with culture to give this duology a try!

Genre: New Adult Contemporary

Trigger/Content Warnings: drinking, sexual content, loss of loved ones, depression, attempted rape, graphic domestic abuse, mentions of suicide

It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover

Summary 

Sometimes it is the one who loves you who hurts you the most.

Lily hasn’t always had it easy, but that’s never stopped her from working hard for the life she wants. She’s come a long way from the small town in Maine where she grew up
— she graduated from college, moved to Boston, and started her own business. So when she feels a spark with a gorgeous neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid, everything in Lily’s life suddenly seems almost too good to be true.

Ryle is assertive, stubborn, maybe even a little arrogant. He’s also sensitive, brilliant, and has a total soft spot for Lily. And the way he looks in scrubs certainly doesn’t hurt. Lily can’t get him out of her head. But Ryle’s complete aversion to relationships is disturbing. Even as Lily finds herself becoming the exception to his “no dating” rule, she can’t help but wonder what made him that way in the first place.

As questions about her new relationship overwhelm her, so do thoughts of Atlas Corrigan — her first love and a link to the past she left behind. He was her kindred spirit, her protector. When Atlas suddenly reappears, everything Lily has built with Ryle is threatened.

Rating: ★★★+(0.75) (3.75/5)

This was a lot more emotional damage than I was expecting. I was definitely warned of all the heavy things that this story would consist of, but I was not expecting to fall so in love with our protagonist Lily and feel her pain so acutely. 

I think the most haunting thing about this story is how real it is, and how it can happen to any of us. And even when you shake your head at some of Lily's decisions, in the end how would you know for sure you wouldn't react the same way if you were in her place? Lily was an amazing character—at first I doubted how real she would feel to me because she felt a little caricature-like in the beginning. But as time went on and we got a glimpse into her past and we saw her interact more with the people around her, I saw her develop into someone that felt a lot more real.

I unfortunately did not feel much chemistry between Ryle and Lily since their interactions were honestly few and far in between aside from their sexual encounters. Lily later convinced me of the love she had for him, but I wish I could have been convinced by their interactions. This is pretty nitpicky, but I thought that the writing was a little cheesy at times, I was forced to skim some parts because of that. I also did not care much for Atlas, which I know is a controversial opinion but I feel like this story could stand without him, and he felt more like a well-placed device to more the plot along rather than a character to care about. 

I liked this story a lot for Lily's decisions and her interactions with characters like her mother and Allysa. I loved the love and support they gave her, and how they heard her and believed her and urged her to choose what was best for herself. I really loved how Colleen Hoover put a lot of difficult things into perspective, and I think message that this story conveys is a very important one. I also urge everyone who reads this to read the Author's Note at the very end, because I respect Colleen Hoover so much for writing this book despite the pain she must have gone through to even put this story to words. And though I feel like I shouldn't really recommend books that can be very hard to read, I still very much recommend this book to everyone willing to read about these heavy topics.

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As we move into 2022, I hope this new year brings everyone lots of love and happiness. Also wishing everyone is healthy and safe, especially with the new variants and the recent boom in cases. 

Happy New Year everyone! 🎊

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