The Reading Book Post, April 28th

I know that The Reading Book Post is supposed to be published every Monday, but yesterday I've been travelling for almost all day. When I finally got home I was so tired that I didn't even want to look at the screen. Anyway, it's been a fun weekend, plus I got some amazing comic books! As usual, here are the most interesting literary news from last week.

• Last week, on April 20, The Pulitzer Prizes announced the list for the 2015 winners. The winner for the fiction prize is Anthony Doerr for his historical novel All the Lights we Cannot See. I'm so happy to see this amazing book being awarded for such a prestigious prize! Also, Yiyun Li was awarded The Sunday Times short story prize for A Sheltered Woman. The short story was first published in March 2014 in The New Yorker and Li became the first woman author to win this prize.  

• The announcement by PEN American Center that the Freedom of Expression Courage award will be given to the french satirical newspapers Charlie Hebdo has stirred the literary world. Six authors, Peter Carey, Michael Ondaatje, Francine Prose, Teju Cole, Rachel Kushner and Taiye Selasi, have withdrawn from the gala, which will take place at the Natural History Museum in Manhattan on May 5.

• Fight Club 2 is about to get published. The first issue will be out on May 27 by Dark Horse Comics and the covers are absolutely amazing. Meanwhile, the author Chuck Palahniuk explains the jump from the novel to graphic novel format, whether a movie sequel will happen and the biggest problems he had to face.

• Are you a Girl Online fan? Then you will be happy to learn that Zoella is writing Girl Online 2, the sequel to her first best-selling novel. She has teased that the sequel will be written without the help of a ghostwriter and she is already in chapter 11.

• The Bazaar of Bad Dreams is due to be published on November 3, but this week the complete list of the short stories included in the collection has been made public. Among those, there is A Death, a short story that was published earlier this year in The New Yorker. Well, anything new by Stephen King is always welcome, don't you agree?

• Another long awaited book is Go Set A Watchman by Harper Lee. The news we had this week concern its audiobook version, which will be narrated by actress Reese Witherspoon. This will be the first audiobook project for the actress and the unabridged version will be published alongside the novel's debut on July 14.

• Which is your favourite Agatha Christie novel? This is what the Agatha Christie estate is trying to figure out. More than 80 novels are in the running to be named the world's favourite Agatha Christie novel and several famous fans of the author have already voted. This survey is to celebrate the 125 years from the birth of the famous novelist. The winner will become known in September, the month when Agatha Christie was born. 

• Avengers: The Age of Ultron has come. Before we watch the film let's take this quiz, in order to find out which Avenger we are. I got Quicksilver, which one did you get?

Liebster Award Nomination

Thanks to All Write-y Then.. for nominating me for the Liebster Award. Check out her blog! So here are the rules of this award:

1. Thank the person who nominated you (it's a common courtesy)
2. Display the award on your blog, either in a post or display it with a widget/gadget
3. Answer 11 questions about yourself, provided by the person who nominated you
4. Provide 11 random facts about yourself
5. Nominate 5 - 11 other blog
6. Create a new list of 11 questions
7. List the rules on your blog
8. Inform the people/blogs you nominated

Questions from All Write-y Then..

1. What is you least favourite genre? This would probably be Erotica. Basically, I read a lot of different genres, but this is one that I don't particularly enjoy.
2. What are your favourite movies? There are too many to name them all. The Before trilogy, the Lord of the Rings trilogy and Star Wars trilogy are all favourites. 
3. Do you prefer ebooks or physical copies of books? I prefer physical copies of books, but I read a lot of ebooks because it is more practical to carry it around.
4. Your least favourite book cover? The one that comes clearly to mind is that of Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto. This cover doesn't really make you want to read this book and it's a shame because it's a beautiful story.
5. If you could have any magical ability (or type of magical abilities), what would you choose? That's an easy one. Mind reading, Professor X's style.
6. What is your favourite mythical/fantasy creature? I have a fascination with elves and fairies, not just the ones in The Lord of the Rings, but also the ones in Celtic mythology (Irish Fairy and Folktales by W.B.Yeats is one of my favourite books).
7. Favourite book when you were 10? This would either be Artemis Fowl or His Dark Materials (and they still are favourites).
8. What real or fictional place would you most likely go to on vacation and why? It would probably be Tokyo as described in number9dream by David Mitchell. It's in the future and I'd like to see that.
9. Is there a particular movie/book that you have an unpopular/controversial opinion on? This is The Hunger Games trilogy. Especially after reading Battle Royale, I can't really bring myself to think about it anymore.
10. What book do you wish would be made into a movie? Artemis Fowl. Come on! So many fantasy and dystopian books are turned into movies, why don't you give Artemis a chance?
11. Chocolate chip cookie dough: great ice cream flavour, or greatest ice cream favour? I like it, I don't know if it's the greatest, but it's close to being the one.

11 random facts about myself

1. I've just turned 25 years old.
2. I like some alternative rock bands, such as Muse, The Strokes and Smashing Pumpkins.
3. I love baking stuff, you will always find at my place scones, cakes, muffins and biscuits.
4. I've lost count of how many times I've read Pride and Prejudice. Apart from English I've also read it in Greek and Spanish.
5. I find Captain America one of the most boring superheroes.
6. I never really minded the Star Wars prequels.
7. My favourite social media is Instagram.
8. I always read the last sentence of a book. It's never a spoiler, but somehow I can tell if I'll like a book or not.
9. With my friends, we play a lot of board games.
10. I like all things floral.
11. I find that reading on the beach is one of the most relaxing things ever.

My nominations

• The Bookish Universe
• Dorky Girl
• The Bookish Life
• Tina the Bookworm
• Leaf on the Breeze
• In Tori Lex
• Book Stop Corner

My 11 question to the nominees

1. In what age did you start reading?
2. With which fictional character would you hang out?
3. Which is your most anticipated movie in 2015?
4. What is your guilty pleasure?
5. What is your favourite song?
6. Do you prefer scones, cookies or biscuits?
7. Where would you rather live? Both fictional and real places and why.
8. Do you play any sports? Which one?
9. Pop Corn or Nachos in the cinema?
10. Which is your all time favourite villain?
11. If you could only have one book, which one would it be?  

10 Manga for Thriller, Fantasy and Sci-Fi Lovers

A few days earlier I posted a list with 10 Manga for Romance and Comedy Lovers and as I've already told you I prepared another one which covers other genres, such as fantasy, thriller and science fiction. In this list, there are both well known and popular series, as well as some of my personal favourites.

Death Note by Tsugumi Ohba

This series, which is illustrated by Takeshi Obata, is without a doubt one of the most popular and perhaps one of the best manga ever published. The story is thrilling with great twists and it has some iconic characters. Both Light and L are intoxicating and their intellectual battle throughout the series is fascinating. 

Rurouni Kenshin by Nobuhiro Watsuki

Rurouni Kenshin is a historical series. Himura Kenshin is an ex-assassin, who is now working as a rurouni, a wandering swordsman. Set in the Meiji period in Japan, is an excellent example of a samurai story. It also has a little romance. 

Fullmetal Alchemist by Himoru Arakawa

From the historical, samurai story, here we have a story full of alchemy. Two brothers, one who have lost a leg and an arm and another who his soul is trapped in a suit of armor. So, begins their journey to find the philosopher's stone, in order to regain their bodies. Another series very popular among the fantasy fans. 

Black Butler by Yana Toboso

Black Butler is an ongoing series. Set in Victorian England it manages to build an eerie atmosphere. Indeed, this series is purely a horror one. Young Ciel Phantomhive sells his soul to a demon, who he names Sebastian Michaelis. The demon takes his place beside Ciel as his butler in order help him take revenge for all his misfortunes. Interesting, right?

Akira by Katsuhiro Otomo

The first Sci-Fi manga on this list is Akira. We are transferred in Neo-Tokyo, in the year 2019, when Tetsuo, a young biker, releases from cryo-stasis Akira who possesses a destructive psychic ability. The story is filled with high-speed action, intriguing story and well-developed characters, making it one of the most impressive manga you'll come across. 

Berserk by Kentaro Miura

If you want to read a pure medieval, fantasy manga, with excellent sword fighting then you needn't search anymore. Berserk is an epic manga and it has everything, intrigue, betrayal, nude, sword fights and a lot of violence. The story is a little slow, have in mind that the series started being published in 1989 and it's still ongoing.

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind by Hayao Miyazaki

Another epic fantasy series, this time from the legendary Studio Gibli director Hayao Miyazaki. This manga might seem more familiar to you because it was turned into a movie in 1984 by Miyazaki himself. The manga isn't one of the most popular ones possibly due to the film, but it's sure a magical adventure.

Monster by Naoki Urasawa

Monster in a profound series. Dr. Tenzo Kenma is a brain surgeon and one night he has to come into an important decision, whether to sacrifice the life of the town's Mayor or the one of a young child. He decides to perform the surgery on the young boy, thus saving him, but he has no way of knowing that he let loose a future serial killer. A great psychological thriller to give you the creeps.

Planetes by Makoto Yukimura

What is life like in outer space? This manga is about a team, whose job is to clean space debris from Earth's orbit. The feel is realistic, the characters are unique and it's a story based on people. Plus the art is amazing. 

Eden: It's an Endless World!

This list ends with a dystopian series. A new virus has killed the 15% of Earth's population and has crippled many more. It's based strongly on Gnostic mythology and all the major character have names of gnostic deities and have analogous roles.

Have you read any of those mangas? Would you add other to the list? 

The Reading Book Post, April 20th

The Comicdom Con is only a few days away and I really can't wait. Apart from the conference it will also be a great opportunity to catch up with some friends that I haven't seen for a while. Anyway, it's been a relatively quiet week in the literary world and here are the most interesting ones:

• The past few months more and more organisations announced their longlists. Now, it's the time for them to make their shortlists public. PEN American Center announced their 2015 Literary Awards shortlists for categories such as debut fiction, the art of the essay, nonfiction and literary science. Also, the 2015 shortlist for the Dublin Literary Award was released to the press. On this list, there is only one book by an Irish author, Colum McCann, and three novels in translation. Finally, the Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction publicised its shortlist as well. We had seen earlier in March the longlist, and the final winner will be announced on June 3rd.

• Gunter Grass, the Nobel Prize recipient, died at the age of 87 on April 13ht. His novel The Tin Drum caused an uproar in his country because it dealt with subjects that were taboo in post-war Germany and it became an immediate bestseller when it first came out in 1959. 

• Time magazine published its list for the year 2015 with the 100 most influential people on the planet. Among those, there are two names of the literary world. It's none other than the Japanese author Haruki Murakami and the Nigerian novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

• DC Comics has announced that a digital tie-in comic series will be published during the summer with the animated film Justice League: Gods & Monsters, which will serve as a prequel. The series will be launched digitally in July, the interior art is by Thony Silas, but the comic writer is still unknown. 

• The art collective Le Gun has filled the well-known bookshop Shakespeare & Co. in Paris with Tales for the Void, an installation that consists of hand-drawn  sculptural books. Those "books" are scattered on the shelves of the bookstore and they are beautiful. What do you think of this installation? 

• This week's quiz reveals which literary character you are. I got Galadriel from The Lord of the Rings. Which one did you get?

10 Manga for Romance and Comedy Lovers

Since the Japanese themed read is nearly over and the last thing on it is a manga series I decided to dedicate two posts to this art form. Today I will present to you 10 manga series you can read you are a lover of romance and comedy. The list includes both well-known and loved series, as well as personal favourites. 

Skip Beat by Yoshiki Nakamura

Skip Beat is an absolute favourite! The truth is it's massive, 37 volumes have been published and it's still ongoing. But don't be alarmed by this fact, it's one of the best that the shojo genre has ever produced. The story, a simple revenge story at first, is great, the characters are well-developed and it's hilarious. Plus, Tsuruga Ren is one of the best male characters!

Fruits Basket by Natsuki Takaya

This manga is also one of the most loved ones. With its 23 volumes is a series that can make you obsessed with it. Apart from its romantic nature, there is also a strong fantasy element in a family curse. The climax is thrilling and it has one of the most interesting antagonists. 

Ouran High School Host Club by Bisco Hatori

A slightly smaller series, with 18 volumes, Ouran High School Host Club is one of the funniest series I have ever read. There were moments when I would just stop reading because I was laughing so hard. The story in this series is amazingly built and the characters are all unique and memorable. Months after I've read it I still remember each one's personality.    

Hotarubi no Mori e by Yuki Midorikawa

Hotarubi no Mori E or Into the Forest of Fireflies' Light is actually not a series. It's a collection of four one-shot stories, one for each season. The second story, the one that shares its title with the volume, is one of the most bittersweet stories ever written. I can only describe it as magical and deeply touching. The rest of the stories are sweet as well and the volume is one of my personal favourites.

Kodomo no Omocha by Miho Obana

Kodocha, as is the shortest version of the name of this manga, is also one of my personal favourites. Older than the previous ones in this list, it's not only a romance but much more like a coming-of-age manga. Only 10 volumes long, we get the chance to watch Sana and Akito grow up and have a wonderful relationship. And they are so cute together!

Kimi ni Todoke by Karuho Shiina

This one is also a massive series, which is still ongoing. The art in Kimi, no Todoke is so amazing! Look how beautiful cover it has! The romance in this series, as a typical slice of life, is slow and gradual, taking things one step at a time. At times, it also feels dramatic, but in general it has a comfortable atmosphere to it.

Paradise Kiss by Ai Yazawa

At the end of this series, I was crying. Paradise Kiss feels heavy at times and things can actually go very, very badly. The romance indeed is bittersweet and really unique. It has some amazing fashion and diverse characters. George is very complicated, but he is very compelling at the same time.

Kaichou wa Maid-sama! by Hiro Fujiwara

The President is a Maid as it's the English translation of the name is a hilarious manga. It has a strong female lead, which is forced to work as a maid, a "perverted space-alien" who is attracted to her and ex-gang members with soft sides. Have I persuaded you already? Ok, Usui is another reason to read this series and his killer line "just her stalker" can make me laugh without a reason.

Beast Master by Kyousuke Motomi

A short and cute manga. Beast Master is a lesser known manga, but a true gem. It's only 2 volumes, but can put you in a good mood nonetheless. The relationship between the main characters is very difficult, but they are adorable. 

Red River by Chie Shinohara

Red River or Anatolia Story is a historical fantasy shojo manga. A modern teenager is transferred back in time in Anatolia and is saved by a prince. Many of the people and events are drawn from actual history when the Hittite Empire was near its peak. It's definitely a unique and memorable series. 

Have you read any of those? Which ones would you add to the list?