ISBN-13: 9789861031446
Publisher: 东立出版社有限公司
Published: April 2009


I must have bitten by a manga bug lately, because this is the third manga book I read in a week (I had finished reading Momoko Typhoon #2 but have yet to draft a review). Anyway, I found this series while browsing through the manga section and I was attracted by the cover art and the blurb. I took the risk and bought the series because I have not read anything by this artist (and the books are sealed with plastic covers to prevent anyone from reading). There were times I was misled by the cover illustrations but funnily enough I just had the feeling that I might enjoy this series and my instinct was right because I really enjoyed reading this book!

Ren Cai Zi (the names are translated from the Chinese since I do not know the actual Japanese names of all the characters) is a high school student and has never fallen in love before though childhood friend, Da Shu fancies her but she does not know his feelings towards her.

However, an incident gave her the opportunity to meet Lian, the most good-looking and popular boy in school. What he did thereafter greatly touches her heart and from that day onwards, she knew she has fallen in love with him. When Da Shu has finally muster his courage to confess his feelings towards her, Ren Cai Zi told him she could not accept his love because she has fallen in love with somebody. Even when she later found out that Lian already has a girlfriend, her feelings towards him did not waver and she told herself that she is satisfied admiring him from afar and that they are friends.

A girl friend of Ren Cai Zi, Xiao Bai He took this opportunity to confess her love towards Da Shu and a complex love story begins this first installment of Strobe Edge.

What can I say? I was so drawn into the story (not to mention the wonderful illustrations as well) that I picked up the second installment and read it right after I had finished reading this book. I am currently reading the fourth installment and I have to say the story is getting more complex and intense than I have first anticipated. Needless to say, I have neglected the other books which I am also reading and this made me feel bad. To break free of my guilty conscience, I brought a novel instead of the manga with me to work today so hopefully I will be able to catch up on my reading and read a few more chapters.

So what are you currently reading?

Note: There is no Teaser Tuesdays post today since I am still reading the same book as of last week.

ISBN-13: 4711552447392
Publisher: 长鸿出版社股份有限公司
Published: October 2009
217 pgs



I participated in Rhinoa's Manga Challenge some time ago but I have yet to read and review any manga so I thought I would read/review at least one before the end of the year.

I chose Momoka Typhoon (by Fujita Kazuko) because I enjoyed watching the first two episodes of Momo Love, a Taiwanese drama based on this manga series and I want to read them aside from watching the drama as well. Anyway, this is a story about Tian Zhong Tao Hua (a Chinese girl's name translated from the Japanese) and her relationship with her five elder brothers and a guy whom she loves.

Being the only girl in the family, she is most well loved and is always the center of attention in the Tian Zhong family. This is no surprise considering their parents wanted a girl and as for the rest of the siblings, they felt the need and responsibility to protect her because they love her so much. Though Tao Hua appreciates her brothers' love, she feels she has no control over her freedom because whatever she does she is being scrutinized.

Yu Yi, being the youngest brother in the family is often being bullied by the other brothers and they have assigned him to spy on her. Tao Hua and Yu Yi share the closest bond and though she feels sorry for him, there is nothing much she could do about it.

When Tao Hua started to fall in love with Shi Lang, who is also a friend of Yu Yi, the rest of the siblings began to plot ways to split them. Torn in between the older brothers and Tao Hua, Yu Yi has never felt so helpless in his life but he feels there should be a resolution to all these so he lied to Tao Hua that Shi Lang already has a girlfriend, hoping that this news would shatter Tao Hua's dreams so that she would forget about him. Unfortunately, things do not go as anticipated as Tao Hua has other plans and the rest of the siblings vowed they would not leave this matter rest.

I have to say I enjoyed reading the manga more than the drama, not that the latter is not nicely done, it does and it has my favourite actor in it (Jiro Wang). I think the main issue lies with the different culture and certain scenes in the drama have to change to suit the chinese audience. I have nothing against this and I feel both have succeeded in creating a wonderful comedy. However, I am disappointed with the cast of the role of the third and the fourth brother because they are not featured as twins as originally seen in the manga but I suppose that is not a big issue since I understand it could be difficult to find artistes who are twins (I have thought of two actors who are twins but I am not telling).

(Image taken from Asianpopcorn.com)

Note: There will be no Teaser Tuesdays today since I am still reading Fishing for Bacon by Michael Davie and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling. I cannot promise that I will finish them by this week but I will definitely try!

Book Bloggers Holiday Swap is here once again! For those who are not aware of what this is, it is an annual Secret Santa gift exchange between book bloggers and BBHS is in its third year now!

Please visit the link for more details (and registration) and please note you have until November 12th to do so! So what are you waiting for? I know you want to participate!