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review: rooftops of tehran

book info: on sale: now copy from: public library pages: 348 review written: 21.12.17 originally published: 2009 edition read: Penguin NAL 2009 title: Rooftops of Tehran author: Mahbod Seraji In a middle-class neighborhood of Iran's sprawling capital city, 17-year-old Pasha Shahed spends the summer of 1973 on his rooftop with his best friend Ahmed, joking around one minute and asking burning questions about life the next. He also hides a secret love for his beautiful neighbor Zari, who has been betrothed since birth to another man. But the bliss of Pasha and Zari's stolen time together is shattered when Pasha unwittingly acts as a beacon for the Shah's secret police. The violent consequences awaken him to the reality of living under a powerful despot, and lead Zari to make a shocking choice... my thoughts: This book was first published in 2009 and I remember adding it to my list around that time but never actually reading it since I preferred checking out library books to ...

The Secret

manga: my guilty pleasure + funny GIF!

You all may not know this because I rarely ever mention this, but I do in fact read manga and I have for years. I don't mention it on this blog because I believe this blog is for novels, literary in only words. That's why you don't see graphic novels here.

But I do love manga a whole lot. It's a different type of novel, like a film in novel/drawing form. I mainly read shoujo because secretly (not so secret) I enjoy sappy romances. But not the literary YA romances that I read about: the Japanese manga ones that I can actually see.

Shoujo mangas are very visual and emotional, tugging on one's heart strings and effectively portray a story. It's because instead of just reading "He blushed profusely" or "she said with dangerous fervour", one can actually see it. I'm not making sense, but facial expressions say a lot more than words and manga-kas (manga "writers") have perfected it.

Like right now, I was just reading the latest chapter of Akuma to Love Song and I decided to find an old chapter image to show you what I mean (w/o spoilers!) The ones I wanted to use had spoilers, so if you're planning on reading it (it's AMAZING) then I won't be the one to ruin it


You can see exactly what each character is feeling and you can hear Maria's voice in your head. Even the heart has the effect of showing you her danger (with that cool, darkened face)

The amazing mangas will make you cry and laugh and giggle, and here are some that I recommend:

Fruits Basket (THE ULTIMATE MANGA! #1)
VB Rose (really sweet and cute, I CRAVE this one)
Love So Life
KouKou Debut
Hana Kimi
Special A
Ouran High School Host Club
Beauty Pop
Black Bird

 OK I know these sound like terrible titles. I laughed at first when my friend introduced me to "Fruits Basket". I thought to myself, "What the heck? Is it about...a basket of fruit? What are these strange drawings? The eyes are so disproportionate to the face. HAHA what's up with their tiny mouths? Why do they always wear such short skirts! The modesty, honestly"

 I was naive. It's not about the drawings (even though some styles really bother me) and well...maybe it IS about the drawings. That's an important factor. But the story is what's so sweet.

 A manga that has the most HILARIOUS drawings is Dengeki Daisy. It cracks me up every page! Look look, proof:

While we're talking about funny things, here's this gif I found on Tumblr that's just so ridiculously funny that I've shared it with so many friends. I dare you not to laugh! I've broken out into hysterical laughing over it, to the point of tears: so it's quite emotionally intense. Prepare yourself.

BWHAHAHA! MUFASA'S FACE!!! :D :D :D

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