Uzumaki by Ito Junji

Pages (Paperback): 208 pages

Publisher: VIZ Media LLC; 2 edition

Released: October 16, 2007

Note: I'll be reviewing the entire series, which span between 3 books, but I'll be only posting the first book here.

Description: Koruzo-Cho, a small fogbound town on the coast of Japan, is cursed. According to Shuichi Saito, the withdrawn boyfriend of teenager Kirie Goshima, their town is haunted not by a person or being but by a pattern: uzumaki, the spiral, the hypnotic secret shape of the world. It manifests itself in small ways: seashells, ferns, whirlpools in water, whirlwinds in air. And in large ways: the spiral marks on people's bodies, the insane obsessions of Shuichi's father, the voice from the cochlea in your inner ear. As the madness spreads, the inhabitants of Koruzo-Cho are pulled ever deeper, as if into a whirlpool from which there is no return...

Review: This is the third or fourth story I've read by Ito-san and what I love about his work is that he takes such a simple concept and makes it into something strange and horrifying. The artwork is detailed and crisp, and I loved seeing how different people were effected by the spirals. I don't think I'll ever look at spirals in the same way again.Great story and a great manga writer/artist. Read this!

Grade: 10 lines out of 10


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The Host by Stephenie Meyer

Pages (Paperback): 619 pages

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company

Released: May 6, 2008

Description: Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. The earth has been invaded by a species that take over the minds of their human hosts while leaving their bodies intact, and most of humanity has succumbed.

Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, knew about the challenges of living inside a human: the overwhelming emotions, the too vivid memories. But there was one difficulty Wanderer didn't expect: the former tenant of her body refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.

Melanie fills Wanderer's thoughts with visions of the man Melanie loves-Jared, a human who still lives in hiding. Unable to separate herself from her body's desires, Wanderer yearns for a man she's never met. As outside forces make Wanderer and Melanie unwilling allies, they set off to search for the man they both love.

Review: Once upon a time, I read Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn. I liked Twilight, didn't like New Moon, thought Eclipse was okay, and Breaking Dawn wasn't too bad (if you ignore the imprinting). Then I read The Host and wow. This is seriously the best book Meyer wrote, I find it a shame that there is only one adult book by her, because this definitely suits her writing style.

Grade: 10 lines out of 10

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Prey by Thomas Emson

Pages (Hardcover): 469 pages

Publisher: Snowbooks Ltd.

Released: November 1, 2009

Description: Laura Greenacre's enemies, the Templetons, have scoured the earth for her since the horrific events at Trafalgar Square eight years ago.

And they think they've found her.

Ruth Templeton, now a werewolf herself, leaves a trail of carnage across Europe as she makes her way to New York. Russian cop, Lev Dasaev, is hunting the brutal killer of a Russian pimp. The trail leads him to America. To the lair of a madman called Wheeler Burns.

And when Burns joins forces with Ruth Templeton, Dasaev and Laura face annihilation...

And the ultimate hunter becomes the ultimate prey.

Review: After reading Maneater, Skarlet, and Prey, I have to say that Prey is Emson's best work yet. The writer is cleaner, the plot is better, and Laura is still as bad as ever.Watching the difference between Ruth and Laura was a treat, especially in the manner in which each lady tries to seek revenge. Ruth is heartless, but I love it! This is Emson book yet. Can't wait to read more from him.

Grade: 10 lines out of 10

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Dreamland by Sarah Dessen

Pages (Paperback): 256 pages

Publisher: Speak

Released: May 11, 2004

Description: Strange, sleepy Rogerson, with his long brown dreads and brilliant green eyes, had seemed to Caitlin to be an open door. With him she could be anybody, not just the second-rate shadow of her older sister, Cass. But now she is drowning in the vacuum Cass left behind when she turned her back on her family's expectations by running off with a boyfriend. Caitlin wanders in a dream land of drugs and a nightmare of Rogerson's sudden fists, lost in her search for herself.

Review: This was my first Sarah Dessen novel and all I can say is wow! The story is about Caitlin and her abusive boyfriend. I kept wanting to tell her to run and leave her boyfriend, but she didn't. She just fell into a steady rhythm of abuse and drugs, which was depressing to watch. This is a very powerful, brutally honest, and realistic book about teen abuse. Definitely a must read!

Grade: 10 lines out of 10

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