"Does he need someone to make him mad? He can even get mad at himself. The guy's probably made of wood - he catches fire at the slightest spark."
(page 268)

Mo Ran might be on to something here.

Mo Ran stared. What was he going to do about this person's habit of throwing off his covers in his sleep?
So that he wouldn't be a dog, the sixteen-year-old Emperor Taxian-Jun, with all his integrity and moral backbone, walked out. He would not go back on his word. He absolutely would not go back through that door again!
So, after awhile, the brilliant and powerful emperor vaulted into the room through the window instead.
(page 340)

I'm getting whiplash from crying, turning the page and immediately laughing.

Ah! Jiangui: What the Hell. The holy weapon "Ah! What the Hell?!"
(page 423)

I had completely forgotten he named his

holy weapon

this. It's giving "Suibian".

Ridiculous! It wasn't like wanting to bed someone was the same as liking them!
(page 432)

I love how tsundere they both are sometimes.

"What does he want with me?" Mo Ran laughed dryly. "I'm just some dumbass."
"I've never met a dumbass who could cultivate a core within one year, " Chu Wanning replied.
(page 440)

THE WAY THAT I BAWLED.

"Shi Mei, actually, I've always liked you. Do you...?"
A pair of bloodstained hands caught him as he fell into Shi Mei's arms. He didn't know if he was seeing things, but Shi Mei's thin eyebrows were drawn together as he slowly closed his eyes, and a glistening wetness seemed to slide slowly down that face. He seemed to hear Shi Mei softly whisper, "Me too."
Mo Ran's breath caught. He had to be seeing things. Why else would Shi Mei look so miserable as he answered?
"I also... like you."
(page 479)

HOW DARE THEY END VOLUME 1 HERE.

Okay so this is a reread and I am possibly more emotionally devastated than I originally was. The Seven seas translation is so much better than the Google doc I had read before, danmei fans are eating good.

Cry count: 6?

Content Warnings

The Husky & His White Cat Shizun: Erha He Ta De Bai Mao Shizun (Novel) Vol. 2 by Rou Bao Bu Chi Rou

Go to review page

dark emotional funny sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

The child turned around, "If you laugh, I will kill myself right here," practically written on his face.
(page 74)

Chu Wanning is the drama and I love it.

Ye Wangxi was a respectable individual; he had no idea that Mo Ran, a rascal, was consuming his recount of righteous indignation like he would some trashy romance.
(page 189)

Mo Ran is such a gossip girl.

Chu Wanning ignored him and asked, "Did that child really exist?"
"Nope." Mo Ran was quiet for a moment, then he suddenly smiled, his dimples deep and charming. He squished the little kid into his arms and said warmly, "I made it up to tease you, obviously. Be good. Go to sleep."
(page 220)

The way this story broke my heart. The first time I read through 2ha I didn't notice the foreshadowing here.

The rain came down in a deluge, blood pooling and flowing along the ground. The mother devoured her child's entrails.
(page 245)

This scene was beautifully written and will be imprinted on my mind forever. Heart breaking.

So he simply sat there in the courtyard in a daze, surrounded by peach blossoms in full bloom, holding the clay jar that his little shidi had brought him all the way from the cave. A long while later, he sighed and slapped himself across the face, cursing in a low voice. "You good-for-nothing."
(page 324)

Wwx coded. This also broke my heart. Stupid Shi Mei.

"Why wouldn't I dare?" Chu Wanning gazed at her, unimpressed. "What ought I be afraid of?" He paused, then pulled Mo Ran closer. "Listen up: This person is mine. I'm taking him."
(page 337)

Chu Wanning being

Xia Sini

for most of this book was critical for his character development. I forgot how fun it was to have them interacting as peers.

I love every time the Zhenlong Chess Formation happens. The white (general) pieces and black (pawn) pieces are exceptional.

Nangong Si and his pupper, Naobaijin made their appearance after Ye Wangxi

purchased/rescued

Song Qiutong, the

butterfly-boned beauty.

We're getting quite a few of the major players introduced, especially with the hints of Mei Hanxue sprinkled throughout the Peach Blossom Springs arc.

We also had our favourite mystery villain show up right at the end with Bugui: no return

(Taxian-Jun's sword)

Cry count: 3 but I cried longer and harder

Content Warnings

The Husky & His White Cat Shizun: Erha He Ta De Bai Mao Shizun (Novel) Vol. 3 by Rou Bao Bu Chi Rou

Go to review page

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

All heads snapped up to see a young man standing on his sword in midair before the barrier, a length of willow vine in his hand. His features were bright and friendly, as if naturally bathed in warmth -- but at this moment, his eyes were sharp and unyielding, his gaze flaring like the leaves of the vine in his hand, coursing with a light the scarlet of blood and erupting with sparks.
High above them, Mo Ran's brows were drawn low in a frown. "Didn't I fucking say that no one is to touch this barrier?" he asked darkly. "Tell me, are you deaf or stupid?!"
(page 61)

Mo Ran knows how to make an entrance. This is when

the Rift opens at Butterfly Town.

"What," Nangong Si asked, "another acquaintance of yours?"
"I wouldn't call him an acquaintance." Ye Wangxi was himself less than pleased to encounter Mei Hanxue, but unlike Xue Meng who had stomped over to cuss him out, Ye Wangxi turned on his heel to leave immediately. "Just fought him once."
"Oh?" Nangong Si's curiosity was piqued. "How is he? Any good?"
"Heh." Ye Wangxi sneered coldly. "He had women do all the fighting for him -- how do you think he is?"
Nangong Si stared, speechless.
(page 88)

This is so fucking good. Good on Ye Wangxi for putting Nangong Si in his place.

So Mo Ran endured it, and forced himself to pick up the pieces. He told himself, It doesn't hurt, it doesn't hurt. This wasn't the first time he'd lived through Chu Wanning's death. It doesn't hurt.
It doesn't hurt...
But how could it not hurt? Over three thousand steps Chu Wanning had crawled, carrying him on his back -- how could it not hurt...
(page 163)

This is absolutely brutal. I always forget that

The Discernment barrier was twinned and Chu Wanning took the same damage as Shi Mei in Taxian-Jun timeline, and Mo Ran in the current timeline. The reveal almost killed me the first time I read this and I thought my soul was leaving my body.

Mo Ran's throat felt tight, and a sob escaped as he collapsed to the floor, kneeling before that soul that couldn't see him. The soul-calling lantern sat on the ground by his feet as he let out a broken wail, screaming himself hoarse as if he might cry blood. Finally, unable to contain it any longer, he bawled, loud and miserable. He knelt before Chu Wanning.
It wasn't like that at all...
He groveled in the dust, clutching at the hems of Chu Wanning's bloodstained robes.
It wasn't that your heart was cold and hard as iron. It wasn't that I was unyielding and immovable as stone. It was just that I misjudged you, I misunderstood you completely... it was just that...
"Shizun, Shizun..." He wept, curled up on the floor. "I'm sorry. I was wrong, please... please come back with me..."
(page 199-200)

This is why I was crying over wontons in book 1.

"I'll count again -- I'll go slower this time, in case it's hard to hear," Mo Ran said. "One, two, three."
Nothing.
"I'm going to count one last time... One, two, three."
"This time's really the last. One , two, three..."
(page 313)

Asking

Chu Wanning over and over to go back with him on the count of three

. Heartbreaking.

Between flashes of lightning and crashes of thunder, he reached out without thinking and pulled Chu Wanning into a tight embrace. Frenzied heartbeats against a quivering soul. Chest to chest.
(page 327)

I love this segment of the book so much. The change and growth of both our mmc's from the start of the series is incredible.

"Not as good as the wontons you make."
(page 373)

Bawling and dehydrated.

The book ends with the

5 year time skip.

Content Warnings

The War of Two Queens by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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keddy4306's reviews 179 reviews

keddy4306's reviews
179 reviews