Women of the Tang Dynasty (2013) 唐宫燕之女人天下

the story took place after the Tang Dynasty was being ruled by the female Emperor Wu. Mengfan and Mengfu were two sisters that were forced to work in the palace after their father was killed. they started from the bottom and each with their own ways, strove for a position higher up in their rank. Mengfan disliked the life in palace and was determined to remain uninfluenced by the negativity of the palace. Mengfu on the other hand, didn't mind the influences as long as it brought her a step closer to her dream.

with a distinct role between Mengfan and Mengfu, it was obvious who the Good or Bad sister were. it made their outcome obvious since karma was involved. however, the differences didn't help make these characters lovable. while Mengfan was determined to remain "good", she was quite an annoying character to look at as she separate everything clearly into black and white, and wouldn't take no for an answer. Mengfu was like a wild child, her character often seemed heartless but was highly relatable if compared to Mengfan. in overall, the series was enjoyable and fast paced. but most of the time, the clarity that the series tried so hard to portray just to separate the good from the bad was what ruined the series.

Nagi no Asukara (2013) 凪のあすから

the story took place in a world where humans lived in the ocean. some of those who choose to live on the land cast off special raiments used for adapting life under the sea given by their sea god. since then, humans were divided into sea and land dwellers, each with different lifestyle and thinking. however, they still remained in contact as time went on. the series followed a group of middle school student from both the sea and land meeting for the very first time.

at first glance, the series seemed like just another typical slice of life story about the sea versus land people. but after several episodes, there were actually serious issues behind, keeping the intensity going despite the lighthearted atmosphere. there were also plenty of absurd and hilarious moments that involved the fantasy world, which the story took advantage of. the teenagers were much more matured than their age when it came to romance. the relationship between the sea and land people was like unrequited love since their newborn would not have any ability to breath underwater anymore. the complexity was somewhat welcoming since it gave depth to the original plot.

Bloodlines #3: The Indigo Spell (2013)

after fighting to free herself from the Warriors of Light, Sydney found herself struggling to draw the lines between her Alchemist teachings and following her heart. Ms Terwilliger was Sydney's history teacher, whom one day revealed to her about herself knowledge about the vampires while forcing Sydney to learn magic. despite her original refusal to get involved in magic due to the Alchemist teachings, Sydney wasn't given a choice when she knew that these spells could very well save her during the increasing amount of dangerous situations she found herself landed in these days.

after reading the third book of the series, Sydney had became even more lovable, which seeing how much i already root for her, never thought possible. from her flawless and responsible characteristics, she felt more human when it came to Adrian, the only person she couldn't hide her feelings from. when Marcus appeared, everything became a mess as he threatened her Alchemist beliefs and wanted her to break free from the rules. not forgetting her initial rejection for magic, which now turned into sometimes that supported her and kept her safe in opposed to other powerful witches. fortunately, it was all these complications that made Sydney's life so interesting and irresistible.

Genshiken Nidaime (2013) げんしけん 二代目

during the spring of their freshman year, Kanji wanted to join an otaku club, while Saki wanted to turned her otaku boyfriend Kousaka into a normal guy. in the end, both Kanji and Kousaka signed up for Genshiken, the society for the study of modern visual culture. desperate, Kanji chased Kousaka through the activities organized by the club, learning more than she ever wanted about the world of otaku.

Genshiken Nidaime (2013) was a brand new season adapted from its manga. despite being new, it was still recommended to have watched all its previous prequels to truly appreciate this installment. some of the main characters from the previous seasons had more of a minor role in this season. the club consisted of a group of college students that enjoyed the otaku culture. plenty of references from other series were adapted, showing more than enough familiar faces to get one excited. other than cosplay and referencing other series, the club also came out with their own piece of work.

Bloodlines #2: The Golden Lily (2012)

Sydney continued to protect Jill, a Moroi princess, after uncovering Keith's attempt in selling vampire blood to humans and Lee's attempt to return being a Strigoi. from being a doubtful member of the Alchemists, she was now praised for he loyalty and obedience. little did the Alchemists knew about her growing closer to the Moroi and Dhampir. she found herself questioning the old Alchemist beliefs. everything became even more complicated when magic was involved, showing that Sydney may just be the key to prevent the becoming of Strigoi.

like what her friends had mentioned, it was amusing to find Sydney dating. the seemingly ordinary Brayden was equally taunting and knowledgeable as Sydney. they were so much alike that their conversation were difficult to follow through in a hilarious way. unfortunately but predictably, the perfect pair didn't work out. it wasn't surprising to find that Adrian was designated as Sydney's next guy in the line. but it was so unsatisfying after getting a slight taste of how they could be together and the book ended abruptly that very moment! fortunately the next book was already available and i could start immediately.

Makai Ouji: Devils and Realist (2013) 魔界王子 Devils and Realist

William was forced to search for valuable items around the house that could be converted into cash after his uncle's business failed. he reached an underground room and found a magical seal left by his ancestor. William unintentionally summoned a demon called Dantalion. it was later revealed that William was chosen as an acting ruler of the demon world.

despite being unoriginal, after finishing the first episode, it became difficult to not continue watching the remaining series. after realizing that he was a demon summoner, William had to balance his normal life as well as ruling hell together with Dantalion. there were quite a lot of fillers for each episode, making the fights felt somewhat rushed at times. putting aside the comedic effect, the series was extremely enjoyable, sometimes making one laugh, even cry along with its characters.

Bloodlines #1: Bloodlines (2011)

Sydney was an alchemist, a group of humans who kept the balance between the humans and the vampires. when her sister Zoe was assigned for a new assignment in Palm Springs, Sydney volunteered herself in order to save her sister from the unknown world of danger. her mission was to protect Jill, the sister of a Moroi Queen, Lissa, with the intention of avoiding a civil war between the vampires. the vampires were divided into three groups, the Moroi were born vampires and alive. the Strigoi were turned vampires and undead. the Dhampirs were half Moroi and half human, often trained to be Guardians for the Moroi.

the first quarter of the book was spent on introductions regarding Sydney's background especially the distrust her father held towards her, resulted from her last mission where she worked together with a vampire. despite her seriousness and righteousness, Sydney was a lovable character. half way through the book, i was hooked and couldn't get enough of all the characters that had originally seemed so tedious to get familiar with in the beginning. i found myself rooting for quite a numerous of unlikely characters, which came as a surprise as much as the unexpectedly engaging plot. i absolutely am reading the next book in the following hour.

Gin no Saji (2013) 銀の匙

Hachiken wished to live separate from his family, so he enrolled himself into an agriculture school. he assumed with his talent in studying, he would have no problem in any school that he choose to attend. however, being raised as a city boy, Yugo found himself struggling with an agriculture lifestyle. he tried to keep up with his new friends, farmers who were already accustomed to the harsh world of farming.

the story followed Hachiken through his cultural shock, trying to adjust himself while entering into a completely new world. it followed his day to day life, which made the series having not much depth for its plot. however, it was pleasant to know that the series managed to be entertaining through its outstanding and lovable characters. he was relatable in the sense that he couldn't accept killing the farm animals that were destined to be food, or got overly attached to them like house pet. his interactions with his new friends, especially Tamako and Komaba, were fun to watch. despite the slow pacing, the series managed to remain thoroughly enjoyable.

Bloodlines #0.5: Adrian's Lost Chapter (2011)

initially, the book was written with a different main character. while the series followed the life of Sydney, an Alchemist, this prequel followed Adrian, a Moroi. Moroi were vampires that were born and very much alive. some of them were fortunate enough to weld elemental abilities. Strigoi were turned vampires and also undead. Dhampirs were partially Moroi and human, often used as Guardians for the Moroi. Adrian was one of the very few Moroi who weld Spirit element instead of the usual Air, Fire, Earth, and Water. having read the first book in advanced, i find this prequel very engaging as i already know Adrian for who he was. the short chapter only further emphasized on how much he protected Jill, who had a crush on him but he only treated her like a sister.

Watashi ga Motenai no wa Dou Kangaete mo Omaera ga Warui! (2013) 私がモテないのはどう考えてもお前らが悪い!

in the virtual game world, Tomoko was a super popular high school girl, who had 50 years of dating experiences with 100 boys. however, in the real world, Tomoko was a 15-year-old loner with all the qualities of a Mojo, a gloomy and unpopular woman.

the story circled around Tomoko, who was socially awkward and had a difficult time making friends. the strongest point for plots like this, was having people who experienced similar situations and was able to relate to Tomoko in many ways, and often fell in love with the series. for the storyline, there were practically no plot to discuss, the entire story followed the life of Tomoko and her explorations. she observed the world around her, tried to join in to make herself popular, but in the end still reverted back to her original state while recovering from the pain. despite the seemingly painful life of Tomoko, the series remained lighthearted and entertaining.

The Language of Souls (2012)

Solena set out on a journey into hostile territory in search of rare herb to cure her grandfather's sickness. however, she ran into Rundan, a scouting soldier and before she knew, she was captured, being accused of being a spy, and brought to the commander. as a soldier, Rundan struggled to please his father, the commander. he ordered Rundan to bring the trespasser to the royal court, where she would be executed. along the way, Rundan found himself wanting to protect Solena. in return, Solena saved him by sharing her votif with him.

despite the foreign backdrop, the book was a fast read. Solena and Rundan were from different places, making their languages different and had a difficult time communicating. however, for their different cultures, the votif meant the existing of their souls. the embers inside brought life to those they loved, often family members. during their difficult journey, Rundan almost died while protecting Solena from a ruthless soldier. to save his life, Solena shared half of her embers with Rundan, bringing him back to life. it significantly showed a growing feeling they held for each other, which was so pure and came from the bottom of their heart. it was very satisfying to find them in each others' arms when the journey finally came to an end.

Kami nomi zo Shiru Sekai: Megami-hen (2013) 神のみぞ知るセカイ 女神篇

Keima had proven himself to be the Capturing God after releasing girls from runaway spirits by making them fell in love with him. the latest challenge was with Diana, a goddess possessing Tenri, Keima's neighbor, asking him to find her siblings. the only clue they had was through the memories of others. Keima went on the mission with the hope that he could finally be released from his contract with hell.

the Kami nomi zo Shiru Sekai (2010-2013) series had give harem anime a new perspective, proving that girls doesn't need to be needy and desperate at all times in order to gain attention from the center male character. in this series, all the characters used their own personality along with their genuine emotions to create romance. like all its prequels, this installment also managed to pack depths and developments for every characters.

The Dollhouse Asylum (2013)

the story took place in a world where a flesh-eating virus wiped out part of the human populations. Cheyenne found herself in Elysian Fields, a place cut off from the world that they were safe from the terrifying virus. together with 7 other couples, she had a chance of survival. the person that brought them together was Teo, an older man that Cheyenne fell for. however, he felt distant now that he called himself their Director. everyone was given a new identity, names that reflect the most tragic romances in stories. they had to prove themselves worth it for the vaccine Teo held.

i felt cheated into struggling through the book because of its stunning cover. the backdrop was unusual enough for a difficult start, a challenge to our imaginations, but the mass amount of characters only made it worst. given that they were monitored and controlled by Teo, multiple of the characters hid their true intentions towards Cheyenne, which further complicated stuff. as disturbing as the psychotic if not sadistic side of Teo was, it kept the story interesting and flowing. the rest of the pages were slow and often over elaborated. the never ending internal struggles Cheyenne had towards Teo was tiring to watch. while Teo treated them his puppets, she still felt something for him, which was just unimaginably odd and difficult to relate to, at the same time also making her impossibly naive.

Futari wa Milky Holmes (2013) ふたりはミルキィホームズ

while the first two season were considered masterfully hilarious and adorable, the third season brought changes that was difficult to label good. continuity was never a wrong suit for Milky Holmes series, it was best ignored for the best enjoyment. the series introduced two new Detectives and their crime solving under a secret identity. the original four Milky Holmes were no longer the main characters, but continued to appear every now and then. the new Holmes were Kazumi and Alice, together known as The Feathers. while they were originally introduced as the serious replacements of the original Holmes, they didn't come off to be as lovable as the original Holmes.

Fury #3: Eternity (2013)

Em had been noticing signs of herself changing, she became easily angered, never felt cold, and had superhuman strength. the Furies trio remained nearby, always watching her. her fear of becoming one of the Furies were slowly coming true, after she swallowed the beans they gave her in exchange for JD's life. Crow's relationship with Em had grew complicated the moment he started having visions of her and all of them bad ones. but he was determined to save her, no matter the cost. JD on the other hand, missed the old Em. she no longer felt like herself, like she had a secret to hide.

finishing the previous book for more than half a year ago, i had little difficulty trying to remember what the story was about due to its uniqueness. the Furies were creatures that fed on revenge and karma. in exchanged for JD's life, Em gave up her life and was slowly transforming into a Fury herself. from an ancient book she got from Sasha before she was murdered, she learnt more about the Furies than she wanted. first half of the book moved slowly considering the approaching climax, anticipating it had made the book a torturous read at first, but the drag was welcoming once the end finally started. i was more than please to find that the speedy climax was absolutely satisfying.

Kimi no Iru Machi (2013) 君のいる町

Eba moved from Tokyo to a countryside to attend high school. her father arranged for her to live with Haruto, whose father was an apprentice of his. Haruto was furious for he never agreed to let Eba stayed at his house. while he continued to reject Eba, another girl named Nanami often came looking for Haruto, whom Haruto seemed to be in love with. Eba was an extrovert teenage girl who was keen on making new friends, while Haruto was a self-conscious teenager that tend to keep to himself.

the series applied the style of using flashbacks in contrast with the present, which turned out to be quite a drag for us who hadn't read its manga. without detailed backdrop and introduction, the series felt rushed and at times, confusing. after more than half of the episodes, it was easy to see that the storyline was actually very simple and straightforward. instead of being a common romance, the series was unexpectedly twisted for a love story, which could be quite depressing as a whole.

The Aquarathi #1: Waterfell (2013)

Nerissa was a Aquarathi, she was sent to the human world for experiences before she came of age to claim her birthright, to be the Queen of Waterfell, an undersea kingdom. unfortunately before that could happen, her father the King was killed, and the throne was taken by an enemy. in the meanwhile, Nerissa met Lo, a human boy who lost his family in a sailing accident and was recently sent to live with his biological mother. despite the challenges at hands, Nerissa couldn't help feeling attracted to him, who had the ability to penetrate her defenses and came to her aid when she needed it.

despite the otherworldly backdrop i often found difficult to relate to, i was pleased to find myself getting absorbed into the story in no time. Nerissa was adventurous, slightly rebellious, but a teenager, making her easily relatable. Lo was the all too perfect guy with a scarred history, where his imperfection actually made him perfect for Nerissa. with a royal throne to fight for, Nerissa's life was anything but ordinary. things got even more complicated the moment she came to age, where attraction from both male and enemy came chasing after her. the complicated relationship she had with the people she thought she knew for life came to an abrupt and surprising end that i didn't see coming, which was rather satisfying despite the long-winded storytelling.

Gatchaman Crowds (2013) ガッチャマン クラウズ

the story took place in a futuristic Japan, where Tachikawa City was the second metropolis of Tokyo. Gatchaman were warriors who fought in special reinforced suits, powered by Note, a manifestation of spiritual powers in living beings. the council scouted and gathered a group of individuals with super abilities to protect the Earth from alien criminals. the latest enemy was a mysterious entity called Mess.

in the series, the Gatchaman were the heroes with supernatural power who protected the public, fending the city from criminals and threats. the uniqueness of the series was having the main superhero character to be a girl while we usually got used to the guy playing the knight in shining armor. Hajime was an outgoing girl with hyperactive energy. despite her clear actions, her verbal ability often drew questions marks out of our head. however, it was pleasant to know that even though we had difficulty understanding her, we didn't find it difficult to love her.

Thor: The Dark World (2013)

thousands years ago, the Dark Elves wanted to send the universe into darkness by using a weapon called Aether. the warriors of Asgard managed to stop and killed most of the Dark Elves and hid the Aether, but the leader Malekith escaped. on Earth, Jane continued to wait for Thor's return but he was too busy bringing peace to the nine realms. in search of a passage to Thor, Jane came across one and got transported to the Aether. Thor returned to Earth just as Jane got transported back and found that the Aether had entered Jane's body.

it was delighting to see Thor and Loki on screen again. while the transportation concept became quite a mess at some point, it was frustrating but unimportant. Loki became a character so huge despite the short screen time he had, soon he became our favorite. while it was also pleasant to see Thor's friends again, it was a pity that they didn't have enough screen time to be entertaining. Jane however, was a disappointment. after she had Aether absorbed into her body, we expected great things from her. unfortunately, it appeared that she was just a container and nothing more.

Corpse Party: Tortured Souls - Bougyakusareta Tamashii no Jukyou (2013) コープスパーティー Tortured Souls -暴虐された魂の呪叫-

the story took place in an elementary school that was torn down after the murders and disappearances of its staffs and students. another school, the Kisaragi Academy, was built on top of the elementary school site. one day, a group of students from Kisaragi Academy were telling ghost stories when an earthquake brought them to another dimension. in this dimension, the elementary school was still existed and was haunted by the ghosts of the murdered children. the group had to survive in order to find their way home.

despite the seemingly unoriginal horror, the series was surprisingly engaging. there were plenty of stomach-turning gore, where students were killed in ways unimaginable otherwise in this slaughterhouse. for those who watched Corpse Party: Missing Footage (2012) beforehand had the advantage of understanding the backdrop more thoroughly compared to those who didn't. for the later, there would be points where it was difficult to understand why the characters would behaved the way they had, while feeling like there were missing episodes or sort.

America's Next Top Model #20: Guys & Girls (2013)

the twentieth cycle of America's Next Top Model (ANTM) was named "Guys & Girls" as it was the first cycle to include male contestants. it was also called ANTM 2.0 after being successful aired for a decade. despite the dramas between Tyra and the judges thus far, the transformation for the show from being a random reality show to becoming the start of careers for its contestants were welcoming after going through weeks of stresses and competitions. ANTM had been airing 2 cycles/seasons every year since 2003. for this cycle, there were also more than the usual 14 contestants and also more than the usual 13 episodes. like the previous cycle, this cycle also applied public elimination

Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun: Tonari no Gokudou-kun となりの怪物くん: となりの極道くん (2013)

the OVA had little to do with the main series - Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun (2012) and could standalone quite well. it took place in a historical period where the characters still somewhat maintained their personalities. Shizuka was a school teacher, Haru was the Gokudou, means gangster. one day Haru saved Shizuka from a drowning accident. since then they started a forbidden relationship that neither knew it was actually forbidden. like its original series - Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun (2012), the OVA had great chemistry between friends and potential lovers, even the supporting cast stood out in their own ways.

A Tale of Red Riding: Rise of The Alpha Huntress (2013)

Red Riding had been an orphan since young. one day she received a letter stating that it was from her grandmother. Red never remembered having a family before and she became eager to find her in an unheard town called Wayward. lost in the woods, Red came across a guy who kept following her and led her into a tree. just when she thought she would crash, Red found herself in Wayward, a hidden town she had trouble finding before he met the guy. in Wayward, she started recovering lost memories and learning to be an Alpha.

i received a free e-book from the author in exchanged for a review. in the twisted story of Red Riding Hood, Red not only had to tame the most dangerous werewolves, she had to control the wolf within herself as she too, was a werewolf. according to the people of Wayward, she was destined to become a legendary warrior, the Alpha Huntress. despite feeling unsure of how the story would go and the often lengthy conversations, i found myself absorbed into the story easier as i progressed more and more through the book. when it was finally clear the direction the story was headed, it immediately became enjoyable and worth the wait. however, i found it unfortunate that until the very end, i still couldn't find myself rooting for the characters. it was disturbing that even the good guys tend to sound arrogant and unlikable.

Fairy Tail x Rave (2013) フェアリーテイル x レイヴ

Fairy Tail x Rave (2013) was the sixth OVA for the Fairy Tail (2009-2013) series. the story started with Natsu, Lucy, and Happy (Fairy Tail) on a mission to find and deal with a troublemaker. due to certain circumstances they got separated. in the meanwhile, the same thing happened to Ellie and Haru (Rave Master). while searching for their partners, Lucy and Ellie met and worked together.

having watched Rave Master (2001- 2002) back then, a part of Fairy Tail (2009-2013), it was fun to see the characters got mixed together for an adventure. the point of the episode was the crossover, thus the plot wasn't really the focus. the chain of events that took place was expected if not predictable. however, it was pleasant to know that the episode doesn't disappoint. the enjoyment of seeing characters from 2 series put together was exciting enough to get us through the episode.

Broken #1: Slide (2013)

Evie was the heiress to the multi-billion dollar Montgomery Empire after a horrific accident claimed the lives of her mother and brother. for the past 12-years, she swore never to return to the place that filled with memories of her tragic past. however, hearing her father's death brought Evie back. to make matter worst, she met with Ryan, a handsome Yankees player. he was confident and well-known for his playboy attitude. but after getting to know him a few days more, Evie began to see the real man hiding behind that confident façade.

i received a free e-book from the author in exchanged for a review. for more than half of the book, the romance between the duo was more than enough to held my absolute attention. when the mysteries started revealing itself, the book became even more delicious and hard to put down. while their romance had the power of heightening my senses, their heartache were also terrifyingly contagious. for more than once, i found myself struggling to return to my usual self after flipping through chapters after chapters. despite having the celebrity background for its characters, the book was so emotionally engaging, which i was quite surprise to find. with such a satisfying end to the story, i couldn't stop wondering what the second book will be about!

Super Seisyun Brothers (2013) -超青春姉弟s-

the story evolved around the Shinmoto and Saitou family's siblings, both consisted of one elder sister and a younger brother. while Chiko and Chika Shinmoto were a bit narcissistic, Mako and Mao Saitou were more mysterious. the sisters were third year high school students, while the brothers were second years. the series followed random happenings in their everyday life, both in school and at home.

with only 5 minutes every episode, the series was a short one. there were little plot as the story was based on daily happenings to elaborate on. however, the simplicity was enough to have us laughing at their random punchlines and sometimes strange situations. while the characters barely stood out among one another, they were believable and reacted realistically as well, making the series fairly enjoyable to watch.

Ylvis: The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?) (2013)

the Ylvis was a comedy duo from Norway, formed by brothers Vegard and Bård Ylvisåker. the started their career as professional variety artists since 2000 and since then, had numerous highly successful shows, concerts, television shows, etc. in September 2013, their single "The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?)" went popular on YouTube, and brought the brothers to international attention. according to the brothers, there were currently no plans to release an album yet. the song held our attention the first time we heard it. the unique lyrics, the sentimental tune, was anything but compatible, yet it was the very reason that the song stood out all together, thanks to these combined elements.

Diabolik Lovers (2013)

Yui was a positive girl, but was troubled by having the ability to see spirits and experiencing otherworldly phenomena. due to her father's work, she was recently transferred to a new high school, a night school for entertainers and celebrities. it was rumored that vampires existed among the students. before Yui was able to react, she ended up living with 6 sadistic vampire brothers.

at first glance, the series felt like a typical paranormal romance between Yui and the vampire brothers. but in depth, each of these brothers felt differently yet similarly like humans. though they tend to tease Yui like a male harem genre would, they were rather gentlemen like vampires involved. in overall, the series was extremely beautiful to look at, alluring at times as character developments managed to draw out our emotions towards these vampires. Yui had to cope with living with them while figuring out why she was sent to live with them. at the same time, she couldn't stop her curiosity of wanting to know the brothers' history.

Want #2: Need (2013)

ever since he got caught sleeping with Julianne, his 17-year old piano student, Isaac hid from everyone he knew, even distancing himself from the piano he loved. guilt had been haunting him since the very day he abandoned Julianne and his loved ones when the truth was exposed. just when he decided to continue composing by following Uncle Robert's advise, his ex-girlfriend Heather showed up, unannounced and started pushing him to get things done around the house. the duo quickly reconnected, but their happiness were put on a halt when family secrets began pouring out of the casket.

having loved the first installment: Want (2012), i was pleased to find myself absolutely emerged in Need (2013). while the first book told its story from Julianne's point of view, the second took Isaac's. each of these characters had their own struggles, making them similar yet so different. i was surprised when Julianne wasn't the main female character of this book but Heather. fortunately she made a great character, interesting even feisty at some point, transforming into totally unexpected near the end. Isaac's growth was the most rewarding part of the book, not forgetting the numerous times the book successfully drew tears into my eyes.

Little Busters!: Refrain (2013) リトルバスターズ！～Refrain～

Riki and Rin had managed to form a complete team for the Little Busters baseball team. as they overcame their new members' internal conflicts along the way, they also slowly approached the Secret of the World.

despite being a sequel of the original Little Busters! (2012), this installment felt nothing like its first season. the animations and pace were improved, making the general atmosphere different in comparison. with the increasing mysteries, the series had gotten darker as well, which was unexpected for the seemingly lighthearted series like this. the flip had become its greatest attraction for this installment thus far, luring us along quite successfully.

The Naturals (2013)

Cassie was good at reading people, piecing together the tiniest details, she was able to tell who and what that person was like. it wasn't an ability she paid attention to since she had it since young. sometimes it annoyed her, but most of the time, it caused her to keep to herself. but things changed when she was approached by a FBI agent. she was invited to a classified program where they trained teenagers with special abilities to crack cold cases. in the house, she met with Michael who could read emotions, Lia who could detect lies, Sloan who was obsessed with statistics, and Dean who was like her, a profiler.

at first, the story felt like an introduction to Cassie's abilities and her involvements with the others Naturals, blending together with friendship and romance. but when they started to work on cold cases, things started to get intense. from discovering Dean's serial killer father, to being targeted by her mother's killer from 5 years ago. although each of the Naturals had such interesting abilities, it was a pity that there weren't enough time to elaborate of each of the characters. having knwon that none of them joined voluntarily like Cassie had me wanting to know more about them. fortunately chasing after Cassie's mother's killer was equally enjoyable if not predictable, thus making the experience worthwhile.