Manga Review: Tokyo Ghoul, Volume 8, by Sui Ishida

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: VIZ Signature (VIZ Media)

Release Date: August 2016

Volumes: 14.

Spoilers?: Light.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository.

Volume: 1. 7. 9.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Ghouls live among us, the same as normal people in every way-except their craving for human flesh. Ken Kaneki is an ordinary college student until a violent encounter turns him into the first half-human half-ghoul hybrid. Trapped between two worlds, he must survive Ghoul turf wars, learn more about Ghoul society and master his new powers.

The newly awakened Kaneki unleashes his monstrous strength to protect his friend Touka and finds himself irrevocably changed. Kaneki sets out on his own, determined to find out the truth behind what's happening to him--and what the Aogiri Tree organization actually is.

Review:

Touka and Ayato's childhood is shown for the first time. We see what happened to their mother and father, how they ended up on their own, what kind of parenting they experienced. How they kind of stuck together when they could, and yet how they separated on such bad terms. Throughout this, we see Ayato beating Touka horribly in the present.

Ugh, it's awful to watch.

We actually see less of Kaneki for most of this volume, until he steps in and fights Ayato. And Kaneki is badass now. That torture has changed him completely, and it's rather fascinating. He separates from everyone at the end of the volume, and I'm interested to see where he's planning to go next. It's a sad parting with Touka, though.

This series is really hard to take at times, it is so violent; and yet I just can't stop.

Manga Review: So Cute It Hurts!!, Volume 7, by Go Ikeyamada

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: Shojo Beat (VIZ Media)

Release Date: June 2016

Volumes: 15.

Spoilers?: Light.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository.

Volume: 1. 6. 8.

Goodreads Synopsis:

The Kobayashi twins, Megumu and Mitsuru, were named after historical figures, but only Megumu has grown up with a taste for history. So when Mitsuru is in danger of losing his weekends to extra history classes, he convinces his sister to swap clothes with him and ace his tests! After all, how hard can it be for them to play each other?

Megumu has once again switched places with her brother, just in time to encounter Akechi’s newest student—the angry guy she met in the park! Chiharu Uesugi knows something about Aoi’s past, and seems determined to take him down. Megumu wants to protect her boyfriend, but will she be able to foil whatever nefarious plan Uesugi has cooked up when he blackmails her into a date?!

Review:

So. This volume went downhill for me.

Mego is so determined to protect Aoi, that when Uesugi blackmails her to go on a date with him, she falls for it. I do have to give her props, in that she does what she can to be unappealing and to annoy him, even if it is superficial. She even challenges him to a fight.

I also appreciate that, even if it super annoys me that he immediately forced her to change and look pretty, there isn't any real cheating here. Mego is still devoted to Aoi at all times, even endangering herself to save his gift. That was still dumb of her, but okay. Then there's the cliffhanger, and Uesugi's cruel intentions, though I'm doubtful of his real intentions actually being bad.

There were some dumb decisions in this volume, and it definitely wasn't a favorite for me. Still reading.

Manga Review: Toriko, Volume 36, by Mitsutoshi Shimabukuro

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: November 1, 2016

Volumes: 43.

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository.

Volume: 1. 35. 37.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Toriko is a Gourmet Hunter out to eat the world!

In a savage world ruled by the pursuit of the most delicious foods, it's either eat or be eaten! While searching for the tastiest foods imaginable, Gourmet Hunter Toriko travels the world with his bottomless stomach, facing every beast in his way.

The double-sided drop has plopped and Toriko and the gang drink deep from the fruit of their efforts—they finally get to taste Pair! The party is cut short when the real Kaka appears before them and reveals the turmoil boiling under the surface. The gang must continue on and capture the rest of Acacia's Full Course before the Gourmet Eclipse...which is only one month away!

Review:

This series is seriously weird.

We see the group changed genders still for a bit in this volume. We meet a bunch of new, really odd food-related monsters. There's a history lesson about what happened to the beginning of their world, and what it really is.

The group splits up to go get the final parts of the full course faster. They fight a bunch of different creatures on the way.

I really don't understand what's happening in this series, at any time. If I really think about it, I don't get it at all. It's just so weird. But the volumes aren't hard to read, and usually they're actually kind of fun. I don't get it, but I don't mind it, and I can see the appeal for sure.

A review copy was provided by the publisher, VIZ Media, for an honest review. Thank you so, so much!

Teaser Tuesday[232]: Shackled by Tom Leveen

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

-----------------------------------------------

Shackled by Tom Leveen

Genre: YA Contemporary

Publisher: Simon Pulse (Simon & Schuster)

Release Date: August 2015

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository.

Goodreads Synopsis:

From author Tom Leveen comes a taut, suspenseful novel about a girl’s abduction that leaves her best friend emotionally paralyzed, until a chance encounter points her toward the truth…and a terrifying new danger.

Sixteen-year-old Pelly has a master plan. After years of therapy, medication, and even a stint in a mental hospital, she’s finally ready to re-enter the world of the living. Pelly has been suffering from severe panic attacks ever since her best friend, Tara, disappeared from a mall six years ago.

And her plan seems to be working, until an unkempt girl accompanied by an older man walks into the coffee shop where she works. Pelly thinks she’s seen a ghost, until the girl mouths “help me” on the way out, and Pelly knows she’s just seen Tara.

Too shocked to do anything, Pelly helplessly watches Tara slip away again as she steels herself against a renewed spiral of crippling anxiety. But rather than being overcome by anxiety, Pelly feels more energized than she has in years. Determined to track down enough evidence to force the police to reopen Tara’s file, Pelly’s master plan takes a turn for the dangerous.

Pelly decides she cannot be shackled by her past—and the anxiety, fear, and grief that comes with it—any longer if she wants to save Tara. But in seeking answers through whatever means necessary, she’ll come face-to-face with true evil. And not all the shackles are in her head...

Excerpt:

“ 'Tonight?' I said, but it was only a squeak. I cleared my throat. 'Tonight,' I said again. 'Um. Sure. Okay.'

I had to do it sometime.” (Hardback, pg. 78)

What are you reading?

Manga Review: Black Clover, Volume 4, by Yuki Tabata

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: December 6, 2016

Volumes: 9+

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository.

Volume: 1. 3. 5.

Goodreads Synopsis:

In a world of magic, Asta, a boy with anti-magic powers, will do whatever it takes to become the Wizard King!


Asta is a young boy who dreams of becoming the greatest mage in the kingdom. Only one problem—he can't use any magic! Luckily for Asta, he receives the incredibly rare five-leaf clover grimoire that gives him the power of anti-magic. Can someone who can't use magic really become the Wizard King? One thing's for sure—Asta will never give up!

The Clover Kingdom is under attack by a mysterious mage who can control zombies! The greatest Magic Knights have come together to protect the kingdom and Asta's caught in the middle of the ferocious battle!

Review:

The big fight in the middle of town continues through this volume. Everyone is split up and fighting someone else somewhere else in town. At one point several of the good guys (supposedly) get transported outside of town. Asta is trying to protect a little girl, and continues to surprise people with his anti-magic power.

There's a nice point where we see development in Yuno's power. We're only getting real glimpses of him in comparison to Asta, but I like Yuno. Those two are similar in odd ways. There's also a scene between Yuno and Charmy, the “little” girl who is obsessed with food. It was a fantastic scene, too.

And then we end on a cliffhanger.

I am enjoying this series, oddly enough. It's pretty typical shonen, nothing new or surprising, and it could use some work at times. But the pace and the characters are getting better as the series goes. It's fun to read.

A review copy was provided by the publisher, VIZ Media, for an honest review. Thank you so, so much!

Manga Review: Tokyo Ghoul, Volume 7, by Sui Ishida

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: VIZ Signature (VIZ Media)

Release Date: June 2016

Volumes: 14.

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository.

Volume: 1. 6. 8.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Ghouls live among us, the same as normal people in every way-except their craving for human flesh. Ken Kaneki is an ordinary college student until a violent encounter turns him into the first half-human half-ghoul hybrid. Trapped between two worlds, he must survive Ghoul turf wars, learn more about Ghoul society and master his new powers.

Kaneki is captured and then tortured by Yamori, one of Aogiri Tree organization's most sadistic members. To survive the interrogation, Kaneki will have to finally surrender to the Ghoul inside him, but if he does, it will change him permanently and push him even further away from being human.

Review:

It had been so long since I'd read the last volume, that I forgot what was happening in the series. And then I started the volume and immediately remembered.

God, this series is horrifying.

Kaneki is still held captive, and he's being tortured horribly, endlessly, by Yamori. None of the group back home has any idea what has happened to him, but they know where he is, and have decided to go on a mission to save him.

The things that Kaneki goes through in this volume... And the ways his mind twists and breaks and how he comes out... It's horrifying and so harshly done. It's uneasy to watch, all of it.

Meanwhile, Juzo is running around killing people and ghouls and having a fun time of it. Juzo is a terrifying character all on his own.

This series is so very graphic and violent and awful. I'd forgotten how bad it was, and it's really only getting worse the further it goes. I'm really intrigued to read the next one and get caught up with it. I can't wait to see how this changes Kaneki in the long run.

Manga Review: So Cute It Hurts!!, Volume 6, by Go Ikeyamada

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: Shojo Beat (VIZ Media)

Release Date: April 2016

Volumes: 15.

Spoilers?: Light.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository.

Volume: 1. 5. 7.

Goodreads Synopsis:

The Kobayashi twins, Megumu and Mitsuru, were named after historical figures, but only Megumu has grown up with a taste for history. So when Mitsuru is in danger of losing his weekends to extra history classes, he convinces his sister to swap clothes with him and ace his tests! After all, how hard can it be for them to play each other?

Megumu is considering a career as a manga artist, but as Mitsuru so helpfully points out, her drawing skills could use a lot of improvement. That doesn’t dim her enthusiasm, and she vows to practice drawing every day. But her first sketching session in a park is interrupted by an intense young man who goes ballistic when he sees the portrait of Aoi in her sketchbook! Who is this stranger, and why does he want to destroy her boyfriend?!

Review:

I don't love this series. I just don't.

There's some real cuteness between Mego and Aoi in the beginning. We get a glimpse of Mitsuru and Azusa's relationship, and how it's slowly growing for each of them. Azusa is getting bullied, and Misturu steps in protectively, at the same time that Mego wants to be there to protect Aoi, so they switch again.

The major point here, though, is that there's a new character. And he has a vendetta against Aoi. He pursues Mego at first, to get to Aoi, and she doesn't take that quite so well.

There's good and bad with this series. It is still ringing at high and low moments in every volume, just enough that I don't quite mind reading more but I'm not loving it. I just want it to get better.

Manga Review: Requiem of the Rose King, Volume 5, by Aya Kanno

Rating (Out of 5): ~4-4.5

Publisher: VIZ Media

Release Date: November 8, 2016

Volumes: 6+

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository.

Volume: 1. 4. 6.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Based on an early draft of Shakespeare’s Richard III, Aya Kanno’s dark fantasy finds the man who could be king standing between worlds, between classes, between good and evil.

Richard, the ambitious third son of the House of York, believes he is cursed, damned from birth to eternal darkness. But is it truly fate that sets him on the path to personal destruction? Or his own tormented longings? Based on an early draft of Shakespeare’s Richard III, Aya Kanno’s dark fantasy finds the man who could be king standing between worlds, between classes, between good and evil.

Chaos reigns over the houses of both York and Lancaster as they grapple for the throne. No sooner does the advantage seem to favor one over the other than the tide abruptly turns. And once again, it is Richard who must bear the brunt of another vicious sea change.

Review:

 A new volume of this series is always a surprise, and always a delight, oddly enough.

Edward and George both badly want the crown, and they're both so very close. But it's ultimately up to Warwick, as he's the one manipulating everything to get his way. By the end of the volume, Edward seems to have the upper hand again, and George feels scorned.

It's odd how Edward and Anne both want Richard so badly, and have somehow ended up together, though.

Richard is pretty much doing her own thing through all this. Quietly fighting through everything to free King Edward, with Catesby following along the entire time.

I really like Catesby. I want an entire plot line to follow Catesby, because I want to know more about him. It's weird how much I enjoy seeing him, every time he shows up to help Richard.

Similar to a few volumes ago, Richard and Henry stumble across each other. And it's so... it's heartbreaking and so very sweet at the same time. I really quite love them. It's interesting to see how Henry reacts when a woman hits on him, and then how Richard reacts upon seeing this and realizing her own conflicting feeling about both Henry and her gender.

This series is seriously just so good. Utterly amazing, so well written and thought out and paced and everything about it. And it's so freakin' pretty. I love it, and am always eager for another. Even with the long time between releases, I am always happy for a new one, and don't seem to forget what's happened. It's better every time.

 
A review copy was provided by the publisher, VIZ Media, for an honest review. Thank you so, so much!

Teaser Tuesday[231]: We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

---------------------------------------------------

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

Genre: YA Contemporary

Publisher: Delacorte Press (Random House)

Release Date: 2014

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository.

Goodreads Synopsis:

A beautiful and distinguished family.
A private island.
A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy.
A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive.
A revolution. An accident. A secret.
Lies upon lies.
True love.
The truth.

We Were Liars is a modern, sophisticated suspense novel from New York Times bestselling author, National Book Award finalist, and Printz Award honoree E. Lockhart.

Read it.

And if anyone asks you how it ends, just LIE.

 

Excerpt:

“'I'm not supposed to talk about you ending up in the water and everything,' says Will.” (Hardback, pg. 92)

What are you reading?

Manga Review: Blue Exorcist, Volume 16, by Kazue Kato

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Shonen Jump Advanced (VIZ Media)

Release Date: December 6, 2016

Volumes: 17+

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository.

Volume: 1. 15. 17.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Rin Okumura and the exorcist students of True Cross Academy are caught up in a secret war to save the world from the forces of darkness.


Raised by Father Fujimoto, a famous exorcist, Rin Okumura never knew his real father. One day a fateful argument with Father Fujimoto forces Rin to face a terrible truth – the blood of the demon lord Satan runs in Rin’s veins! Rin swears to defeat Satan, but doing that means entering the mysterious True Cross Academy and becoming an exorcist himself.

The surge of demonic activity around the world has the highest levels of the Knights of the True Cross worried. An important meeting at the Vatican will have serious effects on the lives of Rin and his Exwire friends. Back at True Cross Academy, the students get a sense that something is brewing with the arrival of an unexpected and definitely unconventional new instructor! Meanwhile, Yukio struggles to understand the strange fire in his eyes, a fire he has kept secret from everyone. Can he confront the flames inside him alone or will it consume him?

Review:

It's been a while since the last volume.

Everyone is going through something in this volume. Everyone is still getting used to having Shima around again, with his new status. It's really weird how normal they're mostly acting with him, after everything.

Bon is trying to step up his skills, and becomes Lightning's apprentice, though he ends up being more a manager or assistant than anything, it seems. Yukio is acting weird to everyone and disappearing a lot, because he's trying to figure out this demon part of himself. It's hard to watch him, and I wish he would start to confide a little in his friends or at least in Rin.

The most surprising to me, was the scene between Rin and Shiemi. There's kind of, maybe, a confession here? And innocent Shiemi just has no idea how to handle it. I feel bad for Rin, a little, because I'm not sure that she's ever thought of him like that, if she's even thought of Yukio in that specific way. Poor guy.

This series is always fun to read. I should probably give the anime a try as well.

On a side note, just a funny story that I have. I brought this book to work with me, not thinking anything of it. And a friend looked it over and noticed the bath scene it has in it. He accused me of bringing a “sexy” book with me to read at work. It was hilarious to me, because this is quite an innocent book in that way. It has a normal shonen-y bath scene in it, that's all. No sexy stuff here.

 
A review copy was provided by the publisher, VIZ Media, for an honest review. Thank you so, so much!

Manga Review: Bloody Mary, Volume 4, by Akaza Samamiya

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: Shojo Beat (VIZ Media)

Release Date: September 2016

Volumes: 8+

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository.

Volume: 1. 3. 5.

Goodreads Synopsis:

"Bloody" Mary, a vampire with a death wish, has spent the past 400 years chasing down a modern-day exorcist named Maria who is thought to have inherited "The Blood of Maria" and is the only one who can kill Mary. To Mary's dismay, Maria doesn't know how to kill vampires. Desperate to die, Mary agrees to become Maria's bodyguard until Maria can find a way to kill him.

Another “Mary” who resides within Mary turns out to be the one who killed Maria’s father, Yusei. In search of why his father had to die, Maria tries to get in contact with “Mary” but is unsuccessful. In the meantime, a mysterious man pays a visit to Maria and reveals how Maria’s mother first met Yusei and provides crucial information about Maria’s family lineage.

Review:

We meet Maria's uncle in this volume, and thus sets off a backstory of Maria's mother and father. We get more information on what happened, and who Yzak is and what he's doing.

We see Mary still dealing with his bloodlust, and Maria trying to understand what his family has done and what they're doing now. There are also some serious bromance moments between the two, and I could really feel the yaoi vibe. It was real in that church scene.

I'm surprised that this series is actually getting more interesting the more I read of it. I'm not in love with it, but it's not so jumbled anymore, it's actually making sense and causing me to be intrigued. I'm wondering what's going to happen with Maria's family next. I am definitely curious by Mary, though, and I want to know more about him and his backstory. 

A review copy was provided by the publisher, VIZ Media, for an honest review. Thank you so, so much!

Manga Review: Noragami: Stray God, Volume 16, by Adachitoka

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Kodansha Comics

Release Date: July 2016

Volumes: 17+

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository.

Volume: 1. 15. 17.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Now that Bishamon has found the legendary blessed vessel, she has one objective: to destroy the crafter once and for all. But freeing such a dangerous shinki is an act of high treason against the Heavens. Can she accomplish her goal before the execution squad comes for her?

Review:

Bishamon is out on her mission, not letting anyone know of her plans, even though her shinki want to help her. It leaves them feeling helpless, and Kazuma can't stand it when the gods decide that she's committing treason.

Yatogami is doing what he can, in the mean time, and Hiyori is feeling left out and helpless on her own. And then there's the Stray and Yato's father, working in the background, trying to mess things up. The shinki that Bishamon has found has her own agenda, as well.

I've fallen a little behind in this series, but I'm still obsessed. I love everything about it, and I can't wait to get my hands on the next one.

I love the little glimpses of humor, among all the major drama that's happening right now. Like Ebisu wanting money to rule all, and Kofuku getting drunk. The small moments of true caring are important, too; I like seeing how much Kazuma cares for Bishamon, and how even Hiyori wants to help her.

Manga Review: Everyone's Getting Married, Volume 3, by Izumi Miyazono

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Shojo Beat (VIZ Media)

Release Date: December 6, 2016

Volumes: 5+

Spoilers?: Some.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository.

Volume: 1. 2. 4.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Opposites attract—but do they get married?! A contemporary adult romance about a couple who can’t agree on what their happy ending should be.


Successful career woman Asuka Takanashi has an old-fashioned dream of getting married and becoming a housewife. After her long-term boyfriend breaks up with her to pursue his own career goals, she encounters popular newscaster Ryu Nanami. Asuka and Ryu get along well, but the last thing he wants is to ever get married. This levelheaded pair who want the opposite things in life should never get involved, except…

Successful career woman Asuka Takanashi has an old-fashioned dream of getting married and becoming a housewife, but popular TV newscaster Ryu Nanami would rather die than ever get married. Ryu’s work brings Yuko Sakura—the married woman he had an affair with before he met Asuka—back into his life. Is she the reason Ryu will never marry?

Review:

This is the josei manga I've been wanting them to publish all along. I love it.

We get some third party interruptions in this volume. Ryu runs into his ex again, and there's rumors about them, and conflicting emotions inside him regarding her. She's a mess and he's being pushed to help her, while at the same time trying to stay true to Asuka.

Asuka, on the other hand, has been proposed to by a man who wants the same things as her—for her to be a homemaker, married with a husband. It's making her reconsider her real feelings behind wanting to be married and be a homemaker, and if it really is about a specific guy or not.

It's interesting to see their conflicts about what's happening, their insecurities, and the ways that they find comfort in each other, even in just holding each other. It's heartwarming, honestly, and really sweet to see it.

I love the maturity in all of this. Everything is handled with real thought and consideration, no freaking out for no reason and making rash, mindless decisions.

I just want more books like this, and more of this series in particular. I get excited every time a new volume arrives.

A review copy was provided by the publisher, VIZ Media, for an honest review. Thank you so, so much!