Manga Review: Bleach, Volume 66, by Tite Kubo

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: March 2016

Volumes: 74.

Spoilers?: No.

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

Sorry I Am Strong
Hitsugaya and Mayuri join the action as the war between the Soul Reapers and the Quincies continues. Meanwhile, Yhwach enters Reiokyu and faces off against the royal palace's defenders, Squad Zero!

Review:

I pretty much had no idea what was happening in this entire volume.

I haven't read or watched any of this series since the first 30 episodes, probably. So I'm extremely behind.

There's a ton of fighting. Fight after fight after fight. There's this weird sadistic-zombie girl who possibly gets shown up. Ichigo and his current group decide to go back out and fight some more, to do what they can and what they think is right. They're off to go save Ruka, because I guess she is still captured, after all this time. (Apparently Uryu is gone? Something happened with him? That makes me slightly curious?)

I just have very little interest in this series. I stopped watching it a long time ago, and at this point I just don't care to catch up with it.

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

Manga Review: Haven't You Heard...? I'm Sakamoto, Volume 1, by Sano Nami

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: Seven Seas

Release Date: August 2015

Volumes: 4.

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 2.

Goodreads Synopsis:

First year high school student Sakamoto isn't just cool, he's the coolest! Almost immediately after starting school, he began attracting everyone's attention. The girls love him, and most of the boys resent him. There's even a boy in the class who works as a model, but who is constantly upstaged by Sakamoto!

No matter what tricks the other boys try to play on him, Sakamoto always manages to foil them with ease and grace. Though Sakamoto may seem cool and aloof, he helps others when asked, such as in the case of the boy in his class who was being constantly bullied. No matter what difficulties Sakamoto encounters, he moves through his high school life with confidence and class!

Review:

This series is about Sakamoto. He’s a new kid at his high school, and everyone either admires him or hates him or wants to be him. Or a mix of the three.

He’s amazing at everything, and rather blasé about the whole thing. He has a “sword fight” with a bee. He saves a boy from bullying, all while leading him to his own conclusion. He gets help when there’s a fire, with no worries about the bullies he’s with, tricking them into helping. He tricks another bully into figuring out how to do things himself. When a bunch of girls start fighting over him, he pretends he’s possessed to get them to work together.

He’s the mastermind behind all of it, and yet he makes it look like he’s just along for the ride.

I enjoyed parts of this, and the artwork is very busy with lines and movement and intense faces. But it was also a little average to me, and the humor didn’t have me all that caught up. It was okay.

Manga Review: Forget Me Not, Volume 2, by Mag Hsu and Nao Emoto

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Kodansha Comics

Release Date: May 2016

Volumes: 7.

Spoilers?: Yes, with warning.

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

Volume: 1. 3.

Goodreads Synopsis:

AN EDUCATION IN LOVE

After helping his teacher Hermès overcome her stage fright, Serizawa has hope that love may someday blossom between them. But the dashing prince of the prep-school steps into the picture and may stand in the way of Serizawa’s relationship with Hermès. This prince-like boy says that he and Serizawa are two of a kind, but what does he mean by that and how does Hermès fit into everything?

Review:

I’m surprised by how much I enjoyed this volume, and how badly I want more.

We see how things conclude with the tutor in this volume, and it’s messy. He’s got a huge crush, and she’s got a boyfriend, not to mention their age/maturity difference. Things end on an okay note, because while he’s upset, he does what he can not to ruin things for her.

(Spoiler!) The surprise here, though, is that the male friend he makes at the cram school, also has a crush on him. This is handled very well, with a respectful response, and a solid friendship built. I was very happy to see this. (End Spoiler!)

Next, we meet two girls. The first one is always on the run, needing to get from one place to the next. She has an accent, she’s clumsy, she’s busy but also a lot of fun. Then the second one, who has a crush on Serizawa, and wants to go out with him. He doesn’t quite realize that he has two girls liking him, though. He’s a bit oblivious.

I hope things wrap up okay here, though. I’m really looking forward to reading the next one.

Teaser Tuesday[225]: Alice in Zombieland by Lewis Carroll and Nickolas Cook

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!

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

Alice in Zombieland by Lewis Carroll and Nickolas Cook, Illustrations by Sir John Tenniel and Brent Cardillo

Genre: Classic fairy-tale adaptation

Publisher: Sourcebooks

Release Date: 2009

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

 
"They were indeed a queer-looking party that assembled on the bank-the birds with draggled feathers, the animals with their fur clinging close to them, and all dripping wet, cross, and uncomfortable. All of them were covered in Alice's now cold and congealed blood, which made them even tastier looking to poor hungry Alice."

When little Alice follows the Black Rat down into the gaping darkness of an open grave, she falls and falls. And soon finds herself in an undead nightmare of rotting flesh and insanity. Venturing further into this land of zombies and monsters, she encounters characters both creepy and madcap along the way. But there's something else troubling poor Alice: her skin is rotting and her hair is falling out. She's cold. And she has the haunting feeling that if she remains in Zombieland any longer, she might never leave.

Can Alice escape Zombieland before the Dead Red Queen catches up to her?

Excerpt:

“'I speak severely to my boy,

I beat him when he sneezes;

For he can thoroughly enjoy

The pepper when he pleases!'” (Paperback, pg. 103)

Just in time for Halloween, I suppose!

What are you reading right now?

Manga Review: Love at Fourteen, Volume 5, by Fuka Mizutani

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Yen Press

Release Date: February 2016

Volumes: 6+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 4. 6.

Goodreads Synopsis:

On the heels of the sports festival comes the biggest middle school event yet--the school field trip! But before Kazuki and Kanata can worry about keeping up appearances in Kyoto, they'll have to pass their midterms. Unfortunately, Kazuki's math skills don't stand up to his mature, model-student appearance, so when he finds himself in a mathematical midterm pinch, he asks for a favor from none other than...Shiki-san?!

Review:

Even though Kanata and Kazuki pretend as hard as possible to be mature in front of their classmates, sometimes they have to do that with each other, too. As we see when Kazuki is too embarrassed to admit he’s not understanding math, and has to sneak around to get tutoring.

This is adorable, really. And it leads to Kanata going out with Shiki for a day, and Kazuki hanging out with Nagai. I love these odd friendships they’ve all formed. Kazuki and Nagai are real friends, even if they don’t realize it. And I appreciate that Shiki’s crush on Kanata is acknowledged as a real thing, even if Kanata doesn’t know about it.

The class goes on a school trip, and Kanata and Kazuki are forced to help plan it, but luckily they’re in a group together. This causes a lot of fun and adorable moments, like when the two start sneaking pictures at each other. There’s a real moment of emotion, though, when Nagai goes missing and the teacher freaks out when she finally finds him. It’s rather sweet, honestly.

We meet a new character in this volume, who has a crush on a teacher, and see a little more of the pair in unrequited love with other people.

A new volume of this series is always a delight, which is good given it’s going to be a while for the next one.

Manga Review: Say I Love You, Volume 13, by Kanae Hazuki

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: Kodansha Comics

Release Date: April 2016

Volumes: 17+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 12. 14.

Goodreads Synopsis:

MEGUMI À LA MODE Graduation is only a few months away and Mei and Yamato have both found their future careers. Mei has decided to go into childcare and Yamato will become a professional photographer. But not everyone has found their place. Megumi uses the summer break to travel to Paris in an attempt to make it as an international model, but she quickly discovers that she doesn’t have the same appeal as she does back home. Megumi will do anything it takes to break into the industry, but she may have to rely on local help to overcome the many hurdles that stand in her way...

Review:

A large part of this volume focuses on Megumi, and I’m really quite interested in what she’s doing. She’s abroad in France now, and it’s not working quite as well as she thought. Most companies just aren’t that interested in an Asian model, and so she’s having a hard time finding work. She doesn’t stop trying, though, looking everywhere that she can, going out every day, even trying more desperate tactics when she has to.

I respect Megumi here, with how hard she works for it. I actually wanted more of her, for once.

Then there’s Kai and Rin. Rin has a huge crush on him, and he agrees to give it a try. But that’s clearly not going to work for long, especially when he feels so bad for not liking her in the same way. I’m interested to see what happens there when Megumi comes back, because I really see something happening there. I’m honestly excited for it.

We also saw a bit of Mei and Yamato here, of course. They’re slowly going forward in their career decisions, and Yamato is learning and experimenting with his camera. It looks like we might get a cute date between them next time.

This series is always fun to read, and I’m always looking forward to the next one.

Manga Review: The Demon Prince of Momochi House, Volume 6, by Aya Shouoto

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: Shojo Beat (VIZ Media)

Release Date: October 4, 2016

Volumes: 9+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 5. 7.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Himari Momochi inherits a mysterious house that comes with its own gorgeous demon guardian.

On her sixteenth birthday, orphan Himari Momochi inherits her ancestral estate that she’s never seen. Momochi House exists on the barrier between the human and spiritual realms, and Himari is meant to act as guardian between the two worlds. But on the day she moves in, she finds three handsome squatters already living in the house, and one seems to have already taken over her role!

Himari Momochi inherits Momochi House, an estate which exists on the barrier between the human and spiritual realms. Himari is still coming to terms with Aoi’s rejection of her love confession when Takamura Nachi, the Classical Literature teacher, shows her a mirror that is said to reflect the true feelings of its beholder…

Review:

After that last cliffhanger, it's no surprise that Himari is bummed out, though Aoi is acting perfectly normal. Realizing why Aoi responded the way he did is only more sad than anything, though a bit annoying.

We meet a new character in this volume, a teacher, and he's got an interest in ghost stories. Particularly the Momochi house yokai stories, though Himari does her best to brush him off and mislead him. There are a few new yokai and cursed item chapters throughout, including a yokai who's like a mother to Aoi but dislikes Himari no matter how nice and helpful she is, but mostly they're making Himari reflect on what's happening, and what she needs to do to fix things.

Then there's that new cliffhanger, involved in the teacher, that is sure to be intriguing. I'm also interested in how it's hinted at Aoi being remembered by old classmates and friends, particularly that Himari wants Hayato and Aoi to meet again. I'm sure that's going to connect with her figuring out how to get him out of the Momochi house, so I'm looking forward to that progressing.

This is a fun series, more thoughtful and plot-moving than I expected. I still find Aoi adorable, and I am still reading.

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

Teaser Tuesday[224]: Ink and Bone (The Great Library, #1) by Rachel Caine

 

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!

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

Ink and Bone (The Great Library, #1) by Rachel Caine

Genre: YA Fantasy, Romance

Publisher: NAL

Release Date: July 2015

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

Wishlist Thursday.

Goodreads Synopsis:

In an exhilarating new series, New York Times bestselling author Rachel Caine rewrites history, creating a dangerous world where the Great Library of Alexandria has survived the test of time.…

Ruthless and supremely powerful, the Great Library is now a presence in every major city, governing the flow of knowledge to the masses. Alchemy allows the Library to deliver the content of the greatest works of history instantly—but the personal ownership of books is expressly forbidden.

Jess Brightwell believes in the value of the Library, but the majority of his knowledge comes from illegal books obtained by his family, who are involved in the thriving black market. Jess has been sent to be his family’s spy, but his loyalties are tested in the final months of his training to enter the Library’s service.

When he inadvertently commits heresy by creating a device that could change the world, Jess discovers that those who control the Great Library believe that knowledge is more valuable than any human life—and soon both heretics and books will burn.…

Excerpt:

“'Go. I promise not to get out of bed until morning.'” (Paperback, pg. 116)

What are you reading?

Manga Review: Magi: The Labrynth of Magic, Volume 19, by Shinobu Ohtaka

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: Shonen Sunday (VIZ Media)

Release Date: August 9, 2016

Volumes: 30+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 17. 20.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Deep within the desert lie the mysterious Dungeons, vast stores of riches there for the taking by anyone lucky enough to find them and brave enough to venture into the depths from where few have ever returned. Plucky young adventurer Aladdin means to find the Dungeons and their riches, but Aladdin may be just as mysterious as the treasures he seeks.

Magomett, the leader of Magnoshutatt, learns that the Kou Empire plans to attack while the city is weak from fighting against Leam. In desperation, he uses the Magoi Reactor to create a terrifying blackness in the sky. The very essence of the world is now threatened and Aladdin must summon his most powerful allies to try to stop it!

Review:

I've missed a few volumes, but it looks like we're still with the wizards, and their leader, only things have gotten more complicated and more dire. Now he's ruling over more than one group, has access to others, and needs to make a decision to save them. But he's very clearly biased heavily toward the wizards.

There's some backstory to what made him this way, as well as a few sweet moments between the main cast, and some truth reveals. Quite of bit of fighting and djinn stuff going on as well. And then we reach the end, with a group of members showing up, and clearly more is going to go down before this plot gets concluded.

If I were following this series more, I know this would be a lot more enjoyable. I'm having a hard time with this purely because I have no idea what's going on, and little idea of who any of the characters are. I should definitely read through the series, though.

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

Manga Review: Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches, Volume 8, by Miki Yoshikawa

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Kodansha Comics

Release Date: May 2016

Volumes: 25+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 7. 9.

Goodreads Synopsis:

"A RACE TO REMEMBER The race to find the seventh witch—and decide the next student council president—is coming to a close, and everyone has something to lose. Yamada and the Supernatural Studies Club must use body-switching trickery to outwit Tamaki’s invisibility power if they want to win. Finding the last witch means protecting Shiraishi, but Leona Miyamura reveals a secret about this ""special"" witch that makes the game even riskier! Can Yamada save Shiraishi even if it means losing the friendships he holds most dear?"

Review:

In the first half, Yamada and the group have to take their information and hunt for more clues to find out who the seventh witch is. And then he finds out. And it comes with a surprising twist.

This isn’t a plot that I expected to come up, and it’s an interesting development. I don’t mind these kinds of plots, and I think it’s done particularly neat in this series. I like how Yamada reacts, in particular, how he just goes along with it and tries to accept it without fighting. The way it leads to that cliffhanger is especially nice, in my opinion.

Very vague, but I’m liking where this is going. I’m interested to see how he fixes things, and how they’re going to go around it next time. I can’t wait to start the next one.

Manga Review: Everyone's Getting Married, Volume 2, by Izumi Miyazono

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Shojo Beat (VIZ Media)

Release Date: September 6, 2016

Volumes: 5+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 3.

Goodreads Synopsis:

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 Ryu Nanami, the popular newscaster at PTV. 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. Asuka and Ryu know this about each other and have started a relationship anyway, but can their new love overcome their differences?

Review:

I can’t believe how much I’m loving this series so far, and it’s just started.

Asuka and Ryu have started dating, because they love each other even though they want different things in a relationship. In this volume, they’re getting settled into the relationship, and having trouble finding the time for each other. They have some troubles, and Asuka wants to take things a little slower than Ryu does, at first at least.

It’s surprisingly hot, several scenes in this volume. But even during that, they’re sweet together, and I love seeing their relationship grow. I like that we get equal time with each character, and get to see from both of their sides. The humor is nice, and not very exaggerated. It’s realistic, and relatable.

I am quite loving this series, and can’t wait for the next volume.

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

Teaser Tuesday[223]: Furthermore by Tahereh Mafi

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!

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

Furthermore by Tahereh Mafi

Genre: MG Paranormal

Publisher: Dutton (Penguin Random House)

Release Date: August 30, 2016

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

Wishlist Thursday.

Goodreads Synopsis:

The bestselling author of the Shatter Me series takes readers beyond the limits of their imagination in this captivating new middle grade adventure where color is currency, adventure is inevitable, and friendship is found in the most unexpected places.

There are only three things that matter to twelve-year-old Alice Alexis Queensmeadow: Mother, who wouldn't miss her; magic and color, which seem to elude her; and Father, who always loved her. The day Father disappears from Ferenwood he takes nothing but a ruler with him. But it's been almost three years since then, and Alice is determined to find him. She loves her father even more than she loves adventure, and she's about to embark on one to find the other.

But bringing Father home is no small matter. In order to find him she'll have to travel through the mythical, dangerous land of Furthermore, where down can be up, paper is alive, and left can be both right and very, very wrong. Her only companion is a boy named Oliver whose own magical ability is based in lies and deceit--and with a liar by her side in a land where nothing is as it seems, it will take all of Alice's wits (and every limb she's got) to find Father and return home to Ferenwood in one piece. On her quest to find Father, Alice must first find herself--and hold fast to the magic of love in the face of loss.

Excerpt:

“They would all perform. All eighty-six of them.” (Hardback, pg. 90)

What are you reading?

Manga Review: World Trigger, Volume 9, by Daisuke Ashihara

Rating (Out of 5): ~2.5-3

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: March 2016

Volumes: 16+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 3. 10.

Goodreads Synopsis:

 Destroy thy Neighbor! A gate to another dimension has burst open, and invincible monsters called Neighbors invade Earth. Osamu Mikumo may not be the best among the elite warriors who co-opt other-dimensional technology to fight back, but along with his Neighbor friend Yuma, he’ll do whatever it takes to defend life on Earth as we know it.

Osamu has less than sixteen minutes to safely deliver Chika, who’s been cubified, to HQ. Will Osamu make it in time or will the crossroads Jin has foreseen lead to the worst possible outcome for everyone?

Review:

I've missed several volumes, and it's obvious. Now the gang is in the middle of some huge fight, and people have been turned into cubes (what?), and there are two or three sides that are competing to reach an area or prevent the other from reaching it.

I'm mostly confused by what's happening.

I vaguely remember the three main characters, but one of them is now a cube and the others are trying to save her. There are several actions scenes throughout this volume, and I didn't particularly care about that. I don't know who the enemies are, or why they're fighting each other.

This might be more enjoyable if I had been following, but I mostly don't think this is my kind of series.

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