Novel Review: Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Genre: YA Contemporary, Romance

Publisher: HarperCollins

Release Date: 2010

Spoilers?: Yes.

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

For popular high school senior Samantha Kingston, February 12—"Cupid Day"—should be one big party, a day of valentines and roses and the privileges that come with being at the top of the social pyramid. And it is…until she dies in a terrible accident that night.

However, she still wakes up the next morning. In fact, Sam lives the last day of her life seven times, until she realizes that by making even the slightest changes, she may hold more power than she ever imagined.

Before I Fall is now a major motion picture Zoey Deutch, Halston Sage, and Kian Lawley. Named to numerous state reading lists, the novel was also recognized as a Best Book of the Year by Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, The Daily Beast, NPR, and Publishers Weekly.

The Cover:

I really like this cover. It's simple, and shows a lot without being too obvious. It gives the right feel for the book, I think.

Review:

For some reason, I didn't expect this. I feel like, I should have heard more about that ending.

Sam is a very I'm-better-than-everyone kind of character in the beginning of this book, as she's part of the popular crowd, and she has fought her way to be there and learned from Lindsay that that's how she should act. But when her and her friends get in a car accident on the way home from a party one night, she wakes up and has to relive that day, over and over again. Slowly, she starts to learn that her actions have consequences, and sometimes she needs to think about someone other than herself.

I didn't realize this was going to be a martyr story, with a religious influence. I will say that the religious part isn't apparent for most of the story, aside from the reason behind that ending. I will admit that, in a way, it makes sense. She had to learn to sacrifice herself, for other people, for a purpose. But also... it just makes me so unhappy. I don't like that ending, not one bit. It just seems so unfair, and it makes me sad for all of them. It also makes me wonder if it was worth it, because will the other characters actually change and be better after that? Will it have mattered?

I liked the friendships she kind of formed along the way, on some of her tries. I really liked her family, they were awesome. I feel like I wanted to get to know Elody more, see her story and how she grows. And I loved Kent. I loved Kent a whole lot and that ending just makes me so sad for him, and I just wanted to reach in and hug him. He's such a sweetheart. I loved how he wanted to be her hero, that's just the sweetest thing in the world.

I was impressed by the complexity of her friends. She's friends with the popular, mean girls of the school. Lindsay is the main one. They're harsh at times, they antagonize and bully people sometimes. There are a few characters whom they're particularly awful to, and it's only worse when we find out what started it. A main theme in the book is that sometimes you do something without thinking about it, without thinking that it will last and other people will follow, and that ends up being a defining moment that shouldn't have happened. But, despite these awful characteristics, we also see the good points in these girls. They're still best friends, and they have their moments, and they're still good to each other. Lindsay isn't a one-dimensional mean girl, she's also Sam's best friend. I was surprised by the complexity of this, and even after finishing the book, I appreciate that and remember it. You can want to hate the girls, but they're not evil, they're not all bad, or only bad.

This book gave me a lot of conflicting feelings, especially because of the ending. I both really liked this book, and really disliked it.

I'm just going to leave it at that, I think.

Manga Review: Natsume's Book of Friends, Volume 22, by Yuki Midorikawa

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Shojo Beat (VIZ Media)

Release Date: October 2018

Volumes: 23+

Spoilers?: Light/No.

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

Volume: 1. 21. 23.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Takashi Natsume has always been aware of the supernatural world, but after he inherits a magical book from his grandmother, the supernatural world is aware of him!

Takashi Natsume can see the spirits and demons that hide from the rest of humanity. He has always been set apart from other people because of his gift, drifting from relative to relative, never fitting in. Now he's a troubled high school student who has come to live in the small town where his grandmother grew up. And there he discovers that he has inherited more than just the Sight from the mysterious Reiko.

Natsume and his friends are visiting an old inn to see a yokai exhibition, but a sudden storm extends their visit into an overnight stay. All should be well, since the inn has a charmed door curtain that welcomes good spirits and keeps out the bad. But tonight of all nights, they forget to put it out! Can Natsume and his friends protect the inn without endangering the friendly local yokai?!

Review:

We explore a lot of other characters in this volume. We start with Natsume on a trip with Tanuma and Taki, who discover some yokai in a museum-like building. But after that, Nyanko-sensei stumbles upon a little boy for a chapter. Natsume's friend Nishimura starts seeing two Natsume's, without realizing one is a fake. It starts ominous, but it's never quite as bad as you'd think in this series. We also got a chapter with Reiko, how she formed a friendship and took some names in her notebook.

This series is subtle, soft, and thoughtful. It's easy and gentle, not too serious or dangerous, but a little ominous at times. We get to know other characters, and more about Natsume, in each volume, and I enjoy following him in this series. Natsume's a sweetheart. It's nice that we get to explore the side characters, and their relationship with Natsume, more as the series continues.

Manga Review: Red Riding Hood and the Big Sad Wolf!, Volume 1, by Hachoujou Arata

Rating (Out of 5): ~2.5

Publisher: Seven Seas

Release Date: 2017

Volumes: 2.

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 2.

Goodreads Synopsis:

A kind-hearted wolf's life is turned upside down when he encounters Red Riding Hood, a gleeful pyromaniac who burns his house down and then falls in love with him.

Review:

I had rather big hopes for this series. It sounded so good. And it had such potential.

We meet the sad wolf first, as red riding hood is burning down his house. This was awful of her, and then we learn that she's a cruel sadist. She's pissed off some hunters, who are mimics of each other, and quite awful at their one job. We also meet a crow and rabbit later in the volume.

I really like the idea of this, the role reversal of little red and the wolf. And even learning that she was a sadist didn't bother me. But then the volume just turned into stupid jokes, and picking on the wolf for the fun of it. It's just random harassment, and episodic chapters, when I expected something completely different.

By the end of the volume, I just wasn't really caring anymore. I'm disappointed.

Manga Review: After Hours, Volume 2, by Yuhta Nishio

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: VIZ Media

Release Date: June 2018

Volumes: 3.

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 3.

Goodreads Synopsis:

There’s always something going on at night. Sooner or later, you’ll find your scene.

Emi Ashiana is 24, unemployed and not really sure what she wants to do with her life. When a friend invites her to a dance club, Emi doesn’t expect much. But what she finds will change her world!

Review:

Kei's DJ group have agreed to put on this huge rave-like show, in which they set up everything. Kei and Emi get to figure out how to set up the venue and everything that goes with that.

Amidst all the party planning, there's also some relationship drama. Kei and Emi have been spending all of their time together, but they haven't made it official. And Emi hasn't tied up all of her other loose ends, either. They both have to make some decisions as they realize this, and confront each other about their feelings.

This volume didn't really hit me, I think. I just wasn't feeling it as much, though I'm not sure why. Kei is trying to plan everything and make sure it all goes well. Emi is trying to help, and also realizing that she needs to figure out her living situation for good.

I'm happy with how all of that turns out. Emi and Kei are sweet together, and even though it's rather fast, I think they're a good couple. The next volume is the last, and I look forward to seeing how it all goes.

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

Manga Review: Fruits Basket Another, Volume 2, by Natsuki Takaya

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: Yen Press

Release Date: November 2018

Volumes: 3+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Fan-favorite Fruits Basket is back with more Sohma-filled adventures! Except this time, it's set in the same world, years later. Find out more in this new volume!
School's no longer an endless pit of anxiety and solitary lunches for Sawa thanks to the Sohmas. She's joined the student council and made new friends who don't abandon her no matter how painfully awkward or useless she is-they don't even get angry when she screws up or starts blabbering gibberish! Though social interactions are still daunting, people don't seem to be as scary anymore-at least, until another Sohma appears?!

Review:

While I do like that Takaya has decided to visit this world again, I think this series is just not what people would like of a continuation. Because it's obvious that the characters are just a cheap imitation of the original cast. They're their kids, who all look very similar to their parents, and have the same kind of dynamic, and then we have an outside female protagonist with self-esteem issues. All of it is very familiar, and yet not as good.

We only get the ghost impressions of their parents, mentions and near-misses, but we never get to see them. And instead we're following their kids, and we get to see how the originals might have turned out, with a better upbringing. Which is the thing that makes these kids different—the original cast grew up and overcame things, and they learned how to be better people than their own parents. These kids have nice upbringings and an actually, healthily close family—for the most part, I believe.

We get to meet a few more characters in this volume—Ayame's kids, we get to see more of Momiji's kids and Hatori's, and then we meet Akira's son. There's an ominous shadow over everything, but I don't think it's leading to anything actually bad, this time.

This series is sweet, and I get it, but I honestly just want to see the original cast, all grown up and happy together. Thankfully this series is supposed to be short, at least.

Manga Review: Yotsuba&!, Volume 14, by Kiyohiko Azuma

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Yen Press

Release Date: November 2018

Volumes: 14+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 13.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Everyone's favorite green-haired five-year-old is back! And this time, Yotsuba's expanding her horizons by taking a trip to the big city with her dad! The giant amusement park of Tokyo--with all its trains to ride, neighborhoods to explore, and fancy lunches to eat--promises heartwarmingly hilarious adventures in this long-awaited volume!

Review:

These releases are rather slow, but it means that each new volume ends up being a surprise. I'm not expecting them, so they're a delightful surprise when they get here. This was a nice big volume, too.

Yotsuba figures out how to make necklaces as the volume starts, and then she decides that she's a princess. It's very cute, as she dresses up and expects people to automatically know (and some do). We meet Yotsuba's aunt in this volume, as they meet downtown in Yotsuba's dad's fancy car, and go to a fancy buffet to eat. She also sees aliens in the park.

I love the pure, simple, childish humor in this series. When Yotsuba decides something, or thinks somethings real, or asks questions, the people around her just go along with it, for the most part. They humor her, they tease her without her realizing, they have fun with it; and sometimes, they teach her things.

It's very sweet and adorable, and just such a delight. I love this series. It was also nice to meet a new character, to see more of Yotsuba's family.

Novel Review: To All the Boys I've Loved Before (To All the Boys I've Loved Before, #1) by Jenny Han

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Genre: YA Contemporary Romance, Drama

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Release Date: 2014

Spoilers?: No.

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

Lara Jeans love life gets complicated in this New York Times bestselling lovely, lighthearted romance SLJ from the New York Times bestselling author of The Summer I Turned Pretty series. What if all the crushes you ever had found out how you felt about them...all at once Sixteen-year-old Lara Jean Song keeps her love letters in a hatbox her mother gave her. They arent love letters that anyone else wrote for her these are ones shes written. One for every boy shes ever loved-five in all. When she writes, she pours out her heart and soul and says all the things she would never say in real life, because her letters are for her eyes only. Until the day her secret letters are mailed, and suddenly, Lara Jeans love life goes from imaginary to out of control.

The Cover:

I think the original covers are super cute. They show the teen aspect, and even the dreamy, light personality of Lara Jean, really well. It's not too dramatic or too focused on the romance/boys. It's cute and light, and caught my interest before I picked it up. These were even the covers I wanted, not the one from the movie--plus, I love how all three of them go together, without being too similar.

 

Review:

Now that the movie is out, I've finally decided I want to read this series. I've heard a lot of good things about it, ever since it was released, but for some reason I still didn't think I'd love it. It just sounded like a cute, probably dramatic, teen series. I was actually rather surprised by it.

We meet Lara Jean, and she's sweet, a bit innocent, a dreamer with a positive outlook on life. I really enjoyed her voice from the beginning. She's optimistic and has a good imagination, and even though she lies a bit too often, she has good intentions in the beginning.

It took a while for the letters to come out, and we actually didn't get to read all of them. It wasn't as dramatic of an event as I expected, either. Not everyone at school knows about them, only the people who got them, really. It wasn't any cause for bullying or anything like I expected. It actually ended up being kind of sweet for both parties.

Aside from the romance aspect, there was also a really good family atmosphere, and very realistic sister relationships, as well. Lara Jean and her sisters fight and push at each other, but they're also there for each other when they're needed.

Now, the romance. I will admit that I much prefer Josh. It was a little conflicting, but he's such a sweetheart, and I love his and Lara Jean's relationship, even if it was hard since he dated her sister. Instead of Josh, this focused a lot more on Peter. And Peter was okay. He grew on me a bit more by the middle of the book, and I do think he had good intentions and didn't quite know what he was doing that hurt Lara Jean so much, but I think things ended how they needed to, maybe.

I really like the concept of this series. The idea that she decided to write letters, just for herself, to the guys that she loved in a way to let go of them, was done in such a positive light. She wasn't hating on them, was honest about what she liked even while trying to make herself feel better about why it wouldn't work.

That ending felt like a conclusion to one part of the story, and I'm really curious about where it goes after this. I'm hooked, and I had a hard time stopping this book, so I'm excited to read the next one.

Manga Review: Yona of the Dawn, Volume 15, by Mizuho Kusanagi

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Shojo Beat (VIZ Media)

Release Date: December 2018

Volumes: 28+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 14. 16.

Goodreads Synopsis:

A red-haired princess loses her family and her kingdom… Now she must rise and fight for her throne!

Princess Yona lives an ideal life as the only princess of her kingdom. Doted on by her father, the king, and protected by her faithful guard Hak, she cherishes the time spent with the man she loves, Su-won. But everything changes on her 16th birthday when tragedy strikes her family!

A drug known as “nadai” has spread throughout the Water Tribe territory, so Yona and Riri, the daughter of the Water Tribe chief, are determined end this drug crisis. However, their task is an uphill battle, and they couldn’t have imagined the dangers that await them!

Review:

I'm so impressed by the quality of Kusanagi's work. Her earlier series were very good, with a lot of potential and usually good character development, but some were a little weak, and some of them had badly placed/too much humor for the plot. This series is so perfectly balanced, with on-key humor and plot, and such intense serious moments. And the characters are the best. Sometimes I think about this, and I'm just so impressed, and so happy about it. I just love this series so, so much.

Okay, anyway.

Yona is badly injured, but she continues to fight anyway. She stays strong, and it inspires Riri. The dragons and Hak, on the other hand, are extremely worried, and feel awful for not guarding her correctly. Yona, on the other hand, feels bad for not being stronger. It's a sad, touching moment, seeing them all struggle with this.

During the fight, though, Yona gets on the bad side of Hyo, the man behind all of this. But, while his pride is wounded and he wants her dead, they're all in search of him just as seriously. More so, even.

There's a surprising turn of events in the latter half of the volume, as we see Su-Won again. I really want to hate him, but he intrigues me, and then he does something good... I'm conflicted about him. But it's interesting to see him and Yona actually interacting; they are on very uneven ground with each other, but they also kind-of have an understanding. I'm curious about where that's going to go next. I'm also curious about Zeno—it's a little unclear what his power is, what his position and what he knows.

This series cannot come out fast enough. I need more.

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

Manga Review: Haikyu!!, Volume 28, by Haruichi Furudate

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: October 2018

Volumes: 36+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 27. 29.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Shoyo Hinata is out to prove that in volleyball you don't need to be tall to fly!

Ever since he saw the legendary player known as “the Little Giant” compete at the national volleyball finals, Shoyo Hinata has been aiming to be the best volleyball player ever! Who says you need to be tall to play volleyball when you can jump higher than anyone else?

Karasuno wins their first match of the Spring Tournament! Hinata goes to watch Fukurodani and Nekoma play their games and runs into the other Little Giant from the All-Japan Youth Camp, Kamomedai High’s Korai! Then day two of the tournament begins, and the seeded teams join the fray!

Review:

Since Karasuno won their first game, the first half of this volume shows them prepping for the next game, and they get to watch the other games going on. They get to see Fukurodani and Nekoma play. The biggest moment, though, is when Hinata sees Hoshiumi, his real competition for the Little Giant spot. This could have been intimidating and upsetting for anyone else, but Hinata takes it as inspiration. Just like how Kageyama reacted when they met, Hinata wants to do what he's doing, and better. It's a good comparison for him, though.

In the latter half of the volume, Karasuno starts their second game. It's against Inarizaki, a big competitor for them, a team that has come in third before. It sounds like a team that would be hard for Karasuno to play against, but they've come a long way. This new team has some good players on it, but a large part of it is that their audience is trained to help them. They go quiet for concentration, but then boo and make noise to mess up when the other team plays. It's a very dirty way to play, in my opinion, and I look forward to seeing Karasuno's audience compete with it.

This series is so good. I really enjoyed the scene where Hinata gets to watch Hoshiumi play, and when he attempts one of his moves during their next game... That moment made me pause reading, I was laughing so hard. Man, I love Hinata so much, sometimes he's so ridiculous. Adorable.

I'm excited to see how the game goes from here. Karasuno is doing really good so far.

Manga Review: Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle, Volume 3, by Kagiji Kumanomata

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: Shonen Sunday (VIZ Media)

Release Date: October 2018

Volumes: 10+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 2. 4.

Goodreads Synopsis:

A captured princess just wants a good night’s sleep! Shhh…

Imprisoned in the castle of the Demon King, all spoiled-sweet Princess Syalis dreams of is a good night’s sleep! Shhh...

Winter has come, and Princess Syalis will do anything to stay warm, including creating a DIY magical device (known as a “Ko-tatsu”), knitting woolen underwear and trying to convince the castle blacksmith to make her a window to keep out the drafts. When she accidentally dies yet again—along with Stamper Cat—curious resurrection complications ensue. Then it’s Christmas and New Year’s! Who will the Demon King designate as naughty or nice? And will all of the other demons let poor Syalis join in any demon games…? And now the Demon King has insomnia!

Review:

It's winter, which means it's cold in the castle. This means that the Princess needs a better bed and underwear, and glass to cover that huge window in her cell. It also means that Christmas is coming. In the demon world, though, Santa is a very different thing, and you don't want him to visit. Syalis is determined to get her present, though.

Syalis is pretty much a terrible person. All of the creatures are terrified of her, and are too afraid to fight her or try to keep her trapped. When one demon tries to defend her, she's proven how very wrong she is. Syalis seems to think that all demons are immortal, and so it's okay to carve them up and take their body parts as needed. She's honestly horrible. If this weren't episodic and comedy-based, this could be a horrifying story.

Thankfully, it is a comedy. And it's a rather fun series to read.

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

Manga Review: Kuroko's Basketball, Volume 7&8 (2-in-1 Vol. 4), by Tadatoshi Fujimaki

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: 2017

Volumes: 30.

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1&2. 9&10.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Seirin High's greatest basketball superstar was the one no one literally saw coming—the invisible Kuroko!

When incoming first-year student Taiga Kagami joins the Seirin High basketball team, he meets Tetsuya Kuroko, a mysterious boy who's plain beyond words. But Kagami's in for the shock of his life when he learns that the practically invisible Kuroko was once a member of "the Miracle Generation"—the undefeated, legendary team—and he wants Kagami's help taking down each of his old teammates!

Fresh off their devastating losses in the Finals League, the Seirin High team members find themselves face-to-face with Teppei Kiyoshi—the basketball club's original founder! He's come back to the team after some time off and wants to inspire them to make a new start. With the Winter Cup coming up, they dive into a summer training camp. Meanwhile, Kuroko is worried about his playing style…

Review:

I haven't read any of this series, I am not a sports fan, and my only real experience with sports manga is Haikyu!!. Saying that, I have become a huge fan of Haikyu!!, but it's my only real reference point. I don't typically care for sports at all, and I know very little about basketball. But I was optimistic about this volume.

Having no idea about the characters or plot before this, I did quite like Kuroko. The way he plays the game and hides among everyone is interesting to me. He's quiet and seems to support everyone in the game. I'm curious about his reasoning for being okay with that, though; if it bothers him at all, or if that's just how it works for him, that's just how he is.

I also really liked their coach; having it be a girl is a fun choice to me, and I like how tough but caring she is with the team. The other team members seem nice, and seem to have a good camaraderie going.

This was definitely a more realistic style of drawing, and it focuses on drama and motivation and inner monologue more than Haikyu!!. I don't necessarily mind that, and I do enjoy the character development it brings. It didn't feel like there was a lot of actual basketball in this volume—but, saying that, it still seemed like the plot moved forward. There were things to discuss and prepare for, and they go on a training trip over summer break in this volume that pushes them and seems to help quite a bit. I found the coach's reasoning behind the camp's setting really smart, too. Also, I think it worked for me that this didn't only focus on each game and instead had outside plot focus, since I'm not really a fan of basketball in particular.

This isn't a series I want to catch up with, or would follow on my own, but I didn't mind it.

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

Manga Review: Radiant, Volume 3, by Tony Valente

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5-4

Publisher: VIZ Media

Release Date: January 2019

Volumes: 11+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 2. 4.

Goodreads Synopsis:

The world is overrun with monsters called Nemeses—and a young boy infected by one will stop at nothing to defeat them all!

Evil creatures called Nemeses fall from the skies and the only ones who can fight them are Wizards—infected ones who survived a Nemesis's corruption. Seth, one of these survivors, vows not only to fight the Nemeses, but to find their mythical nest, Radiant, and destroy it!

The battle in Rumble Town rages on, and Konrad shows no signs of stopping the onslaught against his own people. Seth, Mélie and Grimm team up to fight Konrad and the Inquisition, but a new opponent enters the fight—Hameline, a Nemeses Tamer! As the fight destroys the city, Rumble Town’s entire Islet risks collapsing! Will Seth and his friends be able to stop the madness and save everyone in time?

Review:

The color pages in this series are so pretty. Again, I have to mention it. The coloring on the covers themselves are gorgeous, too, and I love that we get a bit more of that in the volume.

We're still in the middle of fighting Konrad as this volume starts. The mysterious witch is addressing the town, and she has a story to tell, one that's shocking to the townspeople. It gives Seth some motivation to finish this fight, too, since he'd been going at a normal level up till this point.

Seth has really grown on me. Instead of seeming like just a normal, over-exaggerated kid, he's learned to hold back and yet to do what he needs to, when it's important to fight. He's not afraid to do what he believes is right, and I like that. He also seems like a quick learner, too; after seeing someone do something, he learns and tries it and gets better because of it.

In the second half of the volume, we meet several new characters. They're part of the Inquisition, and they're coming to take control and do what they can for the chaos and impending danger of Rumble Town. I'm intrigued by a few of them, but it's the one at the cliffhanger that has me really interested. I want to see what it means and where this goes next. It was hinted in the previous volume, and I'm really excited by the prospect.

This series has really grown on me. Now I'm actually excited to read the next one.

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