Manga Review: A Strange and Mystifying Story, Volume 1, by Tsuta Suzuki

Rating (Out of 5): ~3-3.5

Publisher: SuBLime (VIZ Media)

Release Date: November 2017

Volumes: 7.

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 2.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Akio Yamane’s bloodline is cursed! Will his hot guardian deity break the curse…or merely his heart in the process?

Akio Yamane falls terminally ill, presumably from his family’s curse. Remembering his grandfather’s final words about their family protector, he follows the old man's instructions out of desperation and accidentally summons a god who promises to cure him—albeit in a rather odd and intimate manner!

Akio Yamane’s bloodline is cursed! Or at least that’s what his relatives would have people think. Now feverish and delusional from a terminal illness, Akio accidentally summons his family’s guardian deity. Little did he know this sinfully hot god would appear naked, sporting ears and a tail. Wait until Akio finds out the unconventional and rather intimate manner his protector plans on using to cure him!

Review:

Akio loses his last close family member, and is left alone with a supposed curse that kills his family off early in life. He's trying to get on in his normal life again, but he very quickly falls ill without a cure. Then he discovers who his grandfather left behind to watch over him—a demon named Setsu.

Setsu saves Akio by eating the demonic sludge in his body. It's honestly a rather odd and graphic detail. It's definitely being used to initiate some sexy times, but seeing Setsu suck up this black worm-like sludge is a little off-putting sometimes.

Aside from that, this was okay. Akio has it in his mind that Setsu is forcing him into this relationship and he must hate it, so he fights it and complains for a while. But since his close friends are surprisingly open about gay relationships, he's pushed to accept his real feelings rather quickly. Maybe a little rushed near the end.

After the main story, there were a couple of one-shots that were cute. Mainly I'm curious where the main couple is going from here. I feel like we might get to really know them more after this start to their relationship.

Manga Review: Croquis by Hinako Takanaga

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: Blu

Release Date: 2012

Volumes: 1.

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. RightStuf.

Add on Goodreads 

RightStuf Synopsis:

Croquis features story and art by Hinako Takanaga the creator of A Capable Man and You Will Fall in Love.
Nagi has been noticing the stare of a particular student at his part-time modeling job at an art school. Kaji seems friendly enough, but Nagi is afraid to let him know his biggest secret - Nagi is a fledgling drag queen and is saving up for some big changes! Will Kaji accept Nagi for who he is or will Nagi be snubbed once again?
From the creator of You Will Fall in Love and Liberty Liberty!, comes this cute and romantic story where acceptance can mean being yourself.

Review:

The first half of this volume features one main couple, and it includes a little bit of crossdressing. It's cute, though a little dramatic, and the art style is definitely not her best.

The rest of the volume is one-shots. They're okay, but nothing stand-out. This is clearly a volume featuring her earlier work, so the art isn't as good, the stories are just okay; not as steamy as her other stuff, either. No real smut at all, actually.

Ehh.

Manga Review: Ran and the Gray World, Volume 3, by Aki Irie

Rating (Out of 5): ~3-3.5

Publisher: VIZ Signature (VIZ Media)

Release Date: May 2019

Volumes: 7.

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 4.

Goodreads Synopsis:

A young sorceress transforms into an adult and sets out on magical adventures full of charm and wonder!

Ran Uruma can’t wait to grow up and become a sorceress like her mother, so with the help of a magical pair of sneakers, she transforms into an adult and sets off! Her father and older brother Jin try to keep her home safe, but Ran is determined to advance her powers and have adventures of her own!

Even as Otaro recovers from his injury, bugs continue to attack him in his dreams. Ran decides to use her powers to save him, but she might not be strong enough to eradicate the bugs… Meanwhile, Jin’s animal instincts take over and send him on the hunt for the right mate. Who will turn out to be his chosen one?

Review:

I didn't pick up the first two volumes of this series, and I was a little wary starting this one. The artwork looks gorgeous, but I've heard some questionable things about the contents, so I was worried.

Jumping into this volume, it took me a minute to figure out who the characters were and how it all worked. In the first chapter, we're thrown into a crazy nightmare in Otaro's head, which Ran invades to try to wake him up, and ends with her being rather naked.

Realizing just how young Ran really is, I was rather put off by this turn of events. From what I can tell, Otaro doesn't know how old Ran really is, but even at her fake age, she's still much younger than him, from what I can tell. Which means their real age difference is a bit horrific.

Aside from that potentially icky relationship, Jin the werewolf brother goes into heat, and thus discovers his attraction to Sango. The start to that chapter is also a bit off, but aside from that, I'm into their relationship. I've got a big weak spot for werewolf/beauty and the beast kind of stories, plus Sango is kind of like a housewife already. I'm sure some people don't like it, but I'm into it. I kind of just want more of their story over Ran's.

I was surprised by how childish and comedic this story was. Given just how magical and detailed and gorgeous the artwork is, I expected it to be more serious. I'm so far iffy on some points and into others, so I'm not sure how I feel overall. I'm curious to read more, though.

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

Manga Review: Haikyu!!, Volume 33, by Haruichi Furudate

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: July 2019

Volumes: 42+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 32. 34.

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?

The final points between Karasuno and Inarizaki are tossed back and forth, as neither team is ready to give up just yet. Both teams struggle to finish the other off and declare victory, but with the clock running out, will Karasuno be able to win the final set, or will Inarizaki send them packing?

Review:

All they do is play volleyball in this manga, in this volume even, and yet it's nerve-wracking and I have so many thoughts about it. Enough that somehow I still have words to say about it.

The game against Inarizaki finishes in the first half. It's a hard game, for both teams, and leaves them exhausted. All but Hinata, because he's just so pumped and ready to keep going.

During this tournament, there's a voice over. It makes sense, since this is a bigger game, and one that's being broadcasted. I also wonder if it helps some of the readers follow along, given the huge cast? I don't need it for that, but it's still fun to read. Along with that, we're getting a bigger audience following Karasuno. Since this is broadcast, we're getting to see everyone we've met, all the other teams, watching along and cheering. Plus the cheering in the auditorium for them. When we get to see Nekoma in the second half, we get to see the other family members in the audience, and I like that. It's easy to feel like one of them, watching and cheering along.

This series just gets me so pumped and all my fangirl feelings raring to go. I'm ready for the next one, to see where the next game goes.

Novel Review: Save the Date by Morgan Matson

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Genre: YA Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Release Date: June 2018

Spoilers?: No.

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

Charlie Grant's older sister is getting married this weekend at their family home, and Charlie can't wait for the first time in years, all four of her older siblings will be under one roof. Charlie is desperate for one last perfect weekend, before the house is sold and everything changes. The house will be filled with jokes and games and laughs again. Making decisions about things like what college to attend and reuniting with longstanding crush Jesse Foster all that can wait. She wants to focus on making the weekend perfect.

The only problem? The weekend is shaping up to be an absolute disaster. There's the unexpected dog with a penchant for howling, house alarm that won't stop going off, and a papergirl with a grudge.

There are the relatives who aren't speaking, the (awful) girl her favorite brother brought home unannounced, and a missing tuxedo. Not to mention the neighbor who seems to be bent on sabotage and a storm that is bent on drenching everything. The justice of the peace is missing. The band will only play covers. The guests are all crazy. And the wedding planner's nephew is unexpectedly, distractedly cute.

Over the course of three ridiculously chaotic days, Charlie will learn more than she ever expected about the family she thought she knew by heart. And she'll realize that sometimes, trying to keep everything like it was in the past means missing out on the future.

The Cover:

This cover is super cute. The image and even the font match with the wedding theme really well, while also showing the quirky nature of what's going to happen in the book. It's definitely eye-catching, and shows what kind of feel the book is going to give.

Review:

Charlie has lived in her own family bubble for all of her life. When her sister's wedding is coming up, and thus all of her family is again in the same house together for the summer, some of her history starts to unravel in her eyes.

There's wedding chaos happening, the brother Charlie has always idolized is home again, the boy she's always had a crush on is suddenly an option now. And then she's forced to start questioning the life she's lead, and what the “cute” family comics her mother writes has actually done to her and her siblings' lives.

I really like the idea of this story. The whole Grant Central Station comic strips is a really good plot to explore, and it's done really well here, too. Charlie has upheld her family in such a specific light all her life, and particularly one of her brothers, that it's a shock when some of those things are revealed to her differently. I really appreciated the way that she's given this information and how she takes it. The whole thing with her crush could have gone one way, and I really liked that it didn't; that's not the moment of revelation to her, at least not in a certain way, and instead a learning experience in a good way instead. That's just one thing she had to get a new perspective on. The rest of the stuff falls into place just right, with the timing it should.

Charlie needed a wake up call, and she gets it. Of course, there's also another boy, a better one.

I really appreciated how this story played out. It could have been done in one way, which I worried about at one point, and I'm glad it went in a different one. It went in a better direction, without using the romance/crush as a crutch and a be-all-end-all kind of thing. The family drama is given its own time, and it's done really well.

Matson has quickly become one of my favorite authors, and another author that I will very quickly pre-order, now.

Manga Review: Anonymous Noise, Volume 18, by Ryoko Fukuyama

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Shojo Beat (VIZ Media)

Release Date: January 2020

Volumes: 18.

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 17.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Music and longing collide in this ballad of unrequited love!

Nino Arisugawa, a girl who loves to sing, experiences her first heart-wrenching goodbye when her beloved childhood friend, Momo, moves away. And after Nino befriends Yuzu, a music composer, she experiences another sad parting! Luckily, Nino reunites with Momo and Yuzu in high school, but things haven’t played out the way anyone expected…

With Yuzu back in Japan, In No Hurry’s yearlong hiatus is over! As the band sets out with excitement and trepidation to perform on Rock Horizon’s largest stage, how will Yuzu reconcile his past with his present? There’s no turning back once everyone’s secrets are laid bare!

Review:

Everything is leading up to Rock Horizon, where both bands are playing, the stage they've been waiting for. Finally it's here, and it's awesome for all of them.

And then Nino gets to declare her decision between Yuzu and Momo. It definitely felt like the story was leaning toward one more than the other, and I thought I knew who it was going to be, and I was wrong.

At first I was quite upset about this. While I really like them both, and both of them with Nino, even, I was leaning more toward the other one. By the time I got to the end of the volume, though, I'd warmed up to it. I can't deny their relationship is good, and that they've both grown a lot individually in order to be more stable together.

It still makes me sad for the other one, though.

Aside from the conflict there, this was a really good conclusion to the series. It's very sweet and thoughtful and heartwarming and strong. It wraps things up in a really sweet way, all the way to the last page.

I'm quite happy with this series, all the way through. Now I might watch the anime, in order to hear the real bands playing.

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

Manga Review: Punch Up!, Volume 1, by Shiuko Kano

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: SuBLime (VIZ Media)

Release Date: July 2012

Volumes: 6+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 2.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Architect Motoharu Maki is hanging out at the construction site ogling a particular hunky, well-toned construction worker when he is unexpectedly reunited with his lost cat, Shinobu. The reunion is all thanks to Kouta Ohki, a foul-mouthed young ironworker who found and cared for the lost cat. Unfortunately for Kouta, this act of kindness led to his eviction! When Motoharu agrees to take in young Kouta, will he be able to tame this feisty stray? Includes a bonus Play Boy Blues side story.

Review:

Maki is working when he discovers his long lost cat, and finds out he comes with a stray man as well. He accepts this, and they starts to grow comfortable living together, until doubtful thoughts are planted to make him reconsider.

This was just meh. The artwork is okay, not great. I didn't really get much from the characters, the romance, or the plot, honestly. I really wanted to like this, but I couldn't feel much for it in the end. I want to want to continue this series, as the volumes look so good, but I doubt I'm going to.

Manga Review: The Girl from the Other Side: Siuil, a Run, Volume 6, by Nagabe

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Seven Seas

Release Date: March 2019

Volumes: 9+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 5. 7.

Goodreads Synopsis:

FAR FROM HOME

Pursued by soldiers, Teacher and Shiva left their home and searched for a new one in a distant hamlet. They thought to hide away there, but fate was not so kind to them. The cursed soldiers… The Insiders’ plans… Even Teacher himself. The mysteries surrounding them slowly begin coming to light…

Review:

Teacher and Shiva arrive at their new home in this volume. Shiva is still dealing with her mourning of her aunt, as well as her new feelings about herself. She's still processing and dealing with all of this. And during all of this, Teacher is given new doubts about his own history, how he's different from the the other outsiders, and what that might mean. He's starting to wonder about his past, since he doesn't remember any of it.

This is all leading to that terrible cliffhanger. This could be terribly bad for either of them, though I'm hopeful that they'll be okay.

Manga Review: Kuroko's Basketball, Volume 15 & 16, by Tadatoshi Fujimaki

Rating (Out of 5): ~2

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: October 2017

Volumes: 30.

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1&2. 7&8. 17&18.

Goodreads Synopsis:

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

Tetsuya Kuroko doesn’t stand out much. In fact, he’s so plain that people hardly ever notice when he’s around. Though he’s just as unremarkable on the basketball court, that’s where his plainness gives him an unexpected edge—one that lets him execute awesome moves without others noticing!

It’s the third quarter of Seirin’s game against To-oh, and the team faces a tough time when Momoi’s strategies nullify Kuroko’s effectiveness. His misdirection is failing, and Aomine’s unbelievable skills are leaving Seirin in the dust… Now all hopes for victory rest on Kuroko’s ultimate move!

Review:

There's a game going as the volume starts, and there's a lot of technique and emotion behind everything. We get some strategy and some back story moments. Then they get to prepare for the next game, strategize against this new team.

I think there's a lot going against this series for me to like. Firstly, I've discovered that I really don't care about basketball. At all. It might be my least favorite sport, and I don't really like any sport. I also don't understand how the game works, really, and so jumping in here with so little explained didn't help. If you like basketball—and were following the series—I'm sure this was better than I experienced.

I also don't really care for the art. Something about how sweaty the characters are drawn, in a somewhat realistic way, just doesn't sit with me right. Then one of the characters, Aomine, refuses to go to practice, because apparently he's so good it's a waste of time, and he wants to find an opponent who will actually give him a challenge.

I hate this. That motivation is rude and there's so many reasons why that's an asshole motivation; practice helps you learn from the other players, which he could still try to do, and also helps with team morale and building an actual team that works together. There's so many things wrong with this character's ideal and I hate him for it.

I just cannot get into this series. I tried, and I don't want to read any more of it.

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

Manga Review: Beastars, Volume 3, by Paru Itagaki

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: VIZ Signature (VIZ Media)

Release Date: November 2019

Volumes: 18+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 2. 4.

Goodreads Synopsis:

At this high school, instead of jocks and nerds, the students are divided into predators and prey.

At a high school where the students are literally divided into predators and prey, it’s personal relationships that maintain the fragile peace. Who among them is a Beastar—an academic and social role model destined to become a leader in a society naturally rife with mistrust?

It’s time for the Festival of the Meteor, a time when the animals honor their extinct dinosaur ancestors. Wolf Legoshi is still inexorably attracted to dwarf rabbit Haru. Is it a crush or bloodlust? Is it her or any small animal? Relationships are complicated for carnivores. Their bird friends lay and sell the eggs they eat, and some desperate herbivores even sell their body parts on the black market. Tiger Bill is tempted to buy a piece and invites Legoshi to indulge with him. But eating meat is highly addictive...

Review:

Not only do we learn about the upcoming festival celebrating their dinosaur ancestors, but we also discover that their city has a scary black market.

Legoshi is still struggling with his possibly romantic feelings mixed with his predatory desire to eat Haru, just as the drama club gets to go into town to work on the props for the festival. This leads to a mishap upon them discovering the black market in person, where some truly terrible things happen, and we meet a scarred panda.

This volume took a drastically dark turn that surprised me. It made me realize that I'm really not sure where this series is going just yet. I feel like we're still just touching the surface of where this story might be taking us.

I'm intrigued by the relationships and characters we've met, and the new ones in this volume. Even Legoshi is starting to discover that he actually does have friends who will stick by him, and agree with him, despite all the ones who won't, or just don't know him.

This volume was a lot, and I'm curious where it'll lead next.

Novel Review: Find Me (Shatter Me, #4.5, #5.5) by Tahereh Mafi

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Genre: YA Supernatural Romance

Publisher: HarperTeen

Release Date: October 2019

Spoilers?: No.

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

Calling all fans of Tahereh Mafi’s New York Times bestselling Shatter Me series! This gorgeous paperback bind-up includes Shadow Me and the fourth novella in the series, both in print for the first time ever.

In Shadow Me, Juliette is still reeling from Warner's betrayal, and Kenji is trying to balance his friendship with her with his responsibilities as a leader of the resistance against the Reestablishment. Things get even more interesting when an unexpected person from Omega Point’s past surfaces.

The fourth novella brings readers back to the Shatter Me world one last time before the final novel installment in the series hits shelves in 2020.

The Shatter Me series is perfect for fans who crave action-packed young adult novels with tantalizing romance like Divergent and The Hunger Games. This captivating story was praised as "a thrilling, high-stakes saga of self-discovery and forbidden love" by Ransom Riggs, bestselling author of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children.

And don’t miss Defy Me, the gripping fifth book in the Shatter Me series!

The Cover:

Ugh, why are these covers so gorgeous? All of them in this series, I love them so much. And in the paperback, there's one cover on the front and the other on the back.

Review:

This features both of the novellas between the books in the second trilogy. Both in Kenji's point of view.

I read Shadow Me when it was first released. It's the time right before Juliette is kidnapped, and largely stars how Kenji is growing closer to Nazeera and how he feels about her. It also shows his immediate reaction and devastation at Juliette's disappearance.

In Reveal Me, we get to see what's happening to Kenji as the fifth book is ending. He's trying to push through and be himself, but also he's seeing things that everyone else isn't, and it's making him think he's crazy for it.

In the second one, we really get to see the bond between Kenji and Juliette. While Kenji is falling for Nazeera, he doesn't trust her and he's having some issues regarding that. But him and Juliette have an incredibly tight bond, they understand each other and they're there for each other on a different level. That's really showcased in this novella, and it's one of my favorite aspects of this series. I love their relationship, so it was sweet to see.

We also get to see a new side of Nazeera here, as she opens herself up to him a little bit more, which he needs from her if they're going to have a relationship.

This was a really nice little tidbit of info and insight, and I truly love Kenji. I can't wait to see how this wraps up next.

Manga Review: Snow White with the Red Hair, Volume 4, by Sorata Akiduki

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: Shojo Beat (VIZ Media)

Release Date: November 2019

Volumes: 22+

Spoilers?: Light.

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

Volume: 1. 3. 5.

Goodreads Synopsis:

A romantic retelling of a classic fairy tale about a beautiful herbalist and a lovestruck prince.

Shirayuki is an herbalist famous for her naturally bright-red hair, and the prince of Tanbarun wants her all to himself! Unwilling to become the prince’s possession, she seeks shelter in the woods of the neighboring kingdom, where she gains an unlikely ally—the prince of that kingdom! He rescues her from her plight, and thus begins the love story between a lovestruck prince and an unusual herbalist.

Shirayuki is determined to help Kiharu and her bird Popo prove their necessity to the kingdom. She even goes so far as to risk her life to see Popo home! When she succeeds, Zen kisses Shirayuki for the first time! Now she can’t get that kiss out of her head. Will she be able to keep her cool around the man she’s falling for?

Review:

I didn't expect the romance to happen so quickly. Both characters know how they feel, really, and they've been flirting around it since the beginning. It's kind of nice to get it out in the open so quickly, and it's a really sweet way that they do it, too.

This series takes its time with the important moments, but also with how it progresses the plots. It's a thoughtful, pretty slowness, an ease of pace. It's taken me a bit to get into it, but it's starting to grow on me.

There's still the hint of a triangle forming, though at this point they're ignoring it, I think.

I still want to get to know the side characters better. We get to see some of Zen and Mitsuhide's past, how their friendship started, and it was nice. Kiki is still a bit mystery at this point, though, and I would like to know more about her.

This series is growing on me a bit. I'm getting there, I think.

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

Manga Review: Haikyu!!, Volume 32, by Haruichi Furudate

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: May 2019

Volumes: 42+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 31. 33.

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?

Galvanized by Atsumu Miya’s selfless setting, Inarizaki gets back into a groove! It’s the back half of the last set, and Inarizaki is in the lead. But right when the Miya Twins think they’ve got Karasuno dead to rights, their attack is stopped by the last person anyone expected!

Review:

I'm not a sports fan, at all. And somehow this is the only series that has gotten me so very much into any kind of sports game. But man do I get into these volleyball games. I want to cheer right along with the crowds in the manga.

This volume continues the game against Inarizaki. They're in the third set, and it's intense. It feels like one of the most intense games they've played at this point. It's a very close game the entire time, and a few times Inarizaki thinks they're winning and beating down on Karasuno's morale. But the thing about Karasuno is that they know how to turn themselves around, and the longer a game gets, the more pumped Hinata becomes sometimes.

There isn't very much background stories in this volume. There's more growth between the characters, moments where they form new understandings with each other and push each other to do better.

All leading to the cliffhanger. This game will be ending in the next volume, and it could go either way at this point. It's intense.

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