Novel Review: Lucky in Love by Kasie West

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Genre: YA Contemporary Romance; Lottery

Publisher: Point (Scholastic)

Release Date: 2017

Spoilers?: No.

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

Can’t buy me love…

Maddie’s not impulsive. She’s all about hard work and planning ahead. But one night, on a whim, she buys a lottery ticket. And then, to her astonishment—

She wins!

In a flash, Maddie’s life is unrecognizable. No more stressing about college scholarships. Suddenly, she’s talking about renting a yacht. And being in the spotlight at school is fun…until rumors start flying, and random people ask her for loans. Now Maddie isn’t sure who she can trust.

Except for Seth Nguyen, her funny, charming coworker at the local zoo. Seth doesn’t seem aware of Maddie’s big news. And, for some reason, she doesn’t want to tell him. But what will happen if he learns her secret?

The Cover:

  

This cover is super cute to me. I think the merry-go-round gives a different impression, since they work at a zoo, but it is kind of relevant. And otherwise, I think it gives the right feel, makes it look sweet and fluffy, like it mostly is.

Review:

Maddie is very strict in her ways and has a plan for herself and is on her way to getting it. But on a disappointing night, she decides to purchase a lottery ticket, pretty much in spite. And then she wins, and everything changes.

During all of this, when people start asking for money and trying to use her and she doesn't know who's actually her friend anymore, there's always the zoo she works at, and Seth. Seth doesn't seem to know, and he's still there to joke around and flirt with.

I will admit that I didn't get into this one as much as I have some of West's previous books. It was cute, but just okay overall.

I did like Seth, and the zoo elements. Those were a lot of fun. And I enjoyed the quirky, flawed elements in them. Maddie sometimes speaks when she doesn't mean to, and she usually acknowledged it, even aloud, which I thought was refreshing.

Maddie's brother annoyed me—but probably because I related to Maddie in that way. I didn't completely buy how easy Trina decided to be friends with Maddie. And I also didn't really agree with how Maddie blamed Elise for the article—I really don't think she meant anything bad by it, and it sounded more like she gave them hints than any real details. I was sympathetic to Elise—she just doesn't know what she wants with her life, and she just wants people to like her. I don't think it was her fault, and the journalist could have easily researched the numbers after mentions of places and dates.

This was cute and fun, but just okay in the end.

Manga Review: Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Volume 1, by Koyoharu Gotouge

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: July 2018

Volumes: 12+

Spoilers?: Same as description.

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

Volume: 2.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Tanjiro sets out on the path of the Demon Slayer to save his sister and avenge his family!

In Taisho-era Japan, Tanjiro Kamado is a kindhearted boy who makes a living selling charcoal. But his peaceful life is shattered when a demon slaughters his entire family. His little sister Nezuko is the only survivor, but she has been transformed into a demon herself! Tanjiro sets out on a dangerous journey to find a way to return his sister to normal and destroy the demon who ruined his life.

Learning to slay demons won’t be easy, and Tanjiro barely knows where to start. The surprise appearance of another boy named Giyu, who seems to know what’s going on, might provide some answers…but only if Tanjiro can stop Giyu from killing his sister first!

Review:

The volume opens ominously. We meet Tanjiro, who treks his way into town for supplies and work, only to get stuck there one night. Leaving his family, his many siblings, alone at home. There are rumors of demons in the woods, though he doesn't really believe that. Until he goes home and finds his family slaughtered.

This series takes a rather dramatic, dark turn, very quickly. His sister turns into a demon, and he's desperate to keep any of his family alive that he can. And thus he starts on his trek for safety, for somewhere to go and get answers, while keeping his sister alive and under control, and he stumbles onto a track to becoming a demon slayer.

The trials Tanjiro goes through are rather haunting, and dramatic. His relationship with his sister is very odd, a close kinship-like understanding. I'm intrigued by his sister's state, though, and what's going to happen with her. She's something else than human now, but she's almost protective of Tanjiro, I think.

This series feel very old-school. It reminded me a bit of Inuyasha, with such old customs and yokai stories, and the artwork falls into that older feel as well.

I'm not hooked, but I am intrigued by the characters.

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

Manga Review: Ani-Imo, Volume 3, by Haruko Kurumatani

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: Yen Press

Release Date: May 2015

Volumes: 7

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 2. 4.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Hikaru is pressuring Youta to take their relationship too far and too fast for her brother, who still can't see Hikaru as anything but a little sister. But Hikaru is not willing to take "no" for an answer. As tensions escalate between the siblings-turned-lovers, onlookers Oda and Mayama can't help but notice "Hikaru"'s uncertainty--a weakness Oda fully intends to exploit! But the opportunity turns to disaster when Oda and Mayama's hasty pursuit leads to an accident that changes everything...

Review:

I’m starting to feel a little unsure about this series. I really want to like it, too.

While some of the sexy stuff can be a little forceful, and I don’t always care for the manipulation that Hikaru uses, and I really don’t like the way the Doctor manipulates Youta, I do like it some parts of it. I do kind of enjoy Hikaru and Youta’s attraction. I don’t care for Yurika much—and I don’t like how all the dominant personalities turn to manipulation and coercion so quickly. I do think that Kakeru is a sweetheart, though, and I like him a lot.

But then there’s the whole psychology and biological aspects to the plot. The Doctor has a theory about what is happening to the teens and what it’s doing to them, and honestly I don’t really care for it much. It’s going in a direction that I’m not sure I like, and it’s making me unsure about continuing the series.

I’ll probably give it another one or two volumes, though, to see what I think.

Manga Review: Ani-Imo, Volume 2, by Haruko Kurumatani

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5-4

Publisher: Yen Press

Release Date: February 2015

Volumes: 7.

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 3.

Goodreads Synopsis:

When elder brother Youta and kid sister Hikaru get into an accident that switches their bodies, Hikaru (in her brother's body) changes into a fiendish sadist, and Youta (in his sister's body) finds himself her "girlfriend." Thrust into a bizarre reality where he's now taking orders from his own body, will Youta ever get himself out of this pinch and back where he belongs?!

Review:

This is a pretty mature series. I don’t know how much more it’ll get, but there’s a lot of forceful kissing, and a lot of hinting for more. I kind of love it.

I know that some people have a problem with the brother/sister thing (even if they technically aren’t), but I kind of don’t? I probably should, but I don’t. I’m just getting that out of the way. It doesn’t really bother me.

I do love the reverse stereotypical sexism here. How they’re now the normal stereotype of woman and man, that they’re in the others’ body. I mentioned it in the last volume, but it’s so well done here.

Youta is forced into a relationship with the now older sibling, even if he doesn’t want to be, or is denying that he wants to be. And Hikaru is very forceful about it, touching Youta all the time, not bothered if people know. And Hikaru's insecurity that Youta will never want it is very sweet.

We see more of Yurika, who is trying to manipulate the younger sibling to be hers. We got to know Kakeru better, though, and he’s a sweetheart. I really like him. I love how honest he is with “Hikaru”, even letting her go to be with “Youta” if he has to. He’s so sweet, the poor guy. Someone needs to love him. 

I’m enjoying this series quite a lot. It’s very mature, but it’s also funny, and honest, and I am really liking the characters. I look forward to the next one.

Novel Review: The Sweet Dead Life by Joy Preble

Rating (Out of 5): ~3-3.5

Genre: YA Supernatural Mystery

Publisher: Soho Teen

Publish Date: May 14th, 2013

Spoilers?: Very Minor.

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

Teaser Tuesday.

Goodreads Synopsis:

“I found out two things today. One, I think I’m dying. And two, my brother is a perv.”

So begins the diary of 14-year-old Jenna Samuels, who is having a very bad eighth-grade year. Her single mother spends all day in bed. Dad vanished when she was eight. Her 16-year-old brother, Casey, tries to hold together what’s left of the family by working two after-school jobs— difficult, as he’s stoned all the time. To make matters worse, Jenna is sick. When she collapses one day, Casey tries to race her to the hospital in their beat-up Prius and crashes instead.

Jenna wakes up in the ER to find Casey beside her. Beatified. Literally. The flab and zits? Gone. Before long, Jenna figures out that Casey didn’t survive the accident at all. He’s an “A-word.” (She can’t bring herself to utter the truth.) Soon they discover that Jenna isn’t just dying: she’s being poisoned. And Casey has been sent back to help solve the mystery that not only holds the key to her survival, but also to their mother’s mysterious depression and father’s disappearance.

Something Specific:

Quotes:

• "'If things don’t go your way, you haven’t lost. You’ve just run out of time. Next time you’ll beat the hell outta your opponent.’” (Hardback, pg. 126)
• "Go along. Live your life. Shit happens. Do the best you can.” (Pg. 141)
• "'I don’t know why you don’t live it up all the time when dying is just around the corner, but you don’t.’ […] …what if we really did live each day like we were dying? What exactly is it we would do?” (Pg. 229); “Did anyone really live like dying was around the corner? And why couldn’t you do that right here at home?” (Pg. 237) That’s a good question that I’ve never thought about, nor heard anyone else wonder. Why doesn’t anyone ever think about the things right in front of them that they’ll miss, like their home, family, friends, etc.?

The Cover:

My feelings for this cover are pretty average. It fits for the contents of the book, it's not overly embarrassing. I don't love it, but I don't hate it, either. It's alright.

Review:

This was a rather pleasant read, and it surprised me by how much.

Jenna believes she’s dying, although she has no idea why, has been to the doctor several times with no results, and is sure of several things that it’s not. Her brother is an angel, literally, because he died when they were in a car crash (on the way to the hospital, actually). Her mother is depressed and is practically not around, hiding in her room all the time. Her father disappeared several years ago, with no trace of him left behind, no idea where he went.

Firstly, this is a rather funny book. Jenna is always going off about things in her head, overthinking things, and just having odd, comedic little thoughts; and this is told in her journal entries, so that helps. This helped me like Jenna, and helped make this book a rather quick read, which is was.

I liked her relationship with her brother. And I liked her brother. He’s a stoner, and he’s a bit of a dumb guy at times, but he’s also sweet and loyal and trying hard to take care of his sister, so I liked him.

I liked the plot of the book. The angel reveal was slow, and it bothered me how slow it was at first, but overall I didn’t mind, and later the wait was made understandable. The reveal of what is happening to Jenna is also a bit slow, but that added to the suspense, the curiosity, of it, and I liked that. Why what is happening to her is happening to her was the big mystery, and that was done pretty well. The reasoning is kind of similar to what would happen in a lifetime movie (a B-movie? is that what I mean?), or something, but that doesn’t really bother me much.

(Also, just to make sure you know this, there is no romance in this book. I think a big reason for this is that, one, a lot of it focuses on Jenna’s brother, and, two, because Jenna isn’t very old. I think she’s early high school or late middle school, I can’t remember; not that that’s too young for romance, but still. And I think it was just fine without a romance—Jenna’s focus is her brother and her dying, and she doesn’t need to add romance to the mix. Although she does think about this one guy at her school, like, twice. An opening for something, but nothing develops from it, and that’s fine.)

The very end left me a little confused, making me wonder if that’s supposed to be an opening to more books, or maybe if I just read it wrong, or what. I don’t really think there needs to be another book, as this one was just fine, although I see how there could be more books, and it could expand on the angel plot. But I do think that it’s just fine as a stand-alone.

I don’t really have a whole lot else to say about this, I suppose. This book wasn’t amazing to me, but it was definitely enjoyable, and funny, and I liked it.

 Thank you so much to Soho Teen and I Heart Daily for sending me a copy!