Manga Review: Daytime Shooting Star, Volume 4, by Mika Yamamori

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Shojo Beat (VIZ Media)

Release Date: January 2020

Volumes: 12 (+ Extras)

Spoilers?: Light.

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

Volume: 1. 3. 5.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Optimistic high schooler Suzume moves to Tokyo and finds her heart caught between two men!

After arriving in Tokyo to live with her uncle, Suzume collapses in a nearby park where she had once seen a shooting star during the day. A handsome stranger brings her to her new home and tells her they’ll meet again. Suzume starts her first day at her new high school sitting next to a boy who blushes furiously at her touch. And her homeroom teacher is none other than the handsome stranger!

Suzume has moved to Tokyo and is living with her uncle. She is trying to get over Mr. Shishio, but they unexpectedly end up going to an aquarium together. Suzume enjoys herself, but Mr. Shishio’s confusing attitude puzzles her.

Review:

Despite the previous volume, Suzume and Mamura don't wait too long to repair their friendship. And then Suzume unintentionally ends up on a date with Shishio.

After all this, school festival time is coming up, and a new guy shows up with an interest in Yuyuka. He has an odd way of going about it, and Yuyuka's pretty put off about him.

The previous volume was a bit of a surprise, but definitely wasn't the end to any future relationships. I still really like where Suzume and Shishio are heading; I think they're cute and am excited for that relationship to heat up. I like Suzume and Mamura as friends, and Suzume and Yuyuka as friends, too, actually. It looks like Yuyuka has some drama in her future, and I'm curious what's going to happen for her.

This should definitely be fun during the festival next time. I'm quite a fan of this series at this point, at least, and so I look forward to it. It has a more mature edge, and I like Suzume's straightforward, blank face personality that works with the humor really well. It's hitting the right buttons for me so far, at least.

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

Manga Review: A Tropical Fish Yearns for Snow, Volume 1, by Makoto Hagino

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: VIZ Media

Release Date: November 2019

Volumes: 7+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 2.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Sometimes you find what you yearn for…

Konatsu is about to start a new school in a new town, and she’s basically all on her own. Her dad just got a job overseas, and her aunt can only check in from time to time. It’s a lot for a shy, reserved girl to handle. But on one of the first days of class, she discovers that the school has an aquarium! The club that runs the aquarium is headed by an older student named Koyuki, and Konatsu is instantly drawn to her. Konatsu’s introverted tendencies are hard to overcome, but maybe she’s found something worth coming out of her shell for?

Review:

Konatsu is forced to move to this small fishing town to live with her aunt, and she was already a quiet girl, who puts on a smile and tries not to bother people. When she stumbles upon the aquarium club, she meets Koyuki, the only member. Koyuki is seen as basically perfect, only she's also shy and awkward and doesn't really know how to talk to people. Thus starts a sweet little friendship.

We get to see inside both of their heads, which is nice, and I think helps us understand Koyuki's side, as well. They're both very similar, and they like each other from the start even though they don't really understand why or to what extent. It's the very beginning of yuri feelings, before either of them has really started to understand what it could mean.

I was surprised by how utterly sweet this volume is. I didn't have huge expectations, and am delighted by how utterly sweet and heartwarming this turned out to be. I really like both characters, and how their relationship is developing. They're also forming friendships outside of each other, and that's similarly sweet and innocent, which I like. We haven't seen much of their families yet, though I hope we'll get more of that. They're also part of the aquarium club, and I really like getting to see the cute creatures and see them learning about them.

This volume was a surprising delight and I honestly can't wait to read the next one. It also feels very shojo for a yuri, in a very good way, which I appreciate.

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

Manga Review: Seven Days: Monday - Sunday by Venio Tachibana and Rihito Takarai

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: SuBLime (VIZ Media)

Release Date: December 2019

Volumes: 2 / 1 Omnibus.

Spoilers?: No.

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

The rules were clear: they could date for a week. But someone forgot to tell love!

On a whim, high school third-year Yuzuru Shino asks out first-year Toji Seryo, who is notorious for being a weeklong lover—he’ll date the first girl to ask him out Monday morning and then promptly dump her by the following Monday! The boys start dating, and by Tuesday, the first inklings of attraction hit. Can Seryo put words to his feelings before Monday comes, or are old dating habits too hard to break?

Review:

I never caught this series when it was released before, and after realizing it was from Takarai (of Ten Count), I was definitely intrigued. It's clearly an earlier work, but still very good, and it's nice to have it all in one volume.

Seryo has started dating a different person every week, in an attempt to get over a past love. None of the romances have worked out thus far, and yet he keeps trying. On an impulse one day, Shino decides to ask him out when the new week starts. Because Seryo doesn't reject the first person to ask, he says yes. It feels like an impulse at first, and yet Seryo takes these possibilities serious, and soon enough both of them start growing attached.

This is definitely a sweeter yaoi series. Not very steamy, and actually not too dramatic, either. Seryo handles his emotions pretty maturely and analyzes his feelings as he goes. There's some minor miscommunication, and they don't discuss with feelings very straightforwardly. But things still work out rather sweetly, and without too much drama.

This was an easy volume to read, and very sweet. I'm glad they re-released it.

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

Manga Review: Classmates: Dou kyu sei, Volume 1, by Asumiko Nakamura

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Seven Seas

Release Date: June 2019

Volumes: 1 + Spin-offs (5+?)

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 2.

Goodreads Synopsis:

The touching Boys’ Love story that inspired a hit animated film, in an all-new translation for digital and print.

Hikaru always thought his classmate Rihito was kind of a snob, until he stumbles across Rihito secretly practicing a song in an empty classroom. Hikaru agrees to become Rihito’s music tutor, and with each lesson the two boys grow closer. But when Hikaru realizes that he’s fallen for Rihito, will they stay classmates or become something more?

Review:

This series feels a bit like The Theory of the Sunspot, and the artwork reminds me of Korean manga, by which I mean that it's beautiful. The boys are a bit droopy eyed, with swooshy hair and long legs, and they're sweet and emotional, and the story feels like a pure first love high school tale. I'm into it.

Hikaru impulsively offers to help Rihito practice a song for their class performance, though he doesn't even really understand his own feelings yet. It's an awkward start to their relationship. Hikaru has never really considered it himself, but he's not afraid of his feelings once he realizes them. Then there's the potentially pervy teacher, who helps Rihito out when he needs it.

I enjoyed the way the story progressed here. How open Hikaru is, and how Rihito lets things grow between them. I even liked how we got the backstory on the teacher, and how that turned out between them all. High school is ending soon, and it was nice to see them confront that and where things might go from here, as well.

This was a really sweet yaoi story, a sweet romance with a cute couple. I'm excited to read the next one.

Manga Review: Hitorijime My Hero, Volume 1, by Memeco Arii

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: Kodansha Comics

Release Date: January 2019

Volumes: 8+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 2.

Goodreads Synopsis:

"I don't like caramel sauce. I prefer something bitter..."

Masahiro Setagawa doesn't believe in heroes, but wishes he could- He's found himself in a gang of small-time street bullies who use him to run errands. But when high school teacher (and scourge of the streets) Kousuke Ohshiba comes to his rescue, he finds he may need to start believing after all...and as their relationship deepens, he realizes a hero might be just what he was looking for this whole time.

Review:

I was excited by the idea of this series. I haven't watched the anime or anything, but I was intrigued by the idea of Kodansha releasing yaoi series, and given the hype I was curious about this series. Which is to say, I'm a bit disappointed.

As the volume starts, I felt a bit lost. You get thrown into a discussion and history of these two characters, amid discussions with their friends. But it feels like some of the story has already happened, like I was missing something.

We meet Masahiro, who was in the wrong group of friends, but ends up growing close to older Kousuke, who's a bit too brash for him at first. There's some conflict, as one knows what he wants, and has to force the other to acknowledge his wants and rethink these things.

Kousuke's younger brother was cute, possibly the best part of the volume. His relationship was sweet, and he was fun to watch.

This volume felt a little off to me, and I had a hard time getting into it. I wanted to like it a lot more, and now I'm iffy on if I want to read more. I didn't really care too much for any of the characters, and overall it was just okay, I guess.

Comic Review: Alice From Dream to Dream by Giulio Macaione and Giulia Adragna

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: Boom! Box

Release Date: October 2018

Spoilers?: No.

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

After moving back to Ohio, Alice is stuck sharing a bedroom with her brother, and worse, sharing his dreams! The bright spot in her life is her best friend, Jamie, but there's more history between their families than Alice realized, and there are secrets buried deep in their small town that only she’ll be able to explore...but only in her dreams!

From writer and artist Giulio Macaione (Ofelia), Alice: From Dream to Dream is an otherworldly trek into a spectacular world of dreams, nightmares, and being a teenager.

Review:

Alice visits peoples dreams when she sleeps, whether she wants to or not. Sharing a room with her brother is making this particularly difficult for her, as he enjoys horror movies, and thus means she's rather sleep deprived. But she can't tell her family about it, and so grows more like a moody teenager.

I didn't mind the plot line in this book, but it also didn't really hit me. I'm not sure if it just didn't feel fleshed-out enough, or what, though. There's some history between Alice's parents and her best friend Jamie's parents. Then there's the typical mean girl at school, who Alice ends up forming a kind-of friendship with, after Jamie gets hurt and they bond to save him; this kind of worked.

Including the school psychologist seemed odd to me, especially since Alice decides not to tell her family about her ability, and yet talks to this stranger about it. Then the drama with Jamie's father just seemed a little weak to me, especially with how Alice saves him afterward.

It was just okay. I wasn't all that impressed, and actually a little disappointed, because I really wanted to like it.

Manga Review: Love at Fourteen, Volume 6, by Fuka Mizutani

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: Yen Press

Release Date: 2017

Volumes: 9+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 5. 7.

Goodreads Synopsis:

As Class 2-B makes landfall in Kyoto, everyone's talking about who's going to confess to whom. This prompts Kanata to realize that despite their developing romance, Kazuki's never actually told her how he feels about her. There's love in the air, but for Kanata and Kazuki, will this momentous confession--if it ever comes-just be too little, too late?

Review:

They finish up their class trip in this volume. Kanata and Kazuki have to figure out ways to meet without anyone noticing, and subtle, hidden ways to touch or share things without being figured out. They end up meeting in the middle of the night, but they're both a little influenced by the talk in their shared rooms—talk of love, and breasts.

When they get back, it's school festival time, and Hinohara tells Nagai that he's going to sing at it. It's a battle of wills and hidden intentions between them leading up to it, as we figure out whether Nagai will go through with it or not.

In the latter half of the volume, Kanata discovers that she's gained weight. This was handled okay, and I did like that in the end she realizes it's okay, and even enjoys the current height difference between her and Kazuki. This is always a touchy subject, and while it could have been pushed more, I didn't think this series would make that a message anyway.

It's been a while since I've read this series, and this was a good way to get back into it, I think.

Manga Review: D-Frag!, Volume 1, by Tomoya Haruno

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: Seven Seas

Release Date: 2014

Volumes: 11+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 2.

Goodreads Synopsis:

NOW A HIT ANIME!

Kazama Kenji thinks he's a delinquent. He's got the look, the style and the ‘tude to match—he even has a second-rate entourage. Deep down, however, Kazama is a good-hearted kid who finds himself and his loyal gang in over their heads when they stumble upon the Game Development Club. The club's formidable members are four girls who he might actually be attracted to if they weren't so freakin' weird. The girls claim to have otherworldly powers which they use to defeat Kazama's gang and force him to join their offbeat club. Can Kazama resist the girls' bizarre charms and return to some semblance of a normal, everyday life…or is it "game over" for our hapless hero?

Review:

I clearly had no idea what I was getting into with this series, because this volume was crazy.

I guess I thought I was going to get a relatively normal high school comedy harem. Instead, I got a high school based story featuring a crazy group of girls and the punk boy who interrupts their club without a clue what he was getting into.

The girls are in a game development club, but they don’t know anything about developing games. During club time, they fool around, pretending they have elemental powers and threatening anyone who gets in their way. They’re insane.

We’re immediately thrown into the craziness, but I do think by the end of the volume we were starting to see some real character development. I think that Roka is adorable, and I think that her and Kazama could be sweet together.

The craziness took me a bit, but it was actually rather entertaining. I might pick up another volume when I get a chance.

Manga Review: Handa-kun, Volume 1, by Satsuki Yoshino

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: Yen Press

Release Date: February 23, 2016

Volumes: 5+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 2.

Wishlist Thursday.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Before his exile to an island and his exploits with Naru and friends in the pages of Barakamon, Sei Handa was a neurotic teen and aspiring calligrapher, who was convinced that his classmates despised him! His enigmatic nature, though, makes him a magnet to everyone around him, and every day is a comedy of errors. Prepare yourself for one of the funniest manga in years as it follows the misadventures of Handa-kun!

Review:

Being a big fan of Barakamon at this point, of course I wanted to pick up the spin-off/prequel.

Handa-kun is currently in high school, and he is very misunderstood. He is convinced that everyone at school hates him, that they’re always glaring at him, and think he’s a freak. Whenever someone talks to him, he’s convinced that they’re playing a prank on him, that the punchline will be coming soon. He’s terrified of his classmates.

When, in reality, his classmates all admire him. They think he’s so aloof, and that he’s mature way beyond them, too mature to get into any of the high school drama. When a girl tries confessing her love, he thinks she’s calling him out for a duel. When he’s so intensely practicing calligraphy during class, they think he’s too smart for class. Even gangs are terrified of him, because of all the misunderstandings regarding his reactions.

I love most seeing his interactions with Kawafuji, because Kawafuji finds how everyone reacts around him hilarious, and how Handa pretends not to know Kawafuji “for his own good”. It’s hilarious. I also like the comic strips about what Miwa, Tama, and Naru are doing at the same time, so young and adorable.

I’m looking forward to the next one.

Novel Review: Bloodthirsty by Flynn Meaney

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5-4

Genre: YA Contemporary, Comedy, Romance

Publisher: Poppy

Release Date: 2010

Spoilers?: No.

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

Teaser Tuesday.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Some vampires are good. Some are evil. Some are faking it to get girls.
Awkward and allergic to the sun, sixteen-year-old Finbar Frame never gets the girl. But when he notices that all the female students at his school are obsessed with a vampire romance novel called Bloodthirsty, Finbar decides to boldly go where no sane guy has gone before-he becomes a vampire, minus the whole blood sucking part.
With his brooding nature and weirdly pale skin, it's surprisingly easy for Finbar to pretend to be paranormal. But, when he meets the one girl who just might like him for who he really is, he discovers that his life as a pseudo-vampire is more complicated than he expected.
This hilarious debut novel is for anyone who believes that sometimes even nice guys-without sharp teeth or sparkly skin-- can get the girl.

The Cover:

I like this cover a lot. I think it's cute and very fitting. The emoticon shows the age-range, I think, and the fangs give the idea that it's going to be more comedy than paranormal. It's what made me pick it up, and I like it a lot.

Review:

This book was so cute. With the synopsis, it sounded like it should be funny and cute, lighthearted. And it was.

Finn is the twin brother that stays in the background. And he wants a girlfriend, but none seem interested. And when he stumbles across a vampire novel, he gets an idea to start pretending to be one.

Thankfully, he doesn’t just start going around telling people he’s a vampire. He’s more subtle than that. So subtle, in fact, that he tries hinting and very few people really get the idea he’s implying. Though some girls get it so much that they become obsessed.

But through all this, he’s found a friend in a girl, who has no idea about the vampire thing. She just likes him for him, and this has never happened to him before, so much so that he has no idea how to react. It seems too good to be true.

Finn is a sweetheart. I like him from the beginning. His entire idea to be a vampire is clearly terrible from the beginning, but he really tries. And then he’s so oblivious, that it takes him a long time to realize that a girl does actually like him, as a person, as a boy. And she’s a really nice girl, and I love the banter that they have.

This was a really fun, cute book. I’m glad I picked it up.