Manga Review: Noragami: Stray God, Volume 21, by Adachitoka

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Kodansha Comics

Release Date: March 2020

Volumes: 22+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 20. 22.

Goodreads Synopsis:

CURIOSITY KILLS

Yukine was harboring the fugitive stray at Kofuku's place, but when Kofuku comes home with an entourage of shinki, his new friend vanishes without a trace. When Yukine goes out looking for her, he only finds her former master instead. The encounter ends a bit too peacefully, and Koto's words nag at Yukine, but the questions they raise are dangerous ones...

Review:

While Kazuma and Yato are off training and preparting to kill Yato's father, Yukine is complicating things with the stray. In the beginning it might have seemed like an innocent friendship forming despite everything, but we all knew it wouldn't be. Of course she's planting seeds in his head, whether she wants to or not, and now things are spiraling quickly.

Hiyori hasn't shown up too much, but when she does, she's trying to help them. She doesn't need to be the role that shows up and takes care of things out of nowhere, but it's nice to see her standing up for them when she sees the opportunity. Even the other gods are meeting up and debating on what to do here.

This is becoming increasingly messy, and awfully dangerous for everyone, at this point. These slow releases are awful, too. I need to know what happens next!

Manga Review: Toilet-bound Hanako-kun, Volume 1, by Aidalro

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: Yen Press

Release Date: January 2020

Volumes: 13+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 2.

Goodreads Synopsis:

"Hanako-san, Hanako-san...are you there?" At Kamome Academy, rumors abound about the school's Seven Mysteries, one of which is Hanako-san. Said to occupy the third stall of the third floor girls' bathroom in the old school building, Hanako-san grants any wish when summoned. Nene Yashiro, an occult-loving high school girl who dreams of romance, ventures into this haunted bathroom...but the Hanako-san she meets there is nothing like she imagined! Kamome Academy's Hanako-san...is a boy!

Review:

Yashiro hears about the seven mysteries in her new school and immediately goes to the girls bathroom in the old school building and calls for Hanako-san. Only to discover that, not only is Hanako-san a boy, but he also doesn't seem to do much magic, and thus isn't very helpful in her quest for romance and to get her crush to notice her.

Yashiro apparently likes occult stuff and ghost stories, or at least her classmate thinks so. She's definitely a scaredy-cat, though, so I don't see it. She definitely is a romantic, however. She's been rejected before, and yet she still falls for boys without knowing anything about them, and dreams of a prince falling from the sky to her rescue.

Yashiro and Hanako form a bond through friendship, but also through a surprising mermaid curse. It's quite cute, honestly, though they don't seem to have any romantic feelings at this point. Yashiro also has a friend in her class, and then we meet a boy who's determined to exorcise Hanako, and this gives hints to Hanako's dangerous past.

We're left on a bit of a cliffhanger. Since it felt a bit like Hanako was overpowered in the first couple of chapters, I'm curious to see where this plot goes next. This was quite a fun volume. The artstyle is very pretty and the characters are rather cutesy, but there are a lot of dark strokes and inks used, too, and there are definite hints of something darker coming that intrigues me.

I know this series has hit quite big, so I'm intrigued to read more. It's been a while since I've read a high school ghost series, too, and that's a theme I enjoy.

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: NonNonBa by Shigeru Mizuki

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: Drawn & Quarterly

Release Date: 2012.

Volumes: 1.

Spoilers?: No.

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

The first English translation of Mizuki's best-loved work

NonNonBa is the definitive work by acclaimed Gekiga-ka Shigeru Mizuki, a poetic memoir detailing his interest in yokai (spirit monsters). Mizuki's childhood experiences with yokai influenced the course of his life and oeuvre; he is now known as the forefather of yokai manga. His spring 2011 book, Onward Towards Our Noble Deaths, was featured on PRI's The World, where Marco Werman scored a coveted interview with one of the most famous visual artists working in Japan today.

Within the pages of NonNonBa, Mizuki explores the legacy left him by his childhood explorations of the spirit world, explorations encouraged by his grandmother, a grumpy old woman named NonNonBa. NonNonBa is a touching work about childhood and growing up, as well as a fascinating portrayal of Japan in a moment of transition. NonNonBa was the first manga to win the Angoulême Prize for Best Album. Much like its namesake, NonNonBa is at once funny and nostalgic, firmly grounded in a sociohistorical context and floating in the world of the supernatural.

Review:

This is a big, done-in-one volume of manga. Featuring Mizuki as a kid, the lessons regarding yokai from his grandmother, and how those played out in real life and in his imagination.

This was a really fun volume. We're introduced to some really interesting legends of yokai, and some odd yokai creatures. How they might portray in the real life. And all followed with his grandma, kind of a crazy old woman, but the kind that you love dearly.

It's based in a past time, and the art style is also more childish and not-modern, but in a really endearing way. Big circular heads and cute facial expressions. I quite enjoyed it, even though it's not something I would normally pick up.

Manga Review: Monster and the Beast, Volume 1, by Renji

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: Yen Press

Release Date: June 2019

Volumes: 2+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 2.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Cavo is a hideous monster with a pure heart. Liam, on the other hand, might look like the perfect gentleman, but he's a beast on the inside, and he has an eccentric personality to boot. When Cavo rescues Liam from an unfortunate situation in the forest, the paths of the monster and the beast cross for the first time. Will their meeting be a fleeting encounter or a timeless entanglement? And will Liam succeed in leading the innocent Cavo astray?

Review:

We meet Liam as he's being attacked by some men in the woods, and Cavo comes and saves him. But we quickly discover that Liam had agreed on a trip with those men and now doesn't know which way is out, and that he's familiar with using his body to get what he wants and to get affection.

I was intrigued at the first idea of a Beauty and the Beast take with a gay relationship. I'm a little disappointed with how this pans out, though.

Liam is definitely the monster of the relationship, despite being a handsome gentlemen. Cavo is a “terrifying creature”, and yet he's gentle and sweet, and simply wants to stay by Liam's side. How Liam treats Cavo with so much uncare, and even disdain at times, really puts me off. He seems to humor Cavo at times to let him come along with him, but he doesn't act with any real kindness or affection toward him.

The ending makes me think there'll be a little twist thrown in next, but I don't know if I'm all that interested. I liked Cavo enough, but I really didn't like Liam, and I didn't really get the chemistry between them, either.

Manga Review: Yona of the Dawn, Volume 20, by Mizuho Kusanagi

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Shojo Beat (VIZ Media)

Release Date: October 2019

Volumes: 31+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 19. 21.

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!

Betrayal leads to Yona and Riri being abducted by the nation of Sei! Forced to work as slaves, the two stubbornly refuse to be controlled, but their situation is dire. In order to save Yona and Riri, Hak and the Four Dragons split into two groups and sneak into enemy territory!

Review:

After that last cliffhanger, we discover that Yona and Riri haven't been taken to immediate danger, but are put to work where danger is going to come over time, whether they do or don't do what they're told.

It's interesting to see the group separate like this. Yona and Riri are apart from the rest, of course, but the dragons and Riri's guards also split up, in order to check the locations that Yona and Riri might be. And then Su-Won shows up, and we see a couple more surprise characters that might just complicate things more.

It's easy to forget that the dragons and most other characters don't know what happened to Yona, and don't know Su-Won or all the connections there. They're very separate experiences for most of the characters. But on the other hand, it's also nice to see what friendships have formed around all these events. Su-Won has made connections. But also, Hak has grown close to the dragons, despite whether he wanted to or not—they all care for each other, and it's nice to see that acknowledged, as they reassure and watch over Hak, when they're all worried about Yona.

This cliffhanger is even worse than the last. And this plot line is getting more complicated and terrible as it goes. I immediately need to read the next, because I cannot wait to find out what happens.

Manga Review: Black Butler, Volume 27, by Yana Toboso

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Yen Press

Release Date: January 2019

Volumes: 28+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 26. 28.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Three years prior, on his tenth birthday, Earl Ciel Phantomhive lost everything...but he was not alone. From the attack on the Phantomhive manor to the moment the contract with a certain devil was made, Ciel starkly recounts all that has come to pass...leaving all who bear witness breathless!

Review:

We finally get the full story in this volume. We see what happened that killed the other Phantomhives, what happened to Ciel's twin, and how he was led to create the agreement with Sebastian, the devil.

It's an interesting new look at Sebastian and Ciel's characters. Ciel was just a child, and he was put through unspeakable things, to the point where he would do anything to survive, and was put in a situation that makes survival the only option. Sebastian has always been a rather upstanding butler, with only glimpses of his real power and the real devil inside him. We get to see quite a bit more of that in this volume. We see his formless demonic self, in pieces, and we get to see him negotiate terms with Ciel. While he usually seems to be on Ciel's side, he is also a smart, manipulative demon.

This still leaves the present quite a mystery. While we know what happened on Ciel's side up to this point, it doesn't answer how his twin is currently alive and back at the mansion.

While I know that this plot could be too much, too cliché or whatever, it doesn't bother me. I think the depth put into it, the dark reasoning and everything combined with how it's shown, works. At least for me. I'm still very much into this series, and look forward to the next volume.

Novel Review: Defy Me (Shatter Me, #5) by Tahereh Mafi

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Genre: YA Supernatural Romance

Publisher: HarperTeen

Release Date: April 2019

Spoilers?: Only for previous book.

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

The gripping fifth installment in the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestselling Shatter Me series. Will Juliette’s broken heart make her vulnerable to the strengthening darkness within her?

Juliette’s short tenure as the supreme commander of North America has been an utter disaster. When the children of the other world leaders show up on her doorstep, she wants nothing more than to turn to Warner for support and guidance. But he shatters her heart when he reveals that he’s been keeping secrets about her family and her identity from her—secrets that change everything.

Juliette is devastated, and the darkness that’s always dwelled within her threatens to consume her. An explosive encounter with unexpected visitors might be enough to push her over the edge.

The Cover:

I love these covers. I love how they all match and go together, and also are different enough. They're gorgeous, and so eye-catching, and give such a good feel for the series.

Review:

It isn't usually so obvious to me, but this very much felt like a middle book in a series. While there was a lot of stuff happening, there was a lot of time recovering from the previous cliffhanger, and leading up to the new cliffhanger.

Since Juliette has been kidnapped, the characters are separated for most of this book. Juliette has to figure out how to deal with her new situation, learning her new surroundings and the people around her and what they're doing to her. She's still processing everything, when she's taken away from everyone she knows and basically tortured.

I will admit that I love how she recovers from it all. Juliette is kick ass, and she ain't afraid of these people any more, oh no no.

It was interesting how Warner and Kenji dealt with her being missing, and how the group had to come together and figure out how to proceed from their end of things. With Juliette gone, they have to step forward and figure out how to keep their people safe and not lose everything they've done to this point.

Not to mention the surprise characters who show up and potentially ruin everything.

I know some people don't like that this series continued (this is a common feeling for a lot of series), but I'm all for it. I'm really into this series still, and am finding these new developments really interesting, and very hard to put down, honestly. I can't wait to see how this all wraps up in the next and final book.

Novel Review: The Becoming of Noah Shaw (The Shaw Confessions, #1) by Michelle Hodkin

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Genre: YA Paranormal Romance with Dark Themes

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Release Date: 2017

Spoilers?: No.

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

In the first book of the Shaw Confessions, the companion series to the New York Times bestselling Mara Dyer novels, old skeletons are laid bare and new promises prove deadly. This is what happens after happily ever after.

Everyone thinks seventeen-year-old Noah Shaw has the world on a string.

They’re wrong.

Mara Dyer is the only one he trusts with his secrets and his future.

He shouldn’t.

And both are scared that uncovering the truth about themselves will force them apart.

They’re right.

The Cover:

I love these covers. They're very pretty and eye-catching, dark and ominous, and I appreciate that it's not embarrassing or cliche with a girl in a dress. It also works with the previous series, and each book in the series follows the same imagery, which I love.

Review:

I was surprised to hear that this series was continuing, as I didn't really think it needed to be, originally. I also didn't really consider not picking it up—I really enjoyed the first trilogy, and had no qualms about reading more. I was intrigued, but a tiny bit wary.

Upon starting this book, I had no idea so many people disliked it. I understand some of it, though—it does play with a lot of problematic themes (suicide, drugs, sex, self-harm, to name a few), and it has a lot of really awful, unapologetic characters, including the protagonists. But... I never minded those things. I even liked the story because of those things. One of my favorite things about the first series was how violent and bad Mara could be.

Now, to confess—it has been such a long time since I originally read the series, that I remembered very little of it. I barely remember how it ended, or any of the big reveals, or much of it at all. I don't think that hindered my reading of this book too much, though. (Re-reading would have helped clear up some topics, but oh well, my copies are in a box somewhere.)

This series is in Noah's point of view. His father has just died, he's moving to New York with Mara and some of their friends, and suddenly other Gifted people are committing suicide all over the place, only he doesn't think it's by their choice.

It's interesting being in Noah's head, instead of Mara's. They're both very dark characters, and they've experienced a lot of bad things. As the story progresses, we learn more about what his father was up to, what the Professor might have been doing, and what each character knows and hasn't been honest about. And Noah starts discovering, and accepting, some things about Mara that he didn't realize before this.

There are several surprises in this book. Following Noah as he discovers things is surprising, and a little rough at times. He doesn't want to deal with things, and he has his own moral code, but he's forced to make some decisions here. A big reason for why I want to continue this series, not only to discover all of the secrets and find out who is behind all of this and what they want, is to see Noah do something about it. He understands how The Game works, but he hasn't wanted to be a part of it. He's always wanted to kind of give up, to not be the Hero everyone claims he is. But now he's being put in a position where he might have to do just that.

I do really love Noah and Mara's relationship, and I enjoy how dark and rough and gritty, and psychological, this series can be. But I might actually want to know how the plot line wraps up more than anything else. It's surprising to me, but I want to know where this is going to go next.

Novel Review: Restore Me (Shatter Me, #4) by Tahereh Mafi

Rating (Out of 5): ~4-4.5

Genre: YA Paranormal Romance

Publisher: HarperTeen

Release Date: March 2018

Spoilers?: No.

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

Teaser Tuesday.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Juliette Ferrars thought she'd won. She took over Sector 45, was named the new Supreme Commander, and now has Warner by her side. But she's still the girl with the ability to kill with a single touch—and now she's got the whole world in the palm of her hand. When tragedy hits, who will she become? Will she be able to control the power she wields and use it for good?

The Cover:

I absolutely love the covers of this series. They're gorgeous, and simple and eye-catching, without being embarrassing or typical young adult paranormal romance at all. Each one is very similar, but the colors are different enough, and they each depict something else. I love the beauty in the details of them.

Review:

It has been such a long time since the original trilogy ended, that I had forgotten some of the main plot points, and how it ended. But that didn't really hinder me in any way, as this book just starts it right back up.

Juliette is now in charge, and she's learning the responsibilities and what that entails. Warner is coming to terms with his new position, and the fact that his father is dead, and that he has siblings now. It's all very complicated.

And then the kids of the other world leaders show up to meet Juliette, with supposedly innocent reasons, but we all know this isn't true. Warner is keeping things from Juliette. And Juliette is trying to be a leader on her own, without Warner, who never wanted that position anyway.

And then we discover that Juliette can do more damage than anyone ever suspected, and we get thrown an even bigger curveball than I could have seen coming.

I still absolutely love the writing style in this series. I love the characters—Juliette and Warner and Kenji are my favorites, and I'm quite intrigued by Nazeera and Haider.

There are so many bombs dropped in this book, though. Juliette is told more about herself than she wanted to know, I think. And then that ending. That ending was awful, and leaves so many questions and so many things left open. I have a hard time processing it, and I am not okay. I am not okay with it.

I'm kind of glad I waited to read this, because it's not too long till the next book is out, thankfully. Because I need to know what happens next. As soon as possible.

Manga Review: Yona of the Dawn, Volume 16, by Mizuho Kusanagi

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Shojo Beat (VIZ Media)

Release Date: February 2019

Volumes: 29+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 15. 17.

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 large fleet of ships from South Kai heads to Sensui at drug trafficker Hyo’s behest. Will Yona and her friends be able to thwart Hyo’s nefarious plans and stop these enemy forces? And what will happen to Yona when an infuriated Hyo attacks her?

Review:

Finally, the confrontation between Hak and Su-Won. Yona's been dealing with it without causing conflict, but by watching and being guarded. Hak has a very different reaction, because his main worry is protecting and avenging Yona.

No one else understands what's happening until later.

After that big moment, they seem to forget about Hyo. They've dealt with him somewhat, and it seems like they're leaving Riri to help with what she can without them. I do appreciate that Riri has grown stronger, how Yona was able to help her and impress upon her. It was a good relationship for both of them, I think.

I'm still a bit conflicted about Su-Won. I want to hate him, but he also appears conflicted. He did what he thought he needed to, but he still has a bond with Yona and Hak, and he doesn't seem to want to hurt them. That doesn't mean he won't, though. It's hard to tell what he plans next and what he's willing to do.

I'm a bit confused by the ending of the plot with Hyo, because Su-Won seemed to take all of the rest of the volume. I'm not sure where they're going next.

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

Manga Review: Take Me to Heaven by Nase Yamato

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: Deux/Aurora Publishing

Release Date: 2009.

Volumes: 1.

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble.

Goodreads Synopsis:

He sees ghosts... and one sexy guy!

High school student Fumiya possesses the ability to see things normal people can't: ghosts and spirits. Every time Fumiya sees one, he turns to the tall, handsome and popular Shogo, the son of a temple priest, for help. After being rescued time after time by Shogo, Fumiya can't resist developing certain feelings towards his savior. Watch as ghosts and spirits work to drive these two together!

Review:

Meh. I wasn’t really impressed.

Fumiya sees ghosts, and he cries whenever they’re near. Shogo is the son of a priest and knows how to exorcise them, only he doesn’t actually believe in them or want anything to do with it.

Mostly, I was annoyed with how insensitive Shogo was to Fumiya. He teases him a little too much, and Fumiya is rather weak and annoying of a character. On the other hand, I did like how open Shogo was with his relationship with Fumiya, and that while he had female groupies, they all believed he was actually in love with Fumiya.

In the end, it was an okay story. I liked the episodic ghost story chapters. The art was okay, nice to look at.

Manga Review: Black Butler, Volume 26, by Yana Toboso

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5-4

Publisher: Yen Press

Release Date: August 2018

Volumes: 27+

Spoilers?: Yes.

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

Volume: 1. 25. 27.

Goodreads Synopsis:

While Earl Ciel Phantomhive and his indomitable butler, Sebastian, are away on the trail of Blavat and the Blue Star Cult, the sound of gunshots echoes through the halls of their London townhouse. What chaos awaits master and servant upon their return home? And why is the young earl shaken to his core by the message left behind by the invader?

Review:

I'm conflicted about this.

So, we conclude the cliffhanger from last time, and it's honestly awful. I didn't really want to believe that's how it would end, and it is really sad. I feel so bad for Soma.

During the aftermath of this, it's clear that something is bothering Ciel. Something is haunting him, and he's asking odd questions... All of this leading to a truly surprising reveal, to discovering that our Ciel is actually not Ciel at all.

I don't know how to feel about this. On one hand, it's so overused to throw in a secret twin. And it's rather unbelievable. It makes me distend my belief a bit too much. But on the other hand, it's pulled off rather well, and the backstory we get regarding it is very interesting. I'm interested to see how it all leads to Ciel being where he is when we start the series. It also makes me wonder about his deal with Sebastian—does him pretending to be someone else complicate their contract?

I'm conflicted over this turn of events. But I'm also very interested to see where that cliffhanger goes. What bad things happen next? What led to Ciel being where he was, and making a deal with devil?