Manga Review: Sakura Hime: The Legend of Princess Sakura, Volume 5, by Arina Tanemura

Rating (Out of 5 Stars): 3 

Publisher: VIZ Media

VIZ Media Synopsis:

Aoba and the others storm Enju's hidden palace to rescue Sakura. Byakuya must defeat Maimai for the key to the tower where Sakura is being held. Maimai is a ruthless killer, but Byakuya is about to unleash her secret powers...

Review:

 

I've been having a hard time thinking of what to write for this review. I usually like Tanemura's books more than I've liked this one so far, and I'm not sure why that is. There isn't really anything wrong with this book. But for some reason, I read the volume, and I think about it as I do, and, really, there isn't anything wrong with it, but it just isn't as interesting as I want it to be. And then I finish reading it, and I wait a while, and what happened in the book isn't as exciting as it was to begin with, and it's a bit of a blur. But a blur that's easy to recall. Or it's mostly a blank until I look through the book again.

Ahhhh. I hope that the later volumes get more exciting.

Anyway, what happened in this volume? Well, in the first chapter, the fight between MaiMai and Byakuya finishes. This is mostly alright. Although Byakuya does this transformation thing that is a little odd. And even after the fight, Sakura is still nice to MaiMai. I don't think I like that she is, but of course she has to be just so nice to everyone.

The next two chapters focus on Kohaku, Hayate, and Shuri. It's mostly about back story, about how they know each other, how Hayate got turned into a frog, the little love triangle like thing that's going on between them. There's also some stuff with Aoba that's sweet and sad, like the whole changing how they call each other. And then it goes back to the present and Kohaku fights with Shuri, in a way to prove herself. So they fight and at the end, after Hayate has turned into his human form because it is a full moon night, he grabs them and hugs them. It's kind of sweet, I guess, but I don't know how I feel about Shuri yet. I guess he doesn't seem so bad. But there's no doubt that I love Hayate, and Hayate with Kohaku is also awesome. They are my favorite characters so far.

I don't really know how I feel about most of the characters. I will probably like Sakura with Aoba, as I'm already leaning toward them, but I don't really know how much I like Sakura anymore. I like Asagiri, and of course I like Hayate and Kohaku. I don't think I like Enju, and most of the other characters are a little iffy so far.

And it hasn't gotten very exciting yet. I mentioned this above. But I'm hoping that it gets better. I like Tanemura's stories and art, and I'm going to continue reading. But I hope it gets more memorable.

Oh, also, there's a short story at the end. This also wasn't very good to me. It was just a little mediocre. It's about a girl who doesn't like this boy and it has a spooky edge to it because there's this haunting story at their school. There's a bit of a twist to it, and I think I mostly liked the guy. But it was just alright. Not amazing or anything.

So, yea. I just hope it gets better. That the story moves forward some more from here. Like, by Sakura and Aoba making up fully, and Hayate being turned fully into a human so that him and Kohaku can be together.

Manga Review: Ouran High School Host Club, Volume 17, by Bisco Hatori

Rating (Out of 5 Stars): ~4

Publisher: VIZ Media

VIZ Media Synopsis:

Tamaki’s father and grandmother, the heads of the powerful Suoh Corp., are behind the Host Club’s suspension and the plan for Haruhi to be shipped off abroad. Now the Host Club members must pull out all the stops to save their beloved leader from his family’s infighting.

Review:

I love this series, as I've mentioned already. (I have, right? Because I do.) But this volume wasn't as exciting as I'd hoped it would be.

Quite a bit happens, though. Tamaki is still trying to get his Grandmother to accept him, and his father so far hasn't done much of anything to help him in this. Tamaki also can't join the host club or interact with Haruhi.

Haruhi decides to go back to dressing like she did before joining the club. I totally understand the statement she is making by doing this, and I also completely understand why she enjoys doing that over getting dressed up and having to look nice. A bunch of people are upset about it, like the twins and Ranka. Anyway, the club is upset about Tamaki and trying to think of ways to fix things.

A lot of talking happens in this volume, and several things are found out. About Tamaki's father and what he has been planning (which is upsetting to Tamaki, but not necessarily a bad thing), and some things are resolved with Tamaki and his Grandmother, and Tamaki's mother's illness is fully discovered, and we find out why she seems to be getting better and what Tamaki's father has to do with it, and what Kosaka's role in all of it is. And Tamaki's mother comes over to Japan, but Tamaki decides not to see her as a statement to his Grandmother, but then he gets to see her, even if only for a very short time. And in order for that to be possible, the host club and several people from the school show how much they love him by making it happen.

I don't want to say too much about what happened aside from that. Just that some awesome things happen with Tamaki's Grandmother that changes a lot, and that's mostly what this volume is centered around. Although, I guess, really, most of the last few volumes, and just generally the serious stuff, revolves around him. A lot of stuff gets resolved, though.

Everyone is just so sweet to Tamaki in this volume. It's nice to see, especially considering how much of an unhappy mood he's in and what's been going on with him. And then at the very end, (like, on the last page,) there's this uber cute moment between Tamaki and Haruhi that is also a huge cliffhanger and I really want to know what happens. I believe that it's happy, since there's only one volume left, but I am so excited to see it happen. (While a little sad, since it is the last volume. What will I have after that? You know, besides all of those other manga I read.)

Most of this book was big statements and moments full of impact, and setting things off for the last volume. There were very few cute, fluffy moments. And it almost pains me to give a volume of this series only four stars, but it just wasn't as good as I wanted it to be. It was very serious. And while it did need to be, I miss the fun, fluff-filled moments. I love them. And I love the characters. I hope that some more things conclude in the next volume, as I'm thinking they will, and I'm excited for it. And I really hope that I don't have to wait too long for it, that they're not going to stretch out the release date too much. I just really want to see the happy ending for all of them.

Manga Review: Papillon, Volume 1, by Miwa Ueda

Rating (Out of 5 Stars): 3

Publisher: Del Rey

Goodreads Synopsis:

It’s no fun being a high school outcast. It’s even harder when your twin sister is the most popular girl in school! The ultra-glam Hana is the ultimate teen queen, but her sister, Ageha, is just a shy tomboy. Hana loves being the center of attention so much that she’ll do anything to keep her sister in her shadow. But Ageha has a plan that will change her life. Because no one, not even Hana, can hold Ageha back forever. . . .

Review:

I never read Peach Girl, although I did watch the anime, years ago. I didn't even know that this was by the same author until I started reading it. I've thought about reading Peach Girl (should I?), but the art just doesn't look pretty enough. It looks better in this one, though. The story line doesn't look much better though.

It's about Ageha, the 'ugly' older twin sister of Hana. Ageha wears glasses and has acne (even though, I swear, I thought she had freckles until they said that it was acne. And the fact that it was acne and not freckles, even if it didn't look particularly flattering, bothers me. There is nothing wrong with freckles, and that's what it looked like), and doesn't wear skirts and low cut tops, and has pigtails. And image matters a lot to her. Hana is pretty and has been with so many guys and flirts with them all. Ageha grew up in the country with her grandmother and Hana grew up with their parents in the city, and I guess this is a good enough reason for why they are so different. (It's not, really.)

Anyway, Ageha likes Ryusei, a boy she grew up with. She's too shy and embarrassed to say anything to him, and when she gets advice from this boy, Hayato, who turns out to be the school's new student guidance counselor, she decides to try to get closer to him. This works somewhat, until Hana decides to steal him away from her. She crashes this 'date' type of thing they're doing, dressed like Ageha only with more showing, and she's hanging all over them. And then in the middle of this, her newly ex-boyfriend shows up and hits her but then feels bad after she talks some and says something sweet. This was kind of stupid, and very ridiculous, and I don't believe any of it. And then this picture of Ageha and Ryusei that has been written on (by Hayato, not Ageha, which apparently doesn't matter) gets out and she runs away all embarrassed. A supposed friend of hers found it and showed it off, betraying her (or whatever). Ryusei turns her down, but he feels bad about it. Although, really, his feelings changed really fast about Hana, since he went from being wary of her and not having an interest in going out with her. And then in the next chapter, after she has come back to class with her head held high, not showing any embarrassment, and almost immediately makes friends. This also seems unrealistic. But her friends are nice and help her, which is good for her, I guess. And they encourage her to go after Ryusei, which she does. And she ends up setting up another thing with him, but Hana crashes it by calling him away, and then faking crying before laughing it off, and Ageha is talking with Hayato while waiting for him (even though they're walking, which I don't understand. Ryusei is late, yea, but she was waiting, and then started following Hayato to talk to him. This doesn't really fit,) when she sees them together as they kiss for the first time, I'm assuming. And then it ends with Ageha staring at them, wide eyed.

Honestly, this is kind of terrible. Ageha is whiny and wimpy and only cares about what people think, and Hana is terrible and tries stealing everything from her sister, who, supposedly, can't really compare. Hayato I like, as he is fun and interesting and older (which is also almost always fun). And then Ageha had a crappy friend who turned on her at any possible moment. Several of these things remind me of Peach Girl, but since I have only watched the anime, tell me if I'm wrong. But even though this is a terrible book, with very few redeeming qualities, I'm a little excited to read the next one. This might be since I already have it, but I do tend to like the dramas that are a bit more mature, even though this one isn't very mature, and the main character is pretty much all of the things that I dislike. Either way, the review of volume 2 will probably be up soon.

Oh, also. This was originally published by Del Rey, and, unless I'm mistaken, there are only two volumes left. Does anyone know if Kodansha is continuing it? I was assuming they were, and maybe I'm wrong and volumes 5&6 was published by Kodansha, but I don't think it was. So, are they? I hope they do, if only so I can complete the series.

Manga Review: Dawn of the Arcana, Volume 1, by Rei Toma

Rating (Out of 5 Stars): 2.5 

Publisher: VIZ Media

Goodreads Synopsis:

Princess Nakaba of Senan is forced to marry Prince Caesar of the enemy country Belquat, tantamount to becoming a hostage. While Caesar is pleasing to the eye, he is also selfish and possessive, telling Nakaba outright: “You are my property.” With only her attendant Loki at her side, Nakaba must find a way to cope with her hostile surroundings, her fake marriage...and a mysterious power!

Review:

 

I'm a bit disappointed. When I first saw this, I thought that I would really like it. The art looked good, the summary sounded good, even though I only had a vague remembrance of what it was supposed to be, and it's from Shojo Beat. It looked exactly like the type of manga that I like. I even saved it for last. So I was disappointed in finding out that it wasn't very good.

It's about Nakaba, a princess, who has just been married to Prince Caesar. And she has a servant, or whatever, who has, I think, dog ears. She's also a red head, and that's a big deal to everyone, as most royals have dark hair, so no one wants much to do with her. She doesn't want to be married to Caesar, and he's all forceful about now he owns her. And her servant, Loki, tries to protect her and then gets in trouble for threatening Caesar and has to hide for a while. Caesar forces himself on Nakaba at one point, and she fights him. And then Caesar is in this tournament and Loki challenges him and he loses and so Loki gets pardoned.

There's also some back story to Loki and Nakaba. She's a princess of this town, or place, that was attacked, and we find out that the person who sent it out is Caesar's father. She's been with only Loki for a long time now, and she keeps having flashbacks to how the attack went down, as she was very little at the time.

Nakaba is okay. She tries fighting everyone, but she isn't very good at it. Not forceful enough, or something of the sort. And she cries a little easily and faints a couple of times. I don't particularly like her, but there's the possibility that she will get better. I hope she does.

I don't like Caesar. He's a jerk to her in the beginning, and then at the end he hugs her after she says something to him that he wasn't expecting. He's had a tough childhood, as his parents kind of suck, but I still don't like him very much. I do like Loki, though. He's a bit adorable. He's protective and very loyal to Nakaba. He's probably just about the best part of the book for me.

And the art, I mentioned earlier. The cover makes it seem like it will be very pretty. And it wasn't really bad. Just not very good. It was all a little lackluster to me. I will give it another try, for maybe a couple for volumes, and I hope that it gets better.

Manga Review: Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You, Volume 11, by Karuho Shiina

Rating (Out of 5 Stars): 4.5

Publisher: VIZ Media

Goodreads Synopsis:

Sawako and Kazehaya have confessed their feelings to each other! But now Sawako is worried about her rival, Kurumi. In the past, Kurumi vowed to hate any girl who went out with Kazehaya. So how's she going to react to the news that Sawako and Kazehaya are dating?

Review:

This one wasn't as good, or exciting, as the last, but it was still good.

The first chapter focuses on Kurumi and Sawako. They talk a little bit, work some things out. And Ayane and Kento talk to her on her way out. It kind of seems like she's over Kazehaya, but like something is still going to happen with her, and I'm wondering what. Kind of like there's something going on with Kento that hasn't been explored, or shown completely. Maybe it has to do with both of them? I want to know.

The next chapter is a flash back, to when Kazehaya and Sawako first met, and before they really started talking, but from Kazehaya's point of view. We already know how this all happened, so it felt like I already knew everything, but some of it was new because there was how Kazehaya was feeling, and what he was thinking of Sawako, and it's super cute. He's just so adorable, I can't help it. He's just so innocent, and he was so confused and wrong about everything at the beginning, and his little confession (kind of?) as the end was sweet.

In the third chapter, Sawako finds out that Kazehaya's birthday has just recently passed, and feels terrible about not knowing about it. But then there's a scene between Ayane and Pin, where she talks to him about some things, some insecurities of hers. I don't want there to be, but there's very obviously some feelings between them. I don't think I like this. He's very close with that group, helping out in his weird way, and joking with them, and all that. But he's their teacher, and I'm not sure how much older he is than them, so I don't know if it's as inappropriate as I think it is. I hope not, because I kind of want to like it. Whatever; then there's a scene between Chizu and Ryu. They talk some, and there's some very subtle flirting going on. I want them to just talk it out and confess things. He should just kiss and make her realize, and it would be fantastic. (Really, though, I just want some kisses to be exchanged.) And then the chapter ends with Kazehaya walking Sawako home, which I guess makes some of their classmates realize they're actually going out, and he asks her out on a date.

The next chapter is the date. Sawako has dressed up and made them food and made him some gifts for his belated birthday. He's surprised and embarrassed and happy about this. They talk about their miscommunication issues, making sure that they know how the other feels. And they take a walk. And then they go to the planetarium, where they lean back in their seats and look at each other with their faces real close and get all red. This is so cute, and I just want them to kiss already. It needs to happen. But they should at least hold hands, it would make me somewhat content. I hope it happens in the next volume. It ends with Kazehaya hugging Sawako, talking about their feelings, as they seem to be realizing that they feel the same. Their date is probably what bumped the rating up half a point, otherwise it just would have been 4.

I want more cute and adorable and overbearingly sweet in the next volume. I really hope that it gets there. I also want more from the other characters, like with what I mentioned above. But I want some kisses and loving exchanged most of all, because I love that stuff.

Manga Review: Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You, Volume 10, by Karuho Shiina

4.5 of 5 Stars

Publisher: VIZ Media

Goodreads Synopsis:

A misunderstanding causes Sawako and Kazehaya to distance themselves from each other. Unable to stand the tension, Sawako decides she needs to reveal her true feelings to him. Will this awkward girl and well-liked guy become a couple?!

Review:

Ahhhh, I love this series. I have been waiting to read this volume for over a month now, and I have the next volume waiting for me, and I want to read it. So bad. This volume was adorable. It was just full of adorable. There was nothing not adorable about this book (except maybe the end of it, but we'll talk about that later). And I loved it.

So the last volume left off with Sawako going to talk to Kazehaya to tell him her feelings. This one starts with her finding him in the classroom. Where she talks to him, and he's stunned and then pulls her in to the room and holds her. There are little scenes of their friends talking in between this, and trying not to let anyone interrupt them, and several of the panels show the classroom, and scenic things to set the mood. It's very sweet. And then Joe, Kazehaya's stupid friend, comes into the room to talk to him about food and completely ruins it. (Why would he do this to them? Or, you know, me?) And then Kazehaya is bummed because that was important stuff, and Sawako is embarrassed, and the chapter ends with her talking to her friends. Pin, their teacher, also interrupts things a couple of times, trying to be smart and give advice while also doing something that will help him.

In the second chapter, Sawako and her friends and everyone else is getting ready for some school festival. They stay up all night to do it, and they perform the stuff. I didn't even remember this from the previous volume, although I caught on, because all I was worried about, and cared about, was Sawako and Kazehaya talking things out. That was much more important. Anyway, they perform it, and Kazehaya has a talk with Sawako, and ends up confessing that they feel the same way in front of everyone. She cries some more and they smile at each other, and it's very cute and sweet.

Next, everyone goes to their class party for winning, or not winning, things at the festival. Kazehaya and Sawako walk there together, and are embarrassed around each other, and when they meet up with everyone, people overwhelm them with questions about what is going on. Well, first of all, they're trying to act out the confession that they all saw, which embarrasses the two, and then they ask what is going on. To which Kazehaya responds to one of the questions, “Because I'm so in love with her,” and makes me love him even more (as if that were possible, right?) And their friends talk some things out with them, and Pin causes some problems. He makes Kazehaya accidentally propose to her and she responds with, “Let me think about it,” before he does what Pin originally told him to do, and asks her to officially be his girlfriend, and then Sawako tells him that she can't look at him without ulterior motives. There's also little snippets of Sawako's parents thrown in, mostly of her father being upset at her growing up and hanging out with other people. It's cute, and I hope that we get to see some actual time with them, and that we get to see Kazehaya being introduced to them. But I thought that this chapter was especially hilarious and adorable.

The last chapter has some more cute moments of Kazehaya and Sawako. They're still getting used to being together, and everyone else is still in disbelief at them being together. This is troublesome, and I'm wondering if someone is actually going to cause problems for them. They haven't yet, but a lot of them are focused on her using black magic to get Kazehaya, and they just need to get over that already. And at the beginning, and during certain parts of the book, Sawako's insecurities were bothering me and how embarrassed she got so easily, which I originally thought was endearing, and it grew on me again. Anyway, the book ends with Sawako going to talk to Kurumi. Kurumi is alright, and I'm wondering what she's going to do. Sawako sees her defending her (Sawako) to some of the other girls. This is a little unexpected, and since I'm expecting them to talk in the next book (or chapter), I'm curious as to what is going to go down.

I really want Kazehaya and Sawako to get closer. I want them to hold hands and kiss and all of those things and am really excited to see them happen. I'm hoping they happen soon. As well as seeing more of her parents. And I want the romantic things to move along with her friends. With Chizo and Ryu, and Ayane and whoever. I'm thinking maybe it'll be her and Kento, but it could also be Kento and Kurumi. I just want things to move along, and to see what happens next. And my review of volume 11 will be up soon, probably the next day or two, since I am going to be reading it tonight.

Manga Review: Black Bird, Volume 11, by Kanoko Sakurakouji

Rating (Out of 5 Stars): 3.5

Publisher: Shojo Beat (VIZ Media)

Goodreads Synopsis: 

 There is a world of myth and magic that intersects ours, and only a special few can see it. Misao Harada is one such person, and she wants nothing to do with magical realms. She just wants to have a normal high school life and maybe get a boyfriend. All that changes one day when Misao is attacked by a demon. Her childhood friend Kyo suddenly returns to save her and tend to her cuts--with his tongue! It turns out Misao is the bride of prophecy, whose blood gives power to the demon clan who claims her. But most demons want to keep her power for themselves--by eating her! Now Misao is just trying to stay alive...and decide if she likes it when Kyo licks her wounds.

Sho has miraculously returned to the tengu village, and while he seems content to live quietly on the outskirts, Kyo has learned the hard way not to trust his brother. To make matters worse, the villagers are resentful that Kyo won't share the restorative power of the Senka Maiden with them. But most demons don't possess Kyo's willpower, and one taste of Misao's blood would send them into a frenzy. Is it possible for Kyo be a good leader and a good husband?

Review:

I do like this series, but it's not my favorite. It's just so full of drama, which sometimes gets a little tiring. And sometimes a little confusing.

A lot of this volume focuses on Misao's blood, and Sho trying to cause chaos. Now that she's in Kyo's town, and she's going to visit the children at the orphanage (who are adorable and love her), and she's seeing how the people are reacting to her. They aren't reacting very well, and they want her to share her blood with them, being very greedy about it. They're violent about it, and it's almost like a drug to them. She doesn't want to give it to them, but she feels bad about it, and Kyo doesn't think it's a good idea either. There's a scene where they're asking out front for it for someone, and Kyo is saying no, and they're blaming him, so she does something a little awesome to get the hate on her instead. And Sho does a spell (or whatever) to give Misao her memories back, which are cute. Sho is a big jerk otherwise, as he causes trouble, and gives out pieces of this cloth with Misao's blood on it and causes a war between them and some other villages. Kaede just helps him, while also having her own agenda. And she causes trouble for Misao at the orphanage, which is terrible. Misao gets closer to Ayame, who is sweet, but still cries a lot. And she talks to Sho some, which doesn't help anything.

Kaede, the daughter of someone who helped Sho, is now also helping Sho. She's trying to get at Misao, and she likes Kyo. I don't like her much, but I don't like Sho, either. He's trouble, and I don't like all of the ways he's trying to ruin everything.

I do like Kyo, even if he is rough and demanding. Misao is okay. She's kind of just someone to view things through. And she cries way too easily, and I want her to get stronger, and I really hope that she does, so I can actually like her. There's several cute scenes and romantic scenes between them, like there usually are, and they were nice, like they always are. There's also a scene for both of them, talking about how they feel about each other, like they're on a path, and are expecting the other to leave them. That was also nice, seeing how they view each other, and sweet. But I'm also hoping that their relationship grows stronger as well, as they need to become confident in each other and themselves.

I also like the Tengu (or whatever,) that help Kyo and Misao. I especially like Taro. And now that we're seeing more of Ayame, I'm liking her quite a bit as well. She's fun, and not stupid, and it's good that Misao actually has a friend, because we usually we only see her reacting to Kyo and the others.

The book ends with Sho and Kaede talking, and it's obvious that they are going to be doing something. I don't like it, and I don't like the direction they are going either. This part of the story needs to end, soon. Sho's part is kind of getting dragged on, and I'm hoping that it comes to a close soon. Not all of the story, though, because I want to see more Misao and Kyo, but I would understand, and it would make sense, for it all to end when Sho does. But whatever.

I did actually enjoy this, and am looking forward to the next one, even if not fully for the plot.

Manga Review: The Stellar Six of Gingacho, Volume 1, by Yuuki Fujimoto

Rating (Out of 5 Stars): 4

Publisher: Tokyopop

Goodreads Synopsis:

In this delightful shojo romantic comedy, childhood friends Mike, Kuro, Iba, Kyuu, Sato and Mamoru - The Stellar Six - are the children of various stores located in the Galaxy Street's shopping center. When they get together, they're invincible... but, sadly, after middle school, they fell out of touch. Now they have to get to know each other again -- and discover new feelings while rediscovering old ones!

Review:

I didn't read this when it first came out, as I didn't read any of Tokyopop's new stuff, because I was wary that they were starting so many new ones at the same time. Which I guess I should have been, since they closed not long after. But it looked interesting, and I got it after Tokyopop had closed, and just got around to reading it. For some reason, it took me a while to actually sit down and read through it, and I don't know why, because it was actually really good.

It's about a group of six friends who have always been friends that have parents who own shops on a street market. In the first chapter, they've just recently been put in different classes, and are starting to be not so close. Mike wants to break the gap forming, but she doesn't know how. And then they enter a dancing contest at the last minute to help a friend of theirs who owns a bar that got trashed by an old friend of his.

We get introduced to all the characters in the first chapter, and they're all very different, and I like them. And then the second chapter focuses on Mike and Kuro's relationship. They've always known each other, and have been the same size, and Mike is just realizing that Kuro is getting bigger than she is. She doesn't know how to feel about this, but then they get in a fight over the way he reacted to this girl's confession. They're both upset about it, and Mike doesn't really understand the feelings she's getting, but it's obvious, and pointed out by their friends, that Kuro loves her, but they don't tell her that. And then they get locked in the gym storage shed together during a storm, to which they are afraid of lightning.

The last chapter is about Granny Fuji, an old lady who owns a candy shop on the street market, who is very tricky and tough, almost mean. She's getting sick, but doesn't want to admit it, and she has this challenge to all the kids, which the six work hard at fulfilling before she leaves to go to the hospital. It's all very sweet.

The art is nice, a little rough at times, but nice nonetheless. And the story is told kind of nostalgically, as Mike remembers things and hopes for things. It's very sweet. Plus, I like all of the characters, and the story is moving along nicely. The sidestories are nice, but I am hoping that the plot between the six moves forward soon. They are all still pretty young, but I'm interested in finding out how things go romantically between them all. Of course, I would have been if more of the books were published. I believe the second volume got released, but I don't think, or remember, if any more did. I'll be getting the second, at least, if I can find it, and can really only hope that someone picks it up.

Review: Freefall by Mindi Scott

Rating (Out of 5 Stars): ~3.5

Publisher: Simon Pulse (Simon & Schuster)

Goodreads Synopsis:

How do you come back from the point of no return?

Seth McCoy was the last person to see his best friend, Isaac, alive, and the first to find him dead. It was just another night, just another party, just another time when Isaac drank too much and passed out on the lawn. Only this time, Isaac didn't wake up.

Convinced that his own actions led to his friend's death, Seth is torn between turning his life around . . . or losing himself completely.
Then he meets Rosetta: so beautiful and so different from everything and everyone he's ever known. But Rosetta has secrets of her own, and Seth soon realizes he isn't the only one who needs saving . . .

Review:

I really liked this book. I'm not sure if I'm surprised by how much I did, but I was a little surprised with Seth. He was different than what I expected, and I liked him more for it.

Seth's best friend Isaac has just died, and he's still upset over it, and having a hard time with his family and friends and band and a girl. And while he hides from things more than confronts them, and goes to alcohol when he shouldn't, I still liked him. Most of his flaws I fully understood, and I saw why he did the things he did. He's a bit more adorable than I thought he would be, and he's very much his own person. And I loved reading him talk about Rosetta. That was especially cute.

I really liked Rosetta, and Seth's relationship with her is very nice. They're very similar, and are dealing with almost the same thing, and so they lean on each other and work together, instead of her or him leaning on the other, even if sometimes it didn't really seem like it. And I liked her on her own. She has her faults, and she does something stupid, but still. We don't get to see her unless she's with Seth, because the book's written in his point of view, but I would have liked reading from hers. I liked her that much, and at several points in the book, I would have liked knowing what was going through her mind, and what she thought was going through Seth's.

He's also in a band with his brother and their friends. His friends seem okay, and Daniel is interesting, but I wasn't too big a fan of them. He later joins a different one, (cause some stuff happens,) and I liked them much more. They were just more my type of people, though. And I liked Seth's mother. She was very sweet and fun, even if we don't see a lot of her. I also would have been interested in seeing some of Isaac. Memories, or something. They talk about him quite a bit, and Seth thinks about him, but when the book starts, he's already dead. And with how everyone talked about him, I wouldn't have minded reading scenes with him still around.

As I already said, the books written from Seth's point of view, and it's written each chapter a new day, with time stamps between scenes. I liked how it was done, as it gave a break between some things, and a new start for Seth's thoughts. It in a diary like sequence, only Seth wasn't written with diary like thoughts. It was really well done, though, and I liked it.

Most of the book was focused on Seth. And he moves past some things, and finally talks to some people by the end of the book. But I kind of feel like a lot didn't happen. And yet it kind of did, at the same time? Whatever. And the rating isn't higher because I don't feel that it deserves a higher one. It was really good and I really want to read Scott's next one, but I wouldn't call it amazing. But again, whatever. The book was really good, and I liked it, and you should go read it.

Manga Review: Happy Cafe, Volume 7, by Kou Matsuzuki

4.5 of 5 Stars

Publisher: Tokyopop

Goodreads Synopsis:

Shindo meets an old acquaintance of his mother's and memories come to the forefront. Uru tries to cheer him up and they end up hugging, causing them to act awkward afterward. Meanwhile, Mitsuka and Ichiro form an unholy alliance to prevent Uru and Shindo from realizing that they might be in love with each other - but it may be too late!

Review:

This series is so cute. It's definitely shojo, and is also very funny. I will be missing this series a lot, like the others.

It's about Uru, who's a high school student but looks like an elementary/junior high student. She lives on her own, giving her mother and step-father time to themselves, and she starts working at Cafe Bonheur. She works with Shindo and Ichiro, and later Shindo's (adoptive) father. We also meet Ichiro's family, more often his little brother than the others. And there's another cafe, which we see quite a bit. There parents are fun, but we see Sou Abekawa and his older brother, and their little sister Sakura most.

Uru is super strong and sweet, and always tries to help anyone whenever she can, and very funny, and oblivious. (It seems like most main characters are sweet and trying to help, but she's has her own character to it. Like she'll do poses somewhat randomly, and she makes lots of jokes.) Shindo runs the cafe, and he makes most of the food. He's the tall, stoic character, tries to stay away from people, but he's very nice, and it's obvious how he feels about Uru. And then Ichiro is very quiet, and he falls asleep a lot and can only wake up by eating food. He almost always has a straight face, but he can be very protective and possessive of Uru. And his little brother is very much like him, only a bit more stand offish.

The Abekawa's are fun. Sou likes Uru, and since he's closer to her in age, (as they are both still in high school, while Ichiro and Shindo are out of it,) they get pushed together a lot. But Uru is very oblivious, and good at ruining the mood. His older brother teases him a lot about it. Sou is just alright to me, and I mostly want more attention to fall of Shindo and Uru. But I still like him, and he has a southern type of accent, which is fun.

All of the familes, Uru's and the Abekawa's and Ichiro's and Shindo's, are very close. They care about their kids a lot, and they fawn over them. It's very cute, even if there isn't a lot of variety, and all families aren't realistically like that. And the little kids are adorable. There's Ichiro's little brother, Sou's little sister Sakura, and Tsucchi's little twin brother and sister, who are all in the same class in elementary school.

Anyway, in this volume... the first chapter focuses on Tsucchi and Sayaka, friends of Uru's from school. We don't see a lot of her school time, so I have a hard time remembering her other friends sometimes, but they do have character. Uru is trying to get them to make up, since they broke up, and she does get them to make up. And then she gets pushed into a room with Sou. And Shindo is walking around and bumps into Sou's father, who knows Shindo's mother.

Oh, the school is having a festival, and Uru's class is doing a cafe, (thought I should mention this). The next chapter: Shindo's father is lost. Then we see Uru's class, where Ichiro and the kids are all asleep, and they've just gotten a letter telling them to close the cafe. They supposedly know who it's from, but then it goes to Uru and Sou still locked in the classroom. He confesses to her to find that she's asleep, and then Shindo finds them. The next chapter focuses on them being free and punishing who did it to them, and they're all talking and thanking and all that in the classroom. The chapter ends with Shindo thinking about his mother, who abandoned him.

They're back at the cafe now, where Shindo's father thinks something is wrong with him, which there is, because he keeps thinking about his mother. There's a fun moment when some of the Abekawa's drop by. Then Shindo's father, Ichiro, and Uru decide that they have to cheer him up and Uru gets to do it. (Shindo's father and Ichiro talk a lot about Uru and Shindo, conversing over it and deciding things. And while Shindo's father is Team Shindo, Ichiro is Team Ichiro. It's odd how it works out, but it does.) And then she talks to him, and he talks to her, and she cries, and he holds her, and then they freak out. There aren't a lot of cute, lovey dovey moments in this series, as it focuses more on the comedy, but it's very nice when they happen.

But then Mitsuka, a friend of Uru's, comes over. She and Ichiro work together to make Uru and Shindo think differently, so that Shindo thinks of Uru like an fluffy animal, and Uru thinks of him as a big brother. This is very bad of them, as I want them to think of each other as much more than that, and they were so close!

And then there's an extra chapter about Arimoto and Aizawa, friends of Uru. Aizawa like Arimoto, but she only thinks of him as a rival. He wants to win her over, but she's very adamant that he is against her. They're cute, and we don't see a lot of them, but I hope that things work out.

As with the others, I hope that someone picks it up. It was so cute and funny, and I loved every volume as I read them and was following it as it was released. This isn't a terrible cliffhanger ending, but there's obviously more stuff going on with Shindo to be explored, and that isn't, can't be, the end for Uru and Shindo. I just want more.