Manga Review: Sequence by Ryo Saenagi

Notice how it doesn't say volume one?

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: Tokyopop

Volumes: 16 chapters, so three volumes? Maybe incomplete? Tokyopop defuncted it at one volume.

MangaUpdates Synopsis:

As punishment for being late to class, Kanata has to ring a bell in an old, deserted church near his high school. When the floor breaks, Kanata falls into a vast room, where he discovers a coffin--and inside, the body of a vampire. The vampire rises, killing Kanata. But Kanata's soul is saved, and when he later meets the vampire, they realize that they are bound to each other through a magic spell: If Kanata dies, the vampire dies, too

On Amazon, and Goodreads.

Review:

So, I actually kind of enjoyed this book. It was a pretty straight three stars, and I would have liked to read more, had it not been for the fact that this is the first book in a series and I didn’t know that. I almost want to rate it lower because of this.

Now, my main problem with this being the first in a series, is that the book does not say it’s volume one. It does not have a number on it, leading me to believe that it’s a one-shot, stand-alone manga. It’s not. There’s even a bit of a cliffhanger.

And this wasn’t even a newer release by Tokyopop, like before they shut down; it was apparently released in 2006 and they shut down in 2011. I don’t understand why they would have released one volume, without even putting it on the book that it’s volume one, when they could have released more. That just doesn’t make any sense to me.

And there are apparently sixteen chapters, this volume includes six, and the author has maybe stated that the series isn’t finished.

The fact that I bought this book recently, assuming it to be a one-shot, and found out later that it’s actually part of a series, upsets me.

And, I don’t really have much else to say; don’t even know what else to say. I mean, the book was actually a bit interesting; the story line was interesting, I wanted to find out more about Titi and where he came from, this maybe vampire who I’m not totally sure is a boy, and wouldn’t mind knowing more about the other characters as well: the main character, Kanata, and his three friends. It didn’t leave me dying for more, but it did leave me wanting to know more.

But, just, what’s the point? It’s not all translated online and it was last updated in 2008, and Tokyopop didn’t even bother to put it on the book that it’s not a stand-alone. It might not even be finished in Japan.

I would have liked this book, but the way Tokyopopt went about it just angers me so much; I wouldn’t suggest anyone pick it up, just for the fact that you’re not going to get any sort of ending.

Novel Review: Me, Penelope by Lisa Jahn-Clough

Genre: YA Contemporary (Romance)

Rating (Out of 5): ~2-2.5

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Company

Spoilers?: Minor?

Goodreads Synopsis:

Penelope Yeager is like a lot of sixteen-year-olds—she wants more independence from her crazy mother; she wants to get her driver’s license; and she wants to get out of high school, away from her town. More than anything, Lopi wants to find someone to really connect with, someone to love—but short of that, she wants to have sex. She’s already figured out how to graduate a year early, but the rest isn’t so easy. For one thing, her mother, Vivian, isn’t just crazy: she’s young, vivacious, and beautiful. No one can resist Viv’s charms, but Lopi knows it’s all just an act. Viv is only pretending to be happy, trying to ignore Lopi and the horrible accident that changed everything between them. Lopi tries to pretend too, as she navigates the murky waters of sex and love and growing up, but she can’t fool herself—Lopi has a secret that sets her apart: the accident was her fault, she is evil . . .

Available on Amazon.

Review:

I did not enjoy this book much at all. At several points, I would have happily stopped reading, but because I don’t like leaving anything unfinished, especially when the book is so short, I finished it.

I did not like Penelope, also known as Lopi. When the book first started, I thought that it would be a bit charming, that her whole wanting to find someone special and have sex with someone and her understanding that those things did not have to be with the same person, would make me like her. And that thinking last for, probably, a couple of chapters. And then I found that, actually, I did not like her.

First off, I understand her not liking her mother, what with how her mother is always trying to be fun and ignoring all the important stuff, like how her daughter needs some help. But beyond that, she loses all my sympathy. She’s a jerk to her mother, even when she doesn’t need to be, she’s a jerk to her only actual friend, Toad, and she’s constantly pushing herself at all these men that are not realistic for her. Plus, there’s the fact that, near the beginning of the book, which is only stated, like, once, she said that the person she has sex with and the person she loves don’t have to be the same person, and then she’s constantly trying to find those two things in one person. That doesn’t match up, if you ask me.

Now, Toad. I liked Toad; he was sweet and always there for her, even when I didn’t understand why, because she was a total dick to him. I didn’t love Toad, didn’t personally feel too much for him, really, but he was sweet and I understood that she was going to end up with him. But she was such a jerk to him, all the time, and he sometimes sulked a bit but was always there for her. I didn’t understand why he just took it and always came back. Particularly after they’d had a fight, and she got depressed about something else, but he showed up at her house to cheer her up. Why would he do that? She didn’t deserve it. He should have been at least a little mad.

At the end of the book, I guess Lopi got a bit better, but I just have a hard time forgiving her, or getting over, all the things she did at the beginning. The ending was good, and how she acted and what happened with Toad and with her mother makes me bump the rating up maybe half a star, but I just have a hard time really liking her.

I wouldn’t say that this book was painful to read, but I really didn’t enjoy it.

Manga Review: Sakura Hime: The Legend of Princess Sakura, Volume 9, by Arina Tanemura

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5-4

Publisher: VIZ Media (Shojo Beat)

Spoilers?: No; this review is extra vague.

Volumes: 12

Goodreads Synopsis:

Sakura is the granddaughter of a mysterious moon princess who slew demons with her Blood Cherry Blossom sword. All her life Sakura has been forbidden to look at the full moon without knowing why. Then one night, unhappy over her impending marriage, Sakura gazes up at the moon, only to see a demon attacking her...

Princess Sakura has been staying at the estate of Fujimurasaki, the future emperor. Fujimurasaki tells Sakura he loves her and keeps her hidden from Aoba. Sakura yearns to be reunited with Aoba, but he's to marry Princess Yuri...

Available on Amazon.

Review:

This volume… Ugh, this volume, the ending, is so mean. I’m not happy about it.

First, though, the beginning of the volume had the conclusion to the Princess Yuri plot line, which was a bit anticlimactic, and not nearly as exciting or intense or violent as I had been expecting. I’m not going to spoil Yuri’s reasoning behind what she was doing to Aoba and Sakura, but the whole thing seemed to have started from something small that was blown out of proportion, and then Yuri does this thing to do with Fujimurasaki, and I just didn’t really care much for Yuri anymore at that point. I’m kind of done with her.

Although, I am a tiny bit confused. Aoba was being forced into having a concubine, and the elders chose Yuri, but I don’t think it was cleared up as to whether or not he’s still going to have to choose another one? Maybe I missed that part, but it didn’t seem like the only option was Yuri, and like it would have to be someone. I mean, Aoba did work it out with Sakura, the whole being forced into it and how he really only wants her, but after that thing happened with Yuri, it just seemed to all be ignored. So…?

Anyway, then there are a couple of chapters focused on Aoba and Sakura. Because he won’t stay the night with her (only to sleep, nothing else), and she gets upset and curious, and ends up finding this thing out about him. I’m not going to spoil it, but it was a bit sad, and gave the opportunity for some very sweet scenes between the two. I don’t really see why he wanted to keep it a secret, why he was so worried, given the similarities between him and their friends, but at the same time I do kind of understand. I think he should have told her, that she was obviously going to accept it, but I still kind of understand.

Now, aughhh, the last plot point of this volume. I don’t want to spoil it, but… Well, first, we find out that the group is talking with Shuri, who I guess is done following Enju, and they talk about not knowing where Enju or Rurijo are, and then she shows up, and her and Hayate start doing this thing, and she does this other thing, and it’s horrible.

I told you I don’t want to spoil it, so I’m staying extra vague, but given how much I love Hayate, it is horrible. I am not happy about it, and I’m mad at Rurijo for it, and Hayate for being so stupid, and I want to know what happens so bad. I want the next book so badly, because I do not like there being a cliffhanger to such an important thing with Hayate. It is not okay. I’m not okay with it.

At the end of the volume, there were some comic strips that were cute and funny, and one had a sweet scene between Kohaku and Hayate. They were all rather funny, though.

I’m just… not over the thing with Hayate. And I’m ready for the next volume. Although, apparently, I'm going to have to wait till June. I mean, I knew that we were pretty much caught up with Japan, and that there'd be a longer wait, but I didn't think it would be that long.

Novel Review: The Fine Art of Truth or Dare by Melissa Jensen

Genre: YA Contemporary Romance

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: Penguin (Speak)

Spoilers?: No.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Pretty in Pink meets Anna and the French Kiss in this charming romantic comedy

Ella is nearly invisible at the Willing School, and that's just fine by her. She's got her friends - the fabulous Frankie and their sweet cohort Sadie. She's got her art - and her idol, the unappreciated 19th-century painter Edward Willing. Still, it's hard being a nobody and having a crush on the biggest somebody in the school: Alex Bainbridge. Especially when he is your French tutor, and lessons have started becoming, well, certainly more interesting than French ever has been before. But can the invisible girl actually end up with a happily ever after with the golden boy, when no one even knows they're dating? And is Ella going to dare to be that girl?

Available on Amazon.

Review:

I’m kind of unsure about this book, including what to say about it. I liked it. I think I expected something a bit different, something more cliché and light hearted (not that this wasn’t either of those things, but more in the cheesy direction than this one took). It was a little bit mediocre, I don’t feel as strongly about it as I would have liked, but I still rather enjoyed it, and there were some things that really stand out to me.

I don’t mind Ella, the main character, too much. She’s definitely not one of my favorites, and she did a couple of not-so-smart things (particularly to her friends), and I think she should be a bit more outspoken or not so hesitant or self-conscious, but I don’t dislike her. She has her problems, some to do with getting close to Alex and some to do with her self-confidence, the origin of which I will keep a secret, and they were actually kind of worked through. And the book ended with her set on continuing to work through them, which was good.

I don’t have very strong feelings for Alex, the love interest, at all. He was sweet, I guess; he just doesn’t stand out to me, but I know that Ella likes him and whatever and I'm okay with that.

But Edward Willing. My god, is he great. Firstly, I just have to give props to Jensen for creating a historical character with an actual historical history that makes you think he's actually real, who Ella obsesses over and talks to in her head, because that is hard to do. And she did a fantastic job. I mean, Ella loves him and studies him and has created a fictional him in her head, and she’s sometimes maybe wrong and she learns that, and it was just so great. Edward was, seriously, my favorite part of this book. I mean, I liked the romantic scenes between Ella and Alex, and I liked her interactions between her and her friends, and her family (both of which I will talk about in a moment), but Edward is what really stands out to me.

Now, her family (I know, that didn’t take long). Her family is, maybe a little overbearing?, but really sweet and fun. They own an Italian restaurant, where her family all work, and those scenes were usually pretty fun to read. As was the scenes with her friends. I liked her friends, and was not happy with what Ella did to them, it was dumb. But it got better, I suppose.

So, I did enjoy this book, but it was just a bit above mediocre. I do still want to read Jensen’s other book, so hopefully I’ll like that one more.

P.S.: I just want to say that, while the cover may be mildly embarrassing, I do find it quite adorable. Also, the comparison in the synopsis, about it being like Anna and the French Kiss, is rather big shoes to fill, comparing to how much I liked that book, and that this book did not make it. I don't know about Pretty in Pink, though, as I've never seen it.

Teaser Tuesday[27]: Jumpstart the World by Catherine Ryan Hyde (And a Happy New Year!)

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

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Happy New Year! Yay! Hope it’s off to a good start for everyone.

I reached my novel reading goal, reading a total of 111, ten more than last year, which makes me super happy. What about all of you? Did you have a goal, or are you setting one for this year?

Are you making New Year resolutions? I’ve never done that, and I don’t know if I’m going to start this year or not.

Here’s what I’m reading right now:

Jumpstart the World by Catherine Ryan Hyde

Genre: YA Contemporary (Maybe Light-Romance? I think so, but am not very far into it yet.)

Publisher: Random House (Alfred A. Knopf)

Goodreads Synopsis:

 Elle is a loner. She doesn’t need people. Which is a good thing, because she’s on her own: she had to move into her own apartment so her mother’s boyfriend won’t have to deal with her.

Then she meets Frank, the guy who lives next door. He’s older and has a girlfriend, but Elle can’t stop thinking about him. Frank isn’t like anyone Elle has ever met. He listens to her. He’s gentle. And Elle is falling for him, hard.
But Frank is different in a way that Elle was never prepared for: he’s transgender. And when Elle learns the truth, her world is turned upside down.  Now she’ll have to search inside herself to find not only the true meaning of friendship but her own role in jumpstarting the world.

Tender, honest, and compassionate, Jumpstart the World is a stunning story to make you laugh, cry, and honor the power of love.

Excerpts:

“It was this difficult, embarrassing truth that was right there for everybody to see: the fact that my interest in photography probably had its roots in admiring Molly just a little bit. Whether I wanted to admire her or not. Whether I wanted to admit it or not.” (Hardcover, pg. 66)

“’You should have told me. You could have asked for help. I would have helped you if I’d known.’

‘I was going to ask for help. I think. I mean, sometime I would have. You know. Sooner or later.’” (Hardcover, pg. 67)

So, what are you reading first this New Year?