Manga Review: School Judgment: Gakkyu Hotei, Volume 2, by Nobuaki Enoki and Takeshi Obata

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: April 5, 2016

Volumes: 3.

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 3.

Goodreads Synopsis:

In order to curb the crime running rampant in the elementary school system, a new solution has been enacted in the form of the School Judgment System. Now the young students themselves will be responsible for solving the issues that befall them. But are they up for the task?

A Masked Dude has been distributing a magical powder to the children of class 6-3 to put on their boring food. The powder makes regular food so addictive that the children who are hooked get sick if they don’t eat it. Pine finds Reiko Shiratori, the school’s Madonna, at the Masked Dude’s hideout and accuses her of distributing the powder. Can Abaku argue Reiko out of this not-so-sweet situation?

Review:

Given that this series only has one more volume, I thought this volume would have more development. We only got a tiny bit here, sadly.

Instead, we got three individual cases in the classroom, with Abaku defending and winning mostly. At one point, Pine struggles with her father’s decision to transfer her to another school again, when she’s finally settled and made friends at this one.

There was a tiny development for the classroom case that Abaku was involved in. We get an explanation of what happened after, who survived and what happened to the three kids. We meet the other boy, who rivals Abaku in the court-classroom, a crazy ninja kid. And we find out about a mysterious female student, who will surely be showing up next.

I’m not a big fan of this series, but this volume was okay. It was still exaggerated, and I’m annoyed with how easily Abaku seems to win, even against an undefeated opponent (who they spin the outcome for, to seem like it was a tie—bleh). Also, the overuse of the word “ronpa” drives me crazy.

I mostly just don’t think it’s for me, but I might read the next one to see how it concludes.

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

Manga Review: Tokyo Ghoul, Volume 5, by Sui Ishida

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5-4

Publisher: VIZ Signature (VIZ Media)

Release Date: February 16, 2016

Volumes: 14.

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 4. 6.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Ghouls live among us, the same as normal people in every way—except their craving for human flesh. Ken Kaneki is an ordinary college student until a violent encounter turns him into the first half-human half-ghoul hybrid. Trapped between two worlds, he must survive Ghoul turf wars, learn more about Ghoul society and master his new powers.

Kaneki, Nishio, and Touka struggle to work together to rescue their human friend Kimi while Ghoul Investigator deaths skyrocket in Wards 9 through 12. When reinforcements are called in on both sides, the stakes are suddenly higher than ever.

Review:

The gourmet ghoul kidnaps someone, setting off a big, deserving fight scene. It’s extremely bloody and gruesome and gross. But it needs to happen, and Ken and Touka work together with Nishio to rescue the girl Nishio loves. I like how the fight ends, actually. I like the moment that Touka has.

Then we’re give insight into Rize, the girl who turned Ken. We know from the first volume, that she’s an evil thing, and here we get to see what she was doing before she attacked Ken. It’s been hinted there’s more to her death than Ken initially thought, and I’m intrigued to see what we find out next. Lastly, we’re introduced to a new ghoul hunter, who is possibly more psychotic than the last one, and practically a ghoul himself maybe.

This is a grossly violent series, but I’m still intrigued. I like where the story is going, and enjoy finding out more details to the big plot. I will be reading more.

Manga Review: Bloody Mary, Volume 2, by Akaza Samamiya

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: Shojo Beat (VIZ Media)

Release Date: March 1, 2016

Volumes: 7+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 3.

Goodreads Synopsis:

“Bloody” Mary, a vampire with a death wish, has spent the past 400 years chasing down a modern-day exorcist named Maria who is thought to have inherited “The Blood of Maria” and is the only one who can kill Mary. To Mary’s dismay, Maria doesn’t know how to kill vampires. Desperate to die, Mary agrees to become Maria’s bodyguard until Maria can find a way to kill him.

Maria never knew he possessed the Power of Exorcism, which can kill vampires, but with Mary’s help, his research unearths the “Red Memories” that he has suppressed for so long. At the same time, the door to Mary’s own missing memories is thrust forcefully open. Where do Maria’s Red Memories and Mary’s past intersect…and what truths await them?

Review:

This series isn’t really sticking out in my memory, but I am enjoying it.

This volume, we found out more about who Mary might be and what is being kept secret from Maria. There’s still a lot of questions regarding Mary’s past, since he doesn’t even remember it, and some people in Maria’s family blame Mary for a death that Mary doesn’t have any memory of committing. And while Mary is dealing with the accusation of that, Maria is trying to figure out what his family is hiding, what his ancestors did, and figuring out who he can trust.

I like the artwork in this series, and I think that Mary is quite adorable. I like his growing relationship with Maria, too, how they have formed a pact of sorts. I also find the side characters interesting, like the vampires that Maria has formed odd relationships with, and Takumi.

I am enjoying this series, and will continue reading, I just hope that it gets better soon.

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

Novel Review: In Honor by Jessi Kirby

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Genre: YA Contemporary

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Release Date: 2012

Spoilers?: No.

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

Teaser Tuesday.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Honor receives her brother’s last letter from Iraq three days after learning that he died, and opens it the day his fellow Marines lay the flag over his casket. Its contents are a complete shock: concert tickets to see Kyra Kelly, her favorite pop star and Finn’s celebrity crush. In his letter, he jokingly charged Honor with the task of telling Kyra Kelly that he was in love with her.

Grief-stricken and determined to grant Finn’s last request, she rushes to leave immediately. But she only gets as far as the driveway before running into Rusty, Finn’s best friend since third grade and his polar opposite. She hasn’t seen him in ages, thanks to a falling out between the two guys, but Rusty is much the same as Honor remembers him: arrogant, stubborn . . . and ruggedly good-looking. Neither one is what the other would ever look for in a road trip partner, but the two of them set off together, on a voyage that makes sense only because it doesn’t. Along the way, they find small and sometimes surprising ways to ease their shared loss and honor Finn--but when shocking truths are revealed at the end of the road, will either of them be able to cope with the consequences?

The Cover:

I really like the cover for this book. I think it's pretty, and very true to the book. It shows the road trip part, which is important, the model for her is wearing what she does in the book (or at least very close) which I really appreciate, and on the back is Rusty, looking how I imagine he would.

Review:

When Honor’s brother dies, she decides to take his last letter as a request and goes on a road trip. Her brother’s best friend Rusty tags along, pretty much forcing her to take him with her. And thus starts an adventure, where she takes some chances, and where she learns something about her brother and herself.

I think the journey that these two go on is good for them. Honor needed to get away, and she needed to figure herself out just as much as learn about her brother. She goes on a couple unique experiences on her trip, but she also goes through her car breaking down and being towed away. I will admit, though, that the way Honor just angsts while letting others take care of stuff for her bothered me at the end, especially when she acknowledged it and then kept moping on the beach. I did believe her grief over her brother, though, and liked that she wasn't numb like most people in books like this are.

I like the journey she was on, and how it ended, though. I like how things ended between her and Rusty, how there were possible romantic feelings, but they ended things as friends, because that’s what they needed to be. I think she did the right thing for herself at the end of the book.

This was a fun book, and I enjoyed it, though there were parts near the end that were upsetting, when Honor had to face reality. But I liked it, and will be reading her next one.