Manga Review: Kiss Him, Not Me!, Volume 6, by Junko

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Kodansha Comics

Release Date: August 2016

Volumes: 11+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 5. 7.

Goodreads Synopsis:

It's Kae, again! After the heart-stopping showdown between the Mutsumi brothers, things looked like they might finally settle down again, but a bold confession from Mutsumi-sempai spurs all the boys into action!

It's like a real life otome game as everyone tries to plan the best romantic afternoon, but it's so much pressure to choose, much less think about having a boyfriend! Especially when there are bigger problems to worry about...

Shima-chan and I are all fired up about a new anime that's perfect for us fujoshi, but we end up not seeing eye to eye! Can a friendship built on boys' love survive a vicious shipping war?!

Review:

We see the boys fighting as they try to keep Mutsumi from confessing to Kae, which doesn't seem to help their chances of her falling for them, if you ask me. This results in a trial date for everyone.

But, of course, there are no answers coming, as is proven when Kae becomes obsessed with yet another fictional boy instead of any of the real ones in front of her.

After that, Kae and Shima have a true fujoshi fight when their yaoi ship doesn't quite match up. It's a fun reprieve, and it's nice to see the geeking stories again.

This series is plain fun. It's girly, geeky comedy at its best. It's always fun to read more of it.

Manga Review: The Ancient Magus' Bride, Volume 4, by Kore Yamazaki

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5-4

Publisher: Seven Seas

Release Date: April 2016

Volumes: 6+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 3. 5.

Goodreads Synopsis:

"I am not alone."

Chise has been summonsed to the Dragon Aerie to begin crafting her very own wand, but her journey has more to offer than she had anticipated: magical wonders, enlightening visions, and perhaps most importantly, insight into Elias' past and the secrets he has been reluctant to reveal about himself.

Yet while Chise finds some answers about the inhuman mage's history, mysterious beings are displaying an unexpected interest in Chise herself.

Review:

It's been so long since I've read the last volume, that I've pretty much forgotten it. But that didn't really hinder my enjoyment of this volume at all.

Chise gets a new insight into where Elias came from, and how he came to be who he is now. It gives her a new perspective, and also lets her see him as closer to her own age, not so much as an old man. Chise also explores her magic some more in this volume, and her and Elias both learn that they don't really enjoy being apart. Their relationship is growing closer, and they're growing fond of each other.

Aside from that, we see a few new creatures, and then there's the cliffhanger. While this series isn't particularly outstanding so far, it is a whimsical, thoughtful series, and it's really enjoyable. I'm looking forward to reading more.

Manga Review: Behind the Scenes!!, Volume 3, by Bisco Hatori

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: Shojo Beat (VIZ Media)

Release Date: January 2017

Volumes: 4+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 2. 4.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Ranmaru spends his whole life not fitting in, until the oddballs of the Art Squad adopt him as one of their own.
 

Ranmaru Kurisu comes from a family of hardy, rough-and-tumble fisherfolk and he sticks out at home like a delicate, artistic sore thumb. It’s given him a raging inferiority complex and a permanently pessimistic outlook. Now that he’s in college, he’s hoping to find a sense of belonging. But after a whole life of being left out, does he even know how to fit in?!

Review:

This is a pretty light-hearted series.

In this volume, we meet a bratty, struggling kid actor, and we see that Goda doesn't understand kids. We get to know Tomu a little better, and we get to see where Ruka comes from, what her family pressures are. There's also a chapter where the group puts together a haunted house, and see that they've gone too far and how they can pull back and change things to create a better audience reaction.

This is not as good as her previous series thus far, I will admit that. But it's still got her humor, and it very much feels like she's getting back into the groove of things. I am definitely still reading.

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

Manga Review: Tokyo Ghoul, Volume 9, by Sui Ishida

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: VIZ Signature (VIZ Media)

Release Date: October 2016

Volumes: 14.

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 8. 10.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Ghouls live among us, the same as normal people in every way—except their craving for human flesh.

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.

Six months after their Aogiri Tree Operation, the CCG continues their investigation of the Gourmet and the Binge Eater. Meanwhile, Kaneki and his colleagues search for Rize’s true identity brings them face-to-face with the mysterious Madame A.

Review:

For much of this volume, we get to see the ghoul hunters. They're dealing with the aftermath of the big fight; Juzo gets his new ghoul-made weapon, which he loves. Amon gets a new partner, and she's Mado's daughter, and she's very not-caring of the hierarchy. Nagachika also shows up, in a surprising way.

In the latter half, we finally get to see what Kaneki has been up to. He's on the hunt for information, to find out what is going on and why he was turned like this. What's going on with Rize, and why are there more ghouls like him? He's finding clues, and he's taking out the bad ghouls along his way. He's still wanting to do good things, and still wanting to help out the humans, but he's got bigger problems that he's focusing on right now. I like the way this is presented, too, going back and forth in time.

We're getting close to the end of this series. I'm intrigued to see where it goes from here.

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

Manga Review: Nisekoi: False Love, Volume 19, by Naoshi Komi

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: January 2017

Volumes: 25.

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 18. 20.

Goodreads Synopsis:

A laugh-out-loud story that features a fake love relationship between two heirs of rival gangs...plus, a mission to find out which girl actually holds the key to Raku's pendant—and his heart!

Love triangle! Comedic antics!! Gang warfare?! You won’t want to miss out on Shonen Jump's laugh-out-loud feel-good manga series! It's hate at first sight when Raku Ichijo first meets Chitoge Kirisaki. But much to their chagrin, the two are forced into a false love relationship to keep the peace between their feuding gangster families.

When the missing pages from the storybook that explain the origin of the keys and pendant surface, it seems like Kosaki might be the girl Raku made a promise with…but is that a sure thing? The answer is still unclear when Haru tricks Raku and Kosaki into going on a Christmas Eve date. And just when things are going well, Raku’s pendant goes missing!

Review:

Of course, we get a happy ending for Chitoge and the group. This was never in doubt, for anyone, I'm sure. It's still nice to see that her trying so hard got her father's attention, and that he also noticed how horrible Claude was being.

We get a tiny clue about the key storybook from when they were kids, and Raku even attempts to fix his lock and find out if Kosaki's key is a match. It's small, but at least they're trying to figure it out.

Kosaki and Raku are forced on a date together, and honestly I'm kind of over them as a possibility. I like Kosaki, but I'm not for them, and so having so many people pushing her to go for him is bothering me. After that, Marika kidnaps Raku to a deserted island with her, though we're finding out that she might be really sick. I will admit that, while I'm not on Marika's side, either, I do really like her. Her devotion and unashamed way of going after Raku is nice.

This series has finally ended in Japan, so I'm interested to see how the main plot finally starts moving forward. Aside from that, it's still a fun series.

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

Blog Tour + Excerpt: Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones

 

Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: St. Martin's Press (Thomas Dunne)
Release Date: February 7, 2017
Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Books-a-Million. Book Depository. Powells.

Goodreads Synopsis:

 Beware the goblin men and the wares they sell.

All her life, nineteen-year-old Liesl has heard tales of the beautiful, mysterious Goblin King. He is the Lord of Mischief, the Ruler Underground, and the muse around which her music is composed. Yet, as Liesl helps shoulder the burden of running her family’s inn, her dreams of composition and childish fancies about the Goblin King must be set aside in favor of more practical concerns.

But when her sister Käthe is taken by the goblins, Liesl journeys to their realm to rescue her sister and return her to the world above. The Goblin King agrees to let Käthe go—for a price. The life of a maiden must be given to the land, in accordance with the old laws. A life for a life, he says. Without sacrifice, nothing good can grow. Without death, there can be no rebirth. In exchange for her sister’s freedom, Liesl offers her hand in marriage to the Goblin King. He accepts.

Down in the Underground, Liesl discovers that the Goblin King still inspires her—musically, physically, emotionally. Yet even as her talent blossoms, Liesl’s life is slowly fading away, the price she paid for becoming the Goblin King’s bride. As the two of them grow closer, they must learn just what it is they are each willing to sacrifice: her life, her music, or the end of the world.

The Excerpt!

To view the excerpt, click here. 

The Author:

Website. Twitter.

S. Jae-Jones, called JJ, is an artist, an adrenaline junkie, and the author of Wintersong, forthcoming from Thomas Dunne in February 2017.

Born and raised in sunny Los Angeles, she lived in New York City for ten years before relocating down to Dixie, where she is comfortably growing fat on grits and barbecue. When not writing, she can be found rock-climbing, skydiving, taking photographs, drawing pictures, and dragging her dog on ridiculously long hikes.


Thank you to St. Martin's Press, for letting me be part of the blog tour! 

Teaser Tuesday[236]: By Your Side by Kasie West

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!

---------------------------------------------------

By Your Side by Kasie West

Genre: YA Contemporary Romance

Publisher: HarperTeen

Release Date: January , 2017

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

In this irresistible story, Kasie West explores the timeless question of what to do when you fall for the person you least expect. Witty and romantic, this paperback original from a fan favorite is perfect for fans of Stephanie Perkins and Morgan Matson.

When Autumn Collins finds herself accidentally locked in the library for an entire weekend, she doesn’t think things could get any worse. But that’s before she realizes that Dax Miller is locked in with her. Autumn doesn’t know much about Dax except that he’s trouble. Between the rumors about the fight he was in (and that brief stint in juvie that followed it) and his reputation as a loner, he’s not exactly the ideal person to be stuck with. Still, she just keeps reminding herself that it is only a matter of time before Jeff, her almost-boyfriend, realizes he left her in the library and comes to rescue her.

Only he doesn’t come. No one does.

Instead it becomes clear that Autumn is going to have to spend the next couple of days living off vending-machine food and making conversation with a boy who clearly wants nothing to do with her. Except there is more to Dax than meets the eye. As he and Autumn first grudgingly, and then not so grudgingly, open up to each other, Autumn is struck by their surprising connection. But can their feelings for each other survive once the weekend is over and Autumn’s old life, and old love interest, threaten to pull her from Dax’s side?

Excerpt:

“'Looks like mine is about to fall,' he said, standing up.” (Paperback, pg. 106)

What are you reading?

Manga Review: Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches, Volume 10, by Miki Yoshikawa

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Kodansha Comics

Release Date: September 2016

Volumes: 26+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 9. 11.

Goodreads Synopsis:

A SISTER'S SECRETS Yamada has finally made progress in his relationship with Shiraishi, and the Supernatural Studies Club is on its way back to normal thanks to the efforts of Odagiri. But the mysteries surrounding the seventh witch, Rika Saionji, are far from over! Finding a soft side to the enigmatic witch may be the key to fully restoring the memories of Yamada’s friends, but to learn about what’s really going on with her and Student Council, Yamada will ahve to seek out the shocking truth behind why Leona Miyamura left school. What painful secretss could Leona be hiding about herself, Student Council President Yamazaki, and Saionji?

Review:

This could very easily be a series that stays in a state of harem antics, with no real progress of plot or character, and it could stay that way for a long time. It's both surprising and pleasing that, instead, there seems to be a new plot point or reveal happening every few volumes.

Yamada is pretty much competing with the student council president at this point, in his attempt to get the witches memories back and get his friends again, while the student council is working against him and particularly thwarting his attempts at Shiraishi.

The biggest reveal in this volume is when we find out what Leona's real part in this was, what she did before leaving school. Saionji apparently has a bigger part in that, that was previously alluded to. And so does the student council president, though even he doesn't know it.

I love where this series is going, and I'm excited to pick up the next one, and see what happens next.

Manga Review: Oreimo, Volume 4, by Tsukasa Fushimi, Sakura Ikeda, and Hiro Kanzaki

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: Dark Horse Manga

Release Date: 2013

Volumes: 4.

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Popular girls vs. geek girls showdown! Kirino's done all she can to keep her two different groups of friends separate, but as much as she'd like to, she can't keep those two worlds from colliding, and this time, big brother Kyousuke may not be able to help her. He's got problems of his own - Kirino's friends can't decide if he's a dreamboat or a pervert! A smash-hit bestseller in Japan, Oreimo is presented in English for the very first time. Who says girls can't be otaku, too?

Review:

I must admit that the sister character had me interested in the beginning. How could I not instantly like a character who literally found a job (as a model, even) in order to continue funding her otaku habit? I love that.

But then everything else about this series just ruined it.

None of the romantic options in this series interests me. Even his sisters' friends. I don’t care about them. And the hinted romance with his sister is just creepy and uncomfortable. I don’t like that at all.

Aside from that, it was also a little boring. I was not impressed with this series.

Manga Review: Say I Love You, Volume 15, by Kanae Hazuki

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Kodansha Comics

Release Date: August 2016

Volumes: 17+

Spoilers?: Some.

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

Volume: 1. 14. 16.

Goodreads Synopsis:

FRIENDSHIP? FORGET IT! Mei Tachibana has no friendsand she doesn't need them! Ever since her "friends" betrayed her in elementary school, she's sworn off friendship entirely. All it leads to is betrayal and heartbreak, and she's well enough on her own. But everything changes when she accidentally roundhouse kicks the most popular boy in school! However, Yamato Kurosawa isn't angry in the slightest in fact, he thinks his ordinary life could use an unusual girl like Mei! He won't take no for an answer, and soon Mei and Yamato embark on an unwanted friendship that will change both of them forever. PRAISE FOR THE ANIME "Surprises with its honesty, its sensitivity, its quality. Always it is smarter, more poetic, more touching, just plain better than you think it is going to be." Anime News Network

Review:

Two surprises in this volume.

Firstly, we have a love confession. It's not a surprise how it turns out, because no one doubted that, not even the confesser. But Mei is completely taken off-guard by it, because she had no idea. She doesn't know how to respond, either.

And then they graduate. We knew it was coming at some point, and yet it still didn't seem like there was enough warning and then it happened. It's a bittersweet moment, because they have to say goodbye to high school and their friends, but it's also good because they get to start something new. They get to become adults and start working for careers and college and whatnot. The button-taking thing was fun, too.

I'm a big fan of this series, and I'm really interested to see where it goes next. I typically like when series expand beyond high school and into college, but I know a lot of series go downhill or lose popularity. It also can mean bad things for high school romances. I'm really excited to read the next one.