Novel Review: To All the Boys I've Loved Before (To All the Boys I've Loved Before, #1) by Jenny Han

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Genre: YA Contemporary Romance, Drama

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Release Date: 2014

Spoilers?: No.

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

Lara Jeans love life gets complicated in this New York Times bestselling lovely, lighthearted romance SLJ from the New York Times bestselling author of The Summer I Turned Pretty series. What if all the crushes you ever had found out how you felt about them...all at once Sixteen-year-old Lara Jean Song keeps her love letters in a hatbox her mother gave her. They arent love letters that anyone else wrote for her these are ones shes written. One for every boy shes ever loved-five in all. When she writes, she pours out her heart and soul and says all the things she would never say in real life, because her letters are for her eyes only. Until the day her secret letters are mailed, and suddenly, Lara Jeans love life goes from imaginary to out of control.

The Cover:

I think the original covers are super cute. They show the teen aspect, and even the dreamy, light personality of Lara Jean, really well. It's not too dramatic or too focused on the romance/boys. It's cute and light, and caught my interest before I picked it up. These were even the covers I wanted, not the one from the movie--plus, I love how all three of them go together, without being too similar.

 

Review:

Now that the movie is out, I've finally decided I want to read this series. I've heard a lot of good things about it, ever since it was released, but for some reason I still didn't think I'd love it. It just sounded like a cute, probably dramatic, teen series. I was actually rather surprised by it.

We meet Lara Jean, and she's sweet, a bit innocent, a dreamer with a positive outlook on life. I really enjoyed her voice from the beginning. She's optimistic and has a good imagination, and even though she lies a bit too often, she has good intentions in the beginning.

It took a while for the letters to come out, and we actually didn't get to read all of them. It wasn't as dramatic of an event as I expected, either. Not everyone at school knows about them, only the people who got them, really. It wasn't any cause for bullying or anything like I expected. It actually ended up being kind of sweet for both parties.

Aside from the romance aspect, there was also a really good family atmosphere, and very realistic sister relationships, as well. Lara Jean and her sisters fight and push at each other, but they're also there for each other when they're needed.

Now, the romance. I will admit that I much prefer Josh. It was a little conflicting, but he's such a sweetheart, and I love his and Lara Jean's relationship, even if it was hard since he dated her sister. Instead of Josh, this focused a lot more on Peter. And Peter was okay. He grew on me a bit more by the middle of the book, and I do think he had good intentions and didn't quite know what he was doing that hurt Lara Jean so much, but I think things ended how they needed to, maybe.

I really like the concept of this series. The idea that she decided to write letters, just for herself, to the guys that she loved in a way to let go of them, was done in such a positive light. She wasn't hating on them, was honest about what she liked even while trying to make herself feel better about why it wouldn't work.

That ending felt like a conclusion to one part of the story, and I'm really curious about where it goes after this. I'm hooked, and I had a hard time stopping this book, so I'm excited to read the next one.

Manga Review: Yona of the Dawn, Volume 15, by Mizuho Kusanagi

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Shojo Beat (VIZ Media)

Release Date: December 2018

Volumes: 28+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 14. 16.

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 drug known as “nadai” has spread throughout the Water Tribe territory, so Yona and Riri, the daughter of the Water Tribe chief, are determined end this drug crisis. However, their task is an uphill battle, and they couldn’t have imagined the dangers that await them!

Review:

I'm so impressed by the quality of Kusanagi's work. Her earlier series were very good, with a lot of potential and usually good character development, but some were a little weak, and some of them had badly placed/too much humor for the plot. This series is so perfectly balanced, with on-key humor and plot, and such intense serious moments. And the characters are the best. Sometimes I think about this, and I'm just so impressed, and so happy about it. I just love this series so, so much.

Okay, anyway.

Yona is badly injured, but she continues to fight anyway. She stays strong, and it inspires Riri. The dragons and Hak, on the other hand, are extremely worried, and feel awful for not guarding her correctly. Yona, on the other hand, feels bad for not being stronger. It's a sad, touching moment, seeing them all struggle with this.

During the fight, though, Yona gets on the bad side of Hyo, the man behind all of this. But, while his pride is wounded and he wants her dead, they're all in search of him just as seriously. More so, even.

There's a surprising turn of events in the latter half of the volume, as we see Su-Won again. I really want to hate him, but he intrigues me, and then he does something good... I'm conflicted about him. But it's interesting to see him and Yona actually interacting; they are on very uneven ground with each other, but they also kind-of have an understanding. I'm curious about where that's going to go next. I'm also curious about Zeno—it's a little unclear what his power is, what his position and what he knows.

This series cannot come out fast enough. I need more.

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

Manga Review: Haikyu!!, Volume 28, by Haruichi Furudate

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: October 2018

Volumes: 36+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 27. 29.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Shoyo Hinata is out to prove that in volleyball you don't need to be tall to fly!

Ever since he saw the legendary player known as “the Little Giant” compete at the national volleyball finals, Shoyo Hinata has been aiming to be the best volleyball player ever! Who says you need to be tall to play volleyball when you can jump higher than anyone else?

Karasuno wins their first match of the Spring Tournament! Hinata goes to watch Fukurodani and Nekoma play their games and runs into the other Little Giant from the All-Japan Youth Camp, Kamomedai High’s Korai! Then day two of the tournament begins, and the seeded teams join the fray!

Review:

Since Karasuno won their first game, the first half of this volume shows them prepping for the next game, and they get to watch the other games going on. They get to see Fukurodani and Nekoma play. The biggest moment, though, is when Hinata sees Hoshiumi, his real competition for the Little Giant spot. This could have been intimidating and upsetting for anyone else, but Hinata takes it as inspiration. Just like how Kageyama reacted when they met, Hinata wants to do what he's doing, and better. It's a good comparison for him, though.

In the latter half of the volume, Karasuno starts their second game. It's against Inarizaki, a big competitor for them, a team that has come in third before. It sounds like a team that would be hard for Karasuno to play against, but they've come a long way. This new team has some good players on it, but a large part of it is that their audience is trained to help them. They go quiet for concentration, but then boo and make noise to mess up when the other team plays. It's a very dirty way to play, in my opinion, and I look forward to seeing Karasuno's audience compete with it.

This series is so good. I really enjoyed the scene where Hinata gets to watch Hoshiumi play, and when he attempts one of his moves during their next game... That moment made me pause reading, I was laughing so hard. Man, I love Hinata so much, sometimes he's so ridiculous. Adorable.

I'm excited to see how the game goes from here. Karasuno is doing really good so far.

Manga Review: Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle, Volume 3, by Kagiji Kumanomata

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: Shonen Sunday (VIZ Media)

Release Date: October 2018

Volumes: 10+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 2. 4.

Goodreads Synopsis:

A captured princess just wants a good night’s sleep! Shhh…

Imprisoned in the castle of the Demon King, all spoiled-sweet Princess Syalis dreams of is a good night’s sleep! Shhh...

Winter has come, and Princess Syalis will do anything to stay warm, including creating a DIY magical device (known as a “Ko-tatsu”), knitting woolen underwear and trying to convince the castle blacksmith to make her a window to keep out the drafts. When she accidentally dies yet again—along with Stamper Cat—curious resurrection complications ensue. Then it’s Christmas and New Year’s! Who will the Demon King designate as naughty or nice? And will all of the other demons let poor Syalis join in any demon games…? And now the Demon King has insomnia!

Review:

It's winter, which means it's cold in the castle. This means that the Princess needs a better bed and underwear, and glass to cover that huge window in her cell. It also means that Christmas is coming. In the demon world, though, Santa is a very different thing, and you don't want him to visit. Syalis is determined to get her present, though.

Syalis is pretty much a terrible person. All of the creatures are terrified of her, and are too afraid to fight her or try to keep her trapped. When one demon tries to defend her, she's proven how very wrong she is. Syalis seems to think that all demons are immortal, and so it's okay to carve them up and take their body parts as needed. She's honestly horrible. If this weren't episodic and comedy-based, this could be a horrifying story.

Thankfully, it is a comedy. And it's a rather fun series to read.

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

Manga Review: Kuroko's Basketball, Volume 7&8 (2-in-1 Vol. 4), by Tadatoshi Fujimaki

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: 2017

Volumes: 30.

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1&2. 9&10.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Seirin High's greatest basketball superstar was the one no one literally saw coming—the invisible Kuroko!

When incoming first-year student Taiga Kagami joins the Seirin High basketball team, he meets Tetsuya Kuroko, a mysterious boy who's plain beyond words. But Kagami's in for the shock of his life when he learns that the practically invisible Kuroko was once a member of "the Miracle Generation"—the undefeated, legendary team—and he wants Kagami's help taking down each of his old teammates!

Fresh off their devastating losses in the Finals League, the Seirin High team members find themselves face-to-face with Teppei Kiyoshi—the basketball club's original founder! He's come back to the team after some time off and wants to inspire them to make a new start. With the Winter Cup coming up, they dive into a summer training camp. Meanwhile, Kuroko is worried about his playing style…

Review:

I haven't read any of this series, I am not a sports fan, and my only real experience with sports manga is Haikyu!!. Saying that, I have become a huge fan of Haikyu!!, but it's my only real reference point. I don't typically care for sports at all, and I know very little about basketball. But I was optimistic about this volume.

Having no idea about the characters or plot before this, I did quite like Kuroko. The way he plays the game and hides among everyone is interesting to me. He's quiet and seems to support everyone in the game. I'm curious about his reasoning for being okay with that, though; if it bothers him at all, or if that's just how it works for him, that's just how he is.

I also really liked their coach; having it be a girl is a fun choice to me, and I like how tough but caring she is with the team. The other team members seem nice, and seem to have a good camaraderie going.

This was definitely a more realistic style of drawing, and it focuses on drama and motivation and inner monologue more than Haikyu!!. I don't necessarily mind that, and I do enjoy the character development it brings. It didn't feel like there was a lot of actual basketball in this volume—but, saying that, it still seemed like the plot moved forward. There were things to discuss and prepare for, and they go on a training trip over summer break in this volume that pushes them and seems to help quite a bit. I found the coach's reasoning behind the camp's setting really smart, too. Also, I think it worked for me that this didn't only focus on each game and instead had outside plot focus, since I'm not really a fan of basketball in particular.

This isn't a series I want to catch up with, or would follow on my own, but I didn't mind it.

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

Manga Review: Radiant, Volume 3, by Tony Valente

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5-4

Publisher: VIZ Media

Release Date: January 2019

Volumes: 11+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 2. 4.

Goodreads Synopsis:

The world is overrun with monsters called Nemeses—and a young boy infected by one will stop at nothing to defeat them all!

Evil creatures called Nemeses fall from the skies and the only ones who can fight them are Wizards—infected ones who survived a Nemesis's corruption. Seth, one of these survivors, vows not only to fight the Nemeses, but to find their mythical nest, Radiant, and destroy it!

The battle in Rumble Town rages on, and Konrad shows no signs of stopping the onslaught against his own people. Seth, Mélie and Grimm team up to fight Konrad and the Inquisition, but a new opponent enters the fight—Hameline, a Nemeses Tamer! As the fight destroys the city, Rumble Town’s entire Islet risks collapsing! Will Seth and his friends be able to stop the madness and save everyone in time?

Review:

The color pages in this series are so pretty. Again, I have to mention it. The coloring on the covers themselves are gorgeous, too, and I love that we get a bit more of that in the volume.

We're still in the middle of fighting Konrad as this volume starts. The mysterious witch is addressing the town, and she has a story to tell, one that's shocking to the townspeople. It gives Seth some motivation to finish this fight, too, since he'd been going at a normal level up till this point.

Seth has really grown on me. Instead of seeming like just a normal, over-exaggerated kid, he's learned to hold back and yet to do what he needs to, when it's important to fight. He's not afraid to do what he believes is right, and I like that. He also seems like a quick learner, too; after seeing someone do something, he learns and tries it and gets better because of it.

In the second half of the volume, we meet several new characters. They're part of the Inquisition, and they're coming to take control and do what they can for the chaos and impending danger of Rumble Town. I'm intrigued by a few of them, but it's the one at the cliffhanger that has me really interested. I want to see what it means and where this goes next. It was hinted in the previous volume, and I'm really excited by the prospect.

This series has really grown on me. Now I'm actually excited to read the next one.

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

Novel Review: And I Darken (The Conqueror's Saga, #1) by Kiersten White

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Genre: YA Historical, Romance

Publisher: Delacorte Press (Penguin Random House)

Release Date: 2016

Spoilers?: No.

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

Teaser Tuesday. Wishlist Thursday.

Goodreads Synopsis:

No one expects a princess to be brutal. And Lada Dragwlya likes it that way. Ever since she and her gentle younger brother, Radu, were wrenched from their homeland of Wallachia and abandoned by their father to be raised in the Ottoman courts, Lada has known that being ruthless is the key to survival. She and Radu are doomed to act as pawns in a vicious game, an unseen sword hovering over their every move. For the lineage that makes them special also makes them targets.

Lada despises the Ottomans and bides her time, planning her vengeance for the day when she can return to Wallachia and claim her birthright. Radu longs only for a place where he feels safe. And when they meet Mehmed, the defiant and lonely son of the sultan, Radu feels that he’s made a true friend—and Lada wonders if she’s finally found someone worthy of her passion.

But Mehmed is heir to the very empire that Lada has sworn to fight against—and that Radu now considers home. Together, Lada, Radu, and Mehmed form a toxic triangle that strains the bonds of love and loyalty to the breaking point.

The Cover:

I love these covers. I will admit that it gives me a somewhat different impression of the book than the contents felt--Lada does not feel nearly as fierce as this cover makes me feel; it also wasn't as intense and focused more on the potential romance than the cover makes me think it will. But it's still a gorgeous cover.

Review:

I have loved all of Kiersten White's books, and I've always admired how she can change her style of writing so perfectly. I'm a little disappointed to say that I didn't really enjoy this book, at times.

I will admit that I'm not typically a historical fan. I didn't think it would matter much here, but it's still true. Long stories of history are not of my interest, and stories that combine that with political dealings are apparently especially so.

We meet Lada and Bogdan and her brother Radu as the book starts. They start as children, and slowly grow older until they're teens during this book. Lada is the daughter of Vlad, and at first she tries hard to impress him and prove herself. Radu is her weaker brother. Bogdan is her bodyguard/servant boy who she actually orders around.

This book was very slow going. It took a long time for them to grow older, and at several points in this book I wondered where it was going, and when it was going to get there.

I liked Lada at first, and I thought she was going to be fierce from the beginning. She is fierce, but then I think she loses herself about halfway through the book. Romance shows up, and she seems to lose herself and her ambitions with it. I realized at some point in the book that I didn't particularly care for Lada all that much.

Radu, on the other hand. Radu is at first her weak little brother. But while he doesn't have physical strength or much of a mean streak at all in him, he has smarts instead. He learns how to listen, and how to play nice and make conversation and get a person on his side very easily. It's a struggle when Lada realizes he has this and she does not, and really it's more of a point on his side than hers.

I really liked Radu, quite a lot. I think my least favorite character turned out to be Mehmed. When we first meet him, I thought I liked him. But after a while, I realized that I really didn't like the effect he had on Radu or Lada. He kind of ends up ruining them, I think.

Radu becomes so focused on his love for Mehmed, that I think it brings him down. He could be doing a lot more, and he could be seeing the other people around him better, if Mehmed weren't there. It's the same with Lada. She loses sight of what's most important to herself, because of her affection for Mehmed. And it frustrates me so much because it's not requited to the extent that either of them need. It's helping Mehmed, when he doesn't deserve it, and it's bad for both Radu and Lada.

I really hope that this book was setting up for something bigger. It definitely seems like Lada is off to start something big, and I hope that it gets more intense from here. This book was very long and tedious, and usually I like character development like that, but it didn't hold my interest enough in this context. It was frustrating at times.

But the concept is still so interesting to me, and Kiersten White is one of my favorite authors, so I'll be reading at least one more book.

Manga Review: Anonymous Noise, Volume 12, by Ryoko Fukuyama

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Shojo Beat (VIZ Media)

Release Date: January 2019

Volumes: 18.

Spoilers?: Some.

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

Volume: 1. 11. 13.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Music and longing collide in this ballad of unrequited love!

Nino Arisugawa, a girl who loves to sing, experiences her first heart-wrenching goodbye when her beloved childhood friend, Momo, moves away. And after Nino befriends Yuzu, a music composer, she experiences another sad parting! Luckily, Nino reunites with Momo and Yuzu in high school, but things haven’t played out the way anyone expected…

The new school year brings major changes—namely, Nino is in a relationship with Momo, and she hasn’t seen Yuzu in months. Where has Yuzu gone off to? And can the remaining members of the Pop Music Club keep it together without him?

Review:

Now that Nino and Momo are official, Yuzu has disappeared. School is back in session, and the music club has a new member, a girl who throws Kuro off his guard. Near the end of the volume, Momo has a confrontation with Miou. They have an odd relationship, since they were pretty much thrown into this band together, and Miou had already been feeling like less than because of Nino when she found out their connection. It needed to happen, as Momo had already decided how much Black Kitty meant to him, and that it was separate from Nino. Miou needed to know that.

Now that Nino and Momo are together, I'm conflicted. I'm really not sure which boy I prefer for her, especially since neither feels right any more. Now she's with Momo, and I worry about Yuzu and I feel bad, and none of it feels okay. But if she were with Yuzu, I might feel bad for Momo. I don't know if there's a win here, but I don't think this is it. I think Nino and Momo are good together, though, and they're rather intense in their affection and their feelings in general.

Everything in this series is so intense, and so pointed and emotional. It's raw and also so perfectly articulated and timed. I'm not sure what's going to happen next, but I'm in for it.

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

Manga Review: Hatsu*Haru, Volume 4, by Shizuki Fujisawa

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Yen Press

Release Date: December 2018

Volumes: 13.

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 3. 5.

Add on Goodreads 

RightStuf Synopsis:

School can't teach you everything, especially when it comes to love! No matter how much a guy studies, it still won't be enough to turn around his terrible luck with romance! Just as an apple can never return to the tree it fell from, is unrequited love destined to never be reciprocated...?

Review:

While it would have been nice for Riko to see what Kai was saying, that would have been too easy. Of course she takes it as merely meant to cheer her up. Though there are hints that she just won't let herself think that he likes her that way, which is somewhat of a good sign.

We get quite a lot of Misaki in this volume. There's still the developing of a relationship between him and Ayumi, and it's obvious they're forming some kind of understanding type of relationship, even if they don't quite see it yet. But then we get a curveball as Kai thinks Misaki and Riko are starting to hit it off. This shows a really mature side of Kai, as he believes he can't compete with Misaki, and we get some insight into their friendship because of this. They've known each other for a long time, and Misaki has always been there for Kai, even if he didn't realize it at the time. They've formed a really close friendship over the years, a caring and respect for each other. It's sweet.

Aside from that, it's nice to see the rest of the guys trying to root for Kai, and trying to push him and Riko together. Also Kai's family. I love how big and close they are, and enjoy seeing them all together, and him taking care of the kids. It's so sweet.

The romance is going to take a bit longer, I suspect. But it's fun to see it grow, and I like the side characters a lot, as well. I'm enjoying getting to know them better, and would actually like more of that at times.

Manga Review: Sweet Blue Flowers, Volume 2, by Takako Shimura

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: VIZ Signature (VIZ Media)

Release Date: December 2017

Volumes: 4 (Omnibus).

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 3.

Goodreads Synopsis:

A genre-defining saga of love and friendship between girls.

Akira Okudaira is starting high school and is ready for exciting new experiences. And on the first day of school, she runs into her best friend from kindergarten at the train station! Now Akira and Fumi have the chance to rekindle their friendship, but life has gotten a lot more complicated since they were kids…

Kyoko’s fiancé invites a group of her friends to join them at his family’s summer home. But the trip ends up including more than just ghost stories and horseback riding—Fumi can now confirm that she has feelings for Akira. And Akira learns more than she wants to about Kyoko’s private life with some accidental eavesdropping. After this, how can the girls just return to school like nothing’s happened?

Review:

The first half of this volume seemed rather slow-paced. We get to know the characters a bit more, including two of the boys, but also the group of girls and their friendships. They're on a trip, so they play some games and stay up late talking, before school starts again.

We get some hints regarding Kyoko and her family, which could turn into drama later. We also see Sugimoto for a brief period; there's some drama there, some hard feelings, but mostly it seems like a farewell.

In the second half of the volume, a new school year has started, and a new school play has been chosen and so has the cast. There are new members now in both schools; there's quiet, library club member Ueda, who's sweet and shy. Then there's Ono, a younger, tiny girl, who's blunt and honest and straightforward in her wants.

Ono has me intrigued, and I think she's a character that both Akira and Fumi need to meet, to give them some perspective. At the same time, there are some confessions. Fumi is honest with Akira, but possibly more than she meant to be, or more than Akira knows how to take. It's made things a little awkward, though this could be good or bad for them.

I like how sweet and subtle this series is. It's rather realistic in how it handles its issues, without being dramatic or exaggerated. The girls discuss these topics sometimes, and they have to consider how to respond to these situations, but also how to talk about them.

This is a rather short series, and I'm looking forward to reading more and following it to the end.

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