Manga Review: Black Clover, Volume 13, by Yuki Tabata

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: November 2018

Volumes: 20+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 12. 14.

Goodreads Synopsis:

In a world of magic, Asta, a boy with anti-magic powers, will do whatever it takes to become the Wizard King!

Asta is a young boy who dreams of becoming the greatest mage in the kingdom. Only one problem—he can't use any magic! Luckily for Asta, he receives the incredibly rare five-leaf clover grimoire that gives him the power of anti-magic. Can someone who can't use magic really become the Wizard King? One thing's for sure—Asta will never give up!

In order to form a new powerful team to take down the nefarious Eye of the Midnight Sun, the Clover Kingdom commences the Royal Knights exam. But mages will need to compete as teams and Asta’s been assigned a teammate who seems impossible to work with!

Review:

A new arc starts in this volume: a test to be a Royal Knight. Pretty much everyone is signed up for it, and the first round includes being put into teams of three, and fighting to protect your own crystal and destroy your opponents'.

The teams are oddly set up, and yet no big surprises yet for who wins. I'm okay with most characters, and only have a few I actually like. I do enjoy Yuno, so I like getting to see what he can do, and who he decides to trust and listen to. Other than that, meh. Asta, meh. There are a lot of crazy characters paired up, and some of that was interesting.

It was an okay volume, ehh.

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

Novel Review: Room by Emma Donoghue

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Genre: Adult/Literature Fiction, Realistic

Publisher: Back Bay Books (Little, Brown and Hachette Book Group)

Release Date: 2010

Spoilers?: No.

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

 
To five-year-old-Jack, Room is the world....

Told in the inventive, funny, and poignant voice of Jack, Room is a celebration of resilience—and a powerful story of a mother and son whose love lets them survive the impossible.

To five-year-old Jack, Room is the entire world. It is where he was born and grew up; it's where he lives with his Ma as they learn and read and eat and sleep and play. At night, his Ma shuts him safely in the wardrobe, where he is meant to be asleep when Old Nick visits.

Room is home to Jack, but to Ma, it is the prison where Old Nick has held her captive for seven years. Through determination, ingenuity, and fierce motherly love, Ma has created a life for Jack. But she knows it's not enough ... not for her or for him. She devises a bold escape plan, one that relies on her young son's bravery and a lot of luck. What she does not realize is just how unprepared she is for the plan to actually work.

Told entirely in the language of the energetic, pragmatic five-year-old Jack, Room is a celebration of resilience and the limitless bond between parent and child, a brilliantly executed novel about what it means to journey from one world to another.

The Cover:

I really like the cover above, which is the one on my copy. I think it makes the emphasis on the title nice and clear, and shows the childishness of Jack, while all of the white gives an eerie or ominous feeling. There are a few other covers, as well, and I think most of them give a similarly good impression of the book. It's mostly the movie-version cover that I don't care too much for.

Review:

I've been wanting to read this book ever since it came out. I'm glad I finally got around to it.

Jack's mom was kidnapped by this guy seven years ago, but Jack is only five and he only knows this tiny room he's never left. He doesn't know what's beyond Door, and he doesn't know that he's missing anything. Anything he sees on TV, he knows is fictional.

Despite the very serious matter of this book, Jack is the one telling it, and he's a rather optimistic, cute kid. He's very smart for his age, but he also only knows the contents of Room. Everything else is fiction as far as he knows. Up until he leaves Room, at least.

I wouldn't say that Jack makes this book light-hearted, per se, but it does help. While he doesn't directly mention some of the things that happens, and a lot of things are merely said around him when they leave, it's always apparent that he's aware. He has an idea of things being wrong, even if he doesn't quite acknowledge them, or know what they are.

I really liked this book. Seeing Jack discover things is nice, even if some of those things are bad or have consequences. The ending was really well done, too. I wasn't sure where it was going to end, but the significance of that ending and where they are now, was really well done.

This is definitely a book worth reading. It was enjoyable to read, even if it was very sad at times.

Manga Review: Yona of the Dawn, Volume 16, by Mizuho Kusanagi

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Shojo Beat (VIZ Media)

Release Date: February 2019

Volumes: 29+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 15. 17.

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 large fleet of ships from South Kai heads to Sensui at drug trafficker Hyo’s behest. Will Yona and her friends be able to thwart Hyo’s nefarious plans and stop these enemy forces? And what will happen to Yona when an infuriated Hyo attacks her?

Review:

Finally, the confrontation between Hak and Su-Won. Yona's been dealing with it without causing conflict, but by watching and being guarded. Hak has a very different reaction, because his main worry is protecting and avenging Yona.

No one else understands what's happening until later.

After that big moment, they seem to forget about Hyo. They've dealt with him somewhat, and it seems like they're leaving Riri to help with what she can without them. I do appreciate that Riri has grown stronger, how Yona was able to help her and impress upon her. It was a good relationship for both of them, I think.

I'm still a bit conflicted about Su-Won. I want to hate him, but he also appears conflicted. He did what he thought he needed to, but he still has a bond with Yona and Hak, and he doesn't seem to want to hurt them. That doesn't mean he won't, though. It's hard to tell what he plans next and what he's willing to do.

I'm a bit confused by the ending of the plot with Hyo, because Su-Won seemed to take all of the rest of the volume. I'm not sure where they're going next.

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

Manga Review: Don't Be Cruel, Volume 7, by Yonezou Nekota

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: SuBLime (VIZ Media)

Release Date: September 2018

Volumes: 8+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1&2. 6. 8.

Goodreads Synopsis:

When a playboy falls for a nerd, chemistry results in an explosive reaction!

Playboy Maya catches studious Nemugasa cheating on a test, and to ensure his silence, Maya blackmails Nemugasa into doing whatever he wants! But is this merely just a ruse so Maya can spend more alone time with him?

After spending a blissful night wrapped in each other’s arms, Maya and Nemugasa get a rude awakening when Maya’s dad arrives unexpectedly, catching them in bed together! Unfazed by his father’s disapproval of their relationship, Maya moves out on his own, and even though he’s been cut off from his credit cards and his family’s financial support, Maya’s love for Nemugasa only grows. There’s just one tiny complication. With no place to stay, Maya is forced to crash with the last person he wants anywhere near his beloved Nemugasa—Shimakawa!

Review:

Maya's father discovers him and Nemugasa together, and thus he's forced to confess. While his father isn't necessarily against it as a homophobic thing (though he doesn't understand), he has a hard time believing it, and decides that he's not going to support Maya any longer. Which means Maya is out on his own.

Maya's father is making this hard on him, and in result also making Akira's decisions harder, but I don't think the consequences are as bad as they could be. Maya has a job, and starts working more, while deciding about school, because now he has bills. But he ends up rooming with Naoya, which actually works out well, despite their differences. They fight, but they also stay out of each others business, and I think they do actually work well together, even without meaning to. And it's hard to dislike Maya's father, because he does care and dote on Maya, and he even bonds with Nemugasa at one point over their love of Maya.

Aside from them, we got quite a bit of focus on Akira and Naoya. Akira doesn't want to discuss his feelings, and he has a hard time being open about his wants with Naoya, but he takes the opportunities that he can in order to further their relationship. There's some development in their relationship here, and I'm interested to see how he reacts to their fathers decision in the future.

Aside from the drama, this volume was very steamy. There were several really hot scenes between both couples. It was good.

This is probably one of my favorite yaoi series. It's hot, and sweet, and I love the characters. I want more like this.

Manga Review: Dr. Stone, Volume 3, by Riichiro Inagaki and Boichi

Rating (Out of 5): ~2.5

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: January 2019

Volumes: 10+

Spoilers?: Light.

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

Volume: 1. 2. 4.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Imagine waking to a world where every last human has been mysteriously turned to stone...

One fateful day, all of humanity turned to stone. Many millennia later, Taiju frees himself from the petrification and finds himself surrounded by statues. The situation looks grim—until he runs into his science-loving friend Senku! Together they plan to restart civilization with the power of science!

Upon arriving at Kohaku’s village, Senku schemes to make allies out of the villagers. First up is Chrome, whom Senku wins over after beating him in a scientific battle of wits. Their first big task? Concocting a panacea to cure Kohaku’s older sister, Ruri.

Review:

Now that Senku has found a girl, he learns there's a whole village of people surviving, but they're not very welcoming to strangers.

This starts a test for Senku, as he wants to use this new knowledge, and decides to prove himself by pushing their technology forward. Thus, he decides to invent something to impress them all.

I really don't like this series. All of the characters are extremely dumb, so that it makes Senku look brilliant. I thought I was going to like this new girl, but she's just okay. I don't really care for any of the characters at this point, and am annoyed by a lot of them. I'm also really annoyed by the stereotypical characteristics and plots and how dumbed down everything is.

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

Manga Review: Tokyo Ghoul: re, Volume 1, by Sui Ishida

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: VIZ Signature (VIZ Media)

Release Date: 2017

Volumes: 16.

Spoilers?: No.

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

Tokyo Ghoul 14. Tokyo Ghoul: re 2.

Goodreads Synopsis:

In the world of Tokyo Ghoul, sometimes the only way to fight monsters is to become one…

The Commission of Counter Ghoul is the only organization fighting the Ghoul menace, and they will use every tool at their disposal to protect humanity from its ultimate predator. Their newest weapon in this hidden war is an experimental procedure that implants human investigators with a Ghoul’s Kagune, giving them Ghoul powers and abilities. But both the procedure and the newly formed Qs Squad are untested. Will they become heroes…or monsters?!

Haise Sasaki has been tasked with teaching Qs Squad how to be outstanding Investigators, but his assignment is complicated by the troublesome personalities of his subordinates and his own uncertain grasp of his Ghoul powers. Can he pull this ragtag group together as a team, or will Qs Squad’s first assignment be their last?

Review:

I took a break after the previous series ended, and I really wasn't sure if I wanted to read more. I was conflicted after the ending.

I've finally decided to continue this series, and after this volume... Well, I'm glad I continued, but now I'm a little confused.

As the volume started, I was very confused by when it was taking place, what all had passed, and who a lot of these people were. It wasn't until the last quarter of the volume, that some things started to make sense. But really, that only connected a couple dots, gave me more questions, but made me a lot more interested to keep reading. So, it did the job, quite well.

The world of the ghouls and the kagune and all that is a little confusing to me. There's a lot to understand, and a lot has seemed to change. Then there's this new squad, with Mutsuki and Haise and Urie and Shirazu. I'm intrigued by each of these characters, but I'm not sure what to think of them yet, or where they're going.

I'm very intrigued by Haise, but I want to know what happened that led him here, how things have changed so much. I will admit that some of this makes sense, because it always seemed like we needed to be inside the CCG, with them to see what they're doing.

I'm confused and intrigued. I'm also impressed with a lot of this. Even just the writing—it leaves you interested, and some of the character and technical choices were really thoughtful and done well, particularly with how Urie speaks and thinks.

I'm intrigued, and look forward to catching up.

Manga Review: The Promised Neverland, Volume 7, by Kaiu Shirai and Posuka Demizu

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: December 2018

Volumes: 13+

Spoilers?: Yes.

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

Volume: 1. 6. 8.

Goodreads Synopsis:

The children of the Grace Field House orphanage must escape a macabre fate before it’s too late.

Life at Grace Field House is good for Emma and her fellow orphans. While the daily studying and exams they have to take are tough, their loving caretaker provides them with delicious food and plenty of playtime. But perhaps not everything is as it seems…

Review:

The kids make it to the shelter, and they meet an adult there, but he's also an escapee, and he doesn't want to share the shelter with them. Despite them all being so young, and there being so many in such a small place, the group of kids know how to take care of themselves, and how to live on as little as they can. And they're rather good at out-smarting an adult, even under pressure.

The shelter gives them some new information, but it seems to be giving more questions than answers. It's a safe place to live in, but for how long? So Emma and Ray make a deal with the man, to venture outside and see if they can get to somewhere else, to see if they can find William Minerva, who is still a mystery.

This series throws so many twists out. I'm often surprised, and worried, but so far they've overcome most of it. I can't wait to see where this goes next.

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

Manga Review: Waiting for Spring, Volume 9, by Anashin

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: Kodansha Comics

Release Date: November 2018

Volumes: 11+

Spoilers?: Light.

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

Volume: 1. 8. 10.

Goodreads Synopsis:

A sweet shojo story of a soft-spoken high school freshman and her quest to make friends, Waiting for Spring will delight fans of earnest, fun, and dramatic shojo like Kimi ni Todoke and Say I Love You.

Mizuki is a shy girl who's about to enter high school, and vows to open herself up to new friendships. Of course, the four stars of the boys' basketball team weren't exactly the friends she had in mind! Yet, when they drop by the café where she works, the five quickly hit it off. Soon she's been accidentally thrust into the spotlight, targeted by jealous girls. And will she expand her mission to include... love?

Review:

We get some surprising drama involving Nana in this volume. Turns out she had a pretty impressive ex-boyfriend, who she's a little stuck on still, and then he shows back up. When Ryuji finds out, it depresses him, but he actually ends up trying to be very mature about it. I think it shows how true his feelings for Nana really are, and it's sweet how she reacts to that, as well. I was pleasantly surprised with how this plot line turned out, and I rather like Nana and Ryuji, if they ever get going.

Aside from that sweetness, Aya is causing more drama for Mitsuki. After confessing to her, he saves her again, only this time he ends up hurting himself. When Mitsuki finds out, it makes her more determined to help him. This triangle between Aya, Towa, and Mitsuki is getting very messy, I think. Aya is making it more complicated, while Towa and Mitsuki are trying to take it slow and grow enough first. It's very... annoying, at this point. Frustrating.

This is still a very fun series, and I love the sweet little romantic moments. I'm looking forward to the next one, as always.

Manga Review: Haikyu!!, Volume 30, by Haruichi Furudate

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: January 2019

Volumes: 37+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 29. 31.

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?

Review:

The first half of this volume was all about Ryunosuke, and honestly, I'm all for it. We get to see what happened when he first joined the team, as he's faced with a tough opponent, and is determined to stay upbeat even though he hasn't done much in this game yet. He struggles, but it doesn't last very long. Ryu is pretty optimistic, which annoys his teammates after a point. He doesn't let himself get down. This also counts for love, and I'm intrigued by his devotion to Kiyoko. It makes me feel bad for his childhood friend, though.

In the latter half of the volume, we got to see Nekoma's game, and this meant a backstory on Kenma. This was also really interesting to me. I like Kenma a lot, and enjoy his odd friendship with Hinata. Seeing what made him join volleyball, and his long friendship with Kuroo, was nice. It also made me understand him and his gaming obsession better. It makes me like his contrasting friendship with Hinata even more.

I'm excited to see what happens next in the game. It look like Nishinoya is next, and I'm also excited to see his story, because I love him as well.

I love most of these characters, though, to be fair.

Manga Review: Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma, Volume 26, by Yuto Tsukuda, Shun Saeki, and Yuki Morisaki

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: Shonen Jump Advanced (VIZ Media)

Release Date: October 2018

Volumes: 34+

Spoilers: No.

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

Volume: 1. 24. 27.

Goodreads Synopsis:

An action-packed, saucy food comedy featuring one boy’s determination to be top chef!

Soma Yukihira’s old man runs a small family restaurant in the less savory end of town. Aiming to one day surpass his father’s culinary prowess, Soma hones his skills day in and day out until one day, out of the blue, his father decides to enroll Soma in a classy culinary school! Can Soma really cut it in a place that prides itself on a 10 percent graduation rate? And can he convince the beautiful, domineering heiress of the school that he belongs there at all?!

Soma and the resistance have swept the first bout of the team shokugeki! But they can’t rest on their laurels, as the second bout is soon to begin. With the Council of Ten’s pride on the line, who will Central send out to protect it? And will Kuga’s desire for a rematch with Tsukasa affect the lineup?

Review:

Since Soma competed in the first round, he gets to watch as the next group is selected and their competition starts. There are some very minor characters in this round (to me, at least), but then there's Kuga against Tsukasa. I have always been an odd fan of Tsukasa, and Kuga is also a really fun character to me. It's interesting to see them get a rematch, as Kuga sees it.

This volumes contains most of the shokugeki, and next we'll get to see who's dish came out better. I wasn't all that invested in most of this, as most of these characters aren't really on my radar. Half of them were, I suppose, but a lot of the volume featured backstory stuff, too.

Eh. This was an all right volume, fun but a little meh at times. 

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