Dark Watcher

Today’s post is on Dark Watcher by Lilith Saintcrow. It is 178 pages long and is published by Imajinn Books. It is first in her Watcher series. The cover has a storm in the back ground and the main male character looking over his shoulder towards the reader. The intended reader is someone who likes urban fantasy, very mild romance, and high action. There is foul language, no sex, and violence in this short story. The story is told from third person close of the characters moving from one to the next as the story goes. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book-  The Lightbringer: Theodora Morgan knows she's a little strange. Her talent for healing has marked her as different all through a life spent moving from town to town when someone notices her strangeness. Now she has a home, and she doesn't want to leave--but she's been found. The Crusade wants her dead because she's psychic, the Dark wants to feed on her talent, and then there's Dante. Tall and grim and armed with black-bladed knives, guns, and a sword, he says he's here to protect her. But what if he's what Theo needs protection from most?

The Watcher: Dante is a Watcher, sworn by Circle Lightfall to protect the Lightbringers. His next assignment? Watch over Theo. She doesn't know she's a Lightbringer, she doesn't know she's surrounded by enemies, and she doesn't know she's been marked for death by a bunch of fanatics. He can't protect her if she doesn't trust him, but how can she possibly trust a man scarred by murder and warfare--a man who smells like the same Darkness Theo has been running from all her life?

Review- This is a fine novel but I wanted more romance from this story. With a blurb that the one above you would expect more of a love story but it is barely touched on. Theo is the only one who can ease Dante’s pain but that is never explored. The world building is fine and I think that this happens in the same world as her Dante Valentine series but I am not totally sure about that. The magic is neat and understandable and the villains are evil enough. But the lack of relationship building between the two main characters makes it lose a star. I did like it enough to read the next one and I think that I will like it better because now I know that there will be little to no romance in spite of how the book is described.

I give this short story a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

Kiss Me at the Stroke of Midnight volume 1

Today's post is on Kiss Me at the Stroke of Midnight volume 1 by Rin Mikimoto. It is 188 pages long and is published by Kodansha Comics. The cover is a close-up of the main character  looking pretty and pensive. The intended reader is someone who likes shojo magna, Cinderella stories, and funny love stories. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this book. The story is told in third person close of the main character Hinana. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- STARSTRUCK At school, Hinana is an honors student, respected by all her classmates. She's totally above things as juvenile as crushes and dating. Secretly, though, she has but one wish: To have a fairy-tale romance. One day, a super-hot celebrity named Kaede shows up at Hinana's high school to shoot a movie, and it becomes difficult to keep up her act. By pure chance -- or y'know, fate! -- Kaede reveals his own ridiculous personality to Hinana, and her ordinary life turns breathtakingly romantic! Or just really, really... weird?!

Review- This is a very cute re-telling of Cinderella in modern day Japan. Hinana is very serious and wants to be seen as serious but she is also has a soft-spot for love stories and romance. She wants an old-fashioned romance but she is not sure about how to get it or who to have it with. Then she meets the hero Kaede and he is used to people not taking him seriously because he is pretty and there is some shady stuff in his past about how he got his fame but he is earnest and I like him. I liked so much about this manga and I have high hopes for this series now.

I give this manga volume a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this manga with my own money.

The Maltese Falcon

Today’s post is on The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett. It is 213 pages long and is published by Orion. The cover is yellow with the falcon in profile. The intended reader is someone who likes classic mysteries, hardnosed detectives, and very surprising subplots. There is foul language, sex, and violence in this book. The story is told from third person close of Spade himself. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Sam Spade is hired by the fragrant Miss Wonderley to track down her sister, who has eloped with a louse called Floyd Thursby. But Miss Wonderley is in fact the beautiful and treacherous Brigid O'Shaughnessy, and when Spade's partner Miles Archer is shot while on Thursby's trail, Spade finds himself both hunter and hunted: can he track down the jewel-encrusted bird, a treasure worth killing for, before the Fat Man finds him?

Review- I am familiar with Sam Spade from Old Time Radio and so I had a very different idea about who Sam Spade is. The radio Sam Spade is not that bad of guy, a little rough around the edges but not a bad person. The Sam Spade in the novel is not that guy. Sam Spade in the novel is a very hard man. He is survivor of World War One but that is not what makes him. What makes him is how uncaring he is about others. In pursuit of his goal he does not care about anything else. He will use anyone, in every way to get what he wants. He is not bad but he is not a good guy. The plot starts out very general with a missing sister and then a murdered partner but it takes a very sharp left into the strange when the Knight Templers are added in. Of course nothing is as it seems and Spade does get his revenge and the foundation of a genre is the end goal.

I give this book a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

Murders That Made Headlines: Crimes of Indiana

Today’s Nonfiction post is on Murders That Made Headlines: Crimes of Indiana by Jane Simon Ammeson. It is 211 pages long and is published by Indiana University Press. The cover is a close up of a broken doll. The intended reader is someone who is interested in true crime and Indiana history. There is some mild foul language, no sex, and description of violence in this book. The stories are told from newspapers and other firsthand documents. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Even the most sensational and scandalous crimes can disappear into history, the spine-chilling tales forgotten by subsequent generations. Murders that Made Headlines reveals some of these extraordinary but forgotten true events that captured the public's attention in the course of the last 200 years. Jane Simon Ammeson recounts the astonishing and sometimes bizarre stories of arsenic murders, Ponzi schemes, prison escapes, perjury, and other shocking crimes that took place in the Hoosier state. When we think of bygone eras, we often imagine gentile women, respectable men, simpler times, mannerly interactions, and intimate acquaintances, but Murders that Made Headlines reveals the notorious true crimes lurking in our history.

Review- Historic true crimes that made headlines in Indiana and were very shocking for their time makes this book an interesting read but the so-so writing pulls down what could have been an exciting read. Ammeson does her research very well, with all the newspaper articles about the eleven crimes she writes giving a look into the way these crimes were reported and talked about in their time. With much of each chapter being devoted to the newspaper, letters, and other firsthand accounts, the reader really gets into the way that crime was reported and was handled in Indiana’s past. But the writing is hard get into and at times very confusing. I would have liked Ammeson to take a stronger editorial hand with her resources and make them less confusing to read. She does talk about how hard it was to work with this resources but I would not have minded is she had reedited the stories and just gave a source list at the back of the book. The crimes were shocking and it was interesting to read the first hand resources but it was still too much of a good thing and in the end dragged the narratives down.

I give this book a Three out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

Claymore volume 7: Fit for Battle

Today's post is on Claymore volume 7: Fit for Battle by Norihiro Yagi. It is the seventh in the long running Claymore series, you need to have read the six volumes to understand the story. It is 185 pages long and is published by Shonen Jump Advanced. The cover has Clare from the end of the volume on it looking at the reader. The intended reader is someone who likes dark plots, high action, and strong female characters. There is mild foul language, no sexuality, and lots of violence in this book. The story is told from third person close of the main character. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Fearing that she's no match for the deadly Claymore named Ophelia, Clare spirits her companion Raki away to relative safety. But no matter how far they run they won't be able to escape Ophelia's heightened senses. And now that Ophelia knows that Clare has awakened, she will not rest until she has destroyed Clare.

Review- I had some real anxiety for Clare in this volume. Ophelia has lost her mind and only wants to kill Clare no matter what. But even in her insanity, she is still an excellent fighter and she comes very close to killing Clare. But Clare is saved by an unlikely source and the course of the story changes. One of Claymores who has sent after Teresa finds Clare and Ophelia and saves Clare. Ophelia does have character growth in this volume because by the end of it I felt sorry for her as she becomes the monster that she hates so much. But Clare still has a fight in front of her if she is going to stop Ophelia and save herself.

I give this volume a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this manga with my own money.

Ms. Marvel volume 3: Crushed

Today’ s post is on Ms. Marvel volume 3: Crushed by G. Willow Wilson (Goodreads Author), Takeshi Miyazawa (Artist), Elmo Bondoc (Artist). It is 112 pages long and is published by Marvel Comics. The cover has Ms. Marvel punching a glass window out towards the reader. The intended reader is someone who has read the first two volumes, likes superheroes, and fun story lines. There is no foul language, no sex, and violence in this book. The story is told from third person close of Kamala. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Kamala faces a new, terrifying threat: Excessive feelings!
Love is in the air in Jersey City as Valentine’s Day arrives! Kamala Khan may not be allowed to go to the school dance, but Ms. Marvel is! Well sort of--by crashing it in an attempt to capture Asgard’s most annoying trickster! Yup, it’s a special Valentine’s Day story featuring Marvel’s favorite charlatan, Loki! And when a mysterious stranger arrives in Jersey City, Ms. Marvel must deal with...a crush! Because this new kid is really, really cute. What are these feelings, Kamala Khan? Prepare for drama! Intrigue! Romance! Suspense! Punching things! All this and more! The fan-favorite, critically acclaimed, amazing new series continues as Kamala Khan proves why she’s the best (and most adorable) new super hero there is! Plus, see what happens when S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Jemma Simmons goes undercover at Kamala’s school!

Review- This collection has four different stories in it including with everyone’s favorite Agent Coulson, that is the last one and ends with Kamala getting noticed by Coulson much to her joy. But a real villain has been introduced and he hints that someone else in Kamala’s family has inhuman powers. But the volume ends without answering a big questions about where the other inhumans are when Kamala gets kidnapped by the villain. But overall the stories in this volume are great with more character development and Kamala’s world getting a little bigger. I cannot wait to read what is going to happen next.

I give this volume a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this volume from my local library.

Codename: Sailor V volume 1

Today's post is on Codename: Sailor V volume 1 by Naoko Takeuchi. It is 276 pages long and is published by Kodansha Comics. The cover has Sailor Venus in the center making a 'V' for victory sign at the reader. The intended reader is someone who likes classic manga and shojo manga. There is no foul language, no sex, and very mild violence it in this manga. The story is told from third person close of Minako. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Like Sailor Moon, Minako Aino is a normal 13-year-old schoolgirl until a fateful day when a white cat introduces himself to her and tells her she has the power to transform into the hero, Sailor V. Using a magic pen to transform, Sailor V fights the evil agents of the Dark Agency as she strives to protect the earth.

Review- A fun beginning to a the Sailor Moon saga. I love(d) Sailor Moon as a teenager when it first came over to the US so it was fun to see where the storygot Takeuchi started . We even get to see some of the other Sailors in the background of  Minako's adventures. The main purpose of this volume, if not the second one as well, is setting up the world for the Sailor Moon saga. We get to see some of the bad guys and their world. We get to see Sailor Venus as she gets her super-hero feet under her and we get some of the mystery that is the heart of Sailor Moon. I had a every nice time with this volume and I am curious about how and where the prequel is going to end.

I give this volume Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for review and I bought this manga with my own money.

Mrs. Jeffries Dusts for Clues

In today’s post is on Mrs. Jeffries Dusts for Clues by Emily Brightwell. It is the second her Mrs. Jeffries series. It is 184 pages long and is published by Berkley. The cover is green with the title in the title and a top hat on it. The intended reader is someone who read the first volume, likes cozy mysteries, and humorous plots. The story is told from third person close of the characters moving from one to the next over the course of the story. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- A servant girl and a priceless brooch vanish at the same time, and it doesn't take a genius to put two and two together. The Inspector finds the brooch on a dead woman-but where's the missing servant? Fortunately, Mrs. Jeffries isn't one to give up on a case just because of a few loose ends . . .

Review- Another delightful mystery from Brightwell. The previous volume ended with Mrs. Luty Belle Crookshank asking Mrs. Jeffries to look for a young friend of hers that was missing. The police soon discover her clothes but not her or her shoes. From there we get another mystery from below stairs. With Mrs. Jeffries at the head and the other servants has her hands, she uncovers an interesting plot. The inspector is still as kind but a little thick-headed, the other servants are really starting to get their own personalities adding much to the story, and Mrs. Jeffries is as wonderful a character as the in the first one. I did guess the reason behind the murder but I still very much enjoyed the journey to the end. I look forward to the next volume which is going to have spiritualism and maybe even a ghost.

I give this novel a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

1917: Vladimir Lenin, Woodrow Wilson, and the Year that Created the Modern Age

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review by Harper Collins. 

Today's Nonfiction post is on 1917: Vladimir Lenin, Woodrow Wilson, and the Year that Created the Modern Age by Arthur Herman. It is 448 pages long and is published by Harper Collins. The cover has the eyes of the two leaders with the title below in red. The intended reader is someone interested in World War 1 history. There is some mild language, no sex, and talk of violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- In 1917, Arthur Herman examines one crucial year and the two figures at its center who would set the course of modern world history: Woodrow Wilson and Vladimir Lenin. Though they were men of very different backgrounds and experiences, Herman reveals how Wilson and Lenin were very much alike. Both rose to supreme power, one through a democratic election; the other through violent revolution. Both transformed their countries by the policies they implemented, and the crucial decisions they made. Woodrow Wilson, a champion of democracy, capitalism, and the international order, steered America's involvement in World War I. Lenin, a communist revolutionary and advocate for the proletariat, lead the Bolsheviks' overthrow of Russia's earlier democratic revolution that toppled the Czar, and the establishment of a totalitarian Soviet Union. Men of opposing ideals and actions, each was idolized by millions-and vilified and feared by millions more. Though they would never meet, these two world leaders came to see in the other the evils of the world each sought to eradicate. In so doing, both would unleash the forces that still dominate our world, and that continue to shape its future from nationalism and Communism to today's maps of the Middle East, Asia, and Eastern Europe. In this incisive, fast-paced history, Herman brilliantly explores the birth of a potent rivalry between two men who rewrote the rules of geopolitics-and the moment, one hundred years ago, when our contemporary world began.

Review- This is a very hard, dry read about a very interesting time in history. Herman does his research , which was excellent with notes about sources and other materials, but he forgot to make his book engaging. Reading this book was not easy. It was dry, it was overloaded with details that did not add to the overall narrative, and it was boring at times. Herman takes the reader from the begins of the First World War, briefly, then he get into the meat of his book which is how these two very different leaders shaped the war and the world after it. Herman gives so much information that I was lost at times about why one detail mattered so much in the sea of everything he deluged me with, sometimes I could not even tell which detail he wanted to make more important. In the end I was very disappointed with this book because it sounds so interesting but Herman loses the power of his reading of history in all the details of that history.

I give this book a Two out of Five stars.

Claymore volume 6: The Endless Gravestones

Today's post is on Claymore volume 6: The Endless Gravestones by Norihiro Yagi. It is the sixth in the long running Claymore series, you need to have read the five volumes to understand the story. It is 189 pages long and is published by Shonen Jump Advanced. The cover has Clare fighting the Awakened Being from the last volume alone. The intended reader is someone who likes dark plots, high action, and strong female characters. There is mild foul language, no sexuality, and lots of violence in this book. The story is told from third person close of the main character. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Clare and her fellow Claymores are nearing the end of their strength in their battle against the Awakened Being- a male ex-Claymore who can no longer control his Yoma powers. Not only is Clare the weakest among them, but she has taken the brunt of the creature's attacks as well, and yet she may be their only hope of discovering the Awakened Being's weakness.

Review- Like the past few volumes we have the ending of one plot and the beginning of another. The other Claymores that Clare was send with are very powerful, much more so than her, but the leader discovers Clare's true strength is that she can track Yoma energy. That is why she can fight Yoma so much more powerful than herself and win. It turns out they were send to die because they have been causing trouble and looking into things that the Organization does not want them to know. Clare is then sent to fight another Awakened Being but the real monster is the other Claymore. The other Claymore, Ophelia, is blood crazed and does not care for any life. She kills who she wants and if there are witnesses she kills them too. She discovers that Clare is half-Awakened and wants to kill her at all costs. That is where the volume ends. Ophelia is scarier than any other monster we have read about in the series so far and I do not think that Clare can win this fight without a high cost.

I give this volume a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this manga with my own money.

Whose Body

Today’s post is on Whose Body by Dorothy L. Sayers. It is 212 pages long and is published by Harper Torch. It is the first in Sayers’ Lord Peter Wimsey series. The cover has the main character on it looking at a clue. The intended reader is someone who likes mysteries, classic mysteries, and interesting characters. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this book. The story is told from the third person god perspective. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- The stark naked body was lying in the tub. Not unusual for a proper bath, but highly irregular for murder -- especially with a pair of gold pince-nez deliberately perched before the sightless eyes. What's more, the face appeared to have been shaved after death. The police assumed that the victim was a prominent financier, but Lord Peter Wimsey, who dabbled in mystery detection as a hobby, knew better. In this, his first murder case, Lord Peter untangles the ghastly mystery of the corpse in the bath.

Review- A wonderful classic mystery made of great writing, interesting characters, and thrilling murders. Sayers gives the reader a treat in this book with a cunning murderer and a even more cunning detective. Lord Peter is funny, clever, and a good man who is trying to settle back into a world after the war but the World War 1 is not behind him but still in his mind and sometimes right in front of him. It is a subtle touch that makes this book feel set in the real world. I did not guess the villain until Lord Peter was alone with him and he was going to kill him but Lord Peter outsmarted him and saves the day. An excellent read and I look forward to more.

I give this book a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

The Water Dragon's Bride volume 2

Today's post is on The Water Dragon's Bride volume 2 by Rei Toma. It is the first in her Suijin no Hanayome series. It is 192 pages long and is published by Shojo Beat. The cover has two of the main characters on it looking at each other. The intended reader is someone who likes shojo and historical fantasy. There is no foul language, no sex, and violence in this book. The story is told from third person god with characters thoughts added in for character and plot development. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of book- After a ritual in the village leaves her hovering on the brink of death, Asahi is rescued by the power of the water dragon god! Has he awakened to feelings of compassion, or does Asahi need to flee this treacherous world before something even worse happens to her?

Review- The story picks up right the last volume left off with Asahi having been just healed by the Water Dragon God. Humans are not only confusing him but they are starting to anger him. So he summons a flood to destroy the humans that hurt her. In doing so he makes Asahi fear him even more. Her only friend Subaru is starting to hate the Water Dragon because of all the amoral things that he does. But the Water Dragon is starting to change because of his interactions with Asahi, Subaru, and even the other gods that are watching him and Asahi. The Water Dragon is not a good 'person' at the moment but the real problem is he has never interacted with humans or even really the other gods before. So he has so much to learn about how to not be scary to a human or even just not hated by one. The volume ends with a time skip and Asahi is at the youngest an older teenager maybe a young adult. So far a very sad manga with interesting characters and the plot is moving in an interesting way. I look forward to the next volume.

I give this volume Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this manga with my own money.

I Believe in a Thing Called Love

Today's post is on I Believe in a Thing Called Love by Maureen Goo. It is 325 pages long and is published by Farrar, Straus & Girous Inc. The cover is white with Desi in the center looking at the reader with a big smile on her face. The intended reader is someone who likes rom-com's, quirky-cute heroines, and sweet love stories. There is very mild foul language, no sex, and no violence in this book. The story is told from first person perspective of the main character. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- Desi Lee believes anything is possible if you have a plan. That’s how she became student body president. Varsity soccer star. And it’s how she’ll get into Stanford. But—she’s never had a boyfriend. In fact, she’s a disaster in romance, a clumsy, stammering humiliation magnet whose botched attempts at flirting have become legendary with her friends. So when the hottest human specimen to have ever lived walks into her life one day, Desi decides to tackle her flirting failures with the same zest she’s applied to everything else in her life. She finds guidance in the Korean dramas her father has been obsessively watching for years—where the hapless heroine always seems to end up in the arms of her true love by episode ten. It’s a simple formula, and Desi is a quick study. Armed with her “K Drama Steps to True Love,” Desi goes after the moody, elusive artist Luca Drakos—and boat rescues, love triangles, and staged car crashes ensue. But when the fun and games turn to true feels, Desi finds out that real love is about way more than just drama.

Review- I like K-dramas, they are so much fun, with cute stories and the characters are so over-the-top that you cannot help but love them for it. So when a K-drama inspired YA novel came across my desk I knew that I would have to read it ASAP. It is so cute that it hurts at times. Desi Lee has no luck with guys at all but of course then she meets Luca. Insert all the K-dramas that were the background music of her childhood and she has the most brilliant idea ever. Just follow the rules of the K-dramas heroines and in less than sixteen episodes get your true love. What follows is a cute love story with a heroine who will have True Love and the boy who does not know that he is True Love in a beanie. This book is funny, touching, and cutely romantic. If you like K-dramas or cute romances you need to read this book.

I give this book a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from local library.

Paperbacks from Hell: The Twisted History of '70s And '80s Horror Fiction

Today's Nonfiction post is on Paperbacks from Hell: The Twisted History of '70s And '80s Horror Fiction by Grady Hendrix. It is 254 pages long including notes and is published by Quirk Books. The cover has the title in blood red at the top with different covers of the horror novels running as a bottom boarder. The intended reader is someone who is interested in publishing history and some incredible forgotten horror novels. There is foul language, sex, and so much violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- If Books Could Kill...
The 1970s and '80s were a glorious time for paperback horror novels... if you enjoy tales of satanic sex cults, homicidal ghost clowns, man-eating slugs, and Nazi leprechauns. Don't be afraid! Just hold the hand of horror author Grady Hendrix as he guides you through this forgotten horror fiction boom. With hilarious story recaps, poignant creator biographies, and hundreds of the most awesomely insane books covers ever published.

Review- I love this book so much. It is well written, with great love and humor, it is about a very interesting subject, and the covers are amazing. Hendrix takes us from when he discovered The Little People in a flea market and that led him, and us, down a gory rabbit trail into the high time of horror novels. Hendrix gives us not only summaries of the novels but spotlights different forgotten authors and the artists who made those incredible covers. We travel from when horror was not seen as a respectable genre to the overbloated genre that it was in the 1990s. Hendrix loving traces the roots of horror and its children all the way until the bust. I had so much fun with this book and even if horror is not your genre give this book a look just for the awesomely mind blowing covers.

I give this book a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

Claymore volume 5: The Slashers

Today's post is on Claymore volume 5: The Slashers by Norihiro Yagi. It is the fifth in the long running Claymore series, you need to have read the four volumes to understand the story. It is 195 pages long and is published by Shonen Jump Advanced. The cover has Teresa in an action scene from the volume. The intended reader is someone who likes dark plots, high action, and strong female characters. There is mild foul language, no sexuality, and lots of violence in this book. The story is told from third person close of the main character. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- The Claymore warrior Teresa has broken the cardinal rule that forbids her kind from killing humans. In time, a group of Claymores comes to killer her, and yet Teresa defeats them all with her superior skill and experience. but rather than slay the powerful ringleader, Teresa decides to spare her instead- an act of human weakness that will have devastating consequences for them all.

Review- We see the end of Tesera and the beginning of Clare in this volume, and we get a lot of plot in this action-packed volume. The leader of the Slayers is Priscilla and losing to Teresa pushes her past her breaking point. She becomes a monster called an Awakened Being. More powerful than a Yoma and with all the power of a Claymore. Teresa and other Claymore never stood a chance against her. But Clare takes Teresa's head and becomes the first Claymore to want to become one. The volume ends with Clare and three other more powerful Claymores being sent to fight an Awakened Being. We learn that because men have a harder time ignoring the desire to Awaken they were stopped from becoming Claymores, now only women. The volume ends with them all in a bad state so I cannot wait to read what will happen next.

I give this volume a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this manga with my own money.

The Creeping

Today's post is on The Creeping by Alexandra Sirowy. It is 387 pages long and is published by Simon & Schuster. The cover is grey scale picture of woods with a girl in a white dress in the tree looking at the reader. The intended reader is someone who likes horror stories, young adult novels, and teen horror movies. There is mild foul language, implied sex, and mild violence in this book. The story is told from first person of Stella. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- Eleven years ago, Stella and Jeanie disappeared. Only Stella came back.
Now all she wants is a summer full of cove days, friends, and her gorgeous crush - until a fresh corpse leads Stella down a path of ancient evil and secrets.
Stella believes remembering what happened to Jeanie will save her. It won’t.
She used to know better than to believe in what slinks through the shadows. Not anymore. 

Review- A creepy read about a girl who cannot remember what happened to her or who killed her friend.  Stella does not remember anything about the day that Jeanie disappeared. She wonders what Jeanie would be like if she was still alive but she has tried to move on with her life. But then on the night that Jeanie disappeared 10 year later at a party another red-haired girl is found murdered. This spurs Stella into action and she does discover that if you look for monsters, you will find them. I had a good time reading this book, it is like all my favorite teen horror movies but it has a happy ending, which is good in my opinion. Stella is a mean girl who grows so much over the course of the book. She goes from just wanting to be popular enough to keep up with her best friend to wanting to do whatever it takes to find the truth and be happy. I did not find this book to be very creepy but I did like the little chills it gave me. Siwory did a good job and I forwarding to reading another book by her.

I give this book a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

The Man Who Made the Movies: The Meteoric Rise and Tragic Fall of William Fox

I have been given a copy of this book by Harper Collins in exchange for an honest review.

Today's post is on The Man Who Made the Movies: The Meteoric Rise and Tragic Fall of William Fox by Vanda Krefft. It is 944 pages including notes and other research resources and it is published by Harper Collins.  The cover is a picture of William Fox. The intended reader is someone who likes forgotten history and old Hollywood. There is mild foul language, no sex. and, no violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- A riveting story of ambition, greed, and genius unfolding at the dawn of modern America. This landmark biography brings into focus a fascinating brilliant entrepreneur—like Steve Jobs or Walt Disney, a true American visionary—who risked everything to realize his bold dream of a Hollywood empire.
Although a major Hollywood studio still bears William Fox’s name, the man himself has mostly been forgotten by history, even written off as a failure. Now, in this fascinating biography, Vanda Krefft corrects the record, explaining why Fox’s legacy is central to the history of Hollywood.
At the heart of William Fox’s life was the myth of the American Dream. His story intertwines the fate of the nineteenth-century immigrants who flooded into New York, the city’s vibrant and ruthless gilded age history, and the birth of America’s movie industry amid the dawn of the modern era. Drawing on a decade of original research, The Man Who Made the Movies offers a rich, compelling look at a complex man emblematic of his time, one of the most fascinating and formative eras in American history. 
Growing up in Lower East Side tenements, the eldest son of impoverished Hungarian immigrants, Fox began selling candy on the street. That entrepreneurial ambition eventually grew one small Brooklyn theater into a $300 million empire of deluxe studios and theaters that rivaled those of Adolph Zukor, Marcus Loew, and the Warner brothers, and launched stars such as Theda Bara. Amid the euphoric roaring twenties, the early movie moguls waged a fierce battle for control of their industry. A fearless risk-taker, Fox won and was hailed as a genius—until a confluence of circumstances, culminating with the 1929 stock market crash, led to his ruin.

Review- A fascinating biography about a man who helped movies become the cultural phenomenon that they are today. Krefft did excellent research for this biography and she pours all of her heart into this book; it shows. She helps us understand what drove William Fox and how it led to his downfall. William Fox was pushed into the role of provider for his whole family from the age of ten and that influenced the rest of his life.  He believed in his dream that the pictures could reach and help people to forget their troubles for a little while. Fox was driven to succeed and do just about anything to do so but he was an honorable man who loved and respected the law and justice. That was a major point in his movies. It was up-lifting to read about his successes but when the fall came it was truly tragic to read about. He  reached for everything and in the end he paid for it with everything. If old Hollywood and tragic lives are interesting to you then you should read this book.

I give this book a Four out of Five stars. 

QQ Sweeper volume 3

Today's post is on QQ Sweeper volume 3 by Kyousuke Motomi. It is 192 pages long and is published by Shojo Beat. It is the third in her QQ Sweeper series, you need to have read the two volumes to understand what is going on. The cover is with with the two main characters on it. The intended reader is someone who likes shojo, cute characters, and an interesting world. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this volume. The story closely follows the main female character. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- One day, Kyutaro Horikita, the tall, dark and handsome cleaning expert of Kurokado High, comes across a sleeping maiden named Fumi Nishioka at school... Unfortunately, their meeting is anything but a fairy-tale encounter! It turns out Kyutaro is a 'Sweeper" who cleans away negative energy from people's hearts-and Fumi is about to become his apprentice!
Fumi still has no memory of her past, but she begins to feel a sense of calm working and living with Kyutaro and his family of Sweepers. But when a Bug Handler goes after her, how will she overcome his dark manipulation? 

Review- A good end to a plot arc and an exciting beginning to a greater story. Fumi and Kyutaro discover that someone is hunting for her and Kyutaro discovers why. But Fumi does not know that she destined to be a Queen who can control others with her mind. She just knows that someone tried to kill her friend. She does save the day and Kyutaro is going to be her knight to help her but with lots of big plots questions all around, I am very excited for the next series Queen's Qaulity to start. The art is good, the characters are growing and changing as the plot goes and plot is growing in a natural way. This series was very good and I repeat myself but I am looking forward to meeting them again soon.

I give this volume a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this manga with my own money.

Dark Witch

Today's post is on Dark Witch by Nora Roberts. It is the first in her The Cousins O'Dwyer Trilogy. It is 342 pages long and is published by Berkley. The cover is a beautiful picture of a house. The intended reader is someone who likes urban fantasy and romance. There is mild foul language, sex, and mild violence in this book. The story is told from third person close of the characters moving from one to the next as the story goes. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- With indifferent parents, Iona Sheehan grew up craving devotion and acceptance. From her maternal grandmother, she learned where to find both: a land of lush forests, dazzling lakes, and centuries-old legends.
Ireland.
County Mayo, to be exact. Where her ancestors’ blood and magic have flowed through generations—and where her destiny awaits.
Iona arrives in Ireland with nothing but her Nan’s directions, an unfailingly optimistic attitude, and an innate talent with horses. Not far from the luxurious castle where she is spending a week, she finds her cousins, Branna and Connor O’Dwyer. And since family is family, they invite her into their home and their lives.
When Iona lands a job at the local stables, she meets the owner, Boyle McGrath. Cowboy, pirate, wild tribal horseman, he’s three of her biggest fantasy weaknesses all in one big, bold package.
Iona realizes that here she can make a home for herself—and live her life as she wants, even if that means falling head over heels for Boyle. But nothing is as it seems. An ancient evil has wound its way around Iona’s family tree and must be defeated. Family and friends will fight with each other and for each other to keep the promise of hope—and love—alive… 

Review- A fast-paced love story with realistic characters in a urban fantasy plot. The magic of this world is cool but it gets no explanation about how it works. It is very much, magic works because it works. Iona does not know about her magic until she goes to Ireland. She knows that she has a special connection with horses but nothing more. But it goes far deeper than that and we get our plot of stopping an old, powerful sorcerer that caused all the problems to begin with. The love story is of course the point and I liked the main couple. Boyle is a little slow on the up-take but he gets it right in the end. Iona is a little fast about getting everything she ever wanted from family to horses to true love but she learns that somethings just take time. I am interested in where the story is going to from here and I hope to learn more about the Big Bad.

I give this book a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

Claymore volume 4: Marked for Death

Today's post is on Claymore volume 4: Marked for Death by Norihiro Yagi. It is the fourth in the long running Claymore series, you need to have read the three volumes to understand the story. It is 189 pages long and is published by Shonen Jump Advanced. The cover has Clare and Teresa in an action scene from the volume. The intended reader is someone who likes dark plots, high action, and strong female characters. There is mild foul language, no sexuality, and lots of violence in this book. The story is told from third person close of the main character. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Teresa, a powerful Claymore, saves a young girl from her bandit captors and leaves the child in the care of some villagers. But triumph quickly gives way to despair when the situation takes a tragic turn, and Teresa is forced to kill a human--an act that will condemn her to death at the hands of her own kind.

Review- Lots of action in this volume from Teresa killing all the bandits in the first half to Claymore versus Claymore in the second. Teresa kills a Yoma that was scaring away the bandits that she had fought with earlier and they descend on the village and kill everyone but Clare. They have plans for her because of Teresa. Teresa goes back to stop the bandits but she is far too late. In her rage at what they had done, she kills them all. So Teresa and Clare are on the run together. The people that run the Claymores' send others after Teresa but she is the best for a reason so they send a group of five after them. Teresa is a great character and I like seeing where Clare came from but I know that it will not end well but what the real cost will be I am not sure. The art is great in the series showing us what is going on without getting too gory. More Action and Drama Ahead.

I give this volume a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for review and I bought this manga with my own money.

A Killer Plot

Today's post is on A Killer Plot by Ellery Adams. It is 313 pages long and is published by Berkely. It is the first in her Books by the Bay Mysteries. The cover is a pretty picture of a lighthouse with a big dog on the front. The intended reader is someone who likes cozy mysteries, fun plots, and cute characters. There is mild foul language, no sex, and no violence in this book. The story is told from third person close of the main character. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- In the small coastal town of Oyster Bay, North Carolina, you'll find plenty of characters, ne'er-do-wells, and even a few celebs trying to duck the paparazzi. But when murder joins this curious community, the Bayside Book Writers are there to get the story... 
Olivia Limoges is the subject of constant gossip. Ever since she came back to town-a return as mysterious as her departure-Olivia has kept to herself, her dog, and her unfinished novel. With a little cajoling from the eminently charming writer Camden Ford, she agrees to join the Bayside Book Writers, break her writer's block, and even make a few friends...
But when townspeople start turning up dead with haiku poems left by the bodies, anyone with a flair for language is suddenly suspect. And it's up to Olivia to catch the killer before she meets her own surprise ending.

Review- A cute cozy start to a cozy mystery series. The setting was really great for this series and I liked that Olivia is not an easy character. I liked that she was unfriendly at times, that she was difficult, and that she a loner; I enjoyed her. The other characters were good too adding to the story because they were so different from Olivia. I look forward to getting to know them in the series as we go along. The mystery is good with lots of plot twists and I did not guess the villain but I was just so busy enjoying the story that I wanted to be surprised and I was. Not perfect with some small plot holes and thin characters for some of the background characters but I still had a really good time with this novel.

I give this Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book my local library.

A Bold and Dangerous: The Remarkable Story of an Italian Mother, Her Two Sons, and Their Fight Against Fascism

I was given a copy of this book by Harper Collins in exchange for an honest review.

Today's Nonfiction post is on A Bold and Dangerous: The Remarkable Story of an Italian Mother, Her Two Sons, and Their Fight Against Fascism by Carolyn Moorehead. It is 432 pages long and is published by Harper Collins. The cover is a picture is three figures, one woman and two men, walking away from the camera. The intended reader is someone who likes World War 2 history. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Members of the cosmopolitan, cultural aristocracy of Florence at the beginning of the twentieth century, the Rosselli family, led by their fierce matriarch, Amelia, were vocal anti-fascists. As populist, right-wing nationalism swept across Europe after World War I, and Italy’s Prime Minister, Benito Mussolini, began consolidating his power, Amelia’s sons Carlo and Nello led the opposition, taking a public stand against Il Duce that few others in their elite class dared risk. When Mussolini established a terrifying and brutal police state controlled by his Blackshirts—the squaddristi—the Rossellis and their anti-fascist circle were transformed into active resisters.
In retaliation, many of the anti-fascists were arrested and imprisoned; others left the country to escape a similar fate. Tragically, Carlo and Nello were eventually assassinated by Mussolini’s secret service. After Italy entered World War II in June 1940, Amelia, thanks to visas arranged by First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt herself, fled to New York City with the remaining members of her family.
Renowned historian Caroline Moorehead paints an indelible picture of Italy in the first half of the twentieth century, offering an intimate account of the rise of Il Duce and his squaddristi; life in Mussolini’s penal colonies; the shocking ambivalence and complicity of many prominent Italian families seduced by Mussolini’s promises; and the bold, fractured resistance movement whose associates sacrificed their lives to fight fascism. In A Bold and Dangerous Family, Moorehead once again pays tribute to heroes who fought to uphold our humanity during one of history’s darkest chapters.

Review- I have read other books by Moorehead and have really enjoyed them but this one falls flat for me. I cannot tell you why this story does not work for me. The story itself should be interesting but I just never connected with the story or the characters. As usual with Moorehead the research is excellent, with full details, and lots of first hand documents and interviews when she can get them. We move from Amelia's childhood all the way to her death with lots of details about her life and the lives of her sons. If you are very interested in Italian history during the rise of Fascism and the people who fought it then you may enjoy this book but if not try another of Mooreheads' work.

I give this book a Two out of Five stars.

QQ Sweeper volume 2

Today's post is on QQ Sweeper volume 2 by Kyousuke Motomi. It is 192 pages long and is published by Shojo Beat. It is the second in her QQ Sweeper series, you need to have read the first volume to understand what is going on. The cover is blue with the three main characters on it. The intended reader is someone who likes shojo, cute characters, and an interesting world. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this volume. The story closely follows the main female character. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Fumi's image keeps overlapping with that of Fuyu, Kyutaro';s childhood crush, who remains in his thoughts to this day. Meanwhile, Fumi starts to work as a Sweeper with Kyutaro's family, but she struggles with keeping her past a secret. Has Fumi finally found a place to call home or will her cursed past catch up to her?  

Review- We get Fumi's past or at least what she can remember of it, which is not much. Her memories only go back ten years, which when Kyutaro's friend disappeared and something terrible happened to the sweepers in the area. Kyutaro realized that Fumi is his childhood friend and we ,the reader's, see that someone is hunting her. The two adults in the series know that too by the end of the volume but no one knows why anyone would want to hunt Fumi. The plot is moving along nicely and I have really enjoyed the character growth in this volume. Only one more volume in this first series and Queen's Quality is starting here in America in September. Motomi is quickly becoming one of my favorite shojo manga-kas.

I give this volume a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this manga with my own money.

Stone Guardian

Today's post is on Stone Guardian by Danielle Monsch. It is the first in her Entwined Realms series. It is 374 pages long and is published by Romance Geek Publishing. The intended reader is someone who like urban fantasy and romance. There is mild foul language, sex, and mild violence in this book. The story is told from third person close of the two main characters moving from one to the other as the story goes. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Gryphons flying past skyscrapers? Wizards battling it out in coffeehouses? Women riding motorcycles with large swords strapped to their backs? All normal sights since the Great Collision happened twenty-six years ago.
Well, not normal for everyone. Larissa Miller may have been born after the Great Collision, but as a history teacher who lives in the human-only city, she has never come into contact with any other race or species, nor has she wanted to. Her life is as ordinary as it gets - that is, until one day she walks out of her apartment and is attacked by a mob of Zombies, only to be saved by a Gargoyle.
Gargoyles trust no one outside their Clan, but due to a cryptic prophecy, Terak, Leader of the Gargoyles, has been watching over the human woman for months. While he can find no reason why the woman has been singled out, something about her stirs every protective instinct within him. When the attack confirms that the threats against her exist and are real, he convinces Larissa that though their races have never been allies, the best chance of discovering why she has been brought into his world is by working together.
In the course of their investigation Terak becomes entranced by his little human. But when he discovers why Necromancers want her and the great reward that awaits him if he betrays her, he must choose between the welfare of his Clan and not only Larissa’s life, but the fate of this New Realm as well.

Review- A fun paranormal romance with an interesting world. This world is everything and the kitchen sink world. You have magic with guns, humans and everything else, and then add forbidden love story and you have this book. The plot is a little slow to build because it is all about the world building and the characters. Towards the end of the novel we get lots of plot as we move towards the end. The characters are fun but nothing groundbreaking. The romance is cute and believable between the two main characters but it was also not groundbreaking. I like a lot of what Monsch did but she really does not do anything new with the genre. If you area a fan of urban fantasy you should check this one out.

I give this a Three out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

Claymore volume 3: Teresa of the Faint Smile

Today's post is on Claymore volume 3: Teresa of the Faint Smile by Norihiro Yagi. It is the third in the long running Claymore series, you need to have read the two volumes to understand the story. It is 191 pages long and is published by Shonen Jump Advanced. The cover is a close up of an important secondary character Teresa. The intended reader is someone who likes dark plots, high action, and strong female characters. There is mild foul language, implied sexuality and an almost rape, and lots of violence in this book. The story is told from third person close of the main character. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Clare's first battle with the Yoma of Rabona cathedral has left her body drained and shattered. With no time to recover, she must face the creature again after it chooses Raki as its next victim. Luckily, Raki remembers that he is carrying Clare's trusted broadsword and manages to get it into her hands. But unlike Clare, the Yoma is fighting at full strength and thirsting for blood...

Review- We finish the story about the Yoma in the cathedral and it is a very fast paced battle but most of the volume is about Clare's past and a woman named Teresa of the Faint Smile. Clare was used by a Yoma as some kind of toy, it is not clear what the Yoma did to her other than beat her and hide behind her. So Clare has some in common with Raki and that explains her attachment to him. Teresa is an incredible Claymore, she can find Yoma's very easily, and she kills them without much of a fight. But humans are the real bad guys in this arc so far. Bandits try to rape Teresa but whatever was done to her to make her a Claymore has made her body not as beautiful as they were hoping. But she cuts off the hand of one of the bandits he has sworn revenge. It is nice seeing more of what drives Clare. Her backstory is sad and I know that this is not going to end well for anyone. But how many bodies will there be in the end, I am not sure.

I give this volume a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this manga with my own money.

The Inspector and Mrs. Jeffries

Today's post is on The Inspector and Mrs. Jeffries by Emily Brightwell. It is the first in her Mrs. Jeffries series.  It is 181 pages long and it published by Berkley. The cover is the title in a stylized way. The intended reader is someone who likes cozy mysteries. humor, and fun characters. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this book. The story is told from third person close of the main characters moving from one to the next as the story goes. There Be Spoilers Ahead. 

From the back of the book- She keeps house for Inspector Witherspoon . . . and keeps him on his toes. Everyone's awed by his Scotland Yard successes—but they don't know about his secret weapon. No matter how messy the murder or how dirty the deed, Mrs. Jeffries's polished detection skills are up to the task . . . proving that behind every great man there's a woman—and that a crime-solver's work is never done.

Review- I loved this cozy so much. It is so funny, the characters are so fun, and the plot was good. I did guess the killer and the reason for the murder well before the end but I was having so much with the characters that I did not care. Mrs. Jeffries is the housekeeper for an innocent but intelligent Scotland Yard inspector. When he gets stuck on his current case, as he always does, he goes home to a nice meal and talks to Mrs. Jeffries. She is an excellent listening ear and even better detective. She helps him by knowing the real ways of the human heart and how someone can murder without a care. A fun new series for me to read and enjoy.

I give this book a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

QQ Sweeper volume 1

Today's post is on QQ Sweeper volume 1 by Kyousuke Motomi. It is 189 pages long and is published by Shojo Beat. It is the first in her QQ Sweeper series. The cover is pink with the two main characters on it. The intended reader is someone who likes shojo, cute characters, and an interesting world. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this volume. The story closely follows the main female character. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- One day, Kyutaro Horikita, the tall, dark, and handsome cleaning expert of Kurokado High, comes across a sleeping maiden named Fumi Nishoka at school... Unfortunately, their meeting is anything but a fairy-tale encounter! It turns out Kyutaro is a "Sweeper" who cleans away negative energy from people's hearts- and Fumi is about to become his apprentice!
In the old building at their school, a mysterious room has a door that beckons Fumi, even though she shouldn't be able to see it! If Kyutaro goes after her, but will be able to save her before she's devoured by otherworldly creatures?

Review- Motomi is one of favorite manga-ka's at the moment and she gives a great story again. We have a mysterious heroine, a hero who cannot really remember his first love, and a scary world but heroes to save it. Fumi is alone in the world and there something strange about her background. But she gets taken in by the Horikita family and learns that she can see the same strange things that they can. In fact, she is better at than they are. Fumi saves an innocent classmate and Kyutaro from the bad spirits and is totally unhurt. So the family wants her to work with them but there is something just a little strange about her. Of course I think that Fumi is Kyutaro's first love. Fumi is really funny, she wants to find a rich prince charming so she never has to worry about food or money. So good first volume and I am excited about seeing where the story and characters are going.

I give this volume a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought it with my own money.

The Remnant

Today's post is on The Remnant by Charlie Fletcher. It is the third in his Oversight trilogy. It is 414 pages long and is published by Orbit. The cover has a hand coming out of ice with a red ring and holding a flame. As it is the third in the trilogy you need to have read the first two novels. There is mild foul language, no sex, and mild violence in this book. The story is told from third person close of the characters moving from one scene to the next as the story goes. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- The Oversight is most dangerous when most reduced. There are many dead and gone who did not remember that.
The Oversight of London has been sworn for millennia to prevent the natural and the supernatural worlds from preying on each other.
Now, at its lowest ebb, with its headquarters destroyed and its last members scattered far and wide, this secret society will battle for survival and face the harshest foe it has ever met: itself.

Review- An excellent end to a wonderful trilogy. Like the second book we pick up right the last left off, with Sara and Sharp returning to London and finding the Safe House destroyed. Things happen very quickly after that. The villains are moving and the Oversight has to decide what they are going to do and they decide to fight to the last man. There is a high body count in this volume on both sides and I teared up at the death of Hodge, the terrier man, who was one of my favorites but his death was a good one Fletcher did not waste his death. We do get answers about what the Wildfire is, about the Smith and the Sluagh, and about who the Citizen is. Fletcher has left himself room to write more if he so wishes and I would like to see more of this world and its people. Very satisfying read.

I give this book a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

Little Soldiers: An American Boy, a Chinese School, and the Global Race to Achieve

I was given a copy of this book by Harper Collins in exchange for an honest review.

Today's post is on Little Soldiers: An American Boy, a Chinese School, and the Global Race to Achieve by Lenora Chu. It is 368 pages long and is published by Harper Collins. The cover is white with sharpened pencils on it. The intended reader is someone who is interested education and the differences between China and other parts of the world. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- In the spirit of Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, Bringing up Bébé, and The Smartest Kids in the World, a hard-hitting exploration of China’s widely acclaimed yet insular education system—held up as a model of academic and behavioral excellence—that raises important questions for the future of American parenting and education.
When American mom Lenora Chu moved to China with her little boy, she faced a tough decision. China produced some of the world’s top academic achievers, and just down the street from her home in Shanghai was THE school, as far as elite Chinese were concerned. Should Lenora entrust her rambunctious young son to the system?
So began Rainey’s immersion in one of the most radical school systems on the planet. Almost immediately, the three-year-old began to develop surprising powers of concentration, became proficient in early math, and learned to obey his teachers’ every command. Yet Lenora also noticed disturbing new behaviors: Where he used to scribble and explore, Rainey grew obsessed with staying inside the lines. He became fearful of authority figures, and also developed a habit of obeisance outside of school. “If you want me to do it, I’ll do it,” he told a stranger who’d asked whether he liked to sing.
What was happening behind closed classroom doors? Driven by parental anxiety, Lenora embarked on a journalistic mission to discover: What price do the Chinese pay to produce their “smart” kids? How hard should the rest of us work to stay ahead of the global curve? And, ultimately, is China’s school system one the West should emulate?
She pulls the curtain back on a military-like education system, in which even the youngest kids submit to high-stakes tests, and parents are crippled by the pressure to compete (and sometimes to pay bribes). Yet, as mother-and-son reach new milestones, Lenora uncovers surprising nuggets of wisdom, such as the upside of student shame, how competition can motivate achievement, and why a cultural belief in hard work over innate talent gives the Chinese an advantage.
Lively and intimate, beautifully written and reported, Little Soldiers challenges our assumptions and asks us to reconsider the true value and purpose of education.

Review- A very interesting read about education and what that means in different parts of the world. Chu is a second generation American and her parents raised her with a blend of American and Chinese style. But because Chu and her husband are living in China they wanted their son to have a once in a lifetime experience of Chinese education and hopefully he would get the famous Chinese discipline too. When Chu sees some changes in her son that make her uncomfortable, she decides that she wants to understand what is the Chinese education system. Chu travels all over China, interviews students at different ages and social classes, and she discovers some very interesting things. Everything from a young patriot who has great plans for himself in the party to a young man who has been lost in the system and it failed him. She interviews teachers and does her best to discuss the successes and the failures of the system but it was not easy. I think that Chu did a good job with her task and it was very eye opening about the disciple that the children learn to have and how they learn it. I would be very curious about her son is going to grow with this Chinese foundation.

I give this book a Four out of Five stars.

Claymore volume 2: Darkness in Paradise

Today's post is on Claymore volume 2: Darkness in Paradise by Norihiro Yagi. It is the second in the long running Claymore series, you need to have read the first volume to understand the story. It is 185 pages long and is published by Shonen Jump Advanced. The cover is a close up of the main character Clare. The intended reader is someone who likes dark plots, high action, and strong female characters. There is mild foul language, no sex, and lots of violence in this book. The story is told from third person close of the main character. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Darkness in Paradise.
Clare and the orphan Raki travel to the town of Rabona, where a Yoma has been stalking priests in the cathedral. The creature could be one of the guards, or even a priest, but this time Clair won't be able to sense its aura. Does she stand a chance against the stealthy Yoma?

Review- We get world building in this volume as Clare and Raki go to the Holy City of Rabona. Claymore's are not allowed in the city as they are half Yoma but one of the priests has sent for a Claymore because something is in the cathedral and it is hungry. So Clare has to take pills to suppress her Yoma abilities and that makes her weaker. We get to really the prejudice that Claymore's have to deal with from normal humans. Clare is truly seen as a monster in the Holy City and Raki gets into a little bit of trouble over it. The volume is a lot of cat and mouse with the Yoma but the volume ends with Clare finding the Yoma and really getting down to her business. Good volume over all in spite little in the way of character development but for the world building it is a good trade off.

I give this volume a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this manga with my own money.

The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, volume 4: I Kissed a Squirrel and I Liked It

Today's post is on The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, volume 4: I Kissed a Squirrel and I Liked It by Ryan North (Writer), Erica Henderson (Artist), Jacob Chabot (Artist), Rico Renzi (Artist). It is 120 pages long and is published by Marvel Comics. The cover has Squirrel Girl with some of the villains her fights in this volume behind her. The intended reader is someone who has read the first three volumes, likes squirrels, and fun plots. There is no foul language, no sex, and mild violence in this volume. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- The hero who refuses to be beat celebrates 11 consecutive issues without a new #1! And she's letting you seize the chance to be the Unbeatable Squirrel Girl in a choose-your-own path encounter with Swarm, buzzkill made of bees! Then, Doreen takes charge of her life -her love life, that is - and starts dating. But just who will kiss a Squirrel and like it? Surely not...Mole Man?! When the subterranean super villain falls deep in love, he's willing to hold the world hostage to get Doreen's attention. Can she save everything without becoming Mrs. Mole Man? But enough with the hearts and the flowers and the kissing, you read this book for computer science and super heroics (not necessarily in that order). You'll get both - and more - in a showdown with Count Nefaria!

Review- Lots happens in this volume and it is great. The first part is a choose your own Squirrel Girl action adventure as narrated by Galactus. So it was a fun and funny way to tell a smaller story within the Squirrel Girl cannon. Then the next story starts with Doreen's crush is dating someone else so she decides that she needs to get out and meet someone herself. And the list of losers she meets is truly epic and in the end she just going home to watch movies with Nancy. But the arc is so funny and the villain is Mole Man who believes that she perfect in everyway expect for the way that she will not date him. So since this is Squirrel Girl everything is dialed up to eleven. I love this series so much!

I give this volume a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this comic book from my local library.

The Heiress and The Chauffeur volume 2

Today's post is on The Heiress and The Chauffeur volume 2 by Keiko Ishihara. It is the second in a duology. It is 192 pages long and is published by Shojo Beat. The cover has the two main characters on it looking at the reader. The story is told from third person close of the two main characters moving one to the other as the story goes. The intended reader is someone who likes cute shojo stories, historical romance, and pretty art. There is no foul language, no sexuality, and very mild violence in this volume. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Sayaka's father arranges for her to marry the son of an earl! Meanwhile. Sayaka has started to develop feelings for Narutaki... But with such a huge difference in their social standings, is it possible for Sayaka and Narutaki to be together?

Review- A cute ending to a cute series. We get lots of different scenes in this volume from Sayaka realizing how long she has loved Narutaki then they run away together for the day and night and they choose each other no matter what. We get kisses too and even a scene from the future which was a nice bonus. Ishihara does a lot with a short series. She gives us a full world with interesting and changing characters in it. We see how much our main characters care for each other and we want them to find a way. Sayaka's father was the weakest part of the series as a hollow villain role. In the last few pages we get information about her mother and how they met. I would have liked to that information earlier but if that is my only complaint with the series, then I think Ishihara did very well. I hope that Shojo Beat will bring over more of her work like Strange Dragon. This was a sweet romance and I really enjoyed this series. 

I give this volume a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this manga with my own money.