Monster Collection volume 1

Today' s post is on Monster Collection volume 1 by Itoh Sei. It is 168 pages long and is published by CMX. The cover is blue with the main character in the center and monster behind her. The intended reader is someone who likes high action series with humor added in to keep it from getting too dark. There is mild foul language, implied sexuality, and lots of violence in this series. The story is told from third person god perspective but it closely follows our brave heroes. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Kasche Arbadel is the most gifted yet reckless summoner in her school. When an artifact of immense power if stolen. It's  trail-by-fire when Kasche is sent in pursuit!
He who controls the most powerful monster can control the world. Kasche may have a talent for controlling beast, but she's got a lot to learn about self-control before she can become a full-fledged Summoner. When disaster strikes, her principal chooses her to avert it. Joined by allies both human and not, Kasche must recapture the relic from an evil Summoner before he can use it to unlock the Encyclopedia Verum, and call up the most powerful monsters ever seen!

Review- This is an interesting and funny shonen manga.  The main character is Kasche. She is powerful summoner but very silly. She loves her monsters to the point that she feel kill to protect them when they are to protect her. She gets a new monster, a Lamia, and frees her from the bad guy. She also hires the thief, who is really a highly trained warrior from a race of warriors, to help her get the Encyclopedia Verum back. It ends with our heroes getting their strength back to start chasing the bad guy. The plot is promising with lots of interesting magic, lore, and world building. I look forward to seeing what Kasche and company get into.

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

How to Wash a Cat

Today's post is on How to Wash a Cat by Rebecca M. Hale. It is the first in her The Cats and Curios mystery series. It is 295 pages long and is published by Berkley Prime Crime Mystery. The cover has a very pretty white and orange cat looking into a trap door with a junk shop behind her. The intended reader is someone who likes cozy mysteries, quirky characters, and fun writing. There is no foul language, no sex, and mild violence in this book. The story is told from first person perspective of the main character. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Uncle Oscar was one of a kind. His dusty antiques ship, the Green Vase- nestled in San Francisco's historic Jackson Square neighborhood- was like his own personal museum to the Gold Rush era. Needless to say, I was shocked when he was found dead in his shop, and even more surprised to discover he's left the venerable establishment to me!
I had no sooner started exploring the shop's fascinating array of curios and novelties- along with my two cats, Rupert and Isabella- than I began to to meet a motley crew of Uncle Oscar's former associates, all of whom seemed deeply interested in the shop and its hidden secrets. Before long, I learned my inheritance included all sorts of clues Uncle Oscar had left behind- a peculiar key, a trap door, a puzzling map...
To unravel the mystery, my feline friends and I followed a twisted trail of deadly deception that began right here in his shop and leads all the way back to the days of the Gold Rush itself...

Review- This was a very fun and fast read. The cats were fun and they moved the plot along. The mystery was interesting. I did guess who one of the villains was but the other villain was a surprise and their motives were a surprise. One clever little thing was that we did not learn the main character's name until the very end of the book and I did not even realize until she was named by one of the side characters. One of the things that I really enjoyed about this book was no love interest. It is a cute mystery about a woman discovering what her uncle left her and starting a new place in life. I doubt it will stay that way but it was a very nice change of pace. A fun cozy story with good setting that I look forward to exploring more with Rebecca, Isabella, and Rupert.

I give this book a Four out of Five stars. I was given this book as a gift.

My Hero Academia volume 1

Today's post is on My Hero Academia volume 1 by Kohei Horikoshi. It is the first volume in his
My Hero Academia series. It is 192 pages long and is published by Shonen Jump. The cover is yellow and has the main character with his hero in the background. The intended reader is male teenagers, people who like shonen stories, and interesting hero narratives. There is no foul language, no sex, and mild violence in this volume. The story is told from third person close of the main character. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Middle school student Izuku Midoriya wants to be a hero more than anything, but he hasn’t got an ounce of power in him. With no chance of ever getting into the prestigious U.A. High School for budding heroes, his life is looking more and more like a dead end. Then an encounter with All Might, the greatest hero of them all, gives him a chance to change his destiny…

Review- This was an amusing take on the superhero story. Something happened fifty years before and now 95% of all people are born with super powers. But our main character is one of the few that does not and make it worse he wants nothing more than to be a real hero like his hero All Might. All Might is moved by Izuku's courage and helps him become a hero but that is a plot secret so I am not going to tell you how. So now all Izuku has to do is get into the hero academia of his dreams. I liked it well enough but it is just a very basic shonen story. I do not think that I will be continuing this series at this time.

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

Siege and Storm

Today's post is on Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo. It is the second in her The Grisha trilogy. It is 432 pages long and is published by Henry Holt and Company. The cover is blue with the title and a dragon in silver. The intended reader is someone who read the first one, likes Russian influenced lore, and fast plots. The story is told from first person close of the main character Alina. There is mild foul language, no sex, and violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Darkness never dies.
Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land. She finds starting new is not easy while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. She can’t outrun her past or her destiny for long.
The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darkling’s game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her--or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm.

Review- The story picks up just a few months after the end of the first book. Alina and Mal have run across the True Sea and are trying to get further inland. But of course they are caught by The Darkling. He wants or needs Alina back. Like the first book I am just not sure about what The Darkling's goals truly are. Does he want to rule the world? I would not be surprised but I think that there is something more that he wants. He has learned to fear Alina and works for her in this volume to try and get her back on his side. So Alina and Mal go back to the Little Palace and Alina wants to make sure that she finishes The Darling off this time. Nothing goes as planned but the novel ends with some good plot points and I cannot wait to see where we are going to go as this finishes.

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

Wonderland: How Play Made the Modern World

Today's nonfiction post is on Wonderland: How Play Made the Modern World by Steven Johnson. It is 322 pages long including notes and it is published by Riverhead Books. The cover is light blue with different cut-outs showing different toys from different times on it. The intended reader is someone interested in history of how the modern world came into being. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- This lushly illustrated history of popular entertainment takes a long-zoom approach, contending that the pursuit of novelty and wonder is a powerful driver of world-shaping technological change. Steven Johnson argues that, throughout history, the cutting edge of innovation lies wherever people are working the hardest to keep themselves and others amused.
Johnson’s storytelling is just as delightful as the inventions he describes, full of surprising stops along the journey from simple concepts to complex modern systems. He introduces us to the colorful innovators of leisure: the explorers, proprietors, showmen, and artists who changed the trajectory of history with their luxurious wares, exotic meals, taverns, gambling tables, and magic shows.
Johnson compellingly argues that observers of technological and social trends should be looking for clues in novel amusements. You’ll find the future wherever people are having the most fun.

Review- Johnson is back and covering another interesting topic about the modern world. He moves from computers to the creation of public spaces. The research, as usual for Johnson, is top notch. The stories that he uses to pull the theme for this book are interesting and strong. We spend time with many different people from Spanish Conquistadors to Arabic mathematicians. It does get a little bogged down with all the details about how things got made or how the person got the idea. But that said this is a really good book about an interesting topic. I had a good time learning about how we got from toy dolls who blink to computers that can play chess.

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.

Beast Master volume 2

Today's post is on Beast Master volume 2 by Kyousuke Motomi. It is the second in Beast Master duology. It is 200 pages long and is published by Shojo Beat. The cover has the two main characters on it looking at the reader. The intended reader is someone who likes shojo manga and sweet love stories. There is no foul language, no sex, and mild violence in this volume. The story is told from third person close from Yuiko perspective. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Taming a Beast was never this dangerous!
Final Volume! Leo's 18th birthday is around the corner, but celebrating seems impossible as someone is after Leo's life! Can Leo overcome the dangers of his past? Or will this beast-like boy be separated from his beloved "master"...forever?

Review-  I wish this series could have lasted longer because it was so cute! Yuiko and Leo's relationship is going along nicely when plot happens. Leo is the heir to a huge fortune and is about to get it when he turns eighteen. Leo's family is trying to kill him and that is the main conflict for this volume. It scares Yuiko because she cannot protect Leo from these very horrible people. They are both scared and do not know how to talk to each other about it. But this is a happy shojo manga so they are together in the end and it is so sweet. The last chapter is about Yuiko and Leo confessing their feeling for each other. I really enjoyed this series and I want to read more from this author.

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. 

Their Fractured Light

Today's post is on Their Fractured Light by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner. It is the last volume in their Starbound trilogy. It is 425 pages long and it published by Hyperion. The cover has the two main characters in space reaching to each other. The intended reader is someone who has read the first two, likes young adult science fiction, and just a little bit of philosophy. There is implied sex, foul language, and violence in this book and series. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the book jacket- A year ago, Flynn Cormac and Jubilee Chase made the now infamous Avon Broadcast, calling on the galaxy to witness for their planet, and protect them from destruction. Some say Flynn’s a madman, others whisper about conspiracies. Nobody knows the truth. A year before that, Tarver Merendsen and Lilac LaRoux were rescued from a terrible shipwreck—now, they live a public life in front of the cameras, and a secret life away from the world’s gaze.
Now, in the center of the universe on the planet of Corinth, all four are about to collide with two new players, who will bring the fight against LaRoux Industries to a head. Gideon Marchant is an eighteen-year-old computer hacker—a whiz kid and an urban warrior. He’ll climb, abseil and worm his way past the best security measures to pull off onsite hacks that others don’t dare touch.
Sofia Quinn has a killer smile, and by the time you’re done noticing it, she’s got you offering up your wallet, your car, and anything else she desires. She holds LaRoux Industries responsible for the mysterious death of her father and is out for revenge at any cost.
When a LaRoux Industries security breach interrupts Gideon and Sofia’s separate attempts to infiltrate their headquarters, they’re forced to work together to escape. Each of them has their own reason for wanting to take down LaRoux Industries, and neither trusts the other. But working together might be the best chance they have to expose the secrets LRI is so desperate to hide.

Review- The last book in this trilogy was interesting but I feel that the ending was just too pat. The other aliens come in and rescue the one that LaRoux had driven mad, LaRoux is driven mad, and everyone learns something. That said I did have a good time reading this. I liked the two new characters for this one and the mystery around them is the best so far.  I liked seeing the previous characters and they did add to the story and helped the ending to complete. Everything is moving very fast, everything is finally coming to an end, and it the end was exactly what I guessed. But that does not mean that it was not a good ending just unsurprising. I am curious about where the authors are going to go now.

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.

Beast Master volume 1

Today's post is on Beast Master volume 1 by Kyousuke Motomi. It is 192 pages long and is published by Shojo Beat. It is the first in Motomi's Beast Master duology. The cover has the two main characters on it looking at the reader. There is no foul language, no sex, and mild violence in this series. The intended reader is someone who likes shojo manga, sweet stories with sweet characters. The story is told from third person close of the main female character. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Taming a Beast was never this dangerous!
Leo Aoi looks like a crazy animal with wild eyes--and no one at his new high school will go near him! He does seem to have a special connection with animals though, which intrigues overzealous animal-lover Yuiko Kubozuka. In reality, Leo isn't as frightening as he appears, but Yuiko finds out that he goes berserk whenever he sees blood! Will Yuiko be able to get through to Leo during these violent fits? Or will Leo's ferocious side eventually devour her?

Review- This is an adorable story!  The main character Yuiko loves animals too much so she scares them. But she is a very good judge of character so when she meets the new boy Leo, she is not afraid of him. So they make friends and we have our very sweet love story. Leo is very mysterious without meaning to be. Yuiko thinks about that she does not really know much about Leo's life before but that is not important to her. Leo wants to make friends but he is very intense when he looks at people and so scares most everyone who meets eyes with him. The plot is really about Yuiko and Leo becoming friends and starting to fall in love. I cannot wait to read the second volume and right now I wish that it was more than two volumes long.

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.

Exile for Dreamers

Today's post is on Exile for Dreamers by Kathleen Baldwin. It is the second in her Stranje House series. It is 384 pages long and is published by Tor Teen. The cover has the main character with her back to the reader walking to Stranje House. The intended reader is young adult, likes historical fiction with strong romance themes, and just a little magic. There is no foul language, no sex, and only mild violence in this book. The story is told from first person close of the main character. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- It’s 1814. Napoleon has escaped his imprisonment on Elba. Europe is in shambles. Britain is at war on four fronts. And at Stranje House, a School for Unusual Girls, five young ladies are secretly being trained for a world of spies, diplomacy, and war.

Tess Aubreyson can’t run far enough or fast enough to escape the prophetic dreams that haunt her. Dreams bring nothing but death and grief, and Tess refuses to accept that she may be destined for the same madness that destroyed her mother. Until her disturbing dreams become the only means of saving Lord Ravencross, the man she loves, and her fellow students at Stranje House. Tess’s old friend, the traitorous Lady Daneska, and Ghost, the ruthless leader of the Iron Crown, have returned to England, intent on paving the way for Napoleon’s invasion. Can the young ladies of Stranje House prevail once more? Or is England destined to fall into the hands of the power-mad dictator?

Review- An excellent sequel that will leave you wanting more. I really enjoyed the first Stranje House novel but I was worried about changing main characters for the second story. I should not have been. I loved reading about Tess and Gabriel's story. They are fun characters who get in over their heads but act like it was all their own idea the whole time. With Tess' fear of passing down her visions, she believes that she cannot be with anyone. Gabriel, now that he has found someone to love, he is not going to just let her be. Add in all the drama of a French invasion, a half-mad American inventor, and all of the personalities of the other young women and you have one interesting and fun tale. Tess grows so much over the course of this book and I'm sad to see her take a background place from now on but I really had fun with her. I can't wait for the next volume in this series.

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