Perfect World, volume 1

Today's post is on Perfect World, volume 1  by Rie Aruga. it is 173 pages long and is published by Kodansha Comics. The cover has the two main characters on it. The intended reader is someone who likes emotional, mature stories. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this manga. The story is told from the third person close of the main female character, Tsugumi. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the ebook- Perfect World is Rie Aruga’s touching drama about the romance that develops between an abled interior designer and her first love, whom she re-encounters one day only to find he is wheelchair-bound.
26-year-old Tsugumi Kawana reunites with her first crush from high school, Itsuki Ayukawa, at a get-together between an architecture firm and the interior design company she works at. He sends her heart aflutter, until she realizes he’s now disabled, and in a wheelchair. At first she feels she couldn’t date a guy in a wheelchair, but then her feelings begin to change …

Review- A good start to a touching, realistic love story. Tsugumi re-meets her first love but he is not the same person in more than just being in a wheelchair. He has been changed by the accident and has had to fight for things that were just easy before. One of the major themes of this manga is life as a disabled person and all the problems that brings with it. Tsugmi has to deal with her prejudices about being disabled, about herself, and about life in general. As she interacts with Itsuki, the more she has to think about her life, how she lives it, and what does she want from her future. The art is good, the pacing is very believable, and the characters feel very honest and real. I look forward to this journey with Tsugumi and Iysuki.

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

The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, Vol. 6: Who Run The World? Squirrels

Today’s is on The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, Vol. 6: Who Run The World? Squirrels (The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #6) by Ryan North (Goodreads Author) (Writer), Erica Henderson (Illustrator). It is volume 6 in The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl series, as such you need to have read the first five volumes. The cover has Squirrel Girl looking cool has she flies. The intended reader is someone who likes comic books, humorous stories, and girl power. There is no foul language, no sex, and comic violence in this book. The story is told from third person close of the main characters. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Is it even scientifically possible to make Doreen Green more unbeatable? It is with a brand-new flying squirrel suit!
Doreen gets a rich mentor! And you know what that means: Costume Upgrade. Because some squirrels… can fly! Now Squirrel Girl can stop crime from the sky- and just in time, too, ‘cuz Rhino’ on the prowl! But while Doreen’s got only the best intentions, a new super villain in town want to mold Squirrel Girl into the perfect minion. Gasp at a secret invasion of character motivations! Thrill at a civil war of emotions! Boggle as monster truly get unlashed and Doreen’s fate hangs in the balance! Also, machine-gun-wielding bears! It’s squirrels and girls and punching, oh my! Plus: When Squirrel Girl goes to the Negative Zone, it’s up to Koi Boi, Chipmuck Hunk and Brain Drain to keep the city safe. Uh-oh!

Review- This volume is one big story arc and it is a fun change of pace from the one-offs that most of Squirrel Girl’s adventures are. We get a villain who is jealous of Doreen’s natural powers and she wants to make Doreen into a villain too. That is her motive, weak but it works for Squirrel Girl comic. Of course once Squirrel Girl learns of her nefarious plans, she must be stopped and the animals that the villain is controlling must be freed. There a wacky side story about a bear and chicken going from enemies to getting married in the end of the arc, it’s funny. The last story with the guys has its moments and it’s wacky with villains pretending to be good guys to get away and the power of friendship with Brain Drain learning more about being human. I enjoyed this volume and I cannot want to get my hands on the next volume.

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.

RahXephon, volume 1

Today's post is on RahXephon, volume 1 by Yutaka Izubushi and Bones with art by Takeaki Momose.  It is the first in a trilogy.  It is 192 pages long and is published by Viz. The intended reader is someone who is interested in mecha, science fiction-fantasy stories. There is some mild foul language, some sexuality, and violence in this manga. The story is third person close of the main character Ayato. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- A mysterious orb envelops the city of Tokyo. All forms of communications are severed, leaving the inhabitants of the newly dubbed "Tokyo Jupiter" ignorant to their fate. Along with the United Nations, a special organization known as TERRA is formed: their mission is to liberate Tokyo from the otherworldly MU- those responsible for Tokyo's capture.
Tokyo citizen Ayato Kamina's life is about to undergo a drastic change. MU agents attempt to kidnap both him and his childhood friend Reika, and a sassy TERRA operative brings him face-to-face with the mythical giant robot RahXephon- a force be alone has the ability to control. With everything he has ever believed in falling to pieces around him, Ayato resolves to fight the MU and protect Reika at any cost.

Review- As first volumes go, this is not a bad one. We get lots of world building, some character development and a greater mystery about what the heck is going on. Ayato is a normal teenage boy with a girlfriend, school work, and a working mother he does not see much. He has no idea about the greater world but all changes with Reika and himself are almost kidnapped and Reika almost killed. The MU bad guys want Ayato but they also want Reika dead for some reason. There is some fighting with the RahXephon but not much and I hope we get to see it in action in the next volume. In general in this volume is about building the mystery of the world and of the RahXephon.

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.

This Is Not The End

Today’s post is on This Is Not The End by Jesse Jordan. It is 385 pages long and is published by Medallion Press. The cover is white with the title in red and a boy in the corner and his shadow is a demon. The intended reader is young adult, likes end times books, and plot twists. There is very mild sexuality, mild foul language, mild violence in this book. The story is told from third person close of the main character, James. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- James Salley is turning sixteen, and it’s not going well. His family’s too busy to care, the local bully creates new tortures daily, someone appears to be following him, and he’s just learned that he’s the Antichrist.
All James ever wanted out of life was for Dorian Delaney — the operatically trained and suicidal girl of his dreams — to fall as in love with him as he is with her. But once he’s told of his bloody destiny, he finds himself fighting between who he thought he was and who he’s supposed to be.
With the school librarian pushing him to begin the Apocalypse, an irritable homunculus watching his back, and a murderous cabal of Catholics following him everywhere, James must discover how to navigate a world in which everything he’s ever believed is wrong — and if it’s possible to be the hero of a story when you’ve already been cast as the villain.

Review- Jordan takes the Anti-Christ, end times stories and makes it his own. James is just a normal guy with some odd things that happen to him. He is very disliked by other people for no reason that he can understand then a man comes to James and tells him that James is going to end the world and the man is there to be help him. That is the basic plot but the story is really about James and him becoming not who he is expected to be but who he wants to be. The story is humorous, sad, character-driven, but I found this book to be up-lifting in the end. James does not just let life or death, in some scenes, just happen to him. When he discovers the truth about himself, he starts to learn everything he can about who he is supposed to be and in that journey discovers himself. Jordan did a good job with this book and I forward to reading his next book.

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.

Everything is Horrible and Wonderful: A Tragicomic Memoir of Genius, Heroin, Love, and Loss

Today's Nonfiction post is on Everything is Horrible and Wonderful: A Tragicomic Memoir of Genius, Heroin, Love, and Loss by Stephanie Wittels Wachs. it is 288 pages long and is published by Sourcebooks Inc. The cover is yellow with a picture of Harris Wittels on it. The intended reader is someone who is interested in family memoirs. There is some foul language, no sex, and no violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

Blurb from Hoopla- The space between life and death is a moment. But it will remain alive in me for hundreds of thousands of future moments. One phone call. That's all it took to change Stephanie Wittels Wachs' life forever... Her younger brother Harris, a star in the comedy world known for his work on shows like Parks and Recreation, had died of a heroin overdose. How do you make sense of such a tragic end to a life of so much hilarious brilliance? In beautiful, unsentimental, and surprisingly funny prose, Stephanie Wittels Wachs alternates between her brother's struggle with addiction, which she learned about three days before her wedding, and the first year after his death, in all its emotional devastation. This compelling portrait of a comedic genius and a profound exploration of the love between siblings is A Year of Magical Thinking for a new generation of readers. A heartbreaking but hopeful memoir of addiction, grief, and family, Everything is Horrible and Wonderful will make you laugh, cry, and wonder if that possum on the fence is really your brother's spirit animal.

Review- A moving memoir of love and loss. Stephanie Wittels Wachs records her life with her brother Harris Wittels and what his loss did to her and her family. It is heartbreaking to read about her family trying to help Harris deal with his heroin addiction but it is an uphill fight and Harris is not fighting. In the end he overdoses and throws his family into a group depression that Wittel Wachs carries with her every day. I did not find much humor in this book but it was moving and tragic with a family weathering a great loss. If you enjoy memoirs or where/are a fan of Harris Wittels then you should give this a look.

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's Hoopla account.

Waiting for Spring volume 4

Today's post is on Waiting for Spring volume 4 by Anashin. It is 200 pages long and is published by Kodansha. The cover is blue with Ryuji on it. It is the fourth in her Waiting for Spring series and you need to have read the first three volumes to understand the story. The intended reader is someone who has read the first three volumes and likes sweet first love stories. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this manga. The story is told from third person close of the main character, Mitsuki. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- HOOP DREAMS
The preliminary games begin, and Towa and the squad are all fired up! Mitsuki's childhood best friend, Aya-chan, is also at the arena playing his best, and the stakes are high. As Mitsuki and Reina cheer on the Seiryo team, Mitsuki sees the boys sweep the floor and is inspired to work hard, too! But when a ref's whistle cuts through the air, a close friend lies injured on the court...

Review- We pick up right where we left off with Mitsuki trying to decide how to talk to Towa and where to go on summer break after the preliminaries are finished. Ryuji gets injured, nothing too serious, but more serious the boys team does not make it into the finals. They work hard but not enough. The boys are disheartened but Mitsuki saves the day and they go have fun bonding. This volume does not do much towards to the romance side of things but I still enjoyed it because I like the characters and the simple heart-felt plot. I look forward to reading the next one.

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.

Spill Zone

Today’s post is on Spill Zone by Scott Westerfeld and Alex Puvilland. It is 212 pages long and is published by First Second. The cover is dark blue with the main character on her bike in the center and a wolf monster behind her as a shadow. There intended reader is someone who likes graphic novels, dark stories with a little weird horror. There is foul language, no sex, and no violence in this graphic novel. The story is told from third person of different characters. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- No Entry No Photos No Survivors.
The Zone defies understanding. Three years ago in upstate New York an even destroyed Addison’s hometown and forever changed reality within its borders. Overnight, Poughkeepsie became a waking nightmare, home to unearthly and lethal dangers. Now quarantined from the rest of the world, few dare to enter the Spill Zone.
Armed with only a camera, Addie ventures into the Zone to photograph its twisted phenomena. But getting close enough for the perfect shot can mean death- or worse.
With the Spill Zone, something sinister awaits.  And call Addison’s name.

Review- Westerfeld is at his best when being weird and this is very weird. Nothing is explained and so much is shown that the reader does not really know what is going on or what to believe about it. The art by Puvilland helps make it clear that this world is not like ours and now it can never be. The creepy does not really get started until the second run into the Spill Zone. The first run is very exciting but not every clear about what is going on. The second run is very intense with the reader having a better idea about the real dangers that Addison is facing inside the Zone. I am sure not sure what is going on but I have a very strong suspicion that it is involving the Fair Folk. The characters are interesting and all playing with fire that they can never understand. The ending is a cliffhanger that has me anxious to get my hands on the second volume.

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

Project Semicolon: Your Story Isn’t Over

Today’s Nonfiction post is on Project Semicolon: Your Story Isn’t Over collected by Amy Bleuel. It is 324 pages long and is published by Harper Collins. The cover is white with a large blue semicolon in the center. The intended reader is someone who is interested in stories of suicide survivors and families of those lost to it. There is some mild foul language, no sex, and discussion of violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- A semicolon is a symbol of choosing to continue your story rather than end it.
Project Semicolon began in 2013 to spread a message of hope: No one struggle with mental illness is alone; you, too, can survive and live a life filled with joy and love. In support of the project its message, thousands of people all over the world have gotten semicolon tattoos and shared photos of them, often alongside stories of hardship, growth, and rebirth.
Project Semicolon: Your Story Isn’t Over reveals dozens of new portraits and stories from people of all ages talking about what they have endured and what they want for their futures. This represents a new step in the movement and a new awareness around those who struggle with mental illness and those who support them. At once heartfelt, unflinchingly honest, and eternally hopeful, this collection tells a story of choice: Every day, you choose to live and let your story continue on.

Review- A moving collection about living with mental illness and suicide. The stories are from one page to five pages long from a different author and they all tell different things about themselves. There is no formula to this book, just people telling their stories so you get different levels of details from no details about their personal struggle just words of encouragement to longer pieces about what exactly they survived. There is no idealization about suicide, it is talked about honestly with the pain that it gives everyone it touches. There are stories from families of victims of suicide and how the loss has changed them and how much they miss their family member. If you interested in stories of survivors then you should give this book a look.

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 Prince's Romance Gambit volume 1

Today's post is on The Prince's Romance Gambit volume 1 by Niiki Asada. It is the first in her The Prince's Romance Gambit series. It is 172 pages long and is published by Kodansha Comics. The cover has the two main characters on it with the main female character pushing on the main male. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this manga. The story is told from third person close of the main female character. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the internet- With an IQ of 500, Prince Hatsuyuki Ichimonji has the bloodline of kings and more oil companies and titles than he can count! Even with everything at his fingertips, this extraordinary prince has his life thrown completely off-balance by one absolutely plain and plebian girl, Koume Yoshida! But she’s unsure if she wants anything to do with him! Will the prince manage to wedge his way into her heart through sheer persistence? The love story begins with The Prince’s Romance Gambit volume one!

Review- This is a funny start to a fun series. Koume is just trying to get the best education that her grandfather saved up for her. But when she accidentally runs into Prince Hatsuyuki Ichimonji and gets his attention by not wanting his attention all hell breaks loose. Well it turns out that Hatsuyuki is really just very socially awkward and he wants to be friend with Koume but has no idea about how to be friends. So we have our story with a little crush being added as the story goes on. I enjoyed this story, it reminded me of Ouran High School Host Club but in a good fun way.

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

The Hunger

Today’s post is on The Hunger by Alma Katsu. 376 pages long and is published by G.P. Putman Son’s. The cover is a picture of the prairie with dark mountains in the distance and a covered wagon at the bottom. The intended reader is someone who likes horror stories, historical novels, and dark legends. There is foul language, sex, and violence in this book. The story is told from third person close of different characters moving from one to the next as the story flows. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- Evil is invisible, and it is everywhere.
Tamsen Donner must be a witch. That is the only way to explain the series of misfortunes that have plagued the wagon train known as the Donner Party. Depleted rations, bitter quarrels, and the mysterious death of a little boy have driven the pioneers to the brink of madness. They cannot escape the feeling that someone--or something--is stalking them. Whether it was a curse from the beautiful Tamsen, the choice to follow a disastrous experimental route West, or just plain bad luck--the 90 men, women, and children of the Donner Party are at the brink of one of the deadliest and most disastrous western adventures in American history.
While the ill-fated group struggles to survive in the treacherous mountain conditions--searing heat that turns the sand into bubbling stew; snows that freeze the oxen where they stand--evil begins to grow around them, and within them. As members of the party begin to disappear, they must ask themselves "What if there is something waiting in the mountains? Something disturbing and diseased...and very hungry?"

Review- The Hunger is an engaging historical novel and a spine-tingling horror one. We travel with the doomed Donner party and get to know the people who made it up. The first few pages are slow, lulling so when the first murder happens it makes everything snap into focus. Now it is a guessing game, who did it? It is a monster following them or the monster with the party already? The writing is tight and very atmospheric with little details about life on the trail and individual quirks that build up over time and make the wide open prairie feel close and tight. When the climax comes it is engrossing and horrifying. I truly enjoyed this book and I recommend it for horror and history fans alike.

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

Why Be Happy When You Can Be Normal?

Today’s post is on Why Be Happy When You Can Be Normal? By Jeanette Winterson. It is 242 pages long and is published by Grove Atlantic Press. The cover is a picture of the Winterson when she was a child at the beach. The intended reader is someone who likes memoirs. There is some mild foul language, no sex, and no violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the blurb on Hoopla- Jeanette Winterson's novels have establishing her as a major figure in world literature. She has written some of the most admired books of the past few decades, including her internationally bestselling first novel, Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit, the story of a young girl adopted by Pentecostal parents that is now often required reading in contemporary fiction. Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? is a memoir about a life's work to find happiness. It's a book full of stories: about a girl locked out of her home, sitting on the doorstep all night; about a religious zealot disguised as a mother who has two sets of false teeth and a revolver in the dresser, waiting for Armageddon; about growing up in a north England industrial town now changed beyond recognition; about the Universe as Cosmic Dustbin. It is the story of how a painful past that Jeanette thought she'd written over and repainted rose to haunt her, sending her on a journey into madness and out again, in search of her biological mother. Witty, acute, fierce, and celebratory, Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? is a tough-minded search for belonging for love, identity, home, and a mother.

Review- An interesting memoir about a woman looking for a mother and what not having one can do to the self. Jeanette Winter is a popular fiction writer but in this memoir she discusses her childhood and family life growing up. She is very honest about having a mother who is not well mentally and who does not know really what to do with her daughter. Winterson is very open when discussing her pain over having a mother who could not understand her or at times even wanted her. Winterson’s life at times is very tragic with her mother and father just not knowing how to raise her and at times is frustrating with how she handled her life herself.  At times Winterson would go off on tangent and lose me totally until she continued the narrative of her life. In general, an interesting memoir with some moments of being lost from the narrative. If you are a fan of the author or survival memoirs, then you should enjoy this book.

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’s Hoopla account. 

Fushigi Yugi: The Mysterious Play, Volume 12: Girlfriend

Today's post is on Fushigi Yugi: The Mysterious Play, Volume 12: Girlfriend by Yuu Watase. It is 183 pages long and is published by Shojo Beat. The cover has the two main characters on it facing facing the reader with excitement. The intended reader is someone who likes historical fantasy, high fantasy, romance, and shojo stories. There is mild foul language, mild sexuality, and violence in this story. The story is told from third person close of the main characters. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Girlfriend
A god is summoned, a wish is granted, and all is not right with Miaka Yuki! The good empire of Hong-Nan is overrun with enemies; Celestial Warrior powers useless; and Miaka finds herself back in the real world unable to help her friends! Can a young woman transform herself from a priestess back into a simple girlfriend?

Review- Yui summons Seiryu and she starts using her wishes. She sends both herself and Miaka back to the real world but Tamahome  goes with them by not letting Miaka go. In the outside world, he learns that he is a character in a book. That gives him an identity crisis but he comes through it and decides that he loves Miaka and she loves loves him and that is enough. I really have no idea where Watase is going with the story now. What does it mean that Tamahome and others from the book can come into the real world? What is going to happen to Yui when she uses her last wish for the General Nakago and makes him a god? Yui is getting weaker every time she uses a wish, so I'm sure that she is going to die but after that what then? Watase has me fully engaged in the story now and with only six volumes left thing are getting real serious.

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