A Map of Days

Today’s post is on A Map of Days by Ransom Riggs. It is the fourth in his Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children and as such you need to have read the first three to understand the story. It is 481 pages long and is published by Dutton Books.  The cover has a picture of young girl on swing with a dark cloud behind her. The intended reader is someone who has read the first three books, likes urban fantasy, and fast paced plots. There is mild foul language, no sex, and mild violence in this book. The story is told from first person close of the main character, Jacob. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- Having defeated the monstrous threat that nearly destroyed the peculiar world, Jacob Portman is back where his story began, in Florida. Except now Miss Peregrine, Emma, and their peculiar friends are with him, and doing their best to blend in. But carefree days of beach visits and normalling lessons are soon interrupted by a discovery—a subterranean bunker that belonged to Jacob’s grandfather, Abe.
Clues to Abe’s double-life as a peculiar operative start to emerge, secrets long hidden in plain sight. And Jacob begins to learn about the dangerous legacy he has inherited—truths that were part of him long before he walked into Miss Peregrine’s time loop.
Now, the stakes are higher than ever as Jacob and his friends are thrust into the untamed landscape of American peculiardom—a world with few ymbrynes, or rules—that none of them understand. New wonders, and dangers, await in this brilliant next chapter for Miss Peregrine’s peculiar children. Their story is again illustrated throughout by haunting vintage photographs, but with a striking addition for this all-new, multi-era American adventure—full color.

Review- This book picks right where the last one finished with Jacob and company dealing with his parents. That plot line is dealt with within the first 70 pages and then we move on to the real plot of the book. Jacob discovers that his grandfather was saving peculiar children and getting them to loops and there are other things than hollowgasts that hunt peculiars. The story is, like the first three, a journey narrative with Jacob and Co. traveling to save a child who is very important from the bad guys, that we never really see in this novel. Riggs does not do anything new in this volume but he does expand the world and the people who live in it. Jacob was very understandable in this volume, as he is dealing with what his grandfather did, having to live in both worlds, and trying to discover what he wants to do with his peculiar ability. I am curious about where the story and characters are going now and I forward to reading the next one.

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

Yurara, vol. 2

Today's post is on Yurara, vol. 2 by Chika Shiomi. It is 200 page long and is published by Shojo Beat. The cover has the three main characters on it looking at the reader. The intended reader is someone who likes ghost stories and other normal shojo tropes. There is no foul language, no sex, and very mild violence in this book. The story is told from third person close of Yurara. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- When Yurara's guardian spirit picks up a ghostly stalker, she vanishes, leaving Yurara to deal with the paranormal pervert on her own!

Review- This volume is more about Yurara dealing with her feelings than any supernatural trouble. The perverted spirit does not get dealt with in this volume but we get to see a different side to Mei as he is being haunted by a first love. Yako does not do much in this volume but give some background information about the love and how she died. So this volume is on the one hand very slow because it is about character development and not about defeating spirits but on the other hand it was interesting to learn more about Mei, his family, and the world where spirits still live so close to humans.

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.

Bloodborne Issue #4

Today's post is on Bloodborne Issue #4 by Ales Kot, illustrated by Piotr Kowalski and Brad Simpson. It is 29 pages long and is published by Titan Comics. The cover has the Paleblood child and the hunter on it. The intended reader is someone who has read the first issue. There is no foul language, no sex, but there is violence in this issue. The story is told from third person close of the hunter. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

Blurb- Awakening in an ancient city plagued by a twisted endemic – where horrific beasts stalk the shadows and the streets run slick with the blood of the damned – a nameless hunter embarks on a dangerous quest in search of Paleblood…

Review- We finish for now the journey of the hunter and the Paleblood child in this volume as they come to a coastal city and monsters that the hunter cannot see but the child can. The child has become stranger and stranger over the course of the journey and it has been preying on the mind of the hunter. In this volume the child becomes something else and the hunter has to decide what to do. I really enjoyed this volume even without getting any answers about what the Paleblood child is and how she can do what she can. The hunter has a hard decision to make but I liked that it came to a head. Their story ends in a good place so if we never come back to them, that is fine.

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

RahXephon, Volume 3

Today's post is on RahXephon, Volume 3 by Yutaka Izubuchi (Author),  Takeaki Momose (Illustrator). It is 200 pages long and is published by Viz Media. It is the second in the RahXephon series and you need to have read the two volume to understand what is going on. The cover has Reika on it with the RahXephon in the background. The intended reader is someone who has read the first volume, likes science-fiction stories, and heavy, dark plots. There is mild sexuality, mild foul language, and violence in this book. The story is told form third person close of the main character Ayato. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- TERRA's final battle with the MU has begun, and Ayato's fact-finding mission to Tokyo Jupiter has left him confused and uncertain. His bond with his "mother," Maya, his allegiance to TERRA, the fate of the world--Ayato's mind is a torrent of conflicting memories and half-truths. Yet while the war for Tokyo's future rages on, Ayato keeps one this close to heart--his resolution to protect his childhood friend Reika.
But now TERRA has a new weapon in its arsenal--the Vermillion fighters. Will these giant robots make Ayato's RahXephon obsolete? Or is Ayato TERRA's only true means of defeating the MU?

Review- This is a great end to the manga version of RahXephon. Ayato has learned that his mother will do anything to remake the world of the MU and he has to choose what he is doing to do next. The blurb on the back makes it sound like the Vermillion mechas can handle the MU's robots when that is seen to not be true very quickly. The heart of the story is Reika finally finding happiness and thus the missing part of the RahXephon's soul is returned to it. With the RahXephon now whole the world can be reborn into something else with only Ayato has the guide. I found the ending to be moving with Ayato choosing what he believed Reika would have wanted and in doing so they were reborn into the new world. For a three volume series, RahXephon did a lot of work in story and character building and I really enjoyed it.

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.

A Darker Shade of Magic

Today's post is on A Darker Shade of Magic by V. E. Schwab. It is 398 pages long and is published by Tor Books. The cover is white with two circles, one red and one black, with a figure between them going into the red one. The intended reader is someone who likes fantasy, interesting magic systems, and fast paced plots. There is foul language, no sex, and violence in this book. The story is told from third person close of the two main characters moving as the story does. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- Kell is one of the last Antari— magicians with a rare, coveted ability to travel between parallel Londons; Red, Grey, White, and, once upon a time, Black.
Kell was raised in Arnes—Red London—and officially serves the Maresh Empire as an ambassador, traveling between the frequent bloody regime changes in White London and the court of George III in the dullest of Londons, the one without any magic left to see.
Unofficially, Kell is a smuggler, servicing people willing to pay for even the smallest glimpses of a world they'll never see. It's a defiant hobby with dangerous consequences, which Kell is now seeing firsthand.
After an exchange goes awry, Kell escapes to Grey London and runs into Delilah Bard, a cut-purse with lofty aspirations. She first robs him, then saves him from a deadly enemy, and finally forces Kell to spirit her to another world for a proper adventure.
Now perilous magic is afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. To save all of the worlds, they'll first need to stay alive.

Review- This book is so good that I am not sure where to begin. The characters, the plot, the magic, the bad guys, all of it is just the best. Our two main characters are fun, clever, quick on the take to what is going on, and they do not give up just because that would be easier. They are not afraid of the hard road. The plot is interesting with just enough of the past being shown to intrigue without getting bogged down in the details. The magic is fun, not original as it is blood magic, but still a fun way to take blood magic without being all blood magic is evil. The bad guys are crazy, power-mad, and quite evil, even to their own minds. I had so fun with this book and I look forward to reading the next one.

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

Yurara, vol. 1

Today's post is on Yurara, vol. 1 by Chika Shiomi. It is 200 page long and is published by Shojo Beat. The cover has the three main characters on it looking at the reader. The intended reader is someone who likes ghost stories and other normal shojo tropes. There is no foul language, no sex, and very mild violence in this book. The story is told from third person close of Yurara. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- There are two sides to every ghost story...
Yurara Tsukinowa is a quiet girl who can see spirits and sense their emotions. Not wanting to seem abnormal, she hides her secret until she meets Mei Tendo and Yako Hoshino, two guys who use their spiritual powers to ward off vengeful spirits. The dormant guardian spirit in Yurara arises and a strong-willed beauty with the power to release souls emerges!
On Yurara's first day of high school, she finds her assigned seat is occupied--by a ghost! Mei and Yako cannot banish the spirit, and Yurara's other self is released...

Review- An interesting and fun start series. Yurara has always been able to see ghosts and she wants to help them but they can very scary. On her first day of high school she meets two guys who can see and fight spirits. They are all about defending themselves and so Yurara's compassion for the trapped spirits is a little odd to them. This volume is about setting up the world and getting to know the characters but not much character growth happens. But that is OK as it is the first volume and I enjoyed my time with these characters and getting to see their world.

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.

Bloodborne Issue #3

Today's post is on Bloodborne Issue #3 by Ales Kot, illustrated by Piotr Kowalski and Brad Simpson. It is 26 pages long and is published by Titan Comics. The cover has the Paleblood child and a beast on it. The intended reader is someone who has read the first issue. There is no foul language, no sex, but there is violence in this issue. The story is told from third person close of the hunter. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

Blurb- Awakening in an ancient city plagued by a twisted endemic – where horrific beasts stalk the shadows and the streets run slick with the blood of the damned – a nameless hunter embarks on a dangerous quest in search of Paleblood…

Review- We continue to travel with the hunter and the child through the nightmare land that is Yharnam and they are being hunted. The hunter does the best she can but with the beasts that are following them, running is really their best idea. The real draw of this volume is to see more of the twisted world of Yharnam and to get a little more insight into what is going on with the Paleblood. The Paleblooded child can see things and speak with things that the hunter cannot and that adds to the horror of the overall story. I hope that we get more background and maybe more about what the Paleblood are and how they can do the things that they can.

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

Forbidden Hollywood: The Pre-Code Era (1930-1934): When Sin Ruled the Movies

Today’s is on Forbidden Hollywood: The Pre-Code Era (1930-1934): When Sin Ruled the Movies by Mark A. Vieira. It is 256 pages long and is published by Running Adult Press. The cover is a picture from a forbidden movie. The intended reader is someone who is interested in old Hollywood and the films that made it. There is mild foul language, discussion of sex and sexuality, and no violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- It’s classic Hollywood- uncensored. Filled with rare images and untold stories from filmmakers, exhibitors, and moviegoers, Forbidden Hollywood is the ultimate guide to a gloriously entertaining and strikingly progressive era, when a lax code of censorship let sin rule the movies.
Forbidden Hollywood id s history of ‘pre-Code’ like none other: you will eavesdrop on production conferences, read nervous telegrams from executives to censors, and hear Americans argue about ‘immoral’ movies. You will see decisions on content artfully wrought so as to fool some of the people long enough to get films into theaters. You will read what theater managers thought of such craftiness, and hear from fans as they applauded creativity or condemned crassness. You will see how these films caused a grass roots movement to gain control of Hollywood- and why they were ‘forbidden’ for fifty years.
The book spotlights the twenty-two films that led to the strict new Code of v 1934, including red-headed Woman, Call Her Savage, and She Done Him Wrong. You’ll see Paukl Muni shoot a path to power in the Scarface, Barbara Stanwyck climb the corporate ladder on her own terms in Baby Face, and misfits seek revenge in Freaks.
More than two hundred newly restored (and some never-before-published) photographs illustrate pivotal moments in the careers of Clara Bow, Joan Crawford, Norma Shearere, and Greta Barbo; and the pre-Code stardom of Claudette, Colbert, Cary Grant, Marlene Dietrich, James Cagney, and Mae West. This is the definitive portrait of an unforgettable era in filmmaking.

Review- An interesting and in-depth look into the films that made Hollywood forbidden. Vieira is a Hollywood historian and it shows in his research and access to original materials. He gives the reader a rough rundown of Hollywood before 1930 then we jump into the movies that were being made. The movies were very interesting and the best part of the book. Vieira spends most of the book writing about the movies and their impact. The movies impact varied from place to place and person to person. Some movies depended on where they were shown changed their reputation like if it was a more artist picture then it did not do well in the country and more homespun stories did not do well in the big city. The pictures were gorgeous and added so much to the book overall, they not showed the movies but give the reader an idea about how the movie where presented to the public in their time. I really enjoyed this book and I like to read more of Vieira’s work.

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.  

RahXephon, Volume 2

Today's post is on RahXephon, Volume 2 by Yutaka Izubuchi (Author),  Takeaki Momose (Illustrator). It is 200 pages long nd is published by Viz Media. It is the second in the RahXephon series and you need to have read the first volume to understand what is going on. The cover has Ayato and Reika on it with the RahXephon in the background. The intended reader is someone who has read the first volume, likes science-fiction stories, and heavy, dark plots. There is mild sexuality, mild foul language, and violence in this book. The story is told form third person close of the main character Ayato. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Two weeks have passed since Ayato and Reika arrived in the "real world" of Nirai-Kanai. As Ayato undergoes training to become a pilot for RaXephon, Reika continues to be tested by TERRA's scientists as they attempt to ascertain the strange bond she share with the mythical robot. Ayato's girlfriend, a recent refugee from Tokyo Jupiter, bring tidings and memories from home, but her motives are more than innocent.
As further secrets about the MU come to the fore, Ayato resolves to see for himself the exact nature of the frightening conflict both he and Reika are now in the very middle of. Hijacking the RaXephon and reentering Tokyo Jupiter, Ayato's encounter with his mother sheds a disconcerting new light on the very nature of his existence.

Review- As lot of plot goes on this volume from seeing the past and how the MU fall, to discovering the RapXephon, what the MU are willing to do to get back to their paradise. The only thing that I did not like about this volume was the panty shots from various female characters, I know it was to lighten the mood but it just annoyed me and did not add anything to the overall plot. The plot is very interesting with learning about Reika and her past life, about Quion and Ayato's mother, and about Ayato himself. With Reika's life on the line, Ayato is running out of time to solve the mystery of the RahXephon. I am very curious about how the series is going wrap everything up as it is only three volumes long.

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.

Not Your Villain

Today’s post is on Not Your Villain by C.B. Lee. It is the second in her Sidekick Squad series and you need to have read the first one. It is 303 pages long and is published by Duet Press. The cover is green with the main character Bells on it being daring, a scene from the book. The intended reader is someone who has read the first book, likes superheroes, and dystopian futures. There is no sex, very mild foul language, and mild violence in this book. The story is told from third person close of Bells, the main character. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Bells Broussard thought he had it made when his superpowers manifested early. Being a shapeshifter is awesome. He can change his hair whenever he wants, and if putting on a binder for the day is too much, he’s got it covered. But that was before he became the country’s most-wanted villain.
After discovering a massive cover-up by the Heroes’ League of Heroes, Bells and his friends Jess, Emma, and Abby set off on a secret mission to find the Resistance. Meanwhile, power-hungry former hero Captain Orion is on the loose with a dangerous serum that renders meta-humans powerless, and a new militarized robotic threat emerges. Everyone is in danger. Between college applications and crushing on his best friend, will Bells have time to take down a corrupt government?
Sometimes, to do a hero’s job, you need to be a villain.

Review- This novel starts before the beginning of Not your Sidekick with Bells going away for summer hero training then quickly catches up with the timeline of the first one. Bells gets set up as a new villain when Captain Orion’s experiments are brought to the light and the last part of the novel is about trying to find a way to deal with that and Bells trying to tell Emma that he loves her. Lee has a more than just characters of color, she also has LBGT characters with Bells being trans. That is a part of the story but Bells is more than just being trans. He is a very powerful shapeshifter maybe the most powerful in the story. He is a loving son and brother. He is smart and wants to make a difference in his world. Lee is creating a very positive world for teens who are not cisgendered or straight but those kids can still have a lot of fun with in this superhero world. I am looking forward to the third book in the series.

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.