Knight of the Ice, vol 1

Today’s post is on Knight of the Ice, vol 1 by Yayoi Ogawa. It is 192 pages long and is published by Kodansha Comics. The cover is white with the male lead Kokoro on it. The intended reader is someone who likes josei manga, romance manga, and sport manga. 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 Chitose. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Chitose is a career woman, with a job at a magazine and serious aspirations… except her childhood friend is an international figure skating star who won't stop distracting her! On ie ice Kokoro Kijinami is a flawless, gallant knight, winning trophies and hearts alike, but behind his glittery costumes and breathtaking spins lies a secret: He’s actually a hopeless romantic otaku who can only land his quad jumps when Chitose is on hand to recite a spell from his favorite magical girl anime! So when  a business trip takes her away from Kokoro’s biggest competition yet, what will happen without Chitose there to work her magic?

Review- A promising start to a series. Chitose is a woman trying to work on her career but she also wants to help her friend. Kokoro has some kind of mental block when he is trying to skate but when they were kids Chitose did the catch phrase from their favorite show and Kokoro could make every jump flawlessly. But now that they are adults that is starting to be problematic. Of course there are unspoken feelings from Kokoro that Chitose is not aware of, not just from Kokoro! I like all of the characters, they are very real normal people with normal problems of jobs, even if Kokoro’s job is being a professional athlete. I hope that Kokoro can find his courage soon and Chitose can understand what he is trying to tell her. I look forward to seeing where we are going from here.

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.

Come Tumbling Down

Today’s book review is on Come Tumbling Down by Seanan McGuire. It is 206 pages long and is published by Tor books. Cover is a moor with a door in the center and lightning coming down striking the door. As this is the fifth book in the Wayward Children series you do need to have read at least the first two books in order to understand the story. There is mild foul language, no sexuality, and mild violence in this novel. The story is told from third-person close of the different characters. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- When Jack left Eleanor West's School for Wayward Children she was carrying the body of her deliciously deranged sister--whom she had recently murdered in a fit of righteous justice--back to their home on the Moors.

But death in their adopted world isn't always as permanent as it is here, and when Jack is herself carried back into the school, it becomes clear that something has happened to her. Something terrible. Something of which only the maddest of scientists could conceive. Something only her friends are equipped to help her overcome.

Eleanor West's "No Quests" rule is about to be broken.

Again.

Review-  Another excellent addition in McGuire's Wayward Children series. We pick up sometime after the end of the third novel with everyone back home but still missing the people they lost over the course of the third novel. In Jack's old room a lightning strike happens and a door appears and then Jack and Alexis come through the door seeking help. And off we go into our adventure in the Moors, Jack and Jill's true home. I really enjoyed traveling the Moors in this novel, there is so much that we didn't really get to explore but I enjoyed having the world fleshed out a bit more than it was in Down Among the Sticks and Bones. The only question I still have is why Jill is the way she is. Jack is convinced that Jill believes her to be the villain of Jill's story. But we really have no reason to think that, and Jack never says why she believes that about Jill or herself. It is still an excellent addition to the series and probably my second favorite. I recommend this book and I recommend the entire Wayward Children series. 

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

Midnight Secretary, Vol. 5

Today’s post is on Midnight Secretary, Vol. 5 by Tomu Ohmi. It is 192 pages long and is published by Shojo Beat. The cover is green with a cross and our two main characters on it. As is the fifth in the series you need to have read the first four volumes. The intended reader is someone who has the first volumes in the series, likes josei manga, and paranormal romance. There is no foul language, sex and mild violence in this manga. The story is told from third person close of Kaya the main character. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- After Kaya’s contract with Erde ended, Kyohei hired her to be his executive secretary at his new company, LVC. Working openly day and night with the man she loves is a dream come true for Kaya, but the honeymoon is short-lived. Marika, the daughter of one of the LVC executives, has a long history with Kyohei and is determined to renew their special friendship. Can love conquer family ties and vampire politics?

Review- Kaya and Kyohei’s relationship is moving forward but of course there are blocks in the way. Kyohei’s old friend, Marika, really just wants what is best for him but because she is only seeing things from a vampire’s side she is missing the bigger picture. So Kyohei feels that he needs to prove himself and of course leaves Kaya out of it. But in the end Kyoehi admits to himself and others that he loves Kaya and will fight for her. So slow progress but progress nevertheless. I have really enjoyed this paranormal romance manga and with only two volume left I look forward to seeing how Ohmi ends everything.

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.

Banned Book Club

Today's book review is on Banned Book Club by Kim Hyun Sook, Ko Hyung-Ju, Ryan Estrada. Is 198 pages long and is published by Iron circus comics. The governor has the main character Hyon Sook on it blushing holding a book with her classmates behind her in celebration. The reader is someone who is interested in a fictionalized account of South Korea's protest in the 1980s. There is mild foul language talk of sexuality and rape and violence in this graphic novel.  The story is told from third person close of the main character Hyun Sook.  There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- 1983 during South Korea's V Republic, a military regime that has entrenched its power through censorship, torture, and the murder of protesters. In this charged political climate, a freshman named Kim Hyun Sook takes refuge in the comfort of books. With a handsome young editor of the school newspaper invites her to his reading club, she expects to talk about Moby Dick, Hamlet, and The Scarlet Letter. Instead, she finds herself hiding in a basement as the youngest member of an underground Banned Book Club. As Kim Hyun Sook soon discovers, in a totalitarian regime, the delights of discovering great works of illicit literature are quickly overshadowed by fear and violence.

In Banned Book Club,Kim Hyun Sook shares her dramatic true story of political strife, fear mongering, the death of democratic institutions, and the Relentless rebellion of reading. 

Review-  A moving and chilling account of protesting in South Korea told from someone who survived them. We follow our main character, Hyun Sook, starting college against her mother's wishes all the way to almost the present day where she is still active in protesting corruption in her government. The black and white images help convey the horror and at the same time making it easier for the reader. The police brutality would be harder to take in I think if it was in full color. Hyun Sook never wanted to get involved in the protesting, she just wanted to go to college but she learned that in order to truly go to college, to truly learn about the world she was going to have to get involved. I highly recommend this graphic novel for its honest depiction of a totalitarian regime, the people who are just trying to survive it, and the people who were trying to do something about it. I feel that something we need to be thinking about in our modern-day, it is not something that has been left in the past. 

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.

Otome Mania!! Vol. 1

Today’s post is on Otome Mania!! Vol. 1 by Yurino Tsukigase. It is 180 pages long and is published by Seven Seas Publishing. The cover has the main cast on it with the main character, Yuzumi, in the center. The intended reader is someone who likes shojo manga, otome games, and girl nerd culture. 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, Yuzumi. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Yuzumi loves otome games.
Her dream is to become a producer and make a game she loves!
She makes mistakes and gets scolded by her manager, Tachibana, but she refuses to lose!
For all the otome games fans out there, here’s a story about making it through the industry!

Review- This is a very sweet and adorable story! As someone who loves and plays Otome games myself, this was a great read. Yuzumi is a gamer who loves otome games, which are games for girls and women with handsome men in them. Now otome games can be about all kinds of stories but romance is at their heart and Yuzumi knows this very well. What she does not know is how to make one and what needs to happen to make your game a success. But Yuzumi has a team around her to help her make her dreams come true! This volume is about setting up the world and getting to know Yuzumi. She is a fun main character, very much like an otome game heroine, she is sweet, learning the ropes, but is determined to see her dream come true. If you are a fan of otome games then you need to try this series. This was a fun read and I am very excited to see how Yuzumi and her co-workers end up.

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 Duke’s Stolen Bride

Today’s review is on The Duke’s Stolen Bride by Sophie Jordan. It is 355 pages long and is published by Avon books. it is V in the Rogue files series but they can all be read as standalone. The cover has the two main characters in a passionate embrace. The intended reader is someone who enjoys historical romance over the top plots. There is mild foul language sex and sexuality and Mild violence in this novel. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book-  An urgent dilemma…

To save her impoverished family, Marian Langley will become a mistress. But she will not just be any mistress. Marian intends to become so skilled, so coveted, that she can set her own terms, retaining control over her body and her fate. Only one problem remains: finding a tutor.

A scandalous solution…

Other men deprive themselves of pleasure for propriety’s sake. Nathaniel, Duke of Warrington, would much rather be depraved. He slakes his desires with professionals who asked nothing of him but his coin. Marion's proposal-  but he trained her without taking her virtue-  is an intriguing diversion, until their lessons in seduction spin out of control.

Make an unlikely duchess…

When Marian is blackmailed into an engagement by a man she despises, Nate impulsively steals her away. Although he never intended to take a wife, he can't tolerate the idea of Marian forfeiting her freedom to another. But can he bear to give her what she demands-  a real marriage? 

Review- A fun, if light, historical romance. The premise of course is silly, a well-born young lady deciding to become a mistress instead of finding family or friends to help her and her family after the unexpected death of her father but once you let go of the absurdity of it it's a fun little romance. The Duke is reluctant to take a second wife as his first one died terribly in childbirth and that's given him concern about unprotected sex. But of course our heroine convinces him and we have our plot. The sex scenes are everything from fairly mild to very explicit but with the premise of a woman because learning to become a mistress that should be expected. But the scenes are nothing too shocking, if you're looking for historical Fifty Shades of Grey, you're not going to find it here. The villain is a bit one note but he serves his purpose just fine. So if you're looking for a light, if a bit ridiculous love story, I would recommend this one. 

I give this novel a Three out of Five Stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrow this book from my local library.

18 Tiny Deaths: The Untold Story of Frances Glessner Lee and the Invention of Modern Forensics

Today’s post is on 18 Tiny Deaths: The Untold Story of Frances Glessner Lee and the Invention of Modern Forensics by Bruce Goldfarb. It is 331 pages long and is published by Sourcebooks. The cover is a picture of Lee and nutshell cases. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this book.  The intended reader is someone who is interested in the history of forensic science. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- The fascinating story of the forgotten woman who pioneered forensic science. As America ramps up efforts toward victory in World War II, Frances Glessner Lee stands at the front of a wood-paneled classroom inside Harvard Medical School and addresses the young men attending her seminar on the developing field of forensic science. A grandmother without a college degree, Lee may appear better suited for a life of knitting than one of investigation of unexpected death. Her colleagues and students, however, know her to be an extremely intelligent and exacting researcher and teacher- the perfect candidate, despite her gender, to push the scientific investigation of unexpected death out of the dark confines of centuries-old techniques and into the light of the modern day. Lee’s decades-long obsession with advancing the discipline of forensic science was a battle from the very beginning. In a time when many prestigious medical schools were closed to female students and young women were discouraged from entering any kind of scientific profession, Lee used her powerful social skills, family wealthy, and uncompromising dedication to revolutionize a field that was usually political, often corrupt, and always deeply rooted in primal human fear of death.

Review- A wonderful and fascinating biography of a woman who should not be forgotten. Goldfarb not only tells Lee’s story but the story of how modern forensics was created in America. We start with Lee from her childhood all the way to her death and everything she did in between. She became interested in forensic science from a friend who was a medical examiner and they discussed the problems that he dealt with every day. From there Lee made it her life’s mission to help bring America into the modern age of forensic science. Very detailed with lots of notes for further research, this was an interesting study not only of Lee but of how the corner system worked and why we needed to go to a medical examiner instead. If you are interested in the history of forensic science in America then you need to read this book.

I give this book a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I was given this book as a gift from a friend. 

Daytime Shooting Star, vol.2

Today’s post is on Daytime Shooting Star, vol.2 by Mika Yamamori. It is 187 pages long and is published by Shojo Beat. The cover is pink with the girls of the cast on it. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this manga. The intended reader is someone who likes high school romance manga and coming of age stories. The story is told from third person close of the main character Suzume. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Suzume has moved to Tokyo and is living with her uncle. She soon realizes that she is attracted to her homeroom teacher, Mr. Shishio. Although she tries to deny her feelings, they only grow stronger. But then her classmate Mamura does something that leaves her speechless! 

Review- We are setting into the plot of this series with Suzume realizing that she has feelings for her homeroom teacher. Of course that happens at the end of the volume but we see the build-up all volume long. Add in her classmate Mamura realizes that he likes Suzume and we have a right mess going on.  This volume is about Suzume and Mamura realizing their feelings and now we get to see what they do with them. I am uncomfortable with the idea of a teacher student love story and so I looked up the ending before I committed myself fully to this series. I am not going to spoil it in my reviews but I am now willing to read this series and go on this journey with the characters.

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. 

These Vengeful Souls

Today's review is on These Vengeful Souls by Tarun Shanker and Kelly Zekas. It is 287 pages long and is published by Swoon reads. The cover is a blue gray with a pendant in the center that has a lock of hair in it. As it is the third volume of These Vicious Masks trilogy you need to have read the first two books in order to understand the story. There is very mild foul language, no sexuality and Mild violence in this novel. The story is told from third-person close of the main character Evelyn. There Be Spoilers Ahead. 

From the back of the book- England, 1833. On the run with the grieving Sebastian Braddock, Evelyn wants two things: to be reunited with her friends, and to get revenge on the evil Captain Goode. Not only has he misused his and Sebastian's powers to rack up a terrible death toll, but he's also completely destroyed any hope of Evelyn or her friends regaining the lives they once knew.

Evelyn is determined to make Captain good pay for what he's done, but is her revenge worth risking the lives of Sebastian and her friends? Or is it better to flee the city and focus on staying alive? And with the Captain spreading lies about Sebastian in an attempt to flush them out of hiding and turn the populace against them, does she even have a choice at all? 

Review- Good but slightly unsatisfying ending to a fun trilogy. We pick up exactly where the last volume left off with Evelyn and Sebastian hiding in a church trying to find their friends. Captain Goode has taken complete control of the society either by force or by promises. In addition he has used his influence to turn London against Evelyn and her friends’, Sebastian in particular. So there's lots of problems to solve in this volume and not a lot of time to solve them in. In the end the bad guys are dealt with, the good guys win, and all's right with the world. But I felt unsatisfied with the ending. I think part of that is because we don't get to see Evelyn and Sebastian really do anything . The epilogue is a letter that Sebastian has written for the next person who will inherit his poison powers, and that's the end. I don't think the authors are intending to write any more following these characters, but I would like them too. I would like to see when Evelyn and Sebastian do, they talked of going to India to help fight against the colonial powers but that's all. So I would have to say that this volume is the weakest of the trilogy but if you've read the other two you should read this one just to follow them all the way to the end and to see Evelyn finish her character development. 

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

French Like Moi: A Midwesterner in Paris

Today’s post is on French Like Moi: A Midwesterner in Paris by Scott Dominic Carpenter. It is 256 pages long and is published by Traveler’s Tales. The cover is a picture of two shoes one nice man’s work shoe and the other a beat-up tennis shoe. There is some foul language, no sex, and no violence in this book. The intended reader is someone who likes funny memoirs. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- When Scott Carpenter moves from Minnesota to Paris, little does he suspect the dramas that will unfold: scheming neighbors, police denunciations, surly demonstrators, cooking disasters, medical mishaps—not to mention all those lectures about cheese! Nothing in the City of Light can be taken for granted, where even trips to the grocery store lead to adventure.

Review- An amusing memoir about a man living in Paris and all the odd things that happen to him there. Carpenter has the chance to live in Paris, France for a year and he does, also bringing his family with him. Thus begins his adventures in Paris and dealing with the French people, who are so funny in their reactions to him and his very American ways. Carpenter gives the reader insight into living in Paris as an American and all the differences in day-to-day life. It is a fun read with an amusing narrator and I would recommend this memoir.

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.