Fiancée of the Wizard Manga, Vol. 3

Today’s post is on Fiancée of the Wizard Manga, Vol. 3 by Masaki Kazuka (Visual Art), Syuri Nakamura (Original Creator), Keiko Sakano (Character Design). It is 196 pages and is published by Yen Press. The cover has the main characters on it looking very serious. As it is the fourth in the series you need to have read the first three volumes to understand the story. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this manga. The story is told from third person close of Filimena. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- As the honeymoon glow subsides, new troubles darken the horizon…

After the defeat of the Lord of Darkness who threatened the kingdom, peace has returned to the land. Filimena has, at last, wed her surly wizard, the powerful chief enchanter, Egiedeyrus, but their marriage remains a secret. Despite this, their life together is a happy one- until dark nightmares begin to steal Filimena’s sleep…

Review- We are now moving into a new story arc with someone having cursed Filimena to be trapped in sleep forever. So Filimena wants to solve her own problems without relying on Edy for help. Of course that is the wrong idea but I understand her reasoning as he is the chief enchanter for the kingdom and all that. We meet a new character, a fellow wizard Sir Servus, who is interested in Filimena and wants to help her. At the end of the volume, Filimena and Edy are going to be hunting down the person who cursed her and they are working against a clock to do it. This is a great fantasy love story and I’m looking forward to the next volume.

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 Desolations of Devil's Acre

Today’s post is on The Desolations of Devil's Acre by Ransom Riggs. It is 503 pages long and is published by Dutton Books. As it is the sixth in the Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children series, you need to have read the first five volumes to understand the story. The cover is a picture of a young child being grabbed and pulled of the cover. There is some mild foul language, no sex, and violence in this novel. The story is told from first person close of Jacob, the main character. There Be Spoilers Ahead. 

From the dust jacket- The fate of peculiardom hangs in the balance in this epic conclusion to the Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children series.

The last thing Jacob Portman saw before the world went dark was a terrible, familiar face.

Suddenly, he and Noor are back in the place where everything began - his grandfather's house. Jacob doesn't know how they escaped from V's loop to find themselves in Florida. But he does know one thing for certain: Caul has returned.

After a narrow getaway from a blood-thirsty hollow, Jacob and Noor reunite with Miss Peregrine and the peculiar children in Devil's Acre. The Acre is being plagued by desolations - weather fronts of ash and blood and bone - a terrible portent of Caul's amassing army.

Risen from the Library of Souls and more powerful than ever, Caul and his apocalyptic agenda seem unstoppable. Only one hope remains - deliver Noor to the meeting place of the seven prophesied ones. If they can decipher its secret location.

Review- A fine conclusion to the long running series. Riggs has a lot to do in this novel to wrap up this series and I think that he does it well. Jacob and friends are racing against time as Caul has been resurrected and he has eaten some of the souls from the Library of Souls. So they need to gather the other light eaters so that they can eat Caul’s soul. It is very fast paced with no down time going from plot point to the next one pulling the reader along with them. Riggs wants to make sure that he answers as many long running questions as he can like why can Jacob understand the monsters and other details like that. I enjoyed this series overall, I do feel that halfway through the series, we changed streams but in general it was a fun and interesting series. Ii think that Riggs closes out the series on a high note and I am curious about what he is going to write next.

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

The Twelve Lives of Alfred Hitchcock: An Anatomy of the Master of Suspense

Today’s post is on The Twelve Lives of Alfred Hitchcock: An Anatomy of the Master of Suspense by Edward White. The cover is a picture of Alfred Hitchcock. It is 379 pages long and is published by W. W. Norton & Company. There is mild foul language, discussion of sex and sexuality, and no violence in this book. The intended reader is someone who is interested in Hitchcock, film history, and classic Hollywood. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- In The Twelve Lives of Alfred Hitchcock, Edward White explores the Hitchcock phenomenon—what defines it, how it was invented, what it reveals about the man at its core, and how its legacy continues to shape our cultural world.

The book’s twelve chapters illuminate different aspects of Hitchcock’s life and work: “The Boy Who Couldn’t Grow Up”; “The Murderer”; “The Auteur”; “The Womanizer”; “The Fat Man”; “The Dandy”; “The Family Man”; “The Voyeur”; “The Entertainer”; “The Pioneer”; “The Londoner”; “The Man of God.” Each of these angles reveals something fundamental about the man he was and the mythological creature he has become, presenting not just the life Hitchcock lived but also the various versions of himself that he projected, and those projected on his behalf.

From Hitchcock’s early work in England to his most celebrated films, White astutely analyzes Hitchcock’s oeuvre and provides new interpretations. He also delves into Hitchcock’s ideas about gender; his complicated relationships with “his women”—not only Grace Kelly and Tippi Hedren but also his female audiences—as well as leading men such as Cary Grant, and writes movingly of Hitchcock’s devotion to his wife and lifelong companion, Alma, who made vital contributions to numerous classic Hitchcock films, and burnished his mythology. And White is trenchant in his assessment of the Hitchcock persona, so carefully created that Hitchcock became not only a figurehead for his own industry but nothing less than a cultural icon.

Ultimately, White’s portrayal illuminates a vital truth: Hitchcock was more than a Hollywood titan; he was the definitive modern artist, and his significance reaches far beyond the confines of cinema.

Review- An interesting look at Hitchcock over the course of his life and work and where the two interact with each other. White starts at the beginning of Hitchcock’s life so that the reader can understand his childhood and how it influenced his films and career. White does good research, he can get access to some private family papers and the like to add depth to narrative. White does not cover-up the rumors around Hitchcock but he focuses on the films themselves. I enjoyed this book. I am a huge fan of Hitchcock and his films. White takes the reader into the film room with Hitchcock and the people that he surrounded himself with. We get to see how the films that Hitchcock made were made and how he worked with his talent from writers to actors. If you are looking for a book about Hitchcock and his films, then I would recommend 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. 

Perfect World, Vol. 1

Today’s post is on Perfect World, Vol. 1 by Rie Aruga. It is 176 pages long and is published by Kodansha Comics. The cover has the two main characters on it looking at the reader. The intended reader is someone who is interested in emotional mature love stories. There is some mild foul language, no sex, and no violence in this volume. The story is told from third person close of Tsugumi. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- IN SEARCH OF PERFECTION...?

A company get-together reunites 26-year-old Tsugumi with her high school crush, Itsuki. In the years they've been apart, Itsuki has realized his dream of becoming an architect--but along the way, he's also suffered a spinal cord injury that's left him in a wheelchair. Seeing Itsuki again rekindles Tsugumi's feelings for him. It also forces her to confront her own hidden prejudices. Itsuki's disability seems like an intimidating obstacle at first, but soon, Tsugumi discovers that her world feels imperfect without him. 

Review- A very good first volume. Tsugumi meets her high school crush and discovers that he is now paraplegic and has sworn off love. This is the opening of the story and this is handled very well. Tsugumi has to think about what she wants from a relationship. This is a very adult story, not with explicit content, but with emotional maturity and depth that is unusual even in josei manga. The main characters are interesting and they both bring something to the table in the story to make the reader think and pull for them to find each other. I am very interested in the story, the characters, and where they are going.  

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.

Flesh Circus

Today’s post is on Flesh Circus by Lilith Saintcrow. It is 336 pages long and is published by Orbit. The cover has Jill in it looking ready for trouble. As it is the fourth in the series, you need to have read the first three volumes to understand the story. There is foul language, no sex, and violence in this volume. The intended reader is someone who likes gritty urban fantasy. The story is told from first person close of the main character, Jill. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- The Cirque de Charnu has come.

They will clean out the demons and the suicides, and move on. As long as they stay within the rules, Jill Kismet can't deny them entry. But she can watch -- and if they step out of line, she'll send them packing.

When Cirque performers start dying grotesquely, Kismet has to find out why, or the fragile truce won't hold and her entire city will become a carnival of horror. She also has to play the resident hellbreed power against the Cirque to keep them in line, and find out why ordinary people are needing exorcisms. And then there's the murdered voodoo practitioners, and the zombies.

An ancient vengeance is about to be enacted. The Cirque is about to explode. And Jill Kismet is about to find out some games are played for keeps. . . 

Review- A good volume in the series but not the best. The Cirque de Charnu has come to town and Jill has to protect them and the city from them. In the past a hunter from her line made a deal with the Cirque that for one week they could come and set up for business. And business is getting people’s souls. But when someone who has a grudge against the Cirque starts killing performers, Jill has her hands full. I liked the overall plot of the Cirque and the history of Jill’s line of hunters but the story was bogged down by the drama between Jill and Saul. I think that this book is more about setting up for a future book with the history we learn but I wanted more than we got. That said I did like it, it was a solid entry in the series, and I look forward to seeing where Jill and Saul are going next. 

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

The Secret History of Food: Strange but True Stories About the Origins of Everything We Eat

Today’s post is on The Secret History of Food: Strange but True Stories About the Origins of Everything We Eat by Matt Siegel. It is 288 pages long and is published by Ecco. The cover is a picture of the title with different foods in places of the letters. The intended reader is someone who is interested in the history of food. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- An entertaining look at the little-known history surrounding the foods we know and loveIs Italian olive oil really  Italian, or are we dipping our bread in lamp oil? Why are we masochistically drawn to foods that can hurt us, like hot peppers? Far from being a classic American dish, is apple pie actually . . . English?

“As a species, we’re hardwired to obsess over food,” Matt Siegel explains as he sets out “to uncover the hidden side of everything we put in our mouths.” Siegel also probes subjects ranging from the myths—and realities—of food as aphrodisiac, to how one of the rarest and most exotic spices in all the world (vanilla) became a synonym for uninspired sexual proclivities, to the role of food in fairy- and morality tales.

Review- A fascinating historical overview of food and how we make it. Siegel has both great knowledge of his subject and a great sense of humor about it too. He had me laughing many times over the course of the book with his witty asides. Siegel gives an excellent insight into how food is made, stories about how some of the most famous foods were created, and how food has changed in the millenniums that we have been eating. I listened to this as an audiobook and the reader was Roger Wayne and he did a great job. I enjoyed this book very much and I would recommend it.  

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. 

Love in Focus, Vol. 1

Today’s post is on Love in Focus, Vol. 1 by Yoko Nogiri. It is 160 pages long and is published by Kodansha Comics. The cover has the three main characters on it. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this manga. The intended reader is someone who is interested in shojo manga, coming of age stories, and mild romance. The story is told from third person close of the main character, Mako. There Be Spoilers Ahead. 

From the back of the book- Mako's always had a passion for photography. When she loses someone dear to her, she clings to her art as a relic of the close relationship she once had...Luckily, her childhood best friend Kei encourages her to come to his high school and join their prestigious photo club. With nothing to lose, Mako grabs her camera and moves into the dorm where Kei and his classmates live. Soon, a fresh take on life, along with a mysterious new muse, begin to come into focus!

Review- Mako is trying to deal with the death of her grandfather and her oldest friend invites to come to his high school which has a great photography club. That is the set-up for this coming of age story. Mako is a good main character, she is willing to try new things but she knows what she wants from life and isn’t afraid to go after it. The two male leads are her oldest friend, Kei, and the shy boy Amemura. Very normal set-up so far but I'm hopeful that in the next volume we get something interesting and different from the normal shojo coming of age but even if not I’m still enjoying the series. 

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.

The Last Word

Today’s post is on The Last Word by Ellery Adams. It is 313 pages long and is published by Berkley. The cover has a house with a broken window and a big poodle, Captain Havland in front. There is mild foul language, very mild sex and sexuality, and some violence in this book. As it is the third volume in the series and you need to have read the first two to understand the characters. The intended reader is someone who likes cozy mysteries, character driven stories, and very pleasant writing.  The story is told from third person close of the main character, Olivia. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the blurb on Hoopla- Olivia Limoges and the Bayside Book Writers are excited about Oyster Bay's newest resident: bestselling novelist Nick Plumley, who's come to work on his next book. But when Olivia stops by Plumley's rental she finds that he's been strangled to death. Her instincts tell her that something from the past came back to haunt him, but she never expects that the investigation could spell doom for one of her dearest friends...

Review- This continues to be a wonderful found family series with a mystery to tie it all together. Olivia is continuing to grow and change as she comes out of the shell that she made of herself. The murder is a backdrop to the characters and their growth, and I am here for it. I like all the characters in this series from Olivia as she tries to change into a better person to the Bay Side writers and the sheriff. They are the reason you read the series, you want to spend time with the characters and watch them grow. Olivia continues to be a fairy godmother to everyone she meets but I like that about her. I like that she wants to help others and uses what she has to do so. I look forward to the next volume. 

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’s Hoopla account.

Don't Call It a Cult: The Shocking Story of Keith Raniere and the Women of NXIVM

Today’s post is on Don't Call It a Cult: The Shocking Story of Keith Raniere and the Women of NXIVM by Sarah Berman. It is 321 pages long and is published by Steer Forth Press. The cover is a picture of a road with a washed out house on the left side. The intended reader is someone who is interested in true crime, cults, and women’s survival stories. There is foul language, sex, sexuality, rape, and violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- They draw you in with the promise of empowerment, self-discovery, women helping women. The more secretive those connections are, the more exclusive you feel. Little did you know, you just joined a cult.

Sex trafficking. Self-help coaching. Forced labour. Mentorship. Multi-level marketing. Gaslighting. Investigative journalist Sarah Berman explores the shocking practices of NXIVM, a global organization run by Keith Raniere and his high-profile enablers (Seagram heir Clare Bronfman; Smallville actor Allison Mack; Battlestar Galactica actor Nicki Clyne). Through the accounts of central NXIVM figures, Berman unravels how young women seeking creative coaching and networking opportunities found themselves blackmailed, literally branded, near-starved, and enslaved. With the help of the Bronfman fortune Raniere built a wall of silence around these abuses, leveraging the legal system to go after enemies and whistleblowers.

Don't Call It a Cult shows that these abuses looked very different from the inside, where young women initially received mentorship and protection. Don't Call It a Cult is a riveting account of NXIVM's rise to power, its ability to evade prosecution for decades, and the investigation that finally revealed its dark secrets to the world. It explores why so many were drawn to its message of empowerment yet could not recognize its manipulative and harmful leader for what he was—a criminal.

Review- A well-written if horrifying book about a cult that almost got away with everything from blackmail to sex trafficking's. Berman, as an investigative journalist, can get access to the former members of NXIVM and they are more than willing to talk to her about everything they survived. At times this is a very hard book to read because Berman makes it so clear that anyone  could be these women. Keith Raniere studied other cults and MLM practices to perfect his art and for more than twenty years, it worked just fine. But like many cult leaders before him, Raniere thought he was untouchable. He began to push the inner circle of women too far and everything he worked for came down. Berman’s notes are an excellent resource at the end of the book.  I would recommend this book if you are interested in cults or just want to know about NXIVM in particular. 

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. 

Accomplishments of the Duke's Daughter Vol. 5

Today’s post is on Accomplishments of the Duke's Daughter Vol. 5 by Reia (original author), Suki Umemiya (Artist). It is 162 pages long and is published by Seven Seas. The cover has Iris and her friend on it looking at the reader. As it is the fifth in the series you need to have the first four volumes to understand the story. The intended reader is someone who likes political shojo manga. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this series. The story is told from third person close of the main character, Iris. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- All’s fair in love and war

With the thread of civil war looming, Iris must figure out how to protect her fiefdom. To her surprise, her most dangerous opponent might be an old rival in love, Yuri. Yuri has the second prince twisted around her finger, and seems to be the driving force behind the kingdom’s unrest. Will Iris figure out Yuri’s plan, or will she lose once again?

Review- This volume picks up right where volume four left off with Iris still in the capital trying to see what is going on. The blurb makes it sound like Iris and Yuri meet and are having some kind of face off when that is not what happens. It is more like Iris is discovering that Yuri is more than just the original heroine of this world and she may be a villain in disguise. As this is a more political manga than a love story we get more information about social structure and how to progress a society into a better and healthier one. I am curious about Iris going to learn next about Yuri and what plans she may have for the future. 

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.

Yarn to Go

Today’s post is on Yarn to Go by Betty Hechtman. It is 294 pages long and is published by Berkley. The cover has a cute black cat playing with yarn on it. It is the first in her Yarn Retreat Mystery series. There is no foul language, no sex, and very mild violence in this novel. The intended reader is someone who likes cozy mysteries. The story is told from first person close of the main character, Casey. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Dessert chef Casey Feldstein doesn’t know a knitting needle from a crochet hook. But after her aunt dies unexpectedly, leaving Casey to run her yarn retreat business, the sweets baker finds herself rising to the occasion—and trying to unravel a murder mystery…

When Casey finds out that her late aunt’s business, Yarn2Go, has one more yarn retreat scheduled, she decides to go ahead and host the event, despite her complete lack of experience as a knitter. At least the retreat is on the beautiful Monterey Peninsula.

But the idyllic setting is soured when a retreat regular is found murdered in her hotel room. Feeling a sense of responsibility, Casey begins to weave the clues together and detects a pattern which may shed light on her aunt’s suspicious death. Despite the danger, the last thing Casey plans to do is retreat. She’ll catch this killer…or dye trying.

Review- A very cute and engaging first novel with cute characters. Casey has just lost her aunt, the only family member who understood her, and is still trying to settle her affairs, when Casey discovers that she cannot cancel a knitting retreat that her aunt planned before her death. So Casey has to host it and during the process discovers a lot about herself, some about her aunt, and killer too. This is a very normal cozy mystery but don’t let that stop you from reading it. It has excellent characters, a fun mystery, and a great small town atmosphere. If you are a fan of cozies then you should give this one a try. 

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

Takane & Hana, Vol. 4

Today’s post is on Takane & Hana, Vol. 4 by Yuki Shiwasu. It is 200 pages long and is published by Shojo Beat. The cover has Takane and Hana on it lighty glaring at each other. As it is the fourth in the series you need to have read the first three volumes. The intended reader is someone who likes over the top characters, humor, and coming of age stories. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in the volume. The story is told from third person close of mostly Hana but sometimes from other characters as plot needs. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- It’s summer, but Takane is so busy with work that he doesn’t have much time to spend with Hana! Enter Takane’s new assistant Eiji Kirigasaki, an efficient helper who gains Takane’s trust and allows Takane to have more free time. Despite all the support he’s giving, however, Kirigasaki might have an ulterior motive that could lead to Takane’s downfall! 

Review- We finish with the beach story and move into a more serious story about Takane’s uncle wanting to take him down. He is jealous of how favored Takane is by his grandfather, so Takane’s uncle sends a spy into Takane’s office. The spy is his new assistant but because Takane is really good at his job Eiji doesn’t have anything other than Hana to bring to the uncle. And Eiji doesn’t want to do that as Takane has impressed Eiji. But Hana is more in the  background in this volume and I was fine with that as we got to see more of what Takane has had to overcome to get where he is now. I am curious about what his uncle is going to do now. 

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.