Rasetsu, Vol. 9

Today’s post is on Rasetsu, Vol. 9 by Chika Shiomi. It is 208 pages long and is published by Shojo Beat. The cover has Rasetsu and Yako on it. As it is the ninth in the series, you need to have read the first eight volumes to understand the story. There is no foul language, mild sexuality, and mild violence in this manga. The story is told from third person close of Rasetsu. There Be Spoilers Ahead. 

From the back of the book- When the evil spirit shows up on Rasetsu’s birthday as promised, Rasetsu and her friends engage in a final showdown against it. Will Rasetsu be able to defeat her demon and live? Or will this birthday be her last?

Review- An excellent conclusion to this series. All answers are given and the happy ending for this dark story is well earned. Rasetsu and friends are finally facing down the evil spirit who wants to eat or something to Rasetsu for her power. Kuryu has been revealed to be dead all this time and now he is being used by the bad guy to try and take Resetsu. She has to remember everything that she has learned in the past five years and Yako has to choose to love her with all his heart. The final showdown is very good with all the characters facing their weaknesses and overcoming them. I really enjoyed this series, the characters were fun, the story was interesting, and the art was good. Shiomi is an excellent manga author and I look forward to reading more from her. I would recommend this series. 

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. 

Accomplishments of the Duke's Daughter: Novel 1

 

Today's post is on Accomplishments of the Duke's Daughter: Novel 1 by Reia. It is 244 pages long and is published by Airship. The cover is an illustration of the main character and her two personal body guards. The intended reader is someone who likes Japanese novels, reincarnation stories, and smart heroines. The story is told from mostly first person perspective of Iris, the main character, with some asides in third person from other characters for plot and world building. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- A Twist of Fate
Iris Armelia, the daughter of a powerful duke, is arrested and forced to her knees in front of her fiancé. Her betrothed, Prince Edward, is rejecting her for another woman! As Iris's life flashes before her eyes, she suddenly realized she knows exactly what is coming next- because she has been reincarnated into her favorite otome game as its villainess. Quick thinking saves her from exile, but Iris can't rest yet. If she wants to survive this world that sees her wicked, she'll have to change the world itself. 

Review- This is an interesting novel about a woman who gets reincarnated into a game world and she goes about changing it for the better. Iris was in the middle of being publicly broken up with when the memories of her past life came back to her. So instead of being exiled, she convinces her father that she has changed and wants to be responsible. He decides to trust her and makes the governor of their estates as a test. That is basic plot add in some economics and background political intrigue and that is this first novel. I really a good time reading this novel, I liked how Iris used her knowledge from her past life to make this world better, I like all the characters, I like how the world building is slow and steady, and I like that time is addressed in this novel. As you read the novel, you know how much time has past for Iris and her plans. I think that helps make the world more realistic that things just take time. I forward to reading the next volume. 

I give this novel a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and this novel was bought for me as a gift. 

About Time: A History of Civilization in Twelve Clocks

 

Today's nonfiction post is on About Time: A History of Civilization in Twelve Clocks by David Rooney. It is 271 pages long and is published by W.W. Norton and Company. The cover is series of different clocks. The intended reader is someone who is interested in the history of clocks and the influence that they have had on the world. There is no foul language, no sex or sexuality, and no violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- For thousands of years, people of all cultures have made and used clocks: city sundials in ancient Rome, medieval water clocks in imperial China, hourglasses fomenting revolution in the Middle Ages, the Stock exchange clock of Amsterdam in 1611, the Enlightenment observatories in India, high-precision clocks circling the Earth on a fleet of GPS satellites that have been launched since 1978. Clocks have helped us navigate the world and builds empires, and have even taken us to the brink of destruction. Elites have used them to wield power, make money, govern citizens, and control lives- and sometimes the people have used them to fight back.
Through the stories of twelve clocks, About Time bring pivotal moments from the past vividly to life. Historian and lifelong clock enthusiast David Rooney takes us from the unveiling of al-Jazari's castle clock in 120+, in present-day Turkey; to to the Cape of Good Hope observatory at the southern tip of Africa, where nineteenth-century British government astronomers moved the gears of empire with a time ball and a gun; to a burial of a plutonium clock now sealed beneath a public park in Osaka, where it will keep time for 5,000 years.

Review- An interesting way to see world history. Rooney takes the reader from the Roman Empire to the Atomic Age all through the lens of clocks and how humans interact with them and it was very fascinating read. The research is good, the notes are good for future reading, and the writing style is clear. It did drag in some places with lots of information and details at times being overwhelming but I was invested enough in the over all narrative ideal of clocks and humans making time and history have meaning. If you are interesting in the subject of clocks and history then you should read 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.

Spy x Family, Vol. 2

Today’s post is on Spy x Family, Vol. 2 by Tatsuya Endo. It is 200 pages long and is published by Viz Media. The cover has Anya on it looking cute. As it is the second volume in the series, you need to have read the first volume to understand the story. The intended reader is someone who likes shonen, humorous, and spy manga. There is no foul language, no sex, and mild comedic violence in this manga. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Twilight must infiltrate the prestigious Eden Academy to get close to his target Donovan Desmond, but has he ruined his daughter Anya’s chances with his outburst during the admissions interview? Perhaps the truly impossible mission this time is making sure Anya both becomes an exemplary student and befriends Donovan’s arrogant son Damian! 

Review- Volume two starts where volume one left with Twilight and family waiting to see if Anya can get into Eden Academy. When she does get in, Ayna runs amuck. She punches a boy in the face for being a jerk. Then we meet Yor’s younger brother, who works for the secret police. This manga is one of the funniest manga I have read in years. The characters are great, the art is good, and the setting of a post-war city like Berlin is great. One would not think that a post-war city would make a good setting for a comedy manga but Endo pulls it off with his hilarious characters and plots.  Endo is doing a wonderful job with this manga and I cannot wait to read 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 Book Thieves: The Nazi Looting of Europe's Libraries and the Race to Return a Literary Inheritance

 

Today's nonfiction post is on The Book Thieves: The Nazi Looting of Europe's Libraries and the Race to Return a Literary Inheritance  by Anders Rydell. It is 352 pages long, including notes and index, and is published by Viking. The cover is an up close look at a stolen book and spine label that the Nazis put on it. The intended reader is someone who is interested in more obscure parts of World War 2 history. There is mild foul language, no sex, and descriptions of violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- A chronicle of Nazi book theft from its beginnings to the present-day struggle for restitution.
Some of the most resonant images of the rise of National Socialism are the photographs of the German Student Union setting fire to huge piles of books. And in the years that followed, the Nazis would go on to steal countless works of art from the countries they invaded. But in an expansive and often overlooked campaign, they also sought out and looted libraries all over Europe, public and private, large and small. The books they stole were collected for Nazi academies and research libraries, created to wage a war of letters to rewrite literature and history according to Nazi mythology. In this secret war, the libraries of Jews, Leftists, Freemasons, and other oppositions groups were appropriated for Nazi research and used as intellectual weapons against their owners.
But then the war was over, most of the books were never returned. Millions languished in warehouses with no owners to claim them, and many even found their wat into the public library systems, where they remain to this day. Only now are efforts being made to correct these injustices, with organizations across Europe working to repatriate looted books and libraries trying to track down their lost collections. As Anders Rydell tells the story of the Nazis' book theft he crosses the continent to meet the unsung heroes behind the restitutions efforts. After meeting a small group of librarians combing through Berlins public libraries to pick out looked books, Rydell himself is entrusted with a recently identified volumes to return to the family of its original owner. Taking readers on a journey across the continent, The Book Thieves show just how much a single book can meant to those own it. 

Review- An interesting read about another side of the thefts by Nazis during the war. Rydell promises and does take the reader from the beginning of the book burnings and theft all the way to a book being returned to the owners family. Rydell does connect this book to other books about Nazi art theft but he keeps the focus on the libraries, archives, and other important documents as the book goes on. The writing is excellent, following two narratives, one the present with the people trying to return stolen items and the other in the during following the course of the war. If you have read about the other books about Nazi art theft then you need to read this one too and if you haven't read about the Nazi thefts then this is a good place to start. 

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.

Takane & Hana, Vol. 5

Todays’ post is on Takane & Hana, Vol. 5 by Yuki Shiwasu. It is 200 pages long and is published by Shojo Beat. The cover has Takane being over the top, like normal. As it is the fifth in the series you need to have read the first four volumes to understand the story. The intended reader is someone who likes comedy manga, over the top characters and shojo manga. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this manga. There Be Spoilers Ahead. 

From the back of the book- Hana’s usual Christmas family celebration gets canceled, so she can’t help but feel disappointed at the prospect of spending Christmas Eve alone. Takane decides to ask Hana out to dinner for that night, but then a beautiful medical school student named Rino shows up declaring her love for Takane! Does this mean Hana has a love rival?!

Review- This volume picks up right at the last one left at Hana’s school for the school festival. Takane shows up to be an embarrassment but ends up getting embarrassed himself. Then we move into the meat of this volume with Christmas and an old friend of Takane’s coming to see him. Rino is an old friend from school and Takane is more than a little annoyed with her. She picks on Hana and  flirts Takane into annoyance. But there is more to Rino than Hana knows and that’s this volume. Takane’s is not in too much of his normal mindset in this volume and I wonder what is going on in the background to make him tone it down. Hana is starting to realize that there is more going on with her and Takane than either wants to think about. I look forward to reading the next volume. 

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. 

Code Beaker, Spy Hunter: How Elizabeth Friedman Changed the Course of Two World Wars

 

Today's nonfiction post is on Code Beaker, Spy Hunter: How Elizabeth Friedman Changed the Course of Two World Wars by Laurie Wellmark and illustrated by Brooke Smart. It is 48 pages long and is published by Abrams Books for Young Readers. There is no sex, no foul language and no violence in this book. The intended reader is someone who is interested in women's history. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- Elizabeth Friedman dedicated her life to cracking and deciphering secret messages. Until recently, her role in taking down Nazis and outsmarting criminals had been hidden away with her classified files, stamped TOP SECRET ULTRA. With just paper pencil, and her sharp wit, Elizabeth thwarted smugglers, uncovered spy rings and evn cracked the unbreakable Enigma codes. Author Laurie Wellmark and illustrator Brooke Smart reveal Elizabeth's accomplishments and bring her incredible true story to light. 

Review- A fun and interesting nonfiction read for children about an interesting and important woman. Elizabeth Friedman helped cracked spy and military codes for the United States during both World Wars and until 2015 all her work was classified. Now she story can and should be told. Wellmark and Smart bring her story to life in this colorful book for all ages. They tell her story from beginning to the end of her life but we spend the most time with her during her years in the wars. There are codes that you can solve as you go through the book and you learn how to make a basic code yourself. This was a fun read and easy read. Elizabeth Friedman was a brilliant woman, whose work saved lives, and deserved to be remembered. 

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 of Kill, Vol. 1

Today’s post is on Love of Kill, Vol. 1 by FE. It is 164 pages long and is published by Yen Press. The cover has the two main characters on it and wraps around to the back. The intended reader is someone who is interested in dark storylines, romance, and josei manga. There is mild foul language, no sex, and some violence in this manga. The story is told from third person close of the two main characters moving as the story does. There Be Spoilers Ahead. 

From the back of the book- Ryang-Ha Song is an infamous master assassin who never fails to eliminate his targets. More than twenty organizations have taken out bounties on his head, yet no one can even approach him. But when he sets his sights on fellow assassin Chateau Dankworth, it's not to kill her—it's to seduce her! She may want nothing to do with him, but as he starts killing her targets for her, she's left with no choice but to play along with his games…

Review- This was a very interesting first volume, doing a lot of set-up and interesting characters. Chateau is a new bounty hunter and soon after she starts she meets a very famous assassin Ryang-Ha Song. He takes a liking to her and we have the beginning of our story. There is so much to learn about this world. Why does the underworld move so publicly, why has Chateau become a bounty hunter and what is going on with Ryang-Ha and many more. The art is fine, not the best I have seen but I like it just fine. The volume ends in a cliffhanger with Chateau in danger because of Ryang-Ha, so I am looking forward to the next volume  to see what is going to happen.

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

Sever

Today's post is on Sever by Lauren DeStefano. It is 371 pages long and is published by Simon & Schuster. The cover is green with Rhine in the center holding her wedding ring not wearing it. As it is the third in The Chemical Garden Trilogy you need to have read the first volumes to understand the story. There is mild foul language, no sex, and mild violence in this novel. The intended reader is someone who likes dark YA dystopian. The story is told from first person close of Rhine There Be Spoilers Ahead. 

From the dust jacket- With time ticking until the virus takes its toll,, Rhine is desperate for answers. After enduring Vaughn's worst, Rhine finds an unlikely ally in his brother, an eccentric inventor named Reed. She takes refuge in his dilapidated house, though the people she left behind refuse to stay in the past. While Gabriel haunts Rhine's memories, Cecily is determined to be at Rhine's side, even if Linden's feelings are still caught between them.

Meanwhile, Rowan's growing involvement in an underground resistance compels Rhine to reach him before he does something that cannot be undone. But what she discovers along the way has alarming implications for her future- and about the past her parents never had the chance to explain.

Review- This was my favorite volume in the whole series, everything comes together as the volume goes and it is a very interesting story. The volume picks up on long after the second one with Rhine in a real hospital recovering from what Vaugh has done to her. Cecily knows that Vaugh is a villain who will kill anyone to get what he wants and Linden is learning that his father is not who he thought. Vaugh is shown to be more reasonable than what we have seen from the first two volumes but he still will murder to get his cure. Reed is an interesting addition to the cast and I liked him, he added one good adult in the mix to offset Vaugh. Rowan is not what I was expecting, Rhine has always seen him as strong willed but when she finds him, she finds that Vaugh got to him first. There is some body horror in this volume, like in volume two but it is not as bad. There are many revelations in this volume but I feel that they made sense. DeStefano does a good job with this world and these characters. I look forward to the next thing I read from her. 

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