Skip Beat!, Vol. 26

Today’s manga post is on Skip Beat!, Vol. 26 by Yoshiki Nakamura. It is 184 pages long and is published by Shojo Beat. The cover is an illustration of Kyoko, Moko, and Chiori, dressed in the Love Me gear. There is no foul language, no sexuality, and no violence in this book. The intended reader is someone who likes comedy and shojo manga. The story is told from third person close following Kyoko but with some asides from Ren for character development. There Be Spoilers Ahead. 

From the back of the book- Kyoko thinks she's survived Valentine's Day, but that's just the kind of attitude that gets her in trouble with the president of LME. Lory is very disappointed in the girls of the Love Me Section and sets up special new assignments to teach them the power of love. But will the president's strange methods have any affect on the troubled souls of Chiori, Moko and Kyoko? 

Review- President Lory has a huge assignment for Kyoko, keep Ren in check. This is a very silly story line, even for this manga. Ren is playing a different actor named Cain Heel and Cain Heel is a dangerous man, who cares for nothing for his sister, Setsu. So to have someone be Ren as Cain’s manager without anyone knowing that Cain is Ren Tsuruga, President Lory gets Kyoko to play Setsu. All very silly and complicated but it is also so funny and so much fun, that I don’t care how silly it is. Kyoko is having to learn a part of the fly, Ren is not handling having Kyoko around all the time well, and everything else is just silly. I am looking forward to seeing what nonsense Kyoko and Ren get up to in these costumes. 

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. 

Fever Dream

Today's post is on Fever Dream by Samantha Schweblin. It is 183 pages long and is published by Riverhead Books. The cover is black bubbles with a horse head in the middle. The intended reader is someone who likes surreal metafiction. There is mild foul language, no sex, and no violence in this novel. The story is told from two voices Amanda and David. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- Experience the blazing, surreal sensation of a fever dream...
A young woman named Amanda lies dying in a rural hospital clinic. A boy named David sits beside her. She's not his mother. He's not her child. Together. they tell a haunting story of broken souls, toxins, looming environmental and spiritual catastrophes, and the ties that bind a parent to a child.
Fever Dream is a nightmare come to life, a ghost story for the real world, a love story, and a cautionary tale. Samantha Schweblin creates an aura of strange psychological menace and otherworldly reality in this absorbing, taut, unsettling novel. Fresh and startling, this is like nothing you've ever read before. 

Review- This is a very interesting and surreal novel. This is told from first person but from two voices. Amanda is the storyteller and David is keeping her from forgetting the story as she lies dying. David asks her questions about what happened, who was there, and how she got to the hospital. The plot itself is about a mother, David's mother, who is worried about her child, who had been sick, and was now acting differently. There is so many plot points going on in this slim novel, from the way the story is told to how it plays with heavy themes of childhood death and environmental disaster. This novel is not for everyone but if you are willing to go to the experimental side of story telling, you will be rewarding in Dream Fever. 

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

Soulless: The Case Against R. Kelly

Today's nonfiction post is on Soulless: The Case Against R. Kelly by Jim DeRogatis. It is 330 pages long and is published by Abrams Press. The book is black with the title in white. The intended reader is someone who is interested in true crime and survivor stories. There is some very foul language, discussion of sex, rape, and sexuality, and some violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- The Definitive Account of R. Kelly's Action and Their Consequences.
In 2000, Chicago journalist and music critic Jim DeRogatis received an anonymous fax that alleged that R&B superstar and local hero R. Kelly had a problem with 'young girls.' Weeks later, DeRogatis broke the shocking allegations in print- Kelly had groomed, sexually abused, and paid off young girls. Still, Kelly's career flourished, especially after his first trail and acquittal. No one seemed to care: neither the music industry nor the culture at large. But for more than twenty years, DeRogatis stayed on the story. Soulless: The Case Against R. Kelly is a work of tenacious journalism and cultural criticism. It tells the story of Kelly's career, the author's conversations with victims, expects, and those in the musician's orbit and, at last, a sweeping conviction for Kelly's crimes in federal court. 

Review- This is a well written account of one journalist's search for the truth and his hope for justice for the victims. It all starts for Jim DeRogatis when he receives an anonymous fax telling DeRogatis that Kelly had a problem with young girls. Of course DeRogatis had heard the rumors about Kelly and his misbehavior with young girls and women. The fax just sits on his desk before DeRogatis starts investigating the rumors and what he finds will haunt him for the rest of his life. DeRogatis and other reporters will spend the next twenty odd years researching and interviewing the girls, the women, and their families about their relationships with Kelly and what happened to them. This book is a tough read at times because DeRogatis does not hold back with the victims and their stories and the video tapes of the acts, as Kelly liked to tapes himself with women and girls. If you are looking for a information about the case against R. Kelly, then you should read this book, DeRogatis does a great job with this very tough material.

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.

Canon, Volume 1

Today’s nonfiction post is on Canon, Volume 1 by Chika Shiomi.  It is 200 pages long and is published by CMX Comics. The cover is an illustration of Canon. There is mild foul language, no sexuality, and mild violence in this book. The intended reader is someone who likes horror and shojo manga. The story is told from third person close following Canon. There Be Spoilers Ahead. 

From the back of the book- Suspense and the supernatural collide in the tale of Canon--the only student to escape the bloody vampire attack that takes the lives of her fellow classmates. But she doesn't get very far before she is captured, bitten and turned into a vampire herself! Struggling against the terrible needs that compel the undead, Canon commits herself to using her powers for good. She'll do whatever she can to avenge the death of her friends and her own unfortunate fate. Joining forces with Fuui--a talking vampire crow--she begins her quest to find Rodd, Lord of the Vampires.

Review- An interesting start to a shojo horror manga. The story starts after Canon was attacked by a vampire and turned halfway into a vampire, she has held onto her human heart with help. She wants to kill the vampire who turned her and get revenge for her friends. But she is still very new to her powers and she is not feeding on humans so not as strong as other vampires. I like the start, we see the world that has monsters running around and one girl trying to stop it. Canon is interesting, she is young but she is willing to learn what she needs to do to stop the bad guy. I did laugh when I read the bad guy’s name, it's Rod. But It is a short series, only four volumes long so I am curious to see what Shiomi can do in that short of time. 

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 Children of Red Peak

Today's post is on The Children of Red Peak by Craig DiLouie. It is 357 pages long and is published by Redhook. The cover is a landscape but upside-down. The intended reader is someone who likes horror and mysteries. There is some foul language, some mild sexuality, and violence in this novel. The story is told from third person close of the characters changing from chapter to chapter. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- They escaped the cult- but are they free?
David Young, Deacon Price, and Beth Harris live with a dark secret. They grew up in an isolated religious community in the shadow of a the mountain Red Peak- and they are among the few who survived its horrific last days.
Years, later the trauma of what they experiences never feels far behind. And when a fellow survive commits suicide, they reunite to confront their past and share their memories of that final night.
But discovering the terrifying truth might put them on a path back to Red Peak, and escaping a second time could be almost impossible. 

Review- This is was a great horror novel but it is not for the faint of heart. David, Deacon, and Beth are all survivors of an and times cult and they have tried to live their lives with the past behind them. But when another survivor takes her life and sends them all packages about Red Peak from before their cult get there, they are all pulled right back into their pasts and the ghosts that still haunt them. The novel is great horror with interesting characters, who are broken in interesting ways, and the mystery just pulls the reader in. The mystery is not only for the reader but the characters themselves are trying to discover what really happened 15 years ago. The story is in both past and present and the flash backs work by adding context to the characters actions and their present lives. The gore is not on the page but it is horrific when the children see what the adults around them are doing to themselves to be holy enough. The ending is okay but the rest of the novel makes up for it. I would recommend this novel for horror lovers. 

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

Kiss Me at the Stroke of Midnight, Vol. 6

Today’s post is on Kiss Me at the Stroke of Midnight, Vol. 6 by Rin Mikimoto.  It is 176 pages long and is published by Kodansha Comics. The cover is an illustration of Hinana and Kaede looking cute together. As it is the sixth in the series, you need to have read the first five volumes to understand the story. There is no foul language, very mild sexuality, and no violence in this book. The intended reader is someone who likes modern, sweet love stories and mild celebrity drama. The story is told from third person close of the main characters. There Be Spoilers Ahead. 

From the back of the book-A Bold Move
Shu has captured photographic evidence of Kaede’s relationship with Hinana and threatens to expose it to the entire world- unless Hinana breaks up with Kaede! While Hinana attempts to convince Shu otherwise, she faces bigger challenges and is at the mercy of Shu’s every demand!

Review- Hinana and Shu get to know each other and Shu learns why Kaede wants to be with Hinana. Shu in the end deletes the photo and even supports them. That is most of this volume, character growth for Shu and seeing how Hinana will handle Kaede’s old friends. There is some about Hinana feeling that she is not pretty enough to be with Kaede but that is handled quickly and done well. A very sweet but slow volume that is building up to a major plot dump in the next volume with Kaede telling Hinana that he wants her to know what happened in his past. I am very curious about what he is going to reveal. 

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. 

Confessions

Today's post is on Confessions by Kanae Minato. It is 234 pages and is published by Mulholland Books. The cover is a picture of student desks in a circle with one wooden chair in the center. The intended reader is someone who likes very twisty stories with at best morally grey characters. There is some mild foul language, no sex, and some violence in this novel. The story is told from five different characters, changing per chapter. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Her pupils murdered her daughter. Now she will have her revenge.
After calling off her engagement in the wake of a tragic revelation, Yuko Moriguchi had nothing to live for except her only child, four-year-old Manami. Now, following an accident on the grounds of the middle school where she teaches, Yuko has given up and tendered her resignation.
But first she has one last lecture to deliver. She tells a story that upends everything her students ever thought they knew about two of their peers, and sets in motion a maniacal plot her revenge.

Review- This is a mind trip of a novel. Every chapter brings new revelations about the inciting incident and the characters. With every page more and more of the characters come undone with the exception of Moriguchi, she becomes more and more in control as everything spins into chaos around her. This novel is very psychological as the reader is in the minds of the killers and those around them, giving the reader insight into the characters inner lives. The ending was a great wrap up to the story and one heck of a surprise. I would recommend this novel.

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

The Nineties

Today's nonfiction post is on The Nineties: A Book by Chuck Klosterman. It is 370 pages long and is published by Penguin Press. The cover is a clear plastic phone on a white background. The intended reader is someone who like essays, interested in near history, and re-examining their memories. There is mild foul language, no sex, and no violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Head.

From the dust jacket- It was long ago, but not as long as it seems: The Berlin Wall fell and the Twin Towers collapsed. In between, one presidential election was allegedly decided by Ross Perot while another was plausibly decided by Ralph Nader. At the beginning, almost every name and address was listed in a phone book, and everyone answered their landlines because you didn't know who it was. By the end, exposing someone's address was an act of emotional violence, and nobody picked up their new cell phone if they didn't know who it was. The 1990s brought about a revolution in the human condition we're still groping to understanding. Happily, Chick Klosterman is more than up to the job.
Beyond epiphenomena like "Cop Killer" and Titanic and Zima, there were wholesale shifts in how society was perceived: the rise of the internet, pre-9/11 politics, and the paradoxical belief that nothing was more humiliating than undisguised ambition. Pop culture accelerated without the aid of a machine that remembered everything, generating an odd comfort in never being certain about anything. On a 1900s Thursday night, more people watched any random episode of Seinfeld than the finale of Game of Thrones. But nobody thought that it was important; if you missed it, you simply missed it. This was the last era that held to the idea of an objective, hegemonic mainstream before everything began to fracture, whether you found a home in it or defined yourself against it. 

Review- Another wonderful book of essays by Klosterman that touches on many topics that dominated public thought in the 1900s. Klosterman is a great writer, who bring interesting insights into a very meaty topic, covering a whole decade in less than 350 pages. He talks TV, movies, politics, music, and more. The writing is very engaging, he makes his points and backs them them up well but leaves room for the reader to have their own opinion about the particular topic. He draws good parallels to modern day and how the while the world has changed, the problems haven't. I would recommend this book and everything else from Klosterman.  

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. 

Sweat and Soap, Vol. 5

Today’s post is on Sweat and Soap, Vol. 5 by Kintetsu Yamada.  It is 208 pages long and is published by Kodansha Comics. The cover is an illustration of Asako and Natori. As it is the fifth in the series, you need to have read the first four volumes to understand the story. There is no foul language, mild sexuality, and no violence in this book. The intended reader is someone who likes modern, sweet love stories. The story is told from third person close of the main characters. There Be Spoilers Ahead. 

From the back of the book- Jingle Smells
With great effort, the notorious workaholic Natori has managed to carve out a real holiday break, with time away from the office to spend with his girlfriend Asako. But that doesn’t mean he’s been able to tear himself away long enough to get her a proper present, and by the time he starts looking for a Christmas reservation at the restaurant he’s had his heart set on, they’re full up! For her part, Asako’s been completely swamped- the books have to be closed for the end of the year, so ‘tis the season to log overtime in the accounting department!

Review- Asako and Natori get to spend Christmas and New Year’s together and with family. Natori finally meets Asako’s father and they get along. Then the rest of the volume is about them hunting for an apartment together. Once again this series shines in the characters and their relationships. There are no stupid misunderstands, no love triangle drama, just two people in love and working towards a life together. By working with each other they find a perfect place for them in the future. I look forward to more time with Asako and Natori. 

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. 

I'm the Villainess, So I'm Taming the Final Boss, Vol. 1

Today's post is on I'm the Villainess, So I'm Taming the Final Boss, Vol. 1 by Sarasa Nagase and illustrations by Mai Murasaki. It is 230 pages long and is published by Yen On. The cover has the two main characters, Aileen and Claude on it. The intended reader is someone who likes light novels, villainess stories, and fun plots. There is no foul language, no sex, and mild violence in this novel. The story is told from third person close of Aileen. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Villains have their own routes too!
When her engagement to the prince ends unceremoniously, details of the young noblewoman Aileen's past life come rushing back and help her realize she's living inside the world of one of her favorite otome games- as the heroine's greatest rival!
However, her memory has more plot holes than bad fan fiction...
and the only certainty is that if she doesn't do something quick, her death is all but assured. There hero/main-love-interest can't be relied on, so why not see what the last boss has to day?

Review- This is a very fun read with a really good main character. Aileen remembered her past life, just as the prince is rejecting her publicly. Realizing that she was a villainess destined to die, she does does something crazy. Aileen marching into the palace of the Demon King and askes him to marry her. Aileen is very funny with how blunt she is, she makes no bones about what she is doing, and why she wants to marry Claude. Claude is more serious and mysterious but he is likable and easy to understand as the novel goes on. The side characters are fun from the crazy-ish heroine to the side kicks of Claude. There are some good plot twists and the illustrations are really good and add to the story telling. I am looking forward to reading the next volume. 

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

Hell's Half-Acre : The Untold Story of the Benders, America's First Serial Killer Family

Today's nonfiction post is on Hell's Half-Acre : The Untold Story of the Benders, America's First Serial Killer Family by Susan Jonusas. It is 345 pages long and is published by Viking. The cover is a picture of lone house on the open prairie and black smoke coming from the chimney. The intended reader is someone who likes historical true crime. There is some mild foul language, no sex, and some violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- In 1873, the people of Labette County, Kansas, made a grisly discovery.
Buried by the trailside cabin beneath an orchard of young apple trees were the remains of countless bodies. Below the cabin itself was a cellar stained with blood. The Benders, the family of four who once resided on the property, were nowhere to be found. The discovery of their horrifying crimes sparked an epic manhunt across Kansas, Indian Territory, and beyond, and send the local community and national newspapers into a frenzy of speculation that continued for decades afterward.
The idea that a family of seemingly respectable homesteaders- one among the thousands relocating farther west in search og land and opportunity after the Civil War- were capable of operating 'a human slaughter pen' appalled and fascinated the nation. The cabin on the prairie, traditionally a place for weary travelers to seek shelter and company, suddenly became something frightening and unknowable. In this suspense filled tale of murder on the American frontier, Susan Jonusas examines who the Benders really were, why they committed such a vicious killing spree, and whether justice ever caught up to them- a mystery that remains unsolved to this day. Drawing on extensive original archival material, Jonusas introduces us to a fascinating cast of characters, many of whom have been previously missing from the story. Among them are the families of the victims, the hapless detectives who lost the trail, and the fugitives who helped the murderer escape.

Review- An interesting and mostly forgotten piece of American western history. Out in the plains of Kansas and the Midwest in general, people go missing. Tragic but nothing unusual. But then travelers who had family waiting for them and friends looking for them, starting going missing. But only after they stopped at a lonely cabin between Independence and Ladore, KS. The family that lived in that cabin, the Benders, said that the travelers had been there but they had moved on per their plans. Then one day, the Benders who gone too. When investigating their cabin, the searchers discovered a grim place that smelled of blood. Jonusas does a great job in re-creating the world that the Benders lived and killed in. From primary resources like court documents and dairy entries. The writing is excellent, with not too much detail for the faint of heart but Jonusas does not disguise how horrid the murders were. In the end she gives her person thoughts on what happened to the Benders but that is also part of the mystery. I would recommend this book for old west and historical true crime fans

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.