Yona of the Dawn, Vol. 20

Today's manga post is on Yona of the Dawn, Vol. 20 by Mizuho Kusanagi. It is 192 pages long and is published by Shojo Beat. The cover has Gija on it. As it is the twentieth volume in the series, you need to have read the first nineteen volumes in order to understand the story. The intended reader is someone who likes fantasy, action shojo manga. There is no foul language, no sex, and mild violence in this manga. The story is told from third person close of the main characters. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the manga- Yona and Riri wind up in the nation of Sei after being betrayed by a trusted acquaintance! Forced to work as slaves, the two stubbornly refuse to be controlled, but their situation is dire. In order to save Yona and Riri, Hak and the Four Dragons, split into two groups and sneak into enemy territory! 

Review- Yona and Riri are in danger but they are going to just let things happen to them. They discover and learn about the people who are kidnapping for slaves. Hak and co. quickly discover that Yona is missing and they go on the hunt for her. But with Riri being the daughter of the Water Tribe leader, all of the kingdom get involved. This volume is about building relationships as the plot takes a back sit and it is important to see the bonds between the characters. Yona and Riri survive by trusting and helping each other. It ends with a cliff hanger and Riri in danger, so I am 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 Lonesome Hunters

Today's fiction post is on The Lonesome Hunters by Tyler Crook. It is 104 pages long and is published by Dark Horse Comics. The cover has the two main characters with the magic sword. The intended reader is someone who likes urban fantasy and supernatural settings. There is no foul language, no sex, and mild action violence in this graphic novel. The story is told from third person god perspective following the characters. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- An old and out-of-practice monster hunter in hiding crosses paths with a young girl that forces him to confront these chaotic creatures. As the beasts invade their tenement they set off on a supernatural road trip to stop these ancient evils in a story that explores the ways that youth informs adulthood and how early traumas can haunt us in old age.

Review- The story starts with the hunter, Howard, as a young man and what happened to him. Then we jump into the future with Lupe as she is trying to just make it living with her uncle, who stole something that he shouldn't have. She runs to Howard and then they are fighting and running from things either truly understand. This volume is a lot of set-up from the world to the characters. So a lot of questions but no answer about what is really going on and who the bad guys really are. But I'm hopeful, as I did enjoy this graphic novel. I look forward to reading the volume whenever it comes out. 

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

The Promised Neverland, Vol. 3

Today's manga post is on The Promised Neverland, Vol. 3 by Kaiu Shirai and Posuka Demizu  (Illustrator). It is 192 pages long and is published by Shonen Jump. The cover has the children running and defended themselves. As it is the third volume in the series, you need to have read the first two volumes. The intended reader is someone who likes horror, dystopian manga. There is no foul language, no sex, and some mild violence in this manga. The story is told from third person close of the different characters moving as needed. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the manga- Destroy!
In order to escape the orphanage where they are being raised as food for demons, Emma, Norman and Ray begin recruiting allies. But convincing the other children to believe them may not be an easy task. 

Review- This volume is very tense with the adults both moving, against the children and each other. Sister Krone wants to be a mom and she knows that the children are planning to escape. So she proposes a alliance, help for the children to escape and help to bring down mom Isabelle. Of course nothing goes as planned with Sister Krone giving her life to help the children in some mysterious way and mom Isabelle saying that Norman's day is here. The tension is getting greater as the children are very aware of time running out for them and they still know so little about the outside world. I hope that we get the escape soon because Grace Field House is just getting more dangerous for everyone, even Isabelle. 

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.

Mister Magic

Today's fiction post is on Mister Magic by Kiersten White. It is 295 pages long and is published by Del Rey. The cover is bright pink with a TV in the center with black liquid dripping out of it. The intended reader is someone who likes horror. There is mild foul language, no sex, and no violence in this book. The story is told from third person close of the main character Val. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- Who is Mister Magic? Former child stars reunite to uncover the tragedy that ended their show—and discover the secret of its enigmatic host—in this dark supernatural thriller from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Hide.
Thirty years after a tragic accident shut down production of the classic children’s program Mister Magic, the five surviving cast members have done their best to move on. But just as generations of cultishly devoted fans still cling to the lessons they learned from the show, the cast, known as the Circle of Friends, have spent their lives searching for the happiness they felt while they were on it. The friendship. The feeling of belonging. And the protection of Mister Magic.
But with no surviving video of the show, no evidence of who directed or produced it, and no records of who—or what—the beloved host actually was, memories are all the former Circle of Friends has.
Then a twist of fate brings the castmates back together at the remote desert filming compound that feels like it’s been waiting for them all this time. Even though they haven’t seen each other for years, they understand one another better than anyone has since.
After all, they’re the only ones who hold the secret of that circle, the mystery of the magic man in his infinitely black cape, and, maybe, the answers to what really happened on that deadly last day. But as the Circle of Friends reclaim parts of their past, they begin to wonder: Are they here by choice, or have they been lured into a trap?
Because magic never forgets the taste of your friendship. . . .

Review- A great story about a forgotten TV show and the friends who lived in it. Val doesn't remember much about her life before coming to live on the ranch. Her and her father are on the run from something or someone. Val is sure it's because of something she did as a child but her father refuses to answer any questions about her life before. When he dies, the people he was hiding her from, find Val. Tell her that she was on a TV show and they need to her to fix the show. But everything around the show is weird and the people who want her to fix it are even weirder. This was a incredible read about more than just a forgotten TV show for children. It was about surviving abuse, cult programming, and forgiving yourself for being a child trapped alone with something that is hungry for that special something that all children have. The writing is very good, the characters are interesting and relatable for children who survived, and the world is too real, as someone who has read about cults. I highly recommend this novel. 

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. 

Unearthed: A Lost Actress, a Forbidden Book, and a Search for Life in the Shadow of the Holocaust

Today's nonfiction post is on Unearthed: A Lost Actress, a Forbidden Book, and a Search for Life in the Shadow of the Holocaust by Meryl Frank. It is 256 pages long and is published by Hachette Books. The cover is a picture of Franya Winter. The intended reader is someone who is interested in personal histories and the long term affects of the second world war. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- A thrilling mystery woven into a beautifully constructed family Meryl Frank’s journey to seek the truth about a beloved and revolutionary cousin, a celebrated actress in Vilna before World War II, and to answer the question of how the next generation should honor the memory of the Holocaust.
As a child, Meryl Frank was the chosen inheritor of family remembrance. Her aunt Mollie, a formidable and cultured woman, insisted that Meryl never forget who they were, where they came from, and the hate that nearly destroyed them. Over long afternoons, Mollie told her about the city, the theater, and, above all else, Meryl’s cousin, the radiant Franya Winter. Franya was the leading light of Vilna’s Yiddish theater, a remarkable and precocious woman who cast off the restrictions of her Hasidic family and community to play roles as prostitutes and bellhops, lovers and nuns. Yet there was one thing her aunt Mollie would never tell how Franya died. Before Mollie passed away, she gave Meryl a Yiddish book containing the terrible answer, but forbade her to read it. And for years, Meryl obeyed.
Unearthed is the story of Meryl’s search for Franya and a timely history of hatred and resistance. Through archives across four continents, by way of chance encounters and miraculous discoveries, and eventually, guided by the shocking truth recorded in the pages of the forbidden book, Meryl conjures the rogue spirit of her cousin—her beauty and her tragedy. Meryl’s search reveals a lost world destroyed by hatred, illuminating the cultural haven of Vilna and its resistance during World War II. As she seeks to find her lost family legacy, Meryl looks for answers to the questions that have defined her what is our duty to the past? How do we honor such memories while keeping them from consuming us? And what do we teach our children about tragedy?

Review- Frank grew up on the stories of family members who were 'lost', as her aunt put it. She couldn't get enough of her family history but there were so many questions that no one had any answers for her. So when her aunt dies and Frank becomes the memory keeper for her family, Frank wants to know more and she begins her search. This is a moving story about a woman looking for her family, the past, and the future of her family. On the way, Frank does not just discover what happened but unknown heroes who saved precious information and family mementos. Frank does not gloss over what happened to her family and other Jews in Vilna but she finds hope in the story and shares that with the reader. I truly enjoyed this book and I found it to be beautiful, hopeful story about family and survival. I would recommend this book. 

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. 

I Swear I Won't Bother You Again! Vol. 2

Today's manga post is I Swear I Won't Bother You Again! Vol. 2 by Haru Harukawa  (Artist) , and Reina Soratani  (Original Story). It is 180 pages long and is published by Seven Seas. The cover has the crown prince on it. As it is the second volume you need to have read the first volume to understand the story. The intended reader is someone who likes villainess stories, rom-coms, and shojo manga. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this manga. The story is story from third person close of the main character, Violette. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the manga- All the World's a Stage
The daughter of a duke, Lady Violette, attempted to murder her half sister out of jealousy and was thrown into prison for her crime. After losing consciousness in jail, she wakes up one year in the past. This time, she decides to avoid attention and live a quiet and normal life. But the people around her can't help but notice that something's different. Despite her attempts to lay low, during a study session Violette crosses paths with the handsome price and student council president Claudia, as well as his closest confident Milania, and her childhood friend Yulan! And now her half sister Maryjune won't leave her alone, either!

Review- This volume picks up right where the last one left off with the prince about to go on stage. Violette helps him because she can without thinking about it but now the prince has noticed her. Of course now that Violette is just living her life without trying to get anyone to notice her, the prince is all over her and I am will her on being annoyed about it. In addition we see some of Violette's past when she was a child and the abuse that her mother did. Her mother made Violette dress as a boy and pretend to be her father. It was very twisted but it shows why Yulan is so attached to Violette and why Violette so badly wants to be loved for herself. I am 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.

Invisible Kingdom, Vol. 1: Walking the Path

Today's fiction post is on Invisible Kingdom, Vol. 1: Walking the Path by G. Willow Wilson and Christian Ward (Artist). 136 pages long and is published by Berger Books. The cover is beautiful blue sky with a lone figure in red facing a floating building. The intended reader is someone who likes science fiction, political stories, and graphic novels. There is no foul language, implied sex, and mild violence in this volume. The story is told from third person god, following the two main characters. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- In a distant galaxy, two women discover an inconceivable conspiracy between the world's most dominant religion and an all-powerful mega corporation.
Suddenly the prey in a desperate interstellar chase, they're faced with a life-or-death decision: reveal the truth or risk plunging their worlds into anarchy.

Review- A great start into a graphic novel series about a conspiracy a the highest levels of life and effecting every living species. Vess is a new none on the path to the invisible kingdom, she has a calling towards her religious order and when she discovers something odd in the books of the order, she learns that not everything is what it should be. There is so much to like about this graphic novel, the story is fast paced, the art is great, and the characters are very interesting. I really like the none of the aliens look like a human, other than walking on two legs. They are very alien but that works so well and makes the story have a very different feel than if the reader had a human character to attach to. I recommend this graphic novel and I cannot wait to get my hands on the next volume and continue the chase.  

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

A Village in the Third Reich: How Ordinary Lives Were Transformed by the Rise of Fascism

Today's nonfiction post is on A Village in the Third Reich: How Ordinary Lives Were Transformed by the Rise of Fascism by Julia Boyd and Angelika Patel. It is 480 pages long and is published by Pegasus Books. The cover is a painting of a beautiful village with mountains in the background. The intended reader is someone who is interested in World War II history. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- Hidden deep in the Bavarian mountains lies the picturesque village of Oberstdorf—a place where for hundreds of years people lived simple lives while history was made elsewhere. Yet even this remote idyll could not escape the brutal iron grip of the Nazi regime.
From the author of the international bestseller Travelers in the Third Reich comes A Village in the Third Reich, shining a light on the lives of ordinary people. Drawing on personal archives, letters, interviews and memoirs, it lays bare their brutality and love; courage and weakness; action, apathy and grief; hope, pain, joy, and despair.
Within its pages we encounter people from all walks of life – foresters, priests, farmers and nuns; innkeepers, Nazi officials, veterans and party members; village councillors, mountaineers, socialists, slave labourers, schoolchildren, tourists and aristocrats. We meet the Jews who survived – and those who didn’t; the Nazi mayor who tried to shield those persecuted by the regime; and a blind boy whose life was judged "not worth living."
This is a tale of conflicting loyalties and desires, of shattered dreams—but one in which, ultimately, human resilience triumphs. These are the stories of ordinary lives at the crossroads of history.

Review- A interesting account from a small village in Bavaria starting just after the end of World War I to the after the end of World War II. Boyd gets access to village records, personal letters and journals of the villagers during this time. She gives an intimate examination of a singular village during a particular time and political atmosphere. Boyd does a good job with the material, not justifying anyone's behavior. The writing is good, handling all the characters and places with skill and help the reader remember who is who and where they are. A different look at the war and the people who lived through it. I would recommend this book. 

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.

Golden Japanesque - A Splendid Yokohama Romance, Vol. 1

Today's manga post is on Golden Japanesque - A Splendid Yokohama Romance, Vol. 1 by Kaho Miyasaka. It is 163 pages long and is published by Yen Press. The cover has the main character, Maria on it. The intended reader is someone who likes historical romance, shojo 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, Maria. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the manga- In Meiji-era Japan, sixteen-year-old Maria wishes she can change her appearance. If only her eyes and hair were different, maybe she wouldn’t be met with such fear, and maybe her own mother wouldn’t be so ashamed of her. But when Maria encounters a handsome yet mischievous boy named Rintarou, her understanding of beauty—and herself—begins to change. To him, Maria’s not just pretty; she’s straight out of a fairy tale! A historical romance unfolds on the streets of Yokohama…

Review- A good start to a new series. Maria is half-western and half- Japanese and she has been mistreated because of it. She has golden hair that her mother puts ink on every morning and Maria never lifts her head. But she gets involved with the son of a social higher family, Rintarou. From meeting him, Maria's world expanded and she began to question her reality and experiences. The story is interesting, the art is just wonderful, and the characters are good. I am interested in what is going to happen to Maria and I hope that she finds herself on this journey. 

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.

Leech

Today's fiction post is on Leech by Hiron Ennes. It is 323 pages long and is published by Tor. The cover is grey with a bottle in the center, there is a castle in the bottle and black tentacles coming from the top. The intended reader is someone who likes weird, dystopian fiction. There is foul language, no sex, and mild violence in this novel. The story is told from first person of the main character. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- In an isolated chateau, as far north as north goes, the baron’s doctor has died. The doctor’s replacement has a mystery to solve: discovering how the Institute lost track of one of its many bodies.
For hundreds of years the Interprovincial Medical Institute has grown by taking root in young minds and shaping them into doctors, replacing every human practitioner of medicine. The Institute is here to help humanity, to cure and to cut, to cradle and protect the species from the apocalyptic horrors their ancestors unleashed.
In the frozen north, the Institute's body will discover a competitor for its rung at the top of the evolutionary ladder. A parasite is spreading through the baron's castle, already a dark pit of secrets, lies, violence, and fear. The two will make war on the battlefield of the body. Whichever wins, humanity will lose again.

Review- This is a fascinating novel told from the perspective of a parasite that has been living in humans for over 500 years and has made itself the only medical help around the world. The world has been destroyed by war with aliens and between countries. Something has happened to the Institute's body in the far north and so another has been sent, to tend to the people there and to discover what happened. In the frozen, the body discovers that more fell from the stars than just legends. I enjoyed this novel, it was an interesting way to tell a story with the body being in touch with others of its kind and the body's panic when it cannot hear them anymore. Ennes creates a very interesting world with a rich past and dark present. They have a wonderful writing style that gives the reader just enough information to understand what is happening but making the reader curious about what happened and what is going to happen. If you like horror, dystopian novels, I would recommend this novel. 

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

In the Garden of the Righteous: The Heroes Who Risked Their Lives to Save Jews During the Holocaust

Today's nonfiction post is on In the Garden of the Righteous: The Heroes Who Risked Their Lives to Save Jews During the Holocaust by Richard Hurowitz. It is 480 pages long and is published by Harper. The cover is tan with title in a red ribbon from left to right with pictures of the people from this in book behind it. The intended reader is someone who is interested in history, World War II history, and unsung heroes. There is mild foul language, no sex, and descriptions of violence in this book. There Be Spoiler Ahead.

From the dust jacket- These powerfully illuminating and inspiring profiles pay tribute to the incredible deeds of the Righteous Among the Nations, little-known heroes who saved countless lives during the Holocaust. Less than a century ago, the Second World War took the lives of more than fifty million people; more than six million of them were systematically exterminated through crimes of such enormity that a new name to describe the horror was coined: the Holocaust. Yet amid such darkness, there were glimmers of light—courageous individuals who risked everything to save those hunted by the Nazis.
Today, as bigotry and intolerance and the threats of fascism and authoritarianism are ascendent once again, these heroes’ little-known stories—among the most remarkable in human history—resonate powerfully. Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Memorial in Jerusalem, has recognized more than 27,000 individuals as “Righteous Among the Nations”—non-Jewish people such as Raoul Wallenberg and Oskar Schindler who risked their lives to save their persecuted neighbors.
In the Garden of the Righteous chronicles extraordinary acts at a time when the moral choices were stark, the threat immense, and the passive apathy of millions predominated. Deeply researched and astonishingly moving, it focuses on ten remarkable stories, including that of the circus ringmaster Adolf Althoff and his wife Maria, the Portuguese diplomat Aristides de Sousa Mendes, the Italian cycling champion Gino Bartali, the Polish social worker Irena Sendler, and the Japanese spy Chinue Sugihara, who provided hiding places, participated in underground networks, refused to betray their neighbors, and secured safe passage. They repeatedly defied authorities and risked their lives, their livelihoods, and their families to save the helpless and the persecuted. In the Garden of the Righteous is a testament to their kindness and courage.

Review- This book is a selection of ten stories of different people from around the world who didn't turn away from the suffering of others. Some of them were powerful people in government and some were just average people who did what they could. But they made a difference where they could, they took risks that others wouldn't, and sometimes they paid the ultimate price for their bravery. The writing is very good, with information pulled from letters, dairies, official paperwork, and face to face conversations with those still living. At times this book is hard to read with the details of the suffering of both Jews and those who helped them but reading about their bravery and the lives that were saved helps make this book more encouraging than depressing. If you are a WWII history buff, then you need to read this book. 

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. 

Frau Faust, Vol. 4

Today's manga post is Frau Faust, Vol. 4 by Kore Yamazaki. It is 160 pages long and is published by Kodansha Comics. The cover has Faust, Marion, and Mephistopheles on it. 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 mild violence in this manga. The story is told from third person close of Faust. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the manga- The Devil you know
After a surprise reappearance by a recently defeated demon, Johanna and her companions find themselves under attack. The demon Ino has been ordered to capture Dr. Faust, and this time, nothing will stop Ino from accomplishing her goal. Soon, Johanna finds herself in the heart of enemy territory, but the Doctor's smirk as she faces her captors seems to suggest that the series of events leading to defeat may have all been according to plan...

Review- We start with Faust and co. running from trouble and into the demon Ino. Faust gets taken into the cathedral where Mephistopheles' head is. But she is very hurt and passes out. Then we get to see more of her past as she remembers in her dreams. Everything is starting to wrap up with all the threads coming together, from who is pulling Ino's strings to what really happened to Faust.  Faust is no fool, she knows that she is running out of time and she is willing to do whatever is takes. The art continues to be wonderful and a wonderful addition to the story telling. I am looking forward to seeing how everything ends. 

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.