Land of the Lustrous, Vol. 1

Today's manga post is on Land of the Lustrous, Vol. 1 by Haruko Ichikawa. It is 200 pages long and is published by Kodansha Comics. The cover has some of the characters on it. The intended reader is someone who likes complicated, dystopian stories. There is no foul language, no sex, and some action violence in this manga. The story is told from third person close of the the main character, Phosphophylliye. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the manga- Searching for Purpose
In a world inhabited by crystalline life-forms called The Lustrous every unique gem must fight for their way of life against the threat of Lunarians who would turn them into decorations. Phosphophyllite, the most fragile and brittle of gems, longs to join the battle. When Phos is instead assigned to complete a natural history of their world, it sounds like a dull and pointless task. But this new job brings Phos into contact with Cinnabar, a gem forced to live in isolation. Can Phos's seemingly mundane assignment lead both Phos and Cinnabar to the fulfillment they desire?

Review- This is an interesting start to a series. The world that Phos lives in has ended but life has continued in a very unusual way. So to understand the world she is given the task of making a natural history. The Lunarians are interesting villains as they are a total unknown expect that they want the Lustrous, for some reason know only to themselves. The art is good and the action scenes are interesting and quick. I look forward to reading the next volume. 

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

The Haunting of Velkwood

Today's post is on The Haunting of Velkwood by Gwendolyn Kiste. It is 246 pages long and is published by Saga Press. The cover is picture with a woman standing facing a foggy background and down the cover is reflecting the top like a lake but there are two women in the reflection. The intended reader is someone who likes ghost stories and queer love stories. There is mild foul language, implied sexuality, and no violence in this novel. The story is told from first person close. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- The Velkwood Vicinity was the topic of occult theorists, tabloid one-hour documentaries, and even some pseudo-scientific investigations as the block of homes disappeared behind a near-impenetrable veil that only three survivors could enter—and only one has in the past twenty years, until now.
Talitha Velkwood has avoided anything to do with the tragedy that took her mother and eight-year-old sister, drifting from one job to another, never settling anywhere or with anyone, feeling as trapped by her past as if she was still there in the small town she so desperately wanted to escape from. When a new researcher tracks her down and offers to pay her to come back to enter the vicinity, Talitha claims she’s just doing it for the money. Of all the crackpot theories over the years, no one has discovered what happened the night Talitha, her estranged, former best friend Brett, and Grace, escaped their homes twenty years ago. Will she finally get the answers she’s been looking for all these years, or is this just another dead end?

Review- A good ghost story about how until we face our past we can never escape it. Talitha Velkwood has been running from her ghosts for twenty years. One night her whole neighborhood just become a ghost town. No one can go in and never ever comes out. When a paranormal researcher comes with an offer of money for her just to try and walk into her neighborhood, she goes. The driving force of the story is the characters, mainly Talitha and Brett. Their relationship and history is the crux of the story. Talitha has never found herself nor had the courage to live her life for herself. While this is a horror novel, there is no gore or hard violence in 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. 

Prince Freya, Vol. 3

Today's manga post is on Prince Freya, Vol. 3 by Keiko Ishihara. It is 192 pages long and is published by Shojo Beat. The cover has Julius with his sword drawn and Prince Edvard reflected in his sword. As it is the third volume in the series, you need to have read the first two volumes to understand the story. The intended reader is someone who likes epic historical stories with a strong female lead. There is no foul language, no sex, and violence in this manga. The story is told from third person close of the main character, Freya. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the manga- Freya is determined to help the soldiers trapped in the besieged Fort Leren, but with reinforcements days away, the only thing she has to offer them is her presence and everything it represents. But how can she embody the Prince of Hope when she is consumed by anger?

Review- This volume picks right where the last volume left off. With Freya still trying to learn how to lead and how to handle her emotions about all the death around her. Julius is trying to help her as best he can but Freya has to find her own way. When they are betrayed from within the fort, Freya has to pull herself together and lead. The plot is the main focus in this manga and it is a very driving force, so much so that the characters are secondary to it. Not what I normally like but it is a nice change of pace for me, so I am willing to see where this story goes. Very intense plot and the battle scenes are very intense too. This manga is not for everyone but I would recommend trying it. 

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

The Dragon Knight's Beloved, Vol. 2

Today's manga post is on The Dragon Knight's Beloved, Vol. 2 by Ritsu Aozaki (Artist) and Asagi Orikawa (Story). It is 162 pages long and is published by Seven Seas. The cover has the two main characters with a baby blue dragon 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 fantasy shojo love stories with some political themes. 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, Melissa. There Be Spoilers Ahead. 

From the back of the manga- MISTRESS TO THE MARGRAVE
After stepping down as the commander of the Dragon Knights, Hubert asked Melissa to accompany him to his estate and pretend to be his lover. There they found a hostile greeting at the hands of Eleanor, a woman who was fiancée to Hubert’s late brother. Eleanor hoped to see that engagement transferred to Hubert, but he steadfastly refused, declaring that he would only marry Melissa, a woman who has the approval of his dragon. Seeing no way to immediately change Hubert’s mind, Eleanor decided to leave the estate. But chances are good that she hasn’t surrendered, and is preparing the first moves in a sinister plot to obtain what she desires!

Review- This volume is focused on plot movement. With the birth of the new dragon king, Melissa's duties are even more important. She has to help Hubert and White Queen with the new baby dragon. But Eleanor is not giving up for some reason. What she wants is still a mystery. The plot is moving forward but I want to see more character growth in the next volume. The art continues to be great and the dragons designs are very cool. I look forward to seeing what is going to happen next. 

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.