Land of the Lustrous, Vol. 2

Today's manga post is on Land of the Lustrous, Vol. 2 by Haruko Ichikawa. It is 192 pages long and is published by Kodansha Comics. The cover has Phos and friends on it. 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 stories with deep plots with lots of philosophy. There is no foul language, no sex, and action violence. The story is told from third person close of the main character, Phos. There Be Spoilers Ahead

From the back of the manga- UNDER THE SEA
Phosphophyllite is determined to find a job more suited Cinnabar's many talents, but with no easy answers to be found on land, the quest turns seaward. Ventricosus the sea snail suggests that the creatures who live there may have the clue Phos is looking for. But the sea is hardly the optimal environment for a gemstone—will Phos make it back to shore in one piece?

Review- Phos has the sea creature with her and is listening to what it has to say. So Phos takes it back to the sea, against the orders of sensei. She learns about the past of the planet and how the Lustrous come into being and what the Lunarians are, maybe even what they want. But the sea creature has plans for Phos and almost kills her. But Phos survives and is not afraid of continuing her quest. The philosophy in this series is starting to come into focus. Questions about humans and humanity are starting to be asked of the characters and the readers. I am very curious about where the series is going and what Phos is going to learn. 

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. 

Spy x Family, Vol. 8

Today's manga post is on Spy x Family, Vol. 8 by Tatsuya Endo. It is 216 pages long and is published by Viz Media. The cover has Franky with the tools of his trade under him. As it is the eighth in the series, you need to have read the first seven volumes to understand the story. The intended reader is someone who likes spy, family comedies. There is no foul language, no sex, and action violence in this series. The story is told from third person close. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the manga- Yor is assigned to be a bodyguard for a mafia family on a cruise ship by the secret organization Garden. But with Lloyd and Anya also on board thanks to a giveaway they won, Yor is starting to have doubts about her secret life as an assassin…

Review- This volume has two main stories, Yor protecting a mother and child, and Loid and Anya trying to have a 'normal' vacation. Loid is really trying to be a father on this trip not a spy but he is not doing well. Anya wants to have more adventures and knows that Yor is having them. One big thing that happens in this volume, is that we learn why Yor does this job. She wants to protect the innocent lives around her, so she pushes herself harder for the greater good. The last third of the volume is an action scene with Yor and it is fun to see what she can really do. I look forward to the next volume and seeing what is going to happen next!

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. 

Fullmetal Alchemist: Fullmetal Edition, Vol. 4

Today's manga post is on Fullmetal Alchemist: Fullmetal Edition, Vol. 4 by Hiromu Arakawa. It is 256 pages long and published by Viz Media. The cover has Riza Hawkeye on it. As it is the fourth volume in the series, you need to have read the first three volumes to understand the story. The intended reader is someone who likes intense, shonen manga with great characters. There is mild foul language, no sex, and action 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- In an alchemical ritual gone wrong, Edward Elric lost his arm and his leg, and his brother Alphonse became nothing but a soul in a suit of armor. Finding themselves at a crossroads, the brothers seek the guidance of a teacher, but her lessons are harder to master than any alchemy.

Review- This volume is a lynch point volume. The reader gets a lot background for Ed and Al. We see everything that happened from their childhood and how brilliant Ed has always been. The main plot is paused for this volume but for this background that is fine. The reader not only seeing Ed and Al from a younger age, we see others in the cast, like Mustang and King Bradley. But most importantly, we see The Truth. It is very important for plot and character development and I cannot wait to see how this is going to play out in the end. I cannot wait to get my hands on 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. 

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. 

Radiance

Today's fiction post is on Radiance by Catherynne M. Valente. It is 432 pages long and is published by TOR. The cover is half black and half white with a woman's figure in silhouette and a movie camera in front of her with golden light coming out of it. The intended reader is someone who likes science fiction with a lot of classic pulp. There is mild foul language, discussions of sex and sexuality, and no violence in this novel. The story is told in many ways from interviews to transcripts. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- Radiance is a decopunk pulp SF alt-history space opera mystery set in a Hollywood-and solar system-very different from our own, from Catherynne M. Valente, the phenomenal talent behind the New York Times bestselling The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making.
Severin Unck's father is a famous director of Gothic romances in an alternate 1946 in which talking movies are still a daring innovation due to the patent-hoarding Edison family. Rebelling against her father's films of passion, intrigue, and spirits from beyond, Severin starts making documentaries, traveling through space and investigating the levitator cults of Neptune and the lawless saloons of Mars. For this is not our solar system, but one drawn from classic science fiction in which all the planets are inhabited and we travel through space on beautiful rockets. Severin is a realist in a fantastic universe.
But her latest film, which investigates the disappearance of a diving colony on a watery Venus populated by island-sized alien creatures, will be her last. Though her crew limps home to earth and her story is preserved by the colony's last survivor, Severin will never return.
Told using techniques from reality TV, classic film, gossip magazines, and meta-fictional narrative, Radiance is a solar system-spanning story of love, exploration, family, loss, quantum physics, and silent film.

Review- This is an incredible piece of fiction, I have never read anything like this before. The story is centered on Severin and her life and her possible death. The setting is a galaxy that humanity can traverse via the Orient Express and all the movies are silent. The mystery at the heart is what happened on Venus and to Severin but the journey is the true joy of the the novel. The writing is excellent, the characters are moving and interesting, and the setting is incredible. I have not read anything by Valente before but I will be seeking her books out now. 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. 

The Nice House on the Lake, Vol. 2

Today's post is on The Nice House on the Lake, Vol. 2 by James Tynion IV and Álvaro Martínez Bueno (Artist). It is 176 pages long and is published by DC Comics. The cover has Walter in the center and the others around him floating like in water. As it is the second volume, you need to have read the first one to understand the story. There is foul language, no sex, and some violence in this graphic novel. The intended reader is someone who likes end of the world stories with diverse characters. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- One of the most critically acclaimed and bestselling horror books of 2021 returns for its shocking second act—and now is the perfect time to enter the house! The 10 hardy survivors gathered in the house by their mutual friend Walter thought they’d finally cracked the code on his plans…and now everything they thought they knew has literally changed. Can they free themselves from their patterns? Or are they all just determined to build a prison of their very own?

Review- This comic is like a good TV show, intense, to the point, and doesn't over stay it's welcome. Walter is trying to get some control over his group and he is starting to understand that is not possible, that's humans are too much for him to control and still be loved by his friends. So he must make a choice and live with it. I feel that this was a great ending for a interesting series, there is more that can be done but this is a  strong send off if nothing more happens. The art is good, the writing is good, and the pacing is excellent, not too fast or too slow. I would be interested in whatever Tynion does next. 

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. 

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. 

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.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin

Today's post is on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin by Kevin Eastman, Peter Laird and Tom Waltz. It is 224 pages long and is published by IDW Publishing. The cover is black with a red moon and a turtle in black with his back to the reader. The intended reader is someone who is a fan of the series but you don't have to read all the previous series to enjoy this. There is mild foul language, no sex, and violence in this graphic novel. The story is told from third person close of the Last Ronin. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Who is the Last Ronin? In a future, battle-ravaged New York City, a lone surviving Turtle embarks on a seemingly hopeless mission seeking justice for the family he lost. From legendary TMNT co-creators Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, get ready for the final story of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles three decades in the making!
What terrible events destroyed his family and left New York a crumbling, post-apocalyptic nightmare? All will be revealed in this climactic Turtle tale that sees longtime friends becoming enemies and new allies emerging in the most unexpected places. Can the surviving Turtle triumph?
Eastman and Laird are joined by writer Tom Waltz, who penned the first 100 issues of IDW’s ongoing TMNT series, and artists Esau & Isaac Escorza (Heavy Metal) and Ben Bishop (The Far Side of the Moon) with an Introduction by filmmaker Robert Rodriguez!
Collects the complete five-issue miniseries in a new graphic novel, an adventure as fulfilling for longtime Turtles fans as it is accessible for readers just discovering the heroes in a half-shell.

Review- This was an incredible graphic novel and a great ending for the original turtle series. The story is in the future and New York is a mess without it's half-shelled protectors. The story is full of emotion not just from the turtle but from the others around him that are still healing from the events that made the Ronin a Ronin. The biggest emotion to me was the turtle dealing with loneness. They were always together or with April/Casey and in the present he has been alone for years and it has taken a toll on him. But he is committed to ending the war and stopping the last Oroku at last. I would strongly recommend this graphic novel. 

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

Star Wars: Thrawn

Today's post is on Star Wars: Thrawn by Jody Houser (Writer), Luke Ross (Illustrator), Paul Renaud (Cover Art). It is 152 pages long and is published by Marvel. The intended reader is someone who enjoys Star Wars and wants more. There is no foul language, no sex, and action violence in this graphic novel. The story is told from third person close mostly of Thrawn. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- The fan-favorite Imperial Grand Admiral gets the Marvel Comics treatment!
He's one of the most cunning and ruthless warriors in the history of Star Wars! Now, discover how Grand Admiral Thrawn became one of the most feared military tacticians in a galaxy far, far away. Jody Houser and Luke Ross adapt Timothy Zahn's New York Times best-selling novel about Thrawn's rise through the Imperial ranks!
Meet young Lieutenant Thrawn, who graduated the Imperial Academy with the highest marks possible. He's been assigned his own personal assistant, Ensign Eli Vanto, and is ascending quickly - but that doesn't mean everyone in the Imperial Navy wants him to succeed. And Thrawn isn't the Empire's only rising star - so is Arihnda Pryce. The two rivals' paths will cross, and tensions will run high, when they discover a dark secret within the Empire.

Review- This is a re-telling of the origins of Thrawn, one of the best characters in the extended universe of Star Wars. This starts from the beginning of Thrawn joining the Empire to his ascendancy as Grand Admiral. The reader sees the racism that Thrawn deals with, his genius, and his will to complete his tasks. He is basically Sherlock Holmes in Star Wars and working for the Empire. Thrawn has his reasons for everything he does and we get to see and understand what his aims are. A great introduction to a favorite character and I hope that more is written on Thrawn. 

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

Spy x Family, vol 7

 

Today's post is on Spy x Family, vol 7 by Tatsuya Endo. It is 200 pages long and is published by Viz Manga. The cover has Damian looking grumpy on it. As it is the seventh in the series, you need to read the first six volumes to understand the story. The intended reader is someone who is interested in humorous spy and assassin manga. There is no foul language, no sex, and mild violence in this manga. The story is told from third person close of the different characters. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- As Donovan Desmond is about to share a rare family moment with his son Damian, Twilight cuts in to meet his target face-to-face for the first time. Can Twilight find some way to endear himself to the inscrutable Donovan?

Review- We get to see more into Damian's life and it is very sad. I'm glad that he has Anya in his life now, even if he doesn't understand why. We travel with Damian as some of the adults in his life try to give him a more normal life and interactions. We also get to see Yor's boss and they are a mystery person who wears a mask and is starting to get worried about Yor's married life and if that family is getting in the way of Yor's job. It ends with the family going on a cruise together and that is going to be an experience for all of us. 

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.

Sky Without Stars

Today's post is on Sky Without Stars by Jessica Brody and Joanne Rendell. It is 579 pages long and is published by Simon Pulse. The cover is a world with different French landmarks on it. The intended reader is someone who likes young adult novels, romance, and reimagines of stories. There is some mild foul language, no sex, and some violence in this novel. The story is told from three different perspectives of the main characters. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- A thief. An officer. A guardian.
Three strangers. One shared destiny . . .
When the Last Days came, the planet of Laterre promised hope. But five hundred years later, it’s now a place where an extravagant elite class reigns supreme; where the clouds hide the stars and the poor starve in the streets; where a rebel group, long thought dead, is resurfacing.
Whispers of revolution have begun—a revolution that hinges on three unlikely heroes…
Chatine is a street-savvy thief who will do anything to escape the brutal Regime, including spying on Marcellus, the grandson of the most powerful man on the planet.
Marcellus is an officer—and the son of a traitor. Groomed to command by his legendary grandfather, Marcellus begins to doubt the government he’s vowed to serve when he discovers a cryptic message that only one person, a girl named Alouette, can read.
Alouette is living in an underground refuge, where she guards and protects the last surviving library on the planet. But a shocking murder will bring Alouette to the surface for the first time in twelve years…and plunge Laterre into chaos.
All three have roles to play in a dangerous game of revolution—and together they will shape the future of a planet.
Power, romance, and destiny collide in this sweeping reimagining of Victor Hugo’s masterpiece Les Misérables.

Review- A epic beginning to a trilogy that takes Les Misérables not only into space but into places never explored before. The story follows three very different characters with very different perceptions of life and their futures. Chatine only wants to get away from Laterre, Marcellus wants to be who his grandfather expects him to be, and Alouette wants to protect the hidden past without knowing her own. The three are on a collision course with planned revolution, old secrets, and murder. This was a good read with lots of world building, characters development, and fast pacing. The reader gets a handle on the world of Laterre and the people who live and die there. With the chapter heading telling the reader who perspective they are in, the reader sees Laterre from very different places and that adds so much to the world. I look forward to reading the next volume. 

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

Vampire Hunter D Volume 5: The Stuff of Dreams

Today's post is on Vampire Hunter D Volume 5: The Stuff of Dreams by Hideyuki Kikuchi and illustrations by Yoshitaka Amano. It is 172 pages long and was published by Dark Horse Books. The cover has D on it with his sword drawn facing off to the side. As it is the fifth in the long running series, you need to have read the first four volumes to understand the overall plot. There is some mild language, no sex, and some action violence in this novel. The story is told from third person close of the different characters with a narrator at times. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Even Vampire Hunters cannot resist the siren song of an ageless sleeping beauty.
In a world where even the smallest and most remote village cannot avoid being terrorized by the monsters that stalk the night, there is a hamlet, prosperous and peaceful, where mortals and the vampire Nobility have coexisted for years. It is there that seventeen-year-old Sybille Schmitz has slept, neither waking or again, for thirty years since first receiving the vampire's immortal kiss.
The mysterious Vampire Hunter known only as "D" is lured to the tranquil oasis by recurrent dreams of the beautiful undying girl bathed in an eerie blue light and dancing in a ghostly chateau. but there are a number of people who do not welcome the presence of the dhampir, fearing D will disturb the delicate balance upon which the fate of the town rests. They will stop at nothing to protect that balance, even if it means destroying the most feared Hunter the world has even known. 

Review- Kikuchi likes to do something different with every novel he writes, in this one the plot hook is a girl dreaming of peace and changing reality around her. D has been called to this peaceful village and strangely everyone seems to know him and they know who has called him. The sleeping girl, Sybille, somehow has called D to her village and wants something from him. But most of the villagers just want D to leave and are willing to do anything to make that happen. The mystery in this one was very intense and interesting, it had me guessing for a good half of this volume and the revelation about what is really happening is very tragic but also so interesting and adds more to the world building. The writing is very good, the translate is still excellent, and the pieces added to the story and are very beautiful. I would recommend this whole series. I am curious about what Kikuchi does in the next volume. 

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

Spy X Family, vol. 5

Today’s post is on Spy X Family, vol. 5 by Tatsuya Endo. It is 208 pages long and is published by Viz Media. The cover has Yuri with flowers on it. As it is the fifth in the series, you need to have read the first four volumes to understand what is going on. The intended reader is someone who likes spies and comedy manga. There is no foul language, no sex, and mild violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Anya Forger has been trying her best to befriend Damian Desmond, the son of the powerful Ostanian political leader Donovan Desmond, but her attempts have been constantly rebuffed. Despite the setbacks, Anya is determined to gain access to the Desmonds’ inner circle and even devises a new plan—acing her midterm exams to earn stella stars! Can the academically challenged Anya pull off this feat for the sake of world peace?

Review- Lots of different stories in this volume from meeting a spy for hire who is very bad at his job to meeting Nightfall, another agent who works with Loid and is in love with him. Our core four are great with Yor trying to learn to cook and still making people ill to Anya trying and failing to become friends with Damian. There is not much movement of the plot, this volume is more about character development and introducing new characters. We get to see some of Damian’s private life and see what pressure he is living under. Anya is still the best and I think that she is starting to work on Damian. Next volume I think is going to be more spy centric and I am looking forward to 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. 

Spy x Family, vol. 4

Today’s post is on Spy x Family, vol. 4 by Tatsuya Endo. It is 192 pages long and is published by Viz Media. The cover is gray with a white dog in a chair in the center. As it is the fourth volume in the series you need to have read the first three volumes of the series 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 the main characters, moving as the story needs. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- The Forgers look into adding a dog to their family, but this is no easy task—especially when Twilight has to simultaneously foil an assassination plot against a foreign minister! The perpetrators plan to use trained dogs for the attack, but Twilight gets some unexpected help to stop these terrorists.

Review- We get a volume long story in this one with a plot to assassinate a minister and the whole family gets involved. Loid is working to stop it, Yor is trying to manage Anya, who just wants to find a dog and she finds a great one. The dog, Bond can see the future and Anya can read his mind when he does that and together they secretly save the day. There is so much going on in this volume plot wise but I had a really good time reading it. I liked seeing Loid doing his thing, Anya getting into trouble and saving the day, and Yor kicking people in the face.  I look forward to seeing Anya and Bond get into trouble together. 

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.

Vampire Hunter D: Demon Deathchase

 

Today's post is on Vampire Hunter D: Demon Deathchase by Hideyuki Kikychi. It is 178 pages long and is published by Dark Horse. As it is the third novel in the series, it would be helpful to have read the first two novels for the worldbuilding. The cover is an illustration of Mayerling and his lady love. The intended reader is someone who likes dystopian, horror stories. There is mild foul language, discussion of rape, and violence in this novel. The story is told from third person god perspective, moving as the story does from one character to the next. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- When a desperate village elder learns that his daughter has been abducted by vampire Noble Mayerling, he turns to the mysterious Vampire Hunter D to save her. However, with not just his daughter's life but her very soul in peril, her father also enlists the aid of the notorious Marcus clan, a dangerous and renegade family of Hunters as infamous for killing off the competition as they are for getting their man.
D's task becomes ever-more daunting as the fleeing Mayerling bends an entire village to his will, enlisting a horrific cadre of human/monster half-breeds. Powerful as D is, can he prevail against the force of sheer numbers of such diabolical adversaries?

Review- An interesting third novel in this series. D is hired to save a young woman who was 'taken' by the local Noble vampire, Mayerling. But the woman was not taken, they are in love, and she ran away with him. But once D takes a job, he will see it through, he also has some competition in a clan of hunters called the Marcus'. They are brutal group that mistreats their own and they do worse to those in their way. Plus Mayerling pays for supernatural bodyguards. This is novel has a lot going on with a large cast of characters but with the narration style it is easy to keep track of who is who and what is going on. D is more like he was in the first novel, just a hunter doing a job, but again there is a feeling of a time shift towards the future, not just in how D is, but how the world is. The reader sees so much of the world and from the strange being that live in it now. This is a very good novel and I enjoyed it. 

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.

Minority Report

 

Today's post is on Minority Report by Philip K. Dick. It is 38 pages long and is published by Patheon Books. The intended reader is someone who is interesting in classic sci-fi and classic dystopian fiction. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this story. The story is told from third person perspective. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

Blurb- In the world of The Minority Report, Commissioner John Anderton is the one to thank for the lack of crime. He is the originator of the Precrime System, which uses precogs—people with the power to see into the future—to identify criminals before they can do any harm. Unfortunately for Anderton, his precogs perceive him as the next criminal.

Review- An interesting short story about what a world where you could stop a crime from even happening and what if there was a chance that the crime would never have happened anyway. John Anderton has stopped all murders by using precogs, mutant children who can see the future in parts, and boom no more murders. But then his name comes down as a murderer and he has to prove that he would do that. Then the story becomes very political but still interesting. I don't feel that there is any real answers about weather the precogs are right or not. But don't let that stop you from reading this story, it is a classic for a reason. 

I give this short story a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from library. 

Spy x Family, vol. 3

Today’s Nonfiction post is Spy x Family, vol. 3 by Tatsuya Endo. The cover has Yor on it with her knife. As it is the third in the series you need to have read the first two volumes to understand the story. The intended reader is someone who likes humorous spy shonen manga. There is no foul language, no sex, and mild violence in this manga. The story is told from third person close of the three main characters. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Twilight has overcome many challenges in putting together the Forger family, but now all his hard work might come undone when Yor’s younger brother Yuri pops in for a surprise visit! Can Twilight outsmart Yuri, who actually works for the Ostanian secret service?! 

Review- In the third volume we see more of Yor’s younger brother and learn a little about Yor’s past. She’s worked very hard to raise Yuri and they have a very strong bond. Most of the volume is about Anya trying to get a star to aid in Loid’s mission and she does in a wonderfully heroic way. Then we meet some data dogs and that is where the next volume is going to start. I liked spending more time with Ayna and the trouble she gets into in the school and out of it. This series is just so much fun, I look forward to reading every volume. 

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

 

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. 

Poison Ivy: Thorns

Today's post is on Poison Ivy: Thorns by Kody Keplinger and Sara Kipin. It is 208 pages long and is published by DC Comics. The cover is a close up of Ivy with tears running down her face. The intended reader is someone who is interested in re-telling classic DC villains. There is mild foul language, mild sexuality, and mild violence in this graphic novel. The story is told from third person close of Ivy. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book -There's something unusual about Pamela Isley—the girl who hides her bright red hair. The girl who won't let anyone inside to see what's lurking behind the curtains. The girl who goes to extreme lengths to care for a few plants. Pamela Isley doesn't trust other people, especially men. They always want something from her. Something she's not willing to give.

When cute goth girl Alice Oh comes into Pamela's life after an accident at the local park, she makes her feel like pulling back the curtains and letting the sunshine in. But there are dark secrets deep within the Isley house. Secrets Pamela's father has warned must remain hidden. Secrets that could turn deadly and destroy the one person who ever cared about Pamela, or as her mom preferred to call her ... Ivy.

Will Pamela open herself up to the possibilities of love, or will she forever be transformed by the thorny vines of revenge?

Review- A great re-imaging of Poison Ivy and her origins story. Pamela is very isolated by her father and she is trying to find her way as a young woman and a scientist. When a classmate has to stay with her, Pamela learns to start expressing herself and what she wants from the world. There are some heavy subjects in this graphic novel like child abuse and sexual harassment. But they are important to the story, not just there to be shocking, but to show the reader what Ivy has to overcome to become her true self. The art is good but I would have  liked a more styled style for Ivy but it is good and the coloring fits the characters. I would like to see more of this Ivy and what she is going to do next now that she is free from her father and hometown. I would recommend this graphic novel. 

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