Yurara volume 4

Today's post is on Yurara volume 4 by Chika Shiomi. It is 192 pages long and is published by Shojo Beat. The cover is pink with Yurara and Yako on it about to kiss with Mei in the background. As it is the fourth in the series, you need to have read the first three volumes to understand what is going on. 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 Yurara. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Yako has shut himself in now that Yurara and Mei are a couple. However, Mei seems to have acquired another rival when a beautiful boy from Yurara's past returns!

Review- Well we are back with the love triangle drama with guardian Yurara basically taking over human Yurara and kissing Yako. Human Yurara likes Mei but for some reason guardian Yurara cannot stand him and it just not clear why. The new male character is a friend from human Yurara's past but he too is obsessed with guardian Yurara and is more of comedy character. That is pretty much it for this whole volume. I really don't know how Shiomi is going to fix this in only one more volume.

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

City of Ghosts

Today’s post is on City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab. It is 285 pages long and published by Scholastic Press. It the first in her Cassidy Blake series. The cover is white with a girl in silhouette with a cat. The intended reader is someone who likes mild horror stories with a child lead. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this book. The story is told from first person close of the main character, Cassidy. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- Cassidy Blake’s life is full of Ghosts.
Ever since Cass almost drowned (okay, she did drown, but she doesn’t like to think about it), she can pull back the Veil that separates the living from the dead… and enter the world of spirits. Her best friend is even a ghost.
So things are already pretty stranger. But they’re about to get much stranger.
When Cass’s parents land a gig hosting a TV show about the world’s most haunted places, the family heads off to Edinburgh, Scotland. Here, graveyards, castles, and secret passageways teem with restless phantoms. And when Cass meets another much she still has to learn about the Veil- and herself.
And she’ll have to learn fast. The city of ghosts is more dangerous than she ever imagined.

Review- This is a fun intro horror novel. Cassidy can see ghosts, talk to them, and interact with their deaths. Her parents are ghost hunters but they have cannot see ghosts themselves and Cass is not sure that they would believe her if she told them that she could. The main point of the plot is Cass learning that she can help ghosts to move on to the next world. The other girl, Lara, is the one who teaches Cass about how to do that and that ghosts can be very dangerous themselves. The story is fast-paced with interesting characters and strong writing. If you have a child who is interesting in trying a horror story without getting nightmares then I think that this novel will work.

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.

Breaking Free: How I Escaped Polygamy, the FLDS Cult, and My Father, Warren Jeffs

Today’s post is on Breaking Free: How I Escaped Polygamy, the FLDS Cult, and My Father, Warren Jeffs by Rachel Jeffs. It is 282 pages long and is published by Harper Collins. The cover is a picture of the author with her father with the title in between them. The intended reader is someone who is interested in the FLDS, escape narratives, and abuse survivors. There is some mild foul language, sexual abuse and discussions of sexual abuse, and no violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

Blurb from ebook- In this searing memoir of survival in the spirit of Stolen Innocence, the daughter of Warren Jeffs, the self-proclaimed Prophet of the FLDS Church, takes you deep inside the secretive polygamist Mormon fundamentalist cult run by her family and how she escaped it.
Born into the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Rachel Jeffs was raised in a strict patriarchal culture defined by subordinate sister wives and men they must obey. No one in this radical splinter sect of the Mormon Church was more powerful or terrifying than its leader Warren Jeffs—Rachel’s father.
Living outside mainstream Mormonism and federal law, Jeffs arranged marriages between under-age girls and middle-aged and elderly members of his congregation. In 2006, he gained international notoriety when the FBI placed him on its Ten Most Wanted List. Though he is serving a life sentence for child sexual assault, Jeffs’ iron grip on the church remains firm, and his edicts to his followers increasingly restrictive and bizarre.
In Breaking Free, Rachel blows the lid off this taciturn community made famous by John Krakauer’s bestselling Under the Banner of Heaven to offer a harrowing look at her life with Warren Jeffs, and the years of physical and emotional abuse she suffered. Sexually assaulted, compelled into an arranged polygamous marriage, locked away in "houses of hiding" as punishment for perceived transgressions, and physically separated from her children, Rachel, Jeffs’ first plural daughter by his second of more than fifty wives, eventually found the courage to leave the church in 2015. But Breaking Free is not only her story—Rachel’s experiences illuminate those of her family and the countless others who remain trapped in the strange world she left behind.
A shocking and mesmerizing memoir of faith, abuse, courage, and freedom, Breaking Free is an expose of religious extremism and a beacon of hope for anyone trying to overcome personal obstacles.

Review- An engaging but horrifying memoir about surviving a cult. Rachel Jeffs was the first child born to Warren Jeffs and his second polygamous wife, as such she was raised in household where she knew that she was going to be one of many wives. When her father started to abuse as a young child, Jeffs was shocked that a holy man would do that. Her entire childhood was about being abused and trying to avoid her father so that she would not be abused. Then he placed her as a third wife to a man and she hoped her life would get better but her father’s love of control continuing to rule everything. Jeffs is very honest about what happened to her over the course of her life; from the sexual abuse of her father to being a disliked wife in a polygamous marriage and then her will to have her children and escape. It was hard to read at times with some of the details of her life and the abuse, not just sexually but of power that Warren Jeffs had over all the followers of the FLDS. But her story is worth reading to see from the inside what was going on and seeing her survive was moving and uplifting.

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

Yurara volume 3

Today's post is on Yurara volume 3 by Chika Shiomi. It is 200 pages long and is published by Shojo Beat. The cover is pink with Yurara and Yako on it about to kiss. As it is the third in the series, you need to have read the first two volumes to understand what is going on. 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 Yurara. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Yurara finds herself drawn to Mei, but her guardian spirit prefers Yako! Can Yurara sort out her true feelings?

Review- So lots of things come to head in this volume. Yurara discovers that she is named after an ancestor Yurara and that when she learns to control her extreme spiritual powers, the guardian spirit will leave her. Yako realizes that he does not love Yurara but the way she looks when she transforms and that hurts Yurara but Mei loves the real her not her transformed face. Some ghost high-jinks happen but that is not real important part of the plot.What matters is that  the guardian spirit will leave Yurara when she can stand on her own. I am glad that the romantic sub-plot has been handled and I like who it looks like Yurara is going to be with, Mei does like her better than the guardian spirit. But I wonder what is going to happen to Yako then? Only two more volumes in this series and I am curious about how it is going to end.

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.

Avenged

Today’s post is on Avenged by Amy Tintera. It is 407 pages long and is published by Harper Teen. It is the second her Ruined series. The cover is orange with title in silver and a pair of swords behind it. The intended reader is someone who has read the first novel, likes dark fantasy stories, and high action. There is mild foul language, no sex, and violence in this book. The story is told from third person close of different characters. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- A War that will fuel her. A Bond that will destroy her.
Emelina Flores has come home to Ruina after rescuing her sister, Olivia, from imprisonment in rival kingdom Lera. Together, they have devised a plan that will rebuild Ruina to its former glory.
But just because Em and Olivia  are out of Lera doesn’t mean they are safe from enemies. Olivia will destroy everyone who acts against Ruina. Em isn’t as sure.
Ever since Em posed as Prince Casimir’s betrothed in Lera, she’s started to see another side to this war. Lera may have destroyed the Ruined for decades, but Em knows that Cas is different. And now that he’s taken the throne, Em believes a truce is within reach. But Olivia suspects that Em’s romantic feelings for Cas are coloring her judgment.
Em is determined to bring peace to her home. But when winning the war could mean betraying her family, Em faces an impossible choice between loyalty and love. Em must stay one step ahead of her enemies- and her blood- before she’s the next victim in this battle for sovereignty.

Review- So much happens in this second novel. Em and Cas work things out, Em sees how crazy Olivia is, Cas has to defend his throne and decide what he wanted to do, Aren learns that he can use his powers without getting so tired. There is so much going on. The plot is tight with Em learning that she is the leader her people need, with powers or without them. Cas has some growing up to do and he sees that be the middle of the book and gets started doing that. We get to see that Olivia maybe powerful but she is not the right person to be leading the Ruined. She has no regard for anyone else and if you get in her way, she will kill everyone around. Em at the beginning does not understand her sister anymore but by the end of the second novel she has a better idea about what is going on in Olivia’s head now. There are betrayals, love stories, other than Em and Cas, and getting a better idea about what is to be Ruined.

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

Alichino volume 3

Today's post is on Alichino volume 3 by Kouyu Shurei. It is 168 pages long and is published by Tokyopop. The cover has the three of the main characters on it. It is the third in her Alichino series so you need to have read the first two to understand what is going on. The intended reader is someone who likes darker epic fantasy and beautiful art. There is no foul language, no sex, and mild violence in this manga. The story is told from third person close of Tsugiri. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Finaly, the mysterious connection between Ryko, Myobi, Hibiki, and Matsurika is revealed!
Ryoko spots a figure in a crowd, and by his reaction, Tsugiri can tell it's not just anyone. The person turns out to be Hibiki, an old friend who's being used by Matsurika. Once Matsurika gets hold of something, she never lets go- and her next target seems to be Tsugiri!

Review- Unfortunately this is the last volume of Alichino, the author was injured and has never drawn anything again, best that I can find in my personal research. So we get no real conclusion to the story. We do not know what Tsugiri can do or why, everything just stops for us the readers. In this volume we discover how Ryoko and Myobi met and made their contract and why. But no other answers into this world are given. This series so beautiful and it makes me sad that Shurei never recovered from her accident as she is so talented. If you want something that is pretty to look at and do not mind not having an ending then read this series but if unfinished plots bother you then pass this one.

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.

Murdered at 17

Today's post is on Murdered at 17 by Christine Conradt. It is 393 pages long and is published by Harper Teen. The cover is black with girl in silhouette and the title in orange above her. The intended reader is someone who likes over-the-top plots and Lifetime Movies. There is mild foul language, no sex, and mild violence in this book. The story is told in third person close of the main character, Brooke. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Pretty and popular, seventeen-year-old Brooke Emerson is the envy of her classmates—and even some of her closest friends. But while she seems to have it all, Brooke has never felt so lost.
Ever since she sustained a head injury during a cheerleading stunt the previous year, she’s suffered from a disorder that causes her to fly into uncontrollable, sometimes violent rages. As hard as she tries to keep it together, she finds herself in danger of jeopardizing her seemingly perfect life.
It isn’t until Brooke meets Jake, a handsome and charismatic stranger, that she feels like she’s found someone who not only understands her, but accepts her for who she is. As tempting as it is to get swept up in the romance, she can’t help but feel like something in their relationship isn’t quite right.
When her best friend is brutally murdered, Brooke has no choice but to depend on her new love...especially because she's worried that she might be the killer.

Review- If you love Lifetime Movies and over-the-top plots then you should read this book. This is basically 'Mother May I Sleep with Danger' add in a plot twist of brain injury and we have our story. The head injury plot is interesting and adds in something extra to the story as Brooke feels that she cannot trust herself about much of anything. I did like that she pegged Jake's stalker behavior real quick and decided call him on it and not deal with that. The plot can be cheesy at times with Jake's behavior  and how much money he has to just throw around but I think that it fits the story itself. If cheesy teen thriller/dramas are your thing then you need to read this book.

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

Fushigi Yûgi: The Mysterious Play, Vol. 16: Assassin

Today's post on Fushigi Yûgi: The Mysterious Play, Vol. 16: Assassin by Yuu Watase. It is 191 pages long and is published by Shojo Beat. The cover is Miaka and Take with Suzaku behind them. It is the sixteenth in her long running series and you need to have to have read the rest of the series to understand what is going on. There is no foul language, mild sexuality and mild violence in this manga. The story is told from third person close of the main character Miaka. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Assassin
As enigmatic exchange student Lian slowly takes control of the minds of everyone in the school, his agenda becomes clear: he is training an army of assassins to kill Miaka! Even if Miaka is able to escape the attempt on her life, will she be able to thwart a mysterious vixen's efforts to tear Taka from her arms?

Review- With everything starting to come together Miaka and Take are unknowingly racing the clock. The bad guy is getting more powerful and it is not worried about them getting all the memory stones for some reason. Lian and his sister are trying to stop them and win but Miaka and Taka are very resourceful so in this volume we get another stone. I am annoyed with Miaka's family especially her brother because he knows about the Universe of the Four Gods and yet he believes the bad guys about Taka. But Miaka and Taka believe and finally trust in each other so it does not do anything to effect them. With only two volumes left I am very curious about how Watase is going to wrap things up.

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

The Darkest Legacy

Today's post is on The Darkest Legacy by Alexandra Bracken. It is 569 pages long and is publishes by Hyperion. The cover has the main character on it  with a golden background around her. The intended reader is someone who has read the first trilogy, likes dystopian fiction, and science fiction-action stories. There is mild foul language, no sex, and violence in this book. The story is told from first person close of the main character Zu. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- Five years after the destruction of the so-called rehabilitation camps that imprisoned her and countless other Psi kids, seventeen-year-old Suzume "Zu" Kimura has assumed the role of spokesperson for the interim government, fighting for the rights of Psi kids against a growing tide of misinformation and prejudice. But when she is accused of committing a horrifying act, she is forced to go on the run once more in order to stay alive.
Determined to clear her name, Zu finds herself in an uncomfortable alliance with Roman and Priyanka, two mysterious Psi who could either help her prove her innocence or betray her before she gets the chance. But as they travel in search of safety and answers, and Zu grows closer to the people she knows she shouldn't trust, they uncover even darker things roiling beneath the veneer of the country's recovery. With her future-and the future of all Psi-on the line, Zu must use her powerful voice to fight back against forces that seek to drive the Psi into the shadows and save the friends who were once her protectors.

Review- As someone who loved the original Darkest Minds trilogy, I was very excited to return to that world. In general I was not disappointed. Zu is interesting, the plot is fast, and the writing is good. But I do not think that it was as good as the original. I cannot put my finger on why I feel that way. The plot was interesting but it was done in the last book with greedy adults trying to take advantage of the Psi, Zu is cool but I wanted more of why her yellow abilities are so much stronger than others, like with Ruby we understood why she was considered so special and powerful but I feel that in this book we are told Zu is and are just to believe it. The most interesting part of the plot was the kids being made into Psi-like, with different abilities than the kids who are born Psi. Who and why is very interesting and I thought more engaging than Psi being taken to camps and the like. I think that it would have been a better book if the kids being experimented on and having Zu investigate then save them was the main plot. But I still enjoyed it and if there are more books in the Darkest Minds universe coming I will read them.

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

Wild Game: My Mother, Her Lover, and Me

Today's post is on Wild Game: My Mother, Her Lover, and Me by Adrienne Brodeur. It is 256 pages long and is published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. The cover is a picture of a young girl on her stomach looking out over the ocean. The intended reader is someone who is interested in memoirs. There is some foul language, talk of sex and sexuality, and no violence in this memoir. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- A daughter’s tale of living in the thrall of her magnetic, complicated mother, and the chilling consequences of her complicity.
On a hot July night on Cape Cod when Adrienne was fourteen, her mother, Malabar, woke her at midnight with five simple words that would set the course of both of their lives for years to come: Ben Souther just kissed me.
Adrienne instantly became her mother’s confidante and helpmate, blossoming in the sudden light of her attention, and from then on, Malabar came to rely on her daughter to help orchestrate what would become an epic affair with her husband’s closest friend. The affair would have calamitous consequences for everyone involved, impacting Adrienne’s life in profound ways, driving her into a precarious marriage of her own, and then into a deep depression. Only years later will she find the strength to embrace her life—and her mother—on her own terms.
Wild Game is a brilliant, timeless memoir about how the people close to us can break our hearts simply because they have access to them, and the lies we tell in order to justify the choices we make. It’s a remarkable story of resilience, a reminder that we need not be the parents our parents were to us.

Review- An interesting, moving, and disturbing memoir about a mother who does not have boundaries and a daughter who suffers because of it. Brodeur is taken into her mother's confidence for a years long affair to her step-father's best friend and that becomes one of the most influential moments in her life. Being so important to her mother's great love was  important to Brodeur but she did not discover the damage it did to her emotionally until many years after. We travel with Brodeur from the time of the first kiss all the way to the near present. She has had a full life but a fractured one with lots of secrets because of her mother and the affair. Without giving too much of the drama of the story away, Brodeur learns to be herself and that has it's own highs and lows. If you like memoirs then you should read this one.

I give this memoir a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I was given a copy of this book by a friend.

Skip Beat!, vol 8

Today's post is on Skip Beat!, vol 8 by Yoshiki Nakamura. It is the six in her long running series and you need to have read the seven volumes to understand what is going on. It is 216 pages long and is published by Shojo Beat. The cover has Kyoko on it looking very cute eating a snack. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this book. The intended reader is someone who likes shojo manga, strong heroines, and funny revenge stories. The story is told from third person close of Kyoko the main character. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Kyoko's perfect chance to wrrak her revnge on Sho isn't going as well as she'd hoped. In fact, her rage is so consuming that she forgets she's supposed to be acting and tries to throttle Sho for real. That's not her only problems. Sho still thinks that he owns Kyoko body and soul, but his manager is worried that Kyoko might be stealing his heart!

Review- We finish Kyoko's filming on Sho's music video and she does a great job. She does not let her desire to destroy Sho overcome her, she just does her job to the best of her ability. But Sho has to  ruin her happiness in herself when she call Ren to tell him about her job and that she did it for the right reason Sho grabs her phone and acts like a jerk. So Ren is unhappy with Kyoko but does not want to talk to her about it. Then Moko is acting strange and so of course Kyoko has to know what is going on and Maria decides to help her. More crazy high-jinks from Kyoko but she is still growing and becoming more than Sho or herself thought she could be. This volume has little less humor than previous but Kyoko steals the manga with just being herself. I love her so much.

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