Ten Ways to Get Dumped by a Tyrant, Vol 4

Today’s post is on Ten Ways to Get Dumped by a Tyrant, Vol 4 by Seo Gwijo. It is 348 pages long and is published by Editio. The cover has Cheryl Diel on it. As it is the fourth volume in the series, you need to have read the first three to understand the story. The intended reader is someone who likes humorous fantasy stories. There is mild foul language, no sex, and mild action violence in this novel. The story is told mostly from first person of Scarlet but it does change perspectives as needed. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Can they vanquish this evil once and for all?
Join Charlemagne and Scarlett as they embark on a perilous journey through the mystical Diel territory, unraveling secrets and uncovering the enigmatic nature of the so-called female lead.
With the fate of the three great houses hanging in the balance, our heroes must forge an unbreakable alliance to confront the formidable dark wizard.
Will they succeed or will darkness prevail? Find out in the series finale of Ten Ways to Get Dumped by a Tyrant.

Review- A fun end to a fun series. Scarlett and Charlemagne work out their problems and have their happily ever after. There is less silliness in this final volume but that’s okay as the rest of the series makes up for it. Scarlett is still over the top and Charlemagne still scares the daylights out of everyone. The big bad is a god who wanted to be the only god and Cheryl dies for him. It was very pitiable death for a villain but that’s what happens when you worship an evil god. The last hundred or so pages are a short story following some of the side characters and tying up their storylines. I did enjoy this series, it was fun, silly, and very cute. I would recommend it if you like that.

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.

Ten Ways to Get Dumped by a Tyrant: Volume III

Today's post is on Ten Ways to Get Dumped by a Tyrant: Volume III by Gwijo Seo. It is 392 pages long and is published by Editio Publishing. The cover has Isar on it. 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 young adult, humorous stories. There is no foul language, no sex, and mild action violence in this series. The story is told in multiple ways from first person with Scarlet then jumping to third person for the other characters. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Can she trust him with her heart? Scarlett knows that Charlemagne is a tyrant with a cruel and unpredictable streak, but now she also knows his tender and passionate side. As she rises to the helm of House Arman, enemies surface that wish to destroy her and everything she holds dear. Now, Scarlett must use her wit and courage to outsmart them and protect her people. But when she learns a shocking secret about Charlemagne’s past, she comes to a will she stay or will she go? Find out in the thrilling third installment of Ten Ways to Get Dumped by a Tyrant.

Review- This volume wraps up the second novel storyline and returns our characters to their world. I was a little lost at the start of this novel but I just pushed through that starting confusion and enjoyed the rest of the story. We have finally really met the villain and she is not doing too well with all the changes that Scarlet has made. Charlemagne is not falling for her seduction magic and the fairies are not on her side so their magic is not helping her. The villains adds some interest at the end of the novel as she is an unknown and what her true goals are. I'm looking forward to the last volume and seeing how everything is going to wrap up. 

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

The Condemned Villainess Goes Back in Time and Aims to Become the Ultimate Villain (Light Novel) Vol. 1

Today's post is on The Condemned Villainess Goes Back in Time and Aims to Become the Ultimate Villain (Light Novel) Vol. 1 by Bakufu Narayama and ebisushi (Illustrator). It is 400 pages long and is published by Airship. The cover is a very pretty illustration of the main cast. The intended reader is someone who likes fantasy romance stories with mild dark themes. There is mild foul language, discuss of sex and sex work, and mild violence in this novel. The story is told from third person mainly following Claudia. 

From the back of the book- In this fantasy tale of time travel, revenge, and aristocratic intrigue, a doomed noblewoman sets out to turn the tables on those who wronged her in her past life! And don't miss the manga adaptation, also from Seven Seas!
Claudia, daughter of a duke, is tricked by her wicked half-sister and sold off to a brothel. Unwilling to accept defeat, Claudia uses the tools at her disposal and becomes one of the most successful sex workers in her new home. That’s when she dies–only to be thrust back in time to age fourteen! Gone is the gullible girl of her academy days now that she’s got street savvy and hard-won seductive skills. It’s Claudia’s turn to play the evil villainess, and there’s nothing she won’t do to protect what’s hers!

Review- An interesting story about a girl who get the chance to relive her life and make some huge changes. Claudia dies and then wakes up as her younger self. She remembers everything from her previous life and she is not going to live it again. So she begins to use what she remembers to change her standing in life from her family to the prince. It is a fun story,, nothing ground breaking but I enjoyed it. If you are looing for a starting place for the villainess type Korean novel, then is a good one to try out and see if you like the genre. 

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 6: Pilgrimage of the Sacred and the Profane

Today's fiction post is on Vampire Hunter D Volume 6: Pilgrimage of the Sacred and the Profane by Hideyuki Kikuchi , and Yoshitaka Amano  (Illustrator). It is 178 pages long and is published by Dark Horse. The cover has D and his horse in the moonlight on it. The intended reader is someone who likes dark adventure stories with stoic characters and strange monsters. There is mild foul language, mild sexuality, and violence in this novel. The story is told from third person god narration. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- The Cruel Desert between the Inner and Outer Frontiers has a mind, and heart, of its own.
Granny Viper is a "people finder," a searcher for lost souls along the roads of the forbidding wasteland of 12,090 A.D. Her latest mission: the safe return to her family of an "abductee," a young woman named Tae, kidnapped eight years ago by vampire Nobility and held in Castle Gradinia on the far border of the Frontiers. Rescuing Tae was only half the battle- Viper knows she can't make the rest of the journey with the across the formidable expanse to the town of Barnabas alone. But the wizened crone makes a fatal mistake in hiring the mercenary Bullow Brothers to help her, and when she turns to the legendary Vampire Hunter D for salvation the two women and D finds themselves in a race for their lives across the blinding desert sands.

Review- Another interesting adventure for D and the world that he lives in. In this novel he meets another dhampir and they have some very interesting interactions. The action is mostly about the characters just trying to survive the desert, which has a will and plans for all of them. The most interesting part of this novel is interactions between D and the other dhampir. They a lot in common and that makes their conversations very important and add depth to the world and world building. The art in this novel really add to the story and we get a good look at D's face in this volume. All in all this volume was a great read and added so much to the world building and to D's overall character. 

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

Slayers: The Ghost of Sairaag Hajime Kanzaka (Writer) , Rui Araizumi (Illustrator)

Today's fiction post is on Slayers: The Ghosts of Sairaag by Hajime Kanzaka, and Rui Araizumi  (Illustrator). It is 226 pages long and is published by J-Novel Club. As it is the third novel in the Slayers series, you need to have the first two novels to understand the story. The cover has Lina on it looking pleased with herself. There is very mild foul language, no sex, and action violence in this novel. The story is told from first person perspective of Lina. There Be Spoiler Ahead.

From the back of the book- All me and Gourry wanted was a peaceful little road trip, but we can’t take one step without wannabe heroes showing up to “vanquish” us! You’d think there was a bounty on our heads or— Wait, there IS?! Ah, crap. Better head to Sairaag to get this whole mess sorted out! Sure hope it’s just a big misunderstanding and not some complex plot by an old enemy to lure us into a— Wait, WHO issued the bounty? Oh, boy...

Review- This is novel is very good, it is back to Lina and Gourry on the run from bad guys and trying to figure out what is really going on. They run into my favorite character again, Zelgadis, and he is a good addition to this novel. He is a very unique perspective and he is good with magic so Lina has someone to talk about magic with. The action is very fast in this novel, with every scene adding more to the plot and expanding the world for the readers. The villain is very good in this novel, nice and evil and very powerful, so our heroes have to think outside of Dragon Slave to stop him. Kanzaka is really warming up to his world and the characters in it. I am looking forward to the next novel and seeing what is going to happen next. 

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

The Slayers and The Sorcerer of Atlas

Today's post is on The Slayers and The Sorcerer of Atlas by Hajime Kanzaka, Rui Araizumi (Illustrator). It is 137 pages long and is published by J-Club Novel. The cover has Gourry on it with the sword of light. As it is the second novel in the series, you need to have read the first one to understand the world and characters. There is no foul language, no sex, and mild violence in this novel. The intended reader is someone who likes high fantasy, humorous stories, and light hearted adventure. The story is told from third person close of the main character, Lina. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

Blurb- At last, Atlas City! Time to put our feet up and enjoy that urban life. You know, some good food, a bar brawl or two, beating up assassins, intervening in politics, solving a kidnapping, wait, what?! No! This sounds like work! Great, and not we've got demons stalking us and spike-shooting wolves pouring in through the windows! Guess I'll have to clean up this fore I get my R&R...

Review- I had a really great time with this Slayers novel, it is more of a mystery than the adventure story from the first volume. Lina and Gourry are just trying to relax and get some good food when a bar brawl happens to them and Lina is not one to let a good fight get in the way of her food. Then they get pulled into a fight between sorcerers trying to become the next head of the local guild. Of course it is not that simple and the more that they discover, the more the city of Atlas looks like big trouble. I had so much fun with volume, because it happens in a city Lina has to think outside of the box. She can't just Dragon Slave everyone into the ground, even Lina knows that's a bad idea. So Gourry and her have to think on their feet and discover the truth about what is happening and try to survive it themselves! I think we see the best parts of Lina in this volume, her brains and we see how much the relationship between her and Gourry has grown. They trust each other now and can work together as a good team. I look forward to the next volume and the return of my favorite character! 

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

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.

Accomplishments of the Duke's Daughter, Vol. 3

Today's post is on Accomplishments of the Duke's Daughter, Vol. 3 by Reia and illustrations by Haduki Futaba. It is 269 pages long and is published by Airship. The cover has Iris, Dean, and a new character, Glaus on it. 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 political stories with a very light dusting of romance. There is no foul language, no sex, and very mild violence in this novel. The story is mostly told from first person perspective of Iris with some added scenes from other characters for plot growth. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Life and Death Lie in Her Hands.
Iris overcame the threat of excommunication, but now she faces something far worse. Why, then, is there talk of dismantling the kingdom's armed forces? As iris desperately shores up her duchy's own defenses, she must answer a questions from one of her closest companions, Dida: "If it comes to war, are you prepared to order us to kill?"

Review- This volume has more politics than economics. Iris is trying to put everything back to together after the false accusation by a corrupt priest with Yuri behind it. Iris has her full and is not thinking about the capital or the royal family but I think that they will be soon coming to her with Yuri at the lead. Dean/ the first prince is trying to secure his power seat before making his move. Iris is having to use more of her power to make friends with some of the local power players in her duchy. She is also having to think about what would war mean for Armelia and its people. We also see more of the villains who live mostly in the background and what is driving her. I am looking forward to reading the next volume and seeing what Iris has to deal with next. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Cursed Princess and the Lucky Knight

 

Today's post is on The Cursed Princess and the Lucky Knight by Uta Narusawa and art by Takashi Kiriya, It is 196 pages long and is published by Cross Infinite world. The cover the two main characters on it. The intended reader is someone who likes fantasy romance stories. There is very mild foul language, no sex, and mild violence in this novel. The story is told from third person close of the characters, moving as the plot needs. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- She's got the money. but he's got all the luck!
After mysterious deaths and misfortune ravages her family and leaves plucky Duchess Sonia de Clare orphaned in the Royal Abbey, Sonia is forced to take matters into her own hands when the king orders her into an arranged marriage to fulfill her duty as the surviving heiress to the massive Clare fortune.
Fully prepared to marry the dashing prince of the kingdom and retake her home Sonia is only met with disappointment when she discovers who her mysterious groom to be is.
But when her own castle turns against her in a series of horrifying supernatural phenomena, Sonia quickly discovers te noble knight Sir Cristford Cortot is far more capable of protecting his cursed princess than any foppish prince ever could!

Review- A very fun, quick read with cute characters and a fun setting. Sonia is the last living member of the powerful de Clare family and she has been protected for most of her life. Protected both from the curse and from knowledge of the curse, her godfather, the king feared that she would give into despair if she knew that her family were murdered and now she was next. Sir Cristford is a blessed and powerful knight, so blessed in fact that the pope believes that Cristford can protect Sonia as she goes to defeat the cursed and the one who cast it. The art for this light novel is good, I would liked more illustrations as they added a lot to the story. This is a good, fun romance read, the translation is pretty good, and the characters are fun. Sonia is brave and even when she felt scared and unsure about what she should do, she never give up. Cristford is a good male lea, he is funny, brave, and willing to whatever it takes to help and save Sonia. The love story is in the background but very sweet. I would like to read more by this author. 

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

Accomplishments of the Duke's Daughter, vol 2

 

Today's post is on Accomplishments of the Duke's Daughter, vol 2 by Reia and illustrations by Haduki Futaba. It is 242 pages long and is published by Airship. The cover has Iris, Dean, and Berne on it, looking very glamorous. As is it the second volume in the series, you need to have read the first novel to understand the story. The intended reader is someone who likes political books with a light side of romance and court drama. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this novel. The story is mostly told from first person perspective of Iris with some parts of chapters told from third person close of different characters for world and character building. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- The Perils of High Society
When Iris was expelled from the royal academy, she was banished from high society. Two years later, she may be the beloved acting governor of Armelia and president of a flourishing company, but she dares not consort with the rest of the nobility. Now she's received an invitation to the annual Foundation Day celebration- an invitation from the royal family no less, who she cannot afford to refuse/ Thrust into the fray of society politics, Iris must rapidly learn to stand her ground, lest she lost everything she's worked so hard to build. 

Review- This volume starts to have lots more of the court and political drama, as Iris is back in the capital by invitation from the queen dowager. In the capital, Iris doesn't waste her time and does more than just go to parties. She gets a feel for what is going on between the two princes and what the 'heroine' is doing. Then someone starts to move against her and tries to have her removed from the state church. With the help of her friends and the work she has done, Iris able to save her family and reputation. This volume has good character, plot, and world growth, and the reader gets a sense of how much time has passed from the beginning of the story. I really enjoyed this volume with all the things that I have listed above. Things are moving in the background of the story that is going to be very interesting to see what is going to happen. 

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.

Vampire Hunter D: Tale of the Dead Town

 

Today's post is on Vampire Hunter D: Tale of the Dead Town by Hideyuki Kikuchi and art by Yoshitaka Amano. It is 167 pages long and is published by Dark Horse Published. The cover is a close up illustration of D. The intended reader is someone who likes dystopian, horror novels. As it is the fourth novel in the series, it would be helpful to have read the first three novels for context. There is some mild foul language, mild sexuality, and violence in this novel. The story is told from third person god perspective. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- When vampires attack a floating city, only one man can save paradise.
The City, a tiny metropolis of a new hundred sheltered citizens floating serenely on a seemingly random course a few feet above the ground, has long been thought safe from the predation of marauding monsters. It seems like a paradise.
A paradise shattered when an invasion of apparent vampires threatens the small haven. While the Vampire Hunter known only as "D" struggles to exterminate the scourge, a former denizen of the City, the attractive Lori Knight, and the brash John M. Brasselli Pluto VIII seize control of the City, lurching it onto a new and deadly course. D's travails are just beginning.

Review- This is a very fast paced novel with a lot of characters and the reader gets to see a newish side of D, during his interactions with others. It starts with D helping Pluto and Knight fight off some beasts on the frontier. They head to the floating city where somehow a vampire has gotten on board and is feeding on the citizens. This is the first novel that directly references any of the previous novels, the girl from the first novel and what is learn about the Scared Ancestor from the third novel. The plot is more than just find the vampire with all the characters in this novel. From Pluto with his strange body jumping ability to the doctor who has some strange fighting training, there is more than just what the reader has gotten from the previous novels. I hope that future novels are done more in this style. 

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.

The Slayers: The Ruby Eye

 

Today's post is on The Slayers: The Ruby Eye by Hajime Kanzaka and art by Rui Araizumi. It is 198 pages long and is published by J-Novel Club. The cover is a close up of Lena with other characters in the background. The intended reader is someone who likes comedy, D&D, and action adventure novels. There is very mild foul language, no sex, and action violence in this light novel. The story is told from first person close of Lina. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Beautiful and brilliant sorcerer girls just can't have nice things, huh? All I wanted to do was swipe little bit of bandit treasure. Now suddenly I'm being chase around by icky trolls, nasty demons, mean mummies, and brooding golem bad boys. And for what? A tiny little artifact that can being about the end of the world? Hah! I'll show them there's a reason you don't cross Lina Inverse...

Review- A great first novel that does a lot of world building but has a fun storyline to get the reader engaged in the action! Lina Inverse is a very powerful sorcerer, who likes to take treasure back from bandits, stealing from thieves is cool, right? Well these thieves have stolen something very powerful and some very powerful people want it, some for good reasons and others for very bad reason. Add is a idiot blond swordsman and we have our novel. As a huge fan of the anime, this novel did not disappoint. I could hear Lina's voice as I read the novel and I had a great time with her. The world of Slayers is an interesting one with lots of different kinds of magic and different people who can use that magic. From Lina's black magic to the blond, Gourry's sword of light, there is so much to enjoy about this fantasy world and the characters in it. I look forward to reading the next volume. 

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

Accomplishments of the Duke's Daughter: Novel 1

 

Today's post is on Accomplishments of the Duke's Daughter: Novel 1 by Reia. It is 244 pages long and is published by Airship. The cover is an illustration of the main character and her two personal body guards. The intended reader is someone who likes Japanese novels, reincarnation stories, and smart heroines. The story is told from mostly first person perspective of Iris, the main character, with some asides in third person from other characters for plot and world building. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- A Twist of Fate
Iris Armelia, the daughter of a powerful duke, is arrested and forced to her knees in front of her fiancé. Her betrothed, Prince Edward, is rejecting her for another woman! As Iris's life flashes before her eyes, she suddenly realized she knows exactly what is coming next- because she has been reincarnated into her favorite otome game as its villainess. Quick thinking saves her from exile, but Iris can't rest yet. If she wants to survive this world that sees her wicked, she'll have to change the world itself. 

Review- This is an interesting novel about a woman who gets reincarnated into a game world and she goes about changing it for the better. Iris was in the middle of being publicly broken up with when the memories of her past life came back to her. So instead of being exiled, she convinces her father that she has changed and wants to be responsible. He decides to trust her and makes the governor of their estates as a test. That is basic plot add in some economics and background political intrigue and that is this first novel. I really a good time reading this novel, I liked how Iris used her knowledge from her past life to make this world better, I like all the characters, I like how the world building is slow and steady, and I like that time is addressed in this novel. As you read the novel, you know how much time has past for Iris and her plans. I think that helps make the world more realistic that things just take time. I forward to reading the next volume. 

I give this novel a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and this novel was bought for me as a gift.