Cheeky Brat, vol 1

 

Today's post is on Cheeky Brat, vol 1 by Mitsubachi Miyuki. It is 190 pages long and is published by Yen Press. The cover has the two main characters on it. The intended reader is someone who likes high school romance and sports manga. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this manga. The story is told from third person close of the main character, Yuki. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- I, Yuki, became the basketball team manager for one reason0 I had a crush on the captain and wanted to be with him, always. But when Kido-senpai suddenly announced he got a girlfriend, where did that leave me? In the clubroom, crying my eyes out... until this cheeky brat of an underclassman showed up. And now that stupid, pretty playboy, Naruse, seems determined to wiggle his way into every corner of my life...

Review- A cute first volume in a new series. Yuki did become the team manager to be near her crush but she also does a good job for the rest of the team and Naruse has noticed her and that. Of course that means he has had a crush on her the whole time too. Now that Yuki's crush is taken, Naruse makes his move. Yuki doesn't' know what to think about this younger man coming on strong but she does think that he is a brat! This manga is pretty funny, with some serious moments about young love and growing up. I like all the characters, the story is fun, and the art is good. I am looking forward to reading the next volume and seeing what happens to Yuki and Naruse's young love. 

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.

Harleen

Today's post is on Harleen by Stjepan Šejić. It is 208 pages long and is published by DC Black Label. The cover has Harley on it grinning. The intended reader is someone who likes Harley Quinn and beautiful art. There is foul language, sex, and violence in this graphic novel. The story is told from third person of Harley. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Dr. Harleen Quinzel has a theory: mental illness is a survival mechanism. As she seeks to help the broken souls of Gotham City piece together their sanity she will become the one thing she fears the most: one of them. A bold new retelling of the tragic origin of Harley Quinn told through the eyes of the only person who knows her better than anyone: Harleen.
A young psychiatrist with a potential cure for the madness that haunts Gotham City, Dr. Harleen Quinzel must prove her revolutionary theory to a skeptical establishment by delving into the disturbed minds of Arkham Asylum's deadliest inmates. But the more time she spends with her criminally insane subjects, the closer she is drawn to one patient in particular--and the further she falls away from reality. The birth of legendary antihero Harley Quinn and the shocking origins of her twisted romance with the Joker are revealed in Harleen, a stunning new tale of love and obsession written and illustrated by renowned comics storyteller Stjepan Sejic.

Review- This is a great re-imagining of Harley's origins. Harley is trying to understand why some people become killers and others don't. But as she gets closer to her study subjects, she begins to slip herself. Joker is there to help her understand the criminal mind, of course. While the story is good, the art is incredible, just gorgeous. If you are a fan of Harley, then you should check out this graphic novel. But if you are a fan of incredible art, you need to check out this graphic novel and meet Stjepan Šejić, his art is some of the most beautiful I have ever seen. I would love for him to write more with Harley and maybe with Ivy too. 

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. 

The Hitler Years: Triumph, 1933-1939

 

Today's nonfiction post is on The Hitler Years: Triumph, 1933-1939 by Frank McDonough. It is 496 pages long and is published by St. Martin's Press. The cover is a picture is a Nazi rally. The intended reader is someone who is interested in what was really going in Germany during the lead-up to World War II. There is no foul language, no sex, and discussion of violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- From historian Frank McDonough, the first volume of a new chronicle of the Third Reich under Hitler's hand.
On January 30, 1933, Adolf Hitler was appointed the German chancellor of a coalition government by President Hindenburg. Within a few months, he had installed a dictatorship, jailing and killing his left-wing opponents, terrorizing the rest of the population, and driving Jews out of public life. He embarked on a crash program of militaristic Keynesianism, reviving the economy and achieving a full employment through massive public works, vast armaments' spending, and the cancellations of foreign debts. After the grim years of the Great Depression, Germany seemed to have been reborn as a brutal and determined European power.
From 1933 to 1939, Hitler won over most of the population with his vision of a renewed Reich. In these years of domestic triumph and cunning maneuvers, pitting neighboring powers against each other and biding his time, we see Hitler preparing for the moment that would realize his ambition. But what drove Hitler's success was also to be the fatal flaw of his regime: a relentless belief in was as the motor of greatness, a dream of vast conquests in Eastern Europe, and an astonishingly fanatical racism.
In The Hitler Years, Frank McDonough charts the rise and fall of the Third Reich under Hitler through Germany's comprehensive military defeat of Poland in 1939. 

Review- A very interesting way to read about World War II, year by year following Hitler and his closest followers. The book starts with some background in Germany and Hitler before he came to power. Year by year, the book goes from all the events that helped build Hitler's power both in Germany and on the world stage. The notes at the back are very useful and provide good insight, not only into Hitler but those closest to him. With many excellent first hand documents, McDonough presents the reader with a very comprehensive piece about World War II and Germany from the inside. I would recommend this book. 

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

Frau Faust, vol 3

 

Today's is on Frau Faust, vol 3 by Kore Yamazaki. It is 154 pages long and is published by Kodansha Comics. The cover has Faust, her daughter Nico, and her demon 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 reimagining classic folk tales. There is no foul language, no sex, and mild violence in this manga. The story is told from third person perspective as moving as the story does. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Banquet of Blood
Mephistopheles's right leg has been found, and it turns out that a member of the church has been using the leg's blood for nefarious purposes! But behind the scenes lurks another demon. Now Johanna must thrust herself into battle to stop a girl who is no longer among the truly living... Will Johanna and her cohorts retrieve her demon's limb unscathed, or will they become dinner for the undead?

Review- The first story is dealing with the little girl turned demon and getting the right leg back. Then the reader follows Johanna and friends as they travel to the city of Athens where Johanna made her daughter, to get help for her. The rest of the volume is the story of how Johanna made Nico and what happened when she was discovered. Plus the reader meets one of Johanna's friends who has a demon problem of her own. It is very interesting and nice to see Johanna in school and seeing what trouble she got into as she traveled and learned. The church is involved with the demons somehow and I hope that we get some clarity about it before the manga ends in two volumes. 

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. 

Daughter of the Moon Goddess

Today's post is on Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan. It is 512 pages long and is published by Harper Voyager. The cover is a beautiful art piece with the moon, flower, and the main character, Xingyin in the center. There is some mild foul language, no sex, and violence in this novel. The intended reader is someone who likes fantasy novels, Chinese fantasy, and reimagining of mythology. The story is told from first person perspective of the main character, Xingyin. There Be Spoiler Ahead.

From the dust jacket- A captivating debut fantasy inspired by the legend of Chang'e, the Chinese moon goddess, in which a young woman’s quest to free her mother pits her against the most powerful immortal in the realm.
Growing up on the moon, Xingyin is accustomed to solitude, unaware that she is being hidden from the feared Celestial Emperor who exiled her mother for stealing his elixir of immortality. But when Xingyin’s magic flares and her existence is discovered, she is forced to flee her home, leaving her mother behind.
Alone, powerless, and afraid, she makes her way to the Celestial Kingdom, a land of wonder and secrets. Disguising her identity, she seizes an opportunity to learn alongside the emperor's son, mastering archery and magic, even as passion flames between her and the prince.
To save her mother, Xingyin embarks on a perilous quest, confronting legendary creatures and vicious enemies across the earth and skies. But when treachery looms and forbidden magic threatens the kingdom, she must challenge the ruthless Celestial Emperor for her dream—striking a dangerous bargain in which she is torn between losing all she loves or plunging the realm into chaos.
Daughter of the Moon Goddess begins an enchanting, romantic duology which weaves ancient Chinese mythology into a sweeping adventure of immortals and magic—where love vies with honor, dreams are fraught with betrayal, and hope emerges triumphant.

Review- This is a marvelous, sweeping, epic tale of a young immortal trying to get justice for her mother and find herself in the process. As a huge fan of Chinese mythology and storytelling, I had a wonderful time with this novel. It is has everything I wanted- from epic battles, first love, impossible quests, and magic. Xingyin is the hidden daughter of the Moon Goddess and a heroic human. The Celestial Empire cannot even know of her existence. But when she is forced to flee her home, she decides to make her own way and free her mother. Everything about this novel is just the best. The story, the writing, the characters, I loved it all and I cannot wait to get my hands on the second volume. If you like fantasy at all then you need to read this novel. 

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

The Man Who Invented Motion Pictures: A True Tale of Obsession, Murder, and the Movies

Today's nonfiction post is on The Man Who Invented Motion Pictures: A True Tale of Obsession, Murder, and the Movies by Paul Fischer. It is 416 pages long and is published by Simon Schuster. The cover is a black and white picture of Louis Le Prince. The intended reader is someone who likes historical true crime. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- The year is 1888, and Louis Le Prince is finally testing his “taker” or “receiver” device for his family on the front lawn. The device is meant to capture ten to twelve images per second on film, creating a reproduction of reality that can be replayed as many times as desired. In an otherwise separate and detached world, occurrences from one end of the globe could now be viewable with only a few days delay on the other side of the world. No human experience—from the most mundane to the most momentous—would need to be lost to history.
In 1890, Le Prince was granted patents in four countries ahead of other inventors who were rushing to accomplish the same task. But just weeks before unveiling his invention to the world, he mysteriously disappeared and was never seen or heard from again. Three and half years later, Thomas Edison, Le Prince’s rival, made the device public, claiming to have invented it himself. And the man who had dedicated his life to preserving memories was himself lost to history—until now.
The Man Who Invented Motion Pictures pulls back the curtain and presents a “passionate, detailed defense of Louis Le Prince…unfurled with all the cliffhangers and red herrings of a scripted melodrama” (The New York Times Book Review). This “fascinating, informative, skillfully articulated narrative” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) presents the never-before-told history of the motion picture and sheds light on the unsolved mystery of Le Prince’s disappearance.

Review- An interesting and well written book about the making of motion pictures and the disappearance of the man who did it first. Fischer takes the reader from the beginning of Le Prince's life all the to the last time he was seen alive. The reader gets to the know his family, friends, and his creative genius. We are also shown the other people who worked on creating the moving pictures and who might have cheated Le Prince's family out of their rights to the money from the invention. But the final theory about Le Prince's death is one all too real and easy to believe. The writing is good, the notes at the back provide excellent insight into the people and their time. Fischer does good research, so the reader wants to learn more about the other people involved in the creation of motion pictures, the notes are a good places to start. I would recommend this book for people who like true crime. 

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. 

Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke's Mansion, Vol. 1

Today's manga post is on Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke's Mansion, Vol. 1 by Whale. It is 272 pages long and is published by Yen Press. The cover has the two main characters on it. The intended reader is someone who likes Korean comics, mysteries, and funny heroes. There is no foul language, no sex, and mild violence in this manga. the story is told from third person close of Raeliana. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- "Duke Wynknight, I would like to propose a Deal."
Eunha Park thought she was getting another chance at life when she awoke in the world of a novel. The only problem? Raeliana McMillan, the character she was reborn as, is fated to be killed by her fiancé! For the sake of her survival, she comes up with an idea—get into a fake marriage with a man more powerful than her groom-to-be. But when that protection comes in the form of Noah Wynknight, the duke with a warm smile and cold heart, Raeliana realizes she might be a bit in over her head…She’s going to regret this plan, isn’t she?

Review- Raeliana has a real problem on her hands. Her fiancé is trying to kill her to get her family's money. Not only that, but her death is what starts off a novel that she had read before she was murdered in her first life. Well, she is going to be murdered again, no she is going to make a plan and she is going to live a long life! This was a good first volume, it sets the stage for the plot, the general outline of the characters, and the mystery at the heart of this new plot. I look forward to the next volume. 

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