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Title: Planetes Genre: Science Fiction Publisher: Kodansha (JP), Dark Horse Comics (US) Creator: Makoto Yukimura Serialized in: Weekly Morning Original Release Date: December 22, 2015 Review copy provided by the publisher I’ll admit that I wasn’t overly familiar with this story going in but from what I’d heard Planetes sounded like a series of loosely connected ... Read more

The post Manga Review: Planetes (Volume One) appeared first on Organization Anti-Social Geniuses.

Title: Oh My Goddess! (Aa! Megami-Sama) Genre: Romance, Fantasy Publisher: Kodansha (JP), Dark Horse (U.S) Artist: Kousuke Fujishima Serialized in: Afternoon Translated by: Dana Lewis, Alan Gleason, Toren Smith Original Release Date: August 11, 2015 In reading Oh My Goddess!, this work that had its anime air on the International Channel when I was 10-13 ... Read more

The post Oh My Goddess! Review appeared first on Organization Anti-Social Geniuses.

Title: Emma Genre: Seinen, Romance Publisher: Enterbrain (JP), Yen Press (US) Artist: Kaoru Mori Serialized in: Comic Beam Being an avid reader of Kaoru Mori’s Bride Stories, I expected Emma to be just like its successor: beautifully detailed with sharp and charismatic characters, and great stories. However, by reading the first volume…I saw how it ... Read more

The post Emma Review appeared first on Organization Anti-Social Geniuses.

Title: Inari Konkon Genre: Slice of Life, Magical Girl, Romance Publisher: Kodokawa Shoten (JP, US) Artist/Writer: Morohe Yoshida Translation: Andrew Gibler & Jenn Forsyth Serialized in: Young Ace Review copy provided by the publisher. I was a big fan of the Inari Kon Kon anime in 2014 and I always hoped that the manga would be licensed as well since ... Read more

The post Inari Konkon Review appeared first on Organization Anti-Social Geniuses.

Title: Sweetness and Lightning (Amaama to Inazuma) Genre: Slice of Life, Food Publisher: Kodansha (JP), Crunchyroll (US) Artist/Writer: Gido Amagakure Serialized in: good! Afternoon Original Release Date: July 15, 2015 Crunchyroll is on a roll lately with their manga releases; this series came out in the same wave that gave us The Morose Mononokean (Kiri Wazawa) and Princess Jellyfish (Akiko Higashimura) so ... Read more

The post Sweetness and Lightning Review appeared first on Organization Anti-Social Geniuses.

Not sure if you should try out Kohei Horikoshi’s My Hero Academia? Here’s some reviews to see if it’s worth your while! David Brooke, AIPT: “This isn’t a comedy by any means, but the cartoonish facial expressions help when it comes to adding some lightheartedness to the very serious nature of the superhero elements in ... Read more

The post My Hero Academia Vol 1 Reviews Roundup appeared first on Organization Anti-Social Geniuses.

Contains Spoilers

Review:

It’s been a while since I read the first two volumes of LIMIT, but I didn’t have any problems jumping back into the series again.  This is a survival story; a bus of high schoolers is headed to the mountains for a camping trip.  There’s a terrible accident, and the bus plunges off the road and down the mountainside.  There’s only a handful of survivors, and they are all girls.  Bickering and power struggles begin at once, and Morishige, the only one with a weapon, quickly takes charge.  Morishige has issues.  She has grudges against the other girls, and establishes herself as the leader of her battered, hungry, and terrified classmates.  When Isui changes to power dynamic by running off with Morishige’s scythe, there’s a rebellion against Morishige’s cruel leadership.

Things are pretty grim for our tiny group of survivors.  Usui has run off into the fog and hasn’t been seen since.  There’s only a little food to share, and Morishige is still trying to keep herself in control through threats and violence.  Since she doesn’t have her weapon anymore, that is only getting her so far.  She and Ichinose fight, bickering about how misguided Morishige’s behavior has been.  In a fit of rage, Morishige storms off.

In the morning, Konno goes off in search of Isui.  Weak and cold, she falls into a lake and almost drowns.  At the last minute, she’s saved!  By Hinata, who everyone thought was dead.  And boy am I glad he’s not, because I really like Hinata!  If I was stranded on a mountain with bleak prospects for rescue, I’d want to see his cheerful face.  Hinata is a force of positive thoughts and good vibes, and if anyone can make the impossible come true, I firmly believe it’s him.  Of course, his sudden resurrection doesn’t sit well with Morishige, especially after he calls her out for her previous “leadership” skills.  Morishige, getting back to her issues, has a real problem with males.  After a flashback to her dreadful homelife, one can’t help but understand where her lack of people skills stems from.  The victim of abuse, she doesn’t know how else to deal with her problems other than to strike out against them.

LIMIT is a very fast read that will keep you on the edge of your seat.  It’s brutal, suspenseful, and creepy.  The dire situation isn’t bringing out the best in everyone, and in fact, the utter hopelessness is turning some of the cast into evil little monsters.  There’s very little one for all and all for one until Hinata shows up.  There’s a lot of self-destruction and back-stabbing, as well as resource hogging, because who wants to share when it means that you may not have enough to eat and starve to death?  Desperate times means really, really bad behavior! 

I love the art, which matches the tenor of the story perfectly.  It’s detailed and expressive, but also dark and brooding.  Moods change in an instant from hopeful to oh my gosh we are all going to die, and the art clearly reflects that.

Grade:  B

Review copy provided by publisher

In the third volume of The Limit the survivors’ worst fears have come true. One of their members has fallen. And this death amongst them will test the limits of their unity. New fears will be born from this tragedy and instead of using their combined strength to search for a way home, their lack of trust will force them all to retreat into their own micro-cliques. The balance of power is now undone, and a new face-another survivor-will eventually turn things upside down!

May Contain Spoilers

Review:

I am trying to get back into the swing of reading multi volume manga series again.  It has definitely gotten more difficult for me to maintain any level of enthusiasm when there is a wait of months, sometimes many, many months, between volumes.  When my favorite series go on hiatus, or get canceled by the US publisher, it breaks my heart.  I love comics, I get all caught up in the stories and the characters, and when all of that grinds to a premature halt, it stings.  I’m not a happy camper, and I’m reluctant to become invested in other series.  That’s one of the reasons I enjoy the Harlequin manga adaptations so much; it’s usually only volume and you’re done.  I was also burnt out on all of the series I had been following.  Now, though, I feel the urge to dip a toe back into the manga waters. I’d like to finish up some series that have concluded, and maybe test drive a few new ones.  Tokyo Ghoul looked interesting, so I decided to give it a spin.

This is the second volume that I’ve read.  The story is finally starting to pick up some momentum for me.  The world building is getting more complex, and Kaneki has more to worry about than how he’s going to keep himself fed.  The Ghoul Investigators are descending on the 20th Ward, searching for ghouls trying to blend into human society.  When Kaneki witnesses the brutal murder of a customer of the café he works at by the ghoul police, he is distraught over his sense of helplessness.  After Touka takes matters into her own hands, and fails to achieve the vengeance she sought, Kaneki asks her to show him how to use his kagune, or weapon.  While he still refuses to kill humans, at least he’ll be able to defend himself or his friends if they are attacked.

The investigators are a shady bunch, and Mado is one creepy dude.  It will be interesting to see how Kaneki and Touka keep from meeting an unpleasant end from them, because they are as ruthless as the ghouls.  The series is starting to click for me as Kaneki struggles to fit into both human and ghoul society.  He is so passive that I didn’t find him a compelling character at first, but now that he is determined to not be a doormat, I am hoping that he blossoms into a stronger individual.  I don’t have prior knowledge of this series, so I’m looking forward to seeing how it progresses.

I am not overly wild about the art, maybe because so many of the characters are so unpleasant to look at. It does have a dark vibe that is perfect for the story, but it isn’t a favorite of mine.

Grade:  B-

Review copy provided by publisher

About the book:

Ghouls live among us, the same as normal people in every way—except their craving for human flesh. Ken Kaneki is an ordinary college student until a violent encounter turns him into the first half-human half-ghoul hybrid. Trapped between two worlds, he must survive Ghoul turf wars, learn more about Ghoul society and master his new powers.

Unable to discard his humanity but equally unable to suppress his Ghoul hunger, Ken finds salvation in the kindness of friendly Ghouls who teach him how to pass as human and eat flesh humanely. But recent upheavals in Ghoul society attract the police like wolves to prey, and they don’t discriminate between conscientious and monstrous Ghouls.

Title: The Morose Mononokean Genre: Supernatural, slice of life Publisher: Square-Enix (JP), Crunchyroll (US) Artist/Writer: Kiri Wazawa Serialized in: Gangan Online Original Release Date: July 5, 2015 Crunchyroll is picking up more and more manga these days and they have a very nicely varied catalog by this point. There’s action, romance, and stories that cross the low-key feeling of a slice of ... Read more

May Contain Spoilers

Review:

I checked out The Secret Princess on a lark.  I was pressed for time with review books, but I saw the cover while browsing the virtual shelves at the library and was hooked.  It’s very cute, and I like the art style.  So I clicked the Borrow button and sat down to read it right away.  The story is cute too, so I’m glad I had a case of ADD.

Lotty has always behaved as her grandmother wished, and never rebelled against her.  The princess of Montluce, she has a reputation and public image to uphold.  When a series of threats against the throne make her grandmother nervous about the succession, she arranges for Lotty to marry her cousin.  Even though Phillippe is her best friend, she just can’t see herself married to him.  Besides, he’s in love with her friend, Caro, and she doesn’t want to come between them.  Taking Phillippe’s advice, she runs away from home, determined to use this opportunity to kick up her heels and experience the freedom she’s been denied for so long.

She goes to Scotland because her mother loved the country.  Unfortunately, her wallet is stolen soon after she arrives.  Penniless, she’s desperate to get a job, and asks Corran McKenna to hire her, despite the locals warnings to stay far away from him.  The grumpy guy is quick to point out that she isn’t strong enough to help him work his land, and he has no use for a woman employee.  Undeterred and persistent, she pesters him to point that he offers her a position.  If she can get a cottage in desperate need of TLC cleaned up and painted by the end of the weekend, he’ll hire her.  Not one to turn down a challenge, Lotty proves that Corran has underestimated her, and he reluctantly offers her a job.

Once she starts working alongside Corran, Lotty feels guilty for lying to him about her true identity.  Corran knows that there’s something off about her, but he just thinks that she’s a spoiled rich kid who has run away from home over some petty argument with her family.  As the two get to know each other, Lotty learns that the villagers think Corran stole the land from his younger brother.  He doesn’t hesitate to tell her that there is no love lost between his step-mother and his half-brother, and that his father turned his back on him after leaving his mother.  Corran ended up with the land because his father knew that the upkeep would be a financial burden, and he didn’t want to pin that on his youngest son. Instead, in spite, he left the land to Corran, who loved it and wants to make improvements, but can’t because he can’t get a loan. 

I enjoyed The Secret Princess because of the pretty art, seamless translation, and engaging story.  Lotty really is a kind person, and she’s determined to make the villagers see that they are wrong where Corran is concerned.  Before she leaves, she wants to repay his kindness by setting the record straight with the people who have basically shunned Corran.  Despite their rocky start, Lotty has come to care for her gruff employer.  She also loves the land, and wants to see Corran’s dreams come true.  She knows that they have no future together, so she’s decided to live for the moment, for the first time in her life.

The pacing is spot on, and the HEA, though highly unbelievable in this age of heightened security, is satisfying.  I was completely sold on their joyous future together.

Grade:  B

Review copy borrowed from my local library

From Amazon:

Princess of Montluce, Lotty, is very introverted and has never been able to express herself. Her grandmother wants to arrange an engagement for her, and she ends up running away. She wants to see what she can do on her own, and possibly fall in love for the first time… However, she loses her wallet in some town since she’s not used to having one, and ends up working for a man named Corran as a maid. At first, she is angered by his rudeness, but she ends up smitten by the kindness behind his crude demeanor.

Title: Love Stage!! Genre: Yaoi, Romance Publisher: Viz/Sublime (US), Kadokawa Shoten (JP) Artist/Writer: Taishi Zaoi, Eiki Eiki Serialized in: Asuka Ciel Original Release Date: May 12, 2015 Due to his discreet personality and otaku-like features, people usually don’t give Izumi Sena a second glance on the busy streets of Tokyo. But things would have been ... Read more

Title: Gyo (2-in-1 Deluxe Edition) Genre: Horror Publisher: Shogakukan (JP), Viz Media (US) Artist/Writer: Junji Ito Serialized in: Big Comic Spirits Original Release Date: April 21, 2015 While most reviewers this week are eagerly digging into Junji Ito’s newly licensed anthology work Fragments of Horror, I’m going back to a shiny hardcover re-release of one ... Read more

1) Last week, we reviewed Father and Son. This week, we’re reviewing the other title that Crunchyroll announced in their 4 manga license day, Donyatsu. 2) Donyatsu is a manga you might have heard about. 3) We hope you enjoyed the picture of a marshmallow eating the back of a donut’s behind. …Sorry, we meant ... Read more

Title: Oresama Teacher Genre: Comedy, High School Publisher: Hakusensha (JP), Viz Media (US) Story/Artist: Izumi Tsubaki Serialized in: Hana to Yume Review copy provided by the publisher Last summer I, along with many other people, fell in love with the Monthly Girl’s Nozaki-kun/Gekkan Shojo Nozaki-kun anime and the bits of the manga I read were equally adorable and fun. ... Read more

Title: Assassination Classroom Genre: Comedy Publisher: Shonen Jump (JP), Viz Media (US) Story/Artist: Yusei Matsui Serialized in: Weekly Shonen Jump (volume one reviewed) Translation: Tetsuichiro Miyaki Original Release Date: December 2, 2014 Review copy provided by Viz Media Sometime in the past few years, the hosts of the American Weekly Shonen Jump stated on their podcast that Assassination Classroom was never going ... Read more

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Good morning, Gwen!  Describe yourself in five words or less.

[Gwen Jones] Big, tall ball of contention.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Can you tell us a little about your book?

[Gwen Jones] French billionaire Marcel Mercier loves women. And there’s a string of broken hearts across two continents to prove it. But as CEO of Mercier Shipping, he’s got more important things to worry about…like why the charter company he just purchased in the United States is suddenly the center of an international media firestorm. Now that big, bad Mercier Shipping owns Captain Dani Lloyd’s ship she’s sure her job is at stake. Not that she won’t go down without a fight—even if it means chaining herself to the mast of the Esther Reed and refusing to set foot on shore. The delectable captain and her news-worthy dramatics are a PR nightmare, but Marcel is happy to let Dani prove her skills on a week-long sail to Boston. He knows no woman can resist him for that long…in fact, he’s counting it. But Marcel’s plan to seduce Dani backfires as sparks fly between the billionaire playboy and the passionate captain. Which leaves Marcel realizing that winning her heart is a challenge he can’t afford to lose.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] How did you come up with the concept and the characters for the story?

[Gwen Jones] If you’ve read the first book in the “French Kiss” series, Wanted: Wife, you would have met Andy Devine’s half-brother, Marcel Mercier. The plot device used in Kiss Me, Captain comes from the family business. Now hurry and go get that first book! Now!

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What did you enjoy most about writing this book?

[Gwen Jones] The book is set on a Delaware Bay schooner, which is patterned after New Jersey’s official tall ship, the A.J. Meerwald. The absolute best thing about that was getting to spend some time on the Meerwald, and doing the accompanying research. Research is always fun. Plus it’s tax deductible!

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What gave you the most trouble with this story?

[Gwen Jones] Learning all that nautical stuff! Before I approached this project, I couldn’t tell my bow from my stern, let alone how to gauge distance in nautical miles or steer by the stars. Still, it was fun, and know it makes me sound really smart.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] If you had a theme song, what would it be?

[Gwen Jones] “On Top of the World” by Imagine Dragons

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Name one thing you won’t leave home without.

[Gwen Jones] My self-confidence.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Name three things on your desk right now.

[Gwen Jones] A Creative Writing textbook, a cup of Twining’s Orange Bliss tea, and a promo lip balm I got from Damon Suede at BEA.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] If you could trade places with anyone for just one day, who would you be?

[Gwen Jones] Myself, twenty years ago. I was a bookseller then, and man..was that was a great job. Sigh…

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What are some books that you enjoyed recently?

[Gwen Jones] I just got off deadline for two books since February, so my reading’s been mostly academic (I’m also a college professor) or The New Yorker. But now that I can breathe again, I’ll tell you what’s on my TBA pile: Written In My Own Heart’s Blood, by Diana Gabaldon, When the Marquess Met His Match, by Laura Lee Guhrke, and Let’s Explore Diabetes With Owls, by David Sedaris. Plus other academia-related and non-fiction, but I don’t want to bore you to death!

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What do you like to do when you aren’t writing?

[Gwen Jones] Are you referring to what’s called “free time?” Interesting concept. I’m going to have to explore that sometime.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] How can readers connect with you?

[Gwen Jones] Oh, I’m all over the place like a cheap suit…

Website: www.gwenjoneswrites.com

Facebook fan page https://www.facebook.com/gwenjoneswrites

Twitter: https://twitter.com/gwenjones25

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/gjones043 (though I’m still working on this one)

Readers can also visit my page at Avon/HarperCollins for links to books, insider info, blogs, contests and all kinda fun stuff! http://www.harpercollins.com/cr-107501/gwen-jones

Kiss Me, Captain: French Kiss # 2

By: Gwen Jones

Releasing August 26th, 2014

Avon: Impulse

Blurb

French billionaire Marcel Mercier loves women. And there’s a string of broken hearts across two continents to prove it. But as CEO of Mercier Shipping, he’s got more important things to worry about . . . like why the charter company he just purchased in the United States is suddenly the center of an international media firestorm.
Now that big, bad Mercier Shipping owns Captain Dani Lloyd’s ship, she’s sure her job is at stake. But she won’t go down without a fight—even if it means chaining herself to the mast of the Esther Reed and refusing to set foot on shore.
The delectable captain and her newsworthy dramatics are a PR nightmare, but Marcel is happy to let Dani prove her skills on a weeklong sail to Boston. He knows no woman can resist him for that long . . . in fact, he’s counting on it.
But Marcel’s plan to seduce Dani backfires as sparks fly between the billionaire playboy and the passionate captain. Which leaves Marcel realizing that winning her heart is a challenge he can’t afford to lose.

Link to Follow Tour: http://www.tastybooktours.com/2014/07/kiss-me-captain-by-gwen-jones-french.html

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20827366-kiss-me-captain?from_search=true

Buy Links

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Kiss-Me-Captain-French-Novel-ebook/dp/B00ICN508E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1406660322&sr=8-1&keywords=kiss+me+captain

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Kiss-Me-Captain-A-French-Kiss-Novel?store=allproducts&keyword=Kiss+Me%2C+Captain%3A+A+French+Kiss+Novel

iTunes : https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/kiss-me-captain/id824151710?mt=11

Author Info

Gwen Jones has an MFA in Creative Writing from Western Connecticut State University and is an adjunct Assistant Professor of English at Mercer County Community College. Gwen is a fabulously talented and creative writer who mirrors the style of Nora Roberts with depth of character, intelligence and humor. She is currently working on another brilliant romance, with an expected completion in the Summer of 2013. She is a member of Liberty States Fiction Writers, The Romance Writers of America, and blogs at http://gwenjoneswrites.com.

Author Links

Website: http://gwenjoneswrites.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/gwenjones25

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gwenjoneswrites

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1439257.Gwen_Jones

Rafflecopter Giveaway (Three Ebook Copies of KISS ME, CAPTAIN)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The post Interview with Gwen Jones, Author of Kiss Me, Captain, and Giveaway appeared first on Manga Maniac Cafe.

Title: The Heroic Legend of Arslan (Arslan Senki) Genre: Fantasy, Historical, Action Publisher: Kodansha (JP/US) Story/Artist: Yoshiki Tanaka, Hiromu Arakawa Serialized in: Bessatsu Shonen Magazine Translation: Lindsey Akashi Original Release Date: August 19, 2014 Arakawa’s take on Yoshiki Tanaka’s The Heroic Legend of Arslan, which started way back in 1986 in Japan as a novel ... Read more

Title: D-Frag! Genre: Comedy Publisher: Media Factory (JP), Seven Seas (US) Artist: Tomoya Haruno Serialized in: Monthly Comic Alive Translation: Adrienne Beck Original Release Date: August 5, 2014 I follow a very simple rule when it comes to reading comedy manga: if I’m laughing because it’s legitimately funny instead of laughing while making up scenarios ... Read more

Title: Seraph of The End (Owari no Serafu) Genre: Fantasy Publisher: Shueisha (JP), Viz Media (US) Story/Artist: Takaya Kagami, Yamoto Yamamoto Serialized in: Jump Square Translation: Adrienne Beck Original Release Date: June 3, 2014 I think Seraph of The End is incapable of sustaining my long term interest due to it being incredibly cliche, riddled with predictable ... Read more

May Contain Spoilers

Review:

I love this series, and I can’t figure out why.  It is violent and depressing, peopled with unlikeable characters.  These guys are unrepentant killers.  They cheerfully engage in murder and thievery, and most lack even the barest sense of honor.  I hate Askeladd, and was really hoping Thorkell would bash his head in with his mighty axe, but no!  The evil, self-serving marauder did not meet his end in the third volume of Vinland Saga.

This volume was over 400 pages of non-stop action.  My wrist is sore from the rapid page turning, and this massive book was literally glued to my hands.  Vinland Saga is one of the most exciting graphic novels that I’ve ever read, and the art is stunning in its brutality.  Fans of Berserk really need to read this, because the two series have a lot in common.  Tortured hero who lives by the blade.  Check.  Violent characters who don’t hesitate to make a deadly show of force.  Check.  One horrific bloodbath after another.  Check!  And worked into all of the glorious violence is the political wrangling for control of the Danish throne.  Which brings me to the only character I really like – young Prince Canute, who has been sent to war by his father King Sweyn, in hopes that he’ll be killed in battle. Like I said, there aren’t a lot of people to look up to in the series.  Everyone is out for their own gain, which makes everything they do suspect, even question a father’s love for his son.

The action gets thick and heavy when Thorkell discovers that Askeladd’s men are lying low in a small village after killing all of the inhabitants, save for the one woman who barely escaped with her life.  Suddenly the chase is on.  Can Thorkell catch Askeladd and reclaim the weak Canute for himself?  Askeladd’s men grow more desperate as the terrifying Thorkell and his men march ever closer to their position.  Askeladd’s men mutter darkly among themselves; Askeladd’s luck has turned, maybe it’s time to look to a new leader.  Oh, dear!  Will Askeladd keep control of his men, through the respect he’s earned with the blade of his sword?  Or will they turn on him like a pack of dogs?  More power to them, I wanted to yell.  Take that bastard down!  Not that any of the other warriors are much better, but wow!  Askeladd has done some horrible things in just three volumes!  Indiscriminate slaughter being just one of them.  These guys do like to kill, and they don’t care who gets caught on the end of their blade.

Thorfinn and Thorkell have a fierce battle.  The winner gets Askeladd.   Do you think Thorfinn is going to let an opportunity like that go by?  No freaking way!  Who cares that Thorkell is a giant, towering over his much smaller opponent.  What a great battle!  The art really shone here, with convincing movement and incredibly emotional facial expressions.  I’ll say it again – the illustrations are fantastic, driving the story forward at a frantic pace, catching your attention and refusing to let it go, or to give your poor eyes a break.  Weapons clash, blood spills, body parts fly off the pages.  It is so mind-numbingly intense!

While the battles were exhilarating, my favorite part of this volume was Canute.  He finally found his voice.  He found his resolve, and he found his power, and boy, oh, boy, his father had better watch out.  From a quiet, weak boy, to a proud, determined leader, all in the span of a few chapters.   Yes!  I want to know what kind of man he becomes, to see if he, too, is shaped into a cold, heartless leader like all of the men around him.

I enjoyed Vinland Saga Volume 3 so much that when I finished, I hopped onto Amazon to see when the next volume comes out.  Guess what!  It’s already out!  And at $5.49 for the Kindle, it is MINE!

Grade:  A

Review copy provided by my local library

From Amazon:

A BLOODY COMING OF AGE In a gambit to become the power behind the Danish and English thrones, Askeladd has taken the prince, Canute, and plunged deep into a winter storm behind enemy lines. Canute’s father, King Sweyn, gives him up for dead in his haste to suppress English resistance. But Askeladd’s small band can’t outrun the tenacious maniac Thorkell forever, and when the warriors finally clash, a storm of sweat and gore ensues that will turn a boy into a man and a hostage into a ruler of men!

The post Graphic Novel Review: Vinland Saga Volume 3 by Makoto Yukimura appeared first on Manga Maniac Cafe.

May Contain Spoilers

Review:

Now that I have a nifty second-hand treadmill, I find myself reading more digital manga.  It’s just so easy to march along on the track, flipping pages every few seconds.  The workouts go by much faster, I’m getting caught up on some of the series I’ve been neglecting, and I’m getting healthier while I’m multi-tasking.  Who could ask for more?

Stepping on Roses has been my manga crack for a while, but the final volume has been moldering on my iPad for far too long.  I booted it up, clicked Start on the treadmill, and had the most entertaining 20 minutes in a while.  All of my gasping, eeewwwws, and ahhhhhs kept Poppy pretty entertained, too.  Every time something unexpected happened in the story, I couldn’t help but  make some weird sound, which kept disturbing her as she snoozed on the sofa.  Bumble couldn’t have cared less, but I don’t think Poppy enjoyed the last volume quite so much.

Sumi has been fending off Nozomu, telling him that they can’t be married until he’s legally divorced from Miu (I mean DUH!).  Soichiro is performing manual labor in his efforts to work his way back up the ladder so he can take back control of the family business again.  His luck is finally starting to take a turn for the better when he helps a foreign businessman by translating for him when he can’t make himself understood in a business negotiation.  With a new job interpreting for the foreigner, Soichiro and Sumi are pleasantly surprised that they are able to see each other again when Nozomu has business dealings with the man.  Nozomu, not so happy.  In fact, evil Nozomu makes a reappearance, and he tries, yet again, to force himself on Sumi.  You’d think this guy would learn, but no.  Instead, he chases Sumi away, straight into Soichiro’s waiting arms.

While I was happy that Sumi and Soichiro were finally able to be together for a passionate interlude, I wasn’t quite so happy with how rushed the story felt shortly after.  In a fit of jealousy, Nozomu confines Sumi to his house, and arranges to have their wedding in just two weeks.  That’s when things got really weird.  A trip to visit Nozomu’s father yields very unwelcome news for Nozomu, which would have made his marriage to Sumi socially unacceptable. (I’m trying not to spoil this!)  He disregards the revelation, determined to finally make Sumi his.  Ugh and eek!  Soichiro zooms in at the last second to save her, and Nozomu, from this disastrous union, and tra-la-la!  The story’s OVER!

While I was disappointed with the last two raced through chapters, overall, I loved Stepping on Roses.  It is a soap opera at it’s best, with one misfortune after another befalling the sweet, likeable Sumi.  The melodrama has been epic, and I have enjoyed both loving and hating on the characters, especially Nozomu and Eisuke.  Soichiro finally got a clue, but he almost got it too late to save his relationship with Sumi, and considering how messed up that was at the beginning, it’s a wonder that everyone managed to score a happily ever after, and I do mean everyone.  That at least was fun, but the big reveal of Sumi’s real family?  Not so much. 

Grade:  B/B-

B+ for series overall

From Amazon:

Poor Sumi Kitamura… Her irresponsible older brother Eisuke keeps bringing home orphans for her to take care of even though they can barely afford their own basic needs! Just when Sumi’s financial problems become dire, wealthy Soichiro Ashida enters her life with a bizarre proposition: he’ll provide her with the money she so desperately needs if she agrees to marry him. But can Sumi fool high society into thinking she’s a proper lady? Moreover, is it worth giving up everything for this sham of a marriage?

The post Manga Review: Stepping on Roses Vol 9 (Final) by Rinko Ueda appeared first on Manga Maniac Cafe.

May Contain Spoilers

Review:

Okay, so, ugh, this series is not my cup of tea.  That thought that I had after reading the first volume? You know, when I thought that William Tell’s son would be the protagonist and lead the brutalized populace to victory?  Nope, didn’t happen.  This installment is yet again a mish-mash of the Austrians beating, torturing, raping, and hanging the hapless citizens of the Alps.  Only that bloodthirsty prick Wolfram manages to glide unscathed from one gruesome chapter to the next, and I didn’t like that.  I don’t like him, and I don’t like the way this series makes me feel.  Talk about a downer. 

Some of the downtrodden in Wolfsmund bring about their own downfall, like the couple from the first two chapters of volume 2.  Hans is an older pub owner, and Eva is his vain, lazy, air-headed wife.  She refuses to sleep with her husband until he proves that he’s a real man, and oh, yeah, buys her a ring for every finger she possesses.  Better for him to have just cut off 8 of her digits, thus saving himself from a lot of discomfort.  Things don’t go too well for Hans when he sells out the local rebels he overhears plotting in his pub.  When his idiotic wife struts around town decked out in her new jewels, the gig is up.  Everyone knows that he’s sold out his friends, and Hans and Eva must flee.  Did I mention that things don’t go well for them?  Considering that nothing goes well for anyone, I am not exactly being remiss leaving that out.

Next up is Cedar and her daughter Juwel.  They are traveling performers, and Cedar has some serious anger management issues when it comes to caring for her daughter.  She’s such a winner I was counting down the pages until Wolfram got his hands on her.  What I wasn’t counting on was the abuse he would subject on Juwel.  Believing that Cedar had a hidden message for the rebels, Wolfram orders that every orifice be examined on both females.  Really, guys?  How I wish I could unsee what I saw. Another UGH, only with capital letters.  Wolfram really does make the Lannisters (A Game of Thrones, in case you aren’t reading or watching that happy show) seem like fun, easygoing people, the kind you want as neighbors so they can invite you over for a BBQ.  Have a couple of beers, slaughter a few annoying party-crashers, but at least they wouldn’t turn on their guests…..yeah, yeah, that was the Freys, not the Lannisters.

I started thinking that Grete, the proprietress of the inn, would be the series’ recurring character, but NO!  Even that comfort was foully ripped from my grasp.  We are left with only Wolfram, and frankly, he’s not interesting enough to keep my attention for an entire series.  So far, he has been a one-dimensional psycho who loves to inflict pain and suffering on others.  Like I said, so not my thing, so if you’ll excuse me, I have to go wash the residue from this read out of my eyes.  Oh! NOES!  I have one more volume in my review stack – do I wash my eyes out before or after I read it??

Grade:  NFM – Not for me!

Review copy provided by publisher

From the back of the book:

By no means the exclusive province of oppressors, base callousness also inspires some rebels, while those who don’t care for political struggles are no more saintly in this installment of the searing feudal saga.

The post Graphic Novel Review-Wolfsmund V2 by Mitsuhisa Kuji appeared first on Manga Maniac Cafe.

May Contain Spoilers

Review:

Much like the first volume of Attack on Titan, this series just feels like a mish-mash of things I’ve read before.  The action picks up with the carnage after the wall has been breached by the human-eating monsters, and the precious few humans on Earth run scattering like chickens from foxes.  The young military graduates, newly recruited, are being slaughtered at an alarming rate.  Eren has already fallen in a gruesome attempt to rescue Armin, Mikasa is struggling to help the citizens save themselves from their own greed and privilege, and everyone has pretty much lost their minds during the bloodbath and ensuing feeding frenzy.

There’s a flashback to Mikasa’s meeting with Eren; her parents were murdered when she was a young girl, and she was kidnapped because she’s the last human of Asian descent.  Her kidnappers think they can sell her for a bundle on the black market, but Eren helps put an end to their horrible plan, giving Mikasa the drive to fight and save those important to her in the process.  I found this character defining moment somewhat enlightening – at least now I understand what drives Mikasa to be such a badass.  It also made less of a muddle Eren and Mikasa’s relationship, and gave a underlying reason for their strong bond and Mikasa’s loyalty to Eren.

There’s a lot of action in volume 2 – the humans are hopelessly overwhelmed by the towering Titans, and they quickly fall before them.  Lots of eating occurs.  Then a huge Titan lumbers onto the scene, ruthlessly tearing other Titans to pieces!  The page flipping got a little more frantic after that – I wasn’t sure how the Eren Titan came to be, but I have to admit that I was jarred out of my disinterest and I wanted to find out what’s up with all of that. 

I have decided to read through two more volumes of Attack on Titan to see if it can take a better hold of my imagination.  The art is still butt ugly, though the action panels are well rendered.  I guess I just don’t have as high a standard for death and dismemberment.  I like that the most capable and commanding character is a woman, and I admit to a certain curiosity regarding the Titans.  What are they?  Where did they come from?  Why do they keep gobbling up humans with unrestrained zeal?  And what, what, what is up with Eren??

Grade:  C+

Review copy provided by my local library

From Amazon:

BIRTH OF A MONSTER
The Colossal Titan has breached humanity’s first line of defense, Wall Maria. Mikasa, the 104th Training Corps’ ace and Eren’s best friend, may be the only one capable of defeating them, but beneath her calm exterior lurks a dark past. When all looks lost, a new Titan appears and begins to slaughter its fellow Titans. Could this new monster be a blessing in disguise, or is the truth something much more sinister?
This volume of Attack on Titan includes special extras after the story!

Bleach, Vol. 2

May Contain Spoilers

From Amazon:

Immediately after checking into the Kurosaki Clinic with a mysterious scar on his back, the muscle-bound Chad goes AWOL. Accompanying Chad is a talking parakeet imbued with the soul of a young boy named Y?ichi. It doesn’t take newbie Soul Reaper Ichigo Kurosaki long to surmise that a Hollow must be involved. By far the strongest spirit he’s faced to date, Ichigo is about to discover that not every soul is bound for the Soul Society, especially if it’s tainted with innocent blood

Review:

I loved this volume of Bleach!  Picking up right where the first volume left off, Chad  is in oodles of trouble because of a possessed parakeet.  Housing the soul of the a young boy, Chad has promised to keep him safe, unaware that a Hallow is hot on their heels.  It’s a good thing that Chad is a strong, sturdy fellow, because the evil spirit does its level best to thoroughly annihilate him.  Rukia tries to race to the rescue, but without her Soul Reaper powers, she’s even more helpless than Chad and the parakeet!  Ichigo is temporarily out of the picture.  His sister Karin is very ill, and he’s been tasked with seeing her home safely.  Will he get to Rukia and Chad in time to save the day?

I thought this story arc was very entertaining.  It revealed that Chad has some spiritual energy, and even though he can’t see the Hallow, he can pummel the heck out of it, holding it off until Ichigo’s arrival.  While creating a tense and exciting action sequence, Tite Kubo manages to sneak in some humor to the heightened emotions and make the action even more memorable.  I think that’s what I like best about the series; while things are fraught with stress and impending doom, the mood is altered ever so slightly with quick bursts of humor.  The opposite happens when the mood is light and Rukia and Ichigo are joking around.  The reality of their responsibilities intrudes, if just for a moment, causing a complete shift in tone.  The emotional roller coaster makes this a very engaging read for me.

During the battle over the little boy’s soul, we also learn what happens to people who were evil when they were alive.  Ichigo’s  zanpakut? can’t cleanse their souls of the evil they carry, and they are dragged down to Hell.  Wah!  That’s pretty scary!  Some of the Hallows weren’t decent people when they were among the living, so it’s somewhat gratifying to see them get their just rewards in the afterlife.

This volume also introduces one of my favorite characters, Kisuke Urahara.  He doesn’t seem like much here, other than a shifty merchant peddling in questionable Soul Society goods, and one all too ready to take advantage of Rukia unfortunate circumstances.  There’s also the hint that things in the Soul Society are not all rainbows and unicorns.  Experiments with dubious moral implications are just the start.  I like how these tidbits are scattered like so much bird seed throughout the chapters.  Both Rukia and Ichigo have a lot to learn about what’s really going on in the Soul Society.

This series is highly recommended if you enjoy action, gripping storylines, and likeable characters.   Yes, yes, the fact that it’s at 60 volumes and counting is a little daunting, but on the plus side – you won’t run out of new story for a long time!

Grade:  A-

Review copy provided by publisher

Title: Midnight Secretary Vol 1 Author:  Tomu Ohmi

May Contain Spoilers

From Amazon:

Review:

Midnight Secretary is a very fun, fluffy read.  I wasn’t expecting much from it, and I wasn’t really in the mood for it, so I kept shuffling it from the top of my reading pile, and now I’m sorry I did.  Once I got it in my hands, the cover kind of turned me off.  I don’t find it appealing at all, so here is another instance where I misjudged the book by it’s cover.

Kaya takes pride in her job, and she wants to be the best executive secretary possible so she can get a great job, and so her mom won’t have to work so hard.  After her father died, her mother got a job at Tohma Corporation, and she worked hard to put Kaya through school.  She even helped get her a job at Tohma, and now that Kaya is getting her big break, she’s going to make her mother proud.  The big break turns out to be a mixed blessing.  She’s assigned to be Kyohei Tohma’s secretary.  Kyohei is the younger son of the senior director, and he’s a jerk.  He is a demanding boss, who works long hours, and his exacting expectations have caused countless secretaries to quit.  Kaya is determined to succeed, though, but his dismissive attitude is hard to deal with.

Kyohei has a reputation for being a ladies man, and Kaya quickly discovers that this is true.  He juggles the ladies with consummate skill, arranging meetings with them in his office after dark.  He is quick to disparage Kaya’s looks, and he grumpily complains that she’s not good looking enough to work for him.  Kaya ignores every complaint and quickly proves that she is efficient and dedicated to her job.  When she suspects that Kyohei and his girlfriends are using drugs in the office, she doesn’t hesitate to get to the bottom of her suspicions.  She’s afraid that if there is illegal drug use going on that he’ll get caught, the company will suffer, and she’ll lose her job.  What she discovers is that he’s a vampire, and that the hanky panky in his office  is Kyohei drinking the blood of his beautiful lady friends.  The illegal drug use would probably have been more welcome than working for a blood-sucking playboy!

I enjoyed Midnight Secretary because Kaya is so unflappable.  She takes the discovery that her boss is a vampire in stride, and quickly decides that she’s going to defend his secret and make sure that he is taken care of so that he can continue to perform his job duties.  Well, that and he’s threatened to have her mother fired if  Kaya quits, so she doesn’t really have much choice.  Meeting every challenge that he throws at her head-on, Kaya quickly proves that she is indispensible.  Despite Kyohei’s gruffness, she can’t help but find him attractive, especially after his secret weakness is revealed and he is forced to drink her blood.

The art is very attractive and reminded me of Mayu Shinjo.  The delicate lines are expressive, and the characters are attractive, even Kaya, who hides her baby face behind ugly glasses and a severe hair style.Midnight Secretary is fun and flirty, and I can’t wait to read the next volume. 

Grade:  B+

Review copy provided by publisher