Description: Love is already hard enough, but it becomes an unnavigable maze for unassuming high school student Taichi Ichinose and his shy classmate Futaba Kuze when they begin to fall for each other after their same-sex best friends have already fallen for them.

Description: On the day that Naho begins 11th grade, she receives a letter from herself ten years in the future. At first, she writes it off as a prank, but as the letter’s predictions come true one by one, Naho realizes that the letter might be the real deal. Her future self tells Naho that a new transfer student, a boy named Kakeru, will soon join her class. The letter begs Naho to watch over him, saying that only Naho can save Kakeru from a terrible future. Who is this mystery boy, and can Naho save him from his destiny?

Review: I have heard great things about the manga series Orange for quite some time. I saw friends read it and enjoyed it. After it appeared on the Goodreads Choice for graphic novels and on the ALA Great Graphic Novels for Teens I decided to pick it up. The series is complete in two omnibus volumes. Once I started the manga, I had a hard time putting it down.
 The premise of the manga series is not completely unique. Our main character Naho receives a letter from her future self warning her to look after a boy named Kakeru who will soon join her class. Ten years from now Kakeru will commit suicide and Naho and her group of friends can avoid this tragedy if they work together and change their choices. Though I had to suspend my disbelief and overlook the confusing science explanation of how the letter works, the characters and their friendship is what drew me into this story.
  Orange features a great group of friends that I have seen in manga. They show their unconditional love and support to each other without any strings attached. You won't find petty fights, angst or betrayal among these group of friends. They open their arms to Kakeru who is quiet and withdrawn on his first day and envelop him with their warmth without any questions asked. The group of friends are made up of varied personalities: Naho is shy, very sweet, and maternal. Takako is the outspoken protector of the group who first appears intimidating but she defends her friends and comes to their rescue in confrontations. Azusa is bubbly, optimistic and full of enthusiasm. Saku is the "serious" one but a manga nerd and totally has something for Azusa but denies it. Hiroto is the leader of the group, star soccer player, and my favorite member of all who is completely selfless throughout the entire series. Each member of the group affect Kakeru differently and they are very different from his old group of friends at his old school.
 Kakeru's past is slowly unveiled through the future letters and we really hear his voice in the second volume. I appreciated that the author did not shy away from talking about tough mental health issues such as depression, suicide, and guilt in the manga. I would have liked to see more of a discussion particularly of seeking help in the manga. While there is a small undercurrent of romance in the series, the main focus was helping Kakeru. Orange ends on a hopeful note, but I was still left wanting more. I would have liked an epilogue to see what happened to all of the characters. I would highly recommend reading this manga series for its message of being kind and supportive to everyone because you don't know what worries and hardships they carry.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is some language in the manga series and mention of suicide.

If you like this book try: Sand Chronicles by Hinako Ashihara, We Were There by Yuuki Obata, Silent Voice series by Yoshitoki Ooima

Description: Having no experience in romance, the vibrant Ninako curiously explores the meaning of what "love" really is, and is surprised to feel a colorful range of emotions as she grows closer to the school heartthrob, the quiet yet gentle Ren, who also happens to be involved in a longtime relationship. With every intention of keeping her head held high, Ninako prepares to face the mental pain of this one-sided love that she had allowed to take root, facing a series of trials that would either contribute to her growth as a headstrong woman, or break her as it did with other girls. However, is this really a one-sided love? Or had something been silently sown in the most hidden part of Ren's heart?

Review: Strobe Edge is a sweet, straight-forward shoujo manga. It is relatively short compared to standard manga series, completing at ten volumes. The focus of Strobe Edge is examining all the emotions that surround the concept of love, both familial and romantic. Readers familiar with shoujo manga will immediately recognize its familiar tropes: a budding romance between the dashing yet aloof hero, the sweet, flighty heroine who eventually wins the hero over by her quiet strength and generous heart, and large doses of unnecessary drama until the happily ever after ending. Unlike other shoujo mangas that I've read, Strobe Edge has surprisingly very little drama, but it is full of heart and emotions. 
   Ninako begins to develop a crush on Ren, one of the most popular and cutest boys in school, after he notices her when he accidentally breaks her cell-phone charm and then replaces it. This generosity from the school's otherwise silent "pop star" distracts Ninako from Daiki, the boy who's been there all along, and makes her start becoming more aware of what love should feel and look like. As the story progresses, Ninako evolves from being a stereotypical shoujo heroine into someone who gains maturity and clearly articulate her feelings with honesty and passion. Unlike her female classmates who fall for Ren because of his physical looks, Ninako falls for Ren for his acts of kindness, his quiet and shy personality that others claim is his arrogance. Of course happily ever after is a long road for Ninako, as she discovers that Ren has a girlfriend and is committed to her. Instead of finding ways to sabotage Ren's relationship, Ninako finds a way to turn her unrequited love into friendship and never wavers for her love for Ren until the opportunity presents itself. Through the secondary characters and their relationships, we see how love can be successful and disastrous as well as how they envisioned on what love is suppose to look like which I found to be interesting.
  The illustrations of Strobe Edge has the typical manga look with characters that have large eyes, crazy hair colors, and pointy hair, but the panels are filled with life and action. The best parts of the book are the closeup, wordless panels that the author creates that allow the physical features of the characters to emote and tell the story where words seem to fail them. Overall this manga is a sure winner for readers who seek a cute romance with very little drama and angst. 

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is some crude sexual humor and minor language. Recommended for Grades 8 and up.

If you like this series try: L-DK series by Ayu Watanabe, Say I love You series by Kanae Hazuki

A Silent Voice is a very short manga series that is complete with seven volumes.  The series gives us a glimpse of what bullying is like in Japanese schools. If you enjoy books that tackle difficult subjects along with slice of life moments that are not too long, I suggest picking up this series.

Description: Shoya is a bully. When Shoko, a girl who can’t hear, enters his elementary school class, she becomes their favorite target, and Shoya and his friends goad each other into devising new tortures for her. But the children’s cruelty goes too far. Shoko is forced to leave the school, and Shoya ends up shouldering all the blame. Six years later, the two meet again. Can Shoya make up for his past mistakes, or is it too late?

Review: A Silent Voice takes an interesting look at bullying and its consequences. Nishimiya Shouko is a new transferee and a deaf student to the middle school. She is the target of relentless bullying by one of her classmates Ishida Shouya. Shouko's bullying escalates rapidly from name calling to physical violence. It got so bad that Shouko transferred to another school. Shouya then became the bully target of his own classmates. He lost all of his friends and was simply isolated. Now a few years later, Shouko and Shouya's paths have rejoined once again. Shouya has realized what harm he has done and is now on the mission for repentance and forgiveness.
  I loved the overall message of the manga in which friendship, unconditional love, understanding, and empathy are explored, however, there is a lot of things that are underdeveloped. For example Shouko doesn't emote her emotions at all. At times she is unrealistic, blaming herself for the bullying that is done to her and then in a short amount of time develops a crush on Shouya which left a bad taste in my mouth. Shouya is a hard person to like. He was so despicable and unlovable in the beginning volumes that I found it hard to embrace him though he does seem to grow. It is not clear why Shouya turned into a bully, was he insecure or was it a result of how he was raised?
  After finishing the series, I still had a lot of questions that were left unanswered such as the absence of Shouya's father, Shouya's sister who seems to have a revolving door of guys coming in and going, and what happens to Shouko in the future. I also can't really make out Naoka Ueno's and Miki Kawai's roles either.
  There are great moments in the series in which we get to step inside Shouko's shoes and see her world through her eyes. Despite my issues with this series, I do think it has a valuable message and would recommend it to my teens. I think it will provoke interesting discussions among readers.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Words of Caution: There is some language, scenes of violence and bullying, and allusions to sex. Recommended for Grades 9 and up.

If you like this series try: El Deafo by Cece Bell

 I took a little break from reading manga last year. With the exception of reading the Fruits Basket manga series in bits and spurts, I didn't pick up any other series. I just wasn't excited about starting a new series so I turned my focus to graphic novels instead. This summer, however, I did want to return to manga and decided to take a break from the shoujo genre and go a different route so I picked up the No. 6 manga series. No. 6 is actually an adaptation based on the novel series of the same title and there is also an anime too that is available on Hulu. The series is complete with only nine volumes. If you enjoy action, science fiction/dystopia, and a little hint of romance, I would highly suggest picking up this series.


Description: For Shion, an elite student in the technologically sophisticated city No. 6, life is carefully choreographed. School, study, and the occasional visit with his friend and classmate Safu. One fateful day, however, he takes a misstep, sheltering an injured boy his age from a typhoon. Known only as Rat, this boy is a VC – a fugitive living outside the computerized tapestry of city control – and helping him will throw Shion’s life into chaos and start him down a path to discovering the appalling secrets behind the superficial perfection of No. 6.

Review: No. 6 follows the popular tropes of a dystopian novel. A society was devasted by a catastrophic disaster leaving nothing but rubble behind. With the vow and intention of preventing that disaster from happening again, a core group of people developed six societies to create six utopians. Eventually, over a period of time five societies were destroyed leaving No. 6 still standing. The world building is pretty standard in the manga series, but I did like that we are given small clues that something was amiss in No. 6 such as parasitic bugs start to appear and people infected by these bugs start to age rapidly and die. I also liked how the manga series kept you guessing as to what was the government's intention and why they would stealthily sneak up on its citizens when anyone began questioning No. 6.
  The main reason why you should pick up this manga series is because of its rich, complex characters and their relationships with one another. Our main character Shion has been born and raised in No. 6. He has the privilege of being well educated and affluent. He at first comes across as a day dreamer who is always wondering what lies beyond No. 6. It is not until Shion meets his complete opposite Rat, a poor boy,  and a criminal on the run who knows the dark truths about No. 6. Shion and Rat are drawn to one another yet have very different viewpoints. Shion is often called stupid, naive, and soft by Rat because he always manages to see the good in people and view things positively. In contrast, Rat is very rough around the edges, mistrusting, and manipulative all due to his upbringing and surviving on the streets. While Rat constantly belittles Shion, he secretly admires Shion's compassion and empathy. The relationship between Shion and Rat changes and morphs throughout the manga series. While there are subtle hints of romance between the two characters, I think their relationship can't really be labeled.
  In addition to Shion and Rat, there are other strong secondary characters that also have a prominent role in the story such as Dogkeeper, Shion's best friend Safu and his mother Karan, and the ex-journalist Rikiga. Each of these characters is influenced by Shion and Rat. It was fun to see how each of these characters viewed Shion and Rat throughout the series especially when they were tasked with helping to bring down No. 6. Since the manga is an adaptation of novels, the series did not go into more details as I would have liked. I wanted to know more about Shion's mother especially because she knew the founding members of No. 6. as well as taken a closer look at the juxtaposition between nature and technology which is a strong theme in the manga series. Overall, I would recommend reading No. 6 as there is a lot to discover and discuss. As of the moment, the No. 6 novels are not translated in English but I do hope they will be in the future as I would definitely pick it up.


Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is some strong language, crude humor, and strong violence (especially in the later volumes). Recommended for Grades 9 and up.

If you like this book try: Alive: The Final Evolution series by Tadashi Kawashima, Afterschool Charisma by Kumiko Suekane

  I have been trying to compose a summer reading list for myself for the past two weeks. Foolishly, I started writing titles down that I wanted to read and soon found out that I basically want to read my entire library collection. So, I spent the next few days prioritizing my list and narrowed it down to less than 50 titles or so. I thought I would be fun to post my top 10 books on my summer reading list as an incentive to actually work on this list rather than get distracted by other new, hot off the press, shiny books. Here is my list in no particular order.


Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie - A critically acclaimed novel that explores immigration, race, and identity. The book is also on my school's summer reading list.


The Wrath and the Dawn Duology by Renee Ahdieh- This is a fantasy romance loose retelling of the Arabian Nights. I had this one on my reading list for last year, but after hearing how the first book ended with a horrible cliffhanger, I decided to wait until The Rose and the Dagger came out.

 Manga Mondays is a meme hosted by Alison at Alison Can Read where bloggers can share their passion for reading mangas. It's a great place to get new manga titles to try and to meet new bloggers.  I have been slowly working my way through the widely popular and critically acclaimed Fruits Basket manga series. Fruits Basket is a completed series with a total of 23 volumes.

Description: A family with an ancient curse...

And the girl who will change their lives forever...

Tohru Honda was an orphan with no place to go until the mysterious Sohma family offered her a place to call home. Now her ordinary high school life is turned upside down as she's introduced to the Sohma's world of magical curses and family secrets.

Review: I would highly recommend reading Fruits Basket to readers who want to try reading manga, but are not sure where to start. The series is complete so you don't have to wait for volumes to be released. It also has a broad range of genres ranging from cute romantic comedy to serious reflection on what it means to grow up and change, which makes the series very appealing to a wide variety of readers. 
  It took me a while to get my footing in this series. The first few volumes felt repetitive as we watch Tohru learn about the Sohma clan's curse and meet each member of the Chinese zodiac. Once we have the initial meet and greet of the large cast of characters, the story switches its focus from exploring the zodiac to the relationships between the characters and it was at this point where I got hooked into the manga series. 
 The characters of Fruits Basket gives the manga its emotional depth and heart. Tohru is a selfless and resilient heroine who is consistently positive and full of life despite the hardships she has faced. Some readers may see her as a stereotypical shojo girl who is clumsy, ditzy, and naive, but I would strongly disagree. Tohru is a symbol of warmth, love, and acceptance. She knows there will be times when life will have some steep lows, but she tries her best to be happy and do her best. Tohru is a stark contrast to those of the Sohma family. For many members of the Sohma family, Tohru fills a void in many different ways ranging from a mother figure to a sister and to a friend.
  The Sohma family's curse in which hugging a member of the opposite sex will turn them into their zodic animal is initially used for comedy relief in the first few volumes, but as the manga continues the curse is used metaphorically for their phobia of growing up and assimilating to the outside world. The interactions within the Sohma family are surprisingly heart wrenching, dark, claustrophobic, and cold as the characters are pretty much void of any emotional attachment until Tohru comes into their lives. Any attempts of being remotely happy are squashed under the iron fist of the Sohma family leader who 'chains' himself to everyone. Even the innocent children are not spared and almost all of their parents have abandoned and neglected them. I was very surprised about the dark and mature issues in this manga series given the volume's cheery and cute cover art.
 As the manga processes, its characters also grow and change both physically, emotionally, and mentally. I really liked how the author focused on all of her main characters, giving them their own subplot stories that are critical to the manga's overall plot arc and themes.  
 I did have a few issues with the artwork in the manga series. In the first few volumes, the art looked too compressed and squished in their panels. There were many times I was confused as to who the characters are because they look so much alike, but it did get better as the manga moved along and the author becoming more comfortable with her characters and story.
 While I did have some lingering questions that were not addressed in the story, I was overall pleased with how everything came together. There were a few volumes that seemed to be a bit filler and I would have combined them, but that is not unusual for manga series. There are certainly dark moments throughout the manga series, but the ending was full of hope and heart. I can certainly see why many people chose this series to begin their manga reading journey and I would definitely recommend it. I plan on watching the anime shortly.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution:  The first few volumes in this manga are suitable for tweens, however, as the series continues mature situations and themes are explored. There is some language, suggestive nudity, crude humor, allusions to sex, and depictions of emotional abuse in the manga series.Recommended for strong Grade 7 readers and up. 

If you like this book try: Sand Chronicles by Hinako Ashihara

  I have not been in a manga reading mood for quite some time this year, but I did manage to finish Zombie Loan which is now a complete series at 13 volumes. Zombie Loan has a good mixture of action, humor, and dark elements of paranormal/supernatural background.

Description: Michiru Kita's a weak-spirited girl who has a hard time saying what's on her mind. One day, she notices mysterious, ring-like markings around the necks of two of her classmates, Chika Akatsuki and Shito Tachibana - two boys who miraculously survived a horrible accident six months ago. Michiru, possessing the rare ability to see these rings, knows that they warn of impending death. Thinking that, perhaps, she can do something to save her classmates' lives, she approaches them...but it seems the boys have already made a different kind of deal and garnered themselves a heavy debt.

Review: I am conflicted on my opinions of Zombie Loan. I picked up primarily because I thought it would be a great read-alike for Black Butler, a manga series that I've really enjoyed but have fallen behind on. Zombie Loan shares dark paranormal/supernatural elements and humor of Black Butler, however, there is a lot more thoughtful meditation on the value of life and what it truly means to live sprinkled throughout the series.
  It took me up to the third volume of Zombie Loan to warm up to the characters and finally begin to see the manga story arc a bit clearly. Michiru who at first comes across as a hopeless, ditsy female character soon becomes much more complex as she realizes her destiny. I liked how she slowly grow into her own strong character instead of assuming this role because she has a hidden superpower. I also really liked how the two male leads in this manga, Chicka and Shito, treat her like a sister instead of both falling in love with her.   In addition to Michiru's character development, we also learn back stories of Chicka and Shito as well as watch these two boys with polar opposite personality traits overcome their differences and work together.
  The concept of fighting zombies to rack good points is a fun concept. The story becomes more intricate as it nears to the end, which is expected. There is plenty of action to keep readers on their toes along with moments of thought and reflection.
  I was not a big fan of the artwork in this manga. The girls have gigantic eyes and small features, which plays nicely off of the chiseled good-looking leading men. There were many times where I was confused as to which male character is which because they are drawn so alike. Overall, Zombie Loan was a decent manga series but not one of my favorites. I would have dropped it earlier, but a few students of mine told me to continue and said it got better, which it did. I would recommend this series to readers who like lots of action in their manga along with some food for thought and humor.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Words of Caution: There is strong language, strong violence, and crude humor throughout the series. This series is rated OT for older teens.

If you like this series try: Black Butler series by Yana Toboso, Blue Exorcist series by Kazue Kato

 I haven't done a Manga Mondays in a while. Manga Mondays is a meme hosted by Alison at Alison Can Read where bloggers can share their passion for reading mangas. It's a great place to get new manga titles to try and to meet new bloggers. I actually haven't been in the manga reading mood lately, but I hope to change that soon.


Description: Cross Academy is attended by two groups of students: the Day Class and the Night Class. At twilight, when the students of the Day Class return to their dorm, they cross paths with the Night Class on their way to school. Yuki Cross and Zero Kiryu are the Guardians of the school, protecting the Day Class from the Academy's dark secret: the Night Class is full of vampires!
  Kaname vows to sacrifice himself. Yuki vows to sacrifice herself to stop him. Zero takes a weapon in hand to protect what is dear to him. Whether parted for eternity or close enough to touch, they each will always desire their beloved.

Review: Volume 19 is the last book in the Vampire Knight manga series. There is a lot happening in this volume that I had to reread it twice in order to wrap my head around the shocking revelations. In the end I had mixed feelings about the book and the series as a whole, mainly because it went in a direction that I didn't agree with.
  Volume 18 has left our three main players going their separate ways. Kaname is done with being a pureblood vampire. Sick of what has become of his race, he has made a decision and is hell bent on sacrificing himself and allowing the vampires to be exterminated for good. He reveals his master plan and acknowledges that he was the one that set Zero's tragedy in motion leading up to this end, which shocks not only Yuki but also me as a reader. I've never liked Kaname though he had some few moments, but I never trusted his motivations and disliked him because of his cruelty.
  When Yuki hears of Kaname's suicide plan, she vows that she will stop at nothing to save him even if it will cost her own life. Yuki and Kaname have had a very weird relationship, hovering between sibling fealty and love and romantic love. I was never shipping for them, but I do understand why she feels responsible towards Kaname. Of course where there is Yuki, there is Zero who keeps getting flashes of his memory that Yuki tried to erase in the previous volumes and goes after her to save her life.
  The pacing of Volume 19 was off balance. The first half moved at a leisurely pace, allowing Kaname to unburden himself and come clean. The second half of the book, particularly the ending, is put on fast forward as we get one large revelations after the other without getting any time to process them. The solution to the love triangle is a cop-out in my opinion and doesn't really work. The alleged character growth of Kaname feels a bit forced and I honestly can't buy Zero's reactions after learning what Kaname did to his family. There is a epilogue that is a bit jumbled and it needs a few rereads to figure what happened in the future.
  Overall I enjoyed Vampire Knight as a manga series. Like any other series there are volumes that were really good and others that were a bit meh. I just wished that it ended on a strong note and not a weak one. I would recommend this series to readers who enjoy paranormal romances.

Rating: 3 stars

Words of Caution: There is a small sex scene, but not graphic. There is also strong violence. Recommended for teens and up.

If you like this book try: Millennium Snow series by Bisco Hatori, Black Bird series by Kanoko Sakurakouji

 Dawn of Arcana has been on my manga reading list for quite some time. The series is now complete with thirteen volumes. It is also my first foray into fantasy shoujo and I thoroughly enjoyed it. This review is for all thirteen volumes.

Description: Princess Nakaba of Senan is forced to marry Prince Caesar of the enemy country Belquat, tantamount to becoming a hostage. While Caesar is pleasing to the eye, he is also selfish and possessive, telling Nakaba outright: “You are my property.” With only her attendant Loki at her side, Nakaba must find a way to cope with her hostile surroundings, her fake marriage...and a mysterious power!

Review: Dawn of Arcana is a light fantasy that has the usual tropes of a shoujo manga. The plot is very easy to follow and the characters are quite likable. The heroine, Nakaba, has been discriminated all of her life. Her grandfather denies her royal status and stows her away in a tower where she is treated poorly by many except her loyal servant Loki. Nakaba is a strong heroine, a person always seeing the good in everyone. She has been gifted a power called the Arcana, which allows her the ability to see the past and the future. She struggles to find a balance to use her gift to make a good decision rather than abusing it.
  In another kingdom, Caesar is born as the second son to the king of Dequat. His desirable black hair makes people believe he is fit to be the next king. There is hidden deceptions and factions working to make Caesar the next king. Caesar doesn't crave power, but just wants the love of his family. He is played like a pawn in the politics of the castle and thus grows into a young man who has a negative outlook and distrust of people. Caesar is not a great guy we are first introduced to him, but I like the way his character changes throughout the series. He really grows up and takes his role as a prince seriously and fights for Nakaba.
  Nakaba and Caesar were married only to keep a treaty between the two warring kingdoms. At first Nakaba and Caesar have an antagonistic relationship, but it slowly develops into trust, loyalty, friendship and eventually love to  much of the kingdoms surprise and disgust. Their relationship is tested the true motives behind their respective kingdoms are revealed as well as their individual opinions on how the Aijin should be treated. Aijin are creatures who share traits with various animals with uncanny fighting abilities and skills. Due to their physical appearance, they are horribly treated and used as slaves.
 This series also has a great cast of secondary characters that are given sufficient page time, well flushed out and quite complex as the story continues. I absolutely loved Loki, Nakaba's Aijin servant, who I couldn't quite figure out. I loved reading about his background and the surprise ending which fits everything quite nicely. The artwork is also quite stunning and it was easy to differentiate all the different characters, which can be difficult sometimes in mangas. I highly recommend Dawn of Arcana to anyone who enjoys fantasy with a nice romance and a strong heroine.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution:  There is some violence, brief nudity and scenes of sensuality in the later volumes. Recommended for teens and up.

If you like this book try: Arisa by Natsumi Ando, Sakura Hime by Arina Tanemura

 It has been a while since I did a post for Manga Mondays. Manga Mondays is a meme hosted by Alison at Alison Can Read where bloggers can share their passion for reading mangas. It's a great place to get new manga titles to try and to meet new bloggers. Instead of reviewing each volume separately, I'm going to review the entire series of Sand Chronicles since it is complete at 10 volumes. I hope you like this review format!


Description (of the first volume): After her parents get divorced, Ann Uekusa and her mother move from Tokyo to rural Shimane. Accustomed to the anonymity of city living, Ann can't get used to the almost overbearing kindness of the people in her mother's hometown. But when personal tragedy strikes, Ann discovers how much she needs that kindness.

Review: Sand Chronicles is a standout shojo (i.e. romance) manga that tackles series issues as such suicide, depression, betrayal, and infidelity although at times it tends to veer close to melodrama. In each volume there are series topics that are discussed and a nice character growth arcs for its cast of characters which gives this manga series more depth unlike the many silly, typical shojo mangas. The series is framed by the seasons and time a running theme throughout the manga. In the first volume 12 year old Ann Uekusa and her mother have been abandoned by Ann's debt-ridden father and forced to move from Tokyo to Ann's grandparents' home in Shimane. At first, Ann feels both oppressed by her mean, strict, conservative grandmother and totally out of place in a small town, but once she makes some friends she adapts quickly. When her disillusioned, depressed, and demoralized mother commits suicide, Ann leans on Daigo, the first boy her own age that she met in Shimane, and their budding romance becomes the series's focus. Ann and Daigo's romance is sweet and develops at a realistic speed. Though there is a necessary love triangle in this manga, it thankfully doesn't hold much weight. The real obstacles that Ann and Daigo's relationship faces are Ann's nightmare of becoming her mother and her failure to grieve her mother's death.
   Ann is an extremely likable character. An every girl who is forced to grow up faster and become an adult. She deals with normal every day situations from a rival girl who is scheming for Daigo's affections, stumbling through the mysteries of a relationship, both romantic and friendships. Daigo is the perfect boyfriend whose only fault is that he wears his heart on his sleeve. What impressed me with this series is that the fact that the secondary characters were also strong and dynamic pushing the plot forward and not making it stale.
 I like the artwork in this series with its delicate lines and the beautiful scenery which also becomes a landmark on these characters' rite of passage. I highly recommend reading this manga series if you prefer reading true to life scenarios with a sweet romance. A great pick for Sarah Dessen fans and a really good primer for reading Nana by Ai Yazawa (a manga series that nearly broke me).

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: Due to mature themes, a few scenes of sexual situations, some nudity. I would recommend Sand Chronicles for high school readers and up.

If you like this series try: We Were There by Yuuki Obata, Nana by Ai Yazawa, Kimi Ni Todoke by Karuho Shiina

It's Monday and time for Manga Mondays! Manga Mondays is a meme hosted by Alison at Alison Can Read where bloggers can share their passion for reading mangas. It's a great place to get new manga titles to try and to meet new bloggers. I haven't found a series that I want to dive in and read so I'm trying a few different series in hopes that one of them would grab my attention.


Description: Yume desperately wants to follow in her mother's footsteps and become a magic user in the worst way! She innocently practices using magic to help the people she encounters: struggling soccer players, the wrongly incarcerated, and a student who wants to show his moon-loving teacher a lunar eclipse on a cloudy evening. On this coming-of-age journey filled with genuine imagination and a passionate sense of awe, follow Yume as she learns that the true magic in life can take place right inside her own heart.

Review: Someday's Dreamers has great potential of being a great manga, unfortunately it is very slow, bland, and confusing. The world-building aspect of the story is very interesting albeit unfinished. I wasn't exactly sure how things worked in this world of magic and mages. The characters also seemed to have depth and interesting motivations. This manga has a hard time deciding whether it wanted to be an action-packed magical adventure series, a deep character study, or even a combination of both of these. The story refuses to dig into either the world or the characters and instead it meanders around on these small episodes, occasionally giving us tantalizing hints of depth, but then just as soon pulling away. The basic story that I got from this volume is a kindhearted girl named Yume travels to Tokyo to further her training as a magic user. With the guidance of her teacher, Masami Oyamada, she takes on different clients to grant them wishes closest to their heart.
As I mentioned earlier the pacing is a bit off in this series. There are a plethora of flashbacks, but it's not always clear that they are flashbacks. On the plus side, I did think the artwork was nicely done but there were a few panels that I found hard to read because there was so much crammed into them. Even though Someday's Dreamers is a two volume series, I didn't feel think this story grabbed me enough to pick up the next volume. I will try and see, however, if there is an anime based on the series that I might watch instead.

Rating: 2 stars

Words of Caution: None. Recommended for strong Grade 5 readers and up.

If you like this book try: Someday's Dreamer: Spellbound series by Norie Yamada

  It's Monday and time for Manga Mondays! Manga Mondays is a meme hosted by Alison at Alison Can Read where bloggers can share their passion for reading mangas. It's a great place to get new manga titles to try and to meet new bloggers. One of my favorite manga series, Vampire Knight, is going to be finished very soon with a total of 19 volumes in the series. I thoroughly enjoyed Volume 18 which sets up the finale quite nicely and I'm very curious to see how this series ends.

Description: Yuki and Zero team up to go after Kaname. Yuki and Kaname fight each other in the headquarters of the Hunter Society while Sara tries to control Zero through her blood. The female progenitor’s origin metal intervenes, and Yuki realizes there is only one way to stop Kaname

Review: Vampire Knight Volume 18 is the penultimate volume full of action sequences and surprising twists which sets up the events for the finale. The running theme of this volume is sacrifice. Each character must make a decision to lose something precious to them. 
  Yuki and Zero continue to chase Kaname down - trying to reach him before the purebloods seal his fate, however, the progenitor furnace is also reaching its critical mass - and with it, all chances the humans have to fight the vampire menace. Yuki will learn some hard truths about Kaname in this book before taking a drastic final act at the end. Will she align with Kaname or will she join Zero who she realized she can not live without?
  Unlike a lot of the previous volumes of this series, I had to reread this volume a couple of times because the pacing is at a break-neck speed and I thought I missed a few things in my first read. The Sara arc is finished quite nicely and I'm glad that it didn't extend into the next volume. I'm still confused as to why Kaname killed a certain pureblood and was disappointed to not see his reasoning in this volume. 
  This volume has a lot of full page visuals and too many close-up of characters. I love the emotional intensity between the characters which leap off the page when it is depicted in the wide panels. It is clear that Yuki is at a crossroads and neither paths she can take are easy. I can't wait to see how this series, particularly this love triangle ends.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is some strong violence and some language. Recommended for teens and up.

If you like this book try: Vampire Knight Volume 19 by Matsuri Hino, Black Bird series by Kanoko Sakurakouji, Millennium Snow series by Bisco Hatori

  It's Monday and time for Manga Mondays! Manga Mondays is a meme hosted by Alison at Alison Can Read where bloggers can share their passion for reading mangas. It's a great place to get new manga titles to try and to meet new bloggers. We have finally reached the last volume of Boys Over Flowers, but there is an added bonus volume to the series which was fun to read.


Description: Boys over Flowers officially ended with volume 36, but Yoko Kamio, one of the most beloved shojo creators of all time, just couldn't stay away from her beloved characters! Jewelry Box contains two short stories that take place one year after the end of Boys over Flowers volume 36.

Review: Boys Over Flowers: Jewelry Box is a supplemental read for the manga series. This volume is solely created for fans of this story as it contains contains two short stories, both of which take place a few years after the end of the manga. In the first story Tsukasa is still overseas and Tsukushi misses him dearly. Despite their best attempts to stay in a long distance relationship, it is still hard. Rui has been coming over quite frequently, much to Tsukasa's dismay when he discovers this. Thankfully Rui is only there as a friend and knows that Tsukushi has no romantic feelings for him. As a surprise, we get to go on a trip and see Shizuka's wedding as Tsukushi and the F4 reunite. The second short story is entirely about Rui, a character that is still a bit mysterious and someone who I can't really figure out. In his short story he reflects over everything that has happened over the course of the series & wonders whether or not he can truly move on or if he is capable of loving again.  While this supplemental volume doesn't entirely give a lot of closure to the series, it was a pleasure to read and seeing the characters again.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is some minor language and crude humor. Recommeneded for teens and up.

If you like this book try:  Kare Kano: His and Her Circumstances by Masami Tsuda, Mars by Fuyumi Soryo

 Manga Mondays is a meme hosted by Alison at Alison Can Read where bloggers can share their passion for reading mangas. It's a great place to get new manga titles to try and to meet new bloggers. We have finally reached the last volume of Boys Over Flowers. Though I had mixed feelings while reading this series, I ultimately enjoyed it.

Description: The final volume of Boys over Flowers has Tsukushi facing a very uncertain future. Forces seem to conspire against her as she races to make it in time for her high school prom. Characters from her past make cameos as she reflects on her tumultuous time at Eitoku Academy. Will she decide to join Tsukasa in New York or will she stay in Japan and finish school?!

Review: I was a bit surprised on how the author ended this manga series. Though a wedding is normally how a romance story ends like Boys Over Flowers end, we are given a more realistic solution which stays true to the characters. I thought the ending was nice as it ended on a positive note, leaving hope for the future. I really enjoyed watching the character growth of Tsukasa especially since he was the character that had me worried from the start. He has morphed from a hot head bully to someone with more patience and self awareness. I would recommend picking up Boys over Flowers because of its characters and the story much more than its artwork.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is some mild language and crude humor. Recommended for teens and up.

If you like this book try: Boys Over Flowers: Jewelry Box, Kare Kano: His and Her Circumstances by Masami Tsuda, Mars by Fuyumi Soryo

 Manga Mondays is a meme hosted by Alison at Alison Can Read where bloggers can share their passion for reading mangas. It's a great place to get new manga titles to try and to meet new bloggers. There are only one more volume left in this series!

Description: Tsukasa makes two shocking announcements! One of them is to the public and one is for Tsukushi's ears only. The couple spend some time together and visit some familiar faces not seen in a while. This second-to-last volume of Boys Over Flowers is guaranteed to please as we head toward the final climactic volume!

Review: Graduation time has come for the F4 and each of them must has to make a decision of what they want to do after high school. Tsukasa makes two very big decisions, one professionally and one personally, that will change his life forever. On his own, Tsukasa decides that he will work for his family company and be the responsible son. This choice is a clear indication of how much Tsukasa has matured in this series. I was surprised by this move as I have watched Tsukasa spend countless amount of hours avoiding any type of responsibility and spent money recklessly. His other decision didn't surprise me as much as he pops the question of marriage to Tsukushi. Tsukushi is shocked and still has her whole life ahead of her. She will still be in high school as she is two years younger than Tsukasa. I'm curious to see what choice Tsukushi makes in the final volume of Boys over Flowers.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is some language and some crude humor. Recommended for teens and up.

If you like this book try: Boys Over Flowers Vol 36, Kare Kano: His and Her Circumstances by Masami Tsuda, Mars by Fuyumi Soryo

 Manga Mondays is a meme hosted by Alison at Alison Can Read where bloggers can share their passion for reading mangas. It's a great place to get new manga titles to try and to meet new bloggers. There are only two more volumes left in this series!

Description: Tsukushi's friend Yuki has been trying to convince herself that her crush on F4 member Sojiro is over. She has continued studying the formal tea ceremony that he introduced her to. When she invites Sojiro to help teach her tea club at school, a stunning series of events begin to unfold!

Review: There are two story lines unfolding in this volume of Boys Over Flowers. In the first story line, Tsukasa has regained his memory of Tsukushi back. The couple has realized how much they have personally changed as well as how their relationship has evolved from the antagonistic relationship to the confusing affection towards one another and being happy as a couple. Though it is clear that letting Tsukasa get amnesia was the author's way of keeping this couple interesting, I did think it was a fun way to see how these characters reacted to their situation and thankfully it didn't get drawn out too much in later volumes.
  The second story line featuring Yuki is the one that I loved the most and I was really looking forward to see how this story line concludes. Sojiro is repeatedly shown as a playboy, a reputation that he is not ashamed of but we do get to see a personal, private side to him. Sojiro has only one regret that haunts him: the failure to start a real relationship with his best friend. Once he shares this truth and vulnerability to Yuki, Yuki relentlessly tries to reunite Sojiro with his long lost friend even though it breaks her heart. Things take an interesting turn and while I wasn't initially happy with how it gets resolved, taking a step back I do realize that the direction of the plot resolution stayed true to the characters' personality and made them even more complex. As this volume concludes, the F4 are ready to graduate from high school and now must embark on a journey of college and beyond. Where does that leave Tsukasa and Tsukushi?

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There are some allusions to sex but it is not explicit. Recommended for teens and up.

If you like this book try: Boys Over Flowers Vol 35, Kare Kano: His and Her Circumstances by Masami Tsuda, Mars by Fuyumi Soryo

Manga Mondays is a meme hosted by Alison at Alison Can Read where bloggers can share their passion for reading mangas. It's a great place to get new manga titles to try and to meet new bloggers. There are only three more volumes left in this series! I'm curious to see how this series ends.

Description: While Tsukasa recuperates from his amnesia and head injury, a fellow female patient takes to visiting him. This seemingly well-meaning girl soon becomes a rival to our beloved Tsukushi. Meanwhile we catch a telling glimpse into Sojiro's past and meet his first female friend. Later, Yuki uncovers a message from this friend meant for Sojiro's eyes only.

Review: Luckily in this volume we don't have too much melodrama. The sickly sweet girl that Tsukushi meets at the hospital is infamously known for stealing other people's boyfriends. Thankfully with Tsukasa reverting to his old mean, grumpy self, he is not in the least concerned with being in a relationship. I'm sure Tsukasa will get his memory back. I'm also sure that a huge break through will happen in the next volume but I'm not exactly sure what that could be. Meanwhile  Tsukushi is still taking Tsukasa's memory loss in stride. She is trying different tactics that might help spark his memory back.
 While the drama between Tsukushi and Tsukasa is happening, I became more interested in learning more about Sojiro's storyline. We are given hints as to who he was afraid to open up his feelings to and how he had lost the girl that he cared for. Yuki is still pining for Soijiro and plans to help him make up for his regrets. I only hope that Yuki doesn't get hurt in the process. Overall this was a fun volume and it doesn't end with a cliffhanger.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is some minor language. Recommended for teens.

If you like this book try: Boys Over Flowers Vol 34 by Yoko Kamio, Kare Kano: His and Her Circumstances by Masami Tsuda, Mars by Fuyumi Soryo

   Manga Mondays is a meme hosted by Alison at Alison Can Read where bloggers can share their passion for reading mangas. It's a great place to get new manga titles to try and to meet new bloggers. There are only four more volumes left in this series! I'm curious to see how this series ends.

Description: Tsukushi's on-and-off boyfriend Tsukasa is hospitalized after a gruesome head injury! While his life hangs in the balance his devious mother shows no emotion at all! Could a mother really be so heartless?! Even if Tsukasa is able to survive, he may never be the same again...

Review: Volume 32 has a good balance of romance and drama. Tsukushi and Tsukasa's mother never got along and in this volume they come to an understanding after a big confrontation between them, which nicely closes this thread to the overall plot arc. Both women realize they want what is good for Tsukasa but how they define 'good' is very different. 
The plot switches its focus to Tsukasa's well being after we learned that he was severely injured in the last volume. Now that he is out of the danger zone, Tsukushi and the F3 find out that he has selective amnesia, he has completely forgotten Tskushi and reverted back to the way he was before. I felt horrible for Tsukushi as she tried her best to jog Tsukasa's memory and fails. If that's not bad enough, there's a new rival for Tsukasa's affection who is hiding behind a wall of seemingly "real" friendliness. How long will it take Tsukasa to remember? And will this loss of memory have any harmful side effects to the relationship he and Tsukushi have worked and fought so hard for?

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is some minor language. Recommended for teens.

If you like this book try: Boys Over Flowers Vol 33 by Yoko Kamio, Kare Kano: His and Her Circumstances by Masami Tsuda, Mars by Fuyumi Soryo