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whatwillyoudodifferently · 4 years

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Look, Louts! Lilies! - Yuri For A Hope-Flung Present and Hopeful Future

Look, I’ll be frank. I typically try to keep to a more formal tone when I write for this blog. I’m not in a formal mood. It is June October 2020, and I, like the rest of you, have been under quarantine for a little over three almost seven months now due to the Covid-19 virus. Throw in a eensy, teensy bit of massive political movements and change in response to police violence and racism, and an increase of police violence and racism in response to those movements, and I think it’s fair to say it’s been a tumultuous couple of months. Except, strangely, it also hasn’t been, because so much of this time has been characterized by ennui and isolation. Stressful, yet soul-numbing. In short, it’s been a very weird place to be in.

So, we’ve all found our different ways to cope. My sister’s way has been getting really into succulents(?), and my way has been buying digital manga and video games. I’ve finished stuff I’ve put off for literal years and bought stuff I had heard was good but wasn’t that hyped to get into. And somehow, the one thing I’ve really gotten into has been yuri?

Now, yuri has a very long and rich history, as well as its own sets of conventions and nuances, so it is with a great, great, GREAT deal of respect that I say that I’m going to simplify it for this essay as “Japanese media with a particular focus on romance between women” for brevity’s sake. If you want to know more, there’s actually quite a lot that’s been written about it in English, but I’m aiming this essay at English-speakers who have had at least a little experience with yuri and more than just passing knowledge.

Because you see, I’ve found that yuri fans have a lot of things to say about yuri! And a lot of those things really bug me!! “Yuri is only fetish quasi-porn written by men,” “yuri is only bland wholesome fluff,” “yuri is only high school drama,” so on, so on. It made me mad, but it also made me realize something: a lot of people simply must not know how big this field of lilies truly is! How else can we get people saying “yuri is oversexualized” and “yuri is sexless” as gospel truth? Something’s not adding up here, guys!

So, all that is to say I’m doing something different for this blog: I’m writing up a recommendation list of yuri. A large chunk of it will be stuff I’ve read and can officially give my seal of approval to, while some of them are just titles I’ve heard of that I think will interest others. All of them have been specifically chosen to counter common untrue things I’ve heard about yuri as a whole. I hope you can find at least a few things on this list that you will enjoy and help you keep your head as the encroaching darkness lurches yet a few inches closer!

1. “Yuri is all schoolgirl stuff! Where’s the sci-fi, the period pieces, the action, the fantasy?”

Otherside Picnic

What It Is: A light novel series written by Iori Miyazawa (illustrated by shirakaba). Ongoing, four volumes at time of writing. The story is being adapted into a manga by Eita Mizuno, and an anime adaptation directed by Takuya Satou will be airing in January 2021.

What It’s About: It was on her third trip to the Otherside that Sorawo Kamikoshi almost died, and it was on that same trip she was saved by an angel. Toriko Nishina is a beautiful and confident young woman who also happens to have intimate knowledge of the Otherside, a dangerous yet captivating world that Sorawo can’t help but being drawn to. Toriko convinces Sorawo to join her on her expeditions to the Otherside, fighting off bizarre creatures that have somehow been ripped out of Japanese urban legends and finding strange artifacts in order to make a little extra cash-- all the while keeping an eye out for someone dear to Toriko’s heart.

What I Think: Otherside Picnic is heavily inspired by the novel Roadside Picnic by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky and features several creatures and scenarios from ghost stories, net lore, and-- there’s no other way to put this-- creepypasta. On paper this sounds deeply unoriginal, so it’s pretty surprising that OP has an incredibly strong identity. The idea of fusing horror with a yuri love story excited me enough the moment I heard about it, so when I finally got to read it for myself, I was delighted to find that the horror elements and the romance elements are both quite strong.

I will say that thanks to the author’s commitment to following his sources of inspiration to the letter sometimes causes him to undercut his own writing (good example: in one arc there’s an ominous train that keeps being mentioned, causing the reader to dread its arrival with each passing page, but seeing what’s on the train will inevitably fall flat in comparison to the reader’s imagination), but those moments are made up by the more original moments-- the things that are left unseen and unexplained.

The place where the story truly shines is the relationship between the two leads. Sorawo and Toriko are great characters, both incredibly charming and deeply flawed, and they achieve a great chemistry with each other right off the bat. Sorawo is a very interesting protagonist, one who turns out to have a deeply tragic past that has made her into a reclusive, somewhat selfish young woman. What’s great is that Toriko, vivacious and confident, everything Sorawo isn’t, accepts this part of her, in a way. Toriko flat out admits she’s not looking for a particularly virtuous person to accompany her, but an “accomplice.” A big part of the appeal of OP is seeing these two “accomplices” bounce off each other, and eventually come to care about each other, all playing against a background of some genuinely spine-crawling horror. Otherside Picnic is a truly underrated series, and I deeply hope that the anime adaption next year will finally get it all the eyes it deserves (menacing phrasing very much intended).

Where To Get It: The light novels are published by J-Novel Club and can be found via various digital platforms and bookstores. The manga will be published by Square Enix Books starting May 2021. The anime will start airing on January 4th, 2021.

Goodbye My Rose Garden

What It Is: A manga by Dr. Pepperco. Three volumes, complete. It inspired a stage play that ran for a while in Japan, but not much information is available about it in English.

What It’s About: Hanako has two goals: to meet Victor Franks, the mysterious author who pens the books she adores, and to become a writer herself. Despite having the mettle to travel to England on her own to pursue her dreams, she soons finds that it’s difficult for a young, unwed Japanese woman to dream in 20th century London. However, her luck seems to turn around when she meets Alice Douglas, a noblewoman who offers her a job as her maid-- as well as a surprisingly warm friendship. Alice even offers Hanako a way to meet her idol… but at the price of a horrifying request.

What I Think: In the afterword of Volume 1, Dr. Pepperco openly admits that Goodbye, My Rose Garden was the result of them trying to marry all of their favorite tropes (“Victorian maids! Loads of frills! An English family manor!” are some standout items), and this is apparent in the best way possible. GMRG is a lush period piece that will likely appeal to fans of movies like The Handmaiden and Portrait Of A Lady On Fire, with loving attention paid to details like clothes and settings.

The relationship between Alice and Hanako is quite charming, with Alice supporting Hanako as much as she can while still taking every available opportunity to tease her, while Hanako constantly surprises Alice each time she shows her moxie and strength. It’s an adorable, sweet dynamic, yet a dark, melancholy weight lurks in the background in the form of Alice’s request-- in short, it’s a relationship that feels tailor made for me. Still, I believe this “darkness” never threatens to overwhelm the story, only enhance it in such a way that the reader will soldier on, hoping for a happy ending for our two leads. With an engaging plot and gorgeous art, this is a great manga for both longtime yuri fans and newcomers looking for an introduction to the world of yuri.

Where To Get It: Seven Seas Entertainment has translated the first two volumes, with the final one coming to English soon all three volumes into English.

Seabed

What It Is: A visual novel by paleontology, a Japanese doujin circle.

What It’s About: Mizuno Sachiko is a designer who is haunted by visions of Takako, her vivacious childhood friend and former lover. Narasaki Hibiki is a psychiatrist who wants to help Sachiko make sense of these hallucinations. Takako is… confused, trying to figure out why she keeps losing her memory and why she and Sachiko drifted apart despite being so close. Seabed is a story that spans the pasts and presents of these three women as they attempt to find and understand the truth.

What I Think: At first glance, Seabed seems simple, but it’s a bit of a hard story to explain. In a way, there isn’t much to explain-- it’s a very slow, down-to-earth story that gets almost tedious at times. I think it would be a hard sell to someone who isn’t used to visual novels, but I could imagine it being challenging even for fans. All I’ll say is this: if you give Seabed a chance, it will draw you into a surreal, gentle, melancholy tale akin to slowly sinking beneath the water of a strange, yet not unfriendly sea. For its simplicity, it’s got quite a few surprises in its long, long runtime, and any attempt to explain further will just ruin an experience that’s meant to wash over the reader over time. The only thing I’ll say is the one thing I think everyone knows: the climax will make you cry.

Where To Get It: Seabed is published in English through Fruitbat Factory and is available on Steam, Itch.io, and Nintendo Switch.

SHWD

What It Is: A manga by Sono. Ongoing.

What It’s About: Sawada is one of the few women working for the Special Hazardous Waste Disposal, and the only one in her office. But that changes when the stunningly-strong yet staggeringly-sweet Koga is hired, and the two become close in no time. Sawada trains Koga and soon the two go on their first mission to dispose of the “hazardous waste” left after a recent war… the dangerous, organic anti-human weapons known as the Dynamis.

What I Think: SHWD opens with several close-ups of Sawada’s arm muscles as she works out. I have found that page alone is sometimes enough to convince someone to read SHWD, and if not, pictures of Sawada and-- especially-- Koga are often enough to do the job. In all seriousness, what I love about SHWD can be summarized by something Sono said in an interview about the manga:

‘The first motivating force was "I want to write a yuri manga featuring strong women." I was very drawn to strong female characters by watching "PERSON of INTEREST" and "Assassin's Creed Odyssey." However, I felt that I should differentiate myself by doing something other than a "strong woman" and "weak woman" dynamic. So, I thought about coupling women with different types of strength. This is why all of the SHWD main characters are "strong women."’

It’s a mindset I love a lot. Koga is remarkably strong in a physical sense, but her mental fortitude is fragile due to her past experiences with the Dynamis, and as such, it’s Sawada who uses her immense mental strength to support her. Indeed, every character in SHWD so far bears intense trauma born of the Dynamis in some way, and it’s hard to see how their pasts still hurt them in the present. But that just makes it satisfying to see these women come together to support one another. SHWD drew me in with a unique and often dark action-oriented story with horror elements, but it’s this idea of “strong women” who make up for each other’s weaknesses that really makes it dear to me.

Also, it can’t be stated enough that Sono is so so so so so (etc) good at drawing muscular women.

On a completely unrelated note, there’s a side story about Koga and Sawada playing sports together. This includes judo. I am saying this for no reason.

Where To Get It: The English translation of the manga is released in chapters by Lilyka Manga.

Sexiled: My Sexist Party Leader Kicked Me Out, So I Teamed Up With a Mythical Sorceress!

What It Is: A two volume light novel series by Ameko Kaeruda, illustrated by Kazutomo Miya. Possibly complete.

What It’s About: Tanya Artemiciov is an absurdly talented Mage. So why the hell was she kicked out of her adventuring party? Her leader and former friend sums it up in four words: “You’re a woman, Tanya.” In a fit of rage, Tanya channels her anger into a “venting” session that involves swearing her head of and casting a volley of Explosion spells into the wasteland… and accidentally releases a legendary sorceress! Luckily, Laplace is actually quite nice, and just as powerful as the legends say, so the two decide to team up so Tanya can have her revenge!

What I Think: So, this is a silly one, but after a couple of darker entries I think it’s a good palate cleanser. Sexiled is a loud, not-even-remotely subtle, unabashedly feminist take on the “power fantasy” light novel, especially the “revenge fantasy” subgenre-- and even if that sounds awesome on paper to you (ex. me), it will probably feel over-the-top at times to you (ex. me). But in a way, that’s actually kind of its charm.

I like that Kaeruda utterly refuses to let up on what she wants to tell you, especially because the story was inspired by a real case in Japan. One may be tempted to think “this story is ridiculous, no one would ever be this cartoonishly sexist!” and then you read a news article about how in a famous Japanese medical university was found rigging the test scores of women, and you realize, “oh, people are still this cartoonishly sexist.” So I’m fine with Kaeruda letting it all out in this story. At the same time, I think Sexiled is best when it’s focused not on Tanya’s revenge but on her kindness, and the way her compassion, her strength, and yes, her anger inspires the women and girls around her.

Sexiled is a fun and often very funny romp about assholes getting theirs, with some surprisingly deep and nuanced moments hiding in a very unsubtle story.

Where To Get It: The light novels are published by J-Novel Club and can be found via various digital platforms and bookstores.

BONUS: Other titles with sci-fi/fantasy/action elements that may interest you!

The Blank Of Describer: A one-shot manga by kkzt about a pair of two dream-builders. They’ve taken all kinds of commissions in the past, but one job they recieve throws them for a loop: a request for a shinigami that can predict and report death. And then comes the kicker: the customer asks the two of them to give it features that the both of them “adore the most…” (Published in English by Lilyka Manga)

A Lily Blooms In Another World: A light novel by Ameko Kaeruda (illustrated by Shio Sakura), author of Sexiled, about Miyako, a Japanese wage slave reincarnated into another world based on her favorite otome game. However, she’s not interested in her would-be love interest, but in Fuuka Hamilton-- the game’s villainess! After Miyako confesses her love, Fuuka decides to give her a challenge: if Miyako can make her say the words “I’m happy” in fourteen days, she’ll stay by her side! (Published in English through J-Novel Club, available on various platforms)

Superwomen In Love: An ongoing manga by sometime about the sentai villainess Honey Trap and her infatuation with the masked superheroine Rapid Rabbit. After being kicked out of her evil organization, Honey Trap decides to team up with her former nemesis to fight evil-- and hopefully, find romance! (To be published in English by Seven Seas Entertainment, coming in April 2021)

2. “Yuri is all stories about teenagers! Where’s the stuff about adults?”

Take a look at the previous section: there’s the stuff about adults! Otherside Picnic, Goodbye My Rose Garden, Seabed, SHWD, Sexiled, The Blank of Describer, A Lily Blooms In Another World, and Superwomen In Love are all stories with adult-aged protagonists! But if you’re searching for a more down-to-earth romance, I’m happy to report there’s quite a bit of options to look into!

Still Sick

What It Is: A manga by Akashi. Three volumes, complete.

What It’s About: Makoto Shimizu is an office lady with a secret: she’s a yuri fan who draws doujinshi. She’s able to keep her two lives separate, all until the day she comes face-to-face with her co-worker at a convention! To Makoto’s horror, Akane Maekawa is amused by her nerdy secret, but Akane may have some secrets of her own...

What I Think: This one was a roller coaster for me: I loved the premise of the manga, but wasn’t sure about the dynamic between the leads… that is, until near the end of the first volume, where something happened and everything changed. Without giving too much away, I implore people to give Still Sick a chance-- it has a much deeper story than one might initially guess, as well as an interesting character dynamic between the two leads with some surprising turns.

Where To Get It: The first two volumes of Still Sick are published in English by Tokyopop, with the final one coming soon All three volumes have been published in English by Tokyopop.

After Hours

What It Is: A manga by Yuhta Nishio. Three volumes, complete.

What It’s About: After being ditched by her friend at a club, Emi Ashiana is ready to write the whole night off. All that changes when she meets Kei, a DJ who seems to be everything Emi is not-- cool, confident… employed.... But Kei and Emi hit it off and Emi’s life changes as Kei draws her into the world of Japan’s club scene!

What I Think: It’s hard to explain exactly why I like this manga, but I reeeeally like this manga.

There’s just something about the sleek art, the amazing atmosphere of the scenes set in nightclubs, the chemistry between Emi and Kei, the focus on more mature topics.... it’s a manga that’s remarkably magnetic for how down-to-earth it is. It’s also just interesting to read stories about subcultures that don’t normally get a spotlight in comics. To sum it up, After Hours is just a lovely manga that’s severely underrated that’s perfect for someone who’s looking for a story that’s both fun and mature.

Where To Get It: All three volumes are published in English by Viz Media.

How Do We Relationship?

What It Is: A manga by Tamifull. Ongoing, five volumes at time of writing.

What It’s About: Miwa and Saeko’s first meeting is… interesting. But despite that, and despite their clashing personalities, the two of them become fast friends. Well… actually, perhaps more than friends. You see, pretty soon the two of them learn that the other is into women. With that in mind, Saeko suggests they try dating each other-- might as well, right? “Might as well” seems like a strange place to begin a relationship, but perhaps even something like that could end in true love?

What I Think: “Why do romances always end when they decide to start dating?!” That’s the question Tamifull poses in the afterword of Volume 1. And it’s a great question! What makes How Do We Relationship? an interesting manga is how oddly realistic it is, highlighting things like the compromises people make in relationships, people who get into relationships for pragmatic reasons rather than love, the whole “thing” about sex… as well as highlighting the additional issues queer people have to deal with. That may sound like a heavy story, but it’s actually quite light-hearted, as well as very, very funny at times. With a cute art style and surprisingly deep premise, HDWR is a great manga for older yuri fans who are craving a more mature story.

Where To Get It: The first volume has been published in English by Viz Media, with more on the way.

BONUS: Other titles with adult protagonists that may interest you!

Even Though We’re Adults: A manga by Takako Shimura about two women in their thirties. Ayano and Akari meet each other in a bar and almost immediately feel a sense of chemistry between them. There’s just one problem: Ayano is married to someone else. (To be published in English by Seven Seas Entertainment, coming in January 2021)

Doughnuts Under A Crescent Moon: A manga by Shio Usui. Uno Hinako wants nothing more than to be seen as a normal young woman, but she just can’t seem to make a “normal” romance work. But maybe Sato Asahi, a woman who works at the same company as her, can show her a new kind of normal? (To be published in English by Seven Seas Entertainment, coming in February 2021)

Our Teachers Are Dating: A manga by Pikachi Ohi. Hayama Asuka is a gym teacher, Terano Saki is a biology teacher. One day, they come into work both looking suspiciously happy… because they’ve started dating! (Published in English by Seven Seas Entertainment)

I Married My Best Friend To Shut My Parents Up: A one-volume manga by Kodama Naoko. Morimoto is sick and tired about constantly being badgered about finding a man to marry, so her kouhai from her high school days offers a solution: marry each other to make her parents back off! (Published in English by Seven Seas Entertainment)

Now Loading…!: A one-volume manga by Mikan Uji. Takagi has just snagged her dream job at a games publisher, but being put in charge of a mobile game that’s barely pulling in any attention isn’t exactly what she was hoping for. What’s worse, she’s drawn the attention of her strict higher-up Sakurazuki Kaori… who also happened to design her most favorite game of all time?! (Published in English through Seven Seas Entertainment)

3. “Yuri is all schoolgirl stuff! Where’s- wait, didn’t we already do this one?”

Yes we did. And you know what? I’m making a stand! There’s a lot of really, really good yuri stories set in high schools, and I think more people need to give them a chance! Here are some high school titles that I think are worth a second look for one reason or another!

Bloom Into You

What It Is: A manga by Nakatani Nio. Eight volumes, complete. A twelve episode anime aired in 2018, covering about the first half of the series. A three volume spinoff light novel series written by Hitoma Iruma was also published.

What It’s About: Yuu Koito has long dreamed of the day she’d find That One, Storybook Romance that would make her feel like she was walking on air, but the day that a boy confesses to her, her feet remain firmly planted on the ground. When she meets Touko Nanami, a girl who seems to have the same strange, distant relationship to romance as she does, Yuu feels like she has found a comrade. But what will happen when the next person to confess to Yuu… is Touko?

What I Think: What can I say about Bloom Into You that hasn’t already been said? There’s a reason it’s basically considered a staple of yuri despite being only five years old. The art is beautiful and delicate, the story has a deft mastery of comedy, drama, and romance, and the characters are deeply loveable. Really, the only reason this one is here is to tell you to get to reading this manga (or watching the anime) if you haven’t already. So get to it!

Where To Get It: The entire series-- as well as the spinoff light novel series Regarding Saeki Sayaka-- has been published in English by Seven Seas Entertainment. The anime is currently streaming on HiDive.

Yuri Is My Job

What It Is: A manga by Miman. Ongoing, seven volumes at time of writing.

What It’s About: Hime wants nothing more than to be adored by everyone and to someday bag a rich husband. Of course, being loved by all takes a lot of work, and she prides herself in keeping her perfect, adorable facade so well-maintained. But of course, the one time she slips up, she ends up injuring the manager of a local cafe! Hime finds herself strong-armed into working for this cafe under their star employee, a kind, graceful girl named Mitsuki. But things aren’t quite so simple-- you see, this cafe has a gimmick in which all the employees are constantly acting out yuri-inspired scenes for the customers, so in a way, the employees also have their own facades. And under her facade, Mitsuki… hates Hime’s guts!

What I Think: Yuri Is My Job is an odd duck, but in a good way. It’s advertised and initially framed as a comedy, but it becomes a surprisingly thoughtful drama about the personas people adopt and why they do so (though, luckily, the comedy never truly goes away). There’s an interesting web of relationships between the girls, and having those interactions take place in a setting where they must act out a completely different sort of drama adds an extra level of drama and intrigue. The cute, polished artwork is just the icing on the cake. YIMJ is a good manga for those who are already familiar with yuri tropes and those who are interested in a drama that doesn’t get too heavy.

Where To Get It: Six volumes have been published in English by Kodansha comics, with the seventh on the way.

Riddle Story of Devil

What It Is: A manga written by Yun Kouga and illustrated by Sunao Minakata. Five volumes, complete. A 12 episode anime aired in 2014.

What It’s About: At Myojo Private School, an elite all-girl’s academy, Class Black has a secret. Twelve of the thirteen girls are actually assassins who have been offered a dark deal-- one wish will be granted to whoever manages to kill Haru Ichinose, the thirteenth student. But there’s still hope for Haru in the form of Tokaku Azuma, one of the assassins who has decided to defect to Haru’s side-- and defend her from the other girls at any cost.

What I Think: I’m not sure… if I can say Riddle Story of Devil is “good.” It’s definitely something. Although its premise is vaguely similar to Revolutionary Girl Utena, its tone and atmosphere remind me a lot more of the Dangan Ronpa series. It’s schlocky and ridiculous and often over-the-top and at times exploitative. It’s pure junk food, basically… and I believe that’s where the charm comes from. It’s my guiltiest of guilty pleasures. It may not exactly be good, but more often than not, it’s fun. It’s hard not to be immediately interested in a yuri battle series, you have to admit.

And if it does have one undeniably good element, it’s Tokaku and Haru’s relationship. They contrast each other nicely, and while one might expect Haru to be boring and helpless, she’s actually quite proactive at times, and some of the most interesting, engaging parts of the series come from seeing how the two work together to fend off the latest assassin. It’s a short read and if anything, it’s worth it to see how each girl ends up. I recommend it for older viewers who are okay with violence and ludicrous battle scenarios.

Where To Get It: All five volumes are available through Seven Seas Entertainment. The anime can be watched through Funimation.*

*Please don’t watch the anime.**

** At the very least, please don’t watch the anime unless you’ve read the entire manga. Riddle Story Of Devil was one of those unfortunate cases where the anime adaption was produced before the manga reached its conclusion, and as such it has a very strange, rushed ending that includes none of what I enjoyed about the actual ending. Several scenes were also changed, and if I recall correctly, fanservice was added in several places where there was none previously. All in all, I’d really only recommend it for big fans of the series.

Side By Side Dreamers

What It Is: A light novel by Iori Miyazawa, illustrated by Akane Malbeni. One volume, complete.

What It’s About: Saya Hokage has been suffering from insomnia, but one day finds relief in the form of Hitsuji Konparu, a strange girl who can put people to sleep. As it turns out, Hitsuji is a person who has the special ability to move freely in their dreams, known as a “Sleepwalker.” The Sleepwalkers have been battling beings that possess people through their dreams, and it turns out they want Saya to join them in the fight.

What I Think: Side By Side Dreamers is short and… well, dreamy. I really enjoyed the premise and I think it’s a good novel for people who think Otherside Picnic may be a little too much for them. I also enjoyed each dream sequence-- I tend to find that the writing in light novels is a little dry, so the use of figurative language to describe these scenes was really refreshing and interesting. SBSD is a fun oneshot that I think is especially ideal for newcomers to yuri.

Where To Get It: Side-by-Side Dreamers is published by J-Novel Club and can be found via various digital platforms and bookstores.

Cocoon Entwined

What It Is: A manga by Yuriko Hara. Three volumes, ongoing.

What It’s About: Hoshimiya Girls' Academy is a strange, almost otherworldly paradise with a peculiar tradition. For all three years, each girl grows out her hair to absurd, breathtaking lengths, in order for it to eventually be cut and weaved into uniforms for future students. Perhaps it is these strange uniforms that seem to whisper about the past that makes the school seem frozen in another time… picturesque, yet stagnant. But one day, a shocking incident shatters the quiet peace of the academy, and the tumultuous feelings that have long been hidden in the hearts of these girls come rushing into the light.

What I Think: Cocoon Entwined is, in a word, eerie. It’s not marketed as a horror story, and I don’t think it’s intended to be one, but I’ve seen some that say they get horror vibes from it. I definitely understand that-- there’s a deep sense of unease that permeates the entire story in a way that’s a bit hard to articulate. The running thread of uniforms made from human hair definitely doesn’t hurt (it does-- I’ve seen many people understandably turned off by this element), but it’s more than that. It’s the sense that everything at Hoshimiya feels frozen and fragile. It’s the sense that everyone is burying their true feelings under countless layers. It’s the fact that in one scene, Saeki reaches out in a dark room full of uniforms and feels her arm touched by countless hands made of hair.

Cocoon Entwined is a strange manga, and I feel it’s not for everyone-- besides the way many are put off by the central premise, the way that the story jumps around in time can be a bit confusing to follow. But in my opinion, I love it for these elements: the uniforms and their marriage between beauty and grotesque, the sense of frozen time, the delicate artwork that feels like it might be shattered by the weight of your gaze, the strange, airless atmosphere, the girls and their clear exhaustion of having to be ideal women. It’s a strange little series that I think should be given a shot, particularly if you want something a little more out there, or a darker take on Class S tropes.

Where To Get It: Yen Press has currently published two volumes in English.

BONUS: Other high school titles that may interest you!

A Tropical Fish Yearns For Snow: A manga by Makoto Hagino. Konatsu Amano has just moved to a new town by the sea, and must deal with her new school’s mandatory club policy. Luckily, she meets Koyuki Honami, an older girl who runs the Aquarium Club. Recognizing her loneliness, Konatsu decides to join her club. (Published in English by Viz Media)

Flowers: A four-part series of visual novels published by Innocent Grey. Flowers focuses on Saint Angraecum Academy, a private high school that prides itself on overseeing the growth of proper young ladies. One notable thing about the academy is the Amitié program, a system that pairs students together in order to foster friendships between the girls. But friendship isn’t the only thing blooming… (Available in English from Steam, J-List, and JAST USA)

Adachi And Shimamura: A series of light novels written by Hitoma Iruma and illustrated by Non that has recently received a manga adaptation and an anime adaption. Adachi and Shimamura are two girls who encounter each other one day while cutting class. Little by little, the two girls become a part of each other’s lives, and feelings begin to form. (The light novels are published in English by Seven Seas Entertainment, the anime is licensed by Funimation)

And there we go! 24 different yuri titles. I didn’t even go into the series that I tried but personally didn’t like that still might interest other people. I primarily made this list to gush about yuri that I liked, but I also tried to include a fairly wide range of things so that, hopefully, any random person who read this whole list could find at least one new title that interests them. And I hope that includes you!

The yuri scene is quite large and wonderful if you know where to look, and it too often gets a bad rap. I hope that this list could give you a new perspective on what kinds of titles are available, and I hope it gives you something new to try. And remember: if you want something specific, try looking for it! There’s a good chance the story you’re craving is already out there, waiting to be discovered!

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gingerbreadbooks2020 · 4 years

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Bookblr post #30

It’s July 20th and I haven’t posted in ages. Gah! So what’ve I been doing...?

[Images above: top left: Cover of the manga One Piece; Volume 1 by Eiichiro Oda.

Top right: A double page art spread for chapter 1: Romance Dawn.

Bottom: A square from the manga, featuring a young Luffy stretching his cheeks out. Speech bubbles to the right and left of him say “I’m glad I ate the gum-gum devil fruit... look at what I can do!”. These images of the manga are my own.]

I was really excited to get into To Kill A Mockingbird but somewhere along the line I lost a load of motivation. Even now I have very little motivation to get up or to keep my room tidy. Now that I’m back at work as well, I’m way too tired at night to pick up a book.

But I didn’t want to stay in that kind of rut. I wanted to get back into reading but picking up a novel felt too heavy. Luckily for me, my copy of One Piece (Vol 1) was staring at me from my bookshelf.

My friend originally recommend to me that I watch the anime, but I read a lot quicker than I can watch so I bought the first three volumes of the manga. That was a little pointless as they went unread for years, but I suppose I’m finally getting around to it.

I asked my Alexa how many volumes there were, and she said 97 so I think this is going to be a long series to read, but that’s a problem for future me!

Although it’s not a novel, I still want to post about it here. I’ve posted previously about a manhwa (Killing Stalking, a couple posts ago), except this manga is a lot more SFW!

I read the first chapter, Romance Dawn, and started the second chapter, They Call Him “Straw Hat Luffy”. Chapter 1 is all about how Luffy got his powers as a young kid accidentally and gives a little backstory on his dream to become a pirate. Chapter 2 then picks up ten years later, when he finally sets out on his first adventure, although he’s got a long way to go before becoming King of the Pirates.

One Piece is produced/published by ShonenJump, which I think is generally targeted at younger boys so there’ll be quite a bit of action, adventure, and comedy, which is pretty different to things I’ve read previously on this blog.

So, I understand it’s a little different to what I post about and I’d just started To Kill A Mockingbird, but I think I’ll be reading this for a while, just until I feel a bit more motivated. I felt bad about not posting on here for so long (especially when I’ve recently gained a fair few followers, hi!) so I definitely wanted to post something. Hopefully things for me will get back to normal soon, work will even out and I’ll get back to novels, but in the mean time I hope you enjoy a few posts about manga!

- Gingerbread ♤

#manga #books #currently reading #bookblr #reading #books and libraries #book #book blog #booklover #book blogger #bookblogger #one piece #east blue #shonen jump #eiichiro oda #monkey d luffy #japanese manga #romance dawn #one piece: romance dawn

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paradise-creator · 4 years

Note

Hi, can I have a BNHA and Haikyuu haven matchup ? I describe myself as much as I can I am a 163 cm INTJ girl with curly and light brown hair, brown eyes , I’m a little fat and I wear glasses I like to listen to nightcore or slowed music. I usually do not care about what people say and I do what I think is right. I am very introverted and I prefer to be myself(ngl sometimes I get annoyed really fast). I can be funny or serious around people and be quiet outside but from the inside I'm very shy and like to read books / manga and watch romance, horror movies and animation, and I usually get emotional watching them. I am a direct person to the people. I prefer to stay home to read comics, sleep, play, rather then go out with people. I like to take care of my appearance and take the time to get ready (I NEVER wear pants so I usually wear shorts or dresses) and people tend to say My personality is really edgy(idk what that means I think they mean I’m a bruh girl?). I’m really tsundere so sometimes some of my friends say that they think I’m emotionless and I never cry but if u look closely i actually do care about people I just show it to them with my little actions bc I’m not really good with words oh and one of my bestfriends always says that “U do not know how to express your feelings properly and people say that you do not know your worth and you hide ur true feelings” oh alsoooo Ive been to a karate and boxing class before but I hate sports that includes running and ummm My fav subject at school is maths but I’m really good with languages too!(I can speak 3 fully language and I can understand Arabic too)and I really like to teach people the studies that they don’t understand

↬ ──:.⃗➹ +.*༉‧ᵕ̈°`*↷. ೃ₊✎⸙͎˚- ̗̀✧: ──↫

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┊ ⊹ ┊ ⋆｡˚. ੈ

✯ ⋆ ┊ . ˚ ⊹

˚ ✩

Dream catcher loading...

ɴᴏᴡ ʟᴏᴀᴅɪɴɢ

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*ﾟﾟ･ ✧.｡. *. •.°

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Hello and Welcome my Starlight!

The Haven box includes:

- Match up

- Sun drop

- Old habits die hard

- A girl like her

───✱*.｡:｡✱*.:｡✧*.｡✰*.:｡✧*.｡:｡*.｡✱ ───

I'd match you up with

Akaashi Keiji, Fukurodani's setter

───✱*.｡:｡✱*.:｡✧*.｡✰*.:｡✧*.｡:｡*.｡✱ ───

Sun drops

- My plan A was Tokoyami

- My plan B was Iwaizumi

- SO PLAN C IT IS

- I paired you up with Akaashi!

-THIS DYNAMIC IS CUTE

- Akaashi is a very sweet and patient

- Since he deals with Bokuto, he is grateful taht he has an escape (I mean he lives Bokuto but this man needs a break-)

- He could definitely help with anything you need

- SILENT HYPE MAN

- He would also often help you express your emotions

- Expect a whole lot of "Darling" here

- He doesn't mind your Tsundere tendencies

- HE LOVES ALL SIDES OF YOU

- This man treasures you

───✱*.｡:｡✱*.:｡✧*.｡✰*.:｡✧*.｡:｡*.｡✱ ───

Old habits die hard

- He ALWAYS plans a date once every week

- He also bought this reversable mood plushie

- He has notes on you. Don't question why, but he did

- He loves laying his head on your lap and just nap

- He treats you differently compared to others

- He smiles more around you vuae eyou said you loved his smile.

───✱*.｡:｡✱*.:｡✧*.｡✰*.:｡✧*.｡:｡*.｡✱ ───

A girl like her

“Akaashi~ I heard you got yourself a girl,” Bokuto said to his younger friend. “Yes, I do have a girlfriend now. Is that a big of a surprise?” Akaashi said as he looked at Bokuto. “No! No! Just surprised as all,” Bokuto said as he chuckled. “Can I meet her?” He added excitedly. “I’m sure you would get to meet her soon enough. However, be gentle when it does happen. She is quite shy,” The shorter said before they parted ways. And throughout the whole school day, Bokuto and the rest of the volleyball team has been trying to find out who this girl is. They’ve heard a lot about her through Akaashi but they never really met her. And they’ve never seen Akaashi with anyone else. As they continued to stalk Akaashi in their free time, the pretty setter was merely sitting alone at lunch. “Okay, so he declined eating with me to sit alone? Am I annoying him now?” Bokuto sulked. He was then shushed when the team saw a girl walk towards him.

The stone faced he had faltered and a soft smile appeared. “Hey there, Love,” He said as he stood up. “Hello, how are you?” The girl responded. And that was a start of a long conversation. As time passes by, the volleyball team observed the couple. Well, that was until, Bokuto because he is Bokuto. “Hey Hey Hey, Akaashi! There you are,” He said as he walked toward the couple. His other team mates tried to stop him but it had not worked. “Hello Bokuto,” Akaashi said. “Who is this?” Bokuto asked as he gazed at the female beside him. “Bokuto, this is my girlfriend. Babe, this is the man I’ve been talking about,” Akaashi introduced. After the pleasantries and introduction, the three seemed to clicked. Bokuto didn’t feel like a 3rd wheel at all, which was kinda nice.

“Well, I’ll be going! You two enjoy the rest of your break,” Bokuto said before he left. And so the duo were left in a comfortable silence. “Are you okay, darling? If you are uncomfortable I can ask him to lower down the volume?” Akaashi asked. The curly haired female chuckled and shook her head. “No! No it’s fine, I don’t mind his energy,” She responded as she smiled. “That’s good then. You’ll see him a lot more,” The taller male then said as he kissed her forehead. “What did I do to deserve a girl like you?” He asked as he placed his head on her shoulder. “It just seems so surreal,” He added as he smiled. “You deserve the world, I should be asking that instead of you,” The female responded. “Then we deserve each other, because you are my world and I am yours. I think that’s how it goes,” Akaashi said. He then kissed her flustered cheek and smiled. Oh how he loved this girl, and he wouldn’t give her away nor hurt her. He just fallen in love all over again.

───✱*.｡:｡✱*.:｡✧*.｡✰*.:｡✧*.｡:｡*.｡✱ ───

Author's note

I'm so sorry for taking so long! School has been hectic--But I hope you like this matchup!!

#☁️matchup #anime #fanfic #fiction #Akaashi #akaashi keiji #akaashi fluff #BlackPearl

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angelsarts · 5 years

Note

I wanna know more about your Death and Life AU OCs and BNHA OC!

Death and Life AU:

Ezekiel -

He/Him || Virgo || 27 || Pansexual

Ezekiel is a higher up arch angel who is in charge of the Japanese district of heaven. He personally takes part in training new angels into carrying out their duties to protect and guide the living on a pure life and to avoid letting them into the hands of hell. Ezekiel is a proud and determined man with a usual sexy smirk and a kimono undone to see his chest however when it comes to training the newbies of heaven he always ends up drawing the short straws and getting the people who never gets the hang of it or messing around. That's why 80% of the training involves him face palming or dramatically sighing in resignation. So you could say he's the hot dad that has given up on his children-

Ezekiel had died early in his 20's due to an accident. The "royalty" of Japan at the time were holding an open event for the public to visit, it was mainly for socialising and making connections. He had attended mainly for the free food, but during an interaction with a member of royalty an unstable chandelier snapped and fell from the ceiling. Ezekiel had enough time to push the person he was conversing with out the way but not quick enough for him to avoid getting hit. The man was crushed and sent to heaven as a result for saving a life.

Nolan -

Half demon | Unknown age | 5"7

Nolan was born as a half breed, his mother had a romance with a high ranking demon that resulted in an unwanted pregnancy. His father wanted nothing to do with it, demanded she were to get rid of Nolan or he would do it for her, if it wasn't for his mother fleeing from her country and learning to make charms to keep the father away then chances are he wouldn't be around. Unfortunately his kind is very rarely accepted by neither humans or demons, perhaps that's why he became the edgy angry man he is today but despite this he cherished the love that his mother had given him and the friendship that Emmie-Lou, a fellow demon offered. Emmie Lou understood Nolan's feelings for she was a succubus that left her legacy behind to live with a human whom also accepted Nolan as a friend, because of this after his mothers passing he wasn't alone and for that he is grateful. If anything, Nolan likes the human world much more than that of the demons realm which he happened to visit out of curiosity about who his father was, let us just say he regretted his choice and received those scars on his face.

Shin -

Shrine spirit | Pan | 300+

Shin has been a shrine spirit since he could remember , at first he never took his job particularly seriously and more than often played pranks on those who say prayers but leave no offerings. He still plays pranks but 300 or so years later? He's become more mature. The shrine woman he had been so fond of had passed away and so until someone takes up her role, it was up to him to write down each prayer made, to make talismans and clean the shrine to it's best standards on top of guarding it from evil. Now he has what people would call the qualities of a man, and he takes each prayer to heart trying to help those who make them in any way that he can manage. It warms his heart particularly to see that even in modern ages people still come to the shrine even if it isn't in masses anymore. He's a curious being though, wondering what's beyond the shrine, what he has missed over the hundreds of years. It's not all bad though, he often shows himself to those who visit and bring offerings regularly as well as children, the affection that they show him and their thankful attitude more than makes up for being alone at other times not to mention he loves to watch the snow fall. Making snowmen was one of the first thing he and the shrine lady had done together when he arrived and so he makes it a tradition to make one each winter. When the days are quiet and the visitors are low he makes the extra charms to leave outside as well taking well earned naps.

Rigger -

Male | Taurus | 36 | Bisexual Rigger was a French Plague doctor who died in his 30's due to being struck around the head down an alley, reasons to why he was hit was unknown. However Rigger didn't completely die, his good services had been rewarded, a reaper offered his life to be immortal on the condition that instead of saving lives he were to take them - only when their time had come of course. As a result of coming back to life, Riggers left eye became blind, the scars across his face a mark of his contract to become a living reaper. Rigger took this offer, being bought back to life to live and breath as a 39 year old forever. He takes his job seriously, taking down sinners with no mercy, being kind and delicate with children too ill to carry on living, careful and gentle with the elderly. Each person he treats how they should be, although he has got stuck in cases where the elderly with poor sight mistake him for their grandchild, he once was mistaken by an elderly lady and he hadn't had the heart to tell her no - spent over a year pretending to be 'Tommy' the sweet boy who hold her ball of wool while she knits and shows off ugly sweaters to the rest of the oldies at the care home. It took another reaper to take her soul. Rigger is generally very grumpy to normal people, although when he's grumpy the man is still kind and gentle. He secretly adores flowers, children and doesn't actually mind wearing ugly sweaters or hanging out with the elderly, he likes their stories and the sweet attitudes they have. The elderly and flowers are probably the only ones who have seen him look happy instead of the plain old grumpy guy face.

BNHA AU:

Elissa -

Female - Bisexual - 19

Licensed hero - Quirk: environment/material manipulation

Lady manipulation or rather Elissa is a licensed hero that graduated from UA High, her quirk is the ability to manipulate the environment and material around her whether she makes something grow larger or change shape and form. The marks on her arms to neck glow whenever she activates her quirk. She can make the ground move, and turn it into an arch or even a sculpture, she can make anything into weapons or protection. However the larger the manipulation the shorter the time she can keep control over it. Once her time runs out it can take 10 - 30 minutes before she can use the same material or environment again . She works under a not particularly well known hero agency with a partner known as animorph, a man with the quirk that lets him turn into animals though he often favours the wolf. She's a rising hero in the world and she actually see's Aizawa as her hero/inspiration.

After a particular fight with a villain that she once knew as a friend, her entire image soon changed due to the villain's confrontational words getting into her mind. Now she keeps her hair short and changed her uniform and her hero name. Elissa tries her best to cut the ties with the villain particularly when they had once captured her heart in the past and though it is a struggle, Animorph is always there to help and support. The woman is a very happy person that no matter what happens always wears a smile and insists that no matter how bad things are she's always hopeful and grateful for what she has. Of course she's insecure about her looks or that she'll never do a good enough job to inspire kids she'll still put all her effort in, when she's not on duty she likes to try different ethnic foods, read manga or show off her art to her pet chicken Diego. She also has a long term affection for Bakugou, not that she would ever dare act on such a thing without reciprocation, for now she enjoys their explosive arguments.

I wrote heck loads ;; I apologise if it’s too much information!

#ask #anon #irontrashdraws #irontrash ocs #oc facts #oc ask #elissa oc #ezekiel oc #rigger oc #shin oc #nolan oc #my art #my ocs

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gone-forever-bye · 6 years

Text

My Top Ten Manga:

To go with my top ten anime list.

10. Otaku no Musume-san

Here we have a manga that is about a girl who's always wanted to meet her father and discovers that he is a shameless otaku. Hijinks and adorable father/daughter affection ensues. There's weird character, cute characters, and a final act that is pretty messed up but this is a manga that I think is good from start to finish. It's a good read. It pulls at the heartstrings while making you laugh and it can even serve as a do/do not guide for all you otaku parents out there. XD

Favorite character: Kannau Yukimura

9. Air Gear

This beautiful and heavily detailed stylish manga is about a world where skate-like contraptions known as Air Treks are used as a way to fly, get places, and build your own gang to own the skies. The art is gorgeous, the characters all mesh into a kind of gray area although there are some typical good guy/bad guys thrown in, and the series manages to evoke true feeling from the reader with how raw it can get. I highly reccomend. Favorite Character: Ringo Noyamano

8. InuYasha

The manga that cemented my love for all things anime Inuyasha is the compelling fantasy tale of a half-demon and a young junior high girl. I can't express into words what an impact this manga made on me. The designs of the assortment of demons that are based on Japanese folklore and mythology, the tragic backstories so many of the main characters possess, the out of this world fight scenes, all the way to the incredible chemistry between Inuyasha and Kagome. It's hard to put down once you've started reading. The manga outshines the anime because it doesn't quite feel like it loses its pacing as the anime kept getting dotted with filler. It's interesting, dark in some places but never without a ray of light, and artwork that suits the story well. Favorite Character: Rin

7. Gunsmith Cats

An oldie but goodie. We've got guns, muscle cars, and hot chicks, all in above average detail. Don't waste time with the anime, the manga is where this story of bounty hunter/police officer Rally Vincent and her partner Minnie-May really shines with explosive fun. Mature and loaded with everything from kidnapping to drugs to high speed car chases I have to say that I make it a point of rereading this series often. I've yet to find another that I enjoy as much as this one for this particular genre. Favorite Character: Rally Vincent.

6. Buso Renkin

I'm a big fan of manga that doesn't force a simple storyline to be stretched over fifty volumes. Ten volumes was the perfect size for the story of Katsuki Mutou as he is accidently thrown into the world of alchemy and humunculous. This is a complete manga by the creator of Rurouni Kenshin that I think really emphasizes Watsuki's strength as a shounen manga author who can take so many shounen tropes and make them work almost effortlessly. It didn't need to be ground breaking because it wasn't trying to be. It's an honestly good manga from start to finish with one of the most memorable anti-hero's I've ever read. Favorite Character: Papillon

5. My Little Monster

I'm not the biggest shoujo manga fan like I used to be but I will say that My Little Monster is a great way to change the formula. None of the characters acted the way I expected. They are all weird and extreme in the most interesting of ways while still capturing the uncertainty and naivete that teens suffer from. It's really difficult to dislike any of the characters. They're all so likeable although Natsume will probably make you grind your teeth because that girl is insane. A must read for any shoujo manga fan. Favorite Character: Sohei Sasahara.

4. Fushigi Yugi Genbu Kaiden

I like shoujo manga that doesn't just focus on romance. Genbu Kaiden is the prequel to Fushigi Yugi and I have to say it's better in every way. It's a lot more balanced, mixing the romance into a beautiful but sad story, unforgettable characters, action scenes that really emphasis the importance of the plot, while all being accomplished with the ridiculously gorgeous Yu Watase art style. Another must read for any shoujo fan. Favorite Character: Takiko Okuda

3. Rurouni Kenshin

There was no way this manga wasn't going to make the list. Unlike the anime this manga is outstanding from start to finish. For me this is the ultimate in sword fighting. The visuals are exactly what you want from samurai dueling and there's never a dull moment. The cast is one of the best in my opinion and I love that the narrative never bores me even when they're just explaining fighting styles or attacks. Watsuki's distinct shounen style is a favorite of mine. The evolution of Himura Kenshin is the plot and its worth every panel. Read the final arc of you can. It's amazing.. Favorite Character: Kamiya Kaoru

2. Chrono Crusade

I will make a rant about this manga later because I will fight for this series until the day I die. Do no watch the anime. Even though I bought each dvd and have watched them over twenty times at least, the anime does the manga NO justice. Eight volumes, all inspiring story telling. Chrono Crusade starts in such a way that you think it may be a lighthearted story of a gun-toting 'nun' and her demon sidekick but it quickly evolves into so much more. Rosette and Chrono are a duo the you will root for from page one as they fight demons, friends, and everything else that stands in their way to fix the damage that was done so many years ago. Another series that accomplishes a complete story in ten volumes or less which keeps the plot from being unnecessarily stretched. It evokes so much feeling, making you relate to the characters in such a way while still powering through the story because this is a tale about time. By the end you'll find yourself a little less able to take your time for granted as you cry for these characters that have an ending that you can take as either good or bad. I always put this one at the top of my must read list and it holds a very special place in my otaku heart. I'm disappointed that such an intense manga did not get a proper anime adaption though I do understand why. Favorite Character: Chrono

1. Detective Conan

Anyone who knows me should have expected this. Lol. Detective Conan for me is the ultimate manga. The award winning mystery series is an ongoing manga that never fails to impress. It's familiar while evolving with us so it has a loyal fanbase made up of twenty year veteran fans to new ones every day and the number just keeps growing. High school detective Kudo Shinichi is the pride of Tokyo Japan before he stumbles across a mysterious transaction involving a pair of men clothed in black. He's discovered and force fed a drug that instead of killing him, reverts his body to that of a seven year old. He retains his adult mind and begins hiding his identity while going by the name Edogawa Conan and solving mysteries through his childhood friend's father's detective agency. The story takes off from there. The series is vast, featuring over 1000 chapters, over 20 movies, over 50 seasons, dozens of OVA's and specials including live action, and being featured in multiple ways throughout Japan. It even has its own museum in Gosho Aoyama's hometown. While not for everyone, especially those thrown off by the sheer amount of content, Detective Conan is a series that is loved by all ages all over the world and has been here since the early 90's for a reason. It has become my reason for living and it will never leave my #1 spot. Favorite Character: Kudo Shinichi (for life!)

As I have said before I gauge a series on its ability to draw me in, keep me attached, and talent for making me come back.

#detective conan #meitantei conan #case closed #chrono crusade #rurouni kenshin #fushigi yugi genbu kaiden #my little monster #buso renkin #gunsmith cats #inuyasha #air gear #otaku no musume-san #my dad is an otaku

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losreviews · 7 years

Text

A Wandering Best Comics of 2017 List

Well hello! It’s this blog, the thing I put on hiatus in order to focus on my degree and then did not check into all year!

If you don’t follow me on any other social media, I have some good news: I have, in fact, finished my library degree! Goal accomplished! I’m in this funny place right now where I was working hard and was completely burned out, and then suddenly wasn’t working, and now I’m enjoying relaxing but also realizing I need to get back to a place where I can work on things again. Write things again. Be focused and productive and not on a mental vacation. Oof.

First, before getting to the fun stuff, I am going to officially announce that I won’t be formally returning to this blog. I may use it as a space to write reviews that are more serious than a quick goodreads review and not serious enough to fit with Women Write About Comics or another venue, but I’m not going to follow a this-many-a-month goal. I want to focus on other projects, so while this blog has served me well, I think I’ve found other ways to discover, support, and signal-boost diverse media that require I step aside from LOS Reviews.

That aside - year end lists! They can be fun! Last year I wrote about comics I love in which ladies smooch other ladies, but this year I am going to do something much more disorganized. A consequence of focusing heavily on school is that my to-read pile has become wild and unruly. As I let things I wanted to read pile up over the year, I did read a few things that were just too good or too exciting - or that I could easily access during a break. My #1 favorite thing that I read this year was Soolagna Majumdar’s Marge Simpson Anime zine, which I wrote about for WWAC’s Small Press Faves of 2017 list. In addition, here are some random titles that helped me stay afloat through a grueling final year of graduate school.

Print Comics

Nightlights by Lorena Alvarez

This big, gorgeous comic released by Nobrow Press contains some of the best art I was privileged to ogle in 2017. Sandy, a young artist, has the unique ability to bring the lush fantasy world of her mind to life. Or, perhaps, she can take aspects of her own imagination and gift them to existing magic within the world, and build a warm, vibrant, safe fantasy space. When the new girl at school takes dangerous interest in Sandy’s abilities, she must learn to own and harness her inner power. If, like me, you are feeling very burdened by work, know that this is a quick read meant for middle or elementary-aged readers. It’s sort of like coming across a stunningly delicious appetizer at a fancy party; it’s brief, but so good that you immediately want to eat another (or read it all over again.)

Space Battle Lunchtime Volume Two: A Recipe for Disaster by Natalie Riess

I reviewed volume one last year so I won’t spend much time giving you plot synopsis etc., but volume two came out this year and wraps up the story. I LOVE these comics; Riess creates a very pretty, kooky alien world in which each creature’s species-specific traits and personality feels immediately well-developed. Riess’ skillful use of visuals to give her characters - human and alien alike - unique personas appeals to me because I quickly feel exhausted when reading lengthy high fantasy that spends ages detailing all the aspects of a culture or society. This is really how I prefer to learn about an entirely made-up world: as quickly and efficiently as possible, with all emphasis on character development. These comics are light hearted, queer, action-filled and fun, Riess just knows how to press all my buttons!

The Lunch Witch by Deb Lucke

I read the first two (only two? no idea) volumes of this series this year, and IT IS SO FREAKING GREAT! The comics follow the spooky exploits of Grunhilda, an older witch who finds herself in need of a job, and ends up working as a lunch lady at a nearby elementary school. Grunhilda is NOT a good witch, or at least doesn’t intend to be, and she doesn’t really like children. The books are fairly dark for a middle grade series, excitingly creative - there’s a page that is actually burned and missing 1/4 of itself - and tackle morality and the value of helping others out of a sense of compassion and desire for companionship versus seeking selfish reward. They are fun, surprisingly deep, and supported by a really cool website that has things like recipes for Engorged-Tick Scones and a Bad Advice column! Love love love it.

So Pretty/So Very Rotten by Jane Mai and An Nguyen

I was lucky to randomly pick up the preview zine for this book at CAKE last year, and as a huge fan of Jane Mai’s comics - I maybe wrote an article about her that feels somewhat like an embarrassing love confessional - I was super excited for this book to come out! So Pretty/So Very Rotten is a mix of comics, essays and interviews about Lolita subculture, from the perspective of two Asian-North American cartoonists (I’m pretty sure Nguyen is Canadian? Correct me if I’m wrong, I have been known to not realize people were Canadian. See: Ellen Page) who either have been or still are very much participating in and deeply connected to Lolita. It is well-researched, accessible and totally engrossing. I am not a femme person and have been on a sort of slow burn, low-key journey in which I try to de-couple gender from clothing in order to feel more comfortable in how I present, and this book hit me at just the right moment. Through interviews and essays, Nguyen and Mai dive into how many view Lolita as a genderless (or perhaps gender-full?) exploration of the feelings the clothing can create both for individuals and communities. The comics get quite dark and often lean into the rottenness Lolita allows; in some ways, that rottenness feels like an opportunity to let the truth of the darkness of ourselves out, or to reveal how tough and ferocious those who dare to dawn frills truly are. I cannot recommend it enough.

Wuvable Oaf Volume 1 by Ed Luce

I purchase-requested this baby from the library and was deeply pleased when they bought it and when, recently, I saw that the cover was beat up a bit, indicating that I truly am not the only one who wanted it! Huzzah! I’ve been meaning to read Luce’s comic since I bought a Divine poster from him a couple CAKE’s ago, and it did not disappoint. This giant tome tells the story of Oaf, a hairy, scary-looking ex-wrestler who is in fact quite squishy, loves cats, and wants romance. It’s a gay subculture-y comic that is strange enough to border on being fantasy (Oaf can do some wild shit with his hair, and one of the cats SEES THINGS) and loaded full with comics/pop culture Easter eggs. The wrestling flashbacks are maybe the best bits, so I’m excited to get my hands on volume two, which looks more focused on the wrestling.

The Less than Epic Adventures of TJ & Amal + Five Years Ago and Three Thousand Miles Away by EK Weaver

OK confession: I read the webcomic and this was actually a reread prompted by my inability to walk past the big, gorgeous softcover collection on the Iron Circus table at C2E2. “I think it’s time I buy TJ & Amal” is I think exactly what I said to Spike Trotman, whose response was something like “of course it is!” (Shout out to Sheika Lugtu who was walking the floor with me and also was like, um yes, buy it, dummy.) I had not read the follow-up short comic previously, in which Weaver posits three possible endings for the boys, two of which keep them together, one in which they break up. It was a perfect, bittersweet tease/companion to a beautiful book about two queer men who kind of fall in love over the course of an emotionally tumultuous road trip. Weaver digs so deeply into her characters, exposing all their weaknesses, failings and fears, and watching these two boys who are strangers at the beginning of the story be completely vulnerable with each other is a gift. I often longingly look at the softcover on my bookshelf and consider rereading it, only to remind myself that no, I need to finish that paper! Except I don’t now, because I did finish school... hmm...

Tabula Idem: A Queer Tarot Comic Anthology edited by Iris Jay and Hye M

I’ve been working through some kickstarter rewards I haven’t yet had time to read, so because I’ve got this big pile I’ve of course had some mediocre reading experiences and some surprisingly stunning ones. This anthology falls into the latter category; while I was interested in it enough to fund the kickstarter, I didn’t expect to love it so deeply upon reading. I only just became interested in tarot this year and there’s so much to learn, but Tabula Idem felt like a perfect way to start considering how to interpret cards on my own, and how to go beyond what might be traditional readings and factor in aspects that account for being a queer person. Each story in the anthology focuses on one aspect of a Major Arcana tarot card, and they range across genres with queer and trans characters of all kinds of identities. I read a lot of anthologies and sometimes they can feel tedious, but this one slowed me down and made me savor each tale, wanting to experience the affect each artist pulled out of each card.

Girls’ Last Tour by Tsukumizu

I’m pretty sure this manga series was recommended to me by the inimitable Claire Napier, and I did not expect to love it as deeply as I do. In this time of high-energy, high-action, sometimes trashy but generally fun dystopian literature, Tsukumizu offers a slow, gay, philosophical exploration of a post-apocalyptic world in which mammoth city structures vastly outnumber humans. The young girl protagonists initially are unsure if they are the only humans left in their world, and slowly make their way through a strange, towering, layered city largely in search of food so that they can continue to survive. They contemplate the value of being alive and sometimes ask big questions, but also generally enjoy each other’s company, get excited about rare opportunities to take warm baths, and recall distant memories or known concepts from the pre-apocalyptic world. It’s definitely not a series for everyone as the pacing is so slow, but Tsukumizu’s rendering of the very tall, very brutalistically designed city is engrossing and makes the pacing worth it. Really, it’s a story about two girls asking deep questions and pondering them over an unlimited amount of time, and that feels just right.

Princess Jellyfish by Akiko Higashimura

I think I started reading this series last year but really got into it this year; I binged volumes 4, 5, and 6 in a single night, and 7 is currently waiting for me in my backpack. It’s kind of the antithesis of Girls’ Last Tour in that the tone is always frantic and wild, in accordance with the high energy of the otaku girls the series celebrates. I love that Higashimura offers up a variety of characters who are obsessed with different things - I always think of mega nerdy people as being into things like games and comics, but of course Tsukimi is a jellyfish otaku. Kuranosuke’s character development has been particularly interesting, as he becomes a sort of emotional-connection otaku, obsessed both with pursuing a fashion career that allows him to submerge himself in the feminine clothing that connects him to his mother and won his heart at a young age, and with being emotionally tied to a group of friends who are actually passionate about things. (We get some glimpses of Kuranosuke’s other friends and they all seem pretty shallow.) The series is very fun, and I love Higashimura’s autobio author comics in which she basically exposes lots of embarrassing things about herself and how nerdy she is.

Webcomics

I read a LOT of webcomics and several ongoing series that I’ve been reading for eons have been faithful comforts this year, including Strong Female Protagonist, Gunnerkrigg Court, Questionable Content and Monster Pulse. I wanted to talk about some comics I don’t think I’ve ever plugged before, so these in theory are all things I started reading this year.

Manners’ Magical Monster School by Jessica and Jacinta Wibowo

This cute comic follows Wilbur, the lone human at a magic school for monsters, and his roommate, Amira, who’s big secret is that she is a demon. The pair are a sort of odd-couple; Wilbur is a sweet, chubby kid who got bullied before the frankly terrifying Amira became his best bud, while Amira is an over-confident punk who isn’t super great at having feeeeeelings. I first discovered Jes n Cin via their webcomic Tales from the Well, which is also very good, but is a bit more serious in tone. I particularly like the coloring - it’s all this warm, sort of watercolor-ish wash (I have no idea what materials they actually use, sorry!) and always look forward to the next update.

Barbarous by Yuko Ota and Ananth Hirsh

I am fairly certain I’ve raved about how much I love the Johnny Wander autobio comics before, but Yuko and Ananth’s forays into fiction are always fantastic and I am especially in love with Barbarous. The series’ protagonist is Percy, a magic-user who was studying magic but maybe dropped out of school (there was some kind of mysterious incident that pushed her to start couch-surfing around) and is sort of OK at using it but also still has a lot to learn. She is hired to do maintenance work by mysterious but classy landlord Cecillia, and her immediate supervisor, Leeds, is a sort of blunt but kind... giant dinosaur? He’s very cute. Anyway, Yuko and Ananth are building a cool magical world that is close to our own but also includes lots of really great, modern fashion/costuming. Percy and Leeds’ friendship is like a baby goat or a calf; its legs are not strong and it stumbles a lot, but it’s really cute. I love it.

Quiet Brain! by Samantha Davies

This isn’t so much a comic as it is a series of illustrations of adorable, sort of anthropomorphic animals saying inspiring, sometimes kinda brutally honest and deep shit. I read nearly all of them in one go on a long train ride and while I’m normally not the kind of person who is into like, inspirational feminist cross stitches and shit like that, something about this struck a chord. Davies has a panel-less comic called Stutterhug that is all about movement, emotion and moments of connection between (anthropomorphic animal) creatures. Quiet Brain! emphasizes how skilled the artist is at communicating emotion through facial expressions; it’s a simple thing that I didn’t know I needed until I read it.

Ascent by Kevin Lam

I’ve been reading this series since probably before 2017, but I found this year that I particularly looked forward to the new comics. Ascent is, simply, the story of a diver lost in the sea, making a mostly lonely journey to the surface. Given an endless amount of time to contemplate general concepts about life, the diver does so. They consider the purpose of making a journey that may never yield a successful end, the point of accepting a friend that literally attaches themself to you - it’s a very cute baby squid - and the merit of just giving into exhaustion. Retrospectively, I think this comic really embedded itself into my psyche this year because my graduate school journey felt similar. I climbed up several difficult hills which were small enough that I could see the top, but knew another hill awaited me. Recently there have been some spooky happenings in the comic, and I’m excited to see where Lam takes the diver next.

Girls Have a Blog by Sarah Bollinger and Tara Kurtzhals

I don’t actually read this creator pair’s main comic, but I’ve really enjoyed this autobio dive into their post-art school life, trying to make comics as a career work. They go through many ups and downs but perhaps uniquely do much of it together, and the act of processing both with each other and via comic is very satisfying. I especially enjoyed the arc where Tara found herself unable (emotionally) to attend a school reunion, because I found myself in the same position when my five year college reunion happened last summer. Often relatable but perhaps foremost a look into how making life work as a freelance cartoonist is TOUGH, this is some really enjoyable autobio! I’m excited for season two to start in 2018.

Everything Shing Yin Khor makes

OK so Shing has some webcomic short stories and projects going on, but I wanted to do kind of a blanket shout-out because I’ve enjoyed everything she’s shared this year, from her delightful watercolor comics to her installation work. I first encountered Shing when I picked up the Blood Root horror anthologies she produced out of Sawdust Press, and reviewed the third issue in one of my first ever pieces for WWAC. This year I was surprisingly and suddenly blessed to briefly attend the American Library Association conference, and the highlight was meeting Shing in person. She was there promoting her graphic memoir The American Dream? A Journey on Route 66 which Zest Books will release in February 2018, and it was such a delightful meeting that I re-engaged with her other work. Whether it’s building art installations and twitter bots that use oracles and fortune telling to explore kindness, or watercoloring stunning sci fi/fantasy worlds that contemplate workplace dynamics, immigration and travel, everything Shing creates takes on a journey that tilts your perspective, makes you gasp in wonder, and gives you a hug. If I were to make a list of creators whose work I’m super excited about in the coming years - it would be a very long list, and honestly I’m sort of constantly making that list through my critical/review work - Shing would be at the top. Funding her patreon will ensure you keep up with all her incredible creations.

2017 was certainly a year but there is always great art coming of the indie self-pub world. I will do my best to keep you informed about all of it.

#Webcomic review #comic review #best of 2017

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helloanime247-blog · 7 years

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Wait a minute....you cannot possibly be doing another tag!! ;) :P

I did not go looking on the internet for these anime questions, I swear!! :P I still have loads more questions that I want to answer, but I’m going to start with these 11 questions!

1. Who are your favourite male anime characters?

Okay…..this question is really tough….as there are just too many husbandos to choose from!! ;) I’m going to pick five male characters…..that’s allowed, right??!! ^^’

a). Osamu Dazai (Bungou Stray Dogs)- On the surface, he comes across as a big dork, who is a suicidal maniac!! However, Dazai as a character is far more than just that, as he proves to be a kind-hearted person, who takes in an orphan (Atsushi Nakajima) without a seconds thought and nurtures him into becoming a fully fledged member of the armed detective agency. He also instills in him confidence and a feeling of self-worth. Dazai is also really intelligent and can instantly deduce his opponent’s next move, meanwhile remaining calm and in control! His features are striking….as he is tall, has brown hair and brown eyes….I mean he’s just PERFECT!! :P ;)

b). Sakata Gintoki (Gintama)- Gintoki is just one of those characters who will forever make me laugh! <3 I mean, I could be having the worst day EVER, however, Gintoki will somehow find a way to make me laugh…and seriously what could be better than that! :D Initially, he may come across as lazy and self-centred, but I can tell you that this couldn’t be further from the truth! Gintoki would literally do anything for both Kagura and Shinpachi! I actually just finished watching an episode, where he helped his friend Hasegawa (which was hilarious….by the way!!). In reality, he actually values friendship higher than anything else and that’s a beautiful trait for anyone to possess!

c). Okita Sougo (Gintama)- The self-proclaimed masochist is HOT….which is his only good trait…..I’m only joking!! :P Okita is another great character because like Gintoki he’s really funny. If you’ve seen the Mitsuba arc….minor spoiler….you will understand how much of a loving brother he is towards his sister, which was both one of the most beautiful and one of the most saddest things to watch!! T.T <3

d). Hijiktata Toushirou (Gintama)- Like Okita, Hjikata is also a member of the Shinsengumi (…..and he is also really good looking….I’m just saying! :P)! Once again, I’m going to refer you to the Mitsuba arc because that truly shows how great of a guy Hijikata actually is! <33333 I mean…..I dare you to watch that arc and not cry…..!! T.T

e). Yuuri Katsuki (Yuri on Ice)- I identify with this guy so much, he is literally the male version of me….lol! All the ups and downs that he experiences through ice-skating are somewhat similar to the ones that I’ve experienced in my life…..expect for the fact that mine are in no way ice-skating related, as I’m a terrible ice-skater….lol!! :P He is definitely one of the most relatable characters that I’ve ever come across…..and that makes me love him all the more! <3

I’m sorry for picking three Gintama characters, but I’m currently in Gintama hell…….which is actually not a bad place to find yourself in!! ^^’ :P

2. Who are your favourite female characters?

a). Megumi Tadokoro (Shokugeki no Souma)- I love her…..because she’s basically ME…..except for the fact that she can cook…and sadly I can’t!! T.T </3 The self-confidence issues that she experiences are somewhat similar to my own, however, like her, I’ve also learned to push past them and come out the other side! She’s actually sort of an inspiration to me (not to sound too cheesy) but I often found myself saying…if she can overcome her nervousness then so can I!!

b). Kagura (Gintama)- Kagura is feisty and will always do things her own way, which once again I can relate to! She doesn’t care what others think of her and rightly so, it’s pointless caring about what others think…just be yourself!! :) However, deep down she is also a caring person, who loves both Gintoki and Shinpachi as if they were her brothers!

3. If you could meet an anime character who would it be?

I would actually like to meet Mikoto Mikoshiba from Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun! We could talk about anime figures (which is one of my most favourite things to talk about…hahaha), we could game and even draw manga together! He would also be such a cool person to just talk to!

I decided this time to not go for another Gintama character!! :P

4. What is your favourite thing about anime?

Hmmmmmmmm….I’d probably say that anime has allowed me to pursue my other hobbies and interests….ones which I never really knew I had! Recently, I bought a camera so I could get into Nendoroid photography and I actually realised that I love taking photos of my nendoroids depicting the beauty of our natural landscape! I’ve also started to cross-stitch again, which I haven’t really done in over a year! I even made my own pattern of Midoriya Izuku from ‘Boku no Hero Academia’……which I still have to start!! I’ve always been a collector of ’stuff’ since I was a child, so therefore, it was only natural for me to start collecting anime figures, I love this hobby! The only drawback being that it’s super expensive and super addictive….eeeekkkkk!! I’ve also recently delved into the world of cosplay and it’s a lot of fun too! Drawing has been a passion of mine….since forever and I love nothing more than to draw my favourite characters! <3 Therefore, it allows me to explore my creative side! I also love learning about other cultures and anime has definitely made me want to learn more about Japan. I’m also in the process of learning Japanese, which is probably something I never would have done without anime in my life! I’m also currently writing some fanfiction! It was always my dream to write a novel and I wrote many books when I was younger, so anime has definitely reignited my desire to write again! ^^’ Last but certainly not least, it has allowed me to meet new and interesting people…both in real life and online…and that’s just a wonderful thing in itself, as it’s nice to talk to people from all around the world!

5. What is your least favourite thing about anime?

It’s probably the over obsessive fans…who call people out over a little mistake that they may have made, it’s just so petty!! I also dislike when people turn savage over an opinion that you may hold……just because it’s not in line with their own personal beliefs on the subject matter!

6. Who are your favourite anime couple?

That’s the easiest question EVER……..Yuuri Katsuki and Viktor Nikiforov (Yuri on Ice)…..they’re just soooooooooo CUTE together…..need I say anymore! <3 :P ;)

7. Who are your favourite anime animals?

I really like Keroberos (Cardcaptor Sakura), Sadaharu (Gintama), Makkachin (Yuri on Ice)….and are Pokemon animals?? Well, if they are….I LOVE them too! <3

8. What’s your favourite type of anime?

I really love anime that have amazing action scenes, a little bit of romance (although….I normally like the romance not to be the central aspect of the anime) and for there to be good humour sprinkled throughout every episode! However, I also love nothing more than an anime to adopt a really serious tone too! I actually think all of these characteristics are found in shounen anime, so I really like this genre a lot!

9. What anime would make a good game?

I actually think that Hunter x Hunter would make an excellent game, as that anime moves from one adventure to another adventure with seamless ease! I mean one minute you could be trying to collect all of the cards on Greed Island and in the next minute…you could be battling against powerful ants, who seek to destroy human life! :O

10. What was the first anime you ever watched?

It was Pokemon! :D

11. Do you think you’ll ever stop watching anime?

Definitely not!! I love watching anime, I love how there are so many different genres of anime to choose from, therefore, you can literally never be bored! My day never goes by without me thinking of anime, I’m a really sad person…..!! :P :D

I tag @akatsuki3519 and @yuratchkaplisetskys!! If you don’t want to do them……then that’s perfectly fine! :D ;) Also, if you do want to do them…..then there’s definitely no rush…please…take your time!! :D ;)

Also, if anybody else wants to do these questions…..feel free to do so! I would love to see your answers, so don’t forget to tag me…! ;) :D

#I have more questions........still to do....so yeah......I'm not finished with these tag things anytime soon! :P #If there are any mistakes.....I'm sorry....it's just that I'm really tired #....and I'm sort of straining my eyes looking at my laptop screen....lol! :P #tag #also some of these questions...you may have answered before....so you can also leave some of them out...if you wish! :D

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booksareawayoflife · 7 years

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Itazura Na Kiss by Kaoru Tada

‘Sweet airhead Kotoko has finally worked up the courage to tell Class A genius Naoki about her overwhelming crush! She pens the perfect love letter, walks up to him in the crowded school hallway, and… is publicly rejected! Luckily, Kotoko’s Class F has her back, and her best friends do everything possible to help her forget the devastating dis. But when a minor earthquake levels Kotoko’s home, she and her father must move in with an old college buddy and his family. The biggest shock of them all? It’s Naoki’s house… and the two feuding schoolmates must learn to live under one roof and keep it a secret! Will the arrangement be domestic bliss, or a total bust? Itazura na Kiss lets the rumors fly as ditzy Kotoko and top student Naoki discover the highs and lows of school drama, meddling families and friendly feuds! Kotoko wants nothing more than to let Naoki know her true feelings, but when he refuses to even knowledge her existence, Kotoko pledges to write him off forever. Too bad the two are forced to become housemates… and their families waste no time hatching a plot to marry them off! Will Kotoko and Naoki weather the storm of gossip and finally see eye-to-eye… and maybe even heart-to-heart?’

Book Review: no spoilers I was going to summarise the shojo manga, but then I realised that the blurb basically did that. This is the first manga that I have ever read, and owned… and I loved it. But I knew that I was going to love it. This is the manga series that loads of my favourite Asian TV shows is based on like Mischievous Kiss: Love in Tokyo (Japanese), Playful Kiss (South Korean), and Miss In Kiss (Taiwanese). I am planning on watching the Thai version, Kiss Me, in the summer, after exams are done. Plus I've bought the Anime on dvd, so that is shipping for Malaysia. You know that I love the story if I am watching all the different adaptations haha. So it is my aim for 2017 to get the entire manga series. This will be expensive, but I love the series so much, that I think it is worth me collecting it… Even if I have to ship the books from America to the UK.

Kotoko is not a strong female character. She basically does everything for Naoki (whether he likes it or not), so she is definitely not the depiction of feminism. But at the same time, I relate to her. In my friendship, and my relationship, I will do virtually anything for my friends or my boyfriend… just not like how Kotoko would do it. But I think what people find troublesome is not how she almost virtually worships Naoki, but how he treats her. He treats her like a nuisance, and almost with contempt. See I know that in the series, he starts to like/love her after a while (which is why he does sweet things for her), so I don’t particularly see it as a problem. It’s more of Naoki not knowing how to deal with his feelings, rather than him being narcissistic and playing games with her feelings. At least that’s how I see it. I have kinda given something away, so I am sorry if that will annoy anyone, but it is kinda obvious that Naoki likes Kotoko, even though he’s mean to her. And you also have to think of different cultures. In Japan, and maybe other countries, they like standoffish boys. Boys that don’t show their feelings, it’s their not necessarily ideal man, but they do like that quality in men, so you have to understand culturally as well. What we might not deem as acceptable, they would. But I like Naoki.

It is a good manga series. I would recommend it to people who like romance ones. But I would probably recommend people to read it online, because it would be free and easily accessible. I am buying the series in paperback because I want the whole series in a physical copy, but that’s going to cost me a couple hundred pounds.

I would give it a 10/10, because it is my favourite manga series, and I love all the adaptions, and I will watch the other adaptions (a movie is coming out too). I would just not recommend it if you need strong female characters in what you read.

Love Lou xx

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superblybitchydream-blog · 7 years

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Scribd Vs. Kindle Limitless Vs. Bookmate

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sheepinthesky · 8 years

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8 books of 2016

I haven’t read many books last year, which is very sad. (However, I have seen loads of TV show, haha!) Fortunately, most of the books I read were really great! Here is eight books I’d like to talk about.

THE FIRE WITNESS (Lars Kepler)

This is actually the third title in Joona Linna series. I never start with the first book, that’s too boring. Fortunately, I haven’t felt like I was missing something. Yes, sure, the story has already started, so some events were mentioned, leaving me a little bit confused, but it wasn’t that important for the main story. And it was explained, too.

I got this book as an ebook (one of many) for free in 2015. I figured out I could actually read some of them. I really liked the formatting. And I really liked the fact it was an ebook – the book is SO thick. However, because it was a digital book, I was unable to see the pages, so my brain thought it was short book and I read 500 pages in a week! I don’t usually read this quickly when it comes to thick books. They have very long chapters and it is kind of boring – even when the book itself isn’t boring. Maybe I’m just silly, though.

The story was gripping. It was pretty complicated, too. The case Joona Linna is investigating is about murder at home for troubled girls. Not only a girl was murdered there – another girl is missing! Of course everyone thought she was the killer – she wasn’t very nice girl at all. There is also a medium who claim she had seen the murder. Is she saying it for money? Is she really a medium? Joona Linna isn’t the only one searching for the truth – a lady who has been a foster-mother of the missing girl is trying to find her and uncover if she is really the killer.

It was very interesting and felt real. The only thing I didn’t like was the fact there were some adult scenes in the book. And I’m sure they had nothing to do with the story.

HEADHUNTERS (Jo Nesbo)

This was another ebook I got for free. I actually wanted to read something from Jo Nesbo before, so it was pretty nice gift. It was yet another “commuting” book – which is what I call books with short chapters. It was quick read and I enjoyed it.

The story followed Roger Brown, who was a headhunter and was stealing art pieces. That was really interesting to me, because my parents own an art gallery, haha. Roger find a man, Clas Greve, who is the best candidate for Roger’s client and he also has a very expensive painting. Great! Except not really, because Clas Greve is actually hunting Roger!

The book was very funny. That’s actually what I liked the most about it. It wasn’t trying to be all serious.

DYING TO GET PUBLISHED (Jennifer Fitzwater)

I actually found this book randomly at Amazon. I really liked the name.

Jennifer Marsh, the main heroine of this book, is very silly person. She tries to, wait for it, get published. She writes mystery books, criminal books, even tried romance books, but nothing works for her. One of the responses she received said that she doesn’t know how criminals think. So she came up with the best idea ever – she will plan a murder and then write about it. Little did she know that her fake murder victim will get murdered. And she is the one who gets arrested – fortunately, they let her out and she can make her investigation.

I really liked the idea of this book. I found out it is actually a series – I wonder what kind of adventures she gets into in the sequels.

THE HALF BAD TRILOGY (Sally Greene)

When I first heard about the first book, I thought it was going to be bad. That was the reason I didn’t look for it or anything after Half Bad was released. Life went on and I went to senior high school and I made friends and one of them had that book. And she lent it to me. I read it and I loved it. Then she gave me the second book as a birthday gift, so I really have some nice memories with this series. Because the third title was supposed to get released, I thought about re-reading all the books. This time in English! I read the third one, too.

It has simple writing, which is very good. I suppose you can learn a lot of English words by reading that.

The story is a little bit dark. What I really liked about it was the LGBT+ characters. They were written really well. It felt natural. Although I suppose it was kind of the selling point. It wasn’t all that obvious, though.

The books follow Nathan, who is half white (“good”), half black (“bad”) witch. The white witches lock him in cage, because he’s not white witch. And they want to have bait to kill his father, who is the most powerful black witch. It’s so sad to read it, because the good witches are acting very wrong towards Nathan and his family. Everyone treats them bad. Nathan manages to find friends, though. (And his friends are great!) And somehow he gets into revolution. Will he be successful?

The trilogy is accompanied by two “half-books”, short stories. They’re set before the trilogy. Half Lies, the first one, follows Nathan’s friend Gabriel and it tells the story how he got his gift (magic powers), The second short story, Half Truths, follows Gabriel and two additional characters and is about the first meeting of Gabriel and Nathan. They’re very good, too, and worth the read if you liked the trilogy. Half Truths might be a little worse than Half Lies, but just a little.

THE RETURN (Hakan Nesser)

This is another series I’ve started by reading the third title, haha. It was free ebok, too.

I liked it little less than The Fire Witness, because the writing was more complicated. However, the story was worth it.

The book starts with a school trip. Sounds weird, haha! And the school trip doesn’t end up good. A little girl is lost and when they find her, she tells them she found a body. And tha’s when the investigation starts! The main story is interleaved with a story about a prisoner who got to go home.

And the main hero is really scared, because he has to undergo a surgery.

BZRK (Michael Grant)

I wanted to read this book for so long! Finally, I’ve been able to read it, thanks to my friend who let me borrow it, and I really liked it. I took a long time with it, though. Not sure why, but towards the middle I just stopped reading. I’m glad I finished it, though. I guess I just wasn’t in the mood to read.

It is about pretty interesting subject matter – nano weapons! Brain control! The story follows a boy, whose brother got crazy and is locked in nuthouse, and a girl, who is very rich. And kind of dying, which is stopped because she has tiny robots in her brain. And those two get a new name (based on crazy people!) and new powers. Well, they end up sharing their brain with tiny robots. I can’t even imagine what that must be like. Their nano robots can see everything up close but they still can see things with their eyes. I would end up with headache, I suppose.

Yeah, and those teens have to save the presidents of big countries, or else the whole world will be united. As in, everyone would share the same mind.

THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN (Paula Hawkins)

I bought this because I was about to go on train. And I’m a girl. I was a girl on the train reading The Girl On the Train! Okay, I guess that’s not all that interesting.

It’s not the greatest thriller (Gone Girl was better), it Is enjoyable read, though! You would probably guess the culprit pretty easily – don’t trust the reviews inside the book.

I found the narration of this book really interesting, because the main heroine is an alcoholic. She is pitiful. On the other hand, she kind of solves a murder!

Rachel catches the same train every morning. She is always watching the same building next to the house she used to live in. She is watching people who live there. She’s imagining their life is perfect. Until she actually sees the woman cheat on her man. That really confuses Rachel and she wants to do something. When the woman goes missing and eventually winds up dead, she knows she has to tell someone what she saw – she has to save the man who probably everyone sees as the culprit.

THE MELANCHOLY OF SUZUMIYA HARUHI (Nagaru Tanigawa)

I love Suzumiya Haruhi. I’ve seen the anime, I’ve read the manga. It was about the time I read the novels, too.

Suzumiya Haruhi is a girl who’s NOT interested in ordinary humans. She wants to meet aliens, espers, time travellers! She’s very smart, very talented and very hard to communicate with. Kyon, the protagonist, somehow befriends her. And thanks to Haruhi, he ends up in weird situations he wouldn’t otherwise get into! Haruhi opens up a school club, S.O.S. Brigade, which has a mission to seek the unordinary. She gets people to join her club. And little does he know, they’re actually an alien, an esper and a time traveller.

This book was released around the same time as Harry Potter in Japan and it sold more. Here everyone is into Harry Potter and in Japan, they’re into Suzumiya! Of course they’re both totally different books.

It is very funny and interesting read. It’s a mix of genres, really. It’s a little bit of romance, a comedy, a thriller, a mystery, a sci-fi...

#My.View.On #Books

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