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Sorcerers & Secretaries #2
Sorcerers & Secretaries, Vol. 2
Josh and Nicole make amends when Josh accidentally reads Nicole's diary--and is amazed by the incredible worlds that she's created inside her head! When he convinces her to submit the story to a fantasy magazine--and manages to get her to let him be her editor--sparks begin to fly between them. But Nicole is torn between focusing on her new-found attraction, and her new-found creative outlet.
"Fans of Labyrinth, The Neverending Story and The Princess Bride will find a pleasant read in Sorcerers & Secretaries." -IGN
192 pages, Paperback
First published June 12, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
August 8, 2021
Nicole has decided to cut things off with Josh because being with him distracts her from the story she's been writing about Ellon. However, when Josh chases after her and asks for an explanation she finds herself telling him about the story - and then he even reads part of it in her dreamlog and loves it. From that point on, Josh becomes Nicole's writing cheerleader, encouraging her to finish the story so she can submit it to a magazine. He still loves Nicole, but he's determined not to let it show so he doesn't mess things up again. However, things come to a head as Nicole is forced to choose between studying enough to pass the business classes her mom wants her to take and finishing the story in time for the magazine deadline.
This was definitely better than the first volume, even though it didn't really make sense that Nicole would tell Josh everything about her story and then just hand him the dreamlog to read. Yes, she'd once had a crush on him, but then she'd seen him act like a sleazy player and had to deal with him chasing after her every time she tried to avoid him. On the plus side, Josh's behavior improved drastically in this volume, so the way their relationship progressed wasn't too much of a stretch.
Just as in the first volume, Nicole and Josh's story was occasionally interrupted by snippets of Ellon's story. I realized in this volume that aspects of Ellon and his story reminded me strongly of Hayao Miyazaki's Howl's Moving Castle - I wouldn't be surprised to learn that the author was influenced by that movie. I liked how Ellon's story worked out and could definitely see the influence of Nicole's final decisions, although the shift in the way a couple of the characters were drawn was more than a bit jarring.
As for Riley and Susan, they were
All in all, this was a so-so series. The art was charming, but I didn't warm up to the romance until the second volume. Also, the overall message was maybe a bit too simplistic, and aspects of it didn't really age well. I couldn't help but think about
(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
This was definitely better than the first volume, even though it didn't really make sense that Nicole would tell Josh everything about her story and then just hand him the dreamlog to read. Yes, she'd once had a crush on him, but then she'd seen him act like a sleazy player and had to deal with him chasing after her every time she tried to avoid him. On the plus side, Josh's behavior improved drastically in this volume, so the way their relationship progressed wasn't too much of a stretch.
Just as in the first volume, Nicole and Josh's story was occasionally interrupted by snippets of Ellon's story. I realized in this volume that aspects of Ellon and his story reminded me strongly of Hayao Miyazaki's Howl's Moving Castle - I wouldn't be surprised to learn that the author was influenced by that movie. I liked how Ellon's story worked out and could definitely see the influence of Nicole's final decisions, although the shift in the way a couple of the characters were drawn was more than a bit jarring.
As for Riley and Susan, they were
All in all, this was a so-so series. The art was charming, but I didn't warm up to the romance until the second volume. Also, the overall message was maybe a bit too simplistic, and aspects of it didn't really age well. I couldn't help but think about
(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
January 8, 2020
This is such a cute series. This volume moved a little too quick at times but overall I do recommend these 2 volumes.
December 24, 2015
I'm sad to say I enjoyed this volume even less than the previous. Nothing seemed coherent, plot jumps were made without proper time and transition, characters furthered their relationships inexplicably, I couldn't tell if things were happening the next day or the next year, and elements that seemed important in the first volume were discarded and replaced with totally new issues that hadn't been given proper background. It was a disorienting experience that made me feel like I was reading multiple different manga as I advanced through the chapters. I was so confused by this read that I find it difficult to properly explain everything that put me off.
There were a few scant moments that I genuinely enjoyed but not nearly enough to save this series. Even the parallel fantasy story that I had really liked in the previous entry fell flat when it came to its conclusion here.
There were a few scant moments that I genuinely enjoyed but not nearly enough to save this series. Even the parallel fantasy story that I had really liked in the previous entry fell flat when it came to its conclusion here.
September 15, 2009
Cute ending to an anime.
October 20, 2025
This was such a sweet continuation of the first book. I loved watching Josh and Nicole's friendship deepen as they encouraged each other and as it developed into a relationship.
It was so sweet how Josh took care of Nicole when she was sick and kept encouraging her to continue on with finishing her story as well as rooting for her to get published.
Highly recommend this series!
It was so sweet how Josh took care of Nicole when she was sick and kept encouraging her to continue on with finishing her story as well as rooting for her to get published.
Highly recommend this series!
July 21, 2022
Super cute and original YA romance manga. Well defined leads and solid background characters made this a story to invest in. Art was also adorable.
July 21, 2022
Continues with the same theme, very light and cute romance.
December 31, 2022
Read this years ago, and then I thought of re-reading this again, love both books in this series.
October 9, 2023
Such a sweet story! I love the illustrations and the mix of fantasy and reality.
November 28, 2019
I liked this much better than the first volume. Still not a big fan of the protagonist, but I like how this volume puts more emphasis on the magical subplot.
May 29, 2012
Volume one focused on the growing romance between Nicole Hayes, a business major who secretly writes fantasy stories in a very pretty notebook, and Josh Kim, a playboy who really isn't.
In this volume, the focus (kind of) shifts away from the romance as a central theme. Josh discovers Nicole's book and is swept away by the power of her storytelling. In fact, he's able to add his own insight...and it's good! It becomes very clear in this volume that he loves a well-written story as much as Nicole does, even though he's not a writer himself. This was hinted at in the first volume while he was working in the bookstore, but in this volume you realize just how deep this love of story goes.
There's a lot of cute scenes between Josh and Nicole in the volume. I love how Ms. Ganter focuses on their relationship instead of just the passion.
However, I was a little disappointed that Josh's motives became muddy. I gave this volume three stars because the infatuation that had been so clear in the first volume suddenly wasn't, and he was talking about how he wasn't sure if he thought of her as more than a friend? It made very little sense in context with the rest of the story, especially since Josh fought so hard in the first volume to get her to go out with him.
Nicole's fantasy story makes up for any confusion in the romance.
As their relationship goes through the inevitable rough patches, Nicole continues writing. With Josh's encouragement, she enters a contest in a fantasy magazine. Her struggles as she tries to complete the story before the deadline really rang true, including her desperate attempt to just finish the darn thing already and move on with the rest of her life. When she does finish it, the ending came as a surprise to me. The twist was strong enough I wasn't sure what to make of it until the characters explained it. Once they did, it made a lot of sense and satisfied me.
The side story with Nicole's friend and Josh's roommate was okay. It was funny, but, compared to Nicole and Josh, felt more shallow.
All the stories in the volume finish well. The ending, true to the rest of the story, has passion and heart without going over the top. Overall, the series is sweet and interesting. I highly recommend it.
In this volume, the focus (kind of) shifts away from the romance as a central theme. Josh discovers Nicole's book and is swept away by the power of her storytelling. In fact, he's able to add his own insight...and it's good! It becomes very clear in this volume that he loves a well-written story as much as Nicole does, even though he's not a writer himself. This was hinted at in the first volume while he was working in the bookstore, but in this volume you realize just how deep this love of story goes.
There's a lot of cute scenes between Josh and Nicole in the volume. I love how Ms. Ganter focuses on their relationship instead of just the passion.
However, I was a little disappointed that Josh's motives became muddy. I gave this volume three stars because the infatuation that had been so clear in the first volume suddenly wasn't, and he was talking about how he wasn't sure if he thought of her as more than a friend? It made very little sense in context with the rest of the story, especially since Josh fought so hard in the first volume to get her to go out with him.
Nicole's fantasy story makes up for any confusion in the romance.
As their relationship goes through the inevitable rough patches, Nicole continues writing. With Josh's encouragement, she enters a contest in a fantasy magazine. Her struggles as she tries to complete the story before the deadline really rang true, including her desperate attempt to just finish the darn thing already and move on with the rest of her life. When she does finish it, the ending came as a surprise to me. The twist was strong enough I wasn't sure what to make of it until the characters explained it. Once they did, it made a lot of sense and satisfied me.
The side story with Nicole's friend and Josh's roommate was okay. It was funny, but, compared to Nicole and Josh, felt more shallow.
All the stories in the volume finish well. The ending, true to the rest of the story, has passion and heart without going over the top. Overall, the series is sweet and interesting. I highly recommend it.
November 4, 2014
In my review of volume 1 I said I would pick up volume 2 because I wanted to see a happy ending and that is definitely what I got. Just like volume 1, volume 2 of Sorcerers & Secretaries was sweet and filled me with warm fuzzies.
Josh and Nicole have finally met on level ground and Josh knows about Nicole’s dream log/story and becomes instantly supportive and urges her to finish it by telling her she should enter a fantasy writing contest and Nicole agrees. What starts off as a great time of these two spending time together and Nicole focusing on what she loves soon becomes a situation where Nicole needs to make a choice. She either needs to pursue her dream or continue down the path she is on of being a business major. In the meanwhile Josh is falling in love with Nicole but is afraid of expressing his true feelings despite the signals Nicole keeps sending him.
This mini-series is a cute romantic comedy that I recommended to anyone looking for something light to put a smile on their face.
Josh and Nicole have finally met on level ground and Josh knows about Nicole’s dream log/story and becomes instantly supportive and urges her to finish it by telling her she should enter a fantasy writing contest and Nicole agrees. What starts off as a great time of these two spending time together and Nicole focusing on what she loves soon becomes a situation where Nicole needs to make a choice. She either needs to pursue her dream or continue down the path she is on of being a business major. In the meanwhile Josh is falling in love with Nicole but is afraid of expressing his true feelings despite the signals Nicole keeps sending him.
This mini-series is a cute romantic comedy that I recommended to anyone looking for something light to put a smile on their face.
April 25, 2016
Meh!
I still don't like the art: it's like the artist just started to use a graphics tablet but she's not good with it yet. The lines are way too simple and the drawings as well.
I still don't like the characters. Riley should be shot on the spot for his behavior. Josh is like an overexcited puppy and Nicky doesn't have a personality. Even the parallel story ends in an awkward way.
Sigh! That's probably the worst OEL manga I've ever read... Not something to be proud about! SIGH!
I still don't like the art: it's like the artist just started to use a graphics tablet but she's not good with it yet. The lines are way too simple and the drawings as well.
I still don't like the characters. Riley should be shot on the spot for his behavior. Josh is like an overexcited puppy and Nicky doesn't have a personality. Even the parallel story ends in an awkward way.
Sigh! That's probably the worst OEL manga I've ever read... Not something to be proud about! SIGH!
February 21, 2010
If I'd actually read this back right after book 1, I probably would have enjoyed it. By now my tastes have changed. The artwork is simple but solid, though it has an overdone cuteness thing going on (chibis and all) that is off-putting to me these days. Made me curious what Amy Kim Ganter is up to now.
July 13, 2010
In this volume, the book shifts a little bit from the heroine's personal life to her creative fulfillment. I wasn't sure the excerpts from the fantasy story she was writing worked as well as the "real world" story. But I liked the way that Josh's involvement in her creative endeavors helped him appreciate her more as a full person, and the whole series is enjoyable and often really insightful.
August 31, 2013
A lovely little story about a girl writing a fantasy story. The romance is sweet, the characters are cute and believable (with the usual manga embellishments), and most of all the fantasy story she's writing is amazing. It all works together beautifully. I think a lot of people will relate to her.
Needs to be read with volume 1. Complete in two volumes.
Needs to be read with volume 1. Complete in two volumes.
November 24, 2007
Much like the first volume, this didn't seem like all that much on first read (especially reading it in a social setting with a lot of conversation going on). However, it's a lovely and satisfying conclusion to a lovely story.
August 28, 2016
An adorable conclusion on learning how to follow your dreams, giving others a chance, and learning not to jump to conclusions before you have all the facts. Josh and Nicole coming to terms with how they feel and working to be better is just magical!
September 4, 2007
Possibly more adorable than the first volume. I really like that the story was short, no waiting for volume 24 to be released.
November 11, 2007
Only 2 volumes and it's over! Looking for a decent, fluffy romance that isn't long? This is a good choice.
February 28, 2008
The sequel isn't as interesting as the first in the series. For a better series with a romantic storyline, check out Dramacon instead - it holds up better as a series.
June 15, 2009
Aimed at a young crowd, and is a little unrealistic. But I still identified with the main character & hoped for that happy ending. :)
November 2, 2009
Reviewed with vol. 1.
January 13, 2010
I really enjoyed reading this series. I thought that the story was well done, and the graphics were great. My only complaint is that it is only a two book series!
February 9, 2012
This is just really super cute. Wraps up nicely in two volumes.
September 22, 2012
I actually cried at the end of this one. Such a wonderful story. <3
June 15, 2016
The Truth shall set you free!
A Cute little ending to the story, all lose ends tied up nice and neat, and a touch of the warm fuzzies.
A Cute little ending to the story, all lose ends tied up nice and neat, and a touch of the warm fuzzies.
February 2, 2016
I liked it as much as the first one. A cute story and fun, crisp artwork. It makes be want to read more of her stuff.
December 14, 2018
[REVIEW TO COME LATER UPON RE-READ.]
June 22, 2008
Fun read and fun art.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews