Mount TBR 2017 discussion

I have added so many manga to my pile and that's not to mention everything else! I look forward to another good climbing year!

Because I know how to start the new year off right!

Today's post is on Otomen volume 1 by Aya Kanno. It is the first in her Otomen series. It is 208 pages long and is publishes by Shojo Beat. The cover is light blue with the main character in the center looking at the reader. The intended reader is someone who likes shojo manga, humor, and love stories. There is no foul language, no sex, and very mild violence in this manga. The story is told from third person close of the main character with moments of the other characters added in for plot development. There Be Spoilers Ahead.


From the back of the book- Asuka Masamune is a guy who loves girly things - sewing, knitting, making cute stuffed animals and reading shojo comics. But in a world where boys are expected to act manly, Asuka must hide his beloved hobbies and play the part of a masculine jock instead. Ryo Miyakozuka, on the other hand, is a girl who can't sew or bake a cake to save her life. Asuka finds himself drawn to Ryo, but she likes only the manliest of men! Can Asuka ever show his true self to anyone, much less to the girl that he's falling for?


Review- This is the cutest manga that I have read in all long time if not ever. Asuka feels that he cannot openly like 'girly' things because of his past. His father lied to his mother and then left her because he was transsexual. So Asuka feels that if he likes 'girly' things then he will hurt his mother. In this volume it is has not discussed the difference between liking something and being something but I hope that we get there. What we get is a very sweet love story between a boy and the girl who does not know that he likes her in a romance way. Add in a best friend with a secret and over little high school and we have a cute and sweet love story that may kill me with sugar but I like it.


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

One down and 59 more to go!

Today's post is on Otomen volume 2 by Aya Kanno. It is the secind in her Otomen series. It is 208 pages long and is publishes by Shojo Beat. You need to have read the first volume to understand the story. The cover is dark blue with two of the main characters looking at the reader. The intended reader is someone who likes shojo manga, humor, and love stories. There is no foul language, no sex, and very mild violence in this manga. The story is told from third person close of the main character with moments of the other characters added in for plot development. There Be Spoilers Ahead.



From the back of the book- Asuka Masamune is a guy who loves girly things--sewing, knitting, making cute stuffed animals and reading shojo comics. But in a world where boys are expected to act manly, Asuka must hide his beloved hobbies and play the part of a masculine jock instead. Ryo Miyakozuka, on the other hand, is a girl who can't sew or bake a cake to save her life. Asuka finds himself drawn to Ryo, but she likes only the manliest of men! Can Asuka ever show his true self to anyone, much less to the girl that he's falling for?

Asuka's mother shows up with a surprise announcement--it's time for Asuka to meet his fiancée! What kind of girl does she have in mind for him? And how will Ryo respond to the match?



Review- Asuka makes me laugh but he is so sweet. His romantic fantasies are over-the-top. It is Christmas at the beginning of the volume and he wants to spend Christmas with Ryo. But Ryo never has cerebrated Christmas person before because her family are Buddhist, like most Japanese. But Asuka sees Christmas as a romantic holiday to spend with the person you love. So of course Asuka goes overboard but it is very cute. Asuka's mother comes home to tell him that he has a fiancée and they should just go ahead and get married! But the girl is a little nuts. She discovers Asuka's hobbies and she is willing to use them against him. But Ryo saves him in the end and Asuka has stars in his eyes as she does. But I do have a problems with Asuka's mother. She just wants her son to fit into how she thinks he should be. No matter what pain it causes Asuka, I hope Kanno deals with that. I want Asuka to be able to be himself with everyone.



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

Two down and 58 mote go!

Today's post is on Otomen volume 3 by Aya Kanno. It is the second in her Otomen series. It is 200 pages long and is publishes by Shojo Beat. You need to have read the first two volumes to understand the story. The cover is light blue with the main and his love interest on it looking at the reader. The intended reader is someone who likes shojo manga, humor, and love stories. There is no foul language, no sex, and very mild violence in this manga. The story is told from third person close of the main character with moments of the other characters added in for plot development. There Be Spoilers Ahead.



From the back of the book- Asuka takes Ryo to an amusement park where he plans to confess his feelings to her. Too bad all the rides Ryo wants to go on frighten Asuka! Can he overcome his fear for the sake of love?



Review- We have several stories going on in this volume and they all add to the world/ character building. From Asuka and Ryo working together at a daycare and Asuka dreaming about them being married and parents. We get to go on a date with them and of course everything goes wrong. One is about Juta and Asuka trying to get to know him because all the girls that Juta flirts with think that he has a girlfriend. Juta is protecting his secret about being a manga-ka with Asuka and Ryo as his characters. We find out that Juta is supporting his ten sisters with this writing. And Asuka discovers a friend in the manly world of Kendo, who sees Asuka as his sworn enemy. Asuka is getting more open about his Otomen ways but he still fears letting his mother down. That said I like where the story is going and it so sweet my teeth hurt but I love it!



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

3 down and 57 go to!

Today's post is on Otomen volume 4 by Aya Kanno. It is the fourth in her Otomen series. It is 200 pages long and is publishes by Shojo Beat. You need to have read the first three volumes to understand the story. The cover is light blue with the main and his 'rival' on it looking at the reader. The intended reader is someone who likes shojo manga, humor, and love stories. There is no foul language, no sex, and very mild violence in this manga. The story is told from third person close of the main character with moments of the other characters added in for plot development. There Be Spoilers Ahead.



From the back of the book- With Ryo's birthday around the corner, Asuka's all aflutter making preparations for the festivities. Best-laid plans tend to go awry, however...especially when Ryo already has plans with another man! Asuka Masamune is a guy who loves girly things--sewing, knitting, making cute stuffed animals and reading shojo comics. But in a world where boys are expected to act manly, Asuka must hide his beloved hobbies and play the part of a masculine jock instead. Ryo Miyakozuka, on the other hand, is a girl who can't sew or bake a cake to save her life. Asuka finds himself drawn to Ryo, but she likes only the manliest of men! Can Asuka ever show his true self to anyone, much less to the girl that he's falling for?



Review- So we get Ryo's birthday, a new character, and summer break in this volume. Ryo's dad wants to do something special for her on her birthday this year and he asks Asuka to help him. So they go to a lot of very feminine places which Asuka loves but he has to hold back his otomen ways in front of Ryo's dad. It is very cute and funny. Then we meet an otomen who loves flowers. He is fighting his otomen ways but Asuka helps him be more open with it. Then at last we get to the summer beach trip but disaster for Asuka junior who needs his helps so that his uncle's shop can stay open. So much funny and cute stuff happen in this volume. Asuka is still working on getting Ryo to see that he really likes her. Ryo is cute if a little dense but it just adds to her charm. I cannot wait to read the next volume.



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

4 down and 56 more to go!

Today's post is on Otomen volume 5 by Aya Kanno. It is the fourth in her Otomen series. It is 192 pages long and is publishes by Shojo Beat. As this is the fifth volume in this series, you need to have read the first four volumes to understand the story. The cover has Asuka and Kitora with flowers blooming all around them looking at the reader. The intended reader is someone who likes shojo manga, humor, and love stories. There is no foul language, no sex, and very mild violence in this manga. The story is told from third person close of the main character with moments of the other characters added in for plot development. There Be Spoilers Ahead.



From the back of the book- Ryo is chosen to participate in a contest where flower arrangement and tea ceremony skills are tested--but she sucks at those things! To top things off, the previous champion wants Asuka for herself! Does Ryo have a fighting chance?



Review- The blurb goes over the first story in this volume. We get a little bit of a fight over Asuka but he knows his own mind and he loves Ryo. No other girl is going to turn his head. Ryo does win the contest, the hearts of her friends and even of the previous champion. The middle story is about Juta continuing to try and hide what he does for living. He is up for an award from other shojo mangakas. Of course Asuka is there attending the awards and he wants to meet his favorite author. Last story is about Asuka and Hajime becoming the beauty samurai again and it looks like they are going to be doing this as a long-term paying gig. But someone wants to know who the beauty samurai under their masks. We get some fun character development, more moo-ing over Ryo from Asuka, and just more humor. With this volume ending as a cliff-hanger I cannot wait to read what is going to happen next.



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

5 down and 55 more to go!

Today's post is on Otomen volume 6 by Aya Kanno. It is the sixth in her Otomen series. It is 200 pages long and is publishes by Shojo Beat. As this is the sixth volume in this series, you need to have read the first five volumes to understand the story. The cover a dark blue has Asuka in the center with flowers and ribbons with bows around him looking at the reader. The intended reader is someone who likes shojo manga, humor, and love stories. There is no foul language, no sex, and very mild violence in this manga. The story is told from third person close of the main character with moments of the other characters added in for plot development. There Be Spoilers Ahead.



From the back of the book- Having Girly Hobbies Doesn't Make You Less Manly! Asuka's protégé Yamato has fallen in love with a girl and needs help winning her over. He pleads with Asuka to go on a practice date with him--and play the role of the girl! Practice makes perfect, but will that be the case for Yamato?



Review- Like all the previous volumes we get more than just one story in this volume. We finish the beauty samurai arc with Asuka and Hajime both stop doing it because their manager wants them to do strange things, like starring in a movie. Then we Yamato trying to a cool guy to impress this girl who just happens to be one of Juta's younger sisters. Of course we get all kinds of humorous trouble and Asuka getting to look at very cute things. The younger sister instead is falling for the third otomen in the series, Kitora but trouble before is even begins because she hates flowers! I like this volume with all the extra time given to the newer characters but I want more Ryo, just like Asuka. She is really not in this volume and I missed her. Still fun volume and a very cute series.



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

6 down and 54 more go to!

Today's post is on Otomen volume 7 by Aya Kanno. It is the seventh in her Otomen series. It is 200 pages long and is publishes by Shojo Beat. As this is the seventh volume in this series, you need to have read the first six volumes to understand the story. The cover a dark blue has Asuka and Roy being cute and looking at the reader. The intended reader is someone who likes shojo manga, humor, and love stories. There is no foul language, no sex, and very mild violence in this manga. The story is told from third person close of the main character with moments of the other characters added in for plot development. There Be Spoilers Ahead.



From the back of the book- Asuka's friend Juta needs to keep his identity as renowned shojo author Jewel Sachihana a secret, so why is he agreeing to do an autograph session?! The answer may lie with a letter from a certain fan...



Review- Continuing with the back of the book blurb trend with this series, the blurb is just one of the stories in the volume. We finish the story about the band that the last volume ended with, the we have a ghost story that is cute and not scary at all, then Juta's story, then at last we get more cute drama between Asuka and Ryo. So this volume as some great side character development with Juta and he gets some resolution about his first love. Asuka is feeling very uncertain about Ryo, so Juta decides to help them by spread a rumor that Asuka is going to America. But we get a cliffhanger because Ryo is moving! More cuteness and drama ahead!



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

7 down and 53 more to go!

Today's post is on Otomen volume 8 by Aya Kanno. It is the eighth in her Otomen series. It is 200 pages long and is publishes by Shojo Beat. As this is the eighth volume in this series, you need to have read the first seven volumes to understand the story. The cover a dark blue has Asuka holding a very cute bento and is looking at the reader. The intended reader is someone who likes shojo manga, humor, and love stories. There is no foul language, no sex, and very mild violence in this manga. The story is told from third person close of the main character with moments of the other characters added in for plot development. There Be Spoilers Ahead.



From the back of the book-Ryo's grandfather becomes ill, so she decides to move to Fukuoka to take care of him. With Ryo transferring schools, does this mean that Asuka will have to bid farewell to his love…forever?



Review- So Ryo is moving because her grandfather is not well and she wants to take care of him. Everyone wants to spends time with her before she is goes. After a bear scares them, Ryo tells Asuka that she loves him too. But it turns out that her grandfather is a secret otomen and discovers that Asuka is one too. Ryo and her grandfather move back and our two lovers are back again. then we have story about Hajime maybe finding love himself. Then Asuka's mother comes back to make everyone fit into traditional Japanese gender roles. Of course Asuka is worried about how this is going to work out and his mother really is going overboard because if the teachers and students do not follow the new rules they are out of the school. More cuteness and self-acceptance ahead!



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

8 down and 52 for to go!

Today's post is on Otomen volume 9 by Aya Kanno. It is the ninth in her Otomen series. It is 200 pages long and is publishes by Shojo Beat. As this is the ninth volume in this series, you need to have read the first eight volumes to understand the story. The cover a dark blue has Asuka holding a wooden sword and is looking at the reader with flowers blooming in the background. The intended reader is someone who likes shojo manga, humor, and love stories. There is no foul language, no sex, and very mild violence in this manga. The story is told from third person close of the main character with moments of the other characters added in for plot development. There Be Spoilers Ahead.



From the back of the book- An anti-otomen campaign takes over the school! Asuka's cousin and campaign enforcer Kasuga Masamune starts hunting down boys who have even an ounce of girly traits in them--and his first target is...?!



Review- This whole volume is about a single story line. We get to see why Asuk'a cousin is going all out against him and all otomen. He misgendered Asuka when they were children and get his heart broken because of it. Juta is being targeted because his story line notebook is discovered. But with some quick work by his friends and manga mentor, he is saved but just barely. But Ryo has come under the attention of one of the teacher's who only wants to ruin boys and men. She had her heart broken by a selfish boy and now she lives to manipulate the boys she teaches. But Asuka only has eyes for Ryo and makes the teacher angry. She is now planning his downfall. But will true love win over gender expectations or will Asuka fall before the campaign?



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

9 down and 51 more to go!

Today's post is on Otomen volume 10 by Aya Kanno. It is the ninth in her Otomen series. It is 208 pages long and is publishes by Shojo Beat. As this is the tenth volume in this series, you need to have read the first nine volumes to understand the story. The cover is grey with Juta looking at the reader with Love Chick in the background. The intended reader is someone who likes shojo manga, humor, and love stories. There is no foul language, no sex, and very mild violence in this manga. The story is told from third person close of the main character with moments of the other characters added in for plot development. There Be Spoilers Ahead.



From the back of the book- A potion at school causes all the guys to act manly and all the girls to act feminine! Suddenly, Asuka loses interest in all the girly hobbies he loves, and Ryo is working at a bakery? can anything break the spell they're under and turn them back to normal?



Review- We finish the story with the female teacher who wants to make Asuka and Ryo break up because Asuka is Asuka and not a jerk who treats his girlfriend badly. She discovers Asuka's otomen nature but because Asuka helped her overcome her self-acceptance issue she is going to keep it a secret. So continuing with make people be gender types plot in this volume we have a mad scientist who wants to be seen as a genius. So he makes a potion and tricks everyone with hypnosis. But because only the person can change themselves of course it does not stay. the last story is everyone cosplaying as feudal Japan. I am really enjoying this story arc because of the emphasis on self-acceptance. More romance and cuteness Ahead!



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

10 down and 50 more to go!

Today's post is on Otomen volume 11 by Aya Kanno. It is the tenth in her Otomen series. It is 200 pages long and is publishes by Shojo Beat. As this is the tenth volume in this series, you need to have read the first nine volumes to understand the story. The cover is pink with Hajime Tonomine looking at the reader as he does a girl's makeup. The intended reader is someone who likes shojo manga, humor, and love stories. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this manga. The story is told from third person close of the main character with moments of the other characters added in for plot development. There Be Spoilers Ahead.



From the back of the book- Asuka engages in a battle with Suzaki Oji to see who will get the most Valentine's Day chocolates! As Oji seduces girls left and right into giving him chocolates, Asuka wonders one thing--who will Ryo give her chocolates to?



Review- We finished with teacher obsessed with everyone acting like they are from the Warring States period by him learning the true samurai spirit, which is of course Asuka's otomen ways. Then we get into the Valentine battle. Ryo is the only girl who is immune to Oji's pheromone's. That makes Oji question everything and now he on the hunt for true love only. Because nothing is working Asuka's mother has come back to try and get everyone in line. Asuka is really stressed out in this volume because it is becoming harder and harder for him to have any place that is safe for him to be himself. But him and Ryo are going strong and I'm pulling for Asuka to make it out as himself.



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

11 down and 49 more to go!

Today's post is on Otomen volume 12 by Aya Kanno. It is the twelfth in her Otomen series. It is 200 pages long and is publishes by Shojo Beat. As this is the tenth volume in this series, you need to have read the first eleven volumes to understand the story. The cover is green turning yellow at the base with Kitora and his flowers on it. The intended reader is someone who likes shojo manga, humor, and love stories. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this manga. The story is told from third person close of the main character with moments of the other characters added in for plot development. There Be Spoilers Ahead.



From the back of the book- Secretly taking a baking class for men, Asuka is relieved that there’s a safe haven where he doesn’t need to hide his girly side from his anti-otomen mother. But when she finds out that he’s been attending this class, things get set to explode!



Review- We finish the hidden baking class for men in this volume and move into the meat which is Asuka's father is baker. He has been watching over Asuka over the course of the whole series and but a villain has appeared and forced him out. Of course the villain is not really a bad guy and it all works out but we are left with why isn't Asuka's father living as a woman? The volume ends with a love poet at the school who is trying to not get caught by the school policies. I hope that we get back to Asuka's father and why he is not living the way that he wanted, especially sense he left his family over it.



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

12 down and 48 more to go!

Today's Nonfiction post is on The Secret War: Spies, Codes and Guerrillas 1939-1945 by Max Hastings. It is 700 pages including notes and is published by Harper Collins. The cover is like folder with a red x in the center. The intended reader is someone who is interested in World War 2 history and spies. There is foul language, talk of sex, and violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.


From the back of the book- Examining the espionage and intelligence stories in World War II, on a global basis, bringing together the British, American, German, Russian and Japanese histories.
There were two Second World Wars: one fought on the battlefields, and another conducted by men and women few of whom ever fired a weapon in anger, but whose efforts vastly influenced the conflict.
‘The Secret War 1939-45’ examines that other war waged by British, American, German, Russian and Japanese intelligence-gathering personnel. Moving chronologically through the conflict, Max Hastings charts the successes and failures of allied and axis forces, espionage and counterespionage.
Observing how the evolution of electronic communications dramatically increased the possibilities and significance of these secret battles, this is the story of intelligence beyond Bletchley to the FBI, Russia and the spies of axis dictatorships. For the first time since his best-selling ‘All Hell Let Loose’, Max Hastings returns to the Second World War, this time to chronicle its second, untold story.



Review- This is a very detailed book about spies and who they worked for from just before the beginning of the Second World War until the end. But the details are too much and the story gets lost in them. At times the story would come back with interesting characters and background information but then the details would get it bogged down. The notes are excellent resources if you want to do more research on your own but after reading this book I think that I know enough at this time. It was interesting readings about how badly undervalued the intelligence groups were but still they some how managed to work and help with the war effort. There are some great quotes about who to bomb first and how badly everyone worked together. Looking at it now, it is amazing how far we have come in the spy game.



I give this volume a Two out of Five stars.

13 down and 47 to go!

Today's nonfiction post is on Labyrinths: Emma Jung, Her Marriage to Carl, and the Early Years of Psychoanalysis by Catrine Clay. It is 394 pages long including notes. The cover is a picture of Emma with Carl only half in it. The intended reader is someone who is interested in Emma Jung and her life. There is no foul language, talk of sex, and no violence in this book.


From the back of the book- A sensational, eye-opening account of Emma Jung’s complex marriage to Carl Gustav Jung and the hitherto unknown role she played in the early years of the psychoanalytic movement.
Clever and ambitious, Emma Jung yearned to study the natural sciences at the University of Zurich. But the strict rules of proper Swiss society at the beginning of the twentieth century dictated that a woman of Emma’s stature—one of the richest heiresses in Switzerland—travel to Paris to "finish" her education, to prepare for marriage to a suitable man.
Engaged to the son of one of her father’s wealthy business colleagues, Emma’s conventional and predictable life was upended when she met Carl Jung. The son of a penniless pastor working as an assistant physician in an insane asylum, Jung dazzled Emma with his intelligence, confidence, and good looks. More important, he offered her freedom from the confines of a traditional haute-bourgeois life. But Emma did not know that Jung’s charisma masked a dark interior—fostered by a strange, isolated childhood and the sexual abuse he’d suffered as a boy—as well as a compulsive philandering that would threaten their marriage.
Using letters, family interviews, and rich, never-before-published archival material, Catrine Clay illuminates the Jungs’ unorthodox marriage and explores how it shaped—and was shaped by—the scandalous new movement of psychoanalysis. Most important, Clay reveals how Carl Jung could never have achieved what he did without Emma supporting him through his private torments. The Emma that emerges in the pages of Labyrinths is a strong, brilliant woman, who, with her husband’s encouragement, becomes a successful analyst in her own right.



Review- when I started reading this book the only thing I knew about Emma Jung was that she was married to Carl but I think that not I have a good understanding of this complex woman and the driving forces in her life. We follow Emma over the course of her whole life but we spend the most time with her in the years of her marriage to Carl Jung. She was the woman behind the man and Emma did more for Carl than just be a wife, housekeeper, and mother. She was the steady center to his life. But Emma learned from Carl too and she became a talented and knowledgeable analysis herself. Clay does not hold back from the less than wonderful details about their life together. Carl was unstable and that affected Emma but she had to be the strong one and the faithful one. Carl was so busy being Carl Jung that he never really understood what Emma gave him. But in the end Emma found her own way in life and I think that she was happy with her life in the end.



I give this book a Four out of Five stars.

14 down and 46 more to go!

Today's post is on Otomen volume 13 by Aya Kanno. It is the thirteenth in her Otomen series. It is 200 pages long and is publishes by Shojo Beat. As this is the thirteenth volume in this series, you need to have read the first twelve volumes to understand the story. The cover is blue with Ryo in the a boy's wig in the center looking at the reader. The intended reader is someone who likes shojo manga, humor, and love stories. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this manga. The story is told from third person close of the main character with moments of the other characters added in for plot development. There Be Spoilers Ahead.



From the back of the book- Ryo ends up coaching a high school judo team, but women aren’t allowed at that school! She finds a way around this obstacle, but the real challenge comes when she finds herself facing off against...Asuka?!



Review- This volume is Ryo centered it was a nice change of pace. She spends the volume both training a judo team but also thinking about her relationship with Asuka. Of course she is just so cute that one of the judo team members ends up falling for her but there is no one in her heart but Asuka. We do not see much of Asuka's mother or father. Ryo tells Asuka that she loves him and the final story for this volume ends with Asuka basically proposing to her. He is starting to think about his future and what wants. That is no what his mother wants but he needs to get together and talk to her about it. Maybe that will be the final arc because we are getting close to being finished with this series. Only five volume left.



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

15 down and 45 more to go!

Today's post is on Otomen volume 14 by Aya Kanno. It is the fourteenth in her Otomen series. It is 192 pages long and is publishes by Shojo Beat. As this is the fourteenth volume in this series, you need to have read the first thirteen volumes to understand the story. The cover is pink with Yamato in the center looking like a cute girl that he is not. The intended reader is someone who likes shojo manga, humor, and love stories. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this manga. The story is told from third person close of the main character with moments of the other characters added in for plot development. There Be Spoilers Ahead.



From the back of the book Asuka and Ryo join their friend Kitora on an adventure abroad to find the legendary delamezla flower! Meanwhile, things get complicated when Asuka encourages his cousin Kasuga to confess his feelings to his crush—especially when Asuka becomes involved in more ways than one...!



Review- Asuka and Ryo get to go on a trip together. But things get complicated when Kitora is rejected by a flower spirit that he wants to see. Juta's sister saves the day but still hates flowers. Asuka's cousin is leaving the plot for the time being and Asuka wants to help him confess to his crush before he goes. But Kasuga's crush is Jewel Sanhihana or rather Asuka pretending to be Jewel Sanhihana. Kasuga explains to Asuka that he believed Asuka was a girl when they were children and that when Kasuga discovered that Asuka was a boy, Kasuga doubted himself. They work their differences and Kasuga goes into the sunset happy. Only Four more volumes left.



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

16 down and 44 more go!

Today's Nonfiction post is on Blood and Sand: Suez, Hungary, and Eisenhower's campaign for Peace by Alex von Tunzelmann. It is 560 pages long including notes. The cover is black and white with different pictures dealing with the content of the book. The intended reader is someone interested in the Middle East post World War 2 and Eisenhower. There is foul language, talk of sex, and voilence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.


From the back of the book- Over sixteen extraordinary days in October and November 1956, the twin crises of Suez and Hungary pushed the world to the brink of a nuclear conflict and what many at the time were calling World War III. Blood & Sand is a revelatory new history of these dramatic events, for the first time setting both crises in the context of the global Cold War, the Arab-Israeli conflict, and the treacherous power politics of imperialism and oil.
Blood & Sand tells this story hour by hour through a fascinating international cast of characters including Gamal Abdel Nasser, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Anthony Eden, Christian Pineau, Nikita Khrushchev, Imre Nagy and David Ben-Gurion. It is a tale of conspiracy and revolutions; spies and terrorists; kidnappings and assassination plots; the fall of the British Empire and rise of American hegemony. Blood & Sand is essential to our understanding of the modern Middle East and resonates strikingly with the problems of oil control, religious fundamentalism and international unity that face the world today.



Review- I wanted to be engaged with this book. I wanted to learn some new things about a president that I do not know much about but this book was a very slow and boring read. It is about the beginning of the Middle East as we have it today and it should have been interesting. Instead the writing is very slow, with lots of details that do not really add to the overall story, just slow it down. The notes are good and give pointers about where to go next if you want to do more research but after this book I do not.



I give this book a Two out of Five stars.

17 down and 43 more to go!

Today's post is on Otomen volume 15 by Aya Kanno. It is the fifteenth in her Otomen series. It is 192 pages long and is publishes by Shojo Beat. As this is the fifteenth volume in this series, you need to have read the first fourteen volumes to understand the story. The cover is yellow with a group Asuka's friends and his father on it. The intended reader is someone who likes shojo manga, humor, and love stories. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this manga. The story is told from third person close of the main character with moments of the other characters added in for plot development. There Be Spoilers Ahead.



Review- Asuka's kendo rival Hajime Tonomine feels torn when his father declares him as his future successor. Will Tonomine give up his love of makeup in order to enter the world of politics? Or will his otomen pastime find a way to prevail?



Review- The first story is about Tonomine finally being honest with himself and his family. His family knows but unless he was willing to honest with them about what he wanted they expected him to follow in his father's footsteps. Of course in the end he chooses himself and the future that will bamke him the happiest. The last story is about Yamato and his desire to not be himself. He does not have a very good self opinion and he gets some work on this volume. But it ends with he realizing that he has a crush on Ryo and decides to go for it. So with only three volumes left I'm not sure what Kanno can do with that added story line but I will find out soon!



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

18 down and 42 more to go!

Today's post is on Otomen volume 16 by Aya Kanno. It is the sixteenth in her Otomen series. It is 192 pages long and is publishes by Shojo Beat. As this is the sixteenth volume in this series, you need to have read the first fifteenth volumes to understand the story. The cover is deep pink with Asuka and his mother on it looking at each other. The intended reader is someone who likes shojo manga, humor, and love stories. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this manga. The story is told from third person close of the main character with moments of the other characters added in for plot development. There Be Spoilers Ahead.



From the back of the book- At a school play, Asuka competes against his friends for the hand of Princess Kaguya- played by Ryo! While on stage, Asuka inevitably displays his otomen qualities while his anti-otomen mother is watching... is Asuka about to face the biggest crisis of his life?



Review- Asuka's mother is beginning to realized that her son is his own person and she does not like this person. She wants him to someone he is not no matter what that does to Asuka himself. In addition to all that she blames Ryo for Asuka acting this way. She begins to push Asuka and he is beginning to become who he was at the beginning of the manga and that scares him. But I'm really curious about how Asuka is going to handle things when his mother tries to break him and Ryo up. The manga ends with a cliffhanger and I cannot wait to see where it is going to go. Only two volumes left.



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

19 down and 41 more to go!

Today's post is on Otomen volume 17 by Aya Kanno. It is the seventeenth in her Otomen series. It is 192 pages long and is publishes by Shojo Beat. As this is the seventeenth volume in this series, you need to have read the first sixteen volumes to understand the story. The cover is a very light pink with Juta, Hajime, and Kitora on it looking at the reader. The intended reader is someone who likes shojo manga, humor, and love stories. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this manga. The story is told from third person close of the main character with moments of the other characters added in for plot development. There Be Spoilers Ahead.


Fromt he back of the book- In her quest to get Asuka to turn away from his otomen ways, Asuka mom, Kiyomi, cancels his favorite shojo manga, Love Chick! What's worse, she plans to break up Asuka and Ryo! Will Asuka succumb to his mother's anti-otomen schemes?!


Review- Asuka's mother has lost her mind. Not only is she threatening innocent people, she is pretending to be deathly ill from the shock of learning that Asuka is an otomen. I did not ever really like his mother but in these last two volumes, she has lost all sympathy that I had for her at the beginning of the series. She knows that Asuka is unhappy and lonely but because he acting like a 'real' man she does not care. We are to believe that she believes she is doing this to Asuka for his own good but I do not believe that. I think that she is doing everything to make herself happy; no matter the cost to others or even to Asuka himself. Kanno is going to have to something really big to get me forgive Asuka's mother for this. But with only one volume left I am not sure that she can.


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

20 down and 40 more to go!

Today's post is on Otomen volume 18 by Aya Kanno. It is the eighteenth in her Otomen series. It is 200 pages long and is publishes by Shojo Beat. As this is the eighteenth volume in this series, you need to have read the first seventeen volumes to understand the story. The cover is a very light pink with Asuka and Ryo in wedding clothes in it. The intended reader is someone who likes shojo manga, humor, and love stories. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this manga. The story is told from third person close of the main character with moments of the other characters added in for plot development. There Be Spoilers Ahead.



From the back of the book- For the sake of his mom, Asuka turns away from his friends and Ryo... But the unimaginable happens when Asuka's friends stage an intervention at his graduation! With everything on the line, how will things end for our beloved otomen?!



Review- Well Kanno jumps the shark in this final volume. We get an amnesia subplot for the middle of the volume. Asuka forgets the last 10 years since his father left. Of course Ryo saves the day with love by baking Asuka a cake and he remembers her when he eats, just like the father and son story from earlier in the series. The series ends with Asuka and Ryo getting married and Juta starting a new series about them. All in all I liked this series a lot. I think that Kanno did some interesting things with the plot and characters. I would read her next series.



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

21 down and 39 more to go!

Today's post is on Deus Vitae volume 1 by Takuya Fujima. It is 200 pages long and was published by Tokyopop. It is the first in a trilogy. The cover has the main female character on it. The intended reader is adult, likes dark science fiction, and high action. There is foul language, sexuality, and violence in this book. The story is told from third person god perspective. There Be Spoilers Ahead.


from the back of the book- in the year 2068, the Brain Computer- built by humans to be the core of a machine-driven earth- created Selenoids, andriods with abilities far superior to man. They have, in turn, created a virtually perfect society, with only one flaw in need of elimination: humans! This is the story of Ash Ramy, one of the few surviving humans in the revolution organization, bent on freeing Earth from Selenoid rule, and Lemiu Winslet, a selenoid horrified by the inhumanity her race possesses. In a world of artificiality, is real love mankind's last hope?


Review- A high action start to very pretty but very sexual trilogy. There is a lot of nudity and implied sex. The art is very pretty and I liked that best about the first volume. But it is a little light on plot/characters and heavy on action/sex. What you do know that the end of the first volume is Ash is a human and all the slave selenoids are really humans. Ash makes all the girls so crazy for him and the only reason is because he is human. The volume ends with him and Lemiu fleeing from a city as it falls into ruins and they are underground. Maybe the second volume will have more plot or something but this first volume was just meh.


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

22 down and 38 more to go!

Today's post is on Deus Vitae volume 2 by Takuya Fujima. It is 200 pages long and was published by Tokyopop. It is the second in a trilogy. The cover has the main male character on it. The intended reader is adult, likes dark science fiction, and high action. There is foul language, sexuality, and violence in this book. The story is told from third person god perspective. There Be Spoilers Ahead.



From the back of the book- Beyond the Selenoid dome of the mother Seishia, Lemui looks forward to a bright future in nature with a man and a child. But even as she starts on this beautiful journey, the dark clouds of war between androids and human cumulate again in the sky! Lemiu will have to fight to protect Ash and hew new baby from the anger and prejudice that fills this world.



Review- Once again this volume is very pretty art but the plot is still very thin. The baby that Lemui picks up that the end of the first volume dies but they pick up another child just pages later. We have more sexuality and nudity but this time the sex is at the very least attempted rape. But I think that real problem with the story is that Ash is prefect. Everything he does, he does perfectly and everyone loves or at least respects him. So that is why Lemui is the one all the bad things happen to, like maybe being raped, all because she is traveling with Ash. Only one volume left and I do not have much hope for this series either going any where or doing anything interesting.



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

23 down and 37 more to go!

Today's post is on Deus Vitae volume 3 by Takuya Fujima. It is 24 pages long and was published by Tokyopop. It is the third in a trilogy. The cover has one of the minor female characters on it in a very sexual pose. The intended reader is adult, likes dark science fiction, and high action. There is foul language, sexuality, and violence in this book. The story is told from third person god perspective. There Be Spoilers Ahead.


From the back of the book- After overcoming a perilous ambush, Ash and company meet up with the head office Re-o. There, Lemiu is confronted with a terrible secret from Ash's past... and a climactic attack of Selenoids could mean the end of mankind as we know it!


Review- So in this last volume we get some weird philosophy stuff about how the only thing that humans can offer Selenoids is love. So humankind is saved because of the love between Ash and Lemiu because in spite of the fact that Selenoids do not or can not love; somehow Lemiu can because reasons. Other this series being very pretty to look at, it does not have much going to for. The story is very thin, characters are boring or just there to be sexualized, and just left me with nothing to write about in a positive way other than being pretty. But at least it was not a long series.


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

24 down and 36 more to go!

Today's post is on The Heiress and The Chauffeur volume 1 by Keiko Ishihara. It is the first in a duology. It is 192 pages long and is published by Shojo Beat. The cover has the two main characters on it looking at the reader. The story is told from third person close of the two main characters moving one to the other as the story goes. The intended reader is someone who likes cute shojo stories, historical romance, and pretty art. There is no foul language, no sexuality, and very mild violence in this volume. There Be Spoilers Ahead.


From the back of the book- At an all-girls school during the Taisho era in Japan, rumors swirl that heiress Sayaka Yoshimura is having a forbidden love affair with her chauffeur, Shinobu Narutaki! Sayaka scoffs at the rumors, but could a romance between master and servant actually be brewing?
Sayaka wears a crimson ribbon that signals she is at the top of her class, and her classmates all revere her. So when Narutaki ignores decorum and breaks school rules to protect Sayaka, will she stand by him or dismiss him as the school demands?



Review- This is a very cute story. Sayaka is a cute heroine and Shinobu is very sweet. They were friends as children and now they are young adults with all the expectations of that on them. The stories in this volume are mostly about Shinobu being seen as less than because he is servant and is from a poor background. Sayaka is very modern because she believes that people are not where they come from or how much money they have. So she gets into trouble with her opinions but she gets rescued by Shinobu a lot. But it is a very sweet, cute story and I look forward to the next volume with them.



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