Mount TBR 2022 discussion

now that I have finished my level 60 climb I need to move on up to 75 and maybe beyond!

Today's post is on The Promised Neverland, vol 2 by Kaiu Shirai and art by Posuka Demizu. It is 189 pages long and is published by Shonen Jump. The cover has Emma and her friends searching for something in their house library. As is the second in this plot heavy manga series, so you need to have read the first volume to understand the characters and story. The intended reader is someone who likes horror-fantasy manga. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this volume. The story is told from third person close of the main characters. There Be Spoilers Ahead.
From the back of the book- Behind the facade of a happy orphanage, the children of Grace Field House are secretly being raised as food for demons! Determined to save themselves and the other kids, Emma, Norman, and Ray begin planning an escape. But their caretaker, "Mom," has brought in extra help to keep the orphans in line...

Review- The kids know that they are racing against time as Mom knows about their plan. They have a traitor in their group, someone who is feeding Mom information about their plans. This volume is more about Norman and Ray, building their characters and motivations. They both want to escape but only one wants to help Emma get the other children out. The new Sister Krone is pretty scary, as she is an unknown and her plans are to replace Mom herself. Mom is not too much in this volume but her shadow is over them and their plans. The reader is reminded of the ticking clock over the children's heads at the end of the volume. This was a good volume with character development and rising tension for the next shipment day. I look to reading the next volume.

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.

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Today's post is on Revoluntionry Girl Utena, vol 5: To Blossom by Chiho Saito and Be-Papas. It is 168 pages long and is published by Shojo Beat. The cover has Utena, Anthy, and Akio. As it is the fifth volume in the series, you need to have read the first four to understand the story. There is no foul language, no sex, and mild violence in this manga. The intended reader is someone who likes shojo manga, over the top plots, and no so end of the world stories. The story is told from third person close perspective of the main characters, Utena and at times Anthy. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Utena has now met her prince and discovered the secret behind World's End. Accompanied by friend Anthy and her sword Dios, she's ready to revolutionize the world, unless fate has other plans.

Review- Utena finally understands what happened to her, when she was child, and what is really means. She did meet Dios not Akio and Dios gave what was left of his power to her, to save Anthy and the world from Akio. In the end Utena uses that power to stop Akio but a heavy price. This series is very good, with lots of tropes that will become common in shojo. The answers in the end are fine but the journey was more important to both the reader and Utena herself. The end is more than a little ambiguous with what really happened to Utena and Akio in the end. I would have liked more chapters in this series and I am going to read the side stories that have been written later. A solid classic in shojo manga history and a must read for all shojo manga fans or any manga fan who wants to have a good grounding in classic manga.

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.

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Today's post is on I'm the Villainess, So I'm Taming the Final Boss, Vol. 1 by Sarasa Nagase and illustrations by Mai Murasaki. It is 230 pages long and is published by Yen On. The cover has the two main characters, Aileen and Claude on it. The intended reader is someone who likes light novels, villainess stories, and fun plots. There is no foul language, no sex, and mild violence in this novel. The story is told from third person close of Aileen. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Villains have their own routes too!
When her engagement to the prince ends unceremoniously, details of the young noblewoman Aileen's past life come rushing back and help her realize she's living inside the world of one of her favorite otome games- as the heroine's greatest rival!
However, her memory has more plot holes than bad fan fiction...
and the only certainty is that if she doesn't do something quick, her death is all but assured. There hero/main-love-interest can't be relied on, so why not see what the last boss has to day?

Review- This is a very fun read with a really good main character. Aileen remembered her past life, just as the prince is rejecting her publicly. Realizing that she was a villainess destined to die, she does does something crazy. Aileen marching into the palace of the Demon King and askes him to marry her. Aileen is very funny with how blunt she is, she makes no bones about what she is doing, and why she wants to marry Claude. Claude is more serious and mysterious but he is likable and easy to understand as the novel goes on. The side characters are fun from the crazy-ish heroine to the side kicks of Claude. There are some good plot twists and the illustrations are really good and add to the story telling. I am looking forward to reading the next volume.

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

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Today's post is on Skip Beat, vol 28 by Yoshiki Nakamura. It is 200 pages long and is published by Shojo Beat. The cover has Kyoko in her Love Me uniform looking at the reader. As it is the twenty-eighth in the series, you need to have read the first twenty-seven. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this manga. The story is told from third person close of Kyoko and Ren. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Ren's new roles are dredging up old memories best left buried, and he's having trouble dealing with the emotional turmoil. But the President was right when he claimed Kyoko was Ren's good luck charm. Will her strange but good-natured ways be enough to keep him from his own darkness?

Review- We get a lot of Ren's back story in this volume and start to see what he is running from. Of course Kyoko has no idea about what is going in his head because she is too worried about herself. The character development in this volume is great. Kyoko gets to see how Ren deals when he feels underprepared for a role. those moments help balance out the serious plot development with Ren. It ends with Kyoko having an emotional crisis herself and I can't wait to see how she handles 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.

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Today's post is on Yona of the Dawn, vol 19 by Mizuho Kusanagi. It is 192 pages long and is published by Shojo Beat. The cover has Sinha and Ao in it. As it is the nineteenth in the series, you need to have read the first eighteen to understand the story. The intended reader is someone who likes shojo manga, epic storylines, and fantasy themes. The story if told from third person close of the main characters, moving as the story needs. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- While preparing to set up camp, Sinha comes across a stone statue of a dragon in the forest. When the statue's mouth starts to close down on Ao, Sinha slices it open and unintentionally releases an ominous spirit! How will Yona and her friends handle the ensuing havoc?

Review- This is story is really about other blue dragon's who waited for the crimson dragon to return and died before Yona was born. The blue dragon just wants to be free and move on but he is trapped by his desire to meet Yona. When she finds him in Sinha's body, she helps him and the other blue dragon's find peace. The second half is continuing the story about the drug trade in the Water country. Most of the this volume is about the dragon's longing for the crimson dragon and how that effects their whole lives and even into their deaths. It was sad to see them still sufferings and longing for Yona. This volume was pleasant if a bit sad and I look forward to reading 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.

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Today's post is on Captive Hearts, vol 1 by Matsuri Hino. It is 200 pages long and is published by Shojo Beat. The cover has the two main characters on it in faux Victorian dress. The intended reader is someone who likes shojo manga, romance manga, and fantasy manga. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this manga. The story is told from third person close of the male lead, Megumi. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Careless Megumi Kuroishi was living a life of luxury until the day a girl named Suzuka Kogami walked into this life. All of a sudden, Megumi finds himself kneeling at Suzuka's feet and prostrating himself like a servant! What Megumi doesn't know (until that very moment anyway) is that his family is cursed to follow the orders of the Kogami family.
Being carried around everywhere and having handsome Megumi act like a slave may seem ideal, but Suzuka just wishes he would stop. Can anything be done about Megumi's captive state? Or is Megumi doomed to see Suzuka as his master... forever?

Review- This is a very cute manga about two young adults trying to make the best of a cursed life. Suzuka doesn't want to have a lifelong servant and Megumi doesn't want to have his life revolve around her. But they have a personal connection and they want to have more. The manga in this first volume is more comedy with Megumi getting into funny situations with Suzuka and having to get out of them. The curse is only talked about in passing but Suzuka wants to find a way break the curse and free the Kuroishi family. At the end there are two short stories about young love and they are cute and quick reads. I would recommend this first volume for all shojo manga lovers.

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.

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Today's post is on Accomplishments of the Duke's Daughter, Vol. 3 by Reia and illustrations by Haduki Futaba. It is 269 pages long and is published by Airship. The cover has Iris, Dean, and a new character, Glaus on it. As it is the third in the series, you need to have read the first two volumes to understand the story. The intended reader is someone who likes political stories with a very light dusting of romance. There is no foul language, no sex, and very mild violence in this novel. The story is mostly told from first person perspective of Iris with some added scenes from other characters for plot growth. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Life and Death Lie in Her Hands.
Iris overcame the threat of excommunication, but now she faces something far worse. Why, then, is there talk of dismantling the kingdom's armed forces? As iris desperately shores up her duchy's own defenses, she must answer a questions from one of her closest companions, Dida: "If it comes to war, are you prepared to order us to kill?"

Review- This volume has more politics than economics. Iris is trying to put everything back to together after the false accusation by a corrupt priest with Yuri behind it. Iris has her full and is not thinking about the capital or the royal family but I think that they will be soon coming to her with Yuri at the lead. Dean/ the first prince is trying to secure his power seat before making his move. Iris is having to use more of her power to make friends with some of the local power players in her duchy. She is also having to think about what would war mean for Armelia and its people. We also see more of the villains who live mostly in the background and what is driving her. I am looking forward to reading the next volume and seeing what Iris has to deal with next.

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

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Today's post is on Vampire Hunter D Volume 5: The Stuff of Dreams by Hideyuki Kikuchi and illustrations by Yoshitaka Amano. It is 172 pages long and was published by Dark Horse Books. The cover has D on it with his sword drawn facing off to the side. As it is the fifth in the long running series, you need to have read the first four volumes to understand the overall plot. There is some mild language, no sex, and some action violence in this novel. The story is told from third person close of the different characters with a narrator at times. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Even Vampire Hunters cannot resist the siren song of an ageless sleeping beauty.
In a world where even the smallest and most remote village cannot avoid being terrorized by the monsters that stalk the night, there is a hamlet, prosperous and peaceful, where mortals and the vampire Nobility have coexisted for years. It is there that seventeen-year-old Sybille Schmitz has slept, neither waking or again, for thirty years since first receiving the vampire's immortal kiss.
The mysterious Vampire Hunter known only as "D" is lured to the tranquil oasis by recurrent dreams of the beautiful undying girl bathed in an eerie blue light and dancing in a ghostly chateau. but there are a number of people who do not welcome the presence of the dhampir, fearing D will disturb the delicate balance upon which the fate of the town rests. They will stop at nothing to protect that balance, even if it means destroying the most feared Hunter the world has even known.

Review- Kikuchi likes to do something different with every novel he writes, in this one the plot hook is a girl dreaming of peace and changing reality around her. D has been called to this peaceful village and strangely everyone seems to know him and they know who has called him. The sleeping girl, Sybille, somehow has called D to her village and wants something from him. But most of the villagers just want D to leave and are willing to do anything to make that happen. The mystery in this one was very intense and interesting, it had me guessing for a good half of this volume and the revelation about what is really happening is very tragic but also so interesting and adds more to the world building. The writing is very good, the translate is still excellent, and the pieces added to the story and are very beautiful. I would recommend this whole series. I am curious about what Kikuchi does in the next volume.

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

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Today's post is on The Slayers and The Sorcerer of Atlas by Hajime Kanzaka, Rui Araizumi (Illustrator). It is 137 pages long and is published by J-Club Novel. The cover has Gourry on it with the sword of light. As it is the second novel in the series, you need to have read the first one to understand the world and characters. There is no foul language, no sex, and mild violence in this novel. The intended reader is someone who likes high fantasy, humorous stories, and light hearted adventure. The story is told from third person close of the main character, Lina. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

Blurb- At last, Atlas City! Time to put our feet up and enjoy that urban life. You know, some good food, a bar brawl or two, beating up assassins, intervening in politics, solving a kidnapping, wait, what?! No! This sounds like work! Great, and not we've got demons stalking us and spike-shooting wolves pouring in through the windows! Guess I'll have to clean up this fore I get my R&R...

Review- I had a really great time with this Slayers novel, it is more of a mystery than the adventure story from the first volume. Lina and Gourry are just trying to relaxed and get some good food when a bar brawl happens to them and Lina is not one to let a good fight get in the way of her food. Then they get pulled into a fight between sorcerers trying to become the next head of the local guild. Of course it is not that simple and the more that they discover, the more the city of Atlas looks like big trouble. I had so much fun with volume, because it happens in a city Lina has to think outside of the box. She can't just Dragon Slave everyone into the ground, even Lina knows that's a bad idea. So Gourry and her have to think on their feet and discover the truth about what is happening and try to survive it themselves! I think we see the best parts of Lina in this volume, her brains and we see how much the relationship between her and Gourry has grown. They trust each other now and can work together as a good team. I look forward to the next volume and the return of my favorite character!

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

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Today's post is on Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Eternal Edition, Vol. 1 by Naoko Takeuchi. It is 304 pages long and is published by Kodansha Comics. The cover has Sailor Moon on it. The intended reader is someone who likes classic, groundbreaking shojo manga. There is no foul language, no sex, and mild violence in this series The story is told from third person close of mainly Usagi but some other characters pov's are added for plot. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

Blurb- The Guardians in sailor suits return in this definitive edition of the greatest magical girl manga of all time! Featuring an extra-large size, premium paper, and and all-new translation and cover illustrations by creator Naoko Takeuchi!
Teenager Usagi is not the best athlete, she's never gotten good grades, and, well, she's a bit of a crybaby. But when she meets a talking cat, she begins a journey that will teach her she has a well of great strength just beneath the surface and the heart to inspire and stand up for her friends as Sailor Moon!

Review- This is an incredible manga and an incredible edition. Usagi is a loafer, she just goes through life without much thought and no plans. When she helps a black cat, the cat, Luna, tells her that is a warrior called a Sailor Scout, in fact is the guardian of the moon, Sailor Moon. She has a lot to do now, she has to find the other sailor scouts, the silver crystal, and the princess! Add in Usagi over-blown romantic imagination and we have the most famous magical girl manga of all time. Everything about this manga is great, in my opinion, from the art, the plot, and the characters are just top of the line. Usagi is so cute, she is over her head but she is trying her best, even if that best is crying her eyes out. I have never read all of Sailor Moon and I look forward to following Usagi and her friends into an adventure that changed the face of an entire genre.

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.

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Lynn wrote: "Today's post is on Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Eternal Edition, Vol. 1 by Naoko Takeuchi. It is 304 pages long and is published by Kodansha Comics. The cover has Sailor Moon on it. The intended rea..."
I LOVE LOVE LOVE Sailor Moon in all it's forms (manga, anime, musical live action...), for me it's such a timeless classic of the shoujo genre! The Stars arc is my favorite, hope you enjoy your read!

Today's manga post is on Queen's Quality, Vol. 4 by Kyousuke Motomi. It is 200 pages long and is published by Shojo Beat. The cover has Fumi holding a queen of hearts card with chains around her. As it is the fourth in the second series, following this characters, you need to have QQ Sweeper and the first three volumes of Queen's Quality to understand the story. There is no foul language, no sex, and mild violence in this series. The story closely follows Fumi and Kyutaro the main characters. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Bug handler Ataru offers Kyutaro a deal- he'll reveal everything about Fumi's past if Kyutaro will do what he asks in exchange. Although Kyutaro knows this must be a trap, he goes to see Ataru...
What devastating effect will Ataru's evil plot have on Kyutaro and Fumi?

Review- The blurb is just the first part of the story and Kyutaro is smarter than Ataru realizes. So most of the volume is trying to help Ataru and discover what is really going on with him. He is convinced that he and Fumi share a past and have made promises to each other. But Fumi does not know him and she pushed him to remember who he really made those promises with. The manga continues to be a very enjoyable read, the art is good, and the characters are still the best part of the series. I want Fumi to start to remember her past and what really happened to her.

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

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