Manga Review: Yukarism Series (Chika Shiomi)

Series Title: Yukarism
Author: Chika Shiomi
Volumes Reviewed: 4 (complete)
Publisher: VIZ Media
US Release Date: December 2014 - November 2015
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Fantasy Romance
Content Rating: Older Teen (sensuality, violence, quasi-nudity) [see Note below*]
Format Read: Paperback
Find On: Goodreads
Purchase: Azon | B&N | BookDepo | Indiebound | RightStuf
Summary (of Volume 1):

Yukari Kobayakawa, an accomplished author at the age of 17, writes with amazingly accurate details about historical Japan. It turns out he has the ability to travel back in time...to his past life as a renowned courtesan in the Edo period! As he goes back and forth between the past and present, he unravels the karmic relationship he has with his beautiful classmate Mahoro Tachibana... 

*          *          *

Series Notes: This is a 4-volume series. All volumes are released and available.

Yukarism is an odd but engrossing contemporary fantasy of reincarnation and romance. At only 4 volumes, it tells the brief story of teen male Yukari's sudden ability to travel back into the body of his former incarnation - that of female oiran (courtesan) Yumurasaki - and his pursuit to discover how she was murdered. Along the way he is drawn to several other reincarnated souls, including a former frequent customer witch doctor and a favored bodyguard, and when their previous selves start manifesting in the present Yukari must figure out why they are all connected and how to free their overlapping minds - before their past deaths kill their future selves.

The art was somewhat simple but also striking with lush Edo period fashion and settings and compelling scenes of violence and magic. All the characters were unique and engaging, especially when alternate personalities manifested in inappropriate bodies, and although their emotions could become intense there was also a lot of humor and gentleness in the way they handled each other (when the old boys weren't trying to kill one another, anyway). The relationships, romantic and familial, were a tangled mess of obligations and desires that wound up causing more harm than affection, but through the exploration of their pasts the characters are able to be reborn into a hopeful future for a sweet and uplifting end. Recommend for historical fiction, contemporary fantasy, and romance readers, especially those who enjoy historical Japan and reincarnation love stories.

*A Note About Content: Although the publisher rated this series TEEN, I'm more inclined to recommend it for OLDER teens due to the heavier emotional content, time spent in the pleasure district, quasi-nudity, and the fact that Yukari typically visits Yumurasaki's body when she's in the middle of a "session" with Takamura.

For Fans Of: Natsuki Takaya (Fruits Basket, Twinkle Stars)

Scribble Rating: 

4 of 5 Scribbles

Other Reviews That Might Interest: 

Twinkle Stars Series by Natsuki Takaya
Fruits Basket Series by Natsuki Takaya
Backstage Prince Series by Kanoko Sakurakouji
Pandora Hearts Series by Jun Mochizuki

Manga Review: One Fine Day Series (Sirial)

Series Title: One Fine Day
Author: Sirial
Volumes Reviewed: 3 (complete)
Publisher: Yen Press
US Release Date: January 2010 - September 2010
Genre: Slice-of-Life Contemporary Fantasy
Content Rating: All Ages
Format Read: Paperback
Find On: Goodreads
Purchase: Indiebound | B&N | Azon | BookDepo | RightStuf
Summary (of Volume 1):

Take one fussy dog, a rain-loving cat, and a little mouse with a big sweet tooth, mix in a sprinkle of sunshine and a dash of magic, and you've got a recipe for adventure! Whether they're baking cookies, cleaning up, or helping out a friend, this trio always manages to stir up a healthy helping of mischief and fun. Tumbling straight from the pages of YEN PLUS, see how every day can be a fine day indeed.

*          *          *

Series Notes: This is a 3 volume series. All volumes are released and available.


One Fine Day is a three-volume slice-of-life contemporary fantasy that follows the everyday adventures of an unconventional (some of them are animals) and magical (animals that sometimes look like human children) found family, and it is the sweetest, fluffiest, most adorable manga I've ever had the pleasure of reading.

Despite minimal dialogue it is a story best savored at a slow, leisurely pace to enjoy the detailed illustrations, sentient inanimate objects, and all the little surprises tucked into the background. There are three animal-human children (a dog, a cat, and a mouse) and three adult humans (one novice magician, one mischievous magician, and a young lady border in the last volume), all of which reside in a magical old house in a quaint little town. Through the volumes they bake cookies, play in the snow, practice magic, clean the house, run errands, and go on treasure hunts, all the while making many new friends such as a street cat and his minions, the fallen moon and its starry companion, and the fairies of the attic furniture. Although the last volume gets a little thoughtful and melancholy as it looks back on pre-family pasts, sunshine ponderings, and childhood memories, overall One Fine Day is a collection of lighthearted stories about three adorable animals, three amusing adults, and their sweet and magical life together. Highly recommend if you need a heavy dose of wholesome fluff, perhaps on a lazy afternoon to accompany a favorite tea and pastry.

Scribble Rating: 

5 of 5 Scribbles

Other Reviews That Might Interest: 

Me & My Brothers by Hari Tokeino
The Life-Changing Manga of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo
Kobato by CLAMP

Manga Review: Kobato Series (CLAMP)

Series Title: Kobato
Author: CLAMP
Volumes Reviewed: 6 (complete)
Publisher: Yen Press
US Release Date: May 2010 - June 2012
Genre: Contemporary Fantasy Romance
Content Rating: Older Teen (violence, comical-ish abuse, bullying, adult situations)
Format Read: Paperback
Find On: Goodreads
Purchase:  Indiebound | B&N | BookDepo | Azon
Summary (of Volume 1):

Meet Kobato Hanato, a sweet and rather simple young girl on a quest to have her single, dearest wish granted. But first, she must learn the ways of the world from Ioryogi-san, a gruff blue dog whose bark is just as bad as his bite! Under his "tutelage" (read: constant verbal abuse), Kobato puts her efforts into passing various trials of common sense so that she may obtain the key to getting her wish-a magic bottle which must be filled with the suffering of wounded hearts that Kobato herself has healed. But with Kobato's common sense sorely lacking, she keeps flunking Ioryogi-san's trials left and right! It looks like the road that lies ahead of Kobato will be a long one indeed!

*          *          *

Series Notes: There are six volumes in the series, and all are released and available. This series takes place in the CLAMP Universe.

Kobato is a strange contemporary fantasy romance about the mysterious but energetic and naive Kobato, her abusive stuffed animal Ioryogi, and Kobato's quest to fill a bottle with "wounded hearts" so she can go where she wants to be.

Yes, the plot is that weird and vague.

While Volume 1 is mainly chapter stories of Kobato learning a little common sense and earning the bottle, the rest of the 6-volume series encompasses her time volunteering at Yomogi Kindergarten, which is struggling under the threats of a loan shark. There she grows to care for her fellow workers and strives to help them with their situation - in an effort to heal their wounded hearts, of course. As her time runs out we learn the fantastical story of how she and Ioryogi wound up on their quest, and the short series ends with a few tears, a lot of love, and ultimately a happy ending thanks to a few well-placed wishes. The artwork is an unsettling study in opposites as Kobato is adorable and playful in cute outfits and soft lines while Ioryogi, a plain stuffed animal dog when still, is grotesque and vicious when animated, warping the otherwise fluffy feel of the manga. The rest of the cast are rather plain but varied with interesting quirks and characteristics, all moving through simplistic stock settings that have the look of two-dimensional stage backdrops. But despite its artistic and dramatic oddities, Kobato is ultimately a sweet love story about several couples conquering adversity to find their place in the world together.

CLAMP Universe: For fans of the CLAMP Universe, there are a lot of familiar places to revisit and familiar faces to catch up with as many locations and characters from other CLAMP series make cameos to assist Kobato and cast with advice, work, and umbrellas. Fans of the four-book Wish series will especially be interested as this story also deals a lot with the Heavenly World, and Wish's main character Kohaku plays a minor role.

Conclusion: If you enjoy weird but sweet romances that transcend time, worlds, and physical forms featuring abusive stuffed animals and air-headed but big-hearted girls, maybe give this one a try. And if you're a CLAMP fan, it really can't be missed for the cameos.

For Fans Of: the CLAMP Universe

Scribble Rating: 

3 of 5 Scribbles

Other Reviews That Might Interest: 

Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle Series by CLAMP
That Wolf-Boy is Mine! Series by Yoko Nogiri
Meteor Prince Series by Meca Tanaka
MeruPuri Series by Matsuri Hino

Manga Review: Nightschool: The Weirn Books (Svetlana Chmakova)

Series Title: Nightschool: The Weirn Books
Author: Svetlana Chmakova
Volumes Reviewed: 4 (complete)
Publisher: Yen Press
US Release Date: April 2009 - October 2010
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Paranormal Fantasy
Content Rating: Teen (violence, scary situations)
Format Read: Paperback
Find On: Goodreads
Purchase*: Azon | B&N | BookDepo | Indiebound | RightStuf
Summary (of Volume 1):

Schools may lock up for the night, but class is in session for an entirely different set of students. In the Nightschool, vampires, werewolves, and weirns (a particular breed of witches) learn the fundamentals of everything from calculus to spell casting. Alex is a young weirn whose education has always been handled through homeschooling, but circumstances seem to be drawing her closer to the Nightschool. Will Alex manage to weather the dark forces gathering?

*          *          *

Series Notes: This is a 4-volume series, and all volumes have been released. There will also be a spinoff series for younger readers set in the same world, similarly titled The Weirn Books, the first of which releases May 2020.

An original American manga first published in the now defunct monthly manga magazine Yen Plus, Nightschool: The Weirn Books is a quick and engrossing 4-book series set in the Night World of witches (called weirns), paranormal creatures (vampires, werewolves, demons, mermaids, etc.), and the people who hunt them. When three cursed young girls start exhibiting unusual powers just as people mysteriously vanish from Nightschool memory, the Night World guardians and their students scramble to find answers and save the world from ancient evils. Packed with unique magic, violent action, and intriguing mystery with a thrilling climax, you'll want to have all the books on hand for an afternoon binge thanks to the volume cliffhangers.

Chmakova's art is bold but playful with dynamic, diverse characters that exhibit a wide variety of intense and comical expressions. Although the story is rather dark with a lot of pain and violence and deadly curses, there is also a lot of snarky humor to lighten the mood. Both blood and found family relationships play a large part in all the characters' decisions, especially pushing the three girls to step out of their comfort zones to find and protect the ones they love. My only complaint about Nightschool is, at only four volumes, it is too short and fast a read - I would've loved more time to get to know the characters, explore the world, and expand the plot. Luckily an upcoming companion series, although catering to a younger audience, will finally do just that starting May 2020.

Conclusion: A violent but also playful story with magically unique characters, intense action, great snark, and intriguing depth. With its witches, hunters, and paranormal creatures I highly recommend it for fans of shows such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel.

*Purchase Notes: The single volumes of this series are currently out of print but as of March 2020 some volumes are still available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble Marketplace, and RightStuf - links at top. However, two 2-in-1 Collector's Editions will become available May 19, 2020, and are currently available for pre-order (again, see links).

Scribble Rating: 

4.5 of 5 Scribbles

Other Reviews That Might Interest: 

MeruPuri by Matsuri Hino
That Wolf-Boy is Mine! by Yoko Nogiri
Pandora Hearts by Jun Mochizuki

Review: The Hotel Between (Sean Easley)

Title: The Hotel Between
Series: The Hotel Between, Book 1
Author: Sean Easley
Publisher: Simon & Schuster BYR
Release Date: September 4, 2018
Genre: Middle Grade Contemporary Fantasy
Content Rating: Middle Grade (violence and scary situations)
Format Read: Paperback
Find On: Goodreads
Purchase:
Azon | B&N | BookDepo | Indiebound
Summary:

A magical hotel, a mysterious tree, and a cryptic story about their missing father leads twins Cam and Cass on a worldly adventure in this enchanting debut novel that’s perfect for fans of Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library and Wildwood.

Twins Cam and Cass have never known their parents. They’ve been told their mother died, and Cass is certain their father abandoned them. Cam isn’t so sure. He wants to prove her wrong; he must.

Cam’s wish is soon granted in the form of a glistening, golden sign with elaborate flourishes that reads: The Hotel Between. With doors that open to countries all over the world, magical trollies, charmed corridors that can be altered on a whim, stone elephants that come to life, sweets made from rocks; everything is possible in the Hotel. Cam has a hunch his father is somehow connected to this magical place, and may even be lost within its hidden halls.

Every journey has its risks, and The Hotel Between is full of dangerous secrets. If Cam’s not careful, his stay may be over before his vacation has even started.

*          *          *

Series: This is the first book in The Hotel Between series. As of December 2019 there are two books in the series.

I haven't been much for Juvenile/Middle Grade as of late, but when I discovered this book while browsing at my local independent bookstore I was so intrigued by the colorful cover and magical summary that I impulse-purchased it for an immediate read. And I wasn't disappointed.

Determined that finding their missing father will somehow fix his struggling family, Cam stumbles across and infiltrates the mysterious and magical Hotel Between to locate its misplaced heart. Along the way he obtains interesting friends and sinister enemies, journeys to exotic places, and makes many, many mistakes, but he ultimately takes charge of the consequences and does what is right. Packed with enchanting action and relatable characters, it was an engaging adventure that both children and adults will enjoy.

Cam was perilously pigheaded and always afraid (he referred to his "Worst Ways To Die" list constantly), but he deeply cared about protecting his family, especially his sister Cass, and improving their situation. Although his actions were rarely prudent, in the end he mustered the courage to face his fears and root out the dark secrets of his past to help others. The rest of the cast was, thanks to Easley's distinctive descriptions, a unique and diverse bunch of children and adults in all manner of roles, and their presence added a deeper level of intrigue and color to the story. Nico was an especially complicated but playful character that you couldn't help but love while still being frustrated with him, and I look forward to seeing what he gets up to in the next book even more than Cam. The Hotel itself was highly imaginative and I loved exploring its many nooks, crannies, and doors. It felt like we really only scratched its surface in this story though, so I'm excited to delve even further into its secrets and wonders in the sequel.

Conclusion: A magical read with a fantastical setting, engaging action, and relatable characters. Highly recommend for reading aloud to younger people - adults will enjoy it just as much as children do. Will definitely be picking up the sequel, The Key of Lost Things.

Scribble Rating: 

4 of 5 Scribbles

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The Fog Diver by Joel Ross
Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson
School for Sidekicks by Kelly McCullough

Review: Illusions of Fate (Kiersten White)

Title: Illusions of Fate
Series: standalone
Author: Kiersten White
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: September 9, 2014
Genre: Young Adult Alternate Historical Contemporary Fantasy
Told: First Person (Jessamin), Present Tense
Content Rating: Older Teen (some minor torture, violence, kissing, quick animal cruelty)
Format Read: ARC
Find On: Goodreads
Purchase:Azon | B&N | BookDepo | Indiebound
Summary:

“I did my best to keep you from crossing paths with this world. And I shall do my best to protect you now that you have.”

Jessamin has been an outcast since she moved from her island home of Melei to the dreary country of Albion. Everything changes when she meets Finn, a gorgeous, enigmatic young lord who introduces her to the secret world of Albion’s nobility, a world that has everything Jessamin doesn’t—power, money, status…and magic. But Finn has secrets of his own, dangerous secrets that the vicious Lord Downpike will do anything to possess. Unless Jessamin, armed only with her wits and her determination, can stop him.

*          *          *

Illusions of Fate is an alternate historical fantasy with a little bit of everything: mystery, romance, suspense, magic. After a mysterious and alluring man insists on rescuing her from trouble, Jessamin finds herself violently entangled in power and politics and must find a way to save herself and everyone she holds dear from a sadistic villain.

At its heart, Illusions is a lord-and-commoner love story - although Finn is an unorthodox lord and Jessamin is anything but common. Capable and self-reliant, Jessamin wielded strength and wit against friend and foe and held her own against a terrifying antagonist. Even in the face of danger and torture she pushed through and saved herself when required, not waiting for a man to eventually rescue her. While her actions weren't always prudent she was true to herself and took responsibility for the consequences, and she was a fierce friend willing to sacrifice herself if need be to save others. Lord Finn, aptly described by the author as Howl meets Mr. Darcy, could be a bit vain, but ultimately he was charming and caring not only to Jessamin but to generally everyone. His and Jessamin's romance was odd but sweet and not overpowering, which I really enjoyed. I adored their dear friend and gossip Elanor for her cleverness, compassion, and secret skills, and although Jessamin got her into some deadly trouble Elanor remained a steadfast and reliable companion.

Despite the story's lighter romantic feel, the mystery elements involved gruesome murder, hidden magic, and a surprise twist in the last chapter that I did not anticipate in the slightest (bravo, Ms. White). The plot of power and politics got quite dark with a disturbing scene of torture, sadistic threats and actions, and a violent climax that almost ends on a bittersweet note, but ultimately love prevails for a happy and satisfying end.

Conclusion: Although the surprising bursts of violence were a little unsettling, Illusions of Fate is an enchanting standalone in the vein of Howl's Moving Castle with a sweet romance, intriguing magic, and a strong female character you can't help but root for. Highly recommend for alternate historical fantasy lovers.

Scribble Rating: 

4 of 5 Scribbles

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House of Ivy & Sorrow by Natalie Whipple
Dark Metropolis by Jaclyn Dolamore

Manga Review: MeruPuri Series (Matsuri Hino)

Title: MeruPuri
Original Title: MeruPuri: Märchen Prince
Author: Matsuri Hino
Volumes Reviewed: 4 (complete)
Publisher: VIZ Media (Shojo Beat)
Release Date: July 5, 2005 - April 4, 2006
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Fantasy Romance
Content Rating: Older Teen (sensuality*, magical violence)
Format Read: Paperback (own)
Find On: Goodreads
Purchase: Azon | B&N | BookDepo | Indiebound
Summary for Volume 1:

All high school freshman Airi Hoshina ever wanted was to someday live in a cozy home with a loving husband, and find joy in the little things in life. As a result, she makes it her daily mission to get to school on time because school legend has it that the longer one's non-tardy streak is, the better boyfriend one will find. But just when her daily routine is working like clockwork, an occurrence of falrytale proportions threatens to disrupt her grand plan.

On the way to school one morning, Airi loses her mirror - one that had been passed down to her through generations - and suddenly finds herself in a bizarre situation. Never in her wildest dreams did she expect Aram, a little boy from a magical kingdom, to have emerged from the mirror in the short time it took her to track it down!

*          *          *

MeruPuri is a romantic four-volume contemporary fantasy series of love, magic, family, and age fluidity from the creator of the uber-popular Vampire Knight. Cursed by his brother to bodily age up from 7 to 17 when plunged into darkness, Aram finds refuge in another world with 15 year-old traitor descendant Arai and they fall in love despite great opposition and an 8-year age gap.

The artwork is young but strong with some great snapshots and swoony moments, and there is no want for beautiful people or fantastical settings in magic kingdom Astale. The story covers many of the classic romance plots including amusement park dates, jealous fiancees and other romantic interests, kidnappings, memory loss, and Romeo & Juliet-esque forbidden love, but also offers plenty of royal action with magical battles and diabolical schemes. At only four volumes the full story feels a little rushed at times and the last volume is more a collection of quick aging snippets, but overall it's a fun and magical tale with a playful cast and a sweet happy ending. Highly recommend for fantasy manga lovers.

*A Note on Content: Some Americans may be a little uncomfortable with the 7/15 age difference of the romance (it seems to be a relatively common Japanese trope, especially in the form of children falling for their teachers), but there are only a few brief sensual-ish moments and almost all of them are when he is bodily 17.

Scribble Rating: 

4 of 5 Scribbles