Angel Burn by L.A. Weatherly

I sort of can't believe I actually read this book. I blame Madigan for her lovely review at her blog Madigan Reads. I should really thank her (thank you Madigan!) because it was a really fun book that I never, ever, ever would have picked up otherwise.

So basically, the premise is that angels are bad guys who appear to be Wondrously Awesome, but really just suck your life and health away for their afternoon snack. There are AKs (Angel Killers), a decentralized group associated with the CIA, who are secretly fighting the angels, but the Church of the Angels is growing as are their devoted followers. When Alex is sent to another hit he finds out that there is more to this story then he’s been aware of and things are going to get more dangerous than ever before.

We've got two main characters. Willow, our teen psychic and Alex our teen angel killer. Inevitably, the two meet, hate each other, and angsty love sparks start to fly. The first part of the novel is definitely the best. Their narrow escape and their life on the run was fast paced, tense, and super fun to read.

However, when they finally get together the book basically grinds to a standstill. Nothing happens except them gazing into each others eyes and exchanging I love you’s. It drags. For me all the amazing tension that was built up in the first half completely dissipates. And it isn’t that they’ve gotten together, it is that way too much time is spent with them telling each other the same thing over and over. This is a case of what is thrilling in real life doesn’t always transfer to thrills on the page. In all honesty, after really getting into the book I had to force myself to finish.
My only other thought is that I found it strange that the angels used the same lingo as the AKs. Angel burn is what the AKs call it when an Angel has sucked out so much of the life force of a person that they are left mentally damaged. When we shift perspectives to the Angels – they are calling it that too. It jarred with me. I thought their descriptions and perceptions would have made more sense if they had been different.

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Book Source = I can't remember if this copy came from TLA or the mail.

The Dreaming Collection by Queenie Chan

Two teenage twin sisters get accepted to an exclusive private boarding school. Of course, it turns out they're not at just any ordinary boarding school. This one is located in the remote Australian bushlands (you should see the drawing. It is acceptably ominous). And not only is it remote, but students have been going missing since the 1920s. The first batch disappeared in a group of 12 and then another girl disappears which makes 11 (OMG who will be the 12th?). Cue scary music.

This was a super fun read. Sort of brainless. But with some really nice touches. There are these super freaky paintings hanging all around the school that no one really notices (like, hello, they're chasing a girl into the woods. With knives. And there is that faceless girl. In. Every. Single. One.) Anyhoo, those paintings are awesome. I wish there had been more of them.

The characters were a little slow on the uptake for my taste. I couldn't help but think they could have solved the mystery a little faster if they had, you know, thought about it for more than two seconds at a time (or read the damn book on the paintings that they had the entire time). The ending was a little weak. I would have liked it a lot more had it ended like a horror movie with a sequel on the way (like if on the last page...there was a new painting...only this time with an ax!)

Regardless there was more than enough atmosphere and drama for me. I read it in one sitting and had a great time burning through it.

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Book Source = Library Copy

Enchanted Ivy by Sarah Beth Durst

Lily loves Princeton. Her Grandfather went there, her father went there, it has been a part of her life since she was born. So when she's presented a challenge by a secret society to find a special key, she accepts. The prize, after all, is guaranteed admission to the school.

This was a fun book. Gargoyles that talk, a stone dragon, a secret gateway into another world, not to mention all those dark family secrets that Lily stumbles onto.

I must admit I spent a good part of the book yelling, "your [name removed] is eeeeeeeevil! Why can't you see?!" But I'm not going to tell you if I'm right or not. Just that the suspicion was definitely there.

Spoilers=== I really liked the parallels between the magic creatures who fed off of humans and the knights who fed off the magic creature. And I was also referring to the grandfather being eeeeeeevil. I'm not sure I bought his redemption at the end. I prefer to think of him as baddun. But, you know, maybe I'll get over it someday. ====end of spoilers

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Book Source: Review copy from publisher

The Deception by Lee Nichols

I'm going to keep this short since I'm just on the other side of recovery with a 5 day battle with Strep throat which kicked my butt (I had no idea Strep could be this awful).

I sort of told myself no more paranormal books, but this one came highly recommended by good people, that I had to pick it up anyway. I'm glad I did. It is a super fun read. I liked the way the romance was handled. Emma is a bit young and naive, but she is no pushover and she doesn't crave mistreatment (be still my heart). I got a little frustrated with the conversations where nothing is learned, of which there are several with Bennett, one of her love interests. I have never enjoyed that, neither in Lost or in Soap Operas (Days of our Lives if you must know I have no idea how I started, but in grade 3 it was the thing to watch) I have never thought a situation should be drawn out when a simple conversation could solve it.

Regardless, the book was fun. I liked Emma, felt sorry for her a whole lot, and enjoyed the gruesome scenes when they appeared. I thought the ending was good and liked how they left it open for sequels because there is still so much to find out. Where exactly is her family!?

Spoilers >Her Brother Max must be eeeevvvvil. That's my guess. Either that or Bennett. I did love that two ghost keepers can't be together or the stronger will leach all the power out of the weaker. Nice wrench to throw in the romantic works! And I feel like something is up with Sara and Harry. What other creatures might pop up in the sequels? < End Spoilers

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Book Source = I don't really remember. Sorry.

Hold Me Closer Necromancer by Lish McBride

I first heard about this book back in May when Michelle wrote about it. She loved it, Sherman Alexie loved it, it had a fantastic cover. I was sort of foaming at the mouth to read it, but you know how it goes, life gets in the way...people keep forgetting to send you their arcs to borrow (Michelle and Jenn H. I am looking at you. Ahem.), all that sort of stuff.

So I finally got to read it and man, I loved it. Totally hilarious everyman main character that gets into a situation way over his head, a la evil necromancer, and finds out maybe there was a reason that it all happened. It had a great ensemble cast (and I say cast because honestly, this would be a fantastic hour long TV show). If this doesn't turn into a series I am going to scream bloody murder. I want more! In fact it is the first thing in a long time that tore me away from watching Dr. Who and Torchwood on Netflix. I think that says a lot to recommend it.

There are necromancers, werewolves, ghosts, witches, and just about every other paranormal person/thing thrown into the mix. It works because the author doesn't take it too seriously. This book, above all else, is a comedy.

Adults are going to love this as much as the teens.

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Book Source = ARC borrowed from friend

White Cat by Holly Black

I've liked quite a bit of Holly Blacks early work, namely Tithe. Dark urban fantasy that was was original and fresh and I hadn't read much like it. Now fairy books are a dime a dozen, evil fairies, nice fairies, paranormal out the wazoo.

So naturally I was interested in her new series. Which is essentially a mix of gangsters and magic. It reminded me a bit of Graceling, in that people are born with a talent magical in nature. In the White Cat world, these talents have been made illegal. Which makes everyone who is born with one a criminal by definition. In Graceling, those with graces have multicolored eyes. Something that marks them as graced. In White Cat there is no such obvious marking, but these "talents" are transferred through touch. Everyone, those with powers and those without, have taken to wearing gloves to avoid the consequences a touch can bring. In both worlds those with powers are ruled by those who are more powerful. In White Cat it is organized crime families. In both worlds being "graced" with a magic talent/power is a lot less fun then you think it will be. And that is sort of where the similarities between the books end.

I enjoyed the story, it was suspensful and there were interesting and fun plot twists, excellent double crossings and interesting secondary characters. I would pick up the sequel for sure to see where the story goes. My one main complaint was that the world building wasn't as strong as I would have liked. I didn't quite get how the world worked and I found it confusing at times. Not overwhelmingly confusing, just a bit disorienting. By the end I got it, but I think it could have been worked in earlier to better effect.

I really liked Cassel (the main character) and I thought his character development was the strength of the story. He was super fun to follow around. He's the dude on the cover, even though he's a bit whiter than the author says he is. It would be really interesting to learn more about his convoluted family history. Seems like there are some stories there!

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Book Source = Library Copy

Buffy Season 8 - Volume 5: Predators and Prey

This volume is definitely the weakest one that I’ve read so far. A lot of little chapter type storylines, but no real overarching story arc that ties them together. It’s like a whole bunch of filler episodes that will probably contribute something to the final story, but aren’t going to show up on anyone’s top ten list. I guess, if there is an overarching theme it is that life is getting tougher for the Slayer Army ™.

So we have cute little stuffed vamp kitties that want to eat slayer ovaries, a giant spider, Harmony getting her own MTV reality TV. show (hilariously titled “Harmony Bites), Faith fighting a fear demon, and Dawn getting turned into a porcelain doll with a creepy Geppetto type character.

Yawn.

Next up: Oz! That's got to mean better things on the horizon...right?

Previously:
The Long Way Home
No Future For You
Wolves at the Gate
Time of Your Life

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Book Source: Library Copy

Buffy Season 8 – Volume 4. Time of Your Life

Wow, this episode starts off with a bang. Right away you see Buffy fighting a girl with a scarred face and purple tipped hair. I thought, “Dang that girl looks familiar. Who the heck is she?” It took me a few minutes as I went through my mental list of the slayer army ™. Nope, not her. Nope, not her either. Ohhhh. That’s right. She’s not technically part of the slayer army ™. She’s from the future. She’s Fray. And then I went, “what the what?” Which is also a colleague’s new favorite saying.

So, yeah…Fray. In a word: awesome. I loved that two very separate worlds collided in a kick butt storyline. What happens is present day Willow gets a magical tip that there is going to be some sort of a temporal shift in NYC and that her and the Buffster need to be there. As always, things aren’t as they seem and Buffy gets sucked into the future and into a fight with Fray – who takes a few minutes to recognize that Buffy is a fellow slayer from the past. There is one scene where Buffy asks Fray how many slayers she’s got on her side and Fray’s like just me girl (oh and my evil twin brother who’s a vamp – he’s got my memories and he wants to kill me). So obviously, the slayer army ™ does not survive. Hip Hip Hooray! I wonder what happens to them? Maybe they’re just de-slayerfied. It’s got to be wrapped up in Buffy’s special Scythe, since they all but spelled out how that is the source of the slayer army’s ™ power. And just for you FYI, Fray is two centuries in the future. Only two centuries until flying cars, y’all! Oh and Willow is in the future. (*spoiler alert*) And she’s EVIIIIIIIIIL! She’s behind the temporal shift that present day Willow heard about. Trippy, huh? I had to read this twice, but I’m fairly certain that she pulled Buffy into the future so that Buffy could kill her and set some wrong right. To me, it seemed as though Willow was making up for some wrong she did Buffy. Possibly kill/de-slayerify the slayer army ™? I can’t wait to find out! (end of spoilers).

Anyhow, all this is wrapped up in Twilight’s plot to take away Buffy’s moral standing. He thinks that if she doesn’t have a strong moral certainty that she is on the right side that he can defeat her and get rid of all the magic. And Riley is part of Twilight’s crew. Or possibly a double agent. Riley has always annoyed me. That Initiative storyline was just lame. I hope he doesn’t figure too prominently in the future episodes.

Previously:
The Long Way Home
No Future For You
Wolves at the Gate


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Book Source: Library Copy

Buffy Season 8 – Volume 3. Wolves at the Gate

So I left the last episode wondering what would happen with Buffy and Willow. Turns out not too much, they are somewhat estranged at the beginning and go their separate ways for awhile, but they are fine. All is well. Well…not really…

This was a very funny episode considering all the serious things that happen. First we have a guest appearance by Dracula (thus with the funny). Luckily Xander resists any urges to eat bugs. Much of the story is set in Japan and there is a really nice riff on Japanese Monster movies. Very, Very funny.

Although Twilight shows up for a brief cameo where he kicks Buffy’s ass, this episode is very much centered around a group of Japanese vampires who have created a spell driven machine thing (truthfully I have no idea what it is) that along with Buffy’s special Scythe can steal the slayer right out of a girl. Yes, they’ve invented a de-slayerifying machine. Heaven help me, I just might faint...from delight! Obviously the slayer army is not that popular with others – or am I just projecting again? Surprisingly, I wasn’t sure I wanted it to work. There are some slayers that are growing on me. Maybe it was just the actors that I hated? I’m sure I’ll beat this subject to death in my next Buffy post too, no worries!

The serious stuff was really…serious. I won’t tell you who dies, but if you’re reading along or just a Buffy T.V. fan you know that they don’t shy away from killing main or semi-main characters. All I’ll say is Mr. Whedon really does not like his characters to be happy. It’s all about building the love up and then having someone die or betray you. I definitely understand it on one level – it is the anticipation that is so wonderful to read or watch. Once someone is together it is almost anti-climatic. But dang. It has got to be hard being these people.

One note on the art: I love that they get Buffy’s wonky nose right. I also love that Sarah Michelle Geller never had a nose job. I love it when people don’t look like waxy imitations of people.

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Book Source: Library Copy

Buffy Season 8 – Volume 2. No Future For You

Previously: Volume 1: The Long Way Home.

Faith has always been one of my favorite Buffy characters. You know, because she’s tough and mean and always seems to make bad decisions. Her storylines are always complex and interesting, which makes her super fun to watch or read about. From the first moment she was introduced on the show, I preferred her to Buffy. Which does not mean I didn’t cheer loudly when she got her comeuppance (comeuppances?). I certainly enjoyed her getting put in her place. It’s just that she’s such a survivor. I knew she’d be back.

This one starts off when Robin (the old Sunnydale HS principle and Faith’s ex) calls her and lets her know that they are taking out a nest, but that one of the vamps had kids. He apologizes for calling her and says, “I never would have bothered you if I thought any of these girls could take care of them, but…” And so begins another story where Faith again gets the worst assignment. She misunderstands what Robin means by “take care of. ” Poor Faith. Faith is tough, mentally and physically, but she always does get the short end of the stick. Some might say she deserves it, but I can’t help but feel like they use and abuse her. Anyhow, she’s infinitely more interesting than Buffy.

All that doesn’t mean I dislike Buffy – just that she tends to get a bit holier than thou. Lots of things are about her, but not everything. You know? She displays this lack of insight during this storyline (every storyline?).

We get more info on the big bad of season 8 - Twilight. Not much, but we see him, albeit a masked him. And we discover that he has a master plot, which surprise surprise (*ahem* not) seems to include killing Buffy and to put an end to all magic. I did a stupid thing then – I got too interested and wanted to read more about him since I’m waiting on volume 3. Big mistake. I stumbled right on a major spoiler (want to be spoiled too?). Dang. I knew that was going to happen. My fault for looking though.

I’m still not entirely feeling the slayer army, but luckily in this installment they don’t feature into the story all that much. Still, there was plenty of ass-kicking including one awesome scene between Buffy and Faith. We also find out why Dawn is a giant. Ah Dawn, why did you think you’d be any luckier in love?

We end with some uncomfortable truths coming out between Willow and Buffy and what looks like an estrangement. Can’t wait until Vol. 3 gets here!

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Book Source: Library Copy

The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

Violet can sense dead bodies. Not any dead body, only those that have been murdered. They give off echoes, colors, sounds, and other sensations. Those that are responsible give off corresponding echoes.

She can also sense dead animals. She can barely stand to be around her cat (which, to me, begs the question, why does she keep it?!) I must say I had something of a problem with this, only because I don’t think that animals hunting and killing other animals ever constitutes murder (in my notes I went on at length, be thankful I spared you). So anyway, I decided to go with Violet being able to sense violent endings. Ahhh, yes. Much better.

Enter a serial killer, who is killing young ladies in her town. Girls she’s known and grown up with. Violet feels compelled to seek him out using her special skill set. When is this ever a good idea? Oh, that’s right – never! Violet soon finds herself in increasing danger.

There was some really great suspense in this book. Interspersed with Violet’s narrative are chapters written from the killer’s point of view and they are flat out creepy. We see how he picks his victims, how he traps them, but thankfully not what happens after – which would have been too much. Leaving that to the imagination makes it even creepier in my mind. There were some great plot twists in here too that were unexpected.

All in all though, this book was not for me. Violet has a special power, but still needs to be rescued by the various males in her life. Part of this I understand, yes, she has a special power, but she hasn’t really explored it and this whole serial killer situation thing is totally new. So it isn’t like she’s a super hero or anything. But still, Jay was a little too protective for my taste. I found him stifling. I wanted to tell him to back off. And there was that little matter of a sexual assault that happened on a date Violet has with a school friend. It wasn’t spoken of in those terms and that is exactly the problem I had with it. Or I could be overreacting. It just seemed like it was a serious thing.

***SPOILERS***

Do killers really ever burst into a detailed explanations, doing everything but tapping their fingers together like Mr. Burns and letting off evil laughter (muahahahahaha) before they are going to kill you? Do they? I mean, I guess it’s possible. It just doesn’t seem realistic. It seems like a way for an author to info-dump on the reader. I would have preferred Violet to learn of the ins-and-outs of the methods from her uncle after the fact. Oh and the fact that he dressed up in camo complete with camo face paint to chase her through the woods was just too much for me. I kept thinking of the episode of Arrested development when Tobias followed Lindsay on her date with the homeless dude dressed up in blue-man makeup all the while blending into walls and vending machines. I do not blame this on the author in any way – this is the type of thing my brain just does. It makes it hard for me to take things seriously. I had a similar problem when reading The Road when they were eating babies. So, yes, very much a personal problem.

***end of spoilers***

So my conclusion? The romance is steamy and the suspense will keep you turning the pages. I think teen girls will like it.

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Book Source: Library Copy

Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves

Hanna is what most people consider crazy--semi-treated bipolar and occasionally hallucinating. After her father dies, she heads to East Texas to find the mother who never wanted her. But Portero, Texas is a place even stranger than Hanna....

I wasn't sure what to expect with this book and it kept me guessing for quite a while. It is definitely fantasy/sci fi with a very unusual heroine. at times, she seemed like anything but heroic. However, I like that she is flawed and not in that "Bella Swan" way; she has her issues, but she ain't taking nothing from nobody, not even her Mama or the all-powerful town Mayor! Make this girl angry and she might just hit you over the head with a blunt object.

I wasn't as taken with the Mortmaine, the protectors in this strange town. Of course, I think that is exactly what the author was aiming for. I did like the romantic interest/hero, though. He was pretty believable and multi-faceted, too, although not as complex as Hanna.

My only problem with this book is that it felt a little drawn out and maybe a bit too violent. Granted the violence and sexuality are a big part of the story, but sometimes it was a bit too much.

However, I highly recommend this book for those Twilight fans who are looking for something new, something grittier, something where people actually die and the ending isn't so pat.

Yurei Yokai to Kyuketsuki, desu ne?! (Ghosts, Demons, and Vampires, oh my!)

Recently I seem to be obsessed with ghost stories and Japanese monsters. Been reading things like Bleach, Tactics, and Yokai Attack! Been watching Ghost Hunt, Saiyuki, and mainstream Japanese horror. So, here are two of the paranormal stories that caught my eye.

The Waking Book 1: Dreams of the Dead by Thomas Randall

I was a bit worried when I started this one. It is a Japanese style paranormal mystery written by an American. It had all the chances of just becoming a manga and anime-influenced rehash of Japanese culture with no real ideas of how modern Japan functions or grasp of Japanese culture. However, I was pleasantly surprised.

Kara is a 16-year-old girl from Boston who moves to Kyoto prefecture with her father, an English teacher at a prestiguous Japanese high school. They have both always wanted to live in Japan and, after the death of Kara's mother, the move is both wanted and needed. Along with worries about fitting in, Kara faces the trauma and stangeness of several suspicous student deaths that appear to be caused by the murder of a student in the Fall. Is it supernatural? Or is it only the victim's sister trying to get revenge?

The strongest parts of this story are Randall's ability to evoke the beauty of Miyazu City, his well-drawn characters, and his obvious grasp of Japanese folklore and love of horror. Kara details her love of the city and the people who live there in simple but striking language. She references both anime and American cultural standards (Alice in Wonderland, The Wizard of Oz) but doesn't only see the world through pop culture eyes. She is also a good judge of character and a normal teen; she doesn't like everybody and she questions here choices in friends, fashion, and behavior, especially in a country where propriety is everything. I love that Randall refuses to use both the American and Japanese stereotype characters and instead creates characters that are foremost teenagers and secondarily Japanese.

The folklore, of course, was one of the main draws for me as well. Was it a ghost? A monster? and if so, what kind? Japanese monsters are very different from American ones. I was genuinely surprised by what the outcome was. The plot was well thought out and masterly crafted. The bullying was important, but not simple. The monsters were both supernatural and human.

I look forward to the next installment in this trilogy, Spirits of the Noh.

Ghost Hunt by Fuyumi Ono and Shiho Inada

Now for a manga with similar topics.....

Mai Taniyama is a typical teen in high school. When Shibuya Psychic Research comes to her school to investigate a possible haunting, she becomes an assistant on the team after causing the usual assistant (Lin) to be injured and destroying an expensive camera. The school also hires a Buddhist monk (Takigawa), a Shinto miko (Ayako), a Catholic priest (John) and a psychic medium (Masako). This becomes their first case together and the series continues with multiple cases of varying creepiness and validity.

Mai discovers that she has her own paranormal power (dream prognostication) and has an unhealthy crush on the head of the company, 17-year-old Kazuya Shibuya (Naru the narcissicist, for short). After the case, she is also hired as an office assistant. This mainly involves making tea....

In any case, the cases are fascinating and some of them are quite scary. Japanes folklore and paranormal science intertwine in every case, as the team uses whatever is available to them to help their clients. Occasionally, the plot is a bit formulaic, but that is to be expected in an episodic manga such as this.

Originally, this story was a series of "light" novels in Japan. That is what they call their YA. It was highly popular and was later adapted into manga and anime form. The manga is still being written and is supposed to follow through to the end of the novel series. The anime is complete and ended before the end of the current manga volume.

So, a creepy time had by all? These two are a great pick for your horror lovers out there, especially if they would like something a little different. And they both promise to serve up plenty of yurei, yokai, and kyuketsuki!!!

Killer Pizza by Greg Taylor

Fourteen-year-old Toby gets his first summer job at "Killer Pizza" where all menu items go with the theme--for example, "Mummy Wraps," "The Monstrosity," and "Creature Double Feature." While he tells everyone he just wants to earn some extra cash, he really wants to become a famous chef and enjoys the chance to cook everyday. Then he finds out that "Killer Pizza" is just a cover for a secret organization that fights monsters and other creatures of the night. Now he must decide whether or not he wants to be a M.C.O. (Monster Combat Officer).

This book is full of adventure and somewhat campy monster craziness. I mean, what 14-year-old boy doesn't want to be an MCO? Heck, I want to be an MCO! And the end papers are great; it looks like the inside of a greasy pizza box.

I really liked the characters, although again as in many YA novels, the parents and other adults are barely there. Even the bad guys aren't very flushed out. But in this case, that kind of makes sense. It goes well with the B-movie, monster thriller vibe. Hey, and at least it's not vampires!

This is definitely a book that you want to talk up to your tween and younger teen boys. Not that some girls won't love it, too, but the boys are definitely the target audience. If they love R. L. Stine, Darren Shan, and all things monster, they will love this one.

Oh, and it's on the Lone Star List, too.

Reviewed from Library copy.

Manga MIni Reviews

With the craziness of the summer season, my reading habits have been really erratic. Honestly, I haven't been able to finish many novels--I just keep losing my focus. However, my appetite and attention for manga is as high as ever, and I have read some good stuff lately. So, here are a few small reviews for the manga lovers out there.


Night of the Beasts by Chika Shiomi

Aria is a strong girl with a no-nonsense attitude. When strange killings begin to take place in her town, apparently by wild dogs, she soon discovers that they have something to do with her family and with the handsome guy she just met, Sakura. Can her ability to calm the beasts prevent the murder of 4,000 people? And save the man she is falling in love with?


This one is by the same manga-ka as Canon and the artwork is very much her style, kind of retro 80s with sharp chins and impossibly wide shoulders. Night of the Beasts is a lot darker, though. Aria and Sakura are much more likeable, too. After just one volume, you are so rooting for them to succeed and get together. I can't wait to see what happens!

Absolute Boyfriend by Yuu Watase

The author of Fushigi Yuugi and Ceres: Celestial Legend once again brings us an intriguing and hilarious love triangle. Riiko has been repeatedly rejected by the boys she likes when she meets a strange salesman who gives her a card for "Kronos Heaven," an online specialty shop for lovers. Curious, Riiko designs her perfect boyfriend; shockingly he arrives that very night boxed in a crate and waiting for he kiss to awaken him! .

This one is just plain fun. Night and Riiko are a cute couple, especially when Riiko is trying to teach Night about the real world. However, Soshi is such a good guy, you can't help but root for him, too. And Riiko's debt and her constant attempts to pay it off are so funny! In the end, Riiko learns a lot about romantic relationships and Night learns a lot about the world; Soshi learns to share his emotions. The ending is bittersweet, but perfect.

Monkey High by Shouko Akira

Haruna Aizawa transfers to a new school after a highly publicized scandel involving her politician dad. She is determined to lay low and just observe the "monkey mountain" that is high school. But, her crazy classmates have other ideas, dragging her into their silly antics. Not only that, but she finds herself drawn to the most unexpected boy--Masaru (or Macharu, as his friends call him), a short, funny monkey of a boy who is a strange mismatch to Haruna's good looks and serious nature.

The things I love about this manga are the supporting cast, the great match-up of two unexpected leads, and the tension, oh the tension. Haruna and Macharu's friends are varied, loyal, and hilarious; anytime the group is together you know they are going to have a good time! And Atsu--it is so easy to both love and hate this boy at the same time! He is perfect--beautiful, fun, friendly but at the same time kind of narcissitic and manipulative. You really want to just hate him, but every time you think you can, you learn more about his past, his life, and his motivations that just make you still love him.

I really do love that Haruna and Macharu don't match. And, that for once in shojo, it is not the girl who is strange, silly, and funny. While Macharu may seem kind of one-dimensional at the beginning of the story, slowly you begin to realize that he is human and complex, even if he smiles all the time. He gets angry, despressed, and confused like all teens do. And he wants Haruna to see him as a man....

And thus, the tension. While Haruna obviously loves Macharu, she has a lot of trouble seeing him as a man. She loves his childish nature, but he isn't going to stay a child; he is already becoming a man. The biggest angst moments come when Haruan and Macharu get into misunderstandings or when Macharu wants to move their relationship on to the next logical level. Will they ever move beyond kissing? Do we want them to?

Sand Chronicles by Hinako Ashihara

Hmm, more love triangles. I'm beginning to see a theme in my current reading...

Ann and her mother move to the small village of Shimane from Tokyo after her parents divorce. At first, Ann hates it, but slowly she makes friends with Daigo, Fuji, and Shika. When her mother commits suicide, Daigo and her friends are the only thing that keep Ann together. But when Ann decides to move back to Tokyo to live with her Dad, will Daigo's and her relationship survive? Oh, and Fuji will be in Tokyo too, and he obviously has a thing for Ann...

This one is sweet and sappy with moments of darkness and comedy. I love the whole cast and want them all to be happy. But the interlacing relationships can make things very difficult, especially when you add in the emotional family baggage that everyone (except Daigo) seems to carry as well.

Sand Chronicles has won the Shogakukan Manga Award for shojo manga in Japan and ALA's Great Graphic Novels for Teens 2009 list.

Tail of the Moon by Rinko Ueda

Usagi is a training to be a kunoichi (female ninja) in her family's ninja clan, but she is hopelessly inept. Finally, her great-grandfather, head of the clan, gives her one final chance--to become a full ninja she must travel to Segachi and become the wife of the great ninja Hattori Hanzo, and bear him a child. But Hanzo has sworn never to marry, so Usagi has her work cut out for her!

This manga is so much fun! It is populated with famous Japanese figures from the Tensho era, but is pure ninja romantic situational comedy! The boys are beautiful; the girls are gorgeous and strong; and Usagi is a complete mess. I laugh on nearly every page...

Well, I guess that's all for today. I'll keep you posted on the newest manga and graphic novels I get my hands on!

Book(s) source: Public library

Strange Angels by Lili St. Crow

Whew, been awhile. My computer died on me and it took me some time to replace it. Anyway, I did keep reading!

Dru has moved from place to place with her ex-military father, hunting creatures that the normal world doesn't know exist. She helps her dad through use of "the touch," a psychic ability that allows Dru to sense the supernatural beings. When he returns from a hunt as a zombie, Dru must decide what to do: find her father's killer, move on, or try to live a normal life. The creature that is now hunting her may make that choice for her.

I have to say that I liked the pace and the unique creatures that are in this story. It is not a paranormal romance, although I could see it going there in the future. It is definitely an action story. St. Crow weaves in some little used mythology in her story and makes it believeable.

Graves, the Goth boy who helps Dru decide what to do and gives her a place to stay, is probably the most likeable character. However, Dru's constant references to his "half-blood" status and features are obnoxious and borderline racist. Do we really need to be constantly reminded of his half-Asian features and mathematical abilities? It is a horribly overdone cliche for an otherwise great character.

Several reviews I read really like Christophe, the other main character, but I reserve judgement for later novels. Something about him really bothers me.....Just can't put my finger on it.

As for Dru herself, she is plucky and foul-mouthed, cynical and soft-hearted, knowledgable yet still in some ways quite innocent. She is complex enough to carry the story, but understandable and recognizable as a teenager who has lost her whole family and discovered that the secrets they kept are larger than the ones that they shared.

So, overall, not a masterpiece, but I do look forward to future installments. It is a good choice for all those Twilight lovers out there (with better writing and swifter plot). All in all, a new guilty pleasure for those of us who love our paranormal hotties.