Bibliophile Princess 10

Bibliophile Princess 10 by Yui Kikuta

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


A little over a year after reading the full published series at this time, I came to find this new gem and that there is at least one more volume planned in the manga. This is a much softer series overall, and this volume has a lot of fluff. It's rather cute when Eli realizes exactly what happened at the previous masquerade, though her obliviousness outside of her books and overall knowledge could potentially get her in trouble. Fortunately, she has a lot of people looking out for her, even if one of them is an overly enthusiastic prince that she's conveniently engaged to. The banter about what Eli would like to read next is also funny in a way, though the topics might be a little too racy for how innocent Eli is at the moment. Most of Eli's time that we see is either with Chris, her family, or books, so the lab scenes are an amusing change of pace, even if Chris might be losing his mind in jealousy.

View all my reviews

A Royal Rebound: Forget My Ex-Fiancé, I'm Being Pampered by the Prince! 3

A Royal Rebound: Forget My Ex-Fiancé, I'm Being Pampered by the Prince! 3 by Micoto Sakurai

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


The sheer obliviousness is hilarious. Everyone already basically sees Amelia paired with Prince Sarge, especially once she secures her position as his partner in his research and the engagement with Reese is dealt with. Even Prince Julius makes decisions to move forward and the group continues to evolve, though remains with their core set. It's even more hilarious when Amelia's father meets Prince Sarge and sees just how comfortable Amelia is at the palace given all of her time there researching. The situation of an heir is even covered rather neatly, though not without some jealousy. For all that things seem to be moving smoothly, there's something going on in the background with this masked guard that seems too interested in Amelia. We'll have to wait for the next volume to see if her suspicions as to their identity are correct and what this individual may want with her though, as this is our cliffhanger at the end of the volume.

View all my reviews

Dinghai Fusheng Records 3

Dinghai Fusheng Records 3 by Fei Tian Ye Xiang

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


The art is gorgeous and the story is unique, though I constantly feel like I'm missing something in the series. Despite Xiang Shu's refusal to be Cheng Xing's protector, he doesn't seem to object to being called by that title and does continue to save him, even help him in several instances as they try to deal with this Resentment and the undead soldiers. After several battles and tense moments, we see Xiang Shu relax somewhat as they return to a land he considered home, though that relaxation doesn't last for long when his "brother" (not actually his brother, but calls him such) arrives knocking on death's door. Cheng Xing may be the more useful one on the homefront as his healing skills come in handy and seem to ease the original confusion on his arrival. Part of me thinks I should go ahead and read the novel to see if it helps fill in some of those gaps, but I truly enjoy the art and don't want to detract from this version of publication either.

View all my reviews

Safe & Sound in the Arms of an Elite Knight 5 (Manga)

Safe & Sound in the Arms of an Elite Knight 5 by Yuyu Kouhara

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Volume 6 makes a lot more sense once reading this volume that I was missing in the order of events. This volume takes Chloe to her first visit at the bookstore, discover Lloyd also enjoys reading, and her first trip to the Knight's area at the palace when she takes Lloyd his forgotten lunch. Luke comes across even more pompous and full of himself through the artwork, which is saying a lot given his attitude in the original tale. This was an ever quicker read given the familiarity with the storyline and simply missing the gap between volumes 4 & 6. For anyone familiar with the series, this remains enjoyable and light for the most part.

View all my reviews

Safe & Sound in the Arms of an Elite Knight 6 (Manga)

Safe & Sound in the Arms of an Elite Knight 6 by Fuyu Aoki

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I couldn't figure out why the beginning of this volume felt off to me, but then realized when I came to write this that I somehow managed to miss volume 5, so will need to go back and read that. This volume shows Chloe settling into her new life, from seeing Lloyd's duel to running errands, chatting with friends, and picking up her embroidery work. Unfortunately, her return to her own hobbies and crafts is also the event leading into her discovery in town by her sister who has made an appearance solely for social standing. The short story at the end is indeed very short, but also hilarious as Chloe is slowly coming to understand her own feelings while Lloyd is completely clueless. A little bit of fluff to offset the concerns surrounding her sister's arrival.

View all my reviews

The Too-Perfect Saint: Tossed Aside by My Fiancé and Sold to Another Kingdom 5

The Too-Perfect Saint: Tossed Aside by My Fiancé and Sold to Another Kingdom 5 by Fuyutsuki Koki

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Philia is up against the crown prince in her desire to save her sister Mia as the monster strike is imminent and they learn the barrier can only be expanded where there is enough power to anchor it, but there is no such anchor in Girtonia. Fortunately, Prince Osvalt remains on Philia's side as always and is happy to dive into battle with her. In the meantime, Mia has set the stage for Prince Julius' downfall with the aid of Prince Ferdinand, and even the king enters the stage. The king looks far younger in this rendition than expected, especially given his illness. Like Prince Osvalt's attention to Philia, Prince Ferdinand also excels at reading Mia and understanding what is at stake. Comparatively speaking, this volume still leaves us around the first light novel as Philia has yet to learn the extent of events that Mia has uncovered in their homeland.

View all my reviews

Formerly, the Fallen Daughter of the Duke 5 (Novel)

Formerly, the Fallen Daughter of the Duke 5 by Ichibu Saki

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


It appears this is not the last novel of the series as new events are far from complete. This Princess Beatrice seems both simple and complicated at the same time, easily coming to the strangest conclusions that are far from the truth and choosing very questionable actions in her desperation to meet her family's demands. Even more than the crown prince, it seems this "Lord Prophet" may be who they should be the most concerned about, and what he has in store for Keith, rather than anything else. It also remains to be seen if Beatrice interacting with Claire's memories could indeed change the events of their past, though hopefully this will be resolved before they reach their current lifetime. Despite this looming threat and the exams they can't risk failing, the entire group seems oddly laid back and excited to be able to get a glimpse of what took place in Claire's first life with them all - especially Vik. I haven't been able to find any information regarding the release of the next installment in the series, so hopefully it won't be too long of a wait for continuity.

View all my reviews

Formerly, the Fallen Daughter of the Duke 4 (Novel)

Formerly, the Fallen Daughter of the Duke 4 by Ichibu Saki

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


It is interesting how Prince Gilbert's situation is similar and yet different from Claire's, especially as it seems his story repeated separately from Claire's own experience up until their storylines actually converged. This is also the first time that we actually see any true understanding of the game world from Charlotte despite her frequent ravings that she's the "main character". Events with Prince Gilbert were more than a little concerning, though make some sense from the game's point of view. His actions clearly clashed with the current reality and expectations, though fortunately with Claire's own experience, Vik and his retinue are far more equipped to understand and act on Gilbert's story than others who might be more likely to dismiss his ramblings. It is fortunate that things work out as they do. While the story does have a definite end at this point, there are also some lingering possibilities that might be explored, which would make sense as there is currently at least one more volume after this one in the novel series. Hopefully we'll see more of Claire's happy future come to a reality and far less concerns or troubles than the previous versions of the story have entailed.

View all my reviews

Formerly, the Fallen Daughter of the Duke 3 (Novel)

Formerly, the Fallen Daughter of the Duke 3 by Ichibu Saki

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Just when it looks like the story may be wrapping up, we have new lessons to prepare for and a new romance character making an appearance. There is a slight warning of this when Claire returns to the modern world once again, but it seems more similar to her first dream visit rather than like the times when her power drained, making it even more confusing. This new character seems to have some knowledge potentially of events given his acceptance of Charlotte as the "main character" and his unusual interest in Claire. Hopefully this won't be too problematic, especially after the bombshells at the last ball take place. At least Nicola seems to be a much better match with current relations being what they are, as well as the building friendship between Noston and Paffuto. We learn a bit more about Claire's grandmother as well, though her visions and interference in the story still seem to be unknown a lot of the time and leaves questions remaining as to what she actually saw. Ideally, there won't be as much of a wait for Claire and Vik, especially now that it seems the entire royal family is onboard with Vik's plans.

View all my reviews

Formerly, the Fallen Daughter of the Duke 2 (Novel)

Formerly, the Fallen Daughter of the Duke 2 by Ichibu Saki

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


As hoped, this takes us just past current events in the manga. We also get a lot more insight on Vik's side of events, and even Dion shares the spotlight a bit, which adds more dimension to the rest of the story. Prince Asbert makes an appearance as well following the meeting with Aunt Anne, which leaves about as many questions as answers regarding the situation with Charlotte. It looks like Aunt Anne is preemptively making a move herself with the drinks at the ball, though it's yet to be seen how things will play out now that Charlotte's powers have awakened. It will be curious as well to see if everyone remains as clear from her influence as they currently are, and what it will mean with Nicola transfering to the Noston academy. At least it appears that everyone with any idea of how things are playing out in Paffuto seem supportive of Claire and Vik, though it's somewhat muted by the forced delays. Claire does have a point, as always, though hopefully it won't add any additional strains now that things are slowly working out. It will be curious to see if they must wait until the tornado and/or the next ball following as in the past or if another opportunity will arise. It seems Vik and Keith are keeping him apprised of things, so it is unlikely to be a surprise at least. If he is as amenable and supportive as he was the first time around, there should not be any difficulties. Can't help but feel something will happen with Charlotte, but hopefully it will not result in as much of a tragedy this time around with all of these new ties and plans in motion.

View all my reviews

Formerly, the Fallen Daughter of the Duke 1 (Novel)

Formerly, the Fallen Daughter of the Duke 1 by Ichibu Saki

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This covers a few of the volumes in the manga, as expected. While there are some descriptions, like the baptisms that make far more sense in this version, there are other details that I must admit are better in the manga. The reason for Claire wanting the save point is a prime example of this. While war is certainly never a good thing, and her concern over Lui is obvious, her decision makes far more sense when Vik is also on the line. Otherwise, a lot of the story is the same, though as always, there are different details available in different versions of the story. We even get a sneak peek into Claire's ideal future and Vik's groups antics before they meet Claire. It is also much clearer that Aunt Anne certainly does have something to do with Charlotte's weakening control over those around them. It would be interesting to see some interaction between Claire and Anne directly, especially if she may have some additional details to the story that Claire has been wondering about.

View all my reviews

Formerly, the Fallen Daughter of the Duke 7

Formerly, the Fallen Daughter of the Duke 7 by Ichibu Saki

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Well, this is probably the best they could have hoped for in regards to digging out the Meade family's plots while also finding a way to protect Dion given his current allegiance and the genuine resource he's become for the group. The ball is a little surprising between the unexpected tea party with Nicola and Vik's assertions wanting to provide Claire with a dress the next time and his disappointment in not being able to introduce her to the king yet. Lydia provides a lot of insight there, which is hilarious and also leaves us on a rather large cliff hanger as there's this large hint of things working out but a new obstacle in the way while Claire flails over if she's reading things correctly or not. This is a bit disappointing as there's no news on when the next volume will be released, but still highly enjoyable in this volume. There's a significant difference in things as the group establishes their new friendship, and even Vik seems a little put out when Claire initially clings to formality and protocol with him. I may end up picking up the light novel for this series as I really want to see how things unfold, though unsure if that version of the series is complete or not at this stage. Given the amount of content novels typical cover in comparison to their manga counterparts, it seems certain at least the story would proceed further even though there's currently five volumes of the novel compared to the seven for the manga. Seeing all of the emotions and the artwork is just too good though - need another volume soon!

View all my reviews

Formerly, the Fallen Daughter of the Duke 6

Formerly, the Fallen Daughter of the Duke 6 by Ichibu Saki

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Oddly, Dion genuinely seems perfectly content with his new situation and outlook on life, which in turn has made him a good resource for information for Claire and Vik and the others. With at least some of their past story now public, it's reassuring to see at least this core group believes them, and even some understanding from Vik as he puts the pieces together. There seems to be some hope for the pair there as well given his musings and comments about similarities to his feelings now, not that Claire seems to catch all of them or understand what he means. It's somewhat clearer towards the end of the volume as Claire is abducted by Dion's sister and Vik has to decide if he'll follow her lead and wait or charge in to rescue her right away - though it's clear what his preference would be, just as he struggled in the original storyline with letting Claire find her wings on her own and wanting to keep her by his side. Fortunately, the two goals aligned before, and most likely will again if the two can get back on the same page. Vik is slowly opening up more often, which makes for interesting comparisons from Claire as she reminds herself that they don't have the same relationship now and wonders what is or isn't acceptable, but Vik keeps reaching out in small ways that are encouraging to readers.

View all my reviews

Formerly, the Fallen Daughter of the Duke 5

Formerly, the Fallen Daughter of the Duke 5 by Ichibu Saki

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Well, Dion's arrival certainly explains a lot of the changes at least as far as events in Paffuto and the risk to Claire being able to unleash her full potential. We also meet Vik's older brother, who was not a known part of the original story at all as far as we've seen so far. Understandably, the groups interactions are very different this time around, but there are small snippets here and there that bridge some of the gap and may provide some relief with the changing events. It's clear Claire is learning to understand more of her own feelings, though she remains determined to be content with saving those dear to her. The ending of this volume adds a rather unexpected twist in Claire's encounter with Dion and how that plays out.

View all my reviews

Formerly, the Fallen Daughter of the Duke 4

Formerly, the Fallen Daughter of the Duke 4 by Ichibu Saki

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Claire is surprising more than a few people, but who could have suspected events unfolding the way they are. It is yet to be seen how events will unfold entirely, but Claire's suspicion about the game save point at least appears to have been accurate. The cover makes sense with this move back to the past of the game. Fortunately, Claire retains her memories of events in her prior life, allowing her to make decisions based on current events. Things have changed drastically from how they happened in the past however, including the high regard from her family and ex-fiance, and the much earlier events unfolding in Paffuto. Hopefully there won't be too much trouble with her "trespassing" and this very early meeting, though this may be a better scene in private than meeting in a formal setting where they can't really talk at all. 

View all my reviews

Formerly, the Fallen Daughter of the Duke 3

Formerly, the Fallen Daughter of the Duke 3 by Ichibu Saki

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Things progress rather quickly thanks to events at the ball. Some answers forming as well with the introduction of the Meade family, though fortunately Dion does not appear to be as threatening as everyone feared thanks to Claire's new power levels. It seems everyone is seeing Charlotte's true colors, which has her more than a little upset as she is of the opinion everyone should adore her and give her what she wants. The return to Noston is a bit of a surprise, though it also makes sense with the timing of events. Vik has very little patience for those he sees as disregarding Claire and responsible for the perceived pain she must have gone through prior to their meeting. It seems like Claire has a better remaining reputation in her home country than she thought she did, though at least it seems as if those who have run into her so far are respectful of her position with the delegation while clearly curious as to what it means - at least until close to the end.

View all my reviews

Formerly, the Fallen Daughter of the Duke 2

Formerly, the Fallen Daughter of the Duke 2 by Ichibu Saki

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


There's more than a little bit of misconception going around, but it's adorable and hilarious at the same time. Claire has unintentionally garnered the respect and approval Vik needed to choose her through her actions, though that wasn't her intention. She genuinely just wanted to help everyone. It's rather adorable how Vik's advisors and Miss Isabella are rooting for the pair, though they both seem convinced they should settle for friends and being able to support the other in their goals. 

View all my reviews

Formerly, the Fallen Daughter of the Duke 1

Formerly, the Fallen Daughter of the Duke 1 by Ichibu Saki

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This follows a lot of similar tropes with the younger step sibling joining the family later on and wanting everything the rich family has, so she paints the older sibling as the villain who looked down on her and made her life miserable, earning the sympathy of those around her, including her older sister's fiance. When the crown prince plans to break their engagement, Claire doesn't truly mind as she adores her younger sister Charlotte, and thinks she would be a better match for the crown prince given their magic rankings after initiation. Except it appears that Claire's ranking was incorrect at first because she didn't have the correct location for her mother's hometown.

Thanks to the isekai aspect of this series, Claire dreams of life as a college student where her closest friend and roommate is playing the very game that she's living - so which one is the real her? The college interactions do glean some information she was otherwise missing however, such as her mother's hometown, and shedding light on why everything changed so drastically among her family and peers.

Claire doesn't let this get her down though, and immediately sets out on her own. The last thing she would have expected would be meeting a female knight (apparently she's the first to realize so quickly according to the other knights) and the crown prince of a neighboring country (though this revelation comes much later). Vik does seem like a genuinely nice guy, though it's also clear he has some sort of interest in Claire even before her re-initiation. Claire seems perfectly content with her new role as a governess and the chance to go back to school and learn about her new abilities. Granted, we haven't met her charge yet, and it would seem there's at least one girl at school that has her sights set on Vik. That could spell some trouble given Vik's clear fondness for Claire and his determination to look out for her.

View all my reviews

Not-Sew-Wicked Stepmom 8

Not-Sew-Wicked Stepmom 8 by Mo9Rang

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Abigail very nearly self sabotages again, though it turns out she entirely misread the situation, and Nadia has no interest in Sabian at all. Now it seems to be the shoe is on the other foot as Sabian and Blanche both fear losing Abigail to her newest suitor. Abigail is so close to having her own happily ever after, if she can escape her fears and uncertainties about the past and her dual identity to truly accept what is being offered to her. It's clear the story has changed drastically, and they really are a rather adorable couple. They really just need to be on the same page, and a certain scheming politician to back off. Fortunately, for all of his maneuvering, Lady Karen seems happy in her place and doesn't want to see Abigail leave either.

View all my reviews

Bride of the Barrier Master 5

Bride of the Barrier Master 5 by Odayaka

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


There is something about the artwork in this series that adds beautifully to the story. We finally start seeing more of Hana and Hazuki's older brother, though he's still keeping his distance from the twins. Saku's old "friend" also enters the scene and doesn't seem to be winning any favors with his rough treatment of Hazuki. We start to see the friends pulling together to help Hazuki with her studies while Saku is doubling down on convincing her to forget their original contract and give up on a divorce. Aside from the unwanted interruption, the girl's outing is rather adorable and it's sweet to see the sisters getting along, even as Hazuki continues to learn just how much she really doesn't know - about Hana's life, the Association, and even what Saku has gone through to get where he is. There is a good bit of time between volume releases for this series, but each one is always just as enjoyable as the last one, so still looking forward to more.

View all my reviews