Showing posts with label type: book. Show all posts
Showing posts with label type: book. Show all posts

July 30, 2026

A Timid Lady Was Turned into an Ugly Cat, but on the Verge of Fainting Is Picked Up by the Most Fearsome Military Duke 1

A Timid Lady Was Turned into an Ugly Cat, but on the Verge of Fainting Is Picked Up by the Most Fearsome Military Duke 1 by Otori

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This starts off with a very traditional looking Cinderella storyline, but quickly takes a few turns. Marie's life is turned upside down, beginning with the arrival of her new stepmother and half-sister, and continuing on as her new sister basically takes over their family home and her entire life. Abandoned by everyone except her aunt, Marie tries to re-enter society as she faces a new rushed engagement. That new engagement would put her in a higher position in society than her younger sister though, and of course that cannot stand. The last thing anyone expected was for Marie to disappear in the midst of engagement talks. She hasn't really disappeared though. Instead, she's meeting her would-be fiance and learning an entirely different side to him that society doesn't know. Now if only she could find a way to communicate before she's written off entirely.

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July 29, 2026

I Ship My Rival x Me 4

I Ship My Rival x Me 4 by PEPA

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The ship volume meter is back with highs and lows, though it alters pretty drastically and very quickly (in the most hilarious way possible as usual). Wei is determined to keep Gu by his side, resulting in some rather hilarious antics and causing Gu to get rather jealous when he suspects others may earn the same treatment from Wei. Things go much farther than anticipated with a little liquid courage added into the mix, though thankfully both boys are entirely aware of what is happening. Gu's internal panic over being a good boyfriend when he thinks he's completely failed to be a good sponsor is another highlight, and one of the few pieces we get from Gu's perspective rather than Wei's given Wei typically narrates most of the series. The series isn't over yet though, nor is filming, which thankfully means we're likely to see a lot more shenanigans and drama as these boys slowly figure things out and hopefully get on the same page sooner rather than later in a more official capacity.

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July 23, 2026

Lover Boy 5

Lover Boy 5 by Zec

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Things start out rough in this volume, and understandably so given where it picks up from the previous volume. It would also seem like much more time passes between encounters than what it may come across as with the quick turn of a page given the multiple holidays in this volume. All that aside, once the boys start talking, it's apparent they really do want the same thing, they're just both afraid (with good reason). The remainder of the series is almost sickenly sweet as the boys seem to be making up for lost time and then some. They both have their turn at moments of jealousy that are highlighted in this volume as well. While it's arguable that there still isn't a definite "ending," there is enough talk of their future and plans together for readers to imagine how things go, especially given the way things usually end up when these two are together.

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July 13, 2026

Honey Lemon Soda 11

Honey Lemon Soda 11 by Mayu Murata

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


The first time I read this it didn't make a lot of sense as the story jumped all over the place. With some sleuthing given the suspicious storyline, I was able to discover that my ebook had the pages mixed up. Once this was corrected, it was much easier when re-reading to follow where the story went, though it does still jump around a little bit between the main pairing and their friends. While the story starts during the school year and covers a rather awkward summer camping trip, a good part of the story moves on to summer. With summer vacation, things are a little more relaxed, but that means schedules don't line up between cram school and jobs. It's no wonder that Kai has been working so long either once we learn more about his situation. There's even a rather surprising scene with Uka's father, which just goes to show how much the family's opinion has changed, especially her dad's. The new pictures are especially cute, though it's unlikely any of this will change or stop Uka from worrying about Kai - he may just have to learn to live with that.

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July 8, 2026

Heaven Official's Blessing 2

Heaven Official's Blessing 2 by Mò Xiāng Tóng Xiù

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This came out as beautifully as the first volume. The story picks up near the end of the ghost king inquiry at the end of the previous book and takes us through Xie Lian's return to the mortal realm, this time to set up a shrine for his most recent ascension, even if he believes he will be his only believer at the time. During this time, he meets San Lang during the ghost festival and walks through the various ways to tell tell if someone is a ghost or not. These differences are clearest when the shrine receives and unexpected visitor telling of Banyue Pass. It ends just as Xie Lian informs San Lang that he will need to take a long trip, but no details yet between the new friends. As usual, the artwork is amazing and adds a new dimension to the storytelling, especially when combined with the other forms of media.

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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.

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July 7, 2026

Assassin & Cinderella 5

Assassin & Cinderella 5 by Yuzo Natsuno

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


It is unclear if this is the last volume for the series or if more will be coming later on down the line, but if this is indeed the end, it's a horrible place to end the series. This has been a bit of a strange one with the confusing storyline and art from the beginning, especially as they play on Neneko's name a lot and actually draw her more like a cat than a person. Omi is as devoted as ever, and obviously has been paying attention given the small little gifts he's able to convince Neneko to accept along the way. While Neneko knows some of their shared history, it might be argued that she is still missing the most important parts, which would include why she makes such a great "weakness". She plays the game well in this volume, though it may not result in what everyone truly wants given the ending. While it seems like everything has been stacked against them from the beginning, can't help but hope these two would someday be able to break away from their missions and actually have a happy life down the road like Omi wishes.

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July 6, 2026

Assassin & Cinderella 4

Assassin & Cinderella 4 by Yuzo Natsuno

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


Read this on a manga site online. I'm honestly not sure why I continue the series as there's not a lot of content and it borders on overly graphic, yet they somehow never cross the line for all that things are always hot and steamy between the main couple. Did wonder if Omi might recognize this new "trainee", but it seems he only sees a rival for Neneko. While we now know what the organization has planned for Omi and get a little more background into how they "saved" Neneko, there's no set method or timeline shared to expect anything from. It may be a good thing that Omi keeps dragging his friend in as a buffer for all the other coworkers though if for no other reason than potentially some unexpected backup if or when things do go south. It will also be interesting to see how Neneko responds at that time and if she'll ever learn about her shared history with Omi.

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Assassin & Cinderella 3

Assassin & Cinderella 3 by Yuzo Natsuno

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


The title and Neneko's appearance make a lot more sense in this volume as we learn not only why Omi became an assassin, but how the two first met. Coincidentally, this also explains some of his obsession with taking care of her despite the concerns over enemy groups. Though Omi is insistent on keeping this a secret at the moment, it would be interesting to see if this knowledge would change Neneko's point of view about the organization and their relationship at all, especially as it's clear without the organization, there wouldn't be anything holding her back. It seems that this mysterious benefactor may have some not so happy plans in mind for Omi, and believes Neneko is the key to making it happen, which certainly may be the case given their connection underneath all of the titles and work roles.

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Always a Catch! How I Punched My Way into Marrying a Prince 10

Always a Catch! How I Punched My Way into Marrying a Prince by Mayo Momoyo

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


No matter how close to the wedding we seem to get, there is something new that happens, though the date itself isn't delayed. Fortunately it turns out Renato is safe and sound, though there's still more than enough excitement with the other unintentional rescue and then the last scene. For all that Mimi just wants a little time with her prince, things never seem to go according to plan. Her strength comes in handy more than once in saving the day, though it gets her into some trouble unintentionally. Given how free Mimi tends to be, can't imagine this new edict going over very well, though it may or may not bring some peace of mind to Prince Renato at least temporarily. 

A Sign of Affection 14

A Sign of Affection 14 by Suu Morishita

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Yuki and Itsu go on their first trip together overseas, which leads to a lot of excitement, but also some misunderstandings and a rather unexpected conversation about their future. Yuki's disability proves to give her a unique experience overseas as she's able to communicate rather well through gestures for simple greetings and kindness from strangers, but it also puts her at a disadvantage when her fear spikes and she thinks she's in a dangerous situation. Of course, Itsu isn't going to leave her alone for long and seems more than happy to share odd tidbits with her. His "selfish request" is also a surprise, yet not at the same time considering the way this pair has been going. May be with Yuki's dad though when Itsu's usual bluntness comes to play with his greeting - of course that's the first thing on his mind.

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July 5, 2026

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.

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A Stepmother's Marchen 6

A Stepmother's Marchen 6 by Spice&Kitty

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Elias is caught red handed so to speak, and more than one party appears to be worried how certain aspects of Ses House might reflect back on Shu. It's difficult to tell if the necklace scene is a flashback to the current life events or the previous life, but either way, this seems to be a mirror of a past experience that at least gives Shu the insight with how to deal with it this time given the previously unknown sender. There also appears to be trouble brewing between Richelieu and Theobald, both in relation to the Ses House adventure and their own little power plays behind the scenes. Neither one wants to back down or be controlled when they have their own plans in the works. This talk of engagement for Jeremy is also rather sudden, though there is a point that it would take at least some of the pressure off of Shu, so long as it truly is what both of the kids want in the long term, but they really are still kids at this age. Unsure when the next volume will come out to learn more, but when they are release, the volumes are rather thick even though the story itself is fairly slow moving with all of the complexities.

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July 2, 2026

Hitting Rewind With You 3

Hitting Rewind With You 3 by Hanamaru Kira

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


It takes nearly the entire volume, but we do finally get some resolution between these two putting them on the same path, not that it seems to have really changed much between them other than an official label. This is even more obvious given their outings together and the interactions with their friends and family over the holidays. It's a really good thing that Fumito is okay with Wakaba's own oddities and is willing to roll with all the costume changes considering how they keep falling into their laps rather literally. Maybe things will change now that they're on the same page, or maybe they'll keep going the same way they have been, just a little more secure in their standing. Will have to see how things roll with this slow burn (very slow burn).

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June 15, 2026

How I Met My Soulmate 7

How I Met My Soulmate 7 by Anashin

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


It took so long for the last chapter to be released that I had to go back and re-read the first part of the volume to remember where we are in the story. While there is some drama over Christmas with their friends, it all seems to work out for the best. Meanwhile, it turns out Yuuki still doesn't have her parent's actual permission to be living with Iori, resulting in a rather awkward first meeting with her father and an even funnier introduction to the rest of the family over New Year's. Oddly, Iori seems to be getting some good advice from some unlikely places, but both of them still have a habit of trying to handle things themselves instead of talking together first and approaching things as a team. Something they'll need to work on over time, though it looks like Iori may be doing slightly better at thinking more long term than Yuuki has managed so far. We're left on a cliffhanger while Iori is alone with Yuuki's parents and seems to be diving off the deep end willingly with them. Just what exactly is Yuuki going to return home to?

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June 14, 2026

His Little Amber 1

His Little Amber 1 by Kazuki Natsume

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


From the description on the back of the book, this looked to be some sort of shifter storyline, which it does begin as. There are some surprises that come up for Ko's past when his "brother" shows up to take him home. Meanwhile, Genji, the human who took Ko in as a child, can't seem to decide how attached he is to his "child" given his initial help and then the cold shoulder routine. Even with the cold shoulder, it seems apparent that Genji has no real intention of letting Ko leave him. Ko himself seems surprised by this possessive side, though he's still convinced he's a burden or forcing himself on Genji. It's also surprising how similar Ko's nickname is to his "real" name according to his brother, not that he seems happy to hear it and insists on keeping the name Genji gave him. Now that they're traveling together, it'll be interesting to see how things unfold.

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June 12, 2026

My Bias is Showing?! 2

My Bias is Showing?! 2 by Nabit

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


There are more answered revealed here, especially when it comes to Choi's original motivations. It's interesting though, that when he realizes Na may be innocent of his previous assumptions, he also finds himself genuinely wanting to continue their relationship and hoping Na will choose him. He seems more bothered by the idea Na may be getting played and be hurt than himself, which is a very different characterization from when he's cringing to himself and plotting his next moves. It looks like the next volume will have some fireworks as the truth comes out, at least as far as Choi's choices and Na's familial relationships go. It'll be interesting to see if the fanboying comes out as well, though that's been one of Na's biggest fears up to this point. They both came into this relationship hiding things and making some really questionable decisions, but both of them can't seem to help hoping that the other feels the same.

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June 11, 2026

Hitting Rewind With You 2

Hitting Rewind With You 2 by Hanamaru Kira

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This series continues to surprise. Every time you think they are on the same page and admitting they're on a date, something happens and they end up back tracking like they're still just hanging out or not really a couple. For all of their time together and frequent compliments (or in Wakaba's case, fangirling), there's a lot of uncertainty. It seems fairly clear Fumito wouldn't go along with something like this for just anyone though, and he does find some enjoyment out of their time together if even his friends are commenting on it. The group date where they end up getting hazed is also hysterical, though fortunately at least Wakaba's friends seem to be onboard the ship and happy to help out where Fumito's friends are more of pests inserting themselves wherever they can. The progression from their "fetish" dates to "normal" dates is also amusing, especially as they seem to get thrown into cosplay even when they aren't trying to, and then when they do manage to keep their clothes on, they both of those pre-date butterflies making them overdo it all and hoping for the best. Maybe eventually they'll manage to figure things out.

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Hitting Rewind With You 1

Hitting Rewind With You 1 by Hanamaru Kira

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Wasn't sure what to expect from this one, but it looked interesting and caught my eye as one of the recommended reads at Powell's. Wakaba and Fumito both end up out on Halloween in their old high school uniforms when they first run into each other - or more like Fumito saves Wakaba from a potentially dangerous, if not at least creepy, situation. Oddly, the day seems to go really well, and their interests align enough that Fumito is willing to go along with Wakaba's odd desire to relive their youth in their uniforms. The lines start blurring though as Fumito seems way too charming for his own good, and Wakaba internally is panicking over wanting this to last forever and thinking it must end eventually. It'll be interesting to see how things develop after this unusual meeting and agreement between the two.

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June 10, 2026

My Bias is Showing?! 1

My Bias is Showing?! 1 by Nabit

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This is a big mix of steamy with hilarity and more than a little confusion. Na Aejoon is a high school teacher who appears to be related to the leader of A-One, not that the link has gotten him any closer to his bias, Choi Siyeol. It seems like chance or fate when Choi ends up filming at Na's school and wants him to be his co-teacher for the series with him - but is it really? There's something more driving Choi's persistence here, which combined with Na's insistence to hide his own obsession could easily blow up in both of their faces. It'll be interesting to see how thing roll out and if they really do both like each other or if these games they're both playing will pull them down in the end.

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