The Dreamin’ Sun Series by Ichigo Tanako

Title: Dreamin’ Sun Vol. 1-10

Author: Ichigo Takano

Series: Yes.

Format: eBook

Page Count: A lot.

Publisher: Seven Seas Entertainment/Futabasha Publishers Ltd.

Age Range: 14+

Genre: Slice of Life/Romance

Description on Goodreads:

Shimana Kameko lives in a home where she feels she doesn’t belong. Her mother is dead, her father has remarried, and her six-month-old baby brother takes up everyone’s attention. Kameko skips school and runs away to a nearby park, where she literally stumbles over a mysterious man in a kimono. The stranger, Fujiwara Taiga, offers Kameko a place to stay — on three conditions. The first condition is that Kameko tell him why she ran away from home. The second is that she fetch the stranger’s lost apartment key (he is locked out!). The third condition is… to have a dream. Kameko meets the conditions, moves in, and begins a journey of romance and self-discovery.

Review:

So everywhere I looked in the last… oh lets be honest.. YEAR online I have seen this advertised. EVERYWHERE. From Instagram, to Goodreads, to even my Facebook and Twitter.

Then came the targeted ads. It was getting annoying as hell.

But heck if they weren’t accurate to target me.

I went into this knowing nothing other than it’s a “typical shoujou” and a lot of people recommended it.  I just buckled in, thinking this was gonna be a one and done mess. Just one volume and I can toss this aside.

I was dead wrong. So very wrong.

This was a sleeper hit for me. Holy crap.

When I first met the main character… I won’t lie. I hated her. She was… So annoying and overly stereotypical teenager. It’s all about me, me, me. All the problems are me me me. And yes, she does have a sad beginning. But how she demonizes her step-mom.. and it’s all a lie. I couldn’t get down with that.

But… once you get past that, it was the other characters that really pulled me in. Like Zen. He’s the Panda obsessed amatuer mangaka who I at first thought was gonna be a neckbeard/nice guy… but he was genuinely a nice guy. A real nice guy. We don’t meet the ACTUAL nice guy until later on in the series.

Asahi is nice… but mostly like a background character which works out. He was a big focus at first, but he does tend to fade. He could have been a bit more fleshed out, if I am honest other than what was thrown to him as a personality. And then there is the Landlord. GOD he is my favorite character. He’s an asshole, an unapologetic asshole. And I love it and his growth as a character.

That all being said, this IS one of those WHO WILL SHE END UP WITH mangas that are thrown at us, so keep that in mind. Very light drama, but when it happens, it’s serious. I spent all of yesterday reading this entire series, and am more than likely to read it again!

Not for those who like a lot more drama in their stories or people who dislike fluff.

My Rating: 4/5

Would I/Who would I recommend it (too): Anyone who is looking for a gentle shoujou/romance with a lot of innocence.

Goodreads Link:

https://www.goodreads.com/series/94069-dreamin-sun

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Upcoming Updates! 02/19/19

So I thought this might be a cute way to do my updates for my book blog! :3

In the next few days I will have a review up for a few books and be a part of a wonderful book tour!

 

Books you can expect a review on:

This is a 3-n-1 Manga Omnibus!

This will also have a blog tour post!

 

I have an idea of what I wanna read, but that will be a whole different post. 🙂

 

Anyways, I am gonna jump out for now!

 

Flying Witch, Vol. 1 by Chihiro Ishizuka, Melissa Tanaka

Title: Flying Witch, Vol. 1

Author: Chihiro Ishizuka, Melissa Tanaka

Series: Yes.

Format: eBook

Page Count: 158

Publisher: Kodansha/Vertical Comics

Age Range: 13+

Genre: Slice of Life/Fantasy

Description on Goodreads:

Prepare to be Bewitched! 

Makoto Kowata, a novice witch, packs up her belongings (including a black cat familiar) and moves in with her distant cousins in rural Aomori to complete her training and become a full-fledged witch.

Review:

This is my first review in a while! So do forgive me if I am a little rusty.

I went into this series completely blind. To be honest, it came in a package deal I got! It was a part of the Humble Manga Bundle: Fantasy by Kodansha Comics deal! I must state, this is NOT a sponsored review. My thoughts are my own. I will however speak to you of how wonderful Humble Bundle is. I love this site, as I can find new and interesting things and support not only them, but charity as well!

I knew nothing of the series and decided for it to be my first read, and boy am I glad I did!

The story starts out with our protagonist; the fledgling witch Makoto and her cat familiar Chito. The story is very lighthearted and feels like it really could be something that could happen.

From making friends and giving them dangerous plants to meeting the Harbinger of Spring and her adorable little cousin… I definitely will be continuing this series and suggest this to anyone who loves a little magic with their slice of life!

My Rating: 4/5

Would I/Who would I recommend it (too): Anyone who has a good hankering for some light fantasy and homey feeling reads.

Goodreads Link:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31172294-flying-witch-vol-1

 

This post is cross posted to SaltySalamanders

So a small update…

So…

 

I haven’t really been updating on my life. It’s not cause I don’t want too!

 

Life just has been busy as hell! I am lucky if I get a moment to sit down and not worry about if X is going to complicate Y, or if there is enough money to do XYZ. Or if I can get ABC to KYL in time to make sure BLH is done!

Life is kicking my ass.

Nothing bad is happening. It’s just been busy. Life has actually been.. good! We actually have adopted! Here is our sweet boy now:

We named him Ruce! It’s a long story how we got him, that I may write out in another blog post.

So while life is kicking my ass… I am going to force myself to sit down and do what I need for me. For me, that’s reading, writing and gaming. That’s one of the reasons why I started PokeJournal!

I really hope I stick with it. I really love the concept of it, and want to do more than just Pokémon White.

If this works out, I may venture off to other games. Who knows?

I am also gonna try to get back into book blogging on here again. SLOWLY. I miss it. I really do. I may cross post the blogs (and mark off that I am when I do).

The stuff on my rant/short story blog, Six of Crows is going to stay there for the most part. While I might cross post some in the future, it’s going to pretty much stay the same.

I know it’s weird having three blogs, but it makes sense for me.

I am weird about certain things.

I hope everyone has been doing well! I would love to know what is going on in your lives!

Anyways, this is it for now!

• Sera Quinn

Why I have been gone.

So… as some have you may have noticed…

I have been gone for over a month, and was spotty since…

Well, two months ago.

Because of medical reasons, and trying to get things sorted out, I really haven’t had the time or energy to read, let alone blog. Any down time I have had was spent worrying, sleeping or trying to forget what is happening. I have had a lot happen in the last two months, that is still ongoing. I won’t be coming back at full force, but I will be ASAP.

I plan on making posts at random, but I won’t up and dissappear. I miss doing this and I miss you all.

Please forgive me for being so lacking?

~ Rei’sa

Emmy and Oliver by Robin Benway

Title: Emmy and Oliver

Author: Robin Benway

Series: No.

Format: ARC (Thanks Heather Doss!)

Page Count: 352

Publisher: Harper Teen

Age Range: 15+

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Description on Goodreads:

Emmy’s best friend, Oliver, reappears after being kidnapped by his father ten years ago. Emmy hopes to pick up their relationship right where it left off. Are they destined to be together? Or has fate irreparably driven them apart?

Emmy just wants to be in charge of her own life.

She wants to stay out late, surf her favorite beach—go anywhere without her parents’ relentless worrying. But Emmy’s parents can’t seem to let her grow up—not since the day Oliver disappeared.

Oliver needs a moment to figure out his heart.

He’d thought, all these years, that his dad was the good guy. He never knew that it was his father who kidnapped him and kept him on the run. Discovering it, and finding himself returned to his old hometown, all at once, has his heart racing and his thoughts swirling.

Emmy and Oliver were going to be best friends forever, or maybe even more, before their futures were ripped apart. In Emmy’s soul, despite the space and time between them, their connection has never been severed. But is their story still written in the stars? Or are their hearts like the pieces of two different puzzles—impossible to fit together?

Readers who love Sarah Dessen will tear through these pages with hearts in throats as Emmy and Oliver struggle to face the messy, confusing consequences of Oliver’s father’s crime. Full of romance, coming-of-age emotion, and heartache, these two equally compelling characters create an unforgettable story.

Review:

I loved this. So much. I have honestly never read a Sarah Dessen book, so I cannot tell you if it is like one, but if Sarah Dessen is like THIS, I need to get on that. Like now.

I felt so much for both Emmy and Oliver. With all that both of them had been through, how Emmy had to hide part of her life, how Oliver just wanted to reclaim part of his… I can’t tell you how many times I laughed, I cried and whimpered.

This was the perfect book at the perfect time. I am VERY happy I got a review copy. I will DEFINITELY be purchasing a finished copy.

A shout out to Miss Heather Doss for sharing her love of this book!

My Rating: 5/5

Would I/Who would I recommend it (too): Anyone wanting a nice, summer, emotional read!

Goodreads Link:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23315831

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Title: Anna and the French Kiss

Author: Stephanie Perkins

Series: Yes. Companion novel trilogy.

Format: eBook and Paperback

Page Count: 372

Publisher: Dutton

Age Range: 16+

Genre: Young Adult/Contemporary

Description on Goodreads:

Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris–until she meets Étienne St. Clair. Smart, charming, beautiful, Étienne has it all…including a serious girlfriend.

But in the City of Light, wishes have a way of coming true. Will a year of romantic near-misses end with their long-awaited French kiss?

Review:

I actually did a boo-boo with this series. I read it out of order.I read Lola first. Which made reading Anna a little daunting. I already knew how it was going to end, so I was like eeeeeh.

I regret that eeeeh. It was very cute! I disagree with some of the choices made, but I can see WHY they were made. I over all loved the picture she painted! Anna, while a bit quirky in both good and bad ways, I loved the heck out of her. She was a good example of a flawed human. A real human. Same with St. Clair.

While this wasn’t my favorite so far of the trilogy, it is still one of my re-readable books. 🙂

My Rating: 5/5

Would I/Who would I recommend it (too): Anyone who likes a cutesy contemporary with a bit of drama and good world building.

Goodreads Link:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6936382-anna-and-the-french-kiss

The Gathering Dark/Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Title: The Gathering Dark/Shadow and Bone

Author: Leigh Bardugo

Series: Yes, trilogy.

Format: American Hardcover

Page Count: 358

Publisher: Henry Holt/Mac Teen/Macmillan Publishing

Age Range: 16+

Genre: High Fantasy/Young Adult/Mild Dystopia

Description on Goodreads:

Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha . . . and the secrets of her heart.

Shadow and Bone is the first installment in Leigh Bardugo’s Grisha Trilogy.

Review:

I read this book last year, going into it blind; only knowing it was heavily based off Russia.

Here is the review I originally gave it on Goodreads:

I simply am in love. Just… wow. I did not have high hopes for this book; and it blew me away. The rating is 5/5 only because while I may have thought it was slow at first, the world building, getting to know everyone was well needed. I found myself expressing almost every possible emotion. Well done. I cannot wait to start Siege and Storm.

Almost a year later, I stand by this rating. While it was slow to start, I found myself absolutely loving the main character of Alina. She is 100% one of my favorite main character females from a fantasy novel.

I have TWO copies of this book, and plan on keeping BOTH. I have gifted people this book. I plan on gifting people this book even more.

I remember going into this, thinking I would hate it. It was, and STILL is a VEERRRRYYY hyped book. It’s been 3 years since it’s publication on June 5th 2012, and people STILL rave about it, and I am proud to be one of the people.

I love how well crafted all of the characters are, especially the Darkling. He was one of my favorite parts.He is the type of villian I like to see. The kind that is willing to do anything to get his way, even seduce, threaten and enslave his way to getting it.

Miss Bardugo has an amazing talent that I am very happy to have seen so far.

I have read half way through Siege and Storm,  but had to put it down a while ago due to complications. I plan on finishing it soon enough though.

You cannot understand my excitement for Six of Crows, hell! Even my other blogs, twitter, facebook, instagram is named that. I need to read that book.

My Rating: 5/5

Would I/Who would I recommend it (too): Instant answer? EVERYONE. Reasonable answer? Anyone who is a fan of great character crafting, world building and a story that may stand the test of time.

Goodreads Link:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10194157-shadow-and-bone

The Divine by Asaf Hanuka, Tomer Hanuka, Boaz Lavie

Title: The Divine

Author: Asaf Hanuka, Tomer Hanuka, Boaz Lavie

Series: No.

Format: Finished Copy provided by First Second Publishing

Page Count: 160

Publisher: First Second

Age Range: 17+ due to graphic scenes and subject matter.

Genre: Adult, Fantasy, Graphic Novel, Magical Realism

Description on Goodreads:

Mark’s out of the military, these days, with his boring, safe civilian job doing explosives consulting. But you never really get away from war. So it feels inevitable when his old army buddy Jason comes calling, with a lucrative military contract for a mining job in an obscure South-East Asian country called Quanlom. They’ll have to operate under the radar–Quanlom is being torn apart by civil war, and the US military isn’t strictly supposed to be there.

With no career prospects and a baby on the way, Mark finds himself making the worst mistake of his life and signing on with Jason. What awaits him in Quanlom is going to change everything.
What awaits him in Quanlom is weirdness of the highest order: a civil war led by ten-year-old twins wielding something that looks a lot like magic, leading an army of warriors who look a lot like gods.
What awaits him in Quanlom is an actual goddamn dragon.

From world-renowned artists Asaf and Tomer Hanuka (twins, whose magic powers are strictly confined to pen and paper) and Boaz Lavie, The Divineis a fast-paced, brutal, and breathlessly beautiful portrait of a world where ancient powers vie with modern warfare and nobody escapes unscathed.

Review:

This was something outstanding. The visuals, the story, the stereotyping(not in a bad way, well, kinda)… All magnificent.

This story is based almost completely off the story of one picture of two boys.

I went into this book blind, didn’t even read the flap of the book. I can tell you, it was worth it. Normally I don’t read these types of books. Not really my thing. Sure, it’s fantasy, but it’s more of a realistic fantasy. After this book, that may have changed.

The story telling, the real feeling of the characters, I felt like I was really there. Almost like a full emersion to the point I was crying.

The story is really a heartbreaking one, and shows how far people will go for money, revenge and peace. I highly recommend this.

My Rating: 4.5/5

Would I/Who would I recommend it (too): Anyone who loves magical realism, war stories and a good read.

Goodreads Link:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22718664-the-divine

Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

Title: Everything, Everything

Author: Nicola Yoon

Series: No.

Format: eARC Provided by NetGalley

Page Count: 307

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Age Range: 15+

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Romance, Realistic Fiction

Description on Goodreads:

This innovative, heartfelt debut novel tells the story of a girl who’s literally allergic to the outside world. When a new family moves in next door, she begins a complicated romance that challenges everything she’s ever known. The narrative unfolds via vignettes, diary entries, texts, charts, lists, illustrations, and more.

My disease is as rare as it is famous. Basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in seventeen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla.

But then one day, a moving truck arrives next door. I look out my window, and I see him. He’s tall, lean and wearing all black—black T-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers, and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly.

Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster.

Review:

Wow. All I can say is wow as a first reaction. This book is one of the rare few that I finish in a night. Not even a night, but a few hours.

The world our main character is in, is one of pure, filtered, clean living. Where everything is white, disinfected, and just… Safe. She is Madeline.She also has a very rare disease that could kill her if she steps outside. She is basically a female bubble boy (if you remember that movie).

This book is nothing like that movie.

This follows her day to day life. What she does, how she schedules it, what books she has read and re-read. Her only friends in life are her Nurse Carla, and her mother. Her life is… uneventful. That is, until Olly moves in.

I really liked this book. It was a nice pull away from what I have been reading lately.

Olly and Maddy were so adorable. There love was so innocent and cute… that being said… It was a bit too insta lovey. I can understand him being a huge flirt/being interested in something he didn’t understand… but it just seemed way too soon.

I also felt like huge chunks of the story, which would have been great to have conclusions on, were left as loose ends. They just ended and that was that. There is also the introduction to characters… that later on have no reason to have ever been in the book, other then slight conversations that lead me to wanting more from them.

I really hope Miss Yoon continues on in this world, or at least gives us some background.

I also really adored the pictures in the book, it was a great way to actually visualize what was going on. (I want that one Nurse’s post its…)

All in all, despite some of my gripes, this was a great read. I loved the flow and ebb, the cute little interactions, how she very nicely intergrated Social Media/Messaging into the storyline and I felt really connected to the characters.

This was a very unique, fluff and a tad bit dark read!

It comes out on September 1st, so have your preorders ready!

My Rating: 4.8/5

Would I/Who would I recommend it (too): Anyone who loves contemporary and a quick read!

Goodreads Link:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18692431-everything-everything