Butterflies, Flowers volume 1 by Yuki Yoshihara

                    About:


                              Choko Kuze is the sensible daughter of a venerable family who went bankrupt. She joins a real estate company as an entry-level office worker, but her eccentric boss is harder on her than anyone else in the company! After hearing him inadvertently call her "milady", she realizes he was the young servant boy she knew as a child. At work he's a tyrant, but after hours he insists on treating her like a lady of the nobility. Is romance even possible for a couple locked in such a crazy role reversal?










My Review:






                  The cover really caught my eye when I was browsing Viz Media's website and then the description really brought it home for me. I mean it seems really good don't you think? I mean imagine working under your boss who turns out to have worked for you sometime. That's got to be the weirdest thing ever and so I just had to read this manga. I was really pumped to read this but when I did it didn't really stick with me. I mean it was funny as hell. I got weird looks the whole time I was reading it because I was laughing so much but I didn't really like how quickly the romance progressed. I mean I know it happened over a couple months when the main character realized her feelings but when it's kind of a typical romance like this you need more build up or else it begins to feel like another rinse wash repeat cycle. Other than that I was really happy with this manga. I don't know if I'll read the next one because the romance really bothered me but on the other hand the humor was great so maybe I will pick up the next one.

                    In this volume, Choko starts her new job under a very weird and strict tyrant. After working for him for a while she learns that it's her old friend who used to work for her parents when they were rich. After that it's incident after incident lighting a fire between them and everyone can see it. We see her and her boss clash over and over yet growing closer. Interesting no?        
                  
                     Choko Kuze was funny. She acted pretty childish at times but otherwise was dedicated to her work and family. She was very fiery and I loved that a lot. I mean she was so funny. Especially when Domoto enters the picture. She almost explodes every time he opens his mouth. There were times I didn't like her personality. I don't know how to explain it. Maybe it was the moments her childishness and her naivety mixed together. It just wasn't cute to me. I liked Domoto a lot though his character is a little hard to read. I mean he's typical in having his hot and cold personalities but I like the snappy side he brings out of Choko. I like their relationship a lot. They just bring out each other's true emotions. I do kind of ship them together but I'm not really into it because there was no build up and not enough moments where it makes me go aww they should be together. Choko's brother is funny. He's so snotty and high and mighty even though he has no right to be. It adds a nice touch to the crazy cast of this manga. Suou was definitely the most interesting character. I won't ruin the surprise and say why because you will be shocked. Well at least I was. All the characters were good. Theor personalities were very over the top which made them clash a lot. I really liked that.

                    The art is really pretty. I mean look at the cover. Though it is crude at times when it comes to Choko's angry facial expressions. I know it was meant to be funny and emphasize her anger and annoyance but I felt it was unnecessary. I really didn't like it a lot. Otherwise the art was really good which I give props to Yuki Yoshihara for. The plot was pretty good as well. I mean it really is a fascinating storyline but it wasn't really executed in the best way. I mean yeah it was really funny but I felt that it lacked substance. 

                   Overall, Thins manga has some really nice qualities which I hope the author uses to her advantage in the later volumes, but there are also a bunch of weaknesses like the lack of substance and the progression of the romance. I do recommend this manga for people who love comedy and fiery characters but if you want to read it purely for the romance you may not like it at all. The art was good and so was the storyline. I don't know if I'll read the next volume. I might to see if it gets any better. I mean some this deserve a second chance especially a manga like this that has a lot of good stuff going for it.









Stars:                               3/5

              






                 

The Age of Adaline (2015)

            About:


                   

1. Adaline Bowman (Blake Lively) has miraculously remained a youthful 29 years of age for nearly eight decades, never allowing herself to get close to anyone lest they discover her secret. However, a chance encounter with a charismatic philanthropist named Ellis Jones (Michiel Huisman) reawakens Adaline's long-suppressed passion for life and romance. When a weekend with Ellis' parents threatens to expose the truth, Adaline makes a decision that changes her life forever.

My Review:

                 I loved this movie so much. It was much different than I expected it to be. It exceeded my expectations which made me really happy because usually with movies like this the idea is great but the execution is horrible but amazingly this was not one of those cases. It was beautifully done and kept me emotionally invested. This movie drew at my heart strings like there was no tomorrow. This is definitely a movie you see with your girlfriends but I guess you could drag your boyfriend to the theater as well. My dad liked this movie a lot so there should be a few guys who will like this movie. I wasn't sure if I would like the narrations at first but it only happened twice in the movie and I found them to be necessary so if you don't like narrations don't worry about it since it only happens in the beginning and the end and not in a cheesy lesson way but in an informative way. If you like romance movies then you will like this movie a lot but romance wasn't the whole focus here which I loved. It was letting go and overcoming your fears. It's about not running. Romance kind of played second fiddle. I mean it was heavily present but the romance was the catalyst to the characters' change in emotional state. 

               In this movie we follow the life of Adaline, because of a freak accident she was trapped in her late twenties. It shows her struggles from never aging and her past romances. We also see a budding romance between her and Ellis. We see her going through the pain of knowing it won't work out and her internal battle of whether she should stop it before anyone gets hurt. 

               Adaline was an amazing character. I loved her sass and smart remarks. I loved how vibrant she could be and how strong she was. I also liked how vulnerable she was as well. I mean it was nice to see. I like strong characters but hate when they're too strong. She was the perfect balance. She seemed very real and reliable. She was definitely my favorite character. I absolutely adored Ellis. Yeah he was a tiny bit of a creeper but he was so adorable and earnest. I loved him from the start and couldn't get enough of him once he entered the picture. I just loved his character. It was the perfect balm to Adaline's emotional wounds. I thought they were perfect for each other. They complimented each other greatly. Ellis is a close second as a favorite character. I liked Ellis's dad a lot. He was an interesting character and definitely had an interesting past. I liked how much he supported his son and Adaline. I really liked Adaline's daughter as well. She was so sweet and really wished for her mother's happiness. She kept rooting for her and Ellis.I liked all the characters but you really don't see much of them except for the three I just talked about. 

                    Honestly, I have never really liked Blake Lively's acting. I was never a fan of hers and steered clear of any work she did. I absolutely loved her in this movie. You will never hear me say anything horrible about her when mentioned with this movie. I mean she seemed like she was made for this role. I couldn't take my eyes off her. She had that old soul feeling and had that slight sophistication about her. I mean she performed her role beautifully. Her facial expression really showed Adaline's pain. I don't know how to fully explain it but her expressions were so on point, like she was actually living Adaline's life. Blake Lively was phenomenal in this role and I stand by this 100%.

                        Michiel Huisman was also pretty amazing as Ellis. He's a lot scruffier than most women would like. Usually we have the cute dorky or really hot guy as love interests but here we have a cute scruffy look which I find refreshing and love a lot. It's different and different can really be a good thing at times. I think Michiel was perfect as Ellis because he has the look, his smile is infectious, and he really seemed so in love which really pulled at my heartstrings. I mean he made this movie so real to me that there were times where I forgot I was sitting in a sticky movie theater with only semi good popcorn and flat soda. I really want to see more of his work in the future. Girls, if you usually don't go for this look go for his acting. I mean it will trump his appearance.

                     Ellen Burstyn was great as Flemming. She may have not played a huge role but she was a great supporting character. It must be hard to act like a daughter to someone you physically look older. I mean I don't think I could have done it seriously. I applaud her acting. I liked her for this role a lot. I can't imagine anyone else playing it. I also liked her smile a lot. I know it doesn't really matter when it comes to acting but you have to like how an actor/actress looks for the part. I mean if they don't seem to fit then you probably won't like them. I'm glad she was cast for this role.

                          Harrison Ford as William Jones, Ellis's father, was amazing. I loved him for this role so much. I mean the pure emotions he was able to portray when he saw Adaline and when he figured out what Adaline was. I mean I don't think I've seen any good facial expressions like that for that emotion. I was blown away by his acting. I loved the whole cast for this movie. I wouldn't change a single one. They all did great!

                         Overall, I really loved this movie. I normally don't buy dvds anymore but when this comes out on dvd I'm totally buying it. This is a high recommendation. You should really go see this movie. I love the sass and biting comments that made you laugh so hard. It wasn't a stupid funny though where they could classify it as a comedy. This movie is not a light fluff movie. It is intense and will keep your mind occupied for a while. If you haven't seen it yet you should soon.








Stars:                             5/5

Spotlight Monday: Halo book 1 by Alexandra Adornetto

           About:


                     An angel is sent to Earth on a mission.
But falling in love is not part of the plan.

Three angels – Gabriel, the warrior; Ivy, the healer; and Bethany, the youngest and most human – are sent by Heaven to bring good to a world falling under the influence of darkness. They work hard to conceal their luminous glow, superhuman powers, and, most dangerous of all, their wings, all the while avoiding all human attachments.

Then Bethany meets Xavier Woods, and neither of them is able to resist the attraction between them. Gabriel and Ivy do everything in their power to intervene, but the bond between Xavier and Bethany seems too strong.

The angel’s mission is urgent, and dark forces are threatening. Will love ruin Bethany or save her?

Links to buy:

Amazon:   http://www.amazon.com/Halo-Trilogy-Alexandra-Adornetto/dp/0312674368

Barnes & Noble:   http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/halo-alexandra-adornetto/1100162367?ean=9780312656263

Walmart:   http://www.walmart.com/ip/15566052?wmlspartner=wlpa&adid=22222222227000634345&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=52993295088&wl4=&wl5=pla&wl6=75139761768&veh=sem

I love this series so much. I have re-read it so many times I lost count. I'm normally not a big fan of these kinds of books but this one is so good that I couldn't help but make it one of my favorites. Even if you don't like these types of books you should still check out the Halo trilogy. 

*Have a book, movie, anime, etc, that you love and want to shout about to the world? Just comment below or email me from the address on my contact page and I'll post it on my next Spotlight Monday.*

The Earl and the Fairy volume 4 by Ayuko and Mizue Tani

                   About:

                               Lydia Carlton is a fairy doctor,one of the few people with the ability to see the magical creatures who share our world. During one of her rare trips to London to visit her father, Lydia’s quiet life is suddenly transformed when she is rescued from kidnappers by a mysterious young man!

Lydia has been trapped in a warehouse by Rosalie, a dangerous young woman who commands a bogey-beast and wants Edgar all to herself. What’s more, Lydia has realized that she is in the storehouse where Edgar was first enslaved as a child. Can she discover the secret of his dark past, or will she fall prey to the bogey-beast’s true master?

My Review:

                     I am so upset that this is the last volume in the series. I heard there were more volumes in the Japanese version so I might try to find translated versions online but otherwise I really liked this manga. Why did it have to end so soon? It isn't fair. This manga has captured my heart and I don't want to let go. Anyway this volume is action packed from beginning to end. This volume would definitely not bore you but there are some loose ends and many unanswered questions at the end. It is still a very great read so if you've read the first three volumes you have got to read this one. I mean you made it this far.

                       In this volume, Lydia is currently trapped and has to figure a way out when her soul gets trapped in a bottle. Edgar has to save her quick before her life force does out because it's not with her body. We also learn a slight more about Prince AND we learn more about Edgar's feelings for Lydia. That's like the most exciting part for me. Man I love romance.

                       Lydia is a lot tougher in this volume and definitely brave. What she did for Edgar was amazing and brave. Not a lot of people will do what she did. I love her character a lot and how she know about the darkness and everything but despite that still is good and does good things for people who more than likely deserve it. I'm going to miss her character a lot. Edgar was amazing in this volume as well. I mean he really stepped up and did right by Lydia. I'm proud of him. I also liked that he showed a lot more of his emotions. I mean he wasn't emotional or anything like that but he opened up a little bit which was great. I also love what he says to Lydia. I ship them so much and I wish their relationship wasn't one of the loose ends but it can't be helped. I loved Nico. He was still his sarcastic tough self but he was there for Lydia and was a big help. Nico is still my favorite character and always will be. I mean I love his personality and wish he was my sidekick. He's the greatest so if you love sarcastic but loving fairy felines then you really should read this manga. Nico is the best. Raven was also interesting in this volume as well. He was still his hunter serious nature self but he seemed a lot I don't know, less menacing perhaps. Less of a dark character. I liked Raven a lot as well. He's fitting as Edgar's sidekick and friend. I really wish I knew more about Prince. We learn a little more but nit a lot. It would have been great if the story was continued. That's probably the main disappointing thing. Otherwise the characters were great.

                   The art was as good as always. I love how Lydia and Edgar look. Especially when they were in each other's arms. That was a great drawing. I also love how Nico is drawn. He looks so complex and great. I like this art a lot. It's so pretty and nicely done. The plot is really good. I'm not too happy about the loose ends but otherwise it is a very interesting one that will keep you engaged. This is a manga you will love if you like romance, action, adventure, mystery, and fantasy. Though the romance isn't heavy or a main part so if you don't like romance you should still give this manga a chance.

                     Overall, I really loved this volume and would have given it five stars but because of the loose ends I can't. I am not a huge fan at all about loos ends. They suck so much. Otherwise I loved this volume a lot and enjoyed reading it very much. Now I think I'll reread the volumes back to back to get the whole story together smoothly. I really recommend you check out this series if you haven't already. It really is a great read and not a waste of time. If you do decide to read it I hope you enjoy it.







Stars:                                       4/5

Spotlight Monday: Zankyou no Terror (anime)

                 About:


                           In an alternate version of the present, Tokyo has been decimated by a shocking terrorist attack, and the only hint to the identity of the culprit is a bizarre video uploaded to the internet. The police, baffled by this cryptic clue, are powerless to stop the paranoia spreading across the population.

While the world searches for a criminal mastermind to blame for this tragedy, two mysterious children—children who shouldn't even exist—masterfully carry out their heinous plan. Cursed to walk through this world with the names Nine and Twelve, the two combine to form "Sphinx," a clandestine entity determine to wake the people from their slumber—and pull the trigger on this world.

Links to watch:

Hulu:  http://www.hulu.com/terror-in-resonance

Anime-Planet:  http://www.anime-planet.com/anime/zankyou-no-terror

Anime Show:  http://animeshow.tv/Zankyou-no-Terror-episode-1/

Links to buy:

Shop Anime dvd:  http://www.shopanimedvd.com/product_info.php?products_id=781458

CDJapan:  http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/series/4044

This anime is very engaging and full of action. It is very emotional as well. I mean I cried. I literally cried at the end. In just eleven episodes this anime will rip you apart and sew you back together in different ways. Trust me this anime will change you slightly. I highly recommend you watch it. You will not regret it.

*Have an anime, manga, movie, etc. that you would just love to share it with everyone? Just write about it in the comments below and it could be featured in the next Spotlight Monday with credit also given to you.*

Food Wars! volume 5 by Yuto Tsukuda and Shun Saeki

                   About:


                             Soma Yukihira’s old man runs a small family restaurant in the less savory end of town. Aiming to one day surpass his father’s culinary prowess, Soma hones his skills day in and day out until one day, out of the blue, his father decides to enroll Soma in a classy culinary school! Can Soma really cut it in a place that prides itself on a 10 percent graduation rate? And can he convince the beautiful, domineering heiress of the school that he belongs there at all?!

The assignment is to invent a new dish worthy of appearing on the high-class Totsuki Resort’s breakfast menu. To create their dishes, Soma and his friends use the combined knowledge and confidence they’ve gained while at the cooking camp to individually pass the challenge—everyone, that is, except for Soma! Having made a critical error, he finds himself behind with little time left. What can he do to overcome his biggest hurdle yet?!

My Review:

                  I love this manga so much. I mean the plot is really good. The characters are so lovable. I mean they are so funny and creative. I also love the food. I mean it is drawn so amazingly and I love that the author includes the recipes which I so plan on trying out. I always get hungry when I read this manga. If you haven't started reading this yet then get a move on. This is an entertaining manga that will make you smile and get you excited. This volume was so good. Definitely one of my favorites out of the whole manga so far. 

                  In this volume, Soma hasn't served nearly enough servings for the last challenge at the camp and time is running out. Also we meet some new rivals and see who passes the camp from hell. Then Soma has a chance to go back home and learns that a fried chicken chain is making business go bad for the street market and decides to help by making a fried chicken recipe of their own. Things are definitely heating up for Soma in this volume.

                    Soma is so awesome. He puts a hundred and ten percent into everything he does and he is just so nice. If someone he cares about is in trouble he does all he can to help which is awesome. He is definitely my favorite character. I don't have any ships for him even though there are quite a few girls who have such huge crushes on him. I mean I feel like he's such an awesome character on his own that I'm afraid that him getting a girlfriend will ruin everything. Alice Nakiri is a new rival that makes an appearance for the last challenge at the camp and she pulls out all the stops. She definitely doesn't see Soma as a rival and kind of thinks he's a fool. Especially because of the dish he chose for the buffet. She seems like a huge jerk but she does seem like a good opponent. I wonder what we'll happen when we see her again. Ikumi also makes another entrance in this volume and not as just a passing by. She helps out Soma to make a new fried chicken recipe so they can bring the street market come back to life with many customers. I liked her a lot. She is a lot nicer than when we first saw her trying to shut down the soup club and was challenging Soma to a cooking battle. It's also cute seeing her have a crush on Soma. The way she acts is so adorable. Too bad she likes someone so incredibly dense. I liked that she played a bigger role again and isn't just a one time challenge character. I hope to see more of her again. We also meet Kurase who was in the first volume. She was a friend of Soma's in middle school. It was interesting seeing her again. Truthfully I had forgotten all about her. She was an interesting addition to Soma's team for helping the street market. She was cute and helpful. I also thought it was cute that she had a crush on Soma as well. Again she didn't leave much of an impression but that was kind of good. You don't want too many very overly impressive characters because then you will get overwhelmed. Megumi wasn't in this volume as much which kind of sucked but the few times she was here she was so cute and her usual calming self. I love her character so much. All the characters were good in this volume. 

                    The plot was very good. I liked that Soma had a close call and the challenge wasn't too easy for him like all the others. I also liked that he went home and we get to see his restaurant again even though it was closed. I really liked the art as well. I mean the food looked so so good. I mean I get hungry just from reading the manga. Have any of you ever tried the recipes in the manga? I also like how Soma is drawn. I love his looks and hope he never changes. I also like how Ikumi looks. I love her slightly dark skin. All the characters are so cute and drawn wonderfully. 

                     Overall, I really liked this volume a lot. We get to see some of Soma's skills. Skills we haven't seen before and we see how much he really cares for his hometown. We also see something interesting about his dad which intrigued me greatly. I also loved the cliffhanger at the end. I can't believe someone declared war on Soma! I wonder what will happen to him. I can't wait to read the next volume and see. This volume was really good. This is the type of manga that just keeps getting better and better the further you read. If you are watching the anime and want to read the manga I suggest you do so. It really is good.







Stars:                                        5/5

Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 (2015)

                    About:


                               After six years of keeping our malls safe, Paul Blart has earned a well-deserved vacation. He heads to Vegas with his teenage daughter before she heads off to college. But safety never takes a holiday and when duty calls, Blart answers.












My Review:





                 I had such high hopes for this movie. I mean the first one was amazing and it had Kevin James in it, who is one of my favorite actors. I did end up being disappointed though. I mean there were some really funny parts but a lot of it was given away in the trailer. It was okay in the beginning but it got a lot more better towards the end though. I do think if you loved the first movie then you should go see this one because it was kinda good probably would have been great if I hadn't seen the trailers. Just don't expect it to be better than the first. I mean there was a bunch of interesting things in the movie so it's not a total waste.

               In this movie, Paul Blart is invited to go to a security officers convention in Last Vega and decides to bring his daughter along. Meanwhile a dealer is trying to steal the priceless art from the hotel to sell to buyers. So when he kidnaps Paul's daughter it's game on for the mall cop to save his daughter and the art.

              Paul was really funny in this movie but he was kind of a jerk. I guess I can understand why because nothing in his life was going right but he really didn't need to be. I mean I felt embarrassed for him. He had his good moments though especially in the last half of the movie. He wasn't too bad of a character at all. I think people would like his jerk side I'm just not one of them. Maya was awesome and I loved how she played a bigger role in this movie and how smart she was. It was cool that she had an active role. She was so cute as well and I loved how she interacted Lane. They were so cute together. I couldn't get enough of them. Lane was pretty awesome. He was there for Maya when her dad was being kind of a jerk and he listened to her problems. I also loved the cute gift he got her. He was really nice too even though Paul was acting very weird and creepy at times when he was looking out for Maya. Divina was so funny. I loved her character so much. When Paul accidentally mistook her being nice for her hitting on him she tried so hard to set everything straight but ends up liking him anyway. It was really funny. Poor girl. Eduardo was interesting. I thought he was one of the bad guys but he turned out to be okay. Though he got a little weird in the end. I liked him a lot for Divina. They could be weird together! Vincent was a good bad guy. I mean he did good with leading his pack of thieves. Yeah he did get a little ridiculous at times but it wasn't so bad.

                 Kevin James was awesome as Paul Blart. I have always enjoyed his acting especially in Grown Ups. I enjoyed Kevin's facial expressions. They were so funny and so dramatic.  He really seemed into his role.  He was great in the first movie but I feel like he was a lot more into the role in this one. Raini Rodriguez was amazing as Maya. She was so cute in her role. I mean I just loved her. She is so perfect as Maya. I can't imagine anyone else to be her. I wish I could see Raini in more things. Both she and Kevin James work well together. 

                   Daniella Alonso was great as Divina. I mean she did great on acting like she had a crush on Paul Blart. I also loved her confused look whenever Paul Blart would accuse her of flirting with him. She was great in her role, very funny. I've seen her in a few other things and I've loved her acting. She definitely brought this movie up. Eduardo Verastegui as Eduardo Furtillo was good as well. I love how convenient it his to have the same name as his character's. It must be pretty awesome. I think he did great in his role as well. I mean he had the look for the part. It would have been nice if his role was a little more extensive.

                     I loved David Henrie in this movie. I've always liked his acting and this is the first time I've seen it in a while. I loved his as Lane. He was so perfect for this role. I mean he was so cute as Lane. I mean he really made Lane seem so sweet. He also a great smile which fit Lane a lot as well. I liked his facial expressions in the fa ct he seemed like a cool guy with his character. I mean he really seemed earnest and trying to help Maya out. I'm glad they cast him for this role. I think all the actors did great jobs with their roles.

                    Overall, this movie was okay.. It got a lot better towards the end. It's one of those movies that get progressively better. The acting was great and so was the characters. I think what kind of tanked this movie a little bit was that they gave most of the funny parts away in the trailers. The action wasn't too bad though. It was very entertaining. Again, I do recommend seeing this movie if you saw the first one but even if you haven't it is still a good movie to see. If you haven't seen the trailers then definitely go see it. I think you would enjoy it. 










Stars:                                  3/5

Hana-Kimi vol 7-9 by Hisaya Nakajo

                        About:


                                  Mizuki's big lie gets even messier when her male alter ego starts dating Julia, the transfer student from America. Plus, a certain devious teacher targets Mizuki's friend Nakatsu and levies charges that could ultimately get him kicked out of school! As she struggles to keep her cover and her cool under pressure, things heat up more than ever for Mizuki and her classmates.









My Review:





                  I love this series so much! It's so entertaining with its cast of characters but it's also sweet and light which is great. This set of volumes was definitely a little more serious than the others with the drama of Nakatsu's situation and the added pressure of Julia. I liked that though. This situations brought out the characters' weaknesses and other parts of themselves. We see Mizuki's helplessness, Nakatsu's jealousy, and Sano's feelings about Mizuki. We really see the many faces of the characters in this set. I liked that a whole lot. I think this might be my favorite of the series so far. It's just so much more developed. There were still the funny parts we all know and love but it was also more serious which gave it more depth.

                 In this set of volumes, Julia tells everyone that she's dating Mizuki which brings out Nakatsu's green monster. Julia also confronts Sano on whether or not he knows about Mizuki's secret which in return reveals something awesome. We see some of Dr. Umeda's....extracurricular activities which Mizuki unfortunately stumbles upon. Poor Mizuki. We also see Nakatsu become the scapegoat for a teacher who is on a rampage to bring order to the school. There's also a weird photographer who wants to have Mizuki, Nakatsu, Sano, and Nanba to model for him. Oh, and he seems to have a huge crush on Umeda which is hilarious. Oh and we meet Saon's little brother and learn a little bit more about his family.

                 Mizuki is still such a sweetheart which is awesome. I also liked seeing her helpless well not really but it showed she cared a lot for Nakatsu and wished she could help with all her might. She is my second favorite character besides Umeda. Umeda wasn't in the manga as much which bothered me but when he was he sure made an impression. I can't believe what he was doing on a school trip. Poor Mizuki had to see that. I also loved his outfits besides his school nurse uniform. It was also funny at how annoyed he was with the photographer. Their interactions were so funny. I saw a lot more of Sano's thoughts in this set and I loved it! I mean I'm always wondering what he was thinking and we finally get to see it. I mean he's so expressionless. Well not a lot but he always has that serious look on his face. He is so cute! He's also very sweet. The things he thinks about for Mizuki are just so cute. I so want to see more of his thoughts in the future. Nakatsu had so much more depth in these volumes than before. I mean he was so much more mature. He was still his stupid funny self who loves Mizuki but you really see him get serous when charges for cheating are brought up against him. He does his best to not worry anyone and to handle his situation as best he can. I'm proud of him. Julia was an awesome friend to Mizuki. I'm surprised she left already though. I figured she would have stayed in the series longer. I loved how much she fought with Nakatsu. They are so funny together and actually wonder if they could ever be a thing. I mean yeah he loves Mizuki who he assumes is a guy so that might not work out but still. All the characters grew. I liked that a lot and hope to see them grow some more.

                 The plot was really good. I mean better than the other volumes. I mean it created situations which forced the characters to face their feelings and grow according to that. It was very interesting to watch. I mean the drama was nice but I hope it never gets too hectic. The romance even seems to be progressing at a nice slow pace which I liked a lot as well. I mean it's not going too fast which is great. I hate when that happens. I mean there's no build up which is not a problem here. The art was good as always. I love the cover. It's so cute and colorful which is perfect for right now since it's spring. I love how Umeda looks. I know he's not drawn any differently but he looks better. Well not better but more handsome. Also Mizuki looks cute which matches her personality perfectly. I like the art a lot and it's as good as always.

                 Overall, I loved this volume a lot and if the other volumes weren't as full of depth as you would have liked then read this one. Also if you haven't read this series yet I highly suggest you do. It's so much fun to read and you will fall in love with the characters. You won't be able to get enough of them. I mean I want Mizuki's real gender to be revealed so she can date Sano but at the same time I don't want her to because I don't want anything to change. Also if you hate fast paced romances this isn't one of them so you can enjoy a nice build up of a romance. The plot is really good and the art is great. I highly recommend this series.






Stars:                             5/5

Half Bad book 1 by Sally Green

                   About:


                     Wanted by no one.
                  Hunted by everyone.

Sixteen-year-old Nathan lives in a cage: beaten, shackled, trained to kill. In a modern-day England where two warring factions of witches live amongst humans, Nathan is an abomination, the illegitimate son of the world's most terrifying and violent witch, Marcus. Nathan's only hope for survival is to escape his captors, track down Marcus, and receive the three gifts that will bring him into his own magical powers—before it's too late. But how can Nathan find his father when there is no one safe to trust, not even family, not even the girl he loves?

Half Bad is an international sensation and the start of a brilliant trilogy: a gripping tale of alienation and the indomitable will to survive.

My Review:

                      I am going to be blunt here. I didn't really like the book at first. The writing was weird and choppy. Also I couldn't really connect with the characters for a while. Also I thought the main character had no common sense at all. But the plot is really good and the writing does get a lot smoother and better. I also find some characters I love in the last couple sections of the book. I even already got a ship with the main character!(as everyone rolls their eyes). So now I have to say I really like the book. It's one of those that aren't the best at first but then get better and better towards the end. My friend Carina turned me onto this book and I'm so glad she did. Thanks Carina!

                   This book is about a boy named Nathan who is half white witch and half black witch. The white witches are the pure and use their powers or "gifts" as so called to help people while the black witches use their gifts for evil and personal gain. Nathan is the first to be a halfblood and the white witches see him as a threat because they don't know if he'll turn into a white or black witch. So they do their best to restrict him and soon hold him captive to try and Kill Nathan's dad. While Nathan comes up with a plan to find his father and find a way to receive his gift on his seventeenth birthday and to do that is to find the witch Mercury. 

                   I was not connecting with Nathan at first. I mean I kind of though he was an idiot for thinking the Hunters weren't following his every move when he was still living with his gran and I just couldn't connect with him emotionally He just seemed so distant and indifferent. I started liking him more though towards the middle when things started happening. I mean he still has no common sense. He got some by the end of the book but he seemed more emotional and he started to do something. I mean he had no choice unless he wanted to become the white witches council's puppet but he finally got a move on. I felt so bad for him though because his life was horrible. He had so many restrictions on him and everyone hated him except for Gran, his sister Deborah, and his brother Arran. Well also a white witch named Annalise. Nathan has feelings for her but I don't know if I trust her. She was the only non-family member witch to like him. Annalise seemed sweet. I didn't see much of her and was kind of happy. I mean Nathan got in trouble because of her even though it was partly his fault as well. Arran was an amazing brother to Nathan. I couldn't really connect with his character was he was good support for Nathan. Jessica was an evil b***h. She was so mean to Nathan. It's hard to imagine how a sister can hate her own brother. I mean they are half siblings but not the point. Mercury was interesting. She sure wasn't a good person but I liked her character. She was very interesting. I liked Rose a lot as well. She was my second favorite character. She was a white witch but she worked for Mercury and fought off the Hunters to help Nathan. I mean I also loved her personality and I absolutely loved how she teased Nathan and Gabriel. It was so cute and funny. I also liked her gift. It was pretty cool. Gabriel was my favorite character! I mean I love him. I specifically love him with Nathan. Yes, there it is. My Ship. I so ship Gabriel and Nathan. Gabriel may be a black witch but he really cares about Nathan. He does what he can to protect him and he would even die for him which Rose mentions. I wish I could have seen Gabriel sooner but it is what it is. I truthfully started loving this book when Rose and Gabriel came into the picture. 

                     The plot was pretty good. Yeah it was a tiny bit cliche with the good guys really being the bad guys and the bad guys are helping out the main character. But there was a lot of unique things in it as well. I loved the love triangle. I mean I normally hate them a lot and find them too dramatic but I loved this one. This is the first book I've read where it was a guy and a girl liking the main male character not two girls liking the main male character or two guys liking a main female character. It was a nice refreshing change which made me love the book a lot. It really brought it up for me and not just because I love BL(boy love for those of you who don't know) but because it was different and something I haven't read before. The writing was choppy in the beginning but it did get a lot smoother and easier to read so if you don't like Sally Green's writing style at first then keep reading because it will get better.

                   Overall, this book was great. Yeah it wasn't the greatest at first but it really pulled through. I mean some of the characters were great. The plot was really good, I loved the love triangle, the ending was really good, and I liked that it got better as you read further and further. The ending was really good with the cliff hanger of what happened to Gabriel and not knowing what Nathan's gift is. I definitely going to read the next book which I'll borrow from Carina. I can't wait!

Stars:                             4/5