The Demon Prince of Momochi House volume 1 by Aya Shouoto

                          About:


                        On her sixteenth birthday, orphan Himari Momochi inherits her ancestral estate that she's never seen. Momochi House exists on the barrier between the human and spiritual realms, and Himari is meant to act as guardian between the two worlds. But on the day she moves in, she finds three handsome squatters already living in the house, and one seems to have already taken over her role!






My Review:






                 I decided to check out this manga when I saw it all over Twitter and Facebook. I also loved the cover so I picked it up the next time I went to Barnes & Noble. This manga didn't wow me. To me it was okay but interesting. This volume didn't really wow me or get me hooked. It was a little too cliche for me. I mean there are so many mangas and comics like this. I mean the characters were interesting but again, this didn't really catch my attention.

                  This volume is about Himari Momochi, who lived at the orphanage until she gets a letter and a deed stating that she inherited Momochi house from her parents. When she goes to live in the house, she finds that it's already occupied and that the squatters aren't human. Instead of leaving she decides to stay making friends with those who live there.

                   Himari is a cliche character. I think she was mostly the reason why this manga didn't interest me as much as I thought it would. I mean she's like the girls from Kamisama Kiss and Fruits Basket. She's just so nice and is always thinking about others, which isn't a bad thing but I don't know. It'd be nice if their personalities were a little different. I mean Himari always had to be saved in this volume and I'd at least like her to not have to be saved all the time. Aoi was an interesting character. He wasn't the typical jerk this kind of character is always placed as. He was actually nice. Yeah he has secrets but he does his best to protect Himari. He likes her but doesn't want her involved. Where I found Himari lacking, Aoi stepped up. I found his character really interesting. He's the reason that I don't want to give up on this manga. Ise was a funny character. He is a little bit of a jerk and a prankster. He's also very hot headed. He is best friends with Aoi and will do anything for him. I found his character slightly interesting and I hope to see a little more of involvement from him. Yukari is Aoi's other friend and fellow squatter. Where Ise is hot headed, Yukari is calm and levelheaded. I didn't get to see much of Yukari. He didn't make too much of an impression because he just kind of hung back. I do hope to see more of him as well with a slightly bigger role. 

                   The plot is okay so far. It's an interesting concept so hopefully in later volumes it is presented well. It is the first volume so I'm cutting it a little slack. The art though is absolutely amazing. It's so gorgeous and pretty. It's one of the things that made this manga better. I mean the characters all look great. I love how everything is drawn. The eyes are so pretty as well. I like the cover a lot as well. I love how the Nue looks. I would recommend this manga just on art alone if I could.

                    Overall, this volume was okay. It has amazing art and a semi-interesting plot. The characters are mostly good as well. Again it's mostly the cliche with Himari that brought it down. I do plan on reading the next volume in hopes that it gets better. If you like Kamisama Kiss or Black Bird and don't mind the cliche then I definitely recommend this manga to you.









Stars:                      3/5

Toradora!

                           About:


                         Despite Ryuji Takasu's gentile personality, his eyes make him look like an intimidating delinquent. Class rearrangements on his second high school year put him together with his best friend, Yusaku Kitamura, and his hidden crush Minori Kushieda. Along with these two comes Kushieda's best friend, Taiga Aisaka. Her delicate appearance contrasts with her brutal personality. Secretly in love with Kitamura, Taiga agrees to help Ryuji with his love interest as long as he helps her get closer to hers.






My Review:






                  It was a little hard to get into the series. It took five episodes before I fell completely head over heels with Toradora!. I mean to me it was weird and slow at first and then bam! It turned amazing. I could not stop watching. It's funny as hell with really sweet moments. It's not like most romantic comedies out there. Despite all the hilarious moments, it also has some very deep ones too. You really connect with the characters and feel so much for them. So, if you're looking for a pure comical romance then you won't find that here. This anime may be funny but again there are some really deep stuff in this anime as well.

                  Toradora! is about Ryuji who is in love with Minori but hasn't had the courage to act on it. He's a little less confident since his face is scary looking. Taiga likes Kitamura who is Ryuji's best friend. They then band together to help each other with their crush's forging a very unique friendship.

                    Taiga is a spitfire like no other. Everyone calls her the palm top tiger because of how bad her temper is. Despite the fact that she's the shortest person in the class, she is also the strongest. Most people are scared of her because of it combined with her temper. I liked her character a lot. Despite her toughness, she also had a soft little girl side that just doesn't want to be alone. I really liked her character development. I loved that she didn't stay the typical hot headed person. Ryuji is like the house mother of the group. Despite his fierce looks, he loves to clean and cook. He can't get enough of it. He can also sew, but don't mistake that for liking girly things. This isn't Otomen here. He's still a typical guy but he can be adorable himself with the way he acts around Minori. Minori is a little bit of a weird character. She's very different from the others. She is always upbeat and pumped for anything. She loves wearing a bald cap as well. Don't worry, she only wears it for a couple episodes. She also doesn't believe she'll find love, that it's like finding a ghost. Minori was an okay character for me. I really liked her in some episodes and just really disliked her in others. It's a little hard to explain. I loved how good a friend she was for Taiga. Kitamura is Ryuji's best friend and the class vice president. He is also a pretty weird character. He's smart and a good friend to Ryuji but also just has a weird personality himself. I don't know how to explain him. Ami, or dumb-chi, which is what Taiga likes to call her, is a character I liked a lot as well. Almost as much as Taiga and Ryuji. She is a famous model who is childhood friends with Kitamura. She's a real witch. Very mean and conceited...mostly. At first she lies about her personality, pretending to be the sweet clumsy girl. She was probably the most interesting character. She was so mature but childish at the same time. She was like a bird, she could see everything from above. She realized the situation of where everyone's feelings really lay before they did. I couldn't help but put out my heart to her. She clearly liked this person but he couldn't ever love her back. I think I liked her for it almost. All the characters were great. I loved seeing them grow up and develop throughout the series. 

                 I really liked the plot for this series. It touches on teen romance, doubts, loneliness, broken families, one sided love, missed chances, and growing up. Some deep topics right? I liked they way they touched them without losing focus with the series. The plot was very strong in this anime. The art was pretty good as well. I love how all the characters look. Especially Taiga. She looks so tiny and cute but also fierce at the same time. I absolutely love it.

                Overall, I really loved this anime. Yeah, it was slow at first and some of the characters didn't make me love them but it's overshadowed by so many other things. My heart pounded so many times just wondering what each character would do/decide. The ending was good. I liked it, a lot of other people hated it. Make sure you don't stop watching when the credits roll. That's the thing with most anime, there's always more after the credits like Marvel movies. You'll absolutely hate the ending if you don't keep watching. I highly recommend this anime to romance lovers. Seriously, you will love this, even better if you like comedy. I'll probably end up re-watching this anime because it was that good.









Stars:                       5/5

Wilde for Her book 2 by Tonya Burrows

         
                      About:


                     Friends with benefits just got hotter.

Former Homicide detective Camden Wilde has been in love with his ex-partner, Eva Cardoso, for longer than he cares to admit. Not that it matters. She's shoved him into the friend zone, and after living through the hell of his parents' violent deaths, Cam's unable to give her the idyllic life she secretly desires.

Eva's never met a person who hasn't let her down. Cam may be sex personified, but he's the only man she can trust, and there's no way she'll risk their friendship on the off-chance they could be more. Especially not after the one scintillating night she's trying--and failing--to forget.

When a murder-for-hire contract on his head lands on Eva's doorstep, Cam knows it's time to put up or shut up. He's done biding his time, and he'll be damned if he lets the delectable detective ignore what's between them, no matter the cost.






My Review:




                I love book series like this one. I'm so addicted. The long series where every book has a different main characters but they were side characters in the other books. I can't get enough of them. Wilde for Her is a great sequel to the first book. I wasn't disappointed at all with it. I've never actually read many books where a character tries to get out of the friend zone. I read many books where the character tries too late and the main character is obviously in love with someone else. Anyway, this book had its charm and is very steamy. So if you aren't an adult or mature then you should probably stay away from this book.

                Wilde for Her is about the budding romance between Cam and Eva. After one drunken night at his brother's wedding Cam isn't ready to let Eva go and is done waiting on the sidelines like a good friend. While testing the waters for the new relationship Cam finds out that someone wants him dead. Not wanting to worry anyone he keeps that to himself. 

                  Cam is the kind of guy best friend every girl wants. He's sweet, funny, and always there to back you up. Also good boyfriend material too. Poor guy spending five years in the friend zone. I liked Cam a lot. He's the dream guy almost every girl wants. He is so sweet and caring. He would do anything for Eva. I liked how protective he was of her as well. Eva was awesome. I love her smart-mouth character. She is tough and strong and has the heart to prove it. She's been let down all her life but doesn't let that drag her down. I also like that she has a soft side too. I liked them so much together. I think their personalities really played off each other. Vaughn is Cam's twin brother and also kind of the opposite of him. While Cam is laid back, Vaughn is more serious. I liked that I got to see a lot more of Vaughn in this book. He looked out a lot for Cam in this book. It was nice seeing how much he cared when he talked to Eva. I can't wait to read his story. Shelby was an interesting character. She's Eva's sister and the wild on at that. I only saw a little bit of her but she seemed like a good sister to Eva and encourage her relationship with Cam. I'm a little excited to see her story as well considering it seems like she and Reese(Cam's other brother) are going to have a story of their own. I could be wrong though. I liked all the characters and hope to see more of them in the future.

                 The plot wasn't too bad. I mean it was a little run of the mill but it was done in such a great way that it didn't really matter. I mean it's a cliche for a reason. I liked how the steamy moments weren't random. There are some books I've read where there would be random sex scenes. It's not cool at all. 

                  Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I loved the characters and my familiarity with this kind of series. I do recommend this book to those who love romance, smut, and a tiny bit of drama. You technically don't have to read the first book to read this one but I recommend that you read the first one as well. I like Tonya Burrows writing and I hope zi love the next book as well.









Stars:                            4/5

Chosen at Nightfall book 5 by C.C. Hunter

                     About:


                      When Kylie Galen entered Shadow Falls Camp, she left her old life behind forever and discovered a world more magical than she ever imagined. A place where your two best friends can be a witch and a vampire...and where love doesn't happen the way you'd expect. 

                  When Kylie's most powerful enemy returns to destroy her once and for all, there's only one way to stop him--to step into her full powers and make a stunning transformation that will amaze everyone around her. But her journey won't be complete until she makes one final choice: which guy to love. Should she choose the werewolf who broke her heart but will give anything to win her back, or the half-fae who ran from their attraction before they had a chance? Everything's she's learned at Shadow Falls has been preparing her for this moment--when her fate will be revealed and her heart claimed forever.





My Review:




                 I am so happy to finally finish this series. It was one emotional ride for me. I have been putting off reading this book because I didn't want this series to end but at the same time I needed to finish it. Have you ever had that feeling? Where you love a series but you know you need to just finish it? Well, I did for this series. I'm just glad it wasn't one of those series where it's live twenty books long. Anyway, I really liked this book along. I stayed up so late reading it. I couldn't put it down. I think this book is tied with the first one. I always find that the first and last books are the best in the series and here is the same case. 

              This final installment of the series is about Kylie who has finally figured out what she was, learning to figure out what her full powers really are. She also has to finally choose between Derek and Lucas. This also where she has her final showdown with Mario. 

              Kylie is a protector which allows her to only use her powers to help others. Never herself. This also adds to her personality of being really nice. I liked that she was really nice and caring. But it was also great that she had her own faults as well. Kylie is one of my favorite protagonists ever. I can't really fully explain why but I think you would understand if you read the series or if you are currently reading the series then I think you get what I'm feeling. I loved how Kylie handled things with Derek and Lucas. It wasn't whining on I don't know who to choose and she didn't lead either of them on. Derek was such a sweetheart as always. I love his character so much. I like how he's always what Kylie needs whether as a friend or not. That being said I was never on team Derek throughout the series. I was always a Lucas fan. Though I wasn't much of his fan in book four. Lucas was totally wrong for what he did. For a while because of his actions I was on Team Who Needs A Man, but he won me over again. I proudly declare that he is currently my new book boyfriend. This proves how much I like him. He really cared for Kylie and was willing to do anything to get her back. I loved his determination. I love Kylie's best friends. Made me wish that I had cool friends like them. I felt like I didn't get to see much of Miranda in this books as I did in the others which made me kind of sad. I love Miranda and her tiny screw ups. She is such a great friend to Kylie. Della was a lot more present in this book. I love her kick ass attitude and her tough love. I also love how stubborn she is. I absolutely can't wait to read her story. Holiday is still the sweetheart big sister that we all know and love except she's engaged and full of great news. I loved her character so much throughout the series. I wish I had a big sister like her. I like how she is so protective of Kylie. I also love her partner Burnett. He is so protective of Kylie as well and I love how stubborn and unreasonable he could be. He is such a great match for Holiday. I have always been rooting for them. 

               The plot is really great. I loved the turn things took in this book. It took a twist I didn't see coming. I liked that I couldn't predict what was going to happen. Usually I have some idea of what is going to happen because I've read so much. I really liked the cover for the book. The color is really pretty and I like how the model looks on the cover.

                Overall, this book was really great. It was the perfect ending to the series. The character development was absolutely amazing. I loved seeing how the characters have grown. I also loved the ending. It was the perfect ending of the books. So sweet and just great. I'm not saying anything more because I don't want to spoil anything. I highly recommend this series to supernatural romance lovers. This series is better than the Twilight series but I guess it doesn't really say much because I hated that series but oh well you should still give it a shot. If you are currently reading the series you should be happy to know that this book will not disappoint you in the slightest.








Stars:                      5/5

Spotlight Monday: Gamer Girl by Mari Mancusi

                        About:


                        After Maddy's parents divorce, she's stuck starting over at a new high school. Friendless and nicknamed Freak Girl, Manga-loving artist Maddy finds refuge in the interactive online game Fields of Fantasy. In that virtual world, she reinvents herself as Allora, a gorgeous elfin alter ego, and she meets a true friend in Sir Leo. Maddy can't hide behind Allora forever, especially as a real-life crush begins edging on her budding virtual romance. But would anyone ever pick the real Maddy, gamer girl and Manga freak, over the fantasy? This fresh geeky/cool novel includes online chats and exciting gaming, and features Maddy's Mangastyle artwork.






Links To Buy:


Amazon:   http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0525479953/ref=x_gr_w_glide_bb?ie=UTF8&tag=x_gr_w_glide_bb-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0525479953&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2

Barnes & Noble:   http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/gamer-girl-mari-mancusi/1100477730?ean=9780525479956

Half:   http://product.half.ebay.com/Gamer-Girl-by-Mari-Mancusi-2008-Hardcover/66095289&cpid=1384171212

IndieBound:   http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780525479956




I read this book so long ago but it still sticks with me. This book covers the huge issue of being the new kid, divorce, and bullying. I can't find another character I connect more with than Maddy. This book is one of my high recommends. It will stick with you forever. 


**If there is a book, manga, movie, anime, etc that you love and want to share with the world, then comment below and it will appear in the next Spotlight Monday**

Before Midnight book 1 by Jennifer Blackstream

                           About:


An alpha wolf fighting a powerful curse...

The werewolf prince Etienne is turning into a human. A fierce and loyal pack, Etienne and his family have protected their kingdom with tooth and claw--literally--for hundreds of years. Unfortunately, the spell pf a well meaning witch is slowly stealing the beast from inside him. Only the bite of a cursed wolf---one who is not born with the beast inside--can save him from losing everything. He has no time for anything that will not lead him to a cure for the curse. Not even the beautiful maiden whose gentile nature soothes his soul even as she tempts him into primal pursuits of an entirely different nature...

A maiden enslaved by her step-family, who dares to reach for more...

Loupe lives in terror. Terror of the blood thirsty step-family who treats her like a slave, and terror of the beast trapped inside her. Bitten by a werewolf while dealing with the illegal gains of her step-family's poaching, Loupe's dreams of a strong husband who would take her away from her servant-like existence are over. A woman who becomes a mindless beast on the night of the full moon has no place in a marriage bed. Not even if that bed belongs to a prince with the manners of royalty and the hungry eyes of a wolf. 

Nothing will stand between an alpha wolf and his mate...

A grand ball. The stroke of twelve. A magic "slipper." All kinds of things can happen when you don't leave the ball...Before Midnight.






My Review:






                 I had this book on my kindle forever and just now decided to read it. I didn't really have high expectations for the book since I have read so many different versions of the story Cinderella, but it was a lot better than I expected. It's also not as steamy as I expected. I mean there was passion between the main characters but there are no sex scenes really, so if you're worries about that, then you're good. If you're looking for something steamier then you should look somewhere else. To me this book was a quick read. It wasn't short though. I read it in a little over an hour. While the book was better than I expected, it isn't my favorite Cinderella story.

               This book is about Loupe who is trapped in her step-mother's home skinning wolves and fearing for her life. She's also scared of the beast inside her. The one she can't control. Then she meets Prince Etienne who seems like a normal person who gives her butterflies and makes her long for something more. A better life where she isn't a monster and isn't scared of her step-family.

               Loupe was interesting. She was really kind and sweet. She hated that her step-family was poaching wolves. She even is taking care of wolf pups whose mother was killed. That's the part I find interesting. I men she's scared of the beast inside her, her wolf, but not of real wolves. I found that a little confusing and cool. I liked her character a lot. I liked how she was weak in the beginning but then became stronger when push comes to shove. Prince Etienne seemed like such a sweetheart with some issues. I mean he was a little desperate because he was turning into a human. He was the type of werewolf that was born not made. I thought he was unnecessarily full of anger at times. I guess he would be under the circumstances but just the way it came out just didn't sit well with me. I liked him for Loupe. They were each other's rock and pushed each other to be more. If it wasn't for him, Loupe would never have gained her courage. I love Etienne's parents. I thought they were cute and sweet. I wold have loved to have seen more of them in the book. I also loved how crazy Loupe's step-family were. I mean they were so evil that it made things interesting. I love it wasn't the typical make Cinderella do chores(even though she did that) but Loupe was forced to skin wolves! It just was really interesting.

                   The plot was good. The prologue made things very interesting so I'm curious as to what the bigger plot is. I mean it's what makes me want to read the next book! The main plot for the book though was good. It was a little cliche but I loved the fact that werewolves were thrown in to make it a tiny bit different. I liked the cover but I kind of wish it didn't suggest that the book was going to be steamy when it actually isn't.

                    Overall, I really liked the book. It was a nice quick read. I loved the characters and the plot. I also very much love the tiny cliffhanger at the end which also hinted at the bigger plot. I'm dying to know what it is. It makes me can't wait to read the next book and get more clues. I recommend this book to those who are looking for a good read who loves romance, fairy tales, and the paranormal.







Stars:                           3.5/5

                

Wild Cards book 1 by Simone Elkeles

                     About:


                     Love is the toughest game of all.

After getting kicked out of boarding school, bad boy Derek Fitzpatrick has no choice but to live with his ditzy stepmother while his military dad is deployed. Things quickly go from bad to worse when he finds out she plans to move them back to her childhood home in Illinois. Derek's counting the days before he can be on his own, and the last thing he needs is to get involved with someone else's family drama.

Ashtyn Parker knows one thing for certain--people you care about leave without a backward glance. A football scholarship would finally give her the chance to leave. So she pours everything into winning a state championship, until her star-quarterback boyfriend betrays them all. Ashtyn needs a new game plan, but it requires trusting Derek---someone she barely knows, someone born to break the rules. Is she willing to put her heart on the line to try and win it all?






My Review:





                              I first have to say that I have been a huge fan of Simone Elkeles work for a very long time. Her Perfect Chemistry series is a huge favorite of mine and have reread it countless of times, so I was excited to get my hands on a copy of Wild Cards. I had high expectations with this book and it did not disappoint. It was thrilling, heart pounding, and not a book you can out down. I read it in one sitting. I know it sounds crazy, but I really did read all 342 pages in one sitting with no breaks. It was that good. I still think the Perfect Chemistry series still holds its golden crown but this definitely gets a silver tiara. 

                 Wild Cards is about two teenagers with chips on their shoulders. Derek can't get over what happened to his mom and Ashtyn can't trust anybody because of what the people she loved did to her. All she has left is football. When these two first meet, it's a disaster. They don't get along and drive each other crazy, but there is something between them that either of them don't want to admit. 

                   Ashtyn is bossy and controlling, according to Derek. I do think he's kind of right. She has no control so she scrambles for it. Ashtyn is a tomboy who once in a while does her best to remind everyone that she is a girl. I liked Ashtyn a lot. I loved how she stuck up for herself and fought for what she wanted. Not many people can do that. I also like how hot headed she is. I just find those kinds of characters interesting. While Ashtyn is hot headed, Derek is calm cool...most of the time. He seems to lose his head when Ashtyn is involved. She is a siren according to him. He wants nothing to do with her. He's the one time wham bam thank you ma'am type of guy. He isn't into commitment and being there for someone. Oh bt he wants to, for her. She drives him insane and makes his blood run hot but he can't stay away from her. I liked Derek a lot in the way that he seemed like a very real character to me. I mean I connected with Ashytn about the people leaving and never looking back, but I never experienced losing a love one. So when I read this book I felt like I lost someone too. He really made his emotions feel real which I have to credit Simone with. She sure knows how to invoke emotions from you through her writing. I liked both Ashtyn and Derek together. They were polar opposites but somehow they complimented each other. Truthfully though, I wished there were more sweet moments between them. There was only that one thing towards the end. Most of the time it was blazing passion, which was great, but I just wanted something that wasn't lust I guess? I know their couldn't be a lot of sweet moments but one more couldn't have hurt, could it? I absolutely loved Derek's grandmother. I found her to be hilarious. She didn't take no for an answer and always got what she wanted. She's bossy and a pain in the butt, but you could tell she really cared about Derek. She is definitely one of my favorite characters even though she only appeared in the last third of the book. Brandi was a bit of an airhead but I wish I could have seen more of her. Maybe some bonding between her and Ashtyn? That's another problem I found with this book. I felt that some issues weren't addressed properly. I mean Brandi left Ashtyn behind like their mother left them and there is no talking about it between them? Derek's issues were addressed but Ashtyn's weren't. Julian was absolutely adorable. I found him so cute and also wished I could have seen him more. 

               The plot is very good. I love how the story is set up. I felt there were a few holes, like with the lack of issues being addressed but the romance was spot on. It definitely got my heart throbbing. I wish I could have seen an actual football game go on in the book. There were only practices and that training camp. I would have loved the suspense of a game. Maybe in the next book I'll see one. I loved the cover by the way. Simone Elkeles covers are the best. 

               Overall, I loved the book. I could not put it down. I loved everything about it except for those couple issues I had. If you love romance and seeing people overcome their problems then you should definitely read this book. If you are also a Simone Elkeles fan and haven't gotten the chance to pick up a copy of Wild Cards then get a move on! This is a high recommend and a good summer read. 







Stars:                       4/5

Hana-Kimi vol 13-15 by Hisaya Nakajo

                  About:


                    Three's a crowd.
After a pipe breaks down in Dorm 1, Mizuki and Sano must share their room with Kadoma while it's being fixed. Kadoma is nice though---so nice he comes in to scrub Mizuki's back in the shower! Later, Nakatsu asks Sano how he feels about Mizuki and then tells Sano they're now rivals.








My Review:





                              I love this series so much. I guess it's shown by me sticking with the series this long. I was so excited to read this volume because of the cliffhanger in the last volume. I was wondering if Sano was going to explode with Gil's information. I wasn't disappointed. We meet a new character as well. He doesn't become a permanent stay but I do hope to see his character again in later volumes. This set of volumes were as good as the others. Slightly better because I feel like everything is coming around. I mean there was still a lot of comical scenes that make you chuckle, but there were more serious scenes which made me feel like the characters have grown. Not a lot because they still act like idiots but enough to take notice and to appreciate them more.

                 In this set of volumes, a pipe breaks down in Dorm 1 so all the boys in Dorm 1 are crashing with the other dorms. Kadoma gets roomed with Mizuki and Sano. Lucky for them since he's so nice, but also very tough since now Mizuki has to hide the fact she's a girl with two guys in a cramped room. Mizuki is also broke and needs a job. She ends up working as an assistant to Ebi, the makeup artist from the time when Mizuki modeled. There she meets Alex, a famous model who us known to be difficult and a lover of Japan. They don't really get off on the right foot. And finally, Nakatsu suspects that Sano likes Mizuki and decides to ask him outright, straining their friendship and making the others worry.

                  Once again, Mizuki is still her cute adorable self but she has more of a temper in this set of volumes because of Alex, who drives her mad. There are times where she has angry outbursts but this is a first time where it is constant which I liked a lot. It was great to see a different side of her than her usual happy dense self. I mean no one is calm and great all the time. There were other times where she was sad but again, I've never seen her angry so it made her character more real. Sano is as serious as always but also very agitated. He can't get what Gil said out of his head which makes him push Mizuki a little. I was personally a little happy it happened because I want them together so badly. Luckily it didn't ruin their friendship and brought something to light. I won't say what. Nakatsu was a lot more serious in these couple volumes because of his needing to know of Sano's feelings. I mean he's still a dolt and acts like a kid but I really felt how he kind of grew up a little. I think because of this strain that came about revealing Sano's feelings made their bond stronger. I liked how they made a pact. I know I don't say this often but I like Nakatsu a lot and I feel really bad that he's not really in the running for Mizuki's heart. I wish there was someone for him. Ebi is a character we haven't seen for a while so I was happy to see that Mizuki was going to work for her. She is still so nice and cool. I like her character a lot. Alex was an interesting character. He was the typical jerk but it wasn't because he was a spoiled top notch model, it was because he didn't want anyone to know why he did certain things. Of course with Mizuki's stubbornness, she found out. That brought a new light to all of his actions. I liked that he brought out a new side to Mizuki. I really hope he comes back in a future volume. 

              The plot got a little bit thicker with these three volumes which I enjoyed so much. I mean I love the comical moments but things needed to progress even though it was just a little bit. I can't wait to see what the author has in store next. The art is the same as always. I'm not a big fan of the cover but I love the art on the inside. I have no real complaints but I also don't have anything new to add.

               Overall, I loved this set of volumes and so can't wait to read the next set of volumes. Especially, because of the little treat at the end of volume 15. I mean it wasn't really a cliffhanger but still, it is driving me crazy. As always, I highly recommend this series to romantics. It is funny, sweet, and will just warm up your heart. 






Stars:                     5/5

Spotlight Monday: D.N.Angel

                          About:


                        Niwa Daisuke is your average teenager, until his fourteenth birthday. He tries to declare his love to the girl of his dreams, but fails. Suddenly, whenever he thinks about this girl he turns into the legendary phantom thief known as Dark Mousy. Daisuke's mother, very much aware of this, makes him turn into Dark and steal valuable works of art for a purpose unknown to Daisuke. As the story unfolds, he learns why, and about his classmate who seems to have the same ability.










  Links to watch:
 

DailyMotion:   http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xktp6_dnangel-episode-1_fun

gogoanime:   http://gogoanime.tv/dn-angel-episode-1

AnimePlace:   http://theanimeplace.co/d-n-angel-episode-1-english-dub/



Links to buy: 


Barnes & Noble:   http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dvd-dnangel-complete-collection/10587230?ean=0702727132223

Amazon:   http://www.amazon.com/D-N-Angel-Complete-Series-Boxset/dp/B0055V0KAO

FYE:   http://www.fye.com/s/product/2490127?gdftrk=gdfV29298_a_7c5_a_7c40_a_7c2490127&c3apiks=361_936969&cid=1334108&kpid=2490127&gclid=Cj0KEQjwuLKtBRDPicmJyvu_qZMBEiQAzlGN5rnucaUPAUaS-L3j7bO3NaK3HUmnF93ttmL0rblnIYkaArOk8P8HAQ#.Va1XqeKUzGc


I liked this anime a lot. I watched the dub version. I wasn't a huge fan of the voices except for Dark's voice. I'm thinking of rewatching it subbed. Anyway, I do recommend this anime for its interesting plot and cool characters. 



**If there is an anime, movie, manga, etc that you love, then comment below about it and it will appear in the next Spotlight Monday!**

Sorry Guys!

I know I haven't been posting much and that's because I'm moving! I have been so busy packing and running back and forth between the new and old house. I promise to post more again when I am fully done with the move, so please bear with me for the next couple weeks!






Love,

Samantha





P.S. I love you guys so much!

Red River by Chie Shinohara

                     About:


                     A seemingly ordinary modern day teenager, Yuri, is suddenly whisked away to the Hittite empire in ancient Anatolia, where an ambitious queen wants the girl for a blood sacrifice in order to murder all heirs but her son, thus seizing control of the throne. Luckily, the timely intervention of Prince Kail saves Yuri from the queen's grasp. Kail promises to send Yuri back to her home, but the queen's persistent schemes to kill them both, plus their growing feelings for each other, keep those plans delayed.














My Review:






                  I found out about this manga from the app ZingBox. I was looking for historical romance because I was bored of slice of life. I also read this series because I thought it was a short one since it was under a hundred chapters, but I was so wrong. Each chapter was really long which was great. This manga kept me on my toes and guessing. It really was interesting and not cliche at all. I couldn't put my tablet down. I would have read it all in one sitting if it wasn't so long. So, if you're hoping for a quick short read then you should just tuck this away until you're ready for the long haul. 

                 This manga is about a girl named Yuri who is kidnapped by a powerful priestess who intends to use her as a sacrifice in a plot to kill the princes of her kingdom so her son can take the thrown. She is saved by prince Kail and works with him to help him cement his spot to the throne and to stop the queen from discrediting the princes. Along the way she makes many friends, wins battles, and falls in love with the prince all while trying to find a way back home.

                 Yuri is a very strong adaptable character. She was really scared but swallowed that fear and immediately worked on trying to find the way home. I really liked how sensible she was. I also liked that she cred sometimes. It wouldn't have been believable. I also liked that she wasn't predictable and that she didn't really need the prince in a sense. She was able to take care of herself in a foreign land. Prince Kail was a cool character. I loved him and Yuri together but I guess I didn't love him? I'm not sure. I mean I liked his character but I don't feel the need to gush about him. He's also a strong and smart character. He loved his brothers as well, even Juda who is the queen's son which I liked. He's also a tiny bit selfish which comes with the territory of being a prince but there were some moments I wished that was addressed in the manga. Ramses is an Egyptian soldier and Kail's love rival. The moment he realized how amazing Yuri was, he wanted her and kidnapped her a few times. I liked his character a lot. I found it refreshing and interesting. Juda was a sweet kid. I kind of felt bad for him. I mean he loves his brother and his mother is trying to kill him. He doesn't even want to be king. He realizes he wouldn't be an effective one. There were many other characters that I would love to talk about but I don't want you guys sitting here forever learning about them when you could just read Red River.

                  I really liked the plot for this book. Yeah, it's the normal time travel and fall in love with a powerful character but there was a lot of non cliche things going on which I liked. The art was okay. It's a little different since this manga was drawn in the late 90's. I mean I'm not crazy about Yuri's hair at all. Also I wish the eyes were better. Otherwise, it's not all bad. I love how the princes look and I though Ramses was handsome as well. 

                Overall, I liked this manga a lot. There were some scenes which I felt were unnecessary and I kind of wished that Yuri wasn't kidnapped so often. I mean it was more than a couple times and some were from the same person! You would think she got some fight training or something. I know she's a girl and we are generally weaker than men but there a girls who can kick some ass. Otherwise, I really loved the characters and their devotion. I would read other work by this author. I recommend it to lovers of action and historical romance.







Stars:                        4/5

Spotlight Monday: Mamma Mia (2008)

       
                    About:

                    Donna (Meryl Streep), an independent hotelier in the Greek islands, is preparing for her daughter's wedding with the help of two old friends. Meanwhile Sophie, the spirited bride, has a plan. She secretly invites three men from her mother's past in hope of meeting her real father and having him escort her down the aisle on her big day.












Links to watch:



Megashare:   http://megashare.sc/watch-mamma-mia-online-TlRjPQ


Putlocker:   http://putlocker.is/watch-mamma-mia-online-free-putlocker.html


Project Free Tv:   http://www.free-tv-video-online.info/player/vodlocker.php?id=wx0npmfpz9ui






Links to buy:



Amazon:   http://www.amazon.com/Mamma-Mia-Movie-Meryl-Streep/dp/B001N4RORE


Walmart:   http://www.walmart.com/ip/Mamma-Mia-2-Disc-Special-Edition-Widescreen/10746049


Target:   http://www.target.com/p/mamma-mia-fullscreen/-/A-11298038





**If there is a movie, manga,anime, etc that you love and want to shout out to the world then comment below and it will appear in the next Spotlight Monday**

Amagi Brilliant Park

                   About:


                     Seiya was forced to accept an invitation to an amusement park by the mysterious and beautiful girl Isuzu. What he didn't know was that she would bring him to the decrepit Amagi Brilliant Park, Japan's most disappointing amusement park. Seiya is introduced to the leader of the Park, the "real princess" Latifah, who suddenly entrusts him with saving the park, which is in danger of shutting down. Amagi Brilliant Park, it turns out, is not just any amusement park, but rather one populated by fairies.












My Review:


                 



                  I first heard about this anime from the Crunchyroll panel at AnimeNext and I have been so excited to watch it. I'm so glad I finally did. It's so good that I plan to rewatch it soon. I mean it was that good. It's so funny and not filled with the usual run of the mill gags. I must warn you though that this is an anime for weirdos. I mean there are some really weird and a sliver creepy in this anime. If you're not a fun of weird or wacky things, don't even bother to watch it. Though if you love comedy then this is an anime for you. It's filled with magic, curses, business, perverted drunk mascots, and a few other weird things.

                This show is about a park that is run down and barely able to stay open. It houses magical creatures from another land trying to gain magical energy from the laughter of children, but that can't happen if no one even bothers to show up! To save the park, the residents follow a prophecy and hire Kanie to become General Manager of the park. 

                  Kanie is not the typical nice, sweet innocent character that usually is the hero of these animes. Instead, he's full of himself, has no friends, cocky, and can be really rude. He's not all bad though. He decides to do all he can to save the park and the creatures who resides in it. I liked Kanie a lot as the main character. He wasn't the typical character which was very refreshing. It also was so much fun seeing him explode into anger. I also liked seeing him slowly fall in love with the park and everyone in it. It was great. Sento is Kanie's secretary and the one to force him to the park, with a gun I might add. Did that peak your interests? It sure did mine. And this was just the first episode! Sento is a really interesting character. Her face is usually blank and she seems non-sentimental but you quickly learn that that is not the case. You could tell that she loves the park so dearly and the princess as well. She would do anything to help, which usually means resorting to her guns. I liked Sento's character a lot. Latifa is the princess of the magical land the residents of the park came from. She's under a magical curse and to save her life she needs the park to stay open and thrive. Even though she wasn't in the anime much she was still n important character. She was  good incentive to make Kanie work extra hard and she kept morale going. She was the typical sweetheart princess but in this case, it was perfect. Okay, so there is no way I can write this review without mentioning the "three stooges" of the park. That would be Tirame, Moffle, and Macaron. They are the drunk perverted main mascots I was mentioning earlier. They are a major reason why this anime is so funny. I'll talk about them individually. Tirame looks like some cute fluffy pink cat thing but he is so not cute. He is really perverted and will do any slimy thing to get near women, even betray his friends. He also loves to blow things up. He's real good at creating bombs oh and loves to make trouble. He can be a little blood thirsty at times as well. Moffle is princess Latifa's uncle. He is constantly at odds with Kanie and tries to attack him constantly. He has anger management problems and loves to drink. He also loves war scenarios and can get ahead of him self sometimes. But he also loves his niece very much and will do anything he can for her. Macaron is very talented when it comes to music and mischief. He loves to pull tricks on friends but is very loyal. He and Tirame cause the most trouble I say. Those three are really funny and something you don't want to miss. I loved all the characters in this anime and don't have a problem with any of them.

                  The plot is pretty good. I like the idea a lot. I mean it has cliche elements but isn't overall cliche which I thought was pretty cool. So if you hate cliches I still think you should give this anime a try. The art isn't that bad either. I especially loved the facial expressions of the characters. Especially, Tirame and Macaron's expressions. They were hilarious. I like how cute they made princess Latifa and I thought Kanie looked like his personality fit. At times I felt he looked like Haru from Free!

                  Overall, I really loved this series. It's funny, creative, and will make you laugh so hard. This is so not a show geared towards children. The only thing is that episode thirteen was so not need at the end. It was an hilarious episode but with the sweet happy ending in episode twelve, episode thirteen kind of ended the heart warming mood.  Otherwise, I have no complaints. I highly recommend for those looking for an extremely funny anime and has the free time to binge it. Trust me, this is an anime to binge.









Stars:                    5/5