The Girl The Shovel and the Evil Eye Vol. 1 by Chouchouhasshi & Kayatamaru (Illustrator)
Tsuguto Sumihara is way too nice…or rather, was too nice. He lost his life in a bus accident after being bullied into giving up his seat, and somehow was reincarnated into a mining camp! Not only that, the mine is at the base of an impossibly tall tower. It’s there he meets the ram–horned Loulier, his first friend in this bizarre land. But when she’s bullied, Tsuguto finds that maybe he wasn’t reincarnated without powers after all…and that, if he’s to have a future in this strange new land, Loulier’s just the partner he needs.
Review: The beginning of the manga was intriguing, I was interested to see how the world building was going to progress. That enthusiasm fell away a little when I realised the video game parallel that is being set up. The word building became less of the focus, instead it was set up for the dungeons and coming quests. I do hope that the exploring of the world, the tower, etc will be picked up again as that was interesting.
Character wise there isn’t a lot to say, Loulier’s easy to like (so cute) and Tsugoto is fine enough. I think as a first volume The Girl, The Shovel, and the Evil Eye is a good start but I’m hoping volume two expands on the story and word building.
Thank you, Kodansha for the review copy.
You’re My Cutie by Nakaba Harufuji
Madoka is obsessed with shojo manga—specifically manga that features younger, innocent guys who fall for their Sempai. So she should be thrilled when a gorgeous kohai comes to work at her father’s restaurant…except he’s rude and standoffish, and wants nothing to do with her. But when she protects him from some extra-pushy fans, he finds that maybe he’s found someone letting his walls down for…!
Review: I don’t really have many things to say about this manga. It’s cute, the art is lovely and overall, it’s fits well into the “nice reset” stories I like reading. It’s just a pleasant and sweet kind of read when you are in the mindset for something cute.
Thank you, Kodansha for the review copy.
I Was Reincarnated as the 7th Prince so I Can Take My Time Perfecting My Magical Ability by Kenkyo na Circle & Yosuke Kokuzawa (Illustrator)
Prince Lloyd wasn’t always a prince…in fact, his previous life is one he remembers perfectly: he was a sorcerer, of sorts. So when he was forced to reincarnate, he decided to continue his studies, prince of the realm or no! But his new life has its own sets of challenges…including being a 10-year-old! What’s the 7th prince/sorcerer to do?!
Review: I read this in a couple of parts. On the positive I like the premise and think this has some interesting potential. I also like the art and how the book sets up coming volumes.
On the negative, the fan service is distracting. It’s not exactly something I look for in stories, but I have seen it work well and compliment characters and a story. In I Was Reincarnated as the 7th Prince so I Can Take My Time Perfecting My Magical Ability (did the title have to be so long?) it is so frequent, so in your face that it pulls you from the story.
I do want to see how the story is continued in the next volume before I decide if I want to give up or continue with the series.
Thank you, Kodansha for the review copy.
Beauty and the Beast of Paradise Lost by Kaori Yuki
Young and rambunctious Belle insists on going out to play in the forbidden woods, but her adventurous streak abruptly ends when her mother is spirited away by a beast known to kidnap beautiful women. Twisted by the loss of his wife, Belle’s father keeps his daughter and her unusual violet hair locked away in an effort to “protect” her from prying eyes.
Years later, news of the beast’s reappearance coaxes Belle back to the woods where it all began—but her desperate search for the truth may be more perilous than she could have ever imagined…
Review: Way back when I read through Angel Sanctuary more than once, because it was visually beautiful and intricate. I didn’t realise it was the same author until I started Beauty and the Beast of Paradise Lost. This is a positive because I remember that it was about 3-4 books because the saga that is Angel Sanctuary really settled into it’s universe, so while I think the first instalment of Beauty and the Beast of Paradise Lost is ok I want to read a few more books before I make a full judgement.
Thank you, Kodansha for the review copy.
The Summer of You by Nagisa Furuya
A wistful summer blossoms between two high-school boys finding themselves and each other through a shared love of movies in this moving, dramatic, two-volume BL romance series, perfect for fans of Seven Days, Given, or I Hear the Sunspot.
Chiharu Saeki and Wataru Toda are two high school students who share a common hobby: They love to watch movies. After they meet, they become fast friends, until one day, when Chiharu confesses his love for Wataru. Wataru says that Chiharu’s confession doesn’t bother him, and the boys continue throughout their summer, going to pilgrimages to see film spots from their favorite movies. But the more time he spends with Chiharu, Wataru realizes that he may not only be as unaffected by Chiharu’s confession as he claimed to be, but those feelings may also be mutual…
Review: Overall, this was a very middle of the road manga for me. I have issue re Chiharu’s childhood and how that fits into the overall story. I think the story would have worked just fine without it and probably made it better.
On the hole (excluding the mentioned storyline) I liked The Summer of You. If was a nice story and didn’t make the change from friendship to relationship too fast. I thought the pacing was done well for the length of the manga and appreciate Wataru’s emotional journey.
The art was pleasant and as a standalone I think it does fine.
Thank you, Kodansha for the review copy.
My Love Mix-Up! by Wataru Hinekure & Aruko (Illustrator)
In this warmhearted romantic comedy, mistaken identity leads to a blossoming romance between two boys.
Aoki has a crush on Hashimoto, the girl in the seat next to him in class. But he despairs when he borrows her eraser and sees she’s written the name of another boy—Ida—on it. To make matters more confusing, Ida sees Aoki holding that very eraser and thinks Aoki has a crush on him!
Review: It’s cute and I like the artwork. I don’t think this stands out as heads above any other story in the genre, but it is a nice read.
Thank you, Viz Media LLC for the review copy.
Luna's Little Library 