Month: August 2024

Ascendance of a Bookworm, Part. 1, Vol. 2 (LN)

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Ascendance of a Bookworm: I’ll do anything to become a librarian! Part 1: Daughter of a Soldier, Vol. 2 by Miya Kazuki, You Shiina
Series Name: Ascendance of a Bookworm: I’ll do anything to become a librarian! (Light Novel)
Genres: Fantasy, Isekai
Intended Age Group: Teen
Publisher: J-Novel Club
Edition: Paperback 
ISBN: 9781718356016
Rating: 4.5/5
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Description from the Book

It has been a year since our hero was reborn into a new world in the body of Myne, a sickly little girl from a poor family. She’s been doing her best to fulfill her dream of making books, but her plans have been foiled at every turn.

But now Myne has a deal with Benno the merchant: With her friend Lutz’s help, she will make a paper prototype that he can sell in his shop. In exchange, he will take her and Lutz on as apprentices. But making the prototype is filled with its own challenges, and can she trust a conniving merchant like Benno? And the most important question is, does Myne have the deadly sickness known as “The Devouring”?

Personal & Info

I wanted to read this immediately after the first volume. It’s that good.

There is a mini-poster at the front of the book. The poster is not perforated, so I wouldn’t bother removing it. It’s big enough to fold out once, and has two sides. One side is the same picture as the cover, and the back is a cute picture of all the important characters pertaining to this volume.

Characters

Myne, previously Urano Motosu, is the main character. She is a twenty-two-year-old book nerd in the body of a young child. Myne suffers from poor health, and could rarely leave the house or do normal household chores. Her health is much better now, but she still gets sick far more often and easier than everyone else, and her physical strength is practically nonexistent.

Tuuli is Myne’s sister. She is one year older than her, and is very responsible and capable for her age. Her current occupation is seamstress’s apprentice.

Effa is Myne and Tuuli’s mother. She dyes clothes for a career.

Gunther is Myne and Tuuli’s father. He works as a soldier who guards the South Gate.

Lutz is Myne’s friend. He is the same age as her, and he looks after her like she’s his little sister.

Otto is Gunther’s coworker. He handles all the important paperwork for the South Gate. Benno is his brother-in-law, because Otto married Benno’s sister, Corinna.

Benno is a wealthy merchant. He is Corinna’s older brother, and Otto’s brother-in-law.

Corinna is the matriarch of her family and Otto’s wife. She is a professional seamstress.

Freida is the granddaughter of the Merchant Guild’s Guildmaster. Her family is exceedingly wealthy, and she has a passion for money. She and her grandfather badly want to recruit Myne to work at their store.

Story & Thoughts

The prologue starts with Tuuli helping her mother make lunch, while Myne and Lutz are at their meeting with Otto and Benno. Chapter one starts with Myne and Lutz walking back from the meeting. There is absolutely no gap from when volume one ends to volume two beginning. I love when books just drop off and pick up in the same spot for the next volume.

Myne and Lutz have a good dynamic. Lutz is the only person in the whole city willing to spend his time looking after Myne almost every day. Her sickly condition is pretty serious, but their interactions make for some funny moments. It keeps things light enough that her illness doesn’t make the story gloomy, but whenever her condition worsens, there’s sufficient tension.

The money system finally gets an explanation. If I’m remembering correctly, there are seven different coins for currency: three different types of coppers, two types of silvers, and two types of golds. Their values have an explanation in the book, but it kind of lets you fill in the blank for the last three coins. There is a huge difference in some of the coin values. The smallest coin is worth ten, and the biggest coin, by their rule of adding a zero each increment, is worth 10,000,000. It’s pretty crazy to have a single coin worth that much.

I am in love with this series. It’s kind of funny that Myne is becoming a big bread winner for her household within a very short amount of time. What I like the most about this volume is that someone actually realized she’s not the “real” Myne. That interaction was so tense but so sweet. Again, I’m disappointed I don’t have the next volume right away. At the moment I’m typing this, it’s sold out everywhere.

Corinna’s Married Life

This is a bonus chapter in Corinna’s perspective. It covers her looking at the hairpins Myne provides to sell, and reflecting on her whirlwind romance with Otto. We heard a little about that from Otto before, but this chapter shows us a little more in depth, and from Corinna’s side of things, so we know what she was going through at the time.

Gossiping by the Well

The second bonus chapter is in Effa’s perspective. It takes place during a time when she’s doing laundry by the well with the other wives. She speculates about Myne’s change in behavior in the past year and compares her to Gunther. Apparently she considers Myne and Gunther to be similar.

A Court of Silver Flames

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A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas
Series Name: A Court of Thorns and Roses
Volume Number: 4
Genres: Enemies to Lovers, Fae, Fantasy, Magic, Romance
Intended Age Group: Adult
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Edition: Paperback
ISBN: 978-1-63557-799-0
Rating: 4/5
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Description from the Book

Nesta Archeron has always been prickly—proud, swift to anger, and slow to forgive. And since the war—since being made High Fae against her will—she’s struggled to forget the horrors she endured and find a place for herself within the strange and deadly Night Court.

The person who ignites her temper more than any other is Cassian, the battle-scarred, winged warrior who is there at Nesta’s every turn. But her temper isn’t the only thing Cassian ignites. The fire between them is undeniable, and it only burns hotter as they are forced to work closely together.

As the threat of war casts its shadow over them once again, Nesta and Cassian must battle monsters from within and without as they search for acceptance—and healing—in each other’s arms.

Personal & Info

This book is in two perspectives instead of just one. It’s a change from the rest of the series. The only other book in the series like this is A Court of Frost and Starlight, which has several perspectives. Nesta is the main character for this book, but the love interest, Cassian, also has his perspective included.

The map at the front of this book is much prettier than the maps in the other books.

The friend who gifted me the ACOTAR box set was on this book when I started the series. They fell into a reading slump, and I somehow managed to pass them and finish the last book in the set before them. Now I’m the one waiting on them to be able to talk about it. The tables have turned.

Content Warnings

-Depression
-Suicidal thoughts
-Sexual Assault
-Grief
-Abuse

Characters

Feyre is the High Lady of the Night Court, and commonly known as Feyre Cursebreaker. She likes to paint, and she doesn’t actually do much in this book, even though she has been the main character in the series until now.

Elain is the middle child in her family. She likes to garden, and is generally considered the pretty sister. She’s become more assertive as her character has developed, but her love life still has a long way to go.

Nesta is the eldest sister in her family, and the main character of this book. She tends to have an unsavory personality, and likes to read.

Rhysand is High Lord of the Night Court, and Feyre’s mate. His special skill involves mind manipulation.

Cassian is Rhysand’s general. He’s the love interest for the book, which is to be expected since he and Nesta have always had a sort of tension.

Amren is Rhysand’s second in command. She was Nesta’s friend after the dip in the cauldron, but as of ACOFAS, that is no longer the case.

Azriel is Rhysand’s Shadowsinger/Spy, and fills military based roles along with Cassian.

Mor is Rhysand’s third in command. She handles affairs regarding the Court of Nightmares when Rhys and Feyre are not present. She also functions as an envoy to other Fae nations.

Eris is the heir to the Autumn Court. He has a sordid history with Mor, and is a tentative ally to the Night Court.

Gwyn is a priestess who lives in the library under the House of Wind. She likes to sing, and befriends Nesta.

Emerie is an Illyrian female with clipped wings introduced in ACOSAF who runs her own store in Illyria. She is also Nesta’s friend.

Several priestesses from the library are mentioned throughout the book, but Gwyn is the most important.

Vassa, Lucien, and Jurian are not terribly important in this book.

Story & Thoughts

Let me start by saying I have always liked Nesta. She’s a complicated person, with a lot of baggage, who comes off as detestable. But that’s not why I like her. In the first book, something about the core of her character resonated with me.

In this book, Nesta is in a place where she needs to grow. She lacks trust and communication skills, and she falls into the idea that nobody can possibly understand what she’s going through, even though both of her sisters have also had to make the human to Fae adjustment. What it really comes down to is she doesn’t want to be happy. This book might hit close to home for some, because it covers feelings of depression and worthlessness, while still wanting to be loved, but feeling like it isn’t something deserved. The story is Nesta’s journey to recovery, and a heartwarming tale of sisterhood.

On the other side of things, there are so many sex scenes, and they are far more explicit than any of the other volumes. Nesta is a fan of smut novels, so I think it’s written that way to mesh with her personal perspective. Cassian is just as dirty as she is. Sometimes the book feels more like an erotica than a romance.

I enjoyed the story. It’s lengthy, and a bit slow to start, but the pace is what it needs to tell Nesta’s story properly. Her progress is slow, and at times feels like not much is happening, but it’s all important. It feels natural when you start to notice the growth and how it occurs.

I do have some gripes. My biggest one probably being that I think Nesta should be with someone else. After learning more about Nesta, I think Cassian is what she needs for her recovery, but not what she should have in a partner. They just don’t mesh in a way that interests me. I don’t think he is stimulating enough for her in some ways she might prefer. There’s a certain kind of banter that’s missing. It’s hard to explain.

There is no cliffhanger in this book. Everything is wrapped up nicely. I would have liked to see the aftermath of the Illyrian weirdness cleaned up at the end, but maybe that will be covered a in another book. Someone somewhere should be in trouble after all that.

Bofuri, Vol. 4 (LN)

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Bofuri, Vol. 4 by Yuumikan, Koin
Series Name: Bofuri: I Don’t Want to Get Hurt, so I’ll Max Out My Defense. (Light Novel)
Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Magic, Sci-Fi, Slice of Life, Video Games
Intended Age Group: 13+
Publisher: Yen On/Yen Press
Edition: Paperback 
ISBN: 978-1-9753-2358-5
Rating: 3.5/5
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Description from the Book

With new allies and skills at the ready, Maple Tree embarks on their first event! The obvious favorites to take the crown are the big guilds like Flame Empire and the Order of the Holy Sword, each boasting well over a hundred members and some of the best players who topped the ranks in previous events. To make matters worse, everyone on the server has been stocking up on anti-Maple skills and items after her rise to infamy. For any hope of victory, Maple Tree will have to overcome incredible odds and shatter all expectations—or wipe out everybody else trying!

Personal & Info

I’m still not impressed with the cheap paper the publisher uses for this series. Three out of four volumes so far have some kind of damage just from normal handling or shipping. Be careful with the physical copies. They are not nearly as durable as the average book.

Characters

Maple Tree

Kaede Honjou, player name Maple, is the main character. She didn’t play video games much until she tried New World Online. The game has a pain system that allows the player to actually feel pain when they take damage. Because of this feature, Maple puts ALL stat points into her defense. Since starting the game, Maple has become an absolute horror to other players.

Risa Shiromine, player name Sally, is Maple’s friend. She introduced Kaede to the game, and decided to follow her lead in making an overpowered build. Her primary stat is agility, and she has a special skill as a gamer to be able to handle fast movement and reaction times without any additional program assistance. Like Maple, she has established a horrifying reputation to other players.

Kasumi is a katana weilding player that Maple and Sally befriended during the second game event. She has yet to be infected by Maple’s weirdness.

Kanade is a mage player that Maple befriended during the second game event. His staff is a Rubik’s cube. He has an ability that lets him store spells for later use, which makes him a bit overpowered as a mage.

Chrome is the Anonymous Great Shielder in the forums and Maple’s friend. He’s also one of the best great shielders in the game. He has been infected by Maple’s weird luck and managed to get some overpowered gear and skills of his own.

Iz is a crafter that Maple met through Chrome. She’s one of the best in the game. With her new gear and skills, she’s also likely considered overpowered.

Yui and Mai are twins only differentiated by their hair colors of white and black. They are Maple’s newest friends, and chose pure strength builds.

Oboro and Syrup are Sally and Maple’s animal companion rewards from the second event. Oboro is a fox, and Syrup is a turtle.

The Order of the Holy Sword

Pain is the top player on the server. He plays a holy sword knight.

Frederica is a mage. She tried to get intel on Sally before the event and has a bit of a rivalry with her.

Drag has the nickname Groundsplitter. He’s an axe wielder and tends to make Frederica cover his defense while he focuses on DPS. He is fifth in the player rankings.

Dread has the nickname Godspeed. He uses daggers similarly to Sally and appears to be faster than her. He also has a heightened sense of intuition for danger, which helps make him a formidable foe. His ranking from the first event is second.

Flame Empire

Mii has the nickname Flame Empress. She is a mage specializing in fire magic. I would guess the guild is named after her.

Marx has the nickname Trapper. His specialty is setting traps, and he is eighth in player rankings.

Misery has the nickname Saint Misery. She’s primarily a healer, but she is tenth in player rankings.

Shin has the nickname Splinter Sword. His rival is Kasumi, because he lost to her in the first event.

Story & Thoughts

The entirety of this volume is the fourth game event. It covers a lot with a large amount of characters. More information about and inclusion of other top ten players are shown. Most of them are in the three guilds the description mentions: The Order of the Holy Sword, Flame Empire, and Maple Tree.

I like the story well enough. The event is interesting and entertaining. The addition of so many other characters makes things feel even busier.

My main issue with the volume is that, despite the expansiveness of the event, it still seems too easy for Maple Tree. In volume three, they reveal what the event will be, as well as all of the terms and conditions. The fact each character can die a certain number of times before being removed from the event left me thinking Maple Tree would suffer more deaths throughout. The actual number of deaths in the book is well below my expectations, and thus leaves me feeling like the story lacks enough tension to truly be satisfying.

Aside from that one thing, various parts of the book had me smiling and giggling. Maple is comically overpowered. If Maple Tree had a harder time, I think my rating would be higher. It can be difficult to have overpowered characters and still keep the right amount of tension. I think the balance is a little off in that regard.

A Court of Frost and Starlight

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A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas
Series Name: A Court of Thorns and Roses
Volume Number: 3.5
Genres: Fae, Fantasy, Magic, Romance
Intended Age Group: Adult
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Edition: Paperback
ISBN: 978-1-63557-562-0
Rating: 3/5
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Description from the Book

Feyre, Rhysand, and their friends are still busy rebuilding the Night Court and the vastly altered world beyond, recovering from the war that changed everything. But Winter Solstice is finally approaching, and, with it, the joy of a hard-earned reprieve.

Yet even the festive atmosphere can’t keep the shadows of the past from looming. As Feyre navigates her first Winter Solstice as High Lady, her concern for those dearest to her deepens. They have more wounds than she anticipated—scars that will have a far-reaching impact on the future of their court.

Bridging the events of A Court of Wings and Ruin with the later books in the series, A Court of Frost and Starlight explores the long-lasting effects of a devastating war and the fierce love between friends.

Personal & Info

This book is written differently than the others. It has various perspectives from different characters. Feyre, Rhysand, Cassian, Mor, and Nesta all have at least one chapter in their perspective. The weird thing, in my opinion, is that only Feyre and Rhys are in first person. The rest are in third.

Characters

Feyre is the High Lady of the Night Court, and commonly known as Feyre Cursebreaker. She likes to paint.

Elain is the middle child in her family. She likes to garden as a hobby, and is generally considered the pretty sister.

Nesta is the eldest sister in her family. She tends to have an unsavory personality, and likes to read.

Rhysand is High Lord of the Night Court, and Feyre’s mate. His special skill involves mind manipulation.

Mor, Amren, Cassian, and Azriel are Rhys’ and Feyre’s friends and members of their Court inner circle. Amren is second in command. Mor is third, and handles affairs with the Court of Nightmares in Rhys and Feyre’s stead. Cassian and Azriel fill more military specialized roles.

Lucien is High Fae and no longer strictly connected to any one Court.

A few new characters appear in this book, but I don’t know how much they’ll come up later. Ressina and Aranea are Feyre’s new friends from the Rainbow. Ressina is a painter, and Aranea is a weaver.

Story & Thoughts

As the description implies, this is very much a transitional volume. It takes place during the holiday season of Winter Solstice, which is basically Christmas to the Night Court, minus any religious or Santa aspects. It also covers some unfinished details regarding A Court of Wings and Ruin. Some of the things it mentions are: where Jurian is and what he’s doing, whether or not they tried to break Vassa’s curse and if they were able, how kingdoms and armies are faring after the final battle, and verification that Bryaxis is still missing.

This book is a bit slow. The first seventy or so pages are not very interesting. It does pick up eventually and get back to the same feel as the other books. Romance is not a heavy aspect in this one, aside from some updates regarding Feyre and Rhys’ relationship. The plot mostly expresses that everyone is coping with the events of the war as best they can.

The idle time over the holiday highlights the group’s personalities and quirks both as individuals and teams. For example, one of my favorite scenes involves Feyre and Cassian decorating for the holiday and the reactions of others when they see it. It’s nothing super serious, but scenes like that one do well expressing how well they know each other and how well they mesh as friends. The different perspectives also give more insights into personal aspects of characters we’ve only seen from Feyre’s view, so far.

I can’t help being disappointed that several characters aren’t currently getting along. Some of them make sense because of bigger events that happened, but some of them are just because someone says the wrong thing with good intentions. I’m sure a lot of these things will be addressed or resolved in the next book.