Tag: 2024

Light Novel & Manga Haul September-October 2024

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About

This haul contains all comics, light novels, and manga for the months of September and October. I had enough to post a haul at the end of September, but I ended up delaying long enough that I decided to just do a two month haul instead.

Everything here is purchased in new condition. Some books come from Amazon, some from Barnes & Noble, and some from local stores.

Comics

Archie: Halloween Special

The only thing Archie I’ve ever tried is the TV show, Riverdale. Archie and Sabrina are in the same universe, so they often have crossovers. I like Sabrina, but I’m new to the comics, so, Halloween Archie special crossover with Sabrina.

What is it?

One-shot Halloween comic of Archie, featuring Sabrina. People not familiar with the comics would likely recognize the characters from the Riverdale TV show.

Sabrina The Teenage Witch: Annual Spectaculars & Holiday Special

These three comics are not trade paperbacks. They are stand alone stories as single comics with the carboard backing and sleeves to keep them in good condition. Every year or so, Archie Comics releases an annual comic for Sabrina, that’s what these Annual Spectaculars are. The Holiday Special is just a separate one-shot story.

I’ve always liked everything Sabrina ever since I was a young child. These were given to me to try to encourage me to read more non-manga comics. I have not read any Sabrina comics before, except one four book series that was published in a manga style, so these are a new format of the Sabrina universe for me.

What is it?

One-shot comics of Sabrina The Teenage Witch. People not familiar with the comics would likely recognize the character from the old TV show or the more recent Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.

Light Novels

The Apothecary Diaries, Vol. 2

I love the manga for this series so much that I waited years for the light novel to get a physical release. Unfortunately, I had some bad luck with this volume. After ordering, the bubble packet was delivered empty, with a giant hole in the side, as if the book were too heavy and just fell out somewhere along the way. Customer service was contacted and a new volume was sent to replace it.

I ended up giving the replacement book a quick mold treatment upon arrival, because it had some gross black stuff on it, and I wanted to be absolutely certain it was not mold. It probably wasn’t mold, but the treatment was also the only way I could think of to get the gross stuff off of the book. Needless to say, my experience getting a copy of this was stressful and frustrating.

On the upside, the book itself is great. The light novel volumes feel durable, and decently thick. This one has twenty chapters, plus a prologue and epilogue, which is a lot for a light novel. It’s definitely a quality product.

I have not reviewed any of the light novels, yet, but if you want to read my reviews for the manga volumes, they can be found in the index section.

What is it?

A Chinese inspired historical mystery romance, mostly taking place inside the Inner Palace of the emperor’s consorts.

Ascendance of a Bookworm, Vol. 6-9

This series is numbered a little strangely. It’s broken up into parts with their own volume numbers. These volumes are Part 2, volumes 3 and 4, and Part 3, volumes 1 and 2.

Most of these came from Barnes & Noble, because that’s the only place I could find Part 2, Volume 3 in stock. Part 2, Volume 4 and Part 3, Volume 2 were included in the order, because I wanted free shipping, and it doesn’t hurt to have more volumes ahead of time. I could only find Part 3, Volume 1 on Crunchyroll, so I had to order that, too, since Barnes & Noble didn’t have that one, and I didn’t want to have a gap. As I collect the series, I keep encountering volumes going out of stock in most places, so I end up panic buying multiple books at a time.

I already reviewed all of the volumes before these ones. They can be found in the index section.

What is it?

An isekai about a bookworm who wakes up as a five-year-old girl in a world where books are unobtainable by the general public, so she decides to make her own and strive to make them more accessable.

Manga

The Apothecary Diaries, Vol. 12

I’m late in reading this, because I haven’t been in a manga mood lately, but I’m still trying to keep up with the releases. Despite not wanting to read it right away, I did purchase this volume on the day of release. Reviews for volumes one through eleven are available, so at least I’m not too far behind.

What is it?

A Chinese inspired historical mystery romance, mostly taking place inside the Inner Palace of the emperor’s consorts.

Blue Exorcist, Vol. 8 & 9

I can say for sure that I have no plans to binge read this series this year. Maybe next year I’ll have more volumes and more motivation. As it is currently, I’m not in the mood for manga, and I’d rather have more than just these nine volumes before digging into this series.

What is it?

An action adventure starring demons and exorcists. The main character wants to be an exorcist even though he is the son of Satan.

Book Haul September 2024

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About

All books in this haul are pre-owned. None of them are directly from any websites. I obtained them from a friend’s bin of discards. Some of them were on my TBR beforehand, while others were added upon learning about them.

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

I’m trying to give classic novels another chance now that I’m not being told to read them as school assignments. This one probably wasn’t on my school reading list, since it’s considered a banned book in a lot of places, but I think it’s the type of classic novel I should read at least once. It’s not very long, so it shouldn’t be too hard to get through, as long as the story isn’t boring. Hopefully it’s not, because I’ve heard a lot of people say they really like it, and some even say it’s one of their favorites. This copy is only around 200 pages, so I’m hoping it’ll be a quick and interesting read.

What is it?

A classic stand alone coming of age novel frequently on the banned books list.

The Folk of the Air, Vol. 1 by Holly Black

The Cruel Prince is volume one of the Folk of the Air series. I don’t know much about it, but I keep seeing it pop up in recommendations for certain genres and based on things in which I have interest.

What is it?

Some kind of fantasy Fae romance.

Lemony Snicket: The Unauthorized Autobiography

I do not own any of the Series of Unfortunate Events novels, but I have read them. They are something I would like to have for my personal library at some point. This book is sort of a companion novel, and it’s on my list of things to read. It looks like it’s made up of a bunch of letters, newspaper clippings, photos, etc. I haven’t read anything in this style before, so it should be interesting.

What is it?

A companion novel to the Series of Unfortunate Events about the fictional author of the series, Lemony Snicket.

Lives of the Mayfair Witches, Vol. 3 by Anne Rice

I didn’t know Taltos was volume three of a series. I just grabbed it because it had Anne Rice’s name on it. It’ll have to sit on my shelf until I find and read volume one. So, probably not a spooky season read for this year.

What is it?

Based on the title, probably something with witches.

Pandora by Anne Rice

I only recently read my first Anne Rice novel. I want to try more of them to see if I’d be interested in looking into more of her books. The ones I’ve been grabbing, so far, have blatant supernatural aspects, like mummies and vampires. This book is not very long, so it’ll be a nice quick spooky season read to try something new.

What is it?

Some kind of Vampire novel.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

My school definitely covered this classic novel in class, but I did not read it or retain anything from the lecture. Maybe I’ll actually enjoy it now that it’s not mandatory reading.

There is a sequel novel, but I’m going to pretend it doesn’t exist. The way it got published was pretty shady, and I hear the story isn’t that great, because it invalidates things from this first book.

What is it?

A classic novel commonly covered in school curriculum.

The Vicious Deep, Vol. 1 & 2 by Zoraida Córdova

The Vicious Deep and The Savage Blue are volumes one and two of the Vicious Deep trilogy. Something said this series is recommended to people who like the Percy Jackson books, so that’s enough for me to try it.

What is it?

Some kind of YA fantasy adventure, possibly with mythological themes.

The White Rabbit Chronicles, Vol. 1 by Gena Showalter

Alice in Zombieland is the first volume in the White Rabbit Chronicles. I know little about it, but I like zombie stuff, so I want to try it. I’d like to track down a copy of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies at some point, too. That’s not relevant to this book. I just want to try more zombie novels.

What is it?

Seems like an Alice in Wonderland story where she has to slay zombies.

Wicked Lovely, Vol. 3 by Melissa Marr

Fragile Eternity is volume three of the Wicked Lovely series. The series is on my TBR, but I don’t have the first book. This volume will save me time later, if I end up liking the series. The series appears to be approximately five volumes, plus maybe another five short stories.

What is it?

Some kind of fae themed fantasy.

Willow by Wayland Drew, Bob Dolman, George Lucas

I’ve never seen Willow before. Apparently it’s a well known movie in the fantasy nerd community, and I somehow went my whole life without ever hearing of it, until fairly recently. I read more than I watch movies, so I’m more likely to get through it if I read the novel adaptation. There will likely be some differences from the movie, but it should still be a decent version of the story.

There is a spin off trilogy from this book. It’s called Chronicles of the Shadow War. If I like Willow, I’ll look into reading that.

What is it?

A novelization of the movie Willow.

Light Novel & Manga Haul July-August 2024

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About

I wasn’t going to have enough books for a haul, yet, but then I read a light novel I’d been sitting on for a while. I ended up loving it, and immediately had to get more volumes. Then, I found an out of print manga volume available for a decent price, so I had to get that, too. My expected three book pile turned into an eight book pile.

Everything in this haul, except one, is in new condition. Most of them were ordered from Amazon, but two of them came from physical stores.

Comics

Avatar: The Last Airbender: North and South

I bought this out of order, because it was on sale. I think this omnibus is sixth in the reading order. There are only two more of these that I don’t have. After that, I will probably have to move on to newer single editions or work on Korra’s comics.

What is it?

A comic omnibus of North and South that continues the story from the TV show, Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Light Novels

Ascendance of a Bookworm, Vol. 2-5

This series is numbered a little strangely. It’s broken up into parts with their own volume numbers. These are indeed volumes two through five by the standard count. The volumes are Part 1, volumes 2 and 3, and Part 2, volumes 1 and 2.

Most of these came from Amazon, but volume three was a Barnes & Noble in-store purchase. For some reason, that volume was sold out absolutely everywhere, except for some websites that seemed sketchy. The stores near me didn’t have it either. I had to travel an hour away to get my hands on a copy. Only two Barnes & Noble locations in the entire state had it.

I’ve had volume one sitting around for a few years and only recently got around to it. It’s so good I feel like I can’t get more volumes fast enough. Thankfully, I’ve got three to work on, now, before I run out. I already read Part 1, volume 2, so reviews for that one and the first are already available.

What is it?

An isekai about a bookworm who wakes up as a five-year-old girl in a world where books are unobtainable by the general public, so she decides to make her own.

Manga

Black Cat, Vol. 18

I’m so excited to have this volume. This series is out of print, so some of them are expensive and hard to find. Now that I have this one, I’m only missing one more, and then I’ll have the whole series.

What is it?

An action adventure starring an ex-assassin gunman turned bounty hunter, and supernatural powers.

Daemons of the Shadow Realm, Vol. 5

This book went on a little trip. I bought it from a local store, while a friend was in town, and we shared a bag. We both forgot to take it out of the bag, so it went home with her, seven hours away. It’s back now, so I’ll be able to read it.

This volume came out August sixth, so my collection is currently up to date. Reviews for volumes one through four are already available. I’ll get this one up whenever I get around to it.

What is it?

An action adventure featuring spiritual duo companions and special powers as well as a generations old feud.

Soul Eater: The Perfect Edition, Vol. 5

I’m still working on a buffer for these. They should make a good spooky season binge at some point, likely not this year. I want a larger volume count before I get around to it.

What is it?

A fantasy setting where people are trained to be warriors called meisters and wield weapons, that are actually people who become the weapon. They collect tainted souls in hopes of someday turning their weapons into their ultimate form to be used by Death himself. Sometimes this task involves saving the world.

This series is said to be in the same universe as Fire Force, which I have not yet read.

Book Haul May-August 2024

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About

This haul encompasses the months of May through August. Obviously, I have not been buying many novels lately. Four out of five of these books are pre-owned. Three of them are from a local bookstore across town, one of them was given to me, and the fifth was ordered on sale from Amazon. Like my April book haul, most of these are by the same author with different pen names.

Miscellaneous

Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Ultimate Guide

This book is multiple times pre-owned. A friend passed it along to me once they decided they no longer wanted it. It’s a bit battered and has some marker dots and smears on the cover, but the pages are clean. The design of the book itself is interesting. It has a lenticular banner image across the front, and a magnetic clip, kind of like a journal. The extra fold for the design choice will likely make it take more space on the shelf, so keep that in mind if you’re interested in getting a copy.

What is it?

The book is a companion guide for the Percy Jackson series. It’s is full of information about various characters and lore related things. There are also a few fun extra things, like Percy’s camp activity schedule. I’ve only done a quick flip through, but it seems like an interesting read to get more world building and reminders

Novels

Burning Cove, Vol. 6 by Amanda Quick

When She Dreams is the sixth volume in the Burning Cove series. Burning Cove is seven books long, and probably ongoing. The last volume released was in 2023.

I have the first book, but have not yet read it. I usually like about ninety percent of things by this author, so I grabbed this volume anyway. It saves me money in the long run, because I didn’t have to pay any shipping when buying from a local store that had it pre-owned.

What is it?

A historical romance mystery of some kind, possibly with paranormal aspects.

Eclipse Bay, Vol. 2 by Jayne Ann Krentz

Dawn in Eclipse Bay is volume two in the Eclipse Bay series. I have volume one in my TBR, and the series is only three books long. Amanda Quick and Jayne Ann Krentz are the same author, representing different time periods. This one is contemporary, while Quick is historical. It’s probably obvious by now that I tend to grab anything I see available written by this author. I found this as a pre-owned copy.

What is it?

A contemporary romance mystery of some kind.

Garden of Lies by Amanda Quick

Garden of Lies is a stand alone novel. I’ve only seen it around in hardcover until now. Normally hardcover would be fine, but paperback is cheaper and takes less space in the long run. Stand alone novels by this author make good comfort reads for me. As you can probably tell from the spine in the picture, this is a pre-owned copy.

What is it?

A historical romance mystery of some kind.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Vol. 6

The Chalice of the Gods is one of the newer books in the Percy Jackson universe. It’s book six in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. Despite being new, it’s supposedly supposed to fit chronologically after the Heroes of Olympus series and before Trials of Apollo. I’m slowly going through a reread of all the Camp Half-Blood stuff, so I plan to incorporate this book, and Wrath of the Triple Goddess, into the chronological order.

What is it?

A modern adventure series focused around Greek mythology.

Book Haul April 2024

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About

I didn’t plan on buying anything for a book haul in April, but put me in front of discount books and it’s hard for me to walk away with nothing. These four books are all from a fairly local store in pre-owned condition. All of the books are also by the same author. She has multiple pen names. The most popular of which are Amanda Quick, Jayne Ann Krentz, and Jayne Castle. Each name represents a different time period of past, present, or future for the setting of the book.

Burning Cove, Vol. 1 by Amanda Quick

The Girl Who Knew Too Much is volume one of a series called Burning Cove. The series has a total of seven volumes, with the last book released in 2023. I’ve seen this book around, but could only find hardcover copies, and therefore didn’t buy it. I know most readers prefer hardcovers, but space gets eaten up fast if everything is hardcover. I was glad to find this in paperback. My shelves are currently overpacked as it is.

Supposedly this series is in the same universe as the Arcane Society novels. I’ll find out for sure when I get around to reading it. It’s usually pretty obvious when anything crosses over with Arcane. I don’t have any reviews for Arcane Society posted, but I do plan to get some up eventually when I reread the series from the beginning. That’s a big time sink, so it’ll likely be a good while.

What is it?

A historical mystery romance.

Dangerous by Amanda Quick

This is one of Amanda Quick’s many stand alone stories. I don’t even read what they’re about before buying. I like all of her stuff.

What is it?

A historical mystery romance.

Vanza, Vol. 1 & 2 by Amanda Quick

With This Ring and I Thee Wed are both volumes of the Vanza series. I did not know this when i grabbed them. It’s kind of lucky that they turned out to be one and two. There are a total of four volumes in the series, so I managed to find half of it.

What is it?

A historical mystery romance.

Manga Haul March-April 2024

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About

I didn’t get enough manga to have a haul in March, so this haul is for both March and April. It’s a mix of things bought from Amazon and a local store. All of them are in new condition.

The Apothecary Diaries, Vol. 11

I highly recommend this series. It’s one of my favorites. I keep up with it pretty closely, so reviews for the volumes can be found in the index section. The review for this volume is already available.

Recently, I watched the new anime for the series. It’s accurate to the manga, except for some word choices and leaving out a few details that don’t change the story. The anime also does a better job generally expressing the emotions the characters are feeling. So, if you like the manga, or would rather watch a show than read, you can watch the anime without losing anything from the story. No adaptation is ever perfect, but this is definitely one of the better ones.

What is it?

A Chinese inspired historical mystery romance, mostly taking place inside the Inner Palace of the emperor’s consorts.

Blue Exorcist, Vol. 7

I’m not sure if it will be this year, but I’m hoping to build a decent buffer of these to be able to binge during spooky season. The series is pretty long and ongoing, so I’m not exactly sure how many volumes I want to have before I start. I know I’m going to like it, so I want to make sure it’s a good chunk.

What is it?

An action adventure starring demons and exorcists. The main character wants to be an exorcist even though he is the son of Satan.

Daemons of the Shadow Realm, Vol. 4

Reviews for volumes 1-3 are already available in the index. I like this series, and I’m trying to get more friends to try it. It’s obviously still pretty new if it only has four volumes, but I think anyone who likes Fullmetal Alchemist would probably enjoy it.

What is it?

An action adventure featuring spiritual duo companions and special powers as well as a generations old feud.

Princess Jellyfish, Vol. 1

This series is a difficult to explain. I saw the anime and loved it, but it was incomplete. From what I can tell, the English release of the manga is considered an omnibus, without actually saying omnibus or special edition or anything on it. It’s at least as thick as a two-in-one. I’m looking forward to reading the series to see how similar it is to the anime and seeing what happens after the parts where the anime ended. Upon a quick flip through, the art is beautiful.

What is it?

A series about various types otaku living together and exploring a love of jellyfish and fashion.

Soul Eater: The Perfect Edition, Vol 3

I don’t get these often, because they are on the pricier side. Building a buffer of them is going to take some time. When I get a good number of them, I think they’ll make a good spooky season read. Until then, I’m looking forward to seeing how the manga differs from the anime.

What is it?

A fantasy setting where people are trained to be warriors called meisters and wield weapons, that are actually people who become the weapon. They collect tainted souls in hopes of someday turning their weapons into their ultimate form to be used by Death himself. Sometimes this task involves saving the world.

This series is said to be in the same universe as Fire Force, which I have not yet read.

Book Haul March 2024

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About

I didn’t buy any books this month. The only reason I have a haul at all for March is because someone gifted me a boxed set through Amazon. I’m counting boxed sets as the number of individual books in the set. They will be listed in the post as one item, because they’re all part of the same series.

There will be no manga haul for March. I didn’t meet my minimum threshold to bother posting. There should be one for the end of April, though.

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

This is the five book box set for the series A Court of Thorns and Roses. It contains volumes one through four, as well as a middle volume after three. The titles are as follows: A Court of Thorns and Roses, A Court of Mist and Fury, A Court of Wings and Ruin, A Court of Frost and Starlight, and A Court of Silver Flames.

ACOTAR, as the series is commonly referred to, has been on my to-read list for a few years. I actually think I found it before I started seeing it everywhere. At some point it started to be everywhere in stores and all over my social media feeds. I had no idea it was so popular. It was just a random thing I found while browsing book descriptions online at one point.

But anyway, one of my close friends recently discovered the series, and they absolutely love it. She’s getting as many people as possible to try it, and she’s the one who gifted me this set. I guess it’s just the kick in the pants I need to get around to trying it sooner rather than later. And I have a feeling if she hadn’t gifted this to me, it probably would have been a while, because there are over 800 people waiting for volume one at my local library.

The first book is on my list of things I’ll be reading very soon, so expect a review for volume one within the next few weeks.

Below are pictures of the sides and top of the box for anyone curious about the box art.

What is it?

A fae themed fantasy romance. That’s all I know right now. More information will be available in my reviews when they are ready.

Book Haul September 2023-February 2024

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About

I haven’t bought many novels over the last few months, so this post covers everything since this past September. One book is from September. After that, I didn’t get another novel until January. I figured it’d be easier to just list everything since September all together in one post.

The majority of these novels are gifts to myself, because I have a February birthday and wanted to treat myself. A friend and I went bargain book shopping, so most of these are pre-owned or discount books. Most of the paperbacks are the pre-owned ones.

I’m actually very pleased with this haul. I found several books by one of my favorite authors for cheaper than if I had ordered them somewhere. Only three books in the entire haul were online orders.

Miscellaneous

The Official Fablehaven Cookbook by Brandon Mull & Cherie Mull

I mostly got this as part of my Fablehaven collection. The recipes in it actually look pretty child friendly and delicious. I’m looking forward to trying some. There’s also a short story inside called The Missing Brownies. Brownies, as in the mythical creature, not the food. I’ll probably read that at some point during my Fablehaven reread.

What is it?

A cookbook featuring recipes for dishes mentioned in the Fablehaven series or inspired by the series.

Novels

The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein, Vol. 2 by Kenneth Oppel

Volume one of this duology is This Dark Endeavor, which I read and reviewed for this past spooky season. I liked it enough to get the second and final book to finish the story. That would be this one, titled Such Wicked Intent. It’s on my list of things to get to.

What is it?

A historical Frankenstein prequel story.

Chronicles of the Red King, Vol. 3 by Jenny Nimmo

This book was cheap at an overstock store. It’s Leopards’ Gold, the third and final volume of the trilogy. The series description sounded interesting, so I figured buying the third volume cheaply might save me money later, if I like the series. Apparently, this trilogy is also connected to a series called Charlie Bone, or The Children of the Red King. So, if I do end up liking this series, there will be more in the same world to read.

I honestly have no idea why this book says “The Secret Kingdom” on it. As far as I can tell, that’s not what the series is called. Maybe it’s an alternate or updated name? I don’t know. It’s probably not important.

I have another series written by the same author that I can’t start, yet, called the Snow Spider trilogy. I just need to get the first volume for that one, because I have two and three from when I found them pre-owned at a sale.

What is it?

Some kind of fantasy adventure.

The Clockwork War by Adam Kline

The cover was eye-catching. That’s pretty much the only reason I grabbed this at the discount store. It looks like a short steam punk stand alone novel. I figured it couldn’t hurt to try it if it caught my attention.

What is it?

Some kind of stand alone fantasy.

Dragonlance: Dragons of a New Age, Vol. 1 by Jean Rabe

This is volume one of the Dragonlance trilogy Dragons of a New Age. It’s titled The Dawning of a New Age. I have absolutely no idea where this goes in the overall recommended reading order for Dragonlance as a whole. I’m trying to collect the entirety of it, and saw a book I didn’t have, so I grabbed it without knowing anything about it.

What is it?

A high fantasy novel in a D&D-esque world.

Eclipse Bay, Vol. 1 by Jayne Ann Krentz

As the first book of the Eclipse Bay trilogy, this book itself is titled Eclipse Bay. I didn’t know it was a first volume of anything when I grabbed it. I’m glad it is, though, because that means I can read it whenever I want to start the series. This is a book I blindly grabbed, because it’s by one of my favorite authors.

What is it?

Probably a mystery romance as usual for this particular author.

Family Man by Jayne Ann Krentz

I found this novel at the same store as Eclipse Bay and the Dragonlance book. All three are good finds, in my opinion. This one has some bettering on the outer side of the spine, but is still in overall good condition.

What is it?

A stand alone, probably a mystery romance as usual for this particular author.

Michael Vey: The Final Spark by Richard Paul Evans

This is volume seven of the Michael Vey series. I already read it a few years ago. It was the final volume of the series, or so I thought. It turns out they released a couple more volumes since then to continue things. Initially, I read them all from the library, or library related resources. But, I liked the series, so I figured for a reread I’d just purchase them for myself.

This is the first volume I’ve gotten, but only because it was cheap at the store. At the very least, it checks off one of the volumes I need to get, anyway. The rest are on my list of things to get. I don’t know when I’ll get around to it, but I’ll get them eventually.

What is it?

An adventure series about kids with electrical powers.

Secret Sisters by Jayne Ann Krentz

I found this book and Sleep No More both at the same store. It was a different store than the one where I found those other three books. I don’t know anything about this one. It appears to be a stand alone.

What is it?

A stand alone, probably a mystery romance as usual for this author.

Sleep No More by Jayne Ann Krentz

I grabbed this blindly just because of the author. It’s volume one of a more recent series called The Lost Night Files. Apparently, the series only has two books so far. Volume two came out in January.

What is it?

Probably a mystery romance of some sort.

The Sun and the Star by Rick Riordan and Mark Oshiro

This is the only novel I got in January. I’m a little late getting this. It’s one of Riordan’s newer releases, and it features Nico Di Angelo from the Percy Jackson series. I look forward to reading it, but it’ll be a while. I’m in the process of rereading the Percy Jackson universe stuff chronologically to refresh my memory and get reviews posted.

What is it?

A modern mythology romance adventure.

Sweetwater & The Witch by Jayne Castle

This is a book well into the Arcane Society and Harmony series, and I mean WELL into them. The universe for this series is long running. I started reading these books long before I even considered making a blog. Because of that, I don’t plan on posting any reviews for them until I circle back around for a reread some day.

I did already read this book. It’s the only book I got back in September. For anyone disappointed that I don’t have a review for it, I’ll at least share a rating here. It’s a three out of five, so I liked it. It was a good comfort read when I couldn’t decide what to read.

What is it?

A paranormal romance mystery that takes place on a colonized alien planet with humans who have psychic abilities.

Terciel & Elinor by Garth Nix

I haven’t touched the Abhorsen series in a while, so I don’t exactly remember where this one goes chronologically. I’m pretty sure it’s a prequel volume about Sabriel’s parents. It’s the newest volume in the series, unless I missed something. I didn’t get it immediately upon release, so I haven’t been watching the series for updates very closely.

Eventually, I’ll reread the Abhorsen series and post reviews for it. Whenever that is, is when I’ll get around to reading this. Until then, I leave you with a strong recommendation for the series in general. It’s good.

What is it?

An adventure fantasy with magic.

Light Novel & Manga Haul February 2024

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About

I wasn’t actually expecting to have many manga for a haul this month. I thought I’d have maybe four. Obviously, I ended up with more than that. A pleasant surprise. Everything in this haul was purchased new from various sources or received as gifts, except for one manga.

Light Novels

Bofuri: I don’t Want to Get Hurt, so I’ll Max Out My Defense, Vol. 2

This book was gifted to me by the same friend who initially recommended the series and also gave me the first volume. I have seen some of the anime since reading the first book, but not the manga. Based on what I’ve seen of the anime, I think the light novel is the better version. I couldn’t read certain information in the anime without having to pause many times, because it seems like the anime doesn’t consider the forum posting as important as the light novels do. The forum posting parts are so wholesome. I feel like that’s one of the many reasons I like the light novel as much as I do.

I plan on reading this series long term, but it’s not a high priority on my collection list. The reviews for it will likely not be frequent. This one is also twice as thick as the first book, so that’s nice.

Just a warning, the light novels for this series are bound with flimsier paper than usual. If you so much as set it down wrong or drop it on the floor from a small height, there is a strong possibility it might tear. I’m two for two on that, so far.

What is it?

A funny and interesting VRMMORPG themed series.

Heaven Official’s Blessing: Tian Guan Ci Fu, Vol. 1

I’m dipping my toes into the danmei genre. I read the first volume of The Scum Villain’s Self Saving System and really liked it. This series is by the same author, so I got the first book to try. If I like both series, I’ll expand more deeply into the genre. So far, I’m optimistic.

What is it?

A historical BL (danmei) of some kind.

Manga

Ai Ore, Vol. 1

This is the only pre-owned manga in my haul. I bought it in the same store as some of my pre-owned novels the same month, in one of the same stores. The manga section of the store was closed the day a friend and I were shopping. We kept checking back in to see if they’d opened it. When we were finally allowed to enter that area, I felt like it would be rude not to buy something, since we kept asking about it.

The selection was pretty small, but this manga stood out to me. It’s pretty thick, like twice the size of a regular volume, and it’s a gender queer romance. It was half cover price, so I figured why not?

What is it?

A romance with two gender queer characters and a rock band.

Cat + Gamer, Vol. 1

This book was gifted to me from my wishlist. It’s about someone who gets a cat and uses their video game knowledge to help them learn how to take care of it. It sounded super cute when I came across it, so I’m looking forward to reading it. I think it’s great how many slice of life series about cats there are these days.

What is it?

A cute series about a gamer who adopts a cat and has no idea how to take care of it.

Daemons of the Shadow Realm, Vol. 3

Volume one hooked me. As a fan of Fullmetal Alchemist, this series does not disappoint. I’m excited to read this volume. I hope it keeps going strong. This is probably a series I’ll be collecting long term.

What is it?

An action adventure featuring spiritual duo companions and special powers as well as a generations old feud.

Dragon Ball: That Time I Got Reincarnated as Yamcha

I was a huge Dragon Ball fan when I was growing up. I’m generally not a fan of the modern stuff for it, though. My preference was for Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, and I’m one of those weird people who actually likes Dragon Ball GT. So, I don’t pay much mind to anything Dragon Ball these days.

THIS, however, is a gift I received that I am absolutely excited to read. After reading the description and flipping through the pages a little, this manga seems hilarious, and I love the concept. It’s definitely on my short list of things to read in my immediate pile of manga.

What is it?

A stand alone isekai story that, I strongly assume, is a comedy.

Fangs, Vol. 2

I like volume one of this series, but it’s definitely not for everyone. It’s not exactly a happy series. I thought this was the final volume, but I did some quick checking, and people are saying there is likely more to come, because there’s supposedly a cliff hanger. Now I have concerns, because this volume came out two years ago and I don’t see any release information anywhere about a third volume. I’ll definitely be reading this soon to find out for myself. It’s on my short list pile.

What is it?

A vampire BL romance with some depressing themes.

Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, Vol. 6 & 7

I’m still a little behind on volumes for this series. I’m hoping to catch up before I get around to watching the anime. The other day, I saw volume ten came out, so I’m not too far behind on the English releases.

Reviews for the volumes I’ve already read can be found in the index section.

What is it?

A fantasy story about an Elf mage coming to terms with how long her lifespan is compared to those around her.

Moriarty the Patriot, Vol. 1

I’m a fan of mysteries and Sherlock Holmes, so this series has been on my list of things to try for a while. This copy was gifted to me, and I’m looking forward to reading it. I don’t know anything about the contents, but I’m aware of who Moriarty is. I don’t think I’ve actually read any Sherlock Holmes stories that had Moriarty in them, though, so I don’t actually know a whole lot about the character, aside from them being Holmes’ rival. The only exposure to Moriarty I’ve had was the TV show Elementary, where if I remember right, Moriarty was a woman.

What is it?

A mystery series featuring Sherlock Holmes’ rival, Moriarty.

Soul Eater: The Perfect Edition, Vol. 2

I love Soul Eater, but my first exposure was the anime. I hear the manga is significantly better. Either way, I already planned on getting the manga. The perfect editions are hardcovers, and I see no reason not to get a favorite series in hardcover, so these are the ones I will be going with. It’ll likely be a while before I get around to reading them.

What is it?

A fantasy setting where people are trained to be warriors called meisters and wield weapons, that are actually people who become the weapon. They collect tainted souls in hopes of someday turning their weapons into their ultimate form to be used by Death himself. Sometimes this task involves saving the world.

This series is said to be in the same universe as Fire Force, which I have not yet read.

Miscellaneous

Fullmetal Alchemist 20th Anniversary Book

I don’t even really know what’s in this book. I just saw a 20th anniversary book was being released and I had to have it for my Fullmetal Alchemist collection. It’s approximately the same size as the hardcover editions of the manga, so it should look nice next to them on the shelf. I’ll likely read this after I get around to rereading the series.

What is it?

A collectable anniversary book with extra comics and information pertaining to the main series.

Light Novel & Manga Haul January 2024

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About

This isn’t a big haul, but I got some things I’ve been wanting for a while. There are three light novels and one manga. None of them are first volumes, so no new series, but I’m making progress on things I’ve already started.

Light Novels

The Scum Villain’s Self-Saving System: Ren Zha Fanpai Zijiu Xitong, Vol. 2, 3 & 4

I read volume one back in September. These are a little more on the expensive side, so I had to wait a while to get the rest. I liked the first book enough to commit to buying the rest of the series, so I got all of the remaining volumes as soon as I was able.

My plan is to reread the first one before delving into these three. I don’t often reread things so closely after reading them the first time, but want to make sure I read all of these close together for the best experience. The series is only four volumes in total, so it’s not a huge commitment. I’ll definitely be trying other danmei books after this.

The review for the first volume of this series is already available.

What is it?

A historical isekai (or transmigration for the Chinese term) BL (danmei) romance where the main character is put in the body of a novel villain.

Manga

Blue Exorcist, Vol. 6

I’m collecting these slowly. I’m hoping to have enough of them to start binging them around Halloween. From what I can tell, the series is still ongoing with the Japanese version of volume 30 just releasing this year in early January. I doubt I’ll be caught up on all the current volumes by October, but I’m hoping I’ll be in the mood to at least start reading the series around then.

What is it?

An action adventure starring demons and exorcists. The main character wants to be an exorcist even though he is the son of Satan.