Upcoming Releases: June!

Recently I've gotten more excited about blogging again, and so I thought I'd bring back my bookish posts that aren't review related! 

One thing I love is checking out upcoming releases to get excited about and I thought it'd be fun to share a few June releases that I'm excited about and you should be too! 

Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson

All sorcerers are evil. Elisabeth has known that as long as she has known anything. Raised as a foundling in one of Austermeer’s Great Libraries, Elisabeth has grown up among the tools of sorcery—magical grimoires that whisper on shelves and rattle beneath iron chains. If provoked, they transform into grotesque monsters of ink and leather. She hopes to become a warden, charged with protecting the kingdom from their power.

Then an act of sabotage releases the library’s most dangerous grimoire. Elisabeth’s desperate intervention implicates her in the crime, and she is torn from her home to face justice in the capital. With no one to turn to but her sworn enemy, the sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn, and his mysterious demonic servant, she finds herself entangled in a centuries-old conspiracy. Not only could the Great Libraries go up in flames, but the world along with them.

As her alliance with Nathaniel grows stronger, Elisabeth starts to question everything she’s been taught—about sorcerers, about the libraries she loves, even about herself. For Elisabeth has a power she has never guessed, and a future she could never have imagined.

I mean...they had me at sorcerers and magical grimoires to be honest! 

Storm and Fury by Jennifer L Armentrout

Eighteen-year-old Trinity Marrow may be going blind, but she can see and communicate with ghosts and spirits. Her unique gift is part of a secret so dangerous that she’s been in hiding for years in an isolated compound fiercely guarded by Wardens—gargoyle shape-shifters who protect humankind from demons. If the demons discover the truth about Trinity, they’ll devour her, flesh and bone, to enhance their own powers.

When Wardens from another clan arrive with disturbing reports that something out there is killing both demons and Wardens, Trinity’s safe world implodes. Not the least because one of the outsiders is the most annoying and fascinating person she’s ever met. Zayne has secrets of his own that will upend her world yet again—but working together becomes imperative once demons breach the compound and Trinity’s secret comes to light. To save her family and maybe the world, she’ll have to put her trust in Zayne. But all bets are off as a supernatural war is unleashed…

I'm so excited to get back to the world of demons and gargoyles that Armentrout created in The Darkest Elements trilogy! 

Ghosts of the Shadow Market by Cassandra Clare

The Shadow Market is a meeting point for faeries, werewolves, warlocks and vampires. There the Downworlders buy and sell magical objects, make dark bargains, and whisper secrets they do not want the Nephilim to know. Through two centuries, however, there has been a frequent visitor to the Shadow Market from the City of Bones, the very heart of the Shadowhunters. As a Silent Brother, Brother Zachariah is sworn keeper of the laws and lore of the Nephilim. But once he was a Shadowhunter called Jem Carstairs, and his love, then and always, is the warlock Tessa Gray.

Follow Brother Zachariah and see, against the backdrop of the Shadow Market’s dark dealings and festive celebrations, Anna Lightwood’s first romance, Matthew Fairchild’s great sin and Tessa Gray plunged into a world war. Valentine Morgenstern buys a soul at the Market and a young Jace Wayland’s soul finds safe harbor. In the Market is hidden a lost heir and a beloved ghost, and no one can save you once you have traded away your heart. Not even Brother Zachariah...

I mean...I already miss the world of the Shadowhunters so this is excellent timing! 

Wicked Fox by Kat Cho

Eighteen-year-old Gu Miyoung has a secret--she's a gumiho, a nine-tailed fox who must devour the energy of men in order to survive. Because so few believe in the old tales anymore, and with so many evil men no one will miss, the modern city of Seoul is the perfect place to hide and hunt.

But after feeding one full moon, Miyoung crosses paths with Jihoon, a human boy, being attacked by a goblin deep in the forest. Against her better judgment, she violates the rules of survival to rescue the boy, losing her fox bead--her gumiho soul--in the process.

Jihoon knows Miyoung is more than just a beautiful girl--he saw her nine tails the night she saved his life. His grandmother used to tell him stories of the gumiho, of their power and the danger they pose to humans. He's drawn to her anyway.

With murderous forces lurking in the background, Miyoung and Jihoon develop a tenuous friendship that blossoms into something more. But when a young shaman tries to reunite Miyoung with her bead, the consequences are disastrous . . . forcing Miyoung to choose between her immortal life and Jihoon's. 

This is one of my top anticipated reads of the year! I'm so here for Korean mythology and goblins and...this is going to be total excellence! 

Soul of the Sword by Julie Kagawa 

Kitsune shapeshifter Yumeko has one task: to take her piece of the ancient and powerful scroll to the Steel Feather temple in order to prevent the summoning of the Harbinger of Change, the great Kami Dragon who will grant one wish to whomever holds the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers. But she has a new enemy now. The demon Hakaimono, who for centuries was trapped in a cursed sword, has escaped and possessed the boy she thought would protect her, Kage Tatsumi of the Shadow Clan.

Hakaimono has done the unthinkable and joined forces with the Master of Demons in order to break the curse of the sword and set himself free. To overthrow the empire and cover the land in darkness, they need one thing: the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers. As the paths of Yumeko and the possessed Tatsumi cross once again, the entire empire will be thrown into chaos. 

I've been so desperate for this sequel, I completely loved the first book it was just completely amazing! The writing, the world building, the characters...I loved every single page and I can't wait to see what happens next! 

Natalie Tan's Book of Luck and Fortune by Roselle Lim

At the news of her mother's death, Natalie Tan returns home. The two women hadn't spoken since Natalie left in anger seven years ago, when her mother refused to support her chosen career as a chef. Natalie is shocked to discover the vibrant neighborhood of San Francisco's Chinatown that she remembers from her childhood is fading, with businesses failing and families moving out. She's even more surprised to learn she has inherited her grandmother's restaurant.

The neighborhood seer reads the restaurant's fortune in the leaves: Natalie must cook three recipes from her grandmother's cookbook to aid her struggling neighbors before the restaurant will succeed. Unfortunately, Natalie has no desire to help them try to turn things around--she resents the local shopkeepers for leaving her alone to take care of her agoraphobic mother when she was growing up. But with the support of a surprising new friend and a budding romance, Natalie starts to realize that maybe her neighbors really have been there for her all along.

I'm in the mood for a contemporary and this one sounds like it's going to be a lot of fun! And you know....make me really hungry because there's a restaurant involved! Plus the author's been sharing these cute little dumplings on Twitter which had me like "CUUUUTE WHAT IS THIS BOOK?!" 

The Beholder by Anna Bright

Selah has waited her whole life for a happily ever after. As the only daughter of the leader of Potomac, she knows her duty is to find the perfect match, a partner who will help secure the future of her people. Now that day has finally come.

But after an excruciatingly public rejection from her closest childhood friend, Selah’s stepmother suggests an unthinkable solution: Selah must set sail across the Atlantic, where a series of potential suitors awaits—and if she doesn’t come home engaged, she shouldn’t come home at all.

From English castle gardens to the fjords of Norge, and under the eye of the dreaded Imperiya Yotne, Selah’s quest will be the journey of a lifetime. But her stepmother’s schemes aren’t the only secrets hiding belowdecks…and the stakes of her voyage may be higher than any happy ending.

I stumbled across this on GoodReads and I'm intrigued by the synopsis and after seeing the way it was described by a certain description box (once I finally figured out it was this book) I'm even more intrigued! 

Shadow & Flame by Mindee Arnett

From acclaimed author Mindee Arnett comes the thrilling conclusion of the stunningly epic, action-packed, and romantic fantasy adventure about a powerful girl possessed of strange magic, the outcast prince she loves, and the kingdom that has torn them apart.

Kate and Corwin are on the run, desperate for allies in a new world of war among the kingdoms of Rime. As the book opens, Kate suffers a massive loss, one that will shape the struggle for freedom of all wilders and magic folk—that is, if Kate can learn to control her own power. 

Another of my anticipated sequels, but also the conclusion to this duology! I actually ended up really loving the first book more than I was expecting, and I'm intrigued to see how it's all going to end! 

The Evil Queen by Gena Showalter

Far, far away, in the realm of Enchantia, creatures of legend still exist, magic is the norm and fairy tales are real. Except, fairy tales aren’t based on myths and legends of the past—they are prophecies of the future.

Raised in the mortal realm, Everly Morrow has no idea she’s a real life fairy tale princess—until she manifests an ability to commune with mirrors.

Look. See… What will one peek hurt?

Soon, a horrifying truth is revealed. She is fated to be Snow White’s greatest enemy, the Evil Queen.

With powers beyond her imagination or control—and determined to change Fate itself—Everly returns to the land of her birth. There, she meets Roth Charmaine, the supposed Prince Charming. Their attraction is undeniable, but their relationship is doomed.

As bits and pieces of the prophecy unfold, Everly faces one betrayal after another, and giving in to her dark side proves more tempting every day. Can she resist, or will she become the queen—and villain—she was born to be? 

I love Gena's YA books and I particularly loved her Alice in Wonderland vibe series Alice in Zombieland! So I'm excited to see what she's going to do with the Evil Queen and I'm expecting seriously good things from it! 

The Chosen by Taran Matharu

Throughout history, people have vanished with no explanation. A group of teenagers are about to discover why.

Cade is settling into a new boarding school, contemplating his future, when he finds himself transported to another realm. He soon discovers their new world is populated with lost remnants from the past: prehistoric creatures, ancient relics, and stranger still — people. Overwhelmed by his new surroundings, Cade has little time to adjust, for soon he and his fellow classmates are forced to become contenders in a brutal game, controlled by mysterious overlords.

But who are these beings and why did they choose these teens? Cade must prepare for battle . . . because hiding is not an option.

I loved The Summoner series as you guys know, and this first book in a brand new series sounds like it's going to be just as original and imaginative as Summoner was! Plus, if I've been informed correctly, there's dinosaur monsters in here!? 

The Modern Faerie Tales by Holly Black

Sixteen-year-old Kaye is a modern nomad. Fierce and independent, she drifts from place to place with her mother’s rock band until an ominous attack forces Kaye back to her childhood home. There, amid the blue-collar New Jersey backdrop, Kaye finds herself an unwilling pawn in an ancient and violent power struggle between two rival faerie kingdoms—a struggle that could very well mean her death.

This is the bind up of all three books in the trilogy and I've been told/shouted at to read this by Jess because I still haven't! But she reliably informed me it's a cracking series so I can't wait to dive in! I'm so weak for faeries! 

Dark Shores by Danielle L Jensen

In a world divided by meddlesome gods and treacherous oceans, only the Maarin possess the knowledge to cross the Endless Seas. But they have one mandate: East must never meet West.

A PIRATE WITH A WILL OF IRON

Teriana is the second mate of the Quincense and heir to the Maarin Triumvirate. Her people are born of the seas and the keepers of its secrets, but when her closest friend is forced into an unwanted betrothal, Teriana breaks her people’s mandate so her friend might escape—a choice with devastating consequences. 

A SOLDIER WITH A SECRET

Marcus is the commander of the Thirty-Seventh, the notorious legion that has led the Celendor Empire to conquer the entire East. The legion is his family, but even they don’t know the truth he’s been hiding since childhood. It’s a secret he’ll do anything to protect, no matter how much it costs him – and the world. 

A DANGEROUS QUEST

When an Empire senator discovers the existence of the Dark Shores, he captures Teriana’s crew and threatens to reveal Marcus’s secret unless they sail in pursuit of conquest, forcing the two into an unlikely—and unwilling—alliance. They unite for the sake of their families, but both must decide how far they are willing to go, and how much they are willing to sacrifice. 

You had me at pirate and dangerous quest to be honest, but more importantly I fell in love with Danielle's Stolen Songbird books so I'm excited to see what she's going to do with this! 

Gollancz Preview Evening 2019

Last Wednesday I was lucky enough to be invited to one of my favourite events of the year....the Gollancz Preview Evening! I love this event because they're always a lot of fun, I love chatting to all my fellow bookish people...and you know, pizza. Sorry, I'm weak to cheese. 

Anyway, we heard about a lot of books that night, from Gollancz and from a couple of other imprints, and I want to talk to you about the ones that caught my attention! The ones I'm excited for, the ones that piqued my interest and sound right up my street, and the ones I think you guys will be interested in too! 

First up we have Angel Mage by Garth Nix, it's out in October. You've probably all heard about this via Twitter, I think a lot of people are as excited for this as I am! I was so excited to hear more about it and what the inspiration of it was! This is Nix's first adult fantasy novel and oh my god, I need it now! It turns out he wrote it because he wanted to write something he wanted to read himself, and it's inspired by Dumas and the Three Musketeers, but with angels and angelic magic, icons used to summon angels and it's got a gender equal world! Sounds awesome right!? I do love the Musketeers, and I'm so intrigued by the magic and angels aspect for this! 

Next up is Smoke in the Glass by Chris Humphreys, which is out in May! This is the first in a trilogy and I did manage to grab an arc of this so keep an eye out for my review! The author for this is apparently well known for his historical books, and this is his first historical fantasy. You're all aware I'm a history nerd, and this sounded so up my street!  I didn't quite catch the inspiration but I believe it was Aztec or Incan so...of course I needed it! We have a world were immortals exist but you only find out you're immortal when you die, there are going to be three heroes and there's three kingdoms, along with a fourth one that's planning to take over the other three. 

Broken Throne by Victoria Aveyard is also out in May and is a Red Queen novella collection! It's going to have 3 brand new novellas along with Steel Scars and Queen Song that were released in Cruel Crown. It's also going to include journal entries, maps, flags and bonus scenes! 

At this point, we were treated to a video from Joe Abercrombie to tell us all about his new book A Little Hatred which is out in September. This video is the funniest thing I have seen in a long time, and honestly...all Gollancz need to do is put it up on their site, GoodReads, YouTube, Twitter...everywhere and let Joe sell his book himself. He went full on extra AF for this video, and he obviously had fun creating it. We're talking lying in front of a fire on a rug, peeking between leaves and bannister bars, and I lost it completely watching the video. Gollancz could have warned me I'd be laughing so hard I'd cry! Anyway, according to Joe, you can read this one without having read his other books, but you may see some familiar faces if you're familiar with the other books! 

The Sky Weaver by Kristin Ciccarelli is the next standalone set in the Last Namsara world and it's going to be hitting shelves in November! This one is Safire's tale, she's a soldier for Firgaards King, and we also have her enemy Eris. Eris is a deadly pirate known as Death Dancer because she can give enemies the slip by slipping between worlds. Both of them are searching for Asha, The Last Namsara and it's set on the high seas as well as a world between worlds! It is a standalone, so you can read it without having read the other two books but I'd recommend reading them in publication order to get the full experience! 

Starsight is coming in December, and it's the sequel to Brandon Sanderson's Skyward. We'll be finding out what happened to Spensa after the events of Skyward, and for those of you who don't know, it's about Spensa who wants to be a pilot and fight against the aliens but her dad was a traitor and so she can't get in to flight school. Luckily she comes across an ancient ship that has a soul. 

Next is one of my most anticipated reads of the year, Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo! This is out in October and it's Leigh's first adult novel! We got a video from Leigh telling us about the inspiration for this book and it's made me even more intrigued than I already was! Ninth House is about secret societies and the occult, and a world that's one step from our own. Galaxy aka Alex ends up at Yale, a place she doesn't think she belongs due to her past involving a murder and some other shady activities, but she was offered a second chance in order to turn her life around. But she soon gets drawn in to the occult dealings of the Secret Societies of Yale....and then the murder happens. No-one suspects the secret societies but Alex things there's more to it. 

Leigh told us that the book is inspired by her college years and a mausoleum and cemetery that she saw when she was picking up her mail one day. It was a tomb of Book and Snake, one of the oldest societies at Yale and Leigh thought what if secret societies were repositories of ancient occult magic...and here we are! The other thing you guys might find interesting? Leigh said she'd see us in the fall. *prepares mountain of books to be signed* 

Last up is yet another of my most anticipated reads, Sanctuary by V.V. James! This is out in August and I'm so excited for it, I can't wait! Vic is one of my favourite authors, she's such a lovely person and I completely and utterly loved her Darkest Gifts trilogy, it's completely brilliant! I remember reading the arc for Gilded Cage and being completely sucked in and blown away and so devastated when the trilogy came to an end! We got an original, intriguing and slightly twisted from our own, world. Plus we had two of my favourite characters, Gavar and Silyen. Morally grey and the kind of characters you so badly want to do the right thing and not turn out to be completely evil! 

Ever since I heard chatter of her new book...I knew I was going to love it. It's been described as Big Little Lies but with Witches. I don't know what Big Little Lies is but I'm so here for witches and Vics writing! We have a small town rocked by the death of its star quarterback. It appears to be an accident but...Harper, his ex-girlfriend, was there, and she's the daughter of a witch. She also has an accusation about him that no-one believes. Who did it? Why? Was it magic? Because every town only has one witch...

We have witches and it's set in New England so Vic headed to Salem to do some research, among other places and I was so here for all the information she had for us! She even had pictures and video so we could see what it was like in Salem and how it embraces it's past with witches now, when previously the people of Salem refused to talk about it. I've always wanted to go and check out Salem, so I was loving getting a closer look at it, and all the history tidbits Vic had to share with us. 

She also shared with us that the book is rooted in the real world and our issues, as well as her job. It turns out she was in the US soon after Trumps election, during the women's marches. She was inspired by that, the Lana del Ray headline about hexing Trump, and the Brett Kavanaugh Case. Contemporary American society, with issues that affect us all, like the Me Too movement and believe women and so on and the question of is an accusation enough? Along with the politically relevant world building, it's also fundamentally about a Witch Trial, with Harper being accused because her mother is a witch. Magic is seen as real but it's trivialised in this world, so did it actually kill the boy? 

Vic said that she wanted to put courage in to the book. Courage to speak your truth and stand up and so on, as well as exploring what happens when herd mentality takes over and people empower each other to do things they wouldn't normally do or which aren't acceptable in society usually. I ran long, but I was already excited for this book, and I got even more excited hearing all about the research and what's in the book! 

I also have to mention that we got to watch the trailer for Good Omens and now I guess I'm going to have to watch it!? 

I had a brilliant evening, there were plenty of books in the line up that piqued my interest, and that I'm excited to read when they're released! I also got to have a cocktail or two...purely in the interests of helping to vote, you understand. I also managed to grab a couple of books and retain all of my limbs in the frenzy! 

Thank you once again to Stevie for the invitation! I always feel so grateful to be invited to these events, and I had a blast at this one, although I didn't get to talk to many people before having to rush off! 

Which of these upcoming releases are you excited for? 

I linked all the titles to their GoodReads pages to make it super easy for you to add them to your TBR!

Winter 2017 Manga

Hey guys! 
How's it going?! 
For today's blog post I'm hooking you up with all the brand new manga coming out this Winter! I'm talking October to January, I may or may not have missed a couple but I'm fairly sure I've gotten most of them! There's a nice mix of genres so hopefully you'll find something that takes your fancy! I'll edit this as new covers that are missing, are released!

Frau Faust -Out Now!

From the creator of The Ancient Magus' Bride comes a supernatural action manga in the vein of Fullmetal Alchemist! With electrifying art and a gripping story, Frau Faust reimagines the protagonist of the classic tale who makes a deal with the devil as a tenacious female scholar. 

More than a century after an eccentric scholar made an infamous deal with a devil, the story of Faust has passed into legend. However, the true Faust is not the stuffy, professorial man known in fairy tales, but a charismatic, bespectacled woman named Johanna Faust, who happens to still be alive. Searching for pieces of her long-lost demon, Johanna passes through a provincial town, where she saves a young boy named Marion from a criminal’s fate. In exchange, she asks a simple favor of Marion, but Marion soon finds himself intrigued by the peculiar Doctor Faust and joins her on her journey. Thus begins the strange and wonderful adventures of Frau Faust!

I've got a review for it right.....here! 

Akashic Records of the Bastard Magic Instructor - Out Now!

Sisti is a young magic-user in training who attends prestigious magical academy where she hopes to be trained by the best of the best. However, when her instructor suddenly retires, his replacement is anything but what Sisti had hoped for?lazy, incompetent, and always late! Can Sisti still learn magic and unravel the mystery of Sky Castle with such a terrible teacher to lead her?

So, I watched the anime version of this and it took me a few episodes to get in to it like...I watched the first episode and was like "nah I'm out" but then ended up watching a couple more...and then ended up loving this series by the end! So I'm picking up the manga to see what happens next! 







Rental Shop Yokai  -Out Now!

A young man named Hiiragi has recently learned that he has a half-brother. Seeking him out, he not only finds the brother he never knew, but discovers he is a mysterious individual covered in bandages who runs an exclusive rare animal pet shop. But this unique shop is itself a front for something even more mysterious: a secret shop where customers in-the-know can sign a contract forged in blood and rent out yokai for their own singular purposes!

Not gonna lie, I think this one sounds like fun! Also super Halloween appropriate!









Yokai Girls - November 7th

Nishizuru Yakki has always considered himself a fairly normal guy. He's graduated from school, works a part-time job, and has never had a girlfriend. Yet he does have one unusual ability - he can see yokai! He usually copes with these ghostly visions by ignoring them - until he meets a mysterious young woman named Rokka. Now, his normal days have taken a notably abnormal turn, as Yakki finds himself the sole defender of a motley array of sexy supernatural beings!











Angels of Death- November 14th

Most girls that wake up in the home of a serial killer would panic, but not Ray. In fact, her meeting with the killer Zack is actually quite convenient because her only wish is to find a good way to die.

In case you fancy something a liiittle bit dark... 













Forbidden Scrollery -November 14th

Where else would a girl with the power to translate any tome she sets in her lap reside except a library? Sure, some books may be more dangerous than others, but that's far from discouragement for a true bibliophile like Kosuzu Motoori!

The book nerd in me can't resist this... 












Graineliers - November 14th

Rihito Takarai (Ten Count) pens anything but a garden variety fantasy! In a world where the seeds of plants are imbued with power, the wheels of fate begin to turn for Luca, an illegal seed cultivator, when the government-sanctioned Graineliers come to take away his father, who in turn hands Luca a rare and powerful seed...!

I'm intrigued by this, I'll admit the cover doesn't match the image that was in my head when I first heard of this series!

Sword Art Online: Alternative Gun Gale Online -November 14th

Karen Kohiruimaki always felt out of place in the real world. Due to her extreme height, she found it hard to make friends with other girls her age. Everything changes when she's introduced to VR and Gun Gale Online. In GGO, Karen is free to play the cute, chibi avatar of her dreams! Can Karen find friendship in this bullet-ridden MMO...?

So....a Sword Art Online series without Kirito?! I mean..I'm assuming it's without Kirito! I am intrigued to see what GGO will be like as we didn't get to see much of it and when we did Kirito was cracking out a sword! 








Magical Raising Project  - December 12th

Cover TBA!

The hit social network game "The Magical Girl Raising Project" selects one out of every tens of thousands of players to become a real life magical girl. The lucky chosen girls gain magic powers as well as incredibly good fortune, and spend their days blissfully. 

But one day, an absolute announcement declares that the number of magical girls has risen too high and must be cut down to half. Sixteen young maidens are thrust into a merciless, deadly contest to survive...but how many will come out the other side?

I've read the light novel version of this and it was bloody brilliant, so I'm excited to see what the art's going to be like and how it'll translate to a manga!

A Terrified Teacher at Ghoul School -December 12th

Cover TBA!

Haruaki Abe is the kind of guy who wouldn't say boo to a goose. But when he starts his teaching career at a high school full of creatures that go bump in the night, he soon discovers that his students have no such qualms, and they'll have him screaming "eeeeeeek"!

Sword Art Online Calibur -December 12th

The goddess Urd is in danger, and only Kirito and friends can save her! The evil frost giants have invaded her homeland of Jotunheim, bringing death and destruction in their wake. The linchpin of it all is the giant king's sword-the legendary weapon Excalibur! If Kirito's crew can make it to the end of the dungeon and pull the sword from the stone, peace will be brought to the land once more...!

If you watch the anime, this is that tiny little arc before Mother's Rosary, it's like 3 episodes long and I'm guessing it's only going to need this one volume! I did wonder if it'd be in manga form or not!

Baccano! - December 12th

Cover TBA!

New York, 1927.

In a corrupt city where crime rules the streets, Firo Prochainezo is Camorra, an Italian criminal syndicate distinct from the mafia. A member of the relatively small Martillo family, Firo's nevertheless got big ambitions and is determined to make his mark. But while the Martillos may not be the biggest bad guys on the block, they've got some distinct advantages working in their favor. Does Firo have what it takes to become a made man? 

Let the crazy ruckus begin!

Though You May Burn to Ash -January 23rd

Cover TBA!

Desperate to save his ailing sister, Ryouma Shinomiya enters into a high-stakes game where losing means death! What's more, he's a girl now!?

The Saga of Tanya the Evil -January 23rd 

Cover TBA!

When the average Japanese salaryman is suddenly thrown into in a world wracked with warfare and hardship by a supernatural power, they might first think to hide or run away. But not Tanya Degurechaff. A calculating and utilitarian man has been reborn as a child soldier. This young girl will do anything to rise in rank and find a way to live a life of comfort, and woe to any king, country, or god who stands in her way.

I've heard good things about the anime, so I'm excited to give this a try!

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Summer Anime Round-Up

Hai guys! 

So. I watched quite a few new anime series for the Summer season, and I thought it'd be fun to do a round-up blog post, with what I thought of each one. Kinda like mini reviews! Which ones I loved, which ones where a bit of a miss for me, that kinda thing! Because the chances of me ever reviewing an anime episode by episode are super slim, let's be real! I'm gonna be starting with the ones I liked at the top and steadily going downhill....

Katsugeki! Touken Ranbu

Okaaaay so I freaking loved Katsugeki! Touken Ranbu! I gave it 5 stars in the end. There was an episode or two that gave me pause but I looked forward to each and every episode of this. It's my first time watching anything Touken Ranbu, and I really enjoyed the music and the art and the animation. There where lots of badass fight scenes, and I loved the historical aspects too! Super hoping for a second season, although I do know they're doing movies! Yaaaaay! 

Elegant Yokai Apartment Life

So, for this one, I hit a couple of episodes that where kind of eh but overall I really enjoyed the first cour and I'm looking forward to the second! I ended up giving it 3.5 stars but that might change with the second cour, we'll see! I thought it was a lot of fun, it makes me chuckle, the art is cute, and there's even a hint of creepiness to it when it comes to some episodes. The plot moves forward well but does sometimes stall a bit! 

Knights & Magic

So, I'm still watching this there's like two episodes left because I'm watching the dub, and I still can't decide how I feel about this show. Like at first I was all yaaaassss it's like Transformers: Fantasy Edition, but like..with people controlling the autobots, and then we hit a part of it when I was struggling to make myself watch it and I kinda watch it but I'm messing about on my phone if that makes sense? It's engaging me more as of episode 10 but we'll see what happens, I've given it a 4 so far! The art's really good, and it has a fab opening theme...or so I think!

Chronos Ruler

Righty. There's one more episode left of this and for the most part I've found it fun and interesting, and a little bit different. The character art is cute, and it's quite colourful, and I  liked the settings. The plot's interesting if not a bit confusing at points, and it's driving me mad because I want to know who Mina really is?! Is she really Kiri's mother?! Like I doubt it but still! The first episode really hooked me in and blew me away, but then it reached a point midway when I was a bit eh. I' beginning to wonder if I wasn't in an anime slump actually! But anyway, it's finishing, it's been quite the journey and I'd actually quite like a second season! I've given it a 3.5! 

Princess Principal

This one was quite the surprise of the season, I wan't too sure what it was going to be like. I went in expecting one thing and it ended up being a little bit different! The episodes jump from case to case going to different points in time! I wanted to watch this because I'm a sucker for anything steampunk or even a liiiitttlee bit Steampunk! I found myself getting so hooked in to this show! The art, the world, the characters...badass female spies..it was everything I'd hoped for and more! I ended up giving it 5 stars and the series is a lot of fun, check it out! 

Saiyuki Reload Blast

I'm not going to lie....I didn't realise there was an entire Saiyuki series, so I went in to this without having watched any of the other Saiyuki shows..I mean, I got on with it okay. I wasn't confused or anything, there was a flashback that filled in their history so if I am missing anything...I wouldn't know! Like I don't even know if it's supposed to be watched without having seen the other ones, I just thought it sounded fun. The art's not quite as cute as everything so far, and it's kinda dark too! I liked the way the characters where drawn, and the pace of the show was really good. There was plenty of action, some nice flashbacks to flesh out the characters, and a great finale! I gave iiiiittttttt 4! 

Gamers!

Gamers! is probably the single biggest surprise show for me. I don't usually do slice of life, but as a gaming nerd I kinda figured I'd watched the show and relate to it or something. Like I thought it might be fun but the first couple of episodes I was thinking "Okay...I think I'm going to be dropping this". I usually give an anime 5 episodes to wow me before I drop it, I reluctantly carried on watching to give it it's 5 and you know..it wasn't that bad I was just thinking it might not be my thing. Buuuuttt once we hit like episode 4 I was hooked. Gamers! is really freaking hilarious. Like..it makes me laugh out loud and I have been known to be nearly crying with laughter when I'm watching this. I've actually ended up really loving this show because of the humour, and it's pretty relatable too! I'm praying this gets a second season and as I write this I'm about to go and watch the finale episode which I've been putting off for as long as possible! Totally gave this 5. 

Hitorijime My Hero

And thus we have my first foray in to BL. I wasn't actually sure what this was when I first started watching it but I was there for the romance either way. The first couple of episodes, and a certain characters behaviour was kind of questionable. But from like episode 4 I was hopelessly hooked and I had ships and I binge watched the entire backlog of episodes I had left...then had the agonising wait until each new episode. I just really like some romance okay, and I don't care what form it comes in! I gave it 4 stars because the first couple of eps really had me side eyeing Hasekura. 

Classroom of the Elite

At the time of writing this, there's one episode left to watch, and unless something mind blowing happens in the finale, I'm giving this 3.5 stars. I was kind of expecting things to be a bit darker or something after the big reveal in episode one about how the whole thing works. I was kind of envisioning a Lord of the Flies aspect to it, and we did hit that when it came to the final arc of the series. It just wasn't quite what I was expecting and there was a thing with this one character threatening the other that wasn't really resolved, and I don't know. I feel like this entire story is a prologue to the real stuff happening. If that makes sense? The art was interesting though.

Convenience Store Boyfriends

Literally only decided to watch this because I fancied something light and cute and I'm a sucker for some romance. Considering I don't usually do slice of life type shows, I actually got surprisingly in to this. I'm watching the dub so I've got 2 episodes left, but I've given it a 3.5. I'm not a big fan of the art in this, it and the animation really aren't the best, but there are some cute warm and fuzzy moments which was my main motivation for watching this. One of my issues with this show is that the opening and closing makes it look like there's about 6 couples/romances. The show only really goes in to two of them, the others are featured but I feel like we only get a glimpse and you want to know more and see how it turns out, but you don't. You get the one glimpse for like an episode and that's it. I'd have liked the other stories to have been fleshed out a bit more...or just not included because it started to drive me mad at one point!

Welcome to the Ballroom

For those who don't know, I used to be a dancer, so when I saw a dancing anime I knew I had to watch it! Sure it's ballroom and not ballet or anything else I did...but still. I wasn't that big a fan of the art style, but I liked how the dancing was animated. Not so much a fan of how one dance that's only a couple minutes takes like the entire episode, and I did find a few episodes where my attention was wandering. I guess I didn't get as hooked or as invested as I wanted because I've dropped it and won't be watching the second run of episodes...I'm kinda sad it didn't wow me to be honest! I did give it 3.5 though. 

Dive!!

I was envisioning this filling the Yuri on Ice shaped hole in my life but I basically ended up forcing myself to keep watching it. Like I feel like there was some BL baiting and once it became obvious that wasn't going to happen, and all the silly drama at the beginning was over...I got kinda bored. I literally forced myself to finish it because I was curious as to how it was all going to turn out. So...I gave it 3 stars but it was kinda disappointing. 

A Centaur's Life

Unpopular opinion swiftly incoming. I know a lot of you guys loved this anime. I started watching, I loved the opening and it all looked good...but I just couldn't get in to it. And normally I'd give a show five episodes to wow me...but I dropped this after one. I just couldn't see myself getting in to it and it was a struggle to watch just the one episode and I was barely paying attention as it was. 

Cleak Freak! Aoyama-Kun

I was getting really in to this at the beginning, it seemed like it was going to be fun and it did make me chuckle quite a bit.....but I ended up having to force myself to watch it and losing interest quite quickly. I dropped it after 6 episodes and gave it 3 stars! 

In Another World With My Smartphone

To be quite honest, I dropped this after 1 episode and gave it 2 stars....I'd say more about it but I genuinely can't remember much of the episode. It's all a blur and I think I was on my phone most of the time because I was bored....sorry guys! 

Fastest Finger First

I thought this would be quite fun, and it was for a little while, but I got bored of it quite fast. This was another one that lasted 6 episodes before I dropped it and I gave it 3 stars...I'm just not a fan of having to force myself to watch an anime and I couldn't face forcing myself through another 6 episodes when my interest had dwindled preeettyyyy fast! 

Regalia: The Three Sacred Stars

In the least mean way possible...all I have to say about this anime is that I gave it 1 star and I only made it 5 minutes in to the episode before deciding I was done and dropping it. 

Restaurant to Another World

Everyone and I mean everyone that I've seen talking about this show has been raving about it. So I watched it because I figured it might be fun...but it hit 5 episodes and I still wasn't that bothered about it, it hadn't grabbed me...and then I was forcing myself to watch it and hoping I'd end up loving it because everyone else has. I didn't. I basically used the time to catch up on my Instagram comments and draft posts and wasn't paying attention at all. It did make me hungry though! I gave it 3 stars aaanndd made it to 8 episodes before dropping it.

Altair: Record of Battles

Okay, so, I love the anime Heroic Legend of Arslan. Like it's one of my favourites...and I was kinda thinking "ooohh this is going to fill the Arslan Senki hole in my life" and I was all eager to watch it but I just didn't click with it. I gave it a 3.5 and made it to seven episodes before I had to quite watching it because I was forcing myself to watch it each week and then I just had a backlog of episodes and I just couldn't bring myself to make myself watch them! I did like the art though and there was some good intrigue going on...it just wasn't enough to keep me hooked.

Vatican Miracle Examiner

I was expecting good things from this, it sounded freaking awesome. It was creepy and a bit chilling at points and I was getting so hooked on this but then it reached a point when it started to let me down. It got boring, I wasn't as invested as the story arcs continued, and I was once again forcing myself to watch it. I gave it 1.5 so it's kinda a miracle itself that I made it to 9 episodes. I was going to force myself to finish it because I was close to being done with it but....I just couldn't do it. 

So it's been a bit of a mixed bag for the summer season of anime, I have to say my favourites really where Touken Ranbu, Yokai Apartment Life and Gamers! So not the ones I thought would be! Curious to know what you guys favourite of the season was! Comment, or tweet me!