Manga: Wandering Witch

 

Wandering Witch Vol 1 

Rating: 3/5

Buy or borrow: Buy

Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review! 

Ever since she was a little girl reading books of magic and adventure, Elaina has dreamed of following in the footsteps of her childhood idol, the witch Nique, and living a life of travel. Now a full-fledged witch herself, Elaina sets off on a journey without a destination, wandering far and wide to see the world. With each new place she sees and person she meets, Elaina's world grows a little bit richer. 

I haven't read the light novel that this manga is adapted from, so I can't speak to how well it is or isn't adapted. I did think that the art was cute, there was a fairy tale/storybook feel to it and a nice amount of detail to the characters and background. 

I did think that it was very nicely paced and moved smoothly from one adventure to the other and encounter to encounter. Things are solved quickly and neatly in each case and there's no wasted time throughout the volume. It's very....episodic? In its structure! 

However, I wasn't particularly grabbed by this volume, I found it hard to connect with Elaina and I wasn't very invested in it either. I felt like there was no depth to her character which is always a problem for me. While I did enjoy the volume well enough, I doubt I'll be continuing the series, it wasn't really what I was expecting and it's not really my kind of vibe! 

Manga: I'm Standing On A Million Lives 6

I'm Standing On A Million Lives Vol 6 
Rating: 3.5/5 
Buy or Borrow: Buy
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review! 

Ninth grader Yusuke Yotsuya is a loner and he likes it that way. But one day, he and two female classmates are suddenly sent to another world, where they must work together to battle for their lives. But he's been reincarnated as a farmer! How is someone who's only ever wanted to be left alone supposed to be a hero?! A one-of-a-kind original manga that will challenge everything you thought you knew about fantasy! 

At the very end of the last volume we were introduced to Glenda, the new member of the team and there was a little bit of a twist with her that could make communication a problem. I was very interested to see how she was going to fit in with the others and adapt to the new situation. 

Glen provides some information on other players that she's found and it's soon decided to use her YouTube channel and substantial following to try and reach out to other players. Unfortunately, by the time the players reach out to them they're all pulled in to round 6 of the game with Glenda in tow. The plot definitely thickens as they make contact with other teams and trade answers amongst themselves. They even get a very interesting and valuable piece of information that opens up a potential theory for what these quests are leading up to. 

Yotsuya meanwhile, is torn between the two different versions of himself...his city self and his hometown self and we see a slightly more laid back side to him. The difference between the two versions of himself was interesting, but it seems like we're going to be treated to the more relaxed version of Yotsuya from now on thanks to Shindo. 

The quest this time is focused on stamping out drug addiction, and I actually thought it was quite fascinating to get to examine the causes of drug addiction and how to combat it. It's quite a thought provoking story arc as we watch the characters encounter so many blocks to resolving the situation and all the different aspects to it. 

As usual, the plot moves along quickly despite covering a long stretch of time and the action is nicely spread out although I felt this one was a little bit slow and didn't really liven up fully until the end. 

Manga: The Seven Deadly Sins 37

The Seven Deadly Sins Vol 37 
Rating: 3/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy 
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review! 

This manga series takes readers to the land of Britannia, a picturesque country ruled by the benevolent King Lyonnesse - or at least it was, until the king's guard assassinated him and started a full-blown Holy War! Now the king's only daughter Elizabeth must seek the aid of the dreaded warriors, the Seven Deadly Sins. Wrongly framed and sent into exile, they're now the princess's only hope to free the kingdom from the grip of the villainous Holy Knights! 

Quite a lot happened last volume to move the story forward with some twists and shocking moments, including one that left us with a cliffhanger so I was eager to delve into this volume. Volume 37 sees Meliodas facing off against the Demon Lord with a bit of an assist from the others and a focus on the bonds of friendship once again, which is heartwarming to see after we've come so far in the series. I like that this series doesn't lose that message no matter how many volumes it goes on. 

There's an action packed start to the volume before we eventually turn to the second problem that's imminent...Elizabeth's curse. We've had action packed volume after action packed volume, so it was a little strange for things to suddenly slow down in the middle of this volume. There's a bit of a lull after the final battle as everyone has some time to relax and hang out with each other and we visit a few familiar places. 

I was starting to feel like things had been resolved a little too quickly, but luckily some ominous threads started to weave in before a reveal that threw the seemingly happy ending out of the window. I was more than happy with that, even if I am starting to feel like this series is perhaps being dragged out a little too long, because as I said, I felt things had been resolved a little too easily. 

Just when you thought this series was close to being done, it turns out that isn't quite the case! 

Manga: Boarding School Juliet 11

Boarding School Juliet Vol 11 
Rating: 3/5 
Buy or Borrow: Buy
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review! 

On the fair island campus of Dahlia, the student body is split into two rival dorms: The Black Dog House of the eastern nation of Touwa, and the White Cats House of the West. Despite his doting childhood friend and a loyal posse, the first-year leader of the Black Dogs, Romeo Inuzuka, has one big teenage problem: He has a crush on Juliet Persia, the first-year leader of the White Cats! With her own brainiac right-hand man and a powerful crew behind her, the cutthroat Juliet thinks she has no time for misadventures with a hopeless romantic like Romeo. When Romeo meets Juliet one fateful twilight, he thinks he has a shot at love... but is this secret affair really worth dying for?! 

There was a little bit of a shake up last volume as Reon was introduced and the Prefect selection war finally started. This volume provides a look at another side of Reon, and while she's definitely going to be an interesting character considering her plan...I don't particularly trust her no matter how much of a softer side we might see. 

Teria steps up a little bit in this volume and it was nice to see her overcome her shyness a little bit to step in and help out Inuzuka, dealing with the Black Doggies problems and so on. It was also really nice to see how far Inuzuka's come since this series started! We know he's been working hard to get better and better and once again we get to see that really pay off this volume. 

Volume 11 sees our characters progress into second year and a new crop of first year students enter Dahlia Academy. Unfortunately this means Inuzuka has to deal with his own little selection of them as part of his Yeoman duties. Which might be fine if Kogi didn't make a reappearance as one of the first year's that he's in charge of. He certainly causes some trouble for him, though there's the odd heart warming moment too as Inuzuka has to figure out how to win him over in order to get the other first years to fall in line! I was also pleased to see Shuna again as she brings in another dynamic and I think she's quite funny! 

Inuzuka isn't the only one facing a problem when it comes to the new first years, Persia is pushed quite a way out of her comfort zone in order to wrangle her own first years and even Char has a little struggle of her own. 

While the new first years mix things up and provide some fun new characters, I think the biggest twist to this volume is Inuzuka's little brush with death and the aftermath of it. It certainly livens things up again, makes them interesting and provides an interesting new dynamic to freshen the series up a bit. Yes, it might be a little bit cliche, but the volume does acknowledge that with a sly little comment but I personally feel like it's a fun new element that leaves us with a great cliffhanger for next volume! 

Manga: Knight of The Ice

Knight of The Ice Vol 1 
Rating: 5/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review! 

Kokoro is the talk of the figure-skating world, winning trophies and hearts. But little do they know... he's actually a huge nerd! From the beloved creator of You're My Pet (Tramps Like Us). Chitose is a serious young woman, working for the health magazine SASSO. Or at least, she would be, if she wasn't constantly getting distracted by her childhood friend, international figure skating star Kokoro Kijinami! In the public eye and on the ice, Kokoro is a gallant, flawless knight, but behind his glittery costumes and breathtaking spins lies a secret: he's actually a hopeless romantic otaku, who can only land his quad jumps when Chitose is on hand to recite a spell from his favourite magical girl anime! 

I'm not going to lie, I've been missing Yuri On Ice quite a lot lately and I will take anything that even remotely resembles it, no matter how vague, to try and fill its place. Knight of The Ice has the ice skating element and focus on it of Yuri On Ice, complete with fleshed out rival characters, and the secret otaku element of Wotakoi alongside the romance so I was curious to see how things would turn out. I was a little worried things might be a little too ridiculous or a little too much but I was pleasantly surprised! 

I ended up laughing so much while I was reading this first volume and it very quickly caught my attention and I had a feeling it was going to be one of the series that I look forward to each new volume impatiently! 

We quickly establish who each character is and a little background to the whole spell casting thing and how it came about. This initial volume moves the story along nicely, giving us a feel for the relationship between Chitose and Kokoro as well as Chitose and her Editor in Chief who screams second male lead at this point already. 

The supporting cast are a lot of fun from the manager to the coach and each of his rival competitors has their own distinct personality. They were interesting to meet and I'm sure they're going to be interesting to see in future volumes. 

As for the art style, it's nicely drawn that's for sure! Especially the skate sequences, they were so wonderfully drawn and represented. 

Quite a lot happens in this initial volume and I feel like we covered a lot of ground to get to the main point of the story. There's a lot of set up, and I'm already shipping the main two characters though it's clear we're in for some angst for now as everything isn't smooth sailing! This took a lot more of a serious tone than I initially thought it would, though there were moments of humour, and I found myself really enjoying reading this volume. On this volume alone, I'm sure it's going to become a favourite series of mine and I'm already eager for the next volume! 

Manga: Hitorijime My Hero 7

Hitorijime My Hero Vol 7 
Rating: 4/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review! 

Masahiro Setagawa doesn't believe in heroes, but wishes he could: he's found himself in a gang of small-time street bullies who use him to run errands. But when high school teacher (and scourge of the streets) Kousuke Ohshiba comes to his rescue, he finds he may need to start believing after all... and as their relationship deepens, he realises a hero might be just what he was looking for this whole time.

Kensuke and Hasekura have a few problems to work out that have been a long time brewing and came to a head in volume 6. In volume 7, it's time to conclude working them out! I liked that there's still more development to their relationship and it hasn't just stalled and faded into the background in favour of the main couple. We even get a smidge more background on Hasekura as well as a little more depth to how he and Kensuke first became friends and bonded! 

Meanwhile, Masahiro and Kousuke are working on moving in together and actively looking for apartments. However, Kaide sensei might potentially throw a spanner in the works as she saw something at the service station but it could all just be a misunderstanding. It certainly seems like we're heading for a little bit of potential angst or drama thanks to this, although there's a hint of Kaide's own 'scandal' that could prove to be interesting. I'm wondering if I might be on to what it is, but I'll have to wait and see! 

I'm going to be honest, I kind of felt like this volume jumped around a lot. Particularly when it came to time, though there was only one clear flashback. I did get a little bit mixed up as to what was happening and when, although I did like finally getting to find out about Kensuke and Kousuke's father. 

I think that while there's some resolution for Kensuke and Hasekura, there wasn't much progression when it came to the plot overall in this volume, or when it came to Masahiro and Kousuke's relationship though there is a possible set up for some potential trouble coming in the future. 

Manga: The Heroic Legend of Arslan 12

The Heroic Legend of Arslan Vol 12
Rating: 4/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review! 

Arslan is the teenage prince of the ancient kingdom of Pars, who doesn't seem to have what it takes to be a great ruler like his father. A fateful encounter with a slave from the neighbouring country of Lusitania leads Arslan to question the world outside of the royal capital's walls, but before he can indulge his curiosity, war breaks out. Arslan is rushed off to his first war, only to see his kingdom crumble in front of his eyes. This series of events leads the young Arslan on a journey to reclaim his lost kingdom.

Okay, there's quite a lot of interesting developments this volume! Hilmes is doing some quite tense manoeuvring when it comes to his position with the Lusitanian's and there's also a hunt for a treasured sword that is allegedly the rightful sword of the King of Pars. This quest will be quite familiar to readers who have watched the anime! Meanwhile we have Guiscard scheming for his own position and I can't exactly blame him, his brother is kind of useless. 

Then there's shady sorcerer guy who only gets more shady in this volume. Andragoras has a very interesting role to play in this volume, and if you've watched the anime you'll know exactly what's coming with him, though this volume does plenty to instil a sense of foreboding. I would say, in terms of the anime, we're fast approaching the second season. 

As for Arslan and co, they are on the move once again with survivors in tow which means Etoile has some time to acquaint herself with our crew. The banter between all of them and her attitude were amusing, but I also so badly want her to thaw towards them and join the crew officially already! 

But that's not all this volume, there's also Merlain (Alfareid's brother) who is on the move himself as he escorts the princess to Hilmes. Like I said...there's a lot going on and we see pretty much all of our main characters. 

What's particularly interesting about this volume is Tahamenay. She's been quite quiet this series, but in this volume she finally speaks up. Her wording, particularly when referring to her child, brings up an interesting point of intrigue. Especially after what we've seen of how she treats Arslan and what she knows. If my suspicions are right, there could be quite a plot twist in store. 

Of course, this is all quite calm and leisurely as our characters move around the board and we have a smooth passing of time. But it's not long before danger looms again in the form of the Turanian army, which also heralds the arrival of a familiar face...I'm sure you can tell who it is from the cover of this volume! 

I was more than happy to see Kubard come back into play, I actually quite like his character and I've been waiting for him to join Team Arslan! I also really enjoyed that Farangis got a little bit of the spotlight in this volume as she gets to lead an attack of her own and team up with Kubard. 

While there's a little of Arslan, it's nice to see other characters take more of a role in this volume. Farangis and Kubard in particular! The plot moves smoothly on, driving forward and I'm a big fan of the transitions and how the passing of time is handled in this series. While not quite as action heavy as previous volumes, characters are moving across the board and it seems that Arslan has a new ally on his side. 

Volume 12 leaves us on a nice little cliffhanger which wouldn't be quite so bad if we didn't have to wait so long for the next volume! My one and only disappointment with this volume is the lack of Gieve, I have to be honest! 

Manga: Eden's Zero 7

Eden's Zero Vol 7 
Rating: 4/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review! 

A young boy gazes up at the sky and sees a streaming bolt of light. The friendly, armour-clad being at his side tells him gently, 'That's a dragon.' The fact that he's joking isn't important. What's important is the look of wonder on the boy's face... and the galaxy-spanning adventure that's about to take place! 

Volume 7 finds the crew in search of Valkyrie, however they soon stumble across a seemingly peaceful planet that's under the tyrannical reign of Madame Kurenai. Shiki and Homura soon become separated and relegated to the labour district in order to mine 100,000 metals before they can be free. It's not the kind of mining that you might be thinking of though. 

In an original twist there's creatures that carry metal and they must be defeated to obtain or rather 'mine' it. While they deal with Madame Kurenai's minions there, the lady herself is seeking the Eden's Zero. We also make the discovery of a weakness to the ether gear, which I personally thought was an interesting development and makes it seem less over powered. 

Meanwhile, Rebecca has been separated from them and is unable to make contact with the others remaining on the Eden's Zero. She does run into Labilia though and I think I dislike this character more and more every time I see her. It was kind of heartwarming for her to offer to help Rebecca and to help her become a better B-Cuber in the process, but there was a little twist that I really shouldn't have been surprised by. However, we do get to meet another B-Cuber called Nino. I spent a lot of this volume trying to decide whether or not I trusted him! 

Volume 7 moves along smoothly from point to point with its usual mix of action and intrigue, plus a really big monster to fight! There's also two really great plot twists to look out for in this one, one of which throws quite a spanner in the works for our crew and their mission and I'm curious as to where they're going to go from here! 

Manga: Noragami 21

Noragami Vol 21 
Rating: 5/5 
Buy or Borrow: Buy
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review! 

Yato is a homeless god. He doesn't even have a shrine, let alone any worshippers! So, to achieve his ambitious goals, he's set up a service to help those in need (for a small fee of course). He hopes that one day he'll be able to build the temple he feels he deserves, but for now he can't be picky about the jobs that he chooses to accept. From finding lost kittens to overcoming school bullies, Yato is divinely intervening all over the place! 

While Yukine is busy harbouring the stray who promptly disappears, Hyori is getting used to regular life without he and Yato. Speaking of Yato, he's gone off with Kazuma to train and hunt Ayakashi although it soon becomes clear that the two of them really need to work on getting more in sync with each other. Yukine needs to hunt down the stray but while doing so he ends up encountering Yato's father whom we all know and hate, and as soon as he said that there's a way out of Yomi my first thought was, 'here we go. What could possibly go wrong with this knowledge?'. 

Yato's father provides plenty of interesting information in this volume. There's a glimpse of how he came to be and some ominous notes when he mentions the stray's death which kind of has me curious, because there's clearly some history there. However, there's quite a development when it comes to Yukine as he starts to wonder how he died and it definitely provides a sense of impending doom when paired with everything we learn this volume. 

This volume largely spends its time building up for the next showdown and adding in a few little plot twists with Yukine and then with Hiyori and her lifeline, while also having Yato and Kazuma preparing for the next step. The Gods are all plotting together to help Yukine and go after the Crafter although the mention of 'God hunting' is ominous and had me on edge. Much as I love and feel for Yukine, I'm back in the 'wanting to shake him' place. 

Volume 21 is another solid volume, moving the plot along and keeping the readers interest through to the end. While serving to continue to set up and move the characters where they need to be for coming volumes and events, it also provides more intrigue and ends on a super ominous note that leaves you desperate for the next volume! 

Manga: In/Spectre 11

In/Spectre Vol 11
Rating: 5/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review! 

Both touched by spirits called yokai, Kotoko and Kuro have gained unique superhuman powers. But to gain her powers Kotoko has given up an eye and a leg, and Kuro's personal life is a shambles. So when Kotoko suggests they team up to deal with renegades from the spirit world, Kuro doesn't have many other choices, but Kotoko might just have a few ulterior motives. 

Volume 11 picks up from where we left off with the murder mystery in the process of being solved. On the surface, things seem to go quite amicably as an agreement is reached but there's too much of the volume left for it to be quite that simple as we soon find out! Volume 11 see's us dive into the nitty gritty of everyone's motivations and the skeletons lurking in their closets. 

This volume is nice and chunky, and there are a lot of solutions presented throughout the volume as is usual when it comes to this series. The trick is figuring out the right one and seemingly, the right one is easy to pick out...until a plot twist throws it right out of the window. 

Volume 11 see's the conclusion of a brilliantly done, twisty mystery that has you intrigued until the final page as you try to figure out who's lying and what really happened. I was fully engrossed into the volume and I could appreciate how it connected to the whole Rikka situation that we still have going on. I'm sure w're being smoothly driven towards the next encounter with her and it'll be interesting to see how it plays out! 

Manga: Edens Zero 6

Edens Zero Vol 6 
Rating: 4/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review! 

A young boy gazes up at the sky and sees a streaming bolt of light. The friendly, armour-clad being at his side tells him gently, 'That's a dragon.' The fact that he's joking isn't important. What's important is the look of wonder on the boy's face... and the galaxy-spanning adventure that's about to take place!  

As we embark on Volume 6 of Edens Zero we just have Valkyrie left to locate! In order to locate Valkyrie the crew heads off to the time oracle to try and get some help, though before that there's a nice ominous tone regarding one of Elsie's crew members and a couple of familiar faces! 

Volume 6 has a good amount of action to keep you hooked as we have a fighting competition going on. It was nice to see each of the crew's various different approaches to battle and see their own skills shine for a change. I think the standout was Homura as we get to delve into her background and how she came to be with Valkyrie, there's been plenty of mystery around her and some of that mystery was illuminated in this volume. 

There's also the addition of a shady new captain to the crew whom I have such a bad feeling about, it's not even funny! I'll have to wait until next volume to see what horror he's going to unleash on the crew! There's also something odd going on as the crew venture's to a new planet. 

The crew are getting closer to finding Valkyrie but it seems the bad guys are also closing in! The volume easily speeds along and holds your attention with the action scattered throughout and the ominous hints of story lines to come in future volumes! 

Manga: Fairy Tail 100 Years Quest 3

Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest Vol 3 
Rating: 5/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review! 

A wizard's job is never done! Get fired up for the official sequel to Fairy Tail, with story and layouts by original creator Hiro Mashima himself. Natsu, Lucy, Happy, Erza, and the whole Fairy Tail guild are back in action! And they've decided to tackle the '100 Years Quest' - a job no one's dared take on since the founding of the guild more than a century ago. A mysterious town, a baffling spirit, a ghastly new enemy... and a brand new continent to explore. When you're with real friends, the adventures never stop!

100 Years Quest provides us with another excellent volume in the series and there's action from the start which is to be expected at this point. What got me excited about this particular volume, however, was the plot twist that happens pretty early on in the volume....a dragon shaped plot twist to be precise! I'm really enjoying the dragon element in this series and loving the focus on them, as much as I love the magic element, and if you've read the main series then you're in for a surprise that will have your jaw dropping! Even I was reading it like...whaaaaaat!? At which point it's time to try to get over the surprise and settle in properly for the rest of the volume because this series is getting so good! 

While I was excited and enjoying this new series, I was also wondering what new things could be brought in to keep it going and keep it fresh, aside from the dragons! (Speaking of, we're already introduced to a second one in this volume!) Then the plot twist happened and I was like 'aaaah I see' and any slight skepticism I might have had has now vanished and I'm even more excited to see where this is going to go now. 

There's a nice, epic battle to enjoy and the high of completing a mission but there's also ominous hints scattered here and there; Natsu and his behaviour, the guild master for Diabolos and then what's happening back at the Fairy Tail Guild. There's even a glimpse of what's to come with a quick intro to the dragons that got me so excited! While I did find the doppelgängers funny, I was also a bit like...okay gimme the dragons again! I feel like this volume really takes a turn for the fanfic with the doppelgängers and Grey's in particular! Nalu and Gruvia shippers are going to have plenty to screech over too. 

While we have some fun and relax along with the characters, things kick off once again towards the end of the volume both with another guild member popping up and then with the next dragon already being introduced which leaves you excited for the next volume and what's to come. 

If you've been on the fence about this series, this is the volume that's going to cement your interest! 

Manga: I'm Standing On A Million Lives 3

I'm Standing on a Million Lives Vol 3 
Rating: 3/5 
Buy or Borrow: Buy
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review! 

The ever-calculating Yotsuya carries out an unheroic act of vengeance, and the players successfully manage to complete their quest. Their victory allows them to ask the Game Master a single question, and the truth about the world they've been sent to is revealed. But when he learns that this strange new world isn't as virtual as he believed, Yotsuya is forced to confront the consequences of his actions...

The volume opens with the moment we've all been waiting for...Yotsuya and Tokitate carry out Yotsuya's plot of vengeance against their betrayers, and he's not particularly bothered that he's going to have to level down to achieve it. I've got to say, it was a wonderful moment to see and perfectly executed. 

However, their clash with the soldiers of Deokk draws the attention of Deokk's monarch. It turns out the heroes are supposed to be neutral, and now they're worried that Kamilto and his men have drawn their ire to more than just them which adds a sense of the ominous to the volume although considering the time twist I'm not sure whether we'll see this play out at all...or if it's something that'll be lying in wait for upcoming volumes. 

While one quest may be completed there's another still to tick off but time is running out, as the volume reminds us more than once with the repetition of the time left to complete said quest. This serves to ramp up the tension in the volume as we're left to wonder if they'll complete it on time. Not to mention we have the snow storm messing with their revival and bringing it down to the wire. 

I still don't particularly like Tokitate, she's the only one that I don't really like to be honest. But she manages to grow a little bit of a backbone to carry on with the quest and she causes us to meet the mysterious Fatina. It remains to be seen whether or not we'll be seeing her again in coming volumes, but I suspect the chances of it are high! I'm excited to see more of Fatina and find out what her deal is, as I have a few suspicions about her and a lot of questions. 

While we have a new mystery in the form of Fatina, an old mystery is solved as we finally get some more answers about the world and how it works. I haven't quite decided if I'm surprised or not about the answer, but the shock reveal provokes some interesting reactions and thoughts in Yotsuya which aren't necessarily the ones I was expecting. I was surprised to see him freak out a little bit over his actions, I wasn't sure he'd be even remotely effected, if I'm an honest. But of course he goes right back to being his usual self and I'm enjoying how morally grey he is. 

Getting some answers not only means we get to start a new round but it means we get to meet the newest player. His name is Keita and our first meeting with him is..wild to say the least. As if we didn't have enough tension and danger in these volumes, he throws us a little bit more! I'm yet to decide if I like him, so we'll see how the next volume goes! 

The beginning of a new round brings some slight changes. Revival time goes up as is to be expected, but there's a new feature for our group to use...fast travel. The beginning of the new round brings us a few surprises as well as a new quest, and the implications for future rounds are intriguing. We do take a little interlude to get the lowdown on what's been going on since they last visited, and again, there's more threads of plot that could come in to play more fully in future volumes. 

The new quest is an interesting one that I can't wait to dive in to more fully in the next volume, but there's a sinister, snakey guy with the potential to ruin it all! As one quest wraps up and we embark on a new one, the pace for this series shows no signs of slowing down any time soon. Each quest is a decent length, giving enough time to get everything done, help us get to know the characters further and the new characters being brought in without having the story drag on for too long and we don't waste any time before moving on to the next one! 

Manga: Boarding School Juliet 8

Boarding School Juliet Vol 8 

Rating: 4/5

Buy or Borrow: Buy 

Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review! 

The annual Dahlia Academy School Festival is in full swing, and the day Inuzuka has been waiting for has finally arrived: he gets to go on a festival-patrolling date with his beloved Persia! But for these star-crossed lovers, nothing is ever as easy as it seems, and when an unexpected visitor suddenly arrives for Persia, the two are reminded of just how forbidden their secret relationship is...

Can Inuzuka's and Persia's love prevail, or is the idea of a White Cat and a Black Doggy living happily ever after nothing more than a fool's errand? 

You might recall the misunderstanding that was taking place at the end of the last volume, leaving us all on a cliffhanger? Well we open this volume with the fall out from that and we finally get some answers as to why Maru is so obsessed with Julio! I've got to say, I've liked slowly getting to see more of Maru, and slowly getting to see a slightly softer side to him than the image he portrays. 

There's plenty of hilarity to the volume as we experience the final day of the school festival and get to sample the fun that it has to offer before it starts to draw to a close. The arrival of Persia's mother makes it all the more dramatic and makes for a fun surprise, at least for us! It was interesting to me, to see what Persia's mother is like, but she has an ominous story to tell. The story of a previous Black Doggy/White Cat couple and the consequences of their relationship shakes Romio and Persia, but may also be a little bit of foreshadowing for coming volumes. 

This volume introduces us to new character Kogi, Hasuki's younger brother. I'm not going to lie, he reminded me a little bit of Edward Elric what with how salty he is about his height. He's adorably protective of his older sister, however, and gives Inuzuka a bit of a wake up call as to how his friendship with her has deteriorated a little bit and as to how she feels about things. 

We have a smidge of ridiculousness thrown in to this volume too, relatable as Persia is in the midst of it. Things take an interesting and exciting turn towards the end of the volume as winter break rolls around. Persia has decided to travel with Inuzuka to his home, and she gets to experience Touwa meaning that we get to do the same! It's quite exciting to see a setting other than the school, and to get to experience one of the countries involved in this rivalry. But Persia going with him adds a sense of jeopardy to the whole trip as we wait to see if they can pull it off or if she'll be discovered! Alongside all of that we get to meet a few more new characters as we meet and get to know Inuzuka's family! I've been curious about their families, and it's a nice touch to do both introductions in the same volume! 

Manga: Hitorijime My Hero 5

Hitorijime My Hero Vol 5 
Rating: 4/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review! 

Kousuke surprises Masahiro by inviting him out on a spur-of-the-moment road trip. And when they arrive at the hot springs, things get pretty steamy...! As Masahiro gets to know how deep Kousuke's love is for him, he also begins to wonder about what he's missing, as Kousuke's mysterious past tugs at him. Meanwhile, dark clouds loom over Asaya and Kensuke's relationship... 

What a volume this is, the first thing I'm going to say is...beware the ending of this volume because it's intense! 

Not long in to the volume we have Masahiro and Kousuke talk things out after the events of the past volume and they're back on track in no time...or are they? 

While the pair of them head off on a little trip before Kousuke gets busy with work, Masahiro is still brooding over Natsuo and his relationship with Kousuke. But they're not the only ones with trouble on the horizon. Kensuke and Asaya have been our one couple that hasn't had any trouble just yet. They're cute, and adorable...until now. This volume brings some trouble for the pair of them which leads to an interesting situation. 

This volume has the drama slowly building up. On the surface, everything's fine but Natsuo and his past with Kousuke is festering away at Masahiro and it's making things a little awkward on their trip. Both couples relationship problems come to a head at the hot springs and the end of the final chapter had me screeching. Just as things are getting good, just as I was like 'omg omg omg omg' the volume came to a close leaving us on one hell of a cliffhanger and now we have to wait for the next volume. 

Manga: In/Spectre 10

In/Spectre Vol 10 
Rating: 4/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review! 

It's been nearly a year, and Kotoko has yet to find Rikka Sakuragawa. Little does she know that Rikka has recently moved into a nice little apartment that came at a very affordable price...because it's thought to be cursed! What is causing the series of suicides in her new home? And can Kotoko catch her before she goes on the run again? 

The opening for this particular volume is somewhat ominous, yet it also lends a sense of curiosity and anticipation to the volume as we flashback in time for the rest of the volume to find out how our characters reached the place they're at for the start of the volume. 

The hunt is on for Rikka, Kuro's cousin, and we get a little bit of insight in to Kotoko's relationship with her. Interestingly we do get Rikka's POV for a little while, and it was intriguing to see things from her side and to see how she ticks a little bit. Thanks to Rikka we get up close and personal with a 'cursed' apartment, providing us with some shocking moments that merge smoothly in to hilarious ones. 

Once we do rejoin Kotoko and Kuro, there's plenty more of Kotoko releasing her inner Sherlock Holmes with a supernatural twist as usual. What I have been noticing in more recent volumes, this one in particular highlighted it for me, is that as much as Kuro says mean things and is quite gruff...we're seeing more and more little gestures from him and some sweet small moments between the two of them. 

This volume allows us to delve more in to Kotoko's past as we see the president of the mystery club, Manabu, once again courtesy of his uncle digging around. So we get to venture back to her high school days before taking on a new case. The first half of the volume is essentially setting the scene and building up to the next big mystery that Kotoko will face, and the next clash for she and Rikka. Said mystery is a good old fashioned murder mystery, with three heirs having to prove how someone committed a murder which should be interesting to watch play out and I can't wait to see how Kotoko handles this though as the judge it places her in a difficult position. 

There's a lot of groundwork laid in this volume, but it's still got its fantastic twists that keep you on the edge of your seat and have you gasping in shock when something's revealed. There's also still plenty of Sherlockian deducing from Kotoko and a nice progression with she and Kuro! Volume 10 is another strong volume that starts to lay the foundations for the next volume! 

Manga: Royal Tutor 12

The Royal Tutor Vol 12
Rating: 5/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review!

When Leonhard receives an invitation to the Kingdom of Fonseine from Prince Claude, the princes set off on their first big trip together. Will this trip give Leonhard the opportunity to put his new language skills to some good use, or will he sink to his usual aggression? 

Kai makes his grand return in this volume, and it was nice to see the brothers together once again! But I particularly liked getting to see some more interaction and banter between Heine and Viktor, as well as getting to know Viktor a little bit better as we get to see what it was like for him when he became a King so young. 

It was nice to get to see Claude again as well, as the Princes take a little trip. There's more signs of how far Leonhard has come, as it seems he's been studying. It even pays off as Heine gives him the responsibility of translating on their trip, and I have to say...I was incredibly proud of Leonhard! He's had some brilliant character development. 

I enjoyed the interactions between Claude and the Princes, he's kind of adorable, so much so that Leonhard can't say his piece to him! But poor Claude is worried the Princes won't be friends with him if he doesn't end up marrying Adele, and that they're only being nice to him because of that, bless him. It was a realistic worry, but it also made me feel for him so badly. I'm looking forward to hopefully getting to see more of him. 

Because we're visiting Claude, that means that we get to explore a new part of the world of this series which is something I'm always excited for! In this case, we're exploring Fonsein and it's city of Fleur. You can see hints of Paris in it, and it was exciting to get to see a new setting. 

We've already seen Leonhard's blossoming friendship with Claude, so it was nice to see that go further as they overcome their troubles about the betrothal and their worries about it. It was also nice to see the other Princes bonding with him and I'm hopeful for more interactions amongst them. 

Of course Licht doesn't take part in the trip, we do get to spend some time with him as we have a bit of a mystery to solve. Licht and his boss are having a bit of a problem at the cafe, with a few 'pranks' being pulled on them. Which of course coincides with the opening of the second cafe location. While we see an old face in the form of Claude, we get a new face this volume as well as we meet Herman who's going to be the manager of the second shop. 

Viktor isn't the only character that we get some more insight in to this volume either, we get a chance to know Licht's boss a little better too. How he came to own the cafe, the struggles he had with starting it up and so on. I like the fact that we get to know some of the side characters just as well as our main characters throughout this series, particularly those that we do get to see quite often! 

While this volume is fairly light hearted with lots of hilarity courtesy of Viktor and the Princes, and is relaxed for the most part, towards the end it takes a turn for the serious as Maximilian ends up hurt as he has to protect Licht. The vendetta against the Cafe Mitter Meyer is upped from the harmless annoyances we'd seen initially, to something a little more serious on the eve of the second locations grand opening which adds a splash of action, intrigue and danger to the volume. 

With both cafes closed until further notice, the boss and Herman set out to do a little private investigation in to the culprit. Excluded from the investigation because of his Princely status, Licht isn't particularly happy. He just wants to help, and we end the volume on a rather tense note as he vents his frustrations about the Kingdom and its social stations meaning the next volume should have a very interesting opening and we have an investigation to look forward to! 

Manga: Seven Deadly Sins 34

Seven Deadly Sins Vol 34 

Rating: 4/5

Buy or Borrow: Buy

Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review! 

Estarossa continues his path of destruction with the power of three Commandments and his sights set on more. Against such terrifying strength, both his enemies and former allies realize their only chance of defeating him is to work together. Will their strategy be enough, or does the secret to victory lie with Estarossa's connection to Gowther?

Meanwhile, in Purgatory, Meliodas and Ban resolve to escape and fight their way back to the women they love. With the help of Wild, they gear up for their ultimate stand against the Demon King! 

We have an action packed volume once again, with the action taking place right from the start as our group try to reclaim the Commandments within Estarossa. Elizabeth and Co have quite the fight ahead of them, and it only gets worse as Estarossa transforms in to an even more intimidating foe. 

The volume's full of action as everyone has to throw out some new moves in order to try and defeat him, meaning this volume has a fair bit of tension to it as well as we wait to see whether or not they succeed. Alongside all of that, there's also a little bit of heartbreak in there too for some characters. 

Meanwhile, King undergoes an interesting transformation and I'm excited to see what this is going to mean for him in terms of his powers and what he can do. While we do get a look at one of his new interesting powers, I'm intrigued to see what else he's capable of now. Gowther also gets his moment to shine, which was nice to see. I was excited to get some shards of his past and some more background to he and his creation, as it's an interesting one. 

Of course, while one storyline wraps up, we rejoin Meliodas and Ban and their fight with the Demon Lord. Quite a bit of time has passed for them as they battle him repeatedly, which means we have a bit of a power upgrade. Like King, Ban's powers have morphed and changed and that's one thing about this series. Characters and their powers don't remain stagnant, they develop at a good pace to fit the story and morph at an appropriate time to fit the story.

This particular volume has no dull moments, it's action through and through with characters powers developing more for the next phase of the story and Meliodas and Ban making a return at the end of the volume ready for what's next!

Manga: Skull-Face Bookseller Honda-San

Skull-Face Bookseller Honda-San Vol 1
Rating: 4/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review! 

Honda might be a skeleton, but that's nowhere near as crazy as working in a Japanese bookstore! Whether it's running the store, dealing with out-of-print books, or handling eccentric customers, the bookstore life is filled with laughter and tears. 

As a bookseller, both previously and now once again, this was a pretty relatable read to be honest! People coming in with photos and Amazon screen shots of what they're after, asking for recommendations and so on. There were so many familiar conversations, that I've found myself having in my time as a bookseller and it added to the enjoyment for me! 

Honda-San was pretty funny too, to be honest he was funnier than I expected him to be...as was the volume. I'm always kind of picky with slice of life's. I don't always get on with them, but I decided to give this one a try because of the bookseller aspect and I'm glad I did take a chance on this one because I enjoyed it an incredible amount! Is it mean to say that I was enjoying it more than I was expecting, even if I wasn't entirely too sure what to expect? I genuinely really enjoyed myself reading this volume. 

It's not only fun to look at the life of a bookseller, but we also got to take a bit of a look at how the manga publishing industry works in Japan, when it comes to selling and supplying it. There was never a dull moment, there were plenty of chuckles, and for me there were a tonne of relatable moments throughout the volume. 

The arts nice, the characters were fun and definitely stand out from the crowd, there were also some great situations and encounters that were interesting to see...and mostly familiar, like I said! 

Manga: The Alchemist Who Survived Now Dreams of a Quiet City Life

The Alchemist Who Survived Now Dreams of a Quiet City Life Vol 1
Rating: 4/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy 
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review! 

Mariela is the last alchemist alive after waking from a deep sleep that lasted two hundred years. As the sole alchemist in town, she can make a killing from making and selling potions...but after two hundred years of suspended animation, all she wants to do is relax, take things easy, and live at her own pace! 

The prologue gives us a quick intro the world we're going to be inhabiting with this series. What happened, how the alchemy works and so on, all of which was intriguing by the way. Once we've gotten to grips with all that, we're then thrown 200 years in to the future and reintroduced to the world and how things have changed. We're getting to grips with it all along with our main character, so we're not the only ones trying to figure out as we go. So you could see it's quite a fast paced, whirlwind start! 

We soon meet some of the characters in the form of Lynx, Yuric and the other members of the Black Iron Freight Corps, though I wasn't sure whether or not they could be trusted and I spent a lot of this volume side eyeing them. We also meet Seig, whom Mariela rescues, and I did like their growing bond throughout this volume! 

Alongside the fascinating alchemy, there's some interesting creatures and mythology to enjoy as well and you all know how much I live for mythology so it's safe to say I was having more than a little bit of fun reading this initial volume! I was certainly intrigued and pulled in by multiple different aspects to it! 

As for the art, I did enjoy it. It's an art style that I always love in a manga, and the characters are nicely drawn as are the settings. The alchemy in particular was brilliantly drawn! 

This initial volume has a nice pace to it, from Mariela's revival to meeting her new friends and trying to build her new life. Though I'm not sure where this is going so far, the characters are fun and I had a really good time reading this. I'm looking forward to seeing more and to see what will happen, and what direction the story will take!