Manga: Kiss Me at The Stroke of Midnight 9

Kiss Me at the Stroke of Midnight Vol 9 
Rating: 4/5 
Buy or Borrow: Buy 
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review! 

As Hinana sinks deeper into despair, Akira has no one else to turn to but his rival Kaede. Akira shares Hinana's past family troubles with Kaede because it's affecting her now more than ever. What will Kaede do when he finally hears the truth? And in a moment of respite, Hinana and Kaede take a vacation to a hot spring resort, and, much to their chaperone's dismay, things get a little steamy! 

I have to say this volume takes a more serious tone than the recent ones and I really enjoyed that. We get some solid background information on Hinana and her past, I really did feel for her and I empathised with her. It was easy to see how she became the person that she is and why she does certain things, a lot of pieces fell in to place when it comes to she and her decisions and personality. 

Things do get quite serious and emotional this volume, more so than we've seen before I feel, with regards to that and I personally felt like it was nice to see a more serious layer to the story and characters, especially from Kaede. 

It was a nice way to spend a chunk of the volume before things get a little bit lighter, although Kaede is about to have a problem of his own as he has to face Funny Bone again and I'm interested to see how that's going to play out, especially as Hinana ends up becoming involved. 

I enjoyed addressing Hinana's past and the issue's it's caused her in the present, I liked getting to her understand her a lot more and see Kaede be a little bit more serious. I feel like it was good for their relationship too, showing a more mature and serious side to it. I think the end is in sight as we address Hinana's problems as well as Kaede's. 

Manga: Kiss Me at the Stroke of Midnight 8

Kiss Me at the Stroke of Midnight Vol 8 

Rating: 3/5

Buy or Borrow: Buy

Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher! 

Hinana's mother has discovered her secret, and now Hinana is forced to realize that who she's with affects more than just herself. Seeing the rift it starts to cause between her mother and her little sister, she can't help but feel responsible. She suggests to Kaede that they call the whole thing off... But will Kaede be able to let her go?

So...there was a bit of a cliffhanger ending last volume and we dive straight in with this one. I will admit, her mum didn't react quite how I thought she would but in some ways she did. I was once again, kind of expecting it to blow up more than it actually did and be more of an issue than it was. I feel like things get resolved quite quickly in this series which isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Because of it all, Hinana and Kaede have another obstacle and Hinana is starting to realise and think about the fact her family could get dragged in to unpleasant things because of his celebrity status. Photographers, reporters and so on hounding them for one. I feel like because of that, Hinana matures a little bit and starts to think clearly about things and her situation. 

Kaede goes through it too but he's decided he's going to cling on. It did give me pause though, I was like wow okay, we're doing the whole breakup thing?! Much like Hinana, I think the relationship is going to have to mature a bit more with this development. Although as usual...we did get some cute and romantic scenes between the two! 

Then there's Akira, he finally confessed about that thing he did, and honestly...she took it pretty well. I was surprised. Although I did like the two of them plotting to take down Mitsuki, and while we do finally deal with the whole Mitsuki situation....Akira presents another problem after he tells Hinana she's stuck in the past and starts to stir up something. 

While we get one story thread wrapped up and see Hinana really have to think about those around her and what she's doing, I am wondering how much longer this series can go on for. I'm sensing the end is nigh, but I'm curious to see what Akira is making a big deal of now. The volume is over quite quickly as we have one less chapter but we do have a bonus manga chapter to fill in the gap! 

Manga: Kiss Me At The Stroke Of Midnight 7

Kiss Me at the Stroke of Midnight Vol 7
Rating: 3/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher! 

With Mitsuki constantly threatening to ruin everything Kaede loves, Kaede has decided it's time for Hinana to learn the truth. When Kaede shows up at Hinana's door, he's prepared to tell her all the terrible things he did to Funny Bone. But will this really make Hinana and Kaede's bond stronger? When their relationship is tested by Mitsuki's onslaughts, Kaede may be pushed to take more drastic measures...! 

It's finally here. After all the tension and the suspense, the shocking thing Kaede did is finally revealed. I'm not going to lie, it was a tiny bit predictable, and honestly I don't reaaaaaally see how it was his fault, but everything is finally out there, anti-climatic as it was. We did get to see how he fell in to the idol life, which was interesting. 

This volume brings us some cute couple scenes, but honestly, nothing much happens this volume. I think we're setting up for things to really kick off next volume. I do feel like some of these volumes could be combined in to one. Mitsuki does hatch a plot and has roped Akira in to it as well, and presumably that will play out next volume. 

Interestingly, we did get to see Kaede's family, and they're a surprisingly normal bunch. As is custom for this series lately, we're left on a cliffhanger as Mitsuki's latest plot is revealed and we're ready for it to play out. I'm not entirely sure this series can go on for much longer, it's starting to get a bit slow, I'm assuming we'll see Kaede make up with the rest of Funny Bone and their relationship be out in the open with her family! 

Manga: Kiss Me At The Stroke of Midnight 6

Kiss Me at the Stroke of Midnight Vol 6
Rating: 4/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher! 

Hinana prizes her reputation as a serious high school student, too focused on getting into college to pay attention to boys. But she's a secret fairytale romance freak, sneaking away from her studies to see A Roman Holiday and tucking pop idol magazines into her textbooks. When her celebrity crush comes to her school to film a TV episode, she has to pretend to be totally uninterested even as she desperately tries to get close to him. However, she's not the only one who's not what she appears... her dreamboat isn't just a pretty face either! 

I'm not going to lie...I was anticipating a lot of drama being wreaked by Shū but in actual fact that little plot thread is wrapped up pretty swiftly at the beginning of this volume, after the two girls spend some time together. I can't decide if I'm disappointed about that or not. But I did end up actually quite liking Shū and the fact she's on Kaede's side could come in handy because his ex bandmate Mitsuki isn't going to let things go. 

As Mitsuki tries to make Kaede's life miserable once again, we get more hints and clues as to what happened as we see more of Kaede's past with Funny Bone. At this point the mystery is kind of driving me crazy and I'm not sure what to expect, but they dropped a pretty big bomb to do with it. 

We also see a somewhat different side to Ayami this volume...which was interesting. So far we've seen Kaede and Hinana's relationship start, build up and develop over the course of the series as well as being tested, and now it looks like we're about to get the story behind Funny Bone and Kaede's falling out. Seriously...Kaede's all ready to spill everything at the end of this volume and then it's like "lol see you next volume", which is completely unfair, leaving us hanging like that!

Manga: Kiss Me At The Stroke Of Midnight 5

Kiss Me at the Stroke of Midnight Vol 5
Rating: 4/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher! 

After seeing Kaede at Lockheart Castle, Hinana rests assured that her beloved has eyes only for her... until a surprise visit from Kaede's manager brings some unexpected news. Kaede's ex-girlfriend is still in love with him, and she's decided to try to get him back! 

The volume opens a little bit after the events of last volume. Nana has a run in with Kaede's manager, Shige, and he gives her some disturbing news....mainly that Shu, Kaede's ex, is after him. Just the thing she wanted to hear...not. I was actually starting to like Shige but now I'm kind of side eyeing him a bit. 

Akira is actually a really good friend, despite how he feels about Nana personally, he still dishes out solid advice to her and I have to respect him for that. I wouldn't say I'm rooting for him...but I do hope he gets a happy ending too. I have a feeling we'll be seeing a lot more of him in coming volumes though. 

Shu makes her move, and so we get to see a lot of her in this volume, but our main man Kaede actually says and does the right things. He's considerate of how Nana would feel, and what would upset her (colour me surprised), so there shouldn't be a problem....right? Kaede has us on a bit of a seesaw this volume. He did all the right things in the beginning but by the second chapter he started to get sucked in and you're kind of like, "No...don't do it...." but then he turns around and surprises you, but then something semi shady happens again and you're like "Kaede....no" but then he does the right thing...again. 

It's not like the usual where the dude is dumb and doesn't get how the girl would feel. I keep waiting for him to do something shady but as much as your stomach drops and you're like "oh no" he turns round and sorts it all out so it's not shady/wrong. Like with Shu staying over...he slept in his car. The situations are there but he's loyal. 

The thing is....I don't trust Shu, I think she's shady so I didn't believe a word she said. Then there was a split second when you thought she wouldn't be a total cow...but she did the mean thing in the end. Plus Mitsuki is like the old witch stirring the pot and cackling in Snow White. 

We actually get some more insight in to Kaede and how he feels and what it was like for him in Funny Bone. 

The story really moves forward this volume, the game is being stepped up and things are getting juicy! We have Akira finally stepping up and throwing himself in to the mix as he can't sit back any longer. The knowledge that Akira has confessed to Nana lowkey sends Kaede over the edge. Kaede...well he's definitely struggling and Nana is too, and we end with quite the cliffhanger as Shu makes a threat. 

Manga: Wake Up Sleeping Beauty 3

Wake Up Sleeping Beauty Vol 3
Rating: 4/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher! 

As Shizu begins to venture outside more and more, her days are filled with new experiences. When she shows an interest in going to school, Tetsu and the spirits dwelling within Shizu think up a foolproof plan to get her there. But when the two teens arrive on campus, they bump into Tetsu's old soccer team. Suddenly, his carefully curated life begins to unravel and Shizu may be the only one who can save him. 

Things are really heating up with this volume, Tetsu has come up with a plan to help Shizu, part of which is a guide to handling things outside of the mansion and the other part is taking her to school with him. 

This volume really gives us a lot of insight in to Tetsu and his childhood and his friendship with Ueno and everything he gave up for his family. I actually really felt for him. This volume was so heartwarming seeing the lengths his team went to for him and helping him achieve his dream with the help of Shizu. Tetsu has been doing so much for her, overcoming his fears and helping her as much as he can and it was nice to see her come out of her shell and help him for once! 

I'd definitely say the romance has finally kicked off in this volume too, and it's so cute! Things get all warm and fuzzy and cute and I'm so ready for more of it the next volume! As well as seeing what kind of solutions Tetsu comes up with! Plus....the characters have already come quite a way since volume 1 and I'm looking forward to seeing them grow and develop even more!

Manga: Kiss Me At The Stroke Of Midnight 4

Kiss Me at the Stroke of Midnight Vol 4
Rating: 4/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher! 

Kaede has set up a date to give Hinana her long-awaited first kiss, and the two of them enjoy a magical day at a theme park. But before they can share their promised kiss, a chance encounter with Akira brings unforeseen complications. Then, even more drama unfurls when Kaede's ex-girlfriend catches wind of the fact that he is now dating someone else...! 

Kaede and Hinana head to Charmingland and Kaede is acting like a little kid which is pretty hilarious. It's all going fine until Akira pops up and puts a spanner in the works and ruins Kaede's plan. The story kind of hits the point where in Cinderella it'd all be over because you know how it goes...they kiss, they live happily ever after etc, but this series is going beyond that because it's real life. 

Which means we're in for some drama because Kaede's ex-girlfriend Shu makes an appearance and she's clearly going to cause some trouble and Mitsuki definitely had a hand in it. What is the dude's problem!? I have to say...I really do love Shige, he's hilarious, bless him. Also, the author mentioned Lockheart Castle is a real place and I need to go because it looks awesome! 

There's a lot going on this volume, Kaede and Nana are doing the cute couple thing, and there's lots of fluffy moments, but Mitsuki and Shu also make their moves and I feel like we're going to be hit with a lot of drama and some possible angst in the coming volumes. So I feel like this is the calm before the storm, preparing us for what's to come. It should also be mentioned that Akira has to finally grow the balls to make a move....right? I feel like with Kaede's ex showing up, Akira's going to have an opening.

Manga: Kiss Me At The Stroke of Midnight 3

Kiss Me at the Stroke of Midnight Vol 3
Rating: 4/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher! 

Hinana prizes her reputation as a serious high school student, too focused on getting into college to pay attention to boys. But she's a secret fairytale romance freak, sneaking away from her studies to see A Roman Holiday and tucking pop idol magazines into her textbooks. When her celebrity crush comes to her school to film a TV episode, she has to pretend to be totally uninterested even as she desperately tries to get close to him. However, she's not the only one who's not what she appears... her dreamboat isn't just a pretty face either!

Okay folks, this volume brings the drama! Mitsuki makes an appearance this volume, and he's Kaede's old bandmate. He's most definitely shady and up to no good but he's also kind of an airhead. Or at least, I thought he was with his mirror. 

There are plenty of cute and fluffy moments with Kaede and Akira kind of, sort of makes a move. He's obviously not going to sit around and with Mitsuki plotting, things are going to get complicated and drama filled and I'm so here for it! 

The main focus of the volume is Mitsuki wanting to mess with Kaede and it becomes obvious that something else may have gone down besides Kaede leaving the group, or at least I hope it has because really boys?! Reaaaaaaally?! I loved the fact that when Kaede came to save the day he didn't do what I was expecting at all, but it was so very Kaede at the same time. 

The fluff/drama ratio is spot on and we get left on a cliffhanger as Mitsuki clearly isn't done with his schemes, so I'm anticipating drama in the next volume too! I'm also not entirely sure what to make of some of the other members of Kaede's band. Things are definitely getting juicy though, and I'm super excited for it to see how Hinana will react and what Kaede will do! 

Manga: Kiss Me At The Stroke of Midnight 2

Kiss Me at the Stroke of Midnight Vol 2
Rating: 4/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher! 

Hinana prizes her reputation as a serious high school student, too focused on getting into college to pay attention to boys. But she's a secret fairytale romance freak, sneaking away from her studies to see A Roman Holiday and tucking pop idol magazines into her textbooks. When her celebrity crush comes to her school to film a TV episode, she has to pretend to be totally uninterested even as she desperately tries to get close to him. However, she's not the only one who's not what she appears... her dreamboat isn't just a pretty face either!

I'm not going to lie to you guys...there's some juicy drama right from the start of this volume. Rumours abound and Hinana doesn't know what to believe, but it's not long before she and Kaede have everything sorted out...just in time for Hinana to come down sick. Kaede's busy with work but...at least Akira is free to take care of his BFF. I'm sure you can imagine how thrilled Kaede is by this turn of events. 

This volume lets us see another side to Kaede as he gets a wee bit angry and snaps for the first time. But it's not long before he's brushed it off and his back to his usual self, still, we do get a glimpse of his temper. He and Hinana are still trying to get to know each other and navigate their new relationship, it's all still new and things need to be worked out and so on. Shige seems a bit gruff, but this volume makes it obvious he really cares about Kaede and he's like a parent to him. 

The romance between Hinana and Kaede really starts in this volume, as does a potential love triangle. Yep. Akira is totally on to them...and he's about to embark on his role as "the other love interest" as he makes it obvious as he has a bit of a thing for Hinana and he decides he's going to give Kaede some competition. 

Hinana continues to be totally relatable, and it's so easy to empathise with her and you're sitting there like...yep. That's me. I'd totally do that too! She's such a likeable character, and it's really easy to root for her and be on her side. 

Along with the start of the romance in earnest...and the love triangle potentially kicking off...we get an intriguing look at Kaede's old band and how they react to him and I'm really curious as to what went down between them all, exactly! It looks like we might get more on that and his relationships with the various members, in the next volume if the cliffhanger ending is anything to go by! 

This volume, while still having some silly bits, doesn't have nearly as much silliness as the first volume. But it does have plenty of cute scenes and the art is both gorgeous and cute! I really love the way the artist draws the characters faces for certain scenes and reactions. The plot is moving at a nice pace, throwing in some drama with the cute scenes and setting up a couple of other things to look forward to in coming volumes! I feel like this volume started to be a bit more serious, but it's still got it's funny and odd moments to keep it balanced. There's plenty of Cinderella references to keep an eye out for too, and yeah...there's the odd cheesy bit too...but I mean...we all love a bit of cheese at some points! 

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Manga: Kiss Me At The Stroke of Midnight

Kiss Me At The Stroke Of Midnight Vol 1
Rating: 4/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher! 

Hinana prizes her reputation as a serious high school student, too focused on getting into college to pay attention to boys. But she's a secret fairytale romance freak, sneaking away from her studies to see A Roman Holiday and tucking pop idol magazines into her textbooks. When her celebrity crush comes to her school to film a TV episode, she has to pretend to be totally uninterested even as she desperately tries to get close to him. However, she's not the only one who's not what she appears... her dreamboat isn't just a pretty face either! 

Sometimes you guys, I just want a cute romance. Sometimes I like a bit of cheese to brighten my mood and give myself a chuckle. So of course, I picked this up because it sounded like it would be a nice cheesy romance.....but it wasn't exactly what I was expecting! 

I am loving it so far though, it's cute, fun and humorous and the characters are definitely memorable. The story focuses a lot on Cinderella, it's an adaption of sorts, there's a couple of little things from the story popped in there already and I love spotting them and being like 'aaaaaahhh! I see what you did there!'. Once Upon a Time is one of my favourite shows so I'm loving the fairy tail bits and pieces in this one! 

Hinana is very serious and follows a strict schedule when it comes to daily life and studying....but secretly she loves romance and fairy tails and sneaks out to see romance movies and hides fairy tails in her textbooks. She's actually pretty relatable for me, stories are always so much better than real life! But she's especially relatable when it came to contacting Kaede....took me right back to the days when I used to hang out with bands that I was friends with but had crushes on! 

Akira...I'm wondering if he's going to have a bigger role in proceedings in the future, I'd like to see more of him, he seems like he could bring some nice drama to the story! Run seems like she's going to be a fun character too, and a good friend to Hinana so I'd love to see more of her too! 

Kaede...he's the surprise I wasn't expecting. I was expecting him to be all Prince like and perfect to fit with the Cinderella vibes but his personality was a wee bit of a surprise! Let's just say he's a butt guy and a bit of a perv...but he's also fun too. Part of what makes this manga so funny is Kaede and how he is personality wise and the initial surprise you get when you first meet him! 

The art is cute and pretty and I love the use of cute chibi's to convey the characters specific emotions at points! We pack quite a lot in to this volume and the romance is kicking off towards the end of it, so it should progress further in the next volume buuuutt it looks like it's going to be hindered by a couple of things and if I'm right about Akira it'll be hindered even more. There's basically gonna be some draaaaamaaaaa! 

I'm anticipating some more silly antics and more drama in future volumes, like in this volume. I'm not going to be taking it too seriously but it looks like it's set to be a cute and fun romance with some silliness and drama on the side I definitely enjoyed reading it, there's some warm and fuzzy moments and it was certainly entertaining. This first volume does a great job of setting up the story and getting you interested in what's going to happen next!