Huge thank you to Kodansha and Tokyopop for granting me access to these manga via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own!
The Summer of You Volume 1
Release Date: June 1st 2021
Series: The Summer of You #1
Author: Nagisa Furuya
Rating: 4/5⭐️
Description:
A wistful summer blossoms between two high-school boys finding themselves and each other through a shared love of movies in this moving, dramatic, two-volume BL romance series, perfect for fans of Seven Days, Given, or I Hear the Sunspot.
Chiharu Saeki and Wataru Toda are two high school students who share a common hobby: They love to watch movies. After they meet, they become fast friends, until one day, when Chiharu confesses his love for Wataru. Wataru says that Chiharu’s confession doesn’t bother him, and the boys continue throughout their summer, going to pilgrimages to see film spots from their favorite movies. But the more time he spends with Chiharu, Wataru realizes that he may not only be as unaffected by Chiharu’s confession as he claimed to be, but those feelings may also be mutual…
My Review:
If you’re looking for an angsty love story between two high school boys look no further! This was such a sweet yet infinitely frustrating friends to lovers manga.
Saeki and Wataru become fast friends after they bump into each other and bond over their love of movies. From there, we follow them as Saeki admits his feelings to Wataru and get to see their relationship progress.
Saeki did frustrate me a lot because of his decisions but ultimately this ended up going well for the two of them. The ending made up for his infuriatingly self-sacrificing choices! I am so excited to read volume two if we get one because I really came to love the two of them as separate characters and together as a couple.
4/5⭐️
Peach Boy Riverside Volume 1
Release Date: June 29th 2021
Series: Peach Boy Riverside #1
Author: Coolkyousinnjya
Rating: 3/5⭐️
Description:
Sartrienne Aldraic, princess of the Kingdom of Aldraic, dreams of traveling the world — a dangerous dream in a land where monsters roam the countryside as they please, and humans live behind high, strong walls. But when a chance meeting with traveler Mikoto gives hope to her dream, he shatters it soon after, as he reveals himself to be none other than Momotaro, ruthless demon-slayer. Though horrified by the gore Momotaro leaves behind, Sartrienne is convinced more than ever that she needs to learn about the world beyond her walls, and journeys out… following the steps of the mysterious, charismatic, terrifying boy she met that day…
My Review:
This was an action packed manga full of self-discovery, monsters, friendship and a look into why being different has its own advantages.
I was a bit wary during the first chapter because our main character seemed to be a sort of stuck up princess so I was really glad to see her character development as this volume went on. It felt a bit rushed at first but by the last page, I really liked her and her journey, which just made me want to pick up the next volume as soon as possible.
This series has so much potential to be full of found family and full of a team pairing up to rid the world of monsters in epic ways. Mikoto’s energy when he kills monsters… I love it! I can’t wait to get my hands on more of this story.
3/5⭐️
TW: blood, gore, beheading, violence.
In The Clear Moonlit Dusk Volume 1
Release Date: July 13th 2021
Series: In The Clear Moonlit Dusk #1
Author: Mika Yamamori
Rating: 4.5/5⭐️
Description:
Yoi Takiguchi has long legs, a deep voice, and a handsome face… in other words, Yoi is such a good-looking guy that most people don’t notice or care that she is, in fact, a girl. Indeed, she’s had the nickname “Prince” as long as she can remember. That is, until she met Ichimura-senpai… the only person who’s really seemed to see her for herself. To her surprise, she’s not sure how to handle this new relationship, especially when her newfound friend is a prince himself (and a guy prince, at that). The story of the two high school princes starts here!
My Review:
This was such a refreshingly adorable manga! We follow Yoi Takiguchi who is known as the Prince around school even though she’s a girl. She dresses and exudes more of a masculine vibe hence the name. But things start to shift when the new Prince at school takes a liking to her.
Their relationship from the beginning was so heartwarming. The way that he doesn’t want her to change herself, he accepts her as her but at the same time, he’s treating her like a princess, something she didn’t think anyone would do.
I just loved their development and all of the communication between them. Plus, I’m a sucker for a story where the guy is the ultimate simp for the girl. I can’t wait to see them together in volume two!!
4.5/5⭐️
The Decagon House Murders Volume 1
Release Date: August 17th 2021
Series: The Decagon House Murders #1
Author: Yukito Ayatsuji
Rating: 5/5⭐️
Description:
The manga based off the best-selling The Decagon House Murders novel by Yukito Ayatsuji! The members of a particular university’s Mystery Club travel to a ten-sided house on a remote island… which just happens to have been the scene of a gristly, and unsolved, mass murder. Armed with details of the murder and keys to the property, they set out to dig deeper… but can they trust the “facts” of the case? And moreover… can they trust each other?
My Review:
An atmospheric, creepy story about a murder and a group of teens who delight in the mysterious and the occult. When they decide to camp on the same island a murder was committed… things take a turn.
I loved this manga volume so much. It was a perfect introduction to the story and the characters. We’re given just enough information about the plot and the characters that we understood them but at the same time, everyone and everything was still clouded in mystery. That just kept my attention locked from page one until the end.
I am chomping at the bit to read the second volume in this series. I can’t recommend this one more if you’re into murder mysteries, creepy settings, a deserted island and a dead girl come back to haunt everyone.
5/5⭐️
TW: death, fire, torture, gore, murder, dismemberment, drowning, blood, violence.
Beauty and The Beast of Paradise Lost Volume 1
Release Date: August 17th 2021
Author: Kaori Yuki
Series: Beauty and The Beast of Paradise Lost #1
Rating: 3/5⭐️
Description:
ARE YOU BEAUTIFUL?
Young and rambunctious Belle insists on going out to play in the forbidden woods, but her adventurous streak abruptly ends when her mother is spirited away by a beast known to kidnap beautiful women. Twisted by the loss of his wife, Belle’s father keeps his daughter and her unusual violet hair locked away in an effort to “protect” her from prying eyes.
Years later, news of the beast’s reappearance coaxes Belle back to the woods where it all began—but her desperate search for the truth may be more perilous than she could have ever imagined…
My Review:
So this manga was a lot more freaky and dark than I first thought going into it! It’s definitely more on the grittier side of fantasy which I usually enjoy and I did like some aspects of this story but there were quite a few things that I didn’t.
I really ended up liking the actual Beast when we meet him later on in the story. He’s a very grumpy, sarcastic character which I always love. He was terrible but stuck with the Beauty and the Beast theme of presenting as this horrible Beast when in reality he’s a lot softer on the inside.
I liked the main character but we spent more than half this volume being told she’s ugly and horrible by her father until even she believes it. I hope she learns otherwise in future volumes!
Overall, I did like the story and the ending intrigued me enough to want to continue on with this series in the future.
3/5⭐️
TW: death, gore, dismemberment, blood, death of a parent, abuse, emotional/mental abuse, physical abuse, confinement, violence.
Springtime By The Window Volume 1
Release Date: September 7th 2021
Series: Springtime By The Window #1
Author: Suzuyuki
Rating: 4/5⭐️
Description:
Cool and collected second-year Yamada is in love with his childhood friend, Seno. His classmates Akama and Toda are also starting to think about romance, though neither of them realizes yet that they might actually feel the same way about each other…
My Review:
This manga was such a delightful surprise! We follow four people as they all manage their own feelings and crushes and friendships between them all.
I loved both couples! They’re both different— we’ve got a childhood friends situation and a best friends with crushes on each other but they both don’t know yet— and I love all of these tropes so much. This first volume ended on a bit of a cliffhanger before their first date and I cannot wait for the next volume to see how all of it goes!
This was such a fun, heartwarming and hilarious read and I am excited to see where it goes in future volumes! Definitely recommend if you like any of the relationship tropes I said above and a high school setting.
4/5⭐️
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Great reviews Hal, I haven’t heard much about these other manga, so I loved reading your thoughts on them. I’m eager to read My Summer Of You, the lovely cover is what got me to add it to my tbr! 🤩
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Aww, omg you’re so sweet!! I hope you love it if you read it👀
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