The narrative voice/Lonnie’s voice and the conversations with his parents, mainly his father, are stellar.

The author gets childhood mischievousness right with the siblings finding a loophole for saying “stupid.” Also, the story demonstrates how kids are more observant than we think when Lonnie questions his father.

Another artist could have helped take this book to another level though the illustrations here do work.

Another nitpick I get Lonnie being bombarded with questions from his classmates about his parents' recent divorce, but I can’t see him being ostracized for being the only kid in school with divorced parents. Kids come from all types of home lives especially single-parent homes.

Overall, I enjoyed the insightful car rides. 

There’s A LOT here: eating disorders, body image issues, trauma, drowning, miscommunication, a budding crush

Ty realizes he’s attracted to boys, especially his best friend Max who is also secretly attracted to him too.

, and learning how our actions affect the others around us. 

Another theme was there is no lost time. Just because you were good at one thing, doesn’t mean that one is all that you embody. Again, a lot is covered here to the point it’s overpacked, but it was paced throughout smoothly.  

The ages of the characters were pretty ambiguous. They seemed about middle school, so I wasn’t sure if Max, in particular, was immature for his age or not. But I thought the emotional issues and hiding secrets were stellar. Every time the kids would fight and not resolve the issue, I was like that’s accurate lol.

Something that stood out to me as an adult reader was that the camp counselor didn’t automatically have all the answers. He was honest and told Ty he’d get back to him when he was more knowledgeable. The honesty was great, but he should have referred Ty to a professional and most definitely told his parents (probably happened off-screen but still). We may not always have the perfect answer right away, but we must do our due diligence.

This was fun. The writing has a wacky, whimsical feel. Once the worldbuilding came in and Eveen's connection with her mark was revealed, I got invested.

This would work so well as a Netflix action movie, especially animated. I can see how fun the Eveen vs. the Spider-Cat fight scene would be visually. The undead assassins get grimmer and cooler with each introduction.

 I enjoyed reading this though the final battle can be a barrier to understand if you're unfamiliar with west indian creole. 

Remember no choice is set in stone.

Ahh, domestic bliss! Itsoumi is hilariously oblivious. Everyone won’t be your friend, sir. 

These two have such a good relationship and ample communication. 

We also get Itsuomi’s motivation for traveling, and the why Oushi was first drawn to Yuki. The characters are slowly becoming more rounded and human. It’s an exciting journey to read! 

You can really see the growth from the author in the artwork. The shoujo is shoujoing. The lines are sleeker, the scenes lovelier, and the characters are more beautiful. 

10/10 no comments

 well, except the part about 'lying." Bird behavior SQUAWK! 

Itsoumi:
STANDING ON BIDNESS!

He’s one of the top-tier shoujo male leads. He left NO ROOM for doubt. Came with a plan. The parents love him, and he’s financially stable too? Let's go!

A thoughtful, patient prince! He’s so loving and caring. 

The parents (the dad) bring up an issue we don't often see in the media. Like, any parents they wanted to find out his intentions and prevent their child from getting hurt.

The dad was worried Itsoumi wouldn't be interested in Yuki long-term. Their son's ex-girl couldn't see a future with him because she was concerned about her future children inheriting deafness.

 

Also, Itsuomi’s straightforwardness, influenced by his international upbringing, adds such a humourous contrast to the other characters. 

I'm not invested in Emma and her rebound Shin, but their scenes together are drawn beautifully.

As always, the author excels at body language. This man is caressing her with his whole heart and those huge hands! Does Itsuomi have a distinctive personality besides a MAN STANDING ON BIDNESS? Not really. I guess he's chill and playful, but it’s still heartwarming to watch.

The lack of miscommunication and foolishness (on Yuki and Itsuomi’s end) is so refreshing for a shoujo or media in general. He communicates his feelings and has been steadfast that he wanted Yuki from the beginning. He sees her as an equal.

Yuki also has strong communication skills. When Itsuomi springs two big declarations on her, she naturally feels apprehension. But she speaks up about her realistic insecurities and acknowledges her strengths too.

Most stories have some form of conflict even if they’re very minor. I thought Itsuomi’s quick feelings would be the barrier, but the story has circled back to a dead-on-arrival love triangle. 

Now, Oushi is bordering on pathetic. This man is praying for these two to break up. You had years to make a move! On a different note, he has some supportive friends. Terrible advice (just steal her, bro!) but good friends. 

Onto volume 8!