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Love the Creeps series, and I think it would be cool to see in a cartoon format.
As always, I liked the characters and their interaction with the sheriff. The humor's spot-on, and the book doesn't treat kids as stupid. Yeah, the premise is kiddy but the tension that stems from it is real. I'm always ready for more Creep books!
Warning: A character dies in a pretty graphic cartoony moment.
As always, I liked the characters and their interaction with the sheriff. The humor's spot-on, and the book doesn't treat kids as stupid. Yeah, the premise is kiddy but the tension that stems from it is real. I'm always ready for more Creep books!
Warning: A character dies in a pretty graphic cartoony moment.
Light-hearted, episodic comic strips about a (usually) stone-faced man and an adorable cat. These comics are just wholesome and make me smile. Good for any age or non-catlovers too!
[Review for entire series]
STORY:
My initial expectations for this manga were low. I thought it would have a bunch of cliches, annoying love rivals, and syrupy-sweet shoujo moments. This surprised me with few cliches, sincere love growth, and a likable love rival. I wouldn't even call him a love rival; he was more of a playboy with a heart of gold. I was pleasantly surprised by the characters and story.
However, this manga desperately needed a supernatural, horror, and tragedy label. Issho ni Neyou yo got so DEEP! I mean deep as in “dark.” Once the manga reached a certain number of chapters, junk got serious. It made me whine, “Can a scene stay happy for more than three pages!?” The child abuse scenes were a bit jarring. I NEVER saw the dark scenes coming! One moment everything would be fine and, the next, the mom would be trying to drown her baby alive. Many of these scenes could possibly be triggering. One time a sweet hug turned depressing fast. Of course, a scene of a gun placed to Ichiko's head, and Kohaku wanting to beat the gunman senseless was hard to watch. Another scene where a boy being beaten with high heels and a wine bottle was a bit brutal. There was even a subverted suicide attempt. Even submerged in the darkness, Issho ni Neyou yo never lost its lighthearted charm and humor. The bonds between the tenants were heartwarming to watch.
The main premise is the small mismatched family of tenants who all have their reasons for staying there. Besides Kohaku, everyone had fairly normal, non-feels-inducing backstories. Ichiko's reason for leaving was a bit over-dramatized. I guess the mangaka wanted it to be over the top to showcase her innocence. Anyone who has had younger siblings or taken care of babies will understand Ichiko's so-called unforgivable mistake. Thankfully, that plot was cleared up quickly. I am so glad because dragging it out longer than five chapters would have been ridiculous.
CHARACTERS:
I enjoyed all of the characters except that demonic teacher. I wish Tsumoto and Haruka would have stopped with those groping moments. I swear neither of them had personal spaces issues. I guess there had to be some fan service.
The main character, Ichiko, was my favorite. It's so rare for me to like the main character more than the side characters. She was sweet as candy and a bit mousy, but I love that she had a feisty side too. Ichiko was such a hard worker and so loving which was why everyone called her motherly. I adore that she was so honest. She always kept it real with Kohaku even letting him know he scared her at times. She called him out when he needed discipline but never shunned or hated him. Ichiko did cry often, but, with all the horrifying events that happen, her tears are justified.
Kohaku was a close second for favorite. Honestly, his character development and the BURNING DESIRE to see behind his mask kept me hooked.
To be honest, none of the other characters really get developed, but they are charming in their own ways.
ROMANCE:
The love story between Ichiko and Kohaku (and the love rival) was placed in a slow cooker until the final arc. I like how things had to develop and how shy their love was. This love made Kohaku want to stop his arrested development and be a doggone man (i.e grow up).
ART:
The art was great unless there was a close-up on someone's eyes, especially Ichiko's. In close-ups, the eyes were so lifeless—They just screamed yandere. On a positive note, I loved Ichiko's outfits! They weren't overly frilly and looked comfy.
OVERALL:
Such a brilliant read from beginning to end. The reveal of Kohaku's face was well worth the wait. The characters, Kohaku's back story, and the light humor balanced with darkness made this a favorite of mine. My only semi-qualm was
I waited forever for the big kiss, and it wasn't that “big.” On the other hand, I liked how the kiss was gentle and subtle. The exact type that fit those two well.
I enjoyed reading this manga over two days. I recommend reading this underrated manga.
I finish with this:
“I will not be unhappy.”- Kohaku
STORY:
My initial expectations for this manga were low. I thought it would have a bunch of cliches, annoying love rivals, and syrupy-sweet shoujo moments. This surprised me with few cliches, sincere love growth, and a likable love rival. I wouldn't even call him a love rival; he was more of a playboy with a heart of gold. I was pleasantly surprised by the characters and story.
However, this manga desperately needed a supernatural, horror, and tragedy label. Issho ni Neyou yo got so DEEP! I mean deep as in “dark.” Once the manga reached a certain number of chapters, junk got serious. It made me whine, “Can a scene stay happy for more than three pages!?” The child abuse scenes were a bit jarring. I NEVER saw the dark scenes coming! One moment everything would be fine and, the next, the mom would be trying to drown her baby alive. Many of these scenes could possibly be triggering. One time a sweet hug turned depressing fast. Of course, a scene of a gun placed to Ichiko's head, and Kohaku wanting to beat the gunman senseless was hard to watch. Another scene where a boy being beaten with high heels and a wine bottle was a bit brutal. There was even a subverted suicide attempt. Even submerged in the darkness, Issho ni Neyou yo never lost its lighthearted charm and humor. The bonds between the tenants were heartwarming to watch.
The main premise is the small mismatched family of tenants who all have their reasons for staying there. Besides Kohaku, everyone had fairly normal, non-feels-inducing backstories. Ichiko's reason for leaving was a bit over-dramatized. I guess the mangaka wanted it to be over the top to showcase her innocence. Anyone who has had younger siblings or taken care of babies will understand Ichiko's so-called unforgivable mistake. Thankfully, that plot was cleared up quickly. I am so glad because dragging it out longer than five chapters would have been ridiculous.
CHARACTERS:
I enjoyed all of the characters except that demonic teacher. I wish Tsumoto and Haruka would have stopped with those groping moments. I swear neither of them had personal spaces issues. I guess there had to be some fan service.
The main character, Ichiko, was my favorite. It's so rare for me to like the main character more than the side characters. She was sweet as candy and a bit mousy, but I love that she had a feisty side too. Ichiko was such a hard worker and so loving which was why everyone called her motherly. I adore that she was so honest. She always kept it real with Kohaku even letting him know he scared her at times. She called him out when he needed discipline but never shunned or hated him. Ichiko did cry often, but, with all the horrifying events that happen, her tears are justified.
Kohaku was a close second for favorite. Honestly, his character development and the BURNING DESIRE to see behind his mask kept me hooked.
To be honest, none of the other characters really get developed, but they are charming in their own ways.
ROMANCE:
The love story between Ichiko and Kohaku (and the love rival) was placed in a slow cooker until the final arc. I like how things had to develop and how shy their love was. This love made Kohaku want to stop his arrested development and be a doggone man (i.e grow up).
ART:
The art was great unless there was a close-up on someone's eyes, especially Ichiko's. In close-ups, the eyes were so lifeless—They just screamed yandere. On a positive note, I loved Ichiko's outfits! They weren't overly frilly and looked comfy.
OVERALL:
Such a brilliant read from beginning to end. The reveal of Kohaku's face was well worth the wait. The characters, Kohaku's back story, and the light humor balanced with darkness made this a favorite of mine. My only semi-qualm was
I waited forever for the big kiss, and it wasn't that “big.” On the other hand, I liked how the kiss was gentle and subtle. The exact type that fit those two well.
I enjoyed reading this manga over two days. I recommend reading this underrated manga.
I finish with this:
“I will not be unhappy.”- Kohaku
STORY: (I won this in a Goodreads giveaway! The title really drew me in)!
Every Book is a Boy by Mirella Muffarotto (413 pages) is set in Italy and begins with Marika coming to terms with her growing feelings for Matteo, her best friend. A romantic relationship is just around the corner until a soccer team tries to scout him. Now, Marika’s world has been turned upside down and a series of (unneeded drama) events break her heart. Will Marika and Matteo ever get together?
Let me be honest. The first five chapters were torture, but this story slowly, slowly (it’s a snail’s pace) starts getting interesting. Of course, there’s constant drama. SO MUCH DRAMA!
I find the drama so frustrating because of misunderstandings. I almost never enjoy drawn-out misunderstandings in stories because they take forever to resolve and the other characters react stupidly as a result.
I enjoyed the Italian setting, Carlotta and Dario, and the book title. I’m not really into soccer/football/fútbol, so I skimmed over the games and terminology, but I enjoyed reading the business side of things, seeing how players dealt with their agents, training camps, and meeting potential teammates. It was nice and a lot of detail has been put into it.
Now, one of the things I didn’t enjoy about Every Book is a Boy is the long passages of details. People are always stressing for writers to add more detail, but I kept skimming through a lot of it.
So, about the romance … Listen, I’m no stranger to YA romances but Marika’s thoughts about Matteo are drenched in syrup. For example:
I don’t mind “oh my gosh, my heart almost stopped because he touched my hand” love if I have a connection with the characters. Because I found Matteo so annoying and unlikable, I was left only rooting for ½ of the couple. This doesn’t mean there aren’t any aww-worthy or some oh-my-wink-wink moments. The cute moments are just filtered through mountains of text of Marika pining for Matteo, Matteo being upset for words he can’t convey, Federico trying to woo Marika, and historical and architectural information about Italian cities.
By the way, there’s a minor subplot about the dangers of teen sexting and webcamming. There’s some harsh language (F bombs, bull****, sluts, “easy girls,” etc) and a brief mention of a love scene, but it’s not constant if that’s a worry.
CHARACTERS:
Marika is bland. She has a slight touch of “not like other girls” because she’s such a tomboy. She cries a lot too, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing but it’s prevalent.
Carlotta is very self-absorbed but nice. She’s got a big mouth but a big heart to go along with it.
Dario is a decent guy.
Matteo, the most wishy-washy character alive, couldn’t decide between water and H2O. Hopefully, you get where I’m coming from. He ain’t have no communication skills!
Lucreiza and Marcello and Valerio are 1-dimensional villains who only think with their genitals. In the beginning, I feel like there is subtle programming to dislike Lucrezia because she wears ridiculously short skirts and flirts with boys and goes “further with boys.” Of course, she does turn out to be a horrid mess of a person, but I didn’t even get a chance to discover her nastiness. I was already predisposed to dislike her.
Federico is my favorite character, but it’s for a sad reason. I only like him because he doesn’t have any of Matteo’s bad qualities. Since we don’t see any bad aspects of him, he’s the seemingly perfect guy. He COMMUNICATES his feelings and doesn’t treat Marika’s heart like a RAGDOLL and APOLOGIZES when he messes up quickly. A decent male character that protects and communicates his feelings to the MC? Well, we know how the story ends! Hint: Not with him!
Eve was cool but then just awful at times. I don’t mind brash characters, but she played a nasty joke that I didn’t care for. Still, she had a lot of personality more than I can say for Marika.
OVERALL:
One of the most frustrating stories I have read in a while with the most wishy-washy male lead ever. This story could’ve been cut by like 200 pages. Maybe I feel so tough on this story because the length exhausted me? I don’t know. On the positive note, I love the title. This is a 2.5 for me, but let’s round it up to 3.
If you like slow burn romance (?), soccer, and friends to lovers stories, then this story is for you. Keep in mind if you don’t enjoy chick-flicks or cheesiness, then you might be annoyed the entire time.
“He was afraid, not because he thought she wasn’t the one. He was terrified because he knew she was.”
Every Book is a Boy by Mirella Muffarotto (413 pages) is set in Italy and begins with Marika coming to terms with her growing feelings for Matteo, her best friend. A romantic relationship is just around the corner until a soccer team tries to scout him. Now, Marika’s world has been turned upside down and a series of (unneeded drama) events break her heart. Will Marika and Matteo ever get together?
Let me be honest. The first five chapters were torture, but this story slowly, slowly (it’s a snail’s pace) starts getting interesting. Of course, there’s constant drama. SO MUCH DRAMA!
I find the drama so frustrating because of misunderstandings. I almost never enjoy drawn-out misunderstandings in stories because they take forever to resolve and the other characters react stupidly as a result.
I enjoyed the Italian setting, Carlotta and Dario, and the book title. I’m not really into soccer/football/fútbol, so I skimmed over the games and terminology, but I enjoyed reading the business side of things, seeing how players dealt with their agents, training camps, and meeting potential teammates. It was nice and a lot of detail has been put into it.
Now, one of the things I didn’t enjoy about Every Book is a Boy is the long passages of details. People are always stressing for writers to add more detail, but I kept skimming through a lot of it.
So, about the romance … Listen, I’m no stranger to YA romances but Marika’s thoughts about Matteo are drenched in syrup. For example:
“I know … you’re right, but all I want to do is score. It’s the only thing I can think of out there.
‘He was to die for, even though his only desire was to score (pg 18).’”
I don’t mind “oh my gosh, my heart almost stopped because he touched my hand” love if I have a connection with the characters. Because I found Matteo so annoying and unlikable, I was left only rooting for ½ of the couple. This doesn’t mean there aren’t any aww-worthy or some oh-my-wink-wink moments. The cute moments are just filtered through mountains of text of Marika pining for Matteo, Matteo being upset for words he can’t convey, Federico trying to woo Marika, and historical and architectural information about Italian cities.
By the way, there’s a minor subplot about the dangers of teen sexting and webcamming. There’s some harsh language (F bombs, bull****, sluts, “easy girls,” etc) and a brief mention of a love scene, but it’s not constant if that’s a worry.
CHARACTERS:
Marika is bland. She has a slight touch of “not like other girls” because she’s such a tomboy. She cries a lot too, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing but it’s prevalent.
Carlotta is very self-absorbed but nice. She’s got a big mouth but a big heart to go along with it.
Dario is a decent guy.
Matteo, the most wishy-washy character alive, couldn’t decide between water and H2O. Hopefully, you get where I’m coming from. He ain’t have no communication skills!
Lucreiza and Marcello and Valerio are 1-dimensional villains who only think with their genitals. In the beginning, I feel like there is subtle programming to dislike Lucrezia because she wears ridiculously short skirts and flirts with boys and goes “further with boys.” Of course, she does turn out to be a horrid mess of a person, but I didn’t even get a chance to discover her nastiness. I was already predisposed to dislike her.
Federico is my favorite character, but it’s for a sad reason. I only like him because he doesn’t have any of Matteo’s bad qualities. Since we don’t see any bad aspects of him, he’s the seemingly perfect guy. He COMMUNICATES his feelings and doesn’t treat Marika’s heart like a RAGDOLL and APOLOGIZES when he messes up quickly.
Eve was cool but then just awful at times. I don’t mind brash characters, but she played a nasty joke that I didn’t care for. Still, she had a lot of personality more than I can say for Marika.
OVERALL:
One of the most frustrating stories I have read in a while with the most wishy-washy male lead ever. This story could’ve been cut by like 200 pages. Maybe I feel so tough on this story because the length exhausted me? I don’t know. On the positive note, I love the title. This is a 2.5 for me, but let’s round it up to 3.
If you like slow burn romance (?), soccer, and friends to lovers stories, then this story is for you. Keep in mind if you don’t enjoy chick-flicks or cheesiness, then you might be annoyed the entire time.
