This series makes creating art so emotional and life-changing. Yatora goes through hell in the exam process, but

it all pays off. and it's so utterly satisfying. I felt like a YA protagonist, letting out a breath i didn't know i was holding.

 This mangaka gets the feelings of first love and crushes so well. Her body language game is A+! 

why is this so good?

This reminds me of the fairytales I used to get from the library as a kid. I loved how cozy the setting was. Emeline's family is lovely, and I enjoyed her village just as much. Also, I like gallant knights. Reese was way too snarky in the beginning but not the worst.

Em is spunky and caring, and I liked her from the start. She and her family are country bumpkins in the bustling city of the capital, going to report to the king. The author also gets rambunctious little boys perfectly.

I thought the romance started perfect. It was there and slowly cooking in the background. It got a bit rushed in the end, but I still liked it.

A bit disappointing almost every character described as dark-skinned or brown was horrid or rude in some way, but it is what it is. It only stood out in a sea of pale faces, but anywho. I could be overthinking things.

Overall, I had a really fun reading experience. And I would read more from this author. The artwork was also excellent, and I would love to see more illustrations in YA. 

I love shoujo, but I WISH a boy would wipe off my makeup after I spent all that time applying it. Just cause it's in a shoujo don't make it cute lol.

So good overall! Kou is hard to figure out, but he's begrudgingly getting closer to all of them. I still don't know why he and Mr. Tanaka have such a strained relationship on Kou's part.

 As It Was Told To Me – 2 stars 

Execution was kind of dry 

Chokfi – 2 stars 

White Horse Plains – 2.5 stars 

Aw, so sad ☹ 

The Rougarou – 3.5 stars 

Heartwarming!

Not a cliché ending as the dad is understanding.

 

Agonjin in the Water – 3.5 stars 

Aww, I loved this. I love girls befriending supernatural beings. 

The Woman in the Woods – 3 stars 

So far, this collection has been really unique with bittersweet stories with optimistic endings. 

Into the Darkness- 2.5 

Feels a bit unfinished but it succeeds with being unsettling. The artwork was wonderfully expressive. 

By the Light of the Moon – 2 stars 

Okay 

Why was this so good? I always have a soft spot for loners finding friends. Matsubi/Kou is one of those guys who can't be plain about his feelings, but his aloof care for Futaba is sweet. 

Dang, y'all got me hooked for another volume. I also feel like there's some student-teacher relationship brewing with the dark-haired girl Murao, but it looks like Mr. Tanaka shut it down.

 This is melodramatic teen drama on steroids after doing a line of sparkles and unicorns. Futaba is way too torn up over a boy she barely knew, to the point of full-on bawling. Maybe that’s the power of young love. I enjoyed the exploration of fake friends and how the fear of loneliness can lead people to having surface-level connections.

But when he shielded Futaba so no one would see her crying? That’s some good stuff right there. If they ever sell a 6-pack of shoujo, I would definitely buy it. Girlish squeals and fuzzy feelings in every can.

I can tell this is going to be a drawn-out series probably with a bunch of miscommunication and missed chances. But I kind of find Tanaka/Kou’s coolheaded act interesting. Acting like he got it all together, but he has an undeniable soft spot for the main character.

I’ve the first few volumes from the library already, but I’ll probably finish out this series with the anime. 

I love determined girls in tough circumstances.

I found this very dull with no interesting characters. Also, Warrick never wears a shirt. He didn't exude a level of sexy enough to be that shirtless. Sorry, if he had been sexy, I would've let it go, but he wasn't. I don't get it. I usually love mysterious magical dudes.

Nim needed more spunk. Although I did find the letter she wrote Warrick fun, it felt like she just went wherever the plot told her. Very little resistance or attitude. 

Ultimately, I think it was a combination of plot and lackluster main and side characters that couldn't keep my interest.