ARC received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. 

This isekai manga follows Tsugoto, a man who died from being too nice and wakes up in a new, video-game like world. Trying to navigate the mining camp he finds himself in and the new rules of this life, he meets Loulier, a little girl with ram horns who has a knack for finding the best mining spots. After discovering his hidden power, he teams up with her to try and level up and leave his weakness behind. 

I was delightfully surprised by some aspects of this book, and less so by others. Average fans of isekais will most likely enjoy this, but there aren't a ton of "wow" aspects that set this apart from the normal narrative. 

 ARC received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. 

This super cute forbidden romance manga completely warmed my heart. Love After World Domination follows two young lovers: Fudo Aikawa, a.k.a. Red Gelato and a hero of the people, and Desumi Magahara, a.k.a. the Reaper Princess, a villain of the shadowy enemy organization. Neither have any experience with relationships, on top of the obstacles they face from being on opposite sides. 

The chemistry between the main couple was adorable, and it was impossible not to root for them as they tried their best to be together. The art style was just as cute as Fudo and Desumi, and I'm really looking forward to volume 2 after that little cliffhanger! 

This manga was beyond adorable! I love seeing shoujo from a male perspective, and this was one of the cutest I've read. Natsuaki is aloof and popular with the ladies in his school... all of them except Nashida, the oddball girl he has a crush on. Every time he tries to confess, his efforts are foiled, which leads to a hilarious sequence of events. However, it did get a little repetitive, so I hope volume 2 has more variety given the cliffhanger! 

This book would be perfect for any younger readers looking for something sweet and wholesome. 

Pacing was fucky and dialogue was clunky. 

ARC received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

You're My Cutie was one of the most adorable shoujos I've read all year! The story follows Madoka, who's obsessed with romance stories about cute younger boys falling for their upperclassmen. So when a cute younger boy starts working part-time at her parents' dinner, the stars should align, but Shikura's face and personality do much at all. At least, not until he starts pulling up the shutters around his heart and the two grow closer.

This manga has such a wonderful natural progression of their friendship and budding relationship, and I loved how both of them were characterized. All the awkward moments of them tiptoeing around each other were so sweet and funny, and since this is a dynamic I don't see often it was really refreshing. I can't wait to read more, since it left off on such a cliffhanger!

❧ 4.75 ★ 

ARC received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I haven't had a book grip me like this in a very long time. IRON WIDOW is a fiery debut that doesn't shy away from any of its inspirations— with a delightfully over-the-top, power-hungry anti-hero for a main character doing anything and everything to dismantle a rotten misogynist power system with nothing sugarcoated or shied away from, this book was a delight from start to finish.

Set in a futuristic sci-fi world where the last dregs of humanity face a constant onslaught from giant creatures called Hunduns, the people's last hope to fend them off is celebrity pilots; recruited based on their spirit pressure to pilot husks of the Hunduns called Chysalises. The stars are the men who pilot them, and more often than not their female concubine pilots die from the strain. Wu Zetian, whose sister fell victim to one such pilot, has had enough of this system and pulls up to exact her revenge— except she finds it in a very unexpected way.

Xiran Jay Zhao has crafted a rich, brutal world, and I loved every fast-paced second of this novel. Was it a little ridiculous in places? Sure, but in the exact same way Pacific Rim was, which is a movie I adore. I felt a full range of emotions both during and after reading, and while I want to stay away from gushing about the love interests since I don't want them to overshadow the amazing world, plot, and characters, it's impossible to say anything about Iron Widow without getting into Shimin and Yizhi. Softest of villains, most vicious of poets, the love triangle that turns into a poly triangle (!!!!) was EVERYTHING to me. I loved all three of them so much, I can't even put it into proper words.

In conclusion: I needed the sequel yesterday and I will not shut up until it's here. This is one of the debuts you definitely don't want to miss this year. If you want an unrelenting power-hungry heroine, a vicious story that doesn't stop digging and asking questions, and fun mecha battles, you are sure to adore IRON WIDOW as much as I did.

 ❧ 4.5 ★ 

ARC received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Please be aware that I received an ARC of the print version, which I believe only contains half the story currently on Webtoon!

Hooky was a delightful story full of magic and hijinks, starting with two twin witches missing the bus for their magical boarding school. Determined not to let their parents find out, Dani and Dorian decide to set off on their own and find a tutor. Just as quickly as they discover new friends, spells, and adventures, so too do they get embroiled in the brewing war in their kingdom and the prophecy that will embolden the witches to rise up and take over.

This adorable story started out on Webtoon, so the pacing didn't translate perfectly, but I still really enjoyed this book. As I mentioned in my note, I believe the physical copy being produced only contains the first half of the story, so I only have that bit to judge off of. The tone seamlessly shifts as the twin's vignettes and magical mishaps give way to their struggles with magic and their identities, budding love, and the fracturing faultlines of their broken kingdom. I loved the art style, which was amazingly versatile! It was perfect for a fun, adventurous start but gave way perfectly to the darker ending. I can't wait to get to the last half of the story and see where the characters' journeys end! 

 ❧ 3.75 ★