Reviewed By: Lauren Lapinski

With constant predictions of the human race and the world coming to an end in the year 2012, many of us fear what the near and distant future hold. Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games takes place sometime in the distant future in the ruins of North America, now known as Panem. In this dystopia future, an event is held each year known as the Hunger Games, where children from age 12 to 18 are selected by lottery to compete in a televised fight to the death with only one surviving victor. The heroine, Katniss Everdeen , enters the Hunger Games after her younger sister’s name is selected from the lottery and she volunteers to take her place.

Collins’ style is very well written, easy to read, and fast paced. Every chapter leaves the reader in suspense and is nearly impossible to put down. The basic plot of kids killing kids for survival has been done before, in novels such as Koushun Takami’s Battle Royale, but the similarities end with that violent concept. The novel also deals with other serious issues such as hunger, political corruption, and what passes as entertainment for a pubic so desensitized and dehumanized by televised violence and reality shows. Collins has said the story is also inspired by the Greek myth of Theseus, as well as an experience of channel surfing between reality shows and coverage of the war in Iraq.

The Hunger Games is definitely a book to check out, a story that is wonderfully woven with intricate of excellent sub-plots, tear-jerking events, and an ending that will leave you dying to get your hands on the sequel.

Review by Linda Yau

The setting of this story is in a desert town, Gimmy is a teenage repair guy, and by mistake he loses his siblings as offerings to the local rain goddess. Sora, the goddess usually receives dolls as offerings, but follies occur. Gimmy messes up, but is determined to get his siblings back and that’s where the adventure begins.

This graphic novel has been sitting on my table, and I have read it a while ago. The first volume is a light easy read, definitely fine for the age group, and maybe younger than the 13+ rating it has for it. The plot was fairly predictable, and character designs were drawn quite cutely and moe. Putting together this book, there was parts of obvious fanservice, yet there is a premises with this story that may or may not catch the interest of readers.

There’s one sequence that I liked, and that was the point where Sora was threatening to take back the rain, because she was trying to kick Gimmy out of her home. Since rain is very important, the reactions of the other characters were what I remember, months after reading this book. Some townspeople where confused as to what was happening, but my strongest recollection was of the mayor and it was along the lines of how this brat is a goddess is beyond me.

Since the female character acts like a brat, this would most likely tickle younger readers. The first volume begins a story, and will be concluded in the second volume. If you are a fan of cute Lolita girls, with some light comedy, then this would be a suitable manga for you.

Review by Ida Vega-Landow

This is the most charming children’s book I’ve ever read since The Chronicles of Narnia, which the movies do not do justice to! It’s a fictional account of what might have happened to the dog named Jack that author Jack London knew during his brief sojourn in Alaska during the Gold Rush of 1897. This is the same dog on which London based the character of Buck, the domestic dog who goes feral in his classic novel “Call of the Wild”. Dog lovers will adore this book, which gives such loving insight into a dog’s point of view about the behavior of humans. Even a cat lover like me will find it easy to get into Jack’s character and sympathize with him.

Jack is a big, lovable mastiff who lives with Marshall Bond and a group of other miners in a shack on Split Up Island on the Yukon River. He spends his time pulling sleds and guarding the property of his masters on the island. Jack goes through three masters in this book, not all of them good men. Since there were so many people coming and going during the turbulent period of the Gold Rush, lots of things got left behind, passed on to, or stolen by others. Supplies, tents, horses and dogs were valuable assets to gold miners. Smart men knew how to take care of these assets; not so smart ones would wear them out, lose or destroy them through carelessness and stupidity.

The young Jack London came to Split Up Island during the winter of ’97, along with two companions, to try their luck at panning for gold, as did many young men of that era. When Jack London met Jack the mastiff, the first thing the dog did was go up to the man and smell him, while the man put his hands deeply into the dog’s fur and stroked him. Jack thought that “The man’s hands felt good…and he smelled right”, so he accepted him. This was the beginning of a brief but beautiful friendship.

Jack the dog and Jack the man became very close during that bitter Alaskan winter, so close that Jack the dog saved Jack the man’s life when a runaway horse nearly trampled him in town.

Sadly, despite the deep friendship that developed between the two Jacks over the winter, when the spring thaw came Jack the man was forced to return to his home in Oakland, California after he became sick. For weeks afterward, Jack the dog spent a lot of time on the bank of the Yukon River, looking upstream and whining sadly as he waited for his beloved master to return. But he never came back.

Meanwhile, Franco Stupendo and his two brothers also came to the Yukon to seek their fortune. They needed dogs and didn’t care how they got them, so they stole Jack and another dog from Split Up Island one dark night. Now poor Jack spent his days slaving away with three other dogs, pulling a sled filled with heavy equipment, used as a beast of burden when there wasn’t enough room on the sled for supplies, frequently beaten and forced to go hungry when the food ran short. He spent his nights dreaming of his good friend Jack and how he would return one day to save him from these brutal men.

But it was another good man who saved Jack, a stranger who walked into the Stupendo brothers’ camp one day to feed the starving dogs. His name was Jake Jamison; he took a fancy to Jack and claimed that Jack was his dog and had been stolen from him on the Yukon River. He had to beat up one of the Stupendo brothers in order to take Jack away, but beat him he did, and Jack went happily with his new master, who was as kind as the Stupendos were cruel. So began another beautiful friendship, one that would last longer, as this man stayed to seek his fortune in the Yukon with his faithful dog by his side.

The author divides his time between showing us how Jack London is doing in Oakland, writing what would become his bestselling classic about life in the Yukon, and how Jack the dog does in the Yukon with his new master, who discovers that his new best friend has a talent for finding people who have been buried beneath deep snow by the frequent avalanches. This talent comes in very handy when a little girl goes missing after an avalanche and her frantic mother comes looking for the Avalanche Dog to find her buried child. Happily, Jack is able to locate the little girl, who becomes his good friend, while her grateful mother takes a shine to Jack’s friend Jake.

Dirk Wales gives both Jacks, man and dog, a happy ending in this book, which is charmingly illustrated by the talented Barry Moser. The stark black and white illustrations give a more realistic view of the harshness of life in the Yukon than all the pretty pictures in your average kids’ book. So if you love dogs, or know a child who does, be sure to get a copy of “Jack London’s Dog” for yourself or your favorite young dog lover to while away a cold winter’s night. It’s got the Mom’s Choice Award, and is as wholesome as a kid’s book can get without descending into sentimentality. I recommend it for kids between 6 and 12 years old, who are just getting into the classics and need something more challenging than the average kids’ book filled with brightly colored pictures of talking animals and toys. This book teaches kids about the values of friendship and kindness to animals without being preachy or moralistic. It doesn’t attempt to protect kids from the harshness of life, but warns them that there is cruelty in the world and they had better be prepared to defend themselves from it, as well as those they love. It also shows them that there is goodness in the world, and the company of good people and good dogs can be more rewarding than a pile of gold nuggets.

Review by Linda Yau

Imagine always having the ability to see micro-organisms with your naked eye. What would it be like? Would you embrace this ability, shun it, or would you learn to cope with it? That is how Tadayasu Sawaki lives his life. He stopped speaking about this unique ability, but learned to cope with it. Now the story begins with him starting as a freshman at an agricultural college with his friend Kei Yuki, and this is a story of their experiences.

I have been waiting to read this manga, and I am pleased about this book. There are several reasons why I feel this way; one is because of the cute representations of the micro-organisms. There are explanations, foot notes, and parodies about the behaviors of micro-organisms that live in every day life. Second issue is on the explanation of agricultural science. People hear about farming, and agriculture, but for urban cities dwellers, it makes it harder to realize an education or efforts out there are to provide resources for feeding the planet. Third is the theme or message of a possible way to look for alternative sources in producing food.

In this book there is the introduction of Sawaki and Yuki, along with a colorful cast of supporting characters. My favorite scenes were when the Professor was bringing out the smelliest foods, and the reactions of everyone around him. Also outside of volume 1 being a good beginning of this story, I am not sure how the story would turn out in the rest of the chapters. There has already been a hidden agenda revealed by the professor, and how Sawaki would tie into the equation. His skill of being the only person that can see the cute micro organisms can undoubtedly alienate people. What happens if everyone else finds out of his ability?

There are currently eight volumes in Japanese, and with the second English volume of this series being published soon. Moyasimon is a cute story that would please readers of slice of life, and wanting to maybe take a glimpse into a scientific field.

Review by Kris

There is a somewhat strange tradition at the all-boys Fujimori Academy. Instead of having a more traditional style of mascot (you know something along the lines of Jaguars, Cougars, Spartans, Bees, etc.) they have the Princesses. A few of the prettiest boys are chosen to dress in drag and cheer on the various clubs on campus. Mikiyo Tsuda introduced us to the Princesses in her series Princess Princess and continues the concept in Princess Princess Plus.

Kiriya Matsuoka and Tomoe Izumi have been chosen to be this year’s Princesses. Both decide to take on the job but for various reasons. Being a Princess has a few perks but is also very hard work and the two new princesses will have to go through a crash course to learn the ins and outs of the job. And their new drill sergeants are none other than last year’s princesses Tohru Kouno, Yuujirou Shihoudani, and Mikoto Yutaka. Becoming a princess is hard work but Matsuoka and Izumi take it all in stride and work very hard together. But things change very quickly when Izumi invites himself over to Matsuoka’s house. Matsuoka and his siblings lost their parents when they were young and they live in a small apartment. Izumi on the other hand was born into a very rich family and wants for nothing, except a true friend. Izumi assumes that because he and Matsuoka are now princesses together the two should become close friends. But when Izumi tries to get to know Matsuoka better, his plan backfires and soon Matsuoka comes to despise Izumi. Things get so bad that even the previous princesses notice that something is wrong. Will Izumi and Matsuoka be able to set aside their differences and become friends, or will pride continue to get in the way?

Princess Princess Plus is one of the first books released by Digital Manga Publishing’s Doki Doki line. Doki Doki is a partnership with the Japanese publisher Shinshokan (in Japan Shinshokan publishes the manga magazines of Wings, a shojo mag, and Dear +, a boys love magazine). This line seems to focus on shojo and boys love titles aimed mainly at a young adult level (Juné and 801 Media titles are geared toward adult readers). For their first book Princess Princess Plus isn’t too bad of a choice.

Mikiyo Tsuda has created an entire universe that these characters inhabit. There are a couple of spin-offs that feature the Princess Princess characters (The Day of Revolution, Family Complex, and of course Princess Princess). The original Princess Princess series was published by DMP and contains five books (if you are interested in reading Ginger Mayerson’s review of this title click here). In the original series the story focuses mainly on the job of being a princess and stars Kouno, Shihoudani, and Yutaka. In Princess Princess Plus the princess responsibilities take a back seat to the personal story between Izumi and Matsuoka. Matsuoka has a huge complex because he lost his parents when he was young and his older brother works as a host to make ends meet. Izumi, on the other hand, is the only child born into a very wealthy family. Because of this wealth he is generally taken advantage of by his friends but he yearns to find a friend who will see him for him and not for the money his parents have. The point of this story is to watch the friendship between Matsuoka and Izumi blossom.

With this being one of Doki Doki’s first titles I was looking forward to how they were going to look production-wise. The books are the same size as 801 Media titles (sister company to Doki Doki) but have about the same quality and price point as a Juné title. Another nice feature is that instead of using a bar on the bottom of the book to brand it they used a nifty scroll pattern with the Doki Doki logo in the corner. One thing I did wonder about was how they were going to handle the under the cover comic. Mikiyo Tsuda is famous for throwing in a gag comic underneath the dust jacket. With this title there is no jacket but luckily it is printed at the end of the book.

Overall I did enjoy this title because the story focused on the interpersonal relationships between the characters whereas the original series seemed to be focused mainly on the princesses’ duties and costumes that they wore. The personal stories seemed to be secondary. It is assumed that you’ve already read the first five volumes of the original series so they figure that you know the basics of the story (like why they have princesses as mascots as opposed to anything else). This can be read as a stand alone title but it does make more sense if you’ve read the first series. It is also a one-shot because Tsuda-sensei mentions in her ending comments that she’s done all she can with it and it has been a very fulfilling project for her. This is one that Tsuda-sensei fans won’t want to miss. I will however make the comment that you may want to avoid this title if you don’t have a thing for cross-dressing in your manga. It can get tiring after a while. While I’m not a rabid Tsuda-sensei fan I found this to be a fun title that is a great distraction from everyday life!

For another point of view be sure to check out I-hsiu Lin’s review.

Review by Linda Yau

Mamiya is a magazine editor who has his first high profile feature on famous teen model Noeru Kisargi. He was quite enthused to get the job, but then he meets the model, and it goes down from there. Mamiya learns that Noeru lives a very irresponsible and tormented life with underage drinking or sleeping with random men. He is in other words a jerk.

Now this self-destructive cycle of Noeru stems from his childhood loss of a friend. Meeting Mamiya reminds him of his childhood friend. There is the establishment of a random relationship from Noeru’s point of view. But a probable significant one from Mamiya, and this assumption is from the reader. Now throw in another childhood friend of Noeru, Chidori and you have a jealous love triangle. The book boils down to the last few pages, and ends in a tormented Romeo and Juliet or Korean drama ending.

Reading this story, I was pretty dismayed at how the book went. Plot-wise everything was so cliché and expected of a bl-manga, that I didn’t feel it went anywhere to offer something new beyond a one horse trick bite. This story most probably would appeal to adolescent readers who would want everything to end in one story, would be tied along by the emo angle, but beyond that I was pretty disappointed by this story. I found Mamiya’s character as weak, and manipulated by Noeru, who has his own torments. Everything in the relationship was quite rushed and assuming of the readers. Their development is quite superficial, and I am afraid that one book won’t cover it. I recall the review I wrote of Brilliant Blue, and of Kris’s Future Lovers where I am agreeing with the review as well. These are examples and contrasts of possibilities of a two book series. Now if Boys Love had a chance, then the one book deal would probably will not be as weak as it is.

On the other hand, if the plot was mush, the art in Boys Love was drawn very well, soft and definitely eye candy, it would send bl-fan’s all a twitter, but I can’t help but bringing up the fact that the plot is pretty weak in aspects of wanting something beyond superficial development. Real life relationships shouldn’t be an aspect of just expectations, and petty development, otherwise it will be just a soap opera drama.

Review by Kris

Everyone says that their family is crazy (believe me I’ve used that excuse a time or two) but in the case of the Nakagamis, they are truly crazy. You have a family obsessed with the middle son Tokio, an older son who is a cross-dressing shojo artist, and a younger brother who is somewhat gullible when it comes to his older brother. But the siblings are just the tip of the iceberg. The mom and dad are eternally youthful and look much younger than their children and the grandfather is the youngest looking one out of the bunch, if you didn’t know any better you’d think he was around the age of ten or so. If you’re interested in checking out reviews for the first volume you can read mine or a great male perspective by Tom Good.

Things seem to going OK with Haruka Iijima and Tokio Nakagami but they aren’t moving fast enough for Iijima thanks to the butting in of the rest of the Nakagami clan. But an ominous wind blows in the son of the head of the family and president of the Nakagami Group, Hibari Nakagami. It seems weird to the rest of the family that Hibari just shows up out of the blue to collect Grandfather Mitsuru (the ten-year-old looking grandpa). But instead of leaving with Grandfather he seems to have taken Tokio’s heart with him leaving Iijima, and the rest of the family worried. Only they’re worried about different things, Iijima feels that Hibari is taking his beloved sensei away from him, and the Nakagami clan figure that Hibari is using the fact that Tokio once had a thing for him to take advantage of him and his youthful appearance. Will Iijima and the rest of the Nakagamis be able to rescue Tokio before anything horrible will happen to him?

The second half of the book features a story starring Takamaru (the third son), Hibari, and Kijinojyo (the eldest son and the cross-dresser). Takamaru gets lost on an island famous for its mushrooms and its pirate legend while searching for a legendary mushroom that will save Tokio from a dreaded family disease (which turns out to be just a joke that their father told them). But who knew that while on the island they were going to be roped into the mystery of the pirate treasure.

This series is honestly a hidden gem. There are many hardcore yaoi fans that wouldn’t pick up this book because it has a YA rating. Usually with that rating it means that the sexual content isn’t as prevalent. But if you haven’t read this series you are missing out, big time! It is absolutely hilarious. The story is far-fetched but that’s what makes it fun. There is a scene in the first story where Hibari and Tokio are having dinner but to protect Tokio’s innocence Iijima, Kijinojyo, Takamaru and eventually Gokurakuchota (the father) show up in various types of dress but they’re all wearing different types of neckties because it is a requirement for men (and Kijinojyo is in his cross-dressing mode). I laughed out loud, which I usually don’t do (I choose to just snicker to myself). The storytelling is done well and the story moves rather quickly. It is a quick read but definitely worth you time.

Not only is the story great but I have found that I really like Homerun Ken-sensei’s art style. It is very clean and detailed and the characters actually look Asian (which often times the look is more generic). Everyone is gorgeous and beautifully designed. The art will really blow you away (at least in my opinion). The art and the story work really well together and the characters are well developed.

Since Juné decided to lose the dust jackets they store better and look rather nice on a shelf. I do admit that I miss the dust jackets because on the inner flaps you usually get a blurb written about the author. Without the jacket you don’t get them and I miss those comments, they were always good for a giggle. But, oh well, I think I’ll live. The translation was done smoothly and they did a great job on the clean-up. But Juné usually does a bang up job when it comes to high production value.

I don’t know if there is a third book in the works but in the Afterword sensei makes it seem like the chances that she’ll (I assume it’s a she) continue the series. I really hope so because not only do we have the Tokio x Iijima pairing, but we also have the new couple of Takamaru and Imaizumi, and there is the building sexual tension between Hibari and Kijinojyo. I’ve found myself completely entranced by sensei’s work and hope that more will be brought to the English-speaking market.
If you haven’t checked out Clan of the Nakagamis, you should really pick it up. You can read it as a stand alone story, but I do recommend reading the first volume before you read The Devil Cometh. It makes more sense that way and is way more enjoyable. I do recommend this series and I think you ought to check it out!

Review by Linda Yau

Brilliant Blue is the love affair between childhood friends, Shouzo and Nanami. There is closure, and a probable sigh of relief from the mangaka for the conclusion. At the end of the manga, it was translated and reproduced as a very small box of thanks. I was actually relieved that the book ended with an epilogue, because that means that the story is over and done with. In the first volume there was promise, as I wrote in my review, but I was disappointed with the second volume, for several reason, and these are possible attractions of the book for a potential reader.

What was I disappointed with? Mainly the pacing of the story was so maddeningly slow. I wasn’t even sure where this story was going to go, because I thought the pace dragged slightly. There was also another aspect of what annoyed me, the dumbness of the uke. Fortunately it makes him lovable in the majority of situation, but other times it can seem annoying.

Now, even if I slammed the book for its pacing, Brilliant Blue does show a realistic aspect of allowing love to be developed. Sure, every relationship whether it is heterosexual or homosexual would have problems, but what makes this realistic is the consistent realization that there is someone you love. In terms of affection, and love.

I also enjoy the pictures at the beginning of each chapter greatly, it would always depicts a cute scene of the couple. Shouzo and Nanami are pretty lovey dovey, but Vol 2 was still an uninspiring read in the physical department. Their relationship is still pretty chaste, lots of kissing and some naked backs scenes, but also what I forgot to mention in my last review, was the rating of this book being suitable for 16+ young adult.

Kissing

Review by Linda Yau

Kazushi and Haru have been childhood friends, and now they are on the brink of graduating college. What happens when Kazushi suddenly pulls Haru aside and kisses him? This sets of a catalyst for Haru, who has to think about what would their relationship is and would probably turn out if he accepts or rejects Kazushi’s obviously last ditch to reject a girl’s confession – confession to him.

This book is rated as suitable for 16+ and so there is not as much sex scenes as there is kissing scene, pretty age appropriate.

As a standard romantic bl-plot, Kissing was all right. The main story between Kazushi and Haru was covered in one book, with an additional flashback story from the perspective of Minota, the couple’s common good friend.

The art was pretty, and what normally counted in my mind was the story, which only delivered to the point of it being good for a one time read, and that is quite sad. Because the story was pretty general, I found it pretty difficult to see anything that would make it stand out. There was one unique concept that made a slight impression on me, and that was the gifting of a trophy. Toward the end of the story, the meaning of the trophy was more fleshed out, this became the couple’s love token. Other than that, the plot was pretty weak, and felt as it was a filler for the company to push out a story to fill its yaoi publishing quota.

Normally I would be a fan for supporting characters, but because of the weakness and generality of the plot, even the characters were all very one dimensional. Reading this book was slightly disappointing.

Kissing is the only book written by Teiko Sasaki that has been translated so far, but if you are a regular reader of yaoi manga, you might recognize the illustrations, which are done by Shoko Takaku who has also illustrated previous Juné releases of Shy Intentions and Passions.

Utahime – The Songstress

Review by Kris

There is an uncertain future for a far off land. You see for centuries the land has been protected by the nightly singing of the songstresses. The songstress sings a song of protection toward the capital where the ruler resides. The ruler has always been male while songstresses are always born female. But there is a wind of change. In one of the villages that sprung up around the songstress’ tower the unthinkable has happened. A male songstress has been born. Not only that but when the ruler of the land’s wife gives birth to a daughter, are they doomed?

In Utahime – The Songtress we are introduced to a heartbreaking yet hopeful tale that honestly moved me to tears. I realize the above paragraph is lacking in information but I’ll try to take the complicated story and explain it a little more here. In the land the ruler is only able to produce a male heir so when a daughter is born things get a little hairy. In the case of the Utahime (the songstresses) they are able to give birth to both male and female children but the songstresses abilities are only passed on to one daughter. So it is important for the songstress to give birth to make sure the gift is passed on to the next generation. By having a songstress in the village it gives those who live there a boost in their economy, but protection from enemies as well.

Utahime – The Songtress focuses on a small songstress village and the main cast involves the village chief’s son, Thomas, and the son and daughter of the songstress, Kain and Maria. Kain and Maria have been raised up in the mountains because they are the children of the songstress. It is assumed that Maria is the songstress and Kain is put in charge of protecting Maria from the greedy villagers. Thomas, the son of the chief, feels in necessary to meet the songstress and her children. He then becomes quite close to Maria and somewhat close to Kain and sees the difference in treatment the villagers show towards the twins. They shower Maria with gifts and attention and ignore Kain. As he sees the relationship between Thomas and Maria grow, he feels like he’s no longer needed and decides to run away, not knowing that he’s the songstress. Thomas truly shows concern as he searches for years to try and locate Kain. Maria finds out the true nature of the villagers as her mothers health is on the decline and wonders if Thomas’ gestures are just to get with her, Kain is out having the time of his life, Maria discovers she’s not a true songstress and Kain finds out that he is.

DMP has made a genius choice in publishing Utahime – The Songstress as the title to kick off their new look. Not only is the cover design a much-needed improvement (I wasn’t a huge fan of the purple band across the bottom) but the amazing job that Aki-sensei has done with this title has moved me beyond words. I often come across titles that are really very good and are emotionally moving but I think that Utahime – The Songstress blows them all out of the water. Not only is the art truly stunning, but the story is told using the whole spectrum of emotions. One minute I was laughing and the next I was on the verge of tears. There were so many aspects of this story that I could relate to on a personal level that made this a truly amazing read. I hope that we’ll be able to get more from Aki-sensei because I am truly impressed.

Another reason why this was a great title for DMP to publish is because with their larger trim size you are able to truly appreciate everything. Plus with their new look and no dust jacket does make it look very snappy. Keep up the good work!

The Manzai Comics

Review by Linda Yau

Ayumu Seta is a new student at a Japanese middle school; he prides himself on being a normal person, but what happens when his classmate, Takashi Akimoto who is a guy no less, asks you to go out with him? And if this going out is more different than what you expect. Then what? This is what Ayumu experiences, as he is unexpectedly thrown in the world of Manzai comedy.

Manzai comedy is a stage performance where there is a duo that has verbal spars or plays on words, which would make it pretty funny for those who know of this culture. I see a lot of this being part of Chinese state comedy, or within Japan’s on culture as well.

This manga is not a strict bl story though. It plays on the stereotypes and assumption, which may surround guys who are seen as homosexual or effeminate, when their orientation is not. Taking from a bl-fan’s perspective, this manga might be disappointment. There is chemistry between the two characters; however as a light comedy with gender issues, I recommend it.

The rating for this story is 13+, and at a time when there are adolescent gender issues, this is a satirical look at it. Oh and throw in a jealous female childhood friend, Meguna Hagimoto, and you have yourself a pseudo love triangle Ayumu develops a slight crush on Meguna who chases after an oblivious Takahashi. I happen to like reading this book and it does have an interesting beginning, I look forward to reading the next installment.

Avalon: Web of Magic – All That Glitters (Book Two)

Review by Kris

Before I jump into the synopsis and review of this book I have to thank the fans of this series. When you read the comments posted after my review for Avalon: Web of Magic – Circles in the Stream (Book One) you’ll see that I got thoroughly spanked because of my idiocy and ineptitude. I did make some mistakes and I am very sorry for that. Emily does follow some of the dogs that she is taking care of into Ravenswood when she runs into Adriane. When I initially read the book I thought she wanted to ask the girl who brought in the cat if she knew what was hurting or killing the local animals. Another thing I made a mistake on was the fact that Ozzie was never a magical creature and his spell didn’t backfire. It was the Fairimentals (very magical creatures made of air, earth, water or fire and live in the magical world of Aldenmore) who disguised Ozzie as a ferret to protect him. When I read these books, I read them all together so many things mushed together in my brain and I misrepresented some of the story. So I must apologize to both the author and the fans for my mistakes and I hope I get this review right, and if I screw it up again don’t hesitate to straighten me out! Also to the one reader who was upset I didn’t mention Stormbringer, I had planned on doing that in my review for the third book, so have no fear, she’ll get her time to shine.

Now on to the synopsis and review of Avalon: Web of Magic – All That Glitters (Book Two)!

The Fairimentals of Aldenmore, to save the magic of the universe, have found their three mages in Pennsylvania. Those mages are the Healer, Emily Fletcher, the Warrior, Adriane Charday, and the Blazing Star, Kara Davies. The Fairimentals also sent them a helper named Ozzie, who happened to be an elf but is now disguised as a ferret. Each of the girls were given a gift, a gemstone that helps them harness their magical abilities. But only Emily and Adriane were given stones and Kara is beyond jealous. She wants a fancy jewel and one that is more powerful that either Adriane’s or Emily’s. One day at the Ravenswood Preserve Kara stumbles upon just this stone. Not only is it beautiful but she can sense that it is very powerful.

School is just about to begin when Kara’s world turns upside down. She has clothes that turn up missing, slimy banshees seem to be foretelling of doom all because of her, she seems to be attracting actual dragonflies (tiny, flying, magical dragons), and a wild cat seems to be watching her. It’s so hard to be popular with her fellow students and magical creatures alike. She is at a loss with what she needs to do. She has this magical ability but she can’t talk about it with her friends, and the two girls who understand what she’s going through aren’t popular enough for her to associate with in public. Will Kara be able to manage her popularity with both the magical world and the regular world?

When I first started this series I have to say that I immediately knew that I wasn’t going to like Kara. I then started the second book and almost immediately began to despise her. I was always able to relate to Emily and Adriane (they resemble me quite a bit when I was their age) but Kara was always the type of character that I always disliked. She suffers from a ginormous superiority complex and feels that because she’s the Blazing Star she deserves to be the best. It’s because of that attitude that is now causing her all of these problems (namely the banshees). If she continues with the superior attitude it is foretold that she could become like the Dark Sorceress. She is the witch that is stealing all of the magic from the magical web that she can find, taking the magic from the animals of Aldenmore, and is also looking for Avalon so she can keep the magic for herself. She eventually does redeem herself and I found myself feeling for her, at least a little. I still am not a huge Kara fan but she seems to be trying a little harder to accept Adriane and Emily as friends.

So far I’m finding this to be a great series. It not only has a great message about saving animals and saving the Earth but it also shows that girls are awesome! I feel that this is a good series for late elementary to middle school readers, unless you’re like me and love to read books for all ages on the spectrum (one of my favorite books is ABC and 123 by Colin McNaughton, a book aimed at early readers and I’m 30!) Seven Seas is doing an excellent job with the publishing. The books are aimed to spark interest with manga readers and so the illustrations have a very cool look to them. Not only are they publishing this series but they’ve also started publishing a manga series featuring the Avalon: Web of Magic characters. These are aimed at all ages. I love the idea of expanding the series beyond just the books and I found the manga to be just as fun as the novels.

I recommend this series to girls of all ages because of the awesome message contained within these pages.