Book Review: Trillion Game vol. 1

Self-proclaimed “world’s greediest man” Haru and timid computer whiz Gaku set out to make a trillion dollars. They start the company Trillion Game to accomplish this task and hope to iron out the details as they go. With charm, technical skills, and no business plan, can these unlikely friends reach their lofty goal?

After Haru and Gaku become the first Japanese people in the 21st century to be listed among the world’s top-ten billionaires, Gaku reflects on when he and Haru met and the events that led to the founding of their company. What started as a middle school acquaintanceship builds to a fruitful and unorthodox partnership as the two progress on their ruthless path to success.

Book Review: I'm the Grim Reaper vol. 1

When Scarlet finds herself doomed to eternal punishment in Hell for a sinful life she can’t even remember, Satan himself offers her a deal: return to earth and kill one marked sinner per day…as his grim reaper!

Using the power of Hell, Scarlet quickly learns the ropes of being a reaper: bring in one sinner per day, regardless of their sins, and avoid the ninth circle herself. This work brings her into the path of Chase, a disgraced former detective trying to solve a high-level case that seems wrapped up in Scarlet’s former life. Scarlet decides to partner with Chase to find the answers to her locked memories—as long as Chase doesn't discover Scarlet’s bloodstained bargain with Satan first.

Book Review: That Beauty is a Tramp vol. 1

Cool and tomboyish Nagi wants a boyfriend, but has one big problem - ever since an incident in college, her body reflexively rejects the touch of any man. That is, until she encounters the beautiful male model Aran, who uses his androgynous look to effortlessly model both masculine and feminine styles. She's shocked to discover that she can touch him without having a reaction, and when he asks her to join him in an upcoming photo shoot with a famous photographer, she agrees, on one condition - be her practice boyfriend for one month, and help her conquer her aversion once and for all.

That Beauty is a Tramp vol. 1 by Hal Osaka will be published August 13, 2024. Kodansha Comics provided an early galley for review.

Book Review: An American Story

Wilmer Valderrama was raised in Venezuela by two hard working parents as they navigated their family through a rapidly changing country and the rise of Hugo Chavez. With the economy crashing around them and their livelihood disappearing, the family decides to flee the country. Suddenly, the young boy who had loved riding his horse and dreaming of being Zorro from his favorite black and white tv show had to grow up quickly, journeying as a teenager from a tiny little pueblo in Venezuela to the big city of Los Angeles.

After being cast in a school theatre production, Valderrama knew he had found his calling, and began thinking of ways to help support his struggling family. He would attempt the impossible: find work in Hollywood as an unproven Latino actor. Following countless auditions and frequent criticisms of his accent, he created the personality that would eventually land him the role as Fez on the hit series That 70s Show, which catapulted him to stardom. But that was just the beginning.

Book Review: The Ministry of Compliance vol 1

Thirty-seven years ago, Earth was secretly invaded by an alien force known as the Devolution, and they’ve been shaping the direction of humanity ever since. Why? To prepare us to be assimilated into their empire.

The Devolution has 13 ministries, each responsible for manipulating a different aspect of human life. The Ministry of Compliance, the most feared of all the ministries, led by the fierce Avigail Senna, keeps every ministry in line and focused on the empire’s mission. Just as their mission is on the verge of success and Earth is about to be assimilated, the empire suffers a horrific blow.

For the survival of her people and herself, Avigail must rally the ministries together. A feat made near impossible as tensions and conspiracies run rampant.

Book Review: We Solve Murders

Steve Wheeler is enjoying retired life. He still does the odd bit of investigation work, but he prefers his familiar routines: the pub quiz, his favorite bench, his cat waiting for him at home. His days of adventure are over. Adrenaline is daughter-in-law Amy’s job now.

Amy Wheeler thinks adrenaline is good for the soul. Working in private security, every day is dangerous. She’s currently on a remote island protecting mega-bestselling author Rosie D’Antonio, until a dead body and a bag of money mean trouble in paradise. So she sends an SOS to the only person she trusts.

As a thrilling race around the world begins, can Amy and Steve outrun and outsmart a killer?

Book Review: The Life Impossible

When retired math teacher Grace Winters is left a run-down house on a Mediterranean island by a long-lost friend, curiosity gets the better of her. She arrives in Ibiza with a one-way ticket, no guidebook and no plan.

Among the rugged hills and golden beaches of the island, Grace searches for answers about her friend’s life, and how it ended. What she uncovers is stranger than she could have dreamed. But to dive into this impossible truth, Grace must first come to terms with her past.

Filled with wonder and wild adventure, this is a story of hope and the life-changing power of a new beginning.

Book Review: Where They Last Saw Her

Quill has lived on the Red Pine reservation in Minnesota her whole life. She knows what happens to women who look like her. Just a girl when Jimmy Sky jumped off the railway bridge and she ran for help, Quill realizes now that she’s never stopped running. As she trains for the Boston Marathon early one morning in the woods, she hears a scream. When she returns to search the area, all she finds are tire tracks and a single beaded earring.

Things are different now for Quill than when she was a lonely girl. Her friends Punk and Gaylyn are two women who don’t know what it means to quit; her loving husband, Crow, and their two beautiful children challenge her to be better every day. So when she hears a second woman has been stolen, she is determined to do something about it—starting with investigating the group of men working the pipeline construction just north of their homes.

Book Review: I Want to End This Love Game vol. 3

Let the games begin! Since childhood, Yukiya Asagi and Miku Sakura have played the Love Game, where they try to fluster each other with a simple “I love you.” But after falling in love for real and refusing to admit it, neither of them can afford to lose this battle!

At long last, Miku and Yukiya spend the night under one roof. Their last sleepover was years ago, and their relationship has changed since then. Under the pretense of the Love Game, they both make bold moves to test the limits of their physical intimacy. But just how far will they go to claim victory?

Book Review: Dead Even

Sara Tate is a lawyer in the Manhattan D.A.'s office. Due to budget cutbacks, she's in danger of losing her job and takes on a case meant for another prosecutor. Sara's attorney husband, Jared Lynch, also gets involved in the case--on the side of the defense. Sara is soon informed that if she loses, Jared will be killed. He receives a similar threat. In a battle of roller-coaster emotions and shocking betrayals, Sara and Jared must face the unthinkable truth: No matter who wins--one of them may die.

Book Review: Junkyard Joe volume 1

Throughout history, unlikely and strange heroes have risen and fallen, their identities and lives a secret. But for a Great Evil to be stopped, their stories must be told. They are The Unnamed fighting The Unknown War.

From the explosive pages of Geiger comes Junkyard Joe! The world knows him from the comic strip by recently retired cartoonist Muddy Davis, but the truth stretches back to the Vietnam War. It was there that the tragedies of combat and visions of a strange robot solider that saved his life still haunt him. However, dreams become reality when Joe mysteriously shows up on Muddy’s doorstep, warning us of a new and impending war.

Book Review: Disney Twisted-Wonderland - The Manga Anthology vol. 1

Short stories set in the world of Twisted Wonderland, based on the hit mobile game from Disney! The first installment in a collection of small but mighty adventures, featuring the characters and world of Twisted Wonderland. Each tale is written and drawn by a different manga creator!

Book Review: SubZero vol 1

Clove is the last remaining heir of her Cerulean Dragon clan, fighting in a seemingly endless 300-year-war against the vast Crimson Empire. With no end to the war in sight, Clove agrees to leave her sheltered homeland in favor of a political marriage with the heir to the enemy Crimson Dragon clan, Prince Kyro.

Raised on the battlefields and feared by his rivals, the cutthroat prince is first to notice that Clove is hiding a dangerous secret she’s been working tirelessly to protect. As tensions rise between these unlikely allies, the fragile peace brokered by their marriage is threatened by those who wish to continue the war. Now fighting in the world of her enemies and fighting a surprising attraction to Kyro, Clove discovers that achieving peace is far more dangerous than she could have ever imagined.

Book Review: Age Matters Volume 2

Twenty-nine-year-old Rose is trying to pick up her life after her ex-boyfriend cheated on and then dumped her. In need of employment, she takes over her best friend's odd job to cook and deliver meals to a mysterious boss. This boss turns out to be Daniel, the 23-year-old CEO of Lime. She finds him too abrasive, while he finds her too desperate, but they eventually learn to get along.

Does Rose like-like Daniel? Is Daniel secretly into Rose? Daniel thinks Rose and Andrew have something going on. Rose thinks Daniel is using her to make Via jealous. And now a silver hottie comes on strong with Rose. Oh, the drama! Volume 2 is on fire!

Book Review: Dungeon Crawler Carl

You know what’s worse than breaking up with your girlfriend? Being stuck with her prize-winning show cat. And you know what’s worse than that? An alien invasion, the destruction of all man-made structures on Earth, and the systematic exploitation of all the survivors for a sadistic intergalactic game show. That’s what.

Join Coast Guard vet Carl and his ex-girlfriend’s cat, Princess Donut, as they try to survive the end of the world—or just get to the next level—in a video game–like, trap-filled fantasy dungeon. A dungeon that’s actually the set of a reality television show with countless viewers across the galaxy. Exploding goblins. Magical potions. Deadly, drug-dealing llamas. This ain’t your ordinary game show.

Book Review: Ashram Assassin (The Paperback Sleuth #2)

When a set of rare, impossible-to-find yoga books are stolen from a West London ashram, its leaders turn to Cordelia, the paperback sleuth, to recover them – a set-up that’s a little awkward as they’ve previously barred her from yoga classes for selling marijuana to their students. But what begins as a hunt for missing paperbacks soon becomes a murder investigation as those involved with the ashram can’t seem to stop dropping down dead – murdered with a whisky bottle to the head or a poisoned curry. Can Cordelia work out who the killer is and bring them to justice before they bring an end to her sleuthing for good?

Book Review: The Rainbow Age of Television

With the last decade’s television boom across a multitude of platforms, producing hundreds of network and streaming series, American audiences are being treated to a cascade of shows that some have trumpeted as a second Golden Age. But something completely new is stirring, too—the Rainbow Age. For the first time in the history of American television, we have shows in which LGBTQIA+ characters have evolved from being an anomaly to being an almost given and celebrated presence on the small screen. But what more can queer TV do? Is each new queer character really breaking ground? And has the curse of the fictional dead lesbian finally been defeated?

Book Review: Disney Twisted-Wonderland - Rose-Red Tyrant

Meet the curiouser and curiouser students of Night Raven College in Disney Twisted-Wonderland: Rose-Red Tyrant. When Yuya Kuroki is transported to the mysterious academy for the magically gifted, he must navigate a colorful cast of characters as he searches for a way home.

There’s just one problem: no one knows where his home is. Yuya quickly realizes he’s in over his head, stranded in a magical world filled with ghosts, monsters, fire-breathing cats, and bickering classmates. Without any magical ability of his own, Yuya must struggle to find his place in this Twisted Wonderland.

Book Review: That Librarian

One of the things small town librarian Amanda Jones values most about books is how they can affirm a young person's sense of self. So in 2022, when she caught wind of a local public hearing that would discuss “book content,” she knew what was at stake. Schools and libraries nationwide have been bombarded by demands for books with LGTBQ+ references, discussions of racism, and more to be purged from the shelves. Amanda would be damned if her community were to ban stories representing minority groups. She spoke out that night at the meeting. Days later, she woke up to a nightmare that is still ongoing.