black bird by kanoko sakurakoji

Title: Black Bird

Author: Kanoko Sakurakoji

Series status: On going

Vol(s) reviewing: Vol. 1, 2 and 3

Publisher: VIZ Media LLC

Rating: 4/5

Source: Read for free HERE

Summary

Vol. 1

There is a world of myth and magic that intersects ours, and only a special few can see it. Misao Harada is one such person, and she wants nothing to do with magical realms. She just wants to have a normal high school life and maybe get a boyfriend. All that changes one day when Misao is attacked by a demon. Her childhood friend Kyo suddenly returns to save her and tend to her cuts--with his tongue! It turns out Misao is the bride of prophecy, whose blood gives power to the demon clan who claims her. But most demons want to keep her power for themselves--by eating her! Now Misao is just trying to stay alive...and decide if she likes it when Kyo licks her wounds.

Vol. 2

Kyo, the head of the Tengu demon clan, is Misao's only chance for survival. But even though she has sweet memories of him as a childhood friend, she has trouble reconciling them with the man he has become. Despite the strange attraction, can she trust her life, let alone her heart, to a man who only cares about the promise of her blood? There is a world of myth and magic that intersects ours, and only a special few can see it. Misao Harada is one such person, and she wants nothing to do with magic realms. She just wants to have a normal high school life and maybe get a boyfriend. But she is the bride of demon prophecy, and her blood grants incredible powers, her flesh immortality. Now the demon realm is fighting over the right to her hand?or her life!

Vol. 3

He loves her blood, but does her love her?! Misao is starting to trust her heart where Kyo is involved, especially after he gives her one of his primary feathers. It isn't just her first present from him, it's a magic talisman that will keep her safe when he's not nearby!Misao is elated to be able to go to school without the fear of being eaten, just like a normal teenage girl. But as her feelings for Kyo deepen, she starts to realize that as his bride she will have to leave her human life behind--including her family!

My Two Cents:

Even if I tried to find some flaws in Shoujo Manga, I can't. I just love everything I read and could look at the drawings/graphic without tiresome. The graphic is neat to the eyes, beautiful costumes, beautiful girls and handsome boys, well-crafted story and everything is just perfect. Same goes with this latest manga I've read. The first 3 volumes is quite an introduction of Misao to Kyou. It has conflicts which intrigues the readers how Misao will accept that she is the coveted bride of prophecy as well as to learn whether her feeling to Kyou is just a one-sided love.

I think the story was outlined very good, well plotted and gets hold my interest from the start. A history elements were one of the reason that I love to read, since these line of heritage bring out the best fiction from it. To see drawings of kimonos and other traditional attire, hairstyles, is really heavenly. However, there were parts are quite mature but kind of a bit decent at least, which makes this manga suitable for readers aged 16 and above.

giveaway flash: bookmark day!

Monica at The Bibliophilic Blog is hosting a bookmark day giveaway!

The usual in honor of bookmark day will run until April 5th. Anyone can enter (who is over the age of 13) Please follow when you enter if you don't already...but it is NOT a requirement, Monica would just love you to return.

So what can you win...let's see....AN EREADER or GC of your choice from the bookstore of your choice....ereader type can not be more than $200 and GC is the same. All you have to do it fill out the form, follow(hopefully) and sit back and wait for the results...there will be extra entries given on Bookmark Day on the 15th of March! Click HERE to enter! Thanks Monica!

dead man's eye by shaun jeffrey

Title: Dead Man's Eye
Author: Shaun Jeffrey

Pages: 81
Series: Stand alone
Published: December 30th, 2010
Rating: 4/5
Source: From author
Buy at: Amazon | IndieBound | SmashWords

Summary (Goodreads):

Blighted by an eye disease, Joanna Raines undergoes a corneal transplant operation to stop her going blind. The procedure is successful, but in the weeks that follow she begins to see dark coronas surrounding certain people. By turns fearful that something has gone wrong and worried that she's going crazy, Joanna searches for an answer to the phenomena.

What she finds will change her life forever. The transplant has opened a door in her mind, and the strange coronas are not legacies of the operation but proof that a legion of demons plans to invade the earth!

Now the only thing that stands between the demonic horde and their plot to take over the world is Joanna, a young woman with the power to see them for what they really are.

Seeing is believing.

The demons are real.

Joanna just has to convince everyone else before it's too late.

My Say:

I hardly believe myself that I finally finished reading this book! At first I thought I will have another problem to finish a horror book like this. Yet, I was glad I read it even with a little tense once in a while. The plot succeed to deliver the excitement of the story to me. I can't say the book sparks the interest in me from the start because I don't really like Joanna at first, or maybe it's just me. I felt sorry how she become further removed from her dear ones.But as the story goes on, the mystery of her new eye really intrigued me. It's like I'm wondering what will happen to her next, what she would see and what she should do and all. It scares hell out of me to read how the people were killed, a man lost an arm, etc. Most of the scenes took place at the hospital which really a perfect place, as like puzzle with so many doors and it's gripping to know what's behind once you open them. Hospitals for me also have grieves, death, hope and 1001 mysteries that we can't never understand, even how can evil spirits took over the hospital? Genius.

Unfortunately, the ending is quite desolate for me. It's part twisted but will never end and you will find it the same once you finish reading it. I totally understand the feeling of you would want a closure of story, but this one will quite fail you. The story is satisfying and have all the elements you want to read in a horror book. But the ending will define how satisfy are you with the book. I love the book, but the ending really made me depressed, with a claim that I don't regret reading it!

That being said, the book is actually really well-elaborated and well-crafted. Even though I found the similarity to a movie called "The Eye", this one has it's own difference and speciality progress. I read it in day time for 4 days because even though I like mysteries, it's the horror that stop me to read it at night. I fully recommend this book to horror/paranormal thrillers fans. You'll never regret reading it!

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy from Author Shaun Jeffrey for an exchange of fair review. Receiving a copy in no way will ever reflected my review and these are my honest review.