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Lenni Reviews: “Boy’s Abyss” Vol. 12, by Ryo Minenami

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

Reiji and Esemori end their visit, but after, Reiji runs into Nago. Ms. Shiba finally realizes Yuko is unstable and is using Reiji’s older brother to interfere in the family even further.

The more we learn about Reiji’s family, the more I think he should change his name and vanish from all these people’s lives. Start over fresh somewhere else where nobody knows him. Every adult around this kid is sus, and even his friends suck. This poor kid man… He deserves so much better. I still wonder if this will turn around in some way because while I am curious enough to read this and it’s not BAD, it’s just circling around all this depression. 3.8 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Plus-Sized Misadventures in Love!” Vol. 2, by mamakari

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

As Yumeko enjoys her new outlook on life, the investigation into the incident that cost her her memories is ongoing, making it seem that, despite her optimistic outlook, not everyone around her can be trusted.

This is one of those stories where I’m not sure if I want it to get super serious. I want this to be Yumeko’s new lease on life, not how horrid her old life was. Some of the jokes at her expense aren’t very funny as a plus-size woman (let us feel cute, for fucks sakes…) but I am a sucker for characters like Yumeko: positive, hard working, earnest… That little light in a cynical, dark world. Much like in Hirayasumi, I don’t want that light to go out, no matter how strong my curiosity around the incident might be. 3.5 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Plus-Sized Misadventures in Love!” Vol. 1, by mamakari

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

Yumeko is miserable, believing herself unworthy of love, much less worthy of her work crush, Keisuke. After what is assumed to be a suicide attempt erases her memory, her personality completely changes to a confident, outgoing person. As she learns about her former life, the cause of her accident may not have been her own doing.

It’s clear that there’s an underlying mystery clouding all the fun positivity Yumeko brings to this story. Something dark enough to warrant trying to kill her. While that’s a compelling plot, I’d read Yumeko just being fabulous and enjoying her new life. Even if the stereotype of her always eating is there (can we drop that joke, for fucks sakes…), it’s clear her newfound confidence and boundless positivity are the highlight of this story, and it’s so sweet to see her make everyone better around her. 3.7 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Boy’s Abyss” Vol. 11, by Ryo Minenami

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review and is suggested for mature readers.

Akira recounts his time with Reiji’s mom, Yuko, and Yuri plots to get Reiji to come back to town.

Yuko is so twisted. I should have known she had some dark plan for keeping Yuri around because that’s just the horrid, manipulative person she is. I do have to admire this story for making me feel like the guy dying of cancer is the lucky one because he’s the most likely to be quit of all this toxic drama soon. I hope whatever Yuko has planned fails, and Reiji can be free too, only without having to die. 3 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Boy’s Abyss” Vol. 9, by Ryo Minenami

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review and is for mature readers only. Trigger warning for sexual assault.

Still obsessed with Reiji, Ms. Shiba hatches a plan to get back into his life but it doesn’t go as she’d hoped.

I think this counts as a spoiler, so be aware: Reiji, Chako, and Gen all go to Tokyo together and of course this trip is miserable for the lot of them. I just… Where is this all going? I’m getting this feeling that the plot is just spinning its wheels. I understand the characters are wallowing and trapped in their misery but they have been for some time and it’s starting to feel like a bumbling way to have more fucked up shit happen like (trigger warning) attempted rape. That I don’t care about spoiling. Fuck that shit. 2 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Boy’s Abyss” Vol. 8, by Ryo Minenami

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

Time has passed and Reiji is still living with his mom and now works for that warehouse he was so desperately trying to avoid. Somehow, even Chako couldn’t escape the curse of their small town.

Well fuck me sideways, Ms. Shiba is still allowed near children and is still fucking with Reiji’s life. This woman needs to be in jail, I hate her so much. This series overall is kinda making me tired. I totally understand the difficulties and complications around Reiji leaving but I’d still like to see some conclusion either way. I feel like we’re stuck in a misery holding pattern just poking our main characters to watch them in agony. They’re still dealing with so many dark secrets and we’re just not gonna charge Ms. Shiba for running down someone with car? Really? That and having sex with her student who is a minor!? Yeah, not letting that go. If that was my son, she’d be begging for the mercy of jail. 3 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Boy’s Abyss” Vol. 7, by Ryo Minenami

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

After Ms. Shiba hits Reiji’s mother with her car, their elicit relationship becomes the talk of the town. Gen visits Reiji often but he his hiding a shocking secret.

If this doesn’t end with Ms. Shiba facing some actual consequences for everything that she’s done, I’ll lose my mind.

I am sincerely praying for one decent character in this series. Even Chako has lost her sparkle in this black hole for joy. This series is miserable. Not done poorly but, it is misery. Abusers, groomers, manipulators and – spoilers – murderers. The whole damn series should come with a trigger warning and a puppy/kitten to cuddle to bring your mind back from the abyss. 4 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “I Wanna Do Bad Things with You” Vol. 1, by Yutaka

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

Mamori has always felt ignored and weak and her classmates judge her for being so tall. Her classmate, Fuji, is jealous of his perfect older brother. When they meet, they not only find a kindred spirit but decide to stir up some trouble to get back at those who ignore and underestimate them.

This is a cute start to the series with our two misfits deciding to be misfits together. Mamori is relatable and adorable and Fuji has some depths to be explored in the future. His older brother seems sus (a LOT sus, actually) but we’ll see what’s done with his character. I do hope Fuji doesn’t get too manipulative with Mamori because she’s a total pushover. 3.5 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Boy’s Abyss” Vol. 6, by Ryō Minenami

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

Author Esemori met Yuko – Reiji’s mother – as a teenager after he moves to the small town when his father abandoned him and his mother. They became close, implying Esemori and Reiji may have a closer connection than previously believed.

This town is a black hole for joy. Despite basically all the adults being fucking terrible, I still think Ms. Shiba is the worst but Yuko is battling for that spot. All these people are just so broken and twisted that none of them are thinking clearly or logically and are reacting poorly to their deep, DEEP trauma and passing it on to their kids. It’s so depressing. But seriously, fuck Ms. Shiba. 3.5 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Yakuza Lover” Vol. 12, by Nozomi Mino

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

Things with Yuri’s family didn’t go well and now, Oya’s mother summons Yuri to give her the truth about what it’s like being a woman of the yakuza.

The final volume brushes aside it’s premise so fast and throws in this random thing with Oya losing his eyesight? That’s never resolved? Then they get married and she’s pregnant: the end. There, I just saved you the time reading this. Watching Yuri prove herself to Oya’s mother would have been awesome to see. Maybe even, oh, I dunno, show the dark side of being a yakuza wife? Any danger it might put her in? Put her family in even though they’re not involved with a dangerous crime organization? Nope. That’s a criticism I’ve had for this whole series. Where there were chances to really go somewhere, it turned into just fluff. 2 out of 5.

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