young adult LGBTQ

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Lenni Reviews: “I Think I Turned My Childhood Friend Into a Girl” Vol. 2, by Azusa Banjo

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

Kenshirou and Hiura join the photo club so Kenshirou can try out new looks on Hiura and give Hiura a chance to make more friends. Now, Kenshirou has to come to terms with Hiura getting so much more attention, especially from other boys.

This manga is very sweet and I like watching the leads come together. I do have to make a sincere wish for real life to be as seamless, accepting, and supportive as it is in this manga but at least we have this positive message and see kindness; especially these days. And I really appreciate the colored pages to see the makeup and outfits pop. 4 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “My Love Mix-Up!” Vol. 5, by Wataru Hinekure & Aruko

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

Aoki and Ida are starting to think about college but Aoki’s grades are not the best and he’s sent to cram school. A college student named Okano is tutoring Aoki and gets the wrong idea about Aoki’s relationship.

This couple has a cute relationship. Aoki and Ida are nice people and have decent people in their lives and it’s good to have queer characters surrounded by support. Even though there are misunderstandings, things are overall kind. Not every story with gay characters needs a ton of drama and homophobia. This is a great comfort read and good for teens so far. 4 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “I Think I Turned My Childhood Friend Into a Girl” Vol. 1, by Azusa Banjo

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Midou is one of the most popular boys in his school and his close childhood friend Hiura is considered quiet and glum in comparison. Hiura is also the only one who knows Midou’s secret passion for makeup and allows Midou to practice his skills on him. Midou completely changes Hiura from a plain quiet boy into a beautiful young girl. So beautiful in fact, Midou’s feelings towards Hiura change when Hiura feels more comfortable in the female clothing.

This is absolutely adorable. I like how progressive and understanding everyone is around Midou and Hiura. Not very realistic but in this case, it gives space in the story for the main two to workout their relationship and figure things out.

Since this is about make up mostly (and a bit of fashion) I wish more of this was in color so we get the full effect as readers. But I understand that’s expensive to print and a lot of work. I’ll take the color pages we get. 4 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Mizuno and Chayama” by Yuhta Nishio

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Mizuno has to put on a happy face as her father is the mayoral candidate in their small town, Chayama is the daughter of a wealthy family and heir to a tea company that rivals Mizuno’s father. As their families are at odd, they must keep their relationship a secret.

This volume follows them through high school as they fall in love and struggle with the pressures of their familial obligations and small town life Chayama is frequently bullied while Mizuno is put on a pedestal due to her father’s status. It’s a pretty good story but jumps around at the end but it is a tense read. It’s not explicit but there are some suggestive scenes; done tastefully in my opinion. They make a cute couple and the art suits the overall tone. A worthwhile addition to the yuri genre and I’d suggest it for older teens due to to those suggestive scenes. It’s less graphic than what they’re watching on the CW these days. 3.9 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Hello, Melancholic!” Vol. 1, by Yayoi Ohsawa

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First year, Minato, is very reserved and self conscious because of her height; towering over the other girls in her class. When upperclassman Hibiki catches sight of Minato with her trombone case, Hibiki is dragged out of her comfort zone when Hibiki insists Minato join the music club and play in her band.

Minato is a very relatable teenager, nervous about tripping up and finally making some friends that won’t mock her for her height. The contrast between her and Hibiki has some classic tropey elements but their individual personalities keep things unique and interesting. They’re a classic odd couple but it’s done well and they’re so sweet together. Even the tertiary characters are entertaining. I think teens looking for more LGBTQ+ content will love this. 4.8 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Chef’s Kiss” by Jarrett Melendez, Danica Brine, Hank Jones & Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou

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Ben cook is on the hunt for a job to put his English degree and love of writing to good use. Facing multiple rejections, he applies for a job at a restaurant to make money while he’s still writing. However, he not only has a talent for cooking and enjoys it, he develops a crush on Liam, chef at his new job. Now, he starts to question what he wants for his future.

This is a classic story of a young adult finding their way but told with some wacky characters and beautiful, vibrant colors. All the personalities here are so unique without coming off as having one quirk and no substance. This had the right mix of fun and drama but I would have liked some closure concerning Ben’s parents. But Watson is a fun twist here. You’ll see when you read it. 4.9 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “My Love Mix-Up!” Vol. 1, by Wataru Hinekure & Aruko

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

Aki has a crush on his classmate, Hashimoto but when he borrows an eraser from her, he sees she has Ida’s name written on it; he promises to keep it a secret for her. But when Ida sees the eraser, he thinks it belongs to Aki and that he as a crush on him.

First things first, I gotta talk about the art. While the regular scenes are lovely; soft and expressive like most in this genre, there are scenes of super-deformed faces that are unintentionally TERRIFYING. Not all of them but there were a few that had me cringe rather than laugh.

Aside for that, this is a hilarious mix up. It doesn’t take itself too seriously at all and is a light-hearted teenage drama (at least light-hearted for now, you never know). It is looking like we won’t get so much as a love triangle but a love dodecahedron.

Yes, I’m a geek. I love that world…

4 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “The Girl from the Sea” by Molly Ostertag

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Like most teenagers, Morgan dreams of leaving her small seaside town so she can be herself. After her parents divorce, her and her little brother are having trouble dealing with all the emotions, leading Morgan to take a walk near a cliff; only to be saved by an old and exceptional friend.

This was a sweet book with some great representation and a nice simple story. It’s perfect for it’s age group and had beautiful art. I would have liked to see more of it but the ending is satisfactory as it is and makes this all a light hearted read with great characters. 4.5 out of 5.

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They finally got it: Parents in cartoons.

I’ve had issues with how parental figures have been portrayed in young adult fiction and cartoons in the past. Being a parent can warp how you see media; and I won’t be elitist in saying parenthood is the only trigger. There are plenty of people in my age group who have had their perspective shifted when it comes to the media they consumed in the past versus what we consume now. Where once we identified with the impetuous kid, we now can relate to the worrisome adult. The best part is that we can recognize that and become better people as a result. I can’t tell you how often I was able to empathize with my own offspring, allow them their freedom while still imposing reasonable restrictions (that they still get all puberty about but at least there is more talking than screaming).

And that brings me to Camila Noceda:

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In the season finale before the hiatus, I can say without spoilers, Camila is brave, understanding, smart, and heartbreaking. Yes, I may be an adult who still watches cartoons and you can judge me all you want for that but seeing an adult handle their special magical child in such an earnest and realistic way will hopefully pave the way for better depictions of parents in young adult media. Not all parents will be understanding but maybe there’s a weird kid out there who won’t believe all adults will be overly critical and closed-minded. Some of us can be worried about you without being lame, judgmental, or overprotective. We can be worried, we won’t be happy if you lie to us, and fighting demons may not be the profession we’d like you to have, but it comes from a place of love and some of us will understand.

More adults like Camila, please! Young people and adults deserve it.

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Lenni Reviews: “A Tropical Fish Yearns for Snow” Vol. 1, by Makoto Hagino

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

Konatsu Amano has just relocated from Tokyo to a small town with her aunt because her father’s job has taken him overseas. Concerned about making friends in high school, Amano meets a girl named Koyuki, the sole member of the Aquarium Club. Koyuki is excited to have another member and they become friends as they work in the aquarium connected to the school.

This manga is really sweet. I like that Konatsu slowly becomes more confident and has an adorable relationship with Koyuki. If you want some light and fluffy reading, this will fit the bill. It is, however, very ‘slice of life’ so if that bores you, there are parts you will want to bail in this volume. But I liked it. 3.7 out of 5.

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