young adult romance

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Lenni Reviews: “Ima Koi: Now I’m in Love” Vol. 8, by Ayuko Hatta

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

Satomi is having trouble dealing with how nice her boyfriend Yagyu is to other girls and feels this affection should be reserved only for her.

Not that this series slips into high angst but it was nice to see Satomi and Yagyu get a little messy. It’s fine for characters to have a happy relationship but these two were almost too perfect and I wondered if any conflict was going to happen. Happy is fine but not always compelling to read about. 3 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Like a Butterfly” Vol. 1, by Suu Morishita

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

Suiren is considered the most beautiful girl in school but she is also distant and quiet; not happy at all with the attention from both boys and girls. She ignores them all except for Kawasumi, who seems to be the only student who doesn’t gawk at her all the time, sparking Suiren’s interest. The problem is, Kwasumi has no interest in dating and rejects any girl’s advances.

I like how our main pair are both fairly down to earth. Suiren isn’t a conceited mean girl and her friends are an amusing foil to her quiet nature; we’re not watching her staring around without a single word. I am intrigued and want to see where this series goes. 4 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “My Love Mix-Up!” Vol. 8, by Wataru Hinekure

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

Ida is getting more interested in romance and Aoki is still having trouble even broaching the subject, worrying about his grades and finding the courage to take their relationship further.

Fuck it, Imma spoil it: They got their first kiss and it’s fucking adorable. I would like to see Aoki make more progress being physical with Ida (not in an explicit way and I would prefer if it didn’t) and act like a ‘proper’ couple. They clearly care a lot for each other and they deserve to be able to hold hands and such. This is still so sweet and I’m rooting for both of the couples in this series. 4 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Love’s in Sight!” Vol. 4, by Uoyama

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

As Morio and Yukiko spend more time together, Morio’s close friend Tono becomes jealous of Yukiko, as she became close to Morio due to childhood bullying. Yukiko decides the two need to have a good conversation.

This is such a great series to get an adorable little romance along with some education; weaving in some information about how people with visual impairments navigate through life. I also enjoyed the side stories and the origin behind Morio’s scar (not to spoil it but, what the fuck, my guy…). I am really interested in the stories of the other characters now. This is overall very enjoyable. 5 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Wolf Girl and Black Prince” Vol. 1, by Ayuko Hatta

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

Erica Shinohara is friends with the popular girls in school and to stay in their circle, she made up a boyfriend, even going so far as to show them a random boy’s picture as proof. But those girls recognize the boy and it turns out it’s Kyoya Sata, a student in their school. Erica asks him to help her out by keeping up the lie by pretending to be her boyfriend but he’ll only do it if she becomes his dog.

Kyoya doesn’t blackmail Erica into sex or anything creepy like that. She’s basically his gopher and has to pay for snacks and stuff. It’s clear that being in the pretend relationship could blossom into a real one. There’s a little angst but this is mostly lighthearted shenanigans in a cute young adult romance. 3.5 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “My Special One” Vol. 2, by Momoko Koda

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

After her confession is rejected, Sahoko resolves to stand by her feelings for Kouta even if they are not returned only to have a scandal force Kouta to stay with her family.

Here we learn why Kouta doesn’t want to let anyone in despite his outgoing and cheerful personality. Part of me thinks it’s too tragic (no spoilers but, damn, poor kid…) for it to have been resolved so quickly. In my opinion, Kouta needs some therapy or something more of a journey to open up again. Unless we get more of that in the next volume to make the growth to see more natural. 3.8 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Komi Can’t Communicate” Vol. 24, by Tomohito Oda

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

We start off with a new character; Shiki Satsujo, who is struggling not to cry during graduation, followed by some White Day shenanigans. But the real feature is Tadano and Komi’s first date.

As the date is the main draw of this volume, the rest is a lot of filler. Cute filler but filler. That being said, as adorable as we all knew they would be, I wish we got more time with them. Having the father tag along (that’s not a spoiler, it’s on the cover) was an interesting choice but it works. He’s funny. Even though the date was short, overall I did chuckle a fair bit. 4 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “My Love Mix-Up!” Vol. 7, by Wataru Hinekure & Aruko

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

As high school nears its end, Aoki puts more effort into being involved and supportive of Ida, who wants to go away to college.

I like this volume but I am wondering if we will get more progression as these stories play out. The young relationships are moving forward but it’s a little slow to read. At least Aoki and Ida are fun to read. We get the classic ‘only one bed in the hotel room’ plotline. Akkun and Hashimoto are a nice counterpoint to the others. It’s all sweet and worth reading if you’re looking for some YA romance. 4 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Rainbow Days” Vol 3, by Minami Mizuno & Antje Bockel

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

Tsuyoshi is burning the candle at both ends; trying to keep up in school and finish his manga before an upcoming convention. His friends offer to help but their efforts prove to be less than ideal.

This volume also includes summer vacation, ending up with make up classes, and going to the beach. It was so much more entertaining than previous volumes; a real slice of life vibe with some good humor. All the characters are more likable and the creepiness of the last book is mostly absent. I hope this series keeps improving. 3.5 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “My Special One” Vol. 1, by Momoko Koda

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

Sahoko Wakaume has sworn off pretty boys after a brutal rejection, vowing to get by on her own. But, when Kouta Kirigaya – a K-Pop star – comes into her family’s restaurant, she tries to do her best to keep up her defenses against his advances.

If you’re in the mood for a classic YA romance, this manga fits the bill. Satoki is a relatable and fun character that, while she fits into the common trope (so does Kouta), she is really well written. It’s all well balanced with humor and a bit of angst. Kouta is fun and adorable and I like Sajoko’s developing strength. I’d love to continue this series. 4 out of 5.

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