April reading recap

April wasn’t quite as hectic a reading month for me as March was. I finished five novels and ten manga. Three of the novels were review copies and of those, A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennet was by far the best. The second Ana and Din mystery set in a very unique world is maybe the best novel of the year so far. (Click the book title for my review.) In comparison, I liked A Palace Near the Wind by Ai Jiang considerably less, mostly because I found it under-developed. Saint Death’s Herald by C.S.E. Cooney was good, but not as mind-blowing as the first book in the series. Still, I’d read more.

I also read two novels for myself, both of them Chinese boylove novels. Riverbay Road Men’s Dormitory Vol. 1 by Fei Tian Ye Xiang is a contemporary romance set in an imaginary Chinese city, and it was a good start to a series. You’ve Got Mail: The Perils of Pigeon Post Vol. 3 by Blackegg continued the historical series with a volume that was maybe the best so far.

I read eight manga review copies. Among them were three follow-ups. Worst Soulmate Ever: Proposal by Haruta is the second volume about a dysfunctional alpha-omega couple who despite their constant arguing manage to tie the knot. Tokyo Alien Bros., Vol. 2 by Keigo Shinzo is about two aliens trying unsuccessfully to assimilate among humans as they are scouting the earth for potential invasion. The second volume was better than the first. Firefly Wedding, Vol. 2 by Oreco Tachibana continues the story of a kidnapped heiress stuck on an island of prostitutes with her kidnapper. It’s still not my favourite series, but the second volume was better than the first.

Ask and You Will Receive by Niyama was a very good start of a gay romance about two men, one of whom doesn’t know he’s gay and another who can’t stand the first. I’ll definitely continue with this one. A Vampire in the Bathhouse by Niko Izuki was a sweet story of a found family. No romance yet, though that may come later. 

Honeko Akabane's Bodyguards 1 by Masamitsu Nigatsu was a bit boring and a lot violent high school romance about a secret daughter of a yakuza boss who is surrounded by a class full of bodyguards. The Dashing Zaddy and His Icy Protégé 1 by Fumito was a fun and very awkward comedy romance of an older man suffering from erectile dysfunction and a younger man who admires him. The romance didn’t really get anywhere here as the older man doesn’t know he’s gay.

I also had a review copy for an unofficial BTS biopic that was so bad I had to stop reading, so I won’t mention the maker. And I read a manhwa that I wish I’d stopped reading: Lady Devil, Vol. 1 by Choco FUKI. It’s an unapologetic romance based on incest between twins, on top of which the story is really stupid, boring and badly written. I don’t recommend it.

Luckily, I had a couple of manga that I read for myself and really loved. My favourite feel-good manga, The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity by Saka Mikami, has reached sixth volume. Here, Rintaro and Kaoruko, the two sweetest protagonists, finally start dating. And I read Tanaka-kun Is Always Listless vol 1 by Nozomi Uda. It’s a fun slice of life high school comedy about a boy who has absolutely no energy and dedicates his life for finding ways to avoid everything. I’m reading it on MangaUp! and there are no English versions published yet. I’ve caught up with the story there, so I’ve probably read at least half of the 13 volumes out in Japanese so far, but I’ll only list the first one here.

I’ve caught up with The Apothecary Diaries on MagnaUp! too and will add vol 14 soon, as I didn’t have time to add it in April. I’ve read other manga there this month as well that don’t have published versions in any language yet, like the fun high school romance Otaku x Gal by 138neco and Souchu. I’ll list those if they ever get Goodreads entries.

So, a fun reading month again, despite the couple of misses. Stay tuned for more.