Peerless vol 1 by Meng Xi Shi: review

4/5 stars on Goodreads

Peerless vol 1 by Meng Xi Shi

Peerless starts a new danmei series by Meng Xi Shi. According to the back cover text, it’s set in the same world as their Thousand Autumns series, but in this first volume the connection is mostly the jianghu, as the author calls their martial arts world. Here, jianghu only plays a secondary role though.

The main characters are Feng Xiao and Cui Buqu, leaders of rivalling secret agencies of the new dynasty. Feng Xiao is a martial arts expert, beautiful beyond belief, and self-centered in a way that’s both aggravating and amusing. Cui Buqu doesn’t know any martial arts and he’s sickly and weak, but his mind is sharp. He’s on a secret mission on a remote border town, working under cover when Feng Xiao arrives to town to investigate a murder of a foreign emissary.

Feng Xiao immediately suspects Cui Buqu, who seizes the opportunity to hinder Feng Xiao’s investigation. But soon, the two must start working together. There isn’t love lost between the men, but some kind of respect forms in between the endless bantering.

This was a fun start to a series, and very different from Thousand Autumns. The beginning was a tad confusing, as it was told from the points of view of random characters, and it took several chapters before Feng Xiao and Cui Buqu came to fore. The main plot is a murder mystery, although a convoluted and highly illogical, the suspects springing up at random. The men manage to explain everything in the end though. The start of their relationship is rocky, but very entertaining, each holding their own. And the next mystery is already waiting for them. Looking forward to reading it.

Bananapants by Penny Reid: review

3/5 stars on Goodreads

Bananapants by Penny Reid

Bananapants is a spin-off of Reid’s Knitting in the City series. It’s time for the second generation to have their romances. Once again, we’re in Chicago, but the date seems to be the present day, as if the earlier books took place thirty years ago. It works fine.

It has been quite a long time since I read the original series, and I didn’t remember all the original characters, but since I wanted to find out if this works without reading the originals, I didn’t do a fresher. It wasn’t needed, but I think the nostalgia factor would’ve been stronger if I’d remembered the originals better.

This book is about Ava Archer (daughter of Fiona and Greg) and Des Sullivan (son of Janie and Quinn). They were the bestest friends in childhood, until he ghosted her. It has left a mark on her and she’s incapable of committing to a relationship.

The two meet unexpectedly at a party where neither of them should be. He’s determined to keep things at that, but she has other ideas. And turns out he might have missed her as much as she has missed him, so he’s not entirely against having her around, especially since he might need her help. If only it didn’t put her in mortal danger.

This was an entertaining book with a secondary suspense plot. It wasn’t entirely satisfying romance though, and it didn’t rise to the level of Reid’s best books. Especially the ending was a let-down. Instead of the romance having its emotional climax, it climaxed with the action plot without proper romantic conclusion. The last chapter is actually an epilogue. I don’t know why it wasn’t named as such, as it gives the reader a false hope that there’s a proper conclusion for the romance yet to come. The couple ends at a good place, but I hoped for more. It didn’t give me the emotional rush I expect of romances.

The characters were fine, but Ava wasn’t much different from some Reid heroines. I liked Des with his mental problems and interesting occupation more than her, but it seemed like the romance was based on childhood memories, nostalgia, and fantasies more than getting to know who they’d become. Other siblings were introduced too, so there’s likely more romances to come. Definitely something to look forward to for Reid fans.

I received a free copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Associate Professor Akira Takatsuki's Conjecture Vol. 4 (manga) by Toji Aio & Mikage Sawamura: review

4/5 stars on Goodreads

Associate Professor Akira Takatsuki's Conjecture vol 4 manga by Toji Aio & Mikage Sawamura

There have been two volume fours of Associate Professor Akira Takatsuki's Conjecture published this month, first the light novel and now the manga, so I’m not accidentally reviewing the same book twice.

The manga volume 4 starts with the conclusion of the case that was left unfinished in the previous one, about Mana, the “Miracle Girl of Okutama,” the child who survived a tragic bus crash and is now treated like a goddess. Akira takes a personal interest, having been treated similarly in his childhood, the reason why he’s no longer in touch with his family. For the first time, he gets angry even.

Next story takes place during the university spring break. Akira, Naoya and Kenji travel to a wintry mountain area where they investigate a demon cave, only to discover it holds human remains. It turns out to be a rather tragic story of family secrets, but nothing supernatural.

In the aftermath, Naoya comes face to face with the mystery entity inside Akira for the first time, the reason Akira’s eyes change colour, which should be a great revelation for the reader. Unfortunately, the manga doesn’t do the scene justice. The change of eye-colour is difficult to show in black and white illustrations, but there could’ve been other ways to emphasise the importance of the scene. Here, it looks like Akira comes on to Naoya, even though it’s supposed to be a really frightening supernatural event that shakes Naoya badly. Those who haven’t read the light novel will be really confused and maybe led astray in thinking where the relationship between the two is going.

The last story catches up with the vol 4 of the light novel. It’s April and Naoya’s second year at the university has begun. To his chagrin, everyone mistakes him for a first-year student, but at least he still gets to work with Akira. Their next case is about a curse that four office workers have summoned on themselves. It’s cut short just as it’s about to become interesting. Those who have read the light novel will know it has important consequences to Naoya. Readers of manga will have to wait for the next volume.

This was a good but very hasty volume. The pace is very fast and corners are cut, with above-mentioned results. The friendship between Naoya and Akira doesn’t have similar depth here as it has in the light novels either. It also leaves out the extra story from vol 3 of the light novel, which would’ve been an important addition. It’s from Kenji’s point of view, depicting his and Akira’s childhood and the supernatural event that took place years before Akira’s abduction. I hope that’s added to the next manga volume, or it gets a special volume, as it’s very interesting. The artist seems to hint at that in their afterword at least. Illustrations by Toji Aio were good, like always, showcasing the Japanese culture especially well.

Primal Mirror by Nalini Singh: review

5/5 stars on Goodreads

Primal Mirror by Nalini Singh

Primal Mirror is already eighth book in the Psy-Changeling Trinity spin-off series, 23rd in the overall series. The formula has remained the same from the beginning: the romance is set against the backdrop of the politics of the complicated near-future world that threatens the happily ever after. In the original series, the Psy were unchallenged overlords, but in the spin-off, they’re about to go extinct, their annihilation imminent in this book.

Remi Denier is a leopard changeling and the alpha of RainFire pack he’s started. The new pack doesn’t have a high position yet, but they have good connections with powerful groups. He has some trauma in his backstory, but he’s mostly worked them through and they don’t dominate his life or actions. All in all, a mature character and a great romantic hero.

Auden Scott is the daughter of the two worst councillors of the former ruling coalition of the Psys. They hadn’t been above experimenting with their child’s brain in order to give her a more active Psy trait than the one she was born with, which has caused her a permanent brain damage. After her parents’ death, she’s supposedly in charge of the family assets, but she’s all but a prisoner, suffering from memory losses. And she’s pregnant, with no recollection of giving consent to the IVF treatment (the Psy way to procreate).

The two meet by chance, and he’s instantly intrigued by her. She doesn’t know if she can trust him, but as her pregnancy progresses, her mind starts to clear—after a fashion. Because it soon becomes evident, that there are two minds inside her head competing for dominance, a deadly condition for a Psy. But she’s determined to protect her child, and so she decides to put her trust in Remi.

This was a good story. The conspiracy surrounding Auden was complicated and the medical problems weren’t easily solved. The romance progressed slowly, due to her pregnancy and mental condition, but it was lovely. The pack dynamics that are the salt of the series were wonderful, with great new characters introduced for future romances. Kit made an appearance, as did Kaleb. The final battle was rather quick, and the tension among the Psy about their impending mass extinction event didn’t quite come through, as if the ordinary people weren’t aware of it at all. The way it was once again postponed was a bit of a deus ex machina solution, but it worked for the book. Overall, the book left me warm and fuzzy, just like I hoped. This is one of my favourite series and looks like I won’t have to give it up any time soon.

Remnants of Filth: Yuwu Vol. 4 by Rou Bao Bu Chi Rou: review

5/5 stars on Goodreads 

Remnants of Filth vol 4 by Rou Bao Bu Chi Rou

Volume 4 was heartbreaking, more so, because it began with such a hopeful note. Gu Mang has his memories back and Mo Xi is starting to trust him again. All they need is to flee from the demon bat island and everything will be well. Except, Gu Mang is determined to push Mo Xi away. Even a night of passion brought on by a demonic potion affecting Gu Mang won’t change his mind.

The moment they return home, things start going wrong. Gu Mang is taken into custody for excruciating magical experiments. Mo Xi isn’t there, because he’s investigating the truth about Gu Mang. He learns it too, but almost destroys his own health in the process. The truth isn’t what he had thought, and it sets him against the emperor—never a good place to be. But it might be in vain, because Gu Mang may have lost his mind again. The book ends before we learn for sure.

This book was mostly from Gu Mang’s point of view. And it’s such a different story than the reader has been led to believe. The love story we’ve thought was one-sided was very real for him too. But he’s a realist and knows that a slave and a nobleman can never be together, and so he’s pretended to only toy with Mo Xi. Here, in his thoughts, he can confess his love. But he doesn’t reveal it to Mo Xi. For his part, Mo Xi, having learned the truth, is more willing than ever to declare his love publicly. Only, he never gets a chance to do that either.

This was an intense volume that wrung the reader dry. But at least there was the great spicy scene at the beginning of the book, and the knowledge that the men love one another. Now there’s the agonising wait to learn if it’s too late; whether Gu Mang has lost his mind for good or if there’s still hope for the men.