I already looked up おとなになっても (because obviously I did who did you think I was), but what’s ソマリと森の神様?
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Just a random iyashikei manga with nice artwork. I’m not sure if I’ll like it, hence why I only got one volume. Sometimes that kind of manga (or anime) bores me, but I figured I’d try it.
I should add that her art style has not changed a bit. It’s basically the same as 放浪息子 even though it’s been a while since that. The first two volumes were alright, but not what I was expecting. Wanted to get volume 4 as well, but it was out of stock, so I only got volume 3.
You should also look up the bottom second from left, まどかのひみつ. Just one volume for the whole thing. I’m guessing it’ll be brighter than 放浪息子, but I’ll be sure to share my opinion whenever I read it.
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Super nice artwork! 
I was neither bored not blown away by the content, but the art was so nice… I figured if I’m going to read on I’ll want to get the physical books based on that alone. Kind of on the fence whether it’s worth the extra cost shipping would add.
I’m kind of hoping you’ll like it and read on and then let us know whether you think it was worth it. 
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@Belerith I’ll be sure to let you know. I read Aria and とんがり帽子のアトリエ partly for the artwork, but I also found the world and characters interesting in those series. Good art alone isn’t enough to hold my interest.
Unrelated, but I think it’s funny when I’m the 11th person to add a manga (that was released three months ago) on Book Meter.
It’s a relatively new series in one of the Manga Time Kirara magazines, and I bought it just based on the ridiculous premise. But considering it made it long enough to publish a volume (about a year’s worth of chapters), I’m surprised it’s not at least a little more than that on Book Meter.
I also finished the second story in Night Market. Another let down. I know people liked it better than Night Market itself, and it was better. But I was still disappointed. Just like Night Market, I felt like it completely lost its way about halfway through. And also like Night Market, the reason was the long, drawn out, backstory. Finally, there was zero payoff in the end for both the main story and the backstory’s impact on the main story.
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I finished 伯爵と妖精 6! I thought it’d be a few more days, but I reached a point yesterday after which I couldn’t stop reading. It feels like maybe after finishing this book I’m at a natural pausing place, so we’ll see if I can do that. (peeks at #7’s subtitle)
Continuing keywords for each book
1 あいつは優雅な大悪党: mythical sword and merpeople
2 あまい罠には気をつけて: fog man and kidnappings
3 プロポーズはお手やわらかに: proposals, kelpie, moonstone
4 恋人は幽霊: spirits/possession, medium, selkies
5 呪いのダイヤに愛をこめて: diamonds and goblins
6 取り換えられたプリンセス: pirates, changelings, dragons
7 涙の秘密をおしえて: ?
Some thoughts through volume 6
I don’t know if anyone here would like the books at all, and for some reason it feels weird to speak so fondly of something that I am not necessarily recommending to those reading my thoughts. However, regardless of other people’s tastes, I’ve been thinking about why I personally like these books so much, because I like them so much, and here is what I’ve got figured out:
- the main characters are treated carefully and explored thoroughly, the side characters are great, and the new characters in each volume are there for more than just moving the volume’s plot along
- the relationships are complex, surprising, and change over time
- the romance is satisfying*
- the world-building is fun
- it’s funny (and sometimes heartbreaking)
- it’s exciting
- the stuff that happens matters and lands with oomph, with follow-up and consequences
*: This is where most people’s mileage will vary, I think, but it really works for me. I am continually surprised at how carefully it’s being developed. Sometimes I think UGH just do or say (some thing or other), why are you hesitating, and then a chapter or volume later I find out that actually, something I was taking for granted was not the case, and whatever character it was had been right to be hesitating. Things get explained and explored as time goes on, and none of our characters know everything, and neither do we as readers. We get to see inside people’s heads in a satisfying way. And the main male character is the overbearing, forceful, manipulative type, and instead of that just being handwaved as romantic swooniness, yay alpha male whatever, it’s criticized, complicated, and deconstructed, including by the character himself. (Notably, I think it is sometimes also meant to be swoony, but I’m here for that, too, in this context, with this character, at least for now.)
ALSO here is a list of my favorite characters. Since I have no one to talk to about these books, I will just talk to myself, lol. Yes, I need the emoji to express my feelings, look away.
-
リディア
-
ケルピー
- アーミン
- エドガー
- レイヴン
- ニコ
- ロタ (EMERGING FAVORITE)
- カールトン教授
- トムキンス
- that one kind noble lady whose name I forget and in googling for it almost spoiled myself terribly
ポール is good too, while コブラナイ needs to sit down and think about their choices. I didn’t include any villains, but the main villains are also good (/terrible).
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If you want low numbers, I can give you low numbers.
Volume 5 was published a year and a half ago, volume 7 almost 3 months ago. Previous books aren’t much better, with volume one being the only one above 100. Yet that series just keep going.
Yes, I feel like that’s really that author’s style. I do like it at times, but it can become too much.
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Let’s just say that I disliked both stories enough that I deleted 雷の季節の終わりに from my Amazon wishlist, despite the cool title. I don’t think I could take a full length novel from this author.
I forgot to comment on what I plan to read now. I actually started the original Foundation novel by Isaac Asimov a couple weeks ago, but got caught up doing other things. Now I plan to finish this book. I’ll probably read the rest of the original trilogy right after, assuming I like the first enough to keep going.
For Japanese, I’ll probably just read some manga while focusing on the English books, then most likely 魔法少女育成計画 book 2. I’ll finally get to see what progress I’ve made in the last year and a half with a direct comparison. (Also, reading on a kindle with built-in dictionary will help too.)
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manga of one of the best anime every made IMHO, too bad it got cancelled.
i think that’s because it’s on kindle unlimited
the last volume has the most reviews on amazon. maybe bookmeter users aren’t random people…
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Uh, but even though, it’s only ~150.
That’s a very low number of reviews as well.
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You may not be intending to recommend these books, but you are making me want to read them!
Point 1, 2, (3,) 4, and 7 especially are things I enjoy a lot. I put 3 in brackets because I don’t need romance in my stories, but if it’s there I, ah, prefer it to be actually good.
I really don’t need another series to read right now, but I am paying attention when you mention it. 
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I ended doing the 4 books one, thus reaching 100 活字 books read in < 365 days (using a sliding window rather than actual years, because it’s more convenient).
As a random celebration, the 100th book was 裏世界ピクニック 2 (still fun as well! The author is doing a good job at maintaining a nice level of horror, i.e. one that doesn’t go above my limits), and the “first” one was
… Sure, why not. 霧のむこうのふしぎな町 was also fun in its own way. Also, hey, I can see the beginning of the end ハメフラ as well! The one book that made me think “you know what, maybe LN are actually fun after all”. (More than I felt before, at least)
Anyway, that challenge is done. I hope you are proud of me now @Kumirei
I’m probably going to celebrate by just reading some more because I can’t stop 裏世界ピクニック right now.
Then probably 放浪息子 since I feel it might be okay to do so right now.
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Hello!
I am inexperienced with the wanikani forums and I hope it’s ok that I ask. But I am interested in participating in this reading challenge. Can I still participate, how would I do that?
Thank you.
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Proud of you, son
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Sure! Welcome!
The main limitation you have right now is that your user level is “basic” which does not allow you to edit posts. Once you have visited the forum a few days and posted a few more things, you should automatically upgrade to “member”.
Then, you just need to add your goals to the table in post 2 and update whenever feel like it.
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Thanks dad
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It seems I already have the ability to edit the post, or at least I seem to have the button for it.
Just another the question. The “yearly goal” is that amount of books or something else?
Thank you again.
You can see three tables in that post: “Books”, “Manga” and “Other” (this might be magazines, or games, or whatever you like to read).
For each table, the yearly goal is how many of that sort of things you are planning to read.
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Oh good then!
Yes, yearly goal is in the format of “how many you have read so far” / “how many you plan to read”.
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Yes, I saw that, but couldn’t quite figure out if it was chapters, books or whatnot. Thanks for clearing it up though!
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