It feels like I last read Rurouni Kenshin eons ago, even though it's only been five years since the US edition came to an end. The siren call of a potential reread has been increasing in volume lately and finally, I could take it no more. Joined by my friend and fellow Kenshin fan, K, I'm yielding to temptation and diving back in! Over the course of the next few months, I'll be … [Read more...] about Rurouni Kenshin 1-6 by Nobuhiro Watsuki: B+
Historical Fiction
Barefoot Gen 1 Keiji Nakazawa: B
From the back cover: Barefoot Gen is the powerful, tragic story of the bombing of Hiroshima, seen through the eyes of the artist as a young boy growing up in a Japanese anti-militarist family. Of particular interest is Barefoot Gen's focus on family in a militarized culture, and the special problems which they encounter. Barefoot Gen brings home the reality of an event in our … [Read more...] about Barefoot Gen 1 Keiji Nakazawa: B
The Green Glass Sea by Ellen Klages: A-
From the back cover: It is 1943, and while war consumes the United States and the world, eleven-year-old Dewey Kerrigan lives with her father in a town that—officially—doesn't exist: Los Alamos, New Mexico. Famous scientists and mathematicians, including Dewey's father, work around the clock on a secret project everyone there calls only “the gadget.” Meanwhile, Dewey works on … [Read more...] about The Green Glass Sea by Ellen Klages: A-
Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos by R. L. LaFevers: B-
From the back cover: “Frankly, I'm not fond of surprises, as ones around here tend to be rather wicked.” For poor Theodosia, however, surprises abound. She spends most of her time at the Museum of Legends and Antiquities in London. There, all the artifacts that her parents dig up around the world are put on display and studied. But what her parents can't see—and what Theodosia … [Read more...] about Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos by R. L. LaFevers: B-
Betsy-Tacy by Maud Hart Lovelace: A
From the back cover: There are lots of children on Hill Street, but no little girls Betsy's age. So when a new family moves into the house across the street, Betsy hopes they will have a little girl she can play with. Sure enough, they do—a little girl named Tacy. And from the moment they meet at Betsy's fifth birthday party, Betsy and Tacy become such good friends that … [Read more...] about Betsy-Tacy by Maud Hart Lovelace: A