From the back cover: Lately Kimihiro Watanuki's dreams have been pleasant escapes that have given him the chance to talk to his new friend Haruki Doumeki. But now he's falling asleep a lot—and starting to think his entire life with the witch Yuuko might be taking place in some kind of dreamworld. Then one night his dream is visited by a pretty princess named … [Read more...] about xxxHOLiC 12 by CLAMP: B+
Manga
Sand Chronicles 2 by Hinako Ashihara: A
From the back cover: Just when Ann has adjusted to life in the countryside—and even has a boyfriend!—her father invites her to live with him in Tokyo. Now she must choose between a father she hardly knows and a young man she is just beginning to know. But she soon discovers that they aren't the only ones vying for her affections! Review: In a recent post on his blog, David … [Read more...] about Sand Chronicles 2 by Hinako Ashihara: A
Maison Ikkoku 8 by Rumiko Takahashi: B
From the back cover: Godai's eavesdropping causes him to misunderstand Kyoko's words—again. This time, it's during Kyoko's visit to her former husband's graveside. A new wide-eyed tenant, Nozomu Nikaido, moves into room No. 2 and quickly causes trouble for the other Maison Ikkoku residents, especially Godai in his pursuit of Kyoko. Review: I was looking forward to Nozomu's … [Read more...] about Maison Ikkoku 8 by Rumiko Takahashi: B
Four Shōjo Stories by Keiko Nishi, Moto Hagio, and Shio Sato: B+
From the back cover: An unprecedented collection of stories by the greatest shōjo manga (girls' comics) artists of our time! In shōjo manga, a uniquely literary genre of Japanese comics, the relationships between characters are as meticulously crafted as the story's action. Shōjo artists are renowned for their visual innovations, as well. Experimenting with page layouts, … [Read more...] about Four Shōjo Stories by Keiko Nishi, Moto Hagio, and Shio Sato: B+
The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service 1 by Eiji Otsuka and Housui Yamazaki: B+
From the back cover: Five young students at a Buddhist university find that there's little call for their job skills in today's Tokyo... among the living, that is! But their studies give them a direct line to the dead—the dead who are still trapped in their corpses, and can't move on to their next reincarnation! Whether you died from suicide, murder, sickness, or madness, … [Read more...] about The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service 1 by Eiji Otsuka and Housui Yamazaki: B+