Witchnapped in Westerham (Paranormal Investigation Bureau book 1 (read for fun)

When I read the blurb on the back, I was expecting that to be the set-up. You know, all that stuff in the first couple of chapters. Instead, it's more like a synopsis of 80% of the book. The story takes its time getting started, and the protagonist is a Pinball Protagonist until the final act, and then gets literally shoved into a passive role for the rest of the book. 

The scenic detail is nice and seamlessly integrated into the narration because the protagonist is a professional photographer. Also, I appreciate the lack of twists for the sake of twists. My genre savvy told me that Angelica would be the mastermind or involved in the scheme somehow, but she is exactly what she told Lily she was from the start. The actual culprit is very obvious, which I found refreshing. It's a more satisfying culmination in the climax that way. 

Personally, it feels like mystery-box gimmicks and plot contrivance are the only reasons that this book extends for basically two hundred pages. 

Trickster Eric Novels gives "Witchnapped in Westerham (Paranormal Investigation Bureau book 1" a C-

Click here for my next book review:  Read for fun: Shadow Guard - a Second Guard novel 

Click here for my previous book review: Read for Fun - Sword Art Online - Alicization Uniting" Volume 14

Brian Wilkerson is an independent novelist, freelance book reviewer, and writing advice blogger. He studied at the University of Minnesota and came away with bachelor's degrees in English Literature and History (Classical Mediterranean Period concentration).

His fantasy series, Journey to Chaos, is currently available on Amazon as an ebook or paperback.

Lizzie Newton - Victorian Mysteries V1

This is something I picked up on a whim while browsing my local library. It stars a mystery novelist and her steward/fiancé/personal barrister solving real mysteries during the Victorian era of England. 

It is a fun read. The art is great and the story is good, too. Perhaps that is a good way to put it, the art is better than the story. 

The art is consistency good through the volume. It can't be easy to draw all these Victorian era outfits on every page, and the staging of the cells in a manga is always an artform itself. So, the art is great.  I enjoy the character, the setting, and the presentation of the mystery. The chemical experiment in the climax is worthy of being the climax when it is presented like this. 

The story is good. It makes sense internally. It develops naturally. It has a suitably mysterious start and a great establishment for its protagonist. I think, for me, the issue lies in how the book feels disjointed.

 It's like it is half VIctorian-era romance and half mystery. First, it's all about gossip, marriage matches and the expectations of gender and social class, and then it's all about the mystery. Then the mystery is dropped entirely for the two leads to bicker about what is and isn't appropriate behavior, and the mystery might not have returned if not for the police visit.  Which has its own issues. 

I'm not speaking poorly of the story. Like I said, it is a fun read. It just feels like I'm reading two genres separately. 

Trickster Eric Novels gives Lizzie Newton -  Victorian Mysteries V1 a B+

Click here for my next book review: Ultra Kaiju - Humanization Project - volume 1

Click here for my previous book review:  Scarlet Soul volume 1

Brian Wilkerson is an independent novelist, freelance book reviewer, and writing advice blogger. He studied at the University of Minnesota and came away with bachelor's degrees in English Literature and History (Classical Mediterranean Period concentration).

His fantasy series, Journey to Chaos, is currently available on Amazon as an ebook or paperback.

Spiral - Bonds of Reasoning, volume 1

I found this at my local library when I was looking for a different series entirely. I picked it up on a whim. I'm glad I did because I like it. 

This is a mystery series. It focuses on Ayumu Narumi, the younger brother of a famous detective. Said famous detective went missing researching the mystery of "The Blade Children", and the first chapter opens with Ayumu unwittingly getting involved in a case connected to these "Blade Children". 

There are three mysteries here, and the first two are presented in full. The third is a cliffhanger. I feel like this might be a thing going forwards, and that annoys me. I don't like cliffhangers. However, I get the feeling that this is not a hanging-from-the-cliff sort of cliffhanger. It feels more like a commercial break prior to The Summation. Like in Detective Conan, the show would present all the clues, indicate that Conan has solved the mystery, and then give the audience time to figure it out on their own. So in that case, the cliffhanger is fine. 

The mysteries are fine, suspenseful and clever and all, but what I like is Ayumu's supporting cast. I feel like Ayumu's interactions with the people in his life are where this manga shines.  The way Ayumu bickers with and yet shows concern for Madoka, one would think they would were blood-siblings rather than sibling-in-laws (Madoka being the wife of his missing older brother).  Also, his interactions with his sidekick, Hiyono, are always entertaining. Truly, they are my favorite part of this manga. It is a classic Energetic Girl and Savvy Guy pair, but it is greater than that. Hiyono, for instance, initially struck me as bubbly comedic relief; someone who would not contribute to the plot itself. She's actually really good at intel gathering, and Ayumu relies on her to find the information he needs to solve these cases. 

The art looks good. Hiyono is adorable, but the art style itself isn't focused on being cute, so it can look solid and/or serious as necessary for the right mood. 

If I had to point out a flaw, then it would be the lack of information about the "Blade Children". There is no information about them other than Ayumu's brother going missing searching about them, and something nebulous about a curse. This series doesn't show any other supernatural elements, so I'm not sure if this "curse" is really a legitimate curse. 

It feels like a macguffin, you know? Just something to link the mysteries together into one story. From what is in this volume alone, I get the impression the mystery of the Blade Children will never be solved. 

Trickster Eric Novels gives Spiral - Bonds of Reasoning, volume 1 a B+

Click here for my next book review: Sword Art Online Girls' Ops volume one

Click here for my previous book review: Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes

Brian Wilkerson is a independent novelist, freelance book reviewer, and writing advice blogger. He studied at the University of Minnesota and came away with bachelor degrees in English Literature and History (Classical Mediterranean Period concentration).

His fantasy series, Journey to Chaos, is currently available on Amazon as an ebook or paperback.