5. Mrs. Budley Falls from Grace. First sentence: "Of the five remaining members of the ton who were owners of the Poor Relation Hotel in Bond Street, Mrs. Eliza Budley was the least suited to their rackety life."
wiki Written by Marion Chesney
Some points:
- borrowed from lpl (B)
- This is a third volume of The Poor_Relation series of the author that I had read
the first volume last month and
the second volume last week.
- Mrs. Budley didn't have rich relatives, so they made up one for her and sent her to a perfect stranger so she could steal stuff!
- Obviously, things didn't go according to plan.
- Again, if one works at the hotel and wants to get, one must work in the kitchen!
Bottom line, reread? definitely. Recommend? If you like light-hearted Regency romance.
6. 1 volume of Simple Comme L'Amour (A Gentle Breeze in the Village, Tennen Kokekkō - 天然コケッコー).
wikiManga Updates Story and Art by Fusako Kuramochi
From Delcourt websiteSoyo Migita habite dans un petit village dont l'école ne compte pas plus de six élèves. Sa vie était paisible et sans encombre jusqu'à l'arrivée d'un nouvel étudiant au franc-parler venu de Tokyo, Hiromi Ôsawa. Au début les choses se passent mal : Ôsawa est un garçon prétentieux à la critique facile et rien ne semble le satisfaire. Pourtant, des baisers volés et une expédition mémorable en bord de mer vont changer tout ça...
Some points:
- Loosely translated: Soyo Migita lives in a small village school which has no more than six students. Her life was peaceful and without incident until the arrival of a new student outspoken come to Tokyo, Hiromi Osawa. At first things go wrong: Osawa is a pretentious boy fast to criticize (I'm not sure about this part) and nothing seems to satisfy him. Yet, stolen kisses and a memorable expedition on the sea will change all that ...
- I read about this series from
mangaconseil, and MU shows that it's a sojei. So I checked it out.
- It's a very small village, the whole school has only 6 students for all grades. There is a convenience store whose owner is also a barber/hair-dresser. During a story, there is a customer coming in to be shaved!
- I like the first chapter a lot. The way the students are excited while getting ready to welcome a new student.
- You know how things are fine, until someone new comes and some kids feel that they need to impress this newcomer from Tokyo and ashamed of how provincial they all are. Anyway, the author shows that ugly side of things and I don't like the main character anymore!
- It's funny at times :)
- There is a shy girl, who likes to draw and wants to be a mangaka. She even draws and submits her work. I like her. Her father owns the convenience store. There is a scene where she walks with the new boy, too shy to talk to him, she thinks up panels of manga and how her character would talk to a boy in the similar setting. That's cute. At the end, she never says anything!
- The art is minimal and not pretty. It would be easier read for me if the character designs are prettier - yes, I am shallow. You can read the sample
here.
- I'm not sure if I care to reread, but I'll get volume 2 to see how story progresses.
- Akadot has 14 volumes bundle
here for $70. I'm not sure I'd splurge all that for the whole series.
- One thing I know for sure that it's highly unlikely that it will be licensed in English.
Bottom line, remains to be seen.
7a. 4 volumes of Mlle Oishi (スクナヒコナ - Sukuna Hikona).
wiki
Manga Updates Story and Art by Q-ta Minami
From sakkaVol 1: Kon, 28 ans, accepte d’emménager avec Henmi, fraîchement divorcé. Son fiancé lui ayant demandé de cesser de travailler, Kon accepte, avant de se raviser. Et bien lui en prit : le jour même où elle est engagée dans une mercerie, son compagnon est licencié ! L’inactivité de son fiancé lui révèle alors un Henmi inattendu : endetté jusqu’au cou, et plus présent auprès de ses enfants que de sa petite amie… Q-ta Minami, auteur de Jeux d’enfant et de Adieu Midori, dépeint avec une justesse mélancolique la vie d’un couple confronté à la réalité. À l’image de Sukunahikona, divinité qui oeuvra à la création du Japon, Kon tente de construire un monde à deux. Saura-t-elle trouver celui qui l’y aidera ? Réponse dans le second volume, à paraître prochainement.
Vol 2: Tout juste de quitter l’égoïste Henmi quand elle croise Kaji, qui fait aussitôt battre son coeur. Mais la jeune femme, échaudée par sa désastreuse expérience récente, hésite à se lancer dans une relation sérieuse. Cependant, les sentiments ne se commandent pas… Et Kon s’attache chaque jour davantage à Kaji, lequel reste pourtant distant. Tout le contraire de la passion amoureuse qui unie Tetsu, l’ami coiffeur de Kon, et une collègue de celle-ci, Kataoka. Mais chaque histoire d’amour porte en elle son lot de déceptions, voire de drames… Q-ta Minami, auteur de Jeux d’enfant et de Adieu Midori, dépeint avec une justesse mélancolique la recherche de l’âme soeur par une jeune japonaise d’aujourd’hui. À l’image de Sukunahikona, divinité qui oeuvra à la création du Japon, Kon tente de construire un monde à deux. Saura-t-elle trouver celui qui l’y aidera ?
Vol 3: Kon file désormais le parfait amour avec Kaji. Tout n’est pas rose, cependant, pour notre héroïne : son ami Tetsu se remet difficilement de son agression par sa propre compagne, mais c’est surtout son petit frère, Yukari, qui semble près de sombrer dans la mélancolie. Kon lui apporte tout son soutien, avant de se retrouver elle-même confrontée à un drame aussi terrible qu’inattendu… Avec MLLE ÔISHI, l’auteur de Jeux d’enfant et de Adieu Midori, retrace avec une triste justesse la recherche de l’âme soeur par une jeune japonaise d’aujourd’hui. La fin de cette quête douloureuse dans le prochain et dernier volume.
Vol 4: Kon Ôishi peine à se remettre de la mort de son petit ami. Mais peu à peu, la jeune femme se rapproche, sans s’en rendre compte, de Tomio, son ami graphiste. Et si l’amour était au rendez-vous ? De fil en aiguille, les deux jeunes gens tissent une relation toujours plus étroite, qui leur apporte, très vite, une bien jolie surprise... L’existence de Kon prend alors une ampleur nouvelle. Q-ta Minami, l’auteur de Jeux d’enfant et de Adieu Midori, retrace avec justesse la recherche de l’âme soeur par une jeune japonaise d’aujourd’hui. Kon saurat-elle trouver l’homme avec qui construire sa vie ? La réponse dans ce quatrième et dernier volume !
Some points:
- Loosely translated: Vol 1: : Kon, 28, agrees to move in with Henmi, recently divorced. Her boyfriend asked her to stop working, Kon agrees before thinking carefully about it. Well it took: the same day she is engaged in a part-time position (I'm not sure what this "elle est engagée dans une mercerie" means but from the story, she got a part-time job, so ...), her companion is dismissed! The inactivity of the bridegroom reveals an unexpected Henmi: debt over his head, and now with his children as his girlfriend ... Q-ta Minami, author of Children's Games and Midori Farewell, depicts an accuracy sad life of a couple faced with the reality. Reflecting Sukunahikona, divinity that works in the creation of Japan, Kon tries to build a world for two. Will she find one who will help? Response in the second volume, forthcoming.
Vol 2: Just left the selfish Henmi when she meets Kaji, who makes her heart beating fast. But the young woman scalded by its disastrous recent experience, is reluctant to engage in a serious relationship. However, feelings do not control ... and Kon strives every day to Kaji, who is yet distant. The opposite of passion that unites Tetsu, a friend barber Kon, and her colleague, Kataoka. But every love story carries with it its share of disappointments and even tragedies ... Q-ta Minami, author of Children's Games and Midori Farewell, depicts a melancholy correctness finding your soul mate by a young Japanese of today. Reflecting Sukunahikona, divinity that works in the creation of Japan, Kon tries to build a world for two. Will she find one who will help?
Vol 3: Kon feels now perfect love with Kaji. All is not rosy, however, to our heroine: her friend Tetsu is recovering from his hard attack by his own company, but especially her little brother, Yukari, which seems almost sinking into melancholy. Kon fully supports him, before getting herself facing a terrible and unexpected tragedy ... with Miss Oishi, author of Children's Games and Farewell Midori, with a sad traces the quest for accuracy soul mate by a young Japanese today. The end of this painful quest in the next and final volume.
Vol 4: Oishi Kon is struggling to recover from the death of her boyfriend. But gradually, the young woman approaches, without realizing it, of Tomio, his friend graphic. And if love was the appointment? Leading to another, the two young people build a relationship ever closer, which gives them very quickly, pretty much a surprise ... The existence of Kon takes a new dimension. Q-ta Minami, author of Children's Games and Farewell Midori, accurately recounts the search for a soul mate by a young Japanese today. Kon Saurat she find the man who built his life? The answer in this fourth and final volume!
- I read about this series from
Manga Curmudgeon- Kon Oishi is like Ageha of V.B. Rose is that she's very creative and enjoys to make stuff handbags and clothes. She's 12 older so she has more mature problems! At the beginning, she doesn't have the awesome Mamoru to protect her. She does have a closed friend who cares about her though. Eventually she does have a very good and closed friend that she can run to emotionally.
- I read it in one sitting. It's a page turner. It's a good thing I have all 4 volumes. I told myself that I had to finish Simple comme l'amour first before I can read this one as a reward!
- Red flag raised for me as soon as her boyfriend told her to quit her job after they plan to get married.
- Kon has awesome parents, especially her mom.
- It's total sojei. There are indecisive actions and Kon gave deadbeat boyfriend too much credit. I'm glad she finally saw the truth and got out of there.
- There is stalking/obsession. Yeah, lots of stuff packed in 4 volumes.
- A character becomes depressed and self-destructive when disappointed in love, but later picked up.
- There is also grief similar to Simple and how the characters deal with aftermath and finally move on.
- There are gay and bi characters.
- It's interesting that the French changes the cover design and keeps the colors.
- The same publisher also publishes 2 of her one-volume stories. I'll check it out for sure.
- It's totally different from Butterflies, Flowers and similar to Professeur Eiji.
Bottom line, very interesting mature series.