#nmreview — Public Fediverse posts

#Review: #ReformingAnIcyFinalBoss: Getting Back at the Self-Proclaimed Villainess with the Power of Friendship Vol. 1 (#IcyBoss)

#LightNovel by #Takamedou
English Pub: #JNovelClub (1-9): (7 Entertaining)
#Fantasy #Isakai (sort of)

Angelina Grey—the self-proclaimed villainess—is isekaied into her favorite otome. But despite her beliefs, she is not the person the world revolves around. Milly Asteara, the ‘Icy Final Boss’ is.

IcyBoss is reminiscent of “My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!” (Hamafura). Milly, an intelligent, powerful magic user, and total social baka, discovers the power of friendship. Like Katrina Klaus (Bakarina), she has powerful charisma, which hinders her from becoming the badass delinquent villainess she dreams of. But that’s okay as she gathers her flock of friends and locks horns with Angelian Grey.

This was a lot of fun to read. It missed a higher score due to some moments where I was knocked out of the story by interactions that didn’t ring true, as well as the shallow portrayal of Angelina.

Volume 2 is already streaming in prepubs, and I can’t wait for all the chapters to be available.

Volume 1 is free for J-Novel Club members until 26/02/16
Volume 2 is free for J-Novel Club members until 26/04/15
Digital release: 26/01/11 & 26/03/17

(This review is based on the digital pre-publication version.)

Link to “Reforming an Icy Final Boss:” J-Novel Club

#NMReview #AmReading #bookstodon #Books

#Review: Nia Liston: The Merciless Maiden Vol. 8 (#NiaListon)

#LightNovel by #UmikazeMinamino
English Pub: #JNovelClub Rating (1-9): (7 Worth following)
#Isakai #Fantasy #MarialArts

Volume 8 concludes the martial arts tournament arc. I have never been a fan of tournament fiction with its blow-by-blow descriptions of combat moves or game mechanics. That said, I found this volume to be passable. The combat scenes are varied and brief. There is enjoyable background action taking place. I had some guesses about who the winners were, but I wasn't completely sure until the end. Finally, the previous seven volumes had built up my investment in the characters and outcomes. Overall, I enjoyed it.

Nia Liston's quirky first-person narrative remains interesting. Her naïveté and egotism are still interesting, even if some of the stock lines are getting threadbare.

Hints of future plot lines are sprinkled throughout, showing that the author has thought about where to take things next. The volume ends with a surprising and interesting twist. Sorry, no spoilers here!

Volume 8 is free to read for members of J-Novel Club until 12/17/25. Digital release: 1/15/26

(This review is based on the digital pre-publication version.)

Link to NiaListon: j-novel.club

#AmReading #bookstodon #NMReview #NiaListonTheMercilessMaiden

#Review: This Gyaru’s Got a Thing for...Vampire Hunters?! Vol. 2 (#GyuVam)

#LightNovel by #WasanKurata
English Pub: #JNovelClub
Rating (1-9): (8 Worth following)
#CGDCT #UrbanFantasy

There are many reasons why I shouldn't give this a high rating, but the truth is that I was glued to both volumes by the second chapter. Reviews are subjective, and this one is based on my reaction.

At its heart, GyaVam is a CGDCT (Cute Girls Doing Cute Things). Yes, there are battles and supernatural events, but readers looking for those elements will be disappointed. This volume is about Ruka (gyaru) taking Ginku (vampire-hunter) shopping for swimsuits, and then Ruka and her friends going to the beach. Ruka uses the power of Gyaru and Friendship to convince the antagonists to change their ways.

One of this book's charms is that I haven't read many light novels like it. And I read a lot of female protag light novels. Even if there were, I would find the writing reasonable and charming.

Is it yuri? It's about the relationship between women, which is romance-adjacent. The yuri subtext is strong, but it seems unlikely that it will drift into full-scale romance territory. Either that, or we're on the track of a very slow-burn yuri.

In summary, it's a pleasant, light read for escapism. If you like slice-of-life or CGDCT, it's worth reading the first three chapters, at least. Don't give up at first. It takes a while for the charm to win you over. At least it did for me.

Volume 2 is free to read for members of J-Novel Club until 12/15/25.
Digital release: 11/20/25

Link to GyuVam:

#AmReading #bookstodon #Yuri #NMReview #ThisGyarusGotAThingForVampireHunters?!

#WordWeavers 07.13.2025 Do you regularly write reviews of others' work or promote them?

I sporadically write reviews. It's hard to maintain because I have exotic tastes. So the work of writing a good review doesn't seem to balance against a zero readership. If it's just for me, I don't have to go to work. Do I promote them, as best I can? Again, the number of people interested in what I like seems small.

Some of my reviews below:

• The Apothecary Diaries # 14
• Taking My Reincarnation One Step at a Time: No One Told Me There Would Be Monsters! v.1
• Culinary Chronicles of the Court Flower v.1

#NMWW #NMPrompts #NMReview

Review: The Apothecary Diaries # 14 (Prepub version)
A Light Novel by Natsu Hyuuga
English Pub: J Novel Club Japan: Square Enix
Rating (1-9): 9 (S-Class)

This is one of the light novel series I closely follow. The story of an apothecary with a taste for self-inflicted poisoning and a myopic obsession with her profession.

AND after 15 volumes, it is still a favorite.

Maomoa, the MC, is still charming and quirky. And in this volume, she solves 3 mysteries and turns the tables on Jinshi, no longer pursued but pursuing.

And Chue, the sinister clown, is back in full color. With a promise of more to come. A delightful character.

If you want details on the series, you can read my review of volume 12. https://sakurajima.moe/@NaraMoore/113166037740646137

https://j-novel.club/series/the-apothecary-diaries
Review based on pre-pub version available until 25/06/16
Digital release 25/05/29

#TheApothecaryDiaries #薬屋のひとりごと #LightNovel #JNovelClub #Review #NatsuHyuuga #SquareEnix #NMReview #Mystery #ChineseCourt

#Review: Taking My Reincarnation One Step at a Time: No One Told Me There Would Be Monsters! v.1

#LightNovel #Kaya
English Pub: #JNovelClub
Rating (1-9): 7 (Worth following)

#Isekai #Fantasy

A surprisingly good, though shallow book. Let’s start with the first thing that pops into my head. It’s an isekai, bad start. But that trope mainly serves for characterization and background. We will have to see where her powers take her, but so far, coming from Japan hasn’t helped her much. Next, I said it was shallow. True, but many entertaining books are shallow; the characters are charming, the world-building is interesting, and background information is doled out slowly and naturally. As an author, I noted how the author has avoided an info dump and slowly dished out information. You’re never left scratching your head, but like the MC, you say, “Hum, I wonder why that is.”

The MC, Sara, has strong powers and could become overpowered as the series continues. Currently, that isn’t a problem. Seven volumes are available in English, and another is in translation. It will be interesting to see if the author can keep superpowers from overwhelming the story’s charm. Given how they handled the gradual introduction of information, I am hopeful.

There is no romance so far, A+ in my book, but possibly some yuri subtext, most likely of the onee-sama type. The story mixes slice-of-life and light adventure, leaning toward the former. Sara doesn’t aspire to be a Hunter (adventurer); instead, she has an eye on alchemy. Will the universe force her into her expected niche, dungeon crawling?

Summary: A pleasant light read for escapism. If the author maintains its light tone, it will stay on my read-as-available list.

Volumes 1-7 are free to read for members of J-Novel Club until 5/31/25. Volume 8 is currently in pre-pub and is free to read until 8/15/25.

https://j-novel.club/series/taking-my-reincarnation-one-step-at-a-time

#AmReading @bookstodon #NMReview

#Review: Culinary Chronicles of the Court Flower v.1

#LightNovel #MiriMikawa
English Pub: #JNovelClub
Rating (1-9) 6 (Good)
#Romance #Fantasy AU Chinese Royal Court

Rimi has one skill and one place in the world - Cooking. Sent as a tribute to the royal court on the mainland, she needs to find a new place.

Reminiscent of “The Apothecary Diaries" CCCF is a charming if slightly clumsily handled tale of a woman finding her place and love in the back palace of an AU Chinese Royal Court. The characters are pleasant even if their relationships contrived. (Who insults the Emperor and lives?) It is a good read for anyone who likes series like “The Apothecary Diaries” or “My Perfect Marriage.” Not of the same quality but still worthwhile.

The art, on the other hand, is outstanding. Beautifully rendered with lovely detail. I am sure they pull my estimate of the series up a full point.

The series is complete at 11 volumes and currently free to read for members of J-Novel Club.

https://j-novel.club/series/culinary-chronicles-of-the-court-flower

#AmReading @bookstodon #NMReview

#Review: My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!
#LightNovel Satatoru Yamaguchi
English Pub: #JNovelClub
Rating (1-9) 6 (Good)

Like most long series, this one is uneven with the first few volumes being the best. (13 volumes released in English and 14 in prepubs.) It’s a well-used plot Katarina Claes suddenly remembers her prior life and realizes she is the villainess in an otome. The first few volumes are excellent with a good dose of blatant subtext yuri. When Katarina (Bakarina) survives all the game’s death flags, winning the hearts of all the characters on the way, the author loses focus on what made the series good to begin with. I almost gave up on it. Then the author picks up the tone again, and the series regains its footing. Bakarina, through charisma, luck, and lots of friends: surviving adventures, surmounting death flags, and all the while remains clueless. Yuri, unfortunately, becomes a faint echo of the beginning.

https://j-novel.club/series/my-next-life-as-a-villainess-all-routes-lead-to-doom

#MyNextLifeAsAVillainessAllRoutesLeadToDoom #Bakarina #SatatoruYamaguchi #Fantasy #NMReview

#Review: The Apothecary Diaries # 12 (Prepub version)
A #LightNovel by Natsu Hyuuga
Publisher: #JNovelClub & Square Enix

This is one of the light novel series I closely follow. The story of an apothecary with a taste for self-inflicted poisoning, and myopic obsession with her profession.

As we reach volume 12, it remains a favorite: well written, retaining its original charm; while the character remaining true to design. Which is a significant achievement. I recently finished another series where the books devolved into endless descriptions of the battles of the good vs. evil.

Maomao, our MC, is pleasantly quirky, brilliantly myopic, self-absorbed, and charmingly human. This is no over powered character. At times, her brilliance seems unrealistic, but she is not an over powered character. Life would be so much easier if she didn’t blindly walk into traps or could be bothered to act strategically. The side characters are charming, and it is easy to root for them. In this volume, we get a wonderful backstory for Chuu, the scheming clown. We don’t see much of Jinshi. Which serves to slow down the already glacial speed of the romance.This is one of my three favorite LN series. I have enjoyed every volume and look forward to the future volumes.

(This review is based on the pre-published version available to J-Novel Club premium members.)

#TheApothecaryDiaries #薬屋のひとりごと #LightNovel #JNovelClub #Review #NatsuHyuuga #SquareEnix #NMReview