I am trying to fight off some pestilence caught from someone at work, and am feeling a definite lack of energy.  I haven’t done much for the past few days other than nap, read, and suffer through long days at work, wishing I was home and in bed.  Zicam fixes have replaced a yearning for chocolate peanut butter ice cream, and that’s sooo sad.  Please forgive me for these brief observations of the following - hopefully I’ll soon be ready to tackle a longer, more thought provoking review.

Aqua Vol 2 by Koue Amano - TOKYOPOP 

Back on the planet Aqua, Akari continues her quest to become a gondolier in New Venezia.  It’s been six months since she arrived, and she’s starting to feel quite at home, working with Alicia at Aria Company.  Meeting new customers and training with her friends, her days a packed as the seasons slowly drift by.

Aqua’s slice of life adventures won’t be for everyone, but I am finding a lot to like about this series.  I especially enjoyed the chapters with President Aria, as the plump kitty ran away from home and, later, tried to emulate a television hero.  So cute!  The illustrations convincingly portray a beautiful, watery paradise, and the characters continue to charm.  Huffy Aika is a favorite, as she tries to remain unaffected by Akari’s unbridled enthusiasm, yet is caught up in it every time. 

Grade: B 

Thirsty for Love by Yukine Honami & Satosumi Takeguchi - Junè

Orie is in love with Yuka, his first real girlfriend.  His blissful happiness soon turns to confusion, as he learns that Yuka has not one, but two other boyfriends.  When Yuka dies suddenly, will their grief pull them together, or tear them apart?

I didn’t care for this story at all.  The characters were less than likeable, especially Suguru, and Yuka came across as selfish and flighty.  Orie, a basketball player, admires the older Suguru, and longs to play on the same court with him.  When Suguru learns that Orie is also seeing Yuka, he becomes cold and distant.  After Yuka’s death, the two clash constantly, as Suguru, seeking an outlet for his grief, lashes out at Orie, blaming him for the loss of Yuka.  The happy go lucky Tatsumi, the third boyfriend, appears the least effected by events, but the very different young men all struggle to come to terms with Yuka’s sudden passing.

This is an interesting concept, but I didn’t care for the execution.  There was a lot of powerful emotion, but it just sputtered aimlessly along. 

Grade: C

Review copy provided by Junè

Sweet Admiration, written by Yuuki  Kousaka, illustrated by Midori Shena, translated by Andria Cheng - Junè.

Katsuya fell in love with his friend’s older brother, and twelve years later, he moves to Tokyo, accepting a position at the company that Shio helped to create.  Nothing works out quite as Katsuya expected; the promised company housing falls through, and he learns that Shio only rarely visits the office.  When the president informs Katsuya that he’s to move into Shio’s apartment and be his roommate, Katsuya wonders if he’ll finally have an opportunity to let Shio know how much he cares for him.

Katsuya has a more boring life than I do.  All he seems to do is cook and work.  And try to score brownie points with Shio by being the perfect housewife.  This novel crawled along at a snail’s pace, and out of the blue threw in a romantic complication just as things were starting to look like smooth sailing for Katsuya and Shio.  The entire sub-plot with Shio’s little brother Takamasa left me unconvinced about their relationship.  Still, Katsuya was a sweet guy - he was just stuck in a boring book. 

Grade: C-

Review copy provided by Junè