Review: THE SECRET NOTES OF LADY KANAKO

Let's end this month with an unjustly overlooked shojo series from the dying days of Tokyopop.

THE SECRET NOTES OF LADY KANAKO (Warau Kanoko-sama), by Airiku Tsujita.  First published in 2007 and first published in North America in 2010.

PLOT:

Kanako lives for drama.  Her personal desire to track and observe all the secret relationships, passive-aggressive rivalries, and general misbehavior of her classmates verges upon an obsession.  In the name of objectivity, Kanako keeps her distance from her classmates.  Unfortunately, she finds herself caught up in her own drama, and her hatred of bullies overweighs her need for objective distance.  That's when Kanako uses her notes to dish out a bit of justice.

Review: READ OR DREAM (R.O.D.)

 I've never been shy about my fondness for Read Or Die.  Hell, for years my choice of online avatar was usually some form of Yomiko Readman.  But my fondness for this franchise only goes so far...

READ OR DREAM (R.O.D.), written by Hideyuki Kurata with art by Ran Ayanaga.  First published in 2003 and first published in North America in 2006.

PLOT:

The Paper Sisters Detective Agency is made up of three members.  There's Michelle, the eldest member, who is the most romantic, optimistic, and obsessive of the lot.  There's Maggie, the quiet, dreamy, androgynous one in the middle.  Then there's Anita, the youngest, a spunky tomboy who actually doesn't like to read.  While they are not related by blood, they are all united by two things: the ability to control paper and their commitment towards solving any and all book-related mysteries, even if they also happen to involve estranged family members, sick kids, and the occasional alien.

Review: THE SAINT'S MAGIC POWER IS OMNIPOTENT

OK, it's time to shake off the holiday hangover, look forward to my birthday at the end of the month and enjoy another month of Dealer's Choice reviews.  There's no theme connecting these reviews beyond "I want to talk about them," and we're starting with another lady-led slow life kind of isekai book.

THE SAINT'S MAGIC POWER IS OMNIPOTENT (Seijo no Maryoku ha Banno Desu), based on the light novels by Yuka Tachibana and character designs by Yasuyuki Syuri, with art by Fujiazuki.  First published in 2018 and first published in North America in 2020.

PLOT:

Sei was just another overworked office drone coming home to an empty apartment when all of a sudden she was transported to another world alongside an unknown teen girl.  While the teen girl was whisked off to become the destined Saint of legend, Sei was left to her own devices.  A trip through the castle gardens leads her to the Royal Research Institute, where Sei turns out to have a knack for potion-making.  She soon finds herself applying her skills in all sorts of new directions, winning over not just her fellow researchers but also the hunky captain of the royal guard.