Manga/Graphic Novel/Video Game Novel Challenge 2012-April Round Up!

This challenge is being hosted by Mother/Gamer/Writer.

 For more details on the challenge such as levels, guidelines, PRIZES!!!, just click here.

This post is to  link to all reviews of the books I've read for this challenge this month. To check out  books for this month read by other readers that are taking part in this challenge click here! 

So here's my round up of the reviews for April.  (Yes this month I actually have more than one review *GASP*) In fact I kinda got buried under a pile of Manga and had to read my way out so I think I am going to do multiples of this post  this month, so all the books aren't all smooshed together. 

So lets start with the first series Venus Vs Virus by Atsushi Takahana.  I kinda referred to it in my "M" post so if you read that then you already have an idea about how I feel about it.  But definitely check out the reviews to get my complete opinion!

Venus Vs. Virus Omnibus 1 (3 Volumes)

By: Atsushi Takahana

Amazon

Summery from Amazon:

Sumire Takahana is a seemingly normal school girl cursed with the ability to see malevolent ghosts known as "Viruses." Her life comes to a dramatic crossroads when she meets Lucia Nahashia, an eye-patch wearing, "gothic lolita"-clad monster killer for hire. Not content to stay on the sidelines while the Viruses prey on the weak, Sumire decides to join the Lucia in Venus Vanguard to hunt down Viruses before they can hurt anyone else.

But Sumire's battle with the Viruses has unforeseen consequences: a dark power wells up in her in a brutal berserker form! Lucia must stop Sumire from destroying all of Venus Vanguard without killing her friend. Meanwhile, Sumire's power attracts the attention of Sonaka, a mysterious who controls the Viruses, and watches, and waits, and plans...

My Review:

So this one was a really fun read.  It was nice and thick since it was 3 volumes in one, and it had some really nice artwork and full pieces to it.  I liked the dark elements as well as the whole goth style that the author worked in together.  Plus the stories were all nicely put together and there weren't any really confusing parts or parts that seemed to be missing. Plus at the end the author put in some really nice extras, and some of the reasons why she drew certain characters certain ways.  It still ends on a cliffie, which I dislike, but it is a series so I didn't really expect it to end differently.

The only thing about the book that really didn't mesh well with me was the whole lolita aspect. Click here to read the rest of my review. 

Venus Vs. Virus Volume 4

By: Atsushi Takahana

Amazon

Summery from Goodreads:

Sumire Takahana is a seemingly normal school girl cursed with the ability to see malevolent ghosts known as "Viruses." Her life hits a crossroads after a run-in with Lucia, a "gothic lolita" clad monster killer for hire. Not content to stay on the sidelines while these Viruses prey on the weak, Sumire decides to join forces with the mysterious, eyepatch-wearing Lucia to hunt down the Viruses before they can hurt anyone else.
Venus Versus Virus Vol. 4As Venus Vangard squares off against Sonoka's evil minions, Sumire's berserker powers spiral out of control...and it's Lucia who's caught in the middle!

My Review:

I know in my review of the omnibus of the first 3 volumes that I said I had some issues with the whole lolita genre part of this series...Yeah, still having issues with that.  Still pause a moment when the age of the main characters is mentioned. But OMG! The story on this one, sooo draws me in.  I can't help it.  And I LOVE the artwork! The detailed work is fantastic.  Especially the backgrounds.  It's detailed without being cluttered. Even the simpler pieces.  Ones without the extra background detail are striking.  (I'm not saying every single frame is perfect, but the majority are really good) Click here to read the rest of my review.

So that is it for part one of the Manga/Graphic Novel/Video Game Novel Challenge-April Round-up.

Be sure to stop by tomorrow for part 2!