MANGA REVIEW: Marrying the Dark Knight (For Her Money)

MARRYING THE DARK KNIGHT (FOR HER MONEY) Vol. 1
by Sometime; created by Suoh
Available now

I don't always have my finger on the pulse of BookTok, but I have it on good authority that "enemies to lovers" is pretty hot right now. Enter Marrying the Dark Knight (For Her Money): the story of a struggling noble who marries a fearsome knight in order to earn enough money to save her ailing sister. The twist? The knight in question is secretly a woman, and no one must ever know!

Clarice is the daughter of a debt-riddled noble and the doting elder sister of the sickly Charlotte. Clarice would do literally anything for her little sister, even marry the most fearsome knight in the kingdom, Frost von Galleria. The wedding is interrupted by a battle, and the nuptial night is called off with a note pinned to the bedroom door (with three daggers). But Clarice is determined to thaw Frost's heart, and barging into the bedroom reveals that the always-armored Frost is actually a woman. But women aren't allowed to be knights, and even the king doesn't know Frost's true identity. To keep her head attached to her body, Clarice insists she's fallen madly in love with Frost, and thus would never reveal her secret.

What comes next, at least in the five chapters included in Volume 1, is a mad dash to win Frost over — both to get her inheritance and to not die. From convincing the four remaining terrified maids to play along to cooking delicious dinners, Clarice tries everything to keep Frost on her good side. But as she fights to save both Charlotte's life and her own, Clarice comes to a realization: Frost is kind of sweet, actually.

This genre-blending series combines gory dark fantasy with surprisingly adorable romantic comedy. Surprisingly (and pleasingly), Sometime's art suits both sides of the narrative. Combat is grim, gritty, and elaborate; at-home scenes are extremely cute. And neither feels out of place or "wrong" for its art style. Despite the narrative being driven by her need for money, Clarice is actually an extremely likable character with a big heart. If you like dark fantasy, this will be a great palate-cleanser between adventures; if you like romance, this will give you a bit more than the usual fluff to enjoy.

TEA PAIRING: A Date with Mr. Darcy
Clarice manages to impress Frost with her tea-making skills, and I like to imagine this floral/vanilla Earl Grey is the sort of thing she serves. It's also one of my favorite blends in the catalog, inspired by another cute and turbulent romance. Use my code KARA15 for 15% off this and other teas from Chapters Tea & Co.!

MANGA REVIEW: Perfectly Fine on My Own, So My Fiancé Can Twist in the Wind Vol. 1

PERFECTLY FINE ON MY OWN, SO MY FIANCÉ CAN TWIST IN THE WIND Volume 1
by Yahiro Arase, illustrated by Jun Hareta
Available now

Long-time readers know how I feel about "Like X meets Y" and "perfect for fans of Z" descriptions on new books. They risk being reductive, but they can still be helpful provided they're actually accurate and not just riding on the name of the current hotness. Seeing this rom-com manga labeled as "perfect for fans of Bridgerton" made me wary for this very reason. But honestly, having read the first volume, it scans... though I would describe is as "perfect for fans of Bridgerton who want to see what would happen if the characters took action sooner."

Nicole is a noblewoman betrothed to marry the handsome Keios, but the arrangement feels like anything but a love match. He seems to only have eyes for his childhood friend Caroline: a beautiful princess betrothed to another. After being ignored one too many times, Nicole decides enough is enough. If her fiancé truly has no place in his heart for her, she'll stay out of his way. Now, she's learning to enjoy solitude: visiting markets alone, making new friends to spend lunchtime with, and finally getting time to do some serious reading.

So, she got away from her neglectful husband-to-be. Great news, right? Well, not all is as it seems. Because, as it happens, Nicole's move to isolate herself was exactly the kick in the pants Keios needed to realize what was going on. The assumptions she made about Keios's feelings may have been extremely understandable, but they might not be accurate. And it might be time for childhood friend Caroline to weigh in.

I was pleasantly surprised by this first volume. I'm always a proponent of anime and manga heroines living their best life at all costs, and I came into this expecting a much more adversarial story. The Bridgerton comparison is apt because much of the plot is progressed by high society gossip and serial miscommunication. But unlike Bridgerton, the problem is identified and addressed relatively quickly, and the miscommunication creates gentle humor rather than stakes.

It looks like this series clocks in at a total of two volumes, so this is a good palate cleanser between period dramas. And the art is utterly adorable, too.

TEA PAIRING: Picnic at Pemberley
This floral green inspired by Pride and Prejudice would be perfect alongside this romantic comedy of errors. Use my code KARA15 for 15% off this and other book-inspired teas from Chapters Tea & Co.!

BOOK REVIEW: Ramin Abbas Has MAJOR Questions

 

RAMIN ABBAS HAS MAJOR QUESTIONS
by Ahmad Saber
Available March 3

Faith is extremely important to Ramin Abbas and his family, to the point that he and his brother go to an all-Muslim high school. Ramin values his relationship with Allah, but he's conflicted. He loves to listen to music, especially the Wicked soundtrack. He can't understand how a God depicted as forgiving could threaten humanity with all the punishments in the Quran. And — worst of all — he likes boys.

So far, Ramin has pushed it all down, focusing on his faith and his commitment to getting into a good medical school. But everything threatens to fall apart when he must join the school soccer team to make up his physical education credits at the last minute. While that means more time with his secret crush, it also means he's firmly in the sights of his long-time bully, who wants revenge on the team. If Ramin doesn't promise to throw the game, his secret could be out to his deeply religious teachers and classmates. As he navigates the seemingly disparate aspects of his life, a growing friendship with two classmates helps him put things in perspective.

As someone who's more educated in Orthodox Christianity than Muslim beliefs, I appreciated how up front this book was about certain topics: division of the sexes, prayer times, and whether listening to music actually is haram. Most of all, though, I appreciated that this was a story about someone who wants and values a relationship with God. A lot of narratives throw faith under the bus entirely, and for some readers that may be relatable or what they need or want to see. But it's wonderful to read a book populated by legitimately, wholeheartedly spiritual people trying to make sense of themselves in the human world.

Also, as someone from a Lebanese family, I was wild for the vivid food descriptions. Not a deep observation, but something that made me feel very much at home.

TEA PAIRING: Caramel Cabin
Later in the book, Ramin finds a second family with twin brothers Omar and Mahir and their parents. That open coziness, as well as the description of an amazing toffee pudding, puts me in mind of this sweet fall blend. Use my code KARA15 for 15% off this and other book-inspired teas from Chapters Tea & Co.!

MANGA REVIEW: Blades of the Guardians Vol. 1

 

BLADES OF THE GUARDIANS Vol. 1
by Xu Xianzhe
Available March 3

Youxia were folk heroes in ancient Chinese literature, something akin to a knight-errant in Western stories. One such character, Dao Ma, sits at the center of the intense new Chinese series Blades of the Guardians. A little bit spaghetti Western, a little bit Kurosawa classic, and a lot of action, this first volume drags you right in and never lets go.

Dao Ma has only two concerns: bring in his bounty and protect his young charge Qi. While the stories he moves through in this early volume are human and heart-rending, that is his place in them. He's dangerous and driven, but he has to be. Because while the manga's first arc deals primarily with human bounties, everything after starts to get downright paranormal.

Blades of the Guardians lays its groundwork on historical action before introducing the malevolent beings known as rakshasa. Xianzhe's art is perfect for the tense, gritty story the comic tells. If you aren't good with gore, be warned: Dao Ma thinks nothing of sending limbs flying when he's in combat. But if you (like me) are a fan of intense stories with equally visceral art, this is one to pick up.

Normally I'm leery of "for fans of" taglines since they can get reductive for the sake of name-checking a bigger hit. But calling this a must-read for fans of The Mandalorian is spot-on, and not just because it stars a wandering fighter with a kid. The action, the slow reveal that Dao Ma has a massive looming past, and that dedication to exploring the world of the common people in the midst of grander historical events are all present. It's all the things that tie together Westerns and samurai films. If you're a fan of either or both, you will be a fan of this.

TEA PAIRING: Spice Chai Mélange
Maybe it's the desert. Maybe it's just how intense the story is against a backdrop of supernatural beasts... actually, no, it's the desert for sure. This caffeine-free chai blend is a strong and spicy one, perfect for tea drinkers who want something with a kick. Use my code KARA15 for 15% off this and other teas from Chapters Tea & Co.!

MANGA REVIEW: Lonely Deaths Lie Thick as Snow Vol. 1

LONELY DEATHS LIE THICK AS SNOW Vol. 1
by Hajime Inoryu, illustrated by Shota Ito
Available March 3

Detective Jin Saeki believed he was investigating a run-of-the-mill burglary until he found the pile of bodies. The true crime on the table is anything but ordinary: child neglect and abuse, and possibly worse. And the person likely behind it all is currently on the run.

As Saeki digs deeper, he meets a survivor of this strange living situation. The stories she tells of her life with her new "father" and "siblings" don't match with the grisly scene the detective uncovered, pointing instead to a caring (if misguided) mentor who wanted to help his nineteen young charges. But things get even more complicated when Saeki identifies another resident of the home: someone he knows all too well.

While I'm unfamiliar with Inoryu and Ito's other manga, My Dearest Self With Malice Aforethought, I can tell just from this first volume why this duo is so celebrated. When it's not hinting at horrific crimes, the art is gentle and contemplative. The story is complex and thrilling—but most of all, it's frighteningly realistic. In this early volume, there's no way of knowing who's telling the truth, or their truth. If you're looking for a cut-and-dried crime drama with an obvious, on-the-nose baddie, this is not for you. But if you love to dive into the complexities of the human psyche and what trauma can do to a person, regardless of age, you will want to give this one a go.

TEA PAIRING: Poet's Study
A dark and moody story like this deserves a dark and moody drink. Poet's Study is one of my favorite Earl Greys, and it's a great match for snowy landscapes (in reality or in your reading). Use my code KARA15 for 15% off this and other teas from Chapters Tea & Co.!

BOOK REVIEW: The Spider Strikes

 

THE SPIDER STRIKES
by Michael P. Spradlin
Available now

Michael P. Spradlin's The Web of the Spider series does something frankly very difficult: it explains the leadup to the atrocities of World War II on a level that young readers can comprehend. Which is not to say that younger readers aren't as intelligent; rather, it's a matter of outlining what life looks like in those intervening years. We learn the horrific number of lives lost in school, but these stories put readers in the shoes of a boy who is watching the Nazi mindset seep slowly into his everyday life, chipping away bits of normality at a time.

This third book, like the other two, is a relatively short but impactful read. Series narrator Joshua, a Jewish boy whose reporter father continues to encourage critical thinking as the world burns around them, brings his friends Rolf and Ansel on his family's summer trip to Austria. But this isn't like most years. The hatred of Jewish people has spread, to the point that they can't even get seen in stores. And as the boys prepare for a camping trip in the Alps, they discover that Rolf's brother Romer and more of the Hitler Youth have followed them.

The books in The Web of the Spider fluctuate between boyish excitement and true peril, and The Spider Strikes is no exception. The boys may be able to thwart their bullies with a series of clever traps, but the reality of the situation sinks in when true danger strikes for one of the trio. It's a bittersweet read: moments of victory, sanity, and even fun in the face of peril, followed swiftly by the sad truth that their lives will never be the same.

These books read best as a series, since Joshua's story is an ongoing saga. But it also matters to see how the world changes bit by bit: how, from book to book, the boys find their situation growing more dangerous like a lobster in a slowly heating pot. This book in particular also addresses the difficulty of extreme politics cutting through families, and what watching one loved one hurt another can do to us. Some answers are easy, but others are not, and these books don't shy away from that truth.

For the purposes of educational reading—either in a classroom or with family—this book also comes with a timeline of the events leading up to World War II, allowing young readers to match Joshua's story up to real life events. These books continue to be excellent reads for young readers, and important books for family discussion.

TEA PAIRING: Cozy Apple Spice
In one of the book's calmer and happier moments, the friends share a campfire dinner of freshly caught fish with a dessert of apples and cinnamon. This limited-edition Cozy Apple Spice feels like a good match for that calm before the storm. Use my code KARA15 for 15% off this and more teas from Chapters Tea & Co.!