BOOK REVIEW: Oh My Affogato!

 

VACATIONSHIP: OH MY AFFOGATO!
by Daphne Ang and Donna Ghorbanpoor
Available now

Soraya has planned the perfect vacation with her besties, Anya and Mari, before they all go their separate ways for college. Their months-long trip through Europe will kick off on the scenic Amalfi coast. But what Anya and Mari don't know is that Sora's reasons for the first port of call extend beyond food and sightseeing. Her on-again-off-again boyfriend Wes, whom her friends disapprove of, will also be there. And Sora is convinced she can make memories and take her relationship to the next level without anyone else being the wiser.

But things take an unexpected turn early on. After delayed flights, lost luggage, and missed connections, Sora discovers she hasn't booked them at a five-star luxury hotel, but at a tiny B&B on the verge of foreclosure. The good news is, the owner and her handsome son Nico are still more than willing to make the vacation the best it can be. And between days spent exploring Amalfi's hidden treasures and nights drinking and dancing with Wes, Sora is pretty sure she's pulled off the perfect holiday. Until things start falling apart. Soon, she's got no one in her corner, and she'll have to learn how to open up about her real reasons for this whirlwind trip. And those reasons have nothing to do with Wes.

The first thing to note is that middle-grade rom-coms like this tend to have a format, and Oh My Affogato! doesn't really stray from it. Girl has plans, girl meets boy, girl hates boy but reluctantly starts to like him, plans come undone, girl loses everyone, girl learns to apologize, girl makes big gesture to back up apology, girl gets friends and boy. For better or for worse, the pattern is predictable. If you like that, you'll like this. If you want something fresh, this doesn't really break the formula.

That said, this book shines when it comes to describing the ups and downs of international travel. As a regular traveler myself, I'm all too aware of the stress and upheaval that come with big plans like this. And if there's one thing Oh My Affogato! does well, it's describing the bittersweet joy (and stress) of these trips to a tee. If there are two things it does well, it's that and demonstrating the beauty and joy of sightseeing (and eating) off the beaten path. It may not reinvent the genre on the surface, but as a fictional travelogue, it's a great idea of what to expect, and what to look for, when going abroad.

DRINK PAIRING: Elixir of Hydration
While affogato may be in the title, lemons are the theme of this novel: on Sora's toenails, in the packet of lemon seeds that serves as a late-story gift, and in lots of the food and drinks Sora and her friends sample. This sparkly pink lemonade potion is a perfect pairing for this read. Plus, it's got electrolytes to keep you hydrated, and makes a great cocktail or mocktail base! Use my link to get a discount on this and other bookish drinks from Velvet Hammer.

MANGA REVIEW: Voices in the Sea Foam

VOICES IN THE SEA FOAM
by Kotaro
Available May 5

I've seen and read a good number of anime and manga inspired by "The Little Mermaid," and a new anime of that same DNA (Kinema Citrus's Goodbye Lara) is just around the corner. It's an understandable choice: the original story is ultimately a tragic one, lending itself to a variety of interpretations. Though this particular take is a completely new one to me.

Voices in the Sea Foam is a stand-alone six chapter story, plus a bonus chapter outside the scope of the main story, imagining a scenario in which Hans Christian Andersen's tragic heroine didn't actually die forever. Rather than joining the "daughters of the air" to commence 300 years of good deeds and earn herself an immortal soul, the little mermaid is reincarnated as a modern-day Japanese schoolboy named Aito. When he falls in love at first sight with a boy at his grade school, his past-life memories come flooding back: losing her voice, being unable to walk without stabbing pain, and eventually dying. Thus, he chooses to simply never fall in love, evading a new iteration of his curse. It all goes well until he meets college classmate Toru, and suddenly he finds himself unable to walk or speak in his new crush's presence. Unfortunately (or fortunately?), Toru is very interested in Aito after seeing a video of him singing, and the two get closer while working on a student film soundtrack. Now Aito has to decide whether to push Toru away as well, or find a way to break his life-spanning curse.

The magic of this tragic love story is in its final chapter, when the true nature of Aito's "curse" is revealed. Voices in the Sea Foam had the potential to be middle-of-the-road, but the interpretation of Aito's feelings, and the truth behind the spectral sea witch that haunts him in his new life, make for a beautiful ending. Considering the allegorical nature of Andersen's original fairy tale, this is a surprisingly apropos reimagining — whether you view it as a true reincarnation romance or as a metaphor.

TEA PAIRING: Secrets in the Garden
Especially with the manga's recurring beach setting and motif, this summery watermelon lime green tea is a perfect match. Use my code KARA15 for 15% off this and more teas from Chapters Tea & Co.!

BOOK REVIEW: The Danger of Small Things

 

THE DANGER OF SMALL THINGS
by Caryl Lewis
Available now

One day, the last honeybee died, and the world changed. Now everyone is fixated on survival: working for the greater good at the expense of one's own life, bearing genetically optimized children, and eschewing things like love and art that can't be quantified by science. Teenage girl Jess is one of the many young girls working day in and day out to pollinate crops by hand. When she comes of age, she will be sent off to be a wife. But that's not enough for her.

With the help of a young guard and some like-minded girls in the camp, Jess puts the pollination brushes to a different use: art. Her beautiful protests stir up new feelings in her fellow workers, but could lead to trouble if the people in charge find out who's behind the new murals. And when Jess discovers how her superiors really live, while they eat meager rations and work to exhaustion, even her own life being at risk isn't enough to silence her.

The Danger of Small Things is very much a story taking place in extremis, and I find that any such speculative fiction is telling its story on a knife edge. Fail to push hard enough, and there's no longer a message; push too hard, and you wander into satire. Both silence the story trying to be told. While The Danger of Small Things occasionally ventures into the latter, it never goes so far that it becomes a parody of itself. By grounding itself in art and music, and by resting less on the inciting incident and more on how the inciting incident is exploited for the gain of others, it maintains its center even when it starts to slide. And all else aside, Jess's present-tense narrative style feels believable at every turn, worded with the natural poetry of a human rather than overwrought prose.

TEA PAIRING: Cozy Apple Spice
Apples are one of the many things lost to the collapse of society, and are often mentioned as one of the best and sweetest things one can have. With that in mind, we ought to enjoy what we have: this spiced apple black tea, originally created for the autumn season, is currently on final sale. Use my code KARA15 for 15% off this and other tea blends from Chapters Tea & Co.!

MANGA REVIEW: Kirio Fan Club Vol. 1

KIRIO FAN CLUB Vol. 1
by Chikyu no Osakana Ponchan
Available April 28

By all appearances, classmates Aimi and Nami have only one thing in common: an undying, almost feral love for Ken Kirio. Despite barely having spoken to him, the two girls spend their days obsessing over the aloof high schooler in ways that only high school girls can. But not all is as it seems in this parasocial rom-com.

At first glance, this is just a weird story about two girls fighting over an unrequited crush. Would it be a privilege to be close enough to hear his farts? Does loving someone mean loving every organ in their body? If you make the object of your affection have a nightmare about you, does that count as seeing them in their dreams? It's the sort of impossibly cringe musings that only hit a person in that particular part of their lives. And within the first volume of Kirio Fan Club, that's just about as far as anything goes.

I say "just about" because there is something else lurking under the surface, and it doesn't take a course in media literacy to spot it. It's true that Aimi has a crush on Kirio. It is also true that Nami has a crush in which she is very invested, and which she has yet to follow up on. But by the end of this first volume, it becomes extremely clear that the two rivals in love aren't telling everyone everything.

Give Kirio Fan Club a chance. If the bizarre humor doesn't hook you, the stealth drama will. And even if you're watching this season's anime adaptation on HIDIVE, it's absolutely worth it to give the original manga a read. While all the bits and pieces are there, the pacing and order of events are slightly different. The original manga and the anime adaptation makes great companion pieces.

TEA PAIRING: The Dragon's Flame
Strong, spicy, and surprisingly sweet, this new cinnamon blend inspired by fairy tales is a perfect match for this manga's mix of comedy and drama. Use my code KARA15 for 15% off this and more book-inspired teas from Chapters Tea & Co.!

MANGA REVIEW: Grendizer U: The Inception Vol. 1

 

GRENDIZER U: THE INCEPTION Vol. 1
by Tatsuo Higuchi, art by 8 KEY
Available April 28

It's been an absolute delight to see the works of Go Nagai getting expanded upon over the years. While titles like Cutie Honey, Getter Robo, and Devilman have had some degree of notoriety across North America, the popularity of Grendizer (or Goldorak depending on where you're from) has largely been abroad. Even as a Go Nagai fan myself (and one who's worked on localizations on multiple titles from the creator), this is the series that's gotten the least exposure here. So it's great to see Grendizer U: The Inception getting an English-language release.

This manga serves as a prequel to 2024's Grendizer U, an anime remake of Nagai's 1975 manga and anime UFO Robo Grendizer. Like Great Mazinger before it, this part of the Mazinger Saga, meaning you can expect to see Koji Kabuto and other familiar faces pop up. But you can easily pick up this manga with no foreknowledge... in fact, that's what it's made for.

The story of Grendizer U: The Inception starts well before our hero Duke Fleed arrives on Earth, focusing on the rivalry between himself and Gau Su Uls. Just as Duke, the prince of the planet Fleed, prepares to inherit the right to pilot the guardian deity Grendizer, he must face down someone he once considered a friend and learn more about how his home planet is truly ruled. It isn't long before we jump to more familiar territory: the amnesiac "Daisuke," now living on Earth with Koji and Sayaka of Mazinger Z fame. As the first volume comes to an end, Daisuke comes face to face with one of Earth's greatest mecha.

KEY 8's art for this retelling is slick, preserving the basics of Go Nagai's character design while bringing something new to the table. Tatsuo Higuchi's expansion on his own screenplay for the new series also gives old-school anime fans something we don't often get: solid new perspective on a classic. As fresh and new as it is, this story feels right in the universe of the Mazinger Saga. And until such time as Grendizer U gets a legal release in the States, this manga makes a great stopgap. It's a must-have for any classic mecha fan's shelf.

TEA PAIRING: Secrets in the Garden
A watermelon-lime green tea that's new for spring, this tea brings to mind the greenery of the academy back on Fleed and the laid-back warmth of the ranch Daisuke now calls home. Use my code KARA15 for 15% off this and other book-inspired teas from Chapters Tea & Co.!

MANGA REVIEW: Chi's Sweet France

CHI'S SWEET FRANCE
by Konami Kanata, illustrated by Catherine Bouvier
Available now

Chi's Sweet Home and its various continuations is one of my absolutely favorite comfort series. It's slice-of-life manga at its most straightforward: a cute kitten doing cute things, living her best life wherever he finds himself. And in her latest adventure, that's in France!

This short stand-alone is written by series creator Konami Kanata and illustrated by Catherine Bouvier. Originally released in both Japan and France, it's as simple and cute as its predecessors. Chi's family moves to Paris, which is at first fascinating for the little kitten. But a big city doesn't allow her to wander freely as she's used to. Fortunately, her family quickly chooses to move to the suburbs, giving her all the freedom a little kitten could hope for. It's low-stakes, high-cuteness, and (as the title suggests) very sweet.

Clocking in at a breezy 54 pages, this is a great casual read for cat fans of any age. As with any other story in the series, you don't have to know a thing to get immersed. But if this is your first encounter with Chi and her family, you're highly likely to get hooked.

TEA PAIRING: March Home in Bloom
Inspired by Little Women, this vanilla and floral white tea has the perfect light and cozy vibes for any Chi story (but especially this one)! Use my code KARA15 for 15% off this and more book-inspired teas from Chapters Tea & Co.!