All's Faire In Middle School

Borrowed from my school library.

Title: All's Faire In Middle School
Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers (Penguin/Random House)
Date: 2017
Writer: Victoria Jamieson
Artist: Victoria Jamieson

Imogene is about to embark on her most dangerous quest on her path to becoming a knight: Surviving middle school. And even her fellow performers at the Florida Renaissance Faire, where her parents work, seem to agree that middle school is the worst. After being homeschooled through her elementary school years, Imogene navigates friendships, bullying, schoolwork, and teen fashion, all while starting her first faire season as a full cast member.

This is full of cleverness, Shakespearian insults, ren faire culture, wholesome family interaction, and yet more cleverness. The extended "fairemily" steal the show somewhat as Imogene's school drama takes on mostly expected twists and turns, and fun characters like aunt-figure Cussy provide entertainment even as they gently guide Imogene's recovery from a succession of bad decisions.

The ending was heartfelt, and the family and found-family elements were fun and wholesome.

Rating: 8/10

Rave Master Volume 1

From a Little Free Library in Amherst MA USA.

Title: Rave Master
Issue: Volume 1
Date: February, 2003
Publisher: Tokyopop
Writer: Hiro Mashima
Artist: Hiro Mashima

This was full of charmingly odd translations. So there's a set of magical stones called Rave. And there is a series of evil magical stones called Dark Bring. The Dark Bring stones are controlled by an evil organization called Demon Card.

Enter, our hero, sixteen-year-old Haru Glory, resident of the an isolated community called Garage Island. When Haru catches a strange horned creature in the sea, he is set on a course that leads him to become the new controller of the Rave stone and wielder of the Rave-powered shapeshifting sword.

The story here is straightforward hero's journey, but the characters are pretty strong, there is some good tragic backstory going on, and the odd quirky details like the strange talking flower-being that lives attached to the wall of Haru's house really make the story shine.

This was more fun than I expected it to be, and I'm interested in seeing where it goes.

Rating: 7.5/10