The Kane Chronicles: The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan
Teodora's Rating: ★★★★★

Review:
Sadie and Carter Kane have never been close, even though they are siblings. Sadie has been living in England ever since their mother died with her grandparents, while Carter travels around with his Egyptologist father. Things are not what they seem, however, when the Kane siblings see their own father encased in a coffin and go to Manhattan with their uncle, Amos. Now, in order to save their father (and the world), Sadie and Kane have to learn ancient magic and deal with gods that are definitely not the stuff of myths. And they only have five days.
I absolutely love Egyptian ancient culture and learned a ton of neat stuff while reading. Riordan has a humorous pop culture style that weaves its way into this first book smoothly. One of my favorite things about The Red Pyramid is the description of the gods. They are colorful characters that cooperate with modern life in their own ways while still preserving the ancient Egyptian life. I will pick up the second book in this series for sure.

Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic Vol. 23 by Shinobu Ohtaka
Teodora's Rating: ★★★★★

Review:
Aladdin continues his story of the past world. Sheba has integrated herself as a member of Solomon's group, yet she wonders about the leader's past. What is the reason for trying to unite all species and create a Utopian society? As the group gets closer to creating this perfect dream, it begins to unravel and the one man who will try to sabotage their victory is the one man Solomon hates the most: his father.
Ohtaka's art is as stunning and detailed as ever. Sheba was entertaining and brought some humor to this thrilling manga (especially with her attempts to get Solomon to go on a date with her). Overall, this volume of Magi is a good segway for the next volume.

InuYasha Vol. 1 by Rumiko Takahashi
Teodora's Rating: ★★★★★

Review:
1997, Tokyo - Kagome lives at her family's shrine, but could care less of the legends that her grandfather tells. However, all that changes when a demon drags her through a well and into Feudal Japan! Estranged with her new surrounding, Kagome finds out she is the reincarnation of a powerful archer and bears the much desired Shikon Jewel that demons will kill her for to become unstoppable; including the half-demon InuYasha.

InuYasha exceeded my expectations. After reading the first volume, I became addicted with the anime just to know what happens next. I love stories with cultural historical influences and this manga captures Feudal Japan with magical touches like demons based off the folklore. The art has that classic and nostalgic manga feel that you can only get in the 1990s and I absolutely love the humorous expressions Takahashi draws. There is the perfect balance of funny and serious that makes InuYasha an enjoyable read. Would recommend to those who like some action, some history, and a little bit of romance.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Vol. 1 by Akira Himekawa
Teodora's Rating: ★★★★★

Review:
A long time ago, darkness and shadow was sealed in what was known as the Twilight Realm. Light and darkness have lived separately for years until internal conflict in the Twilight Realm promises to bring chaos and shadows back to peaceful Hyrule. Enter Link: a mysterious young man who has integrated himself into the daily life of a small village. He has many friends, though some questions his trustworthiness; especially when strange things happen.
I love the Legend of Zelda franchise and had high expectations for this series based off one of the games. I was not disappointed. It starts with a backstory not shown within the game and adds depth to some of the most important characters. The drawings are impressive as well. Twilight Princess is the start of a manga series that fans of the game can appreciate.

Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard: Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan
Allee's Rating: ★★★★★

Review:
Magnus Chase is a story of a simple boy from Boston. He's lived through a troubled past and is now faced with an interesting future. Perfect for those who look for a good laugh. The story is packed with humor. It's also about bravery and loyalty.

Thou Shalt Not Road Trip by Antony John
Lydia's Rating: ★★★★

Review:
Young adult Luke has written a best seller on his life journey named "Hallelujah." Now Luke is going on a cross country book tour escorted by his older brother Matt. Unbeknownst to Luke, Matt invites his girlfriend and Luke's ex-crush. While on this eye-opening journey Luke misses book signings and questions what faith really means to him. Using excerpts from what would be "Hallelujah" Antony John is also able to make a connection of the "old language" that is used in the Bible.

Story Thieves: Secret Origins by James Riley
Michaiah's Rating: ★★★★

Review:
After their last adventure ended, Owen and his half-fictional friend Bethany have sworn not to jump into any more books. Books though... Not portals. Jupiter City is a comic book world once filled with brightly costumed superheroes. But now, the Dark has taken over the city with his shadows. Most of the heroes have either been mind-controlled or have disappeared completely. The only hero left who could have defeated the Dark is Doc Twilight, but he's been imprisoned. Owen and Bethany will need help from old friends to defeat the Dark. But will they actually defeat the Dark? Or will the Dark defeat them?
This book is really good! Once you start it, you won't want to put it down! It has an amazing story line and it definitely keeps you guessing throughout the book. This is the third book in the Story Thieves series. So if you liked the first two books, you'll like this one as well!

Red: The True Story of Red Riding Hood by Leisl Shurtliff
Michaiah's Rating: ★★★★

Review:
Red isn't afraid of anything, except magic. So when Red's Granny falls ill, Red must find a cure - even if it has to be a magical one. So with the help from an annoying blond-haired girl named Goldie, Red embarks on a journey to find a cure for her Granny. A journey that will take her through dwarven caves, to a haunted well, and an enchanted castle. Along the journey, Red and Goldie are followed by a wolf and a huntsman - two enemies each seeking help to defeat each other. But one just might have the solution that Red is looking for. 
This book is really intriguing! It has some humor in it, but it also has you so you don't want to put it down! This author is really talented - she's really good at twisting fairy tales, and all of her books relate to each other. This is an amazing book, and I would recommend it to anyone. 

Puella Magi Madoka Magica Vol. 3 by Magica Quartet
Teodora's Rating: ★★★

Review:
In this final volume, Madoka learns what Magical Girls are really fighting against and what would happen to her if she accepted Kyubey's contract. Meanwhile, Homura, another Magical Girl, prepares to fight a witch that will kill her if she continues fighting alone. Her reserved nature and commitment to stop Madoka from becoming a Magical Girl is revealed. When Madoka comes to Homura on the battle field however, she will be surprised at what this girl who is destined to be the world's greatest Magical Girl will do.
After three volumes, I've finished this dark Magical Girl series. My final impression: it is just not meant for me. I'm sure that others can enjoy this series for its grim yet spelling themes. This series is also a popular anime by the same name. I felt, however, that the series was too short. The series did not give me enough time to envelop myself in this world of Magical Girls. I did enjoy the ending. It was bittersweet and a bit unpredictable. The art continued being great with an amazing fight scene. I did have a problem with one chapter that continued to go through numerous time lines. Writing paradoxes like the ones in manga are indeed confusing and, at the start, so was this one. Overall, I am glad that I picked up this series and experienced what it had to offer.

Puella Magi Madoka Magica Vol. 2 by Magica Quartet
Teodora's Rating: ★★★★

Review:
In this second volume of the popular magical girl manga series, Madoka's friend, Sayaka decides to make a contract to become a magical girl in order to save the boy she loves. With Madoka tagging along, Sayaka begins a new life as a magical girl. But, her life is falling apart. A new magical girl threatens her over valuable territory and Sayaka is running out of time to confess her feelings to her crush. As Sayaka becomes more recluse from her friends and life, Madoka begins to consider if becoming a magical girl is worth it, and secrets about the cat, Kyubey, begin to break to the surface.
The second volume, I felt, was more enticing than the first. Sayaka's mental transformation was darkly written and I loved it. Her relationship with the boy she loves in an emotional ride. Also, Kyubey starts to get more of a backstory. The art is very nice, however sometimes the transitions from page to page were a tad choppy. I would recommend reading the rest of this series or just picking the first volume up.