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.