#Review: This Gyaru’s Got a Thing for...Vampire Hunters?! Vol. 2 (#GyuVam)

#LightNovel by #WasanKurata
English Pub: #JNovelClub
Rating (1-9): (8 Worth following)
#CGDCT #UrbanFantasy

There are many reasons why I shouldn't give this a high rating, but the truth is that I was glued to both volumes by the second chapter. Reviews are subjective, and this one is based on my reaction.

At its heart, GyaVam is a CGDCT (Cute Girls Doing Cute Things). Yes, there are battles and supernatural events, but readers looking for those elements will be disappointed. This volume is about Ruka (gyaru) taking Ginku (vampire-hunter) shopping for swimsuits, and then Ruka and her friends going to the beach. Ruka uses the power of Gyaru and Friendship to convince the antagonists to change their ways.

One of this book's charms is that I haven't read many light novels like it. And I read a lot of female protag light novels. Even if there were, I would find the writing reasonable and charming.

Is it yuri? It's about the relationship between women, which is romance-adjacent. The yuri subtext is strong, but it seems unlikely that it will drift into full-scale romance territory. Either that, or we're on the track of a very slow-burn yuri.

In summary, it's a pleasant, light read for escapism. If you like slice-of-life or CGDCT, it's worth reading the first three chapters, at least. Don't give up at first. It takes a while for the charm to win you over. At least it did for me.

Volume 2 is free to read for members of J-Novel Club until 12/15/25.
Digital release: 11/20/25

Link to GyuVam:

#AmReading #bookstodon #Yuri #NMReview #ThisGyarusGotAThingForVampireHunters?!

#WordWeavers 07.13.2025 Do you regularly write reviews of others' work or promote them?

I sporadically write reviews. It's hard to maintain because I have exotic tastes. So the work of writing a good review doesn't seem to balance against a zero readership. If it's just for me, I don't have to go to work. Do I promote them, as best I can? Again, the number of people interested in what I like seems small.

Some of my reviews below:

• The Apothecary Diaries # 14
• Taking My Reincarnation One Step at a Time: No One Told Me There Would Be Monsters! v.1
• Culinary Chronicles of the Court Flower v.1

#NMWW #NMPrompts #NMReview

Review: The Apothecary Diaries # 14 (Prepub version)
A Light Novel by Natsu Hyuuga
English Pub: J Novel Club Japan: Square Enix
Rating (1-9): 9 (S-Class)

This is one of the light novel series I closely follow. The story of an apothecary with a taste for self-inflicted poisoning and a myopic obsession with her profession.

AND after 15 volumes, it is still a favorite.

Maomoa, the MC, is still charming and quirky. And in this volume, she solves 3 mysteries and turns the tables on Jinshi, no longer pursued but pursuing.

And Chue, the sinister clown, is back in full color. With a promise of more to come. A delightful character.

If you want details on the series, you can read my review of volume 12. https://sakurajima.moe/@NaraMoore/113166037740646137

https://j-novel.club/series/the-apothecary-diaries
Review based on pre-pub version available until 25/06/16
Digital release 25/05/29

#TheApothecaryDiaries #薬屋のひとりごと #LightNovel #JNovelClub #Review #NatsuHyuuga #SquareEnix #NMReview #Mystery #ChineseCourt

#Review: Taking My Reincarnation One Step at a Time: No One Told Me There Would Be Monsters! v.1

#LightNovel #Kaya
English Pub: #JNovelClub
Rating (1-9): 7 (Worth following)

#Isekai #Fantasy

A surprisingly good, though shallow book. Let’s start with the first thing that pops into my head. It’s an isekai, bad start. But that trope mainly serves for characterization and background. We will have to see where her powers take her, but so far, coming from Japan hasn’t helped her much. Next, I said it was shallow. True, but many entertaining books are shallow; the characters are charming, the world-building is interesting, and background information is doled out slowly and naturally. As an author, I noted how the author has avoided an info dump and slowly dished out information. You’re never left scratching your head, but like the MC, you say, “Hum, I wonder why that is.”

The MC, Sara, has strong powers and could become overpowered as the series continues. Currently, that isn’t a problem. Seven volumes are available in English, and another is in translation. It will be interesting to see if the author can keep superpowers from overwhelming the story’s charm. Given how they handled the gradual introduction of information, I am hopeful.

There is no romance so far, A+ in my book, but possibly some yuri subtext, most likely of the onee-sama type. The story mixes slice-of-life and light adventure, leaning toward the former. Sara doesn’t aspire to be a Hunter (adventurer); instead, she has an eye on alchemy. Will the universe force her into her expected niche, dungeon crawling?

Summary: A pleasant light read for escapism. If the author maintains its light tone, it will stay on my read-as-available list.

Volumes 1-7 are free to read for members of J-Novel Club until 5/31/25. Volume 8 is currently in pre-pub and is free to read until 8/15/25.

https://j-novel.club/series/taking-my-reincarnation-one-step-at-a-time

#AmReading @bookstodon #NMReview

#Review: Culinary Chronicles of the Court Flower v.1

#LightNovel #MiriMikawa
English Pub: #JNovelClub
Rating (1-9) 6 (Good)
#Romance #Fantasy AU Chinese Royal Court

Rimi has one skill and one place in the world - Cooking. Sent as a tribute to the royal court on the mainland, she needs to find a new place.

Reminiscent of “The Apothecary Diaries" CCCF is a charming if slightly clumsily handled tale of a woman finding her place and love in the back palace of an AU Chinese Royal Court. The characters are pleasant even if their relationships contrived. (Who insults the Emperor and lives?) It is a good read for anyone who likes series like “The Apothecary Diaries” or “My Perfect Marriage.” Not of the same quality but still worthwhile.

The art, on the other hand, is outstanding. Beautifully rendered with lovely detail. I am sure they pull my estimate of the series up a full point.

The series is complete at 11 volumes and currently free to read for members of J-Novel Club.

https://j-novel.club/series/culinary-chronicles-of-the-court-flower

#AmReading @bookstodon #NMReview

#Revew Giving up on "The 100th Time’s the Charm: She Was Executed 99 Times, So How Did She Unlock “Super Love” Mode?!"

Too clunky, too much adolescent girl wish fulfillment, too much patriarchy, too much OP, too superficial. Half way through volume 1 and it's not going to get better.

#Lightnovel #JNovelClub #BookReview #NMReview

#Review: Lady Rose Just Wants to Be a Commoner v.1
#LightNovel #Kooriame
English Pub: #JNovelClub
Rating (1-9) 4 (Readable)

Isakai Romance Comedy Mystery

Lady Rose using her isakai knowledge escapes her fate as the protag. (After all who wants to marry a stuffed shirt prince.) Which is where the universe tries to recapture the story line.

I am not a good judge of comedy, so I will leave that alone. Between the multitude of names and the blatant use of unexplained occurrences, I found the mystery portion confusing and heavy-handed. It is likely I’ll be totally lost when the next volume is available. There may or may not be some yuri sub-text.

“Lady Rose” passes my bar as readable and I’ll revisit my opinions when the next volume is available.

https://j-novel.club/series/lady-rose-just-wants-to-be-a-commoner

Review based on PrePub version available until: 25/01/15

Edit: 5/30/25 - Am dropping this from my read list. volume 2 was unreadable.

Digital release 24/12/08
#NMReview

#Review: My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! Vol. 14
#LightNovel Satatoru Yamaguchi
English Pub: #JNovelClub
Rating (1-9) 6 (Good)

We are now well into Katarina’s (Bakarina’s) adventures surviving the otome sequel “Fortune Lover II.” This time she only has clues to what happens in the game. But now she had a whole harem of friends to help.

In volume 14, she must survive the Cezar Dahl route.

The journey is leisurely with the first part of the volume reading like a pleasant slice of life story: eating good food, chatting with friends, and struggling to read the Dark Magic tome she is supposed to translate. It is only in the last third that the adventure portion gets rolling.

I found the last section hurried and the entrance of Sarah, the dark antagonist, being overly short. A fair portion of this section deasl with Cezar’s tracking down a high-ranking antag. This turns out to be mainly “tell” with little “show.” We are reminded of the yuri subtext by the presence of her jealous but protective female friends.

Despite that, the volume was enjoyable, and I finished it in one day. It just could have been better. Which is why it fails to climb above a 6 into the excellent class.

Review based on PrePub version available until: 25/01/15

Digital release 24/12/19

https://j-novel.club/series/my-next-life-as-a-villainess-all-routes-lead-to-doom

#MyNextLifeAsAVillainessAllRoutesLeadToDoom #Bakarina #SatatoruYamaguchi #Fantasy #NMReview

#Review: My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!
#LightNovel Satatoru Yamaguchi
English Pub: #JNovelClub
Rating (1-9) 6 (Good)

Like most long series, this one is uneven with the first few volumes being the best. (13 volumes released in English and 14 in prepubs.) It’s a well-used plot Katarina Claes suddenly remembers her prior life and realizes she is the villainess in an otome. The first few volumes are excellent with a good dose of blatant subtext yuri. When Katarina (Bakarina) survives all the game’s death flags, winning the hearts of all the characters on the way, the author loses focus on what made the series good to begin with. I almost gave up on it. Then the author picks up the tone again, and the series regains its footing. Bakarina, through charisma, luck, and lots of friends: surviving adventures, surmounting death flags, and all the while remains clueless. Yuri, unfortunately, becomes a faint echo of the beginning.

https://j-novel.club/series/my-next-life-as-a-villainess-all-routes-lead-to-doom

#MyNextLifeAsAVillainessAllRoutesLeadToDoom #Bakarina #SatatoruYamaguchi #Fantasy #NMReview