The Anime Maniacs

Okkk....honest review. After i finished the third book-

I like the characters. Stevie, Nate, Janelle, Vi, David. The cast is so quirky and unique...that I loved them since book 1 and that's what pushed me through binging the first trilogy so fast, apart from the crazy cliffhangers at the end of each book.

But now that the first saga is finished, i would like to be honest. The mystery didn't hold up-not the last solution to it. It kind of felt boring and much more.

Mysterious figure outside window with no progress or a riddle that was used once and never again.

Maybe it's not my taste. But apart from the SUPERSAD Ellingham story.... nothing stood out.

Mini review 3:

SPOILERS!!

Ok...ok....ok...

OMG!!

What an experience this was!! I had to hold my breath binging through the pages, which itself felt like an extreme sport given a exam was due the next day 😂😂

And I love how keeping with the tradition of the past two books this saga launches the spotlight on a new naturals member- this time our dear Sloane ❤️😭💘

Ofc this time Michael and Lia's backstory were also a bit foreshadowed and all...but let's now address the elephant in the room: The Cult of Pythia!!

Our naturals finally have an arch-nemesis cult!!

And damn...I did mention that 'unknown man' in Book 1 review, but THAT BEING FREAKING NIGHTSHADE??

I mean the crazy foreshadowing JLB did, given the very concept of Nightshade was introduced in Book 2 with Sterling.

If I talk about new fav characters, Araon Shaw's death gutted me. I was imagining so much for Sloane's future 😭😭

And just as tradition would guide to, we end the book with the light back on Cassie and her mother's murder.... EXCEPT SHE IS ALIVE AND IS THE FUCKING PYTHIA??

I CANT WAIT TO READ THE NEXT BOOK.

😭🤌

ps:

But ofc, definitely I have some small complaints:

The way the serial killer killed in the beginning, not even touching the victim and using the domino effect to kill them was such a good plot, and I'm a sucker for these villains! But sadly he started using more hands-on ways like strangling and knife by the time of the main plot.

Mini reviews 2:

SPOILERS!!

Ok....mixed thoughts about the 2nd book. I absolutely loved the focus on Dean and his father, on Sterling and how all these came together!! Sterling is my new fav- Mother of the house ❤️😂

But if there's any complaint, it's that the YOU pages were kind of very misleading cause no where it was made clear that YOU can be multiple people punched together (instead of their individual POVs)- I know it would've spoiled a bit...but still 😅😅

I feel there could be another better ways to do these.

And I like how even though this book was a spotlight on Dean just like Cassie with the first one, Redding's last words brought the attention back to Cassie and her mother!

#minireviews 1:

SPOILERS!!

Ok....first Jennifer Lynn Barnes book. Loved it.

Liked how the book introduced all these characters, and the overlying mystery of Cassie's mother. Definitely the best addition were the YOU pages for the serial killer's POV.

As for the end...damn. Even when Locke shot Michael, I still believed maybe it was him who had bad plans...cause how can it be Locke? She is the dependable strict but not so strict adult whom we have come to know along with Cassie! It was a crazy twist for sure...

Also funny how the author confused is with that random guy approaching Cassie that one scene. I was so sure that that was our serial killer 💀💀😂😂

"A harem anime is only as good as its heroines are cute, and Makeine slapped every other harem anime and told them to sit down and watch. Between its hydro homie-ship, brazen-if-unaware tomboy awakening everyone’s new tanline fetish, and the life support system for a stomach – the three main heroines charmed everyone’s pants off."

HUGE SPOILERS FOR THE OSHINOKO MANGA:

I knew someone would die. it was too calm before the storm. thank god Ruby wasn't killed. but then who? Kana? Akane? But THIS?

BESTEST ROMANCE AND IN GENERAL ANIME OF THIS SEASON!!

honestly, the greatest disappointment of the season. ok, maybe not that great of a failure, but the earlier marketing and rumours of it being the next-generation 'Nichijou' definitely fell flat on its face. can't believe it evolved into a CGDCT anime...hell, I didn't even know that was a term💀

the last few weeks were a wild ride. reading the manga beforehand doesn't help when u get scenes like Kana fallen like Ai. gotta catch up to the manga real quick.

but this season's ending was definitely a great plot twist, the rise of Ruby's revenge and Aqua's mistake. also father's reveal.