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Manga-ka: CLAMP
Publisher: DelRey
Rating: Teen (13+)
Released: December 2008
Synopsis:
“The Mafia-run world of Infinity would be a dangerous place even without the death-defying “chess” tournament that Princess Sakura and her companions have entered. But Sakura has decided to risk everything – even her friends’ lives – for the contest’s secret prize.”
While several books ago you may’ve thought this series was getting rather repetitive, the last few couple of volumes have certainly gotten the ball rolling in a big way. Here in volume nineteen, its one revelation after another as Sakura puts her own friends’ lives on the line in order to win a mysterious prize in the warrior chess game they find themselves battling in.
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Monster (Vol. 11) – Viz – I finally continued reading this series recently, years after I initially read the first volume and loved it. Somehow it just always escaped my radar. But a couple more volumes and I’m hooked, always looking for the next fix. Now up to volume 11, I was blown away by a plot twist that I didn’t see coming, even if it is a little obvious in hindsight. Just when you think things are coasting in one direction, they veer sharply into another. Naoki Urusawa’s ability to weave every character, large or small, into the plot also remains nothing short of incredible. (Available now on 
The Best of Pokemon Adventures: Red– VizKids – I couldn’t help but pick this one up because I’m currently in a big nostalgic-Pokemon kick (where’s my Gameboy?!) and I loved this adorable version of the manga when it was initially released in large format stiff-covers by Viz years ago. The art style is still ridiculously cute and I love how it contrasts to some plotlines and events that still manage to be a little darker than what the television show offered (Pokemon die and trainers get attacked, oh no!). My only complaint about the book is that it’s a ‘best of’ compilation, which means that readers, both new and old, will easily get tripped up when reading these chronological stories and random episodes are missing. I don’t see why they didn’t just release the whole series into two books instead of a one-shot best of book, there’s not much else to it than what’s here and I’d love to have it all in such a tidy little format. (Available now on 
The Best of Pokemon Adventures: Yellow – VizKids – I couldn’t buy a book about Pokemon trainer, Red, and not the best-of book of Yellow! I’ve got a soft spot for this cute little trainer. Yellow is a young, unabashedly cute Pokemon trainer with the ability to heal Pokemon and read their memories. After Red goes missing, Yellow is charged with the mission of bringing him home safely along with the help of Red’s Pikachu and Yellow’s own assortment of dedicated Pokemon. The Elite Four is the real threat in this storyline as their leader Lance plots his world domination-of-sorts and all the old players return to take the four down. I had the same issue with this book as with Red’s, where it’s a little confusing reading a best-of for a short series since it feels like I’m reading a compilation with missing chapters over a carefully selected assortment. And despite being “best of”, they leave out the explanatory chapter with the big Yellow plot twist. Such a shame, I was sure that would at least qualify as a best-of. (Available now on 
