Kathryn's Inbox

It has been a heck of a wait for fans but, finally, the second instalment in the Fangirl Manga series is here. Adapted from Rainbow Rowell's brilliant novel of the same name, the series tells the story of Cath, a first year college student who is navigating social anxiety whilst being abandoned by her beloved twin sister Wren who has plunged headfirst into student life. A talented writer, Cath hides behind her popular fan fiction series, but it seems that life is going to happen to her whether she likes it or not ... Volume two picks up right where the first volume left off. We see Cath and her friend Levi race to a bar to find Wren, who has sent Cath an SMS indicating that she may be in trouble. Of course, the SMS is a misunderstanding, and the situation between the sisters becomes increasingly tense, leaving Cath with more feelings of abandonment, though it soon becomes clear that her friendship with Levi may be developing into something else. There are some extremely cute and h...

The latest Marvel Prose novel has some serious girl power vibes. Nadia Van Dyne, aka the Wasp, may be new to being a superhero, and her past may not be great, but that hasn't stopped her from running her own successful lab staffed by an eclectic mix of smart, talented and savvy teenage girls. And life is looking good. She has a great relationship with her stepmother, some great friends and she's even learning to drive and trying her best to like her strict driving instructor. But it also feels as though she never has enough time to do everything, which can be a bit of an obstacle--Nadia has bipolar and it can be hard for her sometimes to know when to stop. Fortunately, her new virtual assistant can help her. And she's forming a new alliance with its creator, Margaret, who used to work with Nadia's dad, Hank Pym. But is Margaret really on the side of good? Or is Nadia in serious danger? This was a fun, friendly read, perfect for readers in their early teens. There is a l...

Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl gets the Manga treatment in this perfectly adapted and beautifully illustrated volume. The first in a series, this concentrates on the early part of the original--Cath's arrival at college, and her well, obsession with Simon Snow that has developed into a very successful fan fiction. Life at college is tough--first Cather is more or less abandoned by her livelier and more outgoing twin sister Wren, who seems determined to spend her time at college acting like a silly, self absorbed twit. Cath's roommate Reagan is a little bit older and just a little bit scary ... plus Cath is developing a crush on Reagan's friend Levi. And then she has her Dad to worry about--Arthur is bipolar. At least she can find solace in two things--an upper level writing class, and her Simon Snow fan fiction. However, when the two collide, the result isn't pleasant and Cath is left with some serious doubts ... This was surprisingly expensive for a manga published enti...