Selections from What I Read in August: Digest Version, Part 1 of 2

Yeah, August. I know you've been waiting with baited breath and all. Sorry. Ah, the joy of catching up because you're waiting for your linens to dry, so you can make your bed and fall into it.

• b Dazzle 7: You never know when this one is actually giving you the whole story via flashback (you're pretty sure it's not, but then it seems like it is, but it's not . . .). It's still kind of a glorious mess.
• b Fullmetal Alchemist 23: Oh, Roy. Oh, Roy. And Risa. Wow. Does anyone know if Brotherhood actually goes to the real end of the series? If so, I can't watch it until I've finished the manga. If you like FMA, read the manga!
• b GALS! 8-10: I dragged my feet so much on finishing this one because I didn't want it to be over!! Oh, the melodrama; oh, the humanity!  Fare thee well, my GAL pals. Next time I need a dose of hyper, I know who to call. (And finally, big bro and Miyu.)
• b Gente 1: Ah, so relaxing. A mixed bag of stories revolving around the waiters of Ristorante Paradiso. Same sketchy Ono artwork and tons of atmosphere.  Quite lovely.
• b Hayate the Combat Butler 10-13: More of the same random, goofy fun. The difference is, we're getting to the allusions I recognize firsthand now, and they do make things funnier.
• b Hikaru no Go 20: The shonen goodness keeps coming.  Things changed directions a bit, but I'm still having fun, though I do miss Sai a lot sometimes.
• b Kaze Hikaru 18: Oh, I love this series. I am afraid of how it will end, considering how history did end. I don't think I could bear to read these characters all the way to their unhappy endings. But the tension that known ending provides is undeniably necessary for the series to function as it does. It's just so great!
• b Kekkaishi 22: Oh, dear. Complications and maturing and really scary psycho bad guys. Oh my. I love the air of menace it builds up and then blows up and the unexpected turns it takes. I love the characters, the plot, the action, the intrigue, the shonen-adrenaline rush, the whole shebang.
• b Library Wars 2:  I love this series. Awww. So funny and so sweet. Good action/tension going for it, too, sometimes.

So maybe I didn't quite manage to get sunburned, as was my goal during a weekend in October where there was no rain, and the temps exceeded 80, but I did get to read part of Kieli 3 outside in the sun. Your promptness is appreciated, Yen Press, oh, so appreciated.