What I read in March: Digest Version, part 2 of 2

b Library Wars 9: Eeeee!  So Iku knows  that Dojo is her prince of yore, and she really, really wishes she didn't know that because it's making things REALLY awkward, which amuses everyone else a lot.  I loved the moment when Dojo asked if the pervert they were trying to catch touched her, and she explained what he did and tried to brush it off, and Dojo told her not to pretend like it was nothing because it wasn't nothing (it isn't nothing even when you only get molested a little), and he felt bad for putting her in a situation where that happened to her.  I also love the storyline where their promotion test is to keep kids under control for library story time.  Loved, loved, loved that.  Poor Tezuka and his ongoing war with himself because of his brother (and his lack of exposure to kids).  And the twist with the twisted Shibazaki's reason for going last.  And then at the end, a big case that might help the forces of freedom of expression to win over the forces of censorship and political correctness!  Continued to the next volume!  Argggggg!

b Oresama Teacher 13: More amusing times with the wacky kids at a boarding school with a reputation.  It's goofy with the occasional touching moment, and it makes me laugh out loud.

b Pandora Hearts 14-15:  No, seriously, you are killing me, Pandora Hearts.  His beautiful turquoise cover.  The look of relief on her face when she saw that he was still alive.  That twist (THAT TWIST!!!!)  The death of those characters, and the ways they died.  The truth about him creeping out little by little (why he can do these horrible things because he knows that if he accomplishes his goal, he can change everything to erase them, and if he doesn't, well, failure isn't an option he can contemplate).  The message, over and over again, that trying to bring back what has been lost has such dire consequences.  The sad irony of making the choice.   The pain of knowing the truth, facing it, and acting on it to make the best choice available to you (not the choices that other people tell you are there and best but the choices you see and make).  The people you leave behind.

"If there's even just one thing you want to protect, possess the brutality to cast off all else.  For no one is allowed to regain that which has already been lost." - Break to Gilbert

b Strobe Edge 1: Despite the sort of terrible cover, this series is kind of adorable.  It's about a girl falling in love with a guy who ends up having a girlfriend and how she deals with her desire to be closer to him while not wanting to cause him problems.  It's also about the girl's childhood friend who has a crush on her and how he survives her turning him down.  The material is pretty standard, but there's something about the characters and plot that hint that this is one to follow.

"That was nerve-wracking.  I had no idea that admitting my feelings would be so exhausting.  Hurting someone is terrifying.  'I'm sorry, Daisuke.  I really like you a lot.  I care about you a lot.  But that's not love."