Review: Definitely not your usual YA
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 01 22, 2013
Review:This was a slightly unusual YA and I can't even call it YA to some extent. Despite having highschoolers as main characters, this book was quite mature, nothing too explicit of course, but not very much on the edge. It felt like a more kiddy version of your usual post Fifty Shades of Grey boom book with a younger cast of characters. Nevertheless, I liked it - a lot. It had its issues and, honestly, wasn't entirely too realistic, but I had a lot of fun with it, especially, due to not taking it overly seriously. If you don't overanalyze it, this will turn out to be a great guilty pleasure read.I was pleasantly surprised how the colorful world of drawing manga, cosplay, anime/manga festivals and diverse things Japanese were woven into and at the center of the story. It was rather refreshing also, because I haven't come across it being explored in such depth and context. All talk of various manga and anime related topics, however, may be difficult to understand to those who are not familiar with this subculture and the references and meaning will be lost, but still, it's a bonus and not the only aspect that carries this story.This read a lot like a smutty shoujo manga (one of its representative mangaka Mayu Shinjo, by the way, also being a great role-model to our heroine). You have the sinfully sexy and devious hottie throwing his claws inside our virginal and spunky, but oh so willing and curious heroine for some "fun times" by "blackmailing" her or just seducing her with one smoldering look! Of course, the girl has long dreamed and crushed on this hunk of a boy and with the case of Katerina, she had been quite NC-17 with her daydreams of Yuki. Come to think of it, she was considerably more dirty-minded than him. I approve!Characters:Katerina was and then again wasn't your usual quircky cutie heroine. I liked that she had a passion for drawing manga and becoming a mangaka, she breathed that lifestyle. Her devotion and crush on Yuki was adorable and I'm glad she kept her backbone when dealing with him even though she a couple of breakdown moments. She went slightly overboard inside her dirty mind but, overall, it was interesting to read about a heroine who wasn't absolutely clueless or too wholesome (at least inside her thoughts). A really likable and distinct heroine.Yuki - hentai! - a horny hunk, who, as your usual hotties has inner struggles and various issues that make him act as he does in an unhealthy and douchebaggy fashion towards himself and eventually towards the heroine. I was actually very fond of Yuki and not only because he was Japanese/Russian - quite an unusual background which definitely adds to his appeal though. Yes, he was as he was and his scars didn't erase how he behaved and the choices he made, but there was simply something likeable about him. A seemingly good, smart and polite boy with a wicked inside, or just a mischievous side brought out by Katerina.I also have to mention that the parents in this book weren't your typical bunch so again something out of the usual format. A character I was surprised I loved, however, was Katerina's best friend, she was so uniquely hilarious. This book was full of women with a specific passions and interests, I'll tell you that.Overall:A YA that is almost nothing like other YA and, as mentioned, it doesn't fully qualify to me as a YA anyway, it's just more spicy and daring. Nevertheless, a fun read with distinct but familiar characters that I recommend especially if you like smutty shoujo manga.