Selah's Manga Mania Reviews: Pet Shop of Horrors

Pet Shop of Horrors, Vol. 1

by Matsuri Akino

June 17, 2003

Genre: horror, fantasy, myths & legends, mystery

Demographic: Shōjo
Original run 1995 – 1998
Volumes 10 (41 chapters)
TokyoPop

Welcome to Chinatown! During your visit, be sure to stop by Count D's pet shop, where love and dreams are sold in the form of mythical creatures - but not without a catch. The buyer must adhere to a set of rules, which if broken, may result in death...or worse. Count D's shop features: Dream - young Angelica learns the tragic nature of breeding the rarest of birds - the Strelitzia; Despair - out-of-luck actor Robin Hendrix has always preferred the company of reptiles, so it's only natural that he would fall in love with a very special, and dangerous, one; Daughter -there is no love stronger than a mother's love for her daughter, but one mother is about to learn that love can be quite painful; and Dreizehn -they say that a dog is a man's best friend - but for the recently blinded Karen, the bond with her new seeing-eye dog is even closer.

I was debating what other horror series to look at this month, and while I was leaning toward Godchild, I don’t think that’s really fair given the similarities to Black Butler (totally going to review it at a later point, because that one is not to be missed). So we’re going to go way back and take a look at one of the first manga series I ever read: Pet Shop of Horrors.

The basic premise is that Count D’s pet shop in Chinatown specializes in rare and exotic pets…excepexceptionally. He always seems to match them up to the owner who needs them, although sometimes that owner also needs to learn a lesson. A lot of the pets have strange or almost humanoid appearances (though how the owner sees them vs how the police and others see them at the end of each episode can differ), and an owner must enter into a contract with three points to own one of these pets. If the contract is broken, bad and even fatal consequences can occur, but of course, the pet shop isn’t liable. Enter Leon Orcot, a detective who’s determined to connect Count D’s shop to a string of murders in the area.

The Good: This is an older series, so it’s already finished, and is only 10 volumes. It’s also mostly episodic, so if you can’t find a book (save for like the last two), you really won’t miss a ton, save the occasional later reference. I really like the Twilight Zone meets manga flavor this series exhibits. It’s pretty to look at, which also makes the macabre elements really stand out. On my second reading of the series, the issues/punishments are a little contrived, but I also feel like on my first reading it wasn’t easy to see where things were definitely going. I knew something was going to happen, but I wasn’t sure what. The odd build of friendship between the count and Orcot is also interesting and entertaining. I also really like the sheer variation of types of stories – some are the typical shock ending, others carry a layer of sadness that was almost haunting. You can’t help but either feel for or actively dislike some of the pet owners, so the emotional level is played really nicely without feeling like you have to get hugely invested into the series.

The Bad: The thing to remember is that this was written a while back, and while dialogue fits the characters it’s coming from, I can see certain things making people knee jerk. There’s a lot of commentary about how pretty the count is or the fact that he wears robes instead of pants, and there’s some commentary about Chinatown. It isn’t overtly disconcerting, but on my reread I did definitely go ‘wow, right, yeah, guess that still happens.’ That and Count D mildly flirting with Orcot to rile him are nothing foreign to manga (I mean, if you’re gonna read shojo alone you’re gonna have to get used to variations on sex jokes for a lot of series), but I think if anything it struck me as a little dated. There is also a little gore, because this isn’t totally all about the psychological factor.

Ick Factor: A little gore, but nothing weird or over the top that made me stop reading. This is pretty light horror compared to a lot of other things.

Overall, it’s an interesting combination of elements and is an interesting twist on the anthology horror style. If you’re looking for something totally new that will shock you at every turn, this isn’t it, but if you want a fairly easy introduction to manga with some great story and horror elements, you’ll want to check this one out.

3.5 Sheep

***

About Selah Janel:

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Selah Janel is a writer who is trying to start doing that again instead of reading manga all the time.

Sheep Movie Review: Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
Director: Taika Waititi
Written By: Eric Pearson
Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Mark Ruffalo, Cate Blanchett, Anthony Hopkins, Benedict Cumberbatch
Nov 3, 2017
Rating: PG-13 (for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and brief suggestive material)
Genre: Action & Adventure, Drama, Science Fiction & Fantasy
Runtime: 130 minutes
Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
In Marvel Studios' "Thor: Ragnarok," Thor is imprisoned on the other side of the universe without his mighty hammer and finds himself in a race against time to get back to Asgard to stop Ragnarok--the destruction of his homeworld and the end of Asgardian civilization--at the hands of an all-powerful new threat, the ruthless Hela. But first, he must survive a deadly gladiatorial contest that pits him against his former ally and fellow Avenger--the Incredible Hulk!

Went to see Thor: Ragnarok with my 16-year-old daughter and we both had a blast! The movie was a mix of action, laugh out loud moments, and thunder and lightning.

Marvel delivers again. It's hard not to get hyped when The Immigrant song plays during the opening and final battle scenes. And you never knew if "bad" Loki or "good" Loki was going show up or if they would make it through the Devil's Anus. Yeah, you read that right.

Wait till you meet Korg! He steals the show, along with Thor's arms and abs. Warning, you get to see Hulk's naked butt. It's green by the way.

I do want to know what the heck happened to Karl Urban?

This is a big screen movie so see it at the theater if you can. Be sure to stay for the two extra credit scenes. And there was a Pacific Rim 2 trailer at the beginning! Coming 2018.

Holly gives it 4 1/2 "knowing what it feels like" Sheep

I give it 4 1/2 "Hela good time" Sheep

This was me last night watching Thor...and no, I have no chill.

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— 2S(@RV_DoubleS) November 2, 2017

SharonS

Author Heather MacKinnon: WTF-ery!? (What the flockery!?) with a twist + giveaway

Below are 5 facts about Heather MacKinnon. The twist is, one of them is a lie. Can you figure out which is which?

★ Heather used to draw blood for a living. (Hmm, maybe that’s where her love of vampires comes from? Or perhaps culminates? Muahaha)

★ Heather and her husband went to Transylvania on their honeymoon (so she could hunt for vampires).

★ Heather owns an Ouija board but is too afraid to use it.

★ Heather has never dressed up as a vampire for Halloween despite her lifelong love of them.

★ Heather’s dog Charlie is named after Bella Swan’s dad from Twilight.

Heather will choose one winner out of everyone who guesses the correct lie to win a copy of her current book, Changed, and an ARC of her new book, Shift, due out by the end of the year.

Changed
by Heather MacKinnon
10/31/16

Genre: Paranormal Romance
ASIN: B01M9IU0EJ
Number of pages: 225
Word Count: 76,800
Cover Artist: DesignsbyDanielle
A captivating novel that explores the link between love, possession, and the lighter side of the myths that lurk in the dark.

Adrienne’s post-college plans were shattered the night she was attacked. She woke up in the basement of a restaurant and finds she can see perfectly in the dark, is stronger than she’d ever been before, and can move impossibly fast.

Testing her new limits, Adrienne zips down a NYC street, passing people by in a blur, only to be stopped by a strange man who’s stronger than she is now. Nicholas explains that she’s been Changed into a vampire, like him. Adrienne is forced to accept the strange turn her life has taken, but struggles with the growing feelings she has for Nicholas. As if that wasn’t enough to deal with, the man who Changed her shows back up, insisting she’s his property.

Now she’s on the run from a centuries old vampire who’s determined to make her his wife. Can Adrienne outrun and outsmart the man who Changed her into a vampire? If she sticks with Nicholas, the vampire who’s taught her all she knows, she might have a chance. As long as their budding romance doesn’t get in the way.

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Excerpt:
“Adrienne.” I watched his lips sound out my name. “Just what the hell did you think you were doing?”

Not a fan of being scolded, I crossed my arms over my chest. “What did it look like I was doing?”

I watched him take a deep breath, his nostrils flaring. “It looked as if you were running full speed down a New York City street in full view of humans.”

“As opposed to a street in full view of aliens?” I scoffed and rolled my eyes.

“This isn’t a joke, Adrienne.” I liked the way he said my name. “Do you know how bad it would have been if someone had seen you? Luckily the only people on this street are the meth heads a few doors down and no one would believe them if they talked.”

“How do you know they’re meth heads?”

“I could taste it.”

“How could you taste–”

“Enough!” He yelled, and I jumped a little. I watched him take another breath as if to compose himself. “Excuse me, I didn’t mean to startle you. I’m trying to convey to you the gravity of this situation.”

Standing there effectively cowed, I waited for him to continue. His eyes narrowed as he looked me up and down. “How old are you?”

“Twenty-two. What does that have to do with anything?”

He ignored my question and shook his head. “No, how long have you been Changed?”

Now it was my turn to narrow my eyes at him. “Changed into what?”

He stood there looking at me for a moment longer before he sighed and rubbed his hand against the back of his neck. “That explains a few things,” he said quietly, almost to himself.

“Well, that’s great for you but it explains nothing.”

He sighed again. “Where is your maker?”

“My what?” It was like this guy was speaking another language. He sighed a third time, and I’d had enough. “Do you think you could quit sighing and tell me who you are at least?”

He looked abashed. “Excuse me. Where are my manners? My name is Nicholas. Can you tell me when you awoke?”

“Awoke?” Who talks like that? “I awake every day.”

He shook his head. “That’s not what I meant. When was it you awoke and noticed a change in your senses? Better vision, sense of smell, greater strength?”

Oh. That change.

“Just tonight. I left my friend’s party and woke up a few hours later in the basement of a Chinese food restaurant over there.” I pointed in the general direction of the store.

“Was there anyone there with you when you awoke? Do you remember how you got there?”

“No. I was alone and I don’t know how I got there.”

Nicholas seemed to be deep in thought, his thick, dark eyebrows drawn together forming a crease between the two. Seeming to decide something, he nodded his head and held out his hand. “All right then, come with me.”

About the Author:

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Heather MacKinnon is an author living in the research triangle in North Carolina with her husband and two troublemaking dogs. She grew up on Long Island and spent her young adult years in various states in New England.

This led to her subsequent addiction to Dunkin’ Donuts latte’s and her gratuitous use of the word “wicked”. She’s tried her hand at many jobs throughout the years as she strove to find the one that made her happy. Heather has sold chicken, kitchen knives, auto body supplies, PR packages, and computer software. She’s been a cashier, a waitress, a cook, a hotel concierge, a phlebotomist, and an Uber driver. Though her jobs have been many, her passion has always been reading.

She’d hide in the bathroom and read between sales calls, or find a lonely corner in the kitchen and whip out her kindle between waiting on tables. After a lifetime of enjoying other people’s words, she decided to write down some of her own.

Blog Giveaway

Answer Heather's question (above) in the comments.

Tour giveaway

5 Copies of Changed

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$.99 Pre-order Fairytale Christmas: A Fair Folk Saga (The Fair Folk Saga Book 1) by Merrie Destefano

Fairytale Christmas: A Fair Folk Saga (The Fair Folk Saga Book 1)

by Merrie Destefano
December 4, 2017
Three thousand years ago, a war began between the immortals and the mortals. It's a war that continues to this day...

Before history began, a legendary queen battled a foreign army, braved the death of her husband, and faced betrayal at the hand of someone she trusted. This is the story of Eire, Queen of the Faeries, the Immortal One, and the leader of the Tuatha de Danann.

To this day, her homeland, Ireland, bears her name, and this is the story of the war that drove the Immortal Ones into exile. It's also the tale of how she found help from an unexpected place, leading her to a love like she had never known before.

Fairytale Christmas is a story that spans thousands of years. It's also the beginning of all of our fairytales and legends; it's where mortals and immortals survive because they love one another, proving that love is the greatest gift of all.

This is the first installment in the Saga of the Fair Folk, a journey that lasts until the end of time.

Pre-order for only $.99

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About the Author:
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Born in the Midwest, magazine editor Merrie Destefano currently lives in Southern California with her husband, two German shepherds, a Siamese cat, and the occasional wandering possum. Her favorite hobbies are reading speculative fiction and watching old Star Trek episodes, and her incurable addiction is writing. She loves to camp in the mountains, walk on the beach, watch old movies, and listen to alternative music—although rarely all at the same time.

Excerpt: (Un)Masked by Anyta Sunday and Andy Gallo + giveaway

(Un)Masked

by Anyta Sunday & Andy Gallo
October 30, 2017
Subgenre: MM gay paranormal romance, magical realism, new adult
Walker has two wishes: to perform the play of his dreams alongside his best friend at Wellington’s Tory Street Theatre, and to meet that special someone. Someone he’d go to the ends of the earth for. Someone who might only exist in fairy tales.

When Jay meets accordion busker Lethe Cross, it’s like living a dream come true. Lethe’s music captivates Jay, and he resolves to meet the man who plays so beautifully. But then he discovers Lethe’s life is more like a nightmare. The phrase “down on his luck” can’t begin to cover it. Determined to help, Jay does some snooping for answers—and winds up on the wrong end of a centuries-old curse. The good news is there’s a way to break it. The bad news is it might cost Jay his life.

This book was previously published by Dreamspinner Press. This updated 2nd edition has some rewritten parts and has been line edited again.
Buy Links: http://www.anytasunday.com/#unmasked

Excerpt #1:
His music sailed over me, beautiful, seductive; the call of a siren—and I went willingly.

He stood on a concrete wall dividing the beach and pavement, cutting notes into a thousand beautiful fragments that the air caught and whipped around me.

His hips twisted and his fingers slid over the accordion keyboard as he commanded the bellows. Like magic, the disappointment that had clung to me all morning dulled, and I sank against a pylon across and watched him. Watched, and wished the lip of the hoodie he wore would lift so I could see his face.

He swayed with the music, and I glimpsed blond hair and a scar splitting one brow.

Nearer and nearer, I inched, until I stood before him.

His song ended abruptly, and he stared down at me with haunted, tired eyes.

I opened my mouth to ask him to play again, to tell him he was truly talented, but he jumped onto the beach and fled.

My soul prickled, and I knew I would never be the same again.

One never was, when death lurked nearby.

About the Authors:
Anyta Sunday

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To receive a free e-book, sign up for Anyta’s newsletter here! 

Heart-stopping slow burn.

Anyta Sunday is a big, BIG fan of slow-burn romances. She loves to read and write stories with characters who slowly fall in love.

Some of her favorite tropes to read and write are: Enemies to Lovers, Friends to Lovers, Clueless Guys, Bisexual, Pansexual, Demisexual, Oblivious MCs, Everyone (Else) Can See It, Slow Burn, Love Has No Boundaries.

Anyta writes a variety of stories, Contemporary MM Romances with a good dollop of angst, Contemporary lighthearted MM Romances, and even a splash of fantasy. Her books have been translated into German, Italian and French.

Member of Romance Writers of America.

Andy Gallo
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Andy Gallo’s stories capture how he wished he’d spent his formative years, instead of how it really happened. Unfortunately for his characters, they find themselves infused with some of Andy’s less noble qualities.

A hopeless romantic, Andy writes seated next to a hundred-year-old Smith Brothers typewriter he inherited from his grandfather. He also dreams of superheroes and wizards and sees no reason why two men with superpowers can’t fall in love just like everyone else. Although not all of his stories have a paranormal bent, a touch of the supernatural never derailed a good read in his mind.

Married and living his happy ever after, Andy helps others find their happy endings in the pages of his stories. He and his husband of more than twenty years spend their days rubbing elbows with other parents as they raise their daughter. Embracing his status as the gay dad, Andy sometimes has to remind others that one does want a hint of color even when chasing after their child.

Giveaway
3 e-copies of any backlist book by either Anyta Sunday or Andy Gallo

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