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Title: Black Bird Vol 2 Author: Kanoko Sakurakoji Publisher: Viz ISBN: 9781421527659 |
May Contain Spoilers
From Amazon:
Kyo, the head of the Tengu demon clan, is Misao’s only chance for survival. But even though she has sweet memories of him as a childhood friend, she has trouble reconciling them with the man he has become. Despite the strange attraction, can she trust her life, let alone her heart, to a man who only cares about the promise of her blood? There is a world of myth and magic that intersects ours, and only a special few can see it. Misao Harada is one such person, and she wants nothing to do with magic realms. She just wants to have a normal high school life and maybe get a boyfriend. But she is the bride of demon prophecy, and her blood grants incredible powers, her flesh immortality. Now the demon realm is fighting over the right to her hand?or her life!
I enjoyed this volume of Black Bird better than the last, though there were still some trouble spots for me. Kyo’s vassals are nice addition to the cast, and most of them are quite drool worthy. Better yet, they treat Misao with the utmost respect and deference, because she may soon become the bride of the head of their clan. While their main purpose is to keep her from being eaten by another demon, they also add some humor and eye candy to the plot.
Kyo’s character softens during most of the book, making him more likable. He’s still creepy when he goes into uber possessive mode, but these moments of Misao subjugation aren’t as frequent as in the first volume. I even started to get the feeling that he cares for her, though his methods of displaying his love can be a bit frightening.
Misao can’t remember much of her childhood, and I have to admit that I am always a sucker for this particular ploy. What happened to lock up her memories of her childhood with Kyo? More importantly, will she retain her current happy love-fuzzies after she remembers? In the blink of an eye, Kyo can transform from charming and sexy to domineering and demanding, and I have to wonder if he was like that as a boy. His transformations from gentle to forceful add to the tension, but Misao’s calm acceptance of it grates on my nerves.
Black Bird weaves together a romance tinged with danger. Despite being populated with attractive characters and an intriguing premise, the dark undertones and threat of violence against the heroine keep me from fully embracing it.
Grade: B-
Review copy provided by Viz
