Rainy Days With Amanda

It’s been a hot minute since I wrote a Manga Monday, not because I haven’t been reading manga, but I just haven’t been reading anything that’s finished or that I haven’t already reviewed. However, the last chapter of  Firefly Wedding  came out in January, and I needed to talk about it, so here we are.  SPOILER ALERT! About the Mangaka In 2016, while raising children, Tachibana Oreco began painting landscapes with acrylic paints and shared them on Twitter. Progressing from illustrations to creating doujinshi (self-published works). In October 2016, an original piece she posted on the illustration sharing site Pixiv caught the attention of the Shogakukan MangaONE editorial department. From January 2018 onwards, she commenced the serialization of “Promise Cinderella.” Starting from January 1st, 2023, she began serializing  Firefly Wedding  on MangaONE and Ura Sunday. About the Manga Set during the Meiji era, Satoko Kirigaya is the daughter of an earl and renowned f...

I recently went on my very first trip where I traveled out of state by myself and knew no one else that I was meeting up with (for work) on my trip. Now, I know people do this all the time, but in all my time traveling, I haven't really traveled by myself, much-less spent the night in a whole different state by myself. Many moons ago, I would take the bus, and once the Amtrack, from my hometown to my now husband, then boyfriend's city. That was really the only time I traveled alone. So I kind of wanted to talk about my thoughts on solo traveling here.    Driving vs. Flying  Last year, I went on my first solo-drives to cities about an hour and a half away. Going to concerts in another city used to be easy for my husband and I, but now that we have a little one, it can be a little hard for both of us to go. Last year, Big Thief was coming to a city near me and I absolutely wanted to go. With encouragement, and a little bit of extra cash, my husband told me I should go and h...

    FRANTIC  By Brent Bradley Techno Thriller/ Conspiracy Thriller Publisher: BCS Publishing Publication Date: March 7, 2025 A delusional prison patient warns Dr. Brian Heiser, Marriage and Family Therapist, of enormous impending disaster. Dr. Heiser and his best friend, a lauded Forensic Psychologist, find themselves entangled in a 72-hour deadly race to stop an AI bill being fast-tracked through the Texas state legislature. Patricia Reigns, an elite developer of artificial intelligence, teams with them, thus cementing the trio as a viable threat. Unbeknownst to Fred, however, Brian and Patricia had a secret past. That past soon rekindled feelings in Patricia towards Brian, and vice versa. And this woman was not one to play coy. The more they uncover, the more the deadly power of Artificial Intelligence is unleashed on them at every turn from unseen top tech billionaires all vying for the same AI state contract. What follows is a three-day frantic spri...

 Is it hot in here, or is it just me? JK. But seriously, it’s already unnecessarily hot here in south Texas. Anyway, yes, I did jump on the wagon that is called Heated Rivalry . I admittedly didn’t watch it during its original run and wasn’t really planning on it. Hockey is cool, but sports related stories just aren’t my thing (although maybe they are, shout out to Yuri on Ice and Skate the Infinity ). However, my FYPages were telling me otherwise. What actually were the final two nails that hit the coffin for me were when people were talking about the Kip and Scott scene and I kept hearing about the cottage, so I guess I wanted to sneak a peak. And then I just wanted to be the lamp in the room. After I finished the show, I went to a new independent book store, grabbed the second to last copy, and savored the story all over again. Here is my book talk on Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid. About the Author Rachel Reid is the New York Times Bestselling author of the Game Changers hoc...

    ZIVA THE GREAT By Cindy J. Vanous Children’s Fiction: Ages 6-12 Publication Date: 21 October, 2025 32 Pages Ziva the Great  is a heartfelt picture book for older children about a Maine Coon cat learning to trust again and a quiet girl named Elsie who understands gentle things. Ziva is loving with her family but startles easily around new people-until Elsie arrives. The girl moves softly, speaks softly, and never frightens her. Their friendship grows through small moments of closeness and calm. Together, they show young readers that healing takes time, trust can return, and even quiet hearts can find comfort again. Perfect for ages 8-12, this emotional animal story supports social-emotional learning (SEL) and is ideal for parents, teachers, counselors, and classrooms. Themes include emotional healing, resilience, friendship, overcoming fear, and the bond between children and animals. First off, this is a beautifully illustrated book. The detailing on each painted page...

 I’m back with the third book in the ACOTR series. I have 2ish (I think the next book is a half book, filler-type book) to go, but before we get there, we have to get through the events of A Court of Wings and Ruin .  About the Author Sarah J. Maas  is the prolific, #1 New York Times and internationally bestselling author of the  Throne of Glass , A Court of Thorns and Roses and  Crescent City series , which have sold more than 70 million copies in English worldwide and are published in thirty-eight languages. Maas is one of the most successful authors of the modern era, generating a far-reaching and ever-growing fanbase of readers, as well as a TikTok phenomenon, with the hashtag for her A Court of Thorns and Roses series having several billion views. About the Story Feyre has returned to the Spring Court, determined to gather information on Tamlin's actions and learn what she can about the invading king threatening to bring her land to its knees. But to do so ...