This was an enjoyable read. Thank you to Netgalley, the publishers, and the author and artist for the ARC I read.

This is a complete story in one manga (which is so nice when so many series are many volumes and sometimes patience while waiting for the next volume is hard). The art style is really gorgeous and the story is a cute little love story. I think it was light and cute but probably not a favorite read since it wasn’t anything new, but I think it’s worth reading since it’s only one volume and it’s really pretty and well done.

This story had a very cute premise but ended up boring me quite a bit. You only learn the bare minimum about the main characters and barely any box story. Aside from the fashion choices, nothing else about this story screams that it's set in the 1920's Japan Taisho era. You could have placed the story in almost any era, and it would be exactly the same. The fact that Ozaki is a kitsune doesn't really matter either. You could have him be almost any other type of immortal, and the story would remain the same. I feel like this story would land much better if it was more than a one-shot. Even a 3 volume series would have given it the room to actually become a compelling story. I did enjoy the art, that was lovingly done.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

I really wanted to love this. The art is really beautiful. It just feels like something was missing in the story - like the development of feelings and a clear explanation of Ozaki's relationship with the grandfather.

I saw this on Netgalley and went “ooh fox spirit BL manga with pretty cover yes please” and IT’S SO CUTE!!

The Yearning Fox Lies in Wait by Nauru
Rating: 4/5
Release Date: 21 May 2024

In the year 1920, during the 9th year of the Taisho Period, Kiyo Fukasaku, a devoted scholar, celebrates his acceptance into the prestigious Imperial University. Eager to embark on his new journey in the capital city, his excitement fades when he quickly finds himself lost and facing hardships on his very first day.

However, fortune smiles upon him when he encounters Ozaki, a peculiar and seemingly affluent individual, who offers Kiyo shelter in his grand mansion upon learning of his financial woes. Yet, Ozaki harbors a secret - he is a fox spirit with a mysterious connection to Kiyo's grandfather, Seishirou.

In gratitude for Seishirou's past kindness, Ozaki extends an invitation for Kiyo to reside with him. As Kiyo delves deeper into this enigmatic bond between Ozaki and Seishirou, he unravels a complex web of relationships and questions what implications it holds for both himself and Ozaki.

This was my first time reading Manga I was pleasantly taken aback by the adorable storyline and the seamless readability.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Kodansha Comics, and the author, Nmura, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review.

Read more graphic novel reviews at www.graphiclibrary.org. Kiyo has spent his entire life studying, and he is finally on his way to a prestigious university in Tokyo. But, he's lost. As he sits for a moment trying to compose himself, a dashing man exits and inquires why he has been pacing around his house. Rather than be mad or make fun of his predicament, Ozaki offers Kiyo room and board if he will help take care of his enormous house! It doesn't take long for Kiyo to figure out something is up with his strange new master, other than offering young men a place to stay. Ozaki is actually a fox spirit, and he supposedly hates all humans, except for Kiyo's grandfather, who he had a connection with and offered Kiyo this arrangement as a means to repay the family debt. This story is a cute and tidy one-volume romance that seems a little slow to start and ends rather quickly, but nevertheless offers readers a little bit in a lot of areas. There is romance, historical fiction, a dash of food manga, and some mythology thrown in for good measure. The illustrations are pretty but nothing especially stand out. The bonus chapter has a little bit of spice, enough to satisfy some romance readers who might have thought this title was too chaste for them, but not too much to keep this from school library bookshelves. Sara's Rating: 8/10 Suitability Level: Grades 7-12

I liked this but it’s too short I feel, I wanted more content of them after they’ve become a couple, I guess like some slice of life chapters of them just being happy together.