Now that we have some release dates finalized, I’m going to announce the books we’ll be reading in July and August for the our summer reading discussions. I will post a reading schedule for July once both novels are out.

For July:

• Magical Girl Raising Project — by Asari Endou (with art by Marui-no)
• The Combat Baker and Automaton Waitress — by SOW (with art by ZAZA)

Yen Press released volume 1 of Magical Girl Raising Project digitally and as a paperback on June 20th. I don’t know much about this series, except that it had an anime adaptation in the fall of 2016 (which you can see on Crunchyroll). From what I understand, it has a kind of Battle Royale “death-game” type of setup, but with magical girls (mahou shoujo).

Magical Girl Raising Project volume 1 (paperback, ebook)
Amazon -- Barnes and Noble -- Book Depository -- RightStuf
Release Date: June 20, 2017

Synopsis: The hit smartphone game Magical Girl Raising Project is not only free, but one in tens of thousands of players will win real-life powers. In N City, sixteen of these lucky girls help the city’s citizens–until upper management announces that each week, the least productive magical girl will lose her gifts. But this is no ordinary contest, and as the rules become increasingly sadistic, the competition to keep their powers becomes a vicious battle for the girls’ very lives…

BookWalker will release volume 1 of The Combat Baker and Automaton Waitress on June 30th, exclusively on their website (from which a reader app can be downloaded for phones or PC). You can find more details here. The story sounds like a fun one — or at least, I like the book’s title. Can’t say no to a book with melon bread on the cover.

The Combat Baker and Automaton Waitress volume 1 (ebook)
BookWalker
Release Date: June 30th, 2017

Synopsis: The Combat Baker and Automaton Waitress is about an ex-soldier who moves to a rural town to open a bakery. While he has no problem baking delicious bread, this battle-scarred veteran discovers that his intimidating demeanor is scaring off potential customers. What good is having a bakery if you can't sell a single loaf of bread? Just when he's ready to give up, a red-eyed, white-haired girl walks into his shop to ask for a job. Could hiring her save his bakery? Just who is this beautiful girl? Is she even human?!

For August:

• Infinite Dendrogram — by Sakon Kaidou (with art by Taiki)
• Akaoni: Contract with a Vampire — by Hiroro (with art by Mokoppe)

J-Novel Club has been releasing Infinite Dendrogram in weekly installments on their website (and app). It looks like the first volume is already finished actually, but the full ebook edition will not release until July 10th. I might adjust the summer reading schedule a bit so that we start reading this one in the middle of July, but we’ll see. At any rate, this is a story featuring virtual reality. It seems to be getting a lot of high praise!

Infinite Dendrogram volume 1 (ebook)
Amazon -- iBook -- J-Novel Club -- Kobo
Release Date: July 10, 2017

Synopsis: In the year 2043, Infinite Dendrogram, the world’s first successful full-dive VRMMO was released. In addition to its ability to perfectly simulate the five senses, along with its many other amazing features, the game promised to offer players a world full of infinite possibilities. Nearly two years later, soon-to-be college freshman, Reiji Mukudori, is finally able to buy a copy of the game and start playing. With some help from his experienced older brother, Shu, and his partner Embryo, Reiji embarks on an adventure into the world of Infinite Dendrogram. Just what will he discover and encounter in this game world known for its incredible realism and infinite possibilities?

Cross Infinite World will release the first volume of Akaoni: Contract with a Vampire digitally on July 31st. Like the other novels localized by Cross Infinite World, Akaoni was originally a web novel in Japan, but for the English release is getting a new polished draft and light novel-style set of illustrations. You can find more details here. I’m interested in this one because it’s a shoujo light novel in English, which is rare.

Akaoni: Contract with a Vampire volume 1 (ebook)
Amazon
Release Date: July 31, 2017

Synopsis: Locked in the back of a minivan headed for who knows where, Azusa Saito realizes she has been kidnapped. Just when she thinks there's no hope for escape, she is rescued by a man with glowing red eyes. Or is she? Her supposed rescuer forces her to live in a town of vampires. There she learns the story of her kidnapper, a red-eyed vampire charged with the bothersome role of guarding her from enemy covens and from escaping. He is the dreaded Akaoni, the only vampire all other vampires tremble in fear of. Oddly, he doesn't scare her though.

So there’s four more titles to check out this summer! This will be a good chance to read some new light novels and connect with others in the English-reading light novel community, so be sure to join in if any of these titles interest you. And if you’re on the fence for some of them… What have you got to lose? Give them a read, and maybe you’ll be pleasantly surprised. It’s possible you’ll end up with a new favorite series to look forward to~★

Also, don’t forget we will have a discussion post for Your Name and The Disappearance of Hatsune Miku next week, concluding June’s reading lineup. Be sure to finish reading those in the next few days!