LOVED this sweet manga full of light romance and humor. Can't wait to read more in the series! This is perfect for those who like shojo manga!

Sunbeams in the Sky, Vol. 1 [そらに陽だまり [Sora ni Hidamari] #1] is my first manga in a long time. I have read a ton in the past, but took a brief break, so I am glad to read a new one. The cover for this is sweet and I love the color-scheme. The art was very well done, and I loved the expressions of all the characters. The story follows identical twin sisters Mio and Himari who attend different schools. After an assault incident involving Himari, she decides to stay home and attempt to recover from the traumatic incident. Mio ends up asking Himari to instead attend her school to help her become more comfortable.

There are some logistical questions that do not get answered, such as, why the two do not go to the same school in the first place or why Himari did not transfer and instead posed as Mio. I am not sure if these will come up later or if the reader just is supposed to accept it, but it does not take away from the main story of the one sister posing as the other. Not only does Mio have some obstacles in trying to mimic Himari, but there is the added complication of romance. While Himari likes Tsukiyono, Mio likes Asaka. Since neither is acting as themselves, there is a lot of potential drama as the series moves forward. There is a lot that could happen with each guy finding out and the general people around each sister finding out, too, so I cannot wait to see what happens.

As this is the first novel in the series, it does its job of setting up the story and characters with enough potential for the remainder. While it does have a very dark theme with the assault, it does also include many lighter moments as the twins impersonate each other. This series will, I believe, be on the shorter side which means it should not become too much more complicated than the basics of the reveals. The characters are sweet and fun, so they all were likable enough to care about their stories. The premise of twins pretending to be each other is not new, but I still enjoy it. Overall, this was an interesting story, and I cannot wait to see how the rest turns out.

**I give a special thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, Yen Press, for the opportunity to read this entertaining novel. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.**

Himari and Mio Akeno are twins attending different schools. But when Himari has a disturbing incident at her school, she stops attending. Mio hatches a plan to get Himari to take her place at her school temporarily so that she starts getting out of the house and over her trauma. But Mio neglects to warn Himari about all her attractions, social duties, and quirks so Himari has to be quick on her feet and do a lot of fast talking to keep her role intact. And then the cafe/cookie incident really brings things to head. It will be interesting to see what volume 2 has in store for the twins!

Thanks Netgalley and Yen Press for access to this fun read!

Ok but this manga was so cute. I LOVED it. You can BET I will be purchasing a physical copy (once I’m off my ban) because how much I loved this.

*ARC provided by NetGalley in return for an honest review*

TW/CW: Assault, Kidnapping, PTSD

I’ll be entirely honest, this isn’t an easy read, nor are all the topics in it fun. But I think this manga does a really amazing job at tackling some very dark subjects while also maintaining a more light hearted plot usually found in shoujo.

The story follows two identical twins who are set to go to different schools. One ends up in a terrible predicament that leaves her with intense PTSD, and makes it incredibly difficult for her to befriend or be near boys/men forcing her to temporarily leave schooling. Meanwhile, the other twin continues on at her high school… well, until she gets sick and begs her sister to take her place as a form of baby stepping back into school. The two agree to swap places and shenanigans ensue from there.

I honestly really like how this manga addresses PTSD, and how it doesn’t force the MC back into an uncomfortable position but allows her to safely return to school at her own pace. While this could potentially be triggering to some, I personally found it comforting to see a character who sometimes reacts in a similar fashion to myself when placed in moments that trigger traumatic memories.

Overall, I’d give it 4 stars.

Twins always had strong connection, Mio really tried to help Himawari cheer up after traumatic event. Himawari heal slowly even when her fear appear.

Thank you to NetGalley for provide this book, it is pleasure to review this book.

#SunbeamsInTheSky #MonikaKaname #Manga #NetGalley #ARC

This was a super cute story!

It’s a little young for my taste, but the concept is super interesting. I don’t love how her sister sometimes manipulates her, but the art style is captivating and the writing is good. Interested to see where things go…

I was really impressed with this first volume.
The complexity of emotions was something that surprised me and will keep me wanting to read the second volume until I get my hands on it.
The main characters are super cute and sweet and you can see the love shared by them. And that's why they put themselves in situations they never thought of to help each other.
But things get complicated with love interests, and I have to admit that I love them both. And then the friend and her feelings!
I'm already heartbroken for all of them, because I love them and I want everyone happy.

I really need the second volume.

Trigger warning: Assault, bullying, and trauma

I absolutely loved this! This is about two twins who end up going to different high schools. But one twin, Himari, goes through something and ends up staying home instead of returning to school. The twins, Himari and Mio, end up switching places and Himari goes to school for Mio. As Hirmari is exposed to new people, she realizes that all of Mio's friends are nice and maybe the world is not so bad. This pushes her to want to go back to school even though she is still healing from her trauma.

I love the artwork. The first volume leaves readers at a cliffhanger and excites us for volume 2. I am already hooked on volume one! If this is anything like Fruits Basket from Yen Press then I know I am already going to love it!

Thank you NetGalley and Yen Press for letting me read an ARC of Sunbeams in the Sky, Vol 1.

I received an ARC and I’m leaving an honest review.

In just the first couple of pages we see one of the twins getting attacked by a gang of teens for (politely) rejecting a guy that asked her out and then it's like that wasn't important (or serious) at all and we're immediately thrown into the main plot of the other twin asking her if she can pretend to be her for a day... An assault is something serious, not just a silly plot device to throw in to spice things up.
I seriously got emotional whiplash from the way it switched from that to the main plot.

Anyways it looks like it can get interesting in the future. I hope they sort the feelings out for the second guy (listen, I forgot all their names already, okay?), because the twin's friend also has feelings for him and it'll make me sad if they end up hurting her. I also hope they take what happened to the mc more seriously in the next volumes.

Actual rating: 3.5 stars.

Trigger warning, the whole plot kicks off due to one of the twin teenage girls being physically assaulted by hired thugs because she turned down the date request of a rich boy. She is, justifiably, so traumatized that she no longer wants to go to that school.

This wasn't bad, but I have SO. Many. QUESTIONS.

I get that this is a manga, so realism isn't a big part of it, but:

1) where are the parents of the twin girls?
2) how is the one allowed to just stay home and not be tutored or ANYthing so she can further her education after the assault?
3) why doesn't the assaulted twin just go to the same school as her sister, since she isn't going to the school where she was assaulted and isn't being tutored at home?
4) what in the world does the gregarious twin see in the incredibly quiet and somewhat mean boy in her class?
5) will the assaulted twin start to trust guys again and end up with the guy who seems to like her and seems to be a really sweet guy?
6) will the gregarious twin's BFF, who has a crush on the guy who seems to like the assaulted twin, get the guy instead and will ugly drama ensue if the twin gets him instead?
7) do they actually LEARN anything in their school?
8) why can't I remember the characters' names? (That's more a me failing than the book's issue.)

I am very interested in reading the next volume, though I hope they both eventually get to go to school at the same time and that the assaulted one gets therapy and is able to work past her PTSD.

3.5 stars, rounded down, because I don't like subterfuge or assault that goes unpunished.

3, I am looking forward to the next volume, stars.

My thanks to NetGalley and Yen Press for an eARC copy of this book to read and review.

2.5 stars
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an ARC of this manga.

Kinda confusing to read because the two main characters are twins and look literally identical, but still want to know what happens next... So I'm probably going to continue with this series for at least a couple more volumes.

Sorry if this review is a bit incoherent, I'm on painkillers for my chronic pain right now and they make me a bit dizzy and confused lol.

The title and cover for this manga immediately caught my eye at first sight with its bright colors and bubbly character design. It does match the lighthearted tone of the story, despite its initial introduction where the story gets its start.

The two twin sisters (and main characters of the story) Himari and Mio couldn’t be more different from each other. Himari is the serious and mature older sibling while Mio is the more outspoken and livelier of the two. Both sometimes clash with their differences but at the end of the day, they both care about each other deeply. This sibling love leads Mio to try to push her sister to overcome her fears from the incident and enjoy life once again. It’s easier said than done as we see in this first volume, but it’s Himari’s first step to healing and returning to a semi-normal life.



As weknow in most manga and anime, twins pretending to be each other often backfires. We see hints of this in the first volume because the twins are so different from each other (in the best way). It still doesn’t stop me, the reader, from being intrigued to see how the secret will eventually unravel and this twin switch aspect gives the manga many comedic antics too. On top of keeping secrets, there are hints of a possible romance between Himari and Tsukiyono dubbed as “The Prince” of Mio’s school. Their interactions are very sweet and the small quiet moments where Himari shows her “true” personality (even though she is disguised as Mio) was heartwarming.

The artwork is stunning from the character design to attention to the smallest details of each landscape in the background. Kaname makes this first volume an immersive read and hooks you right into the story from the first few pages. I see a lot of future growth to occur in future volumes in this coming-of-age manga series. It’s exciting and gives off a slice-of-life vibe on top of the high school story tropes that it has.

Final Verdict:

Sunbeams in The Sky is definitely a manga to look out for and I can’t wait to read more. It seems wholesome and sweet, and I appreciated the sibling relationship as well. I’m looking forward to seeing how this romantic comedy will unravel in future volumes. Sunbeams in The Sky gets a 4 out of 5 rating for me!

THIS WAS SO CUTE!!! I absolutely loved this volume!! It was so adorable and I love the characters. I’m so excited to read the next volume to see what Mio and Himari get up to next!!

This is a fun story. It's about 2 identical twins pulling the switch every so often. The problem lies in the fact that one twin has trauma from an incident at another school. She's not been able to go back to her school, so her twin asks her to go to school as her to help her get more comfortable. When her neighbor in class Tsukiyono is kind to her while also dazzling as the prince of the school, Himari starts to have feeling for him. When she realizes that Mio, her twin, has feelings for Tsukiyono's friend, Asaka, things start to get interesting.
I'm interested for sure so see where this one goes. I don't love how the sister manipulates Himari sometimes, but I am intrigued and enjoying it enough to see where it goes.

Sunbeams in the Sky, Volume 1, by Monika Kaname is a manga style graphic novel that is currently scheduled for release on April 18 2023. Himari Akeno can’t wait to start high school! Even though she’s parting ways with her twin sister, Mio, Himari’s enthusiasm to start this new chapter of her life is palpable—that is, until a traumatic incident sends her home to hide in her room. Watching Himari’s dreams shatter is more than Mio can bear, especially when her sister still longs for an ordinary student life. Determined to see her twin get back out into the world, Mio “catches a cold” and convinces her sister to fill in until she “recovers.” As long as the shy, introverted Himari can pull off impersonating the bubbly, energetic Mio, nothing could go wrong…right?

The first volume of Sunbeams in the Sky did exactly what it was supposed to. It made me care about the characters and become heavily invested in them and their relationships. I liked the story, and thought the characters were well written and introduced. I would have liked to see more development with a couple of the characters, I fully suspect that will be coming as the story unfolds in later installments. While much of the story is fairly typical family and high school drama style there is certainly more going on here. I do have to admit that I keep thinking the characters are more than they appear, and am waiting for some of my suspicions to be proven wrong or right in future volumes.

Sunbeams in the Sky. A very adorable first volume!

I really liked the use of the twin swap trope and relationship that Mio and Himari have. They most are unique characters that have their own distinct personalities so you don’t get them mixed up at all. Mio is outgoing while Himari is more introverted.

The plot pacing was a little bit slow but I think due to introducing the characters and setting the world for later volumes.
I’m keen to see where they take the story next.

I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you NetGalley for this gifted copy.

Trigger Warnings
Assault

I have found a new series to watch in this slice of life manga "Sunbeams in the Sky". After a traumatic event keeps Himari from going back to her own school her twin Mio tries to reacclimate her by sending Himari to school in her place. The characters are from the get go lovable and sweet. It is easy to fall for the main character and I absolutely can not wait for vol.2 to be published in the fall! This is a new take on mistaken identities that has every chance of going horribly wrong. But hopefully with a sweet outcome for all parties involved. I received a free e-arc of this title from Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was a cute read, albeit not the most exciting in terms of plot or pacing. It was interesting to read a shoujo romance where the main character is an identical twin, and I really enjoyed their relationship. I have a suspicion on what will happen in later volumes, if the potential slow burn romance is an indication, and I will probably continue this.

THIS WAS ADORABLE!

I truly enjoyed the relationship between the two main characters, Himari and Mio, who also happen to be twins. It's so evidently clear that the two of them have very different personalities.

This volume is a great start for a future romance, and I can't wait to see where it goes. I find all the characters to be extremely likeable and charming. I am looking forward to seeing how they expand more on Himari dealing with her trauma and watching her grow as a person.

I am also curious on how the constant switching of twins will affect the relationship between the sisters.

I have high hopes for volume two and can't wait to get my hands on it.