One of the pitfalls of reading shoujo manga is that the protagonist usually ends up being flighty, shallow and down right pathetic (case in point being Ao Haru Ride).
Suzume proves to be a lot more dynamic than many other heroines in her genre and is actually has an engaging, multi-faceted personality. So kudos for that.
I also like her growing relationship with Yuyuka, how they're half way in between bitchy love rivals and good friends.
Shishio is a really charismatic and likable male lead. The way he's introduced in the beginning is quite a surprise. Basically if you like those mischievous, seemingly-superficial but underlyingly-introspective types, you'll like him.
BUT THE SECOND MALE LEAD. MAMURA DAIKI. ; A; OH MAN. This guy is endearing as hell. His relationship with Suzume is also a growing thing, and it's delightfully cute in how it starts. He's the quiet, seemingly-cold but actually just a sweetheart type.
All in all, Hirunaka no Ryuusei has all the components of a typical shoujo manga. Girl meets boy, boy meets girl, there's a love square, there's pining etc, but HnR manages to do a lot better with all these components than a lot of other stories I've read.
