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Mechanical Universe: Duende – E.E. Ottoman
Famed opera singer Aimé has a lot in common with Badri, the Royal Ballet Company’s most popular male lead. They have both dedicated their entire lives to their art, and struggle to be taken seriously among the Empire’s elite. And both harbor a secret admiration and desire for the other.
This year for his birthday Aimé treats himself to a night at the ballet seeing Badri perform, and after the show decides to meet Badri and confess his admiration for Badri’s skill. But when that first awkward meeting turns to more, they are left wondering if there is room in their lives for both career and romance…
Artist types who can’t wait to get into each others breeches. If it succeeded in making me feel anything, it was boredom. The idea of a castrato and a ballet dancer pairing certainly piqued interest there was not much going on in terms of the story itself.
Rating
2 Stars – it’s a struggle to finish the damn book
(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22699093-duende)
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Kimi ni Ageru – Maki Ebishi
One stormy day, Ryouichi was wandering aimlessly in the wake of betrayal by his beloved who put him in debt when he suddenly finds himself in front of a tea house’s door. After entering, he finds the teahouse has a unique atmosphere. After receiving lunch, Ryouichi find’s himself indebted to the shop owner; forced to help with the chores. Turns out there’s no such thing as a free lunch after all! Despite everything, he finds himself thinking that he actually wants to help…?
It had all the right ingredients but there were dragging parts. The ending was good though.
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What nobility of feeling! To sacrifice your own pleasure to preserve the comfort of others! It is a thing, I confess, that would never occur to me.
Susanna Clarke -
