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  • Home
  • REVIEWS+RECS
    • MANGA
    • BOOK REVIEW
    • SOUNDTRACK
    • QUOTE
    • TRAILER
    • DESERT ISLAND CASTAWAYS
    • BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS
    • Reviews A-Z
    • MINI MOVIE REVIEWS
  • MEMES+TAGS
    • MUSIC MONDAY
    • LAST YEAR I WAS READING
    • FLICKer FADE SUNDAY
    • TAGS
    • MISC POSTS
    • PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE
    • FIRST LINES FRIDAY 56
  • TOURS & BLITZES
    • COVER REVEAL
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    • ABOUT + RATINGS
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  • manga,  Uncategorized
    September 21, 2018 / No Comments

    Mitsuiro Pancake – Kinoshita Keiko

    Salaryman Miyasaka harbors a secret love for his childhood friend, manga artist Minami. He knows that someday Minami will find a girl and he’ll have to say “Congratulations”, but so soon?!

    Miyasaka’s unconditional love for Minami is beautiful but for heaven’s sake, let it get requited, the poor guy!

    (source: https://mangabat.com)

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    You May Also Like

    NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Hope for Spring by S.E. Smyth (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    April 6, 2023

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    RELEASE BLITZ: Devastated by Fire by Lizzie James

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  • book,  Uncategorized
    September 21, 2018 / No Comments

    Imperfect Match – Jordan Castillo Price

    A man whose future is assigned – A heart that yearns to be free.

    Lee Kennedy’s destiny is controlled by the Algorithm. It’s the reason he’s still in college, regardless of his good academic performance. He’s switched his major repeatedly and stalled on his Master’s thesis, but there’s only so much longer he can hold out. Because once he graduates, the Algorithm must be triggered.

    Everyone in Lee’s family has allowed the Algorithm to match them with a spouse. As has everyone on his block. His neighborhood. In fact, everyone he’s ever known. Pairing with his own chosen match seems inevitable…until, at his sister’s wedding, he meets Roman.

    The waiter lives in the Taxable District, a run-down neighborhood that’s only a brief train ride away, but feels like another world. The seedy District is governed by different standards—different expectations—so it’s not exactly a surprise that Roman isn’t married. But it’s definitely a shock to taste his lips.

    One forbidden encounter has Lee reeling. He questions everything. His past. His future. And especially the Algorithm. He longs for the freedom to choose not only his own partner, but his own destiny.

    When defying the Algorithm will cost everything—family, home, and even livelihood—is Lee strong enough to take another path?

    Hmm…did I just listen to this in the wrong frame of mind or is Jordan Castillo Price off her game?

    Written in the same style as Hemovore and narrated by the same person, the great Joel Leslie, Imperfect Match is a dystopian story of freedom, self-discovery and the courage to travel the road less taken. 

    I liked JCP’s style of avoiding info dump by delivering the information bit by bit through casual mentions or as part of a character’s thoughts or actions. This was really effective in Hemovore where the polarized world of V+ and V- cases seemed oh so real. Here, the worldbuilding was patchy. What is a boomer? What makes a boomer different from taxrats? What was that plague? What kind of government do they have? How do you tax the Taxable district when they use the barter system instead of cash? I have so many questions. 

    For me the Benefit district vs Taxable district conflict was just a convoluted version of your average rich vs poor conflict and I would have enjoyed the story more if it was straightforward contemporary where rich kid Lee had to slum it in some third world country. It would have made it more diverse too.

    The romance was nothing spectacular. Both Roman and Lee were likable people but I wasn’t feeling too invested in their relationship. There were big chunks of the story were Roman was not even present and these chunks were the parts where Lee had his awakenings. Nothing really shocking, just a privileged person discovering that his privileges come with a price and that the other side of tracks seemed more and more appealing.

    There is not much conflict. The boomers were discriminating against taxrats and Lee’s choices but Lee’s family was supportive and the taxrats were welcoming. And though Lee went against the Algorithm, there were no dire consequences.

    I’d say this is okay. I didn’t hate it but this is not a JCP book I would recommend.

    P.S.

    Review of Hemovore here.

    Review of JCP books here.

    Rating: 

    2.5 Stars – far from hate but not quite a like

    Soundtrack: Right Place
    Artist: White Lies
    Album: Friends

    (source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39290871-imperfect-match)

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  • song,  Uncategorized
    September 21, 2018 / No Comments


    [spotify id=”spotify%3Atrack%3A7riig57bTjRvFD7wkw4RUP&view=coverart” width=”540″ height=”620″ /]

    Soundtrack to Imperfect Match by Jordan Castillo Price

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    DREAMY COVERS BOOK TAG: Manga Edition

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  • Uncategorized
    September 21, 2018 / No Comments

    They are giving us pieces of a real life instead of the whole thing. They have perfected the art of giving us just enough freedom; just enough that when we are ready to snap, a little bone is offered and we roll over, belly up, comfortable and placated like a dog

    Ally Condie
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    THE MUSIC TAG

    August 22, 2020

    BLOG TOUR: Healing Lance by M.D. Grimm (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    August 5, 2020

    MUSIC MONDAY: The One by Public Image Ltd.

    August 17, 2020
  • Uncategorized
    September 21, 2018 / No Comments

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lf1bnStn8ac?feature=oembed&enablejsapi=1&origin=http://safe.txmblr.com&wmode=opaque&w=500&h=281]

    Read More
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    THE JOY OF CHRISTMAS BOOK TAG

    December 14, 2019

    RELEASE BLITZ: Bonded by Alana Timms (Excerpt)

    December 16, 2020

    COVER REVEAL: The Heart of Smoke by K. Webster

    November 29, 2023

You can never have too much MM romance or indie music. Welcome and enjoy your stay!

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neverhollowed Never Hollowed By The Stare @neverhollowed ·
16 Jul

Sometimes what happens anonymously in a dingy, pay by the hour motel room shows up a month later to reveal himself as your new coach…

RELEASE TOUR: Pucked Up by E.M. Lindsey (Excerpt)



https://neverhollowed.com/2025/07/16/release-tour-pucked-up-by-e-m-lindsey-excerpt/

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neverhollowed Never Hollowed By The Stare @neverhollowed ·
16 Jul

The Gravity Series is an unforgettable whirlwind romance chronicling the love of two men over three decades.

RELEASE BLITZ: Gravity: The Complete Series by Kindle Alexander



https://neverhollowed.com/2025/07/16/release-blitz-gravity-the-complete-series-by-kindle-alexander/

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neverhollowed Never Hollowed By The Stare @neverhollowed ·
16 Jul

PREORDER BLITZ: Black Leather Night and Other Tales by Will Okati (Excerpt)



https://neverhollowed.com/2025/07/16/preorder-blitz-black-leather-night-and-other-tales-by-will-okati-excerpt/

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neverhollowed Never Hollowed By The Stare @neverhollowed ·
15 Jul

How to Date a Prince by Hayden Stone is finally here! Sneak a peek and enter to win!

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