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[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBQOGf9cdr4?feature=oembed&enablejsapi=1&origin=http://safe.txmblr.com&wmode=opaque&w=500&h=281]
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Amakute Tsumetai – Fuyuno Ikuya
Amakute, Tsumetai ? Sweet, yet Cold ? ?????????
Beautiful college student, Yonomori, is secretly enamored by his underclassman,
Hinohara. He’s a really cocky junior, but sometimes, Hinohara touches him as if he were a precious jewel and makes his days full of heart-wrenching hope. And on one of those days, he is shocked to learn that Hinohara has a person he likes. Even while being plagued with hesitation, Yonomori goes to Hinohara to inquire about the identity of that person. But in exchange for an answer, Yonomori is to become…?Seme is a “mega S bastard”.
Uke is dense.
Sensei needs his own story.
(source: https://mangapark.me)
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Candy Man: Tart and Sweet – Amy Lane
In the Army, Robbie Chambers turned on his lover out of fear—and he hasn’t been able to live with himself since. Now he’s out of the Army but still trapped in the closet that brought on his most cowardly moment, and he starts to think he’ll never be able to fight his way free.
Until he sees Cy McVeigh. Beautiful and uninhibited, Cy is dancing on the boardwalk at Old Sac for no other reason than the moment called for it. Robbie not only joins in the dance but is smitten from the very beginning.
However, Robbie still has old business to clear up, and when he helps out a kid in need and comes face-to-face with the man he betrayed, he’s forced to come clean with himself. He can’t redeem his mistake if he’s still locked into his old patterns, and he won’t ever be worthy of Cy if he can’t earn Adam’s forgiveness. He’s going to need all the help he can get from the people at Candy Heaven in order to make things right with his past so he can have a future with Cy.
Uh-oh, Robbie Chambers, Adam’s ex and the guy who betrayed him, is in town! What would Adam do? How would Finn react?
Robbie is beating himself up at what he did and he is seeking redemption. Luckily, the psychic tag team of Darrin and Ezra is on the case. They made him take the candy test and he willingly went along with whatever advice they gave. That’s a good start, Robbie.
Random male model as Robbie Chambers
Walking around Sacramento with his girlfriend, Robbie met Cy McVeigh, a dance teacher busking in the streets who asked them to dance with him. As the trio danced, Robbie felt himself strongly drawn to Cy.
Model with magnificent hair as Cy McVeigh
Cy is a free-spirited bisexual who isn’t afraid to shop in the women’s department. He is the opposite of Robbie, who is still in the closet and has to tip-toe around his bigoted parents. Cy was what Robbie needed. He became Robbie’s support while Robbie learned to forgive himself. Amy Lane did a great job bringing the two together.
One of the best things about this book is that Ezra really came into his own. He’s more confident and happy and his gift was strong. Even Darrin was impressed. Ezra was the designated peacekeeper who effectively kept shit from exploding because the meeting of Adam and Robbie was all sorts of awkward. And Finn, well, let’s just say he wasn’t taking things quietly.
Tart and Sweet brings the Candy Man series full circle. There were a lot of Finn and Adam and Ezra and Miguel but Rico and Derek barely made an appearance which was kind of disappointing because they’re my second favorite couple. Adam and Finn is definitely number 1.
That epilogue! I love it!
The book ended on a satisfied note. Our dear candy fairy, Darrin knew his job is done and that he can leave Candy Heaven in good hands. With the boys happy and dreaming big dreams, he does what needs to be done, he goes on a vacation.
P.S.
To get the full Candy Man experience, I recommend reading the books in order. There are a lot of backstories, characters and references from the previous books.
Reviews of Candy Man books here.
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bits
Soundtrack: Sorry
Artist: Nothing but Thieves
Album: Broken Machine(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31370835-tart-and-sweet)
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[spotify id=”spotify%3Atrack%3A6rAXHPd18PZ6W8m9EectzH&view=coverart” width=”540″ height=”620″ /]Soundtrack to Candy Man: Tart and Sweet by Amy Lane
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The day misspent,
the love misplaced,
has inside it
the seed of redemption.
Nothing is exempt
from resurrection.Kay Ryan -
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNKxDLrDohc?feature=oembed&enablejsapi=1&origin=http://safe.txmblr.com&wmode=opaque&w=500&h=375]
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Konya Mo Jirettai – Asada Meiko & Kitazawa Jinko
One day, a young man is found unconscious outside the shared-household where Ayato lives. Despite the warnings of one of his housemates, Ayato lets the person live with them temporarily. It turns out that the young man is Ryou, who used to be Ayato’s childhood friend back when he was two years old. Both of them had previously been separated since eleven years ago, but are now reunited.
Ayato, filled with happiness as he reminisces about their early memories, is gradually drawn to Ryou. However, Ryou appears to be glum with melancholy, as if he’s hiding something important…?!
We present to you a fresh new story of innocent affection! A Secret Love Story set under the same roof!
Meh on Ayato and Ryou. I’m shipping Maki and Asato. Give Taki his happy ending!
(source: http://www.mangago.me)
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Lord of Butterflies – Andrea Gibson
In Andrea Gibson’s latest collection, they continue their artful and nuanced looks at gender, romance, loss, and family. Each emotion here is deft and delicate, resting inside of imagery heavy enough to sink the heart, while giving the body wings to soar.
Andrea Gibson is a new to me author and it was a pleasant surprise to discover that modern poetry is not so bad as I thought. In fact, her work strikes a chord and resonate strongly.
This is the best advice for insomnia
anyone has ever given me: TRY TO STAY
AWAKESo I try to hate this world.
And then I wait…Many of them had me blinking back some tears.
How do I say the truth isn’t the right filter?
The truth knows nothing
of who you almost were, but I do.
I just clicked a button. I undo one tiny thing:
and there you are.Yes, this definition of depression
to put on
your best outfit
and feel like you’re dressing
a wound.And there were happier thoughts too.
It’s kind of sweet actually,
what you’re given to believe
in the goodness of the world–
your own good name,
your own good light,
your own wise and grown life,
all traded for a galaxy
that wouldn’t hurt
a fly.Powerful stuff!
P.S.
I received a copy of Lord of Butterflies from Button Poetry via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Rating:
5 Stars – absolutely perfect
Soundtrack: Beautiful as a Butterfly
Artist: Pavement
Album: Brighten the Corners(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39656141-lord-of-the-butterflies)
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[spotify id=”spotify%3Atrack%3A2n9dMNRh9j0EJxpWJ5uRTP&view=coverart” width=”540″ height=”620″ /]Soundtrack to Lord of the Butterflies by Andrea Gibson
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When all the good in you
starts arguing with all the bad in you
about who you really are,
never let the bad in you
make the better case.Andrea Gibson