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My Top BL Manga of 2018
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My Top 10 Reads of 2018
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MY YEAR IN BOOKS: 2018 Yearly Book Wrap-up
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Xβmas Heart – Murakami Maki
Naoki has a dark past and keeps to his friendship with Ryousuke. But when Ryousuke confesses to him everything changes, as Naoki tries to distance himself from Ryousuke. However Ryousuke doesnβt let up easilyβ¦
Find the light, Naoki!
(source: http://www.mangago.me)
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Love Around the Corner – Sally Malcolm
Real life enemies, online lovers. Two lonely men, destined for each otherβif only they knew it.
Real life enemies.
Alfie Carter grew up in New Milton, caring for his sick father and keeping their auto repair shop on its feet. Heβs touchy about his poor education and doesnβt take kindly to snide remarks from the townβs prickly bookstore ownerβno matter how cute he looks in his skinny jeans. Leo Novakβs new life as owner of Bayside Books is floundering. And he could do without the townβs gorgeous, moody mechanic holding a grudge against him after an unfortunateβand totally not his faultβ encounter last Christmas.
Online lovers.
Left to run the family business alone, Alfie spends his lonely evenings indulging his secret passion for classic fiction and chatting online with witty, romantic βLLBβ as they fall in love over literature. Leoβs still reeling from a bad breakup and struggling to make friends in New Milton, so seeks comfort instead in his blossoming online romance with thoughtful, bookish βCamaro89β.
But as the holidays approach, βLLBβ and βCamaro89β are planning to meet, and realities are about to collideβ¦
Two lonely men, destined for each otherβif only they knew it.What a delightful little story!
Love Around the Corner is the perfect Christmas story for book lovers everywhere. It is an updated version of You Got Mail in which two shop owners donβt get along in real life but connect closely online. While I didnβt enjoy the rom-com because Meg Ryan was forever doing the same character in all her movies and Tom Hanks was not my type, Alfie and Leo charmed me with their online bond and mutual love of Jane Austen, an author Iβm trying to get.
I have tried reading Emma twice but I couldnβt move past the mind-numbingly dull conversations but I guess thatβs the whole point, it being a commentary on people. I also want to read Pride and Prejudice to see what the fuss is all about with this Darcy fellow. Alfie and Leo understood the whole dissection of human nature thing that Austen is so adept at. Their enthusiasm for classic literature was so contagious I was inspired to read some. I was even pleasantly surprised to learn that Maurice, a book I dismissed as the usual bury your gay classic, has a happy ending! Definitely reading that.
This is another book set in New Milton, this time, in winter. The story is typical of romantic comedies. But even if we know what to expect, Sally Malcolm was able to keep things interesting. She had me hard rooting for both men. Alfie, the moody mechanic, is not really moody. He is actually such a sweetheart. He finds reading challenging but he worked around it by listening to audiobooks. Leo was the exasperating one and I thought Dee should have egged him harder to tell the truth. Heck, Dee should have gone ahead and told Alfie, spare everyone the drama. But since Leo was cute as a button and he was genuinely hurting, I didnβt feel too inclined to be annoyed. Also his love letter to Alfie was so worth it!
If you are up for something warm and fuzzy, Love Around the Corner is for you. That it is about bookworms is an extra treat. Author Sally Malcolm started writing MM in 2016 and sheβs an exciting new voice in the scene. I totally loved her New Milton books! I liked how her books are a winning combination of fluff and humor with a side of angst. I recommend this to those who love stories about enemies-to-lovers, second chances and getting into that Christmas spirit.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
P.S.
Review of Sally Malcolmβs book, Between the Lines here.
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: Lost in Austen
Artist: Mystery Jets
Album: Radlands(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42779749-love-around-the-corner)
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Soundtrack to Love Around the Corner by Sally Malcolm
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“I CANNOT FIX THE HOUR, OR THE SPOT, OR THE LOOK OR THE WORDS, WHICH LAID FOUNDATION. IT IS TOO LONG AGO. I WAS IN THE MIDDLE BEFORE I KNEW I HAD BEGUN.”
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Awairo Emaki – Fujitobi
When he was little, Ryuuta was attacked by a youkai. An older boy came to his rescue, he was a wandering youkai exorcist called Izumo. Soon after the incident Izumo departed on his travels again, leaving Ryuuta behind, but promising to come back one day and start their own journey together. Years later they meet again, but Izumo seems to have no recollection of their promise. Nevertheless, Ryuuta is determined to stay with him, and they end up travelling together.
Light and fluffy.
(source: https://mangakakalot.com)