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MANGA: Shounen Houkokusho
Shounen Houkokusho – Machiko Madoka & Sakiya Haruhi
Harumi is living with his lover, Ryouichi, and his son, Shuu. The three of them are having a happy every-day life when someone came to talk about a marriage interview for Harumi?!
Can’t wait to see this kid when he grows up. Must be a force to be reckoned with.
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REVIEW: Ripe: Letters by Alan Semrow
Ripe: Letters – Alan Semrow
Funny, sexy, evocative, and brutally honest, Ripe is Alan Semrow’s ode to relationships with men. In this epistolary book, Semrow writes to the men who have impacted his outlook, reminded him of basic life lessons, surprised him in more ways than one, and left him reeling for days. Writing to one-night-flings, men he has never met, and men he’ll never stop running into, Semrow touches on some of the most constant human themes—love, lust, desire, and the yearning for connection. All the while, the book details a man’s journey navigating and blooming by way of the modern gay scene. Readers will find familiarity and hard truths in Semrow’s statements about the intricacy and explosiveness of the intimate moments we share.
This is a hard book to review. It is a book about connections but I wasn’t entirely connecting. Not to say this is a badly written book. Alan Semrow’s beautiful poetic voice shines through and yes, the letters were truly evocative. It is simply that I have a completely opposite personality. I am amazed at how easily his connections were made and how many people he can fall in love with. I can count in one hand the people I get along with much less be attracted to. His is not a lifestyle I envy or want to have but his openness and bravery in living the life he chose is something that resonates with me.
There are no introductions before each letter. You go from one and jump right into the next. And when you read a letter, you don’t think about the other letters. Each letter holds your attention in the same way a person of interest holds somebody’s attention
Admittedly, the letters kind of blur together and I remember events here and there but I couldn’t tell who. However, in all these affairs, true to form, the one that stood out for me was Dear Blondie, written to the guy he never met face to face and who made him laugh. It had the right combination of closeness and distance that appealed to the hikikomori in me.
Even though I might not be the right person for this book, I recommend Ripe: Letters. It captures the vibrant lifestyle and carefree promiscuity of the young, gay men. Alan wrote his letters with rawness and honesty that would draw many readers in. Many people would find this memoir enjoyable, entertaining and relatable. It is also thought-provoking book that inspired me to look at my life and think about letters I might want to write, if only in my head.
P.S.
Thank you to the author, Alan Semrow, for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Rating:
3 Stars – not exactly setting my world on fire but I liked itSoundtrack: At Your Best (You Are Love)
Artist: Frank Ocean
Album: Endless -
SOUNDTRACK: At Your Best (You Are Love) by Frank Ocean
Soundtrack to Ripe: Letters by Alan Semrow
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And I’ll say this – you had me laughing. And I’d like to have you make me laugh more.
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MOVIE FEATURE: A Little Lust
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MANGA: Shuumatsu no Waltz
Shuumatsu no Walt – Fukazawa Batsu
In a world that’s heading towards its end, Shirou, a scientist whose sole purpose in life is to create butterflies that can purify the world, encountered a male humanoid named Kuroe. What is Kuroe’s real identity? Why does he proclaim on wanting to meet Shirou?
This is an eternal love story that was born at the end of the world.The art is beautiful. The sci-fi is awesome. The romance was poetic but too mushy for my taste.
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REVIEW: Badlands by Morgan Brice
Badlands – Morgan Brice
Medium and clairvoyant Simon Kincaide owns a Myrtle Beach boardwalk shop where he runs ghost tours, holds séances, and offers private psychic readings, making a fresh start after his abilities cost him his lover and his job as a folklore professor. Jaded cop Vic D’Amato saw something supernatural he couldn’t explain during a shootout several years ago in Pittsburgh and relocated to Myrtle Beach to leave the past behind, still skeptical about the paranormal. But when the search for a serial killer hits a dead end, Vic battles his skepticism to ask Simon for help. As the body count rises, Simon’s involvement makes him a target, and a suspect. But Simon can’t say no, even if it costs him his life and heart.
The blurb grabbed my attention and Badlands reminded me of Psycop by Jordan Castillo Price with a teensy wee bit of that Whyborne & Griffin and The Secret Casebook of Simon Feximal vibe. It has the same paranormal/urban fantasy/romance blend as the other series but it has it’s own distinct flavor that is just as interesting.
Although, I was neutral about the romance part at first. But I was also like that with Vic and Jacob from Psycop and now I couldn’t get enough of the two. So the romance. Simon is cute, Vic D’Amato is good looking, they met, sparks flew, one couldn’t get the other out of their mind and so on. Nothing we haven’t seen before until Simon was dragged into the precinct and Vic wasn’t there to back him up. The look on Simon’s face and Vic helpless on the other side of the glass , I was feeling that moment. Hang on, guys!
What really carried the entire book was the unputdownable murder mystery mixed in with the supernatural. As if a serial killer isn’t bad enough, we get a serial killer stealing psychic energies and gaining magical powers from each kill. Although the suspense and mystery kept me turning the page, it wasn’t as tight as I would have liked because the two men’s thoughts kept circling back to each other which was kind of minimized tension from the build-up. The book splits evenly between romance and the rest but I preferred it to be more detective work less thinking about getting into each others pants because people are dying here, detective.
I was in the dark as to who the killer was. I made a bad guess as usual and suspected Jay, the tattoo artist. Stupid, I know. This is why I don’t try to play detective when reading mysteries. Best to just let the whole thing unfold without preconceive notions. Simon, however, would have made a great detective if he hadn’t become a uni professor. When he got some clues, he totally ran with it and came up with a lot of breakthroughs and insider information that unfortunately made him seem like the killer. Hence, him being interrogated by Ross.
This needs to be said, but I think Ross wins the Best Partner award for not only putting up with Vic’s temper all the time, covering his ass from the Captain, being the voice of reason and a loyal friend but also doing ALL the paper work in the aftermath of the debacle. You owe him, Vic. Big time.
As for the world-building, I like how the Badlands world is set-up and that it is connected with books from Morgan Brice’s other series. Myrtle Beach is home to many people with psychic abilities, most of them untrained and keeping low key. Simon sees himself as kind of like their mentor slash caretaker. I like the idea of having a network of psychic spies and I want see the Skeleton Crew in action again in the next books.
Badlands is a strong first book of a very promising series. We have two very likable MCs, an enjoyable mystery and great setting. Morgan Brice vividly bought Myrtle Beach to life with its crowd of tourists, quirky shops and even quirkier locals. I’m definitely in for another visit.
P.S.
Psycop review here
Whyborne & Griffin review here
The Secret Casebook of Simon Feximal review hereI received a copy of Badlands from Darkwind Press via Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: Psychic City (Voodoo City)
Artist: Yacht
Album: See Mystery Lights -
SOUNDTRACK: Psychic City (Voodoo City) by Yatch
Soundtrack to Badlands by Morgan Brice
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I used to live live in a psychic city,
I never knew what would happen in a day.
I might be looking out the window
And a friend might say,
“Come on over over, come on over over,
Come on over we’re having a party for you.
Come on over over, come on over over,
Come on over we’re having a party for you.”I used to live in a voodoo city,
Where every little thing had it’s own secret life.
I might be washing up the dishes
And the kitchen might say,
“Hang around baby baby, hang around baby baby,
Hang around baby we’ll be baking a cake for you.
Hang around baby baby, hang around baby baby,
Hang around baby we’ll be baking a cake for you.”I used to live in a heartbeat city,
I swear I’d fall in love every minute on the street.
You might be walking around the corner
And our eyes might meet.
Where you been darling darling? Where you been darling darling?
Where you been darling darling we’ve been holding this moment for you.
Where you been darling darling? Where you been darling darling?
Where you been darling darling we’ve been holding this moment for you.I told you your dreams would come true
I told you your dreams would come true
I told you your dreams would come true
I told you your dreams would come true -
MOVIE FEATURE: Other Side Of Love
