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MANGA: Senobi no Housoku
Senobi no Housoku – Okuyama Puku
A transfer student enters the class of Kousuke, a second-year in high school. Raku is tall and good-looking, the exact opposite of the shrimpy Kousuke, and very popular with the girls. Kousuke was jealous of Raku at first, until Raku comes clean about a certain secret, and asks Kousuke not to tell anyone. Ever since then, Raku seems to have taken a liking to Kousuke, and all of a sudden, they become really close! This is a high-school romantic-comedy about a mismatched pair!
This is a hyper-energetic, slow burn, slice-of-life story of two dorks who fell in love before they even realized it’s happening. The title translates to “The Rule Of Standing On Tiptoe”, referencing the height difference between the two MCs.
Chibi Kousuke met the tall Raku on the first day of school and they hit it off right away. The two, together with their group of quirky friends, navigate daily school life and beyond.
The story covers the year Kousuke and Raku’s relationship develop. The two each have his own hangups. Kousuke has issues with his height. Raku, who is half-American, wants to keep his ethnicity a secret because people tend to treat him differently. He went as far as dyeing his blonde hair brown and wearing black contact lenses.
These are not something they’re really angsty about but these run throughout the story. It’s also part of the reason why Raku was drawn to Kousuke. He did not make a big deal about Raku’s ethnicity and he kept it a secret.
There’s an unexpected love triangle at latter part. It wasn’t the annoying, thankfully. I want Hane, the third wheel, to have his own spinoff.
All the mangaka’s stories I read had so far been kawaii overload. This is no exception. Even the secondary characters were adorbs. I want to be friends with them. Everything looks so fun! It made me nostalgic about high school.
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REVIEW: Married To The Mobster by Leighton Greene
Morelli Family: Married To The Mobster – Leighton Greene
The Mob sent him to kill me, but he owed me a debt…
Years ago I saved his life, and we spent one hot night together before he disappeared. Now this bad boy’s all grown up, and living a dangerous life. But when his Family decides to send a message to my father, it’s my life on the line.
Only he can’t bring himself to do it when he realizes who I am.
He bargains for my life.
He argues to keep me as a hostage instead of killing me.
He even agrees to marry me, but not for love.
Marrying me is the only way he can repay the debt he owes me.
He tells me he’ll keep me alive only as long as his Boss allows it.
What he doesn’t know is that I’ve loved him since the first moment I laid eyes on him. I’ll take him any way I can get him. Sleeping with the enemy never felt so good…
But is there someone else who wants me dead?
New-to-me author Leighton Greene delivers a highly enjoyable mafia-themed story about a sassy Irish mobster’s son who knew his shit and a flawed but ambitious Italian mobster who tried his hardest not to feel.
Married to the Mobster opens with a meet cute that soon turned bloody. Finch spots Luca at the dance floor. The attraction was instant and mutual. Luca was later attacked outside the club. Finch found him, patched him up, spent the night with him then (reluctantly) went their separate ways.
Fast forward 5 years later and their second meet cute also involved violence. Finch has a hit on him. He was abducted by the Morelli and Luca pleads for his life. Mob boss Tino grants pardon on the condition Luca marries Finch.
These first parts is where the story really shines. The meetings played out wonderfully and I loved how the connection between Finch and Luca took root and grew into something inevitable.
I love Finch! He’s a fascinating combination of a spoiled billionare’s son and a streetsmart survivor. He has quite a mouth on him but he’s got a good heart and sees a person’s true worth .
Luca might be more difficult to like. In some ways, he’s your typical confident alpha male / tough bastard. As the story progressed, it becomes apparent that he lacks knowledge when it comes to the finer things in life because he grew up poor. He also lacks a certain kind of sophistication needed to move in higher circles. But all he ever wants is to keep Finch safe and give him everything he needs. So clearly, he knows his priorities.
Married to the Mobster is, first and foremost, a romance so the mafia politics side of the story wasn’t as strongly delivered as I would have liked. Most of it was the looming threat on Finch’s life. It did provide some unexpected twists later on.
My favorite part was Finch’s unwavering efforts to bring out the best in Luca. He truly believed in his man. Also, even if he is selfless, he knew when to put his foot down when he had enough of his husband’s hot and cold treatment.
There was also a potentially intriguing part at the beginning when Finch had a death wish. It would have been nice if this was explored but it just fizzled out when he got involved with Luca.
Sadly, the second part of the story lost some of its luster. Luca was being bullheaded in keeping his distance. All to stay in business and keep his husband alive. Finch was doing all he could to convince Luca that working together is going to do them both a world of good. The back and forth did dragged bit but it was something they had to go through while Luca struggled with his feelings and responsibilities.
Well, Luca tried his damnedest to deny there are real feelings between them but Finch knew his man well. Knew that the husband who keeps him at arms length is a snuggle slut. Knew that the man who wears cheap polyester suits he claims are Armanis deserves the real thing. Knew the mobster who doesn’t know the proper silverware to use is going to rule New York City one day. Finch even told him so their first night together. And he is going to make it happened.
P.S.
I can’t wait when he does!
The story ends in HFN and continues in Beloved by the Boss.
Rating:
3.5 Stars – that place between like and loveSoundtrack: Toi Et Moi
Artist: Paradis
Album: Recto Verso
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SOUNDTRACK: Toi Et Moi by Paradis
Soundtrack to Morelli Family: Married to the Mobster by Leighton Greene
(This song was also featured on Music Monday)
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Ça te fais pas ça
quelque chose en toi
Quand nos passés se répondent
et qu’on se retrouve juste toi et moi
Mais moi je fonds, je ne me reconnais pas
quand tu te détaches et que les mots ne viennent pas
Et je sens bien que je m’y prends mal
que tout ça, c’est pas normal
et que tu voudrais la version sous titrée
Laisse moi voir ce qu’il reste à voir
emmènes moi vers le grand soir
Te souffler, si tu veux bien m’écouterUn petit peu toi et moi
Je sais plus, je sais pas
Un petit peu toi et moiEt toi t’en penses quoi?J’attendais là, en bas de chez toi
Jusqu’à ce qu’on voit le monde et que le temps ne compte pas
L’un contre l’autre, le mien seras l’autre
Si nos futurs se confondent et qu’ils se suivent ici et là
Mais je sens bien que je m’y prends mal que tout ça
C’est pas normal et que tu voudrais la version sous titrée
Laisse moi voir ce qu’il reste à voir
Emmènes moi vers le grand soir
Te souffler, si tu veux bien m’écouterUn petit peu toi et moi
je sais plus, je sais pas
Un petit peu toi et moi
Et toi t’en penses quoi?
Un petit peu toi et moiUn petit peu toi et moi
Et toi t’en penses quoi?
Un petit peu toi et moi
Un petit peu toi et moiTRANSLATION:
Don’t you feel it,
something inside,
when our pasts match each otherand we end up all by ourselves.
But me, I melt, I feel like a different person,
when you distance yourself and I can’t find the words.
And I know I’m being awkward,
that it shouldn’t go that wayand that you would like the subtitled version.
Let me see what remains to be seen,
take me to the revolution.
(I would like to) whisper in your ear, if you’re willing to listenA bit of you and me.
Dunno anymore, dunno
A bit of you and me.So, what do you think?
I was waiting there, at your front door
until we saw the world and time didn’t matter
cuddled up to each other, what’s mine will be the other (person)
if our futures merge and follow each other here and there.
And I know I’m being awkward, that it shouldn’t go
that way and that you would like the subtitled version.
Let me see what remains to be seen,take me to the revolution.
(I would like to) whisper in your ear, if you’re willing to listenA bit of you and me.
Dunno anymore, dunno
A bit of you and me.
So, what do you think?
A bit of you and me.
A bit of you and me.
So, what do you think?
A bit of you and me.
A bit of you and me.
A bit of you and me -
MOVIE FEATURE: August
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BOOK TOUR: Jacqui the Cat Mysteries by Alexis Duran (Excerpt & Giveaway)
