• manga,  Uncategorized

    MANGA: Shokuinshitsu no Himegoto

    Shokuinshitsu no Himegoto – Ueda Kiyo

    Nishio, a stoic math teacher, doesn’t get along very well with Sakaki, the beloved gym teacher. However, after one drunken night, Nishio finds himself in Sakaki’s bed where he is suddenly kissed and confessed to…?

    A Secret Of Teachers Room is an endearing opposites attract, gay for you, teacher + teacher romance between a grumpy but softy Math teacher and a handsome, uber-popular PE teacher.

    I really liked that this is between two teachers since I am not a fan of teacher/student romances. It started as a one-sided enemies thing because Nishio considers Sakaki his natural enemy. The PE teacher was everything he was not. To his surprise, his so-called enemy was in love with him.

    Sakaki is a great seme. Even after he was rejected because Nishio is straight, he still made friends with him. And he’s not pushy about it as is sometimes the case with these things. My favorite part was how he was always there to take care of the Math teacher, offering him advise and cheering him up when the latter had some issues with his students. And he’s so easy-going about it.

    Nishio is a devoted teacher. His passion for teaching is one of the things Sakaki loves about him. He’s super strict in the classroom but is a lovable dork who cries during graduations. He’s spectacularly unaware of his own appeal. He thinks nobody likes him

    I loved both MCs. I enjoyed how their opposite personalities played off with each other. The story was mostly from Nishio’s POV but we are still privy to some of Sakaki’s thoughts. I liked this style because we can see the depth of Sakaki’s feelings while still giving us some surprising twists.

    The manga did a good job showcasing the slow-burn transition from co-workers to kind of friends to lovers. The art is a bit generic but fits the vibe of the story. This is a great volume to read if you’re looking for a low-angst workplace romance set outside a corporate environment.

    There is also a nice little side plot about their two students. I have yet to check if they have their own spin-off. I hope they have.

  • book,  Uncategorized

    REVIEW: This Is Not Revenge by Romilly King

    NOTE: the author plagirized stories from fanfic writers. I’m retracting my review

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    This Is Not Revenge by Romilly King

    The new dark gay romance series from Romilly King – Author of the Delphic Agency and Handled Series.

    He’s never going to believe this is for his own good.

    It looks like revenge.

    I swear it’s not.

    There is zero motivation for me to revenge what he did to my Father.

    I’d rather kiss him for it.

    (No, don’t think like that)

    This is me doing the only thing I can to save him.

    I can’t take the thought of one more death on my hands.

    Too many people have lost everything so we can live.

    And there is such power in the enemy vanquished.

    He’ll understand, once I get through to him, once I explain it all, then we can be allies, or even friends.

    I think I would like that.

    It’s a shame I have to lock him up to do this.

    (He does look really good in my chains though)

    This Is Not Revenge is the first book in a new trilogy by gay romance author Romilly King. It features damaged characters, an unreliable narrator, and themes of dark, twisted love. The story arc will continue across all three books.

    Trigger warning – this is a dark gay romance book and includes graphic violence, sexual scenes and psychological manipulation between lovers. Additional trigger warnings inside.


    First of all, that blurb!

    I already knew I will love this even before I started. I just had that feeling.

    Romilly King set the bar high with her Handled series. I completely went gaga over Gray and Nathan. Well, here’s another psycho pair for us to love.

    GIL and LEO β™‘!!!

    Sweet, caring, enchanting, equal parts worldly and innocent, quite delusional, very adept at killing, Gil is everything and more. He is a favored son of a serial killer. Raised in a cult, he completely believes his father’s delusions that they have magic. He kidnaps Leo to keep him safe from his father’s wrath. His father has a long reach and other sons at his beck and call who will go after Leo.

    Leo is a forensic psychologist who helped put Gil’s father in prison. He describes himself as a typical gay man, thought himself capable of withstanding the mental tortures of an abduction but learns surprising things about himself while being chained to the wall. He also learns surprising things about his captor.

    The psychological aspect of the book was really well-done. This is written in dual POV which worked perfectly with the plot. It had me questioning whether the book might actually be paranormal, especially in light of Gil’s firm conviction that he can use magic. And yes, it would really seem he does. But then you would get Leo’s POV and the reality would shift back to the mundane. It was a real mindfuck. I loved it.

    I also loved that one line at the first part that hinted this might be set in the Handled world. If so, would there be cameos? Please?

    The trigger warnings set my expectations for this to be very dark and disturbing. It’s actually kind of mild a.k.a. I wasn’t disturbed (but YMMV so do heed the TWs). But it is quite intense in many ways. It is this intensity as well as the complex and compelling characters, the fast-paced plot and the brilliant writing that made the book perfect for me.

    This Is Not Revenge is one of the best Stockholm Syndrome stories I have read. I loved how the author laid out Gil and Leo’s internal conflicts, how they got to know each other, how they slowly won each other’s trust. I relished the delicious anticipation building up to the point when things shifted between them. You can really FEEL that moment.

    It was such a tender and sweet romance. I think it’s absolutely wonderful that, Stockholm Syndrome or not, they were able to find a pure and beautiful emotional connection amidst all these fucked up circumstances. For me, it’s what stood out the most. Witness this heartwrenching scene where they had to fight against the evil father:

    β€œWe have to stop this.”

    Gil looks at me, β€œWe?”

    β€œYes.” There is utter certainty in my voice. β€œWe, always we, from now on, forever, we.”

    There is a desperate hope in his eyes. β€œBut I’m mad.”

    β€œMe too, apparently it’s catching, and I don’t care.” I’m suddenly fierce, suddenly determined, begging him to believe me.

    I don’t suppose there was ever much doubt.

    This madman, I love him. I can’t help it, and I am going to do everything I can to fight for him

    I too caught the bug, apparently, because I’m crazy about these two madmen.

    P.S.

    This Is Not Revenge is book 1 of a trilogy. It ends with a cliffhanger.

    Rating:
    5 Stars – absolutely perfect

    Soundtrack: Safety
    Artist: Yoke Lore
    Album: Far Shore


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    Kindle

  • song,  Uncategorized

    SOUNDTRACK: Safety by Yoke Lore

    Soundtrack to This Is Not Revenge by Romilly King

    It was hard to find a song for this book. The songs about Stockholm Syndrome I found didn’t feel right. They were too negative, mostly about feeling used and abused in a relationship. I wanted a song that felt more positive because for all the wrongness of his methods, Gil had good intentions. He really wanted to protect Leo.

    I finally picked Safety by Yoke Lore because it’s a song about protection. There’s a spiritual aspect to it that I relate to how Gil sees the world as well as a part that talks about not wanting to be let go which I relate to Leo.

    You are as perfect as all the seven days of creation, god must have loved it / Salt leaves and door screens, blood bed and night screams / I’ll be your safety, if you’ll be my safety / But soon I will try to fly out and leave you / But please don’t believe me, tie weights to my feet”

  • quote,  Uncategorized

    You are as perfect as all the seven days of creation, god must have loved it
    Salt leaves and door screens, blood bed and night screams
    I’ll be your safety, if you’ll be my safety
    But soon I will try to fly out and leave you
    But please don’t believe me, tie weights to my feet

    I don’t wanna tell you now
    I don’t wanna tell you how I know
    I don’t wanna break you down
    I don’t know if I can take the load of our love

    I’m too pop for the basement scene of sludge and drop jaw
    But I can’t fit see, I’m faceless but I’m not your dream team
    But I fit right in between your legs and your that will hold me, your arms will enfold me

    I don’t wanna tell you now
    I don’t wanna tell you how I know
    I don’t wanna break you down
    I don’t know if I can take the load of our love