• manga,  Uncategorized

    MANGA: Mitsumei

    Mitsumei – Katou Erena & Totsuki Eko

    Ivan, Lieutenant and spy in the service of the Russian army, must investigate the right arm of a mafia boss. But his target is a very close friend he made in the military academy and who he hasn’t seen in ten years, Edward. Ivan can’t help but wonder, how could such a compassionate man with a passion for art, become a part of the mafia? When they meet again, Edward seems to be as nice to Ivan as in the past and Ivan, facing a dilemma in his mission, is invited back to his home. But, the next day Edward’s attitude completely changes and Ivan realizes that he’s been kidnapped!

    Dive into the frigid depth of Russia, in the heart of St. Petersburg, and discover the exciting story of two men who oppose each other! Will friendship and love be enough to overthrow fate and bring two ruthless enemies together again?

    Secret Life is a friends-to-enemies-to-lovers story of military school buddies Ivan Asimov and Edward Zelenin. The two drifted apart then were reunited after ten years. Ivan is now a lieutenant and a spy for the Russian Army, Ed the second in command for the Russian mafia. Ivan was tasked to infiltrate the mafia through Ed to get information about a virus capsule.

    The first couple chapters set the stage and give us the backstory of the two childhood friends. Ivan is a rarity among manga characters. He is half-Georgian. His mother is a ballerina. His distinct Georgian appearance makes him stand out in Russia but makes him blend in with other parts of the world. He is considered a good spy who does not let his feelings get in the way of the mission. He is also known for his honesty and incorruptibility. These were sorely tested in this mission.

    Ed is the son of a politician who joined the mafia after his father died. He has always been a stalwart friend, always offering comfort to Ivan. As a top-ranking mafioso, he is cold, ruthless, and cunning. He had no qualms using his and Ivan’s shared past to trap the spy and keep him chained in isolation for days. This while hopelessly in love with said friend since forever. The friend was clueless.

    We get mostly Ivan’s POV. Through him, we see Ed, as a kind friend in the past and a hot/cold frenemy in the present. I prefer the dual POV but the manga was able to effectively convey Ed’s intense feelings for his friend even when he’s being mean. After the mission was complete, he was sweet and adorably possessive.

    This is a story of forbidden love set in the middle of political intrigues. The plot has all the twists and turns I always loved in spy novels. The middle chapter rushed to conclude the mission while the last chapters are more on the lovey-dovey side. I enjoyed the romance, but the mission deserved a few more chapters to cover some plot holes. I also found Ivan too weepy for a spy who doesn’t let his feelings get in the way of the mission.

    There’s a lot of liberties taken and handwaving done to give the couple their happy ending. However, there is enough conflict present that kept the things from being too much like a fairy tale. I really enjoyed this! I hope there is a sequel.

    Look at that cover! The artwork is pretty! I loved the character designs. Ivan looks especially good in his military uniform.


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  • book,  Uncategorized

    REVIEW: Life Lessons by Kaje Harper

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    Life Lesson – Kaje Harper

    Mac’s three goals: keep Tony safe, catch the killer, don’t come out.

    Tony Hart’s a dedicated teacher, though he’s not much older than his high-school students. Between his profession, a few good friends, and plenty of books, he’s content with his quiet life. Then the murdered body of another teacher falls into the elevator at his feet, and Tony’s life becomes all too exciting.

    Jared MacLean is a homicide detective, widowed father to a young daughter, and deeply in the closet. But from the moment he meets Tony’s blue eyes in that high school hallway, Mac can’t help wanting this man in his life. Mac’s not out ― can’t afford to be out ― but Tony makes him want the impossible.

    Mac isn’t the only one with their eyes on Tony, though. As the murderer tries to cover their tracks, Mac has to work fast or lose Tony, permanently.

    (This is a rerelease of the 2011 original with light editing.)


    I’ve seen Kaje Harper around ever since I started reading MM romance back in 2016. This is the first time I’ve read her books. Life Lessons is a great introduction to her works. The book kicks off the series of the same name.

    Young high school teacher, Tony Hart, was about to step out of the elevator when the body of another teacher crashes into him with a knife sticking out of its chest. Police were called and along comes Detective Jared Maclean and his teammates to investigate.

    Mac is deep in the closet for fear of losing his 4-year-old daughter, Anna. His resolve to stay there was tested by the attractive and openly gay teacher who was also a person of interest. Mac found himself finding reasons to see the younger man. Tony is ready to have the detective if only the older man would let himself. Then, the killer made another move. This time, Tony was the target.

    This is a police procedural. But unlike most procedurals where the MC is the lead detective and seems to do all the work, Mac’s partner, Oliver, is the lead. The detectives worked as a team and the others were shown taking an active part in the investigation. I liked this a lot because it felt more realistic.

    The mystery wasn’t anything mindboggling. You can tell who the bad guy is the minute they went on-page. Still, it’s intriguing enough for me to feel invested and complicated enough to make following the investigation worthwhile and enjoyable.

    The plot seamlessly interweaves the mystery and the romance. I really liked how this was done. It brought Mac and Tony together in a way that felt organic to both the case and their budding relationship. It’s a slow-burn, hurt-comfort romance with an ever-patient Tony encouraging Mac to enjoy life a little more even if it’s only from his closet.

    I loved that we get characters who are just regular joes going about their daily lives. Mac and Tony felt real and relatable. They make a compelling couple. I especially loved how they were working hard to make it work. I also greatly appreciated how they avoided the usual drama, something that could have easily happened given the closeted cop premise. And yet, even without the dramatics, this was an emotional story.

    I wasn’t sure at first if I would enjoy a gay romance where one of the MCs is deeply closeted throughout several books in the series. I thought I would feel negative about Mac for hiding his relationship with Tony, but the story did a good job making you feel for the guy. I totally got where he was coming from and that he was making the effort. Seeing his character grow bit by bit as the story progressed made me root hard for him. Someday, Mac. Someday.

    Tony was super understanding. I felt sad he had to make sacrifices, a bit too much IMHO, but it was pretty clear that Mac’s heading in the right direction in that HFN ending. He’s definitely worth the wait!

    The author found the perfect audiobook narrator in J.F. Harding. He brought the story to life in such an engaging way I was glued to my earbuds right to the end.

    Life Lessons was published in 2011. They did a good job with the slight re-editing because the story still felt current. It’s not without flaws and it features frequently-used tropes, but it’s so well-written, it still comes across as fresh and exciting. All in all, this teacher/cop romance with extra-curricular murder mystery gets a grade of 4.

    Rating:
    4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bits

    Soundtrack: Life Lessons
    Artist: Railgun
    Album: Seishin no Tatakai


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  • song,  Uncategorized

    SOUNDTRACK: Life Lessons by Railgun

    Soundtrack to Life Lessons by Kaje Harper

    Life Lessons by Railgun is a song about not missing the important things in life. This is for closeted cop, Mac, who took a chance at a young high school teacher, Tony.

    I need you
    I needed this
    these things in life I just can’t miss

    well I’m still alive
    and my heart’s beating
    well I’ll guess I try
    but now I’m seeing
    I oughta die(?)
    so what the meaning
    to all these trash
    that I’ve been believing

  • quote,  Uncategorized

    well I’m alive
    and I’m still breathing
    I guess I’ll try
    but now I’m thinking
    that there’s a life
    and now I can’t stand
    I’m out of time
    and now I lost it

    somebody tell me where to go
    somebody tell me what I should have known

    cuz I need you
    I needed this
    these things in life I just can’t miss

    I need you
    I needed this
    these things in life I just can’t miss

    well I’m still alive
    and my heart’s beating
    well I’ll guess I try
    but now I’m seeing
    I oughta die(?)
    so what the meaning
    to all these trash
    that I’ve been believing

    somebody tell me where to go
    somebody tell me what I should have known

    cuz I need you
    I needed this
    these things in life I just can’t miss

    I need you
    I needed this
    these things in life I just can’t miss

    I need you
    I needed this
    these things in life I just can’t miss

    I need you
    I needed this
    these things in life I just can’t miss

    I need you
    I needed this
    these things in life I just can’t miss

    I need you
    I needed this
    these things in life I just can’t miss

    I need you
    I needed this
    these things in life I just can’t miss

    I need you
    I needed this
    these things in life I just can’t miss

    ***not the official lyrics, I can’t find them anywhere. this is my own transcription