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MANGA: Mata Ashita To Iwasete
Mata Ashita To Iwasete – Aoi Nuwi
On the way home from a drinking party he attended at work, Maizumi encounters a boy. Wanting to get out of this place as soon as possible, he lied that “the boy is a relative of mine”, so he got involved with him…? A cold young manร a boy who tends to expect a lot of things, and their days begin to take on a color from a chance encounter.
Let Me Say See You Tomorrow might not technically be a BL manga since nothing overtly romantic happened. It reads more like two solitary people, an antisocial salaryman and a lonely high schooler, were brought together by happenstance and developed a friendship.
The scenes where the salaryman made efforts to make the younger man happy by celebrating his birthday, possibly the boy’s first in many years, were quite endearing. This slice of life one-shot laid a good foundation for a super-cute age-gap romance should the mangaka choose to add a sequel. I loved this little story so I hope they do!
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DOUBLE REVIEW: Headcase & Mad Man by Onley James
Everyone who’s heard about the Mulvaneys knows that the Mulvaney twins always come as a package. So it makes sense that I should review their books together.
By now, the Mulvaneys need no introduction. This family of vigilante psychopaths has endeared themselves to many readers of MM romance. And I have declared my love for them ad nauseum.
Here’s my review of Headcase and Mad Man, Books 4 and 5 of Necessary Evils:
Necessary Evils: Headcase – Onley James
Asa Mulvaney is half of a psychopathic whole. He and his twin brother live together, party togetherโฆkill together. In the Mulvaney family, murder is the family business and business is good. When an experiment separates Asa and his brother, Asa is forced to navigate the world on his own for the first time in his life.
Zane Scott is a small-time crime blogger and amateur sleuth, but he dreams of a byline in a major paper someday. When he winds up at a boring fundraiser beside Asa Mulvaney, they share an intensely passionate encounter that leaves Zane with an ache in his chest and a story idea that could make his career dreams a reality.
At a nearby college, a cluster of suicides isnโt what it seems. When Asaโs father asks him to look into it, he sees the perfect opportunity to see his little crime reporter again. And Asa needs to see him again. Zaneโs suspicious of Asaโs motives, but he wonโt say no to a chance to peek behind the Mulvaney family curtains.
As the two unravel a sinister plot, Asaโs obsession with Zane grows and Zane finds being Asaโs sole focus outweighs almost anything, maybe even his career–which is good for Asa because loving a Mulvaney is a full-time job. Can he convince Zane that heโs worth navigating a family of psychopaths and his pathologically jealous twin, or will Zane learn the hard way that the Mulvaney boys always get what they want? Always.
Headcase is a high heat, intense, lovers-to-frenemies, psychopath romance with an HEA and no cliffhangers. It features an obsessive, calculating psychopath and a wannabe reporter who will stop at nothing to earn himself a major byline. As always, thereโs gratuitous violence, very dark humor, enough killers to fill an auditorium, and enough heat to melt your kindle. This is book 4 in the Necessary Evils series. Each book follows a different couple.
TAGS: psychopath romance, Asa is bored, Avi is jealous, Zane is pretty, Adam is still a dick, August is… August, Aidenโs still missing, Lucas is concerned, Atticus plays den mother to a gaggle of murderous young adults, Asa wants Zane but knows he suspects he’s a killer, Zane wants a story but can’t keep from falling into bed with his target, extra dark humor, found family, So. Many. Murderers, mysteries abound, bad boys doing bad things and each other, high non-relationship angst, low relationship angst, shmoop, fluff, smut.Necessary Evils: Mad Man – Onley James
Avi Mulvaney is many things. Son. Twin. Owner of the fashion label, Gemini. Murderous psychopath. Together, he and his brother, Asa, make one brutally efficient monster, ridding the world of predators who victimize the innocent. History proves Avi and Asa donโt do well apart, but their father has decided to test that theory.
Felix Navarro knows exactly who he is. Baby brother. Fashionista. Vigilante. While heโs not happy that his big brother married a Mulvaney, the union has its perks. Like a paid internship with Gemini. But all good things come with a cost and, for Felix, thatโs enduring Avi Mulvaney each day, which inevitably leads to thinking about him every night.
Felix doesnโt like Avi. Heโs cocky, condescending, overbearing, and inappropriate. Heโs also sexy, brilliant, and twice as lethal as Felix. Still, Felix loathes him. Even if he keeps letting him kiss him. And touch him. Even if he slipped just once. It was still hate sex, and it would never happen again. Ever.
Except, Aviโs being sent to help take down a dangerous crime ring and heโs ordered Felix to come along. Felix has vowed to stay strong. To remember he hates Avi. But theyโre trapped together and thereโs only one bed, and itโs so hard to hate Avi in the dark when heโs whispering how Felix belongs to him. Felix belongs to no man, but Avi is determined. He has one week to prove to Felix that heโs the exception to his rule. After all, who says no to a Mulvaney?
Mad Man is a scorchingly hot, intense, enemies to lovers, psychopath romance with an HEA and no cliffhangers. It features a dirty talking, brutally vicious killer and a sharp tongued murderous fashionista who are both too stubborn for their own good. As always, thereโs gratuitous violence, very dark humor, enough blood to film the final scene in the movie Carrie, and enough heat to melt your panties. This is book 5 in the Necessary Evils series. Each book follows a different couple.
TAGS: psychopath, enemies-to-loves, dark humor, much violence, jealousy, bad boys doing bad things, long distance snark, only one bed, hate sex, more hate sex, hate sex that becomes apathetic sex then maybe something like love, if two killers are better than one what’s three killers, Avi is jealous, Asa is preoccupied, August is still August, Lucas is frazzed, Archer is still drunk, Thomas is at his wits end, Aiden is still in denial, Noah is still the psychopath whisperer and Adam is still a dick.
The twins were separated by Thomas as an experiment. Neither of them copes well with separations. And a bored Murder twin always spells T.R.O.U.B.L.E.
Asa is the dominant twin, so his book, Headcase, came first. This guy loves to hunt and play rough. That his person is a sweet and adorkable tabloid reporter plays really well into his dominant side and his daredevil personality.
Zane, what the hell had you gotten yourself into? This dork is the luckiest unlucky tabloid reporter out there. He finagled his way into an exclusive event to get the dirt on the Mulvaneys, met Asa, was taken home, discovered exactly how rough Asa likes it. Then, realizes he just stumbled into a family of serials killers. Asa refused to let him go.
Like the other Mulvaney boys, Asa didn’t waste time declaring Zane was his. The intrepid reporter put up a half-hearted fight before giving in because of course. Together, they try to untangle the mystery of a secret game that drives young college students to kill themselves.
The mystery really intrigued me because it was unusual and hard to solve. It gave me the chills to find out later on, it was based on a real-life internet game that targeted children. This is the best case in the series so far. Watch out for cameos by Dmitri and his little Arlo.
A huge chunk of the book is steam. I know Zane enjoys it, but I wasn’t entirely comfortable with the injury-inducing sex. BDSM is really not my thing. I kinda feel sorry for him looking like a battered boyfriend all the time. And he has to wear concealer in public, or else people would think Asa is an abuser. But, it’s their thing, they enjoy it, and they’re perfect for each other.
While Asa was with Zane, Avi was on the other side of the country with Felix. They were helping Aidan. They were investigating a case where a seemingly random bunch of people died. Aidan found the connection and is looking for the perpetrator.
Mad Man is Avi’s book. He is the twin who likes to serve. He enjoys pain and is also the more reckless of the two. I loved his wicked sense of humor. I could always clearly picture his glee every time they employed more creative ways to punish the bad guys.
Felix is the diva brother of Jericho, Atticus’ husband. He interns in Avi’s clothing company. He’s deadly, sharp, and talented. And bossy too. Exactly how Avi likes it. The man has been trying to get in his pants since they met. Felix put up a good fight, but they both know it’s only a matter of when. Boy is not so secretly crushing on his boss.
I didn’t warm up to Felix all the way. I found him too abrasive, too full of himself. It was only later on, when more of his personality and backstory was revealed, that I felt a stab of sympathy for him. Still, he’s my least favorite character in the entire series.
My favorite part was how Felix and Zane latched on to each other. Total friendship goals! There’s no sharing, mind you. The four became a mini-family within a family, and Felix became Zane’s emotional support person. It was all very cute and cozy.
Headcase and Mad Man is one story split in half. Asa and Avi are mirror twins. It’s very apt that their stories follow that symmetry. Each found yin to their yang without losing that special connection that makes the two of them a symbiotic unit.
The twins came off the market at the same time. It’s brilliant how the author choreographed the plots to get to that point, juggled all the various and many larger-than-life personalities without anyone being left out, and teased a.k.a. tortured us with threads of Thomas and Aidan’s story without missing a beat.
All in all, not perfect but you know what they say, double the trouble, double the fun!
Rating:
4 Stars โ minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: I Hate That I Love You
Artist: Jonathan Roy
Album: My LullabyRating:
4 Stars โ minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: Your Surrender
Artist: Neon Trees
Album: Habits
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Headcase: US | UK
Mad Man: US | UKYou can also use my Bookshop affiliate links to buy paperbacks and MP3 CD audiobooks and help support independent bookstores.
HEADCASE | MAD MAN
If you like my content, please consider supporting me on Ko-fi or PayPal. Your donations will help keep this website going. Thank you so much!
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SOUNDTRACK: I Hate That I Love You by Jonathan Roy & Your Surrender by Neon Trees
Soundtrack to Necessary Evils: Headcase by Onley James
I Hate That I Love You by Jonathan Roy for a book about a young reporter who played with the tiger and surprised himself by how much he enjoyed being its prey.
Hold me, just control me, like you own me
I hate that I love you
Play me, dominate me, youโre amazing
I hate that II lose who I am when youโre around, yeah
Got my heart in your hands, itโs beating me down
I might be damned, I donโt understand why Iโm aroused
I know you love me, yeah I do too, and I hate that I love youSoundtrack to Necessary Evils: Mad Man by Onley James
Your Surrender by Neon Trees for a book about the prickly diva who played hard to get and the goofy psychopath who knew it was only a matter of time.
Ohhhhhhh
How long till your surrender to me?Iโve become your shadow
I love, but donโt know
How to
Iโm always lost for words
You look like a thousand suns
I wanna be the only one
Left when your day is done -
You think that I’m crazy, I know I am
I won’t disagree, I know where I stand
I’m mister maybe, always so hasty, got no master plan
I know you know me, I know you too, and I hate that I love youHold me, just control me, like you own me
I hate that I love you
Play me, dominate me, you’re amazing
I hate that II lose who I am when you’re around, yeah
Got my heart in your hands, it’s beating me down
I might be damned, I don’t understand why I’m aroused
I know you love me, yeah I do too, and I hate that I love youHold me, just control me, like you own me
I hate that I love you
Play me, dominate me, you’re amazing
I hate that IOh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
I hate that I love you
Oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
(Hold me, just control me, like you own me)
I hate that IWell, time won’t change me and you know it’s true
Gotta change all my ways according to you, you, you
I think we’re special, so fucking special, but I still get the blues
I know you love me, yeah I do too, and I hate that I love youHold me, just control me, like you own me
I hate that I love you
Play me, dominate me, you’re amazing
I hate that IOh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
I hate that I love you
Oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
(Hold me, just control me, like you own me)
And I hate that I love youI got close
To your skin
While you were sleeping
I taste the
Salt on
Your hands
I reached out
To touch you
The morning light disarms you
Won’t you let me in?Ohhhhhhh
How long till your surrender?
Ohhhhhhh
How long till your
Surrender?
It’s a long way
For heart break
Let your heart wait and bleed
Ohhhhhhh
How long till your surrender to me?I’ve become your shadow
I love, but don’t know
How to
I’m always lost for words
You look like a thousand suns
I wanna be the only one
Left when your day is doneOhhhhhhh
How long till your surrender?
Ohhhhhhh
How long till your surrender?
It’s a long way for heart break
Let your heart wait and bleed
Ohhhhhhh
How long till your surrender to me?I can’t have you close
So I become a ghost
And I watch youI watch you
Maybe if you stay
We could die this way
I won’t stop you
I won’t stop youOhhhhhhh
How long till your surrender?
Ohhhhhhh
How long till your surrender?
It’s a long way for heart break
Let your heart wait and bleed
Ohhhhhhh
How long till your surrender to me?
Ohhhhhhh
How long till your surrender?
Ohhhhhhh
How long till your surrender?
It’s a long way for heart break
Let your heart wait and bleed
Ohhhhhhh
How long till your surrender to me? -
MOVIE FEATURE: The Mostly Unfabulous Social Life of Ethan Green
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RELEASE BLITZ: Wicked Flame by Ella Frank
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NEW RELEASE: Crown Court Killer by Dahlia Donovan (Giveaway)