• manga,  Uncategorized

    MANGA: Cure Blood

    Cure Blood – Togaya Arata

    “You’re the only one in this life where I can’t die.” A storyteller that will touch your soul is born. This is the story of a doctor who gives blood and a vampire who doesn’t age.

    The new doctor, Tadayuki, suddenly underwent a transformation. He desperately wanted blood like a vampire, and his aging process had slowed dramatically. Tadayuki attacked his senpai Juji, disappearing after telling Juji that he had died. But Juji sought out Tadayuki and offered him a helping hand, telling him, “I’ll examine you and give you blood, too.” They never could have imagined that it was the beginning of a secret they would keep for decades.

    I’m going to say outright, this is a tragedy. I was very resolved not to cry, but this manga wrecked me. I was a sobbing mess.

    Cure Blood is a very medically oriented look at vampirism. Young doctor Tadayuki exhibited strange symptoms and his beloved mentor, Juji took it upon himself to examine and find a cure. Namely, offer his blood every two weeks so that Tadayuki could keep his secret and live a normal life.

    It’s crazy how this manga could feel so calming and peaceful yet pack a whomping emotional punch. It tackles the issue that always niggles me whenever I read romance novels about immortals falling in love with humans. The sad fact that they have to watch them grow old and die.

    The plot follows the two doctors in a slice-of-life style, documenting the years they spent and how they managed to live as normally as possible while accommodating the quirks of Tadayuki’s condition. And hands-down, Juji is the most selfless seme ever created. A consummate doctor who will do anything to save a patient, even devotes his entire existence to taking care of Tadayuki without asking for anything in return.

    Heck, these two weren’t even lovers! They were justย together. It warms my asexual heart to see two people building a non-sexual, soul-deep connection purely based on mutual trust, unconditional love, a selfless desire to care for a person’s wellbeing, and the sheer pleasure of each other’s company.ย 

    This is a beautiful story I’ll never forget!


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  • book,  Uncategorized

    SERIES REVIEW: Monstrous Books 1-2 by Lily Mayne

    Monstrous: Soul Eater – Lily Mayne

    Twenty years ago, monsters rose on earth and began a new age of civilization.

    One where humans live in military-controlled, cramped and dirty cities along the coasts, and the majority of the United States is known as the Wastes. A lawless, desolate and dangerous place, teeming with monsters that have claimed the land for their own.

    Including Wyn the Soul Eater.

    He appears every three years, making his way across the country and slaughtering humans randomly, sucking them dry until theyโ€™re nothing but husks.

    Iโ€™ve only been in the military for six months, but now Iโ€™m part of a unit tasked with trying to stop and capture him. And when Iโ€™m the only soldier out of hundreds that the Soul Eater leaves alive, I realise thatโ€ฆ something about me has intrigued him.

    But what is it? What could a twenty-three year old guy from the south, with no one and nothing in the world, have possibly done to capture the attention of a death monster with horns, blackened fingertips and a face hidden in the dark depths of his hood?

    Soul Eater is the debut novel of Lily Mayne. It is the first in a planned post-apocalyptic fantasy series featuring monsters and human men falling in love. This m/m love story contains explicit content and is not suitable for young readers. It also contains scenes of violence, but donโ€™t worryโ€”they get their happy ending.


    Rating:
    5 Stars โ€“ absolutely perfect

    Soundtrack: All Over You
    Artist: Live
    Album: Throwing Copper


    Monstrous: Edin – Lily Mayne

    I was just a boy when the monsters rose on earth, forcing humans to flee to the coastlines and live in cramped, dirty, military-controlled cities. I enlisted as soon as I could to escape.

    Now, Iโ€™ve been in the military for twelve years and have the scarsโ€”and missing body partsโ€”to prove it. As a hardened soldier whoโ€™s spent his fair share of time out in the Wastesโ€”the dangerous place where monsters roam freeโ€”I didnโ€™t think anything could surprise me anymore.

    But then circumstance forced me together with a big, annoying purple monster whoโ€™s arrogant and bossy and pushes all my buttons in the worstโ€”and bestโ€”ways. I need his help, and I hate needing anyoneโ€™s help. But the more time I spend with him, the more I realise that maybe thereโ€™s more from him that I need. And that he might need things from me too.

    But Iโ€™m still a soldier. I still have responsibilities. It doesnโ€™t matter how I feel about Edin, because we canโ€™t be together. Itโ€™s too dangerous.

    That doesnโ€™t stop me wanting him, though.

    Edin is Book Two of the Monstrous series, a post-apocalyptic m/m fantasy series that focuses on monsters and human men falling in love. It is best to read the series in order. Warning: This m/m love story contains explicit content and is not suitable for young readers. It also contains graphic depictions of torture and violence, and mentions PTSD.


    Rating:
    4.5 Stars โ€“ perfection is only half a step away

    Soundtrack: Be There
    Artist: Seafret
    Album: Tell Me It’s Real


    Monstrous is a series that piqued my interest because I saw some eye-catching monster/human fanarts. The next thing I knew, I was swept away into the wastelands of post-apocalyptic America, where an interdimensional tear allowed monsters to come to Earth. Humans’ only sanctuary was to live on the coastlines. The army controls everything.

    The series opens with Soul Eater, told from the POV of new military recruit Danny Sullihan, a soldier woefully ill-suited to the job. This Southern boy is too innocent and laid-back.

    For some reason, the recently captured and much-dreaded serial killer, known as the Soul Eater kept asking to talk to him. Then one day, the Soul Eater busted out of his cage and let loose all the other monsters the military kept in captivity. Danny chooses to go with him rather than risk the wastelands alone.

    Majority of the plot is Danny and Wyn the Soul Eater traveling the wastelands and avoiding the army while Danny learns why Wyn is killing people. He also discovers the person behind the dark hood might be a grumpy bastard, but a grumpy bastard who always makes sure to find him his favorite food, a.k.a. peanut butter, whenever they go scavenging.

    The chemistry between Wyn and Danny went from simmering to nuclear, and I loved them so much! I especially loved how Wyn is so ferociously protective of his sweet human, especially that innately pure part of Danny who wouldn’t even pull a gun on another monster.

    There is so much more than romance here. There’s an endless adventure and eye-opening exploration, an utterly endearing friendship between Wyn and his best friend, the purple giant, Edin, and gut-wrenching scenes that were almost too much to bear. It made me infinitely glad, Danny has the Soul Eater in his corner. All in all, this is monster romance done to perfection!

    The second book, Edin, is told from the POV of Hunter, a 12-year military veteran with a prosthetic leg and a spec ops of some sort. He and his best friend, Charlie, came across the ruins of the base destroyed by the freed monsters. Then Charlie was captured by a new group of monsters. Edin found Hunter in a bind and after helping him, agreed to assist in rescuing Charlie.

    This is what I loved most about Edin. The big guy goes around the wastelands helping people he stumbles across. Just because. He’s an adorable teddy bear who loves taking care of people. The part where he helped Hunter with his prosthetic was such a tender moment.

    Hunter might be a surly, sarcastic, anti-social bastard, but he’s loyal to a fault. Very determined to get Charlie back at all costs, he took Edin’s help for granted. But the longer they were together, he had a better appreciation of Edin’s kindness. I wasn’t too keen on him at first, but as his character grew, he endeared himself to me.

    Edin and Hunter have different dynamics, but their chemistry is as sizzling as Wyn and Danny’s. There is a bit of a size difference power play here, but I’m glad Hunter is a big guy himself too. At first, Hunter struggled with his attraction to Edin, but after seeing Edin’s best friend and his human boyfriend, he shed all his qualms and took the leap. They went nuclear too!

    The plot delves deeper into the Monstrous world, revealing more monster+human interactions, mostly the violent type, and a few romantic ones that surprise Hunter. The rescue mission was a thrilling, action-packed adventure and a long overdue comeuppance to those who hurt Danny, courtesy of Wyn. The ending was a lovely, cozy domestic affair, and I couldn’t be happier for our gentle purple giant and his Hunter!

    P.S.

    I wish like hell narrator Michael Lesley would be able to finish the entire series because his monster voices are delightfully spine-tingling! The books should be read in order and best consumed as audiobook.


    If you like my content, please consider using my Amazon affiliate links below to buy your copy of Monstrous. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying Amazon purchases at no additional cost to you.

    SOUL EATERKindle | Audiobook
    EDINKindle | Audiobook

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  • song,  Uncategorized

    SOUNDTRACK: All Over You by Live & Be There by Seafret

    Soundtrack to Monstrous: Soul Eater by Lily Mayne

    All Over You by Live for a book a monster and a human who fell in love and the evil powers that deemed their union an abomination

    our love is like water
    pinned down and abused for being strange
    our love is no other
    than me alone for me all day
    our love is like water/angels pinned down and abused

    all over you, all over me
    the sun, the fields, the sky
    Iโ€™ve often tried to hold
    the sea the sun, the fields, the tide

    Soundtrack to Monstrous: Edin by Lily Mayne

    Be There by Seafret for a book about a soldier who lost everything and the monster who gave him everything he could ever want

    I lost everything
    I threw myself in and you took me
    Where no one was there

    Well you can take what you need
    Take the air that I breathe
    And Iโ€™ll give away all that I own
    Whatever I lose
    Is put back by you in a way
    That youโ€™ll never know

  • quote,  Uncategorized

    our love is like water
    pinned down and abused for being strange
    our love is no other
    than me alone for me all day
    our love is like water/angels pinned down and abused

    all over you, all over me
    the sun, the fields, the sky
    I’ve often tried to hold
    the sea the sun, the fields, the tide
    pay me now,
    lay me down

    You’ve got me surrounded
    It feels like I’m drowning
    And I don’t want to come up for air
    I lost everything
    I threw myself in and you took me
    Where no one was there

    Well you can take what you need
    Take the air that I breathe
    And I’ll give away all that I own
    Whatever I lose
    Is put back by you in a way
    That you’ll never know

    ‘Cause I can’t be without you

    I‘ll be there when you need me most
    I’ll be there if you’re ever alone
    Together, we can grow old
    I can’t leave you
    I can’t leave you, no

    There’s no air around me
    When we get this close
    But there’s no where I want to go
    You keep it a secret
    If you feel the same
    And leave me dying to know

    ‘Cause I can’t be without you

    I’ll be there when you need me most
    I’ll be there if you’re ever alone
    Together, we can grow old
    I can’t leave you
    I can’t leave you

    You’re my way out
    You’re my way through
    And I can’t, I can’t
    Be without you
    You’re my way out
    You’re my way through
    And I can’t be without you

    So be there when I need you most
    Be there, whenever I’m alone
    Together, will we grow old
    I can’t leave you
    I can’t leave you

    I’ll be there when you need me most
    I’ll be there if you’re ever alone
    Together, we can grow old
    I can’t leave you
    I can’t leave you, no