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MUSIC MONDAY: Beware the Centrist by The World is a Beautiful Place & I am No Longer Afraid to Die
Pick a song that you really like and share it on Monday.
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AUDIOBOOK BLITZ: The 21-Day Boyfriend by A.S. Kelly (Giveaway + Audio Teaser)
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MANGA: Omamori-kun
Omamori-kun – Tacocasi
A collection of stories about relationships in transition…
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“Yokoi’s Calligraphy Catastrophe”: If Yokoi were a doctor, he wouldn’t have to be so self-conscious… After another incident of his boss double-checking the contents of a note from Yokoi, he decides to do something about his poor penmanship. Perhaps calligraphy classes can rescue his chicken scratch writing… But what if the teacher makes his hands tremble even more!?“Licky’s Dogma”: For Shinobu, it was love at first sight. But Kiichi was too preoccupied with his dog Licky… Will Shinobu ever be able to live up to man’s best friend?
“Mr. Good Luck Charm”: Futoshi Ono has been held back a year. He frequently misses school and often has an injury, usually on his face. Everybody thinks he’s your typical delinquent who skips classes and gets into fights. But in reality, Futoshi is getting beat up… by spirits! Amulets and talismans only go so far. What Futoshi really needs is a good luck charm…!
Tacocasi is the mangaka of some of the most fluffiest, most squee-tastic, wholesomest of wholesome manga. I’m busting out the superlatives because Nidaime Jiguko Brothers and Ushimitsu Dokidoki Koshotentan were sooo good!
Mr. Good Luck Charm is a collection of stories, two of which are interrelated. More superlatives below:
Yokoi’s Calligraphy Catastrophe – The adorkable Yokoi wanted to improve his atrocious penmanship through a calligraphy class. He was extremely flustered to discover his teacher is the unbelieveably gorgeous, hella charming, infinitely patient Izumi, a touchy-feely fella in a genuinely kind way.
There’s no defense for this kind of attack!
The way they slow-burned toward each other was ridiculously cute!!! Stolen kisses, adorable blushes, a misunderstanding, one bold strike by Izumi, and it was death by squee for me…
Licky’s Dogma – Shinobu is so in love with his friend Kiichi that when Kiichi’s beloved dog dies, Shinobu proposes to be his dog just to be close to Kiichi. He’s hesitant to confess because it might ruin their friendship, but then suddenly he does!
A bit iffy premise, but Shinobu is the sunshinest Labrador retriever to ever shine! And boy, did the mangaka outdo themselves in drawing the fluffiest ball of energy. Kiichi’s rather dour and his misguided intentions put a damper on things, but he redeemed himself by doing what Shinobu asked for all along: let the sunshine in.
Mr. Good Luck Charm – Futoshi is vulnerable to the supernatural and is frequently attacked by bad spirits. One day, he discovered his schoolmate Mamoru had the ability to ward off ghosts, and the two started hanging out together until Mamoru suddenly confessed.
Mamoru has so much good vibes, he positively sparkles!
Futoshi is friends with Shinobu, his biggest cheerleader in his slow-burn bi-awakening. Futoshi is chill and mature, and Mamoru is all heart-eyes. The vibe is lower-key than the first two stories but so wonderfully pure and wholesome! Look at them on the cover! They warm my heart and cleanse my soul!!
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REVIEW: A Bright Celestial Sea by Chani Lynn Feener
A Bright Celestial Sea – Chani Lynn Feener
Pryor Oro came to the Olympus to find a missing Imperial, not fall for one.
On the space station Olympus, a disappearance and a theft has captured the attention of the Intergalactic Police Force. Assigned to the case, Pryor heads to the World Ship in order to search for a missing prince. While there, he’s forced to work with the Emperor, Wystan Aurelius, who seems to never let Pryor out of his sight. Confused over why a man he’s never met is acting so possessive, Pryor’s urgency to solve the case and get away from Olympus and its ruler intensifies, even as the unruly Emperor starts to grow on him.
Wystan Aurelius finds life on a World Ship dull, until Detective Pryor steps onto his ship, and into his territory.
More concerned with discovering who has stolen missing medical technology, Wystan couldn’t care less about a vanished prince from another planet. At least, not until he sees how invested in the case Pryor is, and realizes how upset he gets when he doesn’t have the Detective’s full attention turned his way, and his way only. Wystan finds himself at a crossroads. Force Pryor to accept him by telling the truth? Or win him over the old-fashioned way?
Wystan’s secrets could unravel everything, but he isn’t the only one hiding things. Pryor’s privy to some classified information could end up turning the entire galaxy for a loop. Together, the two must navigate through their emotions and the seedy underside of Olympus to solve the case before it’s too late, and life, as they both know it, is altered forever.
A Bright Celestial Sea is another book written by Chani Lynn Feener in the same sci-fi universe as Between the Devil and the Sea and A Sea of Endless Light. It does not have a name yet, but I’ll call it IPF-verse since the Intergalactic Police Force is one thing common with the other books. Also, the MCs are IPF detectives with secrets they desperately want to stay buried.
The opening puts us right in the thick of things. From what I could suss out, a member of the Tiberian imperial family, nephew to the Empress, is missing. A critical illness, a top-secret nano-technology, and a classified medical procedure were uncovered. There’s an assassination attempt, and either imperial twins, sons of the Empress, might be involved, but then they were supposed to be dead.
All of this happend in Olympus, which is the world ship of the Vexans.
I spent half the book untangling the convoluted plot. For one, I was confused by all the names that came up. I was audiobooking this, and the Tiberian Imperials had very close-sounding names that I didn’t immediately realize there were several of them.
Roth is the nephew, the party boy wasting Tiberian tax money on lavish shindigs across the galaxy. Rath is his twin and is said to have died at birth or missing (I’m not sure). Ross is the twin most favored by the Empress, so he’s spoiled rotten. Rune is the unwanted, sickly spare.
The world-building was just enough to establish there are world ships, essentially artificial planets, and Olympus is ruled by twin Vexan emperors Wystan and his sister. The two alternately ruled every six months. It seems the Tiberians and Vexans are born in pairs, and this is a key element here.
Also, Vexans have the most beautiful eyes, which are the color of galaxies. The cover grabbed me with the image of Wystan and his eyes.
It helped that I had read the other books, so I was able to piece together the setting. Similarly, we have an IPF team led by Detective Pryor Oro and Inspector Castor (forgot his last name). Immediately, sparks flew as Pryor butted heads with the cocky and shamelessly flirty Wystan, who made it clear he wanted the detective.
Also, Pryor is a Tiberian, and saying the case hits close to home is a gross understatement, as we later discover.
The author was building some delicious antagonistic USTs, but I couldn’t fully enjoy it. I was too busy trying to understand what was going on. This is also the very thing that makes the mystery so compelling. I was in the dark until the bad guy showed his cards.
The second half was full-on squee-tastic BL manga vibes, with my favorite childhood connection trope working its magic. Because Pryor was that abused young boy Wystan wanted to protect once upon a time ago, and adult Pryor is strength, competence, and hurts rolled into one irresistibly gorgeous package.
The detective is still dealing with PTSD and amnesia, and the emperor is that possessive, adoring seme patiently waiting for his hot/cold yet can’t stay away uke, to remember and/or admit they knew each other as children. Meanwhile, it wouldn’t hurt to shower the overworked detective with TLCs and assist, a.k.a. insert himself in the investigation whether the detective wants him to or not.
This part tied beautifully with the mystery, giving us an edge-your-seat villain showdown and a slow-clap-worthy takedown of the person who hurt Pryor the most. It was fanfuckingtastic! And so satisfying, especially knowing what Pryor had gone through. It totally made the book for me!
A Bright Celestial Sea is a story of unwanted children, secret identities, and inescapable ties. The “cold open” and figuring out who’s who took some time for me before the story hit its stride. But I’m thrilled I stuck around. Ultimately, It was a rewarding experience.
Overall, a complex mystery and a sweet sci-fi romance between two men who shine the brightest at their most vulnerable.
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: Celestial Bodies
Artist: Ghost Data feat. Jovani Occomy
Album: The Occulus Occult
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A BRIGHT CELESTIAL SEA: Kindle | Audiobook
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SOUNDTRACK: Celestial Bodies by Ghost Data feat. Jovani Occomy
Soundtrack To A Bright Celestial Sea by Chani Lynn Feener
Celestial Bodies by Ghost Data feat. Jovani Occomy for a book about healing of bodies, breaking of chains, rekindling of memories, and grabbing life by the horns.
Why don’t you take apart these precious bones?
Mend my heart, reap what you sow
Feel the burn from in this dream
We break apart ripped from the seamCan’t describe just what I feel
Break the chains and help me heal
Celestial Bodies fly overhead
With countless words I’m ripped to shredsSearching through the universe
The skyscrapers and day lovers take part in what’s real
You make me feel like I could die happy in this moment of our lives -
Why don’t you take apart these precious bones?
Mend my heart, reap what you sow
Feel the burn from in this dream
We break apart ripped from the seamCan’t describe just what I feel
Break the chains and help me heal
Celestial Bodies fly overhead
With countless words I’m ripped to shredsSearching through the universe
The skyscrapers and day lovers take part in what’s real
You make me feel like I could die happy in this moment of our livesThe stars are endlessly, procreating, we’ll fall asleep
Why don’t you take apart these precious bones?
Mend my heart, reap what you sow
Feel the burn from in this dream
We break apart ripped from the seamCan’t describe just what I feel
Break the chains and help me heal
Celestial Bodies fly overhead
With countless words I’m ripped to shredsStill my lips, let’s take it slow
Wield my hips, don’t let me go
Falling miles so endlessly
You lift me up so easilyLay your head upon my breast
For a moment cleanse all the stressRelive a moment eternally
Within my temple so yearninglyYou make me feel like I could die
Happy in this moment, of our lives
You make me feel like I could die
Happy in this moment, of our own livesWhy don’t you take apart these precious bones?
Mend my heart, reap what you sow
Feel the burn from in this dream
We break apart ripped from the seamCan’t describe just what I feel
Break the chains and help me heal
Celestial Bodies fly overhead
With countless words I’m ripped to shredsStill my lips, let’s take it slow
Wield my hips, don’t let me go
Falling miles so endlessly
You lift me up so easilyLay your head upon my breast
For a moment cleanse all your stressRelive a moment eternally
Within my temple so yearningly -
MOVIE FEATURE: Noah’s Arc: The Movie
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BLOG TOUR: Office of the Lost by J. Scott Coatsworth & Kim Fielding (Excerpt & Giveaway)
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RELEASE BLITZ: Until He Scores by T.L. Reeve
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RELEASE TOUR: Green Ravens by A.E. Via (Excerpt)