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MOVIE FEATURE: Duck Butter
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RAPID FIRE BOOK TAG
This is a rapid fire book tag where I answer the first thing that pops in my head. Borrowed from The Bibliophile Girl
E-Book Or Physical Book?
Physical books. They so much easier on the eyes, literally and figuratively
Paperback Or Hardback?
Paperback. I am not into hardback books. I know they’r pretty to look at but they’re heavy and I hate dealing with the book jacket.
Online Or In-Store Book Shopping?
In store definitely. Online shopping has infinite choices but nothing compares to being surrounded by books. And smelling them.
Trilogies Or Series?
Trilogies. Only because there are less books to wait for.
Heroes Or Villains?
I almost always go for the villains. They’re more interesting and nuanced. I love finding out their backstories.
A Book You Want Everyone To Read?
review here Recommend An Underrated Author?
Claire Davis & Al Stewart. This writer duo writes some of the cutest, most heartwarming LGBT+ stories there is.
The Last Book You Finished?
review here Weirdest Thing You’ve Used As A Bookmark?
The edge of the bedsheet since I read in bed. Also, waterbottle that doubles as paperweight.
Used Books: Yes Or No?
Yes. I like the smell of old books. I also love discovering scribbles, notes and forgotten bookmarks inside used books.
Top Three Favourite Genres?
MM, mystery and fantasy
Borrow Or Buy?
Buy. I can’t remember how many times I have contemplated not returning books to the library because I love them so much. So I just bought my own stuff
Character Or Plot?
Oooh, tough one. Hmm… maybe I’ll lean towards plot because I hate that going nowhere feel.
Long Or Short Books?
Short and preferably gay. I lose patience for books that go and on.
Name The First Three Books You Think Of
Prisoner review here
How To Be A Normal Person review here
Where Death Meets The Devil review hereBooks That Make You Laugh Or Cry?
Laugh. I hate the melodramatic
Our World Or Fictional?
Fictional, no contest there. Widdershins is calling me!
Audiobooks: Yes Or No?
Yes, definitely. I have always wondered how people can work with computers all day, go home, read and blog without getting their visions impaired. I need those audiobooks to give my eyes rest. Also, I love how the characters come alive in the hands of a great narrator.
Do You Ever Judge A Book By Its Cover?
All the time. As an avid reader of MM, I’d be the first to say that majority of the covers are cringe-inducing.
Book To Movie Or Book To TV?
Neither really. If pressed, I’d say TV has the better format to capture all the book’s elements
A Movie Or TV Show That You Preferred To The Book?
Legally Blonde is way better as a movie than a book. I also like how the movie Like Water for Chocolates took almost everything from the book quite literally.
Series Or Standalones?
Standalones. Waiting for that next book always kills me.
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MANGA: Mitsumete, Yurarete, 15-bu
Mitsumete, Yurarete, 15-bu – Mofumofu Edako
Everyday, the train conductor looks forward to seeing that special passenger who brightens his day.
This perked me up too. What a charming one-shot!
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REVIEW: Exit PLans For Teenage Freaks by Nathan Burgoine
Exit PLans For Teenage Freaks – Nathan Burgoine
Being the kid abducted by old Ms. Easton when he was four permanently set Cole’s status to freak. At seventeen, his exit plan is simple: make it through the last few weeks of high school with his grades up and his head down.
When he pushes through the front door of the school and finds himself eighty kilometers away holding the door of a museum he was just thinking about, Cole faces facts: he’s either more deluded than old Ms. Easton, or he just teleported.
Now every door is an accident waiting to happen―especially when Cole thinks about Malik, who, it turns out, has a glass door on his shower. When he starts seeing the same creepy people over his shoulder, no matter how far he’s gone, crushes become the least of his worries. They want him to stop, and they’ll go to any length to make it happen.
Cole is running out of luck, excuses, and places to hide.
Time for a new exit plan.
Ever had a dream where you’re suddenly in a public place with no clothes on?
That could very well be Cole’s reality when he suddenly gained the ability to teleport and he needed to get it under control fast! Teleportation is one of my top five must-have superpowers and like Cole, I’d have my fun with it too but we could all do without the creepy guys watching our every move.
The way teleportation was used in this book was closer to magic realism than full blown fantasy because it was hardly focused on majority of the book. It was more like just another skill Cole needed to work on on top of academics and art. At some points, it felt inconsequential on the face of the everyday events Cole and his friends dealt with. It even occurred to me, this subplot was just there to give the book an extra something because without it, it would simply be a typical LGBT-themed YA.
It took me a while to totally get into the story. It started slow for me then picked up when I was a third in. What I really enjoyed the most were the people and their relationships. I really loved Cole’s parents and I am happy to see a teenager who has a happy and contented relationship with his parents since many teenagers in books and movies seemed to complain about their parents. The Rainbow Club is a joy and even Grayson, the one they complained about, did good. Cole and Alec’s friendship are goals, Malik is a sweetheart and I want Candace in my corner. The representations were awesome and genuine. I think the only thing missing was a dog.
The story zooms back to the teleportation part on the last 30% of the book. Cole finally meet the creepy people face to face, did some gutsy moves then poof! it ended just when him and Malik were heading somewhere fun. I don’t know if the book has a sequel, I hope it does. The way things ended between them, I think he might hear from other teleporters in the future. Also, I want to go places with Cole and Malik.
Exit Plans for Teenage Freaks deals with a lot of things, from sexuality, growing up, career plans, disabilities to discovering you have superpowers. Some of these were well-developed and I particularly liked the inclusion of ASL in the novel, something the author knows first hand. Other aspects were either rushed or tossed around then left open such as Grayson and Alec’s conflict, Alec and Ben or that year-end party that was mentioned here and there but not shown. These asides and casual mentions reflects real life conversations but in a book, they’re kind of frustrating.
Another plus for me is that while the book is about a gay teen, it is not about coming out and all the LGBT+ teens were happy being themselves. Overall, I enjoyed the book and I think most people would also like the positive relationships, the diversity, and realistic portrayal of teenagers.
P.S.
I received a copy of Exit Plans For Teenage Freaks from Bold Strokes Books via Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Rating:
3.5 Stars – that place between like and loveSoundtrack: Song About Teleportation
Artist: Wings of Love
Album: The Charming Ghost of Freedom -
SOUNDTRACK: Song About Teleportation by WIngs of Love
Soundtrack to Exit Plans for Teenage Freaks by Nathan Burgoine
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All good things find their open doors
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MOVIE FEATURE: The Surface
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MANGA: Saiaku Na Futari No Hajimari Wa
Saiaku Na Futari No Hajimari Wa – Yoshino Kaya
Hinami Takashi is always transferring schools because of his parents’ jobs and he has gotten pretty bored of the attention. He uses the rumors about him to achieve his goal, which is to maintain his mediocre daily life and to quietly go on to the next school, until the rumors about his classmate Sakura make him take a special interest in him. It seems like Takashi isn’t as ordinary as he pretends to be!
Cute but that Hinami, what a nosy bastard!
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REVIEW: Parallel Larry by Jacqueline Rohrbach
Parallel Larry – Jacqueline Rohrbach
Larry’s search for love didn’t include Greg, his regular waiter at his favorite restaurant. Always too busy daydreaming about a handsome doctor, Larry fails to notice Greg’s shy advances. But when Greg finally finds the courage to ask Larry out, he’s suddenly killed in a freak car accident. Only then does Larry realize how perfect they could have been together.
No one gets a second shot at true love. Or do they?
Inexplicably, Larry is drawn into a parallel reality, and in this new timeline, Greg is still very much alive. Here, the shy young waiter Larry knew from before has managed to live out many of his dreams. All except one: he hasn’t found love. Larry gets one more shot after all!
There are a few problems. One, Larry’s time is limited. Two, Greg has already dated the parallel reality’s Larry, and he was a real jerk. Now Larry has to prove he’s nothing at all like his evil doppelganger and that he is willing to risk everything to protect the man he loves.
He’s found Greg again. To keep him, Larry will have to stop daydreaming and fight himself—literally—not just metaphorically.
This is partly what I expected.
Parrallel Larry’s premise of a second chance romance involving a dimension jump is really interesting. Being no stranger to bizaarre and seemingly random sci-fi stories like the anime, Space Dandy, I totally buy the multi-dimensional verse, the toaster portal and the eighties obsession. I also expected it to be fluffy and cute and on those points, it delivered.
What was hard to believe was how things seemed to be too conveniently set up, like suddenly Larry had a knife in his boots or staying in the new dimension was as simple as inserting a microchip that didn’t really do anything. Don’t their government have other, more conclusive methods? While I am not really expecting something profound, I felt the story lacked a certain oomph, and its fluff and cute seemed shallow. Greg and Larry were both likable people and their romance would have been more heartfelt had it had more depth.
Overall, the execution could use some work but I think the set-up has a lot of potential and can be expanded. I am all for amping up the offbeat elements, and creating a series where multi-dimensional jumpers find love in other universes.
P.S.
I received a copy of Parallel Larry from Nine Star Press via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Rating:
2.5 Stars – far from hate but not quite a likeSoundtrack: You’re Mine
Artist: A Flock of Seagulls
Album: The Light At The End Of The World -
SOUNTRACK: You’re Mine by A Flock OF Seagulls
Soundtrack to Parallel Larry by Jacqueline Rohrbach
