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Komata-kun to Komata-chan –
Kobato Mebaru & Ogura Muku (Munya Munya Sue)
Two short one shots about school boys in love~1. Haruda has started dating the quiet, shy Shiba. Nurturing their relationship like a small, budding plant, Haruda promises he will never make Shiba cry. And on a hot summer afternoon, Shiba quietly pulls Haruda to the next step.2. Hoshino is confessed to by Oda, an adorable boy in glasses. They start dating, but Hoshino wonders why Oda chose him… since he started dating Oda, Hoshino feels like his world has expanded, but since he’s not a star*, why would Oda like him?*Hoshino means “star” but he thinks of himself as gloomy.
The theme is that awkward just-started-dating phase and both authors captured it well.
(source: http://mangatraders.biz)
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Russ Morgan Mystery: Enigma – Lloyd A. Meeker
Who’s blackmailing the high-profile televangelist whose son was famously cured of his homosexuality fifteen years ago? Now in 2009, that ought to be ancient history.
It seems there’s no secret to protect, no crime, not even a clear demand for money—just four threatening letters using old Enigma songs from the 90′s. But they’ve got Reverend Howard Richardson spooked.
Proudly fifty and unhappily single, gay PI Russ Morgan has made peace with being a psychic empath, and he’s managed to build a decent life since getting sober. As he uncovers obscene secrets shrouded in seeming righteousness he might have to make peace with a sword of justice that cuts the innocent as deeply as the guilty.
I already had an inkling on who’s doing it a quarter through the story but I kept on reading because the secrets unrevealed confirmed what I had always suspect: holier than thou high-profile televangelists are indeed creepy.
Rating:
3 Stars – not exactly setting my world on fire but I liked it
(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18397568-enigma)
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Live people ignore the strange and unusual
Handbook for the Recently Deceased -
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Portrait – Natsume Kazuki
Two friends in denial about their mutual affection.
A highly recommended debut about angsty unrequited love.
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The Bestiary: Cleanly Wrong – Mell Eight
Rung is a half-breed orphan brownie who can’t do anything right, much to the worry of his cleanliness teachers. When he runs away, Rung decides that he can resist the need to clean. Only, there is that one office that so desperately needs help...
OMG this is sooo cute and fluffy!!! This is my kind of faerie tale!
Rating
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bits
(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15841288-cleanly-wrong)
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Beware of geeks bearing formulas.
Warren Buffet -
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Dame na Yatsu Hodo Kawaii – Ueda Niku
One day, Arata was forced to take in a freeloader by the request of his friend.
That man, Narumi, almost burns everything when he cooks, and can’t get into the bath on his own; in other words he’s a hopelessly clumsy man.Arata is at a loss, but he just can’t leave Narumi alone!?
Other completed works include: A high-schooler that observes his friends’ love, A flashy guy x a son of a distinguished family’s elopement, And a cold guy x Crossdressing guy.
A useless adult who can’t do anything so he whores himself out? Sorry, not cute. Fortunately it’s only one chapter and an extra. I don’t know how much I could bear that crap.
Oooh, the second chapter! Development of a relationship between two childhood friends from the perspective of a mutual friend is something worth reading. Loving this one.
Third chapter was cute, fun and so wonderfully carefree. Another win.
Not feeling the fourth and fifth chapters. Two guys working at a crossdressing cafe hooking up for almost no reason at all. The senpai disappeared and suddenly resurfaced with a case of amnesia. Crappy plot.
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Mechanical Universe: Winter’s Bees – E.E. Ottoman
Lord Marcel de la Mont de Anges, the Marquis de Montespan is a brilliant mathematician, member of the mechanical animation movement and all around dandy. He’s been in love with shy, quiet entomologist and youngest member of the royal family, Prince Gilbert André XVI, since they were children. The Emperor’s plans to arrange a marriage between Marcel and Gilbert should have been the answer to all his secret fantasies.
But Gilbert is still reeling from a nasty breakup, and he cannot picture the man he regards as a brother becoming his lover. The order to marry has thrown their relationship into disorder, and if they cannot sort out the changes there may not even be a friendship left for them to save…
E.E. Ottoman’s stories are peopled with diverse characters I rarely see in other stories. There’s an Indian ballet dancer, a trans man, a castrato, pudgy love interests, female police and military generals and so on. In this last installment of Mechanical Universe, Marcel is an adopted Eastern (possibly Asian descent) Marquis with physical disabilities. The world itself is diverse, with magic and science working together seamlessly.
The best parts of the story for me was the first half because that where I felt the sparks and I found the two really cute. I was also looking forward to them reminiscing about their younger days and the times they spent together. The middle part was the dragging part.
The way these two agonized over their marriage was a bit of a snooze-fest for me mainly because married people’s problems are boring. The party near the end was a good way to wrap up the story because the reader gets to meet all the gang again. I wished there were more interaction with these characters.
Overall, I would recommend the entire Mechanical Universe series. As favorite author and editor K.J. Charles said:
“I love EE Ottoman’s writing. I love the worldbuilding, and the realistic, insecure characters nervously feeling their way through to one another, and the odd passions, and the secrets. It’s a lovely novella and as ever, I wanted more, longer, deeper. I want a full-length EE Ottoman novel and to see what they do on a bigger stage, pushing the characters further and harder. But for now, this will do very nicely.
“
Rating:
3.5 Stars – that place between like and love(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23459938-winter-s-bees)
