Closing Site

Thank you everyone for visiting my site and commenting! I had a blast reviewing yaoi but with my writing schedule, it's getting to be too difficult to keep up with all my blogs, website, twitter, FB - !!! What I will be do is post on my author blog (separate page) the current yaoi I'm reading, and what I think about it. There won't be an extensive review but I'll answer any comments. Lately, I picked up a few good books. A couple of them are keepers.

So follow or bookmark my blog page! And, I hope to see you there!

Happy Reading!

Crimson Snow by Hori Tomoki

This book has been getting a lot of good press and I have to agree with the positive reviews. The artwork is beautiful and expressive and the stories well paced. I especially enjoyed the first story - Crimson Snow. And, especially since it ties up the story in the last vignette so it doesn't leave a reader hanging.

Crimson Snow is a simple moving piece - about a young gangster, shot and bleeding, found by a young tea ceremony master, Yukihiro. Yukihiro takes him into his household of three and nourishes him back to health. What I loved about this story was the yakuza's internal POV and his coming to terms with his past and how there was another life to live that he had no idea existed. In the end, he does the right thing but it's heart wrenching, and thus, we have the vignette at the end of the book.

Beautifully done!

I hope the US published more books by Hori Tomoki - because I'd snatch them up!

PG: Mature published by Blu Manga - http://www.blumanga.com/

No Touching At All by Kou Yoneda

No Touching At All is a solid entry in the yaoi market. I really enjoyed that all 200+ pages was a continuation of one story line - the romance between shy Shima and his boss, extrovert Togawa.


Shima gets his introduction to his boss in the elevator. Togawa is still drunk and stinks to high heaven, not a great first impression! He barely makes it out of the elevator before he has to race to the bathroom before he loses his breakfast!


At first the overbearing Togawa put Shima on edge. Togawa is persistent in wanting to spend time with Shima and finally they connect. It's not an easy relationship, Shima reluctant to get involved with a straight man. But Togawa is sweet and attentive. Will Shima risk his heart for a chance at happiness?


The artwork is great. I love Yoneda's expressive style and clean lines. The story line is good (not as good as Yamada's No One Loves Me ) but close. I didn't give it a five star because at times I had a difficult time with the translation. Sometime I didn't know who was talking and that's irritating. But that's my biggest complaint, so that's not so bad :)

I look forward to other manga by this artist.


Rated: 18+ - June Manga - http://www.junemanga.com/

Two Great Stories by Yugi Yamada

I'm so happy to start my New Year with two great books by Yugi Yamada. I was able to purchase them at my local comic book store before they were released on Amazon, and I grabbed them quickly. Yugi Yamada is a favorite of mine, her stories always wacko but entertaining along with her bold artwork.

No One Loves Me is a whooping 300+ pages and the same price as most of June's Manga's yaoi. That alone is worth the price of this book. It's a lovely story about a very closed and cool bookworm - Katshuhiro and the outgoing salesman's - Masafumi. There are so many very small tender moments in this manga that's just so darn sweet, and warms my romantic heart. It's rare when opposites attract but the characters are so well defined that you really can see how they compliment each other.

Open the Door To Your Heart is part of the Close the Last Door series which began with the youngest Honda brother - Kenzo. Remember that story?

This story is about the older Honda brothers - Shoichi the oldest, and Shunji the middle son. Shoichi is serious, stiff and proper in every way. His profession is tax collector, and he wears his suit and tie with pride. Shunji is the globetrotting, sexy wild brother that shows up one day in the shop where Shoichi goes to collect the overdue taxes.

Shoichi is shocked to see Shunji after ten years, their scandalous secret buried deep in his heart. Ten years ago they ended up in each other's arms and heart. Shunji left town but now that he's returned, will their attraction to each other be hard to ignore?

This story is full of angst and Yugi Yamada makes you really feel it.

I highly recommend both books, well worth their price. And, as her usual fare, Yamada has written wonderful quirky secondary characters that add another level of interest to the stories. I so look forward to Close the Last Door volume 2.

18+ rating - yes, hot sex in both volumes - published by June Manga
http://www.junemanga.com

Cool/Uncool by Arika Kuga and Kai Asou

I debated on giving this a three or four rose rating. I'm sure I'll have readers disagree with me on this one, and would give it a lower rating. It's another high school romance, and the premise is rather weird, but I read it again, and decided on a four star.

Takashi and Yukihisa have been friends since forever. No surprise there! But recently, Takashi has been putting distance between him and Yukihisa. (Okay, again no surprise!)

Frustrated Yukihisa tries to find out what is bugging his friend! Takashi refuses to tell him. Then suddenly Takashi befriends a girl, and Yukihisa is jealous. Okay, it takes no great mind to know what happens next. And the reason for Takashi's cool treatment towards his friend is rather silly. But despite these points, I still enjoyed the book.

Okay, I know, I'm a sucker for best friends turn lovers. It could have used a little more angst, but I liked the characters. It's a very lighthearted romance, and rather sweet, too. If you enjoy this type of romance, you should enjoy Cool/Uncool.

Rated: 18+ published by Doki Doki http://www.dokidoki.com/

Endless Comfort by Sakuya Sakura

This is a beautifully illustrated book! If you love to look at pretty 'pictures' (like I do!), well, this will be for you. The story held my interest, and I especially loved the Great Danes! The story line touches on child abuse and this adds more interest to the character, Yuu Kanai.

Masaki Kuzumi returns from Hong Kong to his manor home where his mother onced lived. There he meets gentle dog trainer, Yuu Kanai. Beautiful Kuzumi finds comfort in Kanai, but also senses a very dark secret within the young man. He wants to help him, befriend him but doesn't know if Kanai will feel comfortable since he is gay. Kuzumi has his own sadness. Can the two comfort each other and find inner peace and love?

There is a secondary love story as well. I just wished it was more flushed out between Yuuki and Amamiya. I felt it needed better closure, not unless Sakura plans on writing a sequel about these two which I'd like to read.

Rated: 18+ Published by June Manga http://www.junemanga.com/

Three Stars Books

I've read a lot of yaoi lately so I'm bunching these three together since they all get a 3 rose rating. These books were entertaining, and the artwork good. The characters didn't resonate with me on a deeper level but I enjoyed the twist of these stories. I just won't be keeping them on my bookshelf.

Stray Cat by Halco - Kaoru is standoffish, independent and proud, just like a cat. This had cost him many a relationship. When the cat-loving Yohei meet Kaoru, will the cool Kaoru melt enough of his heart to let Yohei in? Published by Blu Manga, using their large format. Mature rating.

Mysterious Loveby Taishi Zaou - Masafuma has premonition dreams. Since Jr. High, he's been having dreams of sleeping with a guy. And always a particular guy. To his horror, he meets up with the guy of his dreams in the high school hall way. Petrified that he'll become gay, he does everything in his power to ignore the guy. Published by Doki Doki. Rated 18+

Love Potion by Sakuya Fujii - Yuuri is the unlikely inheritor of a pheromone that makes him irresistible to every man and woman who he meets up with. The student, Hasegawa is convinced he's in love with Yuuri, but Yuuri believes he's like all the rest, only attracted to him because of the pheromone. Published by June Manga. Rated 18+