From the back cover: Early in the nineteenth century, in a puritanical New England town, two women did something unspeakable, something unheard of—they fell in love with each other. With nothing and no one to guide or support them, Patience and Sarah tried to follow their hearts. And when family pressures separated them, the two women dreamed of leaving their homes, of being … [Read more...] about Patience & Sarah by Isabel Miller: B-
LGBTQIA+
Eat or Be Eaten by Jinko Fuyuno and Yamimaru Enjin: B-
Masaki Ashizawa is employed by a management consulting firm and is renowned for rehabilitating struggling restaurants and persuading his clients to his way of thinking. His current project involves finding the perfect chef for a new French restaurant being secretly opened by Chef Yanaginuma, a big name in the business, and when Ashizawa tastes the cooking of Chef Tsubaki, he … [Read more...] about Eat or Be Eaten by Jinko Fuyuno and Yamimaru Enjin: B-
S 4: Afterglow by Saki Aida and Chiharu Nara: B-
Masaki Shiiba was a detective investigating the manufacture of illegal firearms and Keigo Munechika was his “S,” an informant who played a key role in Shiiba’s information gathering. At some point in the past, the two began a romantic relationship, but a powerful yakuza boss with a grudge against Munechika wants to see him suffer and so hires a hitman who’ll receive one million … [Read more...] about S 4: Afterglow by Saki Aida and Chiharu Nara: B-
Desire: Dangerous Feelings by Maki Kazumi and Yukine Honami: C+
The boys’ love manga Desire, published by DMP in 2004, was one of the first titles I read in that genre and remains one of my favorites. The story’s original creators team up once again for Desire: Dangerous Feelings, a novelization of the manga’s events that also includes some new material continuing where the original left off. Timid high school student Toru Maiki has … [Read more...] about Desire: Dangerous Feelings by Maki Kazumi and Yukine Honami: C+
The Drowning of Stephan Jones by Bette Greene: D
From the back cover: Hate. It's the farthest feeling from sixteen-year-old Carla Wayland's mind. She can't believe people would persecute others just because they are different. But she isn't about to worry about the injustice surrounding her because she's in love with handsome and popular Andy Harris. Although raised to act on her ethical beliefs, Carla finds that her … [Read more...] about The Drowning of Stephan Jones by Bette Greene: D