From the creator of Menkui! comes this collection of intriguing (and chaste!) boys’ love stories. “The Fate of a Crime Fighter’s Love” features childhood friends Seigo and Touma, who hail from a village where everyone has super powers. Some seek to do evil with their abilities, while others work to stop them. This story has a fairly comedic tone, but the characters are … [Read more...] about Love Hurts: Aishiatteru Futari by Suzuki Tanaka: A-
Short Stories
Ciao Ciao Bambino by Momoko Tenzen: B
I think I must be a Momoko Tenzen fan, because this is the second time I’ve been impressed by her ability to create compelling characters in a short story format (the first being Unsophisticated and Rude). Not only that, she’s able to write stories about romance between middle schoolers and teachers that aren’t completely icky (only mildly icky). There are five stories in this … [Read more...] about Ciao Ciao Bambino by Momoko Tenzen: B
Black-Winged Love by Tomoko Yamashita: A
As in her excellent Dining Bar Akira, Tomoko Yamashita has created in Black-Winged Love a set of boys’ love stories focusing more on a universal aspect of human relationships rather than what goes on between guys in the bedroom. Each story relates in some way to the difficulties of communication, be it the crippling fear that keeps gay men from confessing their orientation or … [Read more...] about Black-Winged Love by Tomoko Yamashita: A
Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris: B-
From the front flap: Holidays on Ice collects six of David Sedaris's most profound Christmas stories into one slender volume perfect for use as an emergency coaster or ice scraper. This drinking man's companion can be enjoyed by the warmth of a raging fire, in the glow of a brilliantly decorated tree, or even in the backseat of a van or police car. It should be read with your … [Read more...] about Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris: B-
M Is for Magic by Neil Gaiman: A-
From the back cover: Master storyteller Neil Gaiman presents a breathtaking collection of tales for younger readers that may chill or amuse, but that always embrace the unexpected: * Humpty Dumpty's sister hires a private detective to investigate her brother's death. * A teenage boy who has trouble talking to girls finds himself at a rather unusual party. * A boy … [Read more...] about M Is for Magic by Neil Gaiman: A-