Published under Aurora’s LuvLuv imprint, Love for Dessert is a compilation of six stories, each of which culminates in a steamy situation. The stories range widely in terms of quality, though nearly all start out decently enough. Some even try to incorporate plot elements other than sex, like parental relationship problems or learning not to change oneself just to suit a guy. … [Read more...] about Love for Dessert by Hana Aoi: C+
Short Stories
Short Program 2 by Mitsuru Adachi: B+
From the back cover: Love and life are programmed in * Is the life of a cute, young private detective on the line? * Can love be found only half-way down the line? * Will life change in a coffee shop? * How can an earthquake shake up a relationship? * Is destiny all it’s cracked up to be for a baseball loser? * Will a playwright balance loyalty against love? * Was it really … [Read more...] about Short Program 2 by Mitsuru Adachi: B+
Short Program by Mitsuru Adachi: A-
From the back cover: The comic-book short story is one of the most difficult areas of storytelling, but Adachi handles the challenge with deceptive ease. His low-key approach belies the power of the emotions his characters portray. The resolution of Adachi's stories are logical, dramatic, true-to-life, and completely unpredictable. Span the range of human relationships in … [Read more...] about Short Program by Mitsuru Adachi: A-
Seduce Me After the Show by est em: A
From the back cover: A stylish, tempestuous dance of anguish and passion. Seduce Me After the Show contains seven short stories which take place within the artistic worlds of dance, painting, and music. Overall themes focus on the dichotomy of hope and despair as well as the relationship between pleasure and longing. In the title story, devastated by the death of his world … [Read more...] about Seduce Me After the Show by est em: A
Four Shōjo Stories by Keiko Nishi, Moto Hagio, and Shio Sato: B+
From the back cover: An unprecedented collection of stories by the greatest shōjo manga (girls' comics) artists of our time! In shōjo manga, a uniquely literary genre of Japanese comics, the relationships between characters are as meticulously crafted as the story's action. Shōjo artists are renowned for their visual innovations, as well. Experimenting with page layouts, … [Read more...] about Four Shōjo Stories by Keiko Nishi, Moto Hagio, and Shio Sato: B+