I reviewed this collection of quirky, bittersweet tales for this week's BL Bookrack and enjoyed it quite a bit. One story even involves a hapless guy's romance with a garbageman! You can find that review here. Review copy provided by the publisher. … [Read more...] about A Place in the Sun by Lala Takemiya: B+
DokiDoki
Tidbits: Three from DMP
Welcome to the first installment of Tidbits, a periodic column featuring short reviews of multiple titles. In this post, I check out the latest volumes of three continuing series in the Digital Manga Publishing catalog. First up is volume two of Alice the 101st, followed by the third volume of the shoujo classic Itazura Na Kiss, and the second volume of Maiden Rose. Alice the … [Read more...] about Tidbits: Three from DMP
Midnight Bloom by Rico Fukiyama: C-
What a disappointment! I usually like books in DMP's DokiDoki imprint, but aside from a blandly cute title story, this one's full of shallow stories and off-putting relationships, including a particularly ick-inducing student-teacher romance. You can find that review here. Review copy provided by the publisher. … [Read more...] about Midnight Bloom by Rico Fukiyama: C-
How to Control a Sidecar by Makoto Tateno: B-
In this spin-off of How to Capture a Martini, stoic bartender Kiyohito Kousaka is pursued by a pair of guys looking to recruit him for a three-way relationship. He initially wants nothing to do with them, but when one of them goes missing, he cares enough to want to get to the bottom of the mystery. There are definitely some good things about How to Control a Sidecar. The … [Read more...] about How to Control a Sidecar by Makoto Tateno: B-
How to Capture a Martini by Makoto Tateno: B+
As a first year in high school, Naoyuki Hibino experienced his first love, first kiss, and first sexual experience with an upperclassman named Shinobu Okada. When Shinobu abruptly disappeared after his graduation, Naoyuki was crushed but did his best to forget him. Four years have passed since that time, but when Naoyuki happens to run into Okada, who’s working as a bartender, … [Read more...] about How to Capture a Martini by Makoto Tateno: B+