insaneneko

My first impressions tend to be crap so I usually don't post about books until I've reread them several times, but since sara_tanaquil asked what I'd ordered and I didn't want to just list the books...Please take all comments with a grain of salt. I revise my impressions of books quite a bit. ^^;

Ryuu no fukkatsu, Dr. no Houkou by Kifu Kaname and illustrated by Nara Chiharu

The latest book of the Ryuu and Dr series (I've summarized four of the books), still fun but not quite as fun as the last one...I might revise my opinion once I reread. Or maybe it just couldn't live up to the build up of insanity that fueled the previous books.

Aisaresugi to iukeredo by Nakahara Kazuya and illustrated by Nara Chiharu

Third book about a doctor and a laborer who used to be an amazing surgeon (I summarized the first book here). I enjoyed it, as I've enjoyed the first two. I just like the recurring characters a lot. And the really horrible lewd jokes Dr. God Hand makes. XD;

Kayashima-shi no yuuga na seikatsu novel vols 1, 2, and 3 by Tono Haruhi and illustrated by Hidaka Shouko and comic vol 1 illustrated by Mamahara Ellie

Reprinting of a series Tono Haruhi had originally done as doujinshi about the romance of a rich blue-blood (Mr. Kayashima) and his gardener. Mr. Kayashima is a great character. He's young, good-looking, rich, doesn't do any work, and has an overwhelmingly noble presence that just bowls people over. But he adores the gardener and is very honest about his feelings towards the gardener (most of the time). They are a cute couple. My favorite parts, though, are other people's reactions to Mr. Kayashima's oddness and presence. I have to admit that I like Hidaka Shoko's art more than Mamahara Ellie's, but the manga is worth having just for the short novelized portion and extra manga at the end. The first volume's novel bit is from Mr. Kayashima's dog's POV. It's adorable, as all stories written from the POV of someone's pet tends to be. I will be buying the second volume.

Hanayaka na Aijou by Sakiya Haruhi and illustrated by Hasukawa Ai

Fourth book about a detective and an artist. I adore this series, though I think I've never posted on it before. I like both characters, I like their relationship and how it develops. I like the police cases that come up in each volume. This book uses a total cliche as its premise, but I like how she handled it. Angsty, but not totally predictable. One big plus about this series: the uke loves sex and can be very aggressive in getting what he wants. No faux uke modesty here.

Futsuu gurai ni aishiteru by Kuga Ariko and illustrated by Hashimoto Aoi

This is about a salaryman who meets a dude who'd harassed him in high school. I....couldn't keep interested in the book enough to finish it. I'll have to go back and try again later.

Koboreru cream by Sakai Akeo and illustrated Shidoh Kai

I admit it, I bought it for the cover. The blurb sounded pretty interesting, so I figured why not. The book is just too short. The story doesn't suck, but it isn't meaty enough for me to love it.

Steal Your Love - Yoku by Himekawa Hotaru and illustrated by Kohji Tatsuru

Third book about a popular actor and host who'd been high school classmates. Another series I enjoy because I like the main characters and their relationship. Also, the uke also enjoys sex very much once they become established in a relationship. I'm hoping this continues, especially since I want to see what happens in their careers and their dealings with each other's families.

Tama ni wa koi demo by Wataru Minaho and illustrated by Sakura Haiji

I got this because it's illustrated by Sakura Haiji and the main character is a plain and introverted programmer being harassed by a very good looking, very out-going sales guy at his company. They become friends once the programmer realizes he shares interests with the sales guy. It turns out the sales guy is a uber-otaku. I was meh about this one. Doesn't suck, the uber-otaku-ness of the sales guy is rather hilarious, but it just didn't hit the spot.

Sore wa tsumi na anata no sei by Hagino Shiro and illustrated by Natsume Isaku

I love love love love love this book. Love. Also, love the art. I really don't want to say more, because it'll turn into a huge, long thing that I don't have the time do now and I want to do a long, looong summary of this some day. Let me just say it hits my moe points totally and completely.


I didn't realize I'd bought so many sequels until I started writing this post! I enjoyed the sequels well enough, but I think my overall disappointment with the order comes from being disappointed by most of the one-shots. I want to find shiny new stuff, not just rely on the familiar.

What is up with Nara Chiharu? I do not like her art nowadays. :(

Yokubou no inu by Nakahara Kazuya and illustrated by Nara Chiharu is about a public prosecutor and the young man he picks up. It's a fun book. There's a lot of wild sex and a lot of "this isn't anything like I've experienced before!" by the prosecutor.

One day prosecutor is heading home in the rain after a long, hard day and happens to see a young man in casual clothes. The young man pulls the prosecutor out of the way of a speeding car. The prosecutor takes the young man home for a hot shower and food in thanks. But the young man has a fabulous body that the prosecutor, who is gay, can't help but notice. The young man notices the prosecutor's gaze and pushes for sex. They have hot wild sex on the dining room floor, which shocks the prosecutor because he's never had sex outside of a bed before, particularly such wild sex. After that the young man comes and goes and they have lots and lots of sex (including one particularly passionate bout at the prosecutor's office). The prosecutor is confused about the young man, who doesn't talk about himself very much. They have the cutest date (that results in really hot sex), and the prosecutor realizes he's falling for the young man. He gets all anxious over the reason why the young man won't tell him anything (he doesn't mean anything to the model) and they end up breaking up at one point. It doesn't help that an old lover shows up to try to get back with the prosecutor or that the prosecutor finds out that the young man is an up-and-coming model. It's one of those "we live in different worlds" concept driving a deep wedge in relationships...I suppose it's the young man's fault for not being up front with the prosecutor, but in any case, these various developments contribute to a break-up (including the model's agent demanding that the prosecutor end things with the model as not to mess up his career). The prosecutor attempts to get back with the old lover (a prosecutor who had been his mentor and a really sweet guy), but can't. He's still in love with model boy.

Everything concludes well when the prosecutor is attacked at home by a guy he'd help send to jail who had decided that his life had been ruined by the prosecutor and the prosecutor was going to PAY. The model comes by the prosecutor's apartment, but the prosecutor sends the model away as he's being threatened with a knife. His attacker, in a rage, beats the prosecutor up. Prosecutor figures he's as good as dead, but he's rescued by model who'd sneaked in through the balcony. He wakes up in the hospital where everything is revealed. Model hadn't known about the agent's actions, and had beat up the agent, gotten the private investigator's report the agent had commissioned on the prosecutor, and had quit. The report noted that the prosecutor was being followed, so when the prosecutor had sent the model away without even coming to the door the model had a hunch that something wasn't right and had snuck in. Turns out the model is totally in love with the prosecutor (duh) and had been shy about himself for a fairly good reason. He'd been investigated by the prosecutor once and had been so impressed by the prosecutor's professionalism and dedication to justice that he'd decided to become a prosecutor as well (he'd happened to be a university student majoring in law). But he was too embarrassed to tell the prosecutor, especially after learning that the prosecutor's former lover is a really talented prosecutor as well. The prosecutor also confesses that he's in love with the model and hadn't been able to get back together with his old lover because his heart was still with the model. They have hot make-up sex.

The book ends with the most adorable scene of domestic lovey-dovey sappiness in the prosecutor's apartment. They are making a meal together, and the prosecutor urges the (ex-) model to study for his bar exam. He teases his young lover, telling him that he wants to see him all dressed up in a suit. Prosecutor thinks it'd be SO HOT...He might just go really wild. The model can't help but be peeved that the prosecutor is able to dangle such a tempting carrot in front of him....

There's probably a bit too much wallowing in angst, but I could forgive the faults because the sex was hot and the way the author managed to show the prosecutor slowly falling in love was sweet. I laughed at how boring the prosecutor's sex life was--so vanilla and so boring! And there was actually a good explanation as to why the model wouldn't talk about himself. How like a man to be too embarrassed to admit that the prosecutor is his hero as well as his goddess! XDXD

( gorgeous pics )