julian_griffith

Okay so, we're watching Elementary for fun and really enjoying it. LOVE Joan, Sherlock is lolarious, really like the supporting cast Captain DILF and Detective Hottie. (I do wish there were more women, tho -- I really liked the glimpses we get of Joan's mother and shrink.) The show does suffer some from the 22-ep-long procedural's problem of The Guest Star Is the Killer, but the writing is still creative and characters remember what happened from episode to episode! I know a lot of you have watched it, so, question:

Are there any episodes or seasons we might want to skip to keep enjoying the show? I'm thinking of episodes like Seeing Red (Buffy), that horrible Fringe episode, some of the worse late X-Files episodes, and so on. We might possibly watch them anyway, lol, I just don't want to be blindsided. (For example I think we skipped that horrible episode of Fringe entirely because I knew so many people who turned completely against the show after it, and it took me personally a LONG time to get over some of the X-Files crap.)

(Also: ride or die BUT also noromo for both Mulder/Scully and Joan/Sherlock, lol)

Current Mood: curious

kore

Watch on YouTube

While waiting, please enjoy this cutie summertime BOP:

Watch on YouTube

reviews_and_ramblings

Huimin Seo happened to read a tragic BL novel where the two main characters had both his name and even his best friend’s name, Iheon Cha. But rather than remaining as an incredible coincidence, this book becomes a new reality for Huimin. Before he knows it, he is transmigrated right into a major scene in the novel where Huimin Seo, a rare dominant omega, gets bought off in an auction by Iheon Cha, a powerful dominant alpha. Aware of the complications in this love-hate relationship that he cannot escape from, Huimin must tread carefully to turn things around entirely.

My Rate: 8 (www.lezhinus.com/en/comic/cozy_obsession)

I initially hesitated to pick up this manhwa, as the transmigration into a novel trope isn't usually my favorite. I always find myself questioning how a genuinely happy ending can be achieved for everyone involved. However, the author here presents a remarkably clever and original plot twist—one I won't spoil, but trust me, it elevates the story above the typical fare. The second major strength of the series is its successful blend of comedy and drama. This is brilliantly highlighted by the artist's use of chibi style to punctuate the comedic moments. While some readers might find this irritating, I personally enjoyed it. As someone who prefers comedy to heavy drama, I found it a refreshing, genuinely funny element that enhanced the experience. The plot's darker undertones are actually quite downplayed, and the heavy drama barely features in the story. If you're looking for a lighthearted and creative take on the transmigration genre, this one is a great choice!

reviews_and_ramblings

While ABO Desire's two couples are both engaging, their dynamics offer a fascinating contrast. My personal favorite was the second pair, Gao Tu and Shen Wenlang, though I was genuinely disappointed by their lack of satisfying closure. My affection for Shen Wenlang comes with a significant caveat: he is painfully clueless. I adore him, but the man operates with the emotional intelligence of a brick wall and the decision-making skills of a toddler on a sugar high. It's almost impressive how someone with his power can be so consistently daft, fumbling nearly every opportunity to be sensible. In contrast, the main couple, Hua Yong and Shao You, are pure comedic gold. Hua Yong’s infatuation with Shao You is off-the-charts; he's so far gone it’s honestly embarrassing. He’s the type who’d crawl across glass just to breathe the same air as his beloved. Shao You, our grumpy "Alpha," constantly attempts to feign control while clearly drowning in his own feelings. Their relationship is a magnificent spectacle: watching someone powerful fall to his knees for a partner who can barely handle being adored. HEA. You can watch on GagaOOLala. Heat Level: 5/6.

Heat Level:

1/6: glances, caress, hugs, no kisses

2/6: kisses, closed mouth or camera angles

3/6: full kisses, clothes on

4/6: full kisses, some clothes off, hands above the waist, pants stay on

5/6: most clothes off, they have sex, but it’s masked, no sexy sounds

6/6: full nudity mostly hidden by camera angles, they have sex, sexy sounds

delphi

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reviews_and_ramblings

Hands up, I liked My Secret Vampire, but I was still a bit disappointed. I’ve read the manhwa, and it’s sexy and funny. The character of Han Dong Ha is like a Snow White who enters the house of four adult men (not seven, but the vibe is similar). The four vampires, while trying to hide their supernatural nature, also end up fattening Dong Ha up because he’s considered too skinny for a typical blood prey. That’s where the story and manhwa are similar, but in the manhwa, Dong Ha is fully aware that the other men are vampires and is okay with providing blood—if I remember correctly, he has a condition that causes him to produce more blood than usual. In the drama, however, they went for a more cliché approach, and Dong Ha is surprised and hurt when he finds out the truth, rushing out of the house. Of course, there will be a happy ending, but I still found the manhwa more interesting. Despite being a vampire story, it’s totally funny—no drama, no dark atmosphere, just light-hearted fun. HEA. You can watch on GagaOOLala. Heat Level: 3/6.

Heat Level:

1/6: glances, caress, hugs, no kisses

2/6: kisses, closed mouth or camera angles

3/6: full kisses, clothes on

4/6: full kisses, some clothes off, hands above the waist, pants stay on

5/6: most clothes off, they have sex, but it’s masked, no sexy sounds

6/6: full nudity mostly hidden by camera angles, they have sex, sexy sounds

reviews_and_ramblings

Masato just wants some peace and quiet on his day off, but the kids upstairs continue to make that impossible, so he escapes to his friend Naruse’s gay bar. Sympathetic to his ongoing plight, Naruse recommends Masato just move into his second home since he’s not using it. But upon his arrival, Masato find a gruff, untidy older man already living there. Does this real-life odd couple stand a chance as roomies…and perhaps something more?

My Rate: 8 (amzn.to/4oaaWJM)

Love Nest is a very comfortable series—warm and cute, without much drama. Masato and Asahi are perfect together, each filling the other’s voids. Asahi is older and more settled; he’s divorced but holds no resentment toward his ex-wife. He’s seemingly straight, but when Masato makes moves on him, he accepts them with an ease that might appear careless, though it’s really that for Asahi, gender doesn’t matter—if it’s love, that’s all that counts. Through Asahi, Masato learns that true love exists, and his past bad experiences weren’t genuine love. Despite seeming straight, Asahi never gives Masato any reason to worry that he might leave for a woman. Asahi is a safe harbor for Masato—a place where he can finally find happiness and rest.

reviews_and_ramblings

Yosuke had a crush on Arimura—an upperclassman from his high school baseball team—for years before he finally confessed his feelings. And even after a year of being his boyfriend, every day still feels like a dream. But when Yosuke is hit on by a work colleague who is unknowingly Arimura’s former college upperclassman, the subsequent reunion of the classmates casts a shadow over Yosuke’s dream relationship.

My Rate: 8 (amzn.to/4h5g5AG)

Sayonara Game and Change World are essentially the same series—I’m not sure why they changed the names. Yosuke and Arimura are now a couple, but they’re still living much the same lives as before: Arimura stays at home with his parents, while Yosuke has the classic single B apartment that many young Japanese men live in. In a way, I think Arimura needs to grow up a bit, becoming more independent from his family and building a new home with Yosuke. These stories also explore Arimura’s bisexuality, which brings some insecurity about their future—Yosuke sometimes worries they won’t be able to make their relationship official and fears Arimura might ultimately choose a conventional family life. The sexual chemistry between them is quite good; Yosuke is still more innocent and adorable than Arimura, but they work well together as a couple on that level.

finch

Remember when I said my nibling was getting here in four weekends?

Well, yeah, now it's this weekend.

I have not gotten remotely everything I wanted done, but there's a place for him to sleep and a mattress and we can figure everything else out I guess.

At some point I started clearing out the vanity in our room because Bug wants to get a tree frog and that seemed like the best surface to put a vivarium on, and then I also cleaned out the secretary dresser because we were considering moving it into the other room for Nibling to use, and a few months ago I switched to floor sitting so I had emptied out my desk and....

...well the takeaway is there's a lot of stuff in our bedroom, unsurprisingly, and I'm trying to actually sort/declutter it instead of just... popping it all away again.

I've been categorizing and binning things in useful ways but I just hit the realization that I need a bigger bin for notebooks unless I want to put the larger ones somewhere else, which I don't. And that I have painting stuff stored in multiple bins right now, and also I have sewing stuff in multiple bins. Both of those started because I had loose stuff wherever and I was trying to corral it, but I don't have enough space in the current storage to put it away, so those both also need to be re-sorted into different bins.

(And the ephemera/junk journal stuff is in a temporary box but I don't have a good larger category to put them in, and zines keep ending up in with it Because Paper and that's Not Correct, and then I realize my memory bin could probably stand to be switched out too, but if I'm doing that I should figure out how to solve the problem where Moth's memory box doesn't close correctly, and and and...)

And I know there are other things I should be spending my time on, and I also wish that I had a more "aesthetic" alternative to the sturdy, stackable plastic bins I end up using (they come in multiple sizes that work together, though!) except that more aesthetic ones are generally not clear and not matching and I don't have the space to properly store things aesthetically yet and I need to accecpt that.

But regardless my brain is stuck on "I cAN't PuT tHe ThInGS Aw4Y c0rREcTLy!!!11!" and it is profoundly unhelpful.

Hope y'all are doing better than I am in this department! And honestly I'm not that bad off, I promise. This is just the thing driving me crazy this morning.

reviews_and_ramblings

Arimura enlists the help of Yosuke—a younger baseball club teammate from his high school days—to tutor his little sister. Yosuke has always been rather brusque around Arimura, but to the older man’s surprise, he discovers Yosuke actually looks up to him. Could Yosuke’s admiration be masking something more?

My Rate: 7 (amzn.to/3WdPHet)

Sayonara Game was nice, but instead of being hot, it felt more warm—let me clarify. The story was pleasant, but it seemed a bit restrained, as if the main characters weren’t fully opening up. Arimura appears to be gradually falling into a relationship with Yosuke, but it seem more not to disappoint the other man rather than being interested himself; it’s like he’s unsure how to reject him, so he just accepts Yosuke’s feelings. For Arimura, love arrives later in the story, which I thought was nice because Yosuke truly deserves it. The artwork was good—though the panels were somewhat crowded—and while the plot was engaging and well-developed, it maintained a subtle, gentle tone rather than a hot one.

reviews_and_ramblings

Two schools alike in dignity, in fair Japan where we set our scene. A Boys' Love take on Romeo and Juliet between rival delinquents and their gangs! From the creator of Blood Night Market--also available from Seven Seas.

Fūun High and Raiden High are two rival schools locked in an intense turf war, led by their top students, Ibuki Marin and Tsuzumi Nikoru. But one day, away from the rivalry and fighting, the two gang leaders meet. Unaware they're enemies, a love begins to blossom between them. Though they're destined to be enemies, will these star-crossed lovers come together... or is this story destined to be a tragedy?
A BL take on Romeo and Juliet set against the backdrop of a colorful cast of delinquents and their youthful struggles!

My Rate: 7 (amzn.to/48zwdZ9)

reviews_and_ramblings

Outgoing college student Ikumi heads home for the summer, where he meets Harukiyo, a shy gardener with a soft spot for house plants.

Despite seeming totally resistant to Ikumi's charms, Harukiyo eventually admits his attraction to Ikumi, and Ikumi is surprised to discover he feels the same way about Harukyo! At summer's end, the pair embark on their first long-distance relationship...

Once reunited, Ikumi and Harukiyo stumble together through the early stages of their newfound romance, tripping over the stark differences in their personalities. Can a blossoming love between a shining star and a prickly hedgehog go the distance?

My Rate: 8 (amzn.to/4nVpdut)

reviews_and_ramblings

”I've got no privacy， and the junior officer with isn't cute at all... I gotta get out of this police dorm...!!” Takano is a patrol officer with an oddly stern look on his face that he can never turn off. He spends his days working at the station alongside a charming but loud and energetic officer named Soma. One day， Takano sees his high school crush after so many years， only to hear him make a joke of the confession he made so many years ago， but as Soma comes to be there for him something begins between the two of them...!! ”I would do it with you， you know...”

My Rate: 7 (amzn.to/3VRA1x5)

reviews_and_ramblings

Yuasa is a capable worker on the fast track to success. He has a nice face to boot， but his personality is a bit of a problem..! As he carries on with his power-harassment toward the new trainee， the amicable Iguchi， it soon comes to light that Iguchi is the CEO's son... In exchange for not telling his dad about said power-harassment， Iguchi offers him a deal...?!

My Rate: 7 (amzn.to/4pWgjxT)

reviews_and_ramblings

After becoming entranced by the beautiful suits abroad， Rui Hattori decided to become a tailor just like his father. One day， the tall and handsome Oda walks into the shop for his first bespoke suit. Once Rui begins to measure Oda’s muscular body and he is instantly turned on by his body. Oda on the other hand has an unexpected awakening looking down at Rui’s cute countenance. Their love is stifled as they are merely tailor and client. As Rui crafts Oda’s suit， their relationship begins to deepen. Will they ever break out of their strictly business relationship or will they be stuck in this limbo forever?

My Rate: 7 (amzn.to/4o9eigk)

This manga is a sweet and silly romantic comedy. The main couple, Rui and Oda, are endearingly naive and innocent, which explains why they step around their true feelings for so long without making a move. However, Rui proves to be the slightly bolder one. When a drunk Oda ends up in his bed, Rui takes a massive step forward, which eventually leads to them confessing their mutual feelings. The manga's charm lies in its focus on the leads' cuteness rather than their sex appeal, setting it apart from typical romantic fare.

reviews_and_ramblings

Rural Respite for a Weary Heart

Forced by poor health to take a leave of absence, curmudgeonly conductor Kiri returns to his rural hometown for some much-needed rest. But on his very first night back, he comes dangerously close to freezing to death—until local grocer Osamu scoops him up out of the cold and into the warmth of his embrace. Can this younger man, a years-long fan of Kiri’s work, thaw out the ice in the maestro’s heart? Or will Kiri be doomed to a life of frigid loneliness forever?

My Rate: 7 (amzn.to/46PN2w7)

The plot isn’t particularly original—I’ve seen this trope plenty of times: the successful city guy returns to his rural hometown and ends up falling for the local heartthrob. So I didn’t go in expecting much, aside from some appealing artwork and maybe a few steamy scenes. And yes, this manga delivers on both fronts. If you’re not looking for anything deeper than that, it’s a pleasant read and a nice way to pass a few hours.

reviews_and_ramblings

Iori's your average high school student... except that he couldn't be without Hazu ever since he was born. Hazu's 5 years older and friends with Iori's older brother， and is busy working as a celebrity and model. He's gorgeous and mature， but has a little bit of a mischievous side to him... He's been turning down Iori all of these years， but the two are overjoyed just being around each other! Finally on the day Iori graduates from high school， something seems different...?

My Rate: 7 (amzn.to/4mRU7lQ)

This manga could have earned a higher rating from me if it hadn’t ended so abruptly after just two chapters. It really felt like the author stopped midway, without planning a proper conclusion to the story. Which is a shame, because the plot had potential and the artwork was excellent. I especially enjoyed the light, teasing tone and the romantic comedy vibe—at least, what could be glimpsed in those brief chapters.

reviews_and_ramblings

Saku and Azusa have been together. They were even born the same minute. Now that they’re off to college， it’s finally time for them to separate， and the ever-anxious Saku is feeling lonely while the calm and cool Azusa is as aloof as ever. One day， Saku suddenly hears Azusa in his head! What’s more it almost sounds like Azusa is in the middle of pleasuring himself while looking at Saku’s photo! Will this newfound power bring the two closer or will it drive them apart?

My Rate: 7 (amzn.to/3IZC13v)

To be honest, this manga is a bit on the silly side. The story centers around childhood friends Saku and Azusa as they transition from friendship to a romantic relationship. The plot hinges on a quirky twist: after Azusa moves out of the apartment next door to Saku, Saku suddenly begins to hear Azusa’s thoughts—specifically when Azusa is masturbating. Unbeknownst to him, Azusa can also hear Saku’s thoughts. The reason behind this telepathic connection is never explained, and honestly, it doesn’t need to be—it’s simply a narrative device to bring them closer together. Don’t expect much in terms of plot depth; the manga leans heavily on attractive artwork and a lot of explicit scenes.

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julian_griffith

Julian Griffith: Historical QUILTBAG Romantic Fiction

August 2013

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Page Summary

kore - Learning to see the puzzle in everything. They're everywhere.
kore - NEW DESSA COMING
reviews_and_ramblings - Cozy Obsession by Lee Hyeon, Ko Younghee and Yoo Seonghwa
reviews_and_ramblings - ABO Desire (2025)
delphi - Six Sentence Sunday
delphi - REC: Strawberries and Cigarettes by queerbluefae (Let's Go Karaoke!, Narita Kyouji/Oka Satomi)
delphi - What's Making Me Happy Today: Interview with the Vampire S3 Trailer
reviews_and_ramblings - My Secret Vampire (2025)
reviews_and_ramblings - Love Nest by Yuu Minaduki
reviews_and_ramblings - Change World by Yuu Minaduki
finch - Unhelpful
reviews_and_ramblings - Sayonara Game by Yuu Minaduki
reviews_and_ramblings - Vs. Love by Shigeyoshi Takagi
reviews_and_ramblings - Star and Hedgehog by Nayuta Nago
reviews_and_ramblings - Officer Takano Doesn’t Know How to Be Loved by Kureha IZUMI
reviews_and_ramblings - Nine More Times and You’ll Be Mine! by Ryouko Chiba
reviews_and_ramblings - Is It Okay to Fall in Love With My Customer? by Asato
reviews_and_ramblings - In Love's Key, Reprised by Guri Nojiro
reviews_and_ramblings - I'm So in Love With You by Akira YOSHIO
reviews_and_ramblings - I Can Hear My Childhood Friend's Thoughts?! by Gomouriki

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julian_griffith

Reading

Learning to see the puzzle in everything. They're everywhere.

NEW DESSA COMING

Cozy Obsession by Lee Hyeon, Ko Younghee and Yoo Seonghwa

ABO Desire (2025)

Six Sentence Sunday

REC: Strawberries and Cigarettes by queerbluefae (Let's Go Karaoke!, Narita Kyouji/Oka Satomi)

What's Making Me Happy Today: Interview with the Vampire S3 Trailer

My Secret Vampire (2025)

Love Nest by Yuu Minaduki

Change World by Yuu Minaduki

Unhelpful

Sayonara Game by Yuu Minaduki

Vs. Love by Shigeyoshi Takagi

Star and Hedgehog by Nayuta Nago

Officer Takano Doesn’t Know How to Be Loved by Kureha IZUMI

Nine More Times and You’ll Be Mine! by Ryouko Chiba

Is It Okay to Fall in Love With My Customer? by Asato

In Love's Key, Reprised by Guri Nojiro

I'm So in Love With You by Akira YOSHIO

I Can Hear My Childhood Friend's Thoughts?! by Gomouriki

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August 2013

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