Boys Next Door Reviews

Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦

I adore Makoto Tateno. I know going in that there’s going to be a boat load of angst, there’s going to be boys screwing madly and there’s going to be a happy ending.

She doesn’t tend to stray from this format, and I’m not complaining. Reading her is like escaping into a romance novel. It’s sweet fluff, that doesn’t leave you feeling bloated afterwards. By all rights, I should be looking for something with more substance - but, there are times when you just want something that you know is going to have a happy ending.

While in High School, Naoyuki fell in love with his sempai, Shinobu. Naoyuki was convinced that they were going to be together, forever, and was making plans to follow Shinobu to college. They had agreed to meet after Shinobu’s graduation, so Naoyuki could give him a gift.
Shinobu never showed.

Years later, Naoyuki has moved on. He’s got a girlfriend, but he’s never really forgotten Shinobu. While going to bars one night, he and his girlfriend run into a bartender that looks familiar. It’s Shinobu.
Problem is that Shinobu has no interest in Naoyuki, and is not too pleased to have this blast from his past.

To make things even more problematic, Shinobu has been acting the whore, and sleeping with any male that shows interest to him.

Now, we all know that in the world of BL, this means that Shinobu is hiding his pain and that he’s still in love with Naoyuki, right?
God, I love BL tropes. They make for such fun angst.

So, now Naoyuki has to fight to get Shinobu to recognize that what they have is real, and get him back.

It’s fun. It’s decidedly romantic, and it’s just what I want to read when I’m having a bad day.
Just like everything else that Tateno has ever released.
I know that it’s not going to be everyone’s cup of tea, but when I’m in the mood for it, it hits a home run.

Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦

Rock star boys always make me happy. Throw in the angst that Est Em is known for, and I’m madly in love. Manga doesn’t get much better than this. I need to remember that when I get burnt out on the genre that reading Est Em is a surefire way of reminding myself why I like this damn genre in the first place.

We start off with the story of Nick and Billy, a singer and a guitarist. They’re being torn apart by addictions and their attraction to each other. They’re no good together, but they’re even worse apart. When the band starts to take off, Nick’s free-wheeling ways wear thin on the other band members, but Billy can’t see himself without Nick at his side.

It all manages to make me happy and break my heart at the same time–something Est Em has always been able to do. I go into her releases knowing that I’m going to end up crying, but look forward to them anyway.

Do not miss this one. Rob your piggy banks, put off buying something else this week, but pick up this release. It will bring you back to your first days of reading scanlations–the first thrill of the wonderful combination of angst and boys in love–that got you into this genre in the first place!

Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦

Yuki Shimizu isn’t on the top of most people’s list of favorite manga artists. Heck, she don’t even get on my top ten list most of the time. That’s a shame because the art is amazing and the stories always suck me in.

Her work isn’t as flashy nor as graphic as some of the artists and that’s the only reason I can think of why people aren’t clamoring over her work. I just know that every time I get done reading one of her releases, I’m happy and left counting the days until the next volume will be mailed to me.

This series isn’t quite as crack-like as Love Mode, the series that Shiumizu is really well known for, but I’m finding it to be just as addictive as my beloved Love Mode.

In this volume, we’re exploring what happens to a kami-sama when their kotodama-sama dies. Normally, the kami-sama chooses to die as well–reverting to a blank state. In the case of Himi, when his master passed away, his sense of obligation forces him to become a kami-sama for his old masters estranged son, Genma.

Gema has a different way of showing his affection than his father did. The physicality of Gema’s affection is something foreign to Himi. At first, Himi wants nothing to do with this brutish new master, but, of course, he starts to see the good in Genma and begins to fall for him.

I’m happy to see backgrounds for more of the Mitou family. I’m happy to have this series in print and in English. I can’t sing the praises of this one highly enough. It’s just wonderful on all levels.

Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦

Before I start this review, I want to point out that Games With Me 1 is only available for Kindle right now. I think with enough interest though, a hardcopy will become available. So, if you’ve read this already, spread the word, do a review, do something, to get this great GloBL manga published!

I think Games With Me is great. This is Tina Anderson and Lynsley Brito I’m talking about. No one should be surprised. As to why Games is great: The atmosphere is just right. It plays out like a movie with quick-moving scenes with intriguing characters.

We are first introduced to Dr. George Callahan. George is a Civil War veteran/surgeon running from his past. He takes care of the men and women in the brothels of San Francisco’s Chinatown. When not making the rounds, George is smoking opium. George is no angel, but he’s a good man.

While working, George comes across the beautiful Jun. Jun is a mentally-handicapped Chinese prostitute, but he’s more child-like than anything. After a couple of meetings, George begins to suspect he knew Jun when they were children. If they did, what is George supposed to do with Jun?

There is more to this story than I’m telling. I don’t want to spoil it, though! There are more great characters besides George and Jun. There are subplots which really give a depth to Games With Me. The sex scenes are not explicit, but actually further the story.

Anyway, I can’t praise this volume enough. When I first sat down to compose this review, I was too caught up in the story to write. For me, that is saying something.

Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦

I’ve truly enjoyed everything that I’ve read by Clare London and this is no exception. She’s got a way of having her characters angst that allows you to wallow in their misery without pushing it over the top. She’s also got a gift of making her characters just flawed enough to be real while still keeping it believable. Throw in sex scenes that are enough to scorch the type off the page and I am one happy, happy girl.

Zeke is an artist, who through some pretty nasty circumstances, is selling his gallery to Miles, an entrepreneur. Normally, artists and entrepreneurs don’t mix, but there’s something that draws these two together. Miles wants to see the artist that’s hiding behind Zeke’s troubled past and, though Zeke won’t admit to it, he’s looking for a way to let that artist out.

It’s a complicated web that ties the boys together. The supporting characters in this one are just as important as the main characters. Let me just say that I would give up something fairly vital to read a sequel and find out what happens to the main characters’ best friends. There seemed to be something brewing between the two of them–something that would be just as explosive as the chemistry between the two main characters if it was ever written out.

I can’t sing the praises of this one enough. It’s got everything I’m looking for in a m/m romance–characters that I can believe in, amazing chemistry, gorgeously written smut and a need to find out what’s going to happen–that will keep me up far past my bed time.

Everything by this author is an instant buy for me. I can’t wait to see what she’s going to come up with next!

Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦

I had forgotten how much I enjoyed these two. They really are hysterical and sweet. More like a real couple than almost any other than I’ve seen in BL. Not that the world of BL has any thing to do with reality, but it’s sometimes nice to wave at reality as it goes sailing past.

Not much has changed with these two since we last left them. A year has passed and Kento is still ricocheting between adoration and embarrassment with his flamboyant lover, Akira. Akira, is still not quite sure of his place in Kento’s heart as he’s convinced that Kento is going to leave him for a woman and have fat, happy babies. Thus, making Kento’s grandparents very happy. There isn’t much that Kento can do to convince Akira of his sincerity except to love him stupid and just accept him for the special little snowflake that he is.

I sound dismissive of it, but it’s really very sweet and very well done. Even the arguments between the characters are handled very well. Keeping a sense of humor, but showcasing the emotions that are leading them to rip into each other.

I think my favorite part was the last chapter where the artist drew the characters living together as elderly men. Still bitching at each other, but still very much in love. I’m really hoping to find more works by this artist released over here as both her releases so far have been a total treat. Hell, I would welcome spending some more time with these characters!

This is one of those releases where I am going to tell you to run out and get it if you haven’t already added it to your collection. I just wish that more releases had this combination of art, charm and humor.

Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦

This was a pretty hot release for something that is supposed to be aimed for young adults. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining, but it didn’t read like the books that I was reading when I was a young teenager. Believe me, that’s a good thing. Tomas has managed to catch all of the intensity and emotions of a first love and pack it into words that had me remembering my first teenage fumblings.

When one first meets someone in high school, it’s all fumbling and groping and thwarted meetings. It’s super hyped-up emotions and being so horny that one thinks of screaming and falling in love in under a week. This book took all of that, set it at a Catholic boarding school and came up with something that’s truly special.

Jacob Smithson has a bit of a temper. He’s been kicked out of public school for fighting. As a last resort, his parents enroll him at a Catholic boarding school. Jacob, not being Catholic, doesn’t quite know what to make of going to mass and things of that nature, but he does see something that makes going to mass a bit more interesting. One of the altar boys looks like a fallen angel to Jacob and he’s determined to meet him.

Lucky for Jacob, the angelic altar boy, Avery, shares his fascination. Jacob and Avery are inseparable from the start. The problem lies in trying to find time and secrecy to be alone with each other and, for Jacob, staying out of trouble so he can stay in school with Avery.

When taunts from some of their schoolmates push Jacob too far, it looks like the boys will be separated permanently. The question is, will the intensity of their feelings be enough to get them through some serious struggles?

I’m so happy to have a title that I can recommend to some of our readers who may not be of age to read some of the other novels we’ve recommended. This is a gorgeous work and I’m so happy to have the chance to be able to spread the word about it!

Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦

Oh, sweet and gorgeous angst! You’re back! It’s funny because if you ask me who my favorite manga authors are, Yuki Shimizu is never one of the first ones that comes to mind. Yet, whenever I pick up one of her releases, I remember exactly why I adore her. That’s not even getting into the fact that this release plays on some of my all-time favorite themes. Namely, someone who’s not fully human trying to comprehend human emotions and finding out that even as someone who’s not fully human, they have the capacity to love.

So, Raizou and Kon are trying to figure out how their relationship is going to work now that Kon has accepted Raizou being his kotodama. Problem is that Raizou keeps treating Kon as a human and Kon doesn’t quite know how to deal with that. Throw in Kon’s healing ability only being able to work when his mucus membranes touch Raizou’s, the easiest way to do that is with a kiss, and you’ve got Raizou in a state of sexual frustration.

Kon’s ready and willing to let Raizou work off some steam with him, but Raizou wants more than just a quick grind. And, there’s the fact that Raizou’s hung like a horse. Something that freaks Kon out the first time he sees it.

It’s fun, it’s wonderfully silly and angsty and OMG!fantastic. I never get tired of her releases.

Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦

Est Em seems to be the breath of fresh air that I need to keep me interested in this genre. I’m sorry. I do love my boys humping, but there are only so many tales of school-boy angst that I can take before my brain feels like it’s leaking out of my ears. However, I pick up a release like this and it reminds me of just why I do this and why I love this genre. I like the fact that her works make me think, don’t always have a happy ending and skillfully handle subjects that some people might not think would be friendly for happy, hot boysex.

The title story revolves around a matador and the butcher who takes care of his kills. Bullfighting has never been sexy for me, but I can see the fascination. It’s not a truly happy story and you’re left wanting to know exactly what happens to these two characters, if they’re able to salvage their relationship and still able keep the important parts of who they are.

There are stories about love that is lost, love that struggles and love that is just warm and accepting. These stories feel more real than anything I’ve ever read before.

Buy this one. I don’t care if you ignore the rest of the suggestions that I’ve made or am going to make. If you’re tired of the constant parade of fluffy stories with no substance and are getting tired of the whole damn genre, this one will remind you of why this genre can be great.

Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦

I was wrong. This one didn’t break my heart. In fact, it ended everything almost too nicely for all of the angst that we’ve gone through for the previous fourteen volumes. That’s not to say that I didn’t end up tearing up in places. After the emotional roller coaster that these two have put me through, there’s nothing I can do but cry when they start angsting in the slightest bit.

After Jaehee is beaten by Dai-Oxin, Dai comes to his rescue and takes him away from everything that is bad in their lives. Their families, friends and rival gangs all put aside to give Jaehee time to heal and for the boys to fall deeper under each other’s spells.

Jaehee falls a little bit too much under the spell of Dai and neglects to tell anyone just how badly he’s hurt. At the same time, Dai’s parents and the authorities are looking for him, wanting to pin the blame for Miss Crangela’s beating on him, to further separate our long-angsting lovers.

It’s a satisfying ending. I wanted more, but hey, I’m a perv. It’s been a long road with these two and one that I’m very happy to have gone on. I’m just hoping that this manwah has more up her sleeve so I can get sucked into another one of her stories.