#GL review

[fu-hime-joshi]

Run Away With Me, Girl

So, it's been a while :D

I've finally been finding extremely good gl and wanted to share this one in particular ^^ It was so good I stayed up til 5am to read it :'>

The story follows Maki, a woman in her late 20's who is still hung up on her first love, Midori. It's already been 10 years since they last saw one another, but they reunite by chance. Unfortunately, Midori has moved on and found herself a fiancé.

Now… I was reeeally offput by the beginning :/ I'm sick of reading about women leaving women for men. But learning more about Midori, I know a lot of bi women can relate to her. I unfortunately relate to Maki, maybe a bit too much (╥ v ╥)

This story tackles a lot of trauma women face thruout their lives, which has kinda been a theme in the gl I've been reading recently. Usually, I wanna escape reality when I read but seeing published works addressing what we go thru has been therapeutic in a way.

Even if you don't like gl, the ART in this. I am on my knees begging you to read this — the way the mangaka captures how love feels is stunning. I didn't know you could draw feelings so overt.

The ending is extraordinary and I cried. Sorry, brain is turning off, that's the best review y'all are gettin outta me

[nbvcx12]

So, episode 6 of My Marvellous dream is you, the show's finally moving, with all due respect to the people working on it. But the first 5 episodes weren't that great.

But now it's fun, the flashbacks between Dawan and Kim I really liked.

Dawan and Kim's mom kissing oh wow what a scene I wasn't expecting at all.

Dawan and Kim's story is like Romeo and Juliet i just love it

The scene in bed when they smell each other's scent - yes, the chemistry is there.

Let's hope episode 7 follows.

[alexissara]

Asumi-chan is Interested In Lesbian Brothels! Vol 1 Quick Review

Asumi-chan is Intrested in Lesbian Brothels! is a serious and utter delight. This is an adults only book but it is a really cute romance story too. Asumi is using lesbian brothels to find her first crush and say sorry for saying their first kiss was nothing special after getting a tip from her best friend and senpai. For her crush Mai her feelings are mutual and she's never quite gotten over her first crush and wishes she could meet her again. Asumi hooks up with a new girl every week in order to pay for her brothel visit and sex happens. The sex is really cute and we see Asumi developing as a young lesbian as she goes from worker to worker. There is good chemistry between Asumi and the girls in the first volume and her new boss is really fun.

When we dive into Mai's perspective after having her hyped up we see she is also kinda a big pathetic but in an adorable way and still very much pretty and skilled. The manga is well paced and pretty funny. There is a lot of really well done jokes in it. There is 3 sex scenes and one almost sex scene which ironically was probably the hottest scene for me personally.

There is nothing kinky here if your here for porn, just a girl who hasn't had sex before slowly learning what she likes in sex. Maybe further volumes will expand on that there was a lot of talking about kinker sex but the kinker sex talked about so far has been BDSM so if it's getting into it it is like the basic kink that gets explored probably.

Overall, I think even if you aren't a sex enjoyer [which I mean, I don't like sex in real life] I think you'll have fun with this. It is a really cute romance story, with fun little dynamics being explored and very humanized lesbian sex worker characters.

[hallowpen]

I figured I might as well make this a little blog series, since there will be more to address in upcoming episodes.

Before we dive into the nitty gritty... I really want to acknowledge the production value of The Loyal Pin and all the hard work that went into making it. The characters, the sets, the wardrobe, the dialect... everything was an honest representation of a historically accurate period drama. The first episode was perfectly curated to establish the series' universe. I was really impressed with Becky in particular because I've been following her since GAP, and I know how much she struggled with reacquainting herself to the language when she moved back home to Thailand from New Zealand. To have the added pressure of maintaining a period accurate dialect was not easy for her. Freen has proudly commented on how hard Becky worked to really learn the script... and it shows. Well done, Bec Bec!!!

Let's Talk Thai Culture...

We'll start off by breaking down Thai Royal Language Terminology (คำราชาศัพท์)

The Savettavarit Royal House Consists of 1) His Royal Highness, The Prince Thai Royal Title: พระองค์ชาย (pronounced phra-ong chai) reserved for direct male descendants of the king

2) Her Serene Highness, Princess Alisa Thai Royal Title: หม่อมเจ้าหญิง (pronounced mom-jao ying) a non-inherited title for being the wife of a prince (abbr. M.C.)

3) His Serene Highness, Prince Anantavut Thai Royal Title: หม่อมเจ้าชาย (pronounced mom-jao chai) a title for male children of a prince, meaning secondary prince (abbr. M.C.)

4) His Serene Highness, Prince Anon Thai Royal Title: หม่อมเจ้าชาย (pronounced mom-jao chai) a title for male children of a prince, meaning secondary prince (abbr. M.C.)

5) Her Serene Highness, Princess Anilaphat Thai Royal Title: หม่อมเจ้าหญิง (pronounced mom-jao ying) a title for female children of a prince, meaning secondary princess (abbr. M.C.)

The Kasidit Noble Family Consists of 1) Her Serene Highness, Princess Pattamika Thai Royal Title: หม่อมเจ้าหญิง (pronounced mom-jao ying) a non-inherited title for being the 'adopted' sister of the prince (abbr. M.C.)

2) Lady Pilanthita Thai Noble Title: หม่อมราชวงศ์ (pronounced mom rat-cha-wong) a title assumed by 'commoner' children of หม่อมเจ้า (M.C.), meaning their ancestry can be traced back to a king (abbr. M.R.) The Common Address: You'll hear certain characters use the term ท่าน (pronounced than). It is the formal address between members of royalty/nobility to acknowledge certain members of higher rank. It essentially means "Your Highness". For example, regarding Princess Pattamika, Pin addresses her 'adoptive' mother (f.) as ท่านหญิง (than ying) and Anil refers to her 'aunt' as ท่านอา (than ah*). *อา (ah) is how one would refer to their father's younger sibling

Another term you might have heard was เพคะ (pronounced phe-kha). It is less formal and used to express familiarity. Both Prik and Lady Pin use this response to address Princess Anil as "Your Highness". Princess Alisa can also be heard using this phrase in conversation with, and to respond to, her husband.

She is considered a Noble 'Commoner', so Lady Pin would be formally addressed as คุณหญิง (khun ying) given her title. However, Pin is depicted as being more reserved and adherent to social structure. This is very telling of her social class amongst the higher ranking royal family who took her in. Pin has a lot more to lose than Anil should she stray from class expectations, and they did a wonderful job establishing that in the first episode. (I'm sure this will come into play even more as the characters age up... and I'm very much looking forward to it.)

Lower ranked servants/attendants (บ่าว - bao) can be heard using the term เจ้า (jao) to indicate their showing of respect when addressing someone of superior status.

Pronunciation and Formality: Without even knowing the Thai language, you might have noticed that the characters heavily enunciate their dialect when speaking. It's an accurate depiction of a "prim" and "proper" royal family. Even how Anil addresses her two brothers is very formal: พี่ชายรอง (meaning second eldest brother) and พี่ชายใหญ่ (meaning eldest brother). If you're going to do a period drama... this is how it's done!!!

Should we discuss the Thai dishes highlighted in this episode? ...Why not?

สองมาลีลอยแก้ว (pronounced song mali loy kaew) is a Thai dessert comprised of watermelon and mamuang dong (มะม่วงดอง - pickled mangoes). The fruit is carved into floral shapes and arranged to "float" in sugar syrup with ice, hence its name... which literally translates to 'Two Flowers Floating in Glass'.

นำ้ปลาหวาน (pronounced nam pla whan) is a Thai dipping sauce comprised of palm sugar, fermented fish sauce, shallots and chili. It's usually paired with firm and tart fruits... like green mangoes. (It's an acquired taste hehe)

The last thing I wanted to mention are Thai night markets and fairs (ตลาดกลางคืน). They are still hugely popular for social outings and, like the series has shown, are comprised of various stalls offering street food, clothes, accessories, attractions, etc. They're very popular amongst tourists, as well.

I hope this wasn't too overwhelming with information... but I just wanted to be as thorough as possible because this series is shaping up to be, what is essentially, a love letter to Thai tradition.

[yurimother]

'I'm in Love with the Villainess' Anime - Episode 1 Review

An astounding and hilarious first outing for the series with the power to revolutionize Yuri

We are finally here, the long-awaited and much anticipated first episode of Platinum Vision’s I’m in Love with the Villainess anime aired on Tokyo MX and is streaming everywhere outside of Asia with a plethora of dubbing options, including English, on day one on Crunchyroll.

The first outing covers most of the events of the light novel’s first chapter, or the first three chapters of the manga, at a rapid but steady and not overwhelming pace. At this rate, the anime should be able to cover much of the series’ first arc, or the first two out of five books, in a single cour. Perhaps a bit less, depending on which of the story’s various adventures it elects to include. This is an exciting possibility, to be sure, as the story is a character-driven, socially mindful, and expertly written and, despite its fantasy setting, an exceptionally relevant tale of romance, socio-economic inequality, and of course, queerness.

While the first arc of Villainess is a triumph, it would be a shame not to see at least some of the developments from the extra chapters that lead into the second story, like (spoilers for the end of volume 2) Rae and Claire’s wedding and their adopted twin daughters May and Aleah. If we are lucky, perhaps they will appear in the final episode or, dare to dream, a second season (end of spoilers).

Now, onto the show itself. For those who, for whatever reason, have not read Inori’s masterpiece, I’m in Love with the Villainess follows Rae Taylor. A salary worker who dies and is reincarnated as the protagonist of her favorite otome game, Revolution. However, Rae has no interest in any of the game world’s three eligible royal bachelors and has eyes only for the game villainess Claire François. Armed with exceptionally magical ability, Rae sets out determined to secure a happy ending for her beloved Claire against the coming revolution and perhaps win her heart in the process.

Now, the opening of I’m in Love with the Villainess is the series' weakest moment in all mediums, which, considering episode one’s outstanding quality, only highlights just how superb the Yuri masterpiece is as a whole. Even with its need to establish the setting, characters, and premise of the series, the premiere managed to be an excellent introduction and set the bar high with lots of laughs, entertainment, and service between our two leads.

I watched the Japanese audio, and Yu Serizawa and Karin Nanami are fantastic in these roles, with Serizawa playing up Rae’s teasing adoration and borderline masochism at full blast, and Nanami explicitly giving voice to Claire’s arrogance and frustration. She even manages to deliver a perfect Ojou-style laugh to seal the character’s elite status and lean into the show’s use of otome tropes. And having the leads sing the excellent opening and ending themes is just icing on the cake.

Speaking of tropes, while Ironi’s original work is a genre-defying masterpiece that broke the Yuri mold, it is never afraid to play with the genre’s iconography and its otome game setting. Every other scene had another allusion, including to the book’s cover. As always, I am likely overeager to see connections, however intentional they may be, but the academy’s halls harken to otome staples, the bells and strings of the first scene's soundtrack conjured blistering memories of Strawberry Panic (perhaps a sacrilegious comparison to make but I digress), and even an areal shot of the campus was another check mark on my “Scenic Yuri” theory.

Now, as mentioned, I’m in Love with the Villainess has to establish the groundwork here, and narratively, these are the weakest moments, often direct exposition, with a few exceptions like Rae’s conversation with her roommate Mash about maintaining Claire’s attention. The narration is at least accompanied by relevant and creative, if perhaps limited, animation. But to their credit, these moments are succinct, existing only as long as they have to in order to provide the necessary information and get out of the way for what matters most: the characters.

Rae and Claire are front and center from the very get-go, and there is little time wasted in showcasing Rae’s intense bottom energy or establishing Claire’s elitism and bewildered anger towards Rae’s excitement in the face of Claire’s carefully calculated cruelty. It is a montage of silly and fun competitions between the two that had me laughing and smiling all the way through, as the Yuri was present in full force, and gives glimpses at the mutual obsession the women have for each other that will soon blossom into a wonderful romance.

These early story beats have a light tone and focus on the bullying, teasing, and rivalry between Rae and Claire, a dynamic that previously and understandably made a subset of readers somewhat uncomfortable. However, assuming the anime unfolds in a similar manner to the manga and light novels, the narrative will explore meatier, heavier subject matter and a far deeper lesbian romance, all without losing its sense of fun and adventure. The next episode or two will be incredibly telling - as the source material is perhaps the most profound and forthright depictions of LGBTQ identity in Yuri, and that all starts with a pivotal conversation that, if it is included, will be coming up shortly.

Overall, I am incredibly excited for this series. The first episode is everything I had hoped for out of an adaptation of one of my favorite works of all time, save the animation, which is average at best. While there is a lot more to see, and we will have to wait to know if I’m in Love with the Villainess lives up to its incredible potential and source material, I am extremely hopeful. We have one of the funniest, most thoughtful, and queerest works of Yuri transformed into a stunning anime project unlike anything that has come before and offers the chance at not just a new Yuri “gateway” but to continue the work of its source material in revolutionizing the genre.

Ratings: Story – 8 Characters – 10 Art – 5 LGBTQ – We shall see… Sexual Content – 3 Final – 8

I'm in Love with the Villainess is streaming on Crunchyroll with English sub/dub.

Review made possible by Avery Riehl and the rest of the YuriMother Patrons. Support YuriMother on Patreon for early access, exclusive article, and more: patreon.com/yurimother

[sometimesthatsbetter]

Every thing i read in Febubary

I Became the Tyrant of a Defense Game

The MC of this novel is so fucking silly cause who tf names their kid Ash 'Born hater' Everblack? Like i'm being for real right now, his mom literally called him her 'little hater'. Love that

So, a Korean gamer who was streaming about this old strategy game on hardmode where if you fail once the game resets. The guy got isekaied the moment he finished the game on stream and right in the middle of the battle field too, tough luck hater.

Before we go more in depth about this story I would recommend that you read the novel version, the manhwa seems a little tacky and i've seen alot of readers complain that the manhwa makes everything look cheaper.

So, one of reasons why it made on to my reading list is because it was recommended by my guy friends who has great taste for this kinda genre. It drew him in because it used actual strategies that he would also use in his game instead of throwing around random lingo in hopes to cater to gamers. Like every battle was truly suspenseful and the author isn't afraid to show that every victory requires a sacrifice. Also I've seen people praise the character development of this novel, everyone starts out a little stereotypical and annoying but they get their own story arcs to shine.

Another thing i like is that this story is about the fight against the end of the world. Like i know alot of stories with that kind of premise but rarely do i ever feel the urgencey as strongly as i do with this story. The last stand against a sea of monsters waiting to consume the world and the young prince who's tasked with the question of remaining human or turning into a monster to save his world. I love me some classical fantasy

Anyways, it has 500+ translated chapters and it's all free. Go read it now.

The problematic prince

If i'm being honest here i can think of at least 10 more manhwa crown princes who are even more problematic than the ML, especially that guy from the abandoned empress, yeah fuck you blueberry head.

So the story premise is the typical bad boy x good girl story trope. Our prince Bjorn keeps getting pestered by his ex wife whom he doesn't want contact with and our FL is being sold off to the highest bidder in society, shinnaigans happen and so the are married. That's the very shorten version of the plot

First thing that i noticed, the vibes. It gave off so much Edwardian, turn of the century energy that i adore. From the costuming to the city streets and the interactions between common people. Love it.

The author seems to have been blessed with amazing writing skills because oh my god did the writing style made me swoon. Erna, our FL, can be classified as one of those soft girl heroines but i feel like she's more than that. She knew what she had to do to keep her loved ones safe and always strived for better, she's not a cunning villainess nor a simpering coward. Erna never settled and kept enduring and trying new ways to connect with others around her even when she's being labelled as a home wrecker.

Also the nobilities and medias reaction to their marriage was incredibly realistic, i see alot of manhwas with rags to riches stories or men marrying women with horrendus reputations but never mention how powerful the influence of the peoples opinions. Here you can see that Bjorn and Erna's relationship, while rocky still holds strong, it seemed like they are truly in love and happy with their choices. Yet media still condemns her as a witch, a slut and a disgrace towards the royal family. It even lead to a attempt on Ernas life. Which shows you how easily the public can be whipped into a frenzy just because of a narritive that she is other woman.

The spirit queen

If i even find the author of this manhwa i would like to make out with them and have their babies, cause this kind of genious deserves to be preserved.

Do you want a story with proper drama? Do you want something that actually keeps it's momentum and doesn't half ass shit half way through? Do you want themes about power and how it turns people into the worse version of themselves? Well look no further. The spirit queen has your back

Another thing that i loved about this story was it's sympathy towards the working class. The servants in this aren't the stereotypical happy go lucky loyal maids that you see in manhwas, they also aren't evil back stabbing people either. They know that their lives are worthless when it comes to the upper classes so they do all that they can to survive and to protect their loved ones. And i respect that as hell, even if it made them do less than savory things.

Also i recently learned that the author, Tutu-nim, wrote and drew this manhwa on their own. A true girlboss

Run away with me, girl

Remember all those times you said that you can be a better husband for the FL? Well this is a lesbian romance based on that premise.

It's a bittersweet romance story about two girls who were high school friends meeting each other after 10 years. Maki, who is till doing her graduate courses while living with her mom and lamenting her loneliness, while Midori is engaged and pregnant and living that perfect, normal life she wanted. Of course everything is not as it seems, and that's what the author wanted to explore in the coming chapters of the story

It's a short read, about 16? 17? chapters. But the author manages to do so much in that short amount of time. Every character felt so real and complicated. At first when you see Midori and the way that she treated Maki after their reunion, it's not hard to come to the conclusion that Midori is just playing around with Makis feelings. Especially with the way that she flirts and then reminds Maki of her engagement to her boyfriend.

This manga has the most realistic, hut wrenching potrayals of abuse, love and hate i've seen in a while. And if i'm being honest there is a high chance i would do the same if i was stuck in their situation.

[kaitiedidslibrary]

This series is really growing on me. Love me some scifi lesbians >:3c

This lore dump?? Hello????

Notes from reading:

*opens book* Where were we...? Oh yes. The US Marines were shooting things

The Bullman, lmao

Stuck on the Otherside in crocs. Time for sports mode, baby

"To sum up... my serotonin transporter genes are short." 😭😂

ALPHA FEMALE

This is the toxic a/b/o yuri we needed

Probably 4.5 stars as a series for me

⭐⭐⭐⭐

[thegoddessyuri]

Tittle: Tamen Di Gushi.

Author: Tan Jiu.

Genre: Manhua, Comedy, School life, Recounts of life.

Status: Ongoing.

Synopsis: Sun Jing is a high school girl who is interested in a blonde girl named Qiu Tong, whom she always sees at the bus station, but when she decides to approach her for the first time, she is unable to utter a word. Now she will have to deal with her shyness in order to be her friend.

🌸🪷🌷🌺🌹🏵️💮🌼🌸🪷🌺🌹🏵️💮🌼🌸🪷🌷🌺

[redjadethewriter]

Blank the Series: The Novel vs The Show

After finally sitting down and reading the source material for the series, I must admit that I had expected it to be more provocative. However, to me, it was more like reading a soft-core erotica - nothing too outrageous. I hesitate to even classify it as soft-core, but that’s the best way I can describe it. Of course, anything involving BDSM is bound to stand out.

Despite my initial reservations, I found myself engaged in the love story between Khun Nueng and Anueng. The story, although a bit too PG-13 for my taste, held my attention. In my analysis of the series, I primarily focused on the character interactions, their internal struggles, insecurities, and how these factors influenced their actions and decisions.

Being a crone, I naturally gravitated towards examining Khun Nueng’s character more closely, as I found her to be the most relatable. However, I must acknowledge that Anueng is a well-developed character as well. She serves as a reminder that, regardless of age, individuals can possess cunning and resourcefulness.

While Anueng may appear childish around Khun Nueng in the series, after reading the novel, I gained a deeper understanding of why she expresses herself in such an over-the-top and annoying manner. It’s because she wants to elicit a reaction from Khun Nueng, as it seems to be the only way to make her “look more human” or act like it. In the novel, Khun Nueng rarely shows facial reactions unless she’s prompted to do so, which Anueng does often. Otherwise, Khun Nueng would simply hide behind her stoic mask all the time.

Interestingly, Khun Nueng’s go-to response to anyone expressing a romantic interest in her is, “Are you worthy of me?” as a tactic of scaring them away. This phrase serves as her motto, even though she doesn’t have any specific criteria for determining who would be worthy of her love, mainly because she has never truly loved anyone. So, when Anueng challenges this line by asserting, “I’m not today, but I will become worthy,” it deeply shocks our ice queen, both in the novel and in the series. It’s something she never expected.

As I’ve mentioned before, Khun Nueng finds herself in quite a bit of trouble because she has met her match in Anueng. They are contrasting yet compatible characters, and that’s what I find intriguing. They possess similarities that draw them closer together while also reflecting their deepest flaws. In a striking revelation, I realized their insecurities were actually quite similar, but in reverse. Anueng becomes jealous because of her insecurities about being young and not having much to offer, constantly worrying that Khun Nueng might end up with someone her own age who has a more established life. On the other hand, Khun Nueng frets about being too old and the possibility of the young girl eventually growing bored with her, changing her mind, and leaving.

Khun Nueng exhibits striking similarities to her grandmother, both in the series and in the novel. They share an icy demeanor, a controlling nature, and a toxic fixation on perfectionism. Despite leaving behind her privileged status, these traits have carried over into her more humble life as an artist. I now understand that her choice to rebel against her grandmother was not all simply out of spite, but a deliberate decision to assert her own identity.

While Khun Nueng desires her grandmother to acknowledge her responsibility for Song’s death and their collective suffering, she also longs to discover her true self. Above all else, Khun Nueng yearns to experience a wider range of emotions. She craves the taste of disappointment, having never truly felt loved or experienced the exhilaration of a racing heart. In the show, she exemplifies this by placing her hand over her heart and feeling it race in the presence of Anueng.

Khun Nueng lacks ambition. Although she pursues a career as an artist to sustain herself, she does not envision it as a long-term path. She wishes to continue using her artistic talents, but without the constraints of working for someone else. Her yearning for freedom outweighs any financial concerns, despite her constant struggle to make ends meet. In fact, Khun Nueng embraces the hardships that come with being a “starving artist.” Her upbringing with her grandmother shielded her from feelings of disparity and anguish, making the challenges she faces now exhilarating rather than burdensome.

Khun Nueng remains unimpressed by materialism and possesses a practical approach to life. She values essentials like food over fancy clothes, which captivate Anueng in the novel. Khun Nueng refuses to let those who flaunt their status and wealth sway her, as she cannot be bought.

Overall, Khun Nueng’s character is complex and multi-faceted. Her resemblance to her grandmother, with her stoic demeanor, her secret pursuit for emotional depth, her lack of ambition, and her indifference towards status all contribute to her unique persona.

While watching the series, I noticed that the first episode started the story at a much later scene from the novel. In this scene, the characters were already familiar with each other. Initially, I was confused because I wondered why Khun Nueng walked the girl to the bus-stop and knew which bus Anueng needed to get on. The wordplay exchange between them, especially with Anueng stating she was running away and asking to stay with Khun Nueng, added to my confusion.

As I continued watching, around episode 2 or 3, I noticed the girl had a lot of drawings that Khun Nueng had made for her. Being the analytical person that I am, I figured they must have met multiple times before. My confirmation of this came later when I read the story.

To explain Khun Nueng’s constant worry for the girl’s safety and her habit of always walking her to the bus stop, we found out that since the day they met, Khun Nueng had discreetly made sure Anueng got home safely at late hours. She would even follow Anueng from a distance to her house. From day one, our favorite dead-face character had been the protector, constantly concerned about the girl’s well-being.

I would like to highlight the similarities between Khun Nueng and her younger sister, Sam. However, before discussing their similarities, it is important to address the issues that arise between siblings. The reason Khun Nueng behaves more like their grandmother is because she received the most attention from her. Sam acknowledges this fact, admitting that although both of them were loved by their grandmother, she never had her undivided attention. This observation became clear to me while watching Gap the Series, as Sam was the one who received the least amount of attention. This dynamic only changed when Khun Nueng left and after Song passed away.

Even until the very end of their grandmother’s life, Sam tried to convey this, trying to get Khun Nueng to reconcile with their grandmother. Episode 6 showcased their close relationship, despite their occasional conflicts. I also understand the perspective of sibling favoritism, as Khun Nueng received the most scrutiny and was molded by their grandmother to potentially take her place in the future. This is why I see such striking similarities between Khun Nueng and their grandmother. However, Sam and Khun Nueng are undeniably similar as siblings. Sam has a tendency to express her jealousy openly, while Khun Nueng displays it in a manner that is passive-aggressive. Both of them struggle to admit their jealousy and have a tendency to hurt their partners in the process, as they refuse to acknowledge their own flaws and weaknesses.

Sam undergoes a transformation. We witnessed her growth in Gap the Series, and in Blank the Series, we see Sam attempting to show her love for Mon by baking a pie from scratch. This action surprised Khun Nueng, especially considering she could have easily purchased one from a top-tier bakery. However, Sam wanted to infuse her love into the pie.

We observe a similar act of love in episode 6, but this time it is Khun Nueng cooking home-cooked meals for Anueng instead of going out to eat. This is why I concluded by saying, “Girl... you are lying to yourself.” Cooking for someone is an incredibly personal gesture, and I don’t do it for just anyone. Therefore, I know fully that she constantly deceives herself.

In conclusion, the novel and the series share many similarities. Although there were some necessary omissions and alterations to the timeline and character interactions, I hope these changes will be seamlessly integrated in season 2, maintaining the steady pacing that has been established. Based on the first 6 episodes, I have a sense of what elements they might keep and what they may change. However, I do hope that they don’t stray too far from the meaningful aspects of the original source material, which I won’t go into detail about. I must acknowledge that the novel was clever in incorporating elements that kept me engaged until a satisfying conclusion. Therefore, if I see these same qualities in the series, I will be truly impressed, and the show will prove itself to be deserving of my attention.

I appreciate the good content.

Thank you.

[the-yuri-librarian]

Review: Her Tale of Shim Chong

Summary: Her Tale of Shim Chong (referred to as Her Tale from here on) is a Korean manhwa written by Seri and illustrated by Biwan. Set in feudal Korea, Her Tale is a historical, girls' love retelling of classic Korean novel The Tale of Shim Chong. It tells the story of Shim Chong, a beggar who is desperately trying to make ends meet to feed her and her blind father, and the soon-to-be second Madame Jang, who has been sold into marrying the Chancellor to give her family a better position. After a chance encounter, they build a friendship -- and eventually more -- that transcends class boundaries. But not everyone is happy with the Chancellor's new wife, and Chong's presence is far from welcome in the royal palace. When the Chancellor falls into a mysterious coma after the wedding night, his children make plans to oust Madam Jang, and it may be up to Shim Chong to save not only their relationship, but their lives.

Minor spoilers under the cut:

The Good: This writing in this manhwa is, overall, excellent. Chong and Madame Jang are complex characters with a variety of competing wants, needs, personalities, and flaws that elevate the conflicts in the story and bring them to life in an extraordinary way. As a result, their relationship is very realistic, developing organically thanks to their dazzling chemistry. But, not all is easy in this story; as our protagonists grow closer, they are met with fierce opposition, sometimes from each other, that adds much needed drama to the story. In particular, Jang's daughter-in-law and Monk Sumin are incredibly effective antagonists, each challenging Chong and Jang in unique ways. The long term conflict -- the raging waters of the Indangsoo Sea -- is also an ever-present threat, growing and growing until the characters in the story have no choice but to take drastic action. All of this is brought to life by Biwan's incredible art, which injects a vibrancy to the story that elevates it from a great story to an unforgettable one.

The Bad: Despite how much I clearly love this story, Her Tale does have some shortcomings, the most glaring of which lies in the pacing. This story has, putting it lightly, a lot of ground to cover and, though it is a solid 81 chapters long, there is not enough time to cover it. This results in some major plot points being resolved incredibly fast, particularly at the end of the story, and other plot points being seemingly dropped with no explanation. A good example of this is in the first half of the story, when it is revealed that Madam Jang may be poisoning the Chancellor and causing his coma. Initially, this seems like it is going to be a big deal in the story, but at a certain point, it is dropped and never brought up again. This leaves the audience no insight into why Madam Jang would potentially do such a thing, despite the crucial fact that the Chancellor's coma is actively making her life harder. Additionally, while some of the antagonists are well-written to the point of being lifelike, others are antagonistic to the point of being over the top, making them feel cartoon-ish and overall clashing with the tone of the rest of the story.

The Overview: All in all, Her Tale is an excellently written and plotted story that drew me in and raised the bar for what it means to tell a visual yuri/girls love story. Shim Chong and Madam Jang will stick with me for a long time and I really look forward to rereading this series sometime in 2024. It says something that my biggest criticism of the series is a complaint about the pacing, which ultimately boils down to wanting more of the story. I truly can not recommend Her Tales enough and will certainly be looking for more girls love stories by Seri in the near future.

Overall rating: A-

[fu-hime-joshi]

Sheep Princess in Wolf's Clothing

I really don't have much to say other than... sssooooooo cuuuuute!!

the story is basically all fluff, and isn't exactly substantial, but it makes up for it with the art and the tiniest bit of conflict they added.

It follows a cute and shy sheep princess named Momo. She becomes enamored by the beautiful wolf woman Aki, who's working in the castle butler staff. Momo pulls some strings to have Aki be her personal butler, and gently terrorizes her until Aki succumbs to the sheep's cuteness.

tbh, this story is hilarious on a few different levels bc the men do exist.... but like. they're an after thought basically LMFAO. i think it was maybe at least 5 chapters before you see any male? and it was Momo's dad.

honestly, it was kind of refreshing to have a story that didn't touch on homophobia at all. that wasn't even an afterthought in this manga!!

and i think the main reason males were included in this story was to just make it clear it wasn't a female-only world, where homosexuality is the only orientation that exists. so, including men as a potential romance option and then choosing to forgo the homophobia our leads could've experienced was the right call.

also the classism being the only step for them to have to overcome wasn't even necessary tbh 😭😭 but w/e

anywho, if you want a super fluffy yuri, then this is a good option. it has a very mild. sex scene towards the end but it wasn't weird or fetishized at all which is always a nice surprise when reading GL!!

[nbvcx12]

I am sure Earn breaking up with Lada created anger issues on her it is so sad 😭😭😭😭

[alexissara]

SpellAstra Season 1 - Quick Review

SpellAstra is a really beautiful webcomic by Zephylilth. They are a french artist and translate the comics themselves into English. This leads to some awkward phrasing but if you can get past this you are in for one of the best pieces of lesbian fiction being written right now. It's a super fun magical setting that has clearly been something the author has been super dedicated to for many tears before this book and it's very "comic books" without any of the baggage of these big comic book universes. She has several series she wrote before this and their all tied into this same world but the story doesn't need you to know that she had one of the characters in a different comic, you'll know everything you need to know about the returning characters when they show up.

The main trio of the cast has some fun messy lesbians with a nice age gap and plenty of layers of potentially problematic and dramatic that is just so delicious and fun and romantic and enticing. I'd want to take a bite out of this comic it's so fucking delicious. It's like exactly the kind of self indulgent art people deserve to make and it's so fun and well drawn with some of the sexiest women I've sever seen in a comic. We got demon girls, we got magic witches, violence, alterative dimensions, it's got everything good, a buffet but it all works as a cohesive narrative.

The basic plot is simple multi axis story telling with a basic plot of the demon plane being up to something and our characters being caught up in the events while each has their own narrative. Mana is in love with Nova her mentor and now co-worker/Teammate but also has a demon sealed inside her she must restrain. Nova is dealing with the trauma of her past and a means to correct it all while being trying to maintain a professional relationship with the woman she is in love with. Syphea is most directly dealing with the overall plot when her weapon of choice is the target of a demons plan but also she has a romance brewing with a single mom with a bad ex husband. Their stories are connected and interlinked and they bring in more characters, more conflict and it's just juicy and fun.

Personally I love messy polyam lesbian Roda and there was a big plot twist with her at the end of season one I really hope she stays as utterly delicious to deal with as she was before. If you want a fun, dramatic and juicy time I really commend this webcomic and it's free so like, just do it.

If you enjoy these reviews you can read more, I write lots of them and if you really enjoy them I can always use support over on Patreon and Ko-fi.

[alexngn]

Juran said she couldn't think straight while practicing with Jeongnyeon and Yeongseo was like "I understand" because she too, feel the same when Jeongnyeon's lip touching her finger ARGHHHHHHH

[anime-of-the-day]

Anime of the Day Pride Month New Anime: Watashi no Oshi wa Akuyaku Reijou.

Alt title: I'm in Love with the Villainess

Status: Not yet aired

Rei Oohashi, an everyday office worker, awakens in the body of Revolution, the main character from her favorite otome game. She is delighted when Claire Francois, the story's major adversary, is the first person to welcome her. Rei is now determined to fall in love with Claire rather than the game's male leads. But how will this fresh romance be received by her evil ladylove?

[maddiesbookshelves]

Manga rec time:

She Loves to Cook and She Loves to Eat, by Yuzaki Sakaomi

Alternate title: Useless Lesbian Cooks Too Much.

Original title: Tsukuritai Onna to Tabetai Onna / 作りたい女と食べたい女

Genres: Slice of Life, Romance, Girls Love

Themes: Food, Daily Life

Japanese volumes: 2 (Ongoing)

Cooking is how Nomoto de-stresses, but one day, she finds herself making way more than she can eat by herself. And so, she invites her neighbor Kasuga, who also lives alone. What will come out of this impromptu dinner invitation...?

This is a very sweet and funny story where we see Nomoto and Kasuga getting closer with each meal, leading to an eventual romance (there's only 2 books out so it's not quite there yet, but it's getting to it).

I love how Yuzaki-sensei explores womanhood in this too, with Nomoto's male coworker telling her she'd make a good girlfriend, a chapter where Nomoto is on her period, general expectations towards women, or men's reaction to Kasuga's eating habits.

Speaking of Kasuga, I'm so glad to see a main character who doesn't have a skinny waist and noodle limbs. She eats a lot and it shows but it's never depicted as a negative thing and Nomoto never even thinks about her weight. She only thinks about Kasuga's physique once when she wonders where she does her shopping since she's so tall. That's it.

Also! There's a live action adaptation coming out on November 29th, I'm definitely watching it!

French version under the cut

Titre original : Tsukuritai Onna to Tabetai Onna / 作りたい女と食べたい女

Genres : Slice of Life, Romance, Girls Love

Thèmes : Gastronomie, Quotidien

Volumes VO : 2 (En Cours)

Cuisiner permet à Nomoto de décompresser mais un jour elle se retrouve à préparer bien plus que ce qu'elle ne peut manger seule. Elle invite donc sa voisine Kasuga, qui vit seule elle aussi. Cette invitation inattendue pourrait bien avoir des conséquences surprenantes...

C'est une histoire tendre et drôle où on voit Nomoto et Kasuga se rapprocher avec chaque repas partagé, ce qui mènera éventuellement à une relation amoureuse (y'a que 2 tomes sortis donc on y est pas encore, mais ça va arriver).

J'aime beaucoup le fait que Yuzaki-sensei explore un peu ce que c'est d'être une femme, avec un collègue de travail de Nomoto qui lui dit qu'elle ferait une bonne petite-amie, un chapitre où Nomoto a ses règles, les attentes de la société envers les femmes, ou les réactions des hommes face aux habitudes alimentaires de Kasuga.

En parlant de Kasuga, je suis contente de voir une personnage principale qui n'a pas une taille de guêpe et des gressins à la place des membres. Elle mange beaucoup et ça se voit, mais ce n'est jamais montré de manière négative et Nomoto ne pense même jamais à son poids. La seule fois où elle pense au physique de Kasuga, c'est pour se demander où elle fait son shopping vu qu'elle est grande. C'est tout.

Aussi ! Ils vont sortir une adaptation en drama le 29 novembre, je vais absolument le regarder !