#coming august 2023

[anisalarkwood-author]

Novella "Surrender" coming 8/31/23!

[a-skirmish-of-wit-and-lit]

Book Review: The Hundred Loves of Juliet by Evelyn Skye

The Hundred Loves of Juliet is a book for the hopeless romantics, for the love at first sight believers, for the star-crossed, invisible-string-bound soulmate enthusiasts. It's a modern and inventive retelling of Romeo and Juliet that - at its core - is about the indestructibility of love. And it's that quality which gives the story an uplifting wholesomeness which could nourish even the most tainted of hearts.

In this reimagining, Sebastian and Helene are the living embodiments Shakespeare's ill-fated lovers, Romeo and Juliet. However, different from the play, where they both die at the end, Sebastian is immortal and is cursed with having to meet, love, and lose different reincarnations of Juliet through the centuries--with senseless tragedy always stealing her away from him before they have a chance to fully live.

In her newest physical form, Helene is a soon-to-be-divorced journalist who moves to Alaska to start over and write a book. While there, she meets Sebastian in a bar and recognizes him immediately: not as Romeo, of course, but as the flesh-and-blood hero she's spent her life writing in all of her stories. (Which were fictional...or so she believed.) Sebastian tries to keep his distance at first, what with the pain of losing his beloved Juliet over and over again throughout the ages still fresh in his mind, determined that a tragedy is all they can ever be, but Helene persists, and it isn't long before the truth spills out.

With Helene's memories of their past lives intact, as evidenced by all the stories of their past life encounters she's penned over the years, what if their ending could be different this time? Could they find a way to break the curse? Change the hands of fate? Have a chance at a happily ever after instead of the heartbreak of a too soon goodbye?

All in all, I thought this was a sweet simple love story. I liked getting a glimpse of Romeo and Juliet in their various lives together, in different time periods, which was my my favorite part, but the modern day romance fell flat for me. I think some more time could have been spent flushing out the connection between Sebastian and Helene. They were cute, don't get me wrong, but I wanted them to connect over their modern day selves more rather than bonding mostly over their shared history. Perhaps it was more that they were too love-at-first-sighty for my taste, I don't know? I also didn't care for Helene's ex-husband, Merrick, who I figured was supposed to be a modern day Paris equivalent. He was too one-note, didn't add much to the plot.

That said, the Author's Note at the end gave me more appreciation and tenderness for the story as a whole, given it was written from such a personal place. Make sure you have tissues on hand for that!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine del Rey for the ARC in exchange for my review.

3/5 stars

**Follow me on Goodreads

[odder-outlet]

happy turtle day! have some turtles!!

I apologize for the person I will become on may 31

[cozylittleartblog]

bug doodles so i can say i drew something

[astrangetorpedo]

jb: “u know what? lesbians love communication”

pb: “some”

jb: [laughing] “some. you’re right”

ld: [pointedly] “over communicating some things. under communicating other things”

jb: [chuckles nervously]

[royalarchivist]

Ranboo: THERE'S PRONOUNS IN THEM HILLS

Phil: [Dying laughing]

Michela (DarkEyebrows): They got pronouns up in here!

Ranboo: HELPPPP, WHAT THE HELL IS A "THEY"??

Phil: Wha- [Laughs] "What's a they?" WHAT IS A THEY / THEM AND WHY IS IT LOOKIN' AT ME

[gideonysis]

Dis-gus-tang!!!!!!!!

[8iunie]

maneskinofficial: HONEY! (Are u coming?)

Out tonight at 1 AM CEST 💘 - 31.08.2023

[five-star-stay]

Han performed an unreleased song with an electric guitar for his solo stage performance at skz's japanese dome tour. The song is called 'Don't Say.'

Cr: qwaszx914

More fancams (because I'm totally normal about this and not at all going to jump off a cliff at not having been there): hiiichuuu, itembread, dxstty, Inlovery, x8_koi

[a-skirmish-of-wit-and-lit]

Book Review: Mrs. Porter Calling (The Emmy Lake Chronicles #3) by A.J. Pearce

Another heartwarming and endearing installment in the Emmy Lake series.

It's been about a year since Emmy married Charles and he went off to fight in WWII, leaving her to do her part on the homefront, which consists of continuing to volunteer as a telephone operator at the fire station and running her advice column "Yours Cheerfully" where she helps readers face the challenges of wartime. Everything is going well. She still lives with Bunty, and is surrounded by love from her husband and her little found work-and-home family. She is also enjoying her role as editor at Woman's Friend.

However, that changes when socialite Mrs. Porter becomes the new owner of the magazine. She completely upends the flow of production, deciding to take the weekly in a new direction that does away with any practical wartime advice and instead focuses more on elite fashion and frivolity. All of the changes are impractical. Not to mention out of touch with the reality that most of Woman's Friend's readers are facing. It is therefore up to Emmy, Guy, and their friends and colleagues to find a way to wrest back control and save the magazine they love so much.

It was wonderful to be back with Emmy and her friends again. She's as cheerful and optimistic as her column, which makes for a palate cleanser when juxtaposed with the harshness of this time period. I also liked how, even though there were moments of tragedy, as would be expected during war, there was still this overarching sense of hope, of camaraderie, of ordinary people banding together to try and make a brighter future for everyone. Talk about an uplifting message!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Scribner for the ARC in exchange for my review.

3/5 stars

**Follow me on Goodreads

[absolutebl]

This Week in BL - Bunch of Stuff Coming in August

July 2023 Wk 5

Being a highly subjective assessment of one tiny corner of the interwebs. Organized by which ones (in each category) I’m enjoying most.

Ongoing Series - Thai

Laws of Attraction (Sat iQIYI) 2-3 of 8 - Oh good, we now know that Thailand has the same statutory rape laws as the US. Dub con is as dub con does. MEANWHILE Oh my God I love evil lawyer cutie so much. Him and his beautiful weaponized smile, maybe my new favorite character. I like the way this director is playing with noir mystery tropes, settings, and archetypes too - it’s feeling very 60s pulp, I’m getting gay Travis McGee vibes. Grandma knowing that her grandson likes boys is so sweet. I have to be completely frank here, this is what I wanted from both Manner of Death and KP. I truly love this show

Hidden Agenda that isn’t hidden (Sun GMMTV YouTube) ep 3 of 10 - It’s a very Cyrano de Bergerac kind of narrative... If Cyrano fell in love with Christian instead of Roxanne. Mock date was fun. 

Low Frequency (Sat iQIYI) ep 4 of 8 - Into the lion’s den. Investigation begins. Why isn’t the ghost acting lookout? Who are these random side characters? I’m confused. Half way through kiss is right on schedule tho. 

Wedding Plan (Weds YT & iQIYI) ep 2 of 7 - The kiss was nice, but it’d be nicer if Nuea had punched Lom. Manipulative arse. A trash watch is happening!

Be Mine Super Star (Mon Viki) ep 4 of 12 - Meh. 

Dinosaur Love (Sun iQIYI) ep 5 of 8 eps - The hazing has begun + secret relationship and it’s kinda like a v soft SOTUS. Dino is getting a bit too controlling and obsessive for me so it slid down the ranks. I much prefer La Cusine’s version of this dynamic. The friends protecting Dino’s interests were funny tho - boy is so obsessed he outsources his stalking. 

Be My Favorite (Fri YouTube) ep 10 of 12 - Max is BEST BOY. I hate Kawi. Tra la la. Trash watch here.

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

Jun & Jun (Korea Thurs Viki) 2 of 8 - Our ex idol is a total FLIRT. Nice to see an uke with agency. I mean baby girl is a newbie worker bee… but still flirty, good for you, sweetie. I see your little lip bite and so does your soon to be husband. Speaking of, I love Choi Jun’s style of seme aggression: a little sleezy + a bit too handsy + ultra clever with his words. Plus tie tug!!! Also threatening to take off your TAILORED suit so baby wears your shirt and smells like you? HOT. Boy you sped right past American style and into Italian - that’s real Corinthian leather, that is. 

Stay By My Side (Taiwan Fri Gaga) 5 of 10 eps - Mid series kiss right on schedule. Thank you for never upsetting me, Taiwan. Omg. Such boyfriends. Only Taiwan gets this sappy. I have to say, I watch this show after Tokyo on purpose. (I need the pallet cleanser.) Still, I’m scared that the perception will be that Bu Xia is using Jiang Chi, not in love with him, when the truth about ghosts comes out. Why doesn’t BX’s useless sister do something for her disaster brother? I guess JC likes a needy boy? Oh no, the kiss confusion. Lip touch but rejection (?). Nooooo. I suppose they have to draw this out for 10 eps. Gah, they’re so cute. But BX is a bit dim, isn’t he? Poor thing. 

Minato's Laundromat Season 2 AKA Minato Shouji Coin Laundry Season 2 (Japan Thu Gaga) 4 of 12 eps - Shin is such a worrywart, over protective, over the top boyfriend. I guess we saw a little bit of give from Minato? More than usual, baby steps. This is Japan after all.

Tokyo in April is... AKA Shigatsu no Tokyo wa (Japan Fri Gaga) ep 7 of 8 - Japan’s favorite trope = the running of the gays. Kazama knows everything now. Ep ends on one of my few triggers. SKIP! Japan you better NOT go there.

Vian the series (Vietnam YouTube ) ep 11-12fin - terrible ending, he turned back into a cat and the whole thing was pointless. I am very annoyed. 4/10 FATALLY FLAWED 

It’s airing but ...

Stay With Me ... NO I WILL NOT! And you can’t make me.

In case you missed it

Stay (Pinoy YouTube) finished its run at 7 eps. It’s mostly English & set in LA (shudder) so I did not bother. I say little to no chatter about this (that’s normal with the Pinoy stuff tho). Did anyone watch and enjoy? 

Next Week Looks Like This:

Coming August 2023

8/1 Stay Still (Hong Kong Tues YouTube) 5 eps - Yes we have had BL from Hong Kong before, but that was... before... who knows what it’ll be like now. Hayden, moves into a new apartment and starts a complicated relationship with his neighbor’s grandson, Damien, after an unexpected kiss. Meanwhile: Archie rekindles a romance with his high school sweetheart, Kelvin, who is now married.

8/11 Love Class Season 2 (Korea Fri Viki) 10 eps - Hyun, Minwoo and Joo-Hyuk are looking forward to their freshman year at college. But trials and tribulations of love that await them outside the classroom: from learning about maturity to being unable to forget the scars of past lovers. (All new cast from season 1.) 

8/12 My Personal Weatherman AKA Taikan Yoho (Japan Sat ????) 8 eps - hum. 

8/19 Love in Translation (Thai Sat One31) ? eps - Two strangers start working in a cafe together.

8/20 My Universe series begins (Thai Sun iQIYI) 24 episodes - This is sampler pack BL, 12 pairs, each pair gets 2 episodes, not entirely sure on the order they’ll drop in. Known couples include EarthBank from Destiny Seeker and KaownahTurbo from Love Stage!!!, mostly fresh faces otherwise. Jane to direct several. 

8/22 Kisseki: Dear to Me formerly known as Miracle (Taiwan Tues ????) 13 eps - From screenwriter Lin Pei Yu (We Best Love, H3: Trapped) features a student doctor forced to take care of a gangster. I love the premise and like the writer, I’m thinking Viki or Gaga will get this one.  

8/24 Man Suang (Thailand movie domestic cinemas) - historical drama about Thai burlesque with KP’s MileApo. Tong is in this one too? 

8/? Sing My Crush previously Follow The Wind (Korea ????) 8 eps - supposed to have released in the first half of 2022 this is a adaption of Myung’s webtoon, from the director of My Sweet Dear, and the Love Tractor production house, looks like Korea does About Youth.

8/? Why R U? (Korean remake)  is supposed to be out this month, filming started in sept 22. I find everything about this hilarious. I mean if Korea remakes it, we lose all the sexy and then... would we have a story at all? No we would not. Not even for six short eps. It’d be like one of those mesh shopping bags. 

We can probably expect a new BL from GMMTV too, to slot into BMF’s spot mid month. 

2023 forthcoming BL master post (see comments, some are inaccurate, NOT KEPT UPDATED)

THIS WEEK’S BEST MOMENTS

I do love a hyung romance, and this aggressive ghost-ish thing is working for me. (Low Frequency) 

Hidden Agenda + My Ride. 

So coy

I agree with @heretherebedork​ that these two make a great side couple but I am utterly in love with...

HER. (All Laws of Attraction.) 

(Last week)

[stevethehairington]

BOOOOOO i haaaaate it when a movie's year is listed as 2023 on letterboxd when it ACTUALLY hasn't even been released yet!!!!! like idc if the movie was finished and shown in festivals or what the fuck ever in 2023 — if there's no way for me to watch it yet it shouldn't be listed as 2023!!!!! it's not out yet!!!!!! that shit is released to the general public in 2024 then it's a 2024 movie!!!!!

[guiltasaparasite]

Guys, this isn't funny anymore! Where did you put the rest of the Metalocalypse fandom?

[op3ra]

this was the first thing i drew upon getting into ghost last year and having a little bit of the lore explained to me and it feels relevant enough to post now

[crimson-catalyst]

oh mister mapmaker, bring me your dreams- nah it doesnt work too many syllables

[aceforwhatevenisthis]

you: i want more ghost files! me: quiet, we have ghost files at home ghost files at home: