Naked in Death by J.D. Robb | The Start of an Incredible Series!

Naked in Death by J.D. Robb

In Death #1

First Published: 1995

Paperback & Kindle

Adult, Mystery

Rating:
Re-Readability:

In a world of danger and deception, she walks the line--between seductive passion and scandalous murder... Eve Dallas is a New York police lieutenant hunting for a ruthless killer. In over ten years on the force, she's seen it all--and knows her survival depends on her instincts. And she's going against every warning telling her not to get involved with Roarke, an Irish billionaire--and a suspect in Eve's murder investigation. But passion and seduction have rules of their own, and it's up to Eve to take a chance in the arms of a man she knows nothing about--except the addictive hunger of needing his touch.

I first read Naked in Death about five years ago. I'm not ashamed to admit - it was love at first read. These characters and the world they live in completely captured my heart and soul in just a few pages. It felt like watching one of the detective shows I love, only more satisfying because the romance is an integral part of it, but I didn't have to wait five seasons for it to happen nor did it take over the story and overshadow the case. You know how hard that is to balance?!

Wait, wait, I'm getting waaaaay ahead of myself, aren't I?

Meet Eve Dallas, a seasoned detective in futuristic New York. She is a snarky, dry homicide cop with so much heart it's crazy, even though she tries to pretend otherwise. There is nothing more important to her than bringing justice to the victims, and her personal life is a constant casualty due to it.

Here is a tough, badass woman, who cares. And we can already tell the source of that huge heart lies in her childhood. I remember the curiosity eating at me the first time I read this novel, wanting to hear more details even though I could tell it would be awful.

A prostitute is dead. This specific prostitute is also the grandaughter of a senator. And more pressing--the killer left a jarring note saying she is only the first of six. Now it's a race against time to find the culprit before he kills more people, and bring justice to the murdered.

Now, as far as mysteries go, this is a decent one. It's pretty hard to read at times, you might guess at the identity of the killer before Eve does (I did), and I will warn you you will be nauseated by the whole affair. This is not a bad thing.

But I think the importance of this case is not necessarily about the mystery itself, not in the grand scheme of the In Death world. There is a reason Robb decides to start with this specific case, and not a case five years prior or something like that (Eve has been a detective for quite a while). That's because this is the case that will change her life. This is the case where she meets Roarke.

“You know, Roarke, you’re kind of cute.”

Who is Roarke? Billionaire tech god, this guy is everything. Handsome, rich, funny and smart, he is the ultimate book boyfriend. Especially because of how hard he falls for the hard boiled detective (despite a sketchy past of his own) and how well he comes to understand her.

Guys, these two are at the TOP of my OTP list, and it starts right here. I had forgotten how completely J.D. Robb manages to make you ship these two from their very first scene together. There is just such incredible chemistry between them, and they fit like two pieces of a puzzle. You want them together.

Seriously, these guys are my crack. I have read almost 20 books in this series and they never, never fail to capture my heart and soul.

If you love mysteries with a dash of romance, compelling characters and great side story lines, pick up this fantastic series!

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli | Book Review

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
N/A

First Published: 2015
Kindle
Young Adult, Contemporary
Rating:

Sixteen-year-old and not-so-openly gay Simon Spier prefers to save his drama for the school musical. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being thrust into the spotlight. Now Simon is actually being blackmailed: if he doesn’t play wingman for class clown Martin, his sexual identity will become everyone’s business. Worse, the privacy of Blue, the pen name of the boy he’s been emailing, will be compromised.
With some messy dynamics emerging in his once tight-knit group of friends, and his email correspondence with Blue growing more flirtatious every day, Simon’s junior year has suddenly gotten all kinds of complicated. Now, change-averse Simon has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone before he’s pushed out—without alienating his friends, compromising himself, or fumbling a shot at happiness with the most confusing, adorable guy he’s never met.

Okay, so I admit I have been mostly hesitant to read this. I knew everybody and their dogs loves this, but I don't read too much LGBT novels (and maybe that's wrong of me), and so I was kind of afraid of this. I mean, what would happen if I didn't like it? *gasp*

But when it was on sale on kindle, I had to one click it. And then it was just a matter of time until I was in the mood for something I don't normally read, and so I opened it and... 

YOU GUYS, I LOVED IT SO MUCH! 

It was adorable! I was shipping Simon and Blue from the get-go (both e-mail Blue and who I hopped Blue was--and he was him!! Happiest happy dance ever!)

Simon was just funny and quirky and very teenager-y and real and he was such a strong person (I could never be this strong), and this whole story felt of first love and all the confusion and uneasiness that comes with it. 

And of course, there is the coming of age and coming out issues in this novel. I loved how this book didn't entertain the thought "being gay is wrong" for even a second. How it was never a matter of if but when with everything.

I loved the friendships depicted here and the familial relationship.

Honestly, this book has so much win and so much heart and so much soul in it and good and healthy relationships that are not perfect 'cause yo we're all human and it was so enjoyable!

This is the type of novel I feel like I would probably re-read when I need something adorable but also thought-provoking.  

Top OTP from Embraced by the Moonlight by Saki Hiwatari | Manga Review

Embraced by the Moonlight by Saki Hiwatari
Proceeded by: Please Save My Earth
Completed at 85 Chapters, 15 volumes
Reading Status: Finished

Published: Sep 26, 2003 to Nov 26, 2014
Mystery, Fantasy, Romance, Sci-Fi
Rating:

Since the conclusion of the original series, Rin and Arisu are leading happy lives. Their son, Ren, is a very normal boy. But one day, a man and a woman as beautiful as an angel appear in front of him and tell him about a power! What is this power Ren suddenly has? The much anticipated sequel to "Please Save My Earth"!

This idea is inspired by Nick and Nereyda's Infinite Book List.

A LOVE THAT TRANSCENDS AGE

I've talked to you before about Please Save My Earth, one of my favorite manga. And in it, I've mention Rin and Alice's love - Rin and Alice have memories of their past lives, where they were a married (alien) couple on the moon. I loved them in Please Save my Earth. But in Embraced by the Moonlight? I SHIPPED THEM SO HARD IT HURT.

This is not your regular type of shipping, where you anxiously wait for them to realize their feelings and be together and have beautiful babies, because that ship has sailed with the ending of Please Save My Earth. Instead, we're transported about fifteen years into the future. You get to have this experience with very few couples that you love.

ALICE AND REN ARE MARRIED. They have an eight year old son themselves. And they're one heck of a couple. We get to see what the future holds for these two - we get to see them blissfully happy, we get to see their matrimony fights, we get to see how they are still facing their past lives and how they continue to affect them to this day.

While a huge part of this sequel series is actually about the next generation - Rin and Alice's son Ren and their friend's daughter Kachiko, Rin and Alice are a major part, and all of Ren and Kachiko's adventures somehow connect to the journey Rin in specific has yet to finish from book one.

These two are one of my biggest manga OTPs, and I have spent the majority of this manga smiling broadly and enjoying every moment of seeing them together.

Aside for this dashing couple, the manga has a ton more to offer. Firstly, you have the adventures of two young kids that manage to be mature and deal with life altering subjects while still acting like kids would. This is so important to me because oftentimes, stories decide to neglect the "kid" aspect of the equation in order to have "meaningful" adventures.

Then, you've got a BROTP TO SHIP THE SHIT OUT OF! In PSME we got to see very little of Rin and Shion's interactions, and what more we never got to see them separated. What is their relationship like? How does Rin feel about Shion and vice verse? We get to explore all this in Embraced by the Moonlight and let me just tell you... EPIC BROTP. Literally gives me life.

And not just these relationships - every character and relationship in this manga are complicated and layered and are not just black and white - the adult and child ones.

Whaaat? still not convinced you should read this manga. Okay. How 'bout I tell you IT'S SO FUNNY AND CUTE? And so hopeful about life? AND THE FEELS ARE HAVING A FIELD DAY WITH IT!

Seriously, I implore you to read this manga series. Even if you don't like manga.

And someone please come asdfghjk with me over Rin and Alice!

Get Ready to Fall in Love With "Full House Thai" | Drama Review

Full House / Thai
20 out 20 Episodes, completed

Aired: Jan 11, 2014 to Mar 16, 2014
Episode Duration: 50 minutes

Romance

Rating:

Aom is a writer who got swindled out of her house during her trip to Korea. She finds out that her house was sold to Mike and in an attempt to get her possessions back, she enters a contract marriage with Mike for one year. Though she lost everything, Aom remains optimistic and takes things in strike. What started out as a business relationship between the two becomes personal as they start to care for each other.

For anyone wondering where I'd disappeared to this last weekend, I wish I had a better answer than "binge watching Full House Thai". Alas, this is the sad truth. Yes yes. Regular shows, anime, and even foreign dramas (Korean, Thai, Japanese). I watch it all.

But, to be fair, I'm not the biggest watcher of foreign drama. I finish no more than two or three a year because there is usually too much dang drama in them and after a few episodes I'm so fed up I'm full for the next three months.

But once in a while tumblr would drop such a gif-set in my lap that no matter how much I'll try to resist, I'll end up watching the show because c'mon look how adorable that was aaaaaaah! 

In this particular case, this is the gif-set the clinched the deal.

 

 

It's okay if you stop reading now and just go watch it because of it, I'll understand. Has eating ice-cream ever looked so gorgeous or hot? It's a good thing they're eating ice-cream because I suspect they will explode from the heat otherwise. 

The two in the gifs above are Mike and Om-Am. Coincidentally (or, not at all), those are the actors' real life names as well, which I find extra cool. Good job blurring the lines between fiction and reality and making us ship them in RL!

Om and Mike are the two most unlikely people ever to end up in a marriage, fake or otherwise. Or be so perfect for it. 

Sorry, I'm running ahead of myself. Om-Am is a failing script-writer who has enough optimism for all of us. She gets discouraged, but she will not let it bring her down because she has a secret her late father taught her - when you're sad, sing If you're happy and you know it clap your hands *clap clap* and everything gets better. (I swear, I had to clap along each time. It's so contagious, no matter the language!). 

And she's so... energetic! 

she's so pretty y'all!

This is why even after her sister (or cousin, the translation was a bit unclear on this) sends her on a trip to Korea only so she could steal and sell her house, Om doesn't let it get her down (much). Instead, once she realized the unpleasant super-star she met in Korea now owns her childhood home, she manages to strike a deal with him to be his housemaid until she can buy the house.

And, later, his fake (but legal) wife. Because... reasons you better watch the show for, otherwise I just over-explain everything and blah. Trust me that it kind of makes sense and even the parts that don't you won't mind because FUCK YEAH GET MARRIED AND PLEASE HAVE BABIES ON THE WAY.

Ahem. Where was I? 

look at this adorable cinnamon roll! 

If I were honest, there are a lot worse things to be than in a fake marriage with super star Mike. Sure, he's hot-headed and kind of spoiled and occasionally, he acts like a jerk. But most of the time he's just this adorable, goofy, man-child who's desperate for love and is reduced to childish pranks to get the attention of the girl he falls in love with (trust me, he's adorable. You'll forgive everything he does lol) And he's loyal to a fault. 

Bonus points? HE falls first. And I mean he is so whipped it ain't even funny! (okay, it is). 

These two have the most adorable interactions that will make you squee and ship and spaz often. Like, seriously, so much of all these. I mean the chemistry between these two... slays me. Just SLAYS. If these two hooked up in RL and produced sweet beautiful babies I will not mind and that might say something about my whacked up mind but I'll take it. 

This show was just so dang fun, added by the fact the "angst" comes at episode sixteen and ends fairly quickly, because we're never in doubt about how these two feel and they are perfect.

Also, be prepared to hate the second female lead and wish she was pushed of a cliff, and truly appreciate the second male lead because he is such a dang nice Guy! 

SOME MINOR ISSUES

I never feel fair talking about something I adore to pieces without talking about it's bad points. For Full House Thai, that's mainly the first three episodes.

Because, you see, those first three episodes... they drag. They have barely any plot and could've easily been one episode. In fact, it takes a full episode for our heroine to get to Korea, and another episode and a half for her to even realize she was scammed, because we waste a lot of time on characters that don't need it and sight-seeing and a lot of other filler.

That's way too much time to waste to get to the turning point! 

The last two episodes suffer the same syndrome, and you could skip a huge chunk of them because they're literally flashbacks (which are unnecessary when you binge watch lol) But it's worth it to get to that proposal scene. Be still my beating heart! 

It almost felt like they had a 20 episode deal but enough material for 16 episodes, and instead of adding unnecessary angst to expand this, they decided flash-backs and sight-seeing was better. I'm thankful because it is better, if there was a lot of drama I would have despaired, but at the same time... just broadcast sixteen episodes. 

One last thing I feel compelled to mention - this is a re-make of a 2004 Korean drama classic. You'll see I mentioned this no where in the actual review because to me this has no baring on the show as I watched it separate from anything else.