Lenni Reviews: “Rainbows After Storms” Vol. 12, by Luka Kobachi

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

Nanoha decides that vocational school in Osaka is the path for her, but that means Chidori’s school in Tokyo is three hours away. While making plans, they enjoy the last school festival for the literature club.

While this volume moves quickly from point to point – we’re up to November again by the end of it – it’s really an adorable set of slice-of-life stories. We get a bit more backstory about when Nanoha first saw Chidori and was trying to befriend her. Our main couple is surprisingly mature and in love. It’s very sweet. However, it was strange to see Chidori with long hair. 4 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Bride of the Shark Clan: Married Life” Vol. 2, by Satomichi

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review and is rated 18+

After a year of marriage, Avel and Tukiri are happy. But Tukiri feels something is changing within him and an outsider biologist, Dylan, wants to study the two clans.

I like how Dylan’s arrival allows us to dive into the origins of the two tribes and all the shark shifter abilities present in the series. I love when there’s lore to my smut. And there’s a LOT of smut. In some places it felt like “Oh, we haven’t seen man on man action for a bit. Lets do that real quick.” But that’s ok because I like our main couple. 3.7 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Sunshine in Hades” Vol. 1, by Puling

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review and is rated 18+

Cerberus is a slave, champion gladiator, and a prime chance for his owners to breed him out to produce more like him. But he’s a virgin. Cerberus enlists the help of Phaethon, a priest of the sun god to teach him how to please a woman, only to grow closer to the priest as time goes on.

Cerberus, of course, has total golden retriever energy in a rottweiler’s skin, while Phaethon is the “I don’t fall in love until I totally do” type. The intrigue around them makes for some interesting plot points that give what is a predictable yaoi something a bit more unique. It is VERY suggestive and the art favors the tiddies:

This dude is a cup size up from me, I swear… It’s not bad, I wouldn’t mind getting my hands on the next one. 4 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Perfect Buddy” Vol. 1, by daki & Lash

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*This book is rated 18+

Seo Hyunsoo has only physical relationships with men and is devoted to his routines but when he catches Baik Youngchan  masturbating in a public bathroom, the man throws a wrench in Hyunsoo’s ordered life.

While they have a typically comedic and antagonistic relationship, Baik’s protective golden retriever energy is so much fun. He’s clearly more on the ball than Seo gives him credit for. Seo’s background with his former job gives some nice context to his deadpan attitude and why he gives in to all this extra work. I’m looking forward to learning more about why he was transferred and how these “enemies” come into play in the plot. 4 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “At 25:00, in Akasaka” Vol. 1, by Hiroko Natsuno

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*This book is rated 18+

Shirasaki Yuki has landed a huge acting gig and his costar is superstar actor Hayama Asami. Yuki is nervous about his performance in a gay drama and asks Asami to help him.

While not the most original premise, it’s very tender in the way it executes it. Asami, while indulging this wild proposition, is quite respectful of Yuki’s boundaries and since their chemistry is good, they’re easy to root for and I’m hoping for their happy ending. The art is fairly standard but good and the smutty bits fit well into the plot. It’s pretty spicy but also sweet! 3.7 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Pink Candy Kiss” Vol. 5 by Ami Uozumi

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

Ema is trying to reconcile her feelings for Takora because her husband, Hario, loves her so much. Takora considers the consequences of confessing her feelings.

This volume isn’t bittersweet; it’s just sad. There’s no way for them to be together without ruining Ema’s marriage, and I really wonder what the last two volumes are going to bring. I will spoil that Ema finally did stand up to her shitty mom, which was so damn satisfying. I don’t want yet another tragic lesbian story, but it’s clear this is not their time. Maybe this will end up like Bingo Love and end up together without hurting Hario. I guess we’ll see. 4 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “May I Have a Taste?” Vol. 2, by Amidamuku

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

Minoru is gravely injured trying to save Yamadera after he risks his life trying to become a vampire. An older vampire, Mire, comes to assist Minoru.

I like that the world is expanding. I don’t like Yamadera, so spending time with any other character is a net positive. We do get some backstory for Mine, another new vampire, Itachi, and introduce Mei, who reminds me of Kiku from Call of the Night. I’m glad what seemed to be a predatory version of Ko annoying Minoru, who just wants to live his life, is shaping into something more. 3.9 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Bride of the Shark Clan” Vol. 1 Satomichi

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review and is rated 18+

Rival clans Tangata and Miyaru have a tentative peace held together by a yearly offering of a bride from the Tangata to the Miyaru. This sacrifice is usually the weakest. Avel, the son of the Tangata Chief, is assumed to be next in line to head the clan, but an encounter with Tukuri from the Tangata clan results in him being the offered bride instead.

As part of the lore of this world, the Tangata are all born male and only become female the first time they bottom for someone, which sure is a way to have mpreg happen instead of just using the fated mates trope as is. That’s still a thing, though. And by the gods, they sure did try to have some plot in this smut, didn’t they? I’m kinda kidding. This isn’t bad. Our main couple is the aforementioned fated mates with “we met as children” thrown in there. The smut is filthy and it’s just a fairly uncomplicated, low angst story. Arel and Tukiru are cute together, but since the art style is fairly standard, their personalities make them unique. If you’re in the market for some romantic filth, this ain’t bad. 3.7 out of 5.

 

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Lenni Reviews: “Forest of the Rabbits” Vol. 1, by ENJO

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review and is rated 18+

Shunta and Tamaki were childhood friends who reconnect in high school. While Shunta realized his attraction to his friend early on, Tamaki’s tumultuous upbringing has him clinging to traditional expectations. But Shunta doesn’t want to waste any more time before fulfilling his dream of dating Tamaki.

This is rough since it starts with them as young kids, and Tamaki is clearly not only neglected by his mother, but he’s also exposed to things a child shouldn’t because his mother is a sex worker. We are pro-sex work in this house, but not with your child in the next room or watching your clients as they go in and out of the home. That’s a dark cloud lurking behind this budding romance, making it hard to enjoy Shunta being a goofy simp for his crush. I almost don’t want them to get together until Tamaki has had a few months of intense therapy to deal with his clear trauma. 3 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Champion of the Rose” Vol. 1, by Cat Aquino & Dominique Duran

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

Princess Rosa’s brother tragically dies, making her hair to the throne of the Empire of Sagrada. As the largest kingdom in the Known World, Rosa looks forward to serving her people and the Dying God they all worship but instead, her father holds a tournament where the prize is her hand in marriage. Desperate to become queen and make real change, she enlists Rey as her champion. Rey is a swordsman from one of the kingdom’s colonies and only wants to earn enough money to return to his native lands.

It’s interesting that Rosa is a mixed-race princess of a kingdom fueled by colonizing others. She has to come to terms with what her kingdom has done to people who look just like her. She may have been relatively sheltered as a princess, but that doesn’t stop the whispers and judgment. Rey is a transman and a fucking badass, who literally and figuratively is infected by the evils done by those who’ve conquered his people. The combat is fantastically done. It’s ruthless and dark. It reminds me of Centuria, making this a damn good dark fantasy. 4.5 out of 5.

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