Jimmy by Luke Hartwell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A piercing arrow to the heart, followed by a cube of sugar to the soul soothing away the pain of regret. Then a glimpse of what may come to be for those courageous enough to seek.

Love is love. Love is gender-blind.
Love is without boundaries.

Poignantly evocative vignettes of innocent young love tested by hardship and separation. The story felt so real it could be happening somewhere right now at this very moment. A moving story of two childhood friends going through the trial of growing up. There's reminiscence of good times and laments of lost opportunities; of what-could-have-beens if only courage was within their reach where it counts most.

The story may be short and the pace was initially too slow for my liking then it grew on me and the last part stole my heart and breath away. Some might complain that the story is too short, yet I am in awe that in mere 6,050 words the impact is greater than a full length novel. I for one, wouldn't be forgetting this heartfelt romance anytime soon. I really dig well-paced slow burn romances. Aside from that, the impression the story made is deeper than I had first thought the longer I ponder on it. Somehow this story is like a short version of Brokeback Mountain although the storyline itself bears no similarities. It's just a feeling I had after reading it. Felt like having watched a good movie that lingers on your mind. I have to thank Lena♥Ribka for recommending this little gem to him. She's got good taste.

On a side note, I was reminded of these two quotes which I wholeheartedly agree with and find to be a great motivator in times of weakness.


Never say never. Why try to limit your possibilities? Just go out there and take that fall if need be, at least that way you wouldn't have to face a lifetime of regrets after it. Life is too short for self-doubts.


BOOK DETAILS:
Title: Jimmy
Author: Luke Hartwell
Publication Date: August 25th, 2012
Type: Short Story, 6,050 words
Genre: Gay Contemporary Romance

Description:
Rainbow Award-winning author Luke Hartwell once again explores the relationship between gay and straight best friends in this sparse, moving story. Chris has been in love with his best friend Jimmy since childhood. While Chris is at college, Jimmy is sent to prison. Now Jimmy is free once more and the two meet again.



WHERE TO PURCHASE:
★|| SMASHWORDS ||★|| KOBOBOOKS ||★|| AMAZON ||★


* Reviewed on October 13th, 2014

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隣にいるのに、遠い [Tonari ni Iru no ni Tooi] by Masara Minase
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Read on January 18, 2014

I liked the art but the story messes with my Yaoifangirl mind. I mean there's a total role reversal of rescuing the damsel here. I love feisty Ukes but a Seme that needs saving from his Uke?

This Uke is not only feisty but forward as well. He has no qualms asking to be fuq by his Seme.

And, and, and... it's his first time with a guy too. (#／。＼#)

So okay, it has a refreshing twist from the norms of Yaoihood. Just that I am quite a bit of a conservative Yaoifangirl. I tend to love the 'Regular Yaoi' formula bit too much.





BOOK DETAILS:

Title: 隣にいるのに、遠い Tonari ni Iru no ni Tooi
Associated Names: 咫尺天涯的距离 / 近在咫尺卻達在天涯 / 隣にいるのに、遠い / You're Right by My Side, yet So Far Away
Author: Masara Minase
Publication Date: 2008
Type: Manga
Genre: Yaoi, Boys Love, Contemporary, Romance, School Life
Tags/Keywords: Best Friends, Childhood Friend/s, Confession, Drunk, Friends Become Lovers, Popular Male Lead, Possessive Lover/s, Post-Secondary School, Student/s, Womanizer/s, Gay for You

Description:
Nagisa's good friend, Igarashi Taiga, is the popular guy at their university. After being compared to Taiga as a lover, Nagisa keeps wondering and questions Taiga, who demonstrates his skills with a hot kiss...

What will come after that?




* Reviewed on January 18th, 2014

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This is a book that has gotten a lot of attention recently. As in, even my mother knows about this book and she doesn’t even read romance novels. Though it was recommended to me by a few different people, I resisted buying it for a long time because I just honestly didn’t know if I wanted to read about a bully.

The bully in Penelope Douglas’ debut novel isn’t the Twilight type of bully who flares his nostrils and looks kinda scary when he encounters the heroine. He’s mean. Really mean. Since I read a lot of reviews before buying the book, I thought I knew what to expect, but damn, Jared was just such an asshole.

I’ve read a lot of books where the heroes are assholes. Some of my favorite books, in fact, feature bad boys. Jared isn’t physically abusive, but as her former childhood friend, he knows exactly what to say or do to get under Tate’s skin, and does everything he can to isolate her from her peers. Douglas does an amazing job of showcasing the fears and uncertainty teenage girls go through as they learn to be strong and go after what they want. And that’s exactly what makes the first part of the novel so difficult—seeing Tate’s youth and vulnerability.

After a trip to France, Tate comes back a new person ready to face her biggest fear: her bully. This is where the book really takes off. You begin the novel cheering for Tate, and it’s incredibly satisfying to see her grow, take charge, and stand up for herself. Let’s just say I really loved Tate. But as I read the novel, I feared that I would never love Jared.

Well, thankfully, Ms Douglas redeemed him. As Tate begins to gain her confidence, Jared slowly begins to lose his. As Tate gets stronger, Jared becomes more vulnerable. And when Jared realizes that he can’t break Tate anymore, he begins to break. This transformation isn’t easy. It’s messy. There’s a lot of back-and-forth, and Jared’s behavior gets crueler as he tries to break Tate’s strength so he doesn’t have to face his own weaknesses, but when he finally does, he becomes the hero Tate knew as a young girl.

I love these kinds of transformations, but they’re easy to mess up and it takes a very skilled author to pull them off. I’m so thrilled Penelope Douglas did. Bully is a dark, complicated and beautiful story that sticks with you long after you finish it. It deserves 5 out of 5 stars, and my recommendation :)