Painter of the Night (2026)
Jun. 3rd, 2026 10:01 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
reviews_and_ramblingsAdapting Byeonduck’s massive hit webtoon Painter of the Night into a live-action, vertical-format drama is a fascinating creative choice, especially for a historical piece (a sageuk).
The vertical format is usually reserved for quick, modern, TikTok-style micro-dramas, so hearing that they actually invested in a rich, detailed historical setting is incredibly impressive. Translating that gorgeous, atmospheric webtoon art style into physical sets and traditional Hanbok clothing takes serious production effort.
The only complaint I have about the setting is the pink fluffy headband that was quite hilarious. In a high-quality historical drama, anachronisms (things placed outside their proper historical time) can completely break the illusion. Painter of the Night is set during the Joseon Dynasty. While Seungho giving Nakyum a gift is a huge emotional beat, a neon or pastel pink, fluffy headband belongs more in a modern K-Pop fan-meeting or a modern skincare routine than a gritty, intense historical romance.
Aside for that minimal slip, for fans of the original manhwa, this 60-episode vertical drama adaptation is a mixed bag that ultimately leans positive. While it manages to deliver surprisingly high production values and commendable acting, the constraints of the micro-drama format force the intense, angsty plot into a hyper-accelerated pace.
The actors do an awesome job capturing the characters, and viewers praise the overall quality, noting it feels slightly higher budget than the standard vertical drama.
The show successfully conveys the emotional depth and struggle of the story, particularly Na Gyum’s inner turmoil, managing to make viewers emotional despite the short runtime.
While significantly toned down and less "smutty" than the source material (with less non-consensual elements), the kissing and NC (no-children/mature) scenes are good and satisfying by Korean BL standards.
Packing a massive, intense storyline into 60 micro-episodes meant cutting out large chunks of the plot. The narrative often feels like it is "skimming the surface," which may leave viewers who haven't read the manhwa confused or emotionally disconnected from the plot progression.
I felt frustrated by the "greedy" format. The episodes are ridiculously short to force viewers into buying app coins and I think the story would have been much better served as a movie or a properly paced, standard short series.
Whether it is worth the cash depends on what you are looking for. For me, it was absolutely worth "biting the bullet" and paying around $8 for a subscription or coins to see one of the best vertical drama adaptations produced yet. However, it remains a heavily condensed version of the manhwa—a great treat for existing fans who can fill in the blanks, but potentially a bit too rushed for newcomers.
HEA. Watch on Lezhinus Snack. Heat Level: 5/6.
Manhwa: amzn.to/4lf6lEi
The vertical format is usually reserved for quick, modern, TikTok-style micro-dramas, so hearing that they actually invested in a rich, detailed historical setting is incredibly impressive. Translating that gorgeous, atmospheric webtoon art style into physical sets and traditional Hanbok clothing takes serious production effort.
The only complaint I have about the setting is the pink fluffy headband that was quite hilarious. In a high-quality historical drama, anachronisms (things placed outside their proper historical time) can completely break the illusion. Painter of the Night is set during the Joseon Dynasty. While Seungho giving Nakyum a gift is a huge emotional beat, a neon or pastel pink, fluffy headband belongs more in a modern K-Pop fan-meeting or a modern skincare routine than a gritty, intense historical romance.
Aside for that minimal slip, for fans of the original manhwa, this 60-episode vertical drama adaptation is a mixed bag that ultimately leans positive. While it manages to deliver surprisingly high production values and commendable acting, the constraints of the micro-drama format force the intense, angsty plot into a hyper-accelerated pace.
The actors do an awesome job capturing the characters, and viewers praise the overall quality, noting it feels slightly higher budget than the standard vertical drama.
The show successfully conveys the emotional depth and struggle of the story, particularly Na Gyum’s inner turmoil, managing to make viewers emotional despite the short runtime.
While significantly toned down and less "smutty" than the source material (with less non-consensual elements), the kissing and NC (no-children/mature) scenes are good and satisfying by Korean BL standards.
Packing a massive, intense storyline into 60 micro-episodes meant cutting out large chunks of the plot. The narrative often feels like it is "skimming the surface," which may leave viewers who haven't read the manhwa confused or emotionally disconnected from the plot progression.
I felt frustrated by the "greedy" format. The episodes are ridiculously short to force viewers into buying app coins and I think the story would have been much better served as a movie or a properly paced, standard short series.
Whether it is worth the cash depends on what you are looking for. For me, it was absolutely worth "biting the bullet" and paying around $8 for a subscription or coins to see one of the best vertical drama adaptations produced yet. However, it remains a heavily condensed version of the manhwa—a great treat for existing fans who can fill in the blanks, but potentially a bit too rushed for newcomers.
HEA. Watch on Lezhinus Snack. Heat Level: 5/6.
Manhwa: amzn.to/4lf6lEi
Play After Call by Mame Ootako
Jun. 3rd, 2026 09:52 amreviews_and_ramblings
Kurashina is a high school student who has a complex about being a Dom (dominant) gender. He thinks Isshiki, the student body president with an imposing figure, is a Dom and has a one-sided inferiority complex. One day, Kurashina finds Isshiki collapsed on campus. Unable to overlook his unusually weakened appearance, he takes care of him. But when Isshiki confides in Kurashina the surprising fact that he is a Sub, Kurashina feels guilty for his behavior because of a misunderstanding that has led him to behave coldly.
Thinking that Isshiki had no particular partner and was feeling ill due to a lack of communication with a Dom, Kurashina then suggested having a light play with him as his way of making amends.
My Rate: 7 (jpbookstore.com/products/play-after-call)
Play After Call by Mame Ootako is a really fascinating dive into the Omegaverse / Dom-Sub universe (DSV) tropes, specifically playing around with the "appearances can be deceiving" dynamic that fans of the genre love.
In a lot of Dom/Sub universe stories, the roles are strictly coded by physical appearance: Doms are usually tall, imposing, and hyper-confident, while Subs are drawn as smaller, delicate, or overtly submissive.
Ootako completely flips this on its head:
Isshiki has an imposing figure and holds a massive position of authority as the student body president. He looks like the ultimate textbook Dom.
Kurashina, despite being a Dom, carries a heavy complex about his own gender identity, leading him to act coldly out of sheer insecurity.
This setup immediately creates great dramatic irony. The reader gets to watch Kurashina sweat over a "rivalry" that exists entirely in his own head, making his eventual realization and subsequent guilt feel incredibly earned.
What makes the transition from "cold rivals" to "intimate partners" work here is the shift in Kurashina’s motivation. He doesn't approach Isshiki out of a desire to dominate or control him; he approaches him out of remorse.
When Isshiki collapses due to a lack of "communication" (which, in DSV terms, is essentially physical and emotional deprivation that makes a Sub physically ill), Kurashina's immediate instinct is to fix the harm his cold behavior might have caused. Suggesting "light play" as a form of amends or therapy grounds their early interactions in consent, care, and mutual healing rather than aggressive dominance.
Because Kurashina enters the arrangement with an inferiority complex and Isshiki is naturally a leader on campus, their power dynamic is beautifully messy. Even during "play," there is a constant tension between their biological roles (Dom/Sub) and their established social roles (the anxious student vs. the imposing student council president).
Watching Kurashina learn to step into his authority as a Dom strictly to comfort an incredibly vulnerable Isshiki provides a sweet, surprisingly tender emotional core to the story.
If you enjoy BL manga that features gap moe (characters acting completely different from how they look) and heavy emotional caretaking, Play After Call is a fantastic choice. It handles the psychological toll of the Dom/Sub universe with a lot of heart, ensuring that the characters' physical connection is deeply tied to their emotional growth.
Update
Jun. 2nd, 2026 10:54 pmaflatmirrorWhen was the last time I posted here, March? Jeez...
Still pretty depressed and actively hiding away wasting my life. You know it's bad when even Wout winning Roubaix can't make me poke my head out of my shell. And even making efforts to Do Things just kinda feels hollow and overwhelming.
I almost forgot that I wanted to talk a bit about a book I'm reading, inspired byfruitingbodies' reading/watching/listening post. The book is The Flight of the Heron by D.K. Broster. I forget who on here I saw briefly mention it as a homoerotic historical novel, but that set of adjectives is enough to get me to check out most things.
And hoo boy, they were not kidding about the homoeroticism. I swear it follows the beats of a romance--Keith and Ewen have their meetcute, their laundry list of reasons not to fall for one another (including Keith being secretly Wounded and Not Believing In Love), their miscommunications and misunderstandings, even an Only One Bed-adjacent moment early on that stalled my momentum because I just wanted these dumb motherfuckers to kiss on the mouth too bad. I should probably be taking more notes as someone inexperienced with genre romance outside of fanfiction who is nonetheless theoretically working on a romance project.
Still pretty depressed and actively hiding away wasting my life. You know it's bad when even Wout winning Roubaix can't make me poke my head out of my shell. And even making efforts to Do Things just kinda feels hollow and overwhelming.
I almost forgot that I wanted to talk a bit about a book I'm reading, inspired by
fruitingbodies' reading/watching/listening post. The book is The Flight of the Heron by D.K. Broster. I forget who on here I saw briefly mention it as a homoerotic historical novel, but that set of adjectives is enough to get me to check out most things.And hoo boy, they were not kidding about the homoeroticism. I swear it follows the beats of a romance--Keith and Ewen have their meetcute, their laundry list of reasons not to fall for one another (including Keith being secretly Wounded and Not Believing In Love), their miscommunications and misunderstandings, even an Only One Bed-adjacent moment early on that stalled my momentum because I just wanted these dumb motherfuckers to kiss on the mouth too bad. I should probably be taking more notes as someone inexperienced with genre romance outside of fanfiction who is nonetheless theoretically working on a romance project.
It's just ambient noise today.
Jun. 2nd, 2026 07:32 pmashelterofpages'm starting this post later than I meant to, but hey I started it and that's what matters!
Today I was supposed to go out with a friend who's in town, but we both slept poorly, so we're doing that on Thursday. I'm excited to see her since the last time I did, we were in Portland for a con in November. That was actually the first time we ever talked, but we got on pretty well.
Making friends is so weird sometimes.
Slept in later than I intended but I got up before 11, which I'm calling a victory. My goal is to always be up before 10 but my body will just refuse to do that sometimes. Like, I'll go to bed at 10:30pm and I won't get up for another fourteen hours. There is no rhyme or reason for these Sleep Incidents, but it is what it is. I'm working on trying to be more gentle with myself about them and have plans for days where I do that instead of just feeling low and upset by it.
I haven't managed to start doing the art thing, but I pulled out one of my notebooks that are good for fountain pens and started writing in it. I'm going to see if I can keep up doing some kind of writing in this one until I finish it, but we'll see. I have no special plans for the notebook, just going to let it be a catch-all with to do lists, goals, doodles, rambles, ect and see what happens. I'm taking it with me when I head out next Friday, so maybe it'll be a little bit of a travel journal too. Who knows.
I need to do some reading tonight before I go to bed. I do a brief newsletter on Tuesdays where I recommend two short stories I've read recently and I'm running low on options. I try and have a backlog of stories for weeks that I've not read as much and I'm down to less than five. Hopefully this week I'll run across some very good stuff.
Speaking of reading, so I'm officially helping out M with the anthology they're making. [RECORDED]. It's gonna be so much fun and I'm really looking forward to slushing for the first time. If you wan to submit some found footage horror, we're going to be open from the 15th through the end of June.
Today I was supposed to go out with a friend who's in town, but we both slept poorly, so we're doing that on Thursday. I'm excited to see her since the last time I did, we were in Portland for a con in November. That was actually the first time we ever talked, but we got on pretty well.
Making friends is so weird sometimes.
Slept in later than I intended but I got up before 11, which I'm calling a victory. My goal is to always be up before 10 but my body will just refuse to do that sometimes. Like, I'll go to bed at 10:30pm and I won't get up for another fourteen hours. There is no rhyme or reason for these Sleep Incidents, but it is what it is. I'm working on trying to be more gentle with myself about them and have plans for days where I do that instead of just feeling low and upset by it.
I haven't managed to start doing the art thing, but I pulled out one of my notebooks that are good for fountain pens and started writing in it. I'm going to see if I can keep up doing some kind of writing in this one until I finish it, but we'll see. I have no special plans for the notebook, just going to let it be a catch-all with to do lists, goals, doodles, rambles, ect and see what happens. I'm taking it with me when I head out next Friday, so maybe it'll be a little bit of a travel journal too. Who knows.
I need to do some reading tonight before I go to bed. I do a brief newsletter on Tuesdays where I recommend two short stories I've read recently and I'm running low on options. I try and have a backlog of stories for weeks that I've not read as much and I'm down to less than five. Hopefully this week I'll run across some very good stuff.
Speaking of reading, so I'm officially helping out M with the anthology they're making. [RECORDED]. It's gonna be so much fun and I'm really looking forward to slushing for the first time. If you wan to submit some found footage horror, we're going to be open from the 15th through the end of June.
Comment Bingo #9
Jun. 2nd, 2026 07:23 pmkingstoken| a work from an event from 2022 | a work posted in the past month | a work from a science fiction/fantasy canon | a fanvid | an art you go back to |
| a work with a trope you rarely seek out | a work from an event from 2026 | a work in a series | a work from an event from 2024 | a work from a mystery/thriller canon |
| a work posted in 2026 | a work from an event from 2015 | FREE SPACE | a work posted in 2011 | a work from a fandom that aired/released in the 1990s-2010 |
| art on AO3 | a work posted in 2020 | a work posted in 2023 | a work from a fandom that aired/released from 2010-present | a work from a drama canon |
| a work you've already commented on | a work by someone you've come across recently | a work posted in 2010 | a work from an event from 2019 | a work that made you sad |
( Fanworks commneted on )
Birdfeeding
Jun. 2nd, 2026 06:17 pmysabetwordsmithToday is mostly sunny and warm.
I fed the birds. I've seen a mixed flock of sparrows and house finches.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 6/2/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
EDIT 6/2/26 -- I did more work around the patio.
I've seen a grackle at the hopper feeder.
EDIT 6/2/26 -- I did more work around the patio.
EDIT 6/2/26 -- I did more work around the patio.
I watered plants in the house yard.
EDIT 6/2/26 -- I watered the new picnic table garden.
I walked around the yard a bit. The purple penstemon from last year is blooming in the wildflower garden with clusters of little white trumpets. :D
As it is getting dark, I am done for the night.
I fed the birds. I've seen a mixed flock of sparrows and house finches.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 6/2/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
EDIT 6/2/26 -- I did more work around the patio.
I've seen a grackle at the hopper feeder.
EDIT 6/2/26 -- I did more work around the patio.
EDIT 6/2/26 -- I did more work around the patio.
I watered plants in the house yard.
EDIT 6/2/26 -- I watered the new picnic table garden.
I walked around the yard a bit. The purple penstemon from last year is blooming in the wildflower garden with clusters of little white trumpets. :D
As it is getting dark, I am done for the night.
The Antique Hunter's Guide to Murder
Jun. 2nd, 2026 07:13 pmcornerofmadness posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
bookheaven
The Antique Hunter's Guide to Murder by C.L. MillerMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I had mixed feelings about this, probably a 3.5 star read that I rounded up. My problem is right off the jump with how Arthur handled everything. Freya is a middle aged woman whose ex is selling her London home out from under her because the court told him he could once his daughter was 18. Jade is 18 so he's basically putting mother and daughter out. Jade's in America anyhow going to college and Freya just doesn't want to lose her home. And we soon realize how much she gave up for her husband. Her job, her life, her self confidence etc.
She gets called back to where she was raised in the middle of all this by her Aunt Carole who raised her after she lost her parents. Arthur Crockleford, her one time mentor, has died and Carole is sure it wasn't that he was old and fell down the steps and died. Freya hasn't spoken to Arthur in 20 years blaming him for what happened in Cairo 20 years ago, believing he betrayed her (it'll take some time before we learn what happened there). Before that Arthur had given her a purpose as an antique hunter, something her ex didn't allow her to continue (he's the women stay at home type)
Freya was apparently great at that and Arthur's last letter to her apologizes for cutting her out of the business in and she needs to help him one last time and she'll learn exactly what happened in Cairo. To that end, he has given her and Carole clues. His lawyer, Franklin, was told she was to take his place as the antiques expert for some Lord's estate.
He has an awful son, Giles (who has control over his 'girlfriend' Belle) and a money hungry daughter Amy. Also at the estate is Clare the bad cook and Phil who is supposedly a groundskeeper. Within in two days Freya is meant to open the vaults and value everything. No one wants her there and almost immediately the 'leave now' messages start. Somehow all this is all tied into Arthur, the antiques black market and blackmail.
The plot was good and moved along though it did still manage to feel a little overly long in parts. Mostly we're in Freya's pov but we do bounce (in various chapters, well marked, no head hopping) to literally every other character. It's obvious no one is trustworthy and are not who they claim to be. Freya and Carole have to survive while she's navigating her loss of her house but the regaining of her love of antiques.
There are some fun twists in this. What was less fun was Arthur himself because that first plot point is kinda ludicrous. Arthur knows he's betrayed. He expects to die. But he's also in touch with law enforcement so why the heck would he not tell them and why bring Freya into this at all? I guess we're to assume that law enforcement might think she's guilty of something in Cairo so he couldn't hand that to them. Otherwise it doesn't make much sense.
The ending sets up for more stories down the road with Freya as a newly minted antique detective.
View all my reviews
Project Last Chance
Jun. 2nd, 2026 11:40 pmdhampyresaI saw the Project Hail Mary movie and I really enjoyed it. Stupid power of friendship (and science), making me cry.
There's a line at one point about Grace's former girlfriend now being with someone named Mark, and in my head it's Mark "The Martian" Watney because that would be fucking hilarious.
There's a line at one point about Grace's former girlfriend now being with someone named Mark, and in my head it's Mark "The Martian" Watney because that would be fucking hilarious.
Pride Fest Bingo
Jun. 2nd, 2026 04:21 pmwhimsicalmeerkatI decided to try allbingo's prompts list for a bingo card, albeit with a small card. Maybe this will help get me writing. My poor WIPs. I have a fourormore bingo card as well. Apologies to anyone reading my wips.
allbingo's prompts list for a bingo card, albeit with a small card. Maybe this will help get me writing. My poor WIPs. I have a fourormore bingo card as well. Apologies to anyone reading my wips.| Nonbinary | Fanfiction |
| Queer | Family |
📘
Jun. 2nd, 2026 01:41 pmsolarpsychedelicLast night I finished reading Hekate, a novel in poetry by Nikita Gill. Enjoyed this book, 4.5 stars. An immersive read and like the conclusions at the end.
Greek mythology is always good, of course, and I like the spin Gill placed on the myths of Hekate: a young goddess finds herself in a miserable, uncertain world, doesn’t know what her skills and roles are supposed to be, and has to go through hardship to find her way. That’s a premise at once classic and very relevant to today’s world.
Next up: Perfume and Pain by Anna Dorn.
June Manga TBR 2
Jun. 2nd, 2026 03:40 pmbluapapilioUsed my manga TBR boardgame. I read 11/12, DNF'ing one, on my last board.
Avatar:
Natsume
Skill: Re-draw a prompt once
Roll #1:
A 1, prompt: fantasy element - Akuyaku Reijou desuga, Shiawase ni Nattemesemasu wa! .
Roll #2:
A 3 and Double Prompts. Sci-fi element + romance drama - Tensei Oujo to Tensai Reijou no Mahou Kakumei.
Roll #3:
A 2, prompt: otaku - Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun.
Roll #4:
Another 2 and the TBR tile. 4x25 is Amato Amaro.
Roll #5:
A 3, reincarnated in a game world - Akuyaku Reijou no Naka no Hito.
Roll #6:
Another 3 and Double Prompts. Supernatural slice of life + witches etc - My Food Looks Very Cute.
Roll #7:
Yet another 3 and the trap tile. Prompt is Ensemble cast - Boku no Hero Academia.
Roll #8:
Went back and rolled a 2, prompt: longest titled - Touken Ranbu Online: Anthology Comic - Squeni no Jin.
Roll #9:
A 5 and Double Prompts again. Featuring a group of friends + weapon on the cover - Mairimashita! Iruma-kun.
Roll #10:
A 1, prompt: roommates - Bokura ni Namae o Tsukeru Nara.
Roll #11:
Another 1, prompt: fantasy drama - GACHIAKUTA.
Roll #12:
A 5 and the TBR tile. 37x46 - Kaze ni Chiru Hanabira to Kisu.
Roll #13:
A 6, prompt: action drama_ Kagurabachi.
Roll #14:
A 6 and another TBR tile. 37x8 - Kare ga Ore wo Suki Sugite Komaru.
Roll #15:
A 2, prompt: music - Ouji-sama Nante Iranai.
Roll #16:
A 6 and finally the end, it was a long one this time. Reward is Shugo Chara!.
~Manga TBR List~
[Villainess] Akuyaku Reijou desu ga, Shiawase ni Nattemesemasu wa!
[GL/Fantasy] Tensei Oujo to Tensai Reijou no Mahou Kakumei
[Comedy/School Life] Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun
[BL/Drama] Amato Amaro
[Villainess/Fantasy] Akuyaku Reijou no Naka no Hito
[GL/Romance] My Food Looks Very Cute
[Superhero] Boku no Hero Academia
[Fantasy/Slice of Life] Touken Ranbu Online: Anthology Comic - Squeni no Jin
[Fantasy] Mairimashita! Iruma-kun ✔️
[BL/Romance] Bokura ni Namae o Tsukeru Nara ✔️
[Action/Fantasy] GACHIAKUTA
[BL/Romance] Kaze ni Chiru Hanabira to Kisu
[Action/Supernatural] Kagurabachi ✔️
[BL] Kare ga Ore wo Suki Sugite Komaru
[GL/School Life] Ouji-sama Nante Iranai
[Magical Girl] Shugo Chara!
x3 shoujo/josei, x5 shounen/seinen, x4 BL, x3 GL, x1 other
Avatar:
Natsume
Skill: Re-draw a prompt once
Roll #1:
A 1, prompt: fantasy element - Akuyaku Reijou desuga, Shiawase ni Nattemesemasu wa! .
Roll #2:
A 3 and Double Prompts. Sci-fi element + romance drama - Tensei Oujo to Tensai Reijou no Mahou Kakumei.
Roll #3:
A 2, prompt: otaku - Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun.
Roll #4:
Another 2 and the TBR tile. 4x25 is Amato Amaro.
Roll #5:
A 3, reincarnated in a game world - Akuyaku Reijou no Naka no Hito.
Roll #6:
Another 3 and Double Prompts. Supernatural slice of life + witches etc - My Food Looks Very Cute.
Roll #7:
Yet another 3 and the trap tile. Prompt is Ensemble cast - Boku no Hero Academia.
Roll #8:
Went back and rolled a 2, prompt: longest titled - Touken Ranbu Online: Anthology Comic - Squeni no Jin.
Roll #9:
A 5 and Double Prompts again. Featuring a group of friends + weapon on the cover - Mairimashita! Iruma-kun.
Roll #10:
A 1, prompt: roommates - Bokura ni Namae o Tsukeru Nara.
Roll #11:
Another 1, prompt: fantasy drama - GACHIAKUTA.
Roll #12:
A 5 and the TBR tile. 37x46 - Kaze ni Chiru Hanabira to Kisu.
Roll #13:
A 6, prompt: action drama_ Kagurabachi.
Roll #14:
A 6 and another TBR tile. 37x8 - Kare ga Ore wo Suki Sugite Komaru.
Roll #15:
A 2, prompt: music - Ouji-sama Nante Iranai.
Roll #16:
A 6 and finally the end, it was a long one this time. Reward is Shugo Chara!.
~Manga TBR List~
[Villainess] Akuyaku Reijou desu ga, Shiawase ni Nattemesemasu wa!
[GL/Fantasy] Tensei Oujo to Tensai Reijou no Mahou Kakumei
[Comedy/School Life] Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun
[BL/Drama] Amato Amaro
[Villainess/Fantasy] Akuyaku Reijou no Naka no Hito
[GL/Romance] My Food Looks Very Cute
[Superhero] Boku no Hero Academia
[Fantasy/Slice of Life] Touken Ranbu Online: Anthology Comic - Squeni no Jin
[Fantasy] Mairimashita! Iruma-kun ✔️
[BL/Romance] Bokura ni Namae o Tsukeru Nara ✔️
[Action/Fantasy] GACHIAKUTA
[BL/Romance] Kaze ni Chiru Hanabira to Kisu
[Action/Supernatural] Kagurabachi ✔️
[BL] Kare ga Ore wo Suki Sugite Komaru
[GL/School Life] Ouji-sama Nante Iranai
[Magical Girl] Shugo Chara!
x3 shoujo/josei, x5 shounen/seinen, x4 BL, x3 GL, x1 other
June Manga Wrap-Up 1
Jun. 2nd, 2026 03:37 pmbluapapilio
Read Tensei shita no de Kyousei Hatsujou Mahou de Sekai Heiwa wo Mezashimasu, rated it 2.5/5. Read ch. 6 of Tensei Oujo to Tensai Reijou no Mahou Kakumei. Finished volumes 3-4 of Akuyaku Reijou desu ga, Shiawase ni Nattemesemasu wa!. 
DNF'ed Brother, didn't feel the desire to read past ch. 1. Read Nousatsu Maid in Scissors ~Echiechi Kyun~, rated it 7.5/10. (Re)read Core Scramble, ch. 2. Read ch. 17 of Shugo Chara!. Read ch. 45 of Cardcaptor Sakura Clear Card Hen. Read ch. 5 of Gachiakuta! Read ch. 6 of Kagurabachi. Read ch. 178 of Golden Kamuy. Read ch. 10 of Akuyaku Reijou no Naka no Hito.
Poem: "The Forgotten Flower"
Jun. 2nd, 2026 03:04 pmysabetwordsmithThis is today's freebie. It was inspired by prompts from siliconshaman, enchanted_jae, and frith. It also fills the "Lavender" square in my 6-1-26 card for the Pride Fest bingo. This poem belongs to the series Polychrome Heroics and is filed in the Shiv thread.
( Read more... )
siliconshaman, enchanted_jae, and frith. It also fills the "Lavender" square in my 6-1-26 card for the Pride Fest bingo. This poem belongs to the series Polychrome Heroics and is filed in the Shiv thread.( Read more... )
Poetry Fishbowl Open!
Jun. 2nd, 2026 02:16 pmysabetwordsmithThe Poetry Fishbowl is now CLOSED. Thank you for your time and attention. I am done writing!
Starting now, the Poetry Fishbowl is open! Today's theme is "Fun with Language." I will be checking this page periodically throughout the day. When people make suggestions, I'll pick some and weave them together into a poem ... and then another ... and so on. I'm hoping to get a lot of ideas and a lot of poems.
I'll be soliciting ideas for linguists, translators, interpreters, historians, diplomats, refugees, explorers, partners, teachers, clergy, leaders, superheroes, supervillains, alien or fantasy species, failure analysts, ethicists, activists, rebels, other people who get into interesting linguistic situations, translating, interpreting, reading, researching, revising theories, conversing, traveling, inventing languages, parenting, teaching, adventuring, leaving your comfort zone, discovering things, conducting experiments, observation changing experiments, troubleshooting, improvising, adapting, cleaning up messes, cooperating, bartering, taking over in an emergency, saving the day, discovering yourself, studying others, asking for help and getting it, testing boundaries, coming of age, learning what you can (and can't) do, sharing, preparing for the worst, expecting the unexpected, fixing what's broke, upsetting the status quo, changing the world, accomplishing the impossible, recovering from setbacks, returning home, libraries, laboratories, meeting rooms, ruins, liminal zones, trading posts, port cities, schools, churches, supervillain lairs, nonhuman accommodations and adaptations, farmer's markets, starships, alien planets, magical lands, foreign dimensions, other places where languages mix, alphabets, pictograms and other symbols, lost languages, ancient tomes, mysterious texts, misnomers and mistranslations, recordings, the record that breaks the record player, puzzling discoveries, sudden surprises, the buck stops here, trial and error, intercultural entanglements, enemies to friends/lovers, interdimensional travel, lab conditions are not field conditions, superpower manifestation, the end of where your framework actually applies, ethics, innovation, problems that can't be solved by hitting, teamwork, found family, complementary strengths and weaknesses, personal growth, and poetic forms in particular.
If you speak a language other than English and know untranslatable words from it, by all means share. Some other resources you might find helpful:
20 Awesomely Untranslatable Words From Around the World
45 Beautiful Untranslatable Words That Describe Exactly How You’re Feeling
203 Most Beautiful Untranslatable Words [The Ultimate List: A-Z]
Beautiful Untranslatable Words From Around The World
Eunoia website
Currently eligible bingo card(s) for donors wishing to sponsor a square:
Hazbin Hotel Fest Bingo Card 6-1-26
Pride Fest Bingo Card 6-1-26
Among my more relevant series for the main theme:
The Bear Tunnels features numerous tribal languages.
Clay of Life is Jewish fantasy with occasional bits of Hebrew or Yiddish.
The Daughters of the Apocalypse spans a variety of languages, including a split before Before and After English.
Eloquent Souls presents a setting where soulmarks are common, but they don't always appear in the same language.
Fiorenza the Wisewoman is Italian fantasy with bits of Italian.
Frankenstein's Family features two scientists running a valley in historic Romania, with languages including Dacian, English, French, Hungarian, Romanian, and Latin.
Hart's Farm is a free love community with a few really exotic characters, set in Sweden with occasional tidbits from other languages.
Not Quite Kansas includes demonic and angelic writing.
Peculiar Obligations features a mix of Quakers, pirates, and other people speaking diverse languages.
Polychrome Heroics has ordinary humans, supernaries, blue-plate specials, superheroes, supervillains, primal and animal soups all trying to get along and figure out how to make a functional society. It spans a wide range of languages including Arabic, Dhivehi, English, Esperanto, French, and several tribal ones.
Or you can ask for something new.
Linkbacks reveal a verse of any open linkback poem.
( Read more... )
Starting now, the Poetry Fishbowl is open! Today's theme is "Fun with Language." I will be checking this page periodically throughout the day. When people make suggestions, I'll pick some and weave them together into a poem ... and then another ... and so on. I'm hoping to get a lot of ideas and a lot of poems.
I'll be soliciting ideas for linguists, translators, interpreters, historians, diplomats, refugees, explorers, partners, teachers, clergy, leaders, superheroes, supervillains, alien or fantasy species, failure analysts, ethicists, activists, rebels, other people who get into interesting linguistic situations, translating, interpreting, reading, researching, revising theories, conversing, traveling, inventing languages, parenting, teaching, adventuring, leaving your comfort zone, discovering things, conducting experiments, observation changing experiments, troubleshooting, improvising, adapting, cleaning up messes, cooperating, bartering, taking over in an emergency, saving the day, discovering yourself, studying others, asking for help and getting it, testing boundaries, coming of age, learning what you can (and can't) do, sharing, preparing for the worst, expecting the unexpected, fixing what's broke, upsetting the status quo, changing the world, accomplishing the impossible, recovering from setbacks, returning home, libraries, laboratories, meeting rooms, ruins, liminal zones, trading posts, port cities, schools, churches, supervillain lairs, nonhuman accommodations and adaptations, farmer's markets, starships, alien planets, magical lands, foreign dimensions, other places where languages mix, alphabets, pictograms and other symbols, lost languages, ancient tomes, mysterious texts, misnomers and mistranslations, recordings, the record that breaks the record player, puzzling discoveries, sudden surprises, the buck stops here, trial and error, intercultural entanglements, enemies to friends/lovers, interdimensional travel, lab conditions are not field conditions, superpower manifestation, the end of where your framework actually applies, ethics, innovation, problems that can't be solved by hitting, teamwork, found family, complementary strengths and weaknesses, personal growth, and poetic forms in particular.
If you speak a language other than English and know untranslatable words from it, by all means share. Some other resources you might find helpful:
20 Awesomely Untranslatable Words From Around the World
45 Beautiful Untranslatable Words That Describe Exactly How You’re Feeling
203 Most Beautiful Untranslatable Words [The Ultimate List: A-Z]
Beautiful Untranslatable Words From Around The World
Eunoia website
Currently eligible bingo card(s) for donors wishing to sponsor a square:
Hazbin Hotel Fest Bingo Card 6-1-26
Pride Fest Bingo Card 6-1-26
Among my more relevant series for the main theme:
The Bear Tunnels features numerous tribal languages.
Clay of Life is Jewish fantasy with occasional bits of Hebrew or Yiddish.
The Daughters of the Apocalypse spans a variety of languages, including a split before Before and After English.
Eloquent Souls presents a setting where soulmarks are common, but they don't always appear in the same language.
Fiorenza the Wisewoman is Italian fantasy with bits of Italian.
Frankenstein's Family features two scientists running a valley in historic Romania, with languages including Dacian, English, French, Hungarian, Romanian, and Latin.
Hart's Farm is a free love community with a few really exotic characters, set in Sweden with occasional tidbits from other languages.
Not Quite Kansas includes demonic and angelic writing.
Peculiar Obligations features a mix of Quakers, pirates, and other people speaking diverse languages.
Polychrome Heroics has ordinary humans, supernaries, blue-plate specials, superheroes, supervillains, primal and animal soups all trying to get along and figure out how to make a functional society. It spans a wide range of languages including Arabic, Dhivehi, English, Esperanto, French, and several tribal ones.
Or you can ask for something new.
Linkbacks reveal a verse of any open linkback poem.
( Read more... )
Midnight Bookstore by tacocasi
Jun. 2nd, 2026 08:43 pmreviews_and_ramblings
Komiya is a struggling grad student trying to make ends meet. He meets Youzou Nishi, owner of the Nishi Bookstore, while searching for an affordable room and board, which the latter had advertised in exchange for looking after the bookstore occasionally. After living a month with Youzou, Komiya is smitten. But Youzou is a great mystery. Apart from managing a bookstore, he also has another job that Komiya doesn't know much about, except that Youzou's clients all seem otherworldly. Komiya doesn't think about it much until an earthquake and rejuvenation water turns Youzou into a child. As it turns out, Youzou also runs a pawn shop of holy miracles for gods.
My Rate: 7 (jpbookstore.com/products/ushimitsu-doki-doki-koshoten-tan)
Tacocasi's Midnight Bookstore perfectly hits a sweet spot of cozy, domestic BL blended with chaotic, supernatural urban fantasy.
The transition from Youzou being a slightly mysterious bookstore owner to running a literal pawn shop of holy miracles for gods changes the entire flavor of the story. It shifts the dynamic from a quiet, domestic romance into a high-stakes, magical workplace comedy where the clientele are literally divine beings.
Turning Youzou into a child via an earthquake and rejuvenation water is a classic, chaotic manga twist. It injects an instant dose of comedy and upends the romantic dynamic. Komiya goes from being the protected, smitten lodger to suddenly having to be the caretaker and protector of a pint-sized version of his crush. It forces Komiya to step up, adding a wonderful layer of responsibility and humor to his character growth.
The concept of a "pawn shop for gods" allows Tacocasi to flex some brilliant episodic creativity. Seeing what kind of "holy miracles" gods would pawn—and what they want in exchange—gives the world-building a quirky, imaginative depth that keeps the plot moving forward beyond just the romance.
This is a must-read if you enjoy BL titles like The Morose Mononokean, Kamisama Kiss, or Natsume's Book of Friends, but want that explicit, dedicated Boys' Love romantic core.
It perfectly balances the cozy, warm-toned aesthetic of an old bookstore with the flashy, unpredictable rules of the spirit world. Komiya's journey from a stressed-out grad student to the ultimate assistant for a god-pawning bookkeeper is incredibly satisfying, funny, and deeply endearing.