FAVORITE BL

One of my favorite stories of all time. Taemin has to struggle with a life that isn't his own, with the knowledge that his original body is gone forever and with a man he thinks abandoned him. Woojin on the other hand believes that Siwon is in truth Taemin but he has only his own gut feeling as proof. Great story, great characters, and a love that resists despite everything.

A story that's intriguing from the start but that absolutely guts you when you learn Llewellyn's backstory. Shavonne is relatable and resilient to a fault, while Llewellyn seems a madman but really is nothing more than desperately trying to keep what he loves in his reach.

Hinohara is great at writing characters that are grounded in reality and here she manages it despite the supernatural element. Chiharu and Rin are interesting and while the "returned to find his bride" is a common trope in BL, here it's done so well and their feelings are so tender that it's like a fresh new concept.

This is not an extraordinary original story but Hinohara is so good at writing characters that this is miles over anything else. The plot is good and engaging, the characters have worries that feel realistic and they resolve them by talking them out.

Kudos to the fact that Shizuka not only identifies clearly as bisexual and says so more than once, but also accepts it in a way that's wholesome and so wonderfully far from the usual cliche.

Genuinely perfect rivals to lovers. Two students always clashing but that in truth care for each other are separated by tragedy. When Haon returns, he doesn't know if he can trust Rigon but he does anyway because he's the only one he has left. Immaculate angst. Perfect. Chef's kiss.

This has both evocative, beautiful art and a compelling storyline. The character of Paljae is intriguing and I love how he grows to understand human emotions bit by bit. Muryeong appears as a patient and wise taoist but we see now in his dreams that he has a complicate, painful history. The more you go on with the story, the more you discover exactly how entangled they are to each other. Love it.

I usually dislike "yeah I treated u like shit but it's bc I love you" kind of plot but this is an EXCELLENT execution. It wasn't exactly love and it wasn't exactly hate but Jung Jaehan surely felt something enough to ruin Yoon Heegyeom's life. Seeing how fucked up he is and how he has to navigate his feelings anyway is so interesting and the author writes them so well. And Heegyeom isn't completely sane anyway.

I need to re-read but I remember this as such a fun, enjoyable ride. The characters feel realistic, making choices that aren't always the best but always feel motivated. The side characters are equally amazing: on one hand, Daeshik enthusiastically explores his newfound sexuality, on the other Sohae with what I suspect is being on the autism spectrum. A great read.

Skylar and Cirrus are both flawed characters with complicated house situations. While Skylar is clealry more stable and act like a decent human being, Cirrus only operates according to the complicated feelings he holds for Skylar. Super intriguing to see Cirrus, a complete asshole, trying his best to get the oblivious, blindsided Skylar and failing (at least for now).

Amazing, underrated gem. The theme of coming out and how desperate the protagonist is to be accept and loved "no matter how messed up I am" is treated with exceptional, gut-punching realistm. I relate so deeply to his struggle - how my family would change if I came out, how I'll never have someone who loves me and only me, how lonely I feel at times. Wonderful work that gets a lot of tears out of me.