Reviews

Novel Review | Lip and Sword by Jin Shisi Chai

Title: Lip and Sword

Jin Shisi Chai

Xing Ming is the host of Pearl Line, a news analysis show for the station Pearl TV Station News Center. He’s attractive, talented, and truly cares about the news he puts out. As a result, during the end-of-the-year banquet for the station, Xing Ming is awarded the Top Ten News Centers of the Year award. However, not everyone feels he is deserving of it. Director Chen Linan, who actually recruited Xing Ming initially and put him in the position of hosting Pearl Line, now no longer feels he is worthy of his accolades or role on the show. This is all because Zhuang Lei, rumored to be Chen Linan’s niece or lover, was the host of Pearl Line before she went on maternity leave, which allowed Xing Ming to be her replacement. Even though she has recovered and is ready to return, Xing Ming refuses to give up his spot.

Due to his frustration and drunkness, Chen Linan confronts Xing Ming at the party. At first, Xing Ming isn’t worried over the drunken Chen Linan’s pestering… until Chen Linan brings up Xing Ming’s dead father, a convicted rapist. In a blind rage, Xing Ming beats Chen Linan over the head with a wine bottle in front of everyone at the party. In a panic, knowing his job is on the line, Xing Ming reaches out to the station chairman, Yu Zhongye, and offers himself up in exchange for leniency regarding his punishment. While Yu Zhongye does take him up on his offer, and they spend a night together, the director and chairman are set to fire him the following day. Once more, in a fit of rage, Xing Ming fights off the security guards and poses an offer to the chairman: let me create my own show with my own team from scratch. If he doesn’t get decent ratings during a six-month period, he will leave on his own.

Yu Zhongye agrees, but as Xing Ming faces setback after setback, he constantly has to return to Yu Zhongye for favors. As he gives himself over to the chairman repeatedly, Xing Ming begins to question if this is all worth it and what his sexuality is. However, more than anything, Xing Ming wonders if what he feels for Yu Zhongye is truly admiration or if it is something deeper? And is Yu Zhongye capable of loving anyone for more than their body?

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Manhwa Review | Make Me Bark by Sagold

Title: Make Me Bark

Sagold

Sagold

Sungjoon’s life is finally coming together. After toiling away and saving every penny, he finally has enough for a deposit on a new apartment. “New” is a generous word to describe the rundown facilities, but Sungjoon worked hard for it, so it’s good enough for him. However, all his luck soon turns for the worst when he finds that his apartment caught fire on his way home from work. With no money to his name and no home to go to, Sungjoon is at the end of his rope. Out of desperation, he goes through his phone to see if there is anyone who could possibly help him.

As much as he doesn’t want to, he calls Hyo-in, a classmate from high school and now in college. He doesn’t know him well, but he does know one thing: this guy is filthy rich. Surely he can help Sungjoon. As expected, Hyo-in has no problem helping out, but he does have one request. In exchange for a place to stay and for pay, Hyo-in wants Sungjoon to be his puppy. It is an odd request, but all Sungjoon has to do is wear a collar, go on walks, and greet Hyo-in when he gets home. Surely Sungjoon can handle that. Right?

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Manhwa Review | If You Hate Me So by Fargo

Title: If You Hate Me So

Fargo

Fargo

Minjae is doing his best to get through school as quietly as possible. Unfortunately, that goes all out the window when he walks in on Hyung-jo doing something… inappropriate while the T.A., Jinhan, is asleep. Hyung-jo is obsessively in love with the T.A., and when he realizes Minjae has caught him, Hyung-jo is willing to go to any length to protect his secret crush from ridicule, even if it means hurting Minjae. Hyung-jo clarifies that he doesn’t care what anyone says about him, but he won’t tolerate anyone bad-mouthing Jinhan.

If that isn’t bad enough, Minjae also develops a crush on Jinhan, but Minjae refuses to back down. Only to make matters worse, Jinhan constantly brings Minjae and Hyung-jo together, forcing the two to interact even when they would both instead do anything but be in the same room with each other. Somehow, while they are fighting each other over Jinhan, Jinhan slowly stops being their focus. Instead, the only people in their view are each other. But, from enemies to lovers, is that even possible?

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Manhwa Review | Seven Days of Lust by Fujoking, Hato, Hoben, Lee Aru, MEL, Pyoryu

Title: Seven Days of Lust

Fujoking Hato Hoben Lee Aru MEL Pyoryu

Fujoking Hato Hoben Lee Aru MEL Pyoryu

This is an anthology series with six stories, all based in the omegaverse. There are supposed to be seven, which explains the title, but I cannot find a legal way to read the missing story; as a result, only the 6 available on Lezhin Comics will be reviewed. If a legal avenue becomes available with the missing story, I will add it to this review. The following are the stories in this anthology, with a short description of each:

Beta Test by Lee Aru

Two betas experiment with a new drug that can make someone an alpha or omega. The results end up being much more than either of them expected.

Love is Love by Hato

A supposed beta has a crush on an alpha. The alpha’s cousin has a crush on the beta. With the beta stuck in the middle, who will he choose? Or will he even have to?

Melting Point by MEL

An omega professor hasn’t gone into heat for months. After seeing the doctor and receiving some intimate tools to fix this problem, an alpha student finds it and decides to help the professor himself.

Sleepless Nights by Hoben

An alpha is mistaken as an omega in a beta school when a rumor goes around that an omega has transferred in. Then, many years later, the alpha meets the omega, which turns out to be one of the people who hung out with the bullies. This time, though, the turf has changed. The alpha is the omega’s boss, and it is time for some revenge.

Mutual Enemy by Pyoryu

A recessive alpha and a dominant alpha butt heads, but when the recessive alpha is drugged by an omega that has a crush on him, the dominant alpha is there to lend a hand.

Clinical Matters of the Heart by Fujoking

A dominant alpha signs up to test a new medication that can turn alphas into omegas to earn $500. Unfortunately, the test requires him to go into heat with some alphas around. What could go wrong?

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Manhwa Review | Love on My Terms by GYEUL

Title: Love on My Terms

GYEUL

GYEUL

Mogyum is a former child star trying to make a comeback as an adult. However, the unfortunate accident that led him to drop out of the limelight haunts him, hindering his acting. However, what makes acting that much harder is Mogyum’s co-star, Chamin, who seems oddly fixated on Mogyum. Chamin is an established A-lister who acted with Mogyum when they were kids on the same set where the traumatic accident occurred. What Mogyum doesn’t know about Chamin is that Chamin can read minds, which is part of the reason he has become such a great actor.

However, Chamin is so drawn to Mogyum in the first place because Mogyum is the only person whose thoughts Chamin can’t read. So, to learn why and to better their chemistry on screen, Chamin offers Mogyum a contract. A dating contract, which would allow Chamin and Mogyum to intimately act out their scenes together as if they were actually dating while the two live together at Chamin’s house. While Mogyum is hesitant at first, learning more about acting from an A-lister like Chamin is too good an opportunity to pass up.

Things start to get a little too real, though, and soon, the lines between characters and reality begin to blur. While Mogyum and Chamin are sorting out their feelings, the mystery of Mogyum’s accident looms in the background, threatening to destroy everything for them once more.

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