It has been far too long since my last Manga Monday post. I managed to snag these two new books, The White and Blue Between Us and My Ultramarine Sky, on NetGalley and have been looking forward to reading them. I always love a good BL story, and the covers of these ones sucked me in immediately. What did I think of them? Read on to find out!
Goodreads Synopsis (The White and Blue Between Us)
When a white lie tears apart two high school friends, the two boys will have to confront their past in order to repair their future in this moving, dramatic, BL one-shot, perfect for fans of My Summer of You , Seven Days , or I Hear the Sunspot.
Is it ever too late to make up for a lie? Or can the opportunity be swept away, like white clouds across a blue summer sky?
It’s been seven years since Hozumi left the island town he grew up on, leaving behind not only the seaside, but also Mishima–his close friend and first love from high school. The two haven’t spoken since Hozumi turned Mishima down when he rejected him and lied about his own feelings, so when Hozumi returns for his high school reunion, he wants nothing more than to make amends with Mishima–a task easier said than done. In their years apart, Mishima has distanced himself from not only Hozumi, but everyone in the entire town, choosing to live alone in the lighthouse his grandfather used to tend to. Will Hozumi finally be able to break down Mishima’s walls, clear the air between them, and finally confess his true feelings, or are the two fated to be separated from one another?
My Review of The White and Blue Between Us
Unfortunately, The White and Blue Between Us didn’t really work for me. It had a cute premise. I’m usually a sucker for a good second chance romance. The setting of the island and lighthouse was also beautiful, and I loved the art style so much. None of that could save this book from the atrocious pacing and questionable plot, though. The story moved really fast, and the pace was often jarring. I never felt like I got a chance to know the characters, and the story jumped between the past and the present too much. This was on track to be a solid three stars despite its shortcomings until the rape happened. At least, I think it was a rape. Maybe it was supposed to come across as a moment of passion, but one of the characters seemed way too hesitant. The whole thing made me uncomfortable, especially when it was swept under the rug and never mentioned again. There was a cute story buried somewhere in here, especially with how much I loved the bonus chapter showing the story of their original relationship from high school. It was just overshadowed by Hozumi’s obsessiveness and forcefulness, as well as the lack of time to really get to know either of them. Therefore, I give The White and Blue Between Us a rating of 2.5 out of 5 stars.
Goodreads Synopsis (My Ultramarine Sky)
From the creator of My Summer of You comes a high school romance about two friends who’ve always been in the same class, but when a new school year separates them, they realize that their feelings for each other might run deeper than friendship…
From their first year of middle school to their second year of high school, Kai and Ren have not only always been in the same class—they’ve also always sat next to each other. But in their last year of high school, the boys are assigned to two separate classes, and with each passing day, Kai feels as if he’s slipping further and further away from Ren… One day, when Kai finds Ren sleeping in a classroom after school, he whispers the feelings that he can’t bring himself to say out loud… and Ren hears him. Will Kai’s confession draw them further and further apart, or will it be the spark that brings them back to each other once more?
My Review of My Ultramarine Sky
My Ultramarine Sky was so damn cute. There wasn’t a ton of plot, but the focus on the characters and their struggle to adjust to being in different classes for the first time was perfectly paced. It was a snapshot of their lives at this crucial coming-of-age moment where they came to terms with their feelings for each other. I truly got the sense that these boys had been best friends forever, and I appreciated how much their connection came across in the writing and art. They were adorable and unsure about making their romantic feelings known, even though it seemed their other friends already knew they were a package deal. While this wasn’t a steamy story (thankfully, since the characters were still minors), it did have a strong focus on the emotions of the boys and the impact of their relationship, and its potential loss, on each other’s lives and well-being. If you are looking for a wonderful friends to boyfriends BL story, I definitely recommend picking this one up. Therefore, I give My Ultramarine Sky a rating of 4 out of 5 stars.
Those are my thoughts on The White and Blue Between Us and My Ultramarine Sky! Thank you to Kodansha Comics for providing copies of the books via NetGalley. Do you enjoy reading manga? What types of stories do you like the most? Let me know your thoughts down in the comments! 🙂