Normal people usually do their spring cleaning in the spring when the weather is more pleasant. The Ito household, however, has a touch of the Goldilocks Syndrome. This year, we planned on doing it early, but Weather, itself, whimsical and impervious to our pleas for stability, kept cartwheeling around us. Either it was “too hot” or “too cold”, and we were left to assure ourselves that we would get around to it – like, really, seriously buckle ourselves down for it – once it was “just right.” We were content with saying, “Well, we like waiting for things!” And then several months later summer came and swept us up into a fiery furnace of heat, making it impossible to budge even a centimeter without breaking a sweat.
And the consequences? Why, merely being boxed in on all sides by the crystallized form of our book-hoarding mentality, with not an inch of free space! Therefore, no other choice proffered up except the one: Get off our lazy butts and start moving!
But, oh! Look! Here’s that copy of Neal Stephenson’s “Anathem” that went missing last year. What? My dog-eared copy of Joseph Heller’s Catch-22! Brings back memories. Eww! My collection of Judith McNaught historical romance novels. Why do I still have them?!
And several hours later…
My room is still piled from floor to ceiling with books. In case of a fire, firefighters will have to wade through this sea of tinder to find me. No, maybe, they will just let the flames consume me. I will only have myself to blame for it because I was too lazy to rid myself of so much hazardous, flammable material. On my epitaph it will read: Eaten alive by literature. But, but, but I haven’t even read them all yet. *proceeds to split open a copy of a cheap thriller she can’t even remember the title of and will probably never finish reading*
I have so many books to read, and not enough time!
But with every last vestige of my body, I shall spur myself onward to type this special release post. Yes, I must! *tosses the book aside*
I say “special” because it is. A lot of busy people were involved in the process, and I feel like everyone fought tooth and nail to make it happen. First and foremost, applauds to Aerial for returning in the nick of time to finish typesets on Ane no Kekkon Chapter 15:
Download || Read Online
We all need a little touch of winter romance to keep us going.
Second, we teamed up with an awesome shoujo group, ShoujoHearts, to present to you a new project by Iketani Rikako entitled, “Hakkoiri no Musume.” Please be sure to check out their post here! for a more in-depth coverage of this manga, as well as a slew of other great shoujo!
Tamako, who has lead a sheltered life all her life, wants to attend a university in Tokyo to follow her boyfriend there but is opposed by her grandfather. So she plans a fake engagement with Noriyuki in exchange for her grandfather’s financial support to his family’s shop while both he and she gets to study in Tokyo.
Please take your time to read it and let us know what you think!
Hakkoiri no Musume Chapter 1: Download || Read Online
Our 8th year anniversary lands on Sunday, July 30th. We will see you again soon with enough goodies to make you drop your— Err, we will see you again soon!
*hands slowly inch toward a new pile of unread books*
Happy 8th Birthday, Stiletto Heels Team! Keep up the good work!
Wow you’ve been doing this for eight years?
Yes, sonny boy/girl, it’s been 8 years… Let’s see now…
Me (voice quivering like an 100-year-old Grandmother, blind as a bat, skin like folds of crepe): In my time… What was it? Oh, yes… I don’t remember…
I moved away from home, leaving behind a huuuuge library of books that I never read, only to get an e-reader, with which I started a huuuuge collection of books that I haven’t read. “It’s all TBR! I’m working my way through it! ZOMG Ilona Andrews just had a new release?! ” *insta-buys and immediately starts reading it* Don’t even get me started on my cookbook collection (those are physical copies)….
So I totally relate. If my books were physical copies, I’d probably be dead. Because if they weren’t the tinder, it was the avalanche that buried me under.
With “stimulating” book covers such as the ones Ilona Andrews has on hers, I could definitely see your need for an e-reader. (*＾∀゜) But at least now I know that when I don’t hear from you, it’s not because you’ve been crushed underneath the weight of your lusty, physical book collection!
Ughhhhh I’d have never bought those books if I’d based them on those covers. They are some of THE WORST =_=
Thankfully it’s the content that really matters in this case.
Hahaha, when a cover’s too adrenalized for the eyes, it’s inconvenient for me to read it in public. Which is why I love my Kindle to death.
Based on the blurb, the Kate Daniel series is not too far off from the urban fantasy that is my beloved Final Fantasy 7, where magic and tech coexist. I equip my characters with materia found in reactors that allow them to cast magic spells. Shinra Inc.’s Midgar is a city underneath plates, and they are attempting to build Neo-Midgar. Outside, wild monsters roam that have deadly magic abilities like Aqualung and Trine. Doesn’t that count as urban fantasy?
(I’m currently just a bit past the part where Tifa decided to give up saving the Planet from Meteor in order to nurse Cloud back to health, and after falling into the Lifestream, must now help him piece back his memories to prove that he’s not just Sephiroth’s puppet and a miserable failure that had no number tattoo or free will. OMG! The feels!)
Anyway, I want to read it so badly, but I’m scared of jumping into a long-running series. I still have that stupid Outlander to contend with, but I hate Gabaldon’s writing! And I’m still stumbling my way through Elizabeth Haydon’s Symphony of Ages, which I started reading when I was fourteen!
Should I attempt something shorter and less daunting from her? Or is the Kate Daniels series the best way to get my foot in the door?
The KD series is really good, but I had to take a break from it because I was binge-reading and my brain was starting to melt. I do recommend it if you are up to the challenge….
But if you want a taste of Ilona Andrews’ writing style with less of the commitment, try out the Inkeeper Chronicles (Clean Sweep is Book 1). Not the same universe, but there’s intriguing magic, and there’s (so far) only 3 books to contend with (as opposed to the 10 in the KD series, not including the novellas…of vey). And the covers are better looking, that’s for sure
Many thanks for the recent updates for ane no kekkon ! I’m so hooked to the story to the point I’m considering to buy the hard copy if they ever released the english version !
Again, thank you ^///^
Many thanks for the latest chapter of Ane no Kekkon, Stiletto team <3
The post that accompanied the release, and the chapter brought tears to my eyes . Firstly, because I love reading, so the joy of starting to read yet another book is like opening a Christmas present. I wouldn't trust myself every time I browsed Book Depository with the justification of "just looking for recommendation for the next book…."
Secondly now I can relate to Yori more than I could several years back when I started reading the first release. Next year I'd be forty, although I'm not working in a library, earlier this year I developed a crush on a married man. Needless to say, I'm crushed :'(
Lils, I feel for you so much. Have not had the misfortune of being in a prickly situation such as yours, but while I read the scene where Maki is coming for his “USB” in the snow, tears welled in my eyes. Just thinking of you having to go through similar feelings, and on top of that, not really being able to talk too openly about it with anyone else because of his marriage status gives me too much feels. I’m really sorry, but sometimes we can’t choose who we crush on, can we? Perhaps knowing that Nishi Keiko is so personally invested in Yori’s story may provide some comfort. In a way, she’s your ally, willing to cast an empathetic look at how these relationships begin. And if anything else, no matter what, I’ll lend my poor but sympathetic listening ear, as you have supported the team with your comments throughout so many years. *sends hugs*
Thanks for your kind words. I’ve been meaning to reply for weeks but I’ve been in a situation where I think I’ve dissociated from reality way too far. Not a good thing having a crush on a married man when you’re mentally unstable lols. By being in Yori’s shoes, I can perhaps root for her and hoping that her ending will be much satisfactory than of my kataomoi. Charlotte Bronte’s words were so accurate when she wrote “I could not unlove him now, merely because I found that he had ceased to notice me”. Who am I kidding, right? *hugs back* (Oh I must say that I had to sift through heaps of my collection of tartan noir to find the well-worn and yellowing copy of Jane Eyre).
> In case of a fire, firefighters will have to wade through this sea of /tinder/ to find me.
LOL now I see how your obsession with books equates to my unhealthy Tinder habit, Hats.
You keep reading those books! Not sure if I should actually encourage you or not… but maybe you deserve it? Thank you for your hard work!
Haha, clever girl! Maybe too clever for your own good!