Love Yumi

"If you don't know me, that's okay. There were many days I didn't know who I was either..." My name is Chiharu Morita. Of course, that is the name on this blog, so that is who I am. The Chiharu you know is only a shadow. Yes, I was in a group called Butterfly Tops. Now I am a composer, the person responsible for some of the pop songs you hear on the radio. Those aren't the reasons you know me, though. You know me because of YUMI. The woman who comes into your living room every night on dramas, music shows, and radio request lines. The most famous woman in the country. Yumi, as you may know, is my childhood friend. We graduated high school and went to audition for a new girl group they were creating. The rest is history. For you, anyway. For me, I still breathe this every day. Because I love Yumi. I have since I was a young girl too stupid to know the words for what I felt. This is my confession. This is the story of not only me, but Yumi too. Of how we left our town and became household names. Of how I fell in love with her and did everything in my power to protect her from the evil in this world. I did not always succeed. I will not rest until you know the truth. All the lies the agencies and labels tried to make us spew will be known. Maybe this will mean the end of what career I have left. But if I don't tell this story, I won't know who I am anymore. I want to be more than "the girl who loved Yumi," and yet it's the only identity I can ever remember having. For better or worse, let us begin. Set in contemporary Japan, "LOVE, YUMI" is the epic journey one woman embarks on to complete the impossible: to save her best friend and the woman she loves from a brutal, all-consuming pop culture world. Contains every situation that entails.

Japan and the United States became close political allies so quickly after the end of World War II, that it seemed as though the two countries had easily forgotten the war they had fought. Here Yoshikuni Igarashi offers a provocative look at how Japanese postwar society struggled to understand its war loss and the resulting national trauma, even as forces within the society sought to suppress these memories. Igarashi argues that Japan's nationhood survived the war's destruction in part through a popular culture that expressed memories of loss and devastation more readily than political discourse ever could. He shows how the desire to represent the past motivated Japan's cultural productions in the first twenty-five years of the postwar period. Japanese war experiences were often described through narrative devices that downplayed the war's disruptive effects on Japan's history. Rather than treat these narratives as obstacles to historical inquiry, Igarashi reads them along with counter-narratives that attempted to register the original impact of the war. He traces the tensions between remembering and forgetting by focusing on the body as the central site for Japan's production of the past. This approach leads to fascinating discussions of such diverse topics as the use of the atomic bomb, hygiene policies under the U.S. occupation, the monstrous body of Godzilla, the first Western professional wrestling matches in Japan, the transformation of Tokyo and the athletic body for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, and the writer Yukio Mishima's dramatic suicide, while providing a fresh critical perspective on the war legacy of Japan.

Lira thinks a girl like her can’t change the world. In the far future, Lira faces a new world order very different from what we have today. A plague has decimated the human population, and their only hope of surviving is to strike a deal with the vampires. Humans must donate to the blood banks in exchange for the cure found only in the vampires’ blood. To fast-track the return to civilization, a caste system was imposed, putting Lira in one of the lowest and poorest rungs of society. Her only hope of rising above her station is to get into the exclusive Imperial Academy. The good news: Lira’s acceptance letter arrived in the mail today. The bad news: Human students must study alongside vampires hungry for blood drawn directly from the vein. And for some strange reason, they all want Lira’s blood—including Nicholas, the mysterious vampire prince. By going to the academy, Lira is already changing the world. She just doesn’t know it yet.

Take two American teen chefs, add one heaping cup of Paris, toss in a pinch of romance, and stir. . . . Rosie Radeke firmly believes that happiness can be found at the bottom of a mixing bowl. But she never expected that she, a random nobody from East Liberty, Ohio, would be accepted to celebrity chef Denis Laurent's school in Paris, the most prestigious cooking program for teens in the entire world. Life in Paris, however, isn't all cream puffs and crepes. Faced with a challenging curriculum and a nightmare professor, Rosie begins to doubt her dishes. Henry Yi grew up in his dad's restaurant in Chicago, and his lifelong love affair with food landed him a coveted spot in Chef Laurent's school. He quickly connects with Rosie, but academic pressure from home and his jealousy over Rosie's growing friendship with gorgeous bad-boy baker Bodie Tal makes Henry lash out and push his dream girl away. Desperate to prove themselves, Rosie and Henry cook like never before while sparks fly between them. But as they reach their breaking points, they wonder whether they have what it takes to become real chefs. Perfect for lovers of Chopped Teen Tournament and Kids Baking Championship, as well as anyone who dreams of a romantic trip to France, Love à la Mode follows Rosie and Henry as they fall in love with food, with Paris, and ultimately, with each other.

Presents a cartoon that depicts the special bond between friends, that thrives on swapping books, mutual reblogs, and the happiness felt when together, known as friend-love.

Sometimes all you need is a leap of faith... When her husband's recent infidelities are exposed, Kate Hensley does what any sensible woman would; she kicks him out of the house and pursues a younger man. Could her snowboarding instructor, Evan Randall — blue-eyed, blonde, and gorgeous — be the solution to her problems? If only love were that simple. Gossip travels fast in the high-country, and while Kate's new BFF supports her romantic endeavours, it seems no one else does. With opposition to her amorous adventure mounting, Kate learns that Newton's third law applies to love as it does to motion, and she must decide whether the price of being true to herself is one she's prepared to pay...

Annabelle has tamed the wild boys, mastered the social hierarchy of catty mean girls, and bugged out over her first school dance. But now it's time for the school talent show. Annabelle's been asked to be a judge. Which is perfect . . . until her friends accuse Annabelle of playing favorites because her boyfriend Oliver asked for special treatment. Can Annabelle remain an impartial judge without hurting anyone's feelings??? The trials and tribulations of middle school that make this series so relatable (and fun!) are back in full force in this fourth book.

Infinite Love: A Collection of Timeless Romance is a collection of several love stories. This is for a diverse audience eager to immerse themselves in narratives that transcend time and boundaries. Readers will be captivated by the varied tales celebrating the universal themes of love, resilience, and connection. Whether it's the enchanting allure of love stories set in New Orleans or the magical embrace of a sorceress and a vampire, the collection promises an emotional journey, fostering discussions and a shared appreciation for the enduring power of love in all its forms. In coffee shops, libraries, and bookstores, conversations buzz with anticipation as readers eagerly share their favorite stories and anticipate the next emotional adventure. Infinite Love: A Collection of Timeless Romance stands not just as a collection of stories but as a cultural phenomenon, inviting readers to explore the depths of their own emotions and beliefs about the transformative nature of love, making it a must-have for those seeking an escape and a celebration of love's timeless allure.