Chrissy
This is such an important book, especially during this time. It was so inspiring to read the stories of resistance in West Virginia and how they have found community and resilience to continue to resist. I also greatly appreciated how easy this book is to read, so that anyone, regardless of age or skill level, can pick it up and understand the message behind the text.
I loved this! It was such a cozy manga with amazing representation of multiple types of neurodivergence and great communication between the characters. If you enjoy space, you'll like this manga even more. I cannot wait for the next volume to come out because I will definitely be continuing in the series.
After reading the last 831 story, I was left disappointed. If this story were fleshed out into a full novel, it could have been far more enjoyable. The very core of the story was interesting, and there could have been good commentary on elder Gen Z burnout and power dynamics softened by a tender “rivals” to lovers plot; however, this novella was far too short, so each plot point felt surface-level and had to be told rather than shown to the reader.
I am not an avid reader of traditional comics but I was very pulled in by the premise of this one. I feel this first issue sets up the story in a quick and interesting way. I do wish it was longer but I also understand comics like this are meant to be shorter. It would be a great series to binge once more issues are out.
I would highly recommend Lucky Day if you are in the mood for a short, absurdist, sci-fi/horror. The action started almost immediately, and the kills/gore were so creative that I found myself genuinely cringing at certain parts, which rarely happens. I had a whole existential crisis while reading this book, and I loved every second of it.
This book was such an interesting read. I really enjoyed my time with it and devoured it within 24 hours. I loved the idea that even as the world continued to decline, people still turned to mindless entertainment, and I appreciated the heightened speed at which this show was produced, with no gap between seasons, since we are already getting multiple seasons per year of some reality shows. I know some felt that the author could have expanded the world-building, but I enjoyed how open she left it, allowing the reader to fill in the blanks based on their existing experience with the world. This was a slow build, but it felt relatively real with all of the different personalities that were spread throughout the group. If you enjoy lit-fic with a slightly thrilling element, I would recommend this book.
A perfect follow-up to Arcana: The Lost Heirs. The characters are wonderful and have depth, which can be difficult to create in a graphic novel. The storyline is so sweet and has a brilliant balance between intrigue, danger, romance, and forgiveness/healing. I adore the art style and diversity in portraying the scenery and characters alike. I cannot wait to see what the next project will be from the author.
The Hounding was a brilliant debut. I enjoyed the lush writing and getting to know the Mansfield sisters and Little Nettlebed through the eyes of other characters. My only semi-complaint is that the central point of the plot felt like it was driven home a little too strongly, but I also don't think the book would have been quite the same if it hadn't been. I am certainly looking forward to whatever Purvis comes out with next.
Scarlett St. Clair has done it again, at least for me. Terror at the Gates delivers a healthy dose of religious trauma, deconstruction, and feminine rage in a Western religion-inspired world. The yearning and slower-burn between the main couple was also top-notch. Both narrators also did a fantastic job at bringing this story to life.
This was one hell of a wild ride, and I am left with so many questions after the end. The beginning felt a little bit slow, but the unhingedness i had been hoping for ramped up. The plot was definitely different from what I had expected, but I ended up really enjoying it. I do wish there had been more mixed media throughout the story verse only at the end, but I also understand what they author chose to write the book in this way. I am looking forward to seeing what Alex Gonzalez comes out with next.
This collection of poetry had some ups and downs for me, I was concerned after not connecting with the first couple, but the rest of the collection went much better for me. I found 7 poems that I bookmarked as standouts that I really enjoyed. Overall, I liked the idea of this collection and the themes that it was exploring; a couple of my favorite poems were Folded Lovers in China Town and The Prophet.
I am so incredibly disappointed and disgusted by this book.
The main plot point of this book is a fictionalized version of the “University of Idaho Massacre” that happened in Moscow, Idaho, in late 2022. When the case is first introduced, the facts are directly taken from the real case, with some half-assed name changes. This case hasn't even finished its way through the court system, so Ashley Winstead is profiting from this tragedy while the families and community directly affected have yet to get closure or have a chance to begin to heal.
I will be slightly biased for this book since I grew up in Alaska, so books from there will always have a soft spot in my heart. I had not heard the story of the Fairbanks Four prior to listening to this book. I feel as though the author did a very good job presenting the facts of the case along with all of the research and reporting that was required to free those four from incarceration, which can be difficult to do when the timeline spans so long. I am so incredibly disappointed with how the case was handled by the state and the prosecutors' office, and am so heartbroken that the four wrongfully convicted men cannot seek any compensation after having so many years of their lives stolen.
This was received as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.