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2.83k reviews by:
betweentheshelves
adventurous
emotional
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was fun! The art style worked really well for the story and I like the way the color palette changed when it was a flashback or something with important information the reader needed to know. The world building was also cleverly built into the art and the writing, and it just worked well together.
I enjoyed how Tessa's journey toward accepting her werewolf identity worked as a metaphor for queer identities as well. Also the fact that she was often wearing a red hoodie as a subtle nod to Red Riding Hood. Overall, if you like supernatural stories, this will definitely be for you!
I enjoyed how Tessa's journey toward accepting her werewolf identity worked as a metaphor for queer identities as well. Also the fact that she was often wearing a red hoodie as a subtle nod to Red Riding Hood. Overall, if you like supernatural stories, this will definitely be for you!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Confinement, Grief
Moderate: Cursing, Stalking, Death of parent
Minor: Bullying, Blood, Murder
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thanks to NetGalley and Oni Press for an advanced copy of How Could You by Ren Strapp to review! I was initially drawn to the cover of this one, and the art overall really impressed me. Strapp captured all the characters as well as their emotions in a very realistic way.
I’m glad that this isn’t classified as YA because it seems like these kinds of college stories are often pushed into the YA sphere. These more college age stories, though sometimes about teenagers, feel like they fit better in the adult market. Especially because a lot of the things that Molly and Lou go through feel like more adult problems.
Flipping between the two settings and seeing how differently everyone was dealing with the breakup also felt realistic and true to a college experience. I’m glad this book exists, and if you like queer graphic novels, definitely check this one out when it comes out in December!
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Review to come!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Drug use, Alcohol
Moderate: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship
Minor: Homophobia, Lesbophobia
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
There are some issues in this book that hit kind of hard in today's climate, especially the discussions about abortion and the separation of church and state. It's for that reason I'm not surprised that it made its way onto a frequently banned books list, and will certainly make for interesting discussion tonight at book club!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Violence
Moderate: Eating disorder, Mental illness, Abortion
Minor: Confinement, Homophobia, Misogyny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Thanks to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for an advanced copy of The Rules of Royalty by Cale Dietrich! I was definitely in the mood for a fluffy romance, and this book fit the bill. If you just want to read something for the happy vibes at the moment, this will for sure be the book for you.
This is a loose retelling of The Princess Diaries, but making it queer instead. As someone who loved The Princess Diaries growing up, I loved the way this parallels that story. It’s got a lot of great moments between the two princes, and it just adds to the overall good feel of this book.
My main critique is that at times, I would forget which prince’s point of view I was in because they did tend to blend together. Some of the dialogue didn’t quite feel realistic; it felt a little disjointed to me.
Despite that, I did have a good time reading this book, and think it will make a great addition to any December TBRs!
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Review to come!
Review to come!
Content Warnings
Minor: Homophobia, Death of parent, Outing
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
If you like gothic fairytale retellings, you'll definitely want this book on your list. Not only is the world building lush and immediately transports you to this world, but Craig nails the feeling of a Grimm's fairytale. There's a darkness lurking throughout the whole story, all the while weaving in plot points that eventually bring the entire book full circle.
The characters are all well developed, and even if I wanted a bit more from Merrick, it was all in all an engaging story. Erin A. Craig has yet to disappoint!
The characters are all well developed, and even if I wanted a bit more from Merrick, it was all in all an engaging story. Erin A. Craig has yet to disappoint!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Death of parent
Moderate: Terminal illness, Medical content, War
Minor: Alcoholism, Physical abuse, Sexual content
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I'm not going to lie, I'm not 100% sure why this is being published as YA, especially since one of the comp titles is definitely adult fantasy. Personally, it reads more adult fantasy to me, which isn't a bad thing! It's one of those things where the marketing of the book could have definitely been better.
That being said, this is a take on vampires I haven't seen before, which is refreshing. Be warned that if you pick it up, it definitely ends on a cliffhanger, so you'll be wanting for book two. There is an interesting cast of characters and pretty strong world building. But also a lot of descriptions of blood (because vampires). Be warned of that if you decide to pick this one up!
That being said, this is a take on vampires I haven't seen before, which is refreshing. Be warned that if you pick it up, it definitely ends on a cliffhanger, so you'll be wanting for book two. There is an interesting cast of characters and pretty strong world building. But also a lot of descriptions of blood (because vampires). Be warned of that if you decide to pick this one up!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Murder
Moderate: Death, Suicidal thoughts, Grief
Minor: Sexual content, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Vision and Wanda certainly make an interesting pair. Their romance is sweet, though! I always forget that these earlier comics are a little bit on the cheesy side, but they're still fun to read. I can't help but think why they're all always wearing their costumes, though. Don't they want to wear regular clothes sometimes?? I imagine it has something to do with the original drawing, but it's still a bit silly to me. A good place to start if you want to learn more about Wiccan, though! (Which is my ultimate goal).
Content Warnings
Minor: Racism, Sexism
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is such a fun, quirky book with underlying emotional tones that are a little heavier. Kids gravitate towards these sort of illustrated chapter books, so I'm excited to be able to recommend another one while I'm at work. I believe this is Patrick Ness's first middle grade, and to no one's surprise, he's just as good at writing this. It's going to be a series, so I can't wait to see what happens next!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness
Minor: Grief, Death of parent
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challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I swear, AS King gets weirder with each book she publishes. Most of the time, her books aren't necessarily for me. Much like this one. There are a lot of metaphors and symbolism in this one, which is fine, but it does make for an interesting reading experience. The audiobook does include sound effects and different narrators, which makes the story much more immersive. Having a hard copy might have helped with some of the confusion, though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship
Moderate: Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse
Minor: Animal death, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual harassment
emotional
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
A collection of short essays on the revolutionary history of Iran, and really a good starting point if you're looking to learn more about Iran's history. Most of the essays are told graphic novel style, with illustrations included throughout. I knew some of the history from reading Persepolis, but this really brings the entire history up to present day.
If you're looking for nonfiction graphic novels to add to your TBR, definitely check this one out!
If you're looking for nonfiction graphic novels to add to your TBR, definitely check this one out!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Police brutality, Murder
Moderate: Gun violence, Torture, Violence
Minor: Sexual content, Suicide