Unique. Beautiful. Fun.

This was an incredibly fun romp, with incredibly interesting and diverse characters. The plot is fairly standard for a heist piece, but was fun none the less.

It was unique in the fact that the Language canonically spoken was Sign-Language. Spoken Language being depicted as what equivalents to static. Which really helped to immerse the reader into the story they are reading.

My first thought in looking through this book is that I want every bowl shown in this book. It played into my desperate need to own a fantastic variety of bowls. But this was definitely surpassed my original expectations.

When I think Buddha bowls, I think Farro, some random conglomerate of veggies, and some hummus. To pass this book up because you had a similar thought process to me, don't let this dissuade you from getting this book. Because it so much more,

I was particularly stricken with the breakfast bowls, I am a sucker for a bowl of oatmeal, and Kelli Foster has opened up new doors for me to explore. But also there are some really delicious-looking, "Sweet bowls" as well.

I am sure I will be using this all year round with the variety of recipes in this book.

This initially gave me really strong Breakfast Club Vibes (as someone who hasn't really seen the classic)

This quickly disappears, as you find yourself engulfed in the mystery presented. The atmospheric horror of this book had me glued to the page as I was reading. Enough so that I forgot this was only Volume 1 and that Volume 2 isn't out until June.
Which means that I'm completely head over heels in love with this series but I'm not stuck in purgatory waiting for it's complete release here in the west.

So for those who also enjoy reading a series as a whole, know that this is 1 of 4 Volumes.
The Final Volume will be out October 19, 2021 according to Penguin Random House.

What I think was absolutely fantastic about this book was, the content warning saying that this work does contain references to suicide. As well as resources for those who need them.
THIS is something I want to see more of in the future.

This book was interesting in the sense that this is a piece of history I had never heard about. I know that situations like this are/were far from uncommon, but it's a part of history that is skimmed over.

Some parts of this book can be incredibly upsetting with depictions of Miamata Disease both in humans and in cats.

This book at it's core is a call to action, that if we let it, these types of things will be brushed under the rug. That corporations like Chisso, do not really care about the impact they have on the enviroment or people. That it is up to us in the end to speak up and hold them accountable.

Warning for Trypophobia.

This was all over the place, and the more I tried to understand the less sense it seemed to make.


While I finished this book, I couldn't begin to tell you what this book was really about. Just that the first monster left me wishing I never picked it up.

5/5 for realistic depictions of women's bodies.

I had reservations when I began reading this that the love depicted in this graphic novel was going to be toxic, and not well rounded.

This is not the case. The bad relationships are depicted as such, and the relationships that are healthy stress what help makes them work and what makes them shine.

This was a beautiful story about love and loss.

It is also gay on the side and it SLAPS!

This quote summarizes the whole book:
"... this is what "love is forever" means: its not timeless but it leaves a mark so deep that it accompanies us all our life"

This left me torn. Honestly doesn't entirely embody the way I felt when reading and completing this book. The reason I was left torn wasn't Luke or Kelly Jackson's story, but the reminder that this kind of financial strain isn't feasible for everyone, which leaves people both without the care they need, as well as leaving them without the kind of opportunities something like IVF can offer. While not something this book specifically touched on, it did spark me to think about it more in-depth.

Moving away from the tangential thoughts this book invoked.
I was honestly excited to read and support this book because I know that even today. Issues regarding women's health such as menstruation, miscarriages, and fertility problems are something that ends up being something that isn't really spoken about, so in turn, it can leave you feeling like you're alone with no one to reach out to.

This story is beautiful because it felt like someone sitting next to me telling their story. In full earnestness, no holds barred. Letting you know what their experience really and truly looked like and how it can affect every facet of a person's life.

The watercolor style and simplistic color choices honestly made the work pop in my mind; even after I stepped away, I found my mind returning to particular panels because the art there resonated with me so much.

Did I enjoy this book? yes.
Do I think it could have done a fantastically better job at being an introduction to Vampirine the Masquerade? YES.

This has an incredibly interesting storyline, with really awesome characters, and being set in the Twin Cities it feels different from where Vampire Games are typically set since at their core Political due to "The Masquerade".
I am honestly excited to see where this story goes, because I am in love with Ali and Cicely.
My one gripe with the actual story was the overall lack of diversity, as well as who was written to be the overall mastermind of the conflict.

What IAM UPSET about is that this piece of fiction expects you to inherently know about this world. So instead of working as a way to bring more people into this fandom. Which with more explanation, or some pre-face could be covered to help facilitate just that. Given that Ali is literally a fledgling and was thrown into this world, Ali could have acted as a fill-in for a better run down of the Masquerade and Clans at least,
With their being video games, and table top rpgs, (including resources for said rpg in the back of THIS book) it could definitely have been way more accessible to people and ends up feeling like they made the choice not to be.

Weirdly adorable, I've read this several times since getting this ARC and I still haven't fully acclimated to it. But I am excited to show it to my little sister.

This book Aesthetically is on point from beginning to end. It works to bring you further into the story. I had chills opening this for the first time; reading "The stars have never been closer" really does feel like a threat and helps set the scene.
The art is gorgeous and haunting at the same time.

Story-wise I wouldn't say it's groundbreaking or anything. But it is a fun story that will keep you turning pages. The urgency of the situation definitely is evident as you are reading. While also allowing you to learn this information at the same pace as the characters.

I will say that lacking overall is character depth; I can't say I know anything about these women, or honestly their names besides Kenny's sister. They honestly kind of exist as placeholders for this plot to progress forward.

TLDR: Overall fun read, but don't expect anything new and don't read for the characters.