For this story, I think the humor would translate better on film, whether TV or movie. It comes off dry, awkward, and slightly offensive in writing. I get where the jokes are coming from; it’s like The Office meets Sorry to Bother You meets Boondocks vibes, but the execution is all over the place.

Darren/Buck was insufferable. It’s hard to root for him when he starts talking to everyone like dirt. Majority of the Sumwunner guys act like frat boys meets Wallstreet. Rhett was interesting, but I hated Clyde soooo much. Please stick a foot up his behind and push him down a stairway. If you read the story, you’ll want to kick his teeth in too. 

In addition,  the female characters outside of the mom and some aspects of Rose leave a lot to be desired. Sorry to be vulgar: But Soraya’s just there to be the voice of reason and hop on Darren’s dick. And Jason you hating ho, why are you here? I feel like he helped push Darren away. He was too defensive and hating so hard even before Darren lost his way.

The microaggressions get heavy and gaslighting abounds in this satire about Corporate America and startups. There are some clever digs at work culture and companies who pretend to care about diversity, but ultimately, this one wasn’t for me. 

Not bad though it’s very slow-paced. The characters talk so formally/awkwardly outside of Chavo and Joey. At one point, Hector’s sister tells her mom she uses “regular young-people talk.” *Scooby-doo noise* The plot reigns supreme here because the characters feel a bit bland.

Despite a few Spanish and English curse words, the tone felt like a very young YA or Middle Grade, due to a lot of telling, at times. I wonder if a first pov would’ve been more enjoyable? Now, this wasn’t Christian fiction, but faith and scriptures are certainly present. 

Overall, I liked Hector’s family and his journey to becoming brave. Hector’s back and forth struggle with revenge was really good and his dynamic with Joey. Joey’s trash, but, as readers, as we learn more about him, we get as conflicted and muddled as Hector. While I understand the ending, the open-endedness felt a bit unsatisfying or unfinished.

I wanted to see a reunion with Azi and his family again. Also, it felt like Gloria fell off the face of the Earth. We don’t find out what happened to her.

Quirky, colorful, punny, and super fun with some serious climate change vibes! It’s been a while since I’ve read this series, so I have forgotten many of the characters. But thankfully, there are little anecdotes and references to the past books to keep new and returning readers up to speed.

There's a lot of growth in this volume, concerning maturity. Backstories are revealed and a lot of fighting gets resolved. 

 Adorable artwork and a GREAT message for kids to learn about moving on and being considerate of your friends.

while I’m glad Kara and Alice were able to make up, it’s also great to acknowledge some friendships end, and that’s okay. You can always make new ones.

 

 Fast-paced but a little messy. Mimori's excited about her high-school life at a school she's always wanted to go to. On her first day, she makes friends with a super cute girl who is super sweet as well, but she also manages to make some enemies with the boys' academy/classroom next door.

This manga is definitely older with the floppy disk (that takes me wayyyyy back) and casual use of the f-word. The now-retro artwork is cute, but I didn't find the story charming.

 There's a guy, Haruta, who is big mad at Mimori but won't tell her WHY. Little boy, get out of your feelings. @__@ I bet you $5 he mad about something stupid. In addition, there are two other boys Mimori's entangled with, Ran (who desperately wants her friend) and Kuniyasu (a playboy who sets his sights on her).

I think if I had read this when it first came out I probably would've been hooked. But as it is now, I could take or leave it. 

 It's so surreal seeing the Peanuts cast go international, but it's also still charming. It's a joy to see Snoopy pal around with sheep! Charlie Brown and his thing for redheads knows no bounds.

Love how this team manages to keep things new while never straying from the Peanuts formula/characterization. 

While a lot of my goodwill for this series has run out, this managed to have some cute moments. 

 A great start. Denji and Pochita are likable, and the ladies here are ruthless and powerful. The cast of characters seem interesting.

I thought I would take a stab at the first volume since this is getting an adaption, but all the goriness (I wince when turning the pages) has me grieved. Certainly not for the faint of heart, but it’s charming.