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howlinglibraries's Reviews (1.85k)
First of all, let's be fair: I think I would've enjoyed this book if I had known nothing at all about it before picking it up. While I didn't know the twist ahead of time, I had seen so many reviews calling this novella shocking and disgusting that I think I hyped myself up for something I thought would be truly appalling. And don't get me wrong, I have no doubts that many readers will have their stomachs turned by this story — well, one scene in particular — and I'm not judging at all! It's just not something that grosses me out and I felt like too many of my expectations surrounding this short story revolved were based on those very high expectations.
That said, I tried to rate this novella as if I'd gone into it with no expectations, because none of what I've said so far is the author's fault. Without considering my own personal disappointment, it was just an okay read for me. I never felt particularly invested in the narrator or anything going on with him, I wasn't shocked or creeped out in any ways, and I didn't love the writing style (it isn't bad, just not for me). I kept feeling like Siphon could have been so much more fleshed-out and gruesome, and it consistently fell slightly short of what I wanted it to be.
Content warnings for
That said, I tried to rate this novella as if I'd gone into it with no expectations, because none of what I've said so far is the author's fault. Without considering my own personal disappointment, it was just an okay read for me. I never felt particularly invested in the narrator or anything going on with him, I wasn't shocked or creeped out in any ways, and I didn't love the writing style (it isn't bad, just not for me). I kept feeling like Siphon could have been so much more fleshed-out and gruesome, and it consistently fell slightly short of what I wanted it to be.
Content warnings for
Spoiler
blood-drinking, period oral sex, voyeurism, stalking, murder, animal death, mentions/descriptions of suicide, a few brief transphobic comments about a sex worker
This was a pretty solid, fun read. I wasn't quite sure where it was going, but it wasn't what I expected (in a good way). I loved the bleak, sinister ending, but beyond that, it's such a short story I can't say much — just read it!
According to Goodreads' metadata, this is one of KPB's oldest works, currently sitting at 13 years past publication, so I was very curious to see how it would go. I feel like it's always intriguing to pick up early works from authors you love, especially when you're more accustomed to that author's recent titles, but I knew I loved Kealan's writing voice and imagination enough that there was no way this novella would disappoint — and I was right!
Midlisters is narrated by a horror author, which automatically can lead you as the reader to look for autobiographical moments in the story, but Jason presents as a fleshed-out character in such a brief span of pages that I quickly let that go and was able to just enjoy his angry, paranoid, insecure little personality all on its own. I definitely wasn't expecting the catalyst of this story at all, and I loved how it all went down, especially when Jason begins questioning his own narrative. I'm always amazed by how melancholy and twisted Kealan's stories are, and this was no exception!
Midlisters is narrated by a horror author, which automatically can lead you as the reader to look for autobiographical moments in the story, but Jason presents as a fleshed-out character in such a brief span of pages that I quickly let that go and was able to just enjoy his angry, paranoid, insecure little personality all on its own. I definitely wasn't expecting the catalyst of this story at all, and I loved how it all went down, especially when Jason begins questioning his own narrative. I'm always amazed by how melancholy and twisted Kealan's stories are, and this was no exception!
I really like this workbook! I flipped through it as an eARC and enjoyed the ideas it presents enough that I may order myself a print copy to actually fill out the sections and follow through the 13-week program. I do think it's important to note that this is a workbook with tasks and goals, not just a book about intuition, so be sure you're aware of what to expect going into it.
Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
1. There's nothing original or inspiring about these "rituals". Just because you put a fancy paragraph around the instruction to "drink more water" or to "cut back on screen time" doesn't make it some sort of mystical, life-changing, spiritual experience.
2. I stopped caring about anything the author had to say the moment (15pg or less into the book) she said that depression, ADHD, and many other psychological and mental disorders are caused by "a lack of communication with nature" and that we all just need to go for walks more often. Way to dismiss the masses of people worldwide who are disabled and/or suffer from hormonal imbalances and/or need mental health medications and other forms of self-help and therapy for whatever reason that might be.
Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
2. I stopped caring about anything the author had to say the moment (15pg or less into the book) she said that depression, ADHD, and many other psychological and mental disorders are caused by "a lack of communication with nature" and that we all just need to go for walks more often. Way to dismiss the masses of people worldwide who are disabled and/or suffer from hormonal imbalances and/or need mental health medications and other forms of self-help and therapy for whatever reason that might be.
Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Every now and then, I get in these reading moods—more and more often lately—where I find myself craving a really good, swoon-worthy fantasy romance. I’d been in that mood for a few weeks when I decided to pick up Phoenix Unbound, and let me tell you, damn, does this book hit the spot.
Born a fire-witch, one of Gilene’s various magical abilities is that she is unharmed by fire—which means that, in her village of Beroe, she is forced to attend each year’s sacrificial slaughter in the Empire, where a woman from each village is burned alive for entertainment and holy blessings. We quickly learn that her sacrifice comes not just from selflessness, but from the village’s shackles on her family; if Gilene refuses, her loved ones will pay the cost. So, each year, she burns again and again, as she slowly becomes this jaded, cynical woman whose sole purpose is to keep struggling through life until the next spring’s sacrifices.
Despite (or as a result of) being a victim of so many varying abuses—whether it’s the village folk’s entrapment of her family, or the rape and burning she undergoes each spring, or the fact that she is forced to watch innocent women die at her side year after year—Gilene is such a strong, no-nonsense heroine, and I freaking love it. She’s tough as nails, but with a heart of pure gold, and she treasures her responsibility and family above all else.
On the other hand, we have Azarion, whose “privileges” as the top gladiator in the Empire don’t negate the fact that he is a man who’s been sold into a vicious slavery trade. He faces daily abuses varying from physical to sexual and everything in between, and he bears countless scars, inside and out, but he is also a man with a mission to return to his people, and he refuses to let anything break him.
My heart broke for Azarion every step of the way. I know he doesn’t always do the right things, but he progresses so much and recognizes his own flaws, and even before he reaches that point, I couldn’t bring myself to fault him because what he’s gone through is just so brutal. Plus, I know I always talk about this, but I’m such a sucker for grouchy heroes with mushy, soft hearts under their tough exteriors, and Azarion totally fits the bill.
If you’re looking for a slow-burning, methodical fantasy story, look no further, because the bulk of Phoenix Unbound is actually about Azarion and Gilene’s journey to find Azarion’s people, and the lengths he must go to in order to reclaim his birthright. There’s a wonderful amount of world-building, as well as side characters everywhere you turn that are so lovable and complex (including my favorite, Azarion’s queer sister, Tamura). There’s nonstop suspense, and I was surprised by a few incredibly creepy scenes including dark, ghostlike entities that were not here to play.
If you’re like me, though, what drew you to this story was probably the promise of a fantastic enemies-to-lovers romance, and this does not disappoint in the least. The buildup between these two is agonizingly slow at times, but in the best way—I flew through every chapter, knowing the wait would be worth it, and I was so right.
Gilene and Azarion are two wonderful, wholesome, broken people, and watching them come together is the perfect star-crossed tragedy. I wanted so many more sweet scenes between them, and even if I wasn’t invested in the overall plot with the corrupted Empire, I know I would be coming back just for more of these two.
Phoenix Unbound was an absolutely delightful read that I could not get enough of. I binge read the entire book in one day, and immediately wanted more when it was over. I don’t know how I’m possibly going to wait for the sequel, but I am so happy that it’s listed as the beginning of a series, and I can’t wait to see what happens next!
Content warnings for rape (including an explicit, on-page scene in chapter 2), physical abuse, violence, murder, imprisonment, infertility.
All quotes come from an advance copy and may not match the final release. Thank you so much to Berkley/Ace for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
For Gilene, spring was the season neither of rain nor of planting, but of suffering.
Born a fire-witch, one of Gilene’s various magical abilities is that she is unharmed by fire—which means that, in her village of Beroe, she is forced to attend each year’s sacrificial slaughter in the Empire, where a woman from each village is burned alive for entertainment and holy blessings. We quickly learn that her sacrifice comes not just from selflessness, but from the village’s shackles on her family; if Gilene refuses, her loved ones will pay the cost. So, each year, she burns again and again, as she slowly becomes this jaded, cynical woman whose sole purpose is to keep struggling through life until the next spring’s sacrifices.
Despite (or as a result of) being a victim of so many varying abuses—whether it’s the village folk’s entrapment of her family, or the rape and burning she undergoes each spring, or the fact that she is forced to watch innocent women die at her side year after year—Gilene is such a strong, no-nonsense heroine, and I freaking love it. She’s tough as nails, but with a heart of pure gold, and she treasures her responsibility and family above all else.
To endure was to survive.
On the other hand, we have Azarion, whose “privileges” as the top gladiator in the Empire don’t negate the fact that he is a man who’s been sold into a vicious slavery trade. He faces daily abuses varying from physical to sexual and everything in between, and he bears countless scars, inside and out, but he is also a man with a mission to return to his people, and he refuses to let anything break him.
My heart broke for Azarion every step of the way. I know he doesn’t always do the right things, but he progresses so much and recognizes his own flaws, and even before he reaches that point, I couldn’t bring myself to fault him because what he’s gone through is just so brutal. Plus, I know I always talk about this, but I’m such a sucker for grouchy heroes with mushy, soft hearts under their tough exteriors, and Azarion totally fits the bill.
“This is why I hate the Empire most of all,” she said. “Because it’s twisted us into people we despise.”
If you’re looking for a slow-burning, methodical fantasy story, look no further, because the bulk of Phoenix Unbound is actually about Azarion and Gilene’s journey to find Azarion’s people, and the lengths he must go to in order to reclaim his birthright. There’s a wonderful amount of world-building, as well as side characters everywhere you turn that are so lovable and complex (including my favorite, Azarion’s queer sister, Tamura). There’s nonstop suspense, and I was surprised by a few incredibly creepy scenes including dark, ghostlike entities that were not here to play.
“I once thought I would always hate you, gladiator. That isn’t true now.”
If you’re like me, though, what drew you to this story was probably the promise of a fantastic enemies-to-lovers romance, and this does not disappoint in the least. The buildup between these two is agonizingly slow at times, but in the best way—I flew through every chapter, knowing the wait would be worth it, and I was so right.
Gilene and Azarion are two wonderful, wholesome, broken people, and watching them come together is the perfect star-crossed tragedy. I wanted so many more sweet scenes between them, and even if I wasn’t invested in the overall plot with the corrupted Empire, I know I would be coming back just for more of these two.
Fate was a vicious taskmaster of cruel, arbitrary humors, but every once in a while, it granted a boon in its own twisted way.
Phoenix Unbound was an absolutely delightful read that I could not get enough of. I binge read the entire book in one day, and immediately wanted more when it was over. I don’t know how I’m possibly going to wait for the sequel, but I am so happy that it’s listed as the beginning of a series, and I can’t wait to see what happens next!
Content warnings for rape (including an explicit, on-page scene in chapter 2), physical abuse, violence, murder, imprisonment, infertility.
All quotes come from an advance copy and may not match the final release. Thank you so much to Berkley/Ace for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
This wasn't my favorite Giant Days title — which doesn't surprise me, since it isn't part of the main series, but is an alternate timeline sort of spin-off — but I still loved spending time with these babes and the humor was, as always, on point. I could've probably done without the last little story segment, but others may enjoy it more.
Vol 1: ★★★★☆
Vol. 2: ★★★★★
Vol. 3: ★★★★★
Vol. 4: ★★★★★
Vol. 5: ★★★★★
Vol. 6: ★★★★★
Vol. 7: ★★★★★
Vol. 8: ★★★★★
Vol. 9: ★★★★★
Vol. 10: ★★★★★
I enjoyed volume 1 a lot but wasn't sure if I was one hundred percent sold on this series until reading this volume. You can tell the creator really hit his groove a bit more here and the characters feel more fleshed-out, plus McGraw has to be one of the cutest love interests I've ever seen and his antics with Susan constantly cracked me up.
Vol 1: ★★★★☆
Vol. 2: ★★★★★
Vol. 3: ★★★★★
Vol. 4: ★★★★★
Vol. 5: ★★★★★
Vol. 6: ★★★★★
Vol. 7: ★★★★★
Vol. 8: ★★★★★
Vol. 9: ★★★★★
Vol. 10: ★★★★★
This series just keeps getting better and better. Can we please see more of Big Lindsay? She was amazing and I loved the little "twist" with her character—how precious. It's funny how I feel like I have a different favorite character with each passing installment—first Esther, then McGraw, now Lindsay—but the turmoil at the end with a certain very precious and grouchy couple has me all kinds of stressed out and quickly reaching for volume 4!
Vol 1: ★★★★☆
Vol. 2: ★★★★★
Vol. 3: ★★★★★
Vol. 4: ★★★★★
Vol. 5: ★★★★★
Vol. 6: ★★★★★
Vol. 7: ★★★★★
Vol. 8: ★★★★★
Vol. 9: ★★★★★
Vol. 10: ★★★★★
I've been meaning to read Giant Days forever, and I'm so glad I finally picked up the series! It's not often that I get into contemporary graphic novels, but this is an exception worth making. The characters are lively and fun (especially Esther, who is naturally my little goth heart's fave), there's a healthy mix of diversity thrown into the cast, and the storyline is engaging while even being just a little bit suspenseful.