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howlinglibraries's Reviews (1.85k)
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Vol. 1 ★★★★★
Vol. 2 ★★★★★
Vol. 3 ★★★★★
A family in New Orleans has learned how to make a psychedelic drug from the ashes of corpses, allowing the user to feel as though they are living that dead person's memories for a time, or revisiting a scene with them.
RE-READ REVIEW: JULY 2022
Knowing that the series is finished now that Vol. 3 is out, I decided to go back from the beginning and re-read the first two volumes, and I'm so glad that I did. My tastes in graphic novels have shifted over the past 4 years or so, and what was originally a story that felt a bit poorly placed now feels streamlined and smooth; art that originally didn't quite meet my desires now strikes me as gorgeous and immensely detailed. I highly recommend this series to anyone looking for a dark horror/crime story with an atmospheric locale and a strong focus on family bonds and betrayals.
✨ Representation: multiple Black, Black/white biracial, and Latinx characters
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ORIGINAL REVIEW: DECEMBER 2018
I would say to go into this graphic novel knowing as little as possible, because it's a really cool plotline that takes well to readers going in blind. The artwork isn't my favorite, but it's got a nice, grungy feel to it that fits the mood well enough. My only issue with the graphic novel is the same issue I've had with other works from Cullen Bunn: I found the storyline and pacing to be very jumpy and hard to follow at points. That said, I'd still definitely recommend checking the story out if you're intrigued by the synopsis and don't mind a bit of gore and murder.
Thank you so much to BOOM! Studios for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
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Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Murder
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Vol. 1 ★★★★★
Vol. 2 ★★★★★
Vol. 3 ★★★★★
RE-READ REVIEW: JULY 2022
I decided to re-read the first two volumes in the series before finishing it off, and I enjoyed it so much more than I remembered. This is easily one of my favorite horror graphic novel series I've read, and I recommend it highly! This volume ramps up the stakes in a big way, giving us a lot of betrayals, suspense, and grief. We also get to see a bit more of the world outside of the Winters family, and the risks that it presents, and I loved that.
✨ Representation: multiple Black, Black/white biracial, and Latinx characters
—————
ORIGINAL REVIEW: APRIL 2020
It had been a while since I read volume 1 of this series, so I was a bit worried I'd have forgotten too much, but volume 2 does such a good job of picking up and dropping little reminder clues without being obnoxious or repetitive, I didn't have any trouble at all! I think the art in this series is really nice — I don't usually like very realistic art in graphic novels, but it works so well here — and the plot is so engaging that I was shocked when I reached the end because it felt like I'd barely gotten started. The horror element is low here and it definitely leans more dark fantasy/crime noir than anything else, but it's a nice mix and I highly recommend it!
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twitter | booktok | bookstagram | blog
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Murder
Well, this was freaking adorable. I've had a lot of mixed feelings on RR for a long time now so I almost didn't pick up this graphic novel, but the art style was so precious, I finally caved and grabbed a copy, and I ended up really enjoying it.
Deja is such a fun character, first of all; she's plus-size, black, and queer (MGA — it isn't stated if she's bi or pan). We see her interact with a few different exes and potential love interests of various genders and it's really lovely to see a plus-size character being portrayed as gorgeous and desirable when that's something we don't get too often. I also wonder if she's intended as low-key demi rep, because there's a line where she says people don't interest her until she gets to know them, but it's never really addressed so I'm not going to promote this as demi/ace rep unless anyone knows if it's been stated officially, as I don't want to mislead anyone looking for that representation! ♥
My only issue with Pumpkinheads, and the reason I'm giving it 4 stars out of 5, is that I struggled a little with the way the couple in this book comes together. I can't really explain it without spoiling the story, but it just feels a little deus ex machina and I wish it had been a more gradual build throughout the book. That said, it was still super cute and I'm glad I read it.
Deja is such a fun character, first of all; she's plus-size, black, and queer (MGA — it isn't stated if she's bi or pan). We see her interact with a few different exes and potential love interests of various genders and it's really lovely to see a plus-size character being portrayed as gorgeous and desirable when that's something we don't get too often. I also wonder if she's intended as low-key demi rep, because there's a line where she says people don't interest her until she gets to know them, but it's never really addressed so I'm not going to promote this as demi/ace rep unless anyone knows if it's been stated officially, as I don't want to mislead anyone looking for that representation! ♥
My only issue with Pumpkinheads, and the reason I'm giving it 4 stars out of 5, is that I struggled a little with the way the couple in this book comes together. I can't really explain it without spoiling the story, but it just feels a little deus ex machina and I wish it had been a more gradual build throughout the book. That said, it was still super cute and I'm glad I read it.
Oh, this was so much fun. I think this was my first time reading polyamorous romance (outside of fanfics, etc.), and it was so wonderful. I loved the glimpses we got into this pre-existing little relationship between Theo and Galen, and I loved the twist and the back story and the whole thing. I'm definitely going to be picking up the follow-up novel ASAP!
This was such a fun little collection of stories. I liked how much the overall vibe of each story varied — some being really melancholy, while others were simply spooky — and the art was lovely (though I wish it had been in color). I think my favorite story was the last one, with its soft, sad little ending. I'm such a sucker for tragic horror and this author definitely knows how to craft that feeling very well!
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!
Hmm. Not my favorite in the series, but still a quick, fun read. I just don't really "get" Quinn (nor do I trust him...?), and also, I miss seeing more of Eric.
"Just because you're immortal doesn't mean you're going to live forever."
REREAD UPDATE — 04/27/2020:
It's been a few years since I started (and subsequently put down) this series, and I've been saying for months I would give it another chance, so I finally decided to do just that. Honestly, this first volume was so much better than I remember it being the first time I read it, which gives me very high hopes that I'll enjoy the next volume more, too (and finally continue the series!).
Also, let's be honest, I'd just about take a bullet for Luci and The Morrigan.
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original review — 08/28/2017:
So many people have recommended this graphic novel series to me, so I finally picked it up, and I'm glad that I did! It essentially follows this idea that, every ninety years, a dozen gods/goddesses are reincarnated into the bodies of teenagers, each of whom are allowed to live for two years as brilliant, miracle-working celebrities before dying and restarting the cycle.
Our main character, Laura, gets wrapped up in a wild ride when Luci (Lucifer) is charged with a crime she swears she didn't commit, and Laura makes it her mission to bring justice to Luci and find the culprit.
This book is fun, quick-paced, and the art is stunning. The character designs are just incredible (I was especially fond of Luci and The Morrigan). It has such a unique feel to it overall, and I'd highly recommend it to any graphic novel lover, especially if you enjoy mythology tales.