howlinglibraries's Reviews (1.85k)

#1 Vol. 1: Madly Ever After ★★★★★
#2 Vol. 2: Fluff My Life ★★★★☆

What a killer way to start off a series. Oh my gods, this was hilarious and so twisted! I highly recommend this for anyone who, like me, really gets their kicks from cutesy little girls doing demented, violent things. I love the juxtaposition of the bright, intense colors and how cute some of the art is, mingled with the ridiculous, Saw-esque levels of gore and violence many of the scenes play out.

I really wasn't sure what to expect from this graphic novel, but it was everything I hoped for and more, and I can't wait to binge the rest of the series!

Vol. 1 ★★★★★

That was absolutely incredible. If it tells you anything, upon finishing this manga, I immediately ordered volume 2 because I needed to continue the series as soon as possible! The art is stunning, the story is intriguing, the characters are immensely lovable. The main character, Shirotani, has OCD and is terrified of germs. The representation was something I was a little nervous of when I picked the book up, but there was no need for my caution because it's executed beautifully.

Not only does Shirotani display a ton of very legitimate and real compulsions that a lot of people with OCD will relate to (*quietly raises hand* mine doesn't manifest in the same exact ways, but I related big time to the thoughts and concerns he has), but I also love the fact that he is in no way "cured" by the time he spends with his love interest; in fact, he makes most of the progress without his counselor, Kurose, even being present! Note here: I should mention, however, that if you have a problem with immersion/exposure therapy methods being utilized in mental health, this won't be the series for you!

On top of everything else, the chemistry between Shirotani and Kurose is so clear and sweet from the beginning, and I loved how, when other minor characters noticed the tension, they were all so accepting and even incredibly encouraging. All in all, it was a great read and I can't wait for volume 2 to arrive in the mail!

I'll be honest: I didn't expect very much from this manga. It's nothing against the manga or the author (this is my first time reading any of Yoko Nogiri's work), I just figured it would be pretty basic and slice-of-life. Luckily, I got way more than I expected, because this manga was absolutely adorable and I immediately grew to enjoy all of the characters so much.

There's a bit of romantic tension, some cute humor, and a few really sweet moments mixed in with gorgeous artwork. There are little focus-lens shapes and lens flares thrown in to the art style to tie it back to the theme of the main character's photography, which was a nice added touch. The general vibe of this manga reminds me a lot of Furuba/Fruits Basket, so if you like the mannerisms of the characters in that series, I recommend trying this one, too!

Thank you so much to Vine for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I've been meaning to pick up this series forever and I'm so glad I finally did, because WOW, what a ride? The storyline is gripping, the characters are complex, the setting is fantastic — a small town that mass-produces serial killers and nobody knows why; what a chilling concept, honestly — and I was on the edge of my seat trying to figure out who was responsible for what crimes, who could be trusted and who couldn't... Plus, there's a lot of gore that gets pretty creative at times. I don't know how Williamson came up with the ideas for each of these royally disturbed serial killers, but they're certainly fascinating to read.

#1 A Girl Like Her ★★★★★
#1.5 Damaged Goods ★★★★★
#2 Untouchable ★★★★★
#3 That Kind of Guy ★★★★★

Her heart was painfully, wonderfully vulnerable, officially free to fly off and hurt itself again. But maybe, if she didn’t react, the poor thing wouldn’t notice that it belonged to him. Maybe it would stay safe and sound and oblivious.

I always knew this day would come eventually, but I didn’t think it would be so damn sad to say goodbye to the Ravenswood series. I have adored every second of my time spent with these lovely babies — Ruth and Evan, Hannah and Nate, and now, of course, Rae and Zach — and if Talia ever decided, for any reason at all, to write six more novels about this little band of misfits, I would be first in line for every single one.

She’d never fixed a mistake with someone she loved without paying a pound of flesh. He was the only one who cared like this.

Alas, all good things must end, though, and I have to say that this was a flawless finale to the series. We got to spend time with everyone a little bit (I’m endlessly in love with Evan’s protective, cuddly nature towards his friend group, by the way), and most of all, we got a chance to really dive into the complex lives and personalities of Zach and Rae, who were such a dynamic duo, I can’t even begin to describe.

... this was comfort, this was faith, this was a love so deep, it must be stitched into his DNA by now.

First, let’s talk about Zach. He’s such a sweet, soft little bean, and I love him so much. He’s a total geek, and would do anything to make his loved ones happy, regardless of how much it might cost him. This leads me to a point I have to make here: Zach is demisexual, but has spent most of his adult life performing acts of self-neglect (and potentially even self-harm) through physical interactions in order to please the people around him.

I’m not demi, but I related to the other aspect of Zach’s history WAY too much. I have literally never seen this facet of my own personality reflected in a book until this moment, and it was so eye-opening. Talia, thank you so much for including it. ♥ I know I’m not alone in saying that it meant a lot to see something I had felt about my past, but didn’t know how to describe, put down in such eloquent and precise wording.

Most of the time, she hated being stared at — but here in Ravenswood, where she had some wild, Cruelle de Vil reputation built off rubbish and assumptions? It was hilarious.

Of course, there’s also Rae, who has her own set of traumas to move past (mainly her toxic asshole of an ex-husband — eww — and her downright cruel mother), but man, she is such a powerhouse. She is GOALS. She isn’t taking anyone’s crap, she’s not here for your nonsense, she knows what she wants and she’s going to fight for it — unless “it” is the adoration and love of her best friend, in which case, she’s going to flail wildly for a little while. Oh, and did I mention her massive fur-baby Duke, who she carries on entire conversations with? Yeah, get ready for all the doggy feels.

She lay safe and warm in the cage of his arms, falling asleep to a reassuring thought. This is not what love feels like. It doesn’t hurt nearly enough.

Finally, the romance itself is so wonderful. I love a good friends-to-lovers ship, plus there are some delicious tropes thrown in (“Oh no, just one bed! Whatever shall we do?!”). I laughed, I cried (no, really — there are some mushy quotes in this book that just about ended me), I swooned… it was all perfect, and exactly what this beautiful little series deserved as a finale. I’m sad that it’s over, but you bet your butt I’ll be rereading this entire series over and over again for years to come, because it’s just that good.

“I should’ve known you all my life.”
“From now on.”

All quotes come from an advance copy and may not match the final release. Thank you so much to Talia Hibbert for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

#1 A Girl Like Her ★★★★★
#1.5 Damaged Goods ★★★★★
#2 Untouchable ★★★★★
#3 That Kind of Guy ★★★★★

Hannah’s emotions, she had come to accept, were often inappropriate.

In book 1 of the Ravenswood series, we focused on the younger Kabbah sister, Ruth, but we also got the chance to meet her fiercely protective, nursery-teacher-extraordinaire-with-a-criminal-record older sister, Hannah. I enjoyed Hannah Kabbah enough in A Girl Like Her, but I can’t say I got the chance to become terribly attached to her, so I was interested to see what it would be like to spend an entire novel focusing on her (plus, I was a little apprehensive about leaving my sweet babies Ruth and Evan).

She seemed almost alien in her perfection, removed from his reality, as bright and untouchable as a star in the sky. And lonely, too. He didn’t mind the perfection, but he didn’t like that loneliness. He’d been lonely before.

Luckily, there was nothing to fear; while Ruth is still the Superior Kabbah Sister™ for me, Hannah is practically just as brilliant, and perhaps even more relatable. I gotta tell you guys, the mental health representation in Untouchable is absolutely brilliant. We see depression, anxiety, anger issues, and more — and it’s all crafted with so much love, care, and genuineness that it’s no question Talia Hibbert wanted to give us the best rep possible (as always — did I mention that our heroine is also black, bi, and plus-size? MY QUEEN).

“You’re a galaxy, and I am constantly in awe of you.”

On top of how much I adored Hannah, I can’t possibly not talk about how incredible Nate is. He’s such a teddy bear, he’s obsessed with consent and the concerns of power imbalances with his being Hannah’s boss, and he’s a wonderful father to his children. Plus, he’s a big, scary yet attractive, grumpy-looking hottie covered in tattoos. Need I say more?

The final thing I want to mention is that, if you were wondering, yes, we do get to spend a bit more time with Ruth and Evan in this installment, and yes, they are just as precious as you’d expect them to be. We also get to learn a little bit more about Zach (who you might also remember as Evan’s coworker from AGLH!) and their mother, and we get to meet a very special new lady in town, Rae, and her awesome, massive puppy sidekick — who you’ll definitely want to keep an eye out for in the series finale, That Kind of Guy!

#1 A Girl Like Her ★★★★★
#1.5 Damaged Goods ★★★★★
#2 Untouchable ★★★★★
#3 That Kind of Guy ★★★★★

re-read update: may 18, 2019:
3rd time, gets better every time. I read it via audiobook this time and really enjoyed it. It took me a little while to get into the narrator, but I was sold by the end and want to collect the rest of her audiobooks for more casual rereads!
re-read update: january 13, 2019:
This is just as good the second time. No, it might be even better.

I’m not usually one for reading adult contemporary titles, but when my friend Amber gave this one five stars, it caught my interest. An own-voice book featuring a black, autistic, plus size woman as the heroine? Yes, please! Naturally, I had to give it a try, and I am honestly so happy that I did, because Talia Hibbert is a gem and a goddess, and I cannot wait to read more of her work.

“Fanfic is good for my heart. Running is a disaster waiting to happen, and you know it.”

→ Ruth Kabbah ←
Okay, first of all, Ruth? Legit, I want to be her best friend. I know I can’t relate to her personal experiences of being a black autistic woman, but I can relate to her size (short, thick girls unite!), and I can relate to her past with abusive relationships, and with her geeky, self-deprecating nature, and with her insecurities and anxiety and history of utilizing coping methods that a lot of people judge her for. More than anything, though, I just loved her spirit. She is so damn funny, and geeky, and loving, and precious. She says the wrong things all the time, she’s prickly and sometimes hard to get along with, and she can’t cook worth anything—and she’s probably one of the top five most lovable female protagonists I’ve ever read in a contemporary novel.

Like a fool, he blurted out, “You’re little.” She snorted. “You’re disgracefully tall. What’s your point?”

→ Evan Miller ←
Evan, on the other side of the coin, is all sturdy solidness, a kindly military veteran who cooks like a pro chef and always knows the right thing to say. (If I recall correctly, his character was literally inspired by a GIF of Chris Evans, and if that doesn’t tell you something about him as a person, I don’t know what will.) He is so precious and obsessed with consent, doing everything he can to never cross Ruth’s boundaries or make her feel uncomfortable. He wants to keep her safe, but understands when he needs to let her fight her own battles, and he never tries to take an upper hand in their relationship or to disregard her needs. He’s also got a super soft spot for a coworker’s elderly, terminally ill mother, and his scenes with her gave me so much life. Precious.

“There are some things you don’t get over. You just accept them, and keep breathing. That’s enough.”

Let me be clear, though; this book is humorous and cute and soft, but it’s also definitely for mature audiences. There is quite a bit of sex, but it was honestly the perfect introduction to “steamy” adult contemporary reads, as it’s not plotless porn by any means, the characters are well fleshed out and definitely don’t serve as simple props for the action, and I don’t recall noticing a single problematic aspect. I know books of this genre and style typically tend to run free with a lot of troubling tropes and behaviors, but this book highlights how necessary (and sexy!) consent is in a relationship, as well as focusing on equality and fairness between the individuals.

She wasn’t graceful. She was, in fact, the opposite of graceful. He worried for her safety once every five seconds at least.

There are also some definite warnings to be offered for abuse, as it’s made evident pretty early on that Ruth has a history of being in a very negative relationship where she was subjected to a lot of sexual, mental, and emotional abuse. It’s all done through reminiscing, and it’s not super heavy-handed, but if that’s a trigger for you, I always suggest proceeding with caution! There is also a bit of slut-shaming, as well as ableism geared towards her autism—it’s entirely challenged throughout the text, but it is present, so be aware of that, too. ♥

All of that said, if you enjoy adult contemporary novels—or are looking for an introduction to the genre—please pick this story up! It’s only a few bucks in the kindle store, and you’ll be supporting an independent author of color who is an absolute angel on her social media and definitely has my support from here on out. (I’ve already bought another of her books and hope to read it ASAP!)

#1 A Girl Like Her ★★★★★
#1.5 Damaged Goods ★★★★★
#2 Untouchable ★★★★★
#3 That Kind of Guy ★★★★★

She was different now. She was a little bit ruined. She was damaged.

When we first met Laura in A Girl Like Her, it was hard for me to know what to make of her. The fact that she was married to Daniel — Ruth's abusive ex, if you don't recall — and pregnant with his child was enough to make one wary of her, but knowing Talia Hibbert's writing as I did, I knew to expect better from her than the vilification of an abuse victim, so I went into Damaged Goods feeling optimistic and hopeful.

"It's rather simple. You met her. You fell in love with her. You never saw her again. You never fell out of love.

Right from the start, it's clear that Laura is nothing like Daniel, and no longer wants anything to do with him — and I loved her. She's a powerhouse, and she deserves only the best in life, which luckily for Samir, happens to include the total teddy bear of a former flame she finds in her old beach town. Samir Bianchi is one of the most lovable, incredible romance heroes I've ever met, and I will forever sing his praises. (He's also half-Moroccan, if you're curious about the rep in this book!)

Really, half-nakedness was highly irresponsible, coming from a man who looked like that.

I also have to say that, despite the fact that there is some triggering content in the base plot (after all, Laura is an abuse survivor), Damaged Goods is overall one of the cutest, happiest, funniest, and most tender romances I've ever read. I laughed out loud at so many quotes (my endless favorite being: "Permission to beat the shit out of your husband?"), and I just honestly look back on this entire story and these characters with so much fondness, it's sickening. ♥

Honestly, this one wasn't quite as hilarious and lovable as the first volume, but I still loved it a lot. I think my favorite segments are always the ones where we run into the Immortal Dragon's former nemeses, and he destroys them without ever meaning to ("a rubber ducky... because he's going to drown me?!"). It's just so cheesy and ridiculous and fun.

What a bizarre, twisted beginning to a story.

This was... fantastic. Morbidly hilarious, dark, sad, creepy, and full of found family fuzzies and odd little monster critters. THE MONSTERS! There are so many, and they're so varied and fun and gross and I adore them. I love Susanna more than words can describe, and also, I want a little Robert doll in my life. Even if he would probably bring only despair and then murder me in my sleep, or something.

The only reason this isn't getting a full 5 stars is because the ending felt very abrupt, but I'm definitely planning to continue the series and I highly recommend it to anyone who likes weird, humorous horror. I got a lot of Roman Dirge vibes from this in the best way, so if you like his work (or Jhonen Vasquez's), you might dig this, too.

Also, can we talk about how great it was to see a nonbinary parent?! I don't think I've ever read anything with a nonbinary parent figure, and they were absolutely delightful, and I am so here for all of the Parent/Vamp Dad OTP moments in the future. *wistful sigh* Precious babies.

Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!