howlinglibraries's Reviews (1.85k)

 This is a really lovely manga as far as art and style go. I wasn't sold on the plot or characters to begin with, but the more I learn about the men in this manor, the more fascinated and curious I am. Everything has a very gothic romantic feel to it that carries a stunning aesthetic, too. I'm definitely intrigued and will be continuing the series!
 

Every time I think I can't possibly love Christina Henry even more, she releases another book that blows me away and proves me wrong. Near the Bone is quite possibly my favorite thing I've read from her so far, and I can easily see it landing in my favorite books of the year list. This book was shocking, captivating, and utterly unputdownable — literally, I wasn't even willing to take a break for dinner until I finished it, and ended up inhaling the entire book in one sitting because I was so drawn in that I had to know what would happen next right this moment.

Near the Bone is a tough read at its core, as it follows Mattie, a woman who is trapped in a brutal marriage that is abusive in every possible sense of the word. Christina Henry doesn't shy away from showing the ugly details, but it never feels overly gratuitous, either (and the sexual abuse is off-page, which many readers like myself will undoubtedly appreciate).Mattie is beaten down, but not broken, and her spirit is incredibly brave beneath the veneer of timidity she displays to keep herself safe. I loved Mattie so much and I think that's a big part of why Near the Bone held me captive so well: I needed Mattie to make it, and I couldn't look away until her fate played out.

This is a monster story, sure — there's a fantastic, eerie creature that stalks the residents and animals of the secluded mountain Mattie lives on — but I would caution readers not to go into this story expecting a full-blown creature feature. At its core, Near the Bone strikes me more as a commentary on abuse than anything else: the world abuse survivors live in, the ways that abuse can create a fear and trauma that stalks their daily life, and the reactions on-lookers have, whether it's victim-blaming, or undying love and support.

I have more I want to say, but all of it is spoiler-y, so click the tag at your own risk:

I was fascinated by the monster's refusal to attack Mattie herself, and quickly theorized that perhaps the monster had been seeing the abuse as it happened and was attempting to protect her in its own way. We learned at the end that the monster was simply a parent protecting its young, and with Mattie being barely an adult herself, I still think, just maybe, that the "monster" was Mattie's greatest ally in the end. Even when it took her companions, it seemed to specifically target whoever might be standing between Mattie and her freedom at any given time, and that feels significant to me.

Back to the point, though: truly, I adored every single page of this heart-wrenching, suspenseful read. With a heroine I cheered for every step of the way, a villain I loathed with every fiber of my being, and a beautiful, intense wintry scenery that gave me chills despite the warmth and safety of my home, Christina Henry absolutely blew away every (already high) expectation I had and made Near the Bone a powerful and memorable story that I already can't wait to re-visit.

✨ Representation: a side character is Asian (briefly mentioned)

This wasn't my first time reading The Fall of the House of Usher by any means — it's probably my favorite short story of Poe's, and I must have read it a dozen times as a kid. Edgar Allan Poe was my introduction to horror (well, EAP and Goosebumps), and this story in particular is most certainly what formed my early love of gothic horror. There's nothing to be said about this brilliant, terrifying little tale that hasn't already been said, but if you consider yourself a lover of gothic horror and somehow haven't enjoyed this masterpiece yet, I highly encourage you to do so!

 And with that, the series is complete. This finale was everything I hoped it would be: funny, charming, romantic, sweet, and topped off with a heavy helping of all the domestic bliss these two cuties deserve. ♥ I think it's safe to say this has become a new all-time favorite series of mine, and might have even become my favorite manga of all time. The entire series is a funny, sweet, cozy hug and I'm so happy I took a chance on this bizarrely perfect love story.
 

 

I don't even know how to begin describing this book, or what it meant to me. It's incredibly rare that I give a book "favorite book" status; while there are loads of books I love a lot, if you asked me what my all-time favorites are, my responses would be very limited because "favorite" is a word that carries a lot of weight for me. When a book does get "favorite" book status, it's usually a year or more after I've read the book, when I realize that it's still weighing on my heart a lot or has really impacted my life in a long-term way. And yet, I started telling people this was a new favorite book of all time before I even finished reading it.

I have tabbed this book within an inch of its life and highlighted quotes on nearly every single page. I read this like you'd eat your favorite specialty dessert, in slow little bites, savoring it and never ready for it to be over. The moment I closed the cover, I strongly considering flipping back to the first page and starting over, right then and there.

So many people recommended this book to me by describing it as "if a book could be a warm hug" or something along those lines, and every single one of those people were absolutely correct, because this is one of the most loving, comforting, kindest stories I've ever read. Sure, it has moments that made me ache, but each hurt was swiftly soothed over with how endearing, hilarious, delightful, and soft these characters are. There's not a single hard heart among the main cast, not a bone of meanness to be found in Linus, Arthur, or any of the House's residents.

I keep trying to make myself actually talk about the plot, or the writing, or the world-building — all of which are lovely, don't get me wrong — but the thing is, T.J. Klune carefully stepped back with all of those things and allowed the characters and the dialogue to shine through. This is an incredibly character-driven story that relies on you loving the characters to love the book as a whole. Luckily, they're incredibly easy to fall for.

Much like The House in the Cerulean Sea has instantly reached the point of being an all-time favorite book, I strongly suspect T.J. Klune is rapidly become an all-time favorite author. This wasn't the first work of his I've read, and it also absolutely will not be the last.

✨ Representation: Linus is gay and fat; Arthur is queer; a side character is Black 

It's been a few years since I read the TID trilogy in its regular format, and reading this (and then going onto my shelves and seeing that I originally only gave Clockwork Angel 3 stars) has me thinking that I really should re-read the series some time in the near future, because I think I might enjoy it more than I did the first time.

My only complaint about this version, and the reason I'm not giving it 5 stars, is how confusing the portrayal of the story is at times. Even as someone who remembered the events of the regular novel pretty well, I felt like this version did a poor job of explaining things at times. It feels evident to me that it's intended only for people who have already read the regular novels, but I appreciate it when adaptations like this can stand on their own.

That said, it's a really fun and enjoyable version of a story I remembered fondly, and I'm definitely interested in reading the manga versions of the other books as well!

✨ Representation: Jem is biracial (Chinese/white), Magnus Bane is Asian and bisexual (though his queerness is only lightly implied in this manga)

✨ Content warnings for: violence, death, addiction, slur usage (one use each of "g*psy" and "wh*re"), and a xenophobic comment is made by a side character 

I can't handle any more of Wes being this much of an asshole while Rain fawns over him. I can understand why bully romances or romances with guys who start off as total douchebags work for a lot of people, but I've learned that they just do not work for me except in very rare exceptions, and this was NOT an exception. Wes has spent the entire first 1/4 of the book blaming Rain for everything (even though literally everything thus far has stemmed from him kidnapping her at gunpoint at the beginning of the book), and when he isn't talking to her like she's a piece of trash, he's sexualizing every movement she makes. 

 First of all, Cemetery Boys was my first major re-introduction into YA fantasy after taking almost two years off from the genre, and let me say that it was literally one of the best possible stories I could have chosen to break my hiatus with. YA fantasy used to be my most commonly read genre, so I got a bit burnt out and thought I had just worn out my welcome with it, but Cemetery Boys reminded me of everything I adore so much about the incredible offerings the world of YA fantasy gives us. This is a story full of self-discovery, and self-love, and hope, and forgiveness, and healing, and it is full of some of the most lovable characters I've read in a long time.

Yadriel is such a delightful narrator to spend time with. He's impossible not to love and root for, and I just wanted to climb into these pages and grab some of his family members by the shoulders and shake them for not recognizing the wonderful human he is. Watching him deal with the casual transphobia and erasure in his home was a painful reality to witness, which made his emotions when some of those family members apologized and began to truly realize how wrong they were even more powerful. And then there's Maritza, who is such a hilarious and fiercely protective cousin and best friend, I knew I'd adore her from the moment she was introduced.

Finally, Julian exudes all of the best himbo energy I love to see in a love interest. He's dopey at times, a little oblivious, volatile and young — but compassionate, protective, supportive, and honest, and I love him. I think one of my favorite moments in the entire book was when Yads spotted Julian's graffiti message about transphobes (IYKYK). Loving Julian so much made the entire scenario tug on my heartstrings every step of the way, because knowing that he's a ghost and his entire life should have been ahead of him just hurts once you realize how important this kid is, and how much everyday greatness he's meant for.

The magical elements in Cemetery Boys are captivating and lovely, and feel like the most brilliant love story to many walks of Latinx spirituality that I found myself needing more, more, more information about how the brujx magic and rituals worked and about the deities referenced throughout the book. The mystery that plays out was probably the only part of the story that I didn't fully connect to, but I think that's because I was so enraptured by the characters and the magic that the mystery felt like a side arc that I could have taken or left. That said, I still enjoyed how it played out and was quite surprised by some of the developments near the end!

All in all, Cemetery Boys is a gorgeous book from start to finish and is entirely deserving of every ounce of the hype it's received since it came out. I'm so grateful to have read this, and will absolutely be reaching for more of Aiden Thomas' books in the future. ♥

Buddy read with Malka!

✨ Representation: Yadriel is Cuban-American, gay, and a trans boy; Julian is Colombian-American and gay; most side characters are Latinx; one side character is a trans girl

✨ Content warnings for: transphobia, misgendering, deadnaming, loss of a parent, grief, loss of family members, minor self-harm for magical purposes, use of animal blood for magical purposes, murder, extensive discussion of death and spirits, mentions of anti-Latinx racism and cultural appropriation 

 I just don't even have words for how warm and cozy and HAPPY this series makes me. The domestic bliss is everything. I love a good angsty, high-stakes romance as much as the next person, but sometimes I just want to watch things fall into place so smoothly between two people that there's never been a doubt in anyone's mind: they're perfect for one another. Partners supporting one another in everyday life, holding each other through the bad days and celebrating the good ones — this series so brilliantly captures all of these little moving pieces of being in a stable, happy, healthy relationship and I adore it. 🥰 I'm soft. I can't even be too sad that there's only one volume left to go, because honestly, these two deserve a happy ever after.

Also... can we PLEASE get a spin-off about Keita?! 

 While I really loved I Hear the Sunspot, unfortunately, this volume fell flat for me big time. The miscommunication trope was so over-used, that it felt like literally almost every single chapter was just more drama for no reason at all. I don't mind a little bit of miscommunication, but when these characters' interactions seem to constantly be separated by months of silence over it? No thanks. :(

✨ Representation: Kohei and Maya are deaf; Kohei and Taichi are both queer

✨ Content warnings for: ableism