Take a photo of a barcode or cover
1.26k reviews by:
inkandplasma
Content Warnings: depression, death, suicidal ideation, violence, abuse, controlling behaviour, manipulation, grief, PTSD
I received an eARC of this for review, it has not affected my honest opinion.
I'm a big fan of YA thrillers, but this just didn't work for me. I finished reading it rather than DNFing because I was hoping it might pick up nearer the end but ultimately it just left me frustrated and a bit irritated. Okay, a lot irritated. The whole way through the stakes felt extremely low, and despite it being marketed as someone using their phobias against them, they were all able to get away from it really easily. There was just no real threat level the whole way through. I didn't feel any sense of dread or any real anticipation. The only time it felt like there was real danger was when the brothers were on the island - an entire section that made basically no sense. Their motivations for being there were so flimsy and didn't click with me at all. As for the emotional abuse, I can understand where the book was trying to lead me but I felt like I was expected to pity an abuser because they went through trauma? I'm sorry, it just didn't work for me. I need to see a lot more development and a lot more awareness and apology from a character to feel pity - and definitely not after the actions taken during this book. Ultimately I just found the ending underwhelming. I really need people to stop using mental illness as a twist. 'Mentally ill person commits crime' is not the mind-blowing and innovative twist you think it is.
EDIT: I'm adding to this review like 10 mins after posting it because I'm getting increasingly angry. I also wanna add I think this was mismarketed?? I'm gonna spoiler tag the next bit while I explain why.
I received an eARC of this for review, it has not affected my honest opinion.
I'm a big fan of YA thrillers, but this just didn't work for me. I finished reading it rather than DNFing because I was hoping it might pick up nearer the end but ultimately it just left me frustrated and a bit irritated. Okay, a lot irritated. The whole way through the stakes felt extremely low, and despite it being marketed as someone using their phobias against them, they were all able to get away from it really easily. There was just no real threat level the whole way through. I didn't feel any sense of dread or any real anticipation. The only time it felt like there was real danger was when the brothers were on the island - an entire section that made basically no sense. Their motivations for being there were so flimsy and didn't click with me at all. As for the emotional abuse, I can understand where the book was trying to lead me but I felt like I was expected to pity an abuser because they went through trauma? I'm sorry, it just didn't work for me. I need to see a lot more development and a lot more awareness and apology from a character to feel pity - and definitely not after the actions taken during this book. Ultimately I just found the ending underwhelming. I really need people to stop using mental illness as a twist. 'Mentally ill person commits crime' is not the mind-blowing and innovative twist you think it is.
EDIT: I'm adding to this review like 10 mins after posting it because I'm getting increasingly angry. I also wanna add I think this was mismarketed?? I'm gonna spoiler tag the next bit while I explain why.
Spoiler
So this has IN THE DESCRIPTION 'who will make it off the island alive?' the answer? all of them, because there was NEVER ANY THREAT. Don't market a book as if people are going to die and then hit me with 'it was all a hallucination', tf? I felt so disappointed because I was waiting for this to hold up to the hunger games comp and the THREAT OF DEATH and instead it was literally so low stakes i was bored the whole time.
I received an eARC of this book from Oni Press. It has not affected my honest review.
This was really fun. I requested it on a complete whim because I wanted something cute and I liked the cover. I'm looking forward to reading volume 2 now because I'm super attached to these adorable (and badass) hamsters.
I liked the way that the worldbuilding unravelled slowly over the course of the graphic novel as familiar elements were woven into the story. I sometimes found the hamster's versions of things (seedees = cds) a bit confusing, deciphering those is not my strong suit at the best of times, but I didn't mind it overall. All of the characters were super cute and loveable, with distinct personalities and really sweet relationships. I'm looking forward to finding out more about this world. It's an excellent fun read.
This was really fun. I requested it on a complete whim because I wanted something cute and I liked the cover. I'm looking forward to reading volume 2 now because I'm super attached to these adorable (and badass) hamsters.
I liked the way that the worldbuilding unravelled slowly over the course of the graphic novel as familiar elements were woven into the story. I sometimes found the hamster's versions of things (seedees = cds) a bit confusing, deciphering those is not my strong suit at the best of times, but I didn't mind it overall. All of the characters were super cute and loveable, with distinct personalities and really sweet relationships. I'm looking forward to finding out more about this world. It's an excellent fun read.
I received this eARC from Oni Press. It has not affected my honest review.
3.5 stars!
I absolutely love the art style of this graphic novel. I think it's beautiful, detailed and I really like the colour palettes used. Honestly, I'm obsessed with the cover, and there were some panels throughout the graphic novel that were so beautifully visual I couldn't stop looking at them.
Initially I wasn't sold on the weird flesh-block aliens. I guess I like my horror more understated than gory. But I did like the way that the powers unfolded. The way they got into the crew's head was very eerie and I liked the 'cause' of their power. The ending was a lot, lot stronger than the start. I actually really liked the way it ended, it was clever and powerful and I didn't predict it. The way Glory learned to manipulate the surroundings was excellent. Also the way that the ship can pilot around their unconscious bodies was more deeply horrifying to me than anything else - I'd love to read a horror story about that.
The characters didn't totally jump out at me. Particularly because of the space suits they were all a little interchangeable, and I struggled to find them distinct enough to distinguish between them at points. I also felt like I didn't really emotionally connect to any of them. There were brief moments of backstory to make them feel more like whole characters but overall I didn't know much about them as individuals - not always possible to flesh out in a graphic novel, but a bit disappointing nonetheless.
3.5 stars!
I absolutely love the art style of this graphic novel. I think it's beautiful, detailed and I really like the colour palettes used. Honestly, I'm obsessed with the cover, and there were some panels throughout the graphic novel that were so beautifully visual I couldn't stop looking at them.
Initially I wasn't sold on the weird flesh-block aliens. I guess I like my horror more understated than gory. But I did like the way that the powers unfolded. The way they got into the crew's head was very eerie and I liked the 'cause' of their power. The ending was a lot, lot stronger than the start. I actually really liked the way it ended, it was clever and powerful and I didn't predict it. The way Glory learned to manipulate the surroundings was excellent. Also the way that the ship can pilot around their unconscious bodies was more deeply horrifying to me than anything else - I'd love to read a horror story about that.
The characters didn't totally jump out at me. Particularly because of the space suits they were all a little interchangeable, and I struggled to find them distinct enough to distinguish between them at points. I also felt like I didn't really emotionally connect to any of them. There were brief moments of backstory to make them feel more like whole characters but overall I didn't know much about them as individuals - not always possible to flesh out in a graphic novel, but a bit disappointing nonetheless.
Review live on my blog from 15th February 2021: https://inkandplasma.com/2021/02/15/delicates/
I received an eARC of this graphic novel from Oni Press. It has not affected my honest review.
Content Warnings: depression, bullying, suicidal thoughts.
I was honestly blown away by this graphic novel. I read Sheets and really enjoyed it (I rated it 4 stars) and was expecting a similar experience with Delicates. Instead I got something even more impossibly beautiful and poignant. I honestly cried at the end of this graphic novel, and I can't wait to get a physical copy in my hands so I can read it all over again.
Delicates follows on from Sheets, where Marjorie's family is now successfully running the Laundromat with the help of Wendell and his ghost friends and the ghost-uriser that gets out any stains. All of this happened in the first novel, so these are all familiar characters. I loved seeing that things had improved with Marjorie and Owen's dad, but equally liked that things weren't magically fixed. Marjorie has fallen into a new friendship group ready to start the next school year, and there's a new girl in her class, Eliza, who is repeating eighth grade.
I am absolutely obsessed with the way that this graphic novel handles bullying. I hope school libraries get this in by bulk, because it has such an important message throughout. And while it's frustrating to read, I think having a book where the MC is complicit in the bullying is so, so important because it really successfully shows someone standing up to their friends and challenging their behaviour - something that's not easy to do as a teenager. I absolutely adore Eliza, she's a fantastic and lovable character and the way that her depression and suicidal thoughts are portrayed is lovingly done. I wish I'd had this as a teenager so I could have learned to recognise these signs in myself and others.
The ending is poignant and powerful and so, so beautiful. I wept through the last few pages and I probably will again when I reread it. I highly recommend this graphic novel for all ages - there's a lesson to be learned about kindness and care for all of us in here.
I received an eARC of this graphic novel from Oni Press. It has not affected my honest review.
Content Warnings: depression, bullying, suicidal thoughts.
I was honestly blown away by this graphic novel. I read Sheets and really enjoyed it (I rated it 4 stars) and was expecting a similar experience with Delicates. Instead I got something even more impossibly beautiful and poignant. I honestly cried at the end of this graphic novel, and I can't wait to get a physical copy in my hands so I can read it all over again.
Delicates follows on from Sheets, where Marjorie's family is now successfully running the Laundromat with the help of Wendell and his ghost friends and the ghost-uriser that gets out any stains. All of this happened in the first novel, so these are all familiar characters. I loved seeing that things had improved with Marjorie and Owen's dad, but equally liked that things weren't magically fixed. Marjorie has fallen into a new friendship group ready to start the next school year, and there's a new girl in her class, Eliza, who is repeating eighth grade.
I am absolutely obsessed with the way that this graphic novel handles bullying. I hope school libraries get this in by bulk, because it has such an important message throughout. And while it's frustrating to read, I think having a book where the MC is complicit in the bullying is so, so important because it really successfully shows someone standing up to their friends and challenging their behaviour - something that's not easy to do as a teenager. I absolutely adore Eliza, she's a fantastic and lovable character and the way that her depression and suicidal thoughts are portrayed is lovingly done. I wish I'd had this as a teenager so I could have learned to recognise these signs in myself and others.
The ending is poignant and powerful and so, so beautiful. I wept through the last few pages and I probably will again when I reread it. I highly recommend this graphic novel for all ages - there's a lesson to be learned about kindness and care for all of us in here.
3.5 rounded up
Sprite and the Gardener was a real cute graphic novella. At around 90 pages it was a quick read, but it was perfectly pieced together and captivating. The pacing was fantastic, and I really liked the way that it wrapped up in a kind of cyclical way. I would love to read more about the sprites in this town, because the premise was so sweet.
The characters were fleshed out really well in the short pages, and the art style was fantastic. It's packed full of emotion and fun. A lovely read and I highly recommend it.
Sprite and the Gardener was a real cute graphic novella. At around 90 pages it was a quick read, but it was perfectly pieced together and captivating. The pacing was fantastic, and I really liked the way that it wrapped up in a kind of cyclical way. I would love to read more about the sprites in this town, because the premise was so sweet.
The characters were fleshed out really well in the short pages, and the art style was fantastic. It's packed full of emotion and fun. A lovely read and I highly recommend it.
Full review on my blog 28th January 2021: https://inkandplasma.com/2021/01/28/lore/
Trigger Warnings: murder (including graphic murder of children and murder of parents), death, misogyny, gore, terminal illness, abuse, arranged marriage, attempted rape.
I was absolutely heartbroken when I didn't get an ARC of this one (et tu Hachette) and so as soon as this one released I listened to the entire audiobook in one sitting whilst doing a particularly evil jigsaw. As long as it still counts as one sitting if I had to keep pausing it to pace in and out of the living room to yell about how stressed I was over this incredible Greek mythology based story.
I knew I was going to love Lore, but I underestimated just how much. I like anything with good Greek mythology to it, and this was spectacular. The premise of the Agon, where gods are made mortal for seven days and mortals allowed to kill them to ascend to godhood, is *incredible* and I am absolutely obsessed with it. The ever-changing roster of gods, each taking their predecessor's powers and choosing new names for themselves, is going to fuel my imagination for months. Hi, I'll be challenging Hades so I can *rule death.* Okay, Hades wasn't involved in the Agon, and I would instantly die, but that's not my point. I loved the way that the world was developed, it made perfect sense that families would train their children to make ascension easier and to make it easier to take down gods. I'm a sucker for an underground world that most people don't know about.
Lore was all my favourite types of character rolled into one. At the start of the book she's distanced herself from the Agon, drawn back in by the original Athena lying bleeding out on her doorstep (and oh my *god* Athena is so scary and sexy in this book) and I loved the way that her reluctance, trained duties and her own revenge mission drew her back into the world she'd left. She's tough and resilient and made strong by some absolutely heart breaking tragedies in her past, but still loving and loyal to her friends. I adore her, and her character arc is incredible. The romance in this book is well developed and even I, romance-hater, loved it a lot. I loved the queer side romance even more, I was shipping it from the first time we saw the characters on page and I was *not disappointed*.
I adore the prose here, and once I'm free of my book buying ban, I might have to go back and read Alexandra Bracken's earlier work. I'm impressed by how well this incredibly complex book is threaded together with information given to the reader in the perfect moments for emotional impact. The ending of this book wasn't what I was expecting, but I really liked it. It concluded this standalone in a fantastic way and I love that all the threads were neatly tied away. I know this is going to be one I reread and relisten to, a definite favourite. If you read audiobooks, I highly recommend this one. The narrator does a fantastic job and it's clear and well performed.
Trigger Warnings: murder (including graphic murder of children and murder of parents), death, misogyny, gore, terminal illness, abuse, arranged marriage, attempted rape.
I was absolutely heartbroken when I didn't get an ARC of this one (et tu Hachette) and so as soon as this one released I listened to the entire audiobook in one sitting whilst doing a particularly evil jigsaw. As long as it still counts as one sitting if I had to keep pausing it to pace in and out of the living room to yell about how stressed I was over this incredible Greek mythology based story.
I knew I was going to love Lore, but I underestimated just how much. I like anything with good Greek mythology to it, and this was spectacular. The premise of the Agon, where gods are made mortal for seven days and mortals allowed to kill them to ascend to godhood, is *incredible* and I am absolutely obsessed with it. The ever-changing roster of gods, each taking their predecessor's powers and choosing new names for themselves, is going to fuel my imagination for months. Hi, I'll be challenging Hades so I can *rule death.* Okay, Hades wasn't involved in the Agon, and I would instantly die, but that's not my point. I loved the way that the world was developed, it made perfect sense that families would train their children to make ascension easier and to make it easier to take down gods. I'm a sucker for an underground world that most people don't know about.
Lore was all my favourite types of character rolled into one. At the start of the book she's distanced herself from the Agon, drawn back in by the original Athena lying bleeding out on her doorstep (and oh my *god* Athena is so scary and sexy in this book) and I loved the way that her reluctance, trained duties and her own revenge mission drew her back into the world she'd left. She's tough and resilient and made strong by some absolutely heart breaking tragedies in her past, but still loving and loyal to her friends. I adore her, and her character arc is incredible. The romance in this book is well developed and even I, romance-hater, loved it a lot. I loved the queer side romance even more, I was shipping it from the first time we saw the characters on page and I was *not disappointed*.
I adore the prose here, and once I'm free of my book buying ban, I might have to go back and read Alexandra Bracken's earlier work. I'm impressed by how well this incredibly complex book is threaded together with information given to the reader in the perfect moments for emotional impact. The ending of this book wasn't what I was expecting, but I really liked it. It concluded this standalone in a fantastic way and I love that all the threads were neatly tied away. I know this is going to be one I reread and relisten to, a definite favourite. If you read audiobooks, I highly recommend this one. The narrator does a fantastic job and it's clear and well performed.
