I'm just glad I finally found a cozy mystery book that I enjoy. I'll definitely pick up the rest of the series, but I'm not in any rush as I don't want to get burned out. 

I didn't love this quite as much as so many other people seem to, but I did have a fun time reading it, and I think am interested enough to eventually pick the up the prequel.

I have never actually read the original Hamlet by Shakespeare so I can't really speak for how this compares as a retelling. Setting that aside, I can tell why this might not work for some people. From the beginning of the story you can gather the outcome that is to come, and it is really about the downward spiral of the characters that are all locked together in this building. I think this really worked for me as a character study but also because I really enjoyed how this book is structured- the story is told as if in retrospect from a unrelated third party perspective- including things like audio and video transcripts, text messages, and excerpts from a fictional memoir. In my opinion, it all works together to keep you hooked even as you know that things are not going to end well. 

At times the writing felt a little choppy, but overall this was a solid debut and I'm interested to see where the series goes.

While I already knew that this graphic novel was originally a web comic, I didn't think it would make me feel nostalgic for back when I used to read them more often. I feel like pacing-wise this did remind of previous web comics where the pace was slower, with an almost slice-of-life quality while still feeling purposeful. I also liked how there was no easy answers to the conflict of the story, but it wasn't too bleak either.

At this point I'm probably beating a dead horse when I say the fight scenes can start to drag for me personally, but overall I enjoyed just how emotional Arlong Park ended up being. We got introduced to some new characters that are definitely intriguing, and I am pleasantly surprised at how quickly we are entering the Grand Line.

I love stories where the premise makes it seem as if the it will be filled wacky hijinks but subvert that expectation and deliver a heartfelt and moving narrative that explores themes of coming of age, familial dynamics, inter-generational trauma, and how as we grow older we realize that while there are things about our parents we may never agree with, we can come to understand them more and love them for who they are, without letting their baggage become ours. Definitely Maurene Goo's best book yet.

The most interesting part of this book for me was the blurred lines between people actually being prejudiced and dismissive towards her because she is a Black woman, and what is just her growing paranoia. I actually wish the book had delved into that idea a little bit more, because otherwise the book wasn't super memorable outside of being entertaining on the surface level.

This was such a cute, funny, and low-stress read. Both main characters felt fleshed out and Hibbert is great at making you root for the romance while also making sure the characters have a full story arc.

This book did a really good job of building up the tension throughout the story, and keeping that tension going through the climax and resolution with a worthy payoff. The historical context interwoven through the novel made it story feel even more fleshed out. I also really appreciated the commentary about missing Black girls and how it is by no means a new crisis.