Protagonists:

[ ] Hot garbage

[x] Boring boring boring

[ ] Serviceable

[ ] Likeable leads

[ ] I love them so much

Side Character

[x] Every character is terrible

[ ] Characters commit sin of being boring/generic

[ ] Enough interesting characters to balance out the few terrible ones

[ ] Likeable side characters

[ ] Amazing characters all around

Antagonist(s)

[ ] Hate them for the wrong reasons

[ ] Cliché as hell

[ ] Serviceable

[ ] Sympathetic or likeable enough that I don't want to hate them

[x] Love to hate them

Plot

[ ] Average, generic plot

[ ] Average plot made interesting with creativity

[ ] Crazy plot that is either so bad it’s good or just plain bad

[x] Unique plot that keeps you interested

Writing

[ ] Terribly written

[ ] Very simple but effective language

[ ] Average writing that does the job

[ ] Beautiful but accessible writing

[x] Challenging

Short Thoughts: This book was made in the 1700s and it was hard to read due to the lack of punctuation. No quotation marks. Dashes used to separate some of the conversations. Hard to tell who is saying what. It doesn’t help that some characters just don’t get to the point of whatever they are explaining. I get that this is the comedy aspect of the book (look at the scared maid droning on about irrelevant things!) but it doesn’t work at all. This is supposed to be the first Gothic novel ever but reading it with modern eyes just left me unimpressed. The ending was just so frustrating. It was dramatic and wtf-ish yet so unfulfilling. It would be cool to see a reimagining of this (if it doesn’t exist already). 

Protagonists

  [ ] Hot garbage

  [ ] Boring boring boring

  [x] Serviceable

  [ ] Likeable leads

  [ ] I love them so much

Side Character

  [ ] Every character is terrible

  [x] Characters commit sin of being boring/generic

  [ ] Enough interesting characters to balance out the few terrible ones

  [ ] Likeable side characters

  [ ] Amazing characters all around

Antagonist(s)

  [ ] Hate them for the wrong reasons

  [ ] Cliché as hell

  [x] Serviceable

  [ ] Sympathetic or likeable enough that I don't want to hate them

  [ ] Love to hate them

Plot

  [ ] Average, generic plot

  [x] Average plot made interesting with creativity

  [ ] Crazy plot that is either so bad it’s good or just plain bad

  [ ] Unique plot that keeps you interested

Writing

  [ ] Terribly written

  [ ] Very simple but effective language

  [x] Average writing that does the job

  [ ] Beautiful but accessible writing

  [ ] Challenging

Short Summary:

The setting is a dungeon and dragonesque land where we meet our lead, Cinnamon, leaving a village celebration. In her drunken stupor, she stumbles upon Fallon, a demon, who attacks her. After smacking some sense into him with some cinnamon, she is forced to accompany Fallon on an adventure of revenge.

This is the typical instalove where the unwilling lady is forced into a situation with a handsome gentleman. The setup and setting is interesting. The tone is mainly light-hearted - even when violence is afoot. The writing and plot overall is fine but nothing groundbreaking. At some points, the fantasy setting feels interrupted when a characters starts talking like modern day twenty somethings. (”Who wouldn't want to go off on a grand adventure with a bunch of hot heroes also chosen by the goddess? Me bitches, no thank you.”).

The leads are fine. Cinnamon is strong-willed, clever and an overall good person. Fallon is the typical overprotective male love interest with amazing sex skills. They’re likeable but not memorable. So many side characters were introduced in the middle to end and were not really expanded on or particularly useful/needed. It felt like the author initially wanted to do something reverse harem-like but then had a time limit and just focused on Cinnamon/Fallon. The villain is...there. The focus is the romance so they just exist as the uninteresting glue keeping the plot going. 

This could be enjoyable if you are in the mood for something adventurous, romantic but short. There is some violence but not ridiculously graphic. There are sex scenes which are of course detailed.

Protagonists

  [ ] Hot garbage

  [x] Boring boring boring

  [ ] Serviceable

  [ ] Likeable leads

  [ ] I love them so much

Side Character

  [ ] Every character is terrible

  [x] Characters commit sin of being boring/generic

  [ ] Enough interesting characters to balance out the few terrible ones

  [ ] Likeable side characters

  [ ] Amazing characters all around

Antagonist(s)

  [ ] Hate them for the wrong reasons

  [ ] Cliché as hell

  [x] Serviceable

  [ ] Sympathetic or likeable enough that I don't want to hate them

  [ ] Love to hate them

Plot

  [x] Average, generic plot

  [ ] Average plot made interesting with creativity

  [ ] Crazy plot that is either so bad it’s good or just plain bad

  [ ] Unique plot that keeps you interested

Writing

  [ ] Terribly written

  [ ] Very simple but effective language

  [ ] Average writing that does the job

  [x] Beautiful but accessible writing

  [ ] Challenging

Short summary:

Well. The writing is good.

Even the parts where it’s the author’s words and not lines ripped from Shakespeare.

Because there is a lot of that.

I’m pretty sure if you took all those lines out, the book would be half as many pages if not less.

The story revolves around 1990s senior theater major students at a liberal college in the Midwest. The Bard is their core curriculum. All the Shakespeare being acted in performances and said so candidly out of performance amongst themselves is to foreshadow the tragedy that is about to befall them.

In most scenes, it made sense but sometimes it just felt the author couldn't think of a witty quip for a character so she just snatched something from Shakespeare. 

I probably would have appreciated it more or could have endured it better if the book didn’t get so boring by the middle. I get the tension and the mystery the author was going for but it did not work. It just felt so drawn out.

The characters weren’t great either. Oliver is a competent, reliable narrator but I just did not give a toss about him. Yes, he’s caring and naïve. Yes. he has some baggage. However, there was nothing gripping or interesting about him.

As for the main friend group, I cannot describe anyone outside of Meredith and Richard. I get they are suppose to play archetypes but they just felt like extras and didn't feel like they added much to the story. Funny enough, I do feel the love triangle that develops and the realization Oliver has that he loves a certain someone was well done (though that certain someone was not interesting either). Going back to Meredith and Richard, I think Meredith was handled well and was nuanced. Richard, like his name, was a dick but that was the point. He felt over the top at times but that just made the fall so much harder and satisfying.

Overall, I am just conflicted about the book just because of the potential it had. The beginning was good, the middle was boring and the ending was underwhelming. 

Protagonists

  [ ] Hot garbage

  [ ] Boring boring boring

  [ ] Serviceable

  [ ] Likeable leads

  [x] I love them so much

Side Character

  [ ] Every character is terrible

  [ ] Characters commit sin of being boring/generic

  [ ] Enough interesting characters to balance out the few terrible ones

  [x] Likeable side characters

  [ ] Amazing characters all around

Antagonist(s)

  [ ] Hate them for the wrong reasons

  [ ] Cliché as hell

  [x] Serviceable

  [ ] Sympathetic or likeable enough that I don't want to hate them

  [ ] Love to hate them

Plot

  [ ] Average, generic plot

  [ ] Average plot made interesting with creativity

  [ ] Crazy plot that is either so bad it’s good or just plain bad

  [x] Unique plot that keeps you interested

Writing

  [ ] Terribly written

  [ ] Very simple but effective language

  [x] Average writing that does the job

  [ ] Beautiful but accessible writing

  [ ] Challenging

Short Summary:

This short book was very good. Set in the future where planets are being terraformed, this sci-fi story centers around a security robot who would rather just watch action movies and television dramas than focus and be around the people it has to protect. Murderbot is a fun character to follow around. It is awkward around humans but can throw out a clever comeback when it needs to. It tries to be cold and maintain distance with others but still reveals in thoughts and actions that it has grown attached to the group it was made to protect.

The other characters are fine. Out of the group of scientists that Murderbot has to protect, Mensah and Gurathin are the only ones given the most personality and conflict. The others are nice but that’s pretty much it - they are nice, forward-thinking people. I cared more about them mainly because Murderbot cared about them - not because of their own actions or personalities.

The plot itself is good - so many things are going wrong with their exploration of the planet. Is it just bad luck or is it sabotage? The answer feels weak to me (I don’t want to spoil it) but it wasn’t enough to make me want to throw the book away. I was still captivated after the reveal and was still hoping everything would work out for Murderbot and crew. The end of the book left me content. It made me look forward to the sequel.

**Artwork:**
[ ] Not for me
[ ] Average
[ ] Good
[x] Great
[ ] Amazing

**Plot:**
[ ] Terrible
[ ] Cliché
[ ] Done before but made interesting
[x] Unique

**Characters:**
[ ] Terrible
[ ] Boring / Cliché
[ ] Passable
[ ] Likeable
[ ] Like-Love
[x] Extremely Lovely!

**Short Summary:**
Can we turn this into a tv show? It’s an endearing slice of life story for anyone of any age and I’m here for it. The artwork is so adorable. The characters are lovely. I usually get very bored with slice of life stuff but this one kept me interested with the setting. The tea dragons themselves are so cute and I totally want one in real life (I’ll settle for a plushie for now). Really accessible story for anyone of any age with good lessons throughout.

 Cute, short children’s book on anxiety. Everyone goes through what if questions - some big, some small. But what if instead of just looking for the bad, we also look for the good? This is what the book reminds readers to do and it’s a nice life lesson to teach kids while they are young. This is done in such an easy way to digest. The artwork is very simplistic and cutesy and there is a great use of color to imply mood (bright and loud when panic hits, more subtle with relaxing moments). Highly recommended. 

More like a 4.5

**Artwork:**
[ ] Not for me
[ ] Average
[x] Good
[ ] Great
[ ] Amazing

**Plot:**
[ ] Terrible
[ ] Cliché
[ ] Done before but made interesting
[x] Unique

**Characters:**
[ ] Terrible
[ ] Boring / Cliché
[ ] Passable
[ ] Likeable
[x] Like-Love
[ ] Extremely Lovely!

**Short Summary:**
A good teenage story about finding yourself and finding love. I’m so happy to see a WLW graphic novel that involves a young transwoman - feels so rare. It really displays the things that young trans girls may encounter when they come out in high school. The book is a quick read but the love story is really well done in the short span of time. I really loved Annie as a character and the effect she and BeBe had one each other in terms of growth. Thumbs up from me.

Protagonists

Side Character

Antagonist(s)

Plot

Short summary:

Beautiful artwork. Interesting concept. Good pacing. The story world is fascinating and keeps me interested as it’s explained chapter by chapter. Our heroine, Coco, is an obviously sheltered child who is sweet, curious and likeable. The other characters are the typical cliché manga characters (well meaning but secretive teacher, spunky heart on their sleeve friend, the rival who makes the main character’s life difficult but will probably end up being friends, etc.) but they’re all likeable. The book really drew me into the world and how Coco will fair. I’m curious about the next one.

Protagonists

Side Character

Antagonist(s)

Plot

Writing

Short summary:

This book makes me feel…..conflicted.

The story takes place on an alternative Earth where magic once flourished in the past. There were magic users of different types: Shapers can create objects from the world, Temporals can created rips in time and space, etc. After a cataclysmic event, magic and the majority of magic users were wiped out but the history still carries on into today. Our magical warrior lead Pennrae has survived the event and has woken up in this new world, hiding her magic from everyone. That is, until a new magical evil surfaces, threatening the world and those she cares for.

Pennrae as a lead is fine. She has personality. She isn’t a wilting flower that needs to be saved by a man when things get too rough. She’s a bad ass. She has a caring side. She’s likeable enough.

Her friends and sidekicks are fine as well. I love Ashe a lot and wish she was my familiar.

This alternative magical Earth setting is pretty cool. I liked the idea of different types of magic, that it was lost and may be possible to bring back again.

Yet, this book makes me feel…..conflicted. While I was reading, I felt off. I wanted to finish it but at the same time, I felt disengaged.

I think another review said it best when it feels like there’s 3-4 books crammed into one.

You have the main story with the big bad causing trouble with magic.

You have the mystery of Toji’s heritage.

You have the romance between Callan and Penn which I did not care for.

Note about the romance:

I don’t like how Callan didn’t take no for an answer when asking Penn out the first time. There are other ways to get them together without the icky “no means yes” shit.

And few other things that I don’t want to include due to spoilers.

Because it feels like a mashing of so many books, my first thought was “Oh, this seems convenient.” Because so many things were tied together, it felt like things were solved due to coincidence. I don’t think this would be an issue if this were split up into different volumes and given time to simmer.

It’s very weird. The book feels rushed yet so long at the same time.

Overall, I liked the concept, the characters were fine and the writing was decent. Not sure yet if I’ll read the next book.