notsobinaryart's Reviews (153)

Black Friend

Ziwe

funny reflective fast-paced

Content Warnings

Cult of the Lamb Vol. 1: The First Verse

Alex Paknadel

4.5

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Ever since I heard one of my favorite games of 2024 was getting a graphic novel, I’ve been chomping at the bit to get my hands on it. I’m so glad I finally did and the fun time I had!

Backstory for people who know nothing about this creepy cozy little game: in this hit indie game, you start out as the last lamb alive that is to be sacrificed. Suddenly, as you are at death’s door, a god gives you the opportunity to come back to life as long as you swear allegiance to them and promise to begin and grow a cult in their honor. You might be thinking to yourself, Raven, this doesn’t exactly sound very cozy. And yet, the lamb is the cutest little guy there ever was, with so many decoration options such as a cottage core dlc. Who would have known managing a cult could be cozy?

Where the graphic novel starts is at the very beginning of our sweet lamb’s story. We get to truly experience the heart of the story from the lamb's perspective, making it even more personal than the video game. Each character is given such precious art that it hits that much harder when any of our cute animal friends die, making the story so much more real than when we see our small followers from a distance on our video game screens. I love learning more lore, some true to the game and some in ways that could diverge from the choices you make as an individual in the game setting.

I recommend this book both to preexisting lovers of the franchise and to newbies alike, although I do admit my love for the game gives me an extra attachment and bias toward my love of the book.

For both book and game, I would most certainly check trigger warnings. These both deal with heavy topics that while somewhat glossed over and cartoon in nature, can be triggering to some regardless. Calling this game “cozy” is for sure a debated topic within the cozy gaming sphere as there is a lot of violence in various forms.

Thank you to NetGalley and Oni Press for this eARC. I loved getting to dive into even more of the world of Cult of the Lamb! I cannot wait for the next comics to come out.

Content Warnings

Dragonfruit

Makiia Lucier

adventurous emotional hopeful slow-paced

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Content Warnings

Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants

Robin Wall Kimmerer

5.0

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

Pupposites Attract, Volume 1

Hono Natsuna

4.25

lighthearted

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Yes

Adorable fluffy slice of life romance manga filled with cute dogs and a slow burn romance! Not very deep and not much happens, but if you’re looking for cute you’re in the right place