obscurepages's reviews
410 reviews

Okay, this was actually really nice. And a lot sadder than I had anticipated.

This was really interesting in a way that it reads like a fanfic (of The Divine Comedy), specifically a character study of Lucifer and Judas. The plot was close to being non-existent but that's not at all bad in this situation. In this story, we focus a lot more on Judas and The Devil as characters. Their thoughts, their perspectives, their insecurities, their grief, their heartbreak, their hope. What do they do or will do in a desolate place like Hell? How do they ruminate on their actions? How do they move forward as two of the most "well-known" villains? I think the author really did will, exploring that. There's a lot of melancholy and even discussions of morality that could really capture you as a reader, and I think that's what happened to me.

CW: graphic violence, blood, murder, death, child death, mentions of torture, mentions of rape, non-con, suicide/self-harm, consensual sexual scenes, mentions of miscarriage

(Read for the Indie Ink Awards 2024!)

Okay it's official, Naseem Jamnia is an auto-buy author for me 🥹

It took me a while to finish The Glade (not because of the book, life happens 😅), but I have to say this was a ride.

I love how it started off so simple and innocent, yet the latter half is blend of psychological horror, eco-horror, and real-life issues concerning kids, especially BIPOC kids. We have Pina struggling with her anxiety and insecurities, desperate to grow and save her best friend. And then with the latter part of the book, it broke my heart knowing what Jo goes through as a half-Filipino kid with no connection to their roots

and no one but their white family as abusive guardians

.

I think this book explored what's it like for lonely kids, kids who are going through a tough time at home, kids who are experiencing racism and xenophobia at such a young and formative age. It's heartbreaking and harrowing to even think about.

I also quite liked the neurodivergence rep in this book. While Pina is still undiagnosed (anxiety, autism), you see it in her perspective as you read through the story. And you see her considering these things as time goes by. And I just love that and I know a lot of people will be able to relate to her and her experiences. Or maybe discover a little bit more about themselves as they read Pina's perspective.

I think The Glade is a clever metaphor for inner struggles and psychological trauma. The Glade takes vulnerable victims. And yes, at first it's a refuge. But soon, it can also take away from you. And we either let it or we try to face it head on. I think this is what we see from Pina, Jo, Eddy, and Arish throughout the story. And it was great, seeing their journey from start to finish.

(Also it is the last day of AAPI/ANHPI Month, and if you're still looking for an author or book to support, this is it!)

Finished after two months finally! Not the book's fault, of course, but life happens and it took me a while to finish this 😅 Nevertheless, this was good! I love the eeriness and otherworldliness of it all (also I love the idea of parallel universes or alternate universes, so I might be a little biased there).

But listen, I think the author was able to wield this concept of multiple realities to highlight personal horror, desperation, guilt, and grief. This was a heavy book, not just because it deals with missing persons and trauma and questionable coping mechanisms (Theo was an alcoholic, let's face it). But also because there was so much love and grief in between these pages. We complicated relationships between Theo and her mom, the rocky tension between Theo and Delilah, the unconditional love Theo has for her sister, and even her bond with Quinn. These relationships hold so much and we see that in the book.

Theo was far from the perfect and/or likable character. (I actually liked her at first, then got annoyed by her, then liked her again). But I think this is a testament to how complex people could be. Still, I understood Theo, and I rooted for her even until the end.

When it comes to the storytelling world-building, I think there were times that I felt like it could get confusing. Don't get me wrong, it was intriguing and compelling. Maybe I just wanted it to be a little more fleshed out and clearer.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read. Also, I think it would make a great TV show, to be honest, considering the concept, the setting, and the visuals in the story.

(Read for the Indie Ink Awards 2024!) 

 I FINISHED IT AAAAAAHHHH

Okay, first of all, this was entertaining. It might lack a bit more action or adrenaline, but it definitely did not lack drama 😂 I was entertained all throughout. And while the book focused largely on the political aspects, I think love and humanity is at its core. Without spoiling too much of the book, I have to say that loving and being human was a big motivator for a lot of mistakes and decisions made by the characters. Love (whether it be toxic, wholesome, familial, romantic, guilt-based) fueled them to act—to betray, to protect, to exact revenge. Laya, Duja, Imeria...these characters were so obviously flawed, passionate, and hurting. And I rooted for them anyway. Because they were compelling, they were tragic, they were real.

The plot was not too complicated (two families vying for the throne, one forbidden romance in the past, one forbidden romance in the present, a betrayal and revenge forming, magic and gods are also involved). However, it was a page-turner for me. Again, I think this is largely due to the characters and their drama. There was a lot of history and secrets to uncover, and reading the journey of each of the characters was fascinating. Sometimes I did feel like some plot and character details were lacking, which can be confusing at times, too. 

I also loved that there was queer rep in the book! Two of the main cast are bi and were in a sapphic relationship (which was a big part of the plot! Expect romance, tragedy, betrayals! Rhaenicent vibes!), and one minor character was ace! (the ace character happens to be my favorite, and it's a shame she didn't have her own chapters 😆)

I liked the precolonial Filipino setting. The writing of it was lush and rich, and I loved seeing bits and pieces of Filipino folklore and legends embedded into the world-building of this book. I do wish there was a bit more? Like maybe specific customs and food and tradition maybe? However, I know the author can't put everything in one book of course. So I liked it enough. I have to say though, southerners and capital people having a rivalry? That I can very much see in modern day Filipino society unfortunately 😅 I've seen people from Manila (usually rich socialites) insult, look down on, and use harmful stereotypes against southern Filipinos (particularly Visayans [and I take offense too because my parents are from Visayas, we're Ilonggos]). It's this type of simple ignorance that divides modern day Filipinos. And to see this particular detail reflected in Black Salt Queen was definitely interesting. Maybe if there's a sequel, this will be explored more? Fingers crossed!

Anyway, this is it for now. I don't want to ramble too much or spoil too much. I'm part of a book tour and a longer review will be posted on my blog on my tour date!

Thank you so much to Bindery Books and Colored Pages Book Tours for sending an e-arc my way! This, of course, did not affect my overall opinion of the book.

Exact rating: 4 stars

Humorous, campy, and so so good! 😂

I didn't have a lot of expectations diving into this book, especially because I don't know too much about it. But wow this was a pleasant surprise.

Great art (I could see the anime-style kind of art, but it was still its own design). Love the story and what it teaches about queerness/gender identity and transitioning. Loved the plot and the world-building, I thought it was really exciting and reminiscent of those "chosen one" YA fantasy we love but it has a fresh take. The friendships and the characters in here were also so good! I'm a sucker for found family or the ragtag group of misfits kind of trope so I just love how "Team Magical Boy" came together 😆

My only gripes would be that sometimes it's hard to discern which scene or panel is next? Same with the dialogue 😅 So it can get confusing sometimes. It also left us in a cliffhanger, which I feel conflicted about 😆 Not that I don't like cliffhangers, but maybe I would have liked to see some character development for particular characters? (The mom, Pyper, even Max as the MC) But honestly, it's not that bad and I know there's already a Volume 2 so I'm really excited!

Read for Trans Rights Readathon 2025! 🏳️‍⚧️

Okay, let's start with that I liked 😆

- The art is gorgeous 
- Love the autistic and trans girl rep
- Love the focus on humanity

What I didn't like 🥲

- there are weird time jumps?? I wish they were labeled properly or put into different chapters instead.
- Storytelling lacks a bit for me?
- Feels like the characterization is off sometimes? Like the characters' logic is weird/inconsistent (Lanie suggests sacrificing their bully, Val was against it. And then Val suggests killing their bully? Like what)
- I liked the ending enough, but there are some plot holes and unanswered questions for me 😅

Overall it was good and entertaining. But there were some plot holes and subplots I just couldn't get out of my mind 😅 Like what's the point of adding them if there's no resolution or they won't get mentioned ever again.

It feels like a weak 3-stars for me. A shame because I really liked the art and the premise.

Read for Trans Rights Readathon 2025! 🏳️‍⚧️

You can tell that the girls are still only starting to bond with each other and form a chemistry. I definitely don't remember Cornelia being so antagonistic? impatient? lol. Still interesting though!

I like that we're getting to know the girls a little bit here! Like the kind of people they are. World-building still gets a little confusing though, or because we don't have all the details yet and I think that's fine for now.

I still find it weird that their guardian form makes them look like older versions of themselves. And then we have Irma who transformed and went to a club and flirted with a guy older than her?? What in the 😭😂 I mean she's still 13, she's a kid. I don't think that's safe, nor is it significant to their powers/guardian selves. Like what does looking older and curvier really do when they're fighting or using their powers? I think it doesn't really add anything 🥲

Cleaned my cabinets and found my collection of W.I.T.C.H. comics 😭 I don't have the complete collection but I have about 30 issues. So I might just take another trip to nostalgia land and read this whole series for the first time (just like I did with Inuyasha mangas last year 😂)

Okay so. First issue ever. The art is good. I remember just taking the time and tracing every character and trying to draw them when I was a kid 😂 I definitely had a phase lol.

Storytelling-wise, I think it's a little disjointed. And a lot of info dump dear lord. As a result it can get a little confusing. Definitely interesting though, I love fantasy and world-building details so I'm looking forward to diving into the world-building of this one.

Also why do they transform to older teenage version of themselves when they transform and use magic? They're supposed to be 13 in this, but when they use powers they look like 16? Like what's the logic behind that 😭😂 When I was younger I didn't give it much thought. But being older now, I guess I just find that a little weird?

Hopefully the next few issues get better 👀

 Finally, after a month! This put me in a reading slump in February 😅

This was enjoyable and entertaining enough. My biggest issue is somehow it didn't have that "umph" that hooked me or made me obsessed. Like somehow it felt like everything was happening, but also nothing was happening at the same time. The plot and world-building were not as engaging or complex as I hoped they would be. I think I expected it to be more exciting or gripping as a reader, given that it is a zombie/apocalyptic story.

Now, I could have been fine with that. I mean, there were books that I liked where it's kind of confusing and not really plot-driven, but the characters still hook you in. I don't think that was the case for this book. Because while I liked the characters, I feel like the characterization still lacked and seemed like surface level? See I've been reading like half of the book, and I still couldn't care less about some of the characters. Even Jake as the main character felt weird sometimes (it was mentioned that he was a prepper, but it was so unbelievable for me unfortunately 😅) Anyway, yeah it wasn't until close to the end that I got an inkling of backstory from some of them and deeper personality traits.

I think the trans rep was good. It was very subtle though. But I liked that Jake's trans journey was highlighted in one part of the book and showed that not every trans experience is the same.

I think that's it for me really. Entertaining enough, but felt standard and conventional for the most part.

(Read for the Indie Ink Awards 2024!)