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typedtruths's Reviews (1.8k)
#1 Moonstruck, Vol. One: Magic to Brew ★★★½☆
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2.5 star
Unfortunately, Going Viral was not the best addition to this series. I adored The Potion Diaries for its unique premise and colourful cast but this sequel just did not live up to the standard.
Pros:
• The world. I love gritty, dark fantasy worlds but there is a special place in my heart for Nova. I adore how it effortlessly blends modern technology and magic/alchemy to create this setting that is somewhat light-hearted and fluffy but maintains that fantastical feel.
• The alchemy. If you didn’t know, potion-making - or alchemy/mixing, in this case - is one of my favourite magical systems. There something about balancing the magical lore with science that makes it that much more realistic and believable in my eyes. I will say that I was slightly disappointed that the potion-making was not quite as interesting in this sequel, at least compared to the first two books, but it is still one of my favourite aspect of this series. I just would have liked to see it play more of a role in the story.
• The protagonist. I have said this twice now but it is worth repeating: Sam is the kind of protagonist I love to see in these sorts of stories. She is just a genuinely pleasant character. Her ambition is so admirable. Despite her accomplishments and her intelligence, she is never arrogant or obnoxious. She is loyal to her family and her craft. She is nerdy in such a relatable way and I just really adore her. The one thing that I did not enjoy was how she treated Zain. I thought she was a bit snappy at him, especially because he didn’t do anything to deserve it.
• The cast. Generally speaking, I do really love these characters. I love Zain and Molly and Sam’s grandfather and Anita. Kirsty - the secondary character I had problems with in the first two books - was also not in this story. Yay!
Cons:
• The plot. *dramatic sigh* Without a doubt, the thing that let this sequel down was its plotline. It was just so mild? There was no intensity to it. I don’t know whether it was because it lacked the epic scavenger hunts of the previous two books but, for whatever reason, I found the plot incredibly dry. The was no sense of urgency. Everything felt oddly convenient. All of the answers were provided to them by conveniently timed “coincidences” and I just found it boring. While the potion-making had been a highlight in the previous books, the fact that Sam had the recipe handed to her on a silver platter was… anticlimactic. I should have been excited that we explore a part of the world we hadn’t seen before but, like I said, everything was delivered to Sam and we did very little exploring ourselves. Even the phoenix stuff felt forced.
• The romances. I do not think that romance is Alward forte. While I liked all of her characters as individuals, I felt like neither of the two ships in this story had any real chemistry. I think Zain and Sam definitely have potential. Their dynamics are so interesting because they really are an opposites-attract type of couple but I was just so frustrated by how oblivious Sam was to Zain’s feelings that I struggled to feel invested in their relationship. Evelyn and Katrina also felt forced. I love that we have an f/f romance in a world where there is no discrimination about people’s sexualities/gender identities but they had no chemistry!
• The villain. Yawn. They were needlessly evil and felt very caricaturish. Their motivations were bland. I felt no real empathy to them. I would have liked to see Prince Stefan have more nuanced character development as well. He was definitely an interesting antagonist but his arc felt rushed and a little bit sloppy.
• Evelyn’s POV. I normally adore multiple POV stories - and still do - but I did find Evelyn’s storyline particularly boring. Her voice was also a tad too juvenile for my taste.
Review copy provided by the publisher for an honest review.
Unfortunately, Going Viral was not the best addition to this series. I adored The Potion Diaries for its unique premise and colourful cast but this sequel just did not live up to the standard.
Pros:
• The world. I love gritty, dark fantasy worlds but there is a special place in my heart for Nova. I adore how it effortlessly blends modern technology and magic/alchemy to create this setting that is somewhat light-hearted and fluffy but maintains that fantastical feel.
• The alchemy. If you didn’t know, potion-making - or alchemy/mixing, in this case - is one of my favourite magical systems. There something about balancing the magical lore with science that makes it that much more realistic and believable in my eyes. I will say that I was slightly disappointed that the potion-making was not quite as interesting in this sequel, at least compared to the first two books, but it is still one of my favourite aspect of this series. I just would have liked to see it play more of a role in the story.
• The protagonist. I have said this twice now but it is worth repeating: Sam is the kind of protagonist I love to see in these sorts of stories. She is just a genuinely pleasant character. Her ambition is so admirable. Despite her accomplishments and her intelligence, she is never arrogant or obnoxious. She is loyal to her family and her craft. She is nerdy in such a relatable way and I just really adore her. The one thing that I did not enjoy was how she treated Zain. I thought she was a bit snappy at him, especially because he didn’t do anything to deserve it.
• The cast. Generally speaking, I do really love these characters. I love Zain and Molly and Sam’s grandfather and Anita. Kirsty - the secondary character I had problems with in the first two books - was also not in this story. Yay!
Cons:
• The plot. *dramatic sigh* Without a doubt, the thing that let this sequel down was its plotline. It was just so mild? There was no intensity to it. I don’t know whether it was because it lacked the epic scavenger hunts of the previous two books but, for whatever reason, I found the plot incredibly dry. The was no sense of urgency. Everything felt oddly convenient. All of the answers were provided to them by conveniently timed “coincidences” and I just found it boring. While the potion-making had been a highlight in the previous books, the fact that Sam had the recipe handed to her on a silver platter was… anticlimactic. I should have been excited that we explore a part of the world we hadn’t seen before but, like I said, everything was delivered to Sam and we did very little exploring ourselves. Even the phoenix stuff felt forced.
• The romances. I do not think that romance is Alward forte. While I liked all of her characters as individuals, I felt like neither of the two ships in this story had any real chemistry. I think Zain and Sam definitely have potential. Their dynamics are so interesting because they really are an opposites-attract type of couple but I was just so frustrated by how oblivious Sam was to Zain’s feelings that I struggled to feel invested in their relationship. Evelyn and Katrina also felt forced. I love that we have an f/f romance in a world where there is no discrimination about people’s sexualities/gender identities but they had no chemistry!
• The villain. Yawn. They were needlessly evil and felt very caricaturish. Their motivations were bland. I felt no real empathy to them. I would have liked to see Prince Stefan have more nuanced character development as well. He was definitely an interesting antagonist but his arc felt rushed and a little bit sloppy.
• Evelyn’s POV. I normally adore multiple POV stories - and still do - but I did find Evelyn’s storyline particularly boring. Her voice was also a tad too juvenile for my taste.
Review copy provided by the publisher for an honest review.
1.5 stars
the fact that i didn’t dnf this is a fucking miracle, honestly
➸ Trigger warnings forindentured servitude, kiss w/o consent, child abuse implied, estrangement, hallucinations, alcohol consumption, drugging w/o consent, blood depiction, physical injuries, dead bodies, plague mentioned, grief depiction, death of a mother, father & brother recounted, murder & attempted murder, gun & knife violence, gang violence, strangulation, fight ring (op), imprisonment, kidnapping & captivity, disappearance of a loved one, fire, loss of autonomy, war themes recounted, battle scenes, poverty themes discussed, and homelessness recounted .
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the fact that i didn’t dnf this is a fucking miracle, honestly
➸ Trigger warnings for
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The moment I read the tagline 'so no one told you life was gonna be this gay!’, I knew I had to get my hands on Grease Bats. It’d already popped up on my Goodreads feed enough times to catch my attention. Was diving into it completely blind the best idea? Possibly not. I didn’t realise this was not a bindup of a popular webcomic strip, rather than a traditional graphic novel… but it won me over with its hilarious cast.
Friendship to the max!
Found family plays a huge role in these comics, which I loved. It was refreshing seeing a group of friends who, thanks to their different life circumstances, had found solace in their own queer family. All of the characters were unique and individual with strong personalities, it was a lot of fun seeing their dynamics unfold.
Sex, drugs & alcohol-fuelled drama.
The editor said in the introduction that they love Grease Bats because every reader can relate to at least one of the characters. They’re a Scout and I am – without a doubt – an Ari… which explains my slight dilemma. I struggle to get into the ‘plot’ of this because there wasn’t really a plot. It was more like 300 pages of Scout and Andy abusing alcohol to cope with their dating problems. I don’t believe you have to relate to a character or even like a character to enjoy their story, and you definitely don’t have to agree with their decisions. However, reading over 300 pages of slightly repetitive strips about clubbing and substance abuse was a bit too much for me. I was literally Ari when she told Andy off for their unhealthy coping mechanisms. Obviously, this is a Me problem. I know Andy & Scout’s shenanigans are realistic and probably relatable for a lot of readers. It’s not something I actually want to criticise the story for doing but it did impact my enjoyment.
Important discussions.
There were a lot of important discussions, though! My favourite was definitely the one where Taylor and Gwen talked about being a ‘good’ advocate. Taylor felt guilty for not attending protests but Gwen talked about how there are a thousand different ways you can show your support for a cause, no matter your circumstances. There was also some fantastic commentary on dysphoria, misgendering, and dealing with queermisic family.
The art style.
Bongiovanni’s style as a whole was not my favourite and it affected my enjoyment more than I expected. Black and white styles aren’t my go-to but it wasn’t the lack of colour that bothered me. The rough, pencil-sketch looked like the hand-drawn comics you draw for your friends during particular dull history classes. It was quirky and unique for sure but the rawness was easily mistaken for being drafted, rather than complete. I personally enjoy the elaborate, detailed art style of someone like [a:Sana Takeda|377312|Sana Takeda|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1505568866p2/377312.jpg] or the cutesy pastel style of [a:Katie O'Neill|7831390|Katie O'Neill|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1531160815p2/7831390.jpg].
The handwriting was also messy – messy enough to be illegible at times – and the use of haphazard lines instead of dialogue boxes made it difficult to follow the character’s conversations.
Overall?
This achieved its purpose of being a quirky comic about queerness, friendship and navigating your 20s. It’s a mix of [b:Adulthood Is a Myth|25855506|Adulthood Is a Myth (Sarah's Scribbles, #1)|Sarah Andersen|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1481219756l/25855506._SX50_.jpg|45724425] and [b:Giant Days, Vol. 1|25785993|Giant Days, Vol. 1 (Giant Days, #1)|John Allison|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1437047865l/25785993._SY75_.jpg|45636621], and I’d recommend it for fans of both or anyone looking to brighten their day.
◯ Review copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
➸ Trigger warnings forsexual harassment, alcohol consumption, alcohol abuse, recreational drug use, cheating, queermisia, transmisia, bimisia, lesbomisia, misgendering (discussed in detail & op, multiple scenes), and dysphoria. .
▷ Representation: Scout (mc) is a lesbian; Andy (mc) is trans, genderqueer & polyamorous; Ari (sc) is aroace & a trans girl; Gwen (sc) is bisexual; Taylor (sc) a qpoc.
Blog • Goodreads • Twitter • Instagram • The Book Depository
Friendship to the max!
Found family plays a huge role in these comics, which I loved. It was refreshing seeing a group of friends who, thanks to their different life circumstances, had found solace in their own queer family. All of the characters were unique and individual with strong personalities, it was a lot of fun seeing their dynamics unfold.
Sex, drugs & alcohol-fuelled drama.
The editor said in the introduction that they love Grease Bats because every reader can relate to at least one of the characters. They’re a Scout and I am – without a doubt – an Ari… which explains my slight dilemma. I struggle to get into the ‘plot’ of this because there wasn’t really a plot. It was more like 300 pages of Scout and Andy abusing alcohol to cope with their dating problems. I don’t believe you have to relate to a character or even like a character to enjoy their story, and you definitely don’t have to agree with their decisions. However, reading over 300 pages of slightly repetitive strips about clubbing and substance abuse was a bit too much for me. I was literally Ari when she told Andy off for their unhealthy coping mechanisms. Obviously, this is a Me problem. I know Andy & Scout’s shenanigans are realistic and probably relatable for a lot of readers. It’s not something I actually want to criticise the story for doing but it did impact my enjoyment.
Important discussions.
There were a lot of important discussions, though! My favourite was definitely the one where Taylor and Gwen talked about being a ‘good’ advocate. Taylor felt guilty for not attending protests but Gwen talked about how there are a thousand different ways you can show your support for a cause, no matter your circumstances. There was also some fantastic commentary on dysphoria, misgendering, and dealing with queermisic family.
The art style.
Bongiovanni’s style as a whole was not my favourite and it affected my enjoyment more than I expected. Black and white styles aren’t my go-to but it wasn’t the lack of colour that bothered me. The rough, pencil-sketch looked like the hand-drawn comics you draw for your friends during particular dull history classes. It was quirky and unique for sure but the rawness was easily mistaken for being drafted, rather than complete. I personally enjoy the elaborate, detailed art style of someone like [a:Sana Takeda|377312|Sana Takeda|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1505568866p2/377312.jpg] or the cutesy pastel style of [a:Katie O'Neill|7831390|Katie O'Neill|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1531160815p2/7831390.jpg].
The handwriting was also messy – messy enough to be illegible at times – and the use of haphazard lines instead of dialogue boxes made it difficult to follow the character’s conversations.
Overall?
This achieved its purpose of being a quirky comic about queerness, friendship and navigating your 20s. It’s a mix of [b:Adulthood Is a Myth|25855506|Adulthood Is a Myth (Sarah's Scribbles, #1)|Sarah Andersen|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1481219756l/25855506._SX50_.jpg|45724425] and [b:Giant Days, Vol. 1|25785993|Giant Days, Vol. 1 (Giant Days, #1)|John Allison|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1437047865l/25785993._SY75_.jpg|45636621], and I’d recommend it for fans of both or anyone looking to brighten their day.
◯ Review copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
➸ Trigger warnings for
▷ Representation: Scout (mc) is a lesbian; Andy (mc) is trans, genderqueer & polyamorous; Ari (sc) is aroace & a trans girl; Gwen (sc) is bisexual; Taylor (sc) a qpoc.
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Here’s the thing. It’s 2019 - nearly 2020, in fact - and I just cannot have it with books that use sexuality as a plot twist. Let alone books that use it as the biggest reveal in a so-called murder mystery.
On top of that:
• it demonized & vilified mental illness in an inexcusable way
• focused on the cheating of its female mc - who had a one-night-stand while in a monogamous relationship - but not the cheating of its male mc who cheated on his girlfriend repeatedly for months
• had nate’s ‘hero’ moment not only include unchallenged slut-shaming but had the narrative praise him for it
The only positive thing I have to say - and the only reason this isn’t getting a one-star rating - is that I enjoyed Addy’s development.
I will not be reading the sequel.
➸ Trigger warnings forableism, racism, sexist language, slut-shaming, homomisia & homomisic slurs, coming out themes, rape & rape by coercion*, voyeurism w/o consent mentioned, abusive relationship, parental abandonment recounted, cheating recounted & discussed, alcoholism, bipolar disorder (sc), suicide (op), suicide attempt recounted, self-harm, alcohol consumption, alcohol abuse, recreational drug use, death by anaphylaxis, cancer mentioned, heart attack (sc), hospital, death of an classmate (op), death of an uncle & mother recounted, murder discussed, attempted murder, physical assault, strangulation, school shootings & gun violence discussed, car accident recounted, blackmail, and bullying.
Note: A character's sexuality is used as a plot twist; characters under the influence of alcohol recount having sex and mc recounts coerced 'consent' to sex with her boyfriend .
▷ Representation: Bronwyn (mc) & Maeve (sc) are Colombian-American; Cooper (mc) is gay; Kris (li) is queer; Keely (sc) Filipino-Swedish; TJ (sc) is poc.
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On top of that:
• it demonized & vilified mental illness in an inexcusable way
• focused on the cheating of its female mc - who had a one-night-stand while in a monogamous relationship - but not the cheating of its male mc who cheated on his girlfriend repeatedly for months
• had nate’s ‘hero’ moment not only include unchallenged slut-shaming but had the narrative praise him for it
The only positive thing I have to say - and the only reason this isn’t getting a one-star rating - is that I enjoyed Addy’s development.
I will not be reading the sequel.
➸ Trigger warnings for
Note: A character's sexuality is used as a plot twist; characters under the influence of alcohol recount having sex and mc recounts coerced 'consent' to sex with her boyfriend
▷ Representation: Bronwyn (mc) & Maeve (sc) are Colombian-American; Cooper (mc) is gay; Kris (li) is queer; Keely (sc) Filipino-Swedish; TJ (sc) is poc.
Blog • Goodreads • Twitter • Instagram • The Book Depository
quick thoughts:
• The plot captivated me from the very first chapter.
• It kept me on my toes. I could never pinpoint which direction the story was going to take, and it ended up shocking me! which is always a bonus (and hard to do)
• .... though the plot twists didn't really pack the punch they could of if i had any kind of emotional investment in the characters.
• Lake & Taren were flat protagonists. They never felt like real, fleshed-out people with emotions & motivations beyond what we were told.
• Same with the secondary characters. Willow & Ransom had no personality.
• It was intriguing though and kept me reading. I sped through it pretty quickly, despite preferring a descriptive writing style over a fast-moving plotline.
• I could not tell you what a single character looked like.
• The virtual reality setting was done perfectly, in the sense that I did question what was real and what wasn’t and was slightly confused at all moments.
• definitely recommend to fans of [b:Warcross|41014903|Warcross (Warcross, #1)|Marie Lu|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1533058119l/41014903._SY75_.jpg|49634052] and [b:Dreamfall|40644309|Dreamfall (Dreamfall #1)|Amy Plum|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1529959806l/40644309._SY75_.jpg|46757540]
➸ Trigger warnings forgrief depiction, death of a mother, sister & brother recounted, murder, explosion recounted, fire, death by a fall (op), spaceship crash recounted, war themes, nuclear warfare discussed and animal death mentioned .
◯ Review copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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• The plot captivated me from the very first chapter.
• It kept me on my toes. I could never pinpoint which direction the story was going to take, and it ended up shocking me! which is always a bonus (and hard to do)
• .... though the plot twists didn't really pack the punch they could of if i had any kind of emotional investment in the characters.
• Lake & Taren were flat protagonists. They never felt like real, fleshed-out people with emotions & motivations beyond what we were told.
• Same with the secondary characters. Willow & Ransom had no personality.
• It was intriguing though and kept me reading. I sped through it pretty quickly, despite preferring a descriptive writing style over a fast-moving plotline.
• I could not tell you what a single character looked like.
• The virtual reality setting was done perfectly, in the sense that I did question what was real and what wasn’t and was slightly confused at all moments.
• definitely recommend to fans of [b:Warcross|41014903|Warcross (Warcross, #1)|Marie Lu|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1533058119l/41014903._SY75_.jpg|49634052] and [b:Dreamfall|40644309|Dreamfall (Dreamfall #1)|Amy Plum|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1529959806l/40644309._SY75_.jpg|46757540]
➸ Trigger warnings for
◯ Review copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Reread #1 (Nov 2020): ★★★★★
the fact this was initially posted on a03 makes it all the better.
Original Read (Dec 2019): ★★★★☆
a lush, magical fairytale
➸ Trigger warnings foralcohol consumption, minor blood depiction & physical injuries (gunshot wounds), murder & attempted murder, kidnapping, gun violence, knife violence & stabbing, and disappearance of a loved one .
▷ Representation: Tobias (mc) is queer (mlm); Henry (li) is queer (mlm); Fabian (sc) is queer (mlm).
Blog • Trigger Warning Database • Twitter • Instagram
the fact this was initially posted on a03 makes it all the better.
Original Read (Dec 2019): ★★★★☆
a lush, magical fairytale
➸ Trigger warnings for
▷ Representation: Tobias (mc) is queer (mlm); Henry (li) is queer (mlm); Fabian (sc) is queer (mlm).
Blog • Trigger Warning Database • Twitter • Instagram
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gun violence, Violence, Kidnapping
Minor: Death, Blood
➸ Trigger warnings for ableist language, implied rape recounted, attempted rape, forced prostitution (nop), child abuse, toxic relationship, implied intimate partner violence recounted, trauma, suicide (op), suicidal ideation, difficult childbirth & stillbirth (op), blood & gore depiction, (graphic) physical injuries & illness, cholera, seizures, field surgery, serious illness of a loved one, syringes & needles, grief depiction, death of a mother & father, death of a brother, death of a husband, murder, attempted murder, gun & knife violence, torture, hostage situation, kidnapping, blackmail, fire, drought, death by starvation, thirst & exposure, mild war themes, graphic animal death (op), death of a 'pet', animal cruelty, hunting, and animal dead bodies .
Blog • Goodreads • Twitter • Instagram
Blog • Goodreads • Twitter • Instagram