_becandbooks's Reviews (1.24k)

Crave

Maria Llovet

3.0

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This graphic has a solid, engaging concept - an app that controls people by their sexual desires sweeping across a school campus. The pacing is nice and quick, making it overall an enjoyable read. And the different character interactions throughout made the storyline interesting and wove in well with he plot.

With that being said, the narrative felt fairly surface-level. It is a downfall of the choice for quick pacing - a deeper dive into the app's development, a more detailed plot to overthrow the app, and more in-depth exploration around the impact on the characters' relationships would have enhanced this overall. Instead, you just get graphic sex scenes.

Thanks to NetGalley and Image Comics for providing me with a review copy. This does not impact my review whatsoever.

Content Warnings

Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear

Seanan McGuire

4.0

adventurous emotional hopeful medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Another great addition to the Wayward Children series. While it's not amongst my favourites - this read a little slower, and I wasn't as engaged in this world as I was in the others - it is hard to fault. The characters and world-building are thoughtful and well fleshed out. There are giant talking turtle companions and the wholesome overarching theme of found family.

But I am craving the series delves into more stories that weave the children's individual worlds with the companionship from the Home for Wayward Children.

Thanks to Libro.FM and Macmillan Audio for providing a review copy of the audiobook. This does not impact my review whatsoever.

Content Warnings

Little Visitor & Other Abductions

Adam Szym

2.0

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

The style and atmosphere of this graphic story collection could be described as Junji Ito meets X Files. But it shouldn't. It is a disappointment because I would have been obsessed had this worked.

The art style and the vibes are there, but the storytelling did not work for me. Each story had leaps and gaps that made it feel like the author was trying to lean into the Unknown, but instead, it just resulted in a confused reader. I felt like I was missing something important at the conclusion of each story.

I would be curious to maybe try something else from Szym, because I feel like the potential is there. But this may well just be an author that doesn't work for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and Oni Press for providing a review copy. This does not impact my review, whatsoever.

Content Warnings

Brain Damage

Shintarō Kago

4.0

dark tense fast-paced

This is compared with Junji Ito's works, and for good reason. They are dark and bizarre horror stories, quintessential to this style of Japanese horror. But readers should be aware that this is on the grittier end of this style of manga, leaning heavily into body horror, at times of a sexualised nature.

It is a visceral style that is not for everyone, but for those it is for, this is a solid collection of stories with engaging art and intriguing storytelling. I would be curious to pick up Kago again.

Thank you to Fantagraphics and Netgalley for providing me a review copy of this book. This does not impact my review whatsoever.

Content Warnings

Hooky

Míriam Bonastre Tur

4.0

funny mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

The Girl from the Other Side: Siúil, A Rún Vol. 2

Nagabe

4.75

dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

The Girl from the Other Side: Siúil, A Rún, Vol. 1

Nagabe

4.75

dark funny hopeful mysterious medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Loveable characters: Yes

This is such a wonderful start to a series. While it has a sombre, mysterious, and folklore-esque atmosphere, it is peppered with intriguing characters and a heart-warming relationship.

Shiva and 'the teacher' are such an unlikely and starkly contrasting duo, creating a book that feels exactly what it means to be. I absolutely cannot wait to continue the series.

Content Warnings

Our Wives Under The Sea

Julia Armfield

3.0

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Loveable characters: No

I see this book recommended so often amongst other books I love, but it didn't hit the way I expected.

Don't get me wrong—the writing is beautiful, dreary, and thought out. It permeates an atmosphere of dull dread throughout the book, but that in itself slowed the storytelling down too much for me.

And the horror elements were also quite subtle and soft; I would have loved something with just a touch more grit.

It was a great little story - it just wasn't what I was chasing.

Content Warnings