Banned Book Club is a graphic novel following Kim Hyun Sook as she starts her first year of college in 1983 South Korea. This was during South Korea’s Fifth Republic, a military regime that entrenched its power through censorship, torture, and the murder of protestors. And Hyun Sook finds herself pulled into it all because of her love of books.

It is a fast-paced comic, so it is full of action and something happening. I do wish there was moments of rest between action so that the reading this didn’t get overwhelming at times. The fast-paced also made character development of Hyun Sook feel a little disjointed so I didn’t really see how she got from timid literature student to full-on protester. But I also think the fast-paced nature reflects the ever-evolving scenarios of protesting and backlash.

Read my full review at https://ageekgirlsguide.com/2020/08/06/banned-book-club-review/

Content Warnings

There Are Things I Can't Tell You by Edako Mofumofu

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emotional medium-paced

4.0

There Are Things I Can’t Tell You is a boy love manga about childhood friends Kasumi and Kyousuke as they navigate adulthood and their complicated feelings towards each other.

First things first, this is a mature manga with explicit content in it. So if that is not something you want to read, this is not for you.

The story is really good and these characters feel like real people. Kasumi and Kyousuke as characters are developed really well and they are both complex and multifaceted which is awesome. They are polar opposites that fit together and you can’t help but cheer for them. The highlight of this manga is the character development.

Read my full review at https://ageekgirlsguide.com/2020/08/04/there-are-things-i-cant-tell-you-review/

Content Warnings

Odessa by Jonathan Hill

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adventurous emotional tense medium-paced

Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Odessa is a graphic novel set in a dystopian California after an earthquake literally tears the state apart. Ginny was a child when this happened, and her mother left her along with her two younger brothers back then. But a mysterious package shows up on Ginny’s 18th birthday that leads to a whole adventure.

One thing I really enjoyed about this book is the world that was created. The dangerous lands, the gangs, the bartering, and just what post-earthquake west coast would be is very interesting and adds a lot of depth to this story.

The art is also very interesting, as the entire comic is black, pink, and white. While pink may seem strange, it all really works. The art style really supports the story and world that was created.

Read my full review at https://ageekgirlsguide.com/2020/10/13/odessa-review/

Fangs by Sarah Andersen

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funny lighthearted fast-paced

Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

This book is a collection of different comics that feature Elisa, a vampire, and Jimmy, her werewolf boyfriend, and their unique relationship. There is no chronological story necessarily but there is progression throughout the book of their relationship.

I found this book to be very cute and clever. There are many fun references to common werewolf and vampire tropes that are incorporated well and made me laugh out loud at times.

Read my full review at https://ageekgirlsguide.com/2020/08/31/fangs-review/

Bloodlust and Bonnets by Emily McGovern

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funny medium-paced

Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Overall, this is a very amusing and ridiculous story. Each character has a very clear characterization and humor to them. Even characters we only see briefly are characterized well. I found the story well written overall and the art is fantastic. And once we learned everyone’s motives and the ending began, the story was definitely worth the read.

However, I did find the whole thing exhausting to read. A huge portion of the story, about 75% actually, I was waiting for a climax and something to happen. It also started getting repetitive, and while those moments were intended for humor, it was tiring because nothing was progressing. And while every character was very clearly characterized, they also came across as one-note after a while.

Read my full review at https://ageekgirlsguide.com/2019/09/17/bloodlust-bonnets-review/

At the End of Your Tether by V.V. Glass, Jim Campbell, Adam Smith, Hilary Jenkins

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adventurous mysterious fast-paced

Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? N/A
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

At The End of Your Tether follows Ludo as he tries to find his ex-girlfriend, Arlo, after she has gone missing. Things don’t line up though as Ludo has a phone call with her as if all is fine, but she had already been missing for weeks. And turns out that this whole situation is much more complicated than Ludo ever expected.

Overall, I would have enjoyed this comic more if it took more time to really develop this whole crazy situation. The first thing I thought when I finished reading it was “what?” It could have been a really cool story but it was just too rushed.

Read my full review at https://ageekgirlsguide.com/2020/01/20/at-the-end-of-your-tether-review/

The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang

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hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I was very pleasantly surprised about this comic for many reasons. First, I love the inclusivity and the messaging of the comic. I am very pro let people be and do what they want and feel like, such as let a boy wear dresses if that is what he wants and makes him happy. So having this very positive representation of that without shying away from the fear of coming out narrative is worth applauding. The story feels believable with its outcome and overall message, which makes it that much stronger.

Read my full review at https://ageekgirlsguide.com/2020/01/25/the-prince-and-the-dressmaker-review/

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ageekgirlsguide's reviews 26 reviews

ageekgirlsguide's reviews
26 reviews