ampersandinc's reviews
1334 reviews

That Time I Got Drunk and Yeeted a Love Potion at a Werewolf by Kimberly Lemming

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

A hilarious, raunchy, and deeply unserious fantasy rom-com that I gobbled up in one sitting. I simply could not resist a book about a cheesemaker named Brie who accidentally makes a lactose-intolerant werewolf fall in love with her by way of a badly-thrown love potion. There's demons, talking weapons, and... surprise tentacles. Just plain chaotic and fun, with charming characters, great worldbuilding, and heart. It is lighthearted but SPICY. Will definitely be reading Kimberly Lemming's other books! 

Drop Dead by Lily Chu

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I love me a Lily Chu! My favourites will always be her first two books (The Stand-In and The Comeback) but this was a fun and mysterious romp worthy of a read. I liked spending time with Wes and Nadine, watching them go from rivals to lovers, and cheering them on as they learned to stand up to their overbearing families and unsupportive workplaces. I only wish we had gotten more of Dot Voline in life... and that I got to explore her fantastic house myself! 

Hera: A Novel by Jennifer Saint

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I loved this book and to be fair, it’s my jam. It focuses on the Greek Goddess Hera, who is typically villainized in Greek Mythology as Zeus’s jealous wife. This shows her as a maligned woman who has just as much claim to the throne that Zeus took for himself, and with her marriage to Zeus as a move she had no choice in. She then spends millennia trying to protect not just her own name, but Zeus and the heavens from his destructive behaviour. It takes the reader through many well known and lesser known stories from Greek Mythology; the war with the Titans, Jason and Golden Fleece, the Trojan War, the story of Persephone’s abduction by Hades, the birth of Athena, the birth of Artemis and Apollo…actually, it maybe touches on all of them. It’s pretty grand, with a satisfying, if bittersweet ending. 

Room on the Sea: Three Novellas by André Aciman

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I was heavily anticipating this collection of 3 novellas, as one of them–THE GENTLEMAN FROM PERU–was released in Europe earlier in 2024 as a standalone novella and I was seeing it included in the annual staff picks of almost every store on that side of the Atlantic I look to for editorial guidance. That novella did not disappoint, blending elements of THE WHITE LOTUS, TALENTED MR. RIPLEY and the Before Trilogy, tied together with Aciman’s writing that skims across the page. The other two novellas included are wonderful as well, but they almost feel like bonus treats are the high of THE GENTLEMAN. 

The Road: a Graphic Novel Adaptation by Manu Larcenet

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

An epic graphic novelization of an epic work! If you have any fondness in your heart for graphic novels, THE ROAD, lone wolf and cubs, sacrifice, beautiful art, edge-of-seat thrills, or great works writ large you must read this. 

Capital and Ideology: a Graphic Novel Adaptation by Claire Alet

3.5

I’m a total mark for this latest wave of prestigious graphic novel adaptations and a total mark for any work exploring how we got to this current socioeconomic moment (i.e. WHEN THE CLOCK BROKE or THE HIDDEN GLOBE) so something truly catastrophic would have needed to happen for me not to have a grand old time with this book, and have a grand old time I did! Similarly to Ava Duvernay’s recent movie adaptation of CASTE, this graphic novelization of a nonfiction text utilizes a series of interconnected vignettes to highlight the key points and proposals behind Piketty’s work. 

Soul Machine by Jordana Globerman

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Another absolute winner from the Annick Press comics team. Features a superbly realized sci-world that while clearly inspired by BRAVE NEW WORLD and A WRINKLE IN TIME, is more building off of their legacies than doing a karaoke rendition. Lived in characters are constantly facing no right decision dilemmas all captured in beautifully drawn and toned art, making it a properly gripping read. 

Astronautical! by Brooklin Stormie

adventurous informative lighthearted

3.5

A positively delightful MG graphic novel! Follows two kids as they search the high seas of the galaxy for their lost/kidnapped-by-a-supernova father, and come across a wealth of highly entertaining characters along the way. Equal parts informative (tons of cool space facts) and hilarious (there’s a particularly miffed bird who operates a struggling space convenience store that has really stuck with me). 

Happiness Forever by Adelaide Faith

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Very exciting debut, writing on the fantastic premise if you were to be in love (bordering on obsession) with your therapist. The dialogue between our protagonist and the therapist are must reads, and there are some charming tertiary characters who make excellent conversational foils as well. A fair number of scenes take place in a vet clinic as our protagonist works there (as did the author at one point, I believe) and I find those scenes less effective but still worthwhile. 

Lost and Lassoed by Lyla Sage

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

 This was my first toe-dip into the world of Lyla Sage's Rebel Blue Ranch series. While it was a fun small town romance, its many similarities to Elsie Silver's Heartless made it feel a little like ground I had already covered. What follows is a plot summary that works for both books:
A grumpy single dad cowboy feels the pressure of taking on the running of the family ranch from their widowed father; as the eldest son, he has taken on a great deal of responsibility over his lifetime and doesn't know how to let others in or be vulnerable. He meets his match in the creative, upbeat and free-spirited redheaded heroine, who he reluctantly hires to nanny his adorable and precocious child during a time of need. The two have loads of chemistry, thanks to their "opposites-attract" style banter and while heated tempers and forced proximity lead to conflict at times, they also lead to spicy encounters in the bedroom. Faced with the end of her employment contract, the two must learn to trust their growing emotional bond and embrace the family they have unexpectedly built.

I enjoyed Heartless slightly more than this book, but Lost and Lassoed is not a bad book and worth a read, especially if you are looking to scratch the same itch that Silver's book does.