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avatarstorm's reviews
344 reviews
Cat Kid Comic Club by Dav Pilkey
funny
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Read for Graphic Novel Book Club April 2024.
Funny and inspiring for kids. Love the different mediums used for the comics.
Funny and inspiring for kids. Love the different mediums used for the comics.
Dinosaurs Before Dark Graphic Novel by Mary Pope Osborne
adventurous
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Read for Graphic Novel Book Club.
Loved the graphic novel adaptation and how the story was told. Such a fun mystery adventure book for kids getting into reading. Looking forward to reading further graphic novel adaptations of Magic Treehouse.
Loved the graphic novel adaptation and how the story was told. Such a fun mystery adventure book for kids getting into reading. Looking forward to reading further graphic novel adaptations of Magic Treehouse.
My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness by Nagata Kabi
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
Wow, this was fantastic. A very great in depth look at loneliness and a commentary about our relationship with sex. Great illustrations and storytelling. I think everyone can find a little bit of themselves in this.
Pokémon Adventures (Red and Blue), Vol. 1 by Hidenori Kusaka
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Read for Graphic Novel Book Club.
This was more fun than I thought it was going to be. I’ve never read a Pokémon book, but I’m familiar with the franchise. It was cool to see characters o recognized from the tv series when I was a kid. The moral of caring and being friends with Pokémon was prevalent and appreciated. I also liked that you can see the Pokémon when they are in the Pokéballs. I thought that was neat.
This was more fun than I thought it was going to be. I’ve never read a Pokémon book, but I’m familiar with the franchise. It was cool to see characters o recognized from the tv series when I was a kid. The moral of caring and being friends with Pokémon was prevalent and appreciated. I also liked that you can see the Pokémon when they are in the Pokéballs. I thought that was neat.
The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo
slow-paced
2.0
I honestly don’t think I could tell you what this was about. I has to keep starting the audiobook over and over again because it just didn’t keep my attention.
Rise to the Sun by Leah Johnson
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I honestly couldn’t really stand these characters. I know it’s YA, but it felt incredibly juvenile, and I had a hard time feeling any chemistry between the main characters. I’m giving points for queer representation, but the romance felt forced to me.
I listened to the audiobook, and one of the narrators kept dropping the end of their sentences, which made it hard to understand what was going on sometimes.
I like Leah Johnson and have read and loved You Should See Me In A Crown, but this one just didn’t do it for me.
I listened to the audiobook, and one of the narrators kept dropping the end of their sentences, which made it hard to understand what was going on sometimes.
I like Leah Johnson and have read and loved You Should See Me In A Crown, but this one just didn’t do it for me.
Let's Talk About Love by Claire Kann
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Love the representation in this! So much!
But I had some problems with the writing. I know it’s YA, but some things felt really juvenile? There was some confusion at times as to how it was written (we get mentions of the cutie code a handful of times before it’s explained what it is. I ended up going back because I had no idea what was being referenced, and I thought I missed something). I also felt that her moving onto another person right after a breakup that seemed devastating was weird and was only there to push the plot? There were also moments where something would be so specifically referenced like “Bob’s Burgers” or something but then another moment would say something like “a comedic tv cop show” and not give any specifics. It just wasn’t consistent and made those moments stand out.
Even though I just wrote this large paragraph on my hangups about this, I really did love the representation and kept wanting to know what would happen next. I loved the real conversations about asexuality the characters had.
But I had some problems with the writing. I know it’s YA, but some things felt really juvenile? There was some confusion at times as to how it was written (we get mentions of the cutie code a handful of times before it’s explained what it is. I ended up going back because I had no idea what was being referenced, and I thought I missed something). I also felt that her moving onto another person right after a breakup that seemed devastating was weird and was only there to push the plot? There were also moments where something would be so specifically referenced like “Bob’s Burgers” or something but then another moment would say something like “a comedic tv cop show” and not give any specifics. It just wasn’t consistent and made those moments stand out.
Even though I just wrote this large paragraph on my hangups about this, I really did love the representation and kept wanting to know what would happen next. I loved the real conversations about asexuality the characters had.
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- 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
5.0
Wow. This was so beautifully and exquisitely written. I’m honestly speechless. I’m going to be thinking of this one for a while.
She Gets the Girl by Rachael Lippincott, Alyson Derrick
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Well this was just a big queer hug and I’m here for it.
I loved the unfolding of Alex’s and Molly’s story. I think the pacing had a great progression to it. I liked how different Alex and Molly were in an “opposites attract” sort of way, but it wasn’t too crazy where they did end up slowly liking each other.
Besides Alex and Molly, though, I don’t think a lot of the side characters were given much depth? I mean, they are side characters, but I would have liked some more complexities out of Corra (sp could be wrong, I listened to the audiobook, so I didn’t have the spelling) and Noah and Natalie. I did enjoy Molly’s mom and how she had some inner trauma that was explored so she wasn’t just “the grownup” in the story.
Speaking of grownups, how was CPS not called on Alex’s mom?!?!
The unfolding of Molly and Alex’s individual flaws and working out what they both wanted was refreshing. It was explored in such an emotionally mature way.
I loved the unfolding of Alex’s and Molly’s story. I think the pacing had a great progression to it. I liked how different Alex and Molly were in an “opposites attract” sort of way, but it wasn’t too crazy where they did end up slowly liking each other.
Besides Alex and Molly, though, I don’t think a lot of the side characters were given much depth? I mean, they are side characters, but I would have liked some more complexities out of Corra (sp could be wrong, I listened to the audiobook, so I didn’t have the spelling) and Noah and Natalie. I did enjoy Molly’s mom and how she had some inner trauma that was explored so she wasn’t just “the grownup” in the story.
Speaking of grownups, how was CPS not called on Alex’s mom?!?!
The unfolding of Molly and Alex’s individual flaws and working out what they both wanted was refreshing. It was explored in such an emotionally mature way.
Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan
adventurous
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
This was quite intense, and had really good moments. I didn’t feel like we got a lot of fleshed-out personalities from the other side characters, specifically the love interest and the best friend. I didn’t really find myself caring too much about either of them because I didn’t really know them that well. It made it hard to sympathise with the main character when she had complicated feelings towards them both.