doogsley's reviews
142 reviews

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

adventurous challenging dark inspiring mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.0

a semi-solid, beautifully diverse, magical romp with badass world building and a fun, albeit plot-hole-y (probably prepping for the sequel), magic system. unfortunately, my interest waxed and waned throughout the story, sometimes gripping and intriguing and exciting, and other times a slog, tapping my fingers, waiting for the next big story beat. the author’s note evoked more emotion in me than the story as a whole lol. most of all, i *hated* the instalove heteronormative romance(s). especially when zelie and amari (best girl) are RIGHT THERE, holding glances and braiding hair, ripe for sapphicism. smh. it really ruined the last 200 pages or so for moi.

i need more mercurial, fox-faced, roën representation. luv that dude.

recommended for fans of avatar the last airbender (one of my favorite stories) who are looking for something similar, a touch more mature in some ways (more blood n guts), while maintaining that YA juvenility lol. i heard a movie with a fat budget is in the works - i think it’ll thrive on-screen. i wonder if i’ll read the next book 🤔

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher

adventurous dark lighthearted mysterious fast-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

4.0

The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas

adventurous challenging mysterious fast-paced

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

2.5

The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley

emotional funny hopeful informative mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

3.75

truly a jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none novel - non-derogatory! i think some people will be unimpressed with the subpar and murky time-travel science, or the genre whip-lash at the 70% mark, or the admittedly confusing romantic pacing - but i was ultimately charmed and entertained by the whole adventure, which kept me going when i felt a lil puzzled by sudden tone shifts or subpar logic. our fmc drove me crazy btw - derogatory! luv the found family/mundane aspects of this world. the final aesop makes this a thoughtful addition to the saturn return shelf.

this was an ambitious debut novel, and i’d love to dive back into bradley’s quirked up metaphors and enchanting vocabulary. i’ll be eagerly watching her literary adventure.

What We Fed to the Manticore by Talia Lakshmi Kolluri

challenging emotional informative reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.5

a vivid and reflective bestiary from the perspective of the animals themselves. creative and poetic storytelling, a heartfelt attempt at understanding the inner-speech of beasties. this collection of short stories felt like love letter to animals, to the connections we make with them, to coexisting and finding similarities between us all, to noticing how heavy-limbed and bumbling we are in a world of intrinsic elegance, following instincts, the hidden cultures of anima. haunting and healing and tender. this reads like a collection of fables, or meditations.

my favorite stories were “the good donkey,” “what we fed to the manticore,” “someone must watch over the dead,” “may god forever bless the rhino keepers,” and “let your body meet the ground.” but they are all individually thoughtful, and truly wonderful. a humbling debut novel to witness.

“my spirit is the flight that lives in my body. it is the restless thing that lifts me.” 🪶

Magic Knight Rayearth 2: Omnibus by CLAMP

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring fast-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? No

4.0

this is a (spoiler-free) review for all six volumes! 🌊🔥🌿

magical girls! mechas! isekai! action-adventure! cute bunny mascot! if you feel excited about these words, you'll likely enjoy the classic foundations of magic knight rayearth. we follow japanese high schoolers hikaru (firey n rambunctious), umi (elegant n serving), and fuu (bookish n mischievous) as they are teleported from tokyo tower to an unknown fantasy land named cefiro, and are told to "save our world, fated heroes!"

what starts as an unambiguous, rpg-esque romp through a fantasy land, with a focus on leveling up to defeat the Big Bad, ends as a philosophical, deadly serious tale of sacrifice, loss, and Love. the backstory is slowly revealed, shedding light upon the nasty underbelly of cefiro's catastrophic and crumbling infrastructure. our three young protagonists get entangled in an impossibly complicated and mature conflict; it's funny thinking back to the whimsy of chapter one after witnessing the oppressive nature of the final chapters.

this story was full of subversions, genuinely shocking reveals and decisions, and compelling ethos. the cast was very fun!! i LOVED hikaru as Main Genki Girl - it's funny how often i fall in love with fire signs in fiction while they simply frighten me irl. her nekomimi panels were precious. fuu and umi were great foils to her energy and i appreciated their presence. i was happy to finally learn of mokona's humble roots - VERY pleased with his lore! clamp's art was, as usual, beautiful and easy on the eyes! but i found myself getting lost in ink-explosions during the mecha fight scenes. i wish we received more info on the mashin.

once again, this is spoiler-free, but... the ending was certainly a choice LOL. so camp tbh.

i appreciate what this story gave to the mahou shoujo genre as a whole, continuing the trend of adding complex themes to seemingly simple good vs evil rhetoric. SO excited for my cardcaptor sakura reread now!! and i'm also feeling the itch for chobits and angelic layer. the power of clamp...!

Magic Knight Rayearth: Omnibus by CLAMP

adventurous emotional funny mysterious fast-paced

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

4.0

Chlorine by Jade Song

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

deranged, compelling, stomach-churning. it’s been a while since i’ve finished a book in one day. weirdgirl horror is quickly becoming one of my favorite genres.

the prose was a lil clunky at times, yet i also found myself lingering around enchanting sentences all the same. i enjoyed the sapphic love story and cathy’s letters; it rounded out the novel’s energy nicely. ren’s voice is grotesque, carnal, and sharp. i appreciated her visceral and brutal insight on most things, but especially periods. overall, i had a good time. the bizarre, folkloric allegories will take some time to process. i look forward to jade song’s next book!

this is a great pool/beach read if you don’t mind feeling slightly nauseated every now n again. the mindful embrace of pool water can surely soothe our inner-mermaids when it gets intense. 🧜‍♀️

Catfish Rolling by Clara Kumagai

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful mysterious 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

4.0

ah, i really enjoyed this 🥲 i admittedly feel a bit misled - the synopsis invoked feelings of folklore and mythology, an enchanting journey about an unruly catfish causing time trouble in japan, and how to soothe them. instead, i received an academic, mysterious, contemporary sci-fi tale of grief, family, the passage of time, and meeting ourselves exactly where we are. not to say that the latter is unsatisfactory - it just took a while for me to settle into a different vibe.

sora is blunt, adroit, and a lil manipulative. but she’s also lost in the sauce in pursuit of a wish, desirous and desperate. she puts on masks to fit her needs, and has no problem “respecting” authority only to stick out her tongue behind their back. she’s also like, early 20s/late teens, and it shows. but it works! her characterization was strong, and i enjoyed watching her navigate difficult conversations with her wit. definitely a virgo mercury, with a splash of fire somewhere lol. sora’s likely a divisive character, but i enjoyed her a lot. (i imagine her like an older chihiro from spirited away.)

time-centered stories are hit-or-miss with me, but this one was intriguing and curious. i loved the premise of the time zones and how they were woven in a modern japanese society. i wish we found out more information regarding sora’s unique interactions with these zones and time itself. but i also appreciate how this story is of healing and philosophy moreso than Time Science/Magic (both of which are explored).

there are some pacing issues, n maybe some of the interpersonal relationships aren’t 100% convincing … but it’s made up for in sharp and youthful narration, a deep dive into how time is represented in both science and spirit, a low-key abstract romp through japan, and a contemplative story to roll around your head for a while. 

recommended for the saturn in pisces generation (happy saturn return!), those who are haunted by the passage of time, and tree-huggers. ⛩️