doogsley's reviews
142 reviews

Be Not Afraid of Love: Lessons on Fear, Intimacy, and Connection by Mimi Zhu

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective slow-paced

4.75

The Girl from the Other Side: Siúil, a Rún Vol. 1 by Nagabe

dark mysterious sad medium-paced

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

3.75

🖤 this review was made after reading all 11 volumes. 🖤

a beautiful, haunting, slooo0ow (then fast), dark, gothic fairy tale about the most adorable n sassy lil girl ever and her evil-looking, amnesiac deer friend who spreads The Curse on touch. hilarity* ensues.

*’hilarity’ meaning a heart-wrenching, intimate, philosophical story about two souls navigating and uplifting each other on an incredibly bleak journey, learning how to integrate the hurt into the love.

honestly, i’m not sure if i like the ending, but the last panel made me weep into my hands for like 10 minutes. it nonetheless felt meaningful and abstract, which follows the Vibe. speaking of which, the atmosphere and art style are the crown jewels of this story imo. truly masterful paneling and art direction; the black n white color palette is a layer of the storytelling, rather than just playing the role of ‘manga coloring technique.’

also, shiva is a peach of a character and i truly adore her.

i will be thinking about this ethereal lil fantasy for a while. if you’re looking for a bittersweet series rooted in humanity, loss, empathy, and connection with a brothers grimm-esque atmosphere - give totsukuni no shoujo a try. so enchanting. 🐦‍⬛

The Joy of Movement: How Exercise Helps Us Find Happiness, Hope, Connection, and Courage by Kelly McGonigal

emotional hopeful informative inspiring medium-paced

4.5

i discovered yoga in high school, during dreadful times and circumstances. it was mid-february, leagues deep in my disordered brain, sinking into the lonely frost of winter, desperately needing to ground. in a flurry of blurry tears and brainscreaming, my body tore me away from my bed and unfurled a dusty yoga mat from my closet. i whipped it with a snap and found myself laying flat upon the mat, tears streaming down my cheeks and into my ears. my palms faced the heavens, feet shoulder-width apart, breath deepening. i would come to learn that this pose is savasana, more than just desperate attempt to scrape myself from my depression bed, but a restful and restorative and purposeful asana. after observing myself calm down, my body took me to the only other yoga pose i knew - downward dog. my elbows squeaked with tension, fingers locking on the mat, tippy toes gripping the cheap rubber. the breath deepens, my eyesight sharpens, my inner-antagonists melt away. i have no idea what i’m doing, but i can tell my body is screaming, “YES!!!” so i kept coming back, over and over.

eventually, after years of daily yoga sessions (even becoming an instructor at one point), the habit fell through. it’s hard to pinpoint when and where the shift occurred. but what i do know is that i carry so much body trauma that eventually the discomfort and ceilings were outweighing the joys and flow. these days, my relationship with exercise teeters between one of contempt and nonexistence. my spiritual muscles are limber, and emotional joints well-oiled, while my physical vassal lumbers and stumbles, groaning under knotted muscles and shrinking bones. one thing movement has rarely been (outside of that deep moment with yoga, and a bit of a fling with hula hooping) is joyful. i’m comedically slothlike and lethargic, hitting the snooze button gratuitously and playfully bemoaning about bein an eepy lady. but i’m not laughing anymore. i’m turning 30 in less than a month, and officially decided to face my fears and reclaim my Body and all of her voices.

the joy of movement is a series of vignettes first and foremost. this is not a biology deep dive, but stories of Humans experiencing and growing through the art of exercise. and humans naturally seek exercise, ancestrally and instinctually. muscles want to be moved, brains want to achieve new heights, souls want to connect and share and be social. exercise brings us together, cheering each other on, coursing beautiful “hope chemicals” through our body, opening ourselves to a deeper love and appreciation for ourselves and our capabilities. my heart feels full and hopeful upon closing this delicious candy pink book. movement is more than a means to an end, but an outreached hand that guides us closer to our humanity, and therefore, each other.

something i did *not* love about this book was the constant comparisons between the physiological effects of exercise, and addiction. it felt very surface-level and ingenuous and fluffy, especially knowing now how beautiful and freeing movement can be while addiction is, well, addiction. like what a great motivator - compare something so uplifting with something that has killed thousands of people! (i get it, i truly do, she's simply comparing how similar neural pathways get lit up in both circumstances ... but it was quite triggering. nonetheless, i pulled through and i'm glad i did. this part was yucky tho.) 

shortly after wrapping up the joy of movement, i rolled out my yoga mat for a little visit. i wander to my mat a few times a year on average, a friendly but brief handshake, hopeful for the same “click” the occurred in my dire straits youth. but this book has reminded me of some truths: i want to hold myself in downwards dog again. i want to thank my spine during cat-cow. i miss the stubbornness of my shoulders entering bridge pose. movement and joy are a shared experience. my body isn’t fighting against me; she wants to sing, spin, gallop, stretch, grow. there’s a part of me, deep down, that Knew of the joys of movement, but to have it all written out in front of me was a lovely and heartfelt reminder. i hope i can continue to carry this heart with me as i do my best to realign with my body, and my movement.

Missing Angel Juan by Francesca Lia Block

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective fast-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

i love this series sm. this is my favorite weetzie bat since book 1.

Flowerheart by Catherine Bakewell

challenging emotional hopeful mysterious slow-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

3.25

a surface level, lighthearted, cottagecore palette cleanser. i think this would generally be great for younger readers. it balanced cutesy and doomer quite well, but lacks depth across the board. imagining this story as a studio ghibli film made it so much more alive, but did not cure its Meh Factor.

some other thoughts: it was bit heavy-handed with the anxiety/depression parallels. the queer-normative world made my heart fuzzy. the ending had me shed a single tear. my favorite part was exploring clara’s magic! lots of flower linguistics for green witches to enjoy.

also the love interest had no rizz and zero (0) memorable qualities.

Interesting Facts About Space by Emily Austin

dark funny hopeful mysterious reflective tense 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? Yes

4.5

what an honest, heady lil novel. i related with enid *hard*, in all of her neurodivergence and rituals and coping mechanisms. i enjoyed having her as my protagonist. 'watching mentally ill people learn how to heal' is a hit or miss genre for me, but i found myself connected and compelled (if not a lil stressed) from beginning to end. emily austin's voice on mental illness is one that i really enjoyed, and i'm deeply interested in exploring the rest of her bibliography, which i understand has many more traumatized queer women to witness. i appreciate feeling seen in this way.

"i spent a lot of time growing up trying to seem normal. sometimes i worry i neglected doing the internal work most people do while they're developing. i was too preoccupied camouflaging. i think i might be stunted because of it. i think i missed a step."

phew. how did austin get my therapy transcripts??

What You Are Looking For is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama

hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing fast-paced

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

4.5

i really adored this read. it was simple, sweet, peaceful, mundane, human. i appreciate the pacing and storytelling (there are elegant lil bows getting tied up over and over again), and the character vignettes are delightful and relatable. i especially connected to the NEET, unfortunately lol. the conclusions of each 'conflict' are the most satisfying part - this story is all about foundations, baby steps. there's no angelic chorus or magic wand that waves away everyone's problems, but instead deep-set mindset shifts that create long-term momentum. there's something delightfully achievable about that. little choices begetting big dreams... so gentle! so heartwarming!

this one is for my fellow saturn return babes goin through it, and for those who comprehend the quiet yet powerful magic of cute little trinkets that make your heart happy. 📚

Everyone's a Aliebn When Ur a Aliebn Too by Jomny Sun

adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.75

a hug of a book. surprisingly emotional and heart-warming, with endearing moments of wordplay and giggles. the whole story exhales love and presence. i was expecting a simple, brain-off read, but got something rather profound in such a cute lil package. this also is hitting harder as i’m actively grieving the loss of my beloved elderly cat. i’m glad i picked it up right now; i doubt it would’ve resonated as hard during another time.

“look. life is bad. everyones sad. we’re all gona die. but i alredy bought this inflatable boumcy castle so are u gona take ur shoes off or wat”

🐌

Delicious in Dungeon (Dungeon Meshi), Vol. 1-14 by Ryoko Kui

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective 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

i might expand upon this another time, but here are my first thoughts after devouring all fourteen volumes over the span of two unprecedented weeks:

dungeon meshi is a masterclass in worldbuilding; it takes itself very seriously, which leads a rich, meticulous playing field. and it's played *completely* straight btw. the humor/absurdity is sharp and silly. laios is one of the greatest mcs of all time, my god. so complex and lovable. this is a MUST-READ for d&d enthusiasts and biology nerds. you can tell ryoko kui loves art and science and anatomy, and adores these characters and this world. there is a tender amount of care put into the character designs, expressions, outfits, diversity, and individuality of the cast, monsters, and environment. the story itself gave me pause multiple times at its philosophy, consulting a more introspective part of myself. and everything is carefully placed, nothing is accidental, trust the sinuous tapestry weaving beneath the surface.

also, an aside: this adventure held me through the death of my beloved old lady cat. dunmeshi simultaneously uplifted and grounded me through the strongest heartbreak i've had in years. the last few chapters were particularly validating, healing, and cauterizing. i am grateful that this story showed up during these delicate days.

"eating is the sole privilege of the living." 🍳

Cherokee Bat and the Goat Guys by Francesca Lia Block

dark lighthearted fast-paced

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