grey_jayne's reviews
774 reviews

The Thick and the Lean by Chana Porter

adventurous challenging hopeful inspiring 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? It's complicated

5.0

This book was fantastic. I'd not usually like a story that tells multiple narratives that barely connect but Chana Porter's voice is so strong (which I also adored in The Seep) that the book is riveting throughout. There are a lot of concepts and thoughts that extend beyond the pages. I love the casual world-building where none of the reading felt like work. Really impressive stuff.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Eating disorder and Fatphobia

Boys Weekend by Mattie Lubchansky

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious tense medium-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

5.0

Boys Weekend is epic!!!! Horror is being trans, surrounded by cis people who don't understand or respect you, and Mattie Lubchansky recreates this experience better than I've ever seen it done before. This book creeps in the best ways, with both its horror and its emotional core. Read it now!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deadnaming, Transphobia, Toxic friendship, and Dysphoria

Thirsty Mermaids by Kat Leyh

adventurous funny lighthearted 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

4.25

Vibrant and unapologetically queer, Thirsty Mermaids is a lot of fun. I would have liked more time spent as merfolk but that wasn't what this story was about. It's a nice slice of life caper about found family.

Doomed by Chuck Palahniuk

dark sad slow-paced

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

2.5

Every once and a while, Chuck Palahniuk expands a book that should have a short story, bloating it with his trademark repetition. If you took out a multitude of fatphobic words and "doodoo" and "caca", it would be much shorter. This is really not good and, on top of that, not much happens. So much time is spent

with an 11 year old girl slamming a gloryholed penis seemingly of her grandfather's in a book until it climaxes in the book and on the girl's clothes.

and it's absolutely unnecessary, repetitive, and disgusting. Ick.

I'm gonna be taking a break from Chuck's work because this was awful. And I read and enjoyed Damned twice. Oh well.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Incest, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Sweet Tooth Vol. 2: In Captivity by Jeff Lemire

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

The second volume of Sweet Tooth is more substantial than the first and I'm more invested this time around. So far, I like it but don't love it. Time will tell. Onto volume 3!

Sweet Tooth Vol. 1: Out of the Deep Woods by Jeff Lemire

dark hopeful sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

This first volume of Sweet Tooth was just okay. It builds up enough of the world to start, but I didn't find too much to be gripping. Hoping this will expand into something I like more.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse

Moderate: Animal death

Bitter Root, Vol. 3: Legacy by Chuck Brown, David F. Walker

adventurous dark hopeful mysterious 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? It's complicated

5.0

This comic series is spectacular! Volume 3 moves at a slightly slower pace because the characters have a lot to say but it's still suspenseful and action-packed. It has reignited my love affair with comics and I look forward to any and all future installments in the world of Bitter Root. And the movie as well!

Bitter Root, Vol. 2: Rage & Redemption by Chuck Brown, David F. Walker

adventurous dark hopeful tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

Bitter Root is fantastic. This trade begins with the Red Summer special, which reveals so many moments in the family history and beyond that it's absolutely engrossing. Then we get the second arc and its deft movement back and forth through time really deepens the emotional weight of the monster battles. It's a kinetic visual treat with strong characterization and emotion nuance. Love it.

Bitter Root, Vol. 1: Family Business by Chuck Brown, David F. Walker

adventurous dark funny mysterious tense 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

5.0

This comic is absolutely gorgeous. The demon reveals are epic and it feels like they're climbing out of the page. The pace zips along with most of the writing being dialogue, leaving plenty of time to pore over the wonderfully detailed artwork. Loved the experience of reading each issue.

The Sangeryes are a 1920s Black family fighting demons in Harlem. Why say more? You need to read this. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism

Minor: Animal death

The Worm and His Kings by Hailey Piper

adventurous challenging dark 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? It's complicated

4.0

Another excellent novella from Hailey Piper! She does a great job at blending horror and romance, providing rich emotional stakes in nightmare scenarios. This combo is uniquely Piper and here the trans cosmic horror journey is wonderfully mysterious and fascinating. The ending really goes there, in the best way. Well done.