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katharine_opal's reviews
485 reviews
猫とキス（１）[Neko to Kiss 1] by 千里みこ, Miko Senri
4.0
Everyone in Erina's class assumes that she is a "Cool Queen", who could have any boy she wants. But in reality, Erina has an enormous love for all things cat-related! Her personality clashes a bit with her classmate Nekoyama, with him being so mysterious and aloof. One day after school, she finds a cat being attacked by crows. After bringing the cat in, she decides to give it a smooch on the head. But, surprise! Suddenly Nekoyama is there?! Yes, the male lead turns into a cat. Princess and the Frog and Fruits Basket mixed together makes A Kiss with a Cat, transformation-wise! I really liked this one, more than I thought I would. The female lead, Erina, is so cute when she squeals over cats. I really love the comedic elements between her and Nekoyama! Nekoyama himself is blunt and straightforward, and just a little bit of a brat. But, his mannerisms largely steam from his cat side, so his behaviors make a bit more sense in this context. It can feel to people who aren't taking that into consideration that he is pushing himself on Erina, but...that's what cats do. I'm in love with the art style as well! Nice clean lines and this mangaka excels in drawing expressions. She also can draw cats very well, and you can just tell how soft their fur would be. I like this start of this series quite a bit, I'm excited to read the next volume!
猫とキス 2 [Neko to Kiss 2] by Miko Senri
4.0
And we continue! Volume two picks up right where we left off in volume one. More hijinks between Erina and Nekoyama ensue, including a scene that involves, GASP, drugs?! Nah, I'm kidding, it's just catnip. It is nice to see Nekoyama slowly opening up more to Erina, even if some of his affection comes through in his actions and not his words. Erina is also slowly learning more about Nekoyama, and his cat-related tendencies as well. Looking forward to volume three!
Sanctuary by Andi C. Buchanan
2.0
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!
(Please be warned there are minor spoilers for the plot and scenes that happen within the book in my review! Caution advised!)
I wanted to like "Sanctuary" so much. An intriguing premise and an amazingly diverse cast just made me want to dive right in! Unfortunately, I wanted to get out of the swimming pool of "Sanctuary" only three chapters in. There is barely any plot to this novel, and when you do get some plot piece, it feels like only snatches of it. It takes about forty percent into the book for ANYTHING of plot relevance to happen. (I checked) There was a lot of focus on the characters, which is normally the thing I love! But everything about the characters felt like surface-level descriptions of their appearance and disabilities and almost sounded performative at points. I feel like I know nothing about these characters beyond their race, gender, and disability. I know Araminta is plus size, a redhead, an artist, and is Morgan's (the character who the story is told through) girlfriend. That's about it, besides the small snippets of Araminta's life prior to coming to Casswell. The only thing I know about Vinnie is that they're trans, a mom, and black. That's it. Another issue is that there are so many named characters, both living and dead alike, within this cast, I keep forgetting who is a human and who is a ghost! Also, the author seems to keep forgetting who is in what scene?! At the beginning of the scene where they talk to the ghost hunters, Morgan states that “Saeed has gone to catch up with classmates – I’m cynical enough to suspect he may have timed it strategically to avoid this meeting” but after Morgan has ANOTHER internal introspection (she does this A LOT), says those speaking have come to an agreement. Logan (The ghost hunter brother) asks if they can record their conversation with the ghost and SAEED says no? Saeed is stated to not be present during this meeting at the beginning of this scene. Was there a scene change? This has happened before, with the author starting the scene with Morgan talking to Callum online and Callum asking if they can meet in person, in the first part of the sentence. The second part of the sentence has them in the city meeting Callum at a coffee shop. The scene changes are far too abrupt and sometimes I don’t even realize there HAS been a scene change, which leaves me incredibly confused. These scene changes are VERY abrupt and disorienting. I kept thinking I accidentally skipped forward a few pages or accidentally skimmed over a paragraph. But no, the scene changes do suddenly change in the blink of an eye like that. There were minor plot points that annoyed me, such as Morgan wondering, “I wonder even if the pendant was once his, perhaps he thinks we stole it from him. Perhaps he doesn’t understand how much it is Araminta’s, how much it is my gift to her.” when the ghost gets pissed she took the pendant from the bottle. Like girlie pop, you DID steal it from him! It was locked away in a bottle that you had to BREAK to get it out, and you watched a ghost poof out when you did it! That pendant was stuck in the same bottle as the ghost for who knows how long, so obviously taking it was a bad idea! Did this girl never read “The Teeny-Tiny Woman”?! Also, I apologize, but I'm going to be very blunt. The final fight scene was one of the worst I have ever read. I have barely any idea what was going on because I was literally only told "We're fighting! Oh no [Name] has been injured! (Morgan goes on another long introspection monologue) We're back to fighting! (Another long Morgan internal monologue) FIGHTING!" and so on. It also dragged on FOREVER. I have no idea how long their fight was supposed to be in real-time (Was it hours? Days? Minutes?) but in reading time, it was long. All in all, I really didn't like Sanctuary. It has plenty of potential; in fact, I could see it being made into a television series or a movie, but it just didn't work for me as a book.
Also, this is a random minor nitpick, but this book keeps referring to ADHD as "ADD". But they did away with the term "ADD" in the DSM-4 (pub. 2000) and simplified it to ADHD with three sub-types. The DSM-5 (pub. 2013) changed it to "ADHD with presentations", so now it is just ADHD and the ways it presents, but I would admit for some that is fairly new. But still, you had at least twenty years to learn the correct term. It's possible that they still called it ADD in the UK, where this book is set, so I apologize if that's why the author keeps using what the DSM considers to be an outdated term.
Also, was having a ghost named Lydia Martin a Teen Wolf nod or a coincidence? Also, what is a house wiki?!
(Please be warned there are minor spoilers for the plot and scenes that happen within the book in my review! Caution advised!)
I wanted to like "Sanctuary" so much. An intriguing premise and an amazingly diverse cast just made me want to dive right in! Unfortunately, I wanted to get out of the swimming pool of "Sanctuary" only three chapters in. There is barely any plot to this novel, and when you do get some plot piece, it feels like only snatches of it. It takes about forty percent into the book for ANYTHING of plot relevance to happen. (I checked) There was a lot of focus on the characters, which is normally the thing I love! But everything about the characters felt like surface-level descriptions of their appearance and disabilities and almost sounded performative at points. I feel like I know nothing about these characters beyond their race, gender, and disability. I know Araminta is plus size, a redhead, an artist, and is Morgan's (the character who the story is told through) girlfriend. That's about it, besides the small snippets of Araminta's life prior to coming to Casswell. The only thing I know about Vinnie is that they're trans, a mom, and black. That's it. Another issue is that there are so many named characters, both living and dead alike, within this cast, I keep forgetting who is a human and who is a ghost! Also, the author seems to keep forgetting who is in what scene?! At the beginning of the scene where they talk to the ghost hunters, Morgan states that “Saeed has gone to catch up with classmates – I’m cynical enough to suspect he may have timed it strategically to avoid this meeting” but after Morgan has ANOTHER internal introspection (she does this A LOT), says those speaking have come to an agreement. Logan (The ghost hunter brother) asks if they can record their conversation with the ghost and SAEED says no? Saeed is stated to not be present during this meeting at the beginning of this scene. Was there a scene change? This has happened before, with the author starting the scene with Morgan talking to Callum online and Callum asking if they can meet in person, in the first part of the sentence. The second part of the sentence has them in the city meeting Callum at a coffee shop. The scene changes are far too abrupt and sometimes I don’t even realize there HAS been a scene change, which leaves me incredibly confused. These scene changes are VERY abrupt and disorienting. I kept thinking I accidentally skipped forward a few pages or accidentally skimmed over a paragraph. But no, the scene changes do suddenly change in the blink of an eye like that. There were minor plot points that annoyed me, such as Morgan wondering, “I wonder even if the pendant was once his, perhaps he thinks we stole it from him. Perhaps he doesn’t understand how much it is Araminta’s, how much it is my gift to her.” when the ghost gets pissed she took the pendant from the bottle. Like girlie pop, you DID steal it from him! It was locked away in a bottle that you had to BREAK to get it out, and you watched a ghost poof out when you did it! That pendant was stuck in the same bottle as the ghost for who knows how long, so obviously taking it was a bad idea! Did this girl never read “The Teeny-Tiny Woman”?! Also, I apologize, but I'm going to be very blunt. The final fight scene was one of the worst I have ever read. I have barely any idea what was going on because I was literally only told "We're fighting! Oh no [Name] has been injured! (Morgan goes on another long introspection monologue) We're back to fighting! (Another long Morgan internal monologue) FIGHTING!" and so on. It also dragged on FOREVER. I have no idea how long their fight was supposed to be in real-time (Was it hours? Days? Minutes?) but in reading time, it was long. All in all, I really didn't like Sanctuary. It has plenty of potential; in fact, I could see it being made into a television series or a movie, but it just didn't work for me as a book.
Also, this is a random minor nitpick, but this book keeps referring to ADHD as "ADD". But they did away with the term "ADD" in the DSM-4 (pub. 2000) and simplified it to ADHD with three sub-types. The DSM-5 (pub. 2013) changed it to "ADHD with presentations", so now it is just ADHD and the ways it presents, but I would admit for some that is fairly new. But still, you had at least twenty years to learn the correct term. It's possible that they still called it ADD in the UK, where this book is set, so I apologize if that's why the author keeps using what the DSM considers to be an outdated term.
Also, was having a ghost named Lydia Martin a Teen Wolf nod or a coincidence? Also, what is a house wiki?!
The Wolf of Taliskia by Alex Evans, Alex Evans
1.0
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!
I was intrigued by the cover of "The Wolf of Taliskia". An intricate steampunk-esqe cover, with a woman in a gorgeous 1800's style dress. I was even more intrigued by the plot synopsis! A woman inventor, the heiress of a company known for its amazing inventions, who is set to marry a prince of a hidden kingdom! How interesting! Unfortunately, the book crashed so badly that it went through the floor. It's terribly written and it feels like the author doesn't quite have a good grasp of English? For example, they keep using strangely worded phrases that make barely any sense. There were lines that threw me until I realize what the author meant to write. During the wedding scene, the line "My Father grinned at me from the end of the alley", bewildered me, and made me think that maybe there had been a scene change I hadn't noticed. But then I realized what had actually happened. The author used the word "alley" when they meant to use the word "aisle". That word change completely changes the sentence, in a bad way. There also was a line that was roughly "She is believed to be dead or in a sanatorium somewhere." and Victoria responds with "This is terrible!" ...HUH? The correct sentence is "That is terrible!". Did the author forget how tenses work? Also, the author has a weird thing against using contraction words. The book is riddled with grammatical errors, and they only get worse near the end. There are constant incorrect pronouns being used when referring to Victoria, using his or he when they meant to use she or her, so I kept getting confused about who is speaking. The dialogue is wooden and stilted. Scenes end almost as soon as they begin, and the constant scene changes get aggravating. So many scenes happen at random, and for no apparent reason. Side characters are introduced, and then never seen again. When it comes to the romance element of the book, there is NO chemistry between Istvàn and Victoria. The spice scene between them felt so random and out of the blue. Victoria herself is aggravating. Her feelings for the Prince changed back and forth so fast that my head would whirl. The Prince himself feels like a bland stereotype, or a doll to project desires onto. Also, the "mystery" element of the story literally doesn't exist. I completely forgot the goal was to find out who set off the bomb that killed her Father! It was the shoddiest "mystery" I've ever read. There is barely any world-building in this story, which is a disappointment because it had the potential to be such an interesting world! But I don't know how the systems in this world work! Is it science-based? Is it magic-based? Is it both? Who knows, cause I sure don't! The ending of the book is so contrived, that it made me roll my eyes. Then I thought it was over with killing the man who killed her father, but it didn't? The actual end scene has a Countess (?) kidnap Victoria to drain her blood to bathe in to achieve youthfulness, exactly like the real-life Countess Elizabeth Báthory. But gasp! She's saved by the Prince! Who...is a...werewolf? Or technically a shapechanger who can become a wolf? Why does this happen? For what reason? The final line is so random as well. Plot-wise, it feels like the author had a bunch of random scenes prewritten that she slapped together and called it a story.
Also, some of the lines said by Victoria felt a bit...racist. Or at the very least, prejudiced. I'm not sure if this was the author trying to be "time period accurate" but, Victoria said she was scared of getting scalped by Indians, and talking about the fact that the Cherokee had slaves felt unnecessary. Also, I would like to know, what in God's name are Mexican Pants? Or Mexican boots for that matter! One more minor nitpick, Victoria is described as blonde and green-eyed but the book cover has her as a brunette and blue-eyed? Weird choice, but okay.
Basically, this is the first (and hopefully last) book I've given one star this year. I honestly would say don't bother reading this one, unless you REALLY want to be annoyed.
I was intrigued by the cover of "The Wolf of Taliskia". An intricate steampunk-esqe cover, with a woman in a gorgeous 1800's style dress. I was even more intrigued by the plot synopsis! A woman inventor, the heiress of a company known for its amazing inventions, who is set to marry a prince of a hidden kingdom! How interesting! Unfortunately, the book crashed so badly that it went through the floor. It's terribly written and it feels like the author doesn't quite have a good grasp of English? For example, they keep using strangely worded phrases that make barely any sense. There were lines that threw me until I realize what the author meant to write. During the wedding scene, the line "My Father grinned at me from the end of the alley", bewildered me, and made me think that maybe there had been a scene change I hadn't noticed. But then I realized what had actually happened. The author used the word "alley" when they meant to use the word "aisle". That word change completely changes the sentence, in a bad way. There also was a line that was roughly "She is believed to be dead or in a sanatorium somewhere." and Victoria responds with "This is terrible!" ...HUH? The correct sentence is "That is terrible!". Did the author forget how tenses work? Also, the author has a weird thing against using contraction words. The book is riddled with grammatical errors, and they only get worse near the end. There are constant incorrect pronouns being used when referring to Victoria, using his or he when they meant to use she or her, so I kept getting confused about who is speaking. The dialogue is wooden and stilted. Scenes end almost as soon as they begin, and the constant scene changes get aggravating. So many scenes happen at random, and for no apparent reason. Side characters are introduced, and then never seen again. When it comes to the romance element of the book, there is NO chemistry between Istvàn and Victoria. The spice scene between them felt so random and out of the blue. Victoria herself is aggravating. Her feelings for the Prince changed back and forth so fast that my head would whirl. The Prince himself feels like a bland stereotype, or a doll to project desires onto. Also, the "mystery" element of the story literally doesn't exist. I completely forgot the goal was to find out who set off the bomb that killed her Father! It was the shoddiest "mystery" I've ever read. There is barely any world-building in this story, which is a disappointment because it had the potential to be such an interesting world! But I don't know how the systems in this world work! Is it science-based? Is it magic-based? Is it both? Who knows, cause I sure don't! The ending of the book is so contrived, that it made me roll my eyes. Then I thought it was over with killing the man who killed her father, but it didn't? The actual end scene has a Countess (?) kidnap Victoria to drain her blood to bathe in to achieve youthfulness, exactly like the real-life Countess Elizabeth Báthory. But gasp! She's saved by the Prince! Who...is a...werewolf? Or technically a shapechanger who can become a wolf? Why does this happen? For what reason? The final line is so random as well. Plot-wise, it feels like the author had a bunch of random scenes prewritten that she slapped together and called it a story.
Also, some of the lines said by Victoria felt a bit...racist. Or at the very least, prejudiced. I'm not sure if this was the author trying to be "time period accurate" but, Victoria said she was scared of getting scalped by Indians, and talking about the fact that the Cherokee had slaves felt unnecessary. Also, I would like to know, what in God's name are Mexican Pants? Or Mexican boots for that matter! One more minor nitpick, Victoria is described as blonde and green-eyed but the book cover has her as a brunette and blue-eyed? Weird choice, but okay.
Basically, this is the first (and hopefully last) book I've given one star this year. I honestly would say don't bother reading this one, unless you REALLY want to be annoyed.
Taproot: A Story About A Gardener and A Ghost by Keezy Young
4.0
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!
Taproot is the story about Blue and Hamal. Hamal is a florist who also has the ability to see ghosts, while Blue is a ghost himself. Blue has realized, that he's in love with Hamal, and Hamal just might love him back. But strange events start happening to the local ghosts and the town they live in, and it's up to Hamal and Blue to try and fix it. First off, I wanted to say how much I love the art style of this graphic novel. It feels warm and cozy and reminds me of the softness that Ghilbi films can have. I also thought the artist's style looked strangely familiar, then I realized I follow this artist on Tumblr! Had no idea they had put out a graphic novel! I also really liked the attention paid to the background of scenes; I feel like a lot of artists try to get away with never drawing backgrounds. (I don't blame them, backgrounds and perspectives are hard!) But I found myself stopping just to drink in all the little details. I also love the design of the town they are in! What a cozy town! The story itself I really liked. A florist who sees ghosts! A ghost in love with a living person! How interesting! However, the pacing felt a little...off? It felt oddly quick to me. I feel like that has a lot to do with having a certain page limit in graphic novels. The scene leading to the ending felt a bit out of place as well? I think it was supposed to be an epilogue of sorts, but it felt more like the story had already ended, but the author said "Wait we still have pages left!". Also, the relationship between Hamal and Blue is so sweet. I could honestly feel the connection between them and the resulting chemistry. I also love that even though they fight, they do reconcile and actually talk out their problems! None of the dumb misunderstandings for no reason! Thank goodness! I do like "Taproot", even though the pacing is slightly off. I'm a sucker for a good queer romance, and this is one of them!
Taproot is the story about Blue and Hamal. Hamal is a florist who also has the ability to see ghosts, while Blue is a ghost himself. Blue has realized, that he's in love with Hamal, and Hamal just might love him back. But strange events start happening to the local ghosts and the town they live in, and it's up to Hamal and Blue to try and fix it. First off, I wanted to say how much I love the art style of this graphic novel. It feels warm and cozy and reminds me of the softness that Ghilbi films can have. I also thought the artist's style looked strangely familiar, then I realized I follow this artist on Tumblr! Had no idea they had put out a graphic novel! I also really liked the attention paid to the background of scenes; I feel like a lot of artists try to get away with never drawing backgrounds. (I don't blame them, backgrounds and perspectives are hard!) But I found myself stopping just to drink in all the little details. I also love the design of the town they are in! What a cozy town! The story itself I really liked. A florist who sees ghosts! A ghost in love with a living person! How interesting! However, the pacing felt a little...off? It felt oddly quick to me. I feel like that has a lot to do with having a certain page limit in graphic novels. The scene leading to the ending felt a bit out of place as well? I think it was supposed to be an epilogue of sorts, but it felt more like the story had already ended, but the author said "Wait we still have pages left!". Also, the relationship between Hamal and Blue is so sweet. I could honestly feel the connection between them and the resulting chemistry. I also love that even though they fight, they do reconcile and actually talk out their problems! None of the dumb misunderstandings for no reason! Thank goodness! I do like "Taproot", even though the pacing is slightly off. I'm a sucker for a good queer romance, and this is one of them!
Juniper & Thorn by Ava Reid
5.0
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!
Juniper & Thorn is a whirling tale that grabs you by the throat and just won't let go! The story focuses on Marlinchen, the third witch daughter, and is one of the daughters of the last wizard in the country. It opens on the night Marlinchen follows her sisters out into the city for the very first time, and where she meets a ballet dancer named Sevaskty. I don't want to delve more than that into the plot for fear of spoiling it! I would like to note that I had no idea this is a retelling of a fairy tale story, mostly because I have never heard of the fairytale "The Juniper Tree". This makes sense because after researching, I see it was published in "The Brother's Grimm", something I was never allowed to read as a child. I've also never read the first book set in this world, "The Wolf and the Woodsman", though after reading this book I certainly will be seeking it out! I don't think either of these is needed to read this novel, however. It worked beautifully as a stand-alone novel! The way the prose is written in this novel is poetic yet straightforward. The way certain things are described, even though blatantly gruesome, almost distracts you with how poetic it is written. Speaking of, the story has some VERY gruesome scenes. It is at its heart, gothic horror and it doesn't let you forget that. I would heed those who decide to read this book to look closely at the trigger warnings because it does not shy away. It is blunt and looks head-on at some of the horrific events that happen. There is no sidestepping or beating around the bush with this one. The entire time I read this novel, I was rooting for Marlinchen. I was also rooting for Sevas too after getting to know him. Thankfully, this book does fall under the "Good for Her/Good for Them" category. Also, with her Marlichen's inner dialogue is written, that when I first started reading the book, I thought she was a teenager. So a certain scene after the ballet theater gave me (an uncomfortable) pause, but no, Marlinchen is twenty-three. Whew. There are multiple sex scenes in this book, but they are all handled tastefully. It doesn't shy away from the fact that is it a sex scene, but it's written in the same poetic yet straightforward way the other scenes are. Also, a minor note is that the cover of this book is to die for! I'm obsessed with how it blends old fairy tale art with an Alphonse Mucha art nouveau style! The cover is what drew me in and made me curious about what a book with such a gorgeous cover could be about. This book is one of my few five out of five-star books, and I will defiantly be seeking out a copy to buy for my bookshelf!
Juniper & Thorn is a whirling tale that grabs you by the throat and just won't let go! The story focuses on Marlinchen, the third witch daughter, and is one of the daughters of the last wizard in the country. It opens on the night Marlinchen follows her sisters out into the city for the very first time, and where she meets a ballet dancer named Sevaskty. I don't want to delve more than that into the plot for fear of spoiling it! I would like to note that I had no idea this is a retelling of a fairy tale story, mostly because I have never heard of the fairytale "The Juniper Tree". This makes sense because after researching, I see it was published in "The Brother's Grimm", something I was never allowed to read as a child. I've also never read the first book set in this world, "The Wolf and the Woodsman", though after reading this book I certainly will be seeking it out! I don't think either of these is needed to read this novel, however. It worked beautifully as a stand-alone novel! The way the prose is written in this novel is poetic yet straightforward. The way certain things are described, even though blatantly gruesome, almost distracts you with how poetic it is written. Speaking of, the story has some VERY gruesome scenes. It is at its heart, gothic horror and it doesn't let you forget that. I would heed those who decide to read this book to look closely at the trigger warnings because it does not shy away. It is blunt and looks head-on at some of the horrific events that happen. There is no sidestepping or beating around the bush with this one. The entire time I read this novel, I was rooting for Marlinchen. I was also rooting for Sevas too after getting to know him. Thankfully, this book does fall under the "Good for Her/Good for Them" category. Also, with her Marlichen's inner dialogue is written, that when I first started reading the book, I thought she was a teenager. So a certain scene after the ballet theater gave me (an uncomfortable) pause, but no, Marlinchen is twenty-three. Whew. There are multiple sex scenes in this book, but they are all handled tastefully. It doesn't shy away from the fact that is it a sex scene, but it's written in the same poetic yet straightforward way the other scenes are. Also, a minor note is that the cover of this book is to die for! I'm obsessed with how it blends old fairy tale art with an Alphonse Mucha art nouveau style! The cover is what drew me in and made me curious about what a book with such a gorgeous cover could be about. This book is one of my few five out of five-star books, and I will defiantly be seeking out a copy to buy for my bookshelf!
Hummingbird by Helen Harper
4.0
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!
In the world of Hummingbird, there are two things known to be true. Mages are the only ones who can wield magic and a Mage can only be a man. However, Mairi discovers that she too can wield magic, in spite of the fact that she is a woman. She works in a small tartan shop during the day and studies to become an apothecary at night. She is a mute, orphan girl, who comes to realize she may be the spark to kindle a true change in the society of the city. There is also the mystery of the "Afflicted" who roam the streets at night and are one of the reasons the Mages have such an iron grip on the city and its population. I ended up liking this novel even more than I thought I would. The story is quick-paced and never goes slower than a jog. I liked Mairi's drive to accomplish her goals, and the cunning she uses to do so. However, a few of her decisions felt a tad foolish to me. Why take such a high risk for practically no reward? There were several scenes that had what I felt to be a deus ex machina. That could be my personal bias clouding my view, but it really did feel that way. I did enjoy the mystery elements of the story! I don't want to describe them for fear of spoiling them, but it was interesting to read. The magic system in this story, while one most would have heard of before, was very interesting! I couldn't tell what real-life language the magic language was based on, though perhaps it's based on Latin? There were several world-building details that were fuzzy, such as if this story is set in modern-day or historical? I ran under the assumption of historical because Mairi mentioned breeches and stays, but beyond that, I have no idea about the time period. Also not quite sure where in the city of Glasgow this takes place, but if it's ahistorical I guess it doesn't matter. The only major gripe I have is with the singular sex scene in the book. Why did there need to be a sex scene? Like, I guess it makes sense for a plot point near the end of the book but that sex scene felt so out of place. I literally read it going "Why is this happening? What is the point of this? Is this in here because of the ladies on BookTok?" One of my huge annoyances in stories is pointless sex scenes, and thankfully this book only had the one. Asides from my mild annoyances with parts of this book, I will definitely be watching out for the second part in the series. The first novel ends on a pretty big cliffhanger, so of course, I want to know what happens next.
In the world of Hummingbird, there are two things known to be true. Mages are the only ones who can wield magic and a Mage can only be a man. However, Mairi discovers that she too can wield magic, in spite of the fact that she is a woman. She works in a small tartan shop during the day and studies to become an apothecary at night. She is a mute, orphan girl, who comes to realize she may be the spark to kindle a true change in the society of the city. There is also the mystery of the "Afflicted" who roam the streets at night and are one of the reasons the Mages have such an iron grip on the city and its population. I ended up liking this novel even more than I thought I would. The story is quick-paced and never goes slower than a jog. I liked Mairi's drive to accomplish her goals, and the cunning she uses to do so. However, a few of her decisions felt a tad foolish to me. Why take such a high risk for practically no reward? There were several scenes that had what I felt to be a deus ex machina. That could be my personal bias clouding my view, but it really did feel that way. I did enjoy the mystery elements of the story! I don't want to describe them for fear of spoiling them, but it was interesting to read. The magic system in this story, while one most would have heard of before, was very interesting! I couldn't tell what real-life language the magic language was based on, though perhaps it's based on Latin? There were several world-building details that were fuzzy, such as if this story is set in modern-day or historical? I ran under the assumption of historical because Mairi mentioned breeches and stays, but beyond that, I have no idea about the time period. Also not quite sure where in the city of Glasgow this takes place, but if it's ahistorical I guess it doesn't matter. The only major gripe I have is with the singular sex scene in the book. Why did there need to be a sex scene? Like, I guess it makes sense for a plot point near the end of the book but that sex scene felt so out of place. I literally read it going "Why is this happening? What is the point of this? Is this in here because of the ladies on BookTok?" One of my huge annoyances in stories is pointless sex scenes, and thankfully this book only had the one. Asides from my mild annoyances with parts of this book, I will definitely be watching out for the second part in the series. The first novel ends on a pretty big cliffhanger, so of course, I want to know what happens next.
Zatanna: The Jewel of Gravesend by Alys Arden
3.0
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!
Zatanna: The Jewel of Gravesend is a graphic novel about Zatanna, who is the daughter of an illusionist duo, Erza and Lola Star. Set in New York City's Coney Island, Zatanna discovers there are many mysteries surrounding her and her family, and sets out to find out the truth behind the curtain. I just want to preface my review with the statement that I never read any of the comics about Zatanna. I know that she's a DC Comics hero and that she's a magician in those, but nothing beyond that. I really wanted to like this graphic novel. The premise was fascinating, the world fun, and the diverse cast. But something about it just fell flat to me. Zatanna, strangely enough, feels bland and like your everyday alternative fashion girl. Honestly, her friends were a bit more interesting than her in this. It felt forgettable, like a cheap novel you read once at the beach and never again. The magic system that Zatanna uses was very interesting, I have never heard of that system before. But again, never read the comics relating to her. The art style itself was okay; excellent use of color, but the pages had no motion. None of the panels had good page flow and it made everything feel very stilted. I have a feeling the artist has a lot of experience with illustrations and not so much with comics. A couple of panels had a wonky feeling to them with the way they were drawn, it honestly took me out of the story for a moment. There is a LOT going on in this graphic novel. I know it kind of has to be set up for the rest of the novels for what I assume to be the series. But it is a little jarring because it feels like plot point after plot point is getting chucked at your head. This was an okay read, but I doubt I'll be seeking out the next novel.
(P.S. Is "The Golden Elephant" where Zatanna lives supposed to be based on "Lucy the Elephant"? Seeing as Lucy the Elephant had been used as a restaurant, business office, cottage, and tavern in the past, and was even able to be rented out in 2020 on AirBNB, the resemblance is striking. Cute detail if it is supposed to be a little homage.)
Zatanna: The Jewel of Gravesend is a graphic novel about Zatanna, who is the daughter of an illusionist duo, Erza and Lola Star. Set in New York City's Coney Island, Zatanna discovers there are many mysteries surrounding her and her family, and sets out to find out the truth behind the curtain. I just want to preface my review with the statement that I never read any of the comics about Zatanna. I know that she's a DC Comics hero and that she's a magician in those, but nothing beyond that. I really wanted to like this graphic novel. The premise was fascinating, the world fun, and the diverse cast. But something about it just fell flat to me. Zatanna, strangely enough, feels bland and like your everyday alternative fashion girl. Honestly, her friends were a bit more interesting than her in this. It felt forgettable, like a cheap novel you read once at the beach and never again. The magic system that Zatanna uses was very interesting, I have never heard of that system before. But again, never read the comics relating to her. The art style itself was okay; excellent use of color, but the pages had no motion. None of the panels had good page flow and it made everything feel very stilted. I have a feeling the artist has a lot of experience with illustrations and not so much with comics. A couple of panels had a wonky feeling to them with the way they were drawn, it honestly took me out of the story for a moment. There is a LOT going on in this graphic novel. I know it kind of has to be set up for the rest of the novels for what I assume to be the series. But it is a little jarring because it feels like plot point after plot point is getting chucked at your head. This was an okay read, but I doubt I'll be seeking out the next novel.
(P.S. Is "The Golden Elephant" where Zatanna lives supposed to be based on "Lucy the Elephant"? Seeing as Lucy the Elephant had been used as a restaurant, business office, cottage, and tavern in the past, and was even able to be rented out in 2020 on AirBNB, the resemblance is striking. Cute detail if it is supposed to be a little homage.)
A Veil of Gods and Kings by Nicole Bailey
4.0
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!
I gave this 4 stars, but the actual rating I want to give is 3.5 stars. "A Veil of Gods and Kings" is supposed to be a reimaging of the story of Apollo and Hyacinth. I have never read the original story, so I have no idea how true this novel stays to it. This book is an enemies to loves, slow burn romance. Let it be known that when I say a slow burn, I mean a SLOW burn. There are also side plotlines involving the sisters of our two main leads, and I'd say the story is fairly even split between all four of our characters. Obviously, there is slightly more focus on Apollo, but he is supposed to be the main lead, so this makes sense. The writing of the story was good, but every so often it would startle me. It would go from decent writing to this beautiful prose, and then right back to decent writing. When the author waxes poetic, it really does stand out in the very best way. The two leads, Apollo and Hyacinth butt heads at the beginning of the story, but ever so slowly throughout the book realize they have more in common than they first realize. After they stop pecking at each other, they develop a very sweet relationship. I don't want to say too much because their relationship is honestly the best part of the book. I also greatly appreciate how sex scenes are handled in this book. Nothing is overtly explicit, it's either described in a flowery manner or is a "fade to black" type of scene. The story lets you know that yes, their relationship gets spicy, but it doesn't blast you in the face with it. Epiphany and Temi, the sisters of Hyacynith and Apollo respectively, also have a very sweet platonic relationship. Though there is an EXTREMELY cringe moment between them near the end of the book, where they break the third wall a little bit. It felt like a ham-fisted "Yeah, girl power!" moment. Thankfully it only ever happened that once. There were some things in the dialogue that threw me off. The characters have a lot of moments where they seem to talk in a very modern manner, and it kept taking me out of the story. Everyone having some sort of nickname was also an interesting choice. It didn't bother me overly, but it certainly was a choice. Also, please, for the love of the universe, stop making up clunky "curse words". "Hades realm", "Hera's plight", and "Zeus's Child" are all so cringe and just plain bad sounding. Like, I understand "Hades realm" is supposed to be a "lore compliant" way of saying "hell", but what the hell is "Hera's plight" supposed to be a replacement for?! This story doesn't go too deep at any point and stays pretty surface level for its entire length. There are a few moments where you think you will go deeper into the mind of these characters, but only for a second. I wish the author went a little deeper, it felt like they only skimmed the surface. I did like "A Veil of Gods and Kings" but not enough that I will be seeking out the next part of the series on my own. Maybe if I can get an ARC copy of it, hah.
Also, this is a nitpick, but it's been driving me insane for the entire book. The descriptions of what Hyacinth was wearing in different scenes kept throwing me off CONSTANTLY. He's described as wearing a "robe" at the start. So I'm thinking, oh this is ancient Greece, so probably a chiton, or maybe the author is describing the himation he's probably wearing on top. But then one of the descriptions mention "The lapels of his robe". I was so thrown off, because huh? Greek clothing didn't have anything clothes-wise that had lapels. Then the author has a scene that has Hyacinth removing his pants and shirt in it, and another scene mentions Apollo taking off his shorts. This is where the author lost me completely. I realized that the author did NOT do some basic research into what was commonly worn in ancient Greek society. The Greeks didn't wear pants! ( "For the ancient Greeks, trousers were worn by Persian barbarians, and they were considered feminine and often ridiculed. Proper Greek men wore the chiton, a form of tunic often accompanied with a heavier cloak." (Oxbow Books) Hyacinth is a Prince, he wouldn't be wearing what would be considered "barbarian" clothing! The fact that Greeks didn't wear pants is a basic fact about Ancient Greece! There is also one scene with Epiphany that bothered me. Epiphany has to choose a dress for her presentation, and one of the characters says to her "We think we've decided on the perfect style for your presentation. It will help downplay your curves some.". Epiphany says she likes her curves but gets told "Of course you do, but you don't want to be too overt." Uh. That doesn't make any sense. "Ancient Greeks preferred curvaceous women with bellies and a nipped waist." (GeekReporter) The idea that a curvy woman would need to downplay her curves is an outdated modern idea, not an Ancient Greek one. This scene I mention ends with a "fuck the societal ideals for women" kind of moment, but it's a bit tarnished by the fact that it's very clear it's stemming from a modern mindset. There are multiple moments in the book like this, and it's jarring every time.
I gave this 4 stars, but the actual rating I want to give is 3.5 stars. "A Veil of Gods and Kings" is supposed to be a reimaging of the story of Apollo and Hyacinth. I have never read the original story, so I have no idea how true this novel stays to it. This book is an enemies to loves, slow burn romance. Let it be known that when I say a slow burn, I mean a SLOW burn. There are also side plotlines involving the sisters of our two main leads, and I'd say the story is fairly even split between all four of our characters. Obviously, there is slightly more focus on Apollo, but he is supposed to be the main lead, so this makes sense. The writing of the story was good, but every so often it would startle me. It would go from decent writing to this beautiful prose, and then right back to decent writing. When the author waxes poetic, it really does stand out in the very best way. The two leads, Apollo and Hyacinth butt heads at the beginning of the story, but ever so slowly throughout the book realize they have more in common than they first realize. After they stop pecking at each other, they develop a very sweet relationship. I don't want to say too much because their relationship is honestly the best part of the book. I also greatly appreciate how sex scenes are handled in this book. Nothing is overtly explicit, it's either described in a flowery manner or is a "fade to black" type of scene. The story lets you know that yes, their relationship gets spicy, but it doesn't blast you in the face with it. Epiphany and Temi, the sisters of Hyacynith and Apollo respectively, also have a very sweet platonic relationship. Though there is an EXTREMELY cringe moment between them near the end of the book, where they break the third wall a little bit. It felt like a ham-fisted "Yeah, girl power!" moment. Thankfully it only ever happened that once. There were some things in the dialogue that threw me off. The characters have a lot of moments where they seem to talk in a very modern manner, and it kept taking me out of the story. Everyone having some sort of nickname was also an interesting choice. It didn't bother me overly, but it certainly was a choice. Also, please, for the love of the universe, stop making up clunky "curse words". "Hades realm", "Hera's plight", and "Zeus's Child" are all so cringe and just plain bad sounding. Like, I understand "Hades realm" is supposed to be a "lore compliant" way of saying "hell", but what the hell is "Hera's plight" supposed to be a replacement for?! This story doesn't go too deep at any point and stays pretty surface level for its entire length. There are a few moments where you think you will go deeper into the mind of these characters, but only for a second. I wish the author went a little deeper, it felt like they only skimmed the surface. I did like "A Veil of Gods and Kings" but not enough that I will be seeking out the next part of the series on my own. Maybe if I can get an ARC copy of it, hah.
Also, this is a nitpick, but it's been driving me insane for the entire book. The descriptions of what Hyacinth was wearing in different scenes kept throwing me off CONSTANTLY. He's described as wearing a "robe" at the start. So I'm thinking, oh this is ancient Greece, so probably a chiton, or maybe the author is describing the himation he's probably wearing on top. But then one of the descriptions mention "The lapels of his robe". I was so thrown off, because huh? Greek clothing didn't have anything clothes-wise that had lapels. Then the author has a scene that has Hyacinth removing his pants and shirt in it, and another scene mentions Apollo taking off his shorts. This is where the author lost me completely. I realized that the author did NOT do some basic research into what was commonly worn in ancient Greek society. The Greeks didn't wear pants! ( "For the ancient Greeks, trousers were worn by Persian barbarians, and they were considered feminine and often ridiculed. Proper Greek men wore the chiton, a form of tunic often accompanied with a heavier cloak." (Oxbow Books) Hyacinth is a Prince, he wouldn't be wearing what would be considered "barbarian" clothing! The fact that Greeks didn't wear pants is a basic fact about Ancient Greece! There is also one scene with Epiphany that bothered me. Epiphany has to choose a dress for her presentation, and one of the characters says to her "We think we've decided on the perfect style for your presentation. It will help downplay your curves some.". Epiphany says she likes her curves but gets told "Of course you do, but you don't want to be too overt." Uh. That doesn't make any sense. "Ancient Greeks preferred curvaceous women with bellies and a nipped waist." (GeekReporter) The idea that a curvy woman would need to downplay her curves is an outdated modern idea, not an Ancient Greek one. This scene I mention ends with a "fuck the societal ideals for women" kind of moment, but it's a bit tarnished by the fact that it's very clear it's stemming from a modern mindset. There are multiple moments in the book like this, and it's jarring every time.
Mirka Andolfo's Sweet Paprika #1 by Mirka Andolfo
4.0
I ended up liking this one a lot more than I thought I would! The art style is nuts and amazingly done. I also really like Paprika; even though she's extremely uptight, it's so clear her "HBIC" demeanor is a cover. This story is extremely raunchy; it fully leans into its "sexiness". Kinda mixed on the angel delivery guy, he reminds me of Johnny Bravo but not an a-hole. I'll keep reading to see where this story goes!