katonthejellicoe's reviews
162 reviews

Lingon Comic Book Anthology by Mel Casipit

dark fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

'Lingon' is a compilation of ten short comics with different genres and themes presented through a variety of art styles and illustrations. Though I appreciated its diversity, absurdity, and humor, I found it incohesive and cluttered which made the overall experience unenjoyable. 

Strange Sally Diamond by Liz Nugent

challenging dark 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

Strange Sally Diamond is, indeed, about Sally Diamond who is deemed strange because of her neurodivergence and social deficiencies. At age 43, when his father died, she became a news headline which led to her tragic past unraveling.

My most favorite thing about this book is how simple yet engaging the writing is. The plot is compelling, albeit predictable at times, and I loved following through the alternating perspectives and timeline. The themes are dark and enraging, yet the story is moving and has lightness to it.

You Are Only Just Beginning: Lessons for the Journey Ahead by Morgan Harper Nichols

emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced

I'm a huge MHN fan. I even have one line from her poems tattooed on my body. So, when she released her debut book four years ago, I vowed to get everything she ever writes. Hence, when the first book was followed by two more and was set forth as a trilogy—yes, you guessed it right, I got all three.

That's probably why it saddens me to admit that this book didn't meet my expectations. I loved the first one, liked the second book, and this one was just okay. There were pieces that personally hit me hard and reminded me of profound things in life, but a lot were amiss.

Despite all of that, I'll continue to seek comfort and wisdom from her words—whether digitally or in print—because undeniably, MHN will always be THAT writer for me.

Notes to Self by Emilie Pine

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

Objectively, this collection of essays presents nothing new nor groundbreaking. These are common ideas on themes such as feminism, childhood trauma, infertility, and sexual assault. However, in my personal opinion, the author handled these topics so well that I ended up in the puddle of my own tears while it challenged my perspectives on the said themes.

My absolute favorite was the essay about the author's teenage years titled 'Something About Me'. The writing was non-linear and all-over-the-place, but it just made sense. I can't help but think that perhaps, it could be something about me.

Cat's People: A Novel by Tanya Guerrero

emotional funny inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing sad 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

3.5

Warning: If you’re a dog person, this book might just change your mind (lowkey, it did for me).

Cat’s People is a novel about five strangers whose lives are intertwined by a stray cat, making it a character-driven story with almost no traditional plot—just vibes. What stood out to me the most, though, was the cat’s perspective. I could easily read a hundred more pages from his POV alone! Overall, this was a funny, light, and cozy read that’s perfect for unwinding after a long day.

So Heaven by Isagani R. Cruz

dark funny mysterious reflective tense slow-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

3.25

I don’t know what I was expecting when I started this book, but this was definitely not it. It was steamy and sensual—maybe a little too much at some points—but it was also funny and had plenty of classic literary references, which I thought I didn’t get most of the time (definitely a me-problem).

Video review:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DFerHz9SHBf/?igsh=MXg0YnRoMXNiemtxcA==

12:01 by Russell Molina, Kajo Baldisimo

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

4.0

It's so crazy to me that a 48-page graphic novel would hit me this hard. This story was set decades ago, but it's still very much relevant today. What a rotten, cruel society we live in even in 2025.

Bunnicula: The Graphic Novel by Stephen Gilpin, Andrew Donkin, James Howe

dark funny 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

Bunnicula is a classic piece of children’s literature originally published in 1979 and later adapted into a graphic novel in 2022. I picked this up from a local bookstore on a whim, and it turned out to be a great decision—I thoroughly enjoyed it. The story managed to creep me out and entertain me at the same time. Now, I'm thinking of diving into the original series...

Anxious People by Fredrik Backman

emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective relaxing sad 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

This story about a hostage drama—or a bank robbery or an apartment viewing or a bridge or all of it—was undoubtedly one of the funniest books I've read. Yet, somehow, it was also so vulnerable and raw. Backman balanced every element so well, including mental health. So, so, so good.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Suicide attempt

Fried Rice by Erica Eng

inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing sad 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? No

Fried Rice is a coming-of-age story of a Malaysian girl who dreams to become an animator. It gives us a glimpse of her family and culture through the author-illustrator's beautiful and captivating artwork—which I found to be the strongest point of the book. I hoped the storytelling was better, but given that I’m not of the same descent, there might be a lack of nuances from my perspective.