koreanlinda's reviews
212 reviews

I Want to be a Wall, Vol. 1 by Honami Shirono

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funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted 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

The graphic is lovely, and so it the story. I enjoyed reading volume 1 but won't continue. The setting and development is too cheesy for me. There are lots of inner monologue and imagination scenes. I praise the author's choice of putting a BL fan and a gay lover on the main stage. It can definitely help with educating readers about BL (boy love) literature and fandom. 

Review by Linda (she/they) in Oct 2023
Essay writer at DefinitelyNotOkay.com 
Podcaster at AmericanKsisters.com
Family Style: Memories of an American from Vietnam by Thien Pham

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challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced

4.25

This is such a wholesome story delivered in beautiful artwork. I learned a lot about Vietnamese immigrants despite me being an immigrant myself. The author Thien Pham made a masterpiece of an immigrant family's story that represents the shared hardship and community building of all immigrants. I strongly recommend.

Review by Linda (she/they) in Oct 2023
Essay writer at DefinitelyNotOkay.com 
Podcaster at AmericanKsisters.com
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Robo Sapiens: Tales of Tomorrow (Omnibus) by Toranosuke Shimada

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adventurous emotional inspiring mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

This book was quite different from other graphic novels I had read. It is an omnibus of different stories showing a possible world on Earth far into the future where robots have become primary residents. I read it in many short chunks. Each short story gave me moments to question and ponder. There are some stories that connect throughout the book, and there are some that stand alone. If you are a fan of sci-fi materials, I recommend this book. There is rarely anything fluffy or cheeky here.

Review by Linda (she/they) in Oct 2023
Essay writer at DefinitelyNotOkay.com 
Podcaster at AmericanKsisters.com
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Skip and Loafer, Vol. 7 by Misaki Takamatsu

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adventurous funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing 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

4.25

This series turned out to be so much better than I expected that I had to upgrade my initial review for volume 1. It's rare that I give more than 4 stars to comic book due to its lack of density in most work. This one, despite having a typical setting in a high school, had more depth than other similar comic book stories. The protagonist Mitsumi, coming from countryside to Tokyo, experiences various challenges in her new environment. Her new friends and aunt take part in her daily challenges but also provide immense support. The artists Misaki Takamatsu dedicates generous but not excessive pages to all the supporting characters that you get to feel the story in rich 3 dimension. Mitsumi's aunt being a transgender and having received emotional support from a then-child Mitsumi at an earlier time was a pleasant surprise, which weaved into the big arch smoothly. I really recommend this series to readers of all ages. I look forward to seeing more in the series since the volume 7 is the most recent publish from May 2023.

Review by Linda (she/they) in Oct 2023
Essay writer at DefinitelyNotOkay.com 
Podcaster at AmericanKsisters.com
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Fangirl, Vol. 1: The Manga by Sam Maggs, Gabi Nam, Rainbow Rowell

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emotional lighthearted 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

4.0

A cute story about a college freshmen girl who writes fan fiction. It was too YA for me to continue reading, but I enjoyed reading the first volume. 
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Skip and Loafer, Vol. 1 by Misaki Takamatsu

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funny hopeful lighthearted 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? No

4.0

Seen: Rachel Carson by Birdie Willis

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emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective sad fast-paced

4.0

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Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie

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adventurous inspiring mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Radical Acceptance by Tara Brach

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challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective relaxing medium-paced

4.0

It is an excellent book for anyone having a hard time in life. I suffer from chronic depression and anxiety. I started this book awhile ago and stopped; however, I had to pick it up again when my depression worsened with suicidal thoughts. Embracing ourselves with deep insecurities, fears, and worries might be the most challenging thing in our life, and this book helps you find a way to continue. I also recommend listening to Tara Brach's meditation series on her website or any podcast player you have. 

Review by Linda (she/they) in August 2023
Instagram @KoreanLinda
Essay writer at DefinitelyNotOkay.com 
Podcaster at AmericanKsisters.com
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Imago by Octavia E. Butler

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adventurous challenging emotional inspiring mysterious reflective 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? No

4.5

I read all three books of Xenogenesis series and decided to leave a review for the series here. The series is exceptional. It has the complexity of Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi or The Expanse by James S. A. Corey. The expanse of imagination reaches a lot farther involving aliens called Oankali. They are not regarded as a mere threat to humanity or a subject of human curiosity. They are heavily involved in interacting with humans in the process of building a new world. (Parts of the book is actually written in their point of view.)

I gave 4.5 starts because the last book, Imago, fell a bit short of the first two. There was a feeling of rushed wrap-up at the end. It still has an open ending for readers to imagine what could happen afterward. The beauty of this series is the unclear symbolism of various elements in the story. Ooloi, a type of Oankali, has no gender. Often humans misunderstand them as being both male and female, but that is not true. Ooloi reminded me of transgender people and non-binary people, but they are not exactly the same. Oankali as a whole can serve as a symbol of foreigners and immigrants (just people who humans are not familiar with). Of course, their interaction comes with a great deal of prejudice and discrimination. 

I strongly recommend the book for young adult and adult readers. It provides bountiful fodder for thoughts and discussions. (The edition I read came with a list of discussion questions at the end.) I also recommend Parable of The Sower by the same author. I enjoyed reading the graphic novel version. 

Review by Linda (she/they) in August 2023
Instagram @KoreanLinda
Essay writer at DefinitelyNotOkay.com 
Podcaster at AmericanKsisters.com
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