kwichris's reviews
131 reviews

Spy x Family, Vol. 13 by Tatsuya Endo

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adventurous dark emotional funny reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This next book in the series did a fantastic job balancing spy stories and slice of life stories and thankfully dialed back on some of the stupidity of the characters in prior chapters. Anya was less annoying and had a good balance of humor and sincerity. Yor and Yuri both had some good scenes. Loid got to seem more normal for once. Fiona was less obnoxious, even Damian was too! The cute elderly couple are a great addition and I liked the realistic view on wartime emotions as well. All around, one of the better books in the series! :)
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The Glass Scientists Volume One by S.H. Cotugno

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adventurous challenging dark 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? Yes

4.5

I found this by chance while scanning through the graphic novel section at my library, and I am pleasantly surprised by this graphic novel and hungry for more! The author has developed very intriguing versions of the classic Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde that honestly have more nuance and reality than the original novella despite this version being set in a more fantastical Victorian reality. The art is beautiful, the story is rich, and the characters are ever so lively. I can't wait to see what else is in store!
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Spy x Family, Vol. 12 by Tatsuya Endo

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adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This next volume is good, it pushes some of the story forward, which is nice. Anya is of course the most annoying element of the story again, so thankfully the majority of this volume focuses on Yor, Loid, & others. The stakes got higher, so let's see what happens next.
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The Sculptor by Scott McCloud

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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

3.75

The style in which this was arranged was definitely interesting even if at times a little confusing. There's a lot to infer from what you read or see on the page, which definitely comes from the author intending to have readers engage with the book. It's definitely a melancholy story and not for everyone; the ending is a little confusing but ending this story as expected would seem pointless after learning the basics of the plot within the first few pages. David is such an aggravating character at times but still relatable when you look back at your own life and decisions and thought process. This isn't a read for everyone, but it was definitely worth a look for those wanting a graphic novel that is a little more adult and less heavy-handed.
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Finding My Elf by David Valdes

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective 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

3.5

Overall, I ended up enjoying this sweet little read and was so happy my library picked it up when I had suggested it. The book does at times rely a little too heavily on references to very specific cultural moments that sadly date this book even though it's brand new. I much prefer when references are spread out vs all in quick succession. Cam's dilema and inner turmoil is definitely relatable for anyone who's switched majors after realizing what they think they wanted may be different from what they really do want (guilty as charged). I will gripe about the few spelling mistakes given how short the book is for those not to have been caught before the final printing. Overall, a fun, inclusive, and holiday extravaganza of a book for those wanting a quick holiday read to get you in the feels. :)
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The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

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adventurous challenging emotional inspiring medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Teen Titans: Starfire by Kami Garcia

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adventurous emotional informative inspiring lighthearted mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I was so excited for this next volume given the last 2 were so well written, illustrated, and brought to life. I feel like this is a step back in quality a little and things do jump around a little too much here vs other volumes, reminds me of the pacing of the first two volumes. Starfire doesn't ger her name here which is a little dissappointing. There's good chemistry with cyborg/Starfire & starfire/Robin which I love to see. The additional boyfriend and lynch angle for HIVE is a bit much and sometimes I did really wanna smack Kira. But overall I still enjoyed this and am looking forward to a true teen titan group novel in the next volume!! I really like the current team and power sets, plus their backstories are all so much better compared to some comics in recent years. EDS Starfire is a highlight, love to see it! Until fall 2025, I'll just be waiting in anticipation....
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Project Nought by Chelsey Furedi

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad 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

4.0

This was a very interesting concept that at times worked better than others, but as a whole still worked really well. The characters are well thought out, but there's a few unexplained bits of information and some underdeveloped elements of the story that are a bit upsetting. All I can say is I hope this never comes to fruition in our reality, cause those kids need some serious therapy!
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Spy x Family: The Official Guide—Eyes Only by Tatsuya Endo

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funny informative slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? N/A
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? N/A
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.0

This is a standard collection of information from across the series. It works well and does have some added information and illustrations not in the books (yet), but it is a rehash of what you already know and is rather lengthy.
A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad 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? Yes

4.5

On round two, we think we know this world, but there is much to continue to explore and unearth. Again, Schwab is truly great at World building in a satisfying way that does reward readers for paying attention to detail. That being said, this book really does feel like that middle chapter in a story, whether that be due to the sudden cliffhanger at the end or the fact of how long it takes for the main event of the book "The Essen Tasch" to begin roughly 340 pages into the story. Don't get me wrong, I like all the subtle drama and back and forth viewpoints of events (which works out really well in some chapters where the event picks up from different POV seamlessly), but for how much the event is talked up, it's a relatively short-lived part of this story. I'm genuinely more intrigued by Lila as we keep going forward, albeit sometimes ya just wanna yell when she makes some choices. Rhy seems like a more well rounded character in this outing and the brotherly conflict and care seems much more genuine. Now to seek out book 3 to find out what Osaron, White/Red London, and Kell/Lila/Rhy have in store!
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