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omnombailey's Reviews (111)
adventurous
emotional
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:
Complicated
Absolutely amazing. The first volume hooked me in hard and this volume kept drawing me into the abyss. Both the art and story are amazing and I can't wait to sink into more.
adventurous
emotional
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:
N/A
Didn't touch as close to home as the first one, but still a thoroughly enjoyable read. Plenty of laughs to be had along with heartfelt moments.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was a book I wouldn't have chosen on my own. My mom had given this to me as a Christmas present and it turned out to be a rather inspiring read. It's based on a true legend, following two elderly ladies who are left behind by their tribe. There's a lot this little book covers in so few words, ranging from societal expectations based on gender to commentary on not judging one's potential based on their age. I really liked the camaraderie the two ladies demonstrated, intent on at least trying before they die. That alone made this a worthwhile read.
Unfortunately, this was also, at times, more of a chore to read. Not that the prose is difficult by any means, but the prose can be same-y and there's a lot "This happened. Then this happened. Also this happened. This is how they did that thing. And also this thing." Very rarely were there introspective moments - there's actually one in the middle of the book where these two just talked and it's super sentimental... and then proceeds to jump back into IKEA instructions of what happens in the wilderness and their survival strategies. I get that it's supposed to evoke actual verbal storytelling, especially with the pacing (which makes these feel like segments of a bedtime story, truth be told, and that's pretty awesome), but it doesn't always do the story favors or justice when it has to be conveyed in written form.
Regardless, this was an enjoyable, quick read.
Unfortunately, this was also, at times, more of a chore to read. Not that the prose is difficult by any means, but the prose can be same-y and there's a lot "This happened. Then this happened. Also this happened. This is how they did that thing. And also this thing." Very rarely were there introspective moments - there's actually one in the middle of the book where these two just talked and it's super sentimental... and then proceeds to jump back into IKEA instructions of what happens in the wilderness and their survival strategies. I get that it's supposed to evoke actual verbal storytelling, especially with the pacing (which makes these feel like segments of a bedtime story, truth be told, and that's pretty awesome), but it doesn't always do the story favors or justice when it has to be conveyed in written form.
Regardless, this was an enjoyable, quick read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism
General themes of abandonment, being old/useless, and survival in the wilderness
challenging
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
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:
Complicated
Why You Should Stop Everything You're Doing And Read Iceman Vol. 1:
- Bobby Drake is witty, fabulous, gay, and very front and center about all of that.
- It's written by An Actual Gay Man.
- It finally gives Iceman the respect he deserves as a character and seriously elevates him from the class clown status I remember him being in earlier iterations of X-Men.
- The puns. So many puns.
- As a queer person, I've gotten immensely nauseated by how most queer stories are coming out stories with a thick coating of homophobia (internal and external). It's even worse when you can see between the cracks and tell these very real scenarios are just a Straight Person trying to juggle someone else's shit... and fails miserably. This story addresses these real scenarios so beautifully to the point I had to stop halfway reading to look up the writer to confirm if he was gay, because no Straight Person could write this so fucking accurately. So again, as a queer person, who is jaded as fuck by this, I cried every chapter because I knew everything Bobby was going through and everything I ever said and wanted to say was what he said. It's genuine and raw and touches close to home. And yes, trust me, there's a huge difference when An Actual Gay Man writes about A Fictional Gay Man.
- Jumping off of that, A) of course Bobby has awesome, supportive friends; Johnny Storm's remark had me in stitches and B) this all highlighted what I have loved and still love about X-Men all these years: the experience of feeling Othered in a world where people hate and don't accept you. There's little room differentiating being a mutant and being gay - and then Bobby has to live with both of that.
- The art is lovely and I admire how the artist didn't try to romanticize Bobby's older parents. They had wrinkles and sagging skin galore and it was really nice to see.
But seriously, I have now found something to adore and squee over now that I've the original run of Ms. Marvel, and that alone is worth praise.
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
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:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I started in love with this book. The imagery is lush and the lore circulating the witches is stunning and riveting. The back and forth with young!Tea and older!Tea is beautifully jarring, yet fitting.
And that was kind of it.
The first and last 20% had an amazing story. Then it all fell horribly flat in the middle. It was like watching a training montage in a movie, but it lasts over an hour instead of three minutes. Even towards the end, there were new tidbits surfacing about this world and how things work and it's like ok. We get it. And it's truly disappointing, because the book shows immense promise with its worldbuilding, only to have it trip over its feet when conveying any semblance of plot.
I enjoyed the actual characters. I loved Tea enough to stomach a whole book in first person POV. I loved the imagery and the emotions it evoked. Most of the twists were predictable, yet enjoyable (except for that one at the very end that made zero sense and I honestly skimmed through it because it was boring to read). It's just a shame all of this beauty is hollow; it desperately needed a solid plot and there wasn't one.
That said, I still enjoyed reading this and I'm curious to see where the rest of the series goes. Maybe Tea will find an actual, tangible plot line along the way.
And that was kind of it.
The first and last 20% had an amazing story. Then it all fell horribly flat in the middle. It was like watching a training montage in a movie, but it lasts over an hour instead of three minutes. Even towards the end, there were new tidbits surfacing about this world and how things work and it's like ok. We get it. And it's truly disappointing, because the book shows immense promise with its worldbuilding, only to have it trip over its feet when conveying any semblance of plot.
I enjoyed the actual characters. I loved Tea enough to stomach a whole book in first person POV. I loved the imagery and the emotions it evoked. Most of the twists were predictable, yet enjoyable (except for that one at the very end that made zero sense and I honestly skimmed through it because it was boring to read). It's just a shame all of this beauty is hollow; it desperately needed a solid plot and there wasn't one.
That said, I still enjoyed reading this and I'm curious to see where the rest of the series goes. Maybe Tea will find an actual, tangible plot line along the way.
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I had zero expectations going into this (well, except the story/writing was going to be amazing, because Brian K Vaughan) and was completely floored with how much I loved it. The art is stunning, the writing is witty, the pacing is fast, yet manageable, and the story is really unlike anything I've read in comics for awhile. It's reminiscent of a lot of 80s sci-fi/fantasy tropes without feeling like you're force-fed pop culture references. And just as the story gets going, it ends on a sucker punch of a cliffhanger. And now I must go buy the second volume to find out what the hell happens next.
But real talk, the only thing that made this not 5-stars for me was some of the derogatory comments made by one character in particular. I get it's in theme with the 80s timeline and what's going on, but it added literally nothing to the plot except make me loathe that particular character. Which I have a feeling was nothing entirely intended, considering it's from one of the main characters. Some of the other characters eventually call out this particular character, but by that point the damage was already done for me. Unfortunate, but I really enjoyed this nonetheless.
But real talk, the only thing that made this not 5-stars for me was some of the derogatory comments made by one character in particular. I get it's in theme with the 80s timeline and what's going on, but it added literally nothing to the plot except make me loathe that particular character. Which I have a feeling was nothing entirely intended, considering it's from one of the main characters. Some of the other characters eventually call out this particular character, but by that point the damage was already done for me. Unfortunate, but I really enjoyed this nonetheless.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Homophobia
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This book grew on me over time. I wasn't a big fan at first; it was too heavy for too long with the bullying to suit my taste. That and I had a hard time sympathizing with Jude and her struggles, especially with what happens in the first chapter (speaking of which, I was not a fan of the POV changing after the first chapter, which starts as 3rd person and then proceeds to be 1st person for the entire book). But about 20% into the book, when Jude is given an offer, things took a drastic turn for the best rapidly evolved into a story I couldn't put down.
Despite this being marketed as a YA book, it is quite mature in its content. There's plenty of intrigue and suspense along with drama and violence. It was exactly the dark fae story I was looking for. Once I got in deep, I didn't want to stop reading.
Some of the surprises were still predictable, though I enjoyed them nonetheless. That plus the slow, tedious beginning made it less than perfect for me. Even then, I thoroughly enjoyed it and can't wait to dive into the next book.
Despite this being marketed as a YA book, it is quite mature in its content. There's plenty of intrigue and suspense along with drama and violence. It was exactly the dark fae story I was looking for. Once I got in deep, I didn't want to stop reading.
Some of the surprises were still predictable, though I enjoyed them nonetheless. That plus the slow, tedious beginning made it less than perfect for me. Even then, I thoroughly enjoyed it and can't wait to dive into the next book.