timefliesaway's reviews
559 reviews

You Are a Sacred Place: Visual Poems for Living in Climate Crisis by Madeleine Jubilee Saito

emotional inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

4.5

“People are places, and you are a sacred place.” 

 

A prayer/help call to the beings in power to let Mother Earth heal. 

A letter to those who are fighting depression and need some hope in their life. 

 

I’m not sure whether the poetry-like illustrations are paper-drawn or digital, but the watercolor/aquarelle(/-effect) does give a calming, traditionally drawn vibe. If it is drawn on paper, it would definitely enhance the message even more. (And inspiring to paint again, as an artist.) 

 

I do love how you can’t tell the genders of the 2 characters sleeping. Makes it easy to see oneself in the bed. 

 

A bit too much mentions of god, as for me the fact “mother earth is dying” can’t go hand in hand with the belief “god loves his creation”. However, on the other hand, I also get wanting to hold onto the tiny idea that god (or whatever you believe in) hasn’t yet given up on us. 

 

I’m not religious, rather agnostic, but I was raised catholic. This book basically feels like one of those lengthy prayers that you find in children’s religious books. Not the Bible-stans who force everyone into their cult, but the positive side of Christians – those that spread kindness and want to create a safe heaven on earth for children. 

Combined with fighting despair. And a pinch of melancholy. 

 

Let’s hope that god (or whatever higher being) hears this prayer. 

 

~ 

 

Thank you to Andrews McMeel Publishing on Netgalley for an eARC. 

 

-24.03.25 

なきごえ聞かせて? かなでさん 2 by ななつ藤

challenging fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.5

Wish I kept it at volume 1. 

 

Volume 2 was … not so great. V1 might've been BDSM, but v2 turned into physical abuse where the bottom got seriously hurt, like: getting your hands and back burnt, being extremely bitten by mosquitoes, getting bitten, or even getting peed on. The spanking scenes were fine I guess, but … the kids' faces were seriously creepy. Both Yuzuki and Mako. They totally turned into Yandere's, and it's genuinely terrifying. Especially how much control they have over Kanade and Takano. 

 

Kudos for the author/artist for being brave enough to put this into the world, tho. It's definitely a unique read, if you're looking for something … different. 

 

-26.02.25 

mga walang pangalan pero andyan by Archie Oclos

adventurous informative inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing sad fast-paced

4.5

(English below.) 

 

Interessant. Kreativ. Mitfühlend. 

 

Minimalistisch. Reichhaltig. Leben. 

 

Sechs. Katzen. Philippinen. 

 

Informativ. Nachwort. Erklärungen. 

 

Empfehlenswert. Kinder. Erwachsene. 

 

Danke. CulturBooks Verlag. E-ARC. 

 

-22. März. 2025. 

 

~~~ 

 

Interesting. Creative. Empathetic. 

 

Minimalistic. Rich. Life. 

 

Six. Cats. Philippines. 

 

Informative. Afterword. Explanations. 

 

Recommended. Children. Adults. 

 

Thanks. CulturBooks Publisher. E-ARC. 

 

-22nd. March. 2025. 

Knowing that the original edition is in filipino as well as in english, I would have wished for the german edition to keep that format, by simply replacing the english translation with the german one while keeping the filipino words and therefore being a bilingual book.

The Freak by Matt Lesniewski

challenging dark reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

 In contrast to other reviews, it was much more the story that kept me reading than the art. I find the latter to be rather mediocre, beginner-like. 

— Line thickness in the fore- and background is the same, with no shadows in either plane, blurring characters and buildings. 

— Too much detail in the background that doesn’t look good, but rather as if it’s been directly traced from photographs. 

— Odd anatomy for the humans (understandable for the protagonist who’s supposed to be a freak, but not for everyone else – unless that’s the message). 

— Maybe it was just due to the lowered quality in my digital file, but the texture also makes it a bit overwhelming and difficult to find a focus. 

Not the impression the cover gave. 
On a positive note though, it's good to have so many diverse bodies and faces. By societal standards, a lot of "ugly" ones. Which is rare, so that's cool.

 

The story was quite intriguing, and, despite hoping for more, well made. Wanting to belong, but when finding a community that is accepting of your nature, it’s not what you were looking for or not enough. 

 

I didn’t expect there to be graphic murder. (Are the characters even human? Cause there’s no way you can actually cut off someone’s head by hitting them with a shovel, right?) Not that it bothered me visually, I’m just wondering about the world-building. 

 

Overall it’s like a short story – both in length and the literary genre. Tackles everything superficially, has a relatively open ending (although also self-explainable), one plot, one goal, one main character. I’d surely be interested in the world-building, but the focus was the message (although not clear what exactly it is, let’s the reader decide reflectively) and I guess that’s fine. 

 

~ 

 

Thank you to Oni Press on Netgalley for an e-ARC. 

 

-21.03.25 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Violence, Murder, Injury/Injury detail

Mânil: Keine Leinenpflicht in Katurath'ka by Desiderius M. Rainbow

adventurous emotional funny reflective relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

 4,5 Sterne schon wieder, aber insgesamt hat es mir doch besser gefallen als der erste Band. 

 

Es gab ein paar Tropes, die ich so gar nicht mochte, die aber auch einfach sehr subjektiv sind und es an sich nicht zu klischeehaft geschrieben ist. Die Tropes, die ich mag, überwiegen sowieso. 

 

~ 

 

Von denen, die ich nicht leiden kann, zB: 

• Mânils Gott-Level Kräfte (+ teilweise Arroganz von ihm, aber vor allem die ständige Wiederholung davon in seinem Umfeld) 

• Katzen bekommen Kuhmilch zum Trinken 

• Verstellen beim Date 

• kleine Zeitsprünge 

 

Das mit Mânils Kräften kam bereits im 1. Band vor und wurde mehrmals wiederholt, weswegen ich wusste, worauf ich mich einlasse, und es deshalb nicht sehr negativ bewerten kann. Dennoch ist es etwas nervig; ein Trope, mit dem ich mich nicht anfreunden kann, wenn es den (Haupt-)Protagonisten betrifft. Gerade, wenn Autor sagt, dass Mânil nicht alles können/lernen wird, aber „nicht alles” nur sehr wenig/Unbrauchbares im Verhältnis ist. Und wenn ich nicht sehe, warum er es verdient haben sollte. 

Im ersten Band war es noch okay, weil er es selbst neu fand und sich damit nicht anfreunden konnte. In dieser Hinsicht eine gute Charakterentwicklung, die aber leider mit einer gewissen Arroganz mitkommt. Das nervigste ist aber eigentlich, dass es ständig von vor allem Suketo, aber auch anderen Personen in seinem Umfeld wiederholt wird. 

Ja, ich weiß, dass sich der Trope vermutlich durch alle Bände ziehen wird. Da muss ich wohl oder übel durch, da mich die Geschichte dennoch interessiert. (Außerdem ist Mânil nicht der einzige Erzähler.) 

 

Das mit dem Verstellen beim Date ist sowas wie: „Ich mag den Trope nicht aktiv konsumieren, aber es ist manchmal notwendig für Charakterentwicklung und kein Weltuntergang”. Und es war schließlich nicht eine extreme Variante davon. 

 

Manche Szenen wurden außerdem richtig schön ausgeschrieben, super slice-of-life mäßig, während andere, oft genauso wichtig, einfach übersprungen wurden. Gerade bei Mânils Dates mit einem neuen Charakter, was es mir nochmal schwerer gemacht hat, sie zu shippen – wo ich generell schon Probleme mit cishetero romance/ships habe. Obwohl ich den Charakter an sich mag und ihre Beziehung nicht klischeehaft war – vielleicht auch deshalb hätte ich gern mehr von ihr erfahren und deren Beziehung näher mitverfolgt. Da war dann leider mehr „tell“, obwohl der Autor sonst echt gut mit „show“ und Dinge detailreich ausschreiben ist. 

 

Thema Katzen und Milch – es war nur eine kleine Szene (na ja, zwei), aber wird einfach so oft in Medien repräsentiert, dass mir das immer wieder zum Kragen hinauswächst. Katzen trinken Milch genauso wenig wie Hunde – nur weil Hunde schon Wasser bekommen, brauchen Katzen keine andersfarbige Flüssigkeit (oder warum auch immer sich das so sehr durchgesetzt hat). Nur weil sie es trinken, heißt es auch nicht, dass man das immer wieder zeigen muss; Hunde fressen auch gern Schokolade oder Kot, sollten es aber nicht. 

 

~ 

 

Zu meinen Highlights: 

• Slice of life / slow life (besonders die ersten 70 Seiten waren super in dieser Hinsicht) 

• Verschiedene Ich-POVs (+ ein paar mehr als im 1. Band) 

• Diverse Charaktere, alle sehr eigen und spaßig zu verfolgen. Alle haben ihre positiven sowie negativen Seiten, selbst die nervigen Antagonisten (Tyrone zB kann humorvoll sein). (Wer meine erste Rezi gelesen hat: yay zu hässlichen Frauen) 

• Die Magie, sehr kreativ meistens (zB die Mini-Eulen) 

• Magier-Festival 

• Turmkobolde 

• Mânil hat mehr Zeit außerhalb Suketos Haus verbracht, somit haben wir mehr von der Welt kennengelernt sowie mehr vom richtigen Alltagsleben der Magiern. 

• Die Tier-Charaktere (zb Hund, Kater, Kaninchen) 

• Neue Solekorek, die uns (oder mich) daran erinnern, dass Suketo nicht Mânils eigener Privatlehrer ist (was oft in Magieschulen so wirkt). Auch wenn es mir bei Veränderung ähnlich wie Suketo geht, hab ich sie schnell ins Herz geschlossen – ja, beide. 

• Magie-Prüfung, in der Teamgeist gefordert ist (Schüler, die sich gegenseitig Tipps geben und zusammen trainieren, ist einfach ein toller Trope. Und es war mal cool zu sehen, auf welchem Level die andern alle sind). 

 

Es ist insgesamt schon ein buntes Wohlfühlbuch. Obwohl der Hauptprotagonist noch minderjährig ist, sieht man, dass das Buch/die Reihe an Erwachsene gerichtet ist, und das finde ich durchaus erfrischend. 

 

Da ich so fluent in Cliffhangern bin, hat mich das Ende nicht sooo mitgenommen, aber ich fühle trotzdem sehr mit Mânil mit. Daher will ich den 3. Band am liebsten gleich weiterlesen. 💔 

 

~ 

 

Vielen Dank an den Autor für ein Reziexemplar. Die Meinung ist meine eigene und wurde davon nicht beeinflusst. 

 

-16.03.25 

String, Volume 1 by Paul Tobin

adventurous dark funny mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

That was pretty cool. 

 

I had imagined the string thing to be more secretive, that Yoon is a private detective in the shadows or something, and was surprised that it’s a public ability. Although most people think she’s a witch. Still, there were some ‘private detective’ moments, like her going to a gang bar. 

 

Overall cool idea, and a nice twist on the red string of fate – blue string for sexual partners, and black string for murder-victim. 

 

I loved the ‘reality’ parts of it. Like, actual police work: watching surveillance cameras all day, instead of chasing cars on the streets all the time (although that is part of the job as well). Or porn star characters, who are human beings, where the porn acting isn’t a 24/7 job, and that they aren’t perverted or horny all the time. (Litty was quite a deep character actually!) 

 

It being queernormative also was very nice. 

 

The only contra I have is that the art was a bit ... odd at times. Overall really great drawings, typical American comics style, and lots of details. Also distinct character designs. But sometimes too intense, especially during the action scenes, tho even during the slice of life scenes, the expressions were always very ... how to put it? Realistic, but too realistic perhaps? 

Not an argument to not check it out, though. 

 

I’m not sure whether it’s a series, the epilogue teased a bit, but I’m definitely looking forward to a sequel, if there is gonna be one. 

 

~ 

 

Thank you to Mad Cave Studios for an e-ARC. 

 

-16.03.25 

The Sun by Gemma McCullen

informative fast-paced

4.5

Very short, but also very informative for the beginning. Easy to read, simple language suited for kids. 

A good introduction to the sun, wanting for more. 

 

The photos are bright and saturated, pulling the attention of the reader. Nice to look at as well. 

 

~ 

 

Some text was (visually) hard to read though, because of the color chosen (grey text on dark blue background). I’m hoping that’s just the review/digital copy. 

 

Thank you to North Star Editions for an e-RC. 

 

-14.03.25 

When You're a Boy by Blake Nuto

adventurous hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

A short picture book with a cute, simple-ish but calming artstyle and tender messages. All start with “when you’re a boy, [this is what society expects]” and ends with “but I’ve learned [something better]”. 

 

Definitely recommend to kids, but every age could learn something from it. 

 

~ 

 

Thank you to Jolly Fish Press for an e-ARC. 

 

-13.03.25 

Indigo by Chi-Ho Kwong

adventurous informative mysterious reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Another story that inevitably shows there’s no point in life. And yet, at the same time there is, if you want one. A never-ending wonder of: Why? And then what? 

 

Which is not an insult to the author(s). Their idea is good and interesting, and could be totally plausible. (Even though very ironic.) 

 

It’s fast-paced and tackles some things only superficially, but that’s not an issue. There was enough answered for the reader to make up their own minds. It’s relatively self-explanatory. I have my theories. And I get their perspective, it makes sense, even though I partially disagree with their views – too cliche. But that’s alright, kinda the point. 

 

Beautiful art, especially the colored prologue. 

Reflective. 

Not very deep characters and heavy with dialogues, but that’s pretty much the point of this book. I didn’t mind it. 

Recommended. 

 

4.5/5 stars, because even though a melancholic emptiness encompassed me after finishing, and the indigo vibe has been captured relatively perfectly, 5 stars feel too much. Not a masterpiece, but worth consuming. 

 

~ 

 

Thank you to Mad Cave Studios for an e-ARC. 

 

-12.03.25 

Your Letter by Hyeon A. Cho

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

That was so... heartwarming. Soft and tender, sweet and magical. 

I was moved to tears here and there, though mostly smiled through it, and deeply felt with all of the characters. It has stirred me so profoundly, especially the ending, left me with an unexplainable longing, that I’m a bit too awestruck to form any words. 

 

... 

 

I’ve found it on Webtoon and re-read the entire thing right after, and ... I’m still touched and slightly melancholic, but have regained the memory to form words and find adjectives to describe this piece of art. 

 

It starts off a bit heavy and tense, tackling bullying issues. But as soon as Sori finds the first letter, which already happens in chapter 1, things gradually get better. The scavenger hunt takes her through school, to corners one can not find with their eyes. These little adventures slowly bring her uplifting spirit back, she makes a friend, even two, and as she warms up to her environment, so do the people around her. 

 

A journey of what an act of kindness can achieve, of what a tiny spark can ignite. Quite inspiring and hopeful. 

 

Plus, simple-ish (and diverse) character designs with calming backgrounds, all in full-color! 

 

I truly am sad that it’s so short, but at the same time glad, cause I feel the story wouldn’t have had the same effect if it was longer. There’s just something about subtle touches that linger longer than a deep dive. 

Though I do wish to see the characters again, perhaps in a sequel or short stories. Or even an anime adaptation? 

  

(Ps: in my head-canon, they’re a triad.) 

 

~ 

 

Thanks so much to Ize Press for a digital review copy. 💌 

 

-11.03.25