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xandra_lyn's reviews
413 reviews
DC's Spring Breakout! #1 by James Reid, Patrick R. Young, Morgan Hampton, Cameron Chittok, Meghan Fitzpatrick, Joey Esposito, Mike W. Barr
adventurous
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Overall rating is average of below ratings.
Field trip: 5
Harley is super funny and I love how loyal she is to her friends! Nothing to do with spring break, but still enjoyable.
Cold feet: 4
Pretty good story about batman, I liked the twist at the end. Revolved around a spring dance, but not super themed.
Relay for your life: 3.5
Ok story, but I didn't recognize most of the teen titans. But very themed for spring break!
The day the robot danced: 4
Didn't know about this team at all, but I liked it and it was cute. Also very on theme for spring break which I appreciated
Soul survivor: 1
Very confusing and rather dark. Nothing to do with spring break.
Buried alive: 3.5
Very weird, but the twist at the end made it fun. Nothing to do with spring break
Shape shift in the park: 4
Good, introspective piece from martian manhunter. Mentions spring break
Opening day: 3
Ok, kinda confusing as they weren't villains I recognized and I wasn't sure what they were trying to do. Mentions spring break, although I don't associate baseball with spring.
Field trip: 5
Harley is super funny and I love how loyal she is to her friends! Nothing to do with spring break, but still enjoyable.
Cold feet: 4
Pretty good story about batman, I liked the twist at the end. Revolved around a spring dance, but not super themed.
Relay for your life: 3.5
Ok story, but I didn't recognize most of the teen titans. But very themed for spring break!
The day the robot danced: 4
Didn't know about this team at all, but I liked it and it was cute. Also very on theme for spring break which I appreciated
Soul survivor: 1
Very confusing and rather dark. Nothing to do with spring break.
Buried alive: 3.5
Very weird, but the twist at the end made it fun. Nothing to do with spring break
Shape shift in the park: 4
Good, introspective piece from martian manhunter. Mentions spring break
Opening day: 3
Ok, kinda confusing as they weren't villains I recognized and I wasn't sure what they were trying to do. Mentions spring break, although I don't associate baseball with spring.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Trafficking
Normal comic violence, no blood that I can recall
Trafficking: unclear whether it's actually trafficking, or it's just the name of the villain. But it added some triggering unease to the encounter that was unnecessary
Hercules #1 by Elliott Kalan
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Such a great story!! Really looking forward to this series!! I love meg and herc's relationship ❤️
Content Warnings
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail
Bandages seen for broken bones, no blood
The Last Fallen Star by Graci Kim
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
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 really good story! I really enjoyed the Korean myths - it made me wish I knew more about them!
I felt the ending was a little confusing. I just don't understand how a human is a fallen star...or why it was hidden so recently. But it was still really good.
I felt the ending was a little confusing.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death of parent
Dating A Love Goddess by Laura Greenwood
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? It's complicated
5.0
Super cute, light, and fluffy!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Sexual violence
Sexual content: there are some steamy scenes, although they aren't very long.
Sexual violence: not pictured, but mentioned as part of Aine's backstory/mythology. She talks about having gone to therapy for it. The word "rape" was never used, and it wasn't talked about in graphic terms, so I chose this term instead.
The Iron Tomb, Volume 1 by Peter Vegas
Did not finish book. Stopped at 44%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 44%.
I really wanted to like this book. But the author just took sahara and Indiana Jones and combined them. But also....all the Egyptian characters were unappealing and/or shady and he described Egypt in a way that made me not want to go. Which is NOT what you want in a book.
I skimmed ahead, and there was some weird things about moses in it too. Just not worth finishing, even at almost half way.
I skimmed ahead, and there was some weird things about moses in it too. Just not worth finishing, even at almost half way.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism
I marked racism for how Egyptians were portrayed in the novel. It wasn't outright racism, but the subtleties were there and that is just as bad.
The Huntsman Redeemed by Amberlyn Holland
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
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
5.0
This was so good! I spotted the Everly/Jelverck in book 2 of the dragon series, and it was really satisfying to see how it finally came together for them!
Content Warnings
Minor: Injury/Injury detail
Some minor fighting
Shadowfell by Juliet Marillier
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
This was a hard one to rate. For most of it, I would have rated a 2.
First, the bad. It was REALLY boring for most of it. A lot of walking in the rain and getting sick and being hungry. Tolkien got away with it because he was the first in the genre, and Rowling got away with it because it was the trio together. But the MC was all by herself and kept pushing people away and it was boring...and dumb.
Which leads me to how dumb and boring Neryn was. I know it's common to have a heroine like that, especially back in 2012. But over a decade later, it hasn't aged well. She kept vacillating between trusting and abhoring Flint, and the emotional development on it was poor at best absent at worst. Also, she read as much older, at least 20, although I could have seen maybe 17. But she wasn't...
Which leads me to my third complaint of having it not age well: Neryn was 15, and her love interest is about 20. I get that historically that was fine, and i get society wasn't as aware as we are now back when this was written. But we should have been, and it's cringy reading it now.
And yet...I'm curious about the world building. When there was dialogue, it was interesting and I liked Flint. I liked the Good Folk, and I'm curious how it will turn out.
Which is why it got bumped from a 2 to a 3.
First, the bad. It was REALLY boring for most of it. A lot of walking in the rain and getting sick and being hungry. Tolkien got away with it because he was the first in the genre, and Rowling got away with it because it was the trio together. But the MC was all by herself and kept pushing people away and it was boring...and dumb.
Which leads me to how dumb and boring Neryn was. I know it's common to have a heroine like that, especially back in 2012. But over a decade later, it hasn't aged well. She kept vacillating between trusting and abhoring Flint, and the emotional development on it was poor at best absent at worst. Also, she read as much older, at least 20, although I could have seen maybe 17. But she wasn't...
Which leads me to my third complaint of having it not age well: Neryn was 15, and her love interest is about 20. I get that historically that was fine, and i get society wasn't as aware as we are now back when this was written. But we should have been, and it's cringy reading it now.
And yet...I'm curious about the world building. When there was dialogue, it was interesting and I liked Flint. I liked the Good Folk, and I'm curious how it will turn out.
Which is why it got bumped from a 2 to a 3.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Torture, and Death
Minor: Sexual assault
In the very first chapter, a man gropes her and touches her inappropriately. She escapes.
Torture: I feel what the enthrallers do to people torture, especially since it robs them of themselves.
The Demigod Diaries by Rick Riordan
adventurous
dark
sad
medium-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
2.0
Not well done at all, especially the story by Rick's son.
Content Warnings
Minor: Fire/Fire injury and Death
How to Steal a Dragon's Sword by Cressida Cowell, David Tennant
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Definitely a bit darker and definitely sadder than previous books but very good.
Content Warnings
Minor: Blood and Death
Recovering Biblical Manhood & Womanhood: A Response to Evangelical Feminism by John Piper, Wayne Grudem
challenging
slow-paced
1.0
Even if you are complementarian, this book is full of cringy beliefs. If you are not complementarian, it is misogynistic. I would be curious to see an updated argument from complementarians without their "women need to be in the home" mantra. Or perhaps they still believe that....
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny
I put moderate misogyny because the authors do show respect about the concept of women; it's the practical side that becomes tricky. I know that sounds weird, but if you read it you'll understand