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yellowbinge's reviews
233 reviews
Dragon Age: Knight Errant by Fernando Heinz Furukawa, Michael Atiyeh, Nunzio DeFilippis, Christina Weir
adventurous
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, and Blood
Moderate: Alcoholism and Confinement
Minor: Racism
Dragon Age: Magekiller by Various, Dave Marshall, Carmen Carnero, David Gaider, Michael Atiyeh, Greg Rucka
adventurous
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Death, Self harm, and War
Sunday by Olivier Schrauwen, Olivier Schrauwen
funny
slow-paced
3.0
Publishing date: 15.10.2024
Thank you to Netgalley and Fantagraphics Books for the ARC. My opinions are my own.
This won't follow my usual template as the ARC I received was only partial (intentional).
I believe that this comic has great potential for the right readers. It has a little bit of madness, the weirdness and crudeness of everyday life, and that intimate and personal touch.
I also sadly think this might be a huge miss for usual comic and graphic book readers as it doesn't follow the normal template and storytelling people are so used to. For me, this is great, I love a bit of experimenting. The strange "soundtrack" in the background of the story, the slow pacing ...
This is for me and I will be picking it up at release to see where it takes me. For now, a little hard to recommend as I don't know where it ends up.
Temporary 3 stars for the potential, pending final review at release date (or later ...)
Thank you to Netgalley and Fantagraphics Books for the ARC. My opinions are my own.
This won't follow my usual template as the ARC I received was only partial (intentional).
I believe that this comic has great potential for the right readers. It has a little bit of madness, the weirdness and crudeness of everyday life, and that intimate and personal touch.
I also sadly think this might be a huge miss for usual comic and graphic book readers as it doesn't follow the normal template and storytelling people are so used to. For me, this is great, I love a bit of experimenting. The strange "soundtrack" in the background of the story, the slow pacing ...
This is for me and I will be picking it up at release to see where it takes me. For now, a little hard to recommend as I don't know where it ends up.
Temporary 3 stars for the potential, pending final review at release date (or later ...)
Strange Water by Fiction › Mystery & Detective › GeneralFiction / Mystery & Detective / GeneralFiction / Short Stories (single author)
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
3.0
Publishing date: 01.09.2024
Thank you to Netgalley and Guernica Editions for the ARC. My opinions are my own.
I expected: Several wildly different snippets filled with atmosphere
I got: Several snippets with an almost overarching story in some way ...
The book left me: No particular way
Amount of stories:
75 stories, spanning up to 2 pages
Features:
Dreamlike stories, almost prompt based writing
Final ranking and star rating?
3 stars, C tier. This was just fine. I think I expected a lot more from the collection than what I would realistically get. I was thrown a bit back to my early web-lurking, reading writing prompts for promptober on tumblr and AO3.
This is much higher quality than those prompts, but they struggle with the same problems. Writing an impactful story in 2 or less pages is difficult. None of these stuck with me. It felt like a fever dream I knew was weird, but I woke up not remembering anything except the vague emotions.
Okay collection. Could work for someone with a smaller attention span for short stories and wanting to dip their toes into these types of waters.
Favorite stories:
Skyscapes
Bird Suit
Rest Assured
The Pond
Photographs
I'll bring the Clouds
Shoulds
Sushi and I
Emotional Support Pet
Seeing Stars
Dance
Dream of the Subtropics
Tongs
Thank you to Netgalley and Guernica Editions for the ARC. My opinions are my own.
I expected: Several wildly different snippets filled with atmosphere
I got: Several snippets with an almost overarching story in some way ...
The book left me: No particular way
Amount of stories:
75 stories, spanning up to 2 pages
Features:
Dreamlike stories, almost prompt based writing
Final ranking and star rating?
3 stars, C tier. This was just fine. I think I expected a lot more from the collection than what I would realistically get. I was thrown a bit back to my early web-lurking, reading writing prompts for promptober on tumblr and AO3.
This is much higher quality than those prompts, but they struggle with the same problems. Writing an impactful story in 2 or less pages is difficult. None of these stuck with me. It felt like a fever dream I knew was weird, but I woke up not remembering anything except the vague emotions.
Okay collection. Could work for someone with a smaller attention span for short stories and wanting to dip their toes into these types of waters.
Favorite stories:
Skyscapes
Bird Suit
Rest Assured
The Pond
Photographs
I'll bring the Clouds
Shoulds
Sushi and I
Emotional Support Pet
Seeing Stars
Dance
Dream of the Subtropics
Tongs
Sarita by Natalie Musgrave Dossett, Natalie Musgrave Dossett
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
Publishing date: 10.09.2024
Thank you to Netgalley and Atmosphere Press for the ARC. My opinions are my own.
The book as a meal: Water from a mountain stream and crisp ripe apples
The book left me: Saddened, empowered, and inspired
Negatives:
These poor women
Not described, but pretty graphic SA told about later
Positives:
Great character writing
Palpable tension
Absolutely stunning atmosphere and story
Features:
Strong female lead, lots and lots of travel, all kinds of injustices you can imagine done to women, justice is best served cold, main lead realizing what strengths she has
Why did I choose this one?
I love myself a book in a western setting, I love a female lead, and I love a sob story. This book encompasses all of these things at once. Want a heart wrenching story about a cowgirl discovering the cruelties of the world. This one officer!
Pick-up-able? Put-down-able?
Devourable. This was such an exciting read, I wanted to read it all day long (and I almost did actually). The constant tension, the sense of hurriedness, the sense of being hunted and not knowing who, where or when the hunter is.
This story sucks you in and grips you like a vice.
What was the vibe and mood?
Dusty, boot to big, backside and legs aching from constant movement and riding, the sun on your face, sweat seeping through your clothes, adrenaline pumping in your veins. Will I make it in time? Who will live to come home with me? Will I live another day or perish in the night? Was this all a stupid idea?
Final ranking and star rating?
5 stars, S tier. This book is in my tops of the year. Stunning story, stunning character work, and wonderful atmosphere. The author deserves all praise. Will be recommending this book to everyone. Be warned, you might need some tissues and someone to comfort you from the horrors and injustices put upon the people in the book.
Need more stories like this, please miss Dossett🙏
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Gun violence, Rape, and Pregnancy
Minor: Animal death
Last Flight by Liane Merciel
adventurous
dark
emotional
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and War
Moderate: Terminal illness
Minor: Racism and Self harm
Deep Dive by Karen Carter
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.0
Publishing date: 20.09.2024
Thank you to Netgalley and Querencia Press for the ARC. My opinions are my own.
I expected: A collection with imagery of the sea
I got: A collection set before, during, and after covid filled with uncertainty and managing throughout
The book left me: Hopeful that the person in the collection is okay
Poetry style:
Free style
Amount of poems:
45 Poems
Features:
War, serenity, peace, pre/during7post covid, aging, teacher life, political issues, immigration
Final ranking and star rating?
4 stars, B tier. This collection touched me. I was both a student and a teacher during covid, and I related deeply to the "main-character" in the collection. There were sensitive topics in the collection, and these were handled gracefully and personally.
Sweet collection.
Favorite poems:
Pages Torn from Tea Leaves
Between Being and Doing
Ladybug Blues
The great Monarch Migration
Thank you to Netgalley and Querencia Press for the ARC. My opinions are my own.
I expected: A collection with imagery of the sea
I got: A collection set before, during, and after covid filled with uncertainty and managing throughout
The book left me: Hopeful that the person in the collection is okay
Poetry style:
Free style
Amount of poems:
45 Poems
Features:
War, serenity, peace, pre/during7post covid, aging, teacher life, political issues, immigration
Final ranking and star rating?
4 stars, B tier. This collection touched me. I was both a student and a teacher during covid, and I related deeply to the "main-character" in the collection. There were sensitive topics in the collection, and these were handled gracefully and personally.
Sweet collection.
Favorite poems:
Pages Torn from Tea Leaves
Between Being and Doing
Ladybug Blues
The great Monarch Migration
Novosaurs. A visual guide to the dinosaurs of our future by Andy Frazer
adventurous
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
5.0
Like a Trophy from the Sun by Jason Heroux
3.0
Publishing date: 01.10.2024
Thank you to Netgalley and Guernica Editions for the ARC. My opinions are my own.
I expected: A fever dream of surreal poems
I got: Exactly what I expected
The book left me: Reflecting on the poems, wondering if I understood anything
Poetry style: Untitled prose, no more than half a page or quarter page each
Amount of poems: 54 individual poems
Features:
Vivid and surrealist poetry, reflections on society, raw emotions in poetry form
Final ranking and star rating?
3 stars, B tier. This is a fever dream in the shape of poems. Some of these are clear commentary on society and people, others are emotions, or stray thoughts. I find no proper centric theme, and I think that works well here. This is a fascinating collection, and one I blasted through in maybe an hour or less. I think this collection can be very hit or miss for most. If you like fever dreams and surrealism, then this might be for you.
Favorite poems:
Page 8
Page 15
Page 46
Page 48
Page 52
Thank you to Netgalley and Guernica Editions for the ARC. My opinions are my own.
I expected: A fever dream of surreal poems
I got: Exactly what I expected
The book left me: Reflecting on the poems, wondering if I understood anything
Poetry style: Untitled prose, no more than half a page or quarter page each
Amount of poems: 54 individual poems
Features:
Vivid and surrealist poetry, reflections on society, raw emotions in poetry form
Final ranking and star rating?
3 stars, B tier. This is a fever dream in the shape of poems. Some of these are clear commentary on society and people, others are emotions, or stray thoughts. I find no proper centric theme, and I think that works well here. This is a fascinating collection, and one I blasted through in maybe an hour or less. I think this collection can be very hit or miss for most. If you like fever dreams and surrealism, then this might be for you.
Favorite poems:
Page 8
Page 15
Page 46
Page 48
Page 52
Sonnets for a Missing Key by Percival Everett
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
3.0
Publishing date: 20.08.2024
Thank you to Netgalley and Red Hen Press for the ARC. My opinions are my own.
I expected: A musical collection of poems about loss
I got: Sonnet style poems about loss and identity
The book left me: Wanting to write a sonnet for my darling
Poetry style:
Poems are written like sonnets, but a little more experimentally
Amount of poems: 23 poems in the first section, 24 in the second
Features:
Two sections with very different poems, themes of loss, identity, creativity, meanings of things, uncertainty, and denial
Final ranking and star rating?
3 stars, B tier. This is a beautifully written collection of poems. The style is wildly different than what I had read earlier. Sadly this style was a little harder to read for me (in terms of speed). I found the themes relatable and well written into the poems.
Favorite poems:
A Major
E Major
F# Major
15 Sostenuto
4 Largo
Thank you to Netgalley and Red Hen Press for the ARC. My opinions are my own.
I expected: A musical collection of poems about loss
I got: Sonnet style poems about loss and identity
The book left me: Wanting to write a sonnet for my darling
Poetry style:
Poems are written like sonnets, but a little more experimentally
Amount of poems: 23 poems in the first section, 24 in the second
Features:
Two sections with very different poems, themes of loss, identity, creativity, meanings of things, uncertainty, and denial
Final ranking and star rating?
3 stars, B tier. This is a beautifully written collection of poems. The style is wildly different than what I had read earlier. Sadly this style was a little harder to read for me (in terms of speed). I found the themes relatable and well written into the poems.
Favorite poems:
A Major
E Major
F# Major
15 Sostenuto
4 Largo