Scan barcode
apollo0325's reviews
394 reviews
Beetle & the Hollowbones by Aliza Layne
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
This graphic novel is SO GOOD!!!! The art, the story, the characters, and the world building were so interesting and really packed a punch in a short amount of time. Definitely a big recommend for anyone who loves graphic novels, witches and magic, and a fun time.
Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki
challenging
emotional
hopeful
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? It's complicated
5.0
This book still fucking SLAPS so hard. Beautiful writing, elegant prose, excellent characters and setting, and magical and donut-y world building. Caution: look into trigger warnings, but if you’re able to handle it, PLEASE read this one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexism, Transphobia, Outing, and Dysphoria
Moderate: Body shaming, Deadnaming, Domestic abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Violence
Minor: War
Orpheus Girl by Brynne Rebele-Henry
This book was absolutely heart-wrenching, and the fact it was/is the reality of queer kids is even worse. Despite the best efforts, people still think queers are an illness, something that can be ‘cured’ when this is who we are. So many drape their homophobia with religion too.
This book is H E A V Y and even so, it’s an understatement. It’s important but difficult and necessary to have queer books centered on subject matter like this. Every queer story doesn’t end in a happily ever after.
Framing it within Greek mythology adds another layer of interest and way to connect to Raya’s journey. It also felt like a coping mechanism for Raya which is a common trend among queers (shout out to my PJO queers, ayyy).
My only critique of this book is the lack of understanding of time passing. It feels like SO MUCH has happened but then Raya mentions being dropped off four days ago? It felt a bit unclear. Then again, this may have been an intentional choice by the author to show even Raya has no concept of time and self in the latter half of the book.
Lastly, I implore anyone wanting to read this book to PLEASE LOOK AT TRIGGER WARNINGS. This book does not fuck around. For real.
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
With every action they make to take away your rights, they adopt an air of phony shame, as if they actually cared about the consequences of their beliefs.
This book was absolutely heart-wrenching, and the fact it was/is the reality of queer kids is even worse. Despite the best efforts, people still think queers are an illness, something that can be ‘cured’ when this is who we are. So many drape their homophobia with religion too.
This book is H E A V Y and even so, it’s an understatement. It’s important but difficult and necessary to have queer books centered on subject matter like this. Every queer story doesn’t end in a happily ever after.
Framing it within Greek mythology adds another layer of interest and way to connect to Raya’s journey. It also felt like a coping mechanism for Raya which is a common trend among queers (shout out to my PJO queers, ayyy).
My only critique of this book is the lack of understanding of time passing. It feels like SO MUCH has happened but then Raya mentions being dropped off four days ago? It felt a bit unclear. Then again, this may have been an intentional choice by the author to show even Raya has no concept of time and self in the latter half of the book.
Lastly, I implore anyone wanting to read this book to PLEASE LOOK AT TRIGGER WARNINGS. This book does not fuck around. For real.
“You know, the thing about family is that you can choose it. And I choose you.”
Content Warnings
Moderate: Biphobia, Confinement, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Lesbophobia, Outing, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail
Note for sexual harassment tag: the kids forced to go to the conversion camp are also forced to watch content of boys kissing boys or girls kissing girls or near sexual experiences between the same sexes. Nothing is explicitly detailed but it is mentioned. I didn’t know which tag to choose so I chose that one.
Empty Smiles by Katherine Arden
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
A really lukewarm and rushed end to what started as a really stellar horror middle grade series. I would still definitely recommend it to middle grade readers especially if they enjoy the frights and horrors of Goosebumps or other horror series.
I had really high hopes for this final volume since the last one felt the most rushed and especially with the cliffhanger ending. I don't think we spent enough time with Coco and especially Brian as well as Phil, who felt really underdeveloped over all (why was he constantly comparing himself to Ollie??). We spend most of the novel with the kids constantly talking about their fear of the Smiling Man and hope for Ollie as well as them trying to convince their parents for the "final confrontation" to be resolved in two chapters? That's insane to me. Out of the entire series, this one was the most rushed and this series could have capped at 3 books rather than 4. We don't even get a resolution on the dolled people nor Ruth and Tim.
I still enjoyed the writing and overall horror elements, but I wish there had been more development of the plot and characters and less of a rushed ending.
I had really high hopes for this final volume since the last one felt the most rushed and especially with the cliffhanger ending. I don't think we spent enough time with Coco and especially Brian as well as Phil, who felt really underdeveloped over all (why was he constantly comparing himself to Ollie??).
I still enjoyed the writing and overall horror elements, but I wish there had been more development of the plot and characters and less of a rushed ending.
Season of Love by Helena Greer
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Sapphics really do fall in love quickly, huh?
It was an easy read, and while I liked a lot of the elements such as the exploration of trauma and how trauma affects our relationships, I also felt like it didn’t do enough. We get told who Cass is, but we never get to SEE who Cass is. Despite her deceased status, I think we could have done some small flashbacks especially with the letter from Cass at the end. It contextualizes the relationships between Cass, Miriam, Hannah, Levi, and Noelle and it makes the reader understand the emotional toil Cass’s loss has put on the main characters as well as the community. It feels like the book forces you to rely on how it might feel to lose a loved one, and if the reader like me has not experienced that, the emotional punches of this novel become weak.
I also hated the epilogue lmao it’s so obvious that they planned sequels to this because of the epilogue.
It was an easy read, and while I liked a lot of the elements such as the exploration of trauma and how trauma affects our relationships, I also felt like it didn’t do enough. We get told who Cass is, but we never get to SEE who Cass is. Despite her deceased status, I think we could have done some small flashbacks especially with the letter from Cass at the end. It contextualizes the relationships between Cass, Miriam, Hannah, Levi, and Noelle and it makes the reader understand the emotional toil Cass’s loss has put on the main characters as well as the community. It feels like the book forces you to rely on how it might feel to lose a loved one, and if the reader like me has not experienced that, the emotional punches of this novel become weak.
I also hated the epilogue lmao it’s so obvious that they planned sequels to this because of the epilogue.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Grief
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Terminal illness, and Alcohol
You're Not Supposed to Die Tonight by Kalynn Bayron
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
2.0
This book had a strong premise, but the multiple “twists” in the back half just sort of irritated me. The twist prior to the epilogue was a good subversion of the Final Girl troupe because it was a little unexpected, but it didn’t really make that much sense to me on how Charity ended up at this camp. There’s no time outside of camp, so it was left field on that ‘revelation.’
Edit: Originally a 3 star, but over time, I have genuinely forgotten what happens in this book. It’s that forgetful 💀 I remember this being an easy listen though, and the narrator kept me until the end when things got way too convoluted. Dropped to a 2 star.
Edit: Originally a 3 star, but over time, I have genuinely forgotten what happens in this book. It’s that forgetful 💀 I remember this being an easy listen though, and the narrator kept me until the end when things got way too convoluted. Dropped to a 2 star.
Dark Waters by Katherine Arden
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I didn’t really enjoy this one as much as the rest which is unfortunate because I was really excited to have Brian play a bigger part in this one, especially after his very passive, backseat role in Dead Voices. I’m also glad we retained Coco’s perspective because I love her a lot.
I listened to the audiobook of this one as opposed to the ebook/print format of the first two, but I’m not sure if that affected my reading experience. This one didn’t lean into traditional horror a la snowy isolation or cornfield settings, so I was looking forward to a more aquatic approach. Unfortunately, it didn’t really have the tension that you might see in an aquatic horror like Jaws or Crawl. This one missed the mark for me, especially with it ending on a cliffhanger.
I intend to finish off the series and hope for a solid ending!
I listened to the audiobook of this one as opposed to the ebook/print format of the first two, but I’m not sure if that affected my reading experience. This one didn’t lean into traditional horror a la snowy isolation or cornfield settings, so I was looking forward to a more aquatic approach. Unfortunately, it didn’t really have the tension that you might see in an aquatic horror like Jaws or Crawl. This one missed the mark for me, especially with it ending on a cliffhanger.
I intend to finish off the series and hope for a solid ending!
Squad by Maggie Tokuda-Hall
dark
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
2.0
Essentially the Craft meets Mean Girls but with werewolves and has a lesbian MC.
I think this could have been better had there not been so much micro-aggressive racial comments and more subtly in the storytelling. It would have been more compelling had the girls taken their destiny into their own hands and killed Arianna themselves. Having a third party do so takes away their active autonomy and shows us that they really haven’t learned anything through this story since the point of them becoming werewolves was to have power over their own choices.
I think this could have been better had there not been so much micro-aggressive racial comments and more subtly in the storytelling.
Baba Yaga's Assistant by Marika McCoola
adventurous
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.0
The art sold me on this graphic novel, and while the story was fun, it didn’t feel like it tied enough of it together. Grandma gave Masha the tools to beat Baba Yaga’s tests, but the plot bits surrounding Masha’s deceased mother felt like a convenient way to have an annoying little step-sibling. I think the story would have been more effective had it focused more on Masha’s tenuous relationship with her father because of the loss of her mother and the loss of her grandma.
Nonetheless, I enjoyed the folktale parts of this story!
Nonetheless, I enjoyed the folktale parts of this story!