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cyanide_latte's reviews
1609 reviews
Awaken Vol. 1 by Koti Saavedra
adventurous
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
I really enjoyed this as the first volume to this story. While I can easily attest to this being a lot of set-up with not a lot of explanation, it's still intriguing enough to have gotten my attention! I find the art style endearing, and I love seeing all of the shonen influence here. I really hope Seven Seas continues to release this in graphic novel form!
Disney Twisted-Wonderland, Vol. 2: The Manga: Book of Heartslabyul by Yana Toboso, Wakana Hazuki
mysterious
reflective
tense
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? Yes
5.0
And here's where we really start to get this story going. Once again I have to reiterate that I do highly encourage everyone interested in this series to start with the game itself. As the source material I feel that there is a lot within the game, in terms of experience for the audience and in terms of the way that it is written, that gets somewhat lost within adaptation. And I still maintain that the manga does seem to rely on the reader already being at least somewhat familiar in passing with the actual plot and setup of the game. None of that to say that there's no value within the manga; to the contrary, there absolutely is! I think it can still be a decent introduction to the overall story and world of Twisted Wonderland, and I think that it has extra added value for people who are already fans of the mobile game!
Volume one previously, though it is marked as being part of the first book of Heartslabyul, really just covers the events of the prologue book from the game. This volume is where we actually start to really kick off the storyline that we get in-game in the book of Heartslabyul. There's a lot more focus on getting to know our characters of Ace and Deuce, introducing the characters of Trey and Cater, and seeing where Riddle Rosehearts propels the story forward. Not just the story of this particular book but honestly the entire overarching story of the game/Twisted Wonderland itself. It can take a moment to hook you but it's worth it.
I cannot praise the art enough and I do genuinely enjoy this adaptation a lot. I really hope that I continue to see more people taking an interest and reading the manga so that way we can hopefully get more of it translated and adapted into English! Sadly, the mobile game isn't well advertised by Disney despite the fact it has phenomenal writing and fantastic love and respect for the Disney source material it pulls from (far more love and respect and care than I see from so many other Disney spin-off properties,) so any interest in the manga really does help keep the adaptation alive!
Volume one previously, though it is marked as being part of the first book of Heartslabyul, really just covers the events of the prologue book from the game. This volume is where we actually start to really kick off the storyline that we get in-game in the book of Heartslabyul. There's a lot more focus on getting to know our characters of Ace and Deuce, introducing the characters of Trey and Cater, and seeing where Riddle Rosehearts propels the story forward. Not just the story of this particular book but honestly the entire overarching story of the game/Twisted Wonderland itself. It can take a moment to hook you but it's worth it.
I cannot praise the art enough and I do genuinely enjoy this adaptation a lot. I really hope that I continue to see more people taking an interest and reading the manga so that way we can hopefully get more of it translated and adapted into English! Sadly, the mobile game isn't well advertised by Disney despite the fact it has phenomenal writing and fantastic love and respect for the Disney source material it pulls from (far more love and respect and care than I see from so many other Disney spin-off properties,) so any interest in the manga really does help keep the adaptation alive!
Delicious in Dungeon, Vol. 4 by Ryoko Kui
adventurous
emotional
tense
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
The majority of this volume details our party of four going up against the Red Dragon and honestly, I'm delighted that's the focus of this volume. It keeps it very tight and makes it so well-paced. I'm really enjoying this a lot, I can't recommend it enough!
Delicious in Dungeon, Vol. 3 by Ryoko Kui
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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
5.0
This continues to be such a fun series. It's a wonderful blend of lightheadedness and humor against a strong, emotional storyline, and I have adored all of the characters so far. I'm so glad I picked this up and gave it a chance, it's really been scratching that D&D itch in a way that's still wholly unique and new. Three volumes in and it's still going strong and the plot remains intriguing! I absolutely love it!
FANGS, Volume 2 by Billy Balibally, ビリー・バリバリー
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-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? It's complicated
5.0
OOH HOO HOO THE PLOT THICKENS.
Heaven Official's Blessing: Tian Guan Ci Fu (Novel) Vol. 8 by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I want to start this review off by saying I've not read any of the extras from this book. I might someday in the future, but at this point in time, I'm fed up and tired of Xie Lian and Hua Cheng.
This conclusion feels meh. There are moments that are well-written yeah, but the build-up is clunky when it is there and often, there's no build up to emotional moments or critical points of tension. The power-scaling between Xie Lian and Jun Wu is exhausting (takes a Gary-Stu to beat a Gary-Stu or whatever,) and Hua Cheng is...there sometimes, I guess. I wish we had a well-written conclusion. I wish we had a well-written novel just about Jun Wu and his dual nature and complexity. I wish we had a well-written darkship novel about Wind Master and Black Water. I wish we had a well-written slowburn rom-com novel about Feng Xin and Mu Qing, because damn if they aren't the MVPs right to the end of this. But that's asking too much and that's not what this story is about.
Just. What happened? I know MXTX can write better than this. Why is this story so clunky and slapdash? Why did she alter aspects of her writing style for this story versus the way I'm used to her handling things in her other two works? If this is supposed to be her magnum opus, the story she's especially wanted to tell all this time (and trust me, you can tell that it is,) why does it read like such a mess?
This conclusion feels meh. There are moments that are well-written yeah, but the build-up is clunky when it is there and often, there's no build up to emotional moments or critical points of tension. The power-scaling between Xie Lian and Jun Wu is exhausting (takes a Gary-Stu to beat a Gary-Stu or whatever,) and Hua Cheng is...there sometimes, I guess. I wish we had a well-written conclusion. I wish we had a well-written novel just about Jun Wu and his dual nature and complexity. I wish we had a well-written darkship novel about Wind Master and Black Water. I wish we had a well-written slowburn rom-com novel about Feng Xin and Mu Qing, because damn if they aren't the MVPs right to the end of this. But that's asking too much and that's not what this story is about.
Just. What happened? I know MXTX can write better than this. Why is this story so clunky and slapdash? Why did she alter aspects of her writing style for this story versus the way I'm used to her handling things in her other two works? If this is supposed to be her magnum opus, the story she's especially wanted to tell all this time (and trust me, you can tell that it is,) why does it read like such a mess?
All Hallow's Heat by C.C. Gedling, Michaella Dieter, Des Sweet, M. Bonnet, Ivy Penn, Simran, B. Livingstone, Heleva Risque, Adelaide King, Serafina Jax, Celeste Night, P.H. Nix, Hollis Kay, Rebecca Rathe, Willow Sinclair, Poppy Jacobson
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
I received this ebook for free when I'd signed up for something (can't recall what) over a year ago. I needed something to flip through on my Kindle and this seemed like a decent enough option.
I wish I had something nice to say about this. Unfortunately, the nicest thing I can muster was that there were one or two entries that I sort of enjoyed, a little. The rest all felt very same-y after a while, to the point maybe a whole four in all of this stood out from the rest. I have to wonder what the criteria was for being able to submit an entry purely on that basis, because I noticed very quickly there are a lot of "mafia romance" stories, and a lot of stories labeled "dubcon" or "noncon" only to cushion that label at the last second with the surprise reveal that it was actually the spouse or boyfriend or whatever the entire time and it's all good and ends well on a happy, semi-fluffy note. (While I don't mind that kind of bait-and-switch typically, the fact it was present in so many of these stories has me raising an eyebrow. Was there concern about actually going full pedal to the metal with dubcon and noncon? Was it not allowed by the editor? It also touches on my mild annoyance that I really don't think anyone knows anymore, especially in the romance book community or the BookTok community, what the original concept or basis behind a dark romance or darkship was. But that's a rant for a different day and a different platform.) Often it just felt like the label was added to a story for safety's sake ex post facto, and while I appreciate that on a level of wanting to have adequate content warnings for readers, it makes those elements feel forced or like you're reaching.
Additionally, I don't know why this is labeled as horror on this site. Thriller I could understand, there are plenty of thriller elements throughout the entire collection! But horror? No. Makes me wonder if that was used in order to make readers stop and consider whether they really want to give this a shot, and the only reason why I could think that someone would apply that label is due to the fact each short story has a content warnings page preceding it. And honestly, that's adequate enough, in my opinion. The fact this is listed as horror is a mislabel; don't let it fool or mislead you.
I wish I had something nice to say about this. Unfortunately, the nicest thing I can muster was that there were one or two entries that I sort of enjoyed, a little. The rest all felt very same-y after a while, to the point maybe a whole four in all of this stood out from the rest. I have to wonder what the criteria was for being able to submit an entry purely on that basis, because I noticed very quickly there are a lot of "mafia romance" stories, and a lot of stories labeled "dubcon" or "noncon" only to cushion that label at the last second with the surprise reveal that it was actually the spouse or boyfriend or whatever the entire time and it's all good and ends well on a happy, semi-fluffy note. (While I don't mind that kind of bait-and-switch typically, the fact it was present in so many of these stories has me raising an eyebrow. Was there concern about actually going full pedal to the metal with dubcon and noncon? Was it not allowed by the editor? It also touches on my mild annoyance that I really don't think anyone knows anymore, especially in the romance book community or the BookTok community, what the original concept or basis behind a dark romance or darkship was. But that's a rant for a different day and a different platform.) Often it just felt like the label was added to a story for safety's sake ex post facto, and while I appreciate that on a level of wanting to have adequate content warnings for readers, it makes those elements feel forced or like you're reaching.
Additionally, I don't know why this is labeled as horror on this site. Thriller I could understand, there are plenty of thriller elements throughout the entire collection! But horror? No. Makes me wonder if that was used in order to make readers stop and consider whether they really want to give this a shot, and the only reason why I could think that someone would apply that label is due to the fact each short story has a content warnings page preceding it. And honestly, that's adequate enough, in my opinion. The fact this is listed as horror is a mislabel; don't let it fool or mislead you.
City of Hooks and Scars by Estelle Laure
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Well, this is definitely something. What, I'm not sure I could say. I really think I'll need to read the final book in the trilogy before I can determine exactly how I feel about it.
One thing I will say, and yes, this dips slightly into spoiler territory, but if you're a Disney fan and you read the first book you probably suspected anyway: my theory about Mary E. being the Queen of Hearts was sort of correct. Except Laure mixes a lot of the Queen of Hearts with The Red Queen and it kind of frustrates. Like, why was this necessary? Come on.
One thing I will say, and yes, this dips slightly into spoiler territory, but if you're a Disney fan and you read the first book you probably suspected anyway: my theory about Mary E. being the Queen of Hearts was sort of correct. Except Laure mixes a lot of the Queen of Hearts with The Red Queen and it kind of frustrates. Like, why was this necessary? Come on.
Delicious in Dungeon, Vol. 2 by Ryoko Kui
adventurous
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? No
5.0
Loved getting to see more of the other characters and the way that our main cast is currently growing together as we get to know them! This really has been a lot of fun so far, and I hope to keep going with it for a while!
CLAMP Premium Collection Tokyo Babylon, Vol. 3 by CLAMP
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This was so deliciously dark. I love these instances where CLAMP dials up (lol) the horror elements in their work. More and more I'm disappointed I didn't read this when I was in high school, I would have eaten it up!