librarianlayla's reviews
735 reviews

Witty, insightful and much needed.

I follow Lewis on social media and was so excited that he was going to be sharing his story in the form of a graphic novel. Read the voices in my head exactly as they are in his skits haha.

If you're looking for a great book that explains some aspects of being a trans male, in an easy to read format and fantastically illustrated by the author himself - then pick this up!

(Read diverse books all year not just for Pride people.)

An emotional rollercoaster from start to finish.

This book left me all in my feels. Emotionally charged, filled with so much sadness and yet so much Hope. A love letter to the punk rock bands of old. Hopepunk is a story for anyone who has been left out in the cold and are searching for themselves. It's a story of strong familial bonds, growth and healing. I adored it.

4/4.5 stars.

A richly woven story with deeply detailed mythology.

I wish there had been more of a connection with the characters, I felt that this was a very forced relationship where not a lot was said/done for such strong feelings to develop so rapidly. But I adored the storytelling and the world building, the descriptive writing really helps to draw the reader in. I also appreciated the nod to true historical events that, whilst horrific, made their world feel more rooted within our own.

Fans of forbidden love stories, diverse folklore and high stakes adventures will love this story. Iook forward to the sequel.

3.5/4 stars.

As usual Miriam aims to shock and delight.

Whilst this book is filled with interesting and at times, outrageous, tales - it didn't quite hit the 5 star mark for me.

Miriam is a fascinating woman who has lived a truly remarkable life, she has touched so many (quite a few physically!) people with her quick wit and cheeky charm.

However early on in the book she deadnames someone who she says she considered a friend and unfortunately that left a sour note in my mouth. There is also an almost constant theme of sexual molestation by others to her that seems almost celebrated when in quite a few of the cases should be abhorrent. Especially in such incidents when she was a minor.

I do love her journey of authenticity - her passion for the truth. Whatever it may be. And it's something I can relate to immensely.

Overall a wonderful and insightful read, but not for the faint of heart.

4/4.5 stars.

Filled with as much grief as there is adventure - this sequel really tackles generational trauma and the road to healing.

I adored the mythology and the characters development throughout.

I wanted more of a connection between Bri and Marie again, I just felt the depth wasn't there. But overall a beautiful story and fantastic ending.

4/4.5 stars

A dark academia murder game that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat.

You know a book is written well when you can both admire and loathe the characters within. There were some areas that were a little trudgy to get through but overall the high stakes pace of the story held throughout.

I cannot wait to see how this ends.

The authors background lends an authenticity to the story which really centres the readers experience.

I found it slow to get into, and at times unnecessary racial stereotypes set me on edge. I found none of the characters to be particularly appealing. However overall it was a well written cat and mouse game with a satisfactory ending.

3.5/4 stars.

Although this is a good book, I didn't enjoy it as much as the first. I found some of the characters frustrating, even with their redemption arcs at the end.

The last quarter of the book was the most compelling and read very quickly. Still a good book but didn't quite live up to the first book for me.

Still would recommend this series though to anyone who enjoys slightly darker books that have strong female characters and meddling deities.

Raw and savage, this book does not let up.

There are a list of trigger warnings at the beginning of this book and for good reason. This story is filled with trauma but was so hard to put down. Compelling and heartbreaking.

I cannot wait for the sequel.

Magical and heartfelt.

A fantastic twist on the common mythology behind unicorns, a wonderful story of friendship and perseverance.

I could not put this book down, the sequel is much anticipated!