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dreamingofsmiles's reviews
624 reviews
Home Is Where the Bodies Are by Jeneva Rose
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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? Yes
5.0
A Court of Sugar and Spice by Rebecca F. Kenney
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The Nightmare Before Kissmas by Sara Raasch
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The Kiss Bet, Season 1 by Ingrid Ochoa
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
tense
fast-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? Yes
3.0
Thank you to Netgalley and WEBTOON Unscrolled for this eARC in exchange for a honest review.
The Kiss Bet is a story about a girl trying to navigate the struggles of teen life while trying to find love in the process. This story is very cute, the art style is nice and the characters are fun for the most part.
The Kiss Bet gives tribute to many Shojo manga troupes and the genre of that. That saying, there is definitely a demographic for this comic that I unfortunately have aged out of. Not saying that if you're not a teen you won't enjoy this, I enjoyed it and I'm in my twenties, but a lot of the drama and thrills are more trivial to me now. As a adolescence I would have eaten this up and been foaming at the mouth for more, and while I'm interested in seeing where the story is going but there is a lot more "cringe" for me, if that makes sense. Things that happen with these characters gives me more second-hand embarrassment than I think I would have felt as a teen who was going through it like them.
Overall, I enjoyed this comic and will definitely be on the look out for more in the future. This felt very nostalgic to me and it was nice to read something where I had a feeling of what *could* happen but still be like "whats gonna happen??". If you don't enjoy Shojo themes and troupes that you can find in dramas and anime then there is a possibility that you won't enjoy this story. But this is a fun little read and I'd recommend if you're looking for something new to try out or even just looking for something that brings you bad to being a teen.
The Kiss Bet is a story about a girl trying to navigate the struggles of teen life while trying to find love in the process. This story is very cute, the art style is nice and the characters are fun for the most part.
The Kiss Bet gives tribute to many Shojo manga troupes and the genre of that. That saying, there is definitely a demographic for this comic that I unfortunately have aged out of. Not saying that if you're not a teen you won't enjoy this, I enjoyed it and I'm in my twenties, but a lot of the drama and thrills are more trivial to me now. As a adolescence I would have eaten this up and been foaming at the mouth for more, and while I'm interested in seeing where the story is going but there is a lot more "cringe" for me, if that makes sense. Things that happen with these characters gives me more second-hand embarrassment than I think I would have felt as a teen who was going through it like them.
Overall, I enjoyed this comic and will definitely be on the look out for more in the future. This felt very nostalgic to me and it was nice to read something where I had a feeling of what *could* happen but still be like "whats gonna happen??". If you don't enjoy Shojo themes and troupes that you can find in dramas and anime then there is a possibility that you won't enjoy this story. But this is a fun little read and I'd recommend if you're looking for something new to try out or even just looking for something that brings you bad to being a teen.
Home Office Romance by Kintetsu Yamada
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A big thanks to Netgalley and Kodansha Comics for this eARC in exchange for a honest review.
Home Office Romance is a short and sweet story of finding love under unusual circumstance and taking chances. The background of this story taking place during a global pandemic is practically as relatable as it gets (as we all lived through one). The main characters of Natsu and Nokoru are so funny and I loved getting to know them throughout the course of the story.
The awkward dance of starting a relationship are so vividly shown in this story, and just the challenges that come from trying to date in a period where meeting face-to-face was considered dangerous. I'm not sure I have ever related to a character more than I have with Nokoru.
I wish we could have seen more of their story, maybe even gotten more of Natsu's POV but overall I really enjoyed this story and will def be looking to secure a copy for my collection in the future.
Home Office Romance is a short and sweet story of finding love under unusual circumstance and taking chances. The background of this story taking place during a global pandemic is practically as relatable as it gets (as we all lived through one). The main characters of Natsu and Nokoru are so funny and I loved getting to know them throughout the course of the story.
The awkward dance of starting a relationship are so vividly shown in this story, and just the challenges that come from trying to date in a period where meeting face-to-face was considered dangerous. I'm not sure I have ever related to a character more than I have with Nokoru.
I wish we could have seen more of their story, maybe even gotten more of Natsu's POV but overall I really enjoyed this story and will def be looking to secure a copy for my collection in the future.
Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
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? Yes
3.0
Giving it 3 stars doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy it, I greatly did. I feel that some of the scenes were just a bit quick. Things resolved too easy in moments.
The Best of Friends by Lucinda Berry
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The Summer Children by Dot Hutchison
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Murder
Moderate: Child abuse, Drug abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Rape and Medical content