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kristallmarie's reviews
232 reviews
Reverent: An Anthology of Divinity by Quinton Li
5.0
First off, many thanks to Quintin Li and the Reverent team for letting me read this book as an ARC! I greatly appreciate it!
As with all anthologies, there are hits and misses, but this one was largely hits! Relicário is brutal, Condemn Me is gorgeous and terrifying, The Breath of Life is thoroughly thought-provoking. I adored Severin and the Dark, and A Love Letter to the Devil, and The Autopsy of Icarus. A Prayer for Devouring was definitely my favorite, though there are so many really beautifully written works here!
Five out of five stars for Reverent: An Anthology of Divinity!
As with all anthologies, there are hits and misses, but this one was largely hits! Relicário is brutal, Condemn Me is gorgeous and terrifying, The Breath of Life is thoroughly thought-provoking. I adored Severin and the Dark, and A Love Letter to the Devil, and The Autopsy of Icarus. A Prayer for Devouring was definitely my favorite, though there are so many really beautifully written works here!
Five out of five stars for Reverent: An Anthology of Divinity!
Falling in Love with a Traveling Cat: Mofusand's 1st Illustration Book! by Juno, Mofusand
5.0
First off, many thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this book as an ARC! I greatly appreciate it!
I've been reading more graphic novels lately, but I don't think that's what this is. It's more a picture book? Which I kind of expected, but also I thought it'd be more an art book. But you know what? It was cute as hell, so I don't mind one bit! There's the barest semblance of a plot, along with some of the cutest kitties I've ever seen! Do you like cats? Then read this!
Five stars out of five for Falling in Love with a Traveling Cat!
I've been reading more graphic novels lately, but I don't think that's what this is. It's more a picture book? Which I kind of expected, but also I thought it'd be more an art book. But you know what? It was cute as hell, so I don't mind one bit! There's the barest semblance of a plot, along with some of the cutest kitties I've ever seen! Do you like cats? Then read this!
Five stars out of five for Falling in Love with a Traveling Cat!
The Curse of Monte Cristo: A Reimagining of the Novel by Alexandre Dumas by David Dabel
5.0
First off, many thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this graphic as a ARC! I greatly appreciate it!
Now, I've never read or watched any version of The Count of Monte Cristo, so maybe I'm not the most qualified reviewer for this graphic novel, but bearing my newbie status in mind: It was great! I loved it! The story was twisty and interesting, Edmond was a really fascinating character, and the art style is gorgeous! There were a few moments where modern speech was used and it broke immersion, but it happened rarely enough that I'm not even gonna dock half a star for it.
More horror retellings of classics, please!
5 stars out of five for The Curse of Monte Cristo!
Now, I've never read or watched any version of The Count of Monte Cristo, so maybe I'm not the most qualified reviewer for this graphic novel, but bearing my newbie status in mind: It was great! I loved it! The story was twisty and interesting, Edmond was a really fascinating character, and the art style is gorgeous! There were a few moments where modern speech was used and it broke immersion, but it happened rarely enough that I'm not even gonna dock half a star for it.
More horror retellings of classics, please!
5 stars out of five for The Curse of Monte Cristo!
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
5.0
I wanna say I read this one in school, but I honestly only vaguely remember it. I'm glad I decided to read it again, too, because what a delight!
The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe
5.0
I doubt it'll come as much of a surprise, but I love Poe. I really, really do, and I'd love to reread more of his work this year!
This one is particular is a lifelong favorite, and I'm so glad I found a version on YouTube narrated by James Earl Jones, may he rest in peace. It was absolutely gorgeous, both the writing and the performance!
This one is particular is a lifelong favorite, and I'm so glad I found a version on YouTube narrated by James Earl Jones, may he rest in peace. It was absolutely gorgeous, both the writing and the performance!
The Fog Horn by Ray Bradbury
5.0
I don't think anyone who's followed me here for more than a few months is gonna be surprised to see me reading Bradbury again. He's one of my favorites, and I was so thrilled to find an audio version of this story floating around on YouTube!
Oh, man, though, this story is so sad! Imagine feeling sorry for a sea monster. If anyone could do it, it's Bradbury!
This is one of his rare more fantasy-leaning stories, and I greatly enjoyed it! Would recommend!
Oh, man, though, this story is so sad! Imagine feeling sorry for a sea monster. If anyone could do it, it's Bradbury!
This is one of his rare more fantasy-leaning stories, and I greatly enjoyed it! Would recommend!
Hey, Mary by Andrew Wheeler
5.0
First off, many thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this graphic as an ARC! I greatly appreciate it!
Another graphic novel, this one even better than the last! The start is really intriguing, with Mark's visualizations of religious figures, and there's a kind of welcoming warmth among the dread of this poor kid coming to terms with who he is. I'm an atheist, but wow, this story is gorgeous. I literally cried!
Five stars out of five for Hey, Mary!
Another graphic novel, this one even better than the last! The start is really intriguing, with Mark's visualizations of religious figures, and there's a kind of welcoming warmth among the dread of this poor kid coming to terms with who he is. I'm an atheist, but wow, this story is gorgeous. I literally cried!
Five stars out of five for Hey, Mary!
The Secret of Kells: the Graphic Novel by Nora Twomey, Tomm Moore, Samuel Sattin
4.5
First off, many thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this book as an ARC! I greatly appreciate it!
I absolutely adored the movie version of The Secret of Kells, so I was totally thrilled to see that there was a graphic novel adaptation of it! And with bonus stories? Color me excited!
This was exactly what I was expecting, and that's not a bad thing at all, given the movie was gorgeous! I'm a little disappointed they just used stills of the movie instead of new art, but I get why that wouldn't be economical, so I'm only gonna dock half a star for it. Gorgeously made little graphic novel!
Four and a half stars out of five for The Secret of Kells!
I absolutely adored the movie version of The Secret of Kells, so I was totally thrilled to see that there was a graphic novel adaptation of it! And with bonus stories? Color me excited!
This was exactly what I was expecting, and that's not a bad thing at all, given the movie was gorgeous! I'm a little disappointed they just used stills of the movie instead of new art, but I get why that wouldn't be economical, so I'm only gonna dock half a star for it. Gorgeously made little graphic novel!
Four and a half stars out of five for The Secret of Kells!
The Order of the Circle by Levi Cory
4.5
First off, many thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this graphic novel as an ARC! I greatly appreciate it!
What better way to get a leg up on my yearly reading goal than with a graphic novel? They're so quick! And this one was a really great choice, because it was excellent! It was exciting and gruesome and thoroughly intriguing, and I'm so hoping with that ending that we'll eventually get a sequel! The art style was gorgeous, too, the romance was tragic, and I really thought the use of animals in magic was fascinating!
Half a star taken off for bad grammar, though. Where are the commas? It was super distracting.
4.5 stars out of five for The Order of the Circle!
What better way to get a leg up on my yearly reading goal than with a graphic novel? They're so quick! And this one was a really great choice, because it was excellent! It was exciting and gruesome and thoroughly intriguing, and I'm so hoping with that ending that we'll eventually get a sequel! The art style was gorgeous, too, the romance was tragic, and I really thought the use of animals in magic was fascinating!
Half a star taken off for bad grammar, though. Where are the commas? It was super distracting.
4.5 stars out of five for The Order of the Circle!
Needy Little Things by Channelle Desamours
3.5
First off, many thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this book as an audio ARC! I greatly appreciate it!
Not gonna lie, when I first started reading this, my immediate thought was that Sariyah was autistic. The sensitivity to sound and the headphones and the "always prepared for what people need" thing sounds like me, lol. But no, it's a super power. Little disappointing, but it's whatever. That's on me for not reading the description of the book better.
Anyway, the story started pretty strong, though the middle was less suspenseful than I would've liked. That happens with most books, though. I'm intrigued by the ending, though! Is there more coming?
3.5 stars rounded up to four out of five for Needy Little Things!
Not gonna lie, when I first started reading this, my immediate thought was that Sariyah was autistic. The sensitivity to sound and the headphones and the "always prepared for what people need" thing sounds like me, lol. But no, it's a super power. Little disappointing, but it's whatever. That's on me for not reading the description of the book better.
Anyway, the story started pretty strong, though the middle was less suspenseful than I would've liked. That happens with most books, though. I'm intrigued by the ending, though! Is there more coming?
3.5 stars rounded up to four out of five for Needy Little Things!