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ravensandpages's reviews
585 reviews
Agents of the Four Seasons, Vol. 1: Dance of Spring, Part I by Kana Akatsuki
3.0
arc received in exchange for an honest review. thank you, netgalley and yen press!
This light novel begins a series centered around the origin of the four seasons, and the agents who keep the cycle turning. It first follows Hinagiku, the Agent of Spring, who returns after a decade of disappearance and does not return just with her chosen season, but a brave decision to face the trauma and regret of what happened ten years ago.
Like many others, I mistakenly thought this was a manga, and I don't have much experience with light novels. I enjoyed the lovely artwork and the unique formatting for things like flashback pages, but overall I didn't enjoy my reading experience. It was really hard to get into in the beginning because of Hinagiku's speaking patterns, and I didn't particularly enjoy Sakura as a character right away. I think I enjoyed Rosei more overall, especially with the dip into darker themes, but overall the story didn't captivate me and I was a little confused on the purpose of the Agents and relation to the seasons.
I personally won't be continuing, but if you enjoy stories about reconciling mistakes and dark pasts as well as worldbuilding centered around the four seasons, I would recommend you give this a try. I've heard the physical version especially is quite lovely!
This light novel begins a series centered around the origin of the four seasons, and the agents who keep the cycle turning. It first follows Hinagiku, the Agent of Spring, who returns after a decade of disappearance and does not return just with her chosen season, but a brave decision to face the trauma and regret of what happened ten years ago.
Like many others, I mistakenly thought this was a manga, and I don't have much experience with light novels. I enjoyed the lovely artwork and the unique formatting for things like flashback pages, but overall I didn't enjoy my reading experience. It was really hard to get into in the beginning because of Hinagiku's speaking patterns, and I didn't particularly enjoy Sakura as a character right away. I think I enjoyed Rosei more overall, especially with the dip into darker themes, but overall the story didn't captivate me and I was a little confused on the purpose of the Agents and relation to the seasons.
I personally won't be continuing, but if you enjoy stories about reconciling mistakes and dark pasts as well as worldbuilding centered around the four seasons, I would recommend you give this a try. I've heard the physical version especially is quite lovely!
Heat X Beat: I May Be an Omega, But I'm Going to Be an Idol! by Ken Homerun
3.5
This was surprisingly really cute, and I liked the art style a lot.
Of Dragons, Feasts and Murders by Aliette de Bodard
4.0
I have not read the Dominion of the Fallen series (yet!), but I still enjoyed this novella and Thuan as a character! I’m looking forward to reading the continuation.
Lucky Girl: How I Became A Horror Writer: A Krampus Story by M. Rickert
dark
tense
fast-paced
3.5
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley and Tor!
If you're in the mood for a Christmassy horror read, LUCKY GIRL invokes all my favorite things about dark winter nights and spooky holiday traditions. This novella follows Ro, a struggling writer, who meets four lonely others celebrating one final meal at a local diner soon to close and invites them over for an impromptu Christmas dinner. Ending the night with a round of ghost stories invokes a bloody past that refuses to lay down once its ugly head has been reared.
I quite enjoyed the tone and prose of LUCKY GIRL, which to me perfectly encapsulated the feeling of hearing a story told by firelight. I think the characters' depths perfectly matched Ro's interest in them, and the balance between past and present was done quite well. I always love a story that blurs the lines between monsters of myth and monsters of men, and this really pulled it off for me.
I only had two qualms overall; one is that I fear the title is too long. LUCKY GIRL on its own perfectly encapsulates the story, and I think the rest of it may lead one to think the story drags on, but it certainly does not. I think the ending could have been drawn out a little more, less tell than show, because the narrative lost a bit of that spellbinding and engaging tension once the tone shifted to indicate the end.
The twists did get me and I adored the motifs of the bells, as is central to any Krampus story. If you're looking for a swift horror read this Christmas, I would recommend you try LUCKY GIRL!
If you're in the mood for a Christmassy horror read, LUCKY GIRL invokes all my favorite things about dark winter nights and spooky holiday traditions. This novella follows Ro, a struggling writer, who meets four lonely others celebrating one final meal at a local diner soon to close and invites them over for an impromptu Christmas dinner. Ending the night with a round of ghost stories invokes a bloody past that refuses to lay down once its ugly head has been reared.
I quite enjoyed the tone and prose of LUCKY GIRL, which to me perfectly encapsulated the feeling of hearing a story told by firelight. I think the characters' depths perfectly matched Ro's interest in them, and the balance between past and present was done quite well. I always love a story that blurs the lines between monsters of myth and monsters of men, and this really pulled it off for me.
I only had two qualms overall; one is that I fear the title is too long. LUCKY GIRL on its own perfectly encapsulates the story, and I think the rest of it may lead one to think the story drags on, but it certainly does not. I think the ending could have been drawn out a little more, less tell than show, because the narrative lost a bit of that spellbinding and engaging tension once the tone shifted to indicate the end.
The twists did get me and I adored the motifs of the bells, as is central to any Krampus story. If you're looking for a swift horror read this Christmas, I would recommend you try LUCKY GIRL!
Uncommon Charm by Emily Bergslien, Kat Weaver
5.0
Julia’s voice is so magnetic and I adore Simon to bits. This was really excellent boy&girl friendship content and I LOVE the themes and the way the plot unfolded. Excellent for a fast paced read!