Scan barcode
shanaqui's reviews
1148 reviews
Teacup Toy Boy (Yaoi Manga) Vol. 1 by Cana Umino
emotional
fast-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? It's complicated
2.0
Really a collection of short romances. None of them were particularly compelling to me.
Camp Spirit by Axelle Lenoir
emotional
mysterious
medium-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? Yes
3.0
Axelle Lenoir's Camp Spirit felt a bit like there were two halves, not equally split, that it kept jumping between: a summer love story between two camp counselors, Elodie and Catherine... and a spooky/supernatural story that involved the camp leader, and only later connected at all with what was going on with Elodie and Catherine.
The romance is cute enough, but it feels like it might actually have been stronger if it'd stuck to the summer of self-discovery between Elodie and Catherine or the supernatural plot. As it was, the supernatural plot felt side-lined compared to the teenage woes of those two.
It is, of course, also a very teenage book, given that a large part of what's going on involves Elodie and Catherine developing feelings for each other.
I quite liked the art, and overall, I did have fun reading it, but it felt strangely slow -- especially the first half or so.
The romance is cute enough, but it feels like it might actually have been stronger if it'd stuck to the summer of self-discovery between Elodie and Catherine or the supernatural plot. As it was, the supernatural plot felt side-lined compared to the teenage woes of those two.
It is, of course, also a very teenage book, given that a large part of what's going on involves Elodie and Catherine developing feelings for each other.
I quite liked the art, and overall, I did have fun reading it, but it felt strangely slow -- especially the first half or so.
Savage Red Sonja: Queen of the Frozen Wastes by Frank Cho, Doug Murray
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Pretty much what I'd expect of a Red Sonja story, to be honest? Fighting, weird booty shots, Sonja being a badass.
Compulsory by Martha Wells
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
A very short Murderbot story, pre-All Systems Red. Too short to really be much beyond a little taster: Murderbot is very recognisable, though.
The Bottomless Pit by Yumi Sabatama
dark
medium-paced
2.0
Y i k e s.
I don't think this is meant to read as romantic, I think it's meant to read as twisted, but y i k e s.
I don't think this is meant to read as romantic, I think it's meant to read as twisted, but y i k e s.
Snowflake Kisses by Jordon Greene, Yayira Dzamesi
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Snowflake Kisses (Jordon Greene, Yayira Dzamesi) is a super cute short story in comic format, which is related to a book I haven't read but was pretty intelligible without it. Skylar and Jacob are dating, and go with Skylar's parents to have a little Christmas holiday together.
Skylar's frequently non-verbal and likes to wear skirts, and Jacob is just helplessly in love with him, it's really cute. The art works well and is really clear, and I liked that the speech bubbles are different shapes to show Skylar's different ways of communicating: mouthing words, using his phone to speak for him, or using ASL.
It's sweet, and probably more meaningful for people who've read the book, but still fun for me.
Skylar's frequently non-verbal and likes to wear skirts, and Jacob is just helplessly in love with him, it's really cute. The art works well and is really clear, and I liked that the speech bubbles are different shapes to show Skylar's different ways of communicating: mouthing words, using his phone to speak for him, or using ASL.
It's sweet, and probably more meaningful for people who've read the book, but still fun for me.
Breaks: Volume One by Emma Vieceli, Malin Rydén
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Breaks (Emma Vieceli & Malin Rydén) is for some reason being marketed with comparisons to Heartstopper, and the similarities are basically: queer British boys in a Sixth Form setting, there's some sport, there's bullying, and someone's got to come to terms with his sexuality. That's it -- and that might sound like a reasonable amount, actually, but it's the tone that's most important, and that's worlds apart. Breaks is much grittier -- even where Heartstopper deals with difficult topics, there's a general sense that things are going to be okay, because they have each other and they're both good boys.
Cort and Ian are not particularly great people (nor particularly likeable), there's a good deal of violence, and we certainly don't get to see them cuddling adorably. The art is also a touch closer to realism, which also reduces the cuteness factor.
It didn't help the book at all that the reading experience via the Kindle version is bad, and while it's also available free online (https://tapas.io/series/BREAKS/info), that also has its problems: the choice of background colour doesn't provide a great contrast, and it's difficult to know what part numbers correspond to which volumes. Really irritating.
That said, on its own merits it's... alright? I think it's ultimately not my thing, but I enjoyed the supporting characters like Amilah and Rennie, and I'm kind of curious about Harvey and where things are going between Cort and Ian.
Cort and Ian are not particularly great people (nor particularly likeable), there's a good deal of violence, and we certainly don't get to see them cuddling adorably. The art is also a touch closer to realism, which also reduces the cuteness factor.
It didn't help the book at all that the reading experience via the Kindle version is bad, and while it's also available free online (https://tapas.io/series/BREAKS/info), that also has its problems: the choice of background colour doesn't provide a great contrast, and it's difficult to know what part numbers correspond to which volumes. Really irritating.
That said, on its own merits it's... alright? I think it's ultimately not my thing, but I enjoyed the supporting characters like Amilah and Rennie, and I'm kind of curious about Harvey and where things are going between Cort and Ian.
My Lover, The Writer by Yumi Sabatama
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
It was too short to really make me feel for the main relationship -- which seemed like it was one guy being badgered into being the other's boyfriend? -- and I wasn't a huge fan of the art.
The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Agatha Christie's The Secret Adversary has aged fairly badly in a number of ways, with her right-wing politics on display and various classic stereotypes. It's the first Tommy and Tuppence book, and it was interesting to read it in light of the biography of her I read recently: written during her first marriage, Tommy and Tuppence have elements of Agatha and Archie.
The more of Christie's work I read, though, the less I seem to like it... The plotting just isn't as good as people would lead you to believe. Could I do better? Probably not, but I can point to a number of writers who could. It's entertaining, and I can understand people who get attached to her characters, but it leaves me cold. Once she's tricked you once, it's easy to see through her other misdirections; even if you don't quite know where things are going to land, you can at least say "nah, that's just a red herring".
So overall, it was alright, but I think I'll wrap up my reading of Christie's work once I get to the end of the ones available in Serial Reader, at least for now.
The more of Christie's work I read, though, the less I seem to like it... The plotting just isn't as good as people would lead you to believe. Could I do better? Probably not, but I can point to a number of writers who could. It's entertaining, and I can understand people who get attached to her characters, but it leaves me cold. Once she's tricked you once, it's easy to see through her other misdirections; even if you don't quite know where things are going to land, you can at least say "nah, that's just a red herring".
So overall, it was alright, but I think I'll wrap up my reading of Christie's work once I get to the end of the ones available in Serial Reader, at least for now.
They Came to Slay: The Queer Culture of DnD by Thom James Carter
informative
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
I'm not personally into D&D, though I know a lot of people who are and I'm close enough to the periphery that Thom James Carter's They Came To Slay sounded interesting. It's full of enthusiasm for D&D and its possibilities -- possibilities for everyone, not just queer people, but especially for the opportunities it allows for queer people to explore and be recognised.
I'm vaguely aware of some critiques of Wizards of the Coast, and this book is largely positive toward the company, often suggesting that things are trending toward the better as far as queer representation goes. I don't know enough about it to know if that's true, and as far as I understand it, that's not the only reason to be wary of the company, but it is interesting to read about the queer-positivity.
D&D still isn't for me, but it does sound like there's a joyous queer community around it, and that's lovely.
I'm vaguely aware of some critiques of Wizards of the Coast, and this book is largely positive toward the company, often suggesting that things are trending toward the better as far as queer representation goes. I don't know enough about it to know if that's true, and as far as I understand it, that's not the only reason to be wary of the company, but it is interesting to read about the queer-positivity.
D&D still isn't for me, but it does sound like there's a joyous queer community around it, and that's lovely.