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bkwrm1317's reviews
216 reviews
Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Cañas
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Absolutely loved the descriptions of the landscapes of what is now south Texas.
A unique take on the vampire as beast/creature, rather than human beings turned to vampires as the more common take. The vampires of this novel are used and abused by the Texas Rangers in their pursuit of what is today South Texas/Northern Mexico.
Some minor/general novel arc spoilers below, so read with that in mind:
Nena and Néstor's struggles to overcome their own fear and shame in order to let their love flourish felt extremely real and well-executed by the author. I loved reading their story, as well as Nena's arc of finding her voice, getting out from under the thumb of her emotionally abusive father and manipulative mother, who are more about appearances and keeping up with the Joneses than their eldest daughter's needs or happiness.
Néstor realizing Nena is stronger when he supports her/that with his support she can face down literal monsters and can match him for bravery in that way is such a powerful moment in their character arcs.
I just really loved this one - it's another of those novels that felt like it was written just for me.
A unique take on the vampire as beast/creature, rather than human beings turned to vampires as the more common take. The vampires of this novel are used and abused by the Texas Rangers in their pursuit of what is today South Texas/Northern Mexico.
Some minor/general novel arc spoilers below, so read with that in mind:
Nena and Néstor's struggles to overcome their own fear and shame in order to let their love flourish felt extremely real and well-executed by the author. I loved reading their story, as well as Nena's arc of finding her voice, getting out from under the thumb of her emotionally abusive father and manipulative mother, who are more about appearances and keeping up with the Joneses than their eldest daughter's needs or happiness.
Néstor realizing Nena is stronger when he supports her/that with his support she can face down literal monsters and can match him for bravery in that way is such a powerful moment in their character arcs.
I just really loved this one - it's another of those novels that felt like it was written just for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, War, and Classism
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Gore, Blood, and Gaslighting
Beasts of Ruin by Ayana Gray
adventurous
challenging
dark
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Not sure why, but book 2 just didn’t hit the same for me. I think some of this was how much the reader is bounced around - it’s a bit too disjointed for my taste and turned me off the series unfortunately, as I no longer feel invested.
Timeline jumps, protagonists are separated so jumping between their perspectives in current timeline, just is too much imo. Still decent, but lost my taste for the series.
Timeline jumps, protagonists are separated so jumping between their perspectives in current timeline, just is too much imo. Still decent, but lost my taste for the series.
Wings of Ebony by J. Elle
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
What a fierce young femme protag we have in Rue, who shows up for her people, no matter the personal cost or risk.
When Rue’s mom is killed, she is whisked away by a father who she’s never known to a strange land called Ghizon, where there’s magic, and only one other Black or Brown face - Aasim, the man she doesn’t even want to speak to, let alone bond with.
As Rue learns more about Ghizon, Aasim, and her own ancestry, she is tasked with fighting back against 100+ years of her peoples’ subjugation - on East Row in Houston, as well as in Ghizon. Tough as nails, street-wise and funny, tender hearted and loving, Rue is absolutely the type of heroine we need in these times.
When Rue’s mom is killed, she is whisked away by a father who she’s never known to a strange land called Ghizon, where there’s magic, and only one other Black or Brown face - Aasim, the man she doesn’t even want to speak to, let alone bond with.
As Rue learns more about Ghizon, Aasim, and her own ancestry, she is tasked with fighting back against 100+ years of her peoples’ subjugation - on East Row in Houston, as well as in Ghizon. Tough as nails, street-wise and funny, tender hearted and loving, Rue is absolutely the type of heroine we need in these times.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence and Racism
Moderate: Death, Violence, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Death of parent, Cultural appropriation, and Abandonment
H.P. Lovecraft's The Shadow Over Innsmouth by Gou Tanabe
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
What a bizarre little thing this was. Graphic novel over reading Lovecraft any day though. Enjoyed the manga style reading, although v challenging for me at first.
Good fit for folks who enjoy GNs, horror, cosmic/edlritch horror, body horror, atmospheric horror, etc. and other Lovecraftian themes but who don’t want to read Lovecraft himself.
I was disturbed by a reference early on to swaztikas used by “the deep ones” and comparison to Nazis rather than Sanskrit or something less offensive, but it is Lovecraft after all.
Good fit for folks who enjoy GNs, horror, cosmic/edlritch horror, body horror, atmospheric horror, etc. and other Lovecraftian themes but who don’t want to read Lovecraft himself.
I was disturbed by a reference early on to swaztikas used by “the deep ones” and comparison to Nazis rather than Sanskrit or something less offensive, but it is Lovecraft after all.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror
The Down River People by Adam Smith
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
2.5
Didn’t love, picked up on a whim at the lib/liked the description.
Did like the art, but the story was lacking quite a bit for me/didn’t resolve enough by the end (and I read a lot of speculative fic).
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide and Violence
Night of the Living Rez by Morgan Talty
dark
emotional
sad
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
3.75
Talty’s collection of connected short stories is intense, real, and dark. Reflecting on the reality of an Indigenous Tribal Penobscot family and some of their connections brings you to witness their humor, grief, addiction, culture, food, economic reality, and more.
Pacing medium-slow made it harder for me to get through (and short stories aren’t my fave).
Pacing medium-slow made it harder for me to get through (and short stories aren’t my fave).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction
Moderate: Child death, Sexual assault, and Colonisation
Minor: Vomit
The 500 Years of Indigenous Resistance Comic Book: Revised and Expanded by Gord Hill, Pamela Palmater
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
Recounting 500 years of Indigenous and Tribal resistance in the Americas, Hill covers broad resistance from the Mapuche of Chile to the Potawatomi of the Maumee River basin to the Apache, Comanche, and northern Plains Tribal resistance, to the unceded territories of the Pacific Northwest, and everything in between.
Whether you are familiar with histories of Indigenous resistance in the Americas or not, you’ll undoubtedly learn something new. While selective (going for themes, not deep details, here) in coverage, the reader leaves with a deeper understanding of the history AND continuity of Indigenous resistance and the record of colonial forces over hundreds of years with the intention of erasing and eradicating these First Nations peoples across the Americas.
Whether you are familiar with histories of Indigenous resistance in the Americas or not, you’ll undoubtedly learn something new. While selective (going for themes, not deep details, here) in coverage, the reader leaves with a deeper understanding of the history AND continuity of Indigenous resistance and the record of colonial forces over hundreds of years with the intention of erasing and eradicating these First Nations peoples across the Americas.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Genocide, Violence, Xenophobia, and Colonisation
Moderate: Racism, Torture, Police brutality, Murder, War, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, and Suicide
Pretty Deadly, Vol. 3: The Rat by Emma Ríos, Kelly Sue DeConnick
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
The noir style of this one was more up my alley (I do enjoy the creators’ playing with different comic genres though, can’t lie).
I also enjoyed their toying with the noir genre here re: Clara’s story.
I also enjoyed their toying with the noir genre here re: Clara’s story.
Pretty Deadly, Vol. 2: The Bear by Emma Ríos, Kelly Sue DeConnick
dark
medium-paced
3.0
Liked this volume a bit less. Not entirely sure why, just wasn’t my jam as much.
That Self-Same Metal by Brittany N. Williams
adventurous
dark
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Williams’ debut is super solid. A young Black femme (Joan Sands) is part of the crew for the King’s Men in 1605. She is Ogun’s chosen vessel and has magical powers as a result that could put her, the company, and her family in grave danger.
One performance, Joan has to reveal her powers in order to save her fellow company members from a Fae who has decided to attack her and sick other fae spirits on her as well. Joan successfully fights them off with help but ends up ensnared in something much larger as a result.
Joan’s wit slices sharp as a blade and Williams’ prose is seamless.
A great little page turner based loosely on true historical events in 1605 London (minus the fae as fact). I’ll be looking forward to more of Joan’s adventures and am keen to find out if she does indeed get both Nick and Rose’s affections in the end without having to choose between them - as Williams reminds readers in the historical note, queer and non-white people were very much present in 1605 London.
One performance, Joan has to reveal her powers in order to save her fellow company members from a Fae who has decided to attack her and sick other fae spirits on her as well. Joan successfully fights them off with help but ends up ensnared in something much larger as a result.
Joan’s wit slices sharp as a blade and Williams’ prose is seamless.
A great little page turner based loosely on true historical events in 1605 London (minus the fae as fact). I’ll be looking forward to more of Joan’s adventures and am keen to find out if she does indeed get both Nick and Rose’s affections in the end without having to choose between them - as Williams reminds readers in the historical note, queer and non-white people were very much present in 1605 London.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Gore and Blood