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kouya's reviews
420 reviews
The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Your Letter by Hyeon A. Cho
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Brain Damage by Kago
dark
fast-paced
1.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Incest, Rape, Slavery, Violence, Dementia, and Cannibalism
The Losting Fountain by Lora Senf
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the audioARC.
Somewhere out of time and out of space there is a fountain where lost things gather. Until the day their owner comes to seek them they are carefully put away in a library, looked after by moth winged angels. How can you get to this place, you ask? Well, you'll need to be invited by the Island.
So, this book certainly didn't go in the direction I expected it to at the beginning. Good job!
I found the start a bit slow and was really glad when at least some point of view characters merged into one team. With the whole story behind me now, I understand why all of them couldn't meet sooner.
I loved the focus on various iterations of motherhood and how they can each influence children. Considering this, though, I'm a little disheartened that so many of the mother figures became lost to the main characters. I was hoping for some miracle for at least a few of them, since the early on the story read like a book on the younger end of young adult novels. By the middle it became far too dark for that, but we need stories like this, too.
I think the main strength of The Losting Fountain is the character development. It gradually shows both descent into madness and finding our confidence and inner powers. Depicting different paths with similar starting points (abuse, little freedom) is really important in confirming that what kind of people we become is a choice.
The dynamics among the MC group were also great, with each of them developing unique connections towards the others. Kudos for there being very little hint of romance, that's quite rare in most stories. (Make no mistake, I like shipping characters, but it's nice to switch things up a bit on occasion.)
What I missed is a proper explanation for how the villains became the way they were, but the ending hints at a possible sequel, so I'm going to wait and see.
Somewhere out of time and out of space there is a fountain where lost things gather. Until the day their owner comes to seek them they are carefully put away in a library, looked after by moth winged angels. How can you get to this place, you ask? Well, you'll need to be invited by the Island.
So, this book certainly didn't go in the direction I expected it to at the beginning. Good job!
I found the start a bit slow and was really glad when at least some point of view characters merged into one team. With the whole story behind me now, I understand why all of them couldn't meet sooner.
I loved the focus on various iterations of motherhood and how they can each influence children. Considering this, though, I'm a little disheartened that so many of the mother figures became lost to the main characters. I was hoping for some miracle for at least a few of them, since the early on the story read like a book on the younger end of young adult novels. By the middle it became far too dark for that, but we need stories like this, too.
I think the main strength of The Losting Fountain is the character development. It gradually shows both descent into madness and finding our confidence and inner powers. Depicting different paths with similar starting points (abuse, little freedom) is really important in confirming that what kind of people we become is a choice.
The dynamics among the MC group were also great, with each of them developing unique connections towards the others. Kudos for there being very little hint of romance, that's quite rare in most stories. (Make no mistake, I like shipping characters, but it's nice to switch things up a bit on occasion.)
What I missed is a proper explanation for how the villains became the way they were, but the ending hints at a possible sequel, so I'm going to wait and see.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Raised by Ghosts by Briana Loewinsohn
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Fall In Love, You False Angels by Coco Uzuki
funny
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
This would be a 5* if I wasn't unsure of where the plotline with the stalkery twin goes. I hope it's nothing homophobic
Home Office Romance by Kintetsu Yamada
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
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? No
5.0
The Vanishing Bookstore by Helen Phifer
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater
adventurous
funny
informative
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The Order of the Circle by Levi Cory
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5
4.5 stars - A prologue to a rather bleak world
Many thanks to Netgalley for the e-ARC.
Alternate London has been home to a magical society called the Circle for several centuries. They influence politics, leave the handprint on history and generally have a finger in every pie. Oh, and they like to frame people for murder. Dorothy is seeking revenge for her husband who was dragged to hell after one such false accusation. But does he really deserve her efforts?
As stated above, the world of this comic is rather bleak. We don't find out much in this volume abouthow the Circle came into power or why and how there is a resistance , but it certainly suggests that the world at large is not a safe and happy place.
While the story mainly focuses on Dorothy's personal quest and beef with the Circle, she no longer has the bandwidth to care aboutthe greater conspiracy afoot . This task is left for the characters supporting her, as well as the reader who now anxiously awaits the next morsel regarding the fate of England in the grasp of two-faced sorcerers .
This comic contains graphic depictions of violence, but that isn't what makes it an adult read. The absolute hopelessness, grief and despair that the main character radiates despite her determination are what make this story truly dark. Things do gradually start looking up for Dorothy thanks to the tremendous effort she puts into her mission, butthe end of this volume suggests that there is still a long road ahead.
I hope to read more of this series in the future, as there are plenty of mysteries to unravel and the art style is right up my alley.
Many thanks to Netgalley for the e-ARC.
Alternate London has been home to a magical society called the Circle for several centuries. They influence politics, leave the handprint on history and generally have a finger in every pie. Oh, and they like to frame people for murder. Dorothy is seeking revenge for her husband who was dragged to hell after one such false accusation. But does he really deserve her efforts?
As stated above, the world of this comic is rather bleak. We don't find out much in this volume about
While the story mainly focuses on Dorothy's personal quest and beef with the Circle, she no longer has the bandwidth to care about
This comic contains graphic depictions of violence, but that isn't what makes it an adult read. The absolute hopelessness, grief and despair that the main character radiates despite her determination are what make this story truly dark. Things do gradually start looking up for Dorothy thanks to the tremendous effort she puts into her mission, but
I hope to read more of this series in the future, as there are plenty of mysteries to unravel and the art style is right up my alley.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Mental illness, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail