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madmadmaddymad's reviews
195 reviews
Bad Boys, Happy Home, Vol. 1 by Shoowa, Hiromasa Okujima
dark
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I really wish there was an in color version so I could admire the tacky shirt Kanzaki was wearing in it’s full glory.
I loved this! It’s got the one-bed trope, need I say more? Honestly, I was expecting smut, (and yeah, author delivered) but the *encounter* was pretty uncomfortable? I felt awful for both of them in that moment. Happy to see them reconcile their friendship, and I hope Akamatsu gets over his internalized homophobia, because I get the feeling that Kanzaki really would benefit from having a little stability, safety, security, and love in his life.
I loved this! It’s got the one-bed trope, need I say more? Honestly, I was expecting smut, (and yeah, author delivered) but the *encounter* was pretty uncomfortable? I felt awful for both of them in that moment. Happy to see them reconcile their friendship, and I hope Akamatsu gets over his internalized homophobia, because I get the feeling that Kanzaki really would benefit from having a little stability, safety, security, and love in his life.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia, Sexual assault, Violence, and Outing
Any Way the Wind Blows by Rainbow Rowell
adventurous
funny
inspiring
medium-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
5.0
LOVE THIS BOOK, LOVE THIS SERIES.
This is the best one, by far, especially for the SimonxBaz ship. The love is real, and so’s the angst, and everything in between. I’m sad the series seems to be over - but so happy I got to know this world and it’s characters. Simon really grows in this one, from his lowest moment, to his happy end - and I was rooting for him the entire time! (But can I admit that I’m upset Baz won’t take a taste? It’s literally consensual Baz. SMH.) (ALSO JKSHFIJRHD I’M SO GLAD SIMON STILL HAS HIS WINGS) (This is the best book I stg)
Also AGATHA GETS A GIRLFRIENNNND,
HIP HIP HOORAY! I’m so pleased, I actually cried when they were helping the doe at Ebb’s tomb. The goats seemed sort of silly to me at first but by the end it really got me, I thought it was so emotional.
There is some rhetoric about how magic should stay in the old families, and weak magicians should be culled from the population, and that Normals “can’t” give birth to mages. For what it’s worth, I hate this concept. I loved the finale with Simon finding out who he really is and where he came from, but I almost would have liked it better if he were ACTUALLY no one - because I like to believe that magic can come from anywhere - and I think he needs to feel, well, powerful because of who HE is, and not who he’s related to. That’s why I really loved the character of Shepard, and I loved watching Penny grow to have feelings for him. I think he is really good for her. He might be TOO good for her, but I’m happy he found her, and I hope she slays every being who has ever done him wrong.
Shepard needs to be protected at all costs.
This is the best one, by far, especially for the SimonxBaz ship. The love is real, and so’s the angst, and everything in between. I’m sad the series seems to be over - but so happy I got to know this world and it’s characters. Simon really grows in this one, from his lowest moment, to his happy end - and I was rooting for him the entire time! (But can I admit that I’m upset Baz won’t take a taste? It’s literally consensual Baz. SMH.) (ALSO JKSHFIJRHD I’M SO GLAD SIMON STILL HAS HIS WINGS) (This is the best book I stg)
Also AGATHA GETS A GIRLFRIENNNND,
HIP HIP HOORAY! I’m so pleased, I actually cried when they were helping the doe at Ebb’s tomb. The goats seemed sort of silly to me at first but by the end it really got me, I thought it was so emotional.
There is some rhetoric about how magic should stay in the old families, and weak magicians should be culled from the population, and that Normals “can’t” give birth to mages. For what it’s worth, I hate this concept. I loved the finale with Simon finding out who he really is and where he came from, but I almost would have liked it better if he were ACTUALLY no one - because I like to believe that magic can come from anywhere - and I think he needs to feel, well, powerful because of who HE is, and not who he’s related to. That’s why I really loved the character of Shepard, and I loved watching Penny grow to have feelings for him. I think he is really good for her. He might be TOO good for her, but I’m happy he found her, and I hope she slays every being who has ever done him wrong.
Shepard needs to be protected at all costs.
Wayward Son by Rainbow Rowell
adventurous
funny
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
What happens after you’ve defeated the big bad, won the war, and got the guy?
Simon and Baz are struggling through their happily ever after, and Penny decides now is the time to visit Agatha in California.Agatha left magic behind to go join a cult; I guess? I will say, I found the Now Next group more sinister and chilling before the reveal that they were evil vampires the entire time. It was one twist I could have done without. What the fuck.
This book is an exceedingly unnecessary sequel. But what the hell. It’s so much fun. I love how the universe is expanded to include new challenges. The spellwork set up in the first book is almost entirely useless on the American continent, due to Normals not understanding British colloquialisms. There is a big stretch of land where no one resides, and the trio breaks down on the highway because the spells just stop working on their car. It’s not like the dead zones The Insidious Humdrum was creating in the first book - it’s a consequence of language and life - a lack of anyone around to give magic to the words. It’s such an interesting idea, and executed so well. It really ups the stakes for what was (supposed to be) a low stakes sight-seeing adventure. I love how it came back into play at the end with the Burning Lad Festival!
Loved the new characters introduced in this one. Shepard really seemed to round out the group, and it’s easy to be on his side when, he kind of has a point. Shepard to Penny, Ch 30. “We are made of magic. Without our magic, you’re worse than Normal. You’re useless.”
Also, I kind of love the American vampire scene, how the kids are shown to be really repressed and kind of stupid, and how they know almost nothing about magical beings once outside of their isolated boarding school. Simon to Baz, Prologue. “All mages know about vampires is how to kill them!”
Did… did they murder those vampires at the renaissance fair for no reason? Now that we know it’s entirely likely they were just going to drink from those humans without killing or turning them? Legit almost exposed all of magic because they felt like being heroes…. And for what? goddamnit Simon lol
Simon and Baz are struggling through their happily ever after, and Penny decides now is the time to visit Agatha in California.
This book is an exceedingly unnecessary sequel. But what the hell. It’s so much fun. I love how the universe is expanded to include new challenges. The spellwork set up in the first book is almost entirely useless on the American continent, due to Normals not understanding British colloquialisms. There is a big stretch of land where no one resides, and the trio breaks down on the highway because the spells just stop working on their car. It’s not like the dead zones The Insidious Humdrum was creating in the first book - it’s a consequence of language and life - a lack of anyone around to give magic to the words. It’s such an interesting idea, and executed so well. It really ups the stakes for what was (supposed to be) a low stakes sight-seeing adventure. I love how it came back into play at the end with the Burning Lad Festival!
Loved the new characters introduced in this one. Shepard really seemed to round out the group, and it’s easy to be on his side when, he kind of has a point. Shepard to Penny, Ch 30. “We are made of magic. Without our magic, you’re worse than Normal. You’re useless.”
Also, I kind of love the American vampire scene, how the kids are shown to be really repressed and kind of stupid, and how they know almost nothing about magical beings once outside of their isolated boarding school. Simon to Baz, Prologue. “All mages know about vampires is how to kill them!”
Carry On by Rainbow Rowell
adventurous
funny
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
5.0
An orphan boy attends a magical school, friendship and found family and fighting for what’s right!
I cannot tell you how healing it is to read a book like this, as a former fan of Harry Potter. This book seems incredibly derivative of JKR’s wizarding world, but it accomplishes so much that JKR was too much of a coward to do. I don’t know why anyone would choose to read Harry Potter over this, this is WORLDS better, it has fleshed out characters that are easy to root for and a flawlessly executed enemies-to-lovers narrative.
It does read a little bit like fanfiction, and the first 100 pages are full of dull world-building, but once Baz comes to school the pace picks up and I genuinely couldn’t put it down!
I cannot tell you how healing it is to read a book like this, as a former fan of Harry Potter. This book seems incredibly derivative of JKR’s wizarding world, but it accomplishes so much that JKR was too much of a coward to do. I don’t know why anyone would choose to read Harry Potter over this, this is WORLDS better, it has fleshed out characters that are easy to root for and a flawlessly executed enemies-to-lovers narrative.
It does read a little bit like fanfiction, and the first 100 pages are full of dull world-building, but once Baz comes to school the pace picks up and I genuinely couldn’t put it down!
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Such an incredible depiction of the glamorous life and untold secrets of an Old Hollywood star! Evelyn is captivating and complicated, and her story is compelling and at times heartbreaking. I wasn’t expecting the twist at the end - and by the time it arrived I could only feel frustrated and upset. I’m still glad I got to know her; and I’m glad she got a chance to explain why she did what she did, but I also hate the situation she forced on Monique.
I loved reading this book, at times I found myself wishing I could be like Evelyn Hugo. I really admire her outlook on marriage, her no-regrets attitude, and I love the theme in this book that love can come in many forms, romantic, sexual, or platonic, and that no person is ever all good or all bad. The ugly parts of stardom (and the insistence that money and fame are really meaningless when you have no one to share it with.) When it was good, it was great! And when it was upsetting, it was devastating.
Really, really, well done, and highly deserves all 5 of these shiny stars.
I loved reading this book, at times I found myself wishing I could be like Evelyn Hugo. I really admire her outlook on marriage, her no-regrets attitude, and I love the theme in this book that love can come in many forms, romantic, sexual, or platonic, and that no person is ever all good or all bad. The ugly parts of stardom (and the insistence that money and fame are really meaningless when you have no one to share it with.) When it was good, it was great! And when it was upsetting, it was devastating.
Really, really, well done, and highly deserves all 5 of these shiny stars.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Biphobia, Homophobia, Physical abuse, and Lesbophobia
Moderate: Suicide
Truth of the Divine by Lindsay Ellis
dark
emotional
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
I’m very captivated by this world and these characters, and amazingly, somehow, I’m still rooting for Ampersand and Cora’s relationship. But Ampersand is hard to love in this book.
Somewhere around the 200 pg mark we get the reveal thatAmpersand has kept Obelus alive, and when Cora is rightfully horrified by this information, Ampersand tells her he’ll modify her mind and suppress the memories. AMPERSAND, THAT IS THE REDDEST FLAG.
Lindsay please. I just wanted a quirky alien/human romance. Please have him snap out of it.
New characters introduced in this book really won me over. I find Kaveh to be extremely easy to love, and he treats Cora well. He also treats Nikola well! He’s probably my new favorite character, even if he can be a little bit of a goofball, and his positive outlook can get in the way of the realism sometimes, I found myself smiling like an idiot when I read from his perspective. I also liked watching the budding romance(?) between Kaveh and Nikola. Maybe that’s not what the author intended, but I felt that they had just as strong of a connection as Ampersand and Cora’s. (Maybe stronger!)
This series reminds me of Lilith’s Brood by Octavia Butler, not in the plot or the themes necessarily, but just the general vibe. The lens it casts on human nature and the argument of what makes someone a person, how society can endure when we come face-to-face with a spacefaring civilization whose goals are different than our own. It’s insightful and enthralling and I hope to read more of this series!
Also, literally, the sex between human characters was so. Uncomfortable. Please, for the monsterfuckers. Two entire books and nothing more intimate than cuddling has happened! I’M WAITING.
Somewhere around the 200 pg mark we get the reveal that
Lindsay please. I just wanted a quirky alien/human romance. Please have him snap out of it.
New characters introduced in this book really won me over. I find Kaveh to be extremely easy to love, and he treats Cora well. He also treats Nikola well! He’s probably my new favorite character, even if he can be a little bit of a goofball, and his positive outlook can get in the way of the realism sometimes, I found myself smiling like an idiot when I read from his perspective. I also liked watching the budding romance(?) between Kaveh and Nikola. Maybe that’s not what the author intended, but I felt that they had just as strong of a connection as Ampersand and Cora’s. (Maybe stronger!)
This series reminds me of Lilith’s Brood by Octavia Butler, not in the plot or the themes necessarily, but just the general vibe. The lens it casts on human nature and the argument of what makes someone a person, how society can endure when we come face-to-face with a spacefaring civilization whose goals are different than our own. It’s insightful and enthralling and I hope to read more of this series!
Also, literally, the sex between human characters was so. Uncomfortable. Please, for the monsterfuckers. Two entire books and nothing more intimate than cuddling has happened! I’M WAITING.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Hate crime and Xenophobia
Minor: Rape
Axiom's End by Lindsay Ellis
adventurous
emotional
funny
fast-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
I couldn’t put it down!
It’s remarkable how enthralling the plot and pace of this novel was. I’m satisfied with it as a stand alone, but am absolutely invested if Ellis decides to ever write a follow up,
Cora was such a fun protagonist. She really embodied the adventure of first contact, and her view point as a fish-out-of-water, or maybe fish-adjacent-to-water, coming from a background of government distrust and frustration over conspiracy theories with her famous, estranged, Alex Jones-esque father. What an an excellent background detail and incredible character and worldbuilding.
I also enjoyed the humor of this novel, and I thought the trope of humans being scary to the alien species was handled extremely well. Ampersand is hilarious and lovable and I was lo-key rooting for there to be an inter-galactic romance from the first momenthe snuck her into the Google campus and he was just so bad at communicating with humans that he gave Cora (and me!) second-hand embarrassment. Powerful alien. Adorable doofus.
Loved this book!
It’s remarkable how enthralling the plot and pace of this novel was. I’m satisfied with it as a stand alone, but am absolutely invested if Ellis decides to ever write a follow up,
Cora was such a fun protagonist. She really embodied the adventure of first contact, and her view point as a fish-out-of-water, or maybe fish-adjacent-to-water, coming from a background of government distrust and frustration over conspiracy theories with her famous, estranged, Alex Jones-esque father. What an an excellent background detail and incredible character and worldbuilding.
I also enjoyed the humor of this novel, and I thought the trope of humans being scary to the alien species was handled extremely well. Ampersand is hilarious and lovable and I was lo-key rooting for there to be an inter-galactic romance from the first moment
Loved this book!
Content Warnings
Minor: Genocide, Suicide, and Kidnapping
Neon Gods by Katee Robert
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Hey, so, this book is pretty terrible, it suffers from being the next book I read after the masterpiece that was Madeline Miller’s Circe, but, I was on a Greek/mythological kick so I thought I would check it out.
Cringeworthy writing, very little plot. The romance is extremely shallow, but it does have some top tier smut. I think Hades wins in a fight with Christian Grey for being a sexy S&M type, and he treats Persephone pretty well, and honestly, that’s attractive to me as a reader, but yeah…. Don’t expect too much from this one, it’s all sex, no substance.
Also if you’re reading this because it’s listed as LGBTQ literature be aware that the main focus romance is extremely cis/het. Persephone is bisexual and refers at least once to having an ex girlfriend, and Hades has one chapter where he is admiring the attractiveness of a man, and Eros might also be bisexual but nothing was explicitly stated in the text. I like Persephone, and I think it’s very important to have bisexual protagonists in fantasy novels, but as far as LGBTQ themes go, I’ll say they’re very few and far between.
Cringeworthy writing, very little plot. The romance is extremely shallow, but it does have some top tier smut. I think Hades wins in a fight with Christian Grey for being a sexy S&M type, and he treats Persephone pretty well, and honestly, that’s attractive to me as a reader, but yeah…. Don’t expect too much from this one, it’s all sex, no substance.
Also if you’re reading this because it’s listed as LGBTQ literature be aware that the main focus romance is extremely cis/het. Persephone is bisexual and refers at least once to having an ex girlfriend, and Hades has one chapter where he is admiring the attractiveness of a man, and Eros might also be bisexual but nothing was explicitly stated in the text. I like Persephone, and I think it’s very important to have bisexual protagonists in fantasy novels, but as far as LGBTQ themes go, I’ll say they’re very few and far between.
Circe by Madeline Miller
adventurous
challenging
reflective
slow-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
Madeline Miller’s writing is great, and she has an incredible ability to her tackle complicated myths and make a compelling story.
Still I have to say, Circe did not bring me to tears the way Song of Achilles did. I didn’t know very much about Circe before reading this book, (I only knew the story of her turning Odysseus’ men into pigs.) For such a famous moment it didn’t seem to last very long - it was a few chapters, quickly resolved, and I felt it deserved more attention.
This story is mostly about relationships, and how eternity can really weigh on a person, and what it means to be a god. Circe goes through so much in her centuries of life, and I found it easy to root for her. I loved the ending, though, I did feel it was a little rushed.
Still I have to say, Circe did not bring me to tears the way Song of Achilles did. I didn’t know very much about Circe before reading this book, (I only knew the story of her turning Odysseus’ men into pigs.) For such a famous moment it didn’t seem to last very long - it was a few chapters, quickly resolved, and I felt it deserved more attention.
This story is mostly about relationships, and how eternity can really weigh on a person, and what it means to be a god. Circe goes through so much in her centuries of life, and I found it easy to root for her. I loved the ending, though, I did feel it was a little rushed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Sexual assault
Moderate: Animal death and Body horror
Lumberjanes, Vol. 2: Friendship to the Max by Grace Ellis, ND Stevenson
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
So cute. Listen, sometimes I just want to read a lighthearted comic book about the power of friendship.
I think they’re setting up a larger narrative here and I appreciate that! This concept would make a great show for Nickelodeon or Cartoon Network, or even Netflix if they wanted to adapt this comic to an animated series. I would totally watch.
Also, lol, the hat Molly wears was a live raccoon this whole time! I SCREAMED. I love this series it is so joyous and fun. <3
I think they’re setting up a larger narrative here and I appreciate that! This concept would make a great show for Nickelodeon or Cartoon Network, or even Netflix if they wanted to adapt this comic to an animated series. I would totally watch.
Also, lol, the hat Molly wears was a live raccoon this whole time! I SCREAMED. I love this series it is so joyous and fun. <3