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becandbooks's reviews
1118 reviews
Slime Shop by Karina Garcia, Kevin Panetta
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
3.0
Toy Story but slime.
This is a cute junior graphic with lovable characters. The story arc is predictable, but undoubtedly the trendy adaption will make this a great read for young ones. The art style is adorable and makes this a really attractive book to pull off the shelf.
This is a cute junior graphic with lovable characters. The story arc is predictable, but undoubtedly the trendy adaption will make this a great read for young ones. The art style is adorable and makes this a really attractive book to pull off the shelf.
Content Warnings
→ trigger warnings: mind control
The Reformatory by Tananarive Due
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
An incredibly personal, gut-wrenching, and transportative story inspired by the real-life horrors of Dozier School for Boys, The Reformatory drew me in from the beginning. Going into it, I knew I was settling into a disturbing tale. Still, I wasn't prepared to become so deeply invested in the narrative—not just the story of Robert and Grace but also the tale of the institution itself.
Rooted in a time after the abolition of slavery, when ingrained racism was rampant in the lives of Americans in the South, The Reformatory begins with this racism landing young Robert Jr in the Gracetown School for Boys. It is a place where every day is a fight for survival, and the trauma of the past does not stay buried in the ground. The plot then unfolds into a rich and encompassing story, lingering with ghosts and a fierce fight for justice.
The knowledge that these ghosts, whether real or not, have a place in history is chilling. The incorporation of subtle glimpses of possible story paths through the paranormal is done beautifully. Tananarive Due has crafted a story that will both grip and haunt readers from beginning to end.
Readers considering this story should be aware that it is by absolutely no means a light read. Review the trigger warnings if you are not comfortable with graphic and disturbing content. However, beneath all the horrendous aspects is a brilliantly written story that deserves immense praise.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Torture, Forced institutionalization, and Murder
Moderate: Bullying, Gun violence, Sexism, Blood, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Slavery, Vomit, and Sexual harassment
→ trigger warnings: racism (including slurs & racial profiling), slavery mentioned, lynching mentioned, hate crimes, fire, incarceration (main theme), toxic masculinity, misogyny, bullying, child abuse, child death & murder, rape discussed, blood & injury depiction, sexual harassment, lashings, emesis/vomiting, stabbing & knife violence recounted, death from dog attack discussed, dead bodies discussed, gun violence
Ghost Book by Remy Lai
becandbooks.com ‧ the storygraph ‧ trigger warning database ‧ more links
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
A fun middle-grade graphic, chock full of ghosty delight with a mild spook factor for the littlies.
The art style and language make this graphic an easy read for younger readers, and a fun quick read for the adults. It is cartoonish and bright, while still lending a little bit of spook and grossness to our scarier characters. A great blend of juvenile horror and comedy.
The story itself is very engaging, with a crisscrossing of character timelines that is interesting but easy to follow. Inspired by Chinese mythology and Studio Ghibli, there is a thoughtful whimsy in the paranormal elements throughout the story. The plot is also grounded in a very gentle exploration of grief and friendship, making this overall a fantastic choice for readers both young and old.
Perfect for readers who loved Ghosts, Things in the Basement, or Lightfall: The Girl & the Galdurian.
The art style and language make this graphic an easy read for younger readers, and a fun quick read for the adults. It is cartoonish and bright, while still lending a little bit of spook and grossness to our scarier characters. A great blend of juvenile horror and comedy.
The story itself is very engaging, with a crisscrossing of character timelines that is interesting but easy to follow. Inspired by Chinese mythology and Studio Ghibli, there is a thoughtful whimsy in the paranormal elements throughout the story. The plot is also grounded in a very gentle exploration of grief and friendship, making this overall a fantastic choice for readers both young and old.
Perfect for readers who loved Ghosts, Things in the Basement, or Lightfall: The Girl & the Galdurian.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Death of parent
Minor: Animal death and Grief
→ trigger warnings: death and grief depiction, death of a mother and wife, near-death experiences of a child, death of a pet dog
Zatanna: The Jewel of Gravesend by Alys Arden
mysterious
medium-paced
3.0
A really fun, quick dive into a world that blends superheroes with Houdini-esque magic.
This graphic novel has a great artistic vibe, with a wonderful colour palette. It depicts the hustle of Coney Island, from its theme park rides to the dingey little psychic shops, seamlessly blending the location into the story itself.
This is a great pick for readers who aren't familiar with the DC Universe - I jumped into the graphic with no previous knowledge of Zantanna's character and it didn't hinder the reading experience in the slightest. Overall, The Jewel of Gravesend is a fun and well-paced graphic for anyone who is intrigued by the art and synopsis.
This graphic novel has a great artistic vibe, with a wonderful colour palette. It depicts the hustle of Coney Island, from its theme park rides to the dingey little psychic shops, seamlessly blending the location into the story itself.
This is a great pick for readers who aren't familiar with the DC Universe - I jumped into the graphic with no previous knowledge of Zantanna's character and it didn't hinder the reading experience in the slightest. Overall, The Jewel of Gravesend is a fun and well-paced graphic for anyone who is intrigued by the art and synopsis.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Death
→ trigger warnings: death and grief depiction, death of a partner
Mamo by Sas Milledge
adventurous
medium-paced
5.0
Mamo is a fantastically paced graphic novel about a young, reluctant hedge witch - Orla - who gets dragged back to a place she wishes she left behind. Orla teams up with Jo to face what the death of her grandmother Mamo has left behind for her former hometown.
With gorgeous artwork and loveable main characters, readers will be met with a wholesome adventure that can be happily consumed in a single sitting. You will left wanting more, just because it is just so darn enjoyable.
Milledge is absolutely an author/illustrator I will be revisiting without hesitation.
With gorgeous artwork and loveable main characters, readers will be met with a wholesome adventure that can be happily consumed in a single sitting. You will left wanting more, just because it is just so darn enjoyable.
Milledge is absolutely an author/illustrator I will be revisiting without hesitation.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death
→ trigger warnings: death of a grandparent
Coming Back by Jessi Zabarsky
emotional
hopeful
relaxing
medium-paced
4.0
A simple and gentle story about adaptation and community, Coming Back is unique in that it feels both simple and grand. Stretching across different places and communities, this could have been much grander if the author had chosen. However, the simplicity and concentration on the primary story of a young couple kept apart and a child holds the story on their own.
The story artfully touches on much deeper themes such as the longing to be a parent and going against cultural traditions. These nods to deeper topics are not explicitly delved into but are undoubtedly present, giving this quick read a level of depth and meaning.
The story artfully touches on much deeper themes such as the longing to be a parent and going against cultural traditions. These nods to deeper topics are not explicitly delved into but are undoubtedly present, giving this quick read a level of depth and meaning.
Content Warnings
Minor: Infertility
→ trigger warnings: infertility hinted at (fantastical), banishment
Inkblot, Volume 1 by Emma Kubert, Rusty Gladd
Created by accident, a magical black cat lives up to the joke as he involves himself in the lives of a magical ruling family across multiple dimensions. Quick-paced and twisty, Inkblot is a story that will have you chuckling across time and space as the amusing little character finds themselves as a key player in a much more serious fantasy story.
This is, without a doubt, a story that I will be following further, and I look forward to both the antics of our new furry friend and the intricate weavings of an intriguing fantasy story.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
4.0
It is not uncommon to hear people refer to black cats as voids. Inkblot is about this in the most literal sense.
Created by accident, a magical black cat lives up to the joke as he involves himself in the lives of a magical ruling family across multiple dimensions. Quick-paced and twisty, Inkblot is a story that will have you chuckling across time and space as the amusing little character finds themselves as a key player in a much more serious fantasy story.
This is, without a doubt, a story that I will be following further, and I look forward to both the antics of our new furry friend and the intricate weavings of an intriguing fantasy story.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
→ trigger warnings: death of a brother, decapitation, blood & injuries, war themes, knife & sword violence
House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski
Did not finish book. Stopped at 14%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 14%.
I still have a great curiosity for this book and may revisit it again, at a different time. But overall the book is much more dense and within its own world than I anticipated. It is a book that asks for a level of mental capacity and commitment, which I just don't have available at the moment.
From what I read, however, it is easy to understand how some readers become so invested in the story, but also how others struggle to find a story that is for them.
This is perfect for anyone who is chasing something like The Black Tapes podcast.
From what I read, however, it is easy to understand how some readers become so invested in the story, but also how others struggle to find a story that is for them.
This is perfect for anyone who is chasing something like The Black Tapes podcast.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Murder
Minor: Alcoholism, Drug use, Gun violence, Vomit, and Alcohol
→ trigger warnings: drug and alcohol use, alcoholism recounted, graphic body horror, murder mentioned (specifically of a sex worker), blood depiction recounted, graphic animal death/cruelty (decapitation) mentioned, gun violence, emesis,
Food For Thought by Ariana Ferrante
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.75
Food for Thought is a fantastic jump into the mythology of a lesser-known deity, Limos the Deity of Hunger and Famine. The prose captured the atmosphere of legends wonderfully and Ferrante perfectly depicts the righteousness and spite familiar to the characters from Greek mythology.
It weaves into a story of 'more than meets the eye', embodying the Goddesses - and their relationship - within the story with a personality that resonates with more mortal stories, despite the brief length of the book. This could easily have been developed into a full-length novel but no doubt holds its own at its current size as well.
It weaves into a story of 'more than meets the eye', embodying the Goddesses - and their relationship - within the story with a personality that resonates with more mortal stories, despite the brief length of the book. This could easily have been developed into a full-length novel but no doubt holds its own at its current size as well.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror and Cannibalism
Moderate: Animal death and Blood
→ trigger warnings: animal death/sacrifice, body horror, cannibalism, blood & gore, kidnapping mentioned, starvation (key theme)
Where Carrion Gods Dance by Brad C. Hodson
Did not finish book. Stopped at 28%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 28%.
The first five stories of this collection have a lot of variety, are well-written and are enjoyable during the moment. But I'm just not super drawn to picking this collection up to finish it. This may just be my overall growing disinterest in short story collections, however, and I have no reason not to recommend this book to readers looking for a good horror story collection.
Content Warnings
→ trigger warnings: (Story 1) physical assault, murder, alcohol consumption (Story 2) child death, grief, suicide (Story 3) stalking, slut-shaming, infertility, knife violence/stabbing, blood depiction, cannibalism, gun violence recounted, murder (Story 4) hallucinations, alcohol consumption, self-harm, suffocation (Story 5) death of father