rainbowofcrazy's reviews
207 reviews

Parlez-Vous Murder? by Susan Kiernan-Lewis
Did not finish book. Stopped at 30%.

It kind of lost me the moment it went from cozy mystery to apocalypse. I wanted to stick it out but I'm just not enjoying the writing and the MC is incredibly unlikeable. 

Batman: White Knight Presents: Harley Quinn by Katana Collins

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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

4.0

I’ve really enjoyed the White Knight series. Harley Quinn takes center stage here and this is probably my favourite iteration of HQ. She’s layered and interesting and not just batshit (pun intended) crazy. I dig it, and the entire fascinating storyline in this universe. I also LOVE the art in this series. Amazing. 

Alpha by Jasinda Wilder

dark mysterious 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? Yes

2.25

This book was definitely a crazy adventure. I really wanted to like it but y’know.. just.. dammit, it just wasn’t working for me, fam. The main character suddenly receives mysterious checks, no idea who sent it, but deposits every single one of them over the course of a full year, and never questions it. Not working for me.

Suddenly she’s being collected by her mysterious benefactor, which I think was pretty comparable to being kidnapped, and has to live with him, while being blindfolded every time he's there, never knowing who he is and what his intentions are. Mm not working for me.

The way he talked, oof. The dialogue really wasn’t working for me. And Kyrie’s often incredibly long internal monologues didn’t help either. Neither lead was likable. Dude was downright creepy at times and I really did not like him.

The reveals, whew, those threw me for a loop. I didn’t love them, and even his reason for using a blindfold was creepy. The spice? Well.. extra point for the spice 🤷‍♀️There was no shortage of it. The chemistry was enjoyable, despite the way he talked (I still can’t get over that. This would not be a real person. I refuse to believe it.) 

Snug Harbor Stories, Volume 2: A Wallace the Brave Collection! by Will Henry

funny lighthearted 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

5.0

I’m a very new fan of Wallace the Brave and I absolutely love the comics! The comic strips are funny and charming and wholesome, with a touch of Calvin & Hobbes flavour while still being its own unique thing. Volume 2 brings more joy and delight from Snug Harbor and I adored it.

The Talented Mrs. Mandelbaum: The Rise and Fall of an American Organized-Crime Boss by Margalit Fox

informative medium-paced

3.25

I had no idea who Fredericka Mandelbaum was and finding out that a woman became a crime boss in New York in the 1800s blew my mind! This book covers a lot about what the life organized crime was like back then and how Mandelbaum gained her notoriety.

I admit I’m not sure I loved the format of the book. It was a bit too all over the place for me. I really wanted to know more about this queen of crime, but the book often moved to different topics like other criminals and the criminal world in general. And I gotta say, I felt like I didn’t really need to know every detail about how to rob a bank in the 1800s (but whew, I can also safely say that my brain immediately forgot all the details so please don’t count on me to help with future bank heists.)

This was a pretty short read / listen but it still felt a little too bloated with extra information that didn’t quite keep me invested as I wanted to be. But IMO it’s worth a look at to learn about this fascinating woman and how she reigned until the end. Also, bonus points to Saskia Maarleveld for a fantastic narration. 

The Pumpkin Spice Café by Laurie Gilmore

funny lighthearted relaxing 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? Yes

3.0

I have a soft spot for cozy reads, and this hit a lot of the cozy checklist. ✔️ Main character moves from the big city life they were so used to, to a small town where everyone knows everyone’s business. ✔️ Main character inherits a business and has to quickly learn the ins and outs while ✔️ a potential love interest turns their world upside down. Also ✔️ cat. Check, check, check! This book hits all the notes, with a dose of ✔️ spice for extra seasoning 🌶️

I enjoyed the writing, but this may be the fastest love-at-first-sight book I’ve read so far. The attraction was so immediate that I got whiplash. I’m okay-ish with ✔️ fast romances but damn, dial it back a bit, you crazy kids – oh wait, you’re like in your late twenties?? What? At the same time, the two leads ✔️ just could not decide what they wanted. Add in some ✔️ miscommunication, and it made for a frustrating read. The “mystery” part of the story also felt rather lackluster, though everything wraps up for a ✔️ mostly satisfying and cute end.

On the plus side, it was a fairly quick, easy read with some laugh out loud moments that I really appreciated, which bumps my rating up a bit.

The town of Dream Harbor has potential with a cast of potentially interesting characters, but I don’t know if I’ll stick around for more. 

Well, This Is Me: A Cartoon Collection from the New Yorker's Asher Perlman by Asher Perlman

funny lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

5.0

I loved the humour that Asher Perlman managed to fit into single panels. From everything from life, work, and relationships, I don’t want to say that I was horribly personally attacked by a good chunk of this collection.. but nah I’m happy to say that I was horribly personally attacked by a good chunk of this collection. Highly recommend. 

Ascender, Vol. 1: The Haunted Galaxy by Dustin Nguyen, Jeff Lemire

adventurous emotional mysterious sad tense 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? No

4.0

I absolutely LOVED the art. The watercolour treatment was a pure delight. I also really enjoyed the story about a family trying to survive this unusual reign of terror and I am completely invested in more.

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious 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

5.0

The Starless Sea was a whirlwind of a book, IMO in the best way possible. I like being intrigued and this book intrigued me! The stories were so varied, every chapter seemingly random, but everything was so much more than it seemed at first glance. And once pieces started to fit together, it really became a lovely work of art. 

There’s friendship and romance and magic and mysterious doors and mysterious cats and owls and books and stories and the sun and the moon and the starless sea. There’s a lot. It’s pretty messy, not gonna lie, this is a MESSY book, but ultimately that’s what made it so fun.

YMMV, of course. I’m not sure I could recommend this to everyone. It won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but you won’t know until you try.

Alien : Thaw by Declan Shalvey

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

I enjoyed this comic more than I expected to. I enjoyed the dynamic with the main (unlikable) characters mixed with the touches of horror. Would read more.