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wolfiegrrrl's reviews
239 reviews
Forge Your Dragon World: A Wings of Fire Creative Guide by Tui T. Sutherland, Tui T. Sutherland
funny
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
5.0
Forge Your Dragon World is a fun guide that walks fans through the process of creating their own characters, worlds, and stories using examples from the graphic novels to demonstrate.
The author begins by reassuring readers that there is no exact order in which anyone has to fill out these pages for the creative process to be successful, as inspiration comes in waves and different styles for every individual. Included is a section offering tips for how to take healthy breaks and brainstorm through creative blocks if they do get stuck.
The workbook format is an effective way to show readers the process of adapting a novel into a graphic novel and help them to decide which format resonates best with their skills and interests. There's even a breakdown of how to craft a title and design the cover of a book!
The author begins by reassuring readers that there is no exact order in which anyone has to fill out these pages for the creative process to be successful, as inspiration comes in waves and different styles for every individual. Included is a section offering tips for how to take healthy breaks and brainstorm through creative blocks if they do get stuck.
The workbook format is an effective way to show readers the process of adapting a novel into a graphic novel and help them to decide which format resonates best with their skills and interests. There's even a breakdown of how to craft a title and design the cover of a book!
The Brightest Night by Tui T. Sutherland
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
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? Yes
5.0
The Wings of Fire plot comes full circle in an incredibly satisfying way!
This original 5-book arc began with a dragon who didn’t want to be part of some great prophecy and ended with a dragon who feared that no prophecy would mean no happily ever after or greater purpose to the horrors of war and the suffering they had to face to get here. And yet the conclusion they both come to in their own ways is that it’s not silly to believe in a story if it gives you hope because at the end of the day fate is what you make of it. Your nature and the circumstances of your birth do not dictate who you are or who you choose to be.
"We’re not doing this because some prophecy told us to, but because it’s the right thing to do and there has to be a better way."
This original 5-book arc began with a dragon who didn’t want to be part of some great prophecy and ended with a dragon who feared that no prophecy would mean no happily ever after or greater purpose to the horrors of war and the suffering they had to face to get here. And yet the conclusion they both come to in their own ways is that it’s not silly to believe in a story if it gives you hope because at the end of the day fate is what you make of it. Your nature and the circumstances of your birth do not dictate who you are or who you choose to be.
"We’re not doing this because some prophecy told us to, but because it’s the right thing to do and there has to be a better way."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Gore, Violence, Kidnapping, Stalking, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body horror, Confinement, Genocide, Physical abuse, Racism, Slavery, Torture, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Classism
Minor: Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, and Terminal illness
The Dark Secret by Tui T. Sutherland
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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? Yes
4.0
After a lifetime of being told that fighting and killing are equivalent to bravery and strength and watching the rest of his friends naturally be brave in their own ways, it's Starflight's turn to discover that being brave doesn't mean not being afraid. It means being afraid and doing the right thing anyway! At the end of the day, he provides a valuable element of his own to their team in the form of diplomacy and thinking smarter instead of bloodier to outwit his opponents.
Learning more about the NightWings shows us that not only is desperation no excuse to toss aside your humanity by treating other living beings like objects but bigotry and self-supremacy is a learned bias, not an inherent truth.
Learning more about the NightWings shows us that not only is desperation no excuse to toss aside your humanity by treating other living beings like objects but bigotry and self-supremacy is a learned bias, not an inherent truth.
While the solution was always going to be a lesson in how coexistence and working together is possible if you are willing to try, given that this is a very bold allegory for racism and colonialism, it was pretty difficult for me to digest back in 2022 when I first read it. But viewing it from a different perspective in 2024, it seems to be saying that civilians are not responsible for the actions of their government and therefore should be afforded the opportunity to learn and grow. Some digs are still thrown at RainWings, but at least now it seems like that's more an effort to show that learned biases take time to correct than an attempt to still be racist in spite of knowing better.
For a middlegrade book, The Dark Secret does a decent job of showing that war criminals should take responsibility for their actions, accept the punishment they deserve for their crimes, and then make reparations and do better. Plus, it certainly doesn't try to paint the situation as black and white. Meeting others with hatred instead of understanding breeds more war and we certainly don't need anymore of that!
For a middlegrade book, The Dark Secret does a decent job of showing that war criminals should take responsibility for their actions, accept the punishment they deserve for their crimes, and then make reparations and do better. Plus, it certainly doesn't try to paint the situation as black and white. Meeting others with hatred instead of understanding breeds more war and we certainly don't need anymore of that!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Stalking, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Classism
Moderate: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Panic attacks/disorders, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Chronic illness, Infertility, Cannibalism, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Everything on a Waffle by Polly Horvath
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Everything On A Waffle is a quirky story where things just happen and then the main conflict neatly resolves itself on the last few pages. I think it was so charming to me as a kid because it reads like Primrose wrote it herself, so it feels like the story came straight from a child's imagination. As an adult, the nuance of each event is easier to pick up on and I started to understand the more realistic perspectives of the other adults in the story who tried to help her understand that maybe her mother's motives for leaving in that storm didn't necessarily come from a deep love for her child. Overall, this is a book that makes you think - no matter what age you are when you read it - and I appreciate that a whole lot.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Dementia, and Abandonment
Minor: Addiction, Death, Medical content, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Persephone: Hades' Torment by Allison Shaw
funny
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
For a book wrapped in plastic at the bookstore, I had been bracing myself for something a bit more graphic than boobs and a sprinkle of tastefully censored sex, but this was just my speed. Persephone: Hades' Torment is yet another webcomic that was compiled into a physical volume, which is noticeable right away due to its episodic nature and rather abrupt ending. And yet, regardless of how it left me wanting more development, the art style is beautiful to look at and the story itself is very wholesome!
The world around the budding Persephone x Hades dynamic is inhabited by allusions to characters from other Greek myths that may confuse you if you don't happen to know them already, but the references aren't so obscure that you would get lost in the plot if you had never heard of them. If you frequent online spaces where people talk about Greek myths - particularly concerning the titular pair - you pretty much already know this adaptation and everything else is just a delightful bonus.
I personally appreciate that Persephone has friends she can rely on outside of the developing romance, that Hades makes a point of admonishing Apollo for using magic as an excuse for his lack of self-control, and that Demeter isn't portrayed as the one-dimensional "controlling mom" character she is so often interpreted as in other retellings. The original myth about Persephone's abduction reflected an all too common practice at the time, so it might have felt like an acknowledgment of women's pain to those who heard it. Rewriting the story to be about Persephone's choice, the importance of self-control, and respecting women's boundaries and autonomy works out surprisingly well here. Demeter isn't a helicopter mom who wants to control her daughter; she is a concerned mother who knows the dangers of the world they inhabit and how important her daughter's role in it really is... and maybe doesn't always choose the best way of keeping her daughter safe or informed. At the end of the day, she is still flawed, but she is given the dignity of nuance and I can respect that.
If any of that sounds good to you, I'd say this is a story that's worth checking out.
The world around the budding Persephone x Hades dynamic is inhabited by allusions to characters from other Greek myths that may confuse you if you don't happen to know them already, but the references aren't so obscure that you would get lost in the plot if you had never heard of them. If you frequent online spaces where people talk about Greek myths - particularly concerning the titular pair - you pretty much already know this adaptation and everything else is just a delightful bonus.
I personally appreciate that Persephone has friends she can rely on outside of the developing romance, that Hades makes a point of admonishing Apollo for using magic as an excuse for his lack of self-control, and that Demeter isn't portrayed as the one-dimensional "controlling mom" character she is so often interpreted as in other retellings. The original myth about Persephone's abduction reflected an all too common practice at the time, so it might have felt like an acknowledgment of women's pain to those who heard it. Rewriting the story to be about Persephone's choice, the importance of self-control, and respecting women's boundaries and autonomy works out surprisingly well here. Demeter isn't a helicopter mom who wants to control her daughter; she is a concerned mother who knows the dangers of the world they inhabit and how important her daughter's role in it really is... and maybe doesn't always choose the best way of keeping her daughter safe or informed. At the end of the day, she is still flawed, but she is given the dignity of nuance and I can respect that.
If any of that sounds good to you, I'd say this is a story that's worth checking out.
Potty by Leslie Patricelli
funny
informative
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
The preschooler I read this book to said I should read it to my dog. His favorite part was the sounds the toddler makes while trying to use the potty.
I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato by Lauren Child
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Charlie gaslight, gatekeep, girlbosses his sister into eating her vegetables. Imagination is power!
Overall, this is not a bad start to the series. Anyone who has ever lived with a child who turns their nose up at the mere thought of trying new things can relate to Charlie's situation here. The art style is reminiscent of paper dolls occasionally interacting with with photorealistic objects in their hand drawn world, which will likely be eye-catching to the kids this series is for.
Overall, this is not a bad start to the series. Anyone who has ever lived with a child who turns their nose up at the mere thought of trying new things can relate to Charlie's situation here. The art style is reminiscent of paper dolls occasionally interacting with with photorealistic objects in their hand drawn world, which will likely be eye-catching to the kids this series is for.
Chéri, My Destiny! by Okoge Mochino
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
There's no point in beating around the bush. Everything was great until chapter 4.
Sure, there was a singular incident where one character kissed another character without asking and that didn't feel too good to read, but it led to a conversation about biphobia and bi acceptance which I felt was pretty solid despite how rushed it was. Honestly, the pacing isn't super great in general, but I was willing to accept that for the first three chapters simply because I can understand the limit to telling a whole story in that short amount of time and what I did get to see caught my interest.
And then chapter 4 starts with a character stating upfront that he doesn't want to consume alcohol. Great! A boundary has been established! But unfortunately, his partner is horny and anyone who is familiar enough with the tropes of the genre knows exactly where this is going. His partner makes the entirely grotesque decision to spike some chocolates with the specific intention of getting him drunk enough to coerce him into sex. That did not have to be the plot of this chapter. They could have had a conversation about it. Heck, if the spiked chocolate had been a mutually consensual part of their foreplay, even that would have been fine! While I can't say that the way this trope was executed here is as bad as other BL my eyes have had the misfortune of seeing, I also can't say it's excusable and it spoiled the experience of an otherwise sweet relationship for me.
Aside from that, the characters are mostly fun and likeable, the art style is very cute, and the sweets really make me wish I could see those pages in color! Even the few side characters we see are pretty enjoyable. My favorite is Miyamori, who seems super invested in his boss' life and well-being. The plot of the first three chapters and the bonus one-shots at the end is cute, mostly sweet, and a good balance of light angst and fluff. It cannot be overstated just how jarring the tonal shift of chapter 4 really is. So, brace yourself... or just skip it and enjoy the lighthearted story beats leading up to and following it like I plan to do upon any further rereads.
Sure, there was a singular incident where one character kissed another character without asking and that didn't feel too good to read, but it led to a conversation about biphobia and bi acceptance which I felt was pretty solid despite how rushed it was. Honestly, the pacing isn't super great in general, but I was willing to accept that for the first three chapters simply because I can understand the limit to telling a whole story in that short amount of time and what I did get to see caught my interest.
And then chapter 4 starts with a character stating upfront that he doesn't want to consume alcohol. Great! A boundary has been established! But unfortunately, his partner is horny and anyone who is familiar enough with the tropes of the genre knows exactly where this is going. His partner makes the entirely grotesque decision to spike some chocolates with the specific intention of getting him drunk enough to coerce him into sex. That did not have to be the plot of this chapter. They could have had a conversation about it. Heck, if the spiked chocolate had been a mutually consensual part of their foreplay, even that would have been fine! While I can't say that the way this trope was executed here is as bad as other BL my eyes have had the misfortune of seeing, I also can't say it's excusable and it spoiled the experience of an otherwise sweet relationship for me.
Aside from that, the characters are mostly fun and likeable, the art style is very cute, and the sweets really make me wish I could see those pages in color! Even the few side characters we see are pretty enjoyable. My favorite is Miyamori, who seems super invested in his boss' life and well-being. The plot of the first three chapters and the bonus one-shots at the end is cute, mostly sweet, and a good balance of light angst and fluff. It cannot be overstated just how jarring the tonal shift of chapter 4 really is. So, brace yourself... or just skip it and enjoy the lighthearted story beats leading up to and following it like I plan to do upon any further rereads.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Biphobia and Homophobia
While I'm pretty sure the use of alcohol to coerce someone into sex counts as rape here, it is framed in a way that really doesn't want you to think it's rape. So, I'm not adding the tag, but just be aware that there is the uncomfy implication that neither character really reacts to because the plot wants the readers to just accept that they were both okay with what happened.
Phantom of the Idol, Volume 1 by Hijiki Isoflavone
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Given that the author is a self-proclaimed lover of the idol world, this series doesn't seem to be making any plans to deeply explore idol culture beyond the "idols give their lives/love to their fans and their fans' love in turn keeps them moving forward" narrative that is often already perpetuated by idol media... but there could be so much potential for it down the line if the story ever becomes brave enough to address it. For the time being, I can at least appreciate the acknowledgement of how hard idols work at their job just to survive in their career.
As it is right now, the first volume focuses on introducing the main characters and the ways their clashing personalities are somehow a surprising fit for each other. There is very little development in between the establishment of the idol ghost as a plot device, the comedic ways their polar opposite personalities confuse Yuya's few loyal fans, and the brief acknowledgment that he and his partner should work on building up their relationship.
It very much seems like the goal of the plot will be to slowly develop Yuya's motivations for his current career path with each experience encouraging him to grow into an idol who wants to put in the effort for his fans, and maybe even for Asahi and Kazuki as well. The bonus panels at the end make it very clear that neither Yuya nor Asahi have any interest in romance... and yet, I find myself craving love geometry in this series.
Asahi and Kazuki have some absolutely adorable chemistry. They understand each other's feelings and insecurities about being idols, and their one sort-of date got off to a very sweet start. Plus, Kazuki already gets blushy whenever he contemplates how cool he thinks Yuya is. The potential for Asahi and Kazuki to develop feelings for each other and the shenanigans that could ensue with Yuya in the middle is too great. It is unlikely that this will happen, but there's probably fanfiction for that, so my interest is piqued.
As it is right now, the first volume focuses on introducing the main characters and the ways their clashing personalities are somehow a surprising fit for each other. There is very little development in between the establishment of the idol ghost as a plot device, the comedic ways their polar opposite personalities confuse Yuya's few loyal fans, and the brief acknowledgment that he and his partner should work on building up their relationship.
It very much seems like the goal of the plot will be to slowly develop Yuya's motivations for his current career path with each experience encouraging him to grow into an idol who wants to put in the effort for his fans, and maybe even for Asahi and Kazuki as well. The bonus panels at the end make it very clear that neither Yuya nor Asahi have any interest in romance... and yet, I find myself craving love geometry in this series.
Asahi and Kazuki have some absolutely adorable chemistry. They understand each other's feelings and insecurities about being idols, and their one sort-of date got off to a very sweet start. Plus, Kazuki already gets blushy whenever he contemplates how cool he thinks Yuya is. The potential for Asahi and Kazuki to develop feelings for each other and the shenanigans that could ensue with Yuya in the middle is too great. It is unlikely that this will happen, but there's probably fanfiction for that, so my interest is piqued.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death and Car accident
A Gift to Last (includes Angels Everywhere #4) by Debbie Macomber
Did not finish book. Stopped at 5%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 5%.
There wasn't anything wrong with the book. I had enjoyed another book by the same author and decided to pick this one up next, but I just couldn't get into it. I like the concept, just had to finally accept that I was never going to keep reading.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death and Grief