WARNING: The Moonstone Isle Series by Ashley Adams is intended for audiences ages eighteen and older. These books contain content not suitable for some audiences.

The Moonstone Isle Series is set to consist of four books. The first book, Tides of Floral Dreams, has a new cover! See the former cover and read my reviews for this series below.

I received a free copy as an ARC reader from the author in exchange for an honest review. Touched by the Arcane releases June 29th, 2026.

Age restriction: This novel is intended for audiences ages eighteen and older.

Synopsis️

There are the Watchers, beings with purist ideologies and a belief that they have been blessed by the absent gods. Then, there are those who are touched by the Arcane, a vile and monstrous magic that stems from the seven hells. The Watchers live within their secure temples, away from the ungoverned district where the Arcane runs rampant within the veins of its inhabitants.

Evangeline is the daughter of the Alpha Watcher. She has an illness her father is desperate to cure, taking any measures necessary—no matter how cruel. Torn between staying and leaving the safety of the Watchers, she meets four vampire males in an unexpected turn of events: Sterling, Ezekiel, Quinn, and Aamon. They are members of a biker crew called the Blood Order.

Two of the males are drawn to her instantly, like there’s an unseen force pulling them together. The other two are more hesitant, suspicious, and angry. The Watchers haven’t been kind to those touched by the Arcane, and now they have the daughter of the Alpha in their presence. While seduction and safety approaches Evangeline from one side, primal threats and hatred approach from the other. Is Evangeline a prisoner, an asset, a hindrance, or something no one could have ever imagined?

️Review

If you liked Vampire Knight, Interview with the Vampire, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the spin-off series Angel, then you’ll love Touched by the Arcane by Lindsey N. Rhoden.

The first page introduces readers to an intense environment. I was immediately enraptured. The world-building, the gods, seven hells, and the Arcane are super intriguing. I loved the exposition and learning more about these elements as I continued reading.

Evangeline’s instant take to the bedroom with two of the guys left me like, “What? You’re doing the nasty already? That didn’t take long.” And the other two guys had the same exact reactions. It was hilarious! There were other times I cackled because of how the males all interact with each other. The four of them have great chemistry and distinct personalities.

Aamon’s my favorite of the four males. I love how he tries to suppress the monster within, but it backfires and only makes him more violent. I could tell he was going to be difficult to sway about Evangeline’s presence. His need for control leads to juicy tension within the crew.

I also love how Evangeline is compliant, but she’s trying to break that habit. She was raised in a toxic environment that put ideas into her head that she is unworthy, unwanted, and unloved. The males that enter her life show her that it’s all a lie. She is worthy, wanted, and loved.

I was not expecting the twists that occurred. They left me enraged and caught off guard every time. So good! I cannot wait for book two!

️Content warnings️

Violence, physical and psychological abuse, gore, blood rituals, explicit sexual content, foul language, nudity, and religious trauma.

Thanks for reading!

Until next time,

S.N. Anderson

Here are some of the books I reviewed between 2024 and 2026. I recommend them! Please note that the following books are intended for audiences ages eighteen and older. To read more of my reviews, click here.

2026 Recs & Reviews

2025 Recs & Reviews

2024 Recs & Reviews

End of post.

Synopsis

In the quaint city of Haeseong set in 1999, there’s a toxic chemical spill at a dump site. Citizens start going missing, a mysterious cult forms, and whispers of the apocolypse spread throughout the community.

Eun Chae-ni is a twenty-seven-year-old female who’s considered the hot mess in her community. She suffers from a heart condition. She knows she’s going to die, so she’s stopped caring and acts out. Her erratic behavior has earned her the nickname, “Train Wreck.”

Mr. Son regularly complains to Haeseong City Hall, disturbing the peace. He’s an embarrassment to his wife and daughter and has earned himself the nickname “Nightmare.”

Ro-bin works with Chae-ni in her grandmother’s restaurant peeling onions. He’s a sensative soul, earning the nickname “King of the Saps.”

In an uncanny turn of events, the three outcasts gain quirky superpowers. As they navigate their new abilities, they meet Lee Woon-Jeong, nicknamed “Mr. Oddball.” He also has abilities of his own, and he unwillingly becomes their mentor.

When a sinister force discovers the quartet, they must avoid being captured, facing foes who contain frightening powers of their own. Dark secrets from the past are revealed, life-altering events occur, and the outcasts must save the city.

Review

I finished watching The Wonderfools,1 a limited series on Netflix. It’s like Stranger Things2 meets a Korean drama. It’s an adventure-comedy, and I’d go as far as to argue it’s superior to the Stranger Things franchise. In all honesty, I enjoyed this show so much more!

I loved the character development, the cliffhangers, and how the mysteries twisted and turned. It left me wanting more and needing to know what happened next. I hope there’s another season, even though it’s listed as a limited series.

I also enjoyed that the characters are adults with jobs, families, and personal struggles. Their reactions to events and situations were humorous and relatable. I enjoyed piecing together the puzzle within each episode and seeing how it all fit together in the end.

There is an English dub option, and the voice actors did a good job matching the tone fluctuation for specific scenes. Now I want to re-watch the show with the original Korean audio.

The hero’s journey3 is well-rounded and a lot of loose ends are tied up. However, there were some parts where I was like, “They didn’t cover that.”

SPOILERS

For instance, a character is stabbed, clearly in pain and gushing blood. This person is not able to do much for most of the scene, but by the end of it, this individual seems fine. In my head I thought, “I don’t remember regenerative healing being a part of this person’s power.” And there were some parts where people who had abilities were getting sick and needed a cure. While some died, others ended up being fine. I was left wondering, “So, they don’t need a cure? They miraculously healed? I’m confused.”

Overall Impression

Overall, it was a very entertaining show, and I highly recommend it! I believe this will be your next binge-worthy show. Also, as a little clue, the fish image for this post is relevant to the show. If you do watch The Wonderfools, I’d be interested to know what you think!

Leave a comment

Content Warnings

Experimentation on children, children deaths, psychological turmoil, foul language, dark humor, and gore.

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Introduction

Find ways to connect with fellow readers, learn about star ratings, become an ARC reader, understand content warnings and what spice in literature means, and discover fun bookish merch!

Conclusion

I hope this guide is helpful to you on your reading adventures!

NOTICE

I received a free copy as an ARC reader from the author in exchange for an honest review. The book will be publicly available on June 21st, 2026.

Feathers of the Knight by Ashley Adams is intended for adult audiences. This is the third book in the Moonstone Isle Series. As with all the books I read that contain spice, I read these books for the characters and the story. If you’re like me where you love the characters but not the spice, be aware that there’s some content you’ll want to skip.

Synopsis

After her brother Steston left with Jade to live at the Coral Cove Kingdom, Princess Ivy is next in line for the Bloomhaven Kingdom throne. She’s resistent to her royal training, and, according to her grumpy guard Myles, she’s “a royal pain in the behind.”

Ivy and Myles are constantly at odds with each other, and they are forced to take a two-to-three-day carriage ride together to the Coral Cove Kingdom to celebrate Jade’s birthday. As events unfold that force proximity between Ivy and Myles, what was detestment for one another blossoms into something else. However, they both know it is forbidden. Myles isn’t a royal, and he can’t wield magic; two essential components Ivy’s prince charming needs.

As they navigate through their feelings for each other, the world around them is literally crumbling, revealing mysteries and monsters. Altered memories, secrets from the past, the arrival of pirates, an unforgivable trade, and a mysterious plague of decay and disastrous weather all threaten the Isle and the four kingdoms. What’s going to happen next?

Read the full synopsis here on Goodreads and add Feathers of the Knight on your to-be-read list (TBR). This is the third book in the Moonstone Isle Series by Ashley Adams. If you haven’t already, check out book one, Tides of Floral Dreams, and book two, Shadows of the Timberland. Add these to your TBR, too. These are fairytale-retelling-adventures you won’t want to miss.

Book Review

The men are protective of their women when danger is at large, and I love it. It was great having everyone from the previous books reunite for Jade’s birthday celebration and catch up: Jade and Stetson, Nova and Flint, Ivy and Myles.

At first, I agreed with Ivy about Myles’s hard exterior. I was like, “Jeez. Myles is such a jerk.” But then, he started showing his softer side and his character started growing on me.

I love how Myles and Ivy hate each other; and, at the same time, secretly don’t hate each other. I wish there was a little bit more verbal banter, but they banter with each other through their expressions too, which was refreshing and something I haven’t read before.

Sometimes the romance felt a little rushed. I wanted more tension and additional scenes that added to the “I hate you” to “I love you” atmosphere. However, I enjoyed the way Ivy teases Myles with constant visits from her bird friends and that she used her wind power to manipulate the air and taunt him with molted feathers. It’s the perfect call back to the title. I wanted more of it because Ivy’s a royal pain in Myles’s behind, and I cackled.

This is a reversed Cinderella retelling. I loved the masquerade ball. I didn’t want the night to end. I loved the atmosphere, mystery, attire, and Cinderella-at-the-ball vibes. I wish there was a little more build-up and obscurity to Ivy’s mystery man and additional interaction between them. However, I loved that instead of a slipper being left behind, it’s a weapon. I thought that was very clever.

I like how the descriptions of the scenery and attire aren’t over-done and that I didn’t need to pause to piece everything together to form a picture in my head. The descriptions are easy to piece together and allowed room for my imagination to take over. That’s one of the things I love about Ashley Adams’s writing. The descriptions are easy to understand and I adore the cozy vibes. Until danger strikes. Then my anxiety takes over.

If you haven’t already, read book one, Tides of Floral Dreams and book two, Shadows of the Timberland. You won’t want to miss out on these adventures and the adventures to come in book four! For updates about the Moonstone Isle Series and Ashley Adams’s other writing projects, follow her on Instagram.

Content Warnings

Explicit sexual scenes, foul language, alcohol, and flood-related natural disasters.

Book One - Tides of Floral Dreams

I love the vibe of this book because of the libraries, adventures, beach themes, and elemental and seasonal magic. It’s a cozy, magical read. It’s a book to cuddle up next to the fireplace with or even on a sandy beach! I’d describe this book as “Disney magic with a pinch of spicy pixie dust.”

Click here to read my review for book one, Tides of Floral Dreams.

Book Two - Shadows of the Timberland

I LOVED IT! The book captivated me from page one! I was eager to come back to the book and learn more about Flint, Nova, and the Underworld. I also love the imagery! Some scenes play out like a movie in my head. Particularly, the action sequences. So cool!

Click here to read my review for book two, Shadows of the Timberland.

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The Haven, The Hallow, and the Highborn

Introduction

Have you recently gotten into reading? Do you want to find fellow readers but aren’t sure where to look? Here are three wonderful bookish communities to look into.

Book Clubs

Find a local book club at the library, university, independent bookstore, or neighborhood. You can even create a book club with friends or family.

Group members take turns picking a book to read before each meeting. Everyone reads the book over a given timeline. Once the timeline ends, the group meets to discuss the book. Hold weekly or monthly meetings, and don’t forget refreshments!

Goodreads

Goodreads is a great place to connect with readers and authors online. You can create digital bookshelves listing books you’ve read, want to read, are currently reading, and did not finish. You can also read book reviews and write your own.

There are regular free giveaways that you can enter for a chance to win a book. There are annual reading challenges where you can aim to read a specific number of books that year, and Goodreads will track your reading progress based on the books you’ve marked as read.

You can add people as friends, view what they are reading, and make book recommendations. There are also a variety of discussion groups you can join on Goodreads. You can even make your own.

Bookstagram

Instagram has an amazing community of writers, authors, and readers. This community is known as Bookstagram. I’ve connected with so many wonderful people that I wouldn’t have otherwise networked with if I hadn’t discovered Instagram. Instagram is a great place to interact with fellow readers through book review posts and recommendations.

Conclusion

I hope this helps you find a group of people who share your love for books!

Introduction

These books contain mature themes that are intended for audiences ages eighteen and older. Read the book blurb on Goodreads and add The Sirians Series to your to-read list.

I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review before its release date. Chaos Governs Thrones by K.M. Davidson is the fourth book in The Sirians Series.

Synopsis

Reva finally knows who she is and where she came from. She is a force to be reckoned with. Reva and her friends struggle to convince neighboring kingdoms to support them in their fight against the Abysmal. Princess Elly and her twin brother Prince Tariq must deal with the arranged marriages that threaten to tear apart their romantic relationships. Will they all survive what is to come?

Review

I absolutely devoured this book. I love this series, and this is my favorite book yet. I cannot wait for book five!

This story brings everything together from the last three books. From characters communicating and connecting, to unknown lineages and secret histories being revealed, it’s a complex puzzle near completion. It was so fun getting each reveal and the answers to questions throughout the read.

I love how the characters are comfortable and interact freely with each other. It makes them feel relatable and human. The characters are there for each other emotionally and deeply care. It’s awesome.

The royal politics are very interesting, too. It causes great suspense throughout the book, creating conflict for the characters and their established romantic relationships. Will they be forced to say goodbye and enter into a political marriage? Or is there another way? Find out on April 6th, 2026.

Content Warnings

Be aware that there is a lot of explicit sexual content in this book, so if you’re like me and open-door spice isn’t your cup of tea, be prepared to skip some pages.

Additional content you might like from Writing Tips & More relating to this series:

Introduction

As a writer, I conduct an exercise where I critique the character development, dialogue, and stories of films. This helps me to practice better critiquing my own stories.

Synopsis

The land is divided—the fairy kingdom and the dark forest. Primroses grow along the border that separates the two territories, and their petals can be used to create love potions. Every spring, the dark forest cuts down the primroses to prohibit anyone from getting a petal to make the potion.

Marianne is the princess of the fairy kingdom, the eldest daughter. She is in love with Rowland, a dashing prince, and she is set to marry him. While blissfully content with love, she is soon heartbroken when she discovers the man she loves is insincere about their relationship.

Marianne becomes hardened, trying to protect her younger sister Dawn from making the same mistake she did: falling in love.

Sunny is an elf within the fairy kingdom, and he’s in love with Dawn, but Dawn only admires him as a friend.

Rowland desires a love potion to force Marianne to love him, and he uses Sunny’s desire for Dawn’s love to do his bidding.

Sunny manages to get a primrose petal and sneaks into the dark forest where the plum fairy has been locked away. She makes the potion for him, instructing him to dust the woman he loves and have him be the first person she sees for the potion to work. She also instructs him to keep the potion from getting into the hands of a mischievous imp.

Sunny returns to the fairy kingdom and manages to dust Dawn with the potion. However, things go awry when the imp snatches the potion from him. On top of that, the Bog King shows up, angered that someone had concocted a love potion, demanding it be returned. Now that the potion is no longer in Sunny’s possession, the Bog King kidnaps Dawn as leverage for the fairy kingdom to give him the love potion.

The mischievous imp plays cupid, dusting creatures within both the fairy kingdom and the dark forest, unleashing a love-sick plague.

Marianne confronts the Bog King, demanding her sister’s return. However, the two unexpectedly bond over their distaste for love, finding a connection between them that neither expected.

Critique

I watched this movie a few years ago. I thought it was cheesy and weird. But then I rewatched it recently (a few times), and now, accustomed to the cheesy and strange aspect, I’ve accepted it. Now, I quite enjoy the film.

The music is good (better than the original songs they were adapted from, I dare say), the animation is quite amazing, and I love the cinematic scene transitions. For example, Marianne and Rowland are in different locations, singing a duet of “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” twirling around flower stems, and each turn seamlessly transforms from Marianne to Rowland. I thought that was a beautiful use of cinematography.

Another example is when Sunny is in the dark forest, surrounded by mist, and the scene transitions back to the fairy kingdom with Marianne parting that mist with her sword as she practices using the weapon blindfolded.

On the other hand, the dialogue, character development, and story feel underdeveloped, and I have some critiques.

Love

While it says love is prohibited in the land, it should have been clarified that love potions are prohibited because that is what the Bog King is trying to prevent. Because if love itself were prohibited, then Marianne wouldn’t have fallen in love with Rowland, or they’d have to keep their love a secret.

It would make more sense if it were primarily the potion that was prohibited instead of love itself, and that’d more clearly explain why the goblins cut down the primroses because they don’t want anyone getting a petal for the sugar plum fairy to make the potion with. I believe that was the goal for the film, but because it wasn’t clarified, it left me a little confused. I felt like that led to inconsistencies in the story.

Marianne

Marianne is perky and peppy at the beginning of the film, but becomes a “tough girl” after Rowland cheats on her. But when talking to the Bog King, she said she didn’t feel like Rowland wanted her to act like herself and be something else, so I would have liked to see that version of Marianne a bit more before discovering Rowland was insincere.

Although a little bit is shown when she swings his sword around, it felt more like a goofy, “helpless maiden needing a man to wield the sword,” instead of a “tough girl wants to learn how to fight.” I would have liked to see that tough side of her at the beginning, maybe asking him to teach her to fight, and he disapproved.

Although films are limited by how much run time they can have (at least back then), I think there should have been a quick scene adjustment to demonstrate what Marianne wants versus what Rowland wants in their relationship. Because, from my understanding, the film touches on Marianne’s desire for love and marriage with Rowland, and Rowland wants the crown and an army, but I feel like there should have been another hint of what Marianne wanted the relationship with Rowland to be like.

For example, wanting him to teach her how to fight and build a stronger bond by being warriors together, and having him deny her that would have added additional depth to their relationship and demonstrated what is lacking. Marianne bonds with the Bog King by fighting, and I think having Rowland be disgusted by the thought of a woman fighting or refusing to teach her would have further solidified what lacks in their relationship. It would have added a nice transition from Marianne’s relationship with Rowland to her relationship with the Bog King.

When Marianne pledges she will never fall in love again, I wish the montage of her learning how to use the sword included practicing night and day to allude that time has passed. For me, as a viewer, everything seemed to happen on the same day, leading into the night, and concluding the following morning. So, she pledges not to fall in love again, only to fall in love the next day? That’s anti-climactic.

Sunny

When the Bog King takes Dawn, Marianne should have been more furious with Sunny for using the love potion on her sister. When he says he’ll rescue Dawn, Marianne says, “No, it’s too dangerous,” insisting she has to be the one to do it. But, after demonstrating how feisty and untamed she is earlier (particularly when fighting off the lizard), she felt too calm in her reaction to what he had done.

I would have preferred it if she said, “No. You’ve done enough,” a harsh burn, and then gone to rescue her sister. Then, instead of telling Sunny to get the love potion back, he should have decided to do that himself since he started this mess and desired redemption.

Bog King

Instead of being mopey and saying, “I’m too hideous to love,” he should have said, “I’m too evil to love,” in an angry tone instead of a self-loathing tone—or something along those lines. He sings a song with the lyrics, “‘Cause I'm evil. My middle name is misery,” and because no song he sings indicates that he thinks he’s hideous, it would have made more sense if he believed he was evil because he tried to force someone to love him. Then, the rejection he received from the female he desired after using it confirmed for him that he was too evil instead of thinking the rejection stemmed from being “too ugly.”

That would have made more sense as to why he doesn’t want love to exist (because he doesn’t believe it exists for him, even with a love potion, so it shouldn’t exist for anyone else), and further solidify his stigma for being evil. That way, when Marianne says, “You’re not hideous,” she could have said, “You’re not evil,” letting him know that she has gotten to know him and sees a different side of him that most don’t know about. That way, there’s a deeper, emotional connection between them in addition to what they have in common that draws them together.

Theory About Dawn

Dawn’s love spell is broken when she realizes she loves Sunny. However, the love potion doesn’t work when the individual is already in love with somebody else. So, how did this work?

Maybe it was the spell reactivating because Sunny wanted her to love him in the first place, and he had the potion made for her specifically. At the end of the film, at the beginning of the song, “Tell Him,” Dawn sings to Marianne, “I know something about love.” However, she was a flirt at the beginning of the film, and she didn’t love anyone in particular.

It made me wonder if Dawn is still under the love spell somehow, and it has simply switched to Sunny because the Bog King, whom she was under the spell for, had fallen in love with Marianne. So maybe the spell also has a reverse effect. For instance, perhaps Dawn would then fall for the next person she sees after her affection for the Bog King wears off because he now loves Marianne, and the influence Dawn is under no longer applies to him. Therefore, the next person she sees is Sunny, and the love potion reactivates.

Rowland

At the end of the film, Rowland gets dusted by the love potion. Under the influence of the spell, he then falls in love with the fly that Griselda tried to set up the Bog King with. However, I think it would have been more fitting if he fell in love with himself.

Rowland should have fallen beside water or something reflective, seen his reflection, and fallen for himself since he was already so self-absorbed. That, to me, would have been true justice for his character instead of that poor fly who wanted love and is now getting affection that isn’t real.

Also, this whole time I thought Rowland was a knight, but after doing a quick search, it turns out he’s a prince. I don’t recall that ever being stated in the film. I thought he was a knight or soldier who wanted to lead his own army, and that’s why he wanted to marry Marianne. But since he was already a prince, why didn’t he already have an army? Why does he need the army of Marianne’s kingdom?

How does the royalty in the fairy kingdom work? Where did Rowland even come from? Does every royal family live together alongside non-royals under the rule of one fairy king? Do no other fairy kingdoms exist? I’m perplexed.

Conclusion

I know it’s a kids’ movie, and there’s only so much time that can be applied to a film. That’s probably why details are vague, but there are many things about this world and the characters that I want clarification for.

That’s why I enjoy doing these exercises. They make me think more deeply about details. While practicing this skill, I can develop and apply it to my stories, catching inconsistencies and details that need clarification before sending my work off to beta readers.

I was an ARC reader and received a free digital copy from the author in exchange for an honest review. Sundered Heavens is the first book in The Andromedans Duology.

NOTICE: This book is intended for audiences ages eighteen and older.

Synopsis

Ten Gods rule the Eonia Realm together—but a prophecy is about to change everything.

When a vision foretells the extinction of every Being on Aveesh, Asteria is thrust back into the inner workings of the Gods—an arena she wants nothing to do with. As the Gods fracture into warring factions and an unknown illness spreads through the human villages, tensions rise, and the fragile balance between humans and powerful Beings teeters on the edge of collapse. Some whisper of prophecy, others of conspiracy, but one thing is certain: Aveesh stands on the precipice of chaos.

A powerful seer burdened by glimpses of the future, a queen caught between loyalty and survival, an immortal forced to reckon with the truth of her own destiny, and a goddess forced to stand as a mediator between warring immortals—all desperate to maintain balance. As Paths intertwine, their bonds and the foundations of immortality itself will be tested.

With Fate unraveling and betrayal lurking in every shadow, Asteria must decide what she’s willing to risk to protect the world… and the man who is tempting her to leave it all behind.

Book Review

Meh.

I was so excited for this book. The story idea was so interesting, and I loved that the book was dedicated to English majors.

However, when I started reading, I wasn’t enthralled, and I was disappointed in myself for not loving it like I desperately wanted to.

Some descriptions were cool. Some snarky lines from the characters made me laugh out loud, and I have some favorite quotes. However, for the majority of what I read, I found myself regularly getting bored and skimming.

The majority of the descriptions didn’t captivate me as much as the author’s other books have. I found myself skimming. A lot.

I was irritated by how lustful everyone was. They are gods, after all, but still. I got tired of it. K.M. Davidson’s connected series to this duology, the Sirians Series, includes some lust, but the characters also have meaningful connections that outweigh the sexual desire. At least that's how I felt after reading the first three books. Not sure what direction books four and five will take.

There’s nothing that got me to care about the characters in the first few chapters of Sundered Heavens, either.

The characters in Sundered Heavens don’t seem to care about each other either, except for the potential physical pleasure a person or persons could offer the individual’s desires. An emotional bond might form later between characters in this book, and I just haven’t gotten to it yet, but I wasn’t too thrilled about the blatant objectification. I’m honestly getting tired of love stories that develop based on lust.

I’d like to see a little bit more of emotional connection and meaningful moments in the beginning between characters that are meant to be love interests, instead of their relationships developing solely based on lust. The meaningful moments should be prioritized as what comes before intimacy, not after, as so many books (and movies, for that matter) seem to be doing nowadays.

The characters also ramble sometimes with information in their dialogue. That was another thing I’d end up skimming through because the conversations were too lengthy.

Information was spread out nicely in the Sirians Series, but it felt more clumped together in this book. Maybe that’s because this book is a duology instead of a planned five-book series, so it was more difficult to accomplish this. I can understand that.

In the first few chapters that I read, the writing felt rushed and not as neatly crafted as other works by this author. I do understand life gets busy, but I also can’t help but wonder, since she is independently published and creates her own timelines without traditional publishers breathing down her neck, why the writing doesn’t feel more polished.

The gods and goddesses are also numerous and complex, and my brain just couldn’t handle all of the names and powers associated with the deities and additional information in this book.

None of the characters captured my attention except Rod and Asteria, but even then, it still wasn’t enough to want me to keep reading.

I’m a slow reader, and I have to stay captivated to want to keep reading. The three books published in the five-book Sirians Series by K.M. Davidson have done that for me so far, but this book just doesn’t cut it. I desperately wanted to be excited about this book and eager to read the next chapter and the chapters after that, but I wasn’t. Therefore, I decided to add this book to my DNF (did not finish) shelf. I DNFed Sundered Heavens at chapter 8 to move on to read something else that captured my attention and interest.

Despite my feelings about this book, I have great respect for K.M. Davidson and all she has accomplished. She is an inspiration to me as I work to fulfill my own dreams of becoming an author.

I highly encourage you to read the first three Sirians Series books: Darkness Comes Again, Fate Demands Sacrifice, and Death Raises Gods. I also encourage you to give this book a try, even though it wasn’t my cup of tea.

There are also no content warnings included at the front of the book, unlike her other books. I thought that was a mistake on her part. While previous books allowed the reader to know what they are getting into with content warnings, the reader is going in blind this time. Maybe the ARCs she sent out didn’t have the content warnings page, but the published version will? I hope so.

Content Warnings

Explicit sexual content and language. There may be more, but I didn’t get far enough.

Wings of Ash and Flame by Jocelyn Bleu is the first book in The Winged Wars series, a dark romance fantasy novel. Intended for audiences ages eighteen and older.

Synopsis

Don’t know, don’t care. I don’t want to spend time writing the synopsis in my own words. If you’d like to read the synopsis, read it here on Goodreads.

Review

I was given a free copy from the author as an ARC reader in exchange for an honest review.

The first few pages of Wings of Ash and Flame reminded me a lot of how Quicksilver starts. Not only did it remind me of Quicksilver, a book I did not finish (DNF), but also other fantasy books I have read.

The first few pages are a crucial piece to keep someone reading, and I was already bored and thinking, “This is all too familiar.”

Reading through the different Celestial Familiars and Houses in this book felt repetitive after reading other fantasy stories. I’m getting bored with the use of Houses. In my opinion, call them something else to freshen things up in the fantasy genre.

I added this to my DNF Shelf shortly after I started reading it. Fastest DNF of my life.

This is me expressing my opinion. Don’t let my personal thoughts deter you from reading this book.

Additional content you may like from Writing Tips & More:

Introduction

I loved the first Avatar film because of its visual feast, soundtrack, and story. The second film, Avatar: The Way of Water, although the visuals were stunning, the story and dialogue fell short for me. At times, I even found myself getting bored with what was happening.

The third film, however, is absolutely AMAZING. I was hooked from the beginning. The visuals, the story, and the characters had me glued to my seat. My jaw dropped. I choked up. I chuckled. I gasped. I stared, utterly speechless.

Review

Avatar: Fire and Ash is INTENSE! I think I might like this film better than the first, and I didn’t think that was possible! This film deserves to rank among the top-grossing films of all time alongside its predecessors.

This film is action-packed, character-driven, psychological, and emotional. I highly recommend watching this epic film in theaters, and in 3D if you can! My advice for when you go to see this movie? Don’t eat or drink anything for the next four hours. This 3-hour and 15-minute film is worth every second. You won’t want to miss a thing!

Notes

When I first saw the trailers for this film, I was a little concerned when the Air Traders and the Ash People were teased. I thought it might turn out to be too much like Avatar: The Last Airbender. However, I was pleasantly surprised. This film takes on a story of its own, diving deeper into the world of Pandora and exploring darker themes than the previous films.

Miles Quaritch also made me laugh multiple times. I think I’m starting to like his character. That feels…wrong.

Conclusion

Do you plan to see this film? Have you already seen it? What did you think? Comment below!

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WARNING: This book is intended for audiences ages 18 and older.

Synopsis

I don’t care enough to spend time writing a synopsis in my own words. If you want to read the blurb, you can read it here on Goodreads.

Review

I was given a free copy from the author as an ARC reader in exchange for an honest review. This is a negative review. I don’t like giving them, but I will to express my opinion about the book and what I didn’t like about it.

The writing wasn’t as captivating as the author’s previous books. I found myself skimming and bored with what was happening. Also, the world of the Sirians Series has become too complex for my wimpy brain. The Magics, Sirians, demi-gods, gods, Andromedans, houses, and the various powers that come with those houses are impossible for my brain to comprehend and keep track of. I’ve stopped trying to understand what’s going on at this point.

The relationship between Sybil and Karasi was interesting. I was intrigued to keep reading to learn more about their mother-daughter relationship, but that intrigue was quickly snuffed out when Karasi and Brand’s relationship started. Their flame means nothing to me because it doesn’t develop meaningfully.

They first meet when she is nine. They see each other every few years for Brand’s twelve older brothers’ royal weddings. Then, time jump. When they see each other again, she’s sixteen. They passionately kiss. Like, what? I don’t see any signs of a real connection between them other than lustful desire.

Time jump again. When Karasi is nineteen, she meets up with Brand in secret for an important meeting. They end up having sex. I’m rolling my eyes.

They see each other every few years. They don’t really seem to hang out or talk much when they do see each other. They talk a little and have a common understanding about Sirans, but their relationship isn’t developed enough for me to be convinced they should become lovers. Not my jam.

I’m bummed because I was so excited to know more about Karasi’s backstory, see a glimpse into her life before Reva entered the picture, but I am not compelled to keep reading.

I liked K.M. Davidson’s debut novel, Darkness Comes Again (where Karasi and Reva are first introduced). I cared about Reva’s character, and that she has a gradual relationship that develops from a friends-to-lovers dynamic with Sir Finley. A romantic relationship developed between them based on friendship rather than solely on desire and lust. While the attraction is there, it’s not over the top in comparison with her other books. Also, I cared about the majority of the characters in the first book. In her more recent books, I couldn't care less.

Balance Must Remain is a strangers-to-lovers romance, and I’m quickly realizing I am not a fan of this trope. I need an emotional connection between characters to want to root for them and want them to be together, even if all odds are stacked against them. With Karasi and Brand, it’s like, yeah, they find each other attractive. She’s mysterious, and he’s kind. That’s it.

My motivation to continue reading on behalf of these characters ended fast. I decided to DNF at the chapter titled “The Unbroken Bond.” So, pretty early on in the book.

As someone who recently got into reading regularly and is getting introduced to different tropes, I’m learning that the strangers-to-lovers trope isn’t a relationship. It’s objectification, and it’s becoming more and more common in this author’s work.

Sure, there’s a market for this trope, and the author has seen a lot of success since she first started her author career. I applaud her for her accomplishments and can only dream of reaching where she is today with my own books. However, as one of K.M. Davidson’s fans who joined her journey at the beginning of her author career, I’m disappointed.

The lustful direction she’s going in her books isn’t for me. The author’s first few books were magical and captivating, but now, her writing has started to feel sloppy, and I’m losing interest in the series.

Clearly, this story wasn’t for me. But if this story interests you, go ahead and read it. No judgement. I may be harsh with my opinion, but don’t let it scare you away from reading it if you truly want to.

Content Warnings

Because I didn’t finish this book, I can’t list everything that takes place that might be triggering to some readers. However, I can say that within the first few chapters I did read, there is language, graphic sexual content, and self-harm.

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Introduction

The 2025 Netflix film K-Pop Demon Hunters has become a worldwide sensation. In this blog post, I’ll dive into my speculations about characters and backstories.

Yes, this is my third post about K-Pop Demon Hunters. I have no regrets. You can read my film review here and my theories about why this film is so popular here.

My Speculations Rant

Without further ado, here are my questions and theories about the film.

For starters, I’m going to discuss demons and their patterns. The demon markings signify that the individuals belong to Gwi-Ma, but how did they all end up with him? Demons have their own unique appearances, but they have one thing in common: the patterns.

This led me to consider how they all got there. Are some of the demons supernatural beings, and did humans later join the ranks? Or were all demons once humans and became less so depending on what they did to become a demon?

Jinu got his patterns when he made a deal with Gwi-Ma for a better life, leaving his impoverished family behind. Are all demons created through humans making deals with Gwi-Ma, or can Gwi-Ma also create demons through the souls he consumes? When the Saja Boys manage to get souls incoming to feed their master, the missing persons toll goes up. After losing their souls, where do their bodies go? Do their bodies become demons?

Rumi has patterns because her dad was a demon and her mother was a hunter. Despite having the patterns, Gwi-Ma has no power over her. Is this because the patterns are not her own, but her father’s? If that’s the case, talk about “sins of the father.” Jeez. Brutal.

Rumi did not make a deal with Gwi-Ma, but her father must have, and his curse must have been passed down to Rumi, even if she doesn’t know where that curse originated from. But because the patterns aren’t her own, Gwi-Ma has no control over her, which also makes her a powerful weapon against him. Or, Gwi-Ma has no control over Rumi because she still has a soul in addition to bearing the patterns of a demon.

Speculation About the Saja Boys

Jinu sacrifices himself for Rumi. After being selfish for 400 years, his sacrifice is selfless, and so, he manages to claim his soul back from Gwi-Ma. He gets the chance to give it to someone other than the soul-eater. His soul becomes a powerful weapon, in addition to the souls of the fans and the Huntrix trio, which Rumi uses to amplify her soul through song to defeat Gwi-Ma.

After Jinu is gone, the Saja Boys are no more. During the battle, Mira kills Abby, and Zoey kills Mystery, leaving Romance and Baby Saja to remain. So, when the new Honmoon is created, it can be presumed that those two were sealed with the other demons behind the shield. However, the new Honmoon was blue, not gold, so although Gwi-Ma was destroyed (or was he?), the Honmoon has not been sealed.

This could lead to a potential sequel where Baby Saja and Romance take over the demon realm, or a new, formidable character among the demons was waiting patiently in the shadows for his chance to take Gwi-Ma’s throne. This begs the question: Is Rumi's father still alive? If so, could he become the new demon king?

Speculation About Rumi’s Mother

Did Rumi’s father kill Rumi’s mother? Maybe a Demon convinced a hunter to think he loved her, but he didn’t? He gave her soul to Gwi-Ma? But when someone’s soul is taken, their body disappears, too. So, either Rumi’s mother was buried at the grave site Celine and Rumi were visiting, or her soul was consumed by Gwi-Ma, and the grave site is a memorial rather than a grave plot. If that’s the case, and if souls consumed by Gwi-Ma become demons, does that mean her mother became a demon, too? Just some food for thought.

Conclusion

On that note, what do you think? Did I point out anything you didn’t consider before? What are your speculations about character backstories or possible sequels or prequels? Comment below!

Introduction

NOTICE: This novella is intended for audiences ages eighteen and older. Contains mature themes and imagery.

I tend to end up reading books with spice when the stories and characters are intriguing. So, if you’re like me, where you enjoy the story and the characters but not the spice, be aware that there are some paragraphs and pages that you’ll want to skip.

Synopsis

Cailleach, also known as The Divine, is the goddess of creation and life. She clashes with the deity of Death, angry with how easily he corrupts and disregards the lives she holds dear, dragging them down into the Depths of the Underworld.

When the realms she has created reek with corruption, she wants to know how she can fix it without truly understanding how evil things have gotten. She soon realizes that corruption isn’t only within the realms of the fae and the mortals, but within her home realm—the Realm of the Gods.

When truth comes to light, she realizes Death isn’t the monster she and the others have painted him to be. She has been deceived. She turns her suspicions towards the other deities with whom she resides, and it unleashes a desire for vengeance she has never before experienced.

Review

Deception, Death and the Divine by Lindsey N. Rhoden is a new adult dark fantasy romance novella. It is part of the Loathing to Lovers novella collection. I received a free copy as an ARC reader in exchange for an honest review.

I love this novella so much because it is a magical and enchanting read! There were twists I did not expect, and the character development is phenomenal! Such a well-written story that held my interest the entire time. I was immediately drawn in by the author’s writing. I loved the voice, imagery, and was captivated by The Divine’s power of creation.

I love the contrast between The Divine’s innocence and Death’s brutality. I also love how protective he is of her and that he will destroy anyone who tries to harm her. Their personalities and powers clash so much, but it makes for a delicious and addictive loathing-to-lovers concoction.

While I love the characters and the realms they’ve built, this story does have some kinky foreplay and sexual trauma. Be aware of that before you decide to pick up this novella!

Pages containing references to sexual trauma to skip: 34-39. 43, 45, 51, 86, 102, 131.

Pages containing graphic violence to skip: 41-42, 76, 99, 109, 120, 202-203, 210, 212.

Pages containing sexual content to skip: 82, 122, 124-127, 136-137, 140-146, 149,150-151, 156-160, 164-167, 179-181, 186-191, 193-194.

Content Warnings

Strong language, attempted rape, violence and mutilation, brutal death of an animal companion, and kinky activities that include consensual bondage and strangulation play.

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Introduction

NOTICE: This book is intended for audiences ages eighteen and older.

Like with every new adult book that I read that has spice, I will continue to say that I am not a fan of explicit sex scenes. However, I read these types of books when the stories and characters are intriguing. So, if you’re like me, where you enjoy the story and the characters but not the spice, be aware that there are some paragraphs you’ll want to skip.

Shadows of the Timberland is the second book in the Moonstone Isle series by Ashley Adams. If you haven’t already, read the first book, Tides of Floral Dreams, to be all caught up and ready for the chaotic realm that belongs to the God of Death!

Synopsis

Welcome to the Underworld. Where monsters lurk in the shadows and you can’t trust anyone.

Now in the clutches of his father, Flint must learn how to use his newfound powers to defeat the beasts created by Slate’s chaos. Luckily for Flint, he has always known a life of thieving and survival. He must now use those skills to keep himself alive as he battles evil creatures, lost souls, and his own mind.

After being threatened by the deities of Moonstone Isle, Slate, God of Death, isn’t taking any chances at losing his heir. A series of obstacles are thrown Flint’s way, each one a new challenge that drives him closer to learning who he truly is.

But not every obstacle Slate creates is in the form of a beast or monster. He sends Nova, his mortal servant, to distract Flint and become his weakness. Nova and Flint become reluctant allies, both wanting to escape their fates in the Underworld.

Flint is inspired to turn the Underworld into something better, something worth dying for. But first, he must learn how to kill a god. In order to defeat his father, Flint must find the hidden truths that will have him questioning his entire existence.

Review

I am an ARC reader and received a free digital copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

This story is a Hercules retelling, and I LOVED IT! The book captivated me from page one! I was eager to come back to the book and learn more about Flint, Nova, and the Underworld. I also love the imagery! Some scenes play out like a movie in my head. Particularly, the action sequences. So cool!

Tides of Floral Dreams is such a cozy read, and I highly recommend it! You can read my review here. I’d describe the first book as “Disney magic with a pinch of spicy pixie dust.” Shadows of the Timberland, on the other hand, has a different vibe. I’d describe the second book as “addictive banter and seductive shadows.”

While there are a couple of direct quotes from Disney’s Hercules, particularly in Nova’s dialogue, other lines were similar but not exact replicas. This was something I had noticed in Tides of Floral Dreams, too, from Disney’s Tangled. However, in this book, I appreciated that they were changed up a bit so they were similar but not exact replicas.

Flint’s character development, from thief and hunter to monster slayer and shadow-wielder, is awesome. Reading his story and seeing him gradually change for the better is such a treat!

I love Nova! Her character development is phenomenal. It takes courage to stand up for yourself, and she gradually overcomes her fears and faces her opposition straight on. Nova’s past, trauma, and character development have layers and intrigue.

Don’t get me started on that climax and the ending. Wow! So good! Multiple twists and turns I wasn’t expecting. The last chapters had me screaming and shouting at the pages. (Yes, I’m one of those readers.)

Ashley Adams did such a great job! I applaud her for this masterpiece. Every time I was pulled away from reading and forced back into reality because of life’s responsibilities, I was always thinking about and eager to return to the Underworld and devour the next chapter.

I cannot wait for book three, Feathers of the Knight, a Cinderella retelling. I need it. I need it now!

Content Warnings

Violence, strong language, physical abuse, and explicit sexual content.

Introduction

The 2025 Netflix film K-Pop Demon Hunters has become a worldwide sensation. Why? What is it about this film that has people becoming hardcore fans? In this blog post, I’ll dive into my theories about why I believe this film is so successful.

I wrote a review without spoilers (which you can read here), and I just had to dive deeper into this film. There will be spoilers in this post, so if you haven’t seen the movie yet, I recommend that you read my review, watch the movie, and then come back to read this post.

Why is This Film so Popular?

The Music

The first reason why I believe this film became so popular is because of the soundtrack. The songs are so catchy, and they have been stuck in my head, your head, your neighbor’s head, and that-random-person-over-there’s head. Everyone is singing and listening to these songs!

It’s not just because these songs are catchy. It’s because these songs have soul. They make listeners feel alive. For example, when Rumi sings the song, “How It’s Done,” she reaches the lyrics, “Where the dark meets the light,” hitting a high note. Blue light emits from the chests of two young crowd members as they exchange looks of amazement, exploding into enthusiastic jumping.

Many people understand that feeling. The feeling when a song makes your heart swell. A moment when music connects a crowd of people and influences their emotions simultaneously. The music of Huntrix and the Saja Boys didn’t just reach the fictional crowd members. They reached those of us watching the screen, too.

I believe the messages in the songs and the story apply to everyone. It’s a universal connection about the struggle of what it means to be human. If you haven’t already, I recommend listening to the lyrics carefully and deciphering what the words mean to you.

The Attention to Detail

The second reason I believe this film became so popular is due to the visual and audio details. After every re-watch, I come across new details I hadn’t noticed before.

From the color pallets, character wardrobes, sound effects, and the smallest details you don’t notice unless you look carefully, all of it shows that the creators truly care about this film’s presentation and took the time to develop it.

I believe this film is making history because it wasn’t intended to be a money grab. It was intended to be art, and people gravitated towards that. True, authentic art seems to be a rare find these days. I also believe that since this film originated on a streaming service and ended up in theaters at a later time proves this.

I have many examples I could give about the attention to detail that I noticed in this film, but that’d make this post very long, so I’ll limit it to three.

First Example: The Audiovisual Feast

From the appearance and sounds of the hunters’ weapons when summoning them through the magic of the Honmoon, the lighting and fast-paced movements in the fight sequences, the satisfying dance moves, the details for phasing in and out of demon and human forms, and utilizing silence to make certain scenes more impactful (e.g., the silence when Rumi sneaks up from behind Jinu to behead him; the silence after Rumi and Mira stare at each other after arguing on top of the train and exit the tunnel). It was artfully done.

Second Example: The Four-Pointed Star

Rumi wears a four-pointed star. The shape appears as the zipper on her high-neck outfit worn for the song “Golden,” along with the shape painted on her fingernails. Near the end, when Jinu sacrifices himself and gives his soul to her, he also wears an earring resembling the four-pointed star. It’s as though Jinu was wearing a token to remind himself of her while he still had to do Gwi-Ma’s bidding.

No, I’m not crying. I just have something in my eye.

Third Example: The Patterns

The subtle details referencing demon patterns were genius! When taking on their human forms to become the Saja Boys, they wear clothing that parallels their demon patterns.

They wear bright pastel-colored clothing for most of the film, switching it out for a glossy, dark wardrobe at the idol awards. If you look closely, you can see that their entire wardrobe, from the pastels to the glossy black, has patterns similar to a demon’s. It’s very subtle, but it’s genius!

When Bobby is scrolling through social media and panicking about the Saja Boys’ fan club, many of the people dancing to “Soda Pop” also have similar patterns to demons on their clothes. As fans continue to “join the pride,” the irony is that they don’t realise the Saja Boys merch has a sinister origin and foreshadows their fate as Gwi-Ma’s next meal.

When Rumi begins singing, “This is What It Sounds Like,” her patterns change from the dark purple and fuchsia to a glowing light blue. The souls of the fans glow blue, and so while the fans have their souls shining from their chests, Rumi’s shines from her patterns, and they later become translucent and shimmer like glass.

I loved this transition because it parallels to the lyrics in the song, “This is What It Sounds Like,” when Mira sings, “I should have let the jagged edges meet the light instead.” It reflects not only Mira’s past, but also Rumi’s demon patterns. Her patterns started dark, spreading rapidly because of her shame for having them. The patterns’ shapes were jagged and harsh, but once she accepts herself and lets her soul shine, the patterns become translucent and beautiful like light hitting glass. I thought that was a beautiful detail!

The Story

I believe the plot twist is the third reason why this film is such a smash hit. I was taken completely by surprise when it was revealed that Rumi was part human and part demon. I was not expecting that.

I believe the message behind Rumi’s patterns is what connects viewers the most. We can all see ourselves in Rumi, with our own metaphorical patterns, and what our patterns mean to us in our individual lives. That’s what made this film so powerful and impactful.

Additional Notes

While writing this blog post, the YouTube channel Cinema Therapy released a video on K-Pop Demon Hunters. Some of their comments align with mine, but they also add so many more phenomenal insights. I was compelled to include their video in this post.

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with Cinema Therapy in any way. I simply wanted to include their video about K-Pop Demon Hunters because I love the additional insights they provide.

I also love Cinema Therapy because their channel helps me as a writer. This is because Johnathan Decker, a licensed therapist, dives deeper into the psychology of characters, and Alan Seawright, a professional filmmaker, dives deeper into the art of storytelling.

For example, in my review of K-Pop Demon Hunters, I mention that I had some issues with the dialogue without going into detail. In this post, I’ve decided to explain myself. This is because I felt the dialogue was a little too “on-the-nose,” and I was taught in my screenwriting classes that on-the-nose dialogue is bad.

Looking back, I’m not sure if my professors meant that on-the-nose dialogue is bad in only some cases or in all cases. Nevertheless, what I took away from those lessons was that all dialogue stating the obvious is bad.

Alan Seawright’s comment helped me rethink on-the-nose dialogue, saying that not all on-the-nose dialogue is bad. While that comment was simple, it helped me to snap out of the mindset that “all on-the-nose dialogue is bad.”

Honestly, I have been stressing over “on-the-nose” dialogue in my writing ever since those screenwriting classes. I had begun hyper-focusing on critiquing movies and books that had on-the-nose dialogue because I had convinced myself that whenever something is obviously stated, it meant it was inherently bad writing. I felt that I needed to catch on-the-nose dialogue in other people’s work to avoid making the same mistake in my writing.

Trying to write with absolutely zero on-the-nose dialogue has been tough. I often got stumped trying to figure out a way around it, and doing that seriously impeded my writing progress.

It’s a relief to hear a fellow storyteller mention that not all of this type of dialogue is bad. There are instances when it is necessary and when it can be tastefully incorporated into a script or manuscript.

Now all I need to do is figure out how to do that in my writing and practice on-the-nose dialogue because I am out of practice.

Conclusion

Well, that pretty much sums it up. Why do you think this movie is so popular? Did I point out any details in the film that you didn’t notice before? Is there anything I missed? Comment below!

Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed this post and didn’t mind my little tangent at the end about dialogue. I’ll also be doing a third post about K-Pop Demon Hunters that’ll discuss some of my theories about characters and backstories, so stay tuned!

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Synopsis

To the world, Rumi, Zoey, and Mira are Huntrix, a K-pop girl band. In the shadows, they are demon hunters, protecting human souls from demons. The demons are ruled by Gwi-Ma, a flaming demon king with an insatiable hunger for souls. Huntrix use their voices to create a protective shield called the Honmoon that keeps the realm of the demons from entering the living world.

They are so close to sealing the Honmoon and trapping the demons forever when a K-pop boy band emerges. The Saja Boys rival Huntrix and steal their fans. With their popularity plummeting, the Honmoon is weakening, opening doorways to Gwi-Ma’s world. Demons spill into the human world in droves.

With so many demons now in their world and Gwi-Ma growing stronger, the demon king’s influence increases. His whispers bring everyone’s shame and guilt to the forefront of their minds. The songs that once united the people are no longer in force, threatening to tear Huntrix apart and bring the human world to an end.

Review

When I first saw a clip for this 2025 Netflix original film, my immediate thought was, “That’s going to be so lame. I’m never watching that.”

But then, I couldn’t escape it. Clips from the film exploded on social media. My friends and family were talking about it. Intrigued, I decided to give it a chance. And I’m so glad that I did!

This film is absolutely amazing! It’s original and fun. The plot twist took me completely by surprise. I never saw it coming. I was eager to watch the reactions of others, and they were as taken aback as I was. It was great!

The film’s not one of those obvious rip-off “wanna-be’s” of another successful film like so many shows do nowadays. It was refreshing! K-pop Demon Hunters is imaginative, humorous, and relatable.

I have watched this film four times so far, and it’s a film I will continuously re-watch. I haven’t come across a film that I wanted to devour in such a long time. With each re-watch, I pick up on new audiovisual details I didn’t notice before. I love it! For example, one of the Saja Boys is called Abby, and I didn’t catch on until later that he has this name because he has abs! I cackled!

I love the attention to detail in this film. From the animation style, the characters’ expressions, the backgrounds, the demons’ differential appearances, the characters’ distinctive personalities and backstories, the lore, the depiction of the fans, the stage makeup versus the natural look, the wardrobe between the stage to demon hunting to casual, the color schemes, the K-pop and Korean romcom attributes, to the film’s message. All of it was tastefully done. This film is an exceptional example of what cinema is meant to be: an audiovisual feast with a great takeaway.

The action sequences are also super dope! What more can I say? I appreciate that the female characters are tough, but they also maintain their femininity, have flaws, and empathy. It was a refreshing change of pace from the “Mary Sue” character archetype that so many fictional females have today.

And then there is the soundtrack. The soundtrack is AMAZING! I have listened to it religiously. Music truly does bring people together and makes the soul shine. This film proves that.

I must make a special note about the tiger and the magpie. I love that, despite being mute, the audience knows exactly what these creatures are thinking based on their expressions. The animators did a brillant job with that!

One fun tidbit is that this film isn’t based on the anime style like many people may think. It’s based on Hanguk aeni. Anime is the term used for Japanese animation, whereas Hanguk aeni is the term used for Korean animation.

My Critiques

While I absolutely love this film, I will say that one of my pet peeves has been crossed when it comes to the animation. The characters’ movements are smooth in some shots and occasionally choppy in others. This took me out of the viewing experience (a common occurrence I’ve noticed among animated films that are created by the streaming services themselves in comparison to the animated films that have been licensed to be streamed on said services).

Sometimes, the characters’ mouths moved a little stiffly as they spoke or sang compared to other times. Their body movements resembled software glitches in some instances, too. For example, Rumi walks into a room showcasing the stage outfits. Her body is shown from the torso up. When she turns to look at a specific costume, she looks like she’s hovering. The way her torso turns gives an artificial appearance instead of a natural one.

Her mouth also appears a little restricted when she sings the word, “Free, free” during one of the songs. I feel like she should have looked more relaxed, like in other shots, especially while singing about being “free.” I noticed similar things with Jinu. His movements of the arms and mouth were sometimes a little stiff or abrupt, and not as smooth as his other motions from previous shots.

Those brief moments looked artificial and not as carefully and artistically crafted as other shots. At first, I thought it was part of the animation style, but then I noticed these types of movements didn’t happen in every shot, just some. I also didn’t notice any jerky movements from the other characters (except some glitchy movements from fans in the crowds), so I didn’t think it was supposed to be incorporated as part of the animation style. Therefore, it made it onto my “pet peeves list.”

However, in the animators’ defense, I’m not an animator, and something I’ve learned as an aspiring author is that you don’t know how tricky something is until you’ve done it yourself. So, since I’m not an animator, I shouldn’t even say anything…but…I just can’t help myself.

I also have some notes about certain pieces of dialogue. However, I know from experience that dialogue is difficult. I certainly know the dialogue in my writing is far from perfect. And, as a perfectionist, the demon in my ear is screaming. So, instead of focusing on this film’s dialogue, I’ll focus my attention on mine and how it can improve.

Conclusion

Kicking my pet peeves aside, the creators, animators, voice actors, singers, and everyone in between did a fantastic job! I can tell they took their time crafting the story and the details, everything from the subtle to the obvious. They also included foreshadowing and symbolism within the audiovisual components, and I appreciate and love that deeply.

I highly recommend that you watch this film. If you have kids and want to watch it with them, be advised that some content may not be suitable for children. Although it is rated as a kids’ movie, there are some scary images and intense sequences.

Content Warnings

Fantasy violence, scary images, suggestive material.