Graphic Novel Review - 'Swords of Sorrow: The Complete Saga' by Gail Simone (Writer), Various Writers, Artists, Colourists

I'd put off reading this for years because of that cover.

That cover.

Just... fucking look at it. Or don't, as it's bad for your health.

It's the first thing that people are going to see when they search for or stumble upon 'Swords of Sorrow'. Why that choice? Why appeal to the most basic male gaze? Why make it look like porn? Why make it look like fanservice central for the most unimaginative, lowest common denominator, cishet male target demographic, when inside it is the exact opposite? There's false advertising and then there's... this ugliness. Was it a deliberate bait and switch? A way to attract and trick said cishet male comic audiences? Seriously?

The cover is terrible, objectively speaking. I hate it. Every time my eyes land upon it, I cringe. It is terribly drawn and a complete disservice and disrespect to what 'Swords of Sorrow' actually is. What its content and context is.

What an epic, female-led comic saga it is.

How unapologetically and fantastically feminist and fun the whole thing, the whole concept, is.

To think I almost would never have bought and read it, because of that fucking awful cover. Really, the things I do for Gail Simone. But this is one of the times I can definitely thank her for a creation of hers I chose to purchase.

At its most basic descriptor, 'Swords of Sorrow: The Complete Saga' is like a female-led 'The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen'. It features heroines from all across pulpy fiction and comics, crossing over and interacting with one another. Pretty much all of them are badass, daring, dangerous, and smart action heroines, never to be underestimated, with varying moralities, who find themselves caught in fantasy multiverse shenanigans. Thanks to a witch called the Traveller and her male courier, each extraordinary woman is gifted a legendary Sword of Sorrow, tasked at hand as generals, to fight across alternate dimensions, and to stop a fairy tale prince from seizing magical power in every universe, and conquering and changing every reality.

Individually, the women are already unstoppable and beyond brave. Together, they are a force to rival Mother Nature and the cosmos.

There is sooooooooooooooooooooooooo much going on, and soooooooooooooooooooooo many characters to follow and keep track of. The fact that the collected issues are not consistently placed in chronological order doesn't help matters. But it manages to be soooooooooooooooooooooooo much fun, if you just go with the turbulent, tumultuous flow. It is clever, witty, and creative, and badass lead heroines are my jam.

Each and every woman in the 'Swords of Sorrow' series is awesome, complex, competent and capable. Some are distaff counterparts or wives to recognisable male heroes, but some stand out as their own heroes, from their own series and franchise.

I had heard of a few of them before reading - Red Sonja, Irene Adler (yes, really, and she proves she deserves to be featured here), and Jane Porter, aka Lady Greystoke (ditto). Others I am not so familiar with, such as Vampirella. But the rest I had no clue about in any other media until I read 'Swords of Sorrow'. It is a testament to how good the ambitious series is that whatever any reader's familiarity with the pre-existing characters is, it does not hinder their enjoyment of them and their action adventures.

Some of the other heroines, antiheroines, and villainesses are: Dejah Thoris, Jana the Jungle Girl, Jennifer Blood, Eva the daughter of Dracula, Kato, Black Sparrow, Purgatori, Chastity, Mistress Hel, Bad Kitty, Masquerade, Lady Zorro, Lady Rawhide, Pantha, and Miss Fury. The rest barely receive introductions, much less proper resolutions, when they do appear, typically near the end of the comic, where they are shoehorned in with no fanfare.

As is the case with major crossover events of this scale and with this many characters, some are bound to be forgotten about and left to the wayside.

It's fitting that the three heroines out of dozens who are destined to be the most important leaders in the battle against evil (the patriarchy, metaphorically) according to a prophecy - Red Sonja, Vampirella, and Dejah Thoris - come from the most popular and well known pop culture franchises, at least in pulp fiction.

I'm not complaining, as I love Gail Simone's 'Red Sonja' comics, and it's great to see the She-Devil with a Sword (of Sorrow) again, as interpreted by Simone.

Also, yeah, ignore that cover; shock of all shocks, the truth is there is no fanservice in 'Swords of Sorrow'. Every woman is genuinely strong, capable, and independent, and a force to be reckoned with, no matter what any of them are wearing. They hardly get into any sexual situations at all.

'Swords of Sorrow' has its priorities straight.

This is likely due to it having an all-female creative writing team behind it, for this all-female epic, ultimate showdown of ultimate destinies. It's not only Gail Simone penning every story and aspect (her introduction is worth the read, too); she didn't write every issue; there's Marguerite Bennett, Mairghread Scott, Nancy A. Collins, Leah Moore, Erica Schultz, Emma Bebby, Mikki Kendall, and freaking G. Willow Wilson! Even with the multiple artists being mostly men, any fanservice potential is kept in check. As I said, there is none to be found in the pages of 'Swords of Sorrow'.

The heroines are badass ladies in their own right, using their own unique skills, assets, and talents to save the multiverse.

There is more than swords and sorcery in 'Swords of Sorrow: The Collected Saga'. Indeed, it is a variety of genres. It is epic fantasy, science fiction, historical fiction, horror, noir, gangster crime, comedy, and time travel and alternate world travel fiction.

Apart from its unfortunate trade cover, plus other alternate covers that resemble pinups, and its occasionally confusing, haphazard storylines and story spots competing against each other for attention and relevance, another flaw in the comic is its lack of explicit LBGTQ+ content. It came out around 2016, there is no excuse. All the women have the same conventionally attractive, slim build and body type, as well.

But I still recommend 'Swords of Sorrow: The Collected Saga', for it is an enjoyable, badass (the word has earned its repeated use in this review) and batshit romp. It is girl power action for adults.

It is a shame about that cover, but any decent person with taste will have to get past it, like I did, to discover the one of a kind, diamond in the rough joys within. It's not deep, it's merely fun.

It's girls having fun saving every universe! And making friends with each other along the perilous way!

Pulpy, action-packed, sword wielding heroine narratives from across universes and genres, fighting alongside one another - this is what comics are about.

Read it, and be proud of women.

Now if you'll excuse me, I will be going broke buying and reading more 'Red Sonja' comics, and others featuring a few of these amazing fictional women, male gazey fanservice artwork be damned.

Final Score: 3.5/5

P.S. Okay, I have to mention a couple of specific highlights: Jane Porter and Pantha work together in 1913 in London to stop Purgatori, a giant floating pyramid temple, and mythical beasts. It is fucking awesome. And Red Sonja and Jana the Jungle Girl work together to stop Mistress Hel and a patriarchal jungle cult, and they like to throw insults that are anachronistic and culturally different to each other. Their banter is hilarious, and meta, practically breaking the fourth wall. There are many more fun crossover partnerships like these. It's a missed opportunity, however, for Jane Porter and Dejah Thoris to never interact, given their source materials are by the same author, Edgar Rice Burroughs (despicable, hugely problematic person though he was).

P.P.S. One small noteworthy detail in this gargantuan comic: In the penultimate issue of the main 'Swords of Sorow' series, written by Simone, there's a scene where the holy trinity of pulp action heroines - Red Sonja, Vampirella, and Dejah Thoris - are in a car together, with Sonja in the passenger seat, and Dejah at the back, and when Sonja complains that "Princess Prissy" seated herself there as if she and Vamp are her "peasant attendants", Dejah half-jokes that she did it to "avoid your odor". Simone really likes to highlight how human Red Sonja is, and one of the recurring tools and tricks she uses is to point out that she is stinky and gross, as a warrior of her time and place.

P.P.P.S. On the subject of LBGTQ+ rep, I don't think Sonja kissing Jana on the cheek really counts, especially considering Jana subsequently snogs a man; nor does the formerly-sexist little boy from Jana's world who says he wants to be a girl after seeing girls being strong, and boys being ridiculous. Sonja is canonically queer in Simone's world, however, bi the bi.

Book Review - 'Magica Riot (Maidensong Magica #1)' by Kara Buchanan

'Maidensong harmony power…go live!'



'Magica Riot'

Being a queer-as-hell Magical GirlTM story doesn't negate it from being a fairly standard and simple Magical GirlTM story told in novel form, but its representation is still utterly important, and it is still cute, positive, uplifting, inspiring, and femme-as-hell, with a layer of creatively-written, twisty darkness and complexity underneath everything - just what I love about the genre.

It is a lot like reading an anime. I could tell Kara Buchanan loves 'Sailor Moon' and the like. 'Magica Riot' contains well written action, female friendships and romances, and creative magical girl weaponry and attacks. The way these magical girls are a band and use music, their microphones, and their musical instruments to fight monsters and other baddies, it reminds me of 'Mermaid Melody: Pichi Pichi Pitch'.

The pacing of 'Magica Riot' isn't perfect, and some parts and characters are more underdeveloped and underutilised than others, but it tells its story well; hitting hard and true.

The modern Magical GirlTM book is all about women supporting women (and enbies), and how all queer lives matter - yes yes yes!

'Magica Riot' (aka 'Maidensong Magica', and was 'Magica', like 'Puella Magi Madoka Magica', used on purpose, for a purpose?) is set in Portland, Oregon, and it is about Claire Ryland, a closeted trans woman (sidenote: almost every main character is in their early twenties, and magical girls being adults is refreshing for the beloved genre), who one night goes to a concert of the pop rock girl band, Magica Riot. Closeted until, afterwards, she gets attacked by monsters, called Pandoras, and a Magica Riot member steps in to save her, revealing herself to be a magical girl!

Magica Riot are secretly a magical girl group!

And Claire discovers she is a magical girl, too! A maiden. A guardian of song and heart.

Fully embracing who she always knew she was meant to be, Claire, openly a woman, becomes a new member of Magica Riot, the band and the magical girl group (she plays the keyboard), as part of a secret supernatural worldwide organisation, called the Starlight Alliance.

She has awakened, into Maidensong harmony power!

She is Riot Purple!

The other members of Magica Riot are:

Sara Ward, aka Riot Red, the lead singer, a stoic princely type who is actually softhearted and mourning her lost love, another woman. She is like a cool lioness.

Nova (I don't think her last name is ever mentioned), aka Riot Blue, the drummer, the youngest and most cheerful and hyperactive of the group. She hates any swearing, and like Claire, she's trans, too! and sees Magica Riot as her found family.

Cass Coates, aka Riot Yellow, the lead guitarist, a Black magical girl who is relatively quiet, calm, thoughtful, and determined. She is an activist and mutual aid leader, and she is in a polygamous relationship with two women and a man.

Last but not least is Hana Hasegawa, aka Riot Green, the bassist, who is also quiet (an odd trait for a musician, now that I think about it), tranquil and positive, and is a mechanic and chef, atop of her many other talents.

Every one of these women is strong, capable, sensitive, empathetic, kind, and magical in their own way. Every one of them is queer. Nice touch that the magical women's colours each represent the pride flag.

In concurrent with the life-changing coming out, joining her favourite band, and turning into a magical girl who fights mysterious interdimensional, corrupted monsters alongside a supportive magical girl team - symbolic of said coming out - Claire has Hazel Hoffman, her awesome photographer best friend and crush.

Another character highlight is Hikari Tomori, a socially awkward, possibly autistic, nonbinary computer genius, who really needed more attention put on them.

Plus there are villain magical girls called the Menagerie. I won't go into anything else about them, because spoilers.

Magica Riot have a van called Vancent Price.

There are magical girl terms such as thaumatite, the crystals that channel magica, which is a magical girl's power, and the leylines that help the Alliance detect Pandoras. Transforming into magical girls, or maidens, or Starlight Alliance agents, is also called going into Riot mode. Magical girls possess the Maidensong - like a lifeforce and goddess, that's been around since ancient times - deep in their hearts.

It's a lot of fun!

'Magica Riot' is far from perfect. The beginning has a few noticeable typos, and the ending is rather rushed, crammed with barely-foreshadowed ideas at the forefront, and overcompensating for the sake of a sudden end of the world plot (a part of the book's pacing problem - a glitch, a mechanical spanner in the works, a thread knot).

There is the huge plot hole of how no civilian apparently ever sees or hears Magica Riot when they fight their magical girl battles, as they cause property damage and play their loud musical instruments and sing their hearts out as their attacks! How they've kept that kind of attention away from themselves is never clearly explained.

As mentioned before, not every character is well developed and defined, and I can hardly tell the personalities of Cass and Hana apart.

I would like to know more about what Claire's life was like before she moved to Portland. Why did she move to Portland in the first place? Is it something a queer person coming from certain areas in the US doesn't need to tell? Doesn't want to tell? Then that's alright, I respect the ambiguity. Possibly these mysteries and more will be revealed in a sequel.

The book is fairly corny, too, and its self-awareness and genre savvy factor are barely implemented.

But it is a passionately written, easy-to-read-and-get-into indie Magical GirlTM gem, for fans of the increasingly lauded genre, that's not exclusive to Japan, but the whole world, for everyone.

And 'Magica Riot' is for LBGTQ+ readers who wish to see themselves as the heroes that people need. For them to be seen, and loved and respected. No angst and hate, just fun and inspiration and empowerment, and normalised acceptance.

It belongs with other explicitly queer Magical GirlTM media and stories such as 'magnifiqueNOIR' and 'Magical Boy', likewise with a trans gay protagonist!

Now that I have been paying attention over the years, I think, yeah, magical girls are pretty queer and always have been. They are about girl power, and so much else, beyond the gender binary. They are about empowering people, to express themselves and be brave, and to put kindness and empathy above violent conflict. They are about the strong, unstoppable power in the feminine, but at the same time they show how gender concepts and stereotypes are socially constructed bullshit, and the whole idea of the gender binary is to deliberately restrict, limit, and therefore depower and control people. Magical girls teach us to not fall for any of that crap.

Be powerful in yourself, as you. Believe in you.

No wonder the genre has become more popular than ever.

I can tell 'Magica Riot' is a personal Pacific Northwest magical girl story for Kara Buchanan to write about. I'm happy she did, and I'm happy for her.


'Identity, self-image, living as yourself. Anytime the band's songwriting turned to those subjects, I felt tears well up in my eyes. Why shouldn't girls--of all kinds, however they got to be girls--get to be exactly who they wanted to be? Why shouldn't they live free and happy without society cutting them down? I believed that, as strongly as I ever believed anything. I wanted to fight for them.' - page 9


'"Where would queer people be without family trauma?"

"Happy, well adjusted," [...]

"Flourishing, even,"' - page 96


A not-so guilty pleasure, for this magical girl, and Magical GirlTM fan.

Final Score: 3.5/5

Graphic Novel Review - 'Evil-ish' by Kennedy Tarrell

'Evil-ish' is one of the most cartoony and childish graphic novels I have ever read. Surprisingly, it is not quite as satirical or deep as I thought it would be. Indeed, it is so breezy it can be read in under half an hour. In many ways its artwork does reflect its content.

And yet, towards the end, I kind of loved it.

It turns out it is not so light and simple after all, and not lacking in depth and creative, genre-savvy substance - far from it. I was feeling its heart, its messages, and the climax - and the final page and everything leading up to it - they make the whole blessed comedy fantasy medieval story worth it.

How cute and romantic! But oh--spoilers! Not going to get into that.

'Evil-ish' could be a Disney movie, or a Dreamworks movie. No, heck, even better - let the creatives of the 'Nimona' movie adapt this! There are similarities to both that and the original N.D. Stevenson comic, actually.

It's great to read a comic from 2025 with a nonbinary protagonist, as well. I think my first was 'Kick Flip Vol. One'. On that note, there are more than one queer and nonbinary characters in 'Evil-ish'.

Hawthorne Vandecast, a teenage barista of a family-run café/shop, and our wannabe "villain" protag - really the hero in the truest sense - is bored, OTT, flamboyant, frustrated, flustered, underprepared, and adorable and precious. I want to protect them and everyone they love. Nearly all the cast of characters are lovable sweeties, even the "evil" ones.

Some are just tragic, hurt, and lonely.

'Evil-Ish' - what a funny, tender, if a little underdeveloped, story.

With the all-consuming, important, relevant message that you shouldn't align yourself with obvious evil, ruthlessness, hatred, and any extremes just because you're bored. Angst, and "not fitting in" and "not conforming" to standards of decency because of boredom, drudgery and feeling an unfulfilling emptiness in life, these are never excuses. Appreciate what you have now, and look out for and be there for your loved ones, your family.

Be good. Be kind. Make good choices.

Remember there are people who look up to you. Who care for you.

Kennedy Tarrell is definitely someone to watch.

(An addendum: The reason why this review is short for me is not only to avoid spoiler-y info and to reflect the quality of the graphic novel itself, but because my cat is currently sleeping on my bed with her head on it, and I don't want to wake her, so I can't look through the book and point specific stuff out. I am not joking.

Okay, I do remember this quote from a "true villain": 'Hurting. Being hurt. It's all the same thing, you know?')

Final Score: 3.5/5

Graphic Novel Review - 'Nell of Gumbling: My Extremely Normal Fairy-Tale Life' by Emma Steinkellner

The first time I read this, I was put off by how it is more prose in the diary and storytelling format than it is a comic. Now, a year later, after deciding to be more patient with it, and to give it another chance for its great premise alone, here I am: praising it and recommending it.

It is a marvellous little creative endeavour. In its context it reaches for the magical stars, and simultaneously it achieves this figuratively.

'Nell of Gumbling: My Extremely Normal Fairy-Tale Life' is a cute, cartoony, clever and creative all-ages fantasy book in general. The idea of the slice-of-life, the mundane, the modern, and the "normal" being set in a fantastical, fairy tale town, while having (haven) been done before, is executed excellently here by Emma Steinkellner (aka the author of 'The Okay Witch' comics, thus my first reason for wanting to check 'Nell of Gumbling' out).

It is about twelve-year-old Lenore "Nell" Starkeeper, an aspiring artist and writer, who is recording her life in her diary with her artistic flair. She is an ordinary girl who lives in her beloved, enchanting town called Gumbling. Her life is her two star farm dads, her little brother Rib, her littler sister Schmitty (and her obnoxious goose Schmugly), her fairy best friend, the overachiever Myra Didwell (oh now I get it!), her other friend, the tiny Gilligan Thumbkin, the prima donna mean girl turned surprising companion, Voila Lala the centaur/unicorn, the sweet artist girl Leabelle Oh, the mean yet complex old archive and lore keeper Mrs. Earla Birdneck, who Nell is apprenticed to, the old secluded town witch Yabulga, lots of fairy tales that are history to Gumbling, and a couple of sinister, gentrifying, profiteering entrepreneurs and land developers who want to rebuild Gumbling in their own image and destroy its legacy.

'Nell of Gumbling: My Extremely Normal Fairy-Tale Life' really is like a slice-of-life cartoon from the nineties, set in a world like ours but with fantasy elements, supernatural creatures and whatnot. The worldbuilding is very good, charming, and somewhat believable.

This fairy tale contains such important, relevant themes of family, friendship, community, creativity, humbling (in Gumbling!), beating your adversaries by being smart and knowledgeable, highlighting the outdated notions of monarchies and how they should never return once revolted and renounced for the people, the evils of capitalism, the dangers of burying and erasing history - preserve it! Teach it widely! - and the younger generation shaping the future, and how we should listen to them - to children.

And how the inevitable setbacks, failures, and disappointments in life can lead to positive changes for you and others. They can surprise you for the better. They are a learning experience.

These are vital, veritable lessons to teach the youth. About the versatility of life, and what knowledge and courage it takes to stand up for yourself, and your family and community if need be.

It is about doing what is right, basically.

Add in a charming, cartoony art style, a witty, stunning and astonishing sense of humour, sprinklings of magic here and there, and the most amazing and imaginative fairy tales in-universe, and you've got a hit on your hands!

The magic is in the mundane, indeed.

'Nell of Gumbling: My Extremely Normal Fairy-Tale Life' - what a charmer! And it has POC, LBGTQ+, body positive diversity, to go with its realism.

Just... take it from me, and be patient with its diary format/framing device, though its comic segments become more frequent as it goes along (partly because the introductions and expository info are over and done with, and because there is much more high stakes action towards the climax), and it can be read in a day.

It is a storybook graphic novel for modern times, told by an (extra)ordinary young girl.

We must all work passionately and determinedly towards our happily ever after, and life beyond that.

Final Score: 4/5

Graphic Novel Review - 'Jazzy the Witch in Broom Doom' by Jessixa Bagley.

On my quest - far from a sojourn and more a lifelong journey - to find every witchy piece of media, especially graphic novels, I eventually stumbled across the 2025 children's comic, 'Jazzy the Witch in Broom Doom' by Jessixa Bagley.

It isn't as childish and inane as it looks. It is one of the better witch comics, and a sure, wholehearted recommendation.

It is a cute, funny, energetic, inspirational, and lovable kids' book. To go by the art and the magical witchy-ness, it is like Jill Thompson's 'Scary Godmother' and 'Magic Trixie', but better because it has POC and LBGTQ+ lead characters.

It is about a young school witch named Jazzy, whose two mums and granny run a broom-making and selling business, but she can't ride a broom, and it doesn't feel right to her. Because it is tradition that every witch rides a broom, and it is a big part of being a witch, Jazzy feels discouraged, lost, and empty, and disconnected from her magic. Therefore she feels maybe she isn't a witch after all.

Until she discovers her passion - bike riding! Cycling!

But bikes aren't magic. They are mundane and belong to the world of non-magic folk. Jazzy is scared of what others might think of her, even though bikes make her ecstatically happy.

How will other witches, including her traditional, broom riding and making family, react when they find out Jazzy prefers bikes over brooms?

Is there a way to combine the two modes of transportation?

'Jazzy the Witch in Broom Doom' is a sweet, hilarious, truly magical and creative, and life-affirming tale that is ultimately about becoming a pioneer for your community, and breaking tradition when it is needed, and done for unselfish reasons, for the benefit of yourself and other people.

Jazzy has a lovely family and family dynamic, and her bat familiar, Fiona, is very, very, very funny.

There's a hysterical talking purple bat named Fiona, who has a sort of friendly rivalry with a cat named Cassie, in 'Jazzy the Witch'. It's just one of the many things that makes it worth the price of admission.

Madame Melcha, a cool, pink haired teacher and principal (is she the only teacher at the Enchantra School of Craft?), is a fun character, too.

However, I have to comment on the one real negative in the graphic novel:

The friendship aspect.

Jazzy's relationship with her "best friend", Aggie, is rubbish, bordering on toxic, and not the fun slime and fungi and warty kind. Aggie starts out okay, if moody, impatient and closeminded, as she does help out Jazzy with her bike-making. But like everyone else, she expects Jazzy to ride a broom and uphold tradition, and she has the gall to accuse her of bike obsession and being a bad friend when she herself is so obsessed with the witch life that she doesn't see or care that it is harming her friend. Aggie does terrible things like cast a silencing spell on Jazzy (played entirely for laughs) and shut her out and refuse to help her friend in need when she thinks she is insulting witchery as a whole, because Jazzy dared to think differently. What a horrible, judgemental, inconsiderate hypocrite.

Not helping matters is Aggie is white and Jazzy is Black, and the comic sympathises with Aggie too much.

She does apologise to Jazzy at the end for insulting bikes, but typically not before Jazzy apologises to her first. Both girls learn that everybody gets to be their own kind of witch, and they are young and are going to make mistakes along the way.

Their "friendship" still left a slight mucky taste in my mouth overall.

But apart from that, 'Jazzy the Witch in Broom Doom' is among the cutest witch stories ever! It is like 'Kiki's Delivery Service', 'The Worst Witch', and 'Sabrina the Teenage Witch', but again, with POC and LBGTQ+ elements. It is like 'Jupiter Nettle' and 'The Okay Witch' - not nearly as good as the latter, but still good!

What a rare revelation for a witch story to point out how uncomfortable broom riding must be! The only other one I can think of is the manga 'Flying Witch'.

Wait, why do the witches in 'Jazzy the Witch' need brooms when they can teleport with a poof!?

Oh, but another positive: Practically no male characters! Though it is said that anyone of any gender can be a witch.

In addition, you learn quite a bit about witchery, such as besoms and broom-making, and about cycling and its history in this comic.

Witches, and witches who are different and helpful and revolutionary, let's go!

Final Score: 4/5

P.S. Another similarity is the children's picture book 'Once Upon a Witch's Broom' by Beatrice Blue. It has an exceptionally better friendship theme.

Non-Fiction Book Review - 'The Magical Girl's Guide to Life: Find Your Inner Power, Fight Everyday Evil, and Save the Day with Self-Care' by Jacque Aye

What I've been wanting my whole life.

This is the kind of self-help and self-care book for me.

'The Magical Girl's Guide to Life: Find Your Inner Power, Fight Everyday Evil, and Save the Day with Self-Care' is exactly what it sounds like.

It is a treat for every fan of magical girls. It is all kinds of cute, colourful, Magical GirlTM fangirly and geeky goodness, that shines across the pop culture prism and spectrum. It is fun and lighthearted as well as therapeutic and life-affirming. It is a pocket-sized self-care friend.

Jacque Aye sounds like a wonderful person, and a (magical) girl-friend after my own heart. I want to thank her for creating 'The Magical Girl's Guide to Life', and her other passion projects; for making them exist and releasing them out into a world that needs them.

In 'The Magical Girl's Guide to Life', Aye writes (and draws) chapters such as 'What's your Magical Girl Power?' (I am Heart and Creativity), 'Choose Your Name' (goddesses, I can't decided - so many I could choose that suit me!), 'Choose Your Weapon' (maybe a pen for me, though I do love a good old traditional magical girl wand, rod or staff - the more girly the better!), 'Finding Your Familiar' (Cats. Always.), 'Your Magical Girl Gang', 'Define Your Monsters' (inner monsters, that is, such as your weaknesses being preyed on, your insecurities, and your triggers), 'Self-Care After Saving the Day', 'The Magical Girl's Beauty Regime' (a nice plus for me, especially nowadays), and 'Finding Love After Fighting Crime'. Aye writes about her own personal experiences throughout, like she really is divulging to a friend and fellow magical girl. Very helpful indeed, especially when she talks about social anxiety, depression, and trauma.

Being a magical girl is not all sweetness and sparkles, after all.

A lot is discussed concerning friendships and healthy relationships overall. It is a self-help book for adults, about adulting, too.

At the beginning, there is a list of 'Magical Girl Requirements (in no particular order)', and every single one of them applies to me personally. So there's that!

Also contains a Magical GirlTM manga segment in the middle of the life guidance counselling.

The Magical Girl Intermissions are helpful, needed, unintrusive and adorbs!

Aye makes many references to 'Sailor Moon' - the biggie, the standard Magical GirlTM influence over the decades, the number one nostalgic starlight and moonlight love, the awakening for pretty much every magical girl - and other Magical GirlTM pop culture properties, such as 'Cardcaptor Sakura', the 'Pretty Cure' anime series', 'Creamy Mami', 'Magic Knight Rayearth', 'Sugar Sugar Rune', and 'Kiki's Delivery Service' (it totally counts for the purposes of the book!). Magical girls are not limited to Japan, far from it, so western Magical GirlTM cartoons get referenced alongside anime, such as 'Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir', 'Winx Club', 'Steven Universe', and 'Bee and Puppycat'. Aye often uses these examples for real life comparatives - for the positive, though she is still boldly critical of the shows a few times, and is aware of their flaws and points them out when she needs to.

Being critical of the things you love is a sign of someone with their head firmly on their shoulders, and their heart on their sleeves and in the right place. It is a sign of someone who cares deeply.

Speaking of, one major flaw I will point out in 'The Magical Girl's Guide to Life' itself is a part in the beauty care regime chapter where Aye writes explicitly that it is important and attractive to smile all the time, as that alone will make you happy. It leans towards toxic positivity, and the idea that people who always seem to be smiling are in fact happy and trustworthy, and therefore attractive and worthy; worthy of everyone's attention. It is a shocking oversight on Aye's part, as a practicing therapist.

Another critique: I am surprised 'Puella Magi Madoka Magica' isn't referenced in 'The Magical Girl's Guide to Life'. I mean, it's become almost as synonymous with magical girls as 'Sailor Moon', and in Aye's 'Magical Girls You Should Know' part of her 'Outro', she lists 'Sleepless Domain' as a recommendation, so it's not like she's averse to the darker Magical GirlTM titles.

Yes, Aye is well versed in even the most obscure Magical GirlTM stuff, including 'MagnifiqueNoir' (aka 'magnifiqueNOIR')! She truly is like my best friend. I would love to be part of her magical girl friendship gang.

However, to go back to her 'Madoka Magica' omission, I feel she missed something else: I would have referenced and recommended 'W.I.T.C.H.', to go with 'Winx Club'.

Magical girls = the power in the feminine. It is one of my core beliefs and philosophies. It is one of the reasons why I have adored magical girls since childhood, and have never "outgrown" them.

They are not silly and childish. They are powerful. They are important.

Aye even includes real life magical girl examples in her book, or they are magical beings according to her interpretation, such as Naomi Osaka, Wangari Maathai, Kizzmekia Corbett, Michelle Obama, Malala Yousafzai, Serena Williams, Sha'Carri Richardson, Doja Cat, and Toni Morrison. Thank you for bringing these wonderful and inspirational WOC to my attention (including yourself), Jacque Aye!

An extra gold star for pointing out that anyone of any gender can be a magical girl or magical being! And for not assuming that everyone's true love has to be heterosexual. But what about acknowledging asexuality, and aroace people? This is another unfortunate oversight.

I am a magical girl, and thanks to Jacque Aye's 'The Magical Girl's Guide to Life: Find Your Inner Power, Fight Everyday Evil, and Save the Day with Self-Care', as well as looking up to so many different magical girls across the globe and the stars and the cosmos, I know I can be proud to be one. To act like one. It makes me happy, and feel I am glowing on the inside and outside.

I want to be feminine and strong. Those two traits are not mutually exclusive. I want to believe in love, care, empathy, and friendship.

I will be coming back to 'The Magical Girl's Guide to Life', always. I adore this beautiful, well written and put together little gem.

Jacque Aye, on the slim chance you are reading this, here are my Magical GirlTM recommendations to you: the 'W.I.T.C.H.' comics, 'Puella Magi Madoka Magica', 'She-Ra and the Princesses of Power' (read here and here), 'Zodiac Starforce', 'A Magical Girl Retires', 'Flavor Girls', 'Meesh the Bad Demon', 'Magical Boy', 'Magica Riot', 'Hovergirls', 'Save Yourself!', 'Magilumiere Magical Girls Inc.', 'Magic Girls: Kira and the (Maybe) Space Princess', and 'Mimi and the Cutie Catastrophe'.

Now to check out 'Adorned by Chi'.

In the name of love and the moon, this magical girl signs off!

Final Score: 4/5