. This book had such an interesting premise with beautiful artwork... but wow was it a lot. If desired, see Content Warnings at bottom of the review.

First off, let me state that I've read a lot of "weird" comics. My favorite graphic novels are typically in the horror genre, so the strangeness of this dystopian-style book, isn't really what threw me off. Yes, much of the story is disturbing, graphic, confusing, etc, etc... But this plays into the author's style of horror. What people often forget is that the horror genre is not just serial killers and creepy clowns, it can be incredibly abstract, it can have a lot of symbolism and commentary on the world we live in (or could live in). Sometimes the most horrifying concepts are weird books that are designed to make the reader stop and think - because honestly, what's more terrifying than introspection?!

With that all being said, y'all this book was weird. While I understand that the story is designed to be somewhat jarring and disjointed, it verges on the side of "too much."

We're following the perspective of Catrin, a woman who has had a traumatic romantic history and has now been abandoned by her A.I. wife, who was designed to be her "perfect match." But Catrin can't live her life without her A.I., she is lost without her and is prepared to do whatever it takes to get her back. The story itself was an interesting commentary on the dependency we have both on each other and technology, and how much of our identity and sense of self relies on who/what surrounds us.


CW: Abuse, implied mental illness, violence (with fairly minor gore), substance abuse, sex, and nudity

I really enjoyed the first two parts of this story, but towards the end it went such a different direction and I just lost interest. I continued reading mostly because I wanted to know how the story ended (which I didn't love) but the overtly sexual parts in this made me slightly uncomfortable. The art work was absolutely amazing, though, so I think it mostly got this reading due to that!

This was not a favourite with me. The artwork was good but the actual story was confusing. After the first two chapters i was lost. This one was not for me.

The description and cover of this book sounded really promising and i really enjoyed the art. However this i definitely not a YA book and it was marked a YA. I didn’t connect with any of the characters and wasn’t a fan of it at all.

i accidentally touched to read this book when i first created my account. the book was already out, i didn’t get an ARC. i tried to read it but the art style and topics were not of my liking.

It doesnt support or open after I download the protected pdf version of it.

It's also not showing in my shelf in netgalley and I cant open it to read

Please look into the issue and if you can send me the pdf in my mail ID- taniagungunsarkar@gmail.com

I cant read the book from here.

Please look into the issue and deliver me the book to review properly, moreover i was pretty excited about this book

You know when you read a book summary and it really grabs your attention? The books you really want to love but they miss the mark? That was this one for me.

Originally advertised as a horror/breakup story it was lacking in well... the horror aspect? Which is something that really ruins a book for me. When I pick up something advertised as horror I expect it.

Lonely Receiver lacked development of all kinds and fell very flat. No world building/development and what was even weirder - no character building/development. Typically with these kids of "breakup stories" that's what you can at least lean on, but it was absolutely absent here.

The story felt chaotic and not well planned out, this was just a huge miss across the board for me.

TW: Graphic sexual content.

Thank you to Netgalley for a free review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.

Not what I was expecting.

Considering it was advertised as a horror breakup story it didn't land at all. The only horror this book has, is the amount is orgies it contains, ​which btw was not said anywhere? At least a warning for explicit content would have been nice 🥴

While the style was okay, the story and character/world development were flat as a pancake. I honestly couldn't have given any less ducks about the characters or their fate. The first 2 chapters were good and interesting, it actually focused on the breakup as it promised, but I have no idea what happened at the end... An alternative title could have been: fifty shades of AI smut. It was also a little confusing to keep track of what is happening and I constantly had to read back to figure out what is going on, which let's be honest is not a good thing. It was bad.

[T.W.: Depression, Explicit Contents and Strong Language]

Imagine a lonely futuristic world where people don't socialize or seek value-based relationships enough and instead get an A.I. that can fulfill all of their emotional and physical needs. I am in conflict with my thoughts when I am trying to summarise everything that I read and experience in this sci-fi horror novel. The protagonist Catrin buys an A.I., Rhion, and they were married for a good ten years until one day Rhion got disconnected after some heated conversation between them and Catrin couldn't take that emotional blow of being lonely again and despite being heartbroken she tries to retain the existence of her A.I. partner by finding her in different people through sexual connection.

The concept was psychedelic and weird because those A.I. partners have no physical existence but they existed in the consciousness of people who bought them and were also genetically engineered to establish that connection with their A.I. whenever they needed sexual comfort they could get transported into a virtual realm where they could satisfy all those needs.

Doesn't sound like a book I may read but it wasn't erotica but more like a dark sex thriller, and the best part is there weren't many characters but it was just Catrin and her dark thoughts that covered almost the whole book. She was just too depressed to get back that connection she'd lost after ten years of marriage with Rhion. She just wanted to find her again but the way things ended startled me because it disturbingly presented the attachment and to what extent people can go to get the comfort back they have lost.

It was an ingenious work through beautiful and vibrant graphics, it beautifully and erratically conveys the rooted needs and desires to deal with loneliness and with words and dialogues that can penetrate the heart and make the mind go blank. It opens up casually and lets the reader understand its premise and after the second half, it throws all the dark things one can expect.

Highly recommended to the fans of the @netflix series 'Black Mirror' and people who loved watching Joaquin Phoenix starring movie 'Her'.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Firstly, I must applaud the creators of this graphic novel for coming up with a creative, futuristic story covering many issues like love, obsession, depression, and addiction. The illustrations are gorgeous, and I loved the weird offerings of the eccentric images each panel had to offer. The story also takes place in a futuristic society that feels so close to home, where you wonder if it could become a reality. On a side note, I loved the unique ways in which the authors end each volume, whether it be a user manual of Phylo or journal entries of Catrin.

Secondly, the characters are also memorable. Catrin is one of the most complex characters I have read lately, and her emotional character was truly impressive. She is desperate, impulsive, and unpredictable, so you don’t know how the story will turn out. The storyline was engrossing, particularly when Hazel comes into the picture and how she impacts Catrin’s life. I was thoroughly enjoying this novel up until 2/3rd into the book.

However, the story had too many convolutions for me to follow towards the end. At some point, I did not know what was happening and followed the tale only to admire the imagery. Furthermore, I also found it odd to see many pictures of Catrin naked, which felt unnecessary. I can imagine how the authors were taking it, but unfortunately, I missed the climax. However, I did appreciate the story for making me think about the purpose of our being. It raised questions about how our lives would be in the future if we happen to live in such a world.

Overall, “Lonely Receiver” is unique science fiction, horror romance worth checking out if you are a fan of the genre.

The first thing that drew me to this book was the illustrations on the cover. I’m a sucker for good illustrations and this book did not disappoint. The illustrations were hauntingly beautiful and I was intrigued by this sci-fi thriller. Definitely an interesting read.

Full review to be posted soonish.

I would like to thank the publisher and netgalley for providing me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* what...even. this was interesting but super weird. especially the phone. im not into scifi stuff so this wasn't my cup of tea to begin with but i mean the artwork was cool.

This comic follows Catrin who bought an artificial intelligence to be her wife, her life unravels when the wife disappears.

I got my copy of this for Netgalley because I thought the cover looked nice. Overall, I found the story very confusing and it was hard to follow what was actually going on. I think the unraveling of the story did fit with the main characters mindset, but it could also have made things so much clearer for the reader. It was also weird, like not fun weird, but weird with overly sexual themes … there is tentacles. I liked the sci fi parts of this, those parts were interesting, but it was still not enough for me to thoroughly enjoy it. It made be fun for some specific audiences! 2/5 stars.

Lonely Receiver. Fantasy with horror.. Fast and simple to read.

Recommended. A very good way to talk about these topics

When I started this book, I thought it would have some similarity to The Wicked + The Divine or Plastic (I chose it for the cover and title. I usually like to avoid reading descriptions to keep my readings a mystery). It wasn’t similar to either. The plot started interestingly enough but wasn’t able to hold my attention as I got deeper into it. It weighed heavily on relationships and death (obviously, per the title).

This book was not my cup of tea but it may interest others.

I enjoyed the first couple parts of this graphic novel that goes into how the MC, Catrin, is feeling the loss of her AI girlfriend leaving her. An AI companion that is supposed to love the person that they are set with forever. Only ever wanting to please them and make them happy. When her partner leaves her, Catrin spirals into obsession. Determined to find her. The last couple of parts devolve into a sex fueled dreamscape that takes place within a virtual reality type of place. She continues to have more and more surgeries that allow her to feel and experience in even more intense ways within this dreamscape.

It was weird.

I enjoyed the artwork but the story becomes stranger and stranger as it goes and when it comes to its conclusion it left me bewildered and confused. I’m not sure this would be classified as horror and it DEFINITELY shouldn’t be classified as YA. Like, even a little bit.

I don’t even know who I would recommend this to. I’m just going to leave this review here with a 2.5-star rating rounded up to 3.

Received from Diamond Book Distributors via Netgalley

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Thank you, Netgalley, and to the publisher, for lending me the e-ARC for The Vain. This does not affect my review in any way and form.

Was immediately drawn in by the cover art and the premise of the book: "A horror/breakup story in five parts." But what is it about?

"Catrin Vander, a lonely video producer, buys an Artificial Intelligence partner that's meant to bond to her for life. After ten years together, her holographic wife suddenly disconnects without a warning. The breakup drives Catrin to the point of near insanity. She's alone for the first time in years, and reeling from a loss she can't comprehend."

The book is set in the future where AI takes human forms and can be designed and "built" custom-made based on what the human wants. In this particular story though, Catrin's marriage (might I call it obsession?) and eventual "breakup" with an AI left her unhinged and spiraling into a craze of self-destruction.

The self-destruction part was perfectly encapsulated by how confusing, strange, wild, and horrific the storytelling got as I read the last two chapters. I had no idea what was going on and only had a vague sense of what was happening to the main character. And I think that in itself speaks for the harrowing and empty feeling that goes with heartbreaks, losing yourself in the process, and looking for ways to FEEL in very destructive ways - drugs and sex.

While I like the metaphorical take and AMAZING art style and how the color schemes were used to emulate emotions, I got sort of withdrawn from the characters as I was reading the last chapters.

Trigger Warnings: self-harm, physical assault, murder, body horror, drug/alcohol abuse, addiction, mental breakdown

'Lonely Receiver' by Zac Thompson with art by Jen Hickman is a graphic novel about a breakup that goes to dark places.

Catrin Vander is in love with an Artificial Intelligence named Rhion until she finds out that Rhion is seeing a lot more people. They have a violent breakup and Catrin thinks she can live on her own until she can't. She pursues someone else, then sinks to some pretty low depths, all for the pursuit of love.

The idea of the story started out okay and slowly devolved in to a story I didn't care about. Catrin is only pathetic and never sympathetic. Which is too bad, because Jen Hickman's art and eye-popping colors were a treat, except for the white on teal speech bubbles which were hard to read.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Aftershock Comics, Diamond Book Distributors, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.