The Life-Changing Manga of Tidying Up: A Magical Story by Marie Kondō, Yuko Uramoto

The Life-Changing Manga of Tidying Up: A Magical Story by Marie Kondō, Yuko Uramoto

My Rating: ★★★★

Marie Kondō became a household name in the states after her TV show hit Netflix. I’ve had her show in my Netflix queue, so I haven’t seen it yet, but I saw this book and knew I had to pick it up right away. It’s a cute story that follows a fictional character, Chiaki, who struggles with living in her messy apartment. Overwhelmed by the mess, she hires Kondō to help her declutter and learns the KonMari Method of tidying up that applies to more than just physical spaces. Through these lessons, Chiaki gains control over her apartment and it breathes happiness into her life.

I absolutely love this book. It introduces the KonMari method using a dramatized fictional example in a way that is not scary. Cleaning, or tidying, can be overwhelming and I learned some things from this book. There’s quite a few great tips and cleaning methods here. Of course, there are some things that are a little out there and don’t apply to me, but I think there’s a lot to learn from this book and I can see how her methods work.

I feel inspired to get cleaning using her methods. From experience, I know that cleaning by category is a lot less stressful than cleaning a space. Now I know why that is and I can’t believe I didn’t put two and two together because it can get overwhelming to clean a messy space over, say, going through all my clothes and separating everything in my closet and home by category to go through and tidy up. I can see how this can work very well in the long run.

Face Paint: The Story of Makeup by Lisa Eldridge

Face Paint: The Story of Makeup by Lisa Eldridge

My Rating: ★★★★

I’ve always been interested in history and makeup, so it was only a matter of time for me to start becoming interested in the history of makeup. I was excited when I came across this book, which covers the history of makeup and is written by a well-known makeup artist. Of course, there is only so much history can tell us about makeup depending on the era since it’s based on what was recorded and by who. I do like that Eldridge did talk about this as well as pointed out who was documenting cosmetic use in throughout various eras. It’s an important thing to take into consideration regarding history in general.

What I enjoyed most about this book is that it’s split up into different parts. There’s a bit of a color study, cosmetics through the ages, popular products, brands, idols, and science. Pictures are included every step of the way to give a visual for what she’s talking about. It was pretty neat seeing old ads and how makeup packaging has changed in the last century through visuals.

I found this book both interesting and informative. It’s truly a fun read. I also like that Eldridge dips a little into the history of nail polish and fragrance and how they’re linked to makeup. I thought nail polish was a somewhat recent item, so it was pretty cool to discover it’s been around in different forms for much longer.

Creative Journaling by Renee Day

Creative Journaling: A Guide to Over 100 Techniques and Ideas for Amazing Dot Grid, Junk, Mixed Media, and Travel Pages by Renee Day

My Rating: ★★★★★

I received a copy from Quarto Publishing Group and Rock Point through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve loved arts and crafts since I was a small child, and I’ve always found journaling fun, so I love combining the two with my bullet journal. When I saw this book, I thought it sounded like a cool resource for new techniques to use on my bullet journal. What I didn’t expect was to come out wanting to make junk journals. I’m going to have so much fun!

Renee Day covers a lot of information, which makes this a good resource for anyone who is thinking about combining art with any form of journaling. Renee also gives an informative description of what each type of media is and how to make them. These descriptions are also applied to the different art techniques and cool ideas that she includes for things that one can do in each type of journal. If you’re one who likes to have a supply list clearly laid out, you’re going to love reading this book.

There are so many cool ideas and inspiring things throughout this book. There’s also a variety of pictures and clear instructions, which makes it great for anyone who has never tried any of the cool art projects and journal spreads listed. I also like that each spread and art project is broken up into sections based on what type of journal one will be working with. Of course, it can all be mixed and matched based on one’s personal needs and the direction they want to go with their journal, but I thought it was pretty cool.

All in all, I really enjoyed reading this book and I will be using some of the techniques on my bullet journal. There are so many neat things in this book that it’s hard not to get inspired!

Huckleberry Christmas (The Matchmakers of Huckleberry Hill #3) by Jennifer Beckstrand

Huckleberry Christmas by Jennifer Beckstrand

My Rating: ★★★★★

Now that Anna Helmuth has two successful matchmaking schemes under her belt, she’s ready to dip her fingers back into the pie and get her granddaughter, Beth, married off. Unfortunately, Beth is a widow hellbent on never entering another marriage again after the terrible marriage that she’s survived through. Having just escaped her abusive in-laws, she’s staying with her grandparents while she raises her son and gets her dressmaking business off the ground. What she doesn’t know is that Anna is determined to match her up with Tyler Yoder.

One of my friend’s recommended Jennifer Beckstrand’s books and this is the first series that I’ve picked up from her. I thoroughly enjoyed the previous two books in the series, but I was excited that Beckstrand mixed things up a bit and had Anna trying to get one of her granddaughters married off. The previous two books follow two different grandsons and the young ladies Anna thought would be perfect matches for them. This time around, she looked at Tyler Yoder and knew he’d be perfect for her granddaughter, Beth.

Tyler is a character we got to know well in the second book. I like him a lot, so it was great that we got to see him find love again in this installment. We also meet a new character, Beth, who has just moved back home. Her previous marriage wasn’t a happy one, so I felt awful about the things that she had gone through. I do think that she needed more time to heal, but you know Anna. She gets something in her mind and runs with it!

It was great following Beth and watching her rediscover herself, her joys, and figure out what she does want from life now that she has a choice again. Her character development is very realistic, and I felt very invested in her as a character from the start. I think that she might be one of my favorite characters so far, right behind Anna and Felty of course, and I’m looking forward to seeing her pop up in future books in this series.

There’s also a nice touch of Christmas throughout the book. This is a particularly hard Christmas season for me since I lost my grandpa this year and dealing with Christmas music, movies, and such has been difficult. This book was light enough that I felt like I was in a warm and caring embrace while I read. I might’ve gotten misty a few times from my own grief, but I think this is probably the only Christmas media I didn’t run away from this December. This series has a huge heart and I just want to hang out in this world because there’s a lot about both Anna and Felty that reminds me of my grandpa.

Midnight Snacks are Murder (A Poppy McAllister Mystery #2) by Libby Klein

Midnight Snacks are Murder by Libby Klein

My Rating: ★★★★

Poppy McAllister is a busy bee. She’s got her budding gluten-free baking business and now a bed and breakfast with Aunt Ginny. The problem? It seems like there’s a new delay in the construction on her aunt’s house almost every day. To top things off, her mother-in-law has turned up and wants to oversee the construction since she’s an investor in the bed and breakfast. Just when Poppy thinks her hands are full, Aunt Ginny gets arrested for murder. Now Poppy has to carefully balance her work life with a new murder investigation since her former bully, Amber, doesn’t want to look at anyone but Aunt Ginny for the crime.

I absolutely loved the first installment in the series, so I had to pick up this book as soon as possible. The stakes are higher now that Aunt Ginny is wrapped up in a murder mystery after her short-lived time as the accidental Snack Bandit. Aunt Ginny is truly a hoot. I couldn’t stop laughing during her short-lived time as the Snack Bandit as well as her many shenanigans that come later in the book. At least her other shenanigans were planned. The poor woman ate some interesting things while she was a snack bandit!

Weirdly enough, Poppy is somehow the least interesting character this time around. Maybe it’s because she’s one of the few normal people in a sea of strange to hilarious characters, but I still enjoyed following her around. I can relate to her in many ways, so I totally understand her insecurities as well as some of her other problems. It was neat to see her continue to develop as well as hone her investigating skills as much as an untrained and green amateur sleuth can.

I was pretty excited to see more of Georgina, Poppy’s mother-in-law. We didn’t see a lot of her in the first book, so it was great to see her out there and in action. She does remind me of a better version of someone in my life, so it was really cool to see how much character development she had throughout the book. I’m excited to see where she goes from here as well as how her relationship with Poppy will continue to develop.

The murder mystery itself was interesting and had so many sides to it. I didn’t catch on to who the killer was until the very end, so Libby Klein really kept me on my toes. It was fun to meet the variety of new characters and watch new and old characters aid Poppy in her investigation. I hope that we see some of the new characters continue to appear in future books, and I’m excited to pick up the third installment soon.

Cobblered to Death (Courtney Archer #1) by Rosemarie Ross, Rose Ross Zediker

Cobblered to Death by Rosemarie Ross, Rose Ross Zediker

My Rating: ★★★★

I received a copy from Kensington Books through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Courtney Archer has made a career out of being a country girl with her cooking show, Cooking with the Farmer’s Daughter. The problem? She’s a city girl and the daughter of a pediatrician. Itching to get out of her contract and finally let the world know the truth, she’s left holding a secret that could ruin her career and a gag order to boot. Unfortunately for Courtney, the truth about her background falls into a contestant’s hands on her new show, The American Baking Battle. Just when she thinks things couldn’t get any worse, the sneaky contestant turns up dead, and the murder weapon is a cast-iron pan with Courtney’s fingerprints all over it. Courtney suspects judges and contestants alike and finds herself toeing the line of danger to get her name off the suspects list.

I love cozy mysteries, and this one in particular caught my eye because Courtney is a cooking show host. I love watching cooking shows, especially the contest ones, so I knew this book would be up my alley. What I didn’t expect was to love the behind the scenes feel this book gives. It was so much fun to watch Courtney, her co-hosts, and the contestants work on and off the camera for their show. It gave the reality TV show feel that older reality shows gave.

This book also has a great cast of characters. Courtney is the cool, successful cook and TV show host with a big secret that she wants to get out in the open. However, she wants it to come out on her terms since the truth about her background could destroy her career on a good day. I think she means well and didn’t think about how becoming a farmer’s daughter for TV would turn out the way it has.

Like some other amateur sleuths, Courtney gets involved to clear her name but continues her investigation once she’s in the clear. I think that her investigating is realistic because she’s an amateur poking around in the danger zone. Courtney doesn’t happen upon information and scenarios that are totally unrealistic, and I felt that the story and her investigation read as something that could really happen.

I found all of the characters believable, especially the contestants and how they act one way on camera and another once the cameras are turned off. I found the behind the scenes drama very entertaining, and I enjoyed following each of the characters and finding out their personal stories. I’m excited to see some of them return in the next book because I loved so many of them.

All in all, I found this to be an entertaining story and I’m already excited about the next book. I will definitely be returning when that book eventually drops because I want to see what happens next and how the characters will continue to develop.

Huckleberry Summer (The Matchmakers of Huckleberry Hill #2) by Jennifer Beckstrand

Huckleberry Summer by Jennifer Beckstrand

My Rating: ★★★★

With one successful matchmaking scheme under her belt, Anna sets off to match a different grandson up with a young lady she thinks is perfect for him. Once she hires Lily to help her and her husband out, she busts a move and then lets the magic happen. However, Lily immediately dislikes Aden. She thinks his big dog is out of control just like Aden, who is a conservationist and has been arrested for protesting. Meanwhile, Aden thinks Lily is cute, but isn’t interested in someone who hates him and his dog. When they grow feelings for each other, their love is put to the test when Lily’s father disapproves of Aden. Besides, her dad already has a husband picked out for her, and he's safe and reliable. What is this sweet couple to do?

After reading the first book in the series, I knew I had to pick up the second installment and get started on it right away. While I loved the first book, I didn’t particularly care for the new couple we follow. I still can’t put my finger on what it is that I don’t like about Aden. He’s a conservationist who cares about saving the planet as well as animals. Like Lily, he’s sweet and honest, but there was something about him that rubbed me the wrong way. His dog sounded adorable though and I’d give him all the pats in the world.

Lily is a sweet woman who is a serial rule follower, loves to be helpful, and hangs on every word her father has to say. The drawback is that she never steps a foot out of line, and when she does, she doesn’t take responsibility. Instead of acknowledging the choices she makes, she points the finger elsewhere and goes off crying in the other direction. I saw this coming early on and it reminded me of the few people I’ve known throughout my life who always made it seem like they just happened to be there whenever they did something that led to any kind trouble. I think this is why I didn’t care for Lily. No one has time for her shenanigans when she does pull them.

That said, I loved every other character that appears in the book, including the ones we’ve seen before. I loved seeing Anna and Felty again and I loved meeting the new characters, especially Lily’s sister, Estee. I love that we got a glimpse at the next book as well and I’m really excited that Anna will be fixing up one of her granddaughters with someone.

All in all, this book had a great cast of characters and told a wonderful story. I just didn’t care for Lily and Aden, but I think that most people will. I enjoyed the story and look forward to reading the next book.

Class Reunions Are Murder (A Poppy McAllister Mystery #1) by Libby Klein

Class Reunions Are Murder by Libby Klein

My Rating: ★★★★★

Poppy McAllister is going through one of the worst periods of her life. Her husband passed away six months ago and she’s living on junk food and infomercials while hanging out with her at, Figaro. Just to top things off, she got a letter from her bully inviting her to a special meeting at their 25-year high school reunion. With no plans to attend her high school reunion, Poppy’s best friend calls on her to attend and give moral support because her ex-husband is going to be at the reunion. Poppy packs up, gets Figaro in the car, and makes her way back Cape May just in time for her bully to get murdered, and Poppy is the main suspect.

This book is, hands down, one of the funniest books I’ve read. Libby Klein had me laughing so many times that I had to take a short break from reading to collect myself a few times. I also like that Poppy is extremely relatable, especially as a fat lady, because I rarely come across realistic plus size characters. It’s so nice to see someone who looks like me as the protagonist of her own series. It’s even better when that character isn’t just the comedy relief or a big dummy.

There are so many great characters in this book. I particularly enjoyed Aunt Ginny and her group of friends. Not only is Ginny a hoot, but she’s also extremely caring and thoughtful. I wish I had a cool aunt like her. She’s also got a great group of friends who are almost equally funny and caring. Poppy’s group of friends from high school are also wonderful and hilarious. I can’t wait to learn more about them in future books.

Of course, there are the terrible characters that we love to hate, especially Barbie. Sadly, I think we all have had a Barbie in our lives at some point, so it was understandable for Poppy to want nothing to do with her and her group of friends who also bullied Poppy and her friends. It certainly makes the murder mystery aspect of the story interesting because Barbie has a long list of enemies. I was convinced that one of Barbie’s former friends, Amber, was the killer from early on because she was so quick to point the finger at Poppy and not look elsewhere.

All in all, this is a wonderful book and I have already picked up the second installment.

Minus by Lisa Naffziger

Minus by Lisa Naffziger

My Rating: ★

I received a copy from Letter Better Publishing Services through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

After being home schooled for most of her life, Beck is nervous and on her way to college. Her overprotective and paranoid dad is driving her to college and dropping hints about staying home, but Beck is excited about going to university and doesn’t have plants to change her mind. Their trip is going great until they stop at a gas station so Beck can use the bathroom. When Beck comes out, the gas station is trashed, and her dad is gone. Scared and confused about why her dad took off without her, she takes off on foot and hopes to meet up with some friends she made through her university online group until she contacts her dad. Along the way, Beck discovers the truth about her life and why her dad has always been so paranoid.

I thought this book had an interesting concept and it really drew me in before it went off the rails. I think Lisa Naffziger had something going there early in the story. It’s clear that something is up with Beck’s dad from the start. He’s paranoid, doesn’t think Beck should use her phone unless it’s to communicate with him, and has rules about the kinds of apps she can use and how to not draw attention to herself. It’s very clear that he abducted her at some point in her life but that she doesn’t know this since she was raised by him.

Once Beck is separated from her dad, I could see why the story is marketed as a thriller because I felt on edge like Beck did. However, the story starts go to off the rails as Beck tries to find her dad. The story asks me to suspend more and more belief the closer it gets to the end. At some point, I couldn’t spare anymore. The way Beck’s abduction case is handled is questionable at best and there’s more focus put on her kidnapper’s perspective and well-being in relation to her than there should’ve been.

I understand why Beck is attached to her kidnapper. He’s raised her and that’s who she sees as a parental figure. That said, this aspect could’ve been handled much better. I also wish that we saw her reuniting with her mom before the story ends rather than her kidnapper. It seems to cater to Beck’s “father” more than her and her biological family for a story about someone who was kidnapped and just had their entire life changed again when he finally gets busted.

I think the opening was great and the artwork is nice, but it lacks depth and compassion for Beck and her biological family. Overall, it comes off as one big kidnapper’s redemption arc and that’s not something I can get behind.

Bear Witness to Murder (Shamelessly Adorable Teddy Bear Mystery #2) by Meg Macy

Bear Witness to Murder by Meg Macy

My Rating: ★★

Sasha Silverman is preparing for Silver Hollow’s autumn events while managing her family’s business, the Silver Bear Shop. Everything seems to be going well until Holly Parker, Sasha’s high school rival, returns to town and becomes her new business rival. While trying to put old drama behind her, Sasha stumbles upon Holly’s assistant’s body, and quickly finds herself in the middle of a brand-new murder mystery. Unfortunately for Sasha, Holly still has it out for her, and she finds herself torn between Oktobear Fest and trying to get to the bottom of the murder and Holly’s undeserved rage.

I picked this book up thinking it’d be an adorable cozy but instead found myself dragging along with the story because of the slow pace. There are good things about it, but it’s too weighed down by a very large cast that pops in and out of the story. I found the sheer number of characters confusing, especially because so many of them didn’t have anything memorable about them. It made it hard to keep who was who straight at times, but I was able to keep the core cast straight for the most part, so I guess that’s what matters.

I love that Sasha family oriented, an animal lover, and hard worker. However, she’s a bland character that didn’t get me excited about reading the book. I enjoyed when she was hanging out with her sister because Mattie is such a vibrant character. Otherwise, it seemed like Sasha didn’t have much of a personality and was somewhat emotionless at times. I think the most emotion we really saw from her was toward the end of the book, but otherwise, her emotions seemed to be set on mute. I also didn’t find her motivations for getting involved in the murder mystery believable until one of her family members was being eyed as the killer.

I thoroughly enjoyed the drama that Holly brought to the table because she’s such a vile character who has her fingers in all the pies. Holly really gets the story going because she has so many sides to her, and none of them are good. Unfortunately, the real mystery was Holly’s beef with Sasha and not the murder. I never really understood why Holly zeroed in on Sasha in the first place. I wish that’s something that was cleared up in a way that made sense by the end of the book, but I’m okay with accepting the explanation that was given. Holly is a character that is unhinged in many ways, so it’s understandable that her motivations don’t necessarily make sense to anyone but her.

The relationship between Sasha’s ex-husband, Flynn, and her mother is an odd one. There were times where I wondered if her mother had an affair with Flynn and no one has figured it out yet. It’s so odd that she would favor her cheating former son-in-law over her own daughter down to trying to get them back together. It makes even less sense when I think about what her thoughts were on the situation, as revealed by Sasha’s father, but now she’s Flynn’s number one fan. I understand that she likes Flynn and has remained friends with him after the divorce, but the rest is just strange.

All in all, I enjoyed some parts of the book, but the number of characters and slow pacing didn’t do it justice. I found Sasha a bland character that is not exciting to follow, and some of the relationships between characters odd, which didn’t help matters. I do think the mystery surrounding Holly’s venomous actions interesting and Oktobear fest cute, so that made it worth the read.

Huckleberry Hill (The Matchmakers of Huckleberry Hill #1) by Jennifer Beckstrand

Huckleberry Hill by Jennifer Beckstrand

My Rating: ★★★★

Lia Shetler has always come second best in her family. According to her father, there isn’t a man who wants a tall, homely wife. Raised to believe that she’ll never marry, she’s spent her life content to help her parents and make sure her younger, shorter, and beautiful sister is taken care of. That’s until Anna Helmuth gets it in her head that Lia would make a great wife of her grandson, Moses, who is hellbent on never marrying anyone but his childhood sweetheart and former fiancé. After traveling for an hour to get to Huckleberry Hill, Lia quickly discovers that love might be in the cards for her as she blossoms under Anna and her husband’s care.

Jennifer Beckstrand’s books were highly recommended by a friend, so I looked at her books and decided to pick this one up. Boy, am I glad that I read this! It’s such a perfect, light, and heartwarming read. There are some serious moments and a character who is a real pain in the butt, but all in all, it was a light read that’s also perfect for bedtime reading.

I absolutely love most of the characters. I wish I could hang out with Anna and her husband, Felty. They seem like such a sweet couple and an all-around great people that bring light wherever they go. Their grandson, Moses, is very sweet like his grandparents but stubborn to a fault just like his grandma. I loved following the three of these characters and seeing how much this family cares for each other even if they raise each other’s eyebrows from time to time.

Lia is a wonderful character that resonated with me. I know what it’s like to grow up believing you’re ugly and not good enough. While her life is very different from mine, I understand where she’s coming from and why she feels the way she does. While I don’t have any sisters, I totally understand what it’s like for her to have someone like her sister, Rachel, in her life. I grew up with the family favorite who is very much like Rachel to this day, and it took a long time for me to realize that I could step out of her shadow and stand up for myself just like Lia does. I loved following Lia and seeing her really grow as a person.

While this book is sweet and heartwarming, it’s also hilarious at times. Watching the types of shenanigans that unfold was hilarious at times. Plus, some of the character’s antics were realistic, eyeroll inducing, and even hilarious. I had a great time watching the way Anna and Felty react to Rachel when she takes their home by storm. Honestly, I’m surprised they didn’t give her the boot, but they were too nice for that.

I will be picking up the next book in the series in the near future. I want to see what Anna and Felty get up to next as Anna plots her next matchmaking scheme!

The Dastardly Miss Lizzie (Electric Empire #3) by Viola Carr

The Dastardly Miss Lizzie by Viola Carr

My Rating: ★★★★

Dr. Eliza Jekyll continues to fight the other side of herself, Lizzie Hyde, while trying to stop the serial killer who is terrorizing scientists. She must also find who The Ripper is before more women turn up dead. The problem? Life has gotten a lot worse than Eliza and Lizzie fighting over who has control of their body at any given time. With Eliza’s reputation on the line as a crime scene physician, her fight with Lizzie goes from bad to worse as sorcerers aim to make their timeline the worst of the worst.

I’ve enjoyed this series since book one, so I was very excited to finally pick up the third installment. I think that this has been an interesting series that has a good balance between paranormal and science fiction from the start. I’ve always enjoyed following Eliza and Lizzie, the daughters of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and watching how they struggle with sharing the same body. On the same token, it’s been fun how supernatural elements such as werewolves and sorcerers, were weaved into the story.

This time around, a new science fiction element gets thrown into the ring: time travel. I have mixed feelings about this because it was done well, but it does get confusing as the story inches closer to the end. I like how time traveling is explained and that the rules of time travel are very clear. However, too much was going on at some point and it was very confusing by the time I reached the climax. There are a few things that I’m still confused on, but overall, I’m happy with how the story ends.

I believe that this is the final book in the series and I’m happy with how it has ended. However, I wish the time travel plot was introduced much earlier in the book so that it had time to truly flourish.

Coached to Death (The Life Coach Mysteries #1) by Victoria Laurie

Coached to Death by Victoria Laurie

My Rating: ★★★

I received a copy from Kensington Books through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

After going through a terrible divorce, Catherine Cooper is ready to dive into her new business and settle into her freshly build home. Unfortunately, things are not going as smoothly as Cat hoped. Her life coaching business is off to a rough start and one of her new neighbors, Heather, despises her. Cat is determined to dig up some dirt on Heather and air her dirty laundry, but someone beats her to the punch. Literally. Heather is dead and someone beat her over the head with Cat’s punch bowl. Determined to knock her name off the prime suspects list, Cat finds herself in the middle of a murder mystery that is much larger than she could’ve imagined.

I have been a long-time fan of Victoria Laurie’s books, so I was very excited when I heard that she was dropping a spin-off series following Cat and Gilley. I’ve read the Psychic Eye mysteries as well as the Ghost Hunter mysteries, so I was very excited to see how these two characters were going to come together and create a whole new series. This time around, we primarily follow Cat as she finds herself in the middle of a supernatural free murder mystery.

I thought I’d love a book that primarily follows Cat but quickly discovered that is not the case. I found Cat to be too naive to be believable, especially given how much of a successful businesswoman she’s been in the past. I just found many of her choices and thoughts to be unbelievable and found myself raising an eyebrow very high in response. I found myself a bit embarrassed for her as well during some of her exchanges with her love interest. I know that she’s newly divorced, but it’s hard to believe that she’d say or think some of the things she did. She came off as a very sheltered and naive person who has never dated and never pegged Cat as any of these things.

That said, I did enjoy the story and all the characters that surround Cat. I’m particularly excited to see Gilley again and hope that he has a bigger role in future books. I would like to see more of Cat’s new life as a life coach have a bigger role in the future, but I can’t complain too much about how life coaching took shape in this book. The mystery itself was very strong and compelling so that was a plus.

I loved many of the new characters that are here to stay and I’m excited to see where this series will take us. I hope that Cat will be less naive in the next installment because that was my primary problem with her and the book in this series opener. It’ll also be fun to see Gilley take on a bigger role as well as seeing Cat’s new business become more integrated in the story. It’ll also be great to see the new characters develop as well as see what kind of mystery Cat and Gilley will find themselves investigating next.

Parasite Eve by Hideaki Sena

Parasite Eve by Hideaki Sena

My Rating: ★

When Kiyomi Nagashima is declared brain dead after a serious car accident, her husband’s world is changed forever. Shocked and upset, Dr. Toshiaki Nagashima is suddenly overwhelmed with the urge to keep his wife alive. Rather than keeping her alive through his memories of her, he decides to start experimenting with her liver cells in his lab. Toshiaki is so enthralled by the progress he’s making that he doesn’t see that there is something very wrong with this experiment, especially when Kiyomi begins to seemingly speak to him through the harvested cells. Unfortunately for him, he only realizes the grave mistake he’s made when his experiment takes on a life of its own.

My younger brother recommended this book to me because he thought it’d be up my alley. He’s played the video games that are sequels to this book with the same title, but he’s never picked up the book himself. I decided to check out the book since it did sound like something that I would be interested in.

Unfortunately, much of the book is detailed scientific and medical information. Eve, or She as she calls herself, is mitochondria so there does need to be at least some scientific information to make the story work. However, most of it reads as a textbook rather than a science fiction novel. I think it would’ve read much better if the scientific and medical information was scaled back a bit. Getting blow by blow details of kidney transplants and a lot of science was a bit much, even for a science fiction novel. I might’ve been more interested in the attention to detail if I was really into mitochondria and lab experiments.

In the middle of all that technical information, we follow a group of rotating narrators throughout the story. Toshiaki is our primary narrator and he seemed to be a bit off from the start. Unfortunately for him, he comes to his senses when it’s too late because Eve/She is out of control and on the loose. Sachiko Asakura, my favorite character, is a student working under Toshiaki and she notices something is wrong right away but she doesn’t know what, exactly, is going on until she’s targeted. Mariko is a teenager who receives one of Kiyomi’s kidneys and finds herself targeted by Eve/She. I wish that Mariko was better developed because she was a great character. We also follow a few other characters including Kiyomi through a series of flashbacks, but the most startling perspective is Eve/Her.

I think the premise was interesting. The idea of something that has existed since before any life forms on Earth has been lurking within us and biding their time is very scary. However, the execution makes it far less scary because we’re caught up in so much technical detail that the story doesn’t start going anywhere until halfway through the book. There are also two rapes that occur in the book and both should’ve never happened and ultimately seal the fate on this book as a big miss.

Leave Me Alone! by Vera Brosgol

Leave Me Alone! by Vera Brosgol

My Rating: ★★★★★

One woman just wants to knit in peace, but it’s too noisy so she yells for everyone to leave her alone. Of course, life is never that easy, so she embarks on a journey to find a nice and quiet place to get her knitting done. Traveling to forests, snowy mountains, and even the moon, there’s always someone bugging her until she finds the ultimate location to knit a plethora of sweaters.

This is such an adorable children’s book that follows a frustrated grandmother who just wants to knit alone so she can concentrate. As a knitter myself, I understand why she wants to sit in peace. Depending on the pattern, you need absolute silence to concentrate on what the pattern calls for. I’m someone who likes to have background noise and have conversations while knitting, but I totally understand this character. Sometimes you just need some peace and quiet to knit!

I think this is such a cute and funny story that’s perfect for small children. The artwork is beautiful and complex in its own way, so it’ll keep kid’s attention. It’s a funny and simple tale that will crack kids up as they watch the grandmother’s journey continue. My favorite sections are when she encounters a bear and of course when she encounters extraterrestrial beings on the moon. I could relate to her when a group of goats started eating her yarn because I have two cats that try to munch on my yarn if they spot me knitting. It’s a great book and it was the light and fun kind of read that everyone needs.

Dangerous Deception at Honeychurch Hall (Honeychurch Hall Mystery #5) by Hannah Dennison

Dangerous Deception at Honeychurch Hall by Hannah Dennison

My Rating: ★★★★★

Kat has finally gotten into a groove and is enjoying life. Her romance life is heating up as she gets closer to her neighbor, Piers, and she’s finding new ways to drum up business for herself. Life is good until Cassandra shows up and makes sure it’s known that nothing will come between her and her man, Piers, even though he swears they’re like siblings. Determined to keep her head held high, Kat continues like everything is normal and that she’s not jealous. Not a smidge! Of course, things start to heat up once a badly photoshopped image of Kat appears in the newspaper and she gets accused of trying to swindle a retired veteran out of a set of collector’s items. Just when things can’t get any worse, Kat finds herself caught up in another murder mystery and the killer is a lot closer than she could’ve ever imagined.

Five books in and this series is just as good as when it first begun. I loved seeing my favorite characters, especially Iris, in this brand-new installment full of wonderful and hilarious moments. It’s great to see these characters continue to develop, bond, and butt heads. This time around, Iris has a new friend and in addition to secret admirer. Jealously rears its ugly head in new ways for Kat, and most of it isn’t even her. We see a new side of Shawn that, quite frankly, is neither flattering nor cute. I absolutely love seeing this great cast of characters come together yet again.

One of the things that I love about this series is the humor. This time around, the joking around that occurs between Kat and Iris reminded me of how my mom and I joke around. It’s such a small thing but it really resonated with me. I also love how well balanced this series is. It’s never too serious, too humorous, or too history based. It has a perfect medium that keeps the story rolling without a hitch.

I love the way that the love triangles are handled in this series, especially this book. It’s great to watch Kat slowly recognize that she deserves better and figure out what it is that she wants. This time around, she sees new sides to a few characters that impacts how she wants to continue her relationship with them and I think that’s a powerful development on her part.

All in all, I absolutely love this book and I’ll be keeping an ear out for news on the next installment.

The Dark Lord Clementine by Sarah Jean Horwitz

The Dark Lord Clementine by Sarah Jean Horwitz

My Rating: ★★★★★

I received a copy from Algonquin Young Readers through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Clementine has been groomed to become the next Dark Lord since her birth, but she’s always felt lonely and not exactly what her father imagined his heir would be like. One day, her father is cursed by a powerful rival and starts wasting away. As soon as he’s not strong enough to run his own lands, Clementine takes over as the temporary Evil Overlord. She quickly discovers that she can’t do things by herself and very stubbornly makes new friends and discovers that these friendships have considerably brightened her life. The more she’s left to her own devices, the more she discovers about herself and her family, and she begins to wonder if she’s a good person and not evil at all.

This is such a wonderful and heartwarming book following a lonely pre-teen who has been learning how to be the best Dark Lord she can ever be for her whole life. Never having been truly evil, she doesn’t have a single happy memory and has always been fascinated by the townsfolk who are absolutely terrified of her and her father. She may not be evil, but she’s still not perfect, and that’s okay because she wouldn’t have it any other way.

I love that this story brings up that being good doesn’t necessarily mean being perfect. Being bad is not straight forward like she’s been led to believe, and this is a good topic for middle schoolers who are at that weird age where they’re trying to figure out who they are and how they fit in with their peers. At this age, it’s easy to think that one mistake means you’re not a good person and stories like this show them that life is more complex than that.

In this case, Clementine believes she’s evil and she’s been raised to be the next Dark Lord, but she discovers that she possesses light magic and doesn’t like to hurt people. She wonders if she’s secretly been good this whole time, but then thinks that she can’t be because she also likes to do some bad things. There’s a town full of people who are terrified of Clementine and her father, but then she makes friends with a group of kids and they discover that Clementine isn’t so bad just as Clementine discovers that friends are a wonderful thing to have.

This book is just full of so many wonderful and complex characters that each bring a lesson with them. I love how cute, charming, and full of character the story is and I highly recommend it.

Mulberry Mischief (A Berry Basket Mystery #4) by Sharon Farrow

Mulberry Mischief by Sharon Farrow

My Rating: ★★★★

It’s the week of Halloween and that means big business for Oriole Point. At least it usually does, but Piper has temporarily steered business away with her health fair. While business is down, Marlee gets caught up in a brand-new murder mystery shortly after doing business with an eccentric woman living in her small town, Leticia. Better known as the Lake Lady, Leticia orders enough mulberries to cover her entire home because of their protective qualities. Marlee is confused by the request and doesn’t believe that Leticia has anything dangerous to worry about until a mysterious man turns up looking for Leticia. When that man turns up dead and Leticia goes missing, Marlee jumps on the case an discovers that Leticia has deadly past just caught up with her.

The third installment of the series was a little bit of a miss for me, but I’m happy to say that I’m fan of the latest book. I was excited to be on board with Marlee and company again this time around, including her new beau, Kit. I do think that she moved on pretty quickly from her last relationship, but I’m willing to overlook this because they seem like a much better match than her ex-fiancé ever was.

The mystery itself was pretty good this time around. I liked Leticia and felt bad for her, especially with her sad and complex life story. Each of the suspects could easily be the killer on the loose in Oriole Point, and majority of those suspects are not happy with Marlee poking around their personal business. I thought that the mystery was handled very well, but I do think that the way Marlee suddenly connected the dots before getting confirmation toward the end was farfetched. It’s funny because we could’ve done without that little bit of her randomly connecting dots since she was about to get the answers. Otherwise, I think the mystery was handled well.

As always, I love the returning cast of characters and I’m excited to check out the next installment when it eventually drops.

Of Ice and Shadows (Of Fire and Stars #2) by Audrey Coulthurst

Of Ice and Shadows by Audrey Coulthurst

My Rating: ★★★

After faking her death, Denna and Mare are finally back together and seeking help with Denna’s magic abilities. After concocting a cover story, Denna must pretend to be Mare’s maid during their long journey to Zumorda. Once they arrive, they discover that Zumorda is very different from the world they’re from. Magic abilities are prevalent and used open in everyday life, which is something Denna and Mare are not used to. While Denna hopes to find someone willing to train her, Mare has started to wonder if they could just strip Denna of her abilities. Unfortunately for them, the political climate starts heating up as they start to discover their personal differences.

I have been a fan of this series since the first book, so I was very excited when we got a release date for the official second installment in the series. I absolutely love the characters from the first book as well as the prequel, so it was great to see Denna and Mare encounter one of the characters from the prequel.

This time around, the pair are in a new setting, so we got to meet a whole new cast of characters. I absolutely loved some of the new characters, especially Alek and Fadeyka. I would love to see Tristan and Evie again as well as see them developed a lot more than they were this time around. There are so many great and interesting characters throughout the story that I wish they were real people.

A lot of the story involved Denna and Mare exiting the honeymoon phase of their relationship. I knew they would work through it, but it was still great to see the ups and downs of their relationship and how they would become more solid as a couple in the end. Both characters grew a lot throughout the story, so that was very exciting as well.

Unfortunately, I did find the plot a little clunky at times. I wondered how the prequel was going to take form in the second installment, so that was interesting to see, but it seemed like a few aspects were shoehorned in. Much of the book seemed to be preparing for the next installment in the series, so there was a lot of build up only for it to fizzle out very quickly at the end. I also wish that the world building was a lot better once Denna and Mare got to Zumorda, especially from Denna’s perspective since she was a lot more open and understanding than Mare for much of the book. Regardless, I am looking forward to the next book and I hope that the issues I have with this installment gets sorted out.

Killer Fashion: Poisonous Petticoats, Strangulating Scarves, and Other Deadly Garments Throughout History by Jennifer Wright

Killer Fashion by Jennifer Wright

My Rating: ★★★★

Jennifer Wright spotlights some of the deadly fashion practices throughout history because, even today, fashion has always had a deadly side. Covering everything from flammable clothes to killer hair dye, we get a quick overview of some of the deadliest fashions that is riddled through history.

I love when I come across books that cover some of the lesser talked about topics, so I was excited when I saw that Wright write a book about dangerous fashion practices. While it’s short and to the point, it does present several deadly cases can send readers off to research the fashionable items they didn’t know were deadly. I do think that some of the cases are reaching a bit, such as killer high heels, but I still found the book enjoyable. I also learned about a few items that I didn’t know existed, such as belladonna. I heard it referenced before, but I always thought it referred to a painting and not hazardous eye drops.

I do wish the book was longer and contained more information about each item and its history, but I don’t have any complaints. I was aware that it was going to be short and to the point when I saw the page count before picking up the book, so I didn’t go in expecting a very informative book. Because of the length and overall writing style, I think it’s a great introductory book for people who are looking to learn something new but also want that information condensed.

The Blacksmith Queen (The Scarred Earth Saga #1) by G.A. Aiken

The Blacksmith Queen by G.A. Aiken

My Rating: ★★★★

I received a copy from Kensington Books through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Keeley Smythe is enjoying life as a blacksmith. She runs her family forge, helps her parents with her siblings, and spends time with her wide range of friends. Everything changes when the Old King dies and a prophecy names one of her sisters, Beatrix, as the new queen. Unfortunately for them, the Old King’s sons are locked in a bloody battle with one another to make sure that only one of them will become the new king, and anyone who threatens their chances is as good as dead. With the Old King’s sons coming for Beatrix, Keeley and her family must make a run for it and somehow confirm Beatrix as the new queen along the way.

Not only is this a great story, but it also has a lot of badass female characters at every turn. I found myself glued to the pages and ready to see what Keeley and company were going to encounter next. Out of all the characters, I love Keeley and her cousin, Keran, the most. They’re both completely different people, but they care for each other and are totally badass in their own ways. I look forward to seeing how they continue to develop in future books, especially Keran. I think that Keran has room to grow as a character and it’ll be fun to see that happen.

While this book has a lot of great characters, I do have one complaint: there are too many characters. There are so many people coming in and out of the story that it was confusing early in the story. Luckily, they’re all very different from one another so it was easy for me to get a hold on them early on, but it’s something that left my mind spinning for a hot minute. I can see people being confused about sheer amount of characters who make an appearance, especially when are people who could’ve been introduced in a later novel.

That said, I really did enjoy the book. There was never a dull moment and I love how there is a good balance between serious moments, action, and comedy. By the time I got to the end of the book, I felt like I had just finished watching a really good three-hour movie. There’s something for everyone here, including all the supernatural characters that fit perfectly into its world. If action packed novels aren’t your cup of tea, you might want to skip this book because it is fast paced and packed with action from beginning to end.

The Okay Witch by Emma Steinkellner

The Okay Witch by Emma Steinkellner

My Rating: ★★★★★

I received a copy from Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Moth Hush has never fit in her small town. It’s okay because she has her mom, but she wishes she could make a friend or at least finally fit in enough to stop getting picked on by her peers. Everything changes on one glorious Halloween. Not only does she make a friend, but she discovers that she’s a witch! Coming into the magic she didn’t know runs through her family is the coolest thing that’s ever happened to her. Unfortunately, her mom swore off magic before she was born and doesn’t want to teach Moth a thing. In fact, she has a no magic rule. Falling face first into very real centuries old witch hunt, things quickly get out of control and she comes into her own right in the middle of it all.

I’m a huge fan of all things witches so I was very excited when I saw this book because it sounded cute, inspiring, and right up my alley. I was not disappointed because Emma Steinkellner had me glued to every page and ready to see what happens next. I love Moth as a character. She doesn’t fit in and she’s lonely, but she marches to the beat of her own drum and doesn’t let it get in the way of her interests.

The storytelling and artwork go hand in hand and tell a beautiful story about a 13-year-old girl finding who she is at an age where everyone is still confused about who they are and who they want to be. Moth is extremely relatable, and I think that any kid who has been picked on or bullied can see a piece of themselves in Moth. I love that she’s outspoken, thoughtful, and makes mistakes along the way.

Alongside Moth is a great cast of characters ranging from her mom and new friend to a helpful ghost and a group of witches who just want fellow witches to be safe and happy. I love the way that Moth’s family history, which is tied into the true history of her small town, are presented and explained through a series of flashbacks. I was so absorbed in the story at this point that my phone rang, scaring me, and I was waiting for that call when I started reading!

At its core, this is a story of friendship, family, and compromising rather than trying to force love ones to do what one thinks is best for them. I loved seeing Moth and company become a strong unit as she comes into her own and finds the confidence and strength to help and save the people she loves. I absolutely love the story and the artwork and I am looking forward to reading more of Steinkellner’s work in the future.

Aru Shah and the Song of Death (Pandava Quartet #2) by Roshani Chokshi

Aru Shah and the Song of Death by Roshani Chokshi

My Rating: ★★★★★

Aru Shah is trying to get the hang of being a Pandava when someone using her likeness steals the god of love’s bow and arrow. Unable to prove that she’s been framed, Aru, Mini, and the third Pandava are given a new task: retrieve the bow and arrow in ten days or find themselves booted from the Otherworld forever. Overwhelmed, Aru and her soul-sisters team up with a boy assigned to help them and find themselves barely strapped in for a wild ride.

I was very excited when this book dropped earlier this year and I was even more excited when I finally got my hands on it because I absolutely loved the first book in the series. Picking up where the previous book left off, we follow Aru and Mini on their next great adventure. This time, they have a new soul-sister, Brynne, and her best friend Aiden along for the ride. Sadly, Boo is held back as Aru and company are guilty until proven innocent.

The story is fast paced, funny, and has a lot of serious moments as well as moral lessons. It’s a great story that has the potential to be ageless in the same way that Harry Potter is. I love that the theme of this story is to look past the surface because things are not always what they seem, and there’s two sides to every story. It’s an important lesson for people of all ages and it’s something that is seamlessly weaved throughout the book in a way that doesn’t hit its readers over the head.

Roshani gives us such a great cast of characters. Aru is a self-conscious kid who finally feels like she’s apart of something now that it’s been revealed she has one of the Pandava brother’s souls. Like most kids her age, she just wants to fit in, so she feels like she’s finally being seen rather than cast out. Unlike most kids her age, she fears that she will eventually turn on her soul-sisters and work with the Sleeper as was predicted in the previous book. I like Aru. She’s funny, relatable, and has a heart of gold.

Aru’s sister, Mini, is my favorite character. Also a self-conscious kid, Mini is also under an immense amount of pressure by her family. Poor mini is also a huge germaphobe, which makes for great comedy when things get tough. I think she’s my favorite because I relate to her in a lot of ways, especially when I think about how I was as a pre-teen and teenager.

This time around, we have two new characters: Brynne and Aiden. Brynne is the newest soul-sister and she feels like she has a lot to prove, especially because of how she’s been treated all her life. Aiden, Brynne’s best friend and Aru’s neighbor, has everything going for him but he’s got his own hardships that slowly come out as the story continues. I rather like the new additions and I look forward to seeing how their stories develop as the series continues.

My only complaint about this book is that Aru and company do not read as a group of 12-year-olds. In the first installment, there were moments where Aru and Mini read as two 16-year-olds. This time around, if I didn’t know they were supposed to be 12, I would’ve thought they were 16 or 17 because they are much more mature than they should be for the age bracket they’re supposed to be. Otherwise, it’s a great story and I’m already looking forward to the third book.

Keep This to Yourself by Tom Ryan

Keep This to Yourself by Tom Ryan

My Rating: ★★½

A year after a serial killer breezed through Camera Cove, Mac and his small group of friends are trying to recover from the murder of one their friends and move on with their lives. Unfortunately for Mac, he discovers a note indicating that his late best friend, Connor, stumbled upon something major about the murders. He can’t move on with his life until he gets to the bottom of this note. What did Connor know, and would he have survived if Mac discovered the note sooner?

Told in the first person, we follow Mac Bell at the end of his senior year. Mac is a self-conscious, quiet, kid who has lived in a small town his whole life. After his best friend was murdered, is small group of friends barely talk anymore and he coasts along the social sidelines. I understand why he’s having difficulty figuring out his life when the story picks up. Entering adulthood can be overwhelming as it is, but he’s still reeling from the murder of his best friend and he’s having trouble starting the next phase of his life because his closest friend will never have that opportunity.

I think this would’ve made a better story if the characters were better developed. Majority of the characters are stereotypical, and we don’t get to see anything past the surface on those characters. Mac is very one dimensional and never seems to grow as a character in any direction in addition to being pretty dense for someone who finds clues the police missed. Quill and Connor are the most developed characters and I found myself wishing that we were following Quill. He splashed some life into the story the moment he appeared and is definitely the brain of this investigating duo.

I think the mystery itself was great and it took some interesting turns. I thought it was great some of the characters turned out to be much different than we were initially led to think. It’s always interesting when characters have a persona that is very different from who they really are, so it was interesting to see that one of the characters fell under this umbrella. While I think Mac should’ve been better developed, especially as our narrator, I did enjoy the book and couldn’t tear myself away from it.

The book was a fun read, but the conclusion left my jaw hanging. The detective on the case made a decision that is so off the wall unrealistic that I’m honestly dumbfounded. I would give this book a solid three stars if it wasn’t for that decision, so I’m giving this book a 2.5 because there is no way that decision would’ve ever been made. Otherwise, this was a fun read and I enjoyed some of the twists and turns it takes.

The Grim Assistant (Tales from the Grim #1) by Jodi Hutchins

The Grim Assistant by Jodi Hutchins

My Rating: ★★★

I received a copy from NineStar Press through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Samantha spends her early mornings surfing and the rest of the day delivering mail. The rest of her time is spent pining over her friend, Lauren, and supporting her sister while she goes through a bad divorce. Life is as simple as it can get when there’s drama surrounding a divorce until Sam drowns while she’s out surfing one early morning. Waking up in the space between life and death, Sam is given a choice by a Grim Reaper: stay dead and move on to wherever her spirit is meant to go or return to life. She chooses life, but there’s a catch to this deal. Sam must aid the Grim Reaper, Margo, in ushering difficult spirits onto the next phase of the afterlife.

Told in narrating perspectives, we follow Sam and Lauren through their lives. I think the story would’ve been better if it was either told with a single narrator or in the third person. It’s not that the first person is bad, because it isn’t, but Sam and Lauren have the same exact voice. If the shift in narrators didn’t clarify who was speaking, it would’ve been confusing until I saw the setting.

I did struggle with telling some of the characters apart in the early chapters because they were so similar that I thought a few of them were the same person based on how they spoke and acted. I kept confusing Sam and Lauren’s best friend, Jackie, during Lauren’s perspective during the early chapters. On the plus side, the characters start coming into their voices around halfway through, but they did blend into one another for several chapters early on.

I thoroughly enjoyed the supernatural aspect of the book. I see books following Grim Reapers often, so it was exciting that they were at the forefront here. Sadly, we didn’t see too much in that world for much of the book since Margo was very tight lipped until later. Once things got rolling, I was fully absorbed in the story and excited to meet new characters and see more into the supernatural world.

I was a little sad when I got to the final chapter, but I think I’ll stick around and check out the next installment. Similar voices aside, it’s a nice, fluffy paranormal romance that’s mostly fun to read. I’m looking forward to seeing the characters continue to develop as well as see how Sam’s supernatural crash course continues to go.

These Witches Don't Burn (These Witches Don't Burn #1) by Isabel Sterling

These Witches Don't Burn by Isabel Sterling

My Rating: ★★★

Hannah’s preparing to enter high school and doing all the usual things a teenager does, such as dealing with dramatic breakups, attending wild parties, and sneaking around while grounded. Oh yeah. There’s one teeny, tiny detail missing. Hannah’s a witch. In fact, she’s an elemental witch, which means she can control earth, water, fire, and air. Growing up in Salem, Massachusetts means she’s more than aware of the stereotypes that follow witches around. Hannah is okay with it since no one outside of the supernatural world knows she’s a witch. In fact, it’s forbidden to use magic in front of Regs let alone tell them she’s a witch. Her life is as normal as it gets as a teenage witch until someone performs a blood ritual at a bonfire. Terrified, Hannah suspects a Blood Witch is in town and tries to smoke them out with the help of her ex-girlfriend only to find out that they’re dealing with someone far worse than they ever could’ve imagined.

Told in the first person perspective, we follow Hannah as she narrates her life. Unfortunately for me, I disliked Hannah early on and she’s the sole narrator of the book. It’s okay though because I do like the story and several of the other characters. In fact, I liked the story and these characters so much that I continued even when I was irritated by Hannah. The reason I dislike her is because she’s extremely immature for her age in addition to thinking she knows more than everyone else. However, she was right when she sensed danger was in town right away, so I’ll give her that.

Thankfully, Isabel Sterling created a great cast of characters that I enjoyed following throughout the story. Hannah’s ex-girlfriend, while pushy, is a great character. I love Hannah’s best friend, Gemma, in addition to Hannah’s family and other friends who pop in and out of the story. I also love Morgan and look forward to seeing how her story takes form as the series continues. I can hope that the next book will be narrated by a different character, but I think I’ll be okay if Hannah is still the narrator because there’s a great cast of characters that I want to see continue to develop.

The mystery of who was attacking Hannah and company was well developed and kept me guessing all book long. I had an idea of who it was and was totally wrong in the end. I had to crack a smile when all was revealed because, at some point, I thought it would be funny if this particular character turned out to be the one Hannah and company were looking for all along only to shrug it off. It couldn’t be this person! Boy, was I wrong. What a great twist!

I love the way that the paranormal world is presented and how the backstory on witches is slipped in with ease. I look forward to learning more about the other Clans, especially Blood Witches and their true story. I’m also looking forward to seeing how Hannah and Veronica’s magic continues to develop as the story continues. It’ll be interesting to see where Isabel takes us next and how long this series will be, so you can count me in when the next book drops.

Get Well Soon: History's Worst Plagues and the Heroes Who Fought Them by Jennifer Wright

Get Well Soon: History's Worst Plagues and the Heroes Who Fought Them by Jennifer Wright

My Rating: ★★★★★

Putting a hilarious spin on history in all the right places, Jennifer Wright will crack you up while telling you all about some of the worst plagues that have been documented. If you’re someone who hears about diseases or ailments and immediately think that you have them, this book might not be for you. However, if you’re someone who likes to read about history and are interested in learning about some of the most notable disease outbreaks, this is the book for you.

When I picked up this book, I was not expecting to laugh as much as I did. Don’t get me wrong; the subject matter is serious, but Jennifer has a sense of humor that translates well even in nonfiction. Every time she inserts a photo, the caption has me rolling. At one point, there’s an illustration showing two people being treated for the Bubonic Plague. Her caption reads:

“These guys were lucky—they had pillows and an in-home wizard.”

There was never a funny moment that was horribly misplaced. There are chapters where the author is not funny because there just isn’t a time for it. However, other chapters let her personality shine through in sections and I was cracking up. It’s not a book that has a monotone voice like some nonfiction novels have.

I learned a lot throughout the chapters. I had heard of majority of the diseases and had some knowledge about them, but the only one I really knew a lot about was the travesty that was lobotomies. This is the one chapter that’s not an actual disease but rather a horrific catch-all treatment that did a lot of harm to the people who were operated on. There’s a lot of interesting information throughout the chapters including some interesting cases and notable names, treatment attempts, and cases.

This is an excellent book that’s perfect for anyone’s collection in addition to making a great gift for those interested in historical overviews.

The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker

The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker

My Rating: ★★★★

When a young woman attending a small-town college falls asleep and never wakes up, it sets her friends on edge. As more people living in the same dorm fall asleep and are unable to be woken up, the college begins to act accordingly. Unfortunately for this small town, this does not stop the mystery illness from spreading and the inhabitants of Santa Lora find themselves overtaken by the sleeping sickness.

Told through a series of rotating narrators as well as various, unnamed, voices, Thompson tells the story of a mystery illness that sweeps through a small town. I found this book quite interesting because of the way it’s told. We swoop into various people’s lives long enough to see what they’re up to and how they’re dealing with the looming illness and town quarantine. There are also various chapters that are from unnamed voices. There’s a paranoid voice, scientist’s voice, newscaster’s voice, and so on. It makes it an interesting read. Not all of these voices are reliable, and even the reliable ones are not always something we can trust because the sleeping sickness is affecting them differently than we’ve seen in other characters.

While we pop in and out of various character’s lives long enough to see what they’re up to and what’s going on in town, it’s easy to care for them. For example, Mei is a young woman who doesn’t fit in well at the college. Unfortunately, she finds herself falling in love with a young man who constantly and abstractly says that he wouldn’t save her if other people needed saving. Sara and Libby are two kids growing up with a paranoid father who is always planning for the end of days. Thankfully for them, his planning keeps them well supplied with food and water as their town falls into chaos. These are only a few of the characters that we follow, but we do occasionally see the characters cross paths.

I will say that this is not a book for everyone because of the way it’s told. We don’t spend enough time with the characters to truly get to know them. We also get to know some characters more than others, but I can see how this style will not pull some people in. For me, it reminds me of those movies where there’s only one scene with each cast of characters, but their story is all somehow connected. In this case, everyone is connected by the sleeping sickness sweeping through their town. Some are scared while others are pushed into action. It makes for an interesting story that falls somewhere close to being a character study.

There are a few things left unanswered, like why there was so much focus on a muddy lake when it didn’t have anything to do with the story? Did scientists ever discover where the sleeping sickness initially came from? I thought it might’ve come from the lake, but once the illness is over, it was over. I can see why some of the questions are left up in the air, but the focus on the lake is something that should’ve been explained. Regardless, I think it’s a great story.

Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker, Wendy Xu

Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker, Wendy Xu

My Rating: ★★★

I received a copy from Lion Forge through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Nova spends her days working at her grandmother’s bookshop where she spends much of her time learning more about witchcraft, loaning out spell books, and investigating supernatural incidents. When a friend reports strange activity in the woods, Nova jumps on the case and discovers that her childhood friend and crush, Tam, is back in town and battling a horse demon while in their werewolf form. Determined to help Tam figure out how to use her werewolf magic to defeat the horse demon, they put their heads together and start to realize their old feelings for one another.

This is such cute and heartwarming story. It has a great cast of characters with a supernatural element that is not overpowering for those who don’t favor the paranormal genre. Nova is a Chinese American teenage witch who is mourning the loss of her parents while navigating a world that is not usually friendly toward people who are hard of hearing or deaf. Tam is a non-binary Chinese American teenage werewolf who feels alone in the world after leaving home and living on the streets for years. When their paths cross again, they fall back into the comfortable friendship they once had and rekindle the romantic feelings that were left

I love Nova’s relationship with her grandmothers as well as her friend, Tatyana, and how quickly she picks up her friendship with Tam. The story is set up nicely and the artwork is beautiful. It really lends itself to the story, especially when magic is used. I also love how this story is organic and the pieces fall into place without it feeling like it’s coming out of left field.

While I love the story, I do have a few questions, like why it’s called Mooncakes when they’re not integral to the story and only appears once. I also want to know what happened to Nova’s parents, how and when Tam became a werewolf, and the story behind Terry’s bird head. These are the things that we need more information on. Otherwise, it’s a great story and I plan on checking out the author’s future work.

Star-Touched Stories (The Star-Touched Queen #2.5) by Roshani Chokshi

Star-Touched Stories by Roshani Chokshi

My Rating: ★★★★

In what might be the final book in the series, Star-Touched Stories lets us follow the cast of characters we have grown to love in three new short stories: Death and Night, Poison and Gold, and Rose and Sword.

If you liked the first two books in the series, this is a must read. Roshani Chokshi has done it again and wrote three beautiful stories that fully immerses us into the character’s worlds. I love short stories, so I think it’s great that we get to follow some of our favorite characters and meet new ones that I know I would love to see again.

I have to say that I loved seeing Dharma Raja and Maya, or Night, when they first met. It was such a joy to see them meet and fall in love for the first time. It was truly wonderful to see what kind of life Maya led in her former life as Night and get to know new characters, like Uloopi. It almost made me forget why I was a bit irritated a few times with the first book in the series. Dharma Raja and Maya’s story has come full circle and I feel comfortable with not seeing them again if Roshani were to continue the series.

Aasha finally gets her own story with Poison and Gold, and it does not disappoint. All but the last POV chapter from Aasha seemed a bit out of place in the last book. They appeared to simply drive the story rather than give her a true story of her own, which didn’t make sense because we could’ve easily just seen her through Guari and Vikram’s eyes and left it at that. Poison and Gold is devoted to her and now it seems her chapters were preparing us for this, and I can’t complain. I love Aasha and I would love to see how her story ends one day.

Finally, Guari and Vikram’s story is wrapped up and we are introduced to their grandchildren in the process. It’s such a lovely way to end their story and pass the torch to their granddaughter, Hira. If a full-length novel following Hira comes out, I will be one of the first in line to get it.

Roshani has a way with words that is so magical and vibrant that I will always check out anything she comes out with. While I would love to see the series continue with Hira, Aasha, and possibly Uloopi, I will understand if these short stories are the last we see of the great cast of characters that we’ve followed throughout the series.