Super Subversive Cross Stitch by Julie Jackson

 
Super Subversive Cross Stitch by Julie Jackson
My Rating: ★★★★★

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

I’ve been cross stitching for a couple of years now, and subversive patterns are always fun. Here you’ll find 50 subversive patterns in addition to charts and different tips on how to customize each pattern. My favorite pattern in the book is, “SPARK JOY OR GET OUT,” but there’s so many great patterns here. Each chart is also easy to follow for new and experienced cross stitchers alike.

The opening of the book covers the basics on how to cross stitch including what supplies you’ll need and how to separate your floss. There’s even an explanation on what the different types of fabric counts are and what differences you’ll see between them. I think the entire opening is great for anyone new to cross stitching because it’s very informative, simple to follow, and not overwhelming in any way.

Plus, there’s tips on making your own patterns at the end, including the name of a computer program one can use to design patterns: PCStitch. There’s different programs out there, including free chart makers, but I also use PCStitch so I’m down with this recommendation. All in all, this is a great book and I want to check out Julie’s other patterns in the future.

The Unofficial Disney Parks Drink Recipe Book by Ashley Craft

 
The Unofficial Disney Parks Drink Recipe Book by Ashley Craft
My Rating: ★★★★★

I received a copy from Adams Media through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

In this wonderful book, Ashley Craft brings a combination of some Disney history and several delicious drink recipes all inspired by the different Disney parks. The opening of the book is a fun read because it covers some of the interesting history behind Disney down to why it went from an alcohol-free zone to offering some alcoholic beverages in recent times. It’s been a long, LONG time since I’ve visited any of the Disney parks, and this book brought some of the magic from them straight into my home.

The rest of the book is separated by the type of drinks, with recipes ranging from coffee to cold and fun slushies. There’s also a section on the types of ingredients one will need, including how to make some of them and substitutes for coffee for non-drinkers as well as anyone looking for a coffee flavor without the caffeine. Each recipe is easy to follow and the pictures that are provided look absolutely delicious. Pictures are not provided for every drink, at least in the copy of the book I received, but the pictures that are featured are beautiful.

I like that the recipes include some facts about the drink, which is about the location, the ride it’s inspired by, or something fun about the flavors. It really makes reading the book more fun because there’s all kinds of neat facts and information featured all over the pages. There’s also a guide for ride locations at different parks or Disney owned locations, which is pretty neat.

All in all, this is a fun read with many recipes that are easy to adjust for personal preferences. Many of the drinks appear to be rather sweet, which is something I would’ve loved when I was younger, but it’ll be easy to reduce that for any of the drinks I make. Personally, I got really excited when I saw that there’s a recipe for a dole whip float, so I’m eager to try that recipe first.

Blood Stain, Vol. 3 by Linda Šejić

Blood Stain, Vol. 3 by Linda Šejić

My Rating: ★★★★

Now that Elliot’s new job is in full swing, she’s starting to realize that Vlad doesn’t have any idea what he wants her to do. Her fears become reality when she deep cleans the entire lab only to find it was the wrong move. Vlad’s messy lab was apparently organized according to his needs, but now it’s been disturbed, and he is not happy. 

While not much happens in each volume, I’ve been really enjoying this series. It’s a funny little slice of life series that showcases the author’s beautiful artwork. I’ve decided to view each volume as a glimpse into Elliot’s life because they move very slowly. If I were to read one volume alone rather than pick up the following volume shortly after, I think I’d have forgotten all about it. It’s cute and funny, but I think that the entire first three volumes could actually be the first volume.

Because of this, I’ve decided to let the next three volumes stack up so I can read them back-to-back as well. There’s just not enough happening to read a single volume and then leave off until the next one is available. I know I sound disappointed and possibly a little bored, but I really am enjoying them. They’re cute and funny, and if you’re someone who prefers a very slow-moving plot, I highly recommend this series. If you’re someone who prefers extremely fast paced plots, this is probably not something you’ll enjoy because it’s going to be too slow for you. However, if it still sounds up your alley, I recommend letting several volumes stack up so you can read them all back-to-back.

Blood Stain, Vol. 2 by Linda Šejić

 
Blood Stain, Vol. 2 by Linda Šejić
My Rating: ★★★★

When Elliot took her latest job out of desperation, she knew that her new boss was probably creepy. What she wasn’t expecting was for him to be working out of his basement and sleepwalk hiring an assistant. What’s even worse is that he’s made an even worst first impression than she did because Dr. Vlad Stein is covered in blood and lurking in the dark.

I’m glad I’m reading the first three volumes back-to-back because it’s pretty slow moving. I have a pretty good feeling that the first three volumes are going to feel like one volume because they plot moves very slowly. That said, I was fully entertained yet again and am excited to read the next one because it’s a pretty funny series.

This time around, we get to learn a little about Vlad and his chef, Serge, as well as their relationship with one another. I like that they seem to also be friends, which would make sense given that Serge also lives at Vlad’s place. The interactions between the two of them had me cracking up a couple times. I’m excited to see where this goes.

It was fun to see that Vlad is just about as clueless as Elliot, though in totally different ways. They’ve made such terrible first impressions, but Vlad is the winner here. The guy doesn’t even remember hiring Elliot nor did he bother to explain why he’s always covered in blood. It was also interesting to see that his nickname is blood stain, which appears to be due to a combination of how his name sounds depending on one’s accent and the fact that he always has blood stains on his clothes.

While the plot moves very slowly, I am excited to read the next volume and see where the story goes.

Blood Stain, Vol. 1 by Linda Šejić

 
Blood Stain, Vol. 1 by Linda Šejić

My Rating: ★★★

After spending two years bouncing from job to job, Elliot Torres is exhausted. She can’t keep a job for long, and her sister is getting really tired of it. Strapped for cash, Elliot knows she needs to get it together, especially when her mom gets out of the hospital. She can’t wait for the perfect job to come along… except that one job that sounds way too good to be true.

I recently read Punderworld, so I decided to check this out and see what it’s all about. We follow Elliot, a directionless woman who is looking for the perfect job with a boss who meets her expectations. Unfortunately for her, she’s either not a good fit or she finds something wrong and bows out early. The opening is quite hilarious as we see the different jobs Elliot’s had and why it didn’t work out. It’s mostly her, and her sister is not letting her get away with it because they don’t have the luxury to be picky.

I think Elliot is quite realistic while set in an unrealistic and entertaining situation as she takes the job no one else wants as an assistant to a an allegedly crazy scientist. I had a lot of fun reading this. The artwork is beautiful, and Elliot’s shenanigans are hilarious. While she’s quite flaky and directionless, I really like her. She’s funny, has heart, and means well.

I was not expecting the volume to end where it did since most of it was about all the different jobs and how Elliot finds herself working for Dr. Vlad Stein. When I reached the end, it felt more like it stopped in the middle of the volume. We get to know Elliot pretty well, but we briefly meet all of the other characters, so that felt a little odd as well. That said, I do like it and I’ve already got the second volume, so I’m excited to see where this goes now that the plot is getting rolling.

Punderworld, Vol. 1 by Linda Šejić

 
Punderworld, Vol. 1 by Linda Šejić

My Rating: ★★★★★

In this Greek mythology retelling, we learn how Hades and Persephone fell in love through a series of hilarious misadventures. It was love at first sight for these two, but they barely spoke or saw each other for centuries. Between Hades being shy, and Persephone being sheltered and never allowed out on her own, a romance was not in the cards for them. That all changes when Hades unwillingly joins a celebration and finds himself ready to make his interests known with the help of a little liquid courage and a friend behind him.

I absolutely loved this story. It’s such a different take on both Hades and Persephone that I can’t help but be endeared to them. Hades is an overworked shy person while Persephone is sheltered and never allowed to make her own choices. Their personalities and everything they carry with them lead to a hilarious series of misadventures that are sure to suck every reader in right away. I immediately loved the way Linda Šejić designed and put their own spin on every single character who appears throughout this volume. I can’t wait to see what she does with this story next.

The artwork is absolutely stunning. It’s extremely vibrant, and you can tell a lot of work was put into the character designs. I loved seeing how the story came to be in addition to the concept art and the different ways some of the characters almost appeared at the end. I love seeing concept art appear at the end of graphic novels, so it was an added bonus to read how the story came to be side by side with concept art and early panels.

All in all, I loved this book and I’m excited to check out the second volume when it eventually comes out in addition to the author’s other works.

The Witch and the Beast, Vol. 5 by Kousuke Satake

 
The Witch and the Beast, Vol. 5 by Kousuke Satake

My Rating: ★★★★★

Injured and grumpy, Guideau falls face first into a trap set by the witch who cursed them. The encounter knocks Guideau back down to their lowest place, causing Ashaf to take a trip down memory lane. He remembers their first meeting and how their close, yet fickle, partnership began.

I’ve been loving this series, so I was extremely excited to start this installment. This time around, we got some backstory on Guideau. They’re such an interesting character that I was thrilled when Ashaf started taking a trip down memory lane. We don’t have all the answers yet, but it was interesting and I’m excited to see where this goes and to see the rest of their story unfold.

It was also neat to see how Guideau and Ashaf became partners. I assumed the Order of Magical Resonance had organized their partnership, so it was cool to see what actually happened and how it differed from what I assumed occurred. It’ll be neat to eventually see what Ashaf’s story is as well.

Plus, after hearing about the witch who cursed Guideau through multiple volumes, it was exciting to finally see her. She made quite the entrance that has left a lasting impression on me. I’m looking forward to seeing how this unfolds, especially with the way this volume ended. I can’t wait until I’m able to read the sixth volume because that ending is taking us to a whole new world… literally. I’m excited to see this place in addition to learning what answers they find there. 

The Friar’s Lantern by Greg Hickey

 
The Friar’s Lantern by Greg Hickey

My Rating: ★★★

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

In this choose your own adventure novel, you have the chance to join a study about the predictability of human behavior, sit on the jury for a murder trial, and test your luck in more ways than one. Along the way, you will question whether or not every choice you make is predictable or if fate has a huge hand in our lives.

I love choose your own adventure novels, so of course I had to read this book. Compared to other novels in this genre, I thought it was interesting that the basis of this one is a form of nature vs. nurture. However, I do think this book is shorter with a more limited number of endings than other novels in the same genre.

Personally, found this novel lacking in options. After returning to the beginning for the fourth time, I already knew where it was headed due to the lack of choices leading to new areas of an “adventure.” Some of the chapters were information heavy as well and didn’t always impact the next choice. That said, I could follow the author’s train of thought and see what they were trying to do with this, and I think it was a good first time run at doing a choose your own adventure novel.

Some of the chapter titles are a sequence of letters and numbers that appeared to be equations or science notes. Initially, I thought this indicated that at least a few of the paths one could take would gown down a sci-fi path. Paired with the light sci-fi feeling of the novel that reminded me of the indie movie, eXistenZ, I think that a bizarre sci-fi path would not have been outlandish.

While I think the story is lacking in options, I do think it’s a good beginner friendly choose your own adventure novel. I have some friends who are overwhelmed by the sheer number of options with some novels in this genre who would love something with a smaller pool of paths to take. I also think that the author is onto something here and I can see that there’s a lot of potential if they choose to write similar stories in the future.