The History of Tarot Art by Holly Adams Easley; Esther Joy Archer

 
The History of Tarot Art by Holly Adams Easley; Esther Joy Archer
My Rating: ★★★★

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

I had been wondering how far back in history Tarot went along with what it originally looked like, but I hadn’t done the research to find the answers to my questions. Then I saw this book and knew I had to read it. If you’re a Tarot reader, be aware that you may come out of this book with some new decks sitting on your wishlist. I know I did!

In this book, you will find yourself learning about some of the most influential Tarot decks along with what is known about the creators, why the decks were made, and what inspired them. I found each of these chapters very interesting to read. If I still had my old art professor’s email, I would recommend this book if not gifting it to her because I think she’d love it. It’s also a perfect example of something she always taught: the era and context of a work’s creation is an important piece of learning about said work. I’m now looking at two decks differently after seeing the artwork from an older surviving deck. It certainly adds extra dimension and depth!

It was also interesting to learn how Tarot was once a card game back in the fifteenth century. I wonder how those who were playing that game back in the day would feel if they knew the journey it would eventually take. It was also interesting to see the surviving cards of decks from that time, especially when seeing them compared to one of the most popular decks. One of the most interesting things to see is how the styles changed over time and how decks started being created 

Now, this book only includes information that was verified. I like this because false information won’t be spread, even unintentionally. However, there is a section that covers some fake lore while specifying that the information at hand was false, who spread it, and why because it is an important piece of Tarot history. When this section comes up, it’s very clearly stated that the information spread by that person was completely false along with what their intentions were and why it was believed at the time.

All in all, this is a wonderful book. I highly recommend it even if you have zero interest in Tarot but have an interest in art and art history.

Mini Kawaii Doodle Class by Pic Candle; Zainab Khan

 
Mini Kawaii Doodle Class by Pic Candle; Zainab Khan
My Rating: ★★★★★

If you’re looking to upgrade your doodles or just have some fun with a doodle book, this is the book for you! I’ve read two other doodling books from this author, and they are absolutely adorable. I think they also introduce great drawing foundations to readers looking to get into drawing, especially kids who want to get a little more serious with their drawings and doodles.

One of my friends gifted me this book for Christmas, which was super exciting, because I love these books. On top of being cute and fun, they introduce drawing basics in a non-stressful way. There’s no pressure to get it right, which is why I think it’s perfect for kids. Plus, the art is adorable and fun for people of all ages and all skill levels.

As always, I love the coloring pages that double as a fun puzzle search in the air of Where’s Waldo? All in all, I highly recommend these books for anyone who likes to draw, and I think they make excellent gifts for kids. I also think it’s a great book for siblings to work on together or make it a family drawing night.

The Unofficial Disney Parks Cookbook by Ashley Craft

The Unofficial Disney Parks Cookbook by Ashley Craft

My Rating: ★★★★

In this wonderful book, Ashley Craft combines a little Disney history with delicious recipes inspired by the different parks. Before diving into the recipes, we learn a little bit about the different parks. From there, we are launched into the world of food as we dive into the many recipes featured throughout the book. Each recipe features a fun fact related to Disney or something fun about the recipe in general.

Personally, I found this book absolutely wonderful. Why did I never think to try my hand at making my own churros or funnel cake? I don’t know, but that’s one of my goals for the year now. I thought it was fun to learn when funnel cake originally came to be. It’s not something exciting for everyone to learn, nor was there much information on it, but I thought it was a fun little fact to learn about this popular item.

Each recipe is easy to read, follow, and adapt for personal tastes. There’s a list of cooking and baking utensils readers will need early in the book as well as alternatives when possible. I’m looking forward to making some of the recipes included and love that it’s a combination of hardy meals and baked goods. I’m really excited about some of the recipes because they sound delicious.

While I wish there were more pictures of each item, I do find this to be a wonderful book. I would imagine that including 100 photos to accompany the recipes would be quite an undertaking but giving readers a visual for every item would’ve been a great addition. All in all, I love the book and am excited to try some of the recipes.

What Big Teeth by Rose Szabo

What Big Teeth by Rose Szabo

My Rating: ★★★

When Eleanor Zarrin attacks her school bully and ex-friend, she finds herself fleeing to the home she was sent away from as a child. She can feel that there’s something different about her, and she hopes to find comfort among her estranged family. What Eleanor finds is that she’s different from everyone, including her own mother. Struggling to fit in, she calls on someone she thinks is a safe bet. Instead, Eleanor quickly finds herself fighting to save the very family she once thought didn’t want her.

I originally picked up this book thinking it was going to be a gothic paranormal novel with werewolves as the primary supernatural being. In a way, that is indeed what I got. I have to admit that I did not like the book at first. I was talking to my younger brother about it as I was reading, and he asked me why I was still reading it. I told him that I had to know if the accountant everyone is in love with is a vampire like I thought he was.

Sadly, I read nearly half the book only because I wanted to see if Arthur was indeed a vampire, but you know what? I’m sure glad I did because it got really interesting around the halfway point. The characters I didn’t care for started having a lot more depth, and the story itself became so interesting that I only put the book down when I had to. It was totally worth questioning if confirmation or clarity on Arthur’s supernatural status was really worth continuing.

Sure, it’s a slow burn with an immature protagonist who spectacularly misinterprets her grandma’s final wishes. However, Eleanor is a realistic character living in a supernatural setting with a family who doesn’t entirely trust her, if at all. There are several realistic things that occur, such as the jealousy Eleanor and her sister have for one another their roles are reversed. Quite a few of the characters turn out to be extremely interesting, and the backstories are truly explosive. I now completely understand why the first half of the book is the way it is, and in hindsight, it set up the rest of the book extremely well. I’m so glad I didn’t give up on this book because it turned out to be such a good read in the end.

Astrology Embroidery: Stitch the Zodiac and 30 Celestial Patterns by Maya Hanisch

Astrology Embroidery: Stitch the Zodiac and 30 Celestial Patterns by Maya Hanisch
My Rating: ★★★★

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

When I saw this book, I knew I had to read it because it’s right up my alley. Opening it up, I found that it’s also a comprehensive guide for anyone new to embroidery. There are all kinds of easy-to-understand information on everything from fabric and needles to types of stitches. The stitch guide is so easy to understand between the written explanation and the graphs provided. While this information is not new to me, some of the stitches were, and I found them easy to understand. I feel confident that I would be able to do the stitches I’m not familiar with the help of the stitch guide.

Now for the patterns. Every single pattern is absolutely stunning. The patterns are so colorful and beautiful. I already know that I want to stitch at least three of the patterns from this book. I also find that the patterns are easy to understand with a clear stitch key and tips on where to start, how to make it easier on ourselves, and what to leave unstitched until the end when necessary. All in all, I found this to be a beautiful book and I’m excited to stitch up some of the patterns in the future.

BL Fans LOVE My Brother?! by Mimu Oyamada

 
BL Fans LOVE My Brother?! by Mimu Oyamada

My Rating: ★★★★

Kirika is just your average college freshman until she accidentally gets introduced into the world of fandom and fanart. Her older brother, Teruo, is a hut-in who hasn’t left their home for the last four years. If anything, he barely leaves his room. It turns out he’s Amaterasu, a popular boy’s love artist, and he needs help finishing up some panels of his fan comic before the deadline hits. Not only that, but he also needs Kirika to pose as the real-life Amaterasu at conventions. What is Kirika to do?

I picked this up expecting a fun book diving into the fandom world, and that’s exactly what I got. With the help of a little bribery in the form of top-quality meat for Kirika to cook with, these two siblings enter the convention world together. Poor Kirika had no idea about what fandom or fanart was before Teruo needed help, and now she’s found herself posing as a very popular artist for a fandom she’s not familiar with. Along the way, we see the two of them help each other out and watch Kirika discover a whole new world while Teruo slowly finds he’s able to leave home in small increments.

While the shenanigans that occur is exaggerated for fun, I had a good time reading this. It was interesting to see the character development for Kirika and her brother, but also see them meet new people and discover new parts of themselves. We didn’t see a whole lot of their parents, but I loved how supportive the two of them were even though it was more toward Teruo at first.

The artwork is beautiful and fun. I love how silly the panels got at all the right moments and found myself laughing hard at various moments of the story. This is certainly a fun take on sibling relationships as well as diving into the fandom world. I hope to see more from Mimu Oyamada in the future.

The God and the Flightless Messenger by Hagi

 
The God and the Flightless Messenger by Hagi
My Rating: ★★★★

In a society of messengers, Shin sticks out thanks to his very small wings that prevent him from ever flying. A messenger’s duty is to care for the god they get assigned to, and it’s a job that requires the ability to fly. Flightless and ridiculed by his peers, Shin has yet to be assigned to a god… until now. It’s the moment Shin has been preparing for his entire life, and he’s not going to let this chance to prove himself as a capable messenger slip out of his hands.

I think this book came up under my Goodreads recommendations, and I’m sure glad it did because it’s such a heartwarming story. We follow Shin, who was abandoned by his parents and has been ridiculed his entire life. When he’s finally assigned a god, he doesn’t let the fact that they live on the furthest mountain from his home sway him. He’s determined to be the best messenger for his deity, who is an adorably large fluffy ball of fur who doesn’t speak.

I enjoyed following the lonely and bullied Shin on his adventures as a first-time full-fledged messenger. While he’s short tempered and acts before thinking, he’s sweet, caring, and has a lot of heart. I really liked him, and I was happy to see him go on a journey where he finally becomes a messenger, makes friends, and finds love.

While there’s a large cast of characters, only a few of them are fleshed out. I would normally wish that wasn’t the case, but I think it really works here. The primary focus is on Shin and his deity, Baku. Much of the story follows them in the present with flashbacks to their upbringing and how they’ve both always been outcasts. I do think Baku could’ve been developed more than he was, but I don’t have any complaints.

The artwork is absolutely stunning, and I also enjoyed the bits of extra information on the story and characters at the end. However, I wish the book was a bit longer or told across two books so that we could’ve seen the information we learn after the fact play out in real time. All in all, if you’re looking for a cute, heartwarming, feel-good story, I highly recommend adding this to your list.