This Princess Kills Monsters: The Misadventures of a Fairy-Tale Stepsister by Ry Herman

 

This Princess Kills Monsters: The Misadventures of a Fairy-Tale Stepsister by Ry Herman

My Rating: ★★★★

I received a copy from Dial Press Trade Paperback through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

In this hilarious retelling of The Twelve Huntsmen, we follow Princess Melilot, and she’s extremely tired of being sent on ridiculous and dangerous quests that she can’t complete by her stepmother. Things take a strange turn when she’s told that a marriage to some king she’s never heard of has been arranged. Not only was her journey just to meet this king an adventure she’d like to forget, but she’s now also saddled with a strange group of identical huntsmen who are extremely suspicious of her. At least her fiancé's sister is hot, right? Wait. That’s not who Melilot’s here to marry!

Honestly, this book had me at a satirical lesbian retelling of The Twelve Huntsmen. I knew I was in for a real treat! We follow Princess Melilot in a story peppered with nods to other fairy tales. There were a few easter eggs that flew over my head, but that’s because I’m not familiar with all of the fairy tales that were referenced. That said, it was a lot of fun spotting each reference whether or not I was familiar with the fairy tale in question. If that isn’t your thing, this might not be the book for you, but if you’re looking for a hilarious story that doesn’t take itself seriously and you also love fairytales, I highly recommend it.

This was such a fun read. I love how whimsical it was while remaining absolutely hilarious. I really liked Melilot from the start. The fact that King Gervase couldn’t recognize his ex-fiancé just because she wore pants was utterly delightful. The romance was cute and heavy handed but still done really well. Above all, it’s just a hilarious read. I had so much fun reading about all the different characters and their shenanigans. It was so much fun and the perfect book to round off 2024 with.

House of Elephants (Witchlings #3) by Claribel A. Ortega

House of Elephants by Claribel A. Ortega

My Rating: ★★★★

With each failed attempt to cure the effects of stone hex, Seven is becoming increasingly worried that they will not find the cure in time. Plus, the prejudice toward Spares is at an all-time high, and the Hill Society is trying to take away every last right Spares have. Just when Seven’s life couldn’t get any crazier, the Black Moon Ceremony throws everyone through a whole new loop: all of this year’s witchlings are Spares! Something crazy is happening with magic, and a whole bunch of people are trying to blame all Spares!

I have been absolutely loving this series. I was so excited to get my hands on this book, but unfortunately, the first half suffered pacing issues because there were so many open plot points. While I loved the book, it really felt like two books got squished together and published as a single book. It’s great for me because I feel like I just read two books in the series back to back, but I don’t know if everyone’s going to love that.

The second half of the book was excellent, but it was so fast paced and worked to wrap up so many open plot points that I honestly thought this was the final book. I was like, oh. I guess this is a trilogy! As I got closer to the end, it became clear that this was NOT the final book. I’m so happy that this is not the end!

That said, phew. My poor emotions! This book was heavier than the previous ones as the prejudices against Spares reached new heights in the past and present. There were a lot of revelations that were just crazy while still making perfect sense to the story. While it feels like there were two books jammed into a single book with some pacing issues, it was still an excellent read. The epilogue has me BEYOND excited for the next book, so count me in for book four!

Pupposites Attract, Vol. 2 by Hono Natsuna

Pupposites Attract, Vol. 2 by Hono Natsuna

My Rating: ★★★★★

Volume 2 shows us how Chiharu and Kiyotaka’s friendship and budding romance continues to develop while bringing us all the adorable dogs! While I’m super invested in the super sweet and wholesome romance, it was pretty neat to see some new characters in the story! I think the new characters are going to work out because they fit in so well with everyone.

One of the things I loved about this volume is that we got to learn more about some of the main character’s past. I love a good sibling dynamic, so I loved how the flashbacks worked on that while also giving us Monjuro's backstory. While time moves fairly slowly in this story, there was a lot covered that made the characters feel a lot more realistic than they seemed in the first volume.

All in all, I enjoyed this even more than the opening volume! It may not be something you’re interested in if you don’t like slow burns, but I do think a lot of people will enjoy it. Plus, the artwork is beautiful and I love seeing all the dogs that pop in and out of the story!

Strange Beasts by Susan J. Morris

Strange Beasts by Susan J. Morris

My Rating: ★★★

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

Samantha Harker has always wanted something more than life as a researcher. It’s why she jumped at the chance to get some hands-on experience with her new partner, Dr. Helena Moriarty. Unfortunately, Hel doesn’t have a good track record with partners because they always die under strange circumstances. While their partnership is still fresh, they work against the clock to find the werewolf-like beast that’s been on a murder spree.

I was excited to read this because it sounded like an interesting supernatural gothic story that combined the worlds of Dracula and Sherlock Holmes. Instead of following the usual suspects, we’re following the daughters of the characters we know very well. With a romance brewing between the characters, it was sure to be a hit!

The main plot is pretty interesting. Sam and Hel travel to France to investigate the mysterious and seemingly random murders committed by a beast. However, this beast seems to be a werewolf when werewolves are long gone. Along the way, they struggle against society, each other, and Sam’s abilities as a channel. I found the mystery plot pretty interesting, but I do think it started to drag somewhere around the halfway point. It was different and had me excited about the world it takes place in even though I would never want to visit it.

That said, I am extremely disappointed in the romance. Sam and Hel have absolutely no romantic chemistry, so I don’t know about the “unmistakable attraction” that was described when I requested the ARC. They don’t even have almost friend chemistry, which sold their rocky partnership, but not the romance that develops out of the blue at the end. If you manage to find the romance plot before it suddenly materializes with nothing to back it up, I will give you a gold star because I certainly didn’t find it before it suddenly smacked me in the face.

All in all, I liked a good portion of the paranormal mystery and I think there is a ton of potential there. There’s a cast of interesting characters for us to love and hate, and if the friendship and romance between Sam and Hel actually worked, I think I would’ve loved to see this turn into a series.

Pupposites Attract, Vol. 1 by Hono Natsuna

 

Pupposites Attract, Vol. 1 by Hono Natsuna

My Rating: ★★★★

I received a copy from Kodansha Comics through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

When Chiharu and Kiyotaka keep running into each other while walking their dogs, sparks fly. Now that their dogs are becoming best buds, will these two get together or will they continue the shy friendship they have formed?

This looked like a cute and light read, and that’s exactly what it was! We follow Kiyotaka and Chiharu along with their adorable dogs who complement their personalities well. It’s a cute slice of life story that’s funny, charming, and memorable. If you’re looking for a light read that will also warm your heart, this will be a good book for you. The romance is very cute and wholesome, the dogs are adorable, and I enjoyed following the characters.

Hearts That Cut (Threads That Bind #2) by Kika Hatzopoulou

Hearts That Cut by Kika Hatzopoulou

My Rating: ★★★

When Io started looking for the most powerful people she’s ever known to exist, she wasn’t sure what she’d find. Now she and Bianca are on a wild chase that’s taking much longer than they expected. What’s worse is that they don’t seem to be any closer to finding the person at the other end of the golden fate thread. Instead, they stumble upon a mystery that appears to be connected to the people they hope to find.

I freaking loved the first book in this series! I was so excited to start reading this only to find myself feeling disappointed for the first half of the book. The story dragged for a smidge over half the book and I feel like Io and Bianca were getting almost nowhere with their mission. It just seemed like not much truly happened on that front until everyone was back together. Plus, as much as I loved the banter between Io and Bianca, they became irritating to follow as a duo after a while.

I loved being able to see and learn about everywhere they went, but I wish there was a map I could reference. It would’ve helped me get a better idea of where everything was and how far they had traveled. I think it would’ve been pretty cool to reference whenever Io mentioned what direction someone’s threads led her to believe they were at as well. That said, I loved learning about every place they went as well as the different gods. It would be so cool if there was ever another book in the same world that takes place in a different location and a different point in time. There’s so much potential here if the author ever wanted to expand on this universe.

The second half of the book was pretty good. I really enjoyed it from this point on. There was so much going on and the story pulled together really well. I loved seeing so many characters pulling together and unraveling exactly what was going on. I do think that some of the plot was rushed as we got closer to the end and that spending more time on developing some of the revelations would’ve been excellent. However, I’m ultimately happy with how things unfolded as well as how the story wrapped up.

Mindfulness-Based Art Therapy Activities by Jennie Powe Runde, MFT, REAT

 

Mindfulness-Based Art Therapy Activities by Jennie Powe Runde, MFT, REAT

My Rating: ★★★★★

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

If you’re interested in art therapy, this might be something you’ll be interested in! Inside, you’ll find that the book is split into two parts: an overview of mindfulness-based art therapy and five chapters covering different mediums one may use to explore this type of therapy.

As an artist, this book really excited me! I’ve heard that there’s all kinds of different forms of therapy outside of therapy including art therapy, animal-assisted therapy, and horticultural therapy. This is my first step in exploring art therapy, or in this case, mindfulness-based art therapy! Here I learned about how one can benefit from it, how to prepare oneself to begin, and different types of exercises and approaches. I also liked that the book covered the following mediums across five chapters: painting and drawing, digital art and photography, sculpture and textiles, writing, and collages.

All in all, I think this is an excellent book. It’s not intimidating, it explains the science behind the method, and it shows readers how they can explore a different form of therapy. It’s a great way to get the ball rolling, especially when working through traditional therapy at the same time!

The Witch's Cookbook: 50 Wickedly Delicious Witchcraft-Inspired Recipes by Fortuna Noir

 

The Witch's Cookbook: 50 Wickedly Delicious Witchcraft-Inspired Recipes by Fortuna Noir

My Rating: ★★

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

This is a beautiful cookbook. If you’re looking for something aesthetically pleasing to add to your collection of cookbooks, this might be something you’ll be interested in. However, it’s a very simple cookbook. Some of the recipes are things like vegetable medley and a fruit salad. There isn’t anything particularly special other than the fun names and the blurbs that mostly consist of fun facts.

Plus, the pictures are stunning but don’t always reflect the recipes they’re for. There are either missing ingredients in the photo or a different ingredient than what’s listed in the recipe. I thought it might be something fixed since I had an ARC, but I checked out a copy of the book from the library and saw that it’s mostly the same. Otherwise, it’s a beautiful cookbook with some tasty recipes that may be something you haven’t had in a while. I know I’m craving acorn squash and coffee cake!

The Quest for Psyche (Cupid's Fall #4) by Beth C. Greenberg

The Quest for Psyche by Beth C. Greenberg

My Rating: ★★★

What does the god of love do when he’s suffering from a broken heart? Go to therapy! At least, that was Cupid’s plan until his potential therapist passes him onto someone else. Now we have two gods flying to Lake Tahoe to find Cupid’s latest worth only to learn that her heart beats back!

I’ve been loving this series and I really wanted to love this book, but the romance was a bit of a miss for me. I think the book started off strong as we watched some of our favorite characters hot on the trail for Cupid’s latest worthy. I loved Reed in the previous book, and he was just as delightful as ever, but he felt a little out of place at times this time around. However, I really enjoyed seeing him and it helped take some of my attention away from the romance that lacked chemistry.

Of course, our star couple is Cupid and Mariposa aka Psyche! I was so excited to see Cupid meet and fall in love with his one true love. Sadly, they lacked romantic chemistry. I could see them becoming great friends but the romance just wasn’t there for me. There wasn’t a single spark between them, and the story kept telling me they were in love without showing me they were actually in love. It didn’t help that Pan and Reed were both present and clearly super into each other while Cupid and Mariposa were just sad almost friends.

Overall, this was a good story. It’s unfortunate that the romantic chemistry was non-existent since this is a romance novel, but I am happy with how things turned out for the characters. While you can technically read this as a stand alone story, I do think everyone should at least check out the previous book since the events heavily impact Cupid.

I Want to Eat Your Pancreas by Yoru Sumino, Izumi Kirihara

 

I Want to Eat Your Pancreas by Yoru Sumino, Izumi Kirihara

My Rating: ★★★★

When Yamauchi Sakura accidentally left her diary on a seat in the hospital, she never expected to find one of her classmates reading it! Now he’s the only person at school who knows her secret: she’s dying. Sakura has been living with pancreatic disease, but now her doctors think she has around a year left to live. Her classmate has been a very content loner, but Sakura insists on becoming friends with him and convincing him to help her complete her bucket list of sorts.

My younger brother was obsessed with this book last year, so I decided I should check it out because it’s been a while since he’s been super into a book. While this seems like your usual light romance with a terminal illness thrown in the mix, it’s actually so much more. We see two kids learning to live every day to the fullest. I wouldn’t call this a romance because it’s about friendship, grief, and realizing how we all impact each other.

This is such an incredibly sweet, thoughtful, funny, and sad book. I thought I was prepared for the ending, but that very sneaky foreshadowing really caught me off guard! I think that if you’re looking for a contemporary book that will make you cry and leave a lasting impression on you, then this might be the book for you. I highly encourage picking it up!

The Step-by-Step Astrology Workbook: What the Stars Want You to Know by Jessie Eccles

 

The Step-by-Step Astrology Workbook: What the Stars Want You to Know by Jessie Eccles

My Rating: ★★★★★

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

If you’re looking for an in-depth workbook to use alongside reading your astrology chart, than this is the book for you! Inside, the basics of astrology will be explained before you get to the information on different aspects of astrology as well as what you will find listed on a birth chart. It helps take away the confusion one may have had after looking at their birth chart and trying to figure out what it means!

Once you get to the workbook section, you are in for a treat. I really like how well this book explains astrology before you get to the workbook section. It’s also an excellent workbook that not only helps you figure out what your birth chart means, but also gets readers to interact with their birth charts. I think that this is going to help so many people understand a lot more than if they were to just read a few things on what their chart means. I think this is such a good resource!

Quite the Pair (Cupid's Fall #3) by Beth C. Greenberg

 

Quite the Pair by Beth C. Greenberg

My Rating: ★★★★★

Just when Cupid thought his punishment couldn’t get any worse, his next worthy son is revealed and it’s his best friend! He doesn’t know if he’ll survive having to watch Pan’s heart beat for someone other than him, but that’s not going to stop him from making sure to get the job done right. Now Cupid is crashing face first into the worst heartbreak he’s experienced yet…

I’ve been really enjoying this series, but this has turned out to be my favorite book yet! This time around, we follow Cupid, Pan, and Reed through their rotating perspectives. We don’t follow Reed that often, so it was interesting to see the newest perspective get scaled back a little. However, it doesn’t feel like he’s lacking in the story!

I really enjoyed how much we dug into Cupid and Pan’s relationship because everything was on the line now that romance was finally on the table. It was also really great to see disabilities be represented in the story, which is something I hope to see more often across literature and visual media in general.

All in all, this was an excellent read. The romances were really sweet, and the series has come a long way from two buddies hitting the town to get laid. I’m really interested in reading the next book, which I’m assuming will be the final book, and checking out what other work the author puts out in the future.

The Watkins Book of Urban Legends by Gail De Vos

 

The Watkins Book of Urban Legends by Gail De Vos

My Rating: ★★★★

I received a copy from Watkins Publishing through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

If you love urban legends and hope to learn more, this might be the book for you! Inside, you will find a collection of urban legends across nine chapters based on how they’ve been categorized. It was so interesting to discover the inspiration behind some well-known fictional characters while reading this book! It was also really fun reading different versions of urban legends I grew up listening to. For example, the version I always heard of the babysitter and the man upstairs involved a clown statue that was actually a man dressed as a clown.

All in all, this was an excellent read. It’s very well researched and covers urban legends from around the world. While it can be information heavy at times, I don’t think it will be overwhelming for most people as long as they don’t try to read a large chunk of the book in one go. This reads as more of a text book than an anthology, so keep that in mind if you plan on picking this up.

Tarot for Creativity: A Guide for Igniting Your Creative Practice by Chelsey Pippin Mizzi

 

Tarot for Creativity: A Guide for Igniting Your Creative Practice by Chelsey Pippin Mizzi

My Rating: ★★★★

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

If you’ve been looking for a Tarot book to help you expand your Tarot knowledge, then this might be a good book for you! Inside, you will find an introduction, and some basic information on Tarot before diving into the cards. The rest of the book goes through each card in the Major and Minor Arcana. The book helps readers look at the cards differently than they may normally look at them. I’ve used my Tarot and Oracle cards for creative inspiration before, so I like that this book will help people look at their cards in a new light. I also love that there’s so many different spreads included in the book. There’s a spread after each card plus seven spreads at the end of the book.

I think this is an excellent book to have in your collection if you are a Tarot reader, especially if you are artistic in any way. There’s a ton of little creative prompts throughout the book, so even if you don’t pull some cards for yourself or someone else, the prompts may get the wheels in your mind spinning when you feel like you’re stuck.

Love Advice From the Great Duke of Hell, Vol. 1 by unfins

 

Love Advice From the Great Duke of Hell, Vol. 1 by unfins

My Rating: ★★★★★

I received a copy from WEBTOON Unscrolled through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Astaroth, a Great Duke of Hell, was minding his own business when a teenage boy named Paul summoned him to the mortal realm. It’s a shame Paul has failed to notice that one does not just sell their soul to a demon to get a date! In six days, Astaroth will return to hell with Paul’s soul, but not before chaos ensues!

I knew this book was going to be funny when I started it, but I was not expecting to be laughing so hard at almost every turn. We follow Astaroth, Paul, and Paul’s sister Elena from the moment that Astaroth is summoned from hell to aid Paul in his romantic pursuits. One of the things I love about this story is that no one is on the same page, which adds to the absolute hilarity that ensues. The artwork is fun and really helps drive the humor home. The characters' facial expressions alone had me cracking up at times. However, even if the artwork didn’t help with that, I think the humor would stand up well on its own.

I don’t want to say too much and risk accidentally spoiling the story, but if this sounds like something you’d be interested in reading, I say do it. I was laughing so hard throughout each chapter. I’m actually debating on following the story’s original format on WEBTOON when I prefer published volumes in book format. That’s how much I enjoyed this book!

Threads That Bind (Threads That Bind #1) by Kika Hatzopoulou

 

Threads That Bind by Kika Hatzopoulou

My Rating: ★★★★★

In a world where the descendants of the Fates can inherit their abilities, that very same world is not very kind to the people blessed with powers. Io Ora is the youngest of her Fate-born sisters, and her ability is one that people fear. She’s a cutter, and people are terrified because her abilities could be deadly in the wrong hands. Io spends her days as a skilled private investigator, but her latest job is taking her out of her usual realm of work. There’s someone turning women into wraiths and using them to kill specific people. Now Io finds herself working for the Queen of the Silts to find who is behind the killings, which has her working closely with the fated mate that she’s been avoiding meeting for years.

I absolutely loved this book. We follow Io as her life is turned upside down by her latest investigation. Someone is turning women into wraiths and sending them out to do their bidding, and now she needs to figure out who is behind this and how to save whoever is turned into the next wraith. Insert the Mob Queen, aka Queen of the Silts, and her soulmate, and Io has a lot on her hands here. Did I mention that Edei Rhuna has no idea about their Fate-string that’s connected them as soulmates their whole lives? Or that her oldest sister has always told her to cut that strong? I wasn’t joking when I said that Io has a lot on her plate, and that includes guilt!

The first chapter was a little rough because we were given so much information in such a short period of time. However, it was setting up the world that Io lives in, it was just A LOT. If you can get past that first chapter, you are good to go because this is such a good story. We have a variety of interesting characters that are great to follow. There’s also so many layers to the story, and family is a big part of that.

I was a little confused about how Io didn’t notice a particular character was a red herring being thrown at her by the culprit, but then the story would’ve been shorter, so I guess I can’t complain. However, I didn’t figure out who the actual culprit was even though the signs were there. I really enjoyed reading this story and seeing the mystery slowly unravel. That ending was both crazy and sad, but it has me ready to start the next book ASAP!

Into the Quiet (Cupid's Fall #2) by Beth C. Greenberg

Into the Quiet by Beth C. Greenberg

My Rating: ★★★★

When Cupid discovers that his punishment isn’t over yet, he never expected his heart to lead him to a married woman. While he’s not excited to have his heart broken all over again, he’s a little confused about why he’s been led to Ruthie when she’s already married to her true love. Now Cupid gets to take a crash course in construction and other housework as he converts a nursery into a dream office for Ruthie while figuring out how to fix her marriage.

I’ve been enjoying this series and loved this book even more than the first! This time around, we follow Cupid, Pan, Ruthie, and occasionally Zach through their rotating perspectives. I really like how we get to learn more about Cupid and Pan this time around. It was so interesting to see how lonely Cupid has been and how much he’s realizing as much now that he’s been thrown into mortal life.

In fact, I enjoyed seeing how much character growth there was on Cupid’s end throughout this book. It was less hitting the town and getting laid and more settling in, getting to know people, and figuring out the harder sides of life. I loved how Ruthie played into this because the attraction was there, but she was determined to not cheat on her husband. Instead, they have a meeting of minds and life experiences. It took their almost romance on an unexpected but delightful journey that I wouldn’t say was an emotional affair, but it could’ve been if that was what Ruthie was interested in. It was great to see how this friendship of sorts led them to grow in ways they weren’t expecting.

The only thing that was weird was Zach’s alleged affair. It seemed like he was cheating but then we got to his chapters and saw things weren’t as they seemed. It was extremely confusing because it seemed like everyone, including Athena, knew what was going on only to discover even they didn’t know for sure. It was just really strange and didn’t quite add up.

That said, I really enjoyed reading this. While Cupid and Ruthie don’t have the romance he was hoping for when he met her, this was still a romance novel. We also see Pan continue his romance of the moment while Cupid romances a few older women. Plus, Ruthie and Zach’s marriage was an excellent plot that I wasn’t expecting to love as much as I did. Now I’m excited for the next book and seeing if Cupid and Pan will finally do something about their attraction toward each other!

The Strange Tales of Oscar Zahn, Volume 1 by Trí Vương

 

The Strange Tales of Oscar Zahn, Volume 1 by Trí Vương

My Rating: ★★★★★

I received a copy from Ten Speed Graphic through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Follow Oscar Zahn as he tells the stories of the souls he’s doing his best to help. While avoiding his own demons, this floating skull with a heart of gold does everything within his power to help his friends, ghosts who haven’t realized they’re dead, and even those who have been long forgotten.

I really enjoyed reading this book. In this volume, we get to know Oscar through the stories he shares with us. We start with the story of a young soldier. Long dead, he and his fellow soldiers have been trapped on the battlefield that took their lives for decades. This story was probably the saddest out of the stories we see by the end of this volume. It was easy to almost forget that these characters weren’t ghosts reliving a version of their final days.

The first story really pulled me in, so by the time Oscar moves onto the next soul in need, I was fully sucked into the book. I like that the first story is more about the souls he helps than him, and then we slowly get to know more about Oscar once we already know about how important his work is. It’s surprisingly character driven and manages to have a lot of depth no matter what’s happening. It’s truly an intriguing story full of wonder and mystery. The artwork helps tell the story beautifully, and I’m really looking forward to eventually learning about the memories that Oscar has been running from.

I Shall Never Fall in Love by Hari Conner

 

I Shall Never Fall in Love by Hari Conner

My Rating: ★★★★★

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

George is enjoying life as much as they can with their two close friends, Eleanor and Charlotte. Things are good as long as they ignore the fact that they have to wear men’s clothing in secret and dodge their aunt’s attempts at finding them a husband. Meanwhile, Eleanor and Charlotte are excited at facing their marriage prospects, only Eleanor can’t picture falling in love with a man and most of Charlotte’s potential suitors see her as beneath them. As they all reach adulthood, they’re facing their friendships falling apart and learning that what’s considered proper isn’t always right.

I absolutely loved this and the Jane Austen and Little Women vibes it gave. We follow George, Eleanor, and Charlotte through their rotating perspectives, but we mainly follow George and Eleanor. It starts out as following a great friendship between the trio before the cracks start to appear as adulthood and the realities of the pressures of society begin to take their toll. I don’t want to say too much and accidentally spoil the story, but it was an excellent read. The storytelling is wonderful and I especially loved seeing how the characters grew as the story progressed.

The artwork is stunning and I loved seeing some of the concept art at the end of the book. It also includes a crash course in history at the end with some resources for readers to check out! I can’t wait to check out more of Hari Conner's other work because this was amazing.

Mamo by Sas Milledge

Mamo by Sas Milledge

My Rating: ★★★★★

When Jo Manalo’s mom falls into a coma of sorts thanks to whatever has been going on in Haresden, she’s determined to find help. That’s how she found herself asking the town witch to take a look! It turns out that Orla O’Reilly isn’t really the town witch. That was her grandmother, Mamo, and she’s dead! Orla just wants to get in and out of Haresden, but there’s something about Jo that makes her want to help out. Plus, there’s something weird going on in town, and Mamo’s mislaid bones may be the cause!

I was sucked into this story the moment I started reading it. We follow Jo and Orla as they work to right everything that Mamo’s mislaid bones have caused. Orla isn’t exactly friendly, but she’s drawn to Jo and feels like it’s her responsibility to get her grandmother’s bones laid to rest properly. Along the way, we see how magic works in this universe as well as Jo learning a little bit about the magic that lives in Haresden. I really loved getting to know Jo and Orla as well as learning about the different people and magical entities.

Plus, the cover art and overall artwork throughout this entire book is absolutely stunning! The artwork really lends itself to how the story is told. While I love the whole story, there’s just something very whimsical about the art that I just love and find super memorable. I hope to see more stories like this from Sas Milledge because I could have read five volumes following these characters!

A Man and His Cat, Vol. 1-3 by Umi Sakurai

 

A Man and His Cat, Vol. 1-3 by Umi Sakurai

My Rating: ★★★★★

Dubbed an ugly cat, Fukumaru has been skipped over by potential adopters again and again. Everything changes when Mr. Kanda comes in and sees a friend in him, making Fukumaru his first cat! Together, they can face the world as they slowly heal some of each other’s old wounds.

I absolutely love this series. We follow Mr. Kanda and Fukumaru through their rotating perspectives, which allows us to see them in the present with glimpses into their individual pasts. It’s a slow moving slice of life story that is sweet and heartwarming while also slowly providing a lot of depth. I really love how the story starts out about Mr. Kanda and Fukumaru while slowly expanding to include the lives of the characters they’re connected to. We see everything from grief and loneliness to jealousy, humor, and beautiful companionship in this series.

So far, I’ve read the first three volumes and I can’t wait to continue the story. I think that this is a perfect read for anyone who loves Chi's Sweet Home. If you loved that series and are looking for more feel good stories but also want more layers and depth, this will be an excellent choice. I’m really enjoying the story so far and I can’t wait to see who will reconnect, what new friendships will form, and how Mr. Kanda and Fukumaru will continue to impact each other as well as others.

Learn to Draw Hooky by Míriam Bonastre Tur, WEBTOON Entertainment, Walter Foster Creative Team

 

Learn to Draw Hooky by Míriam Bonastre Tur, WEBTOON Entertainment, Walter Foster Creative Team

My Rating: ★★★★★

I received a copy from Walter Foster Publishing through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

If you’re a fan of the Hooky series and interested in learning how to draw the characters, then you’re going to be really excited to pick this book up! This isn’t a general how to draw book, so you might be disappointed if you pick this up and aren’t a fan of the series. It includes a lot of information about the characters, how they were developed, their color palettes, and general character information. However, it does include tips and general advice from the author for people who are interested in drawing a web series.

As a fan of the series, I really enjoyed reading this. I loved learning about the creation of the characters for this series as well as comments the author received while they were studying at a comics and visual art school. It was great to hear about how they also felt very passionate about drawing comics as well as how difficult they knew this path would be. All on all, this is an excellent read for fans of the series, especially for people who draw.

Draw Kawaii Style by Ilaria Ranauro

Draw Kawaii Style by Ilaria Ranauro

My Rating: ★★★★★

If you’re looking for a cute book on how to draw kawaii characters, then this is the book for you! Inside, you will see Ilaria Ranauro define kawaii for anyone who may not know what it means. You will also find a list of tools along with their personal preferences for each tool. Then we get into the drawing tutorials! One of the things I like about this book is that it’s very encouraging to artists of all levels. Plus, there’s a pretty good section on figuring out proportions and sketching out guidelines for facial features, which even my drawing classes in college didn’t go over.

There’s a lot of tips and tricks before we dive into a series of tutorials on how to draw a series of different characters ranging from human to animals and even objects. I think that this is the perfect book for anyone learning how to draw or looking to get serious about drawing in different styles. I love how encouraging the author is, which makes it feel like they’re happily guiding readers through the drawing process and letting them know that it takes time to find your personal style as well as see improvement in your work. We’re our own worst critics, and this book is like a pat on the shoulder while also working as our own personal hype squad.

First Quiver (Cupid's Fall #1) by Beth C. Greenberg

 

First Quiver by Beth C. Greenberg

My Rating: ★★★★

I received a copy from Isotopia Publishing through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

When Cupid sends one of his love-tipped arrows straight into the wrong booty, it’s the last straw. The God of Love is being banished into a mortal body and thrown down to Earth! He doesn’t know what the exact terms of his punishment is yet, but what he does know is that his best friend hasn’t really been dead for the last 2,000 years! Pan is ready to help his best bud complete his punishment and return home, but when it turns out that Cupid is doomed to experience his first love and first heartbreak all in one go, even Pan isn’t all that surprised. It’s even worse when Cupid has to find his first love’s Right Love match!

I absolutely loved reading this. We follow Cupid and Pan through their rotating perspectives as Cupid experiences his first love and his first heartbreak in a series of days! While we primarily follow Cupid and Pan, we also follow Cupid’s first love, Mia, as well as an occasional chapter following other characters. I particularly enjoyed reading Aphrodite’s perspective, which really expanded on the heart of the story.

While this is a fun read, I still wasn’t expecting a portion of the early chapters to be just two horny best friends hitting the town and getting laid. It makes sense for the story, but I just wasn’t expecting it when I first started the book. I really thought Cupid and Pan would be catching up on what they missed for the last 2k years. That said, it was really fun following the different characters on their adventures. I loved Mia and getting to see her find her happily ever after even though she’s confused about why Cupid is so determined to find her a love match that isn’t with himself.

The story itself was often hilarious, which I loved. I do think that Cupid and Pan had way more chemistry with each other than either had with any other character. I loved seeing how their friendship formed in this take on Greek mythology as well as seeing the different characters we all know and love. I’m excited to see where the story goes and who we’ll meet next!

A Galaxy Next Door Vol. 6 by Gido Amagakure

A Galaxy Next Door Vol. 6 by Gido Amagakure

My Rating: ★★★★★

In the final volume, Ichiro and Shiori get ready to spend the rest of their lives together as they plan their wedding. This was such an extremely sad read just because it was ending. It reminded me of when I watched the Barbie movie because I was so happy and sad at the same time! It was really lovely to watch the characters grow and really set into who they are as the series progressed. It’s sad to see it come to an end, but I’m excited to see what the author puts out next!

This volume isn’t all about the wedding, though. I loved that we got to follow all of the characters over several years and see where they’re headed. It’s so easy to see how they will each spend the rest of their lives. I also loved seeing Ichiro and Shiori’s family expand and see even them learn something new about the pact. It was fun to follow the different characters around in their own chapters.

It was truly the best volume yet and really ended on a series high. I’m so glad I discovered the series and will definitely return to it any time I need a pick-me-up. It’s such a positive series and while it was iffy on and off at first, it really came into its own and became something super positive and beautiful.

A Galaxy Next Door Vol. 5 by Gido Amagakure

 

A Galaxy Next Door Vol. 5 by Gido Amagakure

My Rating: ★★★★★

When Shiori learns that her father had an accident, she finds herself returning home. However, this trip is different, as it’s become a family vacation where she’s also decided to tell her mom her wishes. Plus, things are getting serious between Shiori and Ichiro, and they’ve begun to seriously think about the future together. Between her love life, new friendships, and budding career, Shiori has confirmed that she never wants to return to the island again. Too bad her mom keeps running away every time she tries to have a conversation with her!

I’ve been loving this series a lot more than I thought I would! Things are really picking up speed now that Shiori has confirmed what she always knew, which is that she doesn’t want to return to the island she grew up on. It’s been great to see her truly blossom now that she’s built a life for herself and she’s no longer lonely. I love seeing her make friends with ease, embrace new things, and continue her journey as an artist and storyteller.

It was really nice to learn more about Shiori’s past as well as the rest of the story behind the Star People. I loved learning more about everyone and seeing the dynamic between her parents when she’s not looking. I like that we see that there’s a chance at Shiori and her parents having a better relationship in the future even if her mom doesn’t necessarily like her decision to not embrace life as her heir. 

It was fun to see Ichiro not be the leading character of the volume, so we got to see him loosen up and have a little more fun in ways that makes sense for him. I’m happy with the character growth and worldbuilding we’ve seen along the way as well as in this volume. While his story as well as the romance is predictable, it’s very cute and heartwarming, so I’m excited to see everyone’s happily ever after that’s coming up in the final volume.

A Galaxy Next Door, Vol. 4 by Gido Amagakure

 

A Galaxy Next Door, Vol. 4 by Gido Amagakure

My Rating: ★★★★★

Now that Ichiro and Shiori’s marriage pact has been annulled, they continue to grow closer without the pressure that the marriage pact had once brought them. I love seeing how they continue to communicate and work through any problems that may arise, which also allows them both to further explore their feelings. One of the things that I like is that their determination to keep an open line of communication shows how important communication is, not only with romance, but with all platonic relationships.

It was also really nice to see Ichiro see different sides of the publishing world as an artist while Shiori experiences her first round of honest feedback. I love some of the feedback she received wasn’t amazing because that just wouldn’t be realistic. That said, I love that not only was it mentioned because it’s important to protect yourself from negative feedback, but to also give us a glimpse at Ichiro as a person. It gave us some insight into her life on the island as well as how it concerned her that her first response was to wish she could telepathically change minds, which is not something that she actually wanted to do.

I really love seeing how much all of the characters and their relationships have grown since the first volume. This is truly a light and fluffy “feel good” series. I’m going to be a little sad when I reach the end!

The Duke's Sister and I by Emma-Claire Sunday

 

The Duke's Sister and I by Emma-Claire Sunday

My Rating: ★★★★★

I received a copy from Harlequin Historical through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Loretta Linfield has spent her life trying to be the perfect woman in society. When her dad sets his sights on the Duke of Colchester, she knows that will likely be her future husband. It’s the perfectly boring and safe life she was raised to embrace, which is why her lack of interest in that life has left her head spinning. However, meeting her potential sister-in-law, Charlotte Sterlington, has been the one shining light in her life. Loretta quickly finds herself sharing secret kisses with Charlotte that has ignited a fire she didn’t know existed. However it’s only a matter of time before she is faced with a marriage proposal from the wrong Sterlington…

I was excited to start this book because it was giving me serious sapphic Bridgerton vibes before I even read the first page. I’m excited to share that the book did not disappoint! We follow Loretta and Charlotte through their rotating perspectives. They have very different personalities, which leads them to clash early into Loretta and Arthur’s courtship. Once Loretta learns that Charlotte is trying to impress her rather than embarrass her, all bets are off.

The book has a great cast of characters, so I loved getting to learn more about many of them. There are a few characters who seemed on the edge of having a larger role than they ultimately had, but I was happy with the overall story by the time I made it to the end. I do wish we saw or learned more about a few characters, but it also makes sense that they didn’t have larger roles. I also really loved how we got to see Charlotte and Arthur’s relationship shift and grow as the story continued. I love strong sibling relationships in fiction, so it was wonderful to see them go from being at odds to slowly becoming friends as the story continued.

All in all, this was a really enjoyable read. There’s a lot of chemistry between Loretta and Charlotte, but their romance is a little on the slow side. Personally, I didn’t have a problem with that. I enjoyed watching them get to know each other as well as watching Loretta learn that there’s so much more than meets the eye. I don’t know if this is a stand alone or the first book to a series yet, but I would love it if it turns into a series. It would be great to see some of the characters get their own stories, so I’ll be back if a second book comes out in the future.

A Galaxy Next Door, Vol. 3 by Gido Amagakure

 

A Galaxy Next Door, Vol. 3 by Gido Amagakure

My Rating: ★★★★

Meeting the parents of your significant other is enough to make one sweat. It’s even worse when their parents are royalty! It doesn’t help that Shiori’s parents, especially her mom, want her to come back home. Now Shiori has to make her parents see that she’s not being swindled by some smarmy guy and that she’s making good progress not only in her artwork, but also in romance!

I really enjoyed reading this volume. While the family relationships are still the star of the series, we finally got to learn a little more about Shiori’s home life before the story started! We didn’t learn a whole lot, but we did learn enough to see why she’s so eager to make her mark away from home. I do wish that seeing her parents wasn’t as brief as it was, but it was enough to see why she is the way she is as well as why people always left her feeling isolated back on the island.

We also get to see Ichiro and Shiori grow as a couple, which was cute and fun to see. I love how much Ichiro’s siblings are involved and how Shiori truly loves bonding with them. It was also great to see just how deep Ichiro and his sibling’s bond run! While this isn’t a book I would recommend if you were just looking for a romance, I do highly recommend it if you’re looking for something cute and fluffy with some deeper storylines. It really is a mood booster. I can’t wait to get the next volume!

A Galaxy Next Door, Vol. 2 by Gido Amagakure

 

A Galaxy Next Door, Vol. 2 by Gido Amagakure

My Rating: ★★★

After Ichiro Kuga accidentally became engaged to Shiori Goshiki, it’s a good thing they developed feelings for each other! Now that they’re dating, they can strengthen their bond while pursuing their drawing dreams. While this cute slice of life romance is fun and heartwarming, I’m still not feeling it as a romance! Instead, its main selling point is the family bond between Ichiro and his siblings.

That said, I was delighted to find that Ichiro and Shiori have some chemistry in this volume. They’re cute and new to dating not only each other, but dating in general, so they’re putting their best foot forward and learning along the way. I really like how close Shiori is becoming with Kuga’s siblings, but it also keeps selling it as a family series rather than a cute romance! I feel like we keep learning more and more about Ichiro and his family while learning the bare minimum about Shiori. Sure, she’s new to this world and appears to be naive thanks to her lack of experience with friends in general, but I think we need some good character building on her side of the story to really sell it to me. I’m so interested in learning about her and the life she had before she met Ichiro, but we only get little glimpses here and there along the way.

All in all, this is turning out to be an adorable and heartwarming story about a family with a cute romance on the side. The story moves a little slowly, so if that’s not your thing, you should pass on this book. However, if you’re looking for a slice of life with strong family bonds, this is your series. In fact, I actually really love it for this reason even though I wish we’d learn more about the Star People, especially since Shiori is a princess!

A Galaxy Next Door, Vol. 1 by Gido Amagakure

A Galaxy Next Door, Vol. 1 by Gido Amagakure

My Rating: ★★★

I received a copy from Kodansha Comics through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

When Ichiro Kuga’s dad passed away, he took it upon himself to support his siblings and make sure they were always taken care of. Drawing the type of manga he wants to wasn’t earning him the money he needed to save up for his siblings to have the best possible futures, so he’s doing what earns him the most money. Now that he’s haunted by deadlines that leave him without enough time to complete things on his own, he’s hired a new assistant to help out. When Shiori Goshiki arrives, it’s like a dream come true until he tries to save her. Unfortunately, he accidentally binds himself to her, making him her fiancé!

This was such a cute read with pretty artwork and a great cast of characters. I really enjoyed seeing Ichiro Kuga’s family life and the strong bond he has with his siblings. I personally found how great the three of them are as characters as well as their strong bond to be the true star of the story. It was really heartwarming and believable.

However, this is meant to be a romance between Ichiro and Shiori Goshiki, so of course we have a case of insta love all thanks to an accident! Unfortunately, the pair don’t have any romantic chemistry, so it was a little hard to believe that they suddenly grew feelings for each other so fast. Plus, I was a bit confused because we didn’t get a whole lot of info about the Star People. We learned bits and pieces, but not enough to make some things make sense. For example, I’m still baffled by Shiori’s stinger that appears to be a tail of some sort.

While I enjoyed reading this, I’m having a hard time buying it as a romance at this point in the story. I was also hoping to learn more about the Star People than we actually did, so I’m hoping the author expands on this in the next volume. I’m planning on picking that up soon, but at this point in time, this felt a lot more like a novel about family over a romance between two people from different worlds.

Milk & Mocha: Our Little Happiness by Melani Sie

Milk & Mocha: Our Little Happiness by Melani Sie

My Rating: ★★★★★

If you’re looking for a very light and sweet book that’ll give you a nice boost, this is the book for you! Inside, you will find a series of panels following two bears named Milk and Mocha. You also get to see their adorable pet dinosaur, Matcha! Each page is a new light pick-me-up that is sure to boost your mood. Many of them are funny and relatable just like the author’s Instagram account, @milkmochabear. I loved seeing Milk and Mocha eating, hanging out, and just loving being in each other’s presence. It’s super cute and I really liked the art style. Melani Sie uses a very calming color palette to go with the overall theme of their artwork, which is chill and sweet.

While I do wish there was more variety among some of the panels, I think it’s an excellent book to pick up. It’d be fun to read with kids as well because it’s light, fluffy, and easy to follow as a family read. Each page is a glimpse into the lives of Milk, Mocha, and sometimes Matcha. My favorite character ended up being Matcha, so I was a little sad to see they don’t appear in the panels too often. However, it’s not a negative as it mainly follows Milk and Mocha! If you’re looking for something light to give you a nice mood boost, this is definitely a book you’ll want to pick up.

The Well by Jake Wyatt, Choo

 

The Well by Jake Wyatt, Choo

My Rating: ★★★★

If anyone asked Lizzy to describe her life, she’d say it was pretty sweet. While she sadly lost her parents and grandma to a battle with the leviathan that brought fog and destruction to their home, she’s lived a life full of love. Things go awry when she accidentally spends all her extra coin at the market, leading her to borrow money from the wishing well. Now she’s forced to grant the wishes attached to the coins or find herself claimed by the fountain.

This is such a beautifully illustrated book with a touch of magic. I really enjoyed the worldbuilding and how much love we see between many of the characters. I do think that there needed to be more information at times, such as the games with the goblins, but otherwise, it was a great story. I enjoyed reading it and loved all of the artwork. It was also fun to see Lizzy learn to think before taking action thanks to her experience with the wishing well. I also like that there’s a touch of humor here and there to keep the story from getting too sad since it was clear it was meant to be mostly lighthearted. All in all, I really enjoyed the story and I’m excited to see what the author as well as the illustrator put out in the future.

Read at Your Own Risk by Remy Lai

Read at Your Own Risk by Remy Lai

My Rating: ★★★★

I received a copy from Macmillan Children's Publishing Group/Henry Holt and Co. through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

When Hannah and her friends decide to communicate with spirits with a coin, they never expected things to go wrong. For some reason, Hannah is the only one who has been cursed, and now she’s communicating with the evil spirit through her notebook. Now she’s determined to figure out how to break the curse before she finds herself dead all thanks to a game she wishes she never played!

This is such a perfect middle school read for any kid who loves scary stories. I was a huge fan of Goosbumps when I was growing up, so this is the type of book that I would’ve loved even more during that time of my life. We follow Hannah through a notebook that’s become her illustrated diary that she also uses to communicate with the evil spirit that’s cursed her. While I wish we got to know more about the evil spirit, I think it’s a perfect read for middle schoolers. I found myself sucked into the story after a few pages and a little grossed out by all the bugs! I’m excited to check out the author’s other work because this was such a great read.

Clementine: Book Two by Tillie Walden

Clementine: Book Two by Tillie Walden

My Rating: ★★★★

When Clementine, Olivia, and Ricca find themselves on a small island seemingly enveloped in safety, the cracks start to reveal themselves more than ever. Ricca and Olivia just want to settle down in one place, but Clementine is suspicious of everything, especially the elusive Miss Morro. Will the trio be able to repair things now that everything appears to have settled down?

I went ahead and picked up the second volume even though I haven’t finished the game series yet. I can’t tell you if it’s true to the remainder of the games, but I can tell you that if you haven’t played them or only played part of the games, you can still enjoy this series. We follow Clementine, Olivia, and Ricca as they try to get back on their feet. The story continues to deal with trauma, but now it’s dealing with the characters trying to heal as much as this new world allows them to.

The characters are dealing with shared experiences as well as the things they’ve experienced before we met each other. We see this when Clementine gets sick and almost dies when she pushes herself too hard instead of resting when she can. Now that Clementine has a new found family with her friends, we see the cracks start to appear thanks to how the three of them deal with things differently. Olivia and Ricca just want to rest while Clementine is suspicious about everything, but we also see how the three of them just need to figure out how to meet somewhere in the middle.

It was also nice to continue to see a combination of characters. We see the unsavory characters who put themselves first, but we also see the characters who are still trying to help out and create a livable community. It was nice to see the trio get a little bit of rest on the island, but it’s also sad to see that the zombies are going to zombie no matter where you’re at. I’m interested in seeing how this series will end since it seems like everyone is trying to find somewhere they can stay put somewhat safely now that more and more people are banding together to survive.

The Queen of Poisons (The Marlow Murder Club #3) by Robert Thorogood

 

The Queen of Poisons by Robert Thorogood

My Rating: ★

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

When Suzie showed up to a Town Council meeting, she never expected to witness a murder! Now Judith and her friends are on the scent. Who killed Marlow’s very own saint, Geoffrey Lushington, and why? With Tanika on their side, this group of friends are determined to hunt down the killer and find themselves unearthing Town Council drama in the process.

I’ve really been enjoying the series, so I’m a little sad that this one turned out to be a dud. We follow Judith, Becks, and Suzie as they do their thing and hunt down the town’s latest killer. Unfortunately, the group’s interest and involvement in the mystery felt super forced. It seemed like they were going through the motions just to go through them. It didn’t make me feel drawn into the mystery at all. I also had a hard time buying that Judith and co. actually solved the murder. It seemed like they were accusing everyone and their mom before they suddenly knew who it was for a while. We were told this rather than seeing it play out, so I was like… okay, Judith.

That said, I did like getting to know some of the characters a little more. I was hoping that Tanika would be more involved with the mystery solving trio, but at least we did get to learn a little more about her home life. I hope that we get to see Tanika and everyone more involved with each other during the investigations, and that we’ll see everyone more open to hearing what Tanika has to say outside of picking her brain.

I really wanted to like this book because I loved the previous two, but it was just a miss for me. The mystery just didn’t pull me in, it seemed like everyone was just running through the motions, and I’m not sure I buy that they managed to solve the mystery. I kept finding myself more interested in the drama surrounding Becks and her mother-in-law and wishing the mystery involved Becks and her in-laws rather than the Town Council. Plus, the fatphobia that emerges as the story progresses was extremely unnecessary and really soured what good the story had going.

Midnight Ruin (Dark Olympus #6) by Katee Robert

 

Midnight Ruin by Katee Robert

My Rating: ★★★

Between her extremely powerful mother and now equally powerful sisters, Eurydice has lived a very sheltered life. Her ex’s betrayal was the beginning of seeing and experiencing things out of her family’s control, and while that left her heartbroken, she’s ready to step out of the shadows and prove herself. Unfortunately for Eurydice, she’s picked one hell of a time to enter the political realm. It’s a good thing she has backup in the form of her best-friend turned boyfriend and her ex.

I’ve been enjoying this series, which is why I was a little sad that I wasn’t crazy about this book. We follow Eurydice, Charon, and Orpheus through their rotating perspectives in what could’ve been a thrilling throuple. Charon and Orpheus had excellent chemistry while Eurydice didn’t have chemistry with anyone. I could’ve lived with that if Eurydice wasn’t getting on my last nerve. I think she was trying too hard to prove herself while showing just how naive she truly is. I feel like the story kind of steamrolled past this in the long run because every risk she took panned out. I would’ve liked to have seen some things not play out how she intended at least once since she was running on a combo of stubbornness and arrogance.

That said, I did really like following Charon and Orpheus. I think they’re both interesting characters with two totally different experiences in life. I also enjoyed learning more about how Olympus runs, especially regarding the mysterious barrier that’s falling. I also liked getting a glimpse at who has been working behind the scenes and has been a big player in the shadows. It’s made me interested in checking out the next book despite not being totally happy with this one.

First Test Graphic Novel by Devin Grayson, Becca Farrow (Illustrator), Tamora Pierce

 

First Test Graphic Novel by Devin Grayson, Becca Farrow (Illustrator), Tamora Pierce

My Rating: ★★★★★

I received a copy from Random House Graphic through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Keladry dreams of being a knight. It’s why she’s scrambling to put the new rule that allows women to train to become knights to good use. Unfortunately, she faces a lot of pushback, and even her own training master wants her to fail. Kel is extremely determined, so she does her best to ignore all the hazing and lack of support from the other people in training. When everything is unfairly stacked against her, she’s determined to do her best and help anyone she can along the way.

I’ve never read anything from Tamora Pierce before, so I went into the story without any expectations based on the original work. Now that I’ve read and enjoyed this illustrated adaptation, I’m looking forward to checking out the original story. I loved following Kel as she faces unfair rules and expectations. She knows that it’s unfair, but she’s also determined to show everyone just how wrong they are. It was great to see how many characters were on her side to begin with and who starts to join them as the story progresses.

The artwork was amazing and really brought the story to life. I can’t compare this to the original work, so I can’t tell you if it’s an adaptation that stays true to the story. However, I do think it was an excellent read and that there are a lot of people who will enjoy it. I know for me, it’s made me want to go and check out Tamora Pierce’s work, which I’ve surprisingly never read before.