Once a Queen (Once a Queen #1) by Sarah Arthur

 

Once a Queen by Sarah Arthur

My Rating: ★★★

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

When Eva Joyce travels to England with her mom, she’s excited to meet the grandmother she’s never once heard from. The only problem is that her grandma is sweet with a scary side, and Eva’s been instructed to contain her curiosity while visiting. Magic and fairy tales are not accepted by her grandmother, and the more Eva explores the property, the more she discovers there’s a huge mystery rooted in the fairy tales that are very much a reality.

I thought this seemed like a fun book, so I was excited to check it out! We follow Eva, an extremely curious teenager who is fascinated with all things fantasy and mysterious. She’s grown up moving from one place to another all based on where her father has found work, and while her parents don’t mind her curious nature much, it’s not welcome at her grandmother’s home. For some reason, she’s not allowed to bring up her dad, magic, fairy tales, and strangely enough, trains. It turns out it’s all connected to a terrible tragedy where two family members and a family friend lost their lives, which turned her grandmother into the woman she is in the present.

I think this book was enjoyable at times, but it’s a book that would be more enjoyable for its target audience than it is for adults. It has everything from mystery, magic, and a tragedy that destroyed a family. It was fun seeing Eva discover that the fairy tales she grew up with were very much a reality, and that her dad’s lifetime work is connected to her family in ways she never could’ve imagined. However, the mystery was frustrating. It was clear from the start, but the way the characters danced around it and kept telling Eva it wasn’t their story was just really irritating. I think I would’ve found it more mysterious and fun if I was reading this back when I was in middle school, so it’s definitely great for its target audience.

The characters were both complex and interesting even if Eva seemed to think she knew more than she did. I think Eva was just a lonely kid excited to find out that her favorite fairy tales were real. I also understand how much she hoped to get her grandmother’s approval, especially since she never really knew any family outside of her parents. It was nice to see her make a friend and even keep that friendship going after the huge fight they have, especially since it didn’t seem like she really had friends back at home.

While the book was a fun read, it was also frustrating at times, and I think younger readers will likely get drawn into the story much more than I did and not notice when things seem to stall. I do think it’s interesting enough that I may check out the second book when it eventually comes out. Now that the tedious nature of the mystery is out of the way, it’ll be interesting to see how the story progresses.

The Secrets of Sir Richard Kenworthy (Smythe-Smith Quartet #4) by Julia Quinn

 

The Secrets of Sir Richard Kenworthy by Julia Quinn

My Rating: ★★★★

Sir Richard Kenworthy is on the market for a wife. He has a very specific list of requirements, but above all, he needs someone who will marry him in two weeks. It’s why the annual Smythe-Smith musicale seems so promising. Surely one of the Smythe-Smith ladies will be desperate enough to marry very quickly. Richard has heard they’re desperate, but what he doesn’t realize is that they’re only desperate to stop having to perform in the musicales. While he’s in for a huge surprise about their musical talent, there’s no way he could’ve ever prepared him for the lovely Iris Smyth-Smith. The problem? He’s falling in love, and now he feels even more guilty about her not knowing why they need to marry quickly.

I’ve been enjoying this series, and I found that I really liked following Iris and Richard. They hit it off really quick even though Iris is suspicious of Richard, who is riddled with guilt. I think they made a solid couple when all was said and done. They were both quite interesting even though it was bugging me that they didn’t just drop Richard’s secret early on. I thought it was kind of silly that his chapters kept dancing around it when the man would obviously keep thinking about the actual details. Either way, I loved seeing them come back from the first big hurdle in their relationship. Honestly, I don’t think Richard thought it through as much as he thought he did because he seemed to not have a plan for some pretty major things.

Despite the secrets and anguish, this was actually a hilarious read. There were some passages that had me laughing so hard that I was crying from laughter. The final performance from the Smythe-Smith family was an excellent send-off. I’m going to miss all the shenanigans with the dramatic stories and the hilarious unicorn obsession.

Devi's Distraction (Icehome #6) by Ruby Dixon

 

Devi's Distraction by Ruby Dixon

My Rating: ★★★★★

I haven't been reviewing the spin-off series, but I do have to say that this book is FIRE. Holy crap! This is definitely my fav book of the series. It's going to be so hard to top it. It's full of soft moments on top of there being a ton of depth, but there's still hilarious moments. Plus, N'dek and Devi's chemistry is off the charts. I'm always excited about learning more about everyone's relationships with each other as well as what different animals and sea life live on the planet. More than anything, I love that Ruby has been devoted to making sure that disabilities are represented through the OG series as well as the spin-off.

Introverts Unite to Color! But Separately and In Your Own Homes: A Comically Calming Adult Coloring Book for Introverts by H.R. Wallace Publishing

Introverts Unite to Color! But Separately and In Your Own Homes: A Comically Calming Adult Coloring Book for Introverts by H.R. Wallace Publishing

My Rating: ★★★★

I received a copy from H.R. Wallace Publishing through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

If you’re looking for a coloring book targeting introverts, you’ll be happy to find it exists! Inside you will find a whole bunch of super cute and fun coloring pages with funny and relatable quotes. I really liked how fun and relatable many of the pages were, with a bunch of simple and aesthetically pleasing patterns to color in! My only issue is that the 17th coloring page says, “My spirit animal is a turtle we’re both content in our shells.” It’s taking spirit animals, which are sacred to indigenous people, and totally taking it out of context. I’ve heard and seen this a lot over the years because a lot of people don’t know where spirit animals come from, so it’s entirely possible that the people behind this book are also unaware, but it was still sad to see this as a coloring page.

A Kingdom of Souls and Shadows by Leslie O'Sullivan

 

A Kingdom of Souls and Shadows by Leslie O'Sullivan

My Rating: ★

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

Eala Duir has spent much of her life trying to live on the safe side. If the path isn’t tried and true, she doesn’t want anything to do with it. Everything changed when her grandmother passed away. First, a vague letter from her  grandma reveals that Eala’s real name is not Ellie like she’d been raised to believe it was. Then her grandma asks her to go to Ireland to find out the truth about herself, but all she has to get her started is the cryptic message that was left to her. Once in Ireland, it turns out that the fae world her grandmother always spoke of is real, and that she can travel between worlds. What is Eala’s fate, and why is it so deeply connected with the sassy Sionnach Loho?

I really liked the overall concept of this book, but I ended up DNFing it at 52%. We follow Eala as she’s going through a major life transition. Not only is she trying to adjust to life without her grandma, but she’s suddenly thrust into a world of fantasy and magic while trying to figure out where she came from and what her grandma’s cryptic message means. While Eala has her best friend, Colleen, at her side, she quickly discovers that the answer to all her questions comes in the form of a sassy Irish man: Sionnach.

Eala is a solid person, but she’s also a pretty boring character to follow. Even when she’s in the thick of things, she’s the least interesting person in the mix and it’s easy for her to blend into the background. All of the other characters are far more interesting, and I think I would’ve liked the book a little more if we had Eala and Sion as rotating narrators.  Sion is a man of many words, but he also keeps his cards very close to his chest, so there’s a lot of missing information that only he can drop into the story. By the halfway point, I was far more frustrated by the lack of communication between the characters than Eala is, and this story is directly impacting her life.

As I said, I really like the overall concept of the book. Eala can travel between worlds, including everything in between, but there’s also rules to follow. Rules that Sion has been very tight lipped about, which throws them into some pretty tight spots. Reading this ended up being frustrating in the end because it seems like there’s something huge sitting right around the corner, only that corner keeps getting further and further away. I think that there are some readers who will love this book, the romantic interest that is a red herring, and the pacing of the story. Unfortunately, it’s not a book that’s a hit with me.

When a Cat Faces West Vol. 3 by Yuki Urushibara

 

When a Cat Faces West Vol. 3 by Yuki Urushibara

My Rating: ★★★★★

Hirota and Chima are more than familiar with flow as everyone’s favorite flow experts. Just when they think they’ve seen everything, they find a new case caused by cats in the worst of places… or best of places if you’re Hirota!

I had a feeling that this would be the final book in the series and I was right! This is both a good and a bad thing. I really enjoy this series, but it also feels right to end while it’s still in a good place. I really enjoyed getting to know the characters, which is why I was delighted to finally learn Hirota’s backstory. What a twist! It was also great to see how each of the characters bonded even if they didn’t particularly care for each other.

I don’t want to say too much because then it’d spoil the story, but this was an excellent way to wrap up the series. I also enjoyed the author’s note at the end and getting to learn what inspired the story. Between this series and what inspired them to write it, I really want to check out their other publications.

When a Cat Faces West, Vol. 2 by Yuki Urushibara

 

When a Cat Faces West, Vol. 2 by Yuki Urushibara

My Rating: ★★★★

When a new flow takes effect, it’s time to call Hirota and Chima! While dealing with seemingly random cases of flow is Hirota’s life, Chima is ready to ditch it and return to her regular life as soon as she returns to normal. While Chima has yet to figure out the cause for flow making her a pre-teen again, she and Hirota deal with a drying rack floating around town, a steep set of stairs turning onto a hike, and a mysterious ghost in the fog.

So far, I’ve been really enjoying this series. It’s a slow burn, but I like that about it because it’s not like flow is going to be stopped all together, so it isn’t building up to a huge flow blow out. It’s very character driven, so we really get to know Chima and Hirota more and more in addition to seeing there’s a lot of depth to each of the characters affected by flow. Now that we’re in the second volume, we get to see more about this world and how everyone is dealing with flow.

There’s little details that really make the story realistic. In the first volume, we saw that people had to fill out flow paperwork so the government could deal with how cases of flow affected people. It initially pertained to things like housing and work, but now we see that it’s much more complex than that. For example, Chima has a flow ID to show that she’s 35-years-old and physically affected by flow. Then there’s a flow case in the story that’s a time warp all tied into a character’s failed relationship.

It’s also nice to see that the characters who are most experienced with flow don’t always recognize when something is flow or not. We’ve got the ghost on the bridge, who Hirota believes is actually a ghost when everyone else can see they’ve got another case on their hands. Then we have Chima, who hasn’t realized that her feelings are the cause of her own case. We get to see her suddenly jump to appearing in her twenties only for her to revert back once things like marriage get brought up. All in all, this was another great read. I’m looking forward to seeing how the story continues to develop!

Kawaii Birdies: Learn to Draw 80 Adorable Feathered Friends by Jen Budrock

 

Kawaii Birdies: Learn to Draw 80 Adorable Feathered Friends by Jen Budrock

My Rating: ★★★★★

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

I’ve been a huge fan of Jen’s artwork after following them on their Instagram, Birdhism, a while ago. I was very excited to get an advanced copy of this book, and I will definitely be buying a copy when it’s released! Inside, you will find a little about Jen and their bird activism as well as what kawaii means. Then there’s a section on tools before you get to a great note on what this book is for. I love that they encourage their readers to continue drawing even when their abilities don’t meet their personal expectations. It’s great that so many artists are encouraging their readers to keep trying and remind everyone that drawing is a skill that takes time to level up.

Rather than the tutorials going from easy to hard, they are set up in the following sections: old world, new world, domestic, and wild birds. Then we get to drawing bird poses, which made me want to try drawing various birds sleeping on various things. I love that there’s tutorials on how to draw the birds with so many different objects, such as boxes and surfboards. It really helps artists of all levels see how important basic shapes play into drawing, especially circles, which is a basic shape used to start sketching out just about everything one might want to draw.

This was an excellent book for people of all ages that’s cute, fun, and encouraging. I also love that there are a few pages for drawing that have encouraging birds in the corners. It’s such a nice touch. Plus, there’s few coloring pages at the very end, which is exciting for anyone who likes coloring books. It’s such a great book that may bring more attention to this wonderful artist.

The Beautiful (The Beautiful Quartet #1) by Renée Ahdieh

The Beautiful by Renée Ahdieh

My Rating: ★★★

It’s 1872, and Celine Rousseau has just arrived in New Orleans to start a new life. After fleeing Paris, she’s hoping she can keep afloat in a place where no one knows who she is or what she’s done. Unfortunately, there’s a supernatural entity hellbent on taking her life, and it’s throwing a wrench in her plans. The longer Celine toes the line in her new life, the more she wonders who cares if her past catches up if she turns up dead first.

I received a sampler from G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers through NetGalley, which had some of the early chapters. When I got to the last chapter in the sampler, I was already so drawn into the story that I went ahead and picked up the book. We follow four different characters through their rotating perspectives: Celine, Bastien, and two mystery characters. The chapters following the two mystery men were a bit confusing at first, but once I realized it was two different characters, it was easy to get into the story. After a while, I figured out who one of the people was, but the other one came out of left field. I liked that surprise!

The pacing was pretty slow, but it was worth it. I think part of the problem is that I couldn’t understand why we needed four perspectives instead of one. Celine’s perspective was the most well developed and it was clear she was the main protagonist from the start. Meanwhile, the longer we followed Bastien, the more we failed to learn a whole lot. La Cour des Lions is deeply shrouded in mystery and he never shows us why he’s mysterious and devilish. He’s constantly being described as being devilish and the Lucifer in town, but we never once see anything that makes him live up to that name. Even when he’s supposed to be showing us his entire hand of cards, there was never actually anything there.

That said, I did really enjoy the book. There’s a vampire murder mystery that surrounds Celine, but the mystery isn’t the core of the story. That’s just how she finds herself being pulled deeper and deeper into the supernatural world. From the way she seems to be a supernatural entity without having discovered it yet, I fully expect her to eventually discover that she has her own supernatural abilities. I mean, we already have vampires and werewolves! Otherwise, I don’t know how the overall series will hold together for me.

There’s also an excellent cast of characters. I particularly liked following Celine and Pippa. I really liked how Pippa was the only one who actually sees Celine as who she really is. She also knows that when she acts untouchable and unbothered, that’s Celine’s ego as well as a mask even to herself. Bastien could be a cool character, but he seems to be a mostly generic so-called bad boy, and his friendships alway appear to be out of a sense of duty to his uncle. His uncle is actually the most interesting character in the story, which makes me wish this was a series where we follow a different character in each book. There’s also the detective and his family, who I really liked and hope to see a lot more of. Nonna was the best, so it’d be great if we got to see her again.

Overall, this was a great read. It was pretty light on the paranormal front at times, but I enjoyed following Celine’s story. I do think that having four perspectives is a bit much, and the romance is built purely on lust, but the story has a lot going for it and I’m excited to check out the next book. I hope to see the other plotlines improve since it looked like the story wasn’t supposed to be Celine’s story with the occasional view from two different vampires and some of their background stories coming through. It seemed like Bastien and the other characters were supposed to be more significant rather than just players in Celine’s story, so I hope to see things on this front improve with the next book.

Hello Kitty Crochet: Supercute Amigurumi Patterns for Sanrio Friends by Mei Li Lee, Sanrio

Hello Kitty Crochet: Supercute Amigurumi Patterns for Sanrio Friends by Mei Li Lee, Sanrio

My Rating: ★★★★★

If you’re looking for Sanrio crochet patterns, then this is the book for you! Inside you will find 24 patterns along with a small section of basic amigurumi parts that aren’t specific to any of the patterns. There is also a section on basic supplies, optional supplies, and techniques that will make things go smoother!

While the patterns are beginner friendly, the book is not written for beginners, so there isn’t a comprehensive how-to guide. However, the book also doesn’t state it’s for people learning to crochet. I do think it’s beginner friendly, though, so anyone learning to crochet with this book would need to look at other sources to learn the stitches and basic techniques to make it work. Overall, I really like the book and am excited to get crocheting!

Out There by Seaerra Miller

 

Out There by Seaerra Miller

My Rating: ★★★★★

When Julia’s dad was abducted by aliens, everything changed. He became obsessed with needing to know why they chose him and what their message means. Julia wasn’t always a believer, but why would her dad lie? The alien abduction may have been the final straw for her parent’s marriage, but it only made her relationship with her dad stronger. It’s why she’s excited to attend a UFO festival in Roswell, New Mexico. Julia’s mom isn’t happy about it, and neither is her best friend, but Julia is all for it. She’ll finally get to learn more about aliens, but the longer she’s in Roswell, the more things aren’t adding up. What if her dad wasn’t really abducted by aliens? What does this mean for them?

This was an absolutely wonderful read. We follow Julia as she discovers that her dad isn’t perfect. In fact, he’s only human! We spend a lot of time with Julia and her father, David. What’s important here is that David believes that he was abducted by aliens, and it’s changed his life. It was the final straw in his relationship with Julia’s mom, and he went from a reliable job to struggling to make ends meet. While so much in his life has changed, he and Julia have continued to have a solid relationship. They truly care about each other, but Julia is also at that age where she starts to learn that her parents aren’t perfect. They’re just like us!

We watch Julia struggle with balancing the belief in UFOs with her friends. She turned down a vacation to Hawaii and sees her friend poke fun at her dad and how he believes he was abducted by aliens. She also makes a new friend whose parents are also believers, but he is not! I actually really liked her new friend, Josh. I understand why he’s irritated that his parents are such believers, but he slowly comes around as he and Julia slowly become friends. I like that they become each other’s support system as the kids of people that others find strange thanks to their alien abduction stories.

One of the things I loved about this book is that we get to see Julia come around when she starts to realize that things aren’t adding up. The details of her dad’s abduction don’t fully make sense, and he seems to be adding new details as time goes on. However, she also sees that he truly believes he was abducted by aliens. While the UFO festival isn’t what she thought it was going to be, it does turn out to be an excellent bonding experience for her and her dad, and I love that.

Lights (Sheets #3) by Brenna Thummler

 

Lights by Brenna Thummler

My Rating: ★★★★★

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

Ever since Majorie met Wendell, he’s been a bright light in her life. He’s been her best friend, and even became friends with her new friend from school, Eliza. The three of them have been close friends ever since, but as Majorie and Eliza get closer to entering high school, things are starting to change. Majorie and Eliza’s friendship is put to the test when Eliza rekindles old friendships, and Wendell is determined to find out who he was and why he died. The three of them now face being torn apart or becoming closer than ever.

In what seems like the final book in the series, we focus primarily on friendships as the human and ghostly trio search for who Wendall was when he was alive. This time around, we get to see what friendships Wendall has as he slowly remembers things from his past. They come back to him in bits and pieces, and aren’t always what they appear to be, but it helps Majorie and Eliza figure out where to look.

I really liked getting to learn about Wendall’s past as he slowly remembers things and tries to figure out who he remembers from his life. It was so interesting to see where his memories took us and figuring out how the living characters we meet along the way fits into that. It was exciting to see that Majorie, Eliza, and Wendell each got a book that focuses on them and their healing. Wendall has been one of the more interesting characters due to the fact that he’s a ghost and doesn’t remember who he was and where his family is, so it was really nice to see him finally get answers and have that mystery completed.

I loved seeing Majorie and Eliza again, and it was great to see how their friendship continued to grow after the previous book. Eliza accidentally ends up with two ex-friends thrown back in her life, and it was nice to see how some supporting characters experienced character growth off the pages. Unfortunately, it does shake things up between Majorie and Eliza, but I loved seeing how they both figure out how to work through things because even friends can experience problems with their relationship.

All in all, this was a sad but wonderful read. The artwork was beautiful as always and really aided in telling the story through color palette alone. The way the book ended, I really think this is the final book in the series, and I can’t picture how the story would continue after this anyway. I think these characters are continuing to heal and find new ways to enjoy life again off the pages and can picture them going on to lead happy lives (or afterlives).

The Expectant Detectives (The Expectant Detectives #1) by Kat Ailes

 

The Expectant Detectives by Kat Ailes

My Rating: ★★★★★

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

When Alice and Joe moved to Penton, they thought it’d be simpler, cozier, and cheaper than the life they left in London. The couple knew they were crazy for moving so close to the birth of their first child together, but they didn’t expect the move to be the least crazy thing happening in their lives. Now Alice has a murder mystery on her hands, a moody partner who is hiding something, and a group of new friends who may or may not even like her. At least it’s keeping Alice busy because she’s been bored out of her mind since she started her maternity leave!

When I picked up this book, I was not expecting it to fill the void that Maddy Hunter left when she retired from publishing. I’ve been missing her Passport to Peril series for sometime and Kat’s writing reminds me of that series. We’ve got Alice, who is interested in investigating not only because she was questioned as a potential suspect, but also because she’s bored and missing the friends she left behind in London. Then there’s several interesting to odd characters, a bunch of off the wall shenanigans, and a group of pregnant women putting two and two together only to find they were totally off the mark. It’s a hilarious book from start to finish and I love that the characters are funny and the investigating isn’t the best, which I find realistic.

I appreciate the focus on how daunting and even difficult it can be to make new friends as an adult. Alice and Joe just moved to a new city and they don’t know anyone there. While it was funny to see how their different attempts at making friends went, it was really nice to see characters who didn’t instantly befriend everyone they met. Speaking of new friends, I really liked Poppy and Ailsa, though I’m not sure I would say Ailsa is a friend of Alice’s yet. That said, they are excellent characters, so I’m looking forward to seeing a lot more of them in the next book. I really liked Ailsa’s grandma as well, and I hope we see more of her, especially since it seemed like the bare bones of a future book was set up when we met her.

If you’re looking for a hilarious laugh out loud read, then this is the book for you! I found myself laughing so many times while reading the majority of the chapters. I love Alice’s dog, Helen, who is one of those dogs that gets into anything and everything. She’s a sweet doggy, and I guess she accidentally did a little of her own investigating along the way and was thankfully safe after all was said and done!

The Sum of All Kisses (Smythe-Smith Quartet #3) by Julia Quinn

 

The Sum of All Kisses by Julia Quinn

My Rating: ★★★★

Hugh Prentice’s life turned upside down the second a duel went awry. He doesn’t hold anyone but himself responsible for it, but his leg has made life difficult for him ever since. He knows that no woman will ever want him, not that he has plans to marry. It would certainly put a damper on the deal he made with his dad to keep Daniel Smythe-Smith alive and well. Now that Hugh is attending two weddings back to back, he finds himself spending a lot of time with Daniel’s cousin, Sarah. The pair irritate the living daylights out of each other, but it’s nothing compared to the lust that’s quickly filling in. Too bad Hugh knows that someone of Sarah’s status would never want him… at least, that’s what he believes.

I’ve been enjoying this series, and I thought Hugh was an interesting character in the previous book, so of course I was excited to read this. This time around, we follow Hugh and Sarah though through their rotating perspectives as they go from hating each other to falling in love. I found Sarah to be extremely irritating in the early chapters, but things picked up and everything started to fall into place. I ultimately really liked Sarah!

I particularly enjoyed all the hilarious antics between the Smythe-Smiths that would probably drive some people nuts, but I loved it. The younger Smythe-Smiths remind me of my childhood and running around with my brothers and cousins. Julia really has sibling and cousin relationships nailed down perfectly! Anyone who knows me knows that I love reading excellently written friendships, so I always enjoy seeing the friendships between the Smythe-Smiths, even when they’re irritating each other.

Of course, Hugh and Sarah are the stars of this book, and they were so much fun to follow. While I thought Sarah was rather irritating in the early chapters, things fell into place and I really enjoyed following her. I found the romance between her and Hugh to be believable, and it was fun watching them slowly fall for each other and then realize that’s what was happening. I do think that Sarah was a little out of character at one point toward the end of the book, and it’s a pretty major scene too, but I think I can live with that.

All in all, I really enjoyed reading this. It was a good mixture of hilarious, soft, and sometimes sad. The characters were excellent, so I’m interested in continuing to see where the series goes from here.

Romance Rules for Werewolves (Charming Cove #3) by Linsey Hall

 

Romance Rules for Werewolves by Linsey Hall

My Rating: ★★★★

Fresh off a bad breakup, Isobel discovers more and more about herself and her ex the longer that she’s away from him. The first thing is that her grandma passed away and willed her a house, but her ex has been destroying all contact her estate tries to make with her. Only… there’s a catch: the house has personality, and she has a month to fix it up or she loses the place. It’s a great discovery given she’s homeless and leaving everything she owned behind. The second thing is that she’s an extremely powerful witch, which may come in handy with the house and the sexy werewolf she’s rooming with while she works on her house.

I absolutely loved this book. We follow Isobel and her grumpy werewolf roomie, Rafe. They’re two totally different types of characters, so it’s fun to watch them interact. Isobel is like a ray of sunshine while Rafe is lonely and grumpy. I loved following the two of them while Isobel rediscovers herself and learns that she’s capable of so much more than her ex made her believe. Meanwhile, Rafe has been a loner for a long time. Between the curse that made him forget everyone important to him and the grumpiness that followed, he’s been alone with a massive hole in his life for a long time.

While each of the books in the series can be read in whatever order you want, you do see the main characters from the previous books. It was nice to see them again even though some of it felt really awkward. It was interesting how they each played into this story in their own ways while giving very little away about their respective books.

Overall, I really loved the entire book. We have the small mystery about the house with its own personality, the mystery behind Rafe and the curse that stole a huge part of his life, and Isobel rediscovering herself and finding a ton of self-confidence. There’s some fun new supporting characters that I really liked, especially Isobel’s sassy familiar. There aren’t any hints about a fourth book coming, but it would be fun to see a character who isn’t a powerful witch lead a future book.

The Third Wife of Faraday House by B.R. Myers

The Third Wife of Faraday House by B.R. Myers

My Rating: ★★★★★

I received a copy from William Morrow Paperbacks through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Emaline Fitzpatrick is ready to escape her guardians and marry the handsome man who has captured her heart. Unfortunately, Emaline learns the hard way that when someone keeps you a secret, they’re not actually that into you. Now that she’s the face of a scandal, she has two choices: settle into life at a convent or marry Captain Graves. Emaline finds herself in quite the pickle when she arrives at Faraday. Captain Graves described himself as a widower, but it turns out his second wife is still holding on for dear life! Now Emaline finds herself trying to save Mrs. Graves from her impending death all trying to figure out if the place is really haunted.

We follow Emaline, a young woman who was raised by a judge and his wife after being orphaned. All she wants is to escape the controlling and restricted life she has with a husband of her choosing. Instead, she finds herself wedged into a corner. Emaline is not the smartest of people, but I think she just needs everyone to give her a chance even if her first step is to fall flat on her face. While she does some pretty dumb things, she also makes some pretty good discoveries, so I think she was always told that the only thing she had was her looks. One of the things I like about the book is that we get to see her slowly find her strength along the way.

This book has mystery, ghosts, and a house full of people who are not what they seem to be. Emaline is my favorite character. She’s nice, caring, and has a heart. She’s extremely naïve and isn’t always holding the braincell, but she’s fun to follow and has some excellent character growth. There is a little bit of romance in the book, and it’s easy to tell who she will ultimately end up with right away, so I wouldn’t pick this up if you’re looking for a romance.

There’s also a really interesting cast of characters. They all have their secrets. The only difference is we know what Emaline’s secrets are, so we have to watch her slowly discover everyone else’s. I think there’s only two characters who are pretty straight forward. The rest are two-faced to different degrees and everyone has a different motive. It was really interesting to see how the characters slowly reveal what they’ve really been up to.

All in all, this was an excellent read. I was fully absorbed in the story from the moment I opened the page and was actually shocked by the way a few things played out. I’m excited to read some of the author’s other books because this was truly excellent from beginning to end. I do have a few questions about the ending because Emaline’s guardians are suddenly loving saints and everyone is besties, but I think those are the only things that just appeared out of nowhere.

The Secret Duchess (The Spinsters of Inverley #3) by Jane Walsh

 

The Secret Duchess by Jane Walsh

My Rating: ★★★

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

Joan didn’t particularly care for the Duke of Stanmere, but she did enjoy her life as a Duchess. Unfortunately for her, it turns out her late husband barely mentioned her in his will, causing people to assume she was cheating. Now that her step children and in-laws seem to be up to no good, Joan has one massive scandal on her hands, which is why she flees to her secret home in Inverley. Now she’s disguised as the widow of a sailor and watching the scandal play out in the gossip rags. To further her disguise, she takes on a boarder: Maeve Balfour. Surely no one will expect the Duchess to rent rooms out!

I picked this up expecting a fun romance with some mystery involved. We follow Joan and Maeve through their rotating perspectives beginning with their lives turning upside down. Joan has a cheating scandal on her hands and is dealing with the theft of nearly everything she owns. Meanwhile, Maeve’s mother just remarried and left her to fend for herself. Maeve refuses to marry because she has no desire to ever be with a man, but she’s used to living the lavish life her parents' money provided. Now she’s left to find a husband or find a job, and it turns out that finding work is much harder than she ever anticipated!

I really liked Joan. There’s certainly some foul play going on with her in-laws, and it’s interesting to watch it develop as she tries to come out of it unscathed. She seems like a caring character who married well only to be left hiding out in a house her father pressured her to buy in secret. I think I would’ve liked the book more if I liked Maeve more, but she’s rather spoiled and truly out of touch with reality for the first half of the book. I had a hard time reading Maeve’s chapters mainly because Joan usually had far more interesting chapters than she did. I feel like Maeve finally grew a solid personality about halfway through the story, which is when I really started to enjoy her chapters.

The mystery of sorts was really interesting to follow and that was probably my favorite part of the book. It was crazy seeing what Joan’s in-laws were doing and seeing her slowly learn who her husband really was as a person. The slow revelations were predictable but crucial to the story, and seeing who really had Joan’s back and was willing to help and defend her was excellent. The romance was very light and cute, but Joan’s backstory and crazy life events was the core of the book.

A Lady's Duke (The Dark Dukes #1) by J.M. Diedrich

 

A Lady's Duke by J.M. Diedrich

My Rating: ★★★

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

Ever since the deadly fire that took her parent’s lives, Lady Charlotte Louise has lived a very sheltered life in seclusion. She’s wanted nothing more than to finally live, which is why she’s angry that her first chance at life has been stomped out by her brother. He’s insisted that Charlotte skip her first season as a distinguished lady looking for a spouse and accept an unwanted engagement. Charlotte isn’t going down without a fight, and she’s got a bucket list that could get her in trouble if she tries to complete it!

I was instantly drawn in by the cover, but it was the summary that really sold me on this book. We follow Lady Charlotte Louise and Hamish, the Duke of Camine, through their rotating perspectives as they slowly fall in love. I found that I was far more interested in the supporting characters than I ever was in Hamish, but I did find Charlotte entertaining. Hamish is supposed to be a mysterious character, but he was extremely boring. I also thought his business shenanigans weren’t worth following outside of getting to see Percy and Gregori.

Honestly, the star characters are Percy, Gregori, Camille, and then Charlotte. I really enjoyed the four characters and found them far more interesting than Hamish or Charlotte’s brother, Renard. Much of the story is centered on Charlotte’s bucket list, the romance between her and Hamish, and Hamish’s business dealings that are somewhat cloaked in mystery. Without any spoilers, the mystery isn’t all that mysterious, but I can live with that because we’ve got some great characters here. It would’ve been far more scandalous for Charlotte to have ended up with Percy rather than Hamish, which I would’ve liked to have seen!

I also wasn’t a fan of Renard, who is also supposed to be Hamish’s best friend. He’s a real stick in the mud who also doesn’t seem to be holding the brain cell at any point during the book. I also found it hard to believe that he and Hamish were best friends because they acted like distant acquaintances at best. I kept wishing that Charlotte got to end up with someone more exciting, and that Renard would either be written out or at least grow a personality. Neither happened, but at least some of his banter was funny.

All in all, it was a fun read, but the supporting characters stole the show. The romance lacked chemistry for much of the book, which is kind of funny because Charlotte had chemistry with nearly everyone but him! I’m debating on whether or not I want to check out the next book because I really like Camille, but I’m dreading following the person she’s being paired off with.

The Official Boyfriends. Coloring Book by refrainbow; WEBTOON

 

The Official Boyfriends. Coloring Book by refrainbow; WEBTOON

My Rating: ★★★★★

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

When I requested this book, I didn’t realize it was a coloring book connected to an actual series! I guess I didn’t put two and two together because it seems really obvious now. However, I can say that you don’t need to have read the series to enjoy the coloring book. I don’t know about anyone else, but this coloring book makes me want to pick up the series and read it!

You also don’t need to read the series to enjoy this coloring book. I really like that on one side, we get panels from the story, and the other side is one of the panels or the same single panel ready for us to color however we want. I really liked this format and thought it was fun because we get the artist’s choice of colors and then we get to do our own thing. It’s really fun! Now I’m ready to check out the series and then buy this coloring book and add it to the coloring books I have. I really enjoy them because it’s a nice and simple way to relieve stress and have fun.

Barbarian's Bride (Ice Planet Barbarians #19) by Ruby Dixon

 

Barbarian's Bride by Ruby Dixon

My Rating: ★★★

When Nora first resonated with Dagesh, she knew things were going to be okay. Unfortunately, things ran hot and cold for a good month before they finally ended up on the same page. Now that their third kid is on their way any day now, the two of them remember when they first met. Nora went through resonating, settling in on an ice planet, a surprise wedding, and a honeymoon of sorts all before they finally found their happy space.

I’ve made it to the final book and it’s been a wild ride! This time around, we follow Nora and Dagesh as they remember their early days together in yet another flashback book. I wasn’t surprised that this was one big flashback again, but I was still disappointed that it turned out that way! That said, it was pretty good. It was nice to see Nora and Dagesh in their early days compared to now where they have twins and are expecting their third child any day now.

Some of the details didn’t match up with what was mentioned in the past, including just a few books ago, but that’s okay. Things change and I can live with that. What’s important is that this was one cute and hilarious final book! I really liked seeing Nora and Dagesh a lot more than just in passing, and it was nice to see how the series sends off all our old favorites. I know we’ll see and hear about them from time to time in the spin-off series, but I really liked that this final book ends on a high point. It’s been fun!

Barbarian's Treasure (Ice Planet Barbarians #18) by Ruby Dixon

 

Barbarian's Treasure by Ruby Dixon

My Rating: ★★

When Megan and Cashol resonated, it was perfection from that moment on. At least, that’s what everyone thought, because it turns out it was anything but perfect behind closed doors. Now that Josie is in labor again, she’s reminded Megan that things weren’t always perfect, and now it’s time to share that story.

It seems the last handful of books in the series are flashback love stories, which are hit or miss. Unfortunately, this was a miss, but it’s worth reading if you’re really interested in getting to know some of the characters we don’t know well. We follow Megan and Cashol as Megan is reminded of when they first resonated and decides to share the whole story with Josie.

Don’t get me wrong. It’s a cute story! But Megan was getting on my last nerve. It seemed the big hurdles for this duo were all based on a lack of communication. It’s probably the most realistic due to that, but a lot of it was Megan holding all her cards close to her chest and then convincing herself that things were too good to be true. Though, the whole who is eating the not-potato roots saga was both sad and hilarious. That said, I don’t know. I just couldn’t connect with Megan because a lot of the issues were things that wouldn’t have panned out if she didn’t take them and throw them all in her own face. That was wild to watch!

I liked reading about the characters in the present, though. This was another flashback book that I think needed less flashbacks and more time spent in the present because that’s where the real story was. I probably would’ve skipped it if I wasn’t so interested in seeing Megan and Cashol get their own book.

Barbarian's Seduction (Ice Planet Barbarians #17) by Ruby Dixon

 

Barbarian's Seduction by Ruby Dixon

My Rating: ★★★★

When Marlene woke up on Not-Hoth, she knew everything was going to be okay because she saw a heart. Her mom always gave her signs in the form of hearts when things were going to be okay, so she knew not to worry. It’s why Marlene was one of the few who rarely cried while getting settled into her new life on an ice planet. It’s also why Marlene had her eye on the shy and quiet Zennek. He doesn’t know what to do with himself every time she turns her attention onto him, but she knows that’s who she’ll resonate to.

Marlene and Zennek’s story is such a heartwarming feel-good story that one can’t help but love it. While the author says that we can read this book out of order, the opening and ending is set after book 15, so it’s probably best to read it in order just so the opening and ending will make more sense. However, the entire middle of the story is one big flashback that takes us back to the first two books in the series!

I really enjoyed reading the story from Marlene and Zennek’s perspectives. I actually liked this book a lot more than the previous one. It felt like it was the right place to have one big flashback to back when Marlene and Zennek first met. It was also fun to see Marlene seduce Zennek as soon as she could, which was a nice change from most of the books in the series.

It was also really nice to see how much Marlene cares for her in-laws, some of which are among the elders. We don’t get to see a whole lot of the elders, so it was nice to see them from a new perspective from meeting their new daughter in-laws to treating them like they’re their own daughters. I hope to see more of the elders at some point, whether it is in this series or the spin-off!

Barbarian's Beloved (Ice Planet Barbarians #16) by Ruby Dixon

 

Barbarian's Beloved by Ruby Dixon

My Rating: ★★★

Ariana was scared from the moment she woke up and discovered she had been abducted by aliens, and having severe anxiety set her apart from the others. Without her anxiety medications and access to therapy, she’s stuck in a constant loop of anxiety attacks. Ariana doesn’t want to draw extra attention to herself, especially since the others aren’t exactly a fan of her constant crying and catastrophizing. Then there’s Zolaya, who was drawn to her from the moment he saw her. She was quiet and cried a lot, but she seemed kind and in need of a friend. It was a surprise to both when they resonated, but a pleasant surprise at that.

This time around, we follow Ariana and Zolaya in the past and present. While this book can be read out of order because the entire middle of the story is a flashback, the opening and ending are set in the order of the series. I would recommend reading this one any time around or after book 15 if you want the opening and ending to make sense. Otherwise, there’s a few spoilers for what happens later in the series with all the new characters who are introduced.

I really like that the series features a character with severe anxiety. Ariana struggles a lot with it throughout the book. At least she has a few understanding and supportive people who understand her struggles. It’s good that, regardless of the planet, she has an amazing support system! As someone who suffers from anxiety as well, Ariana irritated me on and off. I totally understand her struggles with anxiety and can see it would be a crazy situation to suddenly be stranded on another planet away from help.

However, the catastrophizing got on my last nerve every so many chapters. I think that it’s because we were getting into the details of her catastrophizing without equal focus on how her anxiety was manifesting physically. I think this is actually a me problem, because seeing the sometimes long-winded details of what was going on in her mind is something that can be really awkward in text form.

That said, I really liked the book, but I think I would’ve liked it much better if it primarily took place in the present. There were a lot of interesting details with the different abilities the khui can give people, such as healing and having visions of the future, and we got to know some more of the characters. They have such a sweet love story, so it would’ve been cool to see how they get over hurdles now, and more about how they both move around in their social circles along the way. I also really liked Zolaya, so I would’ve loved to see more than we got to see of him in the present.

Barbarian's Tease (Ice Planet Barbarians #15) by Ruby Dixon

 

Barbarian's Tease by Ruby Dixon

My Rating: ★★★★

Brooke thought Taushen was not interested in her, but everything changed when they were held captive by the slavers who took over the Tranquil Lady. It turns out that Taushen is interested but convinced that there’s something wrong with him. Surely his khui would’ve chosen a mate for him by now, but it remains eerily silent, convincing him that he’s doomed to be alone. He thought Brooke wasn’t interested in him, but now everyone’s feelings are confused due a potent potion leading to a one night stand.

This time around, we follow the final unmated couple for now: Brooke and Taushen. I’ve always liked Taushen, and Brooke seemed like she was probably a cool character, so I was excited to see them pair up. I was glad to discover that Brooke was as likable as I was hoping, and it was interesting to see how she settled into life on Not-Hoth. Like many of the characters that came before her, she felt like her skills from Earth were useless for her new life. However, she was a hairdresser, so she offered to braid everyone’s hair all the time. I can picture how beautiful everyone’s hair must’ve looked while in fancy braids!

I think the two characters were well matched, and we learned a lot about how Brooke was as a person. She had one hell of a life back on Earth, and she feels as out of place in her new life as she did back home. It was interesting to see her feel like she was always on the outside looking in just like she always did. I liked watching her slowly figure herself out and slowly fall in love along the way.

However, I do think she needed to give poor Taushen a break. She tells him she just wants to be friends, and he honors that, and then she gets mad he doesn’t seem interested in her anymore? It was funny to see her attempts at flirting fly straight over his head, but I just wanted her to spit her feelings out instead of being mad that he appeared to move on. 

That said, I also really loved Taushen more than ever. We saw him slowly withdraw in the background of the other books, so it was great to learn why that was from inside his head. I really liked that he didn’t blame anyone but himself for why he didn’t resonate. Well, he did wonder if his khui was just too choosy, but he saw it as part of his own flaws. He was a surprisingly deep character and I really enjoyed that.

All in all, this was another fun read. It’ll be interesting to see how the series moves forward, especially since the spin-off series takes off after this. I’m starting to wonder if I should pace myself at this point because it looks like I’ll be reaching the end of this series soon. Even though there’s a spin-off, I don’t know what I’m going to do with myself after I reach the final book!

A Serenade for Pretend Lovers, Vol. 1 by Tochika Nekome

 

A Serenade for Pretend Lovers, Vol. 1 by Tochika Nekome

My Rating: ★

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

When Akari Sayo discovers her boyfriend is married, her feelings are flipped upside down. Not only is her boyfriend cheating, but he’s made her the other woman! Before she can sort out her feelings on the matter, she’s thrown into a crazy situation. Not Akari about to manage her first documentary on her own, but the musician she’s meant to record and interview wants to fake being lovers. Chizuru Kobuchi needs to write music for a romance story, but he’s never been in love, and Akari seems perfect for the job.

The fake dating trope claps, but this version of it feels pretty iffy. We follow Akari from the moment she learns her boyfriend is actually a married man. She’s upset by the turn of events, but it’s not like they were in love even though she was hoping marriage would eventually be on the table. Then we have Chizuru, the pushy and strange musician who wants to be fake lovers… or his version of fake lovers anyway.

The artwork is amazing, and I really wanted to like this book, but Chizuru is creepy and totally taking advantage of Akari. He knows he and his manager never accepted the documentary, and if Akari wants this documentary to happen, she has to accept his proposition. It’s already totally out of balance, especially since his idea of fake lovers isn’t in appearance only. He wants to get physical right from the start even though Akari is clearly uncomfortable with it. Plus, there was no discussion. He just went from zero to 100!

The power imbalance is already beyond skewed from the start. The voice of reason in this story is brief, and Akari seems to think she actually has a say in how this fake relationship is supposed to go. Fake lovers? They’re real lovers with a huge power imbalance. The only fake part is that they’re pretending to be in love at some point, I’m assuming in the next issue, before actually falling in love. I would feel a lot differently about the story if there wasn’t a huge power imbalance, if there was a legitimate discussion about what being fake lovers entails, and if the physical parts were organic with mutual interest rather than flying out of the blue and one sided.

Barbarian's Rescue (Ice Planet Barbarians #14) by Ruby Dixon

 

Barbarian's Rescue by Ruby Dixon

My Rating: ★★★★

Summer is having one hell of a day. First, Brooke ditched the fruit run, so now she’s with Warrek and making really awkward small talk. Well, it’s small talk if you count that she has diarrhea of the mouth and Warrek rarely speaks. Then the Tranquil Lady makes a surprise wobbly landing in the distance and the original crew appears to be gone. In their place are the same type of aliens that once abducted all the human women who live on Not-Hoth, and they’ve abducted everyone at Elder Cave. Now it’s up to Summer and Warrek to rescue everyone before the hostile crew discovers the village and takes everyone.

After two duds, I’m excited to say this book was excellent! This time around, we follow Summer and Warrek as they figure out how to rescue everyone being held captive on the Tranquil Lady. Summer talks enough for five people, which is highly relatable, so she does most of the talking as she and Warrek figure out what to do. Don’t worry, we know what’s up with Warrek. He’s just a quiet man, and we really get to know him through his chapters. I enjoyed reading his perspective and learning how his mind works. He always interacts with people in a limited capacity, so it was really exciting to learn his backstory as well as his friendships and what he holds most important to him.

Summer is a character I can see a lot of people being irritated by. I don’t know how Ruby pulled it off, but her diarrhea of the mouth was realistic and didn’t seem weird at all on page. That’s hard to do because too much dialogue can be a bit much, but it worked out well. That said, Summer is a pretty cool character, and now I’m happy that I know I love at least one of the new human characters. I was not feeling the last two books compared to the rest of the series and if I felt the same about this book, I was going to start getting a little worried.

I really like how Summer and Warrek work together to save everyone. It was absolutely hilarious at times, but then it was completely serious at all the right moments. We also got to see a new side of some of the other characters, so that was fun. I’m excited to see where the story goes next because there’s some things that happen in this book that could bring a lot of new things. I’m not sure how it’s going to work out, and Vektal has a whole new spaceship of stress on his hands, but I’m feeling really hopeful about the future of the series right now.

Barbarian's Lady (Ice Planet Barbarians #13) by Ruby Dixon

Barbarian's Lady by Ruby Dixon

My Rating: ★★

Kate and Harrec started off on the wrong foot when Harrec happily said that Kate was a mountain of a woman. Always bullied for being tall, Kate is irritated that Harrec keeps embarrassing her and pretending to pursue her. Things change when an accident almost costs Harrec his life. The two of them have to work together to survive, and that’s when Kate sees him in a new light. It turns out that she’s finally catching a break because he’s been sincere all along.

I’ve been enjoying this series, but this was the first book in the series that I found boring. The early chapters and the final chapters are great. It was everything in the middle that had me bored out of my mind. There were some funny moments, and it was cute, but not much was happening and Kate was a super repetitive character. It didn’t help that I couldn’t find an ounce of chemistry between Kate and Harrec.

That said, it wasn’t a bad book. Harrec is an interesting character and I liked learning his backstory as well as about some of the other characters who haven’t gotten their own books. It was really nice seeing some of the characters from the previous books, though one of them seemed kind of out of character at times. I also liked that the khui did something different than usual with resonance. I’m hoping we’ll eventually learn more about the khui. It’s always surprising what gets revealed about it.

I hope that we get to see Gale get her own book. She’s an interesting character and I’d like to learn more about her. It would also be different to see a book in the series based on two characters choosing each other while knowing they’ll never resonate. Vaza is a widow, Gale can’t have kids anymore, and they’re both older characters. I’d love to see their love story play out in a book of their own.

While this book was a dud for me, I am looking forward to the next book. It looks like it’s going to be action packed and we’re about to learn more about the universe outside of Not-Hoth again based on the events of the epilogue.

Phantom of the Idol, Vol. 1 by Hijiki Isoflavone

Phantom of the Idol, Vol. 1 by Hijiki Isoflavone

My Rating: ★★★

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

Yuya Niyodo is one of the grumpiest and laziest idols to ever exist. He’s phoning it in. Hard. He’s totally out if it means he has to put any effort in. Meanwhile, his musical partner, Kazuki Yoshino, is extremely popular with their fans. He’s giving it all, but he can never go solo with his intense stage fright. Everything changes when Niyodo meets the ghost of a former idol who passed away in a traffic accident. She wants nothing more than to be on the big stage again while he can’t wait to get off of it. When it turns out she can possess him, they strike a deal: she can possess him for his idol performances. He gets to keep his job while she gets to live the idol life!

This turned out to be as funny as I thought it would! I wasn’t really into it for around the first 25% of it. There were some things that didn’t make sense, and others that were just hard to believe, on top of Niyodo being an unlikable character. I found it hard to believe that Asahi Mogami would skip moving on to continue idol life, especially when it wasn’t like she and Niyodo had become friends. Then the story started picking up and became enjoyable.

It was ultimately a fun read. I really liked Mogami and Yoshino, but Mogami really carries the story. There wasn’t a whole lot of character building, but I appreciate that sacrifice in the name of setting up the series. There’s a lot bubbling under the surface of each of the characters, so it’ll be fun to see them develop throughout the series. We already started seeing more of the character development by the end of the book, so I’m looking forward to this.

All in all, it was mostly hilarious. I really enjoyed the artwork and how it lends itself to the humorous plot points. The entire opening had me thinking this wasn’t a series I was going to get into, so I’m really glad it quickly picked up and showed a lot of potential. It’ll be fun to see where this goes as well as how that ending pans out!

When a Cat Faces West, Vol. 1 by Yuki Urushibara

 

When a Cat Faces West, Vol. 1 by Yuki Urushibara

My Rating: ★★★★

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

Chima Kondo’s life changed when Flow changed her from a 35-year-old woman to a physically pre-teen version of herself. Work was her life, and since no one took her seriously anymore, she’s been lost ever since she was forced to leave her job. Now that Chima is interviewing for a job in Flow Disposal, she’s hoping to figure out how to reverse its effects on herself, but now she’s learning there’s an entirely new and interesting world out there. Who knew Flow could be so interesting and complex?

I wasn’t entirely sure what I was getting into when I picked this up, but the author had me hooked within a few pages. Flow is such an interesting concept, especially because it’s often related to people’s feelings. I had a lot of fun learning about this world and the sci-fi/fantasy aspects of it. It’s really carried by Chima, her boss, and his cat. There’s characters that come in and out, but there’s one character who is her boss’s rival of sorts that’s really interesting. I hope we get to see more of him as the series progresses.

All in all, this is a great book. There’s excellent characters and storylines on top of amazing artwork. I’m interested in learning about Flow and what it means to this world and its characters, but also seeing how the characters continue to develop. Plus, it’s hilarious to see what the cat gets up to! I loved when we got to see the cat paradise of sorts seemingly created by the cats through Flow. It’s a great balance between sci-fi and fantasy with a touch of the supernatural.

Nothing Special, Vol. 1: Through the Elder Woods by Katie Cook

 

Nothing Special, Vol. 1: Through the Elder Woods by Katie Cook

My Rating: ★★★★

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

Callie has spent her life waiting to finally become her dad’s apprentice. She’s never been allowed to exit the safe area of the magical realm where her dad’s shop resides, but she has been allowed to roam the human world freely. Everything changes when Callie’s dad goes missing. Now she’s armed with granola bars, her new friend Declan, and the ghost of a radish named Radish as she searches the magical realm for her dad.

This is such a cute cozy adventure. We follow Callie as she realizes she knows the radish spirits that follow her way better than she knows anyone she’s gone to school with. We get to watch her make friends, search for her dad in a magical world she’s always been banned from exploring, and fall in love along the way. There is such a great cast of characters, but my favorite is Radish! They’re such funny and cute characters that I loved for the entire book.

I love how fun and simple the storytelling is. It’s one of those stories that serves as a mood lifter because it’s cute, light, and funny. Plus, the artwork is absolutely stunning! I love how much it brings the story to life. It’s incredibly detailed, and it was so much fun to see how the Radish spirits appeared at any given time. I’m looking forward to checking out the next volume and seeing where the story goes next!

Barbarian's Redemption (Ice Planet Barbarians #12) by Ruby Dixon

 

Barbarian's Redemption by Ruby Dixon

My Rating: ★★★

It’s been Bek’s dream to resonate. When the last of the unmated women in the tribe resonated with others, he watched his dreams of having a mate and a family slip away. Everything changed when Mardok and his crew showed up. If one of these spaceships can fly away and come back, Bek cooks up a plan to make a deal for Trakan and Captain Chatav to bring human women to Not-Hoth. What Bek didn’t realize is that Trakan and Captain Chatav would purchase women to dump on Not-Hoth. Now he’s been shunned by the tribe, and all the human women are pissed with him.

This time around, we follow Bek and Elly. We get two totally different perspectives. Elly is one of the women that Mardok’s former crew bring to Not-Hoth, and she’s been an intergalactic slave for at least a decade. There’s a lot of talk about Elly’s past and the trauma she’s been through as a human slave. It’s been a long time since she’s even been outside, and an even longer time since she’s trusted anyone or anything. Meanwhile, Bek doesn’t see or fully understand that making a deal to bring women in hopes of resonating was wrong.

I think this is the first book in the series that was kind of a dud. Elly was an excellent character, but I really wish we didn’t have to have another character with such a bleak backstory. It sure does demonstrate that being abducted by aliens this series can be extremely bleak. Bek also seemed a bit out of character. He was asked who this kind, thoughtful, and patient Bek was a few times as a joke, but I really wanted to know who this was and what did they do with Bek. I also don’t believe he’s as naïve as he was made out to be.

It wasn’t a bad read, but this is the first book I’ve felt meh about so far, which is pretty good considering this is the twelfth book in the series. However, Bek being totally out of character kept taking me right out of the story. I really liked Elly and the new characters who were introduced in the story, but it’s really sad that they all have even sadder background stories than the previous human characters in the series. I also wonder why we didn’t hear anything about what Mardok had to say about everything that was happening. I doubt he would’ve stayed silent. There were just some things that didn’t add up, but I’m still looking forward to the next book in the series.

Barbarian's Choice (Ice Planet Barbarians #11) by Ruby Dixon

Barbarian's Choice by Ruby Dixon

My Rating: ★★★★

Farli is the only woman who hasn’t resonated yet, and she’s skipping over flirting or taking a pleasure-mate. She’s waiting for her future mate. Until then, Farli is content to hunt and care for Chompy. Everything changes when a new spaceship lands and a man who looks like her people comes out. Mardok is not from the ice planet, but he’s definitely Sa’Khui, and she just resonated with him.

I was a little disappointed when we didn’t get to learn much about what may have been discovered while exploring the village everyone has moved to. Ruby knew how to make us skip over that for a bit because there’s a new character in town, and he’s repairing the spaceship he arrived on. It turns out Mardok is also Sa’Khui, or at least he would’ve been if there hadn’t been a war, and the dynasty hadn’t split around a thousand years ago. It turns out that a lot more time has passed since Farli’s ancestors crashed on Not-Hoth, and we got to learn a little bit about it!

This time around, we follow Farli and Mardok through their rotating perspectives. Farli is super interested in Mardok’s spaceship, but she’s far more interested in Mardok, who needs to get a khui and settle in ASAP. Unfortunately, Mardok has no interest in moving to the secluded and previously believed to be uninhabitable ice planet. He doesn’t have a khui to declare they’re resonating, but there’s something in his chore being that knows Farli is not just anyone. The only other person we got to see fall in love before getting their khui was Georgie, so it was a lot of fun to see this happen from Mardok’s perspective.

I was completely fascinated by the characters in this book. That did overshadow Farli and Mardok a bit, but there’s a whole universe that was just opened here! It did make me sad for Farli because I totally expected for her to end up leaving Not-Hoth, but I was pleasantly surprised by how that was resolved. It turns out that Mardok really is a solid dude in the end! We didn’t see much of Niri, Trakan, or Captain Chatav, but they are really interesting characters. I liked that it was clear that they were all jaded and not totally honest people in different ways, but honest enough that they’re totally cool with leaving Not-Hoth alone. At least that’s what we think at this point, anyway!

All around, this was an excellent book. If you’re fascinated by the world outside of Not-Hoth like I am, you may find that this aspect overshadows Farli’s story at times. However, it really is a sweet book and it was nice to see Farli find someone who is perfect for her. It’s also pretty neat that Mardok may lead to learning more about what the ship known as Elder’s Cave could reveal. I’m excited about where this book may lead this fictional universe to in the future!