A Crochet World of Creepy Creatures and Cryptids by Rikki Gustafson

A Crochet World of Creepy Creatures and Cryptids by Rikki Gustafson

My Rating: ★★★★

If you’re a crocheter who enjoys making amigurumi and loves cryptids and other mythical beings, then this is the book for you! Inside, you will find 40 wonderful patterns separated into the following sections: cryptids, man-eaters, creatures of the deep, forest dwellers, mischief makers, and winged beasts. There’s a little bit of information on each being before the pattern, which I love!

I wouldn’t say that this is a beginner friendly pattern book, but there are patterns that will be easy for beginners to follow. However, the patterns do not have experience levels listed for anyone looking for that. If you’re newer to crocheting but still want to pick up this book, I say do it. You can determine which patterns will come easier to you based on your experience level after looking at the finished project photos and reading the patterns. Of course, you can always choose to challenge yourself based on what experience you have and what you’re ready to take on! Otherwise, you just have to be aware of what your typical gauge is using the same types of yarn the author uses because they did not include the gauge for the patterns.

All in all, I love this book and am excited to pick up some yarn to make some of these patterns in the future. The patterns are well written and easy to follow, and I never thought about painting safety eyes for my projects. I learned something new when I didn’t expect to!

A Vampire in the Bathhouse by Niko Izuki

 

A Vampire in the Bathhouse by Niko Izuki

My Rating: ★★★★★

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

Luka is not one to admit he’s suffering from a terrible hangover. He’s a vampire, and he’s way too powerful and regal to let alcohol get the best of him! So what’s his response? Well, a nice trip away from the demon world is in order! That’s how Luka finds himself taking a nice, rejuvenating dip at a bathhouse. His clothes may have gone missing when he was sent from the demon world to the human world, but now he needs to bond with someone so that he has more control over his vampire powers during his stay. What could possibly go wrong?

I picked this up hoping to find a cute and funny story, and that’s exactly what I got. What I didn’t expect was for it to also be a heartwarming story! We follow Luka and Sakura during their adventures during this fun story. Luka is a vampire in need of a vacation, and Sakura is the grandson of the bathhouse owner who works hard to take care of the bathhouse and his little brother. Together, hilarity ensues!

Throughout the story, we get to know the small cast of characters and what makes Sakura’s family bathhouse so amazing. We get to watch Luka discover their town’s sense of community all while growing close with Sakura and his family. I really loved the sense of found family we get in this story, but it’s also absolutely hilarious. If you’re looking for something sweet and funny, I urge you to pick this up.

A Kingdom of Shadow and Ash (Kingdom of Gods #1) by J.F. Johns

 

A Kingdom of Shadow and Ash by J.F. Johns

My Rating: ★★★★

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

Mal Blackburn has always been different. Born with purple eyes exclusive to witches, she’s always heard whispers about herself. A witch hasn’t been seen since the war that wiped them straight out of existence a century ago. Now Mal is facing an arranged marriage meant to unite the Kingdom of Darkness with the Kingdom of Fire. However, she doesn’t plan to help unite the kingdoms. She plans to kill the fire prince and break the curse that’s been waiting to take effect for the last century, but what will happen when she discovers that her future husband isn't the cruel man he’s rumored to be?

The first couple chapters had me so confused that I almost ditched this book. I decided to give it a chance anyway and I am so glad that I did because it turned out to be really good. We follow a range of characters through their rotating perspectives, and each chapter is broken up by bits of journal entries from the woman who cast the curse looming over the few who believe in it. There’s a huge cast of characters, but it works out because many are well developed and we hop around perspectives all book long. However, you might need to prepare yourself because it’s going to take a good minute to get everyone down.

The romance between the main couple, Mal and Ash, was nice but I didn’t feel the fire the two swore they felt burning between each other. If anything, they seemed doomed from the start, and without dropping spoilers… I still feel that way about them. The real chemistry was all between Kai and Alina. Those two were sizzling every time they even thought about each other!

I do think the author needs to find another way to describe facial expressions though. If anyone decides to take a shot every time someone’s lips curled, they’d have alcohol poisoning. I don’t think I want to ever see anyone’s lips curling in a book again after this, so I hope there’s a lot less of that in the next book.

That said, this was a really good read. If you’re looking for excellent world building, intricate plots, enemies to lovers, lovers to enemies, great sibling dynamics, court politics, magic, and a good dose of betrayal, then I urge you to pick this up. When I reached the end of the book, I kept telling myself that I was going to read one more chapter and found myself still awake and totally blown away by some of the revelations at 3am. The foreshadowing was flawless, the story kept me entertained until the very end, and now I’m excited to see where this goes in the next book.

Sweet Obsession (Dark Olympus #8) by Katee Robert

Sweet Obsession by Katee Robert

My Rating: ★★

When Icarus chose to sacrifice himself to make sure his sister could escape, he knew what it meant for him. He knows that if he plays his cards right, he may be able to turn being Poseidon’s captive into an advantage…

I was looking forward to reading this because Icarus and Poseidon had crazy chemistry the entire time they were at the dock. Plus, the events of the last book was a really good setup for the non-romance plot, so I was ready to jump straight into this. While they still had chemistry, most of it fizzled out before the romance could truly start. It didn’t help that we were being told basically everything rather than being shown it, so I was bored for much of the book. 

I really struggled my way through this one. I liked Poseidon, but I found Icarus to be extremely fake even in his own head. Between their chemistry taking a huge dip, the plot with Circe vs Olympus moving at a snail’s pace, and feeling like the characters were doing some kind of long-winded almost info dump in their minds, I was just slugging along. There were some interesting parts, but otherwise, I was just bored and waiting for something to happen.

I am interested in seeing the series through to the end because I want to see how everything pans out, so I’m still going to check out the next book. I think this one might’ve just been an accidental miss because I don’t think it was supposed to fizzle out the way that it did. However, I’m going to keep my expectations low and see what happens because I have been looking forward to reading Zeus and Hera’s book.

Elvira's Cookbook from Hell by Cassandra Peterson

Elvira's Cookbook from Hell by Cassandra Peterson

My Rating: ★★★★

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

If you’re an Elvira fan and like to collect anything related to her, then this will be a good book for you! Inside, you will find a variety of spoopy recipes and crafts. While the ARC I received is a 29-page excerpt, I fully plan on buying the book.. From the 29-pages I did receive, it looks like a fun book full of tasty recipes and dining crafts with a spoopy spin on them. While there isn’t anything necessarily new, it’s perfect for the Halloween vibes whether or not you are an Elvira fan.

Stumpwork Embroidery & Thread Painting: Stitch 3-D Nature Motifs by Megan Zaniewski

 

Stumpwork Embroidery & Thread Painting: Stitch 3-D Nature Motifs by Megan Zaniewski

My Rating: ★★★★★

I was recently introduced to stumpwork embroidery, so of course I had to pick up this book when I saw it. Inside, you will find everything you need to know about stumpwork and thread painting along with information on materials, finishing techniques, and instructions for the other stitches used in the patterns. Of course, all of the templates are located at the back of the book.

This book is pretty comprehensive and easy to understand no matter what your skill level is. The step by step instructions and pictures that accompany them are really easy to understand and made me excited to stitch up some 3-D projects in the future. I love that there are some miniature projects featured, which really rounds out the range of patterns featured. All in all, I think this is a great book and it’s really opened my eyes to what’s possible with embroidery.

Loving You When the World Ended by Gene

Loving You When the World Ended by Gene

My Rating: ★★★★

Nuowan was breaking up with his fiance at a fancy hotel when the apocalypse hit. Knocked out for days, he wakes up to find that he’s being cared for by an employee who was with him when the apocalypse started. He and Yu Sen are complete opposites. Nuowan is a spoiled rich guy who has never had to put work into anything, while Yu Sen is an orphan and was previously in the military. Now that it seems like they’re the only two people left alive, these strangers must stick together to survive this new world.

I picked this book up expecting a cute read, and that’s exactly what I got! We follow Nuowan and Yu Sen starting right before the apocalypse starts. While they’re total opposites, they work well together, and slowly fall in love as time goes on. Yu Sen complains about how much work it is to take care of Nuowan, but since we’re privy to his thoughts, we also know he loves it. Meanwhile, Nuowan is not prepared to rough it for his own survival, but he slowly learns to adapt as well as he can. The duo bicker a lot, but it’s so cute to watch them slowly fall in love and see Nuowan find someone who loves him for him and not him and his family’s money.

If you’re looking for a book that dives heavily into the dystopian setting, this will not be the book for you. However, if you are looking for a cute and fun read that takes place in a dystopian setting, you should jump on it. It gets bleak here and there due to the setting as well as Nuowan and Yu Sen’s individual pasts, but it mostly sticks to the light side and will make you laugh. Plus, the artwork is beautiful and really helps bring the story to life.

The Resurrectionist by Kathleen S. Allen

 

The Resurrectionist by Kathleen S. Allen

My Rating: ★★★★★

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

Dilly Rothbart has always wanted to follow her father’s footsteps and become a surgeon. It’s a path he refused to let her take, but since he died in a terrible accident, she’s determined to pursue her dream. Between entering the world of corpse-stealing and stumbling upon her dad’s journal that reveals the secrets of resurrecting the dead, Dilly’s entire life is about to be turned upside down.

I’m a sucker for retellings of classic literature, so of course I had to read this! In this Frankenstein retelling, we follow Dilly as she begins to figure out how she’s going to afford medical school if she manages to get into the few that accept women. With her twin sister, Dee Dee, by her side, she’s determined to make sure she and her sister both make their dreams happen. Unfortunately, things go awry when a fight leads to the untimely death of her sister, but it’s a good thing she has her dad’s notes on resurrection… It’s too bad Dee Dee came back completely different.

I could not get enough of this book. It’s really well written and had me on the edge of my seat the whole way through. Each of the characters are interesting, even the supporting characters we don’t learn a whole lot about, and they all felt so real like we were actually meeting these people. The opening of the first chapter had me hooked right away, and there’s a couple of excellent mystery plots weaved throughout the entire book.

If this sounds up your alley, I highly recommend it. It’s a haunting story that takes us on a wild ride as Dilly keeps getting dug deeper and deeper in a huge mess after becoming a true resurrectionist. It’s a book that will make you find yourself still awake and reading at 3am. It makes me really excited to check out what else the author will publish in the future.

The Whisperwood Legacy by Jo Schulte

The Whisperwood Legacy by Jo Schulte

My Rating: ★

I received a copy from Little, Brown Books for Young Readers through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A year and a half after Whisperwood’s closure, the Strauss family is falling apart at the seams. The Strauss  family is known for their long and strange history as well as their popular theme park, but now that Whisperwood is closed, there’s even more public interest than ever. What the public doesn’t know is that the family’s money has dried up without the theme park’s income, and the fighting has begun. Insert Frankie, one of the Strauss grandchildren, who is slowly learning the ropes of controlling the magic that is weaved throughout Whisperwood. When her grandma goes missing, the entire family discovers the real reason Whisperwood closed.

I was really looking forward to reading this, so it’s unfortunate that it ended up being a total miss for me. I think it has an interesting premise, but it had way too many characters and not enough world building. I ended up being far more interested in the few entertaining characters just because the majority of the characters were either extremely bland or very unlikable. I’m also not sure why Uncle Preston cusses almost every time he speaks. It was funny at first just because it was always so out of place, but it just kept taking me out of the story.

I kept reading because it was interesting enough that I wanted to see where the story was going, but Ella and her blog post when her grandma goes missing was the last straw. I finished that chapter, shut the book, and decided I was not going to continue. Her looking to capitalize off her adoptive grandmother’s disappearance was the final straw for me, so I shut the book at 48% and ditched it.

Ultimately, I think this book has an interesting plot, but it’s weighed down by too many characters and random bits of information that didn’t add to the story. We were being told too much and not enough at the same time, and it suffered some pacing issues that the memory flashes didn’t help. I probably would’ve still found a way to enjoy it if there weren't so many unlikable characters and a romance plot with an unsettling vibe.

Dark Restraint (Dark Olympus #7) by Katee Robert

Dark Restraint by Katee Robert

My Rating: ★★★

Ariadne Vitalis knew that betraying her father was going to change things between them forever. What she didn’t realize is that he’d want her dead, and that he’d order the man she loves to do the deed. Now Ariadne has to rely on Hera to keep her end of the deal, which is to keep her safe… for a price. Now she finds herself engaged to Dionysus, but thankfully the marriage will be on paper only. Knee deep in a huge mess, Ariadne must do everything she can to keep her end of the deal as the Minotaur breathes down her neck, and she can’t tell if he loves her or if he’s just getting laid before completing her father’s orders.

I’ve been enjoying this series and was excited to pick up this installment. This time around, we follow Ariadne and Asterion, aka the Minotaur, through their rotating perspectives. It was hard to get into the romance plot because Asterion is a full on stalker even though Ariadne was into it for some reason. At least he respects her boundaries and such outside of all the stalker shenanigans? Otherwise, I was super put off by the romance because Asterion’s possessive streak and stalker shenanigans were really off-putting.

If you’re someone who is into the series, I think that you’ll still like the book if you’re not reading it for the romance unless stalker shenanigans are your thing. I liked that we got to know more of the characters, especially Ariadne, Asterion, and Dionysus. We also got to learn a little more about Hermes, which was exciting! I really enjoyed the non-romance plots as well, and this book does have a lot going for it on that front. It’s made me excited for the next book, especially because we really haven’t seen much of Poseidon until now.

The Inconvenient Life of an Arousing Priestess, Vol. 2 Makino Maebaru

 

The Inconvenient Life of an Arousing Priestess, Vol. 2 Makino Maebaru

My Rating: ★★★★

Monica’s life as a holy woman has taken some twists. She went from an undervalued and spurned priestess of Kophe to a close friend of the Empire! Who knew Mr. Redhead was the crown prince of the Belktrius Empire? Certainly not her! Now she’s on a mission to destroy the monsters overtaking Kophe while also purifying the land.

While I enjoyed the first book, I also found it to be a so-so read because it was information heavy and the romance was practically nonexistent. However, this book hit the ground running and threw my issues with the story straight out the window. There was quite a bit of character development for several characters, which I’m very happy about. I also liked that we had minimal info dumping. We received more information through the occasional passage told through another character’s perspective, which was a huge upgrade and greatly improved the whole story!

Plus, the romance finally started developing and was believable. While I don’t care for Richard’s jealous streak, their friendship blossomed into a passionate romance. I honestly forgot that this was a light novel at one point and got a reminder that it’s NOT a spicy novel when their coupling faded into the next chapter! I do wish that Monica put two and two together much sooner, though. Halfway through the book, there is no way she could’ve possibly mistaken Richard's feelings as being platonic!

That said, I really enjoyed this book. It resolved the issues it had throughout the first volume and ended with a bang. Almost literally! Plus, the artwork that comes up every so many chapters was absolutely stunning. I hope to check out the manga adaptation next!

The Failure at God School, Vol. 1 by Modomu Akagawara (artist), Natsu Hyuuga (original story), SEIKAISHA (character design)

 

The Failure at God School, Vol. 1 by Modomu Akagawara (artist), Natsu Hyuuga (original story), SEIKAISHA (character design)

My Rating: ★★★★★

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

In a world where people born with supernatural abilities are called Himiko, Nagi always dreamed of what it would be like to have any kind of ability. Her grandma had them along with the certification that gave her the title of a god, and her older brother has them, but Nagi? Nope! Everything changes when she stumbles upon a mystery and is issued an acceptance letter to god school. Will Nagi figure out what her ability is and go on to become the future god of her family’s shrine?

I was so excited to read this book that I actually purchased it before I was granted an advanced copy from NetGalley. We follow Nagi as we are slowly introduced to her life and the impact that people born with supernatural or divine powers have on the world. Her younger brother is a Himiko, but he never leaves his room, so that dashed Nagi’s hopes that he’d become a god and take care of their grandmother’s place.

While we are introduced to a mystery plot that I think will be an ongoing plot, this first volume is actually a story of family and friendship. I really enjoyed following Nagi, meeting all of the characters, and laughing at the fun humor throughout the story. I’m really excited to see where the story goes as it continues as well as check out the light novels when the English translation drops. If you’re looking for something light and fun with a little bit of mystery and something strange lurking in plain sight, I urge you to pick this up!

Murderous Lewellyn’s Candlelit Dinner, Vol. 1 by Sumnagi

 

Murderous Lewellyn’s Candlelit Dinner, Vol. 1 by Sumnagi

My Rating: ★

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

Shavonne is a struggling ghost writer who finds himself being targeted by a stalker. Unfortunately, no one believes his stalker is an issue! Things get weirder when his next door neighbor starts peeling onions right outside of his apartment on the regular. Once Shavonne goes on a date with the guy, it turns out that his obsession with onions isn’t the problem… it’s the fact that he’s a killer!

This is one of those books I’m going to keep thinking about just because it was so weird. We follow Shavonne in an odd mystery turned romance of sorts. His neighbor, Lewellyn, is a murderer who is obsessed with him, and he can’t even get away because the guy just paid for over a year of his rent in advance. I was more frustrated than anything with this story because the characters lack depth and the plot is all over the place. The artwork was nice, but that was about it.

While I’d like to know what’s up with Lewellyn’s obsession with onions, I can’t find it in me to continue the series. Shavonne is super passive and seems to discover, forget, and rediscover who his stalker is. We don’t know anything about Lewellyn other than he’s a rich stalker and possible serial killer who wants to get with the lead character for some reason. I think it could’ve been an interesting read if it knew what it wanted to be and didn’t go around in circles at an extremely slow pace. Ultimately, it’s just not a series for me.

The Inconvenient Life of an Arousing Priestess, Vol. 1 by Makino Maebaru

The Inconvenient Life of an Arousing Priestess, Vol. 1 by Makino Maebaru

My Rating: ★★★

Monica’s life as a holy woman isn’t seen as prestigious by many, but she still works hard to do everything she possibly can with her abilities. It’s rare for a holy woman to be as powerful as Monica, which is how she found herself engaged to the crown prince of Kophe. In a whirlwind of events, Monica goes from being socially elevated to a spurned lascivious priestess! With nowhere else to go, she finds herself accompanying one of her battle comrades to his home country so that she can help his brother and sister-in-law conceive. It seems like a simple plan until she finds out that her old comrade is actually the crown prince of the Belktrius Empire!

We follow Monica from the moment her entire life is turned upside by the crown prince of Kophe. Now that she’s being chased out of Kophe by her former fiancé, she finds herself getting the hell out of dodge. Along the way, we learn that her powers have a negative side effect: magically arousing herself and those around her! Luckily, she has trustworthy people at her side that are determined to keep her safe. This includes Kevin, her battle comrade who is also the crown prince of the Belktrius Empire!

While this was an interesting story with a great cast of characters, there are parts of the book that are boring and information heavy. I think that having multiple narrators would’ve helped out with that while also developing the supporting characters. I’m also feeling pretty iffy about the romance right now since it’s barely there and is glued together with some dirty dreams and Kevin’s jealous streak. I’m hoping to see some more character development and a believable romance plot in the second volume.

Spacewalking With You, Vol. 1 by by Inuhiko Doronoda

 

Spacewalking With You, Vol. 1 by by Inuhiko Doronoda

My Rating: ★★★★★

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

Kobayashi is struggling in and out of school. Even his best friend is making bets on how long he’ll last at his latest part time job! Now he finds himself wanting to befriend Uno, the new transfer student at their all boy school. While Uno is different from the other kids, he doesn’t let that stop him from living his life, and he’s inspired Kobayashi to do the same. This budding friendship is leading the duo to learn new things about themselves and life in this gripping read!

I absolutely loved reading this. We follow Kobayashi, a high school student struggling with both school and work. He hasn’t lasted long at any of his jobs because he has trouble doing his work, but everything changes when he meets Uno. Through Uno, he learns new ways to learn and has even become interested in school again.

I loved the characters, the story, and how well Inuhiko Doronoda captures some of the realities of the neurodivergent experience. While some details are exaggerated for storytelling purposes, they aren’t insulting in any way, and they work to make these characters feel real. When I got to the end of the book, I was glad it’s the first in a series because I wanted to continue reading the story ASAP. I can’t wait to eventually read the second volume!

Knit a Box of Socks by Julie Anne Lebouthillier

 

Knit a Box of Socks by Julie Anne Lebouthillier

My Rating: ★★★★★

If you’re looking for some cute and simple to follow sock patterns, then this is the book for you! Inside, you will find 24 patterns, including a very basic and simple starter sock pattern. I’m an experienced knitter who has mostly kept away from knitting socks, so I wanted to hop back into sock knitting with this book! I like that there’s a range of patterns for all experience levels, so anyone can pick this up and find something they can knit. I also like that there’s a range of helpful tips in addition to the guide that's already included. I don’t think anyone can go wrong with this book.

Embroidering Animals with Color and Texture by Jessica Long

Embroidering Animals with Color and Texture by Jessica Long

My Rating: ★★★★★

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

If you’re looking for an embroidery book and you like the patterns on the cover, then I say pick this up! I have Jessica Long’s other embroidery book, so I jumped on this ASAP. Inside, you will find 25 really cool embroidery patterns complete with detailed instructions. There is also a comprehensive stitch guide as well as detailed information on stumpwork and thread painting. I’d never heard of stumpwork before and now I’m obsessed. I can’t wait to try it!

I think this has some pretty good information for beginner to advanced embroiderers. There’s a variety of patterns, so you can pick something you feel comfortable with stitching or want to challenge yourself with. There’s a lot of information and advice, and I like how it gets you pumped up to start stitching before you get to the patterns. I can’t wait to purchase this book when it drops.

Cryptids, Creatures & Critters: A Manual of Monsters & Mythos from Around the World by Rachel Quinney

 

Cryptids, Creatures & Critters: A Manual of Monsters & Mythos from Around the World by Rachel Quinney

My Rating: ★★★★★

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

If you are someone who has always been interested in cryptids, folklore, and mythology, then this is going to be a good book for you! Inside, you will find information on everything from unicorns to Medusa. There is so much information packed inside that you’re bound to enjoy it whether or not you’re already familiar with it. I love that it also makes a point to cover the origins and how the stories have been impacted and changed by colonization, religion, and technology. There’s also pictures included all throughout the book. I think this is an excellent read that I cannot recommend enough.

I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I'm Trapped in a Rom-Com (Cosmic Chaos #1) by Kimberly Lemming

 

I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I'm Trapped in a Rom-Com by Kimberly Lemming

My Rating: ★★★★★

Dorothy Valentine, aka Dory, is on the edge of proving her family wrong about her life dream. Instead of becoming a pageant queen or finding herself a husband her mom can brag about, she’s spent years pursuing her PhD. Unfortunately for Dory, things go awry while she’s getting some excellent footage of the meerkats she’s been studying. Not only does she get attacked by a lion, but she also gets abducted by aliens! Now she’s determined to escape this strange planet full of extinct animals from Earth all while caught up in a throuple!

I was so excited when I saw that this book was on the way. I really enjoyed the Mead Mishaps series, so I was READY for this to drop. We follow Dory, a wildlife biologist, as her entire life is turned upside down. Instead of getting closer to finally having her PhD, she’s abducted by aliens after almost getting killed by a lion. While trying to find a way off of a strange planet full of extinct animals from Earth, she finds herself partnering up with the lion that tried to kill her as they face off with a whole bunch of prehistoric animals from Earth.

If this book sounds up your alley and you’re looking for something fun to read, I highly recommend picking this up. This was such a crazy and fun story! Plus, there’s a great cast of characters. Toto (the lion) ended up being my favorite character, but I loved a number of the characters, including Intern. We also see Dory become a member of a throuple and see everyone go on one hilariously crazy journey together. If you think you know where the story is going, I promise you that you’ll discover that there are still some hilarious surprises.

Cult of the Kraken (Avery & Carter #4) by Shane Carrow

 

Cult of the Kraken by Shane Carrow

My Rating: ★★★

The Great War may be over, but Lucas Avery and Sam Carter are working to get to the bottom of paranormal mysteries. This time around, they’re guests aboard the HMS Pathfinder to figure out why ships are sinking around the same area. While most believe there’s a perfectly good reason since the ocean has a mind of its own, there are some who believe there may be some paranormal activity going on. Once Avery and Carter lock eyes with a Kraken neither even entertained as a possibility, they know this is exactly why they were sent to investigate.

While the previous book was a disappointing read, I’m excited to announce that Shane is back on his A-game with this one! We follow Avery and Carter as they’re sent aboard the HMS Pathfinder on a mission to investigate what has been sinking ships in the area. However, seeing a Kraken for themselves is enough to leave them a little shaken! Once they wash up on Uskay, they quickly discover that it’s the unexpected real source of the mystery.

I really enjoyed reading this! One thing I love about this series is the friendship and banter between Avery and Carter, and that is something we missed out on between the duo in the previous book. However, they’re back together and forging ahead at full speed this time around, and it was so exciting to read! I hope to see this continue once Emily reenters the story. The plot was excellent, and without spoiling the story, you’re going to be Team Kraken. Trust me on this. While what they were doing wasn’t right, it was also 100% understandable given the circumstances and how badly they’d been wronged.

However, I do wish there was foreshadowing rather than being told what was going to happen before it happened, but I can live with that since the story was pretty good. My only other complaint is that the Spanish in this book is spelled wrong and appears to have English grammar rules applied to it. I’m not even fluent in Spanish and these mistakes took me straight out of the story.

All in all, this was an enjoyable read and it really breathed life back into the series. I’m excited to eventually pick up the next book and see where Avery and Carter go from here!

Men of the Harem, Vol. 1 by Alphatart

 

Men of the Harem, Vol. 1 by Alphatart

My Rating: ★★★★

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

Latrasil Valentine Tarium is soothing a broken heart after the love of her life decides to marry someone else. Not only did she have to hear the news from someone else, but he also had the nerve to ask for her to wait five years for him. In the midst of everything, Latrasil learns that her older brother is abdicating and that she will be inheriting the throne when her father passes. Throwing herself into her studies, she also hatches a revenge plan. She’s going to take multiple consorts once she’s emperor, and then make her ex select one of her consorts. Oh my!

While this wasn’t what I was expecting, it was still a pretty good read. We follow Latrasil from the time that she meets her first love up until she’s a scorned woman ready to put her revenge plan into effect. It was more serious than I was expecting, and politics ended up being a much larger plot than I was expecting. However, it’s not always serious. There’s some pretty funny events, which allows us to see another side to the characters. I really enjoyed reading this and look forward to seeing where the story goes from here. Plus, the artwork is stunning! If an art book for the series came out somewhere down the line, I would be all over it.

Love Advice From the Great Duke of Hell, Vol. 2 by unfins

 

Love Advice From the Great Duke of Hell, Vol. 2 by unfins

My Rating: ★★★

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

Now that Paul’s romantic pursuit isn’t going so well, he’s starting to regret summoning the Great Duke of Hell to give him advice. He’s looking at losing his soul in a couple days all while making no progress with his crush! To top things off, he now has competition, but little does he know that it’s the Great Duke of Hell in disguise.

I loved the first volume so much that I almost decided to start following the story in its original WEBTOON format. While I did enjoy this second volume, it was all over the place at times, but it managed to be absolutely hilarious! Plus, the artwork is amazing and really helps in the humor department, especially this time around where the story goes a little off the rails at times.

I don’t want to say too much and start dropping spoilers because it’s one of those stories that’s really easy to accidentally spoil, but if you like the overall premise, I say give it a go. The first volume is top tier humor and the second volume falls a little short, but is still a fun read. I was not expecting that cliffhanger, so I’m excited to see where the story goes from here!

The Lost Queen by Aimee Phan

The Lost Queen by Aimee Phan

My Rating: ★★★★★

I received a copy from PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group/G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Jolie Lam used to be just like any other teenager until she had a strange outbreak at a swim meet. She’s since quit the swim team, her former friends are now among her many bullies. Jolie is the most lonely and miserable she’s ever been! Everything changes when she saves a classmate, Huong Pham, after a terrible accident that happened during PE. There’s something familiar about Huong. Now that they’re friends, Jolie quickly discovers there’s a reason why Huong feels like the sister she never had: they’re the Trung sisters reincarnated!

I absolutely loved this book! We follow Jolie, a high school sophomore, during the roughest year of her life. She’s lost all her friends, she’s being heavily bullied, and even her home life is stressful. Her grandfather is known as a fortune teller, but his visions have begun to take a toll on his mind, and now her bullies are dragging him into things! Thankfully, everything starts to change once Huong enters the picture.

Jolie’s story is inspired by the story of the Trung sisters, who led a rebellion against the Han in Vietnam. Jolie and Huong are the Trung sisters who have been reincarnated and are currently teenagers living in San Jose. As the story continues, we learn what history tells us about the Trung sisters and then what Jolie and Huong remember happened. Plus, we also see them find their elements, unravel a mystery, and prepare to continue the war against their brothers.

I was so excited to read this because it sounded like it was going to be a great book, and it did not disappoint! Plus, I was not familiar with Vietnamese mythology and this book is heavily wrapped up in Vietnamese history and mythology. If you’re a fan of books like the Percy Jackson series, Aru Shah and the End of Time, or We Shall Be Monsters, then this is a book you’re going to want to pick up. I loved every single page. While I do think it was a little heavy handed with some of the typical teenage stereotypes, it was an excellent read. I’m looking forward to checking out more from this author.

The Tale of Iśva Raman by Najeev Nadarajah

The Tale of Iśva Raman by Najeev Nadarajah

My Rating: ★★★★

I received a copy from Bhakthi Nine Presents in exchange for an honest review.

Iśva Raman has spent his life being sheltered and homeschooled by his aunt. Everything changes when he finally gets to attend a public school. Not only does he have bullies, but he also gets cornered by an Asura convinced he knows where the Seed is. Raman has no clue what this person is talking about, but part of his school has been destroyed in the process, and hardly anyone believes his story! Now he’s learning that the very mythology he’s learned in his 15-year-life is real, his aunt was sheltering him to hide his existence, and that his family is still hiding something major!

If you love reading fantasy YA books and enjoy mythology based books such as Aru Shah and the End of Time, We Shall Be Monsters, or the Percy Jackson series, then I highly recommend checking this book out. It’s going to be right up your alley! We follow Iśva Raman right as he’s about to discover a whole new side of his life, all starting with an Asura attack! I will say that the first chapter was very confusing, but I swear that it will all make sense once you get to the second chapter. It’s one of those moments where you just have to trust the process and it will all make sense very soon. I was like, who and what the heck is Karma? Turns out the reason we didn’t know is because Raman didn’t know either!

The story is based in Hindu mythology. While I’m familiar with Hindu mythology thanks to reading the Aru Shah series plus some Googling on my own, I think it’ll be okay for readers who aren’t to go ahead and pick up this book because everything gets explained throughout the story. There isn’t a glossary at the end in the ARC, so I don’t know if there will be in the final publication, but it’ll be easy to look up anything you want to know more about. I think it’s easy enough for a middle school audience to follow whether or not they are familiar with Hindu mythology and culture, so I don’t think there will be any problems for readers who are completely new to it. While the intended audience is middle schoolers, I think that this is an enjoyable read for anyone middle school aged and up.

That said, I really enjoyed reading this. There’s an excellent cast of characters that readers are going to love, or love to hate in some cases, that are just so much fun to see. Wai and Bufosini quickly became my favorite characters, but there’s such a great cast and mentioning my other favorites would be spoilers! There’s so much world building and character growth going on that I had a ton of fun reading this. I’m excited to see where the story will go from here and if Bufosini will eventually become an official member of Raman’s friend group.

The Drab Princess, the Black Cat, and the Satisfying Break-up, Vol. 4 by Rino Mayumi

 

The Drab Princess, the Black Cat, and the Satisfying Break-up, Vol. 4 by Rino Mayumi

My Rating: ★★★★

Seren is finally a High Mage! Unfortunately, she still has to catch up on her magical education now that she’s no longer fast-tracking it with a deadline breathing down her neck. Because of this, Seren has a new specialized crash course in magic with extra attention from older High Mages. Her busy days have not impacted the time she spends with Viol. He visits her nightly as Vi the cat, but they’re getting ready to take the next step: ask her father for permission to officially court and marry! Can the couple get official approval all while her dad deals with the rescue of his missing crew?

I was surprised that this was another cute and fun read in the series because the series felt like it wrapped up in the previous volume. However, the story opens up with Seren’s life continuing in ways she thought would be closed off to her after her engagement with the prince ended. Plus, her love life is really on the move now that Viol proposed. I really enjoyed learning more about life among the High Mages. We didn’t see much of that with Viol in the previous volumes, so I loved seeing it now that Seren is a High Mage herself.

There was a lot of world building and character growth in this book. I love seeing Seren really blossom as a character and see her family more. I love her dad! He’s such a great character. I was also really excited to see Viol’s family. I’m excited to see them more as well since it turns out there’s actually a fifth book in the series!

Things tend to run really smoothly in this series, so I know Seren and Viol’s path to marriage will happen without any issues. Though, I wish we didn’t jump ahead to the wedding in that extra at the end! It takes away from the next volume, which is when we’ll see them plan for their wedding in addition to actually getting married.

The Drab Princess, the Black Cat, and the Satisfying Break-up, Vol. 3 by Rino Mayumi

The Drab Princess, the Black Cat, and the Satisfying Break-up, Vol. 3 by Rino Mayumi

My Rating: ★★★★★

Seren is flying toward her goals at full speed. Literally. Now that she knows she will qualify for the High Mage exam for sure, she’s faced with a new task: figuring out how to tell her family. Seren has also been carefully planting the seeds for her absence once she’s broken her engagement to the prince. As her sister struggles with her new role at the salon, and it becomes clear that things are not what they seemed to her, it’s become clear that Seren is not as replaceable as she thought. Is Seren ready to put her plan into play, especially now that she wants to become a High Mage for herself and not for anyone else’s benefit?

After the last book, I was surprised at how fast the story picked up this time around! Honestly, it blew me away. This volume has everything: action, romance, character growth, and world building. I guess the second book was just a dip in the story because this one came out swinging! There’s also a nice balance between the rotating perspectives. While we still mainly follow Seren while occasionally switching over to seeing things from Viol’s eyes, we hopped over to a few others and it was extremely effective storytelling.

While I wish we learned more about Seren’s parents before this volume, I really enjoyed finally getting to see them. I just wish we knew more about how they were as parents so that I could compare that to their response to learning that Seren was going to be taking the High Mage exam. However, I really did like her parents and I’m excited to see how they pop up in the story again later.

All in all, this was an excellent read. I think this could actually pass as the final book because the story feels complete, but I know there’s four volumes in total since I got the last two books at the same time. I’m interested in seeing where the story goes from here and if we’re going to see things shake up since things run pretty smoothly in this volume.

The Ayakashi Hunter's Tainted Bride, Vol. 1 by Mamenosuke Fujimaru; Midori Yuma

The Ayakashi Hunter's Tainted Bride, Vol. 1 by Mamenosuke Fujimaru; Midori Yuma

My Rating: ★★★★★

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

Nanao was set to eventually marry into the Byakurenji family when some careful scheming on her cousin’s part changed her life forever. Unfortunately, trusting in her jealous and deceitful cousin led to an attack from an ayakashi, which has left her with the scar and scent of their attack. Nanao doesn’t remember anything from the attack, but her entire future was snatched away and given to her cousin while she’s forced to wear a monkey mask to hide her face, scar, and scent. She has lived her life as an outcast, abandoned by her family, and constantly abused because everyone views her as tainted. Everything changes when the new lord of the Benitsubaki family discovers her and decides that they should marry!

I was interested in this story because this is an adaptation of a light novel from the same creator of Kakuriyo: Bed & Breakfast for Spirits, and I love the manga adaptation of that series. However, I was still not expecting to love the story as much as I did! We follow Nanao, a young woman who is viewed as tainted by the orangutan ayakashi that attacked her. She’s constantly verbally and physically abused, and she’s forced to secretly work for the same cousin who set her up for life as an outcast. Her entire clan views her as tainted and fears being contaminated by her touch, scent, blood, and even the sound of her voice because they have an obsession with their version of purity.

If you’re a fan of My Happy Marriage, this series is going to be right up your alley. Nanao has been verbally and physically abused for so long that she doesn’t have any self-esteem left, let alone any hope of ever finding happiness. However, thanks to finally getting away from the life she thought she was sentenced to until the end of her days, she’s slowly coming out on the other side. Plus, there’s a lot of interesting characters that come into the picture once she escapes the hell that was once her life. It’s a well-written story that sucks you in right away and blows you away with the stunning artwork. I can’t wait for the second volume!

The Drab Princess, the Black Cat, and the Satisfying Break-up, Vol. 2 by Rino Mayumi

The Drab Princess, the Black Cat, and the Satisfying Break-up, Vol. 2 by Rino Mayumi

My Rating: ★★★

After working hard to study magic at lightning speed, Seren is finally ready to test her abilities against magical beasts! It also means that she and Vi are going to have to sneak out without being seen. Seren has a lot on her plate, but she’s determined to become a High Mage and spend her life devoted to magic and everything that comes with it. Unfortunately for her, Prince Helios has finally started paying attention to her as his future wife. Will her old feelings throw a wrench in her plans?

I loved the first book, but I’m a little iffy about the second installment. While a few important things did occur, there was also a whole lot of nothing in between each of the important events. I wouldn’t have minded so much filler if there was some good character development, but that simply wasn’t the case. If anything, I kept thinking about how so much could be solved through simple communication, but then it wouldn’t make the story as fun as it is!

While much of the book covers studying and practicing magic, I did like seeing Seren sneak out and be able to test her magic skills outside of her secret training sessions. It was great to see what everyone was up to and what they were planning in the present. It was also great to see some world building with new characters getting introduced and seeing the characters out on the town. I think the filler would’ve worked out better if it wasn’t constant details on studying and practicing magic. It just gets dull after a while and makes the story feel like it’s at a standstill, especially because there wasn’t much character development happening during the sessions. Honestly, the highlight of the book was the side story at the end.

I swear I’m not full of complaints, though. There was some progress on the romance front with Seren and Viol and it was really cute. We did get to see the super curious side of Seren at some point, and it’ll be fun to see her finally get some character growth in the next book. I kept thinking about how it seems like she doesn’t have any friends, so I’m hoping we’ll see her make a friend once her High Mage plans are out in the open.

The Drab Princess, the Black Cat, and the Satisfying Break-up, Vol. 1 by Rino Mayumi

 

The Drab Princess, the Black Cat, and the Satisfying Break-up Vol. 1 by Rino Mayumi

My Rating: ★★★★

Seren has been engaged to her fiancé, Prince Helios, ever since she could remember. She’s spent her life in consort training to prepare for her future as a princess and eventually queen consort. Everything changes when she overhears Prince Helios and his friends talking about how her younger sister, Marietta, would make a much better fiancé. It’s even worse because they all call her Princess Drab! Even her sister believes she should be the real future queen! Brokenhearted, Seren hatches a plan to free Prince Helios from their arranged marriage: she’s going to become a high mage. Now she just needs a magic tutor willing to teach her how to wield her magic in secret!

I’ve gotten into light novels this year and this series is the latest one that I’ve started. We follow Seren and Lord Viol through their rotating perspectives with the occasional glimpse into the story from a supporting character’s view. Our main protagonist is Seren, who is an extremely sweet, thoughtful, and smart person. She has extremely low self-esteem to the point that she isn’t even mad for herself when she overhears the hurtful comments being made about her. Meanwhile, Viol isn’t exactly a people person, but he’s not a bad person. He’s just rough around the edges and people think he’s scary based on the vibes he puts out to keep people from approaching him.

While I do think that some of the characters, especially Seren, needed more character development, I really loved the story. It’s sweet, funny, and just a nice feel good story where we know that Seren will eventually come out extremely happy. I’m excited to see her begin to develop some self-esteem as her story progresses, and I’m feeling hopeful about her future character development. Viol and his shenanigans pretending to be his own Familiar are funny, but it’s fun to see him realize he cares about more than magic.

All in all, it’s an excellent read and I had a hard time putting this book down. The only drawback is that I don’t already have the second book in my hands! It’s easy to identify with Seren, so I’m excited to see the story expand on her as a character. It’s also fun to see the story through various supporting character’s perspectives. Plus, I love learning about the rules of magic in this universe so it’ll be interesting to see how exactly becoming a high mage voids an arranged marriage!

Making Pottery without a Kiln: Happy Little Projects to Make for Your Home by Daniela Schmidt-Kohl

Making Pottery without a Kiln: Happy Little Projects to Make for Your Home by Daniela Schmidt-Kohl

My Rating: ★★★★

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

This book caught my eye because it’s a great way to introduce people to different types of clay since most people think of ceramic clay first! This book covers using modeling and air-hardening clay to make household items, and explains the differences between both before diving into the tools and many projects this book covers. I like the nice range of projects they show us because it shows off how versatile these clays can be! I particularly liked the idea of using leaves because I never thought about using them outside of Raku for some reason. I’m excited to use some leaves with my future projects again!

All in all, this is a great book to get readers started with using non-ceramic types of clay. I think it’s a fun way for people to get started in pottery without having to think about kilns or baking their projects in an oven or toaster oven. I think it’s a fun book to check out if you’ve ever been interested in pottery!

Kawaii Café Ramen: Classic, Fun, and Delicious Ramen Meals to Make at Home by Amy Kimoto-Kahn

Kawaii Café Ramen: Classic, Fun, and Delicious Ramen Meals to Make at Home by Amy Kimoto-Kahn

My Rating: ★★★★★

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

If you’re looking for a simple to follow and tasty cookbook on ramen, then this book might be for you! Inside, you will find 60+ recipes ranging from soup bases to ramen toppings and side dishes. Of course, you will find a nice range of ramen recipes separated into four categories: pork, chicken, and beef ramen, seafood ramen, vegetable ramen, and spicy and cold ramen. The recipes are clear and easy to follow in addition to sounding absolutely delicious. Plus, there are quite a few illustrated pictures of the dishes rather than photographs. While that may not be for everyone, I thought it was really fun! All in all, I’m excited to make some of the dishes found in this book.

Cute Fantasy Art Class: Mystical Anime Besties by Naomi Lord

Cute Fantasy Art Class: Mystical Anime Besties by Naomi Lord

My Rating: ★★★★★

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

If you like to draw and are looking to move to drawing human or fantasy characters, this might be the book for you! Inside you will find tips and tricks to drawing faces, limbs, clothing, and some fantasy elements. I really like that it’s a step-by-step guide because I’m not the best at drawing people, and they break it down in a way that’s not overwhelming. While I picked up the book because I’ve been a fan of Naomi’s artwork for years, learning new things about drawing people and fantasy elements was a nice bonus.

The Oblivious Saint Can't Contain Her Power: Forget My Sister! Turns Out I Was the Real Saint All Along! Vol. 4 by Almond

The Oblivious Saint Can't Contain Her Power: Forget My Sister! Turns Out I Was the Real Saint All Along! Vol. 4 by Almond

My Rating: ★★★★

Now that the Faith Council of Saints has been established and accepted, it’s time for everyone’s final contestant to compete against each other! Unfortunately for Carolina, it means she has to go up against her vile older sister, Flora. It’s also clear that something is very wrong with Flora, and her health is rapidly declining as they compete!

In the final volume of the series, we finally see Carolina and Flora’s showdown. There was a lot of interesting information about mana manipulation involved. However, it seemed out of place because it was Archbishop Mills and his supporters who produced the mana manipulation pills. I wish the in-depth information we learned about mana manipulation happened in the previous novel where it would’ve made the most sense: during Mills’s POV sections.

That said, the book is mostly solid even though some of the plots were resolved too easily, but I’ll live. I was surprised by the lack of filler, especially compared to the amount of filler in the third volume. This volume hit the ground running and didn’t start pulling back until around halfway through. By that point, it was working on wrapping up all the loose ends and letting us see the future that was in store for each of the characters.

All in all, I’m really happy with this book. We finally got to see the sisters go toe to toe, and that was exciting. It was great to see many of the characters happily look to the future. There were some surprises that I enjoyed, a few things that I expected thanks to the excellent foreshadowing, and a nice wrap up. It felt kind of like the end of a movie but without extensive flash forwards at the end. I really like how things turned out!

The Oblivious Saint Can't Contain Her Power: Forget My Sister! Turns Out I Was the Real Saint All Along! Vol. 3 by Almond

The Oblivious Saint Can't Contain Her Power: Forget My Sister! Turns Out I Was the Real Saint All Along! Vol. 3 by Almond

My Rating: ★★★

Just when Carolina thought things were starting to calm down, her father turned up on official business. It turns out that Archbishop Mills somehow knows that she’s been blessed with divinity, and he wants Carolina returned to Celestia. The royal family thought they had time before people began to figure out that she was blessed with divine power. Little do they know that no one schemes harder than Flora… and now Mills.

While the long-winded flowery writing previously worked really well for this series, it was tragic to see the complete opposite began occur in this volume. Honestly, there was a whole lot of filler in what is otherwise a pretty good story. By the time I was 20% into the book, I was debating on whether or not I wanted to continue because the majority of what I had just read was filler. I wish I was joking, but it was just page after page of long-winded nonsense that should’ve been edited out. This book should’ve hit the ground running and what we got was the exact opposite of that.

Thankfully, it got it together around 35% into the volume. There was still filler here and there, but it was much better than earlier in the book. Plus, the plot started to get rolling and it was quite the read! We’re getting to know many of the characters better than ever, and a few of the characters on Carolina’s side are beginning to show some mean streaks. I’m looking at you, Teo! I also really enjoyed that we jumped around more character POV’s this time around. I hope this continues in the next volume.

All in all, the story was good, but prepare yourself for a lot of unnecessary filler early in the volume. I’m a little scared we’re going to see that happen again in volume four, but I’m going to jump straight into it anyway because I’m so interested in seeing where things are headed. I know Carolina is going to come out on top, but I’m also ready to see Flora going full force with her scheming. Plus, I hope to see their father finally see exactly what had been going on under his nose for years.

The Oblivious Saint Can't Contain Her Power: Forget My Sister! Turns Out I Was the Real Saint All Along! Vol. 2 by Almond

 

The Oblivious Saint Can't Contain Her Power: Forget My Sister! Turns Out I Was the Real Saint All Along! Vol. 2 by Almond

My Rating: ★★★

Now that Carolina is married and has officially become a princess, she’s off on her honeymoon that was planned on extremely short notice. The short honeymoon is surprisingly impactful between being able to spend time with her new husband out of the limelight, learning more about her closest staff, and getting tested for magical abilities. In fact, the test has revealed that not only is Carolina a Saint, but she’s actually been blessed with Divinity!

A good portion of this book was pretty good. It was interesting to learn more about how this world works. I was also excited to get to know more characters, especially Prince Gilbert now that Carolina’s abilities have been revealed. He’s certainly different from his public persona. Of course he wants the one woman he can’t have when he’s got women falling over themselves and each other for him! In reality, he seems a bit smarmy if you ask me. A fascinating character for sure, but definitely one to watch out for.

The wedding was short and sweet, but then we see Prince Edward make some blunders. Is he or is he not interested in Carolina? While we know the answer to that, he’s busy sending mixed signals and growing frustrated with the results. Plus, his jealousy streak has been activated. His response jumped straight into the beginnings of an abusive marriage and it was completely brushed over because he’s a man in love. I don’t even know what’s worse: the story glossing it over, or Carolina being completely unphased like she wasn’t yelled at, physically dragged off, and injured.

Overall, the story was mostly good, but Edward’s abusive nature being shown and it being completely glossed over has left a sour taste in my mouth. It’s quickly squared away with the excuse that he’s just a man in love who had been failing to express himself. I doubt the author will have it happen again, but anyone who knows anything about abusive relationships can see right through his actions and the tears that quickly follow. It makes me sad that this even happened in the story and that Carolina’s thoughts on the matter don’t match up with the situation or even her as a character.

The Oblivious Saint Can't Contain Her Power: Forget My Sister! Turns Out I Was the Real Saint All Along! Vol. 1 by Almond

 

The Oblivious Saint Can't Contain Her Power: Forget My Sister! Turns Out I Was the Real Saint All Along! Vol. 1 by Almond

My Rating: ★★★★

Lady Carolina was born to a prestigious family full of magical abilities. Unfortunately, she’s the only person in the family born without a single ounce of magical powers. Raised as the family disappointment forced to live in the shadow of her older sister, Carolina is used to being ridiculed by her sister and the public at every turn. Things change when the king needs to smooth out political breakdown with a neighboring empire, and now she finds herself being married off to the second prince of Malcosias who is widely known as the “Bloodthirsty Prince,” otherwise known as a slayer of both good and bad.

I was so excited to start this book because the title informed me that Carolina was going to come out on top, and quickly. We follow Carolina through her perspective, which reads like a long-winded diary with dialogue added. We occasionally see things through a different character’s perspective, but Carolina is narrating the story majority of the time. I really liked reading this book because the flowery long-winded passages were done extremely well. There was definitely a risk of this kind of narration not panning out, but it was done very well, and I just couldn’t get enough of the story.

That said, it is a slow-paced story. It was 250+ pages that covered under a month of Carolina’s life. I haven’t checked out the manga yet, but if a slow-paced and long-winded story isn’t your thing and the premise sounds up your alley, I would recommend seeing if the manga will be more your thing. The romance is also a very slow burn and not one of the primary plots in this first volume, but I swear that this romance is also simmering on main.

I absolutely loved this book. It’s a story about characters who are verbally abused and shamed by public society, and even by family in Carolina’s case. It’s also a story about these characters slowly finding confidence in themselves and connecting with each other in a political climate that could potentially claim their lives. At first, I thought Carolina was the only character who has gone through a lot behind closed doors and is forced to pretend everything is okay as the public constantly informs her that she is a disappointment. However, I quickly discovered that is not the case and there are actually a lot of complex characters going through something similar.

All in all, I’m really excited to check out the second book. It was a little weird that Carolina doesn’t find out that she’s been a Saint all along before the end of the book, but there was quite a bit of world building that took place instead, so it worked out. However, there are some details that don’t quite add up, and sometimes the sudden change in POV is jarring. I’m overlooking those issues because I think they’ll add up as the story progresses, especially if what I think will be revealed is indeed what’s going to be revealed to the characters. I just know I’m excited to check out the second book and see where we go from here, especially when Carolina eventually comes out way ahead of her truly awful sister!