Encanto is one of my favorites of the most recent Disney movies, so I definitely wanted to check this out for the children I watch. These were cute liEncanto is one of my favorites of the most recent Disney movies, so I definitely wanted to check this out for the children I watch. These were cute little stories which give adventures for many of the Madrigal family. I love the art style and the messages each story gives. They are perfect for young readers. These are said to be for ages 8-12, but I personally believe younger children would find enjoyment from listening to them also.
*Thank to the publisher and NetGalley. All opinions are my own.*...more
This book was an absolute joy. A perfect mix of fantastical creatures, magic, and mystery. The use of tI love how popular cozy fantasies have become.
This book was an absolute joy. A perfect mix of fantastical creatures, magic, and mystery. The use of the Regency era with fantasy was clever and had me wanting so much more from this world. I know I will be picking up K's other books in the future.
Also, I love how the narrator spoke directly to the reader. It's always fun when narration is played with in creative ways. The little bits of lore given before each chapter were great additions to the book along with the narrator's notes throughout the story. K made this world come alive in brilliant ways and created an enjoyable experience while doing so.
There were so many quotes I highlighted throughout the book which had me laughing out loud. I love clever humor. Perfect for fans of Jane Austen, who also love a great fantasy world.
*Thank you to the author for my ARC of the book. All opinions are my own.* ...more
This is the second magical book I have read that takes place in the New York Public Library. I love when books show the power of reading to younger reThis is the second magical book I have read that takes place in the New York Public Library. I love when books show the power of reading to younger readers. Also, how they make the library seem like a magical place, even when magical events are not occurring.
Christopher Lincoln’s illustrations are beautiful and I love how each page was stylized. Often times the illustrations continue out of the panels and onto the page, it made it a very interesting experience to look at along with reading. Christopher has written a story that I loved ever minute of.
The Night Librarian’s comp titles are The Land of Stories series and The Night at the Museum movies and that is definitely true. It also reminded me of the movie The Pagemaster. I highly recommend it to lovers of those stories and lovers of the written word. It is great for younger readers but older readers would enjoy it also. I know I did and I’m in my 30s. I’m always a sucker for a story where characters go in and out of books.
*Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for my copy of this book. All opinions are my own.*...more
The Suffering Game was my most anticipated book of 2024. I was lucky enough to get to read it a couple of months early thanks to the publisher. I’ve bThe Suffering Game was my most anticipated book of 2024. I was lucky enough to get to read it a couple of months early thanks to the publisher. I’ve been eagerly waiting for this volume ever since The Eleventh Hour came out last year and it was well worth the wait. This still has some of the humor of the other volumes but is getting much more heavy hitting. We found out a lot about the Bureau, the Director, and what is actually going on.
Taako, Magnus, and Merle travel into a game called Wonderland, which is a carnival of torments. They are trying to win the next of the Grand Relics, the Animus Bell. The Director has sent them there to retrieve it and has also warned them of the dangers of Wonderland. To get further in the games, they have to each give up something important to them or part of themselves.
This was a great volume in this series and I cannot wait to see what will occur in the next arc. Taako, Magnus, Merle, and the rest of the characters in this series are dynamic and I love learning more about them with each story. The McElroys have done an incredible job with this series. Every time I read another one of the graphic novels, I want to listen to the podcast. Also, these books are stunning to look at along with reading them. I highly recommend The Adventure Zone graphic novels.
*Thank you very much to the publisher and Netgalley for my ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. *...more
R.M. Romero does such an incredible job blending magical realism with a realistic world. This is my second of her works and I now know I will read anyR.M. Romero does such an incredible job blending magical realism with a realistic world. This is my second of her works and I now know I will read anything she writes. I adored this story so much and could not stop reading it last night. Novels written in verse always draw me in and I am so glad I found Romero's A Warning About Swans last year, which led me to picking up this beauty.
As soon as I saw this being comped as part Hadestown and the myth of "Orpheus and Eurydice”, I knew I had to read it. Many of my favorite myths deal with the Underworld. Romero takes the myth and breathes new life into it with Andres, Renee, and Liora. It follows Andres and Renee as they travel into the Underworld to try and save their girlfriend, Liora from Death.
A beautiful poly romance which touched my heart from the first chapter. Andres comes alive in Romero's very first stanza. He is depicted vividly on every page, his voice as distinct as his story. The story begins with him making a bargain with Death to take his anger away in exchange for something he will love in the future. When one of his girlfriends, Liora goes into a coma, he believes Death is taking who he loves.
Andres is one of the Orpheuses of this story, who not only has to go on a physical journey, but also an emotional one. One of his girlfriends, Renee also takes on the role of Orpheus. She is the one who first suggests saving Liora and uses her magic to help get them into the Underworld. Liora is our Eurydice who gets a much more active role in the plot. I loved the journey all three had to go on.
Along with the characters, the world is just as striking. The Underworld depicted in this story reminded me a bit of Coco but it is very much its own entity. I thought the idea of not only having ghosts of people, but also places, was intriguing. It's one of the most interesting takes I have found of the Underworld. Also, we meet many famous faces and get multiple references to mythology throughout the course of the story. The love of music was a beautiful part of this story.
"Ground control to Major Tom"
I highly recommend Death's Country. Romero is an incredible storyteller, whose writing is a masterpiece. I adored this young adult story about healing and love. A modern-day take on "Orpheus and Eurydice" that is definitely one of my favorite books of the year.
*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.*...more
John Hendrix’s The Mythmakers blends prose, images, and narrative comics as it chronicles the lives of two literary greats, C.S. Lewis & J.R.R. TolkieJohn Hendrix’s The Mythmakers blends prose, images, and narrative comics as it chronicles the lives of two literary greats, C.S. Lewis & J.R.R. Tolkien. It not only focuses on their Fellowship but also goes into details about their early lives, inspirations, how they were affected by fighting in WWI, their friendship, and many other aspects of their lives. I knew I had to pick up this beauty as soon as I saw it on NetGalley because of my great love for both authors. Hendrix does a wonderful job using this medium to tell his story and I loved the use of Mr. Lion and The Wizard, who are takes on Aslan and Gandalf.
Along with the information on both authors, Hendrix also has what he calls Portals, which discuss other information such as myth and fairy tales. These sections were great extras that added to the overall experience of the book. I did not read them until the end but they can also be read during your reading experience because of the pages numbers telling you where to go (similar to a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure story).
I highly recommend this book to fans of both authors. It was an incredible read that was informative, enjoyable, and heartwarming at times. I know I would have loved this book when I was younger and first reading from both of their fantasy worlds. Definitely, would love to see more books like this for other fantasy authors, such as L. Frank Baum, Lewis Carroll, etc. The Mythmakers will be joining my collection along with my Narnia and The Lord of the Rings series. Cannot wait to see the beautiful illustrations in color.
*Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.*...more
An absolutely wonderful cozy fantasy novel with a beautiful audiobook. I have wanted to read this book ever since I first saw the cover and read the bAn absolutely wonderful cozy fantasy novel with a beautiful audiobook. I have wanted to read this book ever since I first saw the cover and read the blurb. Kiela is definitely one of my new favorite characters of the year, along with her sentient spiderplant, Caz. He brings so much humor to the book. Kiela is a character I related to on many levels, especially as an introvert. I loved following along with her as she connected with the residents of the island.
The small town vibes were perfect. The townspeople were so welcoming and I just could not get enough of them. Also, Kiela’s love interest, Larran made it even better. This was definitely a slow-burn romance but I enjoyed every interaction between them both. Kiela is not used to being around people and is afraid of getting too close to anyone on the island. Lorne never takes it to heart. It was beautiful watching them fall for each other.
I am beyond glad I decided to read this novel and will definitely be adding it to my collection. Another found family story that stole my heart. I hope Sarah will return to this world again. I would love new adventures and to see even more of these characters. This was a story I would have loved to fall into and live in.
*Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.*...more
Castle Swimmer is such a beautiful graphic novel with an interesting storyline. I remember finding it on Webtoons a couple of years ago and read what Castle Swimmer is such a beautiful graphic novel with an interesting storyline. I remember finding it on Webtoons a couple of years ago and read what was out at that time, which was not even this entire volume. I never continued on with it for some reason though, but I will be now.
The illustration style stands out and drew me in instantly. I like how the story is playing with the idea of prophecies and chosen one stories. It definitely is making me wonder where the story is going to go from here with Kappa and Siren. I have to continue it on Webtoons so I can see what happens next.
I highly recommend this wonderful start to this series.
*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.* ...more
I love how Grant combined poetry with comics throughout the book. This collection is an excellent way to introduce poetry to younger readers. The poemI love how Grant combined poetry with comics throughout the book. This collection is an excellent way to introduce poetry to younger readers. The poems are perfectly complimented by the stunning illustrations. They add so much to each poem. I always love Grant’s books and comics, but this one tops them all.
I highly recommend the collection for both younger and older readers alike. It is an absolute delight.
*I received an ARC for review purposes. All opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher....more
I have been wanting a Narnia-like adult book for so many years and could not believe when I heard about this beauty. Portal fantasy stories are some oI have been wanting a Narnia-like adult book for so many years and could not believe when I heard about this beauty. Portal fantasy stories are some of my absolute favorites. I was ecstatic when I was given an ARC of The Lost Story. This was an absolute delight of a read! It felt like a fairy-tale for adults especially with the writing style. Meg Shaffer has created a world I wish I could travel to and I hope she will return to it eventually. This is a wonderful fantasy story with a focus on friendship, love, and the act of storytelling.
I loved the framing device for this book and how the narrator kept giving commentary. It’s enjoyable having a narrator who is a character in the story being told and finding out who they are eventually during the plot. Also, I enjoyed the LGBT representation.
I highly recommend this beauty to fans of portal fantasy or fantasy books in general. It is definitely a favorite of the year for me.
*I received an ARC for review purposes. All opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher. ...more
Another great novel from Chris, this time a science fiction adventure traveling all throughout the galaxy. I have been hoping he would write a sci-fi Another great novel from Chris, this time a science fiction adventure traveling all throughout the galaxy. I have been hoping he would write a sci-fi book for years and Roswell Johnson Saves the World definitely didn't disappoint.
Roswell's journey was an enjoyable ride with so many dynamic characters. Each came alive throughout the pages. I loved the alien friends Roswell made and the team they built. It was fun traveling to their worlds and learning about each of their civilization's cultures. They worked together very well and brought so much to the story.
This had Chris's signature sense of humor which fills each of his novels. Along with the humor, it focuses on many hard-hitting and thought provoking topics. Parents, teachers, and students can start many important conversations with this book. It's a great mix of silly and serious. A perfect book for middle-grade readers and those young at heart. I know I always have a wonderful time whenever I visit one of his worlds.
Roswell stands out as the protagonist. His personality shines through even with so many eccentric characters, such as a talking alien which looks like a dog. Roswell is a character readers will relate to on many levels and is a great one for kids to read about. I look forward to seeing what Chris will write after this book. Hopefully, a sequel so we can see what will happen with Roswell, Nerp, Bleep, Rob, Mank, Cassi, and Stella.
Cannot wait for my preordered copy to arrive today. I highly recommend this book (especially the audiobook) for lovers of middle-grade books.
*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.*...more
I adored this interwoven Asian-based story with all my heart. It follows three different timelines of two men whose lives have been intertwined for ceI adored this interwoven Asian-based story with all my heart. It follows three different timelines of two men whose lives have been intertwined for centuries. We follow them through 4 BCE, 1740, and present-day Los Angeles. Slowly, along with the characters, we learn how they are connected to each other. Their romance was both beautiful and heartbreaking. It was quite hard to read at times because their love is quite destructive and painful. I’m a sucker for a tragic love affair, especially ones that make me cry. Add stunning writing and fantastical aspects to make a book I couldn’t get enough of.
Reincarnation stories have always drawn me in, and I knew I had to read this beauty as soon as I found it. It was intriguing trying to figure out who was who in the different time periods. I’m glad we kept going back and forth between each of them, and loved seeing how all the pieces fit together to tell their story. It felt like a puzzle, and I enjoyed how their identities were not always obvious.
There were times I did not want one of the perspectives to switch to the next time period. I wanted to continue with what was happening next instead of going to another time. Then, I would get completely hooked on the next one. It became a cycle I enjoyed every minute of.
This book will not be for everybody, but it has everything I could have wanted from this type of story. It took me about fifty pages to get into it, and then I didn’t want it to end. Also, I enjoyed looking into the historical aspects of this story. The emperor and Dong Xian are based on historical figures from Chinese history, and I like how the sleeve is a part of their story. So interesting.
I highly recommend picking up Justinian Huang’s The Emperor and the Endless Palace. I will be adding it to my home library. Huang’s writing was beautiful, and I cannot wait to pick up more of his work in the future. Here’s hoping for more from this world.
*I received an ARC for review purposes. All opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher....more
Pride and Prejudice is one of the most popular romances of all time and I have adored it ever since I first read it many years ago. In Most Ardently,Pride and Prejudice is one of the most popular romances of all time and I have adored it ever since I first read it many years ago. In Most Ardently, Gabe Cole Novoa remixes the classic story with our main character being Oliver Bennet, a young transman, who feels trapped in his society's expectations for women of the time. He was born Elizabeth Bennet and at this point in his life, he is ready to start openly living his true identity as a man.
Many of the original story's main beats play out throughout the plot but with deviations. I love the relationship between Darcy and Oliver. It was great to watch them fall in love during the story and I just could not get enough of them together. The characters are similar to their classic counterparts but a bit younger. Also, I love Oliver's dad just as much as I always loved Elizabeth's father. It was a joy reading the scenes with him. Oliver is a powerful character who you cannot help but love from the very beginning of the story.
I highly recommend picking up the audiobook for this wonderful book. The narrator does an incredible job narrating Oliver's story. I will be buying a copy for my collection and know I will be rereading this very soon.
*I was given an ARC of this book and listened to the audiobook version after it was released. All opinions are my own. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley.*...more
This was a bit of a mixed bag for me. I loved the humor and how it felt like the old Mickey Mouse comics, but was not a fan of the fragmented storylinThis was a bit of a mixed bag for me. I loved the humor and how it felt like the old Mickey Mouse comics, but was not a fan of the fragmented storyline.
It has an interesting premise with the writers making it as if they found pieces of an old comic story and pieced them together. The reader then is meant to fill in what they believe happened between the missing pages. There are times this works rather well and others that had me frustrated because I wanted more of a specific scene.
Overall, I enjoyed the art style and thought the story idea was interesting. I can’t help thinking though that I want the entire story not just the fragments. I’ve always been a fan of the Mickey Mouse cartoons and comics and I love the humor in this story.
*I received an ARC for review purposes. All opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher....more
I have been a fan of choose-your-own-adventure books since I was a kid. It was my favorite thing to be able to control what was happening in a book, eI have been a fan of choose-your-own-adventure books since I was a kid. It was my favorite thing to be able to control what was happening in a book, especially since I wanted to write my own stories. To this day, I still sometimes enjoy picking up these books when I find ones that look interesting. I was intrigued when I saw that Hari Conner wrote this book and had to pick it up. Hari’s graphic novel series, Finding Home, has been one of my favorite things to read online for years, and I wanted to see what else they worked on.
Into the Tower was such an enjoyable experience, and I highly recommend picking it up. It is described as an interactive game in a book. In it, you get to explore the story based on the decisions you make. At the beginning of the book, you pick your character and then make decisions as you would in a choose-your-own-adventure book. There are so many different options, and I only got to some of them while I was reading. I know I will come back to this again and again. It is perfect for both teens and adults who enjoy adventure, fantasy, romance, and mystery elements
*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.*...more
Last year, I read the first book in this trilogy and had quite a bit of fun with it, so I was looking forward to continuing the story. I enjoyed how PLast year, I read the first book in this trilogy and had quite a bit of fun with it, so I was looking forward to continuing the story. I enjoyed how Preeti continued with the plot points of the first and expanded upon them throughout the story. Peter is balancing his relationship with MJ, his internship at the Bugle, school, and his night job.
The stresses of trying to keep a semi-normal life outside of being a superhero greatly affect Peter. This stress is a relatable plot point. Also, I enjoyed seeing Peter wanting to help as many people he could and seeing the problems he was having while trying to. These are problems young readers can connect to, especially learning the importance of balancing everything going on in your life.
Peter’s voice is authentic. He feels like a teenager in every aspect of his character, and I know that kids will connect with him in this book. I like how we got other perspectives from MJ and the Spot, like we did in the first book. J. Jonah Jameson was again my favorite character in this story, and I enjoyed how Preeti expanded on him.
I enjoyed Spider-Man's Bad Connection quite a bit and will be reading the third book when it comes out. It is a book which would be perfect for middle-grade readers and other fans of Spider-Man.
*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.*...more
The title of this book was what intrigued me about it from the beginning. Then, the premise had me wanting to pick it up and learn more about Andie’s The title of this book was what intrigued me about it from the beginning. Then, the premise had me wanting to pick it up and learn more about Andie’s story. Andie’s voice feels authentic, and you believe that she is a middle school girl throughout. The first-person perspective fits so well with the story. It did drag for me throughout the narrative and pulled me away from the events a bit.
Andie is an aspiring poet who is drawing inspiration from Hans Christian Anderson’s fairy tales. At the beginning of the book, she meets her new neighbor, whom she believes is Hans Christian Anderson. She spends most of the book believing this fact. The story focuses on her friendship with this neighbor, gaining new friendships along the way, and growing as a poet. I enjoyed seeing her growth as a poet throughout the story and how it felt like a middle school girl’s first attempt at poetry. They were not perfect, but they again felt authentic to her voice, which I loved.
Overall, this was a book that I enjoyed, but not as much as I wanted to. I would recommend this to middle grade readers, especially the aspiring writers out there. Also, the illustrations were cute and fit well with Andie’s narration.
*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.*...more
Hansel and Gretel is a standard telling of the original fairy tale with a couple of little additions made by Neil. If you have yet to read the story, Hansel and Gretel is a standard telling of the original fairy tale with a couple of little additions made by Neil. If you have yet to read the story, I recommend this one because it is a good telling of it. I liked it, but it does not stand out like I have come to expect from Neil’s retellings of fairy tales.
Also, the illustrations from Lorenzo Mattotti are too dark to see at times while you are reading the story. Sometimes, they don’t even fit with what is going on in the story. One of the most telling times for this is near the end. They should have ensured the illustrations went along with the plot.
Overall, I’m disappointed with this retelling, and that might be because I have come to expect something different from a Neil Gaiman retelling. He has far better ones than this, but I can’t say that it is not a good story. If you know “Hansel and Gretel,” you will know this story.
*Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for my ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.* ...more
Time Will Tell is a cozy little poetry collection that touched me. I related to many of the poems and the emotions that Courtney is expressing in themTime Will Tell is a cozy little poetry collection that touched me. I related to many of the poems and the emotions that Courtney is expressing in them. There were so many poems that I know that I will reread repeatedly. I’m definitely going to pick up a copy for my poetry collection and I cannot wait to read more of Courtney’s poems.
*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my ARC of the book.*...more
I fell in love with Peter S. Beagle’s writing last year when I read The Last Unicorn for the first time. It was exciting to see this and the second voI fell in love with Peter S. Beagle’s writing last year when I read The Last Unicorn for the first time. It was exciting to see this and the second volume of stories on Netgalley, and I had to request them both. This collection was a delight to read, and I loved seeing the very different stories throughout. My favorites from the volume were “Come Lady Death,” “Gordon, the Self-Made Cat,” and “Four Fables” (The Fable of the Moth, The Fable the Tyrannosaurus Rex, The Fable of the Ostrich, and The Fable of the Octopus).
My favorite aspect of this collection is that each of the stories feels so different from each other. There are children’s, young adult, and adult stories. You get a collection of stories like “Four Fables,” which were simple tales with humorous morals at the end, and then a story like “Come Lady Death.” I loved this gothic and suspenseful tale that kept me wondering what would happen next. Also, I enjoyed the introductions before each of the stories that give the reader context.
This was a wonderful collection of fantasy stories that would have something to appeal to many readers.
*Thank you to Netgalley for my ARC of the book. All opinions are my own.*...more
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