I received a copy from Cider Mill Press through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
If you’re looking for a super cute and comprehensive crocheI received a copy from Cider Mill Press through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
If you’re looking for a super cute and comprehensive crochet pattern book, then this is the book for you! Inside, you will find 25 adorable patterns along with a pretty good guide to crocheting. I also like that there’s QR codes included for anyone who needs them, whether it’s yarn recommendations or tutorial videos. Plus, the patterns are well written, have difficulty levels listed, and include multiple photos that will be helpful to crocheters of all skill levels.
My favorite pattern is Perry the Pug. It’s the pattern that really caught my eye and I can’t wait to crochet that up! That said, every single pattern is super cute, and I’m excited to see capybaras included because I’m obsessed with them....more
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 hangI 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....more
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 exI 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....more
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 anythinI 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....more
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 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....more
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 targI 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....more
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 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!...more
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 thI 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....more
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 calleI 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!...more
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 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....more
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 honesI 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....more
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’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!...more
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 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....more
I received a copy from Kodansha Comics through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Nanao was set to eventually marry into the Byakurenji familyI 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!...more
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 inI 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!...more
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 raI 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....more
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 fI 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....more
I received a copy from Dial Press Trade Paperback through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
In this hilarious retelling of The Twelve HuntsmeI received a copy from Dial Press Trade Paperback through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
In this hilarious retelling of The Twelve Huntsmen, we follow Princess Melilot, and she’s extremely tired of being sent on ridiculous and dangerous quests that she can’t complete by her stepmother. Things take a strange turn when she’s told that a marriage to some king she’s never heard of has been arranged. Not only was her journey just to meet this king an adventure she’d like to forget, but she’s now also saddled with a strange group of identical huntsmen who are extremely suspicious of her. At least her fiancé's sister is hot, right? Wait. That’s not who Melilot’s here to marry!
Honestly, this book had me at a satirical lesbian retelling of The Twelve Huntsmen. I knew I was in for a real treat! We follow Princess Melilot in a story peppered with nods to other fairy tales. There were a few easter eggs that flew over my head, but that’s because I’m not familiar with all of the fairy tales that were referenced. That said, it was a lot of fun spotting each reference whether or not I was familiar with the fairy tale in question. If that isn’t your thing, this might not be the book for you, but if you’re looking for a hilarious story that doesn’t take itself seriously and you also love fairytales, I highly recommend it.
This was such a fun read. I love how whimsical it was while remaining absolutely hilarious. I really liked Melilot from the start. The fact that King Gervase couldn’t recognize his ex-fiancé just because she wore pants was utterly delightful. The romance was cute and heavy handed but still done really well. Above all, it’s just a hilarious read. I had so much fun reading about all the different characters and their shenanigans. It was so much fun and the perfect book to round off 2024 with....more