Azalea Forrest's Blog, page 3

Skylark in the Fog – A Forrest Writes Review

I recently finished Skylark in the Fog by Helyna Clove, a space opera/sci-fi novel and :’) wow. What an ending. The book is quite a chonker at almost 600 pages and full of action, plotting, and snarky quips. 

Skylark in the Fog follows Jeane Blake, a lanehunter captain (ie scavenger), who gets through life being grumpy, avoiding any kind of commitment other than the Skylark, and talking to her dead foster father in her head. Her crew is small (but so is the Skylark) and consists of one (1) al...

My Happy Marriage – Review

My Happy Marriage is a Netflix “original” romance anime. On first glance, I assumed it would just be a slice-of-life romance…but it’s actually full of fantasy, mystery, and a bit of angst. It is adapted from the Japanese light novel by Akumi Agitogi.

Miyo’s mother died when she was a baby and lives with her father, stepmother, and stepsister. MHM is a bit like Cinderella in that her family is very cruel to her, even her father, but that’s kind of where the similarities end for me. The noble f...

Narratess’ Indie Book Sale Aug ’23

It’s that time again: The Narratess Indie Book Sale, August 2023 edition!

There are over 200 indie books included in this sale, from fantasy, sci-fi, and horror. The sale has been a tremendous success for indies and this is the biggest one yet!

The Narratess Indie sale is happening THIS WEEKEND, August 26-28th!

Prices will range from FREE, .99c, to $1.99, US and UK.

As always, HUGE thanks to Tessa Hastjarjanto for continuing to host the sale & being an all-around AMAZING hum...

The Binding of Bloom Mountain – A Forrest Review

Boy-oh-boy. The Binding of Bloom Mountain! I won a paperback copy of this book during one of Siggy Chambers’ Twitter giveaways & I’m so excited to tell you about it.

The Binding of Bloom Mountain is an LGBT dark horror fantasy (and might I add, a bit cozy? )

Be warned, this review contains minor spoilers!

“One fool in search of money wins a cursed mountain and a lifetime of nightmares…”

When Celeste Foster loses her job with the US Forestry Service, she finds solace in drink...

Sakana – A Comic

I’ve screamed into the void about Sakana by Mad Rupert countless times to friends & social media. It’s a hilarious slice-of-life romcom webcomic available at sakana-comic.com about two brothers and the friends they make while working in a fish market. 

Jiro Sakana is a fishmonger at the Tsukiji fish market. He works the cash register while his brother, Taro, butchers the fish in the back. Yuudai, unrelated, is the stall’s manager. He is a scathing individual and takes every chance he g...

Animal Crossing Revival

Animal Crossing: New Horizons released at the height of the pandemic in March 2020. Like many people, I had lost my job due to mandatory closures, and thus turned my time and attention to the newly released Nintendo game. I had been expecting this game for quite some time, and the stress and uncertainty of the pandemic was wearing its toll…so it was only natural to turn to something happy and relaxing. Yes, yes.

I spent most of 2020 playing (among other things, of course!). Whether it be co...

Spirited Away – A Forrest Review

Spirited Away is an animated Ghibli film released in 2001, written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki. It’s about a ten-year-old girl named Chihiro who moves to a new town and unexpectedly enters the spirit world. 

Spirited Away is the first full Ghibli movie I’ve seen—I say that because I technically saw Princess Mononoke first, but only in parts on cable television. I was probably 11 or 12-years-old, and I loved Haku and his swift confidence and calls to action, and was just as hurt as Chihi...

My Neighbors the Yamadas – A Forrest Review

My Neighbors the Yamadas is a 1999 comedy-drama/slice-of-life watercolor film, released by Studio Ghibli for Nippon TV, and directed by Isao Takahata. Based on the yonkoma manga called Nono-chan, it follows Nonoko Yamada and each of her family members: her mother, father, brother, grandmother, and the family dog. It’s a very adorable and loving story about family and facing life’s challenges together. 

This movie has a very special place in my heart. I was introduced to The Yamadas during ...

Whisper of the Heart – A Forrest Review

For those who have read my review of The Cat Returns, Whisper of the Heart could be seen as a prequel of sorts, though the latter takes place in the real world outside of any fantasies from Cat. Whisper came out in 1995 by Studio Ghibli based on the manga of the same name from 1989 by Aoi Hiragi. 

As a writer, or even as an artist in general, Whisper of the Heart is a relatable and romantic film. Full of the same gorgeous pastoral whimsy that Ghibli is known for, it focuses on a 14-year-old g...

End of Year Wrap-Up

Hey everyone! The year is about at a close. I just want to say how grateful I am to all of you. All the likes, shares, buys and reviews, my beta readers & cheerleaders: I wouldn’t have a readership, or the courage to keep going, without you. So thank you. Thanks for believing in me! I may not be as quick as other authors when it comes to releasing books, but I’m working very hard to make each story the best it can be, and I’m so excited to get these next two books out to you.

To re-cap: I’v...