This was super cute and exactly what I needed today, so naturally, I read it in one sitting (despite having been in the worst slump EVER for the last This was super cute and exactly what I needed today, so naturally, I read it in one sitting (despite having been in the worst slump EVER for the last few months - so, that's a big success for me right now!). Chellie is a likable protagonist and Tanner is such a precious big teddy bear (ha) that you can't help but love him. I like that it's a shifter romance that doesn't play into the whole "alphahole" trope — Tanner's really giving and doting, and while he is protective, he makes it abundantly clear that it's not due to some outdated "damsel in distress" sort of viewpoint.
While I definitely would have enjoyed this novella being longer and a bit slower of a progression, there are elements in the storyline that allow for the quick nature of their relationship forming, so I'm not mad about it. All in all, a really delightfully fun read and I will for sure check out more of Lucy Eden's stories very soon!...more
The first volume was pretty cute, but this one was honestly just okay. I already had the ebook of volume 3 checked out before finishing this; otherwisThe first volume was pretty cute, but this one was honestly just okay. I already had the ebook of volume 3 checked out before finishing this; otherwise, I think I would have DNFed the series here, but as it is, I'll give it one more volume to see if it gets better. I just don't find the storyline super interesting anymore, and I had a hard time keeping track of who was who at points because some of the character designs are so similar. If volume 3 isn't better, I think I'll call it a loss at that point....more
This was alright! I'm not a huge superhero fan, but I do usually enjoy the graphic novels more like this, that aren't part of any existing comic canonThis was alright! I'm not a huge superhero fan, but I do usually enjoy the graphic novels more like this, that aren't part of any existing comic canons and just tell origin stories or whatever. Unfortunately, I just thought this was a bit boring? But I did give it a 3.5 and decided to round up to 4 because, in all fairness, I'm not the target audience for this book and I think a lot of kids would LOVE it!...more
I won't say that I loved this first volume, but it definitely caught my interest enough that I'd like to continue the series. There were some really iI won't say that I loved this first volume, but it definitely caught my interest enough that I'd like to continue the series. There were some really interesting characters here and I love the designs of a lot of them, especially Thorn/Ainsworth and the Ariels. I was a little iffy when I realized the whole "Magus' bride" bit in the title is referencing the fact that Thorn intends to eventually marry this teenage girl he's "bought" (though to be fair, he hasn't bought her as a slave at all — he essentially bought her freedom and offers her a home/family), but I decided to stick it out, and there is no romance at all at this point, so I'm going out on a 'benefit of the doubt' limb here and assuming that this is not a grooming story. (If I'm wrong in later volumes, I'll come back and update this with a warning ...more
This was a really intriguing, cute, sometimes over-the-top introduction to a series that I feel like has a ton of potential and I can really foresee mThis was a really intriguing, cute, sometimes over-the-top introduction to a series that I feel like has a ton of potential and I can really foresee myself loving. There's a lot of lore at play here that I'm assuming we've barely scratched the surface on, and it doesn't hurt my excitement levels any to realize that my library's app has the next dozen-ish volumes, so I know I have a lot of story ahead of me! Oh, and the artwork is beautiful! ♥ ...more
Well, this was pretty damn cute. I love Sarah Andersen's work, so I knew I needed this in my life as soon as I learned it existed, and I'm so glad I cWell, this was pretty damn cute. I love Sarah Andersen's work, so I knew I needed this in my life as soon as I learned it existed, and I'm so glad I checked it out. I love the general aesthetic of these two, with Elsie being super goth and generally reminding me of Morticia Addams (my WCW forever), and Jimmy being cozy and sweet in his endless flannel apparel. I will say that I wouldn't go into this expecting a cohesive webcomic by any means, as it functions more like Sarah's Scribbles, where we're only getting brief, nonlinear glimpses into random interactions between the characters, but it works well. ♥
Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this review copy in exchange for an honest review!...more
This was really lovely and sweet! I adored the art style so much, and I wish it had been longer because I'm already ready for more. I didn't realize iThis was really lovely and sweet! I adored the art style so much, and I wish it had been longer because I'm already ready for more. I didn't realize it was an adaptation of a light novel series, but now I want to look into the source material because I could see this being the type of story I would really enjoy reading the original version of! It reminded me of so many JRPG games I've played over the years and that's a feeling that I wish more books gave me. ♥
✨ Representation: Lizel & Gil are both queer
✨ Content warnings for: (view spoiler)[animal death (brief — Lizel must slay a "monster"/giant rat for a quest) (hide spoiler)]
Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this review copy in exchange for an honest review!...more
I say this all the time, but... I really don't know what I ever did to deserve the existence of this series. I'm in tears just writing this little snippet. This series means so damn much to me, words can never even describe.
This was honestly everything I wanted it to be. At first, I thought this was my new second fave in the series, but it might even be my #1 when I think about how badly I forever need characters like Regan, reminding me that it's okay to mourn for myself and every other little girl who wasn't allowed to fit in for one reason or another — and who had to find, or create, her own world to exist happily in.
original pre-review: I love this series so much, and... there are kelpies in this one? Be still, my former horse girl, eternal equine fae-loving heart. ...more
Hmm. Not my favorite in the series, but still a quick, fun read. I just don't really "get" Quinn (nor do I trust him...?), and also, I miss seeing morHmm. Not my favorite in the series, but still a quick, fun read. I just don't really "get" Quinn (nor do I trust him...?), and also, I miss seeing more of Eric. ...more
Wow. This is my first time experiencing Christina Sng's writing voice, but it certainly won't be my last. She has such an incredible way with words, wWow. This is my first time experiencing Christina Sng's writing voice, but it certainly won't be my last. She has such an incredible way with words, weaving together dark fantasy and horror, fairytales and social commentary — needless to say, I enjoyed this quite a lot. I don't think this leans as heavily on the "horror poetry" side as I expected it to, but I enjoyed the SFF and speculative elements to it all the same and found it a nice mixture of genres and themes.
Most of all, I loved the section of fairytale retellings and, without going into too much detail and risking spoilers, the way many of those stories blended into one another seamlessly. I tend to view most fairytales as singular beings separate from one another, and to view them as all being connected like this was such a fascinating take on the presentation that I really enjoyed.
Though this wasn't what I expected, I'm truly so happy I had the chance to pick it up because Sng's writing just blew me away. It made me desperately want to pick up more of her collections, starting with this one's predecessor, A Collection of Nightmares, which I have no doubt will be another instantly beloved piece of work for me.
Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this review copy in exchange for an honest review!...more
Snow did not find him charming. When she looked into his dark, dark eyes she saw not the fizzy delight of charm but the flicker of a tongue through sh
Snow did not find him charming. When she looked into his dark, dark eyes she saw not the fizzy delight of charm but the flicker of a tongue through sharp teeth. — Christina Henry, As Red As Blood, As White as Snow
Last year, this editing duo released the Wonderland anthology, which I raved about. It was a gorgeous collection and I had so much fun with it that, when I had the opportunity to read and review this new anthology, I jumped at the chance. I’m an absolute sucker for dark fairytale retellings and many of the authors in this lineup positively excel at the craft.
Cursed kicks off, after a quick poem from Jane Yolen, with the story As Red as Blood, As White as Snow by Christina Henry, and if you know me, you already know Christina is one of my favorite retelling authors of all time. She has designed a solid portion of her writing career around taking old stories and giving them new life — typically complete with some sort of social commentary that is always so eloquently woven in — and this was no exception. It was easily my favorite story in the anthology and I would honestly urge you to pick this book up even if only for this story’s beautiful prose and ruthless examination of the evils of “Prince Charming” types.
Luckily, the good times didn’t stop there; while nothing else in Cursed was quite able to beat out that first story for me, I was so happy to see how many incredible stories this collection contained! A lot of anthologies are severely hit-and-miss, but Marie O’Regan & Paul Kane clearly know how to choose ’em when it comes to short stories. Among others, I loved Catriona Ward’s incredibly unique twist on one of my favorite tropes (but I can’t tell you what it is!) in At That Age, the gorgeously melancholy, haunting vibes of Jen Williams’ necromancing Listen, and James Brogden’s grotesque, horribly unsettling Skin.
The forest is dark but I know the way. I have been here before. There is a path soon, pebbly and worn, but my fingers and toes are like needles and pins. If I stay here, stray here too long, will I become one of them forever? — Jane Yolen & Adam Stemple, Little Red
While these were the stand-out favorites of mine, I genuinely enjoyed almost every single story in this collection. I will admit that the stories grew a little less interesting for me in the end, with the last few not catching my eye as well, but they weren’t enough to hinder me from being wholly blown away by the overall caliber of Cursed’s offerings. I have so many new authors on my reading list thanks to these short stories, and I know this is the sort of collection I’ll be recommending for a long time — and revisiting time and time again.
Thank you so much to Titan for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review!
Content warnings for (view spoiler)[violence, death, infant/child abuse and death, body horror, self-mutilation, various mental illnesses (hide spoiler)] (no specific story spoilers)...more
This was honestly so adorable and I loved every single page. The art is cute and colorful, the storyline is delightful, and Aster is a protagonist youThis was honestly so adorable and I loved every single page. The art is cute and colorful, the storyline is delightful, and Aster is a protagonist you can't help rooting for. She has her moments of ridiculousness as any kid (or person in general) does, but for the most part, she's witty, hard-headed, capable, and a ton of fun. I absolutely loved the side characters — especially the Chestnut Knights! — and think this would be a big hit with a lot of MG readers regardless of age. I especially recommend this if you like Adventure Time, because something about the art and story style reminded me a LOT of that show and made me want to go back and rewatch my favorite episodes ASAP.
Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this review copy in exchange for an honest review!...more
I love this book so much! I adore everything Katie O'Neill has ever written and this was no exception. I've been so excited for her to release a new pI love this book so much! I adore everything Katie O'Neill has ever written and this was no exception. I've been so excited for her to release a new picture book and I have a feeling that the cute art, bright colors, and sweet story will be really popular with kids (plus animal main characters are always A++). This was seriously just so precious and I need a copy for my shelves as soon as it comes out just to join my beloved Katie O'Neill collection!
Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!...more
She had read enough stories to know that the princess and the monster were never the same. She had been alone long enough to know which one she was
She had read enough stories to know that the princess and the monster were never the same. She had been alone long enough to know which one she was.
Friends, no matter how excited I was to read this gorgeous Persian fairytale retelling with queer girls and demons — a description that had all of my interests piqued entirely on its own — and no matter how many rave reviews I'd already seen, nothing could have prepared me for how utterly captivating and entrancing and gorgeous Girl, Serpent, Thorn was.
Beautiful yet deadly, he had called her. Somehow, he made one sound as sweet as the other.
First of all, the entire atmosphere and aesthetic of this story — please, this has to be made into a film, because I think it would be breathtaking. And the characters? They're genuinely complex, even some of the minor roles we don't see often, but don't even get me started on Soraya and Parvaneh, and how dear these two women are to my heart. Soraya is an incredibly three-dimensional protagonist with flaws and values, fears and desires, and my heart absolutely ached for her, all of the time — but don't get me wrong, she's tough as nails and a fierce protector, too. And Parvaneh? What I wouldn't give for a prequel novella about her before meeting Soraya! I'm such a sucker for demons as characters in the first place, but when you add in the complexities of the div types and the sisterhood of the parik, on top of Parvaneh's charm and general existence as a total badass? I, like Soraya, was doomed from the start.
"There's something restless growing within you. We're all very curious to see what happens when it breaks free."
As far as the plot goes, while the characters shone for me, I loved the entire storyline, too. I felt like Melissa Bashardoust took an arc that could've been dragged out into 2 or 3 books easily, yet she slimmed it down into just a few hundred pages without leaving me feeling as though anything was missing, and that's an incredible talent in my eyes. I couldn't get enough and the pacing kept me interested from cover to cover. I loved the exploration of Soraya's curse, but even more, I loved the familial aspect to it and her gradual understanding of why these things came into being. Nobody is innocent here, but everyone has a genuine motive, and it makes it hard to dislike any of these characters — even the villain.
"I've been expecting you. And you are very, very late."
I also have to mention one particular plot point about three-quarters through that I won't spoil, but if you've read it, I'll just say a character is introduced who absolutely broke me. Watching Soraya reach this depth in understanding her ancestry, and the connection she is granted... It's hard to be vague here, because all I want to do is weep incoherently about how powerful the entire final act of this book was and how beautifully it all wrapped up.
If I am being cruel, she decided, then it's because he taught me how.
I'll wrap this up in a moment, but finally, the discussion of betrayal and manipulation in Girl, Serpent, Thorn is so subtle and eloquent. Too often, we see princesses in fairytales who are tricked by wicked men and blame themselves, or are blamed by others; finally, Melissa Bashardoust has given us a princess who has been tricked and grows to recognize that she didn't deserve this behavior, and that if her only fault was trusting a cruel man, the blame resides in his cruelty — not her kindness. Truly, what an empowering story of hope and strength, and I know this one will stick with me for a long time to come.
✨ Representation:Girl, Serpent, Thorn is inspired by the Persian epic Shahnameh and the author's exploration into her own culture. Soraya and Parvaneh are both queer (while Soraya is attracted to multiple genders in the context of the book, no labels are used for either character).
✨ Content warnings for: (view spoiler)[violence, death, betrayal, manipulation, war, kidnapping, torture (in reference only) (hide spoiler)]
All quotes come from an advance copy and may not match the final release. Thank you so much to Flatiron Books for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!...more
This is fairly insta-lovey (I mean, they're technically childhood friends who fell in love as teens and have been apart for 10yrs, so take that as youThis is fairly insta-lovey (I mean, they're technically childhood friends who fell in love as teens and have been apart for 10yrs, so take that as you will) and a little dub-con (in the way that most Beauty & the Beast stories are, if you know what I mean), aaaand there's also a scene that might offend those who aren't comfortable with shifter/human sex while the shifter is, er... shifted... So I guess my point is that you should know what you're getting into if you pick this up, but as for me, I thought it was fun and I really enjoyed the bit of a twist on the whole curse and conclusion. I also might have cried a little near the ending, and I feel like the fact that Kati Wilde is so good at getting me attached to characters in so few pages that I get emotional is pretty high praise from me. ...more
This was a really sweet, quick read and I dig that all of the characters were Native American or First Nations and the MC is deaf (and the rep felt reThis was a really sweet, quick read and I dig that all of the characters were Native American or First Nations and the MC is deaf (and the rep felt really nice and thoughtful IMO!). I'll type up a review later! ...more
Hmn... I'm going to have to sit on this one for a little while before I rate it. RTCHmn... I'm going to have to sit on this one for a little while before I rate it. RTC...more
I have an idea you aren't going to like me very much.
By all accounts, the above quote should be correct. A morally grey, snarky, violent, h[image]
I have an idea you aren't going to like me very much.
By all accounts, the above quote should be correct. A morally grey, snarky, violent, heartless antihero main character? He's awful, truly, absolutely vile at times... and yet, the joke's on you, unnamed narrator, because I happened to love this protagonist.
Prosper's Demon features one of the most unusual devices I've ever read, in that we follow an anonymous narrator who plays both hero and villain in his own story, and the casualties of his decisions are terrible at times. He's more or less remorseless, seeing things as "for the greater good" and all that, and despite how much sick satisfaction he seems to take in his own brutality at times, I couldn't help but devour every page.
The demons in this story are also a bit unusual, and they don't quite follow the "Satan's legion" sort of archetypes I'm used to seeing. They've each got their own little personalities, too, especially this one particular demon our narrator has a long-standing feud with. The utter exasperation when these demons see our exorcist coming is downright hilarious. "You again?"
So, in order to get Master Prosper to like me, I had to give him an opportunity to prove that he was right and I was wrong, deluded, an idiot. Easy peasy.
What is most unusual about this novella, though — and coincidentally, what I adored most of all about it — is that, despite its often dark and violent nature, it is hilarious. The narrator's sense of humor is definitely a dry one, and I laughed out loud so many times reading this. I can easily see this being the sort of book I'll reach for over and over again just because it would be such a fun, quick read whenever I'm feeling slumpy or having a bad day (or just needing a good, morbid chuckle).
Thank you so much to Tor.com for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review!...more
While I didn't love this volume quite as much as the first, it was still such a fun read that I couldn't put down and I'm excited to continue the series! This volume didn't have as much humor or wild antics (aside from the first few pages), but it traded off with some really fascinating world-building as it gave us a glimpse of so many different parts of Fairyland. It feels like Skottie Young's imagination must be a ridiculously large place, with how vast and varied Fairyland is, and that's perfect for this sort of story.
Plus, it's really damn funny/sad to watch Larry's life grow bleaker and bleaker the longer he's stuck with terrible Gertrude....more
I really loved the first 2 volumes in this series, but this one disappointed me a little. I may go back and reread the whole thing at some point to seI really loved the first 2 volumes in this series, but this one disappointed me a little. I may go back and reread the whole thing at some point to see if it's just that it had been too long since I read v2 or something, but I felt a little confused with some of the direction the plot took in this installment. It seemed abrupt and not very well explained, and I didn't love some stuff about the ending. The art was still gorgeous and I still enjoyed the overall theme a lot, though, and I definitely can't wait to check out Mirka's new Mercy series!...more
After reading several other Barnett/Klassen titles this week, I expected another humorous, bizarre, and fairly irrelevant (in a good way!) story, but After reading several other Barnett/Klassen titles this week, I expected another humorous, bizarre, and fairly irrelevant (in a good way!) story, but Extra Yarn is actually entirely different! It's a really sweet, soft tale of a little girl who discovers fortune in a box of never-ending yarn, so she decides to use that yarn and knit sweaters for everyone and everything she meets. I loved the soft color palette and the ending, plus it was a great read-aloud title for story-time (as I've found every other Barnett title I've read to be, too)....more
I dunno, man, this author/illustrator combo is probably the best thing to happen to modern children's books and that's that on that. They're so freakiI dunno, man, this author/illustrator combo is probably the best thing to happen to modern children's books and that's that on that. They're so freaking funny and bizarre, and this book is a great (and surprisingly dark) example of their capabilities together. I was reading this aloud to my son last night and my spouse even got super into it and was commenting on it, if that tells you anything about how much all-ages appeal I think Barnett & Klassen have together....more
destiny ♡⚔♡
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