I have an incredible weakness for middle grade books with any kind of supernatural/fantastical bent to them, and this one absolutely delivered. A haunI have an incredible weakness for middle grade books with any kind of supernatural/fantastical bent to them, and this one absolutely delivered. A haunted house, a twist before the end, and some heavy topics, were just the cherry on top.
Micah is such a wonderful character. She isn’t some perfect, unchanging monolith who never needs to grow (something I’ve seen be an issue in some MG books). She makes mistakes, and she learns from them. She also digs herself, and others, out of the consequences.
I greatly enjoyed the specifics of the supernatural elements (no spoilers!), and am interested in seeing what else the author is up to. Personally, I’d love to see what happens next for Micah. Although I can absolutely accept the story as a standalone, I think there’s enough going on that a continuation could happen.
If you’re someone who enjoys MG novels with supernatural elements, I think you’ll likely enjoy this one. It’s a fun, easy read, with a nice payoff and memorable characters. What’s not to enjoy?
Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and Simon and Schuster for the early copy. This has been my honest review.
Merged review:
I have an incredible weakness for middle grade books with any kind of supernatural/fantastical bent to them, and this one absolutely delivered. A haunted house, a twist before the end, and some heavy topics, were just the cherry on top.
Micah is such a wonderful character. She isn’t some perfect, unchanging monolith who never needs to grow (something I’ve seen be an issue in some MG books). She makes mistakes, and she learns from them. She also digs herself, and others, out of the consequences.
I greatly enjoyed the specifics of the supernatural elements (no spoilers!), and am interested in seeing what else the author is up to. Personally, I’d love to see what happens next for Micah. Although I can absolutely accept the story as a standalone, I think there’s enough going on that a continuation could happen.
If you’re someone who enjoys MG novels with supernatural elements, I think you’ll likely enjoy this one. It’s a fun, easy read, with a nice payoff and memorable characters. What’s not to enjoy?
Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and Simon and Schuster for the early copy. This has been my honest review....more
Sheets is the first volume in a series of MG/YA graphic novels, and it’s absolutely adorable. The story deals with some heavy themes, like the loss ofSheets is the first volume in a series of MG/YA graphic novels, and it’s absolutely adorable. The story deals with some heavy themes, like the loss of a parent and the resulting grief, another parent who’s disappeared into their own grief, bullies, and a struggling family business. Ironically, the color palette is full of pastels, especially pinks and blues, and I am in love with this choice.
The art in this graphic novel is brilliant. Aside from the perfect color choices, the style itself is also spot on. Whimsical and cute, it helps to lighten the mood and combat the undercurrent of sadness and grief.I also want to note that I really loved the ending. I honestly don’t know where the series will go, as the end was satisfying and provided closure, but I look forward to finding out.
Sadly, while I did really enjoy this, it fails the sniff test in one very big way: fatphobia. Every character with even a hint of being negative are drawn as bigger characters. They are also the only characters drawn as such. Admittedly, this book is a few years old, so the author/illustrator may have (hopefully has!) improved in this regard, but that doesn’t prevent this book from being blatantly fatphobic. Oddly, even with this issue, there’s no actual fat shaming, so there’s at least that. Without this issue, I would have given this full marks. With it, I can only give it 3 stars. I truly hope the further volumes, the third of which is due out in September, have done away with this harmful, dehumanizing, and frankly lazy trope.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and Oni Press for the early copy. This has been my honest review.
Content Warnings for: fatphobia, death of a parent, death of a child, drowning, neglectful parent, parentification of a child, gaslighting, sabotage....more
Quick heads up, this post will include references to a very specific form of violence that is all too common in American schools. Please don't read ifQuick heads up, this post will include references to a very specific form of violence that is all too common in American schools. Please don't read if that could be triggering to you, or at least skip the next paragraph. Thank you and take care of yourselves.
As someone who has always been more comfortable playing non-violent video games, this book was a no-brainer for me. I’m not sure how I feel about the impetus behind its creation. The author introduces the book by speaking of Sandy Hook, and a subsequent ‘day of cease fire� that the gaming community held in December of that year. He goes on to say that he was inspired to start sharing non-violent games as alternatives, so that gamers could still play on that day. There’s a couple of reasons I’m not completely comfortable with this; 1) the gaming community has been the scapegoat for far too long as it is and offering absolutely any credence to that theory is just obscuring the actual problem; and 2) non-violent games should be spotlighted, not as an alternative to shooters and the like, but as their own rich and diverse category. I’m glad the author sings the praises of non-violent games and proclaims them as just as valid as any other, but treating them as alternatives or substitutions in any way (especially when they’re already looked down on and derided by a large chunk of the gaming community) just doesn’t sit well with me.
The book itself collects a wide array of games, starting back in the 1980s, clear up to the last few years. They’re listed in alphabetical order, with a small amount of information about them, and a picture from the gameplay of the entry. Personally, I wish they had been broken up just a bit more. Maybe separate chapters for different genres, or separate chapters for the decade the game was released. The format didn’t offer any natural breaks, so it could feel a bit monotonous at times. That said, it was still very informative, even if it wasn’t an exhaustive list (I cannot believe that the author did not include Paradise Bay, as I’m fairly certain it falls under the non-violent category, and was really quite popular at the time and really doesn’t have any past or current equivalent, but I digress), and didn’t list more than a single game from any given franchise (I’m looking at the unbelievable number of Sims games, here). Anyway, it is definitely worth a read if you are interested in gaming, particularly ones from the early days of video games, though the price may be a barrier for some readers.
The author also runs a Twitter account () which spotlights a non-violent video game of the day, so that might be worth looking at if you find yourself interested in this collection. I know I plan to give it a look. I’d also be interested in seeing other books of this kind, maybe with a focus on specific platforms, or only currently available games.
I would recommend this to anyone with a strong interest in video games, both past and present. Personally, I’m only rating this a 3 out of 5, but that is only due to the lack of chapters/breaks.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and Pen & Sword for the early copy. This has been my honest review....more
I really thought I’d enjoy this book and it may be my own fault that I didn’t. Everything about this book led me to believe it was a photography book,I really thought I’d enjoy this book and it may be my own fault that I didn’t. Everything about this book led me to believe it was a photography book, meaning one where the author had taken the pictures, and that they would all be new and of the same quality. Turns out, the author and/or publisher gathered existing pictures from various sources, including Shutterstock, and then added descriptions and bits of information. This also means that the pictures are of varying quality, and sometimes don’t even fit what the author has written (example: one picture shows anacondas mating, but the description is about their size and feeding behavior).
Does this mean it’s not worth reading? No, it definitely has its merits. It’s interesting, for one, with some truly spectacular photos, and it covers species even I hadn’t heard of (which is not easy to do). For someone simply interested in snakes, this would no doubt be a delightful book. Sadly, while I’m definitely interested in snakes, I also enjoy photography, so this was not the book for me.
Content Warnings for: Snakes and the various subjects relating to them (bites, predation, etc.).
Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and Amber Books for the early copy. This has been my honest review....more
An interesting question to open a children’s picture book with, and one that sets up a fun tale with adorable characters.
This book is actually translaAn interesting question to open a children’s picture book with, and one that sets up a fun tale with adorable characters.
This book is actually translated from the original Finnish (by an author originally from Hungary), and the spirit of that shines through in both the story and the illustrations. That might sound puzzling to anyone unfamiliar with this quality, but those who know will understand what I mean.
That said, you needn’t worry about being able to pronounce any of the characters� names, as they are all simply called by their species: Owl, Rabbit, Hedgehog, etc.
The story and illustrations match up well, with cute forest animals decorating the pages. I believe the story would be easy to read aloud, with simple, easy to understand language, and a story that explains exactly what tomorrow is.
Even if that particular lesson is unneeded, the story is endearing and the animals are fun, so it’s not an unpleasant tale by any means.
I would recommend this to anyone with a young child (under the age of 5 or so) in their lives who likes to be read to (or likes to read themselves), especially if they like animals.
I rate this 4 out of 5 stars.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and Orca Book Publishers for the early copy. This has been my honest review....more
This book is a fairly even mix of the good and the bad. The story is interesting and stands well as a middle grade portal fantasy. The characters are This book is a fairly even mix of the good and the bad. The story is interesting and stands well as a middle grade portal fantasy. The characters are allowed to be flawed, and the mythology makes sense. I also really enjoyed that the premise is about a (sadly) actually extinct species. The flaws aren’t really that big a deal. There were some mixed up tenses and such. Personal issues I had were that the characters are flawed in a way that I, personally, didn’t enjoy (which is why it’s taken me so long to read, but I digress), and that I’m also not happy about the ending, though I understand why the author made the choices that she did.
I’m a little torn about whether to recommend this book or not. The story is interesting, the characters are mostly likeable. The villains are unquestionably bad, but some also still get to grow and change (possibly more so than some of the other characters).Knowing what I know now, would I have still chosen to read it? I’m not sure. Do I regret reading it? No. It was a good story and I genuinely really enjoyed some bits. I even thought for awhile that I may eventually re-read it, but the ending changed my opinion on that. I guess that means that I’d recommend it after all, at last if you’re interested in the premise, or portal fantasies in general. Just be aware that the ending is likely to be a bit polarizing, so you’ll probably either love it or hate it.
Trigger Warnings for death of a loved one, animal predation, abduction/kidnapping, loss of a child, gaslighting.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and Nimbus Publishing for the early copy. This has been my honest review....more
(Original notes: Holy cow, I read a 400 page book in a day. That has not happened for quite a while, and I give all credit to this book. Just. Wow.)
Fu(Original notes: Holy cow, I read a 400 page book in a day. That has not happened for quite a while, and I give all credit to this book. Just. Wow.)
Full review:
I cannot recommend this book highly enough. I mean, you’ve got a corn maze that keeps changing, you’ve got dead bodies (some of which are our main characters�), you’ve got creatures, and an overall creepiness that you just can’t shake. There’s even a jump scare, which my readerly brain absolutely loves. What more could a girl want?
Well, whatever it is, this book probably has you covered, because�
Bisexuality rep? Check. Fat heroine rep? Check. ADHD (and maybe audhd) rep? Check. Heavy metaphors for emotional trauma and healing? Oh yeah, you better believe it, check!
Also, if there’s anyone out there who likes Cube (the series of sci-fi horror movies), this has a very similar feel, so seriously� Read it. Read. It. Now.
I honestly do not have any complaints. From start to finish, this book wouldn’t leave me alone. I felt anxious every time I put it down. I couldn’t even sleep. I wound up finishing it in a DAY. This is unheard of for me. I haven’t finished a book in a day in years! Needless to say, I fully plan on reading more by Sarah Hollowell, if this kind of read is what I have to look forward to.
To end this, I have changed my mind. I do not merely recommend this. Instead, I implore you, shamelessly beg you, to read this book. I need you to read this book. I need everyone to read this book, because I need the author to write more books. I need everyone to meet Sadie and love her as much as I do.
Despite wanting everyone to read this, I also want everyone to be forewarned about the contents, so�
Content Warnings for: abuse (physical and emotional/psychological), mention/threat of suicide, one scene of graphic self-harm/cutting, other (very minor) self-harming throughout, lots of blood, gaslighting, abandonment, murder/death, broken bones, mention of missing teeth, scars, mention of miscarriage.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and HarperCollins for the early copy. This has been my honest review....more
This is not going to be a favorable review, but I’m going to try my best to make it a kind one, because I truly believe that the author loves her son This is not going to be a favorable review, but I’m going to try my best to make it a kind one, because I truly believe that the author loves her son and means to do the best she can for him. Unfortunately, she has fallen into the same holes that many parents of autistic children fall into.
Firstly, this book is categorized as ‘own voices� but that is not the case. The author would need to be writing about their own experience with autism for it to be ‘own voices�, and she’s not. Had it been written in a way specific to the author’s racial identity, or her status as an immigrant, I could see categorizing this as ‘own voices�. However, those are only mentioned offhand and don’t feature in any significant way.
Secondly, the book is full of ableism. Do I think the author means to be ableist? No. I think the author is well meaning and has been guided by people who have outdated ideas of what autism is. I used to believe many of the same things about it, so I understand where the author is coming from. I would encourage her to look into the Autistic Self Advocacy Network. As she has even noted in her book; autistic children grow up to be autistic adults. Consequently, I would ask her, who better to help you understand your autistic child than an adult who used to be one?
Sadly, the author’s son has already been subjected to ABA (applied behavioral therapy), which is basically conversion therapy for autistics. The point of ABA is to teach the autistic person to mask their autism, to fit in and be ‘normal�. Autistic masking is a trauma response. ABA is purposely inflicting trauma so that neurotypical people are made more comfortable.
The author also doesn’t seem to have a very good grasp of what autistic meltdowns are or what causes them. While she seems to have found something that pulls her child out of them, I believe it is liable to cause even more trauma to him in the long run. (My gut is telling me that the action is not pulling him out of the meltdown so much as it is making him feel abandoned and that he has to do what she wants or he’ll be left alone.)
I am honestly broken hearted for this child and his mother. Doctors continue to fail autistic people at every turn, and parents often don’t know who else to turn to. Even the most popular autism focused organization would rather eradicate autistic people than understand them. We need to do better.
The best thing about that is that it’s not too late. We can always learn and do better, and I truly hope the author finds a way to do that.
Lastly, I do not recommend this to anyone wanting to learn about autism or how to help their autistic child. Instead, I will repeat my plea that the author, or anyone else who wants to learn more about what autism actually is and how they can help, to visit the Autistic Self Advocacy Network website.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and Palmetto Publishing for the early copy. This has been my honest review.
I have stated before how much of a weakness I have for MG books. Well, I also have an interest in art, and with my favorite artist being Van Gogh (andI have stated before how much of a weakness I have for MG books. Well, I also have an interest in art, and with my favorite artist being Van Gogh (and the cover of this book being based on Starry Night), my interest was very much peaked.
The story gave me everything I could have wanted. I have a very niche love of magic that deals with paintings, and this absolutely worked in that regard. However, the execution left much to be desired, sadly.
That is to say, I loved the story. Traveling through paintings, and the mythology of the villains vs. the heroes, and such. What I am not a fan of, and the reason I cannot recommend this book, is the use of homelessness as an insult (“she looks like a homeless person�), the lack of basic research outside of the artworks being mentioned (using CPU instead of NPC to refer to video game characters), and being judgemental about people modeling for art in the nude.
The nude model thing is complicated, but I want to clarify: had the author stopped at simply having her child protagonists be uncomfortable with the nudity and deciding not to look, I would have had no problem with it. I would probably even have expected it. It would have made all the sense in the world to me. However, including a note thats only point is to judge those who would model for art in the nude, in a book that is literally about art (and all older art at that), comes across as weird and problematic, and nearly makes me regret reading the book entirely.
Lastly, the story takes a very odd turn into Christianity, completely without warning. There’s nothing in the information that would indicate this was a Christian book, so it was fairly jarring, and didn’t really feel like it fit into the rest of the story, and also probably explains the author’s issue with nudity.
So, no, I do not recommend this book.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and WaterBrook & Multnomah for the early copy. This has been my honest review....more
I knew I needed to read this as soon as I saw the comparison to The Haunting of Bly Manor. I have not yet read House of Salt and Sorrows, but I added I knew I needed to read this as soon as I saw the comparison to The Haunting of Bly Manor. I have not yet read House of Salt and Sorrows, but I added that to my list about a quarter of the way through based solely on its apparent similarity to this book. Needless to say, I enjoyed this a lot.
This is a gothic love story that manages some truly disturbing moments of horror. Reader beware: dead, dying, and injured animals are a major theme throughout. That said, I’m highly sensitive to that myself, and it never felt gratuitous and always added to and advanced the story.
This is also a queer love story. Marin and Evie’s romance had me swooning. I will literally never smell cinnamon again without thinking of this book. For the most part, I loved that their relationship was treated as normal and nothing to be commented on. I just wish that there had been some acknowledgement of the very real possibility of homophobia/anti-lgbtqia+ sentiment. Even just an offhand thought could have covered that and made the books� queer readers that much more comfortable.
All that aside, this has been one of the most enjoyable books I’ve read recently. The writing is beautifully lyrical. I honestly want to listen to the audiobook when I get the chance, just to hear some of my favorite parts being read aloud. The romance is sweet and flows believably with the rest of the story, and the overall story is enthralling. I could hardly put it down, actually hated having to, and literally couldn’t wait to see what happened next. I will admit to seeing some of the twists prior to their reveal, but it did not detract from my enjoyment at all. I absolutely plan to revisit Marin and Evie, and the dark heart of this book that is the Lovelace Estate.
My rating for this is 5 out of 5 stars and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys gothic fiction.
CW for animal death, animal cruelty, parental death, abusive parent, bones, teeth, blood, drowning, living corpses, tarantula, guns, emesis.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and HarperCollins for the early copy. This has been my honest review....more
I am utterly torn in regards to this book. I liked the reading of it, but feel completely cheated by the outcome. So, do I recommend it because I enjoI am utterly torn in regards to this book. I liked the reading of it, but feel completely cheated by the outcome. So, do I recommend it because I enjoyed the journey, or not recommend it because the end kind of ruined it? I suppose the only way to make any recommendation at all is to simply state the good and the bad, and let people make up their own minds about it.
The good bit is that the story itself makes sense. There is no failure in that regard. Everything is built up without any real extraneous “evidence� (oh, how I hate the seemingly ever-present “evidence� that actually makes no sense at all). The misleads worked and made enough sense to be viable. Many of the characters were a particular joy, especially Molly.
The bad is a little more complicated, and will require some spoilers, so be forewarned before reading further (skip the next paragraph to avoid spoilers).
(view spoiler)[The end, the answer to the mystery, while it makes perfect sense, is never hinted at. You, as the reader, have basically no chance to ever see it coming. Also, the whole thing feels like either anti-traveller racism, or an extremely clumsy attempt to bring attention to anti-traveller racism. Given the fact that there is nowhere in the book that actually describes anyone as being a traveller (or any of the more racist terms) and I am getting this feeling from vague charactizations, I would sadly say it seems more likely to be a subconscious form of the former. (hide spoiler)]
I could 100% be seeing something that’s not there. I am not an expert on what does and does not count as anti-traveller racism*, but I am very leery of promoting anything that might be. I honestly tried to find out more about the author, hoping to get some clue about the intention behind this, but I could find nothing. So, sadly, I do not think I can recommend this book, due to the issues listed above.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and St. Martin’s Press for the early copy. This has been my honest review.
Content notes for violence, blood, stalking, harassment, betrayal, fire, scars.
*Disclaimer: I could be missing something or reading into things. I am not familiar enough with the culture to say 100% either way....more
Okay, before I get into my praise for this, I want to list the negatives. Firstly, the mystery aspect wasn’t as strong as it could be. I knew way too Okay, before I get into my praise for this, I want to list the negatives. Firstly, the mystery aspect wasn’t as strong as it could be. I knew way too much of what was coming before I ever should have (but I still didn’t know everything, so that’s a plus). Another thing is that there are a lot of instances of information being repeated. As the reader, this quickly became annoying. Lastly, the characters are a little hit and miss in how well developed they seem. Most of them are well crafted and believable, but a few fell flat for me. I just couldn’t connect with them. They weren’t just the minor characters, either. Io’s sisters, for instance, just didn’t work for me.
Now, you’d think that would mean I didn’t enjoy the book, wouldn’t you? On the contrary, I really did enjoy it. The romance felt genuine (and was adorable); Io’s and Edie’s story arc is painful in its awkwardness, which is a huge part of its charm for me, as it makes it more believable. The story overall was interesting � including the mystery, and the world is well developed and hard to resist. Fiction based on Greek mythology often is for me, especially when it’s about the Fates.
On top of all of that, the author also includes trans and non-binary characters, as well as having other queer relationships, and it felt completely natural to the story and the world. The world is written in such a way as to mirror many current social issues, such as racism and classism, and does so in a way that feels genuine and believable. My rating is 4 out of 5, rounded up from 3.75, and I definitely plan to continue reading the series.
I would recommend this to anyone looking for an interesting story, who also doesn’t mind cliffhangers (things are still very much up in the air at the end of this book).
Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and Penguin Young Readers Group for the early copy. This has been my honest review.
Content Warnings for: abuse and manipulation by a parental figure, blood, death, violence, minor gore, mention of animal torture, animal fighting, spiders....more
Though I rarely read mysteries (I almost always figure out the ending and it *always* ruins the experience), I still have a distinct love of the genreThough I rarely read mysteries (I almost always figure out the ending and it *always* ruins the experience), I still have a distinct love of the genre. This book gave me the ability to scratch the mystery itch, without worrying about ruining it for myself and I was not disappointed.
The various sections (detectives, settings, motives, means, etc.) were extremely enjoyable and thorough, if limited to the western world (understandable, but I would’ve loved to see a slightly more diverse cross section of the genre). The prose was enjoyably flowery (pun intended, not sorry), and flowed effortlessly, often with a fun sense of humor that makes the reader feel like they’re being let in on a private joke. On top of the mystery aspect, the gardening angle gave me no shortage of interesting facts, from roses to rhubarb, there’s absolutely something in this book that you’d be surprised to learn.
As much as I’d like to only sing the praises of this book, I did have some issues with a few things. The author seems to be fairly socially conscious, openly speaking of colonization, concentration camps, etc., but describes a racist trope that targets Travellers without any note. The author may be unaware of the connotation, but I still wanted to note it in my review. The other thing is the mention (and therefore tacit support) of a certain author. I will not mention this author by name, but she is actively harmful to the LGBTQIA+ community, and I want any potential readers to be aware of this. I would also implore authors who want to be allies to not support those who are hurting the community.
I really did enjoy this book, and recommend it highly to anyone interested in mysteries and gardening. Though be forewarned that even I, the person unable to read most mysteries, added to my TBR pile while reading this, so read at your own risk.
I give this book 4 out 5 stars, with the 5th star being withheld only because of the issues mentioned above. If not for them, this would be a 5 star read for me.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and Timber Press for the early copy. This has been my honest review....more
This review is going to be one of the more difficult ones I write. You see, the thing is, I love this book. I loved it from the moment I opened it. ThThis review is going to be one of the more difficult ones I write. You see, the thing is, I love this book. I loved it from the moment I opened it. The dark and imposing atmosphere of the Morguewood, Wil’s Snark, Elwood’s sweetness. It all built into this tale that I didn’t want to finish, but also couldn’t put down, and it would have been a hands-down-no-question-full-5-stars (and personal favorite) if it just would’ve kept up with itself.
Somewhere in the middle, the flow gets a little weird. Some characters leave/disappear and it isn’t acknowledged. I could have handled that, whatever, it happens. But then the whole middle is just a bit unfinished. It reads like a stretch of film that keeps going in and out of focus, some scenes are crystal clear while others feel like they’re missing something important. At first, I thought it was me, that I wasn’t paying enough attention, so I went back and reread from a point prior to that. It wasn’t me. Then, I thought it was a stylistic choice, but that doesn’t seem to fit with where all it happens. While that is still a possibility, it doesn’t really work to do anything except frustrate and annoy. It just feels so unfinished. This is under 300 pages, but the story reads like it should be closer to 400, or even more.
This is not to say that there is not an ending. The book absolutely has an ending. Now, the honest and heartbreaking truth is that, even with all of these issues, I still can’t rate it any lower than 4 out of 5. The story itself is perfect, and the parts that read as finished are amazing, the characters are very well fleshed out (unless they fall into that middle part), the underlying rules of the myth are complex while also making complete sense. The middle just feels completely unfinished, and I am honestly mourning the finished version of this that never got to be. Despite everything, I still very much recommend this. It really is a delightfully twisted tale. The exception, of course, being anyone who would be overly bothered by the things I’ve mentioned above.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and Penguin Young Readers Group for the early copy. This has been my honest review.
Content Notes for lots of death, human sacrifice, corpses, Christianity, religion used as an excuse for abuse, loss of a parent....more
I loved this book. Every story had me hooked, and while I didn’t love every story, I enjoyed all of them, which is basically unheard of for me. “A BriI loved this book. Every story had me hooked, and while I didn’t love every story, I enjoyed all of them, which is basically unheard of for me. “A Brief Intermission� creeped me out, “The Visitor� had a wonderful take on grief, and “Hey There, Demons� was absolutely perfect. Each one made me feel something for the characters, and I was so glad to find trans/non-binary rep. I fully intend to look up the authors I particularly enjoyed to read more by them. I will add that I really wish there had been some ace/aro representation, as that would have made it all the more inclusive.
I 100% recommend this book. It’s an excellent anthology with some very enjoyable and moving stories, and there’s no time like the present to support queer books.
I do want to note that “Nine Stops� should have a content note for graphic animal death/cruelty. I very much would have benefitted from such a warning, and know others would as well. Still a good story, but I would’ve liked the story more if I hadn’t been dealing with that.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and St. Martin’s Press for the early copy. This has been my honest review.
I actually chose this book because I'm already a fan of the author's comics. I love the antics of Brain and Heart (and all their fellows). Seeing themI actually chose this book because I'm already a fan of the author's comics. I love the antics of Brain and Heart (and all their fellows). Seeing them typically brings a bit of joy to my day, and I figured that a whole book would be even better. This specific collection was wonderful in regards to the comics. Heart continuing to always inconvenience Brain, Brain always trying to anchor Heart. I quite enjoyed the comic content of this collection and would happily revisit it. I may even enjoy Brain and Heart more now.
Sadly, I cannot say as much in regards to the writing. My copy had missing letters all through the written parts and, while it was still legible, it was very distracting and made for a less enjoyable reading experience. Hopefully that was addressed prior to full publication. If so, that would make for a much smoother reading experience.
My rating, however, would stay the same, as -- while I love the struggle between the characters in the comics -- some of the author's takes come across as ableist and classist. (Sometimes things, whether they be health things or situation things, cannot be changed, regardless of a person's mindset). I do not believe the author is aware of this nor do I believe that it is intended. I believe it is intended to be an uplifting and inspiring bit of writing, but intended or not, harm is still harm.
I'll be honest, if I had known that there was a self-help aspect to this book, I likely wouldn't have read it as it's really not my genre. If that's your jam, you'll probably enjoy it.
All of that said, I still enjoy Brain and Heart a great deal. They are a classic sort of comedy duo, and the gags nearly always pay out. If the comics were all I was rating, this would be a five star review. I highly recommend the comic content to anyone who already enjoys them. However, due to the issues in the written content and questionable opinions, I have to give three out of five, and recommend anyone who might find these views problematic (as I do) to just read the comic portion and skip the rest.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the early copy. This has been my honest review....more
I absolutely love the cover to this book. It's so colorful and it sets the story up very well. I really enjoyed Jane's story. I love how everything unfI absolutely love the cover to this book. It's so colorful and it sets the story up very well. I really enjoyed Jane's story. I love how everything unfolds and I would definitely continue with the series. The world, the systems, all capture the imagination and keep the reader engaged.
I did have a few minor issues with this. For one, the adults all seem a bit flat for most of the book. There's also some drama that I wish had been handled differently, only because I agreed with the character being angry and it felt like he was manipulated into forgiveness.
That said, I really did enjoy this, especially once Jane got to Copiacia (aka, The Lands of Luxury). I almost wish it had been longer so it could've had more detail and been fleshed out a bit more.
Thank you to Netgalley and Blueberry Finch for the early copy. This has been my honest review....more
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