In The Solarium

  5/5  ⭐ Found family, a magical boarding school, and a missing friend. A perfect combination in this spooky YA graphic novel. Plus the incredible artwork is not to be missed.  This is one that caught my eye as I kept passing in the teen department at one of the libraries I work at. I then read the little summary and was hooked.  This story follows Abby as she learns one morning that the closest person she has to family has disappeared and feels that the school isn't doing enough in the search for her. And so takes it upon herself to discover what secrets this school has been hiding for years.  Accompanied by friends and a mysterious story from the schools past, they learn that the off-limits woods hold more than they expect when a similar story of a missing students comes up.  This was such an atmospheric and gorgeous graphic novel. And perfect for those looking for a more gothic meets dark academia story for the season.  Plus the characters...

  *Possible Spoilers, Read with Care. 5/5 ⭐ Fresh starts, new friends, and friendly spiders? This speculative fiction from Rachel Harrison gives new meaning to taking back your magic.  Play it safe Annie has just moved to a new town to start a new job all in an attempt to move on from from her longtime boyfriend who recently dumped her. And at first all is well. Better than well as the townspeople are kind and welcoming and the town itself quaint and picturesque. What could be better.  She even makes a new friend that helps her move on and start living for herself. Sophie, the elegant, strange, and intimidating woman who happens to live in a mansion in the woods. She recognizes something in Annie and takes her under her wing. The two form a bond that continues to grow as Annie learns what it means to truly live for herself.  I devoured this story in one day. In just a few hours while I was at work and in between helping patrons. It was so good that I recommended it t...

5/5  ⭐ An atmospheric setting, steeping in traditions and folklore with a tightknit community on the secluded island of Saoirse make this adult fantasy impossible to put down.  Drawn together no matter the time or distance, Emery and August must face difficult facts as the truth about what drove August away all those years ago comes to light. Others, determined to keep the truth well buried will do anything to keep it that way. No matter the cost.  Young balances magic and mystery perfectly as the story progresses, reaching the climatic point that will leave you stunned.  This novel is not one to miss. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. 

5/5 ⭐ In this mind-blowing sequel to the equally amazing A Psalm for the Wild-Built , Chambers has once again made me stop to think and question things I had never considered before. I am relatively new to Becky Chamber’s work but so far I have loved everything I have been fortunate enough to read. Chamber’s has a way of writing that makes you feel exposed yet comforted in knowing that the thoughts and ideas that have been plaguing you are familiar to someone else as well. In Crown-Shy, Mosscap and Dex are journeying through towns and farmlands on their way into the City. Mosscap is given its chance to ask the question it’s been holding on to and Dex is able to finally get the bath they so desperately desire. There is more exploration of the question “What do people want?” and in turn that becomes what do people value and what is purpose. I think, similar to others that have read this, that seeing Dex and their dealings with burnout in relation to our current world and own feelings and...

  💜 Travis Baldree’s debut fantasy novel is not one to miss. I found this title through TikTok, from a fellow librarian I follow who couldn’t recommend it enough and I finally bit the bullet and ordered myself a copy. And let me just say, one of the best purchases I made. Ever. I saw one person describe this as a cozy fantasy and I couldn’t agree more. It is everything one could want in a low-stakes, slice-of-life fantasy story. It hits all the buttons and then some. The story follows Viv, a retired orc barbarian, tired of the adventurer life and looking to settle down and open a coffee shop in a little town that had never even heard of coffee. And while at first glance it looks like this will just be another coffee shop story with a fantasy background, it’s not. It is so much more. Baldree gives us elements of found family, the importance of old friendships, and building new relationships. And oof the relationships. I loved the quality of characters Baldree gave us. There weren’t...

5/5 ⭐ The Kaiju Preservation Society is an immensely clever, fun, and dynamic story. The worldbuilding is unique and massive in more ways than one. It’s never overwhelming or bogged down by details. Scalzi gives us exactly what we need to understand and then we’re off. The characters are a hoot and god I love that sweet karmic justice that comes. This book is literally for the people doing the lifting. For the people most ignore and forget about. This time, they are front and center which is a nice change. The dialogue was witty, snappy, and so funny. Lots of quips and one liners. To some it might seem like too much but I was laughing the entire time. Plus all the sci-fi references were just simply fun. I don’t usually read sci fi but I loved this one and am interested in reading another one of John Scalzi’s work. Can’t suggest this one more. 4/26/22 *This review was previously posted on my google site.

4/5 ⭐ This is a cute and refreshing YA LGBT+ romance that takes real, unforgettable characters and an even more interesting plot. Meet Eleanor, a recluse and firm disbeliever in witchcraft working in a witchy souvenir shop in downtown Salem. After a chance encounter with Pix, a real-life witch, and some tarot-inspired help Eleanor is forced to flee her comfort zone and face the hurts of her past. If there is only one thing you take away from this review it needs to be this... Kate Scelsa has created some of the most realistic, relatable, and unforgettable characters. And not only that, she makes them face their truths and admit their wrongs. And learn from them. Not just behind the scenes but on the page. And I loved that. At first glance, I thought that this would be a lighthearted fantasy-esque story but it is so much more. While not fantasy at all, this story is so much more complex and intricate. And yes, there is some romance but this is much more of a coming-of-age and learning t...

4/5 ⭐ ~ Warning - Contains Spoilers ~ Who doesn’t love a fairy tale retelling where everything gets tilted on its head and prince charming get’s punched in his face? This quick-to-consume but absolutely memorable Sleeping Beauty sort of retelling, sort of inspired by story, is one you don’t want to miss. Not only are the pages decorated with beautiful black and white illustrations adding to the beauty of the story, but the writing itself is another masterpiece. Harrow does a fantastic job of creating a spellbinding setting and story that you can’t help but to want to read in one sitting. Zinnia Gray is dying. Only slated to live until her 21st year and is obsessed with Sleeping Beauty. So what happens when on her 21st she pricks herself on a spindle and is transported to a Sleeping Beauty-esque realm? Well, she teams up with Primrose, Sleeping Beauty, to defeat the evil fairy who cursed her. Except it wasn’t just a simple curse. And this is no simple adventure. I loved the story as it ...

5/5 ⭐ Filled with a fantastical description, feisty characters, and a devious plan concocted by three spurned witches, this book is hard to put down. I am notorious for being picky when it comes to fantasy and romance stories, so finding one that was a combination of both that I loved was thrilling. Emmy Harlow has finally returned home in order to fulfill a centuries-long tradition in her family. I don't know if it was just me but I could feel the struggles Emmy was facing from page one. Harper managed to make her feel alive and genuine, which I am coming to find appeals to me when reading. Emmy fled her hometown nearly 10 years earlier and the wounds are still hurting. She's a little lost, a little pissed, and a little in love. Her homecoming is something she struggles with throughout most of the main story. The longing for a home but not knowing if it is the place she grew up in, the magical and wonderful Thistle Grove. Or if it is magicless, solitary Chicago to which she fl...

5/5 ⭐ 💜   Possible Spoilers - Read with care Whatever I expected before picking this one up was thrown out the window and obliterated. I had known that TJ Klune was a popular and well-written author. I knew that this book was going to be good. I just didn't realize how good it would be. There is something reassuring about his writing that doesn't drag you down into it or anything like that. Rather it welcomes you in, offers you something comforting, and invites you to stay. And that is an invitation you can't turn down. Because you don't want to. You want to sit and stay and feel every emotion and feeling he writes, the happy and the sad. Because it feels genuine. This is a story that talks about death at length and at points in vivid detail. It walks you through the five stages of grief in such a way that you almost forget that it is essential to the story. Not that it becomes insignificant, rather it happens so fluidly and naturally. It's never choppy or overly i...

5/5 ⭐ A fresh take on the old classic, Silvia Moreno-Garcia manages to reimagine vampire lore into something completely unique. Take whatever previous notions you have of vampire stories and toss them out the window. She managed to introduce such an interesting take on vampires, ones that take on aspects from their cultures like Alt with ties to Aztec mythology and so on.  All of these subspecies of vampire builds on the richness of the world Moreno-Garcia created. Alt flees to Mexico City, a closed nation free from any vampire after her family is killed by a rival gang of Necro vampires(a deadly European subspecies of vampires). With only Cualli, her loyal and deadly dog, and a garbage boy named Domingo helping her, she has to flee both the Necros and human gangs who wish her dead.  Vampire gangs are definitely a new one for me. The characters come to life on the page within the excellent worldbuilding. You just get lost in the story, captivated until the very end.  The ...