_miasnovelnotes_'s Reviews (432)

Thank you to Kodansha Comics for the e-arc of this manga!! This story gave such Studio Ghibli and Thumbelina vibes!! Sheeta’s friend Nala goes missing and he decides to leave the safety of his village to find him. He meets Izuna, who is searching Sheeta’s dad — who apparently destroyed his village. They form an unlikely alliance and keep searching together. Although Sheeta was scared of leaving his new-ish home, his loyalty and love for his friend eclipsed his fears. The art style is sooooo cute and the story makes me feel so nostalgic for the fantasy films and books of my childhood. 4 🌟

an essential reminder of what it means to be a citizen of a democracy 
4.25 🌟

Thank you to Hachette Audio for the alc of this book. It was an interesting story with a great narration duo — but it unfortunately fell flat for me. I had difficulty truly connecting with their relationship due its back and forth nature  — the “will they won’t they” was slightly overdone and it made it harder for me to get invested in their success. They had a lot of passion for each other, but the relationship sparked and fizzled out over and over again. I also was caught off guard by how much of their relationship was physical rather than emotional. I like physical intimacy in books, but their romantic journey seemed geared more towards the smut rather than making a true connection. While I enjoyed listening to it, I wouldn’t read it again. I’m disappointed as I was so excited to get this alc. Maybe the author’s other books will be more to my taste? 2.75 🌟

Thank you to Kodansha for the e-arc of this manga. Wow, this manga blew me away! Set in 1930s Russia, it follows two individuals, Bielka and Shchenok, who are bound together by a tight bond. They travel on a mission in Russia (but what mission, we aren’t aware of), encountering potential allies and foes. This was a very dark story, but a compelling read. Rich with historical background and a detailed art style, I felt transported to a Russian winter of the 20th century. I had no idea who to trust and was surprised by the slow reveals. I would recommend this to dark historical fiction lovers. Please check trigger warnings!
4.25 🌟

Thank you to Yen Press for the e-arc of this manga. This had a very interesting premise — a kindergarten for “elite” children protected by convicts with special skills, and a budding romance (?). While I was entertained, it kinda felt like the storyline and execution was all over the place. There were so many different plots going on that it felt like we were bouncing back and forth a lot. I liked the art style, but it was just kinda okay for a volume 1. I may end up reading the next volume but it’s a maybe. 
3 stars 🌟 (?)

DNF at 71% — the third act conflict just did not feel compelling to me

Thank you to Hachette Audio for the advanced listening copy of this book! I have to be honest, I had no experience and limited knowledge of pickleball before reading this book. But, this book taught me pickleball rules in a fun way — while dealing with the tension between the mmc and fmc! The relationship between the two characters was strong - and I love how the mmc kinda secretly pines for her. There’s definitely forced proximity — between Niko practicing at Bec’s pickleball court, fake dating, and his aunt being so close with Bex. I did like that Niko was Greek (because I am too!) and his aunt’s meddling felt very real to my experience with my Greek family. However, there was a slight mistake in how Niko’s full name was pronounced and the word “agape” (love) was pronounced, which took me out of the story for a second. I only noticed because I speak Greek proficiently but honestly it wasn’t too bad. The third-act breakup also came kinda out of nowhere, but I kinda understood why they needed that time away from each other. Other than that, a solid story! 3.75 🌟