This was a delight! I do understand what all the hype was about now. And I can definitely see why this would make an excellent read aloud for elementary schools. There's a little something for everyone in this book; survival, found family, talking animals, commentary about the environment. I'm excited to pick up the next one!

I thoroughly enjoyed this! Its vibes felt a little like The Selection, mostly in the reality TV aspect. The world building was well done, and though the story really focused on plot over character, I was in for the ride! The world that Park has created is fascinating, and I'm excited to see more of it in a second book.

There are a lot of twists and turns by the end, even if I could see some of them coming. I also appreciated that this is a dystopia with basically no romance. So definitely bonus points for that!

A wonderful memoir about ND Stevenson's journey in life and in art, creating comics and being an artist. I think a lot of this was originally published on Tumblr, but I hadn't read it before, so I thoroughly enjoyed it! Especially with all of the success Nimona saw in the last year.

A short comic about Keezy Young's struggle with bipolar disorder, which they wrote in part to help decrease the stigma associated with bipolar. It feels like I've been reading a lot of books lately where the main characters struggle a lot with mental health issues, and I definitely recommend reading a variety of them! 

The art in this was gorgeous, and I loved the way it reflected the subject matter. It looks like Keezy Young has another graphic novel coming out next year, so I can't wait to also pick that one up!

B has been bounced around to different foster families for as long as they can remember. So much so that they’ve had to come up with different nicknames for each of the houses they’ve stayed at. Through it all, they’ve always dreamed of becoming a dog trainer. And when they meet the dog Gooseberry, they know that he’s the dog for them.

The only problem? Trying to convince their new foster parents, Eri and Jodie, to adopt Gooseberry. When they finally get to bring Gooseberry home, training him isn’t as easy as they thought. Will they be able to train him enough to be able to stay? 
 

Thanks to NetGalley and Amulet Books for an advanced copy of Gooseberry by Robin Gow to review! First of all, let’s talk about that cover. From the adorable dog to the color palette, I love everything about it. I think it will definitely draw kids in, too!

Gow has a knack for writing such authentic middle grade voices. For a lot of the book, B is trying to figure out who they are, especially when it comes to their name. They want to pick something that feels right to them, which is a hard thing to do!

In addition, they’re also learning about the other ways they might be different, too (mainly autism and ADHD). The way their new foster parents, Eri and Jodie, handle this is beautifully done. Yes, B makes frustrating decisions at times, but it’s a part of growing up. They’re learning, both in a place that actually makes them feel safe and in who they actually are.

At its core, this is really a story about learning to be okay with change and finding your place in the world. Both worthy themes for a middle grade novel. Definitely check it out when it comes out this May! 

In all honesty, most short story collections are just hit or miss for me, mostly because there are usually just a few standouts. For fantasy, it's especially hard if there is a lot of world building. There's a lot to fit into a smaller amount of pages.

I think my favorite stories in this one were the ones that Vico Ortiz narrated. Do I remember which ones those were? Nope, but I liked the vibes of them. A good narrator always makes or breaks it for me. 

If you like short story collections, check this one out! There are still some gems in here.

This does get a bit repetitive by volume 3, but I was definitely still enjoying the vibes. It's a great, light read that would work as a good palate cleanser between heavier books.

Chihiro has always dreamed of being a samurai. Her father was a well-known samurai until he got injured, and Chihiro is obsessed with Tatsuo Nakano. She is the only woman accepted into Kesi Academy, a samurai academy.

When Chihiro’s father is conscripted into service, Chihiro takes his place. Especially when she gets the chance to work with Tatsuo. Their mission? Kill the yamauba demon that is killing children from a local village. But Tatsuo isn’t what Chihiro expected she’d be. Will they be able to work together to save the village?

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperAlley for an advanced copy of The Worst Ronin by Maggie Tokuda-Hall to review! I always enjoy Maggie Tokuda-Hall’s work, and I was excited to see a new graphic novel from her. And it didn’t disappoint!

This is a fast-paced, violent at times graphic novel that kept me hooked from the very beginning. Both the writing and art work together beautifully to tell this story. The characters are expressive, and the panels are composed really well. Plus, I always enjoy the whole “grumpy mentor” story arc. We get to see Tatsuo's background and understand why she is the way she is, and this was written so well.

Also, if you love expressive animal sidekicks, you’ll definitely enjoy Tatsuo’s horse. Wonderful addition to a story that is a bit dark at times. This story does flip between events in the present and the past, which is noted by different color palettes. Always useful in the graphic novel format! 

My only complaint is that the inclusion of phones felt a bit out of place to me, but not enough to take me out of the story, honestly. By the end, it was kind of fun!

All in all, if you like fast-paced graphic novels featuring strong female leads, definitely pick this one up!

These are honestly just wonderful if you need a quick read to make you smile. And cats are your jam. It's not so much of a story as it is just a series of little comics about the silly things that cats get up to...in the name of taking over the world.

Honestly, an absolute delight. Especially if you own cats. Basically just a series of shorter comics about all the hijinks that cats get up to, but what isn't to like about that? Once you're done reading, you'll be convinced that your cats are also a part of the Evil Secret Society of Cats.