Not a bad conclusion to the trilogy, I think! Though I barely remember what happened in the previous book, besides the fact that it had a pretty big cliffhanger ending. Also, basically listened to this entire thing in a day while I was cleaning/organizing things from Christmas, so there's that! Squeaking one more book in at the last minute.

I still haven't read the Caraval trilogy, but I can pretty safely say you can read this trilogy without reading that. I enjoyed the romance, and the sort of overall fairytale quality of the book. If you like that Happily Ever After fairy tale feel, you'll most likely enjoy this book!

Garber definitely leaves room at the end for a potential to return to this world, and with how popular it is, I think she probably will! Most likely following a different set of characteres, though.

Translated from the original French, this entire book is honestly an experience. It's printed to look like a vintage comic book, with a sort of whimsical nature to the overall plot of the story. Honestly, it reminded me of a Studio Ghibli movie in a way. It has that sort of tone to it, with a mix of mythology and magic and characters that just spark your interest. Definitely pick it up if you're in for an interesting time!

Theo and Kit were best friends turned lovers who had originally planned to spend their lives together. But something happened on their way to a European vacation that put them on opposite ends of the world. Theo is a sommelier in California and Kit is a chef pâtissier in Paris.

After not having spoken for four years, Kit and Theo now find themselves on the same food tour across Europe. In order to prove that they’ve moved on, they’ve challenged each other to see who can sleep with the most people on their tour. Because being in some of the most romantic places in Europe won’t stir up any old feelings, right?

Thanks to St. Martin’s Griffin and Edelweiss for an advanced copy of The Pairing by Casey McQuiston to review! This is probably one of my most-anticipated releases of the year, and getting to read it early? Bring on all the good things for 2024.

Let me just start by saying: this book is probably going to make you want to travel, to take a food tour across Europe, and will make the perfect end of summer read. It’s got so much going for it: food pairings, romantic tension, a colorful cast of characters. Two main characters who are madly in love with each other but don’t want to admit it to the other. If there’s one thing I love about McQuiston’s writing it’s their ability to write fantastic, well-rounded characters you’re probably going to want to be friends with.

The overall set up of this book is also different from a lot of other rom-coms I’ve read. But! It feels so purposeful, specifically for the way that it explores gender and bisexuality. McQuiston takes your expectations about those things and really plays with them throughout the entire book. The way dramatic irony was used added so much to the overall tension of the story. Because as readers, we know Kit and Theo are still in love, but they absolutely refuse to let the other realize it.

I think this book is also McQuiston’s spiciest book, to date. Like, those people who watched the Red, White, & Royal Blue movie and thought the book was going to be spicy will probably be shocked when they pick up this book. McQuiston definitely took the slutty, bisexual stereotype and said: why is being “slutty” such a bad thing? Let me show you why it’s not.

Basically, if best friends to lovers to exes to lovers again sounds like a great time to you, definitely pick this up as your end of summer read. And then maybe book a trip to Europe. 
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If this book doesn't make you want to take a food tour around Europe, I'm not convinced you even read the book. Stay tuned for a full review to come!

My final holiday read of 2023! This was sort of a Jewish-Christmas mash-up, as a lot of the characters are Jewish but they are trying to save Carrigan's Christmasland. The premise was fun, the characters were pretty well rounded for the most part, and it had some excellent holiday vibes. 

I do think the book itself was slightly longer than it needed to be. Part of that was because of how much time takes place, I think. It just felt a little drawn out. But I did enjoy the romance! It felt realistic to me.

If you do pick this up, be warned there are some pretty heavy themes of grief and dealing with past traumas from abuse. It's still a rom-com, but definitely with some heavier themes.

First of all, this book has excellent representation, and I think it depicts the teen queer experience in the south very well, at least from what I can tell from reading other reviews. Dawn, Edie, and Georgia are all dealing with their own things in their senior year of high school, but they are always there for each other. The found family aspect in this book, especially in relation to the LGBTQ+ community, is also done really well.

Unfortunately, I wasn't a huge fan of the narrator for the audiobook, so I think that took away from the experience of the book. Some of the different voices she did for the characters weren't my favorite thing. There was also sort of an omniscient narrator in the story itself, and sometimes, that format isn't my favorite. At times, I would forget which character we were following.

However, the documentary aspect of the book was really cool, and I enjoyed getting to see glimpses into that. Overall, an enjoyable read that I think teens will definitely be able to see themselves in.

I don't think this one was quite as strong as other volumes, but it still has a good story! Yatora seems to have found his inspiration again, even if No Marks might not quite be what it seems on the surface. The installation piece he did for school, though, was really interesting and I loved the concepts behind it!

I *think* I am finally caught up on the English volumes now, so I'll just have to pay better attention to when the next volumes come out. And perhaps finally watch the anime!

This volume finds Yatora debating whether or not he wants to leave school. He's found an artist's commune where they don't have to make art to be good or great, or just to make art. There are a lot of discussions in this particular volume about who has the privilege to make art, and why it is that way. Great discussions all around!

I love the points that this volume makes about the fact that you don't have to go to school necessarily to be good at art. Because art school is expensive, and you can learn just as much on your own. Definitely interested in seeing what path Yatora takes next.

Leave it to Ryan La Sala for the weird and strange and dark horror. Not always my jam, but I'm always intrigued with what he comes up with! It's sure to keep you guessing until the end, which is definitely what Beholder does. Starts of with a bang, and doesn't really let up until the end of the book.

I will say, I appreciated the way that this book examines art, and the obsession with aesthetics. The creature lurking behind mirrors, manipulating what people see. It's such an engaging concept. The characters are also well developed; I especially enjoyed the way Athan and Dom's relationship changed throughout the book. 

Not a huge fan of the ending, but it is what it is! If you're a fan of weird, dark horror, Ryan La Sala is definitely for you.

Ffion has refused to join the Foxhall Coven because she believes they’re power-hungry witches who take too much power from nature. When one day, they go too far, Ffion has to figure out how to get back when they’ve taken from her. And fast. Since the magic in Wales is disappearing.

Meanwhile, Prince Taliesin is looking for a witch to help him restore magic to his kingdom. Ffion begrudgingly agrees to help him–while also possibly working with his brother, Dafydd, behind his back. Will they complete their quest in time to save Wales? 
 

Thanks to HarperTeen and NetGalley for an advanced copy of The Hedgewitch of Foxhall by Anna Bright to review! Standalone fantasy can be difficult to find in YA fantasy, so it’s always a breath of fresh air when you find one. Especially when it has a gorgeous cover like this one.

This is a historical fantasy based on Welsh folklore, which I haven’t seen a lot of in YA. The folklore/magic aspect is pretty well developed for the most part, as well as the world itself. Historical fantasies lend themselves well to that, immersing the reader into this magical world Bright has created.

Splitting the narration into three different voices took away from the overall story, though. The characters themselves felt a little flat, leaving me wanting more from each of them. Focusing on just one of the princes would have helped Bright to better develop the characters’ voices, and would have made me more invested in the novel itself.

Despite that, it was an enjoyable read, especially if you like learning about different kinds of folklore. There is a bit of a love triangle, so be warned of that. It will be a good fantasy to curl up with when the weather is cold outside! 

Because of the cost of his final project for his first year at art school, Yatora finds he needs to find a job to build his bank account back up again. So, he takes a job teaching art to kids at a community center. Once again, Yamaguchi does such an excellent job of exploring the creation of art, especially when you're a kid who's kind of seen as a prodigy. Does forcing kids to create "good" art at a young age mean they're going to be turned away from it as they get older? Does it affect their love for creating it in the first place? All interesting things to think about when it comes to any sort of creative thing.

In general, it feels like these later volumes are a bit more slower moving, but they really do make you think about art and being creative (in a form that is art, basically). Still very much enjoying them!