This volume actually has quite a bit of character development, as Yatora is struggling to figure out what to do with his final project. Not having any inspiration, he does find himself hanging out wtih Yotasuke, who is having his own struggles. Does he even like creating art, even though he's good at it?

There are such great discussions in here, such as if you're good at something, does that mean you need to like doing it? We also get to learn so much more about Yotasuke, who finally feels like he can just create art to create art. It doesn't have to have some bigger meaning. Seriously, great character development all around!

Like many creative people, we see Yatora struggling with creating in this one, trying to find meaning behind his work and behind other works of art that he sees. It's sort of that whole idea that if you're going to create art for a living, it has to mean something in order to last. This is something that Yatora has sturggled with before this, but it's getting more complicated the further he gets in his art program.

Always interested in seeing where this goes next!

I actually don't think I've ever read a Jane Austen novel, somehow, even though I do have two literature degrees. I mean, I concentrated in children's literature so perhaps that makes sense, but I did have to take classes outside of that! Including Victorian lit. But still. Somehow, Austen has never crossed my path.

But anyway, even without knowing the original, this was just an overall fun time. Not that it doesn't deal with some deeper, more serious themes like grief, anxiety, and mental health, but it does so with Rosen's signature style. A lot of the tone in this one reminded me of [book:Jack of Hearts|35442720], so if you like that book, you'll probably enjoy this one! Honestly, if you enjoy any of Rosen's YA works, it's a safe bet you'll enjoy Emmett.

The characters were pretty well-rounded in this one, and the way the romance played out was definitely very rom-com-esque. I did feel like the relationship at the end felt a little rushed, with a little bit of a quick turnaround in how Emmett feels about dating as a teenager in general. But it's a short book, so everything happened very fast in general. 

All in all, if you enjoy queer retellings of classics, definitely pick this one up!

This was a cute read! So many Christmas vibes, if you are looking for that. Cam also struggles with things that I think will be relatable to teens, like what happens when you go to college and you're not good at what you thought you were? What if you fail? Those types of anxieties plague teens of all kinds at the end of high school, so seeing how Cam navigated them I think was helpful.

This book does have a level of cheesiness to it, which is to be expected considering it's a Christmas novel. I think I just wanted a bit more chemistry between Cam and his love interest, Marco. They just needed a little more of a spark, I think.

All in all, if you like cute, slightly cheesy, Christmas romances, this will definitely be the book for you!

This is a great conclusion to this series! Though it seems like Sanderson will be writing more books set in this world, which seems pretty on par for him. But Spensa's story is concluded in this particular book. 

Seeing the character growth from the first book to this book is honestly masterfully done, and though there is definitely a build up to the ending, it is worth the build up. There's so much action packed into that last part of the book that you won't want to put it down until you finish reading it. I know I didn't!

There are so few sci-fi books like this for teens that I'm glad that this series exists. Because I know there are teens that like to read about space battles, too! The random illustrations thrown in here are also fun. And I appreciated the theme that just because an alien species doesn't think or act like humans doesn't mean they aren't intelligent beings. They just have intelligence in a different way.

All in all, this sci-fi series has all the space battles you could want while still hosting a cast of characters you will come to love by the end.

This one really ups the maturity and we are here for it. I can't wait to see how this is adapted into the show!
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I doubt there will ever be a time that I don't give a Heartstopper graphic novel 5 stars. Oseman really has a knack for writing teenagers that actually feel like teenagers. This installment finds Nick trying to figure out what he wants to do when he's done with school, Charlie slowling gaining more confidence in himself again, and the two of them wanting to take the next step in their relationship.

In addition to everything that happens with Nick and Charlie, we also get development from other characters as well. We get the smallest of glimpses of what Charlie's mom's childhood must have been like. We get an excellent conversation between Charlie and Tori about asexuality. We see Nick and Charlie's friends also struggling with what comes after high school. 

This volume also delves a little more into Nick's emotions, as he struggles with reaching out to people who aren't Charlie, and that's a huge anxiety for him going off to university. Oseman is so good at putting these heavier emotions into a story, and yet not making it feel like it is weighed down by those emotions. It's wonderfully done, and I can't wait until we get the next (and final) chapter in Nick and Charlie's story.

Juniper and Hadley are happy with their lives in Larkspur. They work at the local bakery, and perform at the inn on their nights off. When the owner of the bakery needs them to go on a journey to get a unique ingredient for a large order, they decide to add a little adventure to their lives.

During their journey, they come across an unusual mystery and decide to investigate. Some sort of creature has been eating farmer’s crops at night. Excited to have a new story to sing about, Hadley drags Juniper into the mystery. What was originally a quest for mushrooms now has turned into an adventure saving their new forest friends. 
 

Thanks to Feiwel & Friends and NetGalley for an advanced copy of The Baker and the Bard by Fern Haught to review! Cozy fantasy graphic novels have been on the rise, and this book definitely fits the bill.

This graphic novel is short but sweet, featuring an adorable little adventure to find mushrooms. Haught has crafted a cast of diverse characters, and I absolutely loved the baking elements thrown in. There’s a recipe included at the end, inspired by the pastries with the glowing mushrooms. And it sounded delightful!

I would have perhaps liked a little bit more world-building, but I could definitely see this possibly becoming its own little series. The mystery about the creatures eating the crops was a low-stakes quest, and I did appreciate how the resolution presented more details about the world itself. But I’d be interested in learning more!

All in all, if you love things like Legends & Lattes and The Tea Dragon Society, definitely pick up this little graphic novel when it comes out in March! 

Liska has been raised to believe that magic is evil and all magic users are monsters. Including herself. So, she decides to take matters into her own hands by going into the spirit-wood to find the mythical fern flower. A flower she can use to banish her powers for good.

However, everyone who has searched for the fern flower has disappeared. It’s there Liska meets The Leszy, the demon who guards the woods. In exchange for what she wants, Liska has agreed to serve him for one year. But there’s something dark lurking in The Leszy’s manor. Does Liska have the power to destroy it? 
 

Thanks to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for an advanced copy of Where the Dark Stands Still by AB Poranek to review! I’m always here for books with dark fairytale vibes, and this book definitely fits the bill.

I saw someone describe this as Howl’s Moving Castle meets Polish folklore, and honestly, that’s the perfect way to describe this book. The gothic manor that Liska finds herself in has a mind of its own, revealing secrets to her that the Leszy (also known as Eliasz) doesn’t want her to know. The way magic works in this book is so interesting, and the intertwining of Polish folklore just adds to it.

The characters are also well done. A main part of the story is Liska trying to deal with the trauma she has from having magic in a society that deems it evil. Eliasz does his best to help her work through this and show her that magic doesn’t have to be a bad thing. Of course, we do get a little romance between them, and the chemistry between them is well done.

I’d imagine if you get the right narrator, this would also make a fantastic audiobook. Parts of the story have a kind of oral history feel to them. If you like dark folklore inspired fantasy, this will definitely be the book for you! 

I read this because it's been getting banning buzz lately, and it was available on Libby so I figured why not! From the first page, you can tell why people are targeting this book because it's very blunt about sex. Jack isn't afraid to be who he is, and he isn't afraid to share what he knows about sex with other teens though his advice column. It's forward and upfront and informative, and the tone fits perfectly for a teen audience.

Jack also has a stalker for most of the book, and there's a lot of important discussion around that. Jack doesn't want it to be a big deal, but his friends keep reminding him of how dangerous it actually can be. In addition, there's a lot of emphasis on what it means to be gay and how soceity often expects you to act a certain way when you are gay. To fit into their molds. There's just a lot of great discussion and information in this book, and I think it's an important one for teens to have access to.

Is this going to continue to be targeted because of the content? Absolutely. But I think this is an engaging, well-written way to engage teens in important discussions surrounding sex, sexuality, and identity in general.

This has apparently already been optioned for a movie, and I can defintely see why. It's fast paced, with lots of twists and turns and action tha tmakes you want to keep reading once you started. It's compared to The Inheritance Games, and it's a great comp title for that.They both have similar vibes, with that mystery/thriller feeler that makes them hard to put down.

For avid readers, the twists are a little easy to guess, but I didn't mind because the writing itself was pretty well done. I liked the characters, and the romance helps to add to the intrigue and the mystery. It's a high stakes thriller heist novel, with a cast of characters that are well developed and fun to read about.

The ending is left open for likely what's going to be a second book, so I'm excited to see what Ross does next!