Thanks to Random House and NetGalley for an advanced copy of Brielle and Bear by Salomey Doku to review! Fairytale retellings are always fun to read, especially when they are in graphic novel format. This is a very loose retelling of Beauty and the Beast, and it seems like there might be more stories to come from Once Upon a Time University.

The art was definitely one of my favorite things about this book. It’s very whimsical in nature, and portrays the emotions of all the characters really well. There’s also a diverse cast, and I appreciated the wide variety of representation included.

I’m not necessarily a fan of instalove, but it does make sense in a fairytale context. This was more of a character driven story than plot, which means that the storytelling didn’t feel as strong as the art for me. But it’s still a light, enjoyable read. 
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Review to come!

Thanks to NetGalley and Amulet for an advanced copy of We Are Villains by Kacen Callender! It’s a Kacen Callender year apparently, since they have two books coming out in back to back months and I am here for it. This is different in tone from Chaos King, more of a dark academia thriller/mystery. For the most part, I think the story worked well in unfolding the mystery.

We get a variety of POVs in this, not just Milo and Liam which adds to the mystery. However, it does make the story itself feel a bit choppy as you read it. This might have been intentional, though. Callender also flips between timelines, making you question what really happened with Arianna’s death.

Despite the changing of POVs, we do get a strong sense of the characters throughout. Callender is good at developing characters in a small amount of time, which was important for developing the mystery and the overall setting at Yates Academy. We get to see the darker underbelly of the school as Milo unravels what actually happened with Arianna.

All in all, if you like dark academia mysteries, definitely check this one out when it comes out at the end of March! 
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Review to come!

Fantasy in verse can always be hit or miss because it's quite difficult to pack enough world building into verse form. This book was definitely a hit because Zoboi packs a lot into this fairly short book, filled with Caribbean folklore and strong protagonists. Though you might think you expect where the story is going, there are elements that will likely surprise you by the end. The narrators for the audiobook are also phenomenal, and if you're an audiobook person, I would definitely recommend reading it that way!

The section at the beginning of this about propaganda will definitely hit hard with our current administration if you live in the US. But anyway! The overall style of this was unique; I enjoyed the way the artist included real photographs in addition to the drawings throughout. All of the backmatter added historical context and is really packed with information. I definitely appreciated that.

The only thing that threw me off was the narration by the blackbirds. At times it worked, and at times it didn't. But still an important WWII graphic novel for people to read.

I have mixed feelings about this! At times, I really enjoyed the art style; especially when they were in the dream video game world. There were some absolutely gorgeous panels in that sequence! The emotions that both Amber and Nico go through in their first relationship also felt relatable, especially for teen readers. Sometimes that first relationship can be so consuming that you forget about your friendships.

However, the art wasn't always my favorite, specifically towards the beginning. The summary also did this a disservice because the dreaming aspect doesn't happen until at least halfway into the book and I was definitely expecting more of a focus on that. Still a good story though!

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Teen for an advanced copy of Chaos King by Kacen Callender to review! When I read Infinity Alchemist, I definitely thought it was a standalone, so I was surprised to find that we got to return to this world. Callender adds another level of darkness and complexity to Ash’s world, making this book grittier than the first one.

One of the things I enjoyed most about this book was the relationship between Ramsay, Callum, and Ash. You don’t see polyamorous relationships often in YA, and the three of them are trying to make it work. Despite them not all agreeing on what route to take after the events of the first book. 

We also get to see more of this world that Callender created, which has such an interesting magic system. By the end of the book, it does feel like there is more to the story, so I’m hoping that maybe there is one more book coming. There is some resolution in this, but I’m left wanting just a little more.

All in all, if you’re looking for a dark academia focused fantasy, definitely pick this series up! 
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Welp, I at first thought the first book was a standalone, now a duology, and now I think there might be another book with that ending.

Full review to come!

Sue and Tai-chan are just getting closer, and more adorable! There are some fun antics in this one, and we get to see Sue actually missing Tai-chan when he leaves for a bit. A much needed pick me up.

Sue and Tai-chan are what I wish my cats (Nox and Charlie) could be. Though I don't think Nox will ever take him on in a mentor capacity. But I can read these and wish that they could be my life!

Such a fun little cat manga! Kyuu-chan is adorable, and as a cat owner myself, I always enjoy these slice of life comics that are just slightly exaggerated. A quick read, but a definitely needed pick me up.

I wouldn't necessarily call this horror, definitely more paranormal thriller. Not in a bad way, though! Lots of ghost action and Jamaican folklore, which I enjoyed learning about. Carina, our main character, is also messy in a very relatable way, and I think a lot of teens will be drawn to here character.

There is a pretty good plot twist at the end, as long as you suspend disbelief for some of the coincidences throughout the book. The pacing is pretty slow for the first half of the book, and then picks up towards the end. A mixed bag for me, but it's overall a pretty enjoyable debut.