This was a unique graphic novel in terms of subject and style. Coming Back is set in a magical world descended from seeds in which citizens can learn shifting or shaping magic. 

Much of the novel is told through illustrations alone, many pages have no exposition. Sometimes I like this style but I found it confusing and hard to read in this case. I think if you like that style and prefer to make your own inferences while reading, this may be a better fit for you than it was for me. 

What the Flock by Sally Urwin is memoir about farm life in the UK. Sally Urwin was a young woman working an office job in London when she began experiencing chronic pain and serious anxiety. After some time suffering through that with no successful treatments, she met a man who was a farmer and decided to leave the city life behind. 

As this memoir began, I was put off by the romanticizing of farm life. I’m glad I continued listening because after the first few chapters, the tone shifts and Sally shares many of the obstacles and challenges faced by modern farmers. I especially enjoyed the chapters about calving and lambing. The first deep dive into farming challenges is when Sally describes the experience during the Foot and Mouth epidemic in the early 2000s. (Content warning for animal death.) 

From there, Urwin describes more of her life on the farm mostly chronologically. I was very interested in her descriptions of the unique ways Covid impacted farm life. She also speaks about mental health in farming families and the deleterious effects of Brexit. 

Overall, I enjoyed this memoir. It veered into farm life romanticism at the beginning and end, and there was a point where I was tired of the cute anecdotes about specific animals. Otherwise, it was eye opening and engaging. I’d recommend this to anyone who enjoys memoirs or feels connected to farm life. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Thread Books for this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

What the Flock by Sally Urwin is memoir about farm life in the UK. Sally Urwin was a young woman working an office job in London when she began experiencing chronic pain and serious anxiety. After some time suffering through that with no successful treatments, she met a man who was a farmer and decided to leave the city life behind. 

As this memoir began, I was put off by the romanticizing of farm life. I’m glad I continued listening because after the first few chapters, the tone shifts and Sally shares many of the obstacles and challenges faced by modern farmers. I especially enjoyed the chapters about calving and lambing. The first deep dive into farming challenges is when Sally describes the experience during the Foot and Mouth epidemic in the early 2000s. (Content warning for animal death.) 

From there, Urwin describes more of her life on the farm mostly chronologically. I was very interested in her descriptions of the unique ways Covid impacted farm life. She also speaks about mental health in farming families and the deleterious effects of Brexit. 

Overall, I enjoyed this memoir. It veered into farm life romanticism at the beginning and end, and there was a point where I was tired of the cute anecdotes about specific animals. Otherwise, it was eye opening and engaging. I’d recommend this to anyone who enjoys memoirs or feels connected to farm life. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Thread Books for this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Better than some other books by this author, slightly more character development. Not fully believable storyline, but you don’t need to completely suspend your disbelief. This one was just a bit more than okay for me until one of the final twists that was just inconsistent with the villain’s character. It recovered slightly, but in my opinion this is a mediocre read in one sitting poorly written thriller. You may enjoy it if you go in expecting low quality writing and just want a compelling mystery. 

Juliet Takes a Breath was a big hit for me. I do love graphic novels but coming of age stories are hit and miss for me. This coming of age story that focuses so much on Juliet identity as a queer person of color is absolutely phenomenal. The illustrations are amazing, and it truly reads like a comic but with so much depth. 

I loved the storyline about the affluent white woman who has written a book about how to unlock the power of your pussy; Juliet seeks out an internship with this woman. Unfortunately, the woman turns out to be different than Juliet expected. The messages about intersectionality and the importance of QTPOC having their own distinct voices were spot on.  I was floored by the messages about family and family culture, I don’t want to give anything away but I think I think Juliet’s story is perfect. 

I think this would be a great read for anyone seeking to read from queer voices and for any young person trying to figure out direction in their life. And if you’re older and you’re reading this review, you should probably read it too. 

Far From the Tree is an absolutely gorgeous story of three teenagers who were given up for adoption by their biological mother. As the story begins one of the three teenagers is pregnant and puts her baby up for adoption. Later, we meet her two biological siblings and the novel centers on their developing relationship. The characterization and depth in this novel was just gorgeous, each of the three siblings have experienced such different lives. The eldest, has grown up in the foster care system. One of the children was adopted into a very dysfunctional family, and the third has had a great upbringing but has experienced the trauma of giving her own child up for adoption. The way that they learn about each other and develop respect for their own unique traumas is heartbreaking and heartwarming. I think this is an absolutely wonderful YA contemporary, I would recommend it to anyone. 

To Keep You Safe is a compelling thriller about a teacher who goes beyond the job description to keep a student safe from danger. Jenni is a 40 year old new teacher, in her second year on the job after a military career. Most of the chapters are told from her perspective, but we also hear from the point of view of several other characters. 

Early in the novel, we are introduced to Destiny. She’s a 15-year-old girl who has spent her life in foster care and when someone comes to the school to check on her and it turns out that they are posing as a social worker, Jenni decides to take matters into her own hands.

The action is quick and consistent through most of the book Jenni takes Destiny and through some extreme circumstances including a harrowing train encounter, does everything in her power to keep the girl safe. At around halfway there is an unexpected twist that turns the story around. The action in this novel kept me reading and the only significant break from the action was character building of Jenni and Destiny during a long car ride. Their conversations were important as the story progressed.

I really enjoyed the book until about the 80% mark at which point I felt that the back half dragged. The resolution at the very end of the book didn’t feel as satisfying as I would’ve liked. The audiobook was well narrated with excellent voice acting. Overall, I think this is a very middle of the road thriller with some commentary on important issues facing vulnerable people such as those in foster care. I would read from this author again.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamworks Media for an audio ARC in exchange for my honest review. 

I picked this one out at the libraryon the new release shelf based purely on the cover and I’m really glad I did. The range of stories is broad
but they all have a universal thread of weird and that feeling that you don't have all the information.

Lesser Known Monsters of the 21st Century by Kim Fu is a short story collection in which many
of the stories feel set in the indiscriminate future and they mostly share a common thread
of light to moderate science fiction.
In each story, Fu quickly creates characters that you want to read about whether they are likable or not. I thought that some of the stories were more engaging than others but there were none that felt weak compared to the others. One of my favorites was a story about a
man who has invented a box that reverses the lifecycle of anything put inside it. He tries to sell it at the mall with things like plants or a
small pet inside. When a woman becomes intrigued by this and tries to date him, strange things happen.

But there are so many other stories from this collection that have also stuck with me, like the one about the Instagram famous backpacker
who dies on a run-of-the-mill backpacking trip near home that wasn't very dangerous at all
and his best friend is definitely suspicious.

From a story of sexual voyeurism to a story of a pandemic which stole everyone's sense of taste, this collection is full of truly unique
stories just close enough to reality and just far enough from it that it will keep you reading and
keep you thinking long after.

The Children on the Hill begins very slowly, told in alternating perspectives and two timelines. One perspective is Izzy, a 53 year old monster hunter, in 2019. The other perspective is Vi (Violet Hildreth) in 1978, growing up on the grounds of the mental hospital where her grandmother works. 

Izzy is searching for her long lost sister who she suspects of taking many missing girls. She has a popular podcast and has made tv appearances, but she likes to travel through life alone. 

Vi is a sweet girl with a younger brother who is helping a girl her grandmother brings to their house from the hospital. Vi is told to help Iris feel welcome and to keep an eye on her to report back to Gran. But soon, Vi discovers a very serious secret at the hospital and she will not stop until something is done. 

The way this thriller brings together two timelines is both familiar and exciting. I really enjoyed the twists and loved the ending of this book. After a slow first 150-200 pages, the back half of this book is a reward worth waiting for. I loved the historical references and the believably evil twist. I hesitate to say more because I don’t want to spoil a thing. 

I don’t have much criticism for this book, but I do wish the brother Eric had more character development. I will certainly read from this author again. This was an above average spooky thriller.