tl;dr
Stunning artwork and fun characters, with the promise of more adventures to come.

Thoughts
Let's start with the art, because it is absolutely gorgeous. Graphic novels can sometimes have a stunning cover that can hide interior work that doesn't quite match up - but this entire book is lovely to look at. Several panels feel like standalone art pieces, and I loved the composition, colors, designs, everything really. Characters and their respective unicorns all have bright, distinct designs that I would have been entirely obsessed with if this had been on TV when I was a kid. And likening it to a TV show is probably the best way I can describe this book. The entire thing runs a good deal like a pilot episode, taking time to explain the world and rules, briefly introducing our heroes, throwing them into a somewhat minor kerfuffle, and then hinting at a villain waiting in the shadows. It's a very lightweight adventure with little to complain about, but little to truly review in terms of plot. Overall a fun pilot episode, and I look forward to seeing where the story goes from here.

Thanks to NetGalley and Europe Comics for a review copy! All thoughts in this review are my own.

tl;dr
A very comfortable shonen action series marked by fun art and some extremely cool design choices.

Thoughts
The story of how this got published feels like it could already be a series unto itself. Although it's written by Japanese manga-ka Kenshiro Sakamoto (known for Buster Keel), this was originally published in French by publishing company KANA. That's got nothing to do with the story, and it still reads from right to left like traditional manga, but I just found that fascinating on its own.

Anyway, on to the actual series. I was hit by a wave of warm nostalgia when I read this. Toah's Ark hits all the highlights of a solid shonen series from the naughts. A cheerful, unassuming hero travels from one town to the next fighting monsters with the aid of a powerful monster at his side, and we cycle through a series of touching vignettes of various one-off characters while we do. I didn't realize how much I wanted to read a story like this again until this book fell into my hands. The flashback chapter at the end and a final sketch hint that a much bigger plot will come into play soon, but for this first volume, we're still getting to know everyone. Toah is a fun lead: well-meaning, spunky, dedicated to justice, and hopelessly goofy. His sidekick Joker has some very fun design elements, including a scarf that just begs to be cosplayed.

From the cover, it's hard not to compare the style to Hiro Mashima's work, especially when you learn that Sakamoto-san also worked on a Fairy Tail spinoff manga. However, the interior artwork is much more unique. Art is really solid, moving between bold lines and soft thinner strokes when necessary. As the title implies, a lot of imagery and ideas are lifted from the Biblical Old Testament (the evil apple is especially cool-looking), but there's a mix of other world religion in here as well including references to Greek mythology and the Four Auspicious Beasts popular in East Asian culture.

Overall, recommended for anyone looking for a shonen series featuring a likable lead, intriguing design elements, and fun art.

Thanks to NetGalley and Europe Comics for a review copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.

tl;dr
A bit of mystery, and a lot of human drama, featuring two surprisingly genuine leads.

Thoughts
When it comes to mysteries, detective leads are all about the case, but PI leads tend to have a lot of personal stuff going on as well. Balancing out the mystery and personal life is always tricky, but Emily Bain Murphy manages to hit that balance really well. The main puzzle stays in the forefront of the plot, but a series of flashbacks and help give us context on Cora and her very complicated history with Jack. The book veered off my expectations a little bit with them - the two leads are a PI and a con man, and yet they were probably the least duplicitous characters in the whole thing. In the end, I think it's their honesty that made them such a good match, though. Both smart and capable, but also emotionally vulnerable, for a slow burn relationship that unfolded in a very natural way. The other characters are all hot messes in that dramatic way that makes you not want to look away, and they all fit very neatly into the glamorous and hideous silver screen era of Hollywood.

Thanks to NetGalley and Union Square & Co. for an advance copy. All thoughts in this review are my own!

tl;dr
Densely packed, unique world building with an exciting storyline that drives the narrative more than the characters do.

Thoughts
I initially was a little intimidated when I opened the book and was greeted with a list of names and titles from a world I didn't understand, but the characters are all described as they're introduced, such that I didn't ever need to page back to the list, so I worried for nothing. Martha Wells does an incredible job of fitting a lot of world building into a small space, doling out lore as necessary in a way that still sparks the imagination. And what a world it is! Layers of culture, powers, politics, and history unfold in two separate timelines with a scope that feels like a big adventure. Kai is a fun mix of snarky and competent, with other characters distinct, but not given quite as much attention. Overall, characters and their arcs to take a bit of a backseat to the plot and its mysteries. While this seems like it's probably a standalone book, I honestly wouldn't mind seeing these characters do more with a little more breathing room.

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for a review copy. All thoughts in this review are my own!

tl;dr
A fun book for lovers of books that plays with layouts, grammar, and a unique world to build a fun mystery.

Thoughts
I didn't know what to expect when going into this book, and I found myself surprised to find the illustrations drop a corpse literally into the text. Turns out, the book plays with layout a lot - not just illustrations, but text as well. As a book about books, it has a very meta playful self-awareness, and I especially liked all the interesting ways the layout and formatting were used to tell the story. A series of grammatical jokes and a few friendly jabs at every writer's first (iffy) attempts cap this off as a book definitely aimed at fans of books. The two leads are fun enough, but the standout character winds up being an enthusiastic and hungry flower named Eloise, who I adored in every scene. World building is unique and fairly vast, and can run a little long at times just to get all the names and places in. The first part of the book moves a little slowly because of this, but it picks up in the second half, and all the lore drops fit together really well for the solution to the mystery.

This book was originally written in French, and this review covers the English translation by Rivka publishing. Serious props to the translation team. Translating a book made up of grammar jokes into a different language cannot be easy! Names of people and places have been altered slightly (sometimes for pronunciation, other times to adjust the meaning to make sense in English), and there were a few times where the world building in particular got a little hard to wade through, but the overall experience was a very smooth read. They've noted that this book is the first in their line of French-to-English releases, and I wish them well, because I enjoyed this one.

Thanks to NetGalley and Rivka Publishing for an advance copy! All thoughts in this review are my own.

tl;dr
An exciting middle-grade adventure about friendship, being true to yourself, and living with grief.

Thoughts
The previous book in the series really surprised me (in the good way) with its twist on the "middle grade kid gets powers" formula by introducing a world where magic is bottled and sold like a commodity. Theo's journey to accept all facets of himself and his own internal magic continues with another twist on a middle grade favorite - journey into the afterlife to barter with gods. With Theo and his friends now able to tap into their own magic, the modern world building from the first book isn't quite as prominent here, dropped in favor of more Chinese mythology and legend. The core focus also shifts - the first book was about finding your identity in the diaspora, and this book is about living with grief, with a variety of depictions all very genuine and heartbreaking. It's a worthy closer to the story set up in the first book, with plenty of action, great character growth for all of our heroes, and a very thoughtful finale.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for an advance copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.

tl;dr
What would happen if the leads in an epic fantasy decided they'd rather be a cozy romance? This. This would happen.

Thoughts
I'm currently working my way through a couple really thick tomes, so having a novella to read quickly was a welcome change of pace. Although it has an enemies-to-lovers setup, we're dropped into the story long after the enemies portion, and the leads have pretty clearly been flirting with each other for some time. We get some fun banter and some tasty pining, but don't expect any all-out fights between them. The story is centered around healing, with some serious cottage core vibes for the most part, making this surprisingly cozy despite the fact that also there are armies and sorcerers all killing each other in the background. And while there are definitely some big set pieces and big battles at play, the core of the story is about two people learning to find love and healing together. A pleasant quick read for anyone looking for a cozy romance with a touch of magic.

Thanks to NetGalley and Casey Blair for the review copy! All thoughts in this review are my own.

tl;dr
Seamless combination of heist and competition with tons of tasty plot twists, and a hint of romance to round everything out.

Thoughts
Um, this book is excellent? Not that I didn't expect to love it, but I didn't expect to love it this much. Two of my favorite genres are heists, and mysterious competitions hosted by shadowy figures. So the combination of such is already right up my alley, but also Kayvion Lewis absolutely nails the execution - a perfect balance of both ideas. The showcased heist is cleverly planned and very satisfying, and I enjoyed all the twists and turns as the characters competed to outdo each other. There's also a romance subplot that took a back seat to the story kind of by necessity, but the chemistry was pretty sparking. I actually appreciated the rivalry plot with a childhood frenemy even more, with all of its serious girlboss vibes. Although it doesn't technically end on a cliffhanger, there is just enough of an open door that we might see more in the future. I'd certainly be happy if we did.

Edit: We've got a sequel, and it's great! Check out my thoughts on the second book here.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group for the advance copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.

tl;dr
A fairly fast-paced read featuring several interwoven plots and a lot of pining. The secondary couple is very endearing.

About
Duke Tarleton Fanshawe (Tate) is in trouble. His father gambled away the family estate right before his death - at least, that's what the debtors claim. Tate isn't so sure, but he has no way to prove it. Meanwhile, the love of his life, Ianthe, might be married to another if he can't get his estate back. A chance meeting with a lookalike gives Tate an opportunity: Send the lookalike to London in his stead while he goes undercover to learn the truth about his father's dying words.

Thoughts
One of my favorite tropes (swapping places) meets one of my least favorite tropes (lack of communication), which puts this book squarely down the middle for me. I don't mind a little pining, but the fact that Tate wouldn't explain to Ianthe what was going on is... a struggle. The story got much more interesting once she was actively involved in it. As for the story, there's a lot in here - more than you might expect in most regency romances. Several plot threads are moving at once, with interconnected complications and a handful of mysteries along the way, all pushed along at a brisk pace by straightforward writing. Aside from the main couple, there are a few other romances going on as well, all very sweet, so if you love a story with many happy endings, this will probably be a bonus.

Thanks to NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing for a review copy! All thoughts in this review are my own.