(arc provided by the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review.)

This wonderfully illustrated guide is perfect for anyone who cares about nature and the world around them, whether they're young or old! This was an absolute delight to read and is sure to be well-loved by many children and those who are young at heart.

The Wild World Handbook is split up into sections by habitat type and is very well organized. Each section features fun facts, interesting mini-biographies of those who have loved and defended the habitat, easy DIY projects, ways to help, and more! I adored everything about this book, but I especially appreciated how the "ways to help" section is divided into personal, local, and global goals. It gives kids easy ways to get started changing the world in ways they can see. 

This is an essential addition to any little adventurer or world wanderer's library, and I cannot wait to see what The Wild World Handbook: Creatures has in store! 

❧ 4.5 ★

(arc received from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review)

I had high expectations for this sapphic retelling of Eurydice and Orpheus set in a queernorm world. I'm weak for beautiful covers and stories where lovers will do anything for each other, but ultimately this story ended up being quite underwhelming. I believe it has a lot of potential, but I had a few problems with the organization.

This story follows Teagan, a dying witch, who goes after her missing wife Cressidae to the Shadow Realm ( it's time to d-d-d-duel ), ruled by the Shadow Princess. Cress hopes to make a deal with her to save Teagan's life, but the road to her palace is not an easy one, and only the bravest and most cunning can reach her and get back out again. I liked the detail put not only into the Road of Silence and its trials but also the world outside of it, where magic and invention coexist. I probably could have read a full-length book set in Wystira. 

However, the way this information was shared was quite odd. The Bone Way has a lot, and I mean a LOT of flashbacks, asides, and little stories inside it alongside Teagan's journey, but so much so that it detracted from Teagan's current storyline. There were also some odd choices for organization; for example, Teagan fights one of the shadow creatures during a trial, and the next section was an excerpt explaining it from Cress's journal. It would have been more impactful to have that before the encounter. I also feel like things about the Shadow Princess, like her story and the poem about the different parts of the Road of Silence, could have been incorporated differently to have less breaks from Teagan's journey. Having it as a prologue or working it into backstory with her mother could be some suggestions. 

There were also, finally, some odd sentences and phrasing that took me out, such as "she missed her mom something fierce" which felt at odds with the previous tone. I also really appreciated the representation of a nonbinary side character (?) at Tay and Cress's wedding, but the way they were presented was a little bit strange. 

All of this combined with the writing being very simplistic and not having a lot of depth to it made for an overall meh experience. However, I did love the imaginative world and Teagan and Cress's relationship, and I am definitely looking forward to more of this author's work. 

 ❧  2.5 ★ 

(arc received from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review)

Okay, small spoiler: I knew I was going to love this as soon as I requested it. I have the biggest soft spot for "powerful girl gets reincarnated into a different time where everyone hates her and shows them up" stories and Her Royal Highness DELIVERED. If there are any fans of They Say I Was Born a King's Daughter or Peerless Alchemist out there, you are sure to love this new manga! The well-loved Princess Leticiel with an adoring family, peaceful kingdom, and loving husband loses everything when her country is invaded, including her life. When she wakes up 1000 years later, she's in the body of Lady Drossel Noa Filiaregis, a noble girl with a family and fiance who hate her. And what's worse, the magic in her new timeline absolutely sucks, and the appearance of a boy in the academy who looks just like her old husband is not uncomplicating things. 

The beginning part seemed a little long to me given the length of the novel, but it does set up Leticiel's relationship and powers well. I'm so curious about the worldbuilding and the difference between magic and sorcery, and I really hope this gets explained more in further volumes! There is a lot of set up going on in this first volume but still quite a bit of action, and I needed volume 2 yesterday. I will absolutely be continuing with this series! 

(arc received from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review)

I enjoyed this cute manga! This sweet love story follows Kaoru, a patisserie shop owner who gets fired up after some of his customers become enamored with a rival shop dealing with traditional Japanese sweets run by the handsome Soujirou. His competitive passion quickly turns to a huge crush after he begins a food war, and the two grow closer the more Kaoru visits. 

I liked the story of this manga and how the relationship blossomed. I think the pacing was a bit odd in some places, but it progressed well as a one-shot and it was nice to see Soujirou like Kaoru as much as Kaoru liked him. One of my favorite things about this manga, though, was how it dealt with identity. It wasn't a huge part of the story, but it was nice to see both Kaoru, who was confident in his bisexuality, and Soujirou, who didn't care for labels at all and wanted to love who he loves, talk about their identities. Often you see characters in BL stories grapple with being gay in slightly over-the-top ways and how they were portrayed was really refreshing! 

(arc received from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review)

I don't know what I thought I was getting into with this book, but it was none of this (in the best way!). I was completely unprepared for how much I loved FANGS. This gay speculative fiction manga takes place in a world where vampires and humans coexist. In order for vampires to control their thirst and their predatory drive, many pair off into couples who feed and watch out for each other. The manga begins with a newly turned En and his guardian Ichii attending a 'pairing party,' where En, flustered by all the attention, accidentally announces that he and Ichii have already planned on bonding!

I loved seeing their relationship develop as they navigated their new situation and grew closer together, and I LOVED the side characters. They were all so interesting! One vampire dealing with the loss of his partner, another married to his elderly human wife... I adored this cast and can't wait to see more of them. I loved the art and character designs throughout the manga, and the smut scenes were also very hot and heavy. Be warned that the first scene does have some dubious consent for in-world reasons that are addressed and changed later. 

I'm also really looking forward to discovering Ichii's backstory and seeing where the cliffhanger with the mysterious murdery dude will lead. I can't wait to read more of this! 

(arc received from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review)

This mysterious graphic novel is a very interesting start to a series I hope to continue! An Unkindness of Ravens begins after Wilma moves to her dad's old hometown, she finds out on her first day of school that a missing girl, Waverly, looks exactly like her. More family mysteries, betrayal, and a magical war between two factions hundreds of years old quickly follow as Wilma gets stuck between the high school's two main cliques: the popular kids led by Scarlett, and the Ravens, Waverly's old group of friends. 

I love anything having to do with ravens, clearly, so I was delighted to see this graphic novel delivered on its witchy premise! I enjoyed the pacing and the plot, and did enjoy the characters. I would have liked to see more personality from the side characters like the Ravens, but I'm anticipating based on the events of the book their backstories will come later. Overall, I enjoyed the twist and foreshadowing, and can't wait to see where this series will lead. 

(arc received from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review)

I absolutely adored this sweet manga!! Saint Cecilia and Pastor Lawrence follows the two titular characters in their duties around the town as they both pine for each other, oblivious to how the other feels. I was not prepared for the fluff and humor and quickly became obsessed while my defenses were down! 

One of my favorite things was the structure. Much of the humor is told through 4-koma while the more serious/romantic bits were in a more traditional format, and while I love 4-koma, reading a ton in a row lulls me into a rhythm that makes the story lose its impact. Mixing these formats made me fall in love with the story even more. I also loved the introduction of Abel as a side character! Every oblivious pair of crushers needs a meddling side character who can see what they can't. 

I loved this manga and absolutely will be continuing with the series!