Review | Something is Killing the Children Omnibus Vol 1

December 7, 2025December 5, 2025 DeAnneLeave a comment

WHAT IS ABDUCTING THE CHILDREN OF ARCHER’S PEAK?

When the children in a sleepy Wisconsin town begin to go missing, all hope seems lost. Most children never return, and those that do have terrible stories of terrifying creatures that live in the shadows. But even monsters fear the mysterious stranger that arrives shortly after. She believes the children and claims to be the only who sees what they can see…

Her name is Erica Slaughter. She kills monsters. This is all she does, and she bears the cost because it must be done.

The definitive collection of the entire “Archer’s Peak” saga by GLAAD Award-winning writer James Tynion IV (Department of Truth, Batman) and artist Werther Dell’Edera (Razorblades) is assembled here in a single volume.

I’ve heard about this series but never picked it up, so was glad to see an omnibus available. I went into it essentially blind other than the title. I did really enjoy the atmosphere and setting. The graphics suited the dark and grit of the story. I did like that we eventually got some background information on who Erica works with and some of the lore there, but I would have liked to get more of that earlier in the story. It does appear there are some spin offs that might have more information and lore, so I would be interested in checking those out to further build on what was established in this first omnibus.

Happy reading!

Review | The Ayakashi’s Hunter’s Tainted Bride Vol 1 by Mamenosuke Fujimaru

December 5, 2025 DeAnneLeave a comment

Young, cheerful Nanao can’t wait to marry her betrothed, Reito, the young lord of the Byakurenji family. But that changes one night when she is attacked by a vengeful yokai spirit-an ayakashi-leaving her scarred with the mark of a demonic curse. Her cousin Akemi seizes the chance to steal away her fiance, but it doesn’t matter. Reito now finds her repulsive, and Nanao is forced to wear a monkey mask to hide her scar and live the life of an outcast. Years later, she meets Yako, the willful young scion of another noble family. When Nanao’s mask shatters after an accident, Yako sees her face and is drawn to her beauty and great spiritual power. But there’s more to the handsome young lord than meets the eye, and when Yako offers Nanao a way out of her torturous life, the new life that awaits her is filled with more mystery and intrigue that she could ever imagine…

One thing I thought this manga did really well was balance not only world building and the rules of society, but also character building. Nanao is a very compelling character, from how her personality has been shaped after years of neglect and mistreatment, to how she starts to flourish little by little after Yako starts interacting with her. She definitely has the most character building and foundation, but you can definitely see how further volumes have paths to build up other characters and relationships. I really enjoyed the emotional depth of the story as well as the little tastes we get of how the different clans and society operates. This is definitely a series I would continue with to see how not only Nanao and Yako’s relationship develops, but also how each character progresses.

Happy reading!

Blog Tour | Higher Magic by Courtney Floyd | Review

October 11, 2025 DeAnneLeave a comment

“Higher Magic is my catnip. By what dark arts I know not, Floyd has summoned up a wonderful wizard-grad-school slice-of-life, replete with organizing, romance, anxiety, camaraderie, and courage. More please!” —Max Gladstone, NYT Bestselling Co-Author of This is How You Lose the Time War

In this incisive, irreverent, and whimsical cozy dark academia novel for fans of Heather Fawcett’s Emily Wilde series and R.F. Kuang’s Babel, a struggling mage student with intense anxiety must prove that classic literature contained magic—and learn to wield her own stories to change her institution for the better.

First-generation graduate student Dorothe Bartleby has one last chance to pass the Magic program’s qualifying exam after freezing with anxiety during her first attempt. If she fails to demonstrate that magic in classic literature changed the world, she’ll be kicked out of the university. And now her advisor insists she reframe her entire dissertation using Digimancy. While mages have found a way to combine computers and magic, Bartleby’s fated to never make it work.

This time is no exception. Her revised working goes horribly wrong, creating a talking skull named Anne that narrates Bartleby’s inner thoughts—even the most embarrassing ones—like she’s a heroine in a Jane Austen novel. Out of her depth, she recruits James, an unfairly attractive mage candidate, to help her stop Anne’s glitches in time for her exam.Instead, Anne leads them to a shocking and dangerous discovery: Magic students who seek disability accommodations are disappearing—quite literally. When the administration fails to act, Bartleby must learn to trust her own knowledge and skills. Otherwise, she risks losing both the missing students and her future as a mage, permanently.

BUY LINKS | Bookshop.org | B&N | Amazon

There was a lot in this book that I liked, it has great representation and is a great example of showing accommodations – which was something I was not expecting at all. That being said, I felt the book did not need to be as long as it was, at times there was just too much and it really dragged the pace of the book down. I did really enjoy the magic in the book and the way it was constructed, but even that sometimes was a little confusing even while being interesting. Overall though the story was fun and interesting and I enjoyed the experience of getting to know Dorothe and seeing her work through everything she needs to do.

Courtney Floyd is a neurodivergent fantasy author who grew up in New Mexico, where she learned to write between tarantula turf wars and apocalyptic dust storms. She currently lives at the bottom of a haunted mountain in the woods of Vermont with her partner and pets. Higher Magic is her debut novel.
Courtney has a PhD in British Literature and a penchant for irreverent literary allusions. Her short stories have appeared in publications including Fireside Magazine, Small Wonders, and Haven Spec, and her audio drama, The Way We Haunt Now, is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find her online at courtney-floyd.com.

SOCIALS | Website | Instagram | BlueSky | Goodreads

Happy reading!

Review | The Rebel Girls of Rome by Jordyn Taylor

September 24, 2025September 23, 2025 DeAnneLeave a comment

From the author of The Paper Girl of Paris comes Rebel Girls of Rome, a thrilling and heartfelt dual POV novel about Lilah, a girl looking to reconnect with her grandfather over his mysterious past during a trip to Rome, and Bruna, a queer Jewish woman who escapes the Nazis in Italy and joins the resistance during World War II.

NOW:

Grieving the loss of her mother, college student Lilah is hoping to reconnect with her ever-distant grandfather who refuses to talk about his past. When a fellow student in Italy brings a long-lost family heirloom to her attention, Lilah travels to Rome with her grandfather in the hopes of unlocking his history as a survivor of the Holocaust once and for all.

But as they get closer to the truth—and the possibility of healing through new connections—she begins to realize that some secrets may be too painful to unbury . . .

THEN:

It’s 1943, and nineteen-year-old Bruna and her family are doing their best to survive in Rome’s Jewish quarter under Nazi occupation. When the dreaded knock comes early one morning, and Bruna realizes her youngest brother, Raffa, is missing, her desperate search to find him separates her from the rest of her family irrevocably.

Overcome with guilt at escaping her family’s fate in the camps, Bruna joins the partisan efforts against the Nazis and Italian Fascists. When her missions bring her back to her childhood crush, Elsa, she must decide what it really means to live and love—and if fully embracing herself might be her greatest act of resistance of all. But just as she starts to find light in the darkness, an attack that ends in unspeakable tragedy leaves Bruna questioning her fortitude to survive more than ever before.

Part historical mystery, part sweeping romance, Jordyn Taylor brings Bruna and Lilah’s stories to brilliant life in this compelling, emotional read in the vein of The Paper Girl of Paris. With dual historical and contemporary POVs—where heartbreak, hope, and finding light in times of darkness are inevitably intertwined—this is perfect for readers of Ruta Sepetys and Monica Hesse.

It’s so important for books like this to exist. With so much being erased or forgotten about the Holocaust/World War II, there’s a need for both fiction and non-fiction books that remind us of not only the events that occurred, but the strength of so many different people who fought and struggled through that time. It’s also great to see books set during that time that aren’t necessarily set in Germany or Eastern Europe. The characters were well developed and well thought out in their connections and relationships, in a lot of ways it was easy to connect with them on different levels so they were very relatable. This book was exceedingly well written and paced, and I found myself really enjoying the dual POVs and the story they told.

Happy reading!

Review | Divining the Leaves by Shveta Thakrar

September 23, 2025 DeAnneLeave a comment

From critically acclaimed author Shveta Thakrar comes a beautifully imagined contemporary fantasy about two teens, one a believer of magic who yearns to belong, the other a skeptic searching for an escape, who find themselves embroiled in a twisty world of court intrigue when they venture into a forest ruled by yakshas, mysterious woodland spirits drawn from Hindu and Buddhist folklore.

Plant-loving Ridhi Kapadia and popular Nilesh Batra were friends once.

Now, seventeen and alone, Ridhi blends natural perfumes, wears flower crowns, and wanders her local woods, listening for the leafy whispers of her beloved trees. Pleading for the yakshas to admit her into their enchanted forest kingdom, where she knows she truly belongs.

After learning his parents’ perfect marriage is a sham and getting suspended from school, a heartsick Nilesh lands at Ridhi’s doorstep—the last thing either of them wants. So when a pretty yakshini offers him the distraction of magic, the same magic he mocked Ridhi for believing in, he jumps at it.

Furious, Ridhi strikes a bargain with a noblewoman named Sulochana. In return for helping restore her reputation, Sulochana will turn Ridhi into the yakshini she yearns to be—and teach her to divine the trees’ murmurs.

But when Nilesh ends up trapped in the yakshas’ realm, Ridhi realizes the leaves might be telling a disturbing story about the forest her heart is rooted in—one that, even if the two of them band together, threatens to shred the future like so many thorns.

First things first, the writing in this book is wonderful. I felt it was very atmospheric and immediately drew me in, that part I absolutely loved. The story itself did seem to move slowly, though that can be good in more flowery prose, it can also drag the story a bit. That being said, there was a lot to love about the characters, who felt like fully formed individuals. Though I don’t know a lot about Desi or Hindu culture, I still really enjoyed all of the cultural touches. I do feel there could be improvement to make the story pacing a bit better, but all in all an enjoyable read.

Happy reading!

Review | Tune in to the Midnight Heart Vol 1 by Masakuni Igarashi

June 2, 2025 DeAnneLeave a comment

At the end of a difficult day, the haughty but purehearted rich kid Arisu found his only solace in the voice of another girl his age, who hosted a livestream under the pseudonym “Apollo.” Then, one day, the broadcasts stopped. Arisu has dedicated the years since then to finding Apollo’s true identity, and he’s narrowed it down to one particular high school. He transfers in as a student and figures it’ll be a cinch-but then discovers it could be any of the girls in the broadcasting club! And the real Apollo isn’t talking for reasons of her own! These four girls have no use for Arisu’s personality, but they each harbor dreams of using their voices to build a career, and they sure could use his money… Can the blunt and blustering Arisu buy his way into the club’s good graces, and find the real girl attached to his dream voice?

I found this start to a manga series really cute, but a bit too over the top for me. I like the overall premise with Arisu trying to locate Apollo and found his reminiscing about their conversations really heartfelt, but then his reasoning for wanting to locate her kind of ruins that. His attitude towards life and his place in his family is just a bit much, but I do like the setup so far of his interactions with the girls in the broadcasting club and getting to know who they actually are a good progression and very authentic. It’s cute and a bit goofy and I hope as it continues it gets a little deeper into the more heartfelt matter as their relationships develop.

Happy reading!

Review | The Lost Sunday by Iléana Surducan

June 1, 2025 DeAnneLeave a comment

From creator Ileana Surducan (Nor’s Holiday) comes The Lost Sunday—her Eisner Award–nominated, all-ages tale about the need for free time in the midst of our busy, everyday lives.

Nina lives in a dusty town haunted by the six angry wolves of the week—Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Each day brings never-ending chores and drudgery. Legend speaks of a seventh day to rest—Sunday—but everybody knows an evil witch stole it and keeps it locked away. When Nina finally says enough is enough, she sets out on an ambitious quest for rest, but will she be able to vanquish the witch and bring back the lost Sunday?

Inspired by old folklore and fairy tales, this story shines a magical light on a present-day burnout and the importance of leisure. A great read for kids and adults alike!

I was utterly charmed by the whimsy of this story. The inspiration from old folk tales is definitely present, but the art style and storytelling are unique to themselves. It was such a sweet read as we follow Nina through her explanation of the world she lives in (and the lack of Sundays) and then her subsequent quest to discover what has happened to Sunday and try to get it back. I loved the author’s use of color palettes which perfectly accented the different story beats and plot points, taking the world from a darker place to a vibrant and colorful landscape.

Thank you to Oni Press for the copy of the book through Netgalley. Happy reading!

Review | The Failure at God School Vol 1 by Modomu Akagawara

May 31, 2025 DeAnneLeave a comment

Modern life means modern solutions, even to supernatural problems. So of course the government would have a classification system, special schools, and licenses for people with mysterious powers—any manifestation of a miracle is enough to be called a “Himiko,” but only those with full certification may use the title of “god.” And high schooler Nagi is in serious need of a god! The death of her grandmother has left her family shrine devoid of the necessary divinity, and her hopelessly shut-in Himiko brother isn’t looking promising. But if Nagi isn’t careful, her search for a god might end with her finding more than she bargained for…

This was a really fun start to a new series. In it we follow Nagi who considers herself pretty normal, while being surrounded by the not so normal. After an incident on her way to school; however, she gets an invitation to God School. For someone who believes she has no special powers or talents this is quite a shock. The first volume explores the key characters at the school that she encounters as they try to figure out just why she is there and what her powers may be. The different personalities clash at times, but it’s fun to see how they come together and how Nagi works to fit in and also survive. It will be fun to see where this series goes.

Happy reading!

Review | Lu and Ren’s Guide to Geozoology by Angela Hsieh

May 23, 2025 DeAnneLeave a comment

This graphic novel follows a girl who learns more about friendship and family as she journeys across the fantastical land of Lirrin to tend to its majestic animals.

Lu dreams of being a great adventurer, just like her ah-ma, who is a world-renowned geozoologist. Ah-ma has traveled far and wide, researching unique animals like dreamy cloud-jellies, enormous sunfish, and playful mossgoats. There’s nothing Lu loves more than reading Ah-ma’s letters about her quests, even if she and her mom struggle to understand the Cylian language Ah-ma writes in.

But when Ah-ma’s letters suddenly stop, Lu becomes worried. So when a nearby town needs a geozoologist, Lu decides to go on the journey to find Ah-ma. She charts a course with the help of Ren, an old friend turned new travel buddy.

As they follow in Ah-ma’s footsteps, Lu begins to discover the complex relationships between geofauna—and between people. What stories has Ah-ma never told her? And what’s Ren hiding from her?

This was such a fun adventure of a graphic novel, but it also had so much depth to it. We follow Lu and Ren as they go on an adventure to not only follow in Lu’s grandmother’s legacy, but also to attempt to locate her as it has been some time since Lu heard from her. They both come from very different families with different dynamics and expectations, which leads to some misunderstandings between the two along the way. It’s also a story about finding your own path rather than trying to mold yourself after someone else and touches on grief as well. I felt there was a really good balance of the beautiful art style, delightful creatures and heavy topics that were explored.

Happy reading!

Blog Tour | The Keeper of Lonely Spirits by E.M. Anderson | Review

March 29, 2025 DeAnneLeave a comment

For fans of UNDER THE WHISPERING DOOR by T.J. Klune, the sweet comfort of THE VERY SECRET SOCIETY OF IRREGULAR WITCHES is combined with the endearing grump of A MAN CALLED OVE, in this cozy fantasy about an immortal ghost hunter who must forgive himself for his tragic past in order to embrace his found family.

In this mesmerizing, wonderfully moving queer cozy fantasy, an immortal ghost hunter must confront his tragic past in order to embrace his found family.

Find an angry spirit. Send it on its way before it causes trouble. Leave before anyone learns his name.

After over two hundred years, Peter Shaughnessy is ready to die and end this cycle. But thanks to a youthful encounter with one o’ them folk in his native Ireland, he can’t. Instead, he’s cursed to wander eternally far from home, with the ability to see ghosts and talk to plants.

Immortality means Peter has lost everyone he’s ever loved. And so he centers his life on the dead—until his wandering brings him to Harrington, Ohio. As he searches for a vengeful spirit, Peter’s drawn into the townsfolk’s lives, homes and troubles. For the first time in over a century, he wants something other than death.

But the people of Harrington will die someday. And he won’t.

As Harrington buckles under the weight of the supernatural, the ghost hunt pits Peter’s well-being against that of his new friends and the man he’s falling for. If he stays, he risks heartbreak. If he leaves, he risks their lives.

Buy Links | HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org

I didn’t know what to expect going into this book, but the synopsis intrigued me so I definitely wanted to pick it up. The characters had so much depth and it’s obvious the author really took their time crafting them. On the surface level this may sound like a story simply about a man who is essentially immortal who helps find ghosts and move them on, but it’s so much more than that. It’s a wonderfully woven story about grief, loss and learning to find your place in the world. I found myself taking my time with this story rather than speeding through it so I could truly absorb the story and the characters. It was really atmospheric and cozy and I look forward to reading more from the author.

E.M. Anderson (she/they) is a queer, neurodivergent writer and the author of The Remarkable Retirement of Edna Fisher. Her work has appeared in SJ Whitby’s Awakenings: A Cute Mutants Anthology, Wyldblood Press’s From the Depths: A Fantasy Anthology, and Dark Horses: The Magazine of Weird Fiction. They have two master’s degrees and a feral passion for trees, birds, pole fitness, and Uncle Iroh. You can find them on Instagram, BlueSky, and Tumblr at @elizmanderson.

Happy reading!