Review | Small Gods of Calamity by Sam Kyung Yoo

February 29, 2024 DeAnneLeave a comment

A tightly woven blend of myth, magic, and the ties of a found family.

Ghosts that speak in smoke. Spirits with teeth like glass. A parasitic, soul-eating spirit worm has gone into a feeding frenzy, but all the Jong-ro Police Department’s violent crimes unit sees is a string of suicides. Except for Kim Han-gil, Seoul’s only spirit detective. He’s seen this before. He’ll do anything to stop another tragedy from happening, even if that means teaming up with Shin Yoonhae, the man Han-gil believes is responsible for the horrifying aftermath of his mother’s last exorcism.

In their debut novella, Sam Kyung Yoo weaves a tale of mystical proportions that’s part crime-thriller, part urban fantasy.

I won’t lie, I was initially interested in this one because it was centered in Korea and then was even more drawn in when I read the synopsis and learned that it followed a detective who also deals in the supernatural and is on the hunt for a specific type of spirit that they have been following for years. There is a lot of talk about Spiritualism in both Kora and Japan, especially when Han-Gil internally reflects on his memories of his mother and goes searching for those who might have information regarding the person he suspects is the current victim of the spirit.

I was immediately sucked in and found a lot of the descriptions very well fleshed out. There were some passages, especially when Han-Gil or other characters were being introspective. I did not expect the emotional depth and introspection that happens later in the book and found it really wonderful as Han-Gil especially finally processed some of the events of his past. All in all, I really enjoyed the adventure of this read and would definitely pick up any future books by this author.

Happy reading!

Review | The Baker and the Bard by Fern Haught

February 19, 2024 DeAnneLeave a comment

Author-artist Fern Haught weaves an enchanting, gentle fantasy tale of friendship, determination, and respecting nature in their debut graphic novel.

Juniper and Hadley have a good thing going in Larkspur, spending their respective days apprenticing at a little bakery and performing at the local inn. But when a stranger places an unusual order at the bakery, the two friends (and Hadley’s pet snake, Fern) set out on a journey to forage the magical mushrooms needed to make the requested galette pastries.

Along the way, Juniper and Hadley stumble across a mystery too compelling to ignore: Something has been coming out of the woods at night and eating the local farmers’ crops, leaving behind a trail of glowing goo. Intent on finally going on an adventure that could fuel their bardic craft, Hadley tows Juniper into the woods to investigate.

What started as a simple errand to pick mushrooms soon turns into a thrilling quest to save some furry new friends―and their caretaker, a soft-spoken little fey named Thistle―who are in danger of losing their home.

If you enjoy graphic novels such as The Tea Dragon Society and others that are similar, you will probably want to pick up this one. It’s exactly as described, a cozy fantasy adventure, and so wholesome and wonderful. I loved Juniper and Hadley’s little adventure and their misadventures, especially Hadley’s enthusiasm throughout. They played really well off of each other and were wonderful companions. The art style is whimsical and a joy to read, suiting the cozy world and characters that Fern Haught created. I’ll definitely be looking for more of their work in the future.

Happy reading!

Blog Tour | The Framed Woman of Ardemore House by Brandy Schillace | Review

February 17, 2024 DeAnneLeave a comment

An abandoned English manor. A peculiar missing portrait. A cozy, deviously clever murder mystery, perfect for fans of Richard Osman and Anthony Horowitz.

Jo Jones has always had a little trouble fitting in. As a neurodivergent, hyperlexic book editor and divorced New Yorker transplanted into the English countryside, Jo doesn’t know what stands out more: her Americanisms or her autism.

After losing her job, her mother, and her marriage all in one year, she couldn’t be happier to take possession of a possibly haunted (and clearly unwanted) family estate in North Yorkshire. But when the body of the moody town groundskeeper turns up on her rug with three bullets in his back, Jo finds herself in potential danger—and she’s also a potential suspect. At the same time, a peculiar family portrait vanishes from a secret room in the manor, bearing a strange connection to both the dead body and Jo’s mysterious family history.

With the aid of a Welsh antiques dealer, the morose local detective, and the Irish innkeeper’s wife, Jo embarks on a mission to clear herself of blame and find the missing painting, unearthing a slew of secrets about the town—and herself—along the way. And she’ll have to do it all before the killer strikes again…

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I’ve been in the mood for more mysteries and thrillers lately and this one really piqued my interest, so I was eager to grab it. Though the story itself started out pretty slow, it was hard not to get invested in Jo and her story. I found the mystery itself fun and interesting and really enjoyed how all the characters played off of each other in some ways. Each character had a good identity, which is hard to do – though Jo was by far my favorite character, her personality and character really shone through. The mystery itself was fun and I felt that the ending did a good job of wrapping everything up without any lingering questions. This was exactly the read I wanted.

Brandy Schillace, PhD, is a historian of medicine and the critically acclaimed author of Death’s Summer Coat: What Death and Dying Teach Us About Life and Living and Clockwork Futures: The Science of Steampunk. The editor-in-chief of the journal Medical Humanities, she previously worked as a professor of literature and in research and public engagement at the Dittrick Medical History Center and Museum. Brandy also hosts the Peculiar Book Club Podcast, a twice-monthly show.The Framed Women of Ardemore House, featuring an autistic protagonist caught at the center of a murder mystery, is her fiction debut. Brandy is also autistic, though has not (to her knowledge) been a suspect in a murder investigation. Find her at https://brandyschillace.com/

Happy reading!

Review | The Taking of Jake Livingstone by Ryan Douglass

January 19, 2024 DeAnneLeave a comment

Get Out meets Danielle Vega in this YA horror where survival is not a guarantee.

Jake Livingston is one of the only Black kids at St. Clair Prep, one of the others being his infinitely more popular older brother. It’s hard enough fitting in but to make matters worse and definitely more complicated, Jake can see the dead. In fact he sees the dead around him all the time. Most are harmless. Stuck in their death loops as they relive their deaths over and over again, they don’t interact often with people. But then Jake meets Sawyer. A troubled teen who shot and killed six kids at a local high school last year before taking his own life. Now a powerful, vengeful ghost, he has plans for his afterlife–plans that include Jake. Suddenly, everything Jake knows about ghosts and the rules to life itself go out the window as Sawyer begins haunting him and bodies turn up in his neighborhood. High school soon becomes a survival game–one Jake is not sure he’s going to win.

I loved the premise of this book and what I’d originally heard about it but I almost feel like the marketing let it down a bit because it set expectations that weren’t really what the book was about. That being said, this book tackled some heavy subjects while also being full of creepy imagery regarding the ghosts and entities that Jake witnessed on a daily basis. His internal thoughts and worries were valid and current and the directions he took were very understandable considering the pressure he was under. I enjoyed the creepy vibes and the overall journey Jake went through, though there were a few events he went through with Sawyer that were just a little too unbelievable, still it was a fun read and would be a good addition to spooky season. Trigger warnings for racism, homophobia, domestic violence and school shooting.

Happy reading!

Review | Gamer Girls: Gnat vs. Spyder by Andrea Towers

January 4, 2024 DeAnneLeave a comment

Thirteen-year-old Natalie lives a double life. By day, she’s an average eighth grader at Golden Trails Middle. At night, she’s Gnat112, a streamer for her favorite video game, Alienlord. But when the new girl moves in next door, will Natalie’s double life be revealed?Natalie has a secret. She’s a gamer.By day, Natalie is an average eighth grade student. At night, she’s Gnat112! Living a double life is hard . . . and keeping a secret from your friends is even harder.In this illustrated middle grade book (the first of an all-new series, Gamer Girls), Natalie and her three BFFs learn to navigate the gamer world together, one girl at a time. This series is a great read for gamers and gamer enthusiasts of all kinds. Plus, there’s the occasional middle school drama . . . if only Natalie could battle math teachers like video game aliens!

This was an adorable read! I loved how it touched on being yourself and being ok with being yourself at a young-ish age. It’s a great example of being tempted to hide your interests, but learning not to. Plus I always enjoy some gamer rep, whether it be people getting into gaming or people who already love it. This is a great book for younger readers who are gamers themselves, or any that might be struggling with navigating friendships and such. All in all a fun read!

Happy reading!

Review | Everyone’s Thinking It by Aleema Omotoni

December 3, 2023 DeAnneLeave a comment

Mean Girls meets Dear White People in this big-hearted, sharp-witted UK boarding school story about family, friendship, and belonging—with a propulsive mystery at its heart. Within the walls of Wodebury Hall, an elite boarding school in the English countryside, reputation is everything. But aspiring photographer Iyanu is more comfortable observing things safely from behind her camera. For Iyanu’s estranged cousin, Kitan, life seems perfect. She has money, beauty, and friends like queen bee Heather. But as a Nigerian girl in a school as white and insular as Wodebury, Kitan struggles with the personal sacrifices needed to keep her place—and the protection she gets—within the exclusive popular crowd. Then photos from Iyanu’s camera are stolen and splashed across the school the week before the Valentine’s Day Ball—each with a juicy secret written on it. With everyone’s dirty laundry suddenly out in the open, the school explodes in chaos, and the whispers accusing Iyanu of being the one behind it all start to feel like déjà vu. Each girl is desperate to unravel the mystery of who stole the photos and why. But exposing the truth will change them all forever.

As soon as I heard that this was a Shakespeare retelling, I was hooked as I have a soft spot for Shakespeare, especially certain plays – A Midsummer Night’s Dream being one of them. I definitely felt that the buzz words of A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Mean Girls was appropriate. It definitely wasn’t just a light, funny story though, there were very real issues that were tackled and woven into the story, such as bullying, racism and other issues that teens face on a regular basis. It was a fast paced read for me that was hard to put down once the secrets started being revealed. I wasn’t expecting to go through a lot of twists and turns, so was happily surprised when there were points where I was left guessing what was going on. All in all a fantastic debut and I look forward to what this author comes up with next.

Happy reading!