Net-Galley

REVIEW | A Treacherous Tale

| sarasreadingnook

Storygraph | Goodreads
Title: A Treacherous Tale
Series: The Cambridge Bookshop Series #2
Genre: Cozy Mystery, Fiction
Publisher: St Martin’s Press
Format: E-book
Pages: 288
Source: NetGalley

Synopsis (from Goodreads):
Lately, Molly has been feeling that she might have fallen into a fairy tale: she’s reinvigorated the family bookshop Thomas Marlowe—Manuscripts and Folios, made friends in her new home of Cambridge, England, and is even developing a bit of a romance with the handsome Kieran—a bike shop owner with a somewhat intimidating family pedigree.

Having recently discovered The Strawberry Girls, a classic children’s tale, Molly is thrilled to learn the author, Iona York, lives nearby. But while visiting the famous author at her lovely cottage in nearby Hazelhurst, an old acquaintance of Iona’s tumbles off her roof to his death.

Then, when one of Iona’s daughters—an inspiration for the original Strawberry Girls—goes missing, Molly begins to worry this story might be more Brothers Grimm than happily-ever-after. Especially after Molly learns about the mysterious long-ago death of Iona’s husband and co-author of The Strawberry Girls…could past and present crimes be linked? Molly must put the clues together before someone turns this sweet tale sour.

Review

A dark fairy-tale of a cozy mystery. And an absolute pleasure to read.

This is the second book in The Cambridge Bookshop Series by Elizabeth Penney and I was so excited to read it, especially after enjoying Book 1 – Chapter and Curse. They both have their charm and Book 2 was an absolute delight to read. I loved learning about the mysteries that cat lover and bookshop part-owner Molly Kimball gets pulled into along the way.

This time, Molly is meeting with Iona York, co-author of The Strawberry Girls to discuss her latest book, The Strawberry Girls. While visiting, a family acquittance of Iona’s, Robin, has tumbled off her roof to his demise. Additionally, Iona’s daughter suddenly goes missing and is nowhere to be found. Was Robin’s death an accident? Or could there be a link between the two events, and perhaps to a crime committed in the past that still leaves questions to this day? Molly, yet again, is left to uncover the truth.

This book will have you hooked and wanting to know more after the very first chapter. In fact, every chapter leaves on a bit of a cliff-hanger, encouraging you to keep reading which I absolutely love. Molly is a character that truly seeks to support her friends and family and is fiercely loyal to them, and I think that acts a powerful driving factor as to why she is so invested in helping to investigate these cases, despite not being a formal investigator herself.

I loved the mysteries in this book, which had a scavenger hunt feel to them at times, but I truly loved one element which is the incorporation of a story-within-a-story. The Strawberry Girls was co-written by Iona’s former, Nate, who also had a similar suspicious death to that of Robin. Passages of the book are incorporated into the novel, and I absolutely loved that! It really helped set the stage and evoked mystery and intrigue in the story, while also making you feel as if the real-life characters of the book were in their own dark fairy tale.

Cats Puck and Clarence are always a joy to read, and we hope to see much more of them in future instalments!

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for an advanced eGalley of this book. All opinions are my own.

Themes

  • Murder Mystery
  • Missing Person
  • Uncovering secrets
  • Family
  • Loyalty
  • Fairy Tales

Feelings

  • Light-hearted with dark elements
  • Mysterious
  • Enchanting
  • Adventurous

Rating

Numerical rating: 4.25 stars

QOTD: do you enjoy cozy mysteries?
Let us know!

REVIEW | Radium Girls

| sarasreadingnook

Storygraph | Goodreads

Title: Radium Girls
Author: Cy
Release Date: 23 August 2022
Pages: 136
Publisher:
Format: E-ARC
Letter Better Publishing Services, Iron Circus Comics
Source: NetGalley

Synopsis:
It’s 1918 in Orange, New Jersey, and everyone knows the “Ghost Girls.”

The proud holders of well-paying jobs at the local watch factory, these working-class young women gain their nickname from the fine dusting of glowing, radioactive powder that clings to their clothes after every shift painting watch dials. The soft, greenish glow even stains their lips and tongues, which they use to point the fine brushes used in their work. It’s perfectly harmless . . . or so claims the watch manufacturer.

When teeth start falling out, followed by jawbones, the dial painters become the unprepared vanguard on the frontlines of the burgeoning workers’ rights movement. Desperate for compensation and acknowledgement from the company that has doomed them, the Ghost Girls must fight, not just for their own lives but the future of every woman to follow them.

A stunning graphic novel retelling of the shocking and inspiring true story.

Review

This graphic novel did a good job of giving an inside look into the lives of “Radium Girls,” a group of women in the early 1900s that were instructed to point the tip of their paintbrushes with their mouth when painting dials, thus leading to radiation poisoning.

It is very grim to read about the working conditions women had to endure, and it’s very frustrating that they were lied to about the inks, being told they were harmless and not to worry about applying the brush to their lips.

The illustrations within are fairly simple and I think that allows the story to make quite a big impact. There are two colours used, greens and purples. I’m not sure I am a fan of the used of coloured pencils, and think perhaps the illustrations would have looked even better had the crayons been blended together. As is, the colouring looks a bit unfinished/unpolished but I still overall enjoyed the illustration style.

I recommend this to anyone who is interested in learning more about this topic. Before reading this book, I didn’t know that these events happened and I feel like I learned quite a lot about both the events that took place and the importance of having conditions in place that protects workers from these sorts of occupational hazards in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing an e-ARC in exchange for a review copy. The expected release date is August 23rd 2022.

Themes

  • Educational: reviews the lives of working-class young women who suffered radiation poisoning from painting dials on watches with self-luminous paint.
  • Fighting for compensation/acknowledgement from the watch manufacturer company.
  • Occupational hazards in the workplace.

Feelings

  • Emotional
  • Informative
  • Reflective

Rating

Numerical Rating: 3.6 stars

QOTD: What is the last children’s
book you’ve enjoyed? Let us know!

REVIEW | The Ghosts of Rose Hill

| sarasreadingnook
Storygraph | Goodreads
Title: The Ghosts of Rose Hill
Genre: Fantasy, YA, Magical Realism, Poetry
Publisher: Peachtree Teen
Format: E-book and Audiobook
Pages: 452
Source: NetGalley and Audible

Synopsis:
Sent to stay with her aunt in Prague and witness the humble life of an artist, Ilana Lopez—a biracial Jewish girl—finds herself torn between her dream of becoming a violinist and her immigrant parents’ desire for her to pursue a more stable career.

When she discovers a forgotten Jewish cemetery behind her aunt’s cottage, she meets the ghost of a kindhearted boy named Benjamin, who died over a century ago. As Ilana restores Benjamin’s grave, he introduces her to the enchanted side of Prague, where ghosts walk the streets and their kisses have warmth

But Benjamin isn’t the only one interested in Ilana. Rudolph Wassermann, a man with no shadow, has become fascinated with her and the music she plays. He offers to share his magic, so Ilana can be with Benjamin and pursue her passion for violin. But after Ilana discovers the truth about Wassermann and how Benjamin became bound to the city, she resolves to save the boy she loves, even if it means losing him—forever.

With spellbinding verse prose, R.M. Romero channels the spirit of myth into a brilliantly original tale, inspired by her experiences restoring Jewish cemeteries in Eastern Europe.

Review:

Haunting, entrancing, and so poetic.

Absolutely beautiful story of a biracial Jewish girl who is sent away to stay with her aunt in Prague. I was soon hooked after reading the first chapter and read this book late at night finding it difficult to put down.

Ilana is torn between pursuing her parent’s wishes of having a stable career, for example in the sciences or medicine, and becoming a violinist. While she’s in Prague, she learns about a forgotten Jewish ancestry, encounters a ghost name Benjamin and also a man with no shadow, Rudolf Wassermann and is compelled to know their stories.

The book stresses the importance of remembering our history. Quick and impactful read – I recommend this to anyone who enjoys poetic storytelling and is intrigued by the synopsis. Beautiful.

Feelings

  • Haunting
  • Enchanting

Themes

  • Heritage
  • Fairy tales
  • History

Rating

QOTD: do you enjoy
listening to the violin? Let us know!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing a review copy. All opinions are my own.

August TBR Game | Fighting Evil by Book Light | Play at home | #ARCathon

| sarasreadingnook

Hello everyone and welcome to another round of our TBR Game, “Fighting Evil by Book Light!”

RULES

1. Five turns: two spins, each. First: card; Second: prompt
2. Played monthly.
3. If the wheel arrow lands exactly between two pieces, re-spin.
4. Cards updated.
5. Must accept result of each spin. No re-spins.
6. Unfinished books may be carried over to next month (optional)
*7. If participating in a readathon, can modify TBR game for that readathon.

August TBR Game Video

August TBR Candidates

Today’s Candidates

Here all our candidates for our August TBR Game! We did quite a bit of research to find some great ARCs via NetGalley. Many of the ARCs are “read now” titles. Thank you to ARCathon hosts Marti and Britt!

Add a Book
Spin for either a romance, cat book, manga/GN, fantasy, thriller/contemporary, or Nonfiction novel.

New Releases

  1. Night of the Living Rez by Morgan Talty.
  2. Violets Made of Thorns by Gina Chen.
  3. The Family Remains by Lisa Jewel.
  4. The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia.
  5. The Witchery by S. Isabelle.
  6. The Clackity by Lora Senf.

Cat Books

  1. Nine Lives by D.B. Borton.
  2. One Cup at a Time by Matt Tarpley.
  3. Death in the Margins by Victoria Gilbert.
  4. Baker and Taylor and the Mystery of Library Cats by Candy Rodo.
  5. Calypso, Corpses, and Cooking by Raquel V. Reyes.
  6. A Streetcar Named Murder by T.G. Herren.
MODIFY 3 for LOST WITCH

Fantasy

  1. Ghostcloud by Michael Mann.
  2. Realm of Lore and Lies by Claire Wright.
  3. The Lost Witch by Paige Crutcher.
  4. The Nine Origins by Kes Trester.
  5. The Gravity of Existence by Christina Sng.
  6. Misfit’s Magic – The Last Halloween by Fred Gracely.

Manga / Graphic Novel or Picture Books

  1. One Cup at a Time by Matt Tarpley.
  2. War and Peace the Graphic Novel by Leo Tolstoy, Alexandr Poltorak (Adapted by), and Dmitry Chukhrai (Illustrations).
  3. A Nico Colored Canvas by Nao Shikita.
  4. Manga Classics: Anne of Green Gables by Stacy King (Adaptor), L.M. Montgomery, Kyma Chang, and Crystal S. Chan (Artist)
  5. All the Families in My Town by Ophélie Célier, Thomas Piet, and Ariane Caldin (Illustrations).
  6. Enola Holmes: The Graphic Novels by Serena Blasco.

Reread

Either poetry, children’s, middle grade, fantasy, YA or Manga.

Romance

  1. Tacos for Two by Betsy St. Amant.
  2. The Unbalanced Equation by H.L. Macfarlane.
  3. The Season of Dreams by Fiona Valpy.
  4. A Heartbeat Away from You by Ann M. Miller.
  5. The Sandcastle Hurricane by Carolyn Brown.
  6. Orchid Blooming by Carol Van Den Hende.

Thriller/Contemporary

  1. Tacos for Two by Betsy St. Amant.
  2. Where Wild Peaches Grow by Cade Bentley.
  3. Maame by Jessica George.
  4. The Parlour Game by Jennifer Renshaw and Micaela Alcaino.
  5. Hidden in the Pines by Victoria Houston.
  6. Cleopatra’s Vendetta by Avanti Centrae.

TBR Game Playlist

Playlist Link

Want to play at home?

Simplified Version:

In this version, the Random Name Picker below will choose your genre cards for you!
Enter the following:

For list of names, enter:
New Releases (Sailor Mercury)
Add a Book (Tuxedo Mask)
Fantasy (Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Pluto)
Thriller/Contemporary (Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune)
Cat Books (Sailor Venus with Artemis and Sailor Moon with Luna)
Manga/Graphic Novel (Sailor Moon)
Romance (Sailor Mars Saturn)
Reread (Sailor ChibiMoon)

Do this five times to select your genre cards and from there, you can pick whatever book you would like to for your TBR! But remember, if “Add a Book” is selected, you will have to add a book! Or, you can delete this option since it can get out of hand pretty quickly! Alternatively, you can pick as many books as you’d like to.

Random Name Picker
Random Name Picker by GIGAcalculator.com

If you would instead like to download the genre cards and select your cards in a different way, they are included below.

Genre Cards:

TBR Cards:

Detailed Version:


Before you play this version, download the Combined Genre + Book Cards below and add your own candidates to each card. For your first turn, select your genre card by pasting the following into the random name generator. This will provide you with your genre card.

for list of names, enter:
New Releases (Sailor Mercury)
Add a Book (Tuxedo Mask)
Fantasy (Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Pluto)
Thriller/Contemporary (Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune)
Cat Books (Sailor Venus with Artemis and Sailor Moon with Luna)
Manga/Graphic Novel (Sailor Moon)
Romance (Sailor Mars Saturn)
Reread (Sailor ChibiMoon)

Random Name Picker
Random Name Picker by GIGAcalculator.com

Once you have your genre selected, then roll the dice to select your candidate. Repeat this process five times, or as many times as you would like to in order to pick your TBR. Remember to add a book each time you choose Add a Book.

Random Number Generator
Random Number Generator by GIGAcalculator.com

Combined Genre + Book Cards:

TBR Cards:

QOTD: Will you be playing along?
Let us know your TBR picks!

July Reading Wrap Up

| sarasreadingnook

Hi everyone!

Today we will be sharing our reading wrap up for the month of July. We hope that you had a fantastic month!

During the month of July, I read a lot of very informative and lighthearted reads. This isn’t surprising as many of my books were children’s books or middle grades up for review. Though, many of them were also emotional.

I tended to enjoy reading medium paced books but I do like that there were some fast and slow paced books thrown in.

We were craving and loving so many nonfiction reads!

And of course, many of the books we read were children’s literature and therefore on the shorter page limit.

We took a break from readathons this month – it sure was a busy month. I worked quite a bit and didn’t have too much time extra time. Plus we had family visiting! I wanted to join Grinchathon in July. This is hosted by Izzy from Punk Rock Girl PA – we had a lot of fun participating last year and hope to next year!

We reviewed 8 electronic Galleys from NetGalley – 7 of these were advanced reader copies. We only completed 4/7 July TBR game books; however, we are completing the fifth one tonight, DNFing one for now, and transferring over Lore to August.

Yes, here are our 12 books! All of our NetGalley books have a little sticker on them the image above.

Below are full reviews of all of the books for which I have reviews that haven’t been posted yet.

If I have already reviewed them, I’ve provided the link.

And there are some outstanding reviews are still to come.

Enjoy!

Reviews:

How Science Saved the Eiffel Tower
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5 stars)

Storygraph | Goodreads

Click here for review

With the Right to Fight: Planting Peace
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5 stars)

Storygraph | Goodreads
Title: With the Right to Fight: Planting Peace
Genre: Nonfiction, Children’s Literature
Publisher: Constellate Children’s Books
Format: E-book
Pages: 38
Source: NetGalley

Review:
What a beautifully illustrated nonfiction book!

The book beautifully illustrates the story of Wangari Muri Maathai from childhood to adulthood, where we go from Kenya to the USA, then back back again. Themes include the importance of nature, education, resourcefulness, imagination, community, ingenuity, and female empowerment.

I’m such a fan of the art style and the composition of the book. It flows, reads, and illustrates the story’s beautifully.

I think that this book should be read in as many classrooms as possible! I wish I learned Wangari Muri Maathai’s story and her amazing Novel Peace Prize achievement much earlier. This is an inspirational and informative book perfect for young readers (and adults, too!)

Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5 stars)

Storygraph | Goodreads
Title: Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls: Baby’s First Book of Extraordinary Women
Genre: Children’s, Nonfiction, Picture Books
Publisher: Rebel Girls
Format: E-book
Pages: 32
Source: NetGalley

Review:
Beautiful book filled with various illustrations and descriptions of diverse women throughout history and their accomplishments/works of advocacy.

There were a lot of women that I learned about from this collection! I love that this is now in board book format. Each of the illustrations are so uniquely drawn yet the colour palette is consistent throughout, with bright and bold colours.

I definitely recommend this one!

Lola and the New School
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4.25 stars)

Storygraph | Goodreads

Click here for review

Surviving the City
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4.25 stars)

Storygraph | Goodreads
Title: Surviving the City
Series: Surviving the City #1
Genre: Graphic Novel, Young Adult, Comics, Cultural, Indigenous, Fiction, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Young Adult
Publisher: HighWater Press
Format: E-book
Pages: 56
Source: Libby

4.25.

This was an impactful graphic novel about very important topics. You are introduced to the main characters Miikwan (Anishinaabe) and Dez (Inninew) who are both best friends. Dez’s grandmother falls ill and Dez is told she’s not able to live at home with her anymore and the threat of having to live in a group home is looming. Dez, overwhelmed, runs away and goes missing and Miikwan is desperate to find her.

I found the story to be quite emotional and impactful. The illustration style is very beautiful and the writing is well done. It is a fairly quick read but I think it’s an important story that includes a dialogue on missing and murdered indigenous women.

Content Warnings (via Storygraph)

Wildseed Witch
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 stars)

Storygraph | Goodreads

Click here for review.

From Eve to Dawn
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 stars)

Storygraph | Goodreads

Review to come …
See our interim thoughts here.

Yasmin the Detective
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 stars)

Storygraph | Goodreads

Click here for review

Radium Girls
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3.6 stars)

Storygraph | Goodreads

Review to come …

Shoo!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3.5 stars)

Storygraph | Goodreads

Review to come …

Always Never
⭐️⭐️ (2 stars)

Storygraph | Goodreads
Title: Always Never
Genre: Graphic Novel, Romance, France
Publisher: Europe Comics
Format: E-book
Pages: 152
Source: Hoopla

Review:
Honestly, this one just fell completely flat for me. The art style and story.

Content Warnings via Storygraph

I am a Cat
*undecided*

Storygraph | Goodreads

I am not sure how to review this one. I’ll need some time before I do!

That’s everything for our wrap-up!

Note: Chart data collected from Storygraph; graphs constructed using Canva.

QOTD: What was your favourite book read this July? Let us know!

Children’s lit Reviews | Lola and the New School, Yasmin The Detective, and How Science Saved the Eiffel Tower!

| sarasreadingnook

Today is August the first and we would like to wish a warm publication day to Lola and the New School, Yasmin, and How Science Saved the Eiffel Tower!

These were all wonderful children’s books; two of which are fiction and one is nonfiction. Regardless of what you are after, I definitely recommend each one. Below are our spoiler free reviews of each book.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publishers for these advanced readers copies in exchange for honest reviews.

Lola and the New School

Storygraph | Goodreads
Title: Lola and the New School
Series: ¡Hola Lola!
Genre: Children’s Fiction
Publisher: Capstone
Format: E-book
Source: NetGalley

Review:
4.25. This is a cute story by author Keka Novales who grew up in Guatemala and illustrator Gloria Félix, raised in Mexico.

It is about a girl named Lola who has changed schools in the middle of the school year, saying goodbye to her old connections and learning to adapt and make friends at her new school.

I really liked the format of the book – you are first introduced to the main characters, including Lola, Mama, Dad, Abuelita, and Abuelo and are given some interesting facts about each of them. Then starts the story which features several beautiful illustrations representative of the story, each featuring our main character, Lola. This is followed by both an English and Spanish glossary, questions and writing prompts, a recipe (Abuelita’s freshly squeezed Limeade), and author biographies.

My favourite part about the book is how strong Lola’s bond is with her family, and in particular, how her mother and abuelita give her strength and knowledge to face challenges at her new school environment. Abuelita is such a wonderful, kind and loving individual who shares highly meaningful and impactful advice that I think can be applied in many new environments and situations. I really love the incorporation of Spanish and Guatemalan facts/heritage within the novel and would definitely recommend this to young readers ages 5-7 and for children educators!

Yasmin

Storygraph | Goodreads
Title: Yasmin the Detective
Series: Yasmin
Genre: Children’s Fiction
Publisher: Capstone/Picture Window Books
Format: E-book
Pages: 32
Source: NetGalley

Review:
This is a very beautifully illustrated chapter book written by Pakistani American author Saadia Faruqi and illustrated by Egyptian-born illustrator Hatem Aly. In this book, Yasmin’s grandmother loses several objects which include a button, a thimble, and a pair of glasses and Yasmin is determined to get to the bottom of the mystery at play!

I really enjoyed the illustrations and thought they were drawn beautifully! The colours and the image placements were done very well throughout the book. Each character has distinct features and focused on elements that enhanced the story well. For example, the image that showed Yasmin watching her favourite detective Dr. Hoo while being completely engrossed in the story as Nani comes in to discuss her dilemma. It introduced characters and their interests well.

There are some discussion prompts that are helpful for learners and educators and there is a Urdu glossary at the end with a pronunciation key for various terms in Urdu. Fun facts were provided about Pakistan at the end of the book, and a binocular DIY guide is added in for extra fun!

Regarding the story, I really enjoyed Yasmin and her family and I thought it provided a fun and easy to follow mystery to be solved for young readers. I did have one qualm re: the story when it came to the retrieval of items, though it’s very minor, I simply think that both parties could have been happier at the end. Nonetheless, it was very cute! And a good read for readers K-2.

How Science Saved the Eiffel Tower

Storygraph | Goodreads
Title: How Science Saved the Eiffel Tower
Genre: Children’s Nonfiction
Publisher: Capstone
Format: E-book
Pages: 33
Source: NetGalley

Review:
What a cool and uniquely illustrated children’s nonfiction book packed with awesome scientific and historical information!

Written by Emma Bland Smith and illustrated by Lia Visirin, “How Science Saved the Eiffel Tower” details how exactly the Eiffel Tower was effectively saved and not torn down due to the scientific additions added to the building by Gustave Eiffel.

Each page has beautifully illustrations of the Eiffel Tower’s construction during the late 1800s and the reaction of the general public and officials at the time. The clothes, buildings, structures, and environment displayed wonderful detail and the text was readable (though, at times a bit small) throughout.

I had not realized how many scientific applications there were re: the Eiffel Tower, from weather measurements, to aerodynamics, even wireless radio transmission! I also did not realize there were restaurants and an apartment at the tower as well in which it’s creator, Gustave Eiffel, lived in until passing away at 91 years of age.

At the back of the book, there are many features: an epilogue, French glossary, interesting facts about the Eiffel Tower, a Timeline, and author/illustrator biographies. (There’s even a cat on the back cover – how purr-fect!)

I would definitely recommend this book to young readers as I thought it was trés fantastique! Perfect for young readers aged 8-10.

QOTD: Which book suites your tastes the most? Let us know!

REVIEW | Wildseed Witch

| sarasreadingnook
Storygraph | Goodreads

Author: Marti Dumas
Title: Wildseed Witch
Published: May 10, 2022
Pages: 352
Format: E-ARC and Hoopla
Rating: 4 stars

Today I am reviewing Wildseed Witch by Marti Dumas, a middle grade fantasy featuring an all-BIPOC cast. This is about an aspiring and raising makeup YouTuber who learns that she’s a witch and gets sent off to a private Witch Camp/finishing school. While at Les Belles Demoiselles, she learns to be a witch alongside extremely talented and powerful girls; however, she is a “Wildseed” as she comes from a family of non-witches, unlike the other girls who attend the school. Hasani must learn how to succeed and harness her magical abilities in her own way.

I thought that this book was a lot of fun and very thoughtful. Hasani is a very relatable and likeable character that has flaws, insecurities, and also amazing strengths, thus making her an awesome protagonist. You see how she learns to navigate exclusive social groups within her school, forming friendships and facing obstacles within them. You also see her grow personally within domains in her life, be it: accepting responsibility, learning to live with difficult family dynamics, and learning how to forgive others (and herself). Additionally, I enjoyed the incorporation of Creole heritage and New Orleans/Louisiana history into the book.

In regards to pacing, the first half of the book is pretty easy to fall into as you learn about Hasani and her background and I felt like this was fairly quickly paced. Towards the middle it was a bit slow, but then it picked right back up again in the last third of the book.

I’m looking forward to reading more in the series as I want to learn more about how the magic system works and know the range of Hasani’s potential magical capabilities. My cat Olivia and I would also like to see more cat appearances in the future! And, gosh, Erick Davila is such a talented artist. This artist illustrated the covers for: The Inheritance of Zoraida Cordova, With the Fire on High, and Clap When You Land (among others!)- I can’t wait to see what book cover number 2 will look like.

Olivia and I definitely recommend this book and hope you will enjoy it! It’s perfect if you would like a book about young witches that ultimately shows character development, friendships, and family.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Content Warnings: Classism, Toxic Friendship, Bullying, Slavery, Colonization, Infidelity, Suicide, Abandonment.

QOTD: Will you be reading this book?
Let us know!

Our first post! – Mid-Year NetGalley Review Wrap-Up!

| sarasreadingnook

Hello, everyone, and welcome to our new blog! We are very excited to share our thoughts on our NetGalley books from January to June 2022. We will be going from most to least recent here. All e-galleys were received in exchange for honest review and have been catalogued previously on our Goodreads and Storygraph pages. 

So, let’s go!

June

Amalia by Aude Picault

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

3.75 stars.
I really enjoyed this graphic novel.

In this story, Amalia and her family are encountering a stressful time and as the story progresses, you realize that taking a step back and re-evaluating things might be important for them as something is right about to give.

I enjoyed the story overall and think that this might be a very good read for those who are encountering stress or burnout. Some things I would have liked to see different: I found the font a bit difficult to read (although it’s aesthetically pretty charming), the father character in particular was a bit much for me, and some of the language was off-putting, especially early on. However the progression of the story was really good and landed on an ending I was definitely satisfied with.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
CW: family conflict, stress, burnout

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I really enjoyed reading this NetGalley toolkit.
It was very helpful and included a lot of useful information, including:
– tips for requesting NetGalley books and keeping your feedback ratio high
– creating book reviews for various formats (e.g., blog, YouTube, Instagram, etc.)
– social media tips and strategiesI particularly enjoyed the strategizing and accessibility sections! There were a couple of formatting issues I found, such as deleting extra spaces, but overall I really liked the format of the toolkit.I recommend this to anyone just starting out on NetGalley or who is looking to improve their experience on this platform.Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a free review copy in exchange for an honest review.

February

Chef’s Kiss by Jarrett Melendez
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

3.75

This was a really cute graphic novel about Ben Cook, a new graduate who needs to find a job ASAP who, despite being unable to find a job related to his degree, is given a shot at a restaurant. During his time at Le Cochon Doré, he is faced with several challenges and finds himself falling for one of his mentors and becoming more distant from his initially desired career path.

This book makes it really easy to root for Ben as he learns how to improve his culinary skills. I really loved the characters, especially his friends Liz, Rachel, and Tom! Oh, and gosh, it was a bit silly but I just LOVED Watson. And thought he was just a wonderful addition to the book. I do wish that there was a little bit more of the romance, mostly because I wanted to see more of this blossoming relationship. I did really love Liam’s character and how supportive he was. I thought this was really cute and would like to read more from the author in the future!

CW: emotional abuse, homophobia.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, author, and illustrators (cover and main book) for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

2.75

This poetry collection by Amanda Lovelace is the third instalment of the “you are your own fairy tale” series.

CW: Fatphobia, Homophobia, Mental illness, Child abuse, Confinement, Self harm, Death, Eating disorder, Queerphobia, Grief, Trauma, Sexism.

 
My rating:

This was such a good children’s novel that focused on the perspective of a granddaughter and her abuelita.
The illustration style is absolutely gorgeous and beautifully helped tell the story.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, illustrator and the publisher for an eARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.
My rating:
This was such an adorable book! First, Maxine’s little critters are anxious about getting their vaccine shots so she eases their anxiety and congratulates them all for getting their shots. And then, Maxine goes to the vet to get her actual shot, and her and her critters all celebrate together.
I’m a huge fan of the artwork! I think that this is such a delightful book for children getting all of the shots they need to and can be so useful.
Thank you to the publisher, the authors/illustrators, and to NetGalley for providing an advanced readers copy for an honest review.

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a concise and very well written graphic novel which serves as an introduction to asexuality. My favourite part of the graphic novel are the descriptions of the following:

– what asexuality is; the spectrum of asexuality
– differences between asexuality and aromanticism
– ace stereotypes in culture and media representations

I do wish that the illustrations were more detailed as it mostly centred on the two narrators; since the graphic novel is in black and white, more detail would have added visual interest to the book. Or, to add colour to the various illustrations in lieu of additional detail. However, I still think they did a good job of maintaining the reader’s interest through interesting dialogue and topics covered.

I would recommend this book to those interested in learning more about asexuality and would also recommend it to my friends who are practicing medicine; as a healthcare worker, I found the feedback re: the Ace patient demographic and experiences within medical clinics to be incredibly beneficial!

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher, author, and illustrator for providing an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

My rating:
 
The narration throughout the book was kind, welcoming, and informative. Reassurances were provided in a nonjudgemental fashion, allowing the reader to know that they are not alone when facing health anxiety. I thought that the illustrations were great: representations of children from various ethnicities, backgrounds, and with disabilities were provided.

There were so many “fun facts” about health and the human body sprinkled within the book. I found them to be highly engaging and informative.

Additionally, the book provided a small guide for caregivers and for parents, as well as a link to numerous books, videos, and organizations relating to the subject matter presented.

I would recommended this to parents and caregivers of children 6-10 years who would like to help ease any anxiety their little ones are facing regarding health.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher, author, and illustrator for providing an advanced reader’s copy in exchange of an honest review.


Astronomers and What They Do

My rating:
 
I really liked the illustrations, but also enjoyed the simple way scientific concepts were broken down. Bolding terminology was done effectively, and I liked that comparisons were used to distinguish similar sounding terms, such as astronomers vs astronauts.

Finally, each illustration nicely complimented the text well. The activity at the end of the book would be a fun one for younger readers!

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.


 

3.75.

I really loved that this book was set on the beach in Florida, a welcome departure from the cold weather we have been having this winter.

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Full review and reading vlog:
I really enjoyed The Holiday Swap by Maggie Knox! It was a very fun read and had likeable characters, an interesting set of protagonists, and a good set of challenges and obstacles to overcome. I feel like it was a perfect read for the holidays, and it was just so cute.

😸