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Sir Callie and the Final Stand by Esme Symes-Smith (2025)

10/13/2025

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Helston and its champions have been torn apart by war. Finally reunited after being scattered across the realm fighting personal battles, Callie, Elowen, Edwyn and Willow must prepare to step into the roles they've been training Champion, Witch, Knight and King.

Even if it feels like their best will never be enough to conquer the infection of hate that has spread across Wyndebrel, even when their numbers seem so small compared to the might of their enemies, they must hold true to their to create a better and safer realm for everyone. 

With the aid of Eyrewood, Fairkeep, and the dragons, they are as ready as they’ll ever be to ride on Helston and Dumoor, to confront the newly crowned King Peran and the Witch Queen, and finally define what peace truly means. And there is a single truth Callie and friends must cling The battle is still worth fighting even when victory seems impossible. 
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Sir Callie and the Final Stand, the fourth and final book in the Sir Callie series, will be released on October 14, 2025. Read our reviews on Sir Callie and the Champions of Heleston (book one), Sir Callie and the Dragon's Roost (book two), and Sir Callie and the Witch's War (book four), as well as our interview with author Esme Symes-Smith. 

I’ve read hundreds of middle-grade novels in the past few years alone, and I’ve never encountered a story quite like the Sir Callie series. Fierce and funny and achingly real, this series is dark in all the right ways: not dark for darkness’s sake but because nothing else can quite reflect the reality that kids, especially queer and trans kids, have to live through every day. Symes-Smith proves here that it is possible to write a middle-grade story that has it all, with the kind of emotional resonance that literally changes lives: deftly drawn character relationships, high stakes, an ensemble cast, vibrant worldbuilding, and a heartbreaking but incredibly satisfying ending. 

This is now the fourth book in this series I’ve read, loved, and reviewed, and I still find myself utterly lost for words to describe how much Callie and their friends mean to me. Willow, Edwyn, Elowen, and Callie are four of the best characters I’ve ever encountered; there’s so much reality bound up in their conflicts, struggles, and relationships, and I found it impossible not to see parts of myself in every one of them. Their defiant hope made me believe that we truly can do better, 

Too often the final book in a series will fall flat, but Sir Callie and the Final Stand lived up to my extremely high expectations. Every plotline and character is treated with care and depth as they are wrapped up, and while I would love to read more in this world, I trust that all the characters are in the best of hands - their own. I struggle to think of another recent MG series so flawlessly executed from beginning to end. Sir Callie and the Final Stand is truly unputdownable, and I'm incredibly excited for whatever Symes-Smith writes next! 

If you're looking for a spot of joy that doesn't shy away from the reality and hardship of being a queer young person today, this series will change your life. 

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own. 

​Book description credited to the publisher. ​
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Muted: Volume 2 by Miranda Mundt (2025)

9/29/2025

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One week into her month-long respite from her controlling Aunt Athalie, Camille receives an unsettling call blindsiding her with news of her arranged marriage. But when she stands up for herself and her freedom, she creates a rift with her beloved cousin Avaline and gains an uncontrollable new ability triggered by overwhelming emotions. Luckily, Camille has Dendro, the plant demon she summoned, to help her come to terms with her past trauma and fully embrace the beauty of her magic. But when Camille suspects that Avaline may be in danger under Aunt Athalie’s influence, she finds herself in a difficult position. With a plan to save Avaline, Camille and the increasingly charming Nyra embark on a mission to face the unpredictable dangers and painful secrets that await in New Orleans.

Muted is a lush, magical coming-of-age story, with joyful streaks of found family and polyamorous sapphic romance. 
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Muted: Volume 2 will be released on October 14, 2025. 

I loved the first volume of Muted, so when I saw the second one on NetGalley, I leaped at the chance to check it out. It didn’t disappoint. Muted: Volume 2 has everything that made me love the first book, complete with an eerie cliff-hanger at the conclusion. Camille’s story continues to unfold at a fast, expert pace, as full as ever of unexpected twists and vivid storytelling. Once more, I adore the artwork; it feels as though it perfectly encapsulates the world and tone of this story, and adds so much to the characters, which is the best sort of graphic novel! On the character side, Mundt continues to develop Camille and the supporting cast in a way that feels organic and vibrant, guided always by their choices and history rather than an artificial construction of what they ‘should’ do next. I truly can’t wait to read Volume 3—this is an enthralling story and a fast read, and I’m so curious about where Mundt will take it next! 

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own. 

​Book description credited to the publisher. ​


ages 14+ / ARC / fairy tales / fantasy / fiction / graphic novel / LGBTQ+ / romance / series / young adult
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The Grimoire of Grave Fates created by Hanna Alkaf and Margaret Owen (2023)

9/22/2025

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By Nico

At the Galileo Academy for the Extraordinary, magic is for everyone. Or, at least, that's how it's supposed to be since Galileo recently went through an intensive reorganization to change its discriminatory stance on magic, but while it has a more global and diverse student body than ever before, the dust is yet to settle on the changes. And some people, like Professor Septimius Dropwort, make it known that they aren't thrilled with the updates.

So when Dropwort turns up dead, the potential motives are numerous...whereas evidence for the truth is far less widespread.

With twenty chapters, each narrated by a different student searching for answers, The Grimoire of Grave Fates brings to life a vibrant, detailed magical academy where murder might be only one of several crimes that have been taking place within its walls.

​The format of this book—essentially interconnected short stories written by a wide range of authors that give life to a wider plot and idea—has always been one that fascinates me, so I knew as soon as I encountered The Grimoire of Grave Fates that I had to read it. Each chapter brings a different and quirky perspective to the main plot, and I loved getting to know so many characters and their unique forms of magic, struggles, relationships, and more. Since there are so many threads and characters in this story—and it delights in debunking many common tropes—I particularly recommend it to readers who read widely in the fantasy genre. If you’re someone who enjoys short stories or just likes a good ensemble cast, I recommend The Grimoire of Grave Fates to readers ages fourteen and up. 

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On Starlit Shores by Bex Glendining (2025)

9/15/2025

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In this YA urban fantasy graphic novel, Alex must return to the town where she was born to unravel the magical mysteries her late grandmother left behind

Alex Wilson hasn’t been back to Indigo Harbor, the seaside village where she grew up, in years. In fact, she can barely remember anything about it. But when her grandmother dies unexpectedly, Alex will have to return to her childhood home to say goodbye.

Accompanied by her best friend, Grim, Alex travels back to her hometown and begins cleaning out her grandmother’s house, but the longer they stay, the stranger things get. Indigo Harbor isn’t your average town—there are falling stars, witches running tea shops, and a name that comes up again and again: Elizabeth. Who was this woman, and how did she know Alex’s grandmother?
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On Starlit Shores will be released on September 30, 2025.

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On Starlit Shores can only be described as luminous. There’s a sense of gorgeous completeness to this story that left me fully immersed in it from beginning to end. I loved the threads of magic and belonging that weave through this story. The worldbuilding is fantastic - there’s such a strong sense of place from the very first page, and the thin line between what’s real and what’s remembered caught my attention and refused to let it go.

Alex is a strong protagonist, with the right blend of drive and grief, and I was more than glad to follow her through the beats of On Starlit Shores. The way her grandmother and Elizabeth are characterized is also more than worth a shout-out; Glendining does a fantastic job of giving characters depth and rendering them relatable even without their physical presence on the page, which helped give this book the feel of something between a mystery, a coming-of-age novel, a fantasy story, and a story of grief.

I love the illustrations, which are the perfect blend of vibrant and otherworldly, grounding the reader while having the fanciful edge that perfectly captures the tone and arc of the story.

I highly recommend On Starlit Shores to readers who want to immerse themself in a layered, vibrant town where memory is not an easily categorized thing.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own. 

Book description credited to the publisher.

ages 14+ / ARC / family / fantasy / fiction / graphic novel / magic / standalone / young adult
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​Costumes for Time Travelers by A. R. Capetta (2025)

9/8/2025

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Anyone who has hiked through time knows the town of Pocket. It’s the place travelers first reach after they stumble away from their hometime, passing through on their way to any other when. To Calisto, Pocket is home. They love their grandmother’s shop, which is filled with clothes from every era that are used to make costumes for time travelers. Calisto has no intention of traveling—it’s too dangerous.

For Fawkes, traveling is life. He put on time boots when he was young and has been stumbling through eras ever since. When he floats into Pocket, Calisto meets him for the first time, though Fawkes has seen Calisto—in glimpses of what hasn’t happened yet. He’s also seen the villains chasing them both.

​Now Calisto and Fawkes must rush—from Shakespeare’s London to ancient Crete to California on the eve of a millennium—to save Pocket, and travelers, from being erased. 
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Costumes for Time Travelers was released on May 27, 2025. 

I’ve loved several of A. R. Capetta’s previous books, and so when I saw this one, I knew I had to check it out. I absolutely loved it! The world of Pocket is fascinating; the idea of a waystation for time travelers immediately grabbed my attention, and it doesn’t disappoint. The descriptions throughout are so vivid, and I felt incredibly grounded throughout the twisting plot of this story. Calisto and Fawkes’s relationship is fascinating and engrossing, even as someone who doesn’t typically like romance. For fans of YA stories that play with time, space, and your very conceptions of what a queer, romantic fantasy novel can be, I’d highly recommend Costumes for Time Travelers! 

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own. 

​​Book description credited to the publisher. ​

ages 14+ / ARC / fantasy / fiction / historical fantasy / LGBTQ+ / romance / standalone / young adult
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The Gate, the Girl, and the Dragon by Grace Lin (2025)

8/25/2025

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Jin is a Stone Lion—one of the guardians of the Old City Gate who is charged to watch over humans and protect the Sacred Sphere. But to Jin, those boring duties feel like a waste of time.

What isn’t a waste of time? Perfecting his zuqiu kick, scoring a Golden Goal, and becoming the most legendary player of all the spirit world.

But when Jin’s perfect kick accidentally knocks the Sacred Sphere out through the gate, he has no choice but to run after it, tumbling out of the realm he calls home and into the human world as the gate closes behind him.

Stuck outside the gate, Jin must find help from unlikely allies, including a girl who can hear a mysterious voice and a worm who claims he is a dragon. Together, they must find the sphere and return it to the world beyond the gate…or risk losing everything.
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The Gate, the Girl, and the Dragon is the sort of book I might’ve picked up when I was younger and utterly loved. Grace Lin crafts a story with the feel of—and elements of—a myth, but with all the fixings of a modern world. It makes it feel as though you can truly step into this story from your doorstep, and as though folktales are as relevant and mysterious as they ever were. 

If you haven’t yet read one of Grace Lin’s books, you’re in for a treat here. Every one of her stories is full of vibrant illustrations, atmospheric prose, and a multilayered storyline that blends myths while feeling half like a myth itself. The Gate, the Girl, and the Dragon is certainly different from Lin’s earlier books—for example, it’s the first of her fantasy novels set in modern times—but if you like this one, you’ll definitely want to read her other books, starting with When the Mountain Meets the Moon. 

One of my favorite aspects of Grace Lin’s books is the beautiful artwork, and this book is no exception. I love Lin’s vivid artwork that truly brings the characters to life, and if you haven’t yet had a chance to check it out, this is definitely a good book to start with! 

​Highly recommended! 

Thank you to TBR Beyond Tours and the publisher for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own. I first read this book as part of a tour with TBR Beyond in March; you can read my post Top 5 Reasons to Read The Gate, the Girl, and the Dragon here!

​Book description adapted from the publisher's description. 

ages 10+ / ARC / fairy tales / fantasy / fiction / friends / illustrated / magic / middle grade / myths & legends / standalone
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I Am the Swarm by Hayley Chewins (2025)

8/18/2025

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As far back as anyone can remember, the women of the Strand family have been magical. Their gifts manifest when they each turn fifteen, always in different ways. But Nell Strand knows that her family's magic is a curse. Her mother’s age changes every day; she's often too young to be the mother Nell needs. Her older sister bleeds music and will do anything to release the songs inside her. Nell sees the way magic rips her family apart again and again.

When Nell’s own magic arrives in the form of ladybugs alighting on the keys of her beloved piano, the first thing she feels is joy. The ladybugs are a piece of her, a harmless and delicate manifestation of her creativity. But soon enough, the rest come. Thick-shelled glossy beetles that creep along her collarbone when her piano teacher stares at her. Soft gray moths that appear and die alongside a rush of disappointment. Worst of all are the wasps. It doesn’t matter how deep she buries her rage, the wasps always come. Nell will have to decide just how much of herself she’s willing to lock away to stop them—or if she can find the strength to feel, no matter the consequences.
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I Am the Swarm was released on March 25, 2025. 

I first encountered Hayley Chewins's gorgeous prose in The Turnaway Girls; I thoroughly fell in love with it while reading The Sisters of Straygarden Place. Chewins is that rare writer whose prose possesses the rhythmic, uncanny quality of dark fantasy poetry, and so when I learned she was coming out with a novel in verse, I knew immediately that I had to read it. I Am the Swarm was every bit the evocative, powerful, razor-sharp story I hoped it would be. 

Chewins's command of language and rhythm is impeccable. Every line break, every turn of phrase, every evocative word, feels chosen by some unseeable algorithm that blends into something truly remarkable. Nell’s character is impeccable, as wild and relatable as the creatures she conjures, and her emotions leap out from the page as fiercely as any butterfly. 

Although set within the confines of the real world, I Am the Swarm contains some of the most unique magic I’ve ever read. I can’t recall a secondary-world fantasy that was more original and uncanny than the magic contained by the Strand family. Insects, music contained inside one’s body, age ephemerality…every beat of this story, every character, and every word thrums with individuality, authenticity, and mystery. I truly can’t recommend I Am the Swarm enough! 

​Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own. 

​Book description credited to the publisher. ​


ages 14+ / ARC / book group pick / family / fantasy / fiction / in verse / magic / standalone / young adult
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Forever Twelve (The Evers, Book 1) by Stacy McAnulty (2023)

8/11/2025

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By Nico

Who wouldn’t want to live forever? But for the Evers, stuck forever in the bodies of their twelve-year-old selves, it’s much more like a curse—thanks to their outward age, they’re never able to get real jobs or stay in one place for longer than a few years, no matter how old they are inside. Enrolled yet again at their favorite boarding school, the prestigious West Archer Academy, there’s no reason to believe their lives are going to change.

No reason, that is, until Ivy Stewart appears as the roommate of one of the Evers. She looks identical to Grace, an Ever who vanished without a trace years ago—and might be the key to learning what happened to her.

Ivy doesn’t want anything to do with immortal twelve-year-olds or vanished friends. She’s at West Archer because it’s the next step of her grand plan that ends with her on the Supreme Court. But the Evers refuse to leave her alone—and soon, she finds herself sucked into a mystery that means far more to her than she ever could’ve imagined.

Stacy McAnulty, also the author of The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl, weaves another clever, multilayered story that combines magic, mystery, and friendship into a unique concoction that I couldn’t put down. The whole idea of this book—immortal, brilliant twelve-year-olds at an elite middle school—instantly caught my attention, and it didn’t disappoint. The characters all clash and connect in believable ways, forming a central set of personalities that kept the story moving at a fast pace. I particularly liked Ivy and Abigail, who both felt really relatable—Ivy’s determined view of her future, and Abigail’s desperation to find the lost Ever, made me root for both of them equally, and watching those goals clash made me never quite sure where the story would go next. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series! Full of twists and cleverness, I highly recommend Forever Twelve to readers ages ten and up. 

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The Puppets of Spelhorst by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Julie Morstad (2023)

8/4/2025

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By Lina

A girl with brilliant violet eyes. A boy destined to do something important. A king who loves songs. An owl with a penchant for intoning things wisely. And a wolf eminently proud of her impressively pointy teeth. 

All puppets. All, they have been told, part of the same story. 

When they are sold from their toy shop window, the puppets begin a journey in which they will meet a wizened sailor haunted by regret, a musical rag-and-bone man, a protective mother fox, a maid far more fanciful than meets the eye…and two small girls determined to help the puppets tell their story. 

Whimsical, lyrical, and wise, I absolutely loved The Puppets of Spelhorst. DiCamillo’s spare, elegant prose is steeped in wonder and wistfulness, and at times reads delightfully like a picture book that has grown up, perfectly balancing fairy-tale enchantment with emotional depth and sophistication. The plot comes poignantly, satisfyingly full circle without ever feeling contrived. Morstad’s beautiful, atmospheric illustrations complement the writing perfectly. I would highly recommend The Puppets of Spelhorst to readers ages seven and up—older readers will truly thoroughly enjoy it as well! 

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A Theory of Dreaming (A Study in Drowning, Book 2) by Ava Reid (2025)

7/21/2025

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​A Theory of Dreaming will be released on July 29, 2025. It is the sequel to A Study in Drowning, and the conclusion to the duology. 

The Fairy King has been defeated. Effy and Preston returned from Hiraeth to share the truth about the beloved story Angharad, earning Effy a hard-won place as the literature college's first female student. In the stories that raised Effy far more surely than her parents, this would be the happily ever after. 

But the burgeoning war between Argant and Llyr is at odds with Effy's peaceful dream. Preston is branded as a liar and sabouter for his efforts to discredit Myrddin; Effy is hated enough just for being the girl who called a national epic into question. In the past, times like these are when Effy retreated into the dark solace of the Fairy King... but she can't escape the real world anymore through magic. 

Instead, it's Preston who finds his dreams drawn into an underwater castle ringing with the bells that have haunted him since leaving Hiraeth... a world in which he is the king. 

I read and loved A Study in Drowning last year, and so I jumped at the chance to review an advance copy of the sequel. Still, I admit I had my misgivings. A Study in Drowning's magic lay in its ethereal, uncanny tone; I wasn't sure if a sequel could possibly replicate that in a way that felt anything other than contrived. Ava Reid, however, is a far too skilled writer than that. A Theory of Dreaming is very different from the first book, but that's as it should be; while still straddling the real and unknown, this book anchors itself more in the present, focusing on the aftermath and consequences of earlier events. It also places its focus on Preston rather than Effy, though it largely splits page time between their points of view, and Preston's very different voice and background shines through. 
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In a word: gorgeous. A Theory of Dreaming is a romance, and yet far more than that; it is a war story, but without dramatic battles or conflicts; it’s about the remaking of a country, but no revolution is ever staged. As a reader who’s long wished for more character-driven high fantasy books whose driving force is personal stakes over apocalyptic consequences, this book was a gentle breath of air featuring characters and a setting I’d already fallen in love with. This incredibly rich, nuanced, and thoughtful story that delves into the story of after and the story of now, allowing Effy and Preston’s characters to truly flower. Reid’s writing is, as always, beautiful, and her ability to effortlessly weave together dreams, belief, mental health, and strong relationships in this book was truly amazing. 

My only real complaint with this book was not truly the content of the book itself, but with the lack of content warnings. This book is incredibly focused on misogyny, xenophobia, grief, and mental health, as well as containing an on-page suicide attempt. If any of these topics are even remotely triggering to you, I encourage you to check out my Goodreads review, where I’ve done my best to include a more thorough summary of these triggers under the spoiler functionality. 

Overall, I highly recommend A Theory of Dreaming to readers ages fourteen and up looking for a complex and thought-provoking sequel that truly couldn’t have been more satisfying. 

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for providing a review copy in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.

​ages 14+ / ARC / dark academia / fantasy / fiction / myths and legends / romance / sequels / series / young adult

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Evil-ish by Kennedy Tarrell (2025)

7/14/2025

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A disillusioned teen dreams of fame and villainy in this hilarious and heartfelt young adult fantasy graphic novel from debut author/illustrator Kennedy Tarrell.

Hawthorne Vandercast has big plans: join the infamous Brigade of Shade, move into a glamorous castle, and leave their mundane life as a potion barista behind. But when they finally get the chance to join the Brigade, Hawthorne finds themself overshadowed by Maple, a bubbly, bright, flowery girl who could not look further from evil. After an accident ends in death and suddenly Hawthorne is leading the Brigade, they begin to realize that maybe villainy isn't actually all it's cracked up to be.

Evil-ish spins the classic tropes of good and evil on their heads in a hilarious and tender story about a teenager who feels bigger than their job, their town, and their circumstances...and finds out that what they thought they wanted might not be what they actually need.

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Evil-Ish will be released on July 22, 2025!

Where can I even start with this book? With all the villain-ish whimsy, queer rep and thoughtful examinations of evil that made Nimona an all-time favorite, yet an altogether different premise and set of characters, I had a feeling I was going to love this one, and I absolutely did. 

The art here is just so much fun. Tarrell nails every beat and image in this story with their wacky, colorful, ever-detailed art, and I couldn’t resist racing through its pages. 

I also adore the characters. Hawthorne is absolutely a favorite—their determined, irreverent personality sparks across every page, and the utter enthusiasm they have for all things villainy made me fall in love with them from the start. While I could call out any number of other characters here—and indeed, all of them deserve it, especially Hawthorne’s family! —I have to enthuse a little specifically about Maple. Tarrell narrates her character arc with dazzling precision, every panel and detail of color accentuating how much she doesn’t seem to belong in a world of villainy, and yet how much it ultimately fits her. 

But this isn’t just a story about villainy. Hawthorne’s reckoning with what they actually want from their life, what evil really is, and how they want to interact with the world around them propels forward a story as much about hope and being true to yourself as a well-placed maniacal cackle. I truly can’t recommend Evil-Ish enough, particularly to readers who always find themselves taking a second look at the villain! 

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own. 

​Book description credited to the publisher. ​


​ages 12+ / ARC / fantasy / fiction / graphic novel / humorous / LGBTQ+ / standalone / young adult
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Muted: Volume 1 by Miranda Mundt (2025)

7/7/2025

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It has been thirteen years since the mysterious fire at the Severin family manor that killed Camille’s mother and twin sister, and the last thing Camille wants to do is return to her old home deep in the swamps of Louisiana. But deeply ingrained family tradition and Matriarch Athalie—Camille’s coldhearted aunt and head of the Severin household—demand it so she can perform the ritual of every prospective Severin matriarch.

No matter how hard she tries to be a witch worthy of the Severin name, nothing is ever good enough for her aunt. And when her ritual goes awry, she's given something precious: time away from Aunt Athalie. Time to spend with her beloved familiar Toben and kindly cousin Silvia. And—unbeknownst to her—time to fall in love, discover the truth of her magic, reunite with long lost family, work through her grief, and solve the mystery of who killed her mother and sister.
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Muted will be released on July 8, 2025. 

Muted reads like an original fairytale, carrying an immersive sense of magic that flows through every page and illustration. Mundt’s art possesses the lush, atmospheric intensity of some of my favorite graphic novel illustrations, calling to mind the intense, dark art of Molly Knox Ostertag’s The Witch Boy, and with all of the complex characters. Camille is a truly wonderful protagonist who I couldn’t help but root for—her genuine heart and desire to find somewhere she belongs made me immediately like her, and she propels this story forward. She’s often flawed and confused, but that makes her even better, making her someone I don’t just want to succeed, but can empathize with myself. I also love this entire world, augmented by the illustrations—it feels so close to ours and yet utterly more magical. This series is definitely one I’ll want to be keeping an eye on! 

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own. 

​​Book description credited to the publisher. ​

ages 14+ / ARC / fairy tales / family / fantasy / fiction / graphic novel / LGBTQ+ / series / young adult
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Lu and Ren’s Guide to Geozoology by Angelia Hsieh (2025)

6/30/2025

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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?
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Lu and Ren's Guide to Geozoology was released on May 27, 2025. 

Lu and Ren’s Guide to Geozoology was such a fun read! I love the worldbuilding here - the entire concept of geozoology (animals that are also geographic features like mountains, stones, etc.) was fascinating, and I loved seeing all the different creatures Lu and Ren encounter throughout this book. The full-color illustrations truly bring them alive, and added a very MG feel to the arc of the story. 

That said, there’s also a much deeper element to Lu and Ren’s Guide to Geozoology - the side about Lu’s relationship with Ah-ma and what she never learned about her, and Ren’s familial relationships. At times Lu got a little bit on my nerves, but overall I really enjoyed following her story and the complicated relationships she had with both Ah-ma and Ren. There was also an ecological element here I really liked around understanding what’s really needed to preserve the natural beauty of an area - and that it isn’t what you necessarily expect. 

The art is very beautiful, capturing a sense of adventure and brilliantly depicting both the landscapes and creatures Lu and Ren encounter. I couldn’t resist stopping to admire the illustrations, which reminded me of the artwork in The Tea Dragon Society. I definitely recommend Lu and Ren’s Guide to Geozoology if you enjoy vibrant graphic novels and quest-type narratives! 
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4.5/5 stars, rounded up. 

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own. 

​Book description credited to the publisher. ​

​ages 11+ / ARC / animal stories / fantasy / family / fiction / friends / graphic novel / middle grade / standalone
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Love, Misha by Askel Aden (2025)

6/9/2025

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In this stunning YA adventure, debut author Jam Aden weaves a story of family schism and reconciliation that effortlessly enriches the complex dynamics of mother and child.

Can this road trip get any worse?
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Yes, Mom (Audrey) wanted to spend time with Misha. And yes, she’s never around and they don’t even live together, so this is a rare opportunity. But Audrey still thinks of Misha as her daughter, despite Misha being non-binary and trying to talk to her openly about it. Misha even tries to write how they feel in a letter, but that isn’t going well either.

Then a wrong turn down a forest road leads the mother-child duo straight into the Realm of Spirits! Suddenly in peril and without a clue how to return to their world, Misha and Audrey will have to work together to find their way back home. But can they find a way back to each other? 
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Love, Misha will be released on June 10, 2025. 

I've recently fallen in love with fantasy graphic novels, but my one complaint is the brevity of the stories, as limited by the format. Love, Misha provides the sprawling, gorgeous feel of a fantasy book combined with stunning illustrations, and its slightly longer-than-average page count allowed me to truly get to know the characters and experience the scope of their development alongside them. 

Every beat of this story is just a joy to read. The relationship between Misha and Audrey is flawless, one of the most realistic and nuanced mother-child relationships I’ve recently encountered in fiction. They fight, they have misunderstandings, they care about each other, they mess up. By the end of Love, Misha, I couldn’t help but wish there were more books that portrayed such authentic parental relationships - ones that weren’t all good or all bad but instead a realistic mix of genuine confusion, badly demonstrated love, and attempts to make things better. 

I truly can’t recommend this story enough - five very well-deserved stars! 


Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions expressed here are my own. 

​Book description credited to the publisher. 
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Book Tour: The Legendary Scarlett & Browne (Scarlett & Browne, Book 3) by Jonathan Stroud

3/26/2025

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I'm so excited to be part of the book tour for The Legendary Scarlett and Browne by Jonathan Stroud, run by TBR and Beyond Tours! This YA fantasy/science fiction novel was released on March 25 and is the third and final book in the Scarlett and Browne series (previous installments are The Outlaws Scarlett & Browne and The Notorious Scarlett & Browne). 

Check out the rest of the tour stops here, and scroll down for my full, five-star review of The Legendary Scarlett and Browne! 

My Review! 

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The Outlaws Scarlett & Browne remains an all-time favorite for its iconic voice, witty characters, fascinating worldbuilding, and fast pace. In this third and final book in the series, Jonathan Stroud lives up to my highest expectations. 

To begin with, I can’t think of a gentler way to describe Stroud’s prose than flawless. Every sentence, description, and turn of phrase sparks with energy, character, and uniqueness, making the story fly along at a headlong pace that renders it impossible to put down. The compulsive momentum that made the previous installments so memorable remains not just intact, but more powerful than ever, leaving me at the book’s end wishing only that I had more of Scarlett and Browne’s exploits to discover. (But perhaps I’m due for a reread of the previous books?) 

The setting of Scarlett and Browne is one that I rarely see in a book that feels more fantasy than sci-fi—a futuristic England torn apart by a nebulous past filled with monsters and unsteady peace. Particularly in this volume, this world feels as much a character as any of the protagonists, one whose unlikely surprises change the ever-twisting plot as much as Scarlett or Browne’s decisions. 

But Scarlett and Browne are the true stars of this book and series, and they are the only topic it is appropriate to finish a review off with. Unique, hilarious, and utterly believable, I would follow these two—inner demons, witty retorts, unexpected magical powers, and all—into any story they stumbled into next, particularly when boosted by their repartee. In this book we finally get to see the conclusions to both their personal journeys and their intersecting tales, and without any spoilers, it’s even better than I could’ve imagined. 

​Five extraordinarily well-deserved stars!

Thank you to TBR Tours and Knopf for providing an ARC for review purposes. All views expressed here are my own. 


About ​The Legendary Scarlett & Browne

The death-defying conclusion to the “audacious,” “razor-sharp,” and “raucous” exploits of the notorious outlaws Scarlett and Browne from the bestselling author of Lockwood & Co., Jonathan Stroud.

Throughout their lawless careers, Scarlett McCain and Albert Browne have gotten out of trouble by shooting first, then running away. Now that’s no longer an option. 

In this non-stop thrill-ride of a novel, we witness Albert’s return to the terrifying Stonemoor prison, follow Scarlett’s search for her long-lost brother, see a town besieged by the cannibal Tainted, and join the final confrontation against the cruel forces of the Faith Houses.

Along the way, our rebellious anti-heros will have to face up to the secrets of their past, and accept the challenge of shaping a better future.

​Goodreads
 | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound

About the ​Author

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Jonathan Stroud is an author of fantasy books, mainly for children and youths.

Stroud grew up in St Albans where he enjoyed reading books, drawing pictures, and writing stories. Between the ages seven and nine he was often ill, so he spent most of his days in the hospital or in his bed at home. To escape boredom he would occupy himself with books and stories. After he completed his studies of English literature at the University of York, he worked in London as an editor for the Walker Books store. He worked with different types of books there and this soon led to the writing of his own books. During the 1990s, he started publishing his own works and quickly gained success.

In May 1999, Stroud published his first children’s novel, Buried Fire, which was the first of a line of fantasy/mythology children’s books.

Among his most prominent works are the bestselling Bartimaeus Trilogy. A special feature of these novels compared to others of their genre is that Stroud examines the stereotypes and ethics of the magician class and the enslaved demons. This is done by examining the perspective of the sarcastic and slightly egomaniacal djinni Bartimaeus. The books in this series are The Amulet of Samarkand, The Golem’s Eye, and Ptolemy’s Gate, his first books to be published in the United States.

Stroud lives in St Albans, Hertfordshire, with his two children, Isabelle and Arthur, and his wife Gina, an illustrator of children’s books.

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

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