Book Reviews / Top Ten Lists#ownvoices / angels / Best of 2021 / best of list / bonded-mates / class differences / enemies to lovers / f/f / Fantasy / Fantasy Romance / forbidden-love / friends-to-lovers / historical romance / horror elements / India-based world / Indian characters / LGBTQIA+ / m/f / m/m / magical school / military hero / missing persons / noir mystery / Opera Singer / paranormal romance / POC / POC author / redemption / reframing / teens / Urban-Fantasy / village / werewolves / widow / YA23 Comments
It’s a cliché to comment on how quickly a year has passed and in the Covid era the months sometimes pass slowly. 2021 wasn’t an easy year so I’m glad I found some great books to make it feel a little lighter. There weren’t an entire ten but I’ve had ... more >
B- Reviews / Book ReviewsArtificial Intelligence / CatNet series / cats / First-Person / Friends / Internet / LGBTQIA characters / LGBTQIA+ / near-future / online community / teens / YA fictionComments Off on REVIEW: Chaos on CatNet: Sequel to Catfishing on CatNet by Naomi Kritzer
It takes an A.I. to catch an A.I. When a mysterious entity starts hacking into social networks and chat rooms to instigate paranoia and violence in the real world, it’s up to Steph and her new friend, Nell, to find a way to stop it—with the help of their benevolent ... more >
B- Reviews / Book Reviews1910s / Baba Yaga / Dark Fantasy / fairy tale / friendship / Historical Fantasy / quest / Russia / teens / Witches / World War I / YA fantasy / YA romance / Young-Adult3 Comments
It’s 1919, but in Edenfall, Pennsylvania, the Great War is not over — not for Vasilisa, at least. Papa is presumed dead, Mama is being courted by an absolute ogre, and now Babka, her beloved grandma, has had a bad spell. Or has she fallen under one? Only the Old ... more >
B- Reviews / Book ReviewsArtificial Intelligence / CatNet series / cats / child in jeopardy / First-Person / Friends / Internet / LGBTQIA+ / near-future / online community / teens / YA fiction5 Comments
Because her mom is always on the move, Steph hasn’t lived anyplace longer than six months. Her only constant is an online community called CatNet—a social media site where users upload cat pictures—a place she knows she is welcome. What Steph doesn’t know is that the admin of the site, ... more >
B Reviews / Book Reviews1980s / Athletes / coming-of-age / female friendship / high-school / LGBTQIA+ / POC / POC author / self discovery / teens / YA / young adult fiction4 Comments
Acclaimed novelist Quan Barry delivers a tour de female force in this delightful novel. Set in the coastal town of Danvers, Massachusetts, where the accusations began that led to the 1692 witch trials, We Ride Upon Sticks follows the 1989 Danvers High School Falcons field hockey team, who will do ... more >
Book Reviews / C ReviewsJapan / Japanese culture / Manga / POC author / teensComments Off on REVIEW: The Fox & the Little Tanuki Volume 2 by Mi Tagawa
After 300 years, the gods that imprisoned Senzou the Fox Spirit for his arrogance finally set him free. There is only one condition – he can’t have any of his supernatural abilities back until he successfully helps a tanuki cub named Manpachi become one of their magical assistants. Unfortunately for ... more >