Month: April 2026

From the Roots Up (Surviving the City #2) / Tasha Spillett, Natasha Donovan (Illustrator), Donovan Yaciuk (Illustrator)

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment 
From the Roots Up (Surviving the City #2)
By: Tasha Spillett, Natasha Donovan (Illustrator), Donovan Yaciuk (Illustrator)
Genre: Graphic Novel, YA
Number of Pages: 64
Published: October 17, 2020
Publisher: HighWater Press
Dates Read: April 11, 2026
Format: Library Book / Paperback	ISBN: 9781553798989

In the sequel to Surviving the City, Dez’s grandmother has passed away and they are now living in a group home. On top of their grief, Dez is also navigating a new relationship and their identity as a Two-Spirit person.

Miikwan is crushing on the new student, Riel, but doesn’t fully understand what Dez is going through. Elder Linda is trying her hardest to be supportive, but doesn’t know how to respond to challenging the gendered protocols she’s grown up with.

I am so glad this goes into Two-Spirit individuals and how they can sometimes be treated in the Indigenous Community. I knew in certain ways, Two-Spirit individuals were usually regarded highly because they were connected to both genders, but I had never thought about what they do during specific gender role ceremonies.

I believe the author did a fantastic job to where she not only teaches the reader, but does so in a way that is relatable to the teenagers who would most likely pick this up. I can also appreciate how Elder Linda discusses with the teens her fault in how she approached the gendered protocols – adults don’t often apologise to teens, so it was nice to see that happen.

Overall, this is a beautifully illustrated graphic novel for young adults that explores not only Dez’s journey as a Two-Spirit but also the community around them who help.

Surviving the City (Surviving the City #1) / Tasha Spillett, Natasha Donovan (Illustrator), Donocan Yaciuk (Illustrator)

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment 
Surviving the City (Surviving the City #1)
By: Tasha Spillett, Natasha Donovan (Illustrator), Donocan Yaciuk (Illustrator)
Genre: Graphic Novel, YA
Number of Pages: 56
Published: March 1, 2019
Publisher: HighWater Press
Dates Read: April 11, 2026 
Format: Library Book / Paperback	ISBN: 9781553797562

Miikwan and Dez are best friends. Miikwan is Anishinaabe; Dez is Inninew and together they navigate the challenges of growing up in an urban landscape. They’re so close, they even did their Berry Fast together. But when Dez’s grandmother becomes too sick to care for Dez, the threat of a group home becomes closer. Fearing being taken away, Dez disappears. Miikwan’s wound of her mother’s disappearance and murder resurfaces as the community tries to find Dez before it’s too late.

I’ve been wanting to read more Indigenous Voices and this series was on a list I found, so I immediately put them on hold at my library. Even as it highlights the teens going to school, hitting the mall, and working on a class project, this short graphic novel begins the dive into the discussion of Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirited People in Canada.

I really like the depiction of spirits in this story, for both Indigenous Peoples and Non-Indigenous. I do wish a few of the ceremonies mentioned and done in the story talked more about what it was for, but that also opens the door for doing research myself and finding out too.

Overall, a wonderful, short graphic novel that just scratches the surface of Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirited People in Canada.

What a Small Cat Needs / Natalia Shaloshvili, Lena Traer (Translator)

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment 
What a Small Cat Needs
By: Natalia Shaloshvili, Lena Traer (Translator)
Genre: Children’s Book, Picture Book
Number of Pages: 40
Published: January 26, 2026
Publisher: Enchanted Lion
Dates Read: April 11, 2026
Format: Library Book / Hardcover	ISBN: 9781592704774

An adorably illustrated children’s book on what a cat needs most of all.

The illustrations in this book are beautiful – I love the little cat and its bright blue eyes. I love the textures and whimsy and color created on the pages.

Some translations are a little rough, but to be honest, it’s a children’s book and I think they would get even the different word selections.

Overall, a lovable picture book for cat lovers of all ages.

If Pets Wrote Poems: A Parody Collection / Susan Johnston Taylor, Sandie Sonke (Illustrator)

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If Pets Wrote Poems: A Parody Collection
By: Susan Johnston Taylor, Sandie Sonke (Illustrator)
Genre: Children’s, Picture Books, Poetry
Number of Pages: 32
Published: April 14, 2026
Publisher: Gnome Road Publishing
Dates Read: March 15, 2026
Format: ARC / eBook		ISBN: 9781957655659

This children’s picture book is a collection of poems from famous peoples’ pets. Each spread in this collection of poems contains one poem from a different poet, written in their style, from their pet along with some fun facts about the poet or their pet.

The poetry of this collection is written playfully and whimsically that are both engaging and digestible for young readers. The illustrations that are alongside each poem are adorable as well. 

Even if you aren’t all that familiar with every poet, this is a great introduction to them (and fun tibbits of information about them and their pets!).

Overall, adorable and fun for all age groups.

Queen Kodiak / Christopher Greenslate, Riccardo Faccini (Illustrator), Dearbhla Kelly (Colorist), Justin Birch (Letterer)

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment 
Queen Kodiak
By: Christopher Greenslate, Riccardo Faccini (Illustrator), Dearbhla Kelly (Colorist), Justin Birch (Letterer)
Genre: Graphic Novel, Young Adult
Number of Pages: 168
Published: January 26, 2026
Publisher: Maverick
Dates Read: March 15, 2025
Format: Library Book / Paperback	ISBN:9781545821015

After the death of her mother, seventeen-year-old Joey moves to Alaska’s Kodiak island with her absent dad. There, she befriends a giant bear she names Little Bear. However, hunters discover Little Bear’s existence and kill him. When they do, they awaken his mother, Queen Kodiak, a colossal, super-charged Kodiak grizzly bear, who is now on a rampage. Can they save Seattle before Queen Kodiak gets there?

I enjoyed the art of this novel and the fact that this was a quick read, but there were parts of this graphic novel that I felt could have had better transitions from one part to the next instead of otherwise feeling like a giant jump was being made – I would flip pages back and forth to make sure the numbers were in order. There was also some unexplained stuff too – like why can Joey see auras around some people?! Maybe this will be a series, or at least have another book since it ended with “The End?”

Overall, I enjoyed the fast paced story and if I come across a sequel, I’d be sure to pick it up, but I don’t think I’ll be actively searching for it though.

Cat Companions Maruru and Hachi (Volume 5) / Yuri Sonoda, Michelle Tymon (Translator)

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Cat Companions Maruru and Hachi (Volume 5)
By: Yuri Sonoda, Michelle Tymon (Translator)
Genre: Manga
Number of Pages: 160
Published: December 16, 2025
Publisher: Seven Seas
Dates Read: March 13, 2026
Format: Library Book / Paperback	ISBN:9798893735857

Maruru, Hachi, and the other strays who were taken in by Yasuo are now living busy lives within its walls. But then Maruru and Hachi discover the shelter has a secret they weren’t aware of!

I loved getting to know more about Yasuo’s backstory and how long his love of cats has gone on.

Also, the amount of things I learn about cats, especially kittens, surprises me each time.

I was heartbroken by Hachi getting left behind and am demanding he gets reunited with Maruru and his friends! I get why they did what they did, but they’re totally bonded!!

Overall, obviously counting down until I get the next volume!

Stoked for This: April 2026

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment

So, full disclaimer – I do have reviews to post! I just haven’t gotten around to actually writing them yet… and I also have books I’m reading for different awards and such and therefor I can’t publicly post my reviews. But I will try to get some of my backlogged reviews up here soon. Thanks for sticking with me everyone ◡̈

April 7, 2026

A mind-bending, emotionally charged sci-fi novella with mystery and character-driven journey that intertwines generational trauma.

The Subtle Art of Folding Space

By: John Chu

A YA romance where a boy is not only trapped in a time loop but also in a girl’s body that’s driving down an unknown highway. Laurie always crashes and she always meets Gideon every day. She realizes she only has 100 days to get back in the right body, break the time loop, and not fall for Gideon while he does it.

Maybe Tomorrow I’ll Know

By: Alex Ritany

Follow a Book Witch, who can jump in and out of novels with her umbrella and feline familiar. When her grandfather goes missing and a priceless book disappears, Rainy asks for the help of the Duke of Chicago, the dashing British detective who stars in her favorite mystery series.

The Book Witch

By: Meg Shaffer

A debut middle grade novel about Lacey who recently moved from her best friend Grace in Austin to Rhode Island and wants to reinvent herself, but does she have the courage to be her authentic self?

When You’re Brave Enough

By: Rebecca Bendheim

April 14, 2026

A forty-year-old workaholic house painter takes a eight-year-old under his wing as they form a makeshift father-son duo as they take on life’s bleakness and cynicism.

The Left and the Lucky

By: Willy Vlautin

A folk horror that deals with generational poverty and the all-consuming hunger of capitalism and atmospheric dread, cause, why not?

Morsel

By: Carter Keane

With all the hype from WICKED, how about a retelling of Dorthy and her adventure in Oz (with some spice).

West of Wicked

By: Nikki St.Crowe

Second chance romance(s) with a college crush and soon to be ex-husband – written by one of my favorite authors!

Cherry Baby

By: Rainbow Rowell

During a royal visit to the town, Princess Tandy’s dream comes true when she finds herself cursed to remain in a run-down bookshop until she unlocks her heart’s desire.

Stay for a Spell

By: Amy Coombe

After her old professor (and affair from 30 years ago) contacts her, Jean prays to Monica Lewinsky begging for her forgiveness of not understanding everything they had in common. To her shock, Saint Monica appears to her and leads her back in time to reassess what happened. 

Dear Monica Lewinsky

By: Julia Langbein

After both seeing a vision in a lake of a burning house, Chanel Cao and Ares use each other to find out and keep secrets.

I Could Give You the Moon

By: Ann Liang

After losing her baby in delivery, Cleo starts working at a funeral home and discovers that the best way to honor the dead is to live.

Cleo Dang Would Rather Be Dead

By: Mai Nguyen

In a world where creating anything creates demons, Aurelie’s an inventor and Destrier is a demon hunter. When a mysterious figure offers Aurelie a job she can’t refuse her decision to accept sets off a chain of events that will alter every aspect of their world… and sparks the connection that will change both Aurelie and Des.

The Demonic Inventions of Aurelie Blake

By: Mara Rutherford

April 21, 2026

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April 28, 2026

Shortly after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, 120,000 Japanese Americans were removed from their homes on the West Coast and corralled into inland concentration camps. To be considered for release, Question 27 asked the inmates whether they were willing to serve in combat for the US military. Question 28 asked them—many of whom American citizens who had never visited Japan—to renounce allegiance to the Japanese emperor. This novel is told through mixes of fact with fiction and layers genres from James Bond movies to haiku to oral history, transfiguring an enormity of archival research into a chorus of stories.

Questions 27 & 28

By: Karen Tei Yamashita

A debut about a teenage girl in 1970s Brazil who is torn away from her twin sister after she becomes ill. Now, Dolores must learn what it means to fight for those she loves when all the odds are stacked against her.

Liar’s Dice

By: Juliet Faithfull

Told through the diary of Anna-Jane, who went to summer camp but is now possibly facing the end of the world.

Anna-Jane and the Endless Summer

By: Paige Classey

The world is ending but Don an Rodney have one final journey across the country to take care before the blackhole consumes the Earth.

We Burned So Bright

By: TJ Klune

Read my review here