Author: Alisha Helms

Stoked for This: September 2026 (and a small life update)

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So, as I’m sure you have noticed and/or have seen here on my website – I am behind on my reviews and posting. I’ve been through a couple of life changes recently and I feel like I may just now be getting on slightly more stable ground to be standing on. There was a separation, a move, school starting (I’m going back for my Masters in Library Science), and my oldest cat has been diagnosed with Kidney Disease – there’s been a lot of changes! I’m slowly put surely getting my reviews written and posted so hopefully you will see those shortly.

Thank you all those who have stuck around with me. I greatly appreciate it and hopefully I can get this website back up and running properly here soon.

Now, one of the things that has fallen so horribly into wayside is my Stoked for This, so without further ado…

September 1, 2026

When a late night at the office leads to witnessing an exorcism Brie’s life takes a very drastic turn.

I Hope This Email Finds You in Hell

By: Mackenzie Reed

Three kids join together to game the Make-A-Wish foundation to get three epic adventures.

Wish You Well

By: Jamie Sumner

The follow-up to Titan of the Stars is here and I’m so excited to see where Dominic and Ren’s story go from here.

Demon in the Sand

By: E.K. Johnston

To read my review of the book before this you, you can find it here.

In this companion graphic memoir, Pedro Martín talks about family hijinks, immigration patrols, and musical daydreams in his year of youth.

Mexikid Dreams: A Graphic Memoir

By: Pedro Martín

September 8, 2026

A middle grade novel about a 12-year-old girl with OCD who finally gets the help she needs to push back.

Hijacked by Goats

By: Ann Braden

A historical fiction novel inspired by the life of Grace O’Malley, an infamous Irish sea captain and folk heroine who risked everything to protect her people against the powerful Elizabethan regime?! Yes please!!

The Pirate Queen

By: Ariel Lawhon

A middle grade novel in verse about two sisters caught in a blizzard alone.

Sisters Alone

By: Shifa Saltagi Safadi

Sooo, I probably won’t read this one anytime soon because written from a cat in heaven’s perspective to their owner about always being there even after death. but I will absolutely be purchasing my own copy.

I’m Still Here: A Cat’s Purpose Forever

By: Cathryn Michon

September 15, 2026

A new Emily St. John Mandel you say?!

Exit Party

By: Emily St. John Mandel

AND a new novel in verse from Elizabeth Acevedo?!

Anger Is Only a Shadow

By: Elizabeth Acevedo

AND a new novel in verse from Megan E. Freeman?! What a blessed week we shall have!!

The Secret to Belonging

By: Megan E. Freeman

September 22, 2026

This is a really fun sounding YA about the teen daughter of an infamous serial killer must prove she isn’t the one behind recent copycat murders.

Dead Girls

By: Beck Kubrick

This novel is an exploration of grief, mothers and daughters, and the beautiful complexity of women’s lives and identities.

Female Life on Planet Earth

By: Laleh Kahadivi

John Green’s first adult novel?! Say less!!

Hollywood, Ending

By: John Green

September 29. 2026

A new book by Lois Lowry where the power of books will save the day.

Building 903

By: Lois Lowry

Tales from my favorite cozy fantasy series Legends & Lattes?!

Tales from the Territory

By: Travis Baldree

The Skeleton and the Cat / Brandon James Scott

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The Skeleton and the Cat
By: Brandon James Scott
Genre: Children’s, Picture Book
Number of Pages: 64
Published: July 7, 2026
Publisher: HarperCollins
Dates Read: July 8, 2026
Format: Hardcover		ISBN: 9780063455887

Skeleton lives a simple, peaceful, lonesome life. She reads books, drinks tea, and tends her garden all by herself. Until one day, a cat knocks on Skeleton’s door asking to come in. At first, Skeleton says no, but Cat can tell some good jokes, so maybe they aren’t so bad to have around…

I’ve been following Brandon James Scott on Instagram for ages now and was counting down the days until I could grab this book when it came out.

This is such a sweet and wholesome book about a Skeleton Lady who basically gets adopted by Cat. Together they “eat” meals, read books, go on walks, and tend to the garden.

The artwork will give you all the feels, especially if you’re a fan of skeletons and cats. I’ve got various pages from the book as both my phone background and my apple watch’s background.

Overall, an all around enjoyable book for those of all ages – I dare you to try and read this and not smile at at least one of the pages!

Vampurr / Justin Colón, Lenny Wen (Illustrator)

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Vampurr
By: Justin Colón, Lenny Wen (Illustrator)
Genre: Children's, Picture Book
Number of Pages: 40
Published: July 7, 2026
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
Dates Read: July 8, 2026
Format: Hardcover		ISBN: 9780374392802

Born in a cemetery under the blood moon, Vampurr’s fur is shiny black, her eyes glow bright green, and she has long, needle-sharp fangs. All her siblings were adopted right away, but because of her appearance and her abilities sent visitors running. Until one night when fog rolls in and an unexpected visitor comes with it.

This is a book that I saw in the publisher’s preview email and I didn’t even know what it was about to know I needed my own copy of it as soon as it came out.

This was adorable and I’m pretty sure I actually read it twice when I first opened it because of how cute the artwork was. But how could nobody want Vampurr?! This is a lie.

Overall, a delightful, sweet mix of spooky, beautiful picture book about finding the right family.

Titan of the Stars (Titan of the Stars #1) / E.K. Johnston

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Titan of the Stars (Titan of the Stars #1)
By: E.K. Johnston
Genre: YA, Science Fiction
Number of Pages: 304
Published: May 27, 2025
Publisher: Tundra Books
Dates Read: July 1, 2026 - July 7, 2026
Format: Hardcover          ISBN: 9781774884089

Celeste knows every inch of the Titan, she’s proud of her work as an apprentice engineer, and as the space ship’s maiden voyage launches, she’s optimistic for the new journey from Earth to Mars.

Dominic is already anxious inside his dad’s precious ship – once it’s launched into space, he’s trapped, both inside the ship and inside the life his father has chosen for him, a life without art school, which is what he’s always dreamed of.

Ancient aliens discovered under melted ice caps have also been brought on to the Titan and stored in display cases for the passengers to view… until an event releases them onto the ship.

So I got this as a read for LibraryThing, and then life got in the way, a separation happened, and a move, so I got really behind. But, I finally got around to reading it when I had a week off from all the things and I loved it (and kind of excited that I did wait so long, because now I don’t have to wait so long for the sequel that’s coming out here the first week of September)!

The pacing is fast and the text quite subversive while reading – I could really see the ins and outs of the ship through Celese’s eyes. I’m not the biggest horror fan and though this has a few bloody scenes, I didn’t find anything too crazy that would stop me from reading.

Overall, if you like the movie Aliens mixed with the setting of Titanic (the ship itself, not with the iceberg), I believe you’ll find great interest in this read. This is a fast paced, space, sci-fi horror with queer inclusion included. You may just want to pick up both books when you grab this one!

*Thank you LibraryThing and Tundra Books for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

The Berry Pickers / Amanda Peters

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The Berry Pickers
By: Amanda Peters
Genre: Fiction, Historical Fiction
Number of Pages: 307
Published: October 31, 2023 (1st Published April 4, 2023)
Publisher: Catapuly
Dates Read: May 25, 2026 - May 27, 2026
Format: Library Book / Paperback	ISBN: 9781646221950

In 1960’s Maine, six-year-old Joe watches his four-year-old sister Ruthie while their family, Mi’kmaq people from Nova Scotia, picks blueberries in the field. He turns away for only a moment and Ruthie vanishes without a trace. Joe is forever tormented with the guilt of being the last person to see Ruthie.

In a suburb nearby, Norma grows up as an only child of two unhappy parents. She is smart and bursting with questions, but most of the time she’s not allowed to ask. Like, where her baby photos are, her dark skin, the vivid dreams of warm embraces and campfires she has frequently. There are things her parents aren’t telling her but it will take decades for her to unravel the buried secrets.

This story is told through dual perspectives that alternate between chapters. Though it’s not told in linear order, it’s not hard to follow at all as it allows us to see how one event impacts two different individuals.

This was definitely a character driven story and was a little slower paced than I would have liked, but I still appreciated it as it kind of made you, the reader, go through the events with them. It’s not really a mystery in the usual sense, more of a sleuthing of finding out exactly what happened but I would also say Amanda Peters did an excellent job at portraying a realistic response to trauma and how it affects everyone differently.

I read this with my book group, and I’m by far the youngest in the group, so it was interesting to both read about family secrets and how things were over fifty years ago and hearing my book group members talk about their own family “secrets” that they had growing up.

Overall, a thought provoking story with themes of family, identity, loss, hope, and grief spanning over fifty years, perfect for those who like historical fiction with a bit of mystery.

Animal Pound (Issues #1-#5) / Tom King, Peter Gross (Illustrator)

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Animal Pound (Issues #1-#5)
By: Tom King, Peter Gross (Illustrator)
Genre: Graphic Novel, Dystopia
Number of Pages: 176
Published: November 18, 2025
Publisher: BOOM! Studios
Dates Read: May 6, 2026 - May 6, 2026
Format: Library Book / Paperback	ISBN: 9798892155724

When the animals at the pound have decided they’ve had enough, they join together against anyone who walks on two legs. But with this newfound freedom comes the challenge on how best to lead everyone. When the groups work together will their efforts be enough to be fair for everyone?

This kept my attention for about ¾ of it and then I ended up skimming the ending. The artwork was great – a bit dark, a bit creepy/off putting, but in an interesting way, made the animals more realistic that’s for sure.

Obviously I hated Piggy and his Trump-like actions.

Overall, an interesting retelling of Animal Farm but with animals and a little more connection with modern times.

News From the Fallout (Issues #1-#6) / Chris Condon, Jeffrey Alan Love (Artist), Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou (Letterer)

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News from the Fallout (Issues #1-#6)
By: Chris Condon, Jeffrey Alan Love (Artist), Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou (Letterer)
Genre: Graphic Novel, Horror
Number of Pages: 200
Published: March 31, 2026
Publisher: Image Comics
Dates Read: April 27, 2026
Format: Library Book / Paperback	ISBN: 9781534335745

In 1962, Nevada’s nuclear bomb test goes horribly wrong at the Army Base and it releases a contaminate that turns humans into zombies. Otis Fallows is the only person who was there and survived but is now on the hunt to find somewhere safe – if that even exists anymore.

You know “silent” graphic novels where there’s little to no dialog? This one is like that, except it’s a darkened scene – barely any details and lots of shadows/silhouettes, plenty of dialog. It did make it a little hard to keep track of who was who, but anyone important was a bit easier to distinguish.

Overall, I totally felt the despair of the novel, but wished there was a little more to it. I kept getting lost in the illustrations (or kind of lack thereof) and though I appreciate the alternative / dystopian history, there could have been a bit more.

*Thank you NetGalley and Image Comics for a digital copies of this book in exchange for an honest review

Arthur’s Cat / Johan Leynaud, Sarah Ardizzone (Translator)

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Arthur’s Cat
By: Johan Leynaud, Sarah Ardizzone (Translator)
Genre: Children’s, Picture Book
Number of Pages: 40
Published: March 10, 2026
Publisher: Eerdman’s Books for Young Readers
Dates Read: April 27, 2026
Format: Library Book / Hardcover	ISBN: 9780802856586

Arthur absolutely loves his cat, Zeffo and wants to do everything with him. But Zeffo? No so much – he would love some space! But one day, Arthur gives Zeffo too big of a hug and gets scratched. The days after Arthur and Zeffo work to find a new way of loving each other.

A cute and adorably written children’s book about pets and boundaries to little ones.

I loved the artwork and how Arthur was orange and Zeffo was blue, since they are complimentary colors, it really shows how opposite the two were from each other.

One can also appreciate the portions where it says both hearts had to heal. Zeffo didn’t want to scratch Arthur I’m sure, but that’s the best way to show he crossed a boundary. 

Overall, it is an adorable and cute children’s book with beautiful illustrations.

Late Today / Jungyoon Huh, Aerin Park (Translator), Myungae Lee (Illustrator)

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Late Today
By: Jungyoon Huh, Aerin Park (Translator), Myungae Lee (Illustrator)
Genre: Children’s, Picture Book
Number of Pages: 40
Published: September 23, 2025 (1st Published January 1, 2025)
Publisher: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers
Dates Read: April 27, 2026
Format: Library Book / Hardcover	ISBN: 9780802856494

One rainy morning on the Seogang Bridge in between all the cars is a tiny kitten. People mutter to themselves, but no one stops or slows down until one finally does…

As always, I’m going to grab a book with a cat, especially if it’s a children’s book but what do you mean this little kitten is stuck in traffic and no one stops?!

The crayon-like artwork is both bright and dark and shows the gloominess of the rain perfectly while still showing the cars moving about on the bridge.

Overall, super cute heartfelt story about a little kitten’s rescue from a car packed bridge.

Cat + Crazy (Volume 3) / Wataru Nadatani, Zack Davisson (Translator)

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Cat + Crazy (Volume 3)
By: Wataru Nadatani, Zack Davisson (Translator)
Genre: Manga
Number of Pages: 184
Published: April 21, 2026 (January 18, 2017)
Publisher: Dark Horse Manga
Dates Read: April 27, 2026 
Format: Paperback			ISBN: 9781506747101

In Volume 3 of this series, high schooler Kensuke Fuji and his friend Yamada start a school club for those who love cats with a third student, Ichijo, who is just as cat crazy as Kensuke.

In this volume, we get a cat club added to school and we get to meet Ichijo. I love that we keep getting characters added to the group that are just more and more crazily in love with cats – especially in their own way. 

As usual, I love how cats’ behavior is talked about in this series. This time around, it talks about love bites and what that really means when a cat nips at you. I’ve got one cat who will just get up and walk away when they’re upset and another that will do the love bites.

We also got a chapter with Tiger’s point of view and I absolutely loved it! His inner monologue and demeanor fit him so well.

Overall, Cat + Crazy is getting more and more solidified as a series any cat lover will enjoy.