Author: Alisha Helms

Island Witch / Amanda Jayatissa

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I wanted to start this review off by sharing something exciting.

This is my 500th book review since I started reviewing every book I read beginning in 2020! I know all my reviews are not on this website, since I only started it last year in 2023, but they are all on my Goodreads if you’d really like to check them all out.

My goal is to review everything I read for at least a decade. And seeing myself hit 500 is a bit surreal. Only 700 more reviews to go 🙂

Island Witch
By: Amanda Jayatissa
Genre: Horror, New Adult
Number of Pages: 384
Published: February 20, 2024
Publisher: Berkley
Dates Read: February 18, 2024 - February 22, 2024
Format: ARC / eBook

In nineteenth century Sri Lanka, daughter of the village Capuwa (demon priest), Amara, tries to solve the mysterious attacks that have been happening around her village. Most of the villagers around the island have been influenced by the new religious practices brought in by the British Colonizers, but that doesn’t stop them from still calling on Amara’s dad whenever supernatural occurrences happen. But now, someone (or something), is viciously attacking the men and instead of asking for Amara’s father’s help, the villagers begin accusing him for it.

Amma is used to keeping to herself – the relentless bullying and accusations of witchcraft are never ending. She sets out to try and clear her father’s name herself, but begins being haunted by dreams that predict dark forces, that also leave her waking up in random places throughout the island as she sleepwalks. She can’t shake the feeling that all of this is connected to the night weeks ago – when she was recovering from a strange illness and woke up scared and confused, to her mother frantically saying, “No one can find out what happened”.

I don’t read horror that often, but after reading the marketing promos for it and seeing it was both based on Sri Lankan folklore and had “female rage finally being unleashed” as a highlight point, I was sold. And this didn’t disappoint.

The storyline of watching Amara from an innocent young girl turned to a rage filled woman was impressive and believable. It made the ending of the story a bit complicated because you both saw where she was coming from and kind of had to take a step back and go, “Whoa”. I haven’t read anything from Amanda Jayatissa before, but I will be adding her other two to my ever growing TBR list.

As I said before, horror isn’t my forte, but I think those who are looking for a unique and page turning, historical Sri Lanka horror, will greatly appreciate this one. There are some gory moments, but nothing that I thought was super crazy or intense, especially for a horror novel.

*Thank you Berkley and NetGalley for an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Wildful / Kengo Kurimoto

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Wildful
By: Kengo Kurimoto
Genre: Graphic Novel, Middle Grade
Number of Pages: 216
Published: February 6, 2024
Publisher: Groundwood Books
Dates Read: February 18, 2024 - February 18, 2024
Format: eBook

One day while Poppy’s out walking Pepper, her dog leads her through a hole in a fence; there she finds a forgotten wild land as well as a new friend – Rob. Poppy’s mother hasn’t been the same since her Gran passed away and barely leaves the couch. Poppy spends more and more time outside with Rob, who teaches her all the magic of the wilderness. Poppy would love to share it with her mom, but her mom barely has enough energy. Can Poppy help get her mom to see the beauty of the world again?

This is such a beautifully illustrated story. It’s almost a silent graphic novel, with few words – and even those words weren’t really spoken much until near the end.

This story is a lot about grief and how to find joy again after the passing of a loved one.

It’s simple, but still powerful.

The Talk / Darrin Bell

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The Talk
By: Darrin Bell
Genre: Graphic Novel, Memoir
Number of Pages: 352
Published: June 6, 2023
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
Dates Read: February 18, 2024 - February 18, 2024
Format: Library Book / Hardcover

The Talk is the graphic novel memoir of Darrin Bell as he recounts his childhood and growing up as a Black man as he decides how to best give his own son The Talk. 

This novel goes from Bell’s coming of age story where he finds his voice through cartooning and becomes well aware of just how dangerous his teachers, neighbors, and police see him. He also talks about how much his mom advocated for him as well as trying as hard as she could to protect him; his dad on the other hand had failed to teach him how to be a Black man in America.

There’s a lot to process in this book – a lot that Black Americans have to go through just to live their day to day lives. It’s honest. It’s raw. It’s very moving.

The Book of Doors / Gareth Brown

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The Book of Doors
By: Gareth Brown
Genre: Fantasy, Magical Realism
Number of Pages: 416
Published: February 13, 2024
Publisher: William Morrow
Dates Read: February 11, 2024 - February 17, 2024
Format: ARC / eBook

Trigger Warnings: death, torture, loss of parent

Cassie spends most of her simple life either working at a New York bookstore or hanging out in her tiny apartment she shares with her roommate, Izzy, reading. One day, one of her favorite customers, Mr. Webber – a lonely but charming older gentleman – dies right in front of her. As the EMTs are taking him away, Cassie notices a small book in Mr. Webber’s possession. But it’s not an ordinary book… It’s the Book of Doors, which has a message that any door is every door.

Shortly after discovering how to use the book, she is approached by a Scottish stranger in a rumpled black suit who calls himself Drummond Fox – others call him The Librarian, he who keeps watch over a unique set or rare books. Cassie’s book isn’t the only one with great power, but it is the most sought after by those who collect them. Now, Cassie is being hunted.

Drummond is the only one who knows where the unique library is and Cassie is the only one who can get them there to keep the book’s safe. But there are those who are willing to do anything to get their hands on these books, especially a sadistic woman at the very top of the list.

First off, the amount of time I spent thinking about where I would go if I had the book of doors myself during the time I wasn’t able to read was kind of crazy. I read this as much as I could during my free time over the week it took me to read it. I always felt like I read a ton, even when I hadn’t, mostly because I would be so immersed in it and would disappear in its pages.

I really enjoyed how connected everything was. Some things I called out a bit in advance, but a lot of it I would be surprised at how connected everything was. This was a heart-pounding read that sticks with you. It’s been almost a week since I read it before I’ve had time to write this review and I’m still thinking of crazy stuff that happened with this.

I’ve already been recommending this to quite a few of my colleagues, but I believe any of those who love a good magical realism/fantasy book with a story that will keep you turning pages as quickly as you can will greatly enjoy this book as well.

*Thank you William Morrow and NetGalley for an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

The Kamogawa Food Detectives / Hisashi Kashiwai, Jesse Kirkwood (Translator)

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The Kamogawa Food Detectives
By: Hisashi Kashiwai, Jesse Kirkwood (Translator)
Genre: Fiction
Number of Pages: 208
Published: February 13, 2024 (1st Published November 25, 2013)
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Dates Read: February 8, 2024 - February 10, 2024
Format: ARC / eBook

The Kamogawa Diner doesn’t really advertise much, there’s not even a sign outside it’s doors, but the customers who need to find them always do. You see, the Kamogawa Diner isn’t just a diner, it’s a “food detective” service run by the father-daughter duo of Koishi and Nagare. Filled with six different customers’ memories and dishes, follow the Kamogawa Diner uses their customer’s treasured memories, the pair are able to recreate lost recipes that provide links to vanished moments.

There’s two things that will most likely get me to read a book. One: be recently translated from a popular Japanese seller. Two: put a cat on the cover. The cat doesn’t even need to be the main focus of the book, a general cat will do just fine.

This is such a cute book – and a warm hug for those foodie book lovers out there as well. I can’t cook to save my life, but this novel went into detail about each of the dishes so it may be something someone could actually follow and make their own versions of the recipes.

Some of the stories I felt were a little drawn out, but they were people sharing a fond memory (or what they could remember of their memory). I’ve said this so many times, but Japanese literature has such an amazing way of capturing the human experience and I always enjoy reading translated work.

Overall, a wonderfully fun, hungry story about a food detective, a father and daughter duo who use their skill of deduction to help customers recreate that special dish from their memories. I can see a lot of contemporary fiction lovers enjoying this book, as well as those who’d like a shorter comfort read.

*Thank you G.P. Putnam’s Sons and NetGalley for an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Bookshops & Bonedust / Travis Baldree

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Bookshops & Bonedust
By: Travis Baldree
Genre: Fantasy
Number of Pages: 352
Published: November 7, 2023
Publisher: Tor
Dates Read: February 6, 2024 - February 8, 2024
Format: Paperback / Library Book / Audiobook

Bookshops & Bonedust is the prequel to Legends & Lattes where Viv, after getting injured during a job, gets left behind in the small beach town of Murk to recover. With not much to do and on crutches, Viv spends her hours in a bookshop in the company of its foulmouthed owner and their pet named Pot Roast. It’s not where she saw herself being, but maybe it’s just what she needs.

But the sleepy town doesn’t stay very quiet for long – there’s a suspicious traveler in gray, a gnome with a chip on her shoulder, a summer fling, and a lot of skeletons to uncover.

Tell me why I waited so damn long to read this book?? I knew I would love it. A soft fantasy with a found family feel – those will always have me signed up.

This novel is also so adorable when it comes to talking about books. The amount of times I took photos of entire passages where Fern was talking to Viv about her latest book read ❤ ️ <spoiler> like the bit where Viv is reading a spicy romance and Fern is just staring at her with a crazy grin </spoiler>.

If you’re in need of a warm fantasy to curl up with, this will do it for you. There’s no high stakes – the fact it’s the prequel to the first book, kind of gives away that everything will be okay in the end, you know? Still, watch me give these series out as recommendations left and right.

*Thank you Tor and NetGalley for an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Polar Vortex: A Family Memoir / Denise Dorrance

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Polar Vortex: A Family Memoir
By: Denise Dorrance
Genre: Graphic Novel, Memoir
Number of Pages: 256
Published: March 5, 2024
Publisher: The Experiment, LLC
Dates Read: February 5, 2024
Format: ARC / eBook

Denise Dorrance’s memoir about the two months of her life when she suddenly must fly back to America to care for her mom with dementia who desperately needs to find her last home.

The way insurance was in this novel both shocked  and yet didn’t surprise me at all. Made me think about my own grandma who had dementia in her last years who was in a nursing home. My mom never got into details about it with me, but she is 8 of 9 children, and the surviving 7 pitched in to help with her care at the place. Still – dementia is hard. The last time I visited my grandma before she passed, she thought I was my mom but had no idea who my mom actually was (I am my mother’s mini-me). 

Unlike the author though, I’m close with my mom and my sisters, so even though I worry about what it will be like for my mom in her older years, I know the three of us have got it handled.

This isn’t a happy story. You kind of know where it’s going when you go into it, you know?

But, nowadays, everyone at least knows somebody who had dementia – maybe not a close family member, but someone. This book will kick you in the heart, that’s for sure.

A Fox in My Brain / Lou Lubie

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A Fox in My Brian
By: Lou Lubie
Genre: Graphic Novel, Memoir
Number of Pages: 160
Published: April 24, 2024 (1st Published October 12, 2016)
Publisher: Fairsquare Comics LLC
Dates Read: February 3, 2024
Format: ARC / eBook

A Fox in My Brian is about author Lou Lubie’s journey in discovering what causes the chaos in her brain: it’s cyclothymia – a bipolar disorder. Lubie describes dealing with her disorder in the form of taming a fox.

The art in this graphic novel is beautiful and playful – even though the pages are still teaching you something, and it’s something I wasn’t aware of: cyclothymia. The author explained the disorder in a way that I was able to understand, using the fox in her brian.

I read this as a digital ARC and there were still a few speaking bubbles and descriptions that were in French that hadn’t been translated quite yet, but for the most part, I was able to keep up with everything.

I’m definitely going to be recommending this novel, especially around Mental Health month and beyond.

*Thank you Fairsquare Comics LLC and Edelweiss+ for an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

What Happened to Rachel Riley? / Claire Swinarski

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What Happened to Rachel Riley?

By: Claire Swinarski

Genre: Middle Grade

Number of Pages: 352

Published: January 10, 2023

Publisher: Quill Tree Books

Dates Read: February 2, 2024 - February 3, 2024

Format: Library Book / Hardcover

rigger Warnings: sexual harassment, #MeToo

Anna Hunt is the new girl at East Middle School, but it doesn’t take her long to notice former popular girl, Rachel Riley, is now the social outcast no one talks to, or about. As a lover of podcasts, Anna decides to create her own podcast around the question, “What Happened to Rachel Riley?”. Told through first person narration from Anna, emails, texts, notes, podcast transcripts, letters, and flyers compiled together through Anna’s journal in finding out the truth.

I really enjoyed this book and the conversation it brings up for the middle grade readers. As Anna kind of discovers – harassment is still harassment, even if it’s meant to be “funny” or “a game”. This also gives these girls the courage to speak up and out about anything that’s not right.

I’m a little grippy about the ending though, cause I felt like it was super rushed <spoiler> and I wanted to know if Anna got into her podcast summer camp!</spoiler>.

Overall though, I will be recommending this novel to so many – middle grade, YA, and adult readers alike! It’s an important message, and with all the different types of format that the reader gets information from, it keeps your attention.

Stoked For This: February 2024

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I feel like I both went hard and yet, was super stingy on what I picked to showcase this month. Maybe it’s the fact I have well over 300 books sitting in my TBR piles around my house and yet, I still can’t say no to a good ARC when I see one…

Release Date: February 6, 2024

Why We Read: On Bookworms, Libraries, and Just One More Page Before Lights Out

by: Shannon Reed

Why am I stoked for this release?

Well, that seems like a silly question. This is a book review blog/website no?

I know why I read, but I’d like to know why others do as well..

And clearly I love talking about books, so a new book about books is always on my radar ◡̈

Released Date: February 13, 2024

The Framed Women of Ardemore House

by: Brandy Schillace

Why am I stoked for this release?

I’m not one for mysteries. But more romance and mysteries are on my little personal goals list this year.

This one is about an autistic editor who inherits an English estate, but then finds herself at the center of a murder investigation. There’s also a missing family portrait as well.

Anywho, this just sounds like it would be fun and interesting.

The Warm Hands of Ghosts

by: Katherine Arden

Why am I stoked for this release?

Anyone else read The Bear and the Nightingale?

This is Arden’s new book – set in the Great War in 1917, which is not a year or event I usually read about.

I enjoyed Arden’s book I read last year (though I haven’t read the rest of the series). I’m excited to read about this one as it has some magical realism aspects to it.

The Kamogawa Food Detectives

by: Hisashi Kashiwai, Jesse Kirkwood (Translator)

Why am I stoked for this release?

A newly translated Japanese series where a father-daughter duo who run the Kamogawa Diner can recreate dishes from a person’s treasured memories.

A lot of my greatest large family memories growing up was always centered around food. My cousin could make the best cheesy potato casserole and I don’t care who makes it otherwise, it’s not the same. Okay?

The Book of Doors

by: Gareth Brown

Why am I stoked for this release?

Imagine receiving a book that has the ability to open any door to anywhere the possessor wants! And, after running around with your best friend, you discover there are other books with other crazy abilities and so therefor are bad guys who want your book.

What are you going to do??

This just sounds like such a crazy concept, and it’s giving me all kinds of ideas, but I want to read this to see where it goes before making my own decisions about what doors I would want to open…

The Eternal Ones

by: Namina Forna

Why am I stoked for this release?

This is the last book of The Gilded Ones series and oh boy – is it good!

Full of action and the best found family vibes and a magical shaft shifting companion you could ask for in a YA fantasy.

This Day Changes Everything

by: Edward Underhill

Why am I stoked for this release?

This is a Queer YA romance set during one day in New York City around Thanksgiving.

I enjoy books that everything is set in one day. T

This book is 288 pages, there’s bound to be some wild stuff that happen!

Release Date: February 20, 2024

Welcome to Hyunam-Dung Bookshop

by: Hwang Bo-Reum, Shanna Tan (Translator)

Why am I stoked for this release?

You all should know by now I’m a sucker for Japanese literature- especially when it’s about books.

This one is a Korean smash hit about a girl who gets burnt out, leaves her old life behind, and goes to a small neighborhood outside Seoul and opens the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop.

Raise your hand if a dream job of yours would be to open your own little bookshop/cafe/cat sanctuary that you run with your best girl friend.

Island Witch

by: Amanda Jayatissa

Why am I stoked for this release?

Inspired by Sri Lankan folklore (again, something I haven’t read before!). In late 19th century Sri Lanka, the daughter of a traditional demon-priest, tries to solve the mysterious attack that have been happening in her village.

This is horror and though I dipped my toes a little (so little) into horror last year, this seems like it may actually be up my alley.

Release Date: February 27, 2024

Hope Ablaze

by: Sarah Mughal Rana

Why am I stoked for this release?

This is a YA about a Muslim teen finding her voice in a post 9/11 America.

I was only in fourth grade when 9/11 happened, but of course it’s a day I’ll always remember.

I’ve only read a handful of books based around that time period, and I can’t wait to read this one, especially as there is poetry throughout it and I enjoy that.

Snowglobe

by: Soyoung Park, Joungmin Lee Comfort (Translator)

Why am I stoked for this release?

Another newly translated Korean novel where in the not-so-distant future, the world has constant subzero weather. It’s a dream to participate in the reality TV broadcasted by Snowglobe, a community protected in an insulated glass dome.

I hate winter – and we just recently had that crazy cold snap here in KC. I feel like I barely survive it every time, so I’m ready to see how others do so 24/7!