Author: Alisha Helms

Love, Misha / Askel Aden

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Love, Misha
By: Askel Aden
Genre: Graphic Novel, YA
Number of Pages: 320
Published: June 10, 2025
Publisher: First Second
Dates Read: August 4, 2025
Format: Library Book / Hardcover

Trigger Warnings: misgendering, absent parent

Mom, Audrey, finally wants to spend time with Misha. She’s never around (the two don’t even live together), so this is a rare opportunity. But, Audrey still thinks of Misha as her daughter, despite Misha being very open about being nonbinary. Misha even tries to write a letter to their mom to tell her how they feel, but that’s not going great either…

When a wrong turn down a forest leads to the Realm of Spirits, the mother-child duo had no clue on how to return home and must work together to try and find their way.

So, I definitely felt the Spirited Away vibes while reading this (getting lost, accidentally entering a spirit realm, having to figure out how to get home without getting eaten), but then another reviewer mentioned A Goofy Movie and now I can totally see those connections too (parent-child with a strain relationship go on a roadtrip but everything that could go wrong does). 

The art in this graphic novel is fun and whimsical, capturing the magic of the spirit world perfectly. The brown and golden hues in the panels also give the feel of autumn and sets the tone.

Overall, this graphic novel is about growing up, acceptance, and forgiveness along the journey in a spirit realm that isn’t really meant for humans. It’s aimed at young adult readers, but I believe adult readers would also enjoy it (especially Studio Ghibli lovers).

*Thank you First Second and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Cat Companions Maruru and Hachi (Volume 3) / Yuri Sonoda

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Cat Companions Maruru and Hachi (Volume 3)
By: Yuri Sonoda
Genre: Manga
Number of Pages: 160
Published: April 15, 2025
Publisher: Seven Seas
Dates Read: August 2, 2025
Format: Library Book / Paperback

Stray cats Maruru and Hachi now live in the shelter where Yasuo the Catnapper works. They adjust to shelter life, but that doesn’t mean Hachi lets his guard down. They’re joined by some new (old) friends as they get a new lease on life.

Why must I get teary eyed while reading this series?! Learning Kedama’s back story was like stepping into a room full of cut onions!

I love how gentle Yasuo is with the cats and how he’s never upset with the cats, but will reevaluate and try again with a new tactic.

Overall, anyone who loves cats, will love this series; you get perspectives from both the cats and the humans in this.

Can Posters Kill?: Antisemitic Propaganda and World War II / Jerry Faivish and Kathryn Cole

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Can Posters Kill?: Antisemitic Propaganda and World War II
By: Jerry Faivish and Kathryn Cole
Genre: Nonfiction, History
Number of Pages: 100
Published: October 21, 2025
Publisher: Second Story Press
Dates Read: August 2, 2025 - August 4, 2025
Format: ARC

Can Posters Kill? takes readers through a historically visual journey of anti-Jewish media dating from 15-century paintings to the horrendous propaganda of the second World War. With each poster, the author breaks down the image on how it was used as both a political and social tool. With understanding of how it was used in the past, we can recognize and prevent it from happening again.

I’m not sure if this book is aimed at younger (teen) readers or adults, but either way, it’s a fantastic, informational read. I did read it in chunks through the three days I read it, because it’s a lot to take in, but it’s easily done as every two pages is a poster and then the explanation on the corresponding page.

It still amazes me that people didn’t look at these posters and see just how wrong everything was with it. Some of them are subtle, sure, but others literally have their hatred for Jews in big, bold lettering – and these would be posted in the middle of towns and marketplaces!

People need to see these posters; and thankfully, the author, who is a child of two Holocaust survivors, collected them and is sharing them in this collection. I know we have to understand our past, in order to (hopefully) not repeat it in our future, but so many people love to turn a blind eye to things that don’t directly involve them, or are upset and need someone to push their anger onto.

*Thank you Publishers Weekly and Second Story Press for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Nordlys: Book One / Malin Falch

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Nordlys: Book One (Nordlys #1)
By: Malin Falch
Genre: Graphic Novel, Middle Grade
Number of Pages: 320
Published: May 13, 2025 (1st Published February 15, 2018)
Publisher: Inklore
Dates Read: August 3, 2025
Format: Library Book / Paperback

The night before her coming-of-age ceremony, Sonja gets a visit from a mysterious boy who offers to take her across the stars to a Norway she’s never seen; a Norway full of trolls, pirates, and magic. As Sonja slowly begins to fall in love with the new land, she uncovers an adventure that may bring both worlds together.

If you take Peter Pan, mix it with Norwegian folklore, and then add beautiful artwork, you’ll have Nordlys – oh, and add a dragonfly! This is also just the beginning of the series, so it very well may turn in a different direction, but you definitely get Peter Pan feels.

This is just the beginning of this series and I kind of need the translations to have happened yesterday, this is so good.

Oh, and don’t get me started on the artwork. When I first flipped through it, it reminded me of Brother Bear, which I enjoy, so anything like that already had my attention. But then everything else about the artwork and the panels is beautiful and you can practically smell the crisp mountain air between the pages!

Overall, if you’d enjoy a graphic novel with beautiful panels and a Peter Pan retelling sprinkled with Norwegian folklore, this book is for you!

Sea Legs: A Graphic Novel / Jules Bakes, Niki Smith (Illustrator)

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Sea Legs: A Graphic Novel
By: Jules Bakes, Niki Smith (Illustrator)
Genre: Graphic Novel, Middle Grade
Number of Pages: 256
Published: February 4, 2025
Publisher: Graphix
Dates Read: July 31, 2025 - August 1, 2025
Format: Library Book / Hardcover

Set in 1993, Janey and her parents own and live on a 40-foot steel sailing ship her Dad built that they christened, The Merrimaid. They’ve been docked in Miami, Florida long enough that Janey’s gone to public school and made a best friend, Rae. But Janey’s parents are ready to set sail again, so the family (along with family cat, Sassa) are off. Janey loves the adventurous life at sea, but she still gets bored and lonely – because when you leave ports every few days, it’s hard to make friends.

They drop anchor in Crown Bay, St. Thomas, US Virgin Island, where Janey’s parents find work and they get a P.O. Box set up to begin receiving mail, which means Janey and Rae can write to each other more frequently. It’s here where Janey meets Astrid, another boat kid. Astrid though… can be hard to be friends with, she’s not always nice to Janey and sometimes acts like she doesn’t want her around. Not only that, but hurricane season is right around the corner.

Based on the author’s life growing up at sea, this middle grade graphic novel rocks the boat on friendships and growing up.

This was a bit confusing about whether or not this was a memoir or not, and you don’t really find out until the end remarks (it’s not, it’s based on their life though).

It was kind of fun to see life out at sea through Janey’s eyes – the small space, the rough waters, the isolation, school… This was also set in the early 90’s where computers and cellphones weren’t quite a thing for the general public. I wonder how different it is for people on boats to keep up with one another nowadays.

Overall, beautiful artwork and illustrations and a great insight on the different types of friendships you have growing up (with or without being on a boat).

Stoked for This: August 2025

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Robots starting a noodle shop, a cat who runs around the cosmos in his homemade space craft, a library where books are filled with passed one’s memories that the government is now destroying for their own benefit, and a little ghost who, instead of a sheet, is a quilt and finds the joys of winter celebrations are just some of the awesome titles coming out this month!

Which of these covers catches your eye??

August 5, 2025

A novella about leftover robots opening their own noodle shop.
Maybe I’ve got a soft spot for robots after “In the Lives of Puppets” by TJ Klune, but robots and a noodle shop?! Yesss.

Automatic Noodle

By: Annalee Newitz

Birdie was a thirteen-year-old model under modeling agent Harriet Goldman – but after two years, she met a thirty-one-year-old rock star and her life changed. Now, thirty years later, Birdie is invited to celebrate Harriet’s fifty-year career, but Birdie has been avoiding her past for years. Now, she must face it if she wants to make her own future.

The Cover Girl: A Novel

By: Amy Rossi

August 12, 2025

Nimmi has wanted to see her mother in Sri Lanka, but her overprotective father has always refused. After her father gets an assignment in Sri Lanka and Nimmi sneaks onboard the plane, it’s a little too late to say no. But it’s Christmas 2004, and the tsunami hits Sri Lanka. Now, came Nimmi still reunite with her mother, even amidst the devastation?

Tall Water

By: SJ Sindu

Periwinkle is no ordinary pampered house pet. By day, he’s spoiled with scratches, cuddles, and delicious snacks. By night, he races through the cosmos in his custom-built space ship. This graphic novel has beautiful artwork from Tana Ford and is perfect for cat lovers out there.

The Space Cat

By: Nnedi Okorafor

August 26, 2025

Okay, this one has a library, the Time Space, that holds the memories of those who have passed, and it’s only accessed by these special watches. Lisavet basically grows up here and she finds out that government officials are coming into the library and destroying books so the past fits their personal narratives of what they wanted to happen. But when Lisavet meets American spy Ernest Duquesne and sets her on the course to change history and possible time space itself. In 1965, sixteen-year-old Amelia is mourning the disappearance of her Uncle Ernest when a CIA agents enlists her for help. When Amelia steps into the Time Space for the first time, she realizes time is not a linear as she once thought.

The Book of Lost Hours

By: Hayley Gelfuso

A little ghost quilt discovers the holiday of winter in this adorable Children’s book.

The Little Ghost Quilt’s Winter Surprise

By: Riel Nason

Illustrated by: Bryon Eggenschwiler

Set in a drive-in restaurant that exists in every Native community, this anthology celebrates Native joy with stories and poems of hope, healing, love, romance, friendship, and joy.

Legendary Frybread Drive-In: Intertribal Stories

The Wild Robot on the Island / Peter Brown

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The Wild Robot on the Island
By: Peter Brown
Genre: Children’s
Number of Pages: 48 
Published: June 24, 2025
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Dates Read: July 30, 2025
Format: Library Book / Hardcover

When Roz washes up on an island, she accepts that this is where she is supposed to be and learns from the animals around her. Before long, the island begins to feel like home – especially when Roz becomes a mother to an orphaned gosling she calls Brightbill.

This is a simplified version of The Wild Robot that Peter Brown wrote because he “wanted to depict Roz’s life on the island with large, detailed, colorful illustrations.”, as per his note in the back of the book.

I’m here to tell you that if you adored Roz in The Wild Robot you will fall in love with her again in this version as well because of the illustrations. The original book has black and white illustrations scattered throughout the chapters, but this is a big, bold, and beautiful children’s picture book version!

Cat + Crazy (Volume 1) / Wataru Nadatani, Zack Davisson (Translated)

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Cat + Crazy (Volume 1)
By: Wataru Nadatani, Zack Davisson (Translated)
Genre: Manga
Number of Pages: 168
Published: July 29, 2025 (1st Published March 18, 2016)
Publisher: Dark Horse Manga
Dates Read: July 29, 2025 - July 30, 2025
Format: Library Book / eBook

High schooler Kensuke Fuji adores cats, but has only ever watched the street cats from afar since his family members are all allergic. But then he meets —-, the ultimate cat whisperer guru. He proves himself worthy of being his student to be taught under the Cat Fist Way.

This is a rather cute, but silly look at the love people have for cats.

It did take me a moment to get into this because I thought it was going to be a bit “too silly”, but I turned out to love it and am excited for my new obsession from this mangaka. Speaking of the mangaka, I still adore how they are able to draw the cats in both realism and cartoonish at the same time.

Overall, another cute manga that all cat lovers are bound to adore and ultimately relate to as well.

Mask of the Deer Woman / Laurie L. Dove

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Mask of the Deer Woman
By: Laurie L. Dove, Isabella Star Lablanc (Narrator)
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Number of Pages: 336
Published: January 21, 2025
Publisher: Berkley
Dates Read: July 15, 2025 - July 26, 2025
Format: Library Book / Audiobook

After her daughter’s murder, ex-Chicago detective Carrie Starr has nowhere to go but where she started. Starr’s father didn’t talk much about the reservation he grew up on, but they needed a new marshal and Starr needed a new place to call home.

Many girls and women have either died or disappeared from the rez over the years. Now, Chenoa Cloud is missing and while Starr investigates, memories of her daughter’s murder come to surface. When she begins to see glimpses of a figure from her dad’s stories – a woman with the antlers of a deer, Starr believes she’s being followed by her. She doesn’t know though, if the Deer Woman is there to help and guide her or seek vengeance for the lost daughters of the rez.

I had a little bit of a hard time with this one, mostly because I had a hard time liking Starr because how she handles certain things slows down the novel in what could have been a fast pace thriller. I mean, yes, it did get faster in the later bit of the novel, but throughout a lot of it, I wanted her to deal with a lot of her personal demons (therapy would help so much).

I did just realize writing this review that it now says Carrie Starr #1 so I am curious to see Starr being flushed out a lot more in the upcoming novel(s).

This novel does an excellent, yet sad, job at tackling the lack of assistance Native and Indigenous Persons get when it comes to their lost and missing women and daughters. And also the corruption that happens on the Rez with outside entities as well.

Overall, I think anyone who likes a good mystery/thriller will enjoy this, especially for a debut Indigenous author.

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

Everything Is Tuberculosis: The History and Persistence of Our Deadliest Infection / John Green

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Everything Is Tuberculosis: The History and Persistence of Our Deadliest Infection
By: John Green
Genre: Nonfiction, History
Number of Pages: 198
Published: March 18, 2025
Publisher: Crash Course Books
Dates Read: July 12, 2025 - July 14, 2025
Format: Library Book / Audiobook

John Green talks about tuberculosis’ history and how it’s connected to many things.

This book goes beyond statistics by putting a name to a patient, Henry, a young tuberculosis patient at Lakka Government Hospital in Sierra Leone, and humanizing the experience of living with TB. 

Green isn’t wrong that everything is tuberculosis – is some of it stretched a little bit to make the connection? Sometimes, but for how long this disease has been around, it’s bound to be connected to everything in some way, shape, or another.

I do applaud Green for calling out big pharmaceutical companies (cough cough Johnson&Johnson) for having such high prices for medicine for no other reason than greed – because if you heal a patient, that’s one less person using your medicine. 

“What’s different now from 1804 or 1904 is that tuberculosis is curable, and has been since the mid-1950s. We know how to live in a world without tuberculosis. But we choose not to live in that world.”

But also the fact that TB becomes drug resistant because it’s constantly evolving into different strains is INSANE.

Overall, I knew I would enjoy this book – I like anything John Green writes to be honest. This is definitely a crash course in tuberculosis, but it’s an amazing starting point for people.