book review

Away / Megan E. Freeman

/ Alisha Helms / 1 Comment 
Away
By: Megan E. Freeman
Genre: Middle Grade, Novel in Verse
Number of Pages: 480
Published: February 11, 2025
Publisher: Aladdin
Dates Read: January 19, 2025 - January 20, 2025
Format: ARC / Paperback

Told in multiple POVS with a mixture of novel in verse, movie script, production diary, letters, and newspaper articles, this companion novel to Alone, Away follows a group of kids who were placed in the same evacuation camp after the imminent yet unnamed danger that forced them out of their home. When the group of kids has an aspiring filmmaker and a budding journalist, they begin to dig into the reasoning as to why their world was turned upside down.

As they begin to investigate, they start to discover there’s more of a cover-up operation going on than there is an actual immediate threat. Can the group get to the root of the conspiracy and tell the adults in a way they’ll be believed before it’s too late?

I absolutely adored Alone when I read it back in 2023, so I immediately tried to get my hands on Away as soon as I could. This novel is not a full novel in verse but jumps around between different styles depending on which character it’s focusing on at the moment – though Grandin and Ashantae’s are in verse, Teddy’s is written in movie script or production diary, and Harmony writes letters to her Aunt and essays in new reports.

I think this fast paced story would be fun for middle school readers, especially those who like to prove kids can be just as absorbent, if not more, than adults. The charge to question what is really going on begins with the kids and they’re the ones who shine the light on it in order for the adults to finally see what’s happening.

Are some of the scenarios in this unrealistic? Yes, but it didn’t stop me from thoroughly enjoying it as I’m sure many others will.

You don’t have to have read Alone in order to understand what is happening in this novel as it is a companion novel and not a sequel.

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

Have 3 Reviews: Two Cat Manga and a Cat Novel

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment

Is the plural of manga “manga” or “mangas”? Does anyone know? I feel like “manga” is to be used as both singular and plural buy my brain is arguing with me about it. Please comment if you totally know the answer!

I’m dropping 3 Reviews in one here. Mostly to finish up my end of the year books (finally) as well as not flood anyone’s inboxes with the very short reviews that you’ll see below.

Now, it’s on to write my week late STOKED FOR THIS post 🙂

Cat + Gamer (Volume 6)
By: Wataru Nadatani
Genre: Manga
Number of Pages: 168
Published: October 29, 2024 (1st Published May 18, 2021)
Publisher: Dark Horse Manga
Dates Read: December 31, 2024
Format: Library Book / eBook

Musubi and Soboro continue to team up with Riko, “leveling up” in everyday life.

Oh my goodness, I so very much love this series. Especially as a (small) gamer with two cats. 

I love the small snippets from the cat’s points of view at the end of each chapter. It makes them even cuter.

Cat Companions Maruru and Hachi (Volume 2)
By:Yuri Sonoda
Genre: Manga
Number of Pages: 168
Published: December 17, 2024
Publisher: Seven Seas
Dates Read: December 31, 2024
Format: Library Book / Paperback

When the older lady who fed the cats in the park stops coming, Maruru and Hachi must find food elsewhere. While in the search, Hachi gets gravely injured – to ensure their survival, he makes a surprising decision.

Cats.

Animal rescue.

Grumpy accepting help.

That’s all you need to know.

It was beautiful.

I gasped, “Oh no”ed, and goofy smiled about 1,000 times.

Meow
By: Sam Austen
Genre: Fiction, Humor
Number of Pages: 346
Published: June 24, 2023
Publisher: Meow Library
Dates Read: December 31, 2024
Format: Library / Paperback

A book written for your cat in their language.

My favorite part was when they said,

“Meow?”

“Meow meow meow.”

“Meow meow.”

If you can’t tell, it’s an entire book written with just the word “Meow”.

The Deep Dark / Molly Knox Ostertag

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment 
The Deep Dark
By: Molly Knox Ostertag
Genre: Graphic Novel
Number of Pages: 480
Published: June 4, 2024
Publisher: Graphix
Dates Read: December 30, 2024
Format: Library Book / Hardcover

Magdalena Herrera, or Mags, already feels like an adult even though she’s just shy of graduating high school: caring for her grandmother, working a part-time job, and taking care of her secret that lives in the basement, the one that drains her of energy. The secret could really hurt someone, even kill them, if it got out.

So, Mags keeps her head down, trying to get through the day. That is, until her childhood friend, Ness, comes back to town, bringing memories and her own secret. Mags won’t get reattached, she can’t, and she’s always been good at keeping her distance anyway.

But when darkness starts to close in on them both, Mags will have to bring her secret into the daylight.

The art of this graphic novel is fantastic and phenomenal. It goes from back and forth between black and white and full color, corresponding well with what’s happening in the story.  

The overall storyline is about accepting yourself, even the deepest, darkest bits, and allowing someone to love and care for you and all your secrets.

Overall, Molly Knox Ostertag blew it out of the park again with this story and anyone who loves bright, vivid illustrations mixed with black and white, and a storyline that will keep you turning pages, will fall in love with the characters and this story as well.