Fantasy

Folk Remedy: Book 1 / Jem Yoshioka

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Folk Remedy: Book 1
By: Jem Yoshioka
Genre: Graphic Novel, Middle Grade
Number of Pages: 240
Published: September 23, 2025
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Dates Read: October 19, 2025 - October 21, 2025
Format: Library Book / eBook

Twelve-year-old Maple Akimura will become the apprentice at the family apothecary business according to her mother. But, Maple is more interested in spending time with her new friend, Kunio, a visitor from Taisho City. Her mother believes Maple’s old enough to read the family’s book detailing the Akimuras’ relationship to yokai (spirits and supernatural beings) over generations. To Maple, the stories in the book are just that – stories about traditional village life. Right now, amid 1920s Japan, technology is rapidly advancing and there’s so much glamour in modern urban life! But then Maple meets a mischievous yokai named Ember and the pair get swept into the spirit world with only Maple’s family stories as their guide.

Inspired by Japanese Folklore, this graphic novel is a fun read with beautiful, soft (but also dark) color schemed panels. We as readers do get a little insight with the art to stuff that Maple doesn’t seem to notice (at least not right away). A few of the funnier panels were always showing great emotions.

I did find Maple’s character a bit funny in the sense that she was so against believing in the yokai until she met Ember and then was like – nope, they’re real – and then goes on an adventure with them. Kind of makes you think she didn’t really not believe. 

Overall, a beautiful graphic novel dipped in Japanese Folklore that though aimed at Middle Grade readers, I think those of an older age range will also enjoy it – including adults! I’m quite excited for the next volume, this will definitely be a series I’ll keep track of going forward.

Brume (Volume 1): The Dragon Awakens / Jérôme Pélissier, Carine Hinder (Illustrator)

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Brume (Volume 1): The Dragon Awakens
By: Jérôme Pélissier, Carine Hinder (Illustrator)
Genre: Graphic Novel, Children’s
Number of Pages: 64
Published: September 20, 2025 (1st Published January 1, 2023)
Publisher: Hippo Park
Dates Read: September 10, 2025
Format: Hardcover

Brume is convinced she’s the village’s next witch after Naïa vanished years ago. After she briefly believed she turned a local village woman into a pig, she adopted a new pet she named Hubert and took him home. Once she fed him some chocolate croissants, the pet was happy to tag along on Brume’s adventures. When her adoptive father gives her a book of spells he found with her when he found her in the woods years ago, Brume opens her own shop and tries to use the spells in the book.

After trying to stop her friend Hugo’s glasses from fogging up, Brume accidentally casts the whole village into a dense fog. On the adventure to undo her work, Brume, Hugo, and Hubert go off into the forest where only witches are allowed.

This was such a cute and adorable graphic novel! I immediately knew I wanted to read this by just seeing the cover alone! A little girl (Brume) with a wand and a small pig tugging on her dress with a dragon in the background is so eye-catching! I may also be a slight sucker for familiars and animal sidekicks because I wish I had one.

The artwork of this graphic novel is colorful, expressive, and easily digestible. Each page catches your eye and keeps your attention – I would always make sure to relook at each page after reading the dialogue to make sure I wasn’t missing anything.

I did think Brume was a bit mean and disrespectful to those around her. I know some of it was her confidence in herself as well as her ignorance of her abilities, and sure, you could chop it up to just being an ornery child, but it all just comes across as rude. I hope in the next volume she grows up a bit in those areas.

Overall, the story and the panels were fantastic and I can’t wait to share it with others when it’s officially out in English in late September. Those who love a spunky little witch who will stop at nothing to show she’s a true witch, this graphic novel would be for you (even though of all ages!)

*Thank you Hippo Park and Publishers Weekly for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Mur, the Kitty-Knight / Igor Shnayder, Roman Dubina (Illustrator)

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Mur, the Kitty-Knight
By: Igor Shnayder, Roman Dubina (Illustrator)
Genre: Children’s, Fantasy
Number of Pages: 110
Published: August 8, 2025 (1st Published July 3, 2023)
Publisher: Independently Published
Dates Read: September 3, 2025
Format: eBook

Meet Mur, a brave young kitten who becomes a knight in the magical world of animals. He protects others and tries to make the world a better place as he solves mysteries and learns lessons along the way.

As soon as I saw what this book was about, I wanted to read it. A little courageous kitty-knight who fights for good? Sounds adorable. On top of that, the illustrations from Roman Dubina were beautiful and fantastic – I always looked forward to seeing what I was reading.

This is a great chapter story book, meaning each chapter is its own story, and perfect for a read along with the littles, or simply helping young readers to read smaller chunks (though I have a feeling they’ll be dialed in way past one chapter at a time!). Each of the stories tended to have a small lesson of core values that could be talked about after.

Overall, this is a wonderful read for children, especially those who like cats and adventures! But, I could also see adults enjoying these fable tales too!

*Thank you so much for the author for reaching out to me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

My Sister the Werebeast / Alina Tysoe

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My Sister the Werebeast
By: Alina Tysoe
Genre: Graphic Novel, Middle Grade, Fantasy
Number of Pages: 320
Published: October 7, 2025
Publisher: First Second
Dates Read: September 2, 2025
Format: ARC / eBook

Mira and Rosie are in charge of watching their little sister, Peanut, as their parents are away fighting magical beings. Being in charge shouldn’t be anything they can’t handle – even if Peanut has flooded the house with her tears, or made friends out of the leaves in the backyard, or can now breathe fire, oh, and can shapeshift into an (adorable) fluffy werebeast. No problem! Mira and Rosie will just hide her powers until their parents come back…

I have loved Alina Tysoe for quite some time and have followed their What’s Up Beanie art through Instagram, so as soon as she announced this I knew I needed to get my hands on it ASAP.

I am used to reading shorter stories on Instagram from Tysoe, so it was a fantastic surprise when this graphic novel ended up being 320 pages! This blends the perfect amount of fantasy, sibling dynamics, humor, and cute art. All the characters were pretty flushed out and you really got to understand the family.

Gosh darn it –  is Peanut the cutest!!

The way this ended makes it seem like there will be more to the story (I really hope). I also read this as a digital advance copy, I will be purchasing a physical copy of this in early October when it comes out.

Overall, this is a perfect read for all ages who like soft fantasies during the fall weather instead of horror (think Halloweentown!), and those who love adorable and expressive art.

The Summer War / Naomi Novik

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The Summer War
By: Naomi Novik
Genre: Fantasy, Novella
Number of Pages: 144
Published: September 16, 2025
Publisher: Del Rey
Dates Read: September 2, 2025
Format: ARC / Paperback

Twelve-year-old Celia accidentally curses her oldest brother, Argent, to a life without love when he leaves in the middle of the night. As Argent wanders both our world and the realm of the Summerlings (a place that’s been fighting Celia’s realm every summer for over 100 years), becoming a well known and famous knight, Celia tries to figure out how to break the curse. As she gets older, Celia is the perfect marriage match for the prince because she is a sorceress.

This novella had quite a lot in it for just the 144 pages it had. I also don’t want to get into much more of the summary because it kind of ruins the later half of the book to be honest.

I really loved the Scholomance series and those were my first books of Naomi Novik’s I’ve read, so I was curious to read outside of that universe. I didn’t fall in love with this universe as much as I did with Scholomance, but I didn’t absolutely hate it or anything either as it was still a delight to read.

Overall, I can see those who like shorter fantasies enjoying this book, as of course there’s just a touch of magic mixed with a bit of a modern fairytale.

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

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!

The Lost Sunday / Iléana Surducan

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The Lost Sunday
By: Iléana Surducan
Genre: Graphic Novel, Middle Grade, Fantasy
Number of Pages: 64
Published: June 17, 2025 (1st Published January 1, 2021)
Publisher: Oni Press
Dates Read: June 24, 2025
Format: eBook

Nina lives in a town haunted by the six angry wolves of the week – Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Each day brings new chores that need to be done. There’s rumors of a seventh day of the week, Sunday, but everyone knows an evil witch stole it and keeps it locked away with her in the well she was banished to. When Nina has had enough of constantly working, she sets out on a quest to find the witch so that she may rest.

First off, the art in this graphic novel is fantastic and beautifully detailed. The cover alone made me want to read this. The colors matched the themes of the day and the whereabouts of Nina in the witch’s world.

Secondly, this novel shines a light on the importance of leisure and finding time, even in a busy week, to relax and enjoy life. I wasn’t familiar with the folklore or fairy tales that this story inspired until after I read it, but I could surely relate to the need for leisure time, especially in today’s society.

Overall, I would highly recommend this to both kids and adults alike, especially those who just want to have some fun and relaxing times.

*Thank you Oni Press and Edelweiss+ for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

A Language of Dragons / S.F. Williamson

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A Language of Dragons
By: S. F. Williamson, Henrietta Meire (Narrator)
Genre: Fantasy
Number of Pages: 432
Published: January 5, 2025
Publisher: HarperCollins
Dates Read: April 28, 2025 - April 30, 2025
Format: Library Book / Audiobook

Trigger Warnings: death, war, physical assault, violence, classicism, sexism

In London 1923, dragons begin soaring through the skies and chaos has erupted. Vivian Featherswallow isn’t worried though, she’s going to follow the rules, get an internship studying dragon languages, and make sure her little sister never has to worry about dropping down to Third Class. By midnight, Viv has started a civil war.

With her parents arrested and her little sister missing, everything Viv has worked for is crumbling. So when a mysterious “job” is offered to her, Viv takes it. Arriving at Bletchley Park, she finds out her mysterious job is codebreaking to help in the war effort. If she succeeds, her family can be whole and safe again. If she doesn’t, they all die.

But, the more Viv learns while codebreaking, the more she realizes what she grew up believing isn’t as safe as it seems. Eventually she must decide if the side of the war she’s working for is the one she really wants to fight.

I really enjoyed the linguist aspect of this novel and the amount of world building Williamson did with it. I wasn’t the biggest fan of Viv, but she is a morally gray character at times, so that makes sense. I did appreciate her growth throughout the series though. 

I originally wanted this because of the dragons, and that part definitely did not disappoint. I also enjoyed the fast pace of the plot and the high stakes of Viv’s (and everyone at Bletchley Park) situations. It kept me turning the pages to find out more.

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

A Song for You & I / K. O’Neill

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A Song for You & I
By: K. O’Neill
Genre: Graphic Novel, Middle Grade
Number of Pages: 240
Published: March 4, 2025
Publisher: Random House Graphic
Dates Read: April 18, 2025
Format: Library Book / Hardcover

Rowan knows exactly what they and their trusted flying horse, Kes, needs to do to be a ranger and protect their village. But when Rowan’s eagerness to prove themselves gets Kes hurt, they are suddenly unsure if they’re capable of becoming what they’ve always dreamed of.

While Kes needs time to heal, Rowan is assigned a laidback post – being paired with a sheep herder named Leone as he travels across the lands on deliveries, but they only get more and more frustrated by not being able to do simple tasks. As Leone’s own struggles and endless support brings new possibilities to Rowan, could their unlikely pairing turn into something more?

I fell in love with K. O’Neill when I read The Tea Dragon Society and will always read everything they published. I’ve always loved not only their illustrations but their queer representation as well. With Rowan, being true to themselves so that they can be the best ranger is simply written, for the younger age group, but it’s still powerful. 

Overall, the storyline of this beautifully drawn graphic novel flows effortlessly from adorable moments into slightly darker, more serious situations.

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