The Glass Scientists: Volume Three by S.H. Cotugno | Book Review

That’s who I was. Who knows who I’ll be next?

The Glass Scientists: Volume Three by S.H. Cotugno

COMIC: The Glass Scientists

LENGTH: 240 pages

GENRES: Science Fiction, Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Graphic Novel, LGBT+, Fiction

PUBLISHER: G.P. Putnam’s Sons

RELEASE DATE: 2 December 2025

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Witness the epic conclusion to the webcomic phenomenon about star-crossed lovers and misunderstood monsters in this third and final graphic novel!

Last we saw Dr. Jekyll he was on stage about to welcome everyone to his grand exhibition—the event meant to save his Society for Arcane Sciences and his way of life—when he collapsed, pulled under by his devilish alter ego Mr. Hyde. When he wakes, Jekyll assumes everything is doomed, but in a surprise to just about everyone, he couldn’t be more wrong. The event was a success, his band of rogue scientists now all have patrons, and business is booming. What’s more, he even plucks up the courage to do the scariest, craziest thing of all: confess his feelings for Lanyon. Everything is finally coming up Jekyll!

Oh, if only the good scientist remembered his physics, because what goes up must inevitably come crashing down. Just when everything Jekyll has worked and hoped for is finally within his grasp, the barrier between his dueling personalities is shattered. Both Jekyll and Hyde are thrown into a constant wrestling for control of both their minds and bodies, which seem to switch without rhyme or reason. In the chaos, Jekyll’s secret has never been more at risk of being exposed, and he won’t get any help concealing it from his other half. Hyde has finally gotten a taste of life as a free man, and if Jekyll (or anyone else) dares to take it away, well, we should all brace for impact.

My Review

“Will you please… help me save the Society?”

Yes! I’m finally posting this review! And then I’ll be all caught up on my book reviews and stuff!

Anyway, as with the other two volumes of this graphic novel, I really enjoyed The Glass Scientists: Volume Three. It concluded the very well-done retelling of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde that Cotugno started years ago in a very satisfying way. I won’t spoil anything, but I will say that the ending here is definitely different from the story this is based on.

Everything I said in my review of volume one of this comic still stands, regarding some of the plot and especially the characters. So I’m not going to really talk about them as much because I feel that I’d be being a little redundant there. A lot of the stuff I said in my review of volume two can also be applied here, but so much of Volume Three builds on a lot of the set up in the last couple of chapters of Volume Two in particular, so I’ll be talking about that more. (Not that anything isn’t set up in Volume One but… you know.)

In this volume of The Glass Scientists, everything between Jekyll and Hyde is finally coming to a head. Lanyon and Jekyll’s slow-burn romance finally culminates here, and it’s lovely while it lasts. Because after that everything kind of starts to unravel. And it’s a wild emotional ride to the end from there. I touched on the angst that starts in Volume Two. Well, it’s in full force here. Jekyll and Hyde have a lot of shit to sort out, and said sorting out is what takes up most of the pagetime in this volume. And it’s awesome.

The art is still amazing and I really enjoy it. I really like the author’s art style in general, actually. And, of course, there’s extra stuff here like in the other two volumes. And I loved it. Cotugno not only gives us insights to their creative process and development of their characters, but also provides us with an open-ended epilogue that was very good.

So yeah, I’m sorry if I’m not talking about the plot or characters as much as I usually do in my reviews, but this is Volume Three in a graphic novel and I don’t want to spoil too much. The Glass Scientists is a solid retelling of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde though, and I loved all of the references to other stuff written in the 19th century. I still super enjoyed this volume and definitely recommend it to fans of volumes one and two, gaslamp fantasy, comics and graphic novels and the original novel The Glass Scientists is inspired by.

As always, thank you to everyone so much for reading, and I hope you have an awesome day/night!

See ya ~Mar

MY LINKS:

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What Stalks the Deep by T. Kingfisher | Book Review

“That is horrifying and I want to go home,” I said, although I pronounced it, “Ah. I see.”

What Stalks the Deep by T. Kingfisher

SERIES: Sworn Solider #3

LENGTH: 179 pages

GENRES: Horror, LGBT+, Fiction

PUBLISHER: Tor Nightfire

RELEASE DATE: 30 September 2025

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

The next novella in the New York Times bestselling Sworn Soldier series, featuring Alex Easton investigating the dark, mysterious depths of a coal mine in America

Alex Easton does not want to visit America.

They particularly do not want to visit an abandoned coal mine in West Virginia with a reputation for being haunted.

But when their old friend Dr. Denton summons them to help find his lost cousin—who went missing in that very mine—well, sometimes a sworn soldier has to do what a sworn soldier has to do…

My Review

“Another fungus?” I asked sharply. Denton drank down his whiskey and signaled for another one. Ingold watched me, his arms folded, and I wondered how much Denton had told him about what we saw in the tarn.

“Not a fungus,” Denton said, when the waiter had left again. “At least, I don’t think so. But more lights in the deep.”

I was very pleased with What Stalks the Deep. It was definitely a step up from What Feasts at Night and, to me at least, nearly on par as the first novella in the Sworn Solider series, What Moves the Dead.

Alex Easton and Angus are back in a brand new adventure, and they’re both just as wonderful as before. Especially Angus, he’s the best – the highlight of every scene that he’s in. Easton is great too, of course, and I love their narration, but Angus is just… Angus.

“We’ll get to the wasps in a moment,” said Denton. “May I introduce my friend, Mr. John Ingold? John, this is Lieutenant Alex Easton and Angus… ah… forgive me, it occurs to me that I don’t actually know your full name.”

“No one does,” said Angus gruffly.

This book also features the return of Dr. Denton, who was a major supporting character in the first novella. It was nice to see him again. Denton contacts the two for help locating his cousin, actually, which is what sets off the plot of the book. We’re also introduced to a new character, Ingold, who through his connection with Denton, is far more interesting than the characters introduced in book two.

The story here also pulled me in more than the one in the second novel, and the atmosphere was back on point. It’s a little different when compared to What Moves the Dead, but the vibes were similar enough to draw me in the same way. The setting was also a little bit more interesting to me. Nothing like a small town and a creepy old mine to set the tone.

Unlike What Feasts at Night, I actually enjoyed the monster here, as well as the twist involved with it. Similar to the story and atmosphere, the creature feature here was more akin to the one in the first book, which I felt was far better than in the second one. Less supernatural this time around, which I appreciated. The buildup also reaches a satisfying conclusion for me, and I enjoyed how things wrapped up.

“Rules of life,” Angus said. “Be true to your friends, don’t cheat at cards, don’t piss on the less fortunate, and don’t steal other people’s skeletons.”

“You just added that last bit now,” I said.

“Obviously should’ve been there all along.”

What Stalks the Deep was a solid addition to the Sworn Solider series, with a return to form with its monster, unsettling setting and tone, and fast pace. If there’s ever another addition to the series, I’ll definitely read it. I think fans of this series will like the continuation, as well as fans of Kingfisher’s other horror stories.

As always, thank you so much for reading, and I hope you have an amazing day/night!

See ya ~Mar

MY LINKS:

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Aurora: Volume #1 by Red | Book Review

This is a world unlike any other.

It began as a tomb.

Aurora: Volume #1 by Red

COMIC: Aurora

LENGTH: 384 pages

GENRES: Fantasy, Graphic Novel, Fiction

PUBLISHER: Andrews McMeel Publishing

RELEASE DATE: 29 July 2025

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Fans of the hit webcomic Aurora, will delight in the first series installment in print, which follows a found family of heroes on a journey to save a god from an immortal witch.

The shining city of Vash in the world of Aurora is protected by a great and powerful god of the same name, but even Vash’s incarnation cannot withstand the Collector, an immortal sorceress bent on unmaking the world. Vash’s city is destroyed and his soul abducted, leaving only ruins and the wounded, empty body of his incarnation. When newborn soul Kendal awakens in the body, he is driven to rescue the imprisoned Vash. Now Kendal must grapple with living as a mortal and defeating a force powerful enough to sunder the gods.

Kendal is aided by the friends he makes along the way: Alinua, a volatile elven hermit terrified of her uncontrollable life magic; Erin, the prideful Elemental Magus, master of all six elements, who is burdened with a world-shattering curse; and Falst, a surly beastman trying to find his way in a world that hates him. Together, they will journey through magic and mystery, explore perilous environments, and confront ancient forces. Stars dance beyond the shimmering curtains of Aurora; it is time to draw those curtains back…

With exclusive author commentary and bonus story content, Aurora (Volume 1) has plenty for both fans and new readers to enjoy.

My Review

There is more to this world. More to this story

But first, we must begin to tell it…

Aurora is a webcomic that I’ve been following for years, and I’ve hoped for a long time that it might get the physical release treatment. Red’s art is absolutely beautiful and her storytelling is amazing. I could gush all day about this webcomic.

The story follows a group of six protagonists, though as of Aurora: Volume 1 only four have officially joined the party and been properly introduced (though protag number five appears frequently throughout the novel). The story (so far) follows their journey towards another continent in order to help one of the group from an antagonistic force that is directly affecting them, as well as the long-term goal of stopping the Collector, the other primary antagonist of the comic.

The Characters

“What fills a vessel that was crafted to contain a god?”

Our lead is 🌀 Kendal 🗡️ who awakens in the god Vash’s abandoned incarnated body after the Collector steals Vash’s soul. His goal is to save Vash from her, and he learns to live along the way.

🩹 Alinua 🌿 is the first person Kendal meets, and is also the first one to join him on his quest. She has a fascinating backstory that is introduced when we meet her, as well as an interesting connection to the Life primordial that is still unanswered.

📚 Erin ✨ is the third member of the group, and he has quite the introduction to Kendal and Alinua. He’s the mage of the group – and his connections as the Elemental Magus specifically are a huge advantage to the party. He’s got a weird thing going on with the Void Dragon, another major antagonist in the comic along with the Collector, though the two are unaffiliated.

The last member of the group introduced in this volume is 🌳 Falst 🐾 a Ferin. The Ferin are a group of people whose ancestors were tragically altered by depraved mage and who passed their curse – that of a strong and sturdy animal-like form – to their descendants. He’s kind of the rogue of the group.

The Story and Art

“Do you want to go alone?”

“Not really.”

“Me neither. Easy choice.”

🖊️ The plot 📒 is still ongoing and is continually intriguing the more it unfolds. The story we get here is the first half of Act I, so a lot of it is introductory, but it’s still very good and it never feels like the plot is slowing down. 🖋️ The lore 📜 of Aurora is also fascinating, and it never feels forced whenever the story dips into it. Red’s world building and magic system are also impeccable, and the world of the story feels lush and lived in. I also really love the extra stuff that Red added in for the physical release, like Erin’s journal entries and the new supplemental comic fragments. It all really fleshes out the story more, and is gonna make cohesion a bit better when the story gets further along.

I adore 🖌️ the art 🎨 of this fantasy comic. The art direction is great and the colors are so pretty. I just love Red’s art style in general, and as someone who is still following the webcomic, it gets even better as the story goes on. I also love all of this extra stuff that’s been added to the physical release, like Erin’s journal entries.

Final Thoughts

“Mages like to think it’s our power that makes us special. It’s the other way around. Without us, magic has no power.”

Before I close out this review, it would be remiss if I didn’t mention a couple of things about the creator of Aurora. Mostly because I think people reading this are probably going who the heck is Red? Well, Red is one half of Overly Sarcastic Productions, a YouTube channel that focuses on summarizing literature, mythology and historical events. In a bit of a sarcastic fashion, of course. Red focuses on the literature and mythology side, while he co-conspirator Blue does the historical stuff. (Interestingly enough, Blue also has a book coming out this year that I’m also looking forward to reading.)

Anyway, those were my thoughts about Aurora: Volume 1. I think it’s great so far and – knowing what’s coming up since I follow it online – it’s only gonna get better. Hard recommend to those who enjoy comics and graphic novels as well as fantasy.

And as always, thank you so much for reading, and I hope you have an amazing day/night!

See ya ~Mar

MY LINKS:

Goodreads

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A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers | Book Review

“Oh, that’s lovely,” Mosscap said.

“What Is?” said Dex.

Mosscap pointed. “Crown shyness is so striking, don’t you think?”

A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers

SERIES: Monk & Robot #2

LENGTH: 152 pages

GENRES: Science Fiction, LGBT+, Fiction

PUBLISHER: Tordotcom Publishing

RELEASE DATE: 12 July 2022

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

A Prayer for the Crown-Shy is a story of kindness and love from one of the foremost practitioners of hopeful SF.

After touring the rural areas of Panga, Sibling Dex (a Tea Monk of some renown) and Mosscap (a robot sent on a quest to determine what humanity really needs) turn their attention to the villages and cities of the little moon they call home.

They hope to find the answers they seek, while making new friends, learning new concepts, and experiencing the entropic nature of the universe.

Becky Chambers’s new series continues to ask: in a world where people have what they want, does having more even matter?

My Review

The thing about fucking off to the woods is that unless you are a very particular, very rare sort of person, it does not take long to understand why people left said woods in the first place.

A Prayer for the Crown-Shy, though not quite hitting the same spots for me as A Psalm for the Wild-Built that convinced me to give it a perfect star rating, was still a very fantastic novella to read. I really enjoyed my time with this book, as well as being heck in this world and seeing Dex and Mosscap again. I was a bit worried that it wouldn’t live up to the first one enough, which is why I put off reading it for a bit, but luckily my concerns were unfounded.

This little sequel builds a little bit on the world first introduced in Psalm. But gently – this is still a soft sci-fi series, after all. Not to mention that these little books are primarily character focused. But yeah, I enjoyed reading about Dex and Mosscap going around and interacting with people and places here, it felt like a very natural way to explore (and explain) the world.

It was also such a treat to meet new characters and have Dex have more than a couple lines of dialogue with them. Don’t get me wrong – I love how the first novella pretty much completely focused on Dex’s thought process and his evolving new friendship with Mosscap. But I really, really like character interaction, and a good chunk of book one is just walls of text.

The new characters we met were pretty decent too. At the very least their dialogue was good. It flowed naturally and felt like actual conversations. My favorite interactions were with Dex’s family (finally we get to meet them!) and one that almost entirely happens off-screen interactions with Ms. Amelia. (The one we see is also funny, but the implied interactions between Mosscap and the old lady seem golden.)

“Is this customary?” Mosscap whispered to Dex as Leroy fetched some herbs from the pots on his windowsill. “In some of the books I read last night, people made each other breakfast after having sex, but not universally.”

Dex threw Mosscap a look and lowered their voice as far as it would go. “What kind of books does Ms. Amelia collect?”

“Oh, entirely pornography,” Mosscap said. “It was very educational.”

Of course, the heart of this story is still the growing friendship between Dex and Mosscap, and how it changes them as a person and an object. Dex is also still struggling with the stuff from Psalm as well and, at the moment, Mosscap is currently the only one they feel comfortable sharing with. Mosscap is also going through it a little – as it’s realizing that it is getting older, and may start to break down sooner rather than later. Time keeps moving, after all.

And it wouldn’t be a Monk & Robot book without discussions of philosophy and self, so of course there’s a bunch of that here, once again. Not to the degree of the first book, ’cause of the slight differences in story structure, but A Prayer for the Crown-Shy definitely doesn’t… shy away from the topic either.

“Well, I didn’t know then,” Dex said, “and I still don’t. But what I do know is… you help. You’re helping me figure it out. Just by being here. You help.”

“Then we have the same answer,” Mosscap said. “I don’t know, either. But you are my best help, Sibling Dex.”

All in all, this is an absolutely solid follow-up to A Psalm for the Wild-Built. I love the soft sci-fi system, and how character focused it is. And I definitely recommend A Prayer for the Crown-Shy to those who enjoy these things as well, and who like quieter and more contemplative stories.

As always, thank you to everyone for reading, and I hope you have an amazing day/night!

See ya ~Mar

MY LINKS:

Goodreads

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Wrath of the Triple Goddess by Rick Riordan | Book Review

October. Best month ever.

The air was crisp. The leaves were changing colors in Central Park. And my favorite food cart on 86th Street was serving pumpkin-spice burritos.

Wrath of the Triple Goddess by Rick Riordan

SERIES: Percy Jackson and the Olympians #7

LENGTH: 322 pages

GENRES: Fantasy, YA, Middle Grade, Fiction

PUBLISHER: Disney Hyperion

RELEASE DATE: 24 September 2024

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

In his continuing quest to earn college recommendation letters from the gods, Percy has to pet-sit the goddess Hecate’s polecat and giant mastiff during Halloween week. What could go wrong?

Rick Riordan’s newest Percy Jackson adventure is full of hilarious set pieces, a diverse cast of gods and monsters, and many other delightful tricks and treats.

Percy Jackson, now a high school senior, needs three recommendation letters from the Greek gods in order to get into New Rome University. He earned his first one by retrieving Ganymede’s chalice. Now the goddess Hecate has offered Percy another “opportunity”—all he has to do is pet sit her polecat, Gale, and mastiff, Hecuba, over Halloween week while she is away. Piece of cake, right?

Percy, Annabeth, and Grover settle into Hecate’s seemingly endless mansion and start getting acquainted with the fussy, terrifying animals. The trio has been warned not to touch anything, but while Percy and Annabeth are out at school, Grover can’t resist drinking a strawberry-flavored potion in the laboratory. It turns him into a giant frenzied goat, and after he rampages through the house, damaging everything in sight, and passes out, Gale and Hecuba escape. Now the friends have to find Hecate’s pets and somehow restore the house, all before Hecate gets back on Saturday. It’s going to take luck, demigod wiles, and some old and new friends to hunt down the animals and set things right again.

My Review

Her onyx eyes glittered. She sat forward and laced her fingers, looking more like a principal than my real principal ever did. “You may call me the Torch Bearer, the Star Walker, the Night Wanderer, the Disturber of the Dead, the daughter of Perses and Asteria, the Triple Goddess!”

“Uh-huh,” I said, still clueless.

You’re probably thinking, Percy, you’ve been dealing with the Greek gods for years. How could you not know her?

So Percy Jackson book seven came out… and I enjoyed reading it. And yes, I understand that nostalgia had some impact on my reading experience and overall rating, as it did with book six. Because of this I have altered my rating accordingly for Wrath of the Triple Goddess. (As even though when I read both books six and seven both felt like five star reads, I know in my soul that they weren’t as good as The Battle of the Labyrinth or The Last Olympian. So think of four and a half stars as the same rating for Chalice of the Gods now, I guess. I was a bit overzealous with that review.)

Out of the two new PJO novels, I’m honestly not sure whether I enjoyed The Chalice of the Gods or Wrath of the Triple Goddess more. On the one hand, TCOTG was the first actual-not-a-spinoff Percy Jackson book in years, and I loved the cameos and references, and seeing how Percy, Annabeth and Grover have grown up. But book seven was fun too, and it had Halloween vibes out the wazoo, which I always adore. I guess I enjoyed them equally?

Anyway, I never knew I needed a PJO book set around Halloween until now. It was great, and the book was released during the literal perfect time of the year for it. It’s still a little weird to me reading novels from this series that take place in the fall – nearly all of them, except for The Titan’s Curse which takes place over winter break – are set over the summer. But it’s a nice change.

Grover and I exchanged a look of relief. Whenever Annabeth joined the chat, the odds of us doing something idiotic went way down. The odds were never zero, mind you, because I was still in the mix.

Percy is still as sassy as ever, perhaps even more so than book six, and Annabeth and Grover still balance him perfectly. This really is one of the greatest trios I’ve ever had the pleasure of following. Grover also doesn’t feel like a third wheel here, which was a very minor problem in TCOTG, and his feelings on potential third wheel status and Percy and Annabeth moving on from him are addressed here and it’s great.

And I can’t forget about Percabeth, one of the greatest relationships ever written. Still here and still fantastic – Percy and Annabeth really are a great couple. They just work so unbelievably well together.

Annabeth and I were more than just two people. We were a pair, and when we stood at the crossroads, we did it together.

The plot, even though I really enjoyed it, might be a slightly weaker aspect of this novel, as it was with book six. But that probably feels that way because it doesn’t feel as big as the plots of my memories, nor is it a world ending prevention story like basically all other Percy Jackson novels and spinoffs. It was fine on its own, but is far more down to earth than the rest of the series (save TCOTG).

I can’t believe the final book in this additional trilogy to the original Percy Jackson and the Olympians is coming out next year. That’s twenty years after the original book, the one that started it all – The Lightning Thief – did. I can’t believe it’s been that long already. Just, the timing. I can’t wait to see how this ends. But at the same time, I’ll once again feel a little sad to see it go.

“Hey, Wise Girl,” I said, trying to keep the panic out of my voice, “be wise. I don’t know much, but I do know we’re stronger together. Always.”

I definitely recommend Wrath of the Triple Goddess to fans of the Percy Jackson series. Alsoto fantasy fans who enjoy middle grade and YA stuff. But mostly to preexisting fans, ’cause you have to read the original five books (and book six) and have some knowledge of the sequel/spinoff series the Heroes of Olympus to really enjoy this novel. Also, read this book in October – the vibes are perfect.

Anyway, as always, thank you so much for reading, and I hope you have a fantastic day/night!

See ya ~Mar

MY LINKS:

Goodreads

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The Glass Scientists: Volume Two by S.H. Cotugno | Book Review

Mornin’, Doctor. Having a happy haunt today are we?

The Glass Scientists: Volume Two by S.H. Cotugno

COMIC: The Glass Scientists

LENGTH: 240 pages

GENRES: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, YA, LGBT+, Graphic Novel, Fiction

PUBLISHER: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers

RELEASE DATE: 24 September 2024

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

The second book in the YA graphic novel series about star-crossed lovers and misunderstood monsters, which is already a webcomic phenomenon!

All Dr. Henry Jekyll wanted to do was make London a safe place for rogue scientists. That’s why he and his best friend Robert created the Society for Arcane Sciences in the first place, and why their upcoming exhibition to show the public all the incredible things they can do for the world is so important. But ever since Frankenstein arrived, nothing has gone according to plan….

And now Jekyll’s dirty little secret is about to become a huge problem. Hyde, his devilishly devious alter-ego, is fed up with being jerked around and Jekyll not letting him out to play. And he’s just discovered a new trick that will allow him to take the driver’s seat of their shared body. With Hyde behind the wheel, it’s not just the impeding exhibition and the future of the society in jeopardy. The ruffian threatens to destroy something that’s even more dear to Jekyll: his relationship with Robert. Will Jekyll be able to regain control of his mind, body, and life, or will he lose everything he has been fighting for?

Volume Two collects Chapters 8-12 of this beloved webcomic, which is available in print for the first time ever. It also features loads of exclusive bonus content including a brand-new prequel story (Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Meet Dracula!!!), a behind-the-scenes look at the comic’s origins, and more!

My Review

“Who are you, Mr. Hyde?”

As I mentioned in my review for volume one, I absolutely love this comic. And that hasn’t changed at all with the second one. The Glass Scientists is still amazing. Sage is still going incredibly strong with their retelling of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

Everything I said in my previous review for this graphic novel still stands, so I’m not going to talk much about the story and the characters, as I feel it’s a little redundant. But! The way that the story and characters evolve during this installment is sooo good. And the angst begins here – though it hasn’t even gotten close to the way it is currently in the original webcomic. (It’s getting real, guys. These last few weeks – oh boy.)

There’s also a bit of a slow-burn starting to happen between Jekyll and Lanyon at the point of the comic that volume two covers, and it’s wonderfully written. (And it’s gonna make the angst coming up so much sweeter.) We also learn a lot of interesting things about several characters, and Jekyll and Hyde’s relationship is currently deteriorating beautifully. I can’t get enough of this world.

And of course, the art is still gorgeous. S.H. Cotugno is a fantastic artist with a lot of experience and it definitely shows. I enjoy their art style quite a bit. Oh! And I almost forgot, I loved the little extra added here (that being the little prequel story). I loved the one added to the last installment too, but in a different way.

So yeah, I realize that I didn’t really have as much to say about The Glass Scientists this time around, but I both didn’t want to spoil anything nor be redundant. Rest assured, I still super enjoyed this volume and definitely recommend it to fans of volume one, gaslamp fantasy, comics and graphic novels and the original Strange Case novel.

This book is also perfect for the upcoming spooky season, so if it sounds intriguing to you, I’d give it a shot. The vibes are excellent for October.

And, as always, thank you to everyone so much for reading, and I hope you have an awesome day/night!

See ya ~Mar

MY LINKS:

Goodreads

Instagram

Top Ten Tuesday: Posts I’ve Written That Give You a Glimpse of Me

Hey everyone! Happy Tuesday! How’s your September going so far?

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly post currently hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. It celebrates lovely lists, wonderful books and the bookish community. This week’s topic is Posts I’ve Written That Give You a Glimpse of Me. For this one, share the blog posts (or social media stuff) that showcase your personality the most and offer the clearest window into your personality. These are the posts you wish everyone would read! I wasn’t feeling this prompt a few weeks ago, when it was originally for, but I’m feeling it now.

I could only think of eight posts this time, unfortunately. Which kind of sucks, ’cause this is the first time I’ve had trouble thinking of ten things for this list. (This might be why I originally passed on this prompt a few weeks ago, haha.)

So anyway, let’s get started!

#1: Some Scary Stories for Spooky Season (Book Recs for October 2022)

One of my first ever posts. I really like the books I ended up picking for this one, though I think that when I did this post again in 2023, it was better written.

#2: Monthly Reading Wrap-Ups

I really like doing monthly reading wrap-ups. From the beginning on this blog, I’ve discussed and analyzed my StoryGraph statistics every month on the Blog That Nobody Knows, and I’ve enjoyed it. I’m proud of how most of these turned out.

#3: The First “Pretty Good” Book Review I Wrote

My review for Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garner is where I felt like I was starting to hit my stride to some degree, regarding how I wrote my book reviews. The way I write and structure my reviews is very different than it was almost two years ago now, and is ever evolving, but this was the first book review I wrote wherein I felt genuine satisfaction with the way it turned out.

#4: Reading Retrospective Reviews, Particularly the ACOTAR One

I haven’t done a retrospective review in a while, but I’ve enjoyed making them nonetheless. I feel like my personality shines with some of these posts, because I love to talk about books I’ve read in the past, not just ones I’ve read more recently during my time with this blog. And going over a book again to see how it holds up with my present eyes is something I sometimes like to do.

#5: My Quarterly Anticipated New Release Lists

I like to do these lists because it encouraged me to look into new books coming out. But I’m also too lazy to do this every month, so instead I do it seasonally. And thus, I get kind of unique lists sometimes. Plus, these are all pretty much strictly science fiction and fantasy only, ’cause that’s what I like to read.

#6: Books I’ve Read With Legend of Zelda Vibes

This is a post I hold dear to my heart. The Legend of Zelda series is something that is very special to me, and is something that has impacted so many parts of my life. I did this post in celebration of the latest series installment – Tears of the Kingdom – releasing in May 2023. It’s one of my favorite posts that I’ve ever done.

#7: The First Book Tag I Did

I haven’t done a lot of them, but I’ve enjoyed every Book Tag I’ve taken part in. In each of the ones I’ve done, I put a lot of effort into the visuals and images (including doing and redoing the thumbnail/featured image multiple times). And I’m very proud of how it all turned out. I feel like the Taylor Swift book tags in particular give insight into me, because they show the kind of music I enjoy (to some degree), and they showcase a lot of the different novels that I’ve read or want to read in the future.

#8: Bewitching Book Covers / Tasteful Tuesdays / Majestic Mondays

This post was the first series post that I ever created. And, even though I haven’t been very consistent with it lately, I like to talk about, admire and analyze book cover art which is why I originally decided to start doing it. I still enjoy doing it and know I’ll eventually come back to it. Hopefully soon and more consistently. It’s gone through a few title changes since I first started it, which might not be a good thing, lol.

The Ghostkeeper by Johanna Taylor | Book Review

When a house is beset with a great and terrible haunting, people in Rookwood send an exorcist.

But when the haunting is, by all accounts, rather mild…

They send for me.

The Ghostkeeper by Johanna Taylor

LENGTH: 272 pages

GENRES: Fantasy, YA, Graphic Novel, LGBT+, Fiction

PUBLISHER: Putnam’s

RELEASE DATE: 23 July 2024

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Perfect for fans of everything from Lockwood & Co. to The Haunting of Hill House, this gothic graphic novel follows a young medium with the gift—or curse, as some might say—to communicate with the dead. This ghost story “powerfully, tenderly, and empathetically examines death, grief, and the afterlife” raved Kirkus in a starred review!

Dorian Leith can see ghosts. Not only that, he listens to their problems and tries to help them move on to the afterlife. It’s a gift that’s made him an outcast to everyone in town. That is except for his dearly departed grandmother, who he’s partnered with to turn this paranormal ability into an honest living, and the local bookshop owner, who seems to be the only non-deceased person willing to give him a chance. But it’s all worth it to Dorian, who feels like he’s been given a bigger purpose. A chance to save those who cannot save themselves.

Then one day, the key to Death’s Door is stolen, trapping all the ghosts in the land of the living. Since he’s only one who can see them, the spirits rely on Dorian to retrieve the key before it is too late. If they can’t move on, they’ll soon be consumed by a ghostly rot that has begun to plague them.

As it continues to fester and spread, and the ghosts become desperate for relief, Dorian must do whatever it takes to find a way to bring peace to the restless dead—even if that peace comes at the cost of his own….

My Review

“There’s no fate worse than being forgotten.”

So, I was actually hoping to get this finished and posted yesterday, but I was really busy on Saturday , so I thought I might not. And I didn’t. Anyway, my review for The Ghostkeeper by Johanna Taylor is here now, even if it’s a day late.

I really enjoyed this graphic novel; far more so than the last graphic novel I reviewed. Part of it was definitely because it was a ghost story, and I love those. But I also really liked the setting, the characters, the story, and – of course – the art.

Dorian Leith was a sweet protagonist to follow. I loved his personality and his caring nature, and how a big part of this story was dedicated to his character development. It was great to watch him realize that he can take time for himself, and to learn that his health and happiness matter.

I also enjoyed Brody, his housemate and love interest. I loved his quiet personality (and how he ran an independent bookstore!), and how he was a gentle soul. This book reminded me that, in fact, you can have two kindhearted and wholesome people in a romantic relationship without one of them being sassy.

Also, unlike The Lost Story – the last thing I read – this was a solidly built relationship. It was obvious why Dorian fell for Brody, and in turn it was very clear why Brody had feelings for Dorian. Neither of them were doormats either – both of them were willing to help each other, and not just willing to remain complacent when one of them was in denial of something. Their relationship was also very sweet and wholesome, and they’re definitely the cutest couple I’ve read about this year so far.

The two other important characters – Dorian’s grandmother, Lavinia “Lazarus” Leith, and little Lucy – were also wonderful and necessary additions. This graphic novel would not be the same without them, and even though they’re ghosts, I feel that they drive the plot forward even moreso than the living characters. Grandma Lazarus loved Dorian so much, despite the heavy burden of her regret, and I loved their dynamic. We need more grandmas in fiction. Dorian and Lucy’s sibling dynamic was also very sweet. Watching these two characters – even though they were ghosts – grow and evolve as characters was awesome.

I loved how the plot was nineteenth century esque, and was set in a fantasy setting similar to Gothic Britain. It was simultaneously cozy and mildly creepy, and absolutely perfect for the ghostly story it was telling.

The art was also fantastic. I also loved the colors and the way that hues and shades were used. It all really set the vibe well. The character designs were also great.

Also, and I didn’t mention this above, but I really liked the theming and parallels and other literary devices that Taylor decided to use. I’m not going to spoil anything, but the way that everything came together in the end was wonderful. I also loved all the world building she was able to sneak in, and how everything introduced had a purpose. It was a great story to follow.

This is something I absolutely recommend to fans of Gothic fantasy settings, ghost stories, and graphic novels. I think it would be best read sometime in October, paired with a latte of your choice. As well as a pumpkin spiced candle.

As always, thank you so much for reading, and I hope everyone has a wonderful day/night! And that whatever book you’re reading currently is something you’re enjoying!

See ya ~Mar

Quotes I Enjoyed

[Dorian] “That’s the thing about “normal.” It’s different for everyone, and it’s always changing. It’s frustrating. And uncomfortable. And sometimes even feels pointless. And when there isn’t a point to be found, you simply have to make one yourself.”

[Dorian] “So this is how I die.

[Dorian’s Grandmother] “See you on the other side Dorie… One way or another.

[Dorian’s Grandmother] “Well. If i were in your loafers, I would have made a big to-do. And shown that Prudence Greeves a real haunting. Scary music! Flickering firelight! books flying everywhere!

“And the only way to put a stop to the MAYHEM would be for her to watch as her a her very house. In blood! And then they reconcile their differences… She pays you double for ridding her of a ghostly menace… et cetera.”

[Dorian] “Why do you keep suggesting i scare PEOPLE INTO submission?”

[Dorian’s Grandmother] “Because it would work, dear.”

[Morrigan] “Welcome to limbo… Dorian Ghostkeeper.”

MY LINKS:

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The Dragonwatch Series by Brandon Mull | Book Review

Dragonwatch by Brandon Mull

LENGTH OF SERIES: 5 books

GENRES: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Fiction

PREDECESSOR: Fablehaven (2005 – 2009)

PUBLISHER: Shadow Mountain

RELEASE DATES: 14 March 2017 – 26 October 2021

DESCRIPTION OF BOOK #1:

In the long-awaited sequel to Fablehaven, the dragons who have been kept at the dragon sanctuaries no longer consider them safe havens, but prisons and they want their freedom. The dragons are no longer our allies….

In the hidden dragon sanctuary of Wyrmroost, Celebrant the Just, King of the Dragons, plots his revenge. He has long seen the sanctuaries as prisons, and he wants nothing more than to overthrow his captors and return the world to the Age of Dragons, when he and his kind ruled and reigned without borders. The time has come to break free and reclaim his power.

No one person is capable of stopping Celebrant and his dragon horde. It will take the ancient order of Dragonwatch to gather again if there is any chance of saving the world from destruction. In ancient times, Dragonwatch was a group of wizards, enchantresses, dragon slayers, and others who originally confined the majority of dragons into sanctuaries. But nearly all of the original Dragonwatch members are gone, and so the wizard Agad reaches out to Grandpa Sorenson for help.

As Kendra and Seth confront this new danger, they must draw upon all their skills, talents, and knowledge as only they have the ability to function together as a powerful dragon tamer. Together they must battle against forces with superior supernatural powers and breathtaking magical abilities.

How will the epic dragon showdown end? Will dragons overthrow humans and change the world as we know it?

My Review

Writing a novel is like climbing a mountain that does not yet exist, reaching for handholds that become tangible only as you curl your fingers around them, yearning for a tower- ing summit that must be willed into reality before you can stand on it.
Brandon Mull, author of Fablehaven and Dragonwatch

So, I finally got around to reading the final Dragonwatch book. And honestly, I ended up enjoying it quite a bit. Especially after how subpar books three and four felt at times while reading.

Though not as good as Fablehaven – and I’ll talk about why that is in a bit – Dragonwatch is a very solid middle grade fantasy series. And just a solid fantasy in general, if we’re being honest here. It was a wonderful, yet completely unexpected continuation of a series that I thought was over. Many writers return to their biggest successes years later, or never stop to begin with and just keep milking the cow, and so often it overstays its welcome or sours the earlier installments. But Dragonwatch didn’t do that – it continues a story from beyond its original ending in a way that feels very natural. (Not to mention the lack of sequel bait at the end of The Keys to the Demon Prison was wonderful, even if finally reaching the end of Fablehaven book five felt bittersweet.)

As this is a sequel series – and is considered to be the second half of a story by the author himself – it would be impossible to discuss Dragonwatch without talking about Fablehaven. At least a little bit. (Don’t worry – I’m not gonna get too much into it.)

Creating an entire series is an even grander and more daunting expedition. Writing the Fablehaven and Dragonwatch series has been quite a climb. I spent ten years of my life producing these books, and now I’m finally done. I believe these were mountains worth climbing, and I am happy to leave them as part of the landscape so others can explore them.
Brandon Mull

But anyway. Fablehaven. It’s a series from the ’00s that I feel got a little bit lost in the shuffle ’cause of certain other big fantasy books at the time that were targeted towards YA and middle grade. But I really enjoyed it when I first discovered it around 2008. I thought that the individual plots of each book were each engaging and stood on their own very well. I adored the characters, particularly Seth and Kendra, and loved their character growth. And I loved the dialogue and the writing and the execution of Mull’s ideas. Not to mention the pacing of each novel was incredible, I don’t think I was ever bored or felt like any of the books suffered from Middle Book Syndrome.

And this is why I feel that though it’s a great series, Dragonwatch doesn’t quite hit the same for me as Fablehaven did. And yeah, I’m sure that nostalgia is definitely at least a little involved here, but I just don’t think that Dragonwatch is quite as good. For one: books three and four – Master of the Phantom Isle and Champion of the Titan Games – definitely feel a little bit middle book syndrome-y. There’s just something about the pacing of them for me, I dunno.

Second of all: Seth is incredibly annoying in these same two books, and I hated following his chapters at times (sometimes I just DESPISE amnesia plots if they’re done certain ways). It felt like I was following a different character at times, which kind of irritated me during a few parts. Like, I get it I know how an amnesia plot works, but at the same time it was a bit frustrating.

And last of all: there were just so many more new characters introduced and other miscellaneous stuff that felt a bit unnecessary and usually disappeared after a while. I also wasn’t too keen on Kendra’s and Seth’s younger cousins for much of the series either. They were introduced in the first Dragonwatch book, yet they felt unnecessary for much of the story of the series. Sure, they fulfilled their character arcs at the end of the books, but they just annoyed me for whatever reason.

I’m sure that you can tell by now that I felt that the third and fourth books were the weakest of the series. And you’d be correct – I definitely think that. But I also felt that it had a strong start as well as a strong finish. And my grievances with the series are honestly very few; as I’ve said – this is an absolutely solid fantasy series.

I didn’t want to write Dragonwatch unless it would build upon what Fablehaven started in a way that felt important. Now that I’m done, I feel like Dragonwatch is the second half of a single sweeping story, and that without these five books, the adventures of Kendra and Seth would be incomplete.
Brandon Mull

Let me just make a little list of some of my favorite things about Dragonwatch (Note – The Return of the Dragon Slayers was the most recent book I’ve read – it’s been well over a year since I read any of the others – so my points will basically be about this book in particular or the series as a whole):

The way the entire series – Fablehaven and Dragonwatch – came full circle in a few different ways.
- Muriel, the witch antagonist from the first Fablehaven book, appears and has a significant part to play in book five of Dragonwatch.
- Kendra and Seth have a moment in the room they originally stayed in during Fablehaven.
- Themes from the first series return and circle back in a satisfying way.
- Kendra and Bracken have another touching moment at the end of the Dragonwatch series that builds on the moment they had five books earlier at the end of the Fablehaven half of the series. I adored it.
I loved seeing many of the characters return from the Fablehaven part of the series. So many books come back years later and ditch much of the original cast, but this one doesn’t do that, which I appreciated.
Seeing new magical places was awesome. Moving beyond the magical preserves was awesome. I just love the Fablehaven world building and universe in general.
Brandon Mull managed not only to stick a series ending with Fablehaven not once but twice. So many series struggle with this aspect of writing, but neither half of the series does. Both Fablehaven’s and Dragonwatch’s endings are satisfying and feel earned.

So yeah, I liked a lot of stuff about the Dragonwatch series. But this review is already getting super long so I can’t talk about everything I enjoyed. I definitely recommend this series to anyone who enjoys middle grade fantasy, and especially kids in middle school. As someone who read half of this series in middle school when it was still just Fablehaven, I think that kids this age will find it to be a great series and will enjoy it.

Because of this, my median star rating for the entire Dragonwatch part of the series is:

Anyways, as always, thank you to everyone so much for reading, and I hope you all have a fantastic day/night!

Also, if you celebrate it, 🇺🇸🎇 Happy 4th of July!! 🇺🇸🎇

See ya ~Mar

I have many other books and series to write. Some of my fa- vorite ideas have yet to be written. I can’t wait to share them in the years to come.
Brandon Mull

My Star Ratings for Each Book

Wrath of the Dragon King by Brandon Mull

Master of the Phantom Isle by Brandon Mull

Champion of the Titan Games by Brandon Mull

Return of the Dragon Slayers by Brandon Mull

MY LINKS:

Goodreads

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Dreadful by Caitlin Rozakis | Book Review

If a human was made up of the experiences of their life, was Gav anything at all?

Dreadful by Caitlin Rozakis

LENGTH: 352 pages

GENRES: Fantasy, Fiction

PUBLISHER: Titan Books

RELEASE DATE: 28 May 2024

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

A sharp-witted, debut high fantasy farce featuring killer moat squid, toxic masculinity, evil wizards and a garlic festival – all at once. Perfect for fans of T. Kingfisher, K. J. Parker and Travis Baldree.

It’s bad enough waking up in a half-destroyed evil wizard’s workshop with no eyebrows, no memories, and no idea how long you have before the Dread Lord Whomever shows up to murder you horribly and then turn your skull into a goblet or something.

It’s a lot worse when you realize that Dread Lord Whomever is… you.

Gav isn’t really sure how he ended up with a castle full of goblins, or why he has a princess locked in a cell. All he can do is play along with his own evil plan in hopes of getting his memories back before he gets himself killed.

But as he realizes that nothing – from the incredibly tasteless cloak adorned with flames to the aforementioned princess – is quite what it seems, Gav must face up to all the things the Dread Lord Gavrax has done. And he’ll have to answer the hardest question of all – who does he want to be?

A high fantasy farce featuring killer moat squid, toxic masculinity, an evil wizard convocation, and a garlic festival. All at once. All in all, Dread Lord Gavrax has had better weeks.

My Review

He woke up with no eyebrows and no idea how he’d gotten into such a position.

I was really looking forward to Dreadful. And I didn’t dislike it, but it didn’t end up being as much of a gem as I’d hoped it would be. Like, I still really liked certain parts of it, but on the whole I just felt very meh about it.

The concept of this novel was something I found extremely interesting and was all it took for me to hype myself up for it. But, I dunno, I just felt like it was a bit bland for me. I’ve heard it compared to Legends & Lattes, because they’re both kind of slow-burns, and I agree with that. I think that that might be part of the reason that Dreadful didn’t gel with me as much as I’d hoped.

First off: the stuff I liked. I really enjoyed the characters; I feel that they were the strongest part of the book. Gav was both amusing and interesting to me because I’m a sucker for amnesia plots (if they’re done right), and the circumstances and framing of the novel made the whole thing funny to me. Eliasha was also a brilliant inversion of the princess archetype. I loved her personality and how she wasn’t conventionally attractive and that her interests weren’t conventional either. Gav and Eliasha also had great platonic banter, and their friendship was fun to follow. I also really liked the side characters, like the goblins and the villagers. The garlic festival was hilarious!

The plot was okay. It wasn’t anything super unique, as it’s purposely riffing on fantasy tropes, and is inspired by one of Rozakis’ husband’s D&D campaigns from a few years ago. I like it when books get a bit meta sometimes though, or are self aware, so a lot of it was fun.

I did find stuff to be kind of predictable, however, but that’s not always a bad thing. It did make a couple of parts kind of boring though, and the climax was not very exciting (for me) to read. The book also got a bit too self aware and preachy at some points.

The writing was mostly okay. I thought that the dialogue and point of view came across pretty naturally. I did find some of the descriptions to be overused and annoying, though. The amount of times the author used stuff like “the saturnine face” made me want to throw my tablet across the couch. It really irritated me.

But yeah, overall this was a pretty okay book and a decent debut. It may not have been my cup of tea exactly, but I think that lots of other people will enjoy it. Especially if you like more slow paced and light-hearted stuff.

A Few Quotes I Liked

So, this was shock. It seemed terribly inconvenient that the brain’s reaction to being placed in mortal jeopardy was to become much stupider.

“Do you want to get fireballed by mistake?”

She shrugged fatalistically. “Will get fireballed eventually.”

If he hurried out, it was because he had very important research to do. It was not a retreat.

“Your good sense. Your common sense can inspire me to another way of life. To goodness.”

“You could start with letting me go.”

“Something smaller.”

“How about not being a complete asshole to everyone you meet?” she said acidly.

As always, thanks so much to everyone for reading, and I hope you have a not-dreadful day/night!

See ya ~Mar

LINKS:

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