She Who Knows by Nnedi Okorafor

4 stars A fantastically crafted story. Najeeba has heard the Call and knows it is time to travel the Salt Roads. But only men and boys are supposed to experience the Call. Follow Najeeba on her unprecedented journey beyond her home to travel the Salt Roads with her father and brothers, change her family’s prospects,…

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Cat Ninja (Cat Ninja #1) by Matthew Cody

Illustrated by Yehudi Mercado 2 stars This series is popular at my library so I figured I’d give it a try. I really thought I’d like this one. Cats, humor, and graphic novels are kind of my go-tos. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but I just could not get in to this…

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Wildfire Rescue (Disaster Squad #1) by Rekha S. Rajan

Illustrated by Courtney Lovett 3 stars A fun read overall. Honestly, the setup was a little weird to me. A journalist and a doctor drive around the country in their RV with their two young children and their dog helping out with various natural disasters. It seemed odd that Jaden and Leela would go along…

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Losing Hit Points by Kristopher Mielke

5 stars A heartfelt story that is surprisingly cozy. I absolutely love the blending of fantasy and reality as we follow the characters in their D&D campaign and their personal lives in the real world. Wonderfully written. I loved the characters. This is some of the characters’ first time playing D&D so there is a…

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My Sister, The Cat Vol. 2 by Senko

Translated by Liya Sultanova 5 stars Another adorable collection featuring Neneko and Nekota. Heartwarming slice-of-life comics with plenty of cute sibling antics. From cooking together to helping with a fear of the dark, this book is so sweet. I love Neneko and Nekota so much. As with the first volume, the artwork is so cute….

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Goosebumps: Deep Trouble by R. L. Stine

2 stars This one was okay. Took a quick dive into fantasy, which was unexpected. Based on the cover, I thought there would be more sharks in this one. Growing up, I was always too scared to read Goosebumps because of the covers. But now that I’ve read a few as an adult, I realize…

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Cooler Than Lemonade by Harshita Jerath

Illustrated by Chloe Burgett 3 stars An adorable story of perseverance, ingenuity, and creative problem solving. One summer day Eva starts a lemonade stand with roaring success. But as the competition mounts, she isn’t sure she’s cut out for the business world. With a little encouragement from her brother, Eva comes up with a brand…

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The Witch’s Heart by Genevieve Gornichec

2.5 stars An interesting dive into the world of Norse mythology. I loved the idea of a novel following Angrboda and tying together some stories of witches, giantesses, and other mysterious women. For me, the first part of the book really dragged. I liked the second half more as things picked up, but that whole…

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