The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst

3 stars A little bit cottagecore. A little bit romance. Plenty of magic. When introverted librarian Kiela is forced to flee the Great Library of Alyssium due to violent political upheaval, she sets out with Caz, a sentient spider plant, and a few crates of spellbooks to travel to her childhood home on an outer…

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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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Monster Cats Vol. 1 by Pandania

Translated by Minna Lin 4 stars Absolutely adorable! I’ve really been enjoying the Yokai Cats series and was excited to see this collection of monster cat stories. Nice variety of monsters including a vampire, a yeti, a mimic, a dryad, a slime, and so much more. Find out what it’s like to live with a…

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If You’ll Have Me by Eunnie

4 stars Reliable, dependable college student Momo is always there when others need her but has a tendency to ignore her own needs. When she strikes up a friendship with the alluring PG, she doesn’t expect it to go anywhere. But as the two grow closer, they must confront their separate pasts and how they…

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My New Life as a Cat Vol. 4 by Konomi Wagata

Translated by Molly Rabbitt 3 stars More humorous adventures with Nyao, the human-turned-cat, and his temporary human caretaker, Chika. In this volume, Nyao theorizes that if he does enough good deeds, he might regain his human form. Thus, he goes about town doing his best to help others. Features adorable cat adventures such as finding…

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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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Feeling Boo by Alex Boniello and April Lavalle

Illustrated by Olivia Chin Mueller 3 stars A sweet story about friendship, sadness, and listening to others. Ollie has the boos and his best friend, Ellie, will do whatever it takes to chase those sad feelings away. But sometimes we have to slow down and just sit with our sadness in the company of good…

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Yokai Cats Vol. 3 by Pandania

Translated by Minna Lin 4 stars More adventures in the world of yokai cats. A nice mix of new and old friends. It was fun to meet new characters like the ceiling hanging Tenjo-sagari, the sandy Sunakake Baba, and the echoing Yamabiko. Always love to see what Shiro the Nopperabo, Tama the Rokurokubi, and Mita…

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Zombie Stories to Scare Your Socks Off! Edited by Benjamin Bird

Written by Benjamin Harper, Laurie S. Sutton, Michael Dahl, and Megan Atwood 2 stars An okay collection of zombie-themed stories. Includes a nice range within the theme, from a sinister video game to a frightening day in science class to waking up with odd cravings. “The Zombie Hand” by Laurie S. Sutton was my favorite….

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