Kingdom, vol. 1-2 by Yasuhisa Hara
It felt good to read the first 2 volumes of Kingdom by Yasuhisa Hara after a lot of junk food books. It reminded me a lot of Vagabond by Takehiko Inoue, so I was not surprised to see Hara worked as Inoue’s assistant in the past. In ancient China, two boys named Xin and Piao are best friends and slaves with ambitious goals to be great generals – the only path out of slavery* for them and their wives and children. Not that they have […]
Unocorn Boy V02 Unicorn Boy and the Slumber Party of Doom! by Dave Roman
I really liked the first Unicorn Boy by Dave Roman. It was both new and fresh, plus also familiar. I liked that combination. The fantasy elements are fun, the LGBTQ elements on point, I thought the humor was mostly laughing out loud. Sure, some were a bit “kid centered” but that doesn’t mean an adult could like it. Then I read via an online reader Unicorn Boy and the Slumber Party of Doom! (Unicorn Boy #2) by Dave Roman. It is due in early May […]
Red River, vols. 1-24 by Chie Shinohara
Red River by Chie Shinohara is so indulgent and melodramatic that if I was 12, I’d have strong opinions about it. As an adult, it’s like feeding my brain Doritos. Evil Queen Nakia wants her son to be king in the ancient Hittite empire. But as the youngest of the current king’s sons, the little princelet has a few people in front of him. So Nakia plans to kill her son’s half-brothers. This is all straightforward, but it gets ridiculous and convoluted because she’s an […]
Leo da Vinci: Renaissance Kid by Richard Ashley Hamilton
If you like stories about, or at least a modernization of Leonardo Da Vinci’s story, you just might like Leo da Vinci: Renaissance Kid by Richard Ashley Hamilton. Of course, things are totally fictionalized (or so one would assume, but perhaps it is set in an alternative reality?). The language is completely of today with actions to match (fist bumps, calling stepfather Tony). Now, maybe it is not the best book, but for certain it is a fun one that I will try to find […]
Sleepwalking by Lauren Monger
Grampa by Travis Rommereim
Sleepwalking by Lauren Monger can be purchased in a bookstore or at Silver Sprocket’s website (and I think they might still have a brick and mortar store as well). You might even be able to get it via your local library. I am not sure why, if you are a nice and normal person. The reason I picked it up (or should say ordered from the website) was because that cover was giving me vibes of something dark, spooky, serious and maybe a little odd […]
Monsterlogica: A menagerie of monsters, beasts and magical beings by Martin Maudsley and Victoria Topping
The Big Book of Useless History Knowledge: 250 of the Coolest, Weirdest, and Most Unbelievable History Facts You Won't Be Taught in School by Kay Wolfersperger, Liz Kay, Lauren Radley, Neon Squid, and Vicky Armstrong
It is that time of year when the publishers are promoting their future releases. Two of those books that were highlighted are below in this combined review. Neither had a finished online readers copy available, but what they did have made me terribly excited When I started Monsterlogica: A menagerie of monsters, beasts and magical beings by Martin Maudsley and illustrator Victoria Topping (due September 2026) I was not sure of it. Another monster book? Eh. I mean, sure monsters are fun, they could add […]
