Magical Mini Reviews

It's time for a little selection of magical mini reviews! These three books are all strangely magical, and I enjoyed them a lot. Reading them felt like going back and reading old fairytales, but in a way that feels vibrant and new. Also not fitting with the theme, I reviewed a graphic novel in addition to these three books. Just consider it as a bonus review of a book you should also read!

Magic Bitter, Magic Sweet by Charlie N. Holmberg

★★★★☆

Magic Bitter, Magic Sweet is such a peculiar book, but I really loved reading it. It blends elements of fairytale with a dash of Frankenstein in order to form something wholly unique. Rather than retelling these classic tales, Holmberg subtly references them to create a story that feels both homely and new. The writing was lovely, with the confections Maire bakes sounding so delicious that I could almost taste them. Magical and bittersweet, this mysterious story was a joy to unravel.

Warnings: slavery, violence, killing, implied rape

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with this book in exchange for an honest review.

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle

★★★☆☆

A Wrinkle in Time was a quick and clever read. It deals with the weirdly existential questions I would ask myself as a kid, and the science behind the fiction was executed brilliantly. I think I expected a little more from it, with a more memorable message and a more exciting adventure akin to The Wizard of Oz. Already I find myself forgetting what happened. But as a children's book, I forgive it, because it was still an enjoyable read.

Bone Gap by Laura Ruby

★★★★☆

Bone Gap is such a pretty book. I didn't know what to expect from it, and even as I read it my expectations were constantly changing. It is about beautiful disappearing girls, lonely brothers, and strange towns where barns and cornfields seem a little bit magical. The story is less about mystery and fantasy and more about people and place. The town of Bone Gap was very vivid, and Laura Ruby really captured the small-town feel of being a single entity. Captivatingly beautiful, from the writing to the story.

A Quick & Easy Guide to They/Them Pronouns by Archie Bongiovanni and Tristan Jimerson

★★★★☆

This was a super cute graphic novel on how to correctly use they/them pronouns. It's easy to understand for people of all ages and I think many people would benefit from reading it. Plus the art was very cute, which made it all the more engaging!

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with this book in exchange for an honest review.

Have you read any of these books? Tell me your thoughts!