The Savior's Book Cafe Story in Another World Vol. 5

Title: The Savior’s Book Cafe Story in Another World Vol. 5

Author: Kyouka Izumi

Publisher: Seven Seas 2022

Genre: Manga Romance

Pages: 192

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series

Where I Got It: Library

Despite being sent to another world as a Savior, Tsukina has managed to stay out of the spotlight and run her book cafe. With her marriage to her fiance Il on the horizon, Tsukina is looking forward to their peaceful life together. But one of the regulars at the cafe seems to have other plans for Tsukina, and for all the Kingdom of Othel! Will Tsukina get her fairy-tale ending?!

We get to the end of the story and thankfully it ends on a happy note. I figured that this series wasn’ going to be too serious or angsty. It manages to wrap up the main storyline with little conflict, but lots of good feelings. Overall, I really enjoyed my reading of this quick series.

The Book Savior’s...

• Volume 1

• Volume 2

• Volume 3

• Volume 4

• Volume 5

Next up on the TBR pile:

Odds and Ends

Here's my randomness for the week:

• I’m so busy this week!!! Between activities, school, and prepping for the birthday party (and this pesky cough), I am toast.

• Getting excited for my tattoo appointment on Monday. And I have an idea of a second one for maybe November…

• Still trying to embrace the fall and all the flavors. I love all things fall.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Savior's Book Cafe Story in Another World Vol. 4

Title: The Savior’s Book Cafe Story in Another World Vol. 4

Author: Kyouka Izumi

Publisher: Seven Seas2021

Genre: Manga Romance

Pages: 162

Rating: /45 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series

Where I Got It: Library

Tsukina has been keeping her great magical powers under wraps, content to spend her time with her book cafe and her fiancee, Il. And now that a new Savior, Youta, has arrived, she figures she can leave all the heroics to him. But when Youta develops a crush on Tsukina, it throws everything off balance! When monsters attack, Youta sees it as his chance to shine.. but is he up to the challenge?

So much happened in this one. I cannot wait to see how the story ends. I’m hoping Tsukina gets her happy ending, Youta finds his place, and Othel is protected against monsters and enemies. But I am concerned about Bran and the strange occurrences.

The Book Savior’s...

• Volume 1

• Volume 2

• Volume 3

• Volume 4

• Volume 5

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Savior's Book Cafe Story in Another World Vol. 3

Title: The Savior’s Book Cafe Story in Another World Vol. 3

Author: Kyouka Izumi

Publisher: Seven Seas 2021

Genre: Manga Romance

Pages: 168

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series

Where I Got It: Library

After being transported to another world by an orb that calls itself "God," Tsukina used her newfound magical powers to open up a cozy book cafe. Now that she's settled in, she's started dating Il, a handsome soldier. However, Tsukina can't relax just yet. Othel's powerful neighboring countries are making some suspicious moves, and as tensions rise, a new savior arrives at the castle. Is he there to help the kingdom, or is he a new enemy for Tsukina to worry about?

This middle volume really does shift the story a bit. We get a new savior in Othel, a mysterious visitor to the cafe, and threats from a neighboring country. I really enjoy how much plot we get this in part. I’m really interested in seeing how Youta and Tsukina interact in the rest of the story.

The Book Savior’s...

• Volume 1

• Volume 2

• Volume 3

• Volume 4

• Volume 5

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Savior's Book Cafe Story in Another World Vol. 2

Title: The Savior’s Book Cafe Story in Another World Vol. 2

Author: Kyouka Izumi

Publisher: Seven Seas

Genre: Manga Romance

Pages: 160

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series

Where I Got It: Library

Since being transported to a new world Tsukina has made a cozy life for herself, doing magic and running a book cafe. She's even grown closer to Il, a handsome soldier who also loves reading. But Tsukina is keeping a huge secret from him: she is a Savior, sent to this world to help protect it. By hiding away in her book cafe, is she neglecting her duties? And will Il hate her for it when he finds out?

Such big developments in this volume! We get to see Tsukina and Il grow closely (even if most of it occurs off the page) and she grows in her own powers and confidence. I think that there might have been too much throw into this volume. I would have liked to see the story drawn out a bit more. But I still enjoyed this section of the story. The volume redeems itself with a great ending.

The Book Savior’s...

• Volume 1

• Volume 2

• Volume 3

• Volume 4

• Volume 5

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Savior's Book Cafe Story in Another World Vol. 1

Title: The Savior’s Book Cafe Story in Another World Vol. 1

Author: Kyouka Izumi

Publisher: Seven Seas 2019

Genre: Manga Romance

Pages: 160

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series

Where I Got It: Library

Tsukina is a single, thirty-something office worker who's favorite thing is curling up with a good book. When a god tells her that she must go to another world to become its magical savior, Tsukina isn't interested. She has zero desire to go on some grand hero's journey. So when she arrives in this strange new land, she decides to use her magical powers to create a cozy little book café instead. Her first customer is a handsome soldier who loves reading almost as much as she does. But when a fellow "savior" starts causing trouble, Tsukina might have to play the hero after all!

Another completely random pick from the library shelves. I love this meta-story about a woman traveling to another world but rejecting her savior status in favor of a quiet life. Of course, that life is not going to be as quiet as Tsukina wants. I sped through this story and loved the break from angsty stories I’ve been reading lately.

The Book Savior’s...

• Volume 1

• Volume 2

• Volume 3

• Volume 4

• Volume 5

Next up on the TBR pile:

Homeschool W8-9: Two Light Weeks

What We Studied

Fall is such a busy time for us. Between homeschool, the switch from enrichment to academic co-op, and fall activities such as Vala’s, we have lots of packed weeks. Instead of two full school weeks, we had two light school weeks with lots of activities and such. And our second week was plagued with sickness from me. I caught that stupid cough that everyone I know has had this fall.

Literature and Poetry

Arthur is primarily using Hearth and Story G6 for his language arts this year. While I love H&S, there’s never enough literature in there. Thankfully we have a stack of books just waiting to be picked up and read. Beyond H&S, we are focusing on expanding vocabulary and reading comprehension this year. We finished our current read aloud and stated on some spooky reads for the month.

• Poetry: Hearth & Story G6

• Poetry: A Child’s Introduction to Poetry by Michael Driscoll

• The Vocabulary Workbook for 6th Grade by Kelly Anne McLellan

• The Story Collector by Kristin O’Donnell Tubb

• The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Other Stories by Washington Irving

Quentin is primarily using Blossom & Root G3 for his language arts this year. We will pull some elements from Build Your Library Level 3 and random books that we have around the house. We are also starting the Reading Explorer series to focus on reading comprehension and word choice. We finished one of my favorite reads.

• Poetry: National Geography Book of Nature Poetry

• Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

• In the Beginning: Creation Stories from Around the World by Virginia Hamilton

Math

Arthur is using Singapore’s Math in Focus Course 2. Effectively this is Singapore’s 7th grade math text. We covered a chapter about algebraic expressions. We don’t have formal logic book this year, but are focusing on lots of critical thinking and math puzzles.

• Math in Focus Course 2 Book A

Quentin is using Singapore’s Primary Mathematics Common Core edition 3B and 4A. We finished up our logic book before moving to more complicated puzzles. We started and finished our next chapter about money and followed up with some practice and review.

• Primarily Logic

• Singapore Primary Common Core 3B

Social Studies

Arthur is using Curiosity Chronicles Modern History Vol. 1. Unfortunately CC only has volume 1 published so far. This will take us to Christmas break. If they don’t release volume 2 by then, I’m going to have to do it myself. We covered Modernization in East Asia focusing on Japan and China.

• Curiosity Chronicles Modern History Vol. 1

• DK History

• DK Timelines of Everything

• DK Timelines of Everyone

• DK A Child Through Time

• A Journey Through Art

Quentin is using Build Your Library Level 5 to begin our two year exploration of American History. We dove into the European colonization of North America.

• History Quest United States History

• DK When on Earth?

• DK History

• DK Timelines of Everything

• DK Timelines of Everyone

• DK A Child Through Time

• An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States for Young People by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz

• Turtle Island: The Story of North America’s First People by Eldon Yellowhorn and Kathy Lowinger

• What the Eagle Sees: Indigenous Stories of Rebellion and Renewal by Eldon Yellowhorn and Kathy Lowinger

• DK American History

Science

Arthur is using RSO Earth and Environment 2 and later RSO Astronomy 2 for science. Instead of focusing on Earth Science, we shifted to preparation for Physics in Academic Co-op.

• RSO Earth and Environment 2 (August-November; March-May)

• RSO Astronomy 2 (November-March)

• DK Eyewitness Energy

Quentin is using RSO Physics 1. We took a break from Physics to continue reading our Story of Science chapters. These chapters focused on discoveries of the Greeks. We also watch the two part documentary A to Z about the beginning of alphabets and writings.

• RSO Physics 1

• The Story of Science Vol. 1 by Joy Hakim

• Physics: Investigate the Mechanics of Nature by Jane Gardner

• Physics for Curious Kids Introduction

• The Way Things Work Now

Enrichment STEAM Co-op /Academic Co-op

We officially finished the 2025 of Enrichment Co-op with a light week exploring math and art. This past week we jumped right into the Academic Co-op. We had a few hiccups (mostly technology), but that’s to be expected. Beyond that, we really did have a great week. Here’s to having eight more great weeks of learning.

Art and Music

We are doing something a little different this year. Instead of trying to do music and art every week, we will be trading off. I realized last year these subjects were always the first to be cut when we had time constraints. We covered our next composer and the classical era by focusing on Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

• DK Music and How it Works

• DK The Arts

• Why is Art Full of Naked People? by Susie Hodge

• The Story of the Incredible Orchestra by Bruce Koscielniak

• Mozart Finds a Melody by Stephen Costanza

• Mozart: The Wonder Child by Diane Stanely

• Great Lives in Graphics: Mozart

• Welcome to the Opera by Carolyn Sloan

Field Trip/Activities

We went to Vala’s for our weekly visit, but had to skip this past week because I was sick.

High

We managed to get a ton of school done in between activities and sickness.

Low

On Tuesday two weeks ago, we got a flat tire coming home from school pictures. We ended up waiting four hours for roadside assistance wiping out our entire afternoon’s plans. Taking care of getting a new tire bled into Wednesday morning disrupted our day’s plan. Overall, my entire week was derailed trying to take care of car crap.

Next Week

• Starting our new read alouds

• Moving forward with our math chapters

• Learning about the New England and Atlantic English colonies (Q) and Colonization in Southeast Asia (A) for history

• Covering erosion and weather (A) and motion (Q) for science

• Going to Academic Co-op for Week 2 — Arthur’s class is covering prehistoric Nebraska for my class

• Visiting Vala’s

Next up on the TBR pile:

Music Monday - Babymonster "Batter Up"

It’s a K-Pop summer! After doing my Top 10 Stray Kids songs, I decided to focus on some other K-Pop groups and people that I enjoy.

Babymonster is a relatively recent discovery for me. I do enjoy their sound. Reminds me of a Blackpink.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Life Right Now #27

Right now I am: Ready to leave for Junkstock! I had to miss May’s Junkstock, but thankfully my friend is free today to go.

On my bedside table: Lots of random manga and some spooky books.

On my tv this week: J and I continued with our currently airing shows and Babylon 5 S1. I watched more SKZ Code and The Nice Guy episodes.

Listening to: Just a a big shuffle this week. But I did do a Stray Kids binge yesterday.

On the menu for this week:

• Monday -Tacos

• Tuesday - Chili

• Wednesday - Vala’s Adult Night

• Thursday - Arthur’s Birthday Dinner Out

• Friday - Apple Cheddar Stuffed Chicken

• Saturday - Leftovers

• Sunday - Chicken Pot Pie

On my to do list: I probably have a ton of tasks, but need to focus on redoing my brain dump list and organize the to-dos.

Happening this week:

• Monday - Home Day

• Tuesday - Vala’s Visit

• Wednesday - Vala’s Adult Night

• Thursday - Academic Co-op

• Friday - Curriculum Planning Meeting

• Saturday - Arthur and Quentin’s Birthday Party

• Sunday - Home Day

What I am creating: Just a lot of lists this weekend

My simple pleasures: Kimchi, good fan fics, time with friends

Looking around the house: Things truly are all over the place right now. I really need to get stuff cleaned up and put away prior to the birthday party on Saturday.

From the camera: Beautifully plated dinner this week.

Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli

Title: Heartless Hunter (Crimson Moth #1)

Author: Kristen Ciccarelli

Publisher: Wednesday Books 2024

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pages: 406

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Spooky Season; Retreat Recommendation

Where I Got It: Library

On the night Rune’s life changed forever, blood ran in the streets. Now, in the aftermath of a devastating revolution, witches have been diminished from powerful rulers to outcasts ruthlessly hunted due to their waning magic, and Rune must hide what she is.

Spending her days pretending to be nothing more than a vapid young socialite, Rune spends her nights as the Crimson Moth, a witch vigilante who rescues her kind from being purged. When a rescue goes wrong, she decides to throw the witch hunters off her scent and gain the intel she desperately needs by courting the handsome Gideon Sharpe - a notorious and unforgiving witch hunter loyal to the revolution - who she can't help but find herself falling for.

Gideon loathes the decadence and superficiality Rune represents, but when he learns the Crimson Moth has been using Rune’s merchant ships to smuggle renegade witches out of the republic, he inserts himself into her social circles by pretending to court her right back. He soon realizes that beneath her beauty and shallow façade, is someone fiercely intelligent and tender who feels like his perfect match. Except, what if she’s the very villain he’s been hunting?

Multiple people at the retreat in June told me that I needed to read this book and the sequel that came out this year. I finally picked this up and flew through it quickly. It’s a very fast paced story with lots of action scenes and suspense. I enjoyed the plot even if the few “twists” were telegraphed very early on. I mean this is a young adult novel. I was expecting a fast moving plot. I was very interested in the magic system and wished that we could have learned a bit more about it. But my biggest issue with this book I the love triangle and romance. It just doesn’t land like a swoony romance. Alex is too much of a wet blanket. Gideon is too full o hate. And then Rune is just a girl who doesn’t quite inspire the great romantic feelings from two brothers. But I did enjoy story and world enough to want to read the sequel.

Crimson Moth

• #1 Heartless Hunter

• #2 Rebel Witch

Next up on the TBR pile:

Rosen Blood Vol. 5

Title: Rosen Blood Vol. 5

Author: Kachiru Ishizue

Publisher: VIZ Media 2022

Genre: Manga

Pages: 192

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Spooky Season; Finishing the Series

Where I Got It: Library

After a horrific carriage accident, Stella Violetta awakens in a Gothic mansion to find that her saviors are gorgeous young men. The manor’s residents let her stay as a maid, but Stella soon realizes that their allure hides a savage thirst.

Claude and Friedrich take desperate measures as they vie for Stella’s affection, but she only has eyes for Levi. This frantic battle for her heart leads to further bloodshed and forces Stella to make a big decision. Can her love for Levi last in the face of unrelenting obstacles?

Oh goodness! That was one wild ride of a conclusion. We get to see Yoel serve his purpose, Friedrich attempt to change his colors, and Gilbert’s steady protection all while Levi attempts to save Stella and her heart. I would have liked to see a bit more of conclusion, there are so many unanswered questions, but I am glad that they have become a family again. Overall, a fun little series.

Rosen Blood

• Volume 1

• Volume 2

• Volume 3

• Volume 4

• Volume 5

Next up on the TBR pile:

Rosen Blood Vol. 4

Title: Rosen Blood Vol. 4

Author: Kachiru Ishizue

Publisher: VIZ Media 2021

Genre: Manga

Pages: 160

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Spooky Season; Finishing the Series

Where I Got It: Library

After a horrific carriage accident, Stella Violetta awakens in a Gothic mansion to find that her saviors are gorgeous young men. The manor’s residents let her stay as a maid, but Stella soon realizes that their allure hides a savage thirst.

Desperate for Stella’s affection, Yoel stabs Levi, who reconsiders his desire to protect the other nonhumans. Stella searches through Rosémary’s notes to find a way to awaken Yoel after the incident and uncovers clues about why Levi’s been shedding tears of blood. Are any of Rosémary’s “children” really capable of love?

Oh no! Yoel! How could you do that to Levi and Stella? I knew this was going to get messy soon. We get more from Gilbert, more from Stella’s past, and more of the boys’ purposes. I am very intrigued to see how this story concludes in the next volume.

Rosen Blood

• Volume 1

• Volume 2

• Volume 3

• Volume 4

• Volume 5

Next up on the TBR pile:

Rosen Blood Vol. 3

Title: Rosen Blood Vol. 3

Author: Kachiru Ishizue

Publisher: VIZ Media 2020

Genre: Manga

Pages: 160

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Spooky Season; Finishing the Series

Where I Got It: Library

After a horrific carriage accident, Stella Violetta awakens in a Gothic mansion to find that her saviors are gorgeous young men. The manor’s residents let her stay as a maid, but Stella soon realizes that their allure hides a savage thirst.

Gilbert reappears to warn Stella about sweet and friendly Yoel. Can she trust the man who attacked her? Stella also fends off Friedrich’s advances while deepening her relationship with Levi. As the beautiful men Stella lives with reveal their secrets, her life depends on protecting herself from their dark impulses.

Why do I love Gilbert so much? Of course he ends up being a misunderstood character all the while protecting Stella from Yoel. I should have seen this all coming. Thankfully this volume gives us more answers to all the questions surrounding the boys. We find out more about their mysterious creator and each of their purposes. I do wonder about Friedrich’s purpose though…

Rosen Blood

• Volume 1

• Volume 2

• Volume 3

• Volume 4

• Volume 5

Next up on the TBR pile:

Rosen Blood Vol. 2

Title: Rosen Blood Vol. 2

Author: Kachiru Ishizue

Publisher: VIZ Media 2019

Genre: Manga

Pages: 162

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Spooky Season; Finishing the Series

Where I Got It: Library

After a horrific carriage accident, Stella Violetta awakens in a Gothic mansion to find that her saviors are gorgeous young men. The manor’s residents let her stay as a maid, but Stella soon realizes that their allure hides a savage thirst.

Yearning leads to danger when mansion resident Levi starves himself for Stella’s sake. To save him, Stella must journey into his soul while he’s unconscious and confront the nun Luchia’s grasp on his past. Then, even wakefulness may bring no reprieve from nightmares when another nonhuman, Friedrich, reveals a horrifying secret…

We finally get some answers about the “statues” and those strange crystals. Most of this volume is taken up by an entire dream sequence which does at least move the plot forward, These volumes are a fun respite from much heavier and longer reads.

Rosen Blood

• Volume 1

• Volume 2

• Volume 3

• Volume 4

• Volume 5

Next up on the TBR pile:

Rosen Blood Vol. 1

Title: Rosen Blood Vol. 1

Author: Kachiru Ishizue

Publisher: VIZ Media 2018

Genre: Manga

Pages: 160

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Spooky Season; Finishing the Series

Where I Got It: Library

After a horrific carriage accident, Stella Violetta awakens in a Gothic mansion to find that her saviors are gorgeous young men. The manor’s residents let her stay as a maid, but Stella soon realizes that their allure hides a savage thirst.

Levi-Ruin and the mysterious men who took Stella in have a bare kitchen…and a moaning box in the storehouse. After discovering mansion dweller Gilbert’s lifelike sculptures, the new maid faces a sinister reality. Can she survive the bloodlust? Stella must distinguish danger from passion as fear begins to feed on her!

Another random library pick. I saw it on the comic shelves and immediately grabbed the entire series. It’s a fun little series about a girl who stumbles into a house full of handsome by mysterious and potentially dangerous men. Of course she immediately falls for one of them, but then the horror begins. I loved the reveal of the “statues” in the closet. Cannot wait to see where the story goes next.

Rosen Blood

• Volume 1

• Volume 2

• Volume 3

• Volume 4

• Volume 5

Next up on the TBR pile:

Currently #16

Reading: After hearing about it from retreat friends, I picked up Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli. It’s a whole fantasy enemies-to-lovers YA story. Not my absolute favorite, but I’m interested to see where this goes.

Watching: J and I started Slow Horses S5. It’s such a well-done spy thriller show.

Listening: For whatever reason, I’ve been putting my entire Apple Music collection on shuffle. I have very eclectic tastes in music.

Making: My brain is getting cluttered again with all the to-dos, so I’ve been making lists. Homeschool lists, life lists, projects lists, household lists, etc. All the lists!

Feeling: Sick. I caught a cold this past week and it was resulted in a nasty cough. Hoping it clears up soon. We have things to do!

Planning: The boys’ birthday party is coming in less than two weeks. I have a rough outline of what we’re doing (video game tournament) but need to make all the definite plans.

Loving: Being sick, I’m loving getting some decent sleep. Seriously loving my bed right now.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Music Monday - Aespa "Whiplash"

It’s a K-Pop summer! After doing my Top 10 Stray Kids songs, I decided to focus on some other K-Pop groups and people that I enjoy.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Life Right Now #26

As I look outside my window: It’s a bit overcast and rainy today. Thankfully the temperatures are going back down to acceptable fall temperatures.

Right now I am: Cleaning out the Enrichment Co-op supply bags. Most of these supplies get put into storage until next April. A few things will be used for Academic Co-op starting this week, so I need to pull those things out.

Thinking and pondering: What else do we need to prep for Academic Co-op on Thursday? I’m certain that I am missing something…

On my bedside table: More spooky reads and a stack of manga/manhwa.

On my tv this week: We finished a short season of Dimension 20 and caught up with our currently airing shows. I also watched another couple episodes of SKZ Code from 2023.

Listening to: I’ve been putting all of my Apple Music on shuffle. I definitely have a wide variety of music genres in there. I never know what is going to come up next. It’s fun.

On the menu for this week:

• Monday - Tater Tot Casserole

• Tuesday - Leftovers

• Wednesday - Ham and Potato Soup

• Thursday - Apple Cheddar Stuffed Chicken

• Friday - ???

• Saturday - ???

• Sunday - ???

On my to do list: I need to wrap-up prepping for Academic Co-op and wrap-up Enrichment Co-op for this year’s session. I probably need to dive back into curriculum planning for the fall and adjust for our breaks and sickness. There’s more, but I need to check with my big brain dump list.

Happening this week:

• Monday - Home Day

• Tuesday - (Hopefully) Arbor Day Farm

• Wednesday - Joslyn Art Explorers

• Thursday - Academic-Co-op

• Friday - OPPD Arboretum Hike

• Saturday - Home

• Sunday - Junkstock!

What I am creating: Not much of anything right this second. I might be able to get started on my September Memory Planner later this week.

My simple pleasures: Being able to breath, crashing out with a friend over our collective biases, good music in the background.

Looking around the house: I should vacuum today…

From the camera: Beautiful flowers at Vala’s this week!

Zomromcom by Olivia Dade

Title: Zomromcom

Author: Olivia Dade

Publisher: Berkley 2025

Genre: Horror/Romance

Pages: 416

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Spooky Season; Romanceopoly — Spooky Reads

Where I Got It: Library

Spice Rating: 4

When Edie Brandstrup attempts to save her sweet, seemingly harmless human neighbor from the first major zombie breach in two decades, she’s stunned to be saved by him—and his ridiculously large sword—instead. As it turns out, he's actually a super-old, super-surly vampire. But for all her neighbor's newly revealed cynicism and lethality, Gaston "Max" Boucher (yes, Gaston) is unexpectedly protective. He wants her to stay in his safety bunker until the breach is resolved. Edie can’t risk more innocent people getting killed, though—and Max won’t let her save them alone.

As they unravel a sinister conspiracy to set zombies loose on the world (again), the duo meet a host of lovable allies and discover they're not the only ones willing to fight for the future of humanity. Despite the awful timing, Edie finds herself falling for the vampire who’s helping her save the world . . . but all their dangerous plans could end their future before it even begins. As she and Max battle side by side, Edie must decide whether having a love worth living for also means having a love you'd die for—and, in a world that grows deadlier by the minute, whether that’s a risk she’s willing to take.

Another random pick from the library New Reads shelf. I had no idea what I was going to read, but have enjoyed some of Dade’s previous books. I started this one and couldn’t put it down. It was such. fun wild ride. We jump right away into a world that has already experienced a zombie apocalupse and now we have a potential containment issue. Edie and Max are a great duo full of banter and spunk as their attempt to understand what exactly is happening and how to stop the zombies. There is a good blend of horror and romance in this one. But be forewarned that this volume ends on a cliffhanger. Guess I will have to wait until the next one to see how this story plays out.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Sister Who Ate Her Brothers by Jen Campbell

Title: The Sister Who Ate Her Brothers and Other Gruesome Tales

Author: Jen Campbell

Publisher: Thames & Hudson 2021

Genre: Horror Short Stories

Pages: 120

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Spooky Season; Cover Lover - A key

Where I Got It: Library

Do you dare read this collection of terrifyingly gruesome tales? In this gripping volume, author Jen Campbell offers young readers an edgy, contemporary, and inclusive take on classic fairy tales, taking them back to their gory beginnings while updating them for a modern audience with queer and disabled characters and positive representation of disfigurement.

Featuring fourteen short stories from China, India, Ireland, and across the globe, The Sister Who Ate Her Brothers is an international collection of the creepiest folk tales. Illustrated with Adam de Souza’s brooding art, this book’s style is a totally original blend of nineteenth-century Gothic engravings meets moody film noir graphic novels. Headlined by the Korean tale of a carnivorous child, The Sister Who Ate Her Brothers is a truly thrilling gift for brave young readers.

I picked up this slim volume of horror short stories randomly from the library. In it, we get a revised selections of classic folklore stories with some beautiful illustrations. Most of the stories were delightful and spooky. But my biggest issue is how short some of the stories are. Some of them really just end abruptly with no satisfying conclusion. I just really wanted more from this collection. The illustrations really did bring this collection up for me.

Next up on the TBR pile: