emery

this was a really sweet but simple manga. there wasn’t anything super special about it but it still was an enjoyable read! the pairing was very cute and their interactions were funny sometimes too

arthie casimir runs spindrift, a tearoom that transforms into a blood house for vampires at night. her business is threatened and as a result, her and a ragtag group of outcasts have to set out on a heist.

this novel has:

a heist

high stakes

vampires

talks of colonialism and racism

found family

and a set of diverse characters

i think this book really shines when it comes to the characters and all the complex dynamics between them. i especially loved the dynamics between arthie and jin. there is always something special about found / chosen family in fantasy books for me. i liked that it had multiple POVs as well. it really helped get to know the characters since we do follow quite a few in this book.

the romance was always super fun to read. the tension and slow burn was a very enjoyable aspect. i liked the push and pull that was going on that made me want to yell at the characters at times (in the best way).

the action scenes were very well written, in my opinion, and kept me on the edge of my seat. i find in books like this, the action scenes can really make or break the book and thankfully they made it in this case. there was also plenty of twists and surprises thrown in that added a lot of fun to the reading experience.

the audiobook narrator captured the characters personalities very well and kept me engaged the whole time. there were rarely times that mind wandered while listening.

overall, i had a really fun time reading this book and, especially with the ending, i cannot wait to read the next book! would highly recommend this one.

I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Everything about this book was a hit for me. The art style? Stunning. The plot? So interesting. The characters? Intriguing. It truly hit every mark for me when it comes to graphic novels.

The moment I saw the cover for this it went straight to my most anticipated releases list for the year and I’m so glad it didn’t disappoint. I’m very excited to see where the story goes in the next volume as it did feel like this first one was mostly setting up the story.

I’m especially excited to learn more about Sunny and why the demons are hunting him. I’m very intrigued by every character we’ve met so far, honestly! I hope we get more back story on each of the characters and get to know them more in the future. They all are designed in the coolest way possible, I want to be all of them.

PS I have a crush on Samson.

I received this book from Penguin Random House in exchange for an honest review!

Hearts Still Beating is a very interesting and entertaining take on a zombie apocalypse. I was hooked from the very first chapter. The premise of a zombie, or in this books case "tick", being medicated to no longer be a tick is so such an interesting take.

It reminded me a lot of "Warm Bodies" which I also absolutely love! There's the added bonus of this also being a sapphic story! I loved the tension between Mara and Rory. There were so many points where I found myself so strongly rooting for them to cross that invisible line in the sand they had. There was also Rory's family who, while I wished we saw a bit more of, I really enjoyed! The element of a sort of found family is always something I look for in books!

The action scenes were also very exciting to read! I felt myself holding my breath and being on the edge of my seat wanting to read as fast as I could to see what happened next! It was the perfect balance of being action packed but you still have slower, deeper moments to really get to know the characters and their stories.

Overall, I would highly recommend this book!