*I received an E-ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.*

This is one of those children's books that, while being excellent for its target audience, is also so repetitive that, if you're an adult, your brain is about to have a bad time. Having said that, I believe that reading a book about feelings is always a good idea. Especially since this book is reassuring the reader (and possible reading assistants) that feelings are normal and okay. There's nothing wrong with feeling sad or mad. We will go through a wide range of emotions throughout our lives, so it is best to learn early on that the best course of action is to simply feel them. Too many generations have been taught to suppress their emotions.

Rating: ★★★☆☆ 3/5

Should you read it?

This is a wonderful resource to use for young children and toddlers when beginning to explore different emotions.

Book & Author Information: Goodreads

Published: December 17, 2022

Albert Choi: Goodreads 

Anna Choi: Goodreads

Bettina Brasko: Goodreads

*I received an e-ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.*

After discovering a treasure map, Catlumbus embarks on a quest that results in friendship.

I really enjoyed this book. The idea of a sailing cat is cute, and I adore the illustrations. The ending felt a little rushed, and then, of course, there's the elephant in the room. Taking inspiration from Christopher Columbus for the name of the lead cat in this day and age was a mistake. If you are going to use something from the past as inspiration, you really need to do research first.  The name Columbus is now associated with colonization, slavery, and genocide. It's important to be mindful of the historical context when naming characters or things.

Rating: ★★★☆☆ 3/5

Book & Author Information: Goodreads, Storygraph

Published: February 7, 2023

Franny Plaia: Goodreads

Katya Galkina: Goodreads

A missing Tiktok star that is presumed dead, a strange leather journal that causes things written in it to happen, and an outcast accused of murder. What happened to Eva Flores?

*I received an e-ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.*

Burying Eva Flores by Jennifer Alsever is a young adult mystery novel with a supernatural twist. A little bit Mean Girls and a little bit Death Note, it is an okay read. All of the characters are either annoying or just downright unlikeable. It is hard to root for a self-described underdog like Sophia. There is a huge theme of “absolute power corrupts absolutely” with her, but she wasn't that great of a person in the first place. The supernatural aspect of the story is barely there and only comes into play when a need for an explanation of something arises. There are a few plot holes that left me thinking “Wait a minute, I think I missed something”. After reading two chapters, I wrote down my predictions for the end of this book. I was right. I was also very much not a fan of the adult-teen flirtation that happens.

Overall, the character development is lacking, and the plot is predictable. However, the writing style is engaging and keeps the reader interested until the end. 

Rating: 3/5

Should you read it?

Burying Eva Flores is perfect for its demographic - Young Adults. While I found it to be predictable, the writing is actually quite good and worth reading just for that fact.

Book & Author Information: Goodreads, Storygraph

Published: March 14, 2022

Jennifer Alsever: Goodreads, Storygraph, Official, Instagram, Facebook