Fiction – Page 4 – Jill's Book Blog

Review: How to Talk to Your Succulent

Title: How to Talk to Your Succulent
Author: Zoe Persico
Genre: Graphic Novel, Middle Grade
Publisher: Tundra Books
Source: Publisher
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: April 1, 2025
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

After the loss of her mother, Adara struggles to communicate with her family about her grief. When a sympathetic ear arises in an unlikely place, Adara can finally find her words — but can she find the time to listen? A stunning graphic novel for middle-grade readers about family, friendship and magic in unlikely places, for fans of The Witches of Brooklyn and Raina Telgemeier.

Eleven-year-old Adara and her dad are moving from California to the cold and flat lands of Michigan . . . and it sucks. After Mom’s recent passing, it seems way too soon. Talking to Dad has always been harder than with Mom, but now it’s like walking on eggshells. And why did Dad bring so many of Mom’s houseplants across the country? Her mother might have been called the Plant Whisperer back home, but Adara is beginning to wonder if there is something more to it. But when she meets a little succulent named Perle, she unlocks the same magical ability her mother talking to plants!

But taking care of Perle isn’t as easy as it seems — the environment isn’t suited for her, and Adara doesn’t know how to meet her needs. Kind of like the situation Adara herself is in. If only Perle could ask Adara for help . . . and Adara could ask her dad.

With a touch of magic, this debut middle-grade graphic novel explores loneliness, mental health and empathy, and shows how communication, openness and a willingness to listen can help young people — and older people — and plants! — navigate their mental well-being and heal from loss, individually and together.

Review:

This was an emotional story about healing through grief. The main character, Adara, had lost her mother but she gained her mother’s ability to speak to plants. Adara’s father was also grieving for his wife, but he often became angry for no reason. I liked the way the illustrations showed their emotions with vines growing around them to show their anger or sadness. This was a powerful way to show how emotions can physically affect you.

How to Talk to Your Succulent is a powerful middle grade graphic novel!

Thank you Tundra Books for providing a copy of this book!

Content warnings: death of parent, depression

Have you read How to Talk to Your Succulent? What did you think of it?

Review: Orphan’s Quest (The Great Forget Fantasy Series #1)

Title: Orphan’s Quest (The Great Forget Fantasy Series #1)
Author: Terry Ironwood
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Independent
Source: Author
Format: Ebook
Release Date: June 13, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

The weapons master once said, “Everything we want is on the other side of fear.”

The journey begins…

Long ago, a mysterious event ravaged Earth. Magic was born.

Millennia later, a baby with red eyes is abandoned at the gates of a small kingdom. The orphan, Chip, is condemned by a spiteful king to a life of servitude in the royal kitchens until he serendipitously finds himself before the powerful wizard Xander, who sees something special in the boy. From the rhythmic, sleepy life in the kingdom to seeking the fabled Pass of Death for his Manhood Quest, Chip’s story is brimming with arcane magic, gut-wrenching emotion, and lessons about the tenacious will of the human spirit.

Follow the orphan as he encounters an ancient evil and makes a stunning revelation…

Enter an addictively satisfying world of bravery, battle, friendship, and ferocity. Orphan’s Quest is an action-packed journey replete with hard-fought lessons of wisdom and impossible choices. This series delves into the illusion of self-imposed limits and entices us to break through our walls.

Join Chip as he grapples with friendship, love, hate and betrayal in an epic adventure inspired by the timeless, unparalleled works of the fantasy legends.

Review:

This book is a thrilling start to a fantasy series. It starts at the beginning of Chip’s life as an abandoned baby and ends in his adolescence, when he was embarking on an adventure. I felt completely immersed in this world. It had an interesting magic system, with the type of magic the wizard had being shown in their eye colour. This book is a short and exciting introduction to this series!

Orphan’s Quest is a great fantasy story!

Thank you Terry Ironwood and Bookinfluencers.com for providing a copy of this book as part of a paid campaign!

Content warnings: parental abandonment, bullying, violence

Other books in the series:

Defender’s Hope (The Great Forget Fantasy Series #2)
A Dim World (The Great Forget Fantasy Series #3)
Guardian (The Great Forget Fantasy Series #4)
Wizard’s Guild (The Great Forget Fantasy Series #5)
Stone Kingdom (The Great Forget Fantasy Series #6)
Light Seeker (The Great Forget Fantasy Series #7)

Have you read Orphan’s Quest? What did you think of it?

Review: Power Posey

Title: Power Posey
Author: Avra Davidoff
Genre: Children’s, Picture Book
Publisher: Tellwell Talent
Source: Author
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: April 9, 2020
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Get ready to meet Power Posey, a remarkable young girl with an indomitable spirit who teaches children the power of resilience, positive thinking, and the strength that lies within. In this inspiring children’s book, readers join Posey on a transformative journey of self-discovery as she faces challenges head-on and triumphs with boundless determination.

As children accompany Power Posey on her adventures, they learn valuable life lessons about perseverance, self-belief, and the importance of strong body language. By adopting Power Posey’s confidence-boosting techniques, children discover they have the power to conquer their fears, embrace challenges, and achieve their goals.

This engaging and empowering picture book is perfect for children aged 3-8. It encourages young readers to embrace their inner strength, instilling in them a sense of self-confidence and resilience. With relatable situations and characters, Power Posey inspires children to approach life’s hurdles with courage, positivity, and a determination to succeed.

Get ready to stand tall, strike a pose, and embark on an uplifting journey alongside Power Posey. Unleash your inner strength, embrace challenges, and discover the incredible power that lies within you!

Review:

This is a great children’s book! When Posey feels nervous, she strikes a pose with her hands on her hips and chest held high, which gives her confidence. When she does her power pose, she knows she can do anything. This is such an important lesson for kids, but especially girls, who are often put down and told they are less than boys.

Power Posey is a powerful picture book!

Thank you Bookinfluencers.com and Avra Davidoff for sending me a copy of this book as part of a paid campaign!

Have you read Power Posey? What did you think of it?

Review: The Kiss Bet, Vol. 1

Title: The Kiss Bet, Vol. 1
Author: Ingrid Ochoa
Genre: Graphic Novel, Young Adult, Romance
Publisher: Wattpad Books
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback
Release Date: February 25, 2025
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

In this adorable coming-of-age comic for fans of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and Rainbow Rowell’s Pumpkinheads, Sara Lin has decided now is the time: she’s going to make her first kiss, something special and magical, happen.

It’s senior year and Sara Lin just turned eighteen. She’s got great friends, a cool dad (or so he thinks), and a whole lot ahead of her. The last thing she needs is to worry about having her first kiss.

But that’s all about to change because her good pal Patrick just challenged her to a bet that will either lead to love, heartbreak, or embarrassment…or maybe all three.

Sara Lin understands that her first kiss is a rite of passage, one that she takes very seriously, even if everyone around her doesn’t. She wants it to be special–true love’s kiss–and wants to fall for someone she really cares about, not just get it over with.

Along the way, as Sara explores her relationship options with three different boys…she discovers that life isn’t a fairytale and romance is inherently complex. It’s messy and complicated, but boy, it sure can be fun.

Review:

This graphic novel is so cute. I liked that all the characters had distinct appearances so I could tell them apart. This story had a kind of love square, instead of love triangle, between the boys who liked Sara and who she liked. The dynamics between the characters had some tension by the end of the story, so I’m excited to see what happens next!

The Kiss Bet, Vol. 1 is a great YA graphic novel!

Thank you Wattpad Books for sending me a copy of this book!

Have you read The Kiss Bet, Vol. 1? What did you think of it?

Review: Fable for the End of the World

Title: Fable for the End of the World
Author: Ava Reid
Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction, LGBTQ
Publisher: HarperCollins
Source: BookSparks
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: March 4, 2025
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

The Last of Us meets The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes in this standalone dystopian romance about survival, sacrifice, and love that risks everything.

By encouraging massive accumulations of debt from its underclass, a single corporation, Caerus, controls all aspects of society.

Inesa lives with her brother in a half-sunken town where they scrape by running a taxidermy shop. Unbeknownst to Inesa, their cruel and indolent mother has accrued an enormous debt—enough to qualify one of her children for Caerus’s livestreamed assassination spectacle: the Lamb’s Gauntlet.

Melinoë is a Caerus assassin, trained to track and kill the sacrificial Lambs. The product of neural reconditioning and physiological alteration, she is a living weapon, known for her cold brutality and deadly beauty. She has never failed to assassinate one of her marks.

When Inesa learns that her mother has offered her as a sacrifice, at first she despairs—the Gauntlet is always a bloodbath for the impoverished debtors. But she’s had years of practice surviving in the apocalyptic wastes, and with the help of her hunter brother, she might stand a chance of staying alive.

For Melinoë, this is a game she can’t afford to lose. Despite her reputation for mercilessness, she is haunted by painful flashbacks. After her last Gauntlet, where she broke down on livestream, she desperately needs redemption.

As Mel pursues Inesa across the wasteland, both girls begin to question everything: Inesa wonders if there’s more to life than survival, while Mel wonders if she’s capable of more than killing.

And both wonder if, against all odds, they might be falling in love.

Review:

This book was such an intense and emotional story. There was tension between every character, mostly because they were fighting to survive. This dystopian world doesn’t seem that far from our future reality now, with the way things are changing. I wasn’t sure how the story would end because there were so many possible outcomes and most of them were tragic. I would love to revisit these characters in another book one day to see what happens next!

Fable for the End of the World is a thrilling dystopian read!

Thank you BookSparks for sending me a copy of this book as part of the Winter Reading Challenge!

Content warnings: death, animal death, suicide, fire, gun violence, knife violence

Have you read Fable for the End of the World? What did you think of it?

Review: Empire of Billions

Title: Empire of Billions
Author: E. Masson
Genre: Romance, Thriller
Publisher: Author E. Masson
Source: Bookinfluencers.com
Format: Ebook
Release Date: August 13, 2024
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Amazon Best Seller. Book Lovers would truly enjoy reading this Novel.
A Must Read Novel Today.

Revenge may be a dish best-served cold.
But love can melt the hardest heart.

The Roberts family are super rich. But everyone knows that money can’t buy happiness.
And they should know. Losing their parents at a young age meant they had to rely on each other.

The four boys and their little sister had been taught that rules keep you safe. And what the brothers say goes. But what if the heart wants something else?

Elizabeth may be the youngest but now she’s all grown up. And her heart yearns for Henry Kinkaid — a man her brothers hate.

This just makes her more determined for their forbidden love to flourish. Only when she learns her lover’s dark secret does her heart threaten to shatter.

But how long can she keep Henry out of her life? Especially as she’s carrying a piece of him with her.

The Roberts brothers have strict relationships Keep emotions out of it.

But will the patter of tiny feet melt their materialistic hearts?
And will they bury old wounds before it’s too late?

Review:

This book is about multiple generations of a wealthy American family. They leave a trail of murders and trauma throughout their family tree. The story was exciting and intense. I would have liked to see more action and more description of the characters. This was a fast paced story that kept me intrigued until the end!

Empire of Billions is a great family saga thriller!

Thank you Bookinfluencers.com for providing a copy of this book as part of a sponsored campaign!

Content warnings: death, death of parents, car accident, gun violence, domestic violence, murder

Have you read Empire of Billions? What did you think of it?

Review: Georgie Summers and the Scribes of Scatterplot

Title: Georgie Summers and the Scribes of Scatterplot
Author: Isaac Rudansky
Genre: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Contemporary
Publisher: Greenleaf Book Group
Source: Bookinfluencers.com
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: February 4, 2025
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

In a world where fiction is forbidden and truth is a matter of life and death, one young boy must write a story to save humanity . . .

When his father is abducted by a mysterious figure, twelve-year-old Georgie Summers is thrown into the adventure of a lifetime. Georgie’s journey takes him to Scatterplot, a hidden realm where Scribes record human memories to safeguard the truth. But when the evil Flint Eldritch threatens to corrupt those memories and plunge the world into chaos, Georgie must team up with an unlikely group of friends to stop him. As the journey grows increasingly dangerous, Georgie realizes that only he holds the key to defeating Eldritch and saving not just his father . . . but every mind on Earth.

Will Georgie be able to wield the power of the Aetherquill to save his father and protect everyone he loves, or will Eldritch rewrite history itself? In Georgie Summers and the Scribes of Scatterplot, author Isaac Rudansky spins an exhilarating tale of strength, determination, and the power of friendship to lift you from the depths of loneliness and despair.

Review:

This book is a great middle grade fantasy! The world of the scribes and Scatterplot had magic that centered around reading and writing. I think kids who love reading will love this world. The ending was really shocking, so I hope there will be a sequel to clear things up!

There’s a special Crack the Code Challenge, where readers are invited to figure out the secret code hidden within the book. When readers find the clue to decipher the alphabet chart in the front of the book, they can crack the code and send in the message for a chance to win weekly prizes! This challenge is only available on the limited first print run of hardcovers.

Georgie Summers and the Scribes of Scatterplot is a fun and fast-paced middle grade fantasy!

Thank you Isaac Rudansky and Bookinfluencers.com for providing a copy of this book as part of a paid campaign!

Content warnings: death of parent, missing parent, memory loss, fire, violence

Have you read Georgie Summers and the Scribes of Scatterplot? What did you think of it?

Review: Love Advice from the Great Duke of Hell, Vol. 1

Title: Love Advice from the Great Duke of Hell, Vol. 1
Author: Unfins
Genre: Graphic Novel, Fantasy, Romance
Publisher: Webtoon Unscrolled
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback
Release Date: November 5, 2025
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Hapless teenager Paul summons Astaroth, a Great Duke of Hell, to help him get a date with a girl in this devilishly funny fan-favorite WEBTOON comic.

The girl of your dreams barely knows you exist. Your friends can’t help. Your family is clueless. So where do you turn for love advice? Who can provide you with that essential assistance for the lovelorn? If you’re an average everyday teenager like Paul, you summon a powerful demon from the deep recesses of Hell, and frankly, hope for the best.

The demon in question is the Great Duke Astaroth, ruler of thirty legions of bloodthirsty hell creatures, powerful enough to raze cities to the ground. And now he finds himself on the mortal plane, compelled…to give a hapless kid dating advice?

In summoning Astaroth, Paul has set off a chaotic series of events. The Great Duke of Hell stands ready to claim Paul’s soul in less than a week, no matter how silly their bargain. Paul’s magic accidentally alerted the agents of the Holy Order, a group dedicated to protecting the world from the forces of evil, that something infernal is afoot. Paul’s sister Juliet, flabbergasted to find a demon in her home, has run away to hire an exorcist.

Plus, Paul’s dad is hiding something. And so is Elena, the object of all of Paul’s affection and the reason for all his complicated scheming.

But who ever said true love was easy?

This volume collects Season 1, Part 1 of the WEBTOON comic Love Advice from the Great Duke of Hell.

Review:

This is a funny graphic novel. Teenager Paul summons a great Duke of Hell to help him attract the girl of his dreams. The Duke is shocked because he’s usually summoned for much darker tasks, and he doesn’t know where to start with this task. This made for many funny scenes. There were a couple of side plots that I hope will be explored more in the next volume!

Love Advice from the Great Duke of Hell is a fun graphic novel!

Thank you Wattpad Books and Webtoon Unscrolled for sending me a copy of this book!

Have you read Love Advice from the Great Duke of Hell? What did you think of it?

Review: Cursed Princess Club, Vol. 1

Title: Cursed Princess Club, Vol. 1
Author: LambCat
Genre: Graphic Novel, Fantasy, Romance
Publisher: Webtoon Unscrolled
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback
Release Date: January 3, 2023
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Meet Gwendolyn – living proof that princesses don’t always have it all. See, although she lives in a castle and her father is the King, Gwendolyn isn’t like a movie princess, or even a fairly-tale princess. She’s got a big heart, but isn’t particularly attractive and doesn’t have a Disney-quality singing voice. But one night, she accidentally stumbles upon the twisted world of the Cursed Princess Club, and her life will never be the same. Hexed and cast out, the ladies of the club are just the people Gwendolyn needs to show her that just because she doesn’t “fit the mold” does not mean she’s any less of a princess.

[Episodes 1-29]

Review:

Cursed Princess Club is a hilarious graphic novel! This story showed that appearances can be deceiving. The youngest sister, Gwendolyn, wasn’t as glamorous as her older sisters, but she was the kindest and most thoughtful. Since she wasn’t as pretty as her sisters, her suitor didn’t want to be with her as soon as he saw her, instead of getting to know her first. There were many laugh out loud moments in this story, especially with some unfortunate misunderstandings. I’m so excited to continue reading this series!

Cursed Princess Club, Vol. 1 is a funny graphic novel!

Other books in the series:

Cursed Princess Club, Vol. 2
Cursed Princess Club, Vol. 3
Cursed Princess Club, Vol. 4

Have you read Cursed Princess Club, Vol. 1? What did you think of it?

Review: Blood Lasts Forever

Title: Blood Lasts Forever
Author: Jeff Gunhus
Genre: Thriller, Contemporary
Publisher: Seven Guns Press
Source: iRead Book Tours
Format: Ebook
Release Date: November 11, 2024
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Not every death is a tragedy.

When fifteen-year-old Wyatt Bucks is found dead in the Sagasett River, the small town of Chambers breathes a collective sigh of relief. Wyatt was a troubled youth, feared and despised by many. But his death, deemed an accident by the local sheriff, leaves a chilling legacy that will haunt the town for decades.

Twenty years later, Mitch Ansel, now a middle school teacher, receives a call that resurrects the nightmares of his past. Alongside his old friends, the Fab Five, Mitch is forced to confront the dark secret they’ve buried for years—a secret that ties them to Wyatt’s death.

As the friends reunite at a remote cabin, they must navigate a web of deceit, fear, and violence. Each carries scars from the past, but none are prepared for the revelations that await them. Mitch’s terrifying visions of Wyatt and the relentless pull of their shared guilt threaten to unravel their lives and sanity.

Review:

Blood Lasts Forever is a creepy and suspenseful thriller. It is the scariest book I’ve read in a long time. I made the mistake of reading it before I went to sleep, and then I was wide awake for a long time! There were some very disturbing scenes, but I think it justified the murder that happened when the main characters were kids. Check the content warnings before reading this one.

Blood Lasts Forever is a suspenseful thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat!

Thank you iRead Book Tours for sending me a copy of this book as part of a paid campaign!

Content warnings: child abuse, sexual assault, animal abuse, animal death, murder, PTSD, hallucinations, body horror

Have you read Blood Lasts Forever? What did you think of it?