Snow White with the Red Hair, Vol. 1

by Sorata Akiduki Translated by Caleb Cook 3 stars A sweet book with a loose basis around the story of Snow White. I’ve watched the first season of the anime and wanted to give the manga a try. Shirayuki is well-known for her rare red hair, but when it gains her some unwanted attention, she…

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Fairest of all (Whatever After #1) by Sarah Mlynowski

2 stars The mirror in the basement is not all it seems. After knocking on the mirror three times, Abby and her brother, Jonah, are transported into a fairy tale realm. While trying to help a young girl, they realize they’ve changed the ending of her story. Now they must set things right and find…

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Heartless Prince: Volume 1

Story & Illustrations by Angela De Vito Written by Leigh Dragoon 2 stars A kidnapped princess, a prince’s stollen heart, an orphan with mysterious abilities, and a witch out to ruin them all. I thought this was a standalone when I started it, but later found out it will be part of a trilogy. There…

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Shuna’s Journey by Hayao Miyazaki

Translated by Alex Dudok de Wit 3 stars A standalone tale loosely based on the Tibetan folktale, “The Prince Who Turned into a Dog”. This book is all Miyazaki. Stunning settings, a strong woman with agency and determination, fascinating creatures, rich backgrounds, and intentional ambiguity. Slow-paced story that puts more emphasis on the visuals than…

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Cursed Princess Club Volume One by LambCat

5 stars Such a fun read! I initially started reading this on Webtoon. While I miss the awesome soundtrack from the digital version, it was nice to read it as a full-sized book to really get swept up in the storytelling and visuals. The artwork is wonderful. Humorous, glamorous, sweet, adorable, with excellent creepiness splashed…

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Dungeon Critters by Natalie Riess and Sara Goetter

5 stars Action, adventure, mystery, drama, humor, and a bit of adorable romance. This Dungeons-and-Dragons-style book has it all! Enter the fantasy world of an unnamed kingdom and join a group of friends on their quest to discover the truth behind an odd plant. This book was so much fun. Filled with supportive friendships, action…

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Burly Tales: Fairy Tale for the Hirsute and Hefty Gay Man

Edited by Steve Berman Featuring stories from James H. Moran, John Linwood Grant, Jonathan Harper, M. Yuan-Innes, John T. Fuller, Charles Payseur, B. J. Fry, Alysha MacDonald, Mark Ward, Evey Brett, Rob Rosen, and Ann Zeddies 3 stars Definitely a population that has been underrepresented in fairy tales, Burly Tales gives hefty gay men their…

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