Welcome to Saturday, friends! It marks the end of another week, which means it’s time for another Bite Size Review post! Honestly, this week felt like it took forever for some reason. I can’t explain why. Hopefully this trend doesn’t continue into next week! I did a lot of reading this week, though! For the Week of 2/5, I read a total of 8 books!
Bite Size Reviews: Week of 2/5
Blue Flag Vol. 8 by Kaito (2/6)
The final volume in the Blue Flag manga, and we finally get a wrap on who everyone ends up with! I really appreciated the art in this particular volume, especially some of the close ups of the characters. It brought all of the emotions to life, showing how everyone was feeling. The last two chapters felt a little bit rushed, so I would love a spin off series! (4.5 stars)
The Insiders by Mark Oshiro (2/6)
Héctor is about to start at a new school, which feels far away from his home of San Francisco. At his new school, he gets singled out by the bully, not sure how to fit in. Until he finds a magical room that keeps him safe. And two new friends from across the country. This is such a lovely middle grade novel, hitting on a lot of things that middle grade readers will relate to. Oshiro has a knack for writing great characters, and the idea of magical rooms was fun and an interesting way to introduce magical realism. Definitely recommend this one! (4.5 stars)
Just Roll With It by Lee Durfey-Lavoie (2/6)
About to start middle school, Maggie is nervous about making friends and living up to her mom’s expectations. Struggling with OCD, she uses a twenty-sided dice to make all her decisions. What could go wrong with that? This is an adorable middle grade graphic novel that dealt really well with OCD. It shows that while Maggie is nervous to go to therapy, it’s actually something immensely helpful. And surrounding yourself with supportive friends and family is important as well! (4 stars).
A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab (2/6)
Kell is one of the very last Antari, or a magician that can travel between different worlds. When he tangles paths with Lila after a smuggling exchange goes wrong, the two need to work together to save all the worlds. With all of the marks of a VE Schwab novel, I loved the world building in this. It felt unique and interesting, especially the magic system. And of course, we get great characters! (4 stars).
Squire by Nadia Shammas (2/7)
I already wrote a review for this one last week, so just a few thoughts here! This graphic novel definitely fills a hole in YA fantasy graphic novels. I thought the conversations about war and perspective were reflective of the real world. And the art worked so well for this particular fantasy world! (4 stars).
Lakelore by Anna-Marie McLemore (2/9)
A full review will be coming for this book this week, so just a few thoughts here! Bastián and Lore are the only two that know about the world beneath the lake. When it starts coming out of the lake and spreading, they have to figure out how to stop it. A YA with two nonbinary characters that fall in love? Perfection. There are also a lot of great conversations in this book about neurodivergence and how they are perceived. This might be McLemore’s best book (5 stars).
I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys (2/9)
In Romania in 1989, the Communist Regime had a tight hold on the population. Constantly watched, it’s hard to know who to trust. When Christian is forced to spy on his American friend to get medicine for his grandfather, he decides he’s going to do what he can to ensure that the world outside Romania knows what’s happening there. Sepetys is known for taking lesser known moments in history and bringing them to light. I didn’t know anything about the Romania rebellion in 1989, but it’s something everyone should definitely learn about (4 stars).
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune (2/10)
I’ve talked about this book many times, so I don’t really have much to add here! I will always love this book becuase it just feels like a warm hug every time I read it. It just makes me happy, and we all need books like that! (5 stars).