Full disclosure: my only hands-on experience with Bloodborne was one night at a taproom in Hackney, and I was terrible at it. I am not a Soulsborne player myself, but I enjoy watching other people tackle these beautiful, gory, extremely difficult games. Those of us who don't have the experience of fighting uphill both ways against these games still have an awareness of the story and setting. And even if you are not an adept player, Bloodborne: The Death of Sleep captures the vibes of the game admirably.

Our hero is, of course, a nameless Hunter: someone who lives, dies, and lives again in search of Paleblood to transcend the Hunt. What is Paleblood? Obviously, no one actually knows—but this particular Hunter might be on the right track. Maybe.

The Hunter meets a strange child who bleeds literal pale blood, or so it seems. The Child also appears to have awareness of otherwise invisible creatures stalking the two of them during the Hunt. By the open-ended finale of the story, the Hunter might not have a prize. But there is a new awareness of the world and its monsters that could change everything.

The Death of Sleep doesn't seek to answer any major questions about the lore of Bloodborne. Instead, it finds places to play within the story as it stands, poking at corners and asking questions. You don't need to be versed in the game lore to understand or appreciate the comic, partly because it pulls from art, film, literature, and many other sources to build its story. It's a tribute to the original game and an exploration of its world, querying the nature of the Hunt and the beasts we slay (or that, more often, slay us).

This deluxe edition gathers all four issues in a beautiful hardcover, as well as several extras. There's a gallery of covers, a series of process shots, reprints of the Issue #1 script, an interview with the series creators, and a look behind the scenes at how the gorgeous art for this series is made. The story alone makes this a worthwhile acquisition, but the sheer amount of behind-the-scenes extras makes it a must for any lover of Bloodborne in particular or horror games in general.

Bloodborne: The Death of Sleep Deluxe Edition goes on sale September 2.

As we speak, I'm preparing to head to Derby for a short, but very fun, trip. There will be a longer UK jaunt later in the year, but expect to hear more about this one in the coming weeks.

Prepping for this trip during busy season at work has meant a bit less time than usual to read, even with my daily reading for charity. To that end, I've focused on three books for this month: a memoir in verse, a cozy murder mystery, and another trip to Rokugan. Thanks as always to the writers and publishers who send along their work, and be sure to reach out if you'd like to be featured in a monthly review!

Bookish Candle: My favorite candle company is getting spicy with this month's Spice Factor candle. It's a surprisingly nice blend of pepper, grapefruit, and ginger. Use my link to get 20% off your purchase of this and other book lovers' candles!

Tea Pairing: Porch Stories is a fantastic summer tea. I loved their summer tea rollout last year, and this one in particular has remained high on my list since it's great hot or iced. Check out Chapters' full catalogue of bookish teas, and use my code KARA15 for 15% off your order!

KNOCKING ON WINDOWS
by Jeannine Atkins
Available Now

In Knocking on Windows, author Jeannine Atkins pens a memoir through the lens of poetry—both her own and that of poets who affected her life. Grouped sometimes chronologically, sometimes topically, these poems tell the story of Atkins's personal trauma, and how that trauma extended into every area of her life.

As a college student attempting to look forward and find her voice as a poet, she finds comfort in the lives of other women who have endured similar suffering. Sylvia Plath becomes a regular touchstone, as does Emily Dickinson. As she and the people close to her explore what it means to be  a writer, she considers relationships, parenthood, the aftermath of sexual assault, and how the people around us respond to the tragedies and traumas in our own lives.

Usually I do not review memoirs. I tend to stick to fictional works and the occasional science-adjacent nonfiction. But I gave Atkins a chance, and I was wowed. It's not an easy read, as she speaks frankly about traumatic issues, but she sketches her complicated feelings out in a way that will resonate to many. Seeing her find peace and comfort in her writing, and eventually in the companionship of a fellow creative willing to meet her where she is, is a wonderful upshot, even (and especially) in the wake of all she loses and leaves behind. Even if you're not sure if this is for you, give it a few pages. You may be surprised.

MURDER ON AN ITALIAN ISLAND
by T.A. Williams
Available Now

In the latest Armstrong and Oscar cozy mystery, a detective-turned-novelist gets a little too much real-life inspiration when his current story seems to come to life. Dan Armstrong has been enjoying a much-needed vacation on the island of Elba with his girlfriend Anna and dog Oscar. But days of windsurfing lessons and nights sampling the local fare are interrupted by the death of a notorious local... and at first, it seems that Dan's best friend Virgilio is the most likely suspect.

Considering the victim was persona non grata after a string of crimes 20 years prior, just about everyone has a motive. But things get more complicated when a second body turns up under equally suspicious circumstances. Has the killer struck again? Was one of the murders a case of mistaken identity? Or could these two killings really simply be accidents? Despite attempts to enjoy his vacation, Dan soon finds himself swept up in solving the case—at first because it could put a pin in his writer's block, but eventually because it seems someone has dragged Anna into proceedings.

If you've never read an Armstrong and Oscar mystery, you won't feel too adrift. It's clear that the core cast has a history, but all you need to know is that Dan Armstrong is British, he writes murder mysteries, and his dog Oscar is the best. While the final act suffers a bit from characters blurting out facts where they might not ordinarily, the book itself is broadly enjoyable. It's a relaxing summer read with just enough intrigue to keep you turning the pages.

A THRONE BETRAYED: A LEGEND OF THE FIVE RINGS NOVEL
by Julie Kagawa and J.T. Nicholas
Available Now

The emperor has been slain, his sons have disappeared, and the clans of Rokugan are in disarray. As the Crab Clan attempts to hold back the shadowy horrors that infest the land, clans fight alongside and against each other. Everything has become unbalanced and, down several separate storylines, a handful of people try to set things right.

Doji Hotaru of the Crane is torn between her love for her secret Scorpion paramour (whose husband also slew the emperor) and her duty. Toturi, who avenged the death of the emperor, now roams the land as a ronin with a trio of unlikely allies. And on the Wall, a Crab Clan soldier makes a literal deal with the devil to turn the tides of battle. As each story unfolds, the Lion advance, shrouding themselves in darkness to destabilize the other clans and exert their might.

As the first book in The Clan Wars, A Throne Betrayed is an excellent entry point into the world of L5R. Even if you don't know a Unicorn from a Dragon, this novel's multifaceted story will introduce new readers to the complicated politics of Rokugan in a manner that's both exciting to read and easy to digest. And for those who are more acquainted, there are new characters to get to know, each with secrets and passions that are only just beginning to be unveiled. While some stories are brought to a close, others are just beginning—even within the novel's closing sentences. Whether you're a Legend of the Five Rings fan or just an enjoyer of classic samurai stories, this is a great summer read.

 

A couple of months ago, I was invited to be part of the book tour for Vol. 1 of YAN. As regular readers will likely remember, I was hugely impressed by the first volume. The art, the story, and uniqueness of the characters all came together to make something really special. While I was looking forward to later volumes, I wasn't sure there would be anything new to talk about. There's a reason I tend to stick to covering first volumes over on Otaku USA.

Anyway, I also enjoy being wrong about good books.

YAN Vol. 1 left us with a cavalcade of strange characters, all of whom would allegedly come together in the story somehow. This middle act evolves Yan's story past the inciting incident (the death of her family some 30 years ago, allegedly at her hands). As it happens, this is far bigger even than a seemingly-immortal opera star on the hunt for vengeance.

Diving too deep into the story would give away far too much. Suffice to say, though, this story is huge. New players enter the field, adding context to a decades-old crime and setting the start of this bizarre timeline earlier than first believed. It also answers the question that's been top of mind for me since the first volume: why are so many super-powerful people congregating in one place, within one story? The answer is a surprising one, and one that blows the whole story wide open.

The art continues absolutely stunning. I think most people who read comics, manga, manhua etc. are used to the occasional "lazy panel." Maybe the action of a certain moment isn't big or important enough to necessitate the artist's full attention. Regardless, YAN is consistently detailed and consistently beautiful. Every panel is gorgeous and drawn with care, and fortunately the print editions are physically huge so you can fully appreciate that fact.

By the end of Volume 2, YAN is a very different story. There are many different threads tangled up in each other, the fate of the world is on the line, and who and what our protagonist even is. The two epilogue pages muse on some of the powers in the story and how the final volume will go, and frankly, I couldn't be more excited.

If you're a fan of paranormal action-adventure, or even just action-adventure in general, immerse yourself in YAN. And definitely start from the beginning.

YAN Volume 2 goes on sale September 9.

 

So, I read a lot. Pretty much every day unless I am seriously under the gun when it comes to work. So when I saw the American Cancer Society hosting a "Read Every Day in August" fundraiser, I thought... damn. Finally a fundraiser I can do.

Short of contributing to charity anthologies (which I love doing and hope to continue doing), there's not much I can do in terms of fundraising. Ever since I broke my ankle a couple summers ago, I can walk around the neighborhood fine, but I'm not walking or running any 'thons. It's the same reason I picked an English major in college: I know for a fact I can read, and read a lot.

So, starting on the 1st and ending on the 31st, I will not only be reading every day, but documenting what I read. You can look up those updates on my Facebook fundraising page, and I'll likely end up reviewing a lot of these for my August book review entry (and September, depending on how far ahead I get).

To address some questions:

Why this charity?
While I have some very specific charity interests — epilepsy, endometriosis, dementia, and literacy specifically — I don't know a single person who hasn't had their life affected by cancer in some way. I've lost family members to it. I'm a high risk for a variety of reasons. And, frankly, it's one I don't think many people can argue with.

What books will you be reading?
My first priority is my August ARC stack. After that, I'll likely move on to my September ARCs. If somehow I manage to plow through those, I have a lot of summer books that didn't make the review list, but I still want to read and review them online.

Don't you have a trip coming up?
Yes, as some of you know, I'll be at Whooverville this summer. (More on that later!) But I'll also be on a lot of planes and trains. So expect some of my reading updates to be on the road!

Can I still donate?
Absolutely. I'd love you to! Follow this link to go to my donation page. That money goes straight to the American Cancer Society. Every little bit helps. Please do drop a note if you donate!

I'd also love to hear more about fundraising events in future — be they readathons, charity anthologies, zines, etc. Please get in touch with me via social media if you're aware of an upcoming, reliably-run event along those lines!

 

I've lived near Hilton Village for the better part of my life. But other than it being picturesque and having some fun little shops, it's never been something I think hard about. In the years following lockdown and my grandfather's passing, I thought even less about the world around me. But now I have an eye to what's literally on my doorstep... and it's pretty cool.

Case in point, the neighborhood hosted a murder mystery night in July, complete with a village-wide mystery and a reveal at the local bar. How did it go? What could go better next time (and boy I hope there's a next time)? Let's find out.

The Mystery

The "game" was set up as a sort of Clue-flavored pub crawl or stamp rally. Visitors received a card at the welcome desk featuring a list of characters, venues, and weapons, each related to the shops in the area. While one could technically just browse the shops in any order, there was a series of riddles leading from one shop to the next. A few were a big confusing, but ultimately none of them was unsolvable (except for one, which I'll cover a bit later under the Participation section).

Upon arrival at each shop, players were greeted by a staff member with a scripted bit of text, telling a bit more of the story and revealing an item on the list of potential murder weapons. From these bits of script, we build up a story of the departed Penny: a hatmaker in Hilton Village. The final clue led to Bird Girl Bottle Shop, where the hostess of the evening revealed the killer, the location of the murder, and the weapon used.

Participation

The majority of participating shops really seemed to be getting into the spirit of things, which was fantastic. Indulge offered street corn (amazing) and two murder mystery themed drinks. I tried the Whodunnit, a gin and lavender drink, and it was very lovely. I'm a sucker for themed menus, and frankly it makes me want to find an excuse to do a book collab with shops in the Village at some point.

There were "actors" committed to the bit, including Penny's husband, who regularly stopped and asked amateur sleuths for help. Other characters were active, though I didn't get to see them. (Apparently I got mistaken for a character since I took the flyer at its word and dressed for the evening!) Whether each respective shop owner went all in or not varied, understandably. Everyone has a different threshold for that sort of thing. Kudos to the owner of Me & Josephine and her girls for the matching garden party dresses and the "haunted doll" on display.

Playability

For what it's worth, my main issue with playability was of my own doing. This, like an escape room, is not the sort of thing one does alone. I was able to get from location to location and from riddle to riddle. But without a friend or two along, I often found myself disconnected from the story being played out. That is not a problem with the story, though, as I heard large groups talking loudly and with investment about who they suspected. The bigger the group, I think, the better the experience.

There was one place that was difficult for many to find: a salon. There are three hair salons in Hilton Village. One was on the main stretch, but was closed and not participating. One was on the way to Bird Girl, but was closed and not participating. Even now, with the address and name of the place and the aid of Google, I'm not sure how I would have made my way there on the night. I know as well as any local that Hilton Village is more than that single-block main drag, but in future it might be helpful to bake into the clues the general direction, or to offer a map on the night.

The long and the short of it is that it's a very fun idea, mostly well-executed but with a few bugs to work out. Every large group I heard talking seemed to be having fun, and it was nice to see other people getting into the spirit of the event. The best part is, the "bugs" are very specific things that can be taken into account to improve future events, rather than just things that fall flat.

Most of all, I want more events like this in the Village. I want them to keep getting better and attracting more people. I have a lot of personal ties to this little historic area (my grandmother owned a children's clothing store where Indulge currently is), and I want to see the whole place flourish and grow and be absolutely awesome. And this was a very good steppingstone on that path.

 

July is historically a very busy month for me—this July doubly so. In between my regular work responsibilities going into overtime, I am currently planning a flying trip to the UK at the end of August (in addition to my usual slower-paced end-of-year trip). More on that later.

For now, just know that if you ever want to see more reviews than I post here in my featured blog posts, I do have a GoodReads account. I will always do my best to go back and cover any books that I don't have read and reviewed in time for a certain month's feature. Once I'm back in slow season, you'll almost certainly see a lot of delayed summer reads pop up.

For now, though, peruse what I've got below. And thanks as always to the publishers and authors who send their work my way!

Bookish Candle: Frostbeard's July Candle of the Month is a real winner. Game Master's Guide has fantasy-inspired notes of mead and leather. I really love the honey smell of this one, and I definitely hope they go into more TTRPG-inspired candles in future. Use my link to get 20% off your purchase of this and other book lovers' candles!

Tea Pairing: For something that's good hot or iced, the Pride and Prejudice-inspired Picnic at Pemberley is a favorite. It's a rose and jasmine green tea that's a little lighter than my usual strong black teas, but the floral notes make it an excellent pairing for this month's fantasy and dark academia-tinged selections. Check out Chapters' full catalogue of bookish teas, and use my code KARA15 for 15% off your order!

A MASTERY OF MONSTERS
by Liselle Sambury
Available July 29

August Black's college plans changed after her mother disappears. But her time working at the local Tim Horton's is cut short when her brother Jules disappears, leaving only a cryptic note behind. Soon, August is being approached by strange local organizations, one of which claims to be preparing the world for an oncoming monster apocalypse. It's a claim she's not especially prepared to believe, until she herself is attacked by one of these Monsters.

With her brother's life hanging in the balance, August finally agrees to undergo training and testing to become Master to a Monster of her own: the handsome, bookish Virgil. If the two cannot bond by the end of the trials, Virgil (like many un-Mastered Monsters before him) will be incarcerated. But if August succeeds, the two will become a powerful pair. With the odds stacked against her in an organization that thrives on connections and academia, August fights for her life and the lives of those around her, while uncovering the gory history of two interlocked organizations with their own ideas of how to use these Monsters.

A Mastery of Monsters is a unique approach to issues of prejudice and injustice, demonstrating that insidious ideas can exist just about anywhere provided they have the support and funding to do so. As the first in a trilogy, it raises as many questions as it answers. But it also crafts a unique world, enclosed mainly in two settings, but with plenty of room to expand outward across the remainder of the trilogy. What's most appealing about this book, however, is the greyness. There are so many different experiences in this book, all unique to their respective characters, all complicated. There's no shorthand to quickly decide which characters are "right" or "good"; rather, we must learn with August as she tackles her own trauma and unpacks centuries of history... hopefully quickly enough to save the people who matter to her.

SOULMATCH
by Rebecca Danzenbaker
Available July 29

200 years after World War III, reaching your 18th birthday means its time for your kirling: a process through which people learn the identity of their reincarnated soul. At best, this could mean discovering your life's purpose, gaining an inheritance from your past lives, and perhaps finding a soulmate. At worst, you could be held liable for your past lives' crimes and fined exorbitantly for past suicides. Sivon is terrified of the latter of these—particularly the chance that she could end up being Flavinsky, a notorious bad soul long overdue for rebirth. While that tragic soul is indeed in her group, the results of Sivon's kirling are far more unusual: there is no record of her whatsoever. She is a new soul, the first in 40 years, and the world is clamoring to get to know her... for a variety of reasons.

Under the guard of secret service agent Donovan (whose own kirling revealed himself to be the newest life of the legendarily good soul Shepherd), Sivon assumes the new soulid of Carrefour and attempts to navigate the world's curiosity. Her unique status earns her both allies and detractors, and indeed attempts on her life. But things get even more complicated when she allies with the North American prime minister, whose nephew Janus also happens to be her longtime crush. Between attempts on her life and the discovery of long-buried information, Sivon soon comes to a shocking realization about her new soul status. It may be that kirling is not as flawless as the world believes, and many souls' true pasts are about to come to light.

Soulmatch, while following the typical YA dystopian romance tropes to a tee, does offer a little more to chew on along the way. The early parts of Sivon's journey, from the fashion to the press to the machinations of a white-haired politician, get extremely Girl on Fire at times. Within and around those tropes, though, it carries a compelling message about the changes we all go through as people, the possibility of redemption, and the vicious cycles of incarceration and unaddressed struggles. The final 100 pages are dense with exposition, to the point that you may need a diagram, but all the pieces do fit together very nicely by the end.

THIS BOOK MIGHT BE ABOUT ZINNIA
by Brittney Morris
Available now

In 2024, Zinnia Davis is fighting to gain a Harvard acceptance, supported along the way by her book-loving best friend. But his latest gift to her, a fantasy novel titled Little Heart, throws things into confusion. The story tells of a mother giving away her baby, a princess with a unique heart-shaped birthmark. Zinnia is adopted and has that same birthmark, but it's the little details that make things hit a bit too close to home. Could Zinnia's favorite author actually be her birth mother?

In 2006, a girl named Tuesday Walker is trying to get her life back on track after giving away her baby. She still maintains feelings of a sort for the baby's father, but a new coworker is beginning to seem like a much stronger match. As she sorts out her feelings, she keeps a diary, turning her story into a fantasy epic. But things become fraught when Tuesday learns the truth of her baby's father's family and their connection to her family. And then her diary disappears.

This Book Might Be About Zinnia covers a lot of feelings in a relatively short space: the feeling of having a family but wondering about your "real" one, the grief of giving up a child, the disconnect between a privileged life and the trauma of being a caretaker for a parent. While Zinnia's goals are initially set on crafting an interesting essay for her Harvard application, she soon learns that her desire to excel could be costing her things that really matter—and making her less aware of the world around her. YA novels can often miss the mark when it comes to how teens think and talk, but this turbulent novel (with an ultimately satisfying ending) hits the nail on the head time after time.