BOOK REVIEW: Adventure in the City of Stories

 

ADVENTURE IN THE CITY OF STORIES
by Emma Otheguy
Available July 21

Cousins Jorge, Camila, and Siggy are in big trouble when they discover that their aunt is in possession of some valuable — and missing — items. A book and two puppets belonging to librarian and storyteller Pura Belpré have mysteriously shown up in Tía Xía's home, and simply returning them could lead to some major misunderstandings. Fortunately, their aunt has a secret: a small fleet of time-traveling boats that can only be steered by members of her family!

Together, the four travel back to 1930s New York, where they plan to return the items to their old home. But standing in their way is the wife of a pencil magnate, set on putting Puerto Rican people (and people she assumes are Puerto Rican) in their place. With Tía Xía's magic, and the magic of stories, the family works to help a local girl blow the whistle on her father's employer, return Pura Belpré's belongings, and get home to the present day safely.

This new book follows Otheguy's Cousins in the Time of Magic, which I haven't read. However, it takes little time to immerse oneself in this world, with its straightforward but unique magic system. The story also blends historical figures with historically-inspired original characters, painting a vivid picture of early 20th century New York (its ups and its downs). In addition to the history lesson, readers will also learn some legendary children's stories.

I recommend reading Adventure in the City of Stories with your kids. Not because there's anything difficult or objectionable in it, but because it opens doors to a lot of frank discussions and potential questions. It's a literal learning experience (complete with endnotes and a bibliography), but it's also an opportunity to discuss some more difficult topics with young people. There's very little nuance in the verbal bullying of the book's villain, which might feel a little blunt to older readers; but for kids, the frank depiction might help them recognize issues in their own lives.

TEA PAIRING: Magical Library Butterbrew
This story takes place across several libraries, many of which have surprising and magical things happening in them. This smooth butterscotch tea is inspired by cozy magical libraries, which seems just about right for this particular story. Use my code KARA15 for 15% off this and other book-inspired teas from Chapters Tea & Co.!

TEA REVIEW: Three More Teas from Plum Deluxe

 

In addition to the Literary Tea collection I reviewed not long ago, Plum Deluxe were also kind enough to send along three more teas they thought might suit my taste. I'm not about to let a good tea go un-shouted-out, so here we are again with a new trio of reviews!

This set of teas isn't on any particular theme, but rather is a selection from across their catalogue.

Welsh Dreams Herbal
While I'm not a big herbal tea drinker, I'm trying to get better about cutting my caffeine after a certain time of day. So good herbals and decafs are always nice to find. This is a soft, comforting blend with a honeybush base and notes of peppermint and vanilla. But it's not strong, candy-like peppermint. It's sweet but not too sweet, and very relaxing at the end of the day.

Picard Black Tea Blend
This is the blend I've had my eye on for some time... after all, I'm a Star Trek fan and an Earl Grey fan. Plum Deluxe has several interesting twists on Earl Grey, and this is another of them. The cinnamon pecan flavoring makes it taste almost like a pastry, which gives it a sort of breakfasty feel. While it's not my favorite of their Earl Greys (that would be their Grantham Grey), it's still an extremely nice one.

Porch Sippin' Pecan Black
Maybe I'm just desperate for autumn, but this tea was my favorite of the trio. This black tea has a very strong, sweet praline flavor with big fall vibes. This would make an incredible milk tea, either hot or iced. And especially now, in the heat of summer, it was a welcome dose of cool-weather feelings.

If you'd like to try these or any other teas from Plum Deluxe, be sure to use my affiliate link! And check out my previous review, showcasing their Literary Tea collection.

COMIC REVIEW: Howliday Inn the Graphic Novel

HOWLIDAY INN: THE GRAPHIC NOVEL
by James Howe and Andrew Donkin; illustrated by Stephen Gilpin
Available now

If you grew up around the time I did, James and Deborah Howe's Bunnicula novels were mainstays of school story time. Given the longevity of the series itself, as well as spinoffs and adaptations, I imagine it's a familiar series for multiple generations. And yet, I was unaware until just recently that there was a Bunnicula graphic novel adaptation underway. Fortunately, I got on board with the second one, Howliday Inn, and it's safe to say this version hits just right: a satisfying blend of faithful adaptation and visual nostalgia.

If you're new to the series, let's get you caught up. Harold the dog is our narrator, accompanied on his misadventures by Chester the cat. Their comfy nuclear family home has been invaded by Bunnicula: a rabbit who drains the juice from vegetables vampire-style with his pointy little fangs and prefers to sleep during the day. Chester is convinced Bunnicula is a legitimate paranormal threat and wants nothing more than to get rid of the interloper. As Howliday Inn, the second story in the series, begins, all three pets are boarded as their family goes on vacation. There, they meet other dogs and cats (including three dogs in a complicated love triangle), and Chester becomes convinced that werewolves are on the prowl. As their stay goes on, boarders begin to disappear, including Chester, and Harold must crack the case before whatever is lurking comes for him, too.

Stephen Gilpin's art has a very 70s/80s comic vibe to it, and I love how unique each character looks. My only quibble is Chester; there's something about his face that veers a little too close to human, a la early movie Sonic the Hedgehog designs. But everyone else looks fantastic, humans and animals both. Bunnicula in particular looks spot on, vampiric but still plausibly just a little guy. It makes me wish we'd gotten to see a little more of him, though we do at least get a very cute Bunnicula face to close out each chapter.

What I liked most, though, is that it's a very active adaptation that understands it's a comic book and plays with that. Harold and Chester have quibbles with the artist, including a few pages where Gilpin closes up shop for the weekend and very nearly leaves them on a blank page. The self-awareness, combined with dialogue that gives young readers credit for being intelligent enough to follow it, reminds me a lot of the indie comics and graphic novels I'd read in my tweens and teens. The book closes out with a brief Sherlock Holmes tribute, starring Chester as a feline version of the great detective and Harold as his Watson.

Will kids love this new Bunnicula treatment? I can see myself as a kid loving this, so sure. Will grownups who grew up reading the original stories enjoy these comics? Without question. This is a massive nostalgia bomb, faithful without being precious, and I'm hopeful that the adaptations will continue.

TEA PAIRING: Secrets in the Garden
While the "bungalows" our heroes stay in during their time away were pens rather than holiday houses, the beginning and end of the book definitely put one in a vacation mood. This watermelon lime green tea feels like just the sort of thing the Monroes might enjoy during their trip. Best of all, it's great iced! Use my code KARA15 for 15% off this and other teas from Chapters Tea & Co.!

BOOK REVIEW: Of Dread, Decay, and Doom

OF DREAD, DECAY, AND DOOM
edited by Jendia Gammon, Gareth L. Powell, and Scarlett R. Algee
Available now

Horror anthologies are, at least in my experience, a mixed bag solely because of what they are. Everyone finds different things frightening, so some stories will resonate with some people and fall flat with others. This is especially true with anthologies with a secondary theme beyond genre. That said, Of Dread, Decay, and Doom doesn't camp out in one style of horror. It runs the full gamut, from slasher tropes to environmental horror, from small personal stories to vignettes that hint at something vast and dangerous. This anthology's broad reach is its strength: because it has a little bit of everything, it's highly likely to have something that resonates with each reader.

From its very first story, this anthology makes it very clear that there are no safety nets. Existing in one of these worlds means you might not make it out alive. Some do, of course: alive, but changed. Others find a strange sort of peace. But these are not stories where it's wise to get attached. Our heroes (or antiheroes) are always potential sacrifices, literally and figuratively, on the altars of their own narratives.

What's especially impressive, and this is absolutely down to a trio of very skilled editors choosing and guiding the anthology's selection of authors, is how the stories work with each other without stepping on each other's toes. There are crossovers in terms of styles of stories — for example, both Vincent V. Cava's "Killbilly Drive-Thru" and Tim Waggoner's "The World Has Teeth" play with serial killers dealing with their would-be victims in public places. Both are, as one might expect, darkly comical at times. But each has its own style and upshot, making them complementary rather than crowding each other out.

A few other high-ranking stories in this anthology... or, at least, the ones that gave me chills:

"The Cleansing" by Lee Murray: The majority of this one doesn't read like a horror story so much as a musing on the state of growing up Asian. (I grew up Lebanese, but I've heard stories.) Its chilling descent into very literal imagery in the final few sentences recontextualizes the whole piece in a heartbeat. Endings like this are not easy to pull off, so it's always a treat to see it done well.

"Elderflower Cordial" by Mark Stay: A story from the Witches of Woodville series. This was my first encounter with the series, and it's made me want to read more for sure. Set in 1981, it folds folk horror and revenge into a seemingly innocent concept: children selling lemonade(?) by the side of the road. I love the ambience of this, the tonal shift as the story changes narrators at the end, and the strangely beautiful gentleness of the finale.

"The Children of Light" by David Quantick: Barely an ereader page long, this short-short story investigates an intriguing possibility: what if darkness, not daylight, killed vampires?

"Changing Hands" by Alice James: A worker finds his body being taken over, starting from the left hand, as he collects energy from portals. I love this one in particular for its skillful worldbuilding in a confined space, as well as the narrator's unique voice.

"Time After Time" by Sarah L. Miles: Probably my favorite in the whole anthology, this risky little piece plays with time loops and the horrors (mundane and otherwise) that lurk in the dark. I call it "risky" because its format could sink it if not done correctly and committed to fully. But it does both and comes out fantastic.

There isn't a bad story in the book, and the ones that stand out to each reader will likely be very different. But as a whole, it's a fascinating exploration of what "horror" means to a wide swath of skilled horror writers.

TEA PAIRING: Edgar Allan Poe Bundle
Not just because a certain story late in the anthology makes a certain reference! This pairing of bold Earl Grey (Poet's Study) and sleepy herbal (Dream Within a Dream) covers a broad spectrum of tea tastes, just as this anthology covers a broad spectrum of horror tastes.

BLOG TOUR: Strange Pictures

 

STRANGE PICTURES Vol. 1
by Uketsu, illustrated by Kikou Aiba
Available July 14

Not long ago, I got a big brown envelope from my friends at Titan Manga. The envelope contained the first volume of Strange Pictures, a manga adaptation of the bestselling novel of the same name, and five... well... strange pictures. The seemingly innocent artwork already had a somewhat uncanny feel to it, but that feeling just increased once I'd sat down to the manga volume itself.

I'll admit, I'm not familiar with Uketsu's original novel. This is my first exposure to it. I'm aware that Uketsu is a well-regarded YouTuber and writer, but that's about it. Having now read this first volume, I completely get why.

Strange Pictures starts with a psychological analysis of a child's drawing, but quickly moves on to a different set of pictures. These are discovered on a pseudonymous man's blog, apparently drawn by his pregnant wife and (by her reckoning) meant to be images of what the unborn child will look like at different ages. However, the blog has a gap of several years, followed by an unnaturally vehement declaration concerning the wife's crimes.

Some out-of-the-box thinking and careful analysis turns these images into a shocking prediction. But just as quickly as the case is solved, we're on to a new one: one that will have to be addressed further in Volume 2. But already there are similarities between these two stories: a deceased parent, an odd drawing, and a gap of three years.

This more visual form is an excellent way to discover Strange Pictures. The solution unfolds itself eventually, but clues are scattered in such a way that the reader has a little time to try and crack the case themselves. If you're a lover of horror, mysteries, and "puzzle box" books, Strange Pictures will draw you in.

Thanks to Titan Manga for sending along a copy of Strange Pictures Vol. 1 for my perusal!

TEA REVIEW: Plum Deluxe Literary Tea Collection

 

While I do have a handful of brands and stores I'm loyal to, I'll never turn down an opportunity to try new tea. Plum Deluxe reached out to me recently, recommending their Literary Tea collection, and of course that sounded like exactly like my kind of thing. They sent along a tin for me to try, which of course I paired with some of my daily reading.

The collection comes with a mix of five teas in several level of caffeination, as well as everything you need (short of your own mug) to brew up the perfect blend. Read on for my thoughts on each offering!

Reading Nook Black
One of two black teas in the set, this blends rose, lavender, and chamomile for a cozy floral flavor. I'll be honest, I have never considered the merits of chamomile in a caffeinated blend, since I think its reputation for being a sleepytime herbal is at the forefront of everyone's minds. But this was really lovely. I'm a big fan of floral black teas, and this cozy blend is exactly the vibe I strive for in my own home library.

Bookshop Blend White
White teas are notoriously finicky, but this one is fairly forgiving. It has a wonderful fruity aroma and flavor, almost like gummy bears (but more natural). That's down to the orange, apple, and blackberry in the mix. There's a cinnamon flavor that comes out in the flavor more than the smell, and it tastes a little out of place with the fruit blend, but it's not a deal breaker.

Soul Warmer Herbal
If you're a fan of drinks that taste like desserts, there are two winners in this box for you. This rooibos blend has chestnut, hazelnut, and caramel flavors, as well as a bit of apple to it. It's a nice caffeine-free option for evening, very autumnal in flavor. I know rooibos can be hit or miss, but this is one that I really enjoy.

Buttery Shortbread Herbal
This is absolutely my top pick of the caffeine-free blends in this box, and another great one if you love dessert-y drinks. This is a vanilla honeybush tea, but the name isn't just a vague descriptor. This really does have a legitimate shortbread flavor to it, and I absolutely love it. The Soul Warmer blend is still good, but this one is the winner of the two when it comes to sleepytime brews.

Gratitude Earl Grey Black
Regulars will know I'm an absolute sucker for Earl Grey and Earl Grey-adjacent blends, so of course I was going to fall in love with this one. This tea is flavored with bergamot and strawberry, making it somewhat sweeter than other Greys. I do wish the strawberry was a little bolder when steeped, though it does come out a little more when the tea cools; so I imagine it's a much more forward flavor when iced.

The tin also comes with a very cute basket-style tea infuser with celestial cutouts along the rim. I've been using it quite a bit since getting the tin, and it's fabulous for single-cup loose tea steeps.

The Literary Tea Collection Gift Tin is a great selection of multiple types of cozy tea. If you know a person likes a very specific type of tea (all black or all herbal, for instance), it might not be the best fit. But for someone who enjoys variety and a certain cozy vibe, these are perfect. The bags are only about an ounce each (less than the standard 2-3 oz bags you'll see elsewhere), so bear that in mind as you buy. But especially during a hot summer like this, when many of us are dreaming of the coziness of autumn, these are a lovely escape.

Be sure to use my referral link for a discount, and thank you to Plum Deluxe for providing samples for review!