Peasreads: Whale Fall by Elysia Rourke

I couldn't put this book down once I started it. It is a middle grade book, but like Black Beauty not just for middle grade. I often thought "What age is this? How is this a children's book?" It is heartbreaking. It is real. It is raw. There is hope, heartbreak, heartache, longing. It is so well written. The pacing was really good. The story telling just drew me in. Are some parts predictable? Yes. Of course Whale gets captured, but her story is captivating, her journey is one that grips you. There is strength in how she loves and lives. 

I refuse to go to shows with animals like this anymore and have for years. This gut wrenching story will help readers of all ages see through a lens of empathy and compassion. Especially with World Animal Day on October 4th.

Grab some tissues.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Description:

 A debut novel in the tradition of Black Beauty and The One and Only Ivan, in which a young orca who dreams of becoming the matriarch of her pod instead finds herself living a life in captivity.

“Heartbreaking, but unputdownable. Read with a box of tissues. Whale’s story doesn’t shy away from the harsh realities of animals in captivity, but it is a testament to the power of faith, storytelling, and hope.”—Shakirah Bourne, author of Josephine Against the Sea and Here Lies A Ghost“

Whale, a young orca, dreams of becoming the matriarch and storyteller of her own pod one day, just like her grandmother. But her dream becomes a nightmare when she is captured by the Two-Legs and taken to a sea pen far from her ocean home. At first, angry and scared, Whale can only think of escape and finding her way back to her family. But as the months wear on, and Whale becomes restless and lonely, she finds herself befriending her keeper, Red, named for his bright red fur. Whale starts to look forward to their daily feeding rituals and playtime as they learn to communicate. As time goes on, she even counts on Red’s singsong laughter to fill her day.

But just as Whale gets used to life with Red, she is ripped away from the sea pen she’s lived in for more than a year. She’s taken on a long, painful journey in a container to somewhere new—the suffocating waters of an aquarium. Whale is given a name—Ingrid—and along with whales who don’t speak her language, she is made to perform. The grueling work is hard on Whale’s body, but if she doesn’t perform, she doesn’t eat.

Whale’s only solace is the memories of her pod and her grandmother’s stories of Great Mother and how whales came to be. Whale longs for the promise of Whale Fall, where the Great Mother will at last reunite her with her family—her body becoming one with the ocean. But also she tries to find joy in the here and now and in the comfort of her adopted pod. And, before rest, there is still one unexpected dream that will come true for Whale.

A deeply moving story of family, determination, and hope as a majestic creature weathers the storms of a life in captivity.

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I received this egalley from Penguin Young Readers was under no obligation to give a review. All opinions are  my own. 

Peasreads: Birth of the Witch A Coven of Three Trilogy Book 1 by Nora Roberts

 

Birth of the Witch

A Coven of Three Trilogy Book 1 by Nora Roberts

If you've read Nora Roberts and you enjoy her writing style. Especially for her Magical Reaslim trilogies, you'll enjoy this one.  I loved it. The characters have depth and history. They grow throughout the story. It's age-appropriate as we start off with a thirteen-year-old. Each setting that they travel to or live in is described so well. The scenery and the locals. It brings a great picture to the mind's eye. I always want to visit Ireland after reading her books. The story itself and how things unfold are done well; I kept thinking, NOW the two main characters are finally going to meet up or find the items they were tasked with collecting. Each chapter built up well, with all the characters still living their lives. 
At 432 pages, this took me one day to read. I didn't want to put it down. I can't wait for the rest of the trilogy because what a cliffhanger. 

Description

The first novel in the enchanting new epic by the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Lost Bride Trilogy, Nora Roberts

Niamh McShane was born a witch and died a witch in the same moment, at the tender age of thirteen. A victim of the madness that spread from Salem Town to her home on Piety Island, in her last hours she found comfort from the weavers imprisoned alongside her, who saw within her light and power and gave her some of their own.

More than three hundred years later, on the same island, Neve McShane wakes with excitement on her thirteenth birthday and unwraps gifts from her aunts: sneakers, an iPhone, and a stunning antique pendant. Then she receives something else: a revelation that will change her life.

Astonished, Neve learns that her aunts’ abilities go beyond simple kitchen magic and the potions they sell in their shop. Their tales of past lives aren’t just whimsical fantasies. They are witches, and so is she. Their lives–past and present–are bound together by that pivotal day centuries ago. Now Neve has been tasked with stopping a growing darkness. To prepare for the dangerous enemy that awaits, Neve hones her skills and searches for clues to aid her in her quest. And at night, she dreams of a young man from Ireland whose eyes met with hers for a fateful moment, centuries ago.

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I received this egalley from NetGalley and Penguin Random House I was under no obligation to give a review. All opinions are my own.

Peasreads: The Irish Secret by the Shore by Clodagh Murphy

 

Classic friends-to-lovers, closed-door romance. Set in Ireland in a small town where everybody knows everyone and their business. Abbie knows what she wants in life, and she has built that life. She is surrounded by the people she loves. Her childhood sweetheart wants a different life and has left to pursue it. This is a story of learning to let go and allowing life to happen, letting go of the familiar and comfortable when it isn't healthy. It flowed well and was interesting. Some of the things that happened at the end had me questioning the characters (side characters), but it was part of the story and their characteristics. This was entertaining. Low-spoon reading. What does that mean? It means that it wasn't stressful and heart-heavy, and sometimes I really need reads like this.  There was conflict, and it was painful for the characters, of course, but it was almost cozy.  Side note, I loved reading about the Irish coast. 

Peasreads: Song of the Selkie by Claire R. McDougall

Song of the Selkie

A Novel

by Claire R. McDougall

 This isn't really about Selkies, though the story of a Selkie is told within. This is about three sisters. Eddie, Lailas, and Frances. The story is told through Frances's point of view. 

It had a good start and lagged only a bit. The story was interesting. Frances is quite the snob. That was her character, though, and the author wrote that well. 

The author writing about the nieces body was really not okay. Frances really pointed out too many times that this kid had a developing body. Frances is also racist. Once the Chapter in Cabo came about it was uncomfortable. I get that she's an academic; she set herself apart through academics. That's fine. But some of the things written about the gardener living in a hut(what an assumption), "brown-skinned Mexicans", and more, there was no indication that she was racist before. It was just odd to throw that in, when it wasn't a theme or previously established character trait. There should be a content warning.

I finished the book because I can't leave a review unless I do. The book wrapped up nicely. The road to the end had pretty good pacing. It just wasn't as interesting as the first third of the book promised it would be. It was just predictable. 

Peasreads: A Turning Tide Christmas by Serenity Bea

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Five stars for this novella. Cozy and fun. The banter between the two main characters was funny and entertaining. The pacing was great. Sometimes novella's can seem so rushed but this one had great timing.

 I've never read anything by this author before, but would not hesitate to pick up another read from her. 

Peasreads- For Ever More Sue Lynn Tan

 

What a great conclusion to Never Ever After. Yining is back home. She is settling in with her family and her people. She is learning the customs and traditions of her people. It is a world that is so unlike the Iron Mountains that she grew up in. While she is settling in, she juggles her feelings and her vow to Jin to help him save his people and his land. And then there's Prince Zixin. Both these male characters are complex. Jin is noble in his quest to save his land; no one can fault him for that. Yining still struggles with trusting him after he made her make the vow to help him. The Prince is ready to fight his sister back for the Kingdom that is rightfully his. Could his story be a redemption arc? After all he did?  Has he learned from the past? Can a person really change? 

Is this a fantasy with romance? Or a romantasy? I can't really say. I do know that I loved the story. I  loved the setting. I loved this conclusion. 

 In For Ever After, this epic fantasy finds Yining on the run and fighting to save her family and her kingdom. 

Order now and receive the SPECIAL FIRST EDITION while supplies last—featuring a designed case cover under the jacket and illustrated endpapers, in addition to shiny foil and embossing. This must-have special edition is only available in the limited first printing.

After the explosive events of Never Ever After, Yining flees the Iron Mountains with her unlikely allies, seeking the truth about her newfound powers amid the secrets surrounding her ancestral home. But with a traitorous queen ruling the Three Kingdoms from a stolen throne, nowhere is truly safe, and Yining must decide whom to trust to keep her family—and her heart—from harm.

Praise for Never Ever After:

“Rich and layered and deliciously transportive.” —Renée Ahdieh, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Wrath & the Dawn

“Tan has crafted a jewel of a fairy-tale retelling and each prism is lustrous with sinister wonder.” —Roshani Chokshi, New York Times bestselling author of the Gilded Wolves Trilogy

“A lush and effervescent, masterfully crafted fantasy.” —Elizabeth Lim, New York Times bestselling author of Six Crimson Cranes

“I absolutely adored it and cannot wait for the sequel!” —Allison Saft, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Wings of Starlight

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I received this egalley from NetGalley and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers., and Hatchette book group. I was under no obligation to give a review. All opinions are my own. 

Peasreads: Between You and Us

Between You and Us By Kendra Broekhuis

What a good read. Heartbreaking. But so beautiful. I always think I know what I will do when put into situations when it comes to my children. What a ride this book is!

Reading the author's take on this impossible choice was so interesting and heartbreaking. 

Book Description

When a grieving woman unexpectedly steps into a different version of her life, she must choose between the husband she loves and the daughter she lost in this brave, gripping novel.

“A beautiful story that will make you rethink all the moments you’ve wished for a different outcome.”—Johanna Rojas Vann, author of An American Immigrant

Two possible lives to live. One impossible choice to make.

When Leona Warlon heads across the city to meet her husband, David, for a rare dinner out, she hopes they can share a moment of relief after their year of loss. But Leona quickly realizes this is no ordinary date night. She hasn’t just stepped into an upscale ristorante; she’s stepped into a different version of her life. One in which her marriage is no longer tender, in which her days are pressured by her powerful in-laws, and in which her precious baby girl lived.

Now Leona must weigh the bitter and sweet of both trajectories, facing an unimaginable choice: Stay in a world where tragedy hasn’t struck but where the meaningful life she built with David is gone? Or return to a reality that’s filled with struggle and sorrow but also deep and enduring love?

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Peasreads: Tales of Green Tea Notes from a Centuries-Old Kyoto Teahouse by Miyako Watanabe with Cathy Hirano (Translator)

A slice of life book about a 300-year-old tea shop that is just delightful. Some basic recipes that seem simple but are so informative as far as time and temperature for brewing different teas. The author tells us how each tea is grown and when it is harvested. There is history woven in with how tea and the tearoom have progressed with the times. I wish I could visit during all the seasons to see their different decor and taste their seasonal offerings. Lovely storytelling that makes you want to explore the region. There are some fun doodles in the book, but it is not really a book to flip through for art. Just scattered throughout, and cute. Ippodo has a website and ships their tea all over the world. I can't wait to try the Hōjicha.

 Description

A charming, lightly illustrated exploration of the history of green tea and matcha, Japanese tea culture, and daily life in Kyoto by the owner of the 300-year-old Ippodo Tea shop.

At the family-owned Ippodo tea store in Kyoto, time passes at the gentle pace of green tea leaves brewing in a kyusu teapot. Written by the store’s current owner, Miyako Watanabe, Tales of Green Tea offers an account of everyday life at this beloved spot, but also of the knowledge, encounters, and discoveries that come with a life steeped in tea.

Composed of short, evocative sections that move through the seasons and engage the senses, along with charming tea-themed illustrations, Tales of Green Tea is at all times moving, nostalgic, funny, and informative. From the historical origins of tea, right up to modern day tea commerce and culture, and many reminiscences in between, we explore the endless flow of tales to be found in a simple cup of tea, alongside best practices for home brewing and recipes for tea snacks.

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Peasreads: The Whole30 Fast & Easy Cookbook Revised Edition by Melissa Urban

 

Great recipes, just nothing really new. Some information on whole 3o is revised. The photos are gorgeous. The recipes are Whole30 compliant with some fun new ideas. 

Helpful for beginners. Great for reference.

You can find more Whole 30 content HERE. 

Description

A must-have updated edition of the New York Times bestseller—featuring 35 new quick and easy recipes and updated program guidelines.

This revised edition of the bestselling Whole30 Fast & Easy is updated with 35 brand-new recipes and photos, perfect for weeknight cooking, lunches in a hurry, and hearty breakfasts that still get you out the door on time.

The groundbreaking Whole30 program has helped millions of people transform their lives, bringing about better sleep, more energy, less bloating, and fewer cravings. In this cookbook, bestselling author and Whole30 co-creator Melissa Urban wants to make it even easier to achieve Whole30 success—with over 150 easy-to-make recipes that you can put together in 30 minutes or less. Think dishes like:

Green Chicken Salad with Creamy Avocado Tahini Dressing

Vietnamese-Inspired Pork Tacos

Charred Veggie and Chicken Fajita Wrap

Shrimp and Green Bean Stir Fry with Quick Chili Crisp

Roasted Garlic-Potato Soup with Sausage and Kale

Sheet Pan Buffalo Chicken, Broccoli and Baby Yukons

Featuring hearty and delicious skillet meals, sheet-pan suppers, slow-cook dinners, and cozy noodle bowls, these are dishes anyone can make for a weeknight dinner, quick lunch, or easy breakfast.

This updated edition also includes the new Whole30 guidelines, drawing on the latest research and behavior change science. Whether you’re doing your first Whole30 or your fourth, or looking for some gluten-free, dairy-free, fast and easy recipes, this collection is a must-have for any kitchen.

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Thank you NetGalley and for William Marrow for this egalley. All opinions are my own. I was not obligated to leave a review

Peasreads- Sea of Charms by Sarah Beth Durst

Coming July 28, 2026, from Macmillan / Tor / Bramble

Sarah Beth Durst's Spellshop novels are becoming must-reads for me. Sea of Charms is a magical read. It's cozy fantasy that is paced well. The story was interesting, the love story cozy. Marin, the main character, is a supply runner. She loves the sea and her parents took out a loan to gift her with her vessel. Her only goal is to run her supply business well and pay the loan for the ship or she will lose it.  She has deadlines she needs to meet. She loves what she does. She is focused and keeps people at arm's length. Then the revolution happens, and revolutions are messy. During the revolution, people are fleeing the capital and trying to protect what is important to them. Marin learns to open her heart, take risks, and she does what she knows is right in her heart, even if she has to put aside important goals. This book is a five star read for me.

Description
DELUXE EDITION—a gorgeous hardcover edition featuring beautiful cerulean blue sprayed edges!
Sarah Beth Durst brings cozy fantasy romance to the high seas in Sea of Charms, the third magical adventure in the New York Times bestselling Spellshop series!
Marin has always belonged on the great blue sea.
Betrayed by love, Marin lives and works as a supply runner, sailing from island to island, delivering an array of goods with Perri the sea serpent and Ree the sailor shrub as her crew.
On one of her routine trips to the capital, Alyssium, Marin finds a revolution underway—and her friend Dax in the line of fire.
What starts as a rescue evolves into a deal: Marin will keep Dax on as a member of her crew if he pretends to be her boyfriend at the End-of-Harvest Festival back home.
But against her better judgment, Marin finds herself intrigued by his stubbornness, his passion for stories, his charming smile—and realizes that perhaps she isn’t saving him. Maybe it’s the other way around.
Sea of Charms is a cozy fantasy romance about finding your crew, your family, and moreover, finding yourself.
Expect:
Standalone romance
Friends to lovers
Magical creatures
Swimming lessons
l

 

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Peasreads: Isis of Egypt: Goddess of Thrones by Malayna Evans

Four stars for this reimagining of the story of Isis. Malayna Evans has a PhD in Egyption history so her knowledge played a huge part in why I loved this book so much. Her story telling is engaging and interesting. I loved learning the tidbits about so many major and minor Gods. Reading how Isis learned at differnt stages of life to grow, rule, let go, survive, serve, restore, forgive, and to rebuild. 

Description

One determined goddess. Two beloved gods. Three coveted thrones.

Ancient Egypt’s most formidable goddess will stop at nothing to save her true love from the wrath of a vengeful god in this romantic retelling by the author of Neferura, perfect for readers who loved Lilith.

Isis, goddess of thrones and magic, steals the crown of Egypt and hands the power to her husband, Osiris. Together, Isis and Osiris live an idyllic life, ruling justly until the god of chaos, set on revenge for a crime Isis knows nothing about, traps Osiris in a box—a box that quickly vanishes.

Driven by rage and desperation, Isis spends decades disguised as a human woman, isolated from home and family as she searches for her lost love. When she finally uncovers the box, what she finds will change her life—and the fate of gods and mortals—forever. Unless Isis can right the wrongs of a betrayal she didn’t commit and deliver Egypt into the hands of a worthy leader, Egypt will fall into chaos. 

Isis of Egypt: Goddess of Thrones is a feminist retelling about the woman behind one of the ancient world’s most widespread and enduring cults, a goddess whose message of empathy and resilience resonates still today.

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Thank you, NetGalley and Alcove Press, for this galley. I was under no obligation to leave a review. All opinions are my own.  

Peasreads: The Condiment Book by Claire Dinhut

This is a fun book that has so many great recipes that are easy and the ingredients are accessible. Clearly written and easy to follow.  I made a tofu marinade from the book and it was excellent.

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • From TikTok sensation Condiment Claire, a quirky and informative guide to the flavor enhancers we can’t get enough of, with dozens of recipes for making and using condiments of all descriptions

Claire Dinhut soared to internet fame tasting and rating hundreds of jams, mustards, and butters, showing how she incorporates condiments into virtually every bite she takes. Often posting from the remote French village where her father maintains a fourteenth-century mill, she delighted followers with her charmingly casual approach to preserving and pickling, showing how easy it is to transform seasonal produce and kitchen odds and ends into homemade condiments that will enhance any meal and create unique gifts.

The Condiment Book captures the role condiments play in defining food cultures around the world, pairing brief histories of flavoring agents from ketchup to kimchi with tutorials on creating unique flavor combos to suit your own palate. In chapters devoted to Butters and Salts, Fruit in Jars, Hot Sauces, Pickles and Ferments, Dips, and of course Mustards and Mayo, Claire guides readers through the making of condiments to give or keep, and offers a handful of “condiment companions” ideal for serving alongside the cook’s handiwork. Helpful charts and graphics give abundant ideas for pairing condiments and flavors, extending the use of these versatile products far beyond the expected.

Packed with lush photos, cheerful “doodles” and the whipsmart observations of a Harvard-educated, bilingual gourmand obsessed with everything salty, spicy, bitter, and sweet, The Condiment Book is the ideal gift for any cook eager to dip a toe into the world of preserving, or any food lover looking for new and exciting ways to use those bottles and jars knocking around their pantry.

Thank you for being here. Have a blessed day.

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Peasreads- Griefosaurus Helping Kids Name Big Feelings and Heal After Loss by Katie-Rose

Griefosaurus

Helping Kids Name Big Feelings and Heal After Loss

by Katie-Rose Fischer-Price

A children's book about grief. It was hard to read. But it was a good one. I was curious how the writer would address grief. This would be helpful for some kids. I cried like a baby, but I cry a lot lately with the loss of my dad and nephew these past couple of months.

It's hard to learn to sit with grief. You can't push it away. This helps as a reminder to sit with your grief because if you don't, it keeps being persistent 

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Peasreads: The Rainshadow Orphans by Naomi Ishiguro

 

The Rainshadow Orphans
The Rainshadow Series, Book One
by Naomi Ishiguro

This book is everything the description below promises. From dragons to bubble tea. The world Naomi Ishiguro has created is indeed magical and Studio Ghibli like. The characters are well written. The story is good. It flows well. For all of those elements, I would give this book a solid 5 stars. The thing is, it took me a long time to read this book because it was almost too wordy. The book could have been shorter and still a wonderful read. I don't know how to explain it. All in all I enjoyed the book. I want to know what happens next. I just hope it isn't a trilogy that could have been a duology. 

Description

Featuring stenciled edges and original art for the front and back endpapers.

The first novel in a dazzling fantasy trilogy inspired by Japanese folklore and Studio Ghibli films like Spirited Away, set within a mythical archipelago brimming with dragons and Sun Spirits, high-tech hackers and bubble tea.

Life is hard for the inhabitants of Rainshadow City, a place where poverty and corruption are rife and where they are terrorized by an underground criminal organization known as the Lucky Crows.

Toshiko, Jun and Mei Kawakami are a family, bonded through loyalty if not blood, who live outside the increasingly corrupt law and who are seeking revenge for the murder of their beloved “aunt” Reiko by the Lucky Crows. Haru is the son of the Emperor, destined to one day rule over the Archipelago and uphold his mother’s ignoble legacy, but he is more interested in making friends with the magical Sun Spirits it seems only he can see. Theo, forced to leave his homeland, is a reluctant foot-soldier for the Lucky Crows. He doesn’t want to be a gangster, but as an illegal immigrant to the city, his choices are severely limited.

When Toshiko steals a dragon pearl from the leader of the Crows, it sets them all on a thrilling path which will determine the future of Rainshadow City. Tightly set across two days and peopled with unforgettable characters, The Rainshadow Orphans blends the anime fantasy of works like Pokémon and Studio Ghibli and the anime science fiction of revolutionary cyberpunk like Akira to explore what it means to stand up to corruption and take charge of destiny.

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Thank you, NetGalley and Saga Press | S&S/Saga Press, for this galley. I was under no obligation to leave a review. All opinions are my own. 

Peasreads: Deathly Fates by Tesia Tsai

 

Tesia Tsai has woven a story so beautifully that I read it in two days. A story about duty, honor, love, letting go, and holding on. Fighting for what you love and knowing when to let go is best. Siying is a priestess who is tasked with guiding the deceased to their resting places. She lives in a kingdom that is in the midst of war. She takes on a job to bring a soldier to his home across the border. The soldier turns out to be the missing crown prince. When she reanimates him, he comes to life. Though not completely, she soon finds out that he needs qi to actually stay alive. They set off on a journey to bring him home, gathering purified qi along the way.

I do hope @illumicrate it @fairyloot will do a special edition of this one I can't wait to have a copy on my bookshelves.

Description

A sweeping debut inspired by the Chinese folk practice of necromancy, Deathly Fates is perfect for fans of Descendant of the Crane, The Bone Shard Daughter, and A Magic Steeped in Poison.

As a priestess paid to guide the deceased home, Kang Siying has never feared death. But when her beloved father collapses, Siying realizes that even she is not free from the cruel grasp of mortality. Desperate to provide her father with the medical aid he needs, Siying accepts a dangerous job that promises a generous commission, and travels to a hostile state to retrieve the corpse of a missing prince.

But the moment Siying places her reanimation talisman on the dead prince's head, rather than make the corpse obedient to Siying's commands, the talisman brings the prince back to life. Worse, he won't stay alive for long—not unless he absorbs enough qi, or life force, to keep his soul anchored to his body.

In return for a reward worth twice her original commission, Siying agrees to aid the frustratingly handsome prince in finding and purifying evil spirits for their qi. But as they journey across the countryside, encountering vengeful ghosts and enemy spies alike, they gradually uncover dark secrets about the prince's death—secrets that could endanger both Siying's father and their entire kingdom.

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Peasreads- A Year Without Home V.T. Bidnia

A Year Without Home

Ages 10 and up

 A poignant middle-grade novel in verse about a Hmong girl losing and finding home in the aftermath of the Vietnam War. For fans of Jasmine Warga and Veera Hiranandani. For eleven-year-old Gao Sheng, home is the lush, humid jungles and highlands of Laos. Home is where she can roll down the grassy hill with her younger siblings after her chores, walk to school, and pick ripe peaches from her family’s trees. But home becomes impossible to hold onto when the communist government takes over after U.S. troops pull out of the Vietnam War. The communists will be searching for any American allies, like Gao Sheng’s father, a Hmong captain in the Lao Army who fought alongside the Americans against the Vietnamese. If he’s caught, he’ll be killed. As the adults frantically make plans – contacting family, preparing a route, and bundling up their silver and gold, Gao Sheng wonders if she will ever return to her beloved Laos and what’s to become of her family now. Gao Sheng only knows that a good daughter doesn’t ask questions or complain. A good daughter doesn’t let her family down. Even though sometimes, she wishes she could be just a kid rolling down a grassy hill again. On foot, by taxi, and finally in a canoe, Gao Sheng and her family make haste from the mountains to the capitol Vientiane, and across the rushing Mekong River, to finally arrive at an overcrowded refugee camp in Thailand. As a year passes at the camp, Gao Sheng discovers how to rebuild home no matter where she is and finally find her voice.

Inspired by author V.T. Bidania’s family history, A Year Without Home illuminates the long, difficult journey that many Hmong refugees faced after the Vietnam War. V.T. Bidania was born in Laos and grew up in St. Paul, Minnesota. She has an MFA in creative writing from The New School and is a McKnight Artist Fellow. She is the author of the ASTRID AND APOLLO series, the first children's book series to star Hmong American characters, and A YEAR WITHOUT A HOME, a fictionalized memoir in verse about her family's escape from Laos at the end of the Vietnam War.

Peasreads: Your Soulmail Is Attached A Novel by Joan F. Smith

Your Soulmail Is Attached by Joan F. Smith

Harlequin Trade Publishing | MIRA

Pub Date Apr 14 2026

What can I say about this book? As described below, this book is about people receiving information about who their soulmate is. The world is changed overnight.  It isn't a hoax, it isn't traceable. The whole concept of a soulmate and there being one person that is out there for you is so mindblowing and unbelievable as it is. Then there is the question of what a soulmate is. The author, Joan F. Smith, must have done a lot of research. I had a very narrow description of what I considered a soulmate to be. Reading different takes on what a soulmate could be, reading how knowing could potentially be both good and bad for a population. It was so very interesting. I found myself going back and forth about how I would feel about knowing, if I would want to know, and what if I didn't like the information I was given? This made the book very interesting to me.

The FMC Olivia is thrust into the limelight as she accidentally becomes a viral sensation, and all of a sudden, all eyes are on her and her reports about Soulmail. Olivia doesn't want to know who her soulmate is. She's faced with many obstacles in navigating this new life and new world. I didn't agree with much of what she did but I could see what drove her to make the choices she made. Her character and history are complex. Navigating a world where information like this is out there is so new and nuanced. Smith did a wonderful job with this engaging, interesting romance that is so much more. Such a unique way to write about soulmates.

Description

What if everyone in the world found out who their soulmates are at the same time?

 

Olivia Adler’s life is picture-perfect: a behind-the-scenes job she loves in a bustling Manhattan newsroom, an engagement to golden-boy Wells, and a once-in-a-lifetime chance to create the documentary she’s always wanted to make.

 

Then one sleepless night, everything unravels.

 

One message on Wells’s phone shatters her engagement.

 

A second message—an anonymous global email quickly dubbed Soulmail—shakes the world.

 

Delivered to every individual on earth, Soulmail reveals the name and birthdate of their soulmates. Suddenly, love as the world knows it is rewritten overnight, and Olivia accidentally becomes the face of the phenomenon when she reports on the story live and goes viral.

 

With millions watching her every move, Olivia resolutely refuses to open her Soulmail. She’s not ready for fate to make her choices—especially not now. But when she crosses paths with her childhood best friend—the boy she loved and lost—everything she thought she knew about destiny, timing, and love comes into question.

 

Is true love written in the stars…or something we choose for ourselves?

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Thank you, NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing | MIRA, for this galley. I was under no obligation to leave a review. All opinions are my own. 

Peasreads- Behind Five Willows by June Hur

A delightful five-star read!  Set in the era when King Jeongjo issued a strict import ban on Chinese fiction and carried out extensive censorship of the writings of Joseon scholars in 1972.  Main character Haewon is the second daughter in her family. She loves to read fiction and works as an illegal book transcriber. One of her favorite authors that she transcribes for happens to be a noble, Seojun. He has status, and his family is well respected. No one knows that he is the man behind the pen name Black Lotus.  These two keep meeting and are thrown together when Haewon's sister Jade enters a courtship with Seojun's friend. Both quickly judged the other, but as they spend more time together, perhaps they judged wrong? The nod to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice was done so well in this book. It was romantic, with suspense and danger. I enjoyed reading this book so much, as stated before five stars!

Description

From the New York Times-bestselling author of A Crane Among Wolves comes a warm and romantic homage to Jane Austen set in historical Korea, about a reader and a writer who secretly fight against government book banning and find themselves irresistibly drawn together.

As the dutiful second-eldest daughter of a poor family, society would have Haewon believe that her only hope of a decent life is to marry well. But during a time of rampant government censorship and book banning, she instead works as an illegal book transcriber to make a little extra money. It’s dangerous work, but she loves it—especially when she gets to transcribe the work of her favorite author, known as Black Lotus.

When her older sister becomes smitten with a wealthy young gentleman, Haewon is roped into chaperoning them during their courtship. Which wouldn’t be so terrible... if it weren’t for the young man’s uptight and annoying best friend who also accompanies them.

As the only son of a noble, Seojun has a lot expected of him. Wealth. Status. Respectability. Certainly not frivolous and often illicit activities such as reading fiction. But Seojun loves to do something even more scandalous: writing. He’s kept his work secret from his father and friends, but with each passing day, the pressure of being his father’s son and the dispiriting actions of the government make Seojun question the purpose of it all. The only thing keeping him going are the encouraging letters he receives from his transcriber, known only as Magpie.

When his best friend falls hard for a girl of lower social status, Seojun finds himself forced to act as chaperone to the infatuated couple—along with the girl's younger sister, who is as irritating as she is judgmental. But as Haewon and Seojun spend more time together, they begin to suspect they may have judged each other too quickly...

Also by June Hur

The Silence of Bones

The Forest of Stolen Girls

The Red Palace

A Crane Among Wolves

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I received this egalley from NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Feiwel & Friends. I was under no obligation to give a review. All opinions are my own.  

Peasreads: Little Monk Writes Rain by Hsu-Kung Liu

 

Little Monk Writes Rain
by Hsu-Kung Liu
Translated by Rachel Wang Yung-Hsin

What a sweet story about a Monk who is kind, gentle, and not like everyone else. It's a beautiful story about blooming and growing at your own pace, in your own way, and keeping a soft heart in the midst of sadness and a world that can be cruel at times. 

I found this a calming read that can keep children and adults engaged. It is thought-provoking and encourages conversation about the characters and how they deal with adversity differently. The illustrations are so pretty also. 

Description

A Buddhist monk practices calligraphy every single day—calming his heart and bringing an unexpected gift to a nearby city.

As rain falls, Old Monk invites Little Monk to practice calligraphy. “Let’s write the character for rain!” he says. And with each brushstroke, Little Monk’s restless, anxious heart grows quiet.

For the next twenty years, as Little Monk becomes Big Monk, he sits down with his brush every day, meditating on and writing the character for “rain.” Until one day someone comes to the temple asking for help: the city has no water. All grown up now, Big Monk packs his things, hoping to do his part. But will a pile of calligraphy sheets make any difference?

This stunning book is horizontally bound, creating a vertical reading experience inspired by Chinese ink paintings and calligraphy hung on scrolls. With poetic text and watercolor art from Taiwanese author-illustrator Hsu-Kung Liu, Little Monk Writes Rain is an evocative tale of mindfulness, self-expression, and compassion. The simple, resonant story is sure to start conversations about how to find—and share—a sense of calm amid the storms of life. Translated from Chinese by Rachel Wang Yung-Hsin.

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Thank you, NetGalley and Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company | Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, for this galley. I was under no obligation to leave a review. All opinions are my own.