Book Review: Fullmetal Alchemist Volume 3 by Hiromu Arakawa

Hello everyone,

Today’s review is going to be on Fullmetal Alchemist Volume 3 by Hiromu Arakawa.

This third volume starts with Ed and Al making it back to their hometown and getting fixed up by Winry and Granny, engineers who originally Ed his auto-mail prosthetics. During this short stay, Major Armstrong – who accompanied the brothers -finds out a little bit more about the Elric brothers’ past, and why they no longer have a home. However, we also learn they they have a found family with Winry and Granny. The first chapter ends with them leaving for Central and Winry finding a bolt of sorts that might be important to one of the brothers.

The next chapter shows the Elric brothers arriving in Central and discovering that the library branch that houses the document they are looking for has been burned down. However, they are put in contact with a bookworm, Ms. Sheska, who has a photographic memory and remembers every detail of the document and writes it down for them. They then have to solve the cipher that it is written in, however, Ed is distraught to discover that a human life is required in order to use the Philosopher’s Stone. We also revisit Gluttony and Lust, who are in the Eastern city and are looking for Scar so that they can deal with him. There is a confrontation between him and Gluttony, but it fades to black and readers have to wait to find out what happens.

The Elric brothers not only discover what is needed in order to use the Philosopher’s Stone, they also discover that there is a secret lab in Central and they go to investigate it. While there both of them face off against different opponents that seem to be the results of the experiments conducted in the lab. In fact, one of them is similar to Al because he to is a soul trapped in armor. We also see that Scar escaped from Gluttony’s attack and both he and Lust decide they need to report back to a character called “Father”, who has yet to be revealed.

The last chapter continues where the previous one ended, with both brothers fighting an opponent. Al’s opponent gets in his head and starts making him question if he is who he thinks he is and how does he know what he knows. Meanwhile, Ed defeats his opponent, but just before he can get more information from him, he is destroyed by Envy, who has arrived at the lab with Lust and it ends with them seeing that Ed is there. It will be interesting to see what transpires in the next volume.

Overall, I did enjoy this installment of Fullmetal Alchemist and I’m looking forward to seeing more of the story unfold.

Happy Reading,

Janelle L. C.

First Line Fridays #111 – The Bookshop of Second Chances by Jackie Fraser

Hello everyone,

Welcome to another installment of First Line Fridays hosted by Reading Is My Superpower.

“Yesterday was Valentine’s Day.” – The Bookshop of Second Chances by Jackie Fraser.

Happy Reading,

Janelle L. C.

Book Review: Fullmetal Alchemist Volume 2 by Hiromu Arakawa

Hello everyone,

Today’s review is on Fullmetal Alchemist Volume 2 by Hiromu Arakawa. Just a short note: this review will contain a couple of spoilers for the first volume, as well as for this volume of the series.

The first chapter follows the Elric brothers as they try to find more information about transmutation and undoing the effects of their failed experiment. They meet with another alchemist who has done research on the subject and has experimented with chimera. Everything seems normal until they return and find that Mr. Tucker has used his daughter and transmutated her with the dog. This then leads to Ed trying to come to terms with how people’s lives should not be played with – even in the name of science – as well as whether his position in the army does the same thing. In other words, he starts having an existential crisis. The ned of this chapter introduces a new character, Scar, who sees himself doing what he believes as God’s work by destroying those that would considered an abomination.

The next chapter shows the aftermath of Tucker’s death, as well as the Elric brothers coming to terms with it. Readers also revisit the deadly sins, Gluttony and Lust, and it is revealed that Father Cornello was really the sin Envy in disguise. Their plans are still slightly ambiguous, however they do reveal that they also fear this mysterious Scar character. The chapter ends with Ed going up against Scar, who wants to kill him and Alphonse.

Chapter 7 reveals more about Scar and why he is seeking to kill not just Ed, but other state alchemists. He is the survivor from a people group called the Ishtalans who were wiped out during a civil war 13 years previously by the state alchemists. So Scar is trying to get justice for the genocide of his people by wiping out the alchemists, but he also doesn’t care how many innocent people are killed in the process. During his fight with Ed and the other alchemists he disappears and the search is on. However, both Ed and Al are in need of repairs.

Chapter 8 follows the Elric brother, who are joined by Major Armstrong, as they journey t their hometown so that they can be repaired. However, their journey is cut short when Major Armstrong spots a former alchemist for the state. They decide to go after him because he might have the information about transmutation that they are looking for. He does have the information, but he refuses to help them, but then he reconsiders and gives the location of his data on the subject matter. We then learn that the seven deadly sins had given him the data originally and Lust pays him a visit to find the location o it. She manages to get it out of him and it is a race between her and the Elric brothers to see who will get the data first.

I really enjoyed this volume of Fullmetal Alchemist! So much happens, yet it is all part of a bigger narrative that is slowly being revealed. I am looking forward to seeing what happens in the next volume and I will say that so far this series is unpredictable, I don’t know what to expect and I love it! 4/5 Stars.

Happy Reading,

Janelle L. C.

Book Review: Home Is Not A Country by Safia Elhillo

Hello Everyone,
Today’s review is on Home Is Not A Country by Safia Elhillo.

About the Book

A novel in verse about family, identity, and finding yourself in the most unexpected places.

Nima doesn’t feel understood. By her mother, who grew up far away in a different land. By her suburban town, which makes her feel too much like an outsider to fit in and not enough like an outsider to feel like that she belongs somewhere else. At least she has her childhood friend Haitham, with whom she can let her guard down and be herself. Until she doesn’t.

As the ground is pulled out from under her, Nima must grapple with the phantom of a life not chosen, the name her parents didn’t give her at birth: Yasmeen. But that other name, that other girl, might just be more real than Nima knows. And more hungry. And the life Nima has, the one she keeps wishing were someone else’s. . .she might have to fight for it with a fierceness she never knew she had. 

My Thoughts

I had first attempted to read this when I was sick with COVID at the beginning of the year, that was not a great idea, so I decided to put it aside until I was recovered. And I am glad I did!

Home Is Not a Country is a novel-in-verse that captures the story of Nima, a young woman who feels like she doesn’t fit in. She is torn between two cultures, that of living in America, and the country of her birth (which is never named). She feels like she is a disappointment to her mother and that she is nothing like the daughter she had hoped for.

I liked the novel, however it took a kind of unexpected turn that was a little weird. I liked the lesson that Nima learns but it caught me off guard.

Overall, I though Home Is Not A Country was an interesting novel. It isn’t a new favorite, but I am looking forward to reading more from Safia Elhillo in the future. 3/5 Stars.

Happy Reading,

Janelle L. C.

First Line Fridays #110 – The Perfect Nanny by Leila Slimani

Hello Everyone,

Welcome to another installment of First Line Fridays hosted by Reading Is My Superpower.

“The baby is dead. It only took a few seconds.” – The Perfect Nanny by Leila Slimani.

Happy Reading,

Janelle L. C.

Book Review: The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

Hello everyone,

Today’s review is on The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune.

About the Book

Linus Baker is a by-the-book case worker in the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. He’s tasked with determining whether six dangerous magical children are likely to bring about the end of the world.

Arthur Parnassus is the master of the orphanage. He would do anything to keep the children safe, even if it means the world will burn. And his secrets will come to light.

The House in the Cerulean Sea is an enchanting love story, masterfully told, about the profound experience of discovering an unlikely family in an unexpected place—and realizing that family is yours.

My Thoughts

I’d been a little hesitant to pick up The House in the Cerulean Sea because of how hyped it has been since it was first released. However, I’ve also been curious to see why this book is loved by many. I enjoyed learning more about this world, although it seems like it is also a drab society.

Linus was sometimes a bit annoying to read from at times, especially at the beginning when he is so caught up in rules and regulations. But I loved seeing him grow as he gets to know the children of Marysas orphanage and Arthur, and how this assignment ends up changing his life forever. I liked getting to know Arthur and how he shows Linus that the children are people, and how they are not the sum of whichever magical species they are, but their character, and that they too have the potential to do good.

I loved how Arthur and Linus influence each other for the better in very different ways, but yet encourage each other to be who they truly are. Ultimately, this novel is about acceptance, as well as how ignorance breeds fear and results in those who are different as being other. Everyone is worthy of love and acceptance, no matter how different they are from us. I look forward to reading more from TJ Klune in the future. 4/5 Stars.

Happy Reading,

Janelle L. C.

Book Review: Love & Saffron by Kim Fay

Hello everyone,

Today’s review is on Love & Saffron by Kim Fay.

About the Book

The #1 Indie Next Pick, in the vein of the classic 84, Charing Cross Road and Meet Me at the Museum, this witty and tender novel follows two women in 1960s America as they discover that food really does connect us all, and that friendship and laughter are the best medicine.

When twenty-seven-year-old Joan Bergstrom sends a fan letter–as well as a gift of saffron–to fifty-nine-year-old Imogen Fortier, a life-changing friendship begins. Joan lives in Los Angeles and is just starting out as a writer for the newspaper food pages. Imogen lives on Camano Island outside Seattle, writing a monthly column for a Pacific Northwest magazine, and while she can hunt elk and dig for clams, she’s never tasted fresh garlic–exotic fare in the Northwest of the sixties. As the two women commune through their letters, they build a closeness that sustains them through the Cuban Missile Crisis, the assassination of President Kennedy, and the unexpected in their own lives.

Food and a good life–they can’t be separated. It is a discovery the women share, not only with each other, but with the men in their lives. Because of her correspondence with Joan, Imogen’s decades-long marriage blossoms into something new and exciting, and in turn, Joan learns that true love does not always come in the form we expect it to. Into this beautiful, intimate world comes the ultimate test of Joan and Imogen’s friendship–a test that summons their unconditional trust in each other.

A brief respite from our chaotic world, Love & Saffron is a gem of a novel, a reminder that food and friendship are the antidote to most any heartache, and that human connection will always be worth creating.

My Thoughts

I’ll be honest by saying that I was initially interested in picking up Love & Saffron because of it’s gorgeous cover. I then also discovered that it was an epistalory novel, which immediately sold me on reading it (I’m a huge sucker for epistalory novels). And I was not disappointed.

I loved learning about both Joan and Imogen and the different places they are in their lives, but yet strike up a friendship based on food and the exploration of different flavors. I also liked that it was set in the ’60s, although I will admit that I had to keep reminding myself that it was set then, especially when certain things came up that seemed like non-issues because they are today. It was also interesting to learn more about Los Angeles in the 1960s.

My only complaint is something that happens near the end of the novel, and I am not okay, but in the best way! I can’t say what it is because it is a spoiler, but if you know, you know what I’m talking about.

I also loved how this friendship changed both women’s lives for the better, as well as their relationships.

Overall, I really liked Love & Saffron, however, I do wish it was a little bit longer. I do plan on reading more from Kim Fay in the future! 4/5 Stars.

Happy Reading,

Janelle L. C.

First Line Fridays #109 – The Forest of Stolen Girls by June Hur

Hello Everyone,

Welcome to another installment of First Line Fridays hosted by Reading Is My Superpower.

“The screen of mist was thick around the red pine wood vessel, as though secrets hid beyond a land I was not permitted to see.” – The Forest of Stolen Girls by June Hur.

Happy Reading,

Janelle L. C.

Book Review: Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr

Hello everyone,

Today’s review is on Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr.

About the Book

Hiroshima-born Sadako is lively and athletic–the star of her school’s running team. And then the dizzy spells start. Soon gravely ill with leukemia, the “atom bomb disease,” Sadako faces her future with spirit and bravery. Recalling a Japanese legend, Sadako sets to work folding paper cranes. For the legend holds that if a sick person folds one thousand cranes, the gods will grant her wish and make her healthy again. Based on a true story, Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes celebrates the extraordinary courage that made one young woman a heroine in Japan.

My Thoughts

I came across Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes at work and remembered hearing about it several months ago. After reading the synopsis I knew I wanted to read it as soon as I got home, even though I knew it would be very sad.

For a really short book, it packs a punch in the best possible way. Just as we as readers get to know Sadako and her hopes for the future, we see her dreams of being a runner fall by the wayside when she is diagnosed with leukemia, as an after affect of the the bombing of Hiroshima at the end of World War 2. I loved Sadako’s hope and tenacity to get better, even though she would never recover. It was hard to read towards the end, even though what happens is no surprise to readers, it is still heart-breaking. It was a beautiful reminder of the casualties of war, as well as long lingering affects that may not be known for years to come.

Overall, Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes is a book I wish I had read as a kid, and I hope to share this beautiful story with my kids some day. 5/5 Stars.

Happy Reading,

Janelle L. C.

Book Haul #3

Hello everyone,

Welcome to another book haul! Last month was my birthday, so several of these books are gifts from others, as well as gifts to myself. Right now I am on a book buying ban until I go visit my friend Allison in Colorado in a couple of weeks, which I am looking forward to hanging out with, as well as doing some book shopping while I’m there. Here are the books I’ve acquired recently:

Born a Crime by Trevor Noah

This was a birthday present from my brother (shout out to Micaiah if you happen to be reading this!). I’m really excited to read it because I like Trevor Noah, and I remember watching some of his stand-up comedy specials before he took over The Daily Show. Also, some of you may know, I grew up in South Africa, however it was post-Apartheid, I’m looking forward to reading from the perspective of someone who grew up mixed-race near the end Apartheid and how those experiences shaped him into the person he is today. I also expect that this going to be really funny, while also touching on some hard subject matters.

Deathnote, Volume 1 by Tsugumi Ohba

This was another birthday present from my brother, and I’m excited to get to it. I’ve heard some really great things about Deathnote, however I am saving it for closer to Halloween because it looks like it might also be a little creepy.

Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood

This was my Book of the Month pick for September, and I am so glad it is because I read The Love Hypothesis (my review will be up soon) and I absolutely loved it!

Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan

I’ll admit that this partially a cover buy because this cover is absolutely gorgeous! But I’d also heard some really good things about, and I was intrigued by the synopsis. I had a gift card to Barnes & Noble so I decided to order it online. I read it almost as soon as I got it, and I really enjoyed it! My review for it will be up sometime next month.

My Killer Vacation by Tessa Bailey

I got this in the same order as Daughter of the Moon Goddess because I had to reach a certain amount to get free shipping, so I decided to add this to my cart because it sounded amazing. A murder mystery with some steam, sign me up! I’m hoping to get to this one sometime this month.

Funny Feelings by Tarah DeWitt

This was the last book I got in that order with the previous two books. I just happened upon it while scrolling through Barnes and Nobles website and I was immediately drawn by the cover, it looks so pretty and autumnal! I also looked up ratings on Goodreads, and it has pretty high ratings and it is an indie published book, which is something I am wanting to get into a bit more. It follows a comedian and her manager and the sparks that fly between them. I am definitely getting to this soon!

A Whole New World by Liz Braswell

This was a surprise gift from my husband Nathan (shout out to Nathan if you’re reading this! I love you!), and I’m excited to add another installment of this series to my collection. This is another one I am hoping to get to soon, and I am looking forward to seeing how Liz Braswell turns Aladdin on its head.

And those are all the books I have recently hauled!

Happy Reading,

Janelle L. C.