Haru: Book 1: Spring (Volume 1)

"This is the curse of the living: learning to continue without those we love."

This is the beginning of Haru and Yama's journey to get rid of a cursed item. I liked some of the fantastical elements. There's a whole sequence that gives me major Spirited Away vibes.

I didn't understand why the other birdies picked on Haru for being so different. Kids don't need a reason to be mean. But I think it's because they're blue? But with the muddy palette, you can't really tell the other birds aren't either. For some reason, Yama is a pig in a class of birds too.

Haru's parentage seems to play an interesting part. i'd so love a subversion with Goose being the chosen one and not Haru.

Yama reminds me of those infamous stories of people throwing out show more ouija boards and them appearing back. I told Yama telepathically to leave that mess alone, but she didn't listen to me lol.

I don't know if I like this story or not, but I'd read book 2 at least. This is a laying the foundation part of the story. show less

Adventure, friendship, and an exciting adventure swirl around unexpected heroes, who are determined to stop evil and save the world.

Haru is a small bird, who would love to fly, visit the world beyond the forest, and escape the small-minded bullies at school. Luckily, Haru has a best friend, Yama, who might be a boar but shares some of the same problems. Together, the two head out for adventure.

This is the first book in the series, and the plot runs exactly along the same lines—a beginning with much story to come...which means that diving into the following books will be a must to see where the adventure is heading.

This starts with a short tale about a battle between dark and light, where darkness' heart is left behind. It sets the show more background as well as a bit of urgency to the adventure. Then, we meet Haru and get to follow along through a bit of family and into troubles with others at school, where bullies reinforce Haru's desire to see more. When Yama comes in, sympathy builds and makes the friendship that much more golden. It's after this that the adventure first sparks. While the characters seem adorable, there's quite the dark side to the adventure...so much so that it eases this more toward the upper end of the age group and tweens. I wouldn't suggest it to more sensitive readers. For those readers who enjoy more, this darker side does create a nice tension and gives it a unique edge.

The illustrations carry an interesting mix and are well-done. It's enjoyable to flip through these and see the colors mix with the mood. The characters and their lean toward 'cute' meet this darker edge in all the right ways. The illustrations carry the tale well and make the moments sit.

While the cover seemed to radiate cuteness, this is a read with tension and dark twists. There are messages surrounding bullying, dreams, friendship, and going beyond the comfort zone to do what's right as well as the first sense of a coming-of-age adventure. The pacing felt a rough, grabbing at times and having me skimming at others, but it's a unique read in many ways. Fans of adventure with darker moments and heart-filled characters will enjoy it. I received a DRC through Edelweiss and enjoyed meeting Haru and his friends. show less

Haru is a nice mixture of buddy story, coming of age, whimsical and truly creepy.
I found myself stopping to keep my work partner updated on what was happening, which is not normal for me. In this first volume, our heroes have already been in mortal peril multiple times, and even though this is just the first of four (I believe) books, I wasn't always sure they were going to survive. I'm talking big time peril.
This is a fun and exciting read. The artwork is very nice, and the character development is slow but rewarding.
I look forward to reading the remaining stories in this series.
This book was provided to me at no charge by the publisher and NetGalley. My opinions are honestly and freely given.

Not at all what I was expecting, much more complex and interesting than the cover could’ve ever let me imagine.

A small, flightless bird called Haru lives with their sibling and their (ghost) mother. At school, Haru is teased by everyone except their best friend, Yama, a small pig. When a thorn-encrusted heart keeps finding Yama, they ask an old tree for advice, and go on a journey to rid themselves of the heart.

Part 1 of a planned 4.

See also: Lightfall

Really good artwork and some parts are dark. Enjoyed the story.

For the rest of the review, visit my Vlog at:

https://youtube.com/shorts/kfS95OoRDSE?feature=share

Enjoy!