House of Frank is a cozy fantasy focused on processing grief and the different forms it takes. I loved the variety of characters that populate this story and how they help each other get through the most difficult parts of life. Anyone who is ready to feel their feels and love on some wonderful characters should check out this book.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book. I would describe this book as an ode to grief. I'm not sure how I would feel about the book if I was actively grieving when I read it, but I definitely found it moving, and loved the characters.

DNF. I felt confused for most of the book. The concept is amazing, and I was eager to dive into a cozy fantasy setting, but the style wasn't working for me. The characters felt plain, the dialogue empty, as if there wasn't any passion in the writing. I would love to give the author another chance in another book, but this wasn't for me.

This was such a beautiful story. It made me more emotional than I was prepared for, but I’m not mad about it

This book was so emotional and heartfelt. Truly an unexpected gem. You should definitely going to need to have tissues ready going in but the character work is amazing and definitely worth the tears that you are going to shed.

a different kind of cozy fantasy, HOUSE OF FRANK is both a warm hug and a tearjerker. Beautifully queer, kind to its readers, and a comfort read while also making you think, I think its a breath of fresh air amongst the genre

I wasn't completely sure what to expect from this, but it was a really pleasant surprise! I'm really impressed with the comforting and healing way this book managed to talk about death, grief and remembrance. It has a super interesting cast of characters where the characters aren't just fun, kind and loveable, but they are flawed and complex. The writing fit the story really well, and felt very immersive.

What a fresh, heartfelt and heartwarming, queer found family story—absolutely sobbed my way through parts of it, but left with my heart feeling healed. Thank you for this, Kay! Cannot wait for more!

I won't be reading this. I've tried multiple times and haven't gotten into it. Thank you though for the opportunity. If I read it in the future I will come back and change this review.

While the premise was nice, the writing was... not what I expected. I wanted more from the characters because I felt that what was on the front cover and the front flap was not what we were given.

The story has a really lovely way at addressing grief and I love the found family trope. Overall I enjoyed this book but it did feel a little slow at a fe wparts

Sadly didn't enjoy this. It was an interesting take on grief but it didn't really hold my attention.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this book for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

If you're looking for a novel about how different folks deal with grief, this is a great one for you. There are many different characters here, all grieving in their own healthy and unhealthy ways. There is also some interesting worldbuilding, especially where witches were concerned. The idea that magic is like schooling and that you choose an area to specialize in was a very interesting one to me. I liked most of the characters on their own. Even though Saika is a little annoying at times, I still found her likable and interesting enough.

What frustrated me to no end was the characters' interactions with each other. For a novel that promised found family vibes, there sure is a lot of secret-keeping, miscommunication, and misleading each other that really got to me. I also did not feel a lot of chemistry between Oli and Taika if I'm being honest. I LOVE a good found family novel, but this one really disappointed me on that front, which is a bummer, because I really liked the concept.

I knew little of this book going in, except that some people were describing it as a cozy fantasy. I think it's an accurate definition, since it shares a lot of imagery and themes typical of the sub-genre: an isolated setting, an old house, cozy meals, and found family. Compared to many books in that sub-genre, however, this one had a lot to say and did it in an effective manner.

It explores difficult themes (mainly grief and how it changes people, but also disability and trauma), with care and an emphasis on community and healing together, while maintaining a certain whimsical quality that lightens the tone and keep it hopeful.
The interactions between the characters felt believable, earned, and therefore compelling. There were a lot of secrets and miscommunication between them, but they made sense for their personalities and didn't feel forced.

Moving to the negatives, I found the writing a little plain for my taste. I think something more lyrical would have been better suited for this story.
I also thought some elements didn't quite click with the rest (for example the treatment of Bee).

Despite my small grievances, throughout the reading I was committed to see these characters find solace and peace. Several moments (especially the main character's flashbacks with her sister and the ending) made me tear up a bit.
I recommend House of Frank to folks looking for a cozy fantasy with some depth, and anyone who wants to read a quiet exploration of grief.

Saika, a witch, arrives at the famous Ash Gardens to plant her sister's ashes. Saika is full of trepidation: her sister was her best friend, and though it's been some time since her Fiona's death, Saika is still deeply grieving. She made some decisions when her sister initially fell ill that continue to haunt and affect her, and that have left her without her parents' love, magic-less, and no way forward with her life.

Ash Gardens is run by a kind, mythical beast named Frank; his beloved, and dead wife (and witch) Kye and he established the gardens as a way for people to plant their loved ones' remains, which would then magically grow into a tree.

Much as Saika likes the idea of the trees, she's not ready to go through with a ceremony for Fi, and Frank, noting her reluctance, offers her a place to stay and a way to work at Ash Gardens. The other occupants of the house each have their own losses, and welcome her into their ranks. Saika, though lacking her magical abilities, gradually begins helping as best she can, and when Frank comes to her with a problem that he feels only she and the resident, cranky elf can work on to fix various magical issues cropping up, such as the crumbling parts of the house, Saika gladly jumps in.

As things go from small irritants to big, even catastrophic problems, Saika becomes a member of the house and its diverse family: two cherubs, a fairy, a mute ghost, the elf, a witch and a half witch. Saika begins contributing in every way she can, and though she isn't even aware of it, she begins healing as she's shown love and kindness.

Author Kay Sinclaire had me in tears repeatedly. Saika is stuck in overwhelming pain and sadness, and though her choices, some quite harmful, led her to some not great places mentally and magically, and she doesn't always tell the truth to her fellow staff when it's necessary, she's on a journey and Sinclaire carefully charts this. Saika must dismantle one mental barrier after another over the course of this emotional and satisfying novel, choosing to trust others, opening herself up and giving care and kindness in return. She also manages to find some romance in this sweet story.

I enjoyed this book a lot, and look forward to more from this author.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Bindery Books for this ARC in exchange for my review.

Sadly DNF 16%. Im finding the narrative style quite cumbersome, although I’m sure it’s meant to be charming and whimsical. I enjoyed the magical and cozy components of this. I love that it has a wide variety of representation. I think for some this could be a story they find solace in. I’m just having a hard time getting into the writing style.

House of Frank was a beautiful story of grief and the power of found family that brings about a new reason to live and persevere.

The characters were so beautifully developed and following Saika’s jounrney through her grief was hard yet beautifully done. Saika navigates the stages of grief while working at the arboretum and we see how her inability to address her loss, of her sister and her powers, drives her determination to fix and save Ash Gardens.

The representation of different identities, different love, and found family truly made this book radiate acceptance and ever lasting love. I truly could not put it down.

Absolutely a warm hug, dealt with some deep emotions, but sometimes you need that in a good story. Definitely a wonderful re-read, and cannot recommend enough!

This was kind of a cozy fantasy but also didn't feel very cozy at the same time because it explores grief and loneliness so deeply. I knew going in that this book would cover those topics so I was mostly ready, but I was not expecting to feel every page and every line so much. These characters are now so close to my heart, and I think I'll be ruminating on this book for a long time.

The story was beautiful and atmospheric. The characters were so complex and defined. I never worried about mixing any of them up as I was reading. I wanted to be part of this found family so bad. I can't wait for more from this author!

I think everyone should read this book but I would tell those who have recently lost a loved one to wait a little while before picking it up. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC!

I’ll be honest I put this book off for a while because the other Bindery book I read disappointed me and I’m sad to say this one is the same. This book is comped to The House in the Cerulean Sea, likely for found family and whimsy reasons, and it just doesn’t reach the same heights. The characters were all strangely aggressive toward each other, excluding Frank, and it made for an uncomfortable reading experience. I think having one abrasive relationship could have worked but there were far too many characters that were introduced as antagonistic.

The world building was also clunky and a bit of a mess. What really stood out to me was a moment where Saika was explaining some magical lore to a character who would be from this world and would know the lore. To me that shows some poor writing that should have been fixed in the editing phase. Overall I thought the lore was kind of nonsensical, like why is it weird that Oli is purple and has fangs but not that Frank is a Minotaur thing. I think that the concept of a magical arboretum and the grief storyline could have worked, but I think a magical realism setting would have been better.

For all of his faults I think you’re better off reading The Whispering Door by TJ Klune if you want to see these themes explored.

Again I’m bummed to have not liked this because I really loved Bindery’s mission. This was part of the first group of releases that they put out so it’s possible the editing just wasn’t there yet. Since I feel so strongly about the mission I’ll keep trying to find the book of theirs that really works for me.

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a free e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.