This is a lovely story that really focuses on how all-consuming grief can be. I found this to be a fairly cozy fantasy. I thought the topic was heavy, but well done. However, I thought the ending was a little unsatisfying and I thought there should have been more character building for both Saika and Frank's wife Kye. It felt like there should have been like 50 pages more of exposition for this to have been a truly satisfying read for me.

Saika is a witch whose sister died two years ago. Her last promise to her sister was to bury her ashes at Ash Gardens. When Saika arrives at Ash Gardens, she discovers she isn't quite ready to part with her sister. Instead, she opts to stay and work at Ash Gardens. Only she isn't a full-powered witch; she has to rely on the energy of a dying star to fuel her enchantments. As Saika works to hide her secret, she discovers that everyone in Ash Gardens is grieving someone, and that Ash Gardens is falling apart. The magic holding the house together is failing, and Frank, the enigmatic owner, is becoming more and more forgetful.

Saika works with the motley crew of Ash Gardens to hold ceremonies for other families and hold together Ash Gardens. There is found family and a little romance at the heart of the story. As cute and heartwarming as this was, I felt like there was a real lack of character growth for Saika. She does find a way to deal with her grief and find joy, but ultimately, I thought she was a little selfish and had too much of an "I know best" attitude. I also thought for how much Frank had built a sanctuary for people to honor their loved ones, he was pretty careless with the people who lived with him. Frank kept huge secrets and used Saika almost like a scapegoat to fix his problems.

Even though I had some issues with this book, I still thought it was lovely and would recommend it.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bindery Books - Ezeekat Press for the advanced copy; all opinions are my own.

I had to sit on this review for a while, just to make sure I was accurately encapsulating my expering whilst reading House of Frank. In a way, it felt almost as though I had lived the grief experience of Saika along with her, and once the book came to a close, I had to continue that journey and detox to fully comprehend what it was that I had just read.

To start, I will fully acknowledge that House of Frank is not a book for everyone. In fact, in some ways, I can see how readers may find the novel to be stale, slow and the character unlikable. But that was not my experience. I think to truly appreciate the core of House of Frank, you must first have experienced a significant loss or trauma to best understand Saika as an individual and narrator. There is some nuance in her reluctance to let go of her sister, despite promises that were made. I understood Saika in a way that I have never understood a novel character, and it was just as easy to put myself in her shoes.

There is something to be said about taking a tragic experience and spinning it into a cozy tale of wonder, hope and betterment. Despite the unfolding of Saika’s backstory, and her perceived unlikability as a result, Saika felt real. Her stubbornness, propensity for putting herself where she didn’t belong, and instigating some of the altercations in the book were all completely in character, and whereas normally I would be wholly annoyed, I found myself marveling at how real she felt in the moment. And, I think, that was part of the intention. We were supposed to identify with and recognize that much of what Saika does is a result of grief, and the every day person has done crazier things in moments of high emotion or desperation.

The diverse cast of characters further adds to the ambiance of what House of Frank has to offer, as we learn over time that each worker at the Ash Gardens is dealing with their own form of loss or grief in their own way. Each of these characters, too, is pivotal to Saika’s story as she herself becomes a caretaker to the Gardens in an effort to prolong burying her sister and allowing her to “become something beautiful.”

The writing, too, was unique. Primarily written from a first-person perspective, there is the occasional drop of a second-person passage where Saika speaks directly to her deceased sister, another trait of someone suffering from a loss and coping with it as best they can.

Overall, I can’t say enough about how much I enjoyed this book. I believe the grief was handled masterfully and respectfully and the novel felt wholly magical despite its content. Did it have its moments and qualities that weren’t as enjoyable? Yes, as all books do. But those moments weren’t enough to detract from the love I have developed for this story.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Kay Sinclaire, and Bindery Books/Ezeekat Press for the opportunity to read this eArc in exchange for a fair and honest review.

𝘛𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦, 𝘚𝘢𝘪, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦. 𝘋𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘰𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯. 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥. 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘭.

This cozy fantasy story is moving, heartbreaking, and beautifully explores the different ways people face grief and their journey towards healing. Paired with heartwarming moments of found family and a touch of sapphic romance, House of Frank by Kay Synclaire has captured my attention from the very first page and has kept me emotionally invested till the end.

𝘠𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘰 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧𝘪𝘴𝘩, 𝘍𝘪. 𝘋𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦, 𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘵? 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘶𝘯𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘥. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯'𝘵. 𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰 𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶.

Told in the protagonist's POV as if she were writing a letter to her deceased sister, the story brings us to Ash Gardens - a place where ashes are planted and eventually grow into beautiful trees sustained with magic. Saika meets the owner, Frank - a fury beast, and the rest of the Ash Gardens staff: twin cherubs, an old witch, a light fairy, a ghost, a half witch, and an elf. As Saika wasn't ready to plant her sister's ashes just yet, Frank invites her to stay with them in exchange for her services as a witch. Thus begins her journey to rediscovering herself and learning to love again with the help of the people she now calls her family.

...𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘣𝘶𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘦𝘢 𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥..., 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘪𝘴, 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘮𝘯 𝘣𝘪𝘨."

This book has left me heartbroken and hopeful in unexpected ways. It's definitely a 5⭐ read! This book is set to be released on October 15, 2024.

I discovered this book through @ezeekat and I knew I just got to dive into it. Thank you @netgalley and @bindery_books for this ARC!

This was such a beautiful book. By the time this story was coming to a close I was in tears turning the last page. The way the fanciful characters which range from cherubs to witches are written is masterful in taking the reader through a story of grief. I will be shouting my praise for this book for years to come.

When Saika arrives at Ash Gardens to fulfill her sister’s final wish—to have her ashes planted there—she gets a lot more than she bargained for. Ash Gardens is home to a variety of magical beings, including a light fairy, a ghost, and several other witches.

I loved the found family aspect of this novel! It was beautiful to see Saika open up and to learn about each of the characters and what brought them to Ash Gardens. This book was really an exploration of grief, family, and aging, and it was done beautifully. There was a bit of a mystery involved, and some romance.

If you liked the Seven Year Slip & how it handled grief, and you’re looking for a witchy book for autumn, this might be for you! Check the trigger warnings though!


A great debut from Kay Sinclaire! Thank you to Bindery and NetGalley for the arc.

"A warm and hopeful story of a lonely witch consumed by grief who discovers a whimsical cast of characters in a magical arboretum--and the healing power of found family."

The premise of this story sounded right up my alley because I love a cozy fantasy story and found family is one of my favorite tropes. Unfortunately, this story fell short on the found family aspect and I didn't enjoy it as much as I hoped I would.

Major issues I had with this story include the writing style, the characterizations of the characters and their behavior towards one another, and also the greater world the story is set in. The story is written mostly in first person POV, which can work if done well and I didn't mind it too much. However, our narrator, Saika, often switches to second person POV as she's talking to her deceased sister. It was just so jarring each time and didn't make for a seamless reading experience. Also, being in Saika's mind isn't super enjoyable because she's very unlikable.

The characters. Sigh. Saika, our main character and narrator, is just not great. We slowly find out about her back story and that does not add to her likability. She seems very selfish and and unaware of her decisions and how they affect others. Without spoiling it, she makes a big decision for someone else, and fails to see how that wasn't her place. It made me so mad. Oh and Saika is a witch. The remaining cast of characters also include cherubs, other witches, a mythical beast (?), an Elf, a fairy, a half witch and half gargoyle and a ghost. It just seemed like random choices and that there wasn't much care put into which the author chose each creature. I don't think we really get enough about each character to care about them. I think if there were less characters, maybe the author could've fleshed them out a bit more. However, everything fit very surface level, and we got a bit deeper into a few of them. Also, the romance. That needed so much work, I didn't feel a lick of chemistry between those two.

The world outside of the House of Frank confused me. We don't really get a time of when this story is set and it seems modern but then there were random words used that made it seem more historical. For instance, someone from Saika's past runs into her and she refers to her as Madam Saika and her brother in law as Master Jonathan. Saika is getting to know one of the characters and said they had a lot of "suitors". It just gave an older setting but we never know when it's set. Also anything out of the house was considered "the city". There doesn't seem to be much world beyond The House but then also Saika and another character mention different countries they've visited and they've "sailed the seas" so I guess there is, it just wasn't set up well.

I just didn't love this story. Saika goes to the House of Frank to honor her sister's dying wish to be buried in their arboretum and I just never understood her motivations for why it was taking her so long to do so. The characters didn't feel like found family, they felt like a dysfunctional group of randoms in a house that was falling apart. They ignored major issues that were going on with their housemates. The ghost couldn't communicate to anyone except the fairy somehow? The premise is great and it starts off feeling cozy but that was taken away the more we learn about Saika and see the interactions with the residents of The House. The "twists" weren't that great and it didn't feel very developed. I think this story needed more time, more character work and more work on the magic and the plot.

Also, unsure if this is supposed to be adult or young adult, but it feels very young adult to me.

Get your tissues ready, this one will have you crying so dang hard! I should have known, I'm a mess at funerals, even for strangers. And this book is one. long. funeral. But oh my god is it beautifully told! Every type of grief is covered here, not just loss of a sister. Please read the trigger warnings and understand that there is very little light hearted fare in this story. This is a house full of people in pain who are trying their best to heal while running a literal funeral home. SO, yeah it gets deep and sad. I had to pause reading this 3 times to pull myself together. All of this may sound critical, but this was honestly the best representation of grief that I've ever read. There are full character arcs, a huge variety of cast, and an abundance of compassion that, while not cozy, is very reassuring as you are down in the dumps crying. If you can handle stories of grief, this is one worth reading. But proceed with caution, because this one will stick with you for a while!

**Thank you NetGalley and Ezeekat Press for the eARC**

The vibes of this book were giving a cozy fantasy featuring a found family of magical beings who are learning how to carry on after the death of a loved one and save their home from unknown forces

I loved all of the characters at the house excluding Saika. Which is unfortunate given that she is our main character. Overall I was annoyed with the way she bulldozed her way into everyone’s life and needed to learn their trauma and why they were at Franks. Given the work that Frank does I think it would be safe to assume that they have all lost someone and that they maybe wouldn’t want to immediately divulge this information to a literal stranger? But the morning after she accepts Frank’s offer to stay she begins interrogating everyone about why they are there, yet she doesn’t want to tell anyone why her sister died. The way she found out about everyone didn’t feel like it was genuine or natural, it felt forced and like she was being nosey.

Additionally there were times that I found the jumps between Saikas inner monologue to her talking to her sister to be jarring in a way that took me out of the story. There were times where it just felt so repetitive and honestly I could have done without it.

Overall I really enjoyed the plot of the book and the journey of saving the house, breaking the curses, and learning to let someone go when they die. I just wish that I enjoyed our main character more.

*Thank you to Bindery Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review*

In House of Frank, Kay Synclaire tells a touching story that blends themes of grief, love, and the idea of finding family in unexpected places. The main character, Saika, is a witch who feels powerless after losing her sister. She goes to Ash Gardens to fulfill her sister's last wish of planting her ashes there. This magical place, always stormy, is run by Frank, a giant creature in a cozy cardigan, who offers Saika a job as one of the caretakers. This setup opens the door to a journey of healing and connection.

As the story progresses, Saika, still struggling with her sister's death from two years ago, takes Frank's offer. She uses a piece of a fallen star to perform magic, even though she hasn’t been able to connect with her powers since her sister passed away. The gardens become a backdrop for her self-discovery, where she meets a colorful group of characters, including twin cherubs who bicker, a ghost who can't speak, a grumpy elf, and a half-witch who can be quite annoying. Each character brings their own stories and challenges, which Saika learns to navigate as she faces her own grief.

Synclaire's writing is vivid and engaging, creating a strong sense of place in Ash Gardens. The atmosphere feels both magical and a bit sad, with beautiful descriptions of the plants and the quirky interactions among the characters. This combination of warmth and whimsy contrasts nicely with the heavier themes of loss and sadness.

One of the book's strong points is how it explores the thin line between love and grief. Synclaire shows how these feelings can exist together, allowing Saika to find joy again while still remembering her sister. The sweet romance between Saika and Oli adds another layer to the story, making it relatable and heartwarming. Each character is well-crafted, with their own unique backgrounds that make them stand out.

Some readers might find the pacing a bit slow since the story focuses more on character development and emotional depth rather than action. However, this slower pace allows for a deeper connection with the themes of grief and healing, making the resolutions feel more satisfying.

Kay Synclaire's debut novel resonates with anyone who has dealt with loss. Her ability to balance sadness and hope creates a reading experience that feels comforting, encouraging readers to think about their own experiences with love and grief.

House of Frank is a heartfelt reminder of the importance of connection and the healing power of found family, making it a meaningful addition to the fantasy genre.

3,5 stars

I could give a review with endless, flowery words about how beautiful this book is; what I loved about it, what moved me, and what brought me to tears (multiple times). However, I think the best and most honest review I could give is as someone who has read hundreds of books, "House of Frank" is sincerely one of the best books I've ever read. It was a privilege to live in this space and I cannot wait for the world to live in it, too.

Thank you endlessly to NetGalley who gifted me an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a nice story about grief and healing. It clearly took some influences from TJ Klune’s books (specifically HOUSE IN THE CERULEAN SEA and UNDER THE WHISPERING DOOR) as well as HOWL’S MOVING CASTLE.

Overall it was a moving story. The best part were the characters that lived in the house that Saika, our grieving MC, comes to in order to bury her sister in the ash garden. Their personalities were distinct and lovable, and they brought life into the story.

I wish that the world building has been expanded upon some more though. There are magical creature that live in this world like gargoyles, witches, beasts, dragons, and more, and yet we don’t know how they interact with the wider world around them. In fact, the story is pretty limited to the immediate house, except for one time when they go to town to sell dragon eggs, and even then the town isn’t explained very well.

I want to know more about the creature that inhabit this world. I want to know about its magic system. I want to know about its gods and how that stuff works. I also want to know more about Saika. We don’t actually end up knowing her very well at the end of the story. What’s her goal in life? How old is she actually? What does she like to do? Almost everything we know about her is in relation to her sister.

I also think that the way it was told was mildly off putting. It uses a second-person pov, and I think if it were written like the chapters were letters to the “you” that is being addressed, it would have worked a lot better.

Ultimately though, I think this is a good book if you’re wanting something sweet and cozy and magical.

Thank you to Bindery Books for access to the digital galley on NetGalley. I look forward to seeing what this author puts out next!

I had high expectations for this book because I’m a sucker for a good grief narrative, but this wasn’t it for me. The pacing is all over the place, most of the characters are hard to relate to or even love, and I struggled to stay connected with the story.

The descriptions were lovely, though. I also loved the concept of the arboretum, and I considered it to be one of the most beautifully executed ideas for graves. Personally, I didn't mind the second person POV even if it did take me out sometimes. I guess because I find myself speaking to people I've lost sometimes, and feel it makes it easier to deal with the loss.

I believe Synclaire is a good storyteller, and I'd like to read whatever she writes up next.

This was a cozy fantasy about grief, love, and found family. I really liked the setting and the characters although some of the side characters did not have much depth. I also did not really enjoy how the MC and her love interest fell so quickly, there didn’t seem much basis for their love. Even with these drawbacks, I still really enjoyed the book. The magic and different types of characters and representation was a joy to read.

I wish I had read this book sooner. It was just such a warm comforting book although it does deal with grief and the loss of a loved one. Read it, it is a delight.

I did not expect to enjoy this as much as I did!! Each character was so thought out that I by the end of the book I truly felt like I knew everything about them. There were moments in the story when I was slightly confused what was happening but overall it was pretty coherent and the plot was definitely different from anything I’ve ever read!

Thank you to Bindery Books and #NetGalley for the digital ARC of #HouseofFrank. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

There were a lot of trigger warnings at the beginning of this book so I braced myself for some really heavy, sad content. Yes, it deals with death, losing the person closest to you who is your whole world. But it wasn't overly sad or heavy. I felt sorry for the main characters - Saika & Frank - but I just didn't connect with them. Which is why this book was just OK in my opinion.

I liked the concept - a magical arboretum where you "plant" your loved ones ashes so they grow into a beautiful, unique tree that continues to live. The world building was good and there was diverse representation in the characters.

But the pacing was uneven - it takes way too long to get he full backstory of what happened to Saika. Many of the characters were one dimensional and seemed written for a younger audience. And the continuous switching from first to second person narrative was distracting.

Wow.

This was a stunning cozy tale of grief, and love. The cast of characters and the overall atmosphere pulls you into a tight hug. The house and the arboretum had a magical feel to it. I feel like if there was an arboretum, we would all love to be planted in it. Saika was the perfect main character, and I loved seeing her perspective and grief grow throughout the story. The romance was great, I love Oli and I feel like she, and the rest, are exactly what Saika needed. Frank broke my heart, It was so hard reading about his curse. Keep in mind that this book deals with a lot of loss, grief, and the things we do because of it.

I feel so honored to have been chosen to read an ARC of this magnificent book, and I can't wait for more people to read it.

Pros: Diversity, found family, the themes, the setting and the premise and the system
Room for improvement or what did not entirely work for me: The characterisation, the POVs and some of the plot.
Mixed bag - quick read, good pacing? Not always - the nuances could be emphasised,

I received an advance copy via NetGalley.

<i>House of Frank</i> is a queer, cozy fantasy that delves deep into hearty emotional issues around death and letting go.

Saika is a witch without magical power, a fact that she hides just as she hides her hair and her hands. She goes to the Ash Arboretum to at long last fulfill her sister's final wish that she be interred there, magicked to grow into a beautiful tree. Saika is defensive and angry, resistant to the overtures of the diverse staff of a household headed up by Frank, a unique monster. As Saika's heart softens, she realizes that the house and its residents hold many secrets, and their pasts--like hers--will soon be exposed.

I really like the vibe of this book. I love a good found family story, and this setting is incredibly original: witches are common, as are extraordinary beings. I was frustrated, though, because details about the greater world are teased but never explained. Such as, there is never an explanation for how death and grief are usually handled in this setting (much less how religion works as a comfort, if it does), which means context is nonexistent around the arboretum's beautiful work.

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

House of Frank by Kay Sinclaire is a first person-POV Queer cozy fantasy centered around grief. Saika’s sister, Fiona, has passed away and left the task of taking her ashes to the Ash Gardens to be turned into a tree to Saika. The Gardens are run by Frank, who lost his wife years earlier, and a team of witches, cherubs, and more.

One thing that I was not expecting but really loved was how the narrative voice is an internal dialogue of Saika talking to Fiona. Throughout the book, there are lines like ‘You’d make this right, Fi.’ It was a really nice touch that helped to sell the grief narrative as many people do indeed hold an internal dialogue with a recently lost loved one, looking for guidance or just trying to hold on to a connection or even pure habit if you shared everything with that person as Saika and Fiona did.

I loved the falling star aspect and how it related to Saika’s magic and the climax. I love stars and I love the creation of new mythology and folklore around them, so for a star to be a power source and a secret kept between two sisters was very cool. I also loved the Ash Gardens being a way for a loved one to be reborn as a tree, to not only return to the earth but to become something wholly new and beautiful.

We have witches, a half-gargoyle, cherubs, a beast man, a fairy, elves, a dragon, a spirit wearing a bowler hat, and humans running around this world and it never feels like a lot. Sometimes a lot of different species can be overwhelming as you try to remember what each character looks like, but Kay Sinclaire slowly added each character and subtly reinforced their appearances throughout, such as mentioning Evette’s height or Oli’s purple skin. Phil, the spirit, was one of my favorites despite his minimal dialogue because he is a very sympathetic character who cares about everyone at the Ash Gardens.

I would recommend this to fans of cozy fantasy with grief narratives, readers who love casts of characters with diverse species, and those looking for a cozy fantasy in a Queernorm world