CW: Grief, Suicidal Thoughts, Dementia, Death, Mentions of Past Child Death, Mentions of Past Suicide


3.5 / 5 Stars


This is a book about grief and learning to move on. It's also attempting to be a book about found family, but it's kind of not really succeding on that front, but more on that in a second.

Because the parts where we focused on the loss stuff was done greatly. I have seen people hint at spoiler stuff, so I might do the same as well. It's just hard to talk about some of the things that went down without mentioning Death. Cause Death, is very important for this story, and the consequences of getting touched by Death are too. You might have noticed that I made the effort to spell this a certain way. You might make assumptions based on that. And those assumptions might be very right. The unclusion of death is what makes this book very strong, but the inclusion of Death is also what makes some stuff not so great. Because you'd assume that Death doesn't discriminate, right? Death doesn't care who you are or how much life you've still got to life. He comes and he takes, because that's just how life is, no feeings involved. Death wouldn't gain anything from seeing you suffer, nor would Death gain anything from destroying your home. Why should he? No really??? What would that do? What exactly were we tryin to say, if something like that were to happen in our story? It makes for good stakes. Sure. But if it's just meant as symbolism, to show how deep people will fall in their grief, how intense loss can affect someone, then I'd say it kind of misses the mark a tiny bit. So let's ignore Death and focuss on the emotional aspect of things.
Because everyone in the House of Frank has felt death and loss and pain. It would make for a great found family. Trauma bonding. But some people, like our mute ghost don't get allowed to communicate at all and others are kind of forgotten until the plot recalls their existence. While I didn't mind the sapphic romance, it also asked for a lot of attention and focus, so the rest of the cast got even less page time, resulting in an ending that kind of fits, really. Cause that's what happens when you get so caught up in your own grief, that you forget that other people suffer too. Loss is hard and I love the way it hunts our MC still, even after all this time. It makes her journey exciting to watch. And the conclusiion of her arc a good one. That being said, if the only person you can think of while grieving is yourself, you might miss out on the people in the here and now who are still there and need you, too.

Final Thoughts:
I did like the book overall, I really did. There's just stuff I wished it had done better.

This is going to be a book that stays with me for a long time. House of Frank is billed as a cozy fantasy, and that is true, but it is mainly a beautiful book written about grief and the variety of ways that people experience it.

It is set in a beautiful, fantasy world and follows a witch dealing with the grief of losing her sister. She finds community in the staff of Ash Gardens, a place to plant a loved ones' cremated remains. At Ash Gardens she meets a witch sea captain, a ghost, a cherubs, a loving beast, and a cantankerous elf.

I had a hard time putting this book down. It is very queer, and a safe space to those who need one, The world/character building was so delightful, but the story itself was a love letter to anyone who is grieving. This is a book that you need to be in the right place to read. It is heartbreaking and deals with every type of loss, but it also gives you the space and safety to grieve.

HUGE thank you to Kay Synclaire, NetGalley, and Bindery Books for the chance to read and review. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

I really struggled with the writing style for this book. The second person passages felt clunky to me and it was hard to switch between the second person and then first person present. I usually have a hard time with first person present tense so it's definitely a me as a reader problem and not the book.

Cosy Fantasy
Magic
Found Family
LGBTQ

Reading this book feels like the warmest embrace.

It is a beautiful love story about a witch who loved her sister so much that she gave her power and her youth just to have more time with her before death finally claimed her.
It’s about learning to deal with grief with the help of her new found family who are all dealing with the same pain. Learning to say good bye to the ones you love dearly in your life and to help others say good bye to their loved ones in the best possible way.

Saika’s sister’s last dying wish is to have her ashes planted in Ash Gardens. Saika however has trouble letting go and in her time at Ash Gardens she finds love again in her new found family, all of them going through similar heartache.

If you enjoy cosy fantasy then this is a beautiful book for you.
My heart is warmed and I would read this book again and again.



I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.
A huge thank you to Netgalley and Bindery Books for this e-arc.

cozy fantasy at its prime but filled with grief....... i loved it. if you're looking for a book that peers into your soul and reveals fears about losing loved ones, and then hugs you and tells you things will be okay... this is it.
i loved all of the characters and the found family aspect saika discovers in them. i'd honestly die (HA) to be a part of it.

Themis cozy whimsical fantasy was so beautifully written. Do you have characters such as witches, cherubs, fairies, monsters in cardigans, ghosts and more who are all in various stages of their grief journey. They’re helping each other navigate through that journey and for anyone who’s ever been on that grief journey, this is a must read. I lost my best friend five years ago, and this helped me feel very understood in my journey.

House of Frank is a collection of really good ideas and beautiful concepts, but I feel like it just needed a bit more polishing. The story gives you information on a slow, need to know basis and I kind of wish it had been more fleshed out as it went. Certain characters' motivations are revealed at the exact same time as their back story which doesn’t allow the readers any time to really connect with them and feel anything for them due to an info dump followed by a quick resolution. I am interested to see this author’s future work as, again, ‘House of Frank’ had a lot of really interesting, good ideas. The twin cherubs of Merry and Morose were my personal favorite part of the book.

I saw a lot of people warning that this book deals heavily with grief and is not really a ‘cozy fantasy story’ as the grief struggle is constant, so I personally was prepared for that. One thing I was not prepared for at all and have seen no trigger warning for was the heavy content of dementia/alzheimer’s like memory loss that one of the character’s deals with. It steadily increases through the story and is never healed in any way. Anyone who is or has experience with a family member going through a disease like this may really struggle with this. Having no warning and currently dealing with a parent with Parkinson’s disease, the character who has these symptoms was really difficult to read about. Had I seen this as a content/trigger warning, I may have avoided reading it, or at least been prepared for it.

It's 1am and I am bawling me eyes out over a book. This book reminded me a lot of one of my favourite books of all time (Under the whispering door- TJ Klune) in that it dealt so beautifly with the concepts of grief and loss, as well as friendship, love and life. It's a comforting book that at the same time will completely tear you to shreds, but in an almost cathartic way.

The characters and found family in this book was honestly just so lovely, Each and every character was funny and enjoyable to read about while also being complex and having floors.

This book does cover some very painful topics, but it does so in a beautiful way while holding your hand through the whole journey.

“And I fear I still haven’t let her go.”

“Why should you?” He lifts a gentle brow. “She was a major part of you. Letting go of her would mean letting go of a piece of yourself.”

Cozy fantasy at its core, House of Frank is a book with such lovely depths. Centering around grief and shame, it had the potential to be a completely depressing book… but the earnestness of the characters, the whimsy of this magical place, and the beauty of the found family kept it from becoming so.

The protagonist and the diverse side characters felt relatable, and their reasons for coming together were heartbreaking. I would have loved a bit more to their backstories, because I truly grew to care for each of them. The house and arboretum felt like the perfect blend of solemn and whimsical, the ideal place to lay a loved one to rest after the worst has happened.

Having been dealing with grief on a huge scale this year, this book really spoke to me on how we view and handle death. There was at least one section where I cried out of sadness and a few others where I had tears when it felt like the characters were consoling me.

Some other topics dealt with included finding and accepting one’s true self, treatment of sentient creatures, vulnerability, trusting others with our whole selves, and the lengths we’d go for those we love.

This was a wonderful debut from Kay Synclaire, and I can’t wait to read future books from this author!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC!

This book is a warm hug and a genuinely moving story of grief in its many many forms. I struggled initially with the use of second person writing, as it’s not my favorite POV to read, but genuinely grew to like it’s utilization alongside first person to showcase Saika’s processing of her own grief.

There were some elements of miscommunication between members of the house that felt inconsistent with their dynamics and relationships. The biggest being the mistreatment of a dragon left behind by Frank’s late wife. It seems like someone in the house, least of all her husband, would know how to care for her most beloved creature. I also felt at times characters revealed depths of their grief to support Saika’s own processing, but were never given the opportunity within the novel to have it addressed again.

That being said, I did deeply enjoy this book, its queer representation, and its exploration of grief.

Finished reading House of Frank by Kay Synclaire. I've seen @ezeekat talk about it and when I saw it pop up on NetGalley I thought I'd apply. I didn't really think I'd get it and, honestly, I did no research into the book, past thinking 'oh pretty cover.' Now here I lay with my eyes red and a headache pounding, on the other side. I haven't cried this much since I watched Up.
Reading the blurb, after the fact, I realize the signs were all there that this was a book about grief, but I just blissfully ignored them and proceeded to plunge into a book where I cried almost from page one. Maybe it's just me. Maybe other people will think it's a nice, sweet, cozy fantasy. It is! But it could also wring all the moisture from your body.
It was a great story, well written, and filled with lovely characters, but be forewarned, have a lot of tissues and water on hand. Just in case.
The House of Frank doesn't come out until, I believe, October 15th. So be on the lookout.

I found this a little too heavy personally to finish right now, but look forward to returning to it when it is released in the fall.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bindery Books for the arc. I have to start off by saying I have loved every book I have read from Bindery Books and this book is no exception.

This book is cozy, heart warming and a beautiful representation of found family during grief. I really enjoyed reading this on the cozy days I have been spending with my son curled up in our rocking chair.

I loved the characters, especially the dynamic of the cherub brothers. Every character felt detailed and memorable. The representation was wonderful, I loved the chemistry between Oli & Saika. Phil had my heart. This book definitely had me in my feelings for multiple characters and how they each represented different ways of grieving. Saika’s connection to her sister was beautiful and reminded me of the love I have for my own.

This book at its root was an amazing exploration of grief, I usually do not read books that touch on the subject but I felt this book did a wonderful job at it. It felt like a hug, like your loved one tucking you into bed and telling you that everything would be okay. That our loved ones live on within us and different ways we can keep them in our thoughts and hearts.

I will be recommending this to any of my friends wanting a cozy winter read, queer representation, found family fantasy novel with witches, monsters and creatures alike.

If you're looking for a cozy read, that's a little fantastical and full of found family, this is a good fit. While the pacing was a little quick at some times and a little slow at others, overall it was an entertaining read.

House of Frank by Kay Synclaire is a beautiful, whimsical, and heart-wrenching story about grief, trust, and found family. This is Ezeekat Press’s first book published under Bindery Books, a publisher powered by the bookish community, and I was absolutely blown away by the depth and craft of Synclaire’s debut novel.
Like most of the online bookish community, I was very curious about the concept of Bindery where well-known bookish influencers publish books under their own Bindery imprints. This is the second Bindery ARC that I have read this month and so far the calibre of book that they are producing has been far more impressive that most of the new books I have picked up from big publishers in recent months. If this is the path that Bindery continue to carve out for themselves, then the publishing world may look considerably different in the next few years.
In this story we follow Saika who has come to the Ash Arboretum to finally plant the ashes of her sister after two long years of putting it off. Frank (a cardigan-wearing beast who runs the Arboretum with the help of bickering cherubs, a cantankerous elf, a fairy chef, and more) greets her at the door and welcomes her into the safest space Saika’s been in for a long time. Unable to bring herself to bury her sister right away, Saika accepts Frank’s offer to work in the Arboretum until she’s ready. With the help of her new friends, Saika gently peels away the layers of her grief and and discovers that she’s not the only one living with tragedy and regrets. Together, they might just be able to keep the Arboretum running through the constant storms and other obstacles thrown their way.
This world is introverted, warm, and welcoming while still evoking a sense of wonder and awe. If you classify fantasy as ‘cosy’ based on the setting alone, then this is definitely it. However the broader story deals with some potentially stressful and upsetting topics (check the triggers at the front), so don’t pick it up if you aren’t prepared to have your emotions utterly mangled (in a good way).
This story uses concepts that every fantasy fan will be familiar with, and therefore avoids dollops of clunky lore dumping. The characters all follow the classic rules of fantasy: witches fly brooms, ghosts are invisible, and fairies are tiny, tinkly things, but Synclaire still manages to put her own little twist on the magic system without things getting confusing.
The characters are the highlight of the book for me. There’s no shortage of them and they’re memorable and individual and they each bring their own flavours to the rich soup of comedy and tragedy. If you like the found family trope, this story practically wallows in it, as well as grumpy/sunshine dynamics and queer and trans representation. Oh, and there’s a pet dragon too.
Synclaire’s writing binds all these elements together in simple, yet evocative prose in which Saika address her dead sister, writing her letters that she’ll never read in order to process her grief and the circumstances that she had brought upon herself. This choice to write in a partial second-person narrative only adds to the emotion mangling mentioned above. This book wouldn’t work anywhere near as well without this front seat view into Saika’s thoughts and feelings and adds to the intrigue when she hints at elements of her story that she hasn’t been comfortable enough to divulge just yet. We wait patiently with Frank and the rest of the group until Saika is ready to talk, and until then we share family meals, undertake chores, and get to know the motley crew that resides in the Ash Arboretum.
This is a beautiful story for those wanting to explore themes of grief, found families, and the importance of having a variety of relationships in your life. It comes out on the 15th October 2024.

"House of Frank" is a charming debut and a welcome addition to the cozy fantasy genre, handling the subject of grief with nuance and care. Saika is a relatable and heartbreaking character who I rooted for all the way. The family she finds in Ash Gardens is incredibly heartwarming, and I loved every character. The romance in the story is super sweet, yet it doesn't overshadow the main plot. This story had my whole heart from start to finish, and was a rollercoaster of joy, sadness and loving family I didn't want to leave.

This is the first of four Bindery titles being published in October. "House of Frank" was selected by Ezeekat Press, and I highly recommend pre-ordering, requesting it at your local library, and picking it up when it comes out..

This was a lovely story with themes of grief and found family with a background mystery. I really enjoyed it. There was a bit of a slump in the middle where the story could have been tightened, however still a very good read.

First, thank you NetGalley for giving me this eARC!

This was a really good cozy fantasy which deals with the heavy topic of grief in such a beautiful way. It's still quite a heavy read, but it feels like the book gives you a hug while taking you through the story. This also has to do with the found family that the main character, Saika, has found. All these characters were so wonderful! They all had their own stories in dealing with grief. One thing I wasn't a fan of though, was the fact that sometimes some of these characters were just forgotten about by the others. I felt like that didn't entirely fit within the found family trope. Another interesting thing about this book, is that it refers to the reader as 'you' and as Saika's sister. While not everyone might like this, I did and found it to complement the story.

Also, it has to be said, the cover is absolutely gorgeous!!

I would definitely recommend this book, especially if you like cozy fantasies such as Legends & Lattes!

This book felt like a warm cup of tea, a bandaid and a kiss on the forehead. This book is my definition of cozy but with serious substance. It’s beautifully written and addresses grief in a way that’s relatable, soft and kind. Anyone that has lost someone close to them will immediately relate to one or multiple characters throughout the story. It healed something inside of me that I didn’t know needed to be healed. Yes, I cried. The story is warm, beaitifil and heartwarming. I’m so excited to see what else Bindery and Ezeekat Press releases because this was a slam dunk.

When I think of a comfort book, this is instantly the first book that comes to mind! This has instantly become one of my new favorite books and I cannot wait for others to be able to read this story!

In House of Frank we meet Saika, who is a witch that hasn't been herself since her sister's death 2 years ago, on her way to Ash Gardens to bury her sister. Upon arrival she is welcomed in by Frank who ushers her into the decaying house to get away from a large storm approaching. Frank offers her a room for the night, which she begrudgingly takes until she can hold her sister's ceremony in the morning. When the time comes to bury her sister Saika isn’t quite ready yet to let her go. With the house needing repair Frank offers her a role as a caretaker of the estate. Within the estate she meets other magical beings that help shape the gardens into the safe and comforting place many flock to to bury their loved ones. As the house repairs become more daunting, Saika must decide if she wants to share her magical struggles with her new acquaintances or if the power of the fallen star in her possession will be enough for her to get by.

I gobbled this book up, it was so good! I loved the characters from their (mental) imagery, their personalities and just the welcoming-ness each brought to the table in their own ways. It felt like I was a part of this motley crew and was anxious to see if they were able to overcome the challenges that came their way throughout the book.

Thank you Bindery Books, the author and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy!