House of Frank is a sweet novella that tips into the saccharine, providing a found-family narrative that has attractive tropes but limited real depth. It capitalizes on the popularity of stories such as "The House in the Cerulean Sea" with a cast of quirky, likable characters, but at times there are too many to keep track of. I also struggled with the first-person narrative, which made the protagonist feel and sound younger than she actually was. This story is comfortingly but not groundbreaking, easy to read but unspectacular compared to similar stories in the genre.

With pages brimming with magic, emotions of all sorts, and wonderful diversity, HOUSE OF FRANK takes the reader on their own journey in a strange place.

I loved how this book handled the intermingling of grief and love, with a wide range of characters depicting different ways of handling emotions. The characters were all quite interesting, if not a bit cliche, and the main relationships were very cute.

Something I struggled with a bit was the writing style and pacing. I was shocked to find out this was classed as an adult book, with typical middle-grade/lower YA writing. It sports a simple plot and simple characters, with an easy enough to guess ending.

This being said, there is something so relaxing about being taken through this magical world, almost like a bedtime story. Synclaire’s cast of characters with PoC, disability, and queer representation is definitely the icing on the top of this deliciously warm cake.

This was a nice cute story. Perfect for people who love a cozy mystery or cozy fantasy. It really gave me House on the Cerulean Sea vibes with the house made up of misfit magical creatures.

My biggest issue with the book is that I didn't love most of the characters. I found Saika especially frustrating and annoying. So many of the things that went wrong could have been easily solved if they stopped lying to each other. I guess that is also true in real life too.

While this book wasn't my favourite. I can see how people are going to love and adore it.

3,5/5
House of Frank is a cozy fantasy about loss and grief. About letting go but also about letting people in your life and accepting help. The concept of the story is unique and very interesting in my opinion. Sometimes books about death and grief scare me, but this one didn’t feel that heavy personally.

I loved the diverse mix of magical characters like cherubs, an elf, a mythical beast and more. Each resident had their own backstory, their own bagage and reason to stay at Ash Gardens. Some of the characters we get to know better than others. The queer rep was lovely. It was casual and everyone was accepting. I love queer normative worlds 🥹.

There was a small romance in the book and I liked how it was kept as a side plot. However, i struggled with the interactions between Saika and her love interest. Maybe it’s me, but I don’t get why you would tease someone you have a crush on. Sadly these confusing social interactions weren’t exclusive these two characters. The book is described to have a found family, but I had trouble finding it. There was so much miscommunication, teasing and irritations. Characters withholding information and making decisions for others without consent. It made me uncomfortable, frustrated and confused. Sometimes it was hard to believe they cared for each other. I was really missing the coziness and found family that was promised.

The plot with Ash Gardens falling apart was very interesting, and was the main part that kept me curious. I love some (cozy) mysteries. I just wish it was a bigger part of the story and that all the action wasn’t all crammed in the ending.

Fortunately it wasn’t all negative. All in all, I still think it’s a good and enjoyable debut. The writing was immersive and engaging. Though,I had to get used to Saika speaking in second person (‘you’) when she was adressing Fi, her sister that had passed away. The autumny atmosphere was lovely and I loved some of the characters. Evette, Phil and Hilde were my favorites!

This novel is a cozy, heart-wrenching, and beautifully magical—a warm hug of a story. Perfect for fans of The House in the Cerulean Sea or Legends and Lattes, it follows Saika, a witch grieving her sister’s death, as she arrives at Ash Gardens to fulfill her sister’s last wish. But letting go isn’t easy, and Frank—the cardigan-wearing, gentle beast who runs the sanctuary—offers her a room to stay as long as she needs.

Soon, Saika is wrapped up in this wonderfully odd family: there’s Oli, a half-witch she shares a subtle spark with, Evette the sweet-hearted fairy, the cheeky cherub twins, and Phil, the silent ghost. Despite being very different, this group provides Saika with what she has been needing…. Reminding her of the true colours & magic of connection. As they work together to protect Ash Gardens from mysterious storms, Saika begins to uncover long-buried secrets about the sanctuary—and herself.

What I loved most was how the book balances heavy emotions with lighthearted whimsy. The setting feels like pure comfort, and the layered characters, especially Saika’s slow-burn connection with Oli, give the story such heart.

House of Frank shines a little light on life’s darkest moments, showing how love can grow in unexpected places. Huge thanks to NetGalley and Bindery Books for the ARC—this story will stay with me for a long time.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bindery for providing me with an advanced reader copy for my honest review!

House of Frank follows a young witch who has lost her sister. After two years of carrying her sister’s ashes, Saika finally makes her way to the Ash Gardens to place her sister, Fiona, in her final resting place. Saika is greeted by a growing cast of characters as she embarks on the journey of finally laying her sister to rest. But Saika can’t seem to bring herself to do it. Instead, she enlists herself into the servitude of the Ash Gardens as she processes through her grief. Along the way, she learns about the house, the tenants, and the traditions of Ash Gardens. She learns very quickly that not all is right and the home is in desperate need of help. As Saika works to keep the house in order, she learns to love life again and what it feels like to be loved by an unexpected family.

Before I give a fully review of the book, I must say, I have not experienced a lot of loss in my life. I am a fortunate few who still has both parents, grandmothers on both sides of my family, and even a great-grandmother still with us! With that being said, the story is still beautifully written and well done. I enjoyed the characters throughout the book. I appreciated the atmosphere and the well described layout of the home. It made me wish I could visit the place! The story’s primary focus is on grief and loss though, so it is a very heavy book.

If I had a chance to read this book all over again with fresh eyes, I feel it would be far more impactful if you’ve experienced loss of someone close. It explores some of the emotions and responses one would normally have when processing grief. An additional detail I find VERY important is this book is written as an epistolary. If this knowledge is provided upfront, I feel it would be received better by readers as it does have a first person/second person narrative.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book! The characters do fall a little flat at times and there are some minor issues with pacing and the plot but nothing I felt was overwhelmingly unattractive. I have settled on a solid 4/5 stars!

House of Frank is an unexpected combination of cozy found family and the experience of grief. A mirror to life, this novel is funny, but heartbreaking. Hopeful, but sorrowful.
The concept is great; a witch travels to an enchanted arboretum to plant the ashes of her passed sister. But letting go takes more strength than Saika can manage so she stays at the arboretum, alongside a diverse cast of fantasy characters, determined to follow through on her last promise to her sister.

I laughed a lot reading this book. I cried a lot too. I was in love with the characters from the second I met each of them and I thought the writing was fantastic. As someone who also writes about grief, I found it to be a very lovely exploration on the topic.

There are very few things that didn’t work well in this novel. The narration style was an engaging experience, but occasionally when Saika would say Fi’s name a lot, it distracted me from the story.
There is also a small sapphic romance plot point that had a lot of potential but fell a little flat. I enjoyed both characters and love the idea of them together but a lot of their interactions left me confused if they actually liked each other.

All of that being said, I cannot end this without saying that Frank is one of my favorite characters to ever exist and I wish I could give him a hug.

I will definitely be reading this book again and I’m so excited to see character art and hopefully see this made into an animated film some day.

*Huge thanks to Kay Synclaire, Bindery Books, Ezeekat Press, and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC of this book in exchange for honest review*

I have some mixed feelings about this book to be quite honest. Over all I really liked it! It was filled with emotion and beautiful writing for the most part (I’ll get to that in a minute). I loved the representation the book has, the magic system and how all that was used to tackle loss.

What prevented it from be a five star read for me is that there were so many auxiliary characters there seemed to be a disconnect between them. It didn’t come across as natural.

However I do recommend this book as many
Will fall in love with it!!

I want to thank NetGalley and Bindery Books for the free ARC of this title. While I got it the night before it was released I was thankful for it so k could leave a voluntary review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

If you’re a fan of TJ Klune, especially Under the Whispering Door, then you’ll love this book. It has the perfect amount of cozy vibes and zany characters.

I really enjoyed this one, I wasn’t really sure what to expect going into to it but it was cozy and witchy and perfect for fall. There’s a lot of LGBTQ+ representation which is great and it talks a lot about the grief process and how that’s a little different for everyone. Every character in this book has their own little back story in a way that makes them complex and their interactions feel more genuine.

This book is written in some first and second person point of view which was a little hard for me to get used to at first. However, once I got a feel for it I enjoyed it and thought it made the experience more immersive.

This one just released mid October so definitely grab a copy if it’s the fall vibes you’re looking for!

Loved loved this book. So cozy, perfect for a fall read. I really enjoyed all of the characters and the storylines. Loved the queerness and the descriptions of everything. I found it very similar to The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, so I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoyed that one.

Thanks to Bindery Books and NetGalley for a copy of this ARC!

This book was not at all what I was expecting, but in the best way! It tackled grief in the most beautiful, tender way possible. Anyone that has suffered from loss will find themselves looking in the mirror with this read, and it was such a fun group of characters and setting despite the more solemn theme. It definitely gave a similar vibe to Under The Whispering Door by TJ Klune, and totally nailed humor and 'b plot love connection' as well. Cannot recommend this book enough!!!

This is brilliant and heartbreaking and a wonder. Saika and Oli are fantastic (and Oli is the definition of hilarious).

This was a story that I know is going to sit with me for a long time!

I absolutely loved the author's writing. Found family is one of my favorite tropes in books and oh, this book had so much of that! This story, while dealing with more serious aspects of life such as loss and grief that made me cry more than once, still felt like a warm cozy hug overall! What a perfect fall read!

I will definitely recommend this to others.

4.25 ⭐️

When powerless witch Saika arrives at the magical Ash Gardens to lay her sister to rest, she’s offered a role as caretaker by Frank, the sanctuary’s mythic, cardigan-wearing owner. Struggling to hide her grief and her severed connection to magic, Saika bonds with the estate’s whimsical inhabitants, from bickering cherubs to a mute ghost. In the process, she learns that healing can coexist with sorrow, and that love—even when lost—remains a powerful force.

I’ve been crying for the past 30 minutes. This story is one of the most profound explorations of grief I've read. It reminds us that grief is, at its core, an intense form of love—a reflection of what we lose when we part from someone we deeply cherish. Watching Saika grapple with Fiona’s absence, constantly feeling her presence and recalling her love, is a journey that’s both heart-wrenching and beautiful. Through her encounters with her new found family, reunions with old friends, and a newfound love, Saika learns to carry her grief differently, to hold it with both sorrow and gratitude.

CAWPILE Ratings:
Characters: 7
Atmosphere: 7
Writing: 8
Plot: 8
Intrigue: 8
Logic: 8
Enjoyment: 8

This is a story that sits with you, holding you close as you feel the ache of loss and the quiet joy of love renewed.

4.5/5 ⭐️

This was such a beautiful story about grief and the long journey it can take to come to a place of acceptance (or not and the impact that can have on a person). I loved all the characters and their interactions with one another, especially the relationship formed between Saika and Oli. While this book was heavy it was also so cozy, a perfect book to curl up with and read.

I would recommend this and I can't wait to read Synclaire's next book!

Thank you to NetGalley, Kay Synclaire, and Bindery Books for my early access to this.

If I didn't know this was a debut novel, I wouldn't have guessed it was debut novel. The world created was beautiful and magical. The story and all its mysteries were well paced and wonderfully written. I enjoyed this book so much.

Saika still feels close to her sister, Fiona, though Fi had passed years ago. Her last wish was to be buried at the Ash Gardens. When Saika finally brings herself to go to the gardens, she finds a house of found family with a variety of mythical beings that welcome her in and give her sanctuary while she's readying for her sister's burial. While each being helps in the house and most have some form of magic, Saika is separated from her magic but has a unique perspective that allows her to see what is making the house stand, crumble and its owner, Frank, changing under the strain. As some of the mysteries become clear, it is a race to save the house, save the garden and save themselves.

#arc
#netgalley
#houseoffrank

A cozy fantasy cross between Howl's Moving Castle and The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches with a magical group of characters and sapphic love interest

The story revolves around Saika, a young woman witch who is dealing with her grief over the loss of her sister. She arrives at Ash Gardens, a magical house with an arboretum where trees grow from people's ashes, to plant her sister in the arboretum. At the house she meets a group of magical characters and slowly finds her place while dealing with her grief. Although her struggles with her sister's loss is constantly present through the book, it was done in a way that was incorporated into her thoughts without being overly heavy. There is also always stromy weather at the house so it had the perfect fall atmosphere.

Similarities with Howl's Moving Castle: <spoiler> A witch who gains powers by catching a falling star, making a deal with a demon/death, a curse that makes you age, an enchanted house that is held together with magic, hair turning silver via magic </spoiler>

Similarities with The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches: A young witch shows up at a house and meets a cast of magical characters including a potential love interest, and while working and living in the house realizes she must protect it from outside dangers.

Thank you to Bindery Books for the ARC

It was an absolute joy to read about the lovely set of characters in House of Frank. They are a diverse set of characters that make their own quirky found family. I think it's great how the romance was made into a side plot. It added just a bit of sweetness without distracting too much from the main plot.

Although I did find myself transported to the world, I didn't find myself feeling what the characters felt. The book is an exploration of grief and where it does have some moving scenes, I didn't find myself feeling sad.

Thank you NetGalley and Ezeekat Press for giving me access to an e-arc for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

This a a sweet comforting fantasy about grief, and the support of a found family.

To be honest though, it just couldn’t keep my interest. The plot moved at a very slow pace, and the characters and their relationships were not fully fleshed out or believable.

It was an ok book, but not a great one.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bindery books for providing me with an eARC of this book to read and review.

The perfect witchy spooky season read! Cozy fantasy world, diverse characters, and some beautiful themes around grief and healing. Thank you to Net Galley and Bindery Books for the chance to read this e-arc!