I adored this. The story centers around a found family of magical creatures who heal together. They are each grieving the loss of a loved one. The grief is raw at times, and light and lovely at times. This was such a unique setting and cast of characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bindery Books for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Spoilers below!

Let’s be honest, I requested this book because I loved the colors of the cover. It was so pretty and so soft, I instantly did that thing we’re not supposed to do where we judge a book by its cover. Guilty as charged. Thankful as hell.

This is a story about grief and living with that grief. It is a story about found family. It is a story about magical creatures and a magical house. Saika, our narrator, finds herself at Ash Gardens with a deep sense of loss—her sister and best friend is dead and her final wish was to be laid to rest in the magical arbortorium that exists within the property of Ash Gardens.

But Saika carries so much grief that she’s unable to do what she initially set out to do. Enter Frank, the knit-cardigan wearing, massive magical beast who runs the place. Frank was a compelling character, especially as he started to lose his memory and the house went into disarray. I loved the found family aspect of this story. Each character brought their own unique personality to the table and was crucial to the plot in their own way. And their care and compassion for each other was evident in the writing.

I think the topic of grief was handled well in this story. It became clear that each character was dealing with grief in their own way. While the story focused on Saika’s grief, mainly, everyone got a chance to grow in their own grief.

I think my biggest hangup with this story is that sometimes I was pulled out of the narration when Saika addressed her sister, Fiona, in text. Fiona was her inner monologue, which is always important to a story, but it just broke the flow for me a few times when I was deep in my feels.

Overall, this story was full of heart. The found family aspect was so well done. There is casual queer representation sprinkled throughout the novel and a sapphic romance that’s very sweet. Losing a loved one is devastating, but what they offer at Ash Gardens is nothing short of magical. I think the topic of grief is handled well in this story.

Look for this book on October 15, 2024!

"House of Frank" by Kay Synclaire is like a warm cup of tea on a rainy day—cozy, a little bittersweet, and absolutely enchanting. Saika’s journey from being a grief-stricken, powerless witch to finding her strength among the quirky crew of Ash Gardens feels like a much-needed hug for anyone who’s ever felt lost. And can we talk about Frank? The giant cardigan-wearing mythical beast is my new comfort character. The magical arboretum is so alive with whimsical details, it almost feels like another character in the story. If you’re a fan of soft fantasy with found family vibes, this book will soothe your soul in the best way possible.

House of Frank is a cozy story full of whimsy and found family. We follow a grieving witch who's struggling to fulfill the final burial wishes of her deceased sister when she gets caught up trying to save a magical arboretum and the creatures who live there. I personally didn't find the main character all that compelling, but the world building and secondary characters are definitely what drew me in as well as their relationships with each other. It reminded me a lot of The House in the Cerulean Sea and Under the Whispering Door.

falling stars | powerless witch | dragon in the barn | only one broom | eclectic cast

House of Frank is a touching story of a young woman grieving for the loss of her sister and her journey of healing. On her journey Saika discovers and develops a bond with a new found family, many of whom are dealing with their own grief. The story takes place at the titular House of Frank, Frank being the widowed owner of the home. The house itself is a character in this story and its fate is tied up with Frank's. Both Saika and Frank have made sacrifices to spend more time with a loved one but at a steep price.
The cast of characters is endearing and each has their own story to tell. The quirks of the supporting characters make them stand out as individuals and are easy to keep straight as a result. I would love to read a continuation of the story of the house and it's motley crew of inhabitants.

Honestly I loved this book so much. I cried, but I felt like I was getting a hug each and every step. It was really lovely and I don't know what else to say.

Maybe add a TW/CW list? This book was filled with grief and loss. Those aren't things that all people can manage at every point in their lives.

This was such a delightful story! I loved getting to hear the story of the house of Frank and just the dynamic of the characters and the complex emotions and issues that this author addresses. I think they did a beautiful job. I will definitely be telling others about this book and asking them to read it as well.

How do you grieve? Everyone does so a little differently, but sometimes, grief will take you to unexpected places. like the House of Frank, where people who grieve seam to linger, comforting each other, as well as the others who come to bury their loved ones in a remarkable garden that turns the ashes of magical folk into brilliant plants to live on in a new way. this book is filled with emotion, a cast of amazing characters, and a thrilling mystery that has to be solved before the magic of the house vanishes, and Frank, it's owner, succumbs to a mysterious illness no one seams to notice. all the while, dealing with a loss not properly grieved, and grief that has been too heavily clung to.. the pain of loss is heavy, and the themes of mourning are heavy in the book, but there is also a lot of hope, found family, cozy vibes, and a lot of coming together to overcome adversity. a brilliant book from start to finish.

This story is incredibly touching, offering a profound exploration of grief and the journey of healing without forgetting. The sense of found family is beautifully portrayed, and each character is genuinely endearing. It's impressive how the author managed to create such a large cast of characters, all of whom are so easy to love.

A fantasy book about dealing with grief and finding found family. I laughed, I cried. This book needs to be on any cozy fantasy lovers TBR, right now!
Synclaire will be on my auto buy author list moving forward, and am excited to see what else she creates.

House of Frank is a delight. It's cozy, it's heartfelt, it's perfectly imperfect. A lovable cast of found family and such an interesting world of beasts and magic really take the edge off of such a beautifully raw depiction of grief. I love the idea of Ash Gardens, it's unique and well done. At first the mixture of first and second person was rather jarring, but you get used to once you get settled into the novel. I thought it was a rather clever to do that, given the topic. (:


I wish so badly to go searching for that red door and find peace within my grief at the House of Frank. A wonderful debut from Kay Synclaire! Thanks NetGalley and Bindery Books for the ARC!

A cozy fantasy filled with found family, learning to cope with grief and a magical arboretum. This book will make you feel all the feelings, and I recommend it to T.J. Klune fans!

Saika arrives at the infamous Ash Gardens to have a burial for her sister’s ashes and sticks around to help rebuild the house after a massive storm. The magical beings inhabiting the home come in all shapes and sizes, my favorite being Evette.

I really enjoyed the story overall, even though it took me a bit to adjust to Saika's narrating style. She often uses a second-person POV when speaking to her sister, but it catches on after the first few chapters.

I recommend House of Frank to anyone looking for a cozy fantasy this fall and if you are a fan of emotional, diverse, found family stories!
I would also suggest looking into potential triggers before starting this book

3.75 ⭐️ rounded up

Thank you to Netgalley, Bindery Books, and Kay Synclaire for the advanced copy in exchange for my review.

Incredibly heartwarming. Such Incredible commentary on grief and moving on, but not letting go.
I love the found family vibes, and each character was truly lovable. For such a large cast that's a rare accomplishment.

Saika is a witch who has lost her magical powers following her sister's death. She has arrived at an arboretum to plant her sister's remains at the Ash Gardens. Consumed by grief, she is taken in by the beast, Frank, who owns the sanctuary. She begins to help the magical creatures that run the garden. Saika uses the power of a fallen star to perform enchantments to protect the refuge and the magic beings from powerful storms. She gradually comes to terms with her grief and begins to reconnect with her sense of magic and self-worth and discovers that love and grief can coexist.

The book explores the slow, painful process of healing and the importance of community. Saika's vulnerability and self-doubt make her relatable and resonate with the reader. I identified with her struggle; she gives us hope to find joy after loss. The story's whimsical and mystical atmosphere balances the deep emotional themes of the story. It is perfect for readers who love cozy fantasy and the healing power of love and found family.

I received an ARC ebook for my honest review. Thank you, NetGalley and Bindery Books, Ezeekat Press.

House of Frank by Kay Synclaire dives into family secrets and supernatural twists with an engaging narrative. The setting and character depth are strong, though the pacing slows down at times. Despite this, the blend of drama and eerie elements makes it a captivating read, leaving me keen to check out more from Synclaire.

Reading this book felt like watching a Ghibli movie in the best way possible! I even noticed some similarities between this and my favorite Ghibli movie Howls Moving Castle, which made for a fun and lovely reading experience.

The ever growing home/found family and the shooting stars imagery are the two most prominent similarities I noted, but I also think that Sophie (from Howls Moving Castle) and Saika had a few similarities as well. Both are somewhat flawed main characters who are stubborn and do things they believe to be in the best interests of their hosts (Howl & Frank) even if their hosts don't appreciate it much and even have minor meltdowns over it lol (think about Howl sliming everthing when Sofie cleaned the bathroom and then with Frank & Sophie something similar happens regarding a dragon 👀). In the end though they both grow tremendously as characters and are fiercely loyal and well loved by their new found families.

Please note that while this book reminds me of a Ghibli movie, be warned this is an adult book and you should be prepared to cry! House of Frank has very strong themes of grief, loss, depression etc. and is obviously much more of an adult story. However, while the "heavier" parts of the book did make me cry, it still felt like a warm hug and was immensely comforting, cozy and an all around beautiful story.

I absolutely loved all the characters in this book, Hilde especially has a warm place in my heart. There were times I was frustrated with Saika, Oli, and even Frank, but I know that's because the narrative needed to show how each of these characters deal with grief in their own ways and I was really happy to see them each grow and learn.

I wish there had been a bit more information on the magic system of the arboretum and would love to see more of Kye's journals/backstory on how she built the arboretum. I also wish Saika had been a bit more communicative and honest with everyone earlier on, but again she is MEANT to be flawed and it didn't annoy me *too* much.

Frank's story also hit me hard and reminded me of what my grandma went through in her later years.

Sometimes you need a book that will make you ugly cry in the best way possible and this is that book. Cozy and Cathartic are the best adjectives I can use to describe my experience reading House of Frank. I can't wait to see what Kay Synclaire writes next!

When I first started this book it gave me “the house in the cerulean sea” vibes - which is one of my favorite cozy fantasy books. Unfortunately that vibe disappeared soon after starting.

I really liked the whole “found family” vibe it was giving right off the bat, and plot is entertaining enough, but I did find myself bored quite a few times - it just felt repetitive and a bit dragged out at times. And, to be honest, the whole book could have been a lot shorter if the characters only communicated with each other (spoiler alert, they suck at communicating).

I didn’t care for the MC talking to the reader as if we’re her dead sister, and there was so much of it. Sometimes it felt like more inner monologue than anything else.

The characters fell a bit flat for me. I just never felt any chemistry or connection between them, and some of them are generally very hard to like.

All in all it could have been better, but I’m not upset that I finished it. And I did enjoy how it ended (it might have made me shed a few tears).

I adored this book!

We follow Saika, who has lost her sister to illness and, according to her sisters last wish, travels to Ash Gardens Arboretum in order to plant her sisters ashes there.

This story packs an emotional punch the likes of none I have read before. I laughed, cried, cried-laughed and everything in between.

It’s very well written, well thought out, with wonderfully fleshed out characters that were likable and with a depth that made you care deeply about each and every one of them. I especially loved watching the romantic subplot between Saika and Olivie grow. Characters are flawed and feel real, as well as the banter between them.

It’s a story about life as opposed to living, grief and death, healing and those left behind. It’s about forgiving yourself and finding your place in the world and where you belong.

I would note that though this is a cozy low stakes book, you do have to make sure you’re in the correct frame of mind to read it. There’s joyful emotions but there’s some rather painful ones too. It deals with serious and meaningful issues that you have to be at a point where you can read and keep an open mind.

I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone. Thank you to Bindery Books and NetGalley for the Arc. These opinions are my own and I am posting them voluntarily.

This was brilliant! I went straight online to order a physical copy. This is a great start for Bindery

The concept of this novel is striking- an arboretum where people are laid to rest, and there is a cozy found-family involved. Unfortunately, this just didn't do it for me. I found the characters a little grating at times, but the overall plot and message was lovely. If you are someone who doesn't care as much about depth in character interaction, this could totally work for you in ways that it didn't for me. I'll be keen to look for other books by the author, this one just didn't quite meet what I expected it to be.