The title. The cover. IT'S EVERYTHING. I had to immediately request when this came across my desk ;) 
 
And They Were Roommates is a romantic ode to writing, second chance romances, and queer joy. 
 
I really loved how the story flowed. We instantly are put into Charlie's conundrum of rooming with his ex Jasper, who is none the wiser. What follows is a story of the pressures of academia, an elite boy's club, love letters, and a slow burn romance that will leave you with a big ol' smile on your face.
 
The narrator Ben Balmaceda perfectly captures Charlie as well as the rest of the cast. The distinct voice intonation between Charlie and Jasper is superb. I could easily tell who the dialogue was based on character's persona. Balmaceda's cadence also allowed me to listen at 1.5 speed, making this a fast-paced contemporary romance a delight to eat up every single minute! 

A delightfully raw coming of age story of a girl who is figuring out where she belongs after a heartbreaking betrayal. 

I've never read Dahlia Adler's work before although I have her work now slated on my TBR. I really liked Come As You Are as a complex YA story of Everett "Evie" navigating school, friends, and family. The dialogue is witty, the characters vibrant and quirky, and the plot is effortlessly cute. 

It is a solid YA contemporary that will be enjoyed by teens who love this genre.

Bochica had an intriguing premise with its promise of gothic elements, but unfortunately it is excruciatingly slow that it left me yawning and eventually falling asleep. 
 
The setting was eerie with description that flooded my senses. I was on high alert, anticipating the creepiness to be tuned to like an 8, but I quickly learned that it was not going to be THAT kind of suspense. 
 
I struggled the most with Antonia's character who ruminated SO MUCH and delivered little to no action behind all her theories. I also feel like the author didn't know what kind of horror to incorporate as the subject. Is it demons? Is it a cult? Is it a haunting? I was confused, looking for clues as to what I'd encounter next. There's also a bit of romance woven in, but Alejandro as the mmc leaves much to be desired. I didn't like how he was used as a vehicle to reveal the mystery regarding the murders surrounding El Salto. The information being handed to Antonia this way is lazy and disappointing. 
 
My favorite part was reading her mom's journal entries. I think they offered interesting insight to their familial line, and what potential darkness has lurked in their lives.
 
I am not an expert in gothic literature, but this one just ... didn't hit the mark. 

This is the FIRST Ali Hazelwood that I was able to get through and I REALLY liked it! 

Maya is chaos incarnate with a sharp wit that had me giggling like a mad woman. Conor is a rougish Scot who tries (but fails spectacularly) to keep his distance from Maya because well, she's 15 years younger than him. But there is an undeniable connection between them and years of late night conversations that are filled with depth make it impossible to resist orbiting one another. What happens when they spend a week in Italy? A lot of pinning and hot summer nights ;) 

None of the marketing state that THIS is also a friends-to-lovers book. At least, I would consider it to be. There is depth to their friendship. I particularly liked the moments where Conor shows Maya how much he cares for her, and these are reasons why she REALLY really likes him. Although, this is also a con because this man ... the amount of times he told Maya they couldn't be anything more due to their age difference. The age gap discussions got tiring after the first half of the book like OKAY we get it, Conor. I know you're trying to be a mindful king but like PLEASE. This is the reason why a star was knocked off of rating.

Overall, the dialogue is hilariously sharp and the slow burn romance is worth waiting to ignite. 

Note: I listened to audiobook and Elizabeth Lamont deserves A HUNDRED FLOWERS for her performance. She made Maya Killgore come to life with the way her voice boomed or softened depending on the scene. She added so much vibrancy to our fmc that she has instantly become one of my favorite narrators. Please hire her for more projects! 

If I wasn't reading this with my friends...I'd have DNFd in chapter 1.

I absolutely HATED the language about woman, especially how derogatory descriptions of sex workers was used to describe woman who simply wanted to be with hockey players. 

Direct quotes I can remember: 

"whore bunny" 

"...moaned like a street walker" 

I listened to first printing of this book while reading this most updated edition, and the language was edited to remove some of the more concerning lines, BUT STILL. I can't believe this was passed through the first time with no objections.

P.S. I've read better hocky romance books.

I've been SCREAMING about vampires making a comeback in the literary landscape and A Cruel Thirst was EVERYTHING I wanted. 
 
Montoya weaves an enthralling novel, rich in vampiro lore that is culturally derived from Mexican folktales. It is SO FUN with characters that are vividly portrayed, making a name for themselves. Our fmc, Carolina is feisty, witty, and caring. She yearns to be a vampiro hunter like her brothers, but is sheltered by her parents who wish to make a promising match. Then, there is our mmc Lalo who has been recently turned into a vampiro, the same creature he has sworn to hunt and kill. When Carolina and Lalo meet it is deadly because well, she has a knife to his throat. Through much pleading on Lalo's part, Carolina agrees to let him live with the promise of finding an end to the vampiros. 
 
I LOVED this story. From the witty banter between Carolina x Lalo to their slow burn romance that is sweet and full of yearning. One of my favorite things about the story was the pacing. From the beginning I was engaged and fully hooked. Each chapter built upon the last with startling revelations and feelings that caused me to GASP or kick my feet while cackling (it's the good kind of hehehehehe). By the end, I was in tears at how beautifully this story was tied together as generations of love is at the core of this tale. 
 
Truly a wonderful addition to vampire novels. 

I may have read Left of Forever first. After reading about Wren x Ellis, I had to go back and read about Sage x Fisher ... and y'all this one was so painstakingly sweet; my HEART was crushed and put back together in the BEST way possible. 
 
Sage x Fisher's romance is a slow, creeping burn, and once it's ignited it's hard to snuff out. I loved seeing how their relationship blossoms, so slowly, so sweetly. They both want to deny the connection that has sparked between them, but it's hard to ignore when they seamlessly fall together like missing puzzle pieces. Together they find solace in one another through an unforgettable summer that changes everything. 
 
I loved the relationships in Savor It; from friendship between Sage and Wren to sibling bonds between Sage, Ellis, and Silas, and the complex guardianship between Fisher and Indy - these relationships are vividly depicted and depending on the situation, I was either laughing so hard or trying to keep tears at bay while I worked away at my desk. DeWitt writes with highly intense emotions that make you feel every single line at their core.
 
If you're looking for a whirlwind summer romance set in a small town that sweeps you off your feet with heartfelt complexities, look no further than Savor It. 
 
P.S. There is a guaranteed HEA so don't fret fellow romance readers! 

In the 4th book of the Cocky Kingman series, Everett x Pen take center stage in a sweet romcom that hits all the feels, and will have you swooning.
 
First, I'd like to commend Aaron Shedlock x Juniper Young on their incredible narration. They encompass chemistry, humor (you can HEAR their smiles), and perfectly personify our mmcs. I was happy to also see we get a new fmc narrator because it helps me recall the differences between our badass curvy heroines vs them all meshing together. 
 
On to the story: I loved this one. I love how Everett is introduced to us as being this man who sleeps around in prior books, who is the family love guru and has never had any problems when it comes to dating. But he is totally soft and taken down hard by Penelope, who is his brother's fiancee's best friend and off-limits. We see stirrings of feelings in the last book featuring Hayes x Willa, and I was looking forward to seeing how Everett x Pen's relationship blossoms; it didn't disappoint! AH! This aspect of the story was one of my favorites, the interconnected timeline between these last two books, how two Kingman brothers were falling in love practically at the same time. It was so satisfying and truly provided an insider knowledge of the world built so far by Award. 
 
The pet hijinks is always icing on top of a sweet filled chocolate cake. I was laughing so hard with Everett's phobia of snakes, but honestly I would probably be freaking out too. 
 
With all of the Cocky Kingman books, Award not only brings incredible humor and swoon-worthy romance, but heartfelt topics that can bring readers to intense emotions. I love this balance that the author has struck, which makes for a unique sports romance series that keeps me coming back again and again! I truly cannot get enough!