I'm really giving this 4.5 stars, only because I got a bit disoriented with the time jump at the end of the book. It felt like there was a bit of the story missing. But other than that, I thought this was absolutely adorable! Everything from the art to the story to the characters worked so well together, creating this sweet (heh) little love story, set in a bakery. There's even recipes included at the end of the book! Definitely glad I picked this one up.

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While this book was hard to put down by the end, I just felt like it was missing something? There were twists and the premise was kinda creepy. By the end, the main characters still didn't feel fully flushed out for me. The book itself fit more around this mystery rather than the characters involved. Which is fine, but made it just okay for me.

Okay okay, I absolutely loved Gideon. She didn't really care what other people thought about her, and she spent a lot of this book confused about what was happening (but also same. Some of it was a bit hard to follow). That's the only reason I rated this four stars instead of five. Otherwise the concept is new, the characters are fantastic, and there's just a lot to love about this book.

My first Rin Chupeco book, and now I want to read more! This would be the perfect book to read during the fall. Full of Japanese legends and myths about spirits, you can learn a lot while listening to a great story. Glad I picked this one for the Read Harder challenge!

Trigger warnings for suicide, self-harm, disordered eating, alcohol use

This offers realistic insight into psychiatric wards; I was especially impressed with the ending the focus that there are ups and downs on the path of recovery. The pacing was a little off and the formatting was a little difficult for me to follow, but otherwise a compelling story.

Though there were a few pacing issues, the overall message of this story is important. This follows Ella's(aka Cinderella) two stepsisters after she goes off and marries the prince. Isabelle, the main character, finds the fairy queen once again and just wishes for one thing--to be pretty. But throughout her journey, she realizes that maybe that isn't what she wants. Maybe she wants something more.

There were moments in the books where I felt blown away. Isabelle and her sister, Tavi, were horrible to Ella. But also, their mother was horrible to them. They don't fit into the traditional sense of a girl, and they just want the opportunity to be themselves. These moments were the best moments; when they realized they could forge their own way.

Not going to lie, the Fate and Chance thing confused me for most of the book. The basic premise made sense, but it contributed to the overall pacing issues of the book. There was too much going on with these outside influences when I just wanted to keep reading Isabelle's story.

All in all, glad I finally picked this one up off my unreadshelf! A twisted retelling that will have you cheering for what you probably thought was the villain.

For the most part, this is much like I remember from the first time reading it, waaaaay back when it was first published. A quick read, a fun read, and I actually thoroughly enjoyed the narration in this one.

I think I remember seeing something that Clare's writing gets better with time? Some of the dialogue felt a bit off to me, as it didn't feel like comfortable teenager speech. But, that also might come from when it was written--or maybe her dialogue has gotten better with time! Either way, I'll continue on with the series, once the next audiobook is available from the library.

Trigger warnings: Racism (verbal aggression)

Read my full review at between-the-shelves.com!

We received an ARC of this at work, and I was so excited! I saw the cover release way back when, and I knew I had to immediately read it. I'm glad I wasn't disappointed! It was a quick read that had me engaged for most of the story. Albertalli and Saeed also brought up a lot of relevant points, especially for our current political climate.

As someone outside of both religions, I felt they were represented realistically. Overall, the diversity was represented realistically and authentically. This small, fictional Georgia felt true to what it was representing.

Additionally, the explanation of voting, elections, and social media impact is huge in this novel. With an election coming up this year, the topic is extremely relevant, and this book makes it relatable to teens who won't yet be able to vote. They can see how Jamie and Maya work to make a difference, and I don't think it's too over the top. 

Okay, there were times in this book where it felt a bit repetitive. Jamie constantly brought up how awkward he was with girls, and there were a lot of sections of recap that I don't think were necessary.

I also don't think the romance was necessary, especially since it was very drawn out and not much happened until close to the end of the book. The book would have been just as effective without the romance, in my opinion. Finally, there were way too may pop culture references in this book. The references tended to pull me out of the story because I either had to figure out what they were talking about, or it just didn't seem to fit with the story.

All in all, this is an enjoyable read that I think a lot of teens and adults alike will love. With its timely subject matter, this is one you're all going to want to read this election year.
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Did I read this all basically in one day? Yes, yes I did. Overall, a great read, though there were a few things that bothered me. More to come in a full review later today or tomorrow!

Funny, witty, and a delight to read! Just before high school, Lucy and her friends devise a way to get everyone to read TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD. Little did they know it would take off on the internet. A unique concept, my main wish is that there was more of it. But enjoyable nonetheless!