Such a lovely YA sapphic romance about two best friends who fall for each other and start dating. Mitra and Bea have had a poetry book going between them for the last five years, and now, they're learning how to navigate that when they start in a romantic relationship. We get to see glimpses of the poems they write each other, as well as the poems that Mitra writes for class. They are all quite lovely and add a lyrical, emotional element to the story.

Mitra is also navigating the fact that her estranged mom, who left because she struggled with addiction, has come back into their lives. It forces Mitra to confront her own trust issues, both with her family and in her relationships. There's a lot of complex emotions in this book, and they are all so well done.

This is Akhbari's debut, and I can't wait to see what she does next!

This book is definitely a lot more complex than the summary makes it out to be. It actually touches a lot on the history of sundown towns in the US, in addition to all of the mystery surrounded by the game Manifest Atlas. Miller uses some actualy historical documents from sundown towns, which is actually kind of cool and adds a whole other layer to the story.

The story itself feels a little longer than it maybe needs to be, but the mystery is interesting and I loved the way Willie and Bones relationship was portrayed. There's just something about growing up and realizing that maybe your brother isn't quite who you thought he was.

The game does play a pretty big part in the story, but from the advertising, I thought it was going to be more sci-fi than it was. Still, if you're looking for a mystery that explores history and racism, then definitely pick this one up!

While her mom goes on a trip for the summer, Almudena is sent to live with her Guatemalan father for the summer–who she has never met. However, when she arrives, she learns they’ll be living in a Brownstone he’s renovating. And he expects her to help. 

As Almudena learns to navigate her new relationship with her dad (who mostly speaks Spanish), she also gets to know the residents of her new neighborhood. Everyone has their own opinions on how Almudena should dress and act according to her Guatemalan heritage. But it’s up to Almudena to decide what she wants that to look like. 
 

Thanks to Versify and NetGalley for an advanced copy of Brownstone to review! You know I always love picking up new graphic novels, and this one definitely caught my eye. The art on the cover looked wonderful, and I knew I was hooked from just that!

I loved the way that this book explores the idea of family and culture through Almudena’s struggle to connect with her dad. During the summer, she is immersed in his Latin American community in New York. She getts to learn new things about herself through her dad and his culture. Their relationship is the core aspect of the story, and I loved how it shaped Almudena by the end.

And the side characters! There’s such a fun cast of characters here, and we get to know quite a few of them. As a reader, you feel immersed in the community along with Almudena, which is helped along with the gorgeous artwork. 

Honestly, Almudena’s story wraps up nicely at the end, but I would definitely read another story about her going back to her dad’s each summer. Getting to see how she grows and the community grows. They are all such a delight to read about.

Definitely add this one to your graphic novel list for the summer! 

It has been awhile since I actually read Richard III, but the vibes of this book definitely fit that play. Rory makes for such an interesting narrator; she's not really the most likable, but you still kind of want to see her suceed? She's manipulative and vengeful, but that makes for an interesting story.

This book does flip between timelines a couple of times to add intrigue, which was a bit confusing at times while listening to the audiobook. But the writing style was engaging, and the overall pace leaves you hooked, wanting to see what Rory might do next to secure her position in the play. If you like Shakespeare retellings, definitely pick this one up!

When Merlin goes missing, King Arthur sends his sister Morgan Le Fey on a quest to find him, along with knights Tristan and Lancelot. With Camelot under attack, it’s important that they find Merlin in order to save their people.

As the trio makes their way towards Merlin, it’s clear there are sparks between Lancelot and Tristan. But a previous curse might get in the way of their newly blooming relationship. Will the trio be able to find Merlin and save Camelot?

Thanks to HarperAlley and NetGalley for an advanced copy of Tristan and Lancelot: A Tale of Two Knights by James Persichetti to review! It didn’t really register for me that this was a graphic novel until I started reading it, so that was a fun surprise!

I absolutely loved the art in this book. The colors and landscapes were spectacularly done, and the way that magic was represented worked really well. The characters were all brought to life by the art, and that’s the best thing in a graphic novel.

The writing also fits the art; Morgan, Lancelot, and Tristan make such a fun adventuring group. They have some great banter, and the budding romance between Lancelot and Tristan was cute. I would definitely read more books about the three of them going on adventures!

The Arthurian legends play a big factor into this story, so if you like queer retellings of Arthurian tales, definitely check this one out in June!

This was cute! I loved getting to see Jonah's journey, as it's one that I'm sure many teens will be able to relate to. The art style was fun and engaging, and really colorful! It fit the overall tone of the story well. My only complaint is that we ablsolutely fly through Jonah's high school years, as we get all four years of high school in one book. It felt like a whirlwind, and I almost wanted a little more time to spend with the characters.

Either way, if you're looking for a queer sports graphic novel, definitely check this one out!

This is a quick, horror/thriller read, but I'll be honest, I was confused for most of it. I don't think there was enough spacee for it to be fully realized, especially with the overall world building. There is a volcanic eruption that takes place, but for a lot of the story, it didn't seem like it mattered much to the plot? 

I did appreciate Case's dedication to figuring out what happened to her friend, and she was a good narrator for the story. I just think having that extra time or space would have helped in making an interesting premise work even better.

Thanks to Viking Books and Edelweiss for an advanced copy of Exes & Foes by Amanda Woody to review! Foody’s debut, They Hate Each Other, was one of my favorite books of 2023, so I was super excited to pick this one up! They definitely didn’t disappoint with this one, either.

Hands down, Foody excels at writing characters you will connect to right from the beginning. Caleb and Emma might be polar opposites, but it’s clear they have good chemistry together. Even when they’re fighting. The book is split between their points of view, and each of their voices were distinct enough that they don’t blur together.

The plot does follow some typical romance tropes, but I found that didn’t matter because I was so invested in the characters. The love interest Emma and Caleb are competing for, Juliet, has her own identity revelations throughout the book, and it felt so natural for the rest of the book. In general, the side characters were just as engaging as the main characters.

There’s great queer representation in this book, too, which we always love to see. It will definitely be a perfect romance to read on the beach when it comes out in July! 

As a teen ghost hunter, Cara’s goal is to find proof of the supernatural in order to get out of her small Washington town. So when she accidentally finds the ghost of Aiden, a teen who had died a year earlier, she thinks her dreams have come true. Little does she know that Aiden has an agenda of his own.

Aiden can’t move on until he knows his sister, Meredith, is okay. So in exchange for his help proving that the supernatural exists, Cara agrees to ask his sister to prom. But as Cara gets to know Meredith, she realizes that there might actually be something between them.

Thanks to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for an advanced copy of The Ghost of Us by James L. Sutter to review! The summary of the book kind of gave me Cemetery Boys vibes, so I was excited to pick this one up. Plus Sutter’s debut, Darkhearts, was a favorite of mine last year!

The relationships in this book are so well done. We have Aiden and Cara’s budding friendship, Cara’s friendship with Holly, and Cara’s slow burn romance with Meredith. There’s a wide variety of relationships here, and I think Sutter nailed them on the head. They felt authentically teen, and made it difficult to put down the book.

Despite the subject matter, this book didn’t feel too heavy or dragged down by grief. Partly because we don’t get Meredith’s point of view; we don’t get to see much of her grieving process for her brother. A dual POV could have been cool in this instance, to pull more of those emotions into the story.

There’s a nod to Sutter’s previous book in here as well, which I always find so fun. Plus, the cover of this book is absolutely gorgeous. If you’re looking for a romance to add to your TBR this summer, definitely pick this one up!

As in typical Leigh Bardugo fashion, the writing and the world building was exceptional. I don't think it quite tops Crooked Kingdom (Bardugo's best book, in my opinion), but it hooked me! The setting was intriguing, and adding to the intrigue was the fact that it's loosely based on her own family's history.

It was a little slow moving for me, and I think it might partly be because I listened to it on audio? The narrator wasn't bad, just wasn't my favorite. There is a good romance at the center of this, and if you like your fantasy a bit dark with a bit of romance, this will definitley be for you!