*gets on soap box* Please stop calling books "innappropriate for kids and teens" when THEY WEREN'T WRITTEN FOR THEM IN THE FIRST PLACE. Adult books are written for adults! Not kids and teens! *gets off soap box*

This book is tagged as young adult for some reason on Goodreads (probably because a lot of people tag it as that when it is NOT that), even though it won an Alex Award. Which does mean adult books that appeal to teens, but the key word here is adult. Adult fiction. In no way shape or form did Jonathan Evison write this with teenagers in mind as the primary audience, and the writing of the book reflects that. It's honestly part of the reason I had such a hard time getting into the book, party because I am so used to reading YA fiction. 

This book clearly got reviewed bombed for a "pornographic" section, one that doesn't get into very much detail at all. In fact, the scene in question takes up only a few pages of the story overall, and honestly, I probably would have missed it if I hadn't known what this book was banned and challenged for in the first place. 

Quite honestly, I only think this is on people's radar because they are getting it confused with Lawn Boy by Gary Paulsen, which is, in fact a kids book. Like, maybe do your research before picking up a book for your kid? Is that too much to ask?

Outside of all of these factors, this was just an okay story for me. Definitely very character driven, definitely hitting a lot of key issues and kind of nailing what it can feel like when you're in your early 20s and don't know what to do with your life. Mike isn't the most likeable character, or the most reliable narrator, and that's part of what makes this book engaging. I can see why it won the Alex Award, because it's themes are relatable to teens that might pick it up. 

Does it mean I'll pick up other books by Jonathan Evison? Probably not. Will it lead to an interesting book club discussion? Absolutely.

Am I surpised that I loved this from the premise and the cover? Absolutely not. But this is an absolute gem of a graphic novel and guaranteed to lift your mood, no matter what. After having a hard time getting into the book I'm reading for book club next week, this is definitely the break that I needed. I flew through this and am definitely thinking about buying a copy to add to my collection.

Not only is the art wonderful and beautiful throughout this, from the colors to the character design to the settings, but the writing is just as wonderful. It has a little bit of [book:The Prince and the Dressmaker|34506912] vibes, with royalty and fashion, etc. And so many cheese puns! Muniz committed to that, and I love them for it. Almost makes me want to immediately read it again so I can see if I picked up on all of the cheese references!

If you're looking for something lighthearted to add to your Pride Month TBR, I definitely recommend this one. 

 Thanks to NetGalley and HarperAlley for an advanced copy of Firebird by Sunmi to review! I am always intrigued by new graphic novels, so I was excited to pick this one up. The art style is definitely reminiscent of manga, and I think a lot of teens will enjoy it for that.

This is a bit of a slow moving graphic novel, focusing a lot on the characters and their emotional journeys. Which is not necessarily a bad thing! However, it is heavy on the dialogue and moments where the characters turn to their inner emotions. This leads to some great, well-rounded characters, but it also makes the plot overall drag a bit.

The ending of the story also felt a bit rushed for this reason, almost making it feel like maybe there will be more coming in the future? It's not pitched as a current series, but I see potential. I could definitely see getting more of Caroline’s life in high school, especially as she gets to know herself a little bit more. Caroline is such an intriguing character, and I would for sure read more about her.

Even though this does feel a bit unfinished at the end, it was still an enjoyable read. I think a lot of teens will relate to Caroline’s overall storyline. 

Did I stay up way too late finishing this book last night because I just couldn't put it down? Yes, yes I did. Though that's partly my fault for also starting it so late into the night. What really gripped me about this book was the characters and the overall emotional depth. It's just so well done. Dylan and Jonah are archenemies at the beginning of the book, but as they both get to know each other, they realize there is a lot more to each of them than meets the eye. 

I do want to mention that this book is also falling prey to a trend I've been seeing in queer YA in the last year or so in that it's being marketed as a fluffly, cute romance (even down to the cover design), but it's not really that? Yes, you have fake dating and some of the classic fake dating tropes, but both Jonah and Dylan are dealing with some very real trauma, which leads to some really emotional moments in the book. These are all mentioned in the content warnings at the very beginning of the book, but if you go in expecting cute fluffy romance, this isn't what you're going to get.

But I digress! The marketing has nothing to do with the actual writing of the book, which in my opinion, is really well done. As someone who generally reads books for character, I was so invested in both Dylan and Jonah. I read something somewhere that Amanda Woody was influenced by Red, White, and Royal Blue when writing this, and I can truly see this book as a pretty good read-a-like for that, as least in character chemistry. Just not in overall story plotline.

All in all, if you're looking for an emotional, heartfelt queer romance to read this Pride Month, definitely pick this one up!

From the premise, I knew this was a fantasy, but it didn't really truly feel like a fantasy until the last fourth of the book. Yes, you have the magical letters and everything, but most of the stories about the gods and goddesses you're just getting from the letters and not really seeing them actually play out until the very end of the book. This does mean the second book has a lot of potential, though!

For much of this book, it reads more like a historical fiction than anything else, something set during WWI or WWII. Thus, if you enjoy historical fiction with more and more fantasy as the story goes on, this book is definitely for you!

The premise of this was fascinating, and I did love the way the letters played out between Iris and Roman. They had really great chemistry from the beginning, honestly. Did their relationship move a little quickly there towards the end? Yes, but also its war, so it made sense in the context.

All in all, I do think I'm invested enough to read the sequel when it comes out next year!

After reading and loving The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School last year, I had high expectations for this book. And I am happy to say that I wasn't disappointed! This book deals with difficult issues, especially surrounding sexual assault, rape, and consent, but it does it in such a way that deals with these topics in a delicate and well-thought out way.

Part of this book is about Ari finding the courage to stand up for herself, about her making connections with her peers, and a little about feeling a home with herself. The friends she makes while getting revenge on Luis are such a supportive group and I loved them. They were all there for each other throughout, and even though they were side characters, I felt like they were all well fleshed out as well.

The conversations about consent in this book are so important, especially because Ari is autistic and is nonverbal quite a lot of the time. The way this is discussed in relation to her rape is dealt with so eloquently, and important for teens that might be in similar situations to see that representation. Just be warned, if that's something that's triggering for you, the rape happens off page and is onlyl discussed in small details throughout the book.

All in all, another great book by Reyes and I can't wait to see what she does next.

The main reason I picked this up is because someone mentioned on TikTok that if you liked Black Widow, you'll like this book. And I definitely see the connection! The main corporation they're fighting feels a little like the Red Room with mind control, being sent out on missions, etc. And you can see the Marvel influences throughout, which is always fun for Marvel fans!

I do think some of the world building could have been fleshed out a little more, as they kept referencing laws and things that weren't quite clear to me. Weaving in a little more background about how Syntex first started might have also helped with the overall clarity of the world.

The romance also didn't work for me, as I didn't really feel much connection between Sil and Ryder. It felt like it was just there because romance is expected, but it wasn't necessary for the plot. 

All in all, an action packed book for sure that just had a few flaws.

This book had so much potential for me, but I think there were too many narrators and there was too much going on with the plot. Like a few other reviewers have mentioned, I also thought this was going to be more of a historical fantasy than a modern one, given the cover and the description. But it is definitely more urban fantasy.

Anyway! There were some great characters, and I appreciated the family history/mystery aspect of the plot. Those parts were the most interesting to me, and narrowing the focus would have let that part of the writing shine. There's a hook at the end that hints towards another book, but without that, you could mostly read this book on its own.

All in all, this was a book with potential that just fell a little flat for me.

 Thanks to First Second and NetGalley for an advanced copy of Monstrous by Sarah Myer to review! Graphic Novel memoirs seem to be the trend this summer, becuase I think this is the third or fourth I've read in the last few weeks. And I think they're great! Myer's book might be about adoption, but there are so many elements in this book that teens will also be able to relate to.

One of my favorite things about this book is seeing how Myer's relationship with their dad stayed strong throughout. In fact, their dad even gets into anime, going to conventions with them and everything. It's so sweet! Especially when Sarah is ostracized for her love of cartoons and anime in the book. Little did they know anime would become so popular now in 2023!

The art in this book is also outstanding. Using the monster theme, Myer shows how those negative emotions crept up on them throughout their childhood. Due to the fact that so many people were just so awful to them. There is a lot of homophobia and racism in this book, so just be warned if that's something that's triggering to you.

All in all, this is a powerful book about finding your safe place and finally getting the chance to just be yourself. 

 Thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury YA for an advanced copy of You're Not Supposed to Die Tonight by Kalynn Bayron! If you're a fan of cult slasher films and summer thrillers, this book should definitely be on your TBR this summer. It's a quick read, but only because once you start reading, you'll have a hard time putting it down. One of those horror/thrillers that keeps you turning the pages!

While I'm not necessarily a fan of horror or slasher films, this story still hooked me. Generally, I find reading horror easier than watching it, as I'm more able to skip past some of the more gory parts (and there is gore and blood in this book, so beware!). So far, I haven't met a Kalynn Bayron book I haven't liked, and her writing has gotten even stronger since Cinderella is Dead. This is a new genre, but it's still just as well-written!

The format of this book follows the general format of slasher films. While it's more focused on plot than character, Bayron still packs some good character development within the story. There are twists and turns, and even one I didn't see coming! While I felt the ending was a tad bizarre, I think that's just part for the overall genre.

All in all, fans of summer camp themed horror films will absolutely love Bayron's latest book.