I think I'm really going to give this 2.5 stars because that was...a book. Lol. At the beginning, I could suspend disbelief for the Canadian monarchy thing. Sure, maybe it's something that could happen. However, it doesn't seem like the author did a lot of reserach into what it actually takes to establish a monarchy. Most of the details of the monarchy didn't feel remotely realistic, and they acted like it was something that had a long standing tradition. Which, it does in England (where the King and Queen came from. Well, kind of. The Queen was American which is why they left the English monarchy). But not in Canada. Seemed like they could have done things to make it better. 

But I digress! Aside from the very bizarre details of the Canadian monarchy, the rest of the book didn't really seem to redeem it. We get two points of view, one from Edward and one from Billy, and it was difficult to tell who was speaking. I had to flip back multiple times to figure out whose chapter I was in. The side characters honestly weren't all that much better, minus Pax who I loved. Pax was one of the only redeeming qualities of this book, honestly. They were great.

Also, I had a problem with the timeline of this book. You're telling me if the monarchy suddenly found out that their long lost son was alive, they would just immediately re-instate him as Crown prince? Like, all of this stuff happens in about two months time, and everyone is surprised that Billy doesn't know the expectations of being a royal?? That's a lot to learn!! Not to mention, Edward's plan to sabotage him also seemed kind of out of left field. Couldn't he have, like, talked to his parents first? His parents who just suddenly have this new son, and seem to prioritize the new son over the one they've raised from birth?? It was just an overall weird dynamic, and I didn't understand it.

I don't know, guys, this is just a bizarre book. It doesn't fit any of the comp titles (Princess Diaries, Parent Trap, Red, White & Royal Blue) in my opinion. I can't say I would recommend it unless you're ready to exclaim "WTF??!?" every few chapters. 

 Thanks to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for an advanced copy of Spell Bound by F.T. Lukens to review! At this point, I think F.T. Lukens has firmly established themselves as the YA author writing fun, queer, fantasy adventures. You know you’ll get quirky characters, a fun magical world, and epic adventures whenever you pick up one of their books.

Spell Bound is no different. Right from the beginning, you will likely fall in love with the characters. Rook especially. He is just looking for a way to reconnect with the magical world, and I loved that Antonia gave him a chance. And his relationship with Sun! Sun was equally lovely. They formed a strong connection with Rook, and I loved how they interacted with each other.

The world building was also really well done. It’s a pretty unique magical system, and it was fun to learn about. Antonia’s many magical puns also add to the somewhat whimsical nature. But don’t be fooled, the stakes do get pretty high at the end. You’ll want to keep reading to just find out what happens next.

All in all, if you’re looking for a fun magical adventure, definitely check this book out in April! 

Thanks to Tor Teen and NetGalley for an advanced copy of Into the Light by Mark Oshiro to review! This is their first YA in a few years, after publishing a few middle grade books. Before you start reading, I highly recommend checking out their trigger warnings. There are some difficult topics broached in this book, but know that it ultimately ends on a note of hope!

Oshiro is always good at writing strong, emotional characters. And this book is no different. We get two different points of view throughout, from Manny and Eli. Some of the point of view switching is a little confusing at first, but once you pick up on what's going on, the two narratives definitely make sense. There's a little bit of a surreal element to the plot, but it also helps to emphasize the trauma that Manny goes through throughout this book.

In addition to Manny and Eli, I loved the Varela family. At first, Manny doesn't want to trust them. And as readers, you don't really want to either. But as we get to know more about them, you realize they can be trusted, just like Manny does. There's hope woven throughout the story, despite all of the trauma that Manny goes through.

I wasn't a huge fan of the twist towards the end of the book, so that's the only reason this isn't getting five stars. But it's a beautifully written book, just make sure you're in the right head space to read it! 

This is a fresh take on YA horror, and I especially appreciated the way that the novel was formatted. It helped create suspense, and framed it as someone retelling what happened to them. Which helps create that sort of unreliable narrator aspect of the entire story. Is that what really happened? Or is that just how Amelie imagined that it happened? We will never know.

The story itself was kind of bizarre, not going to lie. I'm still not exactly sure what actually happened when they were in the caves. Some of the characters also could have used a bit more character development, I think it would have helped develop some of the plot points too. But if you're looking for something that will hook you in until you're finished, I'd definitely recommend this one! As long as you don't look at the plot too closely.

I'll give it to Riley Sager, there are some great twists and turns in this book. Were they realistic? Not really. The style of the book is written in a way that makes it a fast read and hooks you in, especially flipping between past and present. I just couldn't immerse myself enough in the story to really buy into what was actually happening.

I think it was on purpose, but the characters also aren't the most likeable, which always makes it difficult for me to get into a book. This is my first Riley Sager novel, and I honestlu probably won't pick up another one.

Leave it to Julian Winters to finally pull me out of my sad book reading streak. Finally, the rom-com that I really needed! Honestly, it's what I've come to expect from a Julian Winters book. There were definitely the Breakfast Club vibes that were promised here, as well as a cute promposal and just all around general teenage romance drama.

A good majority of this book takes place at the same party, and you come to realizations kind of as Theo comes to them. Especially about his friends. The relationships felt realistic, and the drama wasn't too much. There are some well developed side characters, and it's easy to get lost in the cast. It's just an all around enjoyable book, and I'd definitely recommend it if you're look for a good YA romance!

This just wasn't my cup of tea. While I think it tells an important story and there are teens who will relate to it, there are books that have come out since then that deal more delicately with the issue of drug addiction. I am curious if teens today are still reading this book, though, and if they can find themselves in the story. Also this book has been out for almost 20 years already?? I can still remember when it first came out. 

Anyway! The writing didn't exactly capture me, and part of me wonders if verse was the best way to tell Kristina's story. Even though it was in verse, the story still felt too long to me by the end. All I can say is that I likely won't be picking up another book in the series. But it will make some good discussions for book club!

Not my all-time favorite romance trope (the lying trope, which is not the worst, though. We reserve that for insta-love), but this was still a fun, breezy read! Which I needed after my last couple of reads. You know from the beginning that Noah's web of small lies were eventually going to blow up in his face, especially as he gets more and more serious with Eli. But he's a teenager! Everything about the story fit for the audience it was written for.

I did appreciate that the ending was left fairly open, because I'm always skeptical of happily ever after endings for teens. These open ended books just feel more realistic to me. While I wanted a little more character development throughout, it was an overall enjoyable book!

I don't usually listen to audiobooks for graphic novels, but Ben Barnes narrated it, so I had to give it a try. Plus it won an audiobook honor at ALA's Youth Media Awards. This is a full cast audiobook, with sound effects and everything. It adds a lot to the graphic novels, so I'd recommend listening to it while you're reading the graphic novel!

This was good for a fantasy debut, with an interesting concept, based on Eastern mythologies. Reminded me a little bit of [book:We Hunt the Flame|36492488]. However, I wanted a little more character development and world building. There were pieces of the world that I felt like I was missing, key pieces that would have helped with moving the main plot forward. 

The ending of the book does a good job of setting up a sequel (and maybe potentially more, we shall see!). There's not a whole lot that makes it unique in the area of YA fantasy, outside of the main magic system. I did think that was interesting. It's an enjoyable book, but not one that seems to be super memorable for me.