Not Your Valentine is an enjoyable and sweet romance. It follows Helen and Taylor, longtime friends and never anything more. When Helen is humiliated on social media in her previous relationship, she swears off the search for love. But when she needs a fake boyfriend to halt the overwhelming pressure to date again, she decides to ask her friend Taylor. Shenanigans ensue! 

Jackie Lau books are always very warm and inviting. While reading them, I feel like I’m drinking hot chocolate on a freezing cold night. Lau’s characters are so sweet and adorable to watch as fake dating leads to a question of real dating. I especially loved Taylor and how caring he was! Not Your Valentine is the perfect short and cozy read if you enjoy fake-dating, sunshine/grump energy, and strong heroines. 

Not Your Valentine is available now. Thank you to Jackie Lau, Kobo Originals, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi is a book that I savored, fell in love with, and already plan to reread. It is the tale of a mother, a pirate, and a woman whose primary goal is now to protect her young daughter. Amina al-Sirafi is given the chance of a lifetime- one last job to guarantee the security of her family. However, nothing is ever that simple and the job has layers of complexity that are soon revealed. As Amina rounds up her old crew and grapples with long-held secrets, she must decide: is one last job worth it if she risks her life?

Shannon Chakraborty’s adult debut is an unquestionable triumph. I loved every word and have hundreds if not thousands of highlighted quotes that I’ve marked. Some books speak to your soul and take you on the most epic of adventures and this is one of them. Amina and her crew will capture your heart, make you wish you could sail the high seas with them, and emphasizes the importance of found family.

Amina has had many fantastic adventures as a pirate and I really enjoyed how these were recounted. Chakraborty is very inclusive in her writing, realistically making the high seas a diverse and interesting place to be. The writing is extremely clever and witty- I found myself laughing out loud! I loved that the protagonist and crew are older, past their youthful glory days, and must make adjustments as they craft their schemes. Amina’s love and concern for her daughter and family felt genuine and very well-written. I am so curious about what will happen next with her daughter and her mysterious father!

I cannot wait to see where Amina’s adventures take her next and am so happy this is a trilogy!! I would recommend this book to anyone, especially for readers who enjoy Samantha Shannon, Roshani Chokshi, and Maiya Ibrahim. If you enjoy adventurous books with epic journeys, hilarious banter, and an outstanding cast of characters then you need to read The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi.

Thank you so much to Shannon Chakraborty, Harper Voyager, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.