When Brynn made that post, she was joking. Or at least that’s her story- which doesn't stop her mom from panicking and sending her away. An internet-free and phone-less summer on a houseboat with her distant dad is the last thing Brynn wants. When she meets a girl in the bayou named Skylar, she starts to think things might not be so bad. But Skylar has been keeping dark secrets. Brynn must learn to balance her anxiety and face her fears in order to find the real reason Skylar needs help. 

The Immeasurable Depth of You is poignant, filled with a version of deep melancholiness that is unique to young adults. Brynn feels trapped by her parents, by her diagnoses, and struggles to see a way forward. Meanwhile, Skylar is mysterious and ethereal. I appreciated how far Brynn was willing to go to help Skylar, including conquering very real fears and panic attacks. 

I loved Brynn’s relationship with her dad (and mom)- even when it was imperfect, the love between them was always evident. There is a wistful quality to the writing, soaked with grief and cautious hope. Yet, I also felt there was a strong sense of realism that grounds readers even as Skylar’s tragic story unfolds. There is positive LGBTQ+ (specifically bisexual) representation, but I wouldn’t say there is romance. I would recommend this for readers who enjoyed You’ve Reached Sam and 13 Reasons Why. 

Thank you to Maria Ingrande Mora, Peachtree Teen, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

*Do check the content warnings at the beginning of this book or message me with any concerns, as this is a heavy (and important) story that deals with suicide, suicide ideation, anxiety, death etc. To me, these all felt very sensitively approached by the author and treated with thoughtfulness. *

Your Driver is Waiting is a fierce and powerful read that is absolutely invigorating. This is a book that isn’t afraid to tackle racism, twisted politics, and performative allyship. Damani is a Sri Lankan driver for a rideshare app that is predatory and inflicts terrible demands on its drivers. As protests rock the city, Damani meets a beautiful rider named Jolene. Yet when the heat turns up and the protests become personal, Damani is left struggling to deal with the fallout from one pivotal night. 

This book is an intense whirlwind. The writing feels gritty and realistic; Damani felt like a relatable and genuine character. I really enjoyed the writing style; it was darkly sarcastic and poignant. Damani is in a losing battle and she knows it; she must fight every day simply for the right to exist. She doesn’t even have time to properly mourn her father, who died suddenly while working at his job. This was heartbreaking, especially when another character compared Damani’s loss to the loss of her dog. And yet, we all know someone like this! Jolene is performative, narcissistic, and relates everything to her own pain. There was such bitter irony when Jolene organized protests for the rideshare drivers and yet Damani was unable to attend. She literally could not stop driving in order to take care of herself and her mom! 

Priya Guns did an excellent job of weaving in Damani’s relationship struggles with her mother. They often fight due to her mother’s disapproval for LGBTQ+ people and Damani's choices, yet find themselves united in bottomless grief. Damani must take care of her mother when her mother struggles to leave the apartment and perform daily tasks such as feeding herself. Despite these intense struggles (caretaking is a second job), Damani always does her best to take care of her mother at serious cost to her own well-being. I enjoyed how Damani came to terms with and explored her relationship with queerness (especially her haircut!). 

Your Driver is Waiting is a fervent and passionate shout into the world. This would be such a good book club pick; I definitely found myself wanting to discuss it and wondered what happened next to the characters. Thank you to Priya Guns, Doubleday, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Swift the Storm, Fierce the Flame is the exciting sequel to Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves. The mysterious Remy has returned to the planet Maraas- where she experienced a devastating betrayal. This time, Remy joins Sena and Iska the wolf to uncover the truth behind a deadly coup that rocked the politics of Maraas. The planet is now ruled by an ominous corporation that seems to care only about profit and destruction. With the weather increasingly erratic, Remy must quickly decide whose side she is on and how far she will go for answers. You do not need to have read Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves to read this book, but you will enjoy seeing cameos of familiar characters and have more context. 

The worldbuilding really stood out to me- the jungle of Maraas felt vibrant and vivid. Long uses all the senses to make you feel like you’re sweating in the heat of the jungle, crouched right behind Remy as she spies. The jungle, weather patterns, and infrastructure of the planet felt very well-thought out and treacherous. The plot was action-packed and there was never a dull moment. A couple of the plot twists seemed predictable, but I also thought they made sense for the story. 

I loved the found family, rebel squad, and queer inclusiveness. In some ways, I enjoyed this book even more than the first due to familiarity with the worldbuilding and connection with Sena and Iska. Iska is fantastic and so happy we got to see more of her!! It was fun to see these characters in a different environment (the heat of the jungle vs the cold of the tundra). Kiran is initially such a mysterious character; I appreciated learning more about his motivations and friendship with Remy. I enjoyed meeting the new side characters, especially Lyria and Emeko. 

I would recommend this for readers who enjoy Amie Kaufman and Susan Dennard. If you love stories with action-packed adventure, excellent worldbuilding,  and a friendly animal companion, then you need to read this series! Looking forward to seeing what happens next for these characters! Thank you so much to Meg Long, Wednesday Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Song of Silver, Flame Like Night is a lyrical and heart-pounding adventure. I found myself completely drawn in from the tense opening scenes. As the Elantian colonizers strive to erase the Hin culture and people, it is invigorating to see Lan and Zen refuse to give up the fight. There are many real-world parallels to colonialism, racism, and discrimination. Lan and Zen’s journey is impossible to look away from as they work to save their world from unthinkable destruction by ruthless colonizers. 

This book is filled with detailed worldbuilding and a well-developed magic system. I loved how Zhao takes elements that readers are likely already familiar with (yin/yang) and then crafts it into something that is completely her own. Zhao is an expert at creating vivid and evocative fight scenes as the stakes rise. One of my favorite parts of the book was learning about Zen’s background and the reason why Lan’s mother left her such a mysterious gift. 

As the plot develops and secrets are revealed, Lan and Zen both show incredible character growth. Zhao makes it clear there are no simple answers to be found in the fight to save the Last Kingdom and all the characters must make heartbreaking choices. The story pacing unfurls beautifully and I found it hard to put this book down. I can’t wait to find out what happens next for Lan and Zen! I would recommend Song of Silver, Flame Like Night for readers who enjoy lyrical writing, action-packed adventure, and fierce characters. 

Thank you so much to Amélie Wen Zhao, Delacorte Press, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun is the joyful return to the Finlay Donovan world, where an intrepid novelist/mom routinely escapes deadly situations. I love this world so much!! In the latest installment, Finlay must complete edits on her manuscript and determine the identity of EasyClean, the mysterious contract killer. To do so, she’s going to the citizen police academy with Vero as they dodge threats from the mob. Of course, nothing is ever simple for Finlay and Vero…  

This book is delightful chaos and shenanigans! Finlay and Vero are such fantastic characters; I love their bond and how they manage childcare and blackmail with ease. No matter which shady characters are after them, Finlay always manages to look after her kids and found family. Finlay has made some bold choices in previous books and these come back to haunt her in this book. I’m glad to see a certain detective return in full force! The larger ensemble cast all felt distinct and captivating, creating plenty of opportunities for red herrings and new alliances. My favorite side character was Javi; I’m looking forward to seeing more of him and Vero. Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun is hilarious and unputdownable. I would highly recommend it to anyone, but definitely read the other books in the series first. I can’t wait to read the next book; it seems clear the story is not over yet! 

Thank you so much to Elle Cosimano, Minotaur Books, Saint Martin’s Press, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.