Allison has been accepted to the doctorate program of her dreams. Things are looking up for Allison- finally! Until her ex Colin Benjamin had to come along and ruin it. Colin and Allison end up acting as a TA to the same professor- who can only take one of them on as an advisee at the end of the semester. The competition is on and both are playing dirty- nothing is off limits, including their romantic past and inside knowledge of each other. As they battle to be the best TA, can Colin and Allison ever find their way back to each other?

I loved the banter from The Make-Up Test! Allison and Colin have great chemistry the entire time. Both Colin and Allison are dealing with family issues and health scares in their family, which eventually inspires them to stop competing against each other. I loved Allison’s spirit and how she worked relentlessly toward her dreams despite the many obstacles in her way. Of course, the cute animals were a great bonus! The conflict in the conclusion felt a little forced, though I was firmly on one character's side the entire time. I would recommend this to readers who love romance in academia, inclusive writing, and lovers to enemies…to lovers (my favorite!). I can’t wait to read what Jenny Howe write next! Thank you to Jenny L. Howe, St. Martin’s Griffin, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Sophie Go’s Lonely Hearts Club is a sweet and engaging addition to Roselle Lim’s excellent body of work. The book follows Sophie, a disgraced matchmaker who unfortunately never graduated. Nevertheless, she is determined to follow her path and get re-accredited so she can continue to spread love. This brings Sophie to the Old Ducks, seven elderly bachelors who now seek love. Some of them have known love and lost it, while others have never found their special person. As Sophie works to help them all find a match, she must decide whether matchmaking is where her future lies…and whether she can match herself along the way. 

This was such a fun adventure! The world of matchmaking was enchanting and I liked how Sophie could choose to have her red thread or not depending on her preferences. I loved the descriptions of mouthwatering food and how every bachelor had such distinct characteristics. The gentlemen really made me laugh, particularly the ones who were invested in helping Sophie succeed. Mr. Particular was another favorite! I felt a bit heartbroken at the end, but appreciated how truly the book represents the joys and challenges of being in love. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading what Roselle Lim writes next! Thank you to Roselle Lim, Berkeley, and Goodreads for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.  

I’m the Girl is an incredibly powerful and spine-chilling read. It is the story of Georgia, who has always wanted to adventure to the secret club of Aspera…what seems to her an ethereal world of power and privilege. Yet while on the road to Aspera, she finds the broken corpse of Ashley James and Georgia is intentionally hit by a car. As Georgia struggles to remember who was in the car, she is drawn into the decadent lure of Aspera. Then comes Nora, Ashley’s older sister, who demands Georgia help her unmask Ashley’s killer. Georgia agrees, but is plagued by amnesia and a promise to her older brother to keep out of trouble. As the town mourns and the killer is nowhere to be found, Georgia must decide how much she will risk at Aspera for justice and the truth about what happened on the road. 

I’m the Girl is a heart-pounding story; I couldn’t stop reading once I started! The prose draws you in, creating a compelling plot as the mystery is unraveled. One of my favorite parts was the unlikely friendship (and something more…?) between Georgia and Nora. Georgia is a fierce heroine, who overcomes so much. I also loved how she had a great relationship with her brother, they always tried their best to be there for each other no matter what. 

The writing was simultaneously elegant and realistic. I appreciated how Georgia must reconcile the memories of her mother and what she uncovers about the truth at Aspera. I’m the Girl holds up a mirror to real world issues of people in power, privilege, sexual assault, missing girls, and grief. I would recommend I’m the Girl for fans of queer romance, true crime, and powerful plots. Absolutely check the trigger warnings as they are very important. Thank you to Courtney Summers, Wednesday Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

Enola Holmes and the Elegant Escapade is a triumphant return to the mysteries of London. Enola and her friend Cecily are forever bonded after their experience in The Black Barouche. Yet Cecily still isn’t out of danger- her villainous father is horribly controlling and keeping her trapped. It will take Enola and all her disguises to help Cecily and her family in time! 

Enola is as independent and resourceful as ever, having learned more from her many successful cases. While she still mourns her mother, Enola has accepted her mother is gone and instead tries to think through how her mother would approach problems. In The Elegant Escapade, Enola learns to leverage a connection to her mother and must outwit her brother Sherlock to prevent him from interfering. Both Cecily and Enola gain confidence, while working to escape and blackmail Cecily’s father. The ending was satisfying and I am curious to see where Cecily and Enola find themselves next! Thank you to Nancy Springer, Wednesday Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Seoulmates is the story of Hannah and Jacob- once neighbors and now strangers. When Jacob returns from Korea to take a rest from his mysterious job, Hannah is annoyed to see the friend who ghosted her once upon a time. As Jacob and Hannah grow closer, Hannah learns why he was unable to respond and what twists his life has taken since then. They only have one summer together to complete his San Diego checklist and dodge adventurous fans along the way. What happens at the end of the summer? 

Hannah is a very funny and relatable heroine. I thought the banter between her and Jacob was hilarious. Jacob is very sweet and well-meaning, although his life has seriously changed since the last time he saw Hannah. I also liked the disability rep from Jacob as he discussed the food allergies he had worked to manage. Occasionally the miscommunication was frustrating as a reader, but I think Lee handled it well overall. The descriptive scenes of San Diego are vivid and transportive. Seoulmates is filled with humor, warmth, and a sweet friends-to-lovers romance.  If you enjoy K-dramas, witty banter, and friends-to-lovers romance then I would recommend you check out Seoulmates for a lighthearted and fun read. I listened to Seoulmates on audio and thought the narrators, Hannah Choi and Raymond Lee, were excellent. Thank you to Susan Lee and LibroFMfor a free audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Monsters Born and Made follows Koral, a girl who is determined to save her family at all costs. Koral lives in a dangerous world on the precipice of a sea filled with monsters. When her brother is injured and requires medicine, along with her chronically ill sister, she is forced to imagine a way out of dire circumstances. With experience as a maristag hunter, Koral enters a chariot race where she could win or lose everything. Only Koral was never supposed to be able to enter… 

Monsters Born and Made is action-packed! It has a great focus on sibling bonds and an important examination of power and politics. Berwah tackles real-world issues of climate change (and how this impacts people with less power) and hoarding of supplies by people in power. There is so much action, but I would have liked to see the characters a little more fleshed out. However, I really appreciated how strong the sibling bonds were. I also loved the maristags!! What an incredible creature! It was beautiful to see Koral bond with and earn the trust of her maristag.  

If you enjoyed The Scorpio Races, competitions with sky-high stakes, and important environmental messages then you should check out Monsters Born and Made. I look forward to seeing what Tanvi Berwah writes next and how the story continues! Thank you to Tanvi Berwah, Sourcebooks Fire, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.