This was adorable! Honestly, it reminds me of Ann Einerson and I love her books. This is such a cute and fun novella that totally hit the spot. I’m a sucker for a good marriage of convenience, and this one had all the charm and heart I wanted. Stella and Wyatt were just the sweetest and he was totally down bad for her, and I was here for every second of it. Their chemistry was amazing, and the spice? So hot. 🥵🩷

I loved the cozy small town vibes of Crestbrook Cove, the grumpy/sunshine dynamic, and the sprinkle of childhood friends to lovers. It had that warm, found family feel too (everyone needs a Memaw who schemes for your happiness, am I right?). Oh, and Duke the dog? I love him so much.

If you’re in the mood for a quick, feel good romance with heart, heat, and humor, this one’s perfect!

✨ Tropes you’ll love:
🩷 Marriage of Convenience
🧡 Grumpy Boat Captain MMC
💛 Hotel Owner FMC
🩷 Small Coastal Town
🧡 Grumpy/Sunshine
💛 Childhood Friends to Lovers
🩷 Found Family

Thank you to Hollie Lucke and Booked with Rae Author Services for the eARC of this book. 

So, Birthday Girl was good. Actually, really good in the way that makes you want to keep reading even when you're side eyeing the characters’ choices. It’s got the spice, the tension, the slow burn angst, but let’s be real: this “forbidden” relationship wasn’t all that forbidden. The only people making it taboo were Pike and Jordan themselves. Like… you live in the same house, have insane chemistry, no one really cares or is actively stopping you, so just go for it already!

That said, I love a messy, age gap romance, and Pike Lawson checks every box for the hot, grumpy, morally torn older man trope. I totally get why Jordan was drawn to him. He’s dependable, protective, broody in the best way and honestly, way more likable than Cole (who, let’s be honest, overstayed his welcome by several chapters).

The tension was top tier. The stolen glances, the accidental touches, the build up to those spicy moments? Perfection. Penelope Douglas knows how to write heat, and this book definitely brings it. 🔥

Jordan was a bit of a mixed bag for me at times. She was young but not immature, self-aware but still stuck in a messy situation she could’ve stepped out of earlier. But hey, it made the payoff between her and Pike feel earned.

I just wish the “forbidden” label had actually meant more in terms of stakes or tension beyond their internal guilt. If you’re going to make it taboo, make it taboo, you know?

Still, I devoured this and had a great time. It’s spicy, angsty, and addictive and is the kind of book you read with one eyebrow raised but a smirk on your face the entire time. Definitely worth picking up if you’re into age gap romance with a side of moral struggle.

I went into The Thrashers with high hopes because Julie Soto is a fave, and the setup was promising. Elite high school friend group? Secrets? Creepy messages from beyond the grave? Count me in. Unfortunately, this one unraveled fast and left me more frustrated than entertained.

Let’s start with what I felt worked: Julian. He was honestly the only character I connected with and felt had any real depth. He wasn’t overly cruel or fake deep like the rest, and his arc felt the most grounded, though even his ending felt weirdly unfair compared to others (Zack, looking at you 👀).

But everything else? Kind of a mess.

Jodi as a protagonist made no sense to me. We’re told she’s not really close to the Thrashers, yet she’s somehow constantly involved, sticking around people who openly treat her like an outsider. It felt like the book couldn’t decide if she was part of the group or not. And for someone who repeatedly felt left out, she went so hard trying to protect them… for what? Loyalty? Peer pressure? Nostalgia? The book never gave a compelling answer.

Then there’s Jodi’s whole "I’m the good one" act. While the rest of the crew at least owned their messy behavior, Jodi’s self-righteousness just came off as irritating and fake. I found myself liking her less and less as the story went on.

Also, let’s talk about the police in this book. I mean… what were they even doing? Some major plot points required them to overlook the most basic evidence. The investigation felt like a cardboard cutout of what should’ve been a high stakes mystery.

And Jodi withholding critical info from the cops? WHY. Especially since she wasn’t even close with Emily. It felt like drama for the sake of drama, not a decision grounded in character logic.

The supernatural stuff? Super vague and underdeveloped. I couldn’t tell if we were leaning into paranormal or just using it as a plot device. Either way, it left more questions than answers and not in a satisfying “ooh, mysterious” way, but more like “wait… did I miss a chapter?”

The pacing also suffered. The beginning pulled me in, but halfway through, the tension fizzled out and I just wanted to be done. And the ending? Wildly unsatisfying. I expected some twists to not land, but the entire resolution felt absurd.

Was this the worst book ever? No. I think teens who like twisty drama might still enjoy the ride because it does have that YA Netflix drama feel. But if you’re looking for something coherent and emotionally resonant, this isn’t it. At all.

This had all the ingredients for a great YA thriller, but the execution just didn’t deliver. I’m still a fan of Julie Soto, but The Thrashers wasn’t the hit I hoped it would be.

🌹 5 stars | If this book doesn’t get more hype than Fourth Wing, the system is rigged!

🎧 This was an ALC read and let me tell you, I was slowing down my audio speed because I did not want to miss a thing, and Rose in Chains earned it. I didn’t want it to end. Julie Soto has officially found her genre. This is dark romantasy done right.

We follow Briony Rosewood, princess of the fallen Evermore kingdom. After her brother is killed in the war and her people are stripped of their magic, she’s captured and sold at auction to be used as a “heartspring” to fuel someone else’s power. Her buyer? Toven Hearst, who is a powerful noble from the enemy side, her former school rival, and the boy she's spent years trying (and failing) to forget. But instead of siphoning her magic, he keeps her alive and protected, and the tension between them is everything.

This book has:
✨ Enemies to lovers (slowest, burn, everrrr)
✨ Political rebellion bubbling under the surface
✨ An intriguing, original magic system (Mind Magic vs. Heart Magic)
✨ Flashbacks that add emotional weight (not filler!)
✨ A magical house that gives you what you need
✨ A rich world that’s beautifully fleshed out
✨ So much tension and longing, I was screaming

Briony is such a relatable, layered protagonist. She is strong in quiet, steady ways. Toven is a mystery wrapped in control, secrets, and subtle soft moments that hit hard. Their dynamic is complex and earned. And the audiobook narrator? She was phenomenal. Every voice distinct, every emotion palpable. 🎧 She made this already incredible story even better!

I also adored:
Serena (Toven’s mother): give me a spinoff
Larissa’s mysterious past
The slow unraveling of political alliances
The small, perfect romantic gestures that broke me
The way the flashbacks deepened everything in the present

💥 Trigger warning: this is a dark story. It deals with serious and heavy themes (war, trauma, captivity, systemic abuse, and more). Please check the content warnings beforehand. But none of it feels gratuitous, because it’s handled with care and intentionality.

The only con is that I read it early, and now I have to wait for the sequel like a commoner. The cliffhanger absolutely knocked the wind out of me and I need Book 2 immediately.

If you love slow burn, emotional, high stakes romantasy with a strong female lead and an even stronger yearning game, Rose in Chains is the book for you. Julie Soto’s writing is sharp, immersive, and gut punchingly good.

I already loved her previous books, but she is an auto buy author for me now.

Thank you to NetGalley, Julie Soto, and Hachette Audio for the ALC of this book. 

My Roommate From Hell was SO much better than I expected. I did go in with low expectations and ended up grinning like a fool the entire time. This is a super fun, surprisingly heartfelt YA rom com with just enough chaos to keep it spicy (figuratively, not literally because this is a sweet slow burn, just kissing).

We follow Owen, a tightly wound, overachieving college freshman who just wants to keep his head down and get through school... and Zarmenus, the literal prince of Hell, who's his new roommate. Cue eldritch horrors, ghouls in the bathroom, and a demonic cat named Bell that I would 100% die for.

This book hits all my favorite tropes:
✨ Enemies to lovers (but make it fake dating too)
✨ Opposites attract
✨ Bantery, borderline unhinged flirting
✨ Demons but make it college
✨ Soft emotions in between laughs

I LOVED Owen. He’s awkward, anxious, and painfully relatable. Watching him slowly let his walls down (and simultaneously yell internally about how hot his demon roommate is) made my heart happy. And Zar is an adorable menace who’s somehow both chaos incarnate and weirdly endearing.

Some of the scenes had me cracking up, like the ghoul situation or the random portals, but what really surprised me was how much depth there was under all the humor. Themes like identity, vulnerability, prejudice, and self-worth were handled gently and thoughtfully, without ever getting too heavy for the story.

My only complaint? I need MORE. More Owen/Zar. More demon-human shenanigans. More Bell.

If you're into books that are cute, chaotic, queer, and unexpectedly emotional, My Roommate From Hell should be on your radar. I would recommend it if you loved Red White & Royal Blue, because it's that meets Good Omens, but set in a college dorm room full of fire hazards.

ARC provided by NetGalley and Wednesday Books. All opinions are my own, and my opinion is: I LOVED IT.

So when I heard Lynn Painter was writing a hockey romance? Immediate yes. I’ve loved her YA books before, and Fake Skating delivers more of what she does best: witty banter, messy teen feelings, and heart squeezing moments that make you root for the characters, even when they’re being a little ridiculous.

The story follows Dani and Alec, who are childhood best friends that haven’t seen each other in years. Now they’re high school seniors in a hockey obsessed Minnesota town, and Alec has gone from nerdy sidekick to full blown hockey star. Through a series of misunderstandings (classic), they end up fake dating, and obviously feelings start flying.

✨ Fake dating
✨ Childhood friends to enemies to lovers
✨ Dual POV
✨ Bantery goodness
✨ Hockey setting that actually feels legit

I loved the premise and the slow shift from old friends to something real again. Alec and Dani’s dynamic is equal parts sweet and chaotic, and their chemistry shines through even in their more stubborn moments. I also appreciated the emotional depth when it came to family dynamics and the pressure of expectations, especially in a town where hockey is practically religion.

That said, I wish a few plot points had been fleshed out more because it felt like there were a lot of threads that didn’t get as much development as I’d hoped. And heads up: this is marketed as YA, but it has a lot of profanity and some intense kissing scenes. Not necessarily for younger teens, in my opinion.

Still, it’s fun, fast paced, and full of heart. If you’re a Lynn Painter fan or a sucker for fake dating with a sports twist, go ahead and add this one to your fall TBR. It’s got just enough sweetness to balance out the sass.

Thank you to NetGalley, Lynn Painter, and Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing for the eARC of this book.

There’s Pumpkin About You by Athena Carstairs is the definition of a cozy fall romance! I absolutely adored it. It’s sweet, charming, full of autumn vibes, and the perfect book to curl up with on a crisp day with a warm drink in hand.

The story follows Wren, an ambitious party planner, and Gus, a grumpy pumpkin farmer with a heart of gold. Wren visits Gus’s farm while planning her best friend’s fall birthday bash, and what starts as a business arrangement slowly turns into something deeper. Their slow burn romance is full of warmth, heart, and just the right amount of banter.

What really stood out to me was how beautifully Gus was written. He’s autistic, and the book handles his character with so much care and thoughtfulness. The way the small town misunderstands him felt heartbreakingly real, but seeing Wren take the time to understand him, support him, and just see him for who he is was incredibly moving. I loved how their relationship developed gently over time, with Gus stepping outside of his comfort zone simply because he cares for Wren.

Gus and Wren are both layered and lovable, and their story felt grounded and genuine. It’s not just about falling in love; it’s about growth, patience, and showing up for someone even when it’s not easy.

This book hit all the right notes for me. The pumpkin farm setting? Perfectly atmospheric. The storyline? Addicting. The characters? Unforgettable. I’ll definitely be rereading this one every fall and it’s officially on my annual cozy season must read list!

Thank you to NetGalley, Athena Carstairs, and One More Chapter for the eARC of this book. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️

A raw, messy, fascinating look behind the influencer curtain.

I followed LeeFromAmerica during peak wellness Instagram, during the matcha, the Outdoor Voices sets, the adaptogens, and I remember all of it. The breakup. The bowl cut. The backlash. I picked up this book partly out of nostalgia, partly out of curiosity... and wow, I was not expecting how dark and deeply personal it got.

Lee’s memoir isn’t just about influencing, but it’s also about identity, disordered eating, trauma, addiction, and the high cost of constant self-performance. She pulls back the curated veil on a life that, at one point, looked aspirational to me. What I thought was just clean eating and #selfcare turned out to be deeply toxic. Not just for her, but for the community watching and mimicking it.

As an avid social media user, I view this as a thoughtful cautionary tale about how easily your self-worth can get tangled up in likes and validation. Social media can be creative and connective, but this book is proof of what happens when it becomes your entire identity.

That said, the book itself is uneven. At times it tells more than it shows, and some of the deeper issues are dropped in quickly, then abandoned. I wish a stronger editor had helped shape the narrative. Still, I read it in a few hours because it’s compulsively scrollable, just like her feed used to be.

Whether you followed Lee back in the day or are simply interested in influencer culture and the cost of digital fame, this is a compelling, sometimes uncomfortable read that raises essential questions, especially for anyone raising kids in a world where being an influencer is now a career goal.

Thank you to NetGalley, Lee Tilghman, and Simon & Schuster for the eARC of this book. 

🚀 To the Moon and Back by Eliana Ramage
4⭐️ | Queer lit • Indigenous rep • Messy ambition

This one had so much potential, like Cherokee rep, queer coming of age, NASA dreams, but the execution left me torn. Steph’s journey to become the first Cherokee astronaut is raw, messy, and full of heartbreak… but also a bit chaotic.

She’s ambitious, selfish, and sometimes hard to root for, which I do respect, but I struggled to connect with her. The NASA details? Not always accurate, and that took me out of it as a space nerd. Loved the creativity in structure (POV shifts, journal entries, dating profiles 👏), but the pacing dragged and some characters vanished mid book without closure.

Still, this is a bold, genre bending debut that dives deep into identity, culture, family, and the cost of chasing your dreams. Not perfect, but important.

Worth reading if you like complex characters, emotional journeys, and books that don't tie things up with a neat little bow.

Thank you to NetGalley, Eliana Ramage, and Avid Reader Press/Simon & Schuster for the eARC of this book. 

Someone solving their own murder? Honestly, that concept alone had me immediately intrigued. Not Quite Dead Yet is Holly Jackson’s first foray into adult fiction, and while it carries the same addictive, twisty energy as her YA novels, this one definitely cranks up the intensity.

We follow Jet Mason, who learns she has seven days to live after a brutal attack leaves her with a ticking time bomb in her brain, which is a rupturing aneurysm. Jet’s response? Use what little time she has left to figure out who tried to kill her. And that setup is genuinely brilliant.

I loved the urgency built into the plot. The whole thing feels like a thriller on borrowed time, and it really keeps you flipping pages. Jet’s partnership with childhood friend Billy was a highlight because he’s a cinnamon roll of a character, and you just want to give him a hug. I also really appreciated the depiction of Jet’s deterioration; it added a raw, emotional layer to the mystery that made it feel more grounded and visceral.

But as much as I was on board with the premise, I can’t lie. I struggled with parts of the execution. The mystery, while engaging, started to feel predictable pretty early on. There were a lot of moving parts (some of them too many), and at times it felt like scenes were added to pad the length rather than move the story forward. The resolution, particularly the ending, felt rushed and didn’t quite hit the payoff I was hoping for, especially with some plot threads just kind of… left hanging.

And Jet as a main character? It’s complicated. She’s understandably messy, but I found myself getting frustrated with some of her choices, like refusing to involve the police meaningfully even when it would have made sense to. The supporting characters, like her awful brother and emotionless mom, were clearly meant to be hateable, and they definitely succeeded there.

Still, even with its flaws, this was a fun ride. Holly Jackson’s signature pacing, twists, and emotional punches are all here, just in a slightly rougher adult debut form. I didn’t love it the way I loved A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, but I’m still glad I read it and I’d absolutely recommend it to others, especially fans of twisty small town thrillers with a dark emotional core.

Mixed feelings, but a killer concept. Some pacing and character issues, but emotionally gripping and unique enough to stand out. I’ll keep reading whatever Holly Jackson writes next.

Rating: 3.5/5