jennireadsmaybe's Reviews (678)

Within the first five pages, I knew I was going to love From the Start. Nic and Josh have a tension filled chance encounter on the journey home from their small town. They couldn't stand each other as kids and they certainly don't want anything to do with the other as adults. Katie Duggan's writing is at once hilariously heartfelt and an honest portrayal of being neurodivergent, fat, and queer in a world that doesn't support non-cishet identities. I'm so glad this book exists!!! If you love Chloe Liese, Katie Duggan is the author for you!!! 

I'm melting 🥵 Nic and Josh are by far my favorite spicy lessons couple of all time. I was putty in the palm of their hands. The fact that they really didn't like each other in the beginning made it so fun/ridiculous that he was the person Nic chose to teach her. Every moment small and large was important to their developing relationship and I was bewitched body and mind by these two. Honestly, writing this review makes me want to reread it already!! Two adults learning to communicate their wants and needs in a relationship while also learning to trust and rely on the person they choose to be with, I'm freaking obsessed with them. 

Read this if you like childhood hate to adulthood love, neurodivergent, fat, and queer representation, spicy lessons, realistically learning how to communicate with your partner, large family shenanigans, and supporting indie authors.

Rex's joyful and pain-filled history makes you desperate to root for him and Regina Moon Dee in his present day hidden identity romance. He just wants his one-that-got-away ex to fall back in love with him, and if that means hiding his formerly internet famous drag queen persona and saving the gay karaoke bar Aaron works at he's going to do whatever it takes. I was bewitched by the hidden identity antics and the past/present storylines that let us get to know Rex and his family. 

Of course there is a romance element between Rex and the KJ Paolo that I absolutely adored!! Paolo sees Rex for he is and love him for it. I want 1 million more drag queen romances. Paolo is willing to do anything Rex needs and it's so refreshing to see a book that's a love letter to drag culture. Obviously, I had such a fun and emotional time reading Karaoke Queen. I will be checking out Dominic Lim's previous work. 

Read this if you like falling in love with who you are, a community of people coming together to save important parts of queer history, drag queens, and someone who wants to see every part of you inside and out. 

If you have anything bad to say about Yamilet, then you'll have me to contend with; I would kill for her. She goes through so much in her story that I just want to wrap her in a hug and protect her from the world. Sonora Reyes captured Arizona heat and catholic school religious bigotry so well. I loved Yami's friend group and her familial relationship particularly because they felt so real to the teenage experience (LET TEENS BE TEENS!!!). I'm definitely going to read more from Sonora Reyes. 

So much was packed into 389 pages/9 and a half hours, but it never felt like the book dragged on to me. The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School covers queer identity, immigration/deportation, mental health, coming out, being gay in a religious heavy environment, and so much more. Reyes handles everything with care. There's a bit of romance sprinkled in between Yami and Bo that I adored. I'm so glad this exists and that BIPOC queer girls will be able to see themselves in the pages of it. 

Read this if you like contemporary YA stories with a dash of romance, messy teenagers existing in an even messier world, unpacking religious trauma, and hot summer days. 

Akwaeke Emezi packs a heartbreaking punch with Feyi's tale of grief and its everlasting effect on our lives. You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty is my favorite of the two Emezi works I've read. The forbidden romance plot mixed with Feyi's character really sucked me in. The writing is so easy to want to keep reading. It definitely had the typical messy charm I've come to associate with their storytelling as well as a lush setting description. 

I think the best part of Feyi and Alim's romance is that they've both experience the unique grief of losing a partner that you'd thought you'd grow old with. It makes their romance that much more believable because they understand each other's loss. I generally didn't like the third act drama from Alim's grown-ass kids, but I understood why it happened. I would've liked to see just a little bit more at the end, but it was still very good. 

Read this if you like forbidden/friends dad romance, being insanely attracted to someone you shouldn't, delicious and delectable foods, and art that packs a punch.

Helena Greer will be receiving my therapy bill after reading this. How is it that every single character in this series managed to call me out; I didn't know how traumatized I really was before until I read Carrigan's Christmasland. Anyways, Greer is a masterclass in character work; Tara and Holly are such flawed, realistic, whole characters you want the best for both of them. I'm going to wish the magical Carrigan's setting is real for the rest of my life. 

I love a roadtrip romance because you're stuck in an enclosed space until you get to your destination; you can't escape the person you're with. Throw in fake dating and getting to truly know the person you've been wildly attracted from day one and shiiiiiit I was eating out of the palm of Tara and Holly's romance. I love that they are each so wildly different in their wants at the beginning. I got to see just how much they grew in themselves by the end. I just love them!!! 

Read this if you like fake dating, roadtrips, opposites attract, realistic third act breakups, learning your worth, and the cute barista at your favorite local coffee shop. 

Did I read this just because it had a fat librarian FMC? Yes. It was a quick lesson and downright hilarious at that. My one complaint... his name is Chuck. I just can't picture anyone moaning that name!?!?! Overall, it was okay. We'll see if I continue with the series. 

As with the previous book in the Dominating the Diamond series, I absolutely 100% adored Outfield Assist!!! It takes a step back from in season baseball games and follows Kitt as he trains in during the off season with Jules (the new bubbly coach) and Gideon (the traumatized former olympic swimmer). I loved all three of them so dearly. They all had their own character arcs and the story never felt bogged down by having three. I would die for all of them!! Kitt is the first biromantic character I've ever read; all the representation is handled with so much care. 

I will never see weightlifting the same after this 🥵 Cat Giraldo writes some of the hottest smut I've ever read and really captures the emotional high during the act so well. Jules, Gideon, and Kitt are probably my favorite triad. Each of their relationships had time to develop on its own while also fitting into the triad's relationship so well. The dynamics just worked so well that I needed them to get together more than air. Gah, I just freaking loved them!!!! 

Read this if you like sports romance, queer polyamorous romance, dom/sub dynamics and kink explorations, and learning to fall back in love with sports. 

Tanvier Peart hit this one out of the park!!! I'm packing my bags to go to a singles retreat in Colorado ski country; the setting descriptions were phenomenal, and I was dreaming of their hotel 😩 Also, this was freaking hilarious. Justice and Emma's friendly, quippy conversations had me cackling. I was easily sucked in to the story and didn't want to put it down once I started.

Marriage in trouble is by far one of my favorite tropes. The Seven Month Itch is one of my new favorites. I loved the obvious tension between Justice and Terrence. They love each other so much, but there is a lot of hurt between the two of them. The back and forth and emotional reunion really suited them. I also thought the miscommunication was extremely realistic to their history (I am a miscommunication apologist thought so...). The smut y'all... if y'all blush easy don't read this one in public 🥵. 

Read this if you like second chance, marriage in trouble, learning to trust after hard times, a man who knows what you like and will do it every single time, and realistic third act miscommunication. 

To Shape a Dragon's Breath is one of the most well rounded fantasies I've read in a while. Set in a fantasy land that mirrors colonial era America. White colonizers have taken over the land and they have dragons. The worldbuilding and setting were so descriptive. Moniquill Blackgoose did a remarkable job at blending the worldbuilding aspects in, so it never felt like an info dump session. The different ways each culture views dragons and their relationship with them was so interesting. 

Anequs is by and far the best fantasy character I've ever read because she knows who she is and what she stands for. You learn right alongside her. I loved her relationships with other the students and teachers and most of all her family. The way she took bits of what she'd learned in school and connected them to her own culture was very powerful!

I'm definitely looking forward to whatever comes next in the Nampeshiweisit saga! 

This wasn't my favorite, I don't remember much about the characters outside of the two feuding families. I tend to enjoy books that are centered around cooking competitions, and I that was probably my favorite part of the book. I also liked the commentary on often overlooked cultural foods. The family rivalry was fun and dramatic. 

I found the romance most lacking for various reasons. The book starts off with Ellie getting broken up with by one of her mail coworkers. She's justifiably upset, but he continues to pop up throughout the book causing jealousy to ensue. It read very instant attraction + insta love, which I guess timing wise makes sense; I just didn't believe that these two would last.