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popthebutterfly
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: The Beast Player
Author: Nahoko Uehashi (Cathy Hirano is the translator)
Book Series: The Beast Player (books 1 and 2)
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Japanese based and characters!
Recommended For...: epic fantasy lovers
Publication Date: March 1, 2018
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 14+ (violence, slight gore, terrifying monsters)
Publisher: Pushkin Press
Pages: 512
Synopsis: In epic YA fantasy about a girl with a special power to communicate with magical beasts and the warring kingdom only she can save.
Elin's family has an important responsibility: caring for the fearsome water serpents that form the core of their kingdom's army. So when some of the beasts mysteriously die, Elin's mother is sentenced to death as punishment. With her last breath she manages to send her daughter to safety.
Alone, far from home, Elin soon discovers that she can talk to both the terrifying water serpents and the majestic flying beasts that guard her queen. This skill gives her great powers, but it also involves her in deadly plots that could cost her life. Can she save herself and prevent her beloved beasts from being used as tools of war? Or is there no way of escaping the terrible battles to come?
Review: I really loved this book! The book is a translation and I think that it was well done (but I can’t read the original one so I’ll have to defer that opinion to someone who can compare the two). The book had amazing world building and it was a ride from beginning to end! I loved the characters and the writing was so well done.
The only issue I really had with the book is that the pacing is really slow in spots and it can get a bit wonky at times.
Verdict: Highly recommend!
Book: The Beast Player
Author: Nahoko Uehashi (Cathy Hirano is the translator)
Book Series: The Beast Player (books 1 and 2)
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Japanese based and characters!
Recommended For...: epic fantasy lovers
Publication Date: March 1, 2018
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 14+ (violence, slight gore, terrifying monsters)
Publisher: Pushkin Press
Pages: 512
Synopsis: In epic YA fantasy about a girl with a special power to communicate with magical beasts and the warring kingdom only she can save.
Elin's family has an important responsibility: caring for the fearsome water serpents that form the core of their kingdom's army. So when some of the beasts mysteriously die, Elin's mother is sentenced to death as punishment. With her last breath she manages to send her daughter to safety.
Alone, far from home, Elin soon discovers that she can talk to both the terrifying water serpents and the majestic flying beasts that guard her queen. This skill gives her great powers, but it also involves her in deadly plots that could cost her life. Can she save herself and prevent her beloved beasts from being used as tools of war? Or is there no way of escaping the terrible battles to come?
Review: I really loved this book! The book is a translation and I think that it was well done (but I can’t read the original one so I’ll have to defer that opinion to someone who can compare the two). The book had amazing world building and it was a ride from beginning to end! I loved the characters and the writing was so well done.
The only issue I really had with the book is that the pacing is really slow in spots and it can get a bit wonky at times.
Verdict: Highly recommend!
Disclaimer: I received this arc from the publisher and I would love to pass it onto an ownvoice reader. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: His Only Wife
Author: Peace Adzo Medie
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Ghanaian ownvoice characters!
Recommended For...: contemporary lovers, women’s fiction, chick lit
Publication Date: September 1, 2020
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Recommended Age: 16+ (sexual content)
Publisher: Algonquin Books
Pages: 288
Synopsis: Afi Tekple is a young seamstress whose life is narrowing rapidly. She lives in a small town in Ghana with her widowed mother, spending much of her time in her uncle Pious’s house with his many wives and children. Then one day she is offered a life-changing opportunity—a proposal of marriage from the wealthy family of Elikem Ganyo, a man she doesn’t truly know. She acquiesces, but soon realizes that Elikem is not quite the catch he seemed. He sends a stand-in to his own wedding, and only weeks after Afi is married and installed in a plush apartment in the capital city of Accra does she meet her new husband. It turns out that he is in love with another woman, whom his family disapproves of; Afi is supposed to win him back on their behalf. But it is Accra that eventually wins Afi’s heart and gives her a life of independence that she never could have imagined for herself.
Review: Overall, I thought this was a well done book! I loved the characters and the story was entertaining. I also loved learning about the Ghanaian culture and I think the pacing was also well done as well.
The only issue I really had was that the ending was unexpected and I think a sequel would be great!
Verdict: It’s a great story! Highly recommend!
Book: His Only Wife
Author: Peace Adzo Medie
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Ghanaian ownvoice characters!
Recommended For...: contemporary lovers, women’s fiction, chick lit
Publication Date: September 1, 2020
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Recommended Age: 16+ (sexual content)
Publisher: Algonquin Books
Pages: 288
Synopsis: Afi Tekple is a young seamstress whose life is narrowing rapidly. She lives in a small town in Ghana with her widowed mother, spending much of her time in her uncle Pious’s house with his many wives and children. Then one day she is offered a life-changing opportunity—a proposal of marriage from the wealthy family of Elikem Ganyo, a man she doesn’t truly know. She acquiesces, but soon realizes that Elikem is not quite the catch he seemed. He sends a stand-in to his own wedding, and only weeks after Afi is married and installed in a plush apartment in the capital city of Accra does she meet her new husband. It turns out that he is in love with another woman, whom his family disapproves of; Afi is supposed to win him back on their behalf. But it is Accra that eventually wins Afi’s heart and gives her a life of independence that she never could have imagined for herself.
Review: Overall, I thought this was a well done book! I loved the characters and the story was entertaining. I also loved learning about the Ghanaian culture and I think the pacing was also well done as well.
The only issue I really had was that the ending was unexpected and I think a sequel would be great!
Verdict: It’s a great story! Highly recommend!
Disclaimer: I bought this book! Support your authors and buy diversely!
Book: You Should See Me In A Crown
Author: Leah Johnson
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Black lesbian MC, lesbian love interest, sapphic read, anxiety rep in MC, 2 characters with sickle cell
Recommended For...: contemporary, LGBT+, prom reads
Publication Date: June 2, 2020
Genre: YA Contemporary
Recommended Age: 14+ (slight sexual content, racism, homophobia, bullying TW, death)
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Pages: 328
Synopsis: Liz Lighty has always believed she's too black, too poor, too awkward to shine in her small, rich, prom-obsessed midwestern town. But it's okay -- Liz has a plan that will get her out of Campbell, Indiana, forever: attend the uber-elite Pennington College, play in their world-famous orchestra, and become a doctor.
But when the financial aid she was counting on unexpectedly falls through, Liz's plans come crashing down . . . until she's reminded of her school's scholarship for prom king and queen. There's nothing Liz wants to do less than endure a gauntlet of social media trolls, catty competitors, and humiliating public events, but despite her devastating fear of the spotlight she's willing to do whatever it takes to get to Pennington.
The only thing that makes it halfway bearable is the new girl in school, Mack. She's smart, funny, and just as much of an outsider as Liz. But Mack is also in the running for queen. Will falling for the competition keep Liz from her dreams . . . or make them come true?
Review: Oh my goodness this book was absolutely amazing! I loved Liz and I immediately fell in love with her. The book was well written and it talked about the issues children face today, mainly that college is too expensive and that scholarships and grants have become lottery like. The book addresses homophobia that is still in schools, mainly in terms of prom. Most schools do not allow for same sex couples to attend together, disallow female presenting people to wear tuxes and male presenting people to wear dresses, and disallow female presenting people to run for king and male presenting to run for queen. The book also showed racism through the main antagonist and in how people talked about Liz’s natural hair. I also loved that the book talked about sickle cell, had two characters with sickle cell, and had an anxiety rep. The romance between Liz and Mack was so cute and I loved both of them.
The only issue I had with the book is that the main antagonist wasn’t properly punished. It sadly reflects the real world, but I wanted her racist homophobic ass to suffer so much.
Verdict: Highly recommended read!
Book: You Should See Me In A Crown
Author: Leah Johnson
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Black lesbian MC, lesbian love interest, sapphic read, anxiety rep in MC, 2 characters with sickle cell
Recommended For...: contemporary, LGBT+, prom reads
Publication Date: June 2, 2020
Genre: YA Contemporary
Recommended Age: 14+ (slight sexual content, racism, homophobia, bullying TW, death)
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Pages: 328
Synopsis: Liz Lighty has always believed she's too black, too poor, too awkward to shine in her small, rich, prom-obsessed midwestern town. But it's okay -- Liz has a plan that will get her out of Campbell, Indiana, forever: attend the uber-elite Pennington College, play in their world-famous orchestra, and become a doctor.
But when the financial aid she was counting on unexpectedly falls through, Liz's plans come crashing down . . . until she's reminded of her school's scholarship for prom king and queen. There's nothing Liz wants to do less than endure a gauntlet of social media trolls, catty competitors, and humiliating public events, but despite her devastating fear of the spotlight she's willing to do whatever it takes to get to Pennington.
The only thing that makes it halfway bearable is the new girl in school, Mack. She's smart, funny, and just as much of an outsider as Liz. But Mack is also in the running for queen. Will falling for the competition keep Liz from her dreams . . . or make them come true?
Review: Oh my goodness this book was absolutely amazing! I loved Liz and I immediately fell in love with her. The book was well written and it talked about the issues children face today, mainly that college is too expensive and that scholarships and grants have become lottery like. The book addresses homophobia that is still in schools, mainly in terms of prom. Most schools do not allow for same sex couples to attend together, disallow female presenting people to wear tuxes and male presenting people to wear dresses, and disallow female presenting people to run for king and male presenting to run for queen. The book also showed racism through the main antagonist and in how people talked about Liz’s natural hair. I also loved that the book talked about sickle cell, had two characters with sickle cell, and had an anxiety rep. The romance between Liz and Mack was so cute and I loved both of them.
The only issue I had with the book is that the main antagonist wasn’t properly punished. It sadly reflects the real world, but I wanted her racist homophobic ass to suffer so much.
Verdict: Highly recommended read!
Disclaimer: I received this book from Smith Publicity. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Comanche
Author: Brett Riley
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 1/5
Recommended For...: murder mystery, horror fans
Publication Date: September 1, 2020
Genre: Mystery Horror
Recommended Age: can’t recommend, dnf-ed
Publisher: Imbrifex Books
Pages: 337
Synopsis: In 1887 near the tiny Texas town of Comanche, a posse finally ends the murderous career of The Piney Woods Kid in a hail of bullets. Still in the grip of blood-lust, the vigilantes hack the Kid’s corpse to bits in the dead house behind the train depot. The people of Comanche rejoice. Justice has been done. A long bloody chapter in the town’s history is over.
The year is now 2016. Comanche police are stymied by a double murder at the train depot. Witnesses swear the killer was dressed like an old-time gunslinger. Rumors fly that it’s the ghost of The Piney Woods Kid, back to wreak revenge on the descendants of the vigilantes who killed him.
Help arrives in the form of a team of investigators from New Orleans. Shunned by the local community and haunted by their own pasts, they’re nonetheless determined to unravel the mystery. They follow the evidence and soon find themselves in the crosshairs of the killer.
Review: DNFed at 60%. The book is a bit monotonous and doesn't really live up to the synopsis. There's very little paranormal activity in this book and the book just kinda bored me overall.
Verdict: Not for me but maybe for you!
Book: Comanche
Author: Brett Riley
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 1/5
Recommended For...: murder mystery, horror fans
Publication Date: September 1, 2020
Genre: Mystery Horror
Recommended Age: can’t recommend, dnf-ed
Publisher: Imbrifex Books
Pages: 337
Synopsis: In 1887 near the tiny Texas town of Comanche, a posse finally ends the murderous career of The Piney Woods Kid in a hail of bullets. Still in the grip of blood-lust, the vigilantes hack the Kid’s corpse to bits in the dead house behind the train depot. The people of Comanche rejoice. Justice has been done. A long bloody chapter in the town’s history is over.
The year is now 2016. Comanche police are stymied by a double murder at the train depot. Witnesses swear the killer was dressed like an old-time gunslinger. Rumors fly that it’s the ghost of The Piney Woods Kid, back to wreak revenge on the descendants of the vigilantes who killed him.
Help arrives in the form of a team of investigators from New Orleans. Shunned by the local community and haunted by their own pasts, they’re nonetheless determined to unravel the mystery. They follow the evidence and soon find themselves in the crosshairs of the killer.
Review: DNFed at 60%. The book is a bit monotonous and doesn't really live up to the synopsis. There's very little paranormal activity in this book and the book just kinda bored me overall.
Verdict: Not for me but maybe for you!
Disclaimer: I received this ebook from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Gypsies, Tramps, and Weeia
Author: Elle Boca
Book Series: The Weeia Marshals Book 1
Rating: 4/5
Recommended For...: paranormal, mystery
Publication Date: February 1, 2016
Genre: Fantasy
Recommended Age: 16+ (death, violence, slight gore, slight romance)
Publisher: Poyeen Publishing
Pages: 262
Synopsis: Sworn to protect the secrets of their race, marshals are trained to police Weeia hiding among humans. After completing her advanced marshal training, Danni is blown away by her new plum assignment to Paris. But, all is not well in the City of Lights; the offices are a shambles, her boss is apathetic, and her predecessors died under mysterious circumstances; it’s almost like somebody doesn’t want the law there. Despite that she risks her life in the seedy underworld of gypsies and tramps to search for a missing Weeia man.
Review: Overall, this was a well done book. The book was well written and the plot was intriguing. The characters were well developed and the world building was fantastic.
However, if you've not previously been exposed to the Weeia world this book will be very confusing to you at first but it does good to explain everything to you. The pacing is also a bit slow in spots.
Verdict: It was good!
Book: Gypsies, Tramps, and Weeia
Author: Elle Boca
Book Series: The Weeia Marshals Book 1
Rating: 4/5
Recommended For...: paranormal, mystery
Publication Date: February 1, 2016
Genre: Fantasy
Recommended Age: 16+ (death, violence, slight gore, slight romance)
Publisher: Poyeen Publishing
Pages: 262
Synopsis: Sworn to protect the secrets of their race, marshals are trained to police Weeia hiding among humans. After completing her advanced marshal training, Danni is blown away by her new plum assignment to Paris. But, all is not well in the City of Lights; the offices are a shambles, her boss is apathetic, and her predecessors died under mysterious circumstances; it’s almost like somebody doesn’t want the law there. Despite that she risks her life in the seedy underworld of gypsies and tramps to search for a missing Weeia man.
Review: Overall, this was a well done book. The book was well written and the plot was intriguing. The characters were well developed and the world building was fantastic.
However, if you've not previously been exposed to the Weeia world this book will be very confusing to you at first but it does good to explain everything to you. The pacing is also a bit slow in spots.
Verdict: It was good!
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Fable
Author: Adrienne Young
Book Series: Fable Book 1
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: LGBT side characters
Recommended For...: pirate fans, LGBT, insta love
Publication Date: September 1, 2020
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 16+ (language, violence, gore, drinking, murder, death, romance, sexual content)
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Pages: 368
Synopsis: As the daughter of the most powerful trader in the Narrows, the sea is the only home seventeen-year-old Fable has ever known. It’s been four years since the night she watched her mother drown during an unforgiving storm. The next day her father abandoned her on a legendary island filled with thieves and little food. To survive she must keep to herself, learn to trust no one and rely on the unique skills her mother taught her. The only thing that keeps her going is the goal of getting off the island, finding her father and demanding her rightful place beside him and his crew. To do so Fable enlists the help of a young trader named West to get her off the island and across the Narrows to her father.
But her father’s rivalries and the dangers of his trading enterprise have only multiplied since she last saw him and Fable soon finds that West isn't who he seems. Together, they will have to survive more than the treacherous storms that haunt the Narrows if they're going to stay alive.
Review: I really loved this book! I thought it was very different from Adrienne Young's other books and I loved that. The book had some great moments, strong character development for main characters, and tons of world building.
However, I do think that some of the other side characters in the book could have been better developed. They existed for the plot and I wanted to know more about them.
Verdict: Highly recommend this pirate-like book!
Book: Fable
Author: Adrienne Young
Book Series: Fable Book 1
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: LGBT side characters
Recommended For...: pirate fans, LGBT, insta love
Publication Date: September 1, 2020
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 16+ (language, violence, gore, drinking, murder, death, romance, sexual content)
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Pages: 368
Synopsis: As the daughter of the most powerful trader in the Narrows, the sea is the only home seventeen-year-old Fable has ever known. It’s been four years since the night she watched her mother drown during an unforgiving storm. The next day her father abandoned her on a legendary island filled with thieves and little food. To survive she must keep to herself, learn to trust no one and rely on the unique skills her mother taught her. The only thing that keeps her going is the goal of getting off the island, finding her father and demanding her rightful place beside him and his crew. To do so Fable enlists the help of a young trader named West to get her off the island and across the Narrows to her father.
But her father’s rivalries and the dangers of his trading enterprise have only multiplied since she last saw him and Fable soon finds that West isn't who he seems. Together, they will have to survive more than the treacherous storms that haunt the Narrows if they're going to stay alive.
Review: I really loved this book! I thought it was very different from Adrienne Young's other books and I loved that. The book had some great moments, strong character development for main characters, and tons of world building.
However, I do think that some of the other side characters in the book could have been better developed. They existed for the plot and I wanted to know more about them.
Verdict: Highly recommend this pirate-like book!
Disclaimer: I received this audiobook from Macmillan Audio. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Raybearer
Author: Jordan Ifuenko
Book Series: Raybearer Book 1
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: lesbian side character, asexual and bisexual character, African inspired
Recommended For...: fantasy, epic fantasy, LGBT+
Publication Date: August 18, 2020
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 16+ (sex mention, violence, abuse, sexism, suicide, racism likeness, gore, sexual content)
Publisher: Amulet Books
Pages: 400
Synopsis: Nothing is more important than loyalty.
But what if you’ve sworn to protect the one you were born to destroy?
Tarisai has always longed for the warmth of a family. She was raised in isolation by a mysterious, often absent mother known only as The Lady. The Lady sends her to the capital of the global empire of Aritsar to compete with other children to be chosen as one of the Crown Prince’s Council of 11. If she’s picked, she’ll be joined with the other Council members through the Ray, a bond deeper than blood. That closeness is irresistible to Tarisai, who has always wanted to belong somewhere. But The Lady has other ideas, including a magical wish that Tarisai is compelled to obey: Kill the Crown Prince once she gains his trust. Tarisai won’t stand by and become someone’s pawn—but is she strong enough to choose a different path for herself?
Review: I really loved this book! The magic system was unique and so well written and described. The author did well with the characters and the world building. The book was rich with descriptions and I could listen to this audiobook on repeat without getting tired of it. They did well to find a narrator who accurately portrayed what I thought the MC sounded like. I also loved the commentary on the criminal justice system and how corrupt and unfair it can become and is in some countries.
The only part I didn't like is that I thought the relationship with two characters, one a demon kinda, was a bit weird with what I think the age difference is (maybe it's not a bad age difference. It's hard to flip back through an audiobook. I do know he's a child when he became part of counsel but idk how long ago that was). The audiobook also had a glitch on Chapter 23 so I won't know what's in that chapter until I get another version of the book.
Verdict: An excellent book! I loved it!
Book: Raybearer
Author: Jordan Ifuenko
Book Series: Raybearer Book 1
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: lesbian side character, asexual and bisexual character, African inspired
Recommended For...: fantasy, epic fantasy, LGBT+
Publication Date: August 18, 2020
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 16+ (sex mention, violence, abuse, sexism, suicide, racism likeness, gore, sexual content)
Publisher: Amulet Books
Pages: 400
Synopsis: Nothing is more important than loyalty.
But what if you’ve sworn to protect the one you were born to destroy?
Tarisai has always longed for the warmth of a family. She was raised in isolation by a mysterious, often absent mother known only as The Lady. The Lady sends her to the capital of the global empire of Aritsar to compete with other children to be chosen as one of the Crown Prince’s Council of 11. If she’s picked, she’ll be joined with the other Council members through the Ray, a bond deeper than blood. That closeness is irresistible to Tarisai, who has always wanted to belong somewhere. But The Lady has other ideas, including a magical wish that Tarisai is compelled to obey: Kill the Crown Prince once she gains his trust. Tarisai won’t stand by and become someone’s pawn—but is she strong enough to choose a different path for herself?
Review: I really loved this book! The magic system was unique and so well written and described. The author did well with the characters and the world building. The book was rich with descriptions and I could listen to this audiobook on repeat without getting tired of it. They did well to find a narrator who accurately portrayed what I thought the MC sounded like. I also loved the commentary on the criminal justice system and how corrupt and unfair it can become and is in some countries.
The only part I didn't like is that I thought the relationship with two characters, one a demon kinda, was a bit weird with what I think the age difference is (maybe it's not a bad age difference. It's hard to flip back through an audiobook. I do know he's a child when he became part of counsel but idk how long ago that was). The audiobook also had a glitch on Chapter 23 so I won't know what's in that chapter until I get another version of the book.
Verdict: An excellent book! I loved it!
Disclaimer: I won this arc in a giveaway auction. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: All the Ways the World Can End
Author: Abby Sher
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: LGBT side characters, bi-curious main character, jewish family)
Recommended For...: contemporary, death, cancer, and scared
Publication Date: July 11, 2017
Genre: YA Contemporary
Recommended Age: 16+ (depression, drugs, cancer character, CTSD, self harm, alcohol, inappropriate relationship, death processing and grief)
Publisher: Farrer, Straus, and Giroux
Pages: 256
Synopsis: Lenny (short for Eleanor) feels like the world is about to end. Her best friend is moving to New York City to attend Julliard and her dad has terminal cancer. To cope with her stress Lenny is making a list of all the ways the world can end—designer pathogens, blood moon prophecies, alien invasion—and stockpiling supplies in a bunker in the backyard. Then she starts to develop feelings for her dad's very nice young doctor—and she thinks he may have feelings for her too. Spoiler alert: he doesn't. But a more age-appropriate love interest might. In a time of complete uncertainty, one thing's for sure: Lenny's about to see how everything is ending and beginning. All at the same time.
Review: This was such an emotional rollercoaster. I thought the book did well with the characters and the plot. The book was well written and so emotional. It's a great one if you need to cry.
However, I did think that the book didn't have a lot of world building and I think it could have been better to tie up some of the loose ends like with Julian and the self harm issue.
Verdict: So so so so good!
Book: All the Ways the World Can End
Author: Abby Sher
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: LGBT side characters, bi-curious main character, jewish family)
Recommended For...: contemporary, death, cancer, and scared
Publication Date: July 11, 2017
Genre: YA Contemporary
Recommended Age: 16+ (depression, drugs, cancer character, CTSD, self harm, alcohol, inappropriate relationship, death processing and grief)
Publisher: Farrer, Straus, and Giroux
Pages: 256
Synopsis: Lenny (short for Eleanor) feels like the world is about to end. Her best friend is moving to New York City to attend Julliard and her dad has terminal cancer. To cope with her stress Lenny is making a list of all the ways the world can end—designer pathogens, blood moon prophecies, alien invasion—and stockpiling supplies in a bunker in the backyard. Then she starts to develop feelings for her dad's very nice young doctor—and she thinks he may have feelings for her too. Spoiler alert: he doesn't. But a more age-appropriate love interest might. In a time of complete uncertainty, one thing's for sure: Lenny's about to see how everything is ending and beginning. All at the same time.
Review: This was such an emotional rollercoaster. I thought the book did well with the characters and the plot. The book was well written and so emotional. It's a great one if you need to cry.
However, I did think that the book didn't have a lot of world building and I think it could have been better to tie up some of the loose ends like with Julian and the self harm issue.
Verdict: So so so so good!
Disclaimer: I received this e-book from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: The Beauty of the Moment
Author: Tanaz Bhathena
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 2/5
Publication Date: February 26, 2019
Genre: YA Contemporary
Recommended Age: can’t recommend, dnf-ed
Publisher: Farrer, Straus, and Giroux
Pages: 354
Synopsis: Susan is the new girl—she’s sharp and driven, and strives to meet her parents’ expectations of excellence. Malcolm is the bad boy—he started raising hell at age fifteen, after his mom died of cancer, and has had a reputation ever since.
Susan’s parents are on the verge of divorce. Malcolm’s dad is a known adulterer.
Susan hasn’t told anyone, but she wants to be an artist. Malcolm doesn’t know what he wants—until he meets her.
Love is messy and families are messier, but in spite of their burdens, Susan and Malcolm fall for each other. The ways they drift apart and come back together are testaments to family, culture, and being true to who you are.
Review: Had to DNF at 23%. The story is great and so fun, but the trope-y plot is not interesting to me and I don't really like bad boy/good girl stories.
Verdict: It was good, but trope-y
Book: The Beauty of the Moment
Author: Tanaz Bhathena
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 2/5
Publication Date: February 26, 2019
Genre: YA Contemporary
Recommended Age: can’t recommend, dnf-ed
Publisher: Farrer, Straus, and Giroux
Pages: 354
Synopsis: Susan is the new girl—she’s sharp and driven, and strives to meet her parents’ expectations of excellence. Malcolm is the bad boy—he started raising hell at age fifteen, after his mom died of cancer, and has had a reputation ever since.
Susan’s parents are on the verge of divorce. Malcolm’s dad is a known adulterer.
Susan hasn’t told anyone, but she wants to be an artist. Malcolm doesn’t know what he wants—until he meets her.
Love is messy and families are messier, but in spite of their burdens, Susan and Malcolm fall for each other. The ways they drift apart and come back together are testaments to family, culture, and being true to who you are.
Review: Had to DNF at 23%. The story is great and so fun, but the trope-y plot is not interesting to me and I don't really like bad boy/good girl stories.
Verdict: It was good, but trope-y