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2.51k reviews by:
popthebutterfly
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: The Decoy Girlfriend
Author: Lillie Vale
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Spice: 3/5
Diversity: Trans character, Indian American MC and side character
Recommended For...: romance, adult readers, contemporary, bookish books, prince and the pauper story, fake dating
Publication Date: September 6, 2022
Genre: Romance
Age Relevance: 18+ (death, cursing, sexual content, romance, stalking, pregnancy, alcohol consumption, sexism)
Explanation of Above: The book mentioned death a couple of times and it involves a parent. There is a lot of cursing in the book. There is a good amount of sexual content in the book and there is a lot of romance. There are mentions of stalking and mentions of pregnancy in reference to side characters. There is some alcohol consumption shown in the book and there are sexist comments toward a female character.
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Pages:336
Synopsis: Writer Freya Lal has a huge secret: she’s a dead ringer for It-girl actress Mandi Roy. Her second novel is due in a month, but inspiration is nowhere to be found. Desperate to shake off her writer’s block, Freya leans into her look-alike abilities and indulges in some mistaken identity for simple perks, like scoring a free mimosa or getting into a trendy nightclub.
Actor Taft Bamber appears to have it all: gorgeous, talented, and Mandi’s love interest both on- and off-screen. But what nobody knows is that their relationship is a PR stunt, and after years of playing make-believe, he’s yearning for something real.
When Freya’s latest impersonation of Mandi goes viral thanks to Taft’s accidental interference, rumors of a breakup threaten Hollywood’s golden couple. To make amends, Freya is forced to give Mandi a little time off: she’ll pretend to be the actress for a month, move in with Taft, and squash the rumors by acting completely in love. But as Freya and Taft play house, it becomes impossible to ignore that their instant chemistry isn’t just for the cameras. While faking it, they might have just found the real thing.
Review: I really loved this book overall! I loved that the main character was an author and that the book had an air of bookishness. The book is told in Multi-POV, which I think makes the book flow very well, and it’s an interesting mash up of a prince and the pauper retelling with a fake dating trope and a third act break-up set-up. The book was extremely well written and it kept me hooked from beginning to end. The characters were well developed and I also loved the world building.
The only issue I had with the book is that I didn’t like that the POV changes weren’t indicated in the chapter heading. It made it a little confusing at a couple of points as to who’s POV you were in, but overall it didn’t affect much for the reading.
Verdict: It was great!
Book: The Decoy Girlfriend
Author: Lillie Vale
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Spice: 3/5
Diversity: Trans character, Indian American MC and side character
Recommended For...: romance, adult readers, contemporary, bookish books, prince and the pauper story, fake dating
Publication Date: September 6, 2022
Genre: Romance
Age Relevance: 18+ (death, cursing, sexual content, romance, stalking, pregnancy, alcohol consumption, sexism)
Explanation of Above: The book mentioned death a couple of times and it involves a parent. There is a lot of cursing in the book. There is a good amount of sexual content in the book and there is a lot of romance. There are mentions of stalking and mentions of pregnancy in reference to side characters. There is some alcohol consumption shown in the book and there are sexist comments toward a female character.
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Pages:336
Synopsis: Writer Freya Lal has a huge secret: she’s a dead ringer for It-girl actress Mandi Roy. Her second novel is due in a month, but inspiration is nowhere to be found. Desperate to shake off her writer’s block, Freya leans into her look-alike abilities and indulges in some mistaken identity for simple perks, like scoring a free mimosa or getting into a trendy nightclub.
Actor Taft Bamber appears to have it all: gorgeous, talented, and Mandi’s love interest both on- and off-screen. But what nobody knows is that their relationship is a PR stunt, and after years of playing make-believe, he’s yearning for something real.
When Freya’s latest impersonation of Mandi goes viral thanks to Taft’s accidental interference, rumors of a breakup threaten Hollywood’s golden couple. To make amends, Freya is forced to give Mandi a little time off: she’ll pretend to be the actress for a month, move in with Taft, and squash the rumors by acting completely in love. But as Freya and Taft play house, it becomes impossible to ignore that their instant chemistry isn’t just for the cameras. While faking it, they might have just found the real thing.
Review: I really loved this book overall! I loved that the main character was an author and that the book had an air of bookishness. The book is told in Multi-POV, which I think makes the book flow very well, and it’s an interesting mash up of a prince and the pauper retelling with a fake dating trope and a third act break-up set-up. The book was extremely well written and it kept me hooked from beginning to end. The characters were well developed and I also loved the world building.
The only issue I had with the book is that I didn’t like that the POV changes weren’t indicated in the chapter heading. It made it a little confusing at a couple of points as to who’s POV you were in, but overall it didn’t affect much for the reading.
Verdict: It was great!
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: A Venom Dark and Sweet
Author: Judy I. Lin
Book Series: The Book of Tea book 2
Rating: 3.5/5
Diversity: Chinese MC and characters
Recommended For...: young adult readers, Chinese mythology, fantasy
Publication Date: August 23, 2022
Genre: YA Fantasy
Age Relevance: 14+ (death, murder, violence, gore)
Explanation of Above: There is death and murder shown in the book. There is violence due to poisonings and weapons. There is vomit and blood gore shown and mentioned in the book.
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Pages: 352
Synopsis: A great evil has come to the kingdom of Dàxi. The Banished Prince has returned to seize power, his rise to the dragon throne aided by the mass poisonings that have kept the people bound in fear and distrust.
Ning, a young but powerful shénnóng-shi—a wielder of magic using the ancient and delicate art of tea-making—has escorted Princess Zhen into exile. Joining them is the princess' loyal bodyguard, Ruyi, and Ning's newly healed sister, Shu. Together the four young women travel throughout the kingdom in search of allies to help oust the invaders and take back Zhen's rightful throne.
But the golden serpent still haunts Ning's nightmares with visions of war and bloodshed. An evil far more ancient than the petty conflicts of men has awoken, and all the magic in the land may not be enough to stop it from consuming the world...
Chinese mythology Little confusing in beginning Picks up immediately after last book Multi POV I've lost the plot it gone I don't understand the necessity for this other POV I think this book would be better if you read it back to back with the first one but alone it is a confusing mess Quick paced
Review: This was a decent sequel to the first book. I loved the Chinese mythology used in the book and the book picks up immediately after the ending of the first one. The book is multi-POV and had great character development and world building. I also loved the ending and thought it did well to sum up the novels.
However, I was confused throughout the book because it had been awhile since I had read the first book, so this is definitely one you need to read the first book again to understand what’s happening in this book. I also lost the plot a couple of times in this book and I didn’t understand the necessity for the other POV outside of Ning’s. I think the book is decent, but it’s also a fast paced read that you need to enjoy with the first book to get the full experience out of it.
Verdict: It’s ok!
Book: A Venom Dark and Sweet
Author: Judy I. Lin
Book Series: The Book of Tea book 2
Rating: 3.5/5
Diversity: Chinese MC and characters
Recommended For...: young adult readers, Chinese mythology, fantasy
Publication Date: August 23, 2022
Genre: YA Fantasy
Age Relevance: 14+ (death, murder, violence, gore)
Explanation of Above: There is death and murder shown in the book. There is violence due to poisonings and weapons. There is vomit and blood gore shown and mentioned in the book.
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Pages: 352
Synopsis: A great evil has come to the kingdom of Dàxi. The Banished Prince has returned to seize power, his rise to the dragon throne aided by the mass poisonings that have kept the people bound in fear and distrust.
Ning, a young but powerful shénnóng-shi—a wielder of magic using the ancient and delicate art of tea-making—has escorted Princess Zhen into exile. Joining them is the princess' loyal bodyguard, Ruyi, and Ning's newly healed sister, Shu. Together the four young women travel throughout the kingdom in search of allies to help oust the invaders and take back Zhen's rightful throne.
But the golden serpent still haunts Ning's nightmares with visions of war and bloodshed. An evil far more ancient than the petty conflicts of men has awoken, and all the magic in the land may not be enough to stop it from consuming the world...
Chinese mythology Little confusing in beginning Picks up immediately after last book Multi POV I've lost the plot it gone I don't understand the necessity for this other POV I think this book would be better if you read it back to back with the first one but alone it is a confusing mess Quick paced
Review: This was a decent sequel to the first book. I loved the Chinese mythology used in the book and the book picks up immediately after the ending of the first one. The book is multi-POV and had great character development and world building. I also loved the ending and thought it did well to sum up the novels.
However, I was confused throughout the book because it had been awhile since I had read the first book, so this is definitely one you need to read the first book again to understand what’s happening in this book. I also lost the plot a couple of times in this book and I didn’t understand the necessity for the other POV outside of Ning’s. I think the book is decent, but it’s also a fast paced read that you need to enjoy with the first book to get the full experience out of it.
Verdict: It’s ok!
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: On the Subject of Unmentionable Things
Author: Julia Walton
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Hispanic Character
Recommended For...: young adult readers, contemporary, sex education
Publication Date: August 23, 2022
Genre: YA Contemporary
Age Relevance: 15+ (sexual content, racism, micro aggressive comments, alt-right ideals, rape mentioned, illness, vomiting, homophobia, romance)
Explanation of Above: The book talks openly about sex and sexual practices and sexual health in an informative and educational manner that I believe every teenager needs to read. We cannot stop teenagers from having sex, but we can give them the information to proceed with it in an informed, safe, and consensual manner. There is some racism in the book, including micro aggressive comments about ethnic food, and homophobic remarks as well. Alt-right ideals are shown in the book, though the MC and most of the cast of the characters are against it, but it does eerily show reality in those passages. There is some illness shown with vomiting shown as well. There is one scene in which a character is threatened with an allusion to rape and that is discussed. There is also some romance in the book.
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Pages: 320
Synopsis: Phoebe Townsend is a rule follower . . . or so everyone thinks. She’s an A student who writes for her small-town school newspaper. But what no one knows is that Phoebe is also Pom—the anonymous teen who’s rewriting sex education on her blog and social media.
Phoebe is not a pervert. No, really. Her unconventional hobby is just a research obsession. And sex should not be a secret. As long as Phoebe stays undercover, she’s sure she’ll fly through junior year unnoticed. . . .
That is, until Pom goes viral, courtesy of mayoral candidate Lydia Brookhurst. The former beauty queen labels Phoebe’s work an “assault on morality,” riling up her supporters and calling on Pom to reveal her identity. But Phoebe is not backing down. With her anonymity on the line, is it all worth the fight?
Julia Walton delivers a brutally honest novel about sex, social media, and the courage to pursue truth when misinformation is rife. Who knew truth could be so scandalous?
Review: Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I think that this is one of those necessary books because it speaks so openly about sex and sex education and sexual consent. I love that it was directed at teenagers as well. Teenagers are going to have sex and making them ill-prepared is only setting them up for failure via pregnancy, sexual violence, sexual trafficking, or illness with STDs. It’s uncomfortable and raw, but it’s a necessity for them to learn, especially about how to protect their own bodies and what warning signs to watch out for with partners. The book is a funny, but passionate and honestly raw book that I think everyone should read. The character development was amazing and the writing was well done.
The only issue I had with the book is that I felt like it was a bit quick with the romance aspect and that sometimes it took away from the plot of the book.
Verdict: It was great! Highly recommend!
Book: On the Subject of Unmentionable Things
Author: Julia Walton
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Hispanic Character
Recommended For...: young adult readers, contemporary, sex education
Publication Date: August 23, 2022
Genre: YA Contemporary
Age Relevance: 15+ (sexual content, racism, micro aggressive comments, alt-right ideals, rape mentioned, illness, vomiting, homophobia, romance)
Explanation of Above: The book talks openly about sex and sexual practices and sexual health in an informative and educational manner that I believe every teenager needs to read. We cannot stop teenagers from having sex, but we can give them the information to proceed with it in an informed, safe, and consensual manner. There is some racism in the book, including micro aggressive comments about ethnic food, and homophobic remarks as well. Alt-right ideals are shown in the book, though the MC and most of the cast of the characters are against it, but it does eerily show reality in those passages. There is some illness shown with vomiting shown as well. There is one scene in which a character is threatened with an allusion to rape and that is discussed. There is also some romance in the book.
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Pages: 320
Synopsis: Phoebe Townsend is a rule follower . . . or so everyone thinks. She’s an A student who writes for her small-town school newspaper. But what no one knows is that Phoebe is also Pom—the anonymous teen who’s rewriting sex education on her blog and social media.
Phoebe is not a pervert. No, really. Her unconventional hobby is just a research obsession. And sex should not be a secret. As long as Phoebe stays undercover, she’s sure she’ll fly through junior year unnoticed. . . .
That is, until Pom goes viral, courtesy of mayoral candidate Lydia Brookhurst. The former beauty queen labels Phoebe’s work an “assault on morality,” riling up her supporters and calling on Pom to reveal her identity. But Phoebe is not backing down. With her anonymity on the line, is it all worth the fight?
Julia Walton delivers a brutally honest novel about sex, social media, and the courage to pursue truth when misinformation is rife. Who knew truth could be so scandalous?
Review: Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I think that this is one of those necessary books because it speaks so openly about sex and sex education and sexual consent. I love that it was directed at teenagers as well. Teenagers are going to have sex and making them ill-prepared is only setting them up for failure via pregnancy, sexual violence, sexual trafficking, or illness with STDs. It’s uncomfortable and raw, but it’s a necessity for them to learn, especially about how to protect their own bodies and what warning signs to watch out for with partners. The book is a funny, but passionate and honestly raw book that I think everyone should read. The character development was amazing and the writing was well done.
The only issue I had with the book is that I felt like it was a bit quick with the romance aspect and that sometimes it took away from the plot of the book.
Verdict: It was great! Highly recommend!
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Love Times Infinity
Author: Lane Clarke
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Black MC who lives with grandmother, Black characters, Lesbian character, Hispanic character, Foster care character, Jewish character
Recommended For...: young adult readers, contemporary, romance, Black romance
Publication Date: July 26, 2022
Genre: YA Contemporary
Age Relevance: 16+ (roaches/bugs, sexual assault/rape, depression, psychiatric hold, anxiety, cursing, alcoholism, underage alcohol consumption, abortion, panic attack, romance)
Explanation of Above: Roaches/bugs are mentioned in the beginning of the book and not at all after that. It’s a quick mention. The book revolves around a character who is the product of rape, so rape and sexual assault are mentioned in varied vagueness to bluntness throughout the novel. Depression and anxiety are shown in the book and there is a psychiatric hold mentioned as well. There is one panic attack scene. There is a lot of cursing throughout the book. Alcoholism is mentioned and underage alcohol consumption is mentioned as well. Abortion is mentioned to a character who is pregnant. There is some romance in the book.
Publisher: Poppy
Pages: 368
Synopsis: High school junior Michie is struggling to define who she is for her scholarship essays, her big shot at making it into Brown as a first-generation college student. The prompts would be hard for anyone, but Michie's been estranged from her mother since she was seven and her concept of family has long felt murky.
Enter new kid and basketball superstar Derek de la Rosa. He is very cute, very talented, and very much has his eye on Michie, no matter how invisible she believes herself to be.
When Michie's mother unexpectedly reaches out to make amends, and with her scholarship deadlines looming, Michie must choose whether to reopen old wounds or close the door on her past. And as she spends more time with Derek, she'll have to decide how much of her heart she is willing to share. Because while Michie may not know who she is, she's starting to realize who she wants to become, if only she can take a chance on Derek, on herself, and on her future.
Review: I think this is a superb read, with really thought provoking questions throughout it. I loved how the book was written and it really made me think throughout it. Usually I stay away from books where it discusses a pregnancy after a rape. I do this because when I was younger, most of the books like that were in the Christian fiction genre. In fact, when I was in high school I had a friend who loved to read Christian novels and some of the novels that she really liked and would tell me about was in the theme of about a pregnancy after a rape. And the thing that really bugged me about those books were that they all showcased that it was all sunshine and rainbows afterwards. And I thought to myself, and I still do think to myself, that It is a very stupid way of framing that unfortunate situation and obviously it was to push a certain political agenda. But the thing I love about this book is that it was very raw and honest about the aftermath of such an event. It didn’t paint the issue as “sunshine and rainbows” but rather it focused on the MC, who is a product of rape, and how they deal with that event and how their family also deals with it. It was raw and emotional and honest, and even when another character in the book got pregnant the MC not only advocated for abortion but also for the character to make a choice that best suited them. The character development was amazing and the world building was well done. The pacing was also great and overall I think this is one of those books that are well worth being read. I also loved all of the Percy Jackson mentions. This is something I think other authors could incorporate as well *hinthint*
The only issue I had with the book is that the ending was a bit sudden and I wanted to see more of the romance between the MC and the love interest, but other than that I absolutely adored this read!
Verdict: I love it! Highly recommend!
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Disclaimer: I received this finished copy from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: How You Grow Wings
Author: Rimma Onoseta
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Nigerian MCs and characters
Recommended For...: young adult readers, contemporary, Nigeria, Nigerian characters, realistic fiction, family, sisterhood
Publication Date: August 9, 2022
Genre: YA Contemporary
Age Relevance: 16+ (religion, religious trauma, violence, child abuse, sexual content, sexism, colorism, animal violence, animal death, rape, death, grief, racism, colonization, panic attack, cursing, kidnapping, PTSD, addiction, depression)
Explanation of Above: Religion and religious trauma are discussed and shown throughout the novel, including bits about purity culture and it shows how toxic it can be. There is physical violence shown and child abuse is shown and mentioned. There’s also a kidnapping scene. Death and grief are shown in the book. There is some sexism shown and sexual content is mentioned as well, including adultery. Colorism and racism are mentioned and shown in the book. There is some animal violence via a chicken fight and mentions of killing a chicken for food. Rape is mentioned, but not shown. Colonization is discussed. There is a scene with a panic attack and PTSD is shown. Addiction and depression is also shown and discussed.
Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers
Pages: 336
Synopsis: Sisters Cheta and Zam couldn’t be more different. Cheta, sharp-tongued and stubborn, never shies away from conflict—either at school or at home, where her mother fires abuse at her. Timid Zam escapes most of her mother’s anger, skating under the radar and avoiding her sister whenever possible. In a turn of good fortune, Zam is invited to live with her aunt’s family in the lap of luxury. Jealous, Cheta also leaves home, but finds a harder existence that will drive her to terrible decisions. When the sisters are reunited, Zam alone will recognize just how far Cheta has fallen—and Cheta’s fate will rest in Zam’s hands.
Debut author Rimma Onoseta deftly explores classism, colorism, cycles of abuse, how loyalty doesn’t always come attached to love, and the messy truths that sometimes family is not a source of comfort and that morality is all shades of gray.
Review: I really liked this book! I loved how the chapters were done and showcased each sister. While both sisters had a hard life with their own set of unique struggles, I liked how each was framed and how the theme of the book was sisterhood and what that can look like. The book did excellent to discuss different issues as well and it’s probably one of the best contemporary books I’ve read recently. The character development was superb and the world building was also well done.
The only issue I had with the book is that I wanted more of a conclusion to the book. It kind of ends and it’s a cliff hanger of sorts as to what the next chapters in the sisters’ lives are. I’d love to see a continuation as to what happens to the both of them.
Verdict: It was excellent! Highly recommend!
Book: How You Grow Wings
Author: Rimma Onoseta
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Nigerian MCs and characters
Recommended For...: young adult readers, contemporary, Nigeria, Nigerian characters, realistic fiction, family, sisterhood
Publication Date: August 9, 2022
Genre: YA Contemporary
Age Relevance: 16+ (religion, religious trauma, violence, child abuse, sexual content, sexism, colorism, animal violence, animal death, rape, death, grief, racism, colonization, panic attack, cursing, kidnapping, PTSD, addiction, depression)
Explanation of Above: Religion and religious trauma are discussed and shown throughout the novel, including bits about purity culture and it shows how toxic it can be. There is physical violence shown and child abuse is shown and mentioned. There’s also a kidnapping scene. Death and grief are shown in the book. There is some sexism shown and sexual content is mentioned as well, including adultery. Colorism and racism are mentioned and shown in the book. There is some animal violence via a chicken fight and mentions of killing a chicken for food. Rape is mentioned, but not shown. Colonization is discussed. There is a scene with a panic attack and PTSD is shown. Addiction and depression is also shown and discussed.
Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers
Pages: 336
Synopsis: Sisters Cheta and Zam couldn’t be more different. Cheta, sharp-tongued and stubborn, never shies away from conflict—either at school or at home, where her mother fires abuse at her. Timid Zam escapes most of her mother’s anger, skating under the radar and avoiding her sister whenever possible. In a turn of good fortune, Zam is invited to live with her aunt’s family in the lap of luxury. Jealous, Cheta also leaves home, but finds a harder existence that will drive her to terrible decisions. When the sisters are reunited, Zam alone will recognize just how far Cheta has fallen—and Cheta’s fate will rest in Zam’s hands.
Debut author Rimma Onoseta deftly explores classism, colorism, cycles of abuse, how loyalty doesn’t always come attached to love, and the messy truths that sometimes family is not a source of comfort and that morality is all shades of gray.
Review: I really liked this book! I loved how the chapters were done and showcased each sister. While both sisters had a hard life with their own set of unique struggles, I liked how each was framed and how the theme of the book was sisterhood and what that can look like. The book did excellent to discuss different issues as well and it’s probably one of the best contemporary books I’ve read recently. The character development was superb and the world building was also well done.
The only issue I had with the book is that I wanted more of a conclusion to the book. It kind of ends and it’s a cliff hanger of sorts as to what the next chapters in the sisters’ lives are. I’d love to see a continuation as to what happens to the both of them.
Verdict: It was excellent! Highly recommend!
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Disclaimer: I received this e-audiobook from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Creep
Author: Lygia Day Penaflor
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: Young adult readers, thriller, mystery, stalking
Publication Date: September 27, 2022
Genre: YA Thriller
Age Relevance: 17+ (stalking, sexual content, romance, pregnancy, abortion, parental abandonment, miscarriage, gore, violence, religion, drugs)
Explanation of Above: Sexual content and romance are mentioned and talked about a lot throughout the book, but from the viewpoint of a stalker. Speaking of: the main character of the book is stalking/obsessed with other characters. Pregnancy is also discussed, as well as abortion being mentioned and miscarriage happening. There is some parental abandonment talked about. There is some physical violence and some vomit and blood gore. Drugs are also mentioned occasionally. The Catholic religion is mentioned occasionally throughout the book.
Publisher: Clarion Books
Pages: 272
Synopsis: Laney Villanueva and Nico Fiore are the perfect couple: beautiful, popular, talented, and hopelessly in love. Everyone looks up to them at Holy Family High School.
But Rafi doesn't just admire them. She watches them. She's drawn to them.
Intent on becoming their closest friend, Rafi weaves her way into their lives. She starts small: taking photos of the senior class for the yearbook, joining Laney's club, and babysitting Nico's little sister. And it works--soon they invite her to parties, take her on joyrides, and ask her for favors. Rafi's actions quickly turn invasive, delving deeper and deeper until she's consumed by their most intimate secrets.
When tragedy strikes the young lovers, Rafi's obsession spirals, and she will do anything to keep the perfect couple together. Anything . . .
Review: Ok so this is a really weird book, but it’s oddly pretty good. The book takes place from the viewpoint of a stalker who uses their position in school to get closer to the people she’s obsessed with, eventually leading to her purposefully getting ran over by a car to become friends with them. The book is weird, but well written for the most part. The character development is ok and the book overall is ok.
However, I’m very creeped out the by book, pun intended. The book is slow paced and kinda boring. It took me forever to get through even though it’s only 272 pages. The MC also wasn’t compelling enough and I found myself wanting to know more about her teacher who was her previous victim than anything else. The MC is also taking on the role of an angel of death to her victim’s relationships and I think that wasn’t explored enough in the book.
Verdict: It was weird, but ok.
Book: Creep
Author: Lygia Day Penaflor
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: Young adult readers, thriller, mystery, stalking
Publication Date: September 27, 2022
Genre: YA Thriller
Age Relevance: 17+ (stalking, sexual content, romance, pregnancy, abortion, parental abandonment, miscarriage, gore, violence, religion, drugs)
Explanation of Above: Sexual content and romance are mentioned and talked about a lot throughout the book, but from the viewpoint of a stalker. Speaking of: the main character of the book is stalking/obsessed with other characters. Pregnancy is also discussed, as well as abortion being mentioned and miscarriage happening. There is some parental abandonment talked about. There is some physical violence and some vomit and blood gore. Drugs are also mentioned occasionally. The Catholic religion is mentioned occasionally throughout the book.
Publisher: Clarion Books
Pages: 272
Synopsis: Laney Villanueva and Nico Fiore are the perfect couple: beautiful, popular, talented, and hopelessly in love. Everyone looks up to them at Holy Family High School.
But Rafi doesn't just admire them. She watches them. She's drawn to them.
Intent on becoming their closest friend, Rafi weaves her way into their lives. She starts small: taking photos of the senior class for the yearbook, joining Laney's club, and babysitting Nico's little sister. And it works--soon they invite her to parties, take her on joyrides, and ask her for favors. Rafi's actions quickly turn invasive, delving deeper and deeper until she's consumed by their most intimate secrets.
When tragedy strikes the young lovers, Rafi's obsession spirals, and she will do anything to keep the perfect couple together. Anything . . .
Review: Ok so this is a really weird book, but it’s oddly pretty good. The book takes place from the viewpoint of a stalker who uses their position in school to get closer to the people she’s obsessed with, eventually leading to her purposefully getting ran over by a car to become friends with them. The book is weird, but well written for the most part. The character development is ok and the book overall is ok.
However, I’m very creeped out the by book, pun intended. The book is slow paced and kinda boring. It took me forever to get through even though it’s only 272 pages. The MC also wasn’t compelling enough and I found myself wanting to know more about her teacher who was her previous victim than anything else. The MC is also taking on the role of an angel of death to her victim’s relationships and I think that wasn’t explored enough in the book.
Verdict: It was weird, but ok.
adventurous
emotional
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
Disclaimer: I received the finished copy from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Mouse
Author: N. Scot Stedman
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 4/5
Diversity: British Foster Care MC
Recommended For...: middle grade readers, techie, coders, mystery, boarding school
Publication Date: May 3, 2022
Genre: MG Techie Mystery
Age Relevance: 10+ (violence, abelism, bullying, death)
Explanation of Above: There is some violence mentioned and some of it is slightly shown. There is some bullying shown and death is mentioned. There is also some abelist language regarding making coding accessible to everyone, but the MC is not counting them as a real person in their regard. However, the MC does learn this is a bad thing.
Publisher: River Grove Books
Pages: 302
Synopsis: TWELVE-YEAR-OLD MOUSE GAMMA has spent her entire life struggling to communicate. She’s never understood how to stop the bullies and negligent foster parents without causing more trouble than it’s worth. That is until she discovers the magic of code—a language that’s more powerful than anything she’s ever imagined.
To everyone’s surprise, Mouse is anonymously chosen to attend the prestigious Rickum Academy—an incubator for the brightest and most promising young minds in tech. Her excitement is short-lived as the mystery of how she ended up at Rickum very quickly unravels around her, threatening the safety of her new life and the innocent lives of those around her. With the help of her new friends, Ada and Boone, Mouse is in a race against her classmates, her teachers, and the most powerful man in tech to not only uncover the truth about who she is, but who she is not.
Review: For the most part I really liked this book! I loved that it was a coding/hacking book and that it had a very Spy Kids feel to it mixed with Ready Player One vibes. I thought that the book was solid and it had decent world building and character development. I really liked the book overall and I immediately gave it to a coder friend of mine to enjoy.
However I did have some issues with the book. The book is targeted and can be read by middle grade aged readers, but it does read a bit older. The MC especially sounds older and it’s sometimes hard to remember they’re 12. The POV sometimes changes randomly and it’s a little confusing for non-coders.
Verdict: It was good!
Book: Mouse
Author: N. Scot Stedman
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 4/5
Diversity: British Foster Care MC
Recommended For...: middle grade readers, techie, coders, mystery, boarding school
Publication Date: May 3, 2022
Genre: MG Techie Mystery
Age Relevance: 10+ (violence, abelism, bullying, death)
Explanation of Above: There is some violence mentioned and some of it is slightly shown. There is some bullying shown and death is mentioned. There is also some abelist language regarding making coding accessible to everyone, but the MC is not counting them as a real person in their regard. However, the MC does learn this is a bad thing.
Publisher: River Grove Books
Pages: 302
Synopsis: TWELVE-YEAR-OLD MOUSE GAMMA has spent her entire life struggling to communicate. She’s never understood how to stop the bullies and negligent foster parents without causing more trouble than it’s worth. That is until she discovers the magic of code—a language that’s more powerful than anything she’s ever imagined.
To everyone’s surprise, Mouse is anonymously chosen to attend the prestigious Rickum Academy—an incubator for the brightest and most promising young minds in tech. Her excitement is short-lived as the mystery of how she ended up at Rickum very quickly unravels around her, threatening the safety of her new life and the innocent lives of those around her. With the help of her new friends, Ada and Boone, Mouse is in a race against her classmates, her teachers, and the most powerful man in tech to not only uncover the truth about who she is, but who she is not.
Review: For the most part I really liked this book! I loved that it was a coding/hacking book and that it had a very Spy Kids feel to it mixed with Ready Player One vibes. I thought that the book was solid and it had decent world building and character development. I really liked the book overall and I immediately gave it to a coder friend of mine to enjoy.
However I did have some issues with the book. The book is targeted and can be read by middle grade aged readers, but it does read a bit older. The MC especially sounds older and it’s sometimes hard to remember they’re 12. The POV sometimes changes randomly and it’s a little confusing for non-coders.
Verdict: It was good!
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
Disclaimer: I received this finished copy from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: If You’re A Kid Like Gavin
Author: Gavin Grimm, Kyle Lukoff, J. Yang
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Trans MC
Recommended For...: children’s, picture books, Trans rights, activism
Publication Date: January 1, 2022
Genre: Children’s Picture Book
Age Relevance: 4+ (bullying, harassment)
Explanation of Above: The book shows and talks about the bullying and harassment the MC deals with.
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Pages: 42
Synopsis: The picture book biography follows Gavin in his fight against his school administration when he was banned from using the boys' restroom, eventually taking his case to the Supreme Court.
Review: I really liked this picture book! I loved that it talks about trans rights and that the book showed an MC who grew up throughout the book and showed the honest reality of the bullying and harassment they face because of who they are. I also loved that the book is autobiographical and shows activism throughout the book. The book is for a little bit older children, but it can definitely help young kids understand kids who are like Gavin.
Verdict: Adorable and very important! Highly recommend!
Merged review:
Disclaimer: I received this finished copy from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: If You’re A Kid Like Gavin
Author: Gavin Grimm, Kyle Lukoff, J. Yang
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Trans MC
Recommended For...: children’s, picture books, Trans rights, activism
Publication Date: January 1, 2022
Genre: Children’s Picture Book
Age Relevance: 4+ (bullying, harassment)
Explanation of Above: The book shows and talks about the bullying and harassment the MC deals with.
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Pages: 42
Synopsis: The picture book biography follows Gavin in his fight against his school administration when he was banned from using the boys' restroom, eventually taking his case to the Supreme Court.
Review: I really liked this picture book! I loved that it talks about trans rights and that the book showed an MC who grew up throughout the book and showed the honest reality of the bullying and harassment they face because of who they are. I also loved that the book is autobiographical and shows activism throughout the book. The book is for a little bit older children, but it can definitely help young kids understand kids who are like Gavin.
Verdict: Adorable and very important! Highly recommend!
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Disclaimer: I received this finished copy from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: A Spindle Splintered
Author: Alix Harrow
Book Series: Fractured Fables Book 1
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Chronic illness queer MC, Lesbian adopted character, Lesbian character
Recommended For...: fantasy, retelling, Sleeping Beauty, multiverse, meta
Publication Date: October 5, 2021
Genre: Fantasy Retelling
Age Relevance: 18+ (cursing, death, illness, romance, alcohol consumption, HP reference, rape, assault, violence, grief)
Explanation of Above: There is cursing in this book. There is some violence via physical injury and physical violence, as well as some death and grief mentioned and shown in the book. The book’s MC has a chronic illness that is caused by water pollution and death is expected from the illness. There is romance in this book and some alcohol consumption. There is an HP reference but it is done in a tone that’s condescending to it. Rape is alluded to and assault is mentioned and shown.
Publisher: Tordotcom
Pages: 128
Synopsis: It's Zinnia Gray's twenty-first birthday, which is extra-special because it's the last birthday she'll ever have. When she was young, an industrial accident left Zinnia with a rare condition. Not much is known about her illness, just that no one has lived past twenty-one.
Her best friend Charm is intent on making Zinnia's last birthday special with a full sleeping beauty experience, complete with a tower and a spinning wheel. But when Zinnia pricks her finger, something strange and unexpected happens, and she finds herself falling through worlds, with another sleeping beauty, just as desperate to escape her fate.
Review: I really love this book so much! I think it’s my new favorite retelling series! I love that the book is very open about it being meta and basically about a multiverse of Sleeping Beauty retellings. I loved that the book mentioned other fairy tales and went into the fairy tale lore and history. The book did well with the character development and the world building. I fell in love with this series so hard and I can’t wait to see what else the author writes.
The only issue I had with the book is that sometimes the pacing was a bit off in places and I wished that the book was longer.
Verdict: It was great! Highly recommend!
Book: A Spindle Splintered
Author: Alix Harrow
Book Series: Fractured Fables Book 1
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Chronic illness queer MC, Lesbian adopted character, Lesbian character
Recommended For...: fantasy, retelling, Sleeping Beauty, multiverse, meta
Publication Date: October 5, 2021
Genre: Fantasy Retelling
Age Relevance: 18+ (cursing, death, illness, romance, alcohol consumption, HP reference, rape, assault, violence, grief)
Explanation of Above: There is cursing in this book. There is some violence via physical injury and physical violence, as well as some death and grief mentioned and shown in the book. The book’s MC has a chronic illness that is caused by water pollution and death is expected from the illness. There is romance in this book and some alcohol consumption. There is an HP reference but it is done in a tone that’s condescending to it. Rape is alluded to and assault is mentioned and shown.
Publisher: Tordotcom
Pages: 128
Synopsis: It's Zinnia Gray's twenty-first birthday, which is extra-special because it's the last birthday she'll ever have. When she was young, an industrial accident left Zinnia with a rare condition. Not much is known about her illness, just that no one has lived past twenty-one.
Her best friend Charm is intent on making Zinnia's last birthday special with a full sleeping beauty experience, complete with a tower and a spinning wheel. But when Zinnia pricks her finger, something strange and unexpected happens, and she finds herself falling through worlds, with another sleeping beauty, just as desperate to escape her fate.
Review: I really love this book so much! I think it’s my new favorite retelling series! I love that the book is very open about it being meta and basically about a multiverse of Sleeping Beauty retellings. I loved that the book mentioned other fairy tales and went into the fairy tale lore and history. The book did well with the character development and the world building. I fell in love with this series so hard and I can’t wait to see what else the author writes.
The only issue I had with the book is that sometimes the pacing was a bit off in places and I wished that the book was longer.
Verdict: It was great! Highly recommend!
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Disclaimer: I received this finished copy from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: A Mirror Mended
Author: Alix Harrow
Book Series: Fractured Fables Book 2
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Chronic Illness Queer MC, Lesbian characters, polyamorous character (brief), Sapphic pairings
Recommended For...: fantasy, retelling, multiverse, LGBT
Publication Date: June 14, 2022
Genre: Fantasy Retelling
Age Relevance: 16+ (romance, illness, alcohol consumption, sexual content, cursing, gore, violence)
Explanation of Above: There is some romance and very slight sexual content in this book. There are mentions of illness and alcohol consumption is show. There is also some slight cursing, some slight gore, and some violence.
Publisher: Tordotcom
Pages: 128
Synopsis: Zinnia Gray, professional fairy-tale fixer and lapsed Sleeping Beauty, is over rescuing snoring princesses. Once you’ve rescued a dozen damsels and burned fifty spindles, once you’ve gotten drunk with twenty good fairies and made out with one too many members of the royal family, you start to wish some of these girls would just get a grip and try solving their own narrative issues.
Just when Zinnia’s beginning to think she can't handle one more princess, she glances into a mirror and sees another face looking back at her: the shockingly gorgeous face of evil, asking for her help. Because there’s more than one person trapped in a story they didn’t choose. Snow White's Evil Queen has found out how her story ends, and she's desperate for a better ending. She wants Zinnia to help her before it’s too late for everyone. Will Zinnia accept the Queen's poisonous request and save them both from the hot-iron shoes that wait for them, or will she try another path?
Review: I really loved this sequel overall! I thought the story took an interesting turn and it was a fun retelling with multiversal properties! The book also had some cute romance and some interesting twists and turns. The world building was pretty well developed and the pacing was excellent.
The only issue that I had with the book is that I think it would have been better if a bit longer so that the character development was a bit better.
Verdict: It was good!
Book: A Mirror Mended
Author: Alix Harrow
Book Series: Fractured Fables Book 2
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Chronic Illness Queer MC, Lesbian characters, polyamorous character (brief), Sapphic pairings
Recommended For...: fantasy, retelling, multiverse, LGBT
Publication Date: June 14, 2022
Genre: Fantasy Retelling
Age Relevance: 16+ (romance, illness, alcohol consumption, sexual content, cursing, gore, violence)
Explanation of Above: There is some romance and very slight sexual content in this book. There are mentions of illness and alcohol consumption is show. There is also some slight cursing, some slight gore, and some violence.
Publisher: Tordotcom
Pages: 128
Synopsis: Zinnia Gray, professional fairy-tale fixer and lapsed Sleeping Beauty, is over rescuing snoring princesses. Once you’ve rescued a dozen damsels and burned fifty spindles, once you’ve gotten drunk with twenty good fairies and made out with one too many members of the royal family, you start to wish some of these girls would just get a grip and try solving their own narrative issues.
Just when Zinnia’s beginning to think she can't handle one more princess, she glances into a mirror and sees another face looking back at her: the shockingly gorgeous face of evil, asking for her help. Because there’s more than one person trapped in a story they didn’t choose. Snow White's Evil Queen has found out how her story ends, and she's desperate for a better ending. She wants Zinnia to help her before it’s too late for everyone. Will Zinnia accept the Queen's poisonous request and save them both from the hot-iron shoes that wait for them, or will she try another path?
Review: I really loved this sequel overall! I thought the story took an interesting turn and it was a fun retelling with multiversal properties! The book also had some cute romance and some interesting twists and turns. The world building was pretty well developed and the pacing was excellent.
The only issue that I had with the book is that I think it would have been better if a bit longer so that the character development was a bit better.
Verdict: It was good!