Audiobook:  
I had knew that Emma Lord released a new book and I was skeptical about it since I wasn't a huge fan of "You Have a Match". Then after reading a fellow Bookstagrammers review and learned it was a "Mamma Mia" retelling, I was sold!!

And boy oh boy - I LOVED THIS! 

Millie was raised by her dad Cooper after her mom dropped her off on his doorstep when she was 2 months old. Her dad is very introverted and Millie is extroverted who wants to go to musical theater program and does not want her to go away. Millie decided she was going to find her mother to get her on her team. Which honestly the idea of an absentee mother swooping in and convincing her dad to changing his mind, seems far fetched but maybe not for a teenager. After reading her father's old LiveJournals (which holy throwback - and yes I still go on there once in a blue moon) with her best friend Teddy, they narrow down the search to 3 women.  

I just loved this book so much and the relationships Millie has with everyone. I love that her best friend is a male who wasn't any sort of love interest. Unlike the actual "Mamma Mia" we do find out who Millie's mom is. I had my suspicions on who that was going to be but having that gut feeling did not ruin it for me. It still was an exciting revelation  Also I love a good enemies to lover even if its in a YA world. I loved that even Millie's Dad had a HEA. 

From an audiobook standpoint, the narration was perfect. I had listen to a few others from the same narrator and knew she would deliver. 

If you're looking for a cute, YA with lots of musical/Broadway talk, this is the one for you! 

Audiobook:
This one started off really strong and a little over half way, I was so confused on what was happening. This is another one of those cases where I'm pretty sure it was me and not the story being told. It's no surprise that I struggle with fantasy/magical realism elements and this was no exception. This may have been easier to follow along if I were reading it but via audio things just got lost in the shuffle for me.  

I love narrator's voice and thought he brought Clay to life. 

Audiobook: A lawyer sleeping with her married boss who then is found dead in his office...what could go wrong?! 

This definitely was a rollercoaster of a ride. I really was invested in this story and to see where this was going. I could have done without all the flashback chapters. Some of them were relevant especially when learning the early history of Ellice and her brother. It's a crazy how Ellice's professional life intertwined with her personal life. I really did feel bad that Ellice got involved with all the craziness of trying to figure out what happened to her lover & then how her younger brother was involved. I thought the audio moved rather quick and kept me on my toes.
Please check the trigger warnings before you read. 

Audiobook: I really wanted to enjoy this one because I loved "Razorblade Tears" but I just was so confused because there were just too many names for me to remember who was who. There definitely was violent moments so please check the trigger warnings. The narrator on this was solid & has a great tone for narration. 

"I think maybe everyone is scared to be alone."

This book has been sitting on my shelf longer than it should have. I am not sure if I have been putting it off because the hype was so high and I was scared to read it. This book was chosen as a fiction read for a book retreat I am hosting and I am so glad it was picked. 

April, April, April. My heart went out to the girl. No matter what got thrown her way, she just kept moving forward. She didn't have many people in her life that treated her well but those that did were her ride or dies. 

I was a little bummed that April's adult life didn't go the way that I wanted her development go at the end but I understand that wasn't April. It would have been too perfect if it ended wrapped in a package with a bow. April's life has never been a pretty package. 

The writing flowed beautiful & felt that it went super quick. She wrote the characters beautifully even the side characters. Some of the characters were not around super long but it didn't matter because I still felt like I knew them and could picture them. 

I highly recommend this if you are looking for something that is coming of age, redemption, love of music & want to feel warm inside.  

Also, it still boggles my mind that books that take place in the mid 90s is considered "historical fiction." This will be something I need to work through as the years go on LOL. 

This definitely was a "bookstagram made me do it" read and it lived up to the hype! 

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and loving the setting of Bright Falls. I haven't read too many sapphic books and it's definitely something I want to continue exploring in my reading. 

Delilah Green tries to avoid her hometown as much as she can but when her step sister Astrid asks her to photograph her upcoming wedding, she has no choice. Her stepmother would be paying her and she knew she needed the income. On her first night back, a woman approached Delilah at the bar in hopes to getting her number which turns out to be her step sister's best friend, Claire. 

I love the flirtatious and tension that was between Delilah and Claire. The way Delilah took in Claire's daughter Ruby to make her feel like she belonged and that her interests weren't weird. The growth that Delilah and Claire go through separately was wonderful to see. They both didn't know that they needed each other. 

I also loved the friendship between Claire, Astrid and Iris. They had always had each other's back since they were kids and able to have those hard conversations (even if they couldn't always get it out timely). 

The next book in the series comes out later this year & I cannot wait for Astrid to have her moment. Her character stole the scenes when she was in them. 

Audiobook: This one was recommended by a book friend & I am so glad that I listened to this. This is a book about 3 black Muslim girls who connect via working for a blog started by one of the girls after a terrorist attack in DC. 

I loved how we got mini backstories on each of the girl leading up how they are all connect with Sabriya's blog called "You Truly Assumed." Each girl goes through their own journey throughout the book. I shook my head several times throughout this book because it just made me sad and angry. The comments that these girls had got on their blog were inexcusable. And what makes it even sadder is that you know this continues to happen on various social media or news outlet comment pages. 

Also can we talk about this cover?! ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS! 

Please check the content warnings before reading/listening to this one. 

Audiobook: This is a laugh out loud funny book consisted of short stories about Samantha Irby's life that is so relatable!!!! I really resonated with the first half with her humor about making friends as adult, 90s nostalgia and her whole "sex is great but" chapter. I think it would be good to read BUT to get the full affect, audio is the better choice. 

 

I will not be rating Non Fiction books as it is based on real events and real experiences. 

This was such a quick, easy breezy, read! I absolutely loved this book from start to finish.  I was immediately invested in all the characters (even the side ones). 

Sadie thought she was getting a promotion that she wholeheartedly deserved in turn ended in disaster. She needed a night out with friends to get drunk and forget about the day. Sadie has only ever ever had one boyfriend and that was when she was a teen so she was looking to find a one night stand. What she thought was a swipe right match turns out was a match for a roommate. Jack definitely came across as too good to be true but I don't care, it was perfect for the book. 

If you love a slowwww burn romance, this one is a good one!  There was a brief moment during a Halloween party that made me swoooooon. Sadie's friends were just the best and it felt like I was reading about my friends at times. Including phone text conversations is always a welcomed addition while reading. 

I would love to see a sequel even though there was no cliffhanger or anything but I just loved all the characters and want to see what happens next with them all. 

Audiobook: This was an enjoyable audiobook told from two POVS - one from Pen and the other Xander. Pen's father owns a restaurant called Nacho's Tacos where Xander begins working. Pen does not want to work at her father's restaurant but instead a pastry shop. This causes major conflict between her parents and her. Xander comes to America as an immigrant and longs for a family. This is definitely an important listen as it tackles racism, hate crime & the paranoia of possibly being deported.