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sunshinestark's Reviews (376)
This was a sweet, slow burn romance featuring Emma, a bisexual Jewish woman, and Jo, a lesbian Asian American woman, that didn't shy away from touching on the intersectional issues of sexism, racism, and homophobia in Hollywood (and society in general).
The power imbalance between an employer and employee (Emma is Jo's assistant) is something I personally was concerned about going into this, but it was handled with care, making a point to never cross an inappropriate line - something that Jo in particular is very aware of the entire time and influences many of her choices. This is especially important considering that the #MeToo movement is a prominently addressed issue.
Aside from blossoming feelings between Emma and Jo, family relationships and friendships are a large part of what makes this story so appealing, as well as the strength that comes with believing other women and supporting them during times of personal crisis.
The power imbalance between an employer and employee (Emma is Jo's assistant) is something I personally was concerned about going into this, but it was handled with care, making a point to never cross an inappropriate line - something that Jo in particular is very aware of the entire time and influences many of her choices. This is especially important considering that the #MeToo movement is a prominently addressed issue.
Aside from blossoming feelings between Emma and Jo, family relationships and friendships are a large part of what makes this story so appealing, as well as the strength that comes with believing other women and supporting them during times of personal crisis.
This is a great story for anyone who likes the fake dating trope, especially if they enjoy one half being more straight laced than the other (Luc is far more of a disaster than Oliver is). It was a cute/fun read with many moments that made me laugh, and I liked the progression of Luc and Oliver’s relationship a lot.
Conventionally Yours is a sweet romance featuring Alden, a gay, neurodiverse, Jewish young man, and Conrad, his rival in the table top RPG/trading card gaming world of Odyssey. Both are part of a successful vlog called Gamer Grandpa and are gifted tickets to Odyssey Con where they will compete against each other and others in a gaming tournament.
For different reasons, both Conrad and Alden must drive cross country rather than fly, and after several setbacks find themselves alone together for the trip. As more time passes, and more of their true selves are revealed to one another, they begin to realize they have feelings that go beyond a newly blossoming friendship. Moving forward, they have to decide how to explore these feelings while also competing with each other to win at Odyssey Con, and overcome their own insecurities and challenges.
For both Alden and Conrad many of these insecurities and challenges arise from their relationships with their families. As they become more confident in who they are with each other, this enables them to become more confident in addressing their very different, but equally important, journeys concerning their families and their futures. Seeing them help each other with these things was just as satisfying as watching their progression from rivals to friends to lovers, leaving me feeling fully satisfied by the time the book ended.
For different reasons, both Conrad and Alden must drive cross country rather than fly, and after several setbacks find themselves alone together for the trip. As more time passes, and more of their true selves are revealed to one another, they begin to realize they have feelings that go beyond a newly blossoming friendship. Moving forward, they have to decide how to explore these feelings while also competing with each other to win at Odyssey Con, and overcome their own insecurities and challenges.
For both Alden and Conrad many of these insecurities and challenges arise from their relationships with their families. As they become more confident in who they are with each other, this enables them to become more confident in addressing their very different, but equally important, journeys concerning their families and their futures. Seeing them help each other with these things was just as satisfying as watching their progression from rivals to friends to lovers, leaving me feeling fully satisfied by the time the book ended.
Anyone who likes the fake relationship trope will love this book. It is a satisfying addition to the many romances already out there that feature it.
Laurie is attempting to recover from the heartbreak of losing her boyfriend of 18 years when Jamie, the devastatingly handsome office playboy, presents an idea to her: pretend to date him to make her ex Dan jealous while also helping him look more respectable in the hopes of getting a promotion at work. Despite warnings from her best friend that lying isn’t ethical and that she might begin to blur the line between fake and real the longer it goes on Laurie agrees.
Along the way they become friends, which causes Laurie to reassess her perceptions of Jamie as her friend’s warning comes true. What’s supposed to be fake is starting to feel very real for her. Navigating these feelings coming so soon after her ex leaving her is hard enough, but Laurie also has to deal with a very complicated relationship with her father, the resurfacing of some traumatic memories, and the consequences of her and Jamie’s lies catching up to them.
While this book is a wonderfully well written romance that left me wanting to see more of Laurie and Jamie’s relationship, the best parts of it for me were ultimately the explorations of Laurie’s losses and traumas as she comes to terms with needing to create a new life, finding her own way in the world, and discovering what (and who) it is that truly matters to her.
Laurie is attempting to recover from the heartbreak of losing her boyfriend of 18 years when Jamie, the devastatingly handsome office playboy, presents an idea to her: pretend to date him to make her ex Dan jealous while also helping him look more respectable in the hopes of getting a promotion at work. Despite warnings from her best friend that lying isn’t ethical and that she might begin to blur the line between fake and real the longer it goes on Laurie agrees.
Along the way they become friends, which causes Laurie to reassess her perceptions of Jamie as her friend’s warning comes true. What’s supposed to be fake is starting to feel very real for her. Navigating these feelings coming so soon after her ex leaving her is hard enough, but Laurie also has to deal with a very complicated relationship with her father, the resurfacing of some traumatic memories, and the consequences of her and Jamie’s lies catching up to them.
While this book is a wonderfully well written romance that left me wanting to see more of Laurie and Jamie’s relationship, the best parts of it for me were ultimately the explorations of Laurie’s losses and traumas as she comes to terms with needing to create a new life, finding her own way in the world, and discovering what (and who) it is that truly matters to her.
The third in the Once Upon a Con series, Bookish and the Beast is another fun contemporary take on a fairytale (this time Beauty and the Beast) with a fandom twist.
Rosie Thorne never expects to cross paths with Vance Reigns, Hollywood royalty and star in the new Starfield movies that Rosie loves. Further, she never intends to ruin a priceless edition of a Starfield novel, but does. In order to pay off her sudden debt, Rosie agrees to work with the prickly Vance in a library in need of a little TLC and reorganizing. Neither of them is thrilled by the idea because neither likes the other, but the more time they spend together, the more they see that there's more than meets than eye.
If you loved the previous two books in this series, you won't be disappointed with this one.
Rosie Thorne never expects to cross paths with Vance Reigns, Hollywood royalty and star in the new Starfield movies that Rosie loves. Further, she never intends to ruin a priceless edition of a Starfield novel, but does. In order to pay off her sudden debt, Rosie agrees to work with the prickly Vance in a library in need of a little TLC and reorganizing. Neither of them is thrilled by the idea because neither likes the other, but the more time they spend together, the more they see that there's more than meets than eye.
If you loved the previous two books in this series, you won't be disappointed with this one.
Felix Love just wants to fall in love but doesn't feel it's in the cards for him as a queer, Black, trans boy.
When he gets deadnamed by a fellow student, love isn't at the forefront of his mind anymore. Revenge is. Certain he knows who did it, he makes the decision to catfish the person. Along the way, he discovers what he thought was the truth isn't, and he can find love in places he never thought to look.
Although Felix Ever After does deal with hard topics like transphobia, Callender builds a wonderful story about finding the strength to be true to yourself without fear, letting love find you in unexpected ways, and how filling your life with those who truly accept you can make your life infinitely better.
When he gets deadnamed by a fellow student, love isn't at the forefront of his mind anymore. Revenge is. Certain he knows who did it, he makes the decision to catfish the person. Along the way, he discovers what he thought was the truth isn't, and he can find love in places he never thought to look.
Although Felix Ever After does deal with hard topics like transphobia, Callender builds a wonderful story about finding the strength to be true to yourself without fear, letting love find you in unexpected ways, and how filling your life with those who truly accept you can make your life infinitely better.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Deadnaming, Transphobia
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
There's Something About Sweetie is a heartwarming love story that centers on loving yourself and not letting others determine your value. Perfect for fans of Dumplin' by Julie Murphy.
In true Sager fashion, Home Before Dark is an entertaining and engaging horror thriller full of twists and turns. Even when you think you have it figured out, the truth is revealed in a different, more satisfying direction.
Maggie Holt is well known in true crime circles and beyond due to her father's best selling memoir about their brief time living in a haunted house during her childhood. Unable to remember much from that time, Maggie has never believed the fantastical events centering on ghosts her father wrote are true. Following his death, however, she inherits Baneberry Hall. Despite her father's last words being a warning not to return, Maggie vows to do just that to find out the truth about why they abruptly left.
The only problem is the more time she spends at Baneberry Hall, the more strange things begin happening that are identical to events detailed in her father's memoir. More and more it seems everything might be true. Wanting to know more about Baneberry Hall's history and the people who lived there who might not have left, Maggie begins digging for the truth. Secrets and lies are uncovered bit by bit until she's faced with the fact her life is about to be changed forever by the truth.
Maggie Holt is well known in true crime circles and beyond due to her father's best selling memoir about their brief time living in a haunted house during her childhood. Unable to remember much from that time, Maggie has never believed the fantastical events centering on ghosts her father wrote are true. Following his death, however, she inherits Baneberry Hall. Despite her father's last words being a warning not to return, Maggie vows to do just that to find out the truth about why they abruptly left.
The only problem is the more time she spends at Baneberry Hall, the more strange things begin happening that are identical to events detailed in her father's memoir. More and more it seems everything might be true. Wanting to know more about Baneberry Hall's history and the people who lived there who might not have left, Maggie begins digging for the truth. Secrets and lies are uncovered bit by bit until she's faced with the fact her life is about to be changed forever by the truth.
For fans of If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo.
Stay Gold follows Pony, a trans boy, has recently transferred to a new school and has decided to go stealth - not reveal he's trans. Soon he falls for a popular cheerleader and makes friends who make him question whether his decision to not be open about who he is is the right choice.
McSmith gives us a compelling coming age of story that doesn't shy away from hard topics like transphobia, homophobia, violence against LGBTQ individuals, and having family who won't accept who you really are. At times hard to read, this book shows the harsh reality many LGBTQ teenagers live every day but also shows that happy endings are possible and should be hoped for.
Stay Gold follows Pony, a trans boy, has recently transferred to a new school and has decided to go stealth - not reveal he's trans. Soon he falls for a popular cheerleader and makes friends who make him question whether his decision to not be open about who he is is the right choice.
McSmith gives us a compelling coming age of story that doesn't shy away from hard topics like transphobia, homophobia, violence against LGBTQ individuals, and having family who won't accept who you really are. At times hard to read, this book shows the harsh reality many LGBTQ teenagers live every day but also shows that happy endings are possible and should be hoped for.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Transphobia, Violence
The latest world to be introduced in the Wayward Children series is the Hooflands, a place filled with centaurs, unicorns, kelpies and other equine creatures that are sure to appeal to any person who has gone through a horse phase, or is still enamored with the species.
Regan, a young intersex girl, takes off on her own one day after a horrible event at school only to find herself walking through a door to the Hooflands. There, she is taken in by a group of Centaurs who care for her until she is to be sent before the Queen to fulfill her destiny as hero, like many other humans before her have. But the longer she is there, the more Regan feels she has found a true family and isn't sure whether she wants to be the Hooflands hero or not since every hero either dies or disappears.
Regan, a young intersex girl, takes off on her own one day after a horrible event at school only to find herself walking through a door to the Hooflands. There, she is taken in by a group of Centaurs who care for her until she is to be sent before the Queen to fulfill her destiny as hero, like many other humans before her have. But the longer she is there, the more Regan feels she has found a true family and isn't sure whether she wants to be the Hooflands hero or not since every hero either dies or disappears.