thelesbianlibrary's Reviews (357)

Phoebe, an up-and-coming soccer star from middle-of-nowhere America is star-struck when she meets her long-time idol Grace Henderson. Grace, however, can’t be bothered to get close to anyone, let alone another rookie…not after what happened last time. But when they end up on the same Women’s National Team they realize they’re going to have to get along or risk screwing their chances at the World Cup before it even begins.

As the pair grow closer despite their obvious differences, they find their chemistry is undeniable, both on and off the field. But after an injury sidelines Grace and Phoebe is poised to take her place their already rocky friends-with-benefits situation finds itself in a tricky spot. Can Grace see past her own insecurities and actually let Phoebe in? And can Phoebe listen well enough to support Grace in the ways she needs? All while learning how to work together instead of against each other on the field?

Meryl Wilsner does it again! I knew going into this it was going to be a steamy one and this read did not disappoint. But as I’ve come to appreciate with Wilsner’s writing the spicy scenes serve a purpose in the plot and aren’t just forced in. The story and characters would have different outcomes without those scenes and they push the narrative compared to hindering it.

Often in romance, it feels like there’s a trade-off between plot or character development. But Cleat Cute left me with both a high-stakes plot and characters I deeply cared about. And I learned a ton about professional soccer. I did truly believe too that these characters were real because of how well the backstory was woven in. After reading it I wanted to google “Phenom Soccer” or look up Grace Henderson’s many interviews. And it was a bit of a disappointment when I realized I couldn’t but that’s a testament to the quality of writing Meryl gives us.

One of my favorite things about the book is its treatment of lesbianism. I rarely ever see the word “lesbian” even in WLW romance novels so to see two lesbian-identifying characters was so exciting. Not only did we get lesbian-on-lesbian action but we got two vastly different approaches to lesbianism. Phoebe, an out and proud lesbian who weaves being queer into every part of her identity is far more like me. However, Grace is much more reserved in her sexuality. And although she isn’t closeted, her identity does not crop up in her life much more than who she chooses to be with romantically. I know it’s a small aspect of the overall book but having characters that truly feel queer really does elevate the story.

This book is also what I call a queer WLW book. And what I mean by that is the only thing gay about Cleat Cute isn’t just that the lead characters are AFAB and into each other. But there are a variety of queer characters and multiple queer topics are discussed. It is a queer book for queer people and doesn’t try to make its content more “digestible” or heternormative. Which is a huge plus.

All in all, I would definitely recommend Cleat Cute if you like complex opposites attract romance and hot sex scenes. You’ll find yourself relating to both Phoebe and Grace at different times and rooting for them throughout the whole story. Plus there’s a World Cup to win! Happy reading!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sending this eARC for review consideration. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Olive should be totally cool with death. Her mom is a mortuary cosmetologist and her dad is a monumental mason. But after an allergic reaction caused her to see the other side, she’s been petrified of returning to the Nothing. She has cut off all ties with anyone she cares about to protect herself from total emotional devastation. Even her parents and now ex-best friend Davis. So when the closest thing she’s ever had to a grandma passes right in front of her, she must find out what’s waiting after death.

However, after summoning the mysterious ghost Jay who proves to be less help than she expected, her classmates start getting attacked. Olive must find his grave and help him pass to the other side with the aid of Davis, new girl Vanessa, and her enemy/potential love interest Maren before more people get hurt. While also confronting her own fears of death, life, and love. Unless Jay isn’t the one causing these attacks…

This book surprised the crap out of me! A cozy horror steeped with spooky thrills and ghostly chills. I was not expecting such a twisted and enthralling mystery. Usually, there is a trade-off between plot and character development in the YA genre. And I normally have a bone to pick with the overly simplistic and needly descriptive writing style. However, Here Lies Olive may have caused me to change my opinion on the genre as a whole.

The mystery of this plot, although somewhat predictable, kept me turning pages faster than I have in a long time. And even I didn’t see the plot twists at the very end coming. Yes, there were ghosts, witches, and a general sense of the macabre. But there were also themes of self-discovery, friendship, forgiveness, grief, and trauma. Done in a tasteful and not at all pandering way. Which is so rare for both YA and horror. I truly felt Olive’s trauma and fear over the Nothing.

Olive was such a fun and unexpected main character. I loved her retro goth vibes and dedication to protecting the people she cared about. Plus her journey of queer self-discovery was perfectly woven into the overall story. It never felt forced or heteronormative. And her pure as-heck friendship with Davis had me rooting for them the whole time.

Speaking of Davis, I was pleasantly surprised to see the amount of Navajo representation throughout the book. I appreciated that it was informative without being tokenistic. Davis and his family's Navajo roots and storyline were, again, tastefully woven in with the overall plot. Although I’m not indigenous myself, my girlfriend is Chippewa and gave her stamp of approval on Davis and his family.

All in all, if you’re in the mood for a ghost story with plenty of depth and twists I highly recommend this read. And don’t let the YA stamp sway you. I promise you’ll fly through this spooky mystery faster than you can say Halloween. Happy reading!

Thank you to NetGalley, Flux, and North Star Editions for sending this eARC for review consideration. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

CW: Blood, bones, bullying, child death, death, depression, gore, hallucinations, murder, occult, PTSD, torture, violence.