This young adult memoir is profound. Johnson, the author, does a magnificent job addressing key topics such as gender identity, sexuality, and toxic masculinity in All Boys Aren't Blue. He uses his own experiences as a gay, black man to supplement the important discussions this book has. While it is short in length, Johnson's memoir is powerful and should be purchased for every library's YA collection. I have never encountered a book before that presents these issues in such a way that teens will both understand and appreciate such heavy topics.

When I discovered this book, I was thrilled to finally read a contemporary romance between two women. Sometimes when there is this representation (f/f romance), the author can focus too much on the sexual aspect of the relationship and almost fetishize the two leads. I commend Wilsner, the author, on their ability to write this book without being creepy. With that being said, I think my expectations for this title were just too high. I have seen glowing reviews of Something to Talk About, but I found this story a little boring. The plotline took a long time to develop and was sometimes very predictable. This is the author's debut novel and I would give their work another chance in the future, but I just wasn't blown away by this book like others were.

I want to preface this review by acknowledging the pure writing talent Suanne Laqueur, the author, has. An Exaltation of Larks is probably the most beautifully written book I have read this year and I am so grateful to have received a free copy of it from DartFrog Books. There are many topics addressed in this novel, but the most prominent one is definitely friendship. Laqueur explores what it means to be a good friend and shows how the thin line between friends and family can become blurred. The concept of "chosen family" is prominently displayed in this title. I will admit that the plot was overdramatic at some points (think soap opera-esque), but I personally did not think it took anything away from the book itself. I highly recommend checking out this backlist title!

In The Dream House is more than just a book. It is a piece of art. Machado, the author, is able to illustrate the scenes of her memoir so vividly that the reader cannot help but become enthralled with the story. An important topic, domestic abuse in same-sex relationships, is the main theme throughout this one and readers should know this before diving in. Please take caution if this topic is triggering for you. If you are able to read this story, please do. It is tragically beautiful and deserves to be read, reviewed, and promoted on all platforms.

I am surprised this book does not have a higher average rating on Goodreads (3.79/5) because I absolutely loved it. Once again, Fiona Davis does not disappoint. Her ability to craft such a realistic setting and transport the reader to whatever time era she is writing about is incredible. Compared to the other Davis books I have read, this one is by far my favorite. It has musical theatre, espionage, and strong female protagonists. I mean, what more could I ask for? I will definitely be recommending this title when someone is looking for a historical fiction read in the future.

The Roommate was quite a steamy read. Clara and Josh, the main characters and love interests, are as different as could be. When they find themselves living together for the summer (after a miscommunication with the home's owner), they form an unlikely friendship. The storyline is cute and does a fantastic job humanizing sex workers, but I just felt like the romance aspect of this title was lacking. The relationship between the two characters seemed strictly physical - which is fine, but I would have liked to see other aspects of their relationship explored as well.

I had to read this novel for Advanced World Cultures and thoroughly enjoyed it. The story takes place in Barcelona, Spain in the year of 1945, which is right after the Spanish Revolution. The storyline is exciting and the characters are very likable.... HOWEVER I can only give this book 4 stars because I struggled with the way the author wrote. Imagery is overused and in result the novel turns into a much longer read than necessary. This novel is not a short read, but should not be discounted because of its size because it has such a beautiful storyline.