Deep End by. Ali Hazelwood | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Title: Deep End

Author: Ali Hazelwood

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 464

Publication Date: 2/4/25

Categories: Romance, Contemporary, New Adult, BDSM, Sports Romance

A competitive diver and an ace swimmer jump into forbidden waters in this steamy college romance from the New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis.

Scarlett Vandermeer is swimming upstream. A Junior at Stanford and a student-athlete who specializes in platform diving, Scarlett prefers to keep her head down, concentrating on getting into med school and on recovering from the injury that almost ended her career. She has no time for relationships—at least, that’s what she tells herself.

Swim captain, world champion, all-around aquatics golden boy, Lukas Blomqvist thrives on discipline. It’s how he wins gold medals and breaks records: complete focus, with every stroke. On the surface, Lukas and Scarlett have nothing in common. Until a well-guarded secret slips out, and everything changes.

So they start an arrangement. And as the pressure leading to the Olympics heats up, so does their relationship. It was supposed to be just a temporary, mutually satisfying fling. But when staying away from Lukas becomes impossible, Scarlett realizes that her heart might be treading into dangerous water…

Content Warning: BDSM, sports injury, PTSD, mention of abusive parent

+ Scarlett is a competitive diver at Stanford and she’s trying to overcome PTSD from a sports injury but she has a mental block. I did like seeing the journey she makes overcoming her mental challenges as the story progresses. Lukas is a world-champion swimmer and it seems like he has it all, but he just broke up with his long-time girlfriend.

+ This book has kink and BDSM which is not usually my cup of tea, so beware – though I do say I was expecting some restraints or some props but they didn’t do anything like that. So maybe this is BDSM lite? 🤷🏻‍♀️. There’s a lot of rough sex and I was just like, ow, girl. I did like how they talked about it though, communicated about what would be okay and not okay before getting into it.

+ My favorite part of this story was the sports aspects of this story because it’s a world I don’t read a lot about but I love watching swimming and diving during the Olympics so that did fascinate me.

~ So…the romance. Lukas’ soon to be ex, or ex, Pen, who is Scarlett’s teammate and friend, suggests to Scarlett that she and and Lukas hook-up because they both like BDSM. It’s one of the factors of why Lukas and Pen’s relationship was not working out but I didn’t like how she basically got them together and then blames Scarlett later on for taking her man. It’s okay if it was an open relationship, but basically Lukas and Pen were over, yet…not? Because they let everyone believe they weren’t over and that was frustrating. I don’t mind a love triangle, but this was not it.

~ I get that Lukas’ personality is blunt, but for all the girls saying he was hot, he left ME feeling cold even with all the smutty scenes going on. That’s rare! I felt like their hook-up lacked emotion except from Scarlett who attached to that man so fast, even as she denied how she felt. She was always crying and he was always licking up her tears. I was turned off. I guess he’s not my type! 😅I liked them as characters, I thought her journey and growth was good and I even liked learning about Lukas and his upbringing – but for some really weird reason I can’t quite pinpoint, I didn’t love them together.

~ I got to 60% in and then put it down because it wasn’t over yet so it took me a few days to read. It’s a bit long at 464 pages, a good 350 would have been nice.

Final Thoughts:

There is a lot of smut, which is fine, but I wanted romance and I feel like I didn’t get enough of that. I didn’t like Pen always being in the middle of Lukas and Scarlett – it was irritating, but I also thought wow, these are some pretty mature young adults to be open and casual about sharing a guy. I did like Scarlett’s personal journal with her diving and PTSD, and the whole swim/diving world was refreshing to read about. Overall, not my favorite Ali Hazelwood book so far.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From this Author:

Check & Mate by. Ali Hazelwood | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Bride by. Ali Hazelwood | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

The Love Hypothesis by. Ali Hazelwood | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Murder Between Friends by. Liz Lawson | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Murder Between Friends

Author: Liz Lawson

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 4/22/25

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Categories: Young Adult, Contemporary, Mystery, Thriller

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Delacorte Press for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Two years ago, the murder of a neighbor tore three best friends apart–now the killer is going to walk free and the ex-friends are going to have to face the past–and each other–in another twisty thriller from the New York Times bestselling co-author of The Agathas

Grace, Henry, and Ally grew up together on the same block. They used to be best friends–until Grace’s testimony put Henry’s brother, Jake, away for killing their English teacher. Now, two years later, Ally and Henry hate Grace, and Grace is doubting what she thinks she saw that night.

It feels like everyone’s getting a second chance, then, when due to a mistrial, Jake is suddenly released. And Henry knows his brother is innocent, but when Grace reaches out to say she’s rethinking what she saw the night of the murder, Jake’s reaction is confusing. He doesn’t want Henry—or Grace–getting involved.

For Ally not getting involved isn’t an option, and there’s nothing Grace can say to convince Ally she’s not the enemy. But can Ally afford to push Grace out when she’s one of the only other people willing to believe in Jake’s innocence?

The clock is ticking. Jake’s new trial date is about to be set, and he’s sure to be foud guilty again unless there’s new evidence to prove he’s innocent. Grace, Henry, and Ally are going to have to decide whether you can trust an old friend now that they’re your enemy.

Content Warning: murder

+ Jake is accused of murdering his teacher but he’s out on a technicality but will be tried again. This time the person who was a witness in the case, his younger brother’s ex best-friend, Grace, thinks maybe what she saw the night of the murder was a mistake. And this time she wants to be sure.

+ Henry (Jake’s brother), Ally, and Grace are ex-friends but now with Jake going through a possible new trial, they decide to work together to make sure they find the right killer. There are a few twists and turns in this book that was interesting but I think it was easy to predict who was the real culprit.

~ For a YA mystery I think it’s perfect for teen readers but for me it was a little bit too light.

Final Thoughts:

This one will appeal to the teen and younger YA readers of mystery and thrillers. This was a quick read but maybe just a little to light for me.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Pride or Die by. CL Montblanc | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Pride or Die

Author: CL Montblanc

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 336

Publication Date: 4/15/25

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Categories: Young Adult, Contemporary, Mystery, Thriller, LGBT+

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Wednesday Books for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

In this delightful dark comedy debut, when the members of an LGBTQ+ club find themselves accidentally framed for attempted murder, it’s up to them to clear their names before it’s too late.

It’s kind of hard to graduate high school when you’re the prime suspect in an attempted murder.

Seventeen-year-old Eleanora Finkel just wants to finish her senior year and get the hell out of Texas. But when her club meeting inconveniently coincides with an attack on the school’s head cheerleader, she and her friends find themselves in the hot seat.

In order to clear their names and ensure the survival of their club for future queer teens, they’ll have to track down the real culprit themselves. But Eleanora is far from a professional detective; she’s riddled with anxiety, annoyingly attracted to the case’s cute victim, and her trusty crochet hook feels insufficient for fighting off a murderer. Can this ragtag group of unlikely sleuths find their way out of an entire freaking murder mystery before one of them is next?

Content Warning: violence, cursing

+ Students in an LGBT+ club are witnesses to an attack on a cheerleader, but because they were seen at the scene of the crime, people are suspicious that they were the ones who attacked her. So to prove their innocence, they decide to investigate to find who the real attacker is.

+ Eleanora and her friends in the club are funny! There is cursing but I thought it was fine. They are quite a cast of characters and they found themselves in a lot of chaos and drama. Plus I love the diversity that is being represented in the story.

~ I didn’t feel invested in the story. I was thinking it was going to be a serious mystery but it wasn’t but that’s part of it’s appeal. I eventually did enjoy the dark comedy vibes but I also felt like maybe a younger audience will definitely enjoy this book more than I did.

Final Thoughts:

I love the representation in this one! It’s got queer kids trying to solve a crime with lots of chaos and drama. Eleanora and her friends are a fun group! I think this one will appeal to young adults and teen readers.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

All the Stars Align by. Gretchen Schreiber | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: All the Stars Align

Author: Gretchen Schreiber

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 352

Publication Date: 4/1/25

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Categories: Young Adult, Contemporary, Disability Rep, Romance, Family, LGBT+, Semi-Magical

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Wednesday Books for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

All the Stars Align is the magical love story that is Taylor Swift’s Enchanted meets Cyrano, from the author of Ellie Haycock is Totally Normal.

All the women in Piper’s family know their true love at first sight, complete with butterflies, heart eyes, and a gut instinct. The kind of fated love that lasts forever. Piper grew up with her ancestors’ epic love stories repeated like fairy tales, and yearns for the day she’ll start her own. Already singled out in her family due to her physical disability, Piper collects a second strike against her when her parents announce their divorce, which convinces her family that she’s doomed.

When she finally finds her true love at a party, she’s more determined than ever to attain her love story and earn a spot in her family. But after completely botching their first meeting, she realizes that she’ll need help from her best friend Leo, who is sort of a love expert. The catch—he and Piper haven’t talked in six months, since he needed a “break” from their friendship.

To win over the love of her life and a place in her family, Piper must convince Leo to teach her his ways. And it’s all going as planned…until Leo confesses his own love for Piper. Now, she must decide which fate to follow.

Content Warning: divorced parents

+ This story is about a girl, who wants to fulfill receiving her Blessing. A Blessing is basically a soulmate – but in Piper’s family, all the women have had, even her mom, until the divorce happened. So what does that mean? I like how the story questions different types of love, relationships and fate versus choice. Piper’s parents loved one another, or still do, but they aren’t compatible and that wasn’t okay with Piper until she had to face some truths. Other types of love displayed are the love of parents with their child, the strained love of family, and the tumultuous love of the teenage years.

+ Piper is disabled and she blames herself for her parents’ divorce, which is sad. I did like the talk her mom had to have with her. Piper is so hell-bent on her plan to find her Blessing, be with that boy forever, and run her family’s business. She has a need to feel wanted by them instead of always feeling different from them. Piper has an amazing support system though – her parents and her best friends Leo and Diana really keep her protected.

+ Because Piper is trying her best to find this Blessing, she’s confused about how she feels about her best friend Leo, who she did have feelings for but they never said anything about it. And then she meets Forest, who supposedly is her Blessing – so things end up perfect right? Not really.

~ I had a bunch of issues with this story. The Blessings hint that something magical is tied to this family but it is so vague. Is it something truly magical or something they made up in their own family? It’s not clear. Piper’s focus on the Blessing did get tiresome. I understand why she clung to the hope of it, but it got repetitive. Hearing ‘the Blessing’ got tiresome too. Also, what kind of family pushes their own sister out because she got divorced? That was ridiculous! I’m glad Piper finally stood up for her mom.

~ Another thing that wasn’t clear – Piper’s disability. She mentions she’s disabled but it’s later in the book where Leo talks about her surgery. Eventually, she talks more about her arm but from the beginning it’s just not clear.

~ The back and forth with Leo was also not something I liked. Clearly they have feelings for each other but Piper’s belief in the Blessing and it not being Leo was frustrating. She does grow by the end and makes the right decision for her which is great, but the back and forth made me impatient. I guess it’s relatable because young love and all is so confusing, but I was frustrated for Leo.

Final Thoughts:

There are a lot of vague parts to this story especially when it came to the magic and Piper’s disability but I understand what the book is trying to do. I did like the themes about love and family in the story. Readers will find it relatable and it’s nice to have a disability rep as the main character. I think Piper’s relationship with her parents or how she feels about their divorce and what that meant about ‘the Blessing’ was my favorite part of this book. I like how Piper had to question fate versus choice. Overall, I got the message but the story itself fell a but flat for me.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Lovely Dark and Deep by. Elisa A. Bonnin | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Lovely Dark and Deep

Author: Elisa A. Bonnin

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 400

Publication Date: 3/25/25

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Categories: Dark Academia, Magic, LGBT+, Young Adult, Mystery, Contemporary Fantasy, Horror

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Feiwel & Friends for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

From author Elisa A. Bonnin comes Lovely Dark and Deep, a YA dark academia novel exploring magic, loneliness, and the power of found family.

Hidden off the coast of Washington, veiled in mist, there is an island that does not appear on any map. And on that island is Ellery West.

Ellery West has always been home for Faith. After an international move and a childhood spent adjusting to a new culture and a new language, the acclaimed school for magic feels like the only place she can be herself. That is, until Faith and another student walk into the forest, and only Faith walks out.

Marked with the red stripe across her uniform that designates all students deemed too dangerous to attend regular classes, Faith becomes a social pariah, an exile of Ellery West. But all she has to do is keep her head down for one more year to graduate, and she gets to keep her magic. Because when students fail out of Ellery West, they have their magic taken away. Forever. And Faith can’t let that happen.

Except terrifying things are still happening to students, and the dark magic that was unleashed in the forest still seems to be at work. To stop it, Faith and the other Red Stripes will have to work together, risking expulsion from the magical world altogether.

Content Warning: some horror

+ Ellery West is a boarding school for magic users and Faith has been there awhile, but something happened and she gets blamed for the death of her friend, Sydney. Now she’s back but she’s an outcast and lives with the other outcasts. They call themselves the Red Stripes and I did enjoy the found family that they created.

+ Faith is Filipino which is awesome (representation) and she’s going through some things with school and not wanting to disappoint her family again. She’s haunted by what happened in the forest that time she and Sydney went in but is someone now trying to send her a message? She’s having nightmares, and thinks someone is watching her. I love the diverse characters of the Red Stripes and how they welcome Faith as one of their own. They help her try to figure what is going on and has her back.

+ The setting of the school Ellery West is perfect for dark academia. There is a forest at the school where something is not right. The magic system is cool – students have magical powers with different affinities.

~ There are flashbacks in this story that didn’t always work for me. I kind of wish we got a book before this one that explored this friendship that Faith had with Sydney and what happened in the woods.

~ I wanted it darker. But that’s just my preference – I actually think young adult and teens are the perfect audience for this book.

Final Thoughts:

This story has magic, some light horror, mystery, diversity and a found family. For me I wanted it to be a bit darker and it might have been a bit too young for me but I think fans of YA Dark Academia will enjoy this one a lot. It is definitely more for teens and younger young adults.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Hangry Hearts by. Jennifer Chen | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Hangry Hearts

Author: Jennifer Chen

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 320

Publication Date: 3/18/25

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Categories: Young Adult, Contemporary, LGBT+, Trans, Romance, Family, Foodie Romance

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Wednesday Books for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Love, family, and food collide in this sparkling Romeo and Juliet-inspired romance.

Julie Wu and Randall Hur used to be best friends. Now they only see each other on Saturdays at the Pasadena Farmers Market where their once close families are long-standing rivals.

When Julie and Randall are paired with ultra-rich London Kim for a community-service school project, they are forced to work together for the first time in years. It quickly becomes obvious that London has a major crush on Julie. But Julie can’t stop thinking about Randall. And Randall can’t stop thinking about how London is thinking about Julie. Soon, prompted by a little jealousy and years of missing each other, school project meetings turn into pseudo dates at their favorite Taiwanese breakfast shop and then secret kisses at the beach—far from the watchful eyes of their families.

Just as they’re finally feeling brave enough to tell their grandmas, the two matriarchs rehash their old fight and Julie and Randall get caught in the middle and Julie’s brother finds out they are dating. Their families are heartbroken.

But it’s the Year of the Dragon, an auspicious time to resolve disagreements and start anew, and Randall isn’t going down without fighting for what—and who—they love. Could the Lunar New Year provide not only a second chance for Randall and Julie, but for their families as well?

Jennifer Chen’s Hangry Hearts is a funny, big-hearted romance about friendship, family, and first love—and being brave enough to have it all.

+ I love that this is a foodie romance and it features Asian foods like Korean and Taiwanese foods. It definitely made me hungry! Two families, one Korean and the other Taiwanese, are enemies at the food market, but they weren’t always this way. These two families used to be super close.

+ Randall is trans, and I thought it was a nice representation. I love how his grandmother accepted him when he told her how he felt. The support he has, even from Julie who is his “ex-friend”, is sweet.

+ Family is a main theme in this story and yes it’s very Romeo and Juliet – Julie and Randall are forbidden to be together because both families have bad blood. But I love how they resolve things at the end.

+~ The love story between Randall and Julie is an ex-friends to lovers romance. I thought it was a cute love story, especially because they used to be best friends. For the most part I thought they were cute together but this reads very young adult, there was the teen angst, longing and drama between them. This is definitely for younger YA readers.

~ Some of the family drama was ridiculous especially when it came to Julie and Randall hiding their relationship. I was surprised Julie didn’t rebel when she got caught and basically submitted to her brother watching her like a hawk just so she stays away from Randall. I understand that family came first but I also wanted Randall to fight for their relationship instead of ghosting her sometimes.

~ There were some pacing issues – it switched quickly between Julie and Randall’s POVs which made the story move quick but also made it feel choppy at times.

Final Thoughts:

I love the Asian food representations in this story, it definitely made me hungry! I found the theme of family really enjoyable also even though I do think it went too far at times when they tried to keep Julie and Randall apart (I’m looking at you Tyler). I mean, let these young ones fall in love! Randall as a trans rep was nice and watching him fall for Julie was sweet. There were some pacing issues for me and I do feel like this will appeal to younger YA readers, but for the most part, I enjoyed it and it’s a quick read.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

Artifacts of an Ex by. Jennifer Chen | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by. Suzanne Collins | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (The Hunger Games, #0)

Author: Suzanne Collins

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 541

Publication Date: 5/19/20

Categories: Young Adult, Dystopian, Series

It is the morning of the reaping that will kick off the tenth annual Hunger Games. In the Capital, eighteen-year-old Coriolanus Snow is preparing for his one shot at glory as a mentor in the Games. The once-mighty house of Snow has fallen on hard times, its fate hanging on the slender chance that Coriolanus will be able to outcharm, outwit, and outmaneuver his fellow students to mentor the winning tribute.

The odds are against him. He’s been given the humiliating assignment of mentoring the female tribute from District 12, the lowest of the low. Their fates are now completely intertwined — every choice Coriolanus makes could lead to favor or failure, triumph or ruin. Inside the arena, it will be a fight to the death. Outside the arena, Coriolanus starts to feel for his doomed tribute… and must weigh his need to follow the rules against his desire to survive no matter what it takes.

Content Warning: death, violence, murder, hanging, death of children

I finally read this prequel to The Hunger Games and this is what I thought:

+ I liked getting to know Coriolanus Snow’s background. Yes…he is who becomes President Snow in The Hunger Games. This is his story, how he is living in Capitol poverty and ashamed of it and trying to hide it. It’s interesting to see how it shapes him.

+ This is in the early days of the first few Hunger Games so it’s interesting to see how different it is compared to when Katniss is a participant. In this book, the Hunger Games isn’t as sophisticated and high-tech yet, but it’s still very cruel – maybe moreso because all they do is throw these kids into the zoo of all places and then try to lure them out with food to kill one another. I did learn more about why the games were started, and why they felt like it was a good way to keep the peace.

+ Lucy Gray is the sunshine in this story. She is quirky, unconventional, she doesn’t seem like someone who could kill and win the Hunger Games but she surprises everyone. The romance between Lucy and Coryo is surprising and yet…not…because he didn’t seem like a psychotic, power-hungry person yet. Not when he was with Lucy and thinking of running off with her. But things change so much.

~ The story was slow moving except for the last part of the book. It took me almost two weeks to finish. I wish it moved faster. Also I didn’t feel like the Hunger Games was as focused on. This was all about who Coryo is and what shaped him.

~ The crazy thing is I didn’t even see Coryo as scary in the beginning. He was ashamed of his station and wanted the best for his family and to survive. Wanting best for your family is a good thing, right? But there was a feeling that the Capitol hated him and he didn’t know why. I was hoping he would actually turn against them instead when he met Lucy and in District 12 but nope, that experience and then some pushed him harder into his convictions about the Capitol and the Hunger Games. He believed the Capitol was right and the Hunger Games were a necessity, unfortunately. Slowly we see him try to justify all his bad actions and even kind of lose it in the end because of Lucy Gray.

Quotes from the book:

“No one would ever let him have enough.”
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by. Suzanne Collins

“His terror was a private thing, not meant for public display.”
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by. Suzanne Collins

“If the people who were supposed to protect you played so fast and loose with your life…then how did you survive?
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by. Suzanne Collins

“Who are human beings? Because who we are determine the type of governing we need.”
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by. Suzanne Collins

“I’m being erased, he thought. And to erase me, they must erase the Games.”
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by. Suzanne Collins

“It was never meant to be anything more than theoretical. And who but the vilest monsters would stage it?”
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by. Suzanne Collins

Final Thoughts:

I expected this one to be fast moving and intense like the The Hunger Games series but it wasn’t so for me it was an okay read. The beginning was slow, even through the games, and it only picks up at the end. I did like getting to know Coriolanus Snow more and I like how Lucy Gray was sunshine to his dark life. I thought this book gave me good insight into the man who will become President Snow in the series but I did expect more.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

A Journey to Us by. Lady B | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: A Journey to Us

Author: Lady B

Format: ebook (own- gifted to me)

Pages: 280

Publication Date: 5/10/24

Categories: Romance, Adult, Contemporary

Jasmine believed she found her anchor in the charismatic and mysterious Daniel. But as the glimmering facade begins to crumble at a friend’s wedding, Jasmine is thrust into a heart-wrenching revelation of betrayal. Shattered illusions, stolen glances, and a web of emotions unravel in a tale of love, trust, and the haunting echoes of a broken promise. Will she rise from the ruins, or will the shadows of the past forever eclipse the chance for a new dawn?

Years later, as Jasmine walks down the aisle, the Best Man standing tall beside the groom locks eyes with her – Daniel, the man who once ignited a flame in her heart. In that fleeting gaze, buried emotions resurface, unveiling a tumultuous journey of love and loss. The haunting question Can the heart mend when the very person who broke it stands at the precipice of her forever?

—

A Journey to Us is written in British English spellings, e.g. ‘mum’ instead of ‘mom’ and ‘realised’ instead of ‘realized’. This may appear incorrect to some readers when compared to US English books, but they are not typos.

Content Warning: accident, grief, medical issue, depression

A friend of mine sent me this book and asked me to read and review it so here it goes:

Jasmine and Daniel meet in an unexpected way and the book basically is about the journey of them getting together, hanging out, becoming friends and then trying to be something more, facing challenges in their relationship and dealing with it. It’s a realistic romance – so at times I found it triggering but I’m sure many people who have been in relationships would be able to relate to this story.

The two of them have personal challenges to deal with, whether it’s trust or insecurities, or just actually opening up to one another and telling each other the truth. At times I wish they would just tell one another their true feelings because miscommunication is one of my least favorite things in a romance. They have a push and pull kind of relationship that got a little frustrating for me.

This story spans three years, in under 300 pages, and most of the time they are not in a relationship but are just friends. So I did wish we got more happy romance scenes between them as a couple. There is hardly any spice and it’s closed door but you can tell it’s a very romantic moment for them when they finally do take their relationship there. I did like the diversity in the characters though and their chemistry was nice. They are very sweet with one another and have good banter.

Warning, this book has a sad ending. The ending is rushed though, so I didn’t quite feel the emotional impact it was supposed to hit me with.

Final Thoughts:

I’ll say that this isn’t my usual type of book to read but if you like a romance story that is focused on the ups and downs of trying to be in a relationship, and some drama, then you will enjoy this one. It’s also one without spice, so it’s sweet and romantic but has a tragic ending.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

When the Bones Sing by. Ginny Myers Sain | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: When the Bones Sing

Author: Ginny Myers Sain

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 352

Publication Date: 3/4/25

Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers

Categories: Young Adult, Mystery, Paranormal, Thriller

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

From New York Times bestselling author of Dark and Shallow Lies comes a new southern gothic supernatural thriller about a teen girl in a small Ozark town who can hear the bones of the dead.

The past three years have been tough for Lucifer’s Creek, Arkansas, a small town quietly tucked away in the Ozark mountains. More than two dozen people have disappeared on the local hiking trails; there one moment, gone the next, not a trace left behind, until their buried bodies are discovered.

17-year-old Dovie doesn’t believe in magic even though she comes from a long line of women who can hear the bones of the dead sing, and for the past few years the bones have been crooning nonstop, calling out to Dovie to dig them up.

Some of the old-timers believe that it’s the monstrous Ozarks howler snatching people off the Aux Arc Trail. Well Dovie doesn’t believe in the howler, and she doesn’t believe her best friend Lo when he tells her he is being haunted by dark shadows. All she believes in is her talent that guides the local sheriff to the bones when they begin their song, then reuniting the dead with their families to give them some peace.

Lo doesn’t know peace, though. The shadows follow him everywhere. He soon learns they’re the murdered hikers and they want answers. But the truth of their deaths isn’t buried with their bones; it’s hidden somewhere deep in the hills. And Lo and Dovie must unearth it before anyone else is killed.

Content Warning: death, murder

I really love the atmosphere and setting of this book. It’s set in a small town in Arkansas, and the author does a great job of capturing the mysterious, and complicated that is the Ozarks. I love how the mix of the natural environment and the different types of people who came to live in the Ozarks are represented. There was definitely a Southern-gothic vibe to this book. I could hear the twang in the way the characters talked just by the way it’s written. There is the religious community and then the others that believe in simple spells and spirits. There is even talk about the Howler, a supernatural creature roaming the Ozarks. I think all of this contributed in giving this story a mysterious, creepy and tense feeling.

I did enjoy the mystery about the hikers that were going missing and ending up being killed. Dovie being a person who can find their bones is fascinating and Lo, who can see spirits just added to the vibe of the book. There is a little romance in this story but I don’t think that it was needed, I liked Dovie and Lo being best-friends enough. I didn’t need the mini love triangle that was thrown in.

As much as I enjoyed the mystery, I wanted more suspense and thrills, but I will say the truth that Dovie and Lo uncovers is pretty awful.

Final Thoughts:

My favorite part of this book is the atmosphere for sure! I love the Southern gothic vibes of the Ozarks – it’s mysterious and creepy and perfect for a story like this. I didn’t think the romance was needed but I did like Dovie and Lo’s friendship. Overall, I enjoyed the storytelling, just maybe wanted a bit more thrills.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

One Last Breath by. Ginny Myers Sain | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Dark and Shallow Lies by. Ginny Myers Sain | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Something Like Fate by. Amy Lea | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Something Like Fate

Author: Amy Lea

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 352

Publication Date: 3/4/25

Publisher: Skyscape

Categories: Young Adult, Romance, Friends to Lovers, Italy

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Skyscape for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

During a summer in Italy, two best friends discover whether true love is up to destiny or free will in this winning romantic comedy by the international bestselling author of Woke Up Like This.

For generations, the fortune-telling women in Lo Zhao-Jensen’s family have foreseen The One—the great loves of their lives—before ever meeting them. Except for Lo, who has zero psychic abilities. Just memories of old rom-coms and a lot of poor judgment when it comes to love.

Until now.

When Lo finally has the vision she’s been waiting for, her delighted aunties are convinced she’ll meet The One on her backpacking trip in Italy. Vero amore, here she comes.

Along for the summer is Lo’s best friend and confidant, Teller Owens, her opposite in every way. Upon arrival in Venice, Lo is saved from a runaway trolley by Caleb, a fellow backpacker. It’s a meet-cute so swoony, it has to be fate. But with each destination, Lo’s complicated feelings for Teller are becoming harder to ignore. From the cobblestone streets of Rome to the rocky cliffs of Amalfi, Lo begins to wonder if fate has other plans.

Two best friends, Lo and Teller, find themselves on an Italian adventure when Lo’s other best-friend injures herself and can’t go. So instead she asks Teller, her ex-coworker, other bestie, and her secret crush, to go with her.

Throughout the trip we see how different Lo and Teller are – she’s a free spirit, whereas Teller is a planner. They are opposites but they work so well because they are both kind of gentle spirits. We learn a lot about their past, their dating histories with other people and I thought they had a sweet friendship.

But Lo isn’t only on this trip to go on vacation, she’s there to meet her soulmate. Her family is famous for being kind of psychic. But everything gets muddled when she meets Caleb (clearly her soulmate because of a vision?) and yet her feelings that she accepting about Teller.

I loved the traveling that is happening in the story – a trip all over Italy? How fun and romantic.

Things do get complicated for Lo and Teller, and Lo has to question her feelings or fate. I think I wanted the ending to be a bit more romantic. Lo makes a choice, which shows how she grows. But I wanted more romantic moments between Lo and Teller.

Final Thoughts:

This was a cute, easy read. It’s a friends to lovers romance with a fun tour around Italy. I thought Lo and Teller’s friendship was really sweet and it was nice to see them realize their feelings for one another. The whole vision and fate aspect of finding her soulmate was interesting, but more so for the fact of her questioning the idea of a soulmate when someone else fits better for her. I just wanted a little more romantic scenes between them but overall, an easy, light read.