Seven Percent of Ro Devereux by. Ellen O’Clover | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Seven Percent of Ro Devereux

Author: Ellen O’Clover

Format: hardcover (own)

Pages: 320

Publication Date: 1/17/23

Categories: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Coming of Age, Grief

A clever, charming, and poignant debut novel about a girl who must decide whether to pursue her dreams or preserve her relationships, including a budding romance with her ex-best friend, when an app she created goes viral.

Ro Devereux can predict your future. Or, at least, the app she built for her senior project can.

Working with her neighbor, a retired behavioral scientist, Ro created an app called MASH, designed around the classic game Mansion Apartment Shack House, that can predict a person’s future with 93% accuracy. The app will even match users with their soul mates. Though it was only supposed to be a class project, MASH quickly takes off and gains the attention of tech investors.

Ro’s dream is to work in Silicon Valley, and she’ll do anything to prove to her new backing company—and the world—that the app works. So it’s a huge shock when the app says her soul mate is Miller, her childhood best friend with whom she had a friendship-destroying fight three years ago. Now thrust into a fake dating scenario, Ro and Miller must address the years of pain between them if either of them will have any chance of achieving their dreams.

Fans of Emma Lord and Alex Light will love this stand-alone contemporary novel with a masterful slow-burn romance at its core.

Content Warning: parental abandonment

I saw really good reviews of this book earlier this year when it first came out. I saw it on sale on Book Outlet so I got it and decided to read it by the pool and I was hooked!

I love the childhood best-friends to lovers trope in this one especially because Ro and Miller knew each other so well before something came between them. I love the fake-dating trope that brings them together. I had all the teenage romance feels with this book.

And this isn’t only a romance because Ro is dealing with a few things like her grandmother dying from cancer, her mom who left and never bothered to build a relationship with her, and the biggest thing – making an app that goes viral and trying to capitalize on it. Ro has lots of emotions to deal and tries to bury it all by keeping busy but she eventually realizes she can’t do things alone. Miller is there, her best friend Maven is there, her dad and Vera are there – she is not alone and when she realizes that, she grows.

Speaking of her app, I love how this story explores the role of choice and free will during a person’s life. Ro’s app finds your match but not only in love but also in life overall like your future career and how many kids you will have. But are we supposed to let an app decide our lives? The story reminds us that just because we think we love something or will be one thing or see one path forward, it is never absolute.

This book even made me shed a tear. I wasn’t expecting this book to take me on an emotional ride, but it did.

Favorite quotes from the book:

“I hope you’ll remember that the brain is malleable. That your answers to the survey questions will change, because what you love, and what you want, and who your are will change, too. These unpredictable shifts are supposed to happen. They are the good kind of scary.”

“Usually, when we think no one sees us, we’re still looking at each other…”

“The not knowing is the pain and the joy and the whole damn thing of it. We were never, ever supposed to know.”

Tropes: friends to lovers

Why you should read it:

this one tugged at my heart strings
Ro and Miller ❤️
great coming of age story and questions about our future/paths in life

Why you might not want to read it:

My Thoughts:

I loved this one and I’m glad I went in without knowing what to expect. It’s kind of got everything I want in a young adult contemporary book: a thoughtful and meaningful coming of age story that has emotion, depth and romance. I’m definitely going to be looking forward to reading more books from this author.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

All That’s Left to Say by. Emery | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: All That’s Left to Say

Author: Emery Lord

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 400

Publication Date: 7/18/23

Publisher: Bloomsbury YA

Categories: Young Adult, Grief, Drug Addiction, Romance, Mystery, Contemporary

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

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

A poignant and powerful story of a grieving girl willing to risk everything, perfect for fans of Robin Benway and Jandy Nelson.

On prom night, Hannah MacLaren sits in the headmaster’s office in her fanciest dress, soaked to the bone. She is in huge trouble after pulling the fire alarm right as the prom was about to be crowned. But Hannah had her reasons . . .

One year ago, her cousin Sophie, who was also her best friend and the person she loved most in the world, died of an overdose. Drowning in grief, Hannah became obsessed with one Who gave Sophie those pills? Who is refusing to give her family the closure they deserve?

Then she concocted a enroll at her cousin’s fancy private school with a new look and a mouthful of lies, and finally uncover the truth.

But Hannah didn’t expect all the lines to blur. She didn’t expect Sophie’s friends to be so complicated. She didn’t expect to fall for her longtime enemy. Now, she must choose to either let herself really mourn Sophie and move on, or see her search through to its explosive end–even if it means destroying herself.

Content Warning: grief, drug use

I read this book in one sitting even though I thought at times it moved slowly. It’s about a girl, Hannah, and her cousin who is like a sister to her, Sophie. Sophie dies tragically in a drug overdose and everyone is blindsided by it. Hannah’s purpose is to get to the bottom of who gave Sophie those pills but along the way she learns more about Sophie’s secrets and needing to let go of her pain and embrace life and love again.

Hannah is grieving along with her family and Sophie’s best friend, Gabi. When Gabi and Hannah team up to investigate who could have given Sophie the pills at the party they have to confront a few truths about Sophie as well. I really appreciated how the author considered all sides of the situation. Sophie’s access to the drugs, Sophie purposefully seeking out drugs, the consequences that is appropriate for the one who gave her the drugs, and some solutions a community can offer for people struggling with drug addiction. Hannah’s own father is a recovering alcoholic and he gives her some insight into addiction – some insights that Hannah had a difficult time comprehending. But I like that there was a discussion in this book about grief, secrets, drug addiction, and resources.

There is even romance in this story and it was so unsuspecting! I didn’t expect Hannah and Christian’s interactions to have so much chemistry and spark. The two of them are rivals. Debate team rivals so the arguments between them are epic and so sweet when they both cave in to the attraction between them. I love how he’s there for her because he’s gone through grief as well.

Now Hannah is a flawed character. She loves to argue, she likes things to go her way and she can be stubborn. I was bummed when she let things get so bad between her and her best friend Lincoln but I understand she was going through a rough time with Sophie’s death. She does grow as a character though.

Also the story is told in two timelines, past and present with the past just being one year ago. So there were times I had to backtrack because I lost my place on which timeline I was in – but that might be how the ebook arc is formatted.

The story was too slow to be a thriller, even when they figure out who it was that gave Sophie the pills. There wasn’t anything sinister about finding who did it, because as it’s stated, Sophie was at fault also. And the person who did it was having their own struggles. Overall it’s a tragic story, and an important one about how the opioid epidemic affects family, friends and a community.

Tropes: rivals to lovers

Why you should read it:

a complex story about grief, love, and drug addiction – it kept me intrigued

Why you might not want to read it:

topics about opioid use and grief

My Thoughts:

I’ve read a few Emery Lord books but I think this is her darkest one with heavy themes. But I love how she wrote the story, making the reader question all the aspects of the situation that has taken place. I love that it sheds a light on the opioid epidemic and how shame and judgment is a big part of how someone might not seek treatment. Overall, I thought it was a good read, if a little slow at parts but I still read it in one sitting.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

ARC Review | The Map From Here to There ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Those Summer Nights by. Laura Silverman | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Those Summer Nights

Author: Laura Silverman

Format: hardcover (borrowed)

Pages: 373

Publication Date: 8/23/22

Categories: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Coming of Age

After recovering from a life-changing injury, a teen girl must navigate a new summer job, an ex-best friend, and two surprisingly attractive coworkers in this romp of a rom-com for fans of Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian.

Hannah used to be all about focus, back before she shattered her ankle and her Olympic dreams in one bad soccer play. These days, she’s all about distraction—anything to keep the painful memories of her recent past at bay, including the string of bad decisions that landed her at boarding school for a year.

Enter Bonanza, the local entertainment multiplex and site of Hanna’s summer employment. With its mini golf course, bowling alley, and arcade—not to mention her hot, flirty coworker Patrick—Bonanza seems like the perfect way to stay distracted. Until her boss announces the annual Bonanza tournament, a staff competition that brings her past Olympic nightmares crashing back into her present.

On top of that, the Bonanza staff includes Brie, the ex-best friend she cut off last year, and Ethan, her brother’s best friend who became unreasonably attractive in her year away and who accepts her, even knowing her worst secrets. Under the neon lights of Bonanza, Hannah must decide whether she can find a way to discover a new self in the midst of her old life.

Content Warning: alcohol abuse

I wanted to read something with a summer theme and saw Those Summer Nights at the library so I checked it out.

This story follows Hannah and is told in the present with flashbacks of her last year when she lost her grandmother and also got an ankle injury that killed her soccer dreams. She’s competitive, she’s grieving, she’s not someone I connected to or liked but she does have growth. Hannah made some bad choices while she grieved her grandma and her soccer dreams and now she’s facing the consequences. She’s pushed away her friends, especially her best friend Brie and she turned to alcohol, partying and hooking up with boys.

Now she has to follow a recovery plan which includes staying away from partying, finding a job and finding a new passion. She finds a job at the local arcade where it seems everyone goes to work for the summer including her younger Joey, his best friend Ethan and even her ex-best friend Brie. Hannah makes some new friends, repairs her relationship with Brie and even falls in love.

I didn’t think the story would be so heavy with the grief aspect and Hannah spiraling but I could tell she loved her grandmother very much. As far as the romance goes, she falls for her brother’s best friend – which is a friends to lovers romance. It’s cute and they have lots of chemistry but as a personal preference I didn’t like that he was younger, especially her younger brother’s bestie lol…but that’s just ME.

Tropes: found family, friends to lovers

Why you should read it:

it’s a good teen story about making bad choices and learning how to fix mistakes
there is a fun found family story with Hannah and her new coworkers
cute romance

Why you might not want to read it:

Hannah isn’t the most likable MC

My Thoughts:

Sixteen year old me would have devoured this book. As an adult I was a little annoyed with how Hannah chose to deal with grief over her competition dreams and the loss of her grandmother. Obviously she was turning to other coping mechanisms like hooking up with boys but I think she’s relatable and she has had a lot of growth. I was expecting something more light-hearted but overall a solid read.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Carrie Soto is Back by. Taylor Jenkins Reid | Audiobook Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Carrie Soto is Back

Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid

Narrators: Stacey Gonzalez

Format: audiobook (borrowed)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 8/30/2022

Categories: Fiction, Women’s Fiction, Historical Fiction, Sports, Tennis

Carrie Soto is fierce, and her determination to win at any cost has not made her popular.

By the time Carrie retires from tennis, she is the best player the world has ever seen. She has shattered every record and claimed twenty Slam titles. And if you ask her, she is entitled to every one. She sacrificed nearly everything to become the best, with her father as her coach.

But six years after her retirement, Carrie finds herself sitting in the stands of the 1994 US Open, watching her record be taken from her by a brutal, stunning, British player named Nicki Chan.

At thirty-seven years old, Carrie makes the monumental decision to come out of retirement and be coached by her father for one last year in an attempt to reclaim her record. Even if the sports media says that they never liked the ‘Battle-Axe’ anyway. Even if her body doesn’t move as fast as it did. And even if it means swallowing her pride to train with a man she once almost opened her heart to: Bowe Huntley. Like her, he has something to prove before he gives up the game forever.

In spite of it all: Carrie Soto is back, for one epic final season. In this riveting and unforgettable novel, Taylor Jenkins Reid tells a story about the cost of greatness and a legendary athlete attempting a comeback.

Content Warning:

This book is about Carrie Soto’s life and how she becomes a tennis star, to lose her top spot and come back and take it again. The audiobook narrator did an amazing job capturing the passion of pro tennis and Carrie strong voice.

I found Carrie fascinating when she was briefly introduced in Malibu Rising. But you don’t need to read that book to read this one. And I’m glad she got her own story. This one is all about Carrie though and her determination, struggles, wins, losses and the part that really touched me – the relationship she has with her father.

I’m not the biggest tennis fan but I’ve had my share of watching it back in the 90’s when I was young. It’s got an appeal to it especially because it’s a battle against one person, but the biggest opponent at times is yourself. There is a little bit of romance, but it isn’t the focus of the book, which was nice. This book is very entertaining as we follow Carrie’s highs and lows and the lessons she learns through it all.

Why you should read it:

well written story – the audiobook is very good
the exciting world of Tennis championships, a come back story
a story about overcoming challenges, a father/daughter story, and the glory of winning

Why you might not want to read it:

not into tennis

My Thoughts:

I didn’t love Malibu Rising because there were too many characters coming and going. But I love that Carrie Soto got her own book because she was one of the characters in Malibu Rising that was intriguing. I’m glad I listened to this one!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo | Audiobook Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Malibu Rising by. Taylor Jenkins Reid | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Starlings by. Amanda Linsmeier | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Starlings

Author: Amanda Linsmeier

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 336

Publication Date: 6/27/23

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Categories: Contemporary Fantasy, LGBT, Young Adult, Horror, Mystery

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

A dark YA fantasy debut perfect for fans of House of Hollow and Small Favors. In the wake of her father’s death, a teen girl discovers a side of her family she didn’t know existed, and is pulled into a dark–and ancient–bargain she is next in line to fulfill.

Kit’s father had always told her he had no family, but four months ago his sudden death revealed the truth. Now she has a grandmother she never knew she had–Agatha Starling–and an invitation to visit her father’s hometown, Rosemont.

And Rosemont . . . it’s picture perfect: the famed eternal roses bloom year-round, downtown is straight out of the 1950s . . . there’s even a cute guy to show Kit around.

The longer Kit’s there, though, the stranger it all feels. The Starling family is revered, but there’s something off about how the Starling women seem to be at the center of the all the town’s important history. And as welcoming as the locals are, Kit can’t shake the feeling that everyone seems to be hiding something from her.

Agatha is so happy to finally meet her only granddaughter, and the town is truly charming, but Kit can’t help wondering, if everything is so great in Rosemont, why did her father ever leave? And why does it seem like he never wanted her to find it?

Content Warning: violence, death, abuse

Right away this gorgeous book cover caught my eye and as much as it is beautiful, there is something sinister to it, just like the story. Here is what I thought:

+ I was sucked into this story right away. Kit and her mother travels to Rosemont, to meet Kit’s grandmother and her father’s old hometown. – place he never told Kit about. She’s grieving her dad, she’s trying to piece who he is in Rosemont but everything feels off. Right away it’s established that things are not what they seem.

+ Rosemont is a mysterious setting, surrounded by woods and a river where people have died. I got the eerie vibes right away when Kit described the place as Stepford-y. When Kit starts learning more about her family and the Starling legacy she realizes she’s walked into a nightmare.

+ There are a few twists in this story and the monster being the biggest creep of all. He is a true monster, true villain, charming when he wants to be, but evil to his core. I was rooting for Kit to destroy him!

~ I felt like the romance wasn’t needed. Kit’s only there for a week I feel like it was unnecessary for her to fall for someone since there was barely time to know one another.

~ It wasn’t scary, more creepy because of the history of the town and yuck with the way the bargain is set up.

Tropes: small town, family curse, town secret

Why you should read it:

you like young adult horror that isn’t super scary, mostly creepy
it’s a quick read and engaged me – I read it in one sitting

Why you might not want to read it:

not into YA horror

My Thoughts:

I thought this was pretty good in that I was engaged with the story and finished it in one setting. I like the creepy factor, the lore about the town, the family secret and the curse. The villain is written well – he’s a pretty evil monster. I don’t think the romance was necessary and I thought the situation was resolved pretty quickly but other than that I did find it entertaining. I look forward to reading more from this author.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon

Well Matched by. Jen DeLuca | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Well Matched (Well Met #3)

Author: Jen DeLuca

Format: paperback (own)

Pages: 336

Publication Date: 10/19/21

Categories: Romance, Contemporary, Series

Single mother April Parker has lived in Willow Creek for twelve years with a wall around her heart. On the verge of being an empty nester, she’s decided to move on from her quaint little town, and asks her friend Mitch for his help with some home improvement projects to get her house ready to sell.

Mitch Malone is known for being the life of every party, but mostly for the attire he wears to the local Renaissance Faire — a kilt (and not much else) that shows off his muscled form to perfection. While he agrees to help April, he needs a favor too: she’ll pretend to be his girlfriend at an upcoming family dinner, so that he can avoid the lectures about settling down and having a more “serious” career than high school coach and gym teacher. April reluctantly agrees, but when dinner turns into a weekend trip, it becomes hard to tell what’s real and what’s been just for show. But when the weekend ends, so must their fake relationship.

As summer begins, Faire returns to Willow Creek, and April volunteers for the first time. When Mitch’s family shows up unexpectedly, April pretends to be Mitch’s girlfriend again… something that doesn’t feel so fake anymore. Despite their obvious connection, April insists they’ve just been putting on an act. But when there’s the chance for something real, she has to decide whether to change her plans — and open her heart — for the kilt-wearing hunk who might just be the love of her life.

An accidentally in-love rom-com filled with Renaissance Faire flower crowns, kilts, corsets, and sword fights.

I didn’t read book two in this romance series because I really wanted April story which is told in Well Matched. I found April an interesting character in Well Met because of her accident and also being a single mother. I’m so happy she gets to find love in this book.

Her so-called lover is Mitch, who is a friend and the school’s gym teacher! April decides to help Mitch out by going home with him and be his fake girlfriend in front of his family. The faking turned real in the bedroom when they realize that they are really attracted to one another. And who can blame April for falling for Mitch? He’s a good guy, a nice guy and he wears a kilt in the Ren Faire and has an accent!

My favorite parts of this series is always the action taking place in the Renaissance Faire. This time April decides to join in the fun and she realizes even though it’s grueling how much fun it is being with friends and working at the REn Faire.

There is a little hiccup between April and Mitch but it gets resolved in a timely fashion and they get their much deserved happily ever after.

Tropes: fake dating, single mother/gym teacher

Why you should read it:

you like the other books in the series
April and Mitch have great chemistry

Why you might not want to read it:

you didn’t like the other books in the series

My Thoughts:

It took me awhile to finish this paperback but only because May has been a crazy, busy month for me. I’m glad I finally finished it and I can see why it is so loved. Now I have to read the other two books in the series!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Well Met by. Jean DeLuca | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Tokyo Dreaming by. Emiko Jean | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Tokyo Dreaming

Author: Emiko Jean

Format: audiobook (borrowed) /hardcover (own)

Pages:

Publication Date: 5/31/2022

Categories: Romance, Contemporary, Coming of Age, Princess, Family

When Japanese-American Izumi Tanaka learned her father was the Crown Prince of Japan, she became a princess overnight. Now, she’s overcome conniving cousins, salacious press, and an imperial scandal to finally find a place she belongs. She has a perfect bodyguard turned boyfriend. Her stinky dog, Tamagotchi, is living with her in Tokyo. Her parents have even rekindled their college romance and are engaged. A royal wedding is on the horizon! Izumi’s life is a Tokyo dream come true.

Only…

Her parents’ engagement hits a brick wall. The Imperial Household Council refuses to approve the marriage citing concerns about Izumi and her mother’s lack of pedigree. And on top of it all, her bodyguard turned boyfriend makes a shocking decision about their relationship. At the threat of everything falling apart, Izumi vows to do whatever it takes to help win over the council. Which means upping her newly acquired princess game.

But at what cost? Izumi will do anything to help her parents achieve their happily ever after, but what if playing the perfect princess means sacrificing her own? Will she find a way to forge her own path and follow her heart?

Return to Tokyo for a royal wedding in Emiko Jean’s Tokyo Dreaming, the sequel to the Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick and New York Times bestseller Tokyo Ever After

I listened to this as an audiobook and then read the last few chapters (because I read faster lol). But I finally read book two of this series and it follows Izumi who is the daughter of the Crown Prince of Japan. After the events of book one, we find out her mom and dad still had feelings for each other so her mom agrees to go to Japan to see where the relationship would go.

Back in Japan Izumi and her mother have to adjust to royal life and it seems to be going well until some things catch up to them. I don’t know that I loved the love triangle. I think Eriku is a great guy and everything was easy and fun with him but her heart was still with Akio even though he basically disappeared from her life. I didn’t quite feel it for her and Akio though like I did in book one.

But I think Izumi grows a lot and she tries to figure out what she wants to do – college or not? And her mom tries to figure out if the royal life is for her. I did like that Izumi became friendly with her cousins.

Tropes: fake dating, love triangle

Why you should read it:

because you enjoyed book one
It’s like The Princess Diaries but set in Japan

Why you might not want to read it:

love triangle

My Thoughts:

I think this one was a sold sequel and if you are into The Princess Diaries type of stories, you may enjoy this one. I also love that it’s set in Japan and we get a peek into the culture and the royal life. I look forward to reading more from this author.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Tokyo Ever After by. Emiko Jean | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Love Wager by. Lynn Painter | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Love Wager

Author: Lynn Painter

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 315

Publication Date: 3/14/2023

Categories: Romance, Contemporary, Fake Dating, One Night Stand, Dating App

Hallie Piper is turning over a new leaf. After belly-crawling out of a hotel room (hello, rock bottom), she decides it’s time to become a full-on adult.

She gets a new apartment, a new haircut, and a new wardrobe, but when she logs into the dating app that she has determined will find her new love, she sees none other than Jack, the guy whose room she’d snuck out of.

Through the app, and after the joint agreement that they are absolutely not interested in each other, Jack and Hallie become partners in their respective searches for The One. They text each other about their dates, often scheduling them at the same restaurant so that if things don’t go well, the two of them can get tacos afterward.

Spoiler: they get a lot of tacos together.

Discouraged by the lack of prospects, Jack and Hallie make a wager to see who can find true love first, but when they agree to be fake dates for a weekend wedding, all bets are off.

As they pretend to be a couple, lines become blurred and they each struggle to remember why the other was a bad idea to begin with.

This one is a fun romance story about a guy and a girl who hook up at a wedding and then meet again on a dating app – but they don’t date each other. Instead they become friends and bet that the first one who finds love on the app gets a good prize.

Hallie and Jack are just pure fun together! I love that they put aside the one night stand moment that happened in the beginning and become friends. Because these two are amazing as friends, and it’s a slow burn to the moment they start sleeping together again. I loved the progression and their banter with one another.

There wasn’t too much drama between these two which felt right, even when there was one hiccup in the end between them. It already felt like no matter what you could tell Hallie and Jack were going to work it out because they were solid as friends and would make a great team as a couple.

Tropes: one night stand, fake dating, one bed

Why you should read it:

the banter between Hallie and Jack is so much fun
quick, easy, feel good rom-com

Why you might not want to read it:

My Thoughts:

I’ve only read one other book from this author and it was a YA book and I loved it. I enjoyed this one a lot too and it was exactly the kind of romance I was wanting to read at the moment: easy, quick, great banter between the characters, and lovers to friends to lovers again with great chemistry. I look forward to reading more books from this author!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Better Than the Movies | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

10 Truths and a Dare by. Ashley Elston | Audiobook Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: 10 Truths and a Dare (Messina Family, #2)

Author: Ashley Elston

Narrators: Sophie Amoss

Format: audiobook (borrowed)

Pages: 291

Publication Date: 5/4/2021

Categories: Young Adult, Coming of Age, Graduation, Romance, Teen, Family

It’s Senior Week, that magical in-between time after classes have ended but before graduation, chock-full of gimmicky theme parties, last-minute bonding, and family traditions. Olivia couldn’t be more ready. Class salutatorian and confident in her future at LSU, she’s poised to sail through to the next phase of her life.

But when the tiny hiccup of an unsigned off-campus P.E. form puts Olivia in danger of not graduating at all, she has one week to set things straight without tipping off her very big and very nosy extended family. Volunteering to help at a local golf tournament should do it, but since Olivia’s mom equipped her phone with a tracking app, there’ll be no hiding the fact that she’s at the golf course instead of all the graduation parties happening at the same time. Unless, that is, she can convince the Fab Four–her ride-or-die cousins and best friends Sophie, Charlie, and Wes–to trade phones with her as they go through the motions of playing Olivia for the week.

Sure, certain members of the golf team are none too pleased with Olivia’s sudden “passion” for the game. And sure, a very cute, very off-limits boy keeps popping up in Olivia’s orbit. But she is focused! She has a schedule and a plan! Nothing can possibly go wrong . . . right?

Content Warning:

How did I not realize this is from the same author as 10 Blind Dates until after I read the book?! I loved 10 Blind Dates and I think the author is on a roll with these family themed stories.

This is a really cute, fun and heart-warming coming of age story. Olivia comes from a tight-knit community and an even tighter large family, which made this story very wholesome. I loved the family aspects of the story because I could relate to growing up with all my cousins around me. Plus her cousin Charlie is the life of the party. I love her close bonds with Charlie, Sophie and her boyfriend Wes.

Olivia gets caught in a big dilemma and instead of telling her parents the truth, she tries to fix the situation by making up class hours and lying to them and almost everyone else she knows (except Charlie, Sophie and Wes). It was super funny when it was Charlie’s turn to help her out. And what is up with Olivia’s mom? I thought my parents were strict but maybe it’s a good thing I grew up in the age of no technology because if my mom tracked me back then – I’d be in a lot of trouble lol. I just thought her mom was so overbearing. Also I don’t think I’ve read a book with golf in it!

The romance is cute, the graduation events and parties sound like so much fun, and it ends happily.

Tropes: girl might not graduate from high school

Why you should read it:

you read 10 Blind Dates and want more Sophie’s family
a sweet love story
the family bond

Why you might not want to read it:

I think 10 Blind Dates was better

My Thoughts:

This one has been on my TBR for awhile so I’m glad I get to cross it off my list! I thought it was a cute book about family and graduation. I think I read it at the right time too since it’s graduation time!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Book Review | 10 Blind Dates ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

The House in the Cerulean Sea by. TJ Klune | Audiobook Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: The House in the Cerulean Sea

Author: TJ Klune

Narrators: Daniel Henning

Format: audiobook (borrowed)

Pages: 394

Publication Date: 3/16/2020

Categories: Cozy Fantasy, LGBT+, Romance, Fiction

A magical island. A dangerous task. A burning secret.

Linus Baker leads a quiet, solitary life. At forty, he lives in a tiny house with a devious cat and his old records. As a Case Worker at the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth, he spends his days overseeing the well-being of children in government-sanctioned orphanages.

When Linus is unexpectedly summoned by Extremely Upper Management he’s given a curious and highly classified assignment: travel to Marsyas Island Orphanage, where six dangerous children reside: a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist. Linus must set aside his fears and determine whether or not they’re likely to bring about the end of days.

But the children aren’t the only secret the island keeps. Their caretaker is the charming and enigmatic Arthur Parnassus, who will do anything to keep his wards safe. As Arthur and Linus grow closer, long-held secrets are exposed, and Linus must make a choice: destroy a home or watch the world burn.

An enchanting story, masterfully told, The House in the Cerulean Sea is about the profound experience of discovering an unlikely family in an unexpected place—and realizing that family is yours.

Content Warning: prejudice, abuse

This is one of the hyped books that was circulating around the past 2 years and I can see why it is so loved. It’s kind of a cozy contemporary fantasy which was just so very sweet in its message about being different and having the right to be loved and have a good, safe life despite being so different. It’s a beautiful message.

I also found it to have so many funny moments, especially because the kids have such strong personalities. I found myself laughing as I listened to this book as an audiobook. And let me say that the narrator did a splendid job doing all the different voices for the characters. I thought Linus was a great character who is one way in the beginning and we see so much growth in him as he goes to investigate the orphanage. I really love how he is this guy who basically lives by his routine and that all changes for him when he meets these kids. There is even a love story for him which was the sweetest. I do say Linus has the greatest taste in vinyl music! I knew every record he mentioned and loved because it’s the music my dad and grandpa would play on their record players back in the 1980’s.

It did take me a few days to get through this one only because I think I wasn’t quite in the mood for a story like this. I was reading enemies to lovers romances in between listening to this one, so I think if I wasn’t in the right mood to listen to it and if I wasn’t rushing for the sake of finishing it before my borrowing time was up, I would have enjoyed it more. But the story did grow on me and the message is a beautiful one.

Why you should read it:

the children and the diversity among them
the message about being different and standing up for what’s right
a sweet love story

Why you might not want to read it:

you don’t believe in celebrating diversity and differences
it might be too sweet for you

My Thoughts:

I’m glad I finally got to see what the hype was about with this book. I can see why so many fell in love with it. I fell in love with the children too and was so happy when Linus stood up for them. If you want a book to give you cozy, fuzzy feelings then definitely read this book.