Love at Full Tilt by. Jenny L. Howe | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating:

Title: Love at Full Tilt

Author: Jenny L. Howe

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 7/22/25

Publisher: Delacorte Romance

Categories: Romance, Contemporary, Young Adult

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

In this joyful celebration of fandoms, whirlwind romance, and plus-size girls, love is the ultimate roller coaster ride.

Lia Baker has spent the last few months wishing time would stand still. Soon her friends will head off to college while she’s left behind, buried under her mom’s anxiety and working a job she doesn’t want. But life throws her for a loop when she wins a spot in the fiftieth-anniversary scavenger hunt at Fableland, a legendary theme park. The contest is a golden ticket to a world where her favorite stories come to life and a chance for her to write some new ones of her own.

Everything seems perfect, especially after she teams up with Mason, a cute rival who knows as much about Fableland as she does. Together, they’re unstoppable. But as Mason’s sweet smile starts to melt her focus, Lia realizes that she may have to choose between the future she wants to rewrite—and a love she hadn’t planned for.

Content Warning: fat-shaming

+ This was a cute young adult romance which takes place at an amusement park, just like Disneyland, and there is a competition for super-fans about the park. The winner can win $50,000 and Lia is determined to win it so she can choose her own future instead of the one her parents are pushing on her.

+ Lia is at this amusement park with her two best friends before they go to college. So I like the friendship themes that arise during this trip even if they are challenging issues for Lia and her friends, especially because Lia feels like they are leaving her behind. She’s also dealing with issues from home because her mom has anxiety and Lia being away from has triggered her much more. Lia is trying to figure out her future and her parents are assuming she already knows her path. Another issue that is brought up in the book is Lia’s weight – she’s plus-sized but is mostly confident in her skin until she gets heckled for it, which sucks.

+ The romance between Lia and another contestant, Mason, is really cute and it happens during a week. It is very much a whirlwind romance but I do like that the romance extends after the vacation!

~ I definitely think younger me would have loved this book more – teens will enjoy it!

~ I do think at times Lia came off a little bit selfish. Her friends went on the trip with her to have fun before they left for college and make memories, but Lia was on a mission to win this contest and they tried to compromise and it mostly worked out. But when they would argue, Lia made it seem like her friends weren’t being good friends.

Final Thoughts:

This story definitely brought many coming of age issues like friends going to college vs. you staying home, your dreams vs. your parents’ dreams, body-weight issues, friendship themes and all of this set at an amusement park. The competition was fun and this was a quick read. Overall, I thought this was a cute young adult romance.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Love Spells Trouble by. Nia Davenport | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Love Spells Trouble

Author: Nia Davenport

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 320

Publication Date: 7/8/25

Publisher: Bloomsbury YA

Categories: YA, Romance, Contemporary Fantasy, Witches

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!

You Should See Me in a Crown meets Black girl magic in an enchanting romcom about a reluctant witch caught up in a fake dating scheme.

Witches and humans have always had issues. Cayden is well aware of that: Her witch mom was shunned by her high-society family when she fell in love with a Cayden’s human dad, and now her family bakery is in trouble due to wealthy witches gentrifying their neighborhood. So when Cayden realizes she unknowingly went on a date with witch it-boy Khy Carter, it feels like things can’t get any worse. But then her father’s bakery has an influx of new customers hoping to get a glimpse of Khy’s new girl, and a solution to her family’s problems appears: Cayden absolutely cannot be with a Coven boy, but that doesn’t mean she can’t pretend to. The two start fake dating to save her family’s business, but even though she’s doing this for her family, Cayden knows she’s also betraying them. Her parents may have put love before everything else, but is Cayden willing to do the same?

+ This book is set in Houston, Texas but witches are part of the community. Cayden is half witch on her mother’s side. I really enjoyed the world-building because it felt normal that witches was part of this contemporary world. Cayden’s dad, a non-witch, runs a bakery and her mom runs an animal rescue which already gave me good vibes. How wholesome is a family that runs a bakery and an animal rescue? It definitely appealed to me!

+ Cayden meets a handsome young man, Khy (Mekhi), and they hit it off well. I love the sparks between them but when she finds out he is basically rich, witch royalty she tries to push him away but they’ve been caught in photos so now the press thinks Khy and her are dating. They aren’t but then they come up with a plan to help her dad’s bakery business by agreeing to fake date and have that attention help with that. I love Khy! I thought their love story was sweet, I was definitely rooting for them!

+ I love the theme of family in this book. Cayden is close to hers but her grandparents on her mom’s side had shunned her parents when they got married just because her dad was not a witch. Cayden has a nice extended family with cousins, grandparents (dad’s side) and uncles and aunts and I related to that a lot!

+ This was a quick read, which I also enjoyed! It flowed nicely.

~ There wasn’t a big emphasis on the powers of the witches. There were some demonstrations here and there on their abilities but it wasn’t a main focus and I think that was fine.

Final Thoughts:

For a young adult romance I thought it was super cute and I loved that this community of witches mixed in with non-witches felt so normal. The romance was sweet and the family themes were nice. It’s a quick, wholesome and heartwarming story perfect for ya and teen readers.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

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 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

This Time it’s Real by. Ann Liang | Audiobook Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: This Time it’s Real

Author: Ann Liang

Narrator: Mimi Chang

Format: audiobook (borrowed)

Pages: 352 / Audio Reading Time: 4 hours 13 minutes

Publication Date: 2/7/23

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

When seventeen-year-old Eliza Lin’s essay about meeting the love of her life unexpectedly goes viral, her entire life changes overnight. Now she has the approval of her classmates at her new international school in Beijing, a career-launching internship opportunity at her favorite magazine…and a massive secret to keep.

Eliza made her essay up. She’s never been in a relationship before, let alone in love. All good writing is lying, right?

Desperate to hide the truth, Eliza strikes a deal with the famous actor in her class, the charming but aloof Caz Song. She’ll help him write his college applications if he poses as her boyfriend. Caz is a dream boyfriend — he passes handwritten notes to her in class, makes her little sister laugh, and takes her out on motorcycle rides to the best snack stalls around the city.

But when her relationship with Caz starts feeling a little too convincing, all of Eliza’s carefully laid plans are threatened. Can she still follow her dreams if it means breaking her own heart?

Get ready to fall in love in this hilarious romcom about a girl who begins a fake relationship with the famous actor in her class, perfect for fans of Meg Cabot and Jenny Han.

Content Warning: bullying

Eliza has been hopping from school to school internationally because of her mom’s job but now she is back in Beijing and at a new school. She writes a fake love story that goes viral and she’s unprepared for all the companies trying to get interviews with her and she sees it as an opportunity. Now she needs a fake boyfriend and there is Caz Song – he is popular, he’s an actor and of course gorgeous. They make a deal to help one another.

I thought this was a really cute fake-dating young adult story but with depth. Eliza is always questioning her relationships (friendships, etc…) – due to the fact she’s always moving so when she and Caz starts having feelings, she pulls away. There is also the issue of her lying with this fake relationship. Also she’s very anxious and awkward compared to Caz. Caz is much more carefree but he has his own problems. His parents are doctors and never home, he is lonely even though adored by the public.

I also liked Eliza’s point of view of being Chinese and yet feeling not Chinese enough in Beijing because she doesn’t speak the language well and she’s been away. I enjoyed all the cultural references and theme of family, which I could relate to even though I’m not Chinese.

Final Thoughts:

I thought the narrator did a great job with telling this story. This was a cute, fake-dating romance set in Beijing, China that explores themes of family, friendship and love. I enjoyed it and look forward to reading more from this author.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

A Song to Drown Rivers by. Ann Liang | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Under the Surface by. Diana Urban | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Under the Surface

Author: Diana Urban

Format: hardcover (borrowed)

Pages: 354

Publication Date: 8/13/24

Categories: Young Adult, Contemporary, Thriller, Suspense, Paris

An epic survival-thriller about four teens who get lost in the Paris catacombs for days—a gripping and propulsive story of love, danger, betrayal, and hope… even when all seems lost.

Ruby is terrified to cave to her feelings for Sean and risk him crushing her heart.

Sean is pumped to spend a week with Ruby in Paris on their senior class trip, and he’ll wait however long until she’s ready to take things further.

But when Ruby’s best friend sneaks out the first night to meet a mysterious French boy, Ruby goes after her with two classmates, but caves to another temptation: attending mystery boy’s exclusive party in the Paris catacombs, the intricate web of tunnels beneath the city, home to six million long-dead Parisians. Only they never reach the party.

Underground, as something sinister chases them, they get lost in the endless maze of bones, uncovering dark secrets about the catacombs… and each other. And if they can’t find a way out, they’ll die in the dark beneath the City of Light.

Aboveground, Sean races to find the girl he loves as a media frenzy over the four missing teens begins.

From award-winning author and rising YA star Diana Urban comes a twisty tale of four teens lost in the dark beneath the City of Light and the race to find them.

Content Warning: claustrophobia, death, murder, violence

I’ve read two of Diana Urban books and honestly, she’s definitely who I turn to if I want to read a young adult thriller!

Ruby is on a class trip in Paris and right away, we are immersed in the sights of the Eiffel Tower, and friend drama with some of the other kids on the trip. The story moves quickly and one minute these kids are having drama, Ruby is crushing on her friend Sean and wondering if something will happen between them and then Boom!- four of these girls on the trip are lost in the catacombs under Paris!

I love how fast moving this story is – I read it in a few hours. I also enjoyed the history about the catacombs which is really the perfect place to right a thriller! It’s dark, makes the reader feel claustrophobic, it’s 200 miles long and as these four girls and their guide, Julien, come to found it – it’s so easy to get lost in there. There were a few twists and turns I didn’t expect and honestly I was just along for the ride, and what a ride it was!

There were times I felt like I was holding my breath in this book, which means it did the job when it came to the thrilling part! The ending is bittersweet though .

Final Thoughts:

If you like YA thrillers, you might enjoy this one. It’s dark, intense, got lots of friendship drama and it is fast-paced! Can’t wait to read more from this author.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

Lying in the Deep by. Diana Urban | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

These Deadly Games by. Diana Urban | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Just Listen by. Sarah Dessen | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Just Listen

Author: Sarah Dessen

Format: eBook (Libby)

Pages: 371

Publication Date: 4/6/2006

Categories: Young Adult, Contemporary, Teen

Last year, Annabel was “the girl who has everything” — at least that’s the part she played in the television commercial for Kopf’s Department Store.

This year, she’s the girl who has nothing: no best friend because mean-but-exciting Sophie dropped her, no peace at home since her older sister became anorexic, and no one to sit with at lunch. Until she meets Owen Armstrong.

Tall, dark, and music-obsessed, Owen is a reformed bad boy with a commitment to truth-telling. With Owen’s help, maybe Annabel can face what happened the night she and Sophie stopped being friends.

Content Warning: sexual assault, eating disorder

So I’m reading this for my read the month (spell the month) challenge and this is for J in January. I read this back in 2006! Yes, I’m old but I was such a big Sarah Dessen back then because it felt like real stories that I related to especially when it came to coming of age as a teen or dealing with complicated family dynamics.

Reading it so many years later 😅 and now as an adult who’s gone through so much – I still appreciate how real this story feels. Annabel is a teen girl, who models for local commercials and ads, she seems to have it all, even two beautiful older sisters who were models too.

But as Annabel tells her story I am immersed in her life. She doesn’t have it all, her sister is dealing with an eating disorder, her best friend hates her, and she’s holding onto a secret and trauma.

I also love that the romance is not the main focus of this book. Owen and Annabel starts out as friends and the more time they spend together it blossoms into something more but it never overtakes the story.

Quotes from the Book:

“I was beginning to see, though, that the unknown wasn’t always the greatest thing to fear. The people who know you best can be riskier, because the words they say and the things they think have the potential to be not only scary but true, as well.”
Just Listen by. Sarah Dessen

“So many versions of just one memory, and yet none of them were right or wrong. Instead, they were all pieces. Only when fitted together, edge to edge, could they even begin to tell the whole story.”
Just Listen by. Sarah Dessen

“I could pretend to leave the past behind, but it would not leave me.”
Just Listen by. Sarah Dessen

“There comes a time in every life when the world gets quiet and the only thing left is your own heart. So you’d better learn to know the sound of it. Otherwise you’ll never understand what it’s saying.”
Just Listen by. Sarah Dessen

“All you could do was take on as much weight as you can bear. And if you’re lucky, there’s someone close enough by to shoulder the rest.
Just Listen by. Sarah Dessen

Final Thoughts:

Overall, I still enjoyed the story and kind of miss stories like this. I feel like now I read so much fantasy to escape reality but back in 2006 when I was looking for authors writing about relatable teen and young adult stories, this is what I was addicted to reading, even if by then I was in my 20’s! It’s a quick read and Annabel is a quiet character, because that was kind of her role in her family but I liked seeing her grow and learn more about herself and her strength while hanging out with Owen. Also, because this was published in the early 2000’s I loved how it brought me back to burning CDs and making playlists for people, definitely felt the nostalgia of it.