Categories: Romance, Musician/Rock Star, Contemporary, Diverse
Since the death of his twin brother, Oliver’s caught between pleasing his fans and finding himself. Emery finds him first.
Emery has never felt more alone. Raising her daughter is both her pleasure and her pain as she struggles to hold on to her job as a bartender and keep a roof over their heads. With no one to help them—no support system—any unexpected expense or late bill could turn their whole world upside down.
Reeling from the death of his twin brother and bandmate, rock star Oliver Smith is trying to drink his problems away. Apparently he isn’t very good at it; they follow him wherever he goes. Also in hot pursuit are the paparazzi, who catch Oliver at his lowest low.
He could have walked into any bar in California, but he walked into hers. Emery helps Oliver lose the crowd, and they find themselves alone: two people whose paths are marked with loss and pain. However, they hold an unshakable hope for healing. They find solace together, but can their love withstand the world?
This book definitely fulfilled my craving for a rockstar romance. The rock star or R&B star in this instance is Oliver & Alex Smith, who are twins and best friends. But Alex tragically dies and Oliver is left in grief. Emery is a single mother trying to make things meet but she is struggling and she has hardly any support. When Oliver and Emery meet, it starts as a friendship and into something more.
I really liked Oliver and Alex even though Alex was only in the book for a little bit. You can feel their tight brotherly bond and it’s so sad when he dies. Oliver grieves and out of the two brothers he was the quiet and introspective one so dealing with this event is hard for him. But I love how he opens up especially when he meets Emery. He is in a toxic situation with his girlfriend and just in life in general after Alex’s death. Emery is a wonderful character – she loves her daughter, loves her sister and she’s strong despite her toxic upbringing. I love her strength and her softness despite her hard circumstances.
The romance is a slow burn but when they do get together, oh does it burn between them. Don’t be surprised by the sweetness of their relationship because in the bedroom it gets steamy fast. Oliver and Emery start off as friends but they grow closer and Oliver bonds with her daughter which is so adorable. I love the theme of family in this book. Oliver has supportive and caring parents, but Emery has strict parents who withheld affection, even hated her which is truly awful. I liked how it shows how families can be toxic but there is always a chance to stop the cycle and create new, healthy family traditions.
The story is a little predictable when Emery becomes his personal chef, but I didn’t mind that at all. Also just because she’s a personal chef, this wasn’t a foodie book at all. They say her food is amazing but we don’t necessarily get all the food descriptions like we do in more food oriented romance stories.
The sexual parts are quick scenes but pretty hot and descriptive, so if you aren’t into that – this may not be for you.
Why you should read it:
fan of R&B music star falling for regular girl trope
slow burn, steamy love making scenes, sweet romance
emotional story of two people overcoming sadness and struggle in their lives
quick read
Why you might not want to read it:
musician trope
predictable story
My thoughts:
I don’t read a lot of rock star trope stories but once in awhile I get a craving for it. I loved that this was about an R&B star because it’s one of my favorite music genres and this is a diverse read with a beautiful black man and woman as the lead characters. The story is emotional, sweet, and deals with a hard topics like grief and a toxic family. But our couple comes out shining and filled with a new outlook on life and love. I look forward to reading more books from this author.
Title: How Moon Fuentez Fell in Love with the Universe
Author: Raquel Vasquez Gilliland
Format: eBook (NetGalley)
Pages: 432
Publication Date: 8/10/21
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Categories: Young Adult, Contemporary, Coming of Age, Social Media, Body Image, Self Love, Family, Romance, Mental Health
Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Thank you to Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
The Hating Gamemeets I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter in this irresistible romance starring a Mexican American teen who discovers love and profound truths about the universe when she spends her summer on a road trip across the country.
When her twin sister reaches social media stardom, Moon Fuentez accepts her fate as the ugly, unwanted sister hidden in the background, destined to be nothing more than her sister’s camerawoman. But this summer, Moon also takes a job as the “merch girl” on a tour bus full of beautiful influencers and her fate begins to shift in the best way possible.
Most notable is her bunkmate and new nemesis, Santiago Phillips, who is grumpy, combative, and also the hottest guy Moon has ever seen.
Moon is certain she hates Santiago and that he hates her back. But as chance and destiny (and maybe, probably, close proximity) bring the two of them in each other’s perpetual paths, Moon starts to wonder if that’s really true. She even starts to question her destiny as the unnoticed, unloved wallflower she always thought she was.
Could this summer change Moon’s life as she knows it?
I am in LOVE with this book. Where do I begin? First the title intrigued me, and the character’s name being Moon. Because I love all moon things. Then the cover with a curvy girl, the moon above her and all that pink and purple tones. That’s where my love for it starts – but then the story takes me on an emotional journey and that’s when I fell hard.
Moon Fuentez is so relatable. She’s an artist and calls to the artist in me. I want to follow her Fotogram account, I want to buy her tarot cards, I wanted to know this girl and we definitely get to know her in this story. Her twin is Star Fuentez and her opposite from their body size and beliefs about lifestyle. Moon honors the old ways, honoring the Earth, delving in the mystical – and Star is a religious model (I didn’t even know those existed!). Moon has a lot of family secrets that are revealed little by little as she gets to know Santiago, a boy on the tour. I love how Moon grows on this tour. She’s there to basically be her sister’s assistant but she learns that she has a light around her too and embraces it in the end.
Speaking of Moon and Santiago – theirs is an enemies to lovers romance which so much spark. They are enemies, then sort of friends, which was fun to watch because Santiago really is such a grump and likes to anger Moon haha, and Moon makes him laugh. I mean, Santiago already had me with his kitchen skills. They are the cutest couple.
This story takes sensitive issues that Moon is dealing with and weaves them into the mystical and natural fabric of our world and universe. I thought it was beautifully done. I felt embraced in Moon’s experiences with La Raiz. I love how Moon learned divination with her Tia, the only person who has shown her real love (besides her dad). It’s a heartbreaking story at its core, a girl just wanting the love of a parent. But Moon is strong in the end to make decisions that are healthier for her heart, soul and mind, even if it hurts a lot.
Triggers: suicide, child abuse, depression
This story is sex positive but Moon struggles with her mom’s views on sex and body image. It reminded me of my own Catholic upbringing but obviously Moon’s mom took it to the next level by slut shaming her, blaming her – her own child, for how miserable she felt inside. Her mother needed help and never got it but it conditioned Star and Moon from childhood that sex was an evil act. Moon has other people in her life explain to her why it wasn’t how her mom portrayed it to be, which is great.
Depression is mentioned because some characters in the book go through it. Moon has her own coping mechanisms, ones that she realizes she has to work through.
Is Moon Fuentez real? Because I want her to be – I want to buy her beautiful tarot cards and pick flowers with her. I want to check out her artwork in a museum, I want to see the images she captured on her beloved camera. I fell in love with Moon and Moon with Santiago and this whole story about nature’s magic, how even in this amazing, big universe, we are all connected, even in our pain. This is a book I connected with wholeheartedly, it really touched my heart, and I can’t wait to have it in my hands as a physical book.
Categories: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Shapeshifters
Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
A breakout standalone epic fantasy about shapeshifting warriors perfect for fans of Adrienne Young and Wonder Woman.
High above the sea, floats the pristine city of the Heliana. Home to winged-lion shapeshifters―the Leonodai―and protected from the world of humans by an elite group of warriors, the Heliana has only known peace.
After years of brutal training, seventeen-year-old Rowan is ready to prove her loyalty to the city and her people to become one of the Leonodai warriors. But before Rowan can take the oath, a deadly disease strikes the city’s children. Soon the warriors―including two of Rowan’s closest friends―are sent on a dangerous mission to find a fabled panacea deep within enemy lands.
Left behind, Rowan learns a devastating truth that could compromise the mission and the fate of the Heliana itself. She must make a decision: stay with the city and become a warrior like she always dreamed, or risk her future in an attempt to save everyone she loves. Whatever Rowan decides, she has to do it fast, because time is running out, and peace can only last so long…
World Building ~ I found this kingdom of winged-lion shapeshifters quite unique. The Leonodai and humans are enemies but now the shapeshifters need their help but there is no help to be found. A group of warriors venture to the human side to find the cure for an illness affecting the young Leonodai.
Characters ~ this is Rowan’s story. We have 3 POV’s between Rowan, Callen and Shirene but it really was mostly told through Rowan. I liked Rowan, she was a warrior in training and ready to do what it took to get the cure to save her people.
Pace ~ This is a standalone novel and I think it moved along fairly quickly. We get right into the situation and then into the thick of things when the warriors need to get the cure. This was a quick read especially during the action parts.
Romance ~ I wasn’t into the romance triangle that Rowan was struggling through while there was an important mission taking place. Maybe if it was a duology or trilogy and we got to see more of Callen and Rowan’s history then I would have felt invested in it. In this standalone she has to make a choice so fast and I just didn’t care for it.
I think this had the potential to be much more epic than it was if the story was continued. Everything seemed rushed, especially the ending and I wanted more world building.
I thought Shirene, Rowan’s sister, would have a bigger role in the story since she is introduced before Rowan and with a big task it seems but she fades off as Rowan takes the spotlight.
Sometimes I wonder if I’m just not used to reading many standalone fantasy anymore since they always come packaged in a series. For a standalone, I thought this was okay. I didn’t care for the romance storyline and I wished some things weren’t rushed but for a light young adult fantasy, I think the world building is unique and that kept me interested in the story.
Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Thank you to MIRA for giving me a chance to read this eARC for an honest review!
WWII historical fiction inspired by the real women of the Women’s Air Raid Defense, RADAR GIRLS follows one unlikely recruit as she trains and serves in secrecy as a radar plotter on Hawaii. A tale of resilience and sisterhood, it sees the battles of the Pacific through the eyes of these pioneering women, and will appeal to fans of Kate Quinn and Pam Jenoff.
An extraordinary story inspired by the real Women’s Air Raid Defense, where an unlikely recruit and her sisters-in-arms forge their place in WWII history.
Daisy Wilder prefers the company of horses to people, bare feet and saltwater to high heels and society parties. Then, in the dizzying aftermath of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Daisy enlists in a top-secret program, replacing male soldiers in a war zone for the first time. Under fear of imminent invasion, the WARDs guide pilots into blacked-out air strips and track unidentified planes across Pacific skies.
But not everyone thinks the women are up to the job, and the new recruits must rise above their differences and work side-by-side despite the resistance and heartache they meet along the way. With America’s future on the line, Daisy is determined to prove herself worthy. And with the man she’s falling in love with out on the front lines, she cannot fail. From radar towers on remote mountaintops to flooded bomb shelters, she’ll need her new team when the stakes are highest. Because the most important battles are fought—and won—together.
This inspiring and uplifting tale of pioneering, unsung heroines vividly transports the reader to wartime Hawaii, where one woman’s call to duty leads her to find courage, strength and sisterhood.
I was drawn to this book because it is set in Hawaii, on the island of Oahu (where I live) during World War II. The author did such a wonderful job with describing my island of Oahu.
The author got the Hawaiian words right, and I appreciated that. Even though I live here, I didn’t know about the women recruited to form the Women’s Air Raid Defense. The crazy thing is that I grew up 5 minutes from Fort Shafter where the story is set, which is pretty cool. It was nice to see Hawaii represented accurately.
I loved learning alongside Daisy and her friends about Radar. I found these women to be motivated, smart, and capable.
Daisy is our main character and she’s a strong young lady without any real family on the island. She befriends some of the other women who are recruited to WARD and they form a tight-knit grip trying to figure out men, love, life on base, and learning everything they need to to help in the war effort. I liked the woman power especially because this was set in the 1940’s when women were expected to be at home cooking, cleaning and making babies. I liked learning of these women helping the military which is a male dominant world.
Triggers: sexual assault, grief, war
I felt like Daisy’s background and the drama connected to her (a missing horse) didn’t seem to flow well into the story about her being part of WARD. I found those aspects of the story much more interesting and wanted to know more about her life as part of the program.
There is a light romance taking place in the story but I wasn’t very invested in it.
Radar Girls made me learn something new about World War II and appreciate the role of women in such a challenging time. It’s a story about Daisy and her friends, women who were recruited to help fly our boys home during the war. There were some parts of the story that didn’t engage my interest, like Daisy’s personal life problems. I did enjoy her camaraderie with her new friends though. If you love historical fiction, you will enjoy this one.
📚 ~ Yolanda
Book Excerpt~
2
The Bust
Their shack, as Daisy referred to the house, was nestled in a cluster of bent ironwood trees, all by its lonesome. Set back far from the beach to protect it from a direct blast of onshore winds, it still took a constant battering and the salty air and elements had done a fine job reclaiming it. Windowpanes had been blasted opaque, you could see through the back wall, and flowers had taken up residence in the gutters. The siding had gone from forest green to pale green to peeling gray, the roof turned to rust.
When he had first started working up at the ranch, Daisy’s father had somehow persuaded Mr. Montgomery to sell him the small parcel of beachfront property for the price of a bag of sand. Most likely because it was in no-man’s-land between Waialua and the ranch. And because her father had been the best horse trainer in Hawai’i and everyone knew it.
She flung open the front door and ran inside. “Mom?” she called.
All quiet. She tiptoed across the lauhala mat in the living room, avoiding the creaking floorboards. Her mother spent much of her life in one of two states—sleeping or staring out to sea. The bedroom door was cracked and a lump lay under the blankets, pillow over her head. There was no point in trying to wake her, so Daisy ran back outside, hopped on her bike and rode for the stables.
The air was ripe with burnt sugarcane and a scratchy feeling of dread. She bumped along a dirt road as fast as her old bike would carry her. That plume of black smoke above Schofield caused her heart to sink. So many Japanese planes could mean only one thing. An attack or invasion of some kind was happening. But the sky remained empty and she saw no signs of ships on the horizon.
By the time she reached the stables, she had worked out what to tell Mr. Silva—the only person at the ranch who was even close to being a friend—and beg that he help her find Moon. Whether or not he would risk his job was another story. Jobs were not easy to come by, especially on this side of the island. Daisy counted herself lucky to have one. When she rounded the corner by the entrance, she about fell over on her bike. Mr. Silva’s rusted truck was gone and in its place sat Mr. Montgomery’s shiny new Ford, motor running and door open.
As far as old Hal Montgomery was concerned, Daisy was mostly invisible. She had worked for him going on seven years now—since she was sixteen—but she was a girl and girls were fluffy, pretty things who wore fancy dresses and attended parties. Not short-haired, trouser-wearing, outdoorsy misfits. And certainly not horse trainers and skin divers. Nope, those jobs belonged to men. There was also the matter of her father’s death, but she preferred not to think about that.
Should she turn around and hightail it out of there before he caught sight of her? He’d find out eventually, and he would be livid. Daisy pulled her bike behind the toolshed and slipped around the back side of the stables, peering in through a cloudy window. The tension in the air from earlier had dissipated and the horses were all quiet. A tall form stood in front of the old horse—Ka‘ena—she was supposed to ride. It was hard to tell through the foggy pane, but the man looked too tall and too thin to be Hal Montgomery.
Horsefeathers! It was Walker, Montgomery’s son. A line of perspiration formed on the back of her neck and she had the strong urge to flee. Not that Daisy had had much interaction with Walker in recent years. He was aloof and intimidating and the kind of person who made her forget how to speak, but he loved Moon fiercely. Of that she was sure. Just then, he turned and started jogging toward the door. His face was in shadow but it felt like he was looking right at her. She froze. If she ducked away now, he would surely catch the movement. She did it anyway.
She had just made it to her bike when Walker tore out of the tack room with a wild look in his eye. He had a rifle hanging across his chest, and he was carrying two others. He stopped when he saw her. “Hey!” he said.
“Oh, hello, Mr. Montgomery.”
He wore his flight suit, which was only halfway buttoned, like he’d been interrupted either trying to get in it or trying to get out of it. His face was flushed and lined with sweat. “Don’t you know we’ve been attacked? You ought to head for cover, somewhere inland.”
He was visibly shaken.
“I saw the planes. What do you know?” she said.
“Wheeler and Schofield are all shot up, and they did a number on Pearl. Battleships down, bay on fire. God knows how many dead.” His gaze dropped to her body for a moment and she felt her skin burn. There had been no time to change or even think about changing, and she was still in her half-wet swimsuit, hair probably sticking out in eleven directions. “What are you doing here?” he asked.
“I was worried about the horses,” she said.
“That makes two of us. And goddamn Moon is not in his stall. You know anything about that?”
Taking Moon had been about the dumbest thing she could have done. But at the time, it seemed a perfectly sane idea. The kind of thinking that got her into plenty of trouble over the years. Why hadn’t she learned? She looked at the coconut tree just past him as she spoke. “I have no idea. Perhaps Mr. Silva has him?”
“Mr. Silva went to town last night to see his sister,” he said.
She forced herself to look at him, feeling like she had the word guilty inked onto her forehead. “Looks like you have somewhere to be. You go on, I’ll find Moon. I promise.”
Her next order of business would be scouring the coast and finding that horse before Walker returned. There would be no sleeping until Moon was safely back at the stables.
“I sure hope so. That horse is mighty important to me,” he said.
Tell him!
She was about to come clean, when he moved around her, hopped in the car and slammed the door. He leaned out the window and said, “Something tells me you know more than you’re letting on, Wilder.”
With that, he sped off, leaving her standing in a cloud of red dirt and sand.
In the stables, the horses knew the sound of her footsteps, or maybe they smelled the salt on her hair. A concert of nickers and snorts erupted in the stalls. Daisy went to the coatrack first, and slid on an oversize button-up that she kept there for chilly days. It smelled of hay.
“How is everyone?” she said, stopping at each one to rub their necks or kiss their noses. “Quite a morning, hasn’t it been?”
Peanut was pacing with nostrils flared, and she spent a few minutes stroking his long neck before moving on. Horses were her lifeblood. Feeding, grooming, riding, loving. She only wished that Mr. Montgomery would let her train them—officially, that was. Without being asked as a last resort by Mr. Silva when everyone else had tried. Lord knew she was better than the rest of the guys. When she got to Moon’s stall, all the blood rushed from her head. The door had been left open and two Japanese slippers hung from the knob. She had hidden them in the corner under some straw—apparently not well enough.
Damn.
Just then she heard another car pull up. The ranch truck. A couple of the ranch hands poured out, making a beeline to the stables. Mr. Montgomery followed on their heels with a machete in his hand and a gun on his hip. Daisy felt the skin tighten on the back of her neck. His ever-present limp seemed even more pronounced.
When he saw her, he said, “Where’s Silva?”
No mention that they were under attack.
“In town,” she answered.
“What about Walker?”
“Walker just left in a big hurry,” she answered.
One of the guys had his hunting dog with him. It was a big mutt that enjoyed staring down the horses and making them nervous, as if they needed to be any more nervous right now. Daisy wanted to tell him to get the dog out of there, but knew it would be pointless.
“The hosses in the pasture need to be secured,” Mr. M said.
“Do you need my help?” she offered.
“Nah, you should get out of here. Get home. Fuckers blew up all our planes and now paratroopers are coming down in the pineapple fields. Ain’t no place for a woman right now.”
Daisy wanted to stay and help, but also wanted to get the hell away before he noticed that Moon was not here. “Yes, sir.”
He stopped and sized her up for a moment, his thick brows pinched. “You still got that shotgun of your old man’s?”
“I do.”
“Make sure it’s loaded.”
On her way home, Daisy passed through Japanese camp, hoping to get more information from Mr. Sasaki, who always knew the latest happenings. A long row of cottages lined the road, every rock and leaf in its place. The houses were painted barn red with crisp, white trim. On any given Sunday, there would have been gangs of kids roaming the area, but now the place was eerily empty.
“Hello?” she called, letting her bike fall into the naupaka hedge.
When she knocked and no one answered, she started pounding. A curtain pulled aside and a small face peered out at her and waved her away. Mrs. Sasaki. She was torn, but chose to leave them be. With the whispers of paranoia lately, all the local Japanese folks were bound to be nervous. She didn’t blame them.
This time when Daisy ran up to the shack, her mother was sitting on the porch drinking coffee from her chipped mug.
She was still in her nightgown, staring out beyond the ocean. When she was in this state, a person could have walked into their house and made off with all of their belongings and her mother would not even bat an eye.
Daisy sat down next to her. “Mom, the Japanese Army attacked Pearl Harbor and Wheeler and who knows where else.”
Her mother clenched her jaw slightly, took a sip of her coffee, then set it down on the mango stump next to her chair. “They said it would happen,” she said flatly.
“This is serious, mom. People are dead. Civilians, too. I don’t know how many, but the islands are in danger of being invaded and there are Japanese ships and planes all around. They’re telling us to stay inside.”
A look of worry came over her mom’s face. “You should go find a safer place to stay, away from the coast.”
“And leave you here?”
“I’ll be fine.”
“I’m not leaving you.”
Her mom shrugged.
She knew Louise couldn’t help it, but a tiny part of Daisy was waiting for that day her mother would wake up and be the old Louise Wilder. The mother of red lipstick and coconut macaroons, of beach bonfires and salty hugs. The one who rode bikes with her daughter to school every day, singing with the birds along the way. The highs and lows had been there before, but now there were only lows and deeper lows.
After some time, her mother finally spoke. “Men, they do the dumbest things.”
“That may be true, but we’re at war. Does that mean anything to you?” Daisy said, her voice rising in frustration.
“Course it does, but what can we do?”
She had a point. Aside from hiding in the house or running away, what other options were there? Used to doing things, Daisy was desperate to help, but how? Their home was under attack and she felt as useful as a sack of dirt.
Louise leaned back. On days like these, she retreated so far into herself that she was unreachable. You could tell by looking in her eyes. Blank and bottomless. Mr. Silva always said that you could see the spirit in the eyes. Dull eyes, dull spirit. That Louise looked this way always made Daisy feel deeply alone. The onshore winds kicked up a notch and ruffled the surface of the ocean. She knew she should stay with her mom, but more than anything, she wanted to go in search of the horse. Moon meant more to her than just the job. She loved him something fierce.
Only one thing was clear: their lives would never be the same.
USA Today bestselling author Sara Ackerman was born and raised in Hawaii. She studied journalism and earned graduate degrees in psychology and Chinese medicine. She blames Hawaii for her addiction to writing, and sees no end to its untapped stories. When she’s not writing or teaching, you’ll find her in the mountains or in the ocean. She currently lives on the Big Island with her boyfriend and a houseful of bossy animals. Find out more about Sara and her books at http://www.ackermanbooks.com and follow her on Instagram @saraackermanbooks and on FB @ackermanbooks.
Categories: Romance, Contemporary, Modern Cinderella Twist, Fashion, Reality TV
Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
After having just graduated with a degree in shoe design, and trying to get her feet on the ground, Cindy is working for her stepmother, who happens to be the executive producer of America’s favorite reality show, Before Midnight. When a spot on the show needs filling ASAP, Cindy volunteers, hoping it might help jump-start her fashion career, or at least give her something to do while her peers land jobs in the world of high fashion.
Turns out being the only plus size woman on a reality dating competition makes a splash, and soon Cindy becomes a body positivity icon for women everywhere. What she doesn’t expect? That she may just find inspiration-and love-in the process. Ultimately, Cindy learns that if the shoe doesn’t fit, maybe it’s time to design your own.
I love this modern twist on the Cinderella story. Instead of a girl who cleans and slaves away for her stepfamily, we have a curvy girl who is trying to jumpstart her fashion career – her particular love being…shoes. Instead of an evil stepmother and stepsisters, we get a supportive family, which was actually really refreshing.
The reality show/Bachelor inspired storyline mixed with the fashion industry worked for me and I have never watched The Bachelor! It even had a tiny of Project Runway moment which was fun. Having Cindy and Henry build a relationship on the reality show brought in suspicion, hope, and so much insecurities for Cindy.
Cindy is a great character – being plus size doesn’t stop her from living her life, looking good in the clothes and shoes she wears. She’s confident even when she doesn’t feel it and even when she feels insecure, she doesn’t let it hinder her from her goals. I love that she became an inspiration to people in the public through her appearance on the show, even if it was all rigged.
Henry and Cindy are a great match. I love how they meet but wow, I’d never be able to like someone and watch them kiss all these other women for a show! So I’m actually glad at Cindy’s decision in the end, I thought it was awesome how she put herself first since there was no guarantees on how’d everything work out after the show. It does work out in the end though.
I enjoyed the side characters like Sarah Claire and Stacy, would love books about them too! I loved her stepsisters and the triplets. Even the crew was crazy yet fun like Beck and Irina.
Because Henry and Cindy are on this reality show, they don’t get a lot of time together until their one date and I guess I was hoping he’d pick her for more private dates but as we find out, everything is set and rigged for tv ratings.
It does feel more like a young adult book than New Adult or Adult.
This would make a cute rom-com movie.
I found If the Shoe Fits a fun, quick read. I wasn’t expecting to finish it in one night but it was fast-paced with The Bachelor inspired storyline which meant something was always happening to Cindy or the other girls going after Henry. I loved that it features Cindy, a plus size girl and a Cinderella retelling where her family isn’t vicious but supportive. I found Henry and Cindy’s building romance to be sweet and yet as realistic as it can be in a reality tv setting. I loved them more when there were no cameras around. I think many romance lovers will find this one an enjoyable read.
Categories: Romance, Vacation, Contemporary, Friends to Lovers
Two best friends. Ten summer trips. One last chance to fall in love.
Poppy and Alex. Alex and Poppy. They have nothing in common. She’s a wild child; he wears khakis. She has insatiable wanderlust; he prefers to stay home with a book. And somehow, ever since a fateful car share home from college many years ago, they are the very best of friends. For most of the year they live far apart—she’s in New York City, and he’s in their small hometown—but every summer, for a decade, they have taken one glorious week of vacation together.
Until two years ago, when they ruined everything. They haven’t spoken since.
Poppy has everything she should want, but she’s stuck in a rut. When someone asks when she was last truly happy, she knows, without a doubt, it was on that ill-fated, final trip with Alex. And so, she decides to convince her best friend to take one more vacation together—lay everything on the table, make it all right. Miraculously, he agrees.
Now she has a week to fix everything. If only she can get around the one big truth that has always stood quietly in the middle of their seemingly perfect relationship. What could possibly go wrong?
People We Meet on Vacation is such a fun summer read! From the book cover to the story premise, it is meant to be read during summer.
Alex and Poppy are best friends since college, and travel buddies every summer until a trip where events happen that made them not talk for two years. Alex is a travel blogger but she’s lost the happiness she felt when traveling and thinks vacationing with Alex again will help her find that spark she lost, plus she misses him like crazy.
The connection between Alex and Poppy is effortless, minus their first few encounters in college. As they grow together, they become like peanut butter and jelly or peas and carrots, two things that work well together despite major differences in them. Alex is the responsible one, Poppy is the wild one and together they balance each other out. I love how they interacted with one another. The dialogue between them is funny and you could feel how tight their friendship is. Also, you can feel the underlying love with the potential for more between them. It’s a relatable story especially if you’ve ever been in this type of situation where you have a friendship that eventually turns into something more, or the fears about having it be more. No one wants to wreck a good friendship – and sometimes taking it to the next level does damage it and that’s where Poppy and Alex is at.
The ending when they finally try to work things out is very heartwarming and so emotional. And of course we get the happily ever after moment, which is sweet.
As the title suggests, Alex and Poppy do meet a bunch of different people on vacation, but not as much as I expected. There were few here and there but for the most part, this story is Alex and Poppy’s relationship story.
The story moves from past and present as we lead up to the last vacation where they don’t talk afterwards.
Why you should read it:
quick, summer read, and the characters travel (fun since we are living in a time where traveling is risky)
cute and emotional romance between Alex and Poppy
happily ever after feels
Why you might not want to read it:
friends to lovers (if that isn’t your kinda thing)
Alex and Poppy date people throughout their friendship
My Thoughts:
I can see why everyone hyped up this book and it’s a perfect summer read. It’s funny, cute, and has a very emotional ending. I enjoyed it very much and I think this would actually make a cute rom-com movie.
Categories: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Coming of Age, Inter-racial Romance
Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
When a bad boy in need of a second chance meets a good girl who is off limits, sparks fly and forbidden friendship forms in this edgy own-voices romance, perfect for fans of Katie McGarry and Kristina Forest.
They were supposed to ignore each other and respect that fine line between them…
Guillermo Lozano is getting a fresh start. New town, new school, and no more reckless behavior. He’s done his time, and now he needs to right his wrongs. But when his work at the local community center throws him in the path of the one girl who is off limits, friendship sparks…and maybe more.
Regan London needs a fresh perspective. The pressure to stay in her “perfect” relationship and be the good girl all the time has worn her down. But when the walls start to cave in and she finds unexpected understanding from the boy her parents warned about, she can’t ignore her feelings anymore.
The disapproval is instant. Being together might just get Guillermo sent away. But when it comes to the heart, sometimes you have to break the rules and be a little bit reckless…
Guillermo is the “bad boy”. I really liked watching Guillermo grow and do his best to turn his life around after what happened in his past. I grew up with male cousins with bad tempers who got into lots of fights at school and out of school. There were a few times I thought Guillermo was going to fall into his bad habits but he really came out inspiring others, which is really nice to see.
Regan is the “good girl”, who listens to her parents, has the mostly popular athlete at school as her boyfriend but she’s basically pleasing everyone else. It takes Guillermo’s friendship to help her realize the things others want for her, isn’t what she wants for herself. It was cool to see her grow from that and stand up for what she wants in the end.
Malika is an awesome best friend to Regan. I like how she was straight up with her about Troy and she said one thing in the book that I was thinking myself, where she told Regan she didn’t need a guy to be happy. True. As for Guillermo and his friendships, it was a goal his therapist gave him and I think he really did well befriending different types of people like Avery who was awkward and shy, Jenaya who had a bad reputation and Rav, the soccer player. It was a big turn around from the kinds of friends he had in the past.
I liked seeing Regan and Guillermo’s relationships with their parents. Regan’s parents are more supportive but she really had to speak up for herself. Guillermo’s parents are wary of him but eventually they see he is really trying to do the right thing.
Regan and Guillermo have chemistry and like Regan says, he asks for permission and what SHE wants. I can see why Regan falls for him!
Triggers: family pressures, violence
Story was slow in some parts especially with the Troy/Regan/Guillermo triangle.
Troy is a star athlete and on the outside, he and Regan have the perfect relationship. But in their relationship it definitely isn’t perfect. I wasn’t invested in their relationship from just the way he treats her from the beginning and wished they would just break up since we know Guillermo is who she wants. But their relationship drama drags on, I get that Regan wasn’t someone who stood up for herself though…until Troy messes up. It isn’t an easy thing to break up sometimes, especially when families are invested in the relationship too!
The main message I got from this story is that people can change and that’s a great message. I love that Guillermo really had a lot of ground to make up for his mistakes, but he does it for his family and for himself. On the other side, Regan finally figures out what she wants because someone (Guillermo) finally asks her what she wants. That’s important too – as parents, we want the best for our child and even want to lay the path out for them but we have to listen to what they want also. And lastly, the message of consent is so relevant as well. I think this is a story many young adults can learn from!
📖 ~ Yolanda
About the Author:
Whitney is dedicated to telling stories about teens of color and teens in difficult but relatable situations. Some of her works can be found on Wattpad, one of the largest online story sharing platforms, where she has acquired over 30,000 followers and an audience of over fifteen million dedicated readers. Outside of writing, she is a lover of Korean dramas, all things John Hughes, and horror films. Whitney currently lives in Akron, Ohio. She is the author of A Love Hate Thing and The Right Side of Reckless.
Categories: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Vampires, Dragons
My whole world changed when I stepped inside the academy. Nothing is right about this place or the other students in it. Here I am, a mere mortal among gods…or monsters. I still can’t decide which of these warring factions I belong to, if I belong at all. I only know the one thing that unites them is their hatred of me.
Then there’s Jaxon Vega. A vampire with deadly secrets who hasn’t felt anything for a hundred years. But there’s something about him that calls to me, something broken in him that somehow fits with what’s broken in me.
Which could spell death for us all.
Because Jaxon walled himself off for a reason. And now someone wants to wake a sleeping monster, and I’m wondering if I was brought here intentionally—as the bait.
I love vampire books so when I saw this series and it had many reviews I decided to finally read it. Yes the cover is so Twilight-esque but I loved Twilight so I was looking forward to see how different Crave would be. I think this one is different enough that it keep me reading it…until I started skimming it in the end.
I liked the hot, brooding vampire boy Jaxon, of course. He definitely fit that role. I really liked that this one has dragons in it, because usually paranormal stories stick to the usual: vampires, shifters, and witches storyline, but this one has dragons and one in particular named Flint who is so mischievous – love him too.
For the most part I thought the story was interesting because Grace was clueless about the “monsters” – she knows something is up, but she doesn’t really know for sure. The story is written for teens though and I would have devoured this book if I was fourteen. It has the hot guys, the one friend/cousin that Grace has who has her back, it has a villain and boarding school life.
Triggers: violence
I started to skim the last 25% of the book because I was a little over Grace being so hypnotized by Jaxon, which means I think this book could’ve been 200 pages shorter. I get it, Jaxon is hot, he’s a vampire and she loves him. They love each other, a lot and this happens in what…a week? She’s new to the school and missed a few classes because all the events going on so I’m pretty sure it’s insta-love. I don’t mind insta-love but this one made me roll my eyes.
Grace – she is special, we just don’t know why so there’s that trope. But she still needs a lot of saving and they all watch over her because someone is trying to kill her. Her being coddled gets kind of old.
I giggled in so many parts of this book and did the face palm or rolled my eyes so in that way I found it entertaining lol but so many cringe worthy moments.
I can see why people would enjoy this story, I mean it made me laugh because of the cringe moments. It’s filled with many common YA tropes which I actually enjoy. There is the nostalgia aspect and the hot, brooding vampire that I love. I liked the addition of dragons and yes this is an outright, unashamed homage to Twilight, Jaxon even gifts Grace a copy of the book haha. It’s not a series I will be continuing because I think the writing just didn’t hold my attention. It’s definitely a book I would have been very into if I was a young teenager though.
Categories: Young Adult/New Adult, Fantasy, Romance
Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
From New York Times best-selling author Lexi Ryan, Cruel Prince meets A Court of Thorns and Roses in this sexy, action-packed fantasy about a girl who is caught between two treacherous faerie courts and their dangerously seductive princes.
Brie hates the Fae and refuses to have anything to do with them, even if that means starving on the street. But when her sister is sold to the sadistic king of the Unseelie court to pay a debt, she’ll do whatever it takes to get her back—including making a deal with the king himself to steal three magical relics from the Seelie court.
Gaining unfettered access to the Seelie court is easier said than done. Brie’s only choice is to pose as a potential bride for Prince Ronan, and she soon finds herself falling for him. Unwilling to let her heart distract her, she accepts help from a band of Unseelie misfits with their own secret agenda. As Brie spends time with their mysterious leader, Finn, she struggles to resist his seductive charm.
Caught between two dangerous courts, Brie must decide who to trust with her loyalty. And with her heart.
I am a sucker for stories about the Fae so I was intrigued by the premise of this book. This was like a combination of ACOTAR and Cinderella. I love the world building with the Fae world and the history between the humans Fae.
Brie has a problem – she needs to save her and her skills as a thief is the only want to help her. She gets caught in a power struggle game between the Unseelie and Seelie court and there is deception everywhere. But who can Brie really trust? I honestly didn’t know who to trust either as I read the book.
I liked the second half of this book way more than the first half. It had much more intrigue, reveals and twists that I wasn’t expecting. Also that part in the blurb that calls this book sexy…yeah well, things do get sexier in the second half!
The Princes – oh for Brie to be caught between two handsome fae princes? Lucky girl. Did she choose the right one? I still don’t know!
I got bored in the middle of the story, because of the love triangle and mistrust – it was a lot of angst and drama. I just didn’t care for the “Cinderella” or The Selection vibe to Prince Ronan finding’s a bride.
Love triangle (Think Tamlin/Rhysand from ACOTAR). I don’t blame Brie but she kept reminding herself she loved Sebastien. Does she really if she has to keep reminding herself?
I think this will definitely appeal to fans of ACOTAR because it has so many similar themes. I had trouble connecting to Brie but the story does get juicy at the end when some secrets are revealed. Will I be reading the sequel? Most definitely after that wild ending. It will be interesting to see how this story concludes.
Categories: Romance, Young Adult, Friendship, LGBT+
Contrary to popular belief, best friends Kate Garfield and Anderson Walker are not codependent. Carpooling to and from theater rehearsals? Environmentally sound and efficient. Consulting each other on every single life decision? Basic good judgment. Pining for the same guys from afar? Shared crushes are more fun anyway.
But when Kate and Andy’s latest long-distance crush shows up at their school, everything goes off script. Matt Olsson is talented and sweet, and Kate likes him. She really likes him. The only problem? So does Anderson.
Turns out, communal crushes aren’t so fun when real feelings are involved. This one might even bring the curtains down on Kate and Anderson’s friendship.
How cute was this book? I haven’t read anything from this author but this looked like it would be a fun read and it didn’t disappoint me.
First off, this is a love story, a platonic love story between two best friends who have the same crush on Matt Olsson. Kate and Andy have been best friends for a long time, he’s the boy next door, he’s the boy she first kissed and she was the first one he came out to. They are tight as can be and the most adorable platonic couple ever. They made me laugh, they made me feel warm inside with all the affection they shower upon one another. They are each other’s hype person and we all need that someone! But their friendship is tested when the crush they have on Matt gets deeper. Personality wise, I love how Kate and Andy balance each other out. Kate is that romantic, head in the theater clouds kind of girl, with some bouts of anxiety when she starts over thinking things. Andy is super confident, funny, and says what he means.
Communal crushes are a bad idea – because someone is going to get hurt. But Kate and Andy thought they were stronger than that, and I loved their communication. They hit a bump in their friendship because of Matt but in the end, their friendship really wins out. I love that about the story a lot.
There is so much diversity in this book. Andy is gay, their other theater squad member, Raina, is transgendered and so much more.
I think books with theater kids are so fun to read. Maybe because theater is all about drama and it brings that natural to the story.
I thought Noah and Kate’s relationship was also cute. She’s very judgmental about jocks, though her older brother is one and his best friend, Noah. Kate was traumatized by an incident that involved being teased and bullied by jocks and since then she has judged them harshly but she gets to know Noah more than him just being her brother’s best friend.
Triggers: bullying, online bullying
Kate is judgmental when it comes to jocks. She and her squad refer to them as f-boys. (Insert 4 letter F word there, haha). If they are a jock and play a sport they automatically get categorized an F-boy or F-girl which I think is kind of harsh. It’s the popular, party kids that get labeled that but of course, not her dear brother, even if he is a jock. Noah is an f-boy until they decide he’s chill. So Kate had to open her eyes a little just to see Noah as something more than a jock.
I read this book in one sitting because I was in love with Kate and Andy despite their communal crush on Matt. You already know it’s a bad idea from the start but their friendship is everything and it stands strong against hurt feelings. I love the diversity in the story and how easily the story flowed. I enjoyed all the characters, even her brother Ryan who was pretty mellow and seemed like someone without much of a personality – but he cares for his sister in his older brother kind of way and that seemed realistic. This was a feel good, heartwarming, funny book that made me fall in love with friendship.
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