'The Getaway List' by Emma Lord

5 stars!!

Book Blurb:

"When Riley graduates high school with a rearview of shenanigans but an empty road for a future, she does what they all say to do—pack her bags and head for New York. Her plan is a little loose, but her main goal is to find Tom—her childhood best friend and co-creator of The Getaway List. Years ago, they made a list of all the adventures they wanted to do together, but Tom has been increasingly distant ever since he moved to New York with his famous scriptwriter mom four years ago.

When Riley arrives in New York, her reconnection with Tom is as effortless as it was when they were young—except with one, unexpected complication that will pull Riley’s feelings in a direction she didn’t know they could take. As she, Tom, and their newfound friends work their way through the items on The Getaway List, Riley learns that sometimes the biggest adventure is not one you take, but one you feel in your heart.

Inescapably romantic and brimming with Emma Lord’s signature cheer, The Getaway List is an uplifting and romantic read that will settle into your heart and never leave."


My Review:

Loved every minute of being in Riley's head as she narrates through this sweet, heart-felt coming of age novel. 'The Getaway List' is full of witty banter and New York City fun and shenanigans! It's also full of just-graduated-high-school teenagers finding themselves and trying to navigate their next move, to figure out what is best for them; not necessarily what their families are trying to push onto them. I loved this small group of close friends and especially liked the dynamics between Riley and Tom.

Highly recommended YA reading!  Grab a copy!

#TheGetawayList #NetGalley - I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s.

‘What Monstrous Gods’ by Rosamund Hodge

5 stars!

Book Blurb:

"Centuries ago, the heretic sorcerer Ruven raised a deadly briar around Runakhia's palace, casting the royal family into an enchanted sleep - and silencing the kingdom's gods.

Born with a miraculous gift, Lia's destiny is to kill Ruven and wake the royals. But when she succeeds, she finds her duty is not yet complete, for now she must marry into the royal family and forge a pact with a god - or die.

To make matters even worse, Ruven's spirit is haunting her.

As discord grows between the old and new guards, the queen sends Lia and Prince Araunn, her betrothed, on a pilgrimage to awaken the gods. But the old gods are more dangerous than Lia ever knew - and Ruven may offer her only hope of survival.

As the two work together, Lia learns that they're more alike than she expected. And with tensions rising, Lia must choose between what she was raised to believe and what she knows is right - and between the prince she is bound to by duty...and the boy she killed."


My Review:

Once again, author Rosamund Hodge does what she does best, creates an elaborate fantasy world around a well-known fairy tale, and the result is pure magic. ‘What Monstrous Gods’ is a wonderful fantasy novel which begins as a gender-swapped re-telling of ‘Sleeping Beauty’ and evolves into so much more.

For 500 years, the royal family has been trapped in a sleeping curse, frozen in time inside their castle, with all of their court and servants, wrapped in thorny briars. For 500 years, the Old Gods have been silent and New Gods have become popular with masses.

Lia is born into this world, of silent Old Gods and a cursed royal family, and an unstoppable plague. Orphaned as a child, she was raised at a convent and taught to worship the Old Gods, for the nuns see in her the Royal Gift, which means Lia has a chance to enter the briars are save the royal family, and the Old Gods.

And she does. Lia is the first person in 500 years to survive the moving, living briars, deal with the sorcerer who controls the curse, Ruven, and wakes the royal family.

Thus begins a long adventure of Lia, Price Araunn, and his sister traveling to awaken the Old Gods, and learning their true nature. Then comes navigating the royal family, as they struggle to find their place in this new world, 500 years into the future, from their perspective. All with Ruven’s ghost actively haunting her and trying to make her question everything she was ever taught about her Gods.

Pre-order so you can dive right in on March 5, 2024!

#WhatMonstrousGods #NetGalley – I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s.

'Dungeons and Drama' by Kristy Boyce

5 stars!!

Book Blurb:

"When it comes to romance, sometimes it doesn't hurt to play games. A fun YA romcom full of fake dating hijinks!

Musical lover Riley has big aspirations to become a director on Broadway. Crucial to this plan is to bring back her high school’s spring musical, but when Riley takes her mom’s car without permission, she's grounded and stuck with the worst punishment: spending her after-school hours working at her dad’s game shop.

Riley can't waste her time working when she has a musical to save, so she convinces Nathan—a nerdy teen employee—to cover her shifts and, in exchange, she’ll flirt with him to make his gamer-girl crush jealous.

But Riley didn’t realize that meant joining Nathan's Dungeons & Dragons game…or that role playing would be so fun. Soon, Riley starts to think that flirting with Nathan doesn't require as much acting as she would've thought..."


My Review:

Talented Theater Kid, Riley, and Gamer Nerd, Nathan, have the sweetest YA slow-burn relationship I’ve ever read. They begin fake-dating when they become co-workers at Riley’s father’s game store, and as they come closer to achieving their original goals for the fake relationship, Riley’s real feelings for Nathan catch her by surprise.

'Dungeons and Drama' is a YA coming of age novel in which we follow Riley as she learns that there are more important things in life than driving to a musical theater show without a driver’s license, in the dark.  We get to watch Riley join Nathan’s Dungeons & Dragons game and learn that role-playing is quite similar to singing and acting, and like all the musical shows she so enjoys. This brings her some relief as she endeavors to convince her high school to not cut the funding for their Spring musical.

Riley and Nathan have been living in my head rent-free since I finished reading. I couldn't put this one down, it's so very good! This is my favorite book by author Kristy Boyce, and I love all 3 of her Contemporary YA novels.  Releasing on January 9, 2024, grab a copy!

#DungeonsandDrama #NetGalley - I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s.

'‘Reign’ (American Royals #4) by Katharine McGee

5 stars!!

Book Blurb:

"A queen's life hangs in the balance, and her siblings’ decisions—about what to do, and most of all, who to love—could change the course of history. Romance. Duty. Power...only one can triumph in this stunning conclusion to the New York Times bestselling American Royals series.

America's royal family is in shambles. Queen Beatrice is in a coma and Princess Samantha has gone missing—from the look of things, she ran away with her boyfriend, Lord Marshall Davis. Which means that Prince Jefferson is currently on the throne. For some in America, it's exactly what they wanted: a King ruling the country. And for Daphne Deighton, who has tricked Jefferson into dating her again, it's the ultimate dream come true.

Surely this is all just temporary. Won’t Beatrice wake up and reclaim her rightful place? Samantha can't really be gone…can she? And Prince Jefferson will never truly be over his childhood crush, Nina Gonzalez. Right?

For the Washington family, the stakes are higher than ever. Love might save the throne….if secrets don’t destroy everything first."


My Review:

As the final entry in the ‘American Royals’ series, ‘Reign’ brings us to the end of a year in the life of America's royal family. We've followed them closely from one December to the next, with detailed glimpses of the June before and the June after. We've learned a lot about their lives prior to when the narration begins, and we have detailed accounts of the June prior to this series beginning, the fateful night of the Washington twins high school graduation party where so much changed. The epilogue gives us a glimpse of where our beloved characters end up the following June, and provides hints of where they're heading.

But it's that year in the life of the Washington royal family that we follow closely. The year that so much changes for each of our narrating ladies, and for the royal family at large.

I really enjoyed this fourth and final installment in the ‘American Royals’ series! It was great to be back with these characters and to watch (even more) drama, secrets, and young romances unfold. My favorite parts were the growth for so many of these beloved characters; both the narrating ladies and the gentlemen in their inner circle.

Though we follow the same four ladies as narrators, readers also get to spend quite a lot of time with Prince Jefferson in this book, and that might be my absolute favorite part of ‘Reign’ – that Prince Jefferson is on the page nearly as much as any of the narrators, and that we get to watch him grow and mature, too.

Grab a copy!

Book 1 - 'American Royals'

Book 2 - 'Majesty'

Book 3 - 'Rivals'

Book 4 - 'Reign'

#AmericanRoyalsIVReign #NetGalley - I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s.

'The Borrow a Boyfriend Club' by Page Powars

5 stars!

Book Blurb:

"A feel-good, coming-of-age rom-com from debut author Page Powars that follows a trans teen who joins a boyfriend borrowing service masquerading as an Italian Club to prove that he’s one of the guys, especially to its frustratingly handsome leader.
Noah Byrd is the perfect boy. At least, that’s what he needs to convince his new classmates of to prove his gender. His plan? Join the school’s illustrious (and secret) Borrow a Boyfriend Club, whose members rent themselves out for dates. Once he’s accepted among the bros, the “slip-ups” end.

But Noah’s interview is a flop. Desperate, he strikes a deal with the club’s prickly but attractive president, Asher. Noah will help them win an annual talent show—and in return, he’ll get a second shot to demonstrate his boyfriend skills in a series of tests that include romancing Asher himself.

If Noah can’t bring home the win, his best chance to prove that he’s man enough is gone. Yet even if he succeeds, he still loses . . . because the most important rule of the Borrow a Boyfriend Club is simple: no real boyfriends (or girlfriends) allowed.

And as long as the club remains standing as high as Asher’s man bun, Noah and Asher can never explore their growing feelings for one another."


My Review:

Greatly enjoyed this coming-of-age story in which we follow Noah as he tries to prove himself 'man enough' to everyone in his life, and learns to accept himself along the way. His new high school's Borrow A Boyfriend Club fronts as a Football and Lamborghini Club, and it's so much fun to watch all the ways they hide its true purpose from the teachers.

Noah starts out on the wrong foot with the club's President, the prickly Asher Price. Unfortunately, it's Asher who will decide if Noah can join, and one of the challenges on the way to achieving membership is 'Romancing the President'.

How will Noah come to accept that he is, in fact, man enough? How does he win over the club's members and president? Grab a copy - it's a lot of fun to follow along and find out!

#TheBorrowaBoyfriendClub #NetGalley - I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s. 

'What Happens After Midnight' by K.L. Walther

5 stars!!

Book Blurb:

"Lily Hopper has two more weeks until she's officially finished with boarding school. With graduation quickly approaching Lily is worried that she's somehow missed out on the fun of being in high school. So, when she receives a mysterious note inviting her to join the anonymous senior class Jester in executing the end-of-year prank, Lily sees her chance to put her goody-two-shoes reputation behind her.


When Lily realizes the Jester is none other than Taggart Swell, her ex- boyfriend, she's already in too deep to back out. Lily might've dumped Tag, but she still has major feelings. Plus, his brilliant plan to steal the school's yearbooks, targets none other than Lilly's prom date: the Senior Class President, Daniel.

As the group of pranksters hide cryptic clues across campus for Daniel to find, Lily and Tag find themselves in close quarters. As the exes dodge Campus Safety guards, night owl teachers, a troop of freshmen, and even Daniel himself, new sparks fly. But old hurts and painful secrets refuse to be ignored. And with graduation on the horizon, Lily can only hope that breaking the rules will help mend her heart."


My Review:

Author K.L. Walther knocks it out of the park, yet again! I had a wonderful time following Lily and Tag on a guided tour of memories as they (the Jester and his Fools, including Lily) spend from midnight-until-dawn hiding clues for their Senior Class President to follow in order to recover the stolen yearbooks. Watching what happens next, as they go through the last 2 weeks of senior year, including prom, is lots of fun.

Don't miss this one!  Grab a copy here!

#NetGalley - I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s.

'Going Bicoastal' by Dahlia Adler

5 stars!

Book Blurb:

"A queer Sliding Doors YA rom-com in which a girl must choose between summer in NYC with her dad (and the girl she's always wanted) or LA with her estranged mom (and the guy she never saw coming).
In Dahlia Adler’s Going Bicoastal, there’s more than one path to happily ever after.

Natalya Fox has twenty-four hours to make the biggest choice of her life: stay home in NYC for the summer with her dad (and finally screw up the courage to talk to the girl she's been crushing on), or spend it with her basically estranged mom in LA (knowing this is the best chance she has to fix their relationship, if she even wants to.) (Does she want to?)

How's a girl supposed to choose?

She can't, and so both summers play out in alternating timelines - one in which Natalya explores the city, tries to repair things with her mom, works on figuring out her future, and goes for the girl she's always wanted. And one in which Natalya explores the city, tries to repair things with her mom, works on figuring out her future, and goes for the guy she never saw coming."


My Review:

This is a fantastic YA rom-com with a wonderful LGBTQIAP+ cast. We follow Natalya through the summer; both if she chooses to stay in New York City with her Dad, and also if she chooses to spend the time visiting her Mom in Los Angeles. In NYC, she gets to explore a relationship with her long-standing crush, a beautiful redhead named Elly, while going on adventures with Elly's friends and sees a whole new side of NYC. In LA, she she falls for Adam, the other intern at her Mom's office and has adventures with Adam, his brother, and their friends. Both scenarios offer a coming-of-age story and Natalya finishes the summer with ideas about college, a job prospect she's excited about, and she's really happy in her romantic relationship.

Grab your copy of this excellent LGBTQIAP+ inclusive YA Contemporary read!

#NetGalley - I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s.

'Something More' by Jackie Khalilieh

5 stars!

Book Blurb:

"A contemporary teen romance novel featuring a Palestinian-Canadian girl trying to hide her autism diagnosis while navigating her first year of high school, for fans of Jenny Han and Samira Ahmed.

Fifteen-year-old Jessie, a quirky loner obsessed with the nineties, is diagnosed as autistic just weeks before starting high school. Determined to make a fresh start and keep her diagnosis a secret, Jessie creates a list of goals that range from acquiring two distinct eyebrows to getting a magical first kiss and landing a spot in the school play. Within the halls of Holy Trinity High, she finds a world where things are no longer black and white and quickly learns that living in color is much more fun. But Jessie gets more than she bargained for when two very different boys steal her heart, forcing her to go off-script."


My Review:

15-year-old Jessie is a fantastic and relatable neurodivergent teen. I had a blast following her through her freshman year of high school, the first crush who likes her back, and making new friends. It was great to able to see her thoughts as she tries to find her place - with all these new friends and within the high school setting itself - by adjusting her masking.

When she catches glimpses of herself without her mask in place, she realizes that she is growing into herself, even under all the masking. Jessie has to decide if she likes who she's becoming, as we all do.

Grab a copy on June 6th!

#NetGalley - I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s.

'Hot Dutch Daydream' by Kristy Boyce

5 stars!

Book Blurb:

"Rom-com lovers and fans of Elise Bryant and Jenna Evans Welch will adore this next summer read from Hot British Boyfriend author Kristy Boyce.

No one has ever accused Sage Cunningham of being easily distracted. She has a plan, and she won't be swayed. She'll spend the summer interning in her mentor's lab in Amsterdam, and then she'll be ready for college. All she needs to do to pay for the summer abroad is agree to serve as the au pair for Dr. Reese's three-year-old.

Sage has it all down to a science, but she doesn't anticipate the surprise arrival of Dr. Reese's teenage son. Ryland is spontaneous, flirty, and impulsive--everything Sage isn't. He's a talented artist, but he's desperately in need of someone to keep him focused. And as nannying proves harder than Sage had expected, it turns out she might need help too.

The two strike a deal. Sage will stop Ryland from going out with a different girl every day, and Ryland will pitch in with his little brother.

Spending the summer stuck together is the perfect way to keep distractions to a minimum. Right?"


My Review:

Excellent companion novel to 'Hot British Boyfriend' though readers do not need to read 'HBB' to enjoy this one.

Readers follow hard-working go-getter Sage as she spends the summer in Amsterdam, volunteering in her mentor's lab and preparing a poster for a prestigious conference, while babysitting her mentor's 3-year-old. When her mentor's teenaged son, Ryland, unexpectedly returns home for the summer, Sage is surprised by how distracted she is. Though she tries to concentrate on her daytime babysitting duties and evenings-and-weekends data entry for the lab, Sage soon finds herself appreciating Ryland's help with his brother and his companionship while they each work.

It's lots of fun to watch Sage fall for Ryland, despite her own best efforts. This is a very cute romantic comedy YA Contemporary with easy-to-root for characters and excellent character development. Highly recommended!

Grab your copy here!

#HotDutchDaydream #NetGalley - I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s.

'Rubi Ramos's Recipe for Success' by Jessica Parra

5 stars!

Book Blurb:

"Graduation is only a few months away, and so far Rubi Ramos’s recipe for success is on track.

*Step 1: Get into the prestigious Alma University.
*Step 2: Become incredibly successful lawyer.

But when Alma waitlists Rubi’s application, her plan is in jeopardy. Her parents–especially her mom, AKA the boss–have wanted this for her for years. In order to get off the waitlist without her parents knowing, she needs math tutoring from surfer-hottie math genius Ryan, lead the debate team to a championship–and remember the final step of the recipe.

*Step 3: Never break the ban on baking.

Rubi has always been obsessed with baking, daydreaming up new concoctions and taking shifts at her parents’ celebrated bakery. But her mother dismisses baking as a distraction–her parents didn’t leave Cuba so she could bake just like them.

But some recipes are begging to be tampered with…

When the First Annual Bake Off comes to town, Rubi’s passion for baking goes from subtle simmer to full boil. She’s not sure if she has what it takes to become OC’s best amateur baker, and there’s only one way to find out--even though it means rejecting the ban on baking, and by extension, her parents. But life is what you bake it, and now Rubi must differentiate between the responsibility of unfulfilled dreams she holds, and finding the path she’s meant for."


My Review:

This heartwarming tale of family, friends, and dreams gave me all the feels. When we meet Rubi, she is a hard worker, trying her best to fulfill her parents' dream for her. It was great to watch her start to prioritize what she wants, rather than what they want. With a little help from her family, her best friend, and the swoony surfer/mathlete she meets, we get to see Rubi achieve her own goals.

I highly recommend this fantastic YA Contemporary read!  Pre-order here!

#NetGalley - I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s.