A new fav from Claire Kann! Part reality tv romance, part haunted house story, this book features Lucky, a Black, neurodivergent, paranormal investigaA new fav from Claire Kann! Part reality tv romance, part haunted house story, this book features Lucky, a Black, neurodivergent, paranormal investigator with ESP who is also on the Ace spectrum. When Lucky is picked to be on a show featuring a haunted house, she ends up reluctantly falling for one of the producers, Maverick, a single dad who falls hard for her first. Interesting, with a unique plot and GREAT Ace rep, this was great on audio narrated by Zenzi Williams and perfect for fans of haunted house stories. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!...more
An excellent YA queer love triangle with a fun twist. Ex best friends compete to win the affections of the new girl who they are both crushing on onlyAn excellent YA queer love triangle with a fun twist. Ex best friends compete to win the affections of the new girl who they are both crushing on only to fall for one another. This had amazing queer rep with demisexual, asexual and bisexual MCs. I loved how complex each character was - they each had complicated parental relationships and were coming to terms with their sexuality and feelings for one another. Both a story of friendship, acceptance and first love and great on audio. Many thanks to @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!
An incredibly well written YA mystery/thriller/coming of age story featuring an autistic nonbinary/Ace teen with a strong sense of self who also sees An incredibly well written YA mystery/thriller/coming of age story featuring an autistic nonbinary/Ace teen with a strong sense of self who also sees ghosts and tries to solve a years-long murder mystery. Unique, compelling, heartfelt and excellent on audio narrated by Allegra Verlezza. Highly recommended if you're looking for something different with a great cast of queer characters!...more
Another hit from Canadian middle grade author Ronnie Riley. This book sees nonbinary Eden getting caught up in a web of lies when they mislead their sAnother hit from Canadian middle grade author Ronnie Riley. This book sees nonbinary Eden getting caught up in a web of lies when they mislead their single mother into believing they've made a bunch of friends at their new school.
Full of a great cast of queer friends (a lesbian, a trans boy, a genderqueer kid and more) this book has amazing representation, found family, anxiety rep and is an excellent look at how important it is to be accepting and learn from our mistakes.
HIGHLY recommended, especially for fans of authors like Kyle Lukoff and Alex Gino. A must-read book and one I wish would be in every middle school library!...more
I really enjoyed this story about two queer, Black friends in their early 30s trying to figure out life during the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. WhI really enjoyed this story about two queer, Black friends in their early 30s trying to figure out life during the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. When the lockdown throws her life into chaos, Maya, a fat, queer, woman decides to move back home to DC and not willing to lose her friendship, her ace friend Ant follows, leaving his homeland of Hawaii for the first time.
This book is set solidly in during the height of the pandemic in 2021 with all the anxieties, Zoom calls, isolation and mental fatigue that came along with that time. It may be too soon for some but others may find solace reading about others who struggled, especially young Black millennials.
Aside from the growing pains of resetting your life in a crazy time, the story also focuses on the the friendship between Maya and Ant as Ant starts to develop more than platonic feelings for Maya and they explore what an allo/ace relationship might look like.
This was my first book by Eden Appiah-Kubi and I'm excited to go and read her debut, The Bennet women next. It was also good on audio narrated by Tamika Katon-Donegal. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!...more
A heartfelt and heartbreaking conclusion to the Stranger family series that began with The break and The strangers, sees Phoenix releas3.5 rounded up.
A heartfelt and heartbreaking conclusion to the Stranger family series that began with The break and The strangers, sees Phoenix released from prison only to disappear, causing a ripple effect among her family and the larger community.
Touching on trauma, healing, forgiveness and revenge, this story is told from multiple POVs, with a large cast of characters that gave me strong Frederik Backman vibes with its poignant commentary on modern, contemporary Indigenous life in Canada.
Good on audio narrated by Michaela Washburn. While this wasn't my favorite of the three books, it was still a moving, worthwhile read. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and Librofm for an ALC in exchange for my honest review!...more
I couldn't get enough of this spunky ace, YA enemies to friends story between two college teens on the aro/ace spectrum who find themselves online datI couldn't get enough of this spunky ace, YA enemies to friends story between two college teens on the aro/ace spectrum who find themselves online dating advice rivals and IRL friends. Full of great banter, a diverse group of characters and EXCELLENT on audio with a full cast of narrators, chief among them my very fav, Natalie Naudus.
What I loved the most was how relatable the queer rep was in the book and the honest, #ownvoices ace/aro rep was and the realistic discussion of the challenges associated with that identity. HIGHLY recommended for fans of authors like Amanda DeWitt. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!!
A fantastic YA queer graphic novel featuring the complicated relationship between two best friends - Leighton is from a wealthy, conservative Florida A fantastic YA queer graphic novel featuring the complicated relationship between two best friends - Leighton is from a wealthy, conservative Florida family who wants her to be the perfect tennis star daughter and don't accept her asexual and biracial identities.
While her nonbinary friend Dylan is from a single parent home that often needs help to get by. These two couldn't be more opposite but they still form a deep bond. When an incident with a class bully gets out of hand the two are sent to a summer camp aimed at reforming them.
I loved the diversity and the cast of queer characters in this story. Very relatable and real and sure to strike a chord with young queer readers!...more
Consider me the newest member of the Liz Nugent fan club!! I'd been seeing amazing reviews for Strange Sally Diamond and couldn't resist picking it upConsider me the newest member of the Liz Nugent fan club!! I'd been seeing amazing reviews for Strange Sally Diamond and couldn't resist picking it up. Boy did it ever not disappoint!! A dark, twisty domestic thriller told in a dual timeline with flashbacks and multiple POVs. This book is perfect for fans of stories like Room by Emma Donoghue or The quiet tenant by Clement Michallon. Filled with dark family secrets, a traumatic past and an unforgettable female main character. This was also great on audio narrated by a full cast, including transcript recording excerpts that worked exceptionally well in this format! Now to dive into the author's backlist!!...more
A steamy, heartfelt, single dad, friends to lovers romance between a Kindergarten teacher and the father of one of his students. I loved the Jewish reA steamy, heartfelt, single dad, friends to lovers romance between a Kindergarten teacher and the father of one of his students. I loved the Jewish rep, the ADHD and anxiety rep, the bisexual awakening in later life rep and just how relatable and real these characters felt! Perfect for fans of authors like Chip Pons or Nellie Wilson. The hype is real for this debut author - I binged it in one day and had no regrets and I can't wait to read their next book!!...more
Another hit from Anita Kelly!! It was bittersweet to say goodbye to this amazing group of found family and friends but this was one of the most satisfAnother hit from Anita Kelly!! It was bittersweet to say goodbye to this amazing group of found family and friends but this was one of the most satisfying fake dating, dual POV, Sapphic romances I've read in ages and is one not to be missed!
I loved getting to know more about London's sister, Julie in this book. Her search and yearning to find a label for her sexual identity was so relatable and heartfelt. I really enjoyed that she never did land on something and that it was OKAY! Whether Julie was on the Ace spectrum, demisexual or something else, she was just a great person who found herself falling in love with her childhood crush, former pro women's basketball star, Elle Conway.
Elle for her part was another extremely relatable character for me. She recently took in Vanessa, her cousin's daughter after the teen girl's mom went into rehab. Learning how to be a caregiver for a teenager was a learning curve, but Julie was super supportive and found a way to get Elle to help her with coaching Vanessa's new high school basketball team, the Bobcats.
Heartfelt, with lots of funny moments, lots of sentimental moments and lots of serious moments too. The conversations between friends in this book was great with a full cast of AMAZING queer characters. Also top notch was the mental health and chronic pain rep. Elle suffers from migraines and depression and isn't shy about talking about it.
I can't wait to read whatever Anita Kelly writes next. This book is sure to give you all the feels but probably works best if you've read the first two books in the series as there are cameos from all the previous couples. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!
Steam level: open door, some explicit scenes...more
When Harry met Sally for the digital age!! This friends to lovers, secret identity sexting romance sees two besties falling in love when one starts anWhen Harry met Sally for the digital age!! This friends to lovers, secret identity sexting romance sees two besties falling in love when one starts an online sex work job and the other slides into her DMs anonymously.
Full of heart, humor and all sorts of millennial angst, this was perfect for fans of You've got mail with great bisexual rep, and aspec side character rep. It was also good on audio read by CJ Bloom - a fav narrator! I love how strong the romance debuts have been this year! Amber Roberts' Text Appeal will definitely be a standout for me.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review! I will be first in line for whatever this author writes next. Recommended for anyone who loved You, again by Kate Goldbeck....more
I really enjoyed this latest queer YA #ownvoices romantic comedy by Amanda DeWitt that features an Ace teen boy who hates nothing more than school danI really enjoyed this latest queer YA #ownvoices romantic comedy by Amanda DeWitt that features an Ace teen boy who hates nothing more than school dances and ends up becoming Student Council President alongside his nemesis, Leo.
Forced to work together to plan a series of events in order to help raise money to fix the drama stage, Leo and Wren find themselves learning to appreciate each other in a new light. There's also an element of You've got mail where both boys match on an anonymous 'friend' app. Mistaken identities abound in this story full of grief, friendship and new love.
Perfect for fans of Pride and Prejudice and great on audio narrated by Mark Sanderlin. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!
CW: death of a parent from cancer, sibling with cancer...more
A really well-written middle grade novel that explores what it feels like to be different as one pre-teen girl ponders whether she might be asexual byA really well-written middle grade novel that explores what it feels like to be different as one pre-teen girl ponders whether she might be asexual by researching different examples of asexual organisms.
I loved how relatable Lizzie was! I feel like a lot of readers will be able to identify with her as a character struggling with their sexuality and figuring out how to share that with friends and family. Recommended for fans of authors like Alex Gino or AJ Sass.
I listened to a very early audio copy and the synthetic voice narration wasn't the best. Hopefully the final version will have a much better narrator to make Lizzie seem a little less robotic. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!...more
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