This was a good coming of age, queer awakening romance with amazing mental health rep (depression and anxiety), a pet chinchilla and amazing found famThis was a good coming of age, queer awakening romance with amazing mental health rep (depression and anxiety), a pet chinchilla and amazing found family.
Isobel takes a new job moving out of her mother's house with just her bet chinchilla Abigail to start living her best life in London with new queer roommates who help encourage her to start dating for the very first time, this 28 year old virgin, tries to find her own happily ever after.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review! While I didn't love this one personally, it still has important representation and is sure to resonate with many readers.
An emotionally raw memoir about depression, disordered eating and the flawed psychiatric profession that all too often tells women they're crazy and dAn emotionally raw memoir about depression, disordered eating and the flawed psychiatric profession that all too often tells women they're crazy and doesn't take their conditions seriously. Great on audio read by the author and highly recommended for fans of books like Never been better by Leanne Toshiko Simpson or the memoir, Outofshapeworthlessloser by Gracie Gold....more
Another standout, STEAMY, emotionally deep, dual POV romance between Dylan, a curvy, singer/songwriter trying to heal from a bad breakup and Brady, thAnother standout, STEAMY, emotionally deep, dual POV romance between Dylan, a curvy, singer/songwriter trying to heal from a bad breakup and Brady, the scarred firefighter suffering from the loss of his friend, his PTSD over the fire that almost took his life too and his hangups over his physically scarred back. I loved how the two MCs helped one another see past their individual insecurities and boy was this one SPICY!! It has everything you can want in a good romance and was excellent on audio too narrated by two favs, Andi Arndt and Sebastian York! While it is the second in the Malone brothers series it can be read as a standalone. That said I will be listening to Grant and Grayson's stories ASAP!!...more
This was a super fun, super steamy, gender swapped sex lessons/forbidden romance between a pro Rugby player and his friend's little sister. I loved thThis was a super fun, super steamy, gender swapped sex lessons/forbidden romance between a pro Rugby player and his friend's little sister. I loved that it was the woman who had to teach the guy how to properly please a woman in bed! This was hilarious and had emotional depth too. Book two in the series but it can be read as a standalone and it was good on audio too!...more
This was a creepy, atmospheric middle grade novel about bullying, loneliness and learning to stand up for yourself. Such a different type of ghost stoThis was a creepy, atmospheric middle grade novel about bullying, loneliness and learning to stand up for yourself. Such a different type of ghost story, with a ghost impersonating a lonely girls' friend and scaring off anyone who tried to really befriend her. Great mental health rep and good on audio! Highly recommended for #SpookySeason reading!...more
I adored this one night stand to friends to lovers dual POV romance!
Chelsea doesn't trust love or relationships after growing up in a broken home witI adored this one night stand to friends to lovers dual POV romance!
Chelsea doesn't trust love or relationships after growing up in a broken home with an abusive father and an alcoholic, neglectful mother. She has deep trust issues and is working on herself in therapy.
Luckily her best friend Elizabeth is her rock and with a list of dares, the two challenge one another to expand their horizons and go outside their comfort zone.
Dared to have an honest conversation with a stranger, Chelsea meets Bas, a Greek American chef who himself is floundering in a dead end career. With electric chemistry these two have to figure out how to be there for one another without hurting each other.
I loved the food, the puns, the Greek culture, the mental health rep and all the European travel in this tender, big-hearted and STEAMY romance!
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!...more
What an outstanding debut!! I loved this X-files inspired reality web series romance that sees a showrunner falling for the star of her new Cryptid huWhat an outstanding debut!! I loved this X-files inspired reality web series romance that sees a showrunner falling for the star of her new Cryptid hunter online show. It had great heat and chemistry between the leads and EXCELLENT emotional depth - the MMC was dealing with depression and the FMC struggled with self worth after being in a toxic workplace relationship. Steamy and full of great banter, this is a standout debut that was great on audio and I CANNOT wait to read more from Mallory Marlowe!! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!!!!! Don't miss this one!!...more
A heartfelt YA graphic novel about two teen gymnasts, Riley and Kota who both dream of going to the Olympics. I really enjoyed the disability rep in tA heartfelt YA graphic novel about two teen gymnasts, Riley and Kota who both dream of going to the Olympics. I really enjoyed the disability rep in this book (Riley is hard of hearing and Kota has anxiety). The friendship between the two is heartwarming and I loved how they found a unique way to communicate with one another that was all their own and help each other with their worries and grief. Riley is feeling lonely having moved from California and is also still grieving the death of one of her fathers. Highly recommended with good illustrations too! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!...more
I absolutely LOVED this grumpy x sunshine, forced proximity, dual POV, YA reality tv show story that sees two college students paired up to compete inI absolutely LOVED this grumpy x sunshine, forced proximity, dual POV, YA reality tv show story that sees two college students paired up to compete in a competition race to hike the Appalachian Trail. The mental health rep in this book was outstanding! I
loved how much focus was spent on FMC, Natalie' anxiety disorder as she learns how to deal with negative thoughts, panic attacks and more. The chemistry between her and partner Finn was top notch and I loved that Finn was a nerdy, book-loving grump who does his best to encourage and build Natalie up once he realizes there's more to her than the superficial blonde Southern persona she projects.
Great on audio narrated by Amanda Stribling and perfect for fans of books like Grandma Gatewood's walk, Anita Kelly's Something wild & wonderful or Katherine Center's Happiness for beginners. Many thanks to NetGalley and @prhaudio for a complimentary digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!...more
This was a great debut novella from a new Icelandic author and a perfect pick for women in translation month!
The chronic pain and mental health rep wThis was a great debut novella from a new Icelandic author and a perfect pick for women in translation month!
The chronic pain and mental health rep was my favorite part and I found it so relatable and well written.
Horror isn't my fav genre but this was more horror light/psychological women's fiction.
Good on audio too and perfect for fans of books like Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder.
I look forward to seeing what this author writes next! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review!
⚠️CW: cat lovers might want to skip this one but there is no graphic on page violence...more
WOW!! A new classic perfect for fans of The hatchet by Gary Paulson or Alone by Megan E Freeman. This was a heartfelt, moving, California wilderness sWOW!! A new classic perfect for fans of The hatchet by Gary Paulson or Alone by Megan E Freeman. This was a heartfelt, moving, California wilderness survival story featuring a young nonbinary teen, Ash who hikes into the woods in search of their grandfather's remote cabin. They learn how to survive for 48 days with only their dog for a companion before wildfires chase them back to civilization. Important messages of acceptance, environmental activism, climate change and queer identity pervade in this graphic novel that has amazing illustrations and is spare in text. I absolutely loved it!! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!...more
This was a satisfying and SUPER spicy conclusion to the Beyond the Play college sports romance series featuring the Callaghan siblings - each of whom This was a satisfying and SUPER spicy conclusion to the Beyond the Play college sports romance series featuring the Callaghan siblings - each of whom specializes in a different sport. I really liked that this book focused on Isabel who plays college Volleyball and her forbidden romance with her brother's Russian hockey star rival, Nik.
Full of emotional depth, great mental health rep (Nik has a physically abusive father and suffers from panic attacks) and, again a TON of open door heat, this book was great on audio (I must applaud narrator Oscar Reyes and his excellent Russian accent!). Nik might have been the product of a troubled childhood and had a toxic relationship with his father, but he sure knew how to treat a lady right!!
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review. This book is PERFECT for fans of authors like Elle Kennedy and HIGHLY recommended for those who love spicy sports romance, the likes of which only Tessa Bailey can compare.
This was a moving YA coming of age romance told in alternating chapters of verse and prose. Beautifully written, this book takes place over 3 summer nThis was a moving YA coming of age romance told in alternating chapters of verse and prose. Beautifully written, this book takes place over 3 summer nights spread out over 3 years and sees two teens falling in love and grappling with mental health, parental divorce and debilitating chronic illness (nystagmus, that causes loss of sight and balance issues).
Passionate about photography, Jude also has anxiety hates that his parents are divorcing and later gets diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, whereas as Florence has a degenerative eye condition that is growing increasingly worse and threatens to derail her dreams of becoming a professional ballerina. Sweet, poignant and very relatable, this was a quick read that I enjoyed a lot as an audiobook! Highly recommended and I really hope to see more collaborations between Zentner and Cavallaro.
Fav quotes:
“I was thinking that this is what you hope love is: you enter a house full of monsters with someone and then you fight for each other until you can’t fight anymore.”
“Sometimes I think the only things we’re put on this earth for are to create art and make connections with the people we’re supposed to connect with.” ...more
I enjoyed this supernatural YA graphic novel debut so much more than I was expecting! The mental health (depression, anxiety, negative self thoughts) I enjoyed this supernatural YA graphic novel debut so much more than I was expecting! The mental health (depression, anxiety, negative self thoughts) was SOOOO excellently written. I loved that the main character, Joana's depressive state was the main focus of the book and the author doesn't just sweep it under a rug or dismiss her feelings but make her journey to self-love and therapy the central part of the story. Such a relatable and relevant book, sure to create empathy and aid to readers of all ages!! The illustrations are beautiful too! HIGHLY recommended!...more
This was an intimate and intricately plotted novella about a troubled marriage set in 1950s suburbia. I really enjoyed that we got both the husband's This was an intimate and intricately plotted novella about a troubled marriage set in 1950s suburbia. I really enjoyed that we got both the husband's and wife's POVs - both were very flawed but REAL individuals struggling to exist as a couple and a separate person in an anxiety-inducing world where a dog was sent to space to die and everything seemed both futile and possible at the same time. Compelling and well written, this was a quick, moving read. Definitely recommended. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!...more
This book was fake dating, coworker rival, dual POV, vacation romance goodness that sees Bahnu and Sunny, two UX techies up for a project manager job This book was fake dating, coworker rival, dual POV, vacation romance goodness that sees Bahnu and Sunny, two UX techies up for a project manager job find themselves staying at the same Hawaii resort on their vacation and end up sharing a room with only one bed and pretending to date to show off for Sunny's ex while they are both guests at the same wedding.
Convoluted plot? Maybe a little but I loved it anyways! I especially liked the women in STEM, mental health (social anxiety) rep and Bahnu's family members' part in the storyline and the way the two main characters learn to appreciate one another the more time they spend together.
What started off as a favor quickly has Bahnu developing real feelings for Sunny and wondering whether they can make an actual relationship work IRL when they get back from vacation. Great on audio, this slow burn, steamy romance is perfect for fans of Denise Williams's book, Technically yours.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review! This was a perfect summer beach read with a fantastically GORGEOUS cover to boot!...more
3.5 rounded up - I was really looking forward to this book about Rich, a British man who gets diagnosed with a brain tumor and only has months to live3.5 rounded up - I was really looking forward to this book about Rich, a British man who gets diagnosed with a brain tumor and only has months to live. Told in alternating POVs from Rich, his wife, Ruth, their son Ollie, who is on the spectrum as well as their extended family members - this book covers a number of heavy issues as the characters deal with their grief over the loss of the man they all loved. As a brain tumor survivor myself, I really connected with Rich, especially with his love of cheese and his deep love of life and his family. What I didn't love so much about this book was how many different perspectives there were. I felt the author tried to do too much instead of focusing on just a few characters. Ruth grapples with a deep-seated depression after her husband's death (something that runs in her family), while still trying to be there for her son, who is struggling to find meaning in life after losing his dad. Rich's mother is not just trying to support her daughter in law and grandson but trying to do right by her husband who is suffering from worsening dementia and needing more care than she can give. In addition, Ruth's sister and mom are also working through their own issues and grief. It all gets to be a little much and in my opinion this book would have been stronger with a few fewer perspectives. Overall very well written and tackles hard topics but I wanted more (or rather less). Recommended for people who enjoy stories about families dealing with loss and grief in their own different ways and great on audio with a full cast of narrators. Thanks to NetGalley for my advance review copy!...more
A beautiful second chance YA MM romance between former best friends who had a falling out by a mistaken betrayal who find themselves spending the summA beautiful second chance YA MM romance between former best friends who had a falling out by a mistaken betrayal who find themselves spending the summer together working to save a family vineyard/B&B. I really enjoyed the mental health (Depression) rep in this book. You could tell it was a personal story for the author and was written in a very relatable, sensitive way.
The romance was also swoony and realistic with a touch of whimsy in the form of a wishing rose bush and a curse - the protagonist Grant believes he's doomed in love. Great on audio and highly recommended for fans of books like Icebreaker by A. L. Graziadei. Many thanks to @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!...more
Loading...
