Format: ARC

What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez by Claire Jimenez | ARC Review

Posted April 3, 2023 in Books, Reviews / 1 Comment
What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez by Claire Jimenez | ARC Review

I love a good mystery or thriller, and when I read that this one featured a missing sister that potentially pops up on a reality show years later? Sign me up! Told in alternating POVs among two sisters and their mother, the story follows the family several years after the middle daughter, Ruthy, goes missing after track practice one day. Years later, one sister is convinced she sees Ruby on a reality tv show, which leads to the family reuniting and reopening old wounds as they reflect on Ruthy’s disappearance and potential reunion, often overstepping in the pursuit of finding […]


Mini Reviews: The Silver Blonde and Killing November

Posted January 17, 2022 in Books, Reviews / 0 Comments
Mini Reviews: The Silver Blonde and Killing November

I’ve really been enjoying historical fiction the past few years, so when I heard about The Silver Blonde I was excited to add another title to my TBR! I was also curious as I hadn’t read anything set in post WWII Los Angeles and was intrigued to see how the entertainment industry was impacted by the war, especially in the context of a mystery. This story had a lot of interesting elements going on- a mystery, an exploration of the film industry in the aftermath of WWII, the German immigrant experience in America after the war, the journey of women […]


If I’m Being Honest by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka | ARC Review

Posted April 6, 2020 in Books, Reviews / 2 Comments
If I’m Being Honest by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka | ARC Review

There’s no denying what a stunning cover If I’m Being Honest has, and it’s what initially drew me to the novel despite my hesitation toward all things Shakespeare (I am personally not a fan of The Bard, and this is supposed to be a retelling of The Taming of the Shrew). I was surprised to find that despite it’s premise, I really enjoyed this story and found it a fast and fun contemporary that I read in just a few sittings. Right from the synopsis, readers are made aware that they are getting an unlikable- or at least difficult- protagonist. […]


Girls with Razor Hearts by Suzanne Young | ARC Review

Posted March 16, 2020 in Books, Reviews / 1 Comment
Girls with Razor Hearts by Suzanne Young | ARC Review

It’s no secret that Girls with Sharp Sticks was one of my favorite books of 2019. I was absolutely thrilled when I was offered an ARC of the sequel, Girls with Razor Hearts and could not wait to dive into this sci-fi/dystpopian story again (which is a true testament to how well written this series is, as those are genres not typically in my reading wheelhouse!) While I found Girls with Razor Hearts to have an overall different vibe than its predecessor, I still very much enjoyed this story of feminism, strength and resilience. *Note, this review will contain spoilers […]


These Witches Don’t Burn by Isabel Sterling | ARC Review

Posted October 14, 2019 in Books, Reviews / 0 Comments
These Witches Don’t Burn by Isabel Sterling | ARC Review

I am a huge fan of witches in paranormal fiction, and I honestly feel like they don’t get the attention they deserve! So when I heard that These Witches Don’t Burn not only focused on teenage witches but was also set in Salem, I HAD to read it. I was lucky enough to grab a copy of ALA and saved it for the fall as the perfect witchy read. The world of These Witches Don’t Burn divides witches into three categories: Caster Witches, Elemental Witches, and Blood Witches. Hannah, the protagonist, comes from a family of Elementals who are part […]


Dear Haiti, Love Alaine | ARC Review

Posted September 9, 2019 in Books, Reviews / 2 Comments
Dear Haiti, Love Alaine | ARC Review

Dear Haiti, Love Alaine immediately caught my eye at ALA midwinter this year because of its striking cover. I had never heard of it before, but it was GORGEOUS and I knew I had to add it to my TBR immediately. With a release date 8 months in the future, I saved it as one of my special reads for the end of the summer season. When I finally picked it up over the Labor Day holiday weekend it did NOT disappoint, and is easily one of my favorite contemporary reads of the year. I was thrilled by the format […]


A Curse So Dark and Lonely (Cursebreakers #1) by Brigid Kemmerer | ARC Review

Posted August 19, 2019 in Books, Reviews / 5 Comments
A Curse So Dark and Lonely (Cursebreakers #1) by Brigid Kemmerer | ARC Review

I love a good Beauty and the Beast retelling. In fact, most of my all time favorite fantasy novels are Beauty and the Beast retellings (ACOTAR, Cruel Beauty, etc), so I had pretty high hopes going into A Curse So Dark and Lonely. Coupled with the fact that it merges a fantasy world with the modern world, I knew I was going to enjoy my first reading experience with Brigid Kemmerer’s work. As with any Beauty and the Beast retelling, the story follows an intelligent and young protagonist, Harper, who is taken against her will from her home of Washington […]


Patron Saints of Nothing by Randy Ribay | ARC Review

Posted July 29, 2019 in Books, Reviews / 1 Comment
Patron Saints of Nothing by Randy Ribay | ARC Review

Patron Saints of Nothing was brought to my attention by the lovely Mel to the Any, so when I attended ALA midwinter this year I couldn’t resist picking up a copy, especially after seeing the striking cover. Though I myself am not Filipino, my husband’s family is and I am making an effort to read more diversely and learn more about his Filipino heritage, so I was excited to read this title that not only explored the experience of a Filipino-American protagonist, but actually explored the current state of the Philippines as well when the protagonist visits his birth country […]


Past Perfect Life by Elizabeth Eulberg | ARC Review

Posted July 1, 2019 in Books, Reviews / 1 Comment
Past Perfect Life by Elizabeth Eulberg | ARC Review

I didn’t know much about Past Perfect Life when I saw it sitting inconspicuously at a booth at ALA this winter. The cover was interesting and I heard it compared to Far From the Tree by Robin Benway (a phenomenal book) so I decided to pick it up and try it out. I’m so glad I did, because I flew through Past Perfect Life in less than 24 hours and was fully immersed in the tale of Allison Smith and how her life is completely destroyed and rebuilt by the simple action of submitting her college applications. Things I Enjoyed: […]


Somewhere Only We Know by Maurene Goo | ARC Review

Posted June 17, 2019 in Books, Reviews / 2 Comments
Somewhere Only We Know by Maurene Goo | ARC Review

Though Maurene Goo’s novels have never been all time favorites of mine, she always writes cute, fun stories (with delicious descriptions of food) that have plucky protagonists and much needed Asian representation. When I heard the premise for Somewhere Only We Know featured a K-pop star, I was super intrigued, as K-pop has definitely been taking the US by storm the past few years (and who doesn’t love a good celebrity and normal person relationship??) Unfortunately, Somewhere Only We Know missed the mark for me, and ended up my least favorite of the author’s novels. There’s a lot that this […]