Genre: Contemporary

How To Love by Katie Cotugno | Review

Posted July 12, 2021 in Books, Reviews / 0 Comments
How To Love by Katie Cotugno | Review

I swear, Katie Cotugno never fails to disappoint me. She takes the realest, rawest emotions from being a teenager and manages to spin them into a story that takes me right back into that state of mind, empathizing with the characters even if I haven’t been in their exact situation before. Such was the case when I read How to Love, which I requested from my library on a whim, and absolutely tore through it, inhaling it in a way I haven’t read a contemporary YA novel in a while. The story follows protagonist Reena, who is a teen mother […]


Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto | Review

Posted July 5, 2021 in Books, Reviews / 0 Comments
Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto | Review

I’ve recently discovered the cozy/humorous mystery genre, and have been consistently delighted with the genre’s irreverent, laugh out loud antics and outlandish premises. Dial A for Aunties fits the bill perfectly, and despite a slow start once they mystery got going I was so amused I could not put it down! The story centers on protagonist Meddy who has stayed in her Southern California town with her mother and aunties despite her aspirations for a bigger and better life outside of her tight knit family structure. While she at times resents staying home and working in the family wedding business, […]


Tokyo Ever After by Emiko Jean | ARC Review

Posted May 17, 2021 in Books, Reviews / 2 Comments
Tokyo Ever After by Emiko Jean | ARC Review

I absolutely adore books that have the “modern royalty” premise, so when I found out that Tokyo Ever After had major Princess Diaries vibes, I knew I had to read it! Following Japanese America protagonist Izumi Tanaka, the story chronicles her adventures in finding out her estranged father is actually the crown prince of Japan. What follows is a whirlwind of Izumi going to visit her father and learning about her Japanese heritage and responsibilities of being the descendant of a future monarch, which is a far cry from her life in small town, rural California. Tokyo Ever After was […]


Yolk by Mary H.K. Choi | ARC Review

Posted April 19, 2021 in Books, Reviews / 0 Comments
Yolk by Mary H.K. Choi | ARC Review

I’ve found that there’s something so incredibly raw and real about Mary H.K.Choi’s writing, and her novel Yolk is no exception. A tale of two sisters both trying to make their way in NYC, Yolk confronts the messy, indulgent, and self-destructive tendencies of the younger generation today in a world where a carefully crafted persona is oftentimes prioritized over well being and relationships, and the extreme loneliness and sadness that lives beneath that lifestyle. Protagonist Jayne was honestly hard to read at times. She’s messy, selfish and materialistic, but also so desperately eager for attention and affection that its honestly […]


YA Mini Reviews: Chasing Lucky + The Voting Booth

Posted December 28, 2020 in Books, Reviews / 0 Comments
YA Mini Reviews: Chasing Lucky + The Voting Booth

I was a little nervous going into Chasing Lucky, because I’ve had mixed luck with Jenn Bennet books. I adored Starry Eyes but never even got around to finishing Serious Moonlight, and I didn’t know where Chasing Lucky would end up on the spectrum of enjoyment for me. Luckily (pun intended), Chasing Lucky proved to be an enjoyable read for me, falling right under Starry Eyes in my ranking of Jenn Bennet books. Chasing Lucky follows protagonist Josie who is returning to her hometown after being gone for several years moving all over the east coast with her mom. She’s […]


Admission by Julie Buxbaum | ARC Review

Posted November 23, 2020 in Books, Reviews / 4 Comments
Admission by Julie Buxbaum | ARC Review

I remember exactly where I was the day the news broke about the college bribery scandal. It was all anyone at work could talk about that day, and though I was far removed from my college days, I remember the anger and disappointment I felt remembering how grueling the college application process was back in my day, and I’m sure it’s just become even more competitive. It was a scandal that really highlighted a truth I think many “knew” as an unspoken rule but now had tangible evidence for: the deck is stacked for the wealthy, the admissions process is […]


Rent a Boyfriend by Gloria Chao | ARC Review

Posted November 9, 2020 in Books, Reviews / 0 Comments
Rent a Boyfriend by Gloria Chao | ARC Review

It’s no secret that I am a huge fan of YA set in college, so I was eager to dive into Gloria Chao’s newest novel, Rent a Boyfriend. Having adored American Panda, I was eager to experience her witty yet realistic storytelling centered on a first generation American college student. Chao’s latest novel did not disappoint, and at times felt full of more emotional turmoil than her fantastic debut novel. The novel seems to have a surprising plot at first- Chloe hires a fake boyfriend through a service to bring home for the Thanksgiving holiday to get her parents off […]


Love & Olives by Jenna Evans Welch | ARC Review

Posted November 2, 2020 in Books, Reviews / 2 Comments
Love & Olives by Jenna Evans Welch | ARC Review

First and foremost, I ADORE this companion series. I love how all of the titles are stand-alones but have corresponding titles and covers that are so simple but so effectively capture the magic of these European stories of self discovery and exploration. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again: I wish Ms. Welch could be my own personal European tour guide because every single one of these books makes me feel as though I just went on vacation! While I’ve enjoyed each book in this series for different reasons, I think Love & Olives by far had the […]


I’ll Be the One by Lyla Lee | Review

Posted September 28, 2020 in Books, Reviews / 4 Comments
I’ll Be the One by Lyla Lee | Review

I’m not a parent (yet), but I’ll Be the One is EXACTLY the type of book I hope my future child reads someday. It’s so full of body positivity, confidence, vulnerability, friendships and family dynamics that I think any reader can draw positivity and courage from. Following teen Skye Shin as she auditions for a K-Pop talent search show, I’ll Be the One was a refreshing addition to the YA contemporary genre and definitely my favorite K-Pop focused book to date! As mentioned in the synopsis, a significant part of Skye’s identity is her confidence, and I love how this […]


A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow | ARC Review

Posted September 7, 2020 in Books, Reviews / 2 Comments
A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow | ARC Review

A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow is the perfect recipe of all things I love in a YA book: a big, loving Latinx family, absolutely mouth-watering depictions of food, and a summer adventure in Europe. Following Lila, a recent high school graduate who has big plans to run her family’s Cuban bakery after graduation, the story takes an unexpected turn when Lila’s well-intentioned family sends her to England for the summer to recover from multiple heartbreaks and a sense of grief she can’t (quite literally) outrun. At first I was a bit apprehensive about Lila’s journey to England, […]