Genre: Contemporary

The Undoing of Thistle Tate by Katelyn Detweiler | ARC Review

Posted August 11, 2019 in Books, Reviews / 0 Comments
The Undoing of Thistle Tate by Katelyn Detweiler | ARC Review

*Thank you so much to Holiday House Publicity and the Publisher for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!* I’ve been a fan of Katelyn Detweiler’s since I read her debut novel, Immaculate, which explored themes of faith, religion, and miracles in modern society. I found it incredibly well written and thoughtful in its approach to question the inexpiable. So when I was offered the opportunity to read her newest novel that provided an inside look into the publishing world, I quickly accepted. The Undoing of Thistle Tate follows Thistle, a prolific teen author who has penned […]


The Exact Opposite of Okay by Laura Steven

Posted August 5, 2019 in Books, Reviews / 0 Comments
The Exact Opposite of Okay by Laura Steven

I can’t quite remember how The Exact Opposite of Okay made it onto my TBR, but I found myself downloading it to my Kindle in preparation for my honeymoon as I wanted to be stocked with YA contemporary reads for the long plane rides ahead of me. I went into the story with little to no expectations and was surprised to find that it had a journal format (something that’s not as common in YA these days, though it was hugely popular in the early 2000s). I settled in for a story that honestly reminded me of a more crass […]


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 […]


Mini Reviews | The Book of Essie and The Afterlife of Holly Chase

Posted June 10, 2019 in Books, Reviews / 4 Comments
Mini Reviews | The Book of Essie and The Afterlife of Holly Chase

The Book of Essie had been on my radar for a while because if you know me, you know I am fascinated with any contemporary books that tackle the topic of religion. I’m also a sucker for reality TV so this novel was right up my alley as it focuses on Essie, a teenager who has grown up in a very conservative, religious household with her pastor father, controlling mother and various siblings, a life which is all captured on the reality tv show “Six for Hicks.” As expected, there’s more than meets the eye with the Hicks family and […]


With the Fire On High by Elizabeth Acevedo | ARC Review

Posted June 3, 2019 in Books, Reviews / 4 Comments
With the Fire On High by Elizabeth Acevedo | ARC Review

Isn’t it just the best feeling when a book that you’ve been HIGHLY anticipating lives up to your expectations? That was my experience when reading With the Fire On High by Elizabeth Acevedo. I initially swooned over the gorgeous cover and the fact that it featured a Latinx protagonist, but I wasn’t sure what to expect from the writing since the author was new to me and I’d heard her previous book was more poetry-focused. However, I almost immediately fell in love with this story of a resilient teen who balances the challenges thrown her way with grace and heart. […]


There’s Something About Sweetie by Sandhya Menon | ARC Review

Posted April 29, 2019 in Books, Reviews / 6 Comments
There’s Something About Sweetie by Sandhya Menon | ARC Review

*A huge thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for providing a review copy in exchange for an honest review!* I always know that when I pick up a story by Sandhya Menon it’s going to be sweet, fluffy, and full of heart. There’s Something About Sweetie is no exception, however it has the added bonus of being my favorite Sandhya Menon book to date! I was utterly charmed by Sweetie’s resilience and confidence and she’s the perfect type of protagonist I know I would want my future children to encounter when they’re reading YA one day. There’s Something […]


The Dating Game by Kiley Roache | ARC Review

Posted March 25, 2019 in Books, Reviews / 3 Comments
The Dating Game by Kiley Roache | ARC Review

Thank you so much to the publisher for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review! Novels set in college are one of my FAVORITE things as a reader. There’s so much potential for character development, self exploration, new themes and tropes, and just endless possibility really to break out of the traditional YA mold. What’s even more excellent is finding a college set novel that doesn’t fall into the romance/erotica heavy New Adult categorization either. Kiley Roache is an author who writes college stories that are just authentic enough to keep readers connected to the characters despite […]


Girls with Sharp Sticks by Suzanne Young | ARC Review

Posted March 18, 2019 in Books, Reviews / 2 Comments
Girls with Sharp Sticks by Suzanne Young | ARC Review

Thank you so much to Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review! I’ve only read one book by Suzanne Young and it wasn’t my favorite, and I somehow completely missed the hype train for her successful The Program series. Couples with the fact that I’m not a huge dystopian fan, I didn’t think much of Girls with Sharp Sticks when I first came across it on Goodreads. However, I started seeing more and more of my trusted blogger and reviewer friends post about how intensely good the story was and […]