Category Archives: Contemporary

Review: The Boyfriend Wish by Swati Teerdhala

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The Boyfriend Wish by Swati Teerdhala

The Boyfriend Wish
Swati Teerdhala
Katherine Tegen Books
Published February 13, 2024

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About The Boyfriend Wish

A charming romantic comedy about a South Indian American teen girl who makes a wish upon a flower for her perfect boyfriend…and then a new boy moves in right next door. With love triangles, prank wars, and a sizzling sweet romance—this is perfect for fans of Sandhya Menon and Jenny Han.

Deepa’s a hopeless romantic. And even though Deepa’s checklist for the perfect boyfriend is a mile long, her mom and dad’s fairy-tale love story makes her feel like romantic success ought … Continue reading →

Review: With a Little Luck by Marissa Meyer

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With a Little Luck by Marissa Meyer

With a Little Luck (Fortuna Beach #2)
Marissa Meyer
Feiwel & Friends
Published February 13, 2024

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About With a Little Luck

After being magically gifted with incredible luck, a boy discovers this gift just may be a curse when it comes to love, in this YA novel by #1 New York Times -bestselling author Marissa Meyer.

Jude is determined to fly under the radar. He just wants to draw his comics, host regular D&D night with his friends, work at his parents’ vinyl record store, and escape high school as unscathed as possible. That … Continue reading →

Review: A Bit of Earth by Karuna Riazi

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A Bit of Earth by Karuna Riazi cover shows a girl looking back over her shoulder toward the camera. In the background is a tall tree whose leaves form a path, winding around the tree and swirling around the girl.

A Bit of Earth
Karuna Riazi
Greenwillow Books
Published March 14, 2023

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About A Bit of Earth

Maria Latif is used to not having a space of her own. But what happens when she feels the sudden urge to put down roots in the most unexpected of places?

Growing up in Pakistan, Maria Latif has been bounced between reluctant relatives for as long as she can remember–first because of her parents’ … Continue reading →

Review: Drawing Deena by Hena Khan

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Drawing Deena by Hena Khan

Drawing Deena
Hena Khan
Salaam Reads
Published February 6, 2024

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About Drawing Deena

From the award-winning author of AMINA’S VOICE and AMINA’S SONG comes a tenderhearted middle grade novel about a young Pakistani American artist determined to manage her anxiety and forge her own creative path.

Deena’s never given a name to the familiar knot in her stomach that appears when her parents argue about money, when it’s time to go to school, or when she struggles to find the right words. She manages to make it through each day with the help of her friends and the art she … Continue reading →

Top Ten Tuesday: Best New-to-Me Authors of 2023

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Top Ten Tuesday: Best New-to-Me Authors of 2023

Top Ten Tuesday: Best New-to-Me Authors of 2023

2023 was such a wild year for me, reading-wise. I feel like I spent all year struggling to throttle back my review commitments while simultaneously wildly self-sabotaging every time a publisher sent me a new catalog offering review copies of books I desperately wanted to read. Too many good books is one of my favorite problems to have– except when it adds real stress to my life. It is a wonderful problem to have because you’ve discovered new authors you love, which I absolutely did. In fact, today, I’m sharing a list of the best new-to-me authors of 2023.

Note: Top Ten Tuesday is a … Continue reading →

Review: Maybe It’s a Sign by E. L. Shen

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Maybe It's a Sign by E. L. Shen cover shows a girl with a ponytail reaching for a blue and red bird.

Maybe It’s a Sign
E. L. Shen
Farrar, Straus, and Giroux
Published January 23, 2024

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About Maybe It’s a Sign

An uplifting middle-grade novel about loss, luck . . . and deep-dish chocolate chip cookies―perfect for fans of King and the Dragonflies and The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise.

Seventh-grader Freya June Sun has always believed in the Chinese superstitions spoon-fed to her since birth. Ever since her dad’s death a year ago, she’s become obsessed with them, and believes that her father … Continue reading →