Review: Loveboat, Taipei by Abigail Hing Wen

Loveboat, Taipei by Abigail Hing Wen

Loveboat, Taipei (Loveboat, Taipei #1)
Abigail Hing Wen
HarperTeen
Published January 7, 2020

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About Loveboat, Taipei

“Our cousins have done this program,” Sophie whispers. “Best kept secret. Zero supervision.

And just like that, Ever Wong’s summer takes an unexpected turnGone is Chien Tan, the strict educational program in Taiwan that Ever was expecting. In its place, she finds Loveboat: a summer-long free-for-all where hookups abound, adults turn a blind eye, snake-blood sake flows abundantly, and the nightlife runs nonstop.

But not every student is quite what they seem:

Ever is working toward becoming a doctor but nurses a secret passion for dance.

Rick … Continue reading

Review: Love in 280 Characters or Less by Ravynn K. Stringfield

Love in 280 Characters or Less by Ravynn K. Stringfield

Love in 280 Characters or Less
Ravynn K. Stringfield
Feiwel & Friends
Published April 15, 2025

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About Love in 280 Characters or Less

Black college student Sydney Ciara navigates academics, love, and the online realm, in this Young Adult coming-of-age romance told through her blog posts, messages, social media posts, and more!

Sydney Ciara Warren is excited as she starts her first year of college, but also nervous. Her best friend Malcolm will be at a different university, so she’ll have to make new friends. And despite her interests in writing and fashion, … Continue reading

Review: Vanya and the Wild Hunt by Sangu Mandanna

Vanya and the Wild Hunt by Sangu Mandanna

Vanya and the Wild Hunt
Sangu Mandanna
Roaring Brook Press
Published March 11, 2025

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About Vanya and the Wild Hunt

Amari and the Night Brothers meets Nevermoor in this enchanting middle grade fantasy, inspired by Indian mythology and British folklore, about a neurodivergent heroine, a mysterious school, and a world of magical creatures.

Eleven-year-old Vanya Vallen has always felt like she doesn’t fit in. She’s British-Indian in a mostly white town in England, her parents won’t talk about their pasts, and she has ADHD.

Oh, and she talks to books. More importantly, the books talk back.

When her family is attacked by a monster … Continue reading

30 Most-Anticipated Spring 2025 Young Adult Books

30 Most-Anticipated Spring 2025 Young Adult Books

30 Most-Anticipated Spring 2025 Young Adult Books

We’re only a few weeks into the official spring season, but the weather here is already getting pretty warm. Every time we have a cooler evening or morning, I try to spend a few minutes savoring it. Just like the seasons speeding by, new books keep coming out so quickly I can’t keep up! My reading list continues to explode, and the spring 2025 young adult books coming out in the next few months will only make it worse. Ha!

I’m looking forward to reading so many books. Since I’m late posting this list, I’ve read several that appear on here, but I’m including them anyway, since I … Continue reading

Review: All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely

All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely

All American Boys
Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely
Simon & Schuster
Published September 29, 2015

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About All American Boys

Rashad is absent again today.

That’s the sidewalk graffiti that started it all…

Well, no, actually, a lady tripping over Rashad at the store, making him drop a bag of chips, was what started it all. Because it didn’t matter what Rashad said next—that it was an accident, that he wasn’t stealing—the cop just kept pounding him. Over and over, pummeling him into the pavement. So then Rashad, an ROTC kid with mad art skills, was absent again…and … Continue reading

Spring 2025 Picture Books On My Radar

Spring 2025 Picture Books on My Radar

Spring 2025 Picture Books On My Radar

Spring is here, and the time when my littlest prefers picture books feels shorter than ever. She still brings them home from the library at school, but when she can, she prefers chapter books or graphic novels these days.

While I still have the chance, these are some titles I’m looking forward to snuggling up to read with her. She has pretty wide-ranging taste, as you can see from this short list. There are some books about history as well as social experiences and relationships.

Note: This post contains affiliate links that do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. Thanks for using them … Continue reading