Category Archives: Romance

Review: Accidental by Alex Richards

Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , ,
Accidental by Alex Richards

Accidental
Alex Richards
Bloomsbury YA
Published July 7, 2020

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

About Accidental

Johanna has had more than enough trauma in her life. She lost her mom in a car accident, and her father went AWOL when Johanna was just a baby. At sixteen, life is steady, boring . . . maybe even stifling, since she’s being raised by her grandparents who never talk about their daughter, her mother Mandy.

Then he comes back: Robert Newsome, Johanna’s father, bringing memories and pictures of Mandy. But that’s not all he shares. A tragic car accident didn’t kill Mandy–it was Johanna, who at two years old, accidentally shot her own mother with an unsecured gun.

Now Johanna has to sort through it all–the return of her absentee father, her grandparents’ lies, her part in her mother’s death. But no one, neither her loyal best friends nor her sweet new boyfriend, can help her forgive them. Most of all, can she ever find a way to forgive herself?

In a searing, ultimately uplifting story, debut author Alex Richards tackles a different side of the important issue that has galvanized teens across our country.

My Review

I did not anticipate how hard it would be to read a book like this while my stress level is already pretty high.

That’s not to say that I didn’t enjoy it, though. Gun violence, and particularly a story about a toddler accidentally killing her mom, would always be a tough read. Johanna was two and a half when this happened. I have a child who’s two and a half right now, too, so it was hard to think about what it would be like for her to go through something like that, and then not have her mom there to comfort her. Ever again.

So yeah, ACCIDENTAL is a super emotional book. I liked Johanna a lot, though, and really identified with a lot of her emotions, from her frustration with her grandparents’ avoidance to her conflicting feelings about her dad, to her frustration with her best friend.

Packed on top of all of those things is Johanna’s first romantic experience. I thought the author did an amazing job balancing all the relationships and plot elements together, keeping them present but not letting them drown each other out or overwhelm the reader.

All in all, I think it’s really great to see a young adult book that focuses on this kind of gun violence and trauma. I think readers who enjoy books about characters facing down their trauma, such as WHAT UNBREAKABLE LOOKS LIKE, will enjoy ACCIDENTAL.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 16 up.

Representation
Gabby’s dad is Jamaican. Leah is Jewish and bisexual. (Both are Johanna’s best friends.) Johanna has been adopted and raised by her grandparents.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used pretty frequently. Also some crude comments.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. One scene briefly describes them removing clothes, implying and then later stating they’ve had sex. Brief references to a girl having had sex with a girl.

Spiritual Content
Johanna’s grandparents are faithful church attenders and expect Johanna to go with them. After she learns about the true cause of her mother’s death, Johanna only feels judged by God, and it ultimately results in her withdrawing from church.

Her dad also references a positive relationship with God through his pastor and church as part of his recovery from drug addiction. Johanna questions that relationship later when it appears to lead him to do hurtful things.

Violent Content – Trigger Warning for Bullying and Gun Violence
Descriptions of an accidental shooting and Johanna’s imaginings of what might have happened.

Kids at school say cruel things to her. In one instance, two boys demand that a teacher search Johanna’s bag “just in case” she’s carrying a gun. A doctored photo of Johanna shooting her mother appears online and at school.

One man punches another man in the face.

Drug Content
Johanna takes Xanax from someone else’s prescription. At a dinner party with her friend’s family, she gets drunk. She learns that her father became a drug addict in prison, and that he used to sell pot.

Note: I received a free copy of ACCIDENTAL in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog.

Review: Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Romance, , , , , , ,

Girl, Serpent, Thorn
Melissa Bashardoust
Flatiron Books
Published July 7, 2020

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

About Girl, Serpent, Thorn

There was and there was not, as all stories begin, a princess cursed to be poisonous to the touch. But for Soraya, who has lived her life hidden away, apart from her family, safe only in her gardens, it’s not just a story.

As the day of her twin brother’s wedding approaches, Soraya must decide if she’s willing to step outside of the shadows for the first time. Below in the dungeon is a demon who holds knowledge that she craves, the answer to her freedom. And above is a young man who isn’t afraid of her, whose eyes linger not with fear, but with an understanding of who she is beneath the poison.

Soraya thought she knew her place in the world, but when her choices lead to consequences she never imagined, she begins to question who she is and who she is becoming…human or demon. Princess or monster.

A captivating and utterly original fairy tale about a girl cursed to be poisonous to the touch, and who discovers what power might lie in such a curse…

My Review

I went into this book a little nervously because I’d read some mediocre reviews, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. The font on my ARC was also super small, so I worried that reading it might give me a headache.

Mainly I say all that to let you know that when I feel like I zipped through the book super quick and found it completely engrossing, you get the kind of obstacles it was up against. Ha.

First, the characters. I loved Soraya and her mom and the complicated relationship between them. The women in the cast absolutely shine, from Parvaneh and the sisterhood of pariks (winged demons) to Soraya and her mom, they were all complex and fascinating.

As far as the story, I enjoyed the story world, which is based on Persian mythology. Some of the titles are a little unfamiliar and confusing, but there is some explanation about them in the back of the book. I think a glossary would have been helpful, too. All in all, though, I as I got into the story, I was able to keep my bearings just fine.

The plot is very twisty. Less in terms of surprises (though every story has its share of surprises) and more in terms of the way things sort of loop back around, where the past connects to the present. I liked that a lot, and it gave the story a layered feel to it that I enjoyed.

One of the things that will stick with me, I think, is the way Soraya talked about making herself smaller early in the story– trying to keep others safe by shrinking herself as small as she could. I felt like that created this incredible picture of who she was at the beginning and showed such a contrast with who she became and how her courage changed her.

I feel like there are areas in our lives (especially as women) where we sometimes do that– make ourselves smaller to avoid conflict or hurt, even when it hurts us. So I loved reading this story about a young woman who comes into her own, learns to take up her space and be bold. It was both validating and freeing.

I think readers who enjoyed FOREST OF SOULS by Lori M. Lee or FORBIDDEN WISH by Jessica Khoury will enjoy this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Based on Persian mythology.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used very rarely.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. Kissing between two girls.

Spiritual Content
In this story, the world is ruled by two gods: the Creator and the Destroyer. The Destroyer releases demons, or Divs, into the world. Soraya’s family is protected by a feather freely given to them by a powerful bird.

Violent Content
Some situations of peril. Battle violence and some brief gory descriptions of battle wounds.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of GIRL, SERPENT, THORN in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog.

Review: The Archer at Dawn by Swati Teerdhala

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , ,

The Archer at Dawn (The Tiger at Midnight Trilogy #2)
Swati Teerdhala
Katherine Tegen Books
Published May 26, 2020

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

About The Archer at Dawn

The Sun Mela is many things: a call for peace, a cause for celebration, and, above all, a deadly competition. For Kunal and Esha, finally working together as rebel spies, it provides the perfect guise to infiltrate King Vardaan’s vicious court.

Kunal will return to his role as dedicated Senap soldier, at the Sun Mela to provide extra security for the palace during the peace summit for the divided nations of Jansa and Dharka. Meanwhile, Esha will use her new role as adviser to Prince Harun to keep a pulse on shifting political parties and seek out allies for their rebel cause. A radical plan is underfoot to rescue Jansa’s long-lost Princess Reha—the key to the stolen throne.

But amid the Mela games and glittering festivities, much more dangerous forces lie in wait. With the rebel Blades’ entry into Vardaan’s court, a match has been lit, and long-held secrets will force Kunal and Esha to reconsider their loyalties—to their country and to each other. Getting into the palace was the easy task; coming out together will be a battle for their lives.

My Review

I’ve recently reached that point in blogging where I sometimes get books in the mail from a publicist that I didn’t request for review. It’s a two-edged sword. Sometimes I’m like, OMG! I really wanted this book! And other times it’s like, hmmm… this doesn’t look like a good fit for my blog.

In this case, when I opened the package containing THE ARCHER AT DAWN, I was super excited. I had borrowed A TIGER AT MIDNIGHT from the library, and was just about to start reading it, so I loved knowing I could jump from book one almost straight into book two of the series.

THE ARCHER AT DAWN pretty much picks up where A TIGER AT MIDNIGHT leaves off, with Esha and Kunal in the process of infiltrating the usurper king’s court, chasing down rumors that he’s captured Princess Reha and hoping to free her.

One of the things I loved about the first book is the way Esha’s team is like a family, teasing and looking after one another. In this book, we get to see more of Kunal’s friendship with Alok, too, which I loved. It also shows Kunal beginning to realize how oblivious to his friends he was before now. So it definitely showed his growth as a character.

A lot of time is devoted to looking around and talking to various potential allies and trying to charm enemies, but overall, the story keeps a fairly strong pace, driving toward the moment when Esha and Kunal will attempt to rescue the princess.

No spoilers, but let me just say that the ending was pretty intense. Some things that happened I suspected were coming, other things took me by surprise.

All in all, I enjoyed reading THE ARCHER AT DAWN and can’t wait to get my hands on the third book!

I recommend reading the first book in this series before starting this one. There are a lot of characters and relationships already set in motion by the time this book begins, so I think it would be difficult to start with book two.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Written with inspiration from Indian history and Hindu mythology.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Profanity used very rarely.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl and pretty fierce romantic tension. Esha meets a girl who is running away to be with her lover, another girl.

Spiritual Content
A Samyad woman and a Himyan man must both make a sacrifice to renew the janma bond with the land, a bond between humans and deities which keeps the land fertile and growing. Since the disruption of the bond, the land is drying out and people are starving.

Some characters have the ability to shift into animal forms.

Violent Content
Battle violence and situations of peril.

Kunal enters a contest which requires him to duel opponents. Some scenes show battles between Esha/her allies and soldiers.

Drug Content
Some references to drinking alcohol.

Note: I received a free copy of THE ARCHER AT DAWN in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog.

Review: What Unbreakable Looks Like by Katie McLaughlin

Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , ,

What Unbreakable Looks Like
Katie McLaughlin
Wednesday Books
Published June 23, 2020

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

About What Unbreakable Looks Like

Lex was taken – trafficked – and now she’s Poppy. Kept in a hotel with other girls, her old life is a distant memory. But when the girls are rescued, she doesn’t quite know how to be Lex again.

After she moves in with her aunt and uncle, for the first time in a long time, she knows what it is to feel truly safe. Except, she doesn’t trust it. Doesn’t trust her new home. Doesn’t trust her new friend. Doesn’t trust her new life. Instead she trusts what she shouldn’t because that’s what feels right. She doesn’t deserve good things.

But when she is sexually assaulted by her so-called boyfriend and his friends, Lex is forced to reckon with what happened to her and that just because she is used to it, doesn’t mean it is okay. She’s thrust into the limelight and realizes she has the power to help others. But first she’ll have to confront the monsters of her past with the help of her family, friends, and a new love.

Kate McLaughlin’s What Unbreakable Looks Like is a gritty, ultimately hopeful novel about human trafficking through the lens of a girl who has escaped the life and learned to trust, not only others, but in herself.

My Review

I found this book really addicting. It’s intense– Lex is recovering from being trafficked, and some scenes show her in a recovery program and then transitioning to a life with her aunt and uncle. Some chapters open with memories from her past. Most focus on her relationships with the girls and her early relationship with Mitch, the man who trafficked her.

Trafficking is a really grim topic, and the scars that life left behind on Lex are obvious. Her mistrust, her tendency to disassociate, her ability to use her body to try to control others, all of that comes through on the page without apology.

But I felt like the story is almost this love letter to recovery, and to hope. What if a girl got out and found a community who supported her through her recovery? What if she found the courage and strength to speak about what happened to her?

WHAT UNBREAKABLE LOOKS LIKE shows an incredible (at times perhaps unbelievable) transformation that belongs to Lex. While she has great support, this journey is about her, and her power to become the woman she wants to be. It’s an empowering story, packed with hope and courage.

There are definitely some potential triggers, though, involving sexual assault and trafficking as well as physical abuse. See my notes below for more details.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 17 up.

Representation
Most characters are white. Lex’s uncle is Black. Her friend Zack is half Hawaiian.

I read another review of the book in which the reviewer commented on the use of AAVE (African American Vernacular English), especially when Lex was talking about her life while she was being trafficked. I sort of noticed it, but hadn’t really thought about how that might be offensive. It sounded like the author was trying to model the character’s speech after girls she’d interviewed and the way they talked, and maybe she didn’t think about how it would sound to Black readers. A note of explanation may have been helpful.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity and some crude sexual language used throughout the book.

Romance/Sexual Content – TRIGGER WARNING
Explicit scenes leading up to and referencing sexual assault. References to and brief descriptions of sexual trafficking.

Some scenes showing sex and referencing or leading up to oral sex.

Spiritual Content
Lex doesn’t believe in God. She and her friends watch Jesus Christ Superstar and talk about the rumor that Jesus and Mary Magdalene were married. She also really has a connection with Mary’s song in the musical about how she feels about Jesus but isn’t able to act on those feelings or feels a disconnect between her feelings and actions.

Violent Content
References to self-harm and suicide. Several references to girls being beaten to death or physically abused. References to a man beating his wife and son.

Drug Content
Lex is a recovering drug addict. She attends a party where pot and alcohol are consumed, but she doesn’t participate.

Note: I received a free copy of WHAT UNBREAKABLE LOOKS LIKE in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog.

Review: P.S. I Like You by Kasie West

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , ,

P.S. I Like You
Kasie West
Point Publishing
Published July 26, 2016

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

About P.S. I Like You

Signed, sealed, delivered…

While spacing out in chemistry class, Lily scribbles some of her favorite song lyrics onto her desk. The next day, she finds that someone has continued the lyrics on the desk and added a message to her. Intrigue!

Soon, Lily and her anonymous pen pal are exchanging full-on letters—sharing secrets, recommending bands, and opening up to each other. Lily realizes she’s kind of falling for this letter writer. Only, who is he? As Lily attempts to unravel the mystery and juggle school, friends, crushes, and her crazy family, she discovers that matters of the heart can’t always be spelled out…

My Review

I. Loved. This. Book. I can’t believe it took me so long to actually read it. I’ve had it since I got it signed at a book con in 2016. Usually I tend toward more angsty books rather than lighthearted, funny books, but lately I’ve been needing a little Rom Com in my life. P.S. I LIKE YOU was exactly the book I needed.

Lily has a big, loud, crazy family, but they’re warm and open to outsiders, which I love. They’re the family that invites others to Thanksgiving dinner. I enjoyed the chaos and warmth of those characters and getting to see Lily with her guard down and feeling open and at ease.

When she’s not with her family, Lily tends to be ridiculously awkward and says the wackiest things. I couldn’t help laughing at some of the situations she lands herself in and some of the banter between her and other characters.

The letters between her and her mystery pen pal were great (I guessed who it was early on and that did not ruin anything for me) and kept me turning pages. I couldn’t wait to get to the next letter. I might have been as eager as Lily. Ha!

While I was reading the book, my husband commented that I looked happier than usual. And he was right! I definitely needed this fun book with its sweet romance. My only dilemma now is which book by Kasie West to read next!

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Lily’s best friend is Mexican-American.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between girl and boy.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
None.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog.

Review: The Tiger at Midnight by Swati Teerdhala

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , , ,

The Tiger at Midnight
Swati Teerdhala
Katherine Tegen Books
Published April 23, 2019

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

About The Tiger at Midnight

A broken bond. A dying land. A cat-and-mouse game that can only end in bloodshed.

Esha is a legend, but no one knows. It’s only in the shadows that she moonlights as the Viper, the rebels’ highly skilled assassin. She’s devoted her life to avenging what she lost in the royal coup, and now she’s been tasked with her most important mission to date: taking down the ruthless General Hotha.

Kunal has been a soldier since childhood, training morning and night to uphold the power of King Vardaan. His uncle, the general, has ensured that Kunal never strays from the path—even as a part of Kunal longs to join the outside world, which has been growing only more volatile.

Then Esha’s and Kunal’s paths cross—and an unimaginable chain of events unfolds. Both the Viper and the soldier think they’re calling the shots, but they’re not the only players moving the pieces. As the bonds that hold their land in order break down and the sins of the past meet the promise of a new future, both rebel and soldier must make unforgivable choices.

Drawing inspiration from ancient Indian history and Hindu mythology, the first book in Swati Teerdhala’s debut fantasy trilogy captivates with electric romance, stunning action, and the fierce bonds that hold people together—and drive them apart.

My Review

Forbidden love between a duty-bound soldier and a rebel assassin set in a lush, magical landscape? OH. YES. I knew as soon as I read the description of this book that THE TIGER AT MIDNIGHT was something I needed to read.

What is it about characters who battle with loyalty to a cause once they realize their world isn’t the black and white place they thought it was? I loved that for both Esha and Kunal, decisions that were once easy become complicated. Suddenly their enemies have faces and names and causes, and it’s not so simple to cut them down.

There’s a lot of inner turmoil and wrestling, which I love because I tend to love stories that tackle moral issues. There’s also a beautiful landscape with jungles and palaces and town bazaars and everything described in a way that makes it all come alive.I think fans of Roshani Chokshi (THE STAR-TOUCHED QUEEN) and Sabaa Tahir (AN EMBER IN THE ASHES) will love this fantastic book.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Written with inspiration from Indian history and Hindu mythology.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Profanity used very rarely.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl and pretty fierce romantic tension. Esha meets a girl who is running away to be with her lover, another girl.

Spiritual Content
A Samyad woman and a Himyan man must both make a sacrifice to renew the janma bond with the land, a bond which keeps the land fertile and growing. Since the disruption of the bond, the land is drying out and people are starving.

Some characters have the ability to shift into animal forms.

Violent Content
Esha is an assassin who primarily uses whips as her weapon of choice. She wraps the whip around the neck of victims she wishes to control or threaten. She kills several soldiers.

Some scenes show battle violence and situations of peril. No gore.

Drug Content
Some references to drinking alcohol. Esha pours alcohol on a soldier she has incapacitated, hoping that his superiors will think him drunk. Kunal drinks with other soldiers, but usually only a small amount. In one scene, he pours his wine out when the others aren’t looking.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog.