Category Archives: Romance

Review: Hotel Magnifique by Emily J. Taylor

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , ,
Hotel Magnifique by Emily J. Taylor

Hotel Magnifique
Emily J. Taylor
Razorbill
Published April 22, 2022

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Hotel Magnifique

For fans of Caraval and The Night Circus, this decadent and darkly enchanting YA fantasy, set against the backdrop of a Belle Époque-inspired hotel, follows seventeen-year-old Jani as she uncovers the deeply disturbing secrets of the legendary Hotel Magnifique.

All her life, Jani has dreamed of Elsewhere. Just barely scraping by with her job at a tannery, she’s resigned to a dreary life in the port town of Durc, caring for her younger sister Zosa. That is, until the Hotel Magnifique comes to town.

The hotel is legendary not only for its whimsical enchantments, but also for its ability to travel—appearing in a different destination every morning. While Jani and Zosa can’t afford the exorbitant costs of a guest’s stay, they can interview to join the staff, and are soon whisked away on the greatest adventure of their lives. But once inside, Jani quickly discovers their contracts are unbreakable and that beneath the marvelous glamour, the hotel is hiding dangerous secrets.

With the vexingly handsome doorman Bel as her only ally, Jani embarks on a mission to unravel the mystery of the magic at the heart of the hotel and free Zosa—and the other staff—from the cruelty of the ruthless maître d’hôtel. To succeed, she’ll have to risk everything she loves, but failure would mean a fate far worse than never returning home.

My Review

This is another book that’s been on my TBR because of the buzz I heard about it when it came out. The premise reminded me a lot of THE SPLENDOR by Breanna Shields, which I really liked, so I think it took me a while to try this one because I worried they would be too similar.

There are definitely some similarities. A magical hotel. Romance. Sisters whose relationship can only be restored by uncovering the secrets within the hotel.

But there are a lot of differences, too. The magic system is very different, and it has a huge impact on the story. In THE SPLENDOR, Juliette solves the mystery solo, hoping it will reunite her with her sister. In HOTEL MAGNIFIQUE, Jani pursues the hotel’s secrets in order to free herself and her sister. They work together to find a way out. I think Juliette is also the younger sister, whereas Jani is the older one, if I’m remembering right.

Reading the book, I definitely see the comparison to CARAVAL, too. It’s got the same capricious magical fair feel to it, where magic is both amazing and dangerous. I really liked the way the magic system was used in HOTEL MAGNIFIQUE.

I’m a huge fan of sister books, and I loved the relationship between Jani and Zosa in this one, too. Jani’s protectiveness, Zosa’s mischievousness, and the lessons they both learn that ultimately draw them closer together were some of my favorite moments in the book.

There’s also a romance subplot that I enjoyed. I didn’t see it coming right away, but as they got to know each other, I found it very easy to root for Jani and her romantic interest to get together.

On the whole, I feel like this one lived up to the hype. I loved the rich, magical setting. I appreciated the way the author described the skin tone of every character and included diverse representations of gender, relationships, and race.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Jani is described as having an olive skin tone. Bel is described as having a copper skin tone. The author describes the skin tone of each character. Same-gender couples appear in the background of several scenes.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
Some characters have the ability to use magic.

Violent Content
Magic can be unpredictable and harm others if not carefully managed. Some scenes show brief but graphic torture. In one, Jani witnesses someone gouging out a woman’s eye. In another, someone slams a toothed door on a girl’s fingers, severing them. Someone uses magic to kill an opponent in a couple of scenes.

Drug Content
Guests drink alcohol. Jani sips a drink she later learns had a truth serum in it.

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

Review: The No Girlfriend Rule by Christen Randall

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

The No Girlfriend Rule
Christen Randall
Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Published March 5, 2024

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The No Girlfriend Rule

Julie Murphy meets Casey McQuiston in this unforgettable queer romance about a teen girl whose foray into fantasy tabletop roleplaying brings her new confidence, true friends, and a shot at real, swoon-worthy love.

Hollis Beckwith isn’t trying to get a girl—she’s just trying to get by. For a fat, broke girl with anxiety, the start of senior year brings enough to worry about. And besides, she already has a Chris. Their relationship isn’t particularly exciting, but it’s comfortable and familiar, and Hollis wants it to survive beyond senior year. To prove she’s a girlfriend worth keeping, Hollis decides to learn Chris’s favorite tabletop roleplaying game, Secrets & Sorcery—but his unfortunate “No Girlfriends at the Table” rule means she’ll need to find her own group if she wants in.

Gloria Castañeda and her all-girls game of S&S! Crowded at the table in Gloria’s cozy Ohio apartment, the six girls battle twisted magic in-game and become fast friends outside it. With her character as armor, Hollis starts to believe that maybe she can be more than just fat, anxious, and a little lost.

But then an in-game crush develops between Hollis’s character and the bard played by charismatic Aini Amin-Shaw, whose wide, cocky grin makes Hollis’s stomach flutter. As their gentle flirting sparks into something deeper, Hollis is no longer sure what she wants…or if she’s content to just play pretend.

My Review

I’ve read several books just this year that feature tabletop RPGs (role-playing games). I love that so many books feature characters who play games like this, and this one is up near the top of my favorites.

In order to write a story like this well, I feel like the author has to really balance drawing the reader into the scenes of what’s happening in-game but also make it clear that this is unfolding in the characters’ imaginations. Christen Randall does that so well here. The in-game scenes are immersive but without losing the experience of characters playing the game.

I really liked the way the game itself echoed some of the themes of the story in Hollis’s life. It’s the best example of an in-game versus in-story parallel that I think I’ve seen. As Hollis herself comes to a crossroads where she has to face some hard truths and take action, so does her character, Honoria Steadmore.

I also LOVED the development of the friendships between the girls and the way that spending time with them helped Hollis to become more comfortable and confident as a person. That happened so gradually and organically that I didn’t even notice it until her boyfriend pointed it out. I felt like I had the same reaction to him as Hollis did, which was really cool– definitely made what was happening feel like it made perfect sense.

All in all, I think readers hungry for more stories about people playing Dungeons and Dragons-like games (Hollis and her friends play Secrets and Sorcery) will find so much to love here. Readers looking to celebrate female relationships will also find lots to love. I think this is a debut? It’s fabulous– I wholeheartedly recommend it.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Hollis and another character are plus-sized. Two characters are Latine American and another is Asian American. Another is Black and transgender. One character is a lesbian.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. Kissing between two girls. A male character in a tabletop role-playing game tries to seduce a female character via a dice roll. (It’s clear the advance is unwelcome, and what he wants is to succeed no matter her feelings if his dice roll is high enough.)

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
A boy makes derisive statements about queer women in multiple scenes. Some misogynistic statements. Some cruel statements about a girl’s weight.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of THE NO GIRLFRIEND RULE in exchange for my honest review. All opinions my own.

Review: Bad Like Us by Gabriella Lepore

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

Bad Like Us
Gabriella Lepore
Inkyard Press
Published March 5, 2024

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Bad Like Us

Two friend groups collide when someone turns up dead over spring break in this heart-thumping YA thriller for fans of ONE OF US IS LYING and WE WERE LIARS.

Spring break is a vibe—until someone gets murdered.

Partying with popular classmates they barely know is not what Eva and her BFFs had in mind for their spring break. But things have been off ever since Miles’ academic career took a turn for the worse (they don’t talk about it), so a trip to a private beach lodge might be exactly what they need. And Eva won’t admit it, but the chance to reconnect with Colton is worth putting up with Piper’s constant livestreams to her thousands of “besties.”

At first, it’s all sand and waves, but tensions run high when an anonymous letter shakes up an already-flailing love triangle.

When someone turns up dead, Eva can’t even trust her closest friends—but she thinks she can trust Colton. As they get closer to the truth, they uncover secrets that upend everything they thought they knew about their fellow spring breakers.

My Review

I read this book really fast, which was really great, since the last few books I’ve read seemed to take a long time. The plot of BAD LIKE US moves pretty quickly, and the chapters are short– another thing I love in a book!

The story follows two points of view and then includes videos recorded by a third person, so it feels like three different viewpoints. I liked both Eva and Colton, both of whom have real-time scenes from their perspectives. The story has a bit of romance that develops, and I thought that was balanced well against the murder mystery. It never felt like those two story elements were competing with each other. The progression of the romance felt natural.

I liked the setting, too. The whole story takes place at a beach resort in Oregon that one character’s uncle owns. It’s in a secluded area near the beach, which makes it pretty isolated. Some of the characters surf, so there were some scenes featuring surfing. One character is a social media influencer, so there are a bunch of scenes showing her making videos and other people reacting to the way that she behaves and the things she says in the videos.

If you’re looking for a quick read in the vein of Diana Urban or Karen McManus, I recommend this one. I think BAD LIKE US is my favorite of Gabriella Lepore’s books so far.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
The three point-of-view characters are white. The friend group includes at least one person who is queer and two people of color.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used somewhat frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between a boy and girl. A girl confesses that she has romantic feelings for another girl.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Eva learns a boy discovered the body of a girl who has died. (She doesn’t see it happen.) One scene shows people threatening someone. Someone shoves another person into the water. Another person has injuries from surfing.

A girl uses her social media account to say harmful things about other people.

Drug Content
Teens drink alcohol while hanging out at a beach resort.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of BAD LIKE US in exchange for my honest review. All opinions my own.

Review: Where the Dark Stands Still by A. B. Poranek

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

Where the Dark Stands Still
A. B. Poranek
McElderry Books
Published February 27, 2024

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Where the Dark Stands Still

Raised in a small village near the spirit-wood, Liska Radost knows that Magic is monstrous, and its practitioners, monsters. After Liska unleashes her own powers with devastating consequences, she is caught by the demon warden of the wood – the Leszy – who offers her a bargain: one year of servitude in exchange for a wish.

Whisked away to his crumbling manor, Liska soon discovers the sinister roots of their bargain. And if she wants to survive the year and return home, she must unravel her host’s spool of secrets and face the ghosts of his past.

Those who enter the wood do not always return…

My Review

From the moment I first heard about this book, I knew I had to read it. Polish folklore? A magical wood? A crumbling manor and a handsome host with dangerous secrets? Yes to all of these!

And from the first pages of the book, I was hooked on the story. It’s got some Beauty and the Beast or Hades and Persephone vibes to it, but I wouldn’t describe it as a retelling. This is a new and different story and so much more than a romantic fairytale. (Though there’s nothing wrong with those– I love them, too.)

I loved Liska’s journey. She spends her whole childhood and adolescence believing that her magic is a bad part of her, that it makes her evil. That it’s something she must never stop resisting. As she gets to know the Leszy and the creatures in and around his manor, she learns that her magic may be what saves her. In fact, it may save everyone she loves.

There are so many brilliant side characters in this book, too. Jaga, the cat who is not a cat, tells Liska things she needs to hear, but sometimes isn’t ready for. The hound who haunts her. The boy who doesn’t speak. The wise village leader. All of them bring so much to the scenes. The teasing moments and the snarky banter between Liska and the Leszy are so great. I loved both of them so much.

I can definitely see readers who loved HOUSE OF SALT AND SORROWS by Erin Craig or GILDED by Marissa Meyer loving this book.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Eliasz has had romantic relationships with both men and women. Characters are Polish.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used once.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between a boy and girl. References to sex.

Spiritual Content
The story takes place at a time when the church has become a dominant force for faith in Liska’s community. The people’s old ways– worshipping or fearing old gods, the use of magic, the belief in magical creatures is now out of favor. Magical creatures are referred to as demons, and anyone who uses magic is a witch and could be cast out of their village or worse.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Battles between humans and nefarious magical creatures. Some body horror (descriptions of bodies transforming in creepy ways and trees growing through flesh) and scary situations. Liska has nightmares and wakes to see a scary hound near her.

Drug Content
Brief reference to a times Liska stole a bottle of vodka and drank a little bit as a child.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of WHERE THE DARK STANDS STILL in exchange for my honest review. All opinions my own.

Review: Furia by Yamile Saied Méndez

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

Furia
Yamile Saied Méndez
Algonquin Young Readers
Published September 15, 2020

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Furia

An #ownvoices contemporary YA set in Argentina, about a rising soccer star who must put everything on the line—even her blooming love story—to follow her dreams.

In Rosario, Argentina, Camila Hassan lives a double life.

At home, she is a careful daughter, living within her mother’s narrow expectations, in her rising-soccer-star brother’s shadow, and under the abusive rule of her short-tempered father.

On the field, she is La Furia, a powerhouse of skill and talent. When her team qualifies for the South American tournament, Camila gets the chance to see just how far those talents can take her. In her wildest dreams, she’d get an athletic scholarship to a North American university.

But the path ahead isn’t easy. Her parents don’t know about her passion. They wouldn’t allow a girl to play fútbol—and she needs their permission to go any farther. And the boy she once loved is back in town. Since he left, Diego has become an international star, playing in Italy for the renowned team Juventus. Camila doesn’t have time to be distracted by her feelings for him. Things aren’t the same as when he left: she has her own passions and ambitions now, and La Furia cannot be denied. As her life becomes more complicated, Camila is forced to face her secrets and make her way in a world with no place for the dreams and ambition of a girl like her.

My Review

I remember really wanting to read this book when it came out. I haven’t read a lot of soccer books, and I’m not super familiar with the game, but that didn’t hinder my enjoyment of this book at all.

At the surface, this is a story of a girl who wants to win an important soccer tournament that could open doors for her to play on a professional team. She must balance school, an after-school job, family pressure, and the pull of romance with her passion for soccer. The team experiences trouble, from losses, injured players, and people forcing players to quit, so the stakes rise as the story progresses.

In the early chapters, the romance kind of dominated the story. I loved the relationship between Camila and Diego, so I didn’t mind this at all. It also allowed us to see the contrast between how Diego treated Camila and how her father and other men in her life treated women.

We still got to see a lot of scenes of Camila practicing and playing soccer, and I loved that, too. I felt like those scenes were very easy to follow, even for someone who isn’t super familiar with the game. I found it easy to lose myself in the intensity of the game and Camila’s fierce desire to win.

Underneath all of that, though, the author shares commentary on Argentinian culture. Not too long ago, it was illegal for women to play soccer. Even still, the players in the book faced enormous prejudice and pressure to quit. The story references how often girls disappear and how little law enforcement has done to address the problem. As a result, Camila worries for her safety when she has to be out at night and while she rides the bus. Sometimes family members use the danger as reason to squash her independence.

FURIA is definitely a book that swept in during the pandemic and didn’t get nearly as much notice as it should have. I think fans of YOU DON’T HAVE A SHOT by Racquel Marie or WITH THE FIRE ON HIGH by Elizabeth Acevedo will love this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Camila is multi-racial, with a Russian great-grandmother, Pakistani grandfather, Andalusian grandmother and Black great-great-grandmother. She is also Argentinian and lives in Rosario.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used once. Mild profanity used fewer than a dozen times.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. A woman tells Camila she wasn’t allowed to play soccer because her parents thought it would make her a lesbian. Two of the female soccer players on Camila’s team are dating.

Spiritual Content
Camila thanks la Virgencita for a good thing that happens. She buys a card for La Difunta, a saint who died in the desert and was found still nursing her baby in a beam of sunshine. Camila makes plans to bring water to a shrine for the saint and asks for her help. Camila visits a healer who calls on the saints and the Lord to heal her and says the healing will depend on Camila’s faith.

Violent Content
Camila gets hit in the face by a soccer ball and knocked down during a game. A twelve-year-old girl goes missing and is later found murdered. Camila reflects on how often this happens to young women in Rosario and the injustice of that. A man knocks a teenage girl down and hits her with a belt.

Drug Content
References to alcohol and smoking.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything but help support this blog.

Review: Daughter of the Bone Forest by Jasmine Skye

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

Daughter of the Bone Forest (Witch Hall #1)
Jasmine Skye
Feiwel & Friends
Published February 27, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Daughter of the Bone Forest

Two girls reluctantly bound by fate must weather a dangerous courtship as a prophesied war grows ever closer in Jasmine Skye’s high-stakes, queernormative dark fantasy debut, DAUGHTER OF THE BONE FOREST.

Rosy is a bone familiar, gifted with the power to shift into animals marked with exposed bone. She spends most of her days in the magical Bone Forest, caring for her feral grandmother and hiding her powers to avoid conscription by the Witch King’s army. Until the day that Princess Shaw, a witch known as Death’s Heir, visits the Forest. When Rosy saves Shaw’s life, the princess offers her the chance to attend the prestigious school, Witch Hall, as payment. Though Rosy is wary of Shaw’s intentions, she cannot pass up the opportunity to find the cure for her grandmother’s affliction.

But at Witch Hall, Rosy finds herself embroiled in political games she doesn’t understand. Shaw wants Rosy for her entourage, a partner to help lead the coming war. All Rosy wants is to stay out of trouble until she can graduate and save her grandmother, but she can’t deny her attraction to Shaw or the comfort Shaw’s magic gives her. Will Rosy give in to her destiny, or will the Bone Forest call her home once and for all?

My Review

I got totally lost in this book. It’s the first in a series, but I kept forgetting that as I read it. I loved both main characters– Rosy and Shaw. Rosy’s scenes are told in first person point of view, and Shaw’s are in third person, so I immediately felt closer to Rosy, which I think was the point. Shaw is so closed and carefully measured and controlled.

The romance arc in this one was honestly pretty perfect for me. I think a higher percentage of the girl/girl romances I’ve read have either had an insta-love vibe, and that’s really not my favorite kind of romance to read. This one is much more in the slow burn lane, which has (especially lately) been a favorite flavor of romance for me. So DAUGHTER OF THE BONE FOREST knocked it out of the park for me as a reader in terms of its romance elements.

I also find the magic system really intriguing and different. There are magic users (witches) and shapeshifters (familiars) who often bond with one another for magic and life benefits. I can’t remember all the different magic classes, but I know there was bone magic, which the main characters use. There’s also flower magic and maybe ice magic?

Most of the story takes place at the magic school (Witch Hall) so the book also has a magic boarding school vibe to it, too. I see that more often in middle grade books, so it was really fun to get to read a young adult novel with that element for a change.

All in all, I would absolutely call this one a win for me. I really look forward to where the series goes. I’m already excited for the second book.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
I don’t remember there being a lot of physical character descriptions. One character is nonbinary. Another is bigender. Some minor characters are in same-gender couples. The two major characters (both girls) enter a courting relationship with each other.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between two girls. Kissing between two boys.

Spiritual Content
Some characters have the ability to perform magic of certain types. Other characters have the ability to shapeshift into one or more animal forms. Often, a witch (magic user) will bond with a familiar (shapeshifter), and both receive a power boost.

Violent Content
Situations of peril and battle violence. In one scene, men light a group of unarmed students and a young villager on fire.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of DAUGHTER OF THE BONE FOREST in exchange for my honest review. All opinions my own.