In this swoony and hilarious debut rom-com graphic novel, two former friends are trapped in a time loop together, repeating their high school graduation day over and over and over—for fans of Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me, Pumpkinheads, and Groundhog Day.
Chris O’Brien has a genius plan: If he can share the perfect first kiss with his crush, Andy, then of course he’ll break free from the time loop that has him repeating graduation day over and over…and over.
Alicia Ochoa thinks Chris’s plan is doomed. Valedictorian and a total nerd, she knows it’ll take more than a kiss to escape the loop they’re trapped in together. Besides, Chris may be a hopeless romantic, but Alicia doesn’t think he has a real shot with Andy.
Once close friends, Alicia and Chris have history—lots of it. As they got older, the pair fell out after Chris ditched her for the “cool kids” and left her in the dust. But when you’re looping side by side, you never know if friendship might rekindle or what new feelings could spark along the way.
My Review
This story starts out in the middle, backtracks to the beginning, and then moves forward toward the ending. While it was a little confusing in the first few pages, it helps introduce a lot of elements, like Chris and Andy’s relationship, the time loop, the estrangement between Alicia and Chris, etc.
At first, some of the elements seem disparate. For example, Chris and the other kids on the swim team are mourning the loss of their swim coach, who died in a car accident. Alicia behaves oddly about something that later, once Chris puts the pieces together, makes a lot more sense.
I like the way that the story connects all these dots together. I also thought some of the things Alicia and Chris do during the phase in which they’ve given up on getting out of the time loop were pretty silly.
The time loop also gives Chris a chance to experience parts of Alicia’s life that she would probably have kept hidden otherwise, like her relationships with her siblings. Being so close to Alicia’s family gives Chris an opportunity to confront privilege that he didn’t realize he had. It also helps shed light on why the friendship between them ended and what their moms argued about.
Ultimately, I think this is a perfect book to kick off summer with. Read this while enjoying a bowl of ice cream or lounging by the pool. The story is a lot of fun, and it offers some thoughtful moments as well.
Content Notes
Recommended for Ages 14 up.
Profanity/Crude Language Content Strong profanity used infrequently.
Romance/Sexual Content Kissing.
Spiritual Content Multiple characters are stuck in a time loop and repeat the same day over and over.
Violent Content Situations of peril. References to pranks and hijinks, such as stealing something, knowing that the timeline will reset and the items will return to where they belong the next day.
Drug Content Teens drink alcohol and get drunk at a graduation party.
Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
When a teen has an unexpected vision about a future murder, he must juggle newfound interest from the supernatural community with trying to prevent the murder from happening in this new romantic fantasy from New York Times bestselling author F.T. Lukens.
Tired of being known as the artsy oddball, fifteen-year-old Cam Reynolds hopes to fly under the radar when he changes high schools as a sophomore. It shouldn’t be too hard, considering he’s a human going to school with kids who have super-cool paranormal powers, like his best friend and witch, Al, and longtime werewolf crush, Miguel.
Then Cam has a psychic glimpse of the future in front of most of the student body, seeing a gruesomely murdered teen girl from the point of view of the killer. When Cam comes to, he knows two things: someone he goes to school with is a future murderer and his life is about to change. No longer a mere human but a clairvoyant, one of the rarest of supernatural beings, Cam finds himself at the center of attention for the first time.
As the most powerful supernatural factions in the city court Cam and his gift, he’ll have to work with his friends, both old and new, to figure out who he can trust. Because the clock is ticking, and Cam and his friends must identify the girl in the vision, find her potential killer, and prevent the murder from happening. Or the next murder Cam sees might be his own.
My Review
This is the third novel by F. T. Lukens I’ve read. I went into this book with them as a favorite author, and that distinction remains. This is probably not the kind of story that I would normally pick up– paranormal isn’t my usual go-to, but for an author I really enjoy (also looking at you, Kalynn Bayron), I’ll give vampires or werewolves a chance.
So one of the really fascinating things in this book is the cultural feelings surrounding people with supernatural abilities in the story world. For example, Cam’s parents are super against any involvement with or participation in the supernatural. They’ve long been against Cam hanging out with his best friend because they’re a witch.
Incidentally, Cam’s parents don’t bat an eye at him being gay or his best friend being nonbinary, so the story world is very queernormative. Instead, some characters fixate on whether someone is a human with no supernatural abilities versus someone with abilities.
Whether someone has an ability isn’t a choice. Cam’s gift manifests in a moment of distress and remains undeniable throughout the rest of the book. Yet his parents act as though erasing this part of his identity would be better for him and for them. It’s a pretty powerful metaphor, and it’s used well.
The characters, especially Cam, are engaging and easy to root for. I think Lukens has always written standalone novels, but I found myself really hoping this one would be the start of a series. I would absolutely return to this story world for more hijinks and investigations with Cam’s crew at the helm.
If you like a good murder mystery, especially one with a clever social commentary woven in, you won’t want to miss Love at Second Sight.
Content Notes for Love at Second Sight
Recommended for Ages 14 up.
Profanity/Crude Language Content Strong profanity used somewhat infrequently.
Romance/Sexual Content Kissing.
Spiritual Content Some characters have supernatural/paranormal abilities. Some characters are werewolves, sprites, witches, or fae. Cam sees visions of the future. Another character sees and can interact with ghosts.
Violent Content Situations of peril. Cam sees visions of a girl who has been attacked and is close to dying. Boys get into a fight in a hallway at school. References to a car accident and near car accident.
Some characters react hatefully toward people with paranormal gifts or identities.
Drug Content None.
Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
It’s Marvelous Middle Grade Monday again, and I’ve got middle grade authors Alechia Dow and Tracy Badua here for a double Q&A.
I’ve read almost everything Alechia Dow has published in middle grade and young adult so far (I missed one short story in an anthology), and I am really excited to read more of Tracy Badua’s books, so getting to chat with both of them about the second book in their middle grade series about baking and solving mysteries was an extra special treat!
I loved the first book in this series, The Cookie Crumbles, which came out last year. The second book, Their Just Desserts, comes out next week and promises to deliver more confectionery surprises and investigations.
About Their Just Desserts (The Cookie Crumbles #2) by Tracy Badua and Alechia Dow
Perfect for fans of The Great British Baking Show and Clue, this enchanting and rollicking follow-up to The Cookie Crumbles follows two best friends caught up in a twisty mystery when jewels go missing at a high-stakes baking competition.
Baker extraordinaire Laila Thomas and budding journalist Lucy Flores are living it up at the top of the junior high food chain as eighth graders. But between busy schedules and kinda-boyfriends, these two best friends haven’t gotten to hang out as much. So, when Jaden, an ex-competition rival, begs the duo to step back into the world of cooking competitions and crime—the answer is yes.
Jaden’s father is accused of stealing prized jewels on the set of an amateur kids’ holiday baking show. The plan is for Laila to smash the competition while Lucy investigates behind the scenes—but their half-baked plan gets turned totally upside down when Lucy ends up in front of the cameras instead.
As the investigation and competition heat up, Lucy and Laila’s bond is put to the ultimate test. Can they solve this bakeoff mystery, or will they—and their friendship—crack under pressure?
Author Q&A with Alechia Dow and Tracy Badua
1. What’s your favorite thing about writing for a middle grade audience?
Alechia: I enjoy exploring themes that I know children can relate to: friendship, compassion, growing up, family, and learning to stand up in a world that sometimes makes you feel small. I want kids to read this and feel empowered!
Tracy: Not only are the readers wonderful, but writing for kids is far more fun than legal writing for adults.
2. I love that this series is about baking and mysteries. As an accomplished baker yourself, is there a relationship between your writing and baking? Do you bake along with Laila as you write?
Alechia: Oh, there’s definitely a relationship! I went to pastry school for four years and have a concentration in food writing, so writing food is relying on the skills I’ve honed for a huge portion of my life, which is a blast. I’m always baking, but especially when I’m trying to figure out if Laila’s ideas are possible. It’s fun experimenting and even better tasting if those experiments worked 🙂
3. What was your favorite scene or moment in Their Just Desserts to write?
Alechia: There are so many funny scenes in the story, though I’m partial to the confessionals, they make me laugh. But my favorite is Laila baking with Raphael. It’s a very soft scene between two characters doing what they love and though they have such different approaches and attitudes, there’s something really lovely about seeing them making scones together.
Tracy: We made up a fake holiday-themed mystery movie for the book, and it was so fun teasing in tidbits of this zany story within a story.
4. What’s your favorite thing about writing this series collaboratively?
Alechia: Tracy and I have been friends and critique partners for nine years, so there’s an ease working together. Also, we tend to be ridiculous and I honestly don’t know how we get anything done between the laughter. This has been one of my favorite writing experiences.
Tracy: Same! Plus, we tend to have different styles of drafting and planning (Alechia knows how I am with my spreadsheets), and it’s nice to have someone come in with a refreshing perspective.
5. If you can share, can you tell us a little bit about a new project you’re working on?
Tracy: I’m gearing up for the release of my next middle grade book, a ghost story titled Ghoul Summer. It’s out September 2, 2026, and I drew from all my “oh no, this vacation rental DEFINITELY feels haunted” experiences. I’m also endlessly revising a young adult novel with some speculative elements and conjuring up more middle grade ideas.
Alechia: My young adult cozy romantasy, Until the Clock Strikes Midnight, comes out Feb 3, 2026. Other than that, I’ve been drafting some more cozy romantasies, adult romantic comedies, and science fiction!!
6. What do you most hope readers take away from your novel?
Tracy: I hope readers leave with some of the courage we infused into Laila and Lucy’s stories. Folks who have read the first book The Cookie Crumbles know Laila is the baker and Lucy is the journalist, and we switched it up in Their Just Desserts. It’s hard to be thrown into situations where you feel inexperienced or disadvantaged, and I’d love if our readers took heart from seeing our girls try their best to thrive.
7. What is one question about your novel you are often asked by readers?
Alechia: Have you made any of the recipes you mention in the book? Yes! Most of them—though Raphael’s character in Their Just Desserts does things I’ve never attempted before and I’m inspired to try.
Tracy: Do you bake? Sadly, the answer is not nearly as well as Alechia. This answer always disappoints students who are hoping I bring tasty treats to my school visits. Sorry, kids, but it’s for the best I don’t inflict my baking on you.
Tracy Badua is an award-winning Filipino American author of books about young people with sunny hearts in a sometimes stormy world. By day, she is an attorney who works in national housing policy, and by night, she squeezes in writing, family time, and bites of her secret candy stash. She lives in San Diego, California.
Alechia Dow is an award-winning author of several acclaimed young adult sci-fi fantasies, short anthology pieces, and magical (sometimes mysterious) middle grade stories. When not writing, you can find her baking, reading, traveling, and exploring her local food scene.
Marvelous Middle Grade Monday
I’m sharing this post as a part of a weekly round-up of middle-grade posts called Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday. Check out other blogs with posts about middle-grade books today on Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday at Always in the Middle.
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, she has no idea what path will ultimately be right for her—though they probably don’t involve law school, regardless of her parents’ wishes.
As Sydney Ciara tries to figure out her place on campus and in the world, she finds solace in blogging about her life, putting together outfits with meaning, and spending time on Twitter. It’s within the digital space that she connects with someone who goes by YoungPrinceX. She may not know “X” in real life, but that doesn’t stop her from developing a crush on him. Except things get complicated, as she also navigates her first romantic relationship with a sweet boy on campus named Xavier (who maybe could be X?).
Can Sydney Ciara not only make it through her first semester, but thrive in real life, as much as she seems to be thriving online?
Told through blog posts, tweets, messages, emails, and more, here is a love letter to Twitter, to Black girls who think they won’t get chosen, and to those who take too long finding the perfect words.
My Review
I love the way the author used the format of this book. The narrative is made up of her public and private blog posts. It includes both posts shared publicly and ones that are more like diary entries. There are also text messages and direct messages on Twitter. Lastly, there are public social media posts and other accounts interacting with them.
At first, I thought it might be confusing to show both direct messages via social media and text messages, and there were a couple of times I got things mixed up. On the whole, though, it was pretty easy to keep things straight. It was interesting to consider the things she chose to share publicly versus those she kept private.
I love Syd’s voice in her blog posts, and how they showcase her growth as a writer and her increasing self-confidence. The romance arc is really nicely done as well. The relationships feel authentic and believable, and I was ultimately happy with Syd’s choices and her reasons for those decisions.
Aspiring writers will love cheering for Syd through the story, and romance fans looking for a sweet story will love this one.
Content Notes
Recommended for Ages 16 up. (Since the story takes place during the first semester of college, I think it’ll appeal most to readers closer to high school graduation.)
Profanity/Crude Language Content Brief use of strong profanity.
Romance/Sexual Content Kissing.
Spiritual Content References to God ordering one’s steps and taking care of loved ones.
Violent Content References to a car accident. A person close to Syd is critically injured.
Drug Content References to drinking alcohol. Syd drinks alcohol at a party and regrets it the next day.
Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
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 she believed only existed in fairytales, Vanya discovers that her parents have secrets, and that there are a lot more monsters out there. Overnight, she’s whisked off to the enchanted library and school of Auramere, where she joins the ranks of archwitches and archivists.
Life at Auramere is unexpected, exciting and wonderful. But even here, there’s no escaping monsters. The mysterious, powerful Wild Hunt is on the prowl, and Vanya will need all her creativity and courage to unmask its leader and stop them before they destroy the only place she’s ever truly belonged.
From the critically-acclaimed author of the Kiki Kallira series and The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches comes an action-packed and magical middle grade fantasy, perfect for fans of J.K. Rowling and Rick Riordan.
My Review
The week that Vanya and the Wild Hunt was released, I got to attend a Zoom event with Sangu Mandanna and Stephanie Burgis, which was a lot of fun. At that point, I hadn’t yet read the book, but hearing about the magical world and some of the inspiration behind Vanya’s character was so intriguing. I immediately added this book to the top of my reading list, and I’m so glad I did.
This has a lot of great elements that will appeal to middle grade readers. Vanya attends a magical school and learns about magical creatures. Books talk to her. She is keenly aware of the differences between herself and her peers in how she thinks and behaves, but she finds her people.
I had thought when I picked up the book that it was a standalone, but the way that this one ends definitely leaves room for a follow-up story. I think fans of Skandar and the Unicorn Thief will love getting to discover this new fantasy world.
Content Notes
Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.
Profanity/Crude Language Content None.
Romance/Sexual Content None.
Spiritual Content Contains elements inspired by Indian mythology and British folklore. Powerful monsters called Old Ones threaten the lives and safety of those who can experience magic. Some magical books talk to Vanya and to each other.
Violent Content Situations of peril. Someone close to Vanya is critically injured. Vanya witnesses a brief battle scene and people running from a sinkhole-like event.
Drug Content None.
Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
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 was anticipating them before spring arrived. There is at least one book on this list that I’m positive will be on my best books of 2025 list. There are several others that were a perfect escape from reality that I had so much fun reading. I don’t know if I’m getting better at predicting which books I’ll enjoy or if this is a better-than-average season. Either way, I’m enjoying so many of the books I’ve been reading.
Let’s get into this list…
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About the book: This collection of short stories, essays, and poetry centers around book bans and how they impact the community. It’s clever and heartfelt, and the recommended reading lists are incredible.
About the book: If you’re looking for a contemporary fantasy with a luscious fantasy landscape, look no further. This one centers around finding your place and living authentically rather than finding external love.
About the book: Haunting and immersive. Incredible storytelling– I could not put this book down. Absolutely worth reading if you’re into horror at all.
About the book: In the sequel to The Dark Fable, a secret group of thieves who travel the globe must take on a dangerous enemy to survive. This concludes the duology.
Published March 11, 2025 | My Review to Come
How to Survive a Slasher by Justine Pucella Winans
About this book: If you like slashers that don’t take themselves too seriously, you don’t want to miss this book about a girl living in a small town famous for its history of murder.
About the book: A vampire faced with losing his first love meets someone new and dares to imagine a new life. When prejudice rears its ugly head, this vampire decides to fight back.
About the book: Even more twisted fairytales emerge in the conclusion to the duology. I loved the connections present through the individual fairytales and the way things tied together in the end.
About this book: Expect to see this one on my list of favorites for the year. A magical competition, a forbidden romance, and a girl desperate for a place within her newly discovered family. Perfect for fans of The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi or The Lies We Conjure by Sarah Henning.
About the book: An inclusive historical fiction story about a girl whose friends set out to rob the rich to save a local orphanage and school, finding romance along the way. This was a fun escape from reality!
About the book: Inspired by two historical women, this graphic novel follows a young reporter who goes undercover to expose the dangerous working conditions in a local factory. This is a super fun read!
About the book: A girl’s quest for her one true love may be blinding her to other possibilities. If you like contemporary fantasy that’s mainly real life with a sprinkle of magic, check this one out.
About the book: A heartfelt story about the power of memories and the role they play in our relationships. Perfect for fans of You’ve Reached Sam by Dustin Thao.
About the book: When an LGBT club gets blamed for an attempted murder, they must work to clear their names before homecoming ends. This is an upbeat, quirky mystery for fans of Alex Brown’s Rest in Peaches.
About the book: Told in social media and blog posts and message transcripts, this story is an ode to Black girls about going off to college and finding community and embracing identity.
About the book: A boy’s vaping habit becomes a crippling addiction that sends him into a dangerous spiral. I’m really excited to read this one. I was supposed to receive an ARC, but it looks like I’ll have to pick up a copy through the library or Bookshop.
Published April 22, 2025 | My Review to Come
Nav’s Foolproof Guide to Falling in Love by Jessica Lewis
About the book: This sweet story follows Nav as she tries to coach a shy girl interested in dating her best friend but develops surprising feelings herself. There’s a corgi! This is such a sweet story.
About the book: A teen with an unexpected vision of a future murder sets out to protect the potential victim and identify the would-be killer before it’s too late. Lukens has quickly become one of my favorite authors. I can’t wait to talk about this one!
About the book: The cover copy describes this as Final Fantasy meets Shadow and Bone, and I don’t know if there are any words that could make me want to read this book more. I mean, even that cover. Those are DEFINITE FF vibes!
Published April 29, 2025 | My Review to Come
Trans and Gender Diverse Teen Resilience Guide by Jayme L. Peta, Deb Coolhart, and Rylan Jay Testa
About the book: Trauma-informed skills for managing intense emotions, thriving, finding community, self-compassion, and self-care. I’m happy to boost awareness of this one.
Published May 1, 2025 | My Review to Come
Malcolm Lives!: The Official Biography of Malcolm X for Young Readers by Ibram X. Kendi
About the book: Earlier this year, I read a bio of Martin Luther King, Jr’s life, so when I saw this bio of Malcolm X, written in collaboration with the Malcolm X estate, I immediately put this on my reading list.
About the book: This is another one from a favorite author in which so many of the descriptive words have me desperate to read this book: pitched as My Best Friend’s Wedding with a gay twist, a family wedding in Italy… Yes, please!
About the book: Best friends to rivals… to lovers?? Cross-country athletes who used to be besties have to work together to win a championship. This looks like another perfect escape read.
About the book: Latinx fantasy inspired by El Zorro. A masked heroine works to save her family and protect their magic while falling for one of her enemy’s men. I can’t wait to read this one!
About the book: At this point, I’ll pretty much read anything by Dahlia Adler. In this one, a girl with a broken heart recreates herself as a bad girl but learns the best relationships happen when people know your true self.
About the book: A sapphic romance unfolding between two couples, 100 years apart. I love the two-timelines element, and I’m excited to see how the stories connect across time.
About the book: This will be the first book by Jennifer Dugan that I’ve read, and I’m so excited about that. These girls are from two different backgrounds and meet over the summer, where an irresistible romance brews between them.
Published May 27, 2025 | My Review to Come
What spring 2025 young adult books are you most looking forward to reading?
Are you looking forward to any of the books on my list? Have you had a chance to read any of them yet? What else needs to be on my reading list this season? Leave a comment and let me know!
