Tag Archives: New York City

Review: The Getaway List by Emma Lord

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The Getaway List by Emma Lord

The Getaway List
Emma Lord
Wednesday Books
Published January 23, 2024

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Getaway List

The day of her high school graduation, Riley realizes two things: One, that she has spent the last four years trying so hard to be a Good Kid for her mom that she has no idea who she really is anymore, and two, she has no idea what she wants because of it. The solution? Pack her bags and move to New York for the summer, where her childhood best friend Tom and co-creator of The Getaway List ― a list of all the adventures they’ve wanted to do together since he moved away ― will hopefully help her get in touch with her old adventurous self, and pave the road to a new future.

Riley isn’t sure what to expect from Tom, who has been distant since his famous mom’s scriptwriting career pulled him away. But when Riley arrives in the city, their reconnection is as effortless as it was when they were young―except with one, unexpected complication that will pull Riley’s feelings in a direction she didn’t know they could take. As she, Tom, and their newfound friends work their way through the delightfully chaotic items on The Getaway List, Riley learns that sometimes the biggest adventure is not one you take, but one you feel in your heart.

Inescapably romantic and brimming with Emma Lord’s signature cheer, The Getaway List is an uplifting and romantic read that will settle into your heart and never leave.

My Review

I started reading this book while I was standing in line at the pharmacy, and I found myself a little bit disappointed when it was finally my turn at the pickup window– I wanted to keep reading.

Emma Lord’s books have historically been a win for me. I enjoy her quirky characters and the development of the romance, so I also went into this book expecting to enjoy it, and I did.

I liked the opening chapters, but once Riley got to New York and connected with a friend group, that’s when the story really took off for me. At first, I wasn’t sure about bringing in all those extra people. I found myself really invested in Riley and Tom and wanting to know what would happen between the two of them, and I worried that additional characters would distract from the two of them. And they do, a bit.

But they’re such fun characters, and those relationships help Riley reconnect with herself, learn to trust her instincts, and imagine what kind of life she wants for herself for the first time in years. Riley has a complex relationship with her mom, and I loved the way that was handled. It felt real, and Riley’s mom’s behavior made sense, considering her own background and backstory, but it still wasn’t what Riley hoped to or needed to hear at times.

The romance is a bit of a slow burn. I loved that. I also loved the way that Riley’s understanding of her relationship with Tom evolved as the story progressed. That felt pretty real, too.

All in all, I’m calling THE GETAWAY LIST another win. It’s a really fun, New York-centered slow-burn romance. Definitely worth checking out.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Two boys (minor characters) are/have been dating.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used pretty frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between two boys. Kissing between a boy and girl.

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 this blog. I received a free copy of THE GETAWAY LIST in exchange for my honest review. All opinions my own.

Review: What is This Feeling? by Robby Webber

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What is This Feeling?
Robby Webber
Inkyard Press
Published September 17, 2024

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About What is This Feeling?

This joyful romp from Robby Weber, perfect for fans of Jason June and Morgan Matson, follows a boy who will do anything to win his drama club’s scavenger hunt in New York City, even if it means teaming up with a tech crew loner…and discovering unexpected sparks between them.

Theater star Teddy McGuire is ready for all his dreams to come true. He and his best friend, Annie, have been counting down the days to the end-of-the-year drama club trip to New York City. To make it even more magical, if they can win the annual scavenger hunt, they’ll get a chance to meet their popstar idol, Benji Keaton.

But the universe has other plans: when Annie can’t go on the trip, Teddy is forced to room with tech crew loner Sebastian, who has no interest in the scavenger hunt—or Teddy—and seems to have a secret agenda of his own.

On a larger-than-life adventure across the city, the boys will discover a lot more than what’s on their checklist, including masquerade mishaps, obstacles of Jurassic proportions, Hollywood starlets, and, most surprisingly of all, sparks beginning to fly between them. In a story about chasing your destiny, Teddy and Sebastian are about to learn the secret to making their own luck.

My Review

This is the most fun book I’ve read in a while. It’s not the first field trip to New York City that I’ve read this year. There’s a Wednesday books title about a band trip that had some similarities to this one.

Teddy is a really fun narrator. He’s so in his head, which I appreciate as a person with a lot of mind spirals myself. I also liked that his identity wasn’t really a focus of the story. Don’t get me wrong– the books about coming out or grappling with identity are important, and I love them, too. But it was nice to read something that sidestepped those themes and simply told a story about unexpected romance without stopping to explain or justify itself.

The only thing that was hard was how often Teddy’s best friend and brother minimized his feelings. They tended to assume he was being dramatic and kind of roll their eyes at him in a loving way, but still. It makes sense within the context of the story, and it’s realistic. I guess it hit on some old wounds for me, so I really felt for him in those moments.

What is This Feeling? is the first book by Robby Webber that I’ve read, but I can tell you that it will NOT be the last! I can’t believe I’m just now discovering his books. I love the balance of sweetness and realism in this one. The relationships aren’t perfect. The characters are flawed but not so deeply that it interferes with my ability to connect with them. It’s a great fall romance.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Two characters are queer.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
A couple F-bombs. Strong profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between two boys.

Spiritual Content
Teddy believes the friendship bracelets he and Annie made together years ago bring them luck, but only when they’re wearing them or have them on their person.

Violent Content
None.

Drug Content
Teddy (a high school senior) drinks champagne at a gala and sips a cocktail at an event with college students.

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.

Review: Marked Man by John Florio and Ouisie Shapiro

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Marked Man
John Florio and Ouisie Shapiro
Roaring Brook Press
Published March 19, 2024

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Marked Man

1971. Brooklyn, New York. Undercover cop Frank Serpico is knocking on a drug dealer’s door. His partners are there to back him up, but when the door opens, he’s staring down the barrel of a gun―and his partners are nowhere to be found.

For more than a century, the New York Police Department had been plagued by corruption, with cops openly taking bribes from gamblers and drug dealers. Not Serpico. He refused to take dirty money and fought to shed light on the dark underbelly of the NYPD. But instead of being hailed as a hero, he became a target for every crooked cop on the force.

In Marked Man, John Florio and Ouisie Shapiro bring this true story of police corruption to life. Join Frank Serpico on his one-man crusade to clean up the largest police force in the United States. And discover the price he had to pay for being an honest cop.

My Review

Wow. This is not the kind of book I would normally pick up off the shelf at a bookstore or library, but I am really glad I read it. The structure of the book is a little unusual in that it’s eight chapters written like a biography—third-person point of view, recounting events chronologically. The chapters are broken down into shorter sections with breaks between them. Between the chapters, Serpico speaks to us directly in short notes in which he discusses how he felt at a particular moment or what he expected would happen next. I loved the way this pulled me into his life story and made me feel connected to him.

The short sections within each chapter make this a pretty quick read, too. I think I read it in a little over two hours or so. I also read it all in one day because I couldn’t stop thinking about it every time I closed the book.

I’m so glad we have brave officers like Frank Serpico who have had the courage to stand up for what’s right, even when it would have been so much easier to look the other way. Reading this book makes me only more convinced that we need outside accountability for police departments everywhere so that if there are issues, they can be fairly addressed.

I think readers who enjoy fast-paced nonfiction, biographies, or true crime stories will enjoy this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Frank Serpico is an Italian American who was a police officer.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used pretty infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
References to prostitution.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Frank overhears or directly hears racist comments against Italians and Black people. Someone shoots a man in the face.

Drug Content
References to drug trafficking.

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 my own.

Review: The Name Drop by Susan Lee

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The Name Drop
Susan Lee
Inkyard Press
Published September 12, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Name Drop

From the author of SEOULMATES comes a story of mistaken identities, the summer of a lifetime, and a love to risk everything for.

When Elijah Ri arrives in New York City for an internship at his father’s massive tech company, Haneul Corporation, he expects the royal treatment that comes with being the future CEO—even if that’s the last thing he wants. But instead, he finds himself shuffled into a group of overworked, unpaid interns, all sharing a shoebox apartment for the summer.

When Jessica Lee arrives in New York City, she’s eager to make the most of her internship at Haneul Corporation, even if she’s at the bottom of the corporate ladder. But she’s shocked to be introduced as the new executive-in-training intern with a gorgeous brownstone all to herself.

It doesn’t take long for Elijah and Jessica to discover the source of the they share the same Korean name. But they decide to stay switched—so Elijah can have a relaxing summer away from his controlling dad while Jessica can make the connections she desperately needs for college recommendations.

As Elijah and Jessica work together to keep up the charade, a spark develops between them. Can they avoid discovery—and total disaster—with their feelings and futures on the line?

My Review

This book came along at exactly the right time for me. I’ve been battling a sinus infection, so I really needed a sweet, fun story, and THE NAME DROP totally delivered. It’s got some tension, for sure, as it explores the pressure of expectations from both Elijah and Jessica’s families. But on the whole, it’s got a starry-eyed feel to it. Jessica gets to live her dream as an executive intern, living in a luxurious apartment and running a team of interns. Elijah gets to explore New York City with people his own age who have no idea who he is. He has control of his time and actually gets to make friends.

I loved the pacing of the relationship between Elijah and Jessica, too. It felt like they hit all the right moments, from initial distrust to grudging partnership to friends to more. And their connection felt really genuine to me.

Overall, I think this was a really sweet, fun romance featuring a summer internship and teens figuring out their life plans beyond high school.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Most characters are Korean American. Elijah Lee is Korean.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used pretty frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
In one scene, a man raises a hand as though he will strike someone. Another character grabs his arm and stops him from hitting anyone.

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 NAME DROP in exchange for my honest review.

Review: J.R. Silver Writes Her World by Melissa Dassori

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J.R. Silver Writes Her World
Melissa Dassori
Christy Ottaviano Books
Published July 19, 2022

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About J.R. Silver Writes Her World

What if you could write your dreams into reality with the stroke of a pen? 

Sixth grade is off to a difficult start for Josephine Rose Silver. Her best friend, Violet, returns from camp with a new best friend; her parents refuse to grant her more independence; and her homeroom teacher, Ms. Kline, is full of secrets. When Ms. Kline unveils a collection of old Gothamite magazines and tells her students to build their writing skills by crafting short stories inspired by the iconic covers, J.R. discovers a peculiar power: The stories she writes come true. Soon J.R. is getting a cell phone, scoring game-winning goals, and triggering school cancellations. But it’s not long before she realizes that each new story creates as many conflicts as it does solutions. And when J.R. tries to write about her fallout with Violet, all of her problems converge.

With a pinch of magic, mystery, art history, and language arts woven into a journey of growth and self-confidence, this promising debut is a heartfelt and satisfying tribute to the power of words.

My Review

Something about stories that explore the ways friendships change in sixth/seventh grade always resonates with me. Probably because around that time, I went through an unexpected shift in a friendship I’d thought was super close. J.R.’s feelings about Violet’s new outlook on friendship (wanting to do things with other kids a lot more) rather than be the exclusive dynamic duo they’d always been were so easy to understand. As she tried all different tactics to get Violet’s attention and reestablish their closeness, I couldn’t help wishing they would work, even though ultimately what needed to happen was for J.R. to learn to speak up for the things she wanted or needed.

I really enjoyed the references to other childhood books, like THE MIXED UP FILES OF MRS. BASIL E. FRANKWEILER, and the scenes which included the Met. As a suburbanite, some of the issues about living in the city weren’t obvious to me, but I think the story paints them pretty clearly, so I felt welcomed into the picture of city life.

I think readers who enjoy books by Claire Swinarski and Gillian McDunn will definitely want to check this one out.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
J.R. is white. Some of her friends are people of color. A Black business owner is a close family friend.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Some of J.R.’s friends are interested in beginning to go on dates.

Spiritual Content
J.R. discovers that the things she writes for an English assignment come true. She must bear both the good and bad outcomes of these written wishes.

Violent Content
None.

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 J.R. SILVER WRITES HER WORLD in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Going Bicoastal by Dahlia Adler

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

Going Bicoastal
Dahlia Adler
Wednesday Books
Published June 13, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Going Bicoastal

A queer SLIDING DOORS YA rom-com in which a girl must choose between summer in NYC with her dad (and the girl she’s always wanted) or LA with her estranged mom (and the guy she never saw coming).

In Dahlia Adler’s GOING BICOASTAL, there’s more than one path to happily ever after.

Natalya Fox has twenty-four hours to make the biggest choice of her life: stay home in NYC for the summer with her dad (and finally screw up the courage to talk to the girl she’s been crushing on), or spend it with her basically estranged mom in LA (knowing this is the best chance she has to fix their relationship, if she even wants to.) (Does she want to?)

How’s a girl supposed to choose?

She can’t, and so both summers play out in alternating timelines – one in which Natalya explores the city, tries to repair things with her mom, works on figuring out her future, and goes for the girl she’s always wanted. And one in which Natalya explores the city, tries to repair things with her mom, works on figuring out her future, and goes for the guy she never saw coming.

My Review

The thing I keep thinking about with this book is how smart it is to show two separate relationships at once, one with a girl and the other with a boy, to represent bisexuality. Showing both relationships side by side really makes the point that both are options and that one identity contains both possibilities at the same time. It is such a cool way to emphasize that point.

I also really liked Nat as a character. She’s artistic and sweet, a little bit of a people pleaser, and she’s in the midst of trying to figure out what she wants to do with her life. She feels like everyone else has it all figured out, which makes her feel like she’s somehow already behind. She brings her whole heart to a relationship and shows up to help her friends when they’re in need.

Though the story follows two separate timelines, there are things that appear in both stories, which I also thought was cool. It made those moments feel like they were pretty central to what would become Nat’s life story. I liked seeing the way some things played out at different times but often in a similar or the same way.

All in all, I’d definitely say this is a great summer romance to put on your reading list. It’s fun and sweet, with celebrations of music and food, so there’s a lot to love about it.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Natalya is Jewish and bisexual. She’s part of a diverse friend group.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used pretty frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between two girls. Kissing between a boy and girl. Some scenes talk about making out without shirts on. In two scenes, it’s clear the couple have sex, but the description of the event is largely kept private, with a couple details giving us an idea of what goes on.

Spiritual Content
Natalya celebrates Shabbos every Friday night with her dad as well as other Jewish holidays. Her mom, though, is not religious, and it has been a point of conflict between her, Nat, and Nat’s dad.

Violent Content
None.

Drug Content
References to teens drinking at a party. At a show, Nat’s girlfriend uses a fake ID to get alcoholic drinks for them.

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 GOING BICOASTAL in exchange for my honest review.