Tag Archives: Romance

Review: Only on the Weekends by Dean Atta

Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Poetry, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , ,
Only on the Weekends by Dean Atta

Only on the Weekends
Dean Atta
Balzer + Bray/HarperTeen
Published May 24, 2022

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About Only on the Weekends

From the Stonewall Award-winning author of The Black Flamingo comes a romantic coming-of-age novel in verse about the beautiful–and sometimes painful–fallout of pursuing the love we deserve. The ideal next read for fans of Kacen Callender, Elizabeth Acevedo, and Becky Albertalli.

Fifteen-year-old Mack is a hopeless romantic–likely a hazard of growing up on film sets thanks to his father’s job. Mack has had a crush on Karim for as long as he can remember and he can’t believe it when gorgeous, popular Karim seems into him too.

But when Mack’s father takes on a new directing project in Scotland, Mack has to move away, and soon discovers how painful long-distance relationships can be. It’s awful to be so far away from Karim, and it’s made worse by the fact that Karim can be so hard to read.

Then Mack meets actor Finlay on set, and the world turns upside down again. Fin seems fearless–and his confidence could just be infectious.

Award-winning author Dean Atta crafts a beautifully nuanced and revelatory story in verse about the exquisite highs and lows of first love and self-discovery.

My Review

I read THE BLACK FLAMINGO recently, so when I had a chance to read ONLY ON THE WEEKENDS, too, I decided to go for it. I really like the way that Dean Atta’s writing pulls me into the scenes of the story, and how even with so few words on the page, he creates this incredibly clear sense of each individual character.

The story begins with Mack and his crush on Karim, who goes by K. As he and K discover they have reciprocal feelings for one another, they try to figure out how to have a relationship. K is closeted and asks Mack to keep the relationship a secret, especially from his basketball teammates at school. Mack complies, but the secrecy bothers him sometimes. He wants to be supportive, but he doubts K’s true feelings for him.

I feel like in order to really work, this story had to have really defined characters, so that the miscommunications or less than optimal choices made sense, and they really did. Sometimes things got messy. Sometimes they resolved in ways I didn’t expect. Sometimes characters grew more than I thought they would. I loved the places the story met my expectations, but I also really enjoyed when it went differently than I thought, too.

All in all, I definitely enjoyed this one. I totally agree with the cover copy in saying that fans of Becky Albertalli and Elizabeth Acevedo will love this one. (I haven’t read anything by Kacen Callendar.)

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Mack identifies as gay. He’s also Black. Karim is Muslim. Finlay is a transgender boy.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between two boys.

Spiritual Content
K only eats food that’s halal and doesn’t drink or smoke because of his faith.

Violent Content
Some instances of racism and homophobia. A server at a restaurant insinuates that Mack and K will not pay before leaving because they’re Black and Brown. A woman on a plane assumes Mack and his dad don’t belong in first class because they’re Black. When Mack came out as gay, he was banned from one of his best friends’ homes.

Drug Content
Mack and others drinks alcohol at a party.

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 ONLY ON THE WEEKENDS in exchange for my honest review.

Review: I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast Is Me by Jamison Shea

Book Review and Content, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Paranormal, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , , , ,

I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast is Me
Jamison Shea
Henry Holt & Co.
Published August 29, 2023

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About I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast is Me

There will be blood.

ACE OF SPADES meets HOUSE OF HOLLOW in this villain origin story.

Laure Mesny is a perfectionist with an axe to grind. Despite being constantly overlooked in the elite and cutthroat world of the Parisian ballet, she will do anything to prove that a Black girl can take center stage. To level the playing field, Laure ventures deep into the depths of the Catacombs and strikes a deal with a pulsating river of blood.

The primordial power Laure gains promises influence and adoration, everything she’s dreamed of and worked toward. With retribution on her mind, she surpasses her bitter and privileged peers, leaving broken bodies behind her on her climb to stardom.

But even as undeniable as she is, Laure is not the only monster around. And her vicious desires make her a perfect target for slaughter. As she descends into madness and the mystifying underworld beneath her, she is faced with the ultimate choice: continue to break herself for scraps of validation or succumb to the darkness that wants her exactly as she is—monstrous heart and all. That is, if the god-killer doesn’t catch her first.

From debut author Jamison Shea comes I FEED HER TO THE BEAST AND THE BEAST IS ME, a slow-burn horror that lifts a veil on the institutions that profit on exclusion and the toll of giving everything to a world that will never love you back.

My Review

First, I have to say this author either has some up-close experience in the dance world or definitely did their research. The descriptions of what dancing en pointe does to your toes… YUP. Brought back so many memories. Wowza. Not the horrific element I expected to find here, but pretty real stuff nonetheless! Ha.

I found myself nodding along to a lot of the dance descriptions, like the ways the dancers do things, from breaking in a pair of shoes to techniques used on the dance floor. That’s a lot of stuff to get right, and the author really did that. It very much lines up with my own experience.

I thought Laure’s character was really compelling. I liked the moments she delivered commentary on the ballets the company chose to perform and how they were cast, as well as the expectations about how dancers were to look and act.

In some moments, I felt out of sync with the paranormal/supernatural parts of the plot. I felt like I was missing something. I’m not sure if I didn’t absorb a few critical details or what exactly happened there.

Still, so many parts of the book deeply fascinated me. I especially liked Keturah and Andor and the ways they impacted the story. I loved the complications Andor faced in his love life, too. It was so different and really emphasized the strangeness of the story.

On the whole, I am glad I read the book. I loved getting to be immersed in a ballet world– even one so toxic and tragic as this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
The main character is Black and queer.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used somewhat infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
Laure and her friends encounter a river of blood and an ancient god who offers them temporary gifts for a price.

Violent Content
Graphic descriptions of dance injuries and injuries resulting from sabotage. Situations of peril. Laure discovers the bodies of two people who appear to have been murdered. One scene includes graphic descriptions of torture. Another includes a battle between two god-powered characters. In a couple of scenes, a character drinks blood from another person.

Drug Content
Laure, seventeen, drinks alcohol with an older dancer.

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 I FEED HER TO THE BEAST AND THE BEAST IS ME in exchange for my honest review.

Review: The Infinity Particle by Wendy Xu

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Graphic Novel or Adaptation, Romance, Sci-Fi, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , ,

The Infinity Particle
Wendy Xu
Quill Tree Books
Published August 29, 2023

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About The Infinity Particle

In this gorgeous graphic novel by Wendy Xu, co-creator of the award-winning Mooncakes, a young inventor falls for a lifelike AI and confronts questions of freedom and autonomy.

Clementine Chang moves from Earth to Mars for a new start and is lucky enough to land her dream job with Dr. Marcella Lin, an Artificial Intelligence pioneer. On her first day of work, Clem meets Dr. Lin’s assistant, a humanoid AI named Kye. Clem is no stranger to robots—she built herself a cute moth-shaped companion named SENA. Still, there’s something about Kye that feels almost too human.

When Clem and Kye begin to collaborate, their chemistry sets off sparks. The only downside? Dr. Lin is enraged by Kye’s growing independence and won’t allow him more freedom. Plus, their relationship throws into question everything Clem thought she knew about AI. After all, if Kye is sentient enough to have feelings, shouldn’t he be able to control his own actions? Where is the line between AI and human?

As her past and Kye’s future weigh down on her, Clem becomes determined to help him break free—even if it means risking everything she came to Mars for.

My Review

I’ve read both MOONCAKES and TIDESONG, and love the story and illustrations so much. When I saw that Wendy Xu had a new graphic novel coming out this year, I could not wait to get my hands on it.

This book has the same expressive, detailed illustrations that I’ve come to love in Xu’s other books. I love the way she draws characters’ expressions and how she places them on the page. Both these elements really call attention to the relationships between the characters. I found it easy to feel the friendships and romance building as I turned the pages of the story.

I don’t really know anything about the field of AI, and I felt like I could enjoy the book just fine without being familiar with the field. But there were moments when I felt like I might have had a deeper or more resonant experience reading the book if I knew more. It made me want to check out the podcasts the author mentions in her book dedication.

All in all, I devoured this gorgeous graphic novel in one sitting. It’s a beautiful, tender story that deserves to sit on the shelf with Xu’s other works.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Major characters are survivors of or experiencing domestic violence. A minor character wears a hijab.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used very infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between girl and masculine AI.

Spiritual Content
The story examines questions about the meaning of personhood and humanity.

Violent Content
Scenes show or reference a person in a position of power verbally abusing someone with less power than them.

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 INFINITY PARTICLE in exchange for my honest review.

Review: That’s Debatable

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

That’s Debatable
Jenn Doll
Farrar, Straus, & Giroux
Published August 30, 2022

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About That’s Debatable

That’s Debatable is a witty, smart, and feminist romantic comedy, author Jen Doll explores what it means to set boundaries while breaking down barriers.

Millicent Chalmers isn’t here to make friends.

She’s here to win, and she’s on track to set a record if–no, when–she wins the state debate tournament for the fourth year in a row. Calm, cool, and always in control, Millie doesn’t care what anyone else thinks of her, least of all the sexist bullies bent on destroying her reputation.

Taggart Strong couldn’t care less about winning debate, much to the consternation of his teammates, school and parents. In fact, he might even enjoy losing, as long as the side he believes in wins.

But when a tournament takes a scary turn, Millie and Tag find themselves unexpectedly working together. Maybe Millie can teach Tag a thing or two about using his head, and Tag can teach Millie a little bit about following her heart.

My Review

I think the format of this book is going to be one of its underrated virtues. It’s got short chapters that alternate between Millie and Tag’s points of view. The book is divided into parts that begin with a famous quote and then a resolution statement. I liked the way both of those things set the stage for the chapters in that part of the book. Pretty clever, if you ask me!

I also liked both Tag and Millie’s characters. Tag is quirky and intense, but he’s guided by pretty easily understood beliefs, so he doesn’t have the chaos of a manic pixie dream boy type character, which I appreciated.

Millie is driven and smart. She picks her battles carefully, and her focus remains laser-sharp. I liked the dynamics between her and Tag– the way he challenged her to think about things differently not on purpose, but just kind of by being himself. And I liked that she was the one in the teacher/mentor role. I feel like I’ve seen a lot of books where even though there’s a feminist theme running through the story, if you look at the character roles, a boy still stands in the role as teacher or mentor. So I liked the way THAT’S DEBATABLE changed that up a bit!

The romance is sweet, and I loved the progression of their relationship and the way it impacted their relationships with other characters in the book. I loved that, and the way that those other relationships then played a role in how the story concluded.

All in all, I really enjoyed reading this book. I think fans of rivals to lovers rom-com like THIS MAY END BADLY by Samantha Markum and THE ONLY THING WORSE THAN ME IS YOU by Lily Anderson will love this one.

Content Notes for That’s Debatable

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Major characters are white.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
References to prayer and God.

Violent Content
Millie and Tag hide in a storage closet during what at first appears to be a shooting. They later learn that there was no shooter, just a motorcycle backfiring. A male judge makes inappropriate comments about Millie’s body and dress. Millie endures rumors about her sex life. Previously, one of her competitors shared nude images claiming they were of Millie and that he “let her win” because she sent him the photos. Someone posts a video of one of her competitions and dubs sound over it with sexual comments.

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 THAT’S DEBATABLE in exchange for my honest review.

Review: The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Graphic Novel or Adaptation, Historical, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , , ,

The Prince and the Dressmaker
Jen Wang
First Second
Published February 13, 2018

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Prince and the Dressmaker

Paris, at the dawn of the modern age:

Prince Sebastian is looking for a bride―or rather, his parents are looking for one for him. Sebastian is too busy hiding his secret life from everyone. At night he puts on daring dresses and takes Paris by storm as the fabulous Lady Crystallia―the hottest fashion icon in the world capital of fashion!

Sebastian’s secret weapon is his brilliant dressmaker, Frances―his best friend and one of only two people who know the truth: sometimes this boy wears dresses. But Frances dreams of greatness, and being someone’s secret weapon means being a secret. Forever. How long can Frances defer her dreams to protect her friend?

Jen Wang weaves an exuberantly romantic tale of identity, young love, art, and family. A fairy tale for any age, THE PRINCE AND THE DRESSMAKER will steal your heart.

My Review

Consider my heart stolen.

THE PRINCE AND THE DRESSMAKER has been on my reading list for a long time, but I finally picked it up after seeing it on a list of challenged books in Florida schools. I was able to borrow a copy from my local library, but I hope to add a copy to my bookshelves as well.

The relationship between Frances and Sebastian hooked me from their first scene together. I thought Frances was absolutely fantastic. Her artistic eye and her ability to translate what was unique about her clients and bring it to the clothes she designed was really cool. I liked that she and Sebastian became best friends, and that they both learned things from one another. Everyone needs that kind of friend who sees who you are and is with you no matter what.

While the story addresses some more serious conversations– Sebastian being outed to his parents and whole kingdom, for example– it also delivers some playful moments. The first meeting between Sebastian and Frances. The fashion show toward the end of the book. I loved that the book wove both those awful and wonderful moments together and connected them through people loving and supporting Sebastian for all he was.

I truly enjoyed reading this book, and I’d love to read more of Jen Wang’s books. Readers who enjoy fairytale stories or sweet romances will want to check this one out. I’m not sure I’ve read anything else like it– the closest might be TIDESONG, though I think that one is for a slightly younger audience than THE PRINCE AND THE DRESSMAKER.

Content Notes for The Prince and the Dressmaker

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Sebastian expresses that sometimes he identifies as a prince and other times he identifies as a princess and wears dresses to express that.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Another prince finds Lady Crystallia unconscious and realizes she is also Sebastian. He kidnaps and outs her to the king and queen.

Drug Content
A bartender gives Lady Crystallia a mood-altering drink.

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

Review: House of Roots and Ruin by Erin A. Craig

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

House of Roots and Ruin (Sisters of Salt #2)
Erin A. Craig
Delacorte Press
Published July 25, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About House of Roots and Ruin

A modern masterpiece, this is a classic Gothic thriller-fantasy from New York Times bestselling author Erin A. Craig, about doomed love, menacing ambition, and the ghosts that haunt us forever.

In a manor by the sea, one sister is still cursed.

Despite dreams of adventures far beyond the Salann shores, seventeen-year-old Verity Thaumas has remained at her family’s estate, Highmoor, with her older sister Camille, while their sisters have scattered across Arcannia.

When their sister Mercy sends word that the Duchess of Bloem—wife of a celebrated botanist—is interested in having Verity paint a portrait of her son, Alexander, Verity jumps at the chance, but Camille won’t allow it. Forced to reveal the secret she’s kept for years, Camille tells Verity the truth one day: Verity is still seeing ghosts; she just doesn’t know it.

Stunned, Verity flees Highmoor that night and—with nowhere else to turn—makes her way to Bloem. At first, she is captivated by the lush, luxurious landscape and is quickly drawn to charming, witty, and impossibly handsome Alexander Laurent. And soon, to her surprise, a romance . . . blossoms.

But it’s not long before Verity is plagued with nightmares, and the darker side of Bloem begins to show through its sickly-sweet façade. . . .

My Review

I read this immediately after finishing HOUSE OF SALT AND SORROWS (my review isn’t live yet), but I don’t think you would need to read one read the other. Verity is a minor character and very young in the first book of the series. There are a couple of references to what happened, but they’re pretty carefully explained.

I think the pacing of this book is a lot smoother than the first one. At least, that’s how it felt to me. The last several chapters are pretty intense, but they didn’t feel as rushed as the same part of the story in the first book.

I also really enjoyed Verity’s character and the relationship between her and Alex. They were so sweet together, which was really cool in contrast to the dark, intense plot of the story. I thought it was cool to see this book feature a love interest who uses a wheelchair. I am not qualified to evaluate the representation, but I enjoyed the inclusion.

Of the two Sisters of the Salt books, this one is easily my favorite. I think readers who enjoyed A FORGERY OF ROSES by Jessica S. Olson would like the romance and creepy gothic setting of this book.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Verity is white. Her employer, Dauphine and her son Alex are people of color. Alex is paralyzed from his thighs down and uses a wheelchair.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
One of Verity’s sisters has a secret romance with a woman. Kissing between boy and girl. Vague references to sex (Alex worries whether this will be possible for him.). Verity discovers a secret bookshelf filled with pornographic books. She briefly but explicitly describes what she sees. One scene shows a boy and girl having sex.

Spiritual Content
Verity sees ghosts, but she can’t tell which of the people she sees are ghosts and which are not. She encounters some creepy situations, like what appear to be screaming women.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Descriptions of torture. References to assault. Some graphic descriptions of murder and attempted murder.

Drug Content
References to social drinking. Someone drugs, others through the use of poisons, hallucinogens, and opium.

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 HOUSE OF ROOTS AND RUIN in exchange for my honest review.