Tag Archives: Romance

Review: Take a Bow, Noah Mitchell

Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , , ,
Take a Bow Noah Mitchell by Tobias Madden

Take a Bow, Noah Mitchell
Tobias Madden
Page Street Kids
Published January 3, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Take a Bow, Noah Mitchell

There Are No Cheat Codes for Showmance

Seventeen-year-old gaymer Noah Mitchell only has one friend left: the wonderful, funny, strictly online-only MagePants69. After years playing RPGs together, they know everything about each other, except anything that would give away their real life identities. And Noah is certain that if they could just meet in person, they would be soulmates. Noah would do anything to make this happen—including finally leaving his gaming chair to join a community theater show that he’s only mostly sure MagePants69 is performing in. Noah has never done anything like theater—he can’t sing, he can’t dance, and he’s never willingly watched a musical—but he’ll have to go all in to have a chance at love.

With Noah’s mum performing in the lead role, and former friends waiting in the wings to sabotage his reputation, his plan to make MagePants69 fall in love with him might be a little more difficult than originally anticipated.

And the longer Noah waits to come clean, the more tangled his web of lies becomes. By opening night, he will have to decide if telling the truth is worth closing the curtain on his one shot at true love.

My Review

I absolutely loved Tobias Madden’s debut, ANYTHING BUT FINE, so I was really excited to read another of his books. ANYTHING BUT FINE had possibly the best frank and funny scenes about ballet that I’ve ever read. It also made me totally weep with grief. So good. (I’m pretty sure there’s an appearance by Luca, Amina and Jordan in this book, which was amazing.) Anyway.

So, TAKE A BOW, NOAH MITCHELL follows a reluctant theatre kid, and I have to say that one of my favorite things about the book was the way it celebrated but also poked loving fun at theatre and musicals. I loved that.

I also felt like the layering in the book was really good. Noah and his mom have a really rocky relationship. I thought the way that they sometimes miscommunicated or where their dramatic personalities clashed were really well done. Totally believable.

The relationship between Eli and Noah was cool, too. The timing of reading this book was a little awkward for me, since I just finished NO FILTER AND OTHER LIES by Crystal Maldonado not long before reading this one, and the plot has a lot of similarities to this one. I think that left me feeling like some of the tropes were not as fresh and interesting, but I think that’s probably just because I read both books so close together.

On the whole, I had a lot of fun reading this one, and I enjoyed the characters (especially Noah and Charly) and theatre scenes a lot.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Noah and some other characters are gay. BIPOC minor characters.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used somewhat frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between two boys. References to sex. In one scene the boys plan to have sex and the scene follows the lead up to it. Noah walks in on a man and woman having sex.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Bullying. References to video game violence.

Drug Content
Teens drink alcohol. In one scene, a boy brings out a joint.

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 TAKE A BOW, NOAH MITCHELL in exchange for my honest review.

Review: The Love Match by Priyanka Taslim

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The Love Match
Priyanka Taslim
Salaam Reads/Simon & Schuster
Published January 3, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Love Match

TO ALL THE BOYS I’VE LOVED BEFORE meets PRIDE AND PREJUDICE in this delightful and heartfelt rom-com about a Bangladeshi American teen whose meddling mother arranges a match to secure their family’s financial security—just as she’s falling in love with someone else.

Zahra Khan is basically Bangladeshi royalty, but being a princess doesn’t pay the bills in Paterson, New Jersey. While Zahra’s plans for financial security this summer involve working long hours at Chai Ho and saving up for college writing courses, Amma is convinced that all Zahra needs is a “good match,” Jane Austen style.

Enter Harun Emon, who’s wealthy, devastatingly handsome, and…aloof. As soon as Zahra meets him, she knows it’s a bad match. It’s nothing like the connection she has with Nayim Aktar, the new dishwasher at the tea shop, who just gets Zahra in a way no one has before. So, when Zahra finds out that Harun is just as uninterested in this match as she is, they decide to slowly sabotage their parents’ plans. And for once in Zahra’s life, she can have her rossomalai and eat it too: “dating” Harun and keeping Amma happy while catching real feelings for Nayim.

But life—and boys—can be more complicated than Zahra realizes. With her feelings all mixed up, Zahra discovers that sometimes being a good Bengali kid can be a royal pain.

My Review

I love that the author started with a note talking about some of the Bengali words and spelling in the book. It felt really welcoming, like she invited me in to celebrate Bengali culture and diaspora with her.

The first chapter of the book felt a bit chaotic to me. I think it was meant to, though. It’s a wedding, and there are a lot of things happening in and around Zahra. Once I got past that chapter, I fell head over heels into the story.

I loved Zahra so much. Her relationships with her family members, her best friends, and even her boss all felt so real. I also loved Harun and the way that there was so much more to him than his outward appearance.

The story definitely has PRIDE AND PREJUDICE vibes, which gives me even more reasons to love it. Zahra has all the wit and sense of humor of a modern day Elizabeth Bennet. And Harun bears the same sense of pride and the, at first, emotionally closed persona of a Mr. Darcy.

All in all, readers looking for a bright romance with some humor and family elements will find so much to love about THE LOVE MATCH.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Major characters are Bengladeshi American.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used somewhat frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. Two girls are in a relationship together.

Spiritual Content
Major characters are Muslim. The story mentions Eid and other holy days and celebrations. Zahra mentions that she and her family pray every day.

Violent Content
A girl throws food onto a boy’s face.

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 LOVE MATCH in exchange for my honest review.

23 Amazing Young Adult Books Coming Winter 2023

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23 Amazing Young Adult Books Coming Winter 2023

Seems like every month I have a harder time figuring out my review calendar. There are just too many amazing books coming out these days. I want to read them all! This winter is no exception. Lots of these titles are by authors of books I read last year (or earlier) and loved, so I’m really excited about their newest titles. There are a fair amount of romance titles on here, but some fantasy, historical and murder mysteries, too.

These are the 23 most-anticipated young adult books coming winter 2023 that I’m most looking forward to. I’ll post a list of my most-anticipated winter middle grade titles separately.

23 Amazing Young Adult Books Coming Winter 2023

The Love Match by Priyanka Taslim

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: This one had me at TO ALL THE BOYS I’VE LOVED BEFORE meets PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. I love those rich colors on the cover, too. I can’t wait to get into it.

Release Date: January 3, 2023 | My Review

Take a Bow, Noah Mitchell by Tobias Madden

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Tobias Madden’s debut made me laugh out loud and outright sob. This one is about a boy who joins a local production of Chicago to meet his online crush. Sounds like so much fun!

Release Date: January 3, 2023 | My Review

Dark Testament: Blackout Poems by Crystal Simone Smith

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: The cover copy calls this “a remarkable reckoning with our present moment, a call to action, and a plea for a more just future.” Includes a photo insert featuring memorials for victims of unlawful killings. This is one I really need to read this year.

Release Date: January 3, 2023 | My Review

The Breakup from Hell by Ann Davila Cardinal

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Mica begins dating the perfect guy–and winning at life– only to discover his family roots mean she’s living in a horror novel. Looks like a lot of fun.

Release Date: January 3, 2023 | My Review

Rebel, Brave and Brutal by Shannon Dittemore

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: The cover copy says this one delivers the thrills of MAD MAX: FURY ROAD and the icy magic of FROZEN. Looks like a magical rebellion kind of story, and I’m excited to check it out.

Release Date: January 10, 2023 | My Review

Swift the Storm, Fierce the Flame by Meg Long

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: I loved Meg Long’s debut, COLD THE NIGHT, FAST THE WOLVES, and this novel follows a minor character that I loved from that book, so I absolutely cannot wait to read it.

Release Date: January 17, 2023 | My Review

The Seven Percent of Ro Devereux by Ellen O’Clover

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: The premise of this one reminds me of THE CODE FOR LOVE AND HEARTBREAK, so I’m kind of hoping for those vibes plus humor and hijinks.

Release Date: January 17, 2023 | My Review

The Buried and the Bound by Rochelle Hassan

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Monsters, magic, and wicked fae. Hassan’s middle grade fantasy, THE PRINCE OF NOWHERE, was one of my favorite middle grade titles this past year. I loved the writing and complex characters, so I’m hoping for more of those things in this one.

Release Date: January 24, 2023 | My Review

The Minus One Club by Kekla Magoon

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A group of people bonded by grief over a lost loved one. A story of grief, hope, and finding the courage to love again. Looks really heartfelt and sweet.

Release Date: January 24, 2023 | My Review

Begin Again by Emma Lord

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: College (mis)adventures and a pirate radio station. I’m in. I’ve discovered a love for a “just kiss already!” romance, so I’m excited about this one from an author whose books I’ve enjoyed.

Release Date: January 24, 2023 | My Review

Reggie and Delilah’s Year of Falling by Elise Bryant

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A D&D master– yes, please!– and a girl who keeps her emotions under wraps. Love over the course of a year’s worth of holidays. This sounds different and sweet.

Release Date: January 31, 2023 | My Review

This Severed Thread (The Bone Spindle #2) by Leslie Vedder

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: THE BONE SPINDLE was my absolute number one favorite book last year, and I’m desperate to read this sequel. I need more of Red and Shane, and I have to know what happens with Fi and her prince in this gender-flipped Sleeping Beauty reimagining.

Release Date: February 7, 2023 | My Review

The Architect by Jonathan Starrett

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A band of kids try to free a city with the help of a mysterious Architect. The cover copy promises: sinister schemes, bumbling superheroes, unexpected friendships, and plenty of humor and plot twists. I’m intrigued.

Release Date: February 7, 2023 | My Review

Always the Almost by Edward Underhill

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A trans-boy who feels like he’s always almost enough. A piano competition he resolved to win. The ex he needs to win back. And the new boy… who seems to truly see him like no one else does. Yes, please.

Release Date: February 14, 2023 | My Review

The Pledge by Cale Dietrich

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A masked killer targeting frat boys. A sole survivor of a world-famous murder spree. Last year I read two horror novels that were really good, so this year I picked a couple more to try. This one could be chills-inducing good, or over the top for me. We’ll find out!

Release Date: February 14, 2023 | My Review

Missing Clarissa by Ripley Jones

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A missing girl who was never found. A true crime podcast featuring the case. Two girls who must decide whether the secrets they uncovered would destroy an innocent man or identify Clarissa’s murderer. Looks twisty and intense.

Release Date: March 7, 2023 | My Review

My Dear Henry: A Jekyll and Hyde Remix by Kalynn Bayron

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: This is part of the Remixed Classics that I’ve been following but haven’t managed to read yet. I’m super excited to read Kalynn Bayron’s reimagining of Jekyll & Hyde. I really enjoyed her middle grade novel, THE VANQUISHERS, last year.

Release Date: March 7, 2023 | My Review

The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway by Ashley Schumacher

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A Renaissance Faire under new management. A girl who liked the old faire better. A boy who pulls her into the new theatrical experience. I have loved both Ashley Schumacher’s other novels, so I’m dying to read this one.

Release Date: March 14, 2023 | My Review

Stateless by Elizabeth Wein

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A girl chosen to represent Britain in Europe’s first air race for youth. Sabotage and secrets. Maybe even… murder?? I’ve loved both the books I read by this author before, so I’m expecting the same great storytelling and unforgettable characters here.

Release Date: March 14, 2023 | My Review

I Will Find You Again by Sarah Lyu

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A best friend and first love disappears, leaving only snapshots of grief and secrets behind. This one looks like the kind of book that can wreck you. I’m totally in.

Release Date: March 14, 2023 | My Review

Castelon (Wraithwood #3) by Alyssa Roat

Buy links and cover art to come after the cover reveal in Jan!

What you need to know: CASTELON is the final book in the Wraithwood series, which I’ve really been enjoying. It’s got some Merlin-based lore and magic. A slow-burn romance. I have to know how it all ends.

Release Date: March 15, 2023 | My Review

Last Sunrise in Eterna by Amparo Ortiz

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: This looks like magical realism or maybe a portal story? A girl who supports her family by scavenging elf corpses. The elf prince whose fate is tied to hers. Looks like it could have some THE LUMINARIES vibes?

Release Date: March 28, 2023 | My Review

You Wouldn’t Dare by Samantha Markum

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A best friendship nearly wrecked by a summer fling. A surly new stepsister. A community theater production in jeopardy. Sounds like Junie is juggling a lot of big things, and they’re all about to come crashing down. I loved Markum’s debut, and this one looks like it’ll deliver the same sparky tension and hilarity.

Release Date: March 28, 2023 | My Review

What’s on your reading list this season?

What amazing young adult books coming winter 2023 are you most looking forward to? What genres do you think you’ll read the most of in the next few months? Are you reading any books outside your normal habits?

Review: The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner

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

The Queen of Attolia (The Queen’s Thief #2)
Megan Whalen Turner
Greenwillow Books
Published February 28, 2017 (originally published in 2000)

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Queen of Attolia

The brilliant thief Eugenides has visited the Queen of Attolia’s palace one too many times, leaving small tokens and then departing unseen. When his final excursion does not go as planned, he is captured by the ruthless queen. The Queen’s Thief novels have been praised by writers, critics, reviewers, and fans and have been honored with glowing reviews, “best of” citations, and numerous awards, including the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, a Newbery Honor, the Andre Norton Award shortlist, and the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award.

New York Times-bestselling author Megan Whalen Turner’s entrancing and award-winning Queen’s Thief novels bring to life the world of the epics and feature one of the most charismatic and incorrigible characters of fiction, Eugenides the thief. Megan Whalen Turner’s Queen’s Thief novels are rich with political machinations and intrigue, battles lost and won, dangerous journeys, divine intervention, power, passion, revenge, and deception. Perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo, Marie Lu, Patrick Rothfuss, and George R. R. Martin.

My Review

A bit more than a year ago, I finally read the first book in The Queen’s Thief series, THE THIEF, and I’m finally reading the second book. I remember the first book being a bit rough at the start because it felt like it took awhile for the story to get going.

THE QUEEN OF ATTOLIA begins with a pretty big bang, and right away I was carried off into all the politics and intrigue of what was happening. In terms of violence, the beginning is the roughest part of the book. There’s one scene that’s particularly awful. I think the hardest part about the book is that I bought in so deeply to those early scenes, and that made shifting away from how the characters felt in that moment difficult.

Partly what made following the characters’ changing feelings hard is the way the story is told. Turner’s writing is pretty omniscient, giving us a view of a scene and what different characters are thinking. But we don’t always get to see how they feel. I think having more of a window into how characters felt and how those feelings changed would have strengthened my buy-in to the second half of the story.

I still really liked the second half of the book. One of my favorite parts that I really liked is Eugenides’ cleverness and the depth to his character that his experiences brought him. I also liked that the story focused so much on the relationship between the two queens, the difference in their ruling styles, and situations within their kingdoms. In my review of THE THIEF, I lamented the lack of female characters. This book did not leave me feeling that lack.

On the whole, I am really glad I read this book. I think I enjoyed this one more than the first one, and I would say it’s very likely I’ll continue with the series. (Have I mentioned that Steve West performs all the books in the series on audiobook?? Because yes, please!)

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Major characters are white. The countries are made up but inspired by countries on the Mediterranean Sea.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used very infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
A kiss between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
Eugenides serves the God of Thieves and has taken his name as part of his role as the Queen’s Thief. He leaves sacrifices at alters for various gods and goddesses, and sometimes prays. The Queen of Eddis tells a story about a woman who is tricked by a goddess. The Queen of Attolia believes in the gods, but refuses to serve them. Attolians in general aren’t very religious.

Violent Content
References to torture and execution. One scene shows a boy strapped into a chair while a soldier cuts off his hand. Brief battle violence. Situations of peril.

Drug Content
Wine is served with meals. A physician gives Eugenides a strong pain medication which helps him sleep and recover from serious injury.

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

Review: Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

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Howl’s Moving Castle (Howl’s Moving Castle #1)
Diana Wynne Jones
Greenwillow Books
Published August 1, 2001 (Originally published 1986)

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Howl’s Moving Castle

Sophie has the great misfortune of being the eldest of three daughters, destined to fail miserably should she ever leave home to seek her fate. But when she unwittingly attracts the ire of the Witch of the Waste, Sophie finds herself under a horrid spell that transforms her into an old lady. Her only chance at breaking it lies in the ever-moving castle in the hills: the Wizard Howl’s castle.

To untangle the enchantment, Sophie must handle the heartless Howl, strike a bargain with a fire demon, and meet the Witch of the Waste head-on. Along the way, she discovers that there’s far more to Howl—and herself—than first meets the eye.

My Review

HOWL’S MOVING CASTLE is the first book by Diana Wynne Jones that I’ve ever read. I think that’s weird, considering how popular her books are and how much I read as a kid, but there you go. First time for everything, I guess.

I wasn’t sure whether I would like this book or not when I first started it. I felt like the author was kind of making jokes about fantasy as a genre, and I wasn’t always sure I was in on them? For instance, Sophie worries about being the eldest of three sisters, because it means there’s no likelihood that anything magical or amazing will happen to her. I wasn’t sure if that was something that was particular to her world or a joke about fairytales?

Anyway, once the witch cursed Sophie and she ran away, I got a lot more invested in the story. She’s smart and loyal, and I loved her from the first moment she rescued the dog stuck in the hedge.

I also thought it was clever to tell the story from the perspective of a girl under a curse that makes her look like an old woman. Normally I’m not a fan of children’s books written from the point-of-view of an adult, but Sophie wasn’t really an adult… she just looked like one. Which was an interested juxtaposition.

All the way through the book, new pieces get added to the mystery of Sophie’s curse and the story of Howl and why he is what Sophie terms, “a slitherer-outer”. I loved the book, and really want to read more stories by Diana Wynne Jones.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Major characters are white.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used very infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
References to Howl falling in love with lots of women and trying to make them fall in love with him.

Spiritual Content
Some characters use magic. Sophie is cursed by the Witch of the Waste. Howl has a contract with a fire demon.

Violent Content
Situations of peril.

Drug Content
Howl comes home drunk one night.

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

Review: Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker, Wendy Xu, and Joamette Gil

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Mooncakes
Suzanne Walker, Wendy Xu, and Joamette Gil
Oni Press
Published October 22, 2019

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Mooncakes

A story of love and demons, family and witchcraft.

Nova Huang knows more about magic than your average teen witch. She works at her grandmothers’ bookshop, where she helps them loan out spell books and investigate any supernatural occurrences in their New England town.

One fateful night, she follows reports of a white wolf into the woods, and she comes across the unexpected: her childhood crush, Tam Lang, battling a horse demon in the woods. As a werewolf, Tam has been wandering from place to place for years, unable to call any town home.

Pursued by dark forces eager to claim the magic of wolves and out of options, Tam turns to Nova for help. Their latent feelings are rekindled against the backdrop of witchcraft, untested magic, occult rituals, and family ties both new and old in this enchanting tale of self-discovery.

My Review

I reviewed TIDESONG by Wendy Xu and noticed that a lot of other reviewers commented on how much they’d loved MOONCAKES, so I decided to check it out. I feel like I’m always saying I’m not really a big reader of graphic novels, and I’m not, but I’ve read several this year that I’ve really enjoyed. MOONCAKES is definitely one of those!

At the start of the story, we meet Nova, who helps her grandmothers in their magical bookshop. When Nova’s friend Tam returns to town in trouble, Nova immediately decides to help them. As the two reconnect, some romance blossoms. Some secrets get spilled. Plot twists happen. I found I couldn’t stop reading.

Between the beautiful illustrations and the charming dialogue, I got completely sucked into this story. I loved Nova’s grandmothers. They’re so practical and chill about everything. And I loved watching Nova and Tam’s relationship develop. It’s absolutely sweet.

MOONCAKES is definitely written for an older audience than TIDESONG, but I loved it all the same. I think readers who love witchy stories about found family will want to check this one out (if you haven’t already!).

Content Notes for Mooncakes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Tam is nonbinary. Nova is maybe pansexual? Two women, Nova’s grandmothers, are in a relationship.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between a girl and a nonbinary person.

Spiritual Content
Nova and her grandmothers are witches. Tam is a werewolf. They fight other spiritual creatures.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Cartoonish battle violence.

Drug Content
None.

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