Tag Archives: Romance

Review: Arya Khanna’s Bollywood Moment by Arushi Avachat

Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , ,
Arya Khanna's Bollywood Moment by Arushi Avachat

Arya Khanna’s Bollywood Moment
Arushi Avachat
Wednesday Books
Published January 9, 2024

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About Arya Khanna’s Bollywood Moment

A sparkling debut rom-com about a high school senior whose life suddenly gets a Bollywood spin when her sister gets engaged.

Shaadi preparations are in full swing, which means lehenga shopping, taste testing, dance rehearsals, and best of all, Arya’s sister Alina is home. The Khannas are together again, finally, and Arya wants to enjoy it. So she stifles her lingering resentment towards Alina, plays mediator during her sister’s fights with their mother, and welcomes her future brother-in-law with open arms. (Okay, maybe enjoy isn’t exactly right.)

Meanwhile at school, Arya’s senior year dreams are unraveling. In between class and her part-time gig as a bookshop assistant, Arya struggles to navigate the aftermath of a bad breakup between her two best friends and a tense student council partnership with her rival, the frustratingly attractive Dean Merriweather.

Arya is determined to keep the peace at home and at school, but this shaadi season teaches Arya new realities: Alina won’t always be in the bedroom down the hall, Mamma’s sadness isn’t mendable, friendships must evolve, and life doesn’t always work out like her beloved Bollywood movies. But sometimes, the person you least expect will give you a glimpse of your dream sequence just when you need it most.

Structured like a Bollywood film (entertaining intermission included!) Arya Khanna’s Bollywood Moment will make you swoon, laugh, cry, think, nod your head in agreement, and quite possibly make you get up and dance.

My Review

I needed this book so much. It’s got so much energy and this smart, vibrant voice. I love Arya. She’s fun and thoughtful. Her mom seems to be experiencing some depression, and Arya isn’t sure how to deal with it or even really how to identify it. She thinks her older sister coming home and being nicer to her mom will make her mom’s sadness go away. Her older sister has a different perspective, so when they finally talk about it directly, some sparks fly. Sisters, ha.

Seriously, though, I liked Arya’s relationship with her sister, Alina. It was nuanced and complex—close but with tangles and secrets. I loved the scenes between them as much as any other scene in the book.

I also had a great time reading the scenes with Arya and Dean, her rival and possible new crush. The banter between those two! Whew. So much fun.

All in all, reading this book is such a fabulous time. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves a good rom-com, especially one with great dialog.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 13 up.

Representation
Arya’s family is Indian American.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
References to Hindi services and traditions for holidays and weddings.

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 ARYA KHANNA’S BOLLYWOOD MOMENT in exchange for my honest review. All opinions my own.

Review: Aisle Nine by Ian X. Cho

Book Review and Content, Dystopian or Post-Apocalyptic, Fantasy, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , ,

Aisle Nine
Ian X. Cho
HarperCollins
Published September 24, 2024

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About Aisle Nine

“It’s Black Friday—and the apocalypse is on sale!

Ever since the world filled with portals to hell and bloodthirsty demons started popping out on the reg, Jasper’s life has gotten worse and worse. A teenage nobody with no friends or family, he is plagued by the life he can’t remember and the person he’s sure he’s supposed to be.

Jasper spends his days working as a checkout clerk at the Here For You discount mart, where a hell portal in aisle nine means danger every shift. But at least here he can be near the girl he’s crushing on—Kyle Kuan, a junior member of the monster-fighting Vanguard—who seems to hate Jasper for reasons he can’t remember or understand.

But when Jasper and Kyle learn they both share a frightening vision of the impending apocalypse, they’re forced to team up and uncover the uncomfortable truth about the hell portals and the demons that haunt the world. Because the true monsters are not always what they seem, the past is not always what we wish, and like it or not, on Black Friday, all hell will break loose in aisle nine.

Perfect for fans of Grasshopper Jungle or The Last of Us comes Aisle Nine, the debut young adult novel from rising YA star lan X. Cho.

My Review

Reading a book about the apocalypse that’s weird and funny was a lot of fun. This isn’t the kind of book I’d normally find myself drawn to. The balance of humor and high-stakes drama of the apocalypse definitely had me intrigued.

Jasper’s amnesia made him an interesting character in that he continued to look for clues about his previous life. His nightmares about the portals, his relationship with Lara, the cat-who-is-not-a-cat, and his awkward connection to Kyle offer a lot of threads for him to unravel as the story progresses.

While some of the moments of tension resolve quickly, the story rockets Jasper into one dangerous situation after another. I found it easy to keep reading from one chapter to another. The book is also on the shorter side of young adult fantasy, at 260 pages.

I think readers who enjoy apocalyptic stories paired with humor, especially in the cast of goofy characters, will love this one. It reminds me of the end-of-the-world movies from the 90s.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 16 up.

Representation
Kyle’s parents are from Taiwan.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Some f-bombs and profanity used fairly frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
Portals from the abyss have opened up at various points worldwide. These are often referred to as portals from hell, and the monsters that emerge are referred to as demons. Four powerful beings are referred to as the horsemen (a reference to the four horsemen of the apocalypse from the Bible.) Beyond the use of those names, there’s no real connection to Christian theology.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Some scenes include graphic violence as monsters attack people and soldiers fight back. The monsters sometimes have an almost comical appearance. At other times, they more closely resemble nightmare material.

Drug Content
In one scene, a mercenary reports that soldiers are often required to take medication meant to combat narcolepsy when they work long shifts. Someone else takes it to stay awake while they work.

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: A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft

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

A Fragile Enchantment
Allison Saft
Wednesday Books
Published January 30, 2024

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About A Fragile Enchantment

In this romantic fantasy of manners from New York Times bestselling author Allison Saft, a magical dressmaker commissioned for a royal wedding finds herself embroiled in scandal when a gossip columnist draws attention to her undeniable chemistry with the groom.

Niamh Ó Conchobhair has never let herself long for more. The magic in her blood that lets her stitch emotions and memories into fabric is the same magic that will eventually kill her. Determined to spend the little time she has left guaranteeing a better life for her family, Niamh jumps at the chance to design the wardrobe for a royal wedding in the neighboring kingdom of Avaland.

But Avaland is far from the fairytale that she imagined. While young nobles attend candlelit balls and elegant garden parties, unrest brews amid the working class. The groom himself, Kit Carmine, is prickly, abrasive, and begrudgingly being dragged to the altar as a political pawn. But when Niamh and Kit grow closer, an unlikely friendship blossoms into something more—until an anonymous columnist starts buzzing about their chemistry, promising to leave them alone only if Niamh helps to uncover the royal family’s secrets. The rot at the heart of Avaland runs deep, but exposing it could risk a future she never let herself dream of, and a love she never thought possible.

Transporting readers to a Regency England-inspired fantasy world, A Fragile Enchantment is a sweeping romance threaded with intrigue, unforgettable characters, and a love story for the ages.

My Review

I’ve been a fan of Allison Saft’s books since her debut, DOWN COMES THE NIGHT. She is so good at delivering intricate story worlds and complicated characters navigating some kind of mysterious circumstances. In A FRAGILE ENCHANTMENT, a tailor who can imbue the clothes she makes with magic and a younger prince fight their growing attraction to one another as an entire kingdom seems ready to crumble around them.

It’s got a bit of a grumpy vs. sunshine vibe, which I really enjoyed. The story also explores chronic illness and addiction pretty openly. Neither of those is often explored in fantasy novels, so that was nice to see.

The romantic arc absolutely hooked me. I read this book in two sessions because I really could not stop thinking about it and needed to know how it would end. I loved the directions the story took, especially the ones I hadn’t anticipated. There were a couple of times that things took me by surprise. That was fun.

All in all, I had a fabulous time reading this book, and I’m as big an Allison Saft fan as ever. I’m already excited about whatever story she has coming up next. I think fans of Kiera Cass would like this book a lot.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 16 up.

Representation
Regency-England inspired. Some people groups seem to be inspired by Spanish or Irish people. The main character had a past relationship with a girl. Some characters are interested in same-sex relationships, but it’s stigmatized in their society. One character is an alcoholic in recovery. Another is chronically ill.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used somewhat frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. Kissing between two girls. One scene contains explicit sexual content.

Spiritual Content
Some characters have the ability to perform magic. This is passed down in families from the old days when the Fair Ones walked among people.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. One character can control plants and threatens violence through them. Another can control lightning and tries to kill someone.

Drug Content
One character is a recovering alcoholic who has been sober for a year. In several scenes, people around him drink alcohol. Sometimes, people make disparaging remarks about his drinking or assume he is drunk again.

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 A FRAGILE ENCHANTMENT in exchange for my honest review. All opinions my own.

Review: A Constellation of Minor Bears by Jen Ferguson

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

A Constellation of Minor Bears
Jen Ferguson
Heartdrum
Published September 24, 2024

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About A Constellation of Minor Bears

Award-winning author Jen Ferguson has written a powerful story about teens grappling with balancing resentment with enduring friendship—and how to move forward with a life that’s not what they’d imagined.

Before that awful Saturday, Molly used to be inseparable from her brother, Hank, and his best friend, Tray. The indoor climbing accident that left Hank with a traumatic brain injury filled Molly with anger.

While she knows the accident wasn’t Tray’s fault, she will never forgive him for being there and failing to stop the damage. But she can’t forgive herself for not being there either.

Determined to go on the trio’s post-graduation hike of the Pacific Crest Trail, even without Hank, Molly packs her bag. But when her parents put Tray in charge of looking out for her, she is stuck backpacking with the person who incites her easy anger.

Despite all her planning, the trail she’ll walk has a few more twists and turns ahead. . . .

Discover the evocative storytelling and emotion from the author of The Summer of Bitter and Sweet, which was the winner of the Governor General’s Award, a Stonewall Award honor book, and a Morris Award finalist, as well as Those Pink Mountain Nights, a Kirkus Best Book of the Year!

My Review

I’ve heard so many great things about Jen Ferguson’s books that I’m only sorry it took me so long to read one. This book tackles some complex issues through characters who struggle to communicate their thoughts and feelings in ways that aren’t hurtful or difficult. (So relatable! Especially thinking of myself as a teenager.)

I really appreciated the author’s content note at the opening of the book, which offers some context for and information about the difficult topics (fat abuse, fatphobia, ableism, and racism) that the story includes. Those things often stay on the fringes of the novel but could still be really difficult for some readers. The author also includes a note at the end of the book in which she shares more about how our culture responds to fatness, disability, and our relationship to the traditional unceded lands of Indigenous people. There’s great stuff to be read in those notes.

The novel also contains some great stuff. At its core, it’s about the relationship between Molly, her brother Hank, and their best friend Tray. The relationships have become more strained since Hank’s climbing accident, and it’s unclear whether they can reconcile.

The narrative mostly shifts back and forth between Molly and Tray’s perspectives. Occasionally, Hank’s AITA posts appear between chapters, describing his thoughts and feelings and commenters’ responses. The book is divided into parts labeled according to the parts of a song. Tray is a songwriter, so some of his conflicts are resolved with and through music. Molly is a science girl, so she thinks about the science of injuries and healing. She thinks about stars and facts.

Ultimately, A Constellation of Minor Bears is a book about dealing with the unexpected. It’s about how relationships change, and how we need each other, but not always in the ways others want us to need them. It’s about figuring out how to listen to one another without judgment.

Plot-wise, the story starts off a little bit slow. Molly and Tray are so uncomfortable together. Once Brynn joins the group, the pace and energy really pick up, and I wanted to read from there all the way through to the end.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 15 up.

Representation
Tray and Molly are Métis. Molly’s brother Hank is white and disabled after a climbing fall. Molly is bisexual. Hank is gay. Other minor characters are queer. Molly and another character are plus-sized.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
A fair number of f-bombs and other profanity. The crew have a joke that when someone says something ridiculous, they’ll call it out as bear sh**. Someone responds by clarifying that they mean no offense to any bears. It adds some lightness to difficult conversations and situations.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. References to kissing between two girls.

Spiritual Content
References to Métis spiritual practices, rituals, and stories.

Violent Content
Contains some ableist comments. Contains instances of abuse and fatphobia (most happen off-scene). References to anti-Indigenous comments and actions.

Drug Content
Characters drink alcohol. References to side characters smoking weed. One character is hospitalized after drinking far too much.

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: Most Ardently by Gabe Cole Novoa

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

Most Ardently: A Pride and Prejudice Remix (Remixed Classics #9)
Gabe Cole Novoa
Feiwel & Friends
Published January 16, 2024

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About Most Ardently

A trans boy searches for a future―and a romance―in which he can live and love openly as himself in this heartrending young-adult reimagining of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, part of the Remixed Classics series.

London, 1812 . Oliver Bennet feels trapped—not just by the endless corsets, petticoats, and skirts he’s forced to wear on a daily basis, but also by society’s expectations. The world, and the vast majority of his family and friends, think Oliver is a girl named Elizabeth. He is therefore expected to mingle at balls wearing a pretty dress, entertain suitors regardless of his interest in them, and ultimately become someone’s wife.

But Oliver can’t bear the thought of such a fate. He finds solace in the few times he can sneak out of his family’s home and explore the city rightfully dressed as a young gentleman. It’s during one such excursion when Oliver becomes acquainted with Darcy, a sulky young man who had been rude to “Elizabeth” at a recent social function. But in the comfort of being out of the public eye, Oliver comes to find that Darcy is actually a sweet, intelligent boy with a warm heart, not to mention attractive.

As Oliver spends more time as his true self, often with Darcy, part of him dares to hope that his dream of love and life as a man can be possible. But suitors are growing bolder―and even threatening―and his mother is growing more desperate to see him settled into an engagement. Oliver will have to choose: settle for safety, security, and a life of pretending to be something he’s not, or risk it all for a slim chance at freedom, love, and a life that can be truly his own.

My Review

This is the fourth book in the Remixed Classics series by MacMillan that I’ve read, and even before picking it up, I thought this might be the most challenging one for me. Not because of the transgender character but because inserting a transgender character into a reimagining of Pride and Prejudice is a huge change to the story. I’m going to split up the review into two sections because I want to explore the book as a Regency romance with a transgender main character and separately look at how it reimagines the Austen’s classic novel.

As a Regency Romance

I like Most Ardently on its own merit. Considering what life could have been like for someone like Oliver living during the time that Pride and Prejudice was set is really worth doing, especially now. I thought the author did a great job of exploring Oliver’s choices, how he felt about those options and the risks he was willing to take to create a life he could live as freely as possible.

The back of the book includes an author’s note which explains some information about what it may have been like for transgender people living in Regency England and explains some of the historical references in the book. For example, in Most Ardently, Oliver visits a Molly house, a club for queer people. The author’s note explains a little bit of the history of those establishments.

A lot of the story centers around Oliver’s identity, specifically around the fact that most people don’t know he’s a boy and how difficult this is for him. His mother and others constantly remind him about society’s expectations for him as long as he’s perceived as a woman. The ongoing pressure to become someone’s wife grows increasingly difficult for him to bear.

His determination to be seen for who he is and his courage in speaking his truth to the people around him on his timeline can’t help but be inspiring. The author makes space for messy conversations and shows tenderness and growth in so many of the characters.

As a Remix of Pride and Prejudice

Some of the characters in the book felt very true to the spirit of the original characters. I could see Mr. Bennet reacting much the way he does in the text when he learns Oliver’s identity. It wasn’t hard to imagine that Mrs. Bennet would have behaved the same way, too.

Other characters’ roles are minimized or removed from the story to simplify some elements. A few times, I felt like the references to the original story and the new theme about gender identity seemed in conflict with one another. The messages didn’t disagree, but occasionally plot elements from the original story were introduced and then dropped and never revisited or distracted from the more central story.

One of the big changes in this remix of Pride and Prejudice is Oliver’s reaction to Wickham, whom he has creepy vibes about from the very first moment he enters the story. I found myself missing the evolution of the main character’s feelings about Darcy and Wickham. The romantic component in this remix is a lot more simplified than the original.

The writing in Most Ardently is, of course, a lot more accessible than Austen’s original language. For the most part, I didn’t mind this, but there were a few times that the characters revealed things to one another that seemed very out of character or against the social norms of the day. The few times that happened were a little bit jarring. The more modern style of writing will probably make the book more satisfying to contemporary YA readers.

Conclusion

On the whole, I enjoyed the book as a Regency romance centered around a transgender character. I appreciated the inspiration from Pride and Prejudice, though it’s super different than the original. I think readers who enjoyed My Dear Henry by Kalynn Bayron should check this one out.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Oliver is a transgender boy.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
One instance of profanity.

Romance/Sexual Content
Two women are in a secret romance. Two boys kiss. More than one man proposes marriage to someone.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Oliver’s family and some people in public refer to him as “Elizabeth.” He is required to dress as a woman when at home with his family or appearing with them in public. Most of the people in his life don’t know his true identity and misgender him or refer to him by the wrong name. It always startles or hurts Oliver.

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 this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions my own.

Review: What is This Feeling? by Robby Webber

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

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.