Category: books

Review, ARC, books, Young Adult

Book Review: The Dos and Donuts of Love by Adiba Jaigirdar

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Book Review: The Dos and Donuts of Love by Adiba Jaigirdar

Having read Adiba Jaigirdar before, when I saw that she was releasing a YA baking competition book with a sapphic romance? You know, I was immediately intrigued. I was lucky enough to be sent a – signed! – proof of the book from Team BKMRK over on Instagram. It took me a little while to get to this book, but when I finally did, I read it in a single day.

Shireen Malik has been struggling since breaking up with her ex-girlfriend, Chris. With her best friend away with family in Bangladesh, Shireen has just been lying in bed rewatching Bake Off. But when she gets an email confirming that she’s gotten onto a new televised baking show, Shireen knows she has to get her butt into gear and win the show to help her family’s doughnut shop. But Chris is also competing on the show, and when Shireen meets another contestant, Niamh, sparks start to fly there too. If Shireen wants to win the show, she’s going to have to be able to put her feelings and any potential sabotage aside to win.

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Adult, ARC, books, Review

Blog Tour: Best Men by Sidney Karger

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Blog Tour: Best Men by Sidney Karger

I love when there’s a tour for a book that I was anticipating SO HIGHLY, and I get to be a part of it. This time it’s for Best Men by Sidney Karger. The book is being published by Harper Collins, and the tour is run by Ann from Random Things Tours, so thanks so much for allowing me to be part of this.

An hour after meeting a man in a bar, Max messed around with him on a roof. But only five minutes later, he ran out, assuming he’d never see the guy again. But after discovering his best friend is getting married, he also discovers that the hot stranger is the Groom’s Best Man. Now the pair have to work together, as they compete to find out who really is the best man. Unfortunately for Max, he wants to keep this stranger closer than he probably should…

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ARC, books, Review, Young Adult

Book Review: The Byways by Mary Pascal

by Rosina @ Lace and Dagger Books1 Comment on Book Review: The Byways by Mary Pascal
Book Review: The Byways by Mary Pascal

I love a fun Wonderland story, so when I was emailed about The Byways, I was curious enough to accept an e-arc of it. I was sent this a while ago, but it’s taken me until now to get to it due to timing. I’ll be honest, this wasn’t the most exciting Wonderland novel I’ve read, but it has a fascinating twist and still has recognisable characters.

CeeCee is a teenager with special needs who is tired of getting in trouble at school. After one bad day, she makes a mistake and winds up lost in the Byways or mysterious alleys filled with monsters, drugs and more dangerous than she ever expected. Will CeeCee ever get out? Or will she change like so many before her?

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ARC, books, Review, Young Adult

Book Review: Margo Zimmerman Gets The Girl by Brianna R. Shrum & Sara Waxelbaum

by Rosina @ Lace and Dagger BooksLeave a Comment on Book Review: Margo Zimmerman Gets The Girl by Brianna R. Shrum & Sara Waxelbaum
Book Review: Margo Zimmerman Gets The Girl by Brianna R. Shrum & Sara Waxelbaum

The Harper360 proof newsletter is always a joy, and from the last newsletter, I was sent a copy of Margo Zimmerman Gets The Girl. It wasn’t a book I’d heard of before, but a queer YA contemporary is always a safe bet. Especially when there’s some disability rep as well. I’ll admit, I almost forgot about this book as I wasn’t in a rush to get to it, but when I finally picked it up, I had such a great time.

Margo is a lesbian but doesn’t know until she kisses a girl. But being an overachiever, she feels like she has to learn how to be gay if she will do this right. Abbie, on the other hand, is openly bi and proud. Still, she needs tutoring in US History to get accepted into college. As the two girls agree to help each other, they learn a lot about themselves and each other and soon realise that neither of them would be happy with just any girl. Instead, they want each other.

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ARC, books, Review, Young Adult

Book Review: The Isle of the Gods by Amie Kaufman

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Book Review: The Isle of the Gods by Amie Kaufman

Amie Kaufman is an author I’ve read from before, but one who has mostly co-written with other authors. She has a middlegrade series that she’s written alone, and I tried the first book out, but I wasn’t in the mood for it then. So when I discovered that she was finally releasing a YA book alone, I knew I had to read it.

I first heard about the book at the Rock the Boat showcase late last year, and it was wonderful to hear her talk about it. Even if all I remembered from that was boats? And possibly history? But that’s more of an issue with my memory than anything else, ha! Still, I was excited to read this, so I was so pleased when I got an early copy, thanks to Nina Douglas PR.

In a world where gods exist and once fought in wars, trouble begins to brew, and the gods may be stirring from their rest. All Selly wants is to follow her Father on his ships and prove that she’s a worthy crew member. When he leaves her behind again, she decides to track him down. But running into Prince Leander puts a bump in that plan. Whether she wants to or not, she has to help him reach the islands and complete the ritual. But when what should have been an easy trip turns dangerous, the pair will have to stick together, but those gods truly wake up.

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ARC, books, Review, Young Adult

Book Review: Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley

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Book Review: Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley

Having been so impressed by The Firekeeper’s Daughter last year, I knew I had to pick up whatever Angeline Boulley put out next. When it was revealed that her next book would be set on Sugar Island again, but in a more recent time following one of Daunis’ nieces, I knew I was in for a treat. This book is described as a Native American Lara Croft, but where our heroine is trying to rescue these bodies and artefacts from the museums themselves.

Doesn’t that grab your attention immediately?

I was fortunate to be sent an early copy of this book from Rock the Boat in return for a review. But honestly? Even if I’d had to wait until after release and buy myself a copy, I would’ve wanted to review this book no matter what.

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ARC, books, Review, Young Adult

Book Review: Lose You To Find Me by Erik J. Brown

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Book Review: Lose You To Find Me by Erik J. Brown

You’ll notice that I’m reviewing a lot of contemporary and romance at the moment, and I’m perfectly fine with that as we start going into the warmer months. I’m reviewing Erik J. Brown’s second book this time, which might be totally different genre-wise from his debut, but he’s done an excellent job. I was lucky enough to be sent a proof of this through Team BKMRK’s Instagram. They asked if anyone would be interested, and I said yes. I’m so glad that I did.

Tommy is in his senior year of high school and aiming to get into the culinary school his Dad had attended. He’s focused on his application until his childhood crush pops up in his kitchen and his life again. As Tommy tries to juggle his returning feelings with his dreams for his future, his life begins to take turns that he didn’t expect.

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ARC, books, Review, Young Adult

Book Review: Imogen, Obviously by Becky Albertalli

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Book Review: Imogen, Obviously by Becky Albertalli

I’ve always found Becky Albertalli’s books very hit or miss. Still, she is an author that I immediately gravitate towards when she has a new book out. She writes fun contemporaries that often have a slight emotional edge, and recently I’ve been eating them up. I entered a giveaway on Twitter, hoping to win one of the personalised ARCs, and I won! It’s super rare to find my name on anything, so it’s a pretty fun thing to have. I had a great time with this book, so let’s get into it.

In Imogen, Obviously, we follow high school senior Imogen. She’s a straight ally with queer friends, but when she visits one of her best friends at college for the weekend, she discovers that they all think she’s bisexual and starts questioning things. But Imogen is always surrounded by queerness, so she’d know if she was bi, right?

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ARC, books, Review, Young Adult

Book Review: Gwen & Art Are Not In Love by Lex Croucher

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Book Review: Gwen & Art Are Not In Love by Lex Croucher

When I originally picked up the sample of this book to review, I wasn’t sure what type of book it was. I had such a good time with the sample and was so excited, but genre-wise? Yeah, I was unsure. So for those of you who, like me, we were wondering, this book is a historical rom-com with some references to Arthurian legend. It’s super queer, easy to read and hilarious. So this is definitely one you need to be picking up. Thanks to Nina Douglas of Nina Douglas PR and Bloomsbury for a copy of this one.

Gwen is the Princess of England, Arthur is a future lord, and they’ve been betrothed since they were young. The only problem is that they hate each other. But when Arthur returns to Camelot and Gwen catches him kissing a boy, he suspects she might be queer too. He digs up her diary entries on how she feels about a certain lady knight. The pair decide to pretend to be in love for their mutual protection. The only problem is that they might be unable to keep up the ruse for long, as soon Art falls for Gwen’s brother as she spends more time with Lady Bridget.

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ARC, books, Review, Young Adult

Book Review: Bianca Torre Is Afraid of Everything by Justine Pucella Winans

by Rosina @ Lace and Dagger BooksLeave a Comment on Book Review: Bianca Torre Is Afraid of Everything by Justine Pucella Winans
Book Review: Bianca Torre Is Afraid of Everything by Justine Pucella Winans

If I see a book with a nonbinary protagonist, I will most likely pick it up. Unless it really doesn’t look like my type of thing. Which Bianca Torre is Afraid of Everything really was. From the summary alone, I was intrigued. This book sounded weird, wacky and funny, but it was a thriller with a nerd for a main character on top of all that. I was hyped to check this book out, and unsurprisingly, I had a great time with it.

Bianca is a bird-watching teenager with a long list of fears, including initiating conversation. Down to that, they spend most of their time watching birds and, eventually, people. But when they see someone murdered one night by someone wearing a plague mask, they know they must do something about it. With the help of their best friend, Anderson and later their crush, Elaine, Bianca starts to uncover a conspiracy weirder than they could’ve imagined. All while trying to figure out their identity and tackle their long list of fears.

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