Tag: harper360

ARC, books, Review, Young Adult

Book Review: If I Can Give You That by Michael Gray Bulla

by Rosina @ Lace and Dagger BooksLeave a Comment on Book Review: If I Can Give You That by Michael Gray Bulla
Book Review: If I Can Give You That by Michael Gray Bulla

I wasn’t big on contemporary YA when I was younger, as I associated it with those sad books. You know the kind I mean. And those books generally don’t appeal to me. But though If I Can Give You That gives off similar vibes, something about it had me curious. This wasn’t an easy read topic-wise, but it was fast to get through, and I’m glad I’ve read it.

Seventeen-year-old Gael attends a local LGBTQA+ support group for teens at the urging of his best friend, but as a trans teen in a conservative school, he didn’t plan to say much. That’s until he meets Declan and winds up absorbed by his friendship. As their relationship deepens, Gael starts to discover himself. Still, back at home, things are getting worse with his mother’s declining mental health and his dad trying to get back in touch. Gael must decide whether lowering his guard is safe or will make things worse.

Continue reading “Book Review: If I Can Give You That by Michael Gray Bulla” →
ARC, books, Review, Young Adult

Book Review: Out of Character by Jenna Miller

by Rosina @ Lace and Dagger BooksLeave a Comment on Book Review: Out of Character by Jenna Miller
Book Review: Out of Character by Jenna Miller

I’ve had this book for a while, and I’ve been very excited to read it with it being about a queer teenager who rps. But I decided to wait until HarperCollins had come to an agreement with the union. But now they have, and this review is only a few days late, ha! I was lucky enough to get a physical proof of this from the Harper360 blogger email, so thanks to the team there.

In this book, we follow Cass, a 17-year-old fangirl of the Tide Wars books who’d proudly describe herself as a fat lesbian. But what people don’t know is that she likes spending her free time roleplaying with her friends online. It might be nerdy, but it’s her escape from the world, whether she’s stressed over her parents fighting or how difficult it can be to date the resident cool girl. Her roleplay is becoming an addiction, though and as well as that, she thinks she might be falling for her online bestie, Rowan. As her lies build up, she has to decide whether, to be honest about everything and lose her safe space or be honest and watch everything change.

Continue reading “Book Review: Out of Character by Jenna Miller” →
ARC, books, Review, Young Adult

Book Review: A Little Bit Country by Brian D. Kennedy

by Rosina @ Lace and Dagger BooksLeave a Comment on Book Review: A Little Bit Country by Brian D. Kennedy
Book Review: A Little Bit Country by Brian D. Kennedy

A cutesy queer YA romance is the perfect summer read for me, so what better way to greet the sun than with A Little Bit Country. This is Brian D. Kennedy’s debut novel and everything you could hope for. I was lucky enough to get a physical proof of this through the Harper360 newsletter, and I positively devoured it.

A Little Bit Country follows Emmett and Luke, two boys who couldn’t be more different. Emmett wants to be country music’s biggest gay superstar, and Luke has issues with the genre stemming from his family. When both wind up working at Wanda World, an amusement park owned and run by country sensation Wanda Jean, they wind up exploring their attraction. But as Luke’s family secrets come to light, they must work together to figure out what they need to do for the best.

Continue reading “Book Review: A Little Bit Country by Brian D. Kennedy” →
ARC, books, Review, Young Adult

Book Review: Blood Scion by Deborah Falaye

by Rosina @ Lace and Dagger BooksLeave a Comment on Book Review: Blood Scion by Deborah Falaye
Book Review: Blood Scion by Deborah Falaye

I do love getting the Harper360 blogger newsletter. I love receiving some of the books I asked for from it even more. I know I’m lucky when I do, and from the last newsletter, I requested Blood Scion by Deborah Falaye. This is a dark YA fantasy novel inspired by Yoruba-Nigeran mythology. Aspects of it feel like this could be a sci-fi fantasy novel (a fantasy novel set in a distant future), and I loved that.

Sloane has powers that allow her to incinerate any enemy at will, but it’s a power that she’s had to hide. When she’s conscripted into the Lucis army as a child soldier, she has to learn about her powers as she rises through the ranks. Her goal is to find out what happened to her dead mother and eventually get revenge.

Before I start this review, I need to give some content warnings. This book is incredibly dark and features sensitive content including attempted rape, child soldiers, self-harm, ritual cutting, torture and other things associated with war.

Continue reading “Book Review: Blood Scion by Deborah Falaye” →
ARC, books, Review, Young Adult

Book Review: The Kindred by Alechia Dow

by Rosina @ Lace and Dagger BooksLeave a Comment on Book Review: The Kindred by Alechia Dow
Book Review: The Kindred by Alechia Dow

Usually, I would try to post an ARC review before the publication date, but due to some bad luck, Harper360 did not manage to get me a copy until after it was out! Due to that, I did put it off until I had a few other proofs to read. I’m actually kind of glad I did, as I already have a copy of The Sound of Stars to read after this. I didn’t realise that they’re set in the same world until I checked the reviews, so heck yeah!

The Kindred follows Felix, a duke who would love to be a musician. And Joy, his kindred, who is poor and is stuck within the constraints of her culture. When the royal family is killed, Felix and Joy are both blamed. They have to run away until they can find out what is really going on. They get stranded on earth, and the chaos begins.

Continue reading “Book Review: The Kindred by Alechia Dow” →
ARC, books, Review, Young Adult

Book Review: Meet Cute Diary by Emery Lee

by Rosina @ Lace and Dagger BooksLeave a Comment on Book Review: Meet Cute Diary by Emery Lee
Book Review: Meet Cute Diary by Emery Lee

This is a book that a year ago, even with the cover being as adorable as it is, I probably wouldn’t have picked up. Let alone asked for it from Harper360 – so thanks for the book guys! But the idea of a trans teen running a Tumblr all about trans meet-cutes? I needed that. I needed something cute and adorable. And like his readers, I kinda needed to see some trans love. And you get that with this book. You’ve got two love interests – a cis boy and a non-binary co-worker. And sometimes, you need to see someone like yourself experiencing love.

Noah runs Meet Cute Diary, but all the meet-cutes he posts are false. When a troll comes online and starts calling him out on it, Noah decides to fake-date Drew in the hope of distracting his readers. And showing a meet-cute can be real. It doesn’t go as expected, and when he meets Devin, he starts to fall for em too.

Continue reading “Book Review: Meet Cute Diary by Emery Lee” →