Crier’s War by Nina Varela: Romance, Revolutionaries, and ALL the Angsty Fluff

I’m honestly so overwhelmed by just how much I enjoyed this book. High fantasy isn’t normally my jam, but from the very beginning of this, I was obsessed. There’s a timeline at the start of the story that in itself was such an entertaining and interesting read for me, and I couldn’t get enough of …

The Tea Dragon Society & The Tea Dragon Festival by Katie O’Neill: Soft, Precious, and Lush

I knew this was going to be cute, but I never imagined just how cute it would be. Everything about this series is so lovely, it’s such a sweet and heartfelt experience. The reading experience of these books is genuinely so pleasant and calming, I can’t recommend it enough. If you want a quick and …

Permanent Record by Mary H.K. Choi: A Relatable and Modern Contemporary feat. 20 year-old Characters

Mary H.K. Choi's Permanent Record is not a love story. It's a coming of age story. Choi's writing style is refreshing and extremely appealing to an infrequently catered to market. It's labeled as YA by Simon and Schuster (14+), but I think the people who will enjoy and relate to this the most are college …

Color Me In by Natasha Diaz: An Honest Coming-of-Age Story of a White-Passing Teen

I knew this was going to be good, but I didn't expect such a unique and individual story about identity. Color Me In revolves around Neveah who is a biracial Black and Jewish fifteen year old girl who's trying to understand her identity, how she fits in the world, and deal with her parent's divorce …

Fan the Fame by Anna Priemaza: A Geeky Story of Discovery feat. Modern Activism Subtext

I loved reading Priemaza's debut Kat and Meg Conquer the World back in 2017 and have been anxiously waiting for Fan the Flame. And wow--Priemaza brings all the geeky goodness with some familiar names (remember LumberLegs?) but fresh new stories. We have three protagonists and they're at a gaming convention, and throughout the story, each …

Immunity by Erin Bowman: An Underappreciated Sci-Fi Thriller Duology

I read Contagion last year (spoilers ahead for Contagion, book 1, of course!) and enjoyed it, but frankly, I don’t think I appreciated this series enough back then. I think Contagion and the sequel Immunity bring something special to YA’s science fiction table. I’d categorize it as crossover fiction, branching YA and adult well. I …

Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim: A Lush and Beautiful Fantasy with a Romance I Wasn’t Into

I knew this was going to be good, but I definitely did not know just how good it would be. Elizabeth Lim’s Spin the Dawn was a classic-style story with a lush and beautiful world and gorgeous prose. Featuring the classic “girl dressing as a boy” trope, a Project-Runway-esque competition, and a quest, Spin the …

Wilder Girls by Rory Power: A Sharp and Vicious Debut feat. Body Horror and Smart Subtext

Rory Power’s Wilder Girls is a sharp and biting debut full of high stakes, a vicious world, and the monsters inside teenage girls. I struggled a lot with this review because it’s so hard to accurately capture the sheer power that this novel has. It’s fierce, it’s vicious, and it’s so raw and real—I can’t …

Symptoms of a Heartbreak by Sona Charaipotra: A Bookish Playlist Guest Post & My Review of This Unique RomCom!

There's so much awesomeness in this post today (mostly because I have the wonderful Sona Charaipotra guest posting!) and I'm so excited to share it all with you! I don't want to keep you for too long, but we have a bookish playlist, my review, and tons of gushing about this YA solo debut romcom! …

The Best Lies by Sarah Lyu: A Gutting Portrayal of Toxic Friendship in a Psychological Thriller

A gutting and honest portrayal of abuse and toxic friendship, Sarah Lyu’s debut The Best Lies is a psychological thriller with an alternating timeline and strong storyline of growth. I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect when reading this, but it absolutely sucked me in. As in, I was completely engrossed in the toxic friendship …