Maia Dueck reviews Adi Denner’s YA novel, The Kiss of the Nightingale. This action-packed story filled with a whirlwind romance and quick turns will pull you in. Right when the characters reach a moment of understanding, more drama unfolds, pulling them apart or pitching Cleodora into another impossible decision. … More The Kiss of the Nightingale by Adi Denner
In this friends-to-lovers romance, Fitz delves into her complex relationships with her Jewish identity, bisexuality, and family. Set in New York city, we see Fitz concoct the ‘perfect’ plan to get back with her ex…only, when has the fake-dating trope ever turned out as expected? … More Finally Fitz by Marisa Kanter
Emilio, another Cuban kid whose family owns the bike shop across the street from La Rosa Blanca, has always been in Clary’s life. And despite Clary’s insistence that she hates him, it is evident they know each other inside and out, from what food the other likes and dislikes, inside jokes, and clever and funny banter that kept me wanting more. … More With Love, Echo Park by Laura Taylor Namey
The dynamics of Russell’s family were definitely a highlight of my reading experience. His family is very unconventional, but the scenes where they interact made me laugh and want to know more about them. Most of the scenes they appear in, they are setting up a game of Fishbowl which I would have loved to be a part of. … More The Ballad of Darcy and Russell by Morgan Matson
This book reads like a real labour of love because the amount of tropes Lukens’ manages to cram in is unreal. Trapped in a room together, sharing a bed, truth potion, sword fighting, and romantic rescue are all methods of seduction Arek tries on his friends. Through fateful happenstance, or subtle subterfuge, Arek somehow only ever manages to succeed with Matt. … More So This Is Ever After by F.T. Lukens
Amy and Christopher also have unique voices that I really enjoyed reading. Amy is a funny and idealistic activist who always dresses as if she’s going to a punk concert. Christopher is a journalist for the highschool paper and the only openly gay guy in the highschool. I loved reading how his perspective of Barcley changed as the book progressed. … More Time Out by Sean Hayes, Todd Milliner, and Carlyn Greenwald
Talk Santa to Me goes beyond a heartwarming tale; it imparts essential messages about belief, resilience, and enduring love. Francie’s journey underscores Christmas’s true essence – the gifts of hope, love, and family are far more important than material possessions. … More Talk Santa to Me by Linda Urban
The way I picture the relationship between 22-year-old Turner and 18-year-old Clementine can be explained via citrus: Turner is a rather pompous orange, while Clementine is, well, a clementine. Despite being a smaller fruit, a clementine is not inferior to its larger citrus counterpart. However, an impressionable clementine might be convinced that it should marvel at the orange’s pretense of maturity and knowledge – claims leaning on the simple fact that it is bigger. To solidify this dynamic, the pompous orange might even call the clementine “kid.” … More he called me kid by Tita M. Kyrtsakas
As a non-Muslim reader, I feel honored to have read this book and to have been invited to witness one of the most sacred traditions in Islam through Adam and Zayneb’s perspectives … More Love From Mecca to Medina by S.K. Ali
I Capture the Castle is, at its heart, a love story, but not in the way I expected it to be. Yes, there are plenty of heart flutters and first kisses, but as I mentioned above, this is not your ordinary fairy tale, and not every character gets that famed happily ever after—at least, not in the traditional sense. … More I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
YOUNG ADULTING 